Another chapter! I'm so happy… I am aware that Kakashi is a bit evil, but… I need him to be that way.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Happy now?? Aah… This is so troublesome…
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Tsunade watched worriedly as her young apprentice collapsed onto the ground of her office. If Itachi wanted her to know something, it must be important. As Sakura picked herself up, Tsunade understood. The chakra rolling off of the kunoichi now was immense; it could not rival the Kyuubi's, per se, but it could easily overpower Sabaku no Gaara's Ichibi (A/N: That one-tailed demon thingy. Is that how you say it?).
"I'm free!" Sakura raised her head, and Tsunade's eyes widened. Sakura's eyes glimmered eerily, and her mouth twisted in a sneer. "Oh, hi, shishou!" With those words, she seemed to become docile again, mouth and face relaxing.
"You look like her, but different," the slug sannin whispered in awe. Inner Sakura snorted distastefully.
"I just took this form to begin with," she remarked calmly. "This is what I prefer to look like." She shimmered – though Tsunade could sense no genjutsu – and suddenly the words "Inner Sakura" were stamped on her forehead. Her eyes turned dark green, and her clothes were black and white. "This is what I really look like."
"Do you posses more chakra than Sakura?" Tsunade asked. "And how long can you hold onto control of Sakura's body?"
"I know about as much as she does," Inner Sakura giggled childishly. "I can use Saku-chan's body so long as she's not conscious – asleep or knocked out, it doesn't matter. I don't know about dead, though." She paused, pondering the rest of her answer. "Chakra? If I tried, I could probably destroy the Hokage mountain, no problem."
Tsunade opened her mouth to speak just as the words faded from Sakura's forehead and her eyes paled. Her clothes changed back, and she groaned.
"So, shishou? Did it go well?" she asked excitedly.
"Hm… If you come back tomorrow, I think I can find a jutsu that will enable her to take over without you losing consciousness," Tsunade commented thoughtfully. "She has a large supply of chakra that you could tap into and use."
"Thank you, Tsunade-shishou!" Sakura cried, squeezing the older woman in a hug. "Thank you!" Once Tsunade had escaped from Sakura's grasp, she smiled fondly at the estatic girl.
"Itachi must be expecting you, Sakura," she said gently. "I'll see you tomorrow, then? Bring him with you." Sakura nodded frantically and hurried out the door.
Tsunade watched with a smile on her face and laughed, startling Shizune, who had come in after Sakura had left.
At Sakura's House
When Sakura walked into her backyard, it was strangely quiet. Looking around, she began to feel nervous.
"I-Itachi-san?" she called out timidly. "A-are y-you – " She shrieked as someone grabbed her arms and pinned her to the ground. Itachi put his face beside her ear, his breath tickling her neck.
"You called?" he whispered silkily. Ever alert, he swiftly avoided the kick she threw at him. When he noticed her trembling, he let go of her and stood. Dusting himself off, he was slightly surprised when Sakura tried to punch him. Trapping the fist, he twirled her around and pinned her to his body with her arms across her chest.
"What was that for?" Sakura exclaimed angrily. "That was unexpected!" Itachi laughed.
"You asked for Itachi. I came. If you'd wanted your sensei, you should have said 'sensei'. I come as you call me – remember that," he breathed into her ear. She shivered slightly. "Besides, isn't a ninja supposed to expect the unexpected?"
That arrogant –
Aah… We deserved it, Saku-chan. And you can't deny that you like being here.
Here? My backyard? …Or what's left of it…?
You're hopeless, Saku-han. I mean HERE, in his arms!
Urusai!
Denial…
Shut up!
Okay, okay, fine, then! Sheesh…
"Sensei… Did you get the weights from Ino?" she asked softly, trying to ignore his hot breath on her neck. "Sensei?"
His hold on her tightened briefly before ever so slowly relaxing and allowing her to pull free.
"Yes, I have them," he told her, his face now impassive. "What did you and the Hokage do?" Sakura felt a mix of relief and disappointment. The real side of Itachi both frightened her and excited her. The teacher side just made her feel – safe.
