Sakura raced through the crowd eyes solely fixated on the crop of light red hair pushing roughly past villagers who crowded the busy docks. She could hear the calls of her teammates and Idate behind her who were trying their best to keep up with her.
I can see her she's finally here after all these months I can't let her get away, Sakura thought as she pumped more chakra into her legs in a bid for greater speed.
"Sakura-chan slow down! We're supposed to be on the boat back to the village!" Naruto bellowed loudly from behind dragging Idate with him.
But the call fell on deaf ears as Sakura raced on ahead zoning in on the red haired woman who seemed to be slowing down almost hesitantly. Eventually the woman stopped running and stood completely still as if waiting for something to occur. Sakura immediately came to a standstill a few meters away from her mother.
"Mum?" Sakura asked causing her mother to turn around and gasp audibly when she laid eyes on her daughter.
"S-Sakura? What are you doing here you have to go quickly before they-"
Her warning came too late as Keiko Haruno was immediately surrounded by a group of masked ninja, at first glance Sakura thought these ninja belonged to the ANBU team Lady Tsunade had sent out after her parents. These ninja were dressed in cloaks of black with red clouds covering the material.
Keiko tried her best to fight back the group of ninja that had surrounded her but Sakura could see her mother struggling and rushed forward to help. Sasuke, Naruto and Idate arrived just in time to see the group of ninja completely overpower Sakura and disappear in a flurry of leaves with the woman who Sakura had been chasing.
"No Mum please!" Sakura called out reaching toward the empty space where her mother had been feeling tears well behind her eyes.
"Sakura she's gone" Sasuke said quietly putting a hand on her shoulder.
"That was your mother? Who were those other ninja?" Idate asked Naruto who shrugged.
"Itachi wore that same cloak Sasuke, why is he going after my mother?" Sakura asked frantically, tugging on her hair.
"Hey we don't know that for certain Sakura don't jump to conclusions" Sasuke said trying to reassure his teammate.
"Don't jump to conclusions!? A group of ninja dressed in the same clothes as your brother kidnap my mother in the middle of the street and you tell me don't jump to conclusions? Seems like the answer is pretty clear to me" Sakura cried clutching at her body as if she was trying to hold herself together.
"Sakura the boat we need to get back to the dock before it leaves without us!" Naruto exclaimed glancing frantically behind his shoulder.
"I'll run back and tell them to wait for you, who knows maybe I'll even get to see my big brother!" Idate said, speeding off back to the boat.
"Sakura listen to me we need to get on the boat and back to the village, the best way to help your mother is to tell Lady Tsunade what happened and we'll figure out what to do from there. We can't just stand around here, they're not coming back with her" Sasuke said trying his best to reason with his teammate.
Sakura's shoulders sagged in defeat and she nodded not knowing what else to do, Sasuke took her arm carefully and led her back towards the boat with Naruto leading the way. Sakura didn't try to resist her body felt heavy as the weight of the situation played on her mind.
"You watch Sakura-chan we'll find your Mum in no time! Granny Tsunade will have to put us on the search team too and we can all go together with Kakashi-sensei it'll be great we're going to show those jerks what for!" Naruto babbled excitedly in front of her trying his best to find the positive side.
"Sure Naruto sure" Sakura replied in a lacklustre voice.She could be dead already for all I know
"Lady Tsunade will take care of this Sakura you don't need to worry" Sasuke said quietly. Sakura nodded again but her mind was racing.
It could take an ANBU squad months to find her, in fact I'm fairly certain that the month Tsunade gave me for the first squad to find my parents is coming to a close. Tomorrow it ends tomorrow the month is over. I'm leaving tonight, I'm leaving I can't wait any longer now I've seen her I know she's out there and no one is going to stand in my way.
Idate was speaking to his brother when Team 7 arrived back at the dock, Ibiki regarded them all with a solemn nod as they boarded. Idate thanked them quickly and bid them farewell making them promise to return soon. Sakura put on her most convincing smile and wished Idate all the best for his future. Naruto promised he'd return again to race Idate proving that he was the faster of the two of them and Sasuke simply nodded and gave Idate a short wave goodbye.
It wasn't until Ibiki instructed the crew to cast off and Sakura sat down with her teammates that she realised how exhausted she was. The extent of their injuries hadn't become clear to her either until she realised just how much gauze she had gone through plus a majority of the medical supplies she'd back for the mission. Before Team 7 would even have a chance to talk to Lady Tsunade they would be immediately hospitalised for their injuries.
Although she could see the requirement for medical treatment, Sakura couldn't help but feel as though this would delay the time she had to get herself organised to leave the village. Both Naruto and Sasuke had sustained severe injuries during the fight against Aoi and she had as well particularly from carrying Sasuke up the cliff face.
"Once we arrive in Konoha all of you will be transported to the hospital" Ibiki said as though he had read her mind "Don't even think about arguing Naruto"
"But Ibiki-sensei we have to talk to Granny Tsunade when we get back to the village! It's really really important right Sakura-chan!?" Naruto asserted loudly.
"The Hokage will receive a copy of your mission report and you are free to speak with her after you have been cleared by the hospital" Ibiki replied sternly.
Naruto crossed his arms and chose to pout silently in the corner rather than pick a fight with Ibiki much to the relief of his teammates. Sakura glanced at Sasuke who looked ragged with exhaustion and found he was looking at their blonde teammate who had somehow regained enough energy to traverse the vessel and harass the crew on board. Sasuke's face was twisted into a mix of anger and jealousy.
Sasuke will never be as strong as Naruto and it's warping his mind, if he leaves the village to pursue Itachi there is nothing I or anyone else can say or do to stop him. I'm not enough to keep him in the village and he isn't enough for me to stay either.
