Disclaimer: I don't own any Naruto characters just the plot.
Summary: Sakura leaves the village to become stronger, only leaving behind a note and some old memories, when she finally returns what will everyone think?
A/N: Bold and Italics means peoples thoughts
I Did It For You
By Fuzzie
Sakura awoke to the loud noise of her blonde haired team mate, he was already ushering her out of bed to get ready for practice.
"Come on Sakura-chan were going to be late for practice!" Naruto said from her window sill. It took all of Sakura's will not to hit Naruto to get him to leave and let her get back to sleep.
"I'm getting up, just hold on." Sakura said as she crawled out of bed and into her bathroom to get ready for her day of training.
One hour later Sakura and Naruto were heading off into the field where they met up with Kakashi and Sasuke.
"Sorry Kakashi-Sensei i slept in." Sakura said she knew it was bad if Kakashi had gotten to practice before you had.
"Ok today we are just going to practice some hand to hand sparring. Sasuke you go against Sakura and remember no jutsu's." Kakashi said. The two went over to the middle of the field and began to spar. In less than five minutes Sakura was pinned to the floor by Sasuke.
"Geesh Sakura someone would think you weren't practicing if they saw you like this, you haven't improved at all." Sasuke said while getting off of her. Kakashi then instructed Naruto and Sasuke to fight, this time Sasuke activated his sharingon, which he didn't do when he was sparing Sakura. Sakura just sat down against a tree and thought about what Sasuke had said. Why is it no matter how hard i train i can never improve. Before Sakura new it practice was over and everyone was going their own ways back to their homes. Sakura decided to take another route and watch other teams practice. She first watched team eight practice, they all seemed to be improving, especially Hinata. She could easily beat Kiba or Shino, and it wasn't because the boys were weak she had just gotten very strong. She then continued down her path and came across team 10. Well at least Ino hasn't improved any at least I'm not the only one. Sakura thought to herself as she watched them. She was surprised to see Ino do a jutsu she had never seen her do before and it was amazing. She had so much speed and precision. She was sparing with her Sensei Asuma and seemed to be giving him a run for his money. Chouji seemed to be getting a better grasp on his jutsus, it was scary at how much everyone was improving and she was just being left behind. Sakura was about to head home when she head lee and Neji arguing, most likely about something dumb. She watched the group from afar watching lee with his speed, Neji with his keen vision and Tenten with her precision.
"Why are you watching us."
Sakura was pulled from her day dream and noticed that Neji was looking right at her.
"Oh i um. I was just walking by and um I just wanted to watch you guys train for a little." Sakura said while blushing. She had a small crush on the Hyuuga, but would never admit to it. Neji just gave her an annoyed look and walked off. They seemed to be heading back to their homes so Sakura figured it was probably time to head home, she had a lot to think over.
When she reached her bedroom she sat on her bed and thought for a while. There has to be some way to become stronger, everyone else seems to be improving but me. Maybe it would be best if i left for a little while. Maybe if i train on my own and learn to do for myself and on my own i will improve my abilities. Sakura had made up her mind, she was going to leave Konoha, to become stronger, not just for herself but to get a certain someone to acknowledge her.
Dear All My Friends,
I have come to the conclusion that i need
to leave Konoha for a little while. I don't know how long i will be gone,
but please do not worry. I love you all so much
and i will return home soon.
Love Always,
Sakura.
Sakura posted the note on her window where she knew Naruto would find it first when he came to wake her up like he did every morning. She teared up a bit thinking that she would be leaving Naruto and all her friends but put on a smile to become stronger for them, so she wouldn't be the one to be always protected, but be the one to do the protecting.
Sakura headed down the path, the only path to leave Konoha and left the gate with one final look and one final good bye. I'm going to have to make a lot of space between Konoha and I tonight, if i don't they will surely find me and bring me back before i accomplish anything. Sakura set off into the forest and quick pace towards the Wind Country. After about an hour of running she took her first break under a tree and decided to take a quick nap. She was soon awoken when she felt the presence of another person sitting across from her. Sakura immediately got into a defensive stance.
"Who are you and why are you watching me." Sakura yelled
"Your not a very good shinobi are you? I could have already killed you if i wanted to so you can relax." The mysterious stranger said, but Sakura didn't drop her guard.
"Who are you." Sakura yelled again.
"Call me Miko, for now and as i said before relax I'm not going to hurt you." He said, but Sakura didn't budge from her position. "Look." he said as her emptied his pockets and patted himself down. "No weapons, nothing just relax. Sakura eventually did drop her defensive position and sat across from him just staring at him as if expecting him to attack at any moment.
"So why are you out here by yourself, Konoha doesn't usually send their shinobi out alone this close to wind country. Are you a rouge nin?" He asked his curiosity getting the better of him.
"No, well i guess i am, i left only leaving a note." Sakura said she wasn't sure why she has telling him any of this, but he made her feel comfortable around him. "As for the reason i left, well i guess i thought that being out here by myself would teach me things, make me stronger." Sakura said with a small smile.
"Well its a good thing that you ran into me then!" Miko said with quite a lot of enthusiasm.
