Author's note: here you are the new chapter. It has taken me a little longer than the rest because I had to think carefully about the syndicate plot, as it is going to be the mystery part of this story. Just for information, the relationship between Sakura and Kakashi will be developing slowly, starting in the following chapter.
Thank you very much for your comments, follows and favorites. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor any of its characters.
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CHAPTER 5:
Two months had passed since the chunnin exam, and team Kakashi had already performed several B ranked missions successfully. That early morning, the three of them had been summoned to the Hokage's office for a briefing on a new one.
Kakashi knocked on the door and opened it after hearing Tsunade's permission. They entered to discover a very displeased Sakura standing in front of her desk.
"I am not comfortable at all with this, Shishou."
Tsunade looked seriously at her and tried to explain her decision to Sakura. "I understand, but it's the best choice I can think of. Your usual partner for this kind of mission is currently out in one of his own, Shikamaru and Kiba are both already occupied as well, and this mission has arrived out of the blue as a highly prioritized one."
Kakashi could determine that they were to team up with Sakura for a mission and that the kunoichi wasn't willing to.
"Why can't I go solo, then? You know I'd be able to do it, and I'm not included in any bingo book." Offered Sakura.
"Yet. You aren't in any bingo book yet, that we are aware of, but it's only a matter of time and I won't risk you taking this mission on your own. It's S ranked, Sakura." Countered Tsunade.
"Why don't you want us to go with you, Sakura-Chan?" asked Naruto with hurt showing on his face and voice.
Sakura struggled. She didn't want to hurt Naruto, he wasn't the cause of her discomfort about the situation. Then, an idea came to the front of her mind and she tried to change her strategy.
"This mission would only require two people. Can Naruto come with me alone?"
"No, Sakura." Denied the Hokage. "Naruto has no experience in this field. I concede that Kakashi alone would make it, but I think it's a good opportunity for Naruto and Sasuke to earn some experience in an indirect way. Besides, you four were going to be partnered for a mission sooner or later. You will lead this one, if it makes you feel better."
The room remained quiet for a few seconds. Sakura seemed resigned, Naruto and Sasuke were trying to decipher what kind of mission they were talking about and Kakashi had already determined that it should be some kind of undercover plan.
"OK then, if that's your final decision." The kunoichi begrudgingly accepted.
"It is."Tsunade said. Next, she addressed the three men in her office. "You are to leave in two hours to Kusagakure. We have been requested to approach a member of a syndicate that has been causing problems to Kusa for a while. He is to be interrogated about his organization and gotten rid of. It has to be done as quietly as possible and no Kusa's nor Konoha's involvement can be known." Finally she turned to Sakura again and concluded: "You know what to do. As I have already said, you are the leader for this one. Don't let me down."
"I won't Shishou." Answered Sakura, determined. She told the men to meet her in two hours at Konoha's gates, picked the scroll with the mission's details from Tsunade and they all went separate ways to pack.
--
They left as agreed and started the two days' trip to Kusagakure. Sakura was still a little uncomfortable about the presence of Sasuke and Kakashi on this mission, but she supposed it was something she'd have to get used to. She had to be professional and leave personal issues apart.
Naruto made some attempts to lighten the mood of Sakura in the first part of the journey and it helped her to relax a bit. His presence was very welcomed by the kunoichi.
They stopped for the night just a few hours from the border with Grass country, the mission scroll indicating that they were to arrive the afternoon of the next day. A fire was set for them to have a light dinner and they proceeded to discuss the details of the mission.
"Ne, Sakura-Chan, what are we going to do?" Asked Naruto, smiling at her, but curiosity was present in his eyes.
"According to the intel from the scroll, our target will be at a local pub tomorrow evening.
Kakashi will be in the pub, disguised, as he is included in the bingo books, and will watch our target and help me to isolate him if my initial plan fails.
