The Nine
Chapter 1
Sakura hated having to work late at the hospital. Walking down the empty corridors at night always gave her a sense of unease. Maybe her fears of the dark when she was younger were still lingering even after so long?
Even so, she was a ninja and ninjas aren't meant to be scared of the dark. So every late shift she took on that uneasiness with full force and didn't look back.
Conquering her fear every night gave her a sense of accomplishment, making her hard day of writing reports and checking on patients a little less tedious. But alas, managing to walk down one of a creepy corridor to another every night can lose its victorious edge fast. It was nothing compared to toppling a band of rogue ninjas or defeating an opponent twice her size.
In all truth, she was bored.
She was bored of her routine every single day. She was bored of eating the same mediocre meals every night. And finally, she was bored of writing similar reports every evening.
Sakura could understand why Tsunade stationed her at the hospital as the head medic, she was the best medic ninja of her generation, but damn she regretted agreeing to take on the job.
She missed the good old days of meeting her team, doing a C –Rank or D-Rank, preferably the former considering the nature of the latter, and just being able to socialise more with her friends and comrades. Nowadays she was cooped up inside an office filing papers, writing her signature and on the odd occasion she would meet with a severe-conditioned patient that needed her expertise.
In her opinion, her teammates got the bigger straws on this draw. Well, maybe not Sasuke.
Sasuke hasn't been seen in 2 years. Not since the final battle of the last war. Tsunade has sent many hunter-nin teams after him but none have found any trace. Akatsuki was gone, and so was Oto, so where else could he go?
Naruto was another story. After the war 2 years ago he continued to push himself. He reached Jounin in record time considering his late start in attempting it. He was the last of the Rookies to turn Jounin so a big celebration was held. Sakura still couldn't remember how she ended up on Naruto's sofa in the morning. After Jounin, he was given the offer of a Genin team but he refused straight out not wanting the responsibility. He focused mainly on his newly found skill in swordsmanship. Sakura remembered that he had a sword on his wall last time she visited; she just had no idea where he got it from. Perhaps it was a battle trophy?
Thinking of her blonde teammate made her realise she hasn't seen him in a week. Looking around the street she was walking down, she noticed that Naruto's apartment block wasn't too far away. Knowing Naruto, he'd still be up even though it was quite late so Sakura didn't feel too guilty about knocking at this time of night. Nodding to herself, she channelled chakra into her legs and leapt gracefully onto a nearby rooftop.
Taking off into a chakra-enhanced dash across the rooftops, Sakura bathed in the wind enveloping her slender form from the speed she was travelling. It felt good to finally let loose and feel like a proper ninja again.
Sakura hadn't actually been in a proper battle in over a year, the last time being a small ninja coup d'état trying to take over the government in Bear Country. And even that was taking on Chuunin level ninjas at best.
Her reminiscing was cut short as Naruto's apartment block came into view. With one final leap she sailed through the air and landed gracefully with her legs bent outside the door to his apartment.
This apartment block was a definite improvement from the last one, the doors actually locked properly for one. The people were nicer as well; Naruto's neighbours were an older couple and a newly-promoted Chuunin. Sakura got on quite well with the old couple; they recognised her and greeted her every time they saw her.
Straightening out her clothes, which consisted of black skin-tight shorts with a cream short skirt on top and a pink skin-tight t-shirt, she knocked on the door.
She waited patiently for several minutes bouncing on the balls of her feet waiting for the door to open. After a while she became impatient.
'Maybe he's not home?' She thought. But to her knowledge, Naruto was on village lockdown after some argument he had with the council so that couldn't be it.
Curiosity getting the best of her, she decided to break into his apartment. Well it wasn't really 'breaking' in; she was just letting herself in, really she was. Walking to the edge of the balcony that held the doors to each apartment, she jumped onto the wooden railing and lent over the edge. If memory served her right, Naruto's apartment should be the 5th window at the back of the building if she came from this side.
Channelling chakra into her feet she began walking along the side of the apartment building. Navigating around any windows she came across, she eventually came to the edge of the structure. Peeking around the corner, to make sure no one was looking out their window as what she was doing was quite suspicious considering the time of night, she placed her foot onto the next side of the building and then made her way further along the rough surface.
Counting the windows as she moved, she eventually came to the 5th. To her luck it was left wide open, beckoning her entrance to ease her curious mind.
Jumping inside, she realised she landed in his bedroom. Looking around she noticed it was pretty clean, considering Naruto's history of leaving a mess whether it consisted of microwaveable meal packets or scrolls. Glancing at the open door leading to the hallway, her eye caught side of an empty wall mount. Didn't there used to be a sword there?
Filing away the information for a later date she continued her investigation into the whereabouts of the Uzumaki.
