Hello! I know I know! Why am I starting another story when I have two that reeeaaaaallly need to be continued? It is because I have hit a rut and have wanted to continue but lost my motivation on the other stories however I hope to finish them…. Eventually ^^; In the meantime I am still on my ItaSaku hook and will be writing this story until I can finish the others Hope you enjoy!

For those reading Scarlet Reflections… That will be rewritten as well in the meantime.

Disclaimer…. I own my own fantasies! Try to take them from me!


"So which one of us are going to go as Sasori?" Kakashi asked over his famous orange book.

"I'll do it. That way you can...," Yamato paused to think of the correct phrase. Keep the team from killing each other came to mind, but he preferred to keep the others from knowing so instead he finished with, "have my back from here."

Kakashi gave an eye crinkle and closed his book with one hand. "Right then." He turned to the red bridge from his spot behind a boulder. "Sakura and Naruto will go behind that log. Sai, I want you next to them in the bush and I'll wait right here and keep and eye on everyone."

"Hey! Why do we have to go down there but you get to stay?! And why does that asshole," he yelled while pointing at Sai, "have to be with us-"

"Shut up, baka,"Sakura whispered hoarsely with a punch to his head. "Don't be too loud!"

"Ow-Sakura...you don't have to hit so hard..." Naruto whined while he nurtured his bump but it fell on deaf ears as she started to creep down to her given spot. Sai began to follow, but Naruto roughly pushed past him instead, almost causing both of them to fall. Kakashi just shook he head with a sigh of his own.

"I wonder if they'll ever get along." Yamato only answered Kakashi with a shrug before heading down to the bridge in his disguise. The wind whipped at Yamato's cloak viciously in waves and continued to rake through the surrounding forest. A jingle from the bell off his hat and the occasional scrape of the wood from the puppet to the wood on the bridge scratched softly.

There in the center of the bridge was a cloaked figure who stared out to the bottom of the crevice. The figure didn't make any moves to acknowledge, Yamato's presence until he was a few feet away; just enough distance to talk while not dropping there guards incase a fight arose.

The white-haired shinobi scanned the landscape with cunning eyes. Each one taking in different elements, searching ever nook in the trees on either side of the bridge. Everything seemed clear and safe. Plan going great...But a trap was meant to feel safe. He swept his gaze horizontally again while looking back at the two figures on the bridge. Hopefully everything would go along as planned...

Just down the way sat the three teens as they watched through the bushes.

"Hey, Sakura-chan...What do you think they're talking about?" Naruto questioned in a low whisper.

"I have no idea," she replied while not taking her eyes from the two men.

"Oh...Hey, Sakura-chan, what was the signal?" he continued.

Sakura sweat dropped at the answer to his question. Now she felt like an idiot. "...I have no idea..."

"Oh..."

Silence blanketed them as three pairs of eyes stared out. Everything was constantly moving; being pushed around by the wind in vicious jerks. Sakura didn't like it. The wind worked well with sound due to Kakashi and Naruto's keen hearing...but made it worse for them as well. If there was any enemy ninja in the area, they had a better chance at moving around as freely as they wanted to without team 7 noticing. Their movement would be concealed from the billowing branches and it would only look like wind.

Unconsciously, she gripped the hilt of her katana that was strapped to her back.

"Hey, Sakura..."

The pink-haired girl sighed irritably and finally tore her gaze from the two men. "What Naruto?"

The blonde only fingered a small stain on his pants before looking up. "Why don't we just go down there all ready? I mean we don't know what the signal is so how do we know if Yamato wants us down there or not?"

"Patience is foreign to you, isn't it dickless?" Sai so generously commented.

Cerulean eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. "Shut up, asshole! Or I'll throw you down that cliff!"

Sai only grinned. "I don't think you can."

"Will you two shut up," Sakura whispered hoarsely while squeezing their shoulders in a warning. "I can't believe Kakashi left me with you two."

"Eh, Sakura-it's his fault!"

"Whenever you're around there always seems to be trouble...You sure you're not the one at fault?" she questioned dryly.

Emerald eyes looked back just in time to see Yamato jump away from the now ruined puppet. Kabuto stood only a few feet away with none other then Orochimaru just behind him.

"That bastard," Naruto gritted out. Sakura looked back at the blonde who seemed to do a 180 in attitude. His cheerful self was now replaced by the angry shinobi.

On the bridge, Yamato kneeled from where he landed. So, he thought, this was a trap meant for Sasori...And we fell for it...

A long tongue flicked around thin lips before a deep chuckle left the Sannin. "Why don't you call the three little rats out to join us?"

Yamato inwardly flinched. So he knew the whole time...With a wave of two fingers, Sakura, Naruto and Sai landed in front of him.

"Give Sasuke back to us," Naruto growled out through clenched teeth.

