Title: To Sacrifice
Date: November 4, 2009
Summary: Being a Shinobi was all about Sacrifices. The Question was: How much and at what lengths was Haruno Sakura willing to give up?
Pairing: Sasuke and Sakura
Rating: M
Themes: Angst/Drama/Action/Romance

To Sacrifice

Slender, gentle, young hands carefully fold and place the intricately designed kimonos into a large, weatherproof bag, the limb mindfully running along the silky fabrics before adding another set of assorted clothing atop it. Props they were, the beautiful garments, the shining jewels, the in-fashion shoes and accessories, given to aid in the accomplishment of an important, vital, Mission.

…Because a Shinobi is hardly seen in the possession of such expensive and ineffective belongings. Shinobi were found with weapons, blood-stained clothes, and with the mindset that there was no need for personal or beautiful objects…

Hazel eyes briefly watch the slow and thoughtful movement before they shift and watch their own hands – weathered hands that had fought and destroyed in more battles than they can remember; unscarred hands because they can still heal and repair skin and bones effortlessly – remove a few books and scrolls before placing them down on the desk, beside the tools and props of a shinobi.

"You've been training for this Mission for months…" The older figure says, her voice, although full of authority, still soft and kind, "I know no one better that can handle this job…"

The younger hands stop in their movements, rest on the luxurious cloth, fingers curling, "Thank you…"

A soft smile, reassuring yet tired, older hands grabbing the younger, and just might find that they may not be young anymore, "You are a brilliant Kunoichi and I know you will represent the Hidden Leaf Village with pride. You fight strong, your mental will is admirable, and your skills in negotiation and politics are superb…Perhaps you should even run for Hokage," A soft laugh, "I am very proud of you."

Toffee eyes watch as a grin is formed, lighting up the beautiful face in front of her, "I've learned from the best, Shishou…But I'll leave Naruto with the job of becoming Hokage…"

Two chuckles, comfortable and friendly, ebb away the tension that had settled beforehand. Sea-green orbs, a little brighter, return to the task of packing, tucking away a loaded pouch full of senbon needles, shuriken, and kunai. Finally, she follows up with the books and scrolls that had been placed beside her, before securely zipping up her baggage.

"You know full well what your Mission is," The blonde-woman states, seriousness melting into the atmosphere, "Represent Hidden Leaf and myself as Ambassador…"

'…Because your abilities and skills are of worthy representation…'

"…Catch the eyes of the Lightning Country Daimyo…"

'…Because he fancies exotic-looking, young women…'

"…Gain his trust and alliance…"

'…Because we need all the help we can get in the coming war…'

"…Obtain any and all information of the other Representatives…"

"…For they can be potential enemies…'

"…And don't die…"

'…Because there are people who love you too much to let you go…'

A nod of the head, a respectful bow, a weak smile, and a determined glint in those stunning, emerald eyes.

"I understand Shishou."

'I won't let you down…'

A sly smirk as those coffee-brown eyes gaze back out the large windows to a sunny day of her Village, "I will send frequent shinobi to check up on you and your comrades. Naruto is sure to be one of them…He would leave with you already, but he still has a few more Hokage-in-Training Exercises to accomplish…"

The younger grins, standing up to full height, and the older wonders when she had gotten so tall. She wears a dark kimono, form-fitting and plain with one slit up the right side to provide better movement. Her torso is covered by the familiar grey, chest armor of an ANBU Ninja, the entire outfit effectively sheltered by a long, black, hooded coat.

"…How are you feeling?"

A confident smirk spreads across the young woman's features as her right, gloved hand moves to grab a hold of the luggage, "As ready as can be."

And then her free hand moves up to slide a clay, Cat-faced mask over her face, covering expressive viridian eyes, which is followed by the cloak's hood, efficiently hiding waist-long pink tresses. Immediately after the gesture is done, two more figures appear in the room from the shadows, dressed similarly like the female, except one has a mask of a Hawk and the other, the mask of a Deer. And with a wave of the hand, hazel eyes watch as the three figures disappear in a cloud of smoke, the corners of her lips slowly twitching upward.

