Just as Sakura predicted, the alarm went off far too early the next day.
The sun was just beginning to peek over the hills and when she looked out her window, she was greeted with a beautiful expanse of blue-gray sky, the fluffy white clouds painted vibrant pink in the morning light.
She would have enjoyed the view a lot more if the rising sun didn't signify possibly the most dreaded mission she had ever had.
She dragged her feet as she gathered everything she would need into her pack, forgoing her red hitai-ate since she would be acting as a civilian on this mission.
She tossed in her hairbrush after running it through her pink locks, knowing that a full day of travel would mean a tangled mess before she would have the chance to comb it out again.
She had let her hair grow long over the past year or so and it now reached the middle of her back. It didn't get in the way so much, now that she spent more time sitting at a patient's side and healing them with chakra than fighting enemies in hand to hand combat.
If she had known she would be taking a mission that required long periods of travel, she might have thought about cutting it again but there was no time for that now.
She settled for plaiting it into a single long braid before going to her closet and trying to find something that didn't scream she was a shinobi.
She settled on light brown pants and a gray wrap-around top that looked like a shortened version of a yukata. She had a few full length ones but didn't wear them often because they restricted her movement. Even if she was going to be a civilian, she didn't want to have to take tiny steps all the way to Fujin Machi.
She knew she should probably eat but her frayed nerves manifesting themselves as butterflies in her stomach made food sound unappealing.
She opted to grab an extra granola bar on her way out the door, figuring she would eat it while waiting around for Kakashi. Despite Tsunade's warning, he was bound to be ridiculously late anyway.
XXXXX
When she saw her mission partner's slender form leaning casually against the bridge's red railing, she was surprised to say the least. She hadn't expected her sensei to be on time, let alone be early.
'So much for eating', she thought, as she walked towards him, dragging her feet just a little.
The fact that he had beat her to the meeting spot not only meant she wouldn't be eating breakfast, but also that she wouldn't have time to prepare what she was going to say to him.
Even though she had been around this man for years, training with him and trusting him with her life completely, she suddenly felt awkward and uneasy in his presence and even though she knew it was wholly attributed to her own nerves concerning the trip they were about to depart on, she couldn't banish her trepidation.
"Good morning Kakashi-senpai," she said as she approached, noting that he didn't have his nose buried in one of his disgusting books. Perhaps he had a lot on his mind as well.
"Morning, Sakura-chan," he replied, giving her a wave and an eye crease.
What was usually a simple greeting already had Sakura's mind racing with what her mission would entail.
The sight of his hands encased in fingerless gloves made her wonder how many pairs of large, grubby hands would be on her naked skin, and that single dark eye of his would be resting on her practically nude form once they got to the club. The thought made her heart beat hard enough she wondered if his acute hearing might pick it up.
She shook her head to clear the images and tried to get a grip. If she was this jittery while still in Konoha, she had already failed if she couldn't get herself under control.
"Ready to go?" he asked and she nodded silently, afraid her voice might betray the panic she felt.
"Alright, let's go," Kakashi said, turning and walking towards the village gates with Sakura following behind.
"While in Fire Country, we'll travel as shinobi since the risk of encountering enemies is low and we'll make better time," he instructed as Sakura adjusted her pack on her back. "Once we get to the edge of Fire territory, we'll assume the guise of civilians for the rest of the trip and you will under no circumstances do anything that betrays your identity. Understood?"
Sakura sighed, a small pout forming on her lips. Of course she understood. It's not like she had never pretended to be a civilian before.
She was to act like any other helpless female which meant no fighting, no jutsu and no healing. She would hate it, but she would do it.
"Yes, I understand," she said, exasperation taking the place of dread in her voice and Kakashi chuckled at her annoyance.
"Ok. Then let's push as hard as we can while we travel through the trees since the rest of the journey we will be forced to move slowly."
The kunoichi didn't argue as they passed through the giant green gates and into the lush forest that encompassed their village. When he took to the treetops, she was right behind him, summoning chakra to her legs to boost her powerful jump and sending her into the leafy heights after her sensei.
XXXXX
Kakashi knew broaching the topic of her training would not be an easy one, but they had been traveling for nearly half an hour and she hadn't uttered a word since they left the village.
A thick and uncomfortable silence had settled around them, broken only by the wind rushing past their ears and their sandaled feet making contact with tree branches.
He had expected the vibe between the two of them to be different than when they had been on missions together in the past with Naruto and Sasuke, but he hadn't expected her to clam up completely.
It was becoming apparent that she wasn't about to initiate conversation about anything and so he would have to make the first move.
He slowed up slightly so she could catch up and travel with him side by side and even in his peripheral vision, he could see her mouth was set in a grim line and her eyes carefully focused on the trees ahead, avoiding him at all costs.
"Sakura," he began, dropping the affectionate surname he usually had for her. "I think it's time we start your training for this mission."
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