Temptation of the Heart
Chapter Two: Sakura's Unexpected Meeting
Northeast. That was the direction of the Hidden Sound Village from Kohona Village, and Sakura immediately headed northeast after leaving Kohona.
Having never been to the Hidden Sound Village, Sakura didn't know how long she'd have to travel to get there, but she didn't expect to spend too much time on the road. Sakura figured she'd be walking a few days at the most before once again finding Sasuke. She couldn't wait!
After only a few miles on the road, Sakura sensed someone watching her as she traveled the forest pathways. Fearing someone from Kohona had followed her, Sakura silently slipped into a hiding spot between tree trunks. The trunks of these two trees had grown so closely together creating a small crevasse just barely large enough for Sakura to fit in.
Wanting nothing more than to continue on her way, Sakura waited impatiently. She expected the person stalking her to be revealed while searching for her. The next thing Sakura knew, and she had no idea how this happened, she was bound and gagged, staring into unfamiliar, red-dotted, Sharigan eyes.
Sakura could only imagine these eyes belonged to none other than her true love's arch nemesis and brother, Uichiha Itachi. She found herself hypnotized by these eyes and unable to move.
Inwardly, the inner-Sakura, the Sakura who had defeated Ino during their Chuunin battle, raged against this hypnotic binding force. For the second time in her life, inner-Sakura actively engaged an enemy.
Itachi had hypnotized Sakura but not inner-Sakura. Inner-Sakura was free to do as she willed, and she took control of Sakura. She broke her bindings with precisely focused chakra and slugged Itachi in the face with a chakra charged fist.
Unfortunately, when Sakura ran from Itachi, she ran straight into Kisame, Itachi's partner in crime and fellow Akatsuki member. Kisame hit Sakura with the butt-end of his sword, Samehada, knocking her unconscious.
"How'd the little girl break free from your technique?" Kisame asked Itachi.
Visibly shaken by Sakura's ability, Itachi replied, "I've no idea. No one's ever broken free from my Sharigan before."
Bringing Samehada forward, Kisame began to point his sword at Sakura, "Samehada will enjoy this meal."
"Stop!" commanded Itachi. "I need to find out how this insect of a shinobi shattered my unbreakable technique. This one has incredible potential. She may be useful to us. Wrap her up in more powerful bindings and bring her."
"What about Naruto?" asked Kisame.
"We can't get close enough to him right now with Tsunade and Jiraiya looking after him. We'll come back at a later time. Right now, we need to meet with the others and find out how they're doing with their missions."
(to be continued in Chapter Three: The Akatsuki)