Unlike most kunochi's she was almost never able to hide her emotions, they burned so brightly they were almost visible, Sai had told her so on more than one occasion. Ino had once called her a raging Volcano because in her words "You're so emotional sometimes nothing can stop you". Like many Shinobi his behavior was as cold as Ice, but unlike many he could not be melted down so Shisui had called him "Dry Ice" because in his words "You'll never be simmered down into a puddle, perhaps poisonous gas that'll kill everyone but not a puddle."
So when they were assigned a mission together they immediately clashed, because since when does fire and ice mix? Sakura-centric, possible out of character parts(Saying sorry beforehand).
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
At twenty years old, you would have thought that she would be used to this. After almost ten years, you would think that seeing this same scene would get old after a while. But it didn't, because she always would do the same thing when this happened even thirty years from now. They were family, and no matter how hard you try you cannot stray away from them and the actions they provoke. So as bystanders gawked at her punching Naruto a good ten feet without chakra(she was in a good mood so she went easy on him)
Sauske and Kakashi merely blinked making sure he wouldn't die before turning back towards their meals as Teuchi chuckled lightly at their indifference. "Stupid pervert!" She yelled after his body that had skidded into some poor shinobi a ways off. She sat back down into her seat noticing out of the corner of her eye as Teuchi smiled warmly at Naruto who came bouncing back with only a small bump on his head, testifying to his strength. Naruto pouted as he spoke a great contrast with his age, "Sakura-chan why do you always have to hit me on the head, one of these days you're gonna give me brain damage." She doubted it, his skull was too thick, "Well if you hadn't been showing off your new perverted jutsu that would not have happened now would it."
Grinning he spoke again, "Ah, I think you're just worried one of your fan boys will get a hold of it." She shivered with the thought, apparently Naruto's jutsu made a shadow clone of the users inner-most desired person. When Naruto had done it a Hinata in jounin gear had appeared, a sultry look in place as she started unbuttoning her vest. Naruto in his distress told her "Stop taking your clothes off!" To which the clone had responded with "Bite me." Sakura having never heard such a tone from the real Hinata had blushed at the implications. However anger quickly set in as Naruto began to look slightly dazed as he stared at the clone continuing her actions. The clone had disappeared as soon as she had hit Naruto though.
It was no surprise Hinata had shown up in the first place (they had been dating for about two and a half years now) though she had the briefest idea that a chick in a ramen cup costume would appear. Sauske chose this precise moment to voice his usual one word comments, "Dobe." Rising to the bait Naruto and Sauske went into one of their usual arguments. One of the few times you could get more than three words out of the Uchiha. She sighed, a content smile appearing on her face as she looked over her teammates. Kakashi, as always had his nose in a book chuckling softly now and then as Naruto boldly declared, "Oh yeah! Then fight me we'll see whose better!" almost knocking over his and Sauske's bowls as he threw his arms in various motions. She looked at where they began and where they were beaming in pride every now and then.
Oh, she remembered when she was simply a pink haired fan girl with perfect chakra control and abnormal strength( which she hadn't known about at the time), when Sauske was a pouty pre-teen set on passing his brother, and when Naruto was just a boy who loved ramen and wanted to be Hokage. They had all grown so much, it took her awhile but at sixteen she decided her and Sauske just weren't meant to be. Naruto now knew various jutsu's and could do what his previous master Jiraiya could not without defections, Sage mode, she found it quite the thing to be envious of when she saw him practice it. Sauske was at the same level as Itachi, though experience and a quick mind always beat him in his and Itachi's spars. She, with all her medical knowledge and perfect chakra control was a thousand ways to die in person.
She also knew a little over two thousand ways to paralyze and/or prevent someone from using their chakra at all. Not to mention her Tsunade inherited strength. She was older, much older and had finally grown out "Female attributes" as Ino had said. Her chest would probably never be the size of Tsunade's or Hinata's or even Ino's but she was perfectly content with her C-cup, besides she had as she heard Anko-sensei say once "The junk in the trunk to keep em' coming." Her hair however not as long as it was as a genin and not as short as it was a Chuunin touched her shoulders and upper back as her forehead protector was now placed on her arm simply to show off her "Strength Of A Hundred Seal." Naruto's hair was now only a little bit longer than before now limp looking on his head, his whisker marks making him look younger though his now sharp jaw line and slightly narrower eyes said different.
