Author: Hello! I hope you remember me. This week I had a terrible writer's…
Sayaka: Of course they remember you. They wouldn't be here if they didn't.
Sasuke: *SMIRK* See, she's smarter than you.
Author: Hmm….let's see…chapter 28….no….56…nope…aha….chapter 35 it is. Sasuke, get ready for your death in chapter 35.
Sasuke: Let's not be too hasty.
Author: Okay, I'll consider if you do the plea for reviews and forgiveness for not uploading in two weeks in the end.
Sasuke: (Sulkily) Fine.
Author: Commence!
(Itachi's Mission)
"Damn! This Otogakure has too many mountains." Masahiko said, forcing himself up a 4000 m mountain.
Hana and Itachi stayed silent and continued climbing. Despite the fact that outwardly, Itachi seemed cool with it, inside he was very tired as he, along with his excellent battle prowess, possessed very low stamina.
As they reached the summit of the mountain they all sat down to regain their lost breaths.
"Well, Hana-san, Itachi-san, Will you proceed or stay here for the night?"
"Hana, you choose." Itachi said, calmly.
Hana could see that Itachi was tired and decided to do him a favour as a kind of invisible apology for snapping at him earlier.
"No Masahiko, I think we have covered enough ground for today. I'm very tired." Hana said, shaking her head.
The three then proceeded to put up their tents when Itachi realized something.
"Wait." He said to his team-mates as he narrowed his eyes and activated the Sharingan.
Just as he thought, they were actually in a Genjutsu.
"Quickly release your genjutsu, both of you." Itachi said calmly
Both Masahiko and Hana did as they were told when suddenly a man with light brown hair, wearing black robes, appeared before them.
"So, you three intend to pacify the two countries with an impractical little treaty. How juvenile! Treaties are futile in the current times. The fire country indeed has a leader with primitive thinking." The man said in a stuck-up manner.
Itachi replied calmly.
"You focus more on your vocabulary and manner of speaking than the situation at hand. I assume you have been sent to kill us….why not try doing it?" Itachi said blankly.
"Shut up. Since you're so eager to die I'll kill you first." The man said.
He then performed a series hand signs and two clones appeared behind Itachi.
Itachi immediately turned behind and stabbed the two in the stomach, causing them to disappear into a poof of smoke.
Masahiko stepped forward to help when Itachi spoke.
"No, there's no point in wasting your energy. Leave it to me."
Masahiko hesitated for a moment and then nodded. He understood that what Itachi was saying made sense.
Itachi then burst into hundereds of ravens, much to the man's astonishment.
The man looked around vigorously for Itachi and then laid his eyes on Masahiko and Hana.
"Well, since your dear friend has run away, I'll just pick one of you two." He said, with a sleazy smile which nearly made Hana gag.
"Well, let's see…I believe…..ladies go first." He said as Hana glared at him.
"Shut your gob, bumface." She muttered to herself; however it was loud enough for the man and Masahiko to hear.
"HOW DARE YOU! SO IT SHALL BE YOU WHO I WILL GET RID OF FIRST, FOOLISH GIRL!" The enraged man declared.
He took out two kunai and ran towards her.
Hana got into a battle stance and charged. Despite being a medical ninja she was very pro-efficient with taijutsu. Her speciality was in her powerful kicks.
The man charged with high force however Hana kicked the two kunai out of his hands.
"You seriously don't want to fight my taijutsu. I pity you. I'll tell you what; I'll fight you with my ninken to be nice." Hana said, smirking and jumping backwards with a somersault.
A sharp whistle escaped her throat and three growling dogs stepped out of the trees. They looked savagely at the man who had tried to hurt their beloved mistress.
"Fang over Fang!" Hana cried out as she turned and her dogs turned into twisting tornados and crashed into the place where the man was standing. However the man slipped out in the nick of time.
"Too slow!" The man cried out, overconfidently.
However, the Hana before him suddenly disappeared and the real Hana was fast approaching behind him, kicking him so hard that he flew back and crashed against a tree.
"I think that'll be all. How'd I do, Itachi-san?" Hana said, knowing Itachi was watching the scene from somewhere.
"Quite well actually. Your power has increased slightly in the time we spent apart." Itachi said, stepping out of the trees.
"A bit! Sheesh, you forget I'm no combat-nin like you. I'm a medical ninja and these skills are actually quite advance for medical-nin." Hana scowled at him.
"Shall we put up the tent then?" Itachi asked Masahiko, ignoring Hana.
"Yes I think we should. It's getting dark." Masahiko said, looking at the setting sun.
They then set to work on putting up their own tents and before long two of them were asleep.
Hana lay awake, thinking about all that had happened to her the past week. How her mother had died and who she'd actually inherited the clan from.
"Where are you, Otou-san?"
(Suna)
Sayaka lay awake in the darkness, thinking about Takeshi and his resolve.
"Why doesn't he see that things are different now? That Gaara's good now. That he is the leader of one of the five great nations and regimental commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Why are people like him so blind? I admit even Sasuke was like that. I actually can't believe he went back to Konoha and more importantly, Konoha accepted him back. It was probably because of Naruto. Oh, what I wouldn't do for a real friend like Naruto!"
