The Sakura Legend

Konoha Village

A young woman with long pink hair walked somewhat distractedly through the streets of Konoha. One hand was tucked under her opposite arm, the other thoughtfully stroking her chin, her expression deeply conflicted. This absentminded state ultimately led to disaster. Her foot caught violently on a stone protruding from the side of the path. She stumbled, pitching forward, destined for an epic face-plant. Caught completely off guard, she didn't have time to correct her balance.

It's over! My face is ruined! she thought despairingly, her eyes fixed on the hard stone rushing up to meet her. The stone itself seemed to wear a malicious grin, reveling in its treacherous success.

It was just an ordinary stone. Under normal circumstances, its fate would be to be tossed into a trash can by some cleaning lady, eventually disposed of with the rest of the rubbish. But today, this stone was ecstatic. It was about to mar the beautiful face of a young woman! From now on, every time this girl looked at her reflection and saw the scar, she would remember it. Among the countless, anonymous stones in the world, it would achieve a form of immortality, forever linked to a girl's potential tears. It could be proud.

Come on, come closer! The stone trembled with excitement, watching the girl's face plummet towards it, roaring silently in anticipation... Yet, after waiting a fraction of a second longer, the intimate contact it craved never came. The girl's face stopped, suspended just a single centimeter away – a distance as vast and insurmountable as a heavenly chasm.

Who?! Who ruined this glorious moment?! As the stone tried to identify the interloper, it suddenly felt itself soaring skyward, up towards the clouds... and then plummeting down towards its fated destination – the trash can below.

No! No! NOOOOOO!!! the stone screamed in silent, impotent rage, but no one could hear its cry.

"Sakura."

Sakura looked at the arm clad in a standard-issue Konoha flak jacket sleeve that had arrested her fall just shy of the ground. Turning her head, she saw a man with familiar white hair and lazy, half-closed eyes.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura scrambled upright, flustered but immensely relieved her face was intact. It's not that I'd cry over a scar like some ordinary girl, she thought quickly, but still, who doesn't enjoy looking at beauty? If my face got messed up, how could I properly appreciate beauty every day?

"What are you doing, Sakura? Watch where you're going. You're a Chunin now, remember?" Kakashi said, his visible eye conveying utter exasperation.

"Th-thank you, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura stammered, wiping a bead of nervous sweat from her forehead. "Are you just back from a mission?"

"Ah, yeah. Just heading to report to Lady Fifth now," Kakashi replied.

Okay... Sakura thought quickly. Lady Tsunade said I could choose teammates, and she didn't specify any rank restrictions. Sensei just finished a mission, so he should be available... "Kakashi-sensei, please wait a moment!" she called out as he started to turn away.

"Hm? Is there something else?" Kakashi stopped, looking back at her.

"Actually, yes. Lady Tsunade just assigned me a mission, and she said I could choose my own teammates. I'd like to invite you to join, Sensei," Sakura said, holding out the mission scroll she'd received. Technically, this might be slightly against protocol, she reasoned, but Master Tsunade did say I had free choice. If it were highly classified, the village would have assigned the team directly. Besides, the scroll only details the diplomatic aspect, not the secret investigation part.

Kakashi took the scroll, glanced at it briefly, and handed it back. "Afraid you'll have to find someone else, Sakura. A mission like this doesn't require a Jonin and a Chunin." He could see immediately it was a standard diplomatic outreach, likely meant as a training exercise for Sakura. "A Chunin leading a couple of Genin would be sufficient. Takigakure isn't a major power, and Konoha is short on manpower right now. Assigning a Jonin to this kind of B-rank diplomacy would be a waste of resources."

Sakura blinked, stunned for a moment, then understood. Although Tsunade hadn't explicitly forbidden her from asking a Jonin, the mission description itself clearly didn't warrant Konoha's top-tier combat strength. Right. I still have a lot to learn about judging mission requirements.

"You should probably ask some of your peers," Kakashi suggested, returning the scroll. "It's only classified as B-rank because it involves inter-village diplomacy, not due to inherent danger. It's unlikely any Jonin would accept the assignment."

"I understand, Kakashi-sensei. Thank you," Sakura said sincerely, taking back the scroll and stepping aside.

Hokage Office

"And that covers the situation regarding my last assignment, Lady Fifth," Kakashi reported, standing before Tsunade's desk.

"Mm, understood. There are no immediate tasks for you right now, Kakashi. You're dismissed," Tsunade said, nodding as she reviewed his report.

"Understood," Kakashi acknowledged, but paused as he turned to leave. "Actually, I ran into Sakura just outside."

"Oh? And?" Tsunade looked up, resting her chin on her hand. "Did she invite you to join her mission?"

"As you guessed, Lady Hokage. Yes, she did. I declined, of course," Kakashi stated. "Forgive me for asking, but I don't quite understand why Sakura was assigned a diplomatic mission. Her combat skills are impressive, certainly, but this type of task requires experience, not strength. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to send a more seasoned ninja?"

Kakashi knew the standard protocols. A B-rank diplomatic mission would typically involve either a Chunin leading three Genin, or perhaps a Jonin leading three Genin if establishing initial contact. Sending a young, relatively inexperienced Chunin like Sakura as the lead suggested either the diplomatic cover was thin, or... it was training. Given Taki's minor status and proximity – Konoha patrols near the border meant backup could arrive quickly – the latter seemed more likely. Still seems like an odd choice for her specific skillset.

The experience gap was indeed obvious. Kakashi, just from Tsunade's general demeanor and a glance at the incomplete mission scroll, had pieced together most of the underlying situation. Sakura, perhaps because she was too close to it, hadn't yet grasped the mission's true nuances. Being a ninja involved far more than just fighting; intelligence analysis, espionage, infiltration, reconnaissance, disguise – all were essential skills.

"It was the Third Hokage's suggestion," Tsunade explained, then quickly clarified, "Not this specific mission, but the idea of grooming Sakura for broader responsibilities."

"Ah, I see," Kakashi nodded in understanding. "But is this truly wise right now? Team 7 hasn't undertaken a mission together for some time. That's not beneficial for their teamwork or cohesion."

Tsunade smirked slightly. "That's not my department. You can take that up with the Old Man. Although... perhaps this mission presents an opportunity?" she suggested cryptically, implying Kakashi might consider taking Naruto and Sasuke himself.

Resigned, Kakashi merely rolled his visible eye and turned to leave, muttering under his breath, "Sakura probably won't ask those two to be her teammates anyway..."

He was right. Sakura hadn't even considered asking Naruto; his boisterous personality would completely derail the covert investigation aspect of the mission. Sasuke was a possibility, but for this task, Sakura felt she needed someone with a higher strategic intellect to maximize their chances of success.

Nara Clan Compound

"Ahhhhh~" A lazy yawn escaped the perpetually tired-looking teenager lounging in the courtyard. He rubbed his sleep-filled eyes. "So, what do you want, Sakura? This better be good."

Standing before Shikamaru Nara, Sakura grinned. "Hehe, sorry to disturb your nap. The Fifth Hokage has assigned you a mission."

"Hm?" Shikamaru looked at her, instantly wary. "What mission?"

"You're accompanying me on a diplomatic mission to Takigakure," Sakura stated plainly, deliberately not showing him the mission scroll. The scroll just says B-rank diplomacy, she thought. Knowing Shikamaru and how much he hates troublesome things, he'd definitely find an excuse to refuse if he saw that. Lady Tsunade said I could choose, but she didn't say they had to accept. Better to... persuade him first.