The Search for Saltwater Taffy

Sabaku no Hime: I owe you all an apology. I've left this story for far too long. Truth be told, the only reason I'm writing it now is due to my natural escapism. There was a death in the family on Friday morning, when I got to work I answered my cell. Yeah. That night I got profoundly drunk and had a good bawl at the man friend, but I'm having a hard time coping with it. I think the story's likely changed, and I'm writing from a different angle now, but I'll try to mesh it ok.

Disclaimer…standard. Me no own. Bleah.

5 Sunagakure at Last…

'There it is,' Lee whispered, 'that's the house that you described to us…'

Sakura and Tenten looked askance at Lee, wondering why he was whispering.

'Lee, relax.' Sakura chided gently. 'We're in the middle of Suna. We can't do anything right now, and even if we could, there's no taffy there.'

Tenten squinted at the sills and nodded her confirmation. 'When did your contact say the stuff was made?'

'Once a week,' Sakura replied, not willing to tell them who her contact was, still. They'd been pestering her for details on the trip over, but she didn't want to tell them that Itachi gave her information.

'Let's get some rooms then,' Lee said, frowning down into his wallet.

'I've got it,' Sakura smirked

'So why can't we just go up and buy it again?' Tenten asked.

'Apparently, the people that live there are hostile to non Suna shinobi.' She replied quickly. 'So our best bet is to just take it and leave some money for them to make up for what we take.'

'You know this could strain relations with Suna, right Sakura chan?' Lee asked 'And we might need to stay here for another six days just to get the taffy, right?'

'I know.' Sakura replied. 'So let's see what we can see while we're here. Tsunade shisou said she didn't have anything pressing for any of us yet,'

'I have to go back in a day or two,' Tenten offered regretfully, 'I have some stuff to take care of,'

'We all know you're ANBU, Tenten,' Sakura said softly to the other girl. 'You don't need to use the stuff to take care of with us.'

'I know, but this is Suna. We're from Konoha.'

'Yeah, maybe best to get some local clothing?' Sakura chuckled. 'The hitae-ate kinda stick out, don't they?'

'But we can't get Suna hitae-ate,' Lee said. 'And it's going to be hard to pretend to not be shinobi,'

'True, but I can be a klutz when I want to,' Sakura laughed, walking towards an open air clothing stall with a small stumble to emphasize her point.

'Why are we doing this again?' Tenten asked quietly, shifting the uncomfortable mesh under the loose robes that seemed fairly standard in Sunagakure. 'Why can't we just go say hi to the Kazekage, and ask if he'll help us out?'

'Because he's the Kazekage, and we don't need to bother him with something that isn't politically important.' Lee replied, earning a glare from Tenten as they all settled back into the window where they all stared out at one single house.

'Look,' Sakura pointed from the hostel room to the window of the house they had under surveillance. She could see a blurry outline against the light from the indoors. The figure seemed to be walking towards the window. 'I think our chance is soon.'

'Lucky,' Lee offered with a smile.

'Double lucky,' Tenten replied with a snort.

Sakura regretted telling them about the odd nin and his obsession with luck when she had told them some of the stories that cell seven had run into.

'Okay, let's go.'

'I'm tired, Sakura chan,' Lee mentioned. 'It's nearly four in the morning.'

'I know.' She replied. 'I don't know why they waited until so late to make the taffy.' She stood up and walked to the door of the room they'd rented. 'Let's go. By the time we get down there, the taffy will be cool enough to take some.'

'Did anyone bring enough money to leave on the sill for them?'

'I have it covered,' Sakura said softly. 'Shikamaru wanted to fund the whole trip, which is kinda stupid, considering he's got a wife and baby to look after.'

The trio, after checking out with a bleary eyed and confuzzled concierge, slunk out the hotel door and down the street, sticking to the shadows. Prey sighted.

Sakura slunk along the outer wall that rimmed the perimeter of the property the small house sat on. Motioning the other two nin on, they snuck through the gateless entryway and up the garden path

The trio snuck quickly and silently through the sand and overgrown cacti in the yard, carefully avoiding holes that might house spiders or snakes as they made their way to the window sill that held their goal

Triumphantly, Sakura filled a small pouch with the still slightly warm taffy and left a handful of bills under a small pile of coins on the tray where some taffy used to be.