'Good Luck.'

Thunder roared loudly through the dark night as lightning cracked against the skies, momentarily illuminating the vast lands below. Rain poured in relentless torrents as grey clouds covered the beautiful stars and the thin, crescent sliver of the moon. Trees swayed harshly to the evening winds, branches and leaves dancing wildly with the mid-spring storm.

The sound of heavy boots landing in muddy puddles was drowned out by the rain's impact against other surfaces as the thunder continued to roar overhead. A shadowy figure emerged from the edge of the darkened forests, clad in a familiar black cloak, face obscured by the large hood and clay-mask disguise, though it did little to protect from the heavy downpour. Yet, the lone shinobi paid no heed to their soaked form as they removed the facial covering and retreated the item into their cloak, shadowed eyes gazing on with piqued interest and underlying determination as they settled on the lit and seemingly peaceful Shinobi Village just ahead of them, streets more vacant than usual due to the storm.

The lone shadow then continued to walk on through the deserted roads and, while under the rain and lightning, they seemed quite foreboding; but it was trained, lurking unseen, stealthily keeping from sight and from making sound, using the rainfall as cover.

It wasn't until the figure reached the center of the Village, where the abandoned streets were steadily becoming more populated and busy, that the traveler slunk into the safety of a dark alleyway, staying close to the wall as their sharp eyes examined their surroundings, observing as some villagers hurried out of the rain, possibly civilians, returning home from work, while a few Rock Shinobi passed by, making their rounds and seemingly unaffected by the rainfall. The traveler knew better, Shinobi were trained to endure anything, a storm wouldn't stop them from doing their duties.

And this Shinobi had their own duty to attend to as well.

Once the patrol was out of range, the figure emerged from the alley, making their way swiftly to a well-lit building at the end of the street. Although still suspicious in appearance due to the heavy cloak, completely covering any and all physical appearance, the traveler was ignored by all passer-bys.

Reaching the structure, the dark figure wasted no time in pushing aside the tatami door to enter, black, open-toed boots stepping soundly into the warm interior as the black cloak dripped onto the wooden floor, leaving behind a trail of rainwater as the figure approached the front desk. As opposed to the cover of night and being unseen, the new arrival is the center of attention, two men watching the newcomer with wariness as the young, female innkeeper fidgets uncertainly once the stranger takes a rooted stand in front of her.

"M-May I help you?"

The traveler shifted slightly, head turning as if to scrutinize the two men off to the side, who immediately turn away, before the attention is returned to the innkeeper, the stranger's lips now visible and set in a grim line, "…One room, two beds please."

The light tenor of the voice confirms the mysterious figure a female, which is surprising to the innkeeper; a little wary as to why a woman would be dressed so oddly, despite the rain. The younger female remains uncertain in giving a room to the traveler, her gaze still guarded and observing. Due to the hesitation, the figure slowly lifts her head, clear emerald meeting with the woman's brown stare as a single pink brow is arched upward in expectancy.

"…Is there a problem?"

The simple inquiry is strong yet polite at the same time and when she shifts behind her cloak, the innkeeper steps back, unsure of what is hidden behind the dark, damp material. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but weapons could very well be concealed and although the stranger did look somewhat harmless, she could still be dangerous.

"Miss?"

"N-No problem," The woman stuttered, a little embarrassed, "How long will you be staying?"

"Just for the night," The newcomer answers easily, her dainty hand emerging from the cloak, surprising the younger female, before she drops a bag of coins on the desk, "…Two friends of mine will be staying with me as well…Although they are out getting dinner…Will you let them up when they arrive?"

The stranger smiles, a small twitch at the corner of her lips and the innkeeper can't help but nod her head while taking up the bag of coins, a little entranced by the simplicity of the green-eyed woman. She had never thought that the cloaked figure that had entered her inn would turn out to be this person.

