Disclaimer: I do not own Uzumaki Naruto or any of the characters in the anime/manga. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. So please don't sue me… XD +winks+
Thanks for the reveiws! Feel free to check out meh tagspace for you names... xD Hehehe...
Chapter 2: The wake of a new hope
Tsunade busily flipped through the pages of the ninja files on her desk. She wanted to take a break and drink sake to her liking. But every time she does, the image of her student, Sakura, flashes back in her mind. She made a promise to her and to Naruto as well. That morning, she sent Kakashi and Iruka to seek information about the Sound Village. Months ago, Jiraiya also left to seek information about Akatsuki. Tsunade held her forehead as she looked at Sakura's files.
She has improved herself greatly. Her talents is now fully awake and her potential increased as well… But, can I afford to send her out to find Sasuke? Is she strong enough already? I have to think this through… In the long run, no matter how strong her fighting skills are… She would still be vulnerable at the sight of Sasuke… Tsunade took a deep breath and looked at Sasuke's old files as well.
"Tsunade-sama." A voice called out from outside the office.
"Ah! Shizune, come in…" Tsunade called out. Shizune stepped inside the office and closed the door carefully. "How is she?" Tsunade asked.
Shizune walked beside Tsunade. "Sakura is still asleep, Tsunade-sama. But I believe sooner or later she will wake up…" she answered. Shizune looked at the files in Tsunade's desk. "Judging from your looks, I can see that we still lack information about Orochimaru…" she began.
Tsunade nodded with traces of dismay in her face. "We can't blame Kakashi and Iruka. After all, I only sent them out this morning. Not only are we targeting to pursue Sasuke again, but we are also preparing for Orochimaru's attack. Better safe than sorry." She shifted her eyes on the window and sighed. "Shizune… Can you please get me a bottle of sake? I can't concentrate very much without it."
"Sure… I'll be right back, Tsunade-sama. I'm glad that you're working very hard! This really calls for a sake!" Shizune remarked as she walked out of the office.
Tsunade shook her head and looked down at the files. "Jiraiya! You can come out now if you like. It's no good peeking in my office because I'm not going to show you anything!" she called out in a loud voice.
Jiraiya peeked in from the roof with a smile on his face. "Heh. You haven't lost your touch, Tsunade-hime. But I have other females to peek in aside from you." He opened one of the windowpanes and jumped inside the office. "Sorry for the informal entrance…" he scratched his head as he chuckled.
"I'm used to your informal entrances." Tsunade pointed out. She closed the files and looked at Jiraiya. "On to serious matters, did you find anything?" she asked.
Jiraiya nodded as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Yeah… I found out that Orochimaru is planning an attack on Konoha. I also found out that they re-established their lair in the Country of Field. So far, they are training missing-nins for the village of Sound."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she placed her chin on her hands. "What about Sasuke? Has Orochimaru…"
"I don't know. But what I know is that Orochimaru is still vulnerable, according to my sources. There is still a high probability that Sasuke is still safe. After all, if you trace the dates when Sasuke actually went to Orochimaru, we still have a few weeks." Jiraiya explained. "But that is just a probability. We have to send pursuers right away if we want to get Sasuke back."
Tsunade thought carefully while twirling a pen in her hand. "Did you get information on when they are planning to attack?" she asked.
"Not really. But I am assuming that Orochimaru will attack after he transfers to Sasuke's body. After all, he needs a strong body to withstand Konoha's attacks as well. With that, he actually possesses the ultimate bloodline limit." Jiraiya answered.
"…sou." Tsunade took a deep breath and tried to think things through. After a while, she looked at Jiraiya and rested her hands on the desk. "Jiraiya… I want you to form a team of 5 exceptional ninjas excluding you. This is a class-S mission since you are going directly into Orochimaru's lair. I will personally recommend Kakashi for the jounin. But I have to call him back since I sent him out. You need to find 3 more chuunins as well. Got that?"
"Got it. But… don't you think I should be looking for two jounins or two other chuunins to complete a team of six?" Jiraiya asked.
