I woke up to the joyful sound of panicked screaming, I snapped up and instantly matched the voices to Naruto and Sasuke. I looked around the bedroom ready to kill and hide two bodies if those two broke into this apartment but instead I saw it was a little foggy. There was fucking smoke in the apartment!
I ran outside to see the wall on my left was on fire. I let out an annoyed breath, it was never a dull moment around those two. I waved my hand taking control of the flames with an invisible grasp. I watched as the fire spat cursing at me and vanished but as it did it left a nice parting gift for me, one gaping hole in my wall breaking the barrier I had between Sasuke's apartment and this one.
Fanfuckingtasic.
"Oh, the fire is out." Naruto said dropping the fire extinguisher. "Sakura!?" Naruto yelled seeing me. "I-I-" Was all that would sputter out of Naruto's wide mouth. Sasuke and Kakashi came into view shortly after. I sighed, really wishing I had opted to sleeping in the forest.
"Sakura, are you alright?" Kakashi asked walking through the hole, he generally sounded concerned.
"Yes." I sighed. "Why was my wall on fire?" Everyone looked at Naruto.
"What?! I didn't--well no I did but, you see-" I ignored him as he tried to explain he bet that he could light a candle only using his new fire jutsu, he was dramatically incorrect.
"Sakura?" I snap out of my thought and looked at the voice who was speaking.
"What?" I half groaned, not wanting to deal with the needy crying blond in front of me who seemed overall scared of my presence, which was just excellent.
"I am so sorry Sakura!" Naruto said dropping to the ground, for a moment I was confused by his actions until I remembered my temper from back in the day. My name on Naruto's tongue annoyed me. The only person who called me by my name was Kaguya, everyone else always called me by my earned title. These little men around me did not deserve my name in their mouth. "You can stay with me!" Naruto's bloated words caught my attention. Even if hell froze over twice I would not stay with anyone from team seven or anyone from this village for that matter.
"We are leaving in one day." Kakashi's collected voice reminded, "Sakura if you are uncomfortable with the hole in your wall you are more than welcome to stay with one of us. But I am sure it will be fixed by the time we get back from our mission." Kakashi's calm, reasoning voice smiled but I knew better. If you didn't live up to his expectations, you were nothing but a thorn on Kakashi's side. I knew better than to fall into his words. I glanced outside at the mellow rain watering the earth.
"A sheet will be fine." I countered.
"Hey-" Naruto chirped in. I had to brace myself for more stupid, it was too early for this. "-we were going to go train and get ready for the mission. You wanna come Sakura?" Naruto held a bright sunflower grin. Again, he used my name. More importantly why the fuck am I not correcting them?
"I'll pass." I answered. Naruto's smile dropped from sight. I looked over noticing Sasuke had been quiet, that wasn't like him. I spotted his eyes trailing along my legs. I had treated myself last night for not snapping someone's neck and changed out of my uniform which is rare for me. I changed into shorts and a tank top hoping to get a more comfortable sleep. I snapped my fingers in his direction, his eyes snapped to meet mine.
"My eyes are up here." I bit at him. I saw a light blush spread across his cheeks as he quickly averted his gaze. I thought by now Sasuke would be the village whore and a woman's body wouldn't faze him. Naruto noticed my outfit and wouldn't look at me either.
Where these two still virgins?
It wasn't like I was standing here in a towel or see-through clothing. I ran a hand through my hair feeling tension in my back and shoulders. Team seven was already stressing me out and half the village wasn't even awake yet. I turned my head, seeing even Kakashi was bending over backwards to keep his eyes off me.
Kakashi was a closet pervert, I knew he didn't get flustered from getting a snapshot of my body. Was it because they realized I was no longer that little girl I use to be? Did they see me yesterday and automatically assume I was the same shapeless person I was before vanishing? Morons, I let out a huff of air getting annoyed they were still here.
"Well I have things to do." I broke the silence, hinting for them to get out before I threw them out.
"Yeah..." Naruto pulled his right arm behind his neck and rubbed it; he was nervous. "...I am hungry so I am going to eat but Sakura, you should come today if you are free. It will be like old times!" He then ran out of the room through the hole in the wall. Yeah, he believed I was still the person from five years ago. How arrogant could he be?
"Well then." Kakashi said breaking the silence. "Sakura, do you have any extra sheets laying around for the wall?"
"No." I replied in a dull tone. Why the fuck would I have extra shit laying around here? This wasn't my apartment; I was only here a few days max.
"I have a few extra." Sasuke butted in, as if he was being a hero of some sort coming to my rescue. "After I take a shower, I will hang some up." He then turned and walked away. Soon it was just Kakashi and me.
"So." He said looking around. "How have you been?"
"Fine." This felt weird.
"Good...Good." We looked around for another moment. "Your hair is long now."
"Yeah." This is weird.
"You always had it short. Long hair it looks nice on you." Kakashi complimented.
"Thanks...?" I drew out.
"I better be getting ready for the day."
"Yep."
"I will see you later?" Kakashi asked, a little out of character. I almost slid out a 'nope' as a response.
"We'll see." I lied. I was going to bend over backward and break my damn neck to avoid these fuckers, so I didn't have to do whatever this was again. Kakashi left and I was finally alone. I let out an annoyed breath I didn't realize I was holding until they left. At least I didn't hit anyone today then again, the day is still early... After team seven left I took a shower and ate the last meal bar I had in my bag. I got dressed and grabbed my phone.
"Hello?" Kaguya answered on the other line.
"I hate you." I growled through the line.
"Hello Sakura! How is it going?"
"How's it going?" I raised my voice. "I am in the fucking Leaf Village, Tsunade won't tell me who the fuck is threatening this village. Because that is the smartest thing to do, and now I find out I had to go on a fucking mission for them. You didn't tell me there was a fucking mission!"
"If I had then you wouldn't have gone."
