Author's Notes: Insert random phrase here since FF enjoys copying my first lines. Alrighty! Loving the reviews thus far and of course you merely motivate me to write more! Day one is going to be a little longer because I'm pressed for time and secondly why rush a good thing? I'm rather adamant about staying in character and I think I managed to do that given the events leading up to this adventure—nothing dramatic but simple and true to their characters. Oh and the creed is one of my favorite sayings that I thought would be appropriate given the village name, it is by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
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Day 1: Tunnels and Escorts
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"Baa-chan hurry up and get to the good stuff! Like where are Sasuke teme and Sakura-chan?!" wailed the anxious blonde sitting in front of the hokage's desk.
Hinata merely smiled nervously and in that kind hearted manner of hers held out her hand trying to calm her companion, "Please calm down, I'm sure that Tsunade-sama was just getting to that part."
The hokage took another shot of sake to ease her nerves and then fixated her gaze on the two seated before her, "Hiroki and Yasu, as you will now be named," began the hokage in a serious voice that left no room for argument, "the hime and her bodyguard have already started on their journey to the village hidden in the lake. You two will depart to the hime's homeland, the village hidden amongst eternal raindrops and will become two of the village's citizens. You are a newly married couple, cousins to one of the palace's royal guards. You have come to stay in the village and will correspond through your cousin Ibaraki Akio. The hime and Satoshi have been informed that they will correspond through spirit summoning. Hiroki you will be responsible for communications on your end. Yasu your responsibility will be to gather information and maintain a low profile. Together you will keep the hime and her bodyguard informed and aware of any potential problems that could delay their mission. When you leave this room you will go down the corridor where two civilians from the village hidden amongst eternal raindrops will escort you to Kirigakure. Do not use your real names for your mission is as vital as the others. Do you understand?"
"Look Baa-chan, I get that I've got to go to Kirigakure, pose as a married guy, make good with my cousin, and spy on the village, but I don't get why we're just going to sit by while Sak—
"While the hime and Satoshi," quickly rambled Hinata, her face flushing in response, "face unknown dangers."
"Yeah exactly," informed Naruto, his arms crossed and pouting.
"I understand your concern; however, the hime and her escort are the only two that may enter the village hidden in the lake. You will have to put your trust in those two just as I have and await their communication. They have orders to send their first communication in two days. Please go meet your escorts they will have fitting attire for you."
Hinata slowly stood up with a bow in respect to the hokage and motioned for Naruto to stand and follow after her. The blonde left but not before voicing that he felt this entire mission was too fishy and that he didn't like it.
As the door shut the hokage let out a sigh in relief. In all honesty she didn't like the details of the mission much either. And it just so happened that Naruto and his team of brats—perhaps with the exception of her apprentice—were the perfect substitutes for this mission. She could only hope that her apprentice and the Uchiha would take care of one another. Well if what that Yamanaka girl said were true about her apprentice and the Uchiha then there shouldn't be any problems in the caring department.
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"Well one thing is for sure," remarked the newly appointed hime, "they don't have to worry about their electric bill being too high."
The Uchiha sighed, using the chakra in his hand to light their way, his other hand still occupying his companion's, "We have to be getting close to the exit."
"True," replied Sakura, allowing him to lead her down the tunnel, "if my calculations are right this must be one of the tunnels that the first hokage made in order to allow women and children in warring times to flee from the village. And if memory serves me from our days at the academy there were three passage ways constructed."
"Meaning that we should be heading northeast toward the eastern border of Konoha," remarked Sasuke with a slight sigh in annoyance.
"Great…so that means that we're literally under the grounds of Shikamaru's clan and bypassing Kiba's clan which should bring us to the river," commented Sakura with a sigh, "I'd say we have a little longer until we find the exit. Then once we do we have to follow the river to the eastern bridge where we will meet our escorts Takayuki and Yuudai."
"I wonder if this is further punishment from the hokage?" murmured Sasuke fixing a glare on the path up ahead, the chakra in his hand forming ghostly shadows on the tunnel walls.
