My first fic. It's going to be an epic with a few arcs. The first will be Sasuke Retrieval. Then we'll have a Sound Invasion on Sand. We'll then have ANBU Exams. Followed by a Sound Infiltration and then An Akatsuki Invasion. I want to introduce three female OC, maybe more and I'll try to not make them Mary Sues. The pairings are SasuSaku, NaruHina, NejiTen, slight InoChou and ShikaTem. So I present to you the first chapter!
Old Emotions, New Mission
"Your mission is to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke. He is currently travelling through the Wind country though his destination is unknown. Nara Shikamaru, you will be the team tactician. You will be working closely with Hatake Kakashi, the team captain. Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, Inzuka Kiba, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Chouji, Ten Ten and Rock Lee will be subordinates. As subordinates you will obey your captain and tactician, whatever the circumstances," the Godaime paused eyeing everyone in the room. They all had known Uchiha Sasuke especially her. She wanted to save him more than anyone else, perhaps more that the loud-mouth Naruto. "And you Sakura," she said with a tinge of warmth. "You will be the team medic. Avoid all engagement and conserve your energy for healing," Not that I expect her to, Tsunade thought. After the Uchiha left she had changed.
Sakura was now a powerful fighter and even a better medic. She was calmer and much more mature. She had transformed from a pathetic girl to a beautiful kunoichi
"One last thing. If you come across Orochimaru, run. Your mission is to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke and nothing more. Are we clear?" She did not wait for a reply, "Excellent. You should leave as soon as possible,"
"Hai" chorused everyone in the room and disappeared before her eyes.
"Be careful Sakura,"
Sakura walked alone down the street. Her body had learnt the route from her apartment to the Hokage Tower and back. Her thoughts were on one person. Sasuke. She hated that name. He had left her. He had left everyone. He had hurt Naruto. He had hurt Kakashi-sensei. He had hurt her. And yet she loved him. She clenched her fist. She would make him realize her strength and drag him back to the home he had left. She would!
"Oi Sakura-chan!" She turned around at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Naruto, how many times have I told you, call me Sakura," she admonished in a cheery voice.
"Hehe…Gomen sai, Sakura-chan," the blonde shinobi grinned cheekily. "Ne, Sakura-chan I wanted to ask you something," She knew where he was driving at. "Do you think we'll bring Sasuke-teme back?"
"If he doesn't comply, I'll beat him to pulp," she replied without any humour in her voice.
"Sakura-chan, he'll be too stro-"
"I will fight him Naruto! I will!" Sakura shouted with ferocity in her eyes. And something more. A pleading look.
Naruto looked at her once more and then reluctantly said "Guess there's no helping it….. 'K I got to go help Hinata pack! Bye!" Naruto said in a false cheery voice as he ran off in the opposite direction.
Sakura watched as he disappeared. She threw one last look at the path he had run down until she continued herself.
Everyone was on time. Even Kakashi. Sunlight shined brightly on their faces as it entered the Konoha Gate. When the low rumbling of the gate stopped, they all leaped into action, without waiting for a signal.
There was silence as the team jumped through the dense foliage they knew so well. Naruto too was immersed in his thoughts. They were going to rescue Sasuke. They may not survive. He flinched at the thought. He knew it was true. He glanced at Hinata. He had heard from Sakura how much stronger she was but he still feared for her. They had started dating a few months back and were now inseparable. Everytime she went on a mission, Naruto would anxiously wait. If she was gone more than a week he would storm into Tsunade's office and demand that she send in another team with him on it. Normally, being on her team would calm him down. Not this time. The last time they had encountered Sasuke he had been powerful beyond comprehension. Would so many members make a difference? Hinata, please, don't die, he thought to himself.
"Oi stop at the first clearing we see. We're almost at the border and we need to plan out our formation," Shikamaru called out from the front.
"Hai"
By the time they had found a clearing it was sunset. The clearing was barren save for some dry grass. Shikamaru laid out a paper with dots on them and their names written.
"We'll be travelling in a vaguely single file formation. Neji will be the front guard because of his Byakugan. He will be followed by Kakashi and then me. Ino will be behind Kakashi and Sakura in the centre so that she has easy access to any one who needs medical attention. She will be followed by Lee. Hinata will come last as our rear guard.
Shino and Kiba will be scouts and warn us of any traps that will be troublesome. Naruto will follow behind us as he is the clumsiest and it will be troublesome if he steps on one. Also he will cover all of our tracks," Shikamaru said, ignoring Naruto's furious face.
"Sounds good to me," Kakashi said, his head hidden behind Icha Icha Paradise. "Everyone get into formation"
"Hai!"
The sun flared murderously over the sandy wasteland. The team had been travelling in the desert for a week. They had reasoned out that Sasuke would probably be close to Sunagakure and so decided to head over there. They would reach Suna in about two days time, if they were lucky and did not get caught in a sandstorm. Kakashi had not been to Suna since an S-rank mission a year back. It had lasted a week and he had missed the weekly issue of Icha Icha Paradise. He would probably miss more this time. Kakashi sighed. From what he had heard from Naruto and Sakura about Sasuke, he would not hesitate to kill them. Maybe he was beyond saving. No. He had lost his team once. He would not lose them again.
He would make it like old days. After a long mission they would all go to Ichiraku's and inform Naruto that he was paying only on his fifth bowl. Naruto would be furious andSasuke would call him a dobe. Soon they would both be punching and kicking violently at each other. Just as it would reach its climax, Sakura would punch both them on their heads.Sakura.Would she be able to carry out the mission, without her feelings getting in the way? She had changed from the 12-year old girl that had to be protected. But would she be able to face Sasuke. Most people thought she had grown out of Sasuke. But Naruto and him knew better. Even Ino knew. She still loved him.
Be strong, Sakura, he thought
Well that''s the end of the first chapter. Please review and tell me what you think. I'll try to update by next Sunday. Cya!
