/I have decided to pick this story up again, wanting to finish it. This chapter moves a lot away from cannon, as i have decided that luck is on team 7. side for once. Those of you that are still reading the story, thank you, I have always kept you guys in my mind and you are the reason for me continuing the story. I am studding at Uni, but I have christmas vacation atm, so I am going to write as much as I can before school start again! Now hope you enjoy this chapter/
Ch. 8 - Forest of Death
Waking up at the break of dawn Sakura started to prepare herself. She was wearing her usual uniform, but she had added the gasmask to it all and a few hidden poisonous senbon needles in her hair hidden as flowery hair decorations. She couldn't help but to beam proudly at herself in the mirror, she was finally becoming the kunoichi she always wanted to be. Someone who was strong, fierce and quite badass too. Smiling one last time to herself she ran down to make some breakfast. As usual she was the first to wake up and head out for the day. There was one thing that differed from her usual routine though, and that was the note on the fridge from her parents.
"So proud of you Sakura-chan! We believe in you, but please come home safely. We made, or rather your mother made breakfast for you. We love you and do you best today!
-Love dad and mom"
A warm feeling spread though her as she hurriedly ate the breakfast they had made for her before she left a thank you note and headed out. Her first stop was Naruto and taking a deep breath she prepared herself for the tedious task of waking him. Jumping through his window, she was very careful not to step on something dirty, looking down at the boy with wonder, how could he live like this. Shaking her head she focused on waking him "Naruto, all the ramen in the world is gone!" The boy shoot up like lightning "What, who, I shall conquer the world to get the ramen back!" He exclaimed before looking at Sakura who was laughing at him. "Nooot funny" he whined at her, sulking before beaming up "Why are you her Sakura-chan?" She looked him over "checking if you are ready and making sure you didn't oversleep, so get ready and meet me and Sasuke at the memorial stone in 30 min!" She hummed, looked at the panic in his eyes before she jumped out the window. "Don't you dare to be late!" she threatened him.
She made haste towards the Uchiha district to collect the last member so they all could have a team meeting before the trial. Luckily for the young girl Sasuke was already awake and headed her way. So no later than 10 minutes she and Sasuke sat by the memorial stone in an awkward silence. Swallowing she looked over at her former crush before she looked down at her hands. She did this a few times before Sasuke looked at her "What?" his voice was irritated as usual. "ehh… well, do you think we can make it?.." She asked in a low voice looking hard on the ground. "tch.." she sink down a few notches "Don't worry" His voice was low and she almost missed it. A small smile placed itself on her face and she whispered back "of course, because we are team 7".
After a while Naruto came running towards them disturbing pretty much every breathing thing in a 10-mile radius. And before they knew it all three of them where gathered and starting to plot. Sakura shared her knowledge of what the test might be and the started to make general plans. The three of them went their separate ways at 08.30 to pack the last of their stuff and to meet at the forest of death at 09.00 to scout the perimeters, as nothing could hinder them. Once the arrived they each nodded and scouted out the outside of the place and Sakura drew a general map of what she could make out of the place. They worked fast and efficient and was chilling around at 09.30. looking as weak and nervous as they could, hoping all other people would underestimate them.
Before they knew it, they stood in front of the big dark forest feeling a slight shiver looking at each other. "Ma, it can't be that bad, right Sakura-chan?" Naruto piped up looking at the female swallowing. "No, I am sure it's not that bad, right Sasuke?" Her emerald green eyes landed on the last one. A simple nod was all they got before the gate opened. Gulping slightly, they nodded before jumping into it traveling by the trees knowing exactly what they would do. They had carefully planned how to find a team, take them out quick and easy and head to the tower before most could blink. Sakura took the lead being in the middle of the group with Sasuke to her left and Naruto to her right she jumped straight for the big trees where they might be safer from both other genin teams and animals. Looking around carefully Sakura was keeping guard, but most of all they were headed straight for the tower hoping to stumble upon an easy hit and run.
The forest around them was quiet, almost like it was holding its breath and it kept them all on their toes. Sakura was focusing on sensing her surrounding for people hiding, as she had a better but shorter range that Sasuke. Sasuke on the other hand was sensing further away to see if he spotted a team they could target. Naruto was focusing on using his other senses to keep watch over his teammates. They kept this up for more or less one hours before Sasuke picked up on someone ahead of them and he signaled Sakura to stop.
"A team up ahead, based on their chakra they are not from Konoha, not overly strong either" Sasuke said looking at his teammate "Plan?" he was now looking at Sakura, same as Naruto. She swallowed and nodded "Me and Sasuke can cast genjutsu and you Naruto will steal the scroll before we knock them out cold?" She didn't want to take to much time for planning, so she went for short and sweet. "I go in first with my chakra cloaked casting a simple genjutsu that gives Sasuke enough time to cast a stronger genjutsu. When you are sure they are trapped give me and Naruto the signal and Naruto goes for the scroll as I incapacitated them" She explained a bit more for Naruto's sake. Both of her teammates nodes their head waiting for her lead again. Feeling the adrenalin and hearing her heart beating faster she takes on last steading breath before they spring into action.
