Chapter Ten
Shisui found Itachi early that morning. The Uchiha Heir was propped against the base of a large oak. His legs were stretched out in front of him, his gaze staring absently at the well-worn training ground. Shisui was a master at stealth. His only give away the leaf that fluttered down from the treetop in the windless air.
Itachi traced its descent to the ground silently. Shisui would never have slipped up so easily. He wanted Itachi to know he was there.
In the next blink, Shisui was there, standing beside him. He raked his gaze over Itachi's formal wear. "Why are you dressed like that? Who died?" he teased. When Itachi merely stared back blankly, his smile fell. "Oh shit, who died?"
Itachi didn't immediately answer. "No one you know."
Ryota's service had been that morning.
Civilian funerals were not much different than those held for fallen shinobi. It was small and few words were spoken. Prayers were said and words of comfort given but neither could distract from the coffin laid out on the table. The tiny, tiny coffin.
Itachi had sat beside Sakura during the ceremony. She didn't say a word the entire time. Neither did he. When it was over, Itachi had pulled her to her feet. He was certain she would have continued to sit there if he hadn't. Like those cold, hard plastic chairs had leached the energy from her body.
Afterwards, Sakura had mumbled something about being needed at the hospital. Itachi hadn't wanted her to go but he also didn't know what to say to stop her. Which is how he had ended up here alone in the first place.
Shisui eyed his younger cousin before he lowered himself onto the ground. He crossed his legs and supported himself by leaning back on his hands, his palms pressed flush to the crunchy, dead grass. "You vanished at Sasuke's party," Shisui said after a minute.
"I had something to see to."
"Something or someone?"
Itachi met Shisui's gaze silently. The question was burning in the older man's eyes but Itachi provided no further answer. He wasn't in the mood to dance around the subject. If Shisui wanted to know, he was going to have to ask.
And it seemed Shisui understood that too for he spoke after a brief pause. "What's going on with you and Sakura?"
"What makes you think there is something going on?"
"Because you're avoiding my question with a question."
Shisui cocked a brow, as if daring him to challenge it. Itachi didn't. Shisui wouldn't believe him anyway. Instead, Itachi said, "She had a bad night. I was trying to be nice."
It wasn't a lie. But neither was it the whole truth.
Fortunately Shisui seemed to accept the answer for he didn't press further. Instead he studied the dusty training grounds, peered up at the sun before glancing back at Itachi. "Are you needed right now?"
"Not that I am aware of," Itachi shook his head.
"I'm bored. Wanna spare?"
Itachi agreed almost immediately. Sakura had cleared him for sparring days ago but he hadn't the time until now. And as he stood, he realized he was quite eager to test his body. And eager for anything that might distract him from entertaining anymore thoughts of the young medic.
In the center of the training grounds without the relief of the canopy leaves to shelter them, the sun was hot. Not quite scorching in its mid-morning strength but powerful enough to warm the black material of Itachi's shirt. This would be a short fight.
Without a single word spoken, Shisui and Itachi attacked at the same instant. They met midway, kunai clashing and sharingan blazing as they struck, calculated and countered. With their years of familiarity and evenly matched caliber, it was a hard but level battle.
Shisui was faster but Itachi was smarter. Anytime Shisui flickered away, Itachi was able to locate and launch another attack before the older could go on the offensive. Their movements were fast and precise. Only years of training with the Sharingan allowed them to keep up with the other.
Within minutes, Itachi was breathing hard. He took the opportunity to catch his breath as he searched the seemingly empty clearing. Shisui was hiding amongst the treeline somewhere, likely also giving himself a moment to recover before he launched another barrage.
But rather than hunt him down, Itachi waited. This would be Shisui's fifth attack and likely the most important. He needed to know which direction his cousin would be coming from.
Then the air shifted. Itachi dropped to the ground an instant before a kunai sliced through the spot where he had been standing. Shisui appeared from the left and attempted to his cousin with his katana, but Itachi had seen it coming. Even expected it.
In one movement, Itachi used the momentum of Shisui's downward swing to force his cousin's blade to the ground before he stepped on the tip of the katana, effectively pinning it. Shisui saw his next blow coming but with his sword still pinned, he was forced to drop the weapon and roll away to avoid the deadly swipe of Itachi's kunai.
Shisui wiped the sweat away from his brow as their eyes met. "You're not giving me any breaks today."
"When do I ever?" Itachi retorted. "If you wish to best me, you have to earn it."
"Oh, I am so kicking your ass for that," Shisui said as he shifted back into a fighting stance.
Itachi simply replied with a smirk that said he was more than welcome to try.
Their battle resumed. This time Shisui's blows were more forceful, more focused. He used all of his training, all of his best techniques to try and pin his younger cousin. Itachi knew it was out of pride more than anything. Shisui wanted to win just to say he had bested him. To boost to Genma and Anko and anyone else who would listen until the next time they sparred. But Itachi wouldn't have that.
The sun kept rising. This spar was drawing to a close. They both knew it, which is why when Shisui threw a shuriken in his direction but not directly at him, Itachi knew they were done.
In an instant, invisible wires were released. They were intricately woven around the training grounds, having been set in strategic locations the entire fight until Itachi was in position. Like a rubber band, they snapped together, wrapping around Itachi's form and immobilizing him with his hands pinned to his sides. The Uchiha Heir pulled against them but he knew it was useless. He was caught.