"I-I'm going to be needing your name, Miss," The innkeeper states as she pushes forward a long red ribbon.

The stranger picks up the ribbon and turns towards the stairs, the two men looking away again as her light voice drifts back towards the desk, "Sakura…Haruno Sakura."

The dark cloak is easily discarded, falling heavily to the ground and allowing rain water to escape and settle onto the wooden floor. Damp gloves follow after, and then, the Cat-painted mask and custom ANBU katana are thrown unceremoniously onto the bed. It's a quaint room, a little small for three people to be staying, but the lone occupant knew that there was going to be hardly any sleeping, let alone staying in the inn. The schedule was going to be hectic, with shifts for scouting and observing. And it was for only one night, before they would be allowed as Honored Guests into the Lightning Daimyo's large estate.

Green eyes scan the room critically, paranoia as a shinobi making it habit to check every nook and cranny for traps or suspicions. After all, they were in unfamiliar territory. Her examination leaves her with information that there is a small bathroom, a few drawers for personal belongings, a vanity mirror, and two small beds that is less than likely to be used. Walking over to the mirror, the woman stops to examine herself, her lips twitching downward into a frown as she notices her wet hair and muddy kimono.

'…Stupid Rain…'

With a sigh, she slowly removed her grey, torso armor and set it down on the floor, muttering to herself as she takes a seat on the bed, not caring that her clothes are dampening the sheets.

Tap Tap.

"Sakura."

Sakura stands up and walks towards the door, her chakra automatically spreading out and discerning whether her visitor is friend or foe, despite the fact that she knows that voice from anywhere.

Opening the door, the kunoichi is greeted by two tall, cloaked figures, who are just as soaked as she is, one carrying her baggage and the other carrying something that smells quite delicious. With a smile, she opens the door wider for them to enter and closes it once they're fully inside, taking up the red ribbon she had obtained from the innkeeper and tying the shoji slider closed for privacy.

"So…" She breathes as she turns towards them, "How's the perimeter looking?"

The shadowed figure with her luggage sets the cargo down and takes a seat on the bed, muttering under his breath. The other remains quiet as he puts the food on the bed untouched by anyone. Pink eyebrow quirked, Sakura takes a step forward.

"Well…?"

The figure closest to her shrugs as he pushes her luggage under the bed with his foot, his hands coming up to remove the hood from his head, "It's well-guarded, I'll give the Village that much, so if it's a trap there will be difficulty escaping…"

Dark eyes stare straight at her, spiky brown hair drooping in its usual ponytail as he gives a bored sigh and stands so he can continue to remove the cloak from his tall frame. Sakura looks thoughtful as she walks towards the window, viridian orbs watching as the rain pelts gently against the glass.

"Do you think the Daimyo has anything up his sleeve, Shikamaru?"

The man shakes his head as he removes the Deer mask from his belt, placing it under the bed with the baggage, "As of right now, it doesn't look like it…The Village is guarded just as Konoha would be when there's a Gathering taking place…We're just going to have to wait until we meet the actual Lightning Daimyo."

"His Estate is heavily guarded," The third occupant adds in with a smooth voice, "Both the inside and the outside…And it seems a few of the other Representatives from other Countries have arrived there as well."

The hood is pulled back and smooth, long, brown hair is revealed, pearl eyes looking at the task of removing some of the food from the plastic bags, handsome face concentrated but in a relaxed manner, unlike in battle. Sakura watches him remove the rest of his coat and retreat to the bathroom to wash his hands, before he would be handling the food.

"Well…We aren't going to be making our appearance until tomorrow," Sakura informed as she tucked a stray strand of pink hair behind her right ear, "And Naruto should have left Sunagakure with Gaara by now…So they should be arriving tomorrow evening also…"

Shikamaru's eyes narrow just as Hyuuga Neji reenters the room, the Nara Genius gazing at the lone female kunoichi critically. Despite his bemusement towards women, he had been around them enough to know when something was wrong.

