Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto! Not in any way, shape, or form. I let Kishimoto do all of the work, so I can lay around and read!
Author's note: time frame- after time skip to shippuden, but before the fourth shinobi war. So Sakura is 16.
"Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?"
― Garth Nix
Chapter 1
The Simple Mission
-o-O-o-
"It is a simple mission Sakura, so I expect you back in about a week", the Godaime continued to explain to her apprentice. "Just cure the fire Daimyo's son and return...knowing those upper class nobles it's probably just a minor cold."
"Hai shishou!" Sakura responded from her standing position in front of the hokages desk.
"Dismissed", the Godaime said to signal the end of the mission debriefing.
Sakura turned and began exiting the Hokages office leaving her shishou behind. As she departed she could distinctly hear her shishou mumbling something about sake, Shizune, and Genma.
Sakura knew with utmost certainty that Tsunade was going to take full advantage of Shizunes absence to get completely wasted. Shizune had arranged Tsunades appointment schedule for today so that she could enjoy some free time with Genma.
Normally Sakura would stick around and stop her shishou...but she had a mission to leave for in under two hours. So, she just carried on walking out of the hokage tower mentally saying an apology and pitying poor Shizune.
-O-o-O-
"Sakura-chan!" a familiar knucklehead blonde yelled in greeting to his teammate from a very familiar ramen stand, while next to him sat their old sensei.
"Hey, Naruto!" the greeting was returned followed by an "Ohayo Kakashi-sensei" as Sakura approached the two seated men.
"Hey Sakura-chan what are you up too? You want to join me and Kakashi-sensei for some ramen?" asked the hyper active, blonde ninja, known as Naruto Uzumaki, with said ramen making appearances as he talked.
"Naruto...nevermind. As much as I want to waste my time arguing with you about the importance of eating other things besides just ramen, as well as, the possibility of choking due to eating and talking at the same time...I can't. I'm about to head out on a mission"
Naruto almost seemed to pout at what Sakura said. "Wahhh! You get to go on a mission? How come?! I just asked Baa-chan for a mission and she said there weren't any available, yet she had one to give you! Why do you get one?" the blonde complained.
"Baka! I didn't ask for the mission and the only reason this one wasn't given to you is probably because it can only be done by a medic-nin! So stop whining and don't bother shishou"Sakura huffed. She loved Narutos enthusiastic exhuberance for life, but sometimes he could just get so annoying when it comes to his constant demands for missions.
Naruto just pouted and started to whine again. "But Sakura-chan..."
Suddenly Naruto was sent sailing out of the Ichiraku ramen stand to land in a heap on the road. Sakura was standing poised by the entrance with a smoking fist and a vein bulging in her forehead.
"My old student has become so scary...I fear she will be scarier than Tsunade-hime in no time" came from behind the pinkette. Sakura turned to her old sensei ,whose face was buried in a disturbingly familiar orange book. "Poor Naruto...Did you have to hit him so hard Sakura? One day you will end up giving him brain damage." Kakashi casually stated while his face remained pressed against his precious porn.
"He is already brain damaged." responded the kunoichi.
"Hey!" came an indignant shout from the black and orange heap lying on the ground.
"Ok, I've wasted too much time talking to you idiots. I have to get ready and leave for a mission right now. Kakashi-sensei you are in charge of my apartment while I'm gone. Don't argue...you owe me for taking care of the mess that you left your apartment in when you went on your last mission. And I should only be gone for a week." the pinkette said to her sensei.
"Mess? Me?...My apartments never a mess..." said her sensei with fake innocence and obliviousness.
Sakura just gave her sensei a pointed look followed by an eye roll and stated, "I'll be back in a week. My apartment better still be standing..." with that she continued her journey to said apartment.
