Labyrinthine—an Itachi & Sakura story
By: M. Shiroi
Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
CHAPTER XXIII
"More pests," Pein spoke, his voice a low timbre that echoed throughout the chamber. He was younger than she had expected, not much older than Kakashi himself. His face was pierced in multiple locations and he had the most unusual eyes. Pein seemed almost bored as he lifted an arm. "Begone."
The next moment, Sakura felt as though an invisible pulse near her navel pulled her toward Pein. Gritting her teeth, she molded as much chakra to her feet as she could to stick herself to the ground, but found her slipping toward Pein anyway. Sakura swore, slamming her palm to the ground just as Yamato did the same. Branches sprouted from the ground around her and the rest of Team Kakashi, holding them safely in place.
"Two Wood users," Konan commented, voice carrying a hint of interest.
"So it seems," Pein said, lowering his hand.
'What was that attack?' Sakura thought, analyzing the situation. It pulled all four of them into Pein at exactly the same moment, as though he manipulated gravity itself. 'I'll need to always be prepared to anchor myself. Higher jumps are out of the question.' A thought occurred to her. 'The way Kakashi just fell to the ground… He can probably push us away with the same force.'
As though Pein had read her mind, a massive force blasted against her, taking her breath away as she slammed backwards alongside the rest of Team Kakashi. This time, Itachi was ahead of them in the thinking process, summoning his red sentinel Susano'o. Susano'o reached out to grab her as well as Kakashi and Yamato, keeping them safe while Itachi maneuvered the arm closer to him. Inside Susano'o, Sakura spotted Itachi, crimson eyes blazing as he steadily observed Pein.
"Thanks Itachi," Yamato said as they dropped inside of Susano'o. "That gravity based attack is problematic." He glanced up to Susano'o's face, looking impressed.
"It's just one man," Sakura said carefully. "Konan seems to stay out of the fight."
Kakashi gave her a sidelong glance. "Do you remember Zabuza and Haku?"
"Of course," Sakura said.
"Do not let your guard down. She might continue her participation when we don't expect it." Kakashi formed the sequence of hand seals to his only original technique, blue lightning forming in his hand. "Itachi," he said. Beside her, Itachi nodded, understanding exactly what the plan would be.
Kakashi tore away, rushing Pein, Chidori in his hands only a blue streak in the darkened chamber. Pein moved even quicker than Kakashi had, dodging the blow that hit the wall. He grabbed hold of Kakashi's arm, kicking him in the stomach. Sakura gasped as Kakashi fell backward, while Yamato crouched down on the ground, tree trunks rushing from the tiled floor like a den of snakes. Konan flew up, carried by her paper wings while Pein sidestepped easily, jumping from one branch onto the next.
Suddenly, Itachi was in the middle of the room, body covered by a flock of crows as Kakashi rose from the floor. Itachi moved with the kind of speed she had never seen before, evading Pein's hand-to-hand attacks. Cupping a hand around his mouth, Sakura watched as Itachi formed a dozen fireballs, sending them all to Pein after embedding them all with shuriken.
Meanwhile Kakashi had crouched on the floor, using earth jutsu to off-balance Pein. A second later, Sakura could feel a blast of gravity emanating from Pein, tossing Itachi back into Susano'o while Kakashi affixed himself to a thick pipeline with a chain.
Before Kakashi could recover, Susano'o lifted his arm, slamming a spectral sword into the side of the building where Pein had just stood. Pein had dodged the attack, climbing higher into the tower rather than deflect Susano'o with gravity. The next attack—a wooden dragon sent by Yamato—was torn to pieces by an invisible surge.
As Pein landed nearby, Sakura punched the floor, cracking the tiled base in an effort to push him off balance. Taking the opportunity Sakura created, both Itachi and Kakashi rushed at Pein; a Chidori in Kakashi's hand while Itachi spewed out another fire attack. Pein blasted them both away without batting an eyelid.
"He's not able to use the technique all the time," Sakura said lowly, knowing Yamato would hear. The older ANBU member nodded carefully, eyes focused on the battlefield. "It must cost an enormous amount of chakra."
"Correct on both accounts. He uses taijutsu as much as he can and dodges everything he can," Yamato said. "They know. That's why they're goading him right now. If I know them, they're figuring out how much time he needs to rest before gravity attacks."
Both Itachi and Kakashi withdrew back into Susano'o.