Naruto and Sasuke, you two will be patrolling the woods surrounding the city and will support us if needed. Also, you will alert us if you see any suspicious. We will all be connected through ear communicators, but please don't distract me.
My main plan consists of catching his attention and leading him to a private place for me to be able to interrogate him and get rid of him."
For a moment, all of them remained in silence once Sakura finished her explanation. The three men were deep in thought and frowning.
"Sakura-Chan are you suggesting that you're going to seduce him to get him alone?" Questioned a little bit confused Naruto.
"It's the sneakiest way to manage it, yes." Provided Sakura.
"Are you going to be comfortable with that?" Kakashi intervened. It wasn't that he couldn't picture her doing it, but it still was novel to him that she wasn't anymore the idealistic girl she once was.
"I wouldn't say comfortable, per se, but I'm fine with it. It's needed and it's not the first time I've got to do something like that."
Kakashi understood her statement. Seduction missions were not the most common ones, but most of the jounin had performed at least one through their careers. What did surprise him, though, was that she was a usual for this kind of mission.
"But…" Naruto was still confused. "Why does it have to be you? Couldn't O bāchan find someone else?"
Sakura laughed softly at his protectiveness. "It has to be me because I am a medic-nin, which allows me to administer drugs for the interrogation and end him making it look like a natural death; and I am a young woman, which suggests that I am a lesser threat. You don't have to worry about me, Naruto."
"How do you simulate a natural death?" Sasuke had been attentively listening, but this was the first time he intervened in the conversation.
"Causing damages with chakra similar to the ones produced by a heart attack. It's not something that we medic-nins like to do, as our vocation is to use our medical knowledge to heal, but it's something we are capable of."
Sasuke filed this information for him to not go against a medic-nin, if possible; Naruto shuddered, probably thinking something in the same line as Sasuke.
It all made sense now for Kakashi. With Sakura's skills in the medical field, her knowledge of drugs and her appearance, she was perfect for seduction and interrogation missions. He had to admit it, she had grown quite a beautiful young woman, exotic, with her pink hair and sultry green eyes; and if her act skills were good, it all made her quite a dangerous kunoichi to have on your side.
"OK, enough explanations for one night." Concluded Sakura. "I'll take first watch. Naruto, would you take the second one?"
"I will, Sakura-Chan." He answered, finally relaxing and smiling.
"I'll take third." Offered Sasuke.
"OK, that leaves the final one for me. Let's rest." Kakashi said while laying on his bedroll and closing his eyes. He thought for a moment, before letting sleep claim him, that Sakura had learnt skills that he wouldn't have been able to provide her, and it made him feel strange. He felt happy for her, but there was an underlying feeling of disappointment as well, and the latter bothered him, because he didn't know where it came from.
--
The copy-nin awakened them at dawn and, after a sparse breakfast, they resumed their travel. They stopped at the surroundings of Kusagakure for Sakura and Kakashi to disguise themselves.
Kakashi henged into an anodyne men with brown hair and eyes, and Sakura used a partial henge to change her hair color to black and conceal her Yin seal.
The four of them put on the ear plugs and Kakashi and Sakura left separately.
Kakashi was seated on a corner stool of the pub, where he was able to see all. He had located their target, according to the description provided in the mission scroll; he was situated in one of the round tables that were scattered around the place.
The copy-nin observed Sakura entering the pub and taking a seat in a stool in the middle of the bar, alone. She ordered a colorful cocktail and no ten minutes had passed when a man approached her and whispered something at her, smirking. She shook her head with a small smile and the man left. Then, she turned in the stool and made eye contact with the target, but continued her visual sweep of the place and returned to her initial position, with her back to the rest of the pub. Kakashi could see how their target continued looking at her, stood and headed towards her. He had to admit it, she was good at this, as she seemed to have understood that the better way to seduce someone is making them believe that they are the ones seducing you.
Sakura and their target shared a drink and talked for a little while, she giggled at his comments encouragely. When their glasses were nearly empty, he leaned towards her and whispered something that made Sakura blush.
