Hi!

Okay, so this'll be one of the last chapters. It all depends on what I write in the next chapter, but I will definately have at least two more chapters. They should, hopefully, come pretty quickly, but I have started college now, so I don't mean tomorrow. I will try to have the next update within the week :) Enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review, because that's what keeps me going!

Shadow Quil

Chapter Twenty Eight

This whole series of events is colliding together. Sakura and Hinata in the cell, Naruto and Jiraiya sneaking into the village, the Akatsuki planning the downfall of their enemies. However, even through all of this nail-biting suspense, there is one question running through the minds of most.

Where's Sasuke?

Well, in answer to that question we will have to travel far from Amegakure, through the Land of Fire, back to Konohagakure no Sato. But really, who wants to travel that far? So, instead, I'll just say that he's training and reverted back to his emo-self (not that he ever wasn't emo). And, now that you know that, we'll catch up with what Naruto and Jiraiya are doing.

It had taken all night, but Jiraiya had locked on to Hinata's familiar chakra signature and found where the girls were being held. He and Naruto were very close, though the guards were more attentive as they got closer to the large tower that, as the hermit had explained, was the Kage Tower of Amegakure. The blonde boy had no idea what Hinata and Sakura were doing there after being caught by criminals, but didn't think on it too much.

—Hinata and Sakura—

The girls waited with baited breath as the footsteps drew nearer. Closer and closers, heavier with each step. It stopped suddenly and an unwelcomed chill pierced Sakura's spine. Her ears twitched when she picked up a low, throaty growl and she pulled into to the back of the cell, shielding her from whatever was going to enter through that door.

It creaked open.

—Naruto and Jiraiya—

"Oh no." Jiraiya whispered.

"What? What is it, old man?" Naruto asked back in hushed tones. The old man looked worried as he gazed up at the tower.

"Hinata-chan's chakra just became more jumpy. She's scared of something." He explained, his eyes leaping from place to place. "Okay, Naruto. I'm going to distract all these guards. You go inside and find the girls. When it's safe, I'll find you. Just get them as far as you can."

"Right."

—Hinata and Sakura—

"Well, well, well." Pein scoffed as he paced inside, his strides long and proud as he looked down on the ex-Akatsuki girl. "The day has finally come where I can dispose of you, Haruno." He sneered.

"What do you want?" Sakura hissed, hiding Hinata behind her. "I'm not in your way anymore! Just let me go back to Konoha with Hinata."

"Ah, but then you might reveal Akatsuki secrets." He stated, his eyes narrowing into a deadly glare. "We can't have that."

"I won't breathe a word."

"I should think not." He smirked. "After today, you won't breathe at all." The man added, stepping aside and allowing Zetsu into the cell. Pein moved forwards and took Hinata's arm.

"No! Leave her alone!" Sakura yelled at him, beating his arm and trying to pull Hinata back. She was pushed away and Pein left the room with the Hyuuga heiress, locking the door behind him. Sakura was thrown into darkness and she knew, with absolute certainty, that Zetsu was hungry.

—Hinata—

I'm scared. Too scared to talk or ask where we're going. From the amount of steps we've taken already, I could guess that the cell Sakura and I were in was somewhere near the bottom of this tower. He's taking me near the top. I was too scared to struggle against his hold—this man seemed to ooze power from his skin and it sent chills through my bones.

"You are Haruno's friend." He stated, no question implied. "That is the only reason you are still alive. She will die today, you can be sure of that. If you are lucky, I may allow you to live."

'The way he said that...He thinks of himself as some sort of God.' I realised with a gasp, seeing his emotionless face remain stoic as he spoke of death so easily.

"You are a test. I know that Haruno is powerful, but I've always wondered just what she would do to get to her friends." He continued. "That man I locked in the cell with her is hungry. He is a cannibal, Hyuuga-san. He will, if given the chance, eat her."

"No!" I yelled, finding the strength to start pulling away from him. As always, I was too weak. In his hand, he had more strength that I had in all my body, and it was sickening to think that I never stood a chance. I should have let Naruto come on his own—I'm holding him back.

A scream sounded throughout the tower and my eyes widened.

"Ah, the feast has begun." He smirked, as if the scream was fine music. My face hardened and a power I didn't know I head coursed through my veins.

"Let go of me!"

