A/N To anyone who was wondering - or cares - I've decided to make Naruto and Ino friends only. They won't become a pairing, even though it seemed that they would. Even though it doesn't seem like it, NaruHina and InoSai will always be two of my OTPs.

Also, this story has 100 followers! Wow, a lot of people wanna know when I'm uploading (I figured like 10 people would want to read this story). Thank you so much!

Sorry for taking so long to update, I had my exams but I am done now and summer is here!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 11

"We're stronger than were were before!" Inner exclaimed.

"So, let's confront him. Let's threaten the mad man because that always works out. Could you be anymore stupid?" Younger retorted.

"You know you're talking to yourself, right?"

"Yeah, the stupid part!"

"Would both of you please shut up?!" Sakura yelled, her fist slamming onto the wall and creating a small hole.

"Okay, mum."

"Jeez, take a chill pill."

Stupid, fucking voices...

Who were the voices talking about, you ask? Itachi Uchiha.

Sakura barely ever spoke to him, he reminded her too much of Sasuke and she got really angry when thinking about Sasuke. God, she was angry right now.

But something Madara had told her before itched at her brain 24/7. She knew the truth about Itachi, she knew of it all. The council of Konoha are scum.

But why did he join forces with Madara to kill his clan? Wasn't he capable of doing that himself? Why did he lie to Sasuke? Why did Madara offer his help?

Well, the last one she believed she knew the answer to. It was for their eyes. The eyes he kept, the ones he gave Sakura, including the second set. He obviously took some for himself, it made sense. It also could have been to get Itachi on their side. He was powerful, even without his eyes.

Speaking of eyes, Sakura could see through both of hers now. The operation was successful but she didn't really feel any different. They ached at first, just as they had done before, but she was fine now.

In the end of her inner thoughts, Sakura decided it was best not to interfere with Itachi and the decisions he had made with his life. Regardless of Itachi's true intentions, he was helping the Akatsuki gather every bijuu, making Sakura's dream world become a reality.

Younger snorted. That's funny.

Sakura ignored her.

After the eye transplant, Sakura found herself becoming intrigued with the Uchiha. While she pondered over Itachu's true intentions, his little brother was also on her mind.

She had heard that he killed Orochimaru. That meant he was ready to fight Itachi. So, had he achieved his mangekyo sharingan? If so, how strong was he now? Was he strong enough to beat Itachi now?

"Yes, Shishou?" Ino asked as she walked into the Hokage's office. She was met with the sight of Tsunade sitting at her desk with two chunins she did not know standing in front of her.

"Haru, Mei and Ino. I am sending you three to the Land of Earth. There have been sights of Akatsuki members there and I need you to gather intel."

Ino zoned out after that. More information on the Akatsuki means more information on Sakura. Was she really ready to face her again? She had a new look, a new skill set and a new goal. She had to bring her friend back, she just had to!

"Dismissed!"

Ino was the first to run out, yelling out a time and place where the team would rendezvous as she sped off to prepare. The man named Haru sighed. He was supposed to be the captain...

This is so boring... Sakura thought as she lazily slouched on a tree branch. She was on supply duty and was gathering anything useful she could fine. She hoped that she would be tasked with capturing the final Cloud jinchuriki but that was apparently going to someone else. She didn't know who had been assigned to capture Naruto.

So, Leader made her go to the Land of Earth along with Deidara and Tobi but in a different area. She had already collected some things and was quickly getting bored. Bored enough that she actually fell asleep on the tree branch.

That was when she appeared in the middle of now where. It was night and she was standing in the middle of a cloud of fog. The only light she had was the moon and the stars above.

"Let's move out." A familiar voice said to her. Her head snapped towards the direction in which the voice sounded from. And she was shocked at what she saw.

Ino. She was looking at Ino, who was wearing an Akatsuki cloak. It seemed as though they were a team.

"Forehead." Ino groaned. "Leader-sama told us to collect the bounty for this guy." She pointed to a corpse on the ground. "Stop pouting. At least you got to capture a jinchuriki."

That's when Sakura snapped out of her dream.

...But, it felt so real. Almost like a vision.

No. She thought to herself. It's just... Wishful thinking.

It couldn't have been a coincidence that Sakura dreamed of her former best friend and, low and behold, she was standing right on the ground below. Her hair was different - shorter. She was wearing black clothes instead of her signature colour, purple.

"Haru-san, Mei-san." The blonde said to her mission partners. "That lady... She said she saw Sakura around here."

"What lady?" The girl, Mei, asked.

"The lady at the dango shop."

Of fucking course! The pinkette cursed, anger surging through her veins.

"Serves you right for eating so many mission snacks." Younger berated.

"We are a growing woman!" Inner defended her.

I should have just burnt that place down...

"Stay alert." The man, Haru, on the team said. "Scatter!" The three ninja jumped into different directions, evidently searching for her.

"Madara-sensei?" Sakura alerted her master.

"Hm? What is it, Sakura?" He asked.

"Three Konoha Shinobi are in the Land of Earth and they know I'm around."

"They provide no threat. Kill them, ignore them. It is your choice."

"Useless bastard..." Not that she actually meant it but didn't all teachers get on their students' nerves? What she didn't like about Kakashi was his blatant favouritism for Naruto and Sasuke. What she didn't like about Tsunade was when she got drunk and training was cancelled.

Anyway, with the matter of the Konoha chunin, Sakura decided that she would follow them while they searched for her. She could be stealthy and follow Ino. She knew just how to slip underneath the chakra radar with her.

And so, she followed her former best friend as she searched for her. Nothing interesting had happened, all Ino did was ask around for her and she often closed her eyes as if she was trying to sense her. Sakura loved how skilled she was at masking chakra.

