Chapter Five – Sakura's New Field
Sakura as good as her word had come at the specified time to the training ground where Team Seven was first founded. The place had brought back the memories alright. She remembered Naruto being tied to the stump. Where Sasuke had attempted to take on Kakashi all by himself when he knew he was discovered. Oh the memories kept on flowing that she had not noticed that someone had come to stand beside her until his shadow was directly over top of her own.
"Good Morning Sakura." A voice spoke into her ear and she immediately jumped forwards, before she swung around getting into a basic taijutsu stance that was taught at the academy. When she eyed her would be attacker, there she was, staring down at Kakashi, who was busy giving her one of those one eyed smiles that he always seemed to give when he was amused about something. Apparently something seemed off to him though, and he had decided to comment on it. "Why are you looking at me with your mouth open?"
"You're here… And you're on time?" Sakura questioned, sheer shock and amazement echoing through her words. That question had made him laugh, and he shook his head lightly.
"There are times that I do intend on showing up on time. Now Sakura… You've asked me to train you seriously. Therefore, we're going to be starting from the ground up. Iruka ensured that you had a basic grounding of taijutsu. However there you are sorely lacking. We will start on that every morning." Kakashi stated giving her one of his painted eye smiles. And then he nodded his head towards her. Before he moved towards the center of the field, turning his back towards Sakura in the process while looking up to the sky. "Now Sakura. The fundamentals of this training are going to be gruelling, and when I'm satisfied that you've got a sound grasp I will arrange sparring matches between other people of your generation. Now, take up your stance Sakura." Kakashi ordered, spinning around to look towards her, and Sakura saw the look in his brown eye. It was a hardened look towards her, and she knew that this was what she wanted.
And thus she spread her legs, on in front of her center of gravity, and the other behind her, both bent. Sakura's arms came up, one closed to a fist and brought to her chest while the other was opened up and stretched out in front of her. Kakashi's brown eye looked her over, scanning on every bit of the stance that she had and he nodded his head in approval.
"Not bad… Not bad at all. Hold your stance." Kakashi stated as he walked towards her, putting his one hand into his pocket as he walked towards her. And then he reached down and twitched her forward foot inward slightly, and then he had her corrected the position of the back one, sliding it forwards slightly.
"The Toe for your forward foot needs to be inward slightly. The reason why is that if you need to execute a quick kick or to move it quickly, then it will make it more fluid, easier to control. The same reasoning applies for your back one as well, depending on where your opponent is coming from. Your arms though are in the correct place. But bring the forward one close to you a bit." Kakashi explained as he reached out his fingerless glove and adjusted the arm himself to the correct position. And there he nodded his head. He was satisfied. "There. A textbook stance. We'll work with that for the time being until we have a better grasp of what you're looking to accomplish. Now hold this stance for another ten minutes. And allow your body to become used to its new shape." Kakashi ordered.
As time passed, Kakashi pulled out his small orange book, and peered down towards its contents, irking Sakura beyond measure. But still she continued with her task. And through out those ten minutes, her body groaned at the stillness that its master had enforced upon it. An itch of the back, a muscle spasm of the left leg, ache in her outstretched arm. And through out that time, Kakashi stood evermore, peering down towards the book. And then when he turned head he looked at his wrist he nodded his head, snapping the book closed with a decisive snap, one that startled Sakura out of her inner thoughts of Kakashi not taking her training seriously.
"Right, well done Sakura. I didn't think that you would be able to hold it for ten minutes. Good. Now. Stand up straight, and shift into that new stance three times for five minute intervals." Kakashi ordered and Sakura's green eyes narrowed to dark slits. And before she could question the reason why, Kakashi held up his hand to stop her. "The reason for this Sakura is to ensure that you can switch into it without any sort of trouble. That it becomes second nature, and slide into it at a seconds notice." Kakashi explained his brown eye staring into her green orbs, that same serious edge to it. One to which Sakura seemed surprised to see. And then she nodded her head. This new Kakashi that she was beginning to see seemed to be true and honest about it. Ad thus she did as she was ordered to do, she shifted to a standing form and then slid back into her stance.
"Correct the back leg, Sakura." Kakashi stated, eyeing her critically. And for the first five minutes he watched her again, before he nodded his head towards her. And for the last two sets he returned to his book, confident that all that corrections Sakura would need to make se would be able to do so herself. And then Kakashi nodded his head towards her, putting the book away standing tall. "Good now. I imagine that your muscles are beginning to become extremely stiff and sore, right?" Kakashi asked.
And Kakashi had gotten it in one, it was something that Sakura didn't want to acknowledge, or let him know. No, she wanted to power on towards the next lessons. But she also knew that Kakashi was far more experienced in this than she was. And so she answered. "Yes. My legs don't like the new stance." Sakura responded as she rubbed the tops of her right leg. Of course Kakashi just chuckled and he nodded his head.