His answer was another chuckle from Orochimaru before Kabuto grinned and pushed his glasses higher up onto his nose. "We can't simply 'give him back' Naruto-kun...He came to us on his own free will."

"That's right...If you want the information then I guess you have to beat it out of me...Keh, that is, if you can."

Naruto's anger increased tenfold as the Kyuubi chakra began to override his own. Sakura's eyes widened as she stared at Naruto. What is happening?

There was an eerie bubbling that echoed around them with the wind. The chakra seemed to be boiling as the orange surrounded his body and a single tail molded itself. Before anyone could utter a word, Naruto shot off the ground in a blinding, wood crushing speed that shook the bridge before he sent a punch into Orochimaru's unsuspecting body, causing him to be thrown back into the forest before disappearing; leaving everyone in disbelief. Kabuto stared in amazement while Sakura thought back to what Chiyo had said to her.

"When a jinnurichi learns to control it's Bijuu then they gain unimaginable power...""Naruto..."

As if hearing her whisper, he turned his head with cold red eyes to stare at her as if to say, this is me...

Sakura stood up from her crouch and stared warily between Kabuto and Naruto. Not sure who she should be more worried about. What had changed Naruto over the two years?

Kakashi stood behind the scenes. So far, it seemed as if he hadn't been notice so it would be best to keep the surprise on their side for a while longer. After all they may be able to reverse the trap...Then again, maybe not. If Naruto continued to grow tails then he would most likely have to interfere-blowing his cover and the teams advantage. But until then, he would do everything he could from right there...He just hoped that Yamato would be able to use the First Hokage's technique when it was needed.

Back on the bridge, Sakura's gaze turned back to the re-arrival of Orochimaru. At first she thought she had saw his face wince from pain, but as soon as it appeared, it vanished...Could Naruto actually injure him that bad in one hit... Maybe they would get the information yet.

Kakashi narrowed his crimson eye as he stared through the leaves. He could feel the shockwaves of the nine-tail's chakra that stung through the wind. It was getting stronger, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before he started to sprout more tails...Damn it.And like he predicted, two more tails slowly bubbled to wave in vicious jerks with the one before. He pulled his gaze away from Naruto to see Yamato watching the blonde. What was he doing? Couldn't he see that he needed to get Naruto under control before it was too late?

Again he spoke too soon as the Kyuubi's chakra increased in a wave...But Kabuto was already making his move. A lone crimson eye watched as Kabuto summoned blue chakra to his hand before charging at the blonde, but he froze in his steps as soon as Naruto's attention switched to him. With a crushing pressure of chakra and a blinding light, the bridge crumbled into the crevice while sending Kabuto hurtling towards a blinded Sakura.

Everything seemed to slow down as Kabuto hit Sakura, sending her over the edge of what was left of the bridge.

"Sai-Get Sakura!" Yamato ordered over the wind as he tried to keep the bridge up. Sai said nothing as he lept onto his painting of a bird and flew after Orochimaru and Naruto. The kunoichi let out a scream, while she tried with all she had to use her chakra to grab the rocky cliff, but she was too far. "Sakura!"

Her name was swept away by the wind as she hurtled towards the bottom of the crevice. There was a sudden hit to her ribs that pulled her to a solid form. Looking up, she sighed in relief as Kakashi held her around her waist while holding onto the rocks. "Thanks Kakashi...Out of all the times that you chose not to be late I'm glad it was this one."

Kakashi gave her a grin under his mask. "Hey, I'm not that bad..."

Sakura huffed and crossed her arms, unintentionally pushing up her breasts. "Yeah you are." Kakashi chose not to say anything seeing as she had a point.

Together, they climbed back up to the top to meet up with Yamato and a distant Kabuto. "Kakashi, Sakura. You're not hurt, are you?"

"Better if we knew what is going on with Naruto and Sai," Sakura said bitterly as she stared at the damage of the bridge.

"I have a clone over there now and so far they are fighting...It seems even, but there are some bad news," Yamato said gravely.

"My guess is that Naruto has gained an extra tail..."Kakashi said in an equal tone.

Yamato answered in a nod earning a questioning look from Sakura. "What does the fourth tail do?"

The two men looked to each other before Kakashi sighed. "Sakura you have to understand that Naruto isn't himself. As soon as the fourth tail appears he looses control. He can't even tell friend from enemy..." He turned to Yamato. "We're going to have to stop him before another tail appears."

"Hai. I know exactly where they are-"

"I'm coming too."

Kakashi turned back to Sakura. "Not this time. I don't want-"

"Kakashi," she said in a firm voice and flaring emerald eyes. "I'm not weak anymore. What do I have to do to prove it? Don't answer," she said when Kakashi started to say something. "I'm going with you and that's final."

"..."

"..."

Sigh. "Alright but just remember that Naruto won't be able to tell you from Orochimaru."

