Chapter 6: Good bye my good friend
--
Summary: At the ages before five, a young girl learnt the way of her family. After the ages of five, she had no family. Living up to her dead parents' expectations, the young girl must pass many trials before being forgiven by them. Sasusaku.
--
'Thoughts'
'Inner selves'
"Talking"
FLASH BACK…
P.O.V
DREAMING SEQUENCE…
--
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.
--
Recap:
"Finally, Sakura, like Shino you did not have the chance to fight, however from your preliminary match that I saw, you have wide knowledge of jutsus and how different techniques work. When I ordered you to go and bring Sasuke back during the incident as well as stop the Suna genins you complied and took action immediately, asking me to alert Naruto and another genin, knowing that if you came in too late, it could have meant the end of your team mate. At the end of the war, though you had multiple broken bones, bruises and severe loss of blood you carried your team mates all the way up to where the jounins were for them to seek medical treatment, and apparently the fight with the Sand kids was going on in a forest at least 10 kilometers away from where the jounins were; thus basically completing an A-ranked mission. You have incredible strength and have a level head; with great knowledge, and by a unanimous decision by each of the examiners, you have become a chuunin" Genma announced.
"I what?" Sakura muttered, over taken by shock.
'That pink haired girl beat me, a Hyuuga?!' Neji really despised that girl a great deal now.
"You heard me, you have become a chuunin" Genma smiled "You deserve it, according to Iruka-san, you excelled at the ninja arts in the academy and worked hard, along with Sasuke"
"Aww…how come Sakura-chan gets to be a chuunin and I don't? I brought Tsunade-baa-chan back to Konoha" Naruto whined, not noticing the still shock stricken girl.
'I beat them in becoming a chuunin! SHANNARO!!' Sakura smirked.
"Ne, Sakura-chan, what are you smirking about?" Naruto asked.
"Err….nothing at all, just happy that I'm a chuunin" Sakura smiled forcefully 'SHANNARO!!! Finally after all the training you did you have become a chuunin!' 'The inner Sakura' cheered.
"Well, now you guys will receive your chuunin vests" the female elder announced as Shizune went some where, presumably to get the vests. That theory confirmed when the woman came back into the office with three vests and giving it to the new chuunin.
"Congratulations" Tsunade smiled as she watched Sasuke and Shikamaru put on their vests while Sakura held hers in her hands "Ne, Sakura-chan, you aren't going to put yours on?" Tsunade asked.
"Hmm? Oh right" Sakura nodded as she slipped the green vest around her form.
"Eh? Sakura-chan, you are so Kawaii!" Naruto squealed before he enveloped the girl in a big hug.
"Nani? Let me go please" Sakura pleaded; it seemed she could really tolerate the boy who actually released the girl willingly.
"Ne, ne Sakura-chan in celebration of you and teme becoming chuunin, let's go out for ramen!" Naruto offered.
"Err…no thanks, I'm going to go train" Sakura declined.
"But Sakura-chan you just got promoted to chuunin, why not just enjoy one day off" Tsunade offered.
"Sorry, but I really must go now" Sakura shook her head before her form disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Has she ever gone with you guys to eat ramen?" Tsunade asked.
"No" Kakashi answered.
"Interesting"
"Even Sasuke-teme doesn't avoid human contact that much" Naruto frowned; Sasuke glared at the boy.
"Human contact?" Kakashi and Tsunade muttered in unison.
--
Sakura continued to train through the hours of the new day working on her taijutsu and ninjutsu, figuring that it was weaker than her genjutsu. The girl continued fighting her clones continuously until each and everyone had vanished into air, until she was tired. Though it was obvious, Sakura could feel Sasuke's aurora near by, watching her every move. Stopping for a moment to catch her breathe, Sakura made a new batch of clones and began the physical brawl once again; eventually killing off her clones in about fifteen minutes. Again the girl stopped for a breathe, breathing in and out, tensing and un-tensing her muscles until she had relaxed and once again was about to perform a Kage Bunshin no jutsu when Sasuke jumped out of the tree and walked towards the girl
"That's enough Sakura" Sasuke ordered "You have been at this for two days already, enough is enough"
"I'm just training" Sakura replied.
"What you are doing is madness, go home get some rest and eat something" Sasuke advised.
"What are you? My doctor?" Sakura scoffed as her hands began to perform the seals for a 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu'.
