They were given a simple C-rank mission. They were to escort a bridge builder, Tazuna, to the Land of Waves. For all Sakura knew, that place wasn't politically stable. It was run by goons, one of them being Gato. She had read in a newspaper some time last year about how he pretty much ran the economy of Waves through illegal dealings and his goons. But the article disappeared a week later when she had returned to the library to reread it. She had searched for the newspaper and asked Harumi the librarian if she had seen but she didn't remember seeing it. It was probably her wild imagination. They were to meet the next day at the village gates along with their escort by 5am. Kakashi dismissed them soon after that. She spent the day reading as much as she could about Wave Country. She also revised the Bingo book, memorizing all notable ninja from the country. After that, she practiced her fuinjutsu from the scroll Jiraiya had given her. She tried to create a new seal from it but nothing came up. She went to the training grounds, wanting to play shogi then remembered she no longer had a partner to play with. 'Great, just great,' she thought with a scowl as she stared at the empty grounds. She kicked the stone nearest to her and stomped the ground at least five times before making her way to her house.

She packed her bag, putting in her essentials. A lot of her reading material was sealed into her scrolls, medical supplies in another. After she was sure that everything was in order, she flopped onto her bed as she awaited dinner.

For the first time since meeting him, her sensei was not late. "Good morning Sakura!" Naruto chirped. "Morning," she grumbled. She had woken up that morning with a severe case of bedhead. It spent her nearly an hour to do her hair and another to prepare. As such, she didn't eat in the morning because she was scared that she was going to be late. "What's wrong?" the blonde asked, oblivious to the dark aura surrounding the girl. "Nothing," she said with a sweet smile. Sasuke saw that it was strained. He decided to ask her himself. "You're awfully more annoying than usual, what's the matter?" he asked trying not to appear too interested. The glare she sent his way shut him up. "Now now, Sakura. No need to be brooding so early in the morning," her sensei said as he placed a hand on top of her head. "I'm fine, quit bugging me, will you?!" she snapped as she moved away from his touch and went to stand beside Tazuna. "I think she had a fight with Shikamaru," Naruto whispered not-so-subtly. "Shikamaru?" the jounin asked. The blonde nodded. "They've been a lot chummy lately. I'm not liking it. She should have better taste in men unlike that lazy ass," he explained. "I heard that!" she shouted from her spot.

Sasuke eyerolled. "And who's the better taste?" he asked. "Me, obviously!" the genin replied with a thumbs up. "I'll make sure that Sakura's my girlfriend, you can count on it!" he exclaimed. "Mhhh, sounds like a competition. What do you think Sasuke?" Kakashi asked as his eye crinkled up mischievously. "I'm not taking the bait," the Uchiha replied with an annoyed huff. "Is that so? I guess Naruto is better than you-" "What's the terms of this battle?" the dark-haired cut in. The jounin stifled a giggle. "It goes like this..."

Kakashi was walking in the front while the two boys were at the back. Sakura was in the middle with Tazuna. Several times, she saw Naruto and Sasuke eyeing her as if she was sort of a price. Inner had been ecstatic at the thought of Sasuke looking at her like that while she was just bummed. She stinked, she hadn't bathed properly that morning and she didn't have time to put on deodorant. She made sure that there was respectable distance between her and Tazuna so that he did not smell her stench. She passed time by reading a romance novel that Harumi had given her yesterday. She was still reading when she sensed a presence beside her. It was Sasuke. She eyed him warily. She felt like a skunk and she was getting to the good part of her novel. "What?" she asked with a hint of annoyance. The genin cleared his throat and mumbled something inaudible as he stared at the side. "I didn't quite catch that," she said as her irritation grew. He mumbled again and she caught only a few words. "...go...train...smell..." he mumbled again. 'Did he smell my stench?' she panicked internally.

