[IC] Cherry Blossoms Under the Silver Sky

[SoleAccord]

The immediate stumbling over her uncertain choice of words was something Kakashi could relate to, especially when the situation was as sensitive as it was. He had handed the conclusion of this situation to her and, only when he saw her fumble, did he regret doing so. As her mentor he should have been the one to clear this up from the start. The temptation of an incredible discount was much too favorable for him to refuse. Even Sakura, in the middle of her decision, had to agree with him on that. He could tell just by looking at his student that it wasn't so much the decision that was difficult, but the consequence that would come with denying it. The both of them weren't obligated to make someone feel ecstatic about a misunderstanding, yet the way this gentle woman approached them and saw something she saw as magical between the mentor and the student had touched him. Not once in his life was he ever related to a comrade as a lover. Here he was though, in this well-kept restaurant with a precious student, being mistaken for her boyfriend. There was a first time for everything after all.

On the verge of sparing Sakura more discomfort, Kakashi took her shrug as a sign of complete uncertainty and cocked his head to the woman standing over them expectantly. He was just a moment away from ending the situation's discomfort at the expense of the kind woman's fantasy before Sakura had reached for his hand, resulting in Kakashi sharply turning his head back to her. With her next words she had cemented the situation entirely - they were a fresh couple, still getting comfortable with one another as more than just acquaintances. It was a reasonable explanation for their hesitance in responding to her. Feeling her grasp tighten around his hand, Kakashi turned his hand over so their palms met. He returned the squeeze firmly in understanding, agreeing with her order and thanking her for shielding the contents of his wallet with such a sacrifice. The way he saw it this woman kept her fantasy, leaving the two shinobi to enjoy a cheaper meal for the evening. No one lost.

The woman offered her input on the two further, considering the meal they were to eat as perfect for the two budding lovers. After looking between the two of them, she suggested Sakura come beside him so they could share their meal side by side. Scooting over slightly to allow her more room and listening with embarrassment as the woman described just how happy they were going to make one another, he only breathed a little easier once she was gone. With her departure the now very close Sakura looked to him and playfully commented on the details of their mission. He admired that even after a situation as tense as that one she could bounce back so well. That attitude was one Kakashi would return kindly.

"I think training would be the least of our worries. If I can't take my eyes off of yours during a mission, my performance could drop significantly. Tsunade might not let me see you at all if she knew the affect you'd have on me." He replied smoothly, all while meeting her eyes with his own. The closeness they now shared had done nothing to negatively impact the flow of his words, nor the sincerity behind them. "The best case scenario is obviously getting your parents' blessing. I've still got to work that part out for myself, don't I?" he finished, holding back a chuckle at the imagery: On his hands and knees, begging for her parents to accept him as her lover while Sakura stood by, hand on her heart, hoping for success - that the parents who loved and raised her would accept this person as someone who could make her happy.

"The master and student who fell in love ...it could make a thrilling story." Kakashi mused before settling his back against the cushion of the booth. The situation he was in now was both humorous and thought-provoking, yet the way he was looking at her was still a subject of interest in the back of his mind. A complete stranger to them suspected their relationship was beyond that of normal friends just by first glance. She was married, likely even had a good eye in recognizing strong affection. That left him puzzled; Sakura couldn't have seen it either, she was interacting just as much as he had and the tone of their conversation didn't exactly shift to anything very personal. The more he was trying to wrap his head around the two of them, the harder it was becoming to think about it. As of right now he was picturing them as more than master and student, when prior to this visit he hadn't even given Sakura a thought beyond her role as an active shinobi and his student. So why was it that only when someone pointed it out to him, that he was looking at her with so much affection and pride, that he could no longer see her as just a student?