In front of him, Shisui smirked. "I told you I was going to kick your ass. I win."
Itachi chuckled, his red eyes clashed against his cousin's. "Are you so certain?"
Shisui's brow furrowed. Then he pressed his hands together. "Kai!"
The genjutsu fell away, leaving their position reversed with Itachi unbound and Shisui caught in his own trap. He struggled against the wires but they both knew it was fruitless. Shisui was a master at catching his prey. The only way out would be when Itachi released him.
"You've been planning this the entire time," Shisui accused.
"Of course."
He frowned at his younger cousin. "I already broke through two of your genjutsus. Isn't a triple layer a little much for a spar?"
Itachi simply smirked. "Concede to your loss and I will release you."
To his surprise, Shisui grinned. "But I didn't lose."
Curiously Itachi pushed his chakra out. It was barely noticeable but there it was. The silky, spider web like strings of a well-placed genjutsu. It was his turn to press his hands together, "Kai."
And just like that, it cleared until they were both standing in the clearing. Sweating but unbound. Shisui's let out a low chuckle as his eyes blended black. "Draw?"
Itachi allowed his own Sharingan to fade as he relaxed his battle-taut muscles. "Draw," he conceded with a soft smile.
They retreated to the treeline after that. The shade provided some relief from the scorching sun but not much. And it was only getting warmer.
Using the hem of his shirt, Shisui wiped the sweat from his brow. "I'm hungry. Wanna see if Hama will feed us breakfast?"
Breakfast did sound good. Itachi hadn't eaten yet and it had been months since he had last seen the elderly, teashop owner. However, his answer remained behind his teeth as the underbrush nearby rustled.
A messenger appeared a moment later. He bowed politely before addressing Itachi, "Uchiha-san, the Hokage has requested you."
Itachi stared. It seemed she had finally made a decision. "Tell her I am on my way."
The moment the messenger was gone, Shisui glanced at him. "A mission?"
Itachi didn't miss the hopeful excitement in his tone. "I suppose I will have to go and see."
Shisui hummed before he gave his younger cousin a onceover. "You should probably shower first though."
Itachi resisted the urge to scoff.
They left the training grounds after that. Itachi headed straight home for a shower before he made for the Hokage Tower. It wasn't even noon by the time he made his presence known outside her doors. Tsunade immediately barked for him to enter.
Inside, Ibiki was delivering a report. The tough interrogator glanced at Itachi upon his entrance but his briefing never slowed nor stumbled. When he was finished, the Hokage gave him new orders and he slipped out of the room, leaving Itachi alone with their fearless leader.
"Hokage-sama," Itachi said with a respectful bow.
The blonde woman peered at him over a large stack of paperwork. "Uchiha, just who I wanted to see. I assume you and your team are still anxious to return to Grass country?"
Itachi nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Good. I have a mission for you then," she said.
She set the file in her hand aside to dig through another pile on her right. A frown marred her elegant face as if she couldn't quite remember where she had placed the document only to clear a moment later as she grasped a scroll. Itachi caught it when she tossed it towards him.
"An informant of mine has dug up some information I think you might find interesting," Tsunade said. "There is an old temple a few miles west of where your team was attacked in Grass country. I have a feeling the men behind the attack may have used this as their base. I want you to take your team and investigate."
Itachi looked up from the hastily marked map to peer at her. "You no longer believe they are there."
"Do you?" she cocked her brow.
The look that passed Tsunade's expression did not bring him any comfort. It seemed the Hokage shared his suspicions but now was not the time to discuss it. She had another task for him to complete.
Furling the scroll closed, Itachi nodded. "I will assemble my team."
"One other thing, Uchiha," Tsunade said, pausing his retreat. "I'm adding a fourth member to your team for this mission."
His curiosity piqued but he waited silently for her to continue.
"Haruno Sakura has requested to go into Grass Country," she told him. Itachi cocked a surprised brow, but Tsunade continued, "She has her own mission to complete there and while I have the utmost respect and confidence in my apprentice, I am against allowing her to go alone. I will be holding you personally responsible for her safe return, Uchiha."
Itachi could only assume her mission was medical-related. Otherwise the Hokage would have just had his team complete the task. He nodded nevertheless. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
A knock rapped on the door then. Upon the Hokage's call to enter, Sakura poked her head in. Her eyes widened minutely when she spotted him. "Oh sorry. Am I interrupting? I thought you had called for me, Tsunade-shishou?"
"I did. Come in, Sakura," Tsunade beckoned.
Itachi turned back to the Hokage as the door closed again. Sakura's footsteps were muffled but not silenced by the carpet. He could feel her eyes on him but he kept his focus on Tsunade. He felt some conflict about Sakura going into hostile territory - some he understood, some he couldn't quite put his finger on - but it wasn't his place to speak. It was the Hokage's decision.
"You get your wish, Sakura," Tsunade said when Sakura stopped before her. "You will accompany Uchiha's team to Grass country. You should be able to accomplish your task while they complete their own mission."
There was a brief silence before Sakura said, "Oh."
Tsunade arched a brow. "Is there a problem?"
"No," Sakura quickly shook her head. When the Hokage just waited expectantly, she added slowly, "I just…with all due respect, Shishou, I didn't ask to go with an escort."
"I know," the Hokage agreed. "But Uchiha's team is one of the best-."
"I don't need a babysitter."
