Disclaimer: (sings along) A sailor went to sea sea sea, to see what he could see see see, but all that he could see see see, is that I really don't own Naruto.

Hindrance: Chapter 6-Enemies, Decisions and Apples

"I presume, Sakura, that by the rashness of your recent actions, you have come to a decision on the agreement?"

The ninja seated at the table anticipated her answer. Although Kisame tried to hide his curiosity, judging by the way he ceased his liberal drinking, he too was listening intently. Sakura was most definitely game, he could give her that. Those who had the guts to stand up to Itachi were few and far between. Even though he himself towered near two feet over his partner, what the Uchiha lacked in size, he more than made up for in intimidation skills.

Deidara, on the other hand, made no attempt to shield his interest. Not that he could at the present moment. Rice wine bottles littered the engrained wood of the table surrounding his elbows. With more than his fair share of alcohol, the entire situation buzzed with excitement.

Emerald eyes widened at Itachi's implication. No thought had been previously spared concerning the 'deal' as it were. If things had gone as planned, then she would be halfway to Konoha right now. 'It's funny how things turn out, ne?' Sakura thought in resentment. Now, she was being pressured into giving an answer that would determine the fate of her village.

Scouting the room, her moss green eyes latched upon another pair that matched her own. A man, who looked slightly older than her, focused his concrete stare on her emotionless face. His pupils were resolute, broadcasting his murderous disposition for all to see. Not much else of his other features could be seen over the wide-brimmed collar of his cloak, but between his thick locks of ice-white hair, chiselled cheekbones carved a masculine quality onto his clean shaven jaw.

'Katsurou.'

Sakura remembered skim-reading his name among the countless scrolls on Akatsuki. One of the perks from being apprentice to the Hokage was the unlimited access to her personal library; something she exploited to her advantage. Throughout the four years she worked with Tsunade, she had come across the brief mention of his name in the records. Just his first name: no surname, no background, nothing.

He was a man shrouded in mystery. Maybe it was because he was adept at blending in with the background; she could only guess. But even when she looked directly at the boy, she still couldn't quite place him. Behind the frostiness of his eyes lay hoards of conflicting emotions: anger, curiosity, malice, commitment…the list was endless.

If anything, this guy was troublesome. It was taxing to figure out what the Uchiha was thinking. Sakura hardly wanted another indecisive ninja as her enemy.

So why did she feel like she could trust him?

As much as her inner self admonished her conscience for it, Sakura felt like she could relate to him on a level. The feeling wouldn't go so far as to trust him completely…But his honest, raw emotions gave her the impression that he too didn't want to be here; fighting for this cause. Something else was on his mind.

Sakura was cut short of her dwellings by Itachi. It was only then that she remembered that several rather dangerous enemies were waiting on her.

"Well, Sakura? I'll tell you now; I am not one to repeat myself. What is your answer?" The weighty glare of the sharingan was almost suffocating her rationality. He bore his glare onto her lower form. In an attempt to claw back the remains of her dignity, Sakura gripped the dresser behind her back for support. With every inch she pulled her dead weight upwards, her confidence flourished.

"If you hate to repeat yourself so much, then I'm sure you should recall saying not two hours ago, that I have a day to make my choice. Barely four hours have passed since then. Although I am flattered that you would consider my input such a vital consideration in your everyday lives…What's the rush?" Sakura's arms tensed on the dresser. She brought herself up to her full height. Even though she barely reached Itachi's jaw line, standing taller redeemed her pride; if only a little.

"Being pressurised to make a decision prioritises the consequences. All ninja should be able to think fast in any situation to ensure the safety of their comrades." Stepping forward, he emphasised the distance between the levels of their brows. Not wanting to appear cowardly, Sakura was forced to jolt her gaze upwards to openly scowl at his scarlet eyes. "Or are you not capable of doing anything on your own?"