As much as he tried to conceal it with this short break in conversation, his eye wandered back to her again, studying her and trying not to infer anything as he did so. From her unique and eye-catching color of hair, to the eyes he just jokingly referred to as distracting - a hazard during his mission. He was only mildly aware of the fact he was lingering on them now, taking her face in with her eyes being the center of it all. As her teacher he had always done his best to acknowledge her strengths related to being a ninja. It had taken just one outside observation for him to begin considering that Sakura was just a much a young, developing young woman as she was his student. The misunderstanding could have been his fault entirely. Sakura had a crush already, leaving there no reason for her to look at anyone else differently. Sasuke was the one she cared for most, this was a fact since day one of Team Seven's formation. To protect her true interests, it would be up to him to try and prevent these misunderstandings in the future. Her eyes were only for one other, and that affection was something he wanted to allow her to have. In that way, Sakura reminded him of someone very important from his past.

Rin...

"Here you are!"

Snapping out of his stupor, he took notice of the woman from just before carrying two separate plates that held their meals. After setting them down in front of them, Kakashi thanked her for her quick preparation and efficiency, which he knew was likely due to what he saw between Sakura and himself. The woman had shown surprising restraint in saying nothing further. She set down two glasses of water before departing, all while gushing in silence at the pair she admired from afar. Looking down at the hefty meal before him, the Copy Ninja drew in the strong aroma of their meals with his mouth watering in anticipation. Taking a spoon and looking between the rice and curry, he looked to Sakura once more and smiled. With his free hand he had reached for the very edge of his mask. Pulling it downward and past his chin, he had revealed the face that was once a mystery to the entirety of Team Seven. Sakura now had bragging rights of her own when she reunited with Naruto, and hopefully Sasuke. Lifting the headband over his Sharingan up, her mentor kept the eye closed for obvious reasons. Without the mask on, the headband just felt a little strange on him.

Kakashi didn't react much to the reveal, and instead brought focus to the meal in front of him. "Eat up. And be sure you save some room for dessert - it's free after all."

He had begun to eat, reacting to the flavor of the curry hitting his taste buds with a low moan of satisfaction. The speed of the cooks did not take away from the result. Chewing and swallowing with a short exhale afterward, satisfaction was etched upon his newly revealed features. The confusion of their status was set aside in favor of a fine meal, one he hoped Sakura would enjoy as much as he was.

[Genkai]

Despite wanting to keep up appearances, it was difficult to so.

She hadn't ever had a relationship before so she was only guessing how a couple would interact together. The daydreams about Sasuke or anyone else, hardly counted as experience nor did some of the fiction she read when her schoolwork had been completed. Sakura felt uneasy about lying but there was no feasible way of turning back now. She just hoped the meal went by smoothly without any hiccups. It would be impossible to endure the aftermath if the woman found out they were lying just for her sake. So for now, the girl had to rely upon the person sitting beside her to help make sure they were on the right path, avoiding any holes or bumps. Letting out a laugh that was half fake, half genuine, when Kakashi mentioned how distracting she was on a mission and how Lady Tsunade would of course not take kindly to such muddled performances.

Sakura tilted her head when his next comment mentioned her parents. "Oh, I know they'll adore you." She insisted gently. "Not as much as I do, of course." Sakura added as she placed her hand on his arm and squeezed a little. It felt weird to her, it felt obviously forced but she knew she would need to try a little more since she was the one who didn't correct the woman. Then again, Kakashi hadn't either. They were both at fault. And of course both of them would try to get through the unusual situation together. The man openly mused about how a teacher and student falling in love would make for a good story. She considered the idea. It held some weight, it was a little unorthodox, but stranger things had certainly happened. "True, though we're still in the early chapters I think it has a promising ending."

Looking back to the table, she began to move over her items so that they were next to Kakashi's. She finished resetting the table and glanced to Kakashi, finding him rather quiet all of a sudden. "Everything alright?" Sakura asked him. He was staring at her and she wished she knew what was on his mind. A small blush fell across her cheeks as she licked her lips, but yes, she actually did want to know what he was thinking. The line between them was blurring tonight and Sakura wondered if this would be her chance to get to know him as a person, rather than just a teacher. In her mind, if he was really uncomfortable with the ruse, he would have set things straight but like her, there was hesitation for some reason. It was a very odd concept to mull over but he was more than a teacher and surely had relationships in the past.

