Hello! How is everyone? Hope you are doing great! I first want to start off by apologizing for my absence, unfortunately the second semester of the college year became hectic because of field work. The good news is that it is the summer time and I am ready to write! I made this chapter a bit longer for you and I hope it doesn't put you to sleep. I'm not going to lie, it was tough writing this chapter because I've been gone for so long. So I hope you enjoy!

Remember

3 DAYS AGO!

Ino sighed deeply, she had to admit she didn't have much to do on her days off when Sakura wasn't around to pick with. She could bother Tenten and Temari, but the two kunoichi were sparring…. again. Her male teammates were always an option, but then she'd be forced to eat barbeque….. again. The blonde sat and overlooked a beautiful waterfall located deep inside Konoha's forest, trying to relax on her day off. On days like these Ino wished she had a boyfriend who would whisk her away on a romantic dinner date. Grrr. The blonde grabbed her rumbling stomach, man was she hungry. Why didn't she bring a snack for herself? The blue eyed beauty was torn between wanting to eat and not wanting to leave the serene hideaway.

"E-excuse me Ino?"

"Go away." She stated harshly at the sound of Hinata's voice. Ino kept her back to the girl and when she didn't receive a respond or hear the girl move she sighed. Suddenly gaining a feeling of guilt for talking to sweet Hinata in such a way Ino decided to retract her statement, "I'm sorry for saying that Hinata but I really don't want to be around you right now."

Hinata's face held great pain, Ino had over the years became one of the blunette's best friends. No one but Ino knew the girl still felt a hint of nervousness that Sakura would one day realize she wanted to be with Naruto. No one but Ino knew that Shino had offered to marry Hinata if Sakura and Naruto became an item. No one but Ino knew that Hinata prayed that she would never have to marry Shino every night (Because he was like a brother to her and bugs were the only thing that Hinata couldn't stand).

"Please Ino, I know this is just a misunderstanding. If you'd only hear me out, I brought lunch."

Ino turned to see a pretty big picnic basket in Hinata's hand, "Did you or your kitchen staff make the lunch?"

Hinata blushed nervously, "I did."

For the first time in a while Hinata witnessed her blonde friend smile, "You make better rice balls, your staff adds too much seaweed. Take a seat." Ino gestured to a spot next to her, a part of her wonder if she really wanted to talk to Hinata or if she was just really hungry.

Hinata wasted no time giving Ino food from the basket she had a hunch the blonde was hungry. It was quiet for a moment before Hinata began to speak, "Ino-chan I'm sorry about lying to you. I just didn't want Naruto-kun to find out about what I had done."

Ino looked up at the girl analyzing her face fully and the blonde could tell the younger girl was remorseful. Hinata continued to speak, "I should never have lied to you or Tenten-chan and if you accept my apology I promise to never lie again."

Ino stopped drinking her juice box, "Hinata I accept your apology."

The pale girl smiled with true happiness, "Thank you Ino-chan!"

"I'm not finish yet." The blonde's mouth was in a deep frown, "You said if I accepted your apology you'd never lie again. So tell me Hinata when did you start sleeping with Sasuke?"

Hinata's eyes widen in horror, "I-I have n-never been with S-Sasuke-san!"

Ino narrowed her eyes on the girl, "Not even a kiss?"

"Of course not!"

"Hug?"

"Never!"

"Handshake?"

Hinata pouted trying to remember if she and Sasuke Uchiha ever had to touch each other's hand, "M-Maybe but I don't think so."

"So what was up with that private meeting in the abandoned district between the two of you!?" Ino was determine to find out what was going on. Sakura may have been her enemy and not too long ago the blonde had wanted the Uchiha for herself, but she knew the pair were meant for each other. As much as Hinata was meant for Naruto! So she would never let anyone hurt Sakura especially someone like Hinata who the pinkette cared so much about. Ino dug into the basket and pulled out a few pieces of cubed cheese and began to eat them while waiting for the younger girl's response.

Hinata froze trying to recollect the day Ino was speaking of, "We didn't plan on meeting Ino-chan, I promise we just ran into each other that's all."

