Akatsuki
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. But I do own a whole lot of Naruto merchandise. I am a Naruto geek.
Tsunade sighed audibly as she stared at the clear glass of sake on her desk. Ever since Kakashi relayed Sakura's message about the wedding being cancelled, she hadn't even touched a drink, a feat remarkable in itself.
Feeling impatient, the Gondaime Hokage tapped her finger to the sound of her wall clock's ticking. She acutely noticed the sake splashing slightly at each tap, but did not dwell on it. Sighing again, she pulled a pile of overdue paperwork out from under her desk and began filling out forms. She had to do something. Anything. As long as it kept her from stomping to the Uchiha compound and killing Sasuke in cold blood.
Cursing briefly when she realized she was writing with an empty pen, she tossed it aside and dug through her messy drawers for another. By the time she did find a replacement pen, she had already lost interest in her paperwork. Fists clenched in frustration, she leaned back in her chair and propped her feet up on the desk. Her brow creased with worry as she pictured the disturbing way her apprentice reacted to Sasuke's betrayal.
A few hours ago, Kakashi, with a determined Naruto in tow told her earlier how Sakura said she was going home to rest, although he knew she went to the forest to collect her thoughts. She also noticed how he said it in a way that didn't alert the blond ninja as to why she cancelled the wedding, though he pestered him constantly about it. Tsunade assumed her apprentice would not desire company for a while, so didn't bother to look for her. Solitude was a normal reaction for heartbreak; that she knew all too well.
It was Naruto's news, when he came running into her office a mere hour ago that really disturbed her.
That dress...I remember how she used to stare at it for hours on end...no doubt fantasizing about her dream wedding...I never knew that she could be driven to actually destroy it...maybe it was something she needed to do to free herself...
"Tsunade Shihan!" A pink-haired woman called out, dragging Sasuke behind her.
"Hm? Yes, Sakura-chan?" Tsunade glanced up from her work to look at her beloved apprentice. She was wearing a radiant smile, while the usually stoic Uchiha smirked instead of wearing his trademark scowl.
"Guess what?" Sakura giggled as if she could hardly contain herself. Tsunade just stared at her dumbly. I've never seen her this excited before...she's acting like a foolish little child...
"What, did you see Kakashi's face?" She asked, mildly interested.
"No! I gave that up as a hopeless cause a long time ago," she beamed.
"Right, right, how silly of me for asking," Tsunade said dryly. "Now just tell me before I throw you both out for wasting my time."
"It's not as if you were actually doing any work." Her pink haired apprentice pointed out.
"That's not the point. So out with it already!" Damn I need my sake right now... She poured herself a glass and took a big sip, nodding in satisfaction.
"Well...,"She glanced at Sasuke and smiled at him. "Sasuke-kun and I...are getting married!" she burst out.
FWOOSH!
Tsunade choked and spat out her mouthful of sake, managing to thoroughly drench the newly engaged couple in the clear liquid.
"What!?" she asked, not even bothering to apologize. "When the hell did this happen!? Sakura, why didn't you consult me first?"
"Tsunade Shihan, I do not need your permission to marry him. I...I thought you would be happy for me!" Sakura's eyes were brimming with unshed tears. Sasuke put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"N...no...it's not that...it's just...this is so sudden..." The Gondaime cut herself off as she saw how upset her apprentice was.
"You...you don't want me to marry Sasuke-kun...just because he left the village...I thought you were on our side, Shihan...I thought you weren't like everyone else..."
"Sakura-chan, I never said..."
"Come on Sakura," Sasuke broke in, guiding her out the room. " Let's get out of here..." Though Sakura couldn't see it, he was smirking almost triumphantly. Tsunade glowered at him.
I get it now...he wants us to fight...just so he could get closer to her... Suddenly her mind began spinning as soon as it hit her.
Sakura was engaged...she would be marrying the Uchiha soon... and no longer would she be the strong, adorable apprentice Tsunade had come to know and love. She would be trapped as soon as they exchanged their vows...Sasuke would crush her strong spirit bit by bit until there was nothing left but a shadow of her former self. A shadow that loved him, yet would be a mere slave that bore his children and did whatever he bid.
But then, that's what she's always wanted, right? Why won't she marry Naruto, dammit?
Later that evening Sakura came by again, this time without Sasuke. Her long hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and she was wearing a green yukata with a bright pattern of birds and cherry blossoms.
"Tsunade Shishou?" She called quietly, poking her head through the door.
"Mm?" The Hokage replied. She wasn't in the mood to talk to her apprentice at the moment. She felt hurt that Sakura would immediately think she was openly hostile toward Sasuke because of the choices he made.
"Um...look, I didn't mean to yell at you like that earlier." Her apprentice said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she sat down nervously across from her.
"I know."
"And...I just want to make clear...that I've always loved Sasuke-kun..."
"I know." Not once did she glance up from her paperwork.
"I also love you...like a daughter... but you can't stop me from being with Sasuke..."
"...I ...I know that as well, Sakura. If you want to marry Sasuke, no one can stop you. I hope you two have a good life together, and I wish you luck as well." She kept her eyes on her paperwork. If she was going to lose her apprentice, she might as well act decent about it. It didn't mean she couldn't show her how unhappy she was, though.
