"We have a bit of a problem." Kurenai told them.
"What?" Ino asked.
"Sakura is going on a mission during her festival. If she's not there than who knows what will happen." Kurenai sighed.
"You're kidding. They land on the same day?" Sakura asked.
"Afraid so." Neji nodded, looking at the papers for her mission.
"This can't be happening." Sakura groaned.
"It can't be that bad. Can't we ask Tsunade to postpone the mission?" Hinata asked.
"No, we can't. This is a rare mission." Sakura sighed. "She paid a lot of money to get this mission for us. If I don't show up, then Sasuke is right. I'm weak and I'll be the reason that the mission fails."
"It can't be that bad. What if you just don't show up?" Tenten asked.
"Then I fail the Jounin test."
"This mission is your test?" Kurenai asked.
"We believe so. This is the hardest mission that we've ever gotten. We have to take a prince from the land of the sun, and take him to the land of the moon, so there will be a marriage between the prince and princess, uniting the two lands. All the while, assassins from other lands are attempting to kill him every ten minutes. And we have a deadline." Sakura groaned, rubbing her forehead.
"When does this mission begin?" Kurenai asked.
"Tomorrow, three days before the festival. And we've been given a week to get there, and it takes 5 days to get there, but with all the assassination attempts it might last us the whole week." Sakura groaned.
"Can't we get the mission moved up then? The assassins won't see it coming, and you'll get there faster, with plenty of time to spare." Ino asked.
"They would have to set out three days ago. The festival is four days away and the prince probably can't move that fast." Neji told her.
"You know what? I don't care what Sasuke thinks. This festival is much more important than my career as a kunoichi." Sakura declared. "I'm not going on this mission. I'm going to go home with my mom and dad, and be declared queen of my kingdom. Nothing will keep me away from my coronation." Sakura told them.
"Are you sure?" Kurenai asked.
"Tell Tsunade that I'm heading out tonight, and nothing can stop me." Sakura declared. She grabbed her bag and exited the older woman's house. Sakura walked down the streets, avoiding people.
"Sakura." Sasuke called, walking up to her.
"What do you want?" Sakura asked.
"I just wanted to see if you were going to start on your training, like you said you would." Sasuke told her.
"About that," Sakura muttered, looking at the ground.
"What?" Sasuke asked, crossing his arms.
"Turns out, I'm not going." Sakura answered, looking back at him. "I'm leaving with my parents tonight. And I won't be back in time for the mission." She answered. She walked passed him.
"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, grabbing her arm.
"Stop grabbing my arm. I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do about it! I'm so sorry that I won't make the mission, but this trip is much more important to me, than my career as a kunoichi." Sakura shouted at him.
"What could be more important than that? You've been working on this since you were five! We all have! And if you don't make this mission than none of us will become Jounin. And it will be all you're fault." Sasuke told her.
"Inheriting my family title, that's what's more important. Finally getting my birth rights after 17 years! And the only reason why I got this job was because my parents made me enroll to protect myself after my friend was kidnapped, RIGHT AFTER SHE WAS BORN! This career means nothing to me! This was just a way to keep me safe until I could claim my birth right. That day has come, and it can't be changed. The day I turn 18 is three days after the mission starts, and I will not miss this for the world." Sakura shouted at him. She attracted the attention of several civilians. "So you can have this mission, and you can fail for all I care. Just don't pin the blame on me, for when you fail." Sakura told him.
"So you're just leaving the team?" Sasuke asked.
"No, I'm leaving the village." Sakura told him. "For good. After tonight, I will never set another foot in this village, unless it is to visit. But, a fair warning, I won't be the last to leave. After I'm gone, then it will be Hinata, and then Ino, Then Tenten, and after Moegi turns 16 and leaves, Kurenai will be gone as well. As of now, you can forget that I ever existed, because I will be doing the same about this village, and everyone in it." Sakura told him, before she stormed off, pushing past the crowd that had gathered. Sasuke growled and jumped onto a rooftop, rushing to Ichiraku ramen, the place that he knew Naruto would be.