-sweatdrop- Forgot this the first time, so I'll have to replace the chapters…
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, either in manga or anime form.
"Tszzzzzzip."
Sakura made a face as yet another bug narrowly missed her eye. The seventeen year old didn't mind Shino, but his 'friends' made missions a little less pleasant. However, if she had to complain, it certainly wouldn't be about her insect comrades, but the strange assortment of human ones.
Bounding off various branches of surrounding trees were Shino, Shikamaru, and Neji. Not only was their group an unusual grouping, but she had been assigned as a medic-nin to the most uncommunicative cell that could ever be arranged. Neji rarely spoke, unless it was down to someone. When he wasn't leading, Shikamaru mostly just muttered about 'troublesome' things. Shino mostly stared, or maybe he was dozing off, those sunglasses were always a bit disconcerting.
The main point was Sakura was bored and lonely. Tsunade had been experimenting with different combinations of three man cells (plus a medic-nin) as of late, so their mission hadn't been exactly difficult. A quick scroll recovery from Sand, and the Konoha Ninjas were headed back home.
"Tszzzzzz—squish."
An unlucky bug finally hit the mark, and a frustrated Sakura let out a cry.
"GRAHHHH!"
Shikamaru gave a quick wave of his hand and the others stopped, dropping to the forest floor.
"Yes, Sakura?" The strategist asked.
"I can't take it anymore! This ungodly silence! The cold shoulders all around! Hardly a word in three days. And if one more stupid bug flies into my face, we are definitely going to have a bigger problem." Seething, she dragged her hands through her unusually colored locks.
"Our goal in this, and all missions, is to be quick, quiet, and efficient." Neji said coolly, observing the scene with impassive pale eyes.
"And perhaps if your forehead wasn't so large, poor bugs wouldn't have to worry about it as an obstacle." Shino hardly finished whispering past his high grey collar before she lunged at him.
"I see how it is. Everyone can throw in their two cents when it's ridiculing me?"
"Sakura! Control yourself!" Shikamaru cried, pulling her away from their bug loving friend. As he tried to subdue the slightly hysteric medic, Shino and Neji discussed the situation, as much as their social skills allowed.
"I think she's finally lost it." Shino commented, still a bit hurt by the 'stupid bugs' comment.
"Probably just lack of food." Neji noted, unconcerned.
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Finally, a quiet Sakura followed them as the group resumed their return trip.
"I think she just feels alienated." Shikamaru said. "She works hard to prove her self, as a female in this field, and we give her little recognition."
Neji and Shino were both silent.
It wasn't rare that Sakura lost her cool. Known to have a temper very similar to her sensei, Sakura often took out her frustrations on Naruto, so thought of incident was quickly lost to something more important.
"They are still there." Neji said, the veins around his eyes protruding slightly with the efforts of his buyakugan.
"Well, let's keep going we may be able t--"
"Wait." Neji cut Shikamaru off. "They've stopped."
The three nin stopped, ducking behind trees to stand in perfect stillness. Neji concentrated more on the wavering outlines of their two pursuers. As he concentrated on the enemy's movements, Sakura was still catching up, and not quite catching on. She leapt for a mossy branch, and at that moment, Neji saw them. He lurched himself back towards her, arms stretched out, but too late, and too slow, the two kunai were already buried deeply into her back.
The only thing left to do was catch her, and as she fell lightly into his outstretched arms, something tried to click in the back of his mind. Sakura was strong and smart, why hadn't she been aware of the weapons sailing towards her, they weren't exactly sneaky about their approach. And, unconscious? Two simple kunai were hardly enough to fell the fiery Sakura Haruno. Also, when had he begun to think of her as fiery instead of annoying and loud?
A boisterous explosion caught his attention again, and he turned to look at Shikamaru.
"I set a few traps earlier," the leader winked. "But this is very unfortunate. Sakura is here to fix us. We can't do much for her, and there's obviously more going on here than kunai."
The two ducked another round of the said weapons as a cloud of Shino's bugs surged underneath them to apprehend the hidden ninja.
"Look, Neji," another explosion. "I know you feel you ought to fight, but I need you to take Sakura back. You're the fastest, and Shino and I've got this covered. There's only two."
Neji's eyebrow twitched, but he knew Shikamaru was right. There wasn't time to argue anyways, Sakura's warm blood had begun to drip past her shirt and drip past his arms, the same bright red as her top.
"Right. I'll see you in Tsunade's office for the report." And Neji was off, a limp pink haired Sakura held surprisingly tenderly in his arms.
A/N: Hullo! So, what'd you think? I've got some ideas as to where this might go, as said in the description, but I don't quite know how it's all going to flow yet.
I hope the characters weren't terribly OC. This is my first Naruto FanFic , and my second ever (I didn't actually finish the first –winces- but FEAR NOT! I have a summer of endless time before me. This SHALL be finished!)
I also suck at titles, if you hadn't noticed… heh. Sorry.
So… Comments? I'll give you a cookie ;)