Author's Note: I swear to God/Kami… whatever is up there that I will have this fiction done in 5 chapters or less so help me! (Not including the BITCHING epilogue I have planned) Yay! People cheer me on, I'm really working hard here!

Thank you! This chapter is dedicated to...

SakuraUchiha44530 - As my BIGGEST FAN EVER I think you deserve some spotlight! Thank you for the ego boost!

SixMagnitudeGirl - As always, here is your requested update!

Anne - God, I always look for your reviews after I post a new chapter because your great at artful criticism when and where it is needed! Thank you!

Mary S. Jane - You are another looked for reviewer! You always give me the ego boost I need to continue writing the next chapter!

.. - You make me blush with your critiques, thank you!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Naruto: Shippuden


Chapter 28
Fighting Like Children

"I will not make the same mistake you did.
I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery...
I will not break the way you did.
You fell so hard...
Because of you, I learned to play of the safe side
So I don't get hurt.
Because of you I find it hard to trust not only me,
But everyone around me.
Because of you…
I. Am. Afraid.

I lose my way and it's not too long before you point it out.
I cannot cry, because I know it's weakness in your eyes.
I'm forced to fake a smile, a laugh, every day of my life.
My heart can't possibly break,
When it wasn't even whole to start with...
I've watched you die,
I heard you cry every night in your sleep.
I was so young,
You should have known better than to lean on me.
You never thought of anyone else,
You just saw your pain.
Andnow I cry in the middle of the night.
For. The. Same. Damn. Thing...
Because of you I tried my hardest just to forget everything.
Because of you I don't know how to let anyone else in.
Because of you I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty.
Because of you I'm afraid.
Because of you..."

~Kelly Clarkson - Because of You


Sakura Haruno Age: 19


~The Kunoichi's glazed over appearance only served to irritate the bristling Uchiha the more and more he looked at her. Her emerald corneas danced with unspoken pleasure, though Sasuke was sure if the girl had her wits about her she'd likely be moaning. It infuriated him seeing someone else touching her, kissing her, giving her affection that only he should've be allowed to give.

~Ganimaru purred underneath the surface, a veil of shimmering gold chakra forcing its way to the surface and brimming softly on the top of Sakura's skin. The girl practically glittered like she had a thick sheet of diamonds encasing her porcelain flesh and slowly, as the pinkette felt herself coming to her senses, the lustrous sparkle faded and the goddess' consciousness sunk beneath the waves of her container's mind.

~"Wha-what happened?" She breathed out, raising a hand to her pounding head. "It feels like I've been…" Her voice trailed off and a bright shade of scarlet crossed the bridge of her nose too quick for her to stifle and Sasuke caught the expression.

~" 'Like'?" He ground out through clenched teeth, sounding more like a hiss than anything else.

~"I've been… you know…" If her face could have flushed any darker it would have, likely leaving no blood in the rest of her body. "Why are you carting me around like an oversized ragdoll?"

~Sasuke stopped, peering down at his annoying charge and promptly dropped her, a scream rippling through the halls. It echoed through the emptiness of the temple. He watched her ass bounce off the stone ground before she slammed him hard with a lethal look, boring holes through his head as her temper rose to tempestuous levels.

~"What the hell was that for?"

~"Hn."

~The pregnant nin bolted to her feet, all dragon rage and harpy fury, "what the fuck, Sasuke? What's wrong with you?"

~"Hn." His disinterested expression only served to fuel Sakura's throbbing irritation, an almost visible heat coming off her in waves while she struggled to stifle down the only logical reaction to his insensitivity, punching him to a bloody pulp.

~She fisted her hands tightly, clenching and unclenching them until her fuming ire became manageable, "fine, you prick. Like you're worth it anyway." Her intent was to whirl on her high-heeled sandal, but in mid spin, something snatched up her black gloved hand and yanked her back, drawing her flush against a flak vest and muscle hardened chest.

~In a swift second, Sasuke claimed the pinkette's confused and pouting lips, spreading them apart savagely while he delved in his searching tongue. His assault was swift and without mercy, assuaging a deeper need within him that he had to squelch before it took root in his mind. He had to clean her of that other male's presence, to ensure that Sakura was indeed still his.

~Sakura fought at first, struggling almost violently to pull away, but Sasuke refused her release, pushing her further out of her comfort zone and further into the sector of pleasure that coursed through her nether regions and blossomed throughout her body in its entirety. She moaned against him, her knees weakening just slightly, yet it was enough to tell the Uchiha to wrap his arms around the Kunoichi and shove her against the nearest wall for support.

~Her hands were on his shoulders, his neck, his chest, and finally found a home in his hair, tangling her fingers in the onyx locks and yanking him inexplicably closer. She was losing herself, feeling a kind of runaway emotion passing through her she wasn't ready to deal with.

~"You love him," Ganimaru rumbled lowly without a shred of emotion, causing the Kunoichi to suddenly jerk.

~The notion was inconceivable, practically unheard of. She had squashed her feelings a long time ago under the guise of self-preservation, even though it was really to shield her aching insidse from any more pain. This man was the reason she had hurt for so long, he had stripped her of everything she held dear simply because he could and left her nothing but this horrible feeling of constant emptiness.

~Sasuke felt Sakura flinch, sensed the sudden flooding of apprehension turn her body frigid and he pulled away to look down at her. Her bangs came across her vision, blocking him from seeing her expression, but something inside told him she was having an inner conflict with herself.

~"Why?" She whispered nearly inaudibly.

~" 'Why' what?"

~"Why are you doing this?" She looked back up, eyes glistening and emotions raging. Her hands had managed to untangle themselves from his soft locks and floated to cup his shoulder blades tenderly.

~A slight smirk crossed his features, "because I want to."

~If that damn Uchiha hadn't been so handsome, so… beautiful, she might have punched him. Simply threw out her inhibitions and socked his right in his nose, hoping to break it, maybe than he wouldn't be so damn attractive.

~"Don't you feel anything when you do it?" She had asked it so innocently, even added on a tiny tinging of pink to her cheeks to stress her point.

~His smirk dripped away so quickly, it was as if it hadn't been there at all. She wanted him to say he liked her, felt something for her that wasn't just lust… she wanted to hear, I love you. He wasn't going to lie to himself and say he felt nothing; comradery, yes. Need for her presence, perhaps. Though lust would be high on that list and both of them knew it, he didn't know if love was up there as well.

~Jade green eyes searched ebony jet, probing deeply for his feelings, hoping to catch something that could give her hope. Even if the emotion was small, like a tiny flickering glimmer, it was a start. A glimmer she could hold onto and nurture until it grew, but all Sakura could see was uncertainty and slight irritation. He didn't love her, not like she was beginning to towards him again. It was starting to turn out just like before, and it would turn out exactly as it had before, only this time she had other lives at stake. That realization felt like a cold slap to the face and she yanked herself out of his grip. She couldn't stand staying in his burning touch if it meant she would be hurt again like she always was, turned inside out by her ardent need for love and affection from someone who was unable to give it. He could take from her, that much she knew for certain. This Uchiha was absolutely capable of taking from her everything she had in her heart without so much as a promise for tomorrow, it was why she had told him to marry her. Somewhere in her deluded brain, she assumed it would be a pledge to love and cherish her, but the more she debated on that subject, the more she realized how stupid it sounded. Fake words spoken even with the best intentions, were still lies no matter how much you dressed them up to look like beautiful truths.

~Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously on her, strongly disagreeing with her sudden detachment from him. He watched her shoulders sag and listened to the loud sigh that rushed through her well-ravaged lips. At first there was nothing to say, he knew what she wanted but realized his pride would neither allow him to say it, nor his heart force him to utter words he didn't mean. He was cold hearted at times, mean and otherwise selfishly only looking out for his own interests before others, though in this case... when it came to Sakura… he couldn't go against his conscious, his inner demons might come out.

~She sniffled and smiled through the veil of tears, an obviously fake smile while her iridescent eyes floated in sadness. They begged him to say something, anything to calm her down and bring her off this wretched misery low that threatened to choke her into oblivion, but the sound of footsteps behind them drew both ninjas from their reverie.

~"I found you, Sakura!" Naruto gushed and latched onto her arm, not even noticing the heaviness that surrounded the pinkette and her ebony, male counterpart. He smiled unnervingly at Sasuke and thumbed his nose, "you don't mind if I take her for a minute?" Surprisingly it wasn't really a question as much as it had sounded like one and seconds later Sakura was dragged away before she could burst into tears. She thanked Kami for small miracles and stupid friends.

"She will leave you if you can't promise her what she desires," the irritating voice of the dark chocolate-eyed brother wafted to the younger's ears and the man almost flinched, though managed to contain the telling movement.

~"I won't lie to her."

~"After everything you've done to her and you can't lie to someone for their happiness? Brother, I knew you were selfish, but your egotistical nature knows no bounds." Itachi formed from the darkness, his arms crossed over his chest menacingly. He had no intention of starting a fight here on this sacred ground, but he wasn't about to let his brother screw up his only chance at being normal.