"I told you shishou would get even," replied Sakura with another sigh, "honestly, I would rather be sleeping after the week we just had."
"Agreed," informed the Uchiha as the tunnel walls turned leftward before them.
Sakura gave her companion a smile, "But if I had to be anywhere else then I'm glad it's with you," a slight blush tinting her cheeks.
The Uchiha caught the expression on her face out of the corner of his eye, "Aa," was his understanding reply. He unconsciously held her hand a little tighter than before and watched as her emerald orbs softened and how the smile on her lips appeared to grow warmer with the light from his chakra illuminating her features.
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"Pleased to meet you," commented Hinata after she had changed into the simple blue dress and donned the village hitai ate as a head band—Naruto's suggestion—to hold her long hair back.
Naruto stood along side of her wearing—dare I say it—black. His flamboyant orange attire had been drastically toned down. He was now wearing a long black coat and pants, the village hitai ate across his forehead as he stood with crossed arms. His blue eyes shifted from the stoic looking male in a simple gray civilian garb and to the smiling girl with unique gray-blue colored hair wearing a simple sleeveless purple shirt and black fitting pants. Her purple eyes shined with happiness as she watched them with clasped hands.
"You both look wonderful," informed the female, her eyes warm as she nodded to her companion who had taken her arm, "Hai, we should be off."
"Alright," replied Naruto, scratching the back of his head nervously and started after the pair along side of Hinata.
"What's wrong Na—I mean, Hiroki," questioned his newly appointed wife.
"Well Hi—Yasu-chan," began Naruto, eyeing the two in front of them with an odd expression, "Do they remind you of someone we know?"
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The sound of water flowing could barely be heard from within the tunnel but it was apparent to both that the river was near. With another turn light could be seen from an opening no larger than a doorway. When he had dropped her hand he wasn't sure, but when he felt her hand cease his once more he stopped all movement and turned to face his companion.
There she stood before him with the golden headpiece atop of her head, her head tilted slightly as if pondering her words, her emerald orbs shyly avoiding his as her other hand covered his, his hand in the safety of both of hers. He took this moment to fully take in her appearance. She looked so different than the Sakura he knew. She was radiant in the poorly lit tunnel; the elegant crimson kimono with intricate golden raindrops seemed to suit her more than he liked to admit. Sakura's unique features seemed to be complimented by the elaborate attire. Her voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Because when we leave here I won't be able to ask," she informed, her eyes fixated on his hand within hers, "yesterday when you found me at Ryu's hideout…"
The Uchiha's eyes hardened at the memory…
The medic winced as he carried her to another part of the basement and stopped to reveal a trap door. He bent down and pulled the mechanism to open the door.
"At least I'll get away with you," informed Ryu with a chuckle.
"I don't think so," a voice from the shadows was heard as a kunai came dangerously close to Ryu's head and imbedded itself in the wall.
The act had caused Ryu to lose his balance as the bound medic fell down the stairs landing at the base.
"Sakura!" exclaimed the Uchiha as he heard the medic's body hit the dirt floor below them.
Ryu stood before Sasuke, glancing down at the motionless kunoichi below and smirked, "Stupid bitch," remarked the second rate shinobi.
His smirk disappeared at the sight of the sharingan that was fixated on him. No sooner had he blinked had the Uchiha disappeared from his sight and he felt a blow from behind before sailing across the floor.
"After I fell and you were holding me in your arms…"
"Sakura," murmured the Uchiha, moving her pink strands from her face, the cut wire ends lying on the ground, "You and I are more than teammates and more than mere friends…"
The medic's eyelids began to lift as a blurred image began to form before her. In an odd sense it was a strange case of déjà vu from her days as a genin awakening from a genjutsu to see the form of her childhood love before her.
"Sasuke-kun?" questioned the tired medic as his form became clearer with every passing moment.
"Sakura," came his concerned voice as he looked upon her emerald meeting with onyx.
