Hahahaha this chapter suuuuuuuuuuper long by my standards. Don't get intimidated by my long paragraphs, pleaaaaaaaaaaase read all the way through! No action in this chapter (sorry) but there is blood! That must count for something right? Blood and violence are close to action. Ok now I get to yell at you...HOW COME NO ONE TOLD ME I SPELLED ICHARAKU WRONG! Come on people! When I do something wrong I want to know right away so I can fix it! Keep that in mind while you're reading my stoy (assuming you don't get intimidated by my strange Author's note and actually read in that is)! I love everyone who commented on my story so far! So if you want to be loved think of something to blather on about.
Al All
In your skin
Chapter 4: Like teacher, like student
Kakashi stood at the head of the mob of Shinobi and lead them inside Tsunade's office. I watched the Fifth's face morph until it settled into an expression of rage. She glanced at Jiraiya, turned beet read and then glared at Kakashi until he stopped in his tracks. "Last time I checked I was Hokage and this was my meeting. I will be the one to decide when this meeting starts and when it ends. If Ibiki's done he will just have to wait, won't he?" Wow…Tsunade-sama was obviously in a very bad mood. I wonder if it had anything to do with what had happened between her and Jiraiya before Sasuke and I came in.
Whatever it was, it was scaring me. To escape her wrath I edged closer to the old sage (something I would never do normally). Seeing the direction I was moving Jiraiya winked at me. I looked back and forth between Jiraiya and Tsunade in indecision. Which one, pervert or bitch? Luckily the decision was taken out of my hands when Sasuke moved between us, glaring at the old man. I smiled to myself, Sasuke sure had become overprotective.
"SHIZUNE!" Tsunade screamed, scanning the crowd for her right hand woman. The dark haired Jounin stepped forward reluctantly.
"Ho-…Hokage-sama…" She stuttered. The fear in her voice was undeniable.
Tsunade stepped forward angrily with her hands balled into fists. Even though her anger wasn't directed at him, Sasuke stepped closer to me and clutched my arm. All the Jounin and Chuunin stepped back, leaving Shizune to fend for herself.
"I told you to get only the best Chuunin and Jounin. What is this?!" She gestured in anger at the Ninja cowering behind Shizune.
"W-well..." Shizune stammered. She waited for Tsunade to interrupt her, and when she didn't she continued. " I wanted to bring the former rookie nine…and Neji, Lee and TenTen…so I brought them…an…and that meant bringing their parents…as well as getting the best Jounin…and I knew Iruka-Sensei would want to come…so I thought I could bring all the academy teachers and—"
"Enough, enough," Tsunade shouted impatiently. "I don't need anymore excuses. How am I supposed to conduct an important meeting with so many people?"
"I…I…I could send them away…?"
"It's too late for that." Tsunade said, annoyed. She seemed to calm herself down a bit and sighed. "Come on back in, everyone, we might as well get started, since you're all here."
Sasuke finally seemed to notice that he was cutting off my circulation and let go of my arm. He looked slightly embarrassed and stepped way. Watching him fidget I wondered how I had used to idolize him. He just was a normal kid, like me or Naruto…actually none of use could really be classified as normal. The point was, however, that Sasuke really wasn't an "Ice-prince" or "cold"…he could be kind of …shy I guess. Naruto had seen that side of Sasuke before, I could have, I just never wanted to.
With the tension lifted everyone began talking while Tsunade went to get her paper work. Ino spotted me and waved. Seeing I was next to Sasuke, she gave me a quizzical expression. It was a well known fact in the village that I hated Sasuke and couldn't stand to be in the same room as him, it was partly my fault Sasuke didn't have any friends. Since I would leave whenever Sasuke came into the same room as me, my friends had to choose who to hang out with. Naturally, they chose me; everyone had misgivings about Sasuke's intentions nowadays anyway. Besides, I was a lot more fun to be around. Who wants to be friends with a guy who sits in the corner and says nothing the whole time? It really ruins the positive atmosphere.
Seeing Ino's curiosity, I mouthed "Later." at her. She raised her eyebrows, glancing from him to me with a scandalous expression on her face. I rolled my eyes and used a glare I had picked up from Tsunade to make her stop. The rest of my friends wanted to come up to me but were prevented by the fact I was so close to Tsunade…and also because Sasuke was next to me. I tried to catch Lee's eye but he deliberately looked away and started talking overly enthusiastically with TenTen. I sighed and glance at Sasuke. He had moved even farther away from me and was staring stonily ahead. His hands were shoved in his pockets. He learns forward slightly so his hair was covering more of his face. Here we go again, back to his old emo self. This whole meeting was getting on my nerves.