"I said enough" Sasuke glared as he held her hands in place stopping her from creating any more clones or jutsus "Wake up Sakura; you should know your limit better than anyone. Your body is suffering from fatigue and needs rest, your hands are probably killing form the amount of chakra you have been circulating there, and you have cuts and bruises from the constant 'training'. Time to give your body a chance to rest"
Sakura's eyes widened, and looked at her self, he was right, her body was covered in cuts and bruises, the cuts were bleeding and if she didn't cover them up fast, they would probably get infected. Sighing, the girl nodded and her hands fell to her sides.
"Alright, I'll go home and rest" Sakura nodded.
"No, you are coming with me to the Ichiraku ramen stand and eating something, it's already seven pm" Sasuke scoffed.
"Naruto sent you didn't he?" Sakura sighed.
"Along with Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune, Ino, Kurenai and about roughly nine other people" Sasuke muttered.
"If they wanted me to come eat with them they could have just asked" Sakura frowned.
"They couldn't find you and sent me to find you and drag you to eat with them" Sasuke mumbled.
"What would be in it for you?" Sakura scoffed.
"I endured Naruto's eating habits last time alone, if I am forced to go, you are going down with me" Sasuke glared.
"How about neither of us go?" Sakura suggested.
"Then I'll have dobe knocking at my door demanding that I come and eat with them after I find you" Sasuke replied.
"Well, I'm not going" Sakura muttered as she left the training area.
"Get back here you little shit" Sasuke glared chasing after the fleeing girl.
"Eh? Nani?" Sakura exclaimed as she saw Sasuke come after her "Kuso!" Sakura cursed as she raced away form the boy before she created a genjutsu discreetly and left the boy chasing a clone so she could go home and sleep.
End Recap
--
"I'm sure you want to see it" Naruto smirked, with an evil look in his eyes.
"See what?" Sakura asked; sighing slightly. Team seven had just finished various missions for the day and now they were in some alley way or something, Naruto encouraging them to see something…but Sakura nor Sasuke were exactly sure of what he was going on about.
"See Kakashi-sensei's face! To see what is under that mask of his!" Naruto explained.
"No, not really" Sakura answered.
"How pointless, I'm off" Sasuke muttered leaving his other two team mates. How they still remained a team after Sasuke and Sakura were promoted to Chuunin was beyond them, but they had a sneaking suspicion that their masked sensei was behind it.
"So am I" Sakura announced walking off in the opposite direction to Sasuke.
"Matte, Sasuke-teme, Sakura-chan, but what if he has fish-lips?" Naruto questioned. Both chuunin stopped in their tracks, imagining Kakashi taking off his mask to reveal he had big red pouting fish lips. Both mentally shuddered.
"That's ridiculous Naruto" Sakura scoffed regaining her composure "If Kakashi wants to hide his face, let him do so"
Turning to Sasuke, Naruto could see the boy wavering 'Just need to add one more'
"What if he has really big beaver teeth?" Naruto questioned. Both seemed to have a shiver brought down their spine at the thought of their sensei having big beaver teeth.
"Look, Naruto, we have finished our missions for today, why don't you just go have ramen or something?" Sakura questioned.
"What, Sakura, scared?" Sasuke mocked; oh great the great Uchiha Sasuke was now taking the side of the village idiot.
"Not at all, I just think it is pointless to be doing such a thing when I could be training" Sakura scoffed at the thought.
"Think of this as training, finding information about some one" Sasuke explained.
"My gathering information skills are fine, according to the chuunin exam" Sakura scoffed.
"Did you actually gather information from other sources during that test?" Sasuke asked.
"Well…no…but my point being-"
"Just come with us" Sasuke sighed as he and Naruto grabbed a hold of the girl and dragged her off to find Kakashi.
"Chotto matte, why am I going?" Sakura exclaimed.
"You are a chuunin right?" Sasuke smirked.
"Yea…but….I want to go home…" Sakura stuttered.
"I doubt you would actually go home after you left us" Sasuke scoffed as he let Naruto drag the girl.
"Aww…come on Sakura-chan" Naruto pleaded.
"Just wanted to go home, eat something…and possibly study some jutsus" Sakura muttered.
--
"My, my, this is new" Kakashi smiled form inside the ramen stall "Sakura has decided to join us for ramen, what's the occasion?"
"They dragged me away to here" Sakura muttered trying to remember what they were doing.
"Well…oh well….Itadakimasu" Kakashi smiled as he snapped his chop sticks into two and began to take his mask off to eat catching the attention of his students, which ironically included Sakura, who didn't want to be there at the time. Slowly their hearts raced as Kakashi slowly lifted the top of his mask off his face, bit by bit his mask was about to be taken off. Just a little more….a little more…a little more…just a bit more….
"Hey there Sasuke-kun!" Ino squealed jumping in front of their sensei with her team behind her.
