CHAPTER 1

DEATH

There I was, running. I was running for my life, running for my friends, and running to my ultimate demise. No matter what I tried, I couldn't stop running, couldn't slow my pace, even though I knew I would die when I got to the clearing, I couldn't stop. My friends were in danger, I heard their screams, I saw the blood, and that's why I couldn't stop. I had to get to them to help, even if it coasted me my life. I am a sacrifice, that is my part in this team. I am the medic, I am here to save the others, not myself. That is the life I live as a ninja. I must never turn back, never regret, and never show weakness. If I slowed now, it would show I was scared, it would show regret, and I could not have that. I had to kill myself to save the others and I would do that without turning back, without regret, and with pride. I would die while the others survived.

As I ran I could see every mistake I made when we started this mission. I could tell that it was all my fault that this mission turned into a failure, but even more my fault for causing this fight. If I had never loved him, I would not have attacked. If I could have seen that it was futile, then… no, there was no turning back, there was no regret. I started this fight, yes, but I do not regret it. He is gone and now he's here. I could not afford to be distracted, not now, and not over him. I can only go forward, never backwards. This is now, not then.

I grabbed a kunai out of my weapon pouch as I got closer to the clearing. Then once I was on the edge of the opening. I took one last breath, then leaped into the clearing.

Once I was there, there was nothing more I wanted then to leave, to run away. There was so much blood, and bodies everywhere. I was sick by just the scene. I wanted to cry as I saw my friends laying dead in their own blood. And there, in the middle of it all stood the cause of it all. A lone man… no monster, killed them all. Then at the mans feet laid a bloody blond headed boy. The boy I've tried so hard to protect, to catch up with. He laid there barely alive, as my sansei laid under him, also just alive. I couldn't see my other teammate anywhere. If he was alive or dead, I could not tell, neither cared as I saw my blond friend cough up blood. The man then took out a kunai out of his ominous cloak.

But before I could comprehend what happened he threw the kunai into my right shoulder, piercing the bone and tissue. I dropped to the ground by the mere force of the blow. I quickly sent chakra into my hand and set it over my wound after I removed the kunai. As I finished healing myself, I got onto my knees, panting.

He then slowly turned around to face me. When I saw his face I wanted to kill him. He showed no emotion, not one. It was sickening and sent chills up my spine. I drifted my eyes away from his and settled at staring over his shoulder. I could not risk the chance of being caught in his eyes.

I then slowly got to my feet, and as soon as I was up he threw another kunai at me, but this time I reflected it as I threw my own, colliding with his. I then put chakra into my feet and ran at him. As I got closer I put chakra into my fist and punched the ground, causing it to break apart.

As the crater, that I just created, reached him, he jumped out of the way, leaving my two teammates to fall into the crack. I quickly ran after them and caught them in mid-fall. I then jumped out of the crack and back onto said ground where I quickly did some hand-signs and my hands glowed green, where I then set them upon each of their chests.

The cloaked man stood still in a near by tree, watching my every move. After ten minutes or so, I had healed them enough, where their lives weren't in danger. So I stood up and got into a fighting stance, facing the enemy.

He jumped down from the tree and stared at me. I had only ever met him a few times and none of them were pleasant, especially this one. I hated him with all my heart, with a passion. I couldn't stand him.

He had killed so many people in his life, he killed my friends, he tried to kill my teammates, he has tortured my former love and each has tried to kill one another. He killed his own clan, his own parents, all without mercy. He killed them all in cold blood. And now it was my turn to be killed by the infamous, S-classed missing ninja, Uchiha Itachi.

I glared at him as I looked upon his hidden chin. If looks could kill, he would have been long gone in hell.

"Kanochi, who are you and why did you start this blood bash?" he more demanded than asked of me.

I stayed quiet, refusing to answer as I glared him down, never backing down.

"Answer me kanochi!" he demanded sternly.

But I still refused to answer. I was stubborn and did note cope well with demands.

I felt his glare turn sterner, as I stayed quiet. Then without warning, I was pinned to a tree, my hands pinned above my head in one of his, while his other hand was around my neck and one of his knees in between my thighs. To prevent me from kicking.

"I will not be ignored. Now answer me!" he hissed into my ear, sending chills down my spine.

"Who do you think you are, to be demanding things from me?" I gasped out as he was still holding me around my neck.

He slammed me harder into the tree, "Don't you ever talk to me like that again!" he said dangerously low, the threat clear in his voice, "Now answer me."

I was quiet for a minute then took a big gasp of breath then said, "Let go of me and I'll answer you."

He was hesitant but then let go of my neck, but nothing else, "Now talk."

"…My name is Haruno Sakura. I am a medic-nin from the village hidden in the leaves. The reasons I attacked you is because I hate you with a passion." I answered, venom in my voice.

"Why do you hate me?"

"Because its because of you that Sasuke left and joined Orachimaru!"

"What is my foolish little brother to you?"

At that I lost my voice. I could not, would not answer.

As he saw I wouldn't talk, he raised his hand and striked it across my face, hard. "Talk." he simply said.

"He was my teammate."

"What else?"

I looked away as I said, "I once loved him."

"What were you to him?"

"…a…a nuisance…" I answered, sorrow in my voice.

"Tell me, do you still love him?" he said so dangerously low, it was as if he was daring me to say yes.

"No…he is only a lost friend." I answered confidently.

"Did you find someone else to love, once he abandoned you, cherry blossom."

"No." I said scrolling at the new nickname. "Now let me go!"

"No."

"Why not!"

"Because, you are a skilled medic. We could use your skills."

"There is no way in hell I'm helping you fucken Akatsuki!"

"You have no choice." he said in a monotone voice.

"Like hell I do! I would rather die!" I yelled losing my temper with every second that passed.

"If you die then so does the Kyuubi and copy-nin."

"You leave them out of this!"

"Then you will come with me."

"Never!" I spat in his face.

He slowly raised his hand to his face and wiped the saliva from it. Then all to fast to see, I got thrown through three trees and two boulders then skidded to a stop a few yards away, and Itachi was on top of me just as fast, pinning me once more with a kunai to my neck.

"Do you have a death wish?" he asked, his eyes blazing with death. "Now since you wont come willingly, then I will have to use force."

He then reached into his cloak, moving the kunai from my neck, and withdrew a cloth and put it to my mouth and nose. But I knew what it was so I did not breath in.

When he saw this, he sat me up and hit my back hard. I gritted my teeth to stop from taking it in. he hit me again harder, which forced me to exhale in a gust. He then once again hit me so hard on my upper back that I had to bite my lip drawing blood and a moan to come out muffled. He then hit me hard in the neck, then quickly hit me harder then ever on my upper back, that it left me panting for air with the cloth over my face. I breathed in the intoxication.

"You…basterd…you're going…to pay for…that…" I managed to gasp out as my sight darkened.

Then just before I left it all, I saw him remove his cloak. A smirk was upon his lips, his crimson eyes blazing with victory, and yet he held no emotion on his face, not one. Then it was black.