Nearly two weeks later…
Sasuke opened the door to Sakura's apartment after another long day with his trainees. Sakura happened to be in the kitchen preparing a quick meal for the two of them so they could just spend the evening relaxing together. All their hard work was only a few days from fruition.
"Uh, I am so tired!" Sasuke said as he flopped into one of the chairs at the dining table.
"It'll soon be over," said Sakura, stirring the soup on the stove. "Are you ready for the big mission tomorrow?"
"Definitely," Sasuke replied. "It'll be something different than training, training, training. The question is…are you ready?"
"I sure am," said Sakura. "I'm just glad Iruka-sensei was willing to take my shinobi for the next two days while I support your mission."
"Academy time will be good for them. They need to plug into the youngest generation and help make sure their stories are told," said Sasuke.
"Iruka-sensei is even going to take them on a field trip outside the village tomorrow, too. Some of the students have never even been outside the main gates before," noted Sakura.
"And those seven will be fine as chaperones?" asked Sasuke.
"I would bet on it," said Sakura. "I don't have any troublemakers unlike you. Well, there is Suigetsu, but he is more talk than anything else. Once you get to know him, he's not so bad."
Sakura served the food she had been cooking and sat down at the table.
"Don't forget Teki has turned over a new leaf," said Sasuke. "He hasn't caused me any trouble since the very beginning."
"Hm. I'm not sure I buy his transformation just yet," said Sakura. She paused for a moment. "It's a shame Kanja and Sumato are on a mission. I think you could have them read him again to see if anything has changed."
"You're just paranoid. He's been a model shinobi as of late. He does everything that is asked of him. And I already told you what he said to me when I confronted him about his seeming change of heart," said Sasuke.
"Yes, yes. He has decided that he wants a fresh start after all," said Sakura. "Still, be careful around him."
"You, too," said Sasuke. "After all, you are the medical shinobi going on our mission with us tomorrow."
Sakura sighed. "Yes I am," she said solemnly.
"What's wrong?" asked Sasuke. "I asked you to come because you are already aware of the situation. No one knows these shinobi better other than Lee and I. I didn't want to have to start over with anyone else."
"I know," Sakura replied. "I just feel like…I only have a few days left with the seven you asked me to prepare. Now I'm leaving them behind with Iruka-sensei."
"Seems to me you've forged some bonds with some of them," observed Sasuke.
"I have. Definitely," said Sakura. "That reminds me…" She hesitated.
"Hm?" Sasuke questioned as he took a bite from a rice ball.
"Did you get a chance to see the compound today?" Sakura asked.
Sasuke swallowed. "Yeah, I dropped by on my way home. Why?"
Sakura looked around the apartment. "There's not much here to fill that big house."
"Well, we don't have to have every room decorated at first. We can start with the bedroom and kitchen – the spaces we'll use the most," said Sasuke. He looked at Sakura. "But I don't think that's what is really bothering you."
"Do you…," she started, but paused. "Do you like Juugo?"
Sasuke wasn't expecting that question out of the blue. It took a moment to gather his thoughts. "O-of course I do. He's got a good head on his shoulders and he can be kind to a fault. Even so, he's one heck of a shinobi in battle…"
"But he's not going to be a shinobi any longer, is he?" questioned Sakura.
"He'll be just fine here in the Leaf. He asked to stay here, after all," said Sasuke.
"Yes, but…," Sakura started.
"But what?" asked Sasuke.
"I was wondering…," Sakura started again.
"Out with it. If you have something to say, just spit it out," prodded Sasuke.
"Well, the compound is only going to house us. I mean, even if we do have kids someday, that huge place will still be mostly empty. Don't you think…," said Sakura.
"Of course," Sasuke finally figured it out. "I never had any intention of living in that huge place by ourselves. I mean, sure, in the future when there are a few generations of Uchiha running around again, they may again fill the Uchiha compound. But Juugo is certainly welcome to live there as well…in another section of the compound, of course."
"Oh, thank you, Sasuke!" said Sakura jumping up and walking over to her fiancé to hug him from behind as he sat still trying to eat his dinner. "I know I can be a bit maternal at times, but I do care what happens to Juugo. I want to make sure he is cared for while he lives here in the Leaf. I know he thinks very highly of you as well."
"We'll plan on moving into the compound a day or two after the mission," said Sasuke. "When I talked with the foreman today, he said it is still on schedule. We can take our time, pack things up, and be on our way."
"It's going to be a little sad leaving this place. I made some pretty good memories here," noted Sakura.
"The world is full of change. Hold your past memories dear, but be sure to keep your heart open to make new ones as well," said Sasuke.
OlOlOlOlOlO
The next morning, seven shinobi were all to meet outside of the inn near Hokage tower. Six were right on time.
"Where's Teki?" asked Lee.
"Wait! I'm here!" shouted Teki as he ran out the door of the inn. "Sorry, I'm late. I had to make a last minute pit-stop if you know what I mean."
Sakura observed him closely still trying to make up her mind if Sasuke's new leniency towards him was justified or not. He still gave her the creeps.
