2nd Chapter :) Again, this story will be slightly AU from the manga!

Synopsis: When the news ("Uchiha Sasuke is dead") reaches Konoha, Sakura loses herself to insanity. She vows to save him, at any cost - to chase power, and leave everything behind. Dark/Slight AU/SasuSaku/ItaSaku.
Naruto - Rated: T (Violence & Language) - English - Suspense/Romance - Sakura H. & Sasuke U. & Itachi U.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its storyline, or characters. However, this fanfiction is based on Naruto, and is my creation.

Labyrinth

Chapter 2: Drifting

By midnight, she had swept through the abandoned Hokage's office and taken forbidden scrolls and records. She would learn all there was to know about the Uchiha clan, and any skill concerning resurrection.

By dawn, she had unhesitatingly dragged a kunai against her Konoha head-protector and tucked it in under her opened collar. She stood on the gate of the grave village, eyes staring into the rising sun.

They were emerald, and a spark of insanity danced in the center of both eyes. They were emerald, and ringed with the Sharingan insignia in gold.

She calmly surveyed the horizons. She slowly stepped on the last boundary to break, between Konoha, herself, and the world.

And Sakura leapt.

...

Day 2, Konoha

...

Hatake Kakashi sighed morosely, staring at the pale midday sun. The chaos of the last night had shaken Konoha's foundations – Danzo's betrayal, the attempted assassination of Tsunade and later, Naruto…Danzo's blithering and lifeless state, then Sakura's disappearance…

…and all before that, Uchiha Sasuke's death.

Team 7 was crumbling, and Konoha with it.

It had taken all of his being to pull together and command Konoha's council members and fellow jounins to cooperate. While the Godaime Hokage reposed under Shizune's care, the shinobi forces had to clean the council chamber of last night's bloody massacre. Root members, victims, and the living injured were respectively buried or treated. Root head quarters were forcefully breached and records taken; they discovered that Danzo had planned a coupe for years and used mind-altering substances to coax his unwilling elites to cooperate.

Sai was a mess recovering from his drugged state, and a broken collarbone and slight concussion (Sakura's defensive doing). But foremost, the young man was a wreck of internal guilt.

"I should have known," he apologized constantly to Kakashi and Yamato, "I attacked Tsunade-sama and Sakura…"

The two of them wearily calmed him down; were they not as guilty? They had foolishly fallen into Root's trap, and Kakashi, who had immediately moved to guard Naruto (as the Kyuubi's holder, having promised Minato), accidentally brought him along in the enemy's transportation jutsu. The three of them ended up trapped in a heavily sealed Root prison, breaking out in three lengthy hours later.

By then, Danzo was found in that shocking state in the antechamber, a stabilized but unconscious Tsunade nearby, and Sasuke's body undisturbed. As for the Sharingan eyes…Kakashi shuddered. That was another secret of Danzo's to investigate, and it would inevitably dredge up another series of Uchiha red tape. The precious eyes were deposited and sealed away in Tsunade's biomedical vault, and the purging continued. Finally, Naruto pointed out that Sakura was missing.

Hours passed without her return, and Tsunade's record-keeper revealed that forbidden scrolls and Uchiha documents were missing. Konoha's public may not have suspected, but the survivors of Team 7 knew. Sakura was gone, and in three days, guilty of theft or not – she would be declared a missing-nin.

Kakashi was sick with worry for his student – but there was no time to search, and there was the village to put first. The citizens to reassure and every hint of corruption to investigate; Konoha was also susceptible at enemy attack at every instant as forces were depleted in that sudden civil war. And already the event was being dubbed Danzo's Massacre…

...

Sakura

...

She had the Sharingan.

And she didn't know whether to be scared. But she was quite mad, which in several books, can equate fearlessness…

Insanity seemed like a seed, fast and eager to grow, penetrating and deep-rooting – shutting out the real Sakura just like Sasuke shut out her love. Sakura wondered – what would he say, seeing her with eyes like his, the power like his? But Sasuke was dead – dead and gone, as the saying goes~

Insanity and whim led Sakura's racing leaps over treetops from dawn to day. Both exhilarated and bored by her journey, the quickly-adapting medic-nin experimented with her new found powers. It only took a thought for an electrical impulse to direct chakra to her eyes, triggering the Sharingan. With it on, the forest she traveled through blazed with chakra life and her other senses were heightened. Kakashi-sensei had been right, it was almost like being able to predict the future – every movement of a startled animal or falling leaf was registered by her eyes before the rest of her body actually perceived it.

