Chapter Ten: Long Day
Apparently there had been an ambush of sorts and had left a team of three in critical condition. Upon arriving I instantly got to healing the shinobi in the worst condition. All the while ignoring my surroundings. Medics were running up and down, following Shizune's orders and keeping out of the way, that much I knew. As to who was running and who was healing? Well that was beyond me. However, once the operating room was ready I walked in and got to work. My chakra hadn't been depleted while I was out training, and thank god for that. The member who's condition had been worse was covered in still bleeding wounds, had lost a lot of blood, was dealing with chakra exhaustion and on top of it all had been poisoned. Cursing I took in a deep breath and ignored the sudden commotion around me before focusing on stabilizing him. It wasn't easy, that was for sure. The poison in his blood was keeping him from breathing and to make matters worse as a side effect was preventing him from stopping the bleeding on his own. Mentally cursing I got to work.
"What are you standing around for? Get to preparing!" Shizune yelled, causing me to realize we hadn't walked into the operation room yet. It didn't matter, in the operation room or not I could save this man, could keep death from claiming one of Konoha's citizens and defenders. It hadn't been until the operation was done and the shinobi taken to the recovery area of the hospital that I realized we had made it into the operation room.
"How's your chakra levels?" Shizune called seriously while wiping sweat form her forehead.
"Good, I hadn't been training long and I hadn't been using chakra. Good thing too, ne?" I said with a grin. Shizune smiled and nodded at me before she sighed and shook off her weariness.
"Ready for the next one?" she asked.
"What's his condition?" I asked, already in medic mode and moving for the operation room next door.
"He came in with complete chakra exhaustion, a gash on his back and a couple of broken ribs. The third has been healed and is in recovery as we speak." she informed me. Nodding I took in a deep breath. My stomach was silently screaming, complaining that it was running on empty but I just ignored it. First thing was first, save shinobi. When I was done helping I could always go for a snack, it wasn't like I was lacking any money anyway. Sarutobi-san had been kind enough to put my pay into savings and lets just say if I wanted to give any clan in Konoha a run for their money in a poker game I'd be right up there with the Uchiha's and the Hyuga's.
"Hai, then you take a break. You're low in chakra and your shift isn't over yet is it?" I noted, causing Shizune to smile and nod. "Well then go take care of the paper work, I'll finish things up here." I said with a wink of an eye before walking off toward and into the operating room. I didn't have to see, to wait for Shizune's response to know that she smiled. It was common knowledge, to anyone who was close to me, that I hated to do paperwork beyond a doubt. Personally I didn't know how any sane person could do it without getting frustrated let alone how anyone could ever like doing it. Ugh. Upon walking in I found a medic sealing and healing the gash on the shinobi's back while another looked at his ribs before frowning. He was low on chakra and wouldn't be able to set and heal his ribs, not if he wanted to do it properly anyway.
"I'll finish up here." I called seriously, causing the medics to look up at me with relief in their eyes. They were thankful I'd shown up, that I had a almost full stock of chakra and that I'd be letting them rest before they had to tend to whoever was down by the clinic. Ah, the life of a medic. Constantly tending to others and healing them the way no one else could. Smiling I brought up my glowing hands to the mans chest and started the healing. Healing broken ribs didn't take long or a lot of chakra, it was almost as easy as breathing was to me. Natural.
As soon as I was done healing I allowed the waiting medics to take him to the recovery wing before walking out of the operating room and stretching. It had taken a total of two and a half hours to heal the two shinobi and I still hadn't eaten anything all day! 'Food!' my inner roared and I smiled. For once we were on the same page. Stopping by the recovery wing I signed the charts to my earlier patients and left instructions for the nurses on duty. However, as I walked toward the exit I felt the faint traces of a genjutsu of sort and listened to none other than Shisui Uchiha wooing a nurse. Anger rose in me then, so much so that for a split second I had forgotten about grabbing lunch. Storming into the room without being effected hadn't been hard, and riding the genjutsu for the nurse was just as easy.
"Back to your rounds." I called and instantly the small nurse jumped in the air. Everyone knew, had at one point or another seen me take charge of the hospital for shishou when she needed me to and so they knew just how strict I could be.