Itachi glanced at Sakura out of the corner of his eye, but she was no longer looking at him. Tsunade didn't immediately reply, but the change in her mood was nearly palpable. Itachi smartly kept his mouth shut.
It appeared Sakura was about as happy as he was about this arrangement. Itachi wouldn't say he was offended by her very vocal disapproval but it was never good to start a mission with a teammate who was so openly against accompanying his team. Especially one that would voice their opinion against the Hokage herself. It occurred to Itachi that Sakura was likely the only person in the village able to get away with it. But even she was pushing her limits.
"I know you don't," Tsunade eventually said. There was a hint of quiet understanding in her voice but it quickly vanished with her following words. "But you are going into what is likely still hostile territory and I won't allow you to go alone. So you will tag along with Uchiha and his team, or you won't go at all. Do I make myself clear?"
Her tone left no room for argument.
Sakura nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Good. You're dismissed."
The door closed behind the pink-haired medic soundlessly.
The energy in the room was still pressing down on them heavily even after Sakura's departure. Itachi continued to study the door a moment longer even after it had closed. His own opinions warred loudly in his mind.
"You have something to say as well, Uchiha?" Tsunade asked.
Itachi shook his head. "No, Hokage-sama."
"I'm giving you permission to speak freely, Uchiha. Do you really wish to pass it up?"
Itachi didn't immediately reply. Tsunade may have given her permission, but she was still his Hokage. He weighed his next words carefully. "I just wonder if this is a good course of action. Haruno-san is one of the village's best medics. It is dangerous to put her on the front lines with the threat still unknown."
The Hokage said nothing. Then she inclined her head thoughtfully. "While I appreciate your concerns for my apprentice, need I remind you it was within these very walls that she was attacked. Believe me, Uchiha, I've weighed the pros and cons. The village will benefit from her mission."
Again, Itachi wondered exactly what Sakura's mission entailed, but he didn't ask. It was common within black ops to only be given half-information. He just had to trust that the Hokage had the village's best interest at heart.
"Besides," Tsunade continued, "I have second mission for you, Uchiha. And no one else can know if it."
##
Itachi was mad at her. Sakura could feel it.
Three days had passed since they left the large, red gates of Konoha behind and not even once had he glanced in her direction. She knew she had offended him. Even if she hadn't meant to.
Sakura respected Itachi and his team immensely. They were one of the best - if not the best - ANBU team in the village. They never made a mistake, never refused an order, and they always got the job done. Everyone who was anyone wanted to be requested to join their team. And normally Sakura would fall under that category as well. But not this time.
She had her own priorities. And having a team tied to her made her task that much more difficult.
Sakura's breath escaped in short pants behind her mask. The trees passed in green blurs as she followed Shisui through the thinning forest. Behind her, Genma took up the rear, both their chakra signatures completely masked. Somewhere, Itachi was far ahead. Scouting, he had said.
They stopped twenty minutes later when Itachi rejoined them. He informed them there was a town five miles away where they could stop and rest for the evening. It seemed strange to Sakura that they would be finding shelter so early with the sun still so high above the treeline, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Itachi wouldn't take too kindly to her speaking her mind again. Even if they had...what? Become friends? Shared cake? Ugh...this was confusing.
Within the hour, they had secured two rooms in an inn near the heart of the town. She wasn't too terribly surprised when Itachi stuck her in a room with Genma, but she wouldn't deny that she wasn't a little disappointed. Guess she really had offended him.
"You hungry?"
Sakura glanced at Genma as she unclasped her last arm guard. "Yeah, I could eat," she said. She dropped it into the growing pile of gear in the corner.
Genma too striped himself of his armor before he pulled a senbon from his pack and slipped it between his molars. "I think Shisui was talking of hitting up the bar across the street. He heard someone say they had good barbeque."
Sakura blinked. Had they been here before or did they have an entire conversation while she had been thinking? She needed to get her mind off their cool captain. She was sorry if she had offended him but now wasn't the time to be harboring ill feelings towards one another. Right now they weren't friends. They were teammates, and they had a mission to focus on.
"That sounds good," Sakura said.
She finished pulling off her gear before she changed into a plain pair of pants and nondescript shirt. Something that would make her blend into the crowd.
To her surprise, Itachi didn't join them for supper. She with Genma and Shisui ate at a table in the corner, out of sight of most of the patrons but with a clear view of the front door. She waited until the waitress had taken their order before asking, "Itachi doesn't eat with you guys?"
On the other side of the table, Shisui pulled his gaze from where he had been studying the bottles of liquor lining the wall. "Normally he does, but he had something to do tonight. He'll be back tomorrow morning. Then we can finish our mission."
"So what do we do tonight?" she asked.
"Drink, party, get fucked up."
Genma snorted at Shisui before he provided her with a real answer, "Surveil, rest, shower. We're still a good ways inside Fire Country. You should enjoy the chance to relax while you still can."
Sakura considered this a moment before their conversation turned to more mundane things. Like Shisui badgering Genma on when he was finally going to propose to Shizune - a conversation they seemed to have had many times before. Sakura listened intently, innocently throwing out her two cents that Shizune would certainly say yes.
The playful banter continued after their food arrived. It seemed neither male was concerned about the absence of their captain. Sakura knew she shouldn't be either, but her mind kept drifting back to Itachi.