"Your damn right I wouldn't have come!"
"As much as we don't like it, the Leaf Village is becoming a powerhouse. I would like our two village's to be allies and I know your disregard for them so I thought maybe some time with them would do you-"
"I have my reasons for hating this village, I can play nice and act like I don't all fucking day long. Don't sit there in your office and tell me this is for my own good because I will call bullshit so fast you'll get fucking whiplash!"
"You have ran into your old team, haven't you?"
"That doesn't have to do with anything!" I snapped.
"You are a little more hostile than usual." Kaguya commented.
"You haven't seen hostile yet Kaguya." I threatened. "Just wait until I get back-"
"Yes-Yes." Kaguya brushed off, "The point is if you do not assist Tsunade with whatever mission she wants then we have to refund the Leaf Village money and I do not wish to do that-" I ignored Kaguya, the money loving asshole should be the one here dealing with this bullshit, not me. "So how is it?" Kaguya's voice dragged me out of my trace.
"The same shit on a different day." I half assed answered.
"Sakura." Kaguya sighed, making me feel a little bad for my attitude.
"It's the same as when I left." I rewrote my comment, Kaguya laughed loving my misery. In a lot of ways, she was psychotic.
"Oh, I have to go!" Kaguya sang.
"What?" I asked. "Go where?"
"I have things to do."
"What things? I did everything before I left, all you need to do is make sure the damn place doesn't burn down!" I yelled through the phone call.
"Bye Sakura! Don't kill anyone!" Kaguya quickly added the last part.
"I hate you so much right now." I said as the phone call ended.
I sighed as I leaned back on the small couch. I was bored now; I had an entire day to kill until I got to leave the leaf village but with team seven on a fucking mission! When was the last time I had an entire day to do nothing? I didn't like it. I got up from the couch, phone in hand and walked outside into the afternoon sun. There were more people than the last time I was on the streets, it was gross as I made my way through the village.
"Who is that?" A familiar voice pulled my attention, it belonged to Kiba as he stood beside Shikamaru watched me walk by. I didn't slow my pace or pay another moment of attention to them. I continued my way to the training grounds, what else was there to do? I stayed out of sight, settling in a tree I leaned against the trunk and watched team seven train.
If I had to go out on a mission with them, I might as well know what they were capable of. As I watched team seven in silence, I wondered how long it would take them to notice I was here observing them. Team seven's way of training hasn't changed, Naruto and Sasuke fight as they try to one up each other and Kakashi reads his 'special books' out in the open.
"Why can't I figure this out?!" Naruto yelled to himself looking extremely annoyed. Sasuke got the jutsu they were practicing down with no issues while Naruto was having more than one problem with it.
"The temple of nirvana technique is a very handy technique to use. But it isn't very helpful if you are using it only on one person. And if the person you are using it on dispels it then it doesn't work, and you won't really know if it worked or not." Kakashi instructed useless information never looking up from his book.
Was this how our training was with these people while I was still here? If it was than I could see how I failed so easily, this is a terrible system. After some time has passed, I watched a group of people walk into the training area, they weren't so much paying their attention to team seven who seemed confused on the crashers. The group of people were looking around the area.
"What are you guys doing?" Sasuke called, his eye twitching in annoyance.
"I could have sworn I saw..." Kiba trailed off.
"No." Shikamaru interrupted, "I know that was her."
"What's going on?" Naruto asked, walking to the group of his peers.
"It seems-" Shino stepped up, "-that Kiba and Shikamaru think they saw a woman that looked a lot like..." He trailed sounding unsure of himself.
"Ugh!" A voice cried out, Ino pushed herself past a few people. "They think they saw Sakura!" Ino announced, "It isn't just them, a lot of people believe they saw her or something that looked like her and we have looked all over the village for this woman with pink hair and we can't find anyone! Have you guys seen her?" Ino had her hands on her hips.
"Yeah." Naruto said so casually.
"WHAT!?" The group broke into madness, each person was screaming different questions trying to be the first to get answered.
"Sakura is alive." Naruto laughed, "I forgot you guys didn't know."
"H-How would we know!?" Ino yelled.
"When did you find out she was alive?" Kiba pushed Ino out of the way.
"Yesterday." Naruto said, "She should be somewhere around the village, she said she had something to do." I watched as Kakashi glanced behind his shoulder looking in my direction. So, he did notice I was here, guess he wasn't washed up just yet.
"She is staying in the apartment next to mine." Sasuke added.
"I-I can't believe this!" Kiba laughed, wrapping an arm around around Shikamaru who didn't seem so pleased.
"Where has she been all this time?" Neji wondered out loud.
"Hm?" Naruto looked up, they never found out. "I don't know."
"You mean to tell me you find out Sakura has been alive all this time and you didn't think to ask her where she has been!?" Kiba yelled, lecturing Naruto for his careless behavior.
"It was a shock!" Naruto pushed back. "I didn't think...I mean, we didn't really get a chance to even talk to her!"
"Why?!" Kiba yelled.
"Because she was..." Naruto scratched his chin,
"She was tired." Sasuke finished. "She traveled a long way to get here." Wrong Sasuke, I was not tired I just don't want anything to do with you.
"She isn't here-" TenTen made herself known, "-come on, I want to try and find her."
"Why?" Sasuke asked.
"Why?" TenTen turned. "Because I just found out my friend is alive after years of being declared dead! I want to see her!" I tilted my head, friend?
I didn't really recall even having a conversation with TenTen. I laughed, giving away my position but I couldn't help it. These people, the leaf shinobi were placing themselves in a spotlight they didn't belong in. I moved, vanishing from the tree branch I had been hanging on and reappearing in the middle of the field.
Everyone stared at me, eyes wide and mouths open. These people had balls, I will give them that. No one wanted to hang out with me, no one wanted to train by my side. They made up excuses to get away before I vanished. They didn't care about me before why do they act like they care now? Because they want the attention or did they expect this grand emotional reunion?