It was wonderful.

But about Sakura's destination. Could she find anything useful in Fire Country? Or would she have to travel farther, to bring her dear Sasuke-kun from the depths? For now, insane her didn't care. The only thing she had allowed Sakura to do was to prepare the necessities.

Slung around shoulder to opposite hip was her scroll purse, but it contained only a single scroll. A highly valuable gift from Tsunade, behind its illusory paper surface was a dimension that could carry a few hundred more scrolls and a month's supplies for survival. To her medic's store and coin purse within, she had gleefully added Konoha's stolen records.

At her back, she carried only her tantō and medic pouch. To any other shinobi renegade, Sakura at first glance would have been considered underprepared and easy prey.

But even insane, Sakura is never ill-equipped, and is always dangerous.

The missing-nin giggled aloud on her journey to nowhere. She had, of course, studied cases of insanity, and there were deeply intelligent but criminally insane shinobi who had identified their own conditions. Insanity was no longer a medical judgment, but a broad diagnosis encompassing disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis, and severe manic depression.

Sakura tilted her head in bored thought, wondering what she would be labeled – at home, by fellow missing-nin, in the bingo book. Diagnosing oneself was a very funny thing, she decided.

By then, she had cleared perhaps eighteen miles of forest and crossed small rivers since leaving Konoha. At sunset, the stretch of wilderness thinned out into farm fields, and she spotted a small village on the horizon. Fortunate, for she was reluctant to open her own dry rations so early on.

Half a mile away, Sakura pulled on her favorite transformations like a second skin. She entered the village with her hair and eyes a nondescript brown, a shorter and less muscular physique, and with civilian clothing on. Anything hinting at her ninja identity was safely stored in the scroll and purse, which was conveniently ordinary in appearance.

There were no guards, and no chakra presences detected, so Sakura relaxed. The villagers didn't give her a second glance as she weaved in and out of the sparse market crowd with an apathetic expression. She slipped into an inn and seated herself for dinner, praying that they would accept Fire Country currency. She would have to get it exchanged later at the border.

Seeing the meal brought the realization that she hadn't eaten in two days; and her stomach was complaining loudly. Sakura ate ravenously and paid (her coins accepted) before slipping upstairs and into her room. She ascertained her privacy with intense scrutiny before turning to the small mirror above the fireplace. Liquid gold blazed in her viridian eyes before lazily spinning into the Sharingan insignia. The three tomoes looked like sakura petals, a fitting image that her insane facet vainly admired. Her eyes were mesmerizing.

Finally, Sakura turned from her reflection and surrendered to the beckon of the comfortable bed. Sighing in comfort, her mind relented to reflect on her leaving.

Her rational side, buried deep within, missed Konoha with intense homesickness. Concern and guilt ran like a dark underground river beneath her conscience. What would Tsunade-shishou, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto and Sai think? They would worry about her…For the first time all day, indecision and doubt of her own choices arose.

However, the insane her was relishing it. The freedom of traversing the world without the need of permit, being a free agent without the attachments of country and alliance and name – this was a life Sakura never experienced.

And the insane her was stronger, quiet Sakura admitted, it felt too good to be without conscience. Being a missing-nin was liberating.

A smirk spread her lips as she leaned into the bed. She should spend the last hour studying the Sharingan, shouldn't she? The lazy thought led her to pick up her purse and retrieve the vault scroll. She withdrew several Uchiha Clan scrolls randomly and propped them in her lap.

The first of the arbitrary scrolls was a chronicle of the impressively long family tree, dating back to the first Ninja War Era. Sakura stared at the kanji inscribing Uchiha Sasuke's name at the near bottom, only overtaken by younger cousins. She set aside the genealogy for later and sifted through the rest of the scrolls, almost passing over a Mission History report before a name caught her eye. Mission reports were dreadfully boring, meticulously detailed files that were sent to the Hokage's office and sorted by last name. Of course, the Uchiha Clan's cabinet at HQ was extensive, and Sakura had taken the whole thing.

