Parasites
Sakura awoke somewhat early that morning eager to complete her investigation. The night before the guardsmen escorted her to her temporary apartment where he'd given her Sasori's classified files along with her mission's description file with any other necessary information she may need. She studied the documents until it was imprinted in her head.
And now her own notes she'd taken with her as she walked down the hospitals corridors. Noting that Sasori was scheduled for scan's and medical examinations. Sakura found the guardsmen outside the scanning room expecting her arrival. He'd opened the door with a kind gesture as She walked through.
She took the time to take a clear visual of her surroundings while she walked up to the other nurses in the area. "Oh Sakura-san!" one nurse said her brown locks shook in motion as she'd practically ran up to her. "Were having plenty of trouble with Sasori, it looks like he doesn't seem to want to cooperate during the scans."
"His impatient and he doesn't plan to hold still for at least ten minuets." Said another women pointing towards the shaded glass where Sasori was bickering with another older nurse.
Sakura sighed. "Well lets see if I can do anything." She walked around the glass into where Sasori's scanning took place.
"Your just like granny Chiyo, your all a colony of hags." Sasori stated through clenched teeth. "If you think I'm going to lay there for ten minuets-"
"Sasori." Sakura's voice cut through the air and all went silent as Sasori cocked his head to one side so that he could gaze at her with narrow eyes.
"Yes."
"You want to try to be patient for ten minuets? Its for your own good." Sakura stated tiresomely.
Sasori became instantly provoked. "Brats shouldn't interrupt while grown ups are talking." He noted towards the elderly nurse.
"It's the only way we can check your entire system without a use for a brakeman." Sakura stated while she stepped towards him.
Sasori gave a grunt. "I'm not getting into a civilians scanner."
"Try."
"I have, ten minuets is a waste of my time and yours, your not going to find anything new." Sasori said intensely. Sakura knew he was an impatient man, and when he thought something wasn't worth dealing with, he got bored. Easily it seemed. He was being childish, and weather he knew it or not didn't matter. Sakura was going to get him into that machine one way or another.
Sasori on the other hand was reluctant, grateful perhaps for a second that Sakura was at least a fraction smarter then those other nurses and she could understand. It wasn't necessarily him that refused to get into the machine, it was his feelings as well as his body that was irritated in waiting. And it was ridicules, he'd never had experienced actual human needs and functions in decades, it was completely unnecessary and demeaning to have to be a human. To eat, sleep, piss. All useless.
He needed to become art once more and quickly, before he actually did lose himself.
Sakura gripped him by the elbow leading him to the machine. "Get in now, your already wasting your time and everyone else's by fighting. Ill tie you down if I have to." Sakura said.
"Hn." Sasori stared back at her before laying back on the bed.
"It's alright I'll be here." Sakura pulled up a chair near the machine. She knew she could distract him for the time being so he could get through at least one scan. The elderly nurse ran behind the glass wall before the machine erupted to life. Chakra flowed throughout the mechanism to track down any sources of disturbed chakra flow in his body while the electricity scanned the less deep sources like the skeletal and inners of Sasori's flesh.
"As if I'd need you here." Sasori stated harshly.
"Who pissed in your cereal this morning." Sakura said referring towards his grumpy mood.
"I suspect it's the old witch over there." Sasori noted to the troublesome nurse.
"Well aren't you one for elder abuse." Sakura said rolling her eyes.
Sasori just smirked. "Their one foot in the grave anyways."
"Yea and you went the whole six feet under." Sakura laughed softly. It was a pleasant sound, like the chime of bells in the breeze, simple yet hypnotising.
Sasori had replied with nothing, noting the insignificants of the contradiction Sakura made. He'd never make the mistake of death, never again. He needed to manipulate the system to get his way after all, and to do that he needed Sakura on his side. So he said nothing.
"Hey, don't get all upset I was only kidding." Sakura gazed at Sasori with wide green eyes. He still didn't say anything, and that made her more wiry of what kind of situation it'll have to be if Sasori didn't play nice to her. She shuddered and the thought of his difficulty. She sighed, why did she even bother being nice? He was a rouge ninja working for Akatsuki. Then she remembered what Naruto said: about Pein's final words. And how Naruto was ever able to influence Pein's decisions on the world.