"I figured as much. Don't worry. With time your body will become accustomed to it. I suggest going though this new stance every morning and every evening until you no longer aches." Kakashi stated as he turned and moved towards the three stumps in the centre of the field, before he leaned against one and he chuckled lightly towards her. "Now I'll let you rest for a moment, while we discuss your new training. You've asked me to treat you seriously, and I shall. However the Fifth Hokage has deemed it necessary for me to return to full Jounin Duty, which means that I will not be fully available at all times." He explained.
For her part, Sakura listened intently to what he had to say, and her green eyes narrowed at the end. There were other arrangements that needed to be worked with? She had thought that she was going to be with Kakashi for some time. But instead of going off on some sort of tantrum about what sort of new stipulations that she now had to work with, she remained silent, nodding her head for him to continue. A silence that Kakashi took as both a blessing and a curse to the point where he actually wished that the young lady blew up with an angry swear word.
"Yes… Well. Since I'm not going to be around at all times, I've discussed this with some of the other Jounin Instructors as well as with the Hokage herself, and we've agreed that I shouldn't have complete control over your training if you are to be a functional member of the village ninja forces. Asuma and his team will take you on for missions. You won't go higher than that of a C-Ranked mission. As for your combat training, I'm probably going to live to regret this, but I've asked Gai to help you in that regard where I'm not available….. But I have to stress this point, if you show up with a green spandex suit when I return; I'm refusing to teach you further, we clear?" Kakashi explained, his single eye narrowing to emphasis the point.
"Are you completely and utterly stupid!" Sakura shouted, throwing her arms over top of her head and flailing them over top of her pink hair. "Why the hell would I want to come to training, or anywhere for that matter, dressed in green clad spandex!" She shouted pointing a finger at Kakashi who just raised up his hands in defence, to placid her.
"Hey don't get me wrong, I have faith that you won't… But that's jus t some added incentive not to. Gai can be pretty convincing." Kakashi explained and then he just shook his head lightly to her. "In any case, when you're not with me, Asuma, or Gai, you will be looking at training with the Hokage herself. Apparently she thinks that you still have the ability to become great in the medical field, despite you learning from several different sources. You'll spend Wednesday and Friday afternoons with her. That's the time that she has set aside for your personal train. During those mornings you will be training with Team Gai or myself. On the remaining days, it will be with either Asuma or myself." Kakashi explained as he turned and walked around the pole procuring two lunch boxes and a canteen, and he handed on to her as well, before he reached into his pocket and brought out a simple piece of paper setting it onto of her lunch box as well. "Channel your chakra into that piece of paper."
"What for?" Sakura asked, eyeing it strangely, ensuring that it did not have any sort of hidden symbols or other unwanted unmentionable things to it. Like a Paper bomb in disguise, or a page from Kakashi's perverted book.
"This is chakra paper. It's been designed to read a persons chakra affinity, and then describe it in unique ways. It will split in half if you have a wind, catch fire if you're a fire element. Or it might crumple for lightning, become damp for water elementals, and then it will turn to dust if you're an earth type." Kakashi explained as he unwrapped the large white box and nodded his head appreciatively, leaving Sakura to ponder as she did as she had been instructed to do, grabbed the small flimsy piece of paper and transferred chakra into it, to which it turned to dust immediately. Of course Kakashi raised an eyebrow to that bit of information. "An earth elemental huh?" He stated, nodding his head, with the attention of Sakura back upon him.
"Is that good?" She asked, slightly more timid than what she had meant, and Kakashi nodded his head as he reached up to his face masked and pulled it down revealing mouth. Of course that was something that Sakura hadn't thought was possible. And she couldn't see why he kept the mask upon his face. Kakashi's face was smooth, aside from the scar upon the left side where his Sharingan eye remained hidden. It was well shaved and the muscles with in the mouth were hard and were defined. It was ruggedly handsome with the covered up scar. And apparently she had been staring because Kakashi's one eye turned to regard her and he just offered a grin.
"Well earth is a lot dryer with your mouth off of the ground and closed, Sakura." Kakashi stated, as he reached towards his canteen, pulling the top off and taking a swig while Sakura became all to observant that she had been staring and had went to her meal. "Now Sakura. You asked if it was a good thing. Well it isn't good or bad really. It's true we know how to focus your elemental training, however just like Lightning Country has the exact same ninja as its name indicates, there are those in stone that actually have a earth affinity. What you're in luck with is that I happen to have a large reservoir of those techniques with earth affinity." Kakashi explained, nodding his head.
"But you're a lightning element aren't you? How could you learn earth manipulating abilities if your primary is lightning?"