This particular report had Itachi's name on the seal.

The murderer of the Uchiha Clan, Sakura mused. Sasuke-kun wants – wanted wanted? – to kill him…I do wonder if Itachi was insane when he massacred his own family…

Curious about this mysterious blight on Konoha's history, the missing-nin delved into the report of her fellow renegade. Sifting through the D-rank through B-rank catalogue with mounting boredom, she reached the final page, a single S-rank. It read:

"On the order of the Konoha Council and approved by Danzō Shimura:

Uchiha Itachi is given this S-rank mission as an ANBU member. Uchiha Itachi is to report to the council all of the Uchiha Clan activities, civilian and shinobi, and act as double agent for both parties until further noticed."

Sakura's eyes widened. She skimmed the detailed mission statement rapidly, shock mounting as the letter closed with a final order:

"Should suspicions of treason be confirmed, Uchiha Itachi is to take the responsibility of assassinating all involved and eliminate all evidence; the Uchiha Clan."

She leaned back, slowly closing the scroll in astonishment. Part of her mourned for the waste, of both then-child genius and his clan, and part of her was pitiless, with contempt directed towards his compliance. It almost disappointed her that he wasn't insane, wouldn't it be nice to have a fellow, psychotic criminal?

Now that was a thought. Sakura shot up with a brilliant smile. She didn't have a particular reason – again, who needed a reason when they're insane? – but she now had a destination.

She would find Uchiha Itachi.

...

"Insanity is often the logic of an accurate mind overtaxed"

Oliver Wendell Holmes

...

Warm darkness enveloped her as she sunk into subconsciousness. But in the dark, she was more aware herself than ever before. She felt the Insanity, like dark creeping waters edging on the shore of her mind. She dreaded and welcomed it. She felt Vanity smiling at her a short distance away, and Power standing at the edge of the water with a beckoning hand.

There was Love, already standing waist-deep in the depths, wild-eyed and hopeful. Her lips were moving, and Sakura read, 'Sasuke-kun.'

And there was Herself, a dim light hidden in the hands she found clasped to her chest. Her eyes squeezed tight; no, she didn't want to leave this place. It hurt to have a conscience.

Then there was a faint ringing of bells. The lifeless shore disappeared, replaced by a peaceful clearing. Sunlight streamed down, lighting on mysterious shadows and gilding the forestry with gold. Sakura stared, both surprised and expectant.

There, a few yards away, stood Uchiha Itachi. He didn't intimidate her, and despite his bloodstained Akatsuki attire, she found herself relaxing.

He asked simply: "How did you find the truth?"

"I ran away from Konoha," she said with equal calm. "And I took all of the council's secrets with me." Quiet fell comfortably, until she prompted with nonchalance, "And how did you know?"

"The seal on that scroll," he responded with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "The council let me settle my own recorded matters before I completed my final mission. The seal would allow me to trace the next reader."

"Why did you do it?" Why did you kill your family…

He brushed off the question and asked one of his own.

"Why did you run?"

"To find Sasuke."

His laughter was short and ironic. "You won't find him."

"I'll hunt you down."

He laughed again. "I see the insanity in your eyes."

His mirth faded. "I had it too."

She remained silent, staring at him.

"You have the Sharingan," he said suddenly. He smiled, mysteriously, suddenly.

Then it was gone, -did she imagine it- and he invited offhandedly,

"Come find me at Amegakure."

And then he was gone.

The clearing faded…and the warm darkness enveloped her once again.

...

Day 3, Konoha

...

"I need to find Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled in frustration and battered at Yamato's wooden prison.

"Calm down, Naruto," the laconic voice drifted from outside. "The Akatsuki are on the move. We can't let you go, and Konoha needs you."

The jinchuuriki fiercely wiped his arm against his burning eyes. "You don't know her, Yamato-sensei! Sasuke-kun's dead! She loved him! She's probably out there, depressed and alone…!"

Sai crouched in front of the prison, drawing absent-mindedly in the dirt. He too was worried for Sakura, but didn't know how to express it. Should he shout, like Naruto? Or wisely try to wait as Yamato-sensei was doing? The ex-Root member was torn.