Sakura moves first suppressing her chakra and sending out her senses. It took some time before she properly managed to pinpoint the location of the enemy team, but luckily the opposite team was moving slow and on ground. Placing herself a bit further ahead of the team she slowly but steadily started to place on of the few genjutsu she knew. It was a simple genjutsu that made the target stay in trance for up to a minute but leaving the enemy believing they have been ambushed. It was something Kakashi had taught her during their hell week. It didn't take long for the other team to walk straight into her trap and looking closely at the team she could see that all three of them was caught. She smiled, feeling more confident in herself sending the signal to Sasuke keeping both the illusion up and keeping watch for other threats as she waited for Sasuke.
Just a few seconds after she sent the signal the boy appeared right beside her going through a series of hand signal using a more advanced genjutsu leaving the other genin trapped in more layers. His dark eyes met hers and he nodded, sending the last signal for Naruto she sent 3 very precises senbon aiming for the neck of the unsuspected team bellow. As the senbon hit their mark the enemy fell one by one to the ground induced into a death like state, just like Haku had done to Sasuke on the wave mission. Shaking the thought away she refocused on the clearing bellow where Naruto was searching through the bodies, Sakura had to correct her own mind from thinking that they were dead.
As the action had passed, she let go of a breath she had been holding in and looking down at the clearing she now saw that the team looked to be from the grass village. There where two boys and a girl, the girl looked to be about the same age as them while both the boys looked older. Studying them closer she didn't see anything noteworthy before Naruto returned to them. He had a goofy grin flashing them the scroll they needed, the earth scroll. Sakura couldn't help herself, she hugged the both of them, just barely holding in a squeal of happiness. "Can't… breath…. Sakura-chan…!" Naruto managed to squeeze out before she chocked them to hard in her happiness. Chaaa, I told you, we are awesome! Yes, but we still need to get to the tower. She smiled before looking at Sasuke, who looked I tiny bit proud, but uncomfortable with the hug and Naruto who was blushing but oozed of proudness.
"Okey, sorry, it's just the adrenalin and we did it, like we have both scrolls!" she spoke fast and quiet about to go into a small ramble if Sasuke had not held up his hand "It can wait until after we are out of the forest." He said short and she could now hear the hint of annoyance in his voice. They where after all still on mission, and pleasantries could wait till after they got to safety. "Of course, you are right, sorry…" she had to take a small breath before she once again schooled her face and nodded. From her pocket she took out her rough sketch of the forest and estimating their time, speed and movement she got a rough estimate of where they were. "Okey, if we keep up speed still being careful and on the outlook of other teams I believe we can make it too the towers in maybe 1 hour? No breaks, and if we are lucky nothing attacks us on our way" She looks at them waiting for confirmation and both of her teammate's nod at her. "Go team 7 then" she whisper before she stands up and before they know it they are back on the move.
Lady Luck would for once seem to be on their side and other than a giant centipede almost smashing them all out of a tree they traveled unseen and without meeting any teams. They did have to fight a band of monkeys, but compered to fighting Aboa and Kakashi this was nothing and they only acquired a few scratches here and there. So no sooner than two and a half hour later they entered the tower surprising them self with their luck. Blinking slowly they looked around and saw the big banner on the wall, Sakura was the first to study them while Naruto scanned the room with Sasuke. "Guys, I think we need to open the scrolls at the same time, as the banner speaks about earth and heaven, have you found something else?" She said looking over at Naruto and Sasuke "Nopp, Sakura-chan, haven't found anything else, you Teme?" Naruto and Sakura looked at the last team member who just shook his head and pulled out the earth scroll as he walked over to Sakura who had the heaven scroll. His eyes meet hers and he nodded in understanding, while Naruto was looking at them expectingly. She smiled a bit nervously "one..two…three!" on the last count the ripped open the scroll and suddenly smoke came out of the scroll and Saskue yelled "Lett go of it, it's a summoning scroll!" while he himself dropped it to the ground leaping back, Sakura followed soon after and all of them had a kunai ready at hand.
Infront of them the dust and smoke settled down and suddenly they saw Aboa standing there with a small smile on his mouth. "Congratulations, you have safely made it trough the second round!" he said, and no sooner the word had left his mouth was he tackled by a giant hug from Naruto who yelled and cheered, jumping around. Sakura let go of a small laughter and Sasuke putt away the kunai. A tiny smirk was placed on his lips, they, as a team had managed to beat the forest in two hours and half an hour. He somehow felt proud, a warm feeling spreading in his bone looking at Naruto jumping around being an idiot and Sakura inquiring Aboa about the banner on the wall. For once in a long time he felt a spark of hope and the feeling of home spread in his stomach, maybe team 7 wasn't such a burden as he initially thought.