Tsunade smiled and looked out the window. "Oh, you know who the other one is… I'm sure you want him for this mission too."
Jiraiya chuckled and crossed his arms. "Tsunade-hime, you never cease to amaze me…" he remarked. "Well, I'm off to find the three lucky chuunins… Ja ne. I'll be right back. I have the perfect two in mind. Then we'll find the other one along the way…"
"Jiraiya…"
Jiraiya turned around and looked at Tsunade. "Don't bring Sakura along. She is out of the list…" she said under her breath.
Silence surrounded the office once more. Somewhere in his mind, Jiraiya knew Tsunade's reasons for excluding Sakura. Or at least, he had an idea. Jiraiya nodded and went out of the room. Heh… I better look for Naruto first… Then we'll find Shikamaru…
Back in the village of Sound, Sasuke sat peacefully under a tree. Orochimaru and the other Sound-nins are planning their strategy for Konoha's invasion. Sasuke couldn't care less about Sound or Konoha. He will never be a Sound-nin. And he is not a Leaf-nin as well. He is an avenger… an avenger seeking power and revenge. Whatever happens to the two villages… I will not give a damn…
As he sat under the tree, two female Sound-nins passed by him. They both giggled and smiled at Sasuke. But Sasuke didn't even care to give them a smirk.
"He's really a snob… But it adds to his appeal. He's so handsome!" one of the nins squealed to her comrade.
"Yes! Sasuke-kun is the perfect guy! He makes my heart melt… I think I'm in love with him!" the other one agreed as she giggled.
Foolish women… Haven't they got anything else to do with their worthless lives? Why can't they just leave me alone? It's as if they know what love really is… Sasuke spat as he leaned back against the tree trunk. I better prepare than to sit around here doing nothing. He stood up and placed his hands on his side pockets. Then, he noticed something fall leisurely with the wind. He followed it with his eyes as it fell down gradually on the ground. As another one was about to fall, he lifted his hand and waited for it to land on his palm. He looked at it carefully and stared at it for a while.
"Cherry Blossoms?" he muttered. He looked up and saw a few more cherry blossoms being taken away by the wind. There aren't even Cherry Blossom trees in this area. At least, I haven't seen one for the past three years… He continued to look at the leaf like it is alien to him. Then, a strong wind blew and flew the leaf off Sasuke's palm. Sasuke watched as the leaf flew away with the wind.
"Sakura…" he muttered unconsciously. Then, an image of Sakura smiling at him flashed in his mind. Okaeri… Sasuke-kun… Sasuke was dumbfounded at the vision. He clenched his fist and punched the tree beside him. Damn it… What is happening to me? He thought that he already won over his fear. He thought that he escaped every one of the persons close to his heart. But still, he is struck down and confused. He forgot about Konoha. He did what he had to do, and because of that, he obtained the 3rd semi-colon of Sharingan. The most powerful bloodline limit is almost complete. But there is still traces left from before. The long forgotten memories are resurfacing, memories of the long-lost feeling of seclusion. How… How come I'm reminded of her? What did she do to me!
Back at Konoha, Jiraiya is walking around town together with Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru. They are still looking for one more chuunin whom they can ask for the mission. But it seems like every chuunin that Shikamaru and Naruto point out doesn't suit the Sannin's standards. An hour later, Naruto gave up and yelled at the top of his lungs and pointed a finger at Jiraiya.
"Teme! Ero-sennin! What kind of chuunin are you looking for anyway! We gave you the best shibobi that we can think of! There's Kiba, Chouji, Fuzzy eyebrows and even Hinata! Who else do you want!" Naruto yelled.
Shikamaru pushed a finger in his ear and looked at Naruto. "Mendukusee… Don't be so loud… I can't organize my thoughts." He muttered lazily. "Jiraiya-sama, based from the ninjas that you and Hokage-sama assigned for the team… I think we are lacking a medic-nin. Why don't we ask Saku—"
"Sakura is out of the question! An S-rank mission is too dangerous for her right now!" Naruto answered back. He can't afford letting Sakura see the monster that Sasuke has become.