Sakura sensed her mentor's answer was an indication for her to leave. It was also a sort of farewell, an acknowledgment of the fact that things would never be the same between them again. Even so, she didn't feel like letting go yet.
"Please...Tsunade Shihan?"
"Yes?"
"I was wondering...if you would like to marry me and Sasuke-kun." Sakura held her breath, hoping to make up with her mentor by offering her the privilege.
Do I want to do this? I would practically be handing her over to the teme to be used...if this doesn't work out I'll be the one living with the guilt for the rest of my life...
For the first time she looked at her apprentice, taking in the pleading expression on her face. Those big, green eyes truly looked apologetic and determined at the same time.
Sasuke is getting to her already...the Sakura I know would never have apologized so readily...and neither would she have went behind my back and accepted the Uchiha teme without asking me first...and she most certainly would not have chosen Sasuke's word over mine...what use is it now to object?
"Yes." She said simply. She still did not give her student the benefit of smiling at her, but only gave her a curt nod as she left the room, looking sadder than ever.
I'm sorry, Sakura...but if you truly want to be happy with Sasuke...you must cut your ties with the rest of us...it's all for the best...
"That's it." Tsunade swung her legs off the desk. Holding her keys firmly between her teeth as she tugged on a jacket, she thought about what she must do.
A Hokage's role was to support her village. That meant any and every individual. That said, she locked her office and stalked off in the direction of Sakura's apartment, ignoring any greetings from passing villagers.
Now that Sasuke was out of the picture, there was no way in hell she was going to let her apprentice sulk and cry her eyes out on her bed. No; she would never let all those years of emotional training go to waste. With that thought firmly embedded in her mind, Tsunade went out with a new goal; to bring back the old Sakura.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sakura glanced quickly at the emotionless face of Itachi, then averted her eyes to the path ahead of them. Five hours had elapsed since she left Konoha with him, and they hadn't spoken at all.
Naturally, she was curious about the older brother of her ex. So, through sidelong glances she observed him. She couldn't help thinking of how much he looked like his younger brother. They had the same eyes, the same color hair...yet Itachi's face seemed to hold a lot more maturity, more maturity than Sasuke's ever held.
They even walk differently, she thought, looking down shyly.
Sasuke, being a rather vain loner of a man, always slouched slightly while walking, hands in his pockets. He held an uncaring, superior expression on his face whenever he did this, and walked slowly in an unhurried manner.
Itachi, on the other hand never slouched. Back straight as a board, he walked with swift, even steps, never faltering in stride. Yes; even his way of walking had an air of sophistication Sasuke's never had.
But an annoying habit that both brothers shared was a total lack of sociability. Being a person that liked to talk, Sakura could never keep quiet for long. Hoping to start a conversation, she decided to break the silence.
"Itachi...san. Where are we going?" she asked pleasantly. Inner Sakura rolled her eyes. Do you seriously think that 'oh, I'm so happy I'm not emo' voice is going to work?
It was either this or the emo voice. Shut up!
Itachi barely looked at her.
"Hn. I prefer that you call me by name without the suffix," he said monotonously.
"Okay, fine then. Itachi, where are we going?" she repeated in the same pleasant tone.
The emo voice would have worked better...
"Stop acting like that. It's annoying."
Sakura gaped at him. Sasuke said something like that the day we became genin...
"Um..."
"If you want to join Akatsuki, you will have to learn how to hide your emotions. Pretending to act happy and chipper is the worst tactic anyone can think of."
"Sorry." She redirected her gaze at the ground and fell silent, hoping he wouldn't get mad at her. Sasuke had been mad at her before, and it wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience. She didn't know if Itachi was the same way.
"Hiro-kun! I have a little surprise for you!" Sakura giggled as she led her blindfolded cousin across the living room and up the stairs. She had ambushed and blindfolded him as soon as he walked through the front door.
"Can I look now?" He asked in a pleading voice. It was her younger cousin Hiro's birthday, and she had organized a surprise party for him with various family and friends. They were at her parents' house.
Though he was two years younger than her, he could easily pass of as another eighteen year old.
He was sixteen, but also a good foot taller than her. He was also her favorite cousin, since he always sought advice from her and was looking for a career as a medical ninja.
"Nope!" She answered, torturing the anxious teenager.
When they got to the top of the stairs she pushed him down the hallway until they reached a large, wooden door with mosquito netting on it. Opening it, she steered him through on to a balcony.
"Sakura nee-chan? Are we outside?"
Instead of answering, she yanked the blindfold off at precisely the same time their relatives shouted a loud "Happy Birthday!" scaring the poor boy so out of his wits that he fainted.
It was later that evening, when the party was over that they were standing on the front porch, talking about the night's events.
"Th-thank you so much, Sakura nee-chan. Y-you don't know how much this meant to me," he said, looking like he was about to cry from happiness.
"It was nothing, otouto." She pecked him lightly on the cheek and hugged him, then skipped off toward Sasuke's apartment.
Before she could even knock the door was swung open by an angry Sasuke, eyes blazing red.
Without saying a word he yanked her inside and shoved her roughly to the floor.
