Next chapter is here! Enjoy.

Sakura was prepared.

She wasn't going to get caught with fish in her hands again. In the hour they had to gather supplies and meet at the gate, Sakura ran home and grabbed her bigger mission pack. It was filled with the standard equipment and rations, along with a few special touches. Those included a well stocked med kit, an extra pair of gloves, in case the ones on her hands were destroyed, and more explosive tags than one would consider healthy. That excluded the ones she kept on her person. If she was going to get killed by an enemy shinobi the least she could do was take them with her.

She was petty like that.

Not that Sakura had plans for dying, quite the contrary, hence her need for a well-stocked bag. She packed fast, so fast she even had time to leave a note and extra fish food for her mother.

She was ready to protect that ungrateful drunk.

Ugh.

Tazuna.

There was something about him that rubbed Sakura the wrong way. She watched him wait by the gate as Kakashi-sensei finished the paperwork, fanning himself on occasion. Her gaze traveled up and down his body when it finally hit her. It was his clothes.

How did a bridge builder afford silk clothes?

It was definitely silk too, as the daughter of merchants if she couldn't recognize silk Sakura wouldn't be surprised if her parents disowned her. Chakra metal, gold, and silk. The big three of luxuries, something she knew long before she could write. Maybe he was the type of person to bully people with his wealth, or make a show of it at least. Wearing his best set of clothes so people wouldn't look down on him would fit his nasty character, but if that was the case it would make sense to leave the alcohol at home too.

He didn't seem that bright though.

But if he did have the money, then why didn't he pay for the higher mission level? The horror stories she's heard from Ren about rich clients showed that happened all the time. If he was that worried about his safety, then he should have paid for a B, or even A rank mission.

But he requested a C-rank, so here she was.

Suffering.

Sakura put her line of reasoning to the side to focus. She couldn't risk being distracted while they traveled. Sakura eagerly wanted to rub her capability right in his self-important face so she wouldn't leave anything for him to complain about. She could only hope the Burning would behave itself until then.

She didn't have much hope.

Kakashi-sensei rejoined the rest of them after the paperwork was processed, and Team Seven headed out.

They had been walking for a few days when Sakura concluded they were having a hot spring.

A very hot spring.

If she payed close enough attention she could hear the cries of withered plants, see the ground cracked from lack of moisture. The worst part is, there was no water in sight. They had walked over a stream near the beginning of the trip, but hadn't seen anything of substance since. No water meant no chance of Sakura manipulating Tazuna into a short break, so she would have to find another way to handle the heat. If she couldn't do so then any big flares of the Burning could cause her to pass out from heat exhaustion.

To summarize, this C-rank sucked.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme, is your pack too heavy for you? You seem to be lagging behind."

"Hn, Dobe. I know how to conserve my energy unlike you."

"What are you trying to say Teme?"

"Naruto." Sakura interjected from her spot in the formation, a downward turn of her lips.

His previous uncouth behavior from earlier continued, and Sakura did not appreciate it.

"Sorry Sakura-chan." Naruto apologized, though with a slight look of confusion as he faced forward.

Sakura glanced at Uchiha and saw he was wearing the smallest of pleased smiles. When he noticed her staring his expression evened out and he too, faced forward.

The group continued on in comfortable silence when Sakura noticed something out of place farther along the path.

A lone puddle.

A suspicious puddle.

With the scorching temperature, there could be no way a puddle could still be around, at least naturally. Sakura turned to Kakashi-sensei for guidance, trying her best to make eye contact.

She didn't get any.

When that failed, she inconspicuously slid over closer, when a finger on her forehead stopped her from getting too close.

"Maa Sakura-chan, I know you like me, but you have to stay in formation and do your task." He gave her a light shove and nudged her back into her previous spot.

Sakura was confused. Did that mean he noticed and wasn't trying to draw attention? She looked at her Sensei who eye smiled in response. It had to be right? Or was it a test? He did have a habit of doing that. While Sakura was contemplating the meaning underneath his words, they walked past the puddle. She started weaving her chakra, holding off on the last sign until she either received instructions or was attacked.