—Sakura—

It's gone. No. No. No. No. No. No. My...My hand. I can't feel my hand. It's...It's just...gone. I looked down at the stub of my wrist, then to his blood-covered face. It was in his mouth, being ground between sharp teeth. He, that bastard, had eaten my right hand. My dominant hand. I watch in shock as he swallows it, my fingers going down his throat.

I want to vomit. The pain is intense, but nothing like the curse mark. No—just seeing him eat my own hand, feeling the blood drip from my wrist to the floor slowly, softly. I feel sick. That bastard took my hand. I...I want...

"I want it back!" I roared, diving towards him and making a move to punch my hand through his neck to reach inside and recover my limb. He's too strong for little Sakura, yes he is. But...I need to recover what's mine.

"You're just as tasty as I imagined." Zetsu grinned. I have no idea what I'm going to do now. My right hand is gone; my left hand is caught in his. He moves his mouth towards my shoulder, teeth digging into the skin before I head butt him harshly. The teeth tear through my flesh, but it could be ignored for now.

"Kisame warned me." I muttered to myself, falling into a useless fighting stance without thinking. I can't fight without my right hand. All of my fighting styles are based around punches, hand seals or weapons, all of which I need my right hand for, or else they're weak or I can't do them.

"Stupid girl. I'm going to enjoy eating you." His voice seemed different, like two people fighting. I remember him chewing my hand. He had chewed and swallowed it on the right side of his body. A thought came to me.

"So, your right side got my hand and the left only scrapped his teeth on my shoulder. That seems fair." I tried, hoping it would work. When he laughed, both side of him, that is, I knew that I had failed.

"Don't try to pit us against each other, little girl. We're two minds, but we're the same person. Equal feed." They both chuckled, striding towards me and I panicked, looking to either side. He suddenly fell limp and I gasped, looking up to see red hair.

"Sa-Sasori?" I stuttered, recognising the puppet master.

"You were supposed to fight me next, and I didn't want to be waiting around to battle, just so that he could eat you." Sasori sighed, taking my wrist and bringing me out of the dungeon. "Now..." His strings attached to my lift side and I was thrown out of the window, into the street.

People stopped to watch the battle as Sasori jumped out, landing on his feet, whereas I had fall on my stomach. I pulled myself up shakily and coughed a little, struggling to gain my balance with the long, throbbing pain my right wrist was suffering. It was going to be hard to adjust to living with one hand...if I even live that long.

"You let her go!" My head snapped towards the voice and my eyes flew open as wide as they could.

"Naruto-kun!"

—Pein—

This Hyuuga brat believed she could overpower me. Me! A God against some puny little Genin. Yeah, right. She had broken free of my grip and charged at me, but I had knocked her out with a mere flick of my wrist. Leaving her on the stairs, I decided to go and release Zetsu from the prison. He would, no doubt, be done with his meal and waiting for me to let him out.

It is so strange, how I feel a sense of relief now that she is gone. I suppose it's all to do with her mother. Ah, yes. How could anyone forget the beautiful, foolish granddaughter of Haruno Amarante? Haruno Sakuranbo, for whom her daughter was named. Orochimaru had mention to him, several times upon joining the Akatsuki, the power of the Haruno woman and Pein I had to see it for myself.

Of course, Amarante was before my time, but I met her granddaughter and her son when I set out to Yukigakure. She was a sight to see, with long pink hair and sharp blue eyes, attempting to kill me upon sight before someone stopped her and took me to her father, the clan leader. I didn't fall in love with her, like the foolish Orochimaru had done years previously with her grandmother, but rather I found myself helplessly in love with her Kekkei Genkai.

Kanjoo Jiyuu. A name I hadn't heard for years after word of her death, during childbirth, reached me. It saddened me a little to hear that such a powerful woman had died, but didn't affect my overall plan for peace. Imagine my shock when Orochimaru brought back Sakuranbo's daughter, the bane of my existence, and told me that she too possessed the rare bloodline trait?

It excited me to learn that I could control her through the curse seal he had used on her. She was like a toy, easily manipulated and even easier to keep away from the members, due to her seemingly anti-social exterior. However, I was forced to learn that she was more of a social butterfly than that oaf, Deidara.

Without even meaning to, she had swooped in and forced half of the Akatsuki, my warriors of peace, over to her side. I would have killed her sooner, if it weren't for my own master forbidding me from doing so. However, since the Kyuubi had come to us, following her to Amegakure, he allowed me to do as I wish with her.

