-Grins proudly- Yes I have finished another fabulous chapter of Kunoichi's Pain! And this chapter is special indeed. It will further explain Sakura's pained life, and open up writing opportunities to make her childhood twisted and dark. –Laughs manically.- Well…I'll stop blabbering now! Without further ado…Chapter 3!
I do not own Naruto…if I did Sasuke and Sakura would already be together! Rawr!
Chapter Three: Mission Brings Back Memories
John's hands went down to her underwear. His fingers lay on the soft fabric, he was about to reveal her, but he was torn off of her.
The shinobi flew far away from Sakura and then someone with a blazing bloodline limit started to beat him to a bloody pulp.
That's all Sakura could see before she went black.
When Sakura was unconscious, Neji started running towards her. But he glanced behind him to see Sasuke, beating up the rapist. Neji's eyes narrowed but then he looked at Sakura to see she needed him. He would deal with the Uchiha later. Apparently Sasuke had removed the kunai from the wall, and Sakura was on the floor.
Neji went to his knees in front of Sakura and pulled out some blood replenishing pills from his pouch. With slightly shaking hands he opened up Sakura's jaw and threw the pills in, and then he tilted her head back so that they would ease down her throat. The Byakugan user took off his ANBU cloak and wrapped it around Sakura; he then tore some of his shirt off and wrapped it securely around her forehead.
Neji saw that all he could do was done and picked Sakura up bridal style. He looked to see if Sasuke was still there, and he was. But now Itachi was standing next to him. A dead shinobi was at their feet and Neji winced at the damage. The Uchiha's caught sight of Neji but they then made some hand seals and vanished in the air. Seeing as Sakura was in such a critical condition, he forgot about the traitors and rushed Sakura to the hospital.
K.U.N.O.I.C.H.I.S. P.A.I.N.
Sakura woke up to light streaming through a window, and a massive headache. She groggily sat up and took in her surroundings. She was on a bed, with white sheets, the walls that surrounded her where an off white color, and she had one little table next to her. "Stupid hospital." She muttered.
The pinkette rolled out of the bed and stood up. She walked over to the door that led to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. A bandage was wrapped around her head. Sakura tore the bandage off and brought her hand to the cut like area on the back of her head. She focused chakra into her hand and healed it with ease.
Neji then walked in. "Sakura, what are you doing?" he asked.
Sakura turned to him. "Healing something nobody could." She walked out of the bathroom and looked at the clock. "It's 6:30. Are you ready for the mission?" she raised an eyebrow.
"It was canceled." Neji said.
"Because I hurt my head? I don't think so." Sakura scoffed as she walked out of the hospital room. She was greeted by nurses and doctors scurrying around.
"Yes. That is why. We don't want you stressing yourself." Neji lied. The truth was that if Sasuke was following Sakura, then a mission wouldn't be a good idea. He would do it by himself if he had too.
"Forget it Neji. I'm going to my house, get some things; and then we are heading to the Land of Waves." Sakura insisted as she exited the building. She jumped on rooftops and headed towards her home.
K.U.N.O.I.C.H.I.S. P.A.I.N.
When Sakura was done getting all of the necessary weapons and tools ready she headed towards the gate. There she saw Neji and three people. Three very familiar people. "Inari, Tsunami, Tazuna…?" she asked with hesitance.
Everyone turned towards the pinkette. "S-Sakura…!" Inari blushed crimson at the sight of the twenty year old kunoichi. Sakura now was in front of everybody.
"Are you guys our clients?" she smiled kindly at them.
"Yes." Tazuna nodded his head in that old grandpa way.
Neji raised an eyebrow at Sakura. "You know these people?" he asked.
"Yeah. They were our first C ranked mission. Although it was more of an A ranked mission. This was of course before we met you, Neji." Sakura shrugged. Neji raised another eyebrow. "Okay, your probably wondering why a C ranked mission was an A ranked mission. Well, Tazuna over here didn't tell us people were out to kill him. So we had to fight off all of these assassins and hunter ninjas. Then one of the seven swordsmen, Zabuza came along with his follower Haku." Sakura began.