Making her way down the corridor she noticed that none of the lights were on, confirming that he wasn't home at all. Reaching the living room, which was tidy also, she turned on the light and walked into the kitchen.
It was a pretty nice kitchen, well kept at least. It wasn't a fancy kitchen at all, but it had a homey feel that Sakura liked. She remembered teaching Naruto how to actually cook a proper meal in here years ago and how he just couldn't understand the point of cooking vegetables rather than eating them raw. He said it was just easier to eat them like fruit. She chuckled to herself at the memory, and then she got a little bit sad. Those days seemed so far away now, everything had changed, and they were older now.
Putting those thoughts aside, she continued her search of Naruto's apartment. She needed to find a clue as to where he'd gone. The last place to look would be the bathroom.
Walking back down the corridor she came from she stepped into the empty bathroom and turned on the light.
Nothing of interest really stood out to her. That was until she looked at the bathroom sink. Inside was a headband with a metal plate on it that had the leaf insignia engraved upon it.
That headband was Naruto's.
Why would he leave it behind? Especially if he was going on a mission, ninjas represented their country and village when they left their village so wearing the headband was mandatory.
Picking it up, she narrowed her eyes in thought. This wasn't Naruto, something was wrong.
As she turned to make her way out of his apartment, she stepped on a crumpled piece of paper. Lifting her foot, she bent down to pick it up. Unfolding it, she looked at the paper in her hands. On it was some writing, it looked like it was written in a hurry.
4 and 5 have been taken, we need you. They're back.
8.
Sakura narrowed her eyes in thought. What could this mean? Who or what were the numbers? Too many questions raced through her mind and sensing the severity of the note she couldn't waste time trying to figure it out. She had to see the Hokage.
Pocketing the piece of paper, Sakura made her way back to the open bedroom window with haste. She jumped through head first without breaking pace and rolled mid-air to land deftly on her feet on the dusty ground below.
Pushing off her foot she broke out in a chakra-enhanced sprint through the streets of Konoha. Normally ninja were unable to run through the streets due to the amount of civilians and merchants roaming the roads and marketplaces.
Within minutes she was within sight of the Hokage Tower. Jumping onto a nearby rooftop she then jumped onto the next building, readying herself to make the leap to the Hokage Office's window. Increasing her speed she reached the edge of the last building before the Hokage Tower's main steps and courtyard within seconds. She bent her legs and extended them with an explosive burst of chakra to allow her to leap high enough to reach the window. Reaching out with her hand she grabbed the windowsill as she began to fall. Her jump was slightly short it seems.
Sakura cursed under her breath, her lack of training recently was catching up with her. She was slightly out of breath too.
She pulled herself up to allow her head view over the windowsill for her vision to be met with the end of a ninja-to. Moving her gaze to the wielder of the blade she found herself looking into the empty gaze of an ANBU mask.
"Stand down, let her in." The ANBU withdrew his blade from Sakura's face and sheathed it with a twirl.
As Sakura began to pull herself up fully, the ANBU offered a hand of assistance. Sakura huffed but accepted none the less.
"Not the welcoming I'm used to, that's for sure," Sakura complained with a sigh. She straightened her clothes, which were now covered in dust and dirt, and looked up to thank the ANBU to only blink in surprise as he had vanished. Damn they were good.
"Well most visitors tend to use the door when meeting with the Hokage." Tsunade stated angrily, glaring at Sakura's surprised face, "And why are you so shocked? ANBU are supposed to be the best for a reason."
"Right," Sakura looked down with a hint of shame. Many of the ninja she knew have slacked in their training and taken to more social activities in their free time, she included. At least the ANBU of the village were still as skilled as ever, "Sorry for dropping in like this, but there's something I think you should see."
Tsunade looked up from her current piece of endless paperwork, "This better be important. I have a lot of better things to do, like signing all of these 'important' pieces of paper over here," she drawled sarcastically, gesturing at the mountain of paper to her left.
Sakura smirked slightly, she did feel sorry for Tsunade but someone had to do the job, "I think you'll find this sufficiently important, don't worry Tsunade-sama. It concerns Naruto."
"Naruto? What's he done now?" Tsunade asked, narrowing her eyes. That boy was going to send her to an early grave.
Sakura took on a more serious tone. "I went to visit him in his apartment earlier but he didn't answer so I…. let myself in," She took a seat in one of the two seats opposite the Hokage's desk and continued her story, "I searched around the place, and he was nowhere to be found. Also, I noticed that sword he has was missing off of his wall."
Tsunade intertwined her fingers and lent on her elbows in thought. "He hasn't used that in years, why would he need it now?"
Sakura nodded in agreement, "That's what I thought too. Anyway, I searched around the place to see if I could find any clue as to where he went. I didn't find anything out of the ordinary, until I came to his bathroom."
"What did you find?" Tsunade asked impatiently.
