Title: Dancing Diplomats (It'll probably change)
Author: LightMyWay
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto becuase if I did Sasuke and Sakura would've been together by now.
Chapter 1: Mission Time
"A little heart goes a long, long way."- Me
The Fifth Hokage was unaccustomed to the amount of sleep she had been getting for the last few weeks. Everything had been relatively quiet, except for Naruto of course, but that was to be expected. For once Tsunade was on top of her paperwork, so that she was able to sleep more. There was only one mission that she had yet to assign and this is why when the door to her office burst open, no one was surprised to find the beautiful Fifth asleep. Every person that had entered the office sweat dropped when Tsunade shot up with a piece of paper stuck to her cheek.
"What's going on?" Tsunade asked looking sleepy and confused. She blinked and stared at the shinobi before her, and then she blinked again and remembered. She smacked her hand against her forehead and started to mumble about something.
"Tsunade baa-chan," Naruto said carefully, but not carefully enough because the grumpy older woman glared at him, "What do you want?" Tsunade blinked dumbly and then remembered that she hadn't explained the mission yet. She went back to her mumbling much to the annoyance of the ninja assembled before her.
"Hokage-sama I hate to be a nuisance-" Sakura tried to talk to the blonde woman, who really just wanted to go back to sleep.
"Then don't be," Tsunade snapped clearly irritated, but seeing Sakura's hurt expression she decided to be a little nicer, "Sorry Sakura. I was having a nice nap." Sakura nodded. "Anyway you have a mission-"
"All of us? On one mission?" Ino questioned mentally counting the number of people in the room,"Do we really need nine people?" Tsunade growled at the blonde girl for interrupting her.
"Yes, yes you do," Tsunade mumbled before passing a scroll to Sasuke, "Sasuke and Hinata are leading this mission-" Hinata looked bewildered.
"I'm sorry for interrupting Tsunade-sama, but did you say I was leading this mission?" Hinata said slightly nervous, excited, worried, and fully starting to doubt herself. Tsunade nodded to her and Hinata gulped.
"You'll do perfectly fine Hinata," Tsunade said smiling at the blue haired girl, "Anyway this is a protection mission for-"
"WHAT! YOU'RE GIVING US JOUNIN A STUPID BODY GUARD MISSION!" Naruto cried outraged. Tsunade was in front of Naruto before anyone had blinked. Her fist came crashing down on the fox boy's head and he yelped. He clutched his head in pain.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered. Ino elbowed him in the rib cage. He glared at her and rubbed the spot where she had hit him.
"Well it seems to me that," a strange girl in the doorway said, "Hokage-sama wishes to have me alive," She smiled, greeted Tsunade, and took a seat in front of the ninja, "Seeing as Tsunade-sama hasn't fully explained this mission to you yet I will. My name is Tsukino Suzuki and I'm a diplomat for Kohona-"
"Why are-" Neji tried to say.
"I'll thank you to not interrupt me when I'm talking. I don't take kindly to it," she smiled sweetly at Neji, "The nature of this mission ladies and gentlemen is make peace. That's why I need all of you. I'll most likely be attack for my efforts to make peace with The Village Hidden in the Rock at their annual ball. Yes, I said ball, which means that the men in this room will need tuxes and the women dresses-" Tenten tried to protest, but Suzuki's eyes flashed a warning in her direction, "Even the Weapons Mistress of Kohona will wear a dress," Tenten muttered a few well thought out words, "Now I expect you all to be ready by 7 o'clock tomorrow morning, so that we can leave." She smiled pleasantly at them all and went silent. Tsunade snickered a little imagining the tough time they were going to have with this woman. The shinobis stared at the curly haired woman before them. She seemed fragile. She was pale with freckles running across her nose. Her curly purple bounced whenever she moved, but the most interesting thing about her clear blue eyes that seemed almost transparent. Each ninja's thoughts were interrupted by Tsunade's voice.
"Kakashi and Kurenai are going to meet you in Hidden Rock. Also you're going to have some company on this mission," Tsunade smirked a little bit before looking at the door and saying, "You can come in now." Temari quickly walked in followed by Gaara.