"Ha...hai Haruno-san." she squeaked. "Shisui-san." she excused herself from the Uchiha before rushing and heading for the door. As soon as she was gone I turned angry, glaring eyes toward the Uchiha before picking up his chart. He was cleared, had a good bill of health and so should have been released the night before. Hissing I turned to him with raging eyes. "And just why have you been prolonging your stay at the hospital Uchiha-san?" I asked viciously. He smiled sheepishly at me. 'Damn arrogant bastard!' my inner scram.
"Well you see I was being treated so well, and the nurses here really are good for viewing, so..."
"Excuse me?" I exclaimed, trying to keep my voice calm and from reaching it's peak.
"I mean good at what they're doing. Yea. Anyway, so I figured why not prolong my stay a little while, just to make sure I'm all fixed up." he said before smiling at me again. This time with that flirtatious smile he used on so many woman. Did this man have no shame? What was worse, did he really think I was that easy to woo? To be convinced and made to fall head over heels for just any guy? 'He's got another thing coming...' growled my inner.
"Well considering I am a medic, let me just take a look and make sure your all fixed up." I said through gritted teeth. Instantly Shisui-san moved away from my glowing hands and jumped off the bed before going for his change of cloths.
"You know on second thought I..."
"No no. I insist that you allow me to look at your wounds. We wouldn't want a member of the oh so proud and powerful Uchiha clan send home injured now would we?" I spoke. My words so laced with sarcasm I could see it in the air. However, before I could get any closer to Shisui there was a draft in the room and suddenly I could feel Sasuke's brothers chakra signature.
"This is none of your concern Uchiha-san. I suggest that you..."
"Shisui is of my clan and as future leader his health and condition is of concern, Sa-ku-ra." he said, tone of voice cold and emotionless yet oh so taunting. Damn this man! Was he some sort of stalker now? Taking in a deep, slow breath I decided I had had enough.
"First of all its Haruno-san while we're at the hospital or on duty. Secondly what the hell is your problem?" I demanded, all the while trying my best not to let my tone of voice raise any more than what it already had. "Thirdly, Uchiha-san I am..."
"Itachi." he said, shocking me into silence. Had he really just asked me, no ordered me to call him by his first name? 'What the hell?' roared my inner. After several long moments of silence went by I managed to shake it off and keep my glare at a moderate level. Shisui had gotten his cloths and finished getting dressed, which meant he was leaving with his cousin.
"It seems your ready to leave now that you have someone to talk to Shisui-san." I noted, ignoring Ita..Uchiha-san's demand. To hell if I was going to call his name! I would not, under any circumstances give him that satisfaction. Verbally or mentally. All the while I could feel his stare on me. One I didn't know how to describe but knew it made me feel uncomfortable.
"Hai." he answered simply, not sure if I would continue my attempt at giving him a check up. Well I wasn't going to, not now that he had shown up. Ugh. He was a major entertainment killer.
"Then I leave you both. Good after noon." I said while silently praying my stomach wouldn't make a sound. After having been shocked into silence I had also been reminded of the hunger I had been feeling before arriving and before having found Shisui in his little game. Then, just as I had gotten to the exit, just as soon as I had set foot outside the hospital my stomach growled, I sighed and Shisui spoke.
"So the kunoichi's hungry huh? How about having lunch with us?" he called. Angrily I ignored the man while turning and heading to the nearest food stand. Or so I had attempted to do so before Itachi appeared before me.
"You are in my way Uchiha-san." I noted when being blocked after trying to walk around him.
"Will you not join us for lunch Sakura?" he asked, a gleam to his eyes I knew to be taunting. Damn it all. We weren't on duty and I wasn't in the hospital anymore and so he was calling my name.
"Thank you for your offer Uchiha-san but I don't have enough for a restaurant. Now if you'll..."
"No worries kunoichi, its our treat. After all we wouldn't be much of gentlemen if we made a lady pay." he said. His tone wasn't taunting but it wasn't meant to insult either. Before I could response he turned to Itachi. "Ne, Itachi?" he challenged.
"Hn." he said and before I could get away I was hauled and lead to an expensive looking restaurant of sorts. Mentally I groaned. This was not happening! How the hell did I end up having lunch with two, not one but two! Annoying Uchiha's! Once inside the hostess bowed deeply to both Uchiha's before slightly nodding at me.
