Shikamaru: ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz...
Me: -sigh- -bonks him on the head-
Shikamaru: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Me: -twitch- How did I know that it wouldn't work?... -twitch-
Shikamaru: ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZzzzzz...
Me: Hmmmmmmmmmm... INO!!!!
Ino: Huh? What is it Shadow-chan? -walks over to me-
Me: Can you use Mind Transfer Jutsu on Shikamaru to make him say the disclaimer?
Ino: Ano... no problem... -does handsigns- MIND TRANSFER JUTSU!!!!
Shikamaru: -wakes up- SHADOWY MIND DOES NOT OWN NARUTO!!!
Me: Hehe... good work Ino...
Shikamaru: Ino? I'm not Ino...
Me: Huh? If you're not Ino then where's...?
Sasuke: EEEK!!! I'M IN SASUKE-KUN'S BODY!!!
Me: Ugh... Great...
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Recap:
"Of all of the places I thought I would meet you again, this is the place I least expected," Sakura said, with pure iciness in her voice.
Even though she wasn't facing him, she could just see a smirk plastered on his face.
"Just what do you want from me, anyways?" she asked with the same tone that she used before.
Again, she pictured the smirk getting bigger.
End Recap:
"Dammit Itachi, answer me!!" Sakura yelled, her patience wearing thin.
She swerved around, meeting the peircing gaze of the Sharingan. She rivaled it with a glare of her own.
"Itachi, I'm warning you. If you don't want to die an early death," Sakura started gathering up her chakra into her fist, "I suggest you tell me why you're here."
"The answer is simple, Cherry Blossom," Itachi said taking a step towards her. "I came here to ask you to help lure Sasuke and Naruto to me."
Sakura didn't let her guard down the least bit, but instead continued to glare at the Uchiha with the same wall peircing eyes.
"And don't act like you don't want it to happen," he whispered into Sakura's ear.
"You're right, Itachi. I do want them to die," Sakura stated, smirking at the thought. "However, if it means helping you and the Akatsuki," the smirk faded, " consider your offer declined."
"Then, I guess I'll have to persuade you by force,"
"Hmph... wouldn't have it any other way,"
The two shinobi got into fighting stances. The air became heavy with their murderous chakra, and the rock hard ground started to form deep craters.
Suddenly, a figure almost as sinister as Itachi appeared.
"Long time no see, Sakura," the figure voiced, interuppting the scene.
"Likewise, Sasuke," Sakura answered, her line of sight moving from Itachi to Sasuke.
"Of course, I wouldn't forget you, Naruto," Sakura added.
The anbu captain leapt down from the trees, joining the three. Naruto stared at his two former teammates, taking no heed to Itachi's presence.
"So you caught up to me, Naruto?" Sasuke queried.
"No Sasuke, I'm all the way back in Konoha, eating ramen with Hinata and Kakashi-sensei," Naruto answered with obvious sarcasm, causing Sasuke's eyes to narrow.
"Sakura-chan," Naruto addressed the pink-haired kunoichi, "how did you know I was here?"
"Hmph! Still a knucklehead, huh Naruto?" Sakura asked, shaking her head in disappointment. "Anyways, to answer your question, you didn't mask you chakra, you baka!"
Itachi, seeing that it wasn't the right time to persuade Sakura, simply said, "We'll continue our business elsewhere, Cherry Blossom. This'll give you time to make the right choice,"
With those words, he disappeared without a trace.
Sasuke couldn't help staring at the spot where his brother had been in disbelief.
'Kuso! That was my chance to finally kill him, and what did I do?! I focused my attention to my useless ex-teammates!!' Sasuke thought.
Then, he suddenly recalled Itachi's words to Sakura, before disappearing.
"What were you doing with my brother, Sakura?" Sasuke asked.
"Hmmmm... let me think... NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS UCHIHA!!!"
Her answer greatly startled Sasuke that it almost made him widen his eyes. Keyword, 'almost'.
"Sakura-chan," Naruto began in a low voice. "Please come back home to Konoha. Without you, the village is going to fall apart."
"Naruto, don't you remember what I said to you and Tsunade-shishou before I left the village?"
Flashback:
The door of the Hokage's office slowly swung open to reveal fifteen-year old Sakura.
Tsunade and Naruto, who had been conferencing, stared at Sakura in shock at her appearance. #1. She had a backpack on when there weren't any missions. #2. Her hitai-ate was nowhere to be seen. #3. She was there at 4:00 in the morning.
"Sakura, what are you doing up this early, and please explain your appearance!" Tsunade exclaimed.
"Tsunade-shishou, I came here to ask for your permission to leave the village," Sakura stated to her teacher.
Naruto's mouth went dry after he heard this. His mouth couldn't form any words, and a huge lump was caught in his throat.
"B-but Sakura, there's no reason for you to leave!!! And don't you even think about going after Sasuke on your own!!" the Godaime screamed with outrage.
"It's not about Sasuke, Tsunade-shishou," Sakura answered.
"Then, what is it?!" Tsunade demanded, growing impatient.
"I don't want to live a life without being a burden and living a life without the rules and people of the village being a burden to me. I want to be free and the village to be free from me. Also, the village and its people hold too many painful memories for me to handle any longer."
Sakura paused, letting her teacher and her teammate absorb the words she had just spoken.
"So please, Tsunade-shishou, let me go. Let me leave," Sakura pleaded.
Tsunade understood how Sakura felt for she had harbored the same emotions before she left the village many years before. Therefore, she gave Sakura the permission to go.
Before Sakura took a step towards the door, Tsunade said, "Just give me one promise, Sakura. Take the title of Slug Sannin after me."
Sakura nodded and left the office wordlessy, and surprisingly, so did Naruto.
End Flashback:
Naruto stood silently, a shadow covering his eyes. His body started shaking with fury and hurt.
"Well, I guess those words you said won't make a difference, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, his voice quivering, "because you're coming back to the village even if it means I have to break both of your arms and legs!!"
Sakura stood dumbfounded to hear Naruto speak such harsh words to her.
"And you," Naruto turned to Sasuke, " I don't care if you are the leader of Oto!! Just because I failed to bring you back before, that doesn't mean I'm giving up!!"
"Hmph. Well Naruto, there's no way I'm going back to that stupid excuse for a village without a fight!" Sasuke informed Naruto.
The blonde-haired anbu turned to Sakura. "Is that going to be the same for you, Sakura-chan?"
" 'Fraid so Naruto," Sakura answered matter-of-factly.
"Fine..." Naruto muttered.
In a blink of an eye, the three Sannin dispersed in different directions. After simultaneously doing handsigns, they yelled, " KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!!!!"
Sakura and Katsuya. Naruto and Gamabunta. Sasuke and Manda. The Sannin and their summonings stood their ground with sadness, hatred, and determination. The Sannin showdown was here once more!!
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A/N: OOOOOH!!! Who's gonna win? Who's gonna die? Will Sasuke and Sakura go back to the village? Will Itachi come back with his offer? FIND OUT NEXT TIME!!! R&R PLEASE!!!!!!