UZUMAKI SHIPPUDEN!

[8.] The Journey Begins!

I smiled as we filed out the room and watched from a bench. It was very cool to see how much she's changed over the years I remember her crying about not being like me.
***

"I didn't mean to make you cry Sakura..I'm sorry."

"It's not you, it's just what if I'm not strong enough for this?"

"Then you get stronger,"

"I don't know how, I'm not like you." She said making me feel really bad. 'Have I been making her feel like she had to be me'

"You don't have to be like me," I said looking down at the ground. "There's nothing about me that you should want to be. I like you just the way you are Sakura, you can do things I can't. You just haven't really tried," I told her honestly hoping she wouldn't take it harshly.

"You're right, what have I been doing this whole time?" I looked over at Sasuke who was walking toward the training grounds.

"You've been running after Sasuke," I said thinking over what I was doing.

"Thanks for the advice Mito!" Sakura stood up "I'm going to start training more, I have to tell that Ino pig!"

***

We've all grown over the years, and we were each set on completing our goals. 'I still haven't figured out mine, but I'm getting one step closer to finding out.'

The operation was successful and now Kitty Ears was in a stable condition, but he wasn't out of the clear yet. Sakura went with some sand ninja to make a medicine for him while the rest of us stayed behind.

"Hang in there Gaara..we're on our way" I mumbled doing a quick prayer. "Kakashi-sensei The Akatsuki?"

"Hm what about them?" he said as we sat in the hotel room, Naruto had fallen asleep a couple minutes ago.

"They're after Naruto and I because of the nine-tails, but why would they want him," I asked lightly touching the seal on my stomach. I've only ever had three run-ins with the nine-tails, but I could tell the one Naruto had was different from mine.

"We've been trying to figure that out," Kakashi sighed taking out his summoning scroll. "The Akatsuki's goals are somewhat of a mystery, but you don't need to worry." He gently smiled summoning Pakkun, 'I-i wasn't worried exactly.'

"What's up Kakashi," Pakkun nodded before sniffing the air and turning to me. "Mito! Naruto! You kids are back from your training already?"

"Yeah," I smiled scratching behind his ear "I forgot how cute you were Pakkun! I wish we could catch up, but—"

"R-right," he coughed turning back to Kakashi who gave him and the rest of the dogs instructions to find the Akatsuki base. 'Can they really do that!' I thought with wide eyes watching as they went in all different kinds of directions.

"Mito don't be mad at Jiraiya, but he told me about your anxiety and such" Kakashi said staring at me pretty seriously. 'I figured, pervy-sennin is worrying too much,' I frowned. "This mission is very important to you and Naruto, but I want you to be careful."

"I know and I've already spent a lot of time thinking about it, believe me Gaara is all I can think about."

"It's not just about Gaara," Kakashi said gaining my attention "you remember your first run with the Akatsuki members, Kisame Hoshigaki and—"

"Itachi Uchiha." I mumbled finally picking up on what he was trying to say, seeing Itachi might trigger many unwanted thoughts. "Hm..I see what you mean, but I'm more worried about Gaara, running into him is a risk I'll take."

"I thought you'd say that," Kakashi smirked before sending me off to bed. 'Right I need to rest up because tomorrow we're getting Gaara!' The next morning we were all at the border prepared to leave with Temari.

"Temari-san," her sensei called out stopping us from leaving. "You have to stay behind the advisors demand you stay here."

"But Gaara—"

"Those are orders Temari," he said and reluctantly she gave in, but not before giving us some parting words. 'It would have been useful since one of the guys who took Gaara was a sand Shinobi.'

"Well they can't tell me what to do," Chiyo said jumping down right next to us. "I'm coming with you guys I want to see my grandson," she said making me snap my head towards her. 'Her grandson is the one who took Gaara? I guess she's got some loose ends to tie up,' I shrugged and we began running through the forest.

"Naruto, Mito" Sakura said catching up to us "since when have the Akatsuki been targeting you?"

"We're not really sure," Naruto frowned looking down at his feet, it was kind of a touchy subject for him. The thought of a tail-beast inside of him was unsettling especially since we couldn't control the power inside of us. Then Granny Chiyo began explaining how the villages sought out the tailed beasts to use them for warfare, it was a huge eye opener. 'We were supposed to be weapons...why would our parents want to do that to us?' I thought willing myself not to cry, but I can't imagine why they thought it would be a good idea.

"Mito?" Naruto mumbled and I noticed a tear was running down my cheek so I wiped it away before any of the others could see. 'Wait who is that, there's someone watching us from the bushes' I thought looking over, but there was nothing there.

"Guys we're being-"

"Itachi Uchiha," Kakashi said coolly and my attention was redirected in front of me. He didn't look much different from when I last saw him and I felt myself tremble when I remembered how he beat up Sasuke. That day I felt so hopeless, that was the day things took a turn for the worse and he decided to leave. Why didn't I notice back then, why didn't I speak up, why didn't I try harder to make him see the good again!

"Mito, you need to breathe" Naruto said softly and that's when I noticed the oxygen was gone which made me panic. "I'm right here and you are too, it wasn't your fault so don't think that for a second," he lightly snapped glaring at Itachi.

"Kakashi-san," Itachi greeted with a curt nod "it seems you two have grown up."

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Author-Chan: Hiya! I'm sorry about the late upload, I've been wrapping up my school year and online learning has been taking up all my time, but I have a special guest!

Itachi: Hello Readers...um what am I supposed to do? o/-\o

Author-Chan: That was good enough! (≧◡≦) ♡