Hello! So, this is my new story. I'm not going to lie when i say that Mulan helped to inspire this story. It's something that has been bouncing around in my head for ages, and while i know i should really be working on the Leaves of Change series, i just couldn't get this out of my head. So, i've gotten the first few chapters of this story written. I'm taking a slightly, smaller approach to this then i normally do. In chapter size i mean. Instead of the monstrous long chapters i normally try to attain, im going to have them all around 3-6k words, with SOME being as long as 10k.

Summary- In a time when Kunoichi have been disbanded, its up to Sakura to fight for change. In place of her father, Sakura disguises herself as a man in order to fight for all she holds dear, an offense punishable by death. As Iwa marches on Konoha, Sakura finds herself at the training camp under the leadership of Uchiha itacha and Hatake Kakashi. Two of the most intelligent and... perceptive captains in Konoha. Will she be able to keep her secret and fight for Konoha? Or will she be found out? AU and Non-massacre. Pairing is Itachi/Sakura.

All in all, i hope you enjoy this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Sadly.

Taking over this town, they should worry,
But these problems aside I think I taught you well.
That we won't run, and we won't run, and we won't run.
That we won't run, and we won't run, and we won't run.

It was recommended to me many times throughout the years to make a memoir of sorts. A memoir entailing the role I, a mere woman, played in the Great Rock War. While the significance may not seem apparent in the younger generations, the older ones, and even the ones a decade or so younger than mine can understand.

Women were not always allowed to fight for our great country, for about fifty years women were banned from the battlefield. We were labeled as a weak distraction by the Konoha Elders, who were able to outvote two different Hokage's on the matter. During the time of my birth, women had only two options to help the shinobi forces. One was to marry a ninja, and help provide as many male heirs as possible. A role in which many women took pride in, after-all, who wouldn't be glad to help provide your country a new generation of soldiers? Other women, especially the ones with high levels of chakra control, were encouraged to become Medic-nins.

The name itself was a joke. We were not ninja, not in the sense many of us wished to be at least. Instead we were trained only to heal and dodge. We would set up at camps and villages close to the battles and wait for the injured to come to us. It was a waste of time, and talent. The sexism of our regime kept Konoha from gaining the undiscovered talents that hundreds of our village women had. Not only did it deprive the village of potential shinobi, but the medic's inability to heal our men on the battle field left our men unnecessarily vulnerable.

The third Hokage fought the decision, when he was still just a jounin sensei. So did the Second Hokage. They both lost, and as a result my teacher, Tsunade-hime was stripped of her genin status only a few months after her academy graduation. Years later, the Fourth Hokage also fought it, but he failed as well. Kunoichi of all ages and ranks were stripped of their status and told to go live as civilians from then on. It was described to me as one of the most devastating times for all women of Konoha. Tsunade had to watch her teammates grow up to be legendary ninja, while she was trapped in the village as a medic. Not that she wasn't amazing in her own right… Tsunade became the head medic-nin in all of Konoha, and one of the best medics in all our known world. But secretly, she continued to train with her sensei and team mates. She was unofficially one of Konoha's best unknown ninja, something she encouraged other women to be. She began training women, who trained other women, who trained other young girls, in the lost art of being a kunoichi.

That is how my story comes into play. When I was a child, I used to play with my two friends Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha. They both lived in the Uchiha complex down the road from me, and they both were enrolled in the Shinobi Academy. My obsession with becoming a shinobi started the first time I saw them throwing weapons after school one day. Over the years, I would borrow their textbooks, and even do training exercises with them. Something we continued to do in secret even after Sasuke's older brother caught us and forbid them from encouraging me anymore.

Over the years, I met others who trained in secret like me. My best friend Ino, whose father would teach her in between her shifts at the flower shop and medic training. Girls like Tenten, who were worthless at medical jutsus but amazingly talented in other ways. Even meek girls like Hinata, who would never gain her rightful place as clan leader due to her gender.