"S-Sakura..." Lee breathed, he looked like he was about to pass out from lack of oxygen to his brain.
"So, it's true then." Might Guy came into view, standing beside Kakashi. "Your student is back, Kakashi." Kakashi's peers began to appear. I am not Kakashi's student, he did not care that night I needed help, the one time I needed him to put me before Naruto.
"Sakura!" Guy held is arms out, "Welcome back!" He laughed taking steps towards me. I shot him an icy glare, making him stop in his tracks. As a light breeze blew through my hair, I saw Guy was a smart man after all, he stopped coming near me and dropped the humor on his face. I did not want to be touched, not by him.
"Sakura-" Iruka pulled my attention onto him, he flashed the warm-hearted smile I knew to always be on his face. He moved past Guy and hugged me which I found myself strangely allowing.
"What!?" Guy jumped up and down.
"I am so glad you're alright." He whispered and then he pulled away, Iruka had always been kind to me. I remember days he would listen to me just cry because of petty things that use to shake me to my core.
"Sa-Sakura!" Hinata's voice reached my ears, she was still so timid and shy. How was she even a shinobi with her submissive demeanor?
"How about we end training for today?" Kakashi stepped in.
"Wait, really!?" Naruto bounced. What exactly did they even do today?
"Yes!" TenTen smiled, "Let's all get something to eat and catch up!" Everyone loved that idea, as they turned and began moving to exit the training grounds. I turned on my heel, spinning in the direction opposite from them.
"Sakura?" Naruto called my name out, pulling everyone's attention back onto me. I sighed hearing him asking if I was coming. Clearly, I was not.
"No." I called, turning to walk away from them.
"Huh?" TenTen furrowed her eyebrows, not understanding why I didn't melt into their little group like I use to do just happy to be included and go along with whatever they did. "Why not?" TenTen asked.
"I don't want too?" I sounded as if it was obvious.
"Hey!" Naruto yelled as I moved farther away, "Wait! Come with us-"
"No Naruto." I said, tired of this repetitive bullshit. "I am not here to hang out with you, I am here to do a job and then I am leaving."
"Leaving?" Naruto looked a little hurt.
"A job?" Neji wondered.
"A job for who?"
"Your village." I answered.
"Our village?" Sasuke read through the spaces between my words.
"This is your village too-" Naruto tried to say,
"No, it's not. I represent the Waterfall Village."
"Waterfall Village?" Guy muttered to himself, looking towards the ground.
"So that's where you have been." Neji crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yes, I am their Commander."
"Commander?" Ino scuffed. I watched them all look towards each other; I swear if they start laughing as if this was all a really long joke, I will kill them and call it a good day.
"Sakura-" Naruto started looking like he was gearing up.
"No." I ended his emotional rant, "I will be at the front gate in the morning for the mission." I turned, about to vanish.
"You said you were the Commander, right-?" Naruto blurted. "-of the Waterfall Village?" He sounded so unsure of himself.
"Yes."
"So... if...ok, if I fight you and I win you have to come with us to dinner."
"What?" I shook my head at his stupidity.
"If you win then we will leave you alone until the mission tomorrow, promise!" Naruto explained. Was this the easiest way to be left alone, should I just vanish? No, if I knew Naruto and the others they will search for and bug the hell outta me. It was kind of funny, if they had done this five years ago maybe I would still care about the leaf village.
"Deal." I agreed, Naruto looked a little shocked I jumped on board with his little plan so quickly.
"O-Oh. Well alright!" Naruto said, shifting foot to foot getting pumped up. "While you ran off and had a nice vacation, I have been here training!" Naruto was cockier than I remembered, and his tone and that one word kind of pissed me off.
Vacation.
Oh, I felt my lips tilt upward; I was going to make this hurt. Kakashi and the others backed up giving Naruto and I space. The people I grew up with were cheering and clapping, I didn't like being entertainment. For a moment I waited to see what Naruto would do to see how he has improved over the years. I should have put money down on what his first move would have been, Naruto summoned three extra clones of himself.
"Now that's too many." I muttered to myself. I put my hands together and borrowed gravity's control. I slammed it down onto Naruto and his little clones. Did they truly believe I had been vacationing all these years?
How fucking insulting for him to assume.
"Ow..." Naruto groaned; it would really surprise me if he got up right now. I didn't hurt him bad enough he couldn't go out tomorrow on the mission, maybe I should have...
"Naruto!" People gasped, running to his side. I felt the group of sensei's eyes on me, a mixture of shock and the little disgust sprinkled in their eyes caused me to smirk.
"See you in the morning." I gave a sarcastic wave as I was about to turn, TenTen looked back as she was kneeling.
"You're just going to leave after what you did to your teammate!?" She accused me.
"He picked the fight, and he is not my teammate." I glanced over at Kakashi, who remained in his spot watching me with a look in his eye I didn't care even to densifier. I turned on my heel and walked away, allowing myself to vanish along with the wind.
Morning was sweet to me as I stood by the gates of the leaf village, waiting for team seven. I leaned against the gate with my arms crossed over my chest enjoying the peace. I heard Naruto and Sasuke already bickering, I groaned to myself. We haven't even left the freaking village and they were already fighting.
"Sa-Sakura!?" I opened my eyes and uncrossed my arms. I looked over and saw Naruto and Sasuke turning a shade pinker than my hair.
"Your late." I said picking up my bag which rested by my feet.
"You're going to wear that?" Sasuke asked as his eyes traveled up and down my body.
"Hey." I snapped my fingers in front of his face. I was not going to just stand by and get eye fucked by one of the biggest whores of the leaf village. Sasuke quickly looked up to meet my glare. "We had this conversation."
