Lightning Field

"Threw you the obvious and you flew

with it on your back, a name in your recollection,

thrown down among a million same.

Difficult not to feel a little bit disappointed

and passed over

when i've looked right through

to see you naked and oblivious

and you don't see me."

-"3 Libras" A Perfect Circle

---------------------------------------

Chapter 8: 3 Libras

"Wait, Hoshi, do that again?" Sakura's interested voice flitted through the subconscious of the brown-haired young man across from her. They had settled in to play around with their instruments, and maybe write something for once. The equally brown eyed male eyed her uncertainly. "What?" He glanced at his fingers on the frets and tried desperately to remember what he had just played that had garnered the attention of the roseate across from him.

She made a couple of noises to simulate what he had done, and mimicked his finger picking. "I don't know. That thing."

Recognition dawned on him. The series of chords had been something he toyed around with hoping one day to find the words to accompany them, but they had simply become something he played while thinking. Absently, he placed his fingers on the second fret.

"Um, okay. So you pluck your e-strings together, and then gently pluck..." The explanation continued for the next hour, as Sakura attempted to learn the complicated melody.

"Baa-chan?" Tsunade's eyebrow twitched at the long-worn nickname bestowed on her. Her amber eyes rose to regard the blonde young man standing uncertainly in her office. She subconsciously glanced at his toe, digging into the worn maroon runner she had placed from the door to her desk when she had awoken some six years prior. Sighing, Tsunade cradled her head in one hand, elbow meeting her desk in a v.

"You're active." With those two words, a reaction was triggered in Naruto. His demeanor changed from uncertain and curious, like a child, to serious and determined, like the shinobi he was trained to be.

"Any new intel?" His normally bright voice was now accompanied by a steel edge. The effect would have been chilling were the Slug Princess not the one giving him the order to move.

She shook her head slowly. Tsunade had desperately wished Sakura had sent new information with her letter home, but alas, it was simply the same old 'hey, how are ya?'. Communications between Sakura, now stationed in Kyoko, and Konoha hadn't ceased at all in the three months she had been in the city. Keeping up the pretense of writing to her only guardian, her 'aunt', Sakura had written everytime she received a new letter from home. Enclosed in the almost weekly letters, Sakura encoded several details of the city, its' inhabitants, and the place she found work.

If Tsunade had known what Sakura's plan was, she would have promptly shut down the operation and offered it to another ninja. But when Sakura's letter informed her not only of her new occupation as a bartender and sometimes songstress of a bar/club named "That Place," but of her plan to still be Sakura, the ex-nin of Konoha, Tsunade was forced to grin and bear it.

"She is still at 'That Place' and has now found a group of people to perform with. They've garnered quite the following, but she assures me her, ugh, I hesitate to call it this- her band knows she is- was- a ninja, and she may see her former countrymen here and there."

"Oh," Naruto replied, a little too at ease with the situation. The pieces clicked into place.

"You knew she was going to be masquerading as herself?"

"Uh..." The Kyuubi vessel scratched his head in a very good pantomime of his ex-sensei turned teammate. "Well-"

"And you didn't stop her?" The furious woman pounded the desk as she jumped to her feet. A splinter sounded and Naruto felt his head would be next if he divulged the true reason Sakura had chosen her role in Kyoko. He knew he wasn't too bright, but even a deaf, dumb mute would know better than to enlighten Tsunade to the fact that it had been his idea in the first place.

He wisely stayed silent as he waited for Tsunade's anger to ebb and eventually flow away. When she had calmed, she sat once again, making it a point to smooth her robe, as if calming her temultuous temper.

"I guess there's no changing it now." Tsunade suddenly felt at least ten years older. She reached for the small porcelain cup to the right of her, and pulled out a small glass bottle, lined with woven straw to keep the contents at the desired temperature. "Just," she began, raising the now-full saucer to her lips, "Just bring her home."

The unsaid 'to me' quickened Naruto's feet as he made his way through the crowd to Kakashi's apartment.

When the silver-topped man cracked his door, a solemn "We're on," widened his coal orb and elicited a nod.

"Tomorrow, 6am?" Kakashi asked, before closing the door. The question was arbitrary, as he already knew the answer.

Be on time, or be left behind.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"He's WHAT?" The shriek let loose by the blonde woman caused the ponytailed male sharing tea with her to jump.

