Yo.

So, only two reviews on the last chapter, hmm? You guys can do better than that! Come on!

Kidding, kidding.

Anyway, response time!

Amouren: I try to add a bit of comedy here and there, so i'm glad I was able to amuse one person.

TheLlama123: You know, I never actually thought of using Menma's summons. It's really tempting, actually. Like, i've always liked them, but I think the problem with them is that they came from the Dark Kyuubi(if I remember correctly), and this Kyuubi isn't the dark one. Btw, how does a malevolent chakra monster get eviler? *Shrugs cluelessly* I like the idea, but there are complications...

Enjoy!


Ghosts of the Past

Chapter 9: Marionettes in the Sand


I used to fear losing everything so much that it haunted my every waking moment. Just the thought of losing every little thing that I had fought for after a life of loneliness was enough to send me into a depressed mess. I did lose everything when Danzo betrayed me, but I survived that, somehow. Now those Ghosts find me again, and I feel the crushing weight of it all coming back to me.


—Sakura

— Konoha Graveyard —

The large statue that was supposed to represent the Will of Fire was a backdrop to the ceremony. It was shaped like a swirling fire and painted a bright red, and down at the last step of the dais, all the families gathered around the gravestones of the fallen in respect. They held the ceremony here because it was supposed to represent the passing of time and that no matter what there would always be a generation to protect Konoha.

Or something like that.

They were lined up, each being handed a Jonin flak jacket one by one, most of them her classmates. "As war with Kumogakure looms closer, it is my honor to present to you the newest generation of protectors of the Will of Fire!" Danzo's voice boomed. "As they head off to war, I wish them all strength and honor as they fight for the good of their village!" Danzo said, standing on a podium to the side. A polite clap came from the crowd. Since it was mostly clan heads—because most of the promotees were heirs—there was an official air to the crowd.

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. It was Danzo's fault that they were going to another war anyway, yet he stood there spouting nonsense about the good of Konoha? He had sent an assassin to assassinate a Lightning Lord. Now Kumogakure shinobi and the Lightning Daimyo's samurai pressed on the Land of Fires' borders. Danzo openly denied the accusation, calling the act of war a slight against Konoha's honor. Yet he was the one who had taken over the Land of Wind, the Land of Rivers, and the Land of Hot Water in unwarranted war. Suna had asked for peace and had been manipulated by Orochimaru, but Danzo attacked anyway, and the other two countries didn't do anything to Konoha, yet they were invaded as well.

Danzo openly denied the accusation, calling the act of war a slight against Konoha's honor. Yet he was the one who had taken over the Land of Wind, the Land of Rivers, and the Land of Hot Water in unwarranted war. Suna had asked for peace and had been manipulated by Orochimaru, but Danzo attacked anyway, and the other two countries didn't do anything to Konoha, yet they were invaded as well.

Everyone knew he was on a campaign of creating an empire, and it was obvious that he was winning. Even then, rebel groups had popped up in every country that he had invaded, but the problem was that Danzo forced the samurai and ninja of the countries to fight in his army. So he basically had people fighting against their own countrymen. It was horrible.

Sakura took her flak jacket, bowing to the crowd and then Danzo; as they had been told to do.

She had been the last one, and Danzo said some closing speech, droning on about the greatness of Konoha. She hated him, and her anger was so blinding that she had to walk out of the graveyard as soon as the congratulatory clapping finished. Sakura stood at the front gate, nursing a headache that was growing in her temples. People filed down the steps and out the gate. Some of the newly promoted jonin that she didn't know were talking to their families excitedly, clutching their flack jackets to their chests or handing it off for others to see.

"Oi, Forehead!" Sakura sighed, turning to the approaching Ino. Sakura noticed the remaining Rookie Nine and their parents behind Ino. Rookie Seven, now. At the reminder that they were down two members, Sakura mused the thought of how different this day would be if Sasuke and Naruto were here. Naruto would jump around and yell excitedly about how awesome being a jonin was. He would brag about how he was one step closer to Hokage, rubbing it into everyone's faces about how great he was. Sasuke would probably act like he didn't care and had deserved the position the whole time, but that smirk on his face would tell her that he was happy, too.

"What is it, Pig?" She really hated being called forehead, especially since she had grown into her 'billboard brow.' Sakura smiled, though, and despite the returned insult, Ino smiled too. "All of us were planning on going out to the steakhouse," Ino said, stopping and gesturing to the group behind her. "You down?" Sakura nodded, "Definitely."

