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Rainflakes

'Because sometimes, life can change in ways you least expect..."

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Sure Sakura, you just keep on sucking while Naruto and Sasuke get stronger. It's every girls dream to be over-powered by a boy, Sakura Haruno clenched her fair-skinned hand and gritted her teeth together as she walked towards the training field. The chilly wind blew through her trademark pink hair but it was ignored, her mind too focused on her thoughts.

"It's no one else's fault but your own that you have not surpassed them yet." Sakura froze in mid-thought, the all-too familiar robotic tone seeping through her ear drums. She turned her head slowly towards the tall Uchiha, who was leaning against a dead-looking tree.

"I didn't ask for your opinion." Sakura hissed at Sasuke's older brother. His stoic face was unfazed by the sharpness of her tone and he replied with nothing more than a simple blink.

"Oh, you didn't? I assumed you did. Talking to yourself is considered the first sign of lunacy is it not?" Itachi Uchiha raised an eyebrow mockingly. Sakura's already clenched fists tightened at her side and she resisted the urge to throw a punch at the smart bastard.

"I'm not in the mood to speak to you. I'm going to train," She narrowed her aqua eyes at him and turned away, dragging her feet depressingly towards the field. She was unaware of the abnormally large tree root sticking out of the ground and promptly tripped. An arm was cast around her waist before she could come into impact to the floor and she was quickly placed on her feet again. Her eyes rolled upwards and met dark orbs.

"I would say thanks if you wasn't such an asshole." Sakura spat at Itachi, the saviour of her dignity. He showed no sign of amusement on his face and remained as expressionless as ever, his mouth set in a thin line.

"I was simply going to suggest that I be a training partner. If you are so determined to pass these teammates of yours, it would be certainly a lot better if you had a worthy opponent."
Sakura pouted and her brow set into a frown. "You know what, who cares? Let them be stronger than me. I can save their lives and that's a damn lot better than having bigger muscles." She flinched inwardly at the image of her with muscles. Itachi turned from her and began to walk away without so much as a notion of departure. Sakura's mouth fell open and she let out a huff of disbelief.

"Yeah Itachi, it was nice seeing you too." She rolled her eyes and turned away, walking off in the opposite direction.

~*~

Two kids ran after each other, laughing and giggling. Sakura dodged out of their way and growled in the back of her throat. The Uchiha compound was certainly a beautiful place, but the peace did not come as regularly as it should do. The laughter of children could sometimes be considered music to ears, but after 2 years of having to put up with it as she walked to Sasuke's house, it became annoying.

"Sakura, can I help you?" Sakura froze and turned to smile at the source of the voice. Sasuke was looking as... Sasuke-ish as ever and the resemblance to his brother always seemed to faze her. She found that her heart did not leap at the sight of his face, but a familiar blush formed on her cheeks.

"Lady Tsunade told us to meet her in the Hokage Tower. I think she has a mission for us." She explained. Sasuke face lit up despite his effort to suppress his expressions, causing Sakura to smile and leap for joy quietly too. It had been so long since Team Kakashi had a mission and she was beginning to think they had been forgotten. That was until she had received the request from the Hokage herself, telling her to bring Naruto, Sasuke and herself to the Tower.

"Doesn't it seem a little unusual that we're receiving a mission while Kakashi-sensei is away?" Sasuke mentioned as they began to walk towards Ichiraku's ramen shop where Naruto would no doubt be stuffing his face. Sakura frowned when she analyzed the situation too.

"Hmm. I guess you're right. Maybe they think we can handle it on our own?" Sakura enquired. Sasuke opened his mouth to reply but a loud voice interrupted.

"SAKURA, HEY OVER HERE!" Naruto was running towards them, noodles hanging from his mouth. Sakura sweat-dropped in embarrassment as people turned to look at them. Naruto giggled mischievously when he reached them and placed a hand behind his head.

"Looks like we got a mission from the old hag, eh? It's about time." He opened his eyes and grinned at Sakura, before turning to narrow his eyes at Sasuke. Sasuke either ignored it, or just simply had forgotten to acknowledge Naruto's existence. Sakura sighed and they all began to stroll towards the Hokage building, Naruto following closely behind Sasuke's back.

