Just This Once

Rogue

Sakura's whole world is turning. She felt lightheaded as she walked out of the Hokage building, her hands covering her eyes. No. She can't handle this now. Everyone assumes she can't do anything just because she's pregnant. She has a bad reputation for being a crybaby all her life. She can't let them label her as one as well. She worked so damn hard to be who she is now. Sakura is determined to prove herself once more. She then went straight home.

Near the village gates, a group of rogue ninjas seeking revenge from the legendary trio is hiding in the woods, planning an attack and possibly destroying the village with the knowledge that the trio is out of their reach. They have been envious, planted anger, and blamed all their failures on the three. In their minds, they were just as good as them and are good ninjas as well but these three received more high praise than them. Uchiha Sasuke. Oh, how they hate the man. Just the very thought of him breathing the same air as them makes them want to gag. A rogue ninja who returned to his village welcomed him with open arms unlike them that will be executed the moment they stepped into their villages.

"Status report." Goro, the leader of the rouge said.

"We have been notified that the Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Haruno have arrived back, sir."

Shocked, Goro dropped the scroll that he was holding. "How is that possible?"

"It seems that they have read through our plan, sir."

Goro was a ninja staff in the Hokage's office. He studied and learned how to manipulate and fool the Hokage into giving false information to let the three go out of the village and destroy their homes. Now that, that plan has failed, time for plan B. 

"Those smart-asses think they can outsmart me. No. This is a do-or-die now. We will leave this village with their heads."

Sasuke stayed in the Hokage's office with Naruto. Hinata left to follow Sakura to their home hoping to keep her company and comfort her in her upset state. Kakashi and Tsunade felt the need to explain the circumstances and to find the solution and who could be behind this. 

"Sasuke, I think I know who is behind this." 

"Please do tell, Rokudaime."

"We think it's one of the staff that handles the missions here. A messenger that goes thru and from the villages." Tsunade joined in.

"A few days ago, there was a glitch in the new system and since it's new, we didn't notice anything different but upon investigation, it was seen that some of the files in the locked room have gone missing. More importantly, the file of her recent missions."

"Sakura's?"

"Yes."

"When she was hospitalized, she announced that she was pregnant, and filed a maternity leave in her 3rd trimester to focus on her health and the baby. That file was stolen the other day and we only knew about it yesterday."

"Who was in charge of the operations that day?"

"That's the thing. No records were found of who entered the room"

"Seems like security here is lax, Kakashi" Tsunade said

"My apologies, Godaime, but I'm not done."

"What is it?"

"The infiltrator left his name badge or he must've dropped it. Rookie mistake."

"cut to the chase, Kakashi. What's his name." Sasuke said impatient as he is itching to teach the man a lesson.

"Goro Sawada. And he's near the village planning to destroy it. His motives, unknown"

With that, they heard a huge explosion on the west side of the village.