Sakura

Before we limped home from the bridge to Tazuna-san's house all I felt like doing was ranting on to my teammates about how they tried to shield me from the fight and how I'd have to heal they're sorry butts when we got there. Sasuke, Kakashi and Naruto weren't looking so good after the death battle with Zabuza and Haku.

I knew better, I was raised better –although I was questioned once it was by wolves from Neji. But I was the Princess of the Rain, daughter of Pein and Konan, and I was going to do what suited me!

"I knew this mission was going to be trouble the moment we were assigned it. This is going to hurt…" I muttered, easing out the last needle from Sasuke's impaled body. After I was sure he wasn't going to die on me, my tears had dried up and I tried to fix a semi-emotionless mask on my face, but I was too worried to be a statue at the moment.

"OW!" He gridded his teeth and growled at me (Ah, a reason for me to be angry, this should settle out nicely). "I can't move."

"That's because these needles are poisonous." I said tapping the sharp tip of metal with my finger, lightly enough so it wouldn't draw blood. "It's a type of Novocain. Foreign, but it was made where I come from, so I have the immunity." I positioned my hands over Sasuke's chest and was about to call on my healing chakra, but I noticed someone watching me.

I threw Tazuna a smirk. "Do I finally have a 'womanly trait', Tazuna-san?" I asked, recalling a statement he'd made after seeing me punch that pervert in town. He grunted and looked away when Sasuke's body lurched as I summoned out the poison.

I looked back at Haku's dead body. I was just glad I got some herbal information out of him before he died. I shrugged to myself and pulled a shot out of my side bag and tapped it a few times. I'd need to sedate him.

Sasuke suddenly looked awake and I gave him the shot; he withed as the ice like substance shoot through his veins and froze up his tense muscles, soon it'd warm then and start healing from the inside. I leaned down to Sasuke's ear, almost like I might kiss him, but instead I whispered: "Itachi was worried. He thought you weren't going to make it." He blacked out before he could say anything else and if I squinted, I could just barely make out Itachi's black form in the mist and beside him was Kisame.

Luckily my hard-headed teammate won't remember in the morning.

Tazuna threw Sasuke over his shoulder and waited for my say so.

"Okay let's head on back." I said, once I'd gathered all the needles.

Pein

Deidara smashed against a rock and slowly sunk to the ground. I heard a crack in the process, so I knew something was broken. Pleased with my work- my kind of art- I smiled and watched Deidara's lean form tremble.

"Have you learned you lesson, Deidara?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest. The blond had been messing around outside his old village, trying to get back in touch with a relative and just about blowing our cover in the process that was enough reason for a punishment.

Itachi jumped from a tree paying no mind to Deidara's broken form. "Sakura-hime has returned to the village from her mission. Not a scratch on her."

I sighed in relief. "Good. The Chuunin exams will be starting soon." Itachi nodded. "I want to see her fight."

Sakura

I stretched back in the sun, feeling much like a cat: enjoying its warmth and relaxation.

"How was the mission?" Hinata asked, sitting on the bench with me.

"Great, but Sasuke is in the hospital until further notice." I said not opening my eyes.

"Yeah and I'm broke." Naruto said. "Konohamaru wants to play ninja later with his friends. Wanna join?" I opened one eye to see Naruto's silly grin.

"Tempting...but I'm tired." I leaned back and assumed my tanning position. "The sun is so nice today I want to enjoy it."

"Sakura-chan don't be such a-" Naruto was cut off by a sharp cry which made me leap to my feet.

"SAKU-RA! NARU-TO! HELP! THIS BIG APE IS CHASING ME!" Konohamaru rounded the corner and jumped behind Naruto. Then two other ninja, about our age, came out behind him. The boy was dress in all black with his face painted in a purple design and something strapped to his back was the one chasing him, I guessed. And the girl with the war fan was chasing after the boy.

Grabbing two kunai and aimed at them, they dodged, of course, and landed in front of Naruto.

"You little punk," The boy hissed at the cowering Konohamaru. "First you ram into me now you throwing weapons-" I cut him off.