"Shit, Ino! I think Iwa heard you. Wanna try for Ame next?" Shikamaru grumbled, wiggling an irritated pinky in his ear. The buxom woman across from him heaved her breast as she attempted to gulp the breath that had been stolen from her in her surprise.

"Naruto's leaving?"

Shikamaru fought the urge to roll his eyes. Of course she would be concerned about Naruto. "Yeah, he's going to back Sakura up."

"But... He never said anything," Ino whimpered. Shikamaru's eyes sharpened, then turned sad, unnoticed by the blue-eyed vixen sitting across the table. "Damn him. Hey, Shika?" Her head raised to regard him, and he steeled himself into the picture of serenity. "I'm sorry, but-"

"Yeah, go." He waved her off. As she stood to go, she placed her hand over his as if to apologize for ending their tea so abruptly. Without another word, she turned, and rushed out of the restaurant.

"Just go," he whispered brokenly, staring at her back forlornly.

He should have been used to this kind of treatment. He should have walls around his heart when it came to this girl and her flighty nature. Unfortunately, that was the thing he loved the most about her.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Konoha in the early stages of dawn reminded Kakashi of her hair, all pink and wispy. Even the grass resembled her eyes when she was angry, a deep forest green with smatterings of dew that looked like the angry tears he had seen the night before she had heart ached, thinking of her.

When Naruto had shown up on his doorstep, his heart had skipped. Before the younger male had even said the words, he had known they were going to Kyoko to back Sakura up. Even simply thinking about their mission, he felt giddy and a little nervous.

What would their reception be like? He immediately chastised himself. This was a mission! Their reception would be cold and professional, as it should be.

Kakashi wished he could be okay with that fact, but the cold reality was that the idea of being ignored in favor of an S-class criminal was more than just a little terrifying.

So lost in his thoughts, Kakashi never noticed the blond ball of energy that had bounced to his side until Naruto's large hand gripped his shoulder. "Ready?"

Kakashi nodded, chancing a glance back at the rising sun. "Let's go."

"We're coming, Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled out the gates of Konoha. A few lights popped on, and, in the distance of the city, someone shouted, "Just leave already!"

"Come out here and say that, baka!" Before Naruto could scream another word at the offending (and justified) person, Kakashi had wrapped his hand around his mouth and was dragging him through the forest.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tsunade turned down the covers of her bed, the creme sheets contrasting with the chocolate brown. Leaning across the bed, she lit the candles on her side tables. Almost immediately, the scent of lavender and vanilla invaded her sinuses. Within minutes, she was reclined comfortably against the headboard, a stack of letters in her lap.

Opening the first, she began to read.

'Aunt Katsu-

It has been four days since we've last met, and it already feels like an eternity. I miss everyone already. My first day out, you wouldn't believe it! I ran into a huge white dog. Damned thing wanted to follow me everywhere. After a while, he finally left me alone, but...

Other than that, the trip was pretty uneventful. Thought I heard a couple old hawks cawing, not too far from here. When I find what I'm looking for, I may just check them out; might be a nest.

Well, Aunty, I'm exhausted. Just wanted to let you know I've arrived safely. I'm staying above That Place. I... I miss you already.

Love, your Sakura.'

The code was easy to figure out. Tanzaku, she met Kiba, who had wanted to accompany her. It was obvious she was omitting something. Given their previous relationship, they had sex. Considering the state Kiba had returned in, she had pulled her now-famous disappearing act. Before arriving in Kyoko, Sakura apparently had heard what had sounded like the remnants of Sasuke's old team. She planned to check it out after they completed the mission.

As the letters continued, Tsunade learned of Sakura's plan, her new band, her job at That Place, and even some of the friends she had made. One thing always remained; her signature. 'Love, Your Sakura.'

She heaved a sigh before extinguishing the tiny lights around her. Just like with Jiraiya, she had a terrible feeling.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, I think I got it now," Sakura stated, before putting a cigarette to her lips. It had been a habit she rarely had partaken in at home, but it seemed to ingratiate her with the nightlife of Kyoko. Everyone was doing it, and she had found something beautiful in the tendrils of grey that wove to the ceiling, like little ashy fingers raising toward the sky to find peace. She did have one advantage on everyone else, however, she could heal the scarring in her lungs.

As Hoshi played the song again, the words seemed to come from nowhere, and with them, the thoughts of the shinobi who had stolen her heart.