Thanks for reading! I don't own any of Naruto! Please let me know if you enjoy!
—
The following morning, Naruto went to meet Kakashi by the river for breakfast, just as they had all agreed the day before.
Sometimes the trio met for a meal to reminisce or to prepare for a mission.
Whether it was serious or lighthearted, it always felt good to have the remainder of team seven together again.
That morning, Naruto was not surprised that Kakashi was running behind.
Although, the jinchuriki did raise an eyebrow at Sakura's tardiness.
That was unlike his friend.
Sakura was usually….punctual.
Some time later, when Kakashi finally arrived, Naruto ran up and asked him worriedly. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei! Is Sakura not with you?!" Naruto asked.
Kakashi blinked. "No…" He replied. "Why would Sakura be with me?" Kakashi asked Naruto, a little unsure.
"Sakura's always on time, but I haven't seen her this morning…." Naruto said, squinting his eyes as he thought. "I think we should go to her apartment and check on her."
"Alright." Kakashi nodded.
The two began to walk back towards the part of the village where Sakura lived.
Naruto and Kakashi made their way through the crowded streets of Konoha in tense silence.
"Do you think she's sick, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked as they reached Sakura's building.
"I hope not." Kakashi replied while they climbed the stairs.
The two found Sakura's apartment number and Naruto eagerly knocked on the door. "Hey Sakura! Are you in there?! Are you ok?! I hope you didn't oversleep!"
Naruto stepped back and waited with Kakashi for a moment.
It wasn't like Sakura at all to just not show up for an arranged meeting.
If the pinkette wasn't sleeping and she wasn't in bed, where could she be?
—
Back at Orochimaru's hideout, the morning sun didn't wake the captive pinkette, since there were no windows around.
Sasuke grimaced down at Sakura, watching her sleep.
He had decided that he would allow her to wake naturally.
That may make the pinkette more docile.
Not that the Uchiha heir intended Sakura to refuse his request….
Sasuke actually expected Sakura to be overjoyed to see him when she woke.
Sasuke fully intended Sakura to fall blubbering at his feet and work for him as obediently as a dog.
But…..
Orochimaru had taught Sasuke to prepare for anything, no matter one's expectations.
As a precaution, the Uchiha heir had clasped Sakura's wrists and ankles in chains as she laid on a small, makeshift bed.
Sasuke shifted on his feet anxiously.
Soon, Sakura would wake and then Sasuke could finally ask her what he wanted to know.
If he was fortunate, Sakura would cooperate easily.
Sasuke could figure out why his injury felt better near her and what this stupid block was….
If Sakura refused, well, then Sasuke would have to use more, convincing methods to persuade her.
Why was she not awake yet?!
How long had Sasuke been there, watching her, waiting?
He felt like the night had lasted an eternity for some reason.
Sasuke's stomach growled.
The Uchiha heir remembered that he hadn't eaten anything since the day before.
Sasuke stared at Sakura.
The chains were enough to hold one as weak as her.
Sasuke could go grab a rice ball and then she should be awake.
Yes, food would be nice…..
Besides, it was hard to torture people on an empty stomach.
Sasuke turned and walked towards the door in the small room.
Before he left, Sasuke cast Sakura one last glance as she lay on the bed.
The pinkette's face was calm and relaxed, her long pink locks fanned out around her.
Innocent….
Vulnerable…
Sasuke grit his teeth as he closed the door.
It wasn't like it meant anything, no, of course not…..but Sasuke had to admit…
Sakura did look good in chains~.
—
"I say we go in." Naruto suggested to Kakashi.
The two had been waiting outside and knocking on Sakura's door for almost fifteen minutes with no answer.
Not a shout.
Not a thump.
Nothing.
At this point, even Kakashi was getting a bit concerned.
"I think you're right, Naruto, let's pick the lock." Kakashi nodded.
That would be easier and better than kicking the door down.
Using a small tool on hand, the pair fiddled with the lock for a moment and then, finally, the door sprang open.
"Sakura?" Naruto called as he and Kakashi stepped into her apartment. "Sorry, to barge in on ya like this, but me and Kakashi-sensei just got a little worried."
No answer.
Naruto and Kakashi began to look around, searching for Sakura, or at least, a clue.