She gave a forced laugh. "I'm not sure I heard you clearly," she said. She looked a puddle which was a few metres in front of Kakashi. She didn't hear what Sasuke said next. Her only thoughts were how there was a puddle in the middle of a road which hadn't rained in weeks. "Kakashi-sensei!" she shouted. At the same time, two ninjas seemingly emerge from the said puddle and charge at the jounin. Shuriken-covered chains wrapped around the older shinobi and rip him apart. Sakura stared in shock as her sensei was dissected while she was watching. The two ninja turn at Naruto who was standing frozen. 'Those are the two Demon Brothers!' her mind quickly supplied as she eyed the metal gauntlets each boy was wearing. She hurled several kunai at one of them whilst another engaged with Sasuke who had gone to Naruto's aid. The ninja turned to Tazuna and rushed towards him. She got to Tazuna first with her kunai drawn out, ready to defend her charge. Then Sasuke appeared in front of her. Before anything could happen, Kakashi suddenly appeared and grabbed the ninja by his collar then slammed him into the ground. He had already defeated the first one. "Kakashi-sensei!" she exclaimed in relief. He gave her an eye smile before moving to tie up the two ninja.

She turned to Sasuke. He was not expecting what she told him. "Why did you do that? I had the situation under control!" she snapped as her features were contorted in anger. Sasuke only blinked sluggish, not catching up to what she was saying. Wasn't she supposed to be happy? "I'm not some damsel in distress. Don't come to my aid unless the situation calls for it," she spat with a glare. She marched over to Naruto who was looking at the exchange in both fear and wonder. "Not expecting that, were you?" Tazuna said as he appeared beside the Uchiha. "Girls are annoying," he said as his head was still buzzing with why she wasn't happy with him. "Are you okay?" the pinkette asked him as she took his hand. "I'm f-fine," the blonde chuckled embarrassedly as his face burned. She had never held his hand before. The only time was the day they became friends. "One of the claws scratched your hand, it was poisoned," she said as she turned over his hand, revealing the cut in the inside of his palm which was which tinged purple.

"You used the Body Replacement Technique," Sasuke pointed out. The jounin nodded. "I need to see who their target. I had already suspected an ambush when I saw the puddle," he explained. "Good job for your quick response to the enemy and aiding Naruto," he complimented. The genin grunted in return. "You too Sakura. You called out my name when you sensed foreign chakra signatures. You also noticed the irregularity of the puddle," he pointed out. "Thanks sensei," she said with a small blush. "You noticed that? That's cool! You'll teach me, right?" the blonde said with unrestrained glee. "I can only teach you if you spend at least a day at the library," the female replied. "Sakura," he groaned. She suddenly sliced a kunai across his palm. "Sakura!" he exclaimed in horror as he watched drip down his hand. "If you don't stop being a scaredy cat, freezing up in front of enemy ninjas, I'll do more than this," she threatened him as she unsealed her medical kit from her scroll. She took out a bandage then sealed it back. When she took his hand again, it had already begun healing. She raised one eyebrow in curiosity. 'Is it a kekkei genkai or something?' she thought as she wrapped the bandage around his hand.

"I was removing the poison from your hand so that it doesn't spread. Your hand has begun to heal already," she said as she finished wrapping it up. She pretended not to notice how he had stiffened when she commented on his fast healing hand. "I think our charge here should explain to us why the two Demon Brothers, rogue ninja from Kiri came attacking us, specifically him out of nowhere?" she said as she turned to look at Tazuna with a hard face. She walked over to him. "Either you explain why you're being attacked or my team aborts the mission and leave you all alone in the middle of nowhere," she said seriously. Tazuna cleared his throat. "I guess I should start from the beginning," he said as he averted his eyes from the kunoichi who seemed to be breathing fire.