"Seven seconds between your last fireball and Captain Kakashi's Chidori," Yamato murmured to Itachi. Itachi nodded, glancing from the corner of his eye to Kakashi. Sakura sprinted to the Copy Ninja, healing the broken rib he has sustained after Pein's attack. Kakashi looked down at her for a quick moment, thankful, before lifting his mismatched eyes to both men.
"The three seconds at the beginning of the fight was too short for him to repeat his attack," Itachi said, voice somehow calm and detached. She envied his composure in battle. "Though there is a chance he didn't use the technique to save chakra."
Sakura shook her head. "You're right. His best course of action would have been to deflect the blow." She finished healing the rib, looking up to meet Kakashi's eyes before stepping away from him. Itachi's eyes burned over her frame for a moment as he considered her observation, before looking back to Pein.
"Before we attempt an attack, we must be sure," Kakashi said eventually, narrowing his eyes. "Yamato, join in. Sakura, I'm counting on you."
"Understood," Sakura said, balling her fists.
The three jumped out of Susano'o. Sakura watched carefully as they barraged Pein with attacks—fire balls, flying projectiles, kunai launched from tree trunks. Each time, she counted the seconds between his gravity attacks, finally realizing that while there was a window, it was short and needed precise coordination.
She held up a hand as a sign to Kakashi when she was certain, drawing his attention and Yamato's and Itachi's. On Kakashi's signal, they withdrew back into Susano'o. Before Sakura could speak, Pein's calm voice caught their attention.
"So, this is Konoha," Pein said, face emotionless as he stepped closer to Susano'o. He came so close Sakura could see the fiery form of Susano'o reflected in his slashed forehead protector. Cocking his head, he continued: "Jiraiya-sensei came here, talking of peace. Yet here you are, drawn to act in the name of revenge for your Hokage and your fallen comrade."
Kakashi straightened, pocketing his hands as he observed Pein. "And in which name are you collecting and killing Jinchuuriki?"
"Peace."
"A likely story," Yamato spoke.
"Revenge begets revenge. There is little justice in revenge; it only triggers a cycle of hatred that goes on and on until it consumes the world and everyone living in it," Pein said.
Strangely, Sakura almost agreed with him.
"And you strive to end this cycle?" Itachi asked, voice as monotone as Pein's.
Pein cocked his head. "Yes."
"How do you plan to do so? Countless leaders before you have tried and failed," Sakura asked.
He turned his purple ringed eyes to her, sending shivers down her spine. It felt as though he could see right through her. "Sometimes, kunoichi, you must hurt to know. Fall in order to grow. Lose in other to gain. Some of life's greatest lessons are learnt through pain."
"There is enough pain in this world as it is," Sakura said.
"If you don't share someone's pain, you can never understand them," Pein said simply. "Take yourselves. How can a thriving and strong nation such as Konoha understand the struggle this country has gone through?" He was silent, face still blank. "You've grown up in relative peace, have you not? Amidst bountiful, green forests and protected by a Hokage and his shinobi? Can you conceive what a life in a war-torn country such as this is like?"
Sakura remained quiet.
"You see it," Pein said, striding away.
"One life can never compare to another," Yamato said, a frown on his face. "Even within our nation, many shinobi have different experiences in life. As shinobi, we are not unfamiliar with pain and sorrow."
"I strive to end this," Pein said.
"Hmm, is that so?" Kakashi said, tone pleasant, but Sakura could easily see the tension in his back and shoulders. He was stalling for time while forming a plan. "And how do you plan on achieving this? I assume your grand plan involves the Jinchuuriki."
"A forest once burned down will grow anew," Pein replied, standing a few feet from Susano'o.
"So you plan to burn the world down," Itachi said quietly. "To show everyone living the same amounts of pain and to start anew?"
Pein stood still. "Yes, Uchiha Itachi. Sometimes, the only way to deal with a malignant festering is to cut it off at the root. For the good of the world… and for the… little ones we try to protect."
Itachi narrowed his eyes at that.
"Five," Sakura whispered at Kakashi. He nodded. Evidently he had come to the same conclusion. She pretended not to notice the tiny movements he made with his finger, signaling 'five' to both Yamato and Itachi, who nodded surreptitiously.
A second later, they burst into action. She had grown accustomed to Team Seven and the way they seamlessly worked together. Both Naruto and Sasuke were two of the most talented and strongest shinobi in the village and paired with both her and Kakashi, Team Seven made for a wonderful combination.