"Actually I threw that." I said standing and yanking them out of the ground. Looking up I noticed the symbols engraved into their headbands. "And what are Sand ninja doing in our ranks?"

The girl turned and smiled. "Where here for the Chuunin exams. Ever heard of them?" I smirked.

"PUT ME DOWN! YA BIG APE!" Konohamaru growled. I turned to see the boy hoists him into the air and pull his fist back.

"I'll finish you quickly." He said. He brought his fist forward, but something him his wrist before it could make contact with his face; a rock. I looked at the direction of who threw it.

I caught the gleam of raven hair and the aura of familiar chakra.

"Sasuke I told you to stay in the hospital!" I growled inhumanly at the tree before yanking Konohamaru out of the boy's grasp. Konohamaru jumped at freedom and darted down the street with a: 'See you at home' shouted over his shoulder a tall cloud of dust gathered behind him. Sasuke moved to a lower branch and scowled at me; tossing up another rock and catching it smoothly.

"I'm fine."

"Being impaled by a eighty-five, laced with poison, needles does not make you fine!" I snapped. The two Suna ninja watched our bickering with raised eyebrows; although the girl was watching Sasuke with a look of interest, which fueled my rant.

"It wasn't that bad." He said smashing the rock to dust in his fist.

"Not when I have to pull them out and I'll put them all back in." Sasuke knew I was dead serious and his eyes widened a bit.

"Aw, whatever! Get down here you little squirrel!" The boy pushed past me.

"Kankuro! Don't!" A lethal voice hissed.

I spotted the owner of the voice first.

He's standing in the tree, well, upside down on the branch. He had blood red hair with a slight curl and sea foam eyes so light they almost weren't even there, surrounded by thick eyeliner. He was paler than me, and that was saying something considering where he lived, and wore a scowl and a giant gourd strapped to his back.

I looked back at Hinata, to see if she was still there. Her face was blushing madly and her pearl colored eyes were wide.

Someone's got a crush.

With the Kazakaga's son. Ever heard of forbidden love?

Best kind. This is going to be an interesting storyline for me to keep up on. Saku purred. I rolled my eyes.

"Hmm, Gaara of the Sand." I said to no one in particular, but I locked eyes with my old friend. "So nice of you to join us." Gaara looked at me and crossed his arms over his chest, with a smug look, but I knew he was happy to see me.

"Sakura, been awhile hasn't it?" There was a smile in his tired voice.

"Have information for me?" I asked. The Akatsuki and the Sand usually worked together, but all they knew is that we were ominous information givers that were the best at gossip.

I met Gaara when the Sand was starting to hear rumors on the Third Kazakage's disappearance. Well, we knew where he was, but we made up a story and passed it off (they would never guess the Sasori had turned him into a puppet). I was wondering around the town without Itachi and finally I found a group of kids playing and there was one kid, a little boy with red hair, who was sitting on the swings.

Our friendship took off from there.

"Do you have any for me? I'm higher ranking." I tsked and shook my head.

"Only on a status scale, Gaara. You'll have to prove yourself here. Although I sure you can still kick butt." Gaara smirked and jumped down to stand next to the boy and girl. "But I know that that's your sister, Temari, and your brother, Kankuro. These are my teammates Naruto and Sasuke. And this..." I grabbed Hinata's arm and pulled her over to stand in front of me. "Is my best friend Hinata Hyuuga."

Kankuro laughed at her slight squeal of surprise.

"S-Sakura-chan!" Hinata gasped as I smirked evilly.

Sasuke jumped down from the tree. "Sakura, how do you know them?"

"I told you I lived everywhere." I said in an I-already-told-you tone.

"Alright! Friends of Sakura's are friends of mine! Let's get ramen!"

I know not a lot happening yet, still forming the bonds and setting up the train wreck that will happen.

Quick question: Since I'm working on the sequel and prequel what AKATSUKI and SAKURA COUPLE would you want? Sakura and Itachi OR Sakura and Deidara? And should they die like they do in the Manga/Anime? Write me a review with your answer and I'll get right on it!

~QueenVamp