Whoohoo! I've been trying to type this story up for 4 days now. Shameful I know but at least I finally got it out. So I hope you all enjoy this. Don't own the characters but it would have been cool if I did.
A certain pink haired kunzite was resting her head, ignoring the calm of the sounds of the world outside. A few footsteps echoed behind her, growing and fading as the hospital inhabitants made their routine checkups. It was a slow day, but more so for her. A year had passed, then two and with each day, her heart sank a little more. It grew heavier, as her smiled grew faker. She still believed every morning that when she'd wake, if she'd pass by the village's entrance she'd see him there, him, the boy who had left them all behind. He who strived for so much power that betrayal was by no means an impossible deal, that same raven-haired boy who had fought besides her before, shielded her, protected her., a prodigy and an orphan, his cold demeanor a sad result due to his tragic past. A teammate, a friend, her first love, all in a single moment, had up and walked away not bothering to look back. Countless failed missions followed after, with and every attempt ending in total and utter failure. With each hope, their expeditions brought the reality of their situation only made the wound in her heard reopen, over and over and over again. "But I'll still wait." She whispered to herself. "I'll see him again." His famous smirk flashed in her mind. "We'll find him." His emotionless face crossed her thoughts. "He'll come back." Then the imaged of him changed to him walking away, disappearing into the darkness.
"Sakura-san, Tsunade-sama is calling for you." Raising her head, the heartbroken kunzite nodded, her rehearsed smile playing on her pink lips.
"Alright, thank you." The nurse nodded before slipping away, sliding the door shut. One Day.
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"This is an S-rank mission, so I know you all…" The sound of the door sliding open averted everyone's attention. "Ah Sakura, perfect. Now as I was saying this is an S-rank mission. Caution is not an option." A familiar blonde haired ninja was nodding vigorously. "Is that understood Naruto." Still nodding, his head jerked up.
"What! Why me!" The hokage stood up, her chair shaking, threatening to fall over as her desk trembled from the pounding her fist upon it, causing a few papers to fly to Shizume's dismay.
"I mean you in particular because you act impulsively! Use that empty head of yours for once!" The woman bellowed.
"Tsunade-obachan!"
"Naruto." Sakura warned, noticing an all too familiar sign in the hokage's stance. I Just a little more and she'd have blown. /I Shikamaru rolled his eyes, a little irked at having been paired up with Naruto once again.
This is just troublesome. Not only is this an S-rank mission, but I have to deal with Naruto also. This is just making my head hurt. Rubbing her temples, Tsunade sat down, closing her eyes trying to calm herself down. Her mind was filled with numerous thoughts, ranging missions, assignments and gambling bills that seemed to keep coming each day from every place imaginable, all of them fighting for attention.
"Tsunade-sama what are we doing exactly?" Sakura asked, unsure due to her late arrival.
"We think we've found Orochimaru's hideout." Shikamaru answered for her. Sakura's body tensed, her heart nearly skipping a beat.
"Orochimaru." She managed to say softly. The hokage nodded curtly, watching her young apprentice closely. It was a given what the girl's feelings ere. There wasn't a person that knew her who was oblivious to that simple fact. That in itself made her participation in the mission a risky one, but one in which the hokage found having no choice in allowing. The risks involved were too high to not have a medic-nin readily available.
"You know what to do. Shikamaru can fill you in on the details." She continued, breaking eye contact with her. "Stay on your guard, there's no need to push yourselves. There isn't a need for any of you to die, remember that." The three shin obis nodded, leaving the hokage's office in silence, all knowing what she meant. It was the same with every past mission given before. Go in, seek out Sasuke and at the first sign of immediate danger pull out and return to the village. It had been too long now to risk anymore. It was obvious where he stood, his revenge, his thirst for power would keep him by the Sanin's side until he accomplished his goal or lost his body in the process. Sakura shuddered at the thought.
There's only a year left. He's safe for another year.
"…So we'll meet at the entrance in an hour. Pack light Naruto." The kyuubi-vessel hmphed but said nothing.
"Shika…"
"I'll fill you in on our way." He replied, turning away for his home. Sakura sighed, slightly irked at having to wait clenching her fist tightly. She held back the angry words that were pooling inside her mouth, ignorant to Naruto's quickened exit for his home, to avoid his teammate's wrath. More waiting, it's always more waiting. Calming herself, she sighed felling slightly defeated. "Why rush, it's not like I don't know what it's about anyways." Thought that didn't make her feel any better.
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"You're joking?"
"Does it sound like a joke?" Sakura bit her lip, the information relayed to her having upset her more than she had imagined it would have. This whole time, we've searched for so long. She closed her hands into tight fists, angry at herself, angry at the world and more so at fate itself for messing with them all this entire time.
"So close." She muttered to herself. The three flew from treetop to treetop, quickly leaving their beloved village behind, Shikamaru's plan well implanted within their skulls. Jumping with vigor of excitement was Naruto. He had never forgotten his promise to Sakura and although he had failed to keep his word countless of times before he refused to let this chance join with the rest, in a pile of ruined failure.
"Yosh! This time I'll drag Sasuke back here with broken legs for sure." Shikamaru who was closer to the blonde sighed, having heard his mutterings.
This is troublesome. "We're nearing the border so don't do anything rash!" He couldn't help but glance at the oblivious blonde. Sakura felt every nerve in her body fire. Her stomach seemed to tighten as her nervousness grew. With every dream and every prayer, they had all begun the same, finding the strayed Uchiha. She only hoped that unlike her dreams and unanswered prayers, he wouldn't disappear once again into the darkness. Sakura pressed her lips together, her determination holding fast. She wouldn't lose her resolve; she wasn't the same girl anymore. She had proved that once to everyone before and she would do it once again. She was stronger and well balanced now. Unlike before, she could rely on more than her knowledge. She could put it all to use, she had new techniques, new skills. Jumping off another branch, she feeling her courage build with each step she knew she could do it.
