.
The gray, black, and mixture of blue-white vein-work glared back at her, beating into her a helpless promise of despair. She stared at it as she stepped forward. Her bare hand touched the cool rock slow… poignantly; the iciness of it trailed up her arm, along her chest and into her heart, suffocating her harder than the last time. She opened her mouth, half seeking air as her eyes slowly shut and her face shifted to clench.
"Damnit!" she cried out, half screaming as she slammed her bare fist into it. Pain shot down her arm; her voice echoed in the silence, bouncing off walls and beating its way back into her body.
"It's fine. We'll—."
Green hues flashed like a bright flame to abyssal orbs; at the same time, her body turned to face him as she interrupted. "We'll what, exactly? Just keep moving, just keep trying? Are you seriously gonna feed me that optimistic bullshit again, Itachi?" Her words reverberated in the tunnel of glowing rock.
He couldn't help the way his own eyes widened at her sudden assault; it was the first time she'd ever shouted at him. But then, they narrowed. He could understand, in a way. His patience was also wearing thin; he was just better at hiding it than her. Sakura was inherently emotional, he'd come to realize.
"We'll just turn around and try again," he said calmly, getting ready to do just that.
"And how many times do you expect we'll do this before we can't anymore? Before people just stop looking for us?" Her hands were fists as her sides; her body shook with anger and frustration. "We've been her nearly a week. A week!" she said louder, closing her eyes and bringing her hands up towards her head as her fists tightened harder; her face turned to the side.
He took a hesitant step forward, hand outreached to her. "Sakura…"
"No!" Her eyes shot to his again. "Don't act like everything is ok! It's not!"
He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled, slowly counting back from ten. "You need to quit yelling."
"Why? It's not like anyone is here to care!"
"I care." He couldn't help the glare he shot her, or the way his jaw tightened. "You are not the only one frustrated, or angry everytime we reach a dead end."
"Really? Because you're not acting like it," she bit off, taking a step towards him and closing the distance.
"Because one of us has to—."
"Keep our wits about us? Our sanity?"
He bit his cheek; his nails cut into his palms. "Stop interrupting me, Sakura."
"Or what? You'll make me?" She snorted. "Quit acting so high and mighty, Uchiha."
His jaw flexed again and he closed his eyes; he exhaled through his nose, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. When he opened his eyes he didn't look at her, but off to the side slightly; looking at her might make him do something stupid.
"What? Can't say it?" she snapped, bright eyes still burning. "You know I'm right. We're—."
"We're not stuck," he replied coolly, dark depths locking on hers. "We just have to keep going."
She laughed bitterly. "Because that's worked so well thus far. Brilliant plan. I thought Uchiha were supposed to be smart. I thought—."
"Shut up, Sakura," he said softly, unable to stop himself.
"Or what?" she yelled, this time closing the distance so that she was right on top of him. Her voice echoed much louder off the cave walls. Her face, awash in aggression, was suddenly inches from his own. Air heaved out of her nose as she stared him down. In retrospect, his own features were tightly impassive; which, did nothing but irritate her further.
Their breaths mingled and time passed, neither really budging until…
Sakura turned away. She could feel heat burning into her cheeks, her chest, and crawling up her neck until it ached. She refused to allow the sob break the cage of her throat, thick knot that it was.
Her fists hit the wall again.
And again.
And again.
And again…
"Sakura…"
"Fuck this." Again. "To hell with it." Again. "I just want…" her voice cracked. "…to go… home." Again. Something cracked.
He grabbed her shoulders and tried to spin her around.
"Stop!" she screamed, jerking against him. Her hands were a vice over his forearms, trying to push out of his hold. Her body became wild and her legs snapped, trying to run and get away.
"Stop it, Sakura!" He maneuvered her around finally, pulling her into an embraced even as she beat her fists into him.
"No!" she cried out, pinpricked tears breaking free from her eyes as she pushed harder—beat harder.
He held true however; his arms wrapped about her to stop any arm movement. But she just kept fighting, yelling, trying to hold back tears even as she sobbed. Her body heaved against his, exasperated, frustrated, and wearing out.
Finally however… she slowed and stopped.
Emerald met coal.
He swallowed; his eyes softened. That look… Sasuke.
"…I'm sorry," she whispered softly. "I just…" Her hands tightened to fists on his shirt, shaking; whether it was with anger, sadness, or a little of both he couldn't be sure. Still, he couldn't look away from her.
