Full summary: Orochimaru has Sakura captured to use her to strengthen Oto and future plans. Konoha's cherry blossom meets up with her former raven haired teammate and things being to take a turn they never expected. Sakura's feeling for the raven haired man have come back and Sasuke is beginning to develop feelings for his former teammate. With goals to still accomplish, what will Sasuke and Sakura do? With each step they take, they get closer to their goals and dreams. ... sasusaku… rated M for later chapters. There will be spoilers in this fanfic!
Yay! Hello readers! This is my first fanfic! I had this idea for a while and now it's out. Hope you enjoy reading.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fanfic.
Chapter 1: Captured
The sun shined down on the village of Konoha. Young children were heading off to the ninja academy, some shinobis and kunoichis were either heading out or come back from a mission, other ninjas were getting their day started. The streets bustled with outdoor markets and people going from shop to shop to buy their things.
In the red mansion of the Hokage, the Godaime was waiting for the person she wanted to see.
"Come in Sakura," Tsunade ordered as she heard the knock on the door.
She knew that familiar chakra anywhere that was outside her door.
"Hai!" An 18-year-old, pink haired, emerald eyed girl come through the door way with a gleaming look on her face as her day began. "You wanted to see me Tsunade-shishou?"
Tsunade put the report she was reading down on her desk with a sigh of discomfort. She looked at her young and genius apprentice as she folded her hands in front of her mouth. "Sakura, I have a mission for you. You will be accompanied by four ANBU members, Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Neji, and Uzumaki Naruto."
Although the Godaime's voice had a serious tone to it, Sakura could see worry in her eyes. Ever since Sakura's family was killed, Tsunade had always treated Sakura as if she was her own daughter. Sakura had wasted all her tears since her love left forever and her parents died. She had never shed a tear for so many years; it was like she forgot how to cry.
"Tsunade-shishou," Sakura said with a worried voice. "Is there something I should know about the mission? You don't seem unhappy about it."
"Sakura…" Tsunade's voice was full of worry as she spoke to Sakura. "It's nothing, just complete the mission."
Confused of why this bothered her mentor so much, Sakura walked over to the desk to look at the mission request. After reading the report, Sakura thought that it was a simple mission that didn't require any ANBU force, just a cell of three members would be enough.
"Is there something wrong?"
Tsunade held back her emotions and spoke in a serious tone. "Iie, just complete the mission and have everyone come back safely. You will be leaving in the evening."
Confused, Sakura didn't want to bother Tsunade with any more questions. "Hai!"
As Sakura left the room, her apprentice sister, Shizune, walked in greeting Sakura as she left. After the door was closed and Sakura was nowhere near the room, Tsunade let some tears fall.
"You didn't tell her about it?"
"Even if I did, she will just go on completing the mission no matter what stands in her way." Tsunade took in a deep breath to clam herself. "It just hurts to keep a secret like this from her."
"What you are doing is understandable Tsunade-sama."
The Hokage sighed. "I know she will return. When she comes back, I will tell her and Naruto."
Shizune nodded in agreement.
In the forest of Konoha, eight ninjas headed back to their village after completing the mission handed to them a week ago by the Godaime. They were jumping from one tree branch to another in the dark, but the moon light the place enough for them to see.
"Sakura-chan! Oy!" the hyperactive blond ninja, Naruto called out to his pinked haired teammate. "SAKURA-CHAN!"
Sakura snapped out her daze to face Naruto. He was like the brother she never had and a very close friend. Whenever she looked down, the pink haired girl could always count on him to try to cheer her up.
"Gomen Naruto. I was just thinking about our mission."
"Doushite, Sakura-chan?"
"I just think it was kind of odd that we were sent."
"I agree. Our mission was simple, that it should be considered a C-rank mission but yet Tsunade-sama sent us," said the long dark haired man. His pearl white eyes showed confusion as he spoke in a calm voice.
