Ahem ...
Thank you to Lumberry and MoiraCalhounx1377 for reviewing... Thanks !!!!
Let's repeat the repetitive sentence again : I do not own Naruto, that is for Masashi Kishimoto's pleasure only.
I kinda hope you're enjoying the story, but it's going to get a little bit more interesting ... If I'm in the mood ...
"What do you mean she's gone !?" an angry fist smashed the table, splintering the wood and making everyone in the room scared for their lives. Tsunade was mad. Mad at the Anbu ninjas who had let her pass.
"When we saw her leave it was around 11pm, it was hard to see her face... And most ninjas leave during the night to not get watched by the enemy," was one's calm reply, completely ignorant about Tsunade's mood swings.
"And you didn't find it strange that she left without any baggage at all, let alone weapons or food ?" Tsunade sighed, " I dismiss you. Bring in Kakashi. And tell him not to be late !"
The masked man nodded and left without a word. Soon a knock was heard and the door opened, and the gray-haired man in question walked in. "Yo. What's up ?" he asked.
"Bad news is what's up. Sit down, I'm assigning you a mission with Team Seven, consisting of Naruto, Sai and Sasuke."
"Wait... What about Sakura ? Isn't she coming ?"
"This mission is about Sakura. A month ago she was found and brought to the hospital for, we imagine, probably traumatic experiences. Several scars and punctures in her skin had to be healed. She still doesn't know about those . The only possible explanation for the wounds would be ... experimenting. And the only village that allows that is ..."
"Sound," Kakashi finished the sentence for her. "So what do you want us to do ? Infiltrate the lab, find information ? And why is Sakura not coming ?"
"You're asking a lot of questions for once. I'll answer them. Sakura woke up yesterday, a bit tired but that was to be expected. I left her for the night without surveillance. It seems that was a mistake. My student left during the night. Some scars were left on her fore-arms, and being the medic that she is, no doubt she will have guessed and headed off to where it seems the most logical," Tsunade has closed her eyes at this point, not wanting to see the jounin's face.
But Kakashi had already gotten over the shock, and was wanting to know more. " Why did she leave ? Sakura may be a person who lives in the past but knowing her she would have stayed."
Tsunade threw a wanted poster on her desk, showing a young girl, perhaps in her late teens early twenties, her back to the photo, but turning her face so that it was barely visible. Two jagged scars ran down her naked back forming an X. Her hair was tied up, but her face was not distinguishable because of the strands escaping the ribbon.
"This is Shanne Crossback. Probably the most wanted of criminals in history. Some kind of legend. Rumors say that she killed all her people, family, friends. Destroyed millions of lives. They also say she can control a small portion of death. Barely known in this country as she has never come here. But all or nearly all countries have been subject to her killings. In all, a criminal that cannot be reached for the time being and should be tortured for eternity," Tsunade spat.
"May I ask what the hell this has to do with Sakura ?" Kakashi was getting more and more impatient. Every minute he lost was lessening his chance of seeing Sakura alive.
"The blood tests we carried out on her were quite disturbing. It seemed that someone's DNA had been mixed with her blood. After further investigation I found out it was Crossback's DNA. Now with the mission. I want you to retrieve Sakura, get her back to the village safely. But if you hear by any means that the murder girl is somewhere near, abandon the mission straight away and report. She's destroyed hundreds of villages and I don't want this one to be next in line. You may leave now.
The silver-haired jounin left the room, knowing well the reactions of his team.
"WHAT ?! SAKURA-CHAN LEFT ?!" cried an all too loud Naruto. Obviously upset, but sure he would bring her back. Kakashi was leaving the Shanne-girl out of this, and was definitely not telling his team about it.
Sai had an expression on his face that was hard to decipher but could have been worry. Sasuke, for his part, was unnaturally stiff. His face was blank, but his insides were battling with unusual feelings.
"Naruto, being loud won't help anything. Sakura left yesterday night, heading probably for Sound. It will take her approximately three days, maybe four since she's tired. We will split up once arrived in the woods, making the journey faster. In case of trouble shoot chakra fire-works into the sky. Sasuke, since you know Sound best, I want you, if we haven't found her yet, to go to the experiments room. We will meet you there. Understood ? Let's go."
The ninjas all jumped off in a different direction, hiding themselves in the leaves. The moon was high then, and night birds sang oblivious the actions taken earlier.
Water splashed against her face, waking her up for the third time that day. The rosette looked at her reflection. Surprisingly enough she had no dark rings around her jade eyes. The color had darkened throughout the last month, and had become a more moss color. Her face had matured, no longer childish, as her pink hair framed it. She had kept it short, but it was now lighter, and the color had become an also darker taint.
She sighed, knowing she shouldn't have done this. But she felt wrong. Those memories ...Were they really hers ? Did she kill many people ? She had seen the scars on her fore-arms, and knew what it meant. The only place were she could receive answers was Sound. And maybe also answers about the girl.
And in all of this, the return of the Uchiha. It was not the best time for him to return. She had expected for him to come back one sunny day, and she would have rushed in his arms...
She shook her head. These day-dreams were not going to happen. The kunoichi sighed, shook her head once again, and got up, preparing to leave. She was tired but had to go on, to find answers ... No matter how she got them. She sprinted off, soon just a blur.
She didn't notice the sizzled patch of grass where she had sat, burnt to black.