"S-Sasuke-kun, what-" She was cut off as Sasuke's merciless lips crashed down on hers. Stunned, she lay there for a few seconds and let him ravage her sore lips.
As soon as his tongue penetrated her mouth she pushed him off, fearful of him for the first time in years.
"Wh...why...?" She began, panting heavily. With a grunt of effort she braced herself against an umbrella stand and stood up.
"Who was that man?" Sasuke backed her against the wall, his eyes glowing like blood in the dark.
"Wh-what are you talking about?" she asked, genuinely confused. The only answer she received was a sharp slap in the face.
Though she was trembling, she stood her ground, half afraid, half angry.
"Don't lie to me, bitch," he said, seizing her tightly by the jaw and forcing her to look at him. "I saw you..." Two of his fingers dug painfully into her throat.
"I don't get it..." She struggled feebly, hurt that the one she loved struck her.
"Hn." Sasuke let go of her and stepped back as she crouched, rubbing her neck.
"I thought you were my girlfriend...if you were loyal you wouldn't have pushed me away." He crossed his arms and looked away, disgust written clearly on his face.
With a jolt she realized he was referring to her not-so-little cousin. Worried that he would disown her, she stood and slowly uncrossed his arms, tears running down her face.
"He was only my younger cousin, Sasuke-kun...it was just a kiss good-bye...honest," she said softly, her arms encircling his waist. Please...don't hate me for this," she begged, burying her face in his broad chest.
Sasuke looked down at the sobbing woman and smirked. Apologizing when she wasn't the one at fault. How pathetic. Still, she is rather adorable when she's like this, he thought as he wrapped his arms around her. Her sobs slowed, then completely stopped.
"I didn't want to hit you, but you forced me." He said in an apologetic tone. "I just don't want see you kissing another man...It's for your own good." He added when a look of rebellion crossed her face for a second.
"Y-yes, Sasuke...," she said softly, not questioning his behavior. She just loved him too much.
"Good. Now, Blossom," he said, using his nickname for her. "How about we go upstairs and have some...fun," he continued, slipping his hand under her shirt and fingering her bra strap.
Sakura nodded, though she felt too tired for 'fun'. He's a bit rough around the edges...but maybe I can change him for the better, she thought as she followed him upstairs. He never hit her again after that, although he still hated it when she was around men, even her own relatives.
I was so stupid in those days...I did whatever he said without question. Like I was his dog. At least it's over, she thought with another sidelong glance at Itachi. And his rogue brother just gave me a chance to start over fresh, without restraint...how ironic...
"You should not have apologized."
"What?" she looked up at the older Uchiha. His face was barely visible from the shadows cast by thick foliage above their heads.
"I said you should not have apologized for not hiding your emotions." He looked down at her with narrowed eyes.
"Why?"
"It is a show of weakness. Apologizing when there is no need to do so is a sign of vulnerability on your part."
"Um..." she nervously tugged on her headband. "I thought you were mad..."
Itachi actually stopped and glared down at her. "If you insist on having a soft attitude likethat, the world will eat you up and spit you out like trash."
She glared back at him, some of her old temper returning. "I am not soft."
He glanced at her with mocking eyes. "Prove it." He said, capturing her in his crimson gaze.
In response she made like she was going to hit him, then dove down and instead punched the ground, creating a huge crater in the earth.
As falling rocks and leaves littered the ground around her, she detected Itachi's presence and ducked he sent a round of shuriken at her.
Is that all he can do? She thought, dodging and tugging on her black steel-plated gloves.
"Hmph." Okay...genjutsu users are usually more skilled in long to mid range attacks...if I can just get so close that I can't see his eyes then I may be able to knock him out...
Forehead! This is Uchiha Itachi we're talking about! That's a horrible idea! Inner Ino shouted.
Piggy? What are you doing here?
Nothing, nothing...carry on...I'll just leave...
Clenching her right fist she ran straight for Itachi, dodging any projectiles thrown her way. Hearing the loud 'thunk' sounds they made as they hit tree trunks mad her cringe slightly.
Just before her blow hit he snaked an arm out and grabbed her wrist, stilling her movements. He smirked lightly at her as he squeezed her hand, making several bones crack painfully.
"I'm sure you can do better than that, Sa-ku-ra." He knew she hated it when her name was stretched out like that.
"Shut up Uchiha." Try as she might, she felt as if she were frozen in place.
"Hn."
With a swift movement of his own, he knocked her legs right out from under her. Remembering a move Naruto had done during the chuunin exams, she spun so that her palms hit the ground, then twisted, letting fly a kick at the Uchiha's face.
Clapping her leg between his hands at the last second, Itachi held her upside down, dangling in midair.
"Ah, but you see, Sakura, you do not possess enough...hate." He whispered, smirking down at her.
"Unh...how would you know!?" she spat at him, cheeks flushed in embarrassment from being caught in such an undignified position. Okay...close-range sucked...
"Careful what you say, Sakura...I could just drop you on your head right now..." He loosened his grip for emphasis.
"Y-you wouldn't dare!" Itachi only seemed to take pleasure in getting on her nerves.
"Hn...the only other alternative...is if I carry you back to our base like this..."