She started to walk away, feeling sand swirling gently around her ankles.

Ino was appeased. She received the taffy with grace and gratitude, then promptly ate it all, without even offering a piece to Shikamaru.

Tenten went back to her usual routine of doing ANBU things, Rock Lee went back to training like a mad fool, trying to open up the gate of insanity, and Sakura went back to the hospital.

Peace reigned for a week, until Tsunade called Sakura into her office.

'Apparently there was a theft of consumable items in Suna about a week ago.' The Hokage offered neutrally. 'Do you know anything about it?'

'No, Hokage Sama,' Sakura answered as innocently as possible.

'Well, if you know who did it, since there was a distinct signature of Leaf chakra around the area, let them know that the victim just wants to give the perpetrator their change. Apparently, the thieves left a good deal of money in payment for the theft, and too much at that.'

'If I find out who did it, I will tell them, Tsunade shisou.' She replied seriously.

On the way back to the hospital, a harried looking Shikamaru walked up to her with a frown on his face. 'She wants more, Sakura san,' he told her. 'I have a mission to go on that's in the opposite direction of Suna,' he said. 'I can't get her any taffy.'

'Well, since I don't have to search for it any longer, I think I can get some in less than two days.' She told him, slowing her pace a little. 'Is that okay?'

He nodded in relief. 'How are we ever going to pay you back for this, Sakura?'

'Make me an auntie, Shik-oh, wait, you already are, aren't you?' she snorted. 'It's fine. Gives me something to do on my days off. Tsunade shisou has me on reduced duties for the next couple months.'

'Why's that?'

'She was worried because I was losing weight.' Sakura made a moue of distaste as she and her best friend's husband walked towards her apartment. What she wasn't going to tell him, or anyone at that, was the reason she had lost so much weight was due to the fact that Sasuke's nearly dead body had been found in the middle of Amegakure and brought back to the Konoha hospital for treatment.

She'd taken care of him until she was almost dead herself.

Then Tsunade had forced her to go on vacation with the strict edict that if she was seen in the hospital for the next two weeks, she'd be taken into custody and put into a cell in the Konoha strict facility until she rested up.

'You seem to have gained it back,' he told her bluntly. 'Your arms have lost the bony, stick like thing you had going for a while.'

'Yeah, and I'll be the one to catch the baby when Ino's time comes,' Sakura laughed at Shikamaru's stricken face. 'It's in there, so it has to come out sometime, Shik,' she offered lamely.

'Haaaah,' he breathed deeply, hands starting to shake as he turned away from Sakura to look towards his home.

'I can block the pain, don't worry, Shik,' she laughed at his sighed relief. 'I'll leave in the morning for taffy. Don't worry, just come home alive for Ino. I'm sure she'll want something else by the time you're back.'

'Yeah, hopefully milk candies this time,' he sighed. 'I had to buy the whole case since it was a special order from the confectionary at the edge of waterfall.'

After leaving Shikamaru to walk himself home, she wondered who she could take with her this time. Tenten was out on mission; Lee was trying to figure out a way to propose to her without her beating him to a bloody pulp and toying with the idea of a short, very highly paid job.

In the end, she ended up going by herself, which she found was better for her. She didn't have to make concessions for any weakness but her own, rested when she utterly needed it and went at a rather remarkable pace. Nobody under the rank of jounin would be able to catch her.

She didn't have any cranky rain nin following her for flirting with her boyfriend this time either, so she made good time and stayed healthy.

Sakura set up camp in the hostel she'd stayed in with Lee and Tenten last time, knowing that nothing was likely to happen until late at night again. She stared up at the ceiling from the lumpy mattress on the floor, wondering what kind of spider that was, the one who made the big web in the corner.

Briefly, she decided that it would be fun to soak up some local culture. She wanted to go out to drink and dance, so she went out in her tan robes and mesh underclothing until she found a stall that had bright dresses that would cling to the top half, that flared out in sheer gossamer layers and hung to the floor. She bought one that had a smooth silhouette in light blue. When she tried it on and whirled, the skirts flared out gracefully, showing her long, leanly toned legs up to the thigh.