~"And how would you know my nature?" Sasuke hissed, eyes swirling into red at the tomoes throbbed in anger.

~"You are just like you were when we were younger, selfish, cruel, and immature."

~Sasuke turned slowly, the anger and hatred permeating off his pale skin. His eyes locked with the older Uchiha's and held there, steady and unwavering, bloody red against mahogany black. There was a predatorial glare that passed between the brothers and something insanely dark and evil slithered behind Sasuke's eyes, causing a Itachi's left eyebrow to raise slightly.

~"At this rate, you'll consume her and leave nothing but a shell," with that said, Itachi stalked passed his brother, leaving the silent younger male glaring ahead without a shred of human emotion crossing his façade.

~"So what were you and Teme talking about?" Naruto took a gaping bite of ramen, choking on a dislodged piece of beef in the process. He pounded his chest for a second before finally coughing his problem free and raising his gaze to his unruly and hushed partner in crime.

~Her eyes had an unusually shiny glimmer about them that the blonde could only describe as irritatingly sad, it made him wonder what that stupid chicken brained asshole had done to the girl he'd loved for more than six years.

~Sakura said nothing, keeping her irises focused firmly on the wooden, bare table, glaring down at the toxic looking sludge she assumed was ramen. Her churning emotions had done enough to her appetite, although the sudden jerking movements of the twins weren't helping either.

~"Sa-ku-ra!" Naruto sing-songed and pushed his empty bowl aside to give the pinkette his full, undivided attention, or as undivided as was possible with Naruto Uzumaki. "You've been quiet and pissy since we left," he debated for a swift second, "actually for awhile now. In fact I'd say it's been years since you actually showed some real happiness."

~"Naruto," the Kunoichi began, her swirling, angry aura struck him full in the face, "I would get to the point before I smash my knuckles into your nose."

~The nine-tail shivered at the thought, but brushed it aside with a quick shake of his head, "I mean, you've been depressed and sad since that stupid fucker left, and yea, the past few months have been really bad… and I guess the circumstances now aren't really the greatest-"

~"I swear to Kami, Naruto, finish your point or I will make you see stars."

~"Sakura, why aren't you ever happy?" Even though she should have expected this kind of a question, it still seemed to catch her off guard. Her raised fist slowly lowered and came to rest in her lap as her eyes fell .

~"I-I…" She wasn't sure how to answer, there was always this lingering sadness that felt like some over heavy weight that blanketed her and drug her to the bottom of a pond. For a long time she had spent her time looking up from the water's sludgy floor, staring up at the shimmering, smiling faces of her friends and family, everyone feeling so full of life and energy while she withered and drowned, unable to even tread water.

~"Is it all because of him?"

~Sakura raised her gaze and was met full force with a searching pair of aqua blue eyes, they stared her down and struggled to find some sort of reasoning in her insanity, "if it is him, why don't you just forget about him?"

~"Could you?"

~"That's different, Sakura. I want him around because he's my best friend. You want him because you… love him. But he doesn't love you and I don't think he ever will."

~The pinkette's expression morphed quickly and she looked as if she'd been slapped. It wasn't some kind of sudden, unexplainable realization, she knew Sasuke would most likely never love her, but to hear it so forwardly put from someone who was supposed to have her best interests at heart. She stuttered in her thoughts over the last half of her ramblings, Naruto… though a jerk, blunt, thoughtless, untactful, over-bearing, and a complete idiot was absolutely, inexplicably, continuously, always looking out for her and stating the apparent obvious. He loved her, more than he should, and he wanted her to be happy. If it meant causing her a few tears, he would do it simply because he was her best friend.

~Unwanted wetness pooled at the corners of her eyes, and despite the surrounding ninjas from other countries as well as her own, Sakura let a few fat tears slid down her cheeks. She leaned forward, hiding her face in her friend's shoulder, ignoring Kakashi's saddened glance or Sai's concerned expression. Others had paused to look, those that knew her could only sigh, but they all quickly were thrust into attention as the sudden arrival of the Kages from every major country entered the large cafeteria room.

~Sakura looked up and over Naruto's shoulder, her hands splayed out over the blonde's chest while he held her gently, hoping to offer some sort of comfort.

~"Can I please have everyone's attention?" An old looking monk cleared his throat and whatever remaining chatter that had been going on was immediately squelched. "I have scrolls for a few choice Shinobis that will accompany their designated Kages into the Inner Sanctum. Please come take your orders as I call you…"

~Names were called and men and women of the ninja way went and grabbed their orders, bowing low in the deepest respect for the bald, nearly hunched over man who was obviously the leader of this temple. As the Kages exited wordlessly, following in tow behind the nameless monk, there was a flurry of action on all sides as everyone flew to the viewing area of the Inner Sanctum, the scroll holders remaining behind to glance over their appointed tasks.

~"I can't believe I didn't get one," Naruto growled out, "even the tactless retard got a scroll." He waved his arms angrily in Sai's direction.

~"I am told simply to accompany you, Naruto. I don't think this is really a mission."

~"You're going to babysit me?" The blonde seemed outraged.

~"Quiet," a nearby Shinobi from Mist ground out. He has a black eye patch covering his right rocket and took on all the heated appearance of a frightening bodyguard, stalking out of the room with his orders in hand with a very petite Kunoichi that couldn't have been older than eight. She dawdled passed the Leaf nin and Sakura glanced down in just enough time to see the girl's eyes, they were as pink as her hair… as pink as they eyes of someone else she knew.

~There was a mutual shuffling of feet as the others remaining behind went about their business, leaving with haste and Sakura at length rolled up her scroll. She was summoned to Tsunade's side, likely to relay some form of a story about the gods and goddesses, although she wondered if maybe Kodai wouldn't have been a better choice. The ancient man was around here somewhere, as was the others of their rag tag group of misfit ninjas.

~She looked up and saw Naruto, who remained behind with Sai, give her a sympathetic expression, "I'm fine, Naruto. Go. I'm going to Tsunade."

~He nodded and gently touched her arm lovingly, "I'm always here."

~"I know," she smiled gratefully, watching his orange suited back until it disappeared around the corner.


Sakura Haruno Age: 19


~"How do we know what you're saying is true?" Kage Onoki raged on, his bulbous nose for some reason had struck Sakura as odd, not that his dwarfed height wasn't all ready strange, she just hadn't pictured a leader that was so physically unattractive.

~"Men of power don't always look beautiful,"Ganimaru whispered, listening with burning intent to the back and forth bickering between the continent's most powerful men and women.

~Starting from the far left, Sakura could make out the Kages perfectly, as well as their respected bodyguards and mentally named off everyone she knew; Yagura had taken position underneath his respectable nation's flag, beside him sat Master Kodai, a frightening looking man named Ao, and the young, pink-eyed girl she hadn't figured out the name of yet, although she was sure she would go ask the Mizukage himself when the chance arose.

~Gaara had come just beside the Water Country's flag and sat stock still in bored attention, a flicker of annoyance playing on his tired features, but he was attentive and listening as Tsunade spoke about the evidence and the things she knew. Sakura was sure he hadn't gotten any kind of rest of late with all the preparations and constant worry as the Akatsuki had been prowling around Suna before his departure here. It was why he only had Temari and Kankuro as bodyguards, in fact it was only the three young Sand Nin, Baki, and Grandma Chiyo that appeared to have been in attendance from Suna today, a stark contrast to Konoha's overwhelming force added to Iwa's and Kiri's.

~Next came Lady Tsunade with the pinkette in tow as well as Kakashi and a very bored looking Toad Sage, who for all intensive purposes likely wasn't needed, but had insisted upon being present at this meeting back in Konoha. If she didn't know any better, the old pervert acted like some sort of a lover to the infamous fifth Hokage of Leaf… good thing she did know better or watching them be slightly lovey would have made her curious. She just wondered when Tsunade would finally agree to take their relationship more public.

~Onoki was the second to last from the right, his two bodyguards, Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi both stood at his back menacingly, the rotund male looking slightly less angry than his tall, lithe counterpart female. Both had the appearance of battle ready warriors and Sakura was sure each and every ninja sense within them was finely tuned for any disturbance inside the temple. They would protect their Kage without fail that much she knew if she knew nothing else about them, and that alone put her on edge. Aside from them, the Tsuchikage held an older appearance, bulbous nose, dwarfish stature, and a complete lack of tactful indifference one would expect from a Kage, though the man didn't seem as bad as the pinkette initially thought. He at least was listening and not spouting off angry words some of the more talkative bodyguards continued to verbally vomit.

~Coming up on the far right was a large burly man with dark skin and white hair. He seemed stern and immobile in his ways, resembling some kind of professional wrestler more than a Kage, but he held an air of superior force for lack of a better word, coming off with a protective stance on everything, almost brotherly and calming. Sakura felt herself respecting the older man even though she had never met or spoken to him before. He had no bodyguards near him.