"An Apt question, Sakura. Well the thing is, no one is really limited for jutsu's just by the elemental affinity that they have. It just takes much longer, more chakra, and a lot more effort to achieve results with a elemental technique that you're not overly compatible with." Kakashi stated, nodding his head in approval, while taking a sushi roll from his lunch and plopping it into his mouth. "Now I would imagine your about to ask why your going to be paired up with Asuma's team and that of the Hokage. And what sort of arrangements you're being given. Well the truth be told that as your mentors we worried about your mental health and development."
"What do you mean, Sensei?" Sakura asked as she began to eat her own lunch, now alert and over her fascination with Kakashi's face, a goal that she and the rest of Team Seven had attempted before their dissolvent into chaos.
"What I mean is that I could take you on as an apprentice, but then I would begin to teach you and correct you on everything. However, in doing, we could and would be traveling quite a bit, aside from A and S Classed missions. Which means that you wouldn't have much ability to learn and adapt to your peers, to use those strengths in conjunction with your own. However, if you had chose to remain with the Hokage as her apprentice, then you wouldn't be in that sort of situation at all. Because of her legendary status as a world renown medical ninja, she would undoubtedly pass on what she knew to you, and ensure that you would work at the Hospital or with other things as a supporting Ninja." Kakashi replied, nodding his head.
"But why Asuma's team for missions and inter team growth. There are another two genin cells that I'm familiar with, just as well as Asuma's." Sakura asked, confused by the alienation of those of her other friends.
"You forget, you have extra Taijutsu training with Gai and Lee. However, your question does deserve to be answered. Truth be told, Yuuhi Kureani, the Jounin Instructor for that of Kiba, Hinata, and Shino, has hit a bit of a snag. One of her students has taken Naruto's disappearance worse than the rest of us." Kakashi explained, taking a bite from his lunch once again, while Sakura pondered over the facts that had been presented.
"It's Hinata, isn't it?" Sakura asked, and Kakashi's lone eye widened slightly before he turned and regarded towards his pupil, she responded by shrugging her shoulders. "It's natural really, she's has such a large crush on Naruto since the Academy. I think that the only one that didn't realize how much she cared for him was Naruto himself. And I don't think that Hinata knew just how much she liked him either." Sakura supplied, sipping her own drink, and looking down towards the food in front of her thinking about how Hinata was taking the news about his disappearance. And then something also came to her mind. "What has the council decided about Naruto?"
"The council and the Clan Heads are still debating the issue to label him M-I-A. They've been in a dead lock for sometime. But I would imagine that they will make their decision by weeks end." Kakashi stated, sighing sadly as he looked down towards his lunch again.
"And if he's pronounced as MIA?"
"It's another term that all military powers use. It is know as Missing In Action. If Naruto is dubbed that, then he will be considered deceased." Kakashi supplied, though he obviously took no pleasure in the informing of Sakura of such information. When Lunch was finished he nodded his head, sipping from his canteen. "Alright, Sakura. We're going to be working on different types of strategy, while we wait to digest. Now from on a battlefield, where would be the best place for support units?" He asked.
Thus the day passed so quickly for Sakura that she did not realize the passage of time, she found herself actually enjoying everything that was being taught now. Not that she hadn't before, but now she had Kakashi's undivided attention, there was time to ask questions and to speculate, and training. However though they did not get into any sort of Earth based ninja techniques yet, Kakashi had promised that he would have something for her when next they trained. When both teacher and student decided to call it a day, Sakura and Kakashi has silently agreed to go to the one place where they could feel most in tune with their missing team mate: Ichiraku Ramen. Much to Sakura's surprise there was a small little mantle with several of Naruto's picture on the wall; A memorial to their favourite customer, Naruto Uzumaki.
"Excuse me, Teuichi, Sir. I've never seen a picture of Naruto that young." Sakura commented from her seat, and gestured to the one that she was referring to. It was one with Naruto having a birthday hat on the top of his head, and had his mouth full of noodles while trying to slurp up more.
"That one? Heh, that one was always a favourite." The elderly man stated as he took off his white cooks cap, and ran a hand through his greying black hair. "That was his first birthday here. He told me so when he first got there, and I had a few little things from Ayame's twelfth birthday left at the time. So we had a little thing here. By the time I had the camera ready to take that picture, he was already stuffing his face full of his third bowl of noodles." Teuchi stated, chuckling lightly, as he went back to work, allowing a small pause to break out. Of course though, Sakura was already hooked and she now wanted to hear more about her teammate.
"Well, old man! What happened next?" Sakura asked, pointing her chopsticks at him, her green eyes daring the elder man to deny her request. The old man who ran the stand looked at her and chuckled lightly towards her.