"That's when Sasuke's Sharingan was revealed, and when Sasuke died. But he didn't really die, just...well…um…how do I explain it. Haku was fighting Sasuke and Naruto when Sasuke took a blow for Naruto. The blow wasn't lethal, but it was meant to look lethal. Haku truly didn't like killing anyone." Sakura finished.
"Oh…." Neji murmured.
"Don't forget that Inari came to the rescue and saved our asses! He showed true bravery there!" a loud, obnoxious voice sounded from beside Sakura. She bonked him on the head.
"Naruto!" Inari shouted. He ran over and hugged Naruto.
"Hey there Inari." Naruto chuckled boyishly. "What are you now…ten…?" Naruto scratched his head sheepishly.
Inari pulled away from Naruto and narrowed his eyes. "I'm sixteen." Naruto's eyes widened.
"Really…?" he whispered.
"Yep." Inari grinned.
"I knew that!" Naruto exclaimed. "I should be leaving now…" he started. "I just saw you guys and decided to drop in. So see you guys later!" he bounced off and kissed an awaiting Hinata who was waiting at a store.
"Naruto isn't coming?" Inari asked Sakura.
"Nope. Neji and I are a team, we'll be escorting you three." She explained before nodding to Neji.
"We ought to head out now." Neji cleared his throat and started walking out of the gates. In the corner of his eyes he spotted red clouds jumping in the trees.
K.U.N.O.I.C.H.I.S. P.A.I.N.
"Since I can't be a ninja. I've been training in taijutsu. Just the normal punches and kicks, stuff like that. So I can defend myself if it came down to it." Inari babbled on and on how he was so great and powerful. How he wished he could have chakra so he could be as great as Naruto. Sakura inwardly rolled her eyes.
"Tsunami-san…how is the Land of Waves?" Sakura asked as she walked beside her client.
"Well we are doing fairly well. Considering we have the bridge, we can get food from across the seas. The Great Naruto Bridge has helped us tremendously." She too babbled on and on about the one topic.
"I think your boring her." Tazuna smiled at his daughter. Tsunami blushed before looking at her feet and shutting up.
"It's been five hours." Neji chimed in. "Time for lunch." He added then stopped. Sakura followed his actions.
Neji reached into his traveling pack and pulled out five rice balls, and two water bottles. He handed everyone a rice ball and gave the clients one water bottle, he and Sakura would share the other.
"This mission is fairly easy, ne Neji?" Sakura spoke after she had some water she offered the bottle to Neji. Neji took the bottle and also had some to drink.
"Yes. But I don't think its going to be like that throughout the mission." Neji sighed. He wanted to tell Sakura so badly about the Uchiha's. But he knew Sakura would do something rash, something that could potentially put their mission at risk.
Sakura turned to her partner. "How so?" she asked.
"Well…if they came to us for help, it's for a good reason. It's not like hunter ninja are going to stop from attacking because they see two Konoha ninja." Neji quickly covered up his fault.
"Oh." The pinkette nodded as she ate some of her rice ball.
K.U.N.O.I.C.H.I.S. P.A.I.N.
Sasuke watched as Sakura ate and drank while conversing with Neji. He couldn't hide the fact that he was upset that she went on the mission after the last nights attack. Surely she would feel the need to rest, even heal the emotional damage it caused.
But no, here she was, guarding Inari, Tsunami, and Tazuna. The young prodigy remembered them from their first C/A ranked mission. He had but his life on the line for the dobe, and he gave up his dream so that Naruto could strive for his. Sasuke remembered how distraught Sakura was as she cried over his heap. He was awake when she started crying, but decided to hold off for a little while. Deep down inside himself he thought having her on him was…nice. But of course Sasuke would never admit that, it would take a blow on his ego and pride.
"Don't lean too close." Itachi grabbed Sasuke's cloak and pulled him back.
Sasuke glared at his brother. "Hn." He muttered. "Any word from Leader…?
"Leader-sama." Itachi corrected.
"Leader-sama, or whatever so get anything from him?" Sasuke asked as he rolled his eyes.
Itachi shook his head back and forth. "No word from him." He mumbled. "The kunoichi is to stay alive until further notice." He finished before not saying another word.
