Disclaimer: Alas, Naruto will never be mine

A/N: Japanese fun: kowai - "scary" vs. kawaii - "cute"

Chapter 16 – Swimming with Sharks

Sakura and Temari walked at a leisurely pace out of the main gate of Konoha. The leaf chuunin had checked out with the sentries and after making sure everything in order she escorted the foreign ninja out of the village. Iwashi and another nin she didn't know were on watch. They told them to walk one mile on the ground along the road before entering the trees so they would be pass the Anbu perimeter.

"Thorough," Temari commented as they left.

Sakura glanced at her for a moment to try and get a read of her. It had been a while since she had been in the Sand ninja's company and Temari had a way of speaking that made everything seemed dipped in sarcasm. It took most people some time to pick out her sincere statements from her derisive ones.

"We did just get attacked," said Sakura deciding to take mild offense. "I assume that you would do the same if it was your Kazekage."

Temari shrugged. "The rest of the Hidden Sand would be I suppose," she said, "but I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It is Gaara afterall."

Sakura nodded letting the topic drop. From her time in Sunagakure, she knew quite well that the situation in Wind Country was a tense one for Temari and her brothers.

Her father as well as grandfather had been Kage, but that didn't make things easy for their offspring. The village council blamed their deceased Yondaime for the Sand's hardships as well as Orochimaru's deception. Right now there was a lot of bad blood between supporters of her family and those who felt the new leadership was dangerous. Their jounin sensei, Baki, even had to pledge to remain Gaara's permanent 'aid' to guarantee his good behavior. Otherwise they might have tried to banish the possessed boy from the village entirely. Temari had said no Kazekage had ever been treated that way. It was despicable.

Sakura had met Gaara for a second time before he became Kazekage when she, Choji and Hinata went to the Wind Country for their second Chuunin exam. They were the only team Konoha had sent to the Sand and to their surprise all three Leafs made it into the final matches at the stadium.

It was the oddest thing when the intimidating and sad, red-haired boy had appeared out of nowhere one day when she was practicing for the final rounds. He just started talking, giving her an awkward apology for trying to kill her before and then asked if he could help her train.

Sakura smiled remembering. She never told anyone it had been Gaara who helped her develop the technique she beat his older brother Kankuro with in their match.

"Thinking about someone special?" Temari asked peering at her a curiously.

Sakura looked up from the road thrown off by the question which broke her from daydreaming.
"Oh no...no," she said raising up her hands, "Just remembering some things that happen a long time ago."

Temari seemed disappointed and stretched her arms above her head in with a small yawn. "I see," she said. "It's a shame. You don't know how lucky you are. Konoha has so many interesting men in it... that Shikamaru is still fun play with, especially now that some woman's obviously tied a leash on him."

Sakura forced herself to remain mute on the subject of the owner of Shikamaru's 'leash'. She knew Ino certainly didn't think of herself that way, but then Temari seemed to view all men who intrigued her as potential conquests.

Temari realized Sakura wasn't going to divulge any juicy details so she decided to switch topics. "So how's Uchiha Sasuke? I figured he was definitely my type when we last met. I was disappointed he wasn't there today."

Sasuke's situation was a secret of the village and couldn't be discussed even with an ally. The question caused Sakura to become annoyed for some reason. "Sasuke's fine." she said icily.

Temari's eyebrows raised as her mouth made a small 'o' shape. "Ok then," she said realizing she had chosen someone else Sakura didn't want to discuss. "Is there any guy that's safe topic?" she asked with a sigh.

"Sure," said Sakura with a slow smile, "you can tell me how hot you think Rock Lee is and I'll make sure it all gets back to TenTen."

The taller woman made an unpleasant face. "Rock Lee? yuck, he's not attract... oh wait I see," Temari exclaimed. Understanding what Sakura was getting at and the Sand chuunin burst into laughter and was soon joined by her companion.

Sakura's side was aching a little from their caddy humor when she saw the mile marker come up. She pointed up to the canopy of trees heading west. "Ok, I'll go with you a little ways to make sure we're past the paroles."

Temari nodded wordlessly and the two ninja disappeared into the branches. Their passage into the trees had only been for a short while when Sakura called a halt.