"Ha! I saw you two talking, you smiled and then he smiled, and then he ran his fingers through your hair Hinata! You said you wouldn't lie!" The blonde stood up, silently threatening to leave the blunette.

"I had something in my hair and he pulled it out Ino-chan!" Hinata stood to meet the girl's eyes, this time Ino really was making things up in her head!

The blonde visibly calmed down realizing that that was exactly what she had witnessed, "But why would he feel comfortable touching you and he smiled at you, Sasuke never smiles and you were blushing!"

Hinata bit down on her soft bottom lip, should she tell the girl that he smiled to relieve the tension between the two? Of course she should! However, then she'd have to explain why there was tension in the first place. Then Hinata would have to tell the girl Sasuke's plans to help her win over Naruto. Then Ino would scold Hinata for not telling Sakura Sasuke's plans in the first place, and even might think Hinata wanted to go through with his plan. The blonde would probably tell Sakura and then Hinata would lose both of her best friends aside from Tenten! She had to lie! But she just told Ino she would no longer lie…..

"I-I always blush Ino-chan… but the truth is Sasuke-san has been giving me advice." Hinata blushed nervously, she hadn't been lying. Had she?

Ino crossed her arms and tilted her head unconvinced, "Advice on what?"

Hinata gulp slowly hoping she could word things so she wouldn't be lying to her friend once more, "N-Naruto-kun." Ino's mouth began to drop and Hinata could tell the blonde was falling for it, "S-Sasuke-san supports me in my journey to earn Naruto's love."

She wasn't lying… was she? If so it was only to protect Sakura, the blunette could tell the older kunoichi was still in love with Sasuke. She knew this because the two girls were the same and their love couldn't go away that easy. Hinata feigned shame, "I feel so embarrassed."

"Mmh? Why Hinata?"

"Even Naruto-kun's introvert best friend sees how useless my quest for love is. He only offered to help because he knew without his help Naruto would never notice me." Hinata's heart stung as what she thought to be a lie turned into the truth.

Ino turned red in panic, "No, no Hinata, I'm sure that's not why! Naruto probably put him up to it that's all!"

"He didn't." Hinata answered morbidly once again telling the bitter, bitter truth, "I-I'm going to go now Ino I hope you forgive me."

"Of course Hinata." The blonde said barley above a whisper as the innocent girl walked away with a dark cloud hanging over her head, "Maybe I should apologize?"

"Hello Ino."

"Mhm?" The girl turned and was shocked to see Sai's handsome face smiling at her, "Oh hi Sai!"

"We have been assigned a mission by the Hokage." The pale boy handed her a scroll with all the details.

Ino smiled playfully, "So much for a day off."

{~…~}

PRESENT DAY!

Sakura was numb. There was simply no other way to describe her emotions. Why was she so numb? Well it wasn't because she felt nothing, no it was quite the opposite. She felt everything! All of her emotions were bombarding her all at once. The good, the bad, the childhood emotions she tried to dispose of once they were no longer "appropriate", heck she was even sad about the day Kakashi sensei's plant, Mr. Ukki died. If her emotions were a scent they wouldn't be the sweet, relaxing scent of cherry blossoms; they'd be a deadly effluvium.

The pinkette sighed deeply, Meido asked her to take a few days off to avoid angry staff members who might want to pick a bone with the wife of the killer. Sakura's eye instantly rolled to the back of her head as she indirectly began thinking of a certain ex-crush.

"Ahhh!" Sakura sat up in irritation, "Why did I have to think 'ex-crush'?" The emerald eye girl asked no one in particular, "He is just Sasuke!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Sakura turned inwardly and narrowed her gaze on inner Sakura, "And what is so funny Blossom?"

The smaller Sakura tried to hold in a fit of giggles, "Oh it's just…" The conscience's laughter couldn't be contained any longer, "If Sasuke was just 'Sasuke' then I wouldn't have to be working so hard deal with your emotions towards him!"

Sakura held a blush on her cheeks, "Sasuke is just Sasuke! I mean sure he's attractive, probably the best looking guy in the village butI try not think about that. Yes, I like the way he smells and when he looks at me I wish I could read his mind… butI will never be able to!" Sakura grabbed ahold of her salmon colored locks, wishing she could stop thinking about the Uchiha, "I just can't get him out of my mind!"

