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Affections Across Time

Chapter 4: In the Mist

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Part 1: This Mission Sucks!

Sakura’s POV

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“This is Sasuke, arrived at Point B.” His calm voice said through the earphone.

“This is Sakura, arrived at Point C.” She announced.

A silence followed after her message. Apparently, Naruto didn’t arrive at his point yet.

After a few minutes...

“This is Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage, at Point A.” Naruto finally said.

“You’re slow, dobe.”

“Shut up-”

“The target has moved, Team Seven.” Kakashi cut in. Sakura peeked from her hiding spot to see. Sure enough, a black shadow swept quickly into the bushes. The shadow’s yellow eyes were slanted and gleaming, like a cat’s.

“After it!”

The three Genin moved away from their hiding places.

“Okay, he’s there!” Naruto was the first to leap out of his point and moved to another tree. His teammates followed.

“What’s the distance of the target?” Kakashi inquired.

“Five metres,” Naruto replied. “I’m ready to go.”

“So am I.”

“Me too.”

“Okay...GO!” Kakashi commanded.

The three Genin leaped towards the cat. Naruto grabbed the cat’s furry body with two hands.

“Gotcha!” He shouted in triumph.

The cat howled and started to scratch Naruto mercilessly. Now his face had more than his six scratches he was born with. Sakura shook her head and laughed. Sasuke held back a smile when Naruto howled along with the cat.

“Does it have a ribbon on its right ear? Is it the target, Tora?” Kakashi asked.

Sasuke had a quick glance at the lunatic cat, who was wrestling Naruto’s arms. “It’s the target for sure.” Sasuke replied calmly.

“Okay...Operation Capture Tora the Lost Pet completed.”

It was quiet...except for Naruto’s yells of pain.

---------------------------❀✿きかん✿❀------------------------------

Part 2: A New Mission to the Waves

Normal POV

---------------------------❀✿きかん✿❀------------------------------

“Oh, my cute Tora-chan!” The fat lady squealed, rubbing her heavily powdered cheek against the cat’s furry one. Lady Shijimi crushed her pet against her giant bosom. “I was so worried about you!” Tora looked like he was being strangled.

“The cat’s getting what he deserves,” Naruto muttered. He was still rubbing his painful scratches, courtesy of Tora.

No wonder he ran away, Sasuke thought, watching the scene with hidden amusement.

“The next mission for Kakashi’s Team Seven is...” Sandaime Hokage pulled out one paper from his file. “...Babysitting Yojyu-sama’s boy, grocery shopping at the neighboring town, digging up potatoes, or-”

“NO!” Naruto cut in, yelling. “No thanks to any of those! I want to do a REAL mission! Isn’t there anything else?”

“The dobe is right, for once.” Sasuke agreed. Naruto chose to ignore that comment.

“Hokage-sama, isn’t there something else more exciting?” Sakura inquired. He’ll give in anyways and give us a mission to protect Tazuna, like last time.

Kakashi sighed. I knew they were going to do this sooner or later.

“You idiots!” Iruka-sensei shouted. “You’re still novice ninja! Everyone needs to start with the easy missions to gain experience!”

“But we’re only doing dumb missions!” Naruto argued. Kakashi bonked him in the head.

“Cut it out.” Kakashi ordered.

“Naruto, it looks like I have to explain to you what missions are,” Sandaime Hokage said, folding his hands together. Naruto got up from the floor.

“Listen, a lot of clients come to this village everyday.” Sandaime Hokage began. “They request things from babysitting to...” He paused to look straight at Naruto in the eye. “...Assassination.” Naruto repressed a shiver.

“On a request list, the requests are listed in order and ranked with A, B, C, and D according to difficulty.” Sandaime explained. “And as you know, in this village, the ninja are ranked according to their abilities from Genin, who are beginner ninja, to Jounin, who are advanced ninja. The missions are given to the appropriate ninja according to their ranking. A’s are given to Jounin, B’s and C’s are given to Chuunin, and D’s and a few C’s are given to Genin. And every time a mission is completed, the client gives a fee to the ninja who completed it.”

“Hokage-sama, you forgot one thing.” Sakura said cheerfully.

“What?” The Sandaime raised an eyebrow.

“You forgot to tell them about S rank missions,” Sakura replied. Kakashi looked curiously at Sakura. How did she know about S rank missions? We usually tell them about S ranks in Chuunin level...

“Ah, yes. Looks like somebody knows a bit outside Genin level,” Sandaime said, putting the pipe in his mouth. “S rank missions, like Miss Haruno said, are high rank missions only given to Elite Jounin and ANBU members. They are usually very dangerous--almost all of them are assassinations.”

How does she know all this stuff? Sasuke narrowed his onyx eyes at his pink-haired teammate.

“Hey pops, are you sure there isn’t anything exciting and in our level?” Naruto demanded. Sandaime Hokage puffed out a small cloud of smoke from his pipe. He sighed and pulled it out of his mouth.

“If you insist, I’ll give permission for you to go on a C rank mission,” he said reluctanatly. “You’ll be escorting a certain someone.”

Naruto looked up, interested. “Who? A feudal lord? A princess?”