"All I could think was that I so glad that you came for me…" she informed with a smile, her emerald orbs lifting to lock with onyx.
The medic was confused but her confused expression disappeared as a blush found its way to her cheeks when she noticed the look in his onyx orbs. The confusion was back almost instantly from his comment.
"Sakura," began the Uchiha in an irritated voice, "You must be the most annoying girl that I have ever known…"
The medic blinked wondering if she had been delusional for a moment about the look in sharingan wielder's eyes. Yet her eyes widened when she felt the arm around her shoulders lifting her upwards and the Uchiha's lips on hers.
She let out the breath that she had unknowingly been holding as her eyelids slowly began to drift shut and returned his kiss.
The kiss was gently broken and the medic felt herself be lifted from the dirt floor being held in the arms of the Uchiha. To say that she was shocked was a bit of an understatement.
"Sasuke-kun," she murmured still blown away by his actions, "You and I are?"
The Uchiha smirked, "Tch. How annoying, for someone so smart you're a bit slow at times."
"What did you mean when you said that for someone so smart you're a bit slow at times?" she questioned, feeling that she needed to ask him before they left on this mission while searching his eyes for the answer that she was hoping would be true.
The Uchiha's expression changed quickly as a smirk appeared on his face and his eyebrow lifted, "What do you want it to mean?"
The appointed hime took a step closer to her selected bodyguard, "I was hoping that it meant that you and I are more than teammates," she whispered slowly taking another step forward, leaving the only space between them being her hands closed around his, "More than mere friends…" she looked upward emerald locking with onyx.
Her soft voice ceased momentarily as she removed her right hand from his and placed her palm gently on his chest, her eyes never shifting, "That you and I could be…" her voice broke as she felt his free hand wrap around her waist, their fingers still intertwined at their sides. Her eyelids slowly drifted shut as she titled her head feeling his body bend and his lips find hers.
"More," breathed the Uchiha finishing her sentence as he held the medic, his forehead resting against hers.
The medic smiled happily, "Arigato Sasuke-kun," she murmured his name in such a way that it made the Uchiha sorry that he wouldn't be hearing it spoken from her lips until after the mission was completed.
"Hn," softly spoke the Uchiha, "You really are annoying, Sakura."
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"I'm telling you Yasu-chan those two remind me of someone I know," informed Naruto still stuck on the topic of their escorts.
Hinata observed the pair, how the girl walked along side of her stoic companion with her hands clasped behind her back, and how her companion tilted his head in acknowledgement to their one sided conversation.
"Well I guess they kind of remind me of—
Naruto cut off her sentence as he took hold of her shoulders, "I got it!" he exclaimed happily, "They're like Ino and Shikamaru, right?"
Hinata's eyes widened, but it wasn't due to Naruto's statement, it was due to the fact that he was currently touching her and his face was only inches from her. She could feel the blush rushing to her cheeks and the world was getting darker…
"Oi! Yasu-chan!"
Their companions turned around to find Naruto's wife down for the count. The stoic male looked around for a possible enemy; however, the female merely smiled after observing the girl.
"She merely fainted…" she informed, pulling out a small jar of smelling salt from her pocket and watched as the girl began to stir, "She'll be good as new soon."
"Thanks a lot," replied Naruto rubbing the back of his head nervously, "What's your name by the way?"
The girl smiled, "My name is Sumi and this is my companion Saito."
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They were now following the river that would lead them to the bridge. Once they reached the bridge the real mission would begin and Sakura and Sasuke would be a mere memory until the day their mission was completed. It would be up to them to carry out this mission and the information that they gained would be vital to all of Kirigakure. They hadn't been children since they were twelve years old; however, up until a week ago Sakura and Sasuke had never been truly alone with one another for an extended period of time. The concept was inspiring if not a little frightening. They wouldn't have Naruto to offer his random and sometimes useless advice, they wouldn't have Tsunade and Anbu breathing down their necks to keep the Uchiha in line, they wouldn't even have Kakashi. If Sasuke was rusty then Sakura knew she would be. A year of useless missions really could be detrimental for this one. They would just have to do the best they could and as Sumiko had said they would need to put their complete trust in one another.