"Who?"

"Sasuke!" Sakura answered before proceeding to gasp aloud, "S-Sasuke! W-what are you doing here?"

The man in question had his eyes close as if thinking of his response. Sakura loved when he did this, it gave her time to look over and appreciate his fine features. Oh. Sakura slowly realized she had always enjoyed looking over her teammate even when she was sure she had no feelings for him.

After what seemed to be forever the male finally responded, "You didn't come to my cell."

"Huh?" Sakura was confused by his statement, and what was that on his cheeks? The pinkette's eyes widen as she seen the boy before her hold a barely noticeable blush over his perfect face. Sakura turned as red as a strawberry, was he blushing because he heard her talking about him in such a romantic way? She decided not to ask him.

"I'm not allowed to leave this room, Nori delivers my food and anything else I may need." Not wanting silence to fall over them again Sakura continued to speak, "So Warui betrayed us after all?"

"No." The tall dark haired man answered, "I'll be able to move around freely since the civilians think I'm in jail and Warui handles the prisoners. Being in jail will also draw out the real killer, they're probably planning to take their next victim as we speak."

Sakura nodded, "Oh I get it. BUT COULDN'T YOU HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR PLAN!? FOR GOODNESS SAKES SASUKE I WAS WOR—." Sakura's red face grew two shades darker in embarrassment. She hoped Sasuke didn't know what she was about to say next, but she knew that was just wishful thinking, "I was worried that you'd pull a stunt like this, next time tell me about your plans."

Sakura wondered if Sasuke knew she didn't care about him making plans without her, but instead that she was worried sick about him and him only.

"….."

Nothing, she received absolutely nothing from the mysterious man. Sasuke began to weave hand signs for a transportation jutsu. This caused the pinkette to turn her back and walk towards her empty bed.

"Sakura." Came a deep voice that rung throughout her entire body, it was his voice. The man she was here for, the man who had hurt her without realizing it. She both hated and cared for the man and she hated herself for feeling so under his spell.

The kunoichi turned around and met the deep gaze of her male teammate. Blush began to form on her cheeks as she realized he was looking her over. Did he enjoy looking at her features as well?

Without another word a puff of smoke took the Uchiha away. Sasuke wasn't much of a talker and sometimes getting him to say how he felt was a chore, but Sakura new by the look in his eye that he was concerned for her. So sweet. No not sweet! It wasn't sweet at all in fact, it was the opposite in Sakura eyes. Sure it meant he cared for the girl's well-being but she could take care of herself damn it! She shouldn't be taken lightly, she was a kunoichi! She trained under the sixth Hokage herself!

With a big huff Sakura climb into her temporary bed. It was funny actually, just having Sasuke sleep in the same room as her made her feel more comfortable. Now that she was completely alone, worrying why he chose to sleep on the floor seemed like a pointless thought.

"Hey Blossom?"

"Mhh?" Her inner self answered.

"Sorry about the piled up emotion towards Sasuke…." Did she just apologize to herself about being confused about her teammate?

As if shocked inner Sakura stuttered on her words, "I-It's k-kind of my job!"

Sakura laughed sweetly, "I know."

"So don't apologize! I swear you're going soft!"

Sakura laughed as Blossom kept rambling on randomly saying things such as "Keep you kind heart away from me!" and "If it were up to me, we would have never fallen for sweet danger!"

Sweet danger. Sakura had to admit that was the perfect name for Sasuke, albeit she never got to tell inner Sakura that she liked the name because before she realized, she was asleep.

{~…~}

With a puff a smoke Sasuke reappeared in his cell, the homely area was perfect for his lucubration.

"Well, disappearing from your cell is very settle Mr. Haruno." Sasuke ignored the creepy scientist looking man, partly because he still wasn't use to Sakura's last name, and moved to lay on his bed, "If it weren't one of my sentinels on guard you would have had the entire estate in distress."

"… Hn."

Warui adjusted his glasses in way that felt familiar, "Where did you go? Was it to see the kunoichi?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of Sakura in such a vague and empty way. Hoping their untrusted ally took the hint that he didn't want to speak, the Uchiha turned his back to the man. He wanted to rest for a few hours because once the estate went to sleep he would cover ground.

