Disclaimer: I, Luca.Shinigami, do not own Naruto nor any of its characters. I do not own Devil May Cry nor any of its characters. I do own any characters that I have created and the plot. Stealing may result in legal action.

Demon Days

Mission One

Tomorrow Comes Today

Haruno Sakura yawned as she walked through the busy streets of Konoha, her steps slow.

"I think we should get a break during the summer...at least for a few days..." She grumbled to herself as she headed towards the Hokage's tower.

She and the rest of Team Seven had just gotten back from a particularly nasty mission, and she was in no mood to face Naruto and Kakashi-sensei so soon.

"Good morning, Sakura-san!" Sakura nodded politely at Rock Lee, thankful that he was leaving for a mission with his own team.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! Over here!" Her eyebrow twitched as she changed course and headed over to where Uzumaki Naruto stood waiting.

"Good morning, Naruto. Is Kakashi-sensei not here yet? He's going to be late again..." She muttered angrily as she glared at the ceiling above her.

"Wrong, Sakura-chan! I actually arrived earlier than you two..." She and Naruto jumped slightly at Hatake Kakashi's voice, but quickly shrugged it off and turned to each other, wide eyed.

"Kakashi-sensei arrived early? I think this should go down in the record books!" Sakura said sarcastically while Naruto nodded eagerly.

"Now, now. It's not that big of a surprise." Kakashi said through the mask that covered the bottom half of his face as he flipped a page of his infamous Icha Icha Paradise book.

"Actually, it is, Kakashi." A female voice said from behind the threesome.

"Oh, good morning Tsunade-sensei!" Sakura chirped happily, completely forgetting the mood she was in just seconds ago. Kakashi arriving early definitely meant a good day.

"Hello, Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi. If you'll just follow me this way, I'll explain to you your mission..." Team Seven quickly followed after the well endowed blonde to a small room filled with scrolls and old, dusty books.

"My office is being redone, so we'll be using this room for the debriefing. Now, I'm sorry to make you go on a mission so soon after your last one ended, but this one is of utmost importance, and I'm afraid that you three are the only free team I have right now." Tsunade said, a slight tone of weariness to her voice as she cleared away the desk and chair so she could sit down.

"It is not a problem, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi chimed as he continued to read his book.

"The mission itself is a Rank-S, which is the highest rank, so this mission will be extremely difficult. We have a request from a demon hunter named Dante Sparda for help in getting back several stolen articles of magic. Dante is an old friend of mine, and he requested that I send my best shinobi to help him. Now, he normally doesn't want help, but in this case, we believe the mission involves Orochimaru and/or the Akatasuki directly or indirectly. Anyways, I will be sending you west, where you will meet Dante at the outskirts of Fire Country, where he will open up a gate to his world. Right now, I cannot disclose any more details than that. Sakura, this mission is especially important for you, as you will later realize. Now, this mission will take roughly four to five months, depending on your speed of finding and retrieving the items. Dante is not a ninja, but he far outclasses even myself, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru combined. All of you must pack only the necessities, and be ready to go by dawn. Naruto, Kakashi, you are dismissed. Sakura, please stay a moment." Tsunade explained. Kakashi and Naruto nodded and disappeared, Naruto casting one last glance back at Sakura before he left.

"Tsunade-sensei? Is this the same Dante that I met?" Sakura asked, her head tilted as she tried to remember.

"Yes, this is the same one. I doubt he remembers you, so you don't have to worry. I think you will also be meeting Vergil later on...and please remember your relationship to the two, so don't mess up the ties between the living world and Hell, Sakura." Tsunade warned as Sakura gave her a sheepish smile.

"I won't mess up the ties, but I may split the ties between Dante and myself, thank you very much. He annoys me beyond all measures, more than even Naruto does." Sakura said, her face scrunching up in distaste.

"I personally think that you like him, Sakura." Tsunade teased, a small smile on her face as she stared at the shocked Sakura.

"Me? Have a crush on him? You must be crazy! Sure, he's cute but once he opens his mouth, it's all wasted! The stupid pervert...he's just as bad as Jiraiya-sama." Sakura mumbled.

"If you insist, Sakura. Now, go get ready for the mission. And prepare yourself for being with Dante for more than five months." Tsunade said with a laugh as Sakura stuck her tongue out while heading through the doors of the small room.

"Soon you will know the importance of this mission, Sakura...for you play a vital role in it..." Tsunade whispered to the empty room, which answered her in silence.

"Well, mission time." Sakura chirped, trying to be as cheerful as she could, considering she was going to meet one of the people she hated most.

"Do you have everything you need, Sakura?" Kakashi asked once she had arrived at Konoha gates.

"Yes. I'm sure Dante will let us borrow some money so we can get any items we may need there." Inner Sakura cheered as she imagined the ways of making Dante go shopping with her, and torturing him along the way.

"Sakura-chan? Are you coming?" Naruto's voice quickly snapped her out of her reverie and she smiled at him before Team Seven set off on their mission.

Not knowing just how hard it was going to be...and not knowing that one of them would never be the same again...

MISSION ONE: END