Sakura

I huffed and started at my latest work.

Two new craters and a small rip in my shishou's jacket sleeve (which sounds a lot simpler than it really is).

Tsunade surveyed the scenery and gave a nod of approval. "Not bad, not bad. You're strong, but you're lacking control, your all over the place, you need to learn to make a direct hit or else you're going to break something in your hand. You have excellent chakra control and your stamina is exceptional. Who trained you before?" Tsunade asked.

"A few of my father's colleagues, they try to stay on his good side by teaching me a weapon trick of two. Master Sasori was the hardest of my trainers, he was told to make me strong and he treated me like any other Genin."

Tsunade nodded. "You were born in Amegakure, correct?"

"…Hai."

"I've been there once, during the last Great Ninja war. Where raised under harsh conditions?"

"No, my parents were well off, I never had to go without. But during training conditions were harsh and it is Ame, it tends to rain quite a lot." Tsunade snorted at my sarcastic tone and planted her hands on her hips.

"What about your medic training?"

"Um…" Well, you see I have the Chiryō-shi no Saku -you know the healing demon that all medics are said to be children of? – sealed inside of me so pretty much everything she knows, I know. "My mother was a very good teacher."

Tsunade stared me down, seeming to know I was lying but said nothing.

~X~

I looked at the window of our hotel room. I have to say Tsunade-shishou had picked the best hotel out of the lot, but this was a pleasure town. Hookers, drunks, and gamblers (heehee) roamed the streets twenty-four seven. However, Tsunade said it was the best place for a ninja to stay; you won't be disturbed –from what, after the other traumatic experience of a drunken hooker half-knocking down our door, I was too scared to ask.

Tsunade said I had the makings to be a great ninja someday, but as a kunoichi I failed miserably. She also said I needed to work on my appearance a bit more. My hair was just something I couldn't deal with so I chopped it all off, again. It was back to shoulder length and a lot easier to take care of.

It had been a week since we've been gone and we moved to three different towns. Each time I could sense the memorable chakra of Naruto and the Pervy Sage coming toward us. Though they still thought I was back in Konoha instead of helping Tsunade –who was wanted for Kami knows what- escape from them.

Shizune, Tsunade's assistant who tended to wear a lot of black, entered my room and smiled. "Morning Sakura-chan. Sleep well?" Her little pink companion, Tonton, a ninja-pig jumped onto my made up bed to get comfortable for her pre-breakfast nap.

"Well, I went to bed a seven and rose at six; to do my hair and I didn't sleep in my clothes from the day before. So yes, Shizune-nee-chan I slept fairly well." She smirked at my verily polite sarcasm and joined my side at the window.

"Your nails look better, now that you've stopped biting them." I glanced at my red painted nails. My mother would flip if she saw me now, all frilled up are working on my appearance, and my father would be begging for his little Tomboy Princess back.

"Training with Tsunade-shishou is something I never thought would happen. If anything I expect to learn how to kill people not work on my hygiene."

"Yes I thought that when I started training under her…Lady Tsunade is debating whether to send you back home or not. Naruto and Jiraiya are on our tails again and Tsunade doesn't want to be found."

"Why?" I asked.

"There looking for a new Hokage, or so I hear, and Jiraiya refused. We were originally going to ask you to join our little parade after the Third's funeral, but we skipped town before they could get to us." Shizune gossiped.

"I wish she would say yes. She'd be a great Hokage." I paused. "Lord Third was so nice and the horrible Snake-Man killed him."

"Snake-man?" Shizune asked.

"Orochimaru...he's after my teammate, the one with the Sharingan...and maybe me."

"Why you?" I shrugged and turned my attention back to the castle view -it where we planned ongoing today after a little gabbling practice.

"Well, to him I am a cockroach...I just won't die –after his many attempts. When we first met he only managed to throw a knife at me and scar my face." I stood and walked over to my closet to where all my new cloths hung. "He has some bad blood with my parents...let's leave it at that."

"Alright,"

~X~

"Orochimaru..." My mentor hissed.

The dirt of the destroyed palace cleared.

"Ha, found you." The Snake-Man looked down at me and smiled. "Oh, look Kabuto it's the Princess of the Rain Village." I snarled at him and he smiled. "How is Sasuke doing? Well? I bet the seal isn't working is it?"

I got ready to leap at him, but Tsunade put her hand on my shoulder applying more pressure than needed to keep me in place. "Stand down Sakura, Shizune. Orochimaru, don't antagonize my protégé."

"Protégé, eh?" Snake-man smiled and stepped closer. "It seems each of us Sanin have chosen a Genin for our successor. Me, Sasuke Uchiha. You, the little thorn in my side. And Jiraiya the Kyuubi container."