Kakashi was considerably younger than most teachers and she didn't suspect he'd have trouble finding a date if he wanted one. She still couldn't recall seeing him with anyone since Team 7 had formed and then disbanded, which was strange. He was a nice guy, pretty good looking and obviously a talented ninja. Sakura had to just assume he was too busy for anyone else, which was likely the sad truth of the path of the shinobi. If you wanted to throw yourself into your missions and training, being able to settle down and have someone to come home to, was a pretty rare privilege to behold. Sakura wondered where she would be when she was his age, would she still be a ninja or would she have thrown it away to be with someone and not feel so lonely all the time?

Thankfully the woman reappeared and both people snapped out of their thoughts.

After setting down the drinks and plates, she fluttered away and Sakura glanced to Kakashi, just now realizing she might actually get to see what he looked like underneath the mask! Naruto, Sasuke and her had been so engrossed that they once stalked the guy and even put on some awful disguse all to see what he looked like. Of course the skilled man was evasive as ever and almost seemed to not notice but Sakura knew he wasn't as absent minded as he pretended to be. Her attention was on him, not bothering to hide her possibly rude stare, as he removed the mask and then his headband. Sakura continued to stare, not sure whether or not she was dreaming or hallucinating. That mask did no justice what so ever, his jawline was incredibly solid and he had a rather beautiful face when it was all put together, as opposed to presenting only a fourth of it to the outside world.

Her face went totally red and even without tasting the curry, she felt like she was on fire.

Words failed her, even basic motor-skills failed her as she tried to swallow but couldn't. Sakura studied his face, having already forgotten the bragging rights this would issue her. 'Holy crap! He's fucking gorgeous! No wonder he wears a mask, he'd be too busy getting some to even have time to go on missions, let alone teach! Kiss him right now! Don't let this opportunity go to waste!' Her Inner Self swooned and fell over to fan herself with her hand. Sakura tried to collect her thoughts but even when Kakashi told her to eat up, she found herself rather distracted, to say the very least. "Y...mmm right." She quickly grabbed her glass of water and took several gulps to wet her very dry mouth. She set it down and turned her attention to her plate of food. It smelled wondered but it was by no means as attractive as the teacher pretending to be her date. Her mind was whirling and she was even more confused now than before.

After taking a bite, Sakura let out a hum of approval. "That's really hits the spot." She took another bite and soon found her face return to a more normal color. The meal was spent with them making light conversation. Nothing of their mission came up but she figured they had spoken enough of the mission for the time being. And personally, Sakura didn't like mixing work with meal time, something she was sure Naruto would agree with. When they were done, the woman came back and by that point, the man's mask was put back on. The pair shared their praise with her and she said she'd be right back with the dessert: a chocolate cake with ice cream. While they were alone, Sakura didn't dare ask about the mask and just kept things superficial.

Ten minutes passed and the woman came back with a small chocolate cake in the shape of a heart. On the side were some berries and vanilla ice cream. The woman gave them a smile before she was called back to the kitchen. Sakura sighed, a little relieved that their facade was nearly over. But at the same time, she couldn't deny how comforting it had been to sit with someone and make cute small talk. It made her pine for that kind of relationship where you were happy and safe and wonderfully nervous, except she wanted it to be real. She wanted Kakashi to be someone who looked at her and felt joy, not someone who looked at her and saw someone inferior or childish. Someday, she was sure she'd be able to meet the kind of guy she could be an equal with. Deep down she knew, that someone couldn't be Sasuke, nor could it be Naruto.

