Chapter 7 Funeral

In Konoha

Tsunade sat at her desk with her head in her hands. It had been a year since Sakura's disappearance and she had just set out plans for her funeral even thought there is no body.

"Send out invites to Sand... the people she went to heal and help..." Tsunade said in a sad voice to Shizune, "Naruto and some others will be talking at the funeral. We will have a side word about the small girl she was helping who is most likely dead as well."

"Yes ma'am." Shizune nodded and left the room.

Tsunade reached into her desk draw and pulled out a bottle of Sake and a cup. She was extremely depressed that Sakura was gone, she blamed herself.

The funeral was in two weeks and on top of that there was something else on her mind. Some ninja had reported a new Akatsuki member who was rumoured to be more ruthless then the rest of them.

Somewhere deep in the Snow Village

"I'm sorry!" A man cried out in pain, "The ninja wouldn't believe me... they went to the base up there... they didn't believe me..."

"It wasn't hard."

"They are hard to convince... they are all wired up... So they aren't very trusting right now."

"And why is that?"

"This!" The man reached into a draw and pulled out an envelope. "Please ma'am don't hurt me anymore... I tried..."

She took the envelope and read the card inside. "A funeral for Sakura Haruno?"

"A weak ninja or something..." He replied. She chuckled darkly and in a second his neck was snapped.

She took her rice hat off her head and untied her pink hair to let it fall at her neck. "I am not weak."

Back at the Base in the Sea Country

After a two day no sleep travel Sakura returned to the base where she found two people training outside. Well one was training, the other was messing around.

"Sakura!" I cheered as I ran towards her. Itachi stopped training to look towards Sakura who was walking towards him with me on her shoulders.

"Apparently the ninja are not taking things so lightly anymore... they are all on edge." Sakura explained to Itachi, "That is why they didn't leave the shrine alone... they noticed the illusion and deactivated it, at least it was only a pass by base..."

"That's why we didn't do too much to cover it." Itachi replied, "Do we know what they are on edge about?"

"Yeah this." Sakura snorted and gave Itachi the card.

"What does it say?" I cheered and tried to lean over to see it, I ended up pushing Sakura's head down.

"Nai, my head doesn't bend that way." Sakura murmured as she pushed her head back.

"Sorry Big Sis." I giggled.

"Your funeral..." Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"WHAT?" I shouted and went back to pushing Sakura's head forward to get a better look. "YOU'RE GONNA DIE?"

"No..." Sakura said and put her head back again to stop me from pushing down. "Konoha protocol is if the person on the mission is missing for a year... they are MIA and considered dead."

"That's silly... coz you're not dead." I replied, "I'm sitting on your shoulders..."

"I know I'm alive but they think I am too weak and that I am dead..." Sakura explained,

"But you are strong now."

"And will kick there butts..." Sakura snorted.

"Remember you were going to prove yourself to us?" Itachi brought up, "If we came across Leaf Ninja... kill or serious injure them... that is proving yourself..."

Two Weeks Later

"So who is coming to my funeral?" Sakura asked at the breakfast table. Everyone was there and there weren't any missions that day. I raised my hand in a second and Itachi nodded slowly.

"I'll pass hot legs." Kisame replied,

"Better things to do fish stick?"

"Much better than being with you..." Kisame snorted. Everyone except Sasori declined. Sasori was interested in going.

The road to Konoha only took a few hours because we ran on the water and ran at a speed not many ninja can run at.

Getting near the gate Sakura placed an illusion on us, although Sasori did not because no one had seen him before.

"I have blond hair." I cheered as I looked into a mirror. "Can I have short blond hair for real?"

"No." Sakura replied, "It wouldn't suit your actual looks."

"Hm." I replied and look at her. She was brunette and had big boobs. "Your boobs are big." I giggled and then looked at Itachi and giggled more.

"Why do I have glasses?" Itachi asked Sakura.

"Coz I thought they'd suit you." Sakura shrugged.

"And do they?" Sasori asked her.

"I'd jump his bones if we weren't on a mission." Sakura said in a serious tone. Sasori looked amused and Itachi just raised an eyebrow. "A simple observation..."

"Followed by an action statement?" Sasori asked.

"Pretty much," Sakura shrugged. "Come on... To the funeral."

"Act sad." Itachi suggested, "You'll stand out."

"True." Sakura shrugged.

The funeral was boring to Sakura, nothing was really happening but that was because it was preist talking for the time being. The speeches of remembrance were coming up.

"I blame myself for Sakura's disappearance and death." Tsunade cried, "And that poor girl, she must be gone too. I let her go on a mission that didn't tell me anything about where she went only that she was healing someone. I have messaged around to find people who may have been healed by a young girl but nothing."

Tsunade took her seat and Naruto took the podium.

"I should have joined her on that mission, I would have protected her." Naruto cried. "She was too weak to go alone."

"WHAT?" Sakura choked.

"You're not weak..." I whispered.

"They are just stupid." Sakura grumbled.

A few other of Sakura's old friends said some sad things and left for their seats. The funeral was over in no time and Sakura seemed extremely pissed off.

The entire way home Sakura was fuming. We stayed in Port City over night but Sasori had to leave, I went with him, the Leader needed me to find Orochimaru and see what his plans for whatever he was going to do wasn't going to affect us.

I waved good bye to Itachi and Sakura and Sasori and I left for the Sea Country base for me to get ready.

"Bye bye." I cheered.

Well that was a pain... dude I couldn't think of anything to write...

Well Itachi and Sakura has a little alone time ^^ Hehe... No graphic scenes or anything in this story... I don't have the effort

'-_-