As she woke to the familiar sight of a room in the Konoha Hospital, Sakura couldn't figure out how long she'd been there or even remember the transition Team 7 must have made from the boat docking in Konoha to their arrival at the hospital.
"At least I don't feel as exhausted as before" Sakura muttered attempting to sit up and get a better sense of the room around her. Noticing her chart at the end of the bed Sakura crawled down the bed and reached for it.
Scanning the information quickly the pink haired ninja decided saw that Tsunade had tended to her which automatically made her feel more confident about her recovery. The injuries she'd sustained were mostly small fractures and exhaustion from the extensive drain on her chakra reserve. Tsunade had prescribed several small doses of medicine but the recovery prognosis dictated rest from all activities, Sakura resisted the urge to laugh aloud given how hard Tsunade would work her.
She could hear the sounds of children laughing and playing outside and couldn't help but feel nostalgic about the childhood she wished away too soon. Given my present set of circumstances I would give anything to be a carefree child again, Sakura thought and blinked back the tears that were forming.
Now was not the time to get upset, she needed to find her teammates and make sure they were in the best medical hands possible. She figured she owed them one last visit before she left the village all together. The idea was still daunting but Sakura knew she couldn't stay in the village any longer, as it was she had wasted precious time that could have been put to use finding her parents.
Fortunately it was a requirement stipulated by the hospital that when teams of ninja were admitted together that the information of each individual's room location was written at the bottom of each chart. This was done so that the hospital could keep track of each team's stay and pass that information onto the Hokage's administration office.
"According to the chart Naruto's room is just down the hall from mine, but Sasuke is up a level in intensive care. His injuries must have be more extensive than I originally thought" Sakura said swallowing hard.
She quickly replaced the chart on the end of the bed and stepped out onto the cold hospital floor. Thankfully someone had washed and dried her uniform which was sitting on a chair near her bed along with an unfamiliar jacket. Picking up the jacket Sakura immediately recognised it as the flak jacket worn by the majority of ninja who had made it as fully fledge Chunin. A small piece of paper fell out of one of the pockets of the jacket when Sakura picked it up. Reading it Sakura couldn't help but feel extremely guilty about her decision to leave the village, the note was from Lady Tsunade congratulating her on officially becoming a Chunin level ninja. She felt proud that her training had paid off but Sakura knew the title of Chunin would soon be overshadowed by her soon to be missing ninja status.
Sakura dressed quickly and hesitated before picking up the jacket opting to carry it rather than wear it. Heading out of her room and down the hall Sakura could already hear the sound of Naruto's voice carrying throughout the hospital. It sounded like he was bickering with a woman.
"WHY CAN'T I HAVE RAMEN!? THIS HOSPITAL FOOD SUCKS!" Naruto bellowed loudly.
"Because Naruto ramen isn't a good food option WHEN YOU'RE RECOVERING FROM SERIOUS INJURIES IN A DAMN HOSPITAL!" Tsunade shouted back.
A frightened nurse scurried out of the room and almost bowled Sakura over, she apologised profusely before continuing down the hall at a break neck speed dinning tray in hand.
"Sakura-chan! You're alive!" Naruto exclaimed and grinned happily, almost forgetting the food related argument he was having with the Hokage.
"Lady Tsunade's right Naruto, ramen is exactly the best meal option when you're recovering in hospital" Sakura said bemused. Naruto pouted in defiance.
"Thank you Sakura at least you were able to make that point. Apparently shouting at four different nurses and receiving the same response wasn't enough for the loudmouth" Tsunade grumbled and shot Naruto a withering look.
"Hospital food is flavourless!" Naruto whined but the look both Tsunade and Sakura gave him kept him from saying anymore.
"I see you have your Chunin jacket Sakura, congratulations on that again" Tsunade said offhandedly as she disconnected a few tubes connected to an IV drip near Naruto's bed.
"Hey hey Sakura I got a Chunin jacket too! We made it together!" Naruto said happily pulling the jacket across his shoulders proudly.
"Thank you for promoting us Lady Tsunade I can imagine selection must have been hard given the exams were interrupted" Sakura said as Naruto pranced around happily in his jacket.
"The proctors and I discussed it at length and decided that yourself, Naruto and Sasuke were all deserving of the title of Chunin based on your performances in the finals and the subsequent devotion to your village that each of you showed when fighting against the invasion" Tsunade explained looking directly at Sakura.
"Alright! All of Team 7 made Chunin together! Hey Granny Tsunade speaking of Sasuke where the hell is he?" Naruto asked.
"Sasuke Uchiha is recovering in the Intensive Care unit, after all his injuries were more extensive than the two of you. He is conscious however and his condition has stabilised so you are both free to visit him. We will be keeping him an extra night for observation which I'm sure he won't like in the slightest" Tsunade smirked
"Great well I guess we'll go and see how he's doing then" Sakura said and motioned for Naruto to follow her.
"Hang on a minute Sakura I'd like a word with you, Naruto could you wait outside for your teammate and close the door behind you" Tsunade instructed the blond boy sternly.
Naruto shot Sakura a confused look but exited the room closing the door behind him. Tsunade quickly turned her attention to her apprentice who looked around the room sheepishly.
"So I read the mission report and had a conversation with Ibiki, he was very happy to hear his brother is on the right path again" Tsunade said and Sakura sighed loudly.
"He told you about how I saw my mother, I guess Idate must have told him. It makes no difference now she's gone taken by a group of people who wore the same kind of cloaks Itachi did when Sasuke and I fought him" Sakura said looking her sensei dead in the eye.