"Oh my GAWD!!!" Naruto exclaimed "Move! Move!" Naruto shouted as he and sasuke beat the shit out team seven, trying to get them to move.
"Gozaimasu" Kakashi smiled.
"No way!" Naruto exclaimed.
"He is finished!" Sasuke gasped.
"I never thought any one could be faster than Naruto at eating ramen" Sakura muttered "Well I'm off" Turning back to face her team, she was faced with a ticked off Sasuke and Naruto as well as a confused Team ten and a very flustered and love struck ramen stall owner and his daughter; which left Sakura to conclude that her sensei was probably very handsome of some kind…and something Sakura could care less for. Sighing to her self, the girl left the stall, half expecting her team to come racing after her soon.
--
By a few days later, Sasuke and Naruto hadn't gotten any further with finding out the face of Kakashi, and they partly blamed Sakura who wanted no part in this 'mission' as they called it. Now, they were heading to some farm down South that needed help and repairs or something. So off they were, Naruto very excited, Sasuke and Sakura calm, like usual, nothing out of the ordinary there. About half way they came across a hot spring rest stop, and all agreed to rest and relax there; it was quite odd though, this place; something felt off about it to Sakura, but that was just her. Currently team seven was sitting down to eat something, a massive serving of various sushi; and all though Sakura wouldn't admit it; this was something that interested her a lot, but she hated it a lot, after all it was the last meal she had with her mother and father. As if in slow motion, Naruto picked up the tea pot and tossed it towards Kakashi.
"Whoops, my finger slipped" Naruto faked, aiming to get Kakashi's face with the tea pot when Kakashi tossed the table up to protect himself, tossing all the food off the table.
"Eh?!" Naruto exclaimed as Team seven glared at their sensei.
"Gomen, it was an accident" Kakashi sweatdropped.
"Accident?!"
--
"What are we going to do now teme?" Naruto asked
"I have a plan" Sasuke announced with a smirk. It was a simple plan, go to the hot springs, and because no one wears a mask into the spas, Kakashi will take off his mask, thus they will be able to see. Stripping themselves, they two boys returned to their lockers to put away their clothing when they were confronted with an almost entirely naked Sakura. Quite shocking ne? Well, a girl does have to put away her stuff like the rest and is entitled to enjoy herself every once in a while. Of course, she wasn't entirely naked, there was a towel wrapped around her torso, showing that she had quite the figure, but they already knew that….not that they were looking or anything. Her hair was still in her buns, but her arms were also still wrapped in bandages and her choker was still on, that puzzled both boys.
"S-s-s-s-sakura-c-c-chan" Naruto stuttered, going red, blood tempted to pour out of his nose. Sasuke had a small tint of red on his pale skin, blood ready to fall at any moment; well at least we know he is straight…or bi…
"Hmm?" Sakura turned to face them to find them in nothing but towels, which would be expected in a bath place.
"A-are you g-going to wear your choker and bandages into the pool?" Naruto asked.
"No, I'm taking my choker off now" Sakura answered as her hands raised to take off the choker, the towel rising with her arms, the boys half worried that it would fall off, noticing that the towel just reached below her bottom when her arms raised.
"And your bandages?" Sasuke asked.
"My arms haven't fully healed from training, and are a little open still, so I'm going to keep them on" Sakura answered.
"You aren't allowed clothing on in the bath house" Naruto frowned…aside towels that was; they were allowed into the hot springs…but they had to be house towels.
"I'll just take them off near the hot spring then" Sakura smiled "Well, ja" Sakura waved as she headed into the female side of the pool.
"Well that was interesting" Naruto muttered; his face still beat red.
"Hn" Sasuke nodded as he and Naruto walked into the pool.
--
"Man, it's been a while since I have been in a hot spring" Sakura muttered as her body dipped into the pool. Lifting her arms, Sakura stared at them for a moment before she undid the bandages to reveal that her arms weren't bruised, but were decrypted with various black markings that looked like tattoos. It was basically the mark of the inner Sakura. Sighing, the girl released her hair from its buns and let it fall to her bottom. Man, it seems like ages since the girl released her locks, but it wasn't too long ago that she let them out…in public which she regretted because she could feel eyes on her, but when she turned around there was no one there. Before that, the girl had never really released her hair, forgetting how long it actually was. Holding her hair for a moment, Sakura put her entire body into the water pool before emerging and relaxing on the edge of the pool, letting the bath salts and whatever else in the pool cleanse her body and clean her body of the dirt and muck that had accumulated lately.
--
"This is a brilliant plan teme" Naruto said from under the water.
