Author's Notes: I'm…I'm speechless! I can't believe how many reviews I have gotten! Thank you all so very much for the encouragement! Thanks to all the reviews, I am updating very fast this time. Well…there is also the fact that I will not be back till the 22nd, I will be away, and I won't be able to reply to everyone's review like I normally do. I figured my cliff hanger was too cruel to leave for soo long.
Dedicated to: Emilx311, jjdjd, Gobi5no5Houkou, stargazing-sweetie, Takakuma, TeamTHEFT, xRedHasAppearedx, alwayslost123, xXbunnyholicXx, TheVampyricAssassin, reader, ceres, snorkabuziaczek, sodapopgirly83, XSweetXSourXSoulX, LadyPassionofHate, shadow miko, Inner-me-is-chaos, nickeledwards, The Reveiwer known as Name, Abmonkey8, Siah Yasana, Ananomus, just-let-me-go, nightwish635, Elise Connery, Duuuuuudette, Guido Dona, and midnightblue123
Also! Before I begin, those who are anonymous reviewers, if you would like, tell me your email so I can thank you properly and respond to what you wrote! I feel bad that I can't properly thank you.
Enjoy!! Sorry for the long note!
"I think it would be a safe idea to take a couple steps back Sasuke." Sakura told him as she waved him away. "I don't want you to get caught in the aftereffects of this brawl."
Sasuke nodded his head, eyes wide, and jumped on top of a tree branch that dangled over his head. 'Sweet! I got the best seat in the house!'
Sakura's eye narrowed at Fugaku's charging body. 'For a King he gets himself worked up. Every fighter knows that in order to have an even fight they must have a clear state of mind.'
He charged at the unmoving Sakura, while his bloodthirsty red eyes stared her down, trying to shake her. He swung his muscular arm backwards and when he came close to Sakura's personal space he released his powerful punch.
Sakura had to think fast. 'If I block the punch two things can happen: either my cover will be blown or I'd have to take the punch and deal with the pain.' With a sigh Sakura twisted her head slightly to the right and felt a fist connect with her cheek bone.
Mikoto covered her mouth in worry when she saw Sakura fly to the opposite end of her garden. 'Oh no! Sakura!' She glared at her raging husband secretly hoping he could feel the hatred she held for him.
Kakashi twitched as the force of the punch echoed through the area. 'That's gonna leave a mark.' He thought sadly. His eyes studied his daughter's body that recoiled off a tree trunk. 'Come on Sakura, at least surprise him.' Kakashi knew his daughter didn't possess the skill to defeat Fugaku, sure she was able to land a good sized punch on him last night, but Fugaku was a very ruthless fighter when provoked. He prayed to the higher power for Sakura to possess the ability to defend herself.
Itachi bit his tongue to distract himself from jumping into the fight once he saw Sakura's body fly across the greenery. 'I'll give you five minutes Sakura, if you can't win by then I'll step in…that's as much as I can take.' His last thought caught him off guard, he didn't know where it came from, but as he thought about it the more he saw the truth behind his thoughts.
Sasuke retreated closer to the tree trunk as he felt the force of the punch his father mercilessly planted on Sakura. 'Come on! Fight back Sakura! You're better than this!' Even though Sasuke had never seen Sakura fight, and just met her, the way she carried herself gave him a hint of her power.
Sakura let her body drop the ground, arms out wide, legs spread apart. 'Lucky me,' She groaned. 'My face matches Fugaku's now, how cute.' She thought bitterly.
Fugaku's steps became louder as they carried him to Sakura's fallen body. Sakura moved her hand to the side and grasped the life sized branch next to her. She jumped to her feet and twirled the broken tree branch in between her hands. Fugaku jumped back, startled by her sudden movement. He watched as she swirled the branch around her fingers but the display didn't scare him. He continued to pressure her into a cornered position.
Sakura took his persistent steps as an invitation to attack. 'Remember Sakura; keep this as unpolished and street-like as possible.' She poked and jabbed at Fugaku's chest, hitting certain areas at random, knowing which areas to avoid, and escaping suspicion from everyone.
Fugaku held his breath as the branch dug into his abdominals. He grabbed the stick with a sturdy hand and flipped her over his head. 'Now I'm going to break that excuse of a weapon.' He held onto the stick, pulling it away from her grasp. He brought the top of his knee to meet the branch and in one swift movement he used his knee to snap it snapped in half.
Sakura used the distraction to her advantage, while he was busy breaking her weapon, she grabbed a rock and hurled it at his shoulder. 'There is no such thing as skill; it is only when luck meets opportunity.' She thought with a smirk as her unplanned attacks were working in her favor. 'It would have been nice to try some moves I've learned on him…but I have some audience members that make that impossible.'
Fugaku felt the rock hit him in the shoulder. He threw the two ends of the stick to the side, nostrils flailed, and his chest heaved forward. "You witch! You like to play dirty don't you?"
Sakura flashed him a smile and nodded her head. "But of course! How else would I fight?!" She answered excitedly.
Fugaku charged, again, towards Sakura, aiming to push her legs from underneath her. 'If I do that, then she will be vulnerable to any attack that I deliver. Let's see how you like to have a foot stepping on your throat, but unlike you, I won't be relieving the pressure.'
Sakura giggled out loud as she jumped up and grabbed hold of the very convenient tree branch that grew above her head. "Too slow!" She yelled to him as his lower leg kicked the empty air where her legs once stood.
Fugaku kicked at air and propelled his leg backwards. He skipped backwards into the center of the battlefield trying to find Sakura's hidden location. His eyes scanned the tree tops, looking for the slightest leaf to move, that would give away her location.
Itachi nodded his head at Sakura's smart move. Mikoto watched the sickening scene with worried eyes, knowing very well why she never liked watching her loved ones battle. Kakashi stood perfectly still, observing Sakura's every movement. While Sasuke, stood on the edge of his branch, the excitement getting the best of him.
'This battle is awesome! I've never seen Father fight like this before!'
"Come out!" Fugaku yelled as he brought out three daggers, from inside his royal cape, and twirled them around his fingers absentmindedly.
Sakura looked down from her strategically placed hiding spot and dangled her legs over the tree branch. Her legs kicked back and forth in a childish manner as Fugaku circled below her, waiting for her to make a move. To please his eager anticipation she took off one of her sandals and tossed it to a tree top ten feet away from her.
Fugaku heard movement in a tree and tossed one knife towards the source of the sound. A thump rolled through the field indicating Fugaku's failed attempt. 'I missed.' He guard rose even higher and his grip on the remaining knives grew tighter.
Sakura took off her other shoe and tossed it overhead to a tree east of her location. Fugaku heard the noise, but didn't throw the knife at the source of the bang. His body pivoted around, estimating where Sakura could possibly be. 'I will not fall for that again. That's a child's move.'
