Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Naruto nor any of its characters.
Chapter 1: The Mission
It had been six months ever since the Fourth Shinobi World War ended. Team 7 was in the Training Grounds, waiting. It was Ten o'clock in the morning and they were waiting for their sensei.
"Uh! We've been waiting for an hour already. Let's just train without him!" said Naruto.
"He's our sensei, Naruto. We'll have to wait for him." said Sakura. "Besides, I heard he just came back from a solo mission yesterday. He might need some rest. "
"Hn. Dobe." said Sasuke.
Sakura became bored and slightly irritated from Naruto and Sasuke's daily bickering so she decided to talk to Sai instead who was sitting on top of a tree. "Hey, Sai." she said as she climbed the tree.
"Hey, Ugly." said Sai as he looked at her with that fake smile of his.
"Sooo…What's keeping you busy?" asked Sakura while adjusting herself on the branch.
"Nothing, just…thinking." Sai stared at the sky.
"About what?"
"About anything good to do while we wait."
"Do you have any good ideas?" said Sakura, just to keep the conversation interesting.
"Not really." Then silence. More silence. They waited in silence for the next half hour.
Sakura couldn't take the deafening silence and boredom anymore, she jumped from the tree and yelled. "That's it! Let's start training! Who wants to spar-." she stopped when she saw Neji staring at her with a serious look.
"Sakura. You're needed in the hospital." Sakura nodded at him, she knew it was important because she wouldn't be called during her day off if it wasn't. She disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Sai jumped from the tree.
Neji looked at the other three from Team 7. "You three, I think you should also go to the hospital. It's quite urgent." Sasuke and Sai nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Hey! What about me?" wailed Naruto. He looked where Neji was standing but he was already gone leaving more puffs of smoke.
"Grrrrr." growled Naruto, so he just ran as fast as he could to the hospital and asked the other medics where Sakura was. They led him to a hospital room where the rest of Team 7 were, together with the Hokage.
"Tsunade obaa-chan, Sakura-chan! What happened?" Naruto was confused because everyone else were circled around a hospital bed. They made way for Naruto to come closer. His eyes widened in shock.
"Ka-Kakashi-sensei! What happened?" Kakashi was lying on the hospital bed covered by bandages in a thin blanket over his body. He was unconscious.
"He just got back from his mission last night. I see it didn't go well. I was planning on giving you a mission but as you can see, Kakashi isn't in the proper state to leave this hospital right now, let alone stand up." said Tsunade.
The rest of Team 7 kept on staring at their sensei. "What happened on his mission anyway? What kind of injuries does he have?" asked Sakura.
"We still don't have much information about his mission. He arrived at the gates all bloody and nearly passing out. Based on his injuries, I suspect he was affected by a genjutsu then attacked by a large group of shinobi." replied Tsunade. Silence.
"Anyway, I'll still give you your mission." They were all surprised and looked at her like she was growing another head. How can the Hokage still give them a mission considering that their sensei was currently incapacitated?
"Bu-but Tsunade-shishou!" said Sakura.
"No buts! Sakura since you are now a jonin, you will be the captain. Sai will assist you considering he is also a jonin. I'll give you a mission briefing in an hour. Meet me in my office, until then look after your sensei." said a quite moody Tsunade as she walked out of the room and banged the door on her way out.
"So…" said Naruto, trying to make up a conversation.
Sakura's hands glowed green and she placed them above Kakashi's body. They moved slowly from left to right, hovering over his bandaged form.
"Sakura-chan! What are you doing?" asked Naruto.
Sakura sighed. "I'm a medic-nin, Naruto. What do you think I'm doing? I'm not going to kill him! I'm just checking for any internal injuries, that's all."
Naruto smiled at Sakura and shut his mouth. "What are we going to do now?" Silence answered him. Boredom seemed to follow them that day. An hour passed and they decided to leave. Sakura went to the lobby first to tell other medics that they would be leaving Kakashi alone. One of the medics talked to her. "You'll be leaving now, I see? Hokage-sama told us that you will be leaving after a while, you can go now and we will attend to him immediately." said the medic while giving her a reassuring and sincere smile. Sakura smiled back. "Thank you." She went back to the room and told the others that they should go.
