This is my first FanFic story, so any constructive criticism is welcomed and positive reviews even more so. I'm terrible at grammar, especially tenses and POVs, so if anyone is interested in being my beta, or can point out some obvious mistakes I made, please send me a message.
This is a Sasuke/Sakura story, and there will be some (literal) Karin-bashing. If you do not like the central couple, then please refrain from flaming my story on that basis and just don't read this story. Now then, on to the story and I hope you enjoy.
Warning: There will be lemons/limes within this story later on. They will be marked if you want/need to skip them.
'thoughts'
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only this story and my OC characters. This disclaimer is for the entire story.
FINDING YOURSELF: Chapter 1 – Standing Still
Rookie Nine : Age 17 – Jonin
Team Guy : Age 18 – Jonin
The rain slowly poured down around her, drenching her clothes and plastering her pink hair to her face. She looked up into the sky and let the rain gently run down her face, washing her tears away. A sense of peace fell over the beautiful kunoichi as she stares up into the dark clouds with streaks of lightning shooting across them.
'It's funny how time can heal any wound, whether it's tangible or not. How much can change in only a blink of an eye. But the past always fades away. It's finally time to move on. I've become stuck once again in my life, and I need to find out where to go from here. It's nothing but work at the hospital or helping Lady Tsunade with her paperwork if I stay. I've learned everything she had the time to teach me, it's time I try and stand on my own feet and see what I'm really made of.'
With her thoughts still rolling, she performed a few hand signs and with a small puff of smoke nothing but a few cherry blossom petals were left to fall on the soaked ground.
- In Tsundae's office -
"How can so many freaking people have so much to complain about? Most of them just need to get a life! I mean really, if I'm the strongest fighter to represent the village, why am I always stuck in a damn office doing lousy paperwork? Shizune! Bring me more sake!" Tsunade yelled, rubbing her forehead with her fingers trying to alleviate the building headache from the stress.
"But my lady, you've already had an entire bottle today and it's hardly past noon. You don't need anymore," Shizune stubbornly replied back. "Besides, how do you expect to get your paperwork done if you're passed out drunk?" she asked.
"I don't, that's the point! This would take a lifetime to finish, so I might as well enjoy my life while I still have time right? So bring me more Sake!" Tsunade pouted, trying in vain to earn sympathy from her oldest student.
*Knock*Knock*
"Enter" Tsunade shouted, glad for a reprieve from the endless paperwork surrounding her and the impeding argument with Shizune over sake again.
Sakura opened the door and looked over at Tsunade barely visible behind her mountain of paperwork. "Trying to get out of doing your work again Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked while laughing at the look of frustration on her sensei's face.
"Sakura, it's good to see you. What are you doing here on your day off soaking wet?" Tsunade replied, a smirk on her face at the sight of her prized pupil looking like a drowned rat in her office.
"Actually, I came to talk to you about something very important, and I need your permission." Sakura responded, twisting her hair to leave a puddle on the floor.
"As long as it's not paperwork, I'll do it. So what is so important Sakura?"
"I … want to go traveling for a while, to train. Training here at this point is only keeping me in shape, and I've learned all about medicine from you that I can. Naruto is away training with Jiraiya, and the elders have you too busy to really have time to train me anymore. So I was hoping I can have your permission to go training outside of the village for a while?" Sakura asked - her nervousness clear in her voice.
Tsunade looked at the young woman who had become like a daughter to her over the last five years of training her. She had grown so much over those years. A lot more mature, but more quick to show her temper than she used to be as a child. And her strength was at par with her own now. Sakura's skill as a medic-nin was unsurpassed as well. Now that Tsunade thought about it, Sakura was right. They haven't trained together for almost three months now. It had been a week since the last time she had actually seen Sakura outside of the hospital.
"How long do you plan to be gone if I let you go Sakura? Where would you go?" Tsunade asked.
Sakura thought for a minute before replying, "I want three years to train. It took me that long to become this strong training under you, so I will use the same amount of time to grow into whoever I am supposed to be. As to where, I don't know yet, probably a bunch of different places so that I get used to different terrain and have more exposure to the world."
"Sakura, you can't be serious." Shizune broke in. "You're the best medic in Konoha besides Lady Tsunade; you are invaluable at the hospital!"
"Thank you for the compliment Shizune. But I haven't gone on a mission in six months, and lately I haven't been needed for any major medical issues. Being trapped in the hospital is slowly driving me insane. I won't be gone forever. I just feel … like I'm standing still. Like life is passing me by and I can't do anything to stop it."
"But why be gone for so long? Surely just a vacation of a week or two would suffice? Maybe you are only stressed from working too hard." Shizune argued.
"Enough Shizune! I think Sakura is right." Tsunade paused as both Sakura and Shizune looked at her with shock. "Part of being the best is being able to grow, and Sakura is no longer doing that here, therefore, she will only be the best for a very short time, and then left behind as someone new surpasses her. Since I can no longer find the time to help, I believe that she can find what she is looking for while she is out there. True independence is something that Sakura hasn't had yet, and she will gain that as well as some needed experience on her journey."
"So this means you're giving me permission to go then Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked, her eyes shining with hope and excitment.
"Yes. As long as I get a report from you once a month, I will allow you to journey wherever you want to go and train to your heart's content. If I go three months not hearing from you then you will be considered a missing-nin, and I will have to hunt you down and beat you myself to drag you back, so do you accept my terms Sakura?" Tsunade asked.
"Yes Tsunade! When can I leave?" Sakura asked, her excitement causing her to bounce on her feet like a kid. She hadn't really believed Tsunade would allow her to leave until now.
"You can leave tomorrow. It will be the first day of April, so it will be easier to keep up with how long you have been gone. Use the rest of your day to say goodbye to everyone and get ready for your journey. Meet me back here tomorrow morning at 8, understand?"
"Yes Tsunade-sama. Thank you so much for understanding." With that Sakura vanished with her trademark cherry blossom petals floating down where she stood just seconds ago.
"Lady Tsunade, do you really think it's wise to let Sakura leave by herself? What if something happens to her while she's gone? She could be captured, rapped, or killed! I really don't think you should let her go." Shizune spoke up after finally getting over her shock that Lady Tsunade would even agree to this.
"Shizune, sometimes, in order to grow you must learn from your mistakes. You must be able to stand up on your own two feet. I've taught Sakura almost everything I know, and she has grown to be an amazing young woman and almost my equal. However, although more confident than she used to be, she still doubts her abilities due to her lack of experience. I honestly think this will be good for her." Tsunade responded. Sighing she continued. "I'll miss her so much though. It's like my daughter has grown up and now she's leaving me." Tsunade said with a rare display of tears in her eyes that she held back.
"I'll go get the necessary paperwork then." Shizune said as she made her way to the door.
Tsunade looked out her window overseeing the village where the rain was still pouring down. "Please Sakura; please stay safe on this trip. I couldn't deal with losing a daughter too. You're about the only family I have left."