Anko, Jiraiya and Kakashi stood before Tsunade in her office in the early morning with the sun barely peaking over the trees.
"So Sakura has flowered, has she?" Tsunade sighed. "I don't want to add her to the Red List but now with her training for Anbu, I can't give the elders a reason not to."
"They are pushing for her to do seduction missions?" Jiraiya asked.
"They know we are personally seeing to their training and they want all of them being made full use of by the village," Tsunade explained.
"But there are at least five thousand other kunoichi in the village that could do it," Anko huffed.
Tsunade nodded. "But at least two thousand of those are from a notable clan and they-"
"-are exempt from the Red Roster," Kakashi finished for her.
"Fucking clan politics," Anko hissed angrily. "Look, I know she's technically a woman now but she's not ready for one of those missions."
"Then you need to make her ready," Koharu stated as she entered the room with Homura. "We will admit that you have put together a commendable team but as Sakura is not from a notable family, she must prove herself."
"Hasn't she done that by wiping the floor with Neji, the Hyuga protege at the Chunin Exams, in front of everybody?" Anko snapped.
"Watch your tongue, Mitarashi," Homura scowled.
"Her victory at the Chunin Exams was unexpected but people don't know what to think. She needs to continuously prove her worth to the village."
"To you," Anko hissed.
"Enough!" Tsunade yelled before more arguing could commence.
She turned to the ancient beings before her that were her sensei's teammates. How Sarutobi put up with them, she'd never know but she was over this conversation and it showed on her face from the annoyed frown upon her lips.
"Elders, I've heard your wishes and advice but Haruno Sakura is now my apprentice and as the apprentice to the current Hokage, I am allowed certain leeway with her and her service to the village."
"You cannot just keep her off the Red List. Not without a valid reason," Koharu challenged.
"As of today, Team 7 is leaving the village to continue their training," Tsunade declared.
She looked to Kakashi and Jiraiya who nodded and both disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Anko wore a shit eating grin on her face as she too disappeared.
"You can't just do that, Tsunade!"
"I thought that I just did."
"And what about the Akatsuki after the Kyubi? Or Orochimaru coming for the Uchiha?"
"It won't be a problem because they are going to be training where no one can find them."
Both the elders looked confused for a moment before they realised what she was referring to and Tsunade nodded with a smug smirk on her face.
"The Sage regions."
Sakura rubbed at her eyes as she slowly padded her way to the bathroom. She sat down and was half asleep as she went when she heard Naruto's startled yelp and Sasuke's own shocked sound.
"Guys?" She asked.
A couple of loud knocks on the door followed in reply.
"Hurry up, Haruno," came Anko's voice through the door.
Sakura was quick to finish and just as she pulled up the black briefs she wore to bed, Anko had thrown the door open. Sakura could now see Naruto who was standing about, dazed and practically still asleep. Sasuke was standing by his drawer with Kakashi, grabbing some clothes and putting them into sealing scrolls that Kakashi supplied him with.
"We've got to go," she said.
With the type of training and upbringing the three shinobi had, it was almost normal to up and leave like this. The house was surprisingly quiet for how urgent the sensei's seemed to make the situation.
"I hate those old fucks," Anko hissed out during and while none of the three genin said anything, they were listening out for any information as to why they were being woken up so suddenly.
"Don't worry about them. We'll be out soon enough but are you sure you want to come with us?" Jiraiya asked. "What about the Interrogation Department?"
"Ibiki will handle it," Anko responded. "How long are we going away for?"
"It could be a while," Jiraiya answered. "That's why I was asking-"
"Look, I might not have the history that you have with your student," Anko started, eyeing the blond. "But I'm just as invested in Haruno's future and now that it seems like those old fuck's are out to get her, I'm not just going to sit in the village."
Jiraiya raised his hands defensively. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting yourself into."
"I appreciate the concern, Jiraiya but I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."
Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke finally finished packing and they all headed for the southern gate. As they approached it, they found Tsunade with a large scroll in her arms. They came to a stop before the busty blond, bowing respectfully.
"I'm sorry but this was all I could think to do to keep the elders off my back."
"What's going on, shishou?" Sakura asked.
Tsunade regarded her student softly. "The elders request too much of me," she responded and looked to Jiraiya. "With Orochimaru and Akatsuki about, I want you to take them to the Sage regions."
"I can take them to Mount Myoboku," Jiraiya answered. "But I don't have a way to the other two."
"I can take them to Ryuchi Cave," Anko added.
Tsunade nodded and turned to Sakura.
"It's a bit early but I've spoken in depth about it with Katsuyu and she is happy for you to sign her summoning scroll," the blond hokage spoke. "She is also happy to take you guys to Shikkotsu Forest when you are ready."
Sakura nodded, bowing thankfully as Tsunade unraveled the scroll before her. There were only two names on the scroll. The last name written in blood was Tsunade's and above her name was Senju Hashirama.
Biting her thumb as she knelt before the scroll, Sakura wrote her name in blood on the scroll underneath Tsunade's.
"Alright," she spoke after the scroll disappeared in a puff of smoke. "With that done, you guys will head to Mount Myoboku. The rest, I leave up to you Jiraiya."
The white-haired toad sage nodded to Tsunade who stared at him in a way that made her look vulnerable.
"Take care of them," she stated.
Jiraiya stepped up to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know how worried you are about the Elders' and Danzou but you've done your best and these kids are going to be unstoppable soon," he teased.
Tsunade rolled her eyes but her worried frown lifted into a smile.
"Thank you, Jiraiya."
He nodded, giving her a light squeeze before moving away from her.
Sakura walked up to the Godaime and despite protocol, gave her a tight embrace.
"Don't fret, Sakura," the blond spoke. "When time allows for it, Katsuyu will reverse summon me to you so that I can teach you the next step up in medical ninjutsu. It's just not safe here. I can sense discontent in the office and I need to tread carefully."
Sakura nodded and bowed deeply before the Hokage.
"Thank you for your protection and training."
"I see a lot of myself in you before I lost my two loved ones," Tsunade spoke, reminiscing. "We all need to take our own paths to find who we were meant to be. I left the village to find myself and now it's your turn."
Sakura nodded, bowing again and the group disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving their village and friends behind and appearing instead on Mount Myoboku, faced by a towering toad.
The next chapter begins.
Sorry it's taken me a while to update, things have been hectic because of work and a baby that's on its way so my motivation for writing and time for it too are quite limited. I do go through my reviews to remind myself that there are people out there waiting for more and it helps me get through those slow moments so thank you everyone that's stayed with me on this story. You guys are the real MVPs