She didn't know what it was about the Uchiha but he made her nervous. And not the 'he nearly killed her before' type of nervous. But the kind where her stomach did funny things. Her body still flushed pleasantly when she remembered how he had tucked her into his side while she dozed on his shoulder.
Itachi was her best friend's older brother. He was her patient. She couldn't be entertaining unprofessional thoughts about him. After everything they had been through with the attack and his disease, it felt like they were finally getting somewhere. Somewhere where he could trust her to help and she could trust him to be honest with her.
And now she had gone and screwed that up.
The mission to Grass Country had been as much as an excuse to get away and clear her head as much as it was to try and find more information on the poison their shinobi were being attacked with. Itachi's escort...complicated that. Hopefully she could still complete her mission with a less than level head.
##
Sakura didn't see Itachi again until the next morning. He and Shisui were out in the hall when she emerged with Genma from their own room. None of them spoke. Only slipped their masks on before they disappeared into the misty, cool morning.
A low fog clung to the tops of the trees, blocking out the morning sun. The tree branches were wet, slowing their pace slightly. Itachi stuck with the group this time, leading them deeper and deeper into the woods.
Sakura knew they had already crossed the country line when the trees grew thicker and the underbrush became more mossy. But they didn't slow their pace until the sun was just beginning to cut through the low-lying clouds. Itachi gave a silent command. All three of them stilled behind him. Waiting.
A few minutes later, he gave the signal to drop to the ground.
"What're we doing here?" Shisui asked.
"There are reports of an abandoned base or temple nearby," Itachi explained without looking at him. "The Hokage has ordered that we ensure that it is in fact empty. She believes that those attacking our shinobi might be camping out there."
Genma let out a low hum. "This is a long ways from the Konoha's hospital…" he stated pointedly. "If there was anyone here, they're likely long gone."
Itachi said nothing but Sakura got the feeling that both he and the Hokage had anticipated that. Even expected it. It suddenly made more sense why Tsunade had placed Sakura on the Uchiha Heir's team.
"Spread out and stay alert," Itachi ordered quietly. "Haruno, you're with me."
Sakura's mask hid her look of surprise but she followed behind Itachi obediently. She kept her footfalls silent and her chakra masked as they slipped through the trees, searching for signs of life. She wasn't sure how Shisui or Genma would alert them if they found anything. The trees were so thick and the mist still clung to the trunks. She could barely see more than a few yards ahead of her. But she didn't dare ask. Didn't dare disturb the eerie silence.
Itachi was the first to speak. "The Hokage did not brief me on your mission," he said without looking at her.
That news surprised Sakura. She knew Tsunade wanted it kept secret, but she had thought the Hokage would have at least told Itachi what it was Sakura was doing out there. She could only assume Tsunade wanted her to keep it to herself.
"I can complete my mission when we find what we are looking for," Sakura said vaguely.
He stopped and turned to face her then. Even without the mask, he was difficult to read but with it, it was impossible. She got the feeling he wanted a better explanation, wanted her to elaborate. But she didn't. And he didn't ask.
They pressed on.
The sun continued to rise. In these dense woods, it felt more like Moss Country than Grass with its thick foliage and musky air. Mud caked Sakura's boots and stained the hem of her pants. Thirst and hunger were beginning to kick in, but she kept her complaints behind her teeth. Had it been her genin team, she would have spoke up hours ago, but here with Itachi... She would not show weakness. Especially not on her first ANBU mission.
Sakura was beginning to believe they would wander this wet forest forever when Itachi suddenly drew to a halt. An instant later a black raven landed on a low hanging branch. It looked directly at Itachi and cawed.
"Shisui has found something," Itachi said.
Sakura blinked. Not entirely sure how a single sound from a seemingly regular bird could tell him so much, but she followed wordlessly as Itachi turned sharply and moved quickly through the trees.
Some minutes later, they found Shisui and Genma standing outside a large, stone temple, their masks hanging off their hips. The structure was overgrown with weeds and vines. They wrapped around the pillars like a swampy octopus with far too many arms. Something about the place felt dark and ominous. It left Sakura hesitating to go inside.
It seemed Shisui and Genma felt the same for they didn't immediately offer to head up those cold, stone steps.
"It appears empty, but we haven't gone inside yet," Genma said.
"No chakra signatures?" Itachi asked, removing his mask. Sakura followed his lead silently.
Shisui shook his head. "No. Not even residual ones."
"I don't feel any signs of life either," Sakura added.
They all glanced at her and it suddenly dawned on her that they were unaware her chakra was more sensitive to organisms that carried a life force than theirs was. But she didn't waste time explaining now.
"We go in carefully," Itachi eventually said. "In and out. We were never here."
After receiving confirmation, they moved forward as one. Itachi took lead, Shisui and Genma flanking Sakura just behind. Inside the temple, their footsteps fell soundlessly.
The first few doorways they came upon opened up to large rooms with high ceilings. They looked as if they had once been a place for those to come worship the gods. But they were empty and had long since been abandoned.
It wasn't until they were near what Sakura assumed was the back of the large, stone building that they found anything. The next doorway led to another prayer hall. But rather than worn rugs and pillows, it was filled with old hospital beds.
There were a total of five, lined up against the wall. Over half of the once white sheets were stained brown with dried blood and tostled. Each bed had an IV stand next to it, a few of them laying on their sides beside the rusted, metal legs. A few still had bags hanging up.
Sakura was the first to move. She approached the closest bed and angled the IV bag towards the light to read it. There were no medications written on the label. Only a series of numbers the creator would understand.
