I'm sorry to inform you that this update is a very small one for a very simple reason. Sakura's mission will be the next few chapters or so and therefore you won't see much of Sasuke. I can't let everyone know what's going on with him back at Konoha until Sakura gets informed too. It makes the plot twist, twisty-er...?

Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto.

Read. Enjoy. Review.

Cherry Blossoms

14

Sasuke

Sasuke gritted his teeth together. Sakura's note that she left behind for him only added to his frustration. Tsunade had told him that the elder's orders forbid him from going on missions c-ranked or higher.

Sakura was going to be on an A-ranked mission that could take months, Sasuke wished, so badly, that he could join her. The thrill of a mission like that, he could only imagine nowadays.

Dear Sasuke,
I know this must be hard on you, I overheard Tsunade-sama telling you about your mission restrictions, then I get sent on an A-ranked mission. It could take months, and I know you were starting to actually tell me things, so I'm sorry I can't be there for you now. Promise me that when I get back you'll tell me?

Sincerely,

Sakura

PS. Did that kiss actually happen? Or was I having some half-dead fantasy?

Sasuke couldn't believe she had the guts to try to incorporate humor into that question. She hadn't left him any hints that she thought about it. So it shocked him. Sasuke knew exactly what it was she wanted him to tell her. He was afraid, however, of actually saying it out loud.

Sasuke found himself looking for Shikamaru, he needed some help at the moment and because Sakura was gone Shikamaru was the next best thing. He found Shikamaru's house and pounded on the door.

"Please stop that noise Sasuke! Your being troublesome," he could hear Shikamaru through the door. It opened quickly and Shikamaru invited Sasuke inside. "What brings you here?"

"I'm not sure if you heard about my situation, or the fact that I've been given so many restrictions recently, but I need a little friendly advise," Sasuke stated quickly.

"I'm good with advise," he sat down and motioned for Sasuke to sit as well. Shikamaru's mother came in and spotted Sasuke. Immediately she severed them tea. "Thanks ma."

"Thank you," Sasuke said.

"So what is it you need advise for?" Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at Sasuke.

"The elders have it so I can't go on missions ranked higher than C," he said. "It's like doing genin work all over again. I can't stand doing that kind of work, so what else is there for me to do?"

"Easy," Shikamaru said. "Your jonin level, you can take on a group of genin and train them. It'll keep you busy and being productive. I'm going to be taking leading a squad of my own here soon."

"That's a good idea, maybe that's the loop hole," Sasuke started thinking. "If they can get a good high c-ranked mission or even a b-ranked mission, then I could actually do something."

"Sasuke," Shikamaru sighed. "We're talking about genin here, they don't go on c-ranked or even b-ranks missions, especially b-ranked."

"Oh, yeah," he admitted, he scratched his head. "At least it will keep me busy."

"Was that all?" Shikamaru asked, he sensed that there was more than this bothering Sasuke today.

"Well..." Sasuke began.

Sakura

Sakura had spent the day helping the small village in any way possible. Soon she figured they asked for help with something like watering the crops because they couldn't carry the many buckets from the river that cuts the five villages in half.

She'd spent a good portion of her day clearing rubble and cleaning and carrying things even the larger men in the village couldn't carry. They asked her to heal even the smallest of cuts. She sighed and wiped away the sweat. They were very dependent upon her help now. Chiyu was still avoiding her and giving her nasty glares, while Sakura passed.

Sakura insisted upon sleeping on her bedroll. The fact that some where homeless and the ones who offered her a place to stay didn't offer it to others, well, needless to say if she accepted she could see how Chiyu got her attitude about her. Instead Sakura took a very small amount of food they offered her. This way it showed she was grateful for their assistance as well. Sakura bit into an apple and she felt the burning hunger in her stomach practically swallow the chewed piece before it settled a bit.

Sakura had told many of the villagers the traps she had set, and how to set them themselves. She had to at least assist them in this way. She couldn't leave them open for attacks in her absence. Soon the village would be rebuilt and she planned on leaving sooner rather than later.

The villagers themselves got on her nerves a bit. They all seemed to want her praise for assistance and wanted her help on simple things she knew with practice that they could do themselves. It drained her of her energy. So it was it upset her when Chiyu, her number one 'fan' came over to her little camp.

"Why are you all the way out here?" she kicked a stone.

"Isn't this where I belong?" Sakura said sarcastically. It was Something Chiyu would say to her eventually she figured.

Chiyu's face got redder, but it was hard to see in the dark, "Look I came to apologize but forget it." She turned around to storm off but she only got two steps and she stopped. Without turning she said the words just loud enough for Sakura to catch. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you."

Sakura wondered briefly if it was Chiyu's brother who got her to apologize.

"Thank you," Sakura called out to Chiyu as she left.

The remaining days Sakura spent at the village gave her time to figure which village would be the next target. Just because the usual pattern was the center village next didn't mean they'd stick to it. Especially considering the fact that their usual attack had been a week earlier than usual.

Sakura had hoped to vanish in the night but she was caught by Chiyu's brother.

"Your leaving already?" he sounded hurt. The sun wasn't even on the horizon and she had her pack ready and in her hand. The mask too was in her hand.

"Listen," Sakura started. "The next village that is attacked will be in two weeks, as long as the new pattern is three weeks now instead of four. I'll need to prepare traps and such before the attack and interview the villagers about past attacks. Any knowledge will help me fight this."

"Then stay for a moment please," he touched her hand to stop her. "I found something on my late night hunt."

"What?" Sakura wanted him to spit it out already. She didn't pull away from his touch or flinch the way he expected her too.

"This," he pulled a pack off of his shoulders to pull something out. "It looks like the weapon you said could make the markings."

He handed it to her and she dropped her bag and mask to examine it. It was a glove, and a metal arm brace that had claws, big sharp metal claws that stuck out.

"This is usually used for ninja to climb or for defense," she remembered reading about it. "In fights it's not quite as useful seeing as it's weight is makes it's user slower."

"Then why would they use this?" he asked.

"Maybe it's all they have for weapons," she suggested. "I really need to go now, thank you for showing me this." Her eyes settled on the tiniest fragment of a hair.

'What is it?" he asked trying to get a closer look.

"It's a hair," she picked it up carefully. "I can feel a very faint chakra signature left on it. It's not familiar but it helps."

It was only seconds and she vanished from his sight. He wanted to asked her another question but she had left him there. The sky was colored by the rising sun. She had taken the only evidence he had with her.

The hair itself was a huge chunk of the puzzle, now she just had to find the other pieces.

Again, I apologize for the very small update. It's all part of my plan, so no worries. However I do want to thank you for reading and for all the reviews I do get. They are appreciated and loved. Thank you!