Piercing the cake with her fork, a chocolate molten river of fudge emerged and she took a bite. "Mmmm, I can't say no to chocolate." She smiled and picked up the other fork and a raspberry and then some chocolate and held it up for Kakashi to have a taste. "If we get the recipe, I could make this for you when you get back from a long mission." She offered. He took the fork in his hand and lowered his mask down and ate the bite. The pair continued to eat on the free dessert while a few more people wandered into the restaurant. When the last bite arrived, Kakashi fed it to Sakura and she smiled. They wiped their mouths, took a drink of water and the woman came back as Kakakshi's mask went up. "That was so good! Thank you so much." She said and leaned against Kakashi's shoulder. "This was a perfect date night."

[SoleAccord]

The sing-song hum that emanated from Sakura’s throat told Kakashi all he needed to know. The quality of the meal was definitely high, a lot more than what one might have expected from certain joints around the country. As he savored every portion of the meal, his eye had traveled to the corner. Capturing Sakura’s satisfaction as she ate had made things even more pleasant than before, and for the remainder of their dinner he had even managed to forget that they were simply pretending to be so close.

If one were to look from a distance and truly admire the way they were conversing and looking at one another, they would be just as mistaken as the kind woman who was servicing them. Becoming aware of just how gentle he was with Sakura was nearly enough to make him blush. Unconsciously Kakashi continued to joke with her about Lady Tsunade and her parents’ viewing their relationship as unconventional. It had become a story they were crafting from scratch. Sakura believed that Ino would be understanding, which left Kakashi looking to his own close comrades opinions about their love – Gai would obviously approve, never one to judge someone too harshly. The topic continued to shift around other topics until they had finished the rice and curry. Sighing with contentedness, Kakashi lightly brushed at his mouth with a nearby napkin and wiped it away before placing his mask back on instinctively. The woman from before had returned with Sakura wasting no time in asking about dessert, making her vanish as quickly as she had appeared.

After ten minutes of conversation with Sakura, the woman had returned with a small chocolate cake in hand. Kakashi took notice of the shape and with it the accessories at its side. It looked as delicious as the aroma it gave off smelled. “Definitely worth the wait, it looks amazing.” He complimented the woman before she was called off to the kitchen once again.

Sakura was the one who did the honor of taking the first piece. Watching as she took her bite, the tensing in her cheeks had given away her response before she had given it. Not only was he discovering that she was a girl who loved her chocolate, but he was also growing more and more aware of just how cute she was when she smiled. It was an emotion he didn’t think he brought to her enough. Naruto and Sasuke being unable to master tree climbing before she could was probably the last time weight wasn’t in her heart. His last student was full of love and affection. All he could hope for now was that she never lost that part of herself during her pursuit of strength. She saw firsthand, the day Naruto and Sasuke nearly collided their jutsu on the roof of Konoha’s hospital, just what the pursuit of power and the belief of inferiority could do to someone. Thinking about it now, Kakashi was left to wonder if her feelings for Sasuke were the same as before. It was insensitive to ask or pass judgment based on where her heart was, not to mention it wasn’t any business of his. He chose instead to just focus on her lips tugging apart in a genuine smile that raised his spirits even further.

Grabbing another fork to gather up the goods, Kakashi was momentarily stunned by Sakura holding it up to him as she did before. Taking the fork and lowering his mask, he too felt elated about the cake, nearly as much as he did the rice and curry. His expression was much similar to hers when she first sampled the dessert. His face had lit up, with his eyebrows raised in a way that said to any passerby that what he ate had been nothing less than exceptional. From his reaction Sakura had proposed somehow getting the recipe, which prompted him to consider a means of getting it to her before her offer had even taken root in his mind. Sakura taking the time to prepare him something like this when he was off on missions she couldn’t even begin to fathom. The thought of returning home with someone dear to him wishing for his safe return …it was almost enough to make him tear up. Sakura would never know what it was like to come home to no one eagerly awaiting for her to return safe. And he’d keep it that way, even if it cost him his life.