"What the hell is this place?" Genma asked lowly. In the silence, his voice bounced against the stone walls. Back and forth, back and forth.
"An old infirmary, maybe?" Shisui offered. He too stood at the end of a bed, eyeing it with a mix of curiosity and unease.
Antiseptic and death still clung to the sheets. An unsettling feeling twisted in the pit of Sakura's stomach, but she said nothing as she pulled a kunai from her pouch. Using the hilted end, she lifted the sheet away from the side of the bed. Underneath was a wrist restraint. The sickening feeling grew stronger.
"It's not a hospital," Sakura said softly. "It's a lab."
Shisui and Genma stilled. They stared at her with wide eyes, the question clear in their gazes. How did she know?
Because she had seen it before.
But they didn't ask. So she didn't answer.
"Haruno," Itachi called. He was standing beside a desk in the corner of a room, leafing through some loose files. Sakura approached soundlessly.
Most of the notes were indecipherable. Little thoughts and ideas that only the writer could piece together, much like the bags hanging on the IV stands. She shuffled through them, searching for anything that may give them an idea as to what had occurred in these haunted halls.
Her attention remained on the scribbles as the rest of the team shuffled elsewhere behind her. She was utter absorbed in the information, reading through the files thoroughly. There was no evidence to suggest that this place had any connections to who had been attacking their shinobi, but deep in the pit of her stomach, Sakura got the feeling it did.
Her suspicions were proved true when she picked up a journal buried under the rest of the documents and flipped open the first page. At the top was a name, circled and written is all capitals: Common Sand Viper.
Sakura exhaled and didn't inhale again. Shocked by this sudden revelation.
Of course, she realized. It all made sense. The venom from this viper was known to cause hallucinations as well as hemorrhaging and coagulation and hemoptysis and epistaxis. In other words, bleeding in practically every organ in the body. If not caught in time, it was often fatal. A fact the Sand shinobi were only too well-versed in.
The snake was commonly found in the deserts north of the Village Hidden in the Sand. Sakura had never seen a bite victim herself but she had heard the horror stories from the medics in the Sand village and read a case or two about the effects the venom had on the body. It was no wonder she and Shizune had failed to put the pieces together. They hardly had any snakes in Konoha, and none that were poisonous enough to need medical attention.
But what interest did these unknown ninja have in snakes that weren't indigenous to Grass country? Unless they had brought them there for the sole purpose of using their venom to create a new poison.
The shinobi world knew that Konoha had some of the best medics and poison experts in the world, if not the best. If these unknown enemies were looking to attack Konoha, it only made sense to do it with a poison they would be unfamiliar with.
Lowering the journal, Sakura considered this theory carefully. She traced her finger over the worn edge of the book, her thoughts going a mile a minute. She needed to bring this work back to Konoha to further study it. This had been the very reason she had asked to go on this mission. With this, she and Shizune could create an antidote.
Slipping the book into her pack, Sakura turned back to the other members of her team. Only to still.
They were gone. The room empty, say for her and the dusty beds. She glanced around in confusion and was about to push her chakra out and search for their familiar signatures when Genma poked his head back into the room.
"You need to see this," he told her somberly.
Something twisted in her chest at his tone. He led her to the next room over. It was smaller than the last and more dusty but the scent of death clung in the air far more strongly. It reminded Sakura of the hospital morgue.
Neither Shisui or Itachi spoke upon her entrance, but the stiff, heavy weight of something serious pressed down on her like a physical force. Shisui was looking at Itachi who was kneeling before a body. Even from this distance, Sakura could tell they were long dead.
"Who is it?" she asked.
Itachi straightened, his eyes still on the body, before he answered, "It's Izumi."
Sakura's eyes widened. She glanced at Shisui but besides a pinched brow and a frown in the corners of his mouth, she wasn't able to read him. Turning back to Itachi, she opened her mouth. Nothing came out.
She had so many questions she didn't even know where to start. What was she doing out here? Did her mission bring her here? What was her cause of death? Was Itachi okay?
Instead she asked, "What do you need me to do?"
Itachi didn't immediately speak. "Her eyes were taken. Her disappearance is now a matter of village security. We need to bring her home," he said, his voice utterly unreadable. "I need you to secure her transport."
Sakura nodded. "Of course."
She got to work immediately. Itachi remained in the room even after sending Shisui and Genma off to finish their search of the building. It was silent with the exception of Sakura. She moved meticulously, ensuring Izumi's body was sealed properly to prevent damage or further injury that may confuse an autopsy.
Sakura's heart weighed heavily in her chest. Dried blood fell from Izumi's closed eyes like red tears. The bruising around her wrists told the story of her fight for life. Sakura had never met the pretty Uchiha, but the obvious pain and torture she could see on her body was not something Sakura would wish upon anyone. She could only imagine how Itachi felt.
His face was perfectly blank. An unreadable mask. Sakura got the feeling it was a defense mechanism, one he had perfected long, long ago. For some reason that only made the hollow feeling worse.
"I wish I could tell you she didn't suffer," Sakura murmured. "I can perform the autopsy. If you want."
For the first time since she entered the room, Itachi pulled his gaze away from Izumi's body. He looked at Sakura, his eyes studying her in a way she didn't quite understand. But it softened the edges of that cold, unfeeling mask and that made her feel marginally better.