"The Akatsuki are the group you're referring to, a collection of S-ranked missing ninja so it makes sense Itachi would be a part of that. We've been monitoring the Akatsuki and their movements for some time but lately they've gone off the grid, their appearance in the Land of Tea means they're still very much active" Tsunade explained heavily.
"What does a group of S-ranked criminals want with my mother and possibly my father!?" Sakura exclaimed angrily.
"I don't know Sakura I can't give you those answers yet. What I can tell you is that I have dispatched an ANBU Black Ops team to the Land of Tea to begin tracking the Akatsuki, once we've found them we can assemble a rescue squad" Tsunade said trying to keep her student calm.
"When exactly will that be? How many more months or years will I have to wait until you've tracked them down? And what if my parents are dead? All that time I would have been waiting could have been put to use finding them. I can't just sit around here and hope that other people will come through for me, they're my parents I need to be the one out there finding them!" Sakura replied completely fed up.
"I'm doing the best I can for your parents Sakura, don't you think there are other missing ninja who also need to be found. Not to mention the threat of Orochimaru and the matter of protecting our village against those who would see it destroyed" Tsunade snapped back and Sakura looked down feeling ashamed.
"I understand and I apologise but to me those reasons are even greater evidence as to why I should leave the village and search for my parents alone" Sakura decided.
Tsunade sighed loudly and rubbed her temples. "I can see why you feel this way. Ultimately Sakura the decision lies with you, if you leave you are aware of the consequences. You are an asset to this village and I would recommend you stay and develop yourself. There are still many things I can teach you. At least promise me you will consider both options"
"I will sensei I promise and thank you for caring enough to talk to me about this" Sakura said smiling a little.
"You have a huge burden on your shoulders Sakura I can see that but sometimes it helps to share that burden. Well in any case I have patients to attend to, I expect to see you here tomorrow to resume your head nurse duties. I hope for your sake that Uchiha is in a decent mood" Tsunade said dismissing her student.
When Sakura exited the room she found Naruto explaining his idea to change the hospital food menu to include ramen to some patients who were waiting for the elevator. Sakura giggled which caught the blond boy's attention and he grinned happily. Sakura felt her stomach twist as she realised that if both she and Sasuke left the village Naruto would be alone with no teammates to stand beside him. He didn't deserve that but her parents didn't deserve to be abandoned either.
"You're all done with Granny Tsunade Sakura-chan? What did she say about your mother? Is she going to be alright?" Naruto asked worriedly.
"It'll be fine Naruto they're dispatching a great team of ANBU to the Land of Tea right now and Lady Tsunade says they'll be able to find my parents in no time" Sakura said pasting on a fake smile.
"Wow that's really great news Sakura, now let's go and see Sasuke! I can't figure out which way to the Intensive Care place though. Can you show me? Man Sasuke's going to be stoked to hear everything with you parents is going to be fine!" Naruto said happily as Sakura began to lead the way to the floor Sasuke was staying on.
"Yeah it'll be great I'm sure Sasuke's been patched up by Lady Tsunade and feeling a lot better" Sakura said injecting enthusiasm into her voice, not believing a single world she said.
Sasuke sat rigidly on his bed, replaying in his mind over and over were all the times in the past few months where Naruto had bested him or shown strength much greater than what the last surviving Uchiha was capable of. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he barely registered the entrance of his two teammates, Sakura entered first carrying the same flak jacket that rested on the end of his bed. Sasuke relaxed a little the sight of his pink haired teammate seemed to make everything better and he felt pleased for her that she had qualified for Chunin. But his eyes darkened when he saw Naruto walk in behind Sakura wearing the same jacket.
"Naruto" Sasuke hissed quietly, his facial features twisting in jealously.
Suddenly the Chunin jacket that had given Sasuke a sense of pride when he awoke to see it on his bed, now only evoked a feeling of disgust.
"Sasuke how are you feeling? Lady Tsunade sure did a great job of healing you I mean after your observation tonight you'll be released tomorrow!" Sakura said happily picking up Sasuke's chart and examining it.
"We all made Chunin level too isn't that great!? That means we're going to get cooler missions and more important tasks to do in the village and I'm getting closer to being Hokage!" Naruto exclaimed happily.
"Take it easy Naruto I mean Hokage is a while away" Sakura said laughing.
"I want to fight you Naruto" Sasuke said in a deadly voice interrupting the light mood.
"Sasuke you can't be serious!" Sakura replied completely shocked but Sasuke paid her no mind and instead fixed Naruto with an intense glare.
"What!? Why are you staring at me like that? You've got to be kidding me right I mean you're in the hospital and Granny says they're keeping you here an extra night for observation" Naruto rambled quickly.
"You've wanted to fight since day one so now is your chance unless of course you're too chicken to do it" Sasuke spat venomously.
"Sasuke this isn't like you why are you acting like this?" Sakura asked glancing worriedly between her two teammates who were now standing and facing each other.
"Shut up Sakura this doesn't concern you" Sasuke replied deadpan.
"Don't worry Sakura I was actually just thinking about how much I wanted to beat Sasuke. So yeah I'm up for a fight" Naruto said completely determined.
He doesn't understand about the curse mark or the look on Sasuke's face. This isn't just some ordinary sparing match between two teammates, Sasuke is so consumed with jealousy and anger he just might kill Naruto if he gets the chance, Sakura thought as Naruto and Sasuke walked passed her and headed towards the roof of the hospital.
Sakura quickly followed them and tried to think of the best way to prevent the fight from turning ugly. If Sasuke tapped into the curse mark and broke the seal Kakashi had placed on there then there was no telling what would happen. On the other hand with Naruto receiving training from one of the Sanin plus the power of the Nine Tailed Fox within him Sakura knew her blond teammate wouldn't take a beating lying down.