Why can't I be friends with whoever I want without hurting people's feelings? If I wanted to be friends with Sasuke why couldn't I just be friends with Sasuke? Because you've never really been friends with Sasuke before, a voice chided in my head. It was partly true. When we had been on Team Seven together we hadn't been close at all. He was my team mate, my crush, but he was not my friend. Everyone must think I was falling back in love with him. I prevented myself from laughing out loud. Me back in love with Sasuke again? Not going to happen, definitely not gong to happen. I had been a stupid girl. Sasuke was not boyfriend material. It would be torture to go out with someone that moody and detached. The kind of person who would be a good boyfriend was exactly the opposite, someone more like…
Tsunade had finally gathered her papers and was standing in front of the group. "Most of you who are Jounin know why you are here. But for those of you who are not, and do not, I will explain. Gai-sensei had a lucky encounter on his way back form a mission two weeks ago, and brought back two Akatsuki members. Hopefully, when Ibiki is done torturing them, we will soon know the Akatsuki's whereabouts. However, I don't plan on sending a whole bunch of Ninja to go and attack right away. We know hardly anything about the Akatsuki. This may be only a minor base. To be able to wipe them out completely we need to kill their leader. And to kill their leader w need to now where and who he is. The Akatsuki are unaware that two members in their cult have been captured. We may never get this chance again. I propose that we sent two Shinobi undercover, disguised as them. This is a very danger mission, but it is nesissary. We'll also need a back up squad to lurk behind the main two at a safe distance. The back up squad should consist of two teams. That is what all of you are here for. I have already chosen the two I would like to go undercover. This mission in not a direct order. I need to know I am not crazy for doing this." The old woman took a breath; she was unaccostumed to asking for help, "Frankly, I would also like all of your approval on the two I want to give this mission to. It is up to you to decide who the backup team should be. As I said, the duo is decided. I would like to give this mission to…Sakura and Sasuke."
Suddenly I felt the whole room's eyes on me. I wanted to step closer to Sasuke for support, but I was too proud to take the chance that he would move away from me. Instead I just stood up taller and defiantly met their gaze. I had to, since Sasuke wasn't going to be the one to stare them down. I knew I looked much more confident than I felt. Five minutes ago I would have thought, a mission with Sasuke? No problem! But now I realized it would be much harder than that.
Years of resentment and anger lay between us, that's not something you could forget over a bowl of ramen and a broken door. Besides…this was in the Akatsuki…the people who most likely killed Naruto…the people who would have him if he was still alive. So much was at stake in this mission. I knew we could not fail.
"Sakura? Sasuke? Do you accept?" Tsunade demanded. I was about to open my mouth to agree when Sasuke interrupted.
"If it is alright with you Hokage-sama I would like to talk this over with Sakura, alone." Surprisingly Tsunade nodded her head gravely. I had no idea what Sasuke was up to, but I trusted him so I guess I had to support him.
"Yes, Hokage-sama, please continue discussing the backup team while we consult." We bowed and left the room. As soon as we were in the hall I attacked Sasuke.
"So? What do you want to talk about, Sasuke?' I said fiercely.
He didn't look at me directly. He scuffed the floor with his foot, with his hands in his pockets again. I scowled at him.
"I don't think this is such a good idea…" He took a deep breath and said the next sentence so quickly I almost missed what he said. "I'm not going." I stared at him for a long time without looking at him. Was this really Sasuke? This wimp who was giving up before he tried? He had lived his life for revenge, and now that it was over he had no resolve. Didn't he care that it was by his own recklessness that Naruto wasn't here anymore? Did he not care about him enough to want to protect him, to scour the ends of the earth for him?
I had thought that he would help me look fro Naruto…that together we'd get our best friend back…but he wasn't even brave enough to fact the Akatsuki in disguise! I was so angry at him. In three long steps I grabbed him by the shoulder and slapped him across the face.
"SNAP OUT OF IT!" I yelled. His eyes opened wide in surprise, but his face still wore a dazed expression. I shook him, "How dare you say 'I'm not going'! How dare you want to 'talk to Sakura, alone'! How dare you refuse to me with that goddamned guilty expression on your face! Do you think that your not going will affect my decision? I am agreeing, Sasuke-kun. After all that I've shown you today do you still think I need protection? Well let me tell you something! I don't need you, Uchiha. I don't care one bit that you aren't going on this mission with me." The last sentence was a lie and I think he knew it. He turned his bloody, beaten, bleeding face to me. This time he was the one begging me to stay.