"Stop hiding, you know you can't win. Now save us all the trouble and give up." He said indifferently.
Sakura knew it was a trap, it was clearly evident. 'He is using my anger to trick me into attacking, that way I can give away my position.' Even with that thought she still wanted to humor him. She stood up from her tree branch and jumped off the very edge of it. Fugaku heard another movement and contemplated on throwing the knife at the rather obvious ruffle of leaves.
'It could be a trap again…' He thought to himself.
His eyes fell to the ground only to see his shadow getting bigger. 'What the…!'
Sakura extended her leg down while her jump descended her down towards the unsuspecting King's head. "Peek-a-boo!" She shouted in a silly tone.
Fugaku looked up with stunned eyes as the pink haired servant flew down above him. He sidestepped away from her painful blow and her leg hit the ground. Sakura retracted her leg and allowed her body to dodge Fugaku's stabs.
The audience watched with growing astonishment as Sakura kept up with Fugaku's speed. Her body twisted and twirled around in elegant circles evading every direction Fugaku thrusted his knives to her.
Fugaku was impressed by the speed Sakura sustained while he continued to try to slice her with his knives. 'I guess she's better than I thought.' His eyes narrowed at her twisting form as that thought crossed his mind. 'Now is not the time to praise the enemy.'
Her hands came up to block the knives from cutting her face. She used her palms to block the attack only to have the knives slice deeply into the palms of her hands. A hiss erupted from Sakura's mouth as the clean cut was made. An idea came to her mind, she looked down at the knives and before Fugaku returned them to his side, planning to send another wave of attacks, she quickly grabbed onto them with all her might.
Gasps filled the area as Fugaku's stabbing fest stopped. Sasuke stared with wide eyes astounded by Sakura's fearless move to hold the sharp instruments with her bare hands. 'Doesn't' that hurt?'
Mikoto turned her head away as a feeling of nausea washed over her. 'I'm sorry Sakura but I can't watch.' She couldn't stand the sight of Sakura's blood dripping down her arms.
Itachi inwardly smirked at her stunt; it was the same one she used on him when he stubbornly denied to return her knife. Kakashi watched the scene with anxiousness and worry. His daughter was flirting with death, one that Fugaku was clearly intending on delivering.
Fugaku tried to break his precious weapons free, but her grip was too tight. "Let go." He demanded. "…unless you want to bleed to death." He finished with a smirk as he pressed harder into the blades.
Sakura flinched as the metal sliced deeper into her skin. "Fine, if you say so my King." She said with an innocent smile as she pushed him backwards, releasing the knives in the process.
Without hesitation in her step Sakura followed his propelled body and delivered a series of kicks at him. Fugaku recovered from the unexpected push and blocked her kicks. The two of them continued their hand-to-hand combat, traveling in a circle, passing each group of observers.
Kick after kick, punch after punch, and the two of them were growing tired. Sakura's chest heaved up and down as she strained to breath. Half of her extensive breathing was true tiredness while the more labored breathing was used to make sure no suspicion would arise. 'I have to take every precaution I can.'
Fugaku tried to land another hit on Sakura, but her defense was strong. Her kick combinations were ordinary, but had some power hidden behind them. When they broke apart Fugaku's lower arms and legs were covered with bruises. Sakura's body, however, was littered with bruises, some bigger than others.
Kakashi shook his head at the scene. "It looks like Fugaku is over his tantrum." Sakura's breathing was strenuous and the desire to end the fight burned inside him. "I better end this."
Mikoto nodded her head enthusiastically, agreeing with the idea. "Finally! Someone has some sense."
Itachi narrowed his eyes at the chatting company next to him. 'This doesn't seem right…the way Sakura battled was too plain, too ordinary to fit her style. Is this how a street fight operates?' He was truly naïve to the world outside his home.
Sasuke slumped in his spot. 'How boring! I thought there would be more action!'
Fugaku stood up straight and flashed Sakura an evil smile. "Now I will show you the world of hurt that has been waiting for you!"
Sakura continued to breathe heavily as Fugaku grabbed her by the hair and lifted her off the ground. She bit her bottom lip, containing her shriek of pain from him. "I'm not a weed! You can't just yank me by my hair!" She yelled at him.
Fugaku cackled at her statement and shook her by her hair. Her body swung from side-to-side and he felt her shaking, this time he knew it was from the pain he was causing her. "Learn your place servant. I don't care where you came from, it's the present that matters, and no one can save you."
Sakura could see Kakashi coming towards them. 'He's probably to end this fight.' But as Fugaku stood there, pulling her hair from her scalp, Sakura had one last move. 'I can't let Kakashi end it now! I have to show him I have some skill! I'll have to thank one of my old opponents for this move!'
Itachi and Mikoto followed Kakashi out of the bushes and inched their way towards the rabid King. They stopped fifteen feet away giving Fugaku a warning look before they intruded on the fight and yank Sakura away from him. Sasuke saw his mother and brother and jumped down from the tree to join them.
They stood there allowing Kakashi to retrieve the shaking Sakura but his steps stopped short.
"What's wrong Kakashi?"
Kakashi looked from Sakura's still form to Mikoto. "She's…not done."
Itachi stared at the scheming Sakura before him. The position of her hands, legs, and body didn't make sense to him. 'Why would her hands be placed on the roots of her hair, her legs in a v-shape, and have her body slanted at a forty-five degree angle?'
Sasuke looked in the same direction and raised one eye brow in the air. "What is she doing?"
Sakura could hear their comments but dismissed them entirely. 'Just watch and learn everyone.'
Fugaku noticed her position but didn't stop shaking her around. Sakura moved her hands from her hair to his hands and with one deep breath her awkward position turned into an interesting move.
As she took her final deep breath she used her body to slam her weight down into a split position. The change in weight caught Fugaku off guard and made him bend over, not allowing his to hold on her head to slip. Her hands that covered Fugaku's were used to hit his wrists in a sensitive area. The sudden jolt of pressure made him release his tight hold on Sakura's hair. She twisted her body to the opposite side of Fugaku's direction and moved her upper body to the ground. Her face was inches off the ground while her eyes followed Fugaku's aerial path through the air and into a thorn bush ten feet away.
Kakashi's eyes went wide as the King went flying into the thorn bush. 'Where did she learn to fight like that? Where did that move come from? I've never seen in before…' He couldn't ponder on the subject and turned his attention to the rustling bush. With a sigh he leisurely walked to Fugaku who was covered in thorns.
Mikoto stared at her personal servant with wide eyes. "Where did she learn to do that?"
Sasuke wasn't paying attention to Sakura like everyone else; he was captivated by his father. 'He…he got thrown by a girl? But how?' He turned his attention back to Sakura, 'I have more questions for her.' His curiosity for Sakura was growing and growing the more he broke out of his father's characterization of the servant.