Pein was only trying to do good, to make peace. Without having war. But he took a wrong path for that peace. Sasori was just a man who joined Pein for that purpose to find a peace. Even if he killed and murdered, that's what all ninja's did after all, kill and murder for the sake of what they thought was good. Sasori killed for his art, and he thought it was good. She shouldn't be demeaning him for what he believed in, but nor should she be encouraging it.
If Sakura wanted his cooperation, without her having to use force to gather information, she'd need to get on his peace. On to what his peace was in a healthy manner.
"Sasori…"
"Hn." He gave recognition that he was listening and that was a step up.
"Your so lucky, I found you…" She whispered. Sasori cocked up his head. "Why is that?"
Sakura smiled at his response and continued. "Because I'm going to find out what is wrong with you, your chakra and your unstable body." Sakura said intensely as if finding out the answer will lead her to so much more capabilities.
Sasori took a moment to ponder this, instead he looked back up at the ceiling letting the mechanism continue its scanning. She was being reassuring and it bothered Sasori, was she manipulating him? But it seemed so real like she wanted to help him. But in doing so does she realize she'll be assisting a murderous beast like him? Who only kills for the likes of art. It was absurd her mood towards him. Both reassuring yet still she held an air of authority, considering his state of being.
'Fine.' he thought to himself 'Let her pretend she has everything under control, it'll be fun taking you into my collection.' All he needed to do was sit back and let her find the answers to reopening his chakra flow. He'd already planned out his escape. But he'll play ignorant, she'll just deduce its my knew sense of feeling, the oddness of my behaviour.
Sakura, Sakura, Sakura, your still too young.
--
The scans were done quickly and effectively thanks to Sasori's obedience. Now it was just to finish his physical examination. Sasori began to strip his shirt off for a nurse, under Sakura's supervision. That's when Sakura gazed wide eyed towards Sasori's back. "Sasori, you didn't get any new tattoo's did you."
"What are you talking abo-" Sasori was interrupted by Sakura as her hand began to trace the intricate seal imprinted onto his back. Sasori turned his head trying to see what Sakura was doing with no success.
"I'm going to try something… stand still Sasori."
"What the hell- Ah!" Sasori yelled out in pain as Sakura pumped a small amount of chakra into the seal. Sasori fell to the ground uncontrollably his muscles flung out into seizures. Sakura tried to hold him still before she accidentally pushed herself onto his healing ribs. He yelled out again through clenched teeth. "Fuck!"
Sakura instantly placed some healing chakra inside his system and his movements ceased. Sasori panted harshly as he slowly got to his knees. "Don't touch me." Sasori stated wide eyed with a killing intent. The seal on his back smoked as if it was a flame that was blow away.
"Sasori get up." Sakura demanded though her mind seemed somewhere else as if she had concocted an idea.
Sasori looked at her with narrow eyes not trusting her judgement, but he slowly began to stand up. Sakura walked to the window and punch the large frame, when she noticed Sasori hadn't completely gotten off the ground she gripped his hand and rushed out the window. Sasori was shocked by the turn of events but Sakura was able to lace chakra filled feet on to the side of the building then she leaped, running up the hospital. She ran as high as the building would allow and throw Sasori on the roof.
He got up hesitantly. And with a husky tone and piercing eyes he looked to Sakura. "Why the hell are we up here."
Sakura began walking up to him. "Its another test." She stated simply before grasping him by the neck. She walked to the edge of the building and held him there; Sasori dangled from six floors up. "At this height you can be easily dead unless you used chakra to break your fall."
Sasori immediately thought she was out of her mind, he couldn't use chakra, it was impractical yet the way she looked at him, as if she'd really didn't care weather he lived or died just that her theories could be proven other wise. "Ready?" She began.
"S-Sakura you bitch." He stated through harsh breathes.
"Set?"
