-Set at the beginning of Shippuden, the Elders send Sakura off as a hunter-nin, wishing for her death as a way to weaken Tsunade's political powers. Sakura agrees to prove them wrong, but what she didn't know was that Orochimaru's involved! Oh, god… Just what did she get herself into?
Yay! A new chapter! I couldn't really think of an idea for this chapter, so I just put in something with Naruto and Hinata. After all, you all must be wondering what's going on with them, right? And so, the middle of the chapter coincides with Mirrorcle World's 5th chapter, okay? For those who read that, you don't have to read this whole entire thing, but the beginning of this chapter and the end of the chapter is different from Mirrorcle World's chapter, 'kay? Thank you and please enjoy!
Episode Six
~His New Teammates, Her Resolve, Hinata's Fake Smile~
Sakura kicked the wall. It had been at least a whole month and a half (plus three days) that she had left Konoha, four weeks since her first kill, two weeks since that conjoined mission with Kurenai and Anko, maybe a week since she became an "honored guest" in Oto, and a day since her last failed escape attempt. She was bored… No, scratch that. She was beyond bored. She was close to dying here. There was nothing to do except stare at the wall, wait for Sasuke or some other Oto-nin to deliver her meals, try to escape, and talk to Kiki. Yeah, it was okay for the first two hours or so, but it got tedious once she hit the third hour.
So, yeah… She was just staring at the ceiling right now. "I'm so bored… What can I do, though? There's really nothing interesting to do here…"
Arf!
"You know, you have a point there. If I could find something to blackmail Sasuke with then maybe life could get more interesting."
Arf!
"You have another point there, too. There's no telling what he'd do if I blackmail him. He might kill me, for all I know."
Arf!
"That's a good idea, too… If I try and act like Naruto then maybe he'll get so annoyed with me that he'd want me to escape."
Arf! Arf!
"Then again, that is something to worry about, too… But does it really matter if I stay here? I mean, it's not like I could convince him to go back to Konoha with me."
Arf!
"What do you mean 'seduce him'? That's the last thing I'd do!"
Arf, arf!
"Oh, don't give me that tone, little doggie! I'll have you know I'm over my crush on that cold, heartless bastard!"
Arf!
"Oh, you're right… Who am I kidding? I still love him, the bastard who left me on a freakin' bench after I confessed my love to him…"
Arf!
"I know… I'm so pathetic…"
Arf! Kiki gestured to the clock.
"Hm? What is it, girl?"
With her paws, Kiki made some kind of movement. It looked like she was holding something and using it in circular motions.
"Anoo . . . are you telling me to cook something? Poison the Uchiha?"
Kiki shook her head. She looked around the room and decided to hop onto the desk. She took out a piece of paper and continued with her paw motion.
"You want me to . . . write something?"
Kiki nodded her head. She then took out a scroll.
"A . . . new jutsu? A poem? A book? A . . . letter?"
Arf!
"A letter? But to whom?"
And then Kiki held out her paw in almost a thumbs-up position.
"To . . . Naruto?"
Arf! which translated to "Bingo."
And suddenly, realization hit Sakura right in the head. "Oh, Kami-sama! I've been so busy lately that I forgot about him! Oh, no… What if he became suspicious and figures out that I'm not visiting my family? Oh, Kami-sama… What am I going to do?"
Arf!
"You're right, Kiki. Being Naruto, he probably hasn't even thought anything of it. If I just write something, he'll be happy and fine."
Arf!
"Hey…! Whose side are you on anyway?"
Arf!
✿。.:**:.。✿
Naruto kept the bottom half of his face submerged in the water. He sat right in between that asshole Sai and his . . . err, wonderful team leader. They had been sent on the mission to get the Akatsuki spy but, right now, the new team leader wanted his team to get along, and so here there were. At the hot springs… Just great…
"Ah, for guys, being together naked really makes us feel like companions!" Yamato laughed, but then he threw out his serious face again. "Don't you agree, Naruto?"
"Y-yes, yeah, of course!" Naruto almost jumped. His eyes are really terrifying! He really is ruling by fear!
"Well, well," Sai said, "so you really do have one."
