Sorry for the short chapter last time! I was not in the mood. My audition did not go well and the part I wanted was given to an older person :p I only have 14 lines and don't get to sing!

A day later of traveling in silence, I sensed another chakra. Well, it wasn't just one. Maybe nine or ten. Slowing to a stop, I took a small break to gain breath in case I would have to fight. I started up again, running towards the chakra sources, and smack! One of them hit me head on with their arms winding around me. The chest hit me, muffling my hearing.

'Holy Crap' Was all I thought before hitting the branch and falling to the ground, painfully. The one hugging me, it seemed, let go of me, also falling. It was Naruto.

"Sakura!" He yelled, even though he was right next to me. We touched the ground at the same time. Except I jumped back up to the branch, leaving him on the ground. Ino was the next one to hug me. Hinata came, but didn't hug me. We weren't that good of friends in the past. Neji, Gai, Sasuke, Tenten Asuma, Lee, and Kakashi came onto the branch in that order. Kakashi stared at me, eyebrow raised. Naruto came back up hugging me again. I paid no mind and stared at the senseis.

"I need to go..." I said, shrugging off Naruto. He frowned as did the senseis. Kakashi walked closer me. Pulling something out of his pouch, he stared at me. He took out a scroll and handed it to me. Looking at the name I smiled. I quickly grabbed and was about to thank him when a thought came to my mind. "...Did you look in it?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I was going to, Asuma too, but this guy said to keep out of your 'private' property." He said this, pointing at Gai and making the word private emphiased. I giggled at Gai and thanked him. He nodded and gave the good guy pose and Lee followed him. I chuckled a little more and turned to Kakashi. I bowed my head to him.

"Tell Sandaime that I won't be coming back for awhile... Maybe never." Naruto frowned really sadly as did the other genin. Except Neji, of course. He was just like that before Naruto knocked sense into him at the Chuunin Exams.

"But-!" He began, but Kakashi interrupted him like he hadn't heard him in the first place. Gai and Asuma looked away.

"If you don't come back with us... You'll be a missing nin." He also looked away. I looked towards the ground. The words traitor laced my mind. I was reminded of Sasuke. Well, when he left. I nodded slowly and turned.

"Yeah, see you later..." I was going to jump away when I felt a hand on my wrist. Naruto, again. He looked like he was going to cry.

"Please." Was all he said and I wanted to oblige. Shaking my head, I knew I was doing this for him. For Konoha. For everyone. But mostly for him. I looked away from Naruto.

"Sorry... I have a few things to do." I felt his hand slip off mine, slowly. I jumped away from the group, putting the scroll in my pouch.

0.0.0

The group watched Sakura leave, sadly. Again, except Neji. Lee frowned slightly. He turned towards Naruto.

"She is... Beautiful! A lovely blossom!" He said loudly. This made some of the people in the group sweat-drop. Naruto turned to Lee, glaring.

"She wouldn't like you, Bushy Brows!" He yelled back louder. Lee weeped, turning away. On the way home, everyone was quiet except these two. Kakashi frowned, thinking of the mission report he, Asuma, and Gai were going to have to do. He also was thinking that he lost a student. What exactly did she have to do?

0.0.0

I ran the rest of my day, thinking of the word exchange. I sighed and stopped at a tree as the sun set over the horizon. I sat, looking at the sunset and smiled. So peaceful, I guess. But in a few days, I will be declared a missing nin. If I could, I would have went home, but still. I need to meet him. Mandara. I fell asleep at that and dreamed of my memories of him.

0.0.0

Two days later, it started raining. I was close. Wondering if it was easier to get in now that I was a missing nin, I stopped and jumped out of a tree. Yes, yesterday, if I calculated correctly, Naruto and them got home. Or maybe it was today, if they took a lot of breaks. I chuckled a little. They probably did since really it is the first time out of the village for most of them. I started walking on the ground. After awhile, the trees finally came to an end and I saw the village. Although, it was still really far away. I would have to walk on water for a bit instead of jumping on trees, too. That would take time since my chakra level is low. They are a bit higher than my past self, though. I have been training myself more. I walked to the edge of land and sat. I was going to sleep and get some food into my system. I need energy and chakra. I took a sip of water straight out of the lake around, and under, the village. It didn't help my dry throat so I drank a lot more. Now I felt like I was going to throw up. My throat still hurt.

0.0.0

Kakashi, Gai, and Asuma stepped slowly in Sandaime's office.

"So?" He asked. All three were silent. That is what made Sandaime know what they meant. It failed. "Alright dismissed.... Oh wait." He said, making the three who were about to leave, pause. " Can one of you go tell the Harunos?"

0.0.0

After I threw up, I laid on the ground. Never again, I sweat-dropped. I know that I wasn't supposed to drink water quickly after a long run,but this time I just did it. I took out an apple from my pack and looked at it.

"Ugh..." I took a small bite from it anyway. I chuckled, remembering the time Naruto and Sasuke did the same thing. That mission didn't happen yet. I wonder if they will. I finished my apple while I was thinking. I curled up in the wet grass and smiled. Slowly I fell asleep, peacefully. But all the time I was sleeping the memories of the last battle came into my head, making a nightmare.

