Puppeteer

Summary:

She was beautiful, graceful and deadly, a true definition of his art. And because his art was eternal, she would not be allowed to change, ever.

Pairing:

Sasori x Sakura

Raiting:

M

Betas:

N and C

Chapter 3

*Klick Klick*

Went her neck as she turned to look at the red head next to her. They were walking in the dark hallways of the base in a leisure pace, not in a hurry to get anywhere. In the hallways, there wasn't much to look at, so Sakura looked at the man next to her. She guessed he was handsome with his striking features, cool eyes, calm nature and bloody red hair. But there was no skipped hearth beat or a blush on her face as there would have been before as she stared. Even the fact that she didn't know his name didn't seem to bother her.

Just quiet acceptance.

*Klick Klick*

Went her neck as she turned her head to look at where they were going. It was weird, her once vibrant and full mind seemed to be in a forever frozen, calm state, there was very little in her mind that could wake any emotions in her anymore. The thought of sun kissed skin and golden hair brought her longing, but she was quick to return to her neutral state.

Why think of something that hurt?

*Klank Klank*

Went her legs as she walked along, thinking that if she was her old self, this silence would have been boring. She had a feeling she used to love talking as her old self. Now there was no need to, her mind was calm, accepting of this silence. The less she tried to remember her old self, the calmer her mind was.

*Klank Klank*

Went her legs as they stepped into a room lit with a fireplace. The warm orange glow was welcome, before it would of made her even smile. Now, she was just pleased at the change in atmosphere, the constant dark hallway had started to look dull.

There were two people in the room, a blond one was sitting in the sofa with something clay like in his hands and a huge looking male was lurking around in the corner with a cup that Sakura guessed was sake. They seemed calm enough, but the blond froze as he sensed them.

"Sasori! What took you so lo-" the boy –he was no older than a teenager- yelled from his place from the comfortable looking sofa. His long blond hair swirling behind him as he turned to the door, freezing suddenly at the sight of her.

Funny, he looked familiar with his blue eye –the other one was hidden behind a scope of some kind- and long golden blond hair.

It also reminded her, that she had never known the red heads name before now.

'Sasori,' she thought, pleased even, as she let out a breathless little hum.

"What… is she doing here? Did you capture her?" The blond asked and jumped up, the piece of clay he had ben shaping laying forgotten on the sofa. He seemed troubled for some reason, but Sakura couldn't fathom why.

"Does she look unwilling?" Sasori asked, his impatient nature shining through once again.

"Well," the boy looked her way again "not necessarily. But she's with the… you know." the boy finished lamely. His blue eye kept darting her way, as if expecting her to attack. Why would she, they haven't given her a reason to. She wouldn't attack her partners' comrades without a reason.

His denial on where she belonged and didn't belong was quite annoying thought. She was right where she wanted to be, next to Sasori.

"I am where I want to be," Sakura stated firmly, fire dancing in her glassy eyes as she looked down on the boy, even tho she was shorter than him, willing him to accept this fact as well.

"Heh, the girl seems just as stubborn as before," the giant looking –and blue- man stated from his place in the corner as he took a sip from his sake. The sight of him would have frightened her before, of this she was sure, now she just ignored his unusual looks.

Who was she to judge, she was made from wood.

Her loss of reaction seemed to surprise him, but he choose not to comment on it.

"…Does the Leader know?" the boy asked uncertainly, this time more than just glancing at her. If Sakura had to guess, there was something akin to longing in his gaze. Why that was, she couldn't fathom.

"He is aware," Sasori said, a frown in his voice that couldn't be seen on his frozen face.

"Is he now?" The boy grumbled and turned back towards the sofa, clearly intending to ignore them for the time being.

*Klick Klick*

Went her neck as she turned to Sasori.

"Sasori?" Sakura hummed, using his name for the first time.

"We're done," Sasori said with a slight smirk and glanced at her. He seemed pleased again, whatever for.

The slight klicking of her body seemed to gather some attention, but most so from the blond who seemed to freeze all over. He turned around slowly and looked at her, really looked at her.

He looked down at her fingers that were poking out from the long sleeves of her jacket and gasped at the small wooden arms he could see. His eyes returned to her face, disbelief clearly on his face as he stared into her eyes that were made of glass. Her eyes were calm and cold, his were unbelieving, shocked.

"You're…"

"I am?" Sakura asked, slight confusion in her voice, thought her face remained neutral, frozen.

He turned his blazing eye towards her partner, golden hair whipping about angrily at his jerky movements.

"YOU BASTARD!" He yelled at Sasori and moved to attack, only to be stopped by Kisame, who moved surprisingly fast for his size. His cup of sake lay forgotten on the ground.

"You ruined her! She was perfect, a piece of art, vibrant, colorful, alive, A BANG! AND YOU RUINED HER!" He kept yelling and squirming around in the arms of the larger male, hitting him repeatedly in the process. The blue one didn't seem bothered by the hitting, but there was an annoyed frown on his face.

"Ruined me?" Sakura asked emotionlessly, glancing at her partner once again. She hadn't been ruined, just changed.

"Deidara," Sasori said, now the annoyance could be seen even on his wooden face.

Deidara, apparently that was his same, fumed and glared, but quieted down to listen. The larger male never let go, clearly not trusting him to stay still.

"They didn't deserve her," Sasori said calmly, expecting the blond to understand and leave it at that.

"Neither do you!" Deidara snarled and tried to yank himself free.

"But you do?" this made the blond bristle.

"I wouldn't have changed her the way you did," Deidara grumbled and yanked himself out of the blue giants' arms. He seemed done with the subject as he left the room with a last glance in her way.

"Sasori?" Sakura asked, almost curious on what will happen next.

"Is she trustworthy?" asked a quiet, yet calm voice from the table behind the sofa. Sakura hadn't noticed anyone there before. He was what one would call handsome with long black hair and piercing red eyes. Before, she might have swooned, now she just choose to ignore him.

"What Itachi means... is she one of us? You know how the Leaf ninjas are," the blue one said.

"She is," Sasori said lazily, clearly bored with the subject. The two of them seemed pleased enough with Sasoris answer and didn't question him anymore. With a hum, he turned her way and nodded towards the door, clearly telling her that they were done here.

Sakura nodded and walked with him out of the room.

She could still feel the piercing red gaze on her back.

Beta notes:

Hello my dear readers!

My life has been quite a mess lately, but I've been trying to update my stories a little…

This chapter hasn't been Betaed yet, so I apologize for the errors, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

Sakura may seem a little dull and different, but she was just turned into a puppet, she doesn't have her own mind completely organized just yet, it will take some time.

I will try to update every now and again, but I still only have one good arm to use, so it might take some time.

And as always, thank you for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana