By Ginta and Hakakku Fangirl
Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Naruto Shippuuden, which are really the same thing (one manga, two anime). I do, however, like to screw with the character's lives.
Don't forget to check out my profile for polls and links to pics!
Okay, really quick, I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed!
Y.U.I
Kamasimon
Eloquent Dreams
Inner-me-is-chaos
Werewolfwithaheart
ACELUVER
23
Minniemousemom
Bamham
Kira The Forgotten
BlueEyesBabyGirl
Sam
Mistress Ayako
Thanks, I really appreciate it! If I didn't mention you, my apologies, it just means that I haven't read your review yet! Some of these reviews, though…you're all jumping to conclusions, I can tell. And it makes me feel really awesome, because I know what's going to happen, MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Well, some of what's going to happen, anyway.
And I'm sorry that it took so long! This took me a bit, but it's long! At least, longer, anyways. Lolz. So…my foot is a lot better; the break is healing. I'm going to have a massive scar, though. Not that that's anything new, I've a lot of scars. Like I've said before, I'm a major klutz, yeah. Heh. Broken bones, nails, cuts, bruises, bloody noses, concussions, you name it, I've probably had it. Or my dad has. As bad as I am, he's worse. Lolz. I'm just glad my new house doesn't have many stairs. I tend to fall up them, it's actually kind of funny, in a strange way. Anywhore…I've made a new poll. The last poll, regarding what anime/manga I would be using for my next fic, had been closed. The result was for more Naruto fics. This new poll is for the pairing, so check that out…um…I've still not been able to upload my Sims, which really sucks, but I do have some new drawings…I'm also currently working on one, it's something I've not yet tried before, so hopefully it will turn out alright…hopefully. Um….on with the fic!
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Previously:
"We'll be taking the girl now, if you don't mind." Tama turned to Itachi. "You too, Uchiha."
"No way!" Naruto said, stepping in front of Sakura. "And Itachi isn't even in the bingo books anymore, Kakashi-sensei just said so!"
"So?" Yuuki sneered. "The Hidden Rock wants him. Our Kage got the news that he was back as a Konoha Shinobi again and all the results of the trial. He may not be in the bingo books, but that doesn't mean that no one is after him. It's time to wipe out the Uchiha Clan and the Sharingan for good!"
"When I say go," Sai whispered in Sakura's ear, "we'll run for it. Understand?"
"But Naruto—"
"Sempai will take care of him," Sai said. "Ready?"
Sakura nodded.
Sai was watching Kakashi. The Jounin gave the slightest of nods…
"Go!"
Chapter Twelve: Sai's Words! The Pink Kunoichi Sees Red!
"Go!" Sai said again, grabbing Sakura's hand and dragging her with him as he headed into the thick trees.
"Sai, we shouldn't go so far from the others!" Sakura gasped but Sai kept going. "Sai! Sai, stop!"
Sai shook his head.
"We can't stop," he said. "We're leaving."
"What?" Sakura gasped. "What do you mean we're leaving." She was so shocked with Sai's sudden want to abandon their team that she had forgotten she was strong enough to make him stop pulling her—back in the direction of Konoha.
"I'm taking you back to the Hidden Leaf," Sai said plainly. "Or rather, sending you."
"What? No, Sai—"
"Someone has to report this to the Hokage," Sai said as a bird flew overhead. Sakura recognized it instantly.
"And Deidara just did!" Sakura said.
"How do you know that wasn't a message to someone else?" Sai said calmly as he half-lead, half-dragged his teammate. He had recognized the clay statue as well. "To Kyoko? Or to Ino?"
"Why would Deidara send a message to Ino-pig?" Sakura said, exasperated; she could hear Tama behind them and Kakashi's voice following.
Sai shrugged.
Sakura jerked away from him.
"I'm going back," Sakura said simply. "You can go to Konoha. I'm not going to abandon my team."
Sai stared at Sakura.