As she began to talk, he took her arm and placed it, wrist side up, on his lap, gesturing for her to keep speaking. He didn't look at her, concentrating closely on her arm, but she knew he was listening. When she got to the part about releasing Inner Sakura, his gaze flickered up to her face for an instant, but besides that, she got little reaction from him.
When she'd finished, he reached into his cloak – he still wore the Akatsuki clothes – and produced a small black bag. From it he drew four thin strips of metal – which did not look heavy at all; but the care with which he handled them said something to Sakura.
"Hold you arm up," he instructed her. She obeyed; he took the first strip and laid one end on her wrist. Slowly sliding his fingers down the metal piece, he flooded the metal with his chakra until it curved and molded to fit her wrist. He carefully set that arm down into his lap. "Now the other one."
As she handed Itachi her right arm, she flexed the muscles in her left. The weight bracelet stretched just enough to allow her the most flexibility possible. When Itachi was finished with her arm, he pointed at her foot.
Once there were weights on each arm and foot, he sat back, looking his work over and inspecting it for flaws. Finally, after half an hour of probing with his chakra, he stood.
"Try to stand," he commanded Sakura. The weight bracelets weighted her down and she had to struggle to remain upright. She found that locking her knees helped; but it was painful, so she opted to use her muscles. Even just standing would strengthen her legs. He nodded in approval. "Now walk."
Sakura tried in vain to lift one leg, until Inner Sakura spoke up.
Hey, Saku-chan! Let me help!
She felt a surge of strength in her body and experimentally lifted a leg. To her joy, it did so with only a little bit of difficulty. She managed to walk around Itachi before her legs gave out.
Itachi caught her before she hit the ground. "I didn't think you'd be able to do that," he said thoughtfully, "but it would seem that I've underestimated you. I apologize."
"Thanks, sensei." Sakura smiled gratefully at him. "It's tiring to walk around like this."
"Then you must let your body get accustomed to the extra weight," he said calmly. "For the rest of the day, you must walk around. Do not do anything more, or you will collapse. Perhaps you could go see your friend."
"Okay!" Sakura chirped. "See you later, then!" With Inner Sakura egging her on, she managed to make it to Ino's house.
At Ino's House
"Forehead girl!" Ino exclaimed happily. "Come in and sit down!" Sakura shook her head, grinning.
"I can't. Sensei said that I have to walk around. Why don't you come with me for a walk?" she suggested. Ino agreed, and they set out to see how far Sakura could make it without Ino's help.
"So, what did you do with otou-san's weights?" Ino asked. Sakura lifted her left arm and pulled back the sleeve to reveal the shiny band of metal, groaning with the effort.
"And they look heavy at all," she laughed. Ino's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open (again!).
"You're using both of the arm weights?!" she shrieked. "But they're a hundred kilograms each! Is he trying to kill you?!"
"That's why I'm walking around," Sakura sighed. "My legs are dying. Let's have a funeral for them… (A/N: Raiga! Funerals, funerals, funerals…! I know, you're all thinking that I'm crazy… And most people would say that you're right!) She crouched down and pointed to the weights on her ankles. "I feel like a prisoner with chains on all four limbs," she joked. The metal was only about two millimeters thick, so at least she didn't look like one; and she said as much.
Ino was still horrified. "I'm sure that the only person crazier than you is Rock Lee!" she cried.
"Crazy?" a male voice asked, chuckling. "And how, may I ask, is Sakura crazy?" Both girls turned and Sakura's emerald orbs met deep onyx. It took her a moment to realize that she was looking at the younger Uchiha brother, and not the elder.
"Sasuke?" Ino's eyes narrowed. She still had not forgiven him for calling Sakura weak. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm taking a walk. And you?" He glanced at Sakura, whose legs were trembling. "You look tired." Weak. The unspoken word hung in the air, lingering, until Sakura fell down, struggling to get up.
"Sakura!" Ino was at her side in an instant, anxiously helping her up. Sakura gently swatted her friend's worried hands away and dragged herself upright, panting.
"I…can…stand…" she gasped out between pants. "I think that I'm too heavy for you anyway."