"You know, you're about as loud as Naruto was when he was here…. Anyways, where was I? Oh yeah, When I told him happy birthday, you should have seen his eyes light up. It was like watching my little girl get her puppy again. Turns out that several people showed up to; The Third Hokage, His teacher at the time, Iruka I think, and there were me and my little girl." The old man narrated, as he walked towards a small pot of tea that he kept warm for his enjoyment. The old man then reached into a drawer and pulled out a pipe, before he took a seat on a chair behind the counter. When the pipe was lit, Teuichi smiled, as he continued.
"Seeing that boy smile… It was like watching a sunrise. Trust me; it wasn't any of those masks that he showed you all. And I've seen them all. It was like being wrapped up in joy. That's about it. Seeing Naruto grinning stupidly at the small gifts that we got him, and then those that his teacher and the Hokage got him. Heh. It wasn't until later that I found out that he'd never had a birthday at all. Go Figure huh?" The man commented as he puffed his pipe, and sipped his tea, allowing Sakura and Kakashi to look at him in a strange sort of awe. The odd old man knew more about Naruto than what they gave him credit for, and for that, Sakura smiled.
"Do you have any more stories about Naruto?"
And the night passed on, where the owner and proprietor of the Ramen stand sat and kept the two company. It wasn't surprising that the old man closed the noodle stand early, leaving himself, Kakashi, Sakura and the Ramen Owners daughter Ayame, who had walked in the middle of the mans story time. Together with the two operators of the shop went over dozens of tales. From Naruto's First Birthday, to Naruto's five year old crush, this happened to be that of Ino Yamanaka much to the amusement of Sakura. It wasn't until his first days at the academy that Sakura became his crush. Whether or not Ino had ever been aware of Naruto's feelings at a young age, Sakura wasn't about to tell. Oh no. She did feel horrible for Naruto; however she couldn't help laughing at that fact. The stories went on to include the times that Iruka and the Third Hokage came with him to the small stand. However Teiuchi's smiling face frowned for a moment.
"Don't get me wrong. I always suspected that the young lad's training was being neglected. He was a bright child when he came into the stand that first time so many years ago… However never once did he ever speak about the classes outside of Iruka's, and not all of those classes were good either… It seemed as though the boy had something to hide during those times." The man stated rubbing the side of his head, thinking the past over. And after a moment the elderly man just smiled and shook his head. "Ah, don't mind me. This is something of long ago. Now… now it no longer matters." The aged man stated, before he looked towards the pictures upon the wall.
Before Sakura knew what had transpired, the evening had disappeared and she had been forced to take off home, or else she would have not been able to get up in the morning for her early morning session. However despite her best efforts at attempting to be up in time, she had failed miserably, the thoughts of her night with the owner of the Ramen shop and that of her sensei keeping her up all night. And she was late to the new training regime that she had agreed to; her training sessions with that of Rock Lee and his sensei Maito Gai. Upon her arrival of course, Gai had forgiven her lateness, before she was set to work in a sparring session with Lee.
It was not five minutes into the sparring session that something had irked Sakura beyond anything else, as she ducked under a round house kick that she should never have been able to do. Lee was taking it easy upon her. Sakura's anger flared and her green eyes narrowed with anger tempered determination. As Lee regained his balance from his kick, Sakura went low, swinging out her leg in a sweeping motion taking Lee's legs right out from under him. A move that had shocked both Gai and Lee, considering that up to that point, Sakura had done little else other than dodge or block. And it was an offensive move that Sakura immediately capitalized upon, pulling her fist back and attempted to plant it right where Lee's head was, had he not rolled backwards, using his arms as a spring to black flip himself back upon his feet.
Lee's dark eyes met that of Sakura's narrowed green ones, as she got into a ready stance. "Stop taking it easy on me. How am I to be ready if you're babying me, Lee?" She questioned as she took the offensive that time, and pushed forwards, gloved fists swung at her target. But none of the attacks that Sakura sent out met their intended target. No, Lee, with the years of combat experience between his spars with his team and that of missions out of the village, deflected most of the oncoming assault from Sakura. Though the words that Sakura spoke just moments before had struck Lee like barbs under his skin. He had not wished to damage her pride in any way, but to gouge her strength and weaknesses, which the latter was in abundance.
Sakura seeing that her fists were not doing what they were being intended to do, pulled back for a moment, before she leaned to the right slightly, giving away what her next move was. She lashed out with a kick that was swiftly caught by Lee with one hand. The Calm look upon Lee's face sorely pissed her off. ~That look really pisses me off. Kick it off of his face! SHANNARO!~ Sakura's inner voice shouted at her, and inspired a great idea on her part. And thus as Lee's own foot lashed out she jumped up when he moved, swinging her free leg up, and clipping Lee in the head with a spinning kick, sending the other combatant away in a spin with her landing upon her side, hard. To which she got up immediately and into a fighting position.
