Sorry for the long wait!
Here's chapter fifteen.
Do I have to do the disclaimer?
Ugh, this chapter was hard to write. It took me forever to do, 'cause I kept starting and stopping.
Sorry if it's a boring chapter!
Chapter Fifteen
In an abandoned building far away from the Sand village, a pink haired kunoichi was becoming conscious. Sakura's eyes slowly opened. There was a wooden ceiling above her. She blinked and sat up. A room came into her view. How did I get here? Sakura thought. There was a small window behind her that she looked out of. Everywhere she looked there was trees and shrubs. Apparently she was in the middle of a forest. Suddenly there was a powerful chakra signature behind her. "You're finally awake." Sakura stiffened. That voice and that chakra was all too familiar to her. She turned around slowly and came face to face with the person who had haunted her dreams for the past several years.
Sasuke hadn't changed much. That bluish black hair still stuck up like a chicken's butt in the back. He had let it grow out a little longer though. His bangs were still over his eyes and remained the same. His onyx eyes still remained expressionless, but she knew that would change when he activated his sharingan. The only thing that had really changed was that he looked more like a man now rather than a boy. He was a head taller than her now, and his cheekbones were more defined. There was no more baby fat. He still wore the Sound outfit which showed off his chest and abs. She almost had a hard time tearing her eyes away from that sight. If possible, he had grown hotter than ever. She had no idea if his attitude had changed however.
The object of her interest also took this time to examine Sakura. He knew she had grown up from what he saw of her at a distance. Close up like this however, he saw a whole lot more. She had grown her silky pink hair out a little, to where it was layered and her bangs hung over her eyes in a choppy way. Those forest green eyes were no longer kind of dull. They held a spark in them that they didn't have before. She had grown taller, but was not as tall as him anymore. Her childish looks, and beanpole stature were gone. To be replaced by soft womanly curves. He just hoped her childish attitude was gone too. The outfit she wore just defined those curves even more. She wore a black tank top with a bandage covering her right arm. Capri like black and red tights embraced her long, lean legs. She wore knee length, two inch heeled black boots, instead of the traditional ninja sandals. All in all, she had grown up well.
As they stood there, staring at each other, Sakura recalled all that had happened. From the fake Akatsuki's to Sasuke knocking her out once again, saying that he "wanted her." She heard a shuffling at the door and directed her attention toward it. Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo were standing there staring at them. Sakura remembered when they came to Konoha and tried to get her to join them. Looks like they almost succeeded this time. Almost. She wasn't planning on giving in anytime soon. If her heart would just stop beating a mile a minute. Sakura put on a blank face not letting any of her feelings show. Finally Suigetsu broke the silence. "Heh, I see you're finally awake pinky. Now we can get down to business." "Not yet we can't." Karin said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I want to know why Sasuke-kun brought this pink haired smart-alek along. What good will she do?" "Aw, shut up Karin. You know why she's here." Remarked Suigetsu.
Sasuke had his eyes closed, and so did Jugo. These two must go at it a lot. "Actually, I want to know that myself." Sakura spoke up. "Why are you going through so much trouble to try to get me to accompany you?" "Hey! I asked him first!" Karin screeched. Sasuke sighed and looked at Sakura. "Karin, go make sure there's no one about to attack." He said without looking at her. Karin pouted but left anyway, shoving Suigetsu out of her way. Once she was gone Jugo shut the door and locked it. "She'll be worse than me if she hears this." He said. Suigetsu nodded. "I can just picture it." He shuddered. Sakura cleared her throat. "Well, why am I here?"
"I'm sure you know that Itachi is not dead yet." Sasuke exlaimed with a scowl on his face. "I heard that you had become one of the best medic nin in Konoha under the training of Tsunade. Is that true?" Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" "Are you capable of poisoning anyone when it is necessary?" Sakura smirked. "Do you really want to know that?" Suigetsu laughed. "Better watch what we drink then eh?" "It's not just drinks, I can use certain tools to do it with too." Sakura said walking slowly towards him. "Do you want a demonstration?" Suigetsu started sweating. "No thank you, I'm fine." Sasuke smirked. It seems she grew a little more brazen over the years. Out loud he said, "You can demonstrate all you want when the time comes, but now is not the time. We just need you to come with us for now, while we gather more information."
Sakura laughed. "What makes you think I'll come easily chicken butt of oh so many words. What changed? Did someone fill your brain with the proper speech or something?" Sasuke glared. Neither one of them had a chance to say anything else. Jugo was acting up. "You invade privacy, I kill you! I'll start with the lady first." Sakura saw a mark on his neck spreading as he walked towards her, a wild look in his eyes. It seemed that the curse mark affected him worse than Sasuke. Both boys tried to stop him but Sakura raised her hand. "No, don't. Let me handle this." Suigetsu stepped back while Sasuke glared at her. "You're crazy. If you think you can stop Jugo from killing anyone you're wrong. You are too weak to do that."
