Island of Storms [Sakura]

Chapter 9 | Enevaration

"Sakura! The old lady is going to put you on the wanted list! If you come back soon she won't! I'm trying to help!"

"She can go right ahead!" the woman yelled, seeming more tired of the situation than angry. "I am sick and tired of hearing the same thing every day! Of being turned down from missions and job opportunities!"

She placed her hand on her chest. "I beat a damn Akatsuki member! I think I deserve a little bit of respect!"

"What— Sakura! Don't be so selfish!" Naruto snapped.

"Selfish? Selfish!? I haven't been on a mission in a year! None of my applications are accepted! I've applied to work at the hospital over a dozen times and they told me they had everything under control!" she clenched her hands into fists. "I wasn't even told about the mission all of you went on!!"

"That's 'cause you've been busy! Everybody knows that you're still training under the old lady!"

"I finished that training two years ago! You bastard! Don't mess with me! I've been struggling to make ends meet and Kakashi has had to loan me money tens of times so I could keep my apartment!" Sai looked to Kakashi in surprise to find the man with his arms crossed, a look of disdain on his face.

"I realized I had been paying less attention to her progress compared to yours and Sasuke's a long time ago. I apologized. The rest of the village hasn't seemed to realize that they treat her poorly, even after being told about what they're doing," the man explained.

"She's the medic of the team!" Naruto defended, earning a glare from his teacher.

"That doesn't make her any less of a person! Or a kunoichi!" he retorted. "She's being treated similar to the way you were when you were a child! You of all people should see what she's going through."

"I am finally tired of people ignoring my achievements. Konoha is so inadvertently toxic and I refuse to take that kind of treatment any longer," Sakura finished, crossing her arms.

"I don't want to have to fight you, Sakura..." Naruto muttered.

"Don't worry," Kakashi started, the others were surprised that he abruptly had his hand over his ex-student's eyes, "you won't have to."

The others watched for a few moments as the two were quiet before Naruto slowly fell backward, a small cloud of dirt puffing upward as he hit the ground.

"Those hand signs were for a clan's jutsu," Sai muttered in surprise.

"I'll explain later," the older man interrupted, turning back toward them. Sakura gave him a concerned look regarding how much chakra he had just used, sweat collecting on his face. "I'll be fine..."

He took a breath. "He won't remember that he found us or that he headed toward this area. I'd suggest we get him out of here before tomorrow."

A snore was heard from the blond and Kakashi made his way inside.

╌❀✿╌╌💮╌╌✿❀╌

Kosai sat at the table with Inari, resting his head on the wood. He let out a sigh as he watched Sai paint on the deck. Kakashi apparently used way too much chakra on whatever he had done to Naruto and had been sleeping since the previous afternoon, Sakura keeping a close eye on him.

Inari did manage to get much more information out of his mother about his chakra being sealed or his kekkei genkai. He decided to give up for the time being, Tazuna not knowing enough about it to be able to question her. Sai and Sakura stayed up late the night before to write letters to some people back in Konoha.

Kosai wondered if he should write a note to Kurenai and Mirai. His little cousin was sure to be sad about him dying, Kurenai as well, of course. He decided against it in the end, as it was not as though they would never meet again and he did not have much happy news to share with them, except for the fact that he was alive.

Tazuna had gone into town and Tsunami was getting ready to prepare lunch. Iro would be coming over that day with the help of someone from town.

"All right, I finished re-reading the chapter!" Inari grinned, closing the textbook. Kosai made a poor attempt to look over to him. "Think we could get some practice in before Iro gets here?"

"Hmm? Yeah... Sure..."

Inari frowned as he looked at his friend.

"Are you thinking about Konoha?"

Kosai gave a heavy sigh, sitting up in his seat and slouching his shoulders.

"Yeah... I'm just thinking about what's going to happen."

Inari frowned and thought with him for a bit before he gave a grin in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Why don't we go ask Kurama if he can show us some cool jutsu that we've never seen before? When he gets back, I mean."

Kosai perked up at the thought and his shoulders lifted slightly.

"Sure, that sounds fun."