She sat there staring at the peaceful pond as thoughts raced through her mind. Pondering over the things that had recently fell on her lap. A sigh exited her pink lips as she leaned on the small red bridge floating over the clear water. The warm summer breeze caressed her body and grabbed her pink locks making them dance. She linked her hands together as she put her elbows up on the red railing in front of her. She had done it, completed her fiftieth mission as an ANBU special ops at the age of sixteen. Which was an accomplishment in itself, however that was not the most surprising part. After getting back from Ame where her mission had taken place. She went to the Hokage to report and was surprisingly offered a place that was of high importance as one of the Sannin. She had been shocked at being offered this high position at her age. She was given two days to give the Hokage her answer on the matter. However it was difficult for her, even though having the position would grant her many things others would not even dream of. This position however came with a price, her part of the deal would be to leave the village for six years. She would go to lands that no one knew of, that were too dangerous to document for the normal ninja. She would have to leave her home for six years, leave everyone she cared for. However when she got back, if she got back, she would be granted the privilege of basically doing whatever she wanted. She would be able to leave the village without announcement, she would get paid without doing missions. She would have housing at places almost as large as the Uchiha compound. As well as being able to start her own clan of ninja, the Haruno clan.
There were so many things she would be granted, however she wasn't sure if she wanted to pay the price for it. Leaving her home for six or more years, abandoning the only thing she has ever known. What would her best friends think about this... what would her father think about this. More importantly, what would Uchiha Itachi think about this. She absolutely dreaded the thought of telling him, and dreaded the thought of telling him that she was considering it. She had no idea what he would do when that information was set in front of him. She had been considering just leaving without telling him, however that would be a foolish thing to do. Considering the fact that he would literally hunt her down and drag her back himself. Or worse hunt her down and demand to go with her. Sakura was driven out of her thoughts at feeling a familiar chakra signature approach. She rolled her eyes as she felt them attempt to sneak up on her. They hid behind a bush being careful to make no sound while maneuvering behind it. Sakura let an amused smile go to her face as she heard a small twig snap.
"Hello Naruto," Sakura said not bothering to turn around while she did. She heard the bush russell and a string of cusses exit Naruto's mouth as he fell to the ground exposing his position. He got up and brushed himself off with a childish pout on his face.
"Saku, how do you always know it's me?" Naruto questioned grumpily with his arms crossed over his chest. Sakura turned around with a smirk on her face as she looked at Naruto.
"Naruto, you may be a good ninja, as well as a powerhouse with all that chakra, however you lack one skill," Naruto looked at her telling her to continue. "You always forget to mask your chakra and your a bit too noisy for stealth missions." Sakura looked at Naruto as he deflated and fell to his knees on the ground groaning. Sakura rolled her eyes as a soft smile graced her face. Yes she would definitely miss her goofy, childish, best friend. Sakura turned quickly flipping out a kunai and blocking an on coming strike of a katana.
"Nice try Sasuke, but you are going to have to be a lot more skilled to sneak up on me." Sakura smirked at the sixteen year old raven haired boy in front of her. He smirked at her with a mischievous glint crossing his eyes. Sakura smiled at him and flipped out another kunai putting it behind her to block one of Naruto's attacks. "Haven't you learned your lesson yet boys, don't mess with me." Sakura smiled at the brightly letting go of her kunai and grabbing the boys wrists squeezing them and making them drop their weapons. She then propelled them forward with a pull on their wrists and jumped up avoiding the two boys collision. They rammed into each other's foreheads making them fall to the ground in agony. Meanwhile Sakura crouched, much like Kakashi on top of the railing on the small red bridge. Looking down and smiling at her two best friends as they rubbed their foreheads with pouts on their faces. Sakura let a sigh exit her pink lips as she thought back to her previous predicament.
"The hokage has offered me a position to leave the village for six years and document foreign lands alone," Sakura looked at her boys as they both stopped rubbing their foreheads and looked up at her. "I might take it." She added making surprised looks flash on the two boys faces. She stopped talking letting her words sink in as she waited for Naruto to blow up. Sure enough Naruto sprung to his feet, many different emotions flashing across his face. Instead of doing what she thought he would do he turned on his heel and walked away, red chakra spilling from his form. "Yes, he is pissed..." Sakura thought as she watched him walk away. She turned toward Sasuke who was still sitting on the ground and glaring at her.