"Then let's go!" Chouji yelled, leading the group with his parents on his heels. Everyone laughed at their enthusiasm. Sakura pushed away all of her worries and allowed herself to smile. Naruto and Sasuke were fine, and she would find them.

She just didn't know what the Hokage would do to them.

That brought another thing she hadn't thought of...

They had left before the wars, but maybe they were onto something when they left...or at least, maybe Naruto knew what kind of man Danzo was. He had been the most loyal out everyone, but he left a few days after Danzo became Hokage.

Which brought the question: How did Naruto of all people come to know what kind of man Danzo was?


— Naruto —

— Land of Wind

The desert went on forever, which felt like an understatement by how many sand dunes he had walked. Add that to the fact that the wind was peppering him in the face with sand and the gusts created waves in the drifts that changed the landscape every hour, and you could see why he looked ready to die. "Are you sure they're here?" He yelled at Itachi, and the wind took the opportunity to put sand down his throat. "Pffffffffft!" He jumped around and stuck his tongue between his lips and tried to blow the sand off. It didn't help. More sand stuck to the end of his tongue, and he spat until his mouth was dry and he left a trail of saliva over a dune. "I hate saaand!" He yelled, his voice echoing for miles. He almost choked on more sand.

"Pull up your mask. It'll help," Itachi said, turning around so Naruto could see the cowl around his mouth and neck. Naruto put his hand over his mouth, then said in a muffled voice, "It's hot." His stare and voice were flat, and Itachi only shrugged at him. He was sticky with sweat, and he might need a chisel to peel his clothes off. His tongue was like a fat piece of leather that slurred his words. "Pick the lesser evil," Itachi said, turning back around. Naruto decided that they were both equally evil, but he also decided that he didn't want to drown with sand stuffed down his throat.

"So you're sure they're out here?" He could already feel the mask sticking to the sweat on his face.

"If I wasn't sure then we wouldn't be out here."

"Touché"

The peaks of mountains were blurred in the horizon, the heat waves making their image dance. The Rocky Peaks was the name of the mountain range, and the tallest was the Sand Tongue—which was to the southeast, more toward Sunagakure. They were headed more west than south, where the base supposedly was.

Naruto crawled up a dune on his hands and knees, panting and wheezing. "I think leaving a Hiraishin kunai behind was the smartest idea i've ever had." He wheezed dryly,"Ever." He couldn't stand the thought of traveling through this desert again. He felt like at any moment he might burst into flame.

Naruto stood up next to Itachi, who had stopped at the top. "How did you know they were here?" He panted, putting his hands on his hips and tilting his head back like it could help him gulp down more air. The sun made him squint and shade his eyes with a hand. "Asking around the right places," Itachi said as he scanned the dunes. He left it at that, sliding down into the dip. Naruto groaned, sliding down after.

Naruto stayed sat on the ground with a leg underneath him and one out front when he reached the bottom. "You didn't kill anyone, did you?" Itachi looked at him like he had killed someone. "Kami, no." He sounded offended, but Naruto just thought that was his heat stroke talking. "That's nice," He said with a droll attitude, crawling over to the other side. He kept his eye on Itachi as he treaded his way up the sand drift. Naruto looked around, his gloves digging into the hot sand, crawling upward reluctantly. "I just find it hard to believe that you found out where rebels are—because rebels have been notoriously picky about who know about their hideouts."

Itachi turned around and stared down at him from uphill, and Naruto looked up when the sand stopped sliding down at his hands. He clapped his lips together and locked his jaw, stopping himself from squeaking in fear. Itachi glared at him, and Naruto could spot the red between the narrow crease of his eyes. "Right, it's not important," Naruto rambled nervously, ducking his head and crawling up the sand dune past Itachi. He breathed easy when he heard Itachi start to walk up behind him. When he reached the top, he stood tall on top of the sand pile, looking out at all the others. "Is it just me or have these things gotten bigger?" Itachi came up next to him, pulling out his waterskin. "Or maybe the heat's getting to me. I told you wearing a mask was a bad idea."

Itachi ignored him, uncorking the waterskin. "Scan the area, please," he said instead, taking a swig. Naruto rolled his eyes, holding out a hand as he changed his chakra to sensory mode and spread it out. Itachi placed the skin in his palm, and he took a drink, too. Lowering the water, he narrowed his eyes. "Snuffed chakra signatures in the sand about a hundred meters in front of us." He reported, taking another drink after in reward. Itachi nodded, taking back the waterskin and corking it. "Guards. Told you they were out here." Itachi glanced at him wryly. Naruto wiggled his dry tongue around; the water having helped lessen his slur. He snorted.