Itachi's eyes never left Sakura's body. The way it twisted and turned during the battle left him speechless. A woman was never one to think about the idea of battling, let alone want to be part of it, and here she was throwing punches like it was natural to her. 'How often does she attend these street fights?' The thought of another male laying a hand on Sakura made his blood boil in anger. 'What is wrong with me? Why am I getting emotional over a simple concept of fighting?' That's when he noticed something. 'It's because it has to deal with Sakura.' He shook his head inwardly and dismissed the arising subject all together. 'I'm still shocked by the battle that's all.' He tried to convince himself.
Sakura held in her laughter, on the outside, as the King came out of the bush with thorns covering every piece of flesh it stuck into. 'HAHAHAHA!! That is priceless! Tsunade I wish you could see this!' She looked to the sun that shined brightly in the blue sky. 'Mom…I wish you could have witnessed this.' She smiled brightly in her head at the image. 'You would have been proud.'
Fugaku stared at the sonic Sakura and grunted. "Don't think this is over." He weakly said as Kakashi passed him off to Mikoto.
"Fugaku Uchiha!" She yelled, startling everyone. Her petite body grabbed her husband's arm roughly as her normally tranquil voice rose an octave. "You are in deep water! I'm going to make sure each and every thorn in your body comes out in a slow manner! How dare you attack my staff! What is wrong with you?!" She scolded the King while they walked towards the castle.
"It's scary how Mother can reduce Father into nothing but a mere worm." Sasuke said, as he blinked several times, trying to regain his hearing.
Kakashi nodded his head in agreement. "I think Mikoto is the only women on the planet that can make an Uchiha reduce to nothing but mush."
"It's because she rarely gets mad. When she does…it's not a pretty sight." Sakura interjected as she giggled lightly. 'Mikoto never did like me sneaking out. When she caught me I was surprised the woman could get as loud as she did.'
Kakashi looked over his shoulder and flashed Sakura a lazy smile. "Bingo Sakura." He turned to the quiet Itachi and cleared his throat. "We should head back to training."
Sasuke's eyed his elder brother as the two of them began to walk off to their training grounds. "Can I join?" He asked them, before they got too far off into the woods.
Itachi turned to Sasuke and shook his head. "No. This is special business."
Sasuke's face was completely emotionless, but Sakura could sense the sadness within the young boy. 'Well Itachi if you won't spend some time with him then I will.'
Sakura walked towards the lad and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about them Sasuke, I'll do something with you. If I remember correctly I believe you had more questions to ask me?" She smiled brightly at the end.
Itachi glared at Sakura. 'What is wrong with this woman? Why does she enjoy answering his questions? It makes no sense.' His eyes moved to Sasuke and a ping of jealousy surged through him. 'How can he get her to talk when I struggle with it?' Itachi didn't like the idea of him losing to his baby brother in a subject that meant so much to him.
Kakashi lazily nodded his head in Sakura's direction. "Come along Itachi. If Mikoto comes looking for us tell her we went out training in the back fields."
Sakura nodded her head at her father and wrapped her arm around the tall younger Uchiha. "Let's go Sasuke."
Itachi stood still as Sasuke and Sakura walked towards the small stream that ran through his backyard. Their bodies disappeared into the distance and his legs still didn't want him to move.
"Itachi, we better get going."
"No." Itachi finally said.
Kakashi raised a silver brow in the air. "And why not?"
Itachi turned to Kakashi and looked him straight in the eye. "I don't expect you to understand my reasoning Kakashi, but I need to follow my little brother and Sakura."
Kakashi was very curious now. "Give me a try Itachi; I'm sure I can understand."
Itachi's eyes never left Kakashi's. "Mother is curious to find more information about Sakura. If we follow Sasuke, it is certain that he will ask her questions that I can relay back to Mother."
Kakashi nodded his head. "But doesn't Sasuke know about this?"
"No."
His silver hair blew in the wind while he looked from Itachi's stern eyes and towards the path Sakura had traveled a few minutes before. "Then what are we doing here?" He finished with a lazy eye crease.
'I wonder why Mikoto wants to know information about Sakura now, to my knowledge Mikoto knew more than I did. What could she possibly not know about her?' As Itachi and he stealthy walked to the stream that Sasuke was sitting at he couldn't help but feel curious. He wondered how Sakura's intake on life was since he wasn't there for any of her growth.
While the two eavesdroppers found their hideout on top of a tree, Sasuke and Sakura were laying down on the grass before the streaming river.
"Hey Sakura…" Sasuke began to ask as he pulled out a piece of grass and twirled it around in-between his fingers.
Sakura looked away from the beaming sun and sat up. "Yeah Sasuke?"
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" He sheepishly asked.
Sakura giggled at his question and stood on her two feet. "You don't know how to fight Sasuke?" She asked him as she skipped over to the stream and dangled her feet into the refreshing water.
Sasuke watched her vibrantly skip from place to place. "I do…but I've never seen a move like that." He said referring to her grand finale move.
Sakura tossed her head back and smiled at Sasuke while she splashed the water out of the river. "When you fight with others you learn a lot."
Sasuke scuttled over to her side. "What kind of people do you fight?" His eyes broadened. "I've never seen Kakashi or any of the other royal guards use moves like that."
Itachi sat behind the bush watching the conversation unfold before him. 'She answers his questions so freely, but why? When I try to ask questions she dismisses them…maybe Sasuke isn't asking the right questions.'
Kakashi sat as quiet as a mouse. 'I want to listen to her adventures, problems, events…' The reality of him never being there for his daughter came crashing down on him like a ton of bricks. 'I regret it now.'
Sakura leaned backwards, feet still playing in the water, as she took a deep breath. "You will never see a move like that Sasuke. Your royal guards think that every battle is like a royally planned Ball…minus the dancing of course. Their battles are planned in orderly fashion, common courtesy is followed…but…" She switched to her side to get a good look at Saskue. "…if anyone was to prance on a battlefield performing unpolished, ruthless moves, the guards would be caught off guard."
'Bringing them to their death…' She thought to herself as her eyes cascaded downward to the ground.
Sasuke sat there in pure fascination with the woman before him. 'Normally I wouldn't ask this many questions about a person…but she sees things differently than anyone else I know, it's hard not to.'
"Could you take me to one sometime?" He asked confidently.
Itachi glared at his little brother. 'Sasuke you will not allow Sakura to take you there! It is not a place for her.' He told himself.
Kakashi chuckled inwardly at how eager Sasuke looked. 'Oh don't break his heart Sakura.'
Sakura laughed at his eagerness but shook her head. "I'm sorry Sasuke but I think your Father would really kill me if I took you anywhere near Kohana."