~"Who do you think you are?" Ao screamed at Tsunade, startling most of the Kage's and half the room of on looking gawkers. The man sternly got to his feet and leaned on the table with a hardened expression that made Sakura think of nails on a chalkboard. It was painful to feel that gaze searching through her Hokage and she could only imagine how Tsunade felt.

~"Last time I checked, I was the Leaf Village's ruler. Sit down, Shinobi of Kiri," the blonde woman's calm comeback had Ao shaking, but he took his seat in silence when Yagura plastered on a furious façade and pointed it towards his very outspoken protector.

~"The Akatsuki are searching for pieces of the Ten-Tail under the reign of the ancient god Kazechi. We don't know exactly what he plans to do, but I know it won't be anything good," Tsunade declared in a voice that bespoke of wisdom and practiced composure.

~Master Kodai nodded solemnly, fixing his gaze hotly on Sakura. His warm, milky white eyes, though sightless seemed to stare into her soul, finding Ganimaru hiding within her sub consciousness, and he smiled gently. He seemed strangely frail today, more so than the last time the medic had seen the ancient and it worried her immensely. In fact, of late the old container for the goddess had been progressively deteriorating for awhile now and the medic made a mental note to speak to him about it when they were in recess.

~The goddess purred at the attention her lover expressed and Sakura blushed hotly, feeling as if she had just been privy to some kind of private hentai flirting between the two older beings, although the goddess said nothing and the angry Kage discussions continued uninterrupted. Hours drawled on by, each ruler giving some kind of helpful… sometimes unhelpful, insight into the knowledge of things they knew of the situation at hand, and surprisingly enough everyone was apprised to the arising problems, cutting down on mindless chatter of having to go over everything from the beginning.

~Sakura felt a strong wave of nausea overcome her senses and she raised her hand from her lap onto her belly, calming the gymnastics of her twin sons, praying they would calm down to allow their mother some peace, but the devilish unborns had their own ideas.

~She looked pleadingly to Kakashi, resisting the urge to jump up and run from the Inner Sanctum towards the nearest bathroom. The man nodded and took a step forward, leaning down to whisper into Tsunade's ear as she listened to the Raikage's intell.

~"I think we should break for awhile until bloods cool somewhat," Tsunade suddenly said and many in the crowd as well as the Kages let out a sigh of relief as well as agreement.

~"We haven't come to a conclusion!" Kurotsuchi yelled out, it seemed over the past hour the short, black haired Kunoichi, dawned in an off pink colored kimono, had become more and more agitated as time had gone on, constantly whispering heated things into her Kage's ear, which the older, mustached man nodded to and sent out frightful glares at everyone. He didn't seem to believe any of this anymore than Ae* did, he just was more brazen about how he lethally disagreed.

~"I don't think in the next hour of recess that anything is going to happen. When we reconvene, the problems and discussions will continue as if nothing interrupted them," Jiraiya wisely spoke up, his arms crossed over his chest. He should have known better than to assume things.

~Onoki hopped down from his chair without a word, the white topknot of hair near the nap of his neck and his shiny bald head were the only things Sakura could see from her vantage point across the table, although she could hear his quieted complaining about how bad his back hurt. It seemed to quell his bodyguard's viperous tongue and most everyone scattered while they had the chance.

~In a flash, Sakura bolted from the room, throwing open the doors even before Onoki, who was first to the exit, could even think to touch the huge, barricaded way out. Her pink locks bounced on her shoulders as she flew towards the nearest bathroom, she didn't even apologize to the black cloaked figure she bumped into right outside her goal destination.

~Everything seemed to happen in slow motion from that second on. Sakura twisted her body to avoid most of the blow, but it didn't stop the wrenching pain she was suddenly in as her shoulder was yanked from its socket when the shrouded figure flung out an arm and twisted her joint from its confining hinges.

~A scream erupted from the woman's throat, pained and blood curdling as she dropped to the floor like a stone, the echoing of her wail rocked the temple clear down to its foundation. She rolled around spineless for a few moments of excruciating agony, barely looking up in enough time to see the face of her hiding attacker, the Akatsuki member from before when Itachi, herself, and Utakata were struggling to escape… Kakuzu.

~"Get away from me!" She bellowed and fought to find her footing, using her still working arm to push her up, but her effort came in vain when the marionette stringed man threw off his cover and snatched up the pinkette by her hair.

~"Shut up. You cost me a pretty penny when you ran away. It took days in a hospital to heal from the damage your little friend did to me," he yanked her close and licked her neck, shivering when he tasted salty fear. He loved this taste.

~"I will kill you," she hissed out, Ganimaru's power suddenly kicking up hot and angry, "if you don't let me go." Her out of socket shoulder popped audibly and let both parties know the goddess' healing powers had allowed her arm to roll back into place, she was now in fighting form.

~"Pretty threats, but I've got something to keep you calm," the Akatsuki member pulled a black beaded necklace from his pocket and watched in smiling satisfaction as the object registered in the goddess' mind. She froze for only a second, feeling a frigid shot of icy fear thunder its way down her spine. If the water witch allowed that unholy thing to come anywhere near her body, she would become trapped in its chakra holding charm, forcing her to rely only on Sakura's strength.

~"Get away from him!" The ancient shrieked, causing an instantaneous reaction to jerk the medical ninette to action. She fought rabidly, clawing, biting, screaming, more animal than human as her instincts ran amuck of her conscious system. All the pinkette knew was she had to get away, if the goddess was scared than that meant that Sakura didn't stand a chance.

~Finally, throwing her working elbow into Kakuzu's gut, Haruno was given her freedom, scrambling away down the hall as the wonderful sounds of the oncoming aid from her fellow Shinobi became music to her ears. She skid across the marble floor, sure that the evil man was right on her heels. Her body flung itself down another hall, seeing a few scattered members of Kiri. Her heart raced, she would be okay if she made it to them, but then suddenly something snatched her up from behind, two black stringed hands came around her waist and dragged her kicking and screaming to the floor with a loud thud.

~She flailed around furiously, watching and praying the nearby Shinobi would see her and come to her aid. That was when she noticed they had their attention elsewhere, they didn't even acknowledge her presence.

~"Please!" Her mind begged, "please see me!" Then, in a flash of streaking light the small, the four-man group plummeted to the ground, body parts falling from their bodies and blood spattering the walls. They were dead before they even knew what hit them, a shadow crawling across the wall and coming around the corner.

~"Hidan," Sakura's eyes filled with unwanted tears and the hands around her waist tightened, dragging her back to their master, her echoing cry filling the temple's halls.


Naruto Uzumaki Age: 20


~Naruto waved his hand in front of Sasuke's eyes, "hey! Teme, what's gotten into you?" He snapped his fingers and looked questioningly at Sai, but the pale artist shrugged unhelpfully.

~The swirling tomoes of Sasuke's Sharingan were unnerving to the two onlookers as they watched the blood red and black colors jerk wildly as if he was in the throes of immeasurable pain. He stood stock still, fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug bloody gashes into the palms of his hands. His mind was a whirling streak of thoughts and affliction, every time the Uchiha fought to come to his senses an inner welling of clawing pain clenched around his mind and heart so tightly he wanted to shout, but his lips were clamped shut.

~"You can hear me… I know you can hear me," a voice called melodically, entering Sasuke's mind like a warm breeze in summer. It was soft and gentle, caressing his mortal mind and body in ways no woman had ever been able to reciprocate. He was falling prey to the feelings, his guard swiftly dropping.

~"I feel the poisoned animal within you," the voice said knowingly, combing Sasuke's consciousness until he found the hiding monster beneath the surface, wiggling and writhing in its fitful sleep. "It feels your unease and wishes to come out. Why don't you let it? It would be so easy to let go of everything."

~Sasuke growled and tightly squinted his eyes shut, "no! I can't!"

~"Sasuke? What are you talking about?" Naruto questioned confused, a growing ball of concern forming in the pit of his gut where his Kyuubi instincts were gradually becoming more and more alert.

~A scream echoed through the halls and both Sai and the blonde Dobe turned towards the source of the sound, watching as a strange puppetted creature with flaming red hair ran through an Iwa Kunoichi with a long tonto blade. They took on a defensive stance, Naruto snatching up a kunai while Sai pulled out a rolled scroll and his paintbrush. Behind them, Sasuke unseeingly looked on without a care, his inner demons awakening and fighting to make themselves known. His twisting Sharingan swam with his mind's struggle, aflame with hatred and anguish.

~The black cloaked puppet rose from his knees and looked at the Leaf nins with an eerily calm smile, his eyes flashing amusement amidst the sandy colored backdrop of his irises. He spread open the front of his shroud to reveal his mechanical body, full of poisonous dripping wires that he flung out at his waiting opponents.