They leapt another step when Shikamaru's arm shot out, signaling them to stop. Placing his forefinger in front of his lips, they nodded, crouching amongst the leaves silently. Shikamaru was sure of it; he had heard a branch snap. It wasn't because of carelessness that's for sure. I was hoping our presence would have gone unnoticed for a while longer. Scanning the area Shikamaru saw no signs of anyone, but he knew better than to let his guard down. Naruto a little confused hoped over by Sakura whispering his question in mind to her.
"Oi, Sakura-chan why have we stopped?"
"Because we're not alone that's why Naruto." She hissed back. No matter how much older he got he was still oblivious to the obvious. Shikamaru looked back at them with a stern look in his eye. Naruto winced when he felt himself flying across the wood. Sakura barely let out an "Ah." When she felt herself being thrown back in the opposite direction. Shikamaru cursed aloud jumping up from where he was crouching, barely in time to avoid the attack. He got a quick glimpse of dark hair, before he landed a few feet away. Naruto stirred, his head throbbing greatly. He groaned slowly rising to his feet. "Naruto!" Sakura having already recovered from her blow yelled as their attacker charged at the unsuspecting boy. Naruto looked up to see a fist decorated with sharp razors aiming for him. Eyes wide, he didn't have enough time to react. Just as the fist inched closer to the hyperactive ninja, it stopped, barely grazing the skin. A single drop of blood trickled down Naruto's cheek a small scratch appearing from the light touch. Shikamaru, breathed as the sweat dripped off his chin. Just another second and he would have been too late. Naruto fell back on his rear a little shaken.
"Naruto get up, we're not done here." Quickly scrambling to his feet Naruto went through the hand signs bringing fourth four clones, three flying out into the forest to scan the immediate area. Shikamaru made his way to the trapped ninja knowing he'd have to make it quick before he used up the majority of his chakra. "Why are you attacking us?" He asked the masked shinobi figuring it was pointless to bother and as he predicted received no answer. "Great." Shikamaru mumbled. "How troublesome." Nodding to Naruto Shikamaru released his hold as Naruto charged at the enemy shinobi. Dodging the attack, the masked ninja made for the forest when he was knocked into the ground by the forgotten kunzite.
"Good job Sakura-chan!" Sakura smiled as she went to unmask their attacker as one of Naruto's clones returned. The other two having been defeated by an unknown ninja. Shikamaru closed his eyes, as he tried to think. Things were getting more complicated than he hoped. "Oi, Shikamaru! Stop sleeping, we have to get Sasuke!" Naruto yelled.
"Naruto stop yelling, there's no point in running out their without a plan." Sakura growled. Frowning, Shikamaru found the whole situation troublesome.
"Let's go." He muttered dully, jumping back up into the trees.
"What?" Sakura asked in disbelief.
"There's no point in wasting time here. We'll keep forward. Just be on the lookout. This was just a warning from the sound village so we'll have to play it on the safe side. Stick close and no one run off." Naruto was fine with the idea as long as they kept moving. Following Shikamaru, they left the pink haired kunzite behind. Taking a last look around at the sound ninja they had defeated she jumped up after them. They slowed their pace, checking every inch that they passed for traps or signs of the enemy.
He might not be here anymore. Sakura thought as she looked at a broken branch bringing it to Shikamaru's attention. Changing direction, they continued through the treetops. Focusing her attention to the left, Sakura could sense a different chakra. Looking up at Shikamaru he nodded having picked it up as well. Naruto for once was aware of the extra presence, readying his hand to his weapon pouch pulling out three kunais. Throwing them out he blocked three of the five that shot at them. Sakura jumped out of the way, as Shikamaru stopped the other.
"Impressive for little worms." Two figures appeared, both their foreheads adorned with the sound villages symbol.
"Who are you calling worms ugly!" Naruto shot back feeling himself burning with anger.
"And feisty." The smaller of the two sound ninjas commented grinning maliciously. "This is as far as you go brats." Losing his temper Naruto used his famous jutsu charging forward with four clones, all of them attacking the taller shin obi. The attack ended in failure as the sound ninja pulled out a whip, slashing at the air, causing a howling sound that vibrated through the clones defeated them one after the other, and sending Naruto flying back. The smaller sound ninja attacked the remaining two, only to find logs I their place.
"Replacement jutsu!"
"That would be correct." Shikamaru responded standing behind the unsuspecting shin obi, keeping his hold on him. Panicking the sound ninja called to the other his words as clear as ever what the meaning held.
"Tell him to go!" The other ninja disappeared, not wasting a second. Without thinking, Sakura went after him, ignoring the calls from her teammates. Throwing a kunai out, just as expected, it was dodged giving her the opening she needed. Sending her fist forward she made contact with his jaw, seconds after he had called out.
"Sasuke-sama! Run!" His body flipped forward crashing through a tree before hitting the ground limply.
Sasuke! Hearing the name, her green orbs darted around searching for the raven-haired boy. There. Fifteen feet from her, stood the boy who had eluded them all this time. Sakura froze, her mind unable to believe what her eyes were showing her. "Sasuke…kun." She whispered almost afraid that her words would cause her to wake and find herself back in her room, alone and disappointed, yet again. Saying nothing , Sasuke turned around leaving Sakura standing alone.