He promised her mother, after all.

After taking equal share of the ice cream, the berries, and the cake itself, the last piece of cake had been left behind on the plate. Kakashi took it in his own fork and held it up to Sakura’s lips, keeping his free hand beneath it just in case it had fallen. Where he had expected a polite rejection, Kakashi was pleased to have Sakura take it from his fork. It was just a passing moment that shouldn’t have meant a thing to him, however he had been very keen on watching her do this. Adopting the role of a false lover had come so naturally to him that he was growing curious as to why Sakura herself didn’t seem stunned by his actions and decisions. Selling this relationship had been cake – pun intended.

Finishing the last of his water beside Sakura, Kakashi had returned his mask to its rightful place just as the woman returned to them. Sakura followed up with an enthusiastic thanks for the delicious cake, then leaned against him to stress just how great a date she had. Kakashi wouldn’t allow her to do it alone this time. There was a short pause before his next action. Taking the arm she had leaned against, he had slowly raised it over Sakura and brought it around her shoulder, allowing his hand to gently come around her collarbone and lean into her more than she had him. It was nearly enough to send the spectating woman into a blushing fit. She had to look away at least twice during the entire set up, likely trying to resist telling them what to do. It wasn’t as if they were puppets for her fantasies – even so, Kakashi felt good helping a woman relive her days of early youth, as well as give Sakura an interesting evening unlike any she had ever had.

“I couldn’t agree more.” Kakashi replied, his eye settled on Sakura’s before meeting the woman’s reddened face. “My girlfriend is a little shy, but she wanted to be able to make the very same cake you gave us. Would it be too much trouble if we could have a copy of the recipe?”

“N-not at all! I’m …I’m honored!” The woman shook with excitement. As much as she tried to endure it, what she felt seeing this couple was making her self-control evaporate. “Two ninja from the Hidden Leaf wanting my recipe? What will my friends say? Or my family!?What about—“she rambled in an excited panic, leaving Kakashi speechless. He had broken her. The possibilities of this story had made her mind scramble in an attempt to find the greatest possible outcome. Kakashi had nearly snapped his fingers to make sure her mind wasn’t entirely lost. Fortunately another man had shown up. He was burly and, despite his career as a chef, based on his smudged apron similar to the woman beside him, looked like he could handle himself in a fight. With a rounded face and an uneasy smile, he tapped the woman on her shoulder and began to laugh nervously.

“Honey …h-honey—“

“Yes, dear?” The woman emerged from her rampant state without a struggle. “I was just chatting with the couple I was talking to you about. Guess what? They want my special cake recipe!” the woman turned back to Sakura and smiled warmly. “This young lady wants to make it for her handsome boyfriend,” she looked back at her husband, “isn’t that something?”

“Oh?” The husband’s eyebrows raised in surprise, attention settling on the young lovers. “You know my wife made that same cake for me when we were dating!”

“I-is that so?” Kakashi asked.

“Yes. You two must have left quite the impression if she’s considering it. It takes a lot for her to ramble.”

“You don’t say?”

“Yup! I remember one time—“

“Actually,” Kakashi interrupted quickly, “I was hoping for one other thing: Information. Have you two happened to see any strange people pass through here in the last couple weeks? Anyone who really stands out?” he didn’t want to reveal too much about their mission.

“Strange? Hmm, we did have someone pretty intimidating pass by a few weeks ago.” Based on Kakashi’s continued interest in the conversation, the husband continued. “He was pretty average in height. Long, sand blonde hair …a headband from …I think it was from the Sand, but it wasn’t clear. There was this long ugly scar over it—“

“That’s the one.” Kakashi replied. Releasing Sakura from his hold, he dug into his pocket and pulled out the money to pay for the meal, complete with a sizable tip. The woman appeared to forget that she had the bill in her hand the entire time, yet upon seeing what Kakashi was doing had set it down beside the money anyway, chuckling with embarrassment. “Thank you for helping us out. We’re on the lookout for a dangerous man, but I’m afraid that’s all I can really tell you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m always glad to help out if it mean’s bad people get put away.”