Sasuke's eagerness didn't vanish by her words. "Then you can teach it to me." He demanded.
Kakashi and Itachi were caught off-guard by Sasuke's demand. "Would she be able to teach him?" Itachi asked himself.
"Would she want to?" Kakashi asked trying to get a different side to the situation.
Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "I can try Sasuke…but I don't know how well I'll do."
Sasuke tilted his head to one side. "What do you mean? Someone else taught it to you didn't they? Then it should be easy to re-teach it to me."
Sakura shook her head. "No, I learned it on my own." She watched as his eyes told her to tell her story. "I was watching a fight one time…you know a friendly brawl between two men and I sat there watching their moves. One man did that move and I taught myself. I don't know how…I simply watched him and I knew what to do."
Kakashi's eyes grew wide. 'She…she has my skill?!' Pride swelled up inside his heart. 'Well look at that, I guess I underestimated my own blood.' A heartwarming smile spread across his face.
Itachi, however, wasn't as excited. He was worried. 'If anyone found out that Sakura possessed such an ability many people would come to take her away…away from me.' His hands crunched into fists as his desire to keep her with him grew.
"You can try…I'm sure your mother taught you a lot when you were younger." Sasuke said still pushing the subject, not noticing the hidden question he asked.
Sakura's playful mood disappeared at the mention of her mother. "Yeah…she…"
Itachi inched closer at the soon to be released information. 'She might talk about her past.' But something inside Itachi wanted desperately to be the one Sakura told this to.
Kakashi lowered his eyes to the ground, ashamed of the life he unconsciously placed Sakura in. 'I'm sorry Sakura…I never thought that my line of work would pull Rin away from you, or me.'
"She did teach you…right?" Sasuke asked a little confused. 'What mother doesn't teach their daughter? Mother always teaches Itachi and me.'
Sakura slowly nodded her head. "No she did…"
"Then what is it? Your mother should be someone that you reveal your secrets to, someone that helps you through anything that makes you depressed. They are always there for you, why can't you admit that your mother helped you?" Sasuke wasn't getting Sakura's hesitation.
Sakura sadly smiled at the fifteen year old next to her. He was naïve in his questions that it made Sakura want to answer his questions. 'He isn't digging for information like Itachi, or Mikoto, or even Anko. He is simply curious.'
"You want to know about my mother?" She asked him as a lone tear slid down her cheek. "She was an amazing woman, one that cared for others before she even thought about herself. Yes Sasuke she did help me when I asked her for it…but being separated from a mother at the age of seven doesn't give you enough time to exchange secrets."
"Why so early?" He felt sad for her, she has been through more than he ever thought possible and she didn't even tell him her whole life story. She wasn't like the normal civilians that begged on the streets asking for help; she never asked for help, she never wanted to draw attention to herself. That much he noticed while he traveled around the castle, bored and alone.
Sakura wiped the tear away and smiled. "I was supposed to be a Princess Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes bulged out of his head. "What?!" He yelled out. "But…you're…you're a servant!"
Sakura laughed as Sasuke tried to find the answer on his own. The way his black eyes rattled back and forth and how he tried to draw pictures in the air was comical. "Calm down Sasuke." She giggled. "I'm not a Princess in disguised trust me."
Sasuke finally stopped his panic attack. "If you're a princess…then why are you still here? This place isn't all that great." He grumbled.
Sakura hid her sadness by staring straight ahead across the stream. "Because…it was either that or be an orphan."
"Why?"
Sakura looked to the curious boy and saw how innocent the question was. He didn't know how much it pained her to mention her mother's death; he didn't even know that she was a Princess. 'I guess I can tell him…there isn't any harm in doing so.'
"Ok Sasuke I'll tell you…but you can't tell anyone. Got it?" She said with a small smile on her face, trying to banish her pain.
Sasuke curtly nodded in her direction. "I'm an Uchiha we never say other people's secrets." He stated proudly.
As Sakura opened her mouth to finally tell someone her secret Mikoto's voice interrupted the conversation.
"Sasuke! There you are." She said with relief.
Sasuke stared at his mother and nodded his head. "Yes Mother what is it?"
Mikoto looked between Sakura and Sasuke and a small smile reached the edges of her lips. "Did I interrupt something?"
Sakura shook her head. "No Mikoto nothing really special."
Sasuke didn't question how quickly Sakura dismissed their conversation. 'I guess I'll ask her another time then.' He didn't press the matter and stood up to join his mother's side.
"What do you need Mother?"
Mikoto didn't believe Sakura's words but brushed it aside. "I need you to come with me; your Father wants to speak to you."
Sasuke bowed to his mother in answer and made a slight nod in Sakura's direction. She watched as Mikoto dragged the stiff younger Uchiha back to the Castle. 'It's amazing how much of a personality change Sasuke does to fit the description of a Prince. That's one of the reasons why I'm glad Mom chose love over position.' She thought happily as she rose to her feet.
Kakashi turned to the stiff Itachi and rested his hand on the man's shoulder. "We better get back to training Itachi."
Itachi didn't move from his spot automatically, he was too stunned to move. 'She was about…! I don't understand it! Why does Sasuke get to know something that I'm neglected to even mention?! She didn't close him off, she didn't change subjects, why him?!'
"Yes." Itachi said emotionlessly, 'A training session sounds good right about now.'
Sakura stayed outside until the sun began to set behind the horizon. 'I'm surprised that Mikoto hasn't tried to find me all day…she probably feels horrible for Fugaku's attack.' Sakura laughed out loud at the memory. 'How awesome would it be to kick his royal ass for real? With no strings attached, no holding back…it would be a sensation of a fight.'
Sakura rolled over on her back as she watched the stars come into focus. 'The night is so pretty…one of the reasons why I love it. It's a tranquil place, and all the excitement happens then!' Just then Sakura bolted into a sitting position. 'Oh no! Tonight's the night! That's the main reason why Mikoto hasn't been out here!'
Sakura jumped to her feet and sprinted towards the east side of the castle walls. 'I forgot about that! How could I be so stupid?!' She scolded herself as she reached into a random tree hole and pulled out her trusty cloak. She flung it over her typical linen dress and yanked the familiar hood over her head.
She reached into her cloak to pull out her weapon of choice. 'I haven't used you in a while my friend.' She flipped the medium sized sword around and around, watching its metal glisten against the moon's light. 'We'll have some business to attend to.'
Her body tensed as snapping of branches filled her ears. 'They're coming.' She hid her weapon back into its holster and stood there, waiting for the reconnaissance bandits to enter her line of sight.
"How far is this fucking castle?" She heard a voice shout impatiently.
"Keep your mouth shut Juri! They might hear us!"
