Chapter 8

Spring winds

Konaha 1 year ago

The wind was fierce, pushing trees left and right. ANBU agents sat in wait for their traps to spring, signifying the enemy had arrived. The pink and green cat mask covered in cherry blossom petals peeked out from behind her cloak. Watching the field as it swarmed with the nin from widow. The killing intent leaked out from her position. Hound beside her put a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm blossom." Was all he said as they leaned back in their positions.

Front line, front line for the slaughter. The nin crossed the first barrier that lay a demolition trap, blowing dozens into pieces. Sakura skidded back with kakashi as body parts rained down, pouring over the trees.

"Wind release Secret technique, wind tunnel!" She pushed through the signs as a flurry of wind sent other nins into separate traps. Flying through more hand signs kakashi activated his sharingan and blasted through them with deadly accuracy as they drew their katana. Darting between nins, cutting deep and slicing through men like they were puppets. Then it hit her. Puppets?

"Hound! Stop!" She cried out as a chakra string slashed forward and sent him flying. Whipping him back into the clearing. She pushed off the tree with all her might, grabbing kakashis arm as she swung him back with the force of her take off.

"Blossom!" Inos clear voice reeled as she caught hound mid air, already working on the gash on his chest.

"Puppets! Their puppets!" She cried out as she destroyed a few more, expertly dodging the chakra whips thrown at her. "Boar! Suliot! Take my flanks!" She commanded as she dashed forward, putting cherry blossom seals on the backs of puppets.

"Follow the perimeter!" Hound called out as he stood back to attention, catching on to her plan. Their had to be at least a hundred puppets. "We need to find the puppet master!"

Sakura dodged a large metal cord that sprung towards her leaping off it, and right into a trap. The explosion that tore through the battle ground shook the earth with magnitude, cracking down the center.

Kakashis eyes widened, as the debris fell down around them, he couldn't see her. Where the fuck was she.

He scanned the area, before a burst of chakra illuminated the area. Dust be damned, she was glowing green.

"Wind release, vacuum blast!" The vortex of debris and dust blasted out, destroying more puppets. Sakuras green glow radiated the field. Her purple rhombus mark accentuating out into black tattoo markings down her body. Cuts and bruises instantly healed. Kakashi dove forward into the clearing. She activated her cherry blossom seals, blowing ten or so puppets into smithereens. A chakra signature appeared at the edge of the valley. Coming at her fast.

"We meet again, little blossom of death." The familiar jingle of a voice merrily called out. As sanji toro walked onto the field of destruction. Kakashi reached sakura sharingan activated. "Why wear that atrocious mask? Sakura…" he coped as she growled at him.

"This is the last time you'll get to utter my name, heed me now, you die today!" She lunged forward flash stepping into action kakashi at her heels, she dove at him, katana in hand as she struck. Kakashi following up with a secondary strike.

"You don't learn do you? Little blossom," he grinned sadistically. "That didn't work then, and it won't work now!" Both swords caught his body diving back she looked to kakashi. Glint in her eye.

He melted the metal like it touched a mound of lava. Sending out chakra waves that cut through the ground. 'Small sacrifices.' She thought.

"What do you think? Hound?"she reiterated.

"I think we have about a 10 second window." He turned to her, "are you ready?"

"Hai. Sensei. Let her rip!"

He started the chidori, the bird song ringing in the air, sakura rounded giving him leeway. She burst out throwing kunai and senbon from all directions.

"This again?" He deflected the senbon and kunai with his arms, catching a few in his rubber stomach. Effectively bouncing them off.

Kakashi charged forward, blue lightning crackling off his hand. The noise echoing off the surrounding trees. As he blasted it into senjis center and burst back.

His body burning from the force retracted it, blue rippling into his abdomen, forcing its way through his stomach and up, a sound like thunder ripping into the air.

"Try this one, you little wench!" He coughed, then opened his mouth and spit the lightning back out and right at Sakura, who caught it with her hand, ridgid muscles up her arm and back out the other. Redirecting it. It shot out her other hand as it traveled the length of her body and chest, and hit senji dead center his head.