Naruto could fear himself turn red with both anger and . . . well, more anger. "DON'T GO LOOKING! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS GOING ON ABOUT PENISES ANYWAY?"
Naruto's screams were so loud that even the girls in the female hot springs could hear.
Hinata could feel herself redden with embarrassment as everyone else started laughing. Na-Naruto-kun, I'd appreciate it . . . if you were a bit quieter…
But when Naruto heard all the laughter, a dirty little thought popped into his mind as quickly as he could eat ramen. He began to edge towards the wall that stood in between the two hot springs. He was so close! He just needed to—
"Well, I'm done for now." Yamato said as he stood out of the water. "But first, Naruto, there's something interesting I want to tell you."
"What is it?" Naruto was more curious than Alice was when she saw the white rabbit.
"When Jiraiya-sama was young, he came very close to dying once…" Yamato explained. "Six of his ribs and both of his arms were broken, and many of his internal organs were ruptured… It seemed that the cause was Tsunade-sama's inhuman strength. What he did was exactly what you're doing right now… If Hinata-san were to tell Sakura-san—"
Naruto was now scared for life.
"—what do you think she would do?"
And suddenly, Naruto was right in the middle of the hot springs, trying to play innocent. Oh, boy… Would he ever learn?
✿。.:**:.。✿
That night, dinner went pretty well compared to what had happened before when the team was leaving Konoha and during their time in the hot springs. Naruto was chowing down everything he could get his grubby little hands on, Hinata was trying to get him to slow down (and managed to do so when she threatened to tell Sakura), and Sai said more things to piss Naruto off but, with Yamato there, Naruto didn't dare to start a fight.
"So, Dickless…" Sai said. Everything else he said went unheard when Naruto yelled.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" He was just about ready to pounce the guy.
"Ahem…" Yamato cleared his throat.
Naruto quickly sat down, mumbling something about killing Sai in his sleep or something close to that. He picked up his chopsticks and started to eat again.
Poof!
When the tiny version of Katsuya appeared, she knew right away she had come at the wrong time. Why? Well, there only one reason. When she appeared, she was met with the sight of the scarring picture of Naruto's opened mouth while she was on his chopsticks.
"Kyaa!"
"Huh? Katsuya? What are you doing on my chopsticks?"
"Na-Naruto-kun, stop shaking them! You're . . . you're scaring her!"
✿。.:*Minutes later*:.。✿
"So, Katsuya," Naruto started once everything had calmed down. "What are you doing here?"
"He's talking to a slug?" Sai asked Hinata in a whisper, the two watching from outside Naruto's room.
"Sh-she's not some ordinary slug, Sai…" she explained. "She's one of Tsunade's summonings."
"Oh," was Sai's blunt reply as they returned to watching Naruto and the slug.
"I've come with Sakura's letter," the slug answered. She opened her mouth, and the letter shot right out. "She told me to tell you that she's sorry she hasn't written to you. Something had come up."
"Thanks…" Naruto unrolled the scroll and started reading.
Hey, Naruto, it started, how have you been doing so far? And before you start writing your letter, I'm just going to say that I've been perfectly fine. Something came up, and . . . well, you wouldn't believe it even if I told you what happened. I'll explain it when I come back, so don't ask about it, 'kay?
Naruto made a note in his head to ask about it whenever he'd see her.
So . . . I trust that you've gotten the new members for the team already, right? Who are they and what are they like? Are you getting along? Are you having fun? Do they enjoy ramen as much as you do? You're not letting them bully Hinata-chan, are you? Cuz, if you are, I'll punch you into next month whenever I see you again, got that?
Naruto shuddered at the thought. For some unknown reason, Sakura's threats were a bit scarier when they were on paper…
But anyway, I didn't find any new ramen flavors in this village I'm in right now. (I can't tell you where I am. Tsunade and Jiraiya's rules… Sorry.) There's no good souvenirs here either. It's really dull here, and I'm actually very bored. There's really nothing to do! I've completely lost my way to my great-aunt's home. Apparently, my great-aunt likes to move a lot, so now I've got to hide out here while Jiraiya-san gets her new address but, knowing him, it'll take forever! She might live right next door or just down the street, and I wouldn't know for maybe a month! God, I swear I'll kill him if this storm doesn't.
