Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Prices of Being a Ninja ❯ Onset of Winter ( Chapter 3 )

With a shiver she reached her destination. The cold had seeped into her bones, numbness overriding her senses. She welcomed the void of feeling. Maybe it would numb her heart? Forcefully she was reminded of Pein and the Akatsuki. `And now he's out there alone where they can find him.' Clutching the soaked towel someone had graciously left on a windowsill about her shoulders, she reached a hesitant fist to the door.

 

The perfect time for rain! Sure- just rain a doozey!!! Naruto's life is in danger along with Sasuke-kun and all you're doing-

 

`Maybe it will cool you off,' she sighed. She began knocking again, the door rattling fit to come off the hinges.

 

Get a hold of yourself- you just lost Naruto too and you're going to tell me-

 

“Sakura?” Just readying a response for the daft demon hag-riding her brain, she had failed to notice the absence of wood at her knuckles. “You're going.” There was no question in his voice, only a drip of sympathy and a sigh for lack of sleep. His mask was still in place, making her wonder if he ever took it off. He turned, motioning for her to follow. “Come inside and dry off. I'll get my things together.”

 

She stood beside the entrance, hair deep red and plastered against her forehead protector as she rained on the threshold. She cursed herself as her jaw inexplicably ignored her order not to chatter, vibrating her teeth to limbo. Next thing she knew, a blanket flopped over her head and she couldn't see. A flailing fist found flesh.

 

“Kakashi-sensei, I am fine!” He muttered an oath nearby and she smirked. Serves him right. Flinging the fabric off, she gasped.

 

“All of this to go looking for Naruto?” Six packs littered the entryway, each with a kunai and scroll protruding from the top of the nylon.

 

“You think Godaime would let Uzimaki slip out without retrieval or punishment?”

 

No, of course she wouldn't. It wasn't even a second before Sakura imagined her gambling sensei overturning her Hokage desk and breaking the window. Blinking, she looked to the huddled Anbu member. The walls seemed to be closing in the more she thought about him.

 

“What's the verdict?”

 

“It's a very severe crime he committed-”

 

“He didn't do that to Shikamaru intentionally!” Silence, was that all that anyone could answer her with? She looked to the silver locks unceremoniously draped over his Uchiha eye. The other lazily studied her face. Sympathy?

 

“The Hokage wants to see you before the departure.” He didn't need to remove the mask for her to see he was grimacing like the remnant taste of alcohol returning the mouth. “He demands to know what you and the subject did at 12 hundred this afternoon- all things said and done as interaction between the two of you.”

 

“He?” Sakura stood straight to attention.

 

“Godaime is not recovered and I've heard someone else is hokage until she is or... simply cannot recover. The orders were given by the stand in.”

 

“Is this how it's supposed to be? Kakashi, he is not a convict!” She felt the air knocked out of her as the wall greeted her back. Her arms were pinned and the son of the famed Silver Fang's knee met her stomach.

 

“He is a wanted man now Sakura- and I am Sensei. I pity you but you must get a hold of yourself before you go to see the hokage if you wish to go on this mission. If you don't go it will fail. Naruto needs you- you.” The grip slackened but her tears kept flowing.

 

“You wanted to be strong for Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura. This is the time for it.” He lowered her to the ground and turned away. “Go get dry- there's a bathroom down the hallway.”

 

With another shiver she tiptoed in the direction he had pointed, glancing back to see what she realized for the first time was an aging man caught in the same emptiness she felt. He sat staring into some unknown vision taking place in the wall to her right, arms supporting his chin in what the untrained eye would think a bored manner. Would this be the next generation of Konoha in ten more years- twenty at best? No, Naruto had that same look as he left- it was already happening. Was this a toll all ninja had to pay? Her vision blurred, stinging.

 

“Kakashi-sensei, who was it you lost?” Inner-Sakura began using her brain as a punching bag but the voice muffled as he straightened his back, turning his uncovered eye to her face.

 

“Team Gai will not be going with us. The Godaime wants Kiba and Akumaru on his trail along with Hinata and Shino, but Kurenai Yuhi is ill and will not be going.” There was a crease on his forehead, something she never noted before. He continued staring ahead.

 

“But there's another pack.”

 

“Yamato.” He didn't bother with an explanation, but, instead pointed down the hallway. It was over, no more discussion.

 

So, as if it is hard to tell why that wood puppet is going! They intend to forcefully bring him back, eh?

 

`Stop it.'

 

Stop your sulking, first.

 

`I hate you.' She entered the bathroom.

 

Well, at the turn of the squeaking faucet the voice dropped. The water began warming up, steam penetrating her lungs. Pale hands reached for the crimson shorts but paused. There was a pack leaning against the tub, identical to the six in the entry hall. A scroll threatened to fall out of the overstuffed brim. The room dropped ten degrees as a breeze… `What the hell?!' Sakura cursed as her peace was interceded again. The window above the shower was slightly ajar, the rain still falling in torrents.

 

A clunk made her jump and she looked to find the scroll against her foot. It was a summoning scroll, belonging to Kakashi? Without a second thought she reached for the mud brown rucksack and flung the flap over. Peach binding caught her eye.

 

`Pervert.'

 

But then something else was there too. There was shuffling outside the bathroom door. She stood up and clung to the wall, ear pressed to the blue paint.

 

“Where is Haruno Sakura?” Her heart stopped. Someone was at the door looking for her.

 

“Subject Haruno Sakura is not here, nor has she been.”

 

The other voice picked up but it was muffled and no longer decipherable. Subject Haruno Sakura…well that wannabe Hokage will get it!

 

Suddenly she remembered the shower as the steam began shrouding her vision.

 

“Taking a shower Kakashi?”

