Chapter 2: Ramens and Missions

After a few minutes of letting her feelings out, she stopped crying and stood up again. She gently wiped her tears with the back of her hand and she returned to being her old self. She tried to put Sasuke's memories at the back of her mind. She succeeded and went to her training ground. She tried on the new jutsus Tsunade taught her. She concentrated real hard. She performed several hand seals and accelerated some chakra into her hands. Voila! And as usual she succeeded in doing so the new jutsus. She isn't smart for nothing, right?

Now she's practicing shuriken techniques. Oh boy, she didn't hit a lot of targets at first. But she's improving real fast. Great determination probably influenced by Naruto.

POOF! "Yo!" Kakashi said lazily to the startled Sakura. "Kakashi-sensei! What's up? What are you doing here?" she asked, looking up and down at Kakashi. "The Hokage has a mission for you. So better get Naruto and go to the Hokage building."

"Sure thing!" She replied. "Anyway, do you have any idea for this particular mission?"

"Only few. It's an S-ranked mission." He answered. "What? An S-ranked mission? Really? So important? How come?" She asked, looking at Kakashi in utter amazement. "I told you, I only know few so I really don't know what it's all about." Kakashi said flatly. "Come on! Tell me. You said few, not one!" she protested.

Kakashi looked up in the sky and scratched his head. "Uh… when you get there, you'll know everything. Good luck on your mission. Ja!" and POOF! He's out sight, leaving Sakura bewildered. "Eh?" She paused then continued.

"He really didn't give me a chance to talk. How rude of him! Maybe he's too busy with his perverted book." Sakura shook her head.


Naruto is busy plunging down his noodles and is talking to Iruka-sensei. Both had a great time together, talking and laughing at the same time.

Sakura was looking for Naruto and she knew one place he would go in this kind of day… Ichiraku. She entered and she was right. Naruto is now filling his stomach with his ninth bowl of ramen. Sakura sweat dropped. Iruka-sensei looked at her and greeted her. Naruto wasn't expecting her to come and so he spat his food all over the place when he heard Sakura's name. Iruka-sensei and Sakura sweat dropped. 'He'll never learn' both had the same thought. Naruto whirled around and faced her.

"Sakura-chan! You're here! Did you come to visit me and eat ramen as well with me? Have some. It's good!" Naruto exclaimed. "Uh… no thanks." She replied looking at the food messed at the table disgustingly.

"Why not?" Naruto whined. "Nothing, I just ate breakfast. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot. Naruto, I need you to come with me now." She commanded. "Why? I'm not yet finished eating my food!" Naruto said.

"We're going to Tsunade-sama for a mission." She said briefly. "Is that so? Tsunade-baka? What is she up to now? Can I at least finish my delicious ramen first before we go?" he asked. "No! We have to go now and fast. You know her. She's a Hokage and have load of works and responsibilities." She said swiftly.

"Naruto, if you want, I'll finish it for you." Iruka-sensei interjected. "Yeah, that's right! Iruka-sensei will finish it all up instead. So we'll go now. Bye Iruka-sensei!" she said cheerfully. Immediately, she tugged Naruto's collar and dragged him towards the Hokage building, without giving him a time to answer awhile ago.

Since Sakura's dragging him, Naruto stumbled. He didn't expect Sakura to be that strong. Yes, she'll smack him in the head but drag his whole body? And she gets to drag him real fast that parts of his clothes were torn off.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah! You don't have to do this to me Sakura-chan! I can walk you know!" Naruto exclaimed. Sakura looked back to check on him and saw how beaten he looks. She covered her mouth with her free hand and said, "Oops! Sorry about that." And she let go of him.

Naruto stood up clumsily, used his fingers to brush off dirt from his clothes and smiled cheerfully at Sakura, "It's okay! Anything for MY Sakura-chan. Hehe…"

Sakura wince then glared at him for saying the word "MY". She wanted to smack him in the head, but she doesn't have the guts to do that now. She felt so weak since she was having her training but didn't notice it.

As they walked and stood in front of the door, they knocked and were answered, "Come in!" So they entered.

