"Take it slow. One step at a time." Came the whisper, right in her ear. "Don't get too nervous. Don't mess up."

"I won't." came the reply, a silent promise.

"Good. Don't keep me waiting."

And, with that, Sasori vanished into the blackness, tail tapping her lightly on the shoulder as he left. Sakura nodded, and stepped forward.

"Halt! Who goes th- augh!" the guard said, dying on the spot with a few quickly thrown kunai. The guard held up his spear.

"Stop, whoever- augh!"

Another one bites the dust, Sakura thought, walking forward and grabbing the two men. "Got 'em, Sasori."

Sasori made his way out, scuttling over. No wonder his name meant "scorpion", when he looked like this for most of his life.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." He said, cheerfully glancing at the two bodies. "These will go nicely with my plan."

"Whatever, short 'n squat." Sakura said. That was her nickname for him when he ran around in this… thing. She knew he hated it, and that was what delighted her when she used it.

Sasori glared at her, and Sakura had to admit that the strange creature had its good points. You certainly looked more intimidating when you were in this. When normal Sasori glared at you… well, it just looked like he was half asleep. Scratch that comment, he always looked like that.

"Let's get back then, okay?" Sakura said. "I think I got sand in my shorts."

"I could take them off. See if that helps." Sasori said, giving a perverted grin. Downside to creepy puppet thing, at least normal Sasori was easy on the eyes when he tried a come-on.

"Chaaa! Don't make me break that puppet thing, short 'n squat! I will!" Sakura cried. She could, her training with Mistress Tsunade had given her a punch that could break solid rock. Much less some puppet body.

Sasori sighed. "Fine, fine."

He started to trundle off, but stopped. "You could ride on my back, if you want?"

"I'll walk, thanks."

"No, I'm serious. Get on." Sasori said. "You walk too slowly. The way over here was torture. Even Deidara moves faster then you."

"Are you insulting me, you woody piece of trash?!" Sakura growled, whipping around, cloak swirling crazily.

"Maybe." Sasori said, grinning. "I'd figure you'd be smart enough to comprehend it, but… since you're a girl and all…"

"Chaaa!" Sakura cried, and leaped for Sasori, whipping out a kunai… only to be shot with poison tipped needles.

"Sleep tight, Sakura-chan…" Sasori whispered, picking her up with his tail and placing her on his back.

Sakura woke up, eyes adjusting to the dim light of the cave. She remembered quickly what happened.

"That, my dear, was a trap." Sasori stated, watching her from the ground a few feet away from her. "Look out for them. Don't just spring on someone when you want to, and most of all… lose the battle cry."

"You!" she screeched, then glanced at herself. Still clothed. "What did you do?!"

"Nothing." Sasori stated. "Sadly. Konan would've killed me. She almost did for poisoning you. That damn paper in your hair…"

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She'd have to thank Konan later. She glanced around, and noticed the room was rather silent and empty. "Where's everyone else?"

"They're all on missions."

"Even Deidara-san?"

"Yeah, even him. Apparently he went on a solo mission."

Sakura sighed, standing up, only to almost fall in the water. Sasori caught her, however, before she fell. Sakura almost thanked him… almost. Sasori set her back down on her bottom.

"Careful. The poison doesn't just go away all at once." Sasori said, and Sakura noticed that he sounded… worried. Worried for her safety. Oh, yeah right. Like he was worried about her. He probably just didn't want her to go unfertile or something, the lecher. "You could lose a limb, if you go exerting yourself all at once."

Sakura glared at him. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"Relax."

"Around you? Puhlease!"

"I promise I won't do anything." Sasori said. "With that thing in your hair, from Konan, I couldn't do anything anyway."

Frowning, Sakura laid down, staring at the cave ceiling. There was a moment's pause.

"This is boring." Sakura finally grumbled. No reply. Slowly turning her head, Sakura noticed that Sasori had left. Probably to go create two new puppets. Sakura gave a small shudder, and returned her gaze to the ceiling. The gentle echo of birds chirping outside, and the ethereal whispering of the wind swirling into the cave gently placed Sakura into sleep.

"Gaara?"

The Kazekage looked up. "Sakura-chan. Welcome to Sunagakure." He said, giving a small smile at her entrance. "Since when did you come?"