"Sakura…-chan, I'm not ready for this mission. We are not ready for this mission, as a team. If we go we will surely get killed. Is that what Naruto would want? Do you think it would make him happy to see us throwing our lives away for revenge? Because that's what you're talking about, Sakura-chan, revenge. Hokage-sama knew how emotionally attached we are to this mission, that's why she wants to send us. I've battled with the Akatsuki, I know how dangerous they are, you—"
"I have also seen how 'dangerous' the Akatsuki are, Uchiha." I threw his name back at him like an insult again.
"That's not the point, Haruno. This is no longer a contest to see who is the better fighter! There are our lives!"
"And I know I will regret it my whole life if I don't take this mission."
"You'll regret it your whole life if you fail this mission, Haruno."
"I won't fail."
"But what if we do? It might ruin the chance to eliminate the Akatsuki forever. We should let someone who is more capable take over this mission. The Fifth only is asking us to take this because she knows it's important to us."
"DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT?!" I screamed at Sasuke in fury. (Though, inside what I really wanted to do was heal his face. Healer instinct, what can I say?)
"Yes." He stated flatly, I was suddenly aware of how much blood was in his mouth.
"Fine, I'll ask Tsunade myself!"
"Sakura, no!" He said, slipping out of the formality we had instated earlier, but it was too late. I burst in through the door and marched right up to the blonde woman at the front. The Chuunin and Jounin parted for me.
"Did you only give us this mission because you know it's important to us?!"
She stared at me in shock.
"ANSWER ME TSUNADE!"
"No, Sakura, I didn't.
"WHY?!" I was suddenly aware that everyone was staring at me, astonished, but were clustered around the door. They had been listening to every word Sasuke and I had said to each other.
Tsunade sighed and spoke in a voice used to calm down a child having a tantrum. "Sakura, you and Sasuke really are the best two for this mission. You may not be as experienced as Jiraiya or myself, but that isn't the most important thing for this mission. You, Sakura, have amazing intelligence that is only rivaled by Shikamaru. This will help you collect information efficiently without arousing suspicion. Sasuke's sharingun is extremely useful on this mission as well. He will be able to gauge how powerful his opponents are."
I was breathing slowly now, exhaling anger and inhaling calmness. "Then why not Shikamaru and Neji or Hinata for this mission? Sasuke can't see chakra levels the way they can, and you said yourself that Skikamaru's smarter than me."
"That is true, Shikamaru is smarter than you. But what if he is found out? Shikamaru does not posses the Genjutsu ability you do to cover up his mistakes, nor the physical strength you posses that may be required to get out of a tough situation. Also you are a medical ninja, a group with you in it has a much higher chance of survival than anyone else, no matter how skilled they are in ninjutsu."
"Ok, but why Sasuke? Why not Neji or Hinata, or anyone in the Hyuuga clan for that matter?"
"Be patient youngling." Tsunade smiled at me in such a way that I had no idea what she was thinking (who would have guessed she was thinking, Sakura is getting more and more like me every day?) "While Hinata or Neji could us Byakugun to measure the user's amount of chakra they would not be able to analyze their ability. It is a well known fact that the Akatsuki have large stores of chakra, what we don't know is what every member can do. Sasuke's sharingun would let him memorize the user's technique quickly so we could use the information to develop a counter attack before we decide to ambush them. Are those good enough reasons for you?"
"Yes. Great, Sasuke and I agree. Please precede, Hokage-sama, I am going to take Sasuke to the infirmary before he passes out because of the pain." I turned and peeked out the door where I saw Sasuke lying on the ground, unconscious. "Oops, too late…don't worry, Hokage-sama, we'll be packed and ready to go, tomorrow…we'll be awaiting your instructions!"
I skipped out the door, Hmmmm everything seemed to be going well…I know I spoke for Sasuke but after I explain to him why we are the best two for the mission I'm sure he'll agree! I was vaguely aware of everyone gaping at me as I bounded in the hall, swung Sasuke over my shoulder and sprinted to the infirmary. The only person who was not surprised was Tsunade. She smiled as I left and clapped her hands to get things started again.
I know, long huh? The paragraphs got kind of wordy but...I couldn't help myself. Tell me what you want in my story! If you really hated this chapter and wanted more action, TELL ME! On the other hand, if you liked this chapter that would be nice to know too. I almost forgot! Do you notice that in every chapter I have at least one part where people yell at each other? I did and it freaked me out, am I getting repetitive and boring?
I know that right now there aren't really any set pairings but that's not my fault. It's your fault! TELL ME WHO YOU WANT PAIRED UP! I want to know who you want! If you don't suggest anything I'm going to have to do something really gross...like Sakura and Orochimaru...or Sasuke and Jiraiya...(unless you like that...). Please review, it's the only thing keeping me writing (not really but you seem need the encouragement).
Thanks
Al All