"What!?" She could all too well imagine how ridiculous she looked. Itachi, holding her upside down by one leg, her pink hair trailing along the ground. And I'm wearing tight shorts as well...bloody hell...he's even holding me with one hand as well...
"Enjoying the view?" she spat sarcastically. Just to anger her he ran the index finger of his other hand up and down her smooth pale leg. She bit back a moan at the feeling.
"Hn. I've seen nicer legs..." He replied in a bored tone. What a perverted teme...
"Too bad you won't be seeing them for long!" Swinging herself upward, she dislodged herself from his grip and darted out of the way just a huge, two-bladed shuriken flew over their heads, missing them by an inch.
"Well? What do you think now?" a girlish voice called from behind them. Itachi turned to see another Sakura, the real Sakura standing hundreds of yards away, a smug look on her face.
"Hn. Good enough," he said as the Sakura next to him disappeared into smoke. Solid shadow clones...and hers are unusual...my sharingan couldn't even identify then as clones...impressive...
Sakura smirked. "Oh really? Is that all?"
"You could do better than that. You just lost your own weapon." He was referring to the shuriken.
She didn't answer, instead focusing on a point just beyond his head.
Itachi narrowed his eyes in amusement. Getting a bit cocky, I see...time to trim that ego... he thought, acutely aware of the rapid displacement of air behind him as an unseen projectile homed in on him.
The smirk on the kunoichi's face disappeared when he neatly dodged the same shuriken from before as it bore down on him. Before it could get any farther she grabbed one of the spinning blades without cutting herself and launched it again at the smirking Uchiha.
So...he already knew it returns to the same spot it was thrown... The giant, steel boomerang-like weapon churned deep furrows into the earth as it missed him by an inch. As if realizing it's mistake, the shuriken made a wide U-turn and headed back toward him, the blades creating a whirring sound similar to the droning of a dragonfly's wings.
Now...while he's distracted by that... Reaching into her pack, she pulled out a giant windmill shuriken that had belonged to Sasuke. Windmill shuriken were used exclusively by the Uchiha clan, so she had no doubt Itachi would recognize it. Several strings were attached to it, perfect for maneuvering the weapon while in flight, or trapping an enemy.
Just as she pulled her arm to throw it, a muscular hand clamped onto her wrist, once again stilling her movements.
"Y-you..." she started, turning to see Itachi's expressionless face. "But...how..."
She glanced back at the other Itachi, which puffed away in a burst of smoke. Of course... I've been fighting a shadow clone...this entire time!
Gee, forehead, Inner Sakura scolded. Piggy was right. How could you expect Uchiha Itachi too fall for such a low-class trick...now he's just turned it around on us! I hope you're happy!
Sakura's eyes widened as she realized the two-bladed shuriken was heading back toward her at full speed. She tried to run away but it was a futile attempt. Itachi was still holding her, and he made no inclination of letting go.
"What's the matter, Sakura? Afraid of death when it looks you in the eyes?" Itachi's voice came, cold and calm, as if there wasn't a huge shuriken coming to decapitate them.
"Look at you...struggling to escape...how pathetic..." Again, his voice mocking and cruel.
"T-teme...the both of us will be killed...please..." Perfect Sakura. As if calling him names will help...I should have asked Tenten about the kinjutsu that prevents my weapons from attacking me...
"Say it..."
"Say what?"
"Admit your fears...beg me to spare your life..."
"N-no..."At least I have my pride...
"So be it."
Itachi released her as soon as the shuriken was within a few feet of her. Throwing out her arms, she managed to partly block it. The force of the impact made her skid backward, sending up clouds of dust. Her legs buckled, then collapsed under her.
Shit... She lay there on the ground, winded. Itachi stood several feet away, an expressionless look on his face.
"So, Sa-ku-ra, how do plan on getting out of this one?"
"Fuck off, Uchiha."
Feeling a warm, sticky substance dripping on her clothing, she look down to see the entire front of her outfit drenched in blood.
The part of the shuriken she hadn't managed to block had cut deeply into her left shoulder, rendering her stiff in that arm. Damn...now I really am dead...or am I? She suddenly remembered the flash of crimson in Itachi's eyes just before they began the fight. Wait a second...he didn't...
Itachi watched with a straight face as she pulled the blade out, ignoring the amount of blood that spurted out the wound. Yes...she really is remarkable...but what is she doing now? He thought as he watched her limp slowly to a fallen tree branch.
She picked it up, seemed to examine it, then, without ceremony proceeded to knock herself over the head with it.
"..."
Okay, that is a first... He thought.
Sakura opened her eyes slowly, then sat up. She was lying in a bed, the warm sheets drawn over her naked body. Mmm...comfy...
Her eyes flew open. I'm naked!? Where am I?
She was in a large, airy bedroom with large windows. There weren't many things in it, except a bed, a small side table with a lamp, and a closet in the corner. Feeling a stinging pain on the back of her head, she touched it gingerly, healing it. So...was the entire fight a genjutsu then? Chiyo Baa-chan said something about hitting one's self on the head if caught in an illusion...
Hearing light footsteps approaching the door she ducked back under the red covers.