"Welcome to Camp Happy," Naruto muttered to Gaara, who smirked a little bit. A kunai whizzed by Naruto's head.
"I have ears," Suzuki whispered in a deadly voice, while everyone looked at her strangely, "Yes, I can throw a kunai. If I'm going to go to different country to try to make peace I need to know some self defense."
"Anyway you're all going with Gaara and Temari too. They're making peace for their village."
"Whatever. This is troublesome. Can we go?" Shika mumbled wanting to leave to go look at the clouds. Ino elbowed him in the same spot. He glared at her again, for the like tenth time that day.
"C'mon Akamaru lets go home," Kiba muttered inching his way towards the door and away from the weird group before him. Quite suddenly there was a dangerous air behind him that signaled the presence of something ready to kill.
"Where do you think you're going?" Tsunade whispered in the dog boy's ear giving him chills. Kiba turned around to face the quite angry Tsunade. He backed away to the door and ducked just in time as a punch went through the door almost hitting the ANBU on the other side. The two ANBUs poked their heads through the door to see what was going on.
"Tsunade-sama is everything alright?" one of the ANBU asked. Tsunade turned to him with a crazy grin in place on her face and one eyebrow twitching. The ANBU quickly pulled their heads back through the door and inched away from the door. Tsunade turned back to Kiba and pointed to the other side of the room.
"That was not necessary Tsunade-sama," Suzuki said, "As I said 7 o'clock tomorrow morning. No later or we will leave without you. And if any of you disrespect anybody in Hidden Rock in anyway I will personally make your life a living hell, do you understand?" At this point her eyes were like slits and her mouth was a fine line. The ninja all nodded their heads in understanding before she gave them a smile and stood up out of her chair her white silk dress flowing around her.
"Then, I'll take me leave," she said with a bow to all, "Good day." She swept out of the room with an air of elegance. They ninja watched her walk out before turning around ready to yell at Tsunade because she had given them someone so strict to guard. Even the quietest guys didn't want to guard her and wanted to protest against the possibility of getting stuck with her for days. But when they turned they found Tsunade already asleep with her head on her desk. Naruto was going to wake her up, but Sakura dragged him out of the room, so that the Hokage wouldn't end up killing them. They received a shock once outside the office. There was Suzuki laughing, smiling, and joking with the ANBU, who were supposed to be watching the door to the Hokage's office. She finished up her conversation before turning to the group and giving them a big smile of white teeth, although not as white as Lee's. She walked up to them and they took a step back making her giggle.
"I won't bite," she said with a smile before taking another step towards them, which they let her do. She giggled again at there silliness. She was glad that she wouldn't be so bored on the trip to Hidden Rock.
"Sure looked like you would in there," Tenten said pointing towards the room in which a sleeping Tsunade sat. Suzuki giggled and shook her head. She walked passed them still chuckling.
"Come with me," she said looking over her shoulder the sunlight outlining her thin form making her look like an angel. She walked out of the Hokage's tower with the ninja group in tow behind her. She greeted every man, woman, and child in the street. Each and every one of them greeted her back. Sasuke's fan girls greeted him, but he only grunted in reply bringing a giggle or two from a certain pink-haired girl. Sakura greeted all those who greeted her, most of which were patients that she had treated or children. Neji was greeted by fellow ninja. Tenten was greeted by a whole mix of people. Ino was greeted by many different people too most of whom she gossiped with for a few seconds. Shika greeted each person he knew with a hi and a troublesome, which got him an elbow in the rib cage from Ino, which made him grateful that there weren't too many people he knew on the street today. Hinata greeted each person politely, while Naruto greeted them loudly. Kiba just grunted out hi's and Temari did the same. Gaara just nodded to each person. The odd group soon found themselves in front of the Sakura Park entrance. They stared for a second before following Suzuki in. After a few more minutes of walking they ended up in front of a tree smaller than the ones around it. It was a special tree due to the dedication plaque on the ground in front of it.
