Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Chapter 3
Thank you all so much for leaving all those wonderful reviews, they really brighten up my day.
If theres anything you don't get or I haven't made clear in the story feel free to message me, and I'll be glad to explain it more clearly.
Side note: not sure how many of you watch Shingeki no Kyojin, but for the two reviewers who goes by the name of Eren Jaeger and Rivaille Heichou. I ship you two so hard together :D -did anyone see the latest episode of SNK? It is a freaking roller coaster ride of emotions.
Any ways chapter 3
Sitting on the swing in a nearby park, Sakura swung carelessly back and forth. She had spend the rest of the day here. After the whole thing with Sasuke, she couldn't find the energy to go home, so she took refuge in the small park beside the academy. It was already night time and still she made no effort to move.
She had fought countless enemies and been in situations where all her chakra was drained from her body, yet she would always find someway to be able to carry herself home. However, this simple 'talk' with Sasuke drained her both physically, mentally and emotionally. As much as she willed herself not to care for the stoic bastard, she always found herself caring for him. When he joined the Akatsuki, or when he was planning on attacking Konoha, both times she told herself that the Sasuke-kun she knew was gone and he wasn't ever coming back. Yet, despite all this she still found herself unable to harm the Uchiha in anyway.
Sure she may have told him during the war that she could never forgive him for killing Naruto, but who was she kidding. She loved Naruto as a brother and as much as it killed her to see Sasuke let him die, there was no way she could truly hate him.
She gave a small sigh as she continued swinging. She was really a masochist. After everything he had done to her, she never once hated him. Any sane girl would have left him ages ago, yet she still clung on, wishing on a nonexistent glimmer of hope that someday he would let her into his world.
She snorted at her own weak, foolish self.
"How lady-like." A sarcastic remark derailed Sakura's train of thought.
Planting her feet on the ground she stopped the swing. There stood in front of her a smirking Uchiha with that familiar kusanagi strapped to his hip.
"What do you want Sasuke-kun?"
He leaned against the railing near the swings. "I can trust you, right?" It wasn't question.
Sakura rolled her eyes. How long have they known each other?
It wasn't after a good while before Sasuke decided to speak again.
"After Itachi died, Obito told me the truth about my clan. He told me that Itachi murdered my clan based on the orders from Konoha, and how Itachi wanted me carry on his mission in protecting this village."
Sakura gave a small gasp.
"At that time, I couldn't accept what Itachi wanted me to do." Sasuke ran his hand through his hair.
"So…is that why you joined the Akatsuki and...planned on attacking Konoha?"
He gave a small nod.
"What changed?"
Sasuke's eyes became unfocused as if reliving an old memory. "During the war, I met up with an edo tensei Itachi, and after that meeting I wanted to go my own path. So I revived Orochimaru, and had him perform edo tensei on the four hokages."
"Why?"
He turned his attention towards the girl. "I wanted to hear the whole story from them. It turns out the Uchiha clan was planning a coup, and Itachi was the spy. He loved Konoha so much that he was willing to massacre his own family. After that, I understood and I wanted to honor his wish. So that's why I need to find Itachi, after all he's the only family I have left."
Sakura remained silent as she took in all of what Sasuke had told her.
"Thank you... for confiding in me." She finally spoke. A soft smile plastered on her face. Lifting herself off the swing, she reached out for Sasuke's hand. Clasping it in her own, she gave it light squeeze. "I'm here for you."
Sasuke stared down, a smirk made it up his face. "Even after all these years, you're still annoying."
Sakura gave a mocking glare at the smirking Uchiha. "You're also annoying Sasuke-kun."
This time it was his turn to glare.
"So what's your plan? Are you going to talk to Hokage-sama?"
Sasuke shook his head. "I need to find Itachi first."
"How?"
Sasuke shrugged. "I'll just search for him."
Sakura looked thoughtful for a minute. "That's impractical." She ignored the glare from the Uchiha. "I mean it's not like you can just request a mission to search for one of the most wanted criminal organization right now. You're suppose to be a genin."
"…"
"If you're willing to wait, and let things play out, there's a possibility that you don't have to search for Itachi."
"…so are you saying that we wait for when Itachi and Kisame to come for Naruto?"
"No, because no offense you're not strong enough to take on two akatsuki members." Sasuke made an indignant grunt. "Besides with Kisame present no matter what you say Itachi will simply deny it."
"Then what?" He was starting to get annoyed
"After Naruto returns from his two year training with Jiraiya, we were sent on a mission to retrieve Gaara, and during that mission we met up with Itachi." Sakura tapped a finger on her chin as she continued "I think that was when he stuffed a crow down Naruto's throat…"Sasuke raised a brow. "Anyways, that's when you should persuade him to come back to Konoha. By that time we'll have a strong enough team to do so. Also I think we should find that mission scroll that was given to Itachi regarding that mission, and proof of the Uchiha coup."
