A Thief Captured
Me: Disclaimed.
I am apologizing for taking too long to update. I was supposed to have posted this chapter up on Tuesday but because I had a couple more projects that needed urgent attention, I was forced to postpone the update. I hope this extremely long chapter will make up for my loss of punctuality.
This chapter is dedicated to all those who reviewed this story and to those who added this fanfic to their Favorite Story/Story Alert list. And to those who added me as their Favorite Author/Author Alert. Seriously, I love you guys. I'll post your names next time.
Chapter Four: Say What?! Sakura's First Mission!
Third Person POV
Deidara helped Sakura up as she wiped her tears dry. "Come on, lunch is served," he said, leading the pinkette as they marched to the dining room.
She entered the dining room then took an available seat, which was beside Kisame. She sat silently, then looked up to the shark-like man.
He grinned then said, "You know, I was the one you kicked the night before."
Sakura was surprised. She muttered an apology and healed the large bruise on his jaw.
"Oh, you didn't need to do that. It didn't hurt that much. But for a girl, I'd say you pack quite a punch – or a kick, that is. …Hmm, your eyes seem red and puffy. Have you been crying?"
Sakura shook her head and waited for Tobi to serve the meal. The truth was she was quite intimidated with the blue man's appearance and size, so she kept silent.
A moment later Tobi came from the kitchen, holding a large pan. He set the pan in the middle of the table then sat down next to Deidara.
She picked up her chopsticks, then looked at Leader-sama.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Introducing our new member, Sakura Haruno. She is an expert on taijutsu and medicine. I hope that each of you will treat her properly – that means no harassing, Hidan – and equally. Is there anything else you wish to add, Sakura-san?" Leader pronounced.
"It is very nice to meet you all," she voiced, but sent a vicious glare to a certain redhead. The others grunted and nodded in agreement.
They all said "Itadakimasu" and ate in silence.
After Lunch
"Sakura," Leader-sama called, standing up from his seat, "after eating I want you to proceed to my office. Is that understood?"
"Hai."
Leader-sama left wordlessly.
Sakura knocked on the office door thrice, before Leader-sama said, "Enter."
She stepped inside the room and sat down on a nearby wooden chair, waiting for the orange-haired man to speak.
"Sakura-san. We will discuss your first mission as an Akatsuki."
Sakura nodded in response.
"You, together with Itachi and Deidara, will be going to Kumogakure to do a seduction mission." [Kumogakure = Cloud Village]
Wood fragments flew across the room as Sakura shattered both arms of the poor chair; one splinter would've hit Pein right on the forehead if he didn't duck in time.
"WHAAAAAAT?!" she screeched.
Meanwhile
"Whoa, what the fuck was that?" Hidan asked, startled by the sudden noise.
"Probably a large stupid bird or something. Now pay up, you lost," Kakuzu replied, putting down a handful of cards. Hidan slammed his on the table and scowled.
Back to Sakura and Pein
"You're sending me on a seduction mission?! Are you fucking insane?!" Sakura yelled.
Leader-sama was slightly stunned by the rosette's outburst. He shook his head and glared at Sakura. "Are you saying that you're refusing the mission?"
Leader-sama's heated stare sent shivers down the cherry blossom's spine, so she meekly bowed her head and said, "No."
"You are to seduce a man named Akiko Yugami. He has knowledge of Orochimaru's hideout and obtained a few of the forbidden scrolls. I want him alive, so you need to rely on Itachi's Sharingan to finish the job. Deidara will take care of the transportation. I expect you to return 2 days from now. You will leave tonight. Dismissed."
Sakura's shoulders slumped as she walked out the door. She was still dazed because of the turn of events.
Why me?! She groaned inside. Why didn't she send Konan-san for this? I don't even know what to do in a seduction mission!!
You should've pointed that out to Leader-sama a while ago, a familiar voice replied inside her head.
Inner?! Sakura asked, bewildered. I haven't seen you for so long! Where've you been?!
I was on vacation, hun,Inner answered. Now don't worry about the mission, I'm sure you'll finish it in no time. After all, you're a natural when it comes to those things, right?
Sakura's eye twitched at this. Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult? She growled.
Both, Inner said, laughing.
