When Neji sneaked across the roof, of the hokage building, he felt like someone's eyes bore into his back, trying to kill him from afar. It didn't take him long to activate his Byukugan, but he needed to be in a distance where he could hear what they were saying. To watch only what they said by mouth took a lot extra chakra, than he intended to use.
Hinata sneaked beside him, it hadn't taken him too much effort in convincing the heiress, to come with him. He didn't trust Hanabi with a situation at this, even though she was better at using the family doujutsu than his cousin ever would. Still, entrusting Hinata with a mission like this, improved his odds several degrees. Even if she should get caught, she wouldn't tell anything to the 'enemies' side.
She stared at him with a scared look, which caused him to give her a disapproving look. He was telling her with a stern look, that this weren't the time. Hinata gulped and nodded half heartily, not desiring to show weakness towards Neji, because she weren't going back on her word.
He would have smirked, but it weren't time for that. With a single motion with his hand he told her to activate the Byukugan and she did. With a satisfied frown he activated his own and rested his ear against the wall. Hinata did as well.
There was a soft chuckle and the Nanadaime laughed heartily, but the way he laughed seemed awfully disturbing. Hinata flinched at the tone, but she kept on examining the conversation. The voices were loud and a guy with a bandaged head and foot sat before him. Danzou sat in a chair opposite from the desk and Sai waited patiently outside the door, blissfully unaware of what was going on the room.
Hinata noticed that despite his usual lack of emotion, he somehow seemed very frustrated and angry.
"Ku-ku-ku, Kabuto, so you got quite beaten up?" the Nanadaime spoke.
The man called Kabuto sighed and adjusted his arm. "Unfortunate sir, I though didn't intend to…"
The hokage continued to chuckle. "Well, that is okay, Haruno Sakura is quite the woman isn't?"
Kabuto was silent for a while before he nodded, a bit annoyed with where the topic was starting to head. He cracked his neck.
"So you didn't put on a tracking device?"
"It was very complicated sir, with my life at risk I tried to touch her, but she is unreachable, her speed and strength outmatches my own."
He chuckled again and rubbed his clothes. "You had quite a trouble with Tsunade-hime, too…too bad she has left this world, I would have liked to be the one ending her life."
Kabuto smirked and nodded happily. "You are very strong sir, there is no way she could have defeated you."
Danzou looked up. "What about the Rock-country? With instability they have now it is a perfect opportunity to attack, Hokage-sama."
"Ku-ku-ku. Thank you for reminding me Danzou-san. Don't worry; I have everything under control, just get the ROOT ready to attack."
He nodded and leaned forward, watching the hidden face underneath the hokage hat. "What about the Rokudaime?"
The Hokage smirked and looked outside the window. "We'll take him out, once he returns to Konoha."
Kabuto raised a finger. "What about the Sand? The Rokudaime has connections with the Sand, and Haruno Sakura could at least destroy a sixth of the whole root division."
The hokage sighed. "Oh, one thing at the time, it will take a while before we'll destroy the Kyuubi. Right now we have other things on our mind, such as the Akatsuki."
Neji stopped and deactivated the byuukugan, Hinata did the same and turned towards him. Her fingers clutched her blouse and he frowned before motioning her to come with him. Silent as the wind they quickly flew across the rooftops, unaware of the piercing red sharingan eyes gazing on their backs.
-
Sakura jumped half-heartedly from tree to tree as she watched Naruto and Shikamaru need to hold back their own speed. Her feet landed roughly on the tree and remembered how confused she was when she awoke. Instead of a beat of Kabuto she had found a small girl clinging to her chest, a frowning Shikamaru and a tired Naruto.
They had hardly had any time to talk when Naruto janked her to her feet and dragged her with him. She had protested at first, until Shikamaru explained to her shortly had happened. She was numb at first and a pain in her heart slowly formed, but there was no time, so they jumped into the trees and headed to wherever Shikamaru thought best.
She could see that Naruto turned his head a little to watch her, his eyes pained. Sakura looked the other way, the quilt on her chest not easying. He saw that and looked the other way.
Shikamaru noted and turned his head backwards too, trying to find a solution to the problem.
"we better find a place to stay…" Naruto said.
He stared at him for a while before nodding. "Yes, Tohru might not be able to run that far anymore, she is afterall only ten, and it is going to get dark soon…"
They both jumped down to the ground, followed by the soft pads of Sakura landing in a small pile of leaves. Tohru secure on her back and sound asleep. Sakura seemed slightly annoyed with the whole situation, but followed them and laid Tohru on a small sheet, Shikamaru threw at her.
"hey…Sakura…"
She looked up at Naruto, whom stood with his hand pocketed and a slightly tired expression on his face. "do you mind if we go fix some water you and me…?"
She stared at him for a while, before nodding tiredly herself and stood up. He didn't even smile and walked towards the river not so far away.
-
Itachi sat at the small table in casual clothes, it was strange to not wear the usual cloudy cloak. Kisame were even more uncomfortable. They hid there faces underneath the baggy hoods and drank the sake in silence. Kisame eyed Itachi underneath his hood.