Sakura gave a firm nod but not even a moment later did a sickening cry echo around them and a blur speed past them into the nearby cliff. Dust rolled in waves before it was swept away by the wind to show Naruto covered in a murky blood red chakra that covered his body, making him look like a miniature version of the kyuubi.

All shinobi stared wide eyed at Naruto who swiped a blade away with a jagged claw. Kabuto had now joined the others but no one seemed to pay him any mind as they watched Naruto growl out in a voice not his own; a cry that burned their ears before Naruto snarled at Orochimaru's direction. It was only moments later that Orochimaru's presence joined the others from the other side of the red bridge.

Yamato elbowed Kakashi gently to show him that they were in a bad position. It didn't take a genius to know that they were now the ones that were out of control. On one side was Kabuto, though he didn't seem to be planning anything against them, and on the other was Orochimaru. Of course Naruto was just as big of a threat at this point and Sai was nowhere to be seen.

...Damn their luck.

"Well, I'd say we are all at a disappointing stage now aren't we?" Orochimaru's sly voice was easily heard over the wind and chakra. "It seems as though all our plans have unraveled...what a shame. Kukukuu, but I think that we still have the upper hand."

"Why don't you do the world a favor and crawl under a rock and die!" Sakura yelled with a snarl on her lips.

Orochimaru chuckled while Kabuto grinned at her fierceness. "Now, now, Sakura-chan. No need for disrespect-"

"Screw off! No one was talking to you!"

His grin was wiped off and replaced with disbelief. Since when did she turn into a hot-tempered kunoichi?

"Well, girl, in a way...I am doing the world a favor," informed Orochimaru in a matter-of-fact tone.

"And what way is that," Kakashi asked.

The snake sannin cocked his head to the side, "Why should I tell you, hmm? So you can interfere? Kukuukuu. Don't you think you've done enough of that?"

"We could just take care of them now. That way they're out of the way for our future plans," Kabuto suggested while pushing his glasses up higher.

"No one is talking to you!" Sakura so kindly reminded.

Another growl escaped Naruto as he stood from his crater and stared at everyone, his eyes lingering on the group of shinobi near him. Kabuto took a step back incase he needed to avoid an attack. Kakashi and Yamato looked to each other, both knowing that they had to get Naruto under control before Orochimaru decided to attack as well. Razor fangs flashed towards them and four tails whipped wildly as Naruto crouched into a pouncing position. Kakashi knew that if they suffered an attack then it was over. An immortal snake was one thing...a normal shinobi would be like hot fire burning a leaf.

A burning chakra shook the ground as Naruto charged after Kakashi, Yamato and Sakura just as Orochimaru charged at them from behind. Sakura tore her gaze at the two charging shinobi, not sure what to do. She desperately wanted to run to Naruto, but Kakashi and Yamato were already focused on him...But Naruto need her-not Kakashi...right?

Turn around! Turn around, dammit!

Sakura spun just in time to catch Orochimaru raising a blade while he charged at Kakashi and Yamato's back. Pulling her own blade out, she met him in air, locking there blades in a spark worthy lock.

"Sakura!" Yamato called out over his shoulder.

"Help Naruto! I got this slimy bastard," she said as her lips curled into a snarl. Orochimaru grinned with yellow eyes as he leaned forward, knowing that she wouldn't step away from him when their blades where biting at each other. His breath fanned over Sakura's face as she narrowed her eyes, trying to think of a way to keep him focused on her...and to cut off his annoying tongue.

"Kukuuku, child, I don't think you know what you're getting into." His purple tongue pushed through thin lips to caress her cheek. Sakura turned her head away before summoning chakra to her hand.

"Don't underestimate me!" and with that she sent a fist into his unsuspecting jaw, sending him back into a tree; splintering it and having it collapse across the crumbled part of the bridge. As soon as wood hit wood, the bridge slowly gave way till there wasn't enough to hold the tree, making it fall into the river at the bottom of the ravine. Kabuto stared in shock at her strength and back to Orochimaru who clambered to his feet.

"Sssooo. Tsunade has become your mentor..." Orochimaru scanned the clearing, obviously in thought. By building up and releasing her chakra with precise timing, Sakura could easily decimate any obstacle and turn it to rubble. An opponent struck by her full strength could suffer from anything ranging from instant death, broken bones, ruptured organs, or any other wound associated with intense blunt force trauma, depending on how much chakra Sakura puts into the kick or punch. Who knew that this girl had potential? Why hadn't he known about it? Kabuto has never fail in getting information. Perhaps a late bloomer...

His thoughts where pushed back as Sakura charged at him again. He dodged her attack. Left, right, down, right, spin, right, back flip...jump. Finally she stopped and glared at his wide grin. Why couldn't she hit him?!

He grew up with Tsunade, genius! Use something else!