~Sai reacted first, his brush depicting a roaring lion that sprang from his parchment scroll and leapt towards the Akatsuki member, its mouth gaping wide and ready to protect its master. The drawing took the poison wire's attack full on, shrieking in what sounded like pain when it was run through without even slowing andcharged on to its intended targets.

~The Dobe leapt back, only barely remembering Sasuke's presence and snatching him up before the metal cable could tear him apart, but the shining object instantly change trajectory, bouncing off the marble ground and using the momentum to rush the unsuspecting Jinchuriki.

~"Naruto!" Sai yelled, forming another jutsu, but it came too late, the pointed end of the metallic claw bit into Sasuke's flesh even as his blonde teammate fought to protect him. A flash of crimson and a sighing cry were the only things that let the conscious members of Team Seven know that Sasuke was transforming.

~The deadly curse mark writhed on the top of the Uchiha's porcelain skin, churning and glowing as it spread across his body, moving as if it had a life of its own. His Sharingan eyes suddenly came open, stretching across his entire optical orb and fading away his black center until all that remained was a blood red glow. Skin, the pale color of barely tanned flesh darkened swiftly, taking on an ashen appearance and his body distorted as inhuman appendages sprouted from his back, taking on the disgusting shape of clawed demon wings.

~Sasuke's overwhelming burst of chakra power threw Naruto from him, tossing the Dobe into a nearby wall. The younger Shinobi slid down slowly, his jelly like legs trembling while the hazing edges of morbid unconsciousness fettered horribly on the rim of his racing thoughts. He looked up just before the darkness closed in and saw his black, chicken-headed friend's hair grow and lengthen, lightening until it took on a ghostly, almost iridescent white.

~The art nin watched in muted horror, his eyes growing wide as he watched this demonic Uchiha get to his unsteady feet and glare daggers down the long hallway at the red-haired Akatsuki member. A smile broke out on Sasuke's onyx-gray lips and he flashed a row of too white fangs that begged for a taste of blood. To end his entirely frightening manifestation, an ebony slashed cross sprang out across the bridge of his nose while obsidian claws like eagle talons dangerously glinted in the light streaming above from the overhead skylight.

~Everything was coming into retrospect for the art nin as he realized the entire temple was suddenly thrust into an uproar. Screams could be heard from everywhere, both male and female, some dying, some crying, a few voices were even gurgling as the torment of death slowly took them over. This wasn't a fight at all, this was a massacring slaughter. The Shinobi and Kunoichis weren't prepared for a fight like this, it didn't matter how many forces there were or how strong many of them had become. Without orders or leadership, every nin here was a mindless moron struggling just to stay alive.

~Without thinking about it, Sai leapt for his fallen comrade, picking up Uzumaki and throwing him over his shoulder. He turned towards Sasuke, ready to attempt to take the man with him, but the demon simply cackled and threw off the artist's reaching hand.

~"Flee, mortal. Your existence is pathetic and I aim to end it," he drew out Kusanagi, the metal singing against the hilt of his sheath. He formed a jutsu flawlessly, blessing the sword's blade with a blast of hot fire, turning the metal neon red as the air around it steamed and whistled. Touching the raging hot weapon to his open wound, he smilingly winced in pain, cauterizing the gash and stopping the bleeding. The scent of burning flesh almost made Sai want to vomit, but he held himself in check and fled down the hall, while Sasuke turned his attention towards the puppet master of the Akatsuki.

~"You would make an interesting new toy," Sasori whispered out, raising his hands up mockingly, invisible strings of chakra aimed and ready for the attack he knew was coming.

~Sasuke charged first, slashing at Sasori's waist, watching the puppet easily maneuver himself away, twisting his inhuman body into a position no man could reproduce. He wouldn't be easy to catch and with these small quarters, the Uchiha knew his power would be halved, even with Kusanagi.

~"Stop!" The breezy voice in his head commanded and the man froze mid attack. He couldn't move, his entire body was under the control of some outside force he knew nothing about. "What a good pet."

~"Who the fuck are you?" Sasuke shouted, manically slashing out at nothing and clutching his head in his hands. Pain blossomed throughout his entire skull, forcing him complacent and obedient. Nothing more than a kicked puppy.

~"Temper, temper, Teme. That's what your friends call you, don't they? Teme? I want to be your friend, Teme."

~"Shut up!" He screamed, seeing Sasori cock his head to the side. The Akatsuki member watched on in muted silence, wondering what could possibly have driven his prey to insanity, but when the voice of their leader broke into the confines of his mind, he had his answer.

~"The boy is under my control, finish your mission, Sasori of the Red Sand."

~Nodding, the stringless marionette spun on heel and blurred off, leaving behind a heavily panting Uchiha, struggling to battle down the screaming inner demons that welled up inside him and threatened to drown out his entire being.

~"How does it feel to be possessed by a creature?" The voice asked, "you wanted a god inside you, stooping so low as to look for my power absorbing, siren-calling sister. That's not what a real power hungry beast does, especially not one as special as you."

~"Get out of my head!" Sasuke bellowed, dropping to his knees and slamming his forehead against the ground. He felt his nose break, the blood spraying from a head gash that split his skin and the streaming red essence that gushed from his nose. There was no evading the pain that crackled inside his skull, not even physical pain could obscure his throbbing skull.

~"Now, now, don't be so hasty. I'll let you go on a rampage soon, I promise. Just do as I tell you," the god's lulling lilt had returned and was gently rubbing the young Shinobi's brain tenderly, forcing a pleasured moan to work its way from Sasuke's throat. He couldn't control any of himself, almost watching from a back row seat in a movie theater while his body moved of someone else's accord.

~"What do you want from me?" The Uchiha begged in defeat when he felt he couldn't fight any longer.

~"I want my sister. Give me the bitch and her container."

~The monstrous animal inside Sasuke growled rabidly, his instincts showing through, unmasked without its master's rock solid control to hold it back, "woman is mine!"

~"Yes, the pink haired girl is yours. You may have her when I possess the goddess."

~Sasuke's demon nodded in agreement, dying to shed some blood, maybe even find his little rosette and force her to bend to his will. It scoffed as his mortal holder screamed and threw himself at prison bars, bellowing obscenities should Sakura be harmed in any way.

~"Go find her, monster. I will reward you for your trouble."

~In a flash, Sasuke disappeared, off to search for the object of his new master's attention…


Sakura Haruno age: 19


~"Let me go!" Sakura demanded, struggling to twist away from Kakuzu's probing tongue that brushed against her earlobe and snaked down her jaw to her collar bone. She could smell his rancid breath, the scent reminding her of the Konoha Hospital's morgue after death and rigor had set in on a fallen foe. She felt her all ready churning gut flop over and without her hand to cover her mouth, the rising bile would spill over her lips if she didn't get away from the stench soon.

~"Please!" She begged, "I'm sick! I'm going to throw up."

~Kakuzu purred disgustingly, nuzzling Sakura's throat, "you'll be fine."

~Her eyes darted about, searching listlessly for something, anything to help her current situation, but with her smashed against a wall, arms held tightly above her head, and a fear for her unborns holding her complacent and still, she didn't think there would be any way out of this situation.

~The stitched man with sickening green eyes ran his fingers up and down the silken skin of his victim, grinning when she shuddered, "I know you're just itching for me to pluck you. But… I'm expensive, how are you going to pay?"

~Ganimaru hissed beneath the surface, her chakra and power warbling even as the power of the black beads rendered her useless, "fight him, Sakura! If he takes you to Kazechi, he will kill you!"

~"But the babies," she whimpered, Kakuzu's hand rubbing the prominent bulge of her distended belly, fascinated with the life hiding underneath.

~"DO SOMETHING!" The goddess' mind racking bellow shook her skull from within and she couldn't help the vomit that finally refused to be held any longer. She puked all over the Akatsuki's shoulder, the man leaping away in disgust, dropping her to the ground.

~"Fucking bitch!" He shouted. In a second, he ripped off his shirt and threw it to the ground, kicking it away like it was acid that burned him, "you're going to pay for that, dammit!"

~Sensing her moment of opportunity, Sakura swiftly made a hand jutsu and in a puff of smoke, she disappeared, leaving behind a cursing marionette man.

~"Sakura!" Tsunade shouted as the girl miraculously appeared by her side. The Kages were jammed in the Inner Sanctum, the doors barred from the inside as something powerful and angry beat against the several foot thick wood. Above them, other Shinobi barred the other doors and waited for the inevitable, whatever it was to be. The sounds of an army battered just beyond.

~The pinkette vomited again, her emergency teleportation jutsu consuming the remaining vestiges of her stomach's iron clad willpower, letting Tsunade's beckoning go unheeded for the moment. The older woman knelt down beside her pupil and patted the girl's shoulder until the disgusting bodily function decided to stop.

~"What's going on out there?" The Hokage asked, helping the medic to her feet.

