I hoped to end this here, in chapie three, but well, I got suddenly inspired and the next chapter will probably be the last one.But, beware there'll be muuuuuch ItaSaku~~! Finally :D In all that scheeming, planning, beating, prakning it indeed lacked ItaSaku; it had to be like that though, for the plot to mature.
Special thanks to: saku Dear, you just touched me with your 'I've been waiting for two months', I'm so very awed by you :D Please await the next chapter, there'll be more ItaSaku~!
A huge, bear-like 'thank you' to everyone who reviewed, faved and liked! :D
Everyone; consider yourselves hugged~!
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Shisui couldn't believe his eyes. He actually rubbed them, just to be sure he saw, in fact, a buried up to his chin Sasuke. His little, broody, nosy, moody baby cousin. Whoever did this, he decided, was a genius and earned himself a favor from Shunshin no Shisui. He really needed to get the rights for that prank, it was just way too good to be true.
To top everything his cousin was not only toes deep in soil but also masterfully beaten-up. He wanted to cry; what a dream come-true, to see Sasuke finally at someone else's mercy!
First things first; he roared with laughter. Sasuke didn't even acknowledge when he rolled back and forth with screams of greatest pleasure. Only after a good amount of, let's say, four minutes did he stop. Because Sasuke learned to glare from Itachi and when Itachi glared; it hurt.
The master of the Body Flicker technique stood candle straight, arms on hips with a Naruto award-worth grin.
"I take it, after your performance of greatest joy, you won't Shunshin me out, huh."
That kid could read minds.
"Depends, dearest cousin." He put emphasis on the dearest.
Sasuke was sceptic. "On what, exactly?" He asked suspiciously.
Angling pole thrown, fish catched. "Let's see, hmm, ah, that's right." He patted himself on the forehead, "My mood!" then used his legendary skill to cowardly vanish.
Sasuke sighed. He so saw that one coming.
"Duck-butt."
Oh what great joy, his day just got better.
"Wannabe-Picasso." It was beneath him, answering insults, but he was buried chin deep in some kind of ants nest, there was just no beneath him anymore.
Greetings done, Sai stared - with his usual socially awkward smile.
"Hokage –sama summons you, pronto." The last part was a quotation, obviously.
That guy got a high from antagonizing people, Sasuke swore on that.
"Oh yes, of course, just let me get my imaginary shovel with my earth entombed arm. Because that will so work." Sasuke had really not much playroom, sarcasm was a very welcome weapon.
"That's nonsensical. And coming from me, it's a serious accusation."
It appears Sai had some guts after all, because one didn't insult a pissed off Uchiha.
"Just lend me a hand already!" The ravenette shouted, exaggerated.
Sai titled his head. "And what would I gain from it?" Sasuke would ask if he's serious but it's Sai, anything's possible with Sai.
"Maybe a feat which wasn't introduced to you, yet, common courtesy." He was, after all, reading all these how-to books about emotions, healthy human sense, and all.
Sai concentrated deeply for a moment, his brows furrowed a little, he was staring at the sky. Finally, he nodded. "That's acceptable."
Despite himself, Sasuke gaped. His teammate was a lost cookie. Maybe he'd find his way back to the pack, in a far-away future. Just so.
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"So, let me sum it up." The fiery village leader sat with crossed legs and arms behind her desk with a cold stare fixed at the famous troublemaker team, plus Kakashi.
"Tweedledum and Tweedledee here to my left, " Tsunade bobbed her head in their direction. " faked a report about your health, stood up for your mission, and succeeded." A freshly manicured fingernail pointed towards Sakura. "You, after getting behind the truth, stormed to the Uchiha's, destroyed their home, then dragged the heirs' younger brother to the training grounds and buried him there." Sasuke flinched at that, he got himself bitten by ants. Ants, for Kami's sake!