By the time Sakura had reached the roof of the hospital Naruto and Sasuke were already squaring off, staring at each other in complete determination. Sakura wasn't sure there was much point in calling out for them to stop. The only way for me to end this fight is to get in between them and try to break it up if it goes bad, Sakura decided.
Naruto began to chuckle quietly to himself which confused both Sasuke and Sakura who was watching from the stairwell doorway ready to intervene.
"What's so funny?" Sasuke questioned angrily.
"I'm not laughing because this is funny, I'm laughing because I know this is the day when I'll finally get to say I beat Sasuke Uchiha" Naruto responded determinedly.
"A loser like you has no right to be determining the outcome of this fight before it's even started" Sasuke snapped losing his cool.
"What's with the temper tantrum Sasuke? Am I making you nervous because you know you're going to lose to me?" Naruto taunted and Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Whatever you loser let's just fight already" Sasuke replied dropping into a fighting stance. "Fine, as soon as you put your headband on we'll fight. I can wait for you" Naruto said crossing his arms over his chest.
"I don't need to wear my headband because I know you won't be able to put a scratch on my forehead Naruto" Sasuke smirked.
"That's not the point you know that putting on the headband means we're fighting on equal terms as two Leaf Shinobi" Naruto said adjusting his forehead protector.
"There you go again talking to me like you're all high and mighty. You don't honestly think we're equals do you?" Sasuke spat back.
Sakura gasped, she had heard Sasuke say a lot of things about Naruto but she had never heard him say anything so maliciously before. Naruto was clearly hurt but seemed to regain his composure.
"I believe we're equals Sasuke in fact not once in all this time have I ever felt inferior to you in any way" Naruto replied angrily.
"You're a complete embarrassment Naruto"
"Only because next to me you're embarrassed at how weak you are. Isn't that right Sasuke?" Naruto replied clenching his fists.
Sakura looked as Sasuke worriedly knowing the effect Naruto's words would have had on him. Sasuke's face was a contorted mix of anger and envy that made chills run up Sakura's spine. Sasuke looked like he wanted to kill Naruto.
"Enough talking let's fight" Sasuke said and rushed forward with his right fist cocked.
Naruto too ran forward and caught Sasuke's attack, simultaneously Sasuke caught Naruto's attempted punch and the two stood locked in a fighting stance desperately trying to get their attacks through.
Sasuke quickly broke out of the hold and threw a kick towards Naruto's mid-section but the blond boy intercepted the kick and caught Sasuke's foot. Realising he was stuck Sasuke twisted his body around, placing his hands on the ground and successfully broke the hold and kicked Naruto into mid-air.
Not deterred Naruto propelled himself downwards and aimed to punch Sasuke again, but with his Sharingan activated Sasuke easy predicted the move and simply threw Naruto over his shoulder. Before Naruto could regain his balance, Sasuke forced a barrage of punches and kicks upon him which Naruto blocked successfully apart from the final punch which Sasuke managed to land on his cheek. This sent Naruto crashing into a series of hospital bed sheets that were pinned to bamboo poles to dry on the roof.
Sasuke rushed forward and ripped off one of the sheets he thought was covering Naruto's body but the fox boy was nowhere to be seen. Damnit, where the hell has that idiot gone? Sasuke thought and jumped into the air to get a better view. It was then that the Uchiha boy noticed his teammate standing atop a large metal water container. Sasuke immediately had to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun and tried desperately to keep his eye on Naruto.
Seeing this and deciding to take advantage of Sasuke's lack of eyesight Naruto jumped from the water container and landed a hit on the Uchiha boy who was propelled backwards. Avoiding hitting the fence around the hospital roof Sasuke corrected himself and landed atop the fence using the momentum to push forward.
"Just because you landed a hit doesn't mean you should let your guard down" Sasuke said as he hit Naruto in an identical way.
Naruto landed quickly on his feet and began to dart in between the hospital sheets. Sasuke ran alongside him and aimed another side kick at Naruto which connected sending the blond ninja sprawling into the fence. Sasuke quickly rushed forward and, holding Naruto up against the fence, landed blow after blow.
This is getting too savage, I'll have to step in, Sakura thought and made a move forward but Naruto quickly freed himself from Sasuke's grasp and jumped back to sit atop the fence a move which Sasuke mirrored.
Both ninja propelled themselves forward again and engaged in a quick series of blocks and attacks without landing any significant hits. They then landed on the ground opposite each other breathing heavily. Sasuke's blood red eyes stared at his rival and watched as Naruto made the familiar hand sign for his shadow clone jutsu. Immediately Sasuke was surrounded by hundreds of Naruto clones.
The Uchiha prodigy simply smirked unfazed and with the aid of his Sharingan began destroying the Naruto clones one by one. From the sides of the circle of clones surrounding Sasuke came two Naruto clones which kicked Sasuke into the air. Another clone was poised in the air to kick Sasuke down into the ground and Sakura recognised the barrage. However what Naruto had not seen was the small hand sign Sasuke had made and quickly recognised the tiger seal, Sasuke deflected Naruto's kick and quickly activated his fireball jutsu setting alight all the Naruto clones.
The fireball suddenly began to rotate in a circle motion gaining more and more speed. Sasuke's eyes widened and immediately deactivated the jutsu as the fire cleared to reveal Naruto and a clone forming the Rasengan jutsu Naruto had used in the Land of Snow.
How did he even have time to construct that jutsu and shield himself from the fireball? Sasuke thought angrily.
Naruto grinned as the clone disappeared leaving him alone with the Rasengan jutsu ready to go. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he quickly activated his Chidori.
"I'm going to beat you Sasuke no matter what the cost!" Naruto yelled charging forward with his Rasengan.
