Chapter 3: Wounded
When they reached the gates of Amegakarue, Kisame was waiting for them. "Anoreen, Sakura; thank goodness."
"What's going on?" the older sister asked worriedly.
"Well for one, your dungeon is running amuck, and your little subordinate has taken it upon herself to dish out orders." He replied.
"Oh no she didn't!" Anoreen cut in.
"Actually, yes she did." He corrected, "And also, Itachi's gone and done something to his eyes."
Sakura sighed, "I knew that was coming."
"What happened to them?!" the blonde exclaimed.
"Do I look like a doctor to you?!" the swordsman answered, "...Come on; let's go."
The sisters nodded, and the trio turned and headed towards the base.
As soon as Anoreen stepped into the Akatsuki's hideout, she became aware of muffled cries of agony filtering up from the dungeons. She sighed, "Let me take care of this first, and then I'll come upstairs with you Sakura." The blonde instructed.
"No, I'm coming with you." Her sister argued, "I recognize that cry, and there's no way I'm going to just let him suffer."
Anoreen groaned and turned to Kisame. "He's the one you captured?" she confronted.
"Hey, don't blame me! It was Pein's order!" he replied.
"Screw Pein!" the blonde mumbled, and headed downstairs, her sister following close behind. She made it downstairs in record time, and proceeded to stomp over to her brown-haired underling. "Kashimi!!" she bellowed, "What the HELL do you think you're doing?!"
"Oh, Lady Anoreen!" the kunoichi remarked, stepping away from the bloody form of the youngest Uchiha, "You're back!"
"Yes I am, and you still haven't answered my question." Anoreen replied fiercely.
"It's just standard procedures mi-lady." The girl replied.
"Standard procedures?" the Shemutah echoed, "You're kidding right? ...Unless my rules have somehow changed without my knowledge, standard procedures does not include you giving orders and-" she stopped, "Is that a whip?"
"Well uh... yes ma'am." Kashimi replied.
"Give it to me, ...Now!" the blonde ordered. The kunoichi hurriedly handed her the whip. "Thank you." She said, before slitting her subordinate's throat, and walking over to where Sasuke was chained between two posts. "You ok?" she asked calmly.
"What's it look like?" he spat between deep breaths.
Anoreen emotionlessly flicked the whip and cut the teen's cheek open. "You will not talk to me like that if you want to live." She warned bluntly, as he cried out in pain.
"Anoreen stop it!" Sakura yelled, rushing forward to heal the fresh wound. Sasuke jerked his head away from her out of fear. "It's ok," she said gently, "I won't hurt you, Sasuke."
Her voice seemed to have a calming affect on the raven-haired boy, and he stopped struggling so she could heal the fresh wound. Somehow, Sasuke felt like he could trust this new stranger.
Anoreen rolled her eyes, "Whatever. I'm going back upstairs." She remarked before disappearing.
Sakura paused for a minute. "...Ok let's get you down." She said, standing up to unlock the iron cuffs that held him between the posts.
Sasuke felt his knees buckle underneath him, but before he could hit the ground, the kunoichi caught him. He grunted as she lowered him down to lie on his stomach. "Thanks." He mumbled.
"...No problem." The pink replied as she began healing his numerous other wounds.
Her chakra felt refreshing as it flowed through his battered and bruised body. Sasuke felt as if there was something familiar about the young girl, but couldn't figure out what. "...How did you know my name?" he inquired after a while.
"You're Itachi's brother, this is the Akatsuki, and I'm second in command. Go figure." She remarked flatly.
"But who are you?" the Uchiha pressed.
She finished healing him, and looked up sadly, "...You knew me once, ...but now that person no longer exists... I am what becomes of a heart that will never be healed."