Our moments

Naruto seeing the rookie of their year with a frustrated face while rummaging through his pouch decides to speak up with his arms crossed behind his head. "Whats up?"

"We're missing a scroll." Concludes Sasuke with his eyebrows scrunched together not finding the second scroll inside his pouch.

"If it gets into enemy hands; they could use it against us. Should we go back for it?" Questions the Uzumaki his rival, looking him straight into the eye with a frown.

Hands in his pockets his ouch back to its usual place Sasuke sighs with a bored look. „No need..."

At the Avenger's words both Naruto and Kakashi start booing at him with their thumbs down while simultaneously calling him out. „Don't litter the forest!" with the blonde continuing his banter. „You're the worst!"

Irked the Sharingan wielder looks at them annoyed, shaking his head while grumbling under his breath at their childish antics. „It was just used for notes so..."

„Guess we can go back home... Hm?" muses the Copy-Ninja scratching the back of his head, wide-eyed he only now notices something amiss. „Where's Sakura?"

The three orphans scan their surroundings for the pink-haired Kunoichi but cannot see her.

Standing on a tree branch the pinkette surveys the landscape, her short hair is being caressed by the wind. She can hear a shout from afar most likely belonging to the boy with cerulean blue eyes.

„SAKURA-CHAN!"

"Sakura hasn't come home yet... Did something happen?" Questions Mebuki Haruno, Sakura's mother with a worried expression.

"No! I just came to check up on some things." Denies Iruka with clipboard tucked under his arm. "I apologize for coming so late in the evening." The Academy teacher turns on his heel after bidding farewell but stops at the mother's voice.

"Iruka-Sensei! How is that girl coming along as a ninja... Is she working hard? She seems so lost and confused since the Chunin exams..." Nibbling on her lips with a troubled expression while remembering the latest fight with her daughter, her husband and her had tried to talk Sakura out of being a ninja since the invasion. "She always looks like she's at her wits' end.

Smiling fondly while recalling the moments when he spotted Team 7 together, he answered her question. "Actually, if Sakura wasn't around Team 7 would be all over the place. She's irreplaceable. She is the one Kakashi-Sensei praises the most out of the three." Hopping on a tree he jumps to the squad leader of the girl to report back.

Appearing out of nowhere squatting on a tree branch looking down at the boys of his squad with a serious attitude instead of his laid back one. "Sakura-chan hasn't returned home?"

Closing his eyes the boy clad in orange shares his idea with the other two but even Naruto has a doubtful expression. "Maybe she's staying over at Ino's house for the night?"

"Team 10 left the village for a mission yesterday." Kakashi shakes his head gazing down at the ground while explaining.

Sasuke interrupts Kakashi's thoughts inquiring with an unreadable face. "So, Asuma... Isn't here?"

"Yeah, and Guy is out of the village too." The Hatake is pretty frustrated at the current event. He didn't even notice that Sakura was missing. "I failed as a Sensei."

W-w... Wait a second! Why all of a sudden... Sakura-chan wouldn't just run off without saying anything!" Exclaims Naruto loudly in a panicked voice.

In his peripheral vision he sees Naruto looking up at the sky. "For once I agree with you."

"My Sharingan, Sasukes heritage and Naruto... Well, you've encountered Akatsuki and with Sakura as a member of this team... she was perhaps kidnapped. There are plenty of reasons why. I'm sure I don't need to tell you guys about how much important information they can get out of a hostage right?" The silence after his statement is deafening with both of the boys shocked.

"Tch" Sasuke's grip on the tree bark tightens at his words with a scowl on his handsome features and clenching his teeth.

Ignoring the Uchiha's rage filled face and the future Hokage's worried expression marred on his face he continues his speech while standing up from his crouched position on the branch. "Not noticing the disappearance of a teammate close to us... I'm disappointed in myself as well... it wouldn't be too farfetched to assume that the enemy is a Shinobi. Anyway, it's important we move stealthy. Let's go report this to Hokage-sama..."

"Hm... I see. So, they have no idea." muses the Hokage while sliding her finger over the crystal ball sitting in front of her. A pounding on the door breaks her out of her thoughts.

"GRANNY TSUNADE! THERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO HEAR!" yells the Uzumaki in front of the door feverishly knocking on the door with urgency in his voice.

Stooping the boy from assaulting the door from the Hokage office he lectures him on his approach of finding their Kunoichi. "Hey Naruto! I thought I told you to be stealthy.

Hearing the commotion Shizune, Tsunade's current apprentice joins Kakashi lecturing the boy in an exhausted voice. "Naruto-kun not having an appointment is bothersome! We have guests right now..."

Sakura smirks thinking back to her plan.

"It's fine Shizune." Says the voice of the current Hokage behind the door. "Come in." Smirks the Slug Sannin.