In an instance his head exploded. In a wave of blood and bone. Sakura smiled, as the last of the Lightning left her body.

Then she dropped. Hit the floor in a heap. Her mark receding into her forehead.

"Sakura!" Kakashi tore through the valley. "Delilah!! Get over here now!"

Ino darted through the clearing coming up on kakashis side, kneeling before sakura.

"Why didn't her mark save her?!" He barked at ino, as Genma and sai stood in front of the three deflecting puppets and weapons from attacking.

"Because her heart stopped from the force of the lightning." She stated, setting her hands over sakuras chest, and starting compressions. "It can't bring you back from death!" She cried out breathing into her.

"You can't fucking leave me like this sakura!" Kakashi stated, feeling a strong chakra source from the corner of the field. He turned over his shoulder, as the source made itself known. "Fuck! Delilah! Don't let her die!"

Ino kept pushing sakuras heart, "Hai!" She wouldn't give up on her best friend."Sakura fucking breath!" She pulsed healing chakra into her body like a defibrillator. "Breath!"


Konaha present day

"Jesus kakashi, what was with the show of bravado?" She laughed as they approached the tempura booth. "I thought you two were going to bite each other's head off."

"Mah, sakura, I have no idea what you were talking about." Kakashi put both hands in his pockets as they continued to the register, "do you know what you want?"

"Hai! Shrimp with extra shiitake and vegetables on the side. Oh! And two cups of sauce! Please and thank you saya kun!" She spoke to the man behind the register, who gave her a knowing smirk.

"Absolutly sakura Chan, coming right up. Would you like a bottle of umeshu as well?" She nodded vigorously, and the man laughed. "Hai! And for you sir?"

"Ah….let me get the same." Kakashi pulled out his wallet and proceeded to pay him then they took a spot at the booths counter. Waiting for their takeout.

"Wow! Kakashi, you remembered your wallet twice this week! It's almost like a date!" She laughed loudly as the man placed two bottles of omeshu down in front of them.

"Is that no what this is?" he smiled at her.

Her face went red. "Shut up sensei!" She smacked his arm, "you shouldn't joke like that!"

"I'm not joking. Sakura." He dead panned. Sakura started at him. Then laughed again.

"Your so full of it today. First the whose 'dick is bigger contest', then you start with this," she motioned to the booth. "It's like your trying to woo me."

"Are you woo'd yet?" He retorted with a smirk.

"Not even close." She smacked him again. "Though seriously, what was up with that earlier?"

"Hn?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Kakashi." She side eyed him.

"Mah. He was too close to you. He touched your hair." Kakashi put his chin on his shoulder, opening his bottle and taking a sip.

Sakura staired at him. "What?"

"I said, he touched your hair." He sipped the bottle again. "He's arrogant."

"Oh! You just don't like him. I don't know much about him but he is very handsome." She poked at him, a grin on her face.

"Hn." Kakashis eye twitched. "So it's Aesthetics that are winning out here?" He turned to face her head on. "You also told me I'm handsome."

"Hn?" She opened her bottle as well, but mostly to play with the metal clip that sealed it. "And when was that?"

"The other night." He motioned his hand in a circle as if to bring the memory to the surface. "Your birthday?"

"That nights a little foggy…" she brought a finger to her lips. "Are you sure I didn't say the windows were transom? It sounds like something drunk me would say…"

"No. You definatly looked me in the eyes and said 'damn! Your so handsome!'" Kakashi crinckled his eye at her.

"Hai. I'll bet I did." She rolled her eyes, as her tempura was placed in front of her in two bags. "Arigato!" She said as she grabbed the takeout and chopsticks.

"Where should we eat?" Kakashi started as he took the bags from her.

"Hn….maybe the hospital rooftop? It has a nice garden!" She smiled.

"You want a garden? I have a good place in mind then." Kakashi said as he took her hand.

She looked at there joined digits, and took her other to place behind her back. "Lead the way!" She gave him a slight grin.

