Hellbent

Chapter 2: On staying fearless

Sakura woke up groggy with the rain steadily misting her. She had fell asleep out in the middle of nowhere and miles away from Konohagakure, and she just told Naruto to be careful. With her face still covered and hood concealing her pink hair she looked around cautiously. There was a dark presence looming around her. Her senses picked up the feeling of overwhelming chakra and she quickly threw a kunai to her left only to hear a faint chuckle.

Sakura's muscles tensed. She was both frightened and excited at the same time. Examining her surroundings she turned to the cloaked person sauntering nonchalantly out of the shadows. His face concealed by the hat he wore but it was clear by the clouds on his cloak, the darkened nails and devious grin that he was an Akatsuki. His skin, a blueish gray color as he played with the throne kunai. From her prior knowledge she knew the man before her was Kisame.

" Too bad you missed. . .kunoichi."

She noticed the slight tear on the shoulder of his cloak but decide it would be best if she didn't mention it.

Sakura twitched slightly feeling the presence of another.

" You are not the kyuubi."

His voice was low calm and flowed softly on the wind.

So placid for a criminal it's eery.

Sakura turned around cautiously to the voice. His raven hair, emotionless face and feathered eyelashes concealing those dangerous eyes. She inhaled sharply and knew instantly of the person in front of her.

Uchiha Itachi

" His scent, you have it on you. Did you plan to trick us?" He was only inches away and she trembled, her fingers twitching slightly.

Doesn't he have any respect for personal space? I feel like I'm being suffocated. But if I can. . .if I can do this then. . .

A smile twitched at her lips but covered by the mask her gestures seemed placid.

Sasuke would be saved. . .

" Did you really think that we would mistake you for the kyuubi?" He reiterated. Sakura refused to look at his face, but felt his eyes running all over her.

Naruto will no longer be endangered. . .

" You came nonetheless." she smiled in satisfaction under the mask. This is what she wanted.

And I. . .I will be. . .

" Is something funny?" Itachi lifted his hand to Sakura's mask and with two fingers poked her forehead. The mask cracked and broke in pieces to Sakura's feet. She just stood there mouth slightly agape her exposed faced reddened and eyes dilated.

Kisame looked on with an expression of humor. Itachi kept a stern serious look and Sakura pulled down her hood in an attempt to ignore the down pour. The two men looked on with contempt as Sakura was shuffled nervously in their gaze.

Kisame grinned lasciviously. "Too bad. She's really cute."

The comment made her Sakura shutter in realization. They were going to kill her being a bother, for wasting their time, perhaps for even speaking. But her eyes glared with determination. She only scratched the surface, she still was willing to do everything possible.

" You are the reason why Sasuke and Naruto suffer. Why, Itachi-san do you enjoy inflicting pain? Why must you constantly ruin people's lives?" The question was rhetorical, she wasn't expecting an answer and kept her eyes a safe place from his face.

"That's none of your concern. Our motives, reasons, we do not need to justify ourselves to you." He made an attempt to walk away before a shuriken flew past his head.

" I want to understand. To save Sasuke and protect Naruto I must understand." Her stance was initiating a fight, she wouldn't let him get away so easily.

I must be powerful enough and strong enough to do so.

" Why are you getting involved in matters which do not concern you? You are weak kunoichi. This unnecessary act of martyrdom, it will resolve nothing. As for myself I do what is necessary."

It will not be martyrdom because I will not die, I cannot die.

Yet.

" No, they are my team. It does concern me, I will protect them as they protected me. But I want to understand. Why? How can you" A pause and a breath and Sakura calmed herself down from babbling.

" I going to protect them. . ." She kept her self calm looking straight ahead where Itachi previously stood.

His breathe was warm and sent shivers down her spine." And how do you plan on doing that? Can you protect them in death?"

He was behind her again. " No." Sakura muttered lowly darting around with an intent to kill.

Her eyes shined an oily green, lit with pain and aguish to the man which was the reason why team seven was broken, and the reason why she had made it worst.

Sakura's attempts at striking Itachi were all wind and sweat. Each kick was dodged and each punch blocked. His face tilted slightly and looked on with humor at the determined girl. Tired of playing he caught her arm.

Growling Sakura focused chakra to her captured arm and and grabbed his wrist squeezing it dangerously digging her nails digging into his soft flesh. The wind blew the cover of Itachi's face and his eyes closed his eyelashes shadowing his cheeks and tired face. Sakura stared even though she knew not to. Those eyes which meant her death and torture were so captivating, so beautifully crimson.

Shit, his looks can kill.

It was too late for her to notice but she had already fallen into his eyes, the mangekyou sharingan.

Her own voice seemed to echo in her head.

Am I dead?

Er. . .I have nothing to say. Is that a bad thing? Anyway I really should be studying for my finals, oh well. Next chapter is Sakura's struggle to stay focus as she's being 'mind fucked' under Itachi's tsukiyomi.

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