Hello everyone sorry for the delay I've been swamped lately. I put this out as a Christmas present to all my 2012 readers. I hope you stick with me for 2013 and all the updates and new stories it will provide. Thank-you to foreverellen, McKazekage, 24kk, SupremeOverlordLetters, Suuito, angrypixels, Starberryblossom, wingchan7, HerNinjaness, xXSymmetryXx, Kyuubi's angel of darkness, UchihaMinul2406, Hanna Lee, , and funbunny99(glad you can review now but I enjoyed getting the messages too) for reviewing. Every one of them was appreciated. You guys are the reason I write. Have a great holiday!
Chapter Twelve
"Sakura you need to work on maintaining your speed. You can only go five laps before your pace starts to slow", I told her and she glared at me but the threat was dissipated by the fact she was breathing so hard people in Suna could hear it.
"I'm sorry I can't run the death march for more than five miles Taichou", she said hissing the last part. I rolled my eyes before going over to my bag and opening up my water. I could feel her glare singeing the back of my head and Gemna's smirk wasn't improving my mood.
"Sakura if you put as much effort into your training as you do your complaining you would be captain and not I", I told her without turning around and I stepped aside as a chakra enhanced fist thrust thought the empty air I used to occupy.
"Temper", I reprimanded her and she growled before plopping down on the ground next to Gemna who patted her back before handing her his water.
"Don't sweat it pinkie, training is hard for us normal people. Imagine the difficultly he faces with that stick up his ass", Gemna said and I glared but didn't say anything since it seemed to appease the cherry blossom's temper. She giggled a little and some water leaked out of her mouth. I wrinkled my nose a little but ignored it in favor of walking over to one of the trees on the outside of the field. I leaned against it, tilting my head back and listened to the sounds that filtered through the forest. I could hear a few teams practicing nearby and the wildlife of the forest was ever present in the hum of noise filtering through my ears.
The sound of footsteps became louder as someone rapidly approached. I kept my face neutral as I pushed myself off the tree and walked in the direction of the runner. I looked at Gemna who looked bored but I could tell he heard the footsteps as well. Sakura reached over and tapped Gemna's soldier and the two exchanged a look before the figure finally made his way into the clearing.
The man looked to be my age perhaps a year or two younger. He had skin as pale as a corpse and his hair was an ink black making him look even paler. He was wearing a shirt that didn't cover his stomach and his muscles flexed as he shifted his weight to his right leg. The leaf headband adorned his forehead and a tanto was slung across his back.
"Good morning, I am Sai you're new teammate", he told us his eyes meeting mine. His voice and eyes lacked not only emotion but life itself. I felt as if I was looking into a dead man's eyes.
"I'm Uchiha Itachi", I said not bother shaking his hand. The man wouldn't understand the gesture.
"I know who you are, traitor", Sai told him smiling in a way that didn't touch his eyes. I didn't have time to react as my attention was drawn to Sakura who had lunged at Sai.
"How dare you", she hissed and Gemna grabbed onto both her shoulders, restricting her. She glared at the newcomer and I felt a sense of satisfaction at her reaction. She looked rather appealing with her face flushed and her eyes gleaming. I stopped that train of thought before it got anywhere, like where else she would look like that, and turned to Sai who was still grinning despite Sakura's murderous aura.
"I believe your female is angry with the way I refer to you. I shall stick with Taichou then traitor", he said smiling his empty smile at me. I saw Sakura turn redder at his accusations and her struggling came back full force and I walked over to her before Gemna ended up with broken arms.
"I need you to calm down, Sakura-San", I whispered and she turned a delicious dark red as my breath warmed her ear. She stopped moving and I ignored Gemna's wiggling eyebrows as I turned around to face Sai.
"She's her own person, I do not own her", I told Sai making sure he got a quick glimpse of my sharingan. He kept smiling but I saw his leg twitch back a little as if his brain washing was whispering to him it was time to get into a fighting stance.
"Of course my mistake, Taichou", he told me but his apology didn't settle down Sakura or my nausea. I knew I needed to take control of the situation; Gemna was shooting me curious looks.
