There were times she actually envied Sai.
Sadness wasn't something he readily identified with – though with his fight against his brother that may not be true any longer. Still, to be free, even for a moment, from the various emotions swamping her would be a welcome relief.
Sakura had to keep that bright smile plastered on her face; everyone was laughing and having a wonderful time at the festival and she was expected to as well.
None of them knew Itachi was dead...again.
The worse thing was none of them probably cared.
She could rationalize their feelings well within her mind. He had murdered his entire family, had left Konoha to join with the Akatsuki, and became a wanted man in many different nations. On the surface she could understand why no one would feel sorry for his death. But...
There was so much more than that to Uchiha Itachi. He possessed a loyalty to this village that was surpassed by no one. He loved Konoha and it's inhabitants so fiercely that he was willing to take the harshest order that had probably ever been handed down to any shinobi. All he ever wanted in return was for the brother he cherished with all his heart to remain safe.
No matter how undecided her mind was on the rightness of it all, her heart mourned his passing. She had been able to see a side of the man very few people probably ever did. Perhaps not even Itachi had allowed himself to feel such emotions during life. He lived his life only to die at Sasuke's hands in atonement for the sins he carried; it made sense if he hadn't allowed himself another moment of happiness.
When she saw that vacant look in Sasuke's eyes she had known. Remembering Itachi had been with her shishou on the Hokage's tower, she searched for any sign of the man. The sad shake of Tsunade's head confirmed her suspicions.
Sasuke wouldn't welcome any words of comfort or condolences – the fact that he didn't speak of his brother's death proved that. So, in silence, she wept for the man no one would know gave everything for the village.
Now, sitting here watching the colorful star-burst of fireworks, she did her best to hide the grief her heart felt. She hid back her tears and laughed along with her friends. The takoyaki she munched on was as bitter as sawdust in her mouth. Still, she held it all back and carried on with the group. Itachi's passing wasn't her news to share and if Sasuke didn't want the others to know, that was his right.
When the fireworks were done and the crowds began to thin as the festival drew to a close, she said a silent prayer of thanks. There was really nothing more she wanted to do than go home, change into her comfortable clothes, and have a good cry in the privacy of her own home.
"This was so much fun!" Ino exclaimed as she ran in between Sakura and Hinata, locking arms with the both of them. "We got to get all dressed up, eat some good food, and hey, we finally dragged Forehead here out of that hospital!"
Sakura shot her friend a half-hearted glare. "Whatever Pig, we both know you've been just as busy as I have."
"Maybe, but at least I'm not locked up in that sterile building all day. I at least roam around in the sunlight." She tossed her flaxen hair over her shoulder as a smug grin slid across her face. "I'm even getting a nice tan while you remain pasty as always."
"At least I won't have sun spots." Sakura replied with a sickly sweet smile.
Naruto appeared on Sakura's other side, ready to defend his team mate. "Sakura-chan's not pasty! Her skin is like...uh..."
"Ivory." Ten-ten whispered loudly, a grin splitting her face.
"Yeah, like ivory." he nodded, satisfied at the word. "Now Sai back there," he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to his other team mate. "That's pasty. And he's too skinny too! We gotta get some more food in him Sakura-chan. He always look sick like he is now."
Sakura shot a disapproving look to her friend.
"I did not realize you paid so much attention to my physical appearance Naruto. According to my readings, that's called 'checking someone out' correct? Does that mean you are sexually interested in me?"
Sakura hung her head while Naruto turned an interesting shade of green and began screaming at their awkward friend. The others shared disbelieving looks and attempted to make small talk and divert their minds from the wholly uncomfortable statement.
Further ahead, Sakura caught sight of a familiar face and gladly jumped at the opportunity to pull Naruto away from trying to murder Sai – who continued to look confused at Naruto's anger. "Naruto, isn't that Matsuri?"
The raving jinchuriki turned away from his pale team mate to look in the direction Sakura pointed. "Yeah. I guess Kankuro and the others finally got here. Tch, took 'em long enough. The festival's over now."