"Neji-san is right," said Sakura. "Even though Oto has been planning to attack Konoha for a while, Tsunade-sama probably doesn't want us to be attacked by them in any way."
"I still think it's unusual for this many people to be on a mission. Right Akamaru!" Kiba looked at his large dog and it answered in agreement with a bark.
"Sakura-san," said one of the ANBU officers behind her. "If we keep at this speed and pace, we should reach the village by day break."
Sakura nodded. Ever since they started to head back to Konoha, Sakura kept feeling the presences of someone following them. She thought that it was just her because the others didn't seem to notice anything, even the ANBU.
All of a sudden Kiba and Akamaru stopped on a branch and signal the others to do the same.
"What is it Kiba?" asked Naruto as he went into his pouch for a kunai knife.
Kiba sniffed the air. "There's a strong smell of blood heading our way."
Without any hesitation, Neji activated his Byakugan to scan the area. After a minute of searching, his chakra stopped flowing into his eyes.
"I don't see anyone around but us."
Sakura looked around. "Can it be a genjutsu?" she asked herself quietly.
The Byakugan user listened to the surroundings then said, "Even if there is someone here, we would know-"
Neji was cut off as kunais and shurikens came flying toward the group.
"Damn!" Sakura cursed. "Don't waste your time here fighting, even if it's Oto! We have to get back to the village!"
Everyone jumped at full speed from branch to branch dodging all the kunais and shurikens aimed at them. When they were about to reach the road that led straight to Konoha village, an explosion ahead stopped them from going farther.
Sakura charged ahead with a chakra filled fist to break the trees but froze when a group of ninjas appeared and surrounded them.
"We didn't come here to start a war Sakura-san," a cold but familiar voice said. A pair of glasses reflected in the moon light. "We just came here to complete a mission for Orochimaru-sama."
"Kabuto!" yelled Naruto as a red chakra started to glow around him. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?"
Kabuto let of a small laugh and replied, "Nothing much. I just came to get a little someone to bring back to Orochimaru-sama. Don't worry, if you agree, no one will die."
Without any warning, half of the sound ninjas fell into a huge creator created by Sakura. She then tied an explosive tag to a kunai and threw it into the creator. She walked away and back toward the group as if it was nothing as the tag went off killing the sound ninjas in the hole.
"What were you saying about no one dying?" Sakura asked sarcastically as charged at the Sound medic suddenly.
The punch was a direct it to Kabuto's left cheek as it sent him flying. As he hit the group hard to a complete stop, a dark figure appeared behind him.
"You said you could handle it by yourself," said the figure with a cold harsh voice. "It looks more like your being beaten by just one kunoichi."
"Ah, Sasuke-kun, nice of you to join us," said Kabuto as he stood up healing his broken jaw and swollen cheek. "It seems like I have underestimated our main target."
Naruto grew angry at the sight of Sasuke there and started charging. "Sasuke-teme! I'm going to take you back with us!"
As Naruto's fist came, a pair of red eyes opened and moved with quick speed. Sasuke kicked Naruto in the stomach to keep him from interfering in their mission. Naruto fell to the ground in pain from the impact.
"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled out.
Without any hesitation, Neji, Kiba, and Akamaru charged towards Sasuke with the intension of beating him down. The four ANBU ninjas spread out to take out the Sound ninjas. Before joining the battle again, Sakura punched an opening to the path so that her comrades could escape after they handled the enemy.
Sakura didn't know if she could handle fighting in this battle anymore. She knew that being a ninja met all emotions had to be set aside or cast away, but this was a difficult situation. The person she longed to bring back to the village was right there, fighting against them. She wished this was just a dream; when she woke up she would be in her bed, rushing to meet the rest of the members of team seven on the bridge.
Unfortunately for her, it was reality. She needed to cast away her feelings, no; she had to cast away all her feelings and emotions if she wanted to be able to help her friends. Sakura shut her eyes tightly and clenched her fist. A signal tear rolled down her cheek as she tried to control all her emotions.