"No," Sasuke simply said as he stood up and walked toward her. Sakura raised a brow at his answer as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're not allowed to." Sasuke looked her in the eyes completely serious about his declaration.
"How about this Sasuke, if you alone can beat me in a fight then I'll let you come with me, however this is my decision and since you are not my father nor are you the Hokage you have no say in it." Sakura looked him in the eye seeing his sharingan spinning. She smirked at realizing what he was trying to do. "Have you forgotten Sasuke, sharingan does not work on me." Sakura tilted her head in a mocking way as Sasuke glared at her. He turned on his heel muttering under his breath something that made Sakura's eyes widen.
"You wouldn't dare," She said menacingly. Sasuke turned around with a mischievous smirk on his face and before she could get to him he disappeared. She may have been stronger than him in a fight but in running away, he was definitely faster than her. Though instead of running in the opposite direction she saw him go in like she should have, she ran after him with incredible speed. Sakura ran so fast she was just a blur jumping across rooftops and dodging people on the streets. She was merely feet away from Sasuke at this point, putting everything she could into her feet. She looked ahead seeing the Uchiha compound and saw Sasuke increase his speed and go over the gate and inside the compound. Without a second thought she repeated the same and skidded to a stop inside the living room of the main house of the Uchiha compound. Looking around she saw shisui, Mikoto, Obitio, Sasuke and Itachi sitting around the multiple couches. Sasuke was standing, with a satisfied smirk on his face and at that moment Sakura knew that she was screwed. She opted for turning on her heel and trying to walk out of their house. However she was stopped by a tall raven haired teen who had what she assumed was an angry expression on his face. She was not sure, even if she had spent years on a team with Itachi, she had never really seen him visibly angry. Since it was happening now she was pretty sure he was going to kill her.
"Afternoon Tachi." Sakura bid him her usual hello as she shifted on her feet nervously. In a flash Itachi had grabbed her tightly by the arm and steered her toward and out of the door. Sakura struggled to get out of his grip whining the entire time and begging for him to let go. After ten minutes she let him drag her through town, earning them a couple of amused reactions from the townspeople, who were obviously used to this behavior from them by now. She let out a sigh as Itachi's grip did not seem to loosen one bit. He led her outside of the gates and toward a spot in the forest behind the village that they visited often. It was a large cliff that they often sat upon, it being the only private place in the village. There was a small bench on top of the flat that was the top of the cliff as well as a small garden. As soon as the trek up the cliff was over with Itachi let go of her arm and sat down his feet hanging off the edge of the cliff.
"The angry silent treatment, just great he is beyond pissed." Sakura let out a sigh of resignation as she took a seat next to him.
"I'm sorry, I was going to tell you but I guess Sasuke got to it first, Him and Naruto were pretty mad as well," Sakura explained as she looked out at the reaches beyond their small village. She turned her head toward Itachi as she heard a long sigh escape his lips.
"So you are leaving then?" Itachi questioned sadness lacing his voice.
"Considering it, but yes probably, I mean I really don't want to leave you all but I want to take this journey, I want adventure beyond assassination missions and beyond this village, It's a huge privilege to be able to do this." Sakura looked out at the land as far as her eye could see, she wanted to go beyond that. Beyond what she had seen countless times before, beyond the borders of the chartered lands. Lifting her hand and stretching it towards the sky as if she could grasp it and be taken away. A soft smile playing on her lips as she closed her eyes letting the warm breeze entangle her.
"Very well then." Itachi stood suddenly brushing himself off and turning swiftly on his heel. Sakura raised a brow at Itachi's actions and stood up as well following after Itachi. He turned his head slightly while he walked down the hill, a small smile playing at his lips. "I shall go pack my things." He declared making Sakura stop in her tracks and look after him as he left, her mouth agape and her eyes wide.
"Ehh!?" Sakura screamed after Itachi but to no avail, he ignored her and kept walking toward what she assumed was the direction of his house.