"Please take a seat where ever you'd like Uchiha-san, Shisui-san." the hostess called. Itachi nodded while Shisui lead the way and choose a booth in the back. He and Itachi sat beside one another while I sat across them, anger and annoyance evident in my eyes.
"What may I get you to drink?" the server asked.
"Any tea is fine for me." Shisui said with a wink. Instantly the server blushed and nodded while turning to Itachi. "And what may I get for you Uchiha-san?" she asked.
"Sakura?" he asked instead. The hostess blushed a deep red then, though I doubt it had been because he had spoken. Itachi prided himself on his manners and abilities as a shinobi. Of course he would be one of those, lady's first, type of guys. Sighing I answered.
"Jasmine tea, please."
"Ha..hai. Uchiha-san?"
"The same." was all he had to say before the woman turned and quickly took her leave. Poor thing. Displeasing an Uchiha was probably her worst nightmare. Quietly I looked over the menu and worked on keeping my eyes from widening. Half the things on the menu I'd never heard about let alone would have ever been able to afford on my own!
"I recommend a fish plate, any fish here is good." Shisui said with a smile on his face. Silently I glared at him before putting the menu down. After a couple of more silent moments went by our waiter came back and took our orders. This was so uncomfortable! Not even Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi had ever gotten together to bring me to a place like this. As we ate we ate in silence. 'The food is great!' my inner scram happily. Not even in the mortal world had I ever had anything as good as this! Once done we simply got up and left. Figured, the Uchiha's probably had a tab in every restaurant in Konoha. Once a couple of feet away from the place I sighed and turned to face the two. I was about to, against my will, thank them for the meal when all of a sudden I smelled smoke and felt two very familiar chakra signatures.
"So it seems that scroll I gave you was more than what it appeared to be. Care to share?" called Asuma, causing me to smile and turn while shaking my head.
"Iie, one mans trash is another one's treasure." I said with a wink before turning to Shikimaru. "Hey Shikimaru, long time no see. You get any better at chess since the last time we played?" I taunted. Asuma laughed, Shisui grinned and Itachi stayed quiet.
"So troublesome." Shikimaru noted before turning to Itachi. "Uchiha-san." he greeted.
"Hn."
"So Sakura-chan. What are you doing hanging around with these Uchiha? They aren't bothering you are they?" Asuma asked. Tone of voice surprised yet guarded. Where the hell was he when these two Uchiha's dragged me off to lunch?
"Captain Uchiha-san graciously treated me to lunch for assisting in a mission of his." I answered politely while revealing very little. "So what are you and..."
"Oi! Sa-ku-raaa." called Anko-san before I could finish. When I turned to meet her she had a grin on her face. Ibiki wasn't with her but I knew that he was in town. After all they'd gone on a mission together and so if Anko was back then so was Ibiki. Smiling she walked the rest of the way and soon I was surrounded by two Uchiha's, Asuma-san, Shikimaru, and Anko-san.
"Good after noon Anko, how was your mission?"
"A success of course." she said with a wicked grin before looking over everyone around us. As soon as she noted and took a silent moment she turned to me with mischievous eyes. 'Oh crap.' my inner muttered but I stayed silent and kept my face expressionless. So far she hadn't been able to see shock on my face, shock she caused, or any other sort of surprised expressions, so I wasn't about to let her see any now. Especially not when around the two Uchiha's.
"It seems you've been gathering ANBU captains around you. Why is that Sakura?" she asked sweetly. She was up to something, there was no doubt about it.
"It was not intentional Anko. Captain Uchiha treated me to lunch for assisting him and as I was about to part ways with he and Shisui-san, Asuma and Shikimaru appeared. We all just gathered by chance." I answered calmly. By that time Shikimaru was shaking his head, a sign of how much he was finding this whole situation troublesome and proving that he already figured out Anko's plan a feeling of dread overtook me. Which by the look on his face wasn't anything good.
"Is that so? Well then, are you all up for a quick training session? As captains we must help one another, ne." she tried to coo innocently. Rolling my eyes I shook my head.
"You just want an excuse to say you kicked four captains ass and one vice captain." I noted before looking around. Shikimaru met my eyes and instantly saw the gleam in them. I was ready, going up against Asuma, Anko and Shikimaru was already thrilling enough. But it was the opportunity to get that damn, smug, full of himself Itachi that was really pumping me up. 'Kick his ass!' my inner roared.