As soon as they arrived in the Hokage's office, Tsunade locked the door in her office.
"I will be assigning you a very important mission. I expect you to follow your captain's orders." said Tsunade, especially at the three men.
"Why does Ugly have to be the captain?" asked Sai. Sakura's temper started to heat up.
"Well, let's just say she'll be doing something important. Let me explain-." said Tsunade.
"Wait." interrupted Sai. "She doesn't have to seduce anyone, does she? Because she would be horrible-." Sakura's temper was rising, she slapped Sai. "Why don't you shut up?" Sai put on his fake smile. Sasuke smirked, in his thoughts.
"Uh-uhm!" said Tsunade, trying to cough. "Let me explain first." She glared at them first, warning them not to interrupt. "Since the Invasion of Pain, Konoha isn't exactly in perfect shape. Especially, since it was followed by the war. Until now, the Hidden Leaf can still be vulnerable. Even though, we have great shinobi, that won't entirely secure the village's safety. We won't know when a tragedy might strike again. So, the Kazekage and I have decided that the upcoming Chunin Exams will be held in Sunagakure, even though Konoha must be the next venue, because the village is still recovering from its great damage."
"So, what exactly is our mission?" asked Sai.
"You will be staying in Sunagakure for at least a few weeks. You will monitor the entire village for any problems. You will coordinate with the Kazekage and the Kazekage Advisory Council for the safety and success of the Chunin Exams. Konoha and Suna will most likely communicate through you for this mission. When you arrive in Suna, report immediately to the Kazekage."
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura nodded in understanding and slightly furrowed their eyebrows. The last chunin exams that Naruto and Sasuke had ended in the Invasion of Konoha and the death of the Hokage, if it weren't for their great support in the war they wouldn't be promoted. Sai remained emotion less but still looked serious about the matter.
Tsunade continued. "Now that the war has ended, rogue nin are said to become more powerful because of their attacks on affected lands and villages. We cannot let shinobi as such to infiltrate the exams, considering the fact this is another way to show the unification of the shinobi nations. Should anything different or unexpected happen in the mission, inform me immediately."
Tsunade turned to Sakura and held two identical scrolls, one on each of her hands. "Sakura, you will lead this mission as I said. You will give this scroll to the head of the Kazekage Advisory Council. Also, it seems that the head of the Council will require your help from your medical abilities so he will be your personal medic, if necessary." She gave the scroll on her right hand to Sakura who nodded. She looked at Sai next. "Sai, you will give this scroll to the Kazekage." she handed the other scroll from her left hand to Sai. "I'm giving the scrolls to you separately, so you can protect them better and in case you get attacked on your way to Suna, you can just meet in the Kazekage's office."
Sasuke and Naruto felt somehow slightly inferior. "Wait! Why do they have to deliver the scrolls? It's kinda unfairfor me and Sasuke-teme. We can handle them! What are we supposed to do? Stand around doing nothing?" said a slightly frustrated Naruto. Sasuke nodded, because even though he was embarrassed of Naruto's blunt reaction, he too, felt underestimated. He didn't know why. He knew that Tsunade knew very well of her capabilities.
Tsunade rubbed her temples, her temper was rising but she managed to calm down. "Well, Sasuke Uchiha is still in his one year probation. The fact that he is part of this mission is already a consideration, according to the council." Sasuke's eyebrows slightly furrowed, he was accepted back in Konoha but he was given a one year probation because of the fact that he was considered as an international criminal before he aided in the war. What surprised him when they gave him his "punishment" was that his older brother wasn't even given any punishment because his recruitment in the Akatsuki and classification as an S-rank criminal was all part of his so called "mission". That annoyed him very, very much. His brother just laughed lightly at him when they were informed of this. "Hn."