Seeing an ANBU team work together though, despite the long years that had passed since the three of them were last together on a mission… that was something to behold. Yamato had leapt and raised a pathway of spiky wooden stakes directly beneath Pein. Kakashi moved with his usual ridiculous speed, his grey eye closed to help focus him on Pein. And Itachi—despite the situation, Sakura couldn't help but feel butterflies in a frenzy as she watched him—rode on Susano'o's hand, a fire stream emanating from his mouth in the form of a dragon.
They reached him all at the same time, causing Pein to lift both his hands to his sides. "Shinra tensei," she heard him mutter and time stopped for a split second. The next, the three men were hurtling through the air, slammed into the walls. They instantly vanished out of existence, a testament to their incredible skill as all three men burrowed from the ground at Pein's feet.
Finally, a sign of surprise flitted on his face as Kakashi hit him with Chidori at the same time that Itachi hit him with a kunai in his throat and Yamato slammed a massive stake into his chest. Gaping, Sakura stood, watching as Pein coughed some blood and stared at the three men. As Kakashi withdrew his hand, Pein dropped to his knees.
"They did it…" Sakura muttered to herself, a smile breaking on her face.
"Did what?" Pein sounded from behind her.
Stunned, she whirled around to find Pein… or well, a man who looked like him. He was much taller than Pein, younger looking with long hair and different piercings but his eyes were the same hypnotizing purple eyes. In a daze, she heard Kakashi calling for her as the newcomers' hand shot out to grab her throat. It was only thanks to her carefully honed instincts instilled into her by Tsunade that she avoided his hand and block the kick he sent her way. In return, she grabbed his leg and slammed him down to the floor, her fist just missing her face as he spun out of her reach.
Itachi was there the next moment, blocking the kunai the newcomer was using. The next moment, another person arrived, this one a small woman. She stared at Sakura before bringing her thumb to her mouth, drawing blood. Recognizing a summoning jutsu, Sakura rushed at her, interrupting the summoning.
The woman dodged out of reach as Kakashi arrived with a Chidori, leaping at her companion who hurtled her to the wall. The woman landed, placed her hand on the wall and as a massive summoning circle arrived, Sakura realized with certainty that this fight was far from over.
A great auburn dog with three heads appeared; it had the same odd eyes Pein had and was pierced all over. "Who are you?" Yamato said, frowning at the woman even as Itachi battled with the man.
"We are Pein," the woman said in a high-pitched voice.
"I'm seeing how Jiraiya-sama had a tough time battling these three," Kakashi mumbled.
Sakura glanced at him. "They're… not all Pein, right? Does that mean Pein isn't just one person? It's a squad?"
"I'm afraid I have no answers for you, Sakura. Another instance in which I failed as a teacher," Kakashi said, looking over his shoulder with a crinkly eyed smile. "My second lesson to you still stands."
'His second lesson? He would never let his companions die,' Sakura thought, remembering the day in which Zabuza had confronted them and she first saw the Copy Ninja in action. She had doubted him up to that day, but never again after.
"What should we do?" Sakura asked. Yamato had made his way to them, placing his back against Sakura's and Kakashi's as Itachi broke off his battle and closed the circle.
"Three opponents. Itachi, keep your technique up. Sakura will remain there and heal any of us if in need. Yamato, take the dog, Itachi takes the man, I'll take the woman." He remained quiet. "Let's hope no more of them show up."
"Understood Captain," the three of them said. As she made a hasty withdrawal back to Susano'o, Sakura swallowed the bitter feeling that welled up in her throat; that despite it all, she would always be sent to the sidelines while her precious friends battled it out. She watched as Yamato battled against the dog, great wooden spears forming in the tower while Itachi kept a safe distance from the male Pein, assessing his move set.
Kakashi had the hardest time, it seemed. Just as he neared the woman, she brought her hand down to the wall, forming another summoning circle from which a gigantic centipede formed. As he engaged with it, the woman continues, summoning a Rhino this time, which stampeded around the area. Cursing, Sakura leapt onto the wall, out of reach and found Susano'o followed her immediately. Far below, she thought she could spot Itachi glance back at her before focusing on his battle once more.
The centipede headed in her location. Kakashi looked at her, taking a second to decide whether to come help, but nodded and leapt off to the woman to stop her from summoning more of the creatures. Pleased there was something she could do, Sakura gathered chakra to her palms and jumped off the wall just as the centipede reached her, burrowing her fist into the top of its head.
