Chapter Twenty
"I CAN"T BELIEVE THIS!" screamed Orochimaru. "Itachi rejoined with the Akatsuki a month ago and I find out about it NOW!"
"Please calm down Orochimaru-sama." Kabuta pleaded with him.
"I will not calm down till I find out why it took so long to inform me about this!" Orochimaru was still shouting.
"It took awhile to find out. You know how secretive the Akatsuki are. You used to be one of them."
"That's not the point! Also that Itachi's wife has joined makes them strong enough to finally get rid of me! And to top it off she's pregnant!"
"I'm sorry Orochimaru-sama. It won't happen again."
"Of course it won't happen again Kabuta! And you know why. Because now that the Akatsuki have a top ranking healer they won't hesitate to eliminate me!" Orochimaru turned away from Kabuta in frustration. "A whole fucking month." His spilt snake tongue darted out as he hissed. "Your lack to inform me earlier will cost us dearly Kabuta. We now to not have much time to invade Konoha. And if the Akatsuki find me then we won't ever get that chance. And we can't keep moving." Orochimaru was now talking to himself rather than to Kabuta.
Orochimaru walked over to the other side of the room and looked out of the window at his warriors training. All ninja's of the sound village. All ready to take on Konoha.
Kabuta could tell that Orochimaru was thinking about his next move.
"All right. Next week we attack. Oh and Sakura..." Orochimaru said turning around.
"... It's time to wake UP!"
"Ahhhh!" Sakura woke with a start sweat dripping down her face and covering her body.
"Sakura! What's wrong?" Itachi had woken up and not long after the whole Akatsuki had filled the room.
Sakura clutched her head and rocked back and forth as Itachi tried to calm her down. She couldn't stop shaking and tears rolled sown her cheeks.
Deidara stepped forward and took hold of Sakura's hands forcing them away from her ears so she could hear him.
"Sakura-chan, look at me." He forced himself not to say yeah at the end of his sentences. "Sakura-chan, tell us what's wrong. What happened?"
Sakura tried to speak but she started to cough uncontrollably. Deidara pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear;
"Breathe Sakura-chan. Just breathe. Take your time."
Sakura took a few grasping breaths then eventually got her breathing back under control. Itachi stared on marvelling at how Deidara was handling this.
"Orochi... Orochimaru..." Sakura said weakly but everyone heard her.
"What..." Leader said under his breath.
"What about him Sakura-chan? What about Orochimaru?" Deidara asked.
"He... he and I... we have... some sort of connection. I saw... him... in my dream." She took a few deep breaths again and then pulled back from Deidara to look at him in the eyes. Well eye. "Deidara-san... He plans to attack Konoha in a week."
"Shit." Leader and Itachi said. Deidara kept looking at Sakura.
"What do you mean you have a connection?"
"He talked to me... in my dream. It was... it was like I was there. I know where he is and he knows that Itachi and I... have joined the Akatsuki. He furious Deidara. And he's scared. I felt like... like I was part of him. I could feel what he was feeling. And I knew what he was thinking. It wasn't just a dream Deidara. It was real. Next week he invades Konoha. Konoha can't stand another attack from him. Not after the last one. We need to do something."
"And we will Sakura-chan." Leader said stepping up to the bed. "We'll get to Orochimaru before he attacks Konoha. I promise."
Itachi and Sakura as well as everyone else looked at Leader. He never made promises. So why now.
Kisame, Sasori, Hidan, Zetsu, and Tobi left the room and Leader, Deidara, and Itachi eventually got Sakura to go back to sleep. They then went out to talk to the others. They met up with them in the kitchen.
"You never make promises Leader-sama."
"I know Kisame. But I can't have a hysterical pregnant woman sending herself into premature labor, now can I?"
"No I guess not."
"And this would be the perfect time to kill Orochimaru. If Sakura-chan is right and Orochimaru is scared, then he's also vulnerable. So we'll attack him before he attack's Konoha. We may be exiles but we won't have Orochimaru take over anything."
"Thank you Leader-sama." Itachi said.
"Now we just have to come up with a plan to kill him before a week's time."
"This isn't the first time this has happened." Itachi said after a pause.
"What?"
"That Sakura's had a dream about him. It's just that he's never actually talk to her."