Sakura smirked and held her sword out to her side. She would show everyone, not just Orochimaru and Kabuto, but Kakashi and Yamato how much she had improved. With a glance over her shoulder, she saw Kabuto charging at Kakashi and Yamato who were using a technique to help Naruto. She had to make this quick.

She pushed chakra to her feet and charged after Kabuto. Orochimaru followed after her. If this didn't work, she was in trouble. Kabuto slid to a stop and turned at Sakura so now both Orochimaru and Kabuto where around her and charging. With practiced agility, she back flipped a few feet away and swept her sword horizontally in front of her while pushing chakra through the blade. Kabuto jumped back but was still slow and stumbled before catching himself, but Orochimaru just charged at her again.

Damn this wasn't her plan. Before she could do anything, he kicked her in the stomach, sending her back into the hard ground. Automatically she felt three ribs crush from the blow. "Sakura! Hold on!" Kakashi yelled out. The kyuubi was fighting the jutsu with everything he had to the point that a fifth tail was struggling to get out. With the fighting happening too close, Yamato was unable to focus completely.

Sakura didn't even have time to get up before a barrage of kunais hurtled towards her. She rolled away, but was stabbed in her shoulder and ankle. Kabuto didn't show any mercy as he kicked her down again as soon as she got to her feet. Again he sent another kick to her, but she poofed in a cloud. Substitute!

A few feet away, Sakura appeared and punched the ground, making Kabuto trip slightly before jumping away. Orochimaru appeared behind her, but she ran her forefinger along the blade of her sword-from hilt to tip- making it glow with a sharp pink chakra and holding the hilt with two hands. Just as he went to stab her, she disappeared before appearing behind him with her blade to her right side.

Orochimaru froze as a sudden force seemed to take hold of him. But the pressure immediately washed away and replaced by a painful gash across his torso. It wasn't deep, but enough for him to know that he had been underestimating the girl from what he had last seen of her... She really had improved. Kabuto didn't waste anytime in attacking her again. They were sent rolling into a hand to hand combat with occasional use of a chakra scalpel. Sakura received a cut across her upper left arm, earning Kabuto a round house kick to the jaw followed by a chakraless punch to the nose... Let's see how he likes that!

"Yamato! What's happening?" Kakashi questioned.

"My clone..." he said while trying to focus on his technique and his clone at the same time. "Sai is talking to Orochimaru's clone..."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. This didn't make any sense. He shook his head. First thing was first. They had to help Naruto or they were all in trouble. What Sai was doing would have to wait. Sakura could fight against both of the Sound Shinobi... "Cut off your clone, we need to get Naruto under control!" Yamato looked back at Kakashi's firm face and nodded.

Sakura gasped as her back hit a tree and the bark dug into her back. A punch was sent to her head but she ducked, blocked but missed the next one sent to her ribs. She bent forward and choked out blood as she held her sides. She had no idea that if you broke the white-haired man's glasses that he would be this pissed!

"Sakura-chan...Why did you have to do that?"

"...I didn't know you were going to throw a tantrum," she stated bitterly.

Kabuto narrowed his eyes and pulled her head up by the back of her hair. Blood coated her teeth as she glared heatedly at him.

"Well, I have to say that you've grown into a fine kunoichi...Not even Tsunade had been able to hit me like that." He looked her up and down, sending a chill down Sakura's painful spine. "And you've trained your body to heal broken bones automatically. What a fine kunoichi indeed."

Sakura tried to punch him, but he grabbed her wrist and pushed her harder into the tree with his own body. "Back the fuck off!"

He only grinned and pushed himself harder against her. Orochimaru finally made his way to the duo. "Kabuto...I have to agree with her. You've never become this serious after a punch."

"...Hai." He didn't move-didn't tear his gaze away from Sakura.

Sakura held back a shiver from the cold gleam in the Medic's eyes and in the corner of her eyes she saw Orochimaru lean a shoulder against a nearby tree with his arms crossed in amusement. "What do you think you're doing? If you're going to fight me then get me away from this tree."

"..."

Sakura furrowed her brows. What where they going to do?

Kabuto smiled mockingly. A smile that told more then what Sakura wanted to know. She started to struggle, now becoming panicked. She knew that Kakashi and Yamato had just finished Naruto but She could now see Orochimaru's clone and Sai had just joined them...They had enough problems on their hands now and wouldn't be able to help her. Again she struggled, but she couldn't summon chakra to her left arm and her ankle was fractured. Same with her ribs which was better then when they where broken, but let's face it. All those attacks took a lot of chakra and the healing wasn't any less. Safe to say that she was getting in it deep.

"Let go, Kabuto!" She ordered while trying to knee him, but he simply pushed his own knee in between her legs to keep her from doing it again. He still had a hold of her hair and pulled it back farther, exposing her neck to the cold wind and his warm breath. "What do you think about me having my own apprentice?"