However, before Itachi could answer Shisui's chakra flared before he appeared inside the door. Itachi looked at him expectantly. "What is it?"
"There's an incoming patrol. They're headed this way."
Itachi glanced down at Sakura. "How much longer do you need?"
"Five minutes."
The instant the words left her mouth, six chakra signatures flickered into her awareness. They were still some miles out, but they would be here soon. Their team needed to leave quickly if they were to avoid a conflict.
Itachi knew this too. "You have one," he said. Then he left the room, never once looking back.
Sakura wrapped up hurriedly.. In less time than it would normally take her, she secured Izumi's body and stored the scroll safely in her pack. Even knowing she was already pushing Itachi's patience, she still risked running back to the first room and swiping every document she could reach.
Everyone was obviously waiting for her when she finally appeared outside. She pulled her hood over her pink locks and slipped her mask back on before they took off into the trees. They made a beeline for Fire Country.
Even pushing themselves as hard as they could, the unknown shinobi continued to close in. Sakura guessed they were Grass nin, judging by their obvious knowledge and skill in this type of terrain. It quickly became obvious they weren't going to escape without a confrontation.
With nothing more than a silent command, Itachi dropped to the slick, forest floor. Mud pushed up from the ground where their feet fell and threatened to hold them captive like dark, sticky hands. Adrenaline pulsed through Sakura's veins. She would be unable to manipulate the ground here like she could at home.
However, she wasn't given much time to consider this before they were suddenly surrounded.
Sakura turned, instinctively standing back-to-back with the rest of her team as they formed an uneven circle. Eight to four. It wasn't the greatest odds. It wasn't the worst.
The shinobi directly in front of Itachi was the first to drop to the ground. He sank into the mud up to his ankles but when he stepped forward, the viscous earth released him like it was nothing more than water.
"Konoha nin, hm," he said, his accent thick with his village's familiar drawl. "You're an awful long way from home."
"Just passing through," Itachi said casually.
"Is that so?" The Grass nin didn't sound so convinced. "From where exactly? You're far too far north to be visiting your friends in Sand."
Itachi didn't immediately answer. "We had business in Earth Country."
The unknown shinobi eyed the masked Uchiha Heir. As if trying to gauge his honesty behind his porcelain mask. For a moment, Sakura thought he would believe their lie.
Then he snorted. Thick tension flooded the little clearing. "How stupid do you think we are? Konoha isn't friendly with Iwa. Their shinobi wouldn't even let you cross their border. And you're awfully close to where many of our citizens have gone missing."
Sakura's eyes widened. They had villagers that had been kidnapped too?
But before the question was even fully through her mind, the Grass leader's eyes narrowed. "And I don't trust liars."
In the next breath, they attacked.
The clashing of blades echoed against the trees. In the small space, the sound of battle was nearly deafening. Outnumbered two to one, Sakura wasn't entirely surprised when only one shinobi went for her. She was the smallest of the group and seemingly the weakest. Their mistake.
Pulling a kunai from her leg, Sakura parried the downward swipe of the enemy nin. She used his momentum against him, knocking him off-balance as he landed in the muddy forest floor. Just like his leader, he landed and moved through the sludge like it was nothing more than water. Sakura struggled a little more, but she forced chakra into the soles of her feet until she stood on it like it was solid earth.
The man came at her again, swinging his blade and attempted to land a fatal blow. She ducked under his swipe easily and slipped inside his guard until she could grab his wrist. The bones gave an audible snap under her fingers before she swung around, flinging him through the air like he was nothing more than a twig. He hit the nearest tree before he dropped to the ground and didn't get up again.
Sakura turned to face the rest of the battle. Itachi had already incapacitated another nin and was facing off with the leader, his mask discarded and his eyes spinning dangerously. The other members of her team were fairing just as well.
Genma was still battling his two nins and seemed to be handling it with ease, but Sakura refused to sit back.
She launched herself at the closest enemy and would have ended him in one blow had his form not shifted into mud before sinking into the ground. But she had seen this move before and she dropped low just as he attempted to plunge a kunai into her back.
They battled back and forth, Sakura dodging strikes and swipes. Adrenaline swept through her system, heightening her awareness and pushing her to move stronger, faster, harder. A second time, her fist connected with the man's stomach, but just like before, he morphed into a mud clone and sank back into the earth.
This was getting annoying.
Falling back into a defensive stance, Sakura felt for her attacker. She half-expected him to come from behind again. Half-expected him to come from the side. But he did neither. Instead, she saw a shadow, flickering in the trees, heading away from the little clearing. Away from the main battle.
Without hesitation, she gave chase.
They twisted through the trees, the Grass nin jumping and dodging as he tried to lose her. But Sakura was more agile and after a minute, she caught up to him. He kicked out at her and turned in her grasp, desperating trying to get away, but she held on. They hit the floor hard, mud spraying every direction.
"Wait!" Sakura said as they fought. "Tell me more about your missing villagers."
The man under her strained against her chakra-laced grip. His eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Because we're missing one too," she told him.
His struggles lessened. He looked up at her, his face pinched in confusion. "Your shinobi were abducting ours."
"No," she shook her head. "It wasn't us."
Somewhere beyond, the sounds of battle continued. Sakura knew she should be helping her team, helping to incapacitate these shinobi that attacked them, but it didn't sit right with her. These ninja were only protecting their village. Much like they were trying to do.