Sayaka sighed. It was no use. She still couldn't go to sleep. As much as she tried, her efforts for falling asleep were futile.
She got up and walked to the window. A cool desert breeze immediately greeted her. Overwhelming her to give a sigh of content. She missed her beloved pet. The one who lived for her, Ikimono. Oh if only that lioness could've lived in the desert she could've brought her. Despite never showing it to anyone, she cared about that lioness more than she cared about anyone else. She saw Ikimono as a person, not an animal. She loved Ikimono from the bottom of her heart.
Sayaka looked up at the seemingly blue moon. A strange peace filled her heart. She'd never felt anything like it. She couldn't explain the feeling in words, so she just kept on feeling it instead of thinking or trying to explain in words. Out of the innumerable times she'd seen sad scenes, this made up for everything. Sometimes, thinking back, she couldn't believe she survived in the Akatsuki for so long. She'd been told so many times how different from the other Akatsuki members she was. She valued other people's lives. She didn't like killing other people. She didn't like killing Jinchuriki. The mere fact that it was mere desperation that drove her to joining the Rogue organization said it all. She had let people go without killing them, eventhough they then knew it was her. She had had no reason to join the Akatsuki. She had taken everything for granted. Sayaka had accepted the myth that she was like the other members, that she didn't belong anywhere. That was not true. She belongs somewhere and it was up to her to find it. Everyone belonged somewhere. Even a plotting and shrewd villain like Madara. She did belong somewhere! And she will find it no matter what! She belongs to a home, a land, a village. She also belongs to someone's heart. Everyone in the Akatsuki were escapists. They were all too lazy to find where they belonged. All of them. Except maybe Konan. Konan joined the Akatsuki for love(god knows whether for Pain or Yahiko) which would mean for someone's heart.
"Gomensai, Naruto-san, I'm stealing your catchphrase but I have to…nothing less will do. I'm going to find out where I belong. DATTEBAYO!" Sayaka smiled at the thought. Somewhat of the childish innocence which had been lost nine years ago had been redeemed. Today. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed. Nothing could ruin this moment. Nothing. Except maybe if Madara barged on her surreal thoughts. Maybe then. But nothing else. It was as if the world had stopped revolving, as if she was the last person standing. She never thought anything could be so beautiful, never. But why was it so beautiful? What made this one scene so special? The answer? A day Sayaka would always remember. It was Kameyo's Birthday.
Tears formed in her eyes. She didn't stop them or even try to stop them. This is the one day she allowed herself to cry properly. Kameyo was her life, her death, her everything. The only person who cared for her properly. Her mother, grandmother, sister, friend, aunty…..everything…..Kameyo was everything. Sayaka buried her head in her knees and cried.
(Day 1 of Takeshi Matsumoto)
Sayaka scowled as she got dressed. She had to see Takeshi Matsumoto's sulking face again. Wasn't once enough?
She stepped outside only to find Gaara leaning against the wall, waiting for her.
"Are you stalking me?" Sayaka asked bluntly and gloomily as Gaara raised his eyebrows
"Someone's feeling a run-down, although that's no excuse to be rude to the Kazekage, even if he is the same age."
"Gomensai, I just feel so ratty!"
"Are you anxious on your first training session with Takeshi Matsumoto?"
"Pissed off suits my emotions more."
"Why? Afraid he might be stronger than you?" Gaara smirked as Sayaka glared at him.
"No way, I bet I could defeat him in ten seconds. And as to your question earlier, what exactly does being Kazekage have to do with age. Kages should be treated with respect, no matter how old they are. "
"Well, you obviously aren't treating me with respect. And as for your reasoning, let's just say I could really use you on a Gokage Summit."
"Why?"
Gaara looked at Sayaka as if she had asked what water had to do with drowning.
"They all look down on me because I'm young."
"Well that's rubbish! First of all, who are they to look down on you? You're in the same rank as they are. Second of all, they're probably just jealous because you got made Kazekage way younger than they were." Sayaka said, nodding knowledgably.
Gaara looked at her queerly. Something about her made her unique. Nobody ever deciphered the strange behavior of the two other Kage(Ā and Onoki) in this way.
Sayaka smiled at him.
"It's not worth brooding over. Keep doing what you do well and you'll gain respect when the time comes. Make this war a success and you'll gain respect from not only the Gokage but the entire ninja world. Besides, what's there to worry? You have me on your side! Ja Ne! Regimental Commander." Sayaka saluted him and then proceeded to continue towards the training grounds in the hill."
"You are strange, Uchiha Sayaka…But nonetheless, under that frivolous exterior you keep on…..lies a heart of gold."
A/N: Sasuke, you have the honour.
Sasuke:*GRUMBLE* Make sure you vote for the story, otherwise author-sama's going to get mad and rampage the second largest city in India.
A/N: Don't be untruthful. *LAUGHS ANXIOUSLY*