Chapter 3

Drip

Drip

A pair of jade eyes cracked open as the girl unable to resist the coldness on every inches of her skin. Where am I? It was the first thing that came to her mind, but the moment she felt the sharp pain on her stomach and her shoulder, the memories of the battle with Sasuke flashed back.

*Sigh, I lost didn't I….. she knew she did but it was still depressing to know.

Getting over the fact that she lost the battle, she was happy that she's alive after all. The girl shook her head trying to get all the sad thinkings away and focus on her current circumstances.

She looked around examining the cell she was held in and take notice that there wasn't any window except for a small torch at the corner of the room. The cell is moist and there is water pooling up to her waist adding to the coldness of this already freezing cell. When she tried to move, she realized her wrist is chained separately that later connected to the back of the wall.

It will be a waste of energy for them if they think they can get any information about Naruto from her. There is no way she will allow them to capture Naruto.

The kunochi tugged on the chain to test it's steadiest but when she tried to emit chakra into her hand, it never came other than a sharp pain on her wrist.

That bastard. She cursed when she realize these were the chakra restrained chains, though they are clearly not enough to make her give up the idea of escaping.

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Sasuke winced from the pain on his ribs, arms, and everywhere as he tried to wrap the gauze over the wounds. She really did a number on him and he's too prideful to admit this.

"Why did you bring her." He questioned when he sensed Zetsu in the room. His expression told the green Akatsuki that he's clearly not happy with the decision of bring that girl here.

The plant man didn't answer right away but watch the Uchiha struggled with bandaging his arms.

This is why. Though he didn't say it out loud, because he knew Sasuke wouldn't ask that woman to fix him up.

"She held information we need…." He glanced over to the Uchiha to find any reaction but found none. "and wouldn't it be fun to have a female company other than all pyscho killers here?" Including himself of course.

The sharingan user ignored him and surely he has no interest in her anyway. Whatever they do with her is none of his concern.

He told himself that before slamming the floor on his way out.

He seems rather…unhappy. Zetsu thought but let the idea slide. When had he ever saw a happy Uchiha anyway.

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Drip

Drip

Sakura has been staring at the wall for the past 30 minutes after she regained conscious. It just so damn boring and cold here! Her mind was concentrating on getting warm but it doesn't seem to help anyway. She leaned against the wall and wrap her arms around her legs using every method to get warmth but still nothing help.

The girl placed her chin on her knees and decided to watch the new entertainment she found.

Drip

A drop of water dripped down from the top of the ceiling and much to her boredom, she started to count each drop. The gaps between the water drops were rather long but she has another choice of watching the water rippled once it hit the water on the floor. It felt endless as she continue counting until she was lost around the 50s.

When she restarted and reached 30 drops of water, the metal door open with an eerily squeak and someone stepped into the dark chamber.

"Fuck yeah, he's damn right!" His voice echoed in the confined room. The man Sakura recalled seeing him in the bingo book, Hidan, walked over and grabbed her chin before lifting her face up to have a better look.

"Prettier than that creepy plant guy said." He looked her up and down before going back to look at those jade orbs glaring rather hard on him.

"Let go." Sakura slapped his hand out of her face and tried to give him a good punch to wipe that arrogant smirk off his face, but the chain only let her go so far.

This man Sakura also knew is the one who killed Azuma-sensei, he is the one who made Ino grief for months. She hate him deep to bones and assured herself she will give him a piece of her mind once her chakra returns.

"Aggressive one too huh?" The silver hair Akatsuki has taken a instant liking of her, after all, it isn't a everyday thing that a woman is brave enough to talk to him like this.

She threw him a few more curses but his grin only widen. Oh-how much Sakura wish that glaring can kill.

"Go away." She hissed like an angry cat who's ready to jump on its attacker.

"No…." He grabbed her hair in his hand and forcefully pulled her face closer to his so he could take a better look at her cute angry expression.

"…fucking way." His other hand touched her face feeling the skin under his finger. "You face is pretty soft even with these cute marks."

Hidan decided the cut on her face look rather cute and he wondered how much more there are on her body. His fingers slide from her cheek down to her neck.

Before he could go down farther, the silver hair man felt a wet liquid landed on his cheek.

"Fucking bitch!" He snarled knowing she just spit at him. Right on his face!

Wiping her spit mixed with saliva and blood off his face, Hidan throws her back by her head and Sakura hit the wall with a loud thump.

"If we didn't need you, I will have fucking sacrifice you to Jashin-sama!" Profanities echoed in the small cell as Hidan continued cussing but Sakura didn't hear them. The moment he threw her head back, her head landed against the wall with full force and her vision blurred. Ears felt as if she's under water, her head was swimming and she didn't hear a word Hidan just said before he slammed the cell room.

The chamber fell in complete silence, so quiet that she couldn't even hear the water dripping. After her head stopped hurting, Sakura closed her eyes messily wiping off the blood that had dripped to her cheek from her cracked head.

Dizziness hit her moments later, with a sigh, Sakura wish she will feel better once she wakes up. This feeling is certainly unpleasant.

Then the world went black before her eyes.