"Naruto is right. Besides, the order came from Hokage-sama as well. We cannot bring Sakura along." He looked up and sighed. "But I really wanted her to come to this mission. Not only is she going to be a great help if the team is injured, but she might be able to do something about Sasuke as well. A medic-nin is something that Tsunade has been requesting ever since…"
Shikamaru eyed Jiraiya for a while. What a troublesome situation… Jiraiya-sama does want Sakura for this mission. No matter which angle we look, it would still point to one conclusion. The odds of surviving this S-ranked mission will be high enough if Sakura comes along. But, if Tsunade-sama doesn't agree, then we don't have a choice…
Neji looked around for a while. "What are you going to do, Jiraiya-sama? It's almost time…" he reminded.
Jiraiya sighed as he folded his arms. "Let's go… We'll report to Tsunade that the team is not yet complete." He began walking towards the Hokage tower with Naruto and Shikamaru following behind him.
Back at the Hokage's office, Tsunade is busy stamping her signature on the piles of papers that Shizune placed in her desk. She is almost ready to give up and fall down on her desk when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in…" Tsunade said as she continued what she's doing. Jiraiya stepped into the office with Shikamaru, Neji and Naruto.
Tsunade looked up and placed her chin on her hand. "What happened, Jiraiya?" she asked.
Jiraiya shook his head and folded his arms. "Nothing is wrong, Tsunade. It's just that I haven't seen any other exceptional chuunins other than Shikamaru and Neji." He remarked.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow as she looked at Jiraiya. "Where are you getting at? There are lots of exceptional chuunins out there… At least choose one that you can work best with!" she replied with a slight raise on her voice.
The other sannin lowered his head and sighed. "What if I can't work best with them? I think they don't suit my standards." He replied.
Then, a puff of smoke appeared near the Hokage's desk. When the smoke cleared, Kakashi stood there with the Ichi Ichi Paradise book in his hand. "Oh my… Looks like I cam in a bad time." He muttered as he kept the book in his jacket.
Jiraiya shook his head while keeping hi stance. "No… You're just in time…" he replied.
Tsunade bashed the desk with her hand as she stood up. "Jiraiya! I told you this before. If you're thinking about bringing my apprentice along, then forget it! I won't allow her to go to this mission! Remember that you are going straight into Orochimaru's lair. Orochimaru is there… the medic-nin Kabuto is there and most importantly… Sasuke is there!". she bellowed.
Silence filled the room. Tsunade lowered her head as she exhaled. "You do understand me, right Jiraiya?" she muttered under her breath. Jiraiya didn't say a word of response. Instead, he looked at Kakashi and made eye contact.
Kakashi nodded as he looked at the door. "Sakura… Any objections?" he called out. Everyone in the room except Jiraiya looked at the door. After a while, the door opened and a pink-haired kunoichi entered the room. Tsunade was taken aback as she looked at the girl. Naruto looked Sakura with concern, but he didn't say a word. Sakura-chan…
Tsunade bit her lower lip as she tried to think of an excuse. Sakura lifted her head up and faced her mentor with a pained smile on her face. "Tsunade-sensei… You do still think light of me…" she muttered. But she kept that straight face as she said those words.
It took a while for Tsunade to decipher those words. After a while, Tsunade found the urge to say something. "It's not that I think light of you… It's just that you're still not ready for an S-rank mission. Remember that you are still my trainee…" she reasoned out.
"But… Tsunade-sensei. At least I have to do something. I just can't sit around here doing nothing but train for myself while my friends are sent out there with no guarantee that they can even get back here alive!" she replied with soberness. "I want to be of help… I'm tired of being a burden for them. I have to come to that mission and bring back Sasuke or else my mind won't be at peace forever!" she added. Then, she knelt down in front of Tsunade's desk.
"Hey… Sakura-chan." Naruto mumbled as he reached out for Sakura.
