Once Again We Meet Under the Flag of Hate

By: Peyton Jayne Adams

Major Characters: Sasuke&Sakura, Orochimaru

Minor Characters: Kabuto, Itachi, Naruto&Hinata, Tsunade, Kakashi

Warning: Rated M

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters

Sakura had been running for hours, her legs hurt and she was having difficulty breathing. 'Why did Tsunade send me on this mission? There is no way we will find Akatsuki members just by aimlessly running around.'

Sakura decided to stop and rest for a while. She chose a nice big tree to rest under and before she knew it she was asleep.

Orochimaru had called Sasuke down to his throne room because some Konoha Kunoichi had been spotted just inside the border of the Sound.

"Sasuke I want you to take my best squad and go down to where the Kunoichi was last spotted. I have already sent three squads down and none have returned." Orochimaru said. "I want her brought back alive. Understand Sasuke."

"Yes Orochimaru."

Sasuke walked down the hallway towards the recon room.' Who could this Kunoichi be if she could defeat three of the Sound squads by herself?'

Sakura awoke when she felt a strong wall of chakra approaching. She estimated it was three squads of about fifteen or twenty each.

'Could it be the Akatsuki? No that's not possible they don't have anywhere near this many members. Oh God I hope it's not the...'

Suddenly she was surrounded by fifty to sixty ninjas. "Sound"

"Surrender Konoha Kunoichi or die." Said a tall muscular man with many scars on his face.

"Oh please. Me surrender to the likes of you. You must be crazy, do you have any idea with whom you are dealing with."

"Well then if you won't surrender then you will die."

"Well obviously not."

Sakura took her fighting stance as five of the ninjas charged her. Two jumped up to attack from above, while the other three charged her from different sides. Sakura shot chakra into her hands, and knocked out the three on the ground. She then turned her attention to the remaining two in the air. They were coming down, Kunai drawn. Sakura simultaneously threw two Shuriken into the two men, and then turned her attention to the rest.

"Squad 4 GO! Squad 8 be ready to fall in as backup." yelled the muscle man from before.

'I bet he is in charge here. I should target him first.'

Sakura threw a barrage of poison tipped hari at members of squad 4 that had moved to attack her, each one hitting their mark, then jumped up and flipped into the air throwing a second barrage of poisoned hari at the remaining squad from above. She then drew her kunai and poured her chakra into it. Sakura ran full speed at the muscle man, kunais clanging on impact as he blocked her attack. However because of the chakra in her kunai her blade cut through his, and straight into his neck. He screamed out in pain and fell to the ground, quickly bleeding to death. The remaining ninjas stared at Sakura dumbfounded and scared.

"Anyone else for a fight, come on step right up. Take your best shot."

Sasuke was headed towards the boarder of the sound were the Kunoichi had been spotted when he felt a strong and familiar chakra presence. As he cleared the trees he landed in a clearing. It was littered with fallen Sound ninjas; this Kunoichi really did take down three squads by herself.

'Who is this Konoha Kunoichi? I didn't know any Kunoichi this strong back when I was still in the village. And what was that I sensed earlier? Could Itachi really be here? And if he is what does he have to do with this Kunoichi?'

Sasuke didn't have to wait long to get an answer because at that very moment he felt a surge of chakra right in front of him. That's when he saw Sakura and Itachi.

"That was very good Sakura. You have improved greatly since last I saw you."

"Oh! Go sit in a hole somewhere and die already Itachi."

"Now, now let's not get testy."

"What do you want Itachi? I don't have time to sit here and have a nice long heart to heart chat with you."

"I know but I just thought you would want to know that you're in sound territory."

"Oh no duh! I just got attacked by three Sound ninja squads but I'm not anywhere near their territory!"

"Humph"

"Don't humph me Itachi! Oooooo! You really piss me off sometimes you know that."

"Ya ya don't get all bent out of shape. I just wanted you to know that Orochimaru sent Sasuke out here to apprehend you."

Sasuke couldn't believe what was happening. Sakura was yelling at Itachi like he was her younger brother or something, and he was just taking it!

"What! I can't face him right now. I won't be able to handle it."

"You are strong enough to hold your own against him Sakura."