Kakashi wasn’t sure this foe would just stand around to be arrested, but that wasn’t something he’d bother to get into now. Sakura scooted out and he followed after her, standing up and stretching his arms. The woman had taken a notepad out from her pants pocket and drew a small, hidden pen that was tucked in her right ear. She was scribbling down the recipe that she kept in her memory, and handed the notes to Sakura, offering her words of advice that wouldn’t fit on the notepad itself – mostly related to keeping her materials as authentic as possible. Brand materials may be a little more expensive, but there was a reason for that.

“There was one more that came after that guy, actually.”

Kakashi broke his focus on Sakura receiving her own tips to hear the man out. “Another?”

“Yup. I couldn’t tell for sure, but I think it was a man. He had this magenta cloak around him, y’see. Under the hood though, there was this light, but I could only see it from a certain angle as he passed through.”

“Light?” Kakashi gave it some thought, “Glasses?”

“It’s possible. I’m sorry, I couldn’t get a very good look, and I’m not the type to be too nosy. I just make good food and help keep a good atmosphere around here. I wish I could be of more help.” The man’s cheerful demeanor faltered slightly.

“No, you’ve been more than helpful already. Thank you for this.” If he were to grow more suspicious of the possibilities here, they may never allow these good people to get back to managing a restaurant. As he turned to leave, the woman cleared her throat and took his hand. Taking Sakura’s as well, she had brought the two together. Kakashi’s hand closed around Sakura’s firmly, and he gave her a knowing look. Although their false relationship was nothing more than a means for a cheaper meal – and he reflected on this frequently in his mind – he didn’t find himself so discomforted with having Sakura take that role. A look of contentedness said as much.

“Have a good evening, both of you!” The woman said cheerfully.

“We will, thank you,” Kakashi inclined his head respectfully before he turned one last time and exited the warm, cozy restaurant to meet the cool night air. The little light that was left in the sky offered them a beautiful sight to admire on the way home. Crimson was a beautiful color when it met the approaching night sky.

“You can hold on to me if you’re cold, I won’t mind.” He looked to Sakura, still holding her hand and offering her its warmth and comfort. The façade, while technically concluded, was still a lot of fun for him to enact with her. He hoped she’d be able to laugh about it with him for a very long time.

[Genkai]

By the time their little act had finished, Sakura's nerves were less apparent, much to her delight and surprise.

While Kakashi was furthering the conversation with the kindly woman, Sakura had suddenly looked around, not wanting to forget that they were on the lookout for anything odd or questionable. She wondered if it would be possible to inquire about anything of that nature. Before she could try and intervene, a man came out to rescue his own babbling bubbly wife The conversation continued and soon Kakashi brought up the thing she had been meaning to. In a way, she was relieved since they could refocus themselves but at the same time, it was funny that the couple had thought of the same thing. You know what they say about great minds thinking alike. If Sakura didn't know any better though, she may have considered her and the silver haired male beside her, to be compatible companions.

As Kakashi and the man continued to talk, the woman was already writing down the instructions for the recipe. "Thank you so much." Sakura smiled to her and took it once it had been handed to her. Sakura's green eyes scanned the writing. Though she wasn't just being polite, the cake had been really really good and she decided it could be fun to bake it and bring some to Kakashi sometime. While the whole experience was unusual, she was sure that they could continue to train together and soon laugh about the misunderstanding. Eventually they were finally able to get up and depart back to the Inn. Sakura was tired and looking forward to the rest. She shook the lady's hand and then looked to Kakashi. Even when he had been talking with the husband and trying to obtain information, she had been carefully keeping one ear on them. The description sounded a lot like someone they both knew. Small flashing lights were going off in her own head.