"I'm not abandoning the team," he said slowly. "The Hokage told sempai and me to send someone straight back to Konoha if anything happened. With Akatsuki furious with us, it's just too dangerous for the Hokage not to know immediately if we're fighting someone in league with them."
"Then send Deidara!" Sakura said. "If anyone shouldn't be fighting against someone allied with the Akatsuki, it's him! Word could get back to their leader or he could suddenly recover his memories if he's fighting. Why do you think Tsunade-shishou hasn't let him go on any missions yet?!"
Before Sai could reply, Sakura was speaking again.
"And what about you? Why aren't you the one going back to Konoha, Sai?" she demanded.
Sai looked a bit startled.
"I—"
"I'm not leaving Sai, and if you don't believe me, you've got another thing coming," Sakura said, before turning and sinking her fist solidly into a large boulder.
Sai's eyes widened at this display of Sakura's anger—then his mouth fell open as the grey stone gave a shriek of pain and Kyouhei's justu—making him appear as one with the rock—was broken.
"I was originally a Genjutsu type," Sakura snarled. "Don't try to trick me with something so lame as that."
"Keh…bitch," the boy snarled. He staggered up to his feet.
Sakura glared. It was true that when she had been training under Tsunade she had stopped working as hard on her Genjutsu as she had when she had trained under Kakashi. But she had still kept training with it, and had rediscovered her love of the illusion techniques just a few months ago, when Itachi had begun to train with Team Kakashi. Deidara had stirred that passion as well, when Kakashi had discovered, quite by accident, that Deidara's left eye had been trained to break Genjutsu. Deidara had been as surprised as the others; he had only been wearing his hair in his left eye because it felt natural to him.
As soon as Kyouhei began to make hand signs, Sakura began to do the same.
"If you're still planning on leaving Sai, I'd do it now," Sakura said as Kyouhei disappeared, having completed a set of hand seals before using a different Jutsu that she had easily recognized. The Body Flicker Technique. Kakashi, Itachi, and even used it frequently. Even Naruto had learned to use it; it was the only way to keep up with the three while training.
'Right…left…he's not above or behind…' Sakura thought. 'Then he has to be…'
"Sai! Beneath you!" Sakura yelled, channeling chakra into her fist; Sai stepped quickly out of the way as Sakura slammed her hand into the ground.
Sakura jumped out of the way as the earth shattered, closing her eyes as dirt flew everywhere. It wasn't pleasant to get in the eyes…
"Huh." Sakura crossed her arms. Kyouhei wasn't there, only a slight trace of chakra that gave away the fact that he had just used the Body Flicker Technique again.
"Tree," Sai said softly.
"Right," Sakura nodded, but as soon as she had said it, the tree Sai had nodded towards blurred a bit in the leaves. The Body Flicker Technique.
"This," Sakura said, gritting her teeth, "is getting annoying. Come out and fight me like a man!"
Sai shook his head.
"Cowardice," he muttered.
"Huh?" Sakura glanced over at him.
"Cowardice," Sai repeated. "He won't even come out and fight a girl. And she's a girl with pink hair at that. He's a coward."
Sakura glared at Sai, opening her mouth angrily—
"Say that to my face, you weird bastard!"
Sakura turned and caught Kyouhei in the jaw with her fist, sending her other hand into his stomach. Kyouhei doubled over in pain, only for his forehead to meet Sakura's knee. Sweat trickled down Sai's brow as he watched Sakura taking her anger out on the boy…he decided that Sakura would be fine on her own and that Kakashi needed his help more than she did…
XXX
Sakura fumed, furious as she stormed out of Tsunade's office. Tama, Yuuki, Kyouhei, and Haruhi were all currently being interrogated by personally by Ibiki—something usually reserved only for that most severe of criminals. The other members of Team Kakashi had already left.
Kyoko was outside in the hall with Tenten and Temari—the Suna blonde and the Konoha Weapons Mistress had their hands on Kyoko's swollen stomach. Temari's other hand was intertwined with Nara Shikamaru's.
