My Brave Teishu
By: K.O.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, least I own a new car and an iPhone 5s.
Authors note: 7 year time skip, this makes sakura 19 years old, and brings kakashi more into to play in an adult manner.
XXXXXXXXXXX Seven years later XXXXXXXXXXXX
As the moon shines down from the canopy of trees, refracting light off the waxy cover of green leafs. It shimmers as it touches red drops on a pale white surface, marred only by maroon red lines. The light pass's through the gentle puffs of air coming from the pale surface, given form by the chill in the night air. As the light strives for the forest floor, it's caught on the long silver surface of a katana, that pushes the light back onto the pale white surface. But the light begging to find purchase on the forest floor catches its glow on the liquid marring the blades reflecting surface. The moon light glitters and glints off the red liquid, as it slithers down the smooth blade to the tip. There as it beads onto the tip off the blade, the figure stares at the reflection of the moon upon the slight wavering form of the beaded red liquid begging to drop with the force of the gentle breeze as it quivers at the tip of the blade.
As if the heavens could hear the silent plea of the moon's light, a breeze picks up rustling the leaves of the forest canopy, with a gentle hissing sound as the leaves move against one another, swaying in the chill night wind. A gray cloud is pushed away from the moons face, providing more light to the blade. The red bead at the tip quivers and sways more with the pronounced breeze, until it drops of the tip, falling to the shadowed ground, glittering and gleaning the reflection of the moon until is splashes onto the shadowed ground. A black gloved hand grabbed in leather, tightens its hold onto the hilt of the blade, creaking in protest of the tight hold. The hand cloaked in black leather, is connected to an arm clothed in black lacquer, and it raises the blade into the air vertically, the red liquid starts to slide down the blade to the hilt. The katana is slung in a forceful arch, the red substance is sent sliding off the blade, into a graceful red arch gleaming in the moon's light. The arching red curtain splashes against the surrounding forest matter. It splashes on to a nearby tree trunk and starts its journey oozing to the forest floor, as minuet drops of crimson drip off the leaves of the surrounding brush the read curtain had the miss hap of landing on.
A ringing sound projects throughout the quite woods as the katana slides home into its welcoming sheath, worn on the back of a black shadow. As the figure steps into the moon light in the cramped clearing, the light glints off the smooth white face of a porcelain mask, marred with dark red lines and drops of glittering crimson liquid, streaking down the mask to congregate at its chin, dripping off to a melodic rhythm to the forest floor. The squelch and squish of a black boot is heard as the figure with the porcelain face turns to leave the clearing, as the soft hiss of leaves announces its quite exit, into the deep dark shadows of the forest, where the moon's light dare not even to shine. Slowly the dark figure merges with the shade of the night, till only the faint view of a haunting porcelain mask is seen.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Border of Fire; Fire Country XXXXXXXXX
Sakura glided through the woods at a smooth pace, pushing off one tree branch only to land on another, repeating the process with practiced ease. Easing the flow of charka to her feet then receding it, like the ebb and flow of the tide, easing the flow of her charka back and forth as she passed from one tree branch to another. It was her turn on border patrol as a jonin, and sakura was glad for the mind numbing task this week. Although naruto referred to today as her "moody day" and Ino's favorite "Pms day", it was the death anniversary of her brother. Contrary to popular belief, she was not an only child, and her family life was not perfect, and least of all her family was not entirely civilian. The only reason she was to be called an only child was the sole fact that nobody in her generation knew sakura at the time, her brother, or that he was going to enter the academy, and his records were sealed by the Hokage do to the circumstance of his death.
She was not from a prefect home, nor was she bright and perky at all times, yes she was moody, that was true, and she was smart. Second only to a Nara in the academy exams and smart enough to hide her true nature, least she have a harder life than necessary with higher expectations. At times shikamaru had the right idea; in fact the whole Nara clan did, with their lazy demeanors. People did not expect too much from them on a daily basis unless it was an emergency. Sakura took this theory of the Nara clan as her own, twisting it to suit her needs. Of course shikamaru had an inkling that sakura was not truly like the person she portrayed on a daily basis. Many assumed she was still in love with sasuke, or something or other. Sakura generally let people draw their own conclusions about her. It was easier to let them think whatever they pleased than to correct them, also it was safer as a ninja; you were then an unknown.
Sakura came to a stop on a thick branch, placing her left palm on the trunk, she sent out a pulse of chakra, the area was clear, glancing left and right into the forest canopy sakura determined that the area was clear. Shifting around on the branch sakura was planning to take a rest until she had to meet up with kiba miles out for relief shift, which was something she was regretting now that she took the mission. Kiba when alone and board was more annoying than naruto. Although he had toned it down over the years, he could still be obnoxious, loud, the cause of many headaches, how shino copped sakura could only guess. Just as sakura had settled into the tree as comfortably as she could, her mic crackled to like "…sakura,- crackle- I think you-snap- should see this…over" the com line hisses into her ear, there was a heavy amount of interference over the frequency, it was tested earlier in the rounds, there should not have been any, and sakura was sure she was in range.
Standing quickly sakura, double checked her gear, and then tied her hair back as best she could, then nimbly slide her finger to the knot of her headband to make sure it was tight. Nodding to herself that her check was complete, she pushed chakra to her feet, shooting of the branch, she sailed through the trees, keeping an eye open for another launching point. If kiba was calling for her to check something out, then it must have been serious. Kiba was nice enough to her, she couldn't say they were really close, except for her strength and medical skills, that she couldn't hide if she wanted, kiba didn't think to highly of her. But it didn't matter much to her either way, the less people knew the safer she was.
Even if her father thought…"sakura _-crackle-snap- hurry—hiss-time_" dragging her hand to her neck, as she dratted under a low hanging branch, she clicked the com button "Kiba, this is sakura, I'm in route…over" as her finger let off the button, only static, hissing and popping greeted her ear. Sakura pumped just enough chakra into her feet for add' speed, keeping a wary eye on the amount she was using incase there was a battle or kiba got himself injured. As the breeze picked up rustling the leaves of the canopy, it shifted into her direction. A copper irony smell assaulted her nose, she was starting to notice the area, and she was almost there, just a little more….
TBC…
Authors note: Thanks for the reviews all, it lets me know this story isn't a total bust, and people will read it. Midnight sakura's review kicked my butt into gear, so Merry Christmas. Reviews make me go faster…..