"What's the mission, Sasuke?" asked Umi.
"It's pretty simple," answered Sasuke. He unfolded a small map and kneeled down so he could place it on the ground so everyone could see. Everyone huddled around.
Sasuke's finger pointed to a small village a few hours from the Leaf. "We need to start here," he stated. "There is some cargo that this village wants delivered to this village over here, on the far side of the Land of Fire." Sasuke moved his finger across the map. "I estimate we'll pick up the cargo by noon today and it will take a full day's journey to deliver it which means this mission will last until approximately late tomorrow night."
"What's the cargo?" asked Teki.
"I'm afraid we haven't been told," said Sasuke. "Our customer has stated that he'd rather not tell us – though he did confirm that it didn't hold anything dangerous or illegal. Not knowing what is inside the box is part of the mission the Leaf has agreed to."
"We'll just have to keep our guard up," said Lee. "Think of it as a critical shipment that may have caught the eye of any rogue-nin out there."
"I agree," said Sasuke. "Though, I do not expect any problems. It is a C-rank mission after all. It could just be some rare spices, or a gift from one politician to another. We will have no idea."
"Well, I'm up for it," noted Kawa. "Should be a piece of cake."
Umi smiled at her comrade. "Plus there are seven of us. I can't imagine that we'd be attacked even if the cargo is really valuable."
"Karin, you'll be able to tell us if any strange chakras are approaching us," noted Sasuke. "This is exactly why I thought you'd be valuable to the Leaf shinobi corps. Don't let me down."
"S-sure, Sasuke," answered Karin.
"Let us go!" shouted Rock Lee making a funnier than usual pose of youth before starting to walk towards the main gate.
OlOlOlOlOlO
The Leaf's large team of shinobi arrived at the first village in a little over two hours' time. Sasuke greeted the customer and did pick up a medium-sized box. As was agreed upon before taking the mission, the contents were kept secret from the escorts.
Sasuke managed to carry the box to where the other six were waiting. Lee dug through a small pack he had been carrying and produced two straps that would make the box easier to carry on one's back.
"Lee, how did you know that's the size it would be?" asked Sakura.
"Silly Sakura, I brought four different sets of these…I was prepared for any size box other than the sort one shinobi alone couldn't carry. But I figured it would probably be small enough for someone to carry it on their back," answered Lee.
"Good thinking, Lee," noted Sasuke.
Lee nodded at his team leader.
"Karin and I will take the lead. Lee, you start off with the cargo. Kawa, Teki – take the wings. Umi and Sakura, you'll take the rear," ordered Sasuke.
"Hai!" they all said in virtual unison.
"Let's go. The goal is 10 hours today and 4 tomorrow," said Sasuke.
One by one, they jumped into formation and took off at a slow jog until they finally met trees they could start to leap across. Other than a few stops to relieve themselves and to get a bite of food, the trip was mostly uneventful.
That is, until dusk approached.
"Sasuke, I'm sensing pursuers," said Karin.
"Are you sure?" asked Sasuke.
"Pretty sure," she remarked. "They've followed our exact path for the last ten minutes…since we went near that abandoned house."
Sasuke stopped on the next large branch. Karin stopped next to him and the others took note and stopped leaping as well.
"What's going on, Sasuke?" asked Kawa.
"Karin thinks we're being followed," answered Sasuke.
"Not only being followed, but we got in front of you as well!" shouted a new man's voice from in front of them.
"Crap!" shouted Karin as she jumped out of the way at the last minute.
Lee immediately jumped at the aggressor and engaged him, still carrying the box on his back.
"How convenient…you brought your precious cargo right to me. Now I only have to defeat you and it is mine," said the assailant.
Just then the two pursuers caught up. One more appeared from the front as well making it a total of four. Sakura and Umi confronted the pursuers and Teki challenged the second one in front. Sasuke stood near the front in case he was needed; Kawa stood near the two rear confrontations for the same reason. However, the battle was over only minutes from when it had begun. These thieves were only thugs, and weak ones at that. Sasuke wondered how many others had been preyed on by these guys…others who were a lot weaker than they were and couldn't put a fight.
Half-conscious and bleeding, the assailants were placed in a pile near the bottom of a tree. Sasuke's team stood around them and gathered themselves. Not one injury was seen – only scruff marks and some blood left behind by the spatter from those currently sitting on the ground.
"Scum," said Lee, holding himself back. He hated people like this.
Sasuke pulled out the map once again. Karin stood behind him. "Looks like here is where we should detour," she mentioned to him pointing to a dot on the map.
"So, you are a good navigator as well?" asked Sasuke.
"I've been known to read maps pretty well," noted Karin.
"Very well, we'll be taking a slight detour. It's only a couple miles away, but we'll need to walk. We need to take these four there so they can be locked up and tried."
"Hai!" most of the group answered.
Three of the thieves were healthy enough to walk on their own. Kawa held the 4th on his back piggyback-style. Sasuke took the cargo from Lee, just to give him a break. A little over an hour later, they were able to drop the thieves off at a small village where they could be locked up until further notice. Then the team was on its way again…back to the original mission.