Orochimaru's grin only widened. "You mean to put a seal on the child?"

"Well, I wasn't planning on that, but obviously you where."

"Go screw yourself! I would never go along with it!" She exclaimed.

"Not even for Sasuke?" Orochimaru questioned.

Sakura sobered slightly and looked as close as she could towards the Sannin. "...After what he did and what you are-Never."

"Well I think it's a good thing that we aren't asking..."

Sakura began to panic. Any other time she would call out for Naruto or Kakashi, but both where busy being unconscious and fighting Orochimaru...Damn it!

"Last chance! Let go!" Kabuto only chuckled as Orochimaru made his way to the kunoichi. He knew that she wasn't just some vessel. In a war, one of the best things to have was a smart and beautiful kunoichi for seduction missions against the enemy, a high level medic to save more lives so they could fight some again, and someone who could be molded to last until the new generation on Shinobi Nations...Who knew that the package was under his nose years ago. Of course she would be useless as a vessel, but that's why he had Sasuke.

Just as Orochimaru reached them, he bent his head to the crook of her neck while Kabuto watched happily and held her still. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. It will hurt a lot, but I promise that I'll make it all go away."

The sharp tips of two fangs touched her skin tauntingly and a new layer of fear pulsed through her skin...Suddenly a shadowy figure stood only a couple feet away...making Orochimaru freeze at the sound of the deep velvet voice.

"She obviously doesn't want to go with you."

Slowly, Orochimaru backed away to face the new arrival while Kabuto twisted Sakura to act like a shield. Emerald eyes widened at the sight of onyx hair, and crimson eyes with a waving cloak proudly possessing red clouds.

"Itachi..." Orochimaru addressed with a frown. "I didn't expect you to invite yourself along."

"Hn."

"Still so much to say and so little time...It's a shame."

"..."

"..."

"I've been his partner long enough to know that he doesn't like to repeat himself," said a deep, gruff voice from behind Kabuto. The said shinobi turned his head slightly behind him to see Samahada pointed at the back of his neck and a tall blue mist-nin towering over him with a toothy grin.

Orochimaru glanced between the two Akatsuki before he grinned. Sakura watched nervously. How did she end up in the middle of all this?!

Not soon enough did Kakashi and Yamato arrive while taking their own place around the Sound-nin. "A party was issued and we didn't even know," Kisame said while looking at everyone at the clearing.

"Couldn't say we came prepared...Didn't even bring any food," he replied in a flat tone. Kakashi risked a glance at Itachi who met his gaze before looking back at Orochimaru.

"We aren't here for anything except Orochimaru," stated Itachi after reading Kakashi's suspicious red eye.

"Then we can call this a truce for the time being?" Kakashi clarified.

"Hai."

Orochimaru's grin slid into a frown. This wasn't going good for him. "Kabuto...Let the child go. We have plans to start."

The medic released Sakura's pink locks, but she angrily threw a punch into his jaw, causing him to stumble back before steadying himself with a hand on the tree.

"Damn, she's a little Hellcat," Kisame commented.

Orochimaru gave one last grin before disappearing in a poof. Shortly after, with a new bloody lip, Kabuto flashed Sakura a smirk and a wink before disappearing in a poof of smoke after Orochimaru.

With the two Akatsuki left between Sakura and Kakashi, neither of Team Kakashi knew what to do nor what to think. It was Itachi that had spoken first, turning to see the two shinobi.

"It seems we will not fight together again after all, HAtake." Crimson regarded the said man calmly before turning to the kunoichi who he had seen only days prior. He wasn't aware of her skills however she seemed to have gained Orochimaru's attention and he knew enough about the Sannin to not take that likely. "Did he mark you?"

The question caught her off guard. In fact it seemed to catch all of the shinobi off guard. Sakura blinked, staring straight to the crimson orbs unflinchingly. "No. Thanks to you he didn't get a chance."

Sharringan met jade before glancing her over, making note of tone legs, soft pale skin and lush corral hair. She was exotic but had the rough edges of a kunoichi. "Good," he said more to himself then to her. He turned his back with Kisame following, slightly confused. "I look forward to seeing you around kunoichi."

And he was gone…


One and a half years later

Sakura had learned a lot from her mentor. Not only to be the best Medic-nin since herself but also to be strong and independent. But if there was one thing that she had learned-intentional or not- it was to understand a language; a language built in silence. Becoming her Sensei's successor had developed her senses in a way that few understood nor had the knack of. She blamed part of it on her previous teacher, Kakashi and his sharp senses. The corral haired apprentice was once again picking up on the tell-tell signs of communication now as she watched Lady Tsunade rub her temples and squint her eyes. The throbbing in her temples was not apparent so Sakura knew well enough to realize it wasn't Sake that had her mentor in a frustrated state. Amber honey eyes dropped to the scroll in the corner of the room that lay partially open that she had no doubt thrown angrily before Sakura had arrived moments after. Shifting her weight tentatively Sakura risked a glance in the same direction and returned back to her stressed Hokage.

