Hidden in complete darkness, not even a candle to show what was around him, an anbu black ops member retreated inwards, taking refuge inside his mental fortress. There was a mask covering his face, leaving him in greater solitude.

Inside his mind, the anbu listened closely for the voice he searched for. 

You must be here, my lord, speak to me, he pleaded. Surely his lord would hear this call. Of course, the priorities of such a man were above the weakness the anbu posed, but the wisdom his lord carried was something he craved after so many years starved of it. Something mocking amusement slipped into his mind. That failure was over three years ago, now. Had it really been that long since the anbu's first true failure?

'You ask of my presence?" A voice spoke back to him.

Instantly falling to his knees, the anbu bowed his head and knelt before the man. "Lord Hiruzen," he began.

"Fox" Lord Hiruzen's responses were short; choppy. Had the anbu done something wrong again? "You request my aid again, do you?"

He nodded, a grunt accompanying the action. There was no need for anymore words from him.

"I see. Allow me to enlighten you then." Lord Hiruzen picked up a cup of matcha and drank it slowly, savoring the flavour.

************

The sun was incredibly warm today, a pleasant sensation  on the skin. With wide eyes full of hope and determination, Sakura stood just outside Kakashi Sensei's hospital room. Lady Tsunade insisted that the Jonin check himself in and receive a medical examination after such a strenuous mission. The injury inflicted upon Sakura was healed already, having patched herself up as soon as they returned to the village. No sense in having her in the hospital taking up space when she could be of greater use on missions or attending to the wounded within the hospital.

Sakura knocked on the door, hesitating before trying to enter. She wonders what Kakashi Sensei asked her for. Were they to go on another mission already? Who was she kidding, there was so much to be done that downtime could not be afforded. She had to do as much as she could to help the village out.

Stepping inside the room after an appropriate amount of time, Sakura laid eyes on Kakashi, who was busy reading his book. As if she expected anything else. At least there was something consistent in her life. 

"You asked for me, Kakashi Sensei?" her inquiry was light. He looked up from his novel and smiled.

"Oh, Sakura. Great to see you there. Take a seat." 

Sakura pressed her eyebrows together. This was straight forward, even for him. Sitting on the stool beside his bed, the kunoichi placed her hands in her lap and listened carefully.

Kakashi sat up, groaning with the action. "There's a mission you need to complete for Lady Tsunade. Thanks to our efforts in retrieving Gaara, we were able to secure some important information about the Akatsuki's next moves. Lady Tsunade ask that you go along on the mission."

"Will you be coming with me?" it felt like a redundant question to ask, yet Sakura felt compelled to, anyways. 

"Not in this condition. I have found a substitute though. An old friend of mine."

"Will it be your friend and I alone of this mission?" Sakura tried to gather as much information as possible. The more she knew about what was going on, the higher her chances of success were.

Kakashi Sensei seemed to smile under his mask. "Actually, I found two members to join you on team seven."

Sakura was taken aback with this. Three members? Really? Even in the beginning it was only Sasuke and her, yet now there would be three of them? She felt slightly excited over this. Hopefully she won't disappoint them. 

"That's wonderful." she smiled. "When am I to leave for the mission?" getting to the point, the notes she had taken were already ingrained in her brain.

"I believe your team will meet you in the training area in one hour. My substitute will have the details waiting for you. Any questions and Lady Tsunade said to talk to her about them." Sakura thought it strange how straight forward Kakashi was being, but paid little more attention. It was probably just her imagination. 

"Of course." standing up, she brushed off he skirt. "Get better soon, Kakashi sensei." and as quick as she came, Sakura left the hospital and left to go back her provisions. That excitement she felt continued to fester and grow. A real team felt like an unreal expectation. Of course, she always dreamed of having a three man team and becoming good friends with them just as all her peers did, instead of being an awkward add in to any mission. Wonder who her new teammates will be. Someone she already knows? Or maybe some senior ninja? Sakura shook her head. No, if the mission called for senior ninja such as a jonin then she wouldn't have been given the mission in the first place.

As long as she can make friends and allies out of them, then that was all she could ask for.