The slightly chubby man snicker, "I forgot you're more of the 'suffer in silence' type."

Sasuke could hear the man walking up the steps, away from his cell and the ninja took the moment to relax. Was it that obvious he went to go see Sakura? He had expected the girl to come find him, but she hadn't. Why? Did he really care why?

He grunted aloud at his own thoughts, if he let them they would keep him up; but he couldn't seem to shake Sakura out of his mind. The pinkette had been talking about him when he entered her room but he didn't manage to hear many of her words. Was she saying how much she hated him? Or maybe it was the opposite. The real question was, who was she talking to?

The Uchiha couldn't help but smirk and chuckle at the thought of his female teammate talking to her inner self again. She didn't think he knew about the talks with her conscience but that wasn't the case. He knew everything about Sakura even things she didn't think anyone knew. He knew she still believed in wishing wells, and that she won't eat rice balls on Tuesdays due to a childhood accident. His most recent find is that the pinkette talks in her sleep. She kept going on about how there "was enough room for everyone to pass through the sea creature's stomach without being eaten".

Sasuke rolled on his back and started to stare at the celling. It was funny actually, he liked being alone, he liked to eat, sleep, travel, and carryout missions all by himself. However….. Heavy eyelids closed and the comfort of his cell mattress took control as he spoke words he never even processed, "I like being around her more."

{~…~}

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Sakura was sure the knocks on her door seemed louder in her head. She wiped away her drool with her arm and began contemplating if she wanted to open her door. She was having the same mystical dream from a few nights ago; the one where she tries to get a group of people across the sea by using a sea monster's stomach as a tunnel. It was a weird dream however she enjoyed it!

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The pinkette silently cried at the thought of removing her blanket to answer the door. It must have been Nori bringing the kunoichi her breakfast. After another silent cry, Sakura stood up and opened her door. A yawn escaped her mouth and she couldn't help but stretch and rub the crust out of her eyes, "Good Morning Nori." Sakura said with her eyes still closed.

"S-Sakura."

"Mhm?" Green orbs opened up and met wet dark purple eyes and it didn't take Sakura long to realize the girl was crying, "What's wrong Nori?" When the pinkette received no answer, she went into medic mode and looked the girl over, "Are you hurt?"

The Hinata stunt double only began crying harder and without a verbal reply she moved her hands to reveal her chest.

Sakura gasped as she ran her hands over the bare skin, "It's a seal. B-but who?"

"It's the killer Sakura! I woke up with a note saying that if I didn't tie you up and take you to location drawn on the map, they would activate the seal and I would die!"

Sakura face held a deep scowl, "Let me guess if I try to contact someone you'll be killed."

Snot fell from Nori's nose, "Oh God am I going to die Sakura? I didn't come here because I was planning to try to take you to the killer, I-I j-just thought. Y-You just seem like you can h-help me. Please I-I don't want to die, I'll do anything Sakura!"

The kunoichi placed her hands on the hysterical girl's shoulders, "Relax Nori everything is going to be ok, you did the right thing. Now tie me up good and take me to the location on the map they gave you."

Nori held in tears of relief but she couldn't help but to throw her hands around Sakura in a hug, "Thank you Sakura."

An hour, two ropes, and bathroom break later, Sakura and Nori were deep inside the bamboo forest surrounding the estate.

"It must be easy to get lost in here."

Nori nodded her head at Sakura before looking at the map once more to make sure they in fact weren't lost, "So how are you holding up with Sasuke being in prison? It must kill you to know he's innocent."

Sakura mentally sighed, she was literally on her way to an unknown place that may be where she would take her last breath, and now her last thought would be about Sasuke, "He's strong enough to handle himself so I know it will all work out."

The emerald eyed beauty tried to speak in manner that silently let her new friend know she did not want to be discussing the dark haired man. Nori however didn't catch on and happily continued to speak about the falsely accused ninja, "Yes I'm sure! Uchiha's tend to have strong wills."

Sakura stopped walking causing Nori to stop and turn around confused, "What's wrong Sakura?"