It curled lifelessly and dropped with a grand boom, shaking the entire tower on its vestiges. Ahead of her, Yamato struggled with the dog, subduing it with no less than five pillars. He trapped it against the side of the tower, wood curling all over the dog, constricting until it poofed out of existence again.
Itachi had ended his battle, having opted to use his black fire attack again. The male Pein lay lifeless on the broken floor, body covered by a raging black inferno. He was bleeding from his eye again. Cursing, Sakura rushed down the wall and headed for Itachi, narrowly avoiding the rhino once more.
"I'll heal your eye," Sakura said as she reached him. He looked her over with his one good eye and nodded quietly.
"Are you alright?" Itachi asked, stepping into Susano'o. Behind her, she could hear the rampaging rhino, but its cries quieted. Chancing a look over her shoulder, Sakura found Susano'o's sword embedded in the rhino.
"Yes," Sakura breathed, bringing her hand over his eye. Though in the middle of battle, Sakura couldn't help herself from feeling a little heated as his gaze roved over her, his long eyelashes tickling her palm. The world seemed to narrow until only the two of them existed in the space between one second and the next. She repaired the burst blood vessels and wiped at the blood on his eye and cheek with a cloth.
"Be careful," he said, standing from his place. She accepted his hand as he helped her up and tried to ignore the way her stomach curled pleasantly as he caressed her knuckles with his calloused thumb before releasing her.
"You too," Sakura whispered at him as he departed to join Kakashi in his struggle against the female Pein. While she had been healing Itachi, the woman had summoned what looked to be a chameleon and camouflaged herself as she let yet another beast—this one a large bird with a huge beak—rampage around the area.
She sighed in relief as the three worked together to take down both the bird and used Kakashi's superior sense of smell to locate and kill the chameleon. As the woman crouched down for yet another attack, Itachi stepped in, caught her gaze and trapped her in a sea of black flames.
Looking up, she found Konan had fled.
"She's gone," Sakura called out. "Konan, she's gone."
Kakashi looked up the tower and turned to walk to Sakura. He looked exhausted, covered in blood and cuts and as he sat down beside her for her to heal him, Sakura easily detected his elevated heart rate and ragged breathing. She smiled gently at him. Copy Ninja or no, his stamina was as atrocious as always. "We did it," Sakura said, moving to heal a particularly nasty cut on his arm. Behind him, Yamato and Itachi reached them.
Yamato looked as ragged as Kakashi did, but surprisingly, Itachi looked to be fine. She wasn't all too surprised; Yamato's techniques drew a lot of chakra and of the three of them, Sakura was sure Itachi had the biggest stamina supply.
"We did," Kakashi said, flashing his trademark smile.
"Should we chase after Konan?" Yamato asked.
"Our mission was to assassinate Akatsuki's leader," Kakashi said. "Now that he—they—have been neutralized, our mission is over." He paused, watching Sakura as she finished healing his forearm. "The fact that there are three of them is… surprising."
"The woman was the one I saw on the lake," Itachi said. "She started the rain."
Yamato plopped down as Kakashi stood and sauntered off, smiling gratefully as Sakura reached to clean his leg. "I've never seen eyes like those either," Sakura said, picking some dirt from Yamato's leg.
"I have my suspicions," Kakashi spoke.
"It's a Rinnegan," Itachi said, drawing their attention. "An exalted doujutsu that is thought to be extinct. Our clan has writings that date to before the Warring States period regarding it."
"As I suspected," Kakashi exhaled, scratching the back of his neck.
"How does it differ from a Sharingan or Byakugan?" Sakura queried.
Itachi looked down at her. "I'm unsure. The writings detail mostly what it looked like. In function it is said to work similarly to both eyes, but with some added techniques. As doujutsu was thought to be extinct, I'm afraid that is the extent of my knowledge."
"It's interesting to look into this," Yamato said, turning his cheek to Sakura for healing. That all three of them had one technique they used in combination with taijutsu has me fascinated."
"Agreed," Itachi said. "One summoner and one gravity-based technique." He paused. "The third tried to grab me multiple times. I'm certain his technique requires actual touch."
She finished her healing session and stood, eyeing Itachi to see if he needed any additional healing beyond the broken eye vessels, but as expect, he seemed fine. As Yamato stood, Kakashi dusted his pants. "We'll return to the inn outside of Rain for the night and cross the Fire Country tomorrow to return to Konoha."