Sakura shifted her weight to the side as she saw six figures emerge from the forest. 'Oh you have no idea…' She thought with a smirk plastered on her face.
"See no one is…" Their leader, Sakura assumed, cut his sentence short.
"Who is this?" Asked the one on his right.
Sakura narrowed her eyes at all six men. Their slouched posture and brown linen pants and shirts indicated their lack of experience in the battlefield. 'They don't seem too bad. The leader holds the most muscles while the two on the ends seem to be positioned incase of an attack, so they can warn the others. The others are regular bandits, ruthless…just the way I like them.'
"I don't know, but stand down men, I'm sure this little boy won't bother us, look at his build."
The other guys laughed at the insult and relaxed. Sakura wanted to laugh at their foolish move. 'I'll show you a threat.'
"Excuse me little boy but my team and I must get through." The leader said as he walked towards Sakura, getting ready to push her out of the way.
Sakura stood her ground and bragged his hand before it came in contact with her shoulder. "I don't think so." She said in her regular voice.
The men froze. The man known as Juri was the first one to speak. "That's a chick! That ain't a lad!"
Sakura allowed a sweet giggle to escape her lips. "Oh you are a smart man." She said as she reached up to pull down her hood.
The six men ogled when Sakura revealed her face. "Damn! A sexy woman at that!" Shouted one of men in the back.
The leader smiled deviously at Sakura and scooted his body closer to Sakura. "Hey there sexy. Why don't you travel with us? We'll show you a good time."
Sakura smiled sweetly at the man and pulled him into her. Her emerald eyes held his attention while she hooked one leg around his waist. "I'm sure you could show me a good time." She smiled sensationally.
"Oww, oww! She's a spit fire! Let's keep her boss!" Another right hand man cheered from the crowd.
The Leader trailed his hand down Sakura's back and squeezed her but cheek. "What do you say doll?" He smiled, revealing his rotten teeth.
Sakura ran her free hand up his chest while her other hand trailed down his leg to her hip. "Sure. Why not? You seem pretty fun." She said while she fanned her eye lashes in a sexual manner.
The Leader pulled Sakura closer while his brown eyes winked at her. "Then join us."
Sakura tightened her hold on the leader's collar and kept him planted in his place. "I'm not finished yet." She pressed her hips forward to prove her point.
A groan rumbled deep in the man's chest from her action. "I'm sorry baby but we have to work. Save it for later." He whispered to her.
Sakura tightened her hold on her hip, secretly pulling out the sword from her holster. "But I want you now." She moaned as she slid her pelvis against his slowly.
"Come on Boss! Just give her a little! The others won't mind waiting a few minutes." His coworkers reassured him.
"I guess I can give you a sneak preview babe." He said with a smug smirk.
Sakura smirked at the man pulled her even closer to his body. 'I hope you enjoy this bastard!'
Before the any of the men knew it, Sakura pulled out her sword and slammed it deep into the middle of the Leader's chest.
"W-what t-the…?!" He yelled out as he tried to grab the protruding sword in his chest.
Sakura twisted the sword around and pushed it further through his chest. Blood squirted out of the gash and sprayed across the grass, Sakura, and the leader. She didn't let up her attack; she used her weight and made sure to rip through the leader's torso. The sword poked out of his back and blood flooded his mouth.
"Y-Y…" He didn't get to finish his insult because Sakura yanked the sword out of his gaping hole.
His blood poured out of his body while he fell to the ground. His colleagues watched the merciless display with wide eyes. Their leader's body soaked the green grass with his rich red blood. When they looked towards the woman they couldn't find her.
"Where did she go?!" One yelled.
"Shut your mouth Turi! We need to get out of here!"
"You think anyone will believe us Jix?"
Juri shook his head. "Who would believe a woman with pink hair killed our leader?!"
"Ju…" Before one of their members could respond, Sakura placed the cold blade against the back of his neck.
'Nighty, night.' Sakura said with a chuckle as she jammed the sword through his jugular.
His buddies looked to see their friend's head drop to the floor, then his body. His blood joined with their leader's blood to make a giant puddle.
"Shit! Let's get the fuck…!" Jix didn't finish his sentence because Sakura's sword sliced through his thigh. "Ahh!" He shrieked in pain.
The four remaining bandits watched as Sakura leaned over Jix's injured body.
"Next time you dumb asses decide to feel up a woman don't be such a pig about it." She hissed into his ear as she brought her sword up and plowed it straight down through his chest.
She twisted her sword around in a familiar fashion and sliced through his torso. The feeling of every nerve, vertebrae, and muscle Sakura cut through made a smile spill across her face.
"Run for your lives!" Turi shouted in panic.
Sakura watched as the four remaining men tried to run away from her. She watched as Juri ran to the east, Turi to the west, and the two others ran towards her.
"You really are stupid aren't you?" She said with a grunt as she extended her blade and slashed them both across the necks. She waved as their shocked faces relaxed and their heads flew towards her. She took a step back as they fell to the ground and began rolling around.
"Now for the other two." She took a deep sigh as she went to go find Turi.
She didn't have to run very far to find the shaking Turi. He attached himself to a tree trunk hugging it for dear life.
"Don't let her find me, don't let her find me, don't let her find me." He repeated over and over to himself hoping to settle his shaking.
Sakura quietly walked towards the shaking man and raised her sword into the air. 'Sorry man.' She said as she sent her sword down and stuck it straight through his back.
"Ah-h…!" His bloody scream spread through the entire forest. He used the last of his strength to look down only to see her legendary sword sticking out at him.
Sakura watched his body slump against her sword and with a flick of her wrist she yanked the blade out of his body. A popping sound was heard as his body fell to the ground and the blood splattered all around.
"Now for the final dipshit." She said with relief as she sprinted off towards the west corner.
Juri ran through the woods looking back every second. 'She won't ever find me.' He thought as he hid behind a tree trunk. 'That chick is merciless! I thought our killers were brutal…but this woman…she smiled when she killed them!' His eyes looked back and forth when he heard the leaves rustling. 'She's possessed! There is no way a woman that sexy can be that blood thirsty! I have to warn the others!'
Sakura stood on the tree above her target. 'Found you.' She said with a smile.
Juri cautiously moved away from the tree trunk and slowly walked in the opposite direction of his escape route. Sakura jumped into the air and landed in front of the man.
"Where do you think you're going Juri?" She said sweetly as she stepped closer to him.
Juri stopped in his tracks eyeing Sakura with scared eyes. "W-What do you want with us?! We didn't do anything to you!"
Sakura's eyes hardened at his words. "Oh really?" She said as she placed her bloody blade against his throat. His body went rigid and Sakura used his fear as a way to back him against a tree. "You did do something to me." She growled out.
Juri shook his head from side-to-side. "No! I swear! If you have anyone to blame the head of our killers!"