"That's enough!" A voice boomed out and there Gai stood between the two of them, his white teeth gleaming with the light and him giving her thumbs up. "Sakura. When Kakashi spoke to me about assisting him in your combat training, I had to wonder if you would keep up with our pace… Now I see that your extent to combat doesn't extend past the basics form in the academy. Now I see that you have the drive to become more, to ascend to new heights. You're more than welcome here. And together, we shall fan your fires of Youth to whole new heights!" Gai stated, winking towards her, while Lee just bowed his head towards him.
-Two weeks later-
Tsunade sat behind her desk, looking down to various reports that she scanned down, with a rather surprised look upon her face. The council had actually done something that she had asked and she hadn't needed to twist any arms, threaten to break bones or decapitation. Reports from all of their old subordinates and those of their spies, old comrades, people that owed them favours were at her disposal. Everything that depicted anything that might have changed during the time frame that Naruto and Sasuke fought and a week after that. The reports were keyed to those of specific details though. Caravans going with in three kilometers of the battle site, hospital records from along the borders of all recent hospital patients including pictures.
The reason: They needed to find their wayward friend.
However the weeks passed and there was not so much as a mouse fart as the boy's location. Jiraiya's own contacts had nothing to send to her and she was not pleased about it. The Toad Sage had the most extensive spy network that she had ever heard of. And outside of caravan and trading expeditions having to become delayed due to their investigation, they had nothing to give on Naruto's whereabouts. And there was damn little that Tsunade could do about it at that time. A knock interrupted her peering at the reports and those honey brown hues peered up at the door.
"Enter."
Shizune entered nodding her head before stepping aside to admit the persons that were the elder council. Truth be told she had been expecting that sort of conversation to be coming in a while. The Council had done much for her, and now had nothing to show for it. Tsunade owed them, for all their help into the matter and now the least she could do now is hear them out.
"Council members, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" She questioned as she leaned back into the chair, before she looked to her cooling cup of tea that she had asked for, and took a small drink allowing them the chance to speak. And of course Danzo was the one that came forwards, unafraid of her and her fury and standing tall with his cane.
"It's time to end the search for Naruto Uzumaki."
The cup in Tsunade's hand shattered with in her fingertips as she gazed towards the council members, her honey brown eyes narrowing to dark slits. "That is indeed bold of you to say, Danzo. Especially in my presence. I'm going to have to hear good cause." Tsunade replied, eyeing Shizune with a dark look. They were going to need to have a talk with her for sometime.
"Indeed, Lady Hokage? You see the proof before your very eyes. There have been no sightings of the boy. We continue to spend resources and supplies looking for him while they could be used to further benefit the village." Danzo stated his one eye peering at the Hokage who stared at him. "There have been several skirmishes along the borders; informants of ours have been killed to accommodate your need for information for a boy that is no longer among the living."
"And you're suggesting that instead of ensuring that Naruto is returned to the village, you're suggesting that we just cut him loose. What happens if he's alive and you're wrong?" Tsunade asked, as she wiped the shattered glass off of her desk and upon the hard wood floor to be cleaned up when she left that evening.
"Then we will simply have to amend it, IF it does come to that." Koharu stated from the left, adding her own sense into the discussion. However it was Homaru who simply sighed and shook his aged head.
"We are not asking you to give up your search if you choose to pursue it; however those efforts would have to come out of whatever you make as an individual." Homaru stated putting his hands into his sleeves, staring at the Hokage who met his gaze and her honey brown eyes saw a great sadness to them. "I know what it is we ask of you… I had to do the same once a long time ago. But this must happen." He explained, shaking his head.
That response simply brought the other two who accompanied him with an odd look, and left the Hokage somewhat confused. The elderly man knew the consequences of war and what the aftermath often was. And thus he walked forwards and offered her the form, filled out and prepared for Naruto's personal file, listing him as Missing in Action. The Hokage stared at it, and she wanted to tear it to pieces. This was what she wanted to do, but in triage there were often difficult choices to be made. And Tsunade knew what she had to do. She was not going to take any pleasure in it at all.
"You do know what sort of Political Randomifications we may be looking at if I do sign this." Tsunade stated, to which all three of the elders looked towards her with anxious curiosity. "Naruto was instrumental in the reintegration of the Wave economy with the rest of the world. Naruto was the one that convinced Princess Koyuki to return to the throne of the Land of Snow or spring. Whichever they've decided to call it now. And then there is the Sand village. Naruto helped save a lot of lives during that crisis and as I understand it, Gaara is now looking at becoming the next Kazekage. That's the sort of hero that you want to claim as dead?" Tsunade asked, leaning back into her seat once again, before she turned and looked towards the window. And when the council members tried to speak she just simply waved her hand tot hem. "Get out of my office all of you. I'll sign the damn thing when I'm good and drunk because I sure as hell am not signing it sober. Shizune, rework the schedule tomorrow, I'm taking the day off."