She scooted off the man. He moved away from her warily, looking much like an animal that was debating whether to stand and fight or flee to safety. Sakura made the choice for him.
"Go to your leader. Tell him your civilians were taken to the temple. Hopefully you'll have more luck than us." She didn't think they would, but at least it gave Kusa a starting point.
Still, the shinobi hesitated. He eyed her, as if attempting to judge how much truth there was to her words, but he didn't ask. He merely flickered back into the trees and disappeared out of sight.
Sakura watched him go, wondering - hoping - she had made the right decision. What she had just done could be punishable under Konoha law but she believed the men and women of the Village Hidden in the Grass deserved to know what had become of their missing civilians. The families would want to know.
A sudden roar and familiar blast of heat drew Sakura away from the long-gone shinobi. She would recognize that katon jutsu anywhere.
The small clearing where their fight had commenced was now the field of a used battleground. Weapons littered the mud and stuck to scorched trees. The man Sakura had incapacitated was gone, as were the rest of his Grass nin. All that remained were her own teammates and the burning of half a dozen trees.
Fortunately no one appeared injured. Just incredibly muddy.
Itachi turned to her sharply the instant she dropped to the mucky, forest floor. "What happened?" he snapped.
Her heart jumped into her throat. Did he know she had let one of the ninja go? It seemed unlikely, even given Itachi's uncanny ability to know everything all the time. "What do you mean?" she asked.
His eyes narrowed into a glare. Its ferocity stopped her in her tracks. "Never, under any circumstances, are you to ever separate from the rest of the team to give chase. That is the best way to get yourself killed."
"I'm sorry," Sakura said, more confused than apologetic. "I didn't-"
"I don't want to hear it." He turned away from her then, passing Genma and Shisui who were watching the exchange silently, their faces utterly unreadable. "Collect your weapons. We move out in two," Itachi ordered.
The other members of her team all headed in different directions to collect the many kunai and shuriken embedded into the trees and the mud. None spoke a word. Only Shisui shot her a look, wordlessly telling her not to take it personally.
Sakura vaguely understood Itachi's upset. She was the new kid. She didn't know the team well enough to know how they operated without explicit instructions. Even still, she knew it was a rookie move for her to split from the group to head into unknown territory. It was fortunate these shinobi weren't more dangerous. Her mistake could have cost her her life. Which is what was likely fueling Itachi's anger.
No one spoke again until much later. It was a silent run through the trees. They headed straight back into Fire Country, pushing past the little village they had stopped in the night before. They were well inside their own territory before the team finally stopped in another village.
Predictably, Itachi stuck Sakura with Genma again. The Uchiha Heir slipped inside his room without another word to her, leaving her with no choice but to follow Genma through the adjacent door.
Black ops was not known for their chivalry, which is why when the older man slipped inside the bathroom to shower first, Sakura was hardly surprised. She waited patiently, reading through some of the notes she had swiped from the table.
Most were insignificant. Half written thoughts or ideas that seemed to lead nowhere, but she kept all of them. The rest were of great interest. She poured over them, completely immersed in her reading. She didn't immediately notice when Genma stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in a mesh undershirt and a pair of black shinobi pants.
"You better not be getting mud all over the bed," he told her.
Sakura hummed lightly, forcefully pulling her eyes away from the documents. "What?"
He cocked a brow, somewhere between curious and amused. "What're you reading?"
"Uhm," she said, looking back down at the loose, wildly laid out papers, wondering where to start. There was so much information. Then she remembered Tsunade's orders. "Nothing."
Fortunately Genma didn't seem to care terribly much. He simply crossed the room to his pack and pulled out a clean shirt.
Sakura stuffed the notes back into her own bag before she headed towards the bathroom, only pausing briefly as Genma called, "There's a bar downstairs. We're going to head down and get something to eat. Join us when you're done."
Sakura took her time showering, scrubbing her hair and skin until all the grim and mud were gone. Just as Genma said, the rest of the team was downstairs in the bar when she was finished. Shisui and Genma greeted her, the former pushing a plate of half-eaten food towards her to curb her hunger. She didn't realize how little she had eaten that day until that moment.
Itachi on the other hand didn't say a word to or about her. He met her gaze when she initially sat down, but otherwise ignored her after that. He spoke little, chiming in on Shisui and Genma's conversation here and there, but for the most part, he kept to himself. Never once looking her direction.
Oh, he was definitely mad at her. Again.
A short time later, he stood and headed back up to the room. Sakura watched his retreating form quietly. And for a brief moment, she let him go. Then she stood and followed him, Shisui and Genma eyeing her back silently but curiously.
Itachi was standing at the little, wooden dresser the hotel provided when Sakura slipped inside his room. She hadn't bothered knocking but she knew he was aware of her presence, even if he didn't turn to face her.
"Can we talk about it?" she asked.
He still didn't turn to look at her. "Not now."
Sakura blinked, somewhat taken aback. "What do you mean 'not now'?" she asked. "Now seems as good a time as ever. If this is because we're on a mission, we're well inside Fire count-."
She cut off abruptly when she heard it. That soft, nearly suppressed cough out of Itachi's throat. It was faint. So quiet she nearly missed it over her own voice, but there was no mistaking the sound.
"What happened?" Sakura demanded.
When Itachi didn't answer, she crossed the room. He had a hand clamped firmly over his mouth. Though whether to stifle his own sounds or to catch the faint traces of blood seeping between his tightly pressed lips, she didn't know. His disease had returned.