"Who?"

"Mhm?"

Sakura snickered, "Who was the idiot who sent you to capture me?"

Nori blushed nervously, "What are you talking about Sakura? I came to you because I was scared!"

"Liar! Not even Nori knew about Sasuke being an Uchiha!"

Nori's face held a shocked expression before settling into an evil smirk, "Well you got me there."

"Bastard!" Sakura hissed before attempting to break free of the rope tied around her hands.

"Save your energy, we know all about your jutsu and that rope is design to absorb any attempts of using chakra." Nori stalked towards Sakura in a bumptious manner.

"Well I can take you down in more than one way!" Sakura growled out before thrusting a powerful kick towards the blunette.

The attack was effortlessly stopped with the back of Nori's hand, "Careful now. While I'm not your friend, this is still her body."

Sakura gasped in shock before retracting her leg, "You're using her like you puppet!?"

"Neat huh? I picked this technique up from a pretty blonde haired kunoichi. What did she call it again? That's right, "mind transfer jutsu"."

The face of Sakura's longtime rival passed through Sakura's mind, "That's Impossible! The ninja with that jutsu is miles away from here!" Sakura spat out half sure about the statement.

The impostor laughed quite feverishly, "You're right about her being miles away! I'm sure she has crossed over into the afterlife by now!" Fear spread over Sakura face at the thought of her longtime rival being gone, "My jutsu comes with a price, a life for a jutsu, and why would I die for a jutsu that I wouldn't be able to use?"

"I'll kill you!" Sakura yelled out in pain.

Nori's lips perked up into a smile, "Go ahead but you'll only be killing your friend."

Sakura stopped in her tracks she was visible shaking with rage but she would have to wait to fight until the enemy was out of Nori's body.

The blunette picked up the excess rope and tugged Sakura in the direction of her hideout, "See we can still be friends Sakura!"

Sakura cringed as the fake Nori feigned friendship. How long has it been since she started being controlled?

{~…~}

Sasuke Uchiha was not a happy camper! There he was standing in his teammate's room and the girl was nowhere to be found. His face held a saturnine look about it, but then that was normal for the young man. Did the killer take Sakura? It was the only thing that made sense! Well the joke was one them because the ninja had prepared for this moment.

FLASHBACK!

It had been the first night they shared there room, they pinkette had fallen asleep.

Sasuke's eyes drifted once again to the slim form resting soundly. He was too tainted for a girl like Sakura he knew that but the question remained would he listen to his brain telling him to stay away or his body telling him to have her.

The suave man shoved his hands deep inside his pockets and pulled out a blank scroll. Using his blood as his ink he wrote the charactersロケータ, meaning locator. He moved to the bed and place one hand on Sakura's outer thigh and used the other to concentrate his chakra. The seal he had created glided off the scroll and onto the bare skin his hand covered. After glowing for a few seconds the ink seeped into her skin making it invisible to the naked eye.

Not long after the raven haired ninja moved to an appropriate distance. He would never tell Sakura to her face but he would never forgive himself if she got hurt. Yes she was a shinobi and she could handle herself but why take chances? The killer was targeting women and Sakura wasn't one to go unnoticed. If anything were to happen, he'd be there.

Sakura's eye crept open and her foggy sight revealed a tall and handsome man, "S-Sasuke?" She was too tired to move and before she knew it her were eyes closed shut again.

END OF FLASHBACK!

Sasuke flew through the bamboo stalk forest at top speed, "Sakura, just don't die." He said to absolutely no one.

{~…~}

"Ughh." The sound of Sakura's body being thrusted onto the floor caused movement within the jail cell.

Sakura pulled her legs up to her stomach to keep her balance as she attempted to sit up. The pinkette then began to make note of her surroundings to better plan her escape. It was obvious she was in a cave, the dust that rose up when she was tossed to the ground told her that much. If only she could untie the rope around her hands and the rope the fake Nori placed on her legs when she arrived at the hideout.

"S-Sakura." Came a raspy voice, Sakura couldn't make out if it were a low pitched woman's voice or a high pitched mans.

The kunoichi jumped at the sound of her name and turned in the direction the voice came from, "Who's there?"