Over all he was now popular with the ladies though she suspected it was half because he was taken and half because he and Sauske were competing for "Villages strongest shinobi." The contest would be held two months from now along with "Villages strongest kunochi." Naruto kept saying she was "a shoe in to win" where he got the term from, she did not know. Sauske, mostly kept the same look though his hair was also longer and his jaw line was also accentuated. She giggled when one time he had put it into a ponytail and when she had said he looked like Itachi, promptly ripped it out before she could say "Just teasing." Though, she thought, his girlfriend did not mind. She smirked at the thought of Karin Uzumaki, at first assumed to be a whiny fan girl by none other than Sai was quickly proved wrong when Sauske in his bad mood had tried to do one of his usual "You are useless and annoying stop breathing my air." Tantrums she had told him exactly where to stick his attitude. Ino and Sakura being who they were immediately made friends with the girl not being able to resist recruiting another "I don't take shit while sitting down girl." It had been getting lonely with just her, Ino and Temari.
She almost burst out laughing when she thought about how they'd come up with the name. While she had vehemently argued about the name being a paradox(clashing thoughts) Ino had claimed it was catchy and most of all sassy. She had relented not being able to lie that, yes in a way it was quite catchy. She shook her head with a smile leaving her musings as she looked out from under the flaps of the booth noticing it was well past time for her to start her shift at the hospital, Shizune couldn't handle all the patients. Without saying anything she left, knowing they would understand. After all isn't that what family was for?
Mending the small boy's broken leg she wondered when another mission would come along. Her team, ever since passing the Jounin exams two years ago had been going on more and more solo missions. She actually liked them, though when they were a little bit longer than a month she started to miss her teammates. She didn't mind being alone now and then but she was a social person. Patting the boy on the head as he blushed at her she sent him to the front desk to get a lollipop. Looking at her schedule she noticed she only had about two surgeries and one checkup left and she could leave. It was fine with her, after all it was girl's night she smiled lightly at the thought. Last time they had gotten so drunk Temari had started talking about how un-lazy Shikamaru was after dark.
Ino had almost thrown up simply from the details coupled with her being drunk equaled disaster. Sakura however had a higher alcohol tolerance, one which she thanked her mentor for. So when the girls got drunk she would always be the designated walker. Stepping into Mr. Hakumi's room she smiled brightly before explaining what his surgery would be like.
She walked to her dresser to find some clothes to change into she glanced at her clock noticing it was about half an hour before she had to meet up with Ino. Pulling out a V-neck burgundy long sleeve top and a pair of dark blue jeans she contemplated wearing earrings or not, thinking of last time she came to Ino's house without one piece of jewelry on had her grabbing the red studs quickly. Ino had literally tied her down and dressed her in the tightest, sparkliest things she could find in her closet. She hated being stared at like a piece of meat, sadly she couldn't punt the civilians around like she could with the shinobi. They could sue her, and if there was one thing she hated it was court. Dismissing the thought she walked into her bathroom to take a shower.
Half an hour later she was standing outside Ino's door, a small handbag on her shoulder as she waited for her friend. Ino stepped out in a baby blue tank top with white jeans and matching baby blue dangling earrings on her ears, ever since she started dating Chouji she decided it wouldn't be a good idea to look too good when they went out. They walked the five block distance to Hinata's house noticing Karin and Tenten filed out of her front door, Temari was in Sand and could not make it. Hinata wore a lavender skirt which came to about mid-calf and a white V-neck t-shirt, Tenten wore a long sleeve green top with black pants, Karin wearing a black t-shirt with a beige jacket and matching black pants. (AN: as for shoes…let your imagination run wild!) Sakura looked up at the club hoping that this time it wasn't a stripper joint, last time when they went out on her birthday all of them(excluding her) put their money together and got her a lap dance, Ino had been threatening to bring them to another one just to see Sakura react the same way again. Sakura in her distress promptly froze when the man in leather pants with no shirt had started dancing, she had almost punched a hole through his chest when he had bent down and licked her ear. Ino and Temari had to hold her back, why oh why did all her friends have to be perverted? Walking in they sat together at the bar talking and every now and then pointing out an attractive looking male.
Ino seeing one she deemed as in their league nudged Sakura before saying, "Ooo, look at brown haired cutie, three o'clock." She glanced for a moment before turning back to her margarita she was slowly nursing. Ino noticing she had turned around immediately frowned and started to rant to her, "Look, you're not getting any younger and you can't stay single forever," Interrupting her sentence Sakura spoke, "On the contrary I can, there are plenty of women out there who have not died from loneliness, besides no one has dragged my attention away from work enough to give a second thought." Ino rounded on her immediately, "So you admit you're lonely." She tried to say, "I did not-" but was quickly lectured by Tenten of all people, "You can't stay single forever Sakura, and all of us can see how you start to look like a proud mother when you see us with our boyfriends, you're way too young for that were the same age for Kami's sake!"