"Excellent," Yamato said, signaling for Kakashi to lead the way. He followed, speaking softly of the crazy summons the woman had used to the silver-haired jounin while Sakura trailed behind him, Itachi in tow.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
Itachi remained quiet for a little longer. "Yes. Though I feel… unsettled. From the looks of it, Captain Kakashi feels the same."
She turned her gaze to Kakashi, finding a tension in his neck and shoulders that normally wasn't there. He was still on high-alert, something that wasn't odd altogether, considering where they were. But she could see the same in the way Yamato held himself. A feeling of dread overcame her. "What do you think it is?"
"I hesitate to call this battle easy… But I believe we all expected it to be a harder fight," Itachi said.
"Well, Konoha sent their best," Sakura said, forcing a tone of lightheartedness. The look on Itachi's face told her he saw right through her. The corner of his mouth pulled up briefly. She bit her lip and looked forward again, but didn't miss the feeling of his fingers trailing comfortingly from her wrist to her elbow, before withdrawing his fingers. In front of them, Kakashi and Yamato turned around the first corner.
"They sent their best medic," Itachi whispered to her, tracing her lobe with his finger before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You did well with the Wood technique."
Sakura couldn't stop the blush from forming. He had turned off his Sharingan, dark eyes on her for a moment longer. "Thank you," Sakura said. Part of her wished she could just reach out to him and wrap her arms around him, to inhale his scent and feel his warmth. Hopefully, they would have some time together in the inn.
As they reached the outstretched tongue of one of the demon heads, Sakura blinked against the sunlight that washed over Rain. Most of the dark clouds that hung over the city had evaporated. Kakashi and Yamato jumped down, followed by Sakura and Itachi.
They bounded over the rooftops to the lake that surrounded Rain, intent on making their way back to the inn. "Captain Kakashi," Sakura called out. "I've been wondering… What was in the pods?"
"Me," a voice sounded from behind them.
Immediately, the four of them whirled around to find four figures in Akatsuki cloak standing on a ledge near the lake. Sakura gasped as she realized the person standing closest to her was the first Pein they had encountered—the one that had been staked and hit by a Chidori and Itachi's kunai. Yet he stood there as if nothing had transpired. Behind him stood a large man with a wide smirk, an older-looking man with shaggy hair and a broad-muscled man.
Immediately, Susano'o formed a protective shield around her and the rest of the team. She leapt behind Kakashi and Yamato, keeping her eyes on the four Peins at all times. "Six of them in total. He brought one of them back," Yamato said, face serious.
Sakura felt the pressure; the first Pein had been hard enough to take down and had taken a lot from them. The subsequent fight with the two others had drained both Kakashi and Yamato, though Itachi looked to be fine and Sakura had barely spent her chakra.
"Captain," Itachi spoke, eyes narrowed. "I have enough chakra left for an extended fight. If you and Yamato-senpai take the gravitational one, I'll handle the other three."
"Don't be ridiculous," Yamato said, sounding tired. "One of them is enough. Three of them will be hard to handle."
"I insist," Itachi said, making eye contact with Kakashi. "Susano'o's sword has special properties."
Kakashi remained quiet. "Sakura. Stay back and analyze them. If they're like the others, which is likely, they'll all have one special move. The sooner we have any clue what they are, the better."
It seemed Pein wasn't content to give them more time to discuss. Each one of the Peins rushed to another member of the team; Susano'o blocked the man with the broad grin from reaching her, darting out of the way as Susano'o slashed with his sword. The gravity pulling one had singled out Kakashi while the older-looking man had rushed at Yamato. Meanwhile, Itachi had sent a fireball into the direction of the Pein he was battling. The man held up his arms as though physically attempting to stop the fireball. To her surprise, the inferno grew smaller and smaller until it faded.
'He's absorbing chakra from ninjutsu…' Sakura thought, eyes wide. Despite Itachi's immense prowess, taijutsu was his least trained skill. If anything had changed during their sparring time during her Wood release practice, it was the fact that she had begun to see him as human rather than a shinobi god. 'He's unfavorably matched.'
A blast startled her.
The man who had charged at her had shed his cloak and revealed what seemed to be a puppet body with six arms underneath. From his chest, he fired a round of rockets at directly at her, which Susano'o blocked easily. 'And a weaponized puppet… This is insane.'
They were technically four against four. The sooner one of the Peins were taken out, the sooner help could be given to Kakashi, who looked like he was seriously struggling. 'Never again, I promised myself. Never be left behind. Never again be irrelevant to a battle and its course. I'm more than a medic,' she thought.