That did it. I made a fist and green chakra glowed in it.

"Don't. Call. Naruto. A container. You snake." Orochimaru tilted his head and smiled.

"You're much like your mother with your pretty eyes. Have they gone silver yet? Those piercings don't seem to be working, are they?" Chakra burned brighter and Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly, to my surprise.

"Orochimaru." Tsunade said warningly. Orochimaru turned his attention back to my shishou.

"I have a proposition for you Tsunade I need you to heal my arms." My eyes landed on the bandages over his arms.

That's right; the Third Hokage had taken them. Orochimaru couldn't defend himself now, I smiled.

Sakura-hime don't do anything foolish. Saku warned.

"Why would I?" Tsunade asked her nose wrinkled her beautiful face turned lethal. Shizune looked equally as dark. "If your arms are bothering you than I shall put you out of your misery."

Shizune's stance shifted and she reached for a hided weapon. I moved out of Tsunade's way and readied myself for the fight.

"Tsunade," Kabuto, Orochimaru's lackey, spoke. Tsunade ignored Kabuto and then she started counting.

"5."

"We have something you may-"

"4"

"Please, listen-"

"3"

"Get ready to fight." I warned.

"Ugh, my Lord?" Kabuto looked helplessly over to Orochimaru.

"2...1-" Orochimaru cut her off.

"I can bring back your brother and your lover..." He waited for his words to sink in. "With a forbidden jutsu I found."

Tsunade went still. She just stared at Orochimaru. "Tsunade-shishou...?" Tsunade looked at Orochimaru's arms. I did too. It was an easy fix, for someone as talented as her at least, a large amount of chakra, a few minutes of awakening dead cells, some medicine and he was as good as healed. "Tsunade...don't. Not him, don't heal his arms! He'll destroy Konoha and my family!"

"Sakura..." Tsunade's harsh voice startled me. I recoiled and looked feebly over at Shizune who wouldn't meet my gaze. "Don't either of you use that tone with me!"

"I'll give you a few days to sit on it...don't try and leave. We're always watching." Kabuto said.

The two faded into the darkness.

~X~

At dinner that night we all sat around a wooden table in a restraint with a large assort of food that we all picked at, the once loud and debating conversation had been muted to quipped comments on anything and everything except what happened this morning. I glared at Tsunade over my tea glass and Shizune only took small bits of her food looking nervously between us, expecting a master vs. student match to break out. It was a quiet dinner, despite Tsunade's current demand for more sake from the waiter.

"Hey mister, another!" She called, raising her glass, again. Shizune pulled her hand down arm.

"Lady Tsunade I believe you've had enough." Her tone held laughter as she tried to say it nicely. I smirked at Tsunade's scrunched up face. No doubt she'd be sorry in the morning and screaming at the birds to shut their beaks…like last time.

I was about to speak, but a familiar voice shouted over mine. "There you are!" I turned in the booth and spotted Jiraiya and Naruto walking into the restaurant, they stopped short. "Sakura? What're you doing here? We thought you were back in the village."

"I lied."

"Jiraiya? What are you doing here?" Tsunade hissed, slowly coming out of her drunken haze. I giggled and Naruto sat next to me looking a little sour. Jiraiya pulled up a chair and sat next to Tsunade.

"Looking for you, of course." Her eyes darted to Naruto.

"Who's the brat?"

"Hey!" Naruto shouted and I jerked him down into the seat next to mine.

"Can it and have some chicken." I shoved a leg into his mouth and he obliged.

"My student, Naruto." Tsunade shot me a glance wonder if this was the 'Kyuubi container' that Orochimaru was talking about. I nodded and sipped my tea and handing it to Naruto who finish wolfing down the food I'd given him. She looked back at Naruto and studied him, then smirked.

"Sakura-chan, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked.

"Training…and waiting for Tsunade-shishou to apologize!" I growled the last part.

"What?" The fuming woman hissed.

She considered the devil's deal, Saku, you know there be a farfetched catch to the resurrection jutsu –they'll probably come back with their bodies in the same condition they are now, in their graves! She's a medic, she should think it through! I ranted mentally and Saku's influence calmed me.

Sakura-hime, it was her brother and her lover. You've neither of those people in your life you've no right to judge her, but a right to prevent it from happening so keep an eyes on her. Now, apologize to her.

No.

Hime.

Fine.

"Gomen..." I muttered under my breath.

"Tsunade, do you mind if I cut to the chase? It's been a rather long day." Jiraiya said. Tsunade nodded and resettled back into her chair –which Shizune had picked up. "The Hidden Leaf Village wants you to accept the title of Fifth Hokage."

Naruto chocked on my drink and I quickly pried it from his hands and patted his back. Tsunade kept her glare. "Naruto, breathe." I commanded. Naruto's coughing fit slowed and he took another drink, waiting for Tsunade's answer.