How nice, coming from someone who hasn't even had her first kiss yet, Sakura countered.
Hey, we're like two sides of a coin. So basically, whatever you say to me applies to you as well, Inner mentioned.
Whatever, Inner. You're such a baby, Sakura dismissed.
Sakura continued to march around the base until she reached Itachi's bedroom. She haven't even tapped the door when Itachi's voice said, "Come in, Sakura."
She proceeded inside quietly and shut the door behind her. "Leader-sama has a mission for us, together with Deidara" Sakura informed.
"Elaborate."
"We will be traveling to Kumogakure tonight to seek a man named Akiko Yugami. I have to seduce him and you take care of the rest with your Sharingan. We'll return after a couple of days. Leader wants him alive," she explained.
A moment of silence passed between the two. "I understand." Itachi finally said.
The rosette nodded then left. She went to the bomber's room then knocked. After a minute of no response Sakura turned the doorknob and stepped in silently.
"Deidara?" she called. She got no reply.
She continued further until she heard a small shuffle coming from the right. She snapped her head towards the noise and found Deidara, his back turned away from her. He appeared to be working on a large clay sculpture of a cherry blossom tree.
Sakura approached him and said, "It's so pretty, Deidara-san."
Deidara jumped a little, forming a little dent on the artwork. He turned around to see Sakura, then grimaced a little.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you," she apprehensively apologized.
Deidara's frown turned into a smile. He chuckled then fixed the error. "It's okay, yeah. What's the matter, Sakura, hm?"
"Leader has a mission for us. He wants us to go to Kumogakure to find someone named Akiko Yugami. Leader said we should leave tonight," Sakura clarified.
"Hm, okay. So Leader also said we'll be using my clay birds for transportation, right, hm?" Deidara asked.
"Yeah."
"Well then," Deidara stated, getting up, "in that case we should pack up our things, yeah."
Sakura responded with a nod and left the artist wordlessly. She went to her room at once and packed her basic necessities and some clothes.
She rummaged through her closet and found a short black kimono with a bloody red obi tied up at the waist. It had a cherry blossom pattern at the bottom that complimented the outfit perfectly. She also spotted a pair of slippers and a red hairpiece shaped like petals.
Now this is perfect for a seduction mission, Inner quipped.
You said it, replied Sakura.
She put the said items on a different bag and headed out to the doorway.
ღ×ღ×ღ
Sasori's POV
"Ice cream… Here it is."
I put down the bowl of dessert on the table and sat down. I was indulging myself at strawberry ice cream heaven when I noticed a certain rosette sitting across me, completely oblivious of my presence. She had a blissful expression on her perfectly sculpted face, and a spoon sticking out of her mouth as well.
"How's the vanilla ice cream?" I asked.
Her eyes shot open then searched for the source of the voice. My russet hues met her emerald ones, and at once her smile turned into a scowl.
"What are you doing here?" she spat crossly.
"What, can't a guy enjoy his ice cream in peace?" I retorted.
"No, not in my presence you can't," she growled.
In a flash I was in front of her. I tilted her face towards mine and asked, "Do you mind saying that again?"
She swatted my hand away and hissed, "Get your filthy hands off me, murderer."
"Murderer?" I mused. "You think you're so innocent, thief?"
"At least I don't go killing someone's sensei for no reason!!" she exploded.
Oh, I thought. So that's what this is all about.
"You can't blame me for doing that, kunoichi," I calmly replied. "I was doing my job as a peacekeeper. I am allowed to kill anyone, if necessary."
"That just proves that you're selfish!"
"Aren't thieves more selfish?" I retaliated. "After all, they take what's not theirs for their own interests, don't they?"
I was slapped in the face in response.
"Do you think I wanted to be a robber in the first place, you asshole?" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I haven't got any choice! My parents were dead and my sensei was the only one I could depend on! But you Akatsuki jerks just had to slaughter him, and right in front of me, at that! You practically took Suichi-sensei away from me! Shouldn't you be the one called a thief?!"
I stood silent, not knowing what to say next. I know I shouldn't regret what I've done; I was only doing my duty after all! But why does this odd feeling bubble up inside me, urging me to apologize to the weeping woman in front of me? Is this what they call… guilt?
"Sakura?" a voice called from the hallway.
