Piper: Hiya guys!

I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 11 - Sharp

Sakura Haruno

The book's cover seem to have invisible eyes, because it was almost like it was staring at me from its position on my desk. I paced my room a bit, feeling it there on the desk. I turned to look at it, and it sat there innocently. Frowning, I walked up to my desk and stared down at the blue dressed hardback book. It's golden letters shimmered from the light flowing in, my curtains open just enough to leak in the light from outside. I reached forward, and touched the engraved title.

I couldn't remember if I liked books or not, but I was overcome with the urge to soak in every detail printed upon the crisp pages. I took the cover between my fingers, and flipped it open. A vast amount of knowledge stared back at me, and I tilted my head in curiosity. I took the large book in my hands carefully, the old blue cover feeling old and tattered against my skin. Holding the book a bit closer to my eyes, I took a page between my fingers and flipped it.

'Oh!'

A world was opened up to my mind, a world told through the simple ink and paper. The history, the details, and the life drew me in. I maneuvered myself backwards and plopped onto the edge of my bed, my mind sinking into the book. It was amazing how much life a simple thing could have. It was almost as if I didn't have to look at the words, like the book was whispering its contents to me. I moved towards the headboard and relaxed, sinking into the world of printed paper and the ninja world.

My insides curled when I finished the large history book, four hours later. I wanted to read more, to know more information.

Shaking the feeling, I thought back to two days ago when the book had been given to me by that mysterious man. I shivered a little, and tried pushing the thoughts to the back of my mind but couldn't. The reason being that if I did want to go and get some more books, and maybe scrolls, for myself to read, I would have to go back to the library where the shadow man may lurk once more. There were mixed feelings towards that thought.

I didn't know what he was capable of, and I didn't know what his intentions were. He could've killed me that first time I met him, there was no mistaking that. His power had rolled off him in waves, in a way that made me wish I could at least be a quarter of how strong he was.

Power. I didn't know why, but these days the thought of strength made me a bit upset. I didn't feel...strong. At first I had been happy with how well my power was developing, the strength and medical jutsu becoming like a second nature. Pein had even told me that I was almost back into the condition I had been before I had been knocked out, but it didn't make me feel better anymore. After watching the others train occasionally, I knew I was the weakest of the Akatsuki. I wasn't even close to being at their level. I didn't bring fear like they did, and when I trained I almost felt pathetic as I pulled my fist up to fight.

Sighing, I shook my head and decided to risk the library. Even if the stranger was there, maybe he offer another book like he had the time before.

Almost missing my turn, I cursed myself for being so bad at moving around the base. Finally, I reached the library and paused at the doors. I couldn't feel any chakra inside, but that didn't mean he wasn't there. The first time he had hidden so well that even the other Akatsuki might not've been able to detect him, and that said a lot.

Turning the handles, I opened the doors just slightly and slid inside. They closed with a dull 'thunk' behind me, and I looked around the library. It was the same as before, accept now it seemed a bit more frightening. Now that I knew there was a possibility there was someone in here that could probably kill my with his pinkie finger lurking in the shadows, the darkness and lack of light seemed to be much more eerie.

Just as I was actually beginning to feel like I might actually be alone, someone chuckled in my ear.

My heart slammed against my ribcage, furiously racing at the scare. I made no noise, however, and stood like a statue. I could feel him towering behind me, his tall figure looming over my short stature. Cursing myself for behind so short, I slowly turned to face him. Even with my head tilted up slightly, I went face-to-face with his chest. Frowning, I looked up even more, into the darkness of his hood. His hood, I noticed, must have been enhanced with a jutsu. There was no natural way the hood could be that dark, so dark that his face was completely covered. The only thing I could really make out was a bit of his jaw line, and that was it.

"Welcome back," His smooth voice made me shiver, fear tickling my spine.

His voice was so calm, yet so deadly. It was like ice, pleasant to see, or in this case, hear, yet the cold of it could almost kill you itself.

I wanted to say something, anything, but my tongue had tied itself into a double knot and then dived down the back of my throat.

He chuckled again, and reached for the book I carried. I had brought it with me to put back on the shelves, seeing no use in keeping it cooped up in my room when it rightfully belonged here.

"Did you enjoy it?" He mused, looking over the book.

At least, I thought he was. I couldn't see any trace of his eyes beneath that jutsu laced hood of his.

Still trying to force my tongue to move, I nodded a little. I could almost feel him smirk at my silence, and it burned me a little. He slowly moved around me, walking towards the shelves of books. I watched as he smoothly glided over the shelf he had pinned me to before, placing the book in its home. He looked around, his hooded head moving around so that his eyes could scan to higher and lower rows of books. After a moment, he skipped the books and went to the scrolls, and pulled one off the shelf.

I didn't see him move, but suddenly he was back in front of me. My heart raced once more at the sudden movement, and I almost yelled at him to quit scaring me. The words didn't quite make it out of my throat, sadly. He held the scroll out to me, and I carefully took it from his grasp, and felt a jolt run up my arm when I touch his skin.

Looking at his hand, I saw that he wore black, finger-less gloves. His bare fingers had grazed mine in the exchange, the pale skin of them almost as cold as they look. His skin tone was quite literally the color of snow on his fingers, and I couldn't help but notice that our skin tones were pretty much the same. The color of white snow, the color of porcelain.

I could feel his eyes burn into me as I got lost in my thoughts, and quickly snapped back into reality. I looked at the scroll in my hands, curious. I began to unroll it, watching as the hand painted lettering began to reveal itself. When the scroll was completely unraveled, I realized what this was. It was a jutsu scroll, going into a depth of how to use ones fists along with the jutsu to manipulate the elements. This jutsu was very, very complex. It required so much power to learn, and would take many people years to learn.