Sakura shifted in her seat and continued, "I found his headband in the bathroom sink along with this note on the floor." She leaned over and handed Tsunade the crumpled note.
Tsunade quickly read it and placed it on her desk. She closed her eyes in thought.
"What does it mean? Who's back?" Sakura asked, leaning back in her seat.
Tsunade sighed heavily, racking her brain for the answers. This was so sudden and out of the blue. She saw Naruto just yesterday and he seemed fine. Sighing once more she opened her top drawer and pulled out her secret stash of sake with two cups.
Placing them on the table, she filled up both cups and then downed hers instantly. "I don't know Sakura, but it doesn't seem good."
Sakura's brow furrowed in worry, was Naruto in trouble? Pushing those thoughts aside for now, she picked up her offered cup of sake and took a sip, relaxing as the warm fluid flowed down her throat. "What do the numbers in the note mean anyway?" She asked, glancing at Tsunade's frustrated features.
Tsunade picked up the note once more and thought for a second, "I don't know but it does seem familiar. I remember seeing something similar somewhere, I just can't think where."
Sakura thought for a moment, "Perhaps the numbers refer to individuals?" She rubbed the back of her neck in thought, where was Shikamaru when you needed him?
Tsunade snapped her head up in realization, "Sakura you're a genius!" She jumped out of her seat and moved swiftly to the small bookshelf situated at the right wall.
"I am?" Sakura asked, confused at the sudden change of Tsunade's posture.
"I remember where I've seen that kind of number reference before." Tsunade ran her finger along the books in the bookshelf until she stopped at one and pulled it out. It was a small leather book, probably a few years old at the least. It was tied shut with a small leather binding.
Sakura watched as Tsunade made her way back to her seat, untying the binding as she moved. "What's that?" She asked.
As Tsunade sat down, she placed the book on the table and opened it to a random page. "This is Naruto's journal from the last war. He started writing it after his first major battle. You could call it an "Uzumaki Memoir" I guess." She explained amusedly.
Sakura blinked confusedly, watching as Tsunade began to flick through pages. "What's this got to do with the numbers in the note?" She asked.
Tsunade paused in her search through the pages and looked up, "I've read this whole journal, and I remember Naruto using numbers like that before. I just need to find the right page." She explained as she continued her search through the little book.
Sakura nodded dumbly, she didn't even know Naruto had a journal! She grabbed the sake bottle and poured herself another glass.
After a few more minutes of searching, Tsunade suddenly stopped, "Ah ha! Here it is," She handed the book over to Sakura and pointed to a page, "Read that."
Sakura accepted the leather book and began to read from the line she pointed at, "I met 8 and 6 today. Man, 8 was a handful but he's a cool guy. I wished he'd stop rapping though. I thought 1 was gonna rip his hand off when 8 tried to fist-bump him." Sakura stopped reading and looked at Tsunade questioningly. "Who are the people he's talking about?"
Tsunade smiled smugly, "The date on that entry is the same day that Naruto met the 8-tailed and 6-tailed jinchuuriki."
Sakura's eyes widened in realization, "So you're saying the numbers in the note are jinchuuriki? Why do they refer to each other as numbers?" She asked, not understanding why they'd do that.
Tsunade nodded, understanding her confusion, "In the last war, the jinchuuriki were given extra training similar to that of the ANBU. They were made into a special team and were each given a number of ninjas to command. When sending messages to one another they referred to themselves as a number corresponding to their tailed-beast so that the enemy didn't know who it was."
Sakura slumped back into her chair. She did remember Naruto being in a team with some other jinchuuriki but she never knew about their communication tactic. "The note said that 4 and 5 have been taken. It also said that 'they' are back. There must be a connection."
Tsunade nodded in agreement, "Yeah definitely, that's why we need to find out where Naruto's gone. I'm going to put a team together, you're in it."
Sakura stood up from her seat and placed the now empty cup on the desk. "I'm going to need a tracker, combat specialist, tactician-" she began.
Tsunade placed her hand up to halt her, "I've already got some people in mind, I had an ANBU send for them the moment I realised what was going on."
Sakura looked at her disbelievingly, "What? When did you..?" She trailed off.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair with a smug smile, "I am Hokage you know Sakura, I have my ways." Suddenly there was a knock on the door to her office, "Ah that must be them now."
She stood up from her seat and put her hands behind her back. Sakura stood off to the side of the desk and folded her arms. Tsunade cleared her throat and addressed the group outside, "Enter!"
Sakura was nervous, who would her team be? Would she know them? Her heartbeat hastened slightly in anticipation.
The door to the Hokage's office opened, revealing several ninjas who walked into the office and lined up in front of the Hokage at attention. Sakura's eyes widened, this was her team?
The middle ninja smirked slightly and addressed the dumbfounded girl, "Hello Sakura, miss me?"