"…We'll get out."
Slowly, her eyes narrowed… softened. The tears had been gradually stopping, and now had entirely. He watched her swallow; her lips parted.
"I…" she started, eyes hesitantly searching his. Noticeably, her hands unfurled on his chest… flattening carefully.
It was then he became wholly aware of close Sakura actually was, of how she relaxed in his arms, of how she was pressed again him. It was then, with some jerked unexpressed realization that he slowly released her and took a step back. Her hands slid from his chest and fell to her sides.
He looked away, composing himself quietly. "…Let's go."
After a moment… she nodded.
Chapter Nine
The clanging of metal rung in her ears the moment she released several kunai from her grip. She could hear the gravel grinding under Sasuke's sandaled feet as she shoved him aside. The motion was both simultaneous and smooth.
Her eyes narrowed as she readied another few to loop on her fingers; green depths darted towards the wood, searching hesitantly. Light bounced off the sharp edges of weapons littering the ground.
Behind her, Sasuke turned and straightened; narrowed, black and red eyes scanned in the same direction. Tomoe spun in a slow calculating manner. "Who would be stupid enough to attack us within the village walls…"
"No clue," Sakura muttered quietly.
There was a silent click as he pulled up on the hilt of Kusanagi; reflective silver gleamed by a fraction of an inch.
Nothing…
Green hues widened; booted feet shifted; gravel and dirt ground under rubber soles. Brownish-black oddly shaped blobs shot from the woods; they cut through the air. Kunai flew from Sakura's hands, lodging themselves; they kept coming.
She blinked.
Her jaw flexed; her eyes narrowed. "No point in wasting good weapons, I suppose." With a grunt she reached out, fist glowing and hit the first one to come within reaching distance of her.
Sasuke's blade cut several in half; the mess dropped the ground with a flopping thud.
"The hell?"
Fiery eyes jolted in Sakura's direction.
"It won't….come off." A growl escaped her tightened lips as she struck at her own arm. It was covered in the substance; slowly, it began to crawl towards her shoulder, covering her.
"Don't move. I'll—." As he took a step forward to help her, jerking. Something tugged at his leg, his foot; he was rooted. When he looked down he realized the fallen clumps had encased his left leg, stopping him. "Damnit." He wove a speechless, signless jutsu into his hand; lightening crackled there. It sparked erratically—glowed in blue-white. He drove his fist into his encased leg, smashing the rocky crust. He took no time in moving towards Sakura and doing the same thing once free.
"Thank you," she half breathed out genuinely while she brushed rock and dust free from her skin and clothes.
"Crap."
"What?" Her eyes shot to his face. She then followed his gaze downward. "Shit." The piles began to move towards one another; the dry broken pieces were overcome by the muddy ones. As she stepped back so did he. She watched as they gathered together, binding and shaping.
"Clones," they said in unison.
"We'll have to be careful not to touch them," she said as she prepared a jutsu while Sasuke dove forward and began to cut through them, sword swathed in white-blue sparks. But the more he cut through the more they joined, rejoined, parted and became several clones in the process of forming.
Her fist was cast in a bright green glow, brighter than normal. As she took a final step back she reached up, crying out at once and slammed it downward. The ground crumbled in a quaking, nearly straight line. It curved, breaking, opening and several clones fell through before they could take complete shape.
Her hands formed several signs and then clapped loudly—booming. In the same moment the earth pulled back together, enclosing the enemies.
She turned to look at Sasuke. Several clones had formed—finally. She jerked internally, trying not to do so visibly.
Bears masks, all of them. ANBU gear.
Shit.
Just as she took a step forward to act Sasuke was already working. Realizing what he was about to do, as she felt what he was weaving, watched the signs he made with his hands, she brought hers down; just in time, she called up an earth jutsu. The ground opened and flung upward to create and wall just tall and wide enough to cover her.
The burst came; it was loud, electric, and spanned twenty feet; the light dimmed and it slowed and dissipated. Like a bomb, it had gone off. All at once, her wall fell and the clones were gone, crumbling.
Still, even as she stood her jaw tightened. "Are you crazy! You could have killed me with that!" she cried out as he dusted himself off.
"I knew you would figure it out."
She decided against arguing with him when there was still and enemy out there; instead, she rolled her eyes. Her hands went to her hips as she pulled her gaze from his body and towards the woods.