"Suck a fat one." He held up his middle finger to add some damage.

The two locked eyes in a glaring match.

"Let's go meet our new friends, then." Itachi gave up first and again went down the slope, and Naruto followed without complaining, grinning in the wake of his small victory. Itachi usually won those fights.

When they reached a respectable distance from where he had sensed the guards, Naruto pulled out a kunai with a Hiraishin tag wrapped around the handle. He reared his arm back and flung it into the sky. The kunai soared through the air in a high arch, for a moment being blocked out by the sun, and then buried itself in the ground, only about twenty meters away from them. "Eh, I was kinda off," Naruto noted in a little annoyance. He could feel the guards chakra molding, and lines of it were spread through the sand. Strings of chakra on Ninja Wire? Hmmm, as I thought.

Naruto leaped through time-space, appearing at the kunai, shuriken between each of his fingers. As soon as he appeared, puppets burst up out of the sand, rattling and converging on him with gleaming weapons that protruded through their joints, hands, and mouths. Dust clouds floated around as sand plumed into the sky from their movement, and he had also moved immediately, flicking his wrist, sending the shuriken twirling at the puppets. He disappeared in a flash again, and needles hit where he had been half a second after.

Crouched next to Itachi, he watched in satisfaction as some of the puppets fell uselessly to the ground, their ninja wires cut from his shuriken. Some of the puppets had dodged, and they floated in the air as the shuriken meant for them buried into the sand behind them. The sand clouds created by the action started to be blown away by the wind. Slowly, a person rose from the sand, and the sand flowed down his bodysuit to pile at his ankles. He was covered from head to toe in a sand color suit meant to blend him into the terrain. His face was hidden behind a veil, and on the forehead of the hood was a Suna headband.

With his Sharingan, Naruto saw chakra reconnect the wire of the fallen puppets, and they too floated in the air again with the dozen others.

Naruto held up a hand, "Yo." He crinkled his eyes into an eye smile that would've made Kakashi proud. He waved his fingers, his other arm lounging lazily over his knee. "Leave, or i'll be forced to attack!" The Suna Ninja yelled. Sending a glance to Itachi, Naruto lowered his hand to scratch the back of his head. He met Itachi's eye with a prompting raised eyebrow. Itachi stepped forward and lowered his cowl.

"I've come looking for the Kazekage!" He yelled, and the Suna ninja widened his stance.

"And what business would you have with the Kazekage!?"

Naruto put a hand on his chin, pursing his lips to the side and making a thoughtful face. Yeah, he had heard right, he did recognize that voice. He perked, a light bulb turning on above his head. "Hey, Kankuro!" He shot from his crouch, waving his arm around excitedly. Kankuro jumped, surprised. "It's me, Naruto!" Kankuro made a baffled sound, his arms lowering and his shoulders rising in shock. "Naruto!?" He sounded like he didn't believe him, but then he yelled again."You idiot, where have you been all this time!"

The marionettes floated to sit down on the ground; their arms limp in their laps and their legs flopping out in front of them. Kankuro slid down the dune, coming to them. "Gaara's been looking all over for you!" He said as he came up the crest to them, pulling off his hooded veil to reveal his purple painted face and brown hair. Naruto laughed, putting his hands behind his head and leaning on one leg. "I've been a bit busy lately." Kankuro snorted, "Yeah, last I heard you left Konoha and became a missing-nin." He shrugged, "Hell, I can't blame you for what your Kage is doing to the whole continent." Kankuro clenched an angry fist at his side, no doubt thinking about what Danzo had done to the Land of Wind.

He finally seemed to notice Itachi again. "Uh...Naruto." Naruto already knew what he wanted to ask by the deadpanned look on his face, so he put an arm around Itachi's shoulder. "You could say we're kinda bro's now," Naruto said, patting Itachi's shoulder. Itachi shrugged him away, taking a single step to regain some personal space. Naruto remained unfazed. "Does that bro-ship come with the freaky eyes?" Kankuro asked, and Naruto shrugged. "Nah, these were a shitty gift from a snake." Kankuro's expression turned sour at the mention of Orochimaru. "It seems to me that you did get yourself into some pretty shitty business." He said bitterly with a scowl.