"Practice is over we are heading home, you can report back", I told him and he shook his head before pulling a scroll out from the same sheath his tanto was in. He held it out to me and I glanced at the scroll, skimming it, before placing it in my pocket.
"I suppose rest will have to wait, we have a mission", I told them and I felt a smile tug at my lips as I hears Sakura groan.
"Seriously, they tell us this after we trained for 10 hours. Sadistic bastards", Sakura grumbled and Gemna laughed looping his arm over Sakura's shoulder.
"Sakura they're ninety year old geezers, they have nothing else to do but take out their aggression on us poor innocent young people", Gemna exclaimed looking close to tears. Sakura chuckled before pushing him away.
"Baka", she told him but the word was said affectionately, the same way she often said it to Naruto when she wasn't trying to kill him.
"Oh how you wound me so", Gemna cried and I felt my lips twitch up into a half smile. This time I was the one who pushed him and instead of swaying a bit Gemna crashed into a tree.
"Enough, we have to pack and meet at the gate in twenty minutes. You don't want to waste those minutes being an idiot do you? I'm sure Shizune-San wouldn't be pleased if you didn't see her before you-
I stopped talking as the senbon user flew through the forest in the direction of the village and more specifically towards the Hokage tower.
"Is there something wrong with him", Sai asked looking more curious than worried. Sakura rolled her eyes before grabbing onto my arm making Sai's eyes flicker to our entwined limbs. He looked almost as if he was studying it and I went with Sakura willingly when she began to run out of the clearing. It wasn't until we were back in the village that she let go of my arm.
"That guy gives me the creeps", she told me and I could tell she was deeply troubled.
"Why", I asked despite the obvious answer. She looked at me before looking at the ground, her expression almost pained.
"He didn't have any emotions. It's...not natural", she said shuddering slightly. She started in the direction of her home and I walked her until the stores of the village disappeared and were replaced with rows of average homes. I placed my hand on my Sakura's shoulder and she turned around, jumping slightly as if she had been shocked.
"Y-yes Taichou", she squeaked slightly and I raised a brow and she just darkened to a deep crimson.
"I have to go pack", I told her shortly and she flushed again.
"Oh right, I'll meet you at the gate", she said before darting off on the direction of her home. I watched after her until she disappeared from sight and made my way to my own home. I darted over the roofs of Konoha before crossing into the Uchiha compound. I nodded at a few of my clan members as they too used the roofs to move about.
I landed in front of my home and walked in the front door. My mother hates it when we used the windows.
"Good afternoon Itachi. You're back early. I'm making dinner maybe you can go invite Sakura-chan over as well", my mother said her eyes looking hopeful. I wondered if Sakura realized that my mother loved her so much she might just propose to her herself. Might be better that way since Sasuke didn't seem like he would be making a move anytime soon. Not that he deserved her. Sakura was too good for him.
"Sorry Oka-san but my team has a mission and I don't have any time for dinner and neither does Sakura-san", I told her and she frowned before smiling again.
"Alright, make sure to keep her safe. I want her over for dinner as soon as your mission is over", my mother chirped and I nodded and headed up the stairs. I didn't sense Sasuke anywhere in the house and for that I was grateful. I hadn't seen him too much in the week since Sakura kicked his ass. He was constantly out with Naruto and I only saw him at dinner and dinner was typically a silent affair even when we were on decent terms.
I grabbed a pack out of my closet and threw in a few changes of clothes and some bandages. I ran down the stairs and gave my mother a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving. I made it to the gates quickly and was disappointed that the only one there was 'Sai'.
"Hello Taichou", the root member greeted and I felt immense disgust that I could feel creeping onto my face. This man made me sick.
"Is something wrong Taichou", he asked his fake smile planted on his face. I shook my head and turned away as I sensed Sakura's chakra signature.
"Hey Itachi-san", she called as she dropped down next to me. She had a pack on her back and she had traded her usual tan medic pouch for a black one that matched her new ANBU uniform.
"Hello Sakura-san, is your uniform to your liking", I asked her and she nodded as she placed her fingers on the material.
