DiizGirlJess: It is truly a terrible condition for people to have, there won't be rape; notice how they are always trying, but they will always stop or fail to move on. This story will have no rapes as far as I have written so far, which is pretty far ahead.
ahmadaziz: Not meaning to use emotions. I'm trying to show how much Sakura goes trough for her love of Naruto and the general belief of others of a group mentality over the singularity. Realism is definitely not in all of Naruto, but I believe it is still a large portion of it outside of chakra related issues. Sadly, she won't get rescued this chapter, but the action will begin and end in next week's chapters. Yes, a two part rescue next week, so stay tuned.
I have to truly admit...your review scared me a bit, and there may be a near death scene next week, but she doesn't die, and I'm hoping you'll understand the situation. A little negative review that may change my story a bit...so be a little proud to have had the time to write that, but please not another one...I thought it would be a huge target at my story. Thanks though.
Tuatara: I'm sad to see you go, but if you can't see the concepts of how great things happen after bad events, then I'm sorry.
Logan Locke: I know...it was cruel to write this, but I'm glad you understand that the days are darker just before the brighter sun comes out and shines on the ground below. And I honestly don't know how many chapters I have going into this, but know that I won't be adding portions just for extra chapters. Everything I write means something in the concept of the story.
ZeroTails317: I'm starting to believe my chapters will always be too short for you, :), but you got that comment on Naruto spot on!
ShadowKing50: felt nothing? Not sure how to take that, but glad to know you're willing to look forward to the next scene.
keeper of Worlds: Cleave heads? I believe that I'll loose many viewers if I did that? Besides, Naruto would need a cleaver for that, and only Zabuza is awesome enough to have one.
Lonely Athena: Glad to have your interest in this last portion.
AN: Hey guys...on the last chapter, I may have gone a little far for your perspectives and for that I am sorry. I hope that you will see that I am trying to bering in a seni-realistic perspective into this portion of the story, but I'll try to tame it down from now on.
In truth, I don't believe this is any worse than episodes that we all see on tv, for example; NCIS, CSI, Mentalist, Law & Order. If you don't have a TV, then many of the other stories on this sight include a Lot More detail in that department.
Enought of my rant though... Here we go
Sorakage Arc 2
Chapter 11: The Wait
Shikamaru landed inside outpost 27, followed quickly by Kakashi and Sasuke. They quickly set up their tents after explaining their situation to the commander of the outpost. As they settled in for the night, they stared at the fire and asked the questions that had been bugging them.
"So, how long until Naruto and his escorts arrive?" Sasuke asked.
"Two days max. They should be fast though if they wanted to negotiate with Konoha." Shikamaru thought out loud.
"So he'll arrive by tomorrow at midday, I would surmise." Sasuke stated. "Naruto was and if he is still alive just as fast as the last time I saw him."
"So, what do you think that Naruto's village wants anyways?" Sasuke spoke up again after a short silence.
"I'd guess that they want map information or gold. They can get anything they want really." Kakashi answered as a seasoned ninja.
"Why is that?" Sasuke asked.
"The wasteland itself is a barrier of death and despair if you don't know where you are going. To have a single map leading you through that and knowing the terrain is worth so much to the nations that have most and if not everything." Kakashi explained.
"If this trade does go through, we'll need to appoint an ambassador to go between these two villages. I'm already sure that the wasteland has made Naruto their messenger; the point lies in wait for our choice." Shikamaru stated before asking. "How well do you guys know Naruto?"
"You read the report on the wave mission?"
"Yeah."
"We knew Naruto for a couple hours…a day's worth at most. Now Sakura on the other hand, knows Naruto very well. He's saved her twice and she healed him up as well as gave him a tour of the city and some other time spent with him." Sasuke stated.
"So, if they wanted a trusted ambassador who got along well with Naruto, Sakura would be the best choice." Shikamaru surmised.
"Of course." Kakashi said clearly.
"Is that the only reason why the council believes we are saving her then?" Sasuke asked about his fellow council members back in the leaf.
"No, she is also the apprentice to the most well-known medic. Most medics don't even get the chance, and those that do wash out quickly. But Sakura survived the five months of training. That's why she could work in the field already, but only just. This was her first mission since her vacation period after her promotion."
"I see. So Sakura is a huge liability to the village at the moment and we need to rescue her for her potential assets in the near future."
"Essentially, but also because we don't leave a ninja behind."
"Yeah." Sasuke agreed. Come on, Naruto. Get here and let's go save Sakura already.
The next day around noon, three ninja and a fox jumped through the trees on their way to the border of fire country. As they jumped, the girl of the group spoke out to the two boys.
"Naruto, why are we willingly giving away our map information? That's key to our village's future survival."
"Without knowing the changing entries and their times, they won't be able to successfully invade. We'll have that advantage in and of itself. I mean, come on Asuna, you, Kirito, and I all made it through and memorized that stuff."
"I know; I just don't see why we have to give it up. I think you just want an excuse to see your beloved 'Sakura-Chan', don't you?"