"Who is Matsuri, Sakura-san?" Hinata asked.
"She's a kunoichi from Suna."
Sakura watched as Matsuri made her way through the crowds, looking around the young girl for signs of the others from Suna. However, the young woman's behavior appeared off. She stumbled through the throngs of people making their way home. Her movements were jerky, her eyes never wavering from some point in front of her – even when she ran into others. As Sakura moved closer to her, she could now see a state of dishevelment on the Suna kunoichi. Worried she was injured, Sakura began to walk faster.
It all happened in an instant.
Matsuri pulled a kunai from her pouch and dashed ahead towards the stairs of the Hokage tower, where Tsunade stood talking with Gaara. Chakras around her shifted and her kimono whipped around her in the burst of air that rushed by. Before her own words of warning could leave her mouth, she heard the voices of Naruto and Kaka-sensei scream into the night.
"Sasuke don't!"
When the movements all settled, her jaw dropped in amazement at the sight before her.
Naruto had Matsuri in a tight hold, his arms locked under hers as he held her back. Kakashi stood to her side, stopping just short of reaching the girl. Most surprising of all, Sasuke was in front of the Hokages, his hand brandishing a chokuto that was only a hairs breadth away from piercing her throat.
Sakura ran the short distance to bring herself up to the confusion situation. Before she could begin to wonder where Sasuke got the weapon, she noticed an angry looking ANBU guard standing behind Tsunade-sama with an empty sheath attached to his back.
"She is one of my guards." Gaara spoke to the Uchiha standing in front of him; the sand that had partially covered his body already receding back into the large gourd on his back.
"She was also about to stab you." he returned without inflection.
"This isn't like her Sasuke." Naruto's voice was pleading to his friend over the now struggling girl in his arms. "Something's gotta be wrong."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes in doubt but Sakura ran up to them before he could reply.
"Let me see her." she said and placed a hand on Sasuke's arm, putting just a bit of pressure behind her touch to encourage him to move the weapon away. He complied, but kept a firm grip on the sword.
Sakura looked into the dark eyes of one of Gaara's staunchest supporters and immediately knew something wasn't right. Though, she couldn't preform any sort of exam with the girl trying to pull away from Naruto's grip like she was.
"Let me go!" the hysterical young girl cried. "Don't you see! They'll all die! He'll kill them all." everyone watched in confusion as she fought and cried against her captor. "I have to destroy that monster. I saw it, I know it has to be me!"
Tsunade walked around those in front of her and tapped the back of the woman's neck. Almost immediately, her eyes rolled back before the lids slid shut and her body went slack. Naruto quickly caught her before she could fall to the ground.
"Lay her down Naruto." Tsunade ordered and knelt down with Sakura next to the now unconscious girl.
The medics went to work assessing her – checking her pulse, breathing, pupil dilation, mucus membranes – anything to give them clues as to why this loyal shinobi had pulled a kunai on her hokage. It wasn't long before Sakura was looking into her shishou's eyes in alarm.
"Tsunade-sama..."
"I know." her master interrupted, worry lacing her tone. "Get her to the hospital now." Tsunade ordered the ANBU still surrounding the small group in a voice that spoke of the urgency of the situation. "Gaara, how many are supposed to be in her unit?"
"Four." he replied, his eyes following the ANBU leaving with his subordinates ill body.
"Where's Kankuro?" Temari asked breathlessly as she ran upon the group, taking in the situation in an instant.
Tsunade shared a heavy look with Gaara before turning to Kakashi. "Gather the rest of the ANBU around here and find the other members of her unit. Bring them all to the hospital as soon as you find them."
"Hai." he answered and disappeared from the area.
"Come on." she called, meaning to Sakura but when Naruto followed, Sasuke on his heels, she didn't bother to turn them away.
The group descended on the hospital not far behind the ANBU unit that held the unconscious Matsuri. Sakura didn't bother changing into one of the spare uniforms; instead, she simply pinned her long kimono sleeves back as she grabbed a stethoscope and a penlight to preform a more thorough examination of the young woman. Tsunade, having already suspected the same thing as Sakura, began pulling various herbs from the large cabinet in the corner.
