Act 14: Mission Escort (part 2)- Sibling-like admiration

"It's getting dark… are you tired Mai-san?" Jin asked the 12-year old girl who seemed a lot quieter as the sun started setting.

"A little bit." She replied.

"We'll set up camp for tonight…" Naruto said, going fully into commander mode. "Sakura, Sasuke, scout east and west for any safe sites, or any threats. Report back in 15 minutes." He said turning to his two teammates.

"Hai!" They chimed and darted in opposite directions. Sakura went East and Sasuke went West.

"Jin… check the south end, and find out how far we are from rain." Naruto commanded.

"Hai." And Jin vanished.

"Neh…Naru-kun…" The small 12 year-old ambassador began.

"Yeah"

"Who was the pink-haired lady?" She sat down on a dead log that was close to her.

"Oh, that's Sakura-Chan." Naruto started. "She's a medic Nin, and one of ANBU's top med-nin commanders. She and I were gennins together quite a long time ago. We got split after we became Jounins."

"I see… and how does she know Sasu-kun so well?" She asked with a hint of jealousy.

"Well you see… our third party member was Sasuke."

"So you all grew up together."

"Yep!" Naruto chirped seemingly proud of that fact.

"I see…" Mai sighed. Her gaze dropped to the ground in a trance when Naruto's radio crackled from his hip. Mai tuned in subconsciously, but then again, what else was there to do?

Crackle "Naruto?" Crackle Naruto's radio transmitter buzzed with the sound of Sakura's voice.

"I can hear you Sakura-chan, what's up?" Naruto said into his mic-piece.

Crackle "East Boarder is clear. No good camp sites though, too much rock and open land, it's not safe for Mai-san. Or us." Crackle

"Thanks Sakura-chan. Meet up with Sasuke and get back now."

Crackle "Hai. Haruno out." Crackle

Mai wondered why the Konouchi was concerned about her specifically. The pink lady mentioned her name specifically. "It's her job… that's why." She concluded. She shrugged the thought off as she heard her beloved 'Sasu-kun's name.

Naruto had radioed Sasuke.

"Oi Sasuke-bastard,"

Crackle "What do you want dobe?" Crackle

"Update?" Naruto heard Sasuke sigh at the other end of the radio.

Crackle "West is clear. We have a water source about 600m away from where you are. There's a natural hot spring here, looks like we can bathe there. It's heavily forested, so we can set up camp by the river." Crackle

"That's great. Sakura's heading in your direction wait for her then head back together, I'll radio Jin."

Crackle "Sakura is here now, I can see here. We're on our way. Uchiha out." Crackle

"Was that Naruto?" Sakura asked as she reached Sasuke.

"Yeah," He replied. "He wants us to get back."

"I know, he told me to meet up with you" She replied landing on the tree branch next to him. She looked over the spot Sasuke had found, and nodded in approval. "This is a good spot you've found… good job Uchiha." She smirked.

"Aa…" Sasuke said nodding, he felt something fall in his chest, on some level he was hoping she had come on her own accord. But then again he wasn't one to think about those 'useless emotional feelings'.

"We better head back Sasuke-kun. Naruto will be wondering what happened."

"Aa…" He nodded. They both darted into the forest back to Naruto and Mai.

The group decided to set up camp about 30m away from the river bank in the west. Jin and Naruto went out to find some food and Sakura and Sasuke were setting traps around their campsite. The two of them took turns watching over Mai for 15 minute periods. When the traps were set, they began to set up tents.

"Naruto only brought 2 tents?" Sasuke asked taking out the tents from Naruto's bag.

"You didn't bring anything?" Sakura asked him.

"No, I only brought a sleeping bag. What about you?"

"I didn't bring anything; I'll sleep on the ground."

"What why?" He was surprised. When they were kids she'd complain about having to sleep on the ground.

Sakura shrugged, "I filled the extra space with medical supplies. Besides, I'm used to sleeping on the ground now."

"Aa…" Sasuke nodded.

"Sasu-kun, it's getting dark!" Mai whined. "I'm scared."

"Crap…" Sasuke thought trying to ignore her. "Then make a fire."

"I have no wood." She replied. She looked like she was ready to cry her eyes out if her 'knight in shining armor' didn't do something about it.

Sasuke muttered something under his breath and both females didn't hear him. He turned his back to her and resumed setting up one tent.

"Sasuke-kun, don't be like that, if you won't get wood I will."

"But one of us has to stay with that." He pointed to Mai.

"Then I'll go find wood alone." Sakura said coldly.

"No." Sasuke scolded. He sighed, "I'll do it." And he disappeared into the forest.