"You think Hyuuga will tell Sakura about us following her around?" Sasuke asked. He had many questions ad knew Itachi couldn't kill him for being annoying.
"Depends on what kind of situation it is. If she is in danger because of us, probably yes. But if not, he might not want her to try to find and kill us." Itachi explained. Sasuke nodded his head.
"That's good."
K.U.N.O.I.C.H.I.S. P.A.I.N.
Sakura was so bored that she was playing with sharp objects. Sharp deadly objects. She was juggling her two katana's while bouncing smoke bombs on her knees.
"Sakura…what are you doing?" Neji hesitantly asked as he stayed away from the sharp deadly objects.
The pinkette ignored him and caught a katana in her hand before quickly sheathing it, then catching the other while also catching the smoke bomb. "Just entertaining myself. Is that so bad? I just wish the stupid hunter ninjas would come out already." Sakura muttered as she put away her weapons.
"That was so cool." Inari beamed as he watched Sakura's every move.
The next day.
"No offense to you guys, but thank god we will be able to end this mission in four hours!" Sakura stretched as she led the group through the forest. Just then a smoke bomb went into their pathway and Sakura grabbed Inari and Tsunami while Neji grabbed Tazuna. They jumped about 300 feet behind them and dropped the clients safely on the ground.
"About time." Sakura smirked as she pulled out her chokuto. Neji grunted and took a fighting stance. "You three stay back, and Inari do what you have to protect them if it comes down to it." Sakura ordered.
Metal wires were thrown from all directions, trying to imprison the two shinobi. Sakura jumped into the air and cut the wires with her chokuto. Neji used his rotation and flipped back when a kunai was thrown at his stomach.
Sakura's eyebrows furrowed as she saw the easily escaped trap, and these were hunter Nins? The pinkette's eyes widened a small fraction before she jumped over to the clients. As she headed over there a hunter Nin appeared before them and she had to quickly stab him in the stomach.
As the Nin fell to the ground Inari relaxed his defensive position but tensed when he looked behind Sakura. The pinkette turned on her heel as she felt the presence of so many. In front of her eyes were at least 10 hunter Nins. Sakura silently cursed under her breath as she pulled out multiple shuriken and kunai.
She launched them at the ninja as she ran towards them. Sakura held up her chokuto as one came at her and sliced him in half. It kept going on like this until there were only two hunter Nins left. The pinkette narrowed her eyes and kicked one as they came up to her. She then felt someone approach her but had to fend off the other Nin, that's when she was kicked in the back and fell to the ground. She rolled onto her back and then rolled over to avoid a katana.
With quickness she jumped up and stabbed both of the Nin's with her two katana's. Sakura looked over to Neji to see 6 dead bodies surrounding him.
K.U.N.O.I.C.H.I.S. P.A.I.N.
Sasuke watched Sakura's fluent movements as she defeated one Hunter Nin after the other. His Sharingan activated when she fell but soon deactivated when she was finished fighting the battle all together. Neji was doing well too, but he wasn't as great as Sakura.
The Uchiha couldn't but help but keep a close eye on his former teammate. They have been through so much; she has been through so much. It's hard to admit but Sasuke agrees that Sakura is a rebel.
She's always been a rebel, whether she really showed it or not. He remembered when she risked her life for his and Naruto's. He would have never of thought that Sakura would do such a brazen action.
Sakura was always the innocent one, the one that cowered at the sight of blood. But truly who didn't? Sasuke knew from experience how terrifying blood can be. But some how some way he found entertainment in seeing the crimson liquid. The Uchiha remembered when on a mission the client was struck dead, right from under her nose…
Sakura stood with her arms outstretched in front of their client. Determination in her eyes as she watched the ninja before her. Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke were busy fighting strong opponents as to Sakura who only had one to fight.
The pinkette held a kunai firmly in her hand, which was slightly shaking when Naruto fell and a scratch was made to his cheek. Her eyes narrowed at the on-coming ninja and she made a move to punch him in the gut, but to her surprise another ninja took her by surprise by kicking her in the back and sending her flying away from the client. She had not sensed the ninja before and now cursed herself for being so stupid. She tried to jump up but found herself incapable.