Tenten had brought Neji; the stoic Hyuuga was gazing intently at Kyoko's stomach with his Byakugan and frowning, looking disturbed. He shook his head.
"Even in my clan, I've never seen an unborn child this active," he said, Kekki Genkai receding.
"Well, everone in the Hyuuga Clan seems to be calm and dignified from conception to death, then, don't they?" Kyoko snapped. "Lucky for all of the Hyuuga women, they're never kept up at night by incisive and constant kicking!" She looked up at Sakura and grimaced. "I can't go anywhere without someone touching my stomach or asking how I'm feeling or how Itachi's coping with the thought of fatherhood. What's your problem."
Sakura closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Her fingers were twitching.
"I need to break something," the green-eyed Kunoichi said quietly. "Give me something to break."
Kyoko nodded once, taking Temari and Tenten's hands from her belly.
"Can you keep yourself in check for about fifteen minutes or so?" she asked, growing serious and concerned.
Sakura nodded, opening her eyes. She was visibly radiating chakra in her hands.
"Good." Kyoko grabbed her cloak and swung it up over her shoulders. "Then let's go and find Dei-Dei."
"I don't see how Deidara—" Sakura started, but Kyoko interrupted.
"Trust me," the raven-haired ANBU smiled. "Let's go."
She lead Sakura out into the cold as swiftly as her pregnant body allowed her to.
Once outside, Kyoko pulled a tiny clay bird from her pocket. Pressing two chakra-charged fingers to the statute, she said to it, "I need you, bring clay."
Sakura scowled as the tiny figure fluttered its wings and took off.
"I still don't see how getting Deidara is going to help me break something so I can calm down," she ground out.
"Don't worry about it; I've got it all taken care of," Kyoko grinned as a voice rang out towards the two girls.
"Yo, Kyo-chan!"
Sakura looked up; Deidara was running towards them from the direction of Ichiraku Ramen; he skid to a stop in front of them.
"You sent the bird, yeah?" Deidara said, holding up said statue.
Kyoko nodded.
"Sakura-chan has a problem she needs to work out," she said. "But lets stop at a training ground first."
Deidara glanced over at Sakura and nodded.
"That might be a good idea, yeah," he said, taking note of her glowing hands as he dug in the pouch at his hip.
Only a few seconds later, with a very satisfying boom, one of his giant clay birds was beside the three.
"Jump on, hmm," Deidara said, helping Kyoko up.
Sakura raised an eyebrow, but jumped up behind the blonde.
As soon as they had reached the training field most-occupied by Team Kakashi and the giant statue had landed, Deidara glanced back at Sakura.
"Get down and punch the ground, yeah," he said to her.
"Why?" Sakura snapped.
"Because—"
"Because if you use all that chakra your currently radiating with your first punch where we're going, you'll likely kill us all," Kyoko said calmly. She smiled. "Now, just punch the ground, Sakura-chan. Use as much chakra as you can in one go."
"Right." Sakura grit her teeth in annoyance and jumped from the bird. As soon as her feet had touched the ground, Deidara's bird rose twenty feet in the air.
"Do it now; don't think!" Deidara said. "Use as much chakra as you can un!"
Sakura nodded, grimacing. She drew back a fist—the thick, heavy chakra radiating over the light, delicate chakra protecting her hand was pulsing—and let go.
The earth shattered, rock and dirt flying everywhere; Deidara and Kyoko, as high as they were, had to shield their faces.
And oh! the feeling of relief that Sakura felt, letting go of all that angry chakra channeling through her chakra network. It was such a feeling of bliss, even if she knew it would only last a few seconds before her anger came back.
"Th-thanks!" Sakura said. Her punch had blown the entire training field apart like a bomb had been dropped, but it had just felt so good!
Deidara grinned.
"We're not quite done with you yet, un," he said. "Get back on, yeah," he added, tapping his foot on the back of the bird.
Sakura started, but jumped back onto the giant bird behind Deidara again.
Warily, she locked an arm around Deidara's waist as the blonde held onto Kyoko. She had been too angry to notice before, but while Kyoko and Deidara seemed to be as comfortable in the air on the clay bird as the were on the grassy ground, Sakura was not.