A cold finger curled underneath my chin, and brought my head up. My eyes widened in a deep shock as I was suddenly staring into the eyes of the stranger, eyes that seemed so painfully familiar. So familiar that the memories were pounding against my skull, practically fighting to reach the surface, only to be stopped by the seal that was now burning like flames against my back.

Intricate black designs swimming in vibrant crimson pools of ice, that was the only way to describe them. And swim they did quiet literally, the black design moving around his pupil through the deep red color of his eyes. They looked into me, reading me like I was one of the books on the shelves surrounding us. They pierced my heart, and soul. They were full of many things, yet were shielded at the same time. They were some many contradictions at once that it hurt my head trying to think of them all.

"When I'm done with you, you will have mastered this jutsu and many more. I will make you what you desire to be in your own eyes along with everyone else; worthy. When we are finished, people will cower under you like you do under me," He said, and I could almost see the outlines of his lips moving.

His eyes twirled, and my breath was still caught in my throat. I was loosing myself in them, quite literally. My head began to feel lighter as my brain lost oxygen, and the fear began to freeze over my veins. The man stared at me as my mind began to shut down, and his eyes continued to dance. Life stood still as my vision began to dim, darkness swallowing me whole as I dropped to the floor.

"-ke up! Blossom, wake up!"

My mind began to restart, and I was slightly aware of my surroundings. I squinted through the haze of my gradually clearing eyesight, seeing an orange swirl looking down at me. I blinked at it a few times, confused, before my mind recognized the covered face. I slowly began to sit up, a strong hand placed against my back as support.

"Tobi?" I questioned, making the swirly masked man nod a few times.

I looked around at the dimly lighted room, wandering where I was. I ran my tongue over my dry lips, trying to see clearly.

Tobi helped me get up to me feet, one hand on my back and the other on my arm. He helped me steady, before pulling away slowly. He jumped suddenly, making me blink in shock at the sudden movement. He bent down and picked a piece of paper off the floor, presenting it to me like a child would.

I took it carefully, and he explained, "Tobi found Blossom in the library, on the floor! Tobi found this laying next to Sakura, and Tobi did not read because Tobi is a Good Boy and doesn't read what isn't his!"

Glancing over the note, I placed it in my pocket and smiled at Tobi, asking quietly, "Can you help me find the kitchen, Tobi?"

He nodded, looping his arm through mine and leading me from the the library. I watched the way we went carefully, hoping to put it to memory and not get lost against. It was hard to focus, however, with the note branding a special place in my mind. It was a simple line, written in an elegant script that made me a bit jealous that my own hand writing wasn't as neat. That simple line clearly stated, looking beautiful yet a bit frightening at the same time:

'Training grounds. 11:00 tonight.'

I frowned at the lack of signature, wishing that I knew who this person was. I didn't even know if I should go, because to be honest that man scared me just as much as he fascinated me. For all I know he might be an enemy living right under our noses, but most of me doubted that. This man was powerful, but so was Pein. Even if the man might possibly be stronger then Pein, Pein would still be able to know whether or not he was here.

"Here we are, Blossom!" Tobi said, and I snapped from my thoughts.

Smiling, I patted his arm, "Thanks, Tobi. I'm a bit hungry, aren't you?"

He nodded, and I pulled him towards the table, "Then I'll start on some lunch..." I looked at the clock, and found myself surprised it was much to late to be lunch, and shrugged, "Supper, I guess. I must've been out cold for pretty long. Thanks for finding me Tobi."

Tobi wrapped his arms around me tightly, "It's no problem for Tobi, Blossom! Tobi is a good boy!"

When he put me down, I began to work, and got lost in the calming art of cooking. Like normal days, the kitchen began to fill as food lingered in the air. This time, even Pein joined everyone at the table. Smiling, I got to work on making a good dinner to fill up the boys, but also take my mind off of the clock. It was getting close eight, which meant I only had three hours before I was supposed to go and meet the man with the crimson eyes.

When supper was over, I rested on my bed and tried to calm myself down. I looked through my window, the curtains opened wide to let the moonlight spill in. The stars were shining, and I found myself wishing. Wishing for my past to return to me, for myself to be able to remember. I didn't really think about the bad things that could've happened to me, things I might've wanted to forget. I was to focused on just remembering everything to really think about any of that.

The clock drew close to eleven, so I began to make my way to the training field outside the base. I didn't need to get lost trying to find the entrance, so I just jumped from my open window. The two story fall didn't effect me the least as I landed in a crouch, the wet grass crunching beneath my flat foot boots. I rose, before taking off in a run.

Night air nipped at my skin, causing goose bumps to rise. I ignored it, and continued to run. The feeling of my legs pushing away from the ground and pull of my muscles felt refreshing, after cooping myself up for four hours of reading and then fainting from fear. However, it was cut short as I entered the clearing. It looked empty, but I knew by now that it wasn't.

Breathing in, the cold air coated the insides of my lungs uncomfortable. I ignored it, to intent on discovering the man before he had the chance to pop out and scare me once more. I expanded my chakra, feeling around carefully. I listened to every little noise, waiting for him to make a mistake. A single, little mistake. But, it was I who made the mistake and I knew it when I felt his warm breath brush my ear.

"Hello."

Piper: Whoo! At first I got stuck but now I feel really good about this even though nothing really happened except more Mada - Saku interaction, and I know we all love that.

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