"I know that, but I just can't face him now."

"Are you afraid that you'll break down and start crying at the sight of him?"

"No! Of course not idiot. I'm not that weak little crybaby anymore. I'm not worried that I'll be too upset. I'm worried that I... that I... I might kill him before we can bring him to justice in Konoha."

"You think you can kill Sasuke, you are in love with him."

"Was in love with him. He changed and not for the better. The Sasuke that I knew died years ago, and you killed him you know Itachi."

"Humph"

"Will you stop doing that?"

"Humph"

"Aaahhhhh!"

'What is going on here I think I'm going crazy.'

"Sasuke-sama"

"What"

"Don't you think we should move in and attack?"

"No, you and squad 11 will take the injured back with you to base and report what we have seen."

"Understood."

"Squad 17 you stay here to back me up."

Sasuke sat and listened to Sakura and Itachi until Itachi noticed his presence, or at least pretended to.

"I think I have stayed to long besides you seem to have a visitor Sakura."

"What!"

As Sasuke stepped out of the shadows he saw Sakuras face fall from what was almost a smile to a look of pure hatred.

Itachi disappeared in a puff of smoke and he was left alone with Sakura

"What do you want Sasuke."

"I want you to come with me back to the Sound. You have to pay for what you did here."

"I'm afraid I can't give you what you want Sasuke."

"Then I guess I'll have to take you by force."

"I won't go with you. Not for the world, not for the life of my friends, nothing!"

"Well, I'm afraid you don't have a choice Sakura."

"You always have a choice. That's something you never learned Sasuke."

"But this time your choice has been made for you. You are coming with me."

Suddenly Sasuke was behind her. "No you don't, not this time Sasuke."

Sakura appeared behind Sasuke and kicked his side causing him to fly into a tree, breaking it because of the power Sakura used.

'When did she get that strength?' Sasuke thought to himself as he touched his side to feel the damage it caused. He slightly winced when he finally realized the pain. 'This is going to be interesting.'

As Sasuke got back on his feet Sakura rushed him. Sakura has her fist clenched tightly as it headed for Sasuke's face. As her fist closed in, Sasuke stopped her blow by grabbing her wrist.

"Chidori Nagashi."

Blue lightning emitted from Sasuke's body. As it hit Sakura, she screamed out in pain. Sasuke let go of his opponent as she slump to the ground.

Sakura's rage was growing. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" She stud up and filled her fist with chakra as she ran toward Sasuke without any regrets. There wasn't a tear in her eyes, only anger; but her insides were being torn to pieces.

With the electricity crackling around his body still, Sasuke rushed at Sakura. He couldn't kill her because she was the target. Orochimaru's orders were to bring the Kunoichi back to the base without killing her.

In Sakura's hands were kunais with explosive tags. When Sasuke was in distance, she tossed the kunais. When they were several feet away from Sasuke, the tags exploded.

Not knowing what traps could be ahead, Sasuke stopped and looked around to see if his enemy was around. He didn't sense her chakra anyway nearby, but there was a possibility she had an attack plan. Nothing happed; he let the electricity vanish from his body.

The moment it was gone, Sakura attacked from behind. She punched Sasuke in his abdomen hard, but it didn't make him go very far. When he regained his stance, Sakura was charging again. As her fist was about to make contact with his face, he grabbed her wrist with his left gripping it tighter as she struggled to get free.

"LET GO OF ME, SASUKE!" Sakura raged, pouring chakra into her other hand. She could feel her tears beginning to build up in her eyes. "WHAT DO YOU WANT OF ME?"

Before Sakura could get her answer, Sasuke knock her unconscious.

"You're needed alive."

His calm voice echoed in her ear as she lost control of her body. Sasuke let her wrist free from his grasp, letting Sakura fall into his arms. With his target out cold, Sasuke placed her over his shoulder and jumped on to the tree branch to where the leader of Squad 17 was.

"I've got what we came here for," said Sasuke with a cold voice.

Sasuke left first, disappearing with Sakura over his shoulder in a whirlwind of fire. Knowing how inpatient Sasuke could get the ninja quickly signaled for the squad to follow and they disappeared after him.

Please review this is my first story so I really want to know what you thought.