"Hello? May I come in, Sakura-san?" It was a friendly, female voice. Still, Sakura was too overwhelmed to say anything so she pretended to be asleep.
Nevertheless, the door opened and she heard the woman come in. There were a few seconds of silence, then...
"I know you're not asleep. Come now. I won't bite." She said in a coaxing voice. Pink hair? Wonder if she dyed it...I've got to tell Peine about this...
Sakura pulled the blanket down so that only her eyes showed. Judging by the red-clouded shawl she wore, she was an Akatsuki. Her hair was an unusual shade of blue, a big red rose stuck in the side of the bun.
She did have rather sleepy-looking eyes, and a small diamond stud under her chin, giving her an almost tough look. Despite that, she sounded sophisticated and polite, as if she was of royal upbringing. A bit like Hinata, actually...probably from a powerful clan...
"Wh-who undressed me? Itachi didn't..."No...hell no...
"No, I wouldn't let any of the guys do it. It was me. You looked very uncomfortable in those clothes," she pointed out.
"Oh. She rested her head back on the velvet pillow. "Thanks...but how did I end up here?"
The woman smiled. "I think you'll have to ask Itachi about that...however, your clothes and bag are over there." She pointed an elegant finger toward her stuff in the small closet. "We'll move a dresser in for you later."
Sakura nodded. She really didn't feel like talking at the moment. "Um...thanks for your hospitality...can I do something for you in return?"
She shook her head. "Think nothing of it. But...there is someone who desperately needs you right now...I am very sorry for rushing you like this..."
"Never mind that. But who?"
"Another one of our members...he's having...complications...with his body." She turned to go back out.
"Complications?"
"It's better if you see for yourself," she said over her shoulder as she shut the door. "I'll be waiting outside while you change. We have clothes for you in the closet."
Complications? Must be really serious if they need me here... she thought, tugging the clothes on.
At least I'll be able to continue my medic training here...
I wonder if the village knows we're gone yet? Inner Sakura mused.
Probably not. And even then I'm not coming back anytime soon.
Yeah...but Naruto... Inner Sakura trailed off sadly.
What about Naruto?
We promised him...that we wouldn't leave him like Sasuke did, didn't we?
Sakura didn't answer herself. She remembered all too well the day she made that promise.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Sabaku no Temari was the kind of woman who gets ticked off easily. Part of the reason why is because everything ticks her off. Her boyfriend's whining, Kankuro's face paint, the color of Gaara's hair; yes, everyone has faced her wrath at one time another without even trying. But then, who would be foolish enough to do that?
When Kakashi announced the wedding was canceled, naturally, she was ticked. Not at Sakura, of course, but at whatever had ruined the wedding plans. Not that she was a vain or selfish woman, but she had made herself look pretty for this wedding.
Temari hates pretty. She wore a black yukata with a dark purple obi and a pattern of red fans. For once, her hair wasn't in ponytails; she kept it loose. Even Shikamaru made an effort to raise his thin eyebrows in surprise.
As she filed out through the temple doors with the rest of the shinobi, it hit her for the first time that something may have happened to her pink haired friend. But what? While her lazy boyfriend was talking to his teammates, she decided to take a trip over to Sakura's apartment to see what the problem was.
Except she wasn't there. Another excuse to be ticked.
I feel like kicking ass right now, she thought miserably as she glanced at her dusty, unused fan. I haven't had a good fight in ages...maybe I'll just beat up Shikamaru later...
Feeling a bit happier at the prospect of picking on her boyfriend she decided to pass time by walking along the dark streets of Konoha. Occasionally some shinobi wearing ANBU uniforms, their masks hung casually over the hilts of their katanas would suddenly flexed their muscles or whistle as she passed them. And naturally, she would give them the finger.
And it felt good.
Turning a corner, she decided to go to Ichiraku's ramen bar. The blond idiot (Naruto) had told her it was his favorite place in the entire world, so she felt curious enough to see the place that had caught his fancy.
When she lifted aside a curtain at one of the booths she wasn't surprised to see him already there. But something was wrong with the picture that she couldn't figure out. So she stood there for several minutes, staring at his back when it hit her like a ton of bricks.
"Naruto-kun! You're not eating any ramen!" She burst out, receiving weird looks from other people.
"Mm..." Okay, so she wasn't expecting that kind of answer from him.
"Yo! Earth to Ramen-boy?" She shook him roughly.
"Hey! Cut that out," He grumbled, batting her hands away. Now I got something out of him...
"Why the long face, Naruto-kun?" She asked in a teasing voice. She slipped into a seat next to him.
"It's nothing, Temari nee-chan."
SLAM!
"Temari nee-chan, what the hell!?" He yelled, for she had slammed her war fan on the counter, nearly upsetting his ramen.
"Naruto-kun, you will tell me right now before I knock your head off with this. Now spill," she commanded, her fan at the ready.
Naruto sighed. No one tangled with Temari. No one.
"It's just Sakura-chan, all right?"
"What about Sakura-chan?" She slowly lowered the fan.
"I wouldn't go and bother her now, nee-chan..." He picked up his chopsticks for the first time and managed to slurp down a noodle.
"And why not?"