"Why do you think I skipped town? My answer is no. Lord Third died in vain trying to protect the village. He was a geezer, trying to act youthful of course he's going to croak." Naruto tried to stand from his chair and I kept him sitting. "Besides being a Kage is a joke, only a fool would take it."

"Tsunade-shishou...!" I growled. "My father is a Kage! He is no fool!" Tsunade's brown eyes flared at my tense tone. All around the table I got strange looks and Jiraiya got ready to say something, but one blunt word from Naruto stopped him.

"Outside," Naruto said. We all looked at him. "Don't make fun of Sakura's family. Outside, you old lady!" He yelled. Tsunade grabbed Naruto by the collar of his shirt and threw him out of the restaurant.

"Naruto!" I cried, running out to him.

He had made a face plant in the dirt I dropped to my knees and helped him sit up.

"Ow..." He clutched his broken nose. The blood ran down his face and into his hands. I ripped the sleeve of my shirt and held it out to him.

"You've got to stop doing this." I laughed, but it was cut short. I could sense Itachi and Kisame nearby, I turned towards their direction. They were watching Naruto and I's display from afar, Itachi's scarlet eyes cutting through the night and boring into mine with heated anger radiating from every pore. My eyes narrowed at the darkness and I shifted defensively putting my body in front of Naruto's.

"Sakura, stand aside, I'm going to teach this punk a lesson." I saw Tsunade leave the restaurant, her blond hair illuminated by the paper lamps.

"Don't-"

"Sakura, I'm fine," Naruto said. "If I can survive a couple of Akatsuki then I can survive a Sanin, okay?"

Did he just...?

He did, I've recently learned that Pein has started to send out the Akatsuki for Naruto, it's a sort of punishment for getting to close to the target.

What…? Why'd he?

"Sakura?"

"The Akatsuki? Naruto..." I forced him to look at me and my voice fell to a whisper. "Do you know what their after don't you?" Naruto's eyes widened.

"Do you…?" I nodded, confirming that I knew about the Kyuubi. "How did you-?" I cut him off.

"We'll talk later. Just try not to let my shishou kill you." I smiled. Naruto stood to fight and I moved out of the way. For now he wouldn't ask questions, but as the days would go on Naruto was going to and I will have to do what I've always done: Lie, lie, lie.

~X~

"THE FIFTH HOKAGE!" Naruto shrieked. "What did I miss when I was knocked out?"

The last three days have been true and utter hell.

Fighting Orochimaru and Kabuto took a lot more than we expected to say no to. Nevertheless, I was pleased when after I woke up from my drugged sleep that Tsunade was going to attempt to kill Orochimaru instead of healing him. If anything we only weakened him more and Kabuto healed too fast for Naruto's Rasengan to take a full affect, but Kabuto was toast and I think we may have permanently messed up his nervous system.

Although during the fight I felt close to useless. Orochimaru had smacked me around, called me weak, insulted my parents and Tsunade stepped in to save me. All I did was help heal Naruto and, maybe, knocked a tooth or two out of Kabuto's mouth and leave him without a pair of glasses.

Itachi –who wasn't fully healed yet- and Kisame have been on my back about Naruto being the Kyuubi container and I have been throwing punches, and fits, whenever they bring it up. Then I'd asked what they done to Naruto and they retorted that they were simply going to kidnap him, and bring him to my father, but Sasuke showed up and Itachi was forced to fight him. (In doing so he almost killed him.) I had been so worried about Sasuke I didn't even think about hurting Itachi, then again he's the stronger of the two brothers and I wanted to keep my life. Sasuke would be fine and Tsunade would have him feeling better in no time.

She had also given Naruto her necklace. It belonged to her grandfather, the First Hokage. Then she had accepted the title Hokage.

She was truly amazing.

We started back to the Leaf Village an hour later. Naruto and I either fighting or racing all the way and Tsunade and Jiraiya laughed when we did. It was an elderly person thing I guess.

"The way I see it," Jiraiya said pulling Naruto away from me. "Either of these little pups could be Hokage someday."

Tsunade yanked me back before I could go after Naruto. "Watch it Jiraiya, I'm not dead yet."

I stiffened when they started to speak of our future. They said it so carelessly. When I still felt undecided on where I wanted to spend next year. But my future? When I am actually old enough to become a Kage?

I didn't even know if I could take over the Rain Village when my father was gone.

I disteat spiders and catching colds! Everything is echoing! Damnit!

Here is the new chapter, any questions ask me, I've nothing else to say. Other than I posted a new MADASAKU STORY! 'Keeper of Secrets'!

Please reveiw or I'll find you,

~QueenVamp