Good enough. She paid for it, and got some matching flat slippers in a slightly darker blue and went back to the hostel to put on a lot of makeup and cover her distinctive hair color with a darker one.

By the time the moon was up, Sakura was raven haired, fully made up and looked like she stepped off the pages of Kunoichi Quarterly. She was pleased. She'd even left the breast bindings off, since they would have shown under the plunging neckline and clinging bodice. She was glad the top of the dress was somewhat structured so her less than ample assets didn't bounce out of the top, or even worse, start sagging under it (because everyone knows that what was up when you're sixteen tends to go down a bit by the age of twenty, no matter how small).

She donned her cloak and made her way through the middle of Suna, seeing all sorts of bars and pubs that she wouldn't want to dance and drink in. They all looked somewhat rough. She wasn't in a rough bar mood. She just wanted to dance and drink and be happy.

A likely one opened up near the end of an alley along a small side street near her hostel, and Sakura stepped in, loving the sounds of a sitar and some more modern instruments playing.

She was grabbed by the bouncer and given a strange look.

'What?' she asked, testy.

'Dancers go in the back door,' he told her.

'I'm not a dancer,' she replied. 'I'm a customer. I just want to drink and dance for a while.'

'Pity, you could make a lot of money dancing tonight. The crowd is good, and pretty generous.' Sakura found herself grinning a little bit.

'What would I have to take off?'

He looked shocked at that. 'You're not from Suna, ne?' at her nod, he continued. 'You mistake the purpose of this club. There is no loss of clothing. You just get up and dance with men, and make money. It's…' he named a sum per dance that had her almost blanching.

'Well, why not?' she mused to herself. 'I'm here to soak up local culture.' She nodded and the bouncer led her towards a door along the side of the building.

'The Kazekage would never let an establishment in Suna that catered to something like you thought, lady,' he told her earnestly. 'He'd have a fit, and tear the building down.' He chuckled softly at a joke only he seemed to know and let her in.

She was welcomed by an older woman with graying blond hair and a heavily made up face. The lady led her to a small alcove filled with mirrors, and told her to ready herself, but her dress was fine.

Sakura frowned and said she was fine to go.

The older woman pursed her lips and nodded. 'With those eyes, you're going to have every man in the house falling all over themselves.' She laughed slyly and guided Sakura with a gentle hand on her shoulder to a sheer curtained off area that seemed to lead to a stage.

Sakura wasn't sure she liked the décor of the place, since it was mostly reds and golds, but she couldn't really say. This was the first time she'd ever been in a strip club, let alone a strip club that didn't let women strip.

Though she was kind of glad for the last part.

'I'm Junko,' the older woman told the kunoichi as she handed her a shot glass and filled them with some dark amber liquid. 'And you're our Dark Angel tonight. That's the name you can go by, since no one else has the title currently.'

'Ooookay?' Sakura frowned a little and Junko motioned her to drink the shot.

'For courage,' Junko told her. 'It's not as harsh as it might be in another country, but putting yourself on display for men is never easy. Drink up, Dark Angel, and go on stage.'

She and Junko drank quickly, followed with another shot and Sakura felt herself bolstered enough that she wouldn't die when she went out to dance.

All this in pursuit of taffy.

Ino had better appreciate it.

'Gentlemen,' a booming voice announced from somewhere nearby, but curtained off, since Sakura couldn't see him. 'Please welcome Dark Angel, it's her first night here, so welcome her graciously,'

Sakura stepped out onto a small, circular stage and listened to the music for a few moments, eternally grateful that part of the kunoichi training she'd gotten had to do with impromptu dance. So she could fake it gracefully, she thought to herself with a small smirk.

She almost didn't want to look out past the stage at the sea of faces she knew would have to be there from the din that was audible backstage.

So she danced along with the music, starting off with a soft swaying, then becoming more insistent and demanding of the audience as the music approached climax. She imagined that it was someone she desired that she was dancing for, and acted appropriately, seducing this mystery person that currently had Itachi's face, just because he'd been nice to her and he was pretty.

The song ended slowly, and she finished her dance facedown on the floor in a supplicating position, temporarily raven locks tumbling around her head in a short jumble.

