The door knob turned and a body bounced through the door, Sakura let out a scream.
"Na-Naruto! Kakashi sensei! What are you two doing?" She called out frantically as she stared the two the ahead of her.
Naruto had gone off into training after Sasuke went with Orochumaru, in attempts to become stronger to bring back the raven haired boy. She had known he had come back, but never did she see him. She was always to busy with her training with Tsunade sama, or going on the few missions she was given.
Kakashi had gone into a sever depression as his one and only students had left him to train with other teachers. Sakura had heard that he had been going to bars more and more often, and he rarely ever visited her.
Her stomach turned and she placed a hand over it to keep it steady. What were they doing here?
Their going to stop us! Inner Sakura hissed angrily and Sakura had to mentally nod in agreement. It's not their choice if we want to commit suicide!
Whoa…hold on…who said anything about suicide inner?
Well it's a sure death mission of course! Inner Sakura was busy nodding her head as if to prove her point that she didn't notice Sakura had completely shut her out of her thoughts when Naruto spoke.
"We came to stop you Sakura Chan!" The blonde fox boy spoke his foxy grin now dropping into a serious expression. "It's far too dangerous!"
I told you! Inner screeched aloud while doing a victory dance for once again…being right.
"What do you know about the mission?" Sakura seethed out through clenched teeth. How much had Tsunade told them?
"That its an A ranked mission and you will be out of the village for at least 6 days" her former sensei replied this time, not allowing the blonde to butt in. "And…that your going alone."
Sakura 'humphed' as she glared at the two males before her. "I'm not as weak you know" She spoke, her eyes growing cold. She was tired of being taken as nothing but a little weak child. She could take care of herself damn it! She trained to! She practiced hard! Naruto and Sasuke were not the only ones growing strong. "I can handle myself, and I don't need help."
"Neh! Neh! But Sakura cha-" The blond started but was once again cut off by the pink tressed beauty.
"This is my mission, and I will not have anyone come with me, and I will not have anyone deter me from my path." Her eyes flicked with determination towards two of the three men that helped make up team 7. Her teammate and her teacher. "Naruto…you've had missions that you thought only you fit to go on…well this is mine. Now I'm sorry to cut our visit short…but I have to rest up for my mission."
Naruto and Kakashi looked at each other shocked. What had happened to their innocent little cherry blossom? She never used to talk back like that…but then again she wouldn't take an A ranked mission before either.
Sakura gave them both a sad smile before closing the door in their faces hoping against hope that they would not knock again. And they didn't.
She felt bad. She truly did! Just closing the door on their faces like that was not something that was easy to do…but it was needed to be done. A heavy sigh escaped the young girl's lips as her eyes downcast to the floor, watching as her feet led her to her bed, in which she promptly collapsed on.
Her eyes slowly became heavier and she allowed them to close, but forced back sleep, opting instead to just rest her eyes. She didn't want that nightmare to come back, but she knew, eventually she would drift to sleep and with sleep came the dream.
Sadly for the Haruno girl sleep came sooner then she would have wanted.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.Twins of life and death.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:
Sakura sighed as she adjusted her pack on her back once more; tightening the straps around her arms and checking to make sure her head band was straight. Her pouch was full of weapons, her hair was fine, her pack was full, and she knew the mission objective.
The girl had spent all day yesterday plotting what she could for the mission that would be starting today, and she felt ready. All that she had left to do in this village before leaving would be saying her farewells to her parents, and perhaps Ino pig…but only if she happened to spot the girl on her way out.
With one last look at her mirror, Sakura smiled to herself and made her way downstairs. Her parents where there standing together smiling at the girl. Sakura's mother had tears welled in her eyes as she drew her daughter into a hug. "Come back safe" the woman whispered into pink tresses, and Sakura stiffened.
"Okaasan! I'm going out now okay?"
An older woman looked up from her dishes and smiled at her daughter. "Why of course Sakura. Going to go train right?"
"Right!" The pink haired ninja replied happily "I'm goin' to go practice with Sasuke kun and Naruto, and Kakashi sensei!" The young girl was so happy that she didn't seem to realize she was rambling on and on, never once ending a sentence, simply adding an "and" to the last part of her speech.
Eventually she caught on that she was talking on and on and was going to be late. With a cry of "Oh crap!" She ran up to her mother and gave her a peck on the cheek before darting out "Bye mom!"