Deidara noticed the stiffness of her arm and reached back to draw Sakura closer.
"You get use to it!" he yelled over the rushing of the wind; they were going quite fast and speeding up. "It took Kyo-chan more than a week."
"I'm not really planning on repeating this experience," Sakura yelled back, fighting the urge to hide her face in Deidara's back in order to avoid the wind that was making her eyes tear.
The raven and the blonde laughed.
"I seriously doubt that this will be your first time, yeah," Deidara said; Kyoko turned and smiled at Sakura.
"Sakura-chan, once you get use to this, it's such an amazing feeling! I wish I could do this with my bombs!
"Besides," Kyoko added, "haven't you ever been with Sai on his painted hawk?"
Sakura shook her head, feeling her anger flaring up again at the mention of Sai's name.
Deidara notice—or, rather, he noticed the chakra from Sakura's hand burning into his side through his fishnets.
"Calm down!" he yelped. "We're almost there, yeah!"
"Time to start the descent, actually," Kyoko said; Deidara nodded.
Sakura closed her eyes against the wind in her face and the sudden sick feeling in her stomach as the bird tilted to a sharp angle—she suspected that Deidara was doing it on purpose. She knew for a fact from watching him train that Deidara's birds didn't have to land like this.
And then the world straightened back out and the two explosive-lovers were laughing and on the ground.
Sakura jumped down from the statue and looked around.
They were at the edge of a thick group of trees, between the woods and a high, grey, rocky cliff with a rather small cave in its side. It was in such a position that one would have to be as close as they were now to be able to see it.
"Well," Kyoko said, sitting on a large fallen log. "Punch away. No chakra."
"Um…" Sakura glanced around.
Deidara grinned and pointed towards the cave. Turning back towards it and stepping closer, Sakura's eyes widened as she noticed a layer of shattered rocks in the floor of the shallow cavern.
"…Where exactly did this cave come from?" Sakura asked suspisously, rounding on the blonde.
"Well…heh…"
Deidara rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"You see…" Kyoko trailed off as Deidara grinned guiltily.
"Most of it is from Kyo-chan, yeah," the blonde said. "But some of it's from me. It's really frustrating," he said, scowling, "not knowing really who you are or where you've been. And Kyo-chan's got a lot to deal with and no way to do it, because Tsunade-sama won't even let her train anymore and neither will Itachi or even Kakashi, and—"
"Kyoko-chan, you—are—on—maternity—leave!" Sakura growled, punching the wall of the cave. The grey stone crumbled at her touch and fell to the floor of the cave.
Sakura's eyes widened and Kyoko laughed.
"It feels great, doesn't it?" she asked.
Indeed. Sakura stared at her scraped knuckles, which had been unprotected by chakra, then at the cave wall. A small smile was spreading across the medic's face. She pulled back her arm and punched the wall again before staring at her slightly bloodied knuckles. She laughed.
XXX
Hours later, Sakura lay on her back beside Deidara staring up at the bright stars and the cloudy night sky, her right arm strewn over her body, her left hand on the ground.
"You feel better, un?" Deidara asked.
Sakura nodded as she turned her head towards Kyoko; the Kunoichi was sitting at Sakura's left and healing her bloody, torn-up hands. Sakura had taken out all her anger on the walls of the cliff until the cave had become quite considerably bigger.
She sighed as Kyoko finished with her right hand and started on her left, freeing Sakura to lay more comfortably.
"So…why were you so angry?" Kyoko asked. "Sai didn't really say anything about the mission, and all Itachi told me was that you and Sai separated from him and the others because Tama and her team worked best as a group and you were trying to separate them.
Sakura sighed.
"Sai tried to make me go back to Konoha," she said.
"Why?" Deidara asked lazily.
"Because Tsunade-shishou had told him to send word back to Konoha immediately if Team Kakashi ran into anyone involved with Akatsuki in any way."
