Story Summary: Sakura's legs were destroyed so she is given wings to still be a ninja. Mainly ShikaSaku possibly hints of GaaSaku, KibaSaku, InoChou, Naruhina, etc.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

A Troublesome Trade

Sakura awoke to a throbbing pain in her head as she slowly raised her head. She saw that she was in the hospital, and then she saw a shocked Tsunade standing over her.

"Sakura-" Tsunade began only to get cut off by Sakura's scream as she got a look at her legs on the operating table, which were a bloody mess. It was as if they had imploded.

Sakura was breathing heavily in shock, she was used to pain she was a kunochi after all. But she didn't even remember this…

Sakura almost didn't hear Tsunade as she said, "Sakura, breathe now, don't pass out! I have some things to ask you."

Sakura looked up at her and Tsunade took that as a sign to continue, "Do you remember what happened?"

Sakura slowly shook her head no. Then something hit her. "Where's my team?"

Tsunade gulped and looked down.

Sakura knew what had happened… (A/N: No she was not with team 7 so Sasuke and Naruto are still alive, her teammates were random shinobi she didn't even know)

"Sakura… that's not all, your legs…you have completely loss the use of your legs… except for your very upper thighs. We did all we could… but… there is nothing we can do… right now anyways, I may find something later but… that is very unlikely. I'm afraid you will have quit being a ninja and you will probably be stuck in a wheelchair for good."

Sakura was confused she didn't get it… quit being a ninja? Stuck in a wheelchair? For something she didn't even remember?

Tsunade couldn't stand to look at her handicapped apprentice so she averted her gaze to the ground.

"Is there any other way? Like how Lee recovered? His limbs were also crushed and you were able to-" Sakura blurted out scared and frightened.

Tsunade cut her off to say, "Lee's situation was different, but if you really insist… there is one way. I've never tried it… and I don't know the chances of survival, but they are probably really low and-"

Now it was Sakura's turn to cut off Tsunade to say, "I don't care! Whatever it is just do it now and get it over with!" tears were running down her cheeks as she turned her head and said, "I would never be able live as a handicapped kunochi."

Tsunade was shocked and sad. She hoped that it wouldn't come to this. If the surgery failed she did not want to see her apprentice die. "Sakura," she said, "you should know that the surgery would-"

"Just do it, I don't care what it is." She stated.

"Ok," Tsunade sighed "Lets start."

She drugged Sakura to knock her out cold while she gave instructions to the other medics and performed the surgery.

(After the surgery)

"Sakura… Sakura…"

Sakura awoke to Tsunade's voice calling her out of a deep slumber. Sakura did not want to wake up but she was eager to find out how the surgery had gone. So she pulled herself out of dreamland.

She realized she was lying on her stomach and when she tried to turn around to lie on her back, a stinging pain ran through her shoulder blade, which made her abruptly lift herself up. She then looked at her legs, which were now bandaged, and she then realized that she still couldn't move them. The thought made her sad thinking that the surgery had failed.

Without looking at her she told Tsunade sadly, "So I see that the surgery failed…"

"No, surprisingly it was a success!" Tsunade exclaimed.

"What?" Sakura asked confused. Then she remembered the pain in her shoulder blade, so she reached her hand to it when her hand collided with something sticking out of her back. It was soft and feathery.

Sakura looked around to discover that she had wings.

Sakura slowly turned to look at Tsunade in bewilderment.

All Tsunade said was, "You always interrupted me before I could say anything."
Sakura wanted to yell at Tsunade but she was at a loss for words.

She began to faint but as soon as her wings made contact with the table she shot up in pain. She couldn't lie on her wings.

She spread them out to reveal a 13.5 ft wingspan. Her wings were white with pink streaks, the same pink as her hair.

Tsunade explained, "Your wings use the same melanin that is in your hair so that is where the pink streaks come from. You won't be able to lie on your back for quite a while, maybe a week or so because your back is sore due to the implant of wings. Since you weren't born with wings your body structure is not made for flying, but the super strength I taught you strengthens all the muscles in your body so it shouldn't be too hard for you to fly. We will just have to see."

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Over the next month Sakura had to stay in the hospital to learn to fly and control her wings.

They only had one room with a high enough roof for Sakura to fly in the hospital, which was the rehabilitation room. Tsunade always made sure that Sakura was the only one in the room besides Tsunade herself, when she was flying. She didn't want any of the patients to die of shock.

Once Sakura got so upset when she was having trouble flying that she accidentally made a sunroof with her super strength. It took a while for them to get it fixed.

Tsunade would not allow Sakura to have any visitors until she was in full control of her wings. Which really annoyed Sakura but no matter how much she argued Tsunade would not listen, which caused her to make a sunroof for the second time.

Finally the day came when Sakura was to be let out of the hospital. Tsunade wanted her to have one of her friends to help her get around in case anything was to happen. But all of Sakura's friends were away on missions.

Sasuke, Naruto, Kakashi, and Hinata were on a mission to the Wave country to help prevent a potential war.

