Since it seemed the leaf village was the Reapers next target, I now had the delightful task of remaining inside their village. Kaguya agreed with herself that it was better if I do not travel with my side still healing. And since I was stuck here, I have been helping the leaf shinobi train.
Most of them were stuck in their ways and fought me on my technique but it was something to do, I guess. Walking through the street I stopped moving when I saw a familiar store Naruto, Sasuke and myself would go to every day after training to get a snack. I turned, walking inside the small convenience store.
I remember laughing at Naruto who got insulted by Sasuke. Of course, Naruto got angry and tried to go after him, Sasuke was able to push him away with careless effort. Naruto slammed into the glass door, leaving a crack in it. I remember feeling scared that I would get into trouble so once I saw Sasuke run away I followed him leaving Naruto to deal with the pain in his back and the owner who was yelling.
Shaking the unwanted memories from sight, I walked away from the glass door that had broken but had long been repaired. I grabbed a few needed items and left the store without another memory popping up without permission. Once back in the apartment I was staying in I put everything away.
I awkwardly picked up my heavy bag and placed it on the couch and began to go through it. There was a knock on the door after a while of me being here alone. I looked over at the door feeling a little bored. I decided to not answer it.
"Sakura!" Naruto yelled, coming through the hole in the wall causing me to sigh. "You took too long answering the door!" He laughed walking in as if he lived here.
"I can see that." I saw Sasuke following him in. Kakashi wasn't with them like he normally was, I wonder where he was.
"What are you doing Sakura?" Naruto asked looking around. Wait, I ignored Naruto why was I wondering where Kakashi was? Who the hell cared?
"Are you moving in?" Sasuke looked around.
"For the time being." I answered.
"This place still looks abandoned." Sasuke muttered, I chose to ignore his comment so there wouldn't be a second hole in the wall.
"Cool!" Naruto yelled walking over towards me.
"Hey, we are going to a picnic in an hour, you wanna come?" Naruto invited me.
"A picnic?" I asked feeling my face scrunch up at the idea, I wasn't twelve. "No." I answered turning away.
"Please! The Jonin plan one every year, and Hinata oversees it so we have to go to support her!" Naruto whined.
"Then go." I said with a lazy shrug.
"But Hinata asked me to invite you." Naruto said playing with his fingers.
"Your lying." I called bullshit.
"You know she would have!" Naruto sighed dramatically.
"You asked me for my opinion, and I gave it to you." I felt like I was speaking to a three-year-old.
"The others from our class would like you to come." Sasuke butted in.
"I give a damn because...?" I trailed off.
"Please Sakura!" Naruto begged.
"Get out." Was my response.
"It will be fun!" Naruto said.
"I don't care."
"There will be free food!"
"That is your thing."
"Sakura!" Naruto cried plopping onto the couch. He said something but it was muffled into the couch cushion. I think team seven was getting too comfortable around me, I wasn't here to fuck around and have fun.
I am here waiting for the Reapers to attack and in the meantime, I was training their stubborn ass shinobi how to not die should they come in contract with a member from the Reapers.
A half hour past by and Naruto was still moping on the couch, I rolled my eyes at his dramatic behavior. Sasuke was glued to his phone as I looked around the apartment as an idea bloomed into my thoughts. I sighed, not liking it but it was the easiest way to make my life a little easier.
"Naruto." I called. He muttered a response but again, he was face first on the couch so I couldn't make out his words. "I will go for one hour-" I couldn't even get the rest of my sentence out before Naruto high dived off the couch and ran towards me trying to hug me.
"Sakura!" I stepped past him, allowing him to fly forward into the fridge.
"My side." I reminded.
"R-Right." Naruto laughed bouncing up like a fucking cartoon character. "I forgot."
"I will go for an hour on one condition." I finished.
"Huh? Condition?"
"Yes, you have to come with me to the training sessions Tsunade so graciously put me in charge of."
"Eh? Why?"
"Because your peers are morons." I said.
"They are your peers too." Sasuke said never looking from his phone.
"Was." I corrected him. "Do we have a deal?" I asked Naruto.
"You get up so early!" Naruto whined.
"Take it or leave it." I said turning.
"Ok, Ok!" Naruto jumped. "I'll take it!" I smirked.