"I think something happened to her...we could just talk to her tomorrow, you know..."He trailed off uncertainly, not trusting the gleam in the kunoichi's eyes.
"Yeah...about that...I don't think so. How about this? You tell me everything you know about what happened to Sakura-chan before I blow your whiskers off." She smiled brightly.
"She burned up her dress..." he mumbled.
"What!?" she shouted again, getting more stares from people.
"Whatcha lookin' at?"she snarled at them, a tight grip on the weapon.
She turned back to Naruto. "Now, where were we?"
"Uh, I just said...hey, isn't that the old crone?" Temari bopped him on the head.
"Show more respect for your Hokage!" she chastised, watching as Tsunade walked past them at a fast pace.
"Huh...that's the fastest I've seen Baa-chan go for a long time."
"Yeah..." she murmured. "She seems to be in some sort of hurry...listen, Naruto, I'll get back to you later." The blond waved a hand in response as she ran to catch up with Tsunade.
"Ah, Temari-chan," Tsunade smiled as she caught up. "You came at a good time."
Temari frowned. "Why? Do you have a mission request for me?"
"No, it's not that." Tsunade's pace quickened. "It's Sakura..."
"Yeah...her wedding was today..."
"I know. I think she needs...a pep talk. And you're the only who can give it to her."
"A pep talk?" Why the hell would she need one? So far as I can tell, she's the only one of us who doesn't need one.
"Yes. She's had a bit of trouble with Sasuke...no, don't wind yourself up,"she added when the kunoichi turned to walk in the direction of Sasuke's house. Sighing, she grabbed the irate woman around the waist and hefted her over her shoulder like a bad child. Damn her superhuman strength...
"Geez, Tsunade-sama, I only wanted to have a little talk with him," Temari replied in an innocent voice.
"Heh. You can kill him afterwards. And I'm not putting you down until we get there. I don't trust you."
"Whatever." I better be getting some answers tonight...or else there's going to be one sorry Uchiha...
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So...this is the new me... Sakura thought as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
She was dressed mostly in black and red. Black boot cut jeans with shiny crimson buttons running up the side of each leg, and a black halter top with a large red cloud across the chest. Two smaller clouds were lower down and on either side, around the waist area. It was like a smaller version of the usual robe.
The last part of her ensemble included a ring she found in her left back pocket. It was of a jade color, and was large enough to slip on her thumb.
An Akatsuki ring, she thought. She inspected the tiny kanji on it, and nearly burst into tears when she recognized it.
Gyokunyo; The Virgin. How ironic...
Sasuke...last night was supposed to be our night together...our first...time...She wiped a tear from her cheek before it could fall far.
Sakura! Get a grip on yourself! There are bigger and better things than Sasuke Uchiha...so get over him! Inner Sakura scolded mercilessly.
You're right...besides...I'll have a better life in Akatsuki than I'll ever have with Sasuke...I'm needed here...
"Sakura-san? Are you all right?" The female Akatsuki called desperately from outside. "Please...you need to hurry...Deidara doesn't look like he'll last long..."
Deidara? I have to heal that cocky, arrogant nut who killed Gaara? How the hell can he get hurt?
"I'm coming!" Grabbing a first aid kit from out of her bag, she wiped her face dry and opened the door.
Before she could say anything the older woman pulled her into the hallway and practically dragged her down the dark, narrow hallway. She stopped in front of a door.
"This is his room. If you need anything, just give a shout down the hall."
Sakura nodded. "Right. Anything else I need to know?"
"Were you the one who fought Sasori?"
"Yes."
"I pity you. Now go!" She opened the door and shoved her through as if her life depended on it.
Sakura closed her sighed as she leaned against the door. Well, I'd better get work now...
"It's about time you came, Sakura." Oh no...
Opening her eyes, she was graced with the pleasure(not) of seeing Itachi again. He was sitting in a chair next to the bed.
"You!" she hissed. "The entire fight was just an illusion! What a dirty, low-minded-"
"Enough. Now, isn't there someone you should be working on?" He indicated the bed, where Deidara lay. Secretly, he was impressed at her intelligence. All it took was one good knock on the head to break an illusion. However, she was the first person to ever break out of his genjutsu. That took skill. When the illusion broke, she was unconscious so he carried her the rest of the way to the base.
She should be grateful I took her here...she would've been wasted on my pathetic brother...
Sakura nearly fainted when she saw the amount of blankets he was buried under..
He'll smother under all those, she thought, carefully peeling them off. First his ponytail appeared, then his head, wet with perspiration. Though his eyes were closed, she could tell he wasn't asleep. He kept writhing, as if he were in some kind of agony.
He's the one who killed Gaara...and now he's the helpless one...it makes me want to pity him...though he's probably too proud a person to want it. She was conscious of Itachi's eyes on her as she pulled the blankets off the rest of his body.
The first thing that caught her eyes were the state of his arms. Unless she was mistaken, they were sewn onto him. There were stitches on his wrist and upper arms. Careful not to touch either of his palm-mouths, she picked up one arm and examined it. His hand and wrist on each arm were fine, but that was pretty much the only good thing. From his wrists to the middle of his upper-arm, the skin was cold, white, and wrinkled horribly at the points that were stitched. Dear Kami...who did this to him?
