Chapter Eighteen
Sakura stared blankly up at the leader of the Akatsuki, her hand still in his. She wanted to say 'what?', but looking at him she decided that it would be best if she thought of something else to say. But all that came out was "…ah…?"
Leader smiled and thought to himself that this was defiantly a shock for her. He just hadn't anticipated that she was extremely moody in the morning and that sneaking up on her wasn't a good idea. Though he soon found that out when her fist came and hit him squarely on the jaw sending him sprawling of the ground. She was defiantly strong, he knew that. He had felt it.
Itachi seeing that Sakura was acting on hormones quickly intervened and grabbed Sakura's wrists holding them against her sides.
"Sorry Leader-sama." Itachi said more than a little concerned about Sakura's reaction. She was becoming increasingly moody with each day that past during her pregnancy.
"No need for an apology Itachi-kun. My fault for sneaking up on you two. Especially since Sakura seems very touchy in the mornings."
"Baka." Sakura said under her breath.
"Sakura." Itachi cautioned her.
Leader smiled. "Well at least we know she's not weak. It's no small feat Sakura-chan to actually hit me off my feet."
"Well that's a blessing."
"Shut up Sakura." Itachi hissed in her ear.
Sakura shut her mouth tight, actually regretting how she was acting. But it wasn't her fault for being moody.
Kisame and Deidara were trying valiantly to control their laughter. But they promptly stoped when Sakura, Itachi, and Leader looked at them with death glares as if to say just try and laugh. Sasori shook his head. "Bakas." He muttered under his breath.
"Did you say something Sasori?" Sakura said glancing in his direction.
"No just clearing my throat." He said quickly, then clearing his throat as if to justify his excuse, not liking the dangerous gleam in her eyes or the fact that she was able to hit Leader. He decided he had better stay on her good side.
"Oh will you two knock it off!" Itachi snapped at Kisame and Deidara who had now burst out laughing.
"Sorry." They both said jerking to attention.
Their apology reminded Itachi of Sasuke's yesterday. He'd tell Sakura about it later.
"So were you going to help us or what?"
"Good for them."
"You're not angry Tusande?"
"Why on earth would I be angry Kakashi? It's about time those two went away together. Sakura wasn't any use to the hospital while she was pregnant anyway so it doesn't bother me that she's not here for a month." Tusande said handing the letter back to Kakashi. "Though I would have preferred a weeks notice at least. But I guess it was a spur of the moment decision, so I'm not too worried about it."
As Kakashi left he could help thinking how long Sakura and Itachi had been thinking about this and how it wasn't a spur of the moment decision. But like Sakura had told him in his letter, he couldn't really tell anyone. Because then Sakura wouldn't be allowed back into Konoha.
When he exited to hospital he quickly forgot about Sakura and the Akatsuki as he ran into a woman (not that he did that as a hobby), bowling them both over and sprawled on the ground.
"Sorry…" Kakashi said quickly.
"Oh it's alright. Nothing broken, and if there was at least there's a hospital so close by." She said. Her voice had a husky tone to it, yet still it was a rich as velvet. Kakashi decided he had never heard anything so beautiful and wondered how her voice sounded when she laughed. He looked into her eyes, they were a bright orange, strange yet unique. Her hair was a blue black, kinda reminded Kakashi of Sasuke's hair colour, and it was thick and wavy framing her face with a few wisps. She had her hair tied back so her neck was exposed and the style enhanced the length of her neck. Kakashi couldn't help but stare as he helped her to her feet.
"You sure you're alright?" Kakashi asked, unsure as to weather he was alright.
"Oh, yes. Really I am. I'm Hoshi by the way."
"You shouldn't give your name to someone you just met."
"Yes well I think of myself as a good judge of character." Hoshi said with a smile.
"Well I'm Kakashi, and very pleased to meet you." Kakashi said his exposed eye showing that he was smiling to.
"Well Kakashi, I'm pleased to meet you too."
"So where are you from?"
"This an interview Kakashi?" Hoshi asked with questioning eyes.
"Maybe if you'd like to continue it over lunch?"
"What a pick up line. Use it on every girl you bump into?"
"Only ones as interesting as you Hoshi."
"Well then I'm flattered and would love to. Today?"
"One o'clock?"
"Meet me here?"
"Of course."
"Alright. Jamata Kakashi." Hoshi said moving gracefully past him and waving.
"Jamata Hoshi." Kakashi said as he watched Hoshi walk into the Hospital door. He could tell she was naturally clumsy yet graceful in her recovery as she quickly twirled on her heel, opened the door and leapt inside grabbing hold of the wall rail before falling over. Yes she was graceful. 'Maybe that's the girl Kakashi.' He thought, and if she wasn't at least Kakashi would have some fun and make it fun for her as well.