 

`Shit.' Another glance at the pack and she saw red on black, and, upon closer inspection, white. A scrap of Akatsuki fabric was draped in the book. Stuffing the scroll unceremoniously into the sack, she draped the towel around her hair. Nothing else for it- footsteps were coming to the doorway. She couldn't help but sigh at the lost shower. With the sack hitched on her shoulder she slid the window open. It made no sound. `Greased, he greased it.' She mentally kicked herself. It wasn't time to be admiring the handiwork of her teacher.

 

She shimmied out of the window, landing in a low shrub, rain almost the size of peas hitting her face. That will leave a mark!

 

`Shut it.'

 

“Well, you know I like a hot shower to steam out the lungs.” She grinned as she pictured his hand rubbing his neck, head tilted heavenward as he tried not to lose his cool. He had used it with Team Seven fairly often.

 

“With the window open?”

 

`Crap!' It wasn't time for reminiscing… off to find a place to hide. She clumsily pushed herself out of the mud and pressed herself to the wall.

 

“Someone was knocking at the door and I like it hot so I left it running…” His cool left her something to be desired. “But I also don't like my mirror foggy- anything else?” Here she was barely holding it together and three out of four of his team members were subjects in an ongoing case, lying through his…well, teeth and mask.

 

Looking into the darkening night she had to make a choice. But then, she already had.

 

Haruno Sakura, suspect- we're wanted women! Where would people not look for her? No doubt Anbu were swarming her house, even her room.

 

`Woman,' she corrected.

 

It was less than thirty minutes since she had started her trek, but she found herself at a familiar door. Cursing for her stupidity she looked to the windows. They were dim, covered in years of grime. A broken light fixture dangled haphazardly from the ceiling, cracked and crumbling with a trail of green from a water leak. Naruto had to stay with Shikamaru as they took time to have the apartment fixed above. The Jinchuuryki's apartment remained the same, however, since the recent Third Hokage was the only one to check on him. Besides Iruka-sensei's occasional visit there was no one to keep the place running.

 

With that smell no wonder there's no Anbu around!

 

Forcefully holding back the gag, the medical nin pushed at the door. It gave way with a groan. Ramen cups littered the floor and something scrambled into the dark. The bag began to slide off of her slack shoulder. There wasn't an inch of sickening orange carpet to be seen anywhere. She longed for a tinier room.

 

Insane. It didn't take much exploration to find the apartment a little close at best…it was hardly two rooms with a half-kitchen, half-dining room for one, and a bedroom with a miniscule bathroom as a closet.

 

Gingerly she made her way to the bedroom, feet coated in ramen as the rain mixed with the dried powder. The bed was at least empty of styrofoam cups but something else made her heart drop. There was a picture frame overturned on the bedspread with its wooden backing staring up at the fouled ceiling, identical to three others she knew of- identical to the very one sitting on her dresser at home. Team Seven's picture, back before all the mess… all the grime that took place. Had Sasuke never been a part of the team perhaps… eventually at least, Sai would be there smiling up at her instead.

 

She jumped and put it down as if it had branded her. She had picked it up absentmindedly and wiped away the dust. With it she wiped away the healing scabs of her heart.

 

`This will have to do.'

 

My as-

 

`As Kakashi-sensei lied for me I think I owe it to him to return the book. He will want it back.'

 

Oh, come on! You know you want to look.

 

`Do not.'

 

Just a slight peek.

 

`No, you infernal-'

 

At least where the Akatsuki cloth is marking the place!

 

`Huh?' She noticed her lip quivering. She bit it in defiance. Damn her conscious. The bag sat innocently enough next to her knee on the formerly sky blue comforter. `Why would that be there?'

 

Exactly!

 

`Shut up!!!'

 

It sat, just as still as before, the bulge which she knew to be the scroll atop the books just inches from the brim.

 

`Oh hell.'

 

That's what I'm talking-

 

`I don't want you talking!'

 

With her right hand she flicked the flap over and peered inside. Against all her hope, the peach cover still perched inside, preying on her innocence.

 

"Pervert." She mumbled. She was referring to Jiraiya-Sensei of course...

 

With a relinquished sigh she took out the scroll, placing it on the pillow behind her. She read the Author's name as if it would tell her everything. It didn't, besides the fact that Ero-senin…Naruto…Why was she using his phrase for the old pervert? He was still a sensei.

 

`Damn.'

 

The book smelled fairly new, fresh shiny binding and that slightly enlightening smell of glue. It crackled as she picked it up, denting the glossy cover. The cloth stretched beyond the pages in width, as if Kakashi intended her to catch it. If he had not intended for her to take the bag it was too late now. The male on the front was dashing in pursuit of a very… colorful lady- for lack of better words to describe it. Sure that her inner tormentor could add a few equally colorful words to the sentence she turned to the page with the cloth and gasped.

 

Every centimeter of the page was littered with red scribbled handwriting but what confused her most, Kakashi-sensei's easily noted scratches were alongside those of Jiraiya's. None of it looked to be any love story. A turn of page after page showed nothing but the same drabble. Overeager fingers pulled at the cover, tearing it in two.

 

Top Secret

Findings of Jiraiya

On Uzimaki Naruto and Akatsuki

 

Again, looking to the page with the cloth nothing made sense. There was a toad on every page with Jiraiya's script and then they stopped appearing on the page with the cloth. So, Kakashi-sensei hadn't returned it yet. She began to close the hardback.

 

`Maybe I better return it so Kakashi-sensei can-'

 

A sharp pain at the tip of her index finger made her look down. An earring? In the Akatsuki fabric?

 

That looks like Shik's.

 

`It doesn't just look it. That is his earring.'