He tugged her forward to the rooftops and directed her towards the academy, jumping the distance over the market district and landing on a tall building wall, they ran a bit up, then landed on a patio.

"Kakashi…" she peered around, plants in abundance. Poking out from the kitchen window, and most the railings held small planter boxes. "Whose appartment is-" she was cut off to scratching at the sliding glass doors, where 8 ninken all jumped and whined to be let out. Kakashi laughed.

"It's mine. I thought you'd enjoy the view, and maybe some of the herbs." He motioned to the plants as he set their meals down on a small table with two chairs in the corner. "Though, you have to let the gang say hi first.

She smiled, "let them out then!" He opened the door and she was bum rushed by all ninken as they piled around her each getting their hellos in. "Hi guys! Been awhile!" She pet each one with a ruffle of fur and ear scratches.

Kakashi set their meals down and motioned to her. She strode over and pulled out the well worn chair.

"It's strange to think you lived so close to the bridge, but you were always so late." She eyed him as she opened her syrofoam container.

"Mah! Sakura. As an ANBU agent yourself, you know we can't talk about those kinds of top secret missions." He retorted.

"Hai. I'll bet sensei, all those kitten rescues must have been too secret indeed." She dipped her tempura and took a bite, closing her eyes to savor the flavor. Kakashi stopped watching her close, admiring her face. "Nothing more to say?" She opened an eye, wearily, dipping her shrimp again.

"Hn?" He said smoothly. Pulling down his mask to take a bite himself.

"Oh. My. God." Sakura staired. "It's all coming back to me…" her face went bright red as kakashi smiled at her.

"And what would that be, Hn? Sweetheart, your going to need a napkin for all that drool." He laughed.

"I….I did call you handsome didn't I?" She reached a finger out and brushed the mole on his chin. Causing kakashis heart to skip a beat. "Is this what you've been hiding?" Her finger lightly touched the beauty mark.

"Um…." His face turned three shades of scarlet. He gave a toothy grin, displaying overly sharp canines. "Well, it's hard to be taken seriously when you look this good." He took a bite of his tempura.

"Hai…." Sakura leaned a arm on the table resting her chin on it. She peered out onto konaha. The view here was amazing. "How'd you get so lucky?" She mused.

"I wouldn't call it luck." He looked over to the wide spread of the city. "This apartment belonged to Genma. I won it in a card game, and he's been trying to get it back for years." He laughed.

She looked at him. "Card game Hn?" She gave him a devilish grin. "You sound like my shishou."

"Mah! No way, I actually win my bets."

The laughter continued, As they ate the rest of their meals.


There they were, standing around okawa at 6:55. Both of them dressed to impress. Sakura had put on a yellow sundress, but hated the feeling of exposed legs with the weather acting up. It looked like rain in the future, so she had switched to dark black skinny jeans with some scattered torn marks down the front, she had worn some mid calf black boots that held hidden blades in the soles just in case. Never knew when you needed a blade. She paired it with a deep green qipao vest style shirt and a long sleeve black top.

Kakashi who stood next to her opted for a tight black long sleeve shirt, and dark dark blue jonin style pants, he had knee length ninja boots on, and of course, his face mask. Though he had left his hitai-ate out of the equation.

She had to admit, the little bit of eyeliner and blush she had adorned looked good on her, and honestly they almost looked like a couple. 'He's your sensei. Don't think like that.' Inner voice chided.

"Oi! Sakura Chan!" Naruto's boisterous voice boomed. "Glad you could make it!" He waved enthusiastically with a blushing hinata on his arm.

"Sa-sakura ch-Chan. Good ev-evening." She stuttered behind her red face. She had brought one hand up in front of her face. Her grey eyes the only thing showing. She wore a beautiful kimono with bird embellishments and the hyuga symbol embroidered on the chest. Naruto was dressed in a black jacket and jeans with his traditional orange top and hitai-ate adorning his forehead.

"Hai. Good evening hinata Chan." She smiled and pulled the girl in for a hug. "You remember kakashi sensei?" She turned to take his arm.

"Hai go-good evening se-sensei." She smiled lightly.