"Yeah—So, can we see Gaara?"

"I don't know, things are pretty tight around the base, especially with all the weariness toward outsiders..." He glanced at Itachi at the word outsider. Naruto hummed, reaching out a hand to pat Itachi on the shoulder, but his hand was deftly turned away from. He patted the air anyway. "Itachi here is cool. It turns out he's one of the good guys after all. I know, right!?" He added when Kankuro scrunched up his face in disbelief. Kankuro thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. "Alright, I guess its either have Gaara mad at me or the rest of the guys—and i'd much rather have the rebels mad at me then Gaara."

Kankuro turned around and put his fingers into his mouth. He whistled loudly, and several other shinobi popped out of the sand in the same garb he was in. "Saddle up, boys; we have a long walk ahead!" Naruto groaned.


— The Rocky Peaks: Rebel Base

The Suna Rebels had decided to burrow themselves into the mountains. The base was a complex set of tunnels and rooms, going deep into the earth and high into the mountain, small cubies cut out from the walls to make room for people. Lanterns hung from support beams, and most of the peoples' rooms had just blankets hooked up for doors. They hadn't had a name for this particular mountain before, but now they called it Mt. Haven because it had saved all of them from total slaughter by the Konoha shinobi. That set a grim shade to his face. Konoha was a symbol of peace, but now it was only known for slaughter.

As he walked the winding tunnels, he noticed that it wasn't just people of Sunagakure here. Samurai from the Land of Rivers and the ninja of Tanigakure passed by as well, proudly displaying their headbands and the symbol of their dead Daimyo. Most surprising were the samurai from the Land of Hot Water; who would've had had to cross across the Land of Fire to reach here. He wondered at just how many fighters were under Gaara's command.

If there were a lot of shinobi and samurai, there were even more civilians. They outnumbered the warriors five to one, and they worked just as much as the shinobi and samurai, carrying bundles and boxes under their arms and on their backs. The people swelled in number when they reached a wide open dome. They walked squished together, heading in all directions to the tunnels that led out of the market. Walkways winding up the curve of the dome, and as many people traveled up them as the ground. The shops were grooved into the rock, and bridges spanned across from one side to the other. He heard the sounds of blacksmiths hammers, dickering, and just all around chatter.

There was little space for them to fill into the crowd, yet the people parted for them when Kankuro's team walked out in front of them to push people aside.

They looked at Naruto and Itachi with wide eyes and weary expressions, no doubt recognizing Itachi; which in turn made them not trust Naruto.

"They all wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Gaara," Kankuro said, looking over his shoulder at them with a glance. "He made all of this, cutting out every tunnel and room...with a little help from some Doton Shinobi, of course." Naruto found himself grinning despite the looks he was getting. So Gaara really had changed. He felt himself giddy to see his friend once again after so much had happened. He was excited to see this change for himself.

His smiled set the murmur of the crowd louder, some of the women noting how handsome he was, some men commenting on how powerful he looked, and he heard all of them. He pulled up his mask to hide his blush and a sheepish grin.

The market ended, and they passed some more rooms, these belonging to some of Gaara's commanders and higher ups. Eventually, the rooms ended, and they came to a plain wooden door set into the rock. Kankuro turned around, putting his hands on his hips. "Try not to be as annoying as you usually are..." Naruto sniffed, glaring at Kankuro's mocking grin. "Noted, now fuck off and go stick your dick in your dolls." Kankuro laughed and walked away, patting him on the shoulder.

Naruto said fuck it to formality and just walked in. Natural sunlight blinded him for a moment, and he had to adjust, blinking several times. So they were higher up in the mountain than he thought. The room was actually quite nice, with a carpet in the middle of the flat rock ground and bookshelves lining the walls, full of leather bound books. Boxes of scrolls had been slid between the space of each shelf, open and strewn about. At the back of the room was an oak desk with parchment and books and scrolls scattered about. An inkwell sat at the corner, a brush sitting in a bottle of cleaning alcohol. Behind that was a large glass window that went from the base of the ground to the top of the ceiling, outlined in wood.

Standing there—with his back to them and his hands clasped together—was Gaara looking out the window. "Things have changed, Naruto..." He said, his voice calm. Itachi shut the door behind them as Naruto walked to stand on the carpet. "Yeah, the last three years haven't been the greatest." Gaara turned around, and Naruto found that his facial expressions hadn't changed much. He still had the bags under his eyes—which in truth looked worse now—and he had the same impassive face. Yet his teal eyes shone with a calm and pleasant glow; a huge contrast to the bloodthirsty and insane gleam in them before.

