Sakura swung her fist into the assailant on the left before using her momentum to flip herself around and kick the second enemy under the chin. She heard a satisfying crack as his body left the ground and sailed several metres through the air to land beside a startled shinobi who had been about to throw a shuriken her way. Hesitating was his downfall and she waved at him cheerily seconds before her old sensei ripped through his chest with chidori.

They were beginning to get the upperhand in this fight, something their adversaries were realising as she heard their leader call out for them to fall back. She punched the air victoriously but Kakashi was beckoning her forward.

"Capture Sakura, remember the mission."

"Hai," she replied, leaping into action. This rouge band of shinobi had been experimenting with forbidden jutsu, but so as to understand exactly to what extent they needed at least one - perhaps two if they were feeling merciful - for interrogation. Kakashi was a few feet in front of her and forming hand signs. She recognised the formation and took to the trees in anticipation of the wall of water that crashed through the forest. She heard several shouts ahead and clenched her fist in anticipation, chakra flooding to her knuckles. She and Kakashi had made this play before and it was quickly becoming her favourite combination attack. Mostly because it was total and utter chaos.

She flew from the trees and crashed to the ground with a triumphant shout of 'YAAHHH!'

The ground blew outwards and up in a flurry of muddy water and flying rocks. Several of their foe flew into the air, some screaming, some trying to twist their bodies around to locate her, most just trying frantically to clear their vision. Kakashi expertly took out three with his kunai before slamming the fourth into a tree and subduing him with a quick tap to the temple.

"Stay on alert, Sakura," he motioned to the trees. "I'm fairly certain we missed one."

Sakura scanned her surroundings. It was autumn, so the leaves drifting around them on the gentle breeze were a dazzling array of reds, oranges, browns and golds. It was beautiful. "I can't see anyone…" She squinted around.

"Good," came a sharp reply from their left. She swung around, kunai drawn, just in time to see their combatant form a final seal. There was a blast of wind, but Sakura could almost taste the chakra laden within it.

"Sensei!" She cried out. She hadn't called him that in several months, but in her fear, she had forgotten that he was her captain when they were in the field now that she had attained jounin rank and they were technically equals. She would never fool herself into believing she was on equal standing with Konoha's legendary Kakashi of the Sharingan, of course, but on paper they were.

The shinobi who had appeared before them had sunk into the dark of the forest as quickly as he had come and she turned to ask Kakashi what their next move was. It had barely been two seconds since the wind had rushed by them and as she turned, her eyes widened in horror as she saw her former sensei drop to the foliage covered forest floor like he was a lead balloon.

"No!" She shrieked, sliding to the ground beside him and immediately checking his vitals. His pulse was steady and he was breathing. All good news. She couldn't see signs of any physical wounds, so why had he collapsed? Obviously the enemy had cast some jutsu that had incapacitated her captain, but he was at least alive for now.

"Shit," she whispered with feeling. That man could be back any second and she was alone with two fully grown male bodies to carry. Not that it would have been much of a problem with her chakra capabilities, but the village was easily a day's walk from her current position and she just didn't have the kind of stamina Naruto possessed.

The sound of footsteps attracted her attention and she stood up. There were more shinobi than they had realised. Either that, or the jutsu caster from before had called his cavalry.

This was probably it then. Three days shy of her eighteenth birthday. Honestly, she wouldn't even technically make it to adulthood? "Not good enough," she ground out between clenched teeth, gripping the kunai in front of her.

She blinked as a wave of inspiration washed over her. Using the blade, she cut into her hand and summoned Katsuyu. The slug appeared before her in her miniature size and Sakura made a tsk sound impatiently.

"Is everything alright, Sakura-san?" Her voice was as high and breathy as ever, but she sounded completely at ease, as though the urgency of the situation wasn't important.

"I need three of you; two of you to transport bodies back to Konoha hospital and one of you giant-sized to help me fight off these jerks." She stabbed her thumb in the direction of several men who had appeared between the trees. "One moment," she called out to them.

Most of them paused, but the one who had taken out Kakashi, whom she was assuming to be the leader, strolled out with a katana perched lazily against his shoulder and the biggest shit-eating grin Sakura had ever seen.

"You've got quite a punch on you there missy, but I'm afraid without the Copy-Nin calling the shots, you won't have much of a chance to escape."

"Let me get this straight," Sakura began, pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing exasperatedly. "Him you see as a threat," she pointed at Kakashi's unconscious form, "but the woman who was taught by the legendary sannin Tsunade; who helped Naruto Uzamaki and Sasuke Uchiha defeat Madara during the War; the one who could literally break every bone in your body, put you back together, then start all over again – not so much?"

"Woman?" Came his snarky reply.

Sakura's eye's narrowed and she cracked her knuckles.

"Katsuyu?" She smiled sweetly.

"Hai, Sakura-san." With an almighty blast of smoke, Katsuyu transported Kakashi and their prisoner and blew herself up to mammoth proportions. Sakura watched with glee from on top of the slugs head as the colour drained from their faces. They may as well have been tiny little ants way down there.

"Crush them," Sakura said flippantly, delighting in the squeals of terror as Katsuyu barrelled over them. That's what happens to idiots who don't take her seriously.