Meanwhile, Tsunade-hime had gotten back on her feet and assessed the situation, taking charge again. Danzo was incarcerated until further light was shed, and plans were being made for a bloodless autopsy of the Uchiha's body. Konoha was also recovering and the faithful interrogation teams had thoroughly searched Root headquarters. Jigyaku no Jutsu was utilized on the remaining Root members, drawing up last dredges of information, and revealing that only Danzo's closest associates had agreed to anything. They were being tried and sentenced at the moment; Naruto using the stabilization as an excuse to find Sakura and ending up in his imprisoned predicament.

Yamato was about to respond to Naruto's emotionally-charged and mostly accurate claim, when a messenger appeared before them.

"Message from the hokage," the agent intoned.

Naruto, overhearing, eagerly pressed his ear to a wooden wall and Yamato allowed a small window.

"Go ahead."

"The Akatsuki are apparently moving to rendezvous at the ruins of Sound for their own investigation of events. Her orders: assemble a four man team to find and rescue Haruno Sakura before they cross roads. Do not release Uzumaki Naruto, however."

The messenger bowed. "That is all."

Yamato quickly closed the window just as the structure shook from Naruto's outraged punch.

"Thank you. Please tell her that I will do so immediately." The messenger nodded and disappeared.

Team 7's co-trainer pressed his words through the dense prison, "You heard what she said. I can't let you take part in this. I'm sorry, Naruto-kun."

Sai stood up. "Let me go, sensei."

Yamato observed him for a long moment. "You should watch after Naruto-kun."

"I have to do this. Please."

"…Fine. Come with me."

When the two had left, Naruto gave a grim smile. The minute Yamato had opened a window, he performed a body switch with a shadow clone outside. He would search for Sakura with them, whether he was allowed to or not. Naruto leapt into the forest and followed the two.

Teacher and student headed for the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Naruto watched the two disappear within for a few minutes before bringing out Ino.

"...Thank you so much, Yamato-sensei, Sai-kun," Naruto overheard her saying as she pressed the heel of her hand to her wet eyes. "I'll tell Shikamaru soon. When do we meet?"

"At three, Konoha Gate. We think Sakura may head towards Sound for clues first, so plan accordingly for a long journey."

Naruto stepped back with a grin. That was all he needed to hear…

...

At the appointed time, Yamato, Sai, Ino, and Shikamaru convened at the Gates with their preparations made for three days. They had made just several steps through before a voice called after them. The rescue party turned to see Kakashi restraining a very annoyed Naruto.

"I caught this child trying to follow you," he said breezily.

"Kakashi-sen—"

"But I'd be lying if I said I didn't intend to come also," he interrupted.

"Sempai," Yamato inquired, "Doesn't Tsunade-sama need you?"

"Jiraiya just learned the happenings of the past few days. He contacted us by summon animal to say that he'll be arriving from the Sanctuary of Frogs tomorrow. Konoha will be in good hands."

"Alright," he agreed. "But for Naruto…"

"I'm coming!"

"It's no use arguing with him," Kakashi laughed. He scratched his head and admitted, "I've never given Sakura the attention she's deserved. And this may be Team 7's only chance to save a lost member…"

"And a friend," Ino said hotly.

"And a friend," the jounin agreed and Naruto echoed with fervor.

"We're bringing Sakura home."

...

Sakura

...

The missing-nin roused at dawn, vividly recalling her dream. Itachi had called her to Amegakure, and she could not let the opportunity pass. She ached to know what he had meant in saying that she would never find Sasuke.

She left the town in haste, following the general direction a kind villager had pointed her in. In moments, Sakura was speeding over the wilderness again with all civilian pretenses dropped. At midday, she sat for a quick meal and watched in jaded interest as eight bandits approached. Her Sharingan detected them before they even saw her, but the only sight that greeted them was easy quarry.

"Why, hello there," the chief sneered, his eyes running up and down her relaxed posture.

"Pink hair!" one pointed out the obvious. "And pretty too. Chief, she'd sell for a good price."

"Hold on boys. We done some good work today, and shouldn't we reward ourselves?" he waved lazily. "We could have some fun first."