"you know…it is a mission given from the leader…stop running after that girl…"
He didn't answer and continued to drink the sake.
"I don't understand why you are chasing that girl anyway…"
"…"
He narrowed his eyes at his smaller companion. "do as you like…"
Itachi gazed at the uncomfortable couple beside them at another table. The woman seemed to twist nevoursly, while the man looked grim and tired. His eyes wandered and caught Itachi's for a moment. Frightened by the cold look, he focussed on his girlfriend.
"I don't like this…" he said after a moment. The woman looked up at him. He leaned in further and eyed their surroundings and whispered.
"I didn't like the way they threw out the Rokudaime…"
The woman looked down on messy skirt and whispered too. "I thought he was a nice Hokage…he managed to get the Rock out…"
He nodded and response and continued. "now! With the new one there has only been trouble in the streets. Maybe we should move away from here…it is not safe."
The woman's eyes widened before she narrowed her eyes. "no! this is our home, it is Konoha, and I will take it as it is…I am a leaf woman, I am not a sand or a rock or a water…"
"but it is not safe. "
She looked the other way and rested her hand on her teacup. "I wonder how the Rokudaime must feel…getting thrown out here, I have heard he was quite fond of the city."
Her boyfriend snorted and gulped down his sake. "yeah, I heard the too. However, I have heard something even stranger…"
She turned her gaze back to him.
"the lady…the Godaime's apprentice, Haruno Sakura I think. I have heard that they are married and she was expecting a child…"
"bu…but why would she save the Tuschikage then?" she exclaimed.
Suddenly out of no where popped out and sat two sake bottles on their tables. It was obvious he was drunk and he could hardly stand, but sat down beside them. "I have heard it was because the child was the Tuschikage…"
The girl gasped horrified. "but that means Haruno-sama is unfaithful to the Hokage!"
He nodded. "it seems so…"
She grabbed her scarf and bit down her lip. "she seemed as such a nice girl, and I couldn't imagine anyone do that to the Hokage. He is so handsome and…"
Her boyfriend eyed her and she quickly stopped talking and the blush on her cheeks intensified.
Kisame chuckled into his sake and Itachi gave him the look that this was not the time for funny things. Kisame shrugged his shoulders and watched as the conversation continued, before he whispered to Itachi. "it seems that they have yet to acknowledge the new one…they are quite fond of the Rokudaime or should I say Kyuubi…"
Itachi gulped down the sake.
"I would also say that you are slightly jealous…"
He froze and the cup rested on his lips the sake softly burning his skin. His eyes quickly shifted from the regular sharingan to the mangekyou. Kisame froze too and placed his cup on the table. "don't take it like that Itachi…I am teasing you…"
"good…" and the sake went down his throat. Kisame eyed him for a second.
The woman leaned forward and whispered. "I have heard that the child that she carries around. Tohru-sama…."
There was tension in their air.
"she is the love child of Sakura and the Tuschikage…"
The whole bar gasped and began to gather around the small table for more gossip. Kisame broke into a heartily laugh and even Itachi couldn't get the smile of his face.
-
Sakura sat softly on the small rock, the snow surrounding them weren't cold at all. It almost felt very sweet on her face and calmed down her flaming inside.
Tohru stood cold in the snow, her fist bruised, but her face showed determination. "Sakura-sama…"
Sakura looked up rather bored and stared at the smaller girl. "what?"
"I…I can't seem to get it right…"
"try again…"
The girl turned around rather mad. "but I can't!"
Sakura sighed. "stop complaining, just do it…"
She began to sniff. "But Sakura-sama…my hands hurt…"
She leaned back against the treetrunk and watched her. " Tohru-san…may I ask you a question…"
The small girl a sniffed, but nodded none the less.
"do you know what a Shinobi is?"
Tohru looked confused.
"that is what I am training you to be. The perfect killer machine that has no feelings"
She snorted and crossed her arms. "senseeei…"
But she continued. "because if you do…then you will lose everything you hold dear. The mistakes you make are clearer than you would imagine. The pain is twice as hard, because the friends you knew can turn to enemies…"
"Sakura-sensei…?"
"and you can't love anybody so solitude is your only option…"
-
Naruto stood silently at the bay, his eyes transfixed on the moving water. Sakura stared at him shortly, but looked away quickly and fixed the water. She brought her lips to the water and swallowed just a bit.
Naruto scratched his head.
"Sakura…"
She didn't answer.
"I think…" she watched him out of the eye. "…Sakura I…"
With an anger she had never seen before, he kicked the dirt and screamed into the air. She was a bit startled by his sudden outburst and just stared at him.
His eyes watered at he felt himself become madder at himself. With a swift motion of his arm he dried the tears and walked away. Sakura somehow felt very guilty.
-
Night had never suited Shikamaru the most, and that was why he took the first night guard. So he could watch the forrest and not be uneasy with the fact that they were in a vulnerable situation.
He looked over his shoulder and watched Sakura lay awake and clutching the sheet tightly around her body. His eyes wandered to her sad eyes and sighed. "what is the matter with you…"
She didn't say anything and tightened her hands. Her eyes wandered to Naruto who slept with his back towards her a bit closer to Shikamaru.