"That's what she said-" I copied his joke from when the night we all were in Kakashi's apartment. "-go get dressed." I waved him away from me. Naruto laughed at my comment and bounced through the hole in the wall. I thought about that for a moment...that was Sasuke's apartment, why not just go through the front door of mine-never mind, I was not about to try and figure out Naruto's logic.
"I guess I will go get ready as well." Sasuke sighed as if was a chore, which in this case it was a chore. I moved towards the small bedroom to change clothes. Twenty minutes later Naruto and Sasuke popped back into sight.
Naruto was wearing blue jeans, a black shirt and an orange zip up hoodie over it. Sasuke was wearing dark blue jeans a park purple shirt and a black zip up hood over it. I watched them to look at each other for a moment.
"I think we are hanging out too much." Naruto laughed, Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"You look nice Sakura." Naruto smiled, I looked down at my person. All I wore were dark jeans and a baggy shirt.
"Mhm." I muttered, picking up my phone and taking it off its charger.
"Hey Sakura, I think you dropped this." I looked over; Naruto had a photo in his hand. I walked over as he studied it, he looked up at me and handed the picture to me. "Who are they?" Naruto asked, seeing the nine people including me were standing in the picture.
"They were my team." I said, walking away into the bedroom to put the picture back in my bag. It must have fallen out while I was going through it.
"Were?" Sasuke asked, "Why were? Did you get bored of them too?" Sasuke really was an idiot.
"They died." I called, watching him choke on the water bottle he was drinking. He was lucky I didn't take it and shove it down his fucking throat.
"I-I am sorry Sakura." Naruto apologized for no reason.
"Aren't we going to be late?" I asked, Naruto gasped.
"We can't! All the good food will be gone then!" Naruto grabbed my wrist and dragged me along with him. When we finally got to the place where the 'picnic' was getting held I concluded I was fucking lied to. The entire village was here, and this was no picnic it was a full-blown festival.
"Sakura!" Hinata sounded shocked, "I am so glad you came!" She smiled, that generally did not sound forced, good for her.
"Yeah..." I looked around feeling out of place. Hinata was blushing and watching Naruto who gawked at the food, I elbowed him in the side.
"Ow! What did I-" He cut himself off seeing Hinata. "Oh, hi Hinata! The picnic is amazing, great job!" I think I needed to explain to Naruto what a picnic was. I sat beside Naruto and watched everyone interact with each other.
No one came near me or tried to spark up a conversation, which I enjoyed. Scanning the area, I spotted Kakashi. This was the first time I was seeing him today, he stood beside Guy who was bouncier than Naruto was.
I felt someone sit beside me, I turned my head wondering who the fuck had the balls after the performance at the training grounds before I left with team seven on that damn mission. I internally groaned, seeing Ino had a large smile painted on her face. She didn't have balls; she was just dim.
"Hey Sakura!" Her voice was so sweet I think got a cavity, she wanted something.
"Yes Ino?" I sighed; I was too sober for these people.
"I have a fun idea!" She sounded excited.
"And what might that be?" I asked leaning on my elbow.
"We should have a friendly match!"
"Match?" I asked.
"Yeah, I mean we are still at the training grounds."
"Oh, you mean a fight?" I realized and laughed from the bottom of my stomach, it hurt my side, but I continued to laugh.
"What's so funny!?" Ino was offended.
"You."
"I am being serious!"
"Which makes it so much funnier."
"You think you can take me?" Ino challenged.
"I..." Was Ino always this stupid? "...I don't know even know how to respond to that."
"You get up and fight me."
"Yeah-" I sighed; "-I don't need Tsunade even more on my ass because I hospitalized one of her shinobi by mistake." I rubbed my neck feeling stiff.
"Well that isn't going to-"
"Bye Ino." I cut her off, getting up and walked away. Has it been an hour, can I leave? Where was Naruto? I was looking around at the packed area when I felt something run up behind me, I glanced over my shoulder and shook my head. She was a fucking moron after all.
Ino tried to run up behind me, I knew her plan was to grab my arm and twist it behind my back, clearly, I wasn't going to let that happen. I waited for Ino to touch my wrist, once she did, I twisted bringing my arm over my head and spinning until I stood behind Ino. I twisted her arm hard, I did not like being fucked with.
"OW!" She screamed over the music, breaking the atmosphere of the 'picnic'.
"Now I am pretty sure I said no to your little offer." I twisted her arm harder, "Do you know what no means?"
