Anarchy: a society in which there is no rulership or enforced authority.
Iwa.
Yamanaka Ino sat in her room, glaring at her phone.
Iwa. Why in hell did she go to Iwa? That idiot! Does she know anyone there? How will she live? Who will she borrow clothes from?
The irritable blonde girl started pacing, remembering the hurried conversation she'd had with as he explained that Haruno Sakura had checked herself out.
"There's nothing I could do," the head of KonoHos said, "Her vital signs were good and she looked perfectly normal."
Ino had snapped that only her friends would have been able to tell, and he should have called somebody. Sarutobi was getting ready to tell her off when Konohamaru had come skidding around the corner, spilling a bucket of paint as he went. Ino had made her hasty exit then, using the fire escape.
"Ino, could you come down here?" Ino's mom, Yamanaka Mari, called to her daughter from the kitchen.
"Just a second, mom!" she yelled back, pulling on her shoes and straightening her hair.
When she walked into the kitchen, her mom held out an apron. "Honey, I need you to take the next shift in the shop, okay? It's really important that I arrange these petunias by tonight, for a business party."
Her daughter let out a sigh. "Do I have to wear this?" Her mother nodded, still not looking up from her task. Ino pouted, but put on the apron, her mind still wandering to where Sakura was, in Iwa with Uchiha Itachi.
When Sakura had gotten out of the hospital, Itachi had stopped by at her house, so she could pick up her luggage. Then they'd gone to the station, neither speaking, and gotten tickets for the next train to Iwa.
Eight hours later, they stepped out into Iwa common, where the sun had just set beyond the mountains.
"Itachi! Sakura! I thought you guys would never get here, un!" The enthusiastic blonde waved to them from across the street as he shouted. As soon as the light changed, Deidara rushed up to meet them, Kisame following more slowly behind.
The short teenager hugged them each in turn, ignoring the glares from Itachi. "I made sure everything's the way you like it, Itachi. And Sakura, I hope you like Iwa!"
She nodded. Since that conversation with Gaara in the hospital, she hadn't spoken to anyone. Privately, she hoped they'd never make her speak again, in case evil came spilling from her lips once more. She turned to pick up her bags, only to find that Kisame had already lifted them over his shoulders and started to leave.
Itachi raised an eyebrow at her, and she nodded, following Deidara back to their car.
Once Sakura got into the gray car, she opened the window, desperate for space.
As if in response, the city buzzed past, wind brushing her cheeks and whipping through her pink hair. It was nice, to be able to breathe without that searing pain in her lungs. The relatively clean air of Konoha was nothing to this. The soaring mountains they were heading towards seemed to be a natural barrier against pollution, and their surroundings looked lush with health.
"Let's turn on some music, un!"
Deidara flipped on the radio and started singing along until Kisame flicked his ear. "What was that for, un?" He rubbed the afflicted spot. The tall boy grinned. "It's my car, so I get to choose the station." Without looking around, he said, "Is there something you guys want on?"
Sakura blinked her pale lashes slowly, and Itachi nodded. "Jazz, Kisame. It's always on the third station." The blue boy flicked slowly through the dials until they reached one that was suitable.
While the slow beat filled the car, Sakura wondered how Itachi had known. Is he like me? she wondered, Does he know what I need better than I do?
HE'S A CREEP. DON'T TRUST HIM. I DON'T CARE HOW NICE HE'S BEING, HE'S A KILLER! THEY ALL ARE! THOSE STRONG HANDS, CALLUSED KNUCKLES... YOU KNOW THEY'RE AKATSUKI MEMBERS!
Whatever the reason, he wasn't about to kill her. Would I be so mad if he did? she mused, not even noticing as they pulled off the highway and onto a smaller road. It might be a gesture of goodwill, coming from him.
OH, SHUT UP, IDIOT. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU'LL BE TRADING STYLE TIPS WITH DEIDARA, UN.
The house was beautiful. After dinner, which was incidentally very quiet, Sakura slipped off to explore the house. She had to wander to take it all in, to relish the gorgeous colors. The back patio offered a cool breeze and some light, which still spilled from behind the mountains. It was a three story house, built into the cliff side, with a swimming pool and an incredible view. She slowly breathed in and out, seeing the reddish hues and gray undertones that had created such a work of art.
"It was Deidara's idea, you know."
She spun around, and found Itachi standing in the doorway. He gestured towards their surroundings. "The colors, I mean. He's a great artist, when he can get his mind out of the clouds." She smiled slightly at him, and went to sit on the edge of the porch steps.
The Uchiha heir leaned against a wall and looked out over the sprawling suburbs of Iwa. "It's really beautiful," he said, almost agreeing with himself. "I almost wish I could live here forever."
Sakura silently agreed. Itachi reached into a pocket in his jeans and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He lit one. "Want one?" he asked, between drags.
Does it matter anymore?
She nodded, accepting it and waiting for him to light the end. Slightly hesitant, she put it to her lips and sucked in a sharp breath, feeling the smoke enter her lungs. Her first instinct was to choke, but she ignored it, breathing out slowly and letting her mind explore the swirling shapes.
ARE YOU NUTS? SMOKING KILLS, NOT TO MENTION THAT YOU'RE PRACTICALLY BREATHING IN FIRE.