"This fight isn't over yet and I'm not nearly finished with you!" Sasuke replied with a sadistic look on his face.
Both teammates charged forward intent on hitting the other with their signature jutsu. Sakura's mind recalled the effects she'd seen of an attack by the Chidori and Sharingan and knew that the damage to both Naruto and Sasuke would be extensive. She wasn't even certain both would come out alive.
I have to stop them they'll kill each other if I let this continue, Sakura thought and sprinted towards her teammates desperately. Images flashed in her mind of all the good times Team 7 had together and all of the progress they had made as friends and as a squad.Now it seems we're more broken than ever, how did it get this way?
Sakura realised she was almost in between Sasuke and Naruto and that she had no real plan for how to deflect their attacks on each other. She couldn't use her strength to smash the ground, they were on the roof of the hospital it would bring the entire building down. Suddenly she had an idea, if she could catch Naruto and Sasuke by the wrist she could throw them in opposite directions using her strength.
"If I aim for those water containers that should stop them, at least they can be repaired easily enough and Tsunade-sama will understand hopefully" Sakura muttered as she prepared herself to execute her plan.
Out of the corner of his eye Sasuke noticed Sakura rushing towards the fight and realised with a sickening terror that if she got between them he wouldn't be able to pull up. "Damn it Sakura get out of the way I don't want to hurt you!" the Uchiha boy yelled alerting Naruto to the situation.
"Sakura-chan! Move out of the way before it's too late!" Naruto called out in despair realising what was going to happen.
"This has gone too far, now knock it off!" Sakura said angrily and put her plan into action.
Her right hand grabbed Sasuke's upper arm and her left hand took Naruto's arm, using the momentum her teammates had built up Sakura swung around and used all her strength to throw Sasuke and Naruto into the two water containers on the hospital roof. The sound of their bodies hitting the metal tanks made Sakura wince but at least they were both still alive.
"That was a little intense for a sparring match wouldn't you all agree?"
Sakura turned around to see Kakashi standing behind her, his eyes focused on Naruto and Sasuke. "Sensei, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked surprised to see the silver haired Jounin.
"They weren't exactly quiet were they? But I was here initially to visit all of you in the hospital, however I see things got a little out of hand. I will congratulate your interference Sakura, if not for you then who knows what would have happened" Kakashi calmly spoke.
Both Sasuke and Naruto got to their feet shakily, the Rasengan jutsu had left a small dent in the water tank Naruto had fallen into and a small stream of water began to run out. Sasuke had his whole fist stuck into his water tank and was struggling to pull it free, he eventually managed to do so and a huge jet stream of water came bursting forth. Sasuke stood up and glanced at his teammate and the small amount of damage that Naruto's water tank had received and smirked.
"I don't understand what you're so happy about Sasuke. Were you really going to kill him?" Kakashi asked having quickly moved from where he was standing next to Sakura to sitting atop the water tank Sasuke had been thrown into.
"You really need to watch this sense of superiority you seem to have going on, it's starting to affect your relationships with your teammates and other ninja of our village. That Chidori was not the size you would aim at a comrade from the Leaf. When are you going to grow up Sasuke?" the silver haired Jounin lectured.
Sasuke stared at Kakashi in complete defiance not taking in one word of his sensei's lecture. The Uchiha prodigy jumped over the fence of the hospital roof and landed on a smaller outside building below.
"Sasuke where are you going?" Sakura asked walking over to the fence and found Sasuke staring up at the water container that Naruto had fallen into.
Hearing the sound of running water Sakura looked up at the giant container and found a wide gaping hole. Although on the roof it had seemed that Sasuke's Chidori had created greater damage, Naruto's Rasengan jutsu had torn right through the water container draining it completely.
The smirked dropped completely from Sasuke's face and he clenched his fists, hitting the wall of the hospital angrily.
"Sasuke I-" Sakura began but Sasuke had already gone using his chakra to leap from one roof to the next until he was completely out of sight.
Naruto's eyes hardened as he watched his rival leave and Kakashi let out a frustrated sigh, so much for teamwork.
Sakura walked back towards Naruto and Kakashi when she sensed a familiar chakra signal and noticed Jiraya leaning up against one of the water containers looking concerned. Kakashi also noticed the arrival of the Sanin and turned his attention to Jiraya.
"I'm assuming it was you who taught Naruto that technique. I recognised it when we visited the Land of Snow and meant to speak with you about it. Don't you think he's a little young to be handling that jutsu?"
"Aren't you a fine one to talk Kakashi? Teaching the Chidori to someone like Sasuke, I mean I knew he was a hothead but to use a jutsu that powerful against a comrade from the village. There's clearly bad blood between those" Jiraya spoke seriously.
"Oh really? To me their relationship bares great similarity to the relationship you shared with Orochimaru" Kakashi said. Jiraya huffed in annoyance but didn't try to argue, Sakura listened closely as her sensei continued.
"To Naruto, Sasuke is both a comrade and a rival and it's that competition between them that keeps him going but he won't just lie down and take it when Sasuke belittles him. The only approval Naruto cares about is Sasuke's. From Sasuke's perspective it's hard to watch Naruto go from strength to strength, because Naruto has come along so fast Sasuke must feel as though he's standing still. Both of them have something powerful driving them and neither really wants to acknowledge the other's abilities and progressions for fear it will diminish their own" Kakashi explained to Jiraya.
"This rivalry isn't exactly a healthy one though, I mean look at what it's doing to your team Kakashi" Jiraya said looking at Sakura and Naruto.
"I suppose you're right, well then I guess I'll go after Sasuke and discuss this Chidori business. To think I was going to take you all out to celebrate your Chunin promotions and now this. Don't worry about Sasuke you two we'll get him back to normal" Kakashi sighed and disappeared.