"…Are you sure you're ready for this Mission, Sakura?"

At this question, both Sakura and Neji look up, the Medical Jounin staring at the Tactical Shinobi with thought as the Hyuuga Prodigy glances at the woman, expectantly awaiting her answer.

She smiles, "What makes you think I'm not?"

Shikamaru hears the slight challenge in her voice and he nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders, "I never thought that you weren't…I'm just wondering if you feel ready."

Sakura only returns the shrug, indifferent, "I'm 19-years old Shikamaru…It was bound to happen some time…"

Neji takes a seat on the bed, picking up a bowl and filling it up, "And as a newly instated ANBU, you're sure to get more in your future…"

"Does Tenten?" Sakura asks, her eyes unfocused as she stares at the taller man, watching as his opalescent orbs gaze directly at her, showing no emotion whatsoever.

"…It is an unfortunate job for a female…For a kunoichi…"

Sakura sighs and turns back to the window, emerald eyes shining as she stares at the barely visible moon, "…I'm sure…But this Mission doesn't call for that much extremity…I only need to catch his eye…I only need to get close enough to share in his secrets…"

Shikamaru frowns, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall as he stares intently at the pastel-haired woman, "Sometimes…To get that close, is to get as far into as his bed…It's dangerous."

Neji is quiet, completely understanding of the other male's words, but he watches Sakura, watches as she takes a deep inhalation of breath, "…Thus is the life of a shinobi…"

There are no such truer words.

The rain had stopped hours ago, but the trails and rivulets of water from the storm remained on the window pane, leaving something for viridian eyes to watch and observe before they would see passed the glass, towards the deserted streets and starless skies. She hadn't moved an inch since sitting there, her leg propped up and one arms slung over her knee, the other absently gliding over the pink strands that had fallen over her shoulder.

The kunoichi was tired, exhausted even, from the week-long travel towards Lightning Country, but for the life of her, she couldn't close her eyes and let sleep claim her. The anxiety and silent fears of the next few hours were continuing to bother her, much to the woman's dismay.

Tsunade and Hatake Kakashi had taught her to expect the unexpected, to stay calm under dire circumstances, and to not let doubts and apprehension get in the way, because one mistake could cost her life, or much worse, someone else's life. After years of being a Medic, possibly one of the best in Fire Country, she was accustomed to working under stressful pressures and life-and-death situations and conditions. But she wasn't a Medic during this Mission, she wasn't in a Hospital healing the injured or working miracles; this time, she was a Kunoichi, an Ambassador of the Hidden Leaf Village who had a job that needed to be completed, a job that required other skills rather than touching a healing hand upon injuries and wounds.

A sigh escapes her dry lips as she leans her forehead against the cold glass of the window, closing her eyes and letting the coolness ground her, to keep her grasp on reality and her Mission, to suppress the feel of letting her thoughts run wild and rampant, and to prevent her emotions from getting the best of her.

"…You should be sleeping…"

The smooth voice breaks her silence, causing her a bit of relief, because it also breaks her train of thoughts. Her dull eyes open, her head turns slightly, and she looks through the darkness where Hyuuga Neji sits against the foot of the far bed. She knows that Shikamaru is somewhere behind her, against the wall, arms crossed, and chin resting against his chest, presumably asleep.

Pearl eyes are particularly bright against the darkness of the room, so Sakura looks away and shrugs her shoulders, "…I can't sleep…"

There is a shuffle of movement and Sakura briefly stares the male's way, watching as he sits up straighter and turns to face her more fully. She raises a well-shaped pink brow but his calm façade doesn't drop or show anything more than his usual stoicism.

"…You know, you did not need to accept this Mission, Sakura-san."