"I'm sure we are past all the checkpoints," she told Temari. "Please take care on your journey home."

Temari gave Sakura a small bow at the formal sounding farewell. She really did enjoy the leaf girl's company and there few women even in Sand Village she could call friend. "Make sure to give Rock Lee all of my love," Temari said wickedly before springing off towards Wind Country.

Sakura covered her mouth to suppress the giggles and leaned against the trunk of the tree she was standing on. She caught her breath and decided a take a small break before heading back. The noon sun was climbing to its zenith in the sky and its heat soon drove away the cooler air of the morning. Sakura lifted her water bottle to her lips when she felt the change in the surrounding forest.

"It's become too quiet." she thought. "I'm being watched."

Sakura's ninja senses took over as she flicked a kunai out of her pouch. "Who's there? Show your self!" she yelled into the stillness.

A tall man appeared on a large branch opposite her. He was powerful looking with a cloak the color of midnight patterned with swirling red clouds, his forehead protector had its symbol of the Hidden Mist scratched out. Sakura also spotted a large sword swathed in bandages slung on his back.

"I'm impressed," he said in a friendly voice. "I didn't expect you to notice me so soon."

Bringing her kunai level in front Sakura slid her other hand behind her back as she prepared herself. She felt her pulse quicken as the adrenaline flooded her veins. When she became Chuunin one of the first tasks she'd set herself was memorization of the Bingo book. A guide detailing the most dangerous missing-nin reported active in the Five Countries.

Sakura knew the man in front of her now. He was an S-class murderer who had been reported dead two years ago. A report that was obviously wrong.

"Hoshigaki Kisame," she said in recognition.

His inhuman face took a pleased expression. "Oh, I'm still popular," he said taking a step forward. "It's nice to be remembered."

Sakura felt the sweat of fear trickled down the back of her neck. "I can't beat him," she thought, "and if I run he'll catch me."

"What does an S-class criminal like you want in Konoha," she asked harshly. "These trees are crawling with Anbu right now."

Kisame brought his sword from over his shoulder in front of him with terrifying speed. It's bandaged tip sinking with a metallic thud into the bark of the tree limb he stood upon. Sakura refused to flinch as her body silently screamed at her to flee. His zanbatou style sword marked him as one of the Mist Seven and it was known as the Samehada. A hideous weapon that ate the charka an opponent molded while shredding through anything in its path.

"Kowai," he said mocking her with a fake shiver. "I was out looking for a kawaii kunoichi to send to your Hokage as a gift." His serrated- looking teeth showed with his cold blooded smile, "You'll do, but first we'll have to make you fit in the box."

Sakura hands flew forward as she hurled out a half dozen kunai. Kisame made no attempt to move, watching in mild surprise as the kunai headed below his branch on either side of him. The projectiles whipped back up to twist around him before lodging in the wood. Each knife was attached to a fine metal thread. The ends were looped in Sakura's right hand as she pulled them taunt, her left hand slipped behind her back again.

Kisame began to shift his grip on the sword when he looked down at the wire slicing deep into his flesh at the move.

"I wouldn't move a muscle if I were you," Sakura told him with a vicious- looking smile, "That is unless you want to be sashimi."

The shark-faced ninja smirked at her and then heaved both arms up with his weapon. The tearing sound of flesh was replaced by the splashing of water as the wires became slack in Sakura's grip.

"Mizubushin? "she realized in awe. "This far from a water source?" She was unguarded now.

Before Sakura could react the Samehada ripped up through the branch she on. Kisame stood on the branch's underside with chakra-charged feet as he made the blow.

The jounin grinned slowly as he felt his Samehada impact her body. "She's not half bad," he thought. A puff of smoke revealed a small log that substituted for the kunoichi as the terrible sword turned the replacement into a shower of splinters. He realized, "That's what she was doing behind her back."

Defying gravity, Kisame walked around to the top remaining branch and raising the Samehada at the canopy he became talking to air. "Let's see," he said turning, "The kawaramii should have put you right ... there." The jounin pointed at a section of thick leaves above, as he did so a dozen shuriken flew from it. Kisame turned his sword to its flat size and shielded himself as the rough-skined blade flared open. The deflected the missiles flew away as he quickly flung the sword at clump of leaves.