Polite applause sounded from the audience, and she hoped she hadn't made a fool out of herself as she looked up, slightly disoriented as she gained her feet.

'Our Dark Angel, gentlemen,' Junko came out and led her offstage by the shoulder, the knowing look in her eyes made Sakura aware that she'd done just what the older woman had wanted her to do.

'Okay,' Sakura said, relaxing now that she was invisible to the audience. 'Now what am I supposed to do? I just want to dance and drink.'

Junko smiled at her, pressing a glass of light amber liquid into her hands as she led her into a small sitting room decorated in dark wood and white linen.

'Sit then, and calm down,' Junko told her. 'We'll make the audience wait for a while before you go out to dance with some of the men.'

'Alright,' Sakura said quietly, downing the burning liquid in one gulp.

'Good scotch,' Junko told her, 'I'm a fan of it. It takes the edge off, and even if you're dancing with someone you wish you weren't, it makes it easier.'

'So, how long do I have before I get to go out and dance?' she asked.

'Well, when the offers for dances stop coming in,' Junko told her. 'Then the men that want to pay the most get dances, and after that, the ones that don't pay so much.'

'Oh,' Sakura said, drinking another glass of scotch that Junko poured for her.

'It's not the greatest scotch, but the good stuff should be saved for a time you can just sit and appreciate it.'

'If it takes the edge off,' Sakura giggled, 'then I'm fine. I don't care the quality, as long as it's alcohol.'

A small boy walked into the sitting room after a brief knock and bowed to Junko. 'Milady, the offers are coming in. Dark Angel is received well.'

'Are they through coming in yet?'

'No milady, but there's one major offer on the table for a few dances.' He named a sum that made Sakura cough against the scotch.

'Well, that's your first dance of the night,' Junko told her cheerfully. 'That's your cut. Our cut is thirty percent on top of that, so just think how much the offer was.'

I feel like…

This isn't good, she thought to herself, with a small quiver in her stomach.

'Well, go on,' Junko shoved gently at her shoulder and Sakura took the cue to get the hell out of the sitting room. 'Mekil will take you to your dance partner,'

Sakura followed Mekil out of the back area and past a small curtain to the audience area. It was slightly lower than the stage area so that everyone could see, and she skittered past it with a shiver down her spine.

She'd been up there. She wasn't too happy about that, but at least she hadn't done anything that would shame either her or Konoha.

Mekil led her to a small booth, the plush bench unoccupied at the moment, but there were a few glasses on the table, empty now though.

'What's this?' she asked, curious.

'He's left the table for a few, Lady Angel,' Mekil informed her. 'His lordship would like to see you waiting when he gets back.'

Sakura shrugged, wondering at the more obscure customs of Sunagakure, and asked Mekil to get her a waiter.

'I c'n take your order,' he told her defensively.

'Oh,' she replied, curious. 'Where I'm from you have to be a certain age to serve alcohol.'

'Not here,' he told her. 'But generally the younger ones don't drink much cuz it don't taste too good.'

'Alright then,' she nodded at him, asking him to get her something strong. 'As strong as you have here, please,' she asked in warm tones.

She felt the air shifting around the person who sat near her, shifting on the rounded bench so that he was back to the wall. She couldn't blame him, she'd not trust the people here to turn her back on, though they all seemed well-dressed and most likely, very well-heeled.

Sakura didn't turn to him until Mekil had returned with her drink, which was most likely more scotch. Straight up. She downed half of it in one go, finally starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. She wasn't going to get drunk tonight, that wasn't her plan. She'd play a little here, make some cash so that Shikamaru didn't feel too obligated to try to pay for the trip and go home with taffy and a fatter wallet.

All around a good plan.

Until the person that was about three quarters of a meter away from her spoke.

Sabaku no Hime yeah, hate me all ya want. I haven't updated in ages, and leave you with a cliffie. Who is it? I don't know, but I will in a few when I write the next chapter. This wont be a long story like Call Me, but it's not done yet. There's more chaos to happen. And where's the humor? I don't know. I'm grieving, so my sense of humor sucks at the moment. Sorry peeps. And for all those who have this story on alert, I'm going to try to finish this within the month.