"You just look..." Sasuke trailed off his sentence as he looked away. I tilted my head, not understanding their shyness. I know for a fact during my time on team seven we saw a lot of women wearing barely nothing while in combat, so my uniform shouldn't faze them.
I simply wore black pants that had leather strips wrapping around them and they were tucked into black boots. I wore a thick black long sleeve t-shirt that I pulled the sleeves up to my elbows because it was so freaking hot. A black vest to protect my vital organs and gloves. I pulled my long hair into a hair tie so it was out of my way in case I needed to fight. With an annoyed eye roll I turned on my heel and walked out of the village with team seven behind me.
It was time to get this mission over with.
----
"My feet hurt!" Naruto cried for the tenth time. I sighed, looking up at the sky questioning all my life choices, I noticed it was going to rain.
"It has only been six hours." Kakashi muttered with his nose in his book.
"Six hours!" Naruto cried again. "We have been walking forever!" I noticed Naruto didn't say anything about yesterday. I knew him to always be so open about everything and he could never let anything the fuck go so I expected a long drawn out speech about friendship, hearts and rainbows.
But, aside from his constant whining he has left me completely alone. One thing was annoying me though, Sasuke was up my ass. He was a foot away from me, I could reach out and punch him and by my standards that was too fucking close. I tried to push distance between myself and team seven but they do not know what personal boundaries were.
"Tell me again why we didn't take a train or a taxi?" Naruto asked from in front of me. Naruto and Kakashi walked side by side, Sasuke and I were behind them.
"Because I don't like them." I answered for the fourth time. Naruto was gearing up to argue with me, he turned his head and I shot him a 'shut the fuck up' look. Naruto whipped forward looking ahead. Hopefully that will make him drop the subject for an hour or so.
Taking a train or taxi would have been nice and surely would make this mission go by a lot faster, but I had a shiny price tag on my head that many, many people would like to claim. Getting in a giant target sign with four doors is not the way I want to go out.
We walked...and walked...and walked a little more, but little time and distance had passed us. Between Naruto whining every five minutes and Sasuke picking fights with Naruto because he was whining was making this an extremely painful experience, how could I have ever missed this?
To my excitement, we had wandered into bandit country, a place full of rogue shinobi. They over ran this town and claimed it as theirs, but for me I like to call this place target practice. I glanced at team seven, they were acting a little off. The members of team seven were always a little off to start but this time they were acting out of place.
I believe maybe because I was back it was throwing them off. A team is like a puzzle, to function all the pieces needed to fit together and I no longer fit in their puzzle. I think they were beginning to figure this fact out. How they would react I knew was going to be interesting, nothing is ever dull with this team.
I felt the muggy air being sliced by a jagged blade. Kakashi and I reacted together as he pulled Naruto behind him, blocking a masked figure from stealing Naruto's life. I spun around, pulling my sword from its sheath and blocked an attack from behind us. A group of seven had surrounded us, I felt my lips curl upward.
It would be too easy to simply travel to the land of whirlpools and collect the debt they owed. A little entertainment along the way is the perfect way to liven up this trip and get a little target practice in was a win-win for me.
"Reaper." The masked man in front of me growled out my earned nickname. Warm tingles began to run along inside my right arm, my muscles were ready I was itching to slice this man's throat out so I could move onto the next target. I felt the twisted smile on my lips as I used my enhanced strength to push him away from me. He annoyingly recovered from the force and landed on his feet a few yards away, two more men collected around me.
"You're going to die Reaper!" A weak threat was called out making me want to chuckle.
"True." I said pulling my blade closer to gaze at the clear steel this sword was forged with, it took me hours to make this thing. "But not today." I smiled, leaping forward and with a swift slice through the air one man fell to the ground lifeless. The remaining two men glanced at each other, as if they were asking each other if they really wanted to do this. "I wouldn't try it-" I turned to them, flicking off their friends' blood from my blade into the grass. "-I won't let you get far."
"We-We're not scared of you!" The two braced themselves for their last fight.
"Oh..." I shook my head, "...that's where you fucked up." I tightened my grip on my sword as I pushed off with my right leg flying through the air like a summer's night storm. I sliced through the two men like butter, I turned watching them fall to the ground. This wasn't as much fun as I had hoped it would be.
"Ah-" I looked away from the bodies and behind me, I had forgotten team seven was here.
Naruto had been the one to catch my attention, he was fighting one of the men who had tried to ambush us, Sasuke had one and Kakashi had the last two. I shook my head seeing, Kakashi was the only one holding his own against this band of little merry men. What have these guys been doing these past five years?
I sighed, seeing I was going to have to step in...they were such a chore. I swiftly interrupted Naruto's fight, I got in the way of Naruto pushing him to the side quickly. The masked shinobi had already swung his blade aiming for Naruto, now he was fucked.
I pulled a kunai out and slammed it into the side of his neck, I quickly let go of the handle and allowed the man to fall to the forest floor. I didn't feel like getting blood on me today. I ignored Naruto, pulling out a second kunai I locked onto Sasuke's target.
For a moment I thought maybe Sasuke was playing with his prey but the punch the shinobi gave Sasuke which sent him flying backwards told me I had thought wrong. I whipped the kunai through the air, it caught the sun light' rays as it flew into the masked ninja's chest. He stood there for a moment, looking down at the object sticking out of his body. Finally, he fell to the ground, took him forever to die.
"Sakura?" Naruto breathed. Kakashi killed the two men who attacked him, he was the only pulling his weight around here.
"Yes?" I asked, spinning around finally giving the needy blond my attention.
"You-You just..." Naruto looked at the five bodies as I retrieved my kunais, using the dead man's shirt to wipe off the unwanted blood. Sasuke rose from his failure and made his way towards where Naruto and I stood. "Sakura that was awesome!" Naruto gushed out; his eyes sparkled with amazement as his mouth hung open with a smile.
This was a reaction I was not expecting.