"Ye-Yes." Ino cried out. I felt everyone's eyes on us. I sighed, letting go of Ino and pushing her forward, she stumbled almost falling face first into the grass.
"Sakura!?" Naruto ran over to me. "Are you ok!?"
"I am the one who got hurt!" Ino yelled at Naruto.
"Sakura how is your side?" Naruto ignored Ino,
"I am fine." I stated.
"You attacked me!" Ino yelled, holding her arm as tears fell from her eyes. Wait, what is going on? Was Ino really playing the victim here?
"She did not." Someone from behind me laughed, the voice belonged to Kiba, "You challenged her, and she declined stop being the attention whore and let people go back to enjoying their night."
"Shut up!" Ino screamed at Kiba, this was really happening right now. I watched as Ino charged forward, she swung her fist. I heard Naruto yelling something about my side as I caught Ino's fist in my hand.
"You don't want to do this." I told her ignoring the commotion around us. She ignored me, using her free arm to try and strike me. I sighed, I guess we were doing this. How pissed would Tsunade be if I snapped her arm?
Hm... Tsunade wasn't my boss so it really didn't matter. I moved my head avoiding Ino's fist as I tightened my grip on Ino's wrist and bent it. Ino cried, dropping the ground. I didn't break the damn thing maybe just a fracture, your welcome Ino.
"You're crazy!" She yelled.
"I'm the crazy one?" I chuckled. "I am not the one randomly attacking people here."
"You broke my arm!"
"I did not." I rolled my eyes, "I probably just fractured it."
"F-Fractured!" Ino cried still holding her arm.
"I don't know why you're still here, go to the hospital." I told her; she didn't respond she just looked over to her right. I followed her gaze and saw she was looking at Sasuke, who leaned against a bench on his little phone. She was doing all of this to get his attention.
"Neh." I said scrunching my face up seeing this, pathetic. "Don't wait too long to get your arm looked at-" I told her. "-you don't want it to get displaced and require surgery."
"Just shut up-" Ino breathed, "-you ruined everything you stupid bitch!" Ino screamed at me. I smiled down at Ino; you have got to love stupid people. I raised my right arm and slammed it down against her fair cheek. Her head whipped sideways; blood sprayed from her lips.
I sighed, after how I was with Naruto at the training grounds and now with Ino I was sure going to get hell when I had to train those out of shape fucks. I cleared my throat as TenTen helped Ino stand. No one was saying anything making this situation very awkward, I glanced behind me, fuck me even Naruto was fucking shocked and didn't know what to say.
"Sakura-" Hinata moved beside me, I watched her touch my shoulder. "-are you alright?"
Oh? I was expecting her to ask me to leave. I opened my mouth to tell her that I was fine when I heard a struggle in front of me, I looked up seeing Ino taking a step back because she attempted to throw a kunai my way, only for it to curve and its course was now aimed at Hinata's head. Ok, this was getting old.
I pulled Hinata into me. I flinched at the pain in my side, I ignored it catching the kunai before it could fly behind me and strike someone else. People gasped and mutters flooded the crowd. Oh, now people want to talk! My free arm reached down and touched the area beside the gash on my side.
"Are you ok?" I asked Hinata, her eyes were round like the moon as she stared forward. "Ok then." I said seeing she wasn't going to be useful for a couple minutes.
I saw from the corner of my eye the jonin were now acting, well too fucking late I am doing it!
"I don't know what the fuck you people are doing here." I growled out; eyes locked onto Ino. She backed away looking scared, that won't work on me. I pushed her up against a nearby tree, "Let's get one thing crystal clear-" I spat into her face. "-if you want to raise a weapon against me, go for it. But you better be prepared to kill me with it because if you don't you will be the one to lose your life." I stabbed the kunai into the tree against her head. "Crazy bitch." I shook my head and backed away.
"What is going on here!?" Tsunade yelled coming onto the scene.
"Oh, I'll tell you what the fuck is going on." I snapped; I pressed my hand next to the gash on my side like it would do anything for the pain.
"Sakura!?" Tsunade became alarmed, "Are you alright?"
"No, one of your shinobi attacked me." I glared into Tsunade's eyes. "You're lucky I didn't kill her."
"Sakura-" Tsunade waved, believing the words I just spoke were an over dramatic joke.
"Tsunade." I lightly laughed, "One of your shinobi just openly attacked another village's representative. If I was anyone else this would be a declaration of war." Tsunade looked from me then to Ino, two black op members had their hands on her.
