Always read the bottom commentary, I answer questions and inquiry there.
Words from the Wolf:
-Should I smile, because your my friend, Or cry...because that's all we'll ever be?
-Sometimes I wish I was a little kid again...skinned knees are easier to fix than broken hearts.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I sure am obsessed with it.
Hollow
My name is Sakura. Nothing else, just Sakura.
The wolf masked woman slipped into the ANBU camp, flashes of the night sky could be seen through the branches of the clearing. Heading over to the gray haired captain, her eye unknowingly twitched at the sight of that damned orange book in his hand while he lay against the tree. He spoke amused, his one seen eye still gazing at the book.
"They asked for a story, am I right?"
Sakura grinned, taking off her mask, revealing her youth and beauty.
"Like I could refuse such a request, Kakashi? I've got their scrolls, and gathered what I could for information. I've sent the others to get rid of the rest."
"Good. I've received a message from Tsuande-sama. She wants us to return to Konoha immediately, and we are to come home with or without the scrolls."
An arched pink eyebrow rose.
"Pretty desperate of her to let scrolls like these babies out of her hands. And to call us back…Is it war? No, she would have us continue the mission, unless there was a direct attack on Konoha. Another special mission? Please say we aren't escorting the Daimyo and his family again. That was a pain in the ass."
Kakashi looked at her with his eye, a sad smile under his mask. She knew exactly what the call back was for. She just didn't want to bring her hopes up. He interrupted her train of thought.
"Well, we'll find out when we get home in two days. I suggest that you rest until then. In the morning, we run straight through."
Sakura mildly glared at him for the suggestion that she of all people needed rest, but she knew he was right, and stuck her tongue at him,
"Alright, big brother. Just so that Kurenai doesn't kill you when we get back."
Kakashi laughing nervously,
"That wasn't my intention at all, Sakura. You know that your health is in my top interest."
Sakura grinned at him knowingly.
"Night, Kakashi."
Rising, she leaped into the tallest tree she found in the area, hiding herself among the thick branches and leaves. Drifting to sleep, she knew that her old sensei was guarding her from his reading position. With that knowledge, the last thing she saw was the moon shining above brightly. A waning moon tonight…
Nudge nudge
Slowly, her eyes opened, but quickly closed at the bright light from the rising sun. Squinting, she looked to see Kakashi next to her, crouching on a nearby branch as he read the orange book with one hand and pointed his thumb in the direction of the sun.
"Time to go, Sakura. Run and eat."
Sliding on her mask, she stood and stretched. Three other ANBU joined them in the tree, a badger, an owl, and a hawk. With a nod from the dog masked captain, they disappeared from sight.
Arriving at the Hokage tower in the late afternoon, they entered the office with out notice, and dropped in two rows in front of the Hokage's desk, knelling, heads bowed. Tsuande gazed down at her subordinates, pride quickly masked by her indifferent tone,
"Report!"
Kakashi spoke blankly,
"Wolf and Owl's operation was a success. We let ourselves become ambushed, and we retreated, leaving Wolf to become a captive. She created a single Kage Bunshin to be the prisoner, and remained close to the retreating Sound team. Hawk, Badger, and Wolf executed the Sound team, effectively taking the scrolls. Badger and Owl then disposed of any evidence of the Sound team and our activities."
He held out two scrolls, as did Sakura and Hinata in her hawk mask. Shizune was in her regular blue kimono, and she took the scrolls from them and handed them to Tsuande. They waited silently as she read one of the scrolls quietly. After several minutes, she put down the scroll and coughed to compose herself.
"Come back tomorrow at 1300 hours for your next mission statement. You're dismissed."
A collective 'poof' went off, and smoke shrouded the room. Tsuande coughed slightly, grumbling under her breath,
"Once, just once, why can't they leave like normal people? No smoke, no ninja tricks, just 'Good bye.' and walk out the door. Is that so hard to do?"
Tsuande suddenly tensed, feeling a presence in the room. As the cloud dispersed into wisps, she sighed, a sad smile directed to the wolf masked woman, her old apprentice. Moving quickly, she knelt in front of her apprentice. Slowly, she took off the young woman's mask, her other hand holding her cheek, gazing at the emerald eyes that implored for answers, her pink hair falling out and around her face. The older woman sighed, speaking softly and adoringly,
"Sakura…"
Green eyes stared intensely at her, a heart breaking voice whispered,
"Just…tell me if it really is another mission for Naruto…Okaa-san, I don't think I…"
Tsuande stared at her quietly, before sighing again, breaking eye contact.
"Yes…but this time, we have more information. Just go home, come back tomorrow. Alright?"