"Naruto is right." Kakashi's voice came from behind me, I turned my head to see he was standing with his hands casually in his pockets. "That was very impressive."
"Eh?" I turned to fully face Kakashi. "I didn't do anything-"
"We better get moving." Kakashi smiled with his eye. "We don't know if those men had friends." Naruto agreed and Sasuke nodded. I simply followed them as we left the area and the dead bodies for someone else to stumble upon.
"Are we really just going to leave them there?" Naruto muttered after a while of silent walking. I rolled my eyes, those men tried to kill us and Naruto would want to give them a proper burial. If I stayed and buried every person I killed, I would get nothing done.
"We are going to have to set up for camp soon." Kakashi pulled my attention from my swirling thoughts, he was gazing up at the sky. He was right, it would be dark soon. I didn't mind traveling in the dark but I assumed team seven did not.
"There is a town not too far from here." I commented, knowing where we were.
"Really!?" Naruto jumped to my side with a huge grin on his face. "Sasuke do you have the map?"
"You don't need a map." I said, pointing north. "There is a small town about ten miles that way."
"How do you know?" Sasuke asked.
"I know where we are." I answered.
"How?" Sasuke wouldn't shut up. I sighed, not caring enough to look at him, I didn't even want to waste my breath on him.
"Te-Ten miles?" Naruto fell to the ground being dramatic like always. "Sakura! How can you walk ten more miles?!"
"Because it's easy." I shrugged. "We should get there before nightfall if we move quickly." I said looking back down at Naruto who lit up, I could almost see the thought of food running across his mind.
"Ok!" He said getting pumped up, leaping to his feet. "Let's go!" He said breaking off into a motivated run, why can't he always move with that much purpose? "I bet I can beat you Sasuke!" Naruto challenged. Sasuke rolled his eyes but still, he broke out in a run to catch up. Kakashi chuckled watching the two race each other.
"I don't know where he gets the energy." Kakashi broke the silence as we walked following the two racers.
"I don't know." I muttered; he was like the freaking energizer bunny. Kakashi and I didn't share anymore words as we walked at our own pace. It was honestly not bad, if the whole trip was like this maybe I wouldn't want to pull all my hair out. The grass thinned and soon we stepped onto road. I saw the entry to town and Naruto and Sasuke who were stopped at the gates by two men, one bald and one not so bald. Kakashi picked up his pace, but not to reach Naruto and Sasuke quicker, but to put himself in front of me.
Naruto was yelling at two large men who were blocking us from entering town. I had a feeling this could happen; we were not completely out of bandit territory just yet. The shinobi who were a part of this oh so lovely organization believed they were all powerful and could take what they wished with no regard for the rules. As long as they stayed within their territory and don't wonder too close to a large village, it was a free for all for these annoying creatures. They had a fun habit of popping up unwelcomed at the most annoying times, they were like menstrual cramps.
"Get out of my way!" Naruto yelled; his voice was still so high even after puberty.
"Well hello there-" One of the menstrual cramps said, looking past Naruto and looked straight at me.
Fanfuckingtastic.
"Hey!" Naruto didn't like being ignored as the two-oversize men pushed passed Sasuke and Naruto and started their way towards Kakashi and I.
"A beautiful woman such as yourself should not be in a place like this." The bald one smiled, and I cringed a little at the sight of his yellow teeth.
Damn, I could respect not giving a damn about appearances but at least have a few fucks about your hygiene, teeth were stupidly important. This was a lesson I did not realized inside my sheltered life inside the leaf village but I learned very quickly while on my own; you need healthy teeth! The men were still many feet away but I could smell them from where I stood. I slightly cursed Kakashi for his damn mask, I was the only one who had to suffer by smelling these two's putrid body order.
"You shouldn't be here alone-" I looked up at the other shinobi who had zero chance of getting any closer to me. I couldn't help but wonder how stupid these two men really were. I was clearly standing beside Kakashi, so I was not alone. But hey, I liked target practice so if they wanted to die tonight, I would be happy to oblige. I was just about to lift my arm to reach for my sword when I felt an arm wrap around me and pull me into something that felt very solid.
"She isn't alone." Kakashi calmly said. I looked up at his mask face, wondering what the fuck? I felt Kakashi's body, his arm was wrapped around my shoulder, going over my chest like a seat belt, Kakashi was tense expecting them to attack.
I couldn't see Kakashi's face but by the death glare that was seeping from his one exposed eye, I could guess his mood. The two rogue men took Kakashi's hint and backed away looking very unhappy. Damn, I was kind of hoping they weren't as dumb as they looked and attacked. Kakashi took a step forward, his arm still around me as we moved.
"What should we do first?" Kakashi called out waiting for suggestions. "Get a hotel room or eat?" Naruto and Sasuke were too busy watching Kakashi with a mixture of emotions on their faces. If I wasn't busy doing the same thing, I probably would have laughed at them.
"We should grab takeout and get a room." I answered for everyone.
"Good idea Sakura." Kakashi smiled under his mask. I didn't respond, I was busy questioning if I should bring up the fact Kakashi still had an arm around me and then I was also trying to debate why I allowed his arm around me, and why wasn't I ripping his arm out of its socket?
While I spent time with my lovely thoughts Naruto decided on a burger joint for dinner. When we got in line to order was when Kakashi removed his arm from around me. I felt the weight leave my body, I turned to make sure Kakashi was still there. He was looking at the menu, I bit my lip and wondered why I felt a little cold now?
We grabbed our take out bags and found a nearby hotel, after Naruto went through every item to make sure it was all right. The entire time he went through the bags he kept saying 'you always get screwed through drive thru'.
"What!?" Naruto yelled once the hotel door was closed and locked. It was an ok hotel room. Two large beds, a bathroom and a small TV. "How is this the best in town!?" Naruto bounced looking around the room. I felt a smirk on my lips and I shook my head.