"Guess that means I'll be having a chat with you Naruto, looks like you're on your own for this Chunin celebration Sakura"
It's not a celebration for me either, with this fight between Naruto and Sasuke distracting everyone it's only solidified my plan to leave the village tonight, Sakura thought but gave Jiraya a short nod and a smile.
"Sakura, just hang on a second before I go" Naruto spoke, approaching his pink haired teammate.
Naruto's face was a mixture of sadness, anger and determination as he looked Sakura in the eye. "That was wrong of you to run in between Sasuke and I. You need to stay out of this okay because it's between us"
Sakura was shocked but her shock quickly gave way to an intense anger as she clenched her fists and gave the blond boy a piece of her mind.
"I need to stay out of the way huh!? Naruto you idiot how in the world was it wrong of me to run between the two of you and deflect your attacks? If it hadn't been for me one of you would be dead, I was watching the fight and I saw the way you were looking at each other. Neither of you were going to give up! But if you want me to stay out of your precious rivalry then I will, I for one don't need the extra annoyance!"
The pink haired ninja huffed in annoyance and before Naruto could say anything she quickly jumped off the hospital roof and landed neatly on another roof in the opposite direction to where Sasuke had gone. Naruto sighed and hung his head, Jiraya's eyes followed Sakura's movements. A temper like that combined with the fighting techniques and medical ninjutsu he had heard she possessed, Jiraya knew of only one woman who could have matched Sakura in all those categories.
"You really have no idea about women Naruto" Jiraya laughed. You've been busy Tsunade.
Sasuke took one final look around his apartment, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything that could be of use to him once he left the village. The talk with Kakashi had not deterred him in the slightest. Although he knew his sensei may understand some of his pain, Itachi was out there still breathing while is parents and the rest of the Uchiha clan lay six feet under. He wasn't strong enough to take on his brother and staying in the village watching Naruto match him strength for strength and eventually surpass him. The Uchiha prodigy was convinced that the Leaf Village had nothing more to offer him but out there something else or someone else did.
I am an avenger and this is the only path I can walk, Sasuke thought as he zipped up his ninja pack and pulled it onto his shoulders. To show himself that he was serious about his decision Sasuke took of his Konoha headband and put it on his bedside table where the picture of Team 7 sat. The Uchiha boy paused and felt his resolve waver as he looked at the photo of his teammates and sensei.
They weren't the perfect combination of personalities, Naruto glared at Sasuke out of jealously/annoyance, Sasuke in turn looked annoyed and completely disinterested. Kakashi had his hands on their heads and his eyes crinkled upwards seeming slightly distressed but happy. Sakura was genuinely smiling but completely oblivious to what was happening around her but still captivating. This was taken a few days after they became Team 7 officially, before everything changed. Sasuke placed the picture face down and attempted to walk away but something held him back. He stared at the picture frame again.
These bonds to your teammates make you weak, Sasuke thought as his hand hovered over the frame before he picked it up and placed it in his ninja pack.
"I can't cut them fully, at least not yet" Sasuke spoke aloud to no one and shook his head, leaving his apartment for the last time.
Sakura focused intently on the task at hand hoping to distract herself from the looming reality of her decision. Soon she would be leaving the village she had known since childhood for the unknown where she would be on her own with the seemingly impossible task of finding her parents and bringing them home.
That is assuming that they're alive to bring home, Sakura thought and quickly shook her head banishing the thought to the far reaches of her mind. The pink haired teen continued grabbing supplies and stuffing them into her ninja bag which had begun to bulge considerably at her feet. So far the bag contained Sakura's medical supplies, her ninja pouch full of tools, a couple of medical books, money she had saved from her missions, a map of the Five Great Lands, her picture of Team 7 and a picture of her parents to keep her motivated. Her bag also contained a canteen for water, soldier pills for the days where food would be short and some minimal clothing. Sakura looked at her bag with a mixture of annoyance and satisfaction, it was packed as much as it could be leaving no room for the extra items Sakura intended to bring with her. Zipping up her bag she placed it on the counter and stowed the remaining supplies into a drawer. Hoisting her ninja pack onto her shoulders Sakura glanced around her childhood home again trying to keep her composure.
"I have no other choice I have to go and find them" Sakura said quietly and reached for an envelope she had left on the counter. "But I have one stop to make first"
"I was wondering why you summoned me up here Lady Tsunade" Kakashi said mildly as he looked down at Konoha from the lookout point on Hokage Rock.
"Hmm? I thought the summons answered for itself, we need to discuss the dangers of Sasuke Uchiha leaving the Hidden Leaf" Tsunade replied resting her hands on the railing.
"I spoke with him this afternoon about the reality of his actions but I'm not entirely sure that will be enough. Sasuke is unfortunately quite stubborn when it comes down to what he thinks is best" Kakashi chuckled dryly, little humour in his observation.
"He will leave that isn't up for question. I fear you will lose another member of Team 7 as well, I know there is a very real chance that Sakura Haruno will leave too in pursuit of her parents" Tsunade spoke her voice hard.
Kakashi sighed "I thought this would be the case, both of them are incredibly stubborn. Naruto is going to be distraught, two teammates abandoning him"
Tsunade's hands tightened on the railing before she stepped away and ran a hand through her long hair. "I've been training her you know, she's good but there is still so much for her to learn. She wanted to keep it a secret but I don't suppose there is much room for those now"
Even under his mask Kakashi Hatake didn't seem the least bit surprised and the Fourth Hokage shot him a questioning glance "Did she tell you?"
