Sakura adjusted her mask and made a quick hand signal. A puff of smoke danced around her and she was in front of the ANBU's hideout within seconds.
Without hesitation, she pushed the doors opened and was hit with a cool air. She walked down the narrow isle, other members passed, most of them being men. She could tell due to their body built. Everyone that walked by nodded their head at the emerald eyed ANBU and she nodded her head back. Everyone here was cool with each other, but everyone was usually busy with missions, so they didn't have to sit around and hold a long conversation.
Sakura stopped when she was in the center of the hideout, the one place that was well lit. Standing there, waiting for her was; her shisho and Danzo. She could see that Danzo was pleased with her job well done, however she couldn't tell if her shisho was proud or not, he wore his mask, like always.
"Hello, Haruno-san." Danzo was the first to speak once Sakura knelt down on one knee and placed her fist to the ground.
"Hello, Danzo-sama." Sakura replied once it was her turn to speak. "Hello, Shisho." He only nodded his head.
"I wonder what his problem is?" Sakura thought to herself, so no one else could hear her.
"How did your first mission go?" Danzo asked. "Did you deliver my message successfully?"
"Yes, of course," Sakura answered and grabbed an envelope from the inside of her cloak. She extended her arm, holding out the message for Danzo, "Here's his reply."
"Thank you," He nodded his head and grabbed the envelope from her carefully.
"Is there anything else you'll need me to do for the time being until my next mission?" Sakura asked politely.
"For now, no," He answered plainly. "I need to talk with people alone about your further mission, it's about your year long mission."
"Okay, thank you."
"For now, just get some rest, catch up with some people, you'll be informed when you're needed, okay?"
"Of course, thank you again."
"Oh and you should check in with Tsunade-hime."
"Y-Yes, of course."
Sakura bowed her head to both her superiors and teleported away.
"Are you sure she's ready for this?" The masked man, standing beside Danzo, asked quietly.
"Of course, besides the elders and I already discussed it over, she fits perfectly for this job."
The man beside Danzo sighed and nodded his head, "Alight, I guess you have a point when it comes to her."
~~~~~~
Sakura removed her mask and cloak. She threw them on the couch in her living room and slowly made her way to her bedroom. The pinkette dragged a hand down her face and groaned as she let herself fall upon her neatly made bed.
"What am I to do," She mumbled into her pillow, gazing out her window. "I only have a week to make up my mind, if I join I could possibly be treated better, but I'll be considered a rogue ninja and classified as an S-Class ninja or reject their offer and be killed as the result of my answer."
Her mind was shot and she couldn't think properly. She needed sleep, maybe that would help calm her nerves.
Just as Sakura was about to drift off into a deep slumber, there was a knock at her door.
She growled and rolled out of bed angrily. Sakura stomped down to her door and swung it opened.
"What!?" She hissed.
"Sorry?"
"It's you."
"The book I was currently reading said, 'when approaching someone the appropriate thing to do is greet the person with a 'hello'?"
"Sai what do you want?" Sakura sighed and rubbed her temples.
"I wanted to check up on you, how was your first mission as a-"
Sakura grabbed Sai by the collar and yanked inside. She slammed the door shut and glared at the onyx eyed shinobi.
"Sai you aren't even supposed to know I'm an ANBU," she whispered viciously, "other people can't know either, so keep your mouth shut, got it?"
"Yes Sakura," Sai replied and adjusted his shirt, that was now wrinkled from Sakura's grip.
"Well now that you've kept me up from taking a nap, what do you need?"
"Like I said, I wanted to check up on you."
"That's all you needed?" Sakura grumbled and glared at the ravenette.
"How about we go for a walk?" Sai asked, pointing to the path behind him.
"Fine," Sakura mumbled, "Let me get changed first."
Sakura allowed Sai to come in, he took a seat in her living and Sakura headed into her room and closed the door behind her.
She threw her ANBU gear off and into the hamper, that was across the room. She placed her regular red crop top on, with her clan symbol on the back, a pair of black shorts that reached mid-thigh, a pink skirt, black knee high combat boots and to top it off her pink head gear. She tied it like how she always did, this piece of her clothing was special to her. It reminded her that she was a kunoichi that belonged to Konoha.
Sakura walked out of her room and into the living room. Sai stood up and walked towards the door, he opened it and allowed Sakura to go out first. She nodded her head and plastered on a fake smile of gratitude. Sai closed the door behind him and they followed the dirt pathway in silence.
"So," Sakura began to speak, trying to break the ice, "How have you been for the last few weeks."
"Good, Hokage-sama has given me a few easy solo missions, how have you been, working with the-"
Sakura immediately clamped her hand over his mouth. She shifted her eyes and scanned the surrounding. She sighed and removed her hand from his mouth.
"Is that considered a sexual assault, I read in a book if a girl quiets a man she's trying to pull-"
"SHUT UP! BAKA SAI, SHANNARO!" Sakura shouted and punched him in the face.
----
"I'm guessing it wasn't an act of assault?" Sai asked and allowed Sakura to heal the small wound on his, unhealthy looking, cheek.
"No, Sai, it wasn't," Sakura groaned and finished healing his face.
Sai stood up and looked at Sakura closely. She was definitely different in some areas. That hot head of hers and her temptation to hit people for making the wrong move didn't change at all, but her physic changed. She's gained more muscles. However her aura seems more dark and mysterious, as if she's can kill you with one death glare.
Sakura sighed and placed a hand on her forehead, "You shouldn't even know that I'm apart of that organization, I'm not allowed to tell anyone, so this is our little secret, okay?"