"Of course it is" Sasuke scoffed, also under the water. Suddenly the door for the bath slid open, telling Sasuke and Naruto that Kakashi was coming out and into the hot spring. Step by step their teacher got closer until he was finally in the pool, coming closer to the boys with a smile; that were advancing closer to see Kakashi.
"Yo" Kakashi smiled when he saw the two boys. Looking towards his face, both boys stared in shock. There was Kakashi, without his mask on, but a towel wrapped around his face instead, with his head band still on.
"Nani?!!?!?!!" Naruto screamed before both boys fell down head over heals, with their heads in the hot spring.
--
"Nani?!!?!?!!" some one screamed from the males hot spring alerting Sakura. It sounded like Naruto's voice, and either he was in great despair or something really shocking happening. Guessing that the boys had failed once again with trying to find out what Kakashi's face looked like, Sakura got out of the pool, putting the bandages back around her arms and her hair back in the two buns before walking out of the spring vicinity where Naruto and Sasuke were coming shutting the door behind them hastily.
"Failed again ne?" Sakura questioned, noticing the odd laughing sound that came from the male hot spring. Both boys glared at the girl; before they realized she was only in a towel…a very wet towel…that stuck to her figure…it was quite an interesting sight. Blushing slightly, Sasuke got up from his position and collected his clothing, not forgetting that he was also basically naked in front of his team while Naruto stayed in his position staring at Sakura, who really didn't understand why both boys were blushing madly…because… the hot springs can only to do much to a person…
Following Sasuke, the girl got her clothing before she went to go get changed and go to sleep. Drying herself properly, the girl went to the room that she got for herself, released her hair and fell asleep assuming that the males of team seven would do so as well.
--
Sunlight poured into the girl's room, as birds chirped their morning song and the morning dew dripped off the tree leaves. Slowly the girl woke up and prepared herself for the day ahead, tying her hair back into the two buns and changing into her ninja attire, the girl packet her bag on her hip and closed the room after she made sure nothing of hers was left in the room, walking out, she was confronted with her team mates and sensei, who seemed to be still really sleepy; that or Sasuke and Naruto were very stressed and still in their sleep wear.
"Ano, I guess I'll meet you guys outside?" Sakura sweatdropped.
"Hai" Naruto muttered as they all went to go change.
--
By the end of the mission, Naruto and Sasuke had failed on countless times to get Kakashi to reveal his face to them, Sakura actually saving their butts with an excuse after Kakashi caught them wearing another ninjas attire, using the other ninjas that were following them as an explanation and with an explanation given, Sakura stepped aside allowing Kakashi to beat the shit out of the 'enemy' ninja and untied her team mates.
"You both really do owe me now" Sakura muttered as she cut the binds on the two boys.
"Shut up" Sasuke muttered.
"Arigato Sakura-chan" Naruto whispered.
--
Again Team seven had another mission, but without Kakashi and it was in the Tea country, and by the end of the mission, let's just say Sasuke was less than thrilled at what happened during the mission and came back with multiple fractures sending him back in hospital; and this time he made sure no Ino or any other genin he knew aside his team wouldn't come in. He was angry at what the former leaf ninja had told him; told him that he was weak compared to the other Uchiha, and that the weakest Uchiha had been left to survive; it angered him, and his curse seal was becoming unsealed, much to the worry of Sakura; and she didn't hear it from Idate after that as well…he kept flirting with the girl…constantly…it proved quite annoying.
After they arrived back into the Village hidden in the Leaves, dropped off their report to Iruka and left, the mood of a certain girl was very damp as Sakura trying to ignore all the Christmas decorations that were hanging all over the town. Sighing to herself, Sakura walked away and began to train in one of the many training spots she had found over the time she had been back in Konoha. You see, because even though she was only ten, she had more male stalkers than she would ever liked, heck they rivaled Sasuke's fan club…and that was really hard to beat…it was almost impossible since the numbers increased every day…well more like every minute. And so with the amount of male stalkers that Sakura had come across, she learned that if she wanted some good training done, she'd either have to train wit her team constantly, which would never happen, or she had to change training grounds every so often to give the fan…stalkers the slip. As her training continued, one day some one who was least expected came by her training ground to grace the girl with her presence. Yamanaka Ino, this was the girl Sakura least expected to meet during one of her training sessions, heck this was the most secluded training area Sakura was able to find in the town, and it was near water which even better so the girl could practice her water jutsus.
"Oi, Sakura" Ino called, which shocked the girl and made her stop her jutsu.