Sakura hissed at the offence. "The purpose of leading a team, Itachi-san, recognises that you should never be alone when faced with a dangerous circumstance. Your comrades are there to provide support. Unlike you, I value the loyalty I have for my team-mates; I cherish the safety of my village and as such will strive to protect it. I will never, willingly break the trust I maintain with my Hokage."

Itachi merely raised an eyebrow to her reply. He noted the mock use of the formal honorific with amusement. She was certainly aware of how to offend him. Being so brazen as to refer to him as such without implying the least bit of respect, her evident sarcasm was portrayed.

Therefore…" conflicting thoughts plagued her insistently. Sakura picked at her lip with her teeth; a habit she could never shake off while deep in thought.

'If I accept, I would be considered a missing-nin for certain. I would be betraying everyone I hold dear: disregarding my entire past. Could I really do such a callous thing to Naruto? To have both of his team mates seemingly betray him: his heart would be shattered. Oh god, Naruto.'

"Therefore, under the circumstances…"

'Being stationed here gives me the perfect opportunity to infiltrate Akatsuki from the inside. Only fools would pass up this kind of chance!' Inner Sakura reasoned against any doubts. Her calculative mind was weighing up the different possibilities.

'Konoha will remain standing. I will not allow these men to destroy the lives of countless villagers. My own death would come first.'

"Under the circumstances, I have decided to accept your offer." Itachi searched her eyes for traces of doubt. Only resolution stared back at him. She was consistent in her decision. "However, I refuse to take part in any attack against Konoha…Deal or no deal."

'I may be weak. But I am certainly not foolish.'

A chortle of mirth echoed from across the scrubbed-wooden table. Deidara and Kisame had resumed their drinking, now that the tension had drained from the air. Neither of the men looked perturbed by her decision; quite the opposite in fact. Judging by their amused glances towards their new member, they were pleasantly surprised.

"I'm sure that will be considered into our bargain. A few lenient circumstances will be made in exception. But don't expect leader-sama to regard this with ease. You are to remain traitor to your village from now on, after all. Akatsuki do not show mercy towards their previous villages. Do you confirm by joining us that you will break the bonds you have with those from your past?"

'Never.'

"Yes. I understand…Albeit begrudgingly and against my will." Sakura shifted her position. Dull throbbing was now enhancing the pain in her arms.

Katsurou had hardly moved from his previous position. He only shifted in his chair, propping his elbows on the armrests. Dark intensions flickered beneath his jade eyes. This however, was lost on the other members, who had swivelled their heads towards the kitchen entrance. Muffled sounds of distress were suddenly heard, bellowing ungraciously from the corridor. Seconds later, a flustered Tobi had barged into the room. Showers of dust rained down on their heads. The door creaked ominously, dangling precariously from its hinges by the force it had bounced against the frame. Tobi's head swept from side to side in disorientation. Spying Itachi, he launched in the Uchiha's direction.

Itachi glanced carelessly over his shoulder at the young member. His face remained plastered with a blank look.

"Itachi-san! I-It's the prisoner. She's escaped from her cell." His hand rested on the table in support and was he panting from the panic. "She can't have travelled far in her condition-"

"Sakura has neither escaped from the compound, nor does she have to be tracked." Swivelling his back to the side, a disbelieving Sakura was revealed. Her eyebrow was raised and her face was contorted into a dubious expression. She briefly wondered if idiots really were allowed into Akatsuki. Presumably so, since the boy before her seemed to have his mask a little too loose. "Have the preparations for the unsealing been completed?"

Gathering his wits, he stammered, breaking away from his surprise. "Of course, but everybody involved needs to be briefed on the method before we proceed. If the jutsu is to be completed tonight, everyone needs to meet up at the training grounds within the next half an hour. " At this comment, Itachi nodded, as though the cue for conversation to spark. The room filled with sly banter as they exited, their laughter fading down the corridor. An awkward silence hung thickly in their wake.