Sasuke watched Sakura out of the corner of his eye; she looked even more exotic as she walked a few paces behind as he was sure she had been instructed to do with her hands clasped in front of her. She was so different from the girl who could knock Naruto half way across the village when he said something stupid—which was typically a weekly occurrence, topple a house with her strength, or was said to rival the hokage herself.
"What's wrong?"
Her voice informed him that he must have been caught, "Nothing," was his smooth reply, "You look like you have something on your mind."
Sakura arched an eyebrow in suspicion, "I have a lot on my mind actually. Apparently so do you."
"Aa," he responded, turning his focus back to the path ahead with an air of aloof.
Sakura smirked and mouthed the word Aa and smirked shaking her head. One thing was for sure, Sasuke's conversational skills hadn't changed.
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"So both teams have left, Tsunade-sama?" questioned Shizune holding Ton Ton in her arms.
"Hai, thankfully," began the hokage, "or should I say unfortunately?"
"Unfortunately?" inquired Shizune with a look of confusion.
"Well those brats are off and who knows how much of that story is true. It's not a secret that Konoha and the land of water haven't been on the friendliest of terms over the years."
"That's because Kirigakure has always been so secretive about its real ambitions," commented Shizune, setting Ton Ton down on the hokage's desk and watching as the pig instinctively headed for the bottle of sake, "Uh…"
"Like I was saying," replied the hokage, taking hold of the sake bottle and pouring a glass while the pig sat in defeat—curses foiled again, "I may have just sent the Uchiha and Sakura into a bad situation."
"Let's remember one thing Tsunade-sama, Uchiha Sasuke is a former member of Akatsuki and Sakura, well, she's your apprentice and a capable kunoichi. Besides, they will correspond with Naruto and Hinata and those two will come as back up if needed."
"I suppose your right," commented Tsunade, "I just can't get over the thought that this isn't a mere political negotiation."
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"Gomen for fainting," apologized Hinata rather embarrassed by her actions.
"No need to apologize," replied Sumi with a warm smile, "We'll be heading toward the southern boarder where a boat awaits to bring us to Kirigakure."
"Right so when we get there, the others know where to send their summonings right?" questioned Naruto, surprising Hinata that he was actually using his head for once.
"Hai, they are informed and will contact us in two days time," replied Saito as they continued walking through the forest.
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Up ahead they could see the bridge and the two figures leaning on the side apparently awaiting their arrival. Sakura took a deep breath, no backing out now. For now she was truly the hime to the village hidden amongst eternal raindrops. No more headstrong actions, no more fighting battles, and no more Haruno Sakura.
Sasuke looked as calm as ever as they continued to draw closer to the bridge and their appointed escorts…
"Sasuke your responsibility is to secure this mission; however, if it were I going on this mission I would keep my guard up. Sumiko assures me that she will give Sakura all of the information she requires to gain you access into the village hidden in the lake. You must follow her lead, but be advised to stay with her at all times. If they try to separate you into separate quarters you must object stating that her father's orders are that you do not leave her side. There may come a time where you will have no choice but to part from her; however, I'm sure that I need not tell you to use your eye techniques."
"I understand the mission," replied Sasuke, "I will protect Sakura and ensure that your village has the information needed to determine weather the village hidden in the lake is a threat."
"Well this is it," murmured Sakura, "I'd say good luck but we'd probably just jinx ourselves."
"We'll be fine. Besides I won't leave your side," informed the Uchiha with an impassive face.
They were now in ear shot and Sakura allowed Sasuke to fully take the lead as they rounded the corner to step foot on the bridge. Their escorts straightened at once and smiled. Sasuke recalled what Satoshi had instructed; he held out his hand palm upward and watched as Sakura placed her hand in his.
Both bowed in the presence of their escorts and were greeted with warm smiles.