But it was no time to relax, even only in pretense.
The clang and grind of metal echoed surreally; steel slid against steel; hot sparks flew. Her vision became blocked in the forest green of a Jounin vest and then satin black strands as she drew her eyes upward. In that brief second in time she exhaled, narrowed her eyes and tensed as the enemy bore down on Sasuke, who at the last moment came in and blocked for her.
She couldn't help but stand there, unexpressive, as she stared at his red, white, and black porcelain mask that left little opening for sight. An open mouth with small molded fangs growled at her, snapping almost in the form of a bear.
"One more thing …As I said, they're keeping an eye on you, Haruno. Watch for the mask of a bear, if nothing else…"
She blinked, snapping out of her momentary haze as Sasuke cried out and thrust the enemy backward with the force of his attack.
"To hell with this," she muttered as she reached into her hip pouch and pulled out her gloves finally. As she slid them on she watched Sasuke evade and beat back the agent's sword with his own.
They didn't have time for this. Either he was underestimating them both by attacking two—not to be egotistical or anything—elite shinobi within their own village walls, or just plain stupid. Neither was green, much less wet behind the ears anymore. Hell, if anything, both she and Sasuke were in their prime. ANBU or not, even if he was Root, this was ridiculous.
As the last leather hem snapped from between her fingers, leather snug around her digits, Sakura dove forward with her hands blinding in chakra glow. As Sasuke jumped back, one step ahead of her, she dove downward next to the agent's feet; the ground erupted and he barely had time to react, leaping and trying to find his footing. But, it was in that moment Sasuke went after him, jumping from one rocky slab flying to another. She watched as he swung at him, narrowly missing his abdomen.
Sakura's jaw flexed and she scowled as she reached into her pouch again. "Let's see you dodge this." Several senbon were drawn; chakra again infused her hand and she flung them at blinding speed towards him. As he dropped onto a falling platform of rock and earth while it fell he had just enough time to turn and look as she threw them. Timing it just right, he threw up the flat of his blade to deflect them.
At that moment Sakura would have loved to see the surprise on his face under the mask. All three senbon went right through the steel. Two flew past, but the third hit his shoulder.
Sometimes the simplest techniques really were the best.
Sasuke landed gently, sandals grinding as his foe did much the same a good thirty feet from him. Sakura met the dark-haired Uchiha there.
"He's either underestimating us, or this is what were working with."
Sakura exhaled a pant next to him, her eyes never leaving the perpetrator. "Probably the first. He's feeling us out."
"We don't have time for that."
"I agree. We need to take him out quickly, preferably alive so Tsunade can have him interrogated."
He grunted in response, mildly expressing his concurrence.
"He's an earth-type. Lightening is our best bet. You work on taking him out and I'll back you up. Sound good?"
He nodded once, wiping sweat off his brow.
As Sasuke tensed to move forward Sakura's hand snapped out and stopped him.
"What?" he asked.
"Look." Her eyes were still on the masked man.
He turned his eyes from her and back to the enemy. His narrowed slightly as he watched him fight falling to his knees. His body swayed just barely.
Sakura smiled. "Poison. It worked." She looked at Sasuke and released him. "Just keep your guard up; he might be bluffing."
Sasuke nodded once and then shot off towards him. Sakura paced herself five feet behind him.
"Fools!"
Sakura's eyes widened and she skidded to a halt just as Sasuke did. She fell, sliding, bringing one hand to her side to grab dirt and rocky earth as her hip ground into the half hard, half soft uneven turf. She cried out angrily as she ran into Sasuke, lacking any kind of grace at the suddenness of his action.
"What…" she whispered, looking up; dimly, she heard laughter from their opponent as her calculating green eyes traversed over the cutting prison wall of wind that trapped her and Sasuke.
"Shit," she heard her partner curse, spitting the word like a bad taste in his mouth.
And Sakura knew why; she knew why. Sasuke was a fire and lightening type primarily. While fire was an excellent weapon against wind… in these close quarters it could go wildly out of control and kill them both, if not just her.
"When did he have time to weave those signs?" Sakura asked Sasuke as she all but glared at the enemy.
"I don't know…" he muttered as she stood up and dusted herself off. "…But I know how to get out…"
Sakura blinked, confused at the hesitance in his voice. As she stared him while he stared at their foe, watching as he wove more signs, she watched at his jaw flexed with the enemy's movement.
