Second to last chapter, but there's an epilogue. So, without further ado… Enjoy!
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"Hello," Ino purred, fluttering her eyelashes at the handsome red-haired man who stood before them. The only jewelry he wore was a peculiar amulet; a globe with three feathers sticking out of it.
Sakura cleared her throat as Haru and pushed Ino aside. "Kure-sama?" she said respectfully, thought she wanted to spit at his feet. When he nodded tensely, she continued. "My partner and I would like to talk to you about your… wares. You see, we have a… friend who is… shall we say… addicted to your product."
His cruel-looking lips split into a small smile. "Customers, eh? Step into the back room, if you please." He gestured towards a black door; a large, darkly clad guard opened it and stepped inside. Kure followed, raising an eyebrow.
Sakura saw their teammates edging in their direction and nudged Ino inside. The door swung shut.
"What have you come for?" Kure asked silkily. Ino's eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch.
"Drugs. You know which ones, Kure-sama," she replied smoothly. "Your… specialty product."
"Ah. And why have you come to me?"
"You are the sole provider," Sakura murmured, making an obscene hand gesture at him beneath her cloak. "Name your price."
Kure laughed. "Very well. One million yen should do it – and," he held up a finger, eyes glinting greedily, "one night with your lovely lady partner."
Bowing to close their deal, Sakura dropped to the floor and slit the first guard's throat with a kunai.
"Only two guards?" she taunted.
"There were three," Kure replied, uncertainty hidden in his voice, "but that girl killed him. And he killed her." He pointed at the second guard.
"Yuri, darling," Sakura called. "Take care of him for me."
"For you and Tsuki, with pleasure," Ino answered, snarling.
"Don't let your anger blind you," Sakura said sharply.
"Got it, Haru-kun." In a blur of gold, Ino flew at the bewildered man, forcing him to fight for his life.
Sakura, meanwhile, turned to Kure, circling each other. "You must die," she told him simply. Launching herself off the ground, she came at him with both daggers she had hidden on her thighs. He defended quickly with a thin katana that came out of nowhere.
"You're – good – " he panted, swiftly blocking her cut and disarming her. Unperturbed, she grasped the kunai on the nape of her neck and continued her attack. He got no reply, no matter how dirty the taunt. She was silent.
- - -
Half an hour later, Ino had finished off the guard who'd killed Tsuki and was watching Sakura's battle. Kure was slowly tiring; thanks to Itachi's training, Sakura was only sweating lightly.
Kure, to Sakura's slight surprise, knew what he was doing with a sword. Usually, rich targets relied solely on their bodyguards – easy prey once they were alone. Twice he had come very close to beheading or gutting her; only the quick reflexes that Itachi had hammered into her saved her both times.
Now you're thankful I told you to wish on that shooting star, ne?
Nn… she agreed grudgingly. Don't talk to me. I'm trying to keep us both alive here!
Need some help?
No; I'm going to save you for an emergency or if I really need you.
Oh. Okay, then. Inner Sakura withdrew in time for Sakura to see the steel blade of the katana as it swerved in a shining arc towards her head. Fiery jade eyes darting from spot to spot, she determined that he had left his side open – the left.
Ducking under the katana, she darted in with both kunai and slashed twice. Crimson stained the blades, but other than that, there was little blood. Itachi had taught his pupils to kill efficiently. She barely registered the faint prick in her right side.
She dropped the illusion. Beckoning to Ino, she threw the body over her shoulder and leapt through the only window in the room. Ino grabbed the boys and led them out as well.
They met in the cover of the forest through which they had come. Sakura took Kure's head and Sasuke turned the rest of the body to ash. Sticking her hand into her pocket, Sakura was surprised to find a scroll there.
Tsuki's note…
Flicking it open, her eyes scanned the words and she shut it with a snap. Her hand darted into the charred remains of Kure's body and found the amulet, which had not been damaged at all. Without a word, she set them off at the fastest pace they'd seen yet.
"What's with the speed, Sakura?" Kakashi asked quietly as they leapt, shadows, through the tops of the trees.
Faster, Saku-chan! Inner Sakura urged. Something's not right.
"Something's not right." The black-clad kunoichi repeated Inner Sakura's words without hesitation. Something in her inner persona's worried thoughts triggered a trickle of fear, and she didn't like it.
Suddenly, her legs gave out and she thudded into a tree branch, clutching her side. Ino fixed a sharp gaze on her anxiously. "Are you all right, Sakura?" she asked, aquamarine eyes algow with worry.
"Do you have the potion shishou gave you?" Sakura panted, her voice a mere whisper. Ino pulled it out and placed a drop carefully on the pink-haired kunoichi's tongue. "Thanks, Ino. That's better."