"What are you doing for your birthday, Sakura? How 'bout we throw a huge party?" Naruto wiggled his eyebrows and Sakura smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I don't really care. It's just a normal day as far as I'm concerned." She shrugged and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Sasuke watched her every movement with a bored expression his face while Naruto's eyes widened at the cuteness of her actions.

"Well, I know what I'm going to get you Sakura. How about a nice pretty dress that-" His sentence was cut short when he received a hard blow to the head.

"Pervert," Sakura commented before huffing in victory and continuing to walk, Sasuke following behind. "Knucklehead," he muttered as he walked by, smirking. Naruto poked his tongue out at Sasuke's back and slowly followed, clutching his pounding head.

~*~

They all walked in relative silence up the stairs to Tsunade's office all apart from the short groans that passed out of Naruto's lips, his head still sporting a rather large lump. Sakura raised her fist to gently knock on the wooden door, but it swung open before she could even rest her knuckles on the surface. Her eyes immediately met with the ANBU Captain that was standing tall in the room. Tsunade has assumed her usual positioning at her desk, her hands entwined with each other and her elbows resting on the hard surface.

"I have a mission for the four of you-" She ignored the expression on Sakura's face. "-I would like you to all go in pursue of one particular man who seems to have struck up somewhat of an issue in the Sand." Sasuke's face had once again brightened at the thought of working on a mission with his brother and Naruto seemed relatively unperturbed, if a little peeved. Sakura stared up at Itachi Uchiha, who was maintaining an all-too familiar look of boredom on his face.

"May I ask why you chose us in particular?" Sakura's voice croaked and she coughed after asking Tsunade. Tsunade seemed to grimace slightly at the question.

"Well, to be quite frank, it was because there was no one else left." Everyone in the room faces' dropped comically, except of course Itachi's. Sakura raised her dropped head to look at Tsunade.

"Doesn't this mission seem a little advanced for us?" She mumbled. Tsunade stared intently at Sakura, shuffling in her seat. Sakura almost immediatley began to take back her comment.

"I would have thought my apprentice could take any mission I threw at her." A raised eyebrow from Sakura's powerful sensei caused Sakura to turn into a stammering mess.

"I-I'm not saying it's too difficult, I-I'm just wondering why you couldn't have just waited for another team." She blushed furiously when everyone's eyes in the room turned to gaze at her flushed face. Tsunade smirked in amusement and moved her arms down from the desk to shuffle some papers.

"We know the current location of the target and we need to immediately go into pursue. There isn't much time to talk so Itachi will tell you the details on the way." She nodded at the ANBU Captain, who was wearing the familiar olive green vest instead of his usual black and grey attire. Sakura kept her eyes focused on Tsunade when Sasuke's and Naruto's eyes automatically shifted to Itachi. A flash of amusement crossed on Tsunade's face.

"Well... Team Itachi, I wish you success on your mission. You may leave." She shuffled a few more papers and waved dismissively at the four shinobi. They nodded and left quickly, one after the other.

"Gaaaah, this mission sounds too easy." Naruto placed both his hands behind his head and his face switched to the disappointed expression he held after almost every mission he was given. Sasuke snorted lightly, but it was clear he seemed to silently agree.

"Underestimating the opponent is the first step to a shinobi's downfall." Itachi quoted in his dull voice. Sakura's mouth set into a thin line and her already-packed bag she had arranged earlier this morning weighed heavily on her back. They all stepped out of the Hidden Leaf village, faces looking as animated as ever at the thought of going out to do some real work.

"Woohoo! It feels great to be outta there." Naruto jeered, his wicked grin spreading across his face. Itachi stared at him.

"Should you feel that happy to leave your village every time you disembark on a mission?" He spoke dully. Sasuke stared up at his brother in silent admiration and Sakura sweat-dropped. What an exciting mission this will turn out to be...

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To Be Continued...


A/N: So, it's just the beginning. I'm really not sure how long this will be and I'm aware quite a lot needs explaining about Itachi. All in due time, my friends... :D

Oh and please mention if anything sounds a little... odd. I'm not a great fan of Naruto so if I get something wrong, please mention it to me!