In the Blink of an Eye (Sasusaku)

Teammates

The scent of saltwater hung heavily in the air.

Thick puffs of fog curled about, washing out the greens and greys of the surrounding landscape. The feeling of cool mist tickled Sakura's skin, dampening her clothes. She shifted in the bushes, trying to find a more comfortable spot as she peered out onto the distant seas. Waves of a deep grey washed up against a rocky shore, crashing into boulders in violent bursts. Tazuna's bridge stretched on towards the horizon, the ending obscured by the thick coils of fog, bare to the bone. Wide stone pillars stretched from the ocean surface, reaching deeper than anyone would dare.

"Is everyone ready?" The question was followed by four simultaneous nods. "Okay," their sensei spoke. "They should be here soon. Everyone, get into positions."

The three genin dispersed immediately, crouching down at their respective hiding spots. Their client walked out onto the bridge alone, his shoulders shaking visibly.

Sakura hid to the far right of the bridge, peering out at the inky, black waves in anticipation. On the far left of the bridge hid Sasuke, while Naruto was positioned towards the middle. They all hid in the surrounding trees, watching carefully as Tazuna waited alone at the start of the walkway. Kakashi, on the other hand, decided to hide under the bridge so that he could intervene quickly if necessary.

That morning, all five of them had gathered in Tazuna's living room to discuss their plan in more detail. They drew an outline of the bridge and the surrounding area on a paper napkin, marking the precise spots in which they would each be stationed at. After that, Team Seven went to scout the area of the bridge, marking the exact spots in which they would each be positioned. The idea was that they could each have a vantage point of the bridge and find weak spots in the enemies' formation in order to rescue Tsunami and Inari.

Moments ticked by as Sakura stared out onto the bridge. What's taking them so long? An impatient part of her whispered, her eyes darting about the walkway. She shifted in her position, feeling a shiver run up her spine.

There was an almost menacing feeling in the air, something that made the kunoichi's skin prickle and goosebumps run up her arm. She crouched deeper into the foliage, hidden almost entirely from view. In her right hand, she clutched a newly sharpened kunai, bringing it close to her body in a defensive position. Her jade orbs looked out towards the bridge, squinting to see past the thick, white curtains of mist that hung in the air.

Tazuna stood alone on the bridge, his palms folded together in an effort to conceal their shaking. There was no breeze in the air, just an unnatural stillness that made it seem as if time itself had stopped. Sakura gripped her kunai tighter, surveying the area in an effort to distract herself from her shaking palms. Something's not right, she thought. A tiny shiver crawled up her spine and she grit her teeth, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. Her heart pounded throughout her body, echoing softly in her ears. There's something weird going on.

She clenched her other fist, scanning the area to find the source of her discomfort. Tazuna seems fine, and I don't see anyone else moving from their position. Despite this, the kunoichi knew better than to ignore her instincts. What am I missing?

She ran her eyes across the bridge once more, pausing at Tazuna to make sure he was unharmed, before moving on towards the other side. Why aren't they here yet?

It was then that the kunoichi heard the soft padding of footsteps near her. She whipped out another kunai, quickly pinpointing the direction the sound was coming from. Her muscles tensed in anticipation and she swiftly dropped into a defensive position, her eyes solely trained ahead of her. Who is that?

As the padding of footsteps increased, the bushes ahead of Sakura shook, before a figure burst through them.

Sakura's thoughts froze. Her stomach dropped.