~"The Akatsuki's here, they're killing everyone," she remembered how Hidan cut down all in his path without regard for their gender, age, or creed, blatantly slicing through one of the child monks running in terror. She had watched in horror as a little seven year old's top half went in one direction while his bottom half slumped to the floor and his brown eyes stared helplessly up at her, never again to see the light of day.

~Sakura's eyes blurred with tears and she looked up pleadingly at her Shishou, "they're murdering everyone! I don't know what to do…"

~"Neither do we," the older woman returned angrily. She scanned the room and saw Yagura standing beside a fallen Kodai, the old ancient's body wheezed and coughed as if he was exerting strength just trying to stay alive. The Raikage stood beside another man of his village, one that closely resembled himself and held an aura of a tailed beast inside him as well, Tsunade was sure the dark skinned younger man was the container to the eight-tailed ox. If this battle got too serious, she might begin suggesting using the Jinchurikis as leverage.

~She returned her gaze back to Sakura, not caring about the others in the room, "what are they after?"

~"Me."

~One of the Kage's heard the low conversation and stepped forward, Onoki furiously spat at the young woman and her sensei, "then let them have you! They're murdering my men!" He was held by Akatsuchi, who stood back, ashen and sad.

~"How can you say that?" Tsunade growled to the old man, stomping to his side and almost smacking him across the face, but her ANBU Captain gripped her hand.

~"Violence amongst ourselves isn't going to solve anything, Hokage."

~Tsunade ripped her hand away and crossed her arms over her chest childishly, as if she were pouting.

~"They killed Kurotsuchi, how many more need to die? Just give them the girl," Akatsuchi mumbled lowly, turning away from the crowd of eyes that glared at him, mostly Yagura and Gaara.

~"He's right," Ae agreed, "sacrifices must be made. If they want the Kunoichi, give her to them. We'll come get her when we form a plan and regroup."

~Feeling herself being cornered, Sakura backed up a step. They couldn't come get her if she was dead, that was what was going to happen to her if they let her go, she only prayed Tsunade wouldn't let them take her.

~She saw Yagura's angry expression, his short stature seething with swirling chakra from his tailed beast, "how can you just throw someone to the wolves like that!" He was almost hissing, the sound of his demon showing through and Sakura inched closer to the man, looking at him in a new light.

~"What other options do we have?" Ae asked sternly, "look at us, we're five kages, a few ANBU, a couple old has beens, a pregnant Kunoichi, some Jinchurikis and a rag tag group of other useless ninja. If they get in here, they'll kill us all and still take her. We need to regroup and plan."

~A hand reached out and touched Sakura's shoulder, startling the young ninette until her emerald eyes met with hardened jade. Gaara gently pushed her behind him, protecting her while Kankuro took on a similar stance beside his brother, neither of them were going to allow anyone to harm Sakura. She looked on at them shocked, but infinitely grateful for their collective defense, even Granny Chiyo beside her nodded knowingly, as if she too would protect the Kunoichi. It was all too much and her thoughts whizzed alive as she considered the words of the Kages carefully.

~"The Raikage is right, Ganimaru," Sakura murmured to the goddess, "I don't want any more people to die, maybe I should let them take me."

~"Are you a moron? Kazechi will kill you, he'll extract me and you'll die. Sakura I'm embedded into your soul now, molded too deeply to just be yanked out like a cork. If I go, you and your nameless sons will perish."

~Tsunade and Kakashi looked as if they were going to start a fight, Onoki and Ae giving them the same heated looks, the very air within the Inner Sanctum crackled and everyone felt the thickness of it.

~"Gani…maru," Master Kodai called, freezing everyone in their tracks. The ancient had been wordless after staving off a horde of clay zombies and the Akatsuki member Deidara when the attack began, his chakra now sat throbbing on near empty as his life force fought to survive.

~The container darted passed Gaara and Kankuro without another thought, skidding to a stop beside Yagura and her goddess' lover. She knelt down beside him and touched his chest gently, a kind of love flashing in her eyes for the man from the being hiding inside.

~"Those beads," he coughed out, a spray of blood bubbled up from his collapsing lungs. He reached up to her, lovingly yanking on a curly pink lock and grabbing the confining jewelry to remove its chakra containing presence in one motion, "they're not becoming on you."

~As the necklace fell away to the floor, Ganimaru's overwhelming aura bolted alive, filling the room almost beyond capacity with her chakra. She swam to the forefront of Sakura's mind and took over the Kunoichi without permission, falling into the old man's grasp as she began to cry.

~"I didn't notice. I'm so sorry," Ganimaru whimpered, "please don't die."

~Without realizing it, the goddess had allowed herself to sap away her lover's chakra, their mental connection bridging the gap between their distanced bodies. Slowly, but surely, every ounce of the man, over the past few months, had begun to wither as the flame of his beautiful goddess began to burn brighter. She was snuffing him out, a horrifying realization to the water witch as she suddenly grasped at her new container.

~"He's dying?" Sakura breathed out in shock, shying away from Ganimaru's consciousness, her primordial power and anger was coming to a simmering boiling point.

~"He's all ready dead. His body just hasn't caught up to that fact yet."

~Master Kodai smiled gently, brushing a few stray locks of hair from Sakura's eyes, "I can't stay. I'm too old for this, Maru. It's no longer our fight."

~The goddess surprised herself when she began to sob even amidst her smoldering fury, picking up the white haired ancient's head and laying it in her lap. Her fingers touched his chilled cheek, frowning when she knew his life essence and warmth was swiftly leaving him, soon he would be gone.

~"Please. I… need… you." The goddess pursed her lips together, never in her entire life had she ever thought she would say these words, not to anyone, especially not her eternal jailor through the length of her immortal existence. But over the centuries she had come to the realization that this man's presence, his very existence was what allowed her to reign in her overwhelming power and strength. He was the pillar of her entire being.

~"We'll meet again. When we fade we all go back to Kami, let me go, Hibiki*." The soft whisper of her age-old nickname pierced her heart as his sightless eyes focused entirely on his lovely goddess, shattering her soul with their ardoring intensity. He truly loved his immortal woman, Sakura could see that, could feel it, could sense it in the very shimmering air around them. A twinge of jealousy pricked her psyche, wanting to feel the same love from someone else, but as soon as it came it disappeared. She would have it one day, someone who cherished her as much as Kodai cherished Ganimaru, there was no sense in ruining the two's moment.

~"No!" The water witch cried out selfishly, "I want to be with you. I want to always be with you, like when we were young."

~"And stupid?" The Mist monk murmured, his life fading fast, "no.—" He touched her cheek and brushed away the rushing tears, "—I much like you better now. You're so beautiful."

~Ganimaru shortly chuckled through an emotional intake of air, "stupid old man."

~"…Wench."

~"Fossil."

~"…My… love," he was fading fast, pain ricocheting through his body like a tidal waving tempest, readily engulfing him until he could barely breathe.

~Ganimaru laid her forehead against her lover's, peering into his eyes, "my heart and soul. Go, I don't want you suffering for me." She tried to put on a brave face for him, but they both knew better. Inside she was breaking apart at the seams. Her endless surges of might pulsed in every atom of the room, microscopic explosions sparking throughout the breathing space.

~"Thank… you… my goddess," he sighed softly and his lids sluggishly came closed. He took one breath… two breaths, gradually it became more and more shallow, until finally his chest faltered and came to a dismal stop.

~Everyone who watched on in muted fascination, let out their held breaths, feeling the heaviness of the room all around them clench tightly around their hearts.

~Sakura's hair covered her green-gold irises, the tears falling silently down her cheeks and dropping onto the lifeless man in front of her with a low plopping sound. Her insides churned, emotions ripping themselves asunder until Ganimaru snapped. A gold chakra signature swirled all around the pinkette Kunoichi, throbbing off her in angry waves.

~She carefully laid the passed on ancient's head onto the marble floor, rising to her feet and turning to face the gawking others, her expression still hidden behind a veil of sakura blossom tinged locks. The golden pulses of chakra reached out calmly, throughout the room like searching hands, touching everything, grasping at the lives still among the living.

~"Can't feel mate…" Ganimaru's deep warble came bubbling up through Sakura's vocal chords, sounding almost animalistic, more instinct than goddess. "Mate… dead." It was a lethal tone and everyone knew it.

~"Sakura?" Tsunade whispered, raising a hand to her pupil and taking a precarious, unsteady step towards her medic.

~"Don't!" Kakashi ordered harshly, snatching at his Hokage's shoulder, painfully digging his fingers into the tender skin, "this isn't Sakura right now. She's completely the goddess."

~"Like Naruto and the Kyuubi?" Tsunade asked with a gasp, looking to her ANBU captain.

~Something rammed against the bolted doors and everyone's attention drew away from the churning goddess towards the shuddering doorway. They all waited with baited breath, watching the wood shake and begin to splinter under some powerful force.

~"Come out, yeah! I only want to practice my art!" Deidara was screaming through the locks, sending his surging clay army against the barrier, triumphantly cheering as the door shrieked in defiance, even as it broke apart, piece by agonizing piece.