For now, their charade was nearly over.

Sleep was calling their name.

But Kabuto was too, it seemed...

"Good night, thank you again!" She cheerfully bid farewell to the two and headed off with Kakashi, their hands still clasped together. Upon them making their escape into the cool night, Sakura felt her shoulders relax slightly. Of course with the possible tip that Kabuto was probably working with Taro, very little relaxing could be done. Even so, she was sure they needed to act with even more caution but also urgency. Kakashi Sensei then mentioned she could hold onto him if she was cold. It was a bit chilly out and his gesture was nice enough that she saw no reason to decline. "I picked quite the gentleman." The ninja joked a little as they continued back toward where they were staying for the night. Nearing the establishment, the girl pocketed the scrap of paper the woman had given her with the recipe on it and glanced to Kakashi.

In her mind, nothing really needed to be said as they headed up to their room. On the way, she removed herself from his arm as there was no longer a need to rely on his body heat to keep her warm. The door was unlocked, the room was deemed safe and secure so they got ready for bed. Sakura decided not to change for the night though. She sat on the bed and removed her shoes and began to shift through her pack. She took out a clean dress for the next day and also slipped the paper away for safe keeping. Sakura brushed out her hair and felt her eyelids beginning to sink with heaviness. "Do you think Kabuto is behind all of this?" She finally asked, which also meant Orochimaru was also some way involved. Her mind went to Sasuke and how he had left Konoha to seek out the snake Sannin. "Why would he be though...?" He knew more than her on the intricacy of their mission but also the new found risks as well.

It wasn't the most wonderful of topics to end the day on but she had to ask, otherwise sleep would be impossible.

[SoleAccord]

Kakashi’s mind did not stop racing with possibilities even after he got Sakura back to their room. Children going missing with word of a missing-nin from Suna being behind it all. A possible sighting of Kabuto Yakushi in the Land of Fire, not seen since the short period before he took Sasuke for his training. If there was a chance that these two were connected somehow, the copy ninja had to put the pieces together while there was still time to think. The two of them were considerable threats individually—together they would be fearsome. Kakashi could not decide which scenario would end up worse for Sakura and himself. Having placed so much effort into Sakura’s training meant that the time to develop his own skills and abilities was reduced. Still, Sakura was a fast learner and more than capable of surprising him. With what he had managed to teach her thus far, he was going to bet on her in the probable confrontations to come.

His eye settled on her as she took her seat, raising the question of Kabuto and his possible involvement. He pressed his back against the door for a moment, then changed his mind and moved to take a seat in one of the chairs beside the window, addressing her as he did so. “Anything is possible. Orochimaru’s experiments take bodies; it doesn’t always need to be someone exceptional. Still, it makes me wonder just why he would need children if Orochimaru already has…” Kakashi let his voice trail off. Sasuke was likely to be a sore subject for a long time. Eventually he hoped that he could bring him up without fear of her emotions raising. Although concerned, the silver-haired teacher kept his eye trained outdoors to the street below. “With someone like Orochimaru, it’s going to be difficult to ascertain his motives with complete accuracy. The most that can be confirmed now is that Taro is definitely in the Land of Fire, and tied to the missing children for sure. If we have undeniable proof Kabuto is involved, we’ll take that information back to Tsunade and plot our next move from there. That’s really all we can do for now.”

Kakashi looked back towards her now, hoping that the answer was enough to give her something to think about. Reading her body language with care, it wasn’t difficult to tell that the combination of the day’s journey with a delicious meal had taken its toll on her energy reserves. He’d admit that he was getting tired too, having experienced the same exact order of events she did. “Get some rest tonight, you’ve earned every minute of it.” He said, looking to her endearingly.