"I'll admit that it is the main reason on my part, but if our plan in an invasion is to succeed as we want to plan it, they'll need to believe that they can invade us in a certain case. Besides, you've changed the map enough that they'll look in the wrong areas for our village."
"It's the village hidden in the skies, Naruto." Kirito added. "No one can see it from a distance except at high noon and on the full moon. "
"That's why we placed it there, but it's the terrain that suits us."
"I don't know why we have to do Konoha first though." Asuna whined.
"Because you lost the bet, and the match."
"It's not fair! You have the Flash with your lightning and wind affinities!"
"And you have the ability to make the earth crackle with electricity. And Kirito has an unquenchable fire. We all have double affinities, Asuna."
"I know, but-"
"Asuna," Kirito interjected as he held onto her hand. Asuna sighed as happiness as Kirito caressed her hand in his, "Naruto's right. Drop it."
"Okay," Asuna sighed as she leaned into her boyfriend.
"See? This is why I need to see Sakura-Chan." Naruto sighed loudly and looked ahead "You guys can do that all day, but she and I can only do that when we see each other."
"Okay, well look there's the outpost. Let's go."
With that, the three ninja picked up their speed and soon arrived within sight of the outpost guards and the team that awaited them.
As soon as Naruto and his team came into view, the captain of the guard called for the men to form ranks as a precaution. The men quickly took their positions and prepared their defenses and jutsus.
"Halt!" Kakashi shouted as he, Sasuke, and Shikamaru arrived at the front of the lines. Upon seeing through a spyglass who it was, Sasuke nodded to Kakashi. "They are friendlies. Hold your fire!"
The captain nodded to his men and they lowered their jutsus, but not their arms and signs. It wasn't always a good thing when you were supposed to have friends in other countries.
As Naruto's team arrived, they slowed to a slow walking pace and approached the border between the wasteland and the land of fire. The difference in the landscape was huge, going from the forests of the Leaf to that of an open landscape of nothing. Upon seeing Kakashi and Sasuke standing just behind them, Naruto visibly smiled and walked faster than the rest of his team and greeted the team of his 'secret' girlfriend.
"Kakashi-San! Sasuke!" Naruto greeted them with brotherly handshakes, their hands connecting at the lower arms. "It's so great to see you! I had a feeling that the Hokage would send some familiar faces."
"Of course, but it was actually Tsunade-Sama. We wouldn't want to spook off potential allies." Sasuke smirked.
"Allies may be a strong word, more like friends." Kirito retorted in a wary voice as he and Asuna arrived next to Naruto.
"Ah! Allow me. Kakashi, Sasuke, um…ponytail-guy-"
"Shikamaru…"
"Thanks…oh Shikamaru! Good to see you again,…let me reintroduce Kirito, the Black cloaked Beater." The three nodded their heads in acknowledgement. "And this is Asuna, The Spark of the land, lightning flash, or sparky for short." Naruto laughed until he felt Asuna's sword hilt hit his head. "Or just Asuna."
"I am Sasuke, my teacher Kakashi of the Sharingan, and Shikamaru Nara of the Leaf." Sasuke said. He saw them flinch a bit when he said Shikamaru's last name. He supposed that they had heard of the Nara clan and their smart deductions. But Shikamaru had to add in his own two cents.
"A Beater, huh? That is from the land of water isn't it? And the Spark of Lands is a dead give-away of the land of earth? Am I right in deducing those places as your original villages?"
"Yes," Asuna admitted politely, "all ninja of our village were excommunicated from other villages for petty reasons; some harsher than others." She stated cryptically.
"Well played, Shikamaru," Naruto interrupted, "your skills at deduction are well versed in analysis. I'm sure your family and clan for that matter are very proud of you."
"They are." Shikamaru replied.
"Now…" Naruto interrupted. "I thought that Sakura of all people would want to greet me, is she on a mission or scouting the area or something?" Naruto asked as he looked around the group expectantly and above the Leaf ninja's heads waiting to see a head of pink.
He saw them cringe a bit and immediately knew that something bad must have happened to Sakura. He quickly moved forward with a threatening glare that demanded answers.
"What happened to Sakura-Chan?"
Chan? Now why would a ninja who calls people his age by name add –Chan to Sakura's name? Shikamaru wondered inside his head. He quickly put that thought to the back of his mind for now. He had bigger things to worry about at the moment.
"She was taken during a raid during an initial attack on what we thought was a dying rogue faction." Shikamaru stated.
"But they weren't, were they?" Naruto asked coldly as red started to shine in his eyes.
"No, it was a trap to capture a medical ninja of the leaf, and they captured Sakura. The Hokage is short on ninja of high caliber at the moment with other rogue factions, and Kakashi and Sasuke were the only team available for me to take. The Hokage asks now for your help in destroying the northern rogues and saving Sakura Haruno." Shikamaru stated as if he had memorized it from a scroll, which he probably had.
