Oh myyyy. Readers! You must REALLY hate me right now - it's been like, what? For-freaking-EVER? Yes, I kno-*dodges tomatoes* Hey! I know you might be mad cause I'm lazy but that doesn't mean you get to thro tomatoes at-*dodges kunai* Kunai! That's even worse! Okay, okay! Stop throwing things at me and go read the new chapter. I promise, I won't be such a pain-in-the-you-know-what about updating, I promise(: just don't throw anything else at me...
I slowly got back up to my feet, my face twisted in pain. I limped up into the trees, and headed around to where the front of the place would be. Naruto has got to be coming somewhere from there. I sat in a tree that hid me well, but also gave me a good view of three sides of the hideout, so I could see Naruto if he came in. As I sat, I ripped off part of my shirt, just the lower part, where my wounds were and reached into my back pouch and took out my herbal medicine mixture and gauze. I placed a little bit of the medicine on each wound I had and wrapped the gauze around the top of my waist, since it would cover both of the wounds I had.
Just as I finished, I saw a flash in the trees to my left. I carefully got up and ran over to where I saw it. As soon as I got within close range, a kunai came flying out in my direction. I moved my head to the side at the last moment, allowing it to stick into the tree behind me.
"Where is she?"
"Naruto!" I was so overjoyed that I'd found him, I jumped up, wrapping him in a big bear hug.
"Eh? Sakura-chan?" He sounded surprised, but he accepted my hug graciously.
After a minute we broke apart and I looked up at him, watched him look down at the gauze wrapped around myself with a worried look.
"What happened, Sakura-chan?" He asked as soon as I pulled away. I looked around, not wanting to be here any longer. "I can tell you that later, but now, we have to leave." I pulled on his arm, wanting him to follow me.
"Wait, Sakura-chan-"
"Yes, Sakura-chan, do wait." We both froze instantaneously. Ever so slowly, we both turned around to face the pale-faced snake.
"I mean you just got here, where are you going in such a hurry?" He was smiling darkly, with Okuta at his side, sneering at us.
"Orochimaru," Naruto growled, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh, Naruto-kun it's so good to see you again." He smirked, and looked towards me. "You're quite the hassle, Sakura Haruno, aren't you?" I glared at him, not answering.
"She's a little bitch, is what she is." Okuta jeered nastily.
"Okuta-san!" Orochimaru snapped, holding a hand up.
She flinched backwards.
"Did I ask for your comment?" He asked.
"N-No Master." She stammered, looking down to the ground.
"I didn't think sso." He slithered on the letter 's'. Then, he turned back to face us, a dark smile on his incredibly pale face.
"Now, now, where was I? Oh, right, we were talking about what a hassle you've been, Sakura-chan." He slinked a step closer, but I didn't step back. Naruto threw his right hand out protectively in front of me, taking a step closer to him while also stepping in front of me.
"Orochimaru," He growled. "What do you want?"
"Kukuku," Orochimaru laughed, covering his mouth his hand. "Rambunctious like always, aren't we, Naruto-kun?" He giggled again.
Naruto growled.
"So tell me, Naruto-kun, how is my Sasuke-kun doing, hm?"
Naruto's eye twitched for a second, and then he let out a fiercely loud growl at the creepy pedophile. It was only about two years ago that Orochimaru had invaded the village, killing the Third Hokage and kidnapping Sasuke. Naruto and a couple others went out on a Sasuke retrieval mission, and it was emotional for him. There were five Sound ninja involved, and it turned out Naruto was the only one to make it to Sasuke. They had this huge battle at the Valley of the End, which ended in Sasuke becoming unconscious and Naruto picking him up and bringing him back to Konoha. Ever since then, Orochimaru's been trying to get Sasuke back to him every chance he could for the last two years.
"He is NOT 'your' Sasuke," Naruto growls. Orochimaru just laughs at this. Then, he moves around Naruto, while Naruto watches his cautiously with his eyes, but not moving.
"Sakura-chan," He says, smirking at me, showing a sharp canine. I glare fiercely at him, show him that I'm not afraid. "I've heard you've been trained under Tsunade."
I don't answer, and he tilts his head. "Is that right, Sakura-chan?" He asks once more, taking a step closer to me. Naruto growls under his breath.
"Oh, Naruto-kun, no need to get too paranoid. I'm only having a friendly conversation with Sakura-chan over here." He laughs at Naruto then flicks his eyes back over to me. "You must be well-trained in medical ninjutsu, Sakura-chan."
I knew it then. I knew the reason he'd wanted me. Because of my medical ninjutsu. I didn't know why he needed it, but I knew he needed it. I raised my head and took a step forward to him, breaking out of Naruto's protective barrier.
"Yes," I say, staring him straight in the eye. "Yes I am."
"Kukuku," He laughs again. "It's just what I needed." He says. For a split second, his eyes flicker off to Okuta, but within a flash there back, twinkling darkly at me. But It was too late. I'd already seen it.
"Naruto!" I scream out, and that's when it begins.