"Eat before the food gets cold." Sasuke called out to Naruto who was in the bathroom, I didn't think Naruto needed to be told to eat. Kakashi and Naruto sat on the bed closest to the door, Sasuke and I were on the other one. We ate in silence with the only sound coming from the TV which was staticky and hard to make out the picture on the screen.
"So..." Naruto said after twenty minutes. Damn, he was done eating so now he was going to talk. "You said you have been here before Sakura?"
"Yeah."
"Why?" Sasuke asked. Does it really matter?
"I have passed by here once or twice." I willingly answered, taking the last bite of my burger and balling up the trash.
"When did you come here?!" Naruto yelled filling the small room with his voice. Why did it matter?
"Maybe two years ago." I said after thinking for a moment, I travel so much it so hard to pinpoint when I was where.
"Oh." Naruto looked away from me and towards the brown carpet. It fell silent after the small conversation, I learned Naruto was like a child. He will cry when you don't give him what he wants so to shut him up, give him little pieces and it will please him. Sasuke went to take a shower and I climbed into the bed I was eating on. I laid my head on the pillow taking full advantage of the quiet and it wasn't long before I fell asleep.
Naruto snoring woke me up. I blinked a few times, a yawn on my lips as I sat up looking around the dark room. Naruto and Sasuke were in the bed next to me. Son of a bitch Naruto was loud even when he slept, he was his own fucking alarm clock!
I looked to my side; I was alone in this bed. The low sound of the TV filled the room and I plopped down back on the bed, I stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Damnit. I sat up; this was bullshit. Kakashi was in the small chair against the wall. His one exposed eye was closed, his head tilted down and his beloved book resting in his lap. That could not be comfortable. Why the fuck did I feel bad? Fuck my life.
"Kakashi." His name was light on my tongue as I reached where he slept, I placed my hand on his shoulder. He flung forward grabbing my neck, I reacted by slamming my knee into his stomach.
"S-Sakura?" Kakashi asked fully awake now. "I am so sorry I-"
"I know." I really don't care. "You can sleep in the bed." I said motioning over to it.
"You need to rest."
"Yeah, I know. I will once I get back to sleep if that is even possible." I muttered the last part, glaring at Naruto. Could I shove a sock in his mouth?
"I assumed you wouldn't want to..." Kakashi chuckled to himself, I watched his body language. He seemed nervous.
"What?" I shook my head, I wanted to get a few more hours of sleep. Since I had to deal with Naruto and Sasuke's bullshit I needed sleep because I knew if get sleep deprived, I will end up murdering those two. "Don't tell me your scared to share a bed with a female?" I teased. Kakashi chuckled at me, making me feel the desire to smile.
"You were asleep, I was being respectful-"
"Aw." I mocked moving back to the bed. "Aren't you just a gentleman, last of a dying breed." I crawled back into bed and pulled the covers up. Kakashi walked into the bathroom as I closed my eyes, tuned Naruto out and began to drift.
----
"What!?" Naruto's screamed, I snapped up. Naruto was standing in a black shirt and orange boxers pointing at me. Kakashi was sitting up as well looking around for danger. After he saw it was just Naruto he sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair.
"Naruto?" I asked half asleep, he better pray this was a dream.
"Why are you and Kakashi in the same bed!? Huh!?" Naruto ignored me. I blinked a few times, my eyes burned.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" I yelled, taking the pillow from behind me and flinging it in his face. He fell backwards onto his ass from the unsuspecting force from the pillow.
"You and Kakashi are-" Naruto sat up.
"So, fucking what!?" I snapped. "You don't fucking wake me up screaming your head off like your being murdered!"
"But-But you two are-"
"Grow up!" I pushed the blankets off my legs and stood. The clock on the nightstand read 5:47am.
"Sakura? What are you-"
"I might as well take a shower since I'm up now!" I bit, feeling annoyed as hell. My shower was brisk and unsatisfying. The water never steamed up; I didn't get the relaxing feeling of hot water loosening my muscles as it ran down my tired body. I sighed; this was a terrible start to my day.
"Sakura?" I looked over to see Sasuke and Kakashi looking at me as I walked out of the bathroom and placed my bag on the closest bed. Naruto dashed into the bathroom, I glanced back in time to see the door slam shut.
"Yeah?" I looked over to them.
"You...You look nice." Kakashi smiled through his mask.
"Eh?" I didn't understand, I wore the same thing as yesterday.
"Ugh! I feel so much better!" Naruto came out laughing.
"Are you ready?" Kakashi questioned Naruto, who nodded yes.
"Alright! Let's go!" Naruto was oddly chipper; I remember him hating mornings more than I did and I fucking hated mornings. We grabbed breakfast that was easy to eat on the go. I had a sandwich and a small iced coffee, I looked around the town as we quickly scarfed the food down.
We had a lot of ground to cover today so we couldn't waste time. I eyeballed Naruto yeah, I had no hope of making this mission within our deadline. We walked for a few hours. Naruto was filling me, who was unwilling I might add on what has been going on in the village for the past five years.
He said those words again...I left the village. I didn't leave I was banished, clearly there was a difference. Under Naruto's words I almost didn't hear the two men who stepped out into the opening from behind us.
"Can we help you?" Kakashi asked, his hands casually in his pockets. The two men were masked wearing the same outfit as the last group who tried to jump us. I pull in a deep breath of cool air into my lungs.
This was gonna be fun.
The two men who stood behind us, acting as if the world owed them were friends of the last group we left behind to be discovered. They all bore the same symbol somewhere on their person. They were the most annoying little fuckers I have ever had the displeasure of stumbling across. They were the Reapers, the group I went undercover in. All the Reapers were was a group of assassins.
However, they are the same group who attacked the grass village where my parents were staying and the same fuckers who stabbed a sword through my best friends' chest. I might have a tiny grudge against them. Here I was thinking this morning was going to be boring! I reached behind me and pulled my sword out of its slumber. I was pretty high up on the Reapers shit list.
