The sun rose in its multi-colored brilliance. A long-haired figure stared from under a cap, her golden eyes flashing until it was shadowed by applied brown. Sighing, she stared for a moment more. After a mission, she had received another one, one more exhausting than the other. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she disappeared into the blinding dawn, yearning for the bright sand of Suna.

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Neji sat in one of the waiting chairs in front of the Hokage's office, clutching Sakura's hand irritably. Sakura, on the other hand, was too busy staring at the youngest (and only) Uchiha. Since he had come back after Itachi's saddening death, Sakura had been following him, using the excuse that she needed to comfort him. Neji could only sigh in jealousy.

"Hyuuga-san, Sakura-san, Sasuke-san, and visitor may now enter." They were snapped out of their daze when they finally, after 3 hours of waiting, noticed the visitor. The visitor flipped off of the upside-down position they were currently in on the ceiling and landed on the ground gracefully, walking quickly to the large door adorned with paper strips and flyers. The group followed after; still stunned they had not sensed it.

When they entered, the Hokage cleared her throat of the sake she was consuming.

"As you know, we are running low on shinobi and are in serious need of fighters." Neji nodded. "I have hired efficient mercenary to help in the more dangerous missions. We'll need all the help we can get from now on." Again, they nodded. "Today, the mercenary you will be working with has visited, and will start training with you soon enough." She cleared her throat again, the alcohol burning it. "You are dismissed." The dark-clothed mercenary jumped out the window, once again landing gracefully from the top level of the tower to the dusty town below, a visible ponytail swishing. Sasuke looked rather intrigued; Sakura tried not to glare.

"You should follow her. She might cause some violence." Shizune warned, holding a purple clipboard in one hand and petting Tonton with the other. "Things might get out of hand, but of what I've heard, she's pretty good." With that, she waved at the groggy Hokage and left the room, Sasuke, Sakura, and Neji following suit.

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"Where are you going?" Sakura asked angrily, glaring at the navy blue-clothed female walking away from them.

"I'm going to Ichiraku's." Neji and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this.

"Has she been here before? When I was gone?" Sasuke asked. Apparently, this money-wanting fighter they were supposed to train was really familiar with the place. Neji thought the same, though more informed.

"No, she hasn't. But you heard what Shizune said. We have to keep an eye on her to make sure nothing bad happens." They all agreed on that, and headed the same way.

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"There she is." Sakura hissed, her face red from jealousy after Sasuke suggested he train with the mercenary one-on-one, to determine what her power was. When they had spotted her, a large object was strapped to her back, and it looked dangerous. Neji was about to speak, when an emergency siren alarmed.

"Enemies at the gate! Urgent! Now!" A voice echoed through the newly-installed

speakers. Ninja lounging at the stands jumped and dashed off to the gates, while civilians screamed, panicked. The 'nameless mercenary' dashed off as well, speed rivaling the lot. Sasuke easily caught up with her, while Neji and a seething Sakura followed, a good 6 yards behind.