"I see." Leader said rubbing his chin. "I guess the connection has grown stronger and that if we don't get rid of Orochimaru soon… your wife will have a strong enough connection with Orochimaru, that if we kill him, she'll die too. Though that is only a guess."
"Then we need to act swiftly."
"Doesn't matter, yeah."
"What do you mean Deidara?" Leader asked.
"I've seen something like this before, yeah. She'll die no matter what we do. Even if she and Orochimaru have a small connection, they're still connected. If she dies, he dies. If he dies, she dies. It's a…"
"Mind and heart connection." Sasori finished.
"Yeah."
"We can't let her die." Itachi snapped.
"And we won't Itachi. We'll find some way." Leader said looking at Itachi. "Deidara," Deidara look up at him. "Is there any chance that because Sakura-chan is pregnant that it could affect the connection?"
"Unlikely, but it's possible. Why, yeah?"
"It's just maybe she can break the connection."
"Why do you come back Sakura-chan?"
I need to know something
"So you're not scared this time?"
I'm petrified. But I need to ask you something
"Ask away."
Did you create a connection between us that day?
"Not on purpose no."
Then why are you in my dreams?
"I'm not in your dreams Sakura-chan. You're projecting an image in my reality. But you see it though a dream"
How?
"With your inner self. When you sleep you project an image of yourself. The connection has grown stronger over the years. Only recently have I been able to sense you."
Why?
"Because when I tried to kill you and you didn't die but over threw me with your inner self, you created a connection, and because I tried to withstand it, it made it stronger."
I would never create a connection with you Orochimaru!
"Then why are you here?"
... Good point. Oh my god, did I just agree with you?
"You may not like it Sakura-chan. But as long as one of us is alive, we can visit each other in our dreams. One of us can be awake but then only we can see each other's projection. I want to end this Sakura-chan."
You and me both
"Are you willing to meet me alone?"
Of all the things I am Orochimaru I'm not suicidal
"Of course you're not. But it wouldn't matter. If one of use dies the other does. We're connected not only in mid but also in the heart. That's how we can feel what the other feels and know what the other thinks."
So you do plan to attack Konoha tomorrow. They why did you say in a week's time?
"To throw you off the scent. Plus you and the Akatsuki won't be able to stop me within seven hours. Especially since you're pregnant."
Watch me
Sakura woke with a start. She quickly got out of bed and sensed where everyone was. She got dressed and made her way to the kitchen.
"Itachi!" Sakura cried as she burst though the door.
"What is it?" Sakura noticed that everyone had a sombre look on their faces.
"What's going on?" She asked, looking at each one of them in turn.
Deidara looked at her and she guessed what it was about.
"You know how strong the connection is don't you."
All of them nodded. And to their amazement Sakura started to laugh.
"You know Sakura-san, somehow I don't think this is a laughing matter." Tobi had finally said his first understandable relevant sentence. Sakura stopped laughing immediately and everyone turned to stare at him. Then all of them sighed when Tobi said "Tobi is a good boy."
"O.K… Anyway getting back to my connection trouble, I know how we can get around it."
"How?" All of them asked in unison.
"Orochimaru thinks we have a stronger connection then it actually is. You see it was my family that found out about this type of thing. That's why everyone in my family has an inner self." Sakura sat down knowing this was going to be a long explanation. "Sure not everyone in my family were ninja's, in fact very few were. The people in my family that did find out about the mind and heart connection were scientists. Very good ones too." Everyone in the room were looking at her intently, even Hidan and Zetsu. "They also managed to figure out a way to sever the connection. Orochimaru thinks we have a stronger connection because I'm projecting into his reality, but he can't project into mine, because he doesn't have an inner self. That's also why I can read his mind but he can't read mine. All he reads is unimportant thoughts like fashion or make up. But nothing about plans, secrets, or memories. He also thinks that I'll die when he dies because of the connection. But my inner self is like a second person. Because of that it's like I have two hearts and minds. Or at least a larger part of my heart and mind are locked inside my inner. While his is very much unprotected and completely out in the open. If we kill him, all I'll lose is desires for foods, and thoughts about looking fashionable even if it's impracticable." Sakura smiled at all the times she'd had to fight in a formal dress because of a surprise attack. "But I won't lose my life source, charka, or any memories about my life. So you see, I won't die because the only thing connected between Orochimaru and me is our outer selves. So all I really need to do is connect my body with my inner self. Which isn't really all that hard." Sakura looked up from her hands and looked at Itachi. She could see the relief in his eyes. Then she turned her gaze to Leader. "But if we want to kill him, we have to move quickly. His moved his plans forward. He attacks in seven hours. He's still in the sound village up he's on the move. He'll be in Konoha in just under six hours. And with me I can't move that quickly."