She is just a child, after all, and Madara has no time for children. She wasn't even that powerful, when compared to Itachi, Kisame and even Deidara himself, who claims to love her. Really, when it came down to it, I would bet my own life as Nagato that they would abandon her to die if it was her or them. Criminals weren't meant for charity—thus the reason they so willingly agreed to kill her if she, by some miracle, escaped Zetsu. I merely had to threaten their place in Akatsuki, which was a cushy life for an S-Class criminal.

They all agreed, in the end. An A-Class ninja like her didn't even belong in the same tower as Gods and Angels.

—Kisame—

She's really gone and done it now. Someone, Sakura has managed to push Pein over the edge. He's ordered us to kill her! I believe that I'm the only one who refused. Even Deidara, who claims to be her soul mate, is willing to fight her as long as he gets to keep his ring. I hate scum like him, who would so willingly turn his back on someone he once fought with.

"You're not afraid of me?"

"No. Why would I be?"

"This face. It has a certain affect on people."

"So? It's ugly, not scary."

I could help but chuckle at the remembrance of our first meeting. She was so young, then, and didn't even bother with well veiled lies, preferring to tell the blatant truth. No one had ever flat-out told me that I'm ugly before—they were all too afraid of me or couldn't care less. But her...she didn't even blink when she told me what she thought.

"Have you just come out of the training room?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"It stinks. So, it was either you or Tobi with a tuna sandwich."

Sakura was such a brat. She still is, mind you. Just...in a different way. After growing up a bit, her sarcasm hit an all-time high, even managing to drive Itachi insane sometimes. Or, as she would say, more insane that he already was. I can't even recall ever meeting someone like her, in all my year of living. Sure, I'd come across a few Harunos during my travels, but none of them were as snarky and snappy as she was.

So, here I am, in my small room in the tower, packing up all the clothing and weapons that I'd need. After refusing to fight her, Leader told me that I would either do as he said, or be gone by Wednesday morning. No worries, though. I plan to be out of here sooner than that, and with a little pink-haired girl by my side as we make the trek to Konoha.

I have to wonder if they'd take me in, even for a little while. I know that I won't stay long—I love travelling too much. With a bag over my shoulder and a half-formed plan in my head, I leave my room in search of the only person I could ever call my friend.

—Itachi—

I do not know what the insolent girl has done to anger the Leader, but I will be sure to kill her swiftly if Zetsu and Sasori fail. She is a danger to me. Whenever she is around, my judgement lacks and I become foolish. It is obvious that I have some form of affection for her, so I must dispose of her before it grows to something a strong as Kisame's loyalty to the girl. I must admit, it will be bothersome to adjust to a new partner, but the fool deserves to be cast out for refusing such a basic order.

It's not like he's been ordered to kill his kin, or an old friend. Just a traitor who never learned her place. I would never even think of what Kisame is planning to do. The man is actually planning some form of escape. I am no idiot—I saw the idea spark in his mind before he even had time to realise just what he was planning subconsciously.

No. I will not allow my partner to make this kind of mistake. I will find the girl now, before he gets the chance, and slay her before he can go through with his plan. He obviously doesn't know that the Akatsuki would be forced to hunt him down and have him killed if he goes through with it. He never was one to think of the consequences, after all.

Now, all I have to do is find her.

—Hidan—

I have a new sacrifice. Ever since the day I saw her soft pink hair, her bright green eyes and her perfect skin I knew she was too good for this world. Really, I would be doing her a favour by sending her up to Jashin. Herratic or not, she was too perfect for him not to welcome her into his embrace. Then, when Jashin has decided that I have earned my place by his side, I will be with my God and Sakura as well.

Honestly, Deidara is the one who believes art is explosive. It begs the questions, really—if he believes that Sakura is such a work of art, why did he not blow her up years ago? He is a hypocrit and unworthy of a female like her. Only Jashin and, if he would permit, I, myself, should be allowed to gaze upon her. Then again, Jashin may reject her for her inner flaws.

Her lust for blood is only present when she uses her Kekkai Genkai, her mind cannot even begin to comprihend the awesome power of Jashin and she is far too sarcastic for his tastes. But, with a few years added to her face—as she is still just a child—and a change of attitude, she may just be right for his God, or at least up to a certain standard.

Oh well. Duty calls.

—Sakura—

I can't believe it. Naruto's here!

"I'm here to save you, Sakura-chan! Dattebayo!"