Sakura sighed and continue to set up camp with Mai nearby sitting on a dead stump.

Mai cleared her throat. "Ehem…"

Sakura continued setting up, driving the last peg into the ground.

"EHEM" Mai did it again.

Sakura put up the last tent and tied the rope.

"EHEM!"

"Neh?" Sakura looked up from what she was doing. "Do you need something Mai-san?"

Mai twitched her nose and made a displeased face at Sakura. Sakura didn't appreciate the look.

"You know, young ladies shouldn't make ugly faces. It's not pretty." Sakura teased, perking herself up against a tree trunk near Mai's stump once she was finished.

"Pfft." Mai scoffed. "I don't get it."

"Get what?" Sakura asked.

"Why Sasu-kun likes you more."

"Aa… I see."

"It's not fair!"

"You know Mai-san… When we were kids, Sasuke-kun didn't like being around me. That's what I thought. I was very fond of him when we were about your age. So I thought I could get him to like me. I stayed by him, clung to him, and even asked him out a lot."

"Yeah? Sasu-kun likes you a lot; it's hard to believe that he never did. I don't believe you."

"It's true; I even grew my hair out for him." Sakura giggled a little bit.

Mai stayed silent.

"Don't let it get to you Mai-san. Sasuke-kun isn't the most out going guy in the world. And he's stubborn and cold. But that's the way he is. It doesn't mean he hates you."

"Then why does he act the way he does?"

"I don't know." Sakura shrugged her shoulders.

"And he's so mean to me!"

"That's because you call him 'Sasu-kun'."

"What's wrong with that?"

"He hates it."

"Oh…" Mai became silent. "But he didn't seem to mind when you called him 'Sasu-kun'."

"I was teasing him…" Sakura fidgeted with her fingers. "Yeah why didn't he mind? He hates that name so much." Sakura pondered on what she should say… "It took a long time for us to reach that level of friendship. Sometimes I question our friendship… I shouldn't, but I do." She explained.

"How come?"

"Sometimes, he acts different when it's just the two of us."

"I see." Mai fell silent. "Neh, Sakura-san."

"Eh?"

"Do you have feelings for Sasuke-kun?" Mai looked up at Sakura who was somewhat startled by such a question. Young navy blue eyes meet with mature jaded orbs.

"Ehh… well."

"Well?"

Sakura fumbled more with her fingers thinking of what to say to her. Finally Sakura looked that the young girl and smiled softly.

"Of course I do. He and Naruto and Hokage-sama and my best friend Ino, are the most important people to me. My village is important to me… and I love them all very much."

"How much?" Mai was curious, she had never met anyone who spoke like Sakura did.

"I'd die for them." She answered without hesitation.

"Really?" Mai asked with a mixture of appraisal and freight.

"In a heartbeat."

"What if they don't feel the same way?" Mai asked sort of worried. "What if you die for nothing?"

"That wouldn't matter to me…" Sakura answered firmly looking up at the darkening sky. "I may mean nothing to them, but they sure mean a lot to me. So to me, even if I died, to me it wouldn't be for nothing."

Mai was silent and looked at the pink-haired woman with awe and respect. Sakura continued.

"I will protect my precious people. It is my purpose." She looked down and smiled at the young girl.

"How do you know what your purpose is?" Mai asked. Sakura giggled a little bit and took a seat next to the girl.

"You certainly have a lot of questions."

Mai frowned slightly.

"Don't frown Mai-san. It is a sign of intelligence and maturity." Mai's face lit up again and she smiled at Sakura, and Sakura smiled back.

"Do you have a younger sister Sakura-san?"

"Eh?" Sakura shook her head. "No, I'm an only child. Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking that if you did, she'd be the luckiest girl in the world to have a big sister like you."

Sakura smiled at the little Ambassador. "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"I'm glad I lost Sasuke-kun to you."

"Neh?" Sakura was puzzled by Mai saying this. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." The little girl sang.

"Oi, I'm back." Sasuke dropped his pile of wood and began to make a fire.

"Welcome back, Sasuke-kun." Mai greeted. Sakura smiled at the young girl.

"Err…" Sasuke nodded his head in acknowledgement, surprised that she didn't call him 'Sasu-kun'.


Lady Rine: Umm... I'm sorry but i won't be able to update this fan fic for about a week. This is because i'll be on vacation with my family in Quebec, and i won't have internet access (cries). I'm so sorry...and i apologize to you all for the inconvienience. But i'll be writting more chapters on my trip (grin) what else is there to do on the road for 6 hours?

I'll update as soon as i come back.

Thats a promise! (does the cool guy pose!---> hahah! i'm a loser)