"Onegaishimasu! Let me come to this mission. I will remember every bit of pointers that you taught me. I will be a good medic-nin for the squad… And… and…" she paused for a while as she tried to catch her breath. "And… we will all come back here alive…"
Oh my… She hit the jackpot… Jiraiya was surprised at Sakura's determination. He waited for Tsunade to say her response. Another wave of silence filled the room. Tsunade closed her eyes as she placed her chin on her fingers. After a while, she looked at Sakura. "Haruno Sakura." She said sternly. Sakura looked up at her mentor with hope present in her eyes. Tsunade took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. "I hereby assign you to an S-rank mission to pursue Uchiha Sasuke under Jiraiya's care. But, bear in mind the other mission…" she declared.
"What is the other mission, Tsunade-sensei?" Sakura asked as she slowly stood up.
Tsunade looked serious. But her lips curved up in a small smile as she looked at the ninjas gathered in front of her. "You guys are also on a mission to come back here alive…" she added. Sakura's eyes glowed with happiness as she clasped her hands together. Tsunade smiled as she sat back casually. "Now, go fix your things. You will be dispatched at dawn so be ready by then. Jiraiya will meet you all by the main gates."
Sakura bowed down as she looked at Tsunade with full confidence. "We will complete the two missions! Thank you very much, Tsunade-sensei!" she exclaimed. Tsunade nodded as she smiled. "Now… Dismissed!"
"Hai!" everyone answered as they went out of the room except Jiraiya. When everyone else is gone, Jiraiya shifted his eyes on the Hokage. "I hope I did the right thing, Jiraiya…" Tsunade muttered under her breath. Jiraiya smiled as he looked outside the window. "Don't worry too much. She gave you her word. Besides, don't you see yourself in her?" He replied.
Tsunade smiled as she remembered her two important people. Nawaki… Dan…
Later that dawn, Sakura checked her equipments and things. "Okay… All set!" she said to herself as she picked up her bag and made her way to the door. As she passed by her dresser, she noticed the broken picture frame on top of it. She took the frame and placed it in her bag. Then, she went out of the bedroom and closed the door without looking back. After a while, she made it to the meeting place. She saw Jiraiya, Naruto, Shikamaru and Neji near the benches.
"Oh… Am I late already?" Sakura asked as she approached them. Jiraiya shook his head as he looked at the pathway. "Kakashi is late as usual."
"Mmpf… Kakashi-sensei never arrives earlier than the others!" Naruto added as he crossed his arms.
Sakura didn't say another word afterwards. She realized that this is the exact same place where he tried to stop Sasuke from leaving. This brings back lots of memories… Painful memories…
Then, a puff of smoke came out from the bushes. As the fog cleared off, Kakashi appeared and slightly lifted up his hand. "Yo! Sorry I'm late… I got lost on the road of life…" he muttered lazily.
"Gah! Kakashi-sensei you've been getting lost on that road of life since who knows when!" Naruto exclaimed as he pointed a finger at Kakashi.
Jiraiya chuckled as he faced the other members of the team. "Yosh! Since we're now complete, let's get going…" he began. "Shikamaru, you plan the tactics once we're close to the village's entrance. Sound is not aware that we're going to infiltrate their lair so we have an advantage, Shikamaru nodded as he prepared himself.
"Let's go then… to the Hidden Village of Sound!" Jiraiya declared as he faced the gates of Konoha.
"Hai!" The others replied with enthusiasm.
Sakura smiled as she secured her equipments. Sasuke-kun… We will you bring you back… And with that… She looked back at the benches and smiled. I won't be a burden! The 6-element squad made their way outside the Konoha gates.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Setsuna Eleison's tagspace --- xDThank you very much for reading my chapter two +smiles widely like Naruto+ Hehehe… Thanks also for the readers and reviewers of my chapter 1 namely… nhil, BloodRuby (...Slipknot... xD), Outsane (we both like adorably violent things... xD) and Sakura-nin and also those who have me in my favorites andstory alert watch… Snotty chim-chim (my kababayan... xO) and storms-winter... xD Arigatou gozaimasu! Hope you like this one too! I will work hard! Hehehehe…
Please drop a review on your way out! XD
Chapter 3 to be posted soon…
---Setsuna +ramen-chan+ Eleison---