Sai looked closely at Sakura, keeping this kind of secret from his allies, is that really worth the risk. After some thinking he finally nodded his head and said, "Alright, it will be our little secret."
"How long are going to be here till your next mission?" Sai asked.
"I'm not sure," Sakura shrugged and looked up at the Hokage mountain. She looked closely at the last face, Tsunade Senju. She finally remember Danzō told her to visit her.
"Hey Sai, I gotta go see Hokage-Tsunade, my master told me I should go see her."
"I'll tag along," Sai replied.
"I kinda expected you would," Sakura sighed and turned around to head to the Hokage's mansion.
-----
Sai and Sakura were able to hold a conversation till they got the Hokage Mansion. He even asked her what she thought of the new drawing he created. It was a picture of a person one side of the face had a fire glowing out of her eye and the other side had a tear rolling down her cheek. Sakura felt a small connection through the picture.
"Just like always, huh, Sai?" Sakura spoke softly and folded her hands behind her back.
"What do you mean?" He asked and looked up at the pinkette.
"You never title your drawings, right?"
"Ah," Sai nodded his head and rubbed his finger along the book, "I just don't feel the need to put one on."
"Why?" Sakura looked over at the ravenette. "Never naming your art shows you have no interest in finishing it, you'll forget the purpose of the artwork, naming it gives meaning and purpose as to why it's unique and different than your other drawings."
Sai's onyx eyes searched the pinkette's emerald eyesfor an answer as to why she answered this so deeply. When did she become this deep in words besides shouting and then ending it with a punch.
"We are here!" Sakura sighed and entered the doors and up the wooden steps.
"Why are we even coming here?" Sai asked walking down the polished wooden floor.
"My master said I should visit, I'm not sure why though?"
Just as Sakura went to open the door a figure opened the door as well and ran out frantically. A faint voice shouting at the person to hurry.
Sakura was knocked off her feet and brought to the ground, along with the other person.
"I'm so sorry- Sakura! I'm glad you're here!"
"Shizune-san! Why are you in such a rush, let me guess," Sakura trailed off and was greeted by a pair of caramel eyes.
"Sakura what are you doing here!"
"My master said I should come and see you before my next mission," Sakura replied coldly and was helped up to her feet by Sai.
"Thank you," Sakurs nodded her head at Sai and they proceed to help Shizune.
"Thank you, Sakura-san and Sai," Shizune brushed herself off.
"So how have you been, Sakura?" The Hokage with a big bust asked, allowing one eyebrow to rise.
"I've been fine, Hokage-Tsunade," Sakura answered coldly.
Tsunade slightly flinched in her seat. The sound of her voice just about made anyone cringed when you realize the old,sweet and caring voice of this kunoichi was thrown out the window. But hearing her call her Hokage-Tsunade and Tsunade-sama or shisho, just made it even worse to the ear.
"She has changed," Tsunade thought sadly.
"How was your first mission?"
Sakura took a deep breath and gathered everything in. Well let start off with she finally saw Sasuke in god knows how many years. She was taken by the Akatsuki and was given an offer she probably won't be allowed to turn down, unless she wants to die along with every other person she knows in Konoha. Yeah, it was a pretty complicated and stressful mission.
"Eh, it was pretty boring," Sakura shrugged.
"You filthy lair."
"Ah," Tsunade nodded her head. "So do you know when your next mission is?"
"I'm not sure, probably not for awhile, they said they would inform me when my next mission would begin," Sakura replied coldly.
"Tsunade-sama, this is our lucky day, ask her?" Shizune whispered in Tsunade's ear.
Tsunade groaned in response and looked at the emerald eyed girl. "Sakura, I'm not saying you have to accept, since you're busy with that organization," Tsunade rolled her eyes, "but we need a High class top medic to head out to Sunakagure."
"Can't you just get Shizune-sama or other well-known kunoichi's to go?"
"No, let me finish," Tsunade sighed. "We need a medic who's specialized around poison or at least knows a little more than just the basics, as my apprentice-" Tsunade looks at Sakura, "-I've trained you in every area you need to know about poison, so has Shizune, she specializes in poison, but I can't send her out because she's my advisor."
Sakura sighed and dragged her hand over face. She just got back from a mission, all she wanted to do was rest and relax. Is that too hard to ask for.
"Fine, I'll do it, when do I leave?"
"Now."
"As expected," Sakura sighed and headed for the door. "Alright I'll get my belongings and head out as soon as possible."
"Ah and you'll be escorted by Sai on your journey, no buts, now shoo," Tsunade swatted her hand.
Sakura froze and gripped the door knob. She took a few deep breaths and exited out of the mansion.
"Well that was a little unexpected, I wasn't-"
"Listen," Sakura furrowed her eyebrows and shoved her finger in Sai's face. "We're going to do this my way, we don't mention me being in that organization to anyone in Sunakagure, you don't consider me like a weakling or I will punch you so hard that you'll be knocked out for a whole week, understand?"
"You know Sakura, I never considered you weak, you're just taking your time to become an exceptional shinobi, you have no idea how many people are astonished by your skills and abilities."
"That's exactly why everyone left me about a week ago and commented on how I wasn't strong enough to bring back that damned Uchiha," I mumbled coldly, acting as if I didn't care. But deep inside I did care. Why was I treating Sai like he's done me wrong, but in all honesty he hasn't.
"Thank you Sai, you don't know how much I appreciate it, but after this mission we'll bid our farewells and take our separate paths."
•••••••
Ohayo my Kawaii Nekos!!
I was planning on posting this on Christmas, but as you can see that didn't happen! I'm sorry.
So as a late Christmas gift, besides updating, I will give you a hint as to how the book will end... Sasori becomes more lively to everyone