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Chapter 3 We Meet Again

It was completely unexpected, the next time she saw him.

She walked through the near empty village of Sodo, glaring slightly as rain drizzled down on her. Her stomach growled unhappily and she pressed a hand to it as if that might somehow stop the embarrassing noises. The scarce people actually stopped to stare at her! Of course they might have been staring because of her hair, but still!

She cast her eyes around for something cheap to eat. She had an appointment in about an hour with some from the yakuza, but until then she planned to make the best of her time. Her eyes landed on a place selling various types of dango. Her stomach growled again and she hastily made her way to the stand. Squeezing herself in between some customers, she took a seat on an empty stool and ordered.

While waiting for her food, she allowed her senses to drift and froze at what she found. It was chakra. Highly suppressed, chakra. In fact, the only reason she noticed was because she was sitting right next to them.

Her eyes flew to the man on her left. He was dressed in black pants with a black tank top and a fishnet shirt over it. But even without his Akatsuki cloak, there was still no mistaking the infamous Itachi Uchiha. Sakura bristled immediately, body tensing for a fight.

"Don't make a scene, kounochi." He murmured, deep voice seeming to hold not even a hint of emotion.

Sakura seemed to deflated from sheer shock.

"I-I-I-" She stuttered helplessly.

"Your food is getting cold."

"What?"

"Your food, is getting cold." Itachi repeated as if he were speaking to a small child.

"Oh…" Sakura said slowly, turning her eyes to her food. She flickered her eyes warily back to Itachi, who seemed to be ignoring her completely. Her stomach rumbled again and she threw all caution to the wind and began to tear into her food with relish. If Itachi decided to stab her in the back at least she'd die with a full stomach. When she looked up again he'd disappeared. It was so silent she'd almost thought she'd imagined it.

Finishing her food at a slower pace, she waited until it was time for her appointment before getting up and heading to her destination.

Sodo was not a busy village and the reason the yakuza met there was because of that. Such things were less likely to be caught in such a small, out of the way village. She stopped at the small home with the bright red door. She snorted. It didn't look at all like something suited for the infamous yakuza. Placing her headband on, she knocked on the door. There was them sound of feet shuffling and an old man opened the door. He smiled at her.

"Ah. Hello young lady! Please, come in."

Sakura entered warily, hands twitching and ready to grab any number of the weapons hidden on her person. The room was a modestly furnished sitting room. There was fireplace where a fire blazed merrily. Near that was a table with two simple chairs. There were two doors on opposite ends of the room that she assumed led to different parts of the house. The man gestured to a chair. She sat, acutely aware of the two hulking bodyguards in the shadows.

"You are Ika-sama." She said.

The old mans smiled widened.

"Hai. And you are Haruno Sakura. Your reputation proceeds you." Ika sat, still smiling. "Yes, I believe you will be exactly what I need. I am employing a three man team for this mission you see and the other two are in need of a talented medic who can take care of herself if needed."

"Look, I suggest you start explaining what it is you want because I haven't even agreed to do anything yet." Sakura snapped. She was tired of these games.

The old mans smile faultered.

"My grandson has been kidnapped by some…business rivals of mine. I want him back and I refuse to give into there ridiculous demands for payment. I know for a fact that even if I agreed to give them what they wanted they'd just kill him anyway." His eyes darkned and Sakura could see why this man was Yakuza. "Money is no object. I wanted the best and between you and your two teammates, you are the best."

Sakura stiffened. She had a bad feeling all of a sudden.

"Who are my teammates?" She asked warily.

Ika gestured to one of the guards who opened the door on the left end of the room. And in walked exactly who she'd been hoping it wouldn't be. Uchiha-Freaking-Itachi and that creepy shark guy.

"Nice to see you again pinky." Kisame mocked.

Sakura seethed.

"Don't call me pinky fish face."

"Don't call me fish face, brat!" Kisame growled, tightening his grip on his massive weapon.

"Kisame." Itachis voice was cold and final. It shut Kisame down immediately.

"Ika-sama, I don't think this is going to work." Sakura said quietly, trying to be respectful. "They don't really…like me."

Ika's narrowed his eyes and he seethed with hidden rage.

"I don't care if you don't like each other." He hissed. "I'm paying good money for all of you. If any of you expect to get paid then you better learn to work together fast."

Kisame looked to Itachi and then Sakura. He nudged Itachi with an elbow and whispered something to low for her to hear, his high collar hiding his lips so they could not be read. Itachi nodded and used his cloak in much the same manner to respond. Finally, Itachi turned his attention to Ika.

"If Haruno-san agrees then we consent to be on our best behavior in regards to this mission."

Sakura sighed. Being a missing nin sometimes meant creating new enemies where once stood friends, and embracing new friends that had once been enemies. Perhaps it would be a good idea if she got on the Akatsukis good side.

"Alright." She agreed. "After all, there's no point in being enemies now." She added.

Itachi gave a soft, none committal 'Hn', and Kisame snorted.

"We'll see, pinky."

Sakura was on him in a flash, one hand grabbing the front of his cloak and the other pulled back into a fist.

"Keep calling me that and I'll knock you through the fucking WALL! GOT IT?"

To Sakuras surprise Kisame started to laugh. She gathered chakra into her fist, prepared to do just what she'd threatened. A pale hand gripped her wrist.

"Haruno-san, please release my partner." Itachi said. Sakura released Kisame slowly. She knew better then to challenge Itachi on anything.

"You wont always have him around to protect you." She hissed, moving back. Kisame was still laughing. And Itachi didn't let her go. He continued to stare at her, creepy black and red eyes seeming to see right through her. After a long, tense moment, he released her.

"I think I'm gonna like her." Kisame murmured, grinning.

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