A few hours later Itachi and Sakura were settling into the room they were given. Originally they were given to separate bedrooms but decided that they'd just take one. In the cupboard there were spare Akatsuki cloaks in case one of their others got damaged. There was also an adjourning bathroom and Sakura and Itachi immediately took a shower having slept outside all night.
After a while Kisame came for them saying that it was time.
"Time for what?" Sakura asked looking at Itachi.
"For our tests." Itachi answered taking Sakura's hand in his linking fingers with her and lead her out to the training yard.
Leader was there and as he saw Itachi and Sakura come out of the cave he smiled and opened his arms as if he wanted to embrace them. Both Itachi and Sakura stopped just in front of him. He dropped his arms still smiling though. He reminded Sakura of someone, she just couldn't figure out who, then it hit her Naruto. But why? Why did the Leader of the Akatsuki remind Sakura of Naruto. Was it because Naruto was the Hokage? Or because they seemed to have similar personality traits? Though very week similar traits.
"Well Itachi even though you were once an Akatsuki you still have to pass our test." Leader said his smile unwavering.
"And what would it be this time?"
"Take on the entire Akatsuki, single handily."
"You're kidding right?" Itachi said lifting one eyebrow. "The entire Akatsuki, that's a fucking seven S-class criminals and you except me to take all of them on!?"
"What Itachi? Think you can handle it? Yeah?" Deidara said stepping forward.
"No I can handle it. I'm just thinking about all the rest of you." Sakura could tell that Itachi wasn't making an empty threat. He meant every word he was saying. To bad the rest of the Akatsuki didn't realise that as well.
"Keep you mouth shut Itachi! We're stronger than before!" That was Hidan, a stocky not really short but not tall guy with a really short temper, who banished his fist at Itachi.
"Yeah you're stronger, but your still as hot headed as you were when I left." Itachi's insult was meant to hurt and it did.
"Bring it on." Kisame said. He didn't have his sword with him today, he was told to fight with hands and jitsu's only. Though he really wasn't happy about it.
Itachi pushed Sakura over towards the edge of the yard knowing that this was his test, not her's. Her's was most likely to heal who ever got injured in this fight.
Hidan started it off by throwing a few kunai and shuriken at Itachi. Itachi dodged all of them and came up with inhuman speed behind Hidan. He brought his foot up and kicked Hidan squarely in the back sending him flying about ten metres. Kisame, Deidara, and Leader reacted just as fast as Itachi's speed. Forming hand seals they all said a jitsu and directed them at Itachi.
"Suiton, Umi no Dangan!" Came Kisame's. Speeding water bullets rushed though the air.
Deidara didn't say anything but he opened his palms to reveal the two mouths on either hand. Out of them he sent two bird bombs.
Whatever leader said was to hard to hear but he sent a lighten strike dragon looking thing towards Itachi.
With his sharingin, Itachi had seen in advance all of the jitsu's they were going to use but he still didn't move even when the jitsu's collided with his body.
Sakura screamed and clapped her hands over her mouth. Suddenly Zetsu, a weird plant looking guy, came up behind here and grabbed both her arms forcing them to her sides. Hidan had recovered enough to then press a kunai up against her throat.
"Now for your test Sakura." Hidan said to her with a sneer on his face.
Before Sakura could blink Hidan and Zetsu were thrown aside knock out with small wounds on the top of their heads. Itachi grabbed Sakura around the waist before her knees gave out. She clutched her stomach with a groan.
The mood suddenly changed in the training yard. Everyone went quite as Itachi gently let Sakura fall to her knees. His arm stayed around her waist and with his other hand he stroked the back of her neck waiting for her to clam down and for the stress of what just happened to wear off.
Hidan and Zetsu were still knocked out when Sakura finally got control over her body again. Then Leader came up to her and apologized for what happened.
"Hidan and Zetsu were stupid. This wasn't your test Sakura-chan. Only Itachi's and he past so now if you would just be kin enough to heal Hidan's and Zetsu's head I think that will do as your test. I already felt your strength earlier."
"You expect her to heal the guys who made her have a false labor pain." Itachi almost shouted.
"I already said they were stupid. I will deal with them accordingly when they wake up Itachi."
Itachi opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off when Sakura pulled her self from Itachi's arm and made her way over to where Hidan and Zetsu were lying. She knelt and healed both their heads at the same time. They instantly woke up once the wound was completely healed. Then Sakura hit them on the head again not making a wound but knocking them out. Itachi smirked and Leader laughed out loud. Deidara, Kisame, and Sasori looked on in disbelief. Tobi just danced around everywhere.
"Fair enough Sakura-chan. You pass too."
"Wonderful." Only Itachi heard the sarcastic note in her voice. "Now if none of you mind I need to lie down." With out waiting for an answer Sakura made her way back into the cave and back to her's and Itachi's room. Itachi followed soon after only to find Sakura already asleep on the bed. He took off her Akatsuki cloak and covered her with a sheet. He then went back out to start training and mostly to see what Leader would do with Hidan and Zetsu.