Unbidden, Itachi's voice came to her.
'Normal medics have to stay behind and stay in supporting roles. You, however… You have the capability of being so much more than just support.'
As if he heard her train of thought, Itachi chose that moment to look over his shoulder, Sharingan blazing as he observed her. She gritted her teeth and nodded at him, grabbing her gloves from her pocket. With one last look, Sakura leapt over Susano'o's shield and punched the ground with all her might, sending the weapon-Pein off balance. Forming the seals for the Great Spear tree, Sakura molded enough chakra to raise a small forest in the middle of the lake, surprising the Pein she was up against.
Using the newly formed forest to her advantage, Sakura leapt into the woods, dodging the launched projectiles from the puppet and used her chakra to enhance her speed even further. He launched a massive rocket at her. Cursing loudly, Sakura reached the ground, allowing the Hobi technique to envelop her. Burrowing into the ground, she used her Earth techniques to place her right underneath the Pein. He found her a fraction too soon, rolling out of the way as she punched hard at him.
Forming a medical scalpel, she sliced through one of the smaller trees, using her Mokuton to sharpen the edges and cried out 'Shannaro!' as she threw the tree with all her might like a javelin, impaling Pein to the forest floor. He struggled and wiggled beneath the spear and lifted the spear a few inches. "Oh, no you don't," Sakura yelled, pounding the spear further into him with all her might. The smirk fell from his face. 'It's just a puppet. It's just like Sasori,' Sakura said to herself. 'Any living person would have been dead.'
She looked into his purple ringed eyes and forced herself to think of Naruto. "For Naruto," Sakura said, dropping a chakra-laden foot on the Pein's head. Beneath her toes, she heard his head squash and metal grind against each other. She forced herself to confirm his death before sprinting out of the forest.
Yamato had overpowered his Pein, now working together with Kakashi to take down the gravity-Pein. Itachi on the other side had seemingly just hit his Pein with Susano'o's blade. He looked directly at her as the Pein almost melted on the spectral blade, nodded approvingly, and sped off to assist Kakashi and Yamato.
Frowning, Sakura noticed a tiny white bird fluttering feebly against the wind, just where Itachi stood moments before. Somehow, it all connected in her head.
Six pods.
'What was in the pods?'
'Me.'
Multiple summons, all with Rinnegan.
Multiple people, all with Rinnegan.
A doujutsu thought extinct.
"The Lord and his Angel."
'It's just like Sasori.'
'Bringing corpses to the tower. Rare, but occasional occurrence.'
'The Lady Angel is our guardian angel.'
'A guardian angel protects,' Sakura thought, walking toward the paper bird as though dazed. 'She doesn't run off at the start of a battle. Or monitor the battle through a proxy. She immediately left when Pein arrived. It's just like Sasori… But instead of the Red Scorpion seal branded on them, they're wearing Rinnegan eyes. The real one… He isn't here!'
She rushed back into the forest, to the corpse she had left behind. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she ignored the mess she had made and crouched down beside him. 'The piercings… The summons all had them too,' Sakura thought, pulling at one of them. It turned out to be a thin rod with a sharp end. 'Chakra rod,' she concluded, having seen them once before in a book. 'He's controlling them through chakra rods… And he was in the highest tower… because he had the most reach from there!'
She dashed out of the forest, feverish as she looked on to the three men. They were in the middle of the battle, fighting against gravity itself. Sakura looked up to the tower, weighing her decision. Back in the tower, the real Pein awaited her, alongside Konan. Could she handle both? Was there a reason why Pein used proxies?
"Kakashi," she said as she dashed up to him during a small lull. He looked over his shoulder, mismatched eyes wide and tired. "This isn't the real him. This isn't Pein. He's still in the tower."
The next second felt like eternity.
She could see the wheels turning in his head as he looked back and forth between her eyes. Kakashi was one of the best shinobi she knew and there were few he trusted without asking questions; she hoped she was still one of those select few.
"Itachi, go with her," Kakashi said, turning back to Pein. "Bring her back."
"Understood," Itachi said.
They sprinted back to the tower, rushing up the side back. Ignoring the entrance beyond the demon's mouth, Sakura dashed up to the very top of the tower. "He's here. Right underneath. I'm sure of it," Sakura said.
"Go ahead, Sakura," Itachi said simply, his crimson eyes trusting.