"Oi! Let's go get our table sorted out!" Naruto said opening the door and holding it for his blushing sweetheart. Sakura following in behind kakashi pulling up the rear. Naruto beaming as he followed them inside.

"A table for four for uzumaki?" He said the the waiter, who looked over at the four.

"Right this way," he waved with his arm, and led them to the back of the restaurant. It was traditional themed with private rooms for dining and a island hibachi table for bigger party's.

On the side of the resturant was a washitsu bar, Compared with other private rooms, this one had less dazzle but simplicity, decorated with swans, gold trim and black granite sitting bar like area.

"Hai, naruto, this place is very very classy indeed." Sakura noticed as she walked into the box style room with tatami Matt's and cushion seating.

"Only the best for hinata Chan." He smiled at the girl on his arm, who if she could would be a tomato.

"Th-thank you na-naruto kun." She said bashfully.

They sat down oposite of eachother under a kotatsu table kakashi facing hinata, and naruto facing sakura. Sakuras thigh touched kakashis. And the way hinata was steaming from the ears she assumed the same from that coupling.

"What would you like to drink?" The waiter asked as he handed out wooden menus.

"Too knotch sake." Sakura said without hesitance. Kakashi grinned.

"Same here." He said.

Naruto ordered shochu neat, and hinata got umeshu.

Looking over the menu, sakura decided on a platter of The Chef special. It came with nigiri and maki rolls. One said it had slices of lemon on top and she hadn't tried that before. Kakashi copied her again.

With the drinks delivered and order placed they swapped stories. Sakura going on to tell all the embarrassing ones that Naruto had acquired over the years, and naruto laughing along. Sakura asked hinata about her squad, since she had just reached the med nin qualifier to be a certified jonin med nin in the front lines.

"Hai. It is very honoring." She started, since the first drink vanished, and the second one was half gone hinata had lost the stutter. She wasn't drunk, but open. "And I'm greatful to have my family backing me in my choices."

"Hinata Chan. Tell me how you really feel." Sakura smirked as she downed her sake cup.

"Your right!" She beamed. "I feel like it was all my father would do to say 'I'm proud of you.' Instead it's 'look at your cousin. He's come so far.'" She waved her hand. "I just wish I could be me, and not be compared!"

Sakura laughed, Naruto's face was flush with excitement.

"Oi! Hinata Chan! I'll help you train so you can pummel that jerk! Believe it!" He fist pumped the air. Kakashi smirked at the shenanigans, as their food arrived they all quieted a bit, talking a little over the food. Having hinata come out of her shell was what naruto wanted. Seeing them together, laughing and enjoying themselves, brought a smile to her face.

"So hinata Chan, what's your favorite food?" Sakura mused, starting easy conversation with the girl. She was almost opposite of ino, but in her own way and she held a special place in sakuras heart. If not for Naruto, and the way she made him smile, then for the girls cheer attitude about everything.

Once the food was gone, naruto ordered a round of dongo. Which sakura didn't know how she did it, but she finished three sticks to herself. Another bottle of sake down as the bill arrived. Sakura paid for herself and kakashi, as naruto paid for himself and hinata.

They made their way out of the resturant.

"Mah! Naruto, we should do this again. Hinata Chan it was wonderful spending time with the two of you. You make a fetching couple." Kakashi smiled at them. Naruto blushed a bit, and hinata leaned forward.

"Hai, kakashi sensei, you and sakura also make for a cute couple. We should definatly do this again soon."

Kakashi and sakura turned to each other. Then back to hinata and naruto.

"Hai, hinata Chan, you've had too much too drink." Sakura waved her off, "we aren't together." She giggled. "Thank you however!" Kakashi scratched the back of his neck, blushing profusely. Somehow the mask had dropped several times during dinner and naruto hadn't caught it.

Hinata looked sheepish. "But you guys were playing footsis under the table!" Hinata laughed.

"Um. What?" Sakuras eyebrow rose. "We most defiantly were not."