Sakura drew her brows together. "Actually –
SILENCE!" A loud thud and the pinkette was KO'ed. Kakashi's fingers twitched for some 'Icha Icha' but he sure as hell wouldn't draw the attention to himself. Big sorry to his sweet student though.
Naruto cringed. He knew for a fact that, yes, Tsunade's books were much more heavier when she actually threw them. Even in his emotinally pitiable form he sympathized with his teammate. Sasuke on the other hand grinned sneakily. He knew of two persons so far who could put Sakura into place. Haruno Mebuki – that woman was a she-devil which Sakura unfortunately inherited, as well as Tsunade for obvious reasons.
The pinkette raised slowly, one hand nursing the bump on her pink head. Tsunade cleared her throat. "As I was saying, before I got so rudely interrupted, " Of course throwing heavy books was so very not-rude, like, at all. " – you decided to play avenger and execute some self-justice." A pointed look at Sakura from all sides.
"Yes." She replied with politely closed eyes. Then recalled the events loudly. "After I've left Sasuke on the training grounds, I've begun my search for Naruto."
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Konoha's Orange Hero was sufficiently eating his delicious miso ramen with roasted pork fillet, then, out of nowhere stopped. He stared seemingly at nothing and no one. A chill descended from the top of his head to the end of his toes. He knew, simply was aware. The alarm got off. His special 'Sakura-chan-will-soon-beat-me' alarm.
Naruto transported himself into his apartment instantly.
Inside his save zone, free from any fairy fists, he allowed himself to relax. The blonde trailed lazy to his kitchen and halted. There, on his table stood a cake. Delicious looking, huge, decorated with various frosting cake. It was white and overall made him want to eat it.
His brows furrowed for a moment, it wasn't there this morning meaning someone was inside his home, but if it were so Kurama would've instantly rang alarm. The fox snored amusingly, Naruto decided to let it be. He didn't finish his portion at Ichiraku's and that cake was way too appealing. Grinning he searched for a knife then chopped enthusiastically into his sweet desert…
The frigging cake exploded on him, covering his whole kitchen with frosting. Kurama laughed, Naruto's eyes narrowed. Sai would pay for this.
His feet traveled to his bathroom, he quickly threw his clothes off and entered the shower. Five minutes later Naruto emerged chirpingly bright from it, he duck inside his slippers proceeding to comb through his hair – he stopped moving.
"WHO THE HELL IS THAT!" he pointed accusingly at his mirror reflection. Then realized, it's indeed, no other but himself. "Why in the world am I green!?" He shouted until his throat felt sick, he scrubbed but this weird green paint didn't even bulge.
Kurama's cries of amusement echoed in Naruto's subconscious. "Don't laugh!" He tried desperately to deny this absurdity. Why would Sai go to such lengths! Unless..
'It wasn't that emotionally constipated teammate of yours.' As an afterthought the fox added, 'Idiot.' snorting.
"Sakura.." Naruto hugged his head "Oh damn it, I'm so dead!" Kurama's gleefully reminded 'And green.'
Wait a second. If Sakura knew about what they did, "Sasuke!" no matter the circumstances he would not abandon his teammate. 'She's probably got him first.'
Naruto's brow furrowed. "But why?" 'Well,' the fox elaborated ' – a true predator goes for the best prey at the end.' The blonde gulped, then and there he needed something to soothe him. "Water." Nervous, he walked back inside his kitchen all the while avoiding any remains of the fake cake. "I need water."
The fridge opened and Naruto scrammed backwards, falling down. He stuttered, his face paled, eyes watered because back in the fridge, inside a jar, stared something back at him; Sakura's head.
He instantly went berserk, shot to his front door, opened it and despite his agony, loss, shock Naruto covered his ears and shut his eyes. Some kind of high-pitched shriek flew from his door throughout whole Konoha. He's never heard something this loud, not even Kurama could roar louder. 'Hey.' voiced the fox.
Then, to make everything even worse teams of Anbu materialized in front of him, one of them took off his mask.