Sakura giggled at his frantic state and pushed the sword deeper to his throat. A small incision was made on his throat and the blood trickled down Sakura's blade, down her arm, and to the ground. "How does your main leader work for?" She asked him.
Juri watched his blood drip down to the floor. "I-I can't t-tell you t-that." He stuttered.
Sakura removed her sword from his body. "Bullshit." She said as she used the end of her sword and plunged it into the center of his abdomens.
"Gahh!" He shouted in pain as his body dropped to the floor.
Sakura bent down to his height and pulled on his shirt, lifting his upper body to face her. "You better answer my question…otherwise…"
Juri watched her sword move to in-between his legs. A large gulp emitted from his throat. "Y-you wouldn't t-take a man's p-precious i-item away f-from him w-would you?" He stumbled over his words.
Sakura moved the blade closer to his member and twirled it on the tip of the blade. "Not if you tell me what I want to know."
"Ok fine!" He shouted when he felt the blade get a little too close to his liking. "We are working for Orochimaru!"
Sakura smirked at his confession. "See? I told you, you did do something to me."
Juri stared at the crazy woman in front of him. "Huh?! No! Honest! We are just following orders!"
Sakura dropped to her knees and came close to Juri. "I'm going to tell you a secret Juri…the man that you are following orders from is leading you to death. You want to know what he did to make me hate him so?" She whispered in Juri's ear.
Juri nodded his head obediently, afraid that she'd castrate him if he refused her anything.
"It's very simple." Sakura said as she removed her sword from his penis. "He murdered my mother." She stated coldly.
Juri began squirming around in his seated position. 'This bitch is going to kill me! What kind of enemies does that fucking snake man have?!'
Sakura watched the man struggle in his spot. 'I guess that's enough torture.' She thought.
"That's for your information bandit." She stated coldly while she effortlessly moved her sword across his throat.
Not a sound was heard from Juri as his head was separated from his body. Sakura stared at the dead body as it slumped down to the ground. 'Take that Orochimaru.' She thought as she watched Juri's head roll around on the grass.
She bent down towards the head and picked it up with her hands. Sakura studied the jade eyes that looked back at her. "I'm sorry for killing you Juri, but the man you work for is someone that I need to cut down to size." Sakura informed the dead head.
She could feel the ground shake underneath her. 'Oh no! More are coming!' Sakura took the head in her hands and chucked it deeper into the woods. 'I better get back to the east wing. Who knows how many bandits will be coming. They must have gotten worried when their reconnaissance didn't return.'
Sakura ran back to her post, put her hood over her head, and jumped down into the clearing. She looked in the direction of where the ground was shaking to see Kakashi and Itachi on horses, behind them were a few more Knights ready for battle. Their Knight armor shinned in the moon's light, the silver metal making each fighter a fearful adversary.
Kakashi looked down at the bloody sight before him. The grass was covered in a sea of blood, decapitated bodies were lying down on the ground, and in the center of all that destruction was a bloody spy.
"What happened?" Kakashi asked as he dismounted off his mare.
Sakura flicked her sword and proceeded to wipe the blood off the blade against her cloak. "A group of bandits came to check out the premises. I took them out before you showed up."
Itachi looked around at the sight and kept his guard up. "How many?" He asked. 'This spy is more dangerous than I give him credit for.' And it was that thought that put the Prince on edge.
Sakura shrugged her shoulder and kicked the bodies out of the way. "Six. No big deal they fell like flies."
"Seems like it." Said one of Kakashi's fighters.
Kakashi watched Sakura absentmindedly kick the bodies out of their way. "Since you're here you can help us defeat the incoming bandits."
The only answer Sakura gave Kakashi was a curt nod. Itachi and the rest of their force assembled into position waiting for their enemy to come.
"They choose a good place to attack the castle." Commented on of the Knights hiding near Sakura.
"It's because the castle isn't heavily guarded on this side and the way the hill slops it provides them with some form of surprise since your guards can't see over the hill from their posts in the castle." Sakura stated.
Kakashi, Itachi, and the Knight stared at the well informed spy. "You know our castle well." He said.
"Just like how you know the enemy that is coming. You study your battlefield before you run onto it. It is what keeps you alive." Sakura finished.
"There is not time to chat. They're coming." Kakashi said as he held his hand to silence his crew.
A swarm of fifteen bandits came charging up the hill. The one in the center of the attack cried out in rage as he thrusted the sword in the air to encourage his minions.
"Get ready." Kakashi whispered. "We will wait until they reach the top of the hill, when that happens we will charge out and everyone takes an opponent. Help each other, we are a team, if you leave a team member behind you are no equal than the scum we will be killing."
Sakura felt admiration towards her father. 'His speech…it speaks of such experience and authority.' She looked around to see every Knight nod in respect. 'He is well respected.' She smiled underneath her hood. 'It will be an honor to fight along his side. This way I can keep him safe for once.'
The bandits ran over the hill and the battle began. Their village's flag flew high above them; their steps demonstrated how much pride they held for their land. Their leather battle armor couldn't hold a candle to the well protected casing the Knight's had. Every member fanned out and took on their opponent. Metal clashed against metal as manly groans filled the battlefield. Sakura sliced her way from enemy to enemy, her blade beautifully moved between human flesh with ease. She looked around her to see the Knights working hard to defend their homeland. 'Talk about undying loyalty.' She commented as she drove her sword straight through another bandit's throat.
Sakura joined a few other Knights' until she saw a bandit running towards her father. 'Kakashi!' Without thinking she tossed her sword across the area.
Kakashi sent his beloved sword through another bandit. 'Another one down.' He thought in success as his body fell backwards to the ground. A sigh escaped his lips as he backed away from the fallen body. He heard foot steps behind him. 'Crap!' He turned around in alarm.
Itachi threw his enemy down on the ground and mercilessly rammed one of his swords into the enemies head. His sword penetrated his right eye and before the bandit could register what happened his heart stopped by another thrust of a sword. 'Good reddens.' He turned his back on the deceased man to see a bandit heading to Kakashi's turned back.
"Kakashi!" Every Knight heard their heads as their commanding officers' name was screamed across the field by the Prince.
When Kakashi turned around to defend himself the bandit fell forward. "Ahh!" He shouted in pain as he grabbed his leg hoping to squeeze out the pain.
Kakashi looked down at the last remaining bandit to see a medium sized sword sticking out of his calf. 'Where did that come from?' He looked to his men and Itachi to see their swords still in their hands.
Sakura watched as his alert grey eyes traveled to her. 'See? I told you I'd keep you safe Kakashi.' She smiled at him when his eyes stared at her in wonder.
"You said we were a team, whether we liked each other or not." Sakura said to the stunned Kakashi as she mindlessly ripped her sword out of the bandit's calf.
