14Hello! How have all of you been? Enjoying your day? If so, I hate you. I'm kidding. Mwa~. I don't own anything except for the story line and the made up characters. Read at your own risk of boredom! Finals are coming up! I'm so scared T^T Help me study anyone! I have to study for Honors English, Geometry and Honors Biology. I will pay a hefty price for you! ! SasuSaku picture personally made by me! Will be uploaded on Deviant Art. Help!
Sakura groaned. Katsutoshi was getting a bit squirmy. He kept moving his arms around and adjusting into what she assumed to be a more comfortable position. Just a few more hours. They would be near Konoha's border. Sakura stopped and gave a meaningful glance at Kain. He nodded signaling that he knew what she was going to do and not to take too long. Sakura changed into part of her disguise- not in front of Katsutoshi mind you- and picked up her client. She hurried on ahead until she finally saw Kain again. "Just follow me until we reach a secret passage into my sh...er Tsunade-sama's office."
"Understood. Lead the way." replied Kain in approval.
Sakura nodded and turned sharply to her right. By now they had already traveled two hours and in a few more minutes would be near the border. True to her word, the both of them were standing in front of a rock. Sakura motioned for Kain to turn around so she could open the secret passage. He sighed and complied with her request. She could be so childish sometimes. After a few more minutes of listening to Sakura lift something heavy only to feel rumbling, did Sakura allow him to turn back around. He looked around and saw a tunnel in the rock he was standing in front of. They both quietly walked into the tunnel. Just as he barely made it inside, the rock that covered the tunnel earlier began to close. He stood trying to keep from falling as the cave shook. He tightened his hold on Manami and walked as steadily as he could toward Sakura. "I'll be back. As soon as I get the okay from Tsunade-sama then you can join us in her office. For now, just rest." Kain nodded and sat down making sure to set Manami down on a comfortable patch of green grass.
Sakura ran ahead and headed toward Tsunade's office only hearing snips of conversations her and there. The tunnel she was in now was built underground Konoha in case of any emergencies. She supposed they could have used them when Pain attacked but the attack was so sudden that fighting was the only thing they could do to try and prevent any deaths. It was a long time ago either way. The holes on the ceiling allowed enough oxygen to keep people alive though it was a bit of a struggle to breath normally. The only things you could here were arguments and a couple getting at it. "Hey Shikamaru." called out a velvety smooth voice. Sakura stopped on her tracks. Her eyebrows raised so high it contradicted her old nickname the children back then teased her with. Was that Temari's voice? What was she doing in Konoha much less in Shikamaru's house?"
"What is it?" Sakura stopped and closed her eyes before tilting her head. This could be interesting.
There was squeaking and the movement of fabric. "How are you and your team? You know. With Asuma-san dead and all."
Shikamaru sighed and there was more movement of fabric. "We're getting along better. We're just barely getting through with our new captain though. It's only been six months since his...death so naturally it will be hard to accept this man. It'll only be a matter of time before Kurenai-sensei bears Asuma's kid."
You could practically feel the atmosphere turn sentimental. "Speaking of kids. Shikamaru what would you say if I wanted one?"
There was a muffled sound of a gulp. "Just one?"
There was shuffling. "Or more." chimed Temari.
He sighed. "I just turned twenty Temari besides we've only been secretly dating for seven months."
"Then let's start dating in public so I can have a damn kid already." complained Temari. Sakura couldn't help but smile. Temari must really want a kid.
"And have the Kazekage toss me around like a rag doll? I think not." Temari whined. Shikamaru laughed and there was the sound of springs creaking loudly followed but a small squeal from Temari. "It wouldn't hurt to practice though."
Sakura blushed and decided now was a good a time as ever to go to her master's office. It didn't take very much longer for her to reach the door. There were voices in the room. "Ah, Kakashi, Sai, you two are right on time. Come on in Sakura." chimed Tsunade's voice.
Sakura smiled. That Tsunade was so predictable sometimes when she was pleased. Sakura opened the door and smiled up at them. "Hi there boys."
Kakashi's one visible eye crinkled in what Sakura assumed to be a smile. Sai smirked slightly and nodded towards her. The both of them preserving their cool guy image. That is until..."We missed you Sakura." replied Kakashi coolly before completely bear hugging Sakura with Sai not too far behind. It was so completely out of their character that Sakura was so shacked to even know how to respond. There was a moment of awkwardness until Sakura realized what was happening and smiled. She had crave for her sensei's acknowledgment. It was always about Sasuke and Naruto back then. She was happy that even though it was after a few months of her absence he missed her including Sai. He had trouble with emotions and how to express them. It was a bit flattering. "Sakura who's that on your back?" asked the slightly confused Sai.
Sakura looked back toward the man draped over her shoulder. "He's the ambassador of the village I went to. He may require protection just in case someone knew he left."