I saw a thin thread of light flying towards Naruto's head. It was quiet and almost unnoticeable, unlike the first group attacked these guys seemed to have skill. I may just get a work out in after all. I whipped forward, the clashing between metal blade filled the frosty morning air. Now this, this was a nice way to wake up. I kicked the man away from getting closer to team seven, twisting aiming to slash open his stomach but he fucking moved. I landed in front of team seven.
"Well, well, well..." The one man in the front laughed. I couldn't tell the Reapers apart; they all wore matching hoods and masks; it was a real inconvenience. They also enjoyed collecting different patches, I knew what most of them meant. "...the Reaper of Reapers..." I could see him smiling under his mask. Most of the Reapers patches were a number of people the person has killed, how many villages did they destroy, different ranks among themselves so on and so on. They were a fucked up little band of boy scouts. "...it is a real pleasure finally getting to meet you, I have heard so many rumors about you."
"And yet I have heard nothing about you." The man smirked at my comment. I dropped my bag on the ground. I noticed the lack of patches on his outfit, he was new to the group and I knew ranks only hung out with the same ranking people. So, this group was newer to the Reapers.
"Oh boy! If we kill the Reaper and bring her back, we will so be in!" One laughed, as if killing me would be a cake walk.
"You are right. Our training would be over." One Reaper agreed nodding.
"Training?" I scoffed. "You three are practicing how to kill people by robbing them. How do you call that training?"
"Oh, you will learn soon enough. You just won't live to tell the story." They were cocky little things.
"Do you really think you three are going to be able to touch me?" I felt Naruto move forward, but before Naruto could spout off some ridiculous speech about love, hope and pixie dust, they vanished.
"Separate!" I yelled towards team seven as I turned clashing swords with the Reaper who was spouting off. Naruto and Sasuke ignored my command, they held each other's backs. Kakashi was busy fighting with the one Reaper who tried to attack from the air. I didn't have time to babysit team seven. I was right, this group was more skilled than the last one. The Reapers were a strong group, their members were all well trained. I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about team seven getting their asses handed to them.
"I see the rumors are true, your good." The Reaper in front of me laughed. A grunt from Naruto getting punched turned my attention onto him and not the man in front of me trying to claim that shiny prize that was on my head. Due to this, that bastard was able to land a hit on me. He kicked me in my abdomen sending me flying backwards. I recovered quickly, able to block his sword stroke with my own.
I dropped to the floor, extending my right leg and kicking his feet from out under him. He fell backwards but rolled out of the way of my sword which was aimed for his heart. From the corner of my eye I could see Sasuke, he was struggling with his opponent, I knew team seven would not be able to stand against the Reapers. I raised my sword, ignoring my little friend for a moment I threw my sword like a dart. It impaled Sasuke's opponent from behind.
"How foolish!" The Reaper who I assumed was the ringleader of this little group laughed.
"Mhm." I muttered; I may not have my sword but I still dodged the strokes of his sword. I pulled a kunai from my leg, I stood directly in front of him and waited for him to strike. He fell into my trap, as he thrusted his sword forward, I stepped aside, pushing the side of the blade away from me. I took the moment of his confusion to use my kunai and plunge it into his neck. It was the easiest and fastest way to kill a person.
"Sa-Sasuke-" Naruto sounded like he was struggling. I flipped around, I watched Naruto try to move, but Sasuke's arm did instead of Naruto's. It was the Reapers signature move. A jutsu that switches the opponent's movements, that's why I told them to scatter. Fucking morons never listen! I scanned the area quickly, Kakashi was doing fine on his own. Naruto pull out a kunai and was being forced to walk towards Sasuke. "S-Sasuke. I-I c-can't-"
"Its-Its ok Naruto." Sasuke stuttered. Before the two could literally kill each other, I picked up my sword and killed the Reaper, he gasped out and fell to the ground with an empty thud. I looked over, Naruto and Sasuke fell as the control over them broke. Kakashi finished off opponent without needing my help.
"Sakura!" Naruto gasped as he jumped up, sweat coated his face. "What-" Naruto shook his head. "What just happened."
"Do you...do you really need me to spell it out for you?" I wondered.
"What the hell did that guy do us?" Sasuke asked me as I used one of the dead Reapers cloak to clean my sword.
"It was a jutsu." I was highly annoyed they didn't listen to me in the first fucking place. "They switch their opponents' movements, it's why I told you all to scatter."
"Sakura, this is the second time you saved our butts!" Naruto laughed rubbing the back of his neck.
"Are you alright Sakura?" I looked over at Kakashi.
"Yeah? You?" Since he was the only one who can pull his own weight.
"Yes." Kakashi smiled with his exposed eye. "Thank you, Sakura."
"Well this put us behind even more." Sasuke looked around the area.
"We better get going then!" Naruto jogged over to get his bag. I rolled my eyes, oh now they wanted to work.
Assholes.
----
"Say Sakura..." Naruto said after a while.
"Yes?"
"Those guys back there...how did they know you?"
"They were a part of a group; they call themselves Reapers."
"Reapers?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "They don't like me very much."
"Yeah, we kinda saw that, but how did they know you?" Naruto asked again.
"I have been dealing with them for a few years now." I answered.
"Sakura." Sasuke spoke up.
"Huh?" I sighed, was it fifty question me time? What the fuck?
"They called you...Reaper of Reapers?"
"Yeah." I pulled my water bottle to my lips. I turned only to groan, seeing the three team members of team seven staring at me. They couldn't fill in the gaps themselves? I had to lead them to water, was I going to have to drink it for them too? "It is the nickname I picked up."
"Reaper? But isn't that what they are called?" Kakashi butted in.