Sakura heard the clinking of metal behind her and spun, seeing Kakashi-sensei wrapped up in chains. Sakura jumped back grabbing Tazuna. She pushed him behind her and turned her head.

"Tazuna, whatever happens do not move unless I tell you to do so."

She saw him nod his head shakily before she moved to stand on his right in front of him on an angle. She completed the last sign for the jutsu she was holding and let the genjutsu settle, showing an image of Tazuna behind her on her right instead of her left. When the genjutsu was in place, Kakashi-sensei was ripped to shreds.

Really?

He was going that route?

"The second one."

Sakura pulled out a regular kunai in one hand and an explosive tag one in the other, spinning towards the voice. She breathed, this wasn't nearly as bad as the forest, Kakashi-sensei was still alive... somewhere, and she had her team. A warm breeze ruffled her hair, her resolved strengthened.

This time will be different.

Noticing the two enemy shinobi behind Naruto she cried out a warning.

"Naruto, dodge!"

The warning went unheeded as he stood there frozen, but luckily Uchiha moved. Sakura watched as he threw a shuriken and kunai trapping the chain to a tree, causing both Mist-nin to detach the chains. The two split, one moving towards her while the other targeted Naruto. She threw an explosive kunai between Naruto and the Mist-nin, buying him some time before turning her full attention back to the one in front of her. When she saw him going towards her right she smirked.

Ah, she got him.

Sakura felt a warmth appear on her right arm, it was Uchiha. She leaned into him for a moment before she sunk into her stance, another explosive tag drawn. Sakura prepared for the clash when Sensei appeared, hooking the shinobi around the neck in the same manner as he held the other one. Sakura waited for a moment, surveying the area before she relaxed and released her genjutsu, stumbling as the Burning and a flare appeared. The flare was unexpected, in the past she would only feel the residue of the Burning before it increased back to normal levels, not an actual flare. Why did it have to happen on a C-rank above all things? Uchiha steadied her with a hand on her shoulder, giving her the needed relief she begrudgingly accepted.

"Thanks."

"Hn."

After a few seconds he let go, and put his hands in his pockets. Kakashi-sensei faced his genin and addressed them.

"Nice work Sakura-chan, Sasuke." He eye smiled at them while holding the now unconscious shinobi.

"Naruto, you got hurt because I didn't help you right away. Sorry about that, I didn't expect you to freeze the way you did." Sensei turned to walk away but paused and looked back.

"Oh Naruto, their claws had poison, you better remove it before something bad happens."

Wound?

Naruto was injured?

Sakura honed in on the blonde and gave him a quick scan. Seeing the cuts on his hand Sakura went into medic mode and grabbed the first aid kit out of her pack. Before she reached him she stopped. Treating the people at the hospital was fine, but this was Naruto. Would there be a problem? Not wanting to risk a massive flare, Sakura caste the False Surroundings Jutsu once more and approached her teammate. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit down on the ground.

"Sakura-chan I will be fine, you don't have to help me." His frustration at himself was evident as he tried to push her hands off of him.

"Naruto." Sakura gave a low warning.

Chastised, Naruto stopped struggling and let Sakura resume her treatment. The cuts were shallow, but if there was poison then she couldn't just wrap them up. Sakura looked over Naruto, and he looked fine. No heavy breathing or dilation of the eyes, his skin was still a healthy color and he didn't have the chills. She made the signs for the Mystic Palm Jutsu and hovered over his hand, trying to see how far the poison had spread. If she was lucky bleeding him out would be enough, otherwise they would have to go back to Konoha. Upon inspection the poison hadn't moved much, so bleeding it would be enough. She pulled out a kunai.

"Stay still Naruto, I have to bleed the wound." She adjusted her grip to do the bloodletting when Uchiha sauntered over.

"Hn, scaredy cat." Sakura could see the air of superiority he was letting off and glared. Uchiha glared back and stormed off.

"Ahhhh!" Naruto ripped the kunai out of Sakura's hand and stabbed himself, a look of triumph on his face before it morphed into pain. Sakura froze, he did not just do that... did he really just do that?

She was pissed.

'Control, Sakura.'

Sakura grabbed Naruto by the ear and pulled.