"Yeah it fits great. It's actually more comfortable than my old outfit. It feels like a second skin", she told me smiling as she stretched out the ends of her shirt. She had a kunai pack on her leg and I saw a kunai sticking out of it. I knelt down and opened the pack and adjusted it so the kunai was covered before closing it and standing back up. When I did I came face to face with a blushing Sakura whose eyes were so wide they looked like they might pop out of her skull.
"The kunai wasn't in there properly, I simply fixed it", I told her and she looked down at the ground before turning around as Gemna made himself known.
"Gemna", she called out sounding relived. I raised a brow at her behavior but shrugged before walking out of the village. Everyone else followed and I stopped a few meters away from the village entrance and Sakura and Gemna ceased their idle chatter as I turned around.
"Everyone needs to place their masks on", I instructed as I placed on my weasel mask. Gemna had a panther mask and Sakura had a cat mask, how fitting.
"Our enemies will cower in fear at the sight of the terrifying kitty-chan", Gemna cooed as he tapped Sakura's mask.
"You're a cat too dumbass", she pointed out glaring at him. Gemna faltered for a minute before turning away.
"A panther is a lot more intimidating than a little house cat", Gemna pointed out and Sakura looked to be rolling her eyes behind her mask.
"I don't see the point of her wearing a mask anyway. I don't believe there are many people with pink hair, let alone ninja", Sai said pointing to Sakura's short pink locks. Sakura ran her fingers through her hair as she looked down at the ground.
"She'll take care of her enemies long before they have time to find out who she is", Gemna told Sai sternly and I thanked him before placing my hand on Sai's shoulder,
"Just worry about yourself", I said and I squeezed his shoulder hard enough for him to register that it was an order and not a suggestion.
"Of course, Taichou", he replied and I started running in the direction of mist where a small village had required our assistance. All three members of my team quickly followed and we ran for a good two hours before I could feel Sakura and Gemna start to lag.
"We'll stop here", I instructed and Sakura and Gemna dropped down relived. Sai made no comment before stopping at the base of a tall tree. We all drank from our canteens for a few minutes before Gemna sighed loudly.
"Why are we going to mist anyway", he asked and I was pleased that he could already tell where we were going so early on.
"A small village is currently hosting what they believe to be a terrorist organization. Apparently they moved into a small house near the outskirts of town and the villagers didn't think much of it until every clearing in the surrounding area got destroyed", I told them and Gemna raised a brow.
"Ok so a group of rogues is taking out their frustrations on empty clearings. What's the big deal", he asked and I looked to Sakura wondering what her reaction would be.
"It's a big deal because the container of the third tail beast lives a few towns over", I told them and Sakura gasped before attempting to school her features. Her eyes were still wide with panic.
"They're after the Jinchuriki", Sakura exclaimed and I shook my head as she continued to look panicked.
"It's not confirmed it's just what the village is worried about", I told her and she looked almost confused.
"Why would they care", she asked and I felt almost guilty on what I was to say.
"Cat-san, they might not care for the Jinchuriki themselves but you must not forget what their purpose is. The Jinchuriki are weapons and no village wants to lose something so vital to their defense", I said and I could feel the hate coming off of Sakura in waves.
"They're people not some sort of fancy jutsu", she hissed and I heard Gemna grunt in agreement.
"Sometimes the sacrifice power takes gets forgotten because we are too absorbed in the results", I told her and she just looked down and sat down on the floor as if all the fire had gone out of her.
"What's their name", she asked quietly and I looked down at her.
"Who", I asked and she looked at me the fire slowly returning.
"The bastards who are targeting the Jinchuriki", she growled and I shook my head at her.
"We have no proo-
"What's their name", she asked and she glared at me. I put my pack back on my back and made my way out of the clearing. Before I took off again I turned around to look at the now very pissed Sakura.
"Akatsuki"
Ok that's it for Chapter Twelve. I hope you guys like the direction this is going in. Itachi is starting to show interest (He's just a little perv) I hope you all have a merry Christmas. Leaving me a review would be the best present ever*hint hint wink wink*. Check out my other fics. Happy holidays!
-Sakura478