Sasori now began to worry, he needed to live, he needed to become an artwork of eternal life.
"Go."
Sasori released a large breath, it seemed to be the only sound he could hear. As he began to lean back into his demise and damnation. 'I'm not going back, I need to live.' He began to repeat in his mind over and over again with such intensity.
'I have to live…'
The air began to rush past him as he saw Sakura looked down on him, the sun's light shun behind her, in such an angelic fashion it could have made any man cry. 'I'm not going to let her kill me again.'
Black markings appeared on his left thumb, as blue outlines rasied from his hand and raced up towards his back. A vibration of chakra pulsed from the marking on his back which then lifted him slightly off the ground breaking his fall at the last minute before he hit the earth.
Sasori panted roughly, the blue chakra depleted back to his left thumb. He didn't take notice of the events that took place; just that he was alive.
Civilians began to gather around him in surprise and awe, he took no notice in their gander only that his ribs hurt twice as much then before.
Sakura dropped from atop of the building and landed softly by Sasori still continuing to face down at him. She'd said nothing, noting full well she wouldn't explain her actions to him until later. He was enraged at her tormenting behaviour just because he could not defend himself, that gave her no right to fling him about like some kind of doll.
Yet he didn't get up until she helped him. "I had a few clones that I made wait down here before I dropped you. I wouldn't have let you died I hope you know." Now Sakura spoke again reassuringly but still placing that strength over him.
But he said nothing, cruel like he could have been but that would just prove to irritated her, to make her want to hurt. He needed her, and he'd do anything just to get out of here. And then what? Where would he go? What would he do?
He tried to get those thoughts from his mind. It didn't matter what he did next.
Then why did he come to Sunagakure in the first place?
He shook his head erasing his contradictions and doubts, to be in a human body was hell, to be in a human mind was hell.
Sasori nearly fell back onto the ground but Sakura lifted him more towards her for support. That last test certainly took its toll on his body. Sakura almost regretted putting him in such a position, but she got the answers she needed no less. It looked like cracking this investigation would soon go quickly and effectively as long as Sasori hadn't lost complete trust in her.
Though he had. He never trusted Haruno Sakura, nor will he ever. But he had no choice but too. That was the only way out.
Quickly Suna ninja's began to surround the two as Sakura made her way inside. "I'm sorry about the damage." she smiled. "I'll be sure to pay for that." She didn't bother explaining her motives to the Sunagakure officers, after all this was Sakura Haruno, her actions were always intended for good. So they let her pass through and Sakura helped Sasori to his simple hospital room. She laid him atop of the bed, as the nurse who she recognized as the one to do the physical examination walked in. "There is no need for a physical today, schedule it for tomorrow. Sasori had a long morning." Sakura winked and the nurse nodded and fled from the room.
Sakura then looked back to Sasori and placed a hand on his abdomen. He flinched instinctively. "Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you this time." Sasori relaxed his tense posture slightly letting her healing hand mend up his ribs.
"So doctor was the prognosis?" Sasori stated curiously.
The corner of her lip curled into a heart felt smile as she spoke with clarity. "I needed to test what kind of sealing jutsu it was. When I placed chakra into your seal, it rejected me, because I was tampering with it, yet when I was healing you it doesn't get active because I wasn't planning on trying to meddle with it, I was just trying to heal you."
Sasori took a moment to indulge this information before she continued. "Next it was all up to see weather you can control it, because obviously I couldn't, so with your life in danger I wanted to know if it would react to save itself."
"You make it sound like it has a mind of it's own." Sasori stated from what she'd spoken of.
Sakura smiled. "Well that's what I theorized. though I had to determine how you got the seal in the first place. When you died you had no such tattoo's on your back. Pein couldn't have been around to place it on you because we had your body watched until we killed him. But that's when I saw this." Sakura lifted his left hand, showing of the new marking that circled his thumb like a ring. "This is what controlled your chakra, this is what created and made that seal react."