"Digging up proof on the Uchiha coup isn't going to be hard, but how do you propose we get the mission scroll?" His tone was incredulous, clearly he was doubting her again.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Sasuke-kun I'm the disciple of Tsunade-sama the godaime. Once she becomes Hokage, I'll seek tutelage under her, and then that'll give me all the chances in the world to rummage through the old archives."
"...Fine" Not willing to say it out loud, but it was a pretty good plan. Somehow it made this goal of his seem so much more feasible and likely to happen.
Smiling, Sakura grabbed Sasuke's arm and stared up at the boy. "Aren't you glad I'm on your team?"
Not shrugging her off like what he would normally do, he simply turned his head and smirked. "Annoying."
By nine o'clock the next morning, the trio arrived in the conference room of the Hokage tower. When they entered into the large room, several chunnins and the hokage sat at the large table. A disarray of paper and scrolls were scattered haphazardly across the white table.
"Kakashi-sensei, you're not late!" Naruto pointed at the silver haired man who was slouched against the wall.
Kakashi sweat dropped.
"What was there no old lady-" Naruto was cut off by a small cough from the Hokage.
Cerulean eyes turned towards the third hokage.
"As, I was saying to Kakashi, I am giving team seven a C rank." Motioning for Kakashi to approach the table, the sandaime handed the small yellow scroll to the silver haired jounin. "It's a simple escort mission. Your charge Tazuna-san will be meeting you at the gate, and from here you will proceed to the mist village."
Naruto's shoulders immediately slumped, the once excited look on his face about receiving a mission disappeared. He had been hoping for a A rank or maybe a S rank, yet instead he was greeted with a pathetic C-rank. Crossing his arms childishly in front of his chest, he stomped his feet like an incorrigible child. "GIVE ME AN A-RANK AT LEAST JII-CHAN. THE GREAT UZUMAKI NARUTO -"
Thwack
Naruto felt himself stagger a few steps forward. Turning around he glared angrily at Kakashi who was holding the little green book in his hands. He opened his mouth to yell at the male, but stopped with Kakashi grabbed him by the ear and dragged him of the room. Sakura and Sasuke followed suite.
Loud shouts of pain could be heard down the hall
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Once the team arrived at the village gate, a drunken old man staggered towards them. His beady eyes narrowed at the sight. "These three brats better not get me killed."
Kakashi by this time had released Naruto, and was flipping nonchalantly through his prevented book. "Tazuna-san I assure you, these are the best."
"Whatever." The old man was already leaving, with Kakashi right behind him.
"THAT STUPID OLD-" Sasuke slapped Naruto across the head this time. A glare present on his face.
"Shut it, dobe."
Naruto was about to throw a derogative remark at the Uchiha, before he was pulled away by Sakura. Not wanting to listen to another one of those annoying fights between them, she grabbed the blond before he could speak and followed after Kakashi.
Sasuke twitched as he stared at the pair in front of him, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets he trailed after them.
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Once they were a reasonable distance away from the village, Sakura fell back to match Sasuke's pace. He grunted an acknowledgement when she fell in a pace beside him. Remaining silent, Sakura watched as Naruto pestered Kakashi, probably to have him teach him some cool jutsu.
"You remember what happened during this mission right?"
Not facing her Sasuke grunted again.
Rolling her eyes, Sakura fell silent. Sometimes, she really wanted to give him a good beating if it meant he would reply properly.
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"Ne, Kakashi-sensei why did you stop walking." Naruto stared curiously at his teacher, who was busy staring at a nearby tree.
Sakura and Sasuke stopped walking as well as they stared at their sensei, who had now pocketed his book, and was now holding a kunai. Throwing it in front of him, a low chuckle was heard. "As expected from the infamous copy ninja."
A muscular shinobi carrying a large sword perched on the tree made himself visible to the group
"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura protect Tazuna-san." Kakashi ordered, as he lifted his hitai-ate revealing a spinning sharingan.
Immediately the three genins formed a semi circle around the bridge builder.
Naruto watched in sheer amazement, as Kakashi easily dodge the massive sword aimed for his head, and countered it with his own attack. Two twin water dragons emerged from the nearby lake and completely engulfed the mist ninja. Or at least that's what it seemed like.
"Missed me." The voice echoed from behind the genin group.
Turning around Sasuke managed to block the large sword that dove towards the bridge builder just his time. His kusanagi cackled with the sound of chidori coursing through it. His face remained emotionless, as he delivered a powerful round house kick towards the ninja, who simply erupted into water. With his Sharingan activated, his eyes scanned through the multiple clones searching for the real one. 'Gotcha' With speed that could rivaled that of an ANBU, he slashed through the water clones with ease.
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"Ne, Sakura-chan, where Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked as he scanned the area for any signs of their teacher.