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"Shouldn't you pay a visit to your friend? Hidan already seem our little guest, he's the first one." Zetsu smiled when he remembered Hidan threw a bunch of profanities when he was done visiting the girl yesterday. He knew she would get under his skin.

"She's not my friend." At the mention of Hidan visiting her, Sasuke's mood darken. He's never fond of that worshiper in the beginning.

It doesn't matter who have seem her. Its none of his business anyway. He told himself that.

"I wonder if she is still in one piece," The plant man mused. "I told him not to kill her but doesn't guarantee her limps are still attach since who knows what Hidan might do." He sighed hoping she's still intact, after all she's quit a interesting woman and her medical skill will for sure help them.

"I-" Sasuke slammed the door hard nearly breaking the door on his way out. He doesn't want to listen to Zetsu rabbling about unimportant things. It's a annoying distraction.

Who cares if she's still in one piece, who cares if she— , he shook his head trying to get these thoughts away. Why is he thinking about this anyway?

Answering his own question and assuring himself a reason for these thoughts, the Uchiha told himself he wanted to kill her himself. He's the one who found her first thus he belongs to him.

Yes that's the reason, it has to be. He internally nodded.

When Sasuke hit a dead end, he looked around and for some reason, he found himself right in front of the cell Sakura is staying in.

Closing his eyes, he could hear her soft breathing and sense her sleeping against the wall.

So, she alive. With a confirmation that his prey is still alive. Sasuke left without opening the door to the little cell.

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Was it days that had passed or was it only hours? Time is something Sakura has completely lost track of. When she woke up again after Hidan shove her against the wall, she has been sitting for hours without moving a single arm. Her body felt numb from all the aching and pain over her body. She was certain it has been more than a day since her battle with Sasuke since some of her wounds are already clot with a layer of dry blood and the bruises has turned a ugly blue-ish purple.

Shivering for the nth time in the locked chamber, Sakura let out a puff of warm breath and swallow down the nausea feeling in her chest. She has been using the minimal about of chakra she can access to retain a bit of warmth during the entire time. Without using this necessary warm, she will for sure not live in the next few hours. If they are going to let her die, she wanted to die in a warmer place. Her lips has turned purple and her face was pale from the extremely low temperature.

Sakura stared at the door on the opposite side and oh she was sure she saw it moved for a second. Dizziness hit her again and her eyes started to grow heavy.

Shaking herself head, she need to stay awake or else she might never wake up. With this cold continue attacking her and if she doesn't use those little chakra to remain warm even if they are minuscule, her body cells will be easily frozen in the next hour.

With nothing to do, the pinkette stared at the metal door for the next hour wishing she could stare out a hole. When she finally decided she should just sleep, the door opened and a man, she recalled his name is Kisame, stepped into the room.

It is probably the first time Sakura seem someone with blue skin and she thought it was rather interesting. Kisame smirked when he noticed she didn't back up or show any sign that she's scared when he stepped into the room. Most people thought he is intimidating with his body size larger than regular males and so is his blue skin. She's certainly different than what he'd imagine. Coming up to her, the Akatsuki bend down to the girl who's half submerged in the water and smiled at her.

"Hey, little hostage," He said in a teasing tone before reaching out to take her hand.

Sakura's immediate instinct would have snatch her hand back if she wasn't this exhausted. Her limbs felt like jello and it hurts even just by lifting her arm.

So she let him.

Kisame was surprise that she didn't move when he took her hand out of the water, but then he noticed her hand was in a light shade of purple and certainly frozen considering how cold this cell is and how she's half in water.

His expression soften feeling sorry for her ,though he wasn't sure why he has this kind of thoughts when he kills woman or children like its never a big deal. Perhaps it was her eyes that didn't show any fear unlike the cowards who begs for their life in front of him. He hated weak people.

"Don't pity me." She grounded out in a low but serious voice.

"Take it easy, just here to take you for a talk." He said simply and broke the metal chains that restrained her movement but the cuff that limited her chakra still held on her wrists.

"I will be glad if you take this off too." She sighed looking at the cuffs, with them on her hope of escaping this place is minimal.

"Leader say you are dangerous so got to leave them on."Though Kisame clearly doesn't see any threat from this girl, her wrists are so skinny that it felt like they will break if he held her a little harder.

"I'm flattered." She said sarcastically nearly rolled her eyes.

Giving her a playful smile, the blue man lifted her out of the water by holding her under her knees and her back. He could see her legs in the water are a heavier purple than her arms and concluded she probably cannot walk.

Sakura didn't say anything when he lifted her up from the water, it is a disgrace to have someone help her this way plus to make the matter worst, it is her enemy, but she knows well she couldn't walk right now. She can't even feel her legs to be honest.

Silent steps went on and the kunochi was clearly aware that she is in the enemy's nest, but since they hadn't kill her yet, she knows she will be safe for now. Her body relaxed upon Kisame's hold and she unconsciously snuggled closer towards the warm presence. It felt like heaven after staying in the cold for hours and she could finally feel her blood flowing on her legs and arms.

At some point she fell sleep and the next time she opened her eyes, she was in front of them.

All the Akatsuki in the room stared at her in silence.

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