Another Gift for the Wonderful Kiyomi Inuzuka, I hope this meets your expectations!

I Do Not Own Naruto

Chapter 1

At sixteen Sakura was still working to earn her Seal; not that anyone knew of her intent to obtain it, not even Tsunade. But that was the exciting part about trying to earn it. She was doing this in secret to prove her worth as a member of Team 7; one of the most awesome teams in the village, no she wasn't bragging.

But there was Kakashi of the Sharingan as captain of her Team, there was the only wood style user Captain Yamato on the Team as well. Then there was one of Root's elite assassins on her Team, Sai. There was also the hyperactive, blonde knucklehead who was the jinchūriki of the Nine Tails, Naruto. And finally, the most amazing member of their Team, the last Uchiha; Uchiha Sasuke.

To say her Team was power stacked was the understatement of the century. But the Third had known what he was doing when he had created Team 7; or so, Sakura hoped.

The point was, on a Team of power hitters she didn't feel like she quite belonged here. There was nothing spectacular in her skill set besides chakra control and healing which was why she had hopes to obtain a Strength of a Hundred Seal on her brow like her Master to prove she was worthy of being here on Team 7. She had been hearing the same 'you-don't-belong-there' speech from jealous girls, other shinobi, and even her own Master who had wanted to pull her from Team 7 and put her with Team 8. But Kakashi had held firm for some reason on her staying on Team 7 and one never questioned Kakashi.

Sakura didn't see what the big deal was, it wasn't like she was an interracial part of Team 7 or anything. She was just sort of there to patch them up after they got a few minor scrapes or bruises.

No matter, she shrugged off the feeling she did not belong on that Team any more than a deer in a pack of wolves.

Which was why today she was pulling up her hair as she walked to the Hokage's tower for a mission assignment with Sasuke, which wasn't a thrilling thought for her. The Uchiha had never liked her, even though she loved him but it didn't matter. Everyone in the village had thought she had out grown that stupid childish crush; it was her darkest secret that she hadn't, but rather she had fallen harder for him as time had passed. Which wasn't fair in her mind but the fates had probably cursed her or something at some point. She wouldn't put it past the fates to hate her, not that she was entirely certain as to why they'd hate her, but she had a feeling that they'd hate her all the same.

She walked into the Hokage's office then and saw her brooding teammate already there in the corner glaring at Tsunade as if she were the bane of his existence.

"My lady," Sakura greeted.

"Good, Sakura, you're here. I believe you will be particular skills will be useful in facing an old foe," Tsunade announced as she handed her the file. Sakura opened the slim file then and her eyes widened at the target.

"Tsunade!" she gasped.

"That's right, this is an S-Classed mission, Naruto is being sent off with Yamato, Kakashi and Sai so as to not interfere with yours' and Sasuke mission. We need him dead, Sakura," Tsunade said firmly. Sakura looked into her master's tawny eyes and nodded then.

"Yes my lady, I will see to it he is eliminated, but why is Sasuke coming?" she asked.

"The Uchiha is volunteered to be your back up for this mission, originally Kakashi was to be your back up, but…" her master trailed off and glared dangerously at Sasuke. Sakura looked right over her shoulder at glaring Uchiha then and sighed.

"My lady, I do not need back up, I will eliminate the target," Sakura assured Tsunade as she read over the information.

"I know you will not fail, this is personal after all. However, you are a medic and medics never go on solo missions because of their value to their village and the shinobi forces they serve. But, there are few who have ever gotten close enough to kill this target and only one has ever lived to tell the tale. So what do you say Sakura? Ready to settle this old grudge match?" Tsunade asked her.

An old, poorly healed scar on her abdomen pulsed with old phantom pains from the first encounter she had ever had with him and lived to tell about. But the cost of living had been the loss of a Suna elder who had been the first to believe in her. It was personal, it was very personal for her as she handed the file back to her mentor.

"I am more than ready to settle this, once and for all," she smiled maliciously as she turned to the door and walked out. "But Sasuke; you are to stay out of it," she said coldly to her teammate. This wasn't personal between him and her, but it was very personal between her target and her and she'd be damned if she let the Uchiha interfere.

"Sakura, the Uchiha is going to aid you," Tsunade barked.

"And I'm telling you right now, this isn't personal Sasuke, but he'll get in my way, and I'll be damned if I let this target escape my grasp again. This is personal between me and Sasori, and I do not need the Uchiha to interfere." Sakura stated to her master as she walked out of the office and let the door click behind her.

She was going to kill that puppet, and when she shattered his body into a million tiny pieces she was going to walk away humming in delight at having avenged Lady Chiyo. She was going to show the entire world she was just as good as her teammates on Team 7, and she was going to settle the score one and for all between her and Sasori.

That's all for now folks!

Enjoy I'm Alive! =)