Turning away from the on going battle between Sasuke and Zabuza, Sakura stared at Naruto with a thoughtful look. Racking her brain she desperately tried to remember what had happened the first time. 'Water...water…'
"Naruto, do kage bushin to fully surround Tazuna." Sakura order to the blond, who nodded before shouting out his signature jutsu. Ten Naruto's immediately surrounded Tazuna.
"Wait here." Sakura told Naruto as she ran towards the lake.
Once she approached the edge of the small lake she saw Kakashi trapped in a water dome, just as she had expected. Gathering chakra to her feet she ran across the water, not seeing the shocked look on his face. Placing her hand on the water dome, she sent a tremor of her own chakra to disrupt the current flow of chakra, and true to her wish , the water trap erupted. Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he studied his female student. 'Walking on water required tremendous chakra control, and to be able to disrupt and enemy's trap while doing so is something most genin's should not be able to do.'
Once Kakashi was freed, the two ninjas headed back to the bridge builder.
"Where's Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, when he noticed only Naruto was standing guard around their client.
Running alongside Kakashi, Sakura pointed to the left where Sasuke was fighting on par with the mist ninja. Kakashi's eyes further narrowed in suspicion, when he noticed the speed at which Sasuke was going and the familiar chirping of a thousand bird coming from his sword.
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"Not bad genin." The mist ninja commented as he dodged another attack. Sasuke remained impassive.
"You not worth my time." Jumping backwards, Sasuke stabbed his sword into the ground. Raising a hand in the air, thunderclouds formed overhead.
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Kakashi looked confused by his actions, while Sakura gave a shocked gasp. Turning his head, he watched as his female student pumped chakra to her soles and dashed towards the Uchiha.
Disappearing in a puff of white smoke, Kakashi reappeared beside Naruto who was glued to the battle between his long time rival and the mist this opportunity, Kakashi studied his two student's carefully.
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Before Sasuke could call of his technique, he felt a hand grabbed his wrist. "Don't."
He glared at the girl.
"Naruto deserves the bridge being named after him."
Sasuke's hand didn't lower.
"Please… after everything Naruto has been through let him have this." Her green eyes stared up at his pleadingly.
Sasuke felt something stir inside of him with he stared at those large pleading emerald eyes. Lowering his hand, he pulled the kusanagi out from the ground. "Whatever."
"Finished talking?" The mist ninja taunted, as he ran towards them preparing for another attack.
Sliding one foot behind her, Sakura gathered chakra to her index finger and tapped the earth before her. Smirking when the ground split into two, catching one of the mist ninja's foot.
Tugging his foot out, the mist ninja growled as he preformed a series of hand signs. However, before he could complete the jutsu, two senbon embedded themselves into his neck, and he fell on the ground with a dull thud.
"Sorry about him." A masked man appeared from the shadows. "But, don't worry he's been dealt with."
Not moving the group watched as the masked man hoisted the mist ninja across his shoulder and disappeared.
Re sheathing his sword, Sasuke stalked back to the bridge builder with Sakura closely following behind him.
"WHOA, that was amazing how did you learn to fight like that?" Naruto exclaimed at the approaching pair. Kakashi was also interested in their response.
"Hn." Sasuke turned away ignoring the question. While Sakura gave a mirthful laugh.
"Some of us do a lot of readings on jutsus." Her laughter grew louder when she saw Naruto pout.
Kakashi continued to study the two ninjas. "Very impressive you two."
Sasuke smirked while Sakura practically beamed at the compliment.
"HEY WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Naruto shouted as he pointed to himself.
"Yes, yes you were also very amazing Naruto." Kakashi mumbled to the blond, as he began to lower his hitai-ate.
"Kakashi-sensei, wait." Sakura stopped him, the memory of Kakashi passing out from fatigue and they were left carrying the man the rest of the way to Mist popped into her head. That was not a fun experience she wanted to repeat. "I've read about the sharingan and I know that overuse of it can cause fatigue in the user, do you mind if I check it?"
He raised a brow at her request. "...I suppose." He was curious as to what the girl would do.
Squatting down so he was at her height, Sakura approached him. She briefly stared at his face, it looked so much younger than she last remembered. 'And more alive.' A dark thought crossed her mind, and the image of Kakashi lying on the barren battlefield with a deep slash across his chest flashed in her mind. Shaking her head she tried to get the image out of her mind.
"Is something wrong Sakura?" Kakashi asked when he saw a pained look cross the girl's face.
"Nothing, sorry" Sakura offered a weak smile, as she placed two fingers on each side of his temple. Sending small pulses of soothing chakra into his veins, Kakashi slowly felt the earlier fatigue leave his eyes. "You should be fine now, just be sure to rest once we get to Tazuna-san's house."
Nodding, he uprighted himself.
In some ways his female student reminded him of Tsunade.
Haha finished!
Don't want to seem like too much of a review whore, but the more reviews the faster I update… wow that was kinda desperate and pushy… please Don't hate me, I'm Canadian...not sure what that had to do with anything though….
Wow I am getting off track.