Naruto laughed at this, but he couldn't help but feel sorry for his teammate. He had been on a two-year training program with the old perv and, for long periods of time, the guy just goofed off. He had a feeling that Sakura wasn't going to be getting anywhere soon, and Jiraiya would come close to dying by her hand rather than Tsunade's this time.
He didn't feel bad for the old man, though. Jiraiya needed a wake-up call to keep him from straying from his job.
God, I miss you… Kiki here just keeps reminding me of you, you know? She barks every minute of the day! I can't get her to stop! And then, during her meals, she reminds me of Ino-pig. She only wants the best of foods—it's really crazy, Naruto. And then there are those rare times when she's quiet and shy like Hinata… Oh, and you won't believe this: when I was fighting these bandits, she went all Tenten-like and grabbed my shuriken with her mouth and started throwing them like there was no tomorrow! It was so weird! But really, Naruto, I really am homesick… It's lonely here… I really do want to come home and even have ramen at Ichiraku's…
At these words, Naruto's mood went down by ninety percent. He missed her, too, and God only knows how much everyone else did.
Oh, I gotta go! I'll write to you tomorrow! Love, your favorite cherry blossom~
But Naruto didn't want the letter to end. He wanted to know more about how she was doing, if she was alright or not. He was worried about her even if she was just visiting her family members… She had never been off on her own before… Just what troubles were she facing?
Hinata watched on with sad eyes of her own. She had known she couldn't compete with Sakura. She just didn't know how much of a status the cherry blossom had held in Naruto's heart. She was starting to think that the possibility of Naruto ever seeing her as someone other than Sakura's replacement was never going to happen. Sakura had too big of a spot in the ramen-loving ninja's heart. That was the one thing that would never change…
And so, she left to try to lull herself to sleep while Naruto started writing his letter.
✿。.:**:.。✿
Poof!
"Oh, there you are, Katsuya… I trust that the letter was sent with no trouble whatsoever?"
"H-Hai…"
Sakura narrowed her eyes once she noticed the slug's trembling form. "What is it, Katsuya? Did something happen?"
"Let's just say . . . that I ended up on the wrong side . . . of Naruto's chopsticks…"
And when Sakura was about to say something, she realized immediately what Katsuya was getting at and didn't ask about the event. "Right… So . . . his letter?"
"Right here." And the letter came out of Katsuya's mouth as it did before.
Hiya, Sakura-chan! I'm doing just fine despite the fact that the new team leader Yamiko (I think that's how you spell his name)—
Sakura shook her head at the numerous blackouts before the name Yamiko. It would appear that Naruto's name spelling hadn't gotten any better—
—has a creepy face that's freakin' scary and the new asshole—
—nor did he lose the vulgar vocabulary…
—Sai just says things that pisses people off! Do you even know what he said to Hinata-chan? He called her a "busty stuttering freak!"
Sakura could hardly believe that. How dare that asshole call sweet, gentle Hinata that? Naruto, you better have rasengan-ed him!
Kiki, who was on her lap and also reading over the letter, seemed to have been in agreement with her.
I tried to go rasengan on him, but both Yamato (the asshole actually told me something useful and helped me spell the guy's name) and Hinata-chan held me back! I'm sorry, Sakura-chan! I really did try to kill him for that! But then, afterwards, Hinata told me that the asshole was kinda like Sasuke in a few ways, but I'll tell you this much: the guy's nothing like the Teme! He's much more worser than the Teme!
Sakura rolled her eyes. I highly doubt that now…
Teme was much more cool—I mean, better! Also, also, the asshole—
Sakura let out an exasperated sigh. Naruto, if you keep calling him an asshole, you'll never learn to like him…
—called Sasuke-teme a "weak shit-for-brains Orochimaru's clone who only cared for power and ran off to that snake and betrayed Konoha!" Can you believe him?
Sakura thought about it for a moment. Well, the new guy was right in that Sasuke did betray the village, and he certainly got the shit-for-brains part and only-cared-for-power part right… But a weak Orochimaru's clone, he is definitely not!