When I was thirteen, I was approached by Tsunade to become her apprentice. It was the biggest honor I'd ever had in my life. She had apparently heard good things about me from her other apprentice Shizune. From then on I trained with her in the art of Medical Ninjutsu. But that was only what the council knew of. Secretly, she trained me in everything she knew, turning me into a formidable kunoichi.

Living and practicing our skills in secret was all most of us, as women knew. On the surface, we were store owners, waitresses, medics, nurses, wives, mothers, sisters... Underneath of it, we were what we considered Konoha's last option. If we were ever invaded, we would fight, we would protect our home, consequences aside.

Everything was as it had been my whole life, until Iwa invaded the northern border of grass country, sending warning of their intention to invade Fire country. The Sandaime ordered that all current shinobi, half of all the able bodied shinobi clansmen, as well as at least one male from each of the old fire clans report for battle. All men jounin level and up were immediately sent to different units as captains and lieutenants. All shinobi, genin and chuunin were to be sent to different training camps depending on age and skill level. Civillian men who wished to fight in ground troop forces were sent to their own boot camps.

It was dangerous, what we did. We knew we faced death, and not just from the battlefield. It didn't matter though. Protecting our homes and our families was the most important thing to us. So, we did the unthinkable.

Konoha –Spring

"By order of the esteemed Sandaime Hokage, it is hereby stated that all Jounin ranked shinobi of Konohagakure no sato should report to the Hokage tower tomorrow morning, this March sixteenth at 0600 hours. It is also stated that half the men from every shinobi clan, all ranks, report to the desks set up inside the Hokage tower for deployment assignments by no later than Sunday the twenty-second of March at 1600 hours. The decision of who may stay behind to protect the village, and those who go to battle lands upon the head of each clan unless otherwise obliged to duty by the Jounin act previously stated. All Chuunin and Genin level shinobi are to check the roster posted on the second floor of the Hokages building for their boot camp and platoon assignments. It is also stated, by this order from the Hokage that at least one male from all of Fire countries old clans be ordered into battle. All men should report to the Hokage himself for their specific platoon and/or boot camp assignment by no later than March twenty-second. These clans are as follows, Haruno, Ito, Kimura, Lei, Nakamura, Narita, Sasaki, Takahashi, Tanaka, Yamazaki, and Yip. Esteemed old clansmen please step forward and collect your draft scrolls now. Able bodied Civillian men are encouraged to join the Konoha Military force, the information for which can be found at the Uchiha Police Force station. The enemy is upon us! But fire country is strong! We have fought greater foes and always come out victorious!..."

A short head of long pink hair tried to make her way through the grim crowd assembled around the special jounin.

"Excuse me. Pardon me." Sakura apologized many times as she made her way to the front desk.

"Yes?" said the chuunin at the desk. "How can I help you miss?" His brown hair fell over one eye, as a flirtatious smile filled his face.

"My names Haruno Sakura, I'm to retrieve my family's draft scroll" she said politely.

"The great Satoshi's daughter? I assume you brother will be answering the draft?" he questioned with a melting smile.

Inwardly Sakura scoffed, she knew this man, even his flirtatious smile could not hide the sexism that oozed from every pour of his body.

"No sir, I am Satoshi's only child. His wife is pregnant currently, but whether or not the child will be a male or not won't be much help to us at this point." She said quickly.

"What a shame. I assume one of your cousins then?"

"Probably not. The only male cousins we have live in a small village on the Eastern side of Fire."

"Well then, let's hope one of them steps up for your father. I hear he was greatly injured in the last war."

"He was." Sakura cut. This chuunin was annoying. A typical male specimen of Konoha's younger, more biased generations. To point out her fathers "shame" for having only her as a daughter was a cheap blow.

"We can only hope. After all we wouldn't want to bring shame to my clan. "

"Indeed." He said while handing her the scroll. "Good luck"

"Yeah, I'll need it." Sakura mumbled while walking away, fingers white from clutching the scroll.

It was late afternoon, the cherry blossom trees were blooming and children were running through the village smiling and laughing. The only thing that showed how untypical of a spring time Konoha afternoon this day was was the gloom that seemed to hang over every adults head. Faces were grim, eyebrows were furrowed with worry. Everywhere Sakura walked she could hear whispers about Iwa's march towards Konoha.