'He's no longer the Sasuke-kun I know and loved,' she said to herself. 'He's an enemy to Leaf.'
As she turned around to join the battle, the Sound ninjas were all down and Kabuto was fighting against the ANBU. Akamaru and Kiba were down after taking a series of blows from the Uchiha. They weren't seriously injured, but a few cuts and broken bones. Neji and Naruto kept their pace with their opponent as they tried to get strong blows through Sasuke's defense. Seeing that Uchiha Sasuke was more of a threat then Kabuto, Sakura ran to aid her friends.
When Sakura got to her opponent, Neji and Naruto were beginning to slow down. As the two kept driving to get a hit, Sakura appeared behind Sasuke and kicked his side causing him to fly into a tree, breaking it because of the power Sakura used.
'When did she get that strength?' Sasuke thought to himself as he touched his side to feel the damage it caused. He slightly winced when he finally realized the pain. 'This is going to be interesting.'
As Sasuke got back on his feet, Neji and Naruto rushed him at both sides. Naruto has his fist clenched tightly as it headed for Sasuke's face. Neji had his Byakugan ready to attack his chakra points. As their fist closed in, Sasuke stopped their blow by grabbing their wrist.
"Chidori Nagashi."
Blue lightning admitted from Sasuke's body. As it hit Naruto and Neji, they screamed out in pain. Sasuke let go of his opponent as they slump to the ground, unconscious.
"NO!" Sakura's rage was growing as she saw her teammates down. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" She filled her fist with chakra as she ran toward Sasuke without any regrets. There wasn't a tear in her eyes, only anger; but her insides were being torn to pieces.
With the electricity crackling around his body still, Sasuke rushed at Sakura. He couldn't kill her because she was the target. Orochimaru's orders were to bring the apprentice of the Hokage back to the base without killing any of the Leaf shinobi.
In Sakura's other hand were kunais with explosive tags. When Sasuke was in distance, she tossed the kunais. When they were several feet away from Sasuke, the tags exploded.
Not knowing what traps could be ahead, Sasuke stopped and looked around to see if his enemy was around. He didn't sense her chakra anyway nearby, but there was a possibility she had an attack plan. Nothing happed and he thought that the strategy that Sakura used was to get her comrade and run, he let the electricity vanish from his body.
The moment it was gone, Sakura attacked from behind. She punched Sasuke in his abdomen hard, but it didn't make him go very far. When he regained his stance, Sakura was charging again. As her fist was about to make contact with his face, he grabbed her wrist with his left gripping it tighter as she struggled to get free.
"LET GO OF ME, UCHIHA!" Sakura raged, pouring chakra into her other hand. She could feel her tears beginning to build up in her eyes. "WHAT DO YOU WANT OF US?"
Before Sakura could get her answer, Sasuke knock her unconscious.
"You're needed alive."
His calm voice echoed in her ear as she lost control of her body. Sasuke let her wrist free from his grasp, letting Sakura fall into his arms. With his target out cold, Sasuke placed her over his shoulder and jumped on to the tree branch to where Kabuto was.
When Sasuke found him, he was still dealing with the ANBU ninjas.
"I've got what we came here for," said Sasuke with his cold voice. "Just leave the note and head back already."
Sasuke left first, disappearing with Sakura over his shoulder in a whirlwind of fire. Knowing how inpatient Sasuke could get. Kabuto pulled out an envelope from his pouch and dropped it before vanishing.
"Damn! We can't let them get away!" said one of the ANBU.
"No! We have to get the other back and tell Hokage-sama what happened!" yelled out another as he grabbed the envelope Kabuto dropped.
The four ANBU went to get the others and headed back to the village as fast as they could to inform Tsunade what had happened.
Yay, I'm finish with the first chapter. Please review.
AUTHOR NOTE: This chapter has been revised.