*************

Sakura arrived at the training field about twenty minutes earlier than requested of her. First impressions are important, after all. And being late would only sour her future teammates thoughts about her.

A man with brown hair, dressed in the typical attire of a ninja from the hidden leaf village, and a metal plate guarding the outside of his face stood in the centre of the field. He looked to be neat and well put together. Sakura examined him quickly. This was who Kakashi sensei is friends with?

Walking closer to him, the kunoichi introduced herself when he faced her.

"Hello, my name is Sakura Haruno. I'm Kakashi's student." she struck out her hand. The man accepted it.

"Call me Yamato, Sakura. The rest of the team should be here soon enough." While her face did not change, she inwardly wanted to laugh. He was even more 'to the point' than Kakashi had been in the hospital. 

They released the handshake and merely stood around till the rest of the members arrived. The first one to arrive was a pale boy with pitch black hair and a strange outfit. He introduced himself as Sai and had a sickening smile on his face. Sakura told herself to be nice. Everyone has their own thing, and this seemed to be Sai's. She tried to be as pleasant as possible. No sense in making enemies out of allies. 

Exactly one minute before the designated meeting time, a slightly raspy voice belonging to a girl Sakura's age shouted from a few meters away. "Hey guys!" she called out. Instantly this girl caught Sakura's attention. Long, blond pigtails, the leaf headband on her forehead, dressed in a orange and black jacket with matching orange shorts, she appeared somewhat familiar. Her kunai pouch sat on her thigh, shinobi sandals were tall- around the middle of her shin- and two extra pouches sat behind her on her belt. Sakura looked at her with a stunned expression. She was sure she saw this girl before. "Name's Nayu. Great to meet you all!" 

Nayu's smile was contagious, large and bright. Worries now gone, Sakura introduced herself. "I'm Sakura, nice to meet you." Looking at Nayu's face, her features were curious. Nayu's eyes were bright blue, but three lines sat on each side of her face, mimicking a cats whiskers. In a moment, Sakura stopped herself from staring. Maybe they were similar to Kankuro's face markings, kind of a part of the uniform both shinobi wore. "Have we met before?" the feeling was unshakable.

In a comedic fashion, Nayu shook her head. "Nope! Can't recall that we have. Now," Nayu turned her attention to the two other members of the team. "I believe you must be our sensei Yamato, and that leaves Mister mysterious to be Sai." Without a response, Nayu assumed herself to be correct. Sai glanced at her but shifted his attention to whatever was happening. Surely it would be more interesting than this.

Sai tried to remember the basics of starting up conversation and the requirements of a social setting. "Aren't you the observational one." he smiled, eyes squinting in delight. The new girl ignored him, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

Sakura already knew she would like this girl. Something told her she would be a lot of fun. Slowly, a smile crept onto her face and it did not bother fading. Finally, a team of her own. What an adventure this would be.

Yamato spoke up. "If we are done with introductions, we should get going. Sunlight will only last so long." Isn't that a way to sour the mood. 

From the tree line, hidden by shadows and branches, a certain Sannin leaned against a tree. This team was certainly something. A curious choice for Tsunade to put together. One anbu, a member of the Root, a girl he had never seen, and Sakura. He chuckled, amused by the situation. Did Tsunade feel bad for her student never having a team of her own? Sure, it was a surprise Hiruzen never made up a four man team for the girl, but to make one so late in her career as a kunoichi felt a touch cruel. 

The Sannin's long white hair blew along with the light breeze. He felt that this would be quite the tale to tell when all was said and done. As the wind swept over him, a bone chilling sensation began to eat away at him. There was a familiar chakra on the wind. It was like his travelling friend he met not long ago. He searched for the chakra but failed to pinpoint its location. He sighed. Perhaps he should go search for it. Without a moments hesitation, Jiraiya leapt away and began his search.

Heading towards the gate, Sakura attached herself to Nayu, who suffered with Sakura's presence but stayed silent for the most part. The men on the team kept to their own. The sooner they got on the road the better off everyone would be. 

"Nayu, you ready to go?" Sakura inquired, noticing the girls distraction. She glanced at Sakura from the corner of her eye. Twisting her vision from the tree line, back to the team, Nayu smiled.

"Course! Let's get going!"