"We'll carry you Sakura-chan. In turns mind you. You are heavier than you were before." Leader said looking at her stomach. Her Akatsuki cloak didn't button up anymore.
"Geez thanks Leader-sama."
"Or we could just get one of my puppets to carry her." Sasori suggested.
"Sakura?"
Sakura looked warily at Sasori. She didn't quite trust him. But she decided that if a puppet carried her then they wouldn't have to stop. "Fine. But if you drop me I'll rip off your puppet arms."
"Whatever." Sasori said looking away to hide the fear in his eyes. He knew she wasn't making an empty threat.
"This is going to be a long night." Kisame said as they made their way to the entrance of the cave ready to head off. Sasori's puppet pick Sakura up in piggy back style and the Akatsuki ran off into the night. It was still eight hours before the sun rose. They had four hours in which to find Orochimaru. And then two hours in which to kill him. Sakura in the mean time tried to go back to sleep so she could locate Orochimaru. It didn't take her long.
"Back again Sakura-chan."
Not for long
"Hope not I'm rather getting tired of you."
Feelings mutual
"I rather hoped it was. So why are you back?"
To let you know that your attack won't work
"Yes it will. Sakura you let your mind be too easily read. You won't ever catch up with me. I'm nearly there."
Whatever
"Say goodbye Sakura-chan, to Konoha."
Sakura woke and told Leader where Orochimaru was and where he was heading.
"As we know he's heading towards Konoha. But he's coming from the north. He's only about a league as the wolf runs in front of us. He has over one hundred sound ninja, but their weaker than he knows and they don't trust him that much. So they won't rush immediately to his rescue. Also he thinks we're still at headquarters. I feed him the wrong information."
"Good work Sakura-chan." Leader said jumping thought the trees. The Akatsuki stayed in one straight line. Staying at one pace. "We'll stay at least one league as the wolf runs behind him for about another hour. We can keep this pace for a long time as still have enough strength to take him out. We'll catch up soon, and move in front of them, hide our charka as much as possible, hide you, we really only need you to heal us if one of us get injured. We can't afford to lose anyone. Then we'll attack him, when he catches up. I would suggest you don't go back to sleep. And work on connecting your body with your inner self. We won't kill him till we know we won't lose you."
"Hai Leader-sama." Sakura focused her mind and engaged in a conversation with her inner self.
You want to do WHAT!?
I want you to take care of my body
But why?
You know why inner. I'm about to die and you have to become the outer
I don't want to!
You have to
Why?
For our baby and for Itachi
Can't we find another way?
Don't cry inner please
Your crying too sniff
sniff I know embraces inner
There has to be another way
If there is we don't have the time to find out what it is
Come on Sakura think about it. There has to be another way that losing part of us.
… There's always…
No Sakura!
That's' the only other way
I don't care! We can't merge with the earth. Orochimaru already does that. That would just strengthen the connection
… Well we could try and merge with water
… That's a thought, but then... we'd need Kisame's help
"Kisame!"
"Hai?"
"I need to ask you something."
Leader and Kisame switched places in the line.
"I need your help. You use water in your jitsu's don't you?" Sakura asked.
"Hai."
"My inner and I don't want to part so we were wondering if you could help us modify our earth merging technique so we merge with water instead."
"Why?" Kisame asked wondering where this was going.
"The only other way I won't die is if I merge with earth, but because Orochimaru can merge with the earth that would just strengthen out connection. So we think that if we merge with a different element that maybe we can protect ourself there. If we merge we go into hibernation and though we still have control over ourself we can shut our body away from any damage or connections. It was the fall back plan that my family discovered." Sakura said looking at him.
"I'll see what I can do."
"All we need you to do is make a charka puddle for us. We can do the rest."
"That I can do." Kisame said. "How much charka?"
"Not much. Very little in fact. Just enough to make a puddle slightly bigger than my body in height and width." Sakura answered.
"Alright. Sure."
"Thank you."
There you go inner
YAY!