-Later that day-
It did not take long for news of the pronunciation that was the confirmed death certificate of Naruto Uzumaki, the holder of the Nine Tailed Demon, Kyuubi, had been signed. The boy was believed dead by that of the Hokage and she was his strongest supporter outside of the friends that the boy had. However for those of the village who did not know who Naruto was, they celebrated. Fireworks lit the night skies; there was public debauchery, joyous songs and various other things. The old building that Naruto once lived in was a ghost of itself. It was thought about the building to be knocked down. However its owner, the Toad Sage Jiraiya, shot that idea down almost immediately.
Hinata Hyuuga was heart broken to the point of where she refused to leave her rooms, and confirming Hiashi's beliefs that his eldest daughter was not suited for the task of being the Heir. Shikamaru had gotten so drunk that his won father started to wonder about his sons' mental health. Chouji and Kiba heard about what had happened from Ino when she visited the hospital about what had recently happened and what the Hokage had signed off upon. Both of the young men took it hard, due to the fact that Naruto was a man that had done everything that he could to help their missions succeed and he was killed off by the target that they were sent to recover, and it ended up that a jounin needed to do the actual recovering.
Neji was comforted by the fact that Gai, Lee and Tenten, his team was their to comfort him on what had happened and what he and the team could not change. Tsunade had gotten extremely drunk, something that her teammate, Jiraiya, had not seen since the death of her younger brother or that of her lover years ago. A time that both remembered well, and did not care for what had repeated. Ayame and Teuchi were saddened and at a loss for what was to happen next. The little ramen stand that they now held, held so many memories of their brightest and greatest customer and rising star.
And yet Kakashi and Sakura were the ones that were at the Training ground, the one where it all began, sipping sake and talking about some of the more outlandish missions that they had had and experienced as a team. "I wonder whatever happened to Tazuna and his village. I mean it was great there and everything. With the bridge done, what do you think?" A question to which Kakashi just choked on his sake, and squirted it out of his mouth laughing, before shaking his head.
"I was actually around that way on my last mission. I stopped in on the way back and they have done something quite creative with the bridge." Kakashi stated as he reached into his vest pouches, touching a two others feeling for something. However upon the last one that he touched he nodded his head in victory before he handed her a picture. A picture of a statue that was fifteen feet tall of Naruto, arms crossed over his chest and being quite intimidating with his cocky grin. "They named the bridge the Great Naruto Bridge." Kakashi stated with a laugh, watching as Sakura spat out her own drink in a laugh.
"They named the bridge after him?"
"Yep. Get's better though. I was on my way back from the Land of Spring, delivering a missive to the Princess there. You remember the one?"
"The stuck up pampered palace brat? Yeah, what about it?"
"She has a Hero's statue made in the four corners of the Capital. One to each member of the Team. But she's got a grand one made in the throne room, from what I saw. Its twenty feet of Marble. And he's got that same goofy grin and crossed arms look on it. I can't help but think that Tazuna likes that stance." Kakashi stated as he handed the pictures that he took of the statues to Sakura to stare at while he drank more booze.
"What makes you think that Tazuna built either of them?"
"Because he told me so. For the hero that inspired the village to help itself again. I ran into him at a bar." Kakashi explained patiently, before he peered down the top of the bottle, before he swung it upside down to reveal the bottle empty. "Sakura. You drank too much." He mumbled as he rooted around the case that he brought with him and pulled out another bottle.
And a thought occurred to her as she looked towards the bottle that Kakashi pulled out and poured them another glass. "Hey what do you think might happen when they find out? I mean Naruto made some pretty big friends while we were a team." Sakura asked as she swirled the liquor around in front of her before she took a sip, as Kakashi thought about the question.
"I'm thinking that there is going to be a lot of political tension from now on. Princess Koyuki has her own ninja village, and she can accept or veto all conditions of the agreements that we've made with her and the Land of Spring. The Daimyo of the Land of Wave owes Naruto the safety and security of his own land to that of Naruto. And he officially wrote the Hokage on that subject." Kakashi replied as he downed another solid drink. "The Village hidden in the Sand doesn't have much choice in the matter though. However, it's only a matter of when Gaara becomes Kazekage. From how I understand it though, Gaara owes Naruto his life…. With Sasuke only on house arrest and still having the ability for an easy life… Yeah. We're looking at some interesting times." He explained sipping his drink again, before he looked towards Sakura as she thought.
"Do you know if they're having a service for Naruto?"
"Not as of yet… There are some disagreements with the cemetery. Apparently they don't want Naruto buried with their dead." Kakashi explained sipping his drink again, and then he chuckled. "The way I understand it is that there are a few noble clans that are more than willing to set aside eight by four by six section of dirt for a man that's saved them during the sound invasion… Gratitude at its best isn't it?" He asked.
"Hey, sensei?"