"You damn well know it. So how about it? You up for it Asuma?"
"Hell yea. Shikimaru?"
"This is going to be so troublesome." he noted before looking up at the two Uchiha's. Shisui smiled, a devilish grin playing his face as he took out a kunai and started playing with it in his hands.
"Of course I'm in. After all this should be fun, ne Itachi?"
"Hn." was all he said before we all teleported to the largest ANBU training ground available. As soon as we got there I checked for the boys chakra signatures, they had been training with Kakashi-sensei and at the moment I really, really hoped they had all gone out to lunch. After all three ANBU captains and a vice captain was enough of a challenge, looking after Naruto and Sasuke would have proven to be suicide.
"Okay kiddies here's the rules." called Anko, causing all of us to look up from where we were stretching and meet her gaze. Asuma was in the center of the clearing, Shikimaru closes to the shadows and the two Uchiha's were, sadly, a couple of feet from me. "The rules are simple. No killing blows, anything goes and of course this will be a free for all. No teams, no allies." she said. Shikimaru shook his head again before sighing and standing.
"This is so troublesome." he muttered while standing at the ready. Asuma smiled and jumped to his feet. He was radiating excitement. No surprise there. Anko was grinning like there was no tomorrow, in fact she had send in a clone, proof that she had been playing from the start. Shisui was leaning against the tree with kunai in hand, a grin on his face that was clearly directed at me. Damn, it looked like I'd have to put him in his place before going after the others. Oh well, it was his body not mine. At that thought I frowned and stepped forward.
"Anko do you mind if I add a couple of rules of my own?" I asked. She shook her head. "Thanks." I muttered before standing where I could see everyone and vice versa. "These are the medical rules. As soon as you've broken a bone your out. There's no ands, ifs or buts about it. Fractures are alright unless it's in the rib area, and if you, for some reason receive a large gash your to stop and call for me immediately. I don't need any of you passing out from blood loss, am I clear?" I called. Everyone smiled before nodding their heads. "Good." I noted before stepping back to where I was and looking at the grinning Anko. "Whenever your ready." I noted. She smiled.
"Then go!" she yelled and just as soon as the words left her mouth Shisui had thrown his kunai and gotten rid of her clone. I myself had taken to the tree tops, making sure that I didn't step in the shadows and suppressed my chakra signature. For a while I was alone, keeping out of anyone's way but then Asuma appeared and forced me down to the ground; I didn't really have much of a choice considering the tai-jutsu he was using against me was a nasty one.
"How about you show me that new jutsu of yours." he said while throwing kunai at me. Sighing I shook my head, easily blocking the kunai while going into a set of hand signs.
"Told you already, its mine. Besides I'm not gonna show that now." I said with a grin before a clone of mine charged him from behind and kicked him into a tree. He grunted as he hit but I didn't pay it any attention.
"Still as sly as ever." he noted while quickly jumping out of the way of a wind jutsu and cutting at the vines I'd send after him. Grinning I jumped into the air and blocked the kunai that had been thrown my way from the back.
"Anko." I noted while twisting in the air and throwing a couple of kunai at the snakes she had send my way. Laughing I went for the floor. As soon as they saw me their eyes widened and everyone was suddenly jumping for the air. As soon as my fist hit the ground several large boulders appeared and instantly I was kicking them to where I knew my opponents were. Shisui was sneaking up behind me and around me, moving like a snake. Mentally I grinned and shook my head. 'If he really thinks thats gonna work he really hasn't learned anything.' my inner noted mockingly. Silently I agreed while waiting for the right time to move. Then, just as he had gotten within range I spun, blocked and kicked him in the chest, instantly breaking a couple of ribs. He winced and when he hit the tree he stayed down. Smart man. Then, just as I was about to turn around and head for Shikimaru I found everyone else in a genjutsu. Cursing I did a quick release just in case and took kunai in hand. The scroll on my back was heavy, had been heavy for me up until my adrenaline had kicked in but now as everything went still I could feel its weight again. I knew I would sign it, that it was only a matter of time but signing it now, in front of him of all people, was not something I was going to allow my self to do.