Naruto jumps up, grabbing me around my waist and bringing me up with him, out of the way of a gigantic shuriken.
"Naruto," I breathe out. Mainly because he grabbed right where I'd just bandaged, and it now burned like hell. He glanced down at me, realizing what he'd done. His eyes widen in panic.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan." He launches at full speed through the woods, drops me off on a fat branch and rushes off to where Orochimaru still was without letting me say another word. I growl at his stupidity. "Naruto," I roll my eyes. I try to gain some healing chakra to my hand, but I barely have enough to stay atop water. I clutch it harshly as I get up, and back towards the fight I was just kicked out of.
"Ah-ah-ah, Miss Haruno,"
I gasp, turning around, and the motion rips my wound open even more. I scream loudly, and fall to my knees on the branch. Orochimaru is right at my heels.
"Oh ho ho, Sakura-chan, don't take this personal," I look up at him, not getting his words. That is, until he whips up his foot, landing a kick on my chin. I whimper and glare up at him, holding my lips as blood begins to leak out.
"What do you want with Naruto?" I whisper.
"Oh, nothing, nothing." He swats his hand as if to wave off my question. I wasn't having that.
"What. Do you want with Naruto?" I demand.
He laughs. Then his foot crashes down on my fingers. I scream out loud, and curl my fingers under my hand, biting down on my lip.
"What I want with the Kyuubi is of none of your business." He answers in a cold tone. "But it seems as though you already know what I want with you." He winks and it makes my whole body squirm with queasiness.
"You want me for my medical ninjutsu." I reply tersely. "But why?" He laughs, his long, creepy snake-like tongue sleeking out his mouth. I shivered.
"Does it matter?" He asks. My wound is throbbing, as well as my fingers, but I know I have to ignore it. I know I have to get up and do something. So, I bite my tongue, and slowly, I get up to my feet. Orochimaru is just standing there, watching with pure bemusement.
When I'm finally up, I swipe my forearm along my lips, wiping the blood off onto my arm. I have a deep set scowl on my face as I glare at him.
"Guess not," I reply. "Because if you think I'm going to help you," I carefully reach into my back pocket and search around for a food pill. Please, I whisper in my head. Please let it be there. Suddenly my hand touches the soft yet rugged feeling of my homemade food pill. I know they tasted horrible, but I absolutely needed it right now. I pop it into my mouth and fly backwards, out of the way of his hand. He growls and flies back with me.
"Then you're about as stupid as you look!" I shout, jumping forward, launching a series of needles, some poisonous, some paralysis, some just plain needles. His eyes open wide, as he remarkably dodges them all.
"Sakura…" He murmurs, glaring down at me with an odd twinkle in his eye. "Did you think that was going to get me?"
Actually, I hadn't. At all. It was just the first thing that came to mind. While my food pill did increase my chakra levels, I didn't exactly have enough to barely do any damage to him. Thinking again on impulse, I fled forward, my fist ready to punch.
"Ah!" I screamed as my hand collided with the branch behind him. He had dodged, and now he stood right behind me.
"You're becoming a nuisance, Sakura-chan." He says in an irritated voice.
"You're.."
Suddenly I lose my voice. My eyes are wide; the blood that had been lightly dripping down my lip now sped up. I coughed, spurting more out. The feeling in my side is a blazing fire. I can't move. He'd stabbed me in the back, and with a quick flick of his wrist, he ripped the sword out of me. The edges of my visions are blurring, getting darker and blacker. I see someone floating before me. They have beautiful, long, pink hair, all the way down to her waist. It glimmers in the moonlight, like a pink gem. She's got gorgeous clear green eyes, like the grass of a meadow. But she's frowning. She's not smiling, she's frowning down at me, almost as if she were disappointed in me. But I'd never seen her in my entire life. Who was she?
"Sakura-chan…" Her voice was like magic. I wonder if Orochimaru could hear her. "Sakura-chan," She repeats. I moan in reply.
"You can't go down like this," She says. I try to laugh, but can't. What was I supposed to do? "Sakura-chan, you can't let anybody down."
It's not like I want to. I'd get up, if I could. She shakes her head.
"Sakura-chan, go. Go and fight. I believe in you," She's disappearing, fading away. Why should I care if you believe me? I don't even know who you are.
"Sakura-chan, you do. You just have to…" And she was gone. Poof. Adios.
I manage to open one eye. I'm slumped down on the branch. I press my hand into the tree. I can't sense Orochimaru. I lift myself up and glance around. I was right. He wasn't here. So where had he gone? Using the tree as a railing, I climb up it to my feet, all the while my side splitting with white-hot pain. But I'm a ninja. I can take it. Once again, I look around me. No one anywhere. I couldn't even sense anyone. I slowly take off to where Naruto had gone after he dropped me off.
Okay, there it is(: Still mad at me for not updating soon enough? Yeah, I am, too, everyone probably forgot about my story D: Anyways, for those of you Ah-mazing readers who're still reading, review! Please, they make my day!