"Nani? What do you want Yamanaka?" Sakura asked 'Why did she call me Sakura? Not Forehead-girl like she usually does?'
"As a request from the Godaime, she wants you to meet her in her office in half an hour, she advised that you clean you self up" Ino answered.
"Is that all?" Sakura asked.
"Hai" Ino nodded.
"Then you can go" Sakura announced as she prepared the water dragon jutsu again.
Without any choice, Ino sighed before she left the blossom to her training which she seemed very in to.
--
"Sakura, tell me, what are your thoughts on Uchiha Sasuke?" The Godaime questioned.
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, confused on what the woman was asking.
"As of late, since you three returned from the Tea Country. He has been slightly off, his anger his growing and so has his distance between people" Tsunade explained.
"I see" Sakura thought for a moment "He is a great shinobi with a lot of potential, he will do anything to complete his ambitions-"
"I know about that, but what about his mental state now?" Tsunade asked.
"Isn't this something you should ask a therapist or something?" Sakura inquired.
"I want a personal opinion from his fellow team mate" Tsunade said.
"Then you could have asked Naruto" Sakura frowned.
"Naruto wouldn't have noticed anything" Tsunade explained.
"You tried him already eh?" Sakura asked, knowing the answer.
"Yea" Tsunade sighed.
"Well, as I said, Uchiha Sasuke is a good shinobi, yes I have noticed his growing distance between people, especially after he and Naruto fought on the hospital roof, and he must have a reason for it, after a while of being around the dobe Sasuke warmed up to us as a team, but I can also see that he is going back to his old self" Sakura said.
"And what are your suggestions on this? What do you think is going to happen?" Tsunade asked.
"Isn't that something you should ask Kakashi, or I should be asking you?" Sakura raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Yes well-"
"Kakashi never came did he?" Sakura sighed.
"You know your team well, don't you" Tsunade sighed.
"Yo" a new but familiar voice popped into the scene.
"And there is Kakashi" Shizune sighed.
"Late as usual ne Kakashi?" Sakura sighed "What was it this time?"
"Err…a black cat crossed my path?" Kakashi chuckled nervously.
"Just sit Kakashi" Tsunade growled. Kakashi complying with the woman's order immediately, not wanting to come in contact with her fists "Anyway as I was saying to Sakura, over the past few weeks Uchiha Sasuke's behaviour has been off, and I want to know your thoughts on it"
"Hmm? Sasuke is just being is own self" Kakashi said.
"He just cut down your sentence to seven words" Tsunade muttered.
"Aa" Sakura sweat dropped.
"But, seriously, yes I have noticed a change in his attitude and behaviour" Kakashi answered.
"Then as his sensei, what do you think should be done about it?" Tsunade asked.
"Monitoring him to find out what he is doing is all we can do really" Kakashi answered.
"Any suggestions on who to monitor him?" Tsunade asked.
"Sakura" Kakashi answered.
"What?" Sakura exclaimed "I don't want to be a stalker of the Uchiha" Sakura glared.
"Not stalking, monitoring" Kakashi sighed.
"Stalking, monitoring, if you ask me it's the same thing just a different word" Sakura muttered.
'Anyway, yes, I recommend that Sakura be the one to monitor him" Kakashi said.
"Why?" Tsunade asked.
"Yea, why me?" Sakura asked.
"Simply because you are the closest to him" Kakashi answered.
"I'm what?" Sakura exclaimed.
"You heard me, you seem to be the closest to him, he trusts you more than you realize, he respects you, he treats you as his closest friend" Kakashi answered.
"You are thinking of the wrong person, Naruto is the one closest to him" Sakura sweatdropped.
"Those two maybe best friends, but they are also rivals, they can't stand to be near each other for too long, but you, Sasuke doesn't mind, you don't annoy him with constant talking or anything" Kakashi explained.
"Demo…I'm never around him long enough…it would be suspicious if I just started following him around" Sakura frowned.
"She's right" Tsunade nodded.
"Not if you send them on a mission together without Naruto; their both chuunin so it won't be too suspicious-"
"But, to have two chuunin on a team…it would seem suspicious, since most teams have at least three, or people go solo, and if it were an easy mission Sasuke would question why two chuunins are being sent instead of genins…and the mission if it is too high would also be suspicious because a mission like a B-rank or A-rank, heck even a C-rank need more than just two people" Sakura frowned.
"How about a training session?" Kakashi suggested.
"For how long? Until he cracks? Unlikely, that'd also be suspicious, I train on my own more often than not" Sakura scowled.
"Must you make this difficult for me?" Kakashi frowned.