A blur of orange bursts through the door at her voice and directly starts talking about their current situation. "Granny Tsunade. Something happen-"

"CALL ME HOKAGE-SAMA YOU BRAT!" Cuts Tsunade in with her hands on er hips.

Ignoring her he continues. "-ed to Sakura-chan!" Now finished with his explanation he pants awaiting her judgement.

"I apologize for this sudden audience Hokage-sama." The grey-haired man walks in with his hands in his pockets Sasuke directly behind him with his arms crossed over his chest.

Standing tall the before her desk the Hokage speaks with a voice full of authority. "State your reason."

"It's about a member of Team 7... The whereabouts of Sakura Haruno." Discloses the dark-haired boy.

"Oh, Sasuke's girl."

"I don't have that kind of relationship with her." Rebuffs the Avenger.

"Not interested huh..." Tsunade chuckles to herself.

"That should be me!" screeches the son of the fourth Hokage, pointing his thumb at himself for emphasis.

"I apologize for Naruto's behavior Hokage-sama." Bows the former Anbu captain while pinning Naruto with his gaze on his spot.

Sitting down on her chair in a bored manner she carefully picks the crystal orb up. "Even in best conditions, having a girl on the team can bring up all sorts of difficulties."

Seeing her relaxed posture the Avenger snaps at her. "You sit here all relaxed, but we're running out of time. Maybe if you cared we could hurry up and..."

"Akatsuki is not on the move. Neither is Orochimaru. If they're in the country, I would be able to find them... Sakura is within the village limits." Interrupts the granddaughter of the first Hokage.

Both Naruto and Sasuke are shocked, but the blonde quickly throws a question at her. "Do you know the exact location?!"

"The Tomegane No Jutsu" Thinks the Jonin to himself.

"Hmph, who do you think I am? I may be a woman, but I am a Sannin and the Hokage!" Declares the Slug Princess smiling smugly. "Sakura is in the western forest."

"Shit! She never returned to the village, let's go find her believe it!" Curses Naruto.

The three are currently traveling through the forest Sakura supposedly is at. "It's gotten really dark! It would really help us out if the moon came out! This darkness... I'm worried about Sakura-chan." says the Ramen lover.

"Let's split up. Naruto go Right! Sasuke go left! I'll look from above." Orders Kakashi the two.

"Got it!" they all jump into different directions.

Standing on top of a tree he lifts his forehead protector revealing his Sharingan. "Very impressive... Sakura."

"What is going on... Kakashi's presence disappeared?!" grumbles the Avenger under his breath. He looks around to see if he can pick up a clue of the pinkettes whereabouts. It's been two hours since we entered the forest..." he grabs a Kunai and makes a slash on the tree next to him.

"Sasuke!"

"Naruto...! Sakura..."

"Haven't found her yet" mutters the blue-eyed boy. "Um. You dropped this back there." He holds the scroll out which Sasuke had been searching hours ago but gave up on finding it.

"Is this?" Questions the Uchiha with a shocked expression marred on his face.

"Really you..."

Gritting his teeth he grabs the scroll from Naruto's hand. "My bad."

Naruto jumps back where he previously came from to continue searching for Sakura while Sasuke looks at his back disappearing in a matter of seconds.

Itachi stands before a shell-shocked Naruto.

Looking down at the scroll in his palm he starts to think. "At that time Jiraya was there." The wind picks up caressing his hair. He stuffs the scroll into his pouch. "...Sakura. What if... She really did disappear right in front of us." Wide-eyed and the hand which still holds the Kunai, his knuckles are turning white from his tight grip.

She looks up at the full moon.

Realization sinks in and he flips the Kunai in his hand and stabs himself in his thigh. Blood drips down on the floor from his stab wound but he could care les right now. "SAKURA!" screams Sasuke into the silent night.

Naruto turns around at the shout of Sakura's name.

The pink haired Kunoichi ears perk up at her name being shouted. A lone tear cascades down her face followed by another. Her hands grip her red dress while she silently cries.

Looking around him at the forest to make out where the shout came from, but Naruto knew it would futile. "... Sakura-chan be safe...!"

On top of a cliff stands Kurenai, Jonin instructor from Team 9. She remembers how it came to this. "Be safe Sakura!"

"I want to challenge them." Says Sakura with a determined look.

"Challenge...?" Questions the Genjutsu specialist.

"When our mission ends, my Genjutsu will hide me for 12 hours. If Sensei, Sasuke-kun and Naruto can't find me by the end of it..." explains the Haruno her challenge to her team.

"... Then?"

Smiling down the girl replies with a sad look in her eyes. "Nothing... Sasuke-kun and Naruto, the entire village knows my power doesn't match up to theirs but maybe if I can do this..."