"No but I did suspect it. I mean she was moving forward so quickly and to do all that unassisted, Sakura is smart but the techniques and advancements bore similar resemblance to all that I had heard about your abilities. But I thought it best to keep it to myself" Kakashi said giving Tsunade a small smile.
"I see. Well the reality of the situation is clear, they're both going to leave the Hidden Leaf at some point and I will have no choice but to classify them both as missing ninja. I do not doubt that Sasuke, in his quest for power, will become an enemy of our village" Tsunade said heavily.
"We can't do much to stop either of them, given how stubborn they are they'll find a way to leave. Sasuke and Sakura feel like they have too much at stake to do otherwise. Would I be right in guessing that the village cannot spare ANBU officers to keep tabs on both of them?" Kakashi asked.
"Of course not, given the threat of Orochimaru every ANBU officer is playing a vital role in gathering intelligence. We can't afford to be in the dark about what we're up against and no officer can be spared to babysit two Chunin. I don't have the power to place either under arrest or detainment because until they leave they haven't violated any laws, not to mention that damn council would be all over me" Tsunade replied angrily.
"We can't just let them leave! Sasuke especially needs to be brought back to the village, we have no idea what Orochimaru has in store for him!" Kakashi exclaimed turning to the Hokage.
"There will of course be a retrieval squad organised to go after Sasuke, I know Naruto will demand to be a part of that and I think that Shikamaru Nara has the capability to hand pick and lead the squad. I know Naruto will want to search for both of his teammates but Sasuke Uchiha takes priority. Sakura is conscious of her decision to leave and is aware of the potential consequences. Uchiha however seems to have been manipulated into thinking that Orochimaru is his only option for power which is not helped by the effects of that curse mark. Therefore Sasuke is the priority" Tsunade explained carefully.
Kakashi nodded and the two ninja lapsed into silence before the silver haired Jounin thought of his next question. "Do you think Sakura's parents are dead?"
"I considered it when I first heard her father was missing and again when her mother left the village to find him. But I don't believe either of them are, at least not yet. Those two are skilled shinobi arguably some of the best in the village, the fact Keiko was kidnapped by the Akatsuki shows they must have a plan for her and potentially Sakura's father depending if he was kidnapped as well" Tsunade said determinedly.
"I see. Well unless there is more to discuss I should head home, I know Guy has been after me to train with him so I'll have to make certain to avoid the training grounds" Kakashi chuckled and turned to leave.
"She can do it you know. Even though I dislike her choice I have full confidence in Sakura that she has the training and strength to hold her own out there and potentially accomplish her goals. Besides who knows who she might meet out there and what they will teach her" Tsunade said to Kakashi who simply nodded.
"I however cannot vouch for the members of this village, who knows if they will accept Sakura and her parents or Sasuke back. I fear unless this retrieval mission is a success, Sasuke may be lost to us for quite some time" Tsunade sighed before turning her back on the silver haired man, disappearing into the night.
Sakura's footsteps echoed loudly as she walked down the empty streets of Konoha, it was a few minutes after midnight which meant most of the villagers were asleep. Shifting the weight of her ninja bag across her shoulders the pink haired teenager kept her focus on the huge gates of the Hidden Leaf in the distance.
I just have to keep walking forward. One foot in front of the other and don't look back. Don't second guess yourself just keep going you can't run from this decision now, Sakura thought as she increase her pace, her hands gripping tighter on the straps of her bag.
The street eventually joined onto the main pathway which lead to the village gates, Sakura breathed a small sigh of relief happy to be away from the packed in homes. She had felt too paranoid within the confined space that someone had seen her and new exactly what she was up to. Sakura had decided when she left the house that she would walk with purpose and confidence as though she were simply leaving the village for a normal mission to avoid drawing suspicion. The village gates were no more than a few meters away when Sakura spotted Sasuke Uchiha. The street lighting left a lot to be desired but the night sky was completely cloudless and a bright full moon made the Uchiha crest on his back easily visible.
Sakura stopped unsure of whether or not to approach her teammate and let out a loud frustrated sigh, up ahead Sasuke stopped and turned around becoming aware of Sakura's presence. For a while the two members of Team 7 stared at each other before Sakura gritted her teeth and continued walking towards the gate. As she approached Sasuke he fell into step with her and they both continued on to the gate.
"You're leaving, to find your parents" Sasuke spoke, breaking the silence. Sakura noted the lack of questioning in his voice.
Feeling like her resolve might waver if she spoke on that emotional topic, Sakura opted for a curt nod instead. "I'm guessing you're leaving too, unless you've suddenly become fond of midnight walks around the village with a heavy ninja pack"
Sasuke smirked slightly and nodded as well. Deciding not to beat around the bush she cleared her throat "So are you leaving the village because of Itachi or Orochimaru? Or is Naruto the reason behind it?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at his teammate wondering what she was playing at. "Don't be stupid Sakura, my goal is to avenge the death of my clan and to do that I have to kill Itachi. You saw what happened to me when I tried to fight him a few months ago, I'm not anywhere near strong enough to kill him"
"And leaving the village will help you do that? What about all the great ninja that reside in the Hidden Leaf who could teach you so many different techniques and help you gain strength? I'm certain Kakashi has jutsu the rest of us can only dream of that he would be willing to teach you as time went on" Sakura said, trying to keep her tone diplomatic and not accusatory.
"I don't have the time to waste waiting for that Sakura. He is out there getting stronger all the time and I can't just sit and wait for him to show up again and only have some basic techniques to show for it. Orochimaru knows what my truth path is, I'm an avenger and he's seen that in me and he can offer me more power than any of these village ninja ever could. You heard my brother, bonds make you weak and I have too many bonds and ties to this village" Sasuke reasoned.