"Itachi! Sakura –! We have to! She's been – " He was cut off when something hard hit his neck. Naruto went unconscious.
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Naruto awoke to the sound of droplets hitting floor. His eyes opened, instantly memories kicked in and he shouted for someone, anyone, because it was so dark, he was tied to a chair, and Sakura!
Light struck him hard in the face. Footsteps, a figure, he knew that man.
"Itachi, listen! Let me go, I have to go and search for –"
A kunai swished by, inches away from his ear. He went silent.
"Naruto-kun you are accused of stealing a mission from Haruno Sakura. How do you pledge?"
Said blonde really wanted to double check what he's had just heard, smack himself, pinch his skin. Was Uchiha Itachi asking him of that mission Sasuke and he stole from Sakura, when she in turn was reduced to only a head; inside his fridge!
Was he insane!? "What!? No! That's not the time for that, Itachi, listen –" A second kunai pinned his pants to the wood of his chair, way too close to certain parts of his…anatomy.
Again, silence reigned.
"We can do this one way, " Itachi's eyes had a dangerous glint. " – or another."
Was he insane? Was Itachi insane!? Sakura was murdered cruelly and he was being accused of taking a meek mission! This got to be a damn nightmare, really. He wished he could pinch himself, again.
'Naruto, listen. I think you've got it –' Naruto didn't register Kurama trying to tell him something vital. "Fine! I, we, Sasuke and me took a mission, selfishly, from our teammate, Haruno Sakura." Naruto gritted out. "Now, can we please all go on and search for Sakura's murdered remains then, while we're on it, kill that bastard who did it?"
Itachi started chuckling afterwards released a gentle laugh. Naruto was perplexed, did he somehow, due to his huge intelligence, go mad? Because, who would laugh when a friend just got killed!
"Finally, you admitted it at least." Naruto's eyes widened, no way. "I suppose I don't have a right to physically harm you, pity." Sakura walked into the illuminated area, Naruto got a huge grin plastered all over his face. She's alive! Sakura is alive, that's all that mattered. 'Imbecile, what do you think I've been trying to tell you this whole time?' Of course, Naruto went deaf on his partner's words. The fox sighed and leaned onto his huge, fanged paw in a bored gesture.
"Sakura-chan, I've thought you were – "
"Dead. I know, I've staged everything." She was way too emotionless. But then, in Naruto's mind, it all clicked. He wanted to point a accusing finger at his friend, but, tied up and all.
"You tricked me!"
Her eyes transferred to slits. "Yes, like you with my mission." She put emphasis on the 'my'.
Naruto winced. "That.., it doesn't gives you the right to scare me to death like that."
Sakura shrugged. "Perhaps. But you needed to learn; what better way to learn something by experiencing heavy emotions."
Naruto wouldn't, couldn't reply. He did deserve revenge, but this? "Alright! I see your point." He really did. "How did you pull it off?" Naruto was curious.
"Well, " She smiled at Itachi in silent thanks, he nodded pleasantly. "That cake; basic prank, I was a little surprised you fell for that." Naruto looked embarrassed away. "The head; genjutsu in a jar, pretty cool actually. Itachi-san brought it up." Naruto glared at Sasuke's brother. Traitor. "That awkward sound, your door jammed into an over-sized air horn. Then the Anbu squads; Itachi-san's doing."
She looked pleasantly happy, like after a good days work. Itachi was truly interested now. So many facets she had. He smiled, no one noticed.
"We're.., uh, even now, right?" Naruto would not, not live through a punch of hers right now. He was emotionally finished.
"Yup." Sakura's expression changed to one of pure evil. "Remember this day whenever you want to pull something on me again." In a flash she was in front of the poor blonde, holding tightly onto his collar. "Got it?" She yelled in a manner Tsunade would be proud of.
"Loud and clear." Naruto said in a clipped, horror filled voice.
Sakura nodded, returned to her good mood, patted her friend's shoulders and untied him.