"Should have known you wouldn't hold back in a spar against captains, Uchiha-san." I taunted while lowering my body into a crouch and toward the ground. All the while Itachi looked around, he took in the sight of the crater I'd created, of Shisui leaning against the tree and the snakes I'd cut down. When several moments went by and he said nothing I threw kunai at him only to watch and be stunned as he caught the kunai with his bare hand.
"Hn." he said before twirling it in his hand. Annoyed I quickly began on my hand signs and build up a powerful wind jutsu. The winds were a little stronger than what I had send at Asuma, and may have been near deadly pressure, but once again he dodged it effortlessly. 'Huh, of course he would.' my inner muttered.
"If you weren't going to participate properly why bother sparing, Uchiha-san?" I growled out and before I could move I was pinned against a large tree. His eyes were glowing sharingan bright, the black in them almost swirling in some sort of pattern. It didn't bother me though. I wasn't captivated by his or anyone else's sharingan. After all I had two teammates who used the sharingan, how could I not grow accustomed to it.
"Why will you not call me by name?" he suddenly asked, holding both of my hands with one of his while the other trailed down my neck with a kunai. Instantly I tensed but kept the shock from my face. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me stunned and scared. He didn't deserve it. Effortlessly I tried to break fee, I tried kicking at him to push him back but I could barely breathe without him feeling it let alone move. When I didn't answer he added pressure to his hands.
"I don't think its appropriate being so formal with my teammates brother." I growled out, trying not to hiss or to spit at the mans face. Not only would that be un-lady like but I'm sure that that would have been asking for a real fight.
"We are both captains, and have been assigned missions together as well. Therefore are we not teammates?" he challenged. Damn smug bastard.
"Let go of them, they won't last very long in your genjutsu and I'm not sure if I have the chakra to heal them all." I said instead, instantly looking around and meeting the sight of all of my friends wavering bodies. Itachi grinned then, one only a winner would wear.
"Say my name and I'll do as you ask, Sa-ku-ra." he cooed, sliding the kunai lower. Anger rose in me then. He was acting like a total jerk! Just because he was an heir, and he was strong enough to get away with what he was doing, didn't mean he'd always get what he wanted! Or that he'd always get away with everything he did!
"Let go of me Uchiha-san." I warned. He was pushing his luck and really pushing my temper.
"No." he said. As soon as the word left his mouth I gathered chakra on my finger tip and flicked at the tree behind me. Sure I'd get some cuts with the splinters but nothing too major. As soon as the tree behind me shattered both of us fell back. On our way down I flipped and slipped so as our positions were changed and I held the upper hand. All the while Itachi looked at me with calm sharingan eyes. Bastard. He was holding back! He had seen what I would do, could have stopped me if he wanted to, if he was taking this seriously and yet he had done nothing! 'Smack that damn smug look off his face!' my inner roared and before I could stop myself I did. I punched Itachi and send him flying away from me. He didn't hit anything, of course he wouldn't. Keeping angry eyes on him I slowly moved back and released the person closes to me of his genjutsu. Instantly Shikimaru took to a knee and looked up.
"You alright?" I asked.
"Fine, though I'm out. I don't think I have enough chakra to finish this." he noted.
"Hai. Will you go check Shisui-san and let me know how many of his ribs I broke? I'll get the others." I said confidently causing Itachi to smirk. He looked at me as if I were joking, as if he knew I wouldn't be able to free the others. A hiss build up at the back of my throat but I didn't let it out. I would not show him how angry he'd made me.
"Hai." was all Shikimaru said before he went for Shisui's side.
"Can you break my genjutsu Sakura?" Itachi called, keeping his eyes locked with my own.
"Watch me." I said before jumping and avoiding the kunai thrown my way and getting to Anko's side. As soon as I was close enough to her I build up some chakra and released the genjutsu. At first Itachi smiled and shook his head, paused and was about to say something when all of a sudden he blocked the kunai that were coming from his left as Anko smiled and her clone beside me disappeared.
"Don't underestimate your opponents Uchiha-san." Anko warned as she charged forward. Itachi hned before he disappeared and I freed Asuma. Yup, this was definitely going to be a long day. Anko and my truce hadn't lasted long before she had come after me at the same time she went after Asuma and Itachi. Her snakes could lock on more than one target and to be honest I didn't want to test their accuracy so instead I dodged. Every now and then Itachi would get to close but with a swing of a tree or a punch to the ground he'd take a step back and keep at bay.