With a roar, Sakura punched into the roof. It cracked before falling apart completely. From the hole in the roof, dozens upon dozens of paper shuriken and kunai flew in their direction. Itachi re-summoned Susano'o, blocking the projectiles and jumped into the hole Sakura had created, Sakura herself in tow.
Konan stood before them, grinding her teeth… And beyond her was a man with long red hair. He looked supremely underfed and unhealthy, as though someone had sucked him dry of his very life force. But as he lifted his head and turned to look at them, Sakura triumphantly realized that he had the Rinnegan as well.
Konan came at her, sending another batch of projectiles toward the two of them. Beside her, Itachi formed a giant fireball, burning the paper to crisp and sending it Pein's way. Not taking any risks, Sakura sprinted to the man, hell-bent on punching him into his next life. Konan stepped in front of her, but made the mistake of looking at Itachi.
He had seldomly used his genjutsu throughout all the time they had spent together, but Sakura knew the exact moment it captured her. Her eyes turned hazy as she dropped to the ground and let out a tormented scream. The man behind her—Pein—looked on as he struggled to free himself from the confines in which he was held. "Sorry," Sakura said quietly, drawing his attention. "You're right. In another life, I might have been born here and seen Konoha as my enemy… As it is, you're threatening the life of my best friend. And that, I simply cannot allow."
Pein began to speak, but she didn't give him the opportunity. Instead, she formed a serpent seal and summoned razor-sharp wooden spears from the ground, impaling Pein before he could say another word.
Panting, Sakura stood still, looking at Pein's mangled body without saying a word. Itachi walked around her, drawing a kunai from his pouch which he slammed into Konan's chest. Somewhere deep inside, Sakura realized she should have been shocked by the brutal way at which they just ended two lives, but another, bigger part of her realized that this was also a ninja's life. It wasn't her first kill and it wouldn't be her last.
Somehow though, she felt like this one might be the most significant kill she would ever make.
Itachi stood to his feet, observing the falling Pein for a long moment before turning to her. Without realizing, Sakura dashed toward him and wrapped her arms around him. "You were right," Sakura whispered to his chest. "I wasn't left behind. I did more."
In return, Itachi tightened his arms around her. "Well done, Sakura."
"Sakura," Kakashi called. Sakura turned around to find Kakashi propped up against a tree, holding a jar of pickled vegetables. She couldn't help but giggle as she walked up to her captain and took the jar from his hand. Raising an eyebrow, she made a show of holding the pot up and turned the lid easily, handing it back to Kakashi.
"Those lids always require a certain tweaking I can never get down," Kakashi said, as though inspecting the jar with a critical eye.
"Must have made home-life hard," Sakura said flippantly as she unrolled her bedroll. She thought of the inn they had planned to stay in with longing; when they had finally reached it, the place turned out to be packed and there were no more free rooms. Instead of pushing hard for one of the bigger towns, Kakashi had given them a break and set up camp near Rain. "I will get some firewood."
As she stepped out of the clearing, Sakura passed by Yamato who carried a few fish with him, and a collection of large mushrooms. He hummed at her as he walked into the circle, a spring to his step despite the fatigue that surrounded him. Sakura couldn't keep the smile off her face either; the mood in camp was decidedly different from their approach to Rain. Against all odds, they had taken down the leader of Akatsuki while losing none of their team members.
Elated, Sakura walked deeper into the forest, up to a hill where she spotted some dry wood. The deeper she wandered into the forest, the more she became cognizant of how hyperaware she was of the cracking twigs and leaves underfoot. Adrenaline still coursed through her veins, although the battle had been over for hours.
Reaching the foot of the hill, Sakura grabbed one of the first twigs she could see before noticing another presence. Turning, she found Itachi walking toward her, flasks filled with fresh spring water in his hands. Unlike the two other jounin, he barely looked fatigued if not for the dark circles under his eyes.
"Found a stream?" Sakura said as he walked up to her.
"A little farther ahead," Itachi said.
She bit her lip, looking up to him shyly. The little moment they had shared after Pein's death had been cut short by Kakashi and Yamato, who had found them soon after the gravity-pulling Pein had collapsed. Still, feeling his arms around her for the first time in days had set her alight all over again. Even now, just standing in his vicinity threatened to consume her.
"Don't look at me like that, Sakura."
She shivered at the dark tone in his voice and the way it sent something in her stomach coiling in delicious ways. "How am I looking at you?" she dared to ask, eyes darting back and forth between his. She dropped the twig as Itachi set down his flasks and stepped toward her. In the distance, she could faintly hear Kakashi and Yamato conversing at the campfire.