"Deidara?" she asked gently, smoothing his hair. "You just have to hold on a bit longer, 'kay? I'm here to help you." Deidara slowly opened one blue eye, then closed it again. He shivered slightly.
She quickly looked around the room. Too much light...it'll strain his eyes if he's been keeping them shut... she pulled down all the shades, hiding the early morning sun. The room dimmed to her satisfaction, she turned to Itachi.
"Itachi. Explain to me what the deal is with his arms. They seem to be stitched together."
Itachi narrowed his eyes. Her voice somehow lost it's girlish innocence. It was crisp and sharp, and demanded respect. He hated giving that to anyone.
"Well?" she prompted. Thought it was tempting to beat her into submission, he kept his control and answered.
"Deidara's lost his arms twice on two different occasions. It was while he was capturing Gaara that he lost them. We had another member, Kakuzu, sew them back on."
The kunoichi was at a loss for words. What kind of fool reattaches limbs by sewing them on?
Sakura nodded. "And what are Kaku-"
Before she could finish her question the door burst open, revealing a familiar, angry red head.
Sakura paled. What the hell is this? I thought I killed him years ago...
Sasori stopped a few feet away from her. "Get. Away. From. Him," he said through clenched teeth.
He looked exactly the same as before, except this time he had an angered expression on his face. She put Deidara's arm down gently.
"I thought I got rid of you." She narrowed her eyes at him. They just keep coming and coming...
"You never checked to see if I was still alive. But that's not the point." He took a threatening step toward her. "What are you doing to him?"
Sakura snorted. "I'm healing him. You got a problem with that?" Now I know what Blue-hair meant when she asked if I fought him...apparently he holds grudges...
"And how do I know I can trust you?"He snapped back.
"I'm an Akatsuki now. Like it or not, you're stuck with me." She held up her ring. Sasori let out a frustrated growl and came closer so that he towered over her.
"I don't care if you're a part of Akatsuki. You are still an enemy to both me and Deidara." He stationed himself between her and her patient.
"You're just angry because I defeated you. Accept it!" She tried to get back to Deidara but no matter how much she tried, he kept blocking her from him.
Itachi, being an ass just sat back and watched in amusement. You know, teme, you could do something instead of just sitting there. She flashed him a pleading look. He ignored her.
"Move!" It was no use trying to dodge around him. Sasori was just too stubborn. "He will die if you don't get out of the fucking way!" She screamed.
"Shut the fuck up! All of you!" Another Akatsuki roared from the doorway. Then he noticed Sakura.
"Hey, isn't that the bitch who fucked you up?" He asked Sasori. Sasori twitched.
"Shut up Hidan," The former Sand nin growled. Sakura glowered slightly at being called a bitch but otherwise ignored him. Deidara was her first priority.
If it were any other situation she would have just pushed him aside. However, she also didn't know whether or not she was allowed to attack another Akatsuki.
"Mm...Sasori-danna...un," a weak voice whispered from behind them.
In an instant Sasori was crouched by Deidara's side. Deidara wearily opened his eyes. "I can't feel my arms, un...just kill me now..." he pleaded, totally unlike the cocky teen she had seen years earlier.
"Deidara," she asked, walking closer to the bed and ignoring Sasori's glare. "May I please have a look at you?"
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "How do I know you won't attack me, un?"
For the first time Itachi spoke up. "She won't. Trust me." Sakura flashed him a grateful glance.
Of course, he ignored it.
"Hm. Yeah, right." With that he pointedly turned his head away from her. There is NO way I'm letting this chick heal me...I'd die from shame...un.
Sakura snapped. The brat should be glad I'm healing him at all!
"Look you,"she growled, grabbing Deidara's jaw between her fingers and forcing him to look at her.
There was a scraping of furniture as Itachi held back a furious Sasori when he jumped to attack the kunoichi. Hidan merely watched in amusement, scythe in hand.
Heh...sleep can bugger off for a while...Deidara's getting owned by a girl half his size! I wonder if I can use her as a sacrifice...she'd be worth a lot in Jashin-Sama's mind... And so Hidan, ever the opportunist made a vow to sacrifice Sakura to his god when he got the chance.
Deidara gave her a dirty look. "What, un?" he hissed, voice laced with venom.
"Deidara, I have taken enough shit from your partner to last me a lifetime." She squeezed his jaw harder. "And I don't need any from you either."
"What's this? A threat, un?"
"Yes." She let her fingers drift down his chest until they reached what looked a sort of large mouth just under his nipple.
"What are you doing, yeah?" Deidara asked nervously. He desperately tried to move an arm but it was no use. Both arms were paralyzed.
"Another mouth, eh?" All the men in the room(except Itachi) swallowed, for her voice now sounded cold and cruel. "Who would have thought it?" She smirked.
"Listen, Deidara," she jerked her hand back when his chest mouth stretched open it's jaws and snapped at her. "Either you treat me with some respect and calm down or..." Just as the mouth prepared to bite at her she plunged her hand inside and yanked out the tongue. "I'll cut all your tongues off." She tugged on it to show how serious she was.
"Hm."