His tone is neither placating nor demeaning, but the woman frowns nonetheless, a little annoyed with the constant comments and silent disquiet concerning her situation. She turns a little fully and glares her brighter, emerald eyes at him, though he is – naturally – unaffected.

"Shishou asked me to take on this Mission," Sakura stated, a little defensive, "I'm not going to let her down."

Neji stares at her, analyzing her, and the kunoichi becomes a little uneasy, squirming on her perch, "I never said you would…But Hokage-sama asked you to accept. You didn't have to. So, what is the reason why you had?"

Sakura stares at him, a little incredulous with the sudden interrogation, but not one for backing down – not for a long time now – she answers nevertheless, "I'm a shinobi Neji-san. We all have our Missions, this one just happens to be one of mine," She frowned and turned her gaze back to the window, noticing that the dark skies became a little lighter, "You said so yourself…ANBU usually receive such Missions…I might as well get ready for it now…"

Neji tilts his head slightly, unbound, brown hair falling over his shoulder, "They receive it, yes, but it also doesn't mean they have to take it…Tenten doesn't."

"But I'm not Tenten…" Sakura whispers, not angrily nor exasperatedly, but tiredly, as if the conversation had just drained all the fire and energy from her body. Her body sagged against the window, and she brought her other leg up, onto the sill, and wrapped her arms around her knees, "…There are other reasons why I took this Mission, Neji-san, despite my discomfort towards what I have to do. I am a kunoichi, a shinobi, and serving my Country is my principle, not only in the Hospital, but on the field," Her eyes found his, looking older than she was, causing Neji to frown but continue to listen intently, "…I took this Mission because I wanted to. I have a purpose, and my purpose is this…"

There was silence, nothing awkward, but contemplative on both parts. Neji continued to watch the young woman, a sort of respect growing for her, not only for her words but for all the hardships she had endured for the passed 7 years. She continued to look out the window, watching as the light blues of the sky were painted with splashes of pink and orange.

"…I suppose I can understand that…"

His soft utterance is true and strong and Sakura looks away from the beautiful picture the window painted before landing her gaze on the Hyuuga Genius of Konohagakure no Sato. There is no understanding smile exchanged, but her eyes, which hold gratitude, is presented, which the Hyuuga easily catches with his all-seeing white-orbs, despite the Byakugan not being used.

"Besides," Sakura whispers as she turns back to the windowpane, making Neji lean a little closer to hear her, "There's more to this Mission than you know yourself, Neji-san…This Mission is the reason I became ANBU…"

And as Neji tries to decipher her words, a curious expression on his face, the sun rises from the horizon and bathes her form in gold, and a single eye opens from feigned sleep.

Shikamaru and Neji were out scouting, just as they had been doing all afternoon at given intervals, which left Sakura alone most of the day. Although she was an active and major role in the given Mission, she was not to be seen yet. As an Ambassador, she couldn't be found gallivanting through the Village and checking the perimeter, it would look too suspicious. Not only that, but she wasn't supposed to be arriving in Lightning Country until later that night.

And that night was slowly but surely approaching. Shikamaru and Neji, donned in their concealing black cloaks, had left over an hour ago to make one last inspection of their Mission setting, which left Sakura to get ready in body and mind so she could compose her character, an Ambassador, as believable as possible. Although not an actual Ambassador, Tsunade did have complete faith in her abilities and Sakura knew that she would have never been chosen for this Mission and position if her skills and abilities had not qualified for it.

'You've been training for this Mission for months…'

That had been a complete understatement. Everyone knew, back in the Hidden Leaf Village, how hard she had prepared for this job, especially Uzumaki Naruto, her best friend. He had actually been a prime Candidate, as Hokage-in-Training, to take on the Mission, but his constant training, sometimes outside of the Village, with Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, prevented Naruto from getting the proper instruction in the time allotted.

However, Sakura had been given information herself that would personally help Naruto, especially with a target that had a taste for exotic, young women, which made it easier for her to accomplish. Because of this, she had been more than willing to consent to the assignment.