"Yeah?"
"I thought we were supposed to be training."
"We are." Kakashi stated with a chuckle, before he downed another cup. "We're now testing your liquor intake. It's important to know your limits at diplomatic functions."
"Diplomatic Functions?"
"Especially Diplomatic Functions. Their full of people who smile at you as they plot to stick really long knives in your back, but until they try and kill you, you really can't do anything. Which means that if they are serving drinks, you really don't want to do anything that can seem as though your actions force their plot into motion. Therefore, Drinking is essential! Now shut up and drink."
-The next day-
Sakura regretted the light that came out of the window the next morning. Her head hurt, the light hurt, her body hurt, ever her clothes hurt. It was a thankful miracle that her mother worked that morning, and did not see the condition of her own daughter when she left the house. Of course though, Ino had. "Sakura! My god, you look like you were dragged through a bag of nails!" That alone brought a groan and a shake of Sakura's head. A movement to which she regretted.
"I look that good huh, Ino? Trust me. I feel worse." Sakura reported, squeezing her eyes shut to keep out the sun, while she massaged her temples lightly. "Do me a favour, don't breathe so loud." Sakura mumbled as she walked forwards towards the Hokage Tower. She hadn't had any training with Kakashi that morning and she had been informed that Gai and his team had had a mission, excluding Neji who was still under medical observation.
"Just what were you doing yesterday Sakura?"
"Drinking with Kakashi. We wanted to toast the memory of Naruto at the Training grounds were we all were made a team." Sakura stated, before she just smiled at some of the stories that they had shared. Among her favoured ones that they shared were the ones on the graduating day that they had together. Naruto had transformed into Sasuke, and had made a pass at her trying to find out what she thought of him. Of course when he got that funny look upon his face and ran away, Kakashi had informed her that Naruto had drank milk that was two weeks past its expiration date. That had gotten a laugh out of both of them on what had happened.
"So Forehead, where are you off to now then? Surely your not about to start training again? Not in your condition." Ino questioned, crossing her arms over her chest and gave a stare that said that she had not plan on it. Of course Sakura just smiled sadly and she walked by her, patting her friend upon the shoulder.
"I am Ino. I got myself into this state, I'll work through it." Sakura stated as she walked on, clasping her hands together behind her as she walked on, leaving a very confused Ino in her wake. Ino just pouted before she turned and walked down the street towards the Barbeque stand that she was supposed to meet Asuma and the rest of her team at. Mean while there Sakura walked on towards the Hokage Tower, knowing that she had a day off between her sensei in worse shape than she was and that Gai was out on mission. Up to the top in an elevator and towards Shizune who was working at a desk, looking over various figures that she had before her. Sakura's eyes looked down towards Shizune as she worked, before the older lady took notice of her and smiled.
"Ah, Sakura. How can I help you today?" Shizune questioned as she set aside her folders and folded her hands before her, those black eyes meeting Sakura's jade green ones, and she immediately noticed the bleary eyed look that Sakura had. "Sakura, have you been drinking recently?"
"Uh….."
"Don't even think about lying to me about it, I've seen it far too often with that of the Lady Hokage." Shizune stated as she stood up from her desk, and he moved towards the younger girl, before she reached up and touched the sides of Sakura's head. Before Sakura could even guess at what Shizune was doing, she felt such a great relief pour into her skull. Shizune chuckled as she peered down towards Sakura, before she raised a dark eyebrow. "Better?"
Reluctantly, Sakura nodded her head towards Shizune, bowing her head slightly in shame at having been found out that she had had the worst hangover that she had ever had. The thought never occurred to her that it had been her first one ever. Of course Shizune just chuckled and nodded her head gently, before she walked towards the nearby jug, and poured some fruit juice into it, and then handed it to Sakura who peered down at the strange liquid. "What is it?" The Question made Shizune laugh as she returned to her desk.
"It's a combination of Cranberry Juice and herbs that settle the stomach. In combination to what I did to you just a moment a go, it will help you get through the day." Shizune stated simply and Sakura glanced down at the drink before she sipped it. The Cranberry Juice, yes she could taste the bitterness of it, however the herbs she couldn't taste at all. With a questioning look, Shizune just grinned as she bend forward and collected Tonton, that of the Lady Hokage's pet pig. "You won't taste the herbs at all. It's a remedy that I created for the Lady Hokage. You can imagine her drunken stupor before she has those things given to her." That made Sakura laugh, and she nodded her head in agreement, before she continued to drink the drink.
"Do you know if the Lady Hokage is currently available?"
"Why do you want to know, Sakura?"
"Because she was to begin giving me instruction on Medical Ninjutsu, and help to become a field medic. Or So Kakashi-Sensei explained to me." Sakura stated, and Shizune raised a delicate dark eyebrow.
