Darkest Before Dawn

Naruto, Sasuke, and The "Master" That Wants Her Dead

   "Tou-saaaaaaan! Look who's baaaaack, dattebayo!!"

   Fifteen year old Naruto Namikaze burst through the office door with a huge grin and widespread arms with Jiraiya following closely behind.

   "Naruto!" Minato smiled, standing up to hug his son, "It's good to see you back. You too, Jiraiya-sensei."

   "Tou-san! Tou-san! I modified my rasengan into something super cool called the rasenshuriken, dattebayo! You see, I manipulated my wind- natured chakra to-"

   Jiraiya put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

   "Calm down, Naruto. If you talk too much, all the oxygen will stop going to your brain and it might stop working." he interrupted.

   "It already has." a new voice said. Sasuke and Orochimaru walked into the office, each wearing their own respective smirks. If Naruto wasn't so happy seeing his best friend/rival, he wouldn't decked the damn Uchiha in the face.

   "Sasuke-teme! You're back too!"

   "Obviously, dobe."

   "Whatever! We can settle this on the battle field later! Ne, ne, tou-san! Do you know where Sakura-chan is? Ero-sennin and I tried looking for her before coming to your office. Is she on a mission?" asked Naruto. This had been the question Minato had dreaded upon the arrival of his son.

   "Right at the moment, we have no idea where Sakura is. We haven't heard from or have seen her since she was thirteen."

   Naruto didn't quite understand what that meant. Sasuke, on the other hand, understood perfectly. His face grew a even paler than his normal pallor. Minato sighed.

   "Sakura was given permission to go off for five years. Alone. She is able to whatever she wants wherever she pleases. If she doesn't return on her due date, she will be marked down in all the Bingo Books as a missing-nin immediately and will be hunted."

   If it were possible, Sasuke had grown even paler.

   "HUNTED?!" Naruto exploded, "Isn't that going a little too far?! This is Sakura-chan we're talking about! What reason would you have to hunt her? She--"

   "Naruto. Stop. Your father made the right decision." the toad sage said softly. The blonde turned to his mentor incredulously.

   "Wait. You've put such uncompromising restrictions on Sakura, suggesting just what exactly?" Sasuke questioned. Minato shook his head.

   "That is confidential."

   "But tou-sa-!!"

   "No buts, Naruto. I can't tell you anymore. I'm sorry you two, but if you want to see Sakura again, you're going to have to wait three more years."

~

   "So you're Sakura-chan, hmm?" Yahiko mused. She nodded and stared into his thoughtful eyes. He suddenly brightened up, a wide grin spreading aross his face.

   "You're a very reliable, kunoichi, you know? The information you gave us was spot on and was perfectly detailed! It would be really convenient if you were an Ame shinobi, you could be my chief strategist!" he exclaimed. Sakura waved her hands in front of her.

   "Sorry, but I have to decline, Yahiko-sama. LIke I told Konan-san, I have somewhere to return to." she said. Yahino pouted.

   "Well, it was worth a shot." he sighed, "It was nice to meet you, Sakura-chan! Come by any time you need something, we're in your debt for this priceless information."

   Sakura smiled and bowed before exiting the office with Konan. They passed by Nagato on the way out, Yahiko's head of ANBU forces and best friend. The two greeted him and proceeded to the gates of Amegakure.

   "When do you think you'll come back?" Konan questioned.

   "I'm not sure. Maybe a three, four months? I'll contact you when I come by again." said Sakura. Konan smiled at the teen and bid her goodbye. At this point, Sakura didn't know where to head off to next.

   "I suppose I should go to see Tinkerbell." she murmured to herself, "I did promise him that rematch."

   Blue flashed at the corner of her eye, and she turned her head. Nobody. She shrugged and continued on he way to Iwagakure. Must've been a bird or something.

~

   "I apologize sir..." a man cloaked in navy muttered, kneeled before his master, "She almost noticed me on my way back to report to you."

   "It's fine. What did you find?"

   "Sakura Haruno now has acquired Yahiko, the leader of Amegakure, as her ally."

   The Master nodded and dismissed his follower with the wave of his hand before sitting back down in his chair. That damned Haruno was gaining more powerful allies than he would have liked. First was that sensei of hers, then the plant experiment, then the shark freak, and finally that Uchiha prodigy, Itachi. Upon her leaving Konoha, she had gained the backing of Kirigakure and Amegakure, who were in debt to her services, and that ace bomber from Iwa.

   Not to mention the countless numbers of his men that she murdered in the past.

   The Master sighed. Once she had returned to Konoha, he could set his plan into motion. No, he wouldn't jump the chance immediately, but would simply bide his time with it. Konoha would pay. Sakura would pay.

   Sakura took all his hard work away from him.

   And dammit, she was only nine years old when she did so.

   His revenge on her had already taken place. In fact, she had already been given a taste of his... hospitality. The Master chuckled when he recalled that day.

   Seeing that girl crying over the body of her dead friend, Juugo, had certainly been a show he was happy to have conducted.