~"He's getting in, sir!" A Cloud Shinobi cried out, he fought to brace the door with the remaining vestiges of furniture littering the room, others joining in on the struggle, but everyone knew it wouldn't be long before the blonde Akatsuki member tore down their only defense.

~Ae threw a grave look to Tsunade, the woman narrowing her honey pot colored eyes at the Raikage angrily, "I will not throw my best medic to the wolves!"

~"Your stupidity will get us all killed!" Onoki yelled back.

~"You must have gone senile in your old age, you old fart!" Konkuro had now joined the mudslinging, even as his younger brother tossed him a warning glance, it helped little to calm the puppeteer.

~"SILENCE!" Ganimaru bellowed, shaking the entire room to its foundation. Everyone clamped their mouths shut, turning to watch as the glowing, golden specter floated across the marble floor, her hair defying gravity as it swirled and twisted around her head and face. She lifted her hand to the door and the others watched in horror when she formed an ancient jutsu, a loud boom of energy formed in the center of her palm and shot across the room. Their only blockade was blown to smithereens, the smoke slowly beginning to clear as a shadow drew to its full height and gaited over the rubble.

~"Decided to let me in, yeah? You guys are making it so easy, yeah!" Deidara sniggered happily, his monstrous, deformed army surging forward to kill their opponents.

~"She's killed us all," some random Stone nin whimpered out and dove for cover when a bomb went off in his direction.

~Deidara opened his charred black robe, spreading his arms wide to throw an array of different sized bombs in every direction, laughing hysterically as the first wave went off and threw the world into confusion and chaos.

~Kakashi dragged Tsunade to safety, even as the woman screeched that Sakura was in danger, but her voice was cut off swiftly when another deafening explosion went off overhead. She ducked in cover as debris came screaming passed her ear, its singing heat almost burning her face, though her ANBU captain shielded her diligently with his body.

~"Get off me!" Tsunade yelped, struggling to find Sakura within the frenzied bedlam. Everything had gone silent in her ears, the booming detonation had left her mostly deaf while the ringing gonged loud in her brain. She caught a flash of gold and pink, seeing the young woman standing amidst the dizzying blasts. A terracotta soldier came racing at the medic's front, leaving the Hokage shrieking for the girl to notice and to her relief the enraged pinkette batted away the nuisance without effort, ignoring the explosion that went off beside her.

~The other Kages were shielded by their respective others, though Yagura tightly clasped his arms around the young girl with similar eyes to his own, while Gaara shielded his men and family from the unending blasts with wave after wave of Shukaku's sand.

~Master Kodai's body was thrown lifelessly across the room, slamming against an opposite wall and Ganimaru watched in sickened horror as her shell of a mate was twisted into an unnatural position on the dusty ground. Something inside her wrenched violently, the ticking rage within her had reached its boiling point and she narrowed her now gold irises on the laughing Akatsuki member in her sights.

~Without warning Deidara was smashed through a nearby wall, a bone jarring concussion screaming in his head as he struggled in vain to stand. His eyes sluggishly darted about, fighting to find the source of his discomfort, but his vision danced around in blurring images, light and color all running together into one mass blob.

~The blonde fell to his knees, his slurping hands coughing and gagging audibly while they too tried to catch their runaway bearings. He growled out angrily, forming a wet gob of clay into his right hand, hoping for his assailant to come a little bit closer.

~Ganimaru slowly put one foot in front of the other, walking ever closer to her prey, reaching down and swiftly snatching up the nape of the boy's neck. She shook him violently, giddy with pleasure when Deidara's eyes rolled into the back of his head. She hardly took notice of his hand slamming into her face until the clay detonated and threw her precarious body out of the Inner Sanctum and into the stone hallway.

~"That hurt, bitch!" Deidara was already stalking towards the limp goddess, readying another barrage of chakra infused mud without hesitation, even as his head roared inside his skull. He could hear the chaos of screaming bodies behind him and knew his soldier creations would easily do away with the others in the room, leaving him able to rid himself of this annoyance.

~He was on top of her before Sakura's possessed body could react, her eyes taking in the small grayish colored object flying at her face just as it blew itself up and fiery shards of glass sharp remains gleamed in the light.

~It would have killed a normal Kunoichi, or in the very least maimed her for life, but Sakura was not the average ninja. She had been possessed by a vengeful goddess, trained in the art of the Shinobi, and was as stubborn as a mule, all traits that forced her capable in the most lethal situations. Nothing could harm her if she didn't want it to and leaping with cat-like dexterity, Ganimaru dodged the debris pieces with graceful ease, her body's outline blurring with speed.

~Deidara's eyes widened in shock, he knew his attack should killed the woman. She shouldn't have stood a chance, but as his clay shards imbedded themselves in the opposite wall, the explosions expert of Daybreak for once in his life, seriously doubted his abilities. Even if the thought only remained for a split second, it was the needed moment for Ganimaru to launch her attack.

~Her fingers flew into a long series of jutsu movements, accompanied by rhythmic dance motions the likes of which hadn't been seen in a near millennia. A powerful surge of chakra rushed to the surface of its master's body, expanding and writhing with a life of its own. The air around them grew thick with humidity and an odd chill Deidara wasn't accustomed to, he exhaled sharply and saw his breath, the curling moisture pranced between the two ninja bodies, one motionless in shock while the other continued to dance and move. She was lost in the tainting veil of her emotions, taken over by foreboding depression and never-ending sadness, nothing meant anything to her any longer.

~A shape formed in the air, at first only the light outline of floating water, but as the lines thickened and Ganimaru's magic took shape, the on looking Akatsuki member remained frozen to his spot by the overwhelming might the goddess exuded. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He could create works of art with his own hands, large and small clay creatures that could decimate people without lifting even a finger, but here this goddess possessed Kunoichi was transforming the very water in the air into something… not of this world.

~A water dragon writhed and hissed in mid air, his long white water whiskers rolling in some unfelt wind as his long, slender body slowly formed all around his charge. Eyes the color of storm clouds locked quickly on their destined prey and without a second's hesitation, Ganimaru raised her shaking fingers towards the planted Akatsuki member, wordlessly commanding her most powerful jutsu to do her bidding.

~With a deafening roar, the water dragon rushed a head, slithering away from his goddess as blurring speeds, his claws extended with lethal sharpness. He slashed vertical, aiming to tear Deidara in half, but having finally gained his head about him, the blonde rolled aside, narrowing missed by the rending talons.

~"That was close, yeah," he murmured to himself, watching in near slow motion as the dragon's unmatched strength came crashing through the marble flooring and ripped apart the stony material without a flit of effort. Those predatory eyes focused back on the clay Shinobi, hissing loud and charging for him as Ganimaru stood back and watched. She was smiling unnervingly, a glint of maniacal insanity twitching behind her stolen irises.

~Deidara leapt away from his enemy's constant onslaught, calling back his clay minions from the room of the Kages in an attempt to save himself. He watched the slow moving monsters come swaying and running towards the dragon, completely bypassing the now hysterically laughing goddess. Her presence wasn't a threat to their master's, she was simply an afterthought to the mindless creatures as they latched onto the chakra serpent and each in unison, the clay cretins exploded.

~Blood and flesh and bone flew in all directions, spattering the walls of the temple in the gory wake of the torn apart reptile that had only just moments ago adorned the hallway with its magnificent grace and glory. All that remained behind was a mass of bubbly flesh that sizzled and burned the ground, charring the floor with its acidic blood.

~"That was too easy, yeah!" The blonde cheered for himself and ripped off his black cloak, throwing the shredded material away as he brought his hands together and cracked the knuckles. It was time to get down to business, he knew he had to bring this pink haired Kunoichi back to his leader, knew that if she was anything less than alive his ass was grass. Though, no one said he couldn't mess her up a little bit before and show her just how much of an explosion his art really was.

~He blurred forward, disappearing from view for only a second, before appearing directly in front of the crazed ancient, her glowing golden eyes swimming in the insanity of her swiftly breaking mind. She didn't even stop to look at the man before her, didn't try to defend herself when he aimed a punch right at her face.

~There was a split second when Deidara thought to himself, that subduing a demonic creature of the ageless scriptures, was easy. The thought died when he suddenly realized that the arm he had used for his brutal assault never seemed to make it to Sakura's still cackling face, in an instant the man's left arm was gone… not just broken or moved, it was gone… eaten.

~At first the pain didn't kick in until Deidara saw the blood, didn't realize he was screaming until the Kunoichi's glowing, porcelain features came into view. She wasn't laughing anymore, although the sound would have been lost on him anyway, the only thing he could hear was the ringing of his own blood curdling shrieks of pain.