Naruto and Sasuke stood along the wall with Gaara, trying to stay out of the way of the other medics filing into the room to assist the two in whatever way was needed.
"Sakura?" her shishou called after a few moments.
"It's so very similar but there are differences. I think the base of this one is a heavy metal like before; mercury if I'm not mistaken. She's excessively salivating, has tachycardia, swelling present in her feet and ankles, and is starting to show signs of her skin peeling around her ears and fingertips."
"Mercury sounds right then." Tsunade said without looking up from the book she was perusing. "What about the other compounds of the poison?"
Sakura stepped away from the bed as the other medics rushed to follow through her orders to start an IV and strap Matsuri down for her own safety. "There are differences from the original formula. I'm going to extract a sample of it from her lungs; that's where it's still concentrated the most."
"So it was inhaled like the last one." Tsunade mumbled absently.
"Yes." Sakura began mixing the various ingredients Tsunade had already pulled out for her.
"Here's the documentation from your treatments on Kankuro. Hopefully, we won't have to change much from your original anti-dote. At the stage it is now, we could stop it without surgery."
"Perhaps not too much has changed but I think the dose of mercury is much higher in this particular poison. She's showing such advanced signs of toxicity already, not to mention the psychosis."
"True, but we have the remedy for that as well." Tsunade said with a knowing smile.
"Yes." Sakura returned the same smile before taking the mixture she finished to Matsuri's bedside.
"Tsunade, what has happened to her?" Gaara asked, stepping closer to the table she was seated at. His pale green eyes showing signs of worry.
"We have two others." An ANBU member called as he pushed through the door, holding it open for the other shinobi to bring in two more unconscious males, one of which had a shuriken still imbedded in his shoulder. The medics directed them to place the patients on a couple of empty beds in the room and stepped in to take over their care.
"Matsuri, just like these others, has been poisoned." when Gaara showed no signs of surprise at that statement she continued. "As Sakura has pointed out, the poison is too similar to another she has worked with before. The chemical composition is too close to be considered a coincidence."
"What other poison are you referring to?" he asked, his arms now crossed over his chest.
"The one made by Sasori."
"But..." Naruto began, confusion covering his whiskered face. "but Sakura-chan and Chiyo-baa-san killed him."
Tsunade glanced his way before once again turning to her reference book. "I know that."
"Then how could that be his poison?" the jinchuriki asked. Tsunade didn't answer him as she was going through the cabinet once again in search of herbs.
Sasuke's ebony eyes flickered to his friend in exasperation. "Someone else has copied it."
The bowl of once clear liquid Sakura carried to Matsuri's bedside was now discolored with the poison she extracted from the girl's lungs. She spoke to Naruto as she took it back to the work station. "Considering his intelligence, his medical knowledge, not to mention the list of toxins it seems he gathered from that hidden base, there's really only one person likely to be responsible for this."
"Kabuto." Naruto said as all the clues fell into place.
"Yeah. When I saw that list Shikamaru had this morning, I wondered what he was planning." Sakura commented as she began extracting the poison from the liquid for analysis.
"Tsunade-sama." Kakashi called as he burst into the room; a haggard looking Kankuro leaning on him heavily.
The hokage stood from her stool and helped the weakened shinobi to another empty cot. "You don't seem to be having the same hallucinations as the others are." she commented while removing his black, hooded shirt.
"No." he panted. "I don't feel right and it hurts like hell but I'm not crazy."
"Can you tell me what happened?"
"About a day after we left the village, everyone started feeling off." he paused, grasping his stomach as a wave of pain washed over him. "Umm...it, it wasn't anything too bad, they just didn't feel right."
"Explain what 'doesn't feel right' means." Tsunade's glowing green hands were sweeping down Kankuro's sweaty frame as she questioned him.
"Queasy stomach, some tingling in the hands and feet. But before we got to your village, things got bad."
"How so?"