Kakashi turned to her. "We kinda we're sakura…"

"No, kakashi. My foot never touched yours." She said. "But most certainly I seen naruto and hinata playing footsis."

Naruto turned pink. "Oi, got me there." He laughed.

It was Hinatas turn to look at naruto, "no we didn't, I was sitting cross legged."

Naruto turned back to the group. "Then who was I……" he and kakashi caught each others eye. "YOU PERVY OLD MAN!" He pointed at kakashi eyes wide.

Kakashis face went white. "YOU?!" He pointed. "ME THE PERVERT?! YOU WERE ALL UP IN MY TOES?!"

As the boys continued the angry banter screaming match. Hinata and sakura bent over laughing holding their guts, they looked up to eachother. Hinatas face grinning. Shyness disolved.

"We should definitely do this again!" Sakura beamed.

"Yes I can't wait!" Hinata chimed in.


"Use the hand of god!" Ino cried, "do it now sakura!"

No, don't do it please.

The hand signs formed without permission, the seal activated, she channeled chakra to her hands, forced it outwards in a blue stream, then hit the ground.

Kami no please. Please stop.

"Earth release, hand of god!"

Blood rained down. Covering her skin. Washing her with sin.

Red hair and a set of amber golden eyes bore down on her. A sadistic laugh.

"NO!" She bolted up right, sweat dotting her forehead. Pain rising through her hand. She looked down to see she had tightened her fist so hard her nails broke the surface, causing droplets of blood to ooze out of the newly formed holes. Fuck.

She wiped the blood on her sleep shorts. Sending a burst of chakra to her fore finger to heal the wounds.

She wiped the sweat off her head, and looked to her bedside, where the broken clock still sat. Wow. She really needed to replace that.

She grabbed her watch and swung her legs over the side of the bed. 6:15 am. She had slept in. She stood, ready for a shower. A ball of fur tripped her as she walked out of the bedroom.

"What the fuck?!" She cried out. So much for ninja skills. Landing flat on her face.

"Mah! Boss lady! Are you ok!?" Pakkun spoke up from her bedroom doorway.

"Hai….just….broke my face is all…" she rubbed her nose. Ow. "What are you doing here pakkun?" She questioned, picking her self up.

"Kakashi had a mission. Told me you have problems sleeping sometimes and to check up on you….see boss man never runs the heater…so….I was really comfortable…." He scratched his ear sheepishly.

"Hai." She smiled at the ninken. "How's breakfast sound then? My mighty protector?" She turned to the kitchen.

"Well that sounds absolutly amazing pup!" He followed behind her as she pulled together some left over meat and heated it over rice for him, scooping out some bagels and roasting herself something as well.

"You gonna follow me all day?" She smiled down at pakkun who was scarfing down the meal. In between bites he replied.

"Mah, I have other things to arrange. I have to check on the rest of the pack at one point today too." Bowl empty, sakura collected it and put it in the sink.

"Hai. Fair enough." She washed it quickly scarfing down her own bagel.

"Maybe…I'll come back for dinner and some quality time?" He questioned with a paw at his lip and puppy dog eyes.

She laughed "of course pakkun. Bring the pups with you."

"Mah! Your so kind boss lady!" He saluted her. "I'll be off now but the rest will be pleased to hear the news!" With that he disappeared in a puff of smoke. She sighed. Being alone in the mornings sucked.

Ah well. Not much she could do about it.

Off to her shower, hopefully the hot water would help calm her nerves, then a run before her spar with Itachi.


A/N: just want to thank you for all the love and reviews, it means a lot to me!

Also, the next chapter will contain a rape scene. I'm sorry. But it is all fundamental to the story. It will be the 3rd to last flashback scene as well.It will definitely be a hard one for me, because I've written it already but I'm really not happy with it.

Alas it must be as it is part of the ptsd and trauma.

I will write another note at the end of next chapter, just to go over a few details I feel must be addressed. But can't now as to not give away critical points.

Anyways. Thank you to my guest reviewer, itasaku99, and Jesskmemmy for making my week with your reviews.

Until my next little letter

-ViewlessTea0