The long blade flattened and spun like a saw through the air, making a low pulsing hum in its flight. The sword dissappeared into the leaves as a cry of pain erupted from the foliage. Sakura fell onto the branch opposite her unarmed opponent. The pink-haired ninja knelt clutching her left shoulder as blood ran rivulets down her arm.

With a cry of rage Sakura flew off of her branch, her last footfall chakra charged sending her with blazing speed at Kisame. She took satisfaction in the evil bastard's look of surprise as her kick at his head came faster than he expected. The jounin barely brought both arms up in a cross block as her kick made impact jarring him.

"Got him," Sakura thought. She dropped lightly to her feet into crouch and sending chakra to her arm to increase her power she aimed her fist at his unguard midsection. She smiled as her fist sunk deep into his unguarded stomach. However, her look of triumph faded as his inhuman body seemed to grip her hand. "I never connected...something is grabbing me." she thought with alarm trying to remove it.

A low hiss came from Kisame as he breathed out of his mouth. His midsection snapping back into place as it repelled away the intruder. Sakura fell back her hand recoiling at the deflection.

"My body is made of cartilage, not just bone," he gloated. "Your taijutsu is too unskilled to harm me."

Sakura sprang backwards to get away from the monsterous nin when with lightning quick reflexes he snatched her out of the air. Sakura screamed as he swung her around by the ankle to slam her ferociously against the trunk of the tree. Dangled in front of him she gasped for air. Kisame examined her for a moment, then sadistically repeated the blow against the tree. Her gasps replaced by the choking sound as blood filled her mouth.

"I can't see," Sakura thought weakly. The blood from her mouth had run down and gotten into her eyes. She was barely conscious as she heard her attacker's voice.

"I guess your little book didn't tell you everything about me," said Kisame holding her like a caught fish. "You did well little girl, but you seem to have underestimated my Samehada." While Kisame talked Sakura could hear a deep rhythmic flapping sound approach.

"No! It can't be," she thought in terror.

Kisame laughed. "Once there is blood in the water, a shark will always return for its prey," he told her.

The blind chuunin twisted feebly as tears of frustration mixed with blood. The wicked blade flew towards them as Kisame held out his victim for a nice clean slice through the middle. After all, when it came to cutting he was a perfectionist.

"I'm going to die," Sakura realized. She became resigned as a single regret filled her. "I really did want to have a son for him," she thought.

"Kamaitachi!"

Slicing winds slashed at Kisame's arm forcing him to release the kuniochi. Sakura fell silently as another ninja flew by to catch her. Kisame snatched the Samehada out of the air at the same time as it passed him.

Temari of the Sand stood in tree crossed the clearing with the unconscious leaf ninja supported on her shoulder. She gave Kisame a look of disgust.

"Look," the jounin said to his sword, "soon we'll have more pieces to play with."

Temari snapped opened her three star fan with a flourish. With a twirl it covered them and winked out of existence.

"Genjutsu," recognized Kisame. "It's useless," he called out readying another throw. "Once my Samehada has tasted you, it's impossible to hide."

"Enough Kisame," commanded a voice from the surrounding trees.

The Kisame halted his toss and grimaced with displeasure at being interrupted.

He turned around. Uchiha Itachi and his new pet the lightning freak, Setsuko Arashi appeared in a swirl of leaves in front of him.

"Itachi-san," Kisame complained, "you said I could take my time with the girl."

The Uchiha's black eyes shifted in the direction that the kunoichi had escaped. "I didn't expect the Sand woman to circle back," he said. "Even though the Kazekage is a weakling," he explained, "I still don't want to give Wind Country any reason to get involved with what's about to happen."

His impassive gaze moved back to his half-shark companion. "Don't worry Kisame, in just seven more days by the full moon you'll be up to you earholes in blood."

TO BE CONTINUED

Fun Fact: A Zanbatou or "horse-killer" sword was used during the Sengoku period of Japan. It's massive blade was able to cleave a horse in two, but it was unwieldy and often required two men to swing it effectively.