A foot was placed firmly on her back from the man who she was going to punch. When Sakura tried to wiggle free the foot pressure deepened, earning a cry form Sakura and the attention from Naruto. His eyes widened as he saw the cherry blossom in distress, he then saw the client on the ground some feet away from her dead.
The man with the foot on Sakura's back pulled her up by the hair and dragged her back so he was standing next to his partner in crime.
Kakashi who thought quicker than the others narrowed his eyes and grabbed hold of a retreating enemy. He held a kunai to his throat and clenched his teeth with defiance. The opposite side did the same thing to Sakura, only her feet were dangling from the ground. The pinkette was shaking uncontrollably as her eyes wondered to the bloodied body close by.
"Let her go, or he dies." Kakashi hissed as his hold tightened on the enemy ninja.
The opposite side smirked. "You think we care whether or not he dies? How about this…you let him go and in return we'll return your kunoichi alive."
"Kakashi-sensei let him go! This is Sakura-chan!" Naruto pestered as he stared at the opposite side. He watched with intense eyes as Sakura's eyes became watery and she tried to kick her capturer down below.
Sasuke glared hotly at the scene. It intensified when he saw the struggling comrade with her eyes watery. He also couldn't help but notice her visible shaking.
Kakashi glared at the enemy and let go of his prisoner. The ninja ran to the other side and joined the other two. Team seven waited anxiously for them to drop Sakura, but they never did.
"Give her to us!" Naruto shouted, slightly getting annoyed now.
The enemy ninja only grinned as they kept on holding on to her. "We said we'd give her back to you alive, we never said when." The supposed leader smirked proudly.
"What do you want with her?" Kakashi snarled.
"I bet you would like to know."
Sasuke then snapped. His Sharingan activated and he took several steps forward. A snarl erupted in his throat as tears came out of Sakura's eyes. "Let. Her. Go. Now." Sasuke growled with pure venom and malice.
The enemy's eyes widened and they immediately dropped the kunoichi and fled for the hills. The intimidating Uchiha…was well intimidating.
Sakura dropped to her knees and crawled over to the dead client. Now tears were pouring down her face and her shaking was more noticeable. Unknowingly blood was dripping down from her neck, but she didn't really care.
"Sakura-chan is you alright?" Naruto worriedly asked as he crouched down in front of Sakura.
She seemed to be ignoring him though. Sakura was mumbling incoherent words under her breath as her palm was placed lightly on the dead mans chest. At least there was no struggle…she thought to herself. But yet there was till plenty of blood.
"I'm sorry." She whispered as she closed her eyes. "This is all my fault." She mumbled, Naruto raised an eyebrow at her. Was she talking to a dead man? "They were right." Sakura mumbled so lowly that no one heard it but the young Uchiha himself.
That's when Sakura looked at her team. Her eyes were shameful and guilty. "I don't deserve to be a shinobi." She sniffed.
Naruto's eyes widened and he engulfed the kunoichi in a huge embrace. Sasuke smirked at the sight, and Kakashi smiled under his mask, showing only a crinkle in his right eye.
"Don't ever say that Sakura. We are team seven, and we will always need you, you are part of our team." Naruto assured.
"The dobe has a point." Sasuke smirked as he looked upon Sakura. He offered a hand to her whom she accepted and he pulled her to her feet. Naruto was pouting on the ground, because of the fact Sasuke called him a 'dobe.'
"Well…you're…you're…you're…a teme!" Naruto exclaimed, obviously proud of himself.
Kakashi smiled at his fellow team mates knowing that one day they will be a team that is unbeatable, and no one would be able to stop them. Not their pasts, their futures…nothing. Sadly for Kakashi he had no clue of what he was thinking, because now their pasts have gotten in the way, and their futures too. Hopefully his thoughts will become true, if only a little bit.
Aww…sniffles! You guys have better read that part with extra care…it will be a prime topic in the future (hopefully.) Also thank you to all of you awesomely awesome reviewers! I'm so glad my story is an eye opening or page turner…whatever you prefer. Those who have added me but not reviewed please give a few encouraging words! Thank You! Review!