Kiba, Shino, Ino, along with Anko were on a mission to the Sand to help prevent the assassination of one of the feudal lords.

Chouji, TenTen, Neji, and Lee were all sent to the Rain to help retrieve an important document.

Shikamaru was sent with Iruka to the Hidden Waterfall village to retrieve the Hero Water that was stolen.

Since everyone was gone, Tsunade told to her to be careful when on her own and that as soon as one of her friends was available she would assign them to Sakura.

Over the next few days it was very hard to get around. Tsunade had taught Sakura how to flutter her wings slightly to float a hair above the ground and move the only part of her legs that she could move, the very upper part of her thighs to make it appear like she was walking.

But floating above the ground was really hard and tiring so she tried to mostly stay at home. But when she felt that she had to go outside she would go to the vacant rooftop of a certain building she had discovered.

(Sakura had slits cut in the back of her red top so she could move her wings but now she had to wear a jacket over her top or everyone would be able to see her wings, because for now she didn't want anyone to see them.)

When she was there, she would watch the clouds and when there were no clouds she would fly. She was careful that no one could see her, because she was too high up in the sky. It was so peaceful.

After four days of freedom from the hospital Sakura was told that Tsunade needed to see her about something.

So reluctantly (because it was hard for her to get around), she went to see her.

When she got there Tsunade told her, "One of your friends has come back from their missions so I have assigned them to watch over you."

Sakura began to protest, "But Tsunade, I don't think I need anyone to-"

Tsunade held up a hand to silence her.

"This is a necessary precaution. I told you I've never performed that operation before so I don't know if there are any side effects. Something could go wrong."

Sakura let out a sigh realizing that Tsunade was right.

"So, who is it?" Sakura asked.

Tsunade answered, "It doesn't matter. I told him to meet you today so you will know soon enough."

Sakura was mad but she just left. Not wanting to fight her sensei.

Sakura noticed as she walked (technically its floated but whatever) over to her favorite cloud watching spot, that Tsunade said him not her when she said "I told him to meet you…" so it had to be a boy.

But who would that be? Sasuke? Naruto? Maybe Lee?

As she was lost in thought, she did not notice someone else was with her.

"You're in my spot." he said flatly referring to the shaded spot on the roof where the pink haired kunochi was currently laying.

"I don't see your name on it." Sakura teased but she really didn't see anything because her eyes were closed. She stretched her arms and sat up before opening her eyes to look at whom she was speaking to.

"Oh, hey Shikamaru." Sakura said before she moved to the side to make room for Konoha's resident lazy genius.

Shikamaru laid down next to her putting his hands behind his head before answering, "Hi."

Sakura looked up and said, "Look at all the clouds today."

Shikamaru answered, "There are quite a few."

"I wondered what it would be like to fly with them." Sakura said mischievously. Tsunade had told her not to fly unless a friend was with her. She had already disobeyed that once but now she was allowed to with Shikamaru was here. Well, Shikamaru was more like an acquaintance but whatever.

"Nani?" Shikamaru asked confused before he sat up to look at her.

Sakura took off her jacket to reveal her wings. When she outstretched them to prepare for flight, Shikamaru had to duck to avoid getting whacked accidentally with a wing.

Since Sakura couldn't use her legs she couldn't get a running start, which would've made flying a lot easier, what she had to do to fly was flap her wings and lift herself into the sky.

Flying was amazing an indescribable feeling. Sakura loved it.

Shikamaru was staring at her in bewilderment the whole time.

When Sakura came back down she was soaking wet.

"You know clouds aren't as fluffy as you'd think. Instead they are just floating water. Warning: Do not fly through them." Sakura said playfully.

Shikamaru started laughing.

"I can see why Tsunade told me to watch over you." He said.

"Huh?" Sakura said busy wringing out her hair. "You're the one Tsunade assigned to watch over me? Why didn't you say so sooner?"

He shrugged. "Can you explain to me why you have wings? I'm curious."

So she explained the whole thing from wake up to find her legs crushed to waiting for Tsunade to assign someone to her even though she was against it.

"Wow," He said wide-eyed. "So you haven't had a mission in a month?" Sakura nodded. "Lucky, missions are too troublesome." he complained and Sakura rolled her eyes. "And you don't remember what happened to handicap you in the first place?" Sakura shook her head no. "That sucks. But I'm sure you will remember sooner or later."

She smiled lightly, "Thanks."

He laid down again and said, "Now, its time for my nap."

Sakura answered, "Me too."

Then they both fell asleep on the rooftop.

A/N: Well, I don't think I made that as long as I wanted it to be, oh well. This story takes place after the time jump when Sasuke was returned to Konoha and Sakura finished her training with Tsunade. I don't how old they are after the time jump but in my story Sakura and Shikamaru are both 15.

The main couple in this story is ShikaSaku because I like this couple and I think there needs to be more ShikaSaku fanfics. But there might be some GaaSaku and KibaSaku and maybe even some NaruHina right now I am not sure. Please review. Give constructive criticism, advice and ideas for the story. Thanks for reading the first chapter and reading this author's note.