"You automatically presumed that I would accept your offer? Not the smartest move Uchiha. You know, ninja who make presumptions about the enemies' strategies are always the first to die in battle, and they never, I repeat never understand when to stop. Why is that I-ta-chi?" Sakura smirked with revenge as she threw his previous insult back in his face. It earned her a slight scowl, increasing her satisfaction.

For a second, Itachi looked at her smug face quizzically, before giving a hollow chortle. The conceit was wiped from her face, the amusement withering behind her eyes. With measured paces, he padded back towards her. His shadow slithered up her body before he towered above her petite form. Sakura's cold eyes were fixed forward, boring holes into the toned muscles of his chest. Itachi was far closer than her liking, yet he continued to shorten the distance between them.

Sakura swallowed, dispensing the uncomfortable dryness from her throat. Determined not to give him the upper-hand, she raised her gaze to meet his scarlet eyes, his breath fanning on her eyelashes. Her lower back jammed against the rim of the dresser. Even though this separated them slightly, Itachi only used this as an invitation to advance even closer. Their thighs skimmed through the fabric of their slacks.

The blunt ends of her rosette hair were tickled by his fingers as he placed his muscled arms either side of her hips. This small movement lowered his torso, causing their stomachs to press against each other. Her breathing hitched.

'Trapped! God damnit!'

"Well, it seems that all of your training did teach you something. Ninja should always expect the unexpected..." Itachi lowered his head to her level. The perspiration on their brows merged when their brows touched. She prayed to god that he couldn't feel the insistent beat of her heart through their chests. Her face may never portray her feelings, but her body language betrayed her.

Nerves skyrocketed. Fright overwhelmed her senses; she was almost completely at his mercy.

Sakura swore that she felt a minute brush of his lips against hers as he spoke. "…But I'm no ordinary ninja, am I, Sakura?" Itachi titled his head slightly in questioning. Sakura gathered her remaining willpower. She would NOT give him the satisfaction of making her feel uncomfortable. But he was so…close. So solid: so…there. Present - something that Itachi's younger brother never was.

His intense gaze never strayed from her spirited eyes. It was oddly pleasing for her to be the one to hold his attention; he never usually showed interest in anything that didn't concern Itachi Uchiha. Or was it Sasuke who she was being pressed against? Dehydration was clouding her rational thought. 'No. It's definitely Itachi. Sasuke didn't have stress-lines marring his eyes.' For some strange reason, she wanted to touch them, trace her fingers along his cheeks. His eyes had seen so much. There were so many horrors in his past that his troubles had left their mark on his appearance. He was mere centimetres away. All she needed to do was reach out…

"Kunai." Itachi's hushed voice sliced through her treacherous thoughts.

An animated flush crept onto her cheeks at their hardly-casual proximity. 'You're delusional! Snap out of it before you get yourself killed.' Her embarrassment and fear at the situation surged anew. "What?"

The corners of Itachi's mouth twitched into a smirk. Sakura's eyes were glazed and she was distracted. The thought that he was the reason of her carelessness was strangely rewarding. His original intention had been to scare her, to place her on guard. She should be aware that in this everlasting game of chess, to remain as an active player, she must plan each move before-hand. If sacrifices need to be made, she must break the naivety that she will be safe. If she looses her use, becomes a hindrance, then she too will be sacrificed to achieve the bigger goal.

Of course, he had predicted that she would refuse to aid the siege on Konoha. The village's kindness would not let those accustomed to its warmth, break those bonds so easily. Walls that surround a village, while they protect the people inside, they also prove a barrier to progress. Sakura would not become a true ninja until she escaped the confines of those walls. He would help her achieve this. She too will maximise her capacity.

Sakura could feel the lingering touch of his fingers at the waistband of her trousers. Her eyebrows furrowed, mouth opened in exasperation. Before an appropriate retort could be mastered, Itachi's smooth, monotonic voice echoed in the shell of her ear. "You have several kunai hidden in your slacks. I presume that you stole them from Tobi, did you not?"