Sakura paused, "Our, since when are you not single Tenten?" Ino rolled her eyes behind her, "Her and Lee have been dating for a month now. You are way too caught up in your work." Oh, so she really was the last one. She shrugged it off though, if she was meant to be single it was meant to be. "Guys, I can't control fate, maybe I'm just not meant to have a relationship I mean look at Tsunade-sama like teacher like student." Gulping down the rest of her drink she ordered something stronger and seeing how Karin had just joined in on the lecture her friends had started to give her it was going to be a long night.
She got home at about twelve thirty am, flopping on to the bed she groaned as she realized if she didn't eat anything she'd have a hangover, a bad one at that considering how much she had drunk this night. She got up and walked into the kitchen whining quietly at the bright light. Looking into her fridge she noticed there was an unfinished plate of barbecue take out, placing it in the microwave she looked back into the fridge to get a small bottle of no sugar added fruit soda. The microwave beeped as she took out her food and settled herself on the table grabbing the fork she lifted a piece of beef to her mouth as a poof sounded outside on her doorstep. Groaning as she walked to the door right when the anbu sent knocked on her door patiently. She opened the door as the anbu began to relay his message, "Hokage-sama requests your presence for confirmation of a mission."
After that was said he poofed off again before she could even say thank you. Knowing Tsunade wouldn't mind she brought her food and drink with her as she commenced a teleportation jutsu of her own. Appearing in her office Tsunade chuckled at the food and drink in her students hands before speaking, "Late night?" merely grunting at her and sitting in one of the seats at her desk she munched on her piece of beef from earlier before another poof sounded in the room. Tsunade noticing the other person spoke, "You may have a seat since my apprentice does not seem well enough to stand." Sakura noticing the chakra was familiar turned around to notice Uchiha Itachi sitting beside her. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized she would be getting a mission with him. However she still remained polite, swallowing before she spoke "Uchiha-san." He nodded in her direction before turning towards the Hokage again.
Tsunade noticing it was quiet spoke in Sakura's direction, "Now as you know Itachi here is Captain of anbu squad one," Nodding her head she came to the conclusion that she would be supporting their team as a medic before Tsunade spoke again," They have a search and rescue mission that will need a field medic, they will most likely not be able to protect them at all times. You are the most qualified and are either on par with or above the members of the squad," She couldn't help but notice the pride ringing in Tsunade's voice. She spoke again silencing Sakura's thoughts, " The other members of the team have already been briefed your mission starts tomorrow at 5 AM sharp, dismissed."
Noticing Itachi bow before leaving she got more comfortable in the chair and continued eating. Pausing in her, now cold, meal she spoke. "Why'd you put me in their team, Shizune is already in anbu and knows the work for it better." Smirking at her apprentice she spoke again, "You've been off of missions for a month Sakura it's about time you get back in there." Her face showing her incredulity she spoke again, "But in anbu?! I've never even wore an anbu mask much less go on one of the missions. And I heard Uchiha-san is a power head you know how I am with those types!" Tsunade laughed at the memory, "Yes Sakura I remember the shock on the Tsuchikage's face when you told him, and I quote ' I don't give a damn how you think women should act, I do what I damn well please.' "
Sakura blushed at the memory, "Yeah and doing what I damn well please apparently gets me a week of community service." Tsunade spoke again, "Well it was deserved, I admit if he had told me to 'fetch' him some tea after commenting about how women should always act so humble in a man's presence I probably would have punched him across the table." Sakura chuckled lightly as she remembered her sensei's loud laughter after she had said it, before sentencing her to community service for using profanity in a Kage meeting.
Her mentor spoke again though this time with a more sincere tone, "Sakura I only have one more thing to teach you and then I can't call you apprentice and you can't call me sensei," Sakura tried to interrupt but Tsunade held her hand up, "You surpassed me a long time ago Sakura, when you were about seventeen I think. I want you ready when I teach you this last thing and we spar for one last time, and no holding back we're both going all out understood?" Sakura nodded mutely at her sensei's speech. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind that she had surpassed her master, she just didn't see it happening. So as she finished her meal and swallowed the rest of her soda a wry smile appeared on her face as she thought of the reason Tsunade was telling her all this. "You're just doing this so I can win that darned Villages strongest kunochi thing huh?"
Tsunade having been found out grinned before saying, "If that gets another shoe in there to help you win." She shook her head with a smile before teleporting back to her house. Looking out the window she noticed the sun starting to come up, sighing she knew she would not get much sleep before throwing her empty bottle and take out bin away in the closest trash can before going to her room and going to sleep in the same clothes from earlier. She'd just change in the morning.
AN: Hello! ^^ I hope this is good enough I hope to upload the second chapter sometime this weekend, though I suggest you don't expect it I'm quite the procastinator it took me a whole two days so edit this before I published it and probably would have taken longer if I hadn't known I accidentally submitted it.