Author's note: Thanks to everyone for the reviews! Much appreciated. Here is chapter 1 for your pleasure! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Shattered Fate
Chapter 1
Sakura walked the long stone corridor, her feet making no footfalls. She moved with a silent, alluring grace completely unaware of the fact that she drew the male eye no matter where she went. For her the silence meant she could creep up on her unsuspecting victim, her blade to their throat already dead before they could even draw the breath to call for help.
The corridor led into an antechamber where Pain generally held assembly. This time, however, only a few members were present. Karin, of course, leaning up against a stone pillar, one leg drawn up so that one could almost see the underwear she wore, or lack thereof being the case.
Also present was Nagato and Konan, Pain closest associates. Nagato, with his strange eyes and lank black hair concealed most of his face. The black swirling cloak hid his form from sight. Next to him, always, was Konan. Her pale purple hair was pulled back into a loose bun with a white paper rose attached to it. Dark amber eyes watched her with deep suspicion. She too, wore the black cloak, but it was loose and revealed the mesh top, sleek black pants and knee high boots.
Sakura ignored all three of them, her gaze focused on the man who sat on the stone throne. His fingers were laced together, his pose indolent. She knew of course, that this was all a mask. He was far deadlier than he appeared. Sakura stopped a few feet shy of where he sat, her arms crossed under her breasts, her pose deliberately defiant.
"You called." She told him, her tone ice-cold. "How dare you show disrespect to your master! Kneel before him, girl!" called out Konan, her tone full of outrage hostility.
"Konan." Said Pain softly, but it was enough to halt Konan in her tracks. Sakura ignored her. "Leave us, all of you." Nagato looked at him, surprise written on his normally bland face. "Pein….is that wise?" asked Nagato, using his title, instead of his name.
"Nagato, I appreciate your concern, but it is not necessary. Leave us." He replied to his friend mildly, but the threat was there. Nagato nodded to Konan, who glared at Sakura as they left the room, Karin following in her wake. The red-haired woman was smirking.
"I trust you've read over the scroll I sent to you." Pein told her, his voice still mild. "Yes….what there was of it." She replied, her tone bored and condescending. "You do not approve?" he asked.
Sakura met his amber eyes, the same shade as Konan, but did not back down. "The Uchiha heir?" she shrugged her shoulders, "It will be difficult. Very difficult." "I was under the impression that you enjoyed a challenge, perhaps I was wrong and this is too…difficult for you. You were prefer something easier?" his tone held a silky menace that made Sakura shudder inwardly.
"I didn't say that." She replied, her voice emotionless. "I merely said difficult. It will require time." Pein nodded his head, his fingers still laced together. "How much time?"
This time Sakura hesitated. The Uchiha were among the elite shinobi and did not tolerate strangers in their village. "Minimum of four weeks." She told him, trying to gauge his reaction.
Pein stood up and walked down the stone steps that led up to the throne-like chair. Sakura swallowed hard as he came with inches of her body. Without warning his hand reached out and grasped her by the jaw, forcing her head upward, making her vulnerable.
His grip was strong enough that she could not escape without possibly breaking her jaw, but not so tight that it would leave bruises. At least not this time. So she did the only thing available tor her, she stood there, meek and helpless in his grip.
"I want Itachi eliminated. I will allow you the allotted time, but do not fail me Sakura." "Have I failed you yet?" she told him, her eyes glowing with emerald fires. "No and that is why you are my perfect weapon. Beautiful," his fingers slid down her throat, an intimate caress, "and deadly." He grabbed the back of her neck, so that her mouth was inches from his.
"You belong to me, do not ever forget that." He thrust her away from him. "Now go complete your mission." Her booted feet slid easily across the stone, the barest of her fingertips touching the stone. Still she hissed her displeasure at him, causing the wooden doors to bang open and Nagato and Konan came rushing in.
Sakura crouched, her legs braced and a single gloved hand on the floor, her eyes glowing with hatred. Pein across from her a smirk on his handsome features, standing there with ease. This was the scene that met their eyes.
"We heard a commotion." Nagato told his friend and leader, his eyes narrowed. Pein waved a hand at them and turned his back to them, making his way back to the stone chair. "It is nothing. Sakura was just leaving," he cocked his head over shoulder, watching pink-haired beauty. "Weren't you?"
Sakura came swiftly to her feet, shot him a nasty look and stalked out of the room, her every movement shouting out her defiance. After the doors closed, Nagato and Konan moved closer to the man known as Pein. "Yahiko, why do you put up with her? She is constantly defying you. You should kill her and be done with it." Muttered Konan clearly agitated. In her hands she kept making and unmaking paper shuriken.
"Konan is right Yahiko, that woman is dangerous." Confirmed Nagato, using their leaders' real name. "There must be a least a dozen females who would do just about anything for your attention."
"My point exactly," replied Yahiko lazily, his head resting on his fist, "those women would do anything to please me. Boring, useless women easily used and discarded."
"And Sakura won't." replied Konan, her eyes widening. "You actually like her defiance don't you?"
Yahiko smirked. "Such a stubborn woman, she will bend to my will eventually. I will give her no choice in the matter."
Nagato frowned at that. "And if she doesn't what then?"
"She'll submit or she'll die."