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"That's all." Sakura told her story, now it was up to her Shishou. She could only pray to not get a 'Special Tsunade Training Day', she wouldn't be able to move after seventy hours of non-stop combat. Tsunade had a lot of pent-up energy, filling out paperwork had that effect.
The village head shoot up from her seat, everyone went frigid. Sakura expected to receive a fist in her face, Tsunade only reached for a folder of documents. The guests of Hokage-sama sighed, all relieved.
"Let me read the villagers' version of 'that's all'. " Tsunade cleared her throat temperamentally and quoted like a true poet would've recited.
" 'I have only intended to buy groceries but suddenly a huge burst of loud, ear shattering noise made me fall down the hill.' Usago Mao, 98 – she broke both her legs and an arm not to mention the many bruises." Tsunade glared at Sakura. " ' My child was playing on the nearby playgrounds when suddenly a crashing, loud sound erupted from somewhere in Konoha. My poor soon fell from the swing and I had to lull him to sleep that evening, for he wouldn't stop crying.' Yukina and Yousuke Motou, 27 and 5." Tsunade tsk'ed and read forth. " 'Poor Akakamaru and the other ninja dogs, maintained by our clan, were found eighty miles from Konoha, after hearing a horribly painful sound coming from idiot Naruto's apartment. Beg for permission to feed Naruto to them. We've spend the whole day searching the woods for our dogs.' Inuzuka Kiba, 19." Sakura looked uncomfortably embarrassed, Naruto paled. The other two exchanged knowing looks. " 'I was heading to deliver Ramen to my clients, then children overrun me. My Ramen spilled everywhere, on various venders with various goods, starting with silk ending on potatoes.' Teuchi – Ichiraku Ramen chief,49."
The Sannin slammed her palms on her desk, creating cracks of splintered wood. "You want me to read more? Because there's plenty!"
Everyone stayed quiet, out of respect.
Tsunade slumped tiringly into her seat, she rubbed her forehead. "I really don't want to delve into that matter further." She glanced at the little group in front of her. "Naruto, Sasuke you two will do for five months nothing else but completing boring D class missions and holding classes on teamwork dynamic at the Academy." As an afterthought, "With Kakashi supervising." Tsunade added.
The reaction was immediate; Sasuke twitched, Naruto cried out loud arguments, Kakashi's head hung low. Meanwhile Sakura, she was waiting for her own punishment.
Tsunade's eyes glinted in that sadistic way. "As for you, dearest." Not good, Shishou's never, ever used that word on her before. She was totally, irreparably doomed. "You, Sakura, will make it up to the – " The Godaime searched through her papers. " – 450 citizens of Konoha. You will help the old Ladys heal, lull traumatized kids to sleep, donor the finest food to the scared-off animals, work part-time for free at Ichiraku's, pay back the ruined goods by yourself, for the five months and perhaps counting." After a pause she continued. "Of course there will be no missions for you, only a repeat of our Training Day sessions." Tsunade let out a laugh "I will very much enjoy educating you anew."
Doomed. "Yes, Tsunade-sama."
The blondes' eyes lit up, she forgot a crucial part. "You'll be supervised by Uchiha Itachi."
There was shock, no words. Only gapingly silence.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "What, you're waiting for an invitation to leave? Out!"
After the initial seconds, everybody got their senses back and left. Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura stood before the Hokage tower, their spirits similar to lost souls. They even ignored the energetic greetings from both Gai and Lee.
Sasuke slid sharply towards Sakura. "Well, was it worth it?" He asked, irritated.
She adjusted her sight on him, grinned widely and said; "Totally."
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Man, I've really strugled with the Naruto-revenge part. A beating or more psychological consequences? Well, now you know for what I've opted =D
Please leave me your thoughts, dearies (✿◠‿◠)
PS: I've recently made a new doujinshi, of course a ItaSaku, if you want to read it, watching works too :D, check my profile for the link.