Humor Me. I've always enjoyed imagining this scenario. I've always wondered how cool it'd be. Finally I took the time to write it out. An experiment!
All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. -Henry Ellis
Chapter One- Ghost of a Dream
The air hummed past his ears as Naruto jumped from branch to branch with Sasuke on his immediate left, and Kakashi Sensei just ahead of them. His stomach was in tight knots and he was finding it hard to concentrate as they lept forward. None of them could deny that this was it. This was what they had been waiting for for almost 4 years now.
Suddenly, he felt it; The all too familiar chakra pressure clamoring down on his chest like a barrel of water and by all means it certainly felt like he was drowning. His entire body felt odd. Inside of him his stomach was aching and his head was full.
The team reached a clearing in the forest and landed immediately there. With a sharp awareness Naruto assessed the situation.
"Do you feel that?" He asked his team mates and as Sasuke nodded grimly Kakashi mumbled a yes beneath his breath, his whole body buzzing with edginess.
Sasuke tensed. "It's her." His slate eyes scanned the clearance looking for what he could sense was out there, hoping somehow it wouldn't be there. That this was a bad dream he could just wake up from. But then again, when were his bad dream ever not real?
Kakashi, who was out in the front of the group shook his head, reaching into his pouch and pulling out a kunai. "Correction, it's them."
As the words drifted from his mouth, the scene before them set as if on cue. With a blurry, diluted sense of reality team 7 raised their eyes to the breach of the forest just ahead of them. The green of the trees was stark against the harsh black cloaks that fluttered in the slight breeze. 2 cloaks, 2 Akatsuki.
On the left, the figure shifted, pulling the hood off to reveal pale skin, scarlet red eyes and silk black hair. That crushing aura they'd know anywhere; Itachi Uchiha stood towering on a branch ahead and above them. His heavy lidded, almost bored eyes peering at his brother without sympathy, unrelenting.
To the right the wind picked up, and the Akatsuki cloak whirled to the left, unleashing tone, powerful legs, fair and stern against the dark uniform. Higher a tight ribcage was concealed beneath a blood red clan attire, a white circle cut from the torso, revealing a small portion of taut belly. Square shoulders perched a pointed chin, pink lips, and sea green eyes. Pink hair framed a ashen face. Sakura Haruno. Rank: S missing nin. Specialty: Medic. Missing: 4 years. Birth: Konohagakure. Current Location: Unknown. Affiliation: Akatsuki.
In unison the three felt a drop in their carefully constructed confidence. Something very real was happening at the moment. Very real and very hard to take in.
Naruto took a step forward. "Sakura!" He called, unable to help himself. Seeing her face stimulated so many emotions he'd held so tight to. Seeing her now made them all feel so real, whereas before he was beginning to loose faith in his memories, unsure which were the real ones and which were fabricated.
The two Akatsuki flitted down to the ground just in front of them, their presence tripling, causing the three leaf ninja to shift to their toes.
Out of habit Kakashi took the time to observe his surroundings and his former student.
Body language was somewhat easy to read. Itachi was angled slightly towards her, his left shoulder touching her right. A possessive gesture. Feet braced slightly apart, hand perched on her hip, head cocked slightly toward Itachi, Sakura seemed beyond confident, she seemed cocky. This was not his student. The Sakura he taught was quiet if not occasional outrageous, always trumped by her two team mates. She did stand out in certain ways back then. Her brain for instance. She always had the statistics and plans they needed and she had outstanding chakra control. Her excellent genjutsu and medical skills. She was exceptional, just not quite as noticeable as the other two. The famous host of the nine tails, and the survivor of the Uchiha clan massacre.
As he looked at her now, there was no recognition in her eyes. No camaraderie held in the green orbs that scanned over his own. It struck him as he looked at her now that perhaps he hadn't been a good enough teacher to her. He didn't pay attention to her as he should have and as a result she took up the offer the Akatsuki offered. Not because of the power, or to maliciously turn against her friends. To be wanted and maybe even needed on occasion. With her previous team she fully understood that she'd always be the weakest link and she didn't agree with that outcome. She was a free spirit and with them she felt worthless. Caged by her own inability to shine.
And he realized that she was no longer the same person, she was now officially Akatsuki. He couldn't deny it now that she was clearly here and in front of him. He had once tried to believe that it was all strangely wrong. That she wasn't the bad guy, and that he knew once he saw her he'd be able to bring her back to them. Now, he couldn't imagine her as the young girl he knew. Nothing about her was the same. Aside from her nicely aged face, her entire presence gave it away. The only question was, could the boys realize it? Would they give up on the once leaf kunoichi?