By the time we were done sparing Shisui had three broken ribs, Anko had a gash on her stomach, Asuma on his arm, and I had splinters covering my back. It seemed that the only two who had gone through our training without injury had been Shikimaru and Itachi, thought that wasn't entirely true considering Shikimaru was out of chakra and Itachi had a bruise on his jaw. 'Ha!' my inner roared triumphantly. Silently I went to Shisui's side and began on reseting and mending his ribs.
"I'm impressed, you can keep up with Itachi." he noted before softly laughing. "And here I thought you were all talk and no bite." he taunted. Instantly I stopped numbing the pain and allowed him to feel the pain of having his bone set back in place before being mended. Instantly he hissed and formed a fist. Asuma laughed.
"You shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you." he taunted before wincing and continuing to add pressure to his gash. Frowning I concentrated on what I was doing and tried to work faster though I knew that was foolish. Especially when dealing with broken bones.
"You've gotten better Sakura." Anko commented while wrapping her gash and grinning. The last time we'd spared I had barely even gotten a scratch on her, this time I had made sure she would remember what it was I was capable of. Once finished with Shisui I turned and bowed my head at her in respect.
"Thank you Anko, so have you. To think you could lock on so many targets at the same time and still hit your mark dead center." I said while starting on Asuma's wound. She smiled but said nothing more after that. It didn't take long to heal Asuma and as soon as I was done he sighed and stood.
"Well I'm off. If I'm late for dinner again Kurenai is going to kill me." he said before waving to everyone and taking off at a run. That man, where the hell did he get all that energy from? Silently I moved and quickly healed the bruise on Uchiha-san's face, knowing that his father wouldn't like me much more than what he already did. Silently satisfied at my handy work, and smiling, I moved to Anko and started to heal her. There was a comfortable sort of silence for a while, no one spoke. We all just simply sat and watched as the sun set. It was my favorite time of day. When I was done Anko nodded.
"Thanks." she said.
"No need, I should take responsibility and fix what I've cracked, ne?" I taunted, causing Anko to laugh.
"Hai I suppose that's true. Well, I'll see you around." she said. However before leaving she turned to face me with serious eyes, the eyes of a captain and those of the leader of the ANBU. Instantly I grew serious. "There's been a mission assigned to your new ANBU team. The hokage wants you in her office early tomorrow morning so get some sleep." she said.
"Hai Anko-san. Thank you." and with that she was gone. That left Shikimaru, Shisui and Itachi alone with me. Damn it all. Sighing I took to my feet and fixed the scroll on my back so that it was at a more comfortable position and not bothering what wounds I'd sustained. Once done I turned to the three men and bowed. "It was fun gentlemen but I have to go." I noted. Itachi stepped forward, he looked like he was about to protest to my leaving when all of a sudden Sasuke appeared. His eyes looked tense, annoyed and most of all angry. 'Oh hell no!' my inner scram, and for once I allowed my groan to escape.
"Hey Sasuke." Shikimaru called but Sasuke only nodded his way, keeping his eyes and his body angled to face his brother completely. He was like a wall separating the two of us.
"Otou-san is calling for you." he said, not bothering with names or titles. What the hell had gotten Sasuke so mad at?
"Hn." was all Itachi said before he turned to Shikimaru and me.
"Nara-san, Sakura." he noted as a fair well before turning to Shisui. "Let's go Shisui."
"Hai. See ya later kunoichi." he taunted before the two were gone. Tension filled the air as Sasuke turned to look at me with angry eyes. What the hell had I done? Why was he so angry? Was something wrong? Had he and Naruto gotten into another one of their childish fights?
"Well it looks like its getting late so I'm leaving. I'll see you later Sakura, Sasuke." and with that he was gone. Damn coward. Once left alone I sighed and started to walk for the back route home. Sasuke followed silently, all the while keeping his eyes on the floor. Finally, after what felt like forever he spoke.
"You were training with my brother rather than with us?" he stated more than asked.
"No. I had been training alone, looking over this scroll when Shizune called for me. They needed help at the hospital. I ran into Uchiha-san there and was forced to have lunch with him and Shisui. Afterwards Asuma and Shikimaru appeared, asking me what I was up to and next thing I know Anko is with us as well. The sparing session was her idea and since I owed her one I couldn't say no." I explained, tone of voice annoyed but controlled. Sasuke was pushing his luck, and whether he knew it or not I was not going to be so kind right now. It had been a long day, and all I wanted to do was to sleep before having to wake up and leave for a mission the following day.