"Yes. I'm aware of it. But you were to be here for another two days." Shizune stated, tilting her head to the side, wondering what prompted the younger lady to seek out additional training in such a state. "He had best not be neglecting your training again, Sakura. The Hokage gave in to your favour when you asked. I don't think she would do so a second time. And he doesn't have a mission today, so that means that he should be training you right now."
The statement made Sakura laugh and she returned to the jug of fruit juice, and nodded her head in agreement with Shizune. "Today, he would be… But he had more to drink than I did." Sakura stated as she sipped the drink, leaving Shizune more confused than ever. It was no secret that Kakashi occasionally nipped at the booze. But to do so with a student, well, it just was not done. Unless both were drinking, as teammates and comrades toasting and talking about old friends and times when they were far simpler. "We were talking about Naruto."
That simple statement spoke to her everything Shizune needed to know what had gone on, and she could not fault Kakashi or Sakura for talking like they had been over that of booze and good times. Shizune smiled, before she peered down towards that of her scheduling book, and nodded her head in agreement. "The Lady Hokage has an appointment with that of the Sand Village's representative, Garra, at two today. But outside of that, her entire morning is free." Shizune stated as she stood up once again, and moved to the hard wood doors that barred the rest of the world from Tsunade's work space and gently knocked.
"Enter."
And thus the doors opened, and there Tsunade was, looking down towards a paper with a cup of tea in her hand, and continued to glance over the content as Sakura entered the room. When the Hokage noticed who had come in, Tsunade set the piece of paper down and regarded the young pink haired lady with a calculating stare. "What can I do for you today, Sakura?"
"Unfortunately, Kakashi-sensei is not well today. Seeing as I have the day off out of the schedule he set up, I still wished to be doing something. I'm wishing to see if I could begin my medical training this morning." Sakura stated. And Tsunade looked her straight in the eye and she raised an eyebrow to the younger lady.
"I've a question."
"Yes?"
"Have you done any real mourning for your lost teammate, Sakura?" Tsunade stated as she slowly rose up from her spot in the chair before she moved towards one of the red leather couches that she held within n her office for visiting guests and as a more comfortable place to think more troubling things through. But the question brought a small smile to Sakura's face, one that held just a hint of mischief as she gazed at her leader, and then she countered with a question of her own.
"Have You?" And Tsunade paused in mid sitting as she was asked that question, before she looked towards that of the Genin that questioned her. And then she smirked lightly, before she sat down and poured herself some jasmine tea. The elder blonde was impressed by what Sakura had accomplished with Kakashi and that of Gai as well. Her training was finally being taken seriously.
"Touché, Sakura, Touché." Tsunade stated as she poured a second cup of Jasmine tea for that of her guest, remembering her manners to that of her guest. "No I haven't. Though I've signed the paperwork saying that he is. Gaara's right. Naruto can't be killed so easily by that of Sasuke. It's just sad that the elders and the clan heads cannot see that."
"What about Jiraiya's spy network? Surely they have word on him."
"No. There are a lot of blondes out there, and some do bear a striking resemblance to that of Naruto, but none of them are him." Tsunade stated, before she smirked and shook her head, sipping the tea lightly. "Look at me. Adding to your troubles. You came here for a reason, Sakura. What is it?"
"I've come to see if I could start my training in the medical fields. I have the day off, and figured I may as well use it to the best of my abilities."
Tsunade's honey brown eyes met that of Sakura's jade green ones and noticed the seriousness in them. The young girl did not wish to simply allow herself to indulge in the fact that Naruto might actually be dead, and she was throwing herself at her work. Tsunade could not help but smile. She had been doing the same thing. Thanks to the help of the paperwork sorts, her work load was cut by a half. Of course there were other things that needed to meet with her approval as well, but she found herself with considerable more time on her hands. After thinking it over, Tsunade nodded her head in agreement.
"I agree, now is as good a time as any. Though I'm afraid that before you begin any practical study, you're going to need a bit more….. Reading up before I can teach you to do anything more than help with a scrape." Tsunade stated as she slowly rose up and moved towards the bookshelves upon the wall. The ones with all sorts of medical tomes and scrolls. And then she picked one up and nodded her head, before she moved back to the table, setting down a book as thick as Tsunade's grip in front of Sakura. "This is a book on the human body. Its muscles, its bones, its veins, arteries, and organs. They all have a function within the body. Some things, humans can live with out, while other things they can not. Your going toned to finish the first five chapters, and I want a written report upon their contents and your conclusions on them. Also, report to the Hospital, when you've a day off from your training and missions. Medics, no matter of what grade, do get to do things inside of the facility." Tsunade ordered, while Sakura just gapped at the book.
"This is just a bit of reading?" The young girl questioned, before she shook her head in exasperation.
-Chapter end-
Next Chapter: Funeral Politics.