"Are you so weak that y can't stand up on your own?" Sasuke scoffed. "I mean, I know it's evening, but this is pathetic. You're a ninja, for Kami's sake. Get up!"
And to think that I once proclaimed my undying love for you, she hissed inside her head.
Hey, Saku-chan! Let me out! We should show Ino what I can do!
Good idea, Inner.
"Ino, knock me out for a second," she whispered to the blonde, who was glaring at Sasuke. "Inner Sakura has something to say to Sasuke-kun." The emphasis on the suffix hinted at something not good. Ino laughed, pressing the pressure point on Sakura's neck.
"Why did you knock her out?" Sasuke demanded, puzzled. He cocked his head as she picked herself up, getting unsteadily to her feet.
"S-stupid… weights… ow…" She retained Outer Sakura's appearance and kept the words off her forehead, but even she could not mask the burning spark in her eyes, or the feral grin. "Hm… Tell me… Are you wearing any weights?"
The raven-haired teen in front of her eyed her cautiously. "No… Nande?" Inner Sakura laughed harshly. Doing a set of hand seals, she gestured at his wrists and ankles.
"Now you are!" Immediately, Sasuke's body sagged. After a few moments, he managed to make it over to a bench. "Hm… If I didn't know better, I'd say you were weak also," she added snidely.
"Hey… How much weight did you put on him?" Ino asked slowly, catching on to what Inner Sakura had done. Inner Sakura turned, pouting.
"Mou… I only managed ten pounds on each weight," she grumbled. "And he still can't handle it. Peh."
"So… He's sitting down while you're standing, and you're carrying ten times the weight that he is. That means that you're definitely stronger than him!" Ino whispered gleefully. "Ha ha!"
Inner Sakura grinned and the spark faded from her eyes. Sakura blinked and raised a hand to her forehead.
"Huh? What – " She caught sight of Sasuke who was stitting.
What did you do to him?
He's carrying forty extra pounds now! Inner Sakura announced wickedly. Talk about gaining weight!
Only forty pounds?
Hey, I'm tired, okay? Sheesh…
Oh. Sorry. And thanks for making him look like a fool.
Inner Sakura snorted. It wasn't hard, believe me. He is a fool.
"Kuso… What did you do, Sakura?!" Sasuke demanded, panic rising in his voice. Sakura made her way over to where he sat and reached out hesitant fingers. Suddenly, she slashed with her nails at his wrists. They seemed to make contact, but not even a scratch appeared on his ivory skin.
"It would seem that there are now weights on your wrists and ankles which weight ten pounds each," she observed. "Hm… I'll ask sensei if he knows how to undo it… Unless you know…?" There was hidden mockery in her voice.
"You shouldn't do techniques that you don't know the releases for," he retorted. Her face didn't even twitch. Of course, she was battling inside her head.
Why you – Saku-chan, let me out!
Stop shrieking! …He does have a point, though. Where did you learn that jutsu?
Ano… I dunno.
Sakura sweatdropped, smacking her mental forehead. Shouldn't I know it if you know it? There was no answer.
Saskue's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "While I'm here… Kakashi wants us to meet at seven tomorrow at the bridge. Don't be late, he says."
Sakura laughed. "Isn't that a bit hypocritical of him?" she giggled. Ino raised an eyebrow.
"We should go now, Sakura. You said you had to be back by nine? Let's go," she reminded the pink-haired girl.
"Oh! Jan e, Sasuke!" To herself and Ino, she added, "Unfortunately." This time Ino laughed. Inner Sakura got out a Sasuke dummy and was practicing surgery on it.
I'm sorry, doctor. He's not going to live. In fact, he's almost certainly going to die! Painfully…
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Hi! I know I made Inner Sakura a little sadistic, but… Yeah. Review and tell me what you think, please! ...yeah. Oh, and Sasuke doesn't know that it was Inner Sakura who attacked him…yeah. He thought that it was Sakura…which it technically was, but…yeah. I'm listening to that Neji vs. Hinata song, and it's kinda sad...yeah. Makes me want to cry...yeah. See ya! …yeah. Okay, I'll stop that now…yeah.