Oh, she was good, indeed, thought Kakasahi, guessing what their target has suggested to her and appreciating her act of an innocent and flustered girl.
She looked hesitant at first, but after a few more words from the man, Sakura nodded smiling shyly. The two of them stood and headed to the exit of the pub.
Kakashi followed them discreetly and stayed in the shadows out of the motel they had entered.
Naruto and Sasuke had been patrolling, quiet and attentive, as they had been told to. They had listened to it all through their communicators and were astonished to discover Sakura's act skills.
The three men connected to Sakura by ear plugs could hear how their target and her got to his motel room, making small talk in the way there, and once they heard a door closing, the situation turned a little uncomfortable for them. No conversation was heard anymore, only noises of kissing, clothes being discarded, gasps and moans; until a stronger gasp from their target was heard and then silence.
A few moments later, they could hear Sakura starting the interrogation and the man answering her undoubtedly and with a tone of voice that suggested that he was in some kind of trance. What they heard him confess was worrying and more complicated than any of them could have thought. Once Sakura's questions were answered, silence took their communicators for a moment again, until Sakura said: "It's done. Meeting point in five minutes."
They all fled to the earlier agreed location and, the moment they were all reunited, they ran back to Konoha.
Sakura was leading their retinue in silence, internalizing all the information the man had spilled out. It seemed that this syndicate was quite more dangerous than previously thought, if the information she had just acquired was true.
They kept running until they reached Fire country again, and stopped to rest for a while, just a few hours before dawn.
"You can all sleep if you want and I'll keep watch. I'm not tired at all." She told them, sitting on the ground and resting her back on a tree.
"No, Sakura-Chan." Denied Naruto. "I don't think I'm able to sleep right now. Are you alright?" He asked, a little concerned.
She looked at him while he seated by her side and couldn't fight a small smile to form on her face.
"I'm a little worried about what the target told, but apart from that, I'm fine, Naruto."
Kakashi and Sasuke seated down in front of them. None of them willing nor able to sleep, preoccupied as well.
"The Godaime sure will be interested to learn about it." Provided Kakashi. Then, he stared at Sakura and told her: "Impeccable work, Sakura. Where did you learn to act like that?"
Sakura giggled, looked back at him mischievously and answered: "My first partner for a mission thi kind was generous enough to share his wisdom with me."
"Could you enlighten us a bit here?" Sasuke requested. He looked interested and more talkative than Sakura had ever sawn him. It appeared that he was calmer and more open out of Konoha. He added: "I mean, since the Hokage wanted this mission to be educative for Naruto and me, I would like to know your methods, to avoid them if I am to be targeted any time."
That must had been the longest Sakura had ever heard him talk.
"Oh, I think you are quite a professional avoiding seduction attempts, Sasuke, if you are able to keep your girl fans at bay, I think you'll manage well." She teased him.
"Hn." He put on a sarcastic grimace. "Those are too evident. I am talking about the method you had used tonight, discreet and manipulative."
She thought for a moment and looked carefully at Kakashi and Naruto.
"Yeah, Sakura-Chan, please. This is Teme's and mine first mission of this sort, so share the wisdom!" Demanded Naruto, eagerly.
She was hesitant and addressed Kakashi: "Sure you could tell them, they are your students, not mine." She said, trying to avoid the talk.
"Oh, no!" Exclaimed Kakashi, smugness clear in his voice and visible eye. "You're the leader here, it comes with the position to help your mission partners to improve their skills."
She snorted and glared at Kakashi. He was enjoying this situation too much. Finally, she sighed and conceded.
"OK...The first thing when seducing someone is to analyze your target's likes, if possible. I mean, not everybody finds appealing the same, usually men prefer to be the ones approaching women, but there are some men who enjoy being seduced as well. Then, personality preferences are important too, is he attracted to shy or bold women? Is he looking for something easy or does he enjoy the hunt?. For all of this, it is needed time, which usually is a given in a strictly seduction mission.