She wondered if this had something to do with her team's return from finding what was left of the battle between Sasuke and Itachi-the last of the Uchiha blood. Sakura had managed to trace a faint chakra trail that showed Itachi and another shinobi had left but Itachi's chakra was so weak she had no reason to believe he would survive. The downpour of the rain did not help in the least either as it seemed to wash away Sasuke's stronger chakra away as well. Nevertheless her team felt a weight of relief ease over them knowing that their ex-teammate was still alive after such a horrible battle. But there had been a slight unease to the entire scenario that settled in her stomach. Being a Medic-nin had made her sensitive to chakra more so then she was aware and as she stood next to Kakashi who scanned the area of destruction, she saw-felt- him bristle at the change of Sasuke's chakra. It was… darker like the depths of a cavern that surrounded and suffocated you in every way; blinding you, deafening your senses till the darkness filled your lungs.

That was not their Sasuke… Whoever had fought was something… sinister.

Was this what years in the depths of Orochimaru's grasps did to a person?

"I had someone look through everything in the tower and Sai went undercover in ROOT as a double agent in regards to this strange story of the Uchihas… " Tsunade finally spoke as she sighed.

Sakura furrowed her brows momentarily drinking in her words. It was…odd how everyone expected Sasuke to return after defeating his brother but after a few weeks he hadn't been seen in any surrounding countries. After Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto debriefed Tsunade about the full story of what happened to Uchiha Itachi and how he murdered the clan for power, she had found holes in the tale. A hole that Kakashi had always wondered and now that Sasuke had yet to return-Sakura and Naruto suspected something amiss as well.

But what?

"Sai found that scroll," she pointed heatedly at the corner of the room with venom in her voice, "In Danzo's restricted secret office. To keep things short, it says that 'Uchiha Itachi, as spy, was not to be granted pardon for any reason if his mission was a success…"

Sakura blinked. "You mean from a past mission before the… attack on his clan?" she tried to word correctly.

Tsunade shook her head. "No. It was signed and dated after he had fled the village the night of the massacre. Seems a little bit strange don't you think?"

She drank in her words. Itachi on a mission after he killed his entire family? What? How would that be possible?

"Sadly, that was the only piece of anything regarding the massacre or Itachi in ROOT. Kakashi had assumed that if something was amiss and Danzo was responsible then he would keep a souvenir… apparently this was the closest thing to one and it sure as hell doesn't go along with the story of the older Uchiha killing his family for power." Tsunade leaned back in her chair and regarded her apprentice approvingly. Jiraiya was out training Naruto out of the village for the next month and Kakashi had pressing matters with an informant in a village in Iwa so Sakura was the only member there to hear what the material was. It did not matter due to the fact that this was about to turn into a mission briefing.

"Are you saying that you believe he never killed his family for power?"

"I'm saying that it doesn't make sense to massacre your clan and then be assigned a spy mission that same night. Regardless of the mission he had, there is no excuse to suddenly go mad and kill those you love. I never met the young man but there is enough records and people like Kakashi who had worked around him enough to realize he was clever and pushed to be stronger by his father. The point is," she grounded out tiredly, "is that there is something wrong with this whole picture and as a member of Team Kakashi, you have a right to know. As for why you are here," she pulled another scroll from her desk and tossed it to her. "You mission is to go to Tea Country and do some scout work."

At this Sakura furrowed her brows. "A Scout mission? Shishou, is this because Naruto and Kakashi aren't with me because you know I can handle a better mission-"

"Sakura," Tsunade interrupted in a low tone. "I wouldn't assign my apprentice any rookie level assignment." There was humor and amusement shining in her honey eyes as she regarded Sakura with a smirk forming. "Don't underestimate the mission before you hear the details."

Sakura returned a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

"Nah," Tsunade waved off and leaned over her desk in a very un-hokage like manner. Sakura was like a daughter to her. "It is something though that is very delicate and no one would be able to have as much finesse as you. There have been rumors of Team Hebi in a village in Tea Country. Sasuke is said to have been spotted with them. You job is to see if these rumors are true. We will need to see how to go about the Uchiha especially with Akatsuki making moves and adjustments. Besides I trust you the most seeing as you have handled many missions in Tea Country this year."

Tsunade sat up a little and laced her fingers together and studied Sakura with steady eyes. "But…I cannot express the severity of this, Sakura. If you find him then Do. Not. Engage. Keep your distance. No matter what feelings you have-"

"Shishou," Sakura interrupted with her brows furrowed. "I told you I don't feel like that anymore. He is better off dead if he tried to kill Naruto."