"They started saying weird stuff. Nothing that made sense and when I'd question them about it, sometimes they forgot they even said it. Then their tempers started flaring up and they were snapping at each other. When I tried to stop everyone they...ahh..." he stopped once again and doubled up in pain on the cot. The other medics were instantly at his side while Tsunade pulled a syringe and vial from her pocket. Shortly after injecting the drug into his thigh, he was calm and resting.
"Tsunade-sama," Kakashi stepped forward. "We found him about 2 miles outside of the village gates. There was evidence of a struggle and judging from the wound on the back of his head, it looks like they knocked Kankuro out before heading into the village."
Tsunade nodded in understanding and watched as Gaara slowly approached his brother's bedside.
"I gave him a dose of pain medication. That's why he's asleep now."
The red head nodded in understanding. "Why hasn't he lost his senses as the others have?"
"Probably because he's encountered this poison before." Sakura quipped in. They all turned to watch her distilling the compound in a small bowl and making notes in a pad beside her. "He's probably built a small immunity to some of the chemicals used and his body tried to fight it off. It would eventually lose the battle and he'd become confused and probably violent as well but don't worry, we're going to do everything to stop that from happening." she said with a reassuring smile and a glance in his direction.
"He didn't mention anything about a fight." Naruto spoke out from his position by the wall. "When he was talking about traveling here he didn't mention anything about anyone attacking them, so where did they get poisoned?"
The group could only begin to contemplate that before Temari appeared in the doorway. "Gaara, I need to speak with you now." The Kazakage quickly joined the blond outside the room.
The shinobi in the room were silent as they watched the medics working furiously on the ill patients. Naruto's question still occupied their minds as they absently listened to the beeping of the monitors. Where could this poison have come from? If they weren't out right attacked, then how did it manage to get into their bodies?
Sakura and Tsunade worked together over the dark mixture she pulled from Matsuri's chest. As the flame heated the small bowl containing the poison, a foul smell began filling the room. Other than a wrinkling of their noses, all of the medics continued working without saying anything. Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi were reduced to covering their nose and mouth behind cupped hands and making every effort they had not to gag at the horrible stench.
Naruto wasn't entirely successful and a dry retch slipped past his throat. Sakura merely glanced at him with a raised eyebrow and slightly amused look before returning to her work.
No matter how badly he wanted to, Sasuke swore not to make a single sound of disgust as he breathed in the foul stench.
Gaara strode back into the room, his normally soundless steps echoing as he came up to Tsunade. "I know where they were poisoned." he announced.
"Where?"
"In Suna. There are others affected."
"What?" the busty blond asked in disbelief. "How many?"
"That I am unclear of; however, it has been reported that many are affected. Possibly half the village."
"May I ask where you got this information?"
The Kazakage shifted his stance as his arms crossed over his chest. "A messenger hawk just came from the village. One of your people caught Temari as she tried to follow us here and gave her the report as it was addressed to me. The hospital is filled with my villagers exhibiting the same symptoms as they are." he said, nodding towards his shinobi lying in the bed.
"Any reported sighting of Kabuto?" she asked.
"No. Nothing of an attack of any sort."
"Hmm." she wondered aloud and gazed at the information in front of her. "If it was delivered as a inhalant – a gas of some sort – then there are a number of ways he could have infected the villagers."
"Have you discovered an anti-dote yet?" Gaara asked to Sakura.
"Not yet. It takes time to reduce the poison to it's basic form and then analyze its chemical makeup. I'll find the anti-dote though, please try not to worry."
Gaara watched her for a moment longer before turning to face Tsunade once more. "Tsunade, I have a request of you. By all reports, my medics are overwhelmed with the mass of people who've flooded the hospital. They are also unaware of the poison. Could Konoha please lend its medical support to Suna?"
A corner of the older woman's lips tipped up. "Of course. Naruto."
"Yeah."
"Summoning one of the frogs from Mount Myoboku to act as a messenger, then go get ready to leave immediately for an emergency mission to assist Suna."
"Alright." he exclaimed, his bright blue eyes glowing in excitement. "You want Gamakichi?"