Sakura sighed. War was approaching, the second one she'd lived through. Though, this was the first one she'd have to sit through as an adult, as a woman, powerless to even fight for her country she held so dear to her heart.

It wasn't that Sakura was powerless. Quite the opposite, actually. Sakura, like many other women in the village trained in secrecy. She knew she was Chuunin level for sure in her shinobi skills, and that wasn't even including her vast array of medical ninjutsu. No, Sakura was "powerless" because of her sex. Women were prized in Konoha, that much was true. But they held little importance to anything outside of domestic purposes. Women were to be cared for, cherished, and held on a little shelf like some porcelain doll to cook, clean, and bear children for the important men in their life.

It sickened Sakura. There had been many times throughout her life she wished she had been born a son, a son that could have made her Father proud. Beyond that wish, was the wish she could have been born around the time the village was founded. Back then, women were equal to men, women could fight alongside as men as kunoichi. Unfortunately, the war between Sand and Leaf resulted in too many deaths among Kunoichi. Sand used the women as bait for the Shinobi, a tactic that was extremely effective. Konoha won, but barely. Over eighty percent of Konoha's kunoichi were lost in that war, and a good chunk of the surviving Kunoichi were too physically and emotionally scarred to ever go back to missions. The Elders outvoted the Second Hokage and banned all women from fighting as Kunoichi ever again. The Third Hokage was never happy with the fact that Kunoichi were disbanded, and The Fourth fought for womens rights to battle, but when it was brought up for a vote among the Elders and Clan heads, the vote lost.

A cool breeze blew past Sakura as she drifted along the path towards her family's home. As she approached the gate, old and tall, covered in climbing ivy, with cherry blossom trees on either side, she found herself being hit by a wave of nostalgia. There was a time when she would run through the gardens with her cousins, laughing and playing under her mother's watchful eye.

"Kaasan" Sakura thought. Her beautiful mother. With hair the color of the deepest rose, and eyes that shone like pure amethyst. Her mother was truly beautiful, and everything she wasn't. While Sakura held her mother's petite lithe form, she seemed to lack the grace that flowed through her mother like water through a quiet brook. Her mother was soft spoken, and mild mannered. Sakura on the other hand was loud, quick tempered, and much like her father in personality. Her mother had a cunning, quick wit to her that Sakura could never try to emulate. Her mother was also confident, a true lady who knew exactly where she stood in life. Sakura on the other hand was just a young woman who was uncomfortable in her own skin.

As Sakura started to come towards the family shrine she veered towards it. Passing behind it, she entered the more quiet area of her property, the family cemetery.

Ancestors, old and recent, laid here for decades. All bearing the Haruno name. Grandparents, Uncles, even cousins all were here. Sakura passed a few of her favourite, the ones of old kunoichi, with epitaphs of honor on their markers, all praising them for their service to their country, village, and clan.

She came up to the most familiar one she knew, the one of her mother.

"Haruno Sakiko. Beloved wife and mother."

Sakura kneeled upon the grave and rearranged the flowers. Every morning, without fail for the past nine years, Sakura would visit her mother's grave and say a prayer. After nearly a decade she still missed her mother's touch, her voice, her laugh. She would give anything to lay her head in her mother's lap and hear her lullaby, to sit at the foot of her bed and feel her mother brush her long hair.

"Kaasan," She spoke. "I'm frightened. Iwa is marching towards Konoha, and war is almost certain…" She trailed off, he throat constricting with the stress her heart felt. "The Hokage has issued a draft again. Just like last time. Unless one of our family from the East steps up, Chichi-ue will have to fight again. He just can't mama!" Sakura raised her voice with emotion.