Her mother chuckled and watched as her daughter ran by the window giving a call of "Come back safe!" The girl paused for only a moment to smile a warm smile at her mother before running down the street.
The elderly woman sighed in content as she once again turned her attention back to the dishes. A soft melody escaped her lips as she cleaned the dirty dishes from the mornings meal as the soft sound of tapping resounded in her ears.
Turning around she saw her other daughter. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of her daughters hair. "Tayuya! What happened to your hair!" Her mother called out, her eyes widening as she took in the sight.
Tayuya picked up a lock of her hair and examined in closely. Her once pink tresses now had an orange color to it and she smirked. "I got to close to fire." She replied with a shrug, dismissing the topic all together.
"Fire? Tayuya, where was this fire?"
The girl shot her mother a fierce glare before turning her attention to the table in front of her.
"Tayuya!" Her mother continued loudly "Where was this fire?" she persisted, her tone growing impatient.
"You know what mother! You can just go bu-"
Sakura, who had forgotten her kunais and ran back to get them, had overheard the whole conversation and chose to pop into the house at that moment to attempt to stop a rising fight that was starting between mother and her twin.
"I forgot my Kunai!" she announced loudly to be sure her presence was known throughout the Haruno house hold.
Thankfully, as she had hoped, her mother's attention was momentarily distracted as she smiled "Oh! Sakura! Their over here on the table dear!" her mothers soft voice wafted over to her, and she watched as Tayuya got up from the table mouthing 'thanks' before leaving the room
Sakura reached down and grabbed her weapons before leaving the house once more, this time running down the streets so as not to be later then Kakashi. …but one thought still bothered the girl as she ran through the streets of Konoha. Why WAS Tayuya playing with fire?
Sakura bid the memory away, tightly shutting her eyes, in hopes that if she could not see, the memories could not get to her. How this would work…she didn't know…but she had to believe. Slowly she slithered her arms out of her mothers embrace before enwrapping her own around her mother. "I will…mom…I promise."
The older woman pulled the pink haired girl an arms length away and stared at her for a moment before nodding slowly, tears still working their way down her face. Sakura had never seen her mother so upset over a mission so, she did the best she could…she offered her a weary smile.
However this did not work the wonders Sakura had hoped it would for her mother. A guilty feeling sunk low in her stomach as she bid it away. She had to come up with something to calm down the woman. And then it struck her! "Mother!" she spoke with a giggle, gaining the older woman's attention. "I have to come back! If I don't, what if I miss Sasuke kun! I wouldn't be able to rest in peace!"
The woman gave a sad laugh and wiped away her tears before nodding in agreement. "Yes…" She murmured remembering all the times her dear sweet cherry blossom would come home, cheeks stained red from the tears the boy caused…and yet every time the girl would hop back on her feet and say she still loved him. Yes. If there was one thing that would ensure her that Sakura would come back, it's Sasuke.
She had never personally met the boy, and to be frank…she didn't want to. She was afraid she'd sock the Uchiha in the face for all the pain he caused the teen in front of her, but who was she to lay judgment on the male that stole her daughters heart? …anything…as long as it brought her little girl back to her.
Sakura gave her mother another smile, this one more heart felt, before hugging her once more and making her way out the door. The other woman could do nothing but watch as her daughter walked on out of the door, and pray to kami that her daughter would be fine.
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:Twins of leaves and sound:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:
Sakura blinked. Once…twice…and finally three times. What the hell was going on over there! Sakura adjusted the strap of her pack as she stared at the large group of people that were surrounding the gate to leave Konoha. Her mind raced with possibilities of why a crowd might be formed. Was someone injured? Did someone just come back from a mission? Did a wanted man come into the village? …Did Sasuke come back?
A lump formed in her throat as she ran towards the area the group was forming around. She had to leave through the gate anyways…so one little peak at what the commotion was all about wouldn't hurt…right?
As she neared the group, however, it went deathly silent. Eyes were directed towards her, and her alone, and soft whispers would float to her ears. 'There she is!' 'The medical nin of our village is leaving!' 'How could she be so reckless?' 'I heard that it's an A ranked mission and that Sakura won't be coming back…'
Sakura looked around from one person to another, nervousness setting in as she realized…they weren't surrounding anything…they were waiting for her. She gulped visibly as she could hear the whispers growing louder and louder. Slowly she took a step towards the group, and much to her surprise the people backed away from her. Blinking slightly she took another step, and again more people moved out of her way.
