Ink's Notes:

Hello everyone! I think from now on I'm gonna respond to reviews up here, then post closing thoughts after the chapter. So, here we go!

Krazyfanfiction1: It has never been about to hit the fan more so than it is right now. Er, at least in this fanfiction. It's probably hit the fan with more intensity in other places.

The Keeper of Worlds: So incredibly messy that it's the messiest mess of messes.

Guest: I... um... wow, that's an awful lot of responsibility.

Narumiyu: Marco vs Sasuke, hmm~?

CrystalHeart27: HERE IS NEXT CHAPTER I HOPE IT LIVES UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Cyricist001: Well, we'll see how it plays out. Although, all things considered... those are some very good points.

Shadowmage97: Thank you~

Fairy of the Friz: *offers towel for you to clutch while you fangirl* ...I dunno, seemed like a good idea?

Allykrau: Yeah, I remember reading somewhere that while Dragonball Z is based on the concept of childhood dreams, One Piece is based on MANLY DREAMS although I don't know how true that is.

Skipper917: Thank you very much for the compliment~

Anime1FREAK: Talk about a weird coincidence. HERE IS THE UPDATE!

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Emotions flooded Sakura's mind, paralyzing her in a situation that she knew she couldn't remain frozen in. All of her training was screaming at her, all of her instincts were lecturing her, all of her common sense was smacking her. But here she was, facing off against the very man who she'd strived so hard for the sake of, the companions she was helping standing by her side and the new family that she had found that was currently sitting on her shoulder. Sakura began trying to force the emotions to the back of her mind, to focus on the situation before her, to face things as a Shinobi would, not as an emotional teenager would, because she was stronger now, she wasn't the child that she had been three years ago; but here he was, the man, that man, the one who she-

Her inner musings were interrupted by an outraged cry of "Marco the Phoenix!" from someone, and all attention immediately snapped to the blue haired woman as she drew her sword, rage etched into her face. "So you were here as well!"

"Well, that's who we're looking for," Perona's tone was deadpan, but she smiled as she created a few of her negative hollows, and they began hovering in the air around her. "We'll just be taking her off of your hands, if the four of you don't mind."

Noticing the hostile air emanating from the people across from them, especially the woman with dark blue hair, Vivi, Carue and Bepo all took battle stances, and in response Sasuke and his companions did the same. Sakura, however, remained stationary, body shaking – a detail that Marco had not missed. He lifted a wing and placed it on her head, gently stroking her hair in an attempt to snap her out of her trance. His attention, however, was soon diverted when a snort came from the opposing group.

"Is this really how weak you've become, Sakura?" Sasuke was taunting her, hand moving towards his blade as he prepared to face off against the group. "Relying on a bird of all things to help you in a dangerous situation." He paused in confusion when Marco's head snapped towards him, rage burning in his eyes, but continued to speak even as he activated his Sharingan. "Not to mention these so-called allies you've gathered. They hardly look like much of a threat."

"Don't underestimate them, Sasuke," the red haired woman warned him as she adjusted her glasses. "The one with long, pink hair has some sort of weird ability, and they all seem to be from the same place as Tashigi, so we have no way of knowing what they're capable of."

Vivi's eyes moved to her. "You- how can you tell that?" she questioned, even as she began spinning her peacock slashers in anticipation.

"She has some sort of sensory ability," Sakura finally managed to speak, hands shaking even as she moved one towards her kunai pouch. "I picked up on it a little bit earlier when I was feeling them out…"

"So that was you," the red head noted, taking out a kunai and lifting it into a battle position. "Still, Tashigi's part of Hebi. We won't give her up without a fight."

"Good." All eyes went to Marco, whose tone was laced with venom and whose expression was downright feral. Sakura was visibly startled by the uncharacteristic shift in emotions, and Tashigi was downright afraid. The rest of the Grand Line natives were also unnerved, the red haired woman took a step back, the white haired one seemed somehow interested and worried at the same time, and the orange haired man seemed startled.

