omfg I need a serious rant. In NJ we got about a foot and a half feet of snow, alright. & now we're suppoused to see light flurries all-day tomorrow. What the fuck Mother Nature. You are a serious bitch. Trees be fallin'. People be gettin' into accidents. Its time to put an end to this maddness. (2/14/14)

Disclaimer

enjoy~


Sakura POV

Getting Sasori to properly show me the quickest way out of Akatsuki, I did not even think of hesitating to a stop. Sasuke will live. After rescuing my damsel in distress, I will pound Itachi's stupidstupidstupid face - I now deem him the queen of rash decisions.

Itachi believed only death was the solution here, but I could handle this. I knew I could handle this. It was obvious that Sasuke would be easy to persuade for peace. Before the interruption before, Sasuke had already voiced-up on settling the end of this war. If not, the combined efforts of Itachi and Mikoto held enough information to have Orochimaru exiled forever. Loose ends would be tied. In truth, there was not a lot left to handle. Unless…

They were hiding something from me.

Realizing this gave me all the more reason to run even faster. Of course, there had to be something missing. Something that would cause anyone to hesitate in war - a bigger quest for power. Running non-stop at my top speed, it would take me a good thirty minutes to finally reach the chamber. Before the chamber there will be no doubt a chain of guards protecting their precious snake-man. My mind cringed at the thought of killing, but it must be done.

Reality 3, Sakura -5.

Seriously, how was I losing to reality this bad?

The forest biome changed back to the city-scape, the background changing to the luxurious buildings of the capital of Gaozhou. Taking the easy way out, I ran quickly along a wall and with jump, I latched onto the roof of a building. Steadying myself and pulling up onto the roof, I spotted the enormous chamber of the capitol. I roof-hopped in that direction.

Stopping to a halt when the buildings ran out, I spotted a good ten to fifteen guards guarding the furthest gate to the capitol building. Thankfully, thanks to sheer, pure luck, I heard a mob of giggling.

"Aren't you a sexy guard?" Concubines. Ugly Concubines.

Dropping down to the earth and entering a store, I looked for kimonos to take. Stealing was not in my nature, but the state of the world literally depended on it. Taking a sultry red-looking one, revealing to be a concubine but enough to hide hidden weapons – I left out the back door.

Still in my captain's uniform, it took a second to throw it off and another to throw the kimono on. In a rushed frenzy my hair fell out of my lazy bun and I simply rushed to the mob of concubines.

Once in, I feigned a giggle and had to resist the urge of suicidal thoughts. Now is not that time for self-loathing, there is plenty of time for that later. Seeing the main leader guarding the gate, I rustled up every sultry-bone in my body and slurred out, "Why don't you show me your long sword in private." I said suggestively, which he took the bait easily.

Leading me by the arm onto the inside of the gate, where we were safely alone for my pleasure. Once away, he admired my lean legs to which I smirked, "See something you like?" My smile turned into a frown, "Too bad."

The hidden knife sliced cleanly through his arm. No casualties. I had to keep reminding myself.

I simply ran across the field, leaving the impaired guard to his own doing. I noticed a lack of guards once nearing the capitol building. Oddly enough, there was only one guarding the main entrance door. Jumping onto the pipes and climbing onto the roof – I evaded that confrontation easily.

However, there was a great opening on the roof leading right into the chamber room. Hesitantly looking over the edge into the room, it was just as I thought.

Two unconscious men, Shino and Neji, were held captive against a wall. Shino taken immediately after my capture, no doubt. Neji's capture was still in question, he was safe last I saw him. Rather, last I heard him trying to find me. I thought, trying to think like Neji. Running away presumably to free Sasuke, he assumed I would head to the chamber. Neji was right, but a little to early.

Pein kept his sword at Orochimaru's throat, poised to kill him in front of everyone. Why was he hesitating?

"Where is Madara's orb?" I heard Pein ask from this great distance.

"Like I would tell the likess of you." Orochimaru hissed out his S's. Pein increased the pressure of his sword, and a small grunt of displeasure escaped the snake-man. "If you think pain would scare me, you have severely underestimated."

"Do you not fear death?" Pein asked.

"You will not kill me. Despite your stubbornness, you need me." Orochimaru replied with a smirk.

"We can kill you and simply find the orb by ourselves." Itachi explained from his corner, guarding an unconscious Sasuke.

"By then it will be too late. Our minions are loyal. You will never find it." Orochimaru let out a laugh, showing a side of a person I have never experienced seeing before. "The power is all ours, for us to carry out."

"Then let's kill Sasuke," Pein stated, causing me to grip the edge with a firm distaste.

"Who says it will be that easy? Kill him and you will never find out." Orochimaru protected Sasuke, curious. "Sasuke can achieve power. Just like how I am achieving ultimate power."

"If power is all you seek, why help Madara?"

"Because Madara is the source of all power, and I will be him." Orochimaru said lazily, not hinting at anything.

That sentence triggered some type of warning in my mind. He wants to be all-powerful. Itachi told me that Orochimaru kept in contact with Madara as a spy. Yet, Orochimaru spoke of Madara as if he was still living…

Orochimaru wants to be the ultimate life-form.

Orochimaru wants to be Madara.

Madara, who has the ability to take over people's bodies and use them simply as puppets.

It is too late. Orochimaru is Madara.

My eyes widened and I wanted nothing more to warn Itachi, to warn everyone of the danger they were in.