"Good, you're here! Tsunade said. "Why did you call us, Tsunade-sama?" asked Sakura sweetly. "It's about an S-ranked mission I'm going to give you two."

"Only us?" asked Sakura, stunned. "REALLY! Only the two of us! YEHEY! I'm going on a mission with Sakura-chan ALONE!" Naruto squealed for joy. "Shut up, Naruto!" Tsunade said curtly, for Naruto is starting to get into her nerves with his annoying yells.

"Ok then, let's proceed. About the mission, it's about the Akatsuki. Try to gather information about their group. I gave Jiraiya this mission, but he hasn't come back yet. And so, I want you to look for him as well. And remember. You're not going to assault them if you run into them. You'll just GATHER facts about them, do you understand?" She looked at Naruto sternly.

She knew Naruto's attitude. He'd probably start his big mouth talking then provoke them to fight him. She's not going to allow that. She knows how strong the Akatsuki. They don't even know if they have weaknesses. And that's the reason why she'll be sending this two to gather infos about them, how they fight and their possible weakness or weaknesses.

Naruto stared back at her with an illegible expression on his face. Then he got what she meant and that she's serious about it. He nodded. Tsunade then turned to Sakura and said, "Sakura, report to me at once if Naruto has done something stupid and if he forgets that he's not allowed to fight them, remind him, ok?"

She lowered her head to read paperwork then said bluntly, (Now referring to both of them) "But if you're caught trying to get infos about them and you actually bumped into them, retreat immediately. If you can't get away from them, that's the time I'll permit you two to fight them. I tell you, Itachi is a member of this group and as what I've heard, they are stronger than Orochimaru."

Naruto and Sakura cannot believe what they've just heard. They never thought that there would actually be someone much stronger than Orochimaru. So what Sakura guessed before was right. Why did Sasuke go to Orochimaru for power when there is still someone who is stronger than him?

"This is so out of her character." Sakura muttered to herself. Since Naruto is beside her, he heard what she said and answered her question, "No, she's like that when she's dead serious."

"Ok then!" They heard Tsunade said. "Go pack your things up and get ready. You'll be leaving this day. I have load of works to do so get out of here now." She said sarcastically. The two Chuunins nodded and headed for the door.


They went back to their houses to pack their belongings and had agreed to meet up at sunset near the Konoha gates. As Naruto approached the waiting Sakura, he greeted her in a delighted voice. "Konichiwa, Sakura-chan!" "Hello, Naruto." She replied and gave him a smile. Both nodded and started heading out of the Hidden Leaf Village.

They passed a couple of villages and as nighttime falls, they prepared their bed in the forest. Naruto searched for food while Sakura unpacked other things and prepared it. She made fire as well.

Naruto came back bringing three fishes and some fruits. They cooked the fish and rinsed the fruits. Both were busy chatting about nonsense when suddenly, Sakura remembered the time team seven often goes to missions like this… which means Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei are present.

Naruto noticed her silence and he asked her, "What are you thinking about Sakura–chan?" She hesitated to tell him, but she's not in the mood to lie. "I just remembered the days when we used to go on missions with Sasuke-kun and Kakashi-sensei." She answered concisely.

"You really miss him, don't you?" He asked. "Hai." Her eyes saddened at that thought. "I still can't get over the fact that he's gone and with Orochimaru." She continued, hiding her eyes beneath her bangs.

"That Sasuke-bastard! He's nothing but trouble!" Naruto is seething. He clutched his fist, his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. Sakura looked at him, disconcerted. It's because of his sudden change of attitude. But she was glad she still had Naruto by her side and had been there to comfort her when she was trying to recover from Sasuke's leaving.

She told Naruto that it was getting late and that they have to sleep. "Tomorrow's a big day! We need to get rest and recharge our strengths." She said enthusiastically. Naruto chuckled a bit then nodded. "Goodnight, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said. "Goodnight." She replied. And both were asleep.


Hello! Starting this chapter, it will be all adventure first... But they'll be very useful in the future... So don't get tired about this for awhile, soon it will change back to something dramatic! Sayounara!

Yhel'Sakura0918