“Don’t get so hasty now.” Sandaime chuckled. “I’ll introduce him now.” He paused. “Can you come in now, please?” He called.

All three Genin whipped their heads around towards the door.

The door slid open, revealing Tazuna standing in the doorway. He had a look of surprise on his face.

“What? They’re all kids!” He said, shocked. Tazuna took a swig of his sake, and gulped down half of the liquid. “Is the little scrawny girl with that pink hair really a ninja?”

Sakura’s eyes blazed with fury. Sasuke noticed this.

She moved so fast that she was a pink blur. Sakura reappeared behind Tazuna, and placed a kunai at his throat.

“What makes you think I’m not a ninja?” She demanded angrily. Tazuna froze and his mouth hung open stupidly.

“That’s what I thought,” Sakura said, removing the kunai from his throat. She walked back calmly towards her teammates. Sandaime Hokage and Iruka stared at her in awe, Sasuke’s eyes narrowed into slits again, Kakashi looked at her in interest, and Naruto’s mouth hung open as stupidly as Tazuna did earlier ago.

“Sakura, please do not kill our client,” Kakashi said, scratching his head.

“Okay!” Sakura said cheerfully. The murderous aura from her disappeared from her in an instant.

“Um, anyways,” Tazuna said nervously. “I am Tazuna, an expert bridge builder from the Country of the Waves. Once I have returned to my country, I will have all of you protect my life with yours as I complete the bridge.”

“The Country of the Waves?” Naruto scratched his head. “Where’s that?”

Sandaime sighed. “Didn’t you study anything in the academy, Naruto?”

“He can’t study for his life,” Sasuke muttered darkly.

---------------------------❀✿きかん✿❀------------------------------

Part 3: Stronger

---------------------------❀✿きかん✿❀------------------------------

By the time they left the gates, Naruto was jumping with excitement. He seemed to be extra hyper today, since he was going outside the village for the first time.

“Hey, will a kid like this be capable of this mission?” Tazuna asked cautiously, glancing at Naruto’s antics.

“Don’t worry about it, he’s always like this.” Sakura waved an airy hand to pass it away. “His hyperness actually can be some use on missions.”

Sasuke snorted at that comment.

“Let’s get going,” Kakashi said, looking up at the sky.

The five started walking through the forest. During the way, Naruto was blabbing about how miso ramen was better than beef flavored ramen to nobody in particular, Sasuke was in avenger/emo mode, and Sakura was silent the whole way, thinking about what happened in the past.

We crossed a bridge...

Kakashi was talking about the ninjas in other hidden villages...

Naruto had doubted about the Hokage...and oh, yeah, I did too.

And...the puddle. The puddle where Gatoh’s minions came out of...

She remembered what they did in the past. How Sasuke was the only one capable of defense...how she was watching the action from behind, helpless...

She clenched her hands into fists. She wouldn’t be that helpless girl like last time!

Sure enough, when all five passed the puddle, Sakura sensed two chakra signatures behind them...moving closer and closer...

In one swift movement, chains wrapped around Kakashi’s body tightly, and in a matter of seconds, the chains cut through Kakashi’s body. Only a mound of broken flesh and blood was left.

And just like last time, Naruto and Tazuna’s face held a look of horror and shock. Sakura knew that Sasuke was just as shocked as they were, despite the calm expression he wore that seemed to say that this was one of his usual daily routines.

“Sasuke, you take on the guy on the left, and I’ll take the one on the right!” Sakura yelled. “Naruto, stay with Tazuna-san!”

Although slightly taken aback, Sasuke nodded, and charged towards the ninja on the left. But Naruto stood there frozen on the spot, still too overwhelmed about what recently took place.

“Naruto!” Sakura’s commanding voice cut through his trance. “Hurry!”

Naruto obeyed and ran in front of Tazuna.

Sasuke and Sakura threw two kunai at the ninjas’ chains. It landed directly between the gaps of the chains, and pinned it to the ground. The ninja were rendered immobile.

But before Sasuke could beat them up, Sakura had already reached them first. And in three seconds flat, she punched the Mist ninja into unconsciousness.

Naruto looked like he just saw Sasuke in a pink dress. He was that awed.

“Sakura-chan, where did you-how did you-when did you-?”

Sakura merely smiled, and ruffled Naruto’s hair, making it slightly messier.

“If you train as hard as me, you might become better than me-or Sasuke,” she added. Sasuke shot her a look. She replied back with a coy smile.

“Then I will train as hard as I can to impress you, Sakura-chan!” Naruto promised, doing his signature pose. “It’s a promise for a lifetime!”

Sakura laughed.

Sasuke couldn’t help but feel slightly envious at how carefree his comrades were. If only Itachi wasn’t screwed up and killed his clan...

Poof.

Kakashi appeared in a cloud of smoke. Naruto’s eyes bulged out.

“Kakashi-sensei, I thought you were dead!” Naruto shouted. He then whipped around to face “Kakashi’s remainings” on the floor. They turned into logs.

Kakashi smiled under his mask. “Why, are you disappointed that I didn’t?”

“I am,” Sakura joked.