"Why not get Ino or someone like that? She's a Sasuke-fan girl, it wouldn't be suspicious if she appeared occasionally" Sakura suggested.
"Also suspicious if she just appears more often than usual" Kakashi shook his head.
"Besides that, why do you think that I'm the closest to Sasuke?" Sakura asked.
"Who did he willingly allow to seal that curse seal?" Kakashi questioned.
"You sealed the curse seal on Sasuke?" Tsunade asked, astonished at what the girl did.
"Yea….I…did…back in the chuunin exams after his preliminary match…I used my own sealing technique for the seal" Sakura sweatdropped, not knowing whether she should tell the truth or not.
"Sugoi! Sakura-chan, you have so much talent!" Shizune exclaimed.
"Eh…."
"Sakura, do you accept this C-rank mission? To monitor Uchiha Sasuke and report in every day about what is happening with the boy" Tsunade questioned.
"Do I have much of a choice?" Sakura muttered.
"Not really" Kakashi smiled.
"Fine, accept" Sakura sighed.
"Good, your mission starts as of immediately, report to me tomorrow at the same time, dismissed" Tsunade nodded.
"Hai" Sakura sighed before walking out of the Hokage tower and down the steps to be confronted by the Uchiha she was supposed to monitor coming up the stair case.
"Sakura?" Sasuke muttered, shocked that she'd be here of all places "What are you doing here?"
"Mission" Sakura answered.
"Many I know the details of the mission?" Sasuke asked.
"You should know by now that mission details are confidential" Sakura scoffed.
"D-rank mission eh?" Sasuke chuckled.
"Hai" Sakura sighed; lying of course "There were no genins around and so they decided to dump it on me, since I was walking casually around town for five minutes to get something to eat after my training"
"Unlucky" Sasuke smirked.
"Shut up Uchiha, don't be surprised if you go up there and get given a D-rank mission" Sakura muttered.
"Then, on second thought, I won't go up there" Sasuke muttered, flowing the girl down the stair case.
"Ano….Sasuke…you've been a little off lately…daijobou?" Sakura muttered, unsure of how to ask the question; having not asked it many times.
"Err…yea, I'm fine" Sasuke nodded "Just been focusing in training lately, I'm sure you know how it is"
"Yea, you want to go training later on? I want to see how I compare against the other top of the rookie nine batch" Sakura smirked.
"My, my, it isn't often I get a request from the great Sakura to train with her" Sasuke sneered.
"Do you accept or not?" Sakura muttered.
"Yea, why not, I do owe you right?" Sasuke smirked.
"My, my, the great Uchiha Sasuke agreeing to train with the great Sakura" Sakura mocked.
"You should be grateful a chuunin like me can spare time to train with his team mates" Sasuke snickered.
"Have you forgotten I am a chuunin too? Remember the green vest on me?" Sakura glared.
"Oh, sorry, I couldn't tell that the vest was a chuunin vest, it blends in so much with that outfit of yours, green is so not your colour" Sasuke insulted.
"Please, you are one to talk, at least I have colour in my fashion, but it is questionable when a straight guy talks about a girls fashion" Sakura sneered.
"Oh you little! As soon as that D-ranked mission is finished you are so going down!" Sasuke glared "But what is the mission?"
"Get Sake for the Godaime" Sakura sighed.
"You just happened to be called up for that?" Sasuke questioned.
"And get food for her pig" Sakura muttered.
"What a mission that is" Sasuke smirked.
"Oh shut up" Sakura glared as she went into the local shop and purchased some sake, saying it was for the Godaime, before getting a bag of pig food for Tonton.
--
"Here you go Tsunade-san, your Sake and food for Tonton like you requested" Sakura lied, noticing the look in the girl's eyes as well as the Uchiha behind her, Tsunade played along.
"Thank you Sakura-chan" Tsunade smiled taking the five bottles of sake and pig food from Sakura.
"You're welcome, now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go kick the Uchiha's ass, hurry it up Uchiha" Sakura bowed before she stepped out with Sasuke on her tail.
"She's good" Tsunade smirked as she poured her self a cup of sake' the sake of course courtesy of the pink haired chuunin herself.
--
Arriving at her training spot she was in this morning the girl went to the opposite side of the area and faced the Uchiha.
"What's this? Secluded, covered by trees, quiet, and quite a nice training area if you were to ask me" Sasuke smirked "No wonder we can never find you"
"You implying something there?" Sakura glared.
"No" Sasuke smirked "Not really"
"Then let's just get this over with, you wanted a sparing match a while ago, here's your chance" Sakura announced.
"Without your weights on" Sasuke scoffed.