I don't care, Sakura thought briefly and sourly, Not anymore. Her eyes went dark, reflecting the glimmering stars, weeping in their solitude.
Together, they watched the world slowly sinking into shadows as they exhaled smoke into chilly air.
The weeks passed with a comforting monotony. Every morning, Itachi left at six, at which point Sakura would get up and have breakfast. Then she rode the bus into downtown Iwa, where she had a job as a secretary, with one of Itachi's friends, Pein Konan. In the past month, her new friends had slowly coaxed words out of her, and a pleasant conversation wasn't unwelcome.
"So how did you meet him?" Sakura asked one day, after work as they sat drinking in an Iwa suburb. In the past month, her new friends had slowly coaxed words out of her. The bartender slid a beer down the counter and she caught it, taking a slow sip.
The blue haired girl blushed faintly, fiddling with her piercings. "Pein? We, um..." Konan bit her lip ring. "We were in the same orphanage, and um... Jiriaya raised us. We grew up together."
Sakura's eyebrows shot up. "He wasn't the chief of police then," Konan explained, "But he volunteered when he could. Eventually he adopted us. We lived with him until we were fifteen." She took a gulp of her martini. "Then there was a fight. Jiraiya arrested one of Pein's friends, and he got mad, saying that the police were corrupt. The idiot said he was going to move out, since he couldn't stand the way he was bossed around." She sighed, her eyes dark with memories. "Even though Jiraiya was like an uncle to us, I had to follow Pein," she said quietly, eyes on the counter.
Sakura's expression was apologetic. "Sorry I asked," she said, making Konan smile. "No, it's okay."
The pink haired girl took another sip, savoring the burning feeling that made her stomach feel warm. "Is there something between you guys?" she said, slightly tipsy, "Itachi didn't say anything, but, um–"
Konan laughed, her indigo lined eyelids fluttering. "It's okay. People have said it before, so I just kind of ignore it. It always seems so silly to me, since I know him better than almost anyone." She giggled and Sakura got the idea that being drunk wasn't helping her judgment. "I've been on and off with Hidan for a few months. It's too bad he didn't come with us to Iwa; but how did you meet Itachi?"
For a moment, Sakura stilled, surprised at the abrupt change in subject, but even a drunk Konan deserved to know the truth.
She told the older woman nearly everything. "I'd only ever heard about him because I knew his brother. Itachi found me when I was really screwed up, and took me to the hospital. I got this really weird feeling from him," she explained, "Like he knew why I was so hurt."
Konan nodded, taking another sip and sighing. "People get that a lot."
They finished their drinks and took the bus back; Sakura had to remind Konan to get off, since her friend was smashed.
LIGHT LIQUOR MY FOOT, Inner Sakura said. YOU COULD USE THAT STUFF AS BALLAST.
Konan got off the bus and trudged home, barely lucid. The chill rolling in off the ocean wasn't helping, but she managed to climb her stairs without breaking an ankle.
When she opened the door to her apartment, she wasn't surprised to find Pein sitting on the couch; the alcohol in her system didn't leave much room for anything. She unbuttoned her grey coat and hung it behind the door, taking her cerulean hair out of its ponytail.
"Something for you?" she said, getting some ice tea out of the fridge. He was as cool as ever, dressed in a business suit, jacket folded over one arm. She felt slightly messy in her dusty grey skirt and navy t–shirt that fell past her shoulders. She pulled off her blue pumps, placing them neatly by her bedroom door before returning to the living room.
He cleared his throat and she tried to focus on him. "What is it?" she asked again, taking deep chugs of her cold drink. She gave up trying to concentrate and pulled some popcorn out of the fridge. Her vision was as slurred as her speech, and she couldn't figure out why there were three Peins sitting next to her.
After a second, Konan giggled and stretched, not realizing how close she was to Pein. "You're drunk, aren't you." His monotone made argument impossible, so she just nodded, eyes heavily lidded.
He's so funny, she thought sluggishly, smiling up at him. "I like you, Pein," she said, yawning deeply and stretching her legs out across the couch. That she was also stretching across Pein completely slipped her mind, and she settled back on her pillows. "I like that you want to change the world, and that you're really determined, and that you..." she yawned again, "that you look out for your family."
The orange haired man went still, looking at her. She was lazing practically across his lap, and a smile was floating over her blue lips. My paper angel, he thought, with a paper heart to match.
Through the alcohol induced haze, Konan found herself reaching a hand to Pein's face, brushing her thumb over his lip piercings. He reached up to pull her hand away, but suddenly she had her other hand behind his head and was pulling him forwards.
Pein raised his eyebrows and tried to point out that she was dating Hidan when suddenly he could feel her breath on his lips.
"I really like you, Pein," her whispered voice was layered with warmth, and sleep, and the overwhelming sensation that she knew his weak points.
Well, shit, he thought, and pulled into a kiss. His arms settled on her hips, which were suddenly right on top of his, and he felt her unbuckle his belt. For once, Pein felt defeated, but not like he had been beaten. And as he felt Konan's cool nails raising goosebumps over his bare chest, he knew that losing the occasional battle would help him win the war.