"It's your call." Tsunade told me. "Do you want to press charges?" I turned and looked at Hinata.
"Yes." I answered, everyone around me gasped. As if how could I want charges pressed against the unstable lady who just attacked me.
"Sa-Sakura are you sure-?"
"I had to reopen my side so I could stop Ino's kunai from hitting Hinata." I turned to face my body in Tsunade's direction. "I am not doing this because of me, I don't give a damn what you do with her but clearly she is mentally unstable. And as this village's leader you should want to make sure your shinobi are all well-adjusted."
"Sakura-"
"This is your only warning Tsunade." I said seeing Tsunade was not taking my advice seriously. Ino could have killed Hinata tonight because why, she got a little upset? Why was Tsunade brushing this off like this was nothing? I don't care, this wasn't my village. Not my rules, not my problem.
"Take her into custody." Tsunade surprised me, I thought she would tell Ino to go home and eat some sugar or something.
"What!?" Ino trashed against the masked black ops who held her tight.
"Sakura is correct." Tsunade said stepping up, "Ino, you are way out of line."
"Oh, shut up you old hag!" Ino snapped, once again creating a line of gasps in the crowd. Even I was taken back a little. I do not think Tsunade knew what to do, she just glared at Ino. "You are a shit leader-" Ino spat out, oh she wasn't done talking. This was taking a long time to wrap up, why don't they just hit her over the head? Knock her out and shut her the hell up already. "I don't even know why you're the Hokage!"
"That is enough Ino!" Tsunade yelled.
"I will never take orders from someone like you!" Ino laughed, is she on drugs right now? "Are you going to banish me too Tsunade?" I looked up from the ground. Oh, this just got interesting I looked back and forth from Ino to Tsunade. I really wished I had popcorn right now. "I mean that is what you do with problems right?"
"Take her away now!" Tsunade yelled,
"Why?" Ino laughed, "So the truth behind why Sakura really vanished from the village doesn't get out."
"What is she talking about?" People muttered, great Ino was getting the reaction from the crowd she wanted.
"That's right!" Ino laughed, "Your beloved Lady Tsunade, banished Sakura Haruno from the leaf village! All because Sakura couldn't control her strength, the power she had to force from a seal in order to save Tsunade who was too drunk to defend herself!" Everyone looked at each other than towards Tsunade and me. "Sakura was never sent out on a mission and killed like she led us to believe!"
"Sakura..." I turned; Naruto was walking towards me. "...is this true?" He looked hurt. I looked away from his hurt puppy dog eyes and towards Tsunade. Well, the cat was out of the bag now, the only question now was how the fuck did Ino know any of this? I thought only Kakashi knew the truth?
"Yes." I confirmed. Naruto looked from me and then to Tsunade in disbelief. One by one people around me began to get riled up and curse Tsunade's name. I looked around it was me that was banished, not them. They didn't get to have an opinion on this. "Shut the hell up." I yelled at a group of four, who were yelling at Tsunade. "Don't speak down to your superiors."
"What the fuck Sakura!?" Ino yelled. "Why are you defending her!? She kicked you out of the village! How could you-"
"Because it was the right thing to do!" I snapped. "She did it to protect your dumbass. I could not control my power. I was the one who destroyed the training grounds without even looking. She may not have done it in the best way possible, she handled it the worst way possible. But I was a danger to the village, she had to protect you all because that is her job. It was a hard choice but that is what being a leader is all about, making the hard choices to protect the people who follow you."
"Yeah but-"
"But what?" I locked eyes onto the shinobi who was dumb enough to speak up. "You're not the one who was banished, I was. None of you have a right to bitch the only person who does is me and here I am standing in order to defend this village."
"What has happened to you?" Ino breathed.
"I grew up. It is time you did as well." I sighed, "Fucking take her!" I yelled at the black ops, they nodded and quickly scrambled to get Ino up. The same shinobi I just yelled at was still staring at me. "Get away from me." I glared, he jumped back. I turned, smelling a comforting scent. "And where the hell were you?" I asked Kakashi.
"You had it under control." I saw the smile through his mask.
"It isn't my job to have this place under control, it's yours." I found myself bickering.
"Come on." Kakashi wrapped an arm around me, I looked up to him confused. "Let's get your side checked out."