"Not until you have beaten me with weights on" Sakura shook her head.
"Fine then, let's begin!" Sasuke declared as he raced towards Sakura, preparing a fire jutsu.
"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu (1)" Sasuke exclaimed.
"Ne? Fire? Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu(2)" Sakura muttered as water blocked the fire and hit Sasuke.
"So this is why you chose here? For the water?" Sasuke mused throwing a couple of kunai towards the girl.
"Well…the water was an added bonus, but I was training her today when I got interrupted by Ino with a call from Tsunade" Sakura explained as she dodged the weapons "Oh come on Sasuke, come up with something better than petty attacks"
"Fine" Sasuke sighed.
The two continued fighting, using their best jutsus against the other, Sakura had eventually taken off the majority of her weights much to the pleasure of Sasuke, which made her faster and stronger, but Sasuke was still able to handle it. As time passed neither had gotten any further and it seemed they were both on the same level.
'Since when did he get so strong?' Sakura glared.
"What upset? That I'm beating you?" Sasuke smirked.
"Shut up!" Sakura shouted as she jumped up and gave him a round house kick.
"Feeling weak are you? Like a burden?" Sasuke mocked.
"Shut up!" Sakura glared as she prepared another water jutsu, making a waterfall to crush the boy.
"Oh my little Saku-chan is getting angry" Sasuke smirked.
"Never call me that ever again" Sakura glared; it was the name her older brother called her, now she absolutely hated that name. Damn she was pissed. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! (3) " Sakura exclaimed as she made multiple copies of herself "Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu! (4)" Sakura glared at the Uchiha as four more clones were made, this time of water.
"Why not?" Sasuke questioned.
"I hate that name" Sakura glared as all the clones ran forth and attacked Sasuke.
"Looks like you really are quite angry today, Kura-chan" Sasuke smirked suddenly all the clones froze before they dispersed, leaving either clouds of smoke or puddles of water with Sakura in the middle of them, either angered, shock stricken or a mixture of both. She knew he was just mocking her, but she couldn't stand it. Walking to where her weights were she picked them up and turned back towards the city.
"I've had enough, I'm going back to the town" Sakura announced.
"Nani? Matte!" Sasuke shouted chasing after the girl.
"What do you want Sasuke?" Sakura glowered.
"What's wrong?" Sasuke questioned.
"It's none of your concern-" Suddenly they were interrupted by four sound ninjas. One resembled a spider, another had two heads, the next was really plump and the final was a female with red hair.
"Did we interrupt something?" the female snickered.
"Who are you?" Sakura glared as she eyed each one "We are the sound four. East gate's Kidoumaru" the spider man smirked.
"West Gate's Sakon" the two faced man smirked.
"South Gate's Jiroubou" the fat guy said.
"North Gate's Tayuya" the female said.
"What do you want?" Sasuke questioned.
"Nothing much-"
"I'm in a foul mood, I'd advise you come back another time" Sakura glared.
"Can't do that little girl" Tayuya smirked, in an instant Sakura was right in front of the red haired woman.
"I dare you to say that again" Sakura breathed, a kunai to the woman's neck.
"That doesn't scare me little girl" Tayuya snickered before she and the sound four disappeared moving at incredible speeds in some formation. Suddenly all four began attacking the two, which they countered easily, but when the rumble cleared all that were there were four legs.
"Oh come now, such hostility" Sakon snickered "We are just here to deliver a message to Sasuke-kun from Orochimaru"
"You want power? Seek Orochimaru" Jiroubou said.
"We are giving you a week to decide" Kidoumaru said.
"If you decide to come, we will be waiting for you at the North Gate" Tayuya finished before the sound ninjas disappeared, and so did Sakura.
--
"What did you find out?" Tsunade asked.
"Nothing out of the usual, for him anyway" Sakura answered "I don't think I should be the one to monitor him, I'm already annoyed with the boy, get Naruto to hang around him, I'm done" With that the girl was out of the Hokage office and back at home in a cloud of smoke.
--
One week had passed since the sound four had come and offered Sasuke power from Orochimaru, neither had made contact with each other aside missions that they had together. Sakura wouldn't talk to him, he wouldn't talk to her. There was basically a wall between the two. With the end of the week coming, Sakura was out training and Sasuke was visiting old places of memory or value to him with a back pack on his shoulders. Waiting at the North gate, Sakura continued to train until dark, not stopping for a break, knowing the Uchiha would pass by here sooner or later, noticing him distance himself from people even more than he use to. Upon hearing foot steps, Sakura figured it was Sasuke, stopped her training and packed up her gear, walking down the path Sasuke was most likely going to go past; after all it was the only path way to the North gate from any where. Walking at a slow pace, pink and black eventually clashed in the middle of the night.
