Chapter 4: The big mission

The next day...

"The cursed seal will go away once you find your true love." The words of Anko-sensei still wandered in Sasuke's mind. "Damn Orochimaru... Why did he have to give him this seal? Well, at least I'm not the only one. I wonder why he didn't continue his plan with Anko. Why me? What's so special about me? Except that I have the sharingan. However, so does my brother and even Kakashi-sensei. Damn him... he will pay." While he was pondering, he let his hand slide against his neck where Orochimaru bit him.

"Sasuke-kun? What's wrong? Is it the seal again? Does it hurt?" Sakura has been very worried about him ever since he got that seal.

"Stop being so nosy and mind your own business." Sasuke said with his usual cold tone.

Sakura looked shocked. She didn't expect him to be so cold to a person who is only trying to look out for him. But something was wrong. He normally isn't that coldhearted. "Sasuke, what's wrong? I was only trying to..."

"Aah Sakura-chan. Let him be. He's just cranky." Naruto smiled at the pink- haired girl. Trying to cheer her up.

Sakura smiled back at him, but that smile disappeared again when she looked over at Sasuke. "He's probably just upset because Orochimaru got to him and he didn't get the chance of vengeance yet."

Kakashi arrived. Late as always and reading his book. "Kakashi-sensei! You're late again!" Sakura yelled at him. "What sort of excuse do you have now?!"

"No excuse, I got lost on the road of life." He smiled.

"Kakashi-sensei, baka. If he is late next time, I'm really gonna show him how mad I am." Sakura thought to herself. Inner Sakura was making ninja moves and flames came out of her eyes.

"Well listen up you guys. Today we are going on a very important mission. It's in the village's interest that we complete this mission successfully. Konoha will cease to exist if we fail..."

This got Sasuke's attention and he was listening very carefully, to what the sensei had to say. Even Naruto paid attention. Sakura had a serious expression on her face.

"Well...what is it sensei? What is our mission?" Naruto asked full of anxiety.

"We have to find all 101 Dalmatians of Akumi-sama."

Naruto and Sakura fell down. --o "THAT IS THE BIG MISSION?! WE HAVE TO FIND DOGS?! Give us a more important mission, like protecting Akumi-sama from robbers or something!"

"Naruto calm down. This is a big mission, because if Akumi-sama doesn't have her dogs back within five hours. She will move to another village and Konoha will lose a great deal of money from her funding. And this village's economy needs her money. You know that Naruto, otherwise you would have never been able to buy some ramen."

Naruto's eyes widened. Kakashi-sensei moved closer to Naruto and whispered in his ear. "If Ichiraku doesn't get funding from Akumi-sama it will close down and then it's bye bye ramen..."

"Noooooooooooooooooo!!!" Naruto stormed off and returned within five seconds with four puppies under his arms. "What are you guys still standing here for, hurry up and find those puppies! We have less than five hours!" He stormed off again leaving the puppies behind.

"Naruto loves ramen, right Sasuke-kun?" --o
"Yeah..." --o

"I'll stay here with the puppies. You two better head out."
"What?! That's not fair, why can't I stay with the kawaii puppies?"
"Because you're the ones doing the training, not me."

"Good point..." Sasuke and Sakura split up and went to find the Dalmatians. Sakura quickly found three of them stuck in a tree. "Don't worry puppies, don't be scared, I'm here to save you." She climbed up the tree and then down again to bring them to Kakashi. "You are the sweetest puppies I ever saw. Yes you are." She smiled at them. Forgetting all about Sasuke's coldness of this morning.

"Hey puppy, stop giving me a hard time!" Naruto yelled almost out of breath. "Stop running!" The puppy barked and Naruto knew that the Dalmatian was having fun. But he wasn't. "I have to come up with a plan. Aha, I got it!" Naruto jumped towards the puppy but missed. He started crying, now with his face down in the dirt. The puppy stopped running and turned around. He had a goofy smile on his face and started barking with his tong out of exhaustion.

"That dog is making fun of me. Are you making fun of me?! I'll show you." Naruto got up and started running again.

As time passes by Sasuke and Sakura had found most of the dogs and Naruto was still chasing that one particular puppy.

"Where is Naruto?" Kakashi questioned.
"He is still chasing the same puppy."
"Aah ok. Well lets count to see how many we still need to find. 1...2...3...4..."

Sakura looked over at Kakashi to make sure he wasn't forgetting a puppy. Then she turned to face Sasuke. Sasuke noticed her watching him. "What is it Sakura?"

"Uhm... Sasuke-kun... I was just wondering, why you..."
"I told you to mind you're own business didn't I?"

Sakura felt hurt and she let her eyes fell down to face the ground. "Sorry Sasuke, I won't bother you again."

Sasuke noticed the hurt in the sound of her voice. Sakura started to walk towards Kakashi to help him count. "Sakura?" Sakura turned around. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I know that you're just trying to help, but there are some things that I have to deal with alone."

"I understand." She put on a vague smile on her face to let Sasuke know that she really did understand. She looked at him and went to help her sensei. Sasuke watched her leave and suddenly felt the strangest sensation in his stomach, a butterfly feeling...

"96...97...98...99...and the one that Naruto is chasing makes 100. We are still missing one Sakura." "Ok, well I guess we should go and find the last one."

"Aaaaaah I've got you now doggy!" Bam! Naruto ran right up a tree. "Ai that hurt."

Sasuke and Sakura were walking besides each other in search of the last puppy. They ended up in the woods. "This is the last place where we didn't check, so the puppy should be here." Sakura said with a hopeful smile on her face, almost ready to go home and take a shower. All this running around has made her tired. On the other hand, she got to spend a little bit more time with Sasuke alone. She stared at him, hoping he wouldn't notice her watching him.

"Sakura?" Sakura was startled. Did he notice? She blushed.

"Over there. Under that tree. Our ticket to the rest of the day off."

She glanced in the direction where Sasuke was pointing his finger. "Haa, the puppy! Ahh he seems scared. Poor little thing." Sakura started walking towards the puppy.

All of a sudden, Sasuke heard a noise. Sakura now had reached the puppy. "Sasuke-kun I've got him!" She smiled at him. "Sakura watch out!" Sasuke started running towards her. Sakura saw him running, but she didn't understand what he meant. Suddenly she heard the noise too. It was the sound of breaking wood. She looked behind her and saw what seemed to be the biggest tree falling towards her. She was so scared she couldn't move. The puppy made soft crying noises in her arms. Sasuke pushed her out of the way just in time. She rolled over the floor and bumped her head. She was unconscious.