Her bowed head hid her smile as he approached and roughly grabbed her arm.

With a calculated arm, Sakura effortlessly brought her palm to her assailant's chin and snapped his neck. He fell with a broken cry, his men falling back in shock.

She tilted her head and smiled charmingly. "Scared?"

A reckless fool charged at her from behind with a raised club, but she gracefully pivoted and caught his slack wrist, swinging him into two of his fellow members. Her eyes glowed with elation.

"Who's next?" she sang. The bandits attempted to run. She tsked in disappointment, casually drawing a kunai and launching onto the back of the nearest one. She drew the blade across his neck viciously and leapt off the falling body, onto the next, then the next, then the next…

Sakura surveyed the mess with satisfaction, disappointment, disgust, and regret. Her clothes were fairly bloodless…but She was a mess. She bitterly turned away and shaded her eyes from the hot, foreign sun so different from Konoha's. In the distance, a dark sky could be seen above scattered villages. Amegakure, of the never-ending rain. The landscape was a stark contrast to the bright and wilting wasteland around her. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she picked up the journey again. The bodies remained behind.

By noon, she reached a field of wet grass, feeling the drops of rain indicating her arrival. The nearest village smoldered from the bandits' earlier assault.

Sakura found despairing eyes dropping on her medic's skirt and voices crying for relief. For once, no one asked to see her village head-protector before requesting medical help, which she was thankful for. She was bored, and retreated within her mind, allowing Sakura to just surrender to her medic's instincts.

The village's graying chief was the only one who had faint ninja training, and sustained the most damage. He was a good man, putting his people before himself, and he was grateful for Sakura's medical services. He was the only one who noticed the glint of scarred metal under the open collar of Sakura's red blouse. But he remained silent, an agreement trading between him and the renegade. After healing a family of their severe burns and resuscitating a dying child, Sakura picked herself up and asked for a place to stay. She was welcomed sincerely, and the surprise warmed her conscience, even her insanity's.

In the humble room they offered her, Sakura settled on a cot and read through a few more scrolls before the sound of falling rain lulled her into a dreamless sleep.

...

Day 4

...

In the morning, the chief told her that the head village had contacted him – they would like to reward Sakura for her aid. Again, the silent agreement passed between the two and he offered the missing-nin a temporary head-protector.

Sakura was reluctant to receive any public acknowledgement – any word of a brilliant medic in a backwater area might tip off her seekers – but the man's sincerity touched her. So she accepted the head-protector and checked on the family one more time before walking three miles to the center of Ame.

The area was practically metropolitan compared to the last; close to the size of Konoha, almost every fifth person was a ninja. Sakura wondered why they hadn't come to the aid of their fellow villagers, but she slowly grew aware of their cruel, set mouths and hauteur.

The atmosphere is so different here, she realized with a bit of homesickness. But she snapped out of her unfamiliar softness and forced herself to understand that she had become a traitor, and would be punished duly if she ever returned to Konoha.

The missing-nin squared her shoulders and approached the center of the village, absent-mindedly listening to her surroundings. Market noises and arguments, idle gossip, the snap of a newspaper…its owner's conversation caught her attention.

"Looks like Konoha's in a rough spot," a smug-looking jounin said. Amegakure's slate-blue vest of status didn't deter Sakura from giving a sharp glance in his direction. He failed to notice and continued to chat with his interested companion, "Their traitor turned up dead and Shimura went postal. The great village ain't so great anymore, eh?"

Sakura recklessly approached them. "What's this about?" she asked coldly.

The jounin gave her an appraising look, and his friend let out a low whistle.

"Haven't seen you around before…You wanna tour of Ame?"

She ignored his arrogant advance and stared at the newspaper slack in his hand. "What were you saying?"

"Oh – is that it?" He sounded none too pleased at her frostiness, and his reply had a bite to it.

"Their famous Uchiha – the last one, right? You know he flipped out before disappearing from Konoha and all that a few years ago. Well, he turned up dead. Serves him and Konoha right, we at Amegakure would have killed him lo –"

Make him scream.