Sakura's eyes widened before she snapped, "Why didn't you say anything?"
Without waiting for an answer, she pushed him to sit on the bed. She tossed one of the used towels either he or Shisui had used after their earlier shower at him before she helped pull his shirt over his head.
Sakura said nothing as she knelt behind him. Only pressed her hands to his back, her chakra going straight to his lungs where the tissue that had been healthy only a few days ago was now weak and threatening to tear with every inhale of breath. She worked on the worst of the damage first before she moved onto clearing the blood from his airway. She knew the worst had passed when she felt Itachi take a slow, deep inhale. The sticky, wetness gone from his breath.
She allowed Itachi a minute of recovery before gently prodding, "When did the pain start?"
He didn't immediately answer. Then he lowered the towel from his lips. "A few hours ago."
"After the battle?" she clarified. When Itachi nodded, she hummed thoughtfully.
Sakura hadn't seen much of his fight. There had been weapons littering the battlefield and scorch marks burnt into the trees. There were a number of things that could have caused such a drastic reversal of the disease-
Or perhaps not…
"Is there anything else that could have triggered it?" Sakura asked slowly, her mind racing with sudden theory.
"I sparred with Shisui yesterday morning," he told her.
"But it didn't bother you until now?"
Itachi shook his head.
She finished healing the damage silently. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been before, but the amount of tearing in such a short time still concerned her. She worked the rest of the time in silence, only removing her chakra and then her hands after she had strengthened the inner linings of his lungs.
"Did you use your Katon jutsu at all?" she asked as Itachi stood. "In your spar with Shisui."
"No," he said. Then his face turned vaguely curious. "You think my katon jutsu is expediting my condition?"
Sakura screwed her lips together in the corner of her mouth. Then she shook her head. "I don't know. Right now I have more theories than answers for you, unfortunately."
Itachi said nothing after that. He turned away from her, disappearing into the bathroom only to return a minute later with his hands washed and his shirt replaced.
Sakura observed him silently. Both watching his lung function and checking to see if his mood had improved any. It seemed even after all of that, he still wasn't able to look her in the eye.
"I'm sorry I offended you," Sakura said suddenly. "I didn't mean to come off abrasive in the Hokage's office. You know better than anyone that your team is one of the best in the village. My request to go solo wasn't a reflection upon you and your team."
Itachi turned to face her slowly, but his expression was as unreadable as ever. And here she had thought she was getting better at deciphering those blank, Uchiha stares.
"Is that why you believe I am upset with you?" Itachi countered.
Sakura shook her head minutely, not fully understanding.
"Did you ever consider that it wasn't your obvious desire to go alone that angered me? But perhaps the simple fact you requested to go in the first place."
She blinked, suddenly at a loss for words. She hadn't considered that possibly. Which only left her even more confused.
Standing from the bed, Sakura turned to face Itachi directly. "You were the one that suggested I get a new perspective."
"Intentionally placing yourself in hostile territory was not what I had meant and you know that," he said, his voice so low it was nearly a growl. "You deliberately placed yourself in harms way."
The fierosity behind his anger took her aback, but she didn't stand down. "I'm doing what I have to for my village. You are doing the very same by being out here, Itachi. To say so otherwise is completely hypocritical of you. Even your cousin is out here risking his life but I don't see you snapping at him so what the hell is your problem-"
Sakura's back hit the wall before she could finish speaking. Itachi's mouth swallowed her sound of surprise as he kissed her hard, his mouth moving hungrily. Standing this close, he forced her head back sharply so he could reach her with his greater height, his fingers strong against her jaw as his body pinned hers in place.
The abruptness, the intensity left her nearly breathless. She almost didn't have the thought to kiss him back until he already pulling away. And then it was a fight for breath, a fight for thought.
"Perhaps it is selfish of me," Itachi murmured, his lips a hair's breadth away from hers, "but I won't allow you to join my team again. I'm sorry."
Then he was gone. Out the door, leaving her alone in that hotel room. Her mind utterly blank and yet so full at the same time. And her lips still tingling.
##
Sakura hardly spoke the rest of the journey home. Neither did anyone else. Itachi kept to himself, all the while Shisui and Genma traded looks between the two of them, both trying to piece together what had happened without directly asking.
But Itachi gave no hints and Sakura...well, she was still trying to process the whys and hows and would it happen again? She still felt warm in the places where his body had been pressed against hers.
The team reached the large, front gates of Konoha just as the afternoon slipped into evening. Sakura followed behind Shisui, her mind still mostly elsewhere. She was so distracted, she nearly crashed into his back when they came to a sudden halt.
Confused, Sakura peeked around the tall male, curious as to what was the hold up, only to blink in surprise when she saw an entire elite jounin team armed to the teeth was blocking their entrance into the village. One with a katana less than an inch from Itachi's throat.
In front of her, Shisui sighed. "This again?"
"What's going on?" she asked.
Itachi silenced them with a single incline of his head. He then reached up and slowly removed his mask, his mouth set in a grim line. The next words out of the Uchiha Heir's mouth were said with more certainty than question, filling Sakura's veins with cold dread:
"There has been another attack within the village, hasn't there?"
to be continued...
Here is my (late) Christmas present to you. Hope you all had a great holiday! Thank you for your patience and wonderful reviews. They really pushed me to keep going. Much love!