Itachi entered the kitchen, clutching a small bag. When he saw the rosette he immediately rushed over to her.
"What did you do, Sasori?" he demanded calmly, sending a hard glare at my direction.
"She is having an emotional breakdown. If you don't mind, you could accompany her back to her room."
"That is not necessary. We are leaving immediately," he informed. He helped the girl up and left.
I sighed, then cleared the table.
ღ×ღ×ღ
Sakura's POV
"Can you explain why you were crying, Haruno-san?" Itachi asked me.
"It's nothing, Uchiha-sama. Sasori and I were just having an argument. You don't need to worry." I assured him.
"I see," he said. He wiped my remaining tears and accompanied me to my room.
"You have packed up your things, correct?"
"Hai."
"Then come on," he urged, carrying my slightly heavy bag. "I am sure Deidara is waiting."
"Thank you, Uchiha-sama." I said.
"Hn."
I like him… He's like a brother I never had. No wait; I shouldn't get attached to any of these men! Sakura, get a grip of yourself!
I shook my head and got rid of those thoughts, and instead followed Itachi down the hall, towards Deidara's room.
Deidara's POV
"Deidara?" A small voice rang outside my door.
"I'm coming, yeah." I grabbed my duffel bag and stepped out the door, locking it. "Should we go, hm?"
"Affirmative. Leader-sama will be displeased if we tarry any longer." Itachi replied.
"This mission's gonna be a blast!" I exclaimed.
Sakura giggled, rolling her eyes. I swear, she looks so hot when she gets sassy like that.
A few minutes later
"Sakura-san, what is your plan for completing this mission?" Itachi asked.
"Well, I'll have to entertain the target for a few moments. Then when he drops his guard I'll just pull out Jigoku and then call Itachi for his Sharingan. That's that."
"Jigoku? Who's Jigoku?" I inquired.
"Well, you see, I can summon three small snakes. Those snakes are Chizu, Jigoku and Cross. For this mission I'll be using Jigoku. Jigoku's specialty is paralysis; just one bite can send an enzyme which immobilizes the victim's muscular system, disabling him to move a single ligament. The second one is Chizu; she's a vampire snake. Just because she's non-poisonous it doesn't mean she's not deadly. She can drink up to 6 liters of blood from the victim, and I know as a medic no human can survive that. The last one is Cross; he's the most dangerous of my snakes. A single drop of his venom can kill a person within minutes. That's why I don't summon him often, except when really necessary. Does that answer your question?" Sakura explained.
I nodded, my mouth still agape. Very interesting, I thought. I didn't think this girl could bear that skill, yeah. Even Itachi seems impressed with her.
5 hours have passed and we were still halfway through our destination. I was guessing it was around 11 pm.
"Let's take a rest, can we?" Sakura suggested, ending her sentence with a yawn. I agreed, and so did Itachi. We landed on a secluded forest. Itachi started putting paper seals on the nearby trees while Sakura produced three sleeping bags. I decided to make use of myself so I prepared a small campfire.
A small shuffle echoed throughout the woods. I stood up, clutching a kunai, readying myself for an attack. Itachi, who wasn't done with the seals, did the same. Sakura stealthily walked around, making sure not to make noise. A kunai flies from her hand into the deepest shadows of the forest. There was no sound of it hitting anything, signaling that it had been caught.
"Come out. We know you're there." She commanded.
A shinobi stepped out, casually dangling the kunai around his finger. Smirking he said, "So I finally meet one of the greatest thieves of all time – Sakura Haruno. You know princess, you've got a huge amount of money on your head right now – around 5 or 6 million ryo, I guess. That's a lot more than Suichi Hiragane, isn't it?"
"So what do you want me to do, surrender?" She snarled upon hearing the name of her beloved teacher.
"Exactly."
"You think I'll actually do that, you piece of shit? You've picked the wrong blossom to mess with." Upon finishing her sentence she disappeared, only to reappear right behind the enemy. She placed her hands on his shoulder, then hoisted herself up and flipped towards the other side, twisting his head in the process. Blood spurted out of his veins as his head detached from his body, landing lifelessly on the ground.
She chuckled, a glint of anger and pride evident in her eyes. "I usually hate getting blood on my hands especially when I'm about to sleep, but this is an exception. Boys, just sit back and watch."