A figure crawled into the light and Sakura's seaweed tinted orbs grew in size as she realized it was her former roommate Koi, "You're alive!"

The girl had dirt all over her face and was clearly deprived of food and the amount of water needed to be comfortable, "You have to get out of here Sakura or you'll d—."

Footsteps caused the brunette to stop talking and as if it were a reflex Koi moved back into the dark pulling Sakura out of sight as well.

The jail cell opened rapidly and closed speedily, it was as if the kidnappers didn't want to risk anyone attempting to escape.

After a brief moment Koi let go of Sakura, simultaneously letting out a sigh of relief. Sakura looked up at the girl and instantly became dejected at the way hiding had become normal for her in such a short time. What had these people done to the young servant? Had they taken control of her body as well? It was obvious they were basically starving her probably only giving her the bare minimum to survive. However, Sakura didn't know if the kidnappers were male or female but she knew Koi was a beautiful, defenseless girl, and most men and some women would no doubt take advantage of that.

A sudden urge to get Koi to safety surged through Sakura's entire body, "I need you to untie me before they come back."

Koi's eyes expanded in panic before she began shaking her head in terror, "N-No if I help you they'll take me away. I'm sorry but—"

"They will kill you even if you don't help me, the difference is one will be instant and the other prolonged." Sakura stared at Koi in dismay hoping she could strike a nerve in her it however didn't work because the girl hid her face slightly, "Then please go see who or what they dropped in here."

Koi looked dubious but after a few moment complied with Sakura's request.

Silence fell upon the cell and for an instant the salmon haired kunoichi wondered what had made the civilian girl quiet, "Koi?" Sakura called out to the factotum curiously.

Before Sakura called out a second time the brown haired girl was in front of her with tears falling down her face. Sakura didn't bother asking what had caused the girl to cry seeing how Koi began untying the rope around Sakura's hand viciously.

The kunoichi was actually afraid to step into the light and see what had caused the girl who Sakura considered the sea witch herself before now cry. With one deep inhale and exhale she went into ninja mode clenching her fist in the process, whatever laid before her she would handle.

Knees. Sakura fell to her knees and her shoulders began to shake up and down, her tears glided down her cheek and hit the dry ground causing the dirt to darken. She bit her lips attempting to hold back any sounds that threaten to escape. There. There laid Nori's body, what appeared to be unconscious soon became clear after Sakura checked her pulse and it was flat.

"YOU USED HER BODY!" Sakura yelled to the enemy hidden in the darkness.

"Sakura please." Koi said timidly, she was scared they would come in and abuse the pink haired girl.

"YOU USED HER AND NOW SHE'S DEAD! OH MY GOSH!" Sakura began to hyperventilate, "WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT!? WHO TOLD YOU IT'S OK TO JUST GO AND MURDER INNOCENT YOUNG WOMEN!? HER NAME WAS NORI AND SHE HAD HOPES AND DREAMS…. DREAMS YOU ENDED WITHOUT A CARE IN THE WORLD!

Sakura didn't even realize she had been on the bars until she felt Koi's futile attempts to pull her down, "S-Sakura please stop they'll only come and hurt us too."

"How can you ask me to stop they took a life, they need to know what that life meant!"

"Why do you even care?!" Koi yelled at the kunoichi out of fear, "You just met her." The girl's demeanor went weak as she began crying once more.

Sakura looked deep into the girl's glossed over eyes, "Are you really that scared? You won't always get help, and most moments you'll feel useless. But I've been the girl who yells for her friends to save her." Images of team 7 in the forest of death during the chunin exams flash through her mind, as well as images of her trying to catch up to Naruto and Sasuke in terms up strength, "And I've been the girl who saves her friends without them needing to yell." Recollection of the battle between Lady Chiyo, herself, and Sasori graced her mind before fading into her time during the war healing countless injuries, "And the latter is better. Fight and don't die without ever trying, for that is the will of fire that has been passed down to me, and now to you."

Koi looked at Sakura in a new light, "T-The will of fire?"

"How touching but she won't work up enough courage to act on the thoughts you place in her mind."