"In loving memory of Tsukino Hotaru," Sakura whispered, "Your mom right?" Everyone stared at her, while she stared at Suzuki. Suzuki nodded her head and Sakura smiled sadly.
"I'm a diplomat because she was. I learned everything from her. You have to act prim in proper in front of the important people and yourself the rest of the time. But Sakura how did you-" Suzuki didn't finish her sentence before Sakura walked away tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She stopped in front of another tree. Sasuke seemed to be the only not in a trance so he walked away to join Sakura in front of the tree. He looked at her before looking down at the plaque. He automatically understood why Sakura had tears in her eyes. He reread the plaque to confirm that he hadn't seen things.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Sasuke asked her his head cocked to the side. She looked up at him and gave him a sad smile.
"I didn't need pity," she muttered staring at the plaque again. The other people had gathered around the tree to read the plaque, so that they too would know what Sasuke and Sakura were talking about.
"A loving wife, a caring mother, and a best friend always and forever. In loving memory of Haruno Sora. Born August 7, 1965. Died June 13, 2005," Ino read out loud, "Sakura she died a year ago and you didn't tell anyone? You didn't tell me and I'm your best friend!" Sakura just stared at her before looking back at the plaque and proceeding to let her tears fall for the first time since her mom died. Forgetting who was around her Sakura hugged the nearest person and buried her face into their chest, while continuing to cry. Sasuke stared down at the girl who had wrapped herself around his midsection and was wondering about how to get her off. When he couldn't think of a way to do it without hurting her feelings he looked up to his friends for help. Imagine his surprise to look up and find no one there. He mentally cursed his so called friends for all their 'great' help. Sasuke not sure what to do wrapped his arms around Sakura to try and comfort her. He rested his chin on her soft pink hair and rubbed her back lightly. To his disbelief he liked holding Sakura in his arms, well more so when she wasn't crying, but the more he thought about it the more he didn't know why he liked to hold her.
"Sorry," Sakura's soft voice broke Sasuke out of his ravine. He looked down at her as she pulled her face away from his chest and looked up. He saw the surprised look on her face when she realized who she was clinging to be none other than Sasuke. She pulled away slightly only to be tugged back slightly. She could've sworn she was dreaming, but she pinched herself and winced. That simple action confirmed that Sasuke indeed was hugging her.
"I'm sorry," he softly whispered in her ear to calm her down. She sniffed and smiled softly at him.
"Sorry," she muttered again trying to wipe away every tear that was on her face, but more just kept falling down. Sasuke gave her a small smile and wiped away her tears.
"What're you sorry for?" Sasuke asked calmly staring at Sakura. Emerald eyes met onyx eyes and searched for some reason he was asking this question.
"For crying on you. For being weak. For...breaking my promise," she whispered looking away from his eyes. He put his hand on his cheek making her look at him.
"You can cry on me when you need to. You're not weak. And what was your promise?" he asked her truly concerned. He was saying things that he didn't even know he thought was true. Apparently this amazed Sakura because she had a shocked expression that quickly turned into a bitter one.
"Not to cry for my mom. She wouldn't have wanted me to cry," she mumbled bitterly cursing herself on the inside. Sasuke smiled at her.
"I cried for months after my family died. It's natural," he whispered, "It doesn't make you weak. In fact it makes you stronger." Sasuke wiped away the rest of the tears that were falling down her face.
"Why are you helping me?" Sakura asked him knowing that she was pushing the limit, but she really did want to know.
"Because you're my teammate, you're my friend, and I care," Sasuke said with another small smile. Sakura smiled back feeling better than before. Sasuke lead them out of the park his arm never leaving her waist and her hands were still grasping his arm. They walked to the one place they knew where everyone would be discussing the new mission over ramen. As they walked towards everyone's favorite ramen shop they had their own thoughts about the new mission ahead.
Fogive me for any mistakes. It's my first fanfic (although I've been writing some on my own). Please tell me what you think about the story. I know the beginning is a little random, but it all has a point, so bare with me! ; )