"It's good to see you, but why'd you come now of times? Why not sooner? I could've used your help." Gaara walked around the desk to stand in front of Naruto, his hands still clasped behind his back. Naruto grimaced, "Well, I had to deal with Orochimaru, and Sasuke..." He tried to keep the pain off his face, straightening his mouth into a grim line. Gaara's eyes flicked to Itachi for a moment, "You seem to have the wrong Uchiha with you..." He left his question unsaid, but Naruto knew that Gaara wanted to know what happened.

He sighed, his shoulders sagging and his grief turning his mouth into a frown. "I guess I should tell you what happened."

He told them all of it. About Orochimaru marking him during his search for Tsunade. About Danzo becoming Hokage and charging him with a mission to kill Orochimaru and bring Sasuke home. Sasuke's death. His fight with Kimimaro and Orochimaru forcing the Sharingan on him. His meeting of Itachi and the truth of the Uchiha clan. The only thing he left out was his kiss with Sakura and his talk with the Kyuubi about the attack sixteen years ago.

Gaara listened without expression, as was his way. "I'm sure you know about the war?" He said after Naruto was finished, not asking after a single detail. "I don't know the specifics, but I don't think that matters. Danzo started it, and I want to kill him. That's all I need to know." He said nonchalantly. "Then that's why you're here?" Itachi stepped forward then, "We wish to ask for your help in taking out Danzo and his Root Agents." Gaara regarded him with scarce importance. "If that was possible, then I'd have done it already." He said, monotone.

Naruto took a step to stand next to Itachi, "We plan to ask for the other countries help, as well. I'm sure most will see the importance of getting rid of Danzo." Gaara stared at him for a moment, searching. "And are you prepared to kill Konoha shinobi, Naruto?" Naruto tensed, his body stiffening in discomfort. "No," he admitted through gritted teeth. "Because I won't kill any innocent shinobi. I refuse to let them be fodder for some mad man!" He finished fiercely, letting passion light his onyx eyes. Gaara lifted an eyebrow—which he didn't have—and his eyes glowed with something like mirth. "This is war, you can't hope to think that you can do that?" Naruto smiled, "I don't hope for anything. I know I won't kill anyone loyal to Konoha. I have to become Hokage, after all." A smile characteristic of his old self grew on his face.

"If it comes to it, I will have to kill anyone who threatens my people, Naruto—no matter if they are with Danzo or not." Naruto nodded, grim, but understanding. "I hope to have the lines drawn by then..."

A small smile turned the corners of Gaara's cheeks. "Then I guess I don't have a choice, do I?" Gaara held out a hand. "As stubborn and foolish as always," he said and smiled as Naruto took his hand, "but that's what I like about you."

Naruto grinned back and finally felt like things were looking up again.


Naruto closed Gaara's office door with a click of the handle. Itachi stood with his arms crossed, a solemn look on his thoughtful face. "How do you plan to draw theses 'lines,' Naruto?" He asked, setting him with an austere stare. "I can name a few people who will help us find out who's loyal to Konoha." He knew his old sensei and perverted master would be a part of that group, and last he checked, Tsunade had stayed in Konoha, so he must have lit some patriotism in her. Sakura-chan would help, too...

The thought of his old teammate brought a sharp pain to his chest, and the weight of his guilt almost drove him to his knees.

He looked away for a moment to get back his control, telling himself that now wasn't the time.

Itachi noticed his pain, and it seemed he didn't want to bring it up out of courtesy, but Naruto could see the solemn concern in his eyes. "Just thought of some old...ghost's..." Naruto murmured, letting go of the fabric of his shirt and putting his hand back at his side, fist clenched. "I betrayed a lot of people's trust when I left Konoha..." His eyes colored themselves in disappointment. "I'm just...ashamed of what I did."

"I really am an idiot..."

Itachi put a hand on his shoulder, and the caring serenity on his face surprised him. "We've all made mistakes, Naruto." Itachi smiled, and that was even more of a shock. "But unlike me, you can fix some of yours." Naruto felt gratitude flood him, and he smiled, nodding his head. "Thanks, Itachi." He nodded and took his hand off his shoulder.

"Anyway, since we both have information that might get us more allies, I think I can leave Konoha to you while I work out a way to get Kumogakure on our side." Naruto's eyebrow lifted, "You didn't kill anyone for this information, did you?" Itachi smirked. Naruto gave him a withering glare.