Tsunade nodded after a moment passed. "Like I said, don't engage no matter what. He is a threat and a bombshell as far as I know. If you do find Team Hebi then just study, try to find where they are going and report back here. It is likely they could have moved on but we cannot make assumptions." She picked up some stack of papers and shuffled them together. "I will give you two weeks to complete this."

"Hai."


In a forest near a small village in Tea country, a flash flickered through the trees. This flash jumped from tree limb to tree limb with only the whisper of her heeled shoes tapping the branches. A white cat-like mask stood out of the darkness with simple pink lines outlining the eyes and whiskers. The dying circle of the sun gave the kunoichi an eerie glow and with the speed that she moved.

Finally the figure came to a stop at the edge of the forest. With the glow giving off the silhouette of the figure, you could tell that it was a young woman. Jade green eyes looked out through the leaves to see the said village lights not too far in the distance. Looking behind her for the umpteenth time that day she pulled down her mask and tied it to her belt so the cloak hid the mask and her Konoha headband that hung around her neck. With a quick set of hand signals, she activated a genjutsu. The glow of her green chakra that had surrounded her dispersed and her form was covered in the young night's shadows as her pink hair had turned to a new long brown that hung to the middle of her back.

Pulling her hood closer over her head to cover up her new identity, she summoned chakra to her feet and darted towards the village. It was only twenty minutes later that she reached her destination. The village was small; average for missing-nin locations. Nothing special. It was more of a stop for desperate travelers or shinobi in need of shelter. On such a cold night, the bars would be packed and hotel rooms booked. Most of the slime-ball shinobi would be out looking for a score.

With this in mind, the cloaked woman hugged her cloak tighter and made her way towards the inn, all the while ignoring the drunken cheers and a brawl in the bar not more than fifteen feet away. She walked into the lobby of the hotel and took a mental note that there was a group of three Sand-nin at a couch, drinking. Hmm…What are Sand Shinobi doing here? They must be passing through.

Not bothering to take her hood off for fear of her Konoha band showing, she went to the desk where a grubby short man sat with his nose in a magazine. She wrinkled her nose at his stench and waited a moment for him to acknowledge her.

"Sorry but there are no rooms tonight. Try the other inn on the other side of town," he said in a hoarse voice without looking up from his reading.

"For your sake, you better hope there is a room, old man," she said in a demanding, but almost lyrical voice.

Immediately the man fell over his chair in surprise, effectively spilling his coffee all over his magazine. The woman rolled her eyes. "Oh…it's you," he said with an apologetic voice as he sat up. "O-Of course we have your room." He dug in his desk frantically until he found the key. Handing it to her, he noticed that he had the wrong key. Oh Crap! Quickly he took the key from her reach and laughed nervously, which sounded more like a cough. "Uh…I forgot it in my office…I'll be right back." And he was out of there.

She held back a frustrated sigh and rubbed her temples. All she wanted was a room to rest. She had been to Tea Country many times as this brown haired kunoichi alias with her story as a dangerous missing-nin. Since she had passed the Anbu exams 10 months earlier, she had to make another identity for small missions like this when she was alone without her team.

Taking a glance around the room out of boredom she noted the changes in design to the all too familiar Inn.

Same ugly frosty pink walls…same leather couches…same coffee table…sigh. Nothing new…big surprise. Rolling her eyes again, she noticed the sand-nins in a deep conversation.

Hhm…What is the gossip now? She shifted slightly and summoned chakra to her ears to hear.

"They said Akatsuki is starting to find new members. A few new faces have been seen with the group," started a young man with spiky black hair that had blue tips.

"I heard that they were fakes. They go around wearing cloaks as a disguise just trying to get a rile out of villages." This was an equally young man who had a bandana style forehead protector that covered up his bald scalp.

Mulling over the words, she highly doubted that any shinobi was stupid enough to pretend they were Akatsuki. Even Naruto would know that it was dumb. You would only paint a target on your back by ALL villages AND Akatsuki. But Akatsuki would probably get their hands on you first and make an example of you to all other missing-nin to not toy with them or their image

A cold shiver racked her spine at the thought.

"Here you…are…miss," panted the manager who had finally got the key.

She turned her attention back to the man and took the key, and placed a handful of money on the table. She turned down a hall, ignoring the good night that the short man called to her.

So…Akatsuki are watching shinobi to fill in the ranks? Perhaps Sasuke is being hunted down by them for killing Itachi…

At this she scoffed and rolled her eyes. Like that would stop him from coming home. As far as she was aware, he hadn't returned to Konoha and therefore he had no wish to be with her or Naruto or Kakashi.

He was a stray that needed to be put down.

She came to a stop at her door and slowly opened the door a crack. She did a quick check over on the door to see if there were any traps. Once satisfied, she opened the door and walked in. With a soft click, the door locked and she turned the lights on. She then proceeded to check the room. She put a trap by the window and door while hiding a kunai in the bath room and behind the head board.

