Not the most exciting chapter, but a necessary bridge (also I've been obsessed with the new Pokemon game and thought I should probably get a chapter out before I sink too much time into that lol)

Enjoy!
-Vivi

My every impulse bends to what is right.

The tenderness of Sakura's reunion with Kisame was cut short by an unexpected visitor: Tobi, their former comrade. He had appeared quickly and silently atop the rubble just before they made their careful descent, sitting leisurely as if he were a carefree teenager.

"Well, I have to admit," he started, a certain amusement to the words, "this wasn't the scene I was expecting to find."

Sakura hadn't known him well at all, not beyond his strange antics and that he drove his partner Deidara up the wall—so much that the younger man had once bit out that he wished he'd stayed dead after those nin from Konoha had beaten him into the dirt. She and Kisame watched him curiously, surely thinking the same thing: had Pein somehow been made aware of Sakura's whereabouts? She'd defected, and though Kisame had only just made his decision, did they already know he sure as hell wasn't going to be taking orders from Akatsuki anymore?

"What exactly was that?" Sakura asked, using informal and familiar words that she'd often heard him use, even when speaking to authority.

When next he spoke, his voice was so starkly different that it froze her in place. "One of the brothers dead and the other lost and alone for it."

She stared, not willing to believe what she was hearing. But that voice...

"But no matter," he went on, "where I planned to gather one additional recruit, it seems I now have three more." He glanced down to the spot where she'd leapt from Samehada, where Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo were waiting. "Maybe four, if my dear nephew ever awakens. How fortunate that you and Kisame have decided to keep working in each other's company."

"I don't understand," she murmured, scowling slightly. "How the hell...?"

Kisame said nothing, but his stare spoke for itself. Tobi stood, taking the bright orange mask from his face. As Sakura watched her expression turning into one of shock as she took in what it was she saw. His face was horribly scarred, twisted in a way that was mimicked almost in mockery by that mask he wore. His left eye was squeezed shut, a Sharingan activated in his right. The black of his hair was streaked through with white as if he were aging into an elder, though despite his scars he didn't seem much older than Kakashi.

"Madara-san," said Kisame, bowing only his head for the fact that he still had Itachi nestled in his arms. "It is fortunate indeed; one might think it may even be more than fortune."

"The wandering hands of the gods are mysterious to be sure, and powerful though I may be, I do not claim godhood."

If Sakura had been wary of him before, her hairs stood on end to see him now. This "Madara" had made himself known to Kisame years before he'd made himself known to her, and there was little she was willing to chalk up to mere coincidence. That he'd been lurking among the Akatsuki all this time made her stomach sour in anxiety. A shiver coursed through her to realize he'd come expecting to speak to either Itachi or Sasuke, and do who-the-hell-knew what else. And though the family resemblance was uncanny, there was a nagging thought in her head, Inner all defense as she spat,

He's not Madara.

"And what exactly do you want?" she demanded, keeping her tone informal and trying not to betray her deeper thoughts.

Kisame, ever polite and sincere, bristled at her choice of words. But the man just shrugged as he re-fastened his mask, standing to his feet.

"I told you I'd come with orders when the time was right. As it happens, now is that time. We have need of the remaining Tailed Beasts, and Pein grows more desperate by the day."

"Pardon my rudeness," Kisame said then, "but I wonder why it's you giving us the orders."

"Hidan and Kakuzu have fallen at the hands of Lightning shinobi to avenge the Two-Tails' Jinchuuriki," he said heavily. "With Sasori also dead, Deidara interested in little more than revenge, Itachi comatose—we can't afford for the two of you to defect."

"That doesn't answer the question," Sakura muttered, taking a step forward.

"I'm getting there, girl. Our efforts are all doubled in seeking the four remaining beasts. Pein means to fetch the Nine-Tails himself, and I do not expect him to survive the encounter. The Akatsuki will need a leader when he's gone, won't it?"

There was something sinister, something so downright ominous about this entire conversation. Clearly he had ill intentions in seeking to lead the organization, and that the continued collection of the Beasts seemed to line up with his goals...

"Do this for me," he said as if reading her mind, "and I will allow you free reign to perform your miraculous jutsu and keep their human hosts from the clutches of death. The both of us win that way."

Could she trust such a promise from a man like him? And Pein had never been so reckless—there was simply no way he could capture Naruto. His chakra and presence alone were powerful, sure, but Konoha had its share of power, too. Sakura knew to her core that Naruto had spent the last few years giving his all to his training, and with Sasuke and Kakashi there, too—

"The boss intends to go all-out. In that case, the entire village is likely to be destroyed. Seems it will save you the trouble, at least."

She froze again, mid-breath this time as she stared a hole down through a spot in the rubble. Destroy Konoha? But that would mean mass casualties—including Sasuke and Kakashi and Ino and Sakura's own parents. Civilians families, civilian children, even the students at the Academy who didn't know any better.

He laughed once, devoid of all humor. "Not exactly what you wanted to hear, is it? Then do this for me," he repeated, "and perhaps you will be able to convince the Nine-Tails boy all on your own, without the need for Pein's interference. We need him last, after all, so time is on your side. The two of you, listen—hear me and obey: seek out the Six-Tails' Jinchuuriki and bring him to the statue. I don't care how it is you manage so long as it's done. And I trust my identity will remain a secret among us three." She could hear the wry smile on his face. "Well then..."

And then he was gone, no trace of him in the air at all. She stood alone there with Kisame with only the sounds of the breeze and the birds slowly returning to the area after the fearsome battle. They exchanged a loaded glance before he shrugged Itachi over his shoulder.

