{Chapter 2}

Retrieval mission begins

"Don't you think Tsunade-sama has been slacking off Kotetsu." said a lazy voice.

"Yea I think so to Izumo." said Kotetsu.

Izumo was about to say something but something caught his eye or someone.

"Hey who's that on the bench." asked izumo as he pointed to the bench kotetsu looked at the bench.

"I don't know we should wake her up?" said Kotetsu.

"Yea I guess. Hey girl wake up!" said Izumo.

Ino's eyelids start to flutter open.

"Ah my head hurts." she said.

Then it all came back to her.

"This is the only road out of the village."

"You should go to bed".

"Why Sakura…..why won't you ever tell me anything? You always keep to yourself you've never shared a single thing."

"Why should I tell you anything…just keep your nose out of my business it's none of your concern."

"I know you don't care about me sakura I know about your clan…..i have family and friends Sakura you were my best friend back then but if you were to leave I'll feel so lonely don't you remember back than me and you always playing together don't you remember when we played with the flowers."

"No I don't remember that."

"No Sakura don't l-l-leave p-p-please!"

"You never change ino you're still annoying."

"No don't leave please! Revenge won't solve anything it won't make you or any one happy so

Sakura stay here with everyone please!"

"I'm not the same as you Ino I'm traveling along a path the rest of you can't follow I know that the four of us me, you, sasuke, and naruto have worked together for a while I thought I could take that road instead but In the end I am bound by my goal that's always been my reason for living that's why I'm going to orochimaru for power he is the only one who can give that power."

"If you leave I'll scream!"

"Ino….thank you."

Ino's eyes widen and she sat straight up.

"No don't leave!" she screamed with tears going down her face

"Are you okay?" asked izumo.

"Y-y-yes I have to get to lady Tsunade!" Ino said as she got up and ran to the hokage tower.

'Sakura why?'

"I'm not the same as you Ino."

'You didn't have to do this!'

"I'm traveling along a path the rest of you can't follow."

'You're my best friend...'

"No I don't remember that."

'We could have gotten stronger here.'

"I am bound by my goal."

'Sakura.'

"Ino….thank you."

That's when Ino realized she was in front of the hokage's door.

she knocked twice.

"Come in!" said the hokage.

Ino opens the door to the hokage's office letting her see the tears that were falling down her face.

"What's the matter Ino?" asked Tsunade.

"She left last night i-I tried to s-s-stop her but I c-couldn't!" Ino said sobbing still.

"Who left?" asked tsunade.

"Sakura..." Ino whispered but luckily the hokage heard it.

"Do you know where she left to?" asked tsunade.

"O-o-orochimaru." Ino stuttered still not believing Sakura left.

Ino sees the anger that flashes threw the hokage's eyes.

"Tsk this is bad Shizune get me Naruto, Sasuke, Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru and Choji and hurry!" yelled an angry Tsunade.

"Yes lady Tsunade!" replied Shizune as she walked out of the room.

Tsunade looked at her.

"Go home Ino it looks like you need your rest." said Tsunade.

"No I'm fine!" Ino replied.

"Go home. Now." she repeated.

"Ok hokage-sama…." Ino said weakly as she knows she can't fight with her she she just left without another word.

{+}

Tsunade watched as Ino walks out the door.

"That girl must be going through so much she just lost her best friend." The hokage said with sad eyes.

Tsunade heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" she yelled to the other people on the other side of the door .

Tsunade watched as Shizune and everyone called her to get come in.

"Good you're here." Tsunade said gravely

"What's wrong baa-chan that you had to get us up at sunrise?" said a sleepy naruto yawning.

"It's your teammate Naruto it's Sakura." Tsunade said preparing herself for the outburst that is soon to come

"What's wrong with Sakura-chan!" said a now worried Naruto.

"She left the village." Tsunade said to the group mainly to Naruto and Sasuke.

"What! Where!" demanded both Naruto and Sasuke.

"To Orochimaru that's why I called all of you here your mission is to bring Haruno Sakura back to the village but there's no doubt that Orochimaru sent people to go get Sakura so there might be fighting I'm putting Shikamaru in charge sense there's not a lot of jounin available and sense Kakashi is on a mission." Tsunade said as she watched the expression on the other team 7 members turn from panic to anger at their teammate's decision.

"What a drag." said the lazy Nara.

"Leave now!" Tsunade said as she watched them leave.

{+}

"Are you guys ready to head out?" asked Shikamaru.

"Hai!" they all say.

"Good let-" began Shikamaru.

"Wait!" said a voice.

They all turn to see…

"Ino." Shikamaru said.

They were surprised she was crying.

"Naruto p-p-please bring S-s-sakura back I did everything I could last n-night but I couldn't I was useless I w-watched as she was going to l-l-leave I-I tried I r-r-really did so N-n-naruto….you're the only one that can bring her back now….so...please this is my wish of a lifetime...please...bring Sakura back to the village….to me please." Ino begged while crying and hugging herself.

"Ino…" said Shikamaru with sad eyes.

'Ino-chan you must really care about Sakura-chan.' Naruto thought with a sad smile.

"It's okay! I'll bring Sakura back for sure! That's my promise of a lifetime!" Naruto said with a

sad smile and thumbs up.