"I am not crazy about it but I didn't pick the name." I shook my head. We were finally getting close to the land of whirlpools; this mission was back on track to getting over with already. We needed to get back to the leaf village, figure out who is threatening them so I can take them down and then finally return to the waterfall village. Naruto and Sasuke were having a heated conversation as they walked in front of me, Kakashi was on my right.
"Good afternoon." A voice came from the trees. Son of a bitch, another hiccup.
"Do not tell me these are the people responsible for two of my groups deaths?" A different voice called with a laugh laced through his voice. I watched a tall man come into view, the difference with him is he wasn't wearing his mask. He had long black hair, slicked back as he wore reapers uniform with pride. He looked like he belonged on a murder mystery where the butler did it.
"Yes sir." Someone from behind him sounded like they were about to piss themselves.
"Let's see what we have here." The creepy butler said looking at each of us. "The great copy ninja, an Uchiha, the nine tailed fox and the Reaper." He smirked with his thin lips. "What a fine bounty. Each of them is a rank." He called to the shadows. "Whoever kills one gets promoted." He laughed glaring at me. "Reaper..." He smiled nodding his, "...as beautiful as the rumors suggest."
"Bite me." I glared and he laughed.
"Ugh...I love that fire! Such a shame to see you go." He looked back into the shadows. "Good luck!" He called into the air, vanishing.
It was a long silent moment before they all jumped. We all had a price tag on our heads now. I looked around and the fifteen-ninja surrounding us. Well shit, team seven was fucked. I killed two Reapers instantly as they ran bluntly at me. Morons...Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi all scattered, taking my advice from early about the reapers favored move. I ended up clashing swords with some random Reaper and jumping fire attacks from another one. I sliced one's throat open and turned to the one throwing kunai at me. I did not want these ones; I wanted the butler.
"I can see you all are new." I mocked, turning three more Reapers moving my way.
"Bitch." One yelled running at me, I broke his nose and then ran my sword into him with a weird satisfaction, then I pulled it out to block another attack. Warm blood spattered on my cheek. On a normal day I would call this a party but I could hear Naruto getting beat up, every time I sliced one Reaper down three more took its place.
I couldn't get closer to team seven to fucking defend them. I had four ninjas around me, all trying to claim the price tag that was placed on my head for themselves. Each failed horribly, I soon started to see the Reaper's thinning out. I moved to heal a cut that was on my arm annoying me. I looked down; it was not healing. I snapped my eyes up to a Reaper looking at me with a wicked smile hanging over his teeth.
They are using their fucking venom.
The Reapers have a fun-loving toy that was made just for me, a poison they dip their weapons in. It prevents any wound from healing with chakra, once it is in your system it is a bitch for the body to cycle it out.
I now really did have to get over to team seven to make sure one doesn't get hurt beyond what I could heal. If I returned to the leaf village without a member from team seven, I just knew I would have an ear full waiting for me. Naruto was panting, just like I thought he was banged up pretty bad. I watched the two ninja he was fighting team up against him. One got all of Naruto's attention, the second one was pulling out his sword from behind him.
Not watching out for myself, I felt a blade enter my side. I didn't care about the stinging pain in my body. I throw a kunai, striking the ninja who injured me. His goofy smile flashed into my head, his stupid jokes, his loud mouth, his loyalty, my twelve-year-old friend flashed into my eyes smiling at me. Naruto... I ran as fast as I could, Naruto whipped around looking disturbed for a moment only to see me landing behind him.
"Sakura?" He asked confused. I sucked in a deep breath, feeling the blade entering my body. I was pushed up against Naruto. "Sakura!?" I heard Naruto shout. I pulled a kunai out and stabbed the guy in front of me, aiming for-you guessed it, his neck. We glared at each other for a moment, waiting to see whose light leaves their eyes first. I looked down at the sword in my stomach.
It burns so hot and felt so unnatural. I could feel the colors draining from my sight as white dots begin to appear taking over, I could taste TV static as I felt beads of blood drip down my chin. My legs gave out, I felt Naruto caught me from hitting the ground but he wouldn't stop his screaming.
He kept asking, over and over again why I saved his life, asking why I jumped in front of him. I looked into his clear, blue crystal eyes. His goofy smile entered my thoughts once more. "SAKURA!" Naruto had large tears forming in his eyes. "Sakura, talk to me please!" Even though I didn't like Naruto, I still didn't want to see him cry. "Sakura...why?" He bawled. "Kakashi." Naruto lifted his head and yelled, "Kakashi!"
"Na-Naruto." I could taste the iron fill my mouth, the static was starting to dull leaving my body feeling drained.
"Sakura!? Why!? Why would you protect me?!"
"How should I know?" I asked him, seeing him search my eyes for answers. "M-My body just moved on its own." I smiled seeing his shocked face, I almost laughed.
"What-What?!" Naruto gasped his eyes were so wide, they looked like they were going to pop out of his big blond head. "Sakura..." I looked up at the clouds slowly floating over my head.
"Warn the Waterfall Village about the Reapers. Tell them I sent you, warn them that the Reapers are migrating-"
"Sakura! What are you talking about!?"
"The leaf village won't stand a chance on its own, trust me" I breathed gasping for oxygen, my lungs were starving for it.
"Sakura! Sakura! Heal yourself!" Naruto demanded.
"I can't."
"WHY!?"
"Venom...I can't..." I gasped at a heavy pressure filling my chest. It was my blood, the thing that kept me alive was slowly filling my lungs and most likely going to kill me.
"Naruto!" I heard Kakashi join the party. "What happened?!"
"S-She..."
"Naruto stop crying!"
"Sakura saved my life!" Naruto cried.
I felt my body bend and then be lifted making me feel almost weightless, I wanted to yell out at the shooting pain that was climbing up my body but I couldn't. I had no control over any part of my body, I wanted to sleep.
Sleep felt natural it felt warm and inviting.