"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto helped her up. She pushed him away gently and shot ahead.
"Top speed. I nee to see shishou." The boys all glanced at Ino.
"What is it?" Sasuke demanded.
Ino's eyes were wide with fear. "Something's scaring her," she answered shakily, "and not much scares her this badly. We need to go tops speed in order to reach Konoha tomorrow morning, and we'll travel through the night. If you can't do it, meet us at Tsunade's office."
"We can do it," Kakashi said tersely. "Lead the way." Ino pumped chakra into her feet and they sped off into the night.
- - -
"Tsunade-shishou!" Sakura burst into the Hokage's room – and collapsed. Ino appeared behind her, trying to get her to stand.
"Sakura!" she shrieked; suddenly, Sakura's body lifted itself off the ground. When Ino and Tsunade got a good look at her forehead, they sighed in relief.
"She's not dead yet, shishou," Inner Sakura mumbled. "I think he poisoned us…" At Tsunade's intense questioning gaze, she tossed Kure's head on the table.
"You did it," the older woman breathed.
Inner Sakura sniffed. "Of course," she replied in disdain, "but that's besides the point. Can you think how he could have – " She froze. "Of course!"
"What – " Tsunade began, but Inner Sakura cut her off.
"Tsuki left us a not," she told Ino sadly. "Her last message: 'The amulet'!" She pulled it out from her cloak. "These feathers are senbon dipped in poison! The guy was a genius! Shishou, there's a bit of poison still inside; can you run a test on it?" Tsunade nodded grimly and took the amulet, disappearing.
"How's Sakura?" Ino cried, tears glistening in her wide and terrified eyes.
Inner Sakura sighed. "She's unconscious, but she's hanging on. No, don't cry. You know that we hate it when you cry!"
"Who are you?!" Sasuke demanded, glaring at Inner Sakura. He stared at her forehead. "Inner… Sakura?"
"Yes," Inner Sakura snapped. "It's rude to stare at people's foreheads, you know? Don't talk to me right now; I'm trying to keep Saku-chan alive."
Ino burst into tears, turning and sobbing into a blushing Sasuke's chest, and Inner Sakura looked remorseful.
"She's fine, Ino. Ino! What would sensei say if he saw you crying like this?" Ino continued to sob, and with a regretful sight, Inner Sakura hugged her – carefully avoiding contact with Sasuke. "It's okay, Ino," she murmured.
Tsunade came into the room with a frightened expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Sakura," she said slowly, tears running down her cheeks, "this poison is unknown to us."
Inner Sakura sank to the floor, clutching the result papers in her fist without even looking at them. "Where's sensei?" she whispered. Then her voice grew louder. "Where's sensei? I want sensei! Please…" Tears rained down on the floor.
"Shame on you," a new, deep voice said. A cloaked figure stepped from the shadows. Inner Sakura looked up and gasped. Even though he was wearing a pure black cloak and not his Akatsuki cloak, she could recognize him from miles away. "You should have sensed that I was here," he continued. "Let me see those." Kneeling beside her, he gently took the papers and put a comforting arm around her.
"I – I was scared, sensei," she whimpered, sobbing. "Sh-shishou said that – " His arm tightened around her slightly.
"Foolish girl," he murmured. "Yuki-san let us look through her library of forbidden poisons and jutsus, remember? You would have recognized this poison if you had looked at these papers."
She grabbed them, emerald eyes scanning the paper. "It's – it's – " Itachi nodded.
"Hokage-sama," he announced, pulling Inner Sakura to her feet, "we know the cure. Can you do a blood transfusion? Now?"
Taken aback, Tsunade recovered quickly and nodded. "Yes. Whose blood will you use?" she asked, looking at both of them.
At this, Inner Sakura looked at the ground. "Yuki-san's scrolls didn't say – "
Itachi interrupted. "I did some… additional research… while you were gone, and I found that the blood needed is specific to the Uchiha clan." (A/N: Convenient coincidence, ne? )
Sasuke stepped forward. "I'll do it," he said quickly, but Itachi only shook his head.
"Your blood is tainted by Orochimaru's work." Sasuke scowled but said nothing, only shot a pitying look at Sakura.
Kakashi opened his mouth, but Itachi glared at him. "Having Sharingan does not make you Uchiha, Hatake," he snapped.
"Then – " Sasuke's shoulders slumped, and he put his arm around Ino's shaking figure.
"I guess I have no choice," Itachi sighed. "I'll do it."
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Gasp! Here is the long awaited… cliffhanger? NOOOOOOO!!! Don't worry, there is more. Haha! How would you react if I just ended the story here?