Before the poor man knew it, he was shoved into the brick wall behind with back-bruising force. Audible cracks were heard as the slabs crumbled in red dust. Another moment and Sakura's hand was at his neck with her tantō. Rage flashed across her face before cool hatred settled into place.

"You dare repeat that," she murmured, Sharingan unconsciously activated in her eyes as she lifted them to relish the paralyzed fear in his face.

He whimpered as she teased the blade around his vulnerable throat, ghosting off the skin. Someone screamed.

And that's how Ino and Team 7 found her.

...

An hour ago

...

"We're getting close to Sound," Yamanaka announced as she returned to her body from a bird's flight.

"Thank you, Ino-san," Yamato glanced at the shadow on the horizon. "The Akatsuki should be here in a day."

"Perhaps we should split," Sai suggested.

"Why?"

"It's not like Sakura to recklessly charge ahead. She must know someone's been sent to find or accompany her, right? She probably stayed at a village for the night."

"He's right," Naruto smiled with relief. "Sakura-chan probably left a message for us."

"Alright. We have some time," Kakashi said with some respite, though a lingering doubt twisted in his gut. "Let's split up. What's the nearest village, Nara-san?"

"Amegakure," the jounin glanced up from his map. "About an equal distance from here as it is to Sound."

"Remember, we are also here to obtain more information on Sound. Nara, Sai, and I can head to Sound while you three go to Amegakure." Yamato suggested.

"Sounds good," Kakashi nodded to his junior. "Then…let's meet back here in two hours." He turned to beckon Naruto and Ino, but the two were already tearing in the direction of the humid winds and dark skies.

He sighed and followed; the scattered set of villages neared within the half-hour. They passed over a bloody sight with some unease, but it was common for bandits to war on each other so the annihilation was stepped over without second thought.

Their flight to the nearest group of huts was greeting by the sight of reconstruction. The leader immediately approached the strangers.

"How can I help you?" the elder asked warily, eyeing their Konoha headbands and recalling the medic who had hidden hers before.

"We're only here to search for our companion," Kakashi said smoothly. "Have you seen any kunoichi here?"

A curious child who had lingered, staring at the strange shinobi, shyly piped up to the leader's instant consternation, "A nee-san with beautiful hair healed me yesterday!"

The elder hushed her, but Ino knelt and asked kindly, "Was her hair pink?"

The girl nodded with wide eyes.

The kunoichi smiled in gratitude and addressed the leader sincerely. "She's our friend. Can you point us in her direction?"

He finally smiled, "She's heading towards Central at the moment," he pointed. "Please thank her again on behalf of the village."

Gratified to hear that Sakura was doing well and up to her compassionate ways, the party headed towards the center of Ame.

It came as a shock to see the kindhearted girl they all loved assaulting a fellow shinobi without provocation.

...

"S-Sakura?" Ino stepped forward hesitantly. Familiar eyes with unfamiliar emotion stared at her. Her friend unconsciously retreated.

For a split second, Kakashi had sworn that he had seen some semblance of Sharingan in his former student's eyes. Disregarding the hallucination, he still tensed; this was not the Sakura they knew. It hit him – something dreadful and recognizable danced in her eyes. Dread settled in Kakashi's stomach as his mind raced with answers, and he cursed. History was repeating itself.

"Oi!" Naruto shouted. "Sakura-chan, you're hurting him!"

She casually released the shinobi, who immediately slumped but remained paralyzed. Her steps toward them were hesitant, and she suddenly stopped as if an invisible wall was blocking her way. Her head tilted, her emerald eyes traveled from the three faces of old friends. Ino's shocked and repulsed expression. Naruto's accusatory look. Kakashi's hand instinctively resting at his kunai pouch. They meant to detain her.

Sakura stared back callously.

They hate you.

The insanity whispered again:

…But it doesn't matter, right?

The tantō arced silver circles in her confident hand before screaming to a stop.

Because there's only one thing that does matter: Sasuke.

The Sharingan flashed gold in her eyes.

"I won't let you get in my way."

...

No matter what it takes.

To be continued…

So, should I continue this? Not to be demanding, but I don't want to continue what will be a waste of my time if my skills aren't up to readers but no one reviews. I'm up for criticism, compliments, suggestions – I looove reviews. So tell me if you like the story! :)