"Karin. Suigetsu. Jugo. What's gotten into you?" Sasuke turned to look at his teammates, obviously confused by their behavior. "It's just a b-"

He didn't get a chance to finish the sentence as Marco closed the distance between the two of them in an instant and slammed a Haki-infused talon into Sasuke's face with a sweeping kick. The sheer force of the blow sent him tumbling across the ground until he crashed into a tree, and by the time the gathered party had processed what had happened, Marco was back in human form and Sasuke was getting to his feet, rubbing his now bleeding cheek.

"…What just happened!?" Suigetsu voiced the thought on everyone's minds as he looked between Marco and Sasuke, visibly startled by the speed of the attack and the fact that the bird was now a human. When it became clear that no one was going to answer, largely because they had no idea themselves, he grabbed the sword on his back and charged forwards towards Marco, only to be intercepted by Bepo, who blocked his downwards slash with an upwards kick coated in Haki.

As if this were some sort of cue, Karin moved to try and reach Sasuke's side, only to have her path blocked by Vivi, who was riding on Carue's back. Jugo's arms contorted to have some sort of monstrous appearance, only for negative hollows to surround him as Perona floated just out of his reach in the air above him. This left Tashigi faing off against Sakura, who'd taken out a kunai on account of Tashigi's sword to even the field, if only slightly.

"You're a Shinobi, aren't you?" Tashigi asked as she held her blade at the ready, staring Sakura down as she quietly sized her potential opponent up. Sakura simply nodded, wondering where she was going with this. "Then why are you associating with Pirates?! Pirates are the bad guys, just like Marines are the good guys!"

Sakura scoffed at Tashigi's statement. "I could say the same for you," she countered. Judging by what you're saying, you're a Marine, right?" Tashigi nodded. "If that's the case, then why are you associating with Missing-Nin, who are just as bad, if not worse, than Pirates? Pirates at least have the potential to just be seeking freedom, whereas Missing-Nin are always known criminals!"

This seemed to dent Tashigi's resolve slightly, but it evidently enraged her more as she still charged forwards at Sakura, who readied herself to parry the incoming swipe. Before long, the two were exchanging blows, parrying and swining at one another, Marine with a katana and Shinobi with a kunai.

Across the clearing, Sasuke was on his feet, rubbing his cheek with one arm as he took out his sword with his free hand. "Hey. What's the big idea?" When Marco didn't respond on account of the fact that he was still quietly seething with anger, Sasuke simply let chakra flow through his blade, enveloping it in electricity. "Attacking me like that is getting yourself into a losing battle."

Marco slid his legs apart as they shifted into talons from the knees down. "You hurt Sakura. Even without my Haki, I could tell. I don't know what you did, or what you are to her, but I don't care. Sakura is my nakama." With that, the two charged at one another, Sasuke swinging his blade at Marco, who caught it in a Haki-clad talon, effectively protecting himself from the electrical chakra flowing through it. The look in Marco's eyes was downright terrifying, and with his Sharingan active, Sasuke could tell exactly how furious Marco was. The sheer amount of anger that was radiating off of him was almost enough to make Sasuke back off. Almost. Sasuke was an Uchiha, a superior ninja. This man who could transform into a bird wasn't a threat. He could take him down with ease.

It was just… something about his disposition, and that blow from earlier, and how he wasn't able to move his sword at all with the man's talon wrapped around it… something, maybe it was the Sharingan, or maybe it was his battle instinct, but something was telling him to back off, to stop this fight while he still had a chance to get away. Still, he had to know. Where was this man drawing that kind of strength and intimidating aura from? "And?" he pressed, trying to pull his sword free from Marco's grip. "Is there a problem with me doing that?"

"You hurt and insulted my family," Marco flatly responded, tightening his talon around the katana and shattering it where he was gripping it. "Nobody hurts or insults my family."

I've always seen Sasuke as being rather cocky, since... I mean, I think he lost maybe two fights total in the series? And he had basically everything given to him on account of being the last (loyal) Uchiha... anyway, the match-ups are as follows!

Sasuke vs Marco, Suigetsu vs Bepo, Karin vs Vivi and Carue, Jugo vs Perona, and Tashigi vs Sakura!

See you guys next time! -Ink