"Explain, My plan was to be out here by myself, and learn by myself."
"Well as we already found out, your not a very good nin. If i was evil, you would already be dead, but i understand you wanting to do this by yourself. So that is why i have decided to help you but not help you." Miko replied
"Ok, keep on explaining, how are you going to help me but not help and why are you even helping me to begin with." Sakura asked
"To the first question i think what I'm going to do is give you mini missions that you have to complete on your own. As for the other question I guess I'm helping you because you remind me of someone." Miko said, making Sakura get a bit excited.
"mini missions, hmm, sounds like fun." Sakura said.
"Ok good lets start now. Get to wind country and once you get their go to the first village and meet me there in less than two hours. If you don't complete the mission then i will go to your old village and tell them where you are and they will come get you and drag you back and coming out here would have been a big waste of time." Miko said with a giant smile.
"Ok so-" Sakura started but stopped when Miko poofed away. So he is a shinobi, i wonder what village he is from. Sakura thought before she ran off. Normally it would take Sakura a good half a day to get to wind country from here, but she would get there in less than two hours if it killed her. I should be able to make it if i don't take any breaks. Sakura was running through the forest and thought this would be easy when she saw kunai flying towards her at the corner of her eye. She barely had enough time to dodge.
"Your not going to make this easy on me are you Miko" Sakura said when she saw him try and hide behind a tree.
"Of course not your going to learn, might as well do it the right way." Sakura just rolled her eyes and continued to try and dodge kunai. She knew she couldn't stay and fight if she wanted to make it to wind country in less than two hours. She continued running and then threw a kunai with an explosive tag on it behind her making it explode around him cause smoke to form around his face hindering his vision. Sakura then used a clone jutsu and ran off into different directions.
"Pretty good. For now ill leave you alone. Better hurry to wind country though." Miko said and then disappeared with a poof.
One hour and forty five minutes later Sakura stumbled into the first village she found in Wind Country.
"I'm surprised you made it." Miko said while sitting at a food stand eating some curry. "Come on now we are going to spar." Sakura sighed and began to complain. "I'm exhausted i just ran for two hours straight." Sakura yelled when Miko threw a kunai at her and it cut her face and some of her hair.
"See if you weren't busy complaining you wouldn't have gotten hit, your lucky i didn't make that a fatal attack. Sakura then tried her hardest and sparred with him, and he of course won. They continued this routine day after day. He would make her do some grueling task and then make her spar right after that task. Sakura seemed to be gradually strengthening, but she wasn't improving all that much for the amount of practice she did. Every day she would complete the task but would never beat Miko.
One day after sparring with Miko Sakura was walking to find an inn to stay in for the night when she felt a stranger begin to follow her.
"Who ever you are if you are going to follow me at least show yourself." Sakura yelled and figure came out of the shadows to reveal non other than Uchiha Itachi. Sakura immediately went into her fighting stance and they began fighting. Sakura would try and hit him but he could easily see and predict all of her attacks. Every time he would attack he would always make a direct hit. Sakura cried out in pain as he hit her in the stomach and she began to cough up blood. She wiped the blood from her mouth and went at him again, still not making any hits. Sakura was now out of chakra and barely had enough energy to stand let alone fight. Itachi hit her one more time hitting her heart. She then fell to her knees and everything went black around her.
Sakura awoke a couple days later with Miko staring down at her.
"You really got trashed on pretty bad." Was all he said.
"God damn it I'm training I'm sparring I'm practicing, I'm doing everything and I'm not getting any better why cant i improve." Sakura yelled while hitting the bed with her fists.
"The only thing i can think of is I'm not pushing you enough. Are you ready to really do this, risk your life every day training. I think that only then will you improve." Miko said and Sakura agreed.
The next day they were out once again, he sent her on an usually easy first part mission for once. She saved most of her chakra and energy for the sparring. When she met up with Miko again all he said was are you ready?
"Yeah come at me with everything you have." Sakura said. Miko came at her every move he made, if he made a direct hit it would most likely kill her. Sakura was starting to be able to predict his attack style and then began to move when he moved.
"Your speed is improving." Miko said
"It should be I'm fighting for my life here." Sakura replied.
The missions continued on this way. This training was working, her speed was improving, she made her attacks more deadly more lethal. She wasn't afraid to hurt Miko she wasn't afraid to kill him. Sakura was learning how to better control her chakra and now had the strength of the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. She developed new jutsu's and mastered the fire element chakra. Sakura had finally improved herself it took her almost a year to do it but she did it.
"Ok Miko, today is the day i beat you." Sakura said with a smile.
"Well see come on Sakura give me everything your have." Miko replied. Sakura went after him and he quickly dodged. He thought he saw an opening but Sakura had left the opening for him to attack there, so she could dodge and hit him before he could hit her back. In a matter of ten minutes Sakura had Miko pinned with a kunai placed directly over his heart.
"I think your ready to go back to Konoha." Miko said. Sakura jumped up in excitement and ran up to Miko and gave him a hug.