Ino looks at him.

"Naruto…thank you." Ino said.

"Let's go guys!" said Shikamaru with new found determination.

Ino watches as they jump into the tree's.

'Please bring her back.'

"Ino….thank you."

"Sakura I will get stronger and prove to you that you can get stronger in the village!" Ino said as she wipes her eyes of the tears.

{+}

'I never seen ino like that before naruto you gave her hope again thank you I can't stand seeing Ino cry.' Shikamaru thought.

"Hey Neji you see anything?" Shikamaru asked the Hyuga boy.

"Yea I see them there…..resting." Neji said confused at why they weren't trying to get to Orochimaru as soon as they could.

"Do you think it's a trap or they think nobody will go after them?" asked Sasuke feeling the same as Neji.

"It's most likely that they think nobody will go after them." Shikamaru stated to them all.

"There up a head." said Neji.

"We should stop and hide in a bush and watch them." Shikamaru said as he dropped to the ground followed by everyone else.

"There they are." Neji said as he looked at them.

"Hey where's Sakura-chan? I don't see her." said Naruto as he looked around the clearing trying to find at least a flash of pink.

"Neji do you see her?" asked Sasuke.

"I do! You see that coffin that's seeping with that gas." Neji said pointing to the coffin "Sakura's in there sitting Indian style I can't tell if she's in pain."Shikamaru was trying to process all this information and then make up a plan but he wasn't paying attention and a kunai came at them with an exploding tag when it did they all jump out to the clearing before it exploded.

"Leaf ninja." Sakon said.

"Give Sakura-chan back to us!" yelled Naruto.

"I'm afraid we can't do that." said Tayuya.

"Damn! we underestimated her!" Sakon said as he looked at the coffin to see it shaking.

Everyone looked at the coffin to see it shaking and then explode. When the smoke cleared Sakura was standing there with her back facing the konoha ninja.

"Sakura-chan." naruto said hurt laced his voice.

They watch as Sakura turns around and looks at them.

She smirked at them.

"Yo morons." she said smirking bigger.

Naruto looks at Sakura with sad eyes.

"Why Sakura-chan? why are you doing this?" he asked sounding desperate for an answer.

"You mean you haven't figured it out?" She mocked him.

"What do you mean Sakura?" Sasuke asked confused just the same as everyone else.

Sakura looked at him.

"The Sakura you thought you knew never existed this is who I am I was only using you!" she started chuckling

"So you were only using me and teme to gain power!?" Naruto felt so betrayed by Sakura and what she said to him.

"Yes moron! How stupid are you!?" Sakura asked mockingly laughing.

"Sakura-chan….you don't…have to do this..." Naruto begged weakly trying to not to fight.

Sakura got angry and clenched her fist.

"Shut up! You don't know how much I suffered all this time…..so stop acting like you know what I've gone through when you know nothing!" Sakura screamed at Naruto.

"How do expect us to get to know you if you never tell us anything!" screamed Sasuke.

Sakura looked at Sasuke with anger she then turned to the sound four.

"I'm going ahead!" Sakura said to them jumping into the trees.

"I'll stay here and take them on" said Jirobo.

"Ok." The rest of the sound four said as they took off.

"You guys go on." said Choji.

"Are you sure Choji?" asked Shikamaru.

"Yes just go I'll take him on!" Choji said.

"Good luck then come on." Shikamaru said as he and everyone ran passed jirobo.

Shikamaru looked back "You better make it out alive Choji!" Shikamaru said as he looked forward again.

"Kiba are we getting closer." Shikamaru asked.

"Yea there just up ahead." Kiba said.

'Sakura-chan.' Naruto thought.

'Sakura.' Sasuke thought.

'We will bring you back!' Sasuke and Naruto both thought.

"There they are." Kiba said.

"You guys go on a head." said Kidomaru as he stopped on a branch and watched the rest leave.

"You guys go to I'll stay and fight." Neji said.

"Hai." they said.

They kept running they didn't look back.

"You two go on a head" Sakon said.

"You guys go on a head to." Kiba said.

They took off.

"Now it's only that girl and Sakura" Shikamaru said.

{+}

Sakura kept running.

"Hey brat." said Tayuya as she stopped on a branch.

Sakura stopped and look at her.

"You know where the valley of the end is right brat" Sakura nods "Good If you keep going you'll end up at the valley of the end Orochimaru-sama is there on the other side in the forest waiting now go." Sakura nods at her and takes of she didn't look back.

{+}

'I need to keep running we need to get to sakura-chan it's already me and teme since we left Shikamaru to deal with that girl.' Naruto thought.

"Naruto up a head!" Sasuke said.

Naruto looked and sees a guy with two red dots on his forehead.

"Naruto you go ahead." Sasuke ordered eyes filled with determination.

Naruto started to protest.

"But Sasuke-" he was cut off.

"No go Naruto you promised Ino you will bring Sakura back I didn't." Sasuke said to him.

Naruto looked at him.

"Ok teme!" Naruto said as he took off.

'Teme you better make it out alive.' Naruto thought as he kept running.

Naruto entered a cave.

'Sakura-chan.' Naruto thought as his mind was filled with the pinkete making his will stronger to bring her back to the village.