"Basically I have two seal's working against each other, one to hold and subdue my chakra and the other to activate and manipulate it." Sasori looked back on to his hand. "So Pein could have controlled anyone member of the Akatsuki as long as we had our rings on, or at least wore it once, as if it imprints itself onto our flesh."
"Exactly, and before Pein died he would have still been connected with every Akatsuki members that's how he gave all of you back your lives." Sakura said releasing his hand. "But for what purpose?"
Sasori shrugged. "Continue his work, avenge him? Humph, as if anyone of us would have, were too proud as individuals I'm certain he would have known that."
"Maybe to change the way you lived… give you a new start in life, without being a ninja. Maybe that's why this living seal is eating away at your chakra reserves." Sakura said, Sasori stared at her wide-eyed.
"Stop naming it as if it were alive… is it actually eating at my chakra though?"
"Maybe… it would explain why I could not sense the seal in the first place. Seal's holding chakra isn't that hard to miss." Sakura stated.
Sasori felt as if his entire world just collapsed, with this seal he could never perform jutsu's let alone becoming eternal. "Sakura, find a way to take the thing off."
Sakura lifted an eyebrow. "To do that I would have to destroy one of the two seals, but this is all theory Sasori."
"It all makes sense." Sasori said intensely.
"I don't know how to destroy it though, I cant even get my chakra near it." Sakura said shaking her head at the idea. "Look I'll talk to the Kazekage, he'll have to decide what to do next, understand? just stay put and don't give the nurses any trouble." Sakura took her hand off of his ribcage noting that his wounds were completely healed.
Sasori stood up immediately infuriated with her, he took his hands and gripped her shoulders. "I need you to fix this now! I cant let this thing eat away my chakra, I need it."
"Calm down! Did you actually believe even if we got your chakra back we'd let you use it? You'll be a prisoner for life, unless you stay how you are: without any chakra, then you could actually live Sasori. Can have a new fucking life one where we don't have to play cat and mouse with you rouge ninja!" Sakura said strongly though she had let Sasori grip still, he was mad, she would let him be until he got through his thick head that things change.
Sasori let his red bangs hang in front of his eyes letting her words sink in, he slowly let go of her shoulders. He knew she was right. Yet he didn't want to believe it. But there was no fighting her. He smiled then, and that made Sakura vary uneasy. "Go to the Kazekage, your wasting time here. Don't make me wait Sakura." Sasori stated looking to her with dagger filled eyes.
Sakura nodded and left immediately the door shut and locked behind her.
It was her fault things turned out this way.
It was her fault that he died.
If he were alive he wouldn't have to deal with this bullshit.
If he were alive, he'd be the perfection of art.
He would be eternity.
"But you have no power."
Sasori's eye widened as he looked around his pale room, for any sign of another person. "Who's here?!"
"Oh I don't think he knows we're just as alive as him."
"Who the fuck are you." Sasori said.
"We are you."
Sasori took a moment to decide weather we was going insane in this body.
"We're here to give you want you want Sasori. Eternity, the earth everything yours."
Sasori smirked. "How would you know what I want."
"We know how much you want to live."
Sasori looked back towards his left hand, the rings markings didn't seem to do anything in particular, that's when the seal on his back began to ache.
"I'm the one your listening to Sasori I'm the one who is of the essence of your killer's intent."
"Hn. What are you."
"I am known as Yami." The ominous voice has stated. "Only your mind can hear and sense me."
"Then this is the other." Sasori said noting towards his hand.
"Akarusa, but he cannot speak to you as I do." When Sasori grew silent Yami felt ignored and became irritated. "Sasori, now that you have a great power such as myself you can release me."
Sasori grunted at that thought. "Your nothing but a useless demon; your going to die, understand."
Yami laughed bitterly. "Then how will you escape. I'm eating away your chakra as we speak. Soon enough I'll be too powerful for you to handle. Especially that medic, you think she could stop me?"
Sasori disregarded Yami by then, and instead he laid back onto his bed.
Waiting for Sakura to return.
--
A/N: Any mistakes will be immediatly fixed if i am noted. Comments and feedback are always welcomed. :)