"Don't you see he's manipulating you Sasuke? With the curse mark and the ideas he's put in your head? He wants to use you for his own purpose probably against your own home! He's pushing the idea of power and vengeance because he knows that's what you want, Orochimaru is just dangling Itachi in front of you because he knows that you'll do anything to get strong enough to kill him" Sakura argued losing her cool.
"These is all your assumptions Sakura and it's annoying of you to stand there and preach at me when you're leaving the village as well. Not for the same reason that I am but you're still leaving and it's still a betrayal to your friends and other shinobi. You're supposed to put the needs of the village before your own and instead you're abandoning them all to pursue your parents. What even makes you think that you stand a chance when even ANBU officers couldn't bring them home!?" Sasuke spat back angrily.
Sakura felt herself freeze up before letting out a sigh of defeat allowing her shoulders to sag. "You're right I suppose, I don't have any standing with you to tell you what you should and shouldn't do. I'm just worried for you Sasuke, I don't know what Orochimaru is capable of and I just worry"
Suddenly Sakura felt a pair of warm arms embrace her and she realised that Sasuke Uchiha was hugging her. Her body automatically relaxed into the hug and she wound her arms around Sasuke's waist.
"I know you're worried about me Sakura but this is all that I feel I can do. My brother must pay for what he did to my parents and to my clan" Sasuke explained, mumbling his words into Sakura's hair.
"Promise me that you will at least explore other options, visit different villages and try to learn from others Sasuke you won't know what else is out there until you try. Don't discount other ways to achieve your goal, just because Orochimaru seems like the best option doesn't mean he is" Sakura replied resting her head against Sasuke's chest.
"I promise I will try my best. I want to wish you luck in the search for you parents, I don't know what involvement my brother or the Akatsuki might have in their disappearances but I hope you find them both alive. You have to promise me that you'll stay safe Sakura and know when it's time to come back home, even though you'll be stubborn and won't listen to me" Sasuke said lifting Sakura's chin so that their eyes were level.
"I guess I can be a little stubborn, but then again so can you" Sakura laughed nervously, unsure of what exactly Sasuke was doing. There's something about the way he's looking at me, what is he going to try and pull?
"I hope we're able to meet up one day in the future Sakura. It would be nice to see you again and to try to be together, I mean more than friends. I think it will be easier when we have achieved our goals" The Uchiha prodigy cleared his throat and fixed Sakura with an intense gaze, suddenly seeming nervous.
Sakura could feel her cheeks turning a bright red as she took in her teammate's words. "I'd like to see you again in the future too Sasuke, I think we could be good together someday" Sakura felt herself smiling genuinely for the first time in quite a while.
Sasuke felt himself relax and smirked as an idea formed in his head, before he could even second guess himself he had bent his head forward and captured Sakura's lips with his own. Sasuke was completely transfixed by the experience, having never kissed someone before (the incident with the dobe didn't count) he was a little unsure of what to do but that didn't really matter much and the Uchiha boy couldn't help but notice his teammate tasted like vanilla and strawberries.
Sakura had always thought about what her first kiss would be like and her twelve year old self had always hoped it would be with Sasuke Uchiha. It seemed slightly surreal to Sakura that it was actually happening at this very moment, she was unsure of what to do and it was awkward at first. Their lips didn't quite mesh together and neither she nor Sasuke seemed to be on the same rhythm but after a few moments and a little rearrangement they seemed to get the hang of it. It was perfectly imperfect.
Naruto Uzumaki awoke the next morning completely unaware that his two teammates had left a Konoha in the dead of night. The blond haired boy went about his morning ritual as normal, hunting for what he hoped was not out of date milk in the fridge when he noticed a white envelope sitting on his kitchen table with his name written on it.
"Huh that's weird. Maybe it's a top secret mission or something from Granny Tsunade!" Naruto exclaimed and quickly reached for the letter abandoning his milk search.
Tearing open the letter in excitement Naruto read the first few lines and his expression quickly changed to one of shock and sadness. Completely abandoning his breakfast the remaining member of Team 7 pulled on his ninja outfit as quick as he possibly could and left straight for the Hokage tower leaving the letter on the floor.
Dear Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and Lady Tsunade,
By the time you open this letter Naruto I will have left the village. I feel like this is my only chance to find my parents and bring them home alive or otherwise, they served this village for many years as shinobi so they at least deserve to come home. I hope you can see why I left and know that I am truly sorry for leaving Team 7, some of the best and worst experiences I've had have been with all of you and Kakashi-sensei and I have learnt invaluable lessons from these experiences. I want to say this to you Naruto and I hope you will always remember it, I believe in you. I believe that you will become Hokage of the Hidden Leaf and I hope you never give up on your dream as I will never give up on mine. I hope to see you one day in the future and I hope we will still be good friends and perhaps teammates.
Kakashi-sensei and Lady Tsunade I want to thank you both for all that you have taught me, without the two of you I would not have the knowledge and skills I do know. I hope one day I will be able to stand with you shoulder to shoulder as equals in rank and strength.
I wish to warn all three of you about the dangers of the path Sasuke is on although I suspect Lady Tsunade may be aware of this already. Orochimaru has a huge influence over Sasuke's thinking and decision making I believe mostly due to the curse mark he received during the Chunin exams. I feel he may leave the village also and if this is the case I would hope a retrieval squad will be dispatched to go and find him. Under Orochimaru's instruction I believe despite my hopes that Sasuke may become a real threat to our village.
If I do not return to the Hidden Leaf alive I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in my life, good or bad I have learnt immensely because of it. Naruto, if Sasuke should return to the Hidden Leaf and I do not I want you to tell him that I love him. Though I suspect that he knows this already as probably does everyone. I was never very good at concealing it.
All my love,
Sakura Haruno
The End?