The Disappearance of Haruno Sakura
By Chemicalisation
The First Chapter
It was twilight when Shizune finally found the time to go through the roster of shinobi with Kakashi. Ideally this task should have been done in the morning but Kakashi, as per usual, had been late. The life of Hokage had not changed him. The work which should have been done had been pushed to later in the day and with the hectic routine of the Hokage, it meant that tasks were usually scheduled and rescheduled again and again until a minuscule of time was squeezed out to deal with it.
Shizune knocked on the door and walked in. Kakashi sat at his desk fiddling with paperwork. But Shizune was not so obtuse so as to miss the flash of orange as she walked in. She smirked before morphing it into a scowl. Tsunade sama had coped with alcohol. Kakashi coped with his orange books. Not much had changed.
"Hokage sama," said Shizune, enjoying watching Kakashi's eyes widen at the sight of her scowl. "If you were free, you could have told me. I would have come earlier."
"Ah well, I was just doing some paperwork," said Kakashi, sheepishly. "I was just going over the treaty with Kumogakure. Just last minute changes to the proposal!"
Shizune snorted. "Of course, Hokage sama. If you have time then shall we go over the roster of the shinobi? Missions have to be assigned tomorrow first thing. You should be there exactly at 8 am unlike the last time when all the shinobi spent half a day waiting for you."
With that Shizune pulled out her list with all the names of shinobi who were currently available in the village and those who were expected to return soon. Over the next hour, she and Kakashi went over the upcoming missions to allocate to the shinobi available.
"There is this A-Rank mission in the land of Wave," Shizune noted, flipping through her folder. "Apparently there is an up and coming criminal organization which is working actively extort petroleum producers. According to the last report, they have recruited a number of missing-nin as well. This mission will be long one. Possibly three to four months. What do you think?"
"We should accept it. Send message for acceptance by tonight saying that the team of three will arrive by next week." Kakashi stretched back into his chair. "An Aburame for infiltration and someone from the Nara clan to plan this down to details."
"I'll look into it and give you the names by morning." Shizune scribbled it down on her notepad. "What about the third member?"
"Possibly a medic," Kakashi mused. He sat up. "Is Sakura back yet? This would be a good experience for her."
"Ah. She was supposed expected to return by yesterday. But she hasn't so. Her mission B-Rank. It shouldn't have given her much trouble." Shizune chewed her bottom lip. Kakashi followed the movement. "I expect she will return soon enough. Something probably tied her up."
Kakashi nodded. "I expect so." He smiled at Shizune, his eyes crinkling. "Shizune san, please recommend another medic for this mission. Someone who is capable of handling the mission of this caliber."
Shizune nodded and continued with her list.
Shizune slowly chewed her food while Tsunade sat opposite her on the table beside the window. The restaurant had just recently opened and everyone was raving about it. Shizune knew that after Tsunade's retirement it was rare for her to go out during the day. So Shizune and Sakura had made it their mission to get Tsunade out of the door as much as possible.
"Well," Tsunade pursued, a questioning look on her face. "Have you thought about it?"
Shizune set down her chopsticks and clasped her hands. "I don't feel like it right now."
Tsunade drummed her fingers impatiently against the table. "You should. You are still young and strong."
"Yes, but.." Shizune stared down at her ramen. Why wasn't Sakura here? She would say a mediating remark, diffuse the tension and gracefully change the topic. "I feel that I am better valued at the hospital and by Hokage sama."
Tsunade frowned. "You are an assistant. Anybody can be an assistant."
Shizune winced. "Is that what you think? That its a nobody's job?" she said, trying to stop the hurt from showing in her voice.
"No, of course not. Its a position of great trust." Tsunade picked up her cup of sake. "You know how I feel about this. I think you should challenge yourself. You can't do that stuck in a room."
"I don't know if Hokage sama can spare me," Shizune murmured.
Tsunade took a drink from her cup and put it back down on the table. "Make him spare you. Train someone to take care of your duties when you are not there. Being stuck in an office isn't the best use of your capabilities."
"Yes, yes I know," Shizune sighed. One could only have this conversation so many times. "Maybe Sakura can help me out with assistant duties," she said halfheartedly, mixing the noodles in her bowl.
She look up only to see a dark scowl on Tsunade's face. "What? What wrong?" Shizune sat up, alarmed.
"Don't pull Sakura into this job of you of yours," said Tsunade, shoving a finger in Shizune's face. "She has her own life to live."
"If she doesn't want to then she can simply say so," grumbled Shizune. "You are overthinking this!"
"You know what I think?" said Tsunade, resting her hand under her chin. "You do not want to go out in the field."
"You know what I think?" Shizune responded tartly. "I think that you have too much free time on your hands."
Tsunade huffed and sat back into her chair, crossing her arms as she did so. "Well, I can't force you to do something that you don't like."
Shizune didn't respond and instead poked her food with her chopsticks.
Tsunade sighed. "Is Sakura back yet?"
Shizune shook her head. "She was supposed to be back three days ago but she hasn't arrived yet. Its a simple B-Rank mission. Not a turbulent area. Hokage sama isn't worried and neither am I!" She looked at Tsunade as if daring her to challenge her.
Tsunade nodded. She had no interest in rising to the bait. Shizune was clearly itching for a fight and Tsunade refused to give it to her.