The living room and kitchen area were empty but intact.
The bathroom looked alright.
There were no signs of the pinkette anywhere.
There were also no signs of a struggle either
Finally, they checked the bedroom…..
Nothing.
As they stood in the empty bedroom, the only thing that Naruto and Kakashi noticed was the open window, through which Sakura blossoms were still blowing in and out of the room.
"What do you think happened, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked.
"I'm not sure, but look…." Kakashi said, pointing over to Sakura's bed.
The sheets had been folded down in half, while the other end of the blanket lay wrinkled, as if someone had been lying on top of the covers.
Naruto blinked.
"Do you think…...someone took Sakura?" Naruto asked incredulously.
"Well…..I'm not sure. But at this point, it may be a possibility. Let's ask around the village first and see if anyone's seen here. We don't want to jump to conclusions." Kakashi said.
"Right! We'll find Sakura, believe it!" Naruto declares confidently as the pair headed out of Sakura's apartment, locking the door behind them after they closed the open window.
Naruto and Kakashi both thought to themselves as they began to run up and down the streets, questioning Konoha's citizens.
If no one had seen the pinkette, they would need to gather a search party immediately.
Had Sakura really been abducted?
If that was so, then the real question was….by whom?
Sakura didn't have any personal enemies that Naruto or Kakashi knew of…...
Naruto scowled as a particularly far-fetched idea entered his mind.
Surely it hadn't been by…..Sasuke?
—
After Sasuke finished eating his rice balls, he walked back to the room that he was holding Sakura in.
Sasuke turned the door knob slowly, wondering if she was awake yet.
The light from the hallway fell over the dark room and Sasuke blinked in surprise at finding the bed empty.
His eyes widened.
That must mean…..!
Clang!
Sasuke struggled to retain his consciousness as something hard and cold was slammed against his head from behind.
"Sasuke…?" Sakura gasped in disbelief behind him.
Sasuke felt his eyes roll in his head, struggling to see through blurred vision as Sakura stepped in front of him.
"Sa…..ku…...ra…" Sasuke growled, fighting through his still-spinning haze, he hauled himself to his feet, trying to get a better view of what was going on in the shadowy room.
"Why did you bring me here, Sasuke?" Sakura asked tensely, standing back in a defensive position.
She wasn't overjoyed to see him.
If she was, it didn't show.
The chains that held her ankles she had managed to remove, the chains around her wrists, she kept on, cutting out the middle so they could now be swung independently and used as weapons.
It didn't look like Sakura was going to fall down at Sasuke's feet….
As Sasuke felt a wave of dizziness wash over him from his throbbing head, he feared the opposite may end up happening.
"I need your help, Sakura." Sasuke managed to say with a smile that was far too sweet.
"I'm not going to help you or Orochimaru with anything! Not unless you come with me back to Konoha and act like you have some sense again!" Sakura cried as she struck out with one of the chains.
Lazily, Sasuke managed to avoid the blow as he staggered out of the way.
Sakura swung her chains again.
Sasuke was very irritated at her response.
"I don't care if you want to help me or not, Sakura! You won't leave this place until I get what I need from you!" Sasuke growled.
Clang!
Those were the last words Sasuke spoke before Sakura landed a blow right to Sasuke's jaw, knocking him on the floor.
As Sasuke started to black out, Sakura scowled down at him and hissed, "We'll see about that, Sasuke. I'm not the same little girl who begged you to stay. Time has passed, things have changed now."
Sasuke vaguely heard Sakura walking out of the room as his eyes rolled back into his head.
No.
No!
This wasn't the way this was supposed to work!
Sakura was frail and timid. She was pathetic and useless.
Weak…..
She wasn't supposed to fight back!
She certainly wasn't supposed to beat him up and leave him in a heap while she escaped!
Sasuke had one final thought as he slipped into unconsciousness.
Yes, it was true…..things had changed.
Sakura was actually more annoying now than she had ever been!
—-
The pinkette left the room she had been imprisoned in and began to dash down the hallway of Orochimaru's hideout.
She tried at least, until the snake sannin stepped right in front of her, blocking her path.
With an evil grin, he asked Sakura with a purr, "Ah~. Sasuke's new toy. Now where do you think you're going?"