"If you ever interrupt me again while I'm treating you whatever spat you have going on with Uchiha will be the least of your worries. Now stay still and stop moving, otherwise I may just let you bleed out. Oh and... never take my kunai again, alright?"
Sakura watched the blood drain from his face, he rapidly nodded.

Good.

He was an idiot, one of the biggest she had ever met. He deserved to wear a sign describing his idiocy and Uchiha... Uchiha deserved a slap for instigating, among other things. They were on a C, no B-rank for Sage's sake, can't they behave themselves for once in their lives? Why couldn't they have at least half of her brains and ability? It would multiply their own ten fold, since they honestly had no reason. Sakura had her head in the sand earlier if she thought they could ever be equals, she was obviously better. It was naive to think they could ever make it onto her level. Maybe Haruno's were meant to stand alone.

Sakura continued her inner grumblings, wrapping his wound when she noticed something weird.

Was he... healing?

Sakura looked into Naruto's eyes, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Did he have something like the Burning too? But instead of causing him pain it healed him?

The idiot gets the healing, but what about her? Why didn't she get the healing? What did she ever do to deserve living in pain?

'That's enough Sakura, you need to stop stressing and calm down. We will figure it out, together.'

Sakura took a breath.

'I... thanks Inner. I really do need you.'

'I'm here for you Sakura, you're not alone in this, remember that. Don't forget you have Yamanaka too ok?

A tiny smile flickered on her face. She remembered their last meeting and that screech.

She calmed down.

'Thanks again Inner.'

'Always Sakura, always. Sha?'

'Na'rro.'

Sakura finished up quickly and gave Naruto a harder than necessary pat on his hand.

"Your good to go Naruto, try not to get hurt again, ok?"

He cradled his hand before giving her a sad look.

"Ok Sakura-chan... and thank you earlier for that kunai you threw, it helped."

"We're a team, I know you would do it for me."

Sakura watched his negativity evaporate before her very eyes.

"Believe it Sakura-chan! I will always be there to rescue you!"

Sakura gave him a tap on the head before heading to Kakashi-sensei. When she was a fair distance away from Naruto she released the genjutsu and hissed at the pain. Hopefully she would feel comfortable healing humans soon so the Burning could be under control. If she started healing herself before she dropped the genjutsu maybe she wouldn't trigger such a backlash, though she would need to start at the source of the Burning, and that was something she hadn't found yet.

"– scope of our mission."

The two men stopped talking when she approached.

"Kakashi-sensei, Naruto is fine now and Uchiha didn't get hurt. Team Seven is mission ready."

"Good, good, thank you Sakura-chan." He patted her head.

"Naruto! Sasuke! Come join us." Sensei called and both boys came over. Kakashi-sensei addressed his genin.

"As you may know, encountering enemy shinobi on a C-rank automatically bumps it up to a B. Going forward we may encounter more, do you still wish to continue?"

"Believe it! I'm not backing down!"

"Hn."

Sakura ignored her teammates responses and thought about it, really thought about it. Normally one would already have to be a chunin to go on a B-rank, but then the missions are usually with other chunin and not under a jonin. They should be safe with Kakashi-sensei, and the experience she would get along with the protection wouldn't happen often. Besides, its not like they don't have the skills to be support for Sensei, so it should be fine with the kind of low level enemies going after Tazuna.

She still had an apology to get from a certain drunk after all.

"I'm fine with continuing Sensei, I trust your judgment."

Kakashi-sensei clapped his hands.

"Alright then, let's finish this mission my cute little genin."

Naruto let out a yell of victory and ran a circle around the team.

Sakura covered her face with her hands, maybe they should have turned back after all.

.

Sakura would have enjoyed the boat ride more if Naruto would stop fidgeting. For once she was glad to be seated next to Uchiha, he didn't jerk around like a headless chicken. Sakura leaned closer to the edge of the boat, letting the salty spray mist over her body. At least the temperature dropped once they hit the coastline, even if she did get a couple of bad flares she should still be able to continue for a bit.

"Once we get on the other side of that bridge, we will be in the Land of Waves."

Sakura looked in the direction the boatman pointed too, barely making out the outlines of a giant bridge through the haze.