----
A few stitches on my side came loose. Kakashi bought me dinner, no one came to bug me like I expected so I was able to go to bed peacefully without a headache. The next morning, I was leaning over the island eating a bowl of cereal. I looked over as Naruto slowly came through the hole in my wall.
When was that getting fixed?
"Morning..." Naruto's tone was off, normally he was chirpy but today he was gloomy and a little depressing to look at, he was bringing me down. He walked over and sat at one of the bar stools across from me.
"What's wrong?" I sighed.
"Nothing." Naruto answered looking away from me.
"I am not going to do that thing where I coddle you until you pour out your soul to me. If you want to talk about what's bugging you then spit it out or let it go." I took another bite of my cereal.
"It's just..." Naruto groaned, leaning against the counter. He was taking forever on getting to the freaking point. "I... I had no idea." Naruto breathed out sounding nervous.
"You didn't have an idea about something?" I smirked, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"I mean it Sakura; I really had no idea Tsunade would ever do something so-"
"Are you still on that?" I sighed, picking up my empty bowl and moving to place it in the sink.
"I-I just found out!" Naruto's screeched, "Of course I am still going to be on it!"
"Why?" I asked.
"What do you mean why!?"
"It didn't happen to you, so why do you care about it?"
"Because...Because Sakura you're my fri-"
"Are you really going to sit there and pretend that we are friends?" I cut him off, I watched the shock and a little bit of hurt blossom along his facial features.
"We are-"
"We are not." I corrected. "We haven't been friends for a very long time."
"Then why did you save my life?!"
"Because it was my job." I said bluntly,
"What?"
"If you would have died on a mission I was on, it would have been the Waterfall Village's fault. I would have had to answer to Tsunade and your villages board. I would have had a mountain of paperwork to do and then my village would have to pay yours for the loss of a shinobi."
"But..." Naruto stared at me, searching my face for the girl he once knew.
"Your death would not have been worth the headache I would have gotten. Putting myself between you and that blade was the easiest option."
"I don't believe that!" Naruto stood up from his chair, bracing himself for an argument.
"What you believe in and don't believe I could care nothing about." I said, turning to look at him. "Stop trying to search for her."
"Huh? Search for-"
"The girl you knew, before she was kicked out of this village." I clarified for him. "That Sakura doesn't exist anymore; she died a long time ago."
"Sakura, I know you are-" I turned from the sink, spinning around as I moved out of the kitchen I walked towards Naruto. As I took steps towards him, he took steps backwards until he was against the wall. I placed my hands on both sides of his head. I watched his cheeks blush the shade of my hair color.
"Stop trying to find pieces of her inside me because you're going to end up empty handed and then you're going to look at me expecting me to comfort you and then you're going to be twice as disappointed because I am not the comforting type." I lowered my arms as I turned away running my hands through my hair.
"Whe-Where are you going?!" Naruto shouted, scattered to his feet. I opened my front door, I didn't turn back to gaze at Naruto as I closed it behind me leaving Naruto inside the apartment I was using while I waited here inside the leaf village for the Reapers to make their appearance.
----
Another week inside the leaf village took its damn time to drag on by. My days were filled with training the leaf shinobi and getting them into shape. It was honestly one of the biggest pains in my ass right now. Even with Tsunade telling them to get their ass to training most shinobi skipped their sessions or didn't give it their all.
This was not my village: I only did this to pass the time, so I didn't go after the shinobi, drag them back to the training grounds and ran their ass until they passed out from exhaustion. It wasn't my job to do so, if they wanted to slack off and not take my training seriously then so be it.
Team seven was sent out on a mission few days ago, so the deal I had with Naruto to join me during training was off. I didn't mind it though; it was nice to not have to deal with team seven following me around like lost puppies in need of a good kick in the ass. Sadly, though Tsunade took Naruto's place and consistently bugged and followed me around the leaf village.
She was standing behind me, talking nonstop about a subject I had not been following. I watched a group of thirty shinobi in front of me, they practice their aim. I realized just how much the quality of training has gone down in the leaf village since I was banished, maybe it was a good thing I was kicked out because if I had remained here I would be just as terrible as these ninja here in front of me and watching them was just embarrassing.
Hot tingles sparked along my spine, pulling me from my dull thoughts and out of reach of Tsunade's rambling words. I opened my eyes and no longer could see the training grounds, instead I saw a lush forest. I saw a blur of orange laying on the ground beside me as silver hair which defied the laws of gravity caught my eye on the right of me. In front were a fun-loving group of masked men, who laughed and taunted team seven.