Kakashi turned towards Sasuke and Sakura.

“Great job, by the way, you two.” He complimented, examining the unconscious ninja sprawled on the forest floor.

“He-hey, what about me?” Naruto asked indignantly. “Didn’t I do a good job?”

“Yes, yes, whatever,” Kakashi waved an airy hand.

Naruto “hmphed” and crossed his arms childishly.

“Looks like they’re mist ninja, judging from their forehead protectors.” Kakashi said, prodding the forehead of one ninja with his foot. “Probably Genin or even possibly Chuunin, from the looks of their skills in fighting.”

“Chuunin, my ass,” Sasuke scoffed.

“It’s not polite to talk about things that we generally don’t display in public, Sasuke.” Sakura grinned.

---------------------------❀✿きかん✿❀------------------------------

Part 4: To Choose Death

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“Sorry, I’m sorry, rabbit!” Naruto sobbed, hugging the petrified rabbit fiercely.

“What an idiot,” Sasuke sighed, looking wary.

That’s it, Sakura thought, gripping her kunai. Zabuza’s sword will come flying any second now.

And sure enough, a blur of silver came whizzing out of the nearby tree, coming towards them.

“Everyone, duck!” Sakura shouted, pulling a confused Naruto down with her.

The blade whirled over their heads, and crashed into an elm tree a few metres away. The rabbit squirmed out of Naruto’s arms and scampered out of sight.

Zabuza appeared on the handle of the blade.

“Ah, the Sharingan copy-ninja Hatake Kakashi,” Zabuza turned to face them. “I’m honoured to meet you.”

Sharingan? Sasuke’s eyes widened. But that’s...

“Momochi Zabuza, the exiled ninja from the Mist,” Kakashi walked closer to the elm tree where Zabuza was standing on.

“I’m afraid you need to hand over the geezer, Kakashi,” Zabuza smirked.

“Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke...form into the triangle formation.” Kakashi ordered without turning around.

The Three Genin immediately obeyed, forming a triangle around Tazuna.

“You choose death, eh?” Zabuza disappeared, leaving the area into a thick mist.

---------------------------❀✿きかん✿❀------------------------------

When Kakashi was fighting three of Zabuza’s water clones, the real Zabuza quietly slipped past him, unnoticed by Kakashi because he was preoccupied with the water clones.

Zabuza took this as a chance to kill Tazuna without Kakashi there to help the helpless Genin.

Or that’s what he thought.

Zabuza reappeared behind Tazuna, sword in his hand, ready to strike...

Sakura was the first to sense his chakra signature. With a fast speed, she ran in front of Tazuna, kunai in each hand.

Zabuza scoffed at the pink-haired girl in front of him. Surely a little runt like her couldn’t take on him, a ninja that was an S-rank criminal!

“My, my, what a pretty little girl,” Zabuza said mockingly. “Shouldn’t you be at home brushing your pink hair?”

Sakura’s face fell into a shadow. She didn’t move. Nor speak.

“Move out of the way, pinky,” he said gruffly.

Sakura finally raised her head. Her face was contorted with fury.

“Don’t. You. Dare. Call. Me. Pinky.” Sakura said through clenched teeth.

Bam.

She punched him in the face before he caught the movement.

Zabuza flew backwards, and crashed into bushes. Sakura lowered her fist, and smirked in triumph.

Zabuza slowly got up, wiping the trickle of blood that came out of his mouth.

“You little wench-”

He threw his sword directly at Sakura. It sliced through her body.

“Sa-sa-sakur-a-ch-chan...” Naruto stammered, staring in disbelief.

“Sakura!” Sasuke shouted. His grasp on his kunai went tighter.

But when Sakura’s severed body reached the floor, it turned into a puddle of water.

A water clone?

Zabuza looked around, trying to get a glimpse of the pink-haired kunoichi that fooled him.

“Where is that-”

Zabuza felt a cold metal blade of a kunai against his throat.

“Looking for me?” Sakura’s voice behind him said snidely.

“Don’t move a muscle,” Sakura said in a low voice. “Or I’ll kill you.”

But just then, something was slicing through the air rapidly. Something long and sharp...

Sakura gasped with pain as a sharp needle hit her hand. Shaking, she dropped the kunai that was on Zabuza’s neck. As she clutched her bleeding hand, she squinted through the mist, trying to see who it was...

She saw a shadow with a slender figure. When the mist cleared a bit, she got a glimpse of a porcelain mask. A cat mask.

It was Haku.

Sakura felt the poison in the needle make her senses and muscles weaken...she slumped to the ground...

It was making her drowsy...her mind repeatedly told her to close her eyes...

No, I can’t close my eyes now! She panicked inside her head. I still have more things to do...

The only thing Sakura heard after she succumbed into unconsciousness was Sasuke’s voice calling her name.

Sasuke...

---------------------------❀✿きかん✿❀------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed this chappie! Sorry it wasn’t that long. I decided to be evil and left it at a Cliffie!

And if I made any mistakes in dialogue or anything like that, please forgive me. I tried to make it as nearly perfect as the original.

Read and Review please!

-Chikako-chan