Once secured, she sighed and pulled out a small book from her kunai pouch and marked the end of the day on the calender. She had searched for four days already through Tea Country and there had yet to be any sign of Team Hebi. She had to admit she expected something but there had yet to be a single trace of them in the area to hint they were around. But she had a week and a half to find them still and she was sure she just needed to widen her search.

Running a hand through her locks, she shook her thoughts away. Tsunade did say they may have moved on but she still wanted to find something.

At least you have an important mission that Naruto would die to get.

A small smile pulled at her lips and she unclipped her cloak and mask before walking to the bathroom to wash her face. The day's sweat and dirt clung to her skin from her travel. She had ran all day, had a small confrontation with some thug missing-nin (that she handled happily) and had no sign of Team Hebi. Well the whole day didn't go to waste as she thought over her small battle with the three shinobi that tried to rob her. They hadn't been much of a threat but she enjoyed putting them in their place.

Six hours ago

"Hey babe… you look lonely. You could use some company tonight," the leader said smugly.

"I'll pass," she had said and started to walk around the men that invaded her path. Jade eyes didn't miss the shock that passed over their faces.

A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her upper arm before pulling her against him roughly. She narrowed her eyes as she gave him a cold glare. "Let go," she ordered calmly but a sharp edge was in her tone.

"It wasn't a request, girl," he growled, ignoring her own order.

Before he could breathe out another word, she gripped his hand and twisted with a small amount of chakra, effectively snapping the bone clean through. A cry pierced the air and he backed away, holding his arm limp by his side as he cursed at Sakura. The other two stepped back as well and stared at her warily.

"Anyone else want my company?" she asked coldly.

None moved.

She turned to continue down her path, feeling slightly proud of her skill. She had come a long way since she was that little love struck girl—

A whistling drew her attention as she spun suddenly and deflected the kunai before sending three senbon into the flesh of the three men. All three cried out but pulled the needles from their arm, leg and shoulder.

"Fucking bitch!" yelled one of the shinobi and started to charge at the smirking kunoichi before falling limply to the ground. The remaining to watched in horror as they two went numb and fell to the forest floor.

"Poison," she explained as she stepped towards them. "I gave you only a small dose. It will leave you immobile for a few hours. You will live though…." She kneeled before them and pulled a strand of her hair out of her face. "Next time, don't pick a fight you will lose."

Sakura smirked. Anbu…. She had kept it a secret from Naruto, knowing he would be upset she took the test before he could even take the Jounin exams. She had surpassed both teammates now-well in rank-but in skill she would like to think she was their equal. But Sasuke was another matter. He wasn't a Konoha Shinobi not to mention he tried to kill Naruto….twice. He was lower than anything she could expect to come across….

His equal? She scoffed. Even if she was a genin she was better than him. Skill didn't make up for how you treated those that loved you.

Sakura rinsed her face with cold water before grabbing the edge of her shirt to wipe away the water. Looking at the mirror to her reflection she couldn't help to note her rings under her eyes. She didn't like going on missions without another teammate to just ease the tension in travelling. It always helped to have an extra pair of eyes to watch your back not to mention having company.

Sakura turned and walked to her temporary bedroom while grabbing her weapon pouch and sitting on the ground next to the night stand. She was sure that the floor was much cleaner then the bed which she swore to herself had flees, and bodily fluids she had no desire to be near. With careful hands, she set her kunais, senbons, and shuriken neatly in front of her crisscross legs before pulling a water stone out to begin sharpening. The senbons were the only ones now needing to be sharpened considering as it would take the beeswax off the tips. She had specially blended a poison that attacked her enemies' nervous system with one hit. If the enemy was to take two senbons with the lethal tip then it was likely to cause permanent damage such as paralysis. The coating over the poison was cleverly done with beeswax just thin enough that as soon as it pierced warm flesh, it would almost melt away for the poison to seep into the nerves. It was a proud moment for her shishou when Sakura explained her findings.

As she sharpened her blades, she was drawn from her thoughts as a loud group of jeers and crude language passed by her room. She flipped the kunai in her palm instinctively and narrowed her eyes, feeling for the five chakra signatures in the hall. They had stopped momentarily in front of her door, paused, then continued towards the stairs.

Letting her breath out she didn't know she was holding she became aware of just how many chakra signatures were in the building. That only meant one thing… Many enemy shinobi were around her, under her and above her. If they knew a Konoha Shinobi was here then she could be in trouble but she wasn't worried too much. She had been here in this town many times. No use to grow paranoid now.

But she couldn't help but feel the prickle on the back of her neck as instinct told her that the night would hold more then she was prepared for.


Alright I will leave this off here. The next chapters will be a little longer. This was just to get it started. Hope you like Please review. I hope to update soon!