Reapers.
I closed my eyes, pulling myself back into my body inside the leaf village. Those hot tingles began to multiple and devour my body. My eyes burned as I felt the seal, I had placed on team seven years ago become active.
"Sakura!?" Tsunade became alarmed as I borrowed the nearby air, wrapping it around myself for I needed it to transport to team seven's location.
I was dropped from the sky; I opened my eyes feeling my feet hit the ground. The lush forest I had seen was now all around me. Warm air blew across my face and through my hair, dancing with the strands as I tilted my head seeing the eight people stand in front of me. I reached behind me, I ignored Sasuke who sounded so confused seeing my presence. I grabbed my sword and brought it out in front of me.
"Reaper?" I saw three members of Reapers looked to each other; their faces may be masked but I could see the panic in their eyes. God, I loved the fact I held so much fear in my name.
"Mind if I cut in?" I smirked,
"Oh, I don't mind." One man stepped from his group of friends. He was well fit and taller than me by a foot. "I have been waiting for the day I get to meet you in person Reaper."
"Oh." I tilted my head. "Is that so?"
"I dream about tearing you from limb from limb!" The masked Reaper laughed; I rolled my eyes. I turned from him and glanced back at team seven, Kakashi and Sasuke were still standing as Naruto laid on the ground. He had a few scratches, and I could see bruises already beginning to form, but he would live.
"I feel flattered-" I called out to the group in front of me, looking away from team seven. "-that you dream about me." I smirked, "Do I keep you up at night?"
"Today is the day Reaper! The day you die by my hand!"
"Ah." I scoffed. "That's what they all say, before they die." I walked forward, watching the eight shinobi running towards me.
"Sakura!" Kakashi called out.
"Stay back!" I yelled over my shoulder.
"But-" Sasuke started. Three men jumped into my personal space. I jumped out of the way of their blades; I flung my right elbow up hitting one in the nose breaking it.
Taking the second Reaper's arm which held his blade I pushed him left, forcing him to run his sword into his friends' stomach. I used his shock to bring my sword up and cut into his torso. Before the second Reaper fell, I kicked up his sword, using it to cut down the Reaper who's nose I had broken.
"I don't need your help!" I yelled out to Sasuke. "Just stay the fuck back!"
"I see the rumors about you are true." I turned to the Reaper who had fun dreams about me. He watched me take down three of his friends in the time it took me to order team seven to stay back. I flung my sword a little, blood dripped off the shiny metal reflecting the sun.
"Rumors?" I looked over to the Reapers. "I don't have rumors."
"Hate to break it to you doll, but you do."
"No." I laughed, "Rumors would mean people were able to escape."
"What does that mean?" One of the four men behind little miss dreamer here muttered.
"I'll tell you what it means." I answered, moving to where they stood. "It means I leave no survivors. What you hear about me are not rumors, they are stories from the people I saved."
"Ugh!" The front Reaper gagged. "I am getting nauseous from how good you are."
"I can help you with that." I smirked, killing the four Reapers who tried to run around their leader friend and take my life for their own trophy case.
"How might you do that doll?" The last remaining Reaper was a charmer.
"By removing it of course."
The last remaining Reaper's eyes widened, I think it just hit him that his friends were all now dead and it was just him left. His internal clock was ticking out of time. He bolted, I will be honest I wasn't expecting him to run around me and rush towards team seven.
With how much he chatted I expected him to exaggerate his skills and try to hold his own against me. Sadly, he left himself wide open for me to pull a kunai out and fling it into his back. He fell to the earth with a cry of pain. I walked over to him as he struggles to roll over.
He looked over his shoulder, tears in his eyes.
"Don't call me doll." I shook my head, lifting my leg and stepping onto the kunai forcing it deeper into his body. He cried out in agony, the deeper the kunai went the louder he got.
After thirty seconds he went still, his voice stopped filling the air with noise and his eyes glasses over, he was a loud dyer. I looked around the area, scanning to see if there were any more Reapers too afraid to come out and play with me.
"Sakura?" I looked over my shoulder, Naruto was awake and looking at me very confused.
"Hey." I said turning to face them as team seven moved closer to me.
"What!?" Naruto looked around at all the bodies, then to me. "How...when...we are far from the leaf village! How the hell are you here right now?!"