With a soft sigh, Haruno Sakura moved towards the full-length mirror to scrutinize and arrange her wardrobe. Her baggage was atop one of the beds, a few items messily scattered around, while the expensive cloth of her many kimonos remained neat and organized. Upon reaching the reflective glass, Sakura frowned with slight distaste, having never really seen herself dressed so prim and suggestive, at least not at the same time. The attire was quite professional for an Ambassador, but changes had to be made to better suit the Lightning Daimyo's tastes, specifically the cut and the amount of skin shown.

Expression melting to neutrality, Sakura carefully examined her 19-year-old figure, a small smile quirking her lips as she thought about how her training as a kunoichi kept her in good shape and made her body look rather stunning in the red, form-fitting kimono she was currently donning. There were no sleeves and it wrapped around her form comfortably, regardless of the discomfort she felt since her breasts were unbound, and the cut was lower than she liked, showing an ample amount of cleavage.

A little disgusted, Sakura turned away from the mirror and walked towards her bag, the outfit providing no restrain on her legs for there was a slit on each side which allowed the woman to walk freely and gracefully as well as grant movement for her legs in case she encountered any battles. Her left thigh had a fishnet wrap that ended just above her knee, as well as a kunai holster, for proper protection. On her right leg, there was a fishnet bind on her ankle, more for appearance purposes. Unlike her shinobi sandals and shin guards – which she would have preferred – Sakura adorned black high-heel sandals similar to Tsunade's, which accentuated her legs and rear.

When the kunoichi reached the bed, she picked up a simple brush and began to glide it through her soft tresses. Despite having short hair during her teenage years because it was easier to manage and hardly got in the way, Sakura rather did like having long hair, mostly because it did make her seem more like a woman. Because, on days when she was tired and exhausted of being a shinobi, brushing her fingers through long, pink tresses made her think that she had not been deprived of being a woman, like so many civilians believed her to be. However, instead of it being pin-straight like the night before, it was wavy and pinned back on the sides, emphasizing her bright, all-too-noticeable eyes, where there was little make-up but her natural – or so Yamanaka Ino called it – beauty.

Placing the brush down, Sakura took up her discarded Leaf haite-ate, and wrapped it around her left thigh, just over the covered blade of her kunai pouch, because, although an Ambassador, it was needed, and everyone had to wear it to differentiate which Villages they were representing.

Looking back into the mirror, the frown slowly returned over her features. Never had she dressed to entice someone and she doubted that this would be her last time. As she looked into the polished glass, the young woman couldn't help but come to terms that this was life, her life, the life of a Ninja, and risks and sacrifices needed to be made. As she looked over her matured features of the passed 7 years, Sakura observed that her face was more defined and gone was her baby fat. She had grown into her large forehead and her figure had developed into that of a grown woman. Her eyes were more sharp and quite possibly a brighter shade of green, however, what Sakura noticed the most was that although those same eyes were brighter, they had lost something that most shinobi did, regardless of their young ages.

They lost innocence.

Mentally shaking the thoughts away, Sakura gave herself a short nod of approval before beginning to clean up the mess she had made. As her hands glide across the silk fabric of her other kimonos, the kunoichi can't help but feel a stab of anxiety pierce through her, hands shaking as she focuses her gaze on the black cherry blossoms depicted down the side of her outfit. With a deep breath, the Medical Kunoichi reigned over her fears, exhaling and numbly finishing her task of cleaning up.

Tap Tap.

"Sakura-san…Are you ready?"

Sakura zipped up her bag and carefully took a seat on the bed, minding the fragile material of her kimono, "Come in Neji-san."

The door slowly opened and Neji stepped through, his opalescent orbs landing on her form and he considers her quietly, taking in her appearance before nodding his head in his own approval. Sakura doesn't comment, only gazing her green eyes passed him, searching.

"Where's Shikamaru?"