"Thank you so much Miko, i couldn't have done it without you." Sakura said. The two friends then went out to have a celebratory dinner, and later that night Sakura set off for Konoha. She was on her way home and decided to take a break and rest under the same tree where she first met Miko. She had her eyes closed and one would think that she was completely unaware of her surroundings. A shuriken seemed to be coming from a near by tree closing in with her neck. As the shuriken neared Sakura stuck her hand out and grabbed it, then opened her eyes.
"Come on out Itachi. I can sense your chakra." Sakura yelled while throwing shuriken back in his general direction. He came out from the tree and jumped down in front of her.
"Ive seen how much you've improved, i don't think it would be smart to let you go back to Konoha. Besides its not like they want you there. Ever wonder why they didn't come looking for you." Itachi said in a cold monotone voice.
"I was hoping i would get to meet up with you i wanted to bring Sasuke back a present. He is after all like a brother to me now." Sakura said with a smirk. They fought for what seemed like hours. She got some hits in, as did he. At this point he was tired of this little game they were playing and he activated his Mangekyou sharingon. Sakura watched his feet as they fought, and was careful not to look into his eyes. She continued to watch his feet and noticed that they went in a similar pattern every time he attacked. Thats when she spotted to flaw in his attacks. She jumped on this opportunity and knocked him off balance in what seemed like a blink of an eye. She dug a kunai into his heart making him cough up blood, splattering it on her face and all across his face. He seemed to still be breathing, but he seemed to be having a slow painful death. Sakura then took his head band off of him and placed it in her pocket and wiped the blood from her face.
The next day she continued on her way home back to Konoha, but she stopped in a village before Konoha and decided to surprise everyone with a new outfit. She bought a black top that showed a bit of her stomach and would wear fishnet underneath it. She also bought some baby pink cargo capris and new black sandals. After she was done shopping and changing she finally headed back to Konoha, it would only be a twenty minutes till she saw everyone if she ran quickly. Sakura ran as fast as she could loving the feeling of the wind hitting her face, after all she was going to see him after all this time. Sakura stepped into the gates of Konoha and was greeted by guards, when they saw her headband they let her in immediately. Hmm its two o clock if I'm correct team Kakashi should be training right now if they aren't on a mission. So Sakura went to their usual training spot and smiled slightly when she saw her old team once again for the first time. Sasuke and Kakashi were facing her so they saw her immediately and were about to wave and say hi and come greet her when she put her fingers to her lips to quiet them as to not let Naruto see that she was back yet, but Naruto saw that Sasuke was looking past him and turned around to see what he was looking at, Sasuke figured her surprise attack was foiled here when Naruto started to turn, but she quickly hid. Wow Sakura has defiantly improved with her speed and reaction time. Sasuke thought to himself.
"What are you looking at Sasuke." Naruto asked.
"Nothing, come on lets spar." Sasuke said and they both got into their fighting positions. It probably isn't smart for Sakura to sneak up on Naruto when he was about to fight, he would probably accidentally hurt her. Kakashi was getting ready to grab Naruto's fist if he tried to attack. Sakura was tip toeing up closer behind Naruto until she finally came up behind him and grabbed him by his shoulder and said hey in his ear. Naruto who was of course in his fighting mode went to attack and was inches away from hitting her when Sakura grabbed his fist.
"I come back and the first thing you do is try and hit me!." Sakura yelled while hitting him across the head.
"SAKURA-CHAN!" Naruto yelled and jumped on her. "Your back! I knew you would come back Tsunade, wouldn't let me come make you come back she said you would come back on your own, but your back i missed you Sakura-chan" Naruto said while still hugging her.
"Nice to see you two Naruto." Sakura said with a small smile.
"So did you do what you left to do?" Sasuke asked giving her his trademark smirk.
"Yepp I did." Sakura said with a big smile.
"Well come on lets spar, lets see if you really have improved any." Sasuke said getting into his fighting stance once again. Unknown to Sakura, because of all the noise they were causing team Gai had came over to check if everything was ok.
"Sasuke and Sakura were fighting, after the first couple of hits Sakura got in, Sasuke knew he had to activate his sharingon. It still wasn't enough, his eyes could keep up, but his body couldn't Sakura was getting in hit after hit, it wasn't long before Sakura had Sasuke pinned with a kunai over his neck.
"Looks like i win." Sakura said with a smile and got off of him. " Oh yeah before i forget here." Sakura said as she reached into her pocked and pulled out Itachi's headband. "I know you wanted to kill him and all but he was really pissing me off so i went ahead and killed him for you, i hope your not to mad." Sasuke was to shocked to say anything. Thats when he realized if he beat Itachi, Sakura wasn't showing all her power, she was defiantly holding back when she fought him. Sakura then noticed that team Gai was watching them.
"Why are you watching us." Sakura asked looking directly at Neji, remembering the same words he had said to her almost a year ago.
"Looks like you've been training, Sakura. I'm impressed." Neji said and then started to walk away.
A/N: So this was originally supposed to be a one shot but I'm going to continue this for like two or three more chapters, sorry not really any Neji x Sakura in this chapter, but the next one there will be tons. Review please
-Fuzzie