"Just for a visit." Sakura said. "I also have a few questions… could you answer them for me?"

Gaara nodded. "I'll try my best. Come; let's sit in the guest room."

They sat down. Sakura noticed how happier Gaara seemed. It was such a change from how he was in the Chunin exams.

"How is Konoha?" Gaara asked.

"They're well." Sakura lied through her teeth. Gaara seemed to accept it, though.

"Good. Now, the questions you wanted to ask?"

"Do you know of someone called Akasuna no Sasori?"

Gaara pondered this. "Yes, but he was here before my time. I haven't heard much."

Sakura nodded. "What do you know?"

"Only that he was a master at making human puppets… and that the Third Hokage mysteriously vanished right before he deserted the town and became a missing-nin… is that good?" Gaara said.

"That's wonderful, thank you. Do you know where he is now?" Sakura asked.

This was bad. Gaara narrowed his eyes, searching hers for answers. "Why do you wish to know, Sakura?"

"I just-"

"From what I hear, getting close to him is not the best idea. They say he is insane… that he turned himself, and his parents, into puppets."

Gaara leaned forward in his chair. "Sakura… why do you want to contact him?"

"Sasuke."

Gaara's eyes shot open. "Hmm?"

"Sasuke… went missing. And I want to get him back. If this Sasori is so powerful, then I must learn from him. I have to know the skills to retrieve Sasuke."

Sakura didn't notice that she had teared up and she tried to wipe the tears away without Gaara noticing. It was impossible.

"You miss him… very much." Gaara said, slowly.

"Y-yes." Sakura said, giving a small sigh to calm her shaking breaths.

"Then… I suppose I shall have to tell you of the detail I hid." Gaara said, frowning. "He is a member of an organization called the Akatsuki. It is a group of S-ranked criminals, ruthless beings who hold no place in their heart for love or empathy or sorrow. They only live to serve their leader. Sasori is one of them, and he is possibly the worst one of them all."

"I see." Sakura whispered. A plan was forming… and she could see, in Gaara's eyes that he was thinking of the same plan.

"Perhaps, if you really wish to save Sasuke… join these criminals. And once you're done training… leave. And run. Get Sasuke back, and then hide yourself. Perhaps the Akatsuki will forget about you after that, and you will have the training you need. It's risky, life threatening even. But if you can do it…"

"Of course I can. I've been trained by the Legendary Sannin herself, Tsunade. I can do it."

Gaara gave a smile at Sakura's bravery. "Just know that you have friends in Sunagakure. This will always be a safe place to hide, for you and anyone you call an ally."

Sakura smiled. "Thank you, Gaara. Congratulations on containing Shukaku, by the way."

Gaara gave a small chuckle. "Yes. I can finally get some sleep now."

Sakura also laughed. "That must be nice!"

Sakura awoke. She sat up, glanced around. Sasori was sitting there again, but this time, there was a crazed grin on his face.

"What?" Sakura said, glaring at him. Her body no longer felt pained, and she sat up with no consequence.

"I heard you mumbling my name in your sleep. Were you dreaming about me?" he said, leaning forward.

Sakura gave a fake happy smile. "Yeah, but not in the way you're thinking."

Sasori raised an eyebrow. "What was it, then?"

"I was stabbing you repeatedly through the heart, and then kissing Deidara when you were dead."

"Is that supposed to make me angry?" Sasori scoffed.

"Yeah. I mean, the way you talk and everything… it's so obvious that you're gay!" Sakura spat, a wicked grin on her face.

"I'll kill you, you little bitch!" Sasori cried, leaping for her. However, Sakura charged her chakra and slammed her fist into Sasori's gut. With a wheeze, Sasori's breath left him, and he crumpled.

"That, my dear, was a trap." Sakura said proudly, watching Sasori try to recover from the punch. "Look out for them. Don't just spring on someone when you want to, and most of all… lose the battle cry."

LOLZ. End of Chapter 2. It didn't actually take me that long to write it… I just came up with a beginning and just typed from there. At first, she was going to get him lunch, but I guess I didn't feel like funny stuff…

Oh well. Chapter 3, up next. (Might introduce some light TobiSaku next chapter. Not sure.)