"Your welcome, for saving your life again." I turned from team seven and went to collect my kunai. I heard Naruto gag; he was watching me pull the kunai from the dead Reapers back.
I almost laughed at his squeamish self. Kakashi went to aid Naruto with his injury. The worst he had was a deep cut on his arm, but from what I could see with distance he was not going to need stitches.
"She's there!?" Tsunade voice floated over to me, sending annoyed chills up my arms from her voice. I glanced over, Sasuke was on the phone with her. I rolled my eyes. "Put her on the phone!" Tsunade was placed on speaker. "Sakura!"
"Hm." I hummed.
"Are you kidding me!?" Tsunade screamed through the line. "That is all you're going to say!?"
"What do you want me to say?" I wondered, having collect my two kunai's I moved closer to team seven.
"Oh, I don't know-!" Tsunade sarcastically said, "-how about explaining to me what the fuck happened!? You vanished out of no one without saying anything to me! Then I find out your now with team seven!?" I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling, looking back out at the large field that broke the lush forest apart. The Reapers were getting closer to the leaf village. "Sakura!"
"I can hear you." I snapped out of my head. "I am sure the whole damn forest can."
"What happened!?"
"Your team is alive." I answered. "Why can't you just be happy with that?"
"Because you knew exactly where to go! You knew they were in trouble! I want to know how!"
"Why?" I asked.
"What do you mean why!?"
"Let me rephrase that, why the hell do I need to explain myself to you?"
"What!?" I could practically feel Tsunade trying to reach through the phone and grab my neck. I felt myself smirk, I enjoyed getting her rallied up.
"Tsunade-" Kakashi stepped in, taking the phone from Sasuke. "-since Naruto is injured-" I looked up from putting away my kunai and towards Kakashi. Naruto wasn't that 'injured', he would be fine. "-can we request Sakura travel with us on the rest of this mission?"
"Excuse me?" I stepped in, moving into their group. We now formed a circle as we stood around. "No." I answered for Tsunade. "No, you cannot request me joining you on your mission."
"Well Sakura-" Tsunade sounded like a sophomania. "-your mission to the whirlpool failed, and you were unable to collect the debt they owed us, in fact we had to pay them in order to get you to the leaf village since you were hurt. So technically that mission does not count, and you still owe the Leaf Village a mission since we paid the Waterfall Village already."
"I was only injured because I had to save your fucking-"
"Does not matter, I already talked to Kaguya and she agreed. So, you can assist team seven with their mission and then return with them."
"You have a threat against your village, I shouldn't be out of the-"
"We will be fine." Tsunade waved me off. "I have a meeting to get to, so stay safe Team Seven!" She hung up the line as I felt my eye twitch as I glared at Kakashi's head. He turned and smiled at me through his mask, closing his annoying eye as he did so.
"Looks like we will be spending more time together." Kakashi said, still smiling.
"I hate you." I glared at him.
"Can we set up camp for the night?" Naruto sighed, rubbing his shoulder. "I feel exhausted and starving!"
"I don't see why not." Kakashi answered, his hands in his pockets.
Team seven and I set up camp inside a small clearing a few miles away from where they were ambushed. I was sitting on Kakashi's sleeping bag and drinking from his water bottle since I had no supplies with me. I was not expecting to be sent out on a mission with team seven after saving them.
"How is your side?" Kakashi questioned, sitting next to me.
"Fine." My voice was stale, I was still mad Kakashi had me added to this mission. Kakashi chuckled annoying me further.
"I am sorry, maybe I should have asked you first if you wanted to join us before bringing it up to Tsunade. I just assumed you were bored sitting around the village all day."
"It doesn't matter if I am bored or not." I turned to look at his masked face. "Your village has been threatened, which is why I am here. I should be inside the village, not sitting here miles from it."
"I see." Kakashi gazed into the fire. "Then I am sorry." Kakashi did that annoying thing where he smiled with his eye again.
"It isn't me you're going to have to apologize too if your village gets hit and I am not there to defend it." I crossed my arms over my chest.
"I am sure they will be fine." Sasuke butted in. "They can hold their own."
"Yeah..." I trailed off. "...because their best team has done so well against the Reapers they have gone up against." I took another sip of water and handed back over to Kakashi. I stretched my arms out in front of me, after a full day of training and then having to come to team sevens defense, I was feeling a little more than tired. I glanced around our camp, where the hell was, I going to sleep? "Well I have been up since dawn, so I am not taking first watch."