"No. Just one of the small guys will do. Kakashi, find Sai and tell him to prepare as well. I'll be sending your team on this mission."
"Yes Tsunade-sama."
When the two of them ran off, Naruto leaving behind his summons in Tsunade's care, she turned to Sakura who still remained hunched over her notes. "Sakura, you go get ready as well."
"But Tsunade-sama..."
"Shizune and I will finish working on the anti-dote. When you reach Suna, tell Naruto to preform his summons once again. I'll give the toad all the notes we have and the herbs to prepare the medication."
She finally nodded in understanding and rose to leave.
"One more thing Sakura."
"Yes?"
"You won't be going as a member of Team Kakashi. I'm having you take lead on a team of medics to help out the hospital there." Tsunade saw the surprise register on her pupil's face but she didn't give her time to protest in any way. "Get moving. I want you all to be ready and at the gates in fifteen minutes."
The pinkette finally rushed from the room after gaping at her mentor for another moment. Though she was a chunin, she had never taken lead on a mission before and the prospect of doing so had her stunned momentarily.
"Sasuke, help keep watch over the patients."
The Uchiha didn't need to speak to convey the question that covered his face.
"If they regain consciousness they're still going to be very confused and most likely combative. Help keep them in the bed until I get back." Tsunade gave her orders as she walked into the adjoining room.
She grabbed a med pack from one of the shelves and began loading it with medications and equipment for Sakura to take on her mission. As she was doing so, Gaara joined her in the smaller store room.
"What is it?" she asked, casting him only a fleeting glance.
"I would like Uchiha Sasuke to accompany us."
That had Tsunade pausing in her task and turning to face the former jinchuriki fully. "I don't even know why you would ask for that but Sasuke isn't a shinobi of Konoha right now. I can't send him on a mission."
"I know. I'm asking to take him as a guest of the Kazakage."
Once again, Gaara had managed to stun her. "Why would you even do that for him?" she asked skeptically.
Gaara turned to watch Sasuke. The dark haired man seemed unconcerned with all that was going on around him as he lounged against the wall, arms folded across his chest. His eyes were alert though, flitting from bed to bed, making sure the patients were still asleep and no threat to those around them.
"I do not think this is a period of time where he needs to be separated from Uzumaki Naruto." Gaara finally replied.
"You're worried about his intents now that Itachi has passed once again?"
"Yes. As soon as you reported Uchiha Itachi's death to me earlier I thought about what path Sasuke would choose to walk."
"And you believe Naruto can help him choose it?" Tsunade asked when he didn't continue.
"Something like that." he vaguely replied.
She studied the younger man's face closely. Though she had not known him at the time, she had heard the reports of Gaara while he still had possession of the one tail. The violent reports of his past were nothing like the intelligent, quiet man in front of her.
Perhaps he could truly understand where Sasuke now stood.
"If he's willing to journey to Suna as your guest I have no reason to stop him." she finally replied. "I need to ask though, why would you do this for Sasuke? He attacked you once before, at the kage's meeting. Why would you care what becomes of him?"
His face seemed to brighten as he turned to her once more. "We walked the same path once before. Because of Naruto, I was able to open my eyes to another future. I want to see Sasuke do the same."
Tsunade could only nod her agreement to the proposal. Even with the wars she had fought in, the death she had seen...she acknowledged that these young men had been through so much in their short lives that she could not understand. The only thing they could do was rely on one another to pull themselves free of the darkness of their pasts.
Tsunade gathered the supplies she collected for Sakura to take along with her and sent a shinobi to gather the other medics for the mission. While she waited on Shizune to arrive, she continued working on analyzing the poison Sakura had managed to distill before she left.
She wasn't surprised when Sasuke approached her a short while later. However, she continued to work and ignore his presence until he decided to speak. From her vantage point, she could see Gaara speaking to Temari beside Kankuro's bed. The young leader did well to hide his worry for his brother and comrades.
"Gaara has asked me to accompany him to Suna." Sasuke finally said, though he kept his face averted from her.
"Did he now?" she did her best not to allow the knowing smile to appear on her face.