Sakura nodded solemnly, and without a notice or word, she disappeared in a swirl of her trademark cherry blossoms, leaving a breeze of sweetness and loneliness through the office.
Opening the door to the apartment, Sakura noticed the lights were off, and she didn't feel another chakra signature near by. 'If Hinata wasn't home, then she probably went off to the Hyuuga compound real quickly.' Sakura thought, closing the door.
Locking it, Sakura flicked on the lights and noticed a note right by the entry way. Unfolding the paper, she read,
'Hey, sorry for ditching you suddenly, but I needed to go see Hanabi. I'll be back pretty late, so don't bother staying up for me. Get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning. Love ya, Hinata.
P.S. – fridge is empty, so eat the instant ramen.'
Smiling to herself, Sakura took off her sandals, and went to the bathroom first in the door on the left. Taking her armor off, she hissed silently at some of the tender wounds on her abs. Looking in the mirror, she unbound the bandage around her stomach and chest. Her once prideful smooth honey milk skin was marred by scars, dirt, blood, and bruises, but she didn't care so much anymore. She was a kunoichi.
She had an hour glass figure, with large shapely hips, and her chest rather large despite years of binding them tightly. Standing at 5'9", she was a force to be reckoned with, and after two years of many men pursing her, she had become the Untouchable Icon, because she refused every one, and during practice fights, she tended to be rather violent.
Barely touching a 5 inch cut on her hip, she applied some chakra to heal it faster. Usually she wouldn't waste chakra on something so insignificant, but this one looked ready to be infected, and she didn't want to chance it. Done, she turned on the hot water and climbed into the shower, letting it clean her.
She finished quickly, and dried off to put on black boy shorts and a sports bra, drying out her mid back length hair with a towel. Going across the hall to the kitchen, she set about making a late night dinner.
Getting some water in one of the measuring cups, she placed it into the microwave to nuke, and then proceeded to get out the cup ramen and her regular after work drink of sake. When the water was done, she poured it into the cup, and waited the 2 minutes before chowing down on the noodles.
Tossing the cup and cleaning up, she took another swig of her sake, letting it relax her muscles, an enjoyable tingle going down her spin along with the smooth liquid. One good thing about being a ninja, you could legally drink at 12, because you were classified as an adult. So, it was rather easy for her to get alcohol, as she was nearing 18. Add to the fact that she had been the Hokage's apprentice, made her a usual customer at several stores.
Sakura chuckled, remembering the first time she had been sent out on that errand. She was such a scared little girl back then, Stiffling a yawn, she went to her bedroom, grabbing a pillow and several heavy blankets and taking it out to the balcony by the living room, and she settled herself down on the cool concrete, smelling the flowers and herbs of the potted plants Ino gave her, as well as the many odd smells of Konoha that drifted over on the breeze.
Calming her body down, her heart rate slowed down as she opened her eyes to observe the sky above. A black expanse, though at edges it seemed like a dark blue because of the lights of the city, twinkling stars dancing in place. The soft glow of the moon.
It was a full moon tonight, in the late February night. A chill in the air nipped at the warm breeze, and she felt the presence of the people in the streets below, the hum of activity vanished as she concentrated on the lonely moon.
Her memories awakened, remembering old full moons just like this, when the cherry blossoms were slowly awakening from their slumber. Two in particular nights that changed everything.
The first had been when she was 12, the night after Sasuke left. The blossoms had just started, and she had ran to find Naruto. They spent the night under the full moon together, on top of his apartment building. He had held her as she cried, and when she had calmed down, he had confessed to her about being the Kyuubi container.
That had been the first and only night they ever talked for hours, and she began to see an inkling of what the real Naruto was, to understand him. A stubborn, brash, but caring, passionate, and thoughtful person, who would defy all odds.
That was the night that she had probably started falling in love with him. His arms had been so warm, and the strong emotions in his eyes still made her blush.
Another memory crept in though, darker, painful.
Her father's face sunk in, and she quickly suppressed the inevitable scene from her thoughts, knowing how it played out. One of her nightmares.
With a soft sigh, Sakura couldn't help but whisper the anguished words to the moon,
"Naruto…why did you make a promise that I want you to break? Where are you?...Naruto…do you love me like you used too? Or am I just not getting it?...Naruto…Come back to me…"
Author Commentary:
Edit: Another fixed chapter, and a lot of it was changed. Especially Sakura's intro and POV at the apartment. I think it's better this way, personally.
Not much to say about this, so, later.
Alright, well, people should know the deal. Read, review, live long in the universe of me.
Later!
Wolf