Glancing at them now he took a wild guess it was a resounding no. Sasuke looked more tense than usual, perhaps being in the presence of his long lost friend and his brother in the same instance was too overwhelming, and Naruto just looked livid. He looked like he was getting ready to blow any minute and knowing him, he would.
Slowly with deliberate softness, Sakura spoke, pulling Kakashi from his day dreaming and the other two into the stage just before danger zone. He physically saw the two boys trip over the line of angry, to irate. "Hello boys, long time no see."
Naruto bent lower into fighting stance, growling quietly, "Sakura! What are you doing?" He yelled fiercely as Sasuke seemed to agree without saying a word. His dark eyes drifting from his brother to his ex-team mate.
She smiled and her eyes were velvety, setting fire to the playing field. These eyes were something they all recognized. Everyone of them knew that look. The look of a loyal friend and comrade. "Following my instincts."
Sasuke sneered from position, inching closer to her. His legs were on fire just looking at her. She had accomplished something he only dreamed of. Standing so close to his brother. Power. A name for herself. She was living a life that he wanted. Something he wanted desperately. "Why'd you leave Sakura?" His voice remained steady and resigned, despite his raging emotions.
This time, it was Itachi who spoke and his voice commanded attention. Though his tone was dry and monotonous much like his brothers, there was a distinctive power, a threat behind Itachi's voice that begged response. "Because the Akatsuki was in need of an exceptional medic and she qualified." He peered only at Sasuke, never blinking. "Hello Sasuke." He added seemingly as an after thought. Sasuke visibly shook at the sound of his brothers voice.
Naruto hissed. "She didn't have to betray the village. Her friends!" He turned to her and his voice softened somewhat, maybe out of habit. "Have you thought of us?"
She faltered for a moment, her eyes flickering before answering. "Yes." Her voice sounded sincere, but it held no real sentiment.
He grinned sadly, "I've thought of you. Everyday since you left."
Sakura also gave a gentle grin, and for a moment Kakashi saw his old student. Her physicality was the same. Those intense eyes as she spoke, and her body language was also similar, but there was still something different, something dangerous. "I know. I've been watching you." She turned her eyes to Sasuke now. "Both of you. Watching you train and grow."
Itachi seemed displaced from the conversation as she continued. "You are all so very different. I have a question for you." She paused waiting for an answer, and when she received a nod to continue, she did so fleetingly, her eyes loosing distinction as she stared at the ground. "Why do you not hate me?"
Naruto felt a blow in his stomach, like being hit with a sledge hammer. "Because you're my friend."
Though no words were spoken, Sasuke agreed, his eyes taking hers. He felt a stirring in his chest as she looked back at him. Briefly he hoped that she still held feelings for him, for a reason he didn't understand.
She nodded at the two seriously, her pink hair dusting her cheek. "Thank you for caring. Really," and she reached within her cloak, pulling out a scroll. Kakashi tensed. "However the time for friends is over," Her eyes cast down to the ground again. "I am Akatsuki now. I am no longer your ally."
Itachi allowed a faint smirk to tint his lips. "She is correct. We are not here to speak of Sakura, we are here to speak of the nine tails. We are here for the Kyuubi." He looked towards Sakura and as she looked up at him her face softened and her composure regained. Kakashi squinted, but couldn't dwell as he watched Sakura draw her hand to her mouth and break the skin of her thumb quickly, opening the scroll with a whir and spread her fresh blood across it. She didn't speak, but she didn't need to, they all knew what came next.
The team jerked back a ways as the scroll created a poof of smoke, and out of the smoke came a monster. "A Summoning jutsu!" Naruto yelled unnecessarily. Kakashi jerked his head, looking up at the caliber of the creature, not missing the sudden absence of their opponents, who were now back on the branch they originated from, watching the distance.
Kakashi noted how they were standing and the steady gaze Itachi was giving Sakura and he glared suspiciously. Was it possible the two were affectionate of each other? But he didn't have time to dwell as the fight started around him he focus on the summons creature, a giant cat of some sort with savage fangs.
Second chapter is already written but I'm going to wait until I get some feed back to put it up so I can maybe make some changes and some improvements. :) So please read and review!