"But I sent one of my birds back," Deidara said, sitting up. "Sai said that you two saw it."
"We did," Sakura said as Kyoko's chakra began to heal her left hand; she could feel the flesh knitting back together.
"But Sai still wanted you to go back?" Deidara asked.
"Mm-hmm," Sakura nodded. She scowled. "He doubted my ability. And then when that kid, Kyouhei kept using the Body Flicker Technique instead of at least attempting to use another Genjutsu against me or at least something, he called him a coward for not wanting to fight a girl. A girl with pink hair, he added," Sakura said angrily. "As if the color of my hair really has anything to do with my abilities as a Ninja!"
"Well," Kyoko said reasonably, "to anyone who doesn't know you, I'm sure that when they first see you angry, the pink hair doesn't do much to scare them until they've actually fought you."
"What?" Sakura asked.
"She has a point, yeah," Deidara said. "You look younger than your age with your pink hair and pale skin, so I guess an enemy would consider it really cute when they first saw you made, so they underestimate you. Me, however, I've seen you with Naruto-kun. I know that when you get pissed off, everyone had better run, yeah."
Kyoko and Sakura giggled at Deidara's sleepy assessment.
"We'd better go back," Sakura said, standing as Kyoko finished up with the last of her injured fingers. "Itachi will be looking to murder us for not having Kyoko back, he hasn't seen her for a few days. Tama and her team didn't attack us until the third day of our mission."
"I think he'll be more angry that we had a small training session without him," Kyoko said with a laugh. "He's been itching to get back on the field; he's so sick of not being able to use his Sharingan, it's driving him mad."
"He doesn't much like having the Hokage work on his eyes though, either," Sakura said wryly.
"Well, it hurts," Kyoko said. "It's causing him discomfort and he's already in constant pain and has headaches all the time. It's an added annoyance to his bad eyesight."
"A lot of things seem to annoy Itachi-san," Deidara said, standing up; he and Sakura helped Kyoko to her feet.
"Only when you and Naruto get loud," Kyoko said fairly. "Like I said, he has a lot of headaches."
"Then he shouldn't be going on missions," Sakura said.
"I tried to tell him that," Kyoko said. She frowned. "It didn't go well. He reacted…well, think of how Sai would be if you told him he had to stop drawing, then multiply it by a thousand. He wasn't happy."
"Really?"
Kyoko shrugged.
"He's a dedicated Shinobi and eager to be able to help his village again," she said as they climbed back onto Deidara's bird. She glanced back at Sakura. "You know, now that you've calmed down, maybe you should talk to Sai. I bet it was just a misunderstanding."
"Yeah, maybe…" Sakura sighed. She knew there was really no point in not taking Kyoko's advice. Besides, she's was more than likely right. Sai did seem to cause a lot of misunderstandings. Fewer and fewer lately, but still…misunderstandings.
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Again, sorry that it took so long, though it's only been twelve days…I guess that not really that long…Hey, has anyone ever actually tried chakra-healing? It's actually really neat…the theory, anyways. I don't know that it actually works, but it's still really cool to read about, summoning chakra and then applying it to the wound. It's supposed to make it heal faster. I didn't try it, though. I already heal really fast anyways, unless it's a bruise. That's just weird for me…they don't even show up on me until they've started to heal…strange, yeah? Heh…okay, I'm going to work on the next chapter. Maybe it will be long. Maybe…it will be full of useless information, anyways…weaponry, chakra, Naruto facts, that kinda thing…it's all interesting, but useless unless you're a Naruto freak…so, don't forget to check out my profile, vote on that new poll, check out my pics. I'm working on that new drawing, I won't say what it is, in case it doesn't work out. I'd just be too disappointed…but I will tell you that I'm working on a Shoujo Hinata x Kiba and a picture of Raito and Misa from Death Note. I'm working on some other fics as well…that Vampire Knight fic, for one. Oh, and some Vampire Knight pics…Well, off to work on the next chapter…Wish me luck with the other fics!
-Fangirl ^_|