"Like you want me to take you against this tree," Itachi whispered in her ear. She clutched at his arms as he pressed her against the trunk of the tree, knees weak as his hot breath fanned over the tip of her ear. "Or am I mistaken?" He drew back a little, capturing her gaze as his fingertips trailed down her neck to her shoulder.
She could only shake her head. "No. You're not mistaken."
Sakura barely suppressed a moan as he slanted his lips over hers. He threaded his fingers into her hair, tipping her head back for better access as his lips danced over her bottom lip, across her jawline to her ear. His hand slipped between her legs, slowly stroking her through her clothes, causing her to gasp softly. "Sakura… I believe it would be a bad idea to take you right now."
Biting her lip, Sakura nodded mutely, eyes rolling back in her head as Itachi rubbed over her sensitive nub through her clothes. "Turn around," he instructed, withdrawing his hand. Unable to process anything but his command, Sakura turned around and bent over, fingers digging into the trunk of the tree. Itachi ran his hand over her spine, down to her ass. She exhaled shakily as he cupped her ass, long fingers dipping into the waistband of her pants. "You must be quiet, Sakura. Kakashi-san and Yamato-senpai have good hearing," she heard him say through the haze of arousal that clouded her mind. Her heart skipped a beat as his words reminded her of the proximity of the two older jounin, but she allowed Itachi to pull her into his body, pressing herself against his rigid cock. The tiny hiss he let out caused her nerves to burn, her arousal reaching new and feverish heights.
Itachi dipped his fingers into her underwear, tracing her wet slit with the tip of his finger. She whimpered quietly, knees weak as Itachi moved to cover her mouth with his free hand and whispering for her to remain quiet. A second finger joined in as he drew slow, slippery circles around her clit. "Is this what you wish for, Sakura? For me to touch you like this?"
She nodded, her hand covering his over her mouth as he plunged his fingers into her, the lewd sound of her sopping wetness reaching her. In the distance, Yamato laughed, his laughter echoing through the forest. The sound of it only reminded her exactly what they were doing and how easily either jounin could catch them. She reached behind her, rubbing his cock through her clothes as he added a third finger, roughly thrusting into her.
"Come for me, Sakura," Itachi whispered to her. "I want to feel you come over my fingers."
When she came, Sakura fought to remain upright. Itachi wrapped an arm around her waist, keeping her standing as he continued fucking her with his fingers. "So beautiful," Itachi said lowly. He withdrew his fingers, holding them up to lick her juices from them. Finally, he dropped his hand from her mouth, maneuvering her face so he could capture her lips.
Dazed, she looked up to meet his heated gaze, his rock hard erection pressing against her hip. "The next time we have a bed and some privacy… I am going to fuck you properly."
She gaped at him, desire stirring anew inside of her. His onyx eyes were dark with need as he stepped away from her, readjusting himself. In all the weeks they had gotten to know each other, Sakura had never seen him so close to breaking down. His breathing came hard, and he walked off to retrieve the flasks, running a little water from them over the fingers he had used to make her come. "The stream is five minutes to the south," Itachi said.
Sakura nodded, catching her breath. He stepped toward her, faster than she could follow, and pressed his lips against hers. He kissed her urgently and Sakura could almost taste how much he craved her on his tongue.
"Soon," Itachi said as he leaned back, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Soon," Sakura agreed, rushing off to find the stream.
A/N: Soon, dear audience, soon.
This arc is also drawing to an end /soon/. Wonder what will happen? Strap yourselves in kids, it's going to be a wild ride from now on. Note that Labyrinthine means twisting and turning. ;-) I'm very particular about my work names.
Seems I've shed my writers block again! This chapter is one of the longest ones I've written for Lab and it was written entirely in two days time. Feels good to slam out chapters again!
Kaikuro: I have gotten a massive amount of requests for a little KakaSaku because it seems a lot of people are still rooting for him (despite it being an ItaSaku). I might indulge, I might not. Read and find out! Haha. Vanebear: Thank you! I'm happy to contribute a little to keep this wonderful fandom alive. Bah: Glad my updates brighten your days! WhitneyWonton: LOVE your username and welcome to Lab! Strap yourself in. ;-) Runashi: Your grammar and your reviews are awesome! Thank you for the compliments.
Again, thank you all for your amazing comments, compliments and reviews. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
See you next time!
- Mitsuki