The rest of the bounty hunters charged at her. She dodged, kicked, punched, flipped, and struck with grace as she finished them all within a few minutes. Every impact created an ephemeral impression – kinda like art, actually.
I really like this girl, I said to myself.
After the last of them was killed and disposed of, she sat down across me and wiped her brow.
"You okay, yeah?" I asked, tossing her a bottle of water.
She caught it effortlessly and drank until the last drop. She grinned and replied, "Thanks. Yeah, I'm fine… But you gotta admit, that left me exhausted."
Something about this girl made me experience this weird feeling – the butterflies on my stomach, the rapid heartbeat, the blush on my cheeks. Could this be infatuation?
I nodded then turned towards my sleeping bag. "You going to sleep, hm?"
"Hell yeah!"
I found myself watching her sleep the whole night.
ღ×ღ×ღ
[Time skip = The next evening]
Third Person POV
Sakura, Itachi and Deidara had gone to an inn at East Kumogakure, where the target was supposedly staying. As the boys readied their weapons in their room, Sakura was busy changing in the next room. She arranged her hair carefully, pulling it up with the petal-shaped hairpiece. The she got into her kimono, tying the obi loosely so the kimono showed a slightly large amount of cleavage. She cautiously placed Jigoku beneath the obi, making sure he won't fall out. Then she slipped on her sandals and put a little amount of make-up on her doll-like face.
You look just hot, you damn bitch! Inner squealed.
Thanks, Sakura replied.
After dressing up she knocked on the boys' door. Itachi opened it, his eyes widening a little when he saw the rosette. Deidara, on the other hand, was drooling.
"Deidara you pervert, stop staring at my chest! Itachi, you guys ready?" Sakura asked, covering her chest with a hand to keep Deidara from peeking.
"Did Leader assign you to a… seduction mission?" Itachi questioned while trying to keep a straight face.
"Yes, he did. And to tell the truth I have no experience on that field. I personally think I look like a whore like now." Sakura giggled when she saw the small blush on Itachi's cheeks.
And so the trio proceeded to the bar next door.
ღ×ღ×ღ
"Ano… This is my first day working here at the bar… My boss said that you'll show me around…will you?" Sakura purred to the pimp who was blushing madly.
"Aa, yes, yes… and your name is…?" The pimp stuttered, grabbing his pen with shaky hands as Sakura drew circles on his chest.
"Hiromi Wakashima." Sakura drawled out.
"R-right. Hiromi…" The pimp stammered, "This will be your first customer, Mr. Akiko Yugami. He's a regular here. Akiko-san, your angel for the night will be Hiromi-chan."
Sakura stared wide-eyed at the customer. She suddenly felt sick to her guts, but kept her calm.
Holy shit, it's him! Inner cursed.
"Pleased to meet you, Akiko-kun. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go to the bathroom for a while," she announced.
"I'll be waiting, my kitten," Akiko slurred incomprehensibly as he staggered to steady himself, obviously under the influence of alcohol.
Sakura rushed towards the ladies room, where she escaped through a small window. She located her comrades who were waiting outside.
"What's the matter, Sakura-chan?" Deidara worried.
"I cannot complete this mission." Sakura firmly stated, a frown crossing her lips.
"Why not? Is something preventing you, Haruno-san?" Itachi demanded, his brows furrowing with apprehension.
"Akiko Yugami," she paused, taking a deep breath before she spoke, "is my goddamned uncle."
ღ×ღ×ღ
Me: Ooh, cliffy! Sorry guys.
Oh! And I am having a serious case of writer's block, so if you guys are willing to give me an idea for the later chapters it would be greatly appreciated.
Review Replies:
Miou Misaki No Akatsuki Hime – Thanks! [hands a cookie]
xXBlueDazeXx- Yeah. ^^ [hands a cookie]
Me-Love-SakuraxAkatsuki- Here's my update! [hands a cookie]
Black-Blue Moonlight Neko - Yeah, Sakura had to go through many difficult problems. But she coped with them, though. [hands a cookie]
Pendragon1 - Don't worry, here's plenty more of cookies! And thanks for pointing that out. [hands a cookie]
Don't forget to review, please! ^^