"Hime-sama, you must be tired from your journey. Please allow me to escort you into the carriage," informed a tall man with brown hair and a garb that reminded her of the Anbu attire his hitai ate resting on his forehead.
Sakura fixated her eyes on the man and spoke slowly and clearly, "Be still, sad heart, and cease repining; Behind the clouds the sun is shining…"
"Of course hime-sama, thy fate is the common fate of all. Into each life some rain must fall. Some days must be dark and dreary."
Sakura tilted her head in respect and allowed for the second man to open the door of the horse drawn carriage.
"Come hime-sama, allow me to help you," remarked the man holding out his hand to her.
She shook her head and smiled, "My most trusted companion will aide me. Right Satoshi-kun?" she turned her head with a smile.
The Uchiha complied and took a seat next to her as the door shut softly behind them. They felt the men take their seats at the head of the carriage and the sudden jolt as the horses began to pull the carriage. The carriage was cozy, as far as carriages go Sakura supposed. Of course she had never really been in a carriage…that prince Michiru from the moon kingdom hadn't offered her team a ride either.
Sakura looked around at the crimson that outlined the walls, plush crimson cushions for their seats and a small window to peer out of as they crossed the bridge. The rhythm was soothing, not to mention she was tired as hell from only a few mere hours of sleep between missions. She felt herself settling into the seat and leaned to her right finding the Uchiha's shoulder to be a good pillow.
Sasuke glanced down at his companion whose emerald orbs shown through long lashes, "You don't mind do you?" She asked with a smile as if daring him to push her away.
"Hn," was his obvious response as he turned his attention back toward the front of the carriage.
A few minutes passed and her reply did not follow, he glanced down to find that she had already fallen asleep, one of her arms wrapped around his and a peaceful smile on her face. If only he could tell her the information that he had gained from Satoshi. Although he did wonder how much information Sumiko had given Sakura. He found that the rhythm of the horse drawn carriage was quite peaceful and let his head bow forward as he sat there with crossed arms.
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"Our boat awaits us!" cried Sumi as she stood on top of a hill, waving her arms in the direction beyond them.
Hinata and Naruto quickened their pace coming to stand alongside of Sumi and saw a good sized vessel before them, the occupants waving at the smiling female.
"Hurry you two," informed Sumi as she ran down to greet the captain.
Her stoic companion walked past the two not missing a beat and following after the female. Naruto and Hinata gave one another a look; however, quickly followed after the two toward the boat that would take them to Kirigakure.
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Lulled by the rhythm the two slept, while the female dreamt…
With a deep breath Sakura opened the scroll in hand, her analytical mind quickly going to work as her eyes scanned the paper…
Her eyes widened at the information before her. Sumiko wasn't kidding when she said that everyone was considered an enemy, but even more surprising was the political information that she would have to memorize and in a quick period of time. Her eyes quickly scanned the paper; all of the mission details from departure point to destination were outlined. The carriage would take them to a boat docked on one of the bordering shores along Konoha's eastern lands. From there they would then be secretly transported to Kirigakure before meeting with Tokushima Tadao the enemy's appointed messenger.
The medic's eyelids slowly lifted and she found herself glancing upward at the face of the sleeping Uchiha. Her eyes softened and she decided that a few more minutes of sleep couldn't hurt. However, when her gaze fell upon the window, her eyes widened for they were no longer heading east, they had changed direction! She tried to slow her breathing as her mind tried to analyze the situation.
"Sakura, do not trust anyone who does not know of my village's creed."
Sumiko's words rang throughout her mind and just as she got her breathing back to normal she felt a hand on hers. She slowly turned to find the Uchiha with the sharingan in both eyes.
"We changed direction about twenty minutes ago," his voice was so low that it was as if he were mouthing the words as she intently watched his mouth, "Stay still until we can ascertain the reason. As it stands I think it's safe to believe that we've been taken hostage."
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Oh no! SasuSaku kidnapped?! And Naruto and Hinata are sailing off for Kirigakure! Please review!