Sakura's eyes widened. 'How did he know? There's no way they can be seen from the outside!'

Her heart twitched in shock. Itachi's calloused digits glided further down, following the curve of her hip to rest on her thighs. Intense heat rushed to her legs, dispersing the cold from her stiff muscles. Sakura mastered the impulse to not lean in. A slight smile touched the rim of his mouth. "Why you failed to use your weapons however, I don't understand." Backing up, Itachi noted the expression on her face with relish; her jaw was rigid from frustration and her breath hissed slightly as it passed through her clenched teeth. He leaned closer, barely centimetres from her lips, one of his hands stretching behind her.

"You never cease to intrigue me, Sakura-chan." Something smooth nudged the back of her hand before Itachi grabbed her wrist, dropping an apple into her open palm. "Eat. The energising effects of that soldier pill you took must be wearing off by now. You won't be able to eat once the unsealing process commences." With that cryptic sentence, he disappeared. A cold, empty feeling washed over her torso from where the heat source vanished. That's what Sakura decided the reason was, in any case.

The apple clutched in her hand reflected her bewildered expression in its surface. "What the hell was that about?"

"Come." Her head snapped up at the order. Itachi was still in the room, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. Turning, he passed the opening and was promptly swallowed by the endless corridors. His voice reverberated against the stone walls. "There is time for you to wash yourself before the preparations begin. Follow me. I'll show you the way."

With dawning realisation, she tested her weight with a tentative foot. The chakra highways in her legs were connected again; they were obviously healed by Itachi. Her grip on the apple tightened, piercing the skin with crescent marks. It was so frustrating that not only did she not notice, but she didn't have the initiative to check. Was it fear that froze her in place? Hardly likely; while Sakura was scared for her life, the Uchiha did not frighten her himself. So what was it that rendered her immobile? In any case, she decided to postpone her problems till after she was clean.

Sakura strode purposefully to the door, quickening her pace to catch up with his shadow. The fruit was already half-eaten. It did barely anything to quench her hunger, but this kunoichi wasn't one to complain. Desperate times called for surviving without sustenance for days at a time. It was manageable. She could get through this. The question was; could she get through this alive?


Sakura never truly realised how filthy she was until the caked grime was scrubbed from her saturated skin. Day's worth of sweat and dirt spiralled down the drain. 'If only my troubles would also be washed away.' She ran her fingers through her hair impatiently, untangling the sections matted with dried blood.

It was so…maddening to discover that she had concealed powers, but was still unable to use them. Why hadn't her parents told her when they were alive? Did they come to the conclusion that she wouldn't be able to use them? Bring disgrace to the Haruno name? Even though Sakura wished she could deny it, a small word of conscience agreed with her dread. She was pathetic, a disappointment to Konoha and herself.

The tiled wall she was eye-level with, cracked cleanly under her clenched fist. Crumbling plaster sifted to the floor. With a frustrated groan, she masked her aggravation under a pained frown. It would do no good to lash out at a time like this. A level head was needed to survive. Sakura resigned herself, exhaling her negative feelings. At least one positive thing came from all of this: she wasn't lathered in sweat anymore. A flippant snort was muffled by the back of her hand. She was really clutching at short straws here.

Stepping out of the shower, she pouted at the remains of her ANBU attire. There were tears in just about everything and her armour had been confiscated along with her backpack. Unless she wanted to prance around Akatsuki in rags, she would be forced to take the only other option. Disdainfully eyeing the pile of clothes by the sink, she lifted a pair of slacks up to the light. "My, My, aren't they prepared. To provide me with an outfit at such short notice is such admirable behaviour." She thumbed the collar of the Akatsuki cloak, folded neatly at the bottom of the pile. "I don't care much for their choice in what I wear though." Needless to say, the cloak was left perched on the sink.