"He is using your empathy against you," he muttered. "I never thought I would betray yet another superior, but—"

"It's fine," she said, pushing off to resume their descent down the battlefield and down the mountain. She wouldn't dare speak aloud her growing plans just yet, unsure how far Madara would be able to hear her. "I'll do what he asks, but let's just get back down before we discuss it."

He walked after her, keeping Itachi balanced over him. "Is that truly what you'd set off to do when you left us? Destroy the Leaf, as he'd said?"

Watching their footing, she explained to him her thoughts on destroying the villages and how, though she believed in it, it still seemed a futile task. It was as they came into view of the entrance of the mountainous structure that he beamed and said far too loudly,

"I've been involved in a plot to overthrow a government or two. I'm happy to offer my expertise."

She shouldn't have been so surprised still to hear she had more in common with criminals than she'd previously thought. Though from the conversation they'd had before Madara's interruption, she would have to force herself to stop seeing Kisame less as a criminal and more a victim of the system she hated more and more by the day. Juugo and Suigetsu exchanged a look at the overheard conversation while Karin ran to Sakura's side.

"Y—your chakra!" she cried, glancing between her and Itachi's limp body. "It's totally depleted! What the hell happened up there? And who the hell is this?"

"I told you who he is, dipshit!" Suigetsu yelled, seemingly taking personal offense at that.

"I mean how does she know him, you fucking dolt!"

"Guys," Sakura said, holding up her hands to rub at her throbbing temples. It was a miracle she hadn't passed out already, but it was a signature feature of the cursed seals that their power grew the more it was utilized; a good omen for how much she may need to use it in the coming weeks. "Please, my head's killing me."

Kisame watched her three newest companions with interest, then nodded his head once towards Suigetsu. "A friend of my little sister's is friend enough in my eyes. I'm glad I didn't kill you in that spar, Suigetsu-san."

"The two of you are that close?!" the other stammered, his eyes going wide. It seemed it wasn't just Zabuza he's idolized, and to have confirmation that Sakura knew one of the Seven Swordsman well hadn't been something he was expecting. He struggled to find words before finally realizing he'd been insulted, glancing away to hide his blush "I wasn't—! You make it sound too one-sided."

"I remember you being skilled as a child. It would be my pleasure to embarrass you daily, if it's to your liking."

Great, Sakura's inner voice said with a groan. More bickering is just what we need...

Juugo was next to speak, his voice quiet but not timid. A bird had flown to him, perching directly on the top of his head as if it were looking to make a nest of his hair. "Kisame, was it? The man on your back..."

"He's comatose," Sakura said when Kisame looked to her. She was unused to leading even her small group, but it was especially strange to see the older man defer to her, even if he was usually following Itachi's lead. "But Itachi is...someone very important to us both. Kisame-ani and I will bear the burden of keeping him safe. If that bothers you—"

"Please," Juugo said, holding up one hand to stop her. "I merely meant I'm willing to carry him, should your elder brother tire. That sword looks heavy enough on its own."

The sentiment was immediately cut short by Karin, huffing her impatience. "What if it bothers me?! This is the guy that broke your heart, isn't it? But you exhausted yourself saving his life! I don't like this one bit!"

Sakura bit at the inside of her cheek, too tired for such a conversation but not willing to lose Karin because of it. "We have something important to do next," she began. "Itachi has never lost a fight—even today, it was his own sickness that was about to kill him, not the battle. If we're gonna have any shot at taking revenge on the villages, we'll need him alive. And"—she took Karin's hands gently, giving her a sincere smile—"you can't make his life hell if he's dead."

"I—!" Her face had flushed, but she pursed her lips despite of it. "I would like to give him another piece of my mind. If you were happy with him, I could accept that...but no one who hurts you can get off the hook that easy!"

Suigetsu groaned. "If you ladies are ready to cut the sappy shit, would anyone mind filling us in on what exactly you mean by something important to do next?"

"A man named Madara wants us to keep collecting Tailed Beasts for the Akatsuki," she answered, finding no use in hiding such a thing. "You're all members of that now, I guess. I'm to save the hosts from death when their beasts are extracted, and then—"

"I thought we were gonna go blow some shit up!" he moaned, throwing his head back as if in defeat.

"If you've got any ideas on how we can do that, I'm all ears," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. The logistics would take weeks to plan, and they may as well take their time on the road hunting Jinchuuriki doing some useful brainstorming. When no one responded, she crossed her arms over her chest. She took in a breath to steady herself—if Madara was listening, would he rush in and attack? Would he care? Did he maybe already suspect her betrayal?

Fuck it, she and Inner decided together.

"Until then, I have every intention of finding these people, but this Madara guy can go to hell if he thinks I'm just gonna hand them over. We start by gathering intel—Karin, I want you to keep a feel out for any of that chakra you felt the day my old team ganged up on us at the hideout. When we find them, we don't engage; we talk. Get them on our side."

"I should just go off on my own way!" Suigetsu swore under his breath. "You promised me a war!"

"We'll need to be quick," Kisame interjected, ignoring the outburst, "if we're to find the hosts before anyone else. And as for a war"—he cocked his head to look at Suigetsu—"when Madara discovers our treachery, we'll be in for the fight of our lives."

"And once we beat the hell out of him," Sakura concluded, finally taking a step in the direction of the nearest town, "we'll have our own personal army to make war with the villages. That sound good to you?"

He offered no reply, and the six of them—she would be sure to keep a close eye on Itachi's condition until he was stable enough to wake—pressed off together and into the world.