Then it hit her.
"No," she snapped, her hand clamping around his upper arm. Her eyes narrowed on his; anger flared anew. Fear cut through her, slicing unforgivably and unexpectedly. "As your primary physician I forbid—."
Red and black fiery hues shot to hers, silencing her with a look in such a way he hadn't affected her with since she was sixteen. The memory of that face… those eyes… that night blazed like an inferno in front of her once more. She refrained from swallowing and held his gaze, drawing strength from her own growth.
A few moments passed; just when she thought he might say something the sound of chakra forming and something cutting broke their gaze. As Sakura looked at the prison she swallowed.
The walls were closing in.
Her gaze cut across the short distance to their opponent.
She wanted to ask why this was happening, what was he trying to accomplish. But, she knew why. This was her fault, in a way. She'd just never intended to drag Sasuke into it, not to this end. This was her battle, ultimately—regardless of how he'd been brought into it.
And as she looked over at him, catching his gaze again as they moved to the middle of the prison, she knew that was why she didn't want him to risk ruining his eyesight.
"Sakura—."
"No."
"You don't have a say in the matter."
She opened her mouth to speak.
"If we're dead it won't matter how well I see!"
She snapped her mouth shut and tightened her jaw; her eyes dove to the right, unable to look at him knowing this had been wrought by her own hand. Kami, why had he followed her today? But then…
She closed her eyes, pushing the thought that she might not be around had he not been there from her mind. She was a capable kunoichi; she could take care of herself… they'd just always been better as a team. And this was just one of those moments when his talents were better for the situation at hand than hers.
"Fine," she whispered, wondering why he was waiting for her consent at all. Maybe he thought she would try and stop him.
"Susanoo!"
In an instant, she was surrounded in a black-violet haze of flame and chakra glow. But her eyes were on Sasuke as his eyes shifted… and bled, as he carefully hid the strain for air on his lungs.
It took nothing for him to break the cage that bound them. The sound of chakra shattering and dying echoed around her like splintering glass.
She blinked as Susanoo's arm shot out, reaching for the bear-masked shinobi. Her eyes locked on Sasuke's just as the boney hand captured him. "Stop it. You don't need to keep using this." You're hurting yourself.
Sasuke's flexed, flinching slightly. She could see he was pushing down the pain.
"Sasuke," she said again, more firmly—loudly, ignoring the cries for freedom not far from them both. "I can take it from here. Stop it!" Her hands gripped his arm, her hold vice-like; she could feel her own fingernails biting back into her skin where they grew.
"You don't have to protect me," she whispered harshly. "Damnit… let me protect you," she couldn't keep the pleading out of her voice, no matter the strength of it.
And then… he closed his eyes; the violet-black faded away and he slumped into her grip.
"Hurry," he breathed as trail of blood rolled anew, down his cheek and onto his knee as they both fell to kneel.
She wanted to check him over, but she didn't have time, not if she wanted to stop the monster who did this to them. She turned around just as the aghast ANBU member was pulling himself up and trying to make a break for it. His mask had crumbled away, revealing a war-torn and scared face filled with aggravation and malice.
"No you don't," she spat, slamming her foot down. The earth cracked, crumbled and sent a rolling wave to upset his footing. She heard something break and a cry as he fell. As she stepped towards he tried to stand and run, but to no avail.
His leg was broken, his shin; to be exact, the tibia.
He rolled over on his back as he tried to crawl away; he glared up at her.
"I hope you enjoy your stay with Ibiki."
"Like hell," he growled before he bit down on something and Sakura heard the sound of a crack.
"Shit!" she cried out, realizing what he done. She reached for him even as he batted her hands away and fought her. Even as she tried to stop him, to pull the liquid from his mouth, his body, she knew it was too late. His body convulsed for a few minutes and then…
…he was dead.
Pushing down her rage, she forced herself to stand and walk back to Sasuke. So much for information.
"I'm alright," he whispered as she knelt down next to him and started to feel him out with chakra; his chest, his eyes…
"What happened here?" a new voice called out.
Sakura sighed as she looked up at an ANBU mask she recognized to be one of Tsunade's own. Several other were looking over the body she'd just left.
"Little late," she muttered, watching them. She looked back up at him.
"We just felt the spike in chakra and were dispatched," he explained. It was hard to tell through the mask, but she felt his confusion.