"It's huge!"

The boatman shushed Naruto.

"Quiet! I turned off the engine and brought us in by paddle for a reason, we don't want them to find us."

"Them? Tazuna, though we said we would finish the mission, if you continue to withhold information our trip will be over once we land." Kakashi-sensei threatened.

"I will tell you... I am being targeted by a very scary man."

"Who?" Uchiha questioned.

"Have you heard of Gato, the head of Gato Shipping Company? About a year ago he set his sights on our country and he hasn't left since."

"That's impossible." Sakura blurted out.

All eyes turned to her.

"Gato is imprisoned in the Land of Tea, awaiting execution. He kidnapped someone from the royal family."

"No he's not. We just saw him last week walking through the village causing a mess. That's just a rumor."

"It's not. My Father is a merchant, he just came back from the Land of Tea with the news. I'm not lying, no one ever believes me!" Sakura stood, causing the boat to rock slightly.

Kakashi-sensei grabbed her hand and gently pulled her back down.

"Whoever it may be, it sounds like they are controlling the islands." Sensei spoke, keeping his hand on Sakura for a few moments, before letting go.

Tazuna side-eyed Sakura before responding.

"He is, both the rich and the poor have no money because of him. The maritime trade is completely under his control. The only thing threatening his enterprise on this island is the bridge I'm building, everything..."

Sakura tuned out the rest of the conversation, trying to keep her anxiety at bay. There is no way her Father was wrong. He had to have been arrested in the Land of Tea, but why did they think he was in the Land of Waves? Is he really here now? Why did Tazuna think he had been here for a year? Did everyone in Wave think the same as Tazuna?

Things were not adding up.

The silk of Tazuna's clothes really didn't make sense anymore. If they are hurting that bad, why hasn't he sold them? He could have done that in Konoha, but he didn't. None of this made sense. Was this an incident? Sakura felt a tug on the back of her dress and a flare of the Burning.

Naruto.

He tugged harder and she fell back onto him, swallowing the cry as the Burning seared her skin at the contact. Naruto had his head tilted forward so his bangs covered his eyes, but the second he lifted his head she could see them, and they weren't blue anymore.

But red.

"You know."

Sakura didn't respond, but pulled away for relief. She felt uncomfortable with the way 'Red Naruto' was observing her.

"You know! We will talk... later." 'Red Naruto' looked strangely excited, and Sakura had no idea what was going on when the red faded from his eyes.

Sakura felt another tug, but this time coming from the other direction and was starting to get annoyed. Why can't people stop bothering her?

"Dobe, leave Haruno alone."

"What? I didn't do anything. You leave Sakura-chan alone Teme! You're the one that's holding her by the arm."

"Only because you hurt her when you pulled her back Dobe. What are you, a beast?"

Naruto flinched at Uchiha's words. She felt bad since it seemed that Naruto had no idea what 'Red Naruto' was doing, but at the same time she was grateful that Uchiha was looking out for her. This was one of the few times she really felt like they were teammates.

"That's enough you two. Sakura-chan, come sit next to me for the remainder of the ride."

"Yes Sensei." Sakura obeyed and moved at Kakashi-sensei's request without looking back at her teammates.

Sensei really was her favorite.

.

Sakura was grateful to be back on land. The rest of the boat ride passed in tense silence, her two teammates sulky from being told off by Sensei, but not stupid enough, for once, to push it. Sensei let Tazuna say goodbye to the boatman in peace, while he tugged his three students to the side.

"I want to continue." Sakura spoke, guessing the question in advance.

"Me too, believe it!"

"Hn."

If what was happening was an incident then she wanted to know for sure, because this was important. It was the first incident she had found that took place outside of Konoha.

It terrified her.

Whatever's going on is much bigger than she anticipated. How far does it span? Across all the Elemental Nations? She clenched the metal on her chest, she couldn't give up now. 'Red Naruto' seemed to know something, so they would definitely have their talk later. She tugged her gloves back in place, if Sakura thought she was focused before, she was really focused now. There could be no mistakes, she didn't know what she was walking into.

"Ok then, let's go team."

Yes, let's go.

So many questions and not enough answers. Thanks for reading!