The Hyuuga Prodigy stepped fully into the room and closed the door for privacy, his all-seeing eyes examining the room for anything that could have been missed. Sakura waited patiently for his answer, knowing full-well that Neji was a very meticulous man.

"He has gone to rid of our ANBU masks," Neji informed once he deemed his surroundings safe, "Our identity as ANBU needs to be kept secret."

"Of course," Sakura remembered as she nodded her head.

"Are you ready to leave?" The male inquired, "Shikamaru will be meeting us there with your items once his task is finished."

The kunoichi nodded her head as she stood, smoothing the non-existent wrinkles from her clothes, "I'm ready."

Neji also nodded, removing his black cloak to reveal his usual attire, the traditional light-colored robes of the Hyuuga House. Holding out his arm, Sakura takes the hint and links her own with his, knowing that the Hyuuga and Nara were assigned to be her bodyguards in addition to being a fellow shinobi ally for the Mission.

"Here we go."

A/N: Yeah…I was really bored when I came up with this Story and its Plotline. It's a little similar to Priority, with Sakura being a little Bad Ass and stuff but I guess this one focuses more on the Seduction Aspect while Priority pretty much focuses on a Stronger Sakura willing to let go and forget Sasuke. I don't know…I got attached to the beginning of this story, when Sakura is with Tsunade…And then I got attached to the conversation between Neji and Sakura about being a Shinobi. Hmm, well, you know the drill: What do you think?

To Sacrifice was also a Multi-Chapter Idea with its setting based in Lightning Country and Sakura is given the task to be a Representative of Konoha and gain Lightning Country's Alliance. However, undercover, Sakura's true motive is to try and Seduce the Lightning Daimyo into sharing his Secrets because there's speculation that the Lightning Daimyo is already aligned with Akatsuki so Sakura, Neji, and Shikamaru need to find out if it's true.
In the meantime, all other Representatives are oblivious to this plot and the Daimyo suggests a Tournament: whoever wins would be a worthy Ally to his Country. Sakura believes the point of the tournament is to analyze and assess potential enemy threats to Lightning and Akatsuki but she joins to keep up the façade.
Meanwhile, Gaara personally attends the tournament to compete because he likes to get things done himself and Naruto accompanies him with Temari as the Kazekage's personal Escorts. Sasuke and Team Taka/Hebi (I wrote this before he switched to Akatsuki and before I found out the Raikage and Hidden Cloud aren't BAD, but can you blame me? Cloud tries to Steal A LOT of Leaf's BLOODLINES. So, yeah, anyway, initially in this plot, Lightning is EVIL and Sasuke is still nomadic with his Taka/Hebi Team)
ANYWAYS, Sasuke arrives wanting to seek Alliance also since Akatsuki has connections with Rain Ninja (He isn't as informed of the speculation that Akatsuki and Lightning may be Aligned) so Sasuke needs to find pawns to agrees to join aka Lightning.
Team Seven is together again, they learn a few things about each other, Neji/Sakura/Sasuke jealousy triangle, Naruto/Sakura best friend over-protectiveness, seduction jealousy, the works in politics, and Sakura showing off and kicking ass in the tournament…earning a little respect from our Uchiha also…Haha, so yeah, I was bored when I first wrote this…So?

Keep Or Scrap?

Oh! Sorry if I boggled you with the jumping around to present and past tense...I think I was in a whacky mood when I wrote it and I'd rather post it up than proofread it... :)

By the way, haha, so far I've gotten so many Keeps it may just take forever for me to get all these stories out. I still have to finish my other ones, lol! I didn't think they would get so much positive feedback, thank you everyone!

Hmm…I'm On A Roll with these ideas, heehee

Disclaimer: And so I jut out my lower lip…And whine.

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Loves!
Len83

P.S. I FINALLY got rid of my luvinukag83 username, I knew it was time to let go of it, even if I was very attached to it. So yes, I am now permanently Len83!