"We were attacked," she explained. "I'll see the Hokage about the rest."
"Understood. Do you need help with Uchiha-sama?"
She looked at Sasuke again, evaluating his closed orbs. "…No, I'll take him to the hospital. Thank you though."
The shinobi nodded and left her to it.
"Ready, Uchiha?" she asked him as she pulled his arm over her shoulders.
He nodded.
"Quite a day," she said more to herself than him as she watched ANBU put a cloth over the body and talk among themselves, radioing for more people.
"A understatement."
The world had to be ending, she decided, for Uchiha Sasuke to agree with her on so much today.
…
.
…
And hour had gone by as Sakura got the end of her newest update with Tsunade. The blonde stared at her across from the desk; manicured digits tapped her chin and caressed her cheek idly. She appeared sunk in deep contemplation, organizing everything that Sakura had just told her; from tracking down Rukia to her midnight visitor, all the way to today's events.
"So… you're getting somewhere."
Sakura hid her surprise. For so long, Tsunade had been telling her to give up on the trail. She didn't need to waste anymore of her life, her happiness on something with no real trail. "…Yes," she finally replied, clearing her throat idly.
Tsunade nodded and sat up; her forearms were placed on the desk and she leaned forward slightly, straightening her back. "It's probably good thing that agent committed suicide though."
Sakura blinked. "What… why?"
Tsunade sighed. "Can you imagine if Ibiki got the whole truth? It would—more than likely—have to become official even on some classified level. This is your case, Sakura. And right now, based on everything you've told me… I'm not entirely sure I can trust the elders, much less many of my top men. If certain channels of people were to find out this could go badly.
"No," she shook her head, "we can't let that happen until we have everything we need—especially that mission scroll."
Sakura nodded slowly.
"If you have a chance to get information, do so and dispose of the body. You know how."
"Understood, Shishou."
Tsunade sighed. "Good. And… be careful. Who knows what might have happened if Sasuke hadn't been there today with you."
Sakura nodded. "Yes, Shishou."
"Alright… well, get out of here." She waved her hand idly and began sifting through paperwork as Sakura got up and left. She contemplated walking home for a whole five seconds before she realized she had just enough energy to transport herself from outside the Hokage's door to the porch of her house.
She did so without thinking twice. A long sigh echoed past her lips as she opened the screen door and stepped inside. Idly, it thwacked against the frame, echoing once in the house.
"Sakura."
She was only slightly surprised to see Sasuke to the left of her in her kitchen, looking fairly ok considering the afternoon.
"Did they clear you?" she asked as she threw her work keys on the island.
"Yeah, There was some muscular lacerations because of the stress of the jutsu, but otherwise I'm fine."
"…Eyes?" she couldn't help by ask next.
"Some strain, but overall their as they usually are."
She slowly released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She licked her lips, finding it oddly comforting as an action and opened the fridge; the action placed her back to Sasuke.
"They sent word that Isao would be gone on a mission for a day or two."
"Nothing unusual about that," she replied. "Good to know."
"Sakura…"
She didn't reply, she just stared at the contents of her fridge. She knew that tone.
"I'm going to find out what's going on."
She couldn't help the brief smile that formed. "I know you're going to try." Arms gripped her suddenly, whirling her around. Her body jumped and her eyes widened briefly before narrowing as Sasuke held her in a tight embrace.
"I'm not going to let anyone else stop me—us—from being happy anymore. I won't yield, Sakura.
"Not when it comes your life. Not when I know whatever happened today wasn't just some rogue crazy shinobi… they were targeting you and I'm going to find out what and what it has to do with my brother."
And then he kissed her.
AN :: Hi, guys. This update took a while because of the holidays. Plus, I got The Old Republic for Christmas. It rocks hard core. If any of you play, give me a shout out.
Digression aside, this was a little hard to write. I'm super critical of fighting scenes and making them work just right. I always think I fall short in one way or another. I worry things don't move fast enough or perhaps too fast in some cases. If there are any errors, sorry. It IS fanfiction and while I do care about my work—I'm not going to spend at much time editing this over something original and worth more to me. That doesn't mean I don't edit xP
And for those of you who don't know, I've got an original work up for reading on wattpad[dot]com. Just look me up under the author name Blade Redwind. If you love watching stuff like Grimm or Once Apon A Time you'll love this original work. Give it a try at least.
Thanks, as always.
—Blade