Koi froze at the sound of the voice but Sakura, Sakura spun around on her heels and came face to face with, "Wait y-you're that man from the garden. Ikaji, the master of estates brother. Why would want to hurt anyone?"

The man who seemed normal the first time Sakura had met him began to belt out a crazed laughter, "Why she asks! Because I want something that my brother has been hiding for years!

"Let me guess, what he has belongs to you and you'll stop at nothing to get it. Blah, Blah, Blah get to the point!" Sakura spat out with wrath.

"Hahaha." Ikaji laughed at Sakura as if something she had said were amusing, "The point pinky, is that my brother has been hiding a treasure that has some of the four tails chakra seal within it, giving who ever wields it the power to control the tailed beast when the right jutsu is used. I just so happened to come across such a jutsu during my travels."

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she became full of indignation, "So what does Nori or any of the other girls taken have to do with your plan!"

The man's golden orbs held curiosity before falling back to his evil resolve, "I guess I could have left them out of this, but it was so much easier to infiltrate the manor as a servant. They get access to all the rooms when they clean, what better way to conduct a search?"

The sound of meatal being bent made the man look at Sakura, "Don't bother even without the rope around you, you're chakra is being drained. You can't break free, you're just as useless as the common folk."

The faint sound of footsteps trotting away let Sakura know that the man was no longer present. The kunoichi fell to the floor feeling defeated. Why was it that Naruto and Sasuke could always do the impossible; inspire others who were thought to be forsaken, stop decades of fighting with one battle, and even become friends after years of feuding? However, when it came to herself she fell short every time. She was no kunoichi, and Ikaji had been right she was….

"Useless."

"Huh?" Sakura looked up at Koi who was standing above her with face full of pain.

The brunette bent down and plopped next to Sakura, "You said most of the time I'll feel useless." Koi bit down on her dry parched lips that had once been pink and soft, "Maybe the feeling of being useless is more of a fear."

Sakura looked at the girl through wet eyes that were now swollen from wiping her tears away, "What do you mean?"

"Well." The girl began before taking a moment to speak again, "Maybe when you begin to feel useless it's because you know you can either be the girl who asks her friends to save her, or the girl who saves her friends without them needing to call on you. I bet it's scary that you don't know which girl you are until a time of crisis." The green eyed civilian closed her eyes nodding, "So, why not be both?"

Sakura was shocked at the girl's words, "Be both?"

Koi laughed for the first time, "That's what Nori would say, I can hear her voice saying it in my head. The friends who have saved you in the past, don't you think they were scared? It's what you do with that fear that makes the difference."

One last tear slipped down Sakura's cheek, "Nori huh? ... She sure is smart."

Koi blushed as she looked upon her friend's body, "She had that thing you were talking about. Nori had the will of fire."

There could be no words, there wasn't need for any, everything they would do would be for themselves…. and Nori. The girls stopped and prayed for Nori, they then dusted their deceased friend's body off before gently placing her in the corner Koi was first hiding in.

"Alright." Sakura said while cracking her knuckles, "Time to do the impossible!" She gripped the cell bars and began to pull them apart building up her chakra in the process. For every ounce of chakra she gathered, it felt like four were drained right out of her. Images of herself crying out for mercy when a sound shinobi held her by the hair crossed her mind. She then remembered all of the days she spent training as the Hokage beat the life out of her. Finally, she turned to her present situation. Everything she had gone through was for this, she wasn't helpless, and she wasn't useless! She was a kunoichi, she would never fall short again, she has been weak, and she could be strong, all she had to do was…..remember!

Sakura could hear a soft giggle before a familiar voice sounded, "So, why not be both?"

Emerald green eyes broadened, "Nori." Sakura responded in a whisper.

CLINGE! CLINGE! CLINGE!

The cell bars fell to ground, "I know where the treasure is." Sakura said before climbing out of the cell she had been held in. Pink chakra began to visible flow around her as she walked with more determination she ever possessed.

{~…~}

Have you ever wondered if your crush or significant other thinks about you as much as you do them? I realized I was making Sakura a bit too reliant on Sasuke. In terms of him rescuing her and I realized she is constantly being saved throughout the series but I want to make her a little less dependent. Next chapter will end the mission for sure! Until next time my loves!