Hey there it's Akemi! Well this is my second fanfic and I just hope you all like it! The pairings are SasuSaku (Main), NejiTen, ShikaIno, KibaTem, NaruHina, and one-sided ItaSaku (Sorry for all you ItaSaku and ShikaTem fans but I ship ShikaIno and SasuSaku. Gomenasai!)
Neji: Akemi-chan does not own Naruto or any Naruto-related stuff except for this plot.
Shikamaru: She would also like for you to R&R. Go ahead and flame, she wants the feedback… why am I here again?
Neji: Because she is writing about you and several others and part of your deal with vetoing certain parts is to be part of the first disclaimer.
Shikamaru: …troublesome…
Me: Ok guys, you can go. See ya in your first scenes
Sakura POV
I walked into Ichiraku and ordered my usual miso ramen before sitting next to my teammates. Naruto was, as usual, stuffing his face with ramen in a disgusting fashion that I became accustomed to, Kakashi was giggling at his book porn and Sai was smiling his oh-so-annoying fake smile.
"Hey, Ugly." He greeted me. Kakashi put away his smut, for fear I would slaughter him, and Naruto swallowed the remnants of his, judging by the stack in front of him, sixth bowl of ramen.
"Sai, Kakashi, Naruto." I greeted. Usually I was a bit warmer in my greeting but this wasn't a social call. There was a reason why I asked them to meet here. "Tsunade-shishou has a mission for us. She wanted me to gather you all and tell you that we need to be in her office for briefing in an hour."
"We?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You're coming this time?" His question wasn't misplaced. I'm a medic, one of the best in the Fire Country. Second only to my shishou, a fact that I am incredibly proud of. My skills were usually needed in the village, so I didn't often get to go on missions. My time was spent at the hospital tending to the sick and the wounded.
"Yeah," I said nodding. "She won't tell me what's going on until we're all together, but I'm guessing I need to go to Suna or someplace and need a protection detail." This was also not uncommon. When I did have a mission outside the village it was usually for healing and, though I can take care of myself, being the second best in Fire Country I am a highly desirable person. Even more than shishou, but that's mostly because if you go after her your death will not be pretty. They have a better chance of getting me, but they never have before.
I quickly ate my ramen and we all walked to the Hokage Tower. Other than the mission, it was all pretty normal. I was laughing at Naruto yelling and making a fool of himself, Sai was telling him to shut up and Kakashi just sighed and pulled out his novel. But we all shut up and focused the minute we walked through to my shishou's office door.
"You're early." Was Tsunade-shishou's only comment.
"Yeah, yeah just get onto the mission Tsunade-baa-chan!" Naruto yelled.
"Shut up and let her speak, dickless." Sai said with his usual fake smile. Kakashi and I had to hold back Naruto to keep him from attacking. Tsunade punched him, rubbed her forehead and poured a glass of sake. Just like always. I thought with a smile before turning my attention to Tsunade.
"As I'm sure you've guessed Sai, Kakashi and Naruto, you three will be on a protection detail. Sakura's needed in Sunagakure. There's a small epidemic going around, killing small children and hindering their shinobi. Sakura is needed to help find a cure. You leave in the morning. Dismissed, except for you, Sakura. You stay behind for a moment." I waited patiently as the three left before turning my full attention to Tsunade.
"Sakura, you need to be extra vigilante on this mission." She told me. "I've received word that the Akatsuki are gunning for you. We both know what will happen if you get captured." We exchanged a look and simultaneously shuddered. Naruto would go berserk trying to find me. It'd be like handing the Akatsuki a pissed off kyuubi gift wrapped with a big bow on the top.
"I won't fail you, shishou." I said, bowing. Her face softened and she stood up and walked over to hug me. My own parents were both dead. My father on a mission gone wrong and my mother… She was never really there afterwards. Eventually she just gave in. Tsunade-shishou became my mother figure and, like Shizune-nee-san, she considers me a daughter.
"I know." She stated. "You never have before and you never will. No matter what I'm proud of you." With one final hug she sent me on my way to pack. I met Kakashi outside the tower, and he walked me to my home. Despite his love for his pornographic books, he tried to refrain from reading them when I was around, so it made the walk much more pleasant.
"We need to watch Naruto closely." I told him, relaying what Tsunade-shishou told me. He just nodded and rubbed his chin through his mask. A familiar gesture, to me at least.
"I'll keep him in line." He said. "I'd better get a seal or two from Jiraiya though. Just in case." I nodded and gave my old sensei a hug. "See you in the morning Sakura-chan! Ja ne!"
"Ja ne!" I replied as he kissed my cheek through his mask and poofed away in a puff of smoke. I shook my head at his antics. Kakashi was like a father to me but sometimes I felt like a mother trying to reign in her reckless son. I walked into my small house and started to tidy up a little before packing and made a mental note to ask Ino-pig to come by and water my plants while I was gone. Who knew how long this mission might take.
I packed my regular black spandex shorts, light pink buckle skirt, red clan shirts, and, after some thought, a lightweight cloak and extra chest-bindings. Better safe than freezing and sorry.
No doubt! I sighed as Inner Sakura added her two cents.
I thought I got rid of you finally…
Nope, I just didn't have anything to say.
A first!
Shut it. She went off again and sulked in the depths of my mind.
I made a quick call to Ino, who agreed to come by every few days to water plants and put my mail on the table so I wouldn't trip over a whole bunch when I came home, and got dinner. It wasn't anything big. Just miso soup and some sushi I bought earlier so I wouldn't have to cook much before our mission. I made some onigiri for lunches (enough for about eight people because knowing my boys; they'll have forgotten to bring anything but instant ramen (Naruto) and protein bars (Kakashi and Sai). I soon slinked off to take a quick shower, relaxing under the spray of hot water and dressed in a fishnet t-shirt with a sand village forehead protector (a gift from Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro to show that I'll always be considered a part of Suna) covering my chest where it mattered (while I'm not as big as my shishou, I still have a relatively big chest) and a pair of black panties. I already packed a few more fishnet shirts and, obviously, underwear, but in the morning I'd back the headband. It would be tied around my upper right arm while I was in Suna.
I crashed on my king-sized bed (hey, a girl deserves some luxuries. Especially when she's constantly draining her chakra while healing and is forced to sleep for hours on end to recharge.) And fell asleep almost instantly, even though it was still the very early hour of nine o'clock. And didn't move until morning.