Sakura glanced at her new look from a mirror's perspective. All in all, the clothes fit her reasonably well. The mesh shirt and tank-top allowed her free movement, while her kunai were tucked away safely in the material. Leaning over the corner of the sink, she studied her reflection while adjusting her headband. Her eyes were old. Years of suffering pooled in her irises. The life of a kunoichi had made her as such. But even as she despised the pain that was evident in their depths, they held no regret. She chose her life from an early age; and was proud of it. The agony of experience only made her stronger, and she would continue to battle her demons. And this time…this time he would be the weakened one.

Her eyes flashed black.

The shock caused her breath to hitch. Blinking, they returned to jade as quickly as it had come. 'Wh-what was that?' She clamped her lids shut and shook her head. 'I really am being delusional.' Sakura massaged her temples in confusion.

The click of the door unlocking echoed through the bathroom. Her eyes snapped right. Sure enough, the lock could only be accessed from the inside. It was no coincidence, there was someone there. With the utmost caution, she turned the handle, gripping a kunai in the process.

Silence. She was faced with the flickering flame of a torch on the wall opposite. Her eyes narrowed in speculation. A smirk twitched at the corner of her lips as she swung the knife across her body to the right, dipping her stance for balance. Sparks flew from the collision of metal on metal, two pairs of emerald eyes glinting in the dim ambience. Katsurou peered at the kunoichi through his bangs, soaking in her excitement; something he knew was also plastered on his own face.

"I'm pleased to see you have your wits about you, Sakura-chan". His smooth voice lingered in her ears, a sound that could bend the will of most women; the epitome of deceit.

"And I'm pleased to see that you don't underestimate me, Katsurou-kun." She gestured to the readily prepared katana that was struggling against her kunai. With a deftly executed arc, both weapons were separated, neither person with the advantage. His eyebrow twitched.

"Why would I underestimate someone in the Akatsuki? Even if she does have pink hair." Sheathing his katana, he gestured for her to do the same. "It's this way to the training room. Everything has been prepared for the unsealing of your kekkei genkai." Stretching out an arm, he offered her an apple. "Itachi-san also instructed to give you this." With only a flicker of hesitancy, she accepted it, inhaling the crisp smell before sinking her teeth into the juicy flesh. Katsurou studied her every move with interest, his eye twitching as she tore the apple down to the core. "From what I hear, the unsealing process is hardly pleasant…Just make sure that you control it before its eats you from the inside." Throwing Sakura one last glance, he stalked down the corridor, his white locks glowing from the torches that lines the walls.

Following his advance down the passageway, her expression turned grim, shadowed with an unsettling apprehension. "I can hardly wait."


Sorry I haven't updated for ages, my mock exams sucked the life from me and my appearance now resembles that of a platypus. I hope you enjoy this chapter though, including Katsurou, who is a new character to the story! He will play a big part in the plot to come so be on your guard! There were so many names to choose from, but after deliberation from friends, they decided that the translation for 'victory' sounded evil enough. I think he's pretty cool, but I would, seeing as he's all mine lol. What do you think?

Thank you to all the lovely reviewers who wrote on my last chapter including: Kurzon, Mrs.UchihaItachi-hime, madjane, aznkitty180, SilverIceFox, Vithika, SakuraSasukexXXxItachiSakura and yuki san1. You are amazing, and I hope you will continue to read Hindrance. Also, thanks so much to the people who alerted or put my story to favourites. You deserve lots of jelly babies. : )

To all life on earth-Please review! You can give your opinions of my writing, comment with pretty words or give constructive criticisms, but any flamers will be shamed! And then once they are shamed, they will be slapped around the face with a wet fish. Not the most pleasant retaliation I can assure you!

The next chapter will blow your socks off, so look out for that! You will also find out about the highly mysterious origin of Sakura's kekkei genkai-it will be reading well worthy of awe, believe me! Till next time, be safe, Bexxx