"If there anything else?" Kirito asked.
"If you agree to help, we will pass the map information over to you in exchange."
"No need. We'll help; won't we guys?" Naruto smirked as he looked back at his team and saw their confident smiles. Kakashi saw the confidence in their eyes, something that bordered to that of the most experienced of ninja, and mentally wondered what these young teenagers had done in their short lives.
"Great. We'll feast when we arrive back in Konoha." Shikamaru stated as he took charge and headed west to where the ambush had been, the other members of his team and Naruto's following just behind him. Six ninja versus a hundred? If the rumors of Naruto and his village were true, then this would be a true bloodbath, one way or another.
After an hour of jumping through trees, the two teams of ninja arrived at the sight of the ambush. Immediately, Shikamaru led Naruto over to the crater while the rest of the group scouted over their surrounding for clues…and potential ambushers.
As they reached the top, Naruto looked down and immediately saw the jacket that he had given Sakura on the bridge almost one year ago. He pushed past Shikamaru and reached for the jacket before holding it in his hands delicately as if in a past trance. Shikamaru eyed Naruto carefully before making his way down.
Ninja did not push past other ninja unless their emotions were broken, but how could Naruto's emotion go haywire over a jacket that Sakura had worn? The plot just kept getting more and more twisted in Shikamaru's mind.
Naruto tried to grip the jacket like it was on a person, like it was on Sakura the last time he'd seen her before they had parted their ways to go back to their respected villages. She had been so delicate back then, but so warm and loving. A single tear escaped Naruto's right eye and trailed down his face. Shikamaru saw this and finally put everything together as he finally knew the answer.
"You like her, don't you?" He assumed.
"I do," Naruto replied solemnly. "She doesn't look at me like the rest of your village does. She has a heart that is pure. And For her to be Captured like THIS," Naruto said as his voice began to rise and his breaths became shorter.
"I know, Naruto. Believe me when I say that I understand what you must be feeling, but right now we must find where the rogues took her."
Naruto breathed in and turned his head to the side. Upon doing so, he saw a whitened piece of parchment that Naruto had given her last time they had met as a color for their letters. He reached out and quickly unfolded it before reading it.
Shikamaru watched as Naruto snorted and suppressed a laugh and a smile now adorned his face. Naruto quickly walked back up the crater before passing Shikamaru, the jacket over his shoulder and the letter in his hand.
"Naruto, may I see the letter?"
Naruto simply handed it over before walking off to call the others back to him. Shikamaru unfolded it again and read it.
Dear Naruto-Kun,
I can't wait to see you again! Already, my heart aches for your presence.
I now know what you meant by me hurting your heart when we part from each other.
I believe that this has turned into that of a true love story between you and me.
As per your request, I'll meet you at the gates and who knows?
Maybe I'll be able to escort you to the village,
And we can 'chat' and 'study' some biology, huh?
I can't wait to see you again. I just want to cuddle into your warm embrace once again.
I wear your gift with pride and will see you soon.
Always and Forever Yours,
Sakura-Chan
Shikamaru folded up the letter and walked back to the group; a sad smile on his face. He walked over and tapped Naruto on the shoulder to gain his attention. As Naruto turned around with a smile, Shikamaru handed it back and spoke.
"You know that it probably won't end well between the two of you. Right?"
"Yeah. I know that ninja from opposing villages can't get married without permission from the Kages of their villages, but then again, I'm from a smaller village. Less importance to keep secrets, but you have not heard of my village yet, so I believe that we hold secrets well indeed."
"Good luck explaining that to the Hokage. He holds the power for marriages between villages now."
"Really? That's a shame. Times have grown worse since I lived there."
"I was told by Sasuke that you were born in Konoha, and about your banishment because of the demon fox."
"Kyubii? You might just get to meet him, but not now. I have a better idea in mind." Naruto finished as the teams assembled around him and Shikamaru. As soon as everyone was there, Naruto started to do one handed seals in each of his hands but they were both the same symbols. As he finished, he shouted out the name.
"Kuchiyose No Jutsu!"
Two clouds of smoke appeared on opposite sides of Naruto. As the wind swept the smoke away, the team of the Leaf widened their eyes as a trio of 'Akamaru' sixed foxes appeared on Naruto's left and widened further when a pack of seven wolves appeared to Naruto's right.
"The Wolf and Fox Contact?" They all heard Kakashi whisper.
"Yes, I found where they were hidden, and the Kyubii showed me where, but that's not the point. Shikamaru, my two packs can scout ahead and tell us how many men they have, the general shape, and where the men are placed."
"Good. Then let them have Sakura's scent and let's begin."
Everyone nodded and watched as a fox and one of the wolves each sniffed Sakura's jacket before howling and charging into the underbrush; leading southwest into the jungle, quickly followed by the combined teams of Shikamaru and Naruto.
We're coming Sakura-Chan, just hold out a little longer.
Next Week: The Hunt Parts 1 & 2. R X R!
