Aww, I'm such a softie... Had to post it today!
This chapter is cool, because there is fighting! In addition, I'm sorry if it's somewhat confusing; it switches perspectives a lot, and some of the dialect is repeated. That's just because I wanted to show what each character thought at that point.
I have determined that, if everything goes according to schedule, Sakura and Itachi will meet in Chapter 10.
Warning: Some more language from Itachi... That bad boy!
Read on!
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Later that night, Kisame joined Itachi at the door. It was time to complete their mission.
Itachi was almost positive that this Neji kid was a set-up, but there was still a slim chance. Sakura could have been sent along by the Godaime to spy on the Hyuuga, but that was unlikely. Either way, Neji Hyuuga was going down.
Both of them shed their Akatsuki cloaks, and donned plain black ones, with hoods. They had to be as inconspicuous as possible.
Their meeting place, a small, abandoned house on the outskirts of the village, was perfect for the two criminals. Kisame was going in to talk to Neji, and Itachi was staying hidden, watching for traps and ready to kill the boy if he said one wrong thing.
Before they left, Itachi hid his chakra signature. If the Hyuuga had Byakugan, he would spot Itachi a mile away.
As Kisame and Itachi approached the house, Itachi stopped and turned to Kisame.
"Don't reveal anything. If I sense that he's not being truthful, I'll kill him, understand?" Itachi hissed. "Oh, and if the girl is there, leave her to me…" He grinned. In all actuality, he wasn't going to do anything to her; but he didn't want her to get hurt. Kisame didn't know that the girl was his Sakura, and Itachi didn't intend to tell him. He might think that he was going soft.
Kisame nodded, waited until had Itachi melted into the shadows, and stepped inside.
Sakura waited in the old abandoned house, concealing her chakra and barely breathing. She wasn't to attack them; Neji had specifically ordered only to heal him if he was hurt and watch out for traps. Sakura hoped that if they tried to kill him, she could protect Neji.
A pair of footsteps alerted her attention; Sakura readied herself. She wasn't sure which member was coming, but she had to be focused and prepared.
When the footsteps turned out to belong to Kisame Hoshigaki, Sakura relaxed. It wasn't Itachi. Thank Kyuubi.
Kisame walked purposely toward the middle of the house, where Neji stood waiting.
"You are Neji Hyuuga?" Kisame asked. Neji nodded.
"What about the girl?" Sakura realized he was talking about her.
Neji shrugged. "I killed her. She was just deadweight." Sakura shuddered. It was disturbing how cold-hearted Neji sounded.
Kisame waved his arm in an off-hand gesture. "You have to do it sometimes. In fact, more than sometimes in the job I have." Neji grinned; a glint of what she hoped was fake malice in his translucent eyes. Sakura wondered how Neji did it.
"So, you want to join the Akatsuki, huh?"
Itachi circled around the house, snuck through the back, and then hid behind the Hyuuga kid, shadows masking his presence. Where was Sakura? He didn't see her, but maybe this was part of a trap.
Itachi watched Kisame confront Neji.
"You are Neji Hyuuga?" Kisame asked. The boy nodded.
"What about the girl?" Itachi tensed at this, but Neji just shrugged.
"I killed her. I thought she might be useful, being a medic-nin, but she wouldn't cooperate. She was just deadweight." The blood drained from Itachi's face, and his pulse thudded in his ears. Killed her? He fought the urge to destroy the kid now. No. Sakura couldn't really be dead. Nevertheless, the Hyuuga had said it with ease, no spike in his heartbeat, no visible flicker of doubt on his face, completely believable. It couldn't be true. But that was the only explanation. Itachi gritted is teeth. Neji Hyuuga would not be walking away from this house, not if Itachi had anything to do about it.
"You got it," Neji said. Neji felt his confidence swell. This was easy.
Too bad Neji didn't know that Itachi and Sakura had been e-mailing each other for the past month. Sure, Itachi had been using a different name… but he still knew about Neji's plan.
"Answer me one question, then. Why did you do it? And so suddenly, too?" Kisame asked casually.
Neji clenched his fists and tried to look vengeful. "I want a real use for my talents. Protecting the Main Branch? Hardly a challenge. I've been Mr. Nice Hyuuga for too long. Well, no more. I want everyone to hear the name 'Neji Hyuuga' and shudder. I want to be recognized as a true genius!"
Kisame narrowed is eyes. Right. Itachi had said the kid would try something like this. Well, no way. Kisame Hoshigaki knew what to do with this imposter.
"Wrong answer."
Itachi heard the whole thing and his lip curled with disgust. Even if the Hyuuga's little speech was true, there was no fucking way that Itachi wasn't going to pummel that son of a bitch.He waited for the signal.
"Wrong answer."
Then he attacked.
Sakura saw it happen in slow motion. Itachi Uchiha, her worst nightmare, materialized behind Neji. He struck so fast, the Hyuuga genius didn't stand a chance.
Itachi cut into the flesh of Neji's thighs with a kunai, severing the tendons, and Neji went down. Neji tried to put up a fight, but he was losing too much blood.
Itachi went for his throat next, but Neji rolled, wincing fro the pain in his legs. All Sakura could do was stare numbly.
Neji swayed, and Kisame reached over and kicked his head, hard. Neji collapsed into unconsciousness, but Itachi wasn't finished with him. He lifted him up and slammed the Hyuuga into the wall, perilously close to where Sakura was hiding. But Itachi was too far gone into some kind of animal rage to notice Sakura. He punched Neji, repeatedly, with Sakura flinching at every blow.
Finally, Kisame laid a tentative hand on Itachi's shoulder. Itachi stopped suddenly, letting Neji's lifeless body fall to the floor.
"Bastard", He spit, then got up and left. Kisame sighed, but followed him.
As soon as the two had left, Sakura ran over to Neji's body and felt for his pulse. There it was; barley audible, and fading fast. Sakura took a deep breath and reached into her well of chakra. She had to save Neji.
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Cliffhanger, hanging from a cliff! Poor little Neji. Will he survive? Or will Sakura fail at healing him? I'm not telling! You'll just have to read the next chapter!
I'll update on Thursday, most likely. If I finish the chapter... Cross your fingers! Keep reading, (Come on, you can't just leave Neji to die!) and review!