It was possible that Taro—or worse, Kabuto, if he is truly involved here—had people stationed around the Land of Fire to give early warnings of approaching shinobi passing through town searching for them. Paranoia was a must when dealing with ninja on their level. Kakashi was willing to let Sakura rest easy, allowing him to worry about that. The teacher must look out for his student, after all.

[Genkai]

While he was right in his reasoning to exercise caution and to accept that they may not get the details they needed, Sakura still had a feeling of uneasiness take root inside her. She knew Kakashi was doing his best to keep their mission on track but part of Sakura wished she could just leave and find Kabuto herself and demand answers regarding Orochimaru and Sasuke. Sadly, such an action would be impossible to fully commit to so she decided sleep would be the only logical next step for either of them. "Good night." She gave a long sigh, knowing it was useless and possibly toxic to hypothesize any further and the matter. It was pointless to worry herself or cause her teacher any further headache.

Sakura laid back on the bed and soon sleep overcame the pair.

When morning arrived, Sakura elected to shower while Kakashi went down to deal with the tab of the room. Sakura tried not to think about Sasuke and the various worries which threaded themselves within her mind. When she turned off the faucet, she thought she heard someone in the room. "Kakashi Sensei?" She called out and quickly began to dry herself off in the bathroom. Her gut told her it wasn't him though. But who would it be? Hurrying to dress herself, she opened the bathroom door and saw no one in the room. She knew she heard the floor creak. She stepped out and finished packing up her bag. She grabbed her blue boots and sat on the bed to put them on, her hair still rather damp.

Letting out a groan, she wondered if her paranoia was getting the better of her. From the window, the intruder jumped back into the room and launched an array of shuriken at Sakura's back. She heard them slice through the wind and quickly bent down, the metal devices lodging themselves in the bathroom door in front of her. She jumped up and knew she'd have to fight with just her fists and her jutsu since she hadn't yet armed herself with her tools. Sakura jumped over the bed and aimed a series of punches at the ninja in front of her. He blocked them easily and kicked her back into the bed.

"Gah!" She let out a cry as her attacker lunged for her again. Sakura kicked him off of her and looked back at the bathroom door still ajar and decorated with a handful of shuriken. She scrambled for the sink and quickly turned on the sink's tap just as the enemy nin pulled her back out into the room. Sakura knew she needed some kind of a source to recreate the dragon jutsu and though she didn't have a lot of water, she knew she'd be able to make the most of it. As the enemy nin began unleashing a series of pointed weapons her way, Sakura was quick to dodge them while she went through the hand seals and tried to lure him closer to the water so she didn't have to exert too much chakra to get him.

As the onslaught lessened Sakura saw the guy begin to work on some hand seals of his own. Sakura knew this opening had to be taken advantage of. She finished her hand signs and summoned forth a small but fearsome dragon from the sink's water supply. She sent it toward the man's upper torso. Though the size itself was modest, it was able to knock the enemy back into the wall, leaving him winded with heavy bruising. As much as Sakura wanted to tie him up and interrogate him she heard commotion down below and knew more ninja had to targeted Kakashi as well. While she wasn't really worried about his safety as she knew he was a capable shinobi, Sakura still felt a strong sense to join and protect him all the same.

Running out the door and down the steps, she found a battle in progress, right outside the front door.

With the appearance of Sakura, the other ninja seemed ready to retreat, their initial plan having been oddly thwarted. Sakura had grabbed some of the shuriken on her way out and knew this was her chance to finally secure a means of getting answers. She was sure the man up in their suite was gone so she wanted to ensure one of the enemy ninja had to be left behind. As the group made their getaway, Sakura threw the shuriken at the one lagging behind. Having pinned his leg down to the ground, Sakura gave a triumphant smirk as the others fled, not yet noticing one of their own had been apprehended. Sakura hurried over to the enemy nin and pressed her foot into his back, firmly keeping him in place as he struggled to get up and get away.

Sakura glanced to Kakashi and smiled a little.

"I guess breakfast will have to wait a little longer huh?"