"Papa was already injured so badly in the last war, he is weak and his back hurts him all the time, even with Tsunade-shishou's work. The damage to his spine was too severe, and it healed all wrong. We thought he would get better, but he never truly did. Plus, his new wife will be having a baby this fall… he can't just leave her now! Ojisans are all too old to for battles and their sons are all too cowardly. They would gladly all step aside and let father die then do what it right mama!" At this point Sakura had to stop and control her breathing. Getting hysterical wasn't going to solve anything, and if Sakura was going to put her analytical mind to any use she was going to have to stay calm.

"I just don't know what to do kaasan… I wish there was something I could do, I wish I could go in his place… I love you kaasan. I'll come back and see you."

Sakura's eyes trailed to the small grave next to her mothers, it was older, laid about twenty years before. The name on the tiny head stone read "Haruno Shoichi". It was the grave of her older brother, the only sibling Sakura had ever had. He had died at birth, almost taking his mother with him.

She had heard from the gardener that her father had been utterly devastated when he lost his only son. The whole family had put all their hopes into Sakiko's second pregnancy, only to be very disappointed when Sakura was born. Sakura had no doubts in her mind that had her mother's second childbirth not yielded the same disastrous complications the first one had, which left her barren to anymore children, her parents would have continued until a son was born.

"He may just get his wish." She thought with a foul taste in her mouth.

Her father, a man in his mid-fifties, had two years prior taken a young bride just nine years older than Sakura. Masami was her name, and she was a quiet, boring sort of woman. Sakura couldn't deny her beauty though. She had that classic sort of look. Long, straight black hair, small almond shape black eyes, and a voluptuous body on top of that. She and Sakura rarely conversed, and if they did it was small talk over family affairs. There was no real dislike between them. Masami was probably just too shy to approach Sakura to truly get to know her.

Sakura felt for Masami, she truly did. Her father and Masami's marriage was arranged by Masami's father and her own. Satoshi had decided that he had grieved his wife's death long enough. That even though she was his only love, he still had a duty to his clan to produce an heir. So, when Sakura was fifteen, he made an announcement that the head of the Haruno clan was seeking out a new wife. Many families came forward in the hope that their daughters would be seen as fit, each offering large dowry's.

To Sakura's shock, her father did not choose the ones with the largest offers, nor did he choose the ones that came from highly fertile lineage. Instead, he chose Masami, who came from a modest family of weapon merchants. By modest, they were the top selling weapon supplier to the shinobi of Konoha. The Lei family.

Masami was a distant cousin of Sakura's friend Tenten, and the third daughter of the family's head.

And, to her family's great joy, she was now entering her second trimester of pregnancy complication free.

The thought of pregnancies and children began to make Sakura's head fill with all sorts of unpleasant thoughts. Recently her father had been pressuring her to spend more time with Masami, and learn how to act like a proper lady and wife. Ever since her mother had died he had begun to steer her away from her friendships with boys, saying it was unladylike to run around playing ninja with the academy boys.

He had put her in etiquette lessons, dance, music, and art. He had barely supported her when she had been drafted into the medic-nin academy at twelve, but had quickly retracted his earlier displeasure when he had seen her grow close friendships with other girls her age.

Now that she was seventeen, she was a year over the marriageable age for a young woman in Konoha. Ever since her birthday he had been trying to groom her, and make her more presentable to the other clan heads in the hope that a suitable male would ask for her hand in marriage.

So far, there had been no luck.

Which, was something Sakura secretly found pleasure in. As much as Sakura wished to uphold her duty to her family, she did not want to be tied down to an unhappy marriage. She did not want to start birthing children as soon as she was married. Sakura was a dreamer, and he dreams consisted of battles, bloodshed, and victory on the battlefield. She wanted to become a world famous medic-nin and come up with medical justsu's as amazing as her shishou.

Unfortunately Sakura knew that she would never become a true Kunoichi, and she was somewhat resigned to the fate that she would be married soon, whether she liked it or not.

As Sakura began to walk towards her family home she looked down at the scroll in her hands wistfully.

"If only I was a son" She thought with a sigh.

Authors Note: Well there you have it! The first chapter. I know it's short and somewhat slow, but i had to end it there for the next chapter to start where it does. :) I'll post the next chapter soon. Seeing as it is already done.

Let me know what you think!

~Laurie