If you don't have the time to learn about your target, like tonight, proceed carefully and stick to the basics."
"Which are the basics, Sakura-Chan?" Naruto inquired.
"Umm, I don't know how to explain it delicately, so I am going to tell you what I was told once, although it only applies for men: Make them think they are the ones seducing you, be a lady when in public and bold in the bedroom, and that the most vulnerable moment for a man is when he has a woman on her knees going down on him." She grinned at that last part.
Naruto and Sasuke were blushing red. Kakashi was already guessing who her first partner and instructor was, but he had to agree with what Sakura had explained; he also deduced that it had been at the 'most vulnerable moment' of their target that she had taken the opportunity to drug him.
"And for women, which are the basics?" Asked Naruto, still very embarrassed.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Retorted Sakura winking at him and laughing softly. She sobered herself and provided: "For women, politeness, tactful sense of humor and respect usually work for a first approach."
"But... Don't you feel dirty when seducing a target, Sakura-Chan? I mean, I know you didn't sleep with him and that it was the more discreet way of getting him alone and vulnerable, but…" Naruto's embarrassment and hesitance were obvious.
"No, Naruto, I don't feel dirty, not anymore, at least. We are shinobi and our bodies are weapons for us to use, it doesn't matter how we use it. The sooner you understand this and learn how to consider it as just work, the better. Do you enjoy killing or hurting people?" He shook his head energetically at her query. "Seduction is the same, you don't have to enjoy it, but it is sometimes needed. Any more questions?" She looked at all of them inquisitively.
"No, Sakura-Chan. I think for now it is more than enough." Naruto answered, still flushed.
"Agreed." Was all that Sasuke managed to say. He was blushing as well, an extremely rare occurrence to him.
"I don't know why you two are so embarrassed about this, being both your senseis renown perverts." She teased them.
"Oi!" Exclaimed Kakashi feigning outrage, but Sakura was able to see his masked amused smile.
"Then, we should resume our trip back home. I want to report to Shishou as soon as possible."
As everyone agreed, they left and headed to Konoha.
--
They arrived late evening the following day, as they had stopped only to have a light lunch, and they went directly to report to Tsunade.
"Well, how did it go?" Was the first question from the Godaime as soon as they entered her office. Concern was written in all their faces.
"The mission has been successful, Shishou, but if what the target confessed can be confirmed, that syndicate is more dangerous than anyone has thought." Sakura started her report.
"How so?" Inquired Tsunade , catching up with the worry in the environment.
"He said that their leader is able to steal the chakra and jutsus from their enemies and pass it to his more loyal followers or keep it to himself. The target was not one of the high ranked members of the syndicate, so he hadn't been a recipient for any of the stolen skills and chakra, but it seems that four of the highest ranked members are quite powerful right now and they believe their leader to be some kind of god."
Tsunade frowned. "It is very disturbing, indeed." She remained quiet for a moment, deep in thought. "I will share this information with our contractors and offer them more help in order to investigate the matter. In the meantime, get some rest and research what you are able about chakra stealing, Sakura. I had never heard of an ability this kind before. We need to understand how it works in order to find a way to contrarrest it. I want a full report tomorrow as soon as you are able to have it."
"Yes, Shihou." Sakura agreed with a nod.
"I may be able to help, Tsunade-sama." Offered Kakashi.
"Perfect, then. Help Sakura with the research and come to me as soon as you have the slightest hypothesis. You are all dismissed."
The four of them exited Hokage's office and headed to their homes. Once in the street, Kakashi addressed Sakura: "I will start looking for information at the library tomorrow. You write the report and we can meet early morning the day after tomorrow in the jounin headquarters' rest room."
"OK. I don't know if I will have a shift in the hospital, but I'll let you know." Sakura was a little hesitant to work with him alone, but she supposed it was only another test to pass for her.
All said, they went to rest. They would need it for the days to come.