Naruto watched Sakura as she walked beside Tazuna. They were still in the same formation, though closer. Tazuna had explained how Gato was destroying the entire economy of Waves and how he had to make sure that he built the bridge at all costs. They had agreed that they would escort Tazuna and help him finish building the bridge. He looked at Sasuke who was staring at her with an unreadable expression. "She's different," he commented. The Uchiha hummed in agreement. "I thought she would be happy that I protected but she lashed out at me. I still don't understand why," the dark-haired boy spoke. "And the way she handled it, she knew exactly what to do at the right moment," the blonde said as he stared at his bandaged hand. "It's almost like she's team leader instead of Kakashi-sensei. Did you notice how she talked to Tazuna? She said 'my team'," Naruto said. Sasuke only grunted and silence ensued among them.

They walked another distance and Naruto threw a kunai at a nearby bush. The whole team was alert but nothing happened. "Naruto," the pinkette growled in unabated anger. The blonde threw another kunai at another bush in another direction. Kakashi bonked him on his head. "But sensei, I sensed something!" he cried. "I know Sakura said you shouldn't be such a scaredy cat but this is a bit too much," he reprimanded the boy. A white rabbit jumped out of the bush. "See?! I told you so!" the blonde exclaimed. "The poor rabbit is probably scared to death," Sakura commented with an eye roll as she watched Naruto take the rabbit in his arms and hug it tightly. The pinkette cocked her head to the side. "But it's a snow rabbit and they're only white during winter. Someone must be keeping it," she voiced out her thoughts. 'Someone nearby!'

"DUCK!"

She grabbed Naruto by his shoulder and forced him to the ground at the same time a large blade spun over their heads. It embedded itself into a tree. "That sword looks familiar," the pinkette said as she stood up. A figure appeared, standing on the hilt of the sword. "My my, I have to say you've got a very bright student. She seems to know everything," the masked man laughed as he stared at Kakashi. "Who the hell is this guy?" Naruto whispered not so subtly. The killing intent was heavy but Sasuke and Sakura seemed to be doing fine so he was fine too. "Zabuza Momochi of the Hidden Mist Village, also known as the Bloody Mist. He goes by the name Demon of the Mist and he's in the Bingo book. He's also one of the Legendary Swordsman of the Mist," she explained to him. "Quite intelligent too. I'll have to take you out first after I get rid of the famous Copy Ninja," Zabuza said. Kakashi lifted his headband, revealing his Sharingan. "Would you look that? The famous Copy Ninja revealed his Sharingan to fight me. You're gonna go all out against me. Then I guess it's a testament if I were to kill you," he said as he jumped down and retracted his sword.

A thick mist suddenly enveloped the entire area. "Protect Tazuna at all costs," Kakashi said and they formed a circle around him. Zabuza suddenly appeared in the middle of their formatio but before he could make a move, the silver-haired jounin sent a kunai towards him and it hit his stomach. The masked man dissolved into water and appeared behind Kakashi, slicing him in half. Kakashi dissolved into water as well and reappeared standing a distance away from him. "You copied my technique," he stated as he charged towards him. Kakashi appeared behind him but another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi, the first turning into water. He took hold of Kakashi and threw him into a nearby lake. The jounin stood up with water dripping down him. "Water Prison Technique," Zabuza muttered as Kakashi was encompassed in an orb of water. A clone of Zabuza rushed towards the three genin. "Everyone, run!" the silver-haired ninja's muffled voice sounded.

Naruto and Sasuke engaged with the clone whilst she stood by Tazuna. 'At this rate, we'll never win. I have to free Kakashi-sensei!' she thought. She closed her eyes and focused on her sensei's chakra. 'If I can substitute with a log, if I can substitute with myself then it means I can also substitute with Kakashi-sensei,' she thought as she went through the familiar handsigns for the Body Replacement Technique. She felt a pulling a sensation as she was lifted off her feet. Suddenly, she was encompassed in water and she couldn't breathe. She felt her chakra reserves, they were low. Her last thought was that her jutsu had worked as she passed out.

And I'm back with yet another update. Hope you enjoy. I think something should be corrected in Naruto. Being a paper ninja doesn't necessarily make you weak. It actually makes your stronger, more knowledge, more power. I hope to use it to Sakura's advantage in this story.

Reviews are very appreciated.

Tozoonana

AfricanFire