AN: Hey I have finally updated this one! This one is pretty serious and the previous chapter was sort of a filler for fun.
General POV.
Legs moving swiftly, automatically from tree to tree. The wind slapped her in the face, but that was how she loved it. Her long hair was flying behind her in a tight ponytail. Her lips pressed together as the memory of being appointed the mission flashed through her mind.
Tsunade's honey eyes flashed as she tossed the scroll onto the table. "For the Kazekage in Suna. Be quick, be fast, and you'll have no problem."
Sakura walked up to her shishou seated behind the table and rested both hands on it. She looked wary.
"What's the catch, shishou?" She asked, not noticing a quiet figure among the three staring fixedly at her rear.
Tsunade leaned back on her chair…and noticed.
Smiling in amusement, she pursed her lips as if to ponder, and promptly said, "Why don't you ask Kakashi?"
Who immediately snapped out of his reverie, stumbling over his words. "W-w-what did you say Hokage-sama?"
"What's the mission, Hatake?"
"Delivering a scroll to Kazekage. Fast, quick and hopefully no deaths."
"Glad you heard. Now it's a dangerous trip. This scroll has some vital information regarding the recently-missing high-ranked shinobi and kunoichis among all the countries. Our ANBU has successfully infiltrated the headquarters of the organization behind this. It's in Suna, so be VERY careful. You hear me? AND, it seems," she said, pausing, "…They are doing an entertainment business in the black market. It's sick, really. They use these nins to fight each other to the death, for entertainment's sake…And betting as well. I can't tell you more, just that they are pretty high-tech. The rest is kept confidential in case you get captured and they forcefully extract information from you." She ran a hand through her hair, sighing wearily.
"Just do it quick, Team Kakashi. You know where the meeting place is. You will leave tomorrow. Now get out of my sight."
Which explained why they were traveling non-stop. Fast. When they were done, they'd head home. She'd go home, heat up her favourite blueberry Pop Tarts, and make herself a warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Then she could continue reading her favourite book so far: I Once Loved An Asshole by JK Rolling. And then she could have her nice long bath with her lavender essence, and finally feel the soreness in her muscles slowly fading away. And try to understand Sasuke's mysterious glances at her. And then-
BANG. Rustling as somebody tripped and fell. "Shit! He's down! Kakashi's down!"Sasuke yelled furiously, unusual panic etched in his voice.
Her blood ran cold and her mind went automatically into panic mode. Immediately she did the one thing she could only think of.
She U-turned on her heel…
And went down herself.
"SAKURA! What the hell are you doing?" Naruto's voice boomed from above.
The trees were extremely tall. As she dove, she prayed silently for the strength to be able to stop her fall. In front of her was an unconscious body falling headfirst. Without thinking twice, in one swift motion, she clung on to his body, switched his position, channeled all her chakra into her legs and her available right hand and screamed as they both plummeted dangerously fast onto the ground.
"SHANNARO!!"
The ground exploded beneath her feet, turning the world black.