"hm…come here…"
She stared at him for a moment before she stood up and walked to the log where he rested. She was tired, but unable to sleep. With a soft thump Sakura sat beside him and rubbed her tired eyes.
"you know…Sakura…I am kindda curious." She turned her head towards him. "…what did you do while you were away on that trip…"
She was numb for a few seconds before turning her head back. Focussing her eyes on her hands. "I guess I should tell you…"
"six years ago, you know that…Sasuke died." Those words were said with a bitter taste in her mouth. "and I decided to go away. I decided to take his revenge and fullfill it for him, in his spirit –"
"- of course Tsunade-sama knew what I was going to do so she did everything she could to prevent it. I guess I was too stubborn back then to see why. However, after a good month of trying to keep me in Konoha she gave me a secret.-"
"- she told me that Uchiha Itachi hid in the land of earth."
Shikamaru suddenly felt that some of the puzzles began to fit together.
"- by giving me a new identity that was never written down in any of the libraries, she made sure I couldn't be tracked in any way. These last six years I have been a hidden spy for Konoha to spy on the Tuschikage and the local surroundings. Jirayia knew what I was doing because I met him once, while searching for Itachi."
Shikamaru raised a finger. "what about the small girl Tohru…"
Sakura grinned while shaking her head. "I found Itachi, and I attacked him. I had trained so I was better, but I didn't stand a chance against him, so he captured me. When I woke up I had three months of mental torture and psychical in order to agree with them to take care of Tohru. "
She tightened her fingers, the anger clear in her voice. "Of course Itachi for some reason has decided to stalk me from that time. So I have used three years in trying to hide from him. One year ago I returned to the Earth and offered my assistances. Ironically they decided to let me be a spy on Konoha, not knowing that I was an original ninja from there. The new tuschikage did only know that I spied, he had never seen me before, he had never gotten my real name.-"
"- but the ninjas knew me. I didn't know that Tsunade-sama had died…" her voice broke a little. "so…when I came back, I decided to check in on her."
Her eyes wandered downwards. "but all I found was Naruto and the Konoha I knew completely demolished. None of what I knew was there anymore…"
"I was mad at Naruto…of course I was, I still am. I can't imagine him anywhere as a Hokage, it seems wrong…"
"I knew about the war, and I knew it was necessary for me to be on the frontline. I had to act for both sides, I couldn't blow my cover for the Rock, I still had a mission for Tsunade after all."
Shikamaru nodded. "so…the reason for saving the Tuschikage was? "
"act…"
Silence.
-
"SAKURA! Stop! I command you to stop!" the wall collapsed and Sakura panted hard. All the escaping was hard on her still weak body, but she needed to get away.
Shizune ran even faster and she knew that she had to catch her.
"SAKURA!"
-
"you should have told Naruto…"
She flinched.
-
"LET ME GO! TSUNADE-SAMA! I beg you!" Sakura screamed and kicked with all her power against the air.
The blond-haired woman scrowled down at her.
"why should I treat you like I do…I am disappointed in you Sakura. I thought I had taught you better."
The tears began to stream.
"I beg you! Please! Let me go!"
Tsunade looked sad. "Sakura…"
"please!"
-
"no…"
Shikamaru got angry. "Sakura…Naruto is doing so much for you. He deserves to know. Stop being so selfish and grow up, this man was willing to almost throw himself of the position if the council hadn't done that first."
She rubbed her fingers together.
"That is why."
"What?" he asked.
"I destroyed his dream…how can I ever be forgiven from letting his dream die. He had just gotten the dream and now he is on the run, with me of all people. Naruto was the Hokage, and I know he'll never forgive me…if he does then I can't forgive myself."
"I destroyed Sasuke's dream…"
"and now Naruto's…"
-
"MY DREAM IS BECOMING HOKAGE!"
-
With a swift motion of her body she ran into the forest. Shikamaru unable to stop her.
He frowned and turned to Naruto.
"you should at least have said something…"
Naruto didn't say anything and curled himself together into a ball. His eyes wide-open and dry, but his skin was white and he looked like he had trouble breathing.
-
A/N: there is simply no A/N today, because I don't think I have anything to say. I am just awaiting the dreadful amount of flames. Oh yes, I do, so don't expect me to be rather happy today. I am sort of depressed, but that is of other reasons.
To your information the Sakura introduction and the next chapter is the story of Tohru.
Then I am going to work on Naruto and Sakura's relationship for two chapters most, and then go back to something else. (Damn, I thought this chapter should only last five chapters or so).
I am glad for ALL the fine reviews; it is better than the time when somebody stalked me in a fiction I wrote and called him fk of. (He couldn't spell to save his life may I add).
Review or flame me if necessary.
All rights to Kishimoto, the man whom I personally love.
Now, here is a small part from causeIambetta's poem made for my fiction. Check it out for yourself!
Time
marches on never ending
time keeps its own time
here we
standing out our beginning
even then there are those passing us
by
and
morning
Morning
morning will never be the same
Now I wont
make the same mistakes
time and time again