"And as for dickless, he is way too irresponsible to guard the scroll." said Sai in a rather serious manner. Sakura lightly smiled at this.
"Hey!" said Naruto. "I am not irresponsible nor am I dickless!" Sai just put on his fake smile in reply.
Tsunade rubbed her temples again. "The point is Naruto, you can be carefree sometimes."
"Ugh! Fine, when do we start this mission?" asked Naruto.
"Tomorrow morning, sunrise. Anymore questions?"
"Ah, Tsunade-shishou?" asked Sakura.
"Yes?"
"Do you know who the head of the Kazekage Advisory Council is?"
Tsunade smirked and Sakura was sure she saw her eyes sparkle. "I'll let you find out when you get there. Dismissed." Tsunade walked to the door, unlocked and opened it and let the four people walk out of her office.
"Wow, Sakura-chan! You're the team captain! How about you treat us to ramen?" said a grinning Naruto. They were walking the streets of Konoha, it was roughly noon and they were hungry. Sakura was going to decline but she heard a light stomach grumble. She didn't want to ask from whom it came from. "Sure, Naruto. Let's go to Ichiraku's now and I'll treat all of you. Then we can prepare for tomorrow's mission after lunch." "Yes!" said Naruto triumphantly while jumping in the air with a raised fist. "Hn." They all missed eating ramen at Ichiraku since it was destroyed in the Invasion of Pain.
They gave their orders and ate them quietly, except for Naruto who enjoyed his ramen too much to keep quiet. They were ready to leave when a certain redhead screamed and rain in their direction.
"Sasuke-kuuun!" yelled Karin. She proceeded to hugging him while he pushed her off himself. "Get away from me, Karin." Karin had once again become one of Sasuke's fan girls and annoyed him more than she used to first, because Sasuke's chakra has calmed down compared to when all he thought about was revenge. Second, they now lived somewhat peacefully in Konoha which means living in the same village which caused Karin to really get her hopes up. Finally, because now Sasuke was kind of recognized as a hero in the village for his contribution in the war.
"Go away." repeated Sasuke. Karin cringed at the sight of Sakura. But Sakura just smiled softly at her.
"Hi, Karin…!" said Sakura awkwardly as she tried her best to smile. Silence. "Well, I have to go now. I need to get ready for tomorrow's mission." said Sakura as she got up from her seat and started to take a few steps to her house.
"Sakura-chan! Why do you have to leave so early? We still have a few hours left. Let's have some fun!" said Naruto. The two other men looked at Sakura.
"Well, as Tsunade-shishou said we'll be on this mission for at least a few weeks so I guess I'll start packing. And I have to prepare some medical supplies for the Head of the Kazekage Advisory Council. Who knows what kind of illness he must have?" said Sakura as she stopped and faced her teammates. "Hmm, maybe I should have asked Tsunade-shishou what disease he must have…" thought Sakura reluctantly.
"And, don't be late tomorrow! Sunrise!" yelled Sakura as she walked towards her home.
"Hn. I have to go too. Bye." said Sasuke as he disappeared in smoke, mostly just to get away from Karin.
"Ah, well. Bye, dickless." said Sai as he went home as well, leaving Naruto and Karin.
"Uh, I guess I'll go home too. Uhm, bye Karin!" and he ran to his own home, leaving Karin alone and frustrated while mumbling something about "my Sasuke-kun".
Everyone prepared their needed supplies for the mission. They knew how important the mission was, especially now because their sensei won't be with them. They packed all necessary clothes, scrolls, weapons, and medicine. Sakura wondered what the scroll could be because it seemed very, very important. It had a powerful seal which she knew, can only be removed to whom the scroll was addressed. So she prepared everything, double checked, triple checked, and even quadruple checked. She slept early, hoping that everything would run smoothly in their mission. After all, this was her first mission as the captain.
A/N: How was it? Please Review! If you have any questions just review and ask, so you won't be misunderstood. I'll answer them. :D
I'll appreciate anything you would like tell me, since this is one of my first fanfics. I'll try to update as soon as possible.