Chapter 12

Ketsora: My Holiday/New Year's gift to all of y'all. Yes, an update… ^_^'

It really took way too long. I hope the chapter will make up for itself. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the computer I'm using to write this.

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Sasuke… Sasuke… Sasuke… Where are you?

I would do anything to rewrite that helplessness. I suppose bringing him back half-dead will have to be my eraser of sorts.

Those were the thoughts circling through Sakura's head as she watched Itachi pour over the map, marking locations with various numbers.

"Memorize these," Itachi said finally, quickly pointing to numbers eleven through fourteen. They were all fairly close together, near a lake in the large clearing they passed on the way up. Her eyes scanned the last number, fifteen, which was on the opposite side of the lake, and near the main road. It was wide open, and close to the ninja village, so anyone passing by could just notice five Akatsuki members and send for help. And that would suck.

"Are you sure about number fifteen, Itachi?" Sakura asked. She explained her thoughts quickly, but stopped once Itachi's glare became a little too intense.

"Don't doubt me," he answered simply. He rolled up the map and shoved into the small fire that was only starting up in the hearth. Sakura leaned back against the wall, trying to visualize the points in her mind's eye.

"That's really unlike him. Are you sure nothing happened between you… us… that I don't know about?" her Inner asked. "No, this is really out of nowhere," Sakura sighed.

"Are you coming or not?" Itachi growled, waving his hand towards the door, "The bijuu awaits." Sakura glowered at the criminal as she went past.

Something isn't right.

It took only a matter of minutes for them to get to the point that Itachi had marked eleven. "The bijuu is… currently around point fourteen. When he comes, don't use your Sharingan. It'll waste too much of your chakra, and you'll need as much as possible to beat him," Itachi calculated. He turned to the kunoichi, "Don't you dare mess up."

Sakura nodded, and quickly focused chakra into her hand, and sent a punch aimed directly at the Uchiha's jaw. He flew several meters back into one of the tree trunks.

"And don't you dare talk down to me," Sakura smiled. Itachi stood up, rubbing his chin nonchalantly. "That hurt," he said, "But I suppose it was my fault. I mustn't have played the part accurately."

"Not entirely, bastard. You are right about the fact that you screwed up Itachi's character, but not because of the ass-hole qualities. It was because Itachi is smart enough not to piss me off," she explained, "And the easiest way to do that, is to talk down to me like he used to."

The impostor released the genjutsu and smirked, "It seems you really aren't using your Sharingan, though. Is that because you can't, or are you respecting my wishes for our little fight?"

Dammit. Why can't I use the Sharingan freely? I awakened it before… didn't I?

"To answer my own question, it's because you can't. The seven-tailed beast inside of me has granted a rather useful power. The power to limit the amount of chakra that my opponent can use," he circled around Sakura, grinning triumphantly. "Sure, it takes a real toll on my own chakra levels, but it's worth it. Seeing my prey bow before me…"

"What have you done with Itachi?" Sakura asked. "Oh, him? He's old news. I can't honestly understand what you see in him, though. So stubborn and cold, even in his final moments," her opponent shook his messy brown hair and surveyed her with a feral yellow eye. He raised his left hand, which was covered in old blood.

"I'm afraid you have nowhere to run, hime. Just take a look around," he pointed around the clearing, revealing the faces of many other ninja. "I hunt in a pack, but when it comes to the kill," the Jinchuuriki drew closer to her face, "I go alone."

Sakura pushed him away, cursing under her breath.

"What're you waiting for? It's you and me, and the moment you make your first, futile effort, I'll be that much closer to the biggest thrill of all. Fresh blood…" he was practically growling now. Sakura got up, and clenched her fists. That Jinchuuriki didn't leave her much chakra, so it would have to be a taijutsu battle if she wanted to survive.

Did she want to survive? If Itachi was dead, she'd lose all leads and information pertaining to Sasuke. Could she really face that truth?

"It's a shame when the prey won't fight back."

He closed in.