"No, I didn't see no pink-haired girl." An old man said to Ino. "But I saw two guys with the cloaks you mentioned on them."

"Could you describe them to me?" The Yamanaka asked.

"Sure. One was blonde and had long hair despite being a man. And the other, also a man, wore a really strange orange mask that only showed one eye."

Crap's sake... Sakura rolled her eyes. Civillians were so annoying, why did they have to be observant? Couldn't they just shut up when asked questions?

Ino looked like she was at a loss so she turned on her foot and walked back to the meeting point to her teammates. Once she reached there, Sakura noticed that the others were there too, obviously having not succeeded.

"Maybe we should-"

Ino was cut off by an explosion sounding from slightly nearby. A white light appeared above the trees stretched out on the ground signifying where the explosion took place.

What was that? Sakura asked herself.

"Deidara is dead."

"What?!" Sakura shrieked at her sensei. He didn't reply though and she became pre-occupied with some commotion going on below.

"Mask your chakras, someone's coming." Mei spoke quickly.

Four ninja ran into the clearing, abruptly stopping once the leader did.

Holy shit. Ino thought. "Sasuke?"

In all his Uchiha glory, Sasuke stood with his Team, Hebi, and looked Ino over. "Yamanaka." He said to her. His clothes were dirty and the Team Ten ninja deduced that he had been involved with the explosion.

"Who's she?" Karin asked, voice full of disgust.

"Is she an ex?" Suigetsu asked. "Can I have her now?" After objectifying Ino, he winked at her. Both she and Sakura cringed.

The fourth man, Juugo, quietly stood beside his team but offered no words.

The red-head suddenly whispered into the Uchiha's ear. "You can come out now." Sasuke raised his voice and looked directly at Sakura's location. She smirked.

"Someone got better at sensing." She descended to the ground from the tree, ignoring Ino's shocked look. "Or is the red one the sensory ninja?" She tilted her head at Karin, obviously having noted the discrete whispering. Red hair... She's an Uzumaki.

"Sakura?!" Ino exclaimed. Was she there the entire time? The blonde looked between the two former teammates. I was prepared to see Sakura, but not to be apart of this rogue ninja reunion. For a split second, she felt bad for referring to Sakura as a rogue ninja. But... That was what she was... Despite how wrong it sounded.

"Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno. As rogue ninjas of Konoha, we have no choice but to force you to come with us." Haru said to them, getting into a battle stance along with Mei.

"Wait-" Ino began but both chunins had already charged. They had weapons at the ready, to attack the former Konoha shinobi.

Sasuke acted quickly. Withdrawing his sword, his appeared behind Haru with lightning-quick speed, cutting him down on the spot. The Konoha ninja's dead body sagged to the floor.

Sakura's approach was different. When Mei was right next to her, a branch of wood shot out of her out-stretched hand, impaling right through her body. After, Sakura retracted it back into her palm, leaving the corpse on the ground.

Now, Ino was the only Konoha ninja left... And Sasuke's eyes were directed towards her. Sensing that he was about to attack her, Ino readied herself to use her protective technique. However, before the Uchiha could strike, the pinkette jumped between them.

"Touch her... And I'll rip your fucking throat out."

The threat was clear. Sakura would not stand for harm coming to Ino. She declared long ago that she would not hurt Ino, the girl didn't deserve it. She was the only exception.

"And here I thought you had broken your bonds, Sakura." Sasuke replied to her, unfazed by the threat but he put his sword back. His teammates stood to the sidelines, not feeling the need to intervene. Well, two of them did.

"Hey!" Karin screamed. "How dare you say that to Sasuke-kun! He's so much stronger than you!"

Sakura gave her a dead stare before turning back to her former teammate. "Control your cum dumpster." The cherry blossom said it so dryly that Ino fought the urge to laugh right then and there. Sasuke glared at the cherry blossom while Karin shrieked.

"Is it bad that I like her?" Suigetsu asked Juugo, in reference to Sakura.

"You like anyone who messes with Karin." Was the reply.

"You don't want anyone to harm this Konoha ninja." Sasuke continued the prior conversation once Karin calmed down. "Is it for a different purpose?"

The other four may have looked confused at the situation, but Sakura understood what Sasuke was talking about. He was talking about the Mangekyo Sharingan. It could be activated by killing someone you love. If Sakura was to kill Ino... Would she activate her own?

"Did you let Naruto live for the same purpose?" Sakura asked.

"You didn't answer the question."

"I could just kill you and obtain it. But would I even gain the Mangekyo Sharingan for that?" The implication was as clear as day - she didn't love him anymore.

At that, Sasuke's smirk grew wider and he gripped his sword.

Sakura took off her Akatsuki cloak, revealing her black clothes underneath and daggers attached to her arms. She grabbed them and got into a battle stance herself.

"We should help Sasuke!" Karin exclaimed to the others.

"I don't think he-" Suigetsu was interrupted by Karin dragging him over to Sasuke. Juugo seemed conflicted as he felt a sudden urge consume his body.

As Sasuke prepared to unleash a fireball to start the fight, Karin forced Suigetsu to attack with him using a water dragon. The two jutsus soared at Sakura and she prepared her own move. But before she finished the hand signs, she noticed something odd surround her.

The attacks crashed into Ino's green shield, enveloping it into smoke before it dissipated. Sakura looked at the girl strangely.

"You protect me, I'll protect you." Ino said. Even though... I have to bring you in after, because of what you did to Mei.

Sakura didn't know how to feel after what she had said. "I didn't ask you to-"

"We'll fight them together."