"Very well. The I shall assign you to protect this man." mumbled Tsunade as she read the paper in her hands.
"But shishou I'm already assigned to another mission. As soon as I escort them here then I go back with my assigned captain."
"I know. You have done your duty and have just received the approval from the council there. Very good comments about you by the way." remarked Tsunade as she signed her paper. "Now about that captain. Where is he?"
"I wanted to receive you okay before letting him in."
Tsunade nodded. "You can send him in but as I speak to him I want you to show the ambassador and whoever is traveling along with him around Konoha. You no longer need to wear your disguise." announced Tsunade noticing that Sakura had only a wig on. Her eyes were such a unique color of emerald green though that you could tell right away that it was her. Sakura nodded and took it off before setting down her client. She opened the door she just came from. "Kain-san, the hokage wishes for your appearance."
There was a pair of feet shuffling toward them. The male looked at the hokage and bowed. "It's an honor to meet you Hokage-sama."
Tsunade smiled at his respect. A certain almost-adult blonde an a few other people needed to respect a higher up. "If I didn't know any better I would think you seduced your way into this title seeing as to how young you are." Tsunade's smile widened. This boy knew beauty when he saw it. Sakura on the other hand raised an eyebrow. She never knew he was such a kiss up.
"Yes, now Sakura you know what to do. Kain-kun please stay so we may speak of Sakura's mission." by the time Tsunade finished the sentence Katsutoshi and Manami were waking up.
"Well as soon as your done please come and tell use so we can go to Ichiraku's with Naruto. He refuses to go without you being there." announced Sai as he smiled reflexively. He had grown used to smiling for no reason.
"Yes, please do so. Naruto is going through ramen withdrawal." agreed Kakashi.
Sakura nodded and watched them leave the room. She smiled. She never realized how much she missed her boys. "My head." groaned gruffly the half awake ambassador.
Sakura turned toward Kain accusingly. He motioned frantically for her to look away. "Ah, good afternoon Katsutoshi-dono. How are you feeling?" asked Sakura with a slightly nervous smile.
"A slight headache but all wake up calls have their bad points." responded the older man with a small smile.
"A bit of medicine from the hospital will clear that up. I will take you there during your tour of the village. I warn you in advance it's quite bitter." suggest Sakura hoping that would make the guilt bubbling in her stomach lessen.
"Yes that would be great! Thank you."
"Where are we?" asked Manami slightly confused about her surroundings. She looked up and noticed Tsunade sitting with her chin resting on her folded hands. Manami's eyebrows furrowed. Surely, someone so young looking isn't the hokage. "Excuse me miss but where can I find the hokage. I came along with my boss and a few other ninja. I do apologize if I was any trouble."
Tsunade nodded. She was well mannered. "You were no trouble at all. And as for the hokage you are looking right at her."
"You! A young woman such as yourself? Impossible." remarked Manami in awe. Tsunade smiled. Another person who realized beauty.
She smiled. "Yes well I am most certainly the hokage."
Manami immediately stood up and bowed. "My apologies."
"Manami-san we are about to be shown around the village by Sakura-san. Please hurry." Katsutoshi desperate to get rid of his head ache.
Sakura nodded and walked toward the door motioning for them to follow. As soon as Sakura's hand grabbed a hold of the door knob there was a big poof and smoke filled the room. Sakura turned to see Tsunade with sparks in her eyes and her mouth a gap. Sakura smirked as she spotted the very thing that caught Tsunade's attention. In the middle of the room was a small pyramid of sake. And Tsunade vaguely reminded Sakura of a cannibal sizing up a good chunk of meat. "I hope you find it to your liking Tsunade-sama." was Sakura's only remark as she ushered her clients away.
Tsunade watched as her student walked away. Her eyes watch the door and scanned the room before grabbing all the sake, spare for one, and hid it in a new hiding place. It would be at least a few months before Shizune found this one. Tsunade removed the cork keeping the sweet alcohol inside. She smiled as she drank the liquid. Ah, sweet bliss.
Sakura immediately took Katsutoshi to the hospital not wanting him to forget anything while she gave him a tour of the village later on. Once she entered the white building, she was surrounded by nurses and doctors. Each asking her where she had gone and that the hospital was a mess without her despite its clean pine smell and white polished floors and ceilings. Sakura smiled and waved at every one of them as she moved toward her office her clients not to far behind. She opened the door and the two rushed inside. Waving her final hello, Sakura shut the door and apologized for their lively behavior coming up with the excuse that they are normally very professional. "Don't worry. I'm sure they were just happy to see you after such a long time. They allow themselves to open up and show their joy without any hesitation. It just shows you how much of a close community Konoha is. Who is my assigned doctor for this by the way?" asked Katsutoshi.