"Well, will you look at that! You are here!" A feminine voice exclaimed. He turned his body sluggishly, having recognized the voice. "Hi, Temari..." He took in a breath, steeling himself. He had always had a bit of...fear for the sandy blonde. "What brings you to this sandy part of the world?" She asked, putting hands on her hips as she grinned at him. Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Grim business, i'm afraid." Temari snorted, "What isn't these days?" She walked closer, almost a head shorter than him, but he eyed her giant metal fan wearily. The thing looked to be a pretty useful tool for a quick punishment of snarky and cheeky remarks.

"I knew you would be handsome one day." She remarked, peering up at his face. He found that hard to believe. She had, after all, been attracted to Sasuke more than him. He found himself blushing under the attention anyway. "I just don't remember the black eyes," she said, giving him a prompting look to explain. She had always been the type of girl who got what she wanted. He was coming to understand why Shikamaru called women troublesome.

"Another time, eh? I just hiked across a desert, and my clothes are more like a second skin than clothes." He pulled on a pant leg to prove his point. She grinned up at him, "Fine then. I'll lead you to some rooms." She finally acknowledged Itachi. "Will you both be sharing a room?" She was teasing him, but Naruto glared anyway. "Separate, please," he grumbled. She patted him on the cheek."Good; i'm sure Sakura-san wouldn't want the bad news of you swinging the other way." She spun on her heels and walked down the hall, leaving him gaping in shock.

Itachi walked after, passing him an amused glance. Naruto scoffed, "What's that supposed to mean." Temari just laughed at him, the laugh echoing down and up the hall.

Naruto took off at a jog, grumbling, and whining.


Sakura —

— Konoha: A Day Later —

"I'm sure you all are aware of how important this mission is?" The Anbu said as he approached, his tone monotone and his eyes peering at them from the slits in his porcelain mask. He was tall, with short, sleek black hair, and pale skin. He was in the Root Anbu uniform, which was a modified version of the regular Anbu uniform, but black. Instead of the standard Ninjato hooked to the back, he carried a Tanto.

Sakura heard Kiba grumble a growling, "Yes." And Hinata squeezed out a bow of apology next to her.

She stood at the village gate with Team 8. Behind them, the gate was open, and a steady flow of farmers and merchants came in, each searched and checked for identification by a shinobi. They had been assigned for a mission together, and she was to be the medic. Shino stood aloofly away from the rest of them, and Kiba lounged on the ground because he had been playing with Akamaru. Hinata stood next to her underneath the shade of one of the gates. They had been catching up on life.

She didn't get enough time to spend with her friends, and Hinata wasn't the talkative type, so Sakura hadn't caught up with her during their Jonin celebration. Hinata had been the only other person without their parents with them that night. So, Sakura had taken notice and asked her about it. Her father had been busy with clan duties, apparently.

I wonder if she still likes Naruto. Sakura thought it odd to hold onto such feelings after all these years, especially since they were just children at the time. What did kids know about love? Sure, they could like someone and have a crush on them, but love...was much more complicated.

She had long ago gave up on her feelings for Sasuke, especially after that night.

The Root Anbu cleared his throat. "Well, then, i'm sure you all understand your places?" How could someone sound so boring when they talked? They all nodded.

They were headed to the Land of Wind, specifically to the mountains to the west of Sunagakure, where it was said that Suna rebel activity was reported. Team 8 was being used for tracking since they were the best tracking team Konoha had. Even though the were all Jonin now, they still worked as a three man cell because that was how well they worked together. Team 10 was the same.

They would all probably live out the rest of their ninja careers like that.

She felt a small pang of jealousy. Her team hadn't lasted through a year as genin...

They really had been dysfunctional.

"We have to meet up with Platoons 7 and 9 in four days, so we will only take periodic breaks." He nodded his head, not caring if they had anything to say. He started toward the gate, and Kiba hopped to his feet, his eyes in a glare as he walked after, Akamaru bounding at his hip. Shino picked up the backpack at his feet and shouldered one of the straps, keeping one of his hands deep in his coat pocket as he silently followed. Hinata shot her a glance and an easy smile, running to catch up.

She stood for a moment, stuck with an odd feeling that was a mix of nostalgia and sadness.

They had all grown up in some way, and Sakura felt like she should've too, but she still held onto a childish hope that one day things would return to normal.

She walked after, lost in the thought of what could've been.


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