"Ouchh!!" He hollered in pain.
Itachi walked to the bandit and picked him up by the collar. "Shut your mouth." He demanded. "I'm taking him to the dungeon."
Kakashi watched as Itachi walked away with their last surviving attacker. He turned his attention to his loyal men and nodded in their direction.
"Any casualties?"
His right hand Knight nodded his head. "A few of us have good cuts, but nothing time and Shizune's medicine can't fix."
Kakashi smiled at the spirit in his men. "Good, you all better go and get patched up. When you're done go down to the dungeon room. We will be interrogating the man."
The loyal knights nodded their heads and carried each other to Shizune's office. Kakashi turned to Sakura and nodded his head.
"How did you know it was going to make it?" Kakashi asked in a lazy manner.
Sakura shrugged her shoulders and sheathed her sword. "To be honest with you, I didn't." She said, keeping her deep tone. "I figured it's better to try than to let him nail you in the back with his sword."
Kakashi nodded his head. "I see…thanks for helping me out." He turned his body towards the castle. "Can you go retrieve Iruka for me? I'm going to assume that you know where he is."
Sakura nodded her head and sprinted off towards Iruka's home. 'Why does Kakashi want Iruka?
Iruka was outside watering his window plants when he saw a pink head in the distance. 'What a pleasant surprise! Sakura has come early to visit…'
His smile was whipped clean from his face when he saw Sakura soaked to the bone in blood.
"Sakura! What happened?!"
Sakura removed her hood and waved her hands out in front of her. "Don't worry Iruka! I'm fine! I just finished exterminating the bandit's with Kakashi."
Iruka sighed deeply as he tossed his watering bucket aside. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Kakashi wanted me to come get you." She stated bluntly, eyeing her father-like figure suspiciously. "Why?"
Iruka blushed at the attention and lead the way to the castle. Sakura followed the man a she put her hood back on her head. "Why does he want you Iruka?"
"You never did figure out how I was tied in with Tsunade did you Sakura?" He said with a smile on his face.
Sakura shook her head. "No…but how does that have to…"
Iruka pulled the castle doors open and lead himself towards the dungeon. "I am an interrogator Sakura. Tsunade has me rattle any suspicious information. Kakashi has me make any of his captives tell Fugaku about our opponents."
Sakura made an "o" face as they descended down the cold stone stairs. 'That's where the scar across his nose came from.'
Iruka would have ruffled Sakura's hair but opted for patting her shoulder. "Looks like you'll see me in action today." He said as he opened the door and entered the familiar room.
Sakura looked around to small room. Kakashi, Itachi, Mikoto, Sasuke, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were present waiting for Iruka. The room was very basic with cobble stone walls, a ratty couch, and iron bars with glass in front of it. Fugaku walked towards Iruka and shook his hand.
"I'm glad you accepted my invitation."
Iruka squeezed the King's hand and bowed. "It was my pleasure Fugaku."
"We have a surviving bandit from the fight." Itachi informed him.
"Mind working you magic on him?" Kakashi asked with a friendly nudge in the shoulder.
Sakura moved away from the two men and backed herself into a corner, where Tsunade and Jiraiya were located.
"Why didn't you tell me Iruka was an interrogator?" Sakura whispered.
Tsunade smirked at her question. "Would that have ever crossed your mind?"
Sakura shook her head. "No…not really. I just thought he was a family friend."
Jiraiya laughed. "Oh no, this man is the scariest person to be questioned by."
Sakura tilted her hooded head to the side. "How so?"
Tsunade placed her hand on the back of Sakura's head. "Just watch and learn."
Mikoto and Sasuke sat on the couch as everyone else stood in silence as the bandit was brought into the room. Sasuke watched as Sakura leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed and body slouched.
"Who's that?" He asked his mother in a whisper.
Mikoto looked towards the bloody covered Sakura. "That's the spy we've told you about."
Sasuke glared at the man. "He doesn't seem that impressive."
Itachi turned to his brother. "Don't underestimate him Sasuke."
Sasuke raised an eye brow in the air. "But he looks scrawnier than a weed."
Sakura overhead Sasuke's comment and smirked. 'Oh I think I need to scare him a little.' She walked away from Tsunade and Jiraiya and came up behind him.
"I maybe scrawny but I know where you sleep, when you sleep, what time you go to lunch, what your favorite hobby is…I know everything." Sakura said out loud.
Sasuke turned around and held the famous Uchiha stare, even though deep down he was shaking in his boots. "Hn." He answered.
Itachi smirked at his little brother's stupidity. 'You deserve to be scared Sasuke.' Itachi felt satisfied that his brother was put in his place by the sketchy spy.
The room grew quiet as Iruka entered through another door on the other side of the room.
"Who the fuck are you?" The bandit said as he eyed the pacing Iruka.
Sakura watched the scene closely. Iruka paced around the room in an urgent manner. 'He's trying to make the bandit think that he's nervous…to drop his guard. That's impressive.'
"Me?" Iruka said as he dropped his scrolls on the floor. "I-I am interrogator."
The bandit laughed. "You? You're just a blubbering fool who can't walk straight."
Iruka picked up his scrolls and placed them on the rock solid table. "N-No I am not!"
The bandit got out of his seat and came face-to-face with Iruka's shaking form. "Yes you are. Look at you; you can't even stand being in the same room as me. This is the best the Uchiha Clan has? No wonder Orochimaru wanted us to trash this place."
Sakura smirked at the stupid bandit. 'So much for loyal servants. Way to go Iruka, you got him to answer a question and you didn't even start yet. He's good.' Sakura thought with pride.
Kakashi lazily leaned against the stone wall as he watched his friend at work. 'It's been a while since I've seen you in action Iruka.'
Iruka continued shaking as he opened and closed his mouth. "W-Who is O-Orochimaru?"
The bandit pressed himself closer to Iruka, now cornering him against the wall. "What's wrong little boy? Scared?" He chucked as Iruka shook violently. "Orochimaru is the snake bastard dumb ass." He finished.
"T-Then why a-are you h-here doing h-his dirty w-w-work? H-Having all y-your men k-killed just f-for him?" Iruka stammered out.
The bandit glared at Iruka. "Shut up. I'm not telling you anything. You know nothing."
Sakura flinched when she saw Iruka being pushed against the wall. 'Come on Iruka show him your bad side.'
Iruka smirked at the bandit and placed his hands on his broad shoulders. "I know a lot of things but let's start with answering the questions I ask." He said without hesitation as he tripped the bandit backwards.
His body came crashing down on the stone floor; Iruka grabbed his arm, and slammed him against the table. "Now spill. I tried being nice." He growled in the pinned man's ear.
The bandit shook with fear. "Hey man I was just horsing around you know?"