Sakura walked toward her desk and opened a drawer to get a notepad. "I am. Is you headache the only thing bothering you Katsutoshi-dono?"
"Yes. I had no idea you were a doctor." he replied looking all over the room noting the neatness. Her desk was very organized. He looked at the poster opposite the desk. It was something about an apple a day kept the doctor away. He never really like those kind of posters. He then looked at her door trying to decipher the back word letters. "Your last name is Haruno?"
Sakura looked back from the cabinet of medication she was looking through. "Yes, it is. Why do you ask?"
"Well I've never heard of a ninja clan named Haruno." was his confused reply.
Sakura nodded and closed the cabinet now that she finally found the medication she needed. "I wouldn't be surprised. My clan is not a ninja clan if anything they are just civilians. I am the first to become a ninja."
"Very admirable." was Manami's announcement. Katsutoshi nodded in agreement.
"Thank you." Sakura grabbed a plastic cup and filled it with water before handing it over to Katsutoshi with his pills. "Take two twice a day every two hours until it disappears and the day after. In your case, I think it would be best if you took them for only two days." Katsutoshi nodded. "Since this is all taken care of, we shall continue with our tour."
A few minutes later they left the hospital and Sakura showed them around. She pointed to the library, the tower where they had just encountered Tsunade, her favorite dango shop, and every other store she spotted. Eventually, they ended up near Ichiraku. "And that stand sells the best ramen around."
"Ah, Sakura-san you exaggerate! I'm glad to see your back. Naruto has made a big fuss over you not being here. Refused to come if you weren't around not to mention that when any of your team members came he would say something lewd and scare away some of my customers." his face fell when he said the last sentence. Sakura smiled apologetically before excusing herself.
"So where are we going now?" asked Manami as she dragged her feet. Her heels were killing her.
"Don't worry. You will rest soon enough. I'm going to drop you off in a hotel that specializes in protecting political leaders. It's guarded by ANBU so you have no worries."
"How long until we reach this hotel?" asked Katsutoshi.
Sakura stopped and turned. "We're already here."
Katsutoshi and Manami said their goodbyes and walked inside. Sakura turned away and began to walk to Tsunade's office. Suddenly a voice began to yell her name. She turned to see Katsutoshi running toward her. Once he caught up to her, he stopped and tried to catch his breath. He then began to speak. "Are you heading toward your hokage's office?"
"Yes. Is there something you want me to tell her?" asked Sakura.
"Could you perhaps tell her that I will be seeing her tomorrow about what I came here to speak to her about?" Sakura nodded with a smile. "Thank you."
Sakura watched him as he walked off and made sure he made it in safely. When he entered the hotel once again, Sakura walked toward the tower again. She really hoped that Tsunade wasn't buzzed.
Meanwhile, a blonde woman with amber brown eyes sat in her chair. The man who she talked with about her student left half an hour ago. As soon as he left, she drank the rest of the previous bottle she drank after her student left. Now there were five empty bottle and she could tell she was slightly intoxicated by the slight tingling on her cheeks and nose. She sneezed loudly and eyed her sake. Maybe this was enough. For now.
..::~::..::~::..
"Ah, Sakura-san you exaggerate! I'm glad to see your back. Naruto has made a big fuss over you not being here. Refused to come if you weren't around not to mention that when any of your team members came he would say something lewd and scare away some of my customers." his face fell when he said the last sentence. Sakura smiled apologetically before excusing herself.
"Naruto? As in the Naruto Uzumaki? The one who defeated Akatski's previous leader? He's your teammate?"
Sakura smiled and nodded. "He's the best friend anyone could ask for."
Katsutoshi raised an eyebrow. "Just a friend?"
"Y-yes. Why?" asked Sakura slightly nervous of the direction this conversation was going.
Katsutoshi shrugged. "No reason. If you're friends then you're friends."
"Yes. Perhaps friends with benefits." added Manami with a smirk.
Katsutoshi couldn't help but laugh as he watched Sakura nearly trip and start coughing. She must have choked on her own saliva. He laughed again. Really. If she was going to deny something then she should be more convincing. Her reaction to what Manami just said was very convincing either. Perhaps he should meet Naruto Uzumaki. After all, he was lewd enough to almost clear a ramen stand.
Yo! I'm sorry for the late update with Green Sharingan. I was working on it while doing my Ghost Hunt fanfiction. I honestly think I'm working a bit too hard on my stories. Maybe I should apply all this hard work to my studies too. After all, finals are in a week. Jesus I'm so screwed. Hope you liked it and sorry for any spelling mistakes! By the way, I'm going to try and remember all of my Toy Not To Be Used fanfiction up until 18 because those were how many stories were on my stolen laptop! (T^T) I am going to be so tired by the end of the school year! Have mercy on me please! I love you all! And, yes, what you just read was an OMAKE for this story.
XxBlackBlossomxX