~"You should have run when you have the chance, boy," Ganimaru warned, watching as the partially deformed head of her water dragon munched light-heartedly on the blonde's left arm, a near smile adorning his toothy, skeletal features. As the time ticked slowly by and the Akatsuki member writhed around on the floor in agony, holding his bloodied stump, fighting unconsciousness, the dragon's body knit itself back together. Blood and bone bubbled disgustingly, absorbing into itself and molding every sinewy piece back to its original form. A haphazardly strewn reptilian arm sat down the hall, a piece of the dragon's liver wiggled its way back into the monster's body, all the while Deidara cried and pleaded like some screeching, dying animal, childishly moaning in his increasing delirium over a mother long since deceased and in the past.

~Poison from the demon's bite sent scourging waves of radiating heat and anguish torturously coursing through the slightly older man's body, ripping apart his muscles and breaking down the sinew. At this rate, without the proper antidote, Deidara would perish in volcanic fever, clutching to himself in tears, begging for his mother and almost pissing himself in fear.

~"Make it stop!" He cried out, twisting on the ground, one of his main arteries pumping out blood faster than he could stop it. In the back of his logical thinking brain, the one barely hanging on by a thread of sanity amidst the shrieking madness of his torture, he knew he only had a few agonizing hours remaining to live if the poison was to be his cause of death, though one look at Sakura told him he would be dying much sooner. His other hand gurgled lowly and tried to form a special jutsu, but a slender hand snatched up the mouthed appendage and crushed her thumb into its mouth.

~The fanged hole gagged at the added pressure, trying in vain to gnaw the Kunoichi's phalanges off and behind her grinned a fully formed terror only Deidara's nightmares could manage to muster up. The dragon was still hungry.

~"I should kill you now," the goddess murmured, purring softly into the boy's ear. He still blubbered loudly, cracking his face against the debris covered ground, the clicking of his eye-scope distinctly tinkling from the blows.

~At her words, Deidara froze, looking up with a terrified expression and he saw only malicious intent hiding there. He would be given no quarter, that much he knew. Not from the haunted water wench.

~"Time to put the mutt out of its misery," she informed lowly, the blonde's eyes widening and he tried to roll away, but the ancient held on tighter, digging her enlarged talons directly inside his hand-mouth's throat. It gagged, trying with everything it had to bite her, though it did nothing.

~Ganimaru reached inside Sakura's side pouch and easily wrapped her fingers around a poison capsule, one of the few things the Kunoichi had been able to sneak in under the guise of medicine. The goddess pulled it out and chewed off the jelly-like top, spitting the remnants from between her tightly clenched teeth. She held the boy down with her heeled sandal and knelt over just enough to touch her thumb to Deidara's chin.

~"Open wide and take your medicine, whelp."

"No!" He screamed and fought valiantly, all in vain. The struggle seemed to resemble a cornered animal more than a human fighting for his life, if Ganimaru had been a more merciful creature, she might have allowed him to go, but grinning like some Cheshire Cat the ancient aimed the capsule into the man's mouth and let it fly.

~"Not so fast," a voice hushed, a chakra-laden string sparkled suddenly in the light and the poison holder went catapulting across the hall, spilling its highly deadly contents all over the floor.

~"DAMMIT!" Ganimaru roared and spun to face a red-headed monster she had seen once before. "All these FUCKING interruptions!" She snapped her fingers, the sound echoing in the hall and her dragon protector shrieked passed her in a wave of rolling wind and mist. It charged the new Akatsuki member that the goddess had placed as Sasori, leaping back with Deidara still in her clutches while she debated on her next move.

~"Gani… maru," Sakura's low mindful voice squeaked out, coming into consciousness slowly, but surely. She quickly ascertained the damage around her, struggling to decipher what was going on, although she only was able to take in the two Akatsuki members and a silver-blue dragon trying unsuccessfully to eat the puppet master.

~"You're awake," the goddess muttered, her eyes glaring lethal daggers into her thrashing prisoner's hide. "Stop moving, plebe." At first Deidara ignored the woman's order, but when she dug her foot into his shrieking shoulder he went completely limp.

~"No more boom," he whispered to himself, holding his blood slickened stump as tightly as he could muster, his heated fever brought on mirages from the past he didn't want to see. His eyes glazed over briefly, mind falling back into the darker recesses where he couldn't feel any more pain. Memories of things he'd seen in his twenty-two years of life bombarded him without permission and he saw everything flash before his eyes.

~He remembered his mother, a pretty woman with a sad smile brought on by years of neglect from an abusive husband that wasn't her only son's father. The young boy had never known his father, didn't have a picture, didn't even know his name.

~His mother had been weak then, a frail woman without a backbone or strand of courage. Many times she had fallen prey to her husband's drunk abuses, crying until she had no more tears to shed. It was then that Deidara remembered that the violent streak in him began.

~There was a short time after Deidara murdered his step-father that things seemed to calm in the young boy's world, the accident having been blamed on the deadliness of the older man's Explosion Corps techniques, which at the time, were dangerous under the wrong conditions. His mother didn't look for another husband after that, and the young blonde boy had found shreds of happiness in working with clay and mud. It was on one of his more hapless escapades to retrieve more of his art supplies that the Kage of Stone Village happened across him, from then on Deidara was under the Tsuchikage's tutelage, even though the boy didn't want to be.

~Tsuchikage Onoki had always been short, leading to many annoying comments from the older man's student. At first, the jesting between pupil and sensei were angry jibes, fighting to rib each other in the most fruitless of ways, but as the connection between the two grew, their joking seemed to become more light-hearted and friendly.

~Onoki taught while Deidara learned. He had been the perfect student… until his mother committed suicide, leaving the boy all alone in the harsh reality of innocence taken too young. The young blonde had only been ten when his only remaining parent hung herself in her son's bedroom, a note tact to his door about being a good boy and never hurting anyone ever again. The sight only served to crack Deidara's mind more and throw him into an unending pit of inescapable tar. No matter how much he struggled or how hard he fought, he only buried himself deeper into the blackness… finally, it swallowed him whole and he went mad.

~Never in his entire existence had Deidara ever wanted to steal anything from his sensei's private library, all he had to do was ask and Onoki would have given it, even the forbidden Kinjutsu, Exploding Clay… All he had to do was ask… He should've just asked…

~After running from his village and joining the ranks of a missing-nin, Deidara spent a few years trying to make a name for himself amidst the outcasts and terrorist groups, those flashing memories whizzed by his head and logged themselves among the more useless information. He hadn't paid enough attention to his rouge years to remember much, except for maybe a pretty brunette he met in a small village on the outskirts of Waterfall, she was dead now though and the blonde's thoughts continued to barrage him.

~Being called upon by the Akatsuki should have been an honor to someone like Deidara, not many people were allowed into the organization of high-class crime, but he had refused under his own better judgment, though Itachi, the silent prick, as Deidara would lovingly address the man later as, made quick work of dispatching any free will the then eighteen-year old could possibly have fought with. He hated that damn Uchiha, prayed the man would finally go blind once and for all, then he really wouldn't be able to turn that stupid eye jutsu on him ever again. If he could just perfect his C4 jutsu technique, he could've finally shown that arrogant, egotistical airhead what it meant to cross the great explosions expert.

~Missions; always constant missions, one right after the other in an infinite cycle of ridiculous capturing, losing, and recapturing things lost, found, ancient, and new. Arguments; the never-ending arguments about art and what was better, something immortalized in a second or left to rot forever as a statue. Fuck Sasori and his asshole way of making him feel like he was lower than dirt, fuck their high and mighty ancient leader who only degraded him for being a kid, fuck the Akatsuki and whatever ridiculous standards they prided themselves on striving for. If Itachi could leave without notice, then so could he, there might even be enough left in him to go out with a bang. If he couldn't leave the Akatsuki, if here was to be his last moments, he wanted to end in the flash of that one beautiful, artful moment.

~Deidara glanced up at the entranced goddess, startled by how well the puppet master was able to keep up with her ageless protector. They battled tit-for-tat, the dragon's bulk slowing him down while Sasori's smaller stature couldn't put a dent in his enemies six-inch thick hide.

~"I don't want to die yet, yeah," the blonde said suddenly, capturing Ganimaru's undivided attention. Her green-gold eyes focused on him with a mixture of malice and disbelief, he could beg all he wanted though it wouldn't be enough to appease her blood lust.

~Wrenching his arm up, the pink haired, possessed Kunoichi raised the Akatsuki member eye-level and pierced his soul with her gaze, "you don't deserve your life." She made filled her free arm with chakra, glad for once in her existence to have chosen well a ninja that could pack a well-devised, powerhouse punch. One hit and the missing-nin would be worm food.

~"STOP!"

~Sakura screeched in-tune with another voice, a deeper, more aged tone and Ganimaru shifted her stare up to see the Hidden Stone's Tsuchikage, Onoki battling his way through the horde of exploding clay soldiers and puppet monsters brought about by Sasori.

~"Let him go," Onoki ordered sternly, although a touch of regretful sadness swam around in his hardened gaze, "don't hurt him… anymore."

