With Sasuke and Naruto gone, for their own reasons, Sakura Haruno was left to pick up the pieces of her own life that had been fragmented, but not shattered, by recent events. Since she no longer had a team to call her own, Sakura pushed toward a career of being a healer. With much persuasion, Lady Tsunade agreed to train Sakura. So Sakura was at the hospital almost every day, learning hot heal as opposed to attack with her chakra. While it brought the kunnoichi great satisfaction, she still felt like she was missing something. Action. Adventure. Courage. As she paced the halls of the hospital, she caught snippets of higher ranked shinobi who had returned from their own harrowing missions and she felt a pang of jealousy.
While Ino had her own team intact and they went on missions, Ino still wanted to learn medical jutsu and sometimes visited the hospital. Aside from Ino, Sakura barely saw anyone she knew and it was becoming a burden. She missed her friends and missed the scenery that could only be found outside the walls of Konoha. So she decided it was time to move forward as a ninja and get back into the fray. If she was going to someday catch up to Naruto and Sasuke, she knew she had to get stronger. Though she couldn't go to Kakashi for help since he was often busy with high ranking missions of his own, considering his Jounin rank.
The only other person who came to mind was Shikamaru Nara, the only one out of their group to become a Chunin. It was a surprise since he was the laziest guy in class. Even so, Sakura wasn't fooled. Shikamaru was a great tactician and his mind was more deadly than any kunai. Still, she had her doubts that the boy would be inclined to help her train. She was sure he'd brush her pleas aside and consider additional training to be troublesome or not worth his time. Still Sakura knew she had to try and ask him, hoping he'd be in a good enough mood to hear her out.
Stepping out of her house, the brightness of the sun was nearly blinding if it weren't for the cherry trees in full bloom. Their pillowy shade provided the girl with enough cover to enjoy the warmth of the sun without feeling smothered by it. The trees still had plenty of buds so she hoping the trees would stay in bloom for a few weeks as opposed to just one or two. With the wind gently rocking the branches, a few blossoms fell around the girl as she headed down the street. It was nearly noon and having pillaged Ino's brain for advice, Sakura had a plan. She always had a plan. She liked being prepared and found nothing wrong with that.
Heading over to the shopping district which had a collection of restaurants, she wandered into a BBQ place that allowed customers to grill their own meat, and purchased a pre-made meal. Sakura then headed back out and went to where Shikamaru was known to train with Asuma. Approaching slowly, Sakura spotted the two talking as it seemed they were about to take a break for lunch. Asuma looked toward the pink haired girl on the outskirts of the clearing, which was surrounded by trees, much like where Kakashi trained Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Asuma gave his student a pat on the shoulder, took out a cigarette and took his leave.
The faint smell of smoke was detected as Sakura walked over to Shikamaru and held out the meal she had brought. "I thought you might be hungry, Shikamaru." She smiled brightly. Ino had told Sakura Shikamaru's favorite meal so Sakura was sure he would accept her offering and at least listen to her. "You must be training pretty hard. Asuma-Sensei looks so proud of you, the whole village is." She commented, thinking back to the mess that was the Chunin Exams and how wonderful it had been to have something positive come out of it all. Glancing around, she inhaled, wondering how best approach the topic of him somehow helping her. "Do you think you'll try for the rank of Jounin at some point?" She asked him.
While Ino had her own team intact and they went on missions, Ino still wanted to learn medical jutsu and sometimes visited the hospital. Aside from Ino, Sakura barely saw anyone she knew and it was becoming a burden. She missed her friends and missed the scenery that could only be found outside the walls of Konoha. So she decided it was time to move forward as a ninja and get back into the fray. If she was going to someday catch up to Naruto and Sasuke, she knew she had to get stronger. Though she couldn't go to Kakashi for help since he was often busy with high ranking missions of his own, considering his Jounin rank.
The only other person who came to mind was Shikamaru Nara, the only one out of their group to become a Chunin. It was a surprise since he was the laziest guy in class. Even so, Sakura wasn't fooled. Shikamaru was a great tactician and his mind was more deadly than any kunai. Still, she had her doubts that the boy would be inclined to help her train. She was sure he'd brush her pleas aside and consider additional training to be troublesome or not worth his time. Still Sakura knew she had to try and ask him, hoping he'd be in a good enough mood to hear her out.
Stepping out of her house, the brightness of the sun was nearly blinding if it weren't for the cherry trees in full bloom. Their pillowy shade provided the girl with enough cover to enjoy the warmth of the sun without feeling smothered by it. The trees still had plenty of buds so she hoping the trees would stay in bloom for a few weeks as opposed to just one or two. With the wind gently rocking the branches, a few blossoms fell around the girl as she headed down the street. It was nearly noon and having pillaged Ino's brain for advice, Sakura had a plan. She always had a plan. She liked being prepared and found nothing wrong with that.
Heading over to the shopping district which had a collection of restaurants, she wandered into a BBQ place that allowed customers to grill their own meat, and purchased a pre-made meal. Sakura then headed back out and went to where Shikamaru was known to train with Asuma. Approaching slowly, Sakura spotted the two talking as it seemed they were about to take a break for lunch. Asuma looked toward the pink haired girl on the outskirts of the clearing, which was surrounded by trees, much like where Kakashi trained Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Asuma gave his student a pat on the shoulder, took out a cigarette and took his leave.
The faint smell of smoke was detected as Sakura walked over to Shikamaru and held out the meal she had brought. "I thought you might be hungry, Shikamaru." She smiled brightly. Ino had told Sakura Shikamaru's favorite meal so Sakura was sure he would accept her offering and at least listen to her. "You must be training pretty hard. Asuma-Sensei looks so proud of you, the whole village is." She commented, thinking back to the mess that was the Chunin Exams and how wonderful it had been to have something positive come out of it all. Glancing around, she inhaled, wondering how best approach the topic of him somehow helping her. "Do you think you'll try for the rank of Jounin at some point?" She asked him.