Something inside of Sakura snapped at those words. He still thought she was weak after all that she had accomplished? She didn't think so. With a determined look on her face and a glare towards Sasuke she poofed right behind of Jugo, who was now looking around with confusion. Quickly doing some hand signs, she performed a much more powerful sealing jutsu than Kakashi had done on Sasuke a long time ago. Closing her eyes she placed her right palm over his mark. Jugo didn't even scream as green and blue chakra flowed into the mark on his neck. In fact, he looked almost peaceful. Sakura backed up, panting. She was finished. That jutsu tended to drain her of chakra fast. Despite her fatigue however, she thought she had done a good job. Jugo was now calm, and looking in mild surprise at his now mark free neck in a mirror. She looked at the other two. Suigetsu was full out gaping at her. Sasuke didn't have an expression on his face but he was looking intently at the spot where Jugo's curse mark used to be.
"I never knew you could get rid of curse marks." Suigetsu said incredulously. Sakura faintly smiled. "Jugo should be himself from now on. It took me years to find and master that jutsu. It's a jutsu very few people can perform, and it is not without its consequences." Sasuke's eyes shifted to her and Jugo looked guilty at these words. "I'm sorry for this." Jugo said with his head down. Sakura shook her head. "It was my choice." She was out of breath. "What exactly happens when you do that jutsu?" Suigetsu asked. Sakura laughed and looked at Sasuke. "Take a wild guess." Sasuke was staring right back at her. She looked like she was drained of chakra. Short pants came out of her mouth and she looked to be in pain. That picture brought back a sense of deja vu. Jugo's head went even lower. "I know what's wrong." Sakura turned her head to him. "I'm sure you would, but like I said before, it was my choice.
Sasuke suddenly figured out what was going on. "You brought his pain into you didn't you?" He said angrily. Sakura just nodded her head. "Why should you care though? It's not like I mean anything to you." Sasuke opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He couldn't have said anything even if he wanted to. Karin came in the window just as Sakura fainted. Sasuke caught her right before she hit the floor. Karin was gaping. "What happened in here? Is she dead?" Karin asked a little hopeful. Suigetsu glared at her. "No, she is not dead. Just wore out." Karin's face drooped. Rats, and why is my Sasuke-kun holding that girl? She better not have done anything to him or I'll kill her myself! Sasuke ignored everyone and carried Sakura over to the bed. Perhaps he was wrong. She had gotten stronger. There was still something he needed to do before he was positive however. He was kind of looking forward to it. For now she needed rest. It had been a tiring day for her. Being kidnapped and getting rid of a curse mark. Sasuke's eyes softened. She took the pain of a curse mark better than he did. Then again, it was probably nullified.
Turning he addressed team Hawk. "We should go to bed. Let her rest for now. Tomorrow we will start after I give her a test." They looked confused. "What kind of test?" Jugo asked. "You'll find out tomorrow. All I'm saying right now is that it is to see if she is capable of coming with us." Karin hmphed and left, the other three following after her, shutting the door behind them. Sakura rolled over, her hand tightening over the pillow. "Sasuke-kun, don't leave." She whispered in her sleep.
The next morning Sakura jerked up from the bed. She knew where she was instantly this time. She felt around her body with chakra. There was no more pain. Her dragon tattoo was throbbing just a little. That meant her chakra was up to full power again. All elements. Yesterday she had been so drained that she felt deflated. Getting up she went out into a little hallway. She could hear voices to the left of her. Going that way, she ended up in a living room. Karin and Suigetsu were bickering about something, and Jugo was sitting by a window. Sasuke was nowhere to be found. Passing the two who fought like an old couple, she went over to Jugo. "Are you feeling better?" She asked. Jugo came out of his trance and looked at her. "Yes, are you feeling better now?" He asked with a concerned look on his face. Sakura smiled and nodded. "Where's Sasuke?" "He went out looking for something." "I'm right here." Sasuke said walking in the door. "Are you feeling any better?" Sakura slowly nodded. "Good, then we can proceed with your test."
Sakura was confused. "What test?" Sasuke smirked. "I found a field large enough that we can fight in. I want to see how you've improved. This will determine if you are capable of doing what we want you to." Sakura gaped. Me? Fight with Sasuke? Well, this will be interesting. Sakura smirked as well. "Very well then Uchiha. Prepare to be burnt to ashes from a dragon. Still could we get this over with quickly. I have a sister waiting for me back in Konoha." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Sister? I never knew she had a sister. That must have been who she had gone to meet with my weird look alike that day… Looks like there is a lot I don't know about her, and what does she mean by being burnt by a dragon? Sakura saw the confused look on his face. "You saw my fight with Konan a while back didn't you? Then you should know what I am talking about. As for my sister, her name is Satire. I only saw her again two years ago, and again a few days ago, so you wouldn't know her."
Sasuke recalled her fight with the blue haired woman and remembered that Sakura had changed. He looked at her bandaged arm. It seemed like her transformation came from something on her arm. How she got it he didn't know. "Hn, we'll see if you can or not." "Let's go then." Sakura said walking past him. Sasuke followed right behind her. Jugo and Suigetsu looked at each other while Karin seethed. "Come on you two. I'm not letting anything happen to my Sasuke-kun." She said stomping out after them. The guys sweatdropped. "She won't stop calling him 'my Sasuke-kun' will she?" Jugo asked. Suigetsu shook his head. "She's just jealous that pinky looks better than her, and that they knew each other. We better go. I want to see how pinky fares in this fight. You can hold off Karin if she gets too riled up." He grinned, walking out. Jugo sighed. He hated dealing with a jealous Karin. He followed the others, waiting to see what this fight would bring.