"You should stay away from him Sakura. He's..."
"Tell me, does it look like I want him anywhere near me? Does it look like I'm the one following him around?" I growled out. "Besides who the hell are you to tell me who I can or can not talk to?" I challenged though in truth I wasn't sure why. Sasuke stayed silent for several more moments, seemingly feeling guilty about something. As we neared my home I stopped by an alley and sighed before turning to him.
"There's more you want to say, spit it out Sasuke." I warned him. He took in a deep breath before speaking.
"What was he doing in your apartment the other night?" he asked, locking eyes with me. It wasn't surprising that he had noticed, they were after all brothers. Still it was annoying the way he treated me. Like a child unable to look after herself.
"He took me home after finding me drunk. That's all."
"Then why did he set traps for you? Why is he calling you by name?" Sasuke exclaimed and demanded. Enough was enough, to hell with this! Taking in a deep, slow breath I kept my self calm before answering him.
"Your asking the wrong bloody person. As for why he's calling me by my name well that's really a story I don't want to get into, so why..."
"What the hell happened between you and my brother Sakura?" Sasuke scram, causing my anger to truly show in my eyes then. He'd just broken the last straw and send me over the edge.
"You know what Sasuke it's been a long day and I really don't want to have to deal with you and your childish antics. Now go home and get some sleep. We have a mission tomorrow."
"But..."
"That's an order from your captain Sasuke." I growled before turning and heading home, leaving Sasuke in the alleyway alone and in what appeared to be shock. It didn't matter if he stayed there or not, if he wasn't fully rested and up for the mission or not because in the morning I'd be able to tell and I'd have every right to send him home. Though I doubted he was foolish enough to screw up so bad as to having to be left behind from a mission we'd all be able to go on together for the first time in several years. Sighing I opened the door to my apartment and shut it closed before kicking my shoes off and heading for my room. It would be best to sign the scroll now, before I went on a mission. So, taking in a deep breath I bit my thumb and drew blood while unraveling my scroll. Once I had enough blood I signed and before my very eyes the scroll shrank. On the center of it was another note, though this one was written in Hikari's deep blue coat color.
The bound has been made, however it has been a long day for you. We will be but a call away awaiting your orders mistress. Rest.
Was all it said. Smiling I stumbled over to my bed and went to sleep, not bothering with changing or getting out of my training gear.
~POV Change~
Chika was annoyed as she walked out of the hospital. Her shift was supposed to have ended an hour after noon and yet she was just walking out at ten at night. It had been the second longest day of her life. The first being the day Kabuto-sama had decided to test her for her medic capabilities. Angrily she stomped toward the closes ramen stand and sighed.
"A bowl of the special." she said tiredly. The man nodded and got to preparing the young woman's order. She looked like a shinobi and yet wore simply medic clothing. Perhaps she was a shinobi off duty, a medic like the hokage's apprentice. In truth though he had heard of no one who could surpass the medical knowledge of the hokage and her apprentice. Once done he set the bowl before her and turned back to clean the remainder of his stand. Meanwhile Chika cursed mentally. After Haruno-san and Shizune-san had left the hospital she had been asked to stay longer so as to cover for a sick medic. Upon accepting she was thankful that her shift had been moved to the third floor. Once the third floor had calmed down she had tried countless of times to get into the archives room but every time she came close she'd be called back into a patients room. 'So close!' she scram mentally before shaking her head.
"Would you like anything else miss?" the man called. Chika shook her head.
"Iie. I'm fine. How much?" she asked the man smiled and shook his head. "No need, it looked as if though you needed it." he said. Chika bowed her head before standing and heading home. She had taken the long route, passing by the tunnel she'd used the other day only to mentally frown. It had been caved in, it had been destroyed and worse of all it had been found out. 'Shit.' she cursed as she walked toward her apartment building. 'Tomorrow, I'll definitely get that blasted file tomorrow!' she scram at her self mentally before walking into her room and taking out other kunai. She hadn't thought she'd need them, that she'd do fine with out them and yet now she was thankful that she had gone against her self and taken with her anyway.