Mentally nodding in understandment she took a few more steps forward, and as she thought, the group moved out of her way, and slowly closed in around her…and eventually she reached the center of the group and saw none other then the remnants of team 7. Naruto had a scowl on his face while Kakashi never once even bothered to look up from his book.
"Naruto…" Sakura spoke in a warning tone glaring at the young male, and he faltered for but a second before regain his composure. "…what are all these people doing here?"
"Their here to stop you Sakura Chan!" He replied with a definite look on his face. He looked to the group for support, but in response he only received coughs and people clearing their throats. "Awww come on!" he whined looking at the group, but as he went to trace his eye sight back to the pink haired shinobi that had once so easily caught his attraction, he saw her leaving the gates. Not a single soul attempting to stop her.
She turned around once she was out of the gate and smiled a smile that no one would forget as she faced Naruto. It wasn't a warm smile…it wasn't a sadistic one either though…and it was far from a happy one…but it wasn't forced. What was that emotion that graced her face?
The smile only grew wider as Naruto stared at her in confusion before she finally spoke, her bell like voice easily dominating any conversation that may have been taking place in the crowd.
"Naruto." She spoke addressing the blonde male. "You and Sasuke kun were always the strong ones. You were always the ones protecting me, and I was forced to watch your back. So many times did I try to do something for the two of you…something…anything, but you both were to far ahead for any attempts of mine to be classified as anything but feeble. I trained, and I trained, and neither of you took notice, as you were growing steadily stronger, and better. I was easily classified as the weakling of team seven…but no more.
"I tried so hard to show you that I could help! That I was rightfully a member of the same team as you two, but you didn't need my help. I was so weak, that I could do nothing as Sasuke Kun left, and Shikamaru had told me I would have been of no help bringing him back.
"But I trained anyways…I held my head up high, and practiced with Tsunade Sama. But you were never there to take note. You still only took me as the weak girl I was, but I've changed. I've become stronger, and I can handle this mission.
"I've said this before, and though you had not heard it, it was spoken to you. I will say it again now, in front of all these people of Konoha, as my witness. It's YOUR turn to watch MY back. Goodbye Naruto…Sensei Kakashi"
And with that the pink haired ninja nodded to the two men manning the gates, and watched with a rare warm smile gracing her lips, as the gates closed on her former teammate, before turning around on her heel and walking off towards the nearby forest.
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:Twins of life and death:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:
Sakura's feet followed the once well beaten path, her eyes darting to and fro looking for danger, may there be any. Her guard was up, and her hand itched on the side near her pouch, just daring someone to come out so she could pull a Kunai out on them.
An odd sense of pride welled through her body as she made her way through the forest though. Pride for being out on a mission, an A ranked on at that, by herself! She paused as she came to the end of the beaten path and made a left, knowing the track she needed to make by heart from countless hours of studying yesterday.
She could almost hear her mother crying tears of joy when she returned; she could almost see the surprised look on Naruto and Kakashi's faces when she returned. Could almost smell the sake Tsunade Sama would offer her upon her return, even though she was underage. Could almost taste the ramen Naruto would force her to sit down and eat after coming back.
She smiled to herself, knowing it was these very thoughts that would keep her from loosing in this mission. She had to return for them, for Sasuke Kun, and for herself.
With a smile planted firmly on her face, she moved on the memorized path with a new found determination. Nothing could stop her, for this was her mission, and she would complete it.
…even if it meant killing her own flesh and blood.
My brand new Beta reader went poof::sobs: She didnt even edit ONE thing and she disappered :wails loudly: Actually, shes still around, shesmy sisters mother, but I havent seen her on line in a long time >> And she cant print it out...so yeah :sighs: Anyways, I dont want you peoples to have to wait a looong time for a new update, because then you forget what happens in a story, I know, its happened to me before. So! I decided weekly updates. Sound good? So heres this update...again edited to my best ablities. But you know...I suck at grammer and spelling so bear with me!
>> Uh yeah...
Oh! and thank yee all fer the prutty reviews! I was happy - I got two this time. And last time I got one...and none for intro...wow aint that just spiffy? We are going up by chapters! Lets go for 3 and up this time then! WOOT!
Carol