"Aa." she saw his ebony eyes flicker to her, hesitant though they seemed, trying to gauge her reaction.
"And? Are you going?" Perhaps wanting him to actually ask permission for something was a bit too much too soon.
The tension in his shoulders left with her statement and the proud shield the Uchiha wore was up once more. "I'm going to prepare now." Her laughing eyes followed him out of the room.
"Tsunade-sama?"
She broke her gaze at the interruption to see the shinobi she sent to gather the medics standing before her. "The medics have been notified and are preparing to leave now."
"Excellent." she turned to continue her work but stopped as a thought struck her. "Wait. I have one more person I want you to notify."
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
They stood at the gates checking their packs, making sure nothing had been left behind as they readied to leave on the mission.
While their wasn't a great deal they knew about the state of affairs in Suna and they could quite possibly be walking into a dangerous situation, Sakura found herself both excited and nervous to be officially leading her first mission. The other medics, who were still arriving, would be referring to her as captain. Her inner squealed in delight.
True, there was a great deal of responsibility that came with the job, but she couldn't stop herself from feeling inordinately proud to be taking point on this mission.
"Got everything ready Sakura?" Kakashi asked.
Well, taking point as far as the medics were concerned. Everyone would be traveling together – the medics and the shinobi – so it wasn't like she was alone in leading the mission. It could be worse, she reasoned with herself. If anything went wrong and she felt overwhelmed, she could always ask Kaka-sensei for advice. And it wasn't like the medics would be reporting to him...that wasn't something he would know how to deal with.
Her train of thought was completely lost as she noticed the new arrival stopping by the gate. There was no need to ask if he was going – the pack strapped to his back and the sword at his waist was answer enough.
"Did you come to see me off teme?" Naruto asked in wondrous joy.
"No...dobe." the raven muttered.
"According to the letter the council sent, nearly half of my villagers are suffering from this poison – shinobi included. Sasuke has agreed to lend his assistance to the village." Gaara said as he stood facing the open road out of Konoha. He didn't show it, but Sakura could practically feel his readiness to leave.
Naruto's eyes grew rounder, first in shock then in happiness. It may not be official, but team 7 was indeed all together and leaving on a mission. However it was put together didn't matter at the moment.
He somehow resisted the urge to pounce on Sasuke and Sakura and draw them into a bone crushing hug. Seeing the daring look in Sasuke's eyes, he settled for ruffling his feathers a bit. "That's great teme but...try not to get in my way, okay?"
Though the Uchiha did nothing more than turn his narrowed eyes on him, he was satisfied that he had irritated his old friend much like in their genin days. Even the crinkled smile Kakashi wore was reminiscent of days gone by.
"What are we waiting on Kaka-sensei?" Naruto asked.
"We've got one more team mate coming."
"Huh? I thought it was just Team Kakashi coming." Sakura stated in confusion.
"Tsunade-sama would like another pair of eyes on the situation."
"Yeah, that's what she told me too." Shikamaru said as he strolled into view under the dim street lights.
Sakura gave an encouraging smile to the yawning genius. "You've been dealing with everything connected to Kabuto anyway. It makes sense for you to come along."
"Assuming this is Kabuto's doing." Naruto added.
"I don't think we can afford to assume it's not." the Nara replied. His eyes counted off the members of the two teams, pausing briefly when he came upon Sasuke's figure. "Where's Temari?"
"She will be staying behind with the ill shinobi." Gaara said, turning around to address the large group behind him.
Kakashi stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention. "We're going to be pushing it hard the whole way to Suna. There are a lot of people needing help so we have no time to waste. Stay in formation and keep up." each shinobi nodded in understanding as he met their eyes.
"All right. Move out."
X x X x X x X x X x X x X
A/N:
Look at me putting out another chapter ahead of my self-imposed schedule. :)
Can I just say that the manga is freaking awesome right now! OMG, I soooo can't wait to see it in the anime!
Hugs to all! I hope you enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think.
It's time to get out of the village for a bit and let the new direction of the story begin!