I got up in a rush and heard a slight crack where I was crouched on the roof. A circled-outline slowly formed around me, and before I could get up the roof collapsed underneath me. With a not-so-royal thud, I appeared before the scene with all surprised faces around me.

Orochimaru, or whoever this man really was, eyed me curiously before I stood, "This is not Orochimaru, this is Madara. Madara Uchiha."

Itachi eyed me in questioning, however directed to my statement and not the fact that I lay before them, "Care to explain?" Pein humored my statement.

"It is clear that Madara can transfer between bodies. Orochimaru basically stated he wanted to become the ultimate life-form himself, meaning he would be willing to give his own body up to Madara to achieve this. Madara would not die out so easily, he is a moving force – one you cannot just eliminate." I explained.

Itachi nodded at my logic. Pein continued, "That would explain how Orochimaru had Madara's sword." My eyes wandered to the sword thrown over Kisame's shoulder, one that obviously not was his – too small and too ornate.

Orochimaru seethed at their logic, unable to counter the argument. His sudden panic, so subtle and almost unnoticeable, however evident gave way to truth. He is Madara. He slight widening of his eyes, paired with a slight tilt of anger showed he was out-witted, the logic ruled in my favor.

Pein noted the truth, but gripped the sword until it drew blood on Orochimaru's throat, "However that does not explain where the orb is."

"The orb must be his life force." Itachi put the pieces together, "Madara is claims to be the ultimate life force. Madara also claims that the orb is the source of power."

"The orb is within himself?" Pein questioned with a moment of silence.

I sat, wondering what could possibly happen now. Madara was force to be reckoned with, but he was only a force. Pain will not persuade him to stop. Peace surely cannot be achieved with him here. How do you stop a moving force? It is like trying to stop gravity.

A cry of pure pain and pure agony was ripped from Orochimaru's throat as Pein drew his sword straight into his stomach. Lifting the sword, Pein ripped straight up towards his jugular. A deep incision literally had Orochimaru cut in half, but alive while this was happening.

"There. A seal is written clearly upon his stomach. Itachi," Pein directed, "Release the seal and ready an empty scroll." Itachi rose and walked up to the leader, his hands forming certain symbols.

Kisame took me out of my gazing stupor and turned me around. As added protection, he made sure to stand tall and shield my body behind his tall stature, "You would not want to see this." He muttered.

Several shouts of pure grief and pain, shot through the silence. I was curious at what was happening, but not curious enough to mentally scar myself for the rest of my life. Relying on my trust on these Akatsuki, I closed my eyes and tried to tune out the piercing screams of Orochimaru.

The Akatsuki carried out the dirty work of peace, that much was made aware to me. However, my mind could not picture Sasuke possibly working like this one day. Mikoto obviously pushed Itachi into being a peacemaker. However, Sasuke was too pure, too innocent to carry out a life like this.

I was not too innocent to live a life of a farce. That much was also obvious.

"It is safe now." Kisame's rough voice informed me, causing me to immediately turn around.

Itachi handed Pein an opened scroll, once blank now sported the kanji, 死神– Shinigami, the God of Death. Pein examined the scroll in his hands now, with a small smile.

"How did you get that? What is that?" I questioned Itachi while continuing to eye the scroll.

"That is Madara." He answered flatly, "He has been sealed inside the scroll." Sensing my questioning glance, he shot me a look – I will never know.

"The hard part is over," Pein commanded, "Next to take care of Sasuke."

My eyes widened and before I could protest, "I will take care of him." Itachi stated.

The words escaped my mouth and I could no longer find the ability to fight him with speech. Action. I had to act now or live forever with regret. I tried to rush to Itachi but Kisame, seeing this, grabbed my right arm to hold me in place. The worry spreading from my heart was turning into the beginnings of panic.

Itachi was already holding the newly awakened Sasuke by the hair. Sasuke still held a limp position, not fighting the oncoming death. Poised to kill him, I just had to act.

Knowing there was not any other course of action, I kicked Kisame in a place no man should ever be kicked. He immediately fell to the floor and shouted along the lines of, "Crazy bitch." But there was no time to acknowledge that.

Raising my own knife to my throat, aware that my panicked state already drew blood, I shouted, "Kill him and I will not hesitate to kill myself."

Itachi took my bluff, or was it really a bluff? And simply continued to hold Sasuke by the roots of his hair. Sasuke, now fully awake, looked at the situation in horror.

"You want peace, but you will cut through your brother with ease?" I questioned, to which Itachi scoffed.

"A single death that will pay for thousands of lives." Itachi explained

"You will never truly have peace. It will simply be brother killing brother. A loved one killing another loved one." I begged.

My pleading eyes surely made eye contact with everyone conscious in the room. No one can resist the look of grief that my jade eyes could provide. Snapping my eyes to Pein, and keeping a firm grip on my knife, I could gaze at him a look of desperation. This really was no bluff.

"Drop him, Itachi." Pein commanded, "Time to truly end this war."

Itachi unceremoniously dropped Sasuke back onto his lazed position of the floor. Pein nodded at him and quickly started a fire by simply making signals with his hands, the same way Itachi was doing earlier. A great fire roared in the center of the room. I felt the warmth of the blazing fire from my place along the wall, far away but able to burned. So incredibly curious.

The scroll in Pein's hand felt a demise by fire. While only an inanimate object, you could not help but hear a faint screaming coming from the scroll before it burned up in the great fire.

There is more than meets the eye.