"Anyway, I think I figured out your problem..."
"Oh really? Enlighten us, then." Sasori grumbled.
Sakura cracked her knuckles and glared at him before going on.
"Anyway, you guys are partly responsible for the state he's in..."
"What the fuck do we have to do with this?" Of course, that was Hidan's input.
"Shut up!" Hidan snorted and tightened his grip on the scythe.
"Right. As I was saying..." she turned and spoke directly to Sasori. "Deidara wouldn't be in this condition if you had just taken him to a real medic-nin!"
Sasori rounded on her. "And how do you suppose we get one? Just walk right into a village and borrow one?"
"Yes." she said calmly. "Kidnap a medic-nin, blindfold him, have him assess and heal the problem with chakra alone, then release him. It would be even more effective if Itachi just wiped out the memories with his mangekyou."
For once the missing-nin did not have an answer for that.
"Now, I'm shocked that his arms even lasted this long since those events happened more than two years ago. Problem is..." Her voice lowered. "Deidara's arms...are dead..."
"Dead, un?"
"Yes. Your arms have been decaying over the years. Frankly, it's a miracle you were even able to use them after all that..."
"I'm a jinchuuriki, yeah." He muttered under his breath. If Sakura was surprised at all she made no indication. She went on cheerfully, as if nothing was wrong. Strangely enough, Deidara felt reassured by her behavior. She's the first girl I ever met who isn't afraid of me...hm...
"That probably explains it. Well, Deidara, if we leave your arms alone they'll make the rest of your body decompose at a high rate..."
"What do you mean, un?"
"I mean that your entire body will rot until you die. So there are only three options."
"What are they?" Sasori asked softly, and in a much more subdued manner.
Sakura began rifling through her first aid kit.
"Option number one: Amputate both arms and leave it like that."
"No, un"
"Option number two: Find a man who's arms are the same size as Deidara's, chop them off, and use chakra to reattach them to Deidara..." Hidan walked out of the room, whistling merrily.
"No! Wait for option three!" she screeched. Hidan scowled but came back in.
"And option three...I'll have to use a renewable part of his body to convert into the correct type of flesh his arms are made of. Which means..." She tugged lightly at his ponytail. "I'll need to use your hair as a medium in order to regrow your arms after I amputate the dead parts."
"What!? My hair!?"
"Shush now! Anyway, there is a forty percent chance you won't make it out of this alive, although this is the best alternative. Option one is out of the question, and in option two there is a chance that the replacement arms would reject your body. If you choose this one, you'll be able to use your kekkai genkai again."
Deidara stared at her for a full minute before his head slumped back on the pillow.
"Deidara?" No answer.
"He fainted," Itachi said from his corner. Being an Uchiha, he liked to stay secluded and away from others. Same thing with his brother.
And yet...it was this woman that made him want to marry her...what qualities does she have that made him love her? He still couldn't find an answer for that question so he merely watched her closely, hoping to find some clues.
"Huh. At least he's resting. And so he should, because for this procedure I'll need to meditate for a week..." she added thoughtfully.
Sasori stared numbly at the floor, lost in thought. The annoying pink-haired kunoichi was the only way his partner could stay alive. I should have taken better care of him...instead, I've only just concentrated on his bad qualities...I never saw the good in him...I really am a worthless old man...
Sakura stared at him. As much as she felt like killing the red head, she couldn't help but pity him. The only reason for his rudeness toward her was because of his partner's weak condition. If she screwed up, then what? She just had to make sure she couldn't.
"Sasori?" she said softly, turning to him. "Let's make a deal." She nodded to Itachi and he let go of him.
"What kind of deal?" He asked warily, turning his head slightly to look at her.
"If I succeed, and Deidara makes a full recovery, the two of you will have to accept me as a full member of Akatsuki."
"And if he dies?"
Great...now this is the hard part...
"You can kill me."
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Okay. Now this truly is a chapter I hate. I really should put more detail into it, so that's what I'll be focusing on in the next chapter.
As for the woman that Sasuke's cheating on Sakura with...I'll either make her OC or I just won't write about her anymore...
Still, the good news is that I(kinda) like Sakura now. Seriously. If you take time to write a story about a character you normally hate, you eventually grow fond of them.
I know I made Deidara and Sasori total jerks in this chapter, but they do have a justifiable reason for being rude and horrible to her. She was an enemy to them at one time.
Next Chapter: What happens when Tsunade and Temari find an empty apartment? Will Temari kick Sasuke's ass? And what about Deidara's fate? The only way you'll find out is if I get 20 reviews!(-Itachi hits over head- "Stop being so damn greedy!") Yeah...I'll still update whether or not I get twenty reviews...
OH, YEAH, AND PLEASE REVIEW WHEN YOU FAV OR ALERT! I LOVE YOU ALL!
Thanks so much for reading and/or reviewing,
Narutochica :)
P.S. It'll be a while before I finish the next chappy of Akatsuki's Sunshine. Sorry for the delay. T T
P.P.S. Deidei! I love you to bits! Marry me! (Er, sorry about that...)
P.P.S. Don't expect Itachi and Sakura to hit it off right away. They only just met. There will be more ItaSaku moments in the next chapter.