But don't worry, Sakura-chan! Even though I couldn't do anything about it, Hinata gave the asshole a run for his money! She went Byakugan on him and knocked him to the floor with just one attack! It served the asshole right!
Sakura smiled. Alright, Hinata! Didn't know she had it in her…
But Sakura, I think you should've been here instead! You could have thrown the asshole right out of this world! I would rather have preferred that then spending any more time with—
Suddenly, Kiki started barking, and Sakura heard the door knob turn. She quickly turned off the lamp and stood from her seat. But before she could find a hiding spot for the letter, her ex-teammate came into the room.
Thinking quickly, Kiki took the letter our of Sakura's hand, grabbing it with her mouth, and ran under the bed. If Sasuke had seen that letter, holy crap, that would not have been good.
"What are you doing back?" The kunoichi's question almost came out as a snarl. She hadn't expected him. "I thought you were on a mission, and—"
"Finished it…"
Sakura's hands rolled into fists. She had stayed in this goddamn place for almost a week already, and still she couldn't get used to him. In fact, she just couldn't stand his arrogant tone. "When are you letting me go?" she asked—no, demanded was a much better word. "I already told you: I came just for a vacation, not as a kunoichi—"
Sasuke fought off the urge to roll his eyes. This was, what, the hundredth time she had asked that question and given that excuse?
"And you expect me to believe that when they told me you were Konoha's hunter-nin or when they showed me the Bingo Book you carried?" he countered, interrupting her.
Next to his arrogance, Sakura hated the fact that he wouldn't let her finish most of her sentences.
"You had crossed out five of those S-ranked criminals and one A-ranked," he continued.
"I already told you," Sakura retorted, tired of repeating her lies. "The book wasn't mine. It's probably Jiraiya's. Tsunade makes him check up on me from time to time. He must have accidently misplaced it and put it in my bag by mistake!"
Sasuke didn't say anymore. He went to the bed and pulled the dog from underneath it. He wasn't an idiot. He had seen how frantic Sakura was when he was coming into the room. And he had a pretty good idea why. He took the letter from Kiki and dropped her onto the bed.
"What are you doing?" Sakura could hardly believe this. It was getting harder and harder to control her temper. "That's mine! Don't go looking through my stuff!"
She tried to punch him, but he grabbed her arm and twisted it so hard that she fell to the floor.
"A letter from Naruto…?" he asked.
And even though Sakura didn't look up at his face, she knew his bloodline had activated. The anger in his voice was enough of a hint. She had to find a way out of this. She knew his temper was far worse than hers.
"I didn't tell him about where I was or what happened, okay?" she said, keeping her eyes away from the man's face, as she stood. For some reason, she just couldn't face him. "I just wrote to him what I usually wrote! He'll get suspicious if I didn't! Do you want him to come looking for me?"
"Hn…" He threw the letter in the air, and the dog caught it, glaring at him.
He ignored the pup and placed his hand under Sakura's chin, lifting her face so that her eyes met his. "Don't forget," he said. "I can make you tell me the truth either through torture or just plain brainwashing. If you continue to go against my orders, I will not hesitate to do what I need to!"
Though scared, Sakura continued to glare at him. She didn't even feel herself tremble as he left, going into the bathroom.
Frustrated, the kunoichi punched the wall. If she had all of her chakra, she would've made the whole structure fall. That might have made her feel better. But she didn't have all of her chakra now, so she couldn't do much anyway. She threw herself onto the bed, but she couldn't forget how scary the Uchiha was… How afraid she had been… her heart was still beating, but was it from being in his presence or was it because she was truly frightened by him?
She could feel the tears in her eyes. If the Elders hadn't given me this mission, I wouldn't be stuck in this mess! And in that small second, she decided she hated those old cronies and that she despised the fact that she was being held captive by the Uchiha bastard…
She rubbed her neck. She hoped it wouldn't leave a mark, but it really did hurt… And the fact that it came from her ex-teammate didn't help either.
Yay! This chapter is finished! And I gotta say, it turned out better than I thought it would. But that's just my opinion. I still want to hear yours, so please review peoples! Oh, and for those who read my oneshot, thank you!