Shizune took a sip of sake. Her mentor, in loneliness, was drinking herself to death. Either Shizune or Sakura visited her every week. More so Sakura than Shizune. Initially Shizune had been grateful. It gave her more time to focus on work. But right now, in moments like these, she felt angry. Sakura could do no wrong in Tsunade's eyes.
Shizune's grip on her glass tightened. She wanted to take another swig but it was only afternoon and she didn't want to go back to Kakashi with the smell of alcohol in her breath. She just needed to get through this lunch.
"The food here is good!" said Shizune, forcing cheeriness into her tone knowing full well that Tsunade could tell. "We should come here more often!"
Kakashi looked over from the bundle of reports that he was going through. "Yes?"
"If you can spare a few minutes, then can we go though the shinobi who lost contact with Konoha?" asked Shizune, her familiar blue folder in her arms.
Kakashi sat back into chair. "Ah yes. Lets get this over with."
"There are a total of seven nin who have failed to contact Konoha despite being ordered to do so according to their mission details. There are four anbu, all on the same mission in Tea Country. Haven't made contact for two weeks," said Shizune, as she read from her notepad. She looked up. "They are probably dead."
"Or they want us to think that. Perhaps they have all defected," murmured Kakashi. "Remember Shizune, look underneath the underneath."
Shizune nodded. Every Hokage must have his own adage. "You want to sent a team after them?"
"Yes, a small one. Focused upon sensor types." Kakashi tapped the table. "Next."
"An individual based seduction mission," said Shizune, turning the page. "Set in Iwagakure. B-Rank. Haven't made contact in four days."
"Hmm, its an infiltration mission. Risky to take unnecessary action and make contact." Kakashi stood up and walked to the window. "Lets wait for another week before we consider sending anyone after her."
"Alright. Another shinobi in a C-Rank mission has gone missing for two days. The team leader has requested assistance." Shizune looked up and then looked down at her folder again.
"If its a genin team then the team leader must be a jounin," said Kakashi, irritated. "Have they even made an effort to find this genin?"
Shizune winced. "Well, the missing genin is from the Hyuga clan. The team leader was under strict instructions to contact the Hyuga clan in case of any out of the ordinary developments in the mission. The Hyuga clan has asked me to refer this matter to you."
Kakashi massaged his temple. "Wait one more day. If the genin is not recovered by then then send a three member team of chunin."
"I understand, Hokage sama." Shizune looked down at her notebook. "The last one is Sakura. B-Rank mission. Sent to Ishigakure. The mission did not require her to maintain contact with Konoha but she was supposed to if the mission was extended. Five days since have passed since her expected return."
Kakashi turned away from the window and studied Shizune's expression. She wasn't worried and, he found, neither was he. "Sakura is capable. Give her a few more days. If there is anyone who has the strength and brains to survive a mess, its her."
"Yes, Hokage sama." Shizune bowed and left the room.
"Two weeks have passed since her expected arrival." Shizune stood before Kakashi, her expression grim. "Sakura has yet to make any contact with Konoha. Tsunade sama is getting worried."
Kakashi nodded and tapped his fingers against the table. His sleep last night had been troubled just for this reason alone. "Make contact with the Team Ko led by Hyuga Ko. They are supposed to be in the Land of Earth at this stage of their mission. Send a message to Hyuga san to spare a member of a team to Ishigakure to inquire about the whereabouts of Haruno Sakura."
"Yes, Hokage sama," replied Shizune, her expression troubled.
"She will be alright, Shizune." Kakashi soothed. "We are going to find her."
"That's what I keep thinking," said Shizune, pacing the length of the room. "There are no reports of any criminal activities in Ishigakure right now."
"It is unexpected," Kakashi agreed. "But I have faith in Sakura and so should you."
"Yes, Hokage sama." Shizune remained unconvinced.
Four days later, Shizune was with Kakashi in his office when the message arrived. Kotetsu tapped on the door and walked in. He knew that the scroll in his hand was much awaited upon and it was necessary to get it into the right hands as soon as possible.
"Hokage sama, Shizune san," said Kotetsu, rushing in. "The message from Team Ko has arrived."
Shizune snatched the scroll from his grasp and handed it to Kakashi. None of them indicated that they wanted him to leave so he stayed, his own curiosity belying the situation.
Shizune and Kotetsu waited in abated silence as Kakashi read the message. It was until he put it down on the table and leaned back into his chair that Shizune asked "Well?"
Kakashi's gaze fell upon Shizune's. "Team Ko's mission had been successfully completed by the time my message reached them. So the entire team traveled to Ishigakure." Kakashi clasped his fingers. "They asked the civilians and the hospital staff which Sakura supposed to be contact with. All of them said that Sakura successfully completed her mission and left for Konoha."
Kotetsu stared. "So Sakura left the village? Something happened to her on the way back?"
Kakashi's gaze flickered to Kotetsu and then back to the scroll. "No, the villagers of Ishigakure say that Sakura left the village."
"They could be lying," Shizune murmured.
"Exactly," said Kakashi. "As of right now there are two possibilities. Something happened to Sakura in Ishigakure or something happened to her on the way back to Konoha."
"But one thing is for certain, isn't it?" said Kotetsu. Both Shizune and Kakashi looked at him. "Haruno Sakura has indeed disappeared."
Kakashi's eyes flashed. "But we'll find her."
A/N Something a little new for me. I have up to now only written romantic oneshots so I guess you could say I am trying to test my skills in another area. I would like to hear what all of you think about it. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.