"I can." Kakashi volunteered. "You can sleep-" Kakashi's voice cut off as I leaned against him, using him as a pillow since I had nothing with me. I closed my eyes feeling tired as I dozed off quickly.
Night was in full bloom when I opened my eyes again. The only source of light was the moon and low fire that crackled offering warmth. Sasuke was asleep, Naruto was quietly eating undoubtedly his fifth cup of ramen and Kakashi was still beside me reading his book.
My head was on his shoulder, and I leaned against him for support. I slowly moved, pulling myself up. I felt Kakashi's arm wrap around me quickly, I felt my body go stiff with the feeling of his arm around me, pulling me into his embrace. He and I locked eyes, after a second, he smiled letting me go.
"I thought you were falling." He smiled under his mask, turning back to his book.
"Are you hungry Sakura?" Naruto pulled my attention onto his.
"Um..." My sleeping brain tried to function, but it refused not wanting to be bothered.
"Here." Naruto held out an unused cup of ramen in front of me, I slowly accepted it from him.
"Thanks."
"No problem." Naruto flashed his familiar goofy grin. "Here." He offered some hot water for me to use. After a few still minutes Naruto spoke back up, "Did you sleep ok?" I glanced over at Kakashi, who was unmoving looking at his book.
"Yeah." I answered.
"I am sorry." Naruto sighed, taking another large bite of his food.
"You're sorry?"
"You got dragged on this mission with us, and your so unprepared..."
"It's fine." I laughed at his face.
"How is it?"
"All I need is this-" I pointed to my sword which was beside me. "-and I am good."
"Really?" Naruto had stars in his eyes.
"Yes." I nodded my head; Naruto and I ate in silence.
"Hey Sasuke." Naruto said seeing him sit up.
"Hey." He grunted out. He did not like sleeping outside. Sasuke drank his water and ate a protein bar.
"So..." Naruto trailed off looking around all the three of us who sat around the small campfire. "Er...Sakura..." I looked up at the sound of my name, I could see the gears in Naruto's head turning as he tried to think of something for us all talk about. "How are your parents?" He smiled, "They left the village after you...I mean you didn't leave since you were banished! I mean...u-um...um."
"Smooth." Sasuke commented.
"They died." I answered, looking away from Naruto and back into the flames. Silence fell around the us like a pile of freaking rocks. It was awkward, I could feel the emotion pouring off Naruto.
"I-I-I am so sorry!" Naruto blurted, "I had no idea-"
"I know." I said, looking up at him. "It's fine-"
"How did they die!?" Naruto cut me off, Sasuke reached over and punched him.
"What kind of question is that!?" Sasuke snapped.
"It is a question! There are not different kinds of questions Sasuke!"
"It is a rude question!" Sasuke lectured.
I should have stayed asleep...
"Sakura." Kakashi's voice caught me. "I am sorry..." I nodded accepting his condolences for my parent's death.
"Ah!" Naruto's voice brought caused me to look up, he and Sasuke were wrestling. I shook my head at the childish behavior.
"Knock it off you two." Kakashi called out. "Your being too loud."
"Sakura...if you don't want to talk about it, I will respect that-" Naruto glared at Sasuke "-but if you do, I would be happy to listen."
"There isn't anything to talk about." I shrugged.
"Um..." Naruto looked at Sasuke and then Kakashi. "I mean...you were close to your parents, right?" I shrugged again. "So, it had to have been hard when they..." Naruto was trying to choose his words carefully. This was not a conversation I wanted to have, but Naruto was not going to let this one go.
"When they left the Leaf Village, they did not follow me to the Waterfall Village." I might as well get this out of the way and be done with this topic. "They moved to the Grass Village; I was busy with being Commander, so I didn't have much free time. One night, the Reapers attacked the Grass Village, and my parents were among the casualties." I explained, Naruto's eyes were large and full of tears.
"I am so sorry-" Naruto had his arms extended, and he was about to move.
"Don't touch me." I glared.
"Right." Naruto quickly sat back down.
"Is that why you have been going after the Reapers?" Sasuke wondered.
"Hm, part of it. I had been tracking the Reapers long before they attacked the Grass Village."
"Part?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"I shouldn't need some heart wrenching reason in order to go after a group of mercenaries who kill for fun." I pulled my knee up and rested my arm on it, with my head in the palm of my hand.