"What are you doing here Sakura?" Sasuke glared.
"Finishing my late night training is all" Sakura answered.
"Of course-"
"So I guess that means you're going right?" Sakura answered, noticing Sasuke take out a kunai "Don't bother Sasuke, I'm not here to fight you, I came from training, and nothing else. I will let you pass"
"Then move aside" Sasuke said.
"Just listen to me for a moment" Sakura pleaded.
"Fine" Sasuke sighed irritably.
"I know you are going, and right now I could stop you if I wanted to, however, I won't. I'd presume that after people have found you left, they will be after you and as a chuunin, I will most likely be one of the shinobi who come after you, however I am not going to do anything to stop you from going" Sakura announced.
"Why?" Sasuke asked, shocked at her declaration.
"Because your revenge is what you have been living for, then I will let you do that, I know what it's like to chase after an ambition, I will not stop you from gaining power. I would guess they'd do a lot of rescue missions to get you, but I promise on my life, that if I am sent with a troop I will only stop the people around you, not you" Sakura declared.
"But why?" Sasuke questioned, not understanding the girl.
"Because you are my closest friend in the village here since I came back" Sakura answered, hugging the boy from the front "You seem to be the only one I have let get close to me, after time, Naruto and Kakashi are close…but I have told you things that I probably would have never told you before" Sakura muttered "And as a friend of yours, I want you to do the best you can do"
"Since you came back?" Sasuke gasped as he looked into the girl's eyes.
"I at one stage lived here" Sakura answered "However, if I let you go, I want you to promise you will come back soon"
"I promise" Sasuke nodded.
"However if you do not come back in five years time, I will personally bring you back and that will be the only time I will interfere" Sakura said.
"Why after five years?" Sasuke asked.
"Because Orochimaru will probably use a transfer jutsu on you to transfer his soul into your body, it needs three years to do that, and for the first two years he will train you" Sakura explained as she let go of Sasuke.
"You are an amazing person" Sasuke said.
"Not as amazing as other people" Sakura muttered.
"But you still are, but I hope you know, you were never a burden to me, arigato" Sasuke smiled one last time for the girl before he knocked the girl unconscious and laid her out on a bench.
--
The next morning the girl awoke with a start, before realizing where she was and what happened the night before. Sighing to herself, she got up and prepared for yet another lonely Christmas.
--
Notes:
-Well this concludes The Strength of the Cherry Blossom –smiles- (reviews gasp) But don't worry, the sequel to this will be coming soon to a computer near you. This was a lead up to that anyway –cheers-
-I hope you liked the this story, because the sequel be even better….I hope –sweatdrops-
-See you next time, Ja ne dolphie-chama, but I will have an epilogue for this story too
Translations:
1) Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu- literally "Fire Release: Mythical Fire Phoenix Technique"
Type: C-rank, Offensive, Close range (0-5m)
Sends multiple balls of flame at the target. It is also possible to hide shurikens within the fireballs, creating an unexpected secondary attack.
2) Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu- literally "Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique" (a.k.a "Water Explosion Technique)
Type: A-rank, Offensive, Mid- to long range (5+m)
A technique used to create a massive blast of water, this technique is Momochi Zabuza's, but when he attempted to use it against Hatake Kakashi, Kakashi used his Sharingan to copy it and use it against Zabuza before he could complete it himself.
3) Kage Bunshin no Jutsu literally "Shadow Clone Technique"
Type: B-rank, Supplementary
Unlike the normal Bunshin no Jutsu (Art of the Doppelganger), this jutsu creates not just an illusion, but real bodies of the ninja. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among the user and every clone. This could be very dangerous if the user is low on chakra or makes many clones (like with Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique), making this technique forbidden), something Naruto doesn't have to worry about, since his chakra supply is very high thanks to the Kyūbi. Kage Bunshin can't be detected by Byakugan (Hyūga Neji states this during his fight with Naruto during the third Chūnin exam). This is because the clones are real bodies with real chakra systems, identical to the user. It can be detected by Sharingan. Because the clones are real they can do real damage and can take some damage themself, being even able to bleed, although they'll still disappear when enough damage has been done, which is usually after one hit.
4) Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu- literally "Water Clone Technique"
Type: C-rank, Supplementary
Creates one or more identical copies of the user out of water. More similar to Kage Bunshin than to a normal Bunshin, these clones are capable of attacking, except each clone's strength is only one-tenth that of the user. Also, the clones can only be controlled within a certain radius of the user.