Ketsora: This is a very memorable chapter.
Naruto: And why is that?
Ketsora: Because I felt like saying that…
Naruto: O.o Ketsora doesn't own Naruto.
Ketsora: Hah, tricked you into doing the disclaimer! Oh, by the way. If anyone was interested, this story takes place a year after Part 1 ended, but a year and a half before the Timeskip episodes would begin.
"It's true, isn't it?" Ino asked. She came and sat down next to Naruto. The blond boy looked up at her, "What's true?"
"Sakura's left the village, just like Sasuke," Ino finished. Naruto gently bit down on his tongue, like he did when he was a kid. It used to prevent him from crying when his classmates picked on him. "Yeah," he sighed.
"Do you think we should send out a search party for her?" Ino asked, "Because Tenten, Hinata and I, even Shikamaru, would do anything to get her back. Tsunade's depressed beyond reason, and…"
Naruto placed his hand over Ino's mouth. "I hate not having Sakura around. Kakashi-sensei is really secretly upset as well. But I don't have the heart to send out a search party after what happened with Sasuke."
"So we're just going to abandon her?" Ino screamed, outraged, "Who knows if she's dead or alive, or anything?! Sakura isn't like Sasuke! She wouldn't leave the village for power, or something suicidal, like bringing back Sasuke when even you couldn't!" She stormed off, outraged.
Naruto gently released his tongue and let the tears roll down.
"So, is there going to be a search or not?" Shikamaru asked Ino when she returned to his house. "No. Naruto won't go for it. I'll find her, though!" Ino cried determinedly. "Do you need me to help?" Shikamaru yawned lazily. "Sure. Help me pack and you can travel with me when we go to find Sakura!"
Shikamaru only half listened though. If what Tsunade-sama had said to him when he talked with the Hokage, then Sakura had left to find Sasuke. And if that was true, then if Naruto couldn't retrieve Sasuke, then there was no way the no-talent, weak kunoichi that he knew could bring Sasuke back. It was troublesome really to think of what would happen.
(Back with the Akatsuki)
"You sure about that Itachi-san?" Deidara asked. "Yeah, positive. We could use her on our team," Itachi confirmed, his arm still around Sakura's neck, "Did Pein-sama say anything else?"
"He told me she was a specialist in genjutsu, and she had abnormal strength, like Tsunade of the Hidden Leaf Village," Deidara relayed. "Let go," Sakura snarled, elbowing Itachi. He let go.
"Sakura here is also a medic," Itachi said, "And we need a medic. Sasori and Konan are always busy healing everyone, so another set of hands would help productivity."
"True, un," Deidara grunted, "Sasori and I have a mission right now so I'll leave you two alone." Sakura stared at Itachi. Itachi stared back.
This staring contest went on for a while until Itachi said, "The longer we wait, the stronger Sasuke will get. You will train right now." Sakura crossed her arms, "Train, now? How?"
Itachi raised an eyebrow, with an amused smirk on his face, "I'm going to teach you a few new genjutsu. Then, run 10 laps around the inside of the base. After that, we'll see."
(With Ino)
"C'mon Shikamaru!" the blond yelled. "Meh. According to Tsunade, it'll take a week to track the surrounding forest. Then, there's always a possibility that the Akatsuki got her. If that happens, then it might take another week to find the base," the lazy ninja yawned. "I don't care," Ino replied.
Shikamaru looked at her. "If the Akatsuki got her, then there's a 79 chance that she'll die within a week," he reeled of, as though he practiced these statistics before. "Then we head straight for the base first!" Ino shot back. "You troublesome woman, don't you understand? It is a waste of time!" Shikamaru complained loudly.
Ino turned around. "Abandoning a friend is a waste of time."
(A Week and Three Days Passes and We're Back With Sakura)
Itachi leaned in the doorway to Sakura's room. "Wake up," he called out. "Not on your life," Sakura said. "Today you're going to train with Sasori," Itachi told her.
Sakura sat up. Her muscles ached, because of the week of "Itachi's Death Camp Training." Itachi then disappeared for a minute. He returned with an Akatsuki robe and a ring. "These are yours, by the way. Put them on."
"I will. First, let me just wake up…" Sakura yawned, stretching. Itachi turned on his heel, and left the room. Sakura threw on the robe, and slid on her ring. It read diamond.
"Kisame and I are leaving now. Wait here until Sasori comes. He hates making people wait, so he should be here in ten minutes!" Itachi called to Sakura from the hallway.
"I'm 13! I can take care of myself!" Inner Sakura shouted. "If you're so upset, then let's just go for a walk when he leaves. Maybe a change of scenery will calm you down," Sakura told Inner. "Meh. Whatever. I don't like Itachi."
So Sakura walked down the hallway and down two flights of stairs to the main chamber. The large rock that blocked the exit would be difficult to move, she was thinking when all of a sudden, Sasori appeared.
"Trying to get out, I see," he mused, "You just place your ring hand on the rock and say your ring's name." Sakura looked at him, placed her left hand upon the boulder and proclaimed, "Diamond." The slab of stone dematerialized and Sakura stepped out. "I'll be waiting for you to come back," Sasori told her. Sakura promised him it would be five minutes at most.
(With Ino)
"This is taking too long," Shikamaru complained. "Hey, wait a second. See the girl in the black robe. That pink hair and giant forehead are noticeable anywhere. That's Sakura!" Ino yelled at the genius ninja.
She ran out to greet her old friend. Shikamaru lazily trailed alongside.
"Sakura! Thank Kami we found you," Ino exclaimed. Sakura gave Ino a rather cold stare, and said, "Why? I'm fine."
Shikamaru plunged his hands into his pockets. "We're here to take you back. Come on, if we leave now, we can make it back to Konoha in a few days," he sighed.
What happens next? Well, review and I'll write it up ASAP.
Thank you to my loyal reviewers lonleycomet, TeenageCrisis, shadowwriter329, and Luka1Sakura!