0.0.0

In the end, Sandaime was the one to tell Mr. and Mrs. Haruno. Mrs. Haruno weeped her self to sleep, not going out of her room after she heard the news. Mr. Haruno sat on the downstairs couch thinking.

Naruto and friends of Sakura hung out at Ino's house for there was a a day off tomorrow.

0.0.0

In the morning, I awoke with sweat on my face. It wasn't only sweat, though. Dried tears were also there. I frowned at nothing.

"..." Standing, I used my chakra to step on the water. It was still before dawn, but the town was still lit up and bustling. The city that never sleeps, I guess. I walked slowly across the lake, excited and very anxious. What if he wasn't here? ...What if he was. I mean, sure I want to meet him and stop him, but he doesn't know me. This is the past. And my low reserves and my strength is very low and different. So we can't get in a fight... I'll just show him the scroll. I smiled at my stupid plan. I should of thought of this before I left Konoha. Growing too anxious, I started to run. By this time I was halfway across. My smile widened as the city walls widened in front of me.

"Heh, what took you so long..." A voice called from above me. I stopped and looked up, confused. "Un." Deidara. Deidara...?

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. He smirked at me from his giant clay bird, ten feet from the water's surface. I heard shuffling and his arm disappeared from my sight. His arm came back pulling something. A head. No body, just a bloody beheaded head. "Oh..."

His smirk disappeared and he mumbled to himself.

"What?"

"Oh nothing..." He replied. "I just thought a young ninja girl would be afraid, un..." He again mumbled to himself. I smiled, but that soon disappeared when I felt my feet sinking a little. My chakra was going faster than I thought.

"Um, sorry... But I gotta go!" I smiled widely and started running again. Behind me, I sensed Deidara's bird started to move.

"...So... What's your deal?" He asked, the clay bird keeping in pace with me. I looked towards the water. Might as well be friendly. These are the people I will be with for awhile, I told myself. I stared back up to Deidara.

"My deal with what exactly?"

"You wanting to meet Leader."

"... Well, its not your Leader. It's his friend."

"What's his name?"

"Ha, what if its a girl, you sexist transvestite?"

That made Deidara stop, shocked. I chuckled to myself in my head and continued on. Maybe nine, ten more minutes and I'll be there. Suddenly, I felt something thwack my head and It made me fall into the water. It surprised me so that my chakra stopped a second and I actually slipped under. After surface, I felt that what ever hit my head was still there. Staring at the sky, I saw Deidara, eyes full of rage.

"Stupid girl... Brat even." He put his hand in the tiger sign and opened his mouth. Crap.

"W-Wait, wait, wait, wait!" I said to make him stop, or at least pause. "I was only joking. Geez, I know some don't, but I thought you were the one with the humor... Other than Tobi." Deidara scowled at me, but I guess he took my words and started ahead of me, flying to the tallest building. Good for now, but next time, no more joking, I thought as another note-to-self. At least I got him to stop talking about Mandara. I smiled and climbed out of the water. I pulled off the clay from the back of my head. Some still stuck in my hair. Putting my chakra back into my feet, I started to run.

0.0.0

About twelve minutes and I was finally there. At the borders. I frowned and walked around to find gates. Finding none in my vicinity, I decided to scale the wall. My frown deepened. I put more chakra in my feet and started walking straight upward. A raindrop got in my eye. Dammit Pein! Every time he has to do with someone's death! If I ever have the chance I will strangle him.

After another three minutes I made it to the top. I sat and took out a squished rice ball. "... Ah, oh well." I took a big bite out of it. After that was done, I checked my pouch to see if the scroll was still there, which it was, and jumped off the wall into the city below.

0.0.0

"Mission accomplished, Leader." Deidara stared into the darkness, head in hand. His voice echoed in the room.

"Alright." Pein, or Leader, nodded. Deidara brought the head up and handed it to Leader. He left it on his desk. Soon after Konan came in and took it to who knows where. "Dismissed."

"Wait a second." Deidara said to grab Pein's attention. "Do you know a girl with pink hair?"

"No."

"Do you have any friends who know a girl with pink hair?"

"... I don't think so. Why?"

"Uh, well one is coming soon and she said she was meeting a friend of yours."

"..."

"I'll be leaving." Deidara bowed his head and left quickly. The room was in silence for a little. Pein turned towards a door behind him.

"Mandara?" The door opened and a man with an orange-swirled mask appeared. He stepped in slowly and stared at Pein with his one eye-hole.

"Yes?" Asked a voice contradicting his look, sounding wise. Pein stared at him for a second.

"Do you know a girl with pink hair?" Pein said, repeating what Deidara asked. Mandara paused to think. He has lived so many years...

"None that I would be able to remember." He nodded towards Pein, turning back to the door. "But, we can always see." He went through the door and left into deep, pitch black.

"Yes we will." Pein said to himself, looking back to his desk. He lifted a pen and began some paperwork.

0.0.0

I sat on the water, slowly sinking into it as people passed on the road above me. The looked drunk and were walking really slowly. Really. To be this drunk, this early, is stupid. This village is stupid. Everyone is like drunk or something. I smiled to myself. The people were gone in a minute and I jumped up to the road. I was right... This town is drunk, there is at least three bars on this street alone.

"Who are you?" A female voice from behind, surprised me.

"Wha-!?" I turned, wide-eyed. The first things I saw was blue hair and an white origami flower.