Our Journey (Sasusaku)

Chapter 6: "The Wind Country"

Chapter 6: The Wind Country

It was an awkward day. Both of them didn't talk to each other. They just gave hand signs to each other when they needed to take breaks or to show directions.

"I didn't know that my first night alone with him would be this terrible. I had an intense nightmare last night. I never had that kind of dream before...His left eye was bleeding last night, I wonder if he is okay... I'll check his eyes later once we reach Suna." she looked at him who was rapidly running in front of her.

The trees from the forest became lesser and lesser until they reached the desert. The air became warm and the whole place had been enveloped by silence. They can only hear the whisper of the wind along with the sand.

A group of Sand Ninjas approached them. "Lady Sakura of Konoha we are expecting you today. We are here to escort you to our village." said one of them.

"Thank you!" Sakura smiled at them. She knows most of them because they became her patients after the Fourth Ninja World War.

"Follow us please." the two followed the Sand Ninjas.

The Kazekage Gaara together with his brother Kankuro and some elders in the village were waiting for them at Suna's entrance.

"Welcome Lady Sakura, we are pleased to have you in our town." Gaara said. He took a glimpse of Sasuke who was behind her. "I'm not expecting him to be here. Where is Naruto?" he asked.

"Sasuke had been assigned to assist me on the mission and unfortunately Naruto wasn't able to join us because he is working as a temporary assistant of the Hokage since Shikamaru is on honeymoon vacation and Naruto will have his upcoming exam as a Hokage candidate so he is really busy." Sakura replied.

Gaara smiled at her upon hearing that Naruto is about to become a Hokage. Kankuro approached them and handed a bouquet to Sakura. He whispered to her ears, "I prepared them for you because I know you really want to see her first than my little brother's ugly face."

Sakura giggled, "Thank you!"

Kankuro looked at Gaara and said, " Lord Kazekage I will take our special guest to her..."

Gaara just nods. Sakura followed Kankuro and Sasuke stepped in to follow.

Gaara raised his hand to stop Sasuke. "It's okay Sasuke. My brother owes his life to her. He will do everything to protect Sakura."

Sakura looked at Sasuke and she nodded signaling her to follow the Kazekage's order.

Sasuke was frowning on the idea but he stayed with Gaara and the other Suna ninjas.

Sakura laid the bouquet on a tomb. She kneels silently in front of it. She gently touched the engraved characters on it.

"Chiyo-baasama it's been a while..." Sakura whispered and closed her eyes.

"I always thought that she was just playing possum..." Kakuro said.

Sakura smiled at him, "I know she is happy about the accomplishments that we're having for the Shinobi World."

Kankuro smiled back at him, "You're right."

Sakura stayed there for a few minutes more until two kunoichis arrived and told them that the conference would start in an hour.

The Kazekage along with Suna's medical team and some advisers and landlords were sitting in front of a long table in the meeting room while waiting for Sakura. Sasuke together with the other ninjas and bodyguards were on the upper deck of the room standing by and ensuring the delegates' security.

"Haruno Sakura is here to supervise our medical team to its progress. In the past years, Konoha has proven to have the best medical facilities. That is because of their former Hokage, Lady Tsunade who happened to be the number one Medical Ninja in the world. After the war, they assisted the ninja world in rescuing us. We owe most of our lives to the Hokage and her successor Haruno Sakura. Lady Sakura's ability is unquestionable and today she will assist us and share her knowledge to develop our Medical Industry." Gaara raised his hand to introduce Sakura to everybody. The delegates gave her a round of applause.

Sakura smiled at everybody then she spoke. "I checked the proposal of the Medical Team a while ago and they are indeed impressive."

The Medical Team smiled at her feeling delighted with her approval.

"I want to tell my future Special Medical Team that Child Psychology will be focused on during our training..."

The team fixed their eyes on her and they listened very carefully.

" A lot of children became orphans during the past war we had. Some are still suffering emotional stress even in this time of peace. No one fully recovered the traumas that people suffered during childhood especially those deprived by the death of their loved ones... We had witnessed that. We had witnessed how these people suffered and turned against us just because of the lack of support and understanding..."

Gaara started to remember his childhood. How he suffered and was treated like a monster.

The elders remembered Sasori and Chiyo-baasama's tragedy of losing their loved ones.

Sakura started remembering Naruto and how the village despises him. She recalled Sasuke eating alone away from the class. She remembered herself crying under the tree feeling isolated.

"I will do everything to prevent that from happening again... Children are our hope. They ought to have a bright future"

The whole team agreed with her and gave her a round of applause.

Sasuke was looking below them. His eyes were on Sakura. He can't help but smile and feel proud of her.