Interrupting her Kurenai continues her sentence. "-the three of them will acknowledge you. You're gonna hurt these kids though... If you win, what are you going to do if they want to get back at you?

"...No. It's just right now I want to test myself." Declares the pinkette in a confident voice.

Tsunade watches through the crystal orb how the event unfolds.

"... This is Sakura's Genjutsu." Sasuke looks up at the sky.

"Sasuke! The sky has gotten bright... This is probably someone's Genjutsu. They might strike at any moment so we should gather everyone together for a plan." Mutters Naruto to the Uchiha he has recently found.

"... There's no need. When I find her, I'm gonna beat her up!" mumbles the avenger in a sinister voice walking past the blonde-haired boy.

Only now does the Uzumaki see Sasuke's self-inflicted stab wound on his thigh. "Sasuke. You're hurt... You've been using these eyes of yours all this time?" Questions Naruto in a hesitant voice.

"Don't worry about it. Rest first... "reassures Sasuke but he fists Naruto's orange jacket." I. Am. Of. The. Uchiha. Clan!" Tells the Uchiha in a menacing voice towards a shocked Naruto. Slowly his hand legs go of the boy's orange jacket.

"I know that! But you should still rest a bit so I'm gonna go this way!" Exclaims the boy clad in orange.

"Aa." They do a fist bump. After Naruto disappears, he walks into a peculiar direction.

"I don't want to leave everyone. If this is my strength, I want to grow even stronger." Thinks the girl that is being searched by her team.

He lays his palm on a tree. "Kai."

She looks up at the newcomer.

"He's here..." Kakashi thinks.

Sakura currently sits on a tree stump smiling at him. "You found me." She slowly sits up and walks into his direction. She stops when she stands directly before him and pulls a handkerchief out of her pouch. "I'm sorry." Before she has a time to react, she is engulfed in a hug.

Sasuke couldn't bring himself to hit her. He was so scared at the thought that he would never see her again. Since massacre his eyes are filled tears again. His right arm is hooked around her neck, her head buried in his shoulder due to their height differences. Placing his forehead on her shoulder he starts mumbling. "...You idiot. This was so unfair..."

"You've always been that worried about me...?" Cries the green-eyed girl. "I should stop crying... because I'm not hopeless." She encircles her arms around his waist and cries into his shoulder.

"As long as I never give up hope."

"She really does have talent." Exclaims Kurenai walking towards Kakashi who is sitting on a rock.

"... So, it was really you." He looks at the woman out of the corner of his eye.

With a hand on her hip, she begins explaining. "That girl came to me. Letting her do this alone... wouldn't have out well would it?"

"The boys and I didn't notice her..."

"Stop acting like a brat. Women always suffer from the differences between men and women. Except for Tsunade-sama who persisted with her Taijutsu, but Kunoichi like that are rare. Because we stop believing in ourselves and our abilities...

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

"Naruto." Sakura greets back whilst supporting Sasuke, his arm around her shoulder and her arm around his torso for balance.

Naruto skids to a stop before the boy and the girl. "Are you okay?! You're not hurt, are you?!"

"Sorry we took so long." Sasuke keys go of her, and Sakura smiles up at the blonde and suddenly hugs him. "Thank you." She pulls back.

"Hehe, I'm glad you're okay." Grins the Uzumaki.

"Sensei." Exclaims the Kunoichi and runs over to him.

Walking forward so that he and Naruto are faced to face he speaks in low voice. "Naruto. I won this round." He sneers walks past him with an arrogant smirk.

"What! I have no idea what you're talking about! Hey Sasuke!" shouts Naruto after his rival with confusion written over his face.

"Today's no exception..." Sighs Sakura while mumbling to herself. "As usual Kakashi-Sensei is late. As usual."

"AHH WE LOOK LIKE IDIOTS JUST WAITING HERE!" shouts Naruto fed up with waiting for their teacher.

"Sakura." The Uchiha calls out.

Standing beside him with her hands on her knees, he'd tilted and a smile on her face. "What's up Sasuke?"

Sasuke points his finger to a certain place.

She looks over to the place and sees the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom. "It's beautiful." She says in awe. "It's a Genjutsu though."

His eyebrow twitches.

Naruto dances around the trees who are shedding their pink color. "Yay. This is awesome! They're in full bloom!"

"Since it's autumn right now. Naruto seems to be caught in it though... If you know the current month you can see thru the illusion. There's always a way to see through it!" Explains Sakura with a soft smile while holding his hand in hers.

The corner of his mouth turns upwards.

________________________________________________________________________________Over 2500 words, Shannaro! Gotta love that catchphrase. I apologize for any mistakes and I'll try to update as much as possible, even if it's only small chapter.

~Lumi

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