Leaving Her Alone

*Chapter 9*

A/N: Phew, ok... *AHEM*

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thank you all very much for your patience (or, you ingeniously disguised impatience, LOL), and for bearing with me and my [painfully] slow updates! :D

Alright, let's get right into it!

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Things were finally getting underway.

The slow, dragging pace the night began with had all but dissolved into a flurry of activity spurred on Naruto "sounding the alarm." And even though he was NOT a fan of ANY strategy in which that loser got a more important role than he did, Sasuke couldn't fight off the adrenaline-fueled excitement that set his heart to racing, nor could he quell the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he hurriedly made his way to his designated post - the belfry of a bell tower located near the center of the village.

Determination burned brightly within his obsidian eyes as he hunkered down and waited. Tch...that loser thinks he can show me up? Well I'll show him... His left hand clenched into a tight fist around the kunai he'd just removed from his holster. I'll make sure I disable as many of these explosives as I can before he even gets to leave that dock...and by the end of all this, EVERYONE will know that I'm bet-

"Sensei, they're starting to head into the village now!"

The sudden intrusion of Naruto's whisper-shouting voice in his ear effectively snatched him out of his declarative thoughts; he quickly readied himself, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head and equipping a second kunai.

Kakashi spoke up in response not even a second later. "How many?"

"I counted fifteen of them!"

"Alright. Sasuke, Sakura...create your clones right now and get them deployed and into position. STAY SHARP. Do NOT lose track of ANY of these guys...and the moment their explosives are planted and abandoned, you know what to do."

"Right!" Sakura responded immediately.

"Got it." Sasuke responded shortly thereafter, quickly summoning five clones and deploying them out.

He exhaled deeply, gripping his kunai even tighter as he set about scouring the area in anxious anticipation, his mind almost willing those Yahagi scumbags to appear before him.

It's go time...and I will NOT be outdone by you, Naruto...

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Sakura allowed her gaze to trail after her three departing clones for a few seconds before she quickly slunk back into the shadow of her rooftop hideout. She tugged at the hood on her head, taking a few deep, steadying breaths in an attempt to get as laser-focused as she possibly could.

"Alright...ok, Sakura, you've got this..." she murmured to herself, brandishing a kunai as she shifted her attention to the grounds around the gates at the village's entrance.

She'd been given a...special mission, of sorts. And while she had no idea if anything would even come of it, she was absolutely determined to see it through to the absolute best of her ability.

- FLASHBACK -

"...You want me to monitor the village entrance...?"

"Yes." Kakashi replied with a quick nod. "I could be wrong, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that we might see some action on that front as well."