'Jeez this man is seriously fucked up.'
Iruka pressed him harder onto the table. "Now!" He shouted. "I have no patience for you. Why did Orochimaru come to you for assistance?"
The bandit stayed quiet. "Sorry man I can't tell you that. The snake would kill me."
Sakura shook her head as the Iruka grabbed the back of the bandit's collar and slammed him; face first, into the stoned wall. 'I'd answer his question.'
His nose was broken, a deep gash was above his eye brow, and his broken arm was being twisted by Iruka. "If you don't spill your guts to me now I will have one of my friends come in here and kill you." Iruka said as he stared right at Sakura.
Everyone in the room watched the bandit's eyes grow wide and his body shook in fear as he stared at Sakura. "N-No! Not h-h-him! O-ok! I'll t-t-tell you e-everything!"
Sakura felt pride that the scum was more scared of her than Orochimaru. 'Serves him right. I'd be very glad to kill him.'
Iruka smiled sweetly and released his bone crushing hold. "Ok, then tell me please." Iruka said as he reverted back to his normal attitude.
"Ok! The bastard came to my camp and said he'd pay my clan a large ass amount of money if we killed a few power heads in the Uchiha castle. At first I refused but hey I got mouths to feed and when some rich ass comes and plops a sum larger than what I can steal in a year I gladly took the job. He told us how to get in and left." His petrified eyes returned to Sakura's form. "He never said that the Uchiha's would have some fucking slaughterer on their side! That crazy jack-ass decapitated my six reconnaissance members with no mercy! I saw their bodies littered around the area! I didn't sign up for this shit! Orochimaru can kill you guys some other way."
Iruka nodded his head at the confession. "Thank you for the cooperation. I'll have my friends release you. If Orochimaru ever contacts you again feel free to tell him you got massacred by the army." And without another exchange of words Iruka closed the door behind him and returned back to the room on the other side of the glass.
Kakashi approached Iruka with a friendly nod. "Nicely done Iruka, you haven't lost your touch."
"Thank you Kakashi. I see you haven't either."
Fugaku shook hands with Iruka and lead his family back to the upper floor. Kakashi politely dismissed himself leaving the three spies and interrogator all alone.
"That was awesome Iruka!" Sakura shouted in enthusiasm.
Iruka smiled brightly. "I'm glad you enjoyed my show Sakura, I was afraid to show you what I did because then you would stop talking to me."
Tsunade shorted. "You think Sakura could ever stop talking to you?"
"That's impossible." Jiraiya said with a proud smile.
"That bandit was rather afraid of you Sakura." Iruka commented. "What did you do?"
Sakura giggled and scratched the back of her hood. "I didn't really do much Iruka I saw the first six members and killed them, then he was running towards an unsuspecting Kakashi and I lodged my sword into his lower calf."
"That's my girl!" Jiraiya shouted as he pulled Sakura into a hug, not minding the blood that rubbed off on him.
Tsunade smacked her head against her palm. "Sakura I need to be more careful next time if Orochimaru ever finds out about you we are in deep trouble."
Iruka nodded his head in agreement. Sakura sighed but smiled. "I know guys, I know." She looked back at the steps leading upstairs and heard footsteps coming towards her room. "I have to run! Nice job again Iruka!"
The three of them watched Sakura run up a secret trap door towards her room. Jiraiya turned to his friends and smirked. "Now I have a mission of my own to do." With an evil laugh he silently ran up the steps.
Iruka and Tsunade exchanged concerned look but shook their heads. It was Jiraiya, anything he was up to involved naked women or porn, either one they wanted to stay as far away from as possible.
Sakura hastily stripped her cloak from her body and shoved it into her straw bed. She heard a knock at her door and when she turned around she saw Sasuke standing at her door.
"What's wrong Sasuke?" Sakura asked as she banished her hasty breathing and forced herself to breath regularly.
"Can I ask you something?"
Sakura walked out of her room and followed the young prince down random hallways. "Sure what's wrong?"
Sasuke flashed the famous Uchiha smirk her way and stopped walking. "I met this spy today…and he reminded me of something."
Sakura didn't like the direction this conversation was going but she kept her suspicions at bay. "What did it remind you of?"
"You never did tell me if you could train me or not."
Sakura didn't say anything at first. She thought he was going to ask her about the spy, about what she said, about the battle, or worse…about her mother. 'But no, Sasuke is still as naïve as ever.'
"Hahahaha!" Sakura giggled out loud as she tried to hold her stomach from laughing so hard.
A few hallways away Itachi heard Sakura's laugh. 'What is she laughing at?' He followed her laughter as it echoed off the walls, filling his ears with a sweet angelic like sound.
When he turned the corner he saw his younger brother and Sakura. 'I can't get rid of him.' Itachi continued his walking towards the chatting people.
"What's so funny Sakura?! I'm asking you a serious question."
Sakura nodded her head and wiped a tear from her eyes. "Yes, I know…it's just I thought you were going to ask something more serious than that."
"That is a serious matter." Sasuke shook his head at Sakura's silly thoughts. 'How can that not be serious?!'
Before Sakura could answer, however, Itachi took this golden opportunity to steal Sakura away from his little brother.
"Sasuke what are you doing?"
Sakura and Sasuke turned to the eldest Prince as he made his presence known.
"I'm talking with Sakura, is that a problem?" Sasuke asked with a glare.
Itachi didn't unveil any emotion as he continued with his plan. "No." He turned his attention to Sakura and waved her on. "I need to talk to you."
Sakura tilted her head to the side and then looked at Sasuke. "Umm…we'll continue this conversation later ok Sasuke?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at his brother. 'What are you planning Itachi?'
"Sure." Sakura watched as the angered young prince stormed off into the opposite direction. She gave Itachi her full attention and crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want Itachi?"
Itachi reached for her wrist and walked out of the castle, with her in tow. Jiraiya, who was running through the castle, saw the two of them escape into the night.
'There you two are!' He followed them out of the castle and into the forest. 'I've been dieing to see deeper into this very curious matter at hand.' He stared at the Prince as he towed his Sakura away. 'If my suspicions are correct you better be doing what I think you're going to do Itachi. Sakura is a very complex yet simple person.' He picked up his pace as he jumped from tree to tree. 'Oh well looks like I'll have to find out for myself!'
TO
BE
CONTINUED
Author's Note: I can't believe how easily that came from my fingers to the keyboard! I broke my record from 29 pages to 33! My wrists are killing me haha. I'm sorry for the cliff hanger but I needed to have an insurance that you would all come back to read the next chapter!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please, please review! REMEMBER! IF YOU'RE AN ANONOMUS REVIEWER!! If you would like leave your email so I can thank you :)
I'll be back before you know it! Tootles! :)