"This isn't over!" The leader yelled at her, anger crystal clear on his face even from her elevated position. She simply smirked as he disappeared under Katsuyu's humongous form.

My, my, Sakura – I didn't realise you were so vindictive.

Sakura glanced around for the source of the voice. If it didn't sound so masculine, she would have simply assumed inner-Sakura was cheering her on, given how close it had been, but it sounded genuinely surprised and at a tone significantly lower than hers.

Shrugging, she dismissed Katsuyu and began the long journey home.

Are we not going to talk about what just happened? Seriously, it was pretty brutal, even for you. I always assumed you felt slightly guilty about killing people, being a medic and all, but boy – not a shred of remorse to be found.

"What the hell?" She spun in every direction. The voice was so close it really did sound like it was coming from inside her own head, but that was just insane. Why would she be arguing with her subconscious about something so menial? Besides that, why would her subconscious be male all of a sudden?

Hm, playing your conscious… could be fun.

"You better tell me where the hell you are so I can pummel the crap out of you! I'm exhausted, hungry and I just want to go home; so quit the games asshole!"

Sakura, please don't use such foul language.

She closed her fists and glowered at the trees around her. She was being chastised like a small child by a disembodied voice. What a joke. It was like being twelve again and listening to Kakashi admonish her about sinking to the boys level and agreeing to help remove his mask. Like she'd had much choice.

Hm, so you don't use any honorifics when you think my name. That's terribly informal of you, Sakura.

"You just did the same thing!" She snapped furiously. "And what do you m-" Sakura gasped. Mouth dropping open into a perfect little 'o' shape. She couldn't believe she had missed it. Of course it felt like she was being told off by her sensei – she was being told off by her sensei. His lazy, soft drawl was so familiar to her she had completely failed to recognise it as being out of the ordinary.

Aww Sakura-chan, that's rather sweet. So I really am like the voice in your head even before I was the voice in your head?

"Oh Kami-sama that was confusing." She massaged her temples slowly.

Yunno, I don't think you have to talk out loud for us to communicate.

"That doesn't make this any better," she hissed.

It might make you look like less of a weirdo once we're back in the village.

She crossed her arms, pouting.

You're awfully chatty now that you're in my head, she tried thinking. You're usually so monosyllabic – can't you adopt that now?

Rude, came his retort. Do you have any idea about a jutsu that can do this?

Sakura shook her head. "The only thing that comes to mind is the Yamanaka trait, but they assume complete control. You just seem to be hanging out in there."

True, I did try a few times to see if I could move any of your limbs but nothing so far. Maybe if you get back to my body my conscious will somehow just slip in?

Doubt it, Sakura thought before she could stop herself.

She was pretty confident she heard chuckling. This might be intriguing for a little while at least.

"How so?" Sakura snapped. The idea of having Kakashi poking around in her thoughts and memories was suddenly incredibly unsettling.

Why, he asked, have you got something to hide?

"No," she said hurridly, "it's more the fact it's you." Kami knows what perverted thoughts those damn Icha Icha books would give him.

Hmm, if I figure out a way I'll show you.

"Please, no," Sakura whined. Damn pervert. Whatever hell this jutsu was it was quickly becoming a nightmare. Obviously this was one of the forbidden jutsu they had been developing, but for a use other than making her life miserable, she couldn't understand the benefits.

It could be worse; you could have been on this mission with Naruto. Or Sasuke.

"Thanks for that," she cringed, cheeks warming at the thought. She could only imagine the mayhem one of those two would wreak inside her mind. Naruto was just as perverted as Kakashi – hey – and Sasuke… well, no girl would want an old crush rattling around her head.

At least the jutsu didn't kill me.

Sakura began jogging through the underbrush, leaves swirling around her as she moved. That was true. If he had died, she wouldn't have known what to do with herself. He held an important place in her heart. He and the boys of team seven were the closest thing to family she had.

That's so adorable.

"Shut it!" She cried, "I don't need commentary on every little thought I have!" Yep, this was definitely a nightmare. One she was hoping could be quickly rectified once they – she – got back to the village.

There had to be a way. Tsunade may have seen something similar before, or Ino. If not, there was always books. Somebody, somewhere in the history of Konoha would have come across this and known what to do.

She formed the hand sign and whispered, "kai" just in case it was some kind of genjutsu. There was silence for a few moments and she nearly grinned thinking she had dispelled it, but no.

Sorry, Sakura. Good try though.

Why can you hear my thoughts but I can't hear yours?

He said nothing for a moment, then – sorry, I shrugged and then remembered I didn't have shoulders.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

Honestly, I have no idea how this works.

Your sharingan didn't pick up anything?

Ah, right, you can't see me shaking my head either. No.

Sakura groaned. She picked up the pace. The village couldn't come into view fast enough.

So, stuck in the mind of a seventeen-year-old girl. This should be interesting.

"I'll show you interesting," Sakura muttered.

A/N - So this is a short chapter to set it up. Been playing around with this idea for a while. Not sure about it yet so feel free to let me know what you think! I've also started a facebook page if you want to look me up (just search The Silver Scarecrow) and I'll post updates of how chapters and stories are going etc if it gets off the ground.

Hope everyone is well!

Yes, I promise there is another Icha Icha chapter in the works! That one is my baby and I can't rush it ^^

TSS