~Sakura battled for control inside her own head, her mental capacity smashing wit for wit against the much more ancient being that was unable to defend herself. "Get back!" The pinkette shrieked and took a taloned grip on Ganimaru's consciousness, ripping her to the foreground of the Kunoichi's mind. Her body writhed and twisted, smacking hard against the marble walls, engraved with antique writings too old to be translated.

~"No!" The water wench bellowed out, mentally grasping at straws for control of her container's body, but Sakura caged the beast with a final surge of stolen chakra, locking the hissing hell harpy in until she could behave herself. "For Kodai! I want revenge!"

~The pinkette fell to her knees beside Deidara, the young blonde watching in muted horror as the golden glow that radiated in and throughout her body slowly dissipated, melting away into nothing. Her chest heaved from the effort and mental drain of cornering a raging goddess, but quickly caught her wits about her, giving an odd look to the shaking Akatsuki member.

~"I suppose I should stop the bleeding and poison before you die, right?" She whispered and for once Deidara stared at her with an almost a grateful look, throwing himself into her lap without regard for her rampage on his clay soldiers only minutes ago. It was strange to say the least, but without a word, Sakura touched her hands to the crusty, slick stump, pushing a small load of light green chakra into her hands and singeing off the blood pumping veins of her enemy's arm.

~Onoki sat beside his pupil, watching in shocked awe as the woman's graceful fingers danced across the young man's wound, finally satisfied when at length all that was left was the shoulder joint still glaring white against a backdrop of muscle, tissue, and red. He nodded gratefully to Sakura and cleared his throat, "thank… you. I'm sorry about what I said before, about-"

~"Don't apologize, I won't forgive you," Sakura pulled a long tourniquet from her pouch, listening on as the water dragon ate another faceless puppet and beat the puppeteer back down a separate hallway. For now, the three were safe and as soon as she could wrap Deidara's wound and assess his tonic, she could go check on Tsunade and the others.

~Naruto slowly gained consciousness when someone prodded him in the ribs a few times, a screaming headache pounded through his temples, but he ignored it and looked up at a creepily smiling Sai who was hovered by the beautiful pink locks of his lovely teammate.

~"S…Sa… Sakura," he murmured out with effort and tried to move.

~"Idiot!" The medic growled, holding a hand to his chest and forcing him still, "you have a concussion, moron. If you stand up, you're liable to have a head rush and go crashing into another wall. And like I need that kind of work right now."

~The blonde smiled stunningly and flung his arms around his teammate happily, "I'm so glad you're all right, Sakura. I was worried." He saw her cock her head to the side and felt the pinch to his cheek before his eyes registered the movement.

~"Baka!" She hissed, fighting to push Naruto away before he decided he had to kiss her to make sure she was completely all right. "Stop being stupid, we have to find Sasuke."

~Sai's face fell and he glanced away from his friends, "the Uchiha," he started, "he's… not normal. Something happened when I was dragging dickless away and he turned into some kind of demon. He's gone crazy and now he's hunting for something."

~"For you," Ganimaru purred from behind her gilded cage. "Kazechi finally ate the boy's mind restraints away. I knew the boy was rotten to the core."

~"He's not rotten," Sakura defended, causing Naruto and Sai to glance at her curiously. When she didn't give them an answer, they both assumed it was the water demon needling her from the inside and left it at that.

~"Where are we?" Naruto asked, giving his surroundings the once over and saw a good group of people he knew well. "Baba!" He yelled rudely, causing the Hokage to flinch in her medical duties and glare daggers at the Jinchuriki.

~"If you have time to talk, Naruto," the woman spat out, "then you have time to help me with the wounded."

~"But, Sakura said-"

~"I don't care what Sakura said! Get off your ass and help me!" The woman didn't even glance back to see her Kage-in-training go flying off his duff and sprint across the room without a thought as to what he was doing.

~Sai merely smiled eerily and turned to help give water to an ailing Stone Village Shinobi who was bandaged from head to toe, struggling fruitlessly to hold a ceramic mug. The battle had been difficult, that much was true. Whatever this thing was; a battle, a skirmish, a massacre, they had been wholly unprepared for it and it had cost them dearly. The information that came trickling in from all angles wasn't good, with most of the casualties in Stone and Cloud, Sai had a deep down gut feeling that both nations were holding Leaf responsible in some way.

~The damage done from the Akatsuki had taken its toll on the temple, as nearly half of the enormous building had been wiped clean off the face of the mountain and with it, almost three quarters of the monk populace who had all been gathered in prayer when the Akatsuki members, Hidan and Kakuzu ripped the mass apart. Many children and adults alike had been murdered in cold blood, while Shinobi on all sides fought valiantly to help, but fell at the hands of those much stronger than themselves.

~Hidan, Kakuzu, Sasori, Deidara, Konan, and Kisame had been chosen to lead an attack, all of which, save Deidara and Kisame, had been driven back from the mountain, though not without a share of casualties and injuries on both sides. Konan, a silent, lethal beauty with purple hair and piercing gray eyes had received the worst of the injuries and Kakuzu had to drag her off with Hidan clutching to a few severed body parts. Sasori had been depleted of several human puppets and cursing madly about his ruined artwork, he fled before Ganimaru's dragoon shield decided to swallow him whole. The lazy reptile was now hovering around the building, sniffing out other disturbances and keeping watch over the Akatsuki's famous Shark Tooth Shinobi, as of yet Sakura hadn't been able to make the scaled cold-blood leave.

~In the aftermath of the fight, it was discovered that several things were amiss, one of which was that the Fire Country's Itamihi scroll, which of course threw Lady Tsunade into a tizzy fit as she tore the entire temple apart in her over exuberant search for something that had been stolen. The guards stationed at the scroll's chest had been dispatched just like the ones back in Konoha's prison, leading to some severe questioning to Itachi when he had been discovered dragging an unconscious Kisame through the corridors. All of which had been answered with a steady, ever-unwavering 'no' and when Kakashi deemed the Uchiha to be telling the truth, the younger Shinobi was allowed to go about his business. The next thing missing was the green-headed god Horachikyu, who surprisingly enough had disappeared shortly after the confrontation between Sakura and himself, leaving most everyone that knew of him in a quiet trance while they wondered the worst.

~"I'm going to go get some more rags and water, Lady Tsunade," Sakura said darkly, climbing to her feet and darting off around a corner. She hastened to the cafeteria area, hoping to catch one of the monks there in her quest for clean bandages and a fresh pot of cleansing water, but as she turned the last bend towards her destination, a hand flung out and grabbed her tightly, dragging her into the shadows.

~At first she fought, throwing an elbow into her captor's gut, her ceramic pot clattering to the floor and shattering upon contact. It wasn't until a familiar scent and a soft, masculine voice breathed into her ear that she calmed herself.

~"Sakura," Sasuke whispered, his breath hot and heavy on the pulsing vein in her neck. It elicited a delicious shiver that raced up her spine and caused the Uchiha to hug himself closer from behind, crushing his hips into her supple ass.

~"What are you doing?" She gaped, her hands flying to his own that encircled her waist, "everyone's out looking for you! We thought you got into trouble."

~"Sakura…" His tone sounded needy and strange, almost border lining eerie.

~The pinkette tsked aloud and pushed his hands away, whirling in his arms to face him. Of all the things she had been prepared to see, this strange, demonic form wasn't one of them. Her forest green irises widened in fright, staring hard into a jet stream of glowing red that swirled and trapped her motionless.

~"Sakura," he murmured softly again, "is mine!" His too white fangs flashed in the low light and he slammed a rock hard fist into the Kunoichi's gut, watching in slow motion as all the air was violently yanked from her lungs. Unconsciousness swam around in her eyes for a split second, her mind a whirl of thoughts.

~As Sakura fell, all she thought about was her sons, praying to Kami that Sasuke had missed them and that they would be fine, but something inside her head clicked loudly. The pessimist in her noted that she was suddenly in a world of pain, and something wet had begun trickling between her legs. After that, all she knew was darkness…


Author's Note: Again, sorry if the chapter is exceedingly rough. It's 12AM and I'm going to bed, I'll correct the chapter tomorrow for errors, spelling mistakes, grammatical mishaps and what not. R&R

What I would like to point out to those of you who actually pay attention to my author's notes, is that this fiction is only about 3 to 4 chapters out and will be completed. I'm stretching the chapters to include most of my ending ties to end this fiction faster, not that I don't like it. But I think a year on a fiction is long enough and I have other fictions to work on.

BUT! I was wondering, for those of you who have kept going along side me all this time and have been my avid, wonderful readers. I was wondering… go onto my profile and pick through the fiction ideas I have there and pick one of your favorites. I will begin writing my next fiction in dedication to you and have it be my next project. To be this happy picked person, all I need from you is reviews! Good, bad, what have you, just go through my stories, pick which one you want to have go next, review it to me and tell me what you think of this chapter and the chapters to come and from those reviews I'll pick the one who is most helpful/avid/most reviewed/ect. Hope this gives you all something to look forward to! TY!