Betrayal

Chapter 1: Almost a Year Ago

Cover photo: steampunkskulls-DeviantArt

Tsunade's POV

It's been almost three years since I started training my apprentice Sakura Haruno. Four years since Naruto Uzumaki left to train and travel the world with my old friend, Jiraiya. Five since Sasuke Uchiha started working with my other ex-teammate, Orochimaru in a highly surveillanced laboratory. The three of them seem to resemble us, The Legendary Sannin and will somehow manage to surpass us one day.

Tomorrow... sigh ... tomorrow is my gifted student's 18th birthday, but it also marks exactly one year since she was kidnapped by the Akatuski.

Flashback

Sakura's POV

"Someone's following us, Captain," Eli said to me. We were on a mission to spy on one of the newly discovered Akatsuki hideouts.

"I know," I've known since we left our camp the night before. There are two people on our trail, I can sense their chakra, it was undeniably strong.

"What should we do?" Ayako, my other teammate asks.

"Just keep your guard up," I already tried sending two shadow clones in opposite directions from us to try to confuse the enemy, it seems as though they can tell the real form the fake. "I think I have a plan. I suddenly stop and drop down from the trees, so does the others. We all gather in a circle.

"We've been spotted last night, when it was my turn to keep guard, I had a feeling we were being watched because I sensed someone's chakra nearby. It was really subtle, but I did catch it. I'm going to just take a guess and say it's members from the Akatsuki because of how strong their chakra kept getting the closer they got. It looks like they're after us ad they're not letting up no matter how far we get. We have no choice but to face them. I sensed two members, there's four of us. I'm going to have to send one of you back," I say deciding on who to send.

"What, why?" Sucre asks.

"Because we can't underestimate them no matter now strong we might think we are. We need someone to go back to inform Lady Tsunade in case things don't go as planned, in case we don't make it back alive," I explain.

I turned towards our newbie, "Eli, I'm sending you back to Konoha. Inform the Hokage that we had to go into battle with the enemy and will need back up. Make sure to inform her that we will be facing the Akatsuki."

"No! I'm sorry, Captain, but I want to stay! I know we can defeat them if we all work together!" Eli exclaimed. Funny, he reminds me of someone from my childhood.

"Clearly you haven't done your research on this particular group of individuals, Eli. This isn't like anyone we've come into battle with. These people were hand picked for the specific abilities they posses. I could go more into detail, but I would be wasting time we already don't have, the more we stand here talking about why you can't stay instead of coming up with a plan, the closer they'll be getting. I need you to go now,"

"But-"

"Eli!" Ayako interrupted.

"Yes, Captain," with a disappointed look on this face Eli left.

"For the rest of us, I'm thinking two of us should go in the opposite direction around them to ambush them, buuuuht, then again there';s a possibility they can sense our chakra," I'm starting to think this so-called plan of mine will not be successful now that I'm saying it out loud. I pinch the bridge of my nose trying to come up with something, anything.

Inner Sakura: "C'mon! You were trained for this! I can't believe they made YOU Captain of the ANBU Black Ops when you can't even think of a simple plan! They're better off with Shikamaru's lazy ass! Hello? Are you ignoring me?!