"Sakura-san, would you want to take a brake?" the 17-year old jounin asked
Sakura smiled at her partner. Fully dressed in his jounin outfit, he looked a lot like his idol, Maito Gai. "It's alright Lee…Gaara-kun might be expecting the scroll already." She replied
Lee nodded, then asked her, "Sakura-san, what's inside the scroll anyway?"
Sakura looked at Lee, as they both jumped to another branch & then another. "Actually, Tsunade-shishou only told me to deliver this scroll to Gaara-ku—I mean to the Kazekage…" she said
"Is that so?" Lee said, "You may not know it but the Hokage truly does care for you, Sakura-chan. You've been under her wing for 2 years already and I must say, you two grew close to each other."
The pink-haired kunoichi nodded and smiled at the thought. Tsunade-sama is like my mother to me now, ever since mom and dad were killed on a mission.
"By the way Sakura-san, congratulations on having to have made it for the candidacy of ANBU. I salute you!" Lee greeted and gave Sakura a thumbs-up.
A smile graced Sakura's features and thought about her candidacy. The test was fairly mediocre, which was a surprise to her. Tsunade-sama even told her that she might see her have a major problem with the test...She was about to reply when kunais darted towards their direction and she, along with Lee, jumped to the round ready to fight the two Akatsuki that emerged from the bushes.
The blonde, whom Sakura knew was Deidara, ran towards Lee who kicked him at his ribs, sending Lee to crash against the tree. The other one, who was Sasori—an old friend of hers that she fought along with Chiyoo-baa-san—lunged towards her and punched her at the stomach. She could not dodge it for he was fast and then she gave out…not even knowing what might've happened to Lee…
"Lee…I'm so sorry…" Sakura wept, burying her head to her palms
"It's no use crying over spilt milk, kunoichi…" a masculine voice said from the doorway
Sakura lifted her head up and glared at the man that trespassed her—well you can all it her room anyways… "And what do you want now, Itachi?" she asked
Itachi gave no impatient or disgusted looks at her but continued to stare at her, "I've come to tell you that we are to leave this base tonight for a mission…" he replied
"Itachi-san…I accept the fact that I am a captive of Akatsuki, but I would not accept on having to act upon the order of having to do Akatsuki missions…" she retorted in anger and firmness
Itachi growled at her and sent her a menacing glare, which Sakura retorted with one of her own.
Just then, Deidara popped beside Itachi and smiled at Sakura. "Itachi-kun, I think I should be the one to convince her about doing the mission…you go rest, you'll need it tonight…yeah…" Deidara said
Itachi turned his heel and walked past Deidara where Sakura and he heard the door of Itachi's room slam shut...Deidara then faced Sakura and steeped inside the room, shutting the door close. He walked over to the side of her bed and sat beside her.
Sakura shifted uncomfortably with the reason of having to have Deidara sit on the same bed she was currently in and instead gulped in fear. Having to notice her state of discontent, he made a move to cup her cheek and told her, "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'm just here to tell you that you should cooperate with the mission you are gonna get tonight with Itachi…"
Sakura lowered her gaze until her bangs covered her eyes. "Deidara-san…in truth to say, I am not afraid of the mission but I'm afraid of what Itachi might do to me…" she said, a faint blush crept to her cheeks
"What is it that you are afraid of Itachi doing something to you? Itachi-kun does have this aura that he is so good with girls but if you would know him better, he does not lust after whores…yeah…" Deidara grinned naively
He doesn't? Sakura looked up to Deidara and asked him, "I do have to agree with the fact that he ahs that certain aura, however, I'm also scared of his attitude. I've always imagined him to be a silent, ignorant & proud person. I guess I was wrong then…"
Deidara blinked twice, "Did you really think of him that way? Because you're not wrong, Sakura-chan…yeah…you've got the most accurate imagination then…for having to have imagined the real Itachi…yeah…" he giggled, "I've actually noticed that yes, he acts very impolite towards you…yeah…and well, that got me thinking too…"
Sakura sat there dumbfounded. Itachi is acting different towards me? Why? she asked herself. She thought about it for a moment and decided to ask that guy later on, when she'll have the chance to that is…
Deidara looked at her, while she contemplated on her thoughts, the he asked, "Is something the matter, Sakura-chan…yeah?" he asked
Sakura smiled shyly at him, "No prob…" then it her. Maybe I she could ask Deidara about it and he would give me real answers. He looks truthful to me…alright then, here goes… "Actually Deidara-san, I really need to know the answer." She said
"An answer to what…yeah?" Deidara asked
"Why is Orochimaru after me? And what does the reason behind it, have to do with Akatsuki?" Sakura asked desperately, in need of an answer
Deidara's eyes then narrowed and turned into something Sakura could not figure. Was it hurt? Was it pity? Or was it anger? He looked so much like Sasuke that way, impassive as ever…
"Sorry Sakura-chan, but anyone else, rather than Itachi, can tell you the reason of why you are here with us and why Orochimaru is after you…" Deidara said
Sakura noted that he had left the 'yeah' part and thought that Deidara was really being serious here. She nodded in acknowledgement and told him, "It's alright, Deidara-san…"
Deidara tilted his head and stood up. He ruffled Sakura's hair a little bit and smiled at her, "Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'm sure you're safe with Itachi…yeah…"
And with that statement of Deidara, he left the room after uttering the words, "Rest for the afternoon…"
Sakura sighed…she might never understand what her role in this 'play' was…
Itachi soon woke Sakura up from her slumber and when she finally did, he handed her an Akatsuki robe and her hitae-ate.
Sakura stared at the items he had given her, as if scanning to see if this was an illusion or not. Her hitae-ate was not the same as before, because now…it had a line that raked across it.
"What did you do, Itachi?" Sakura asked in anger
Itachi eyed her and turned around, his back facing her now. He did not give a reply and Sakura regained her composure, knowing that the Uchiha would not answer a simple question of hers. A traitor to the Hidden Leaf Village was she now. She sighed as she stood up and put on the given items.
As soon as Sakura was done, Itachi turned around and gave her a questioned look. Annoyed by this, Sakura just turned her head away from looking at him.
With a knock on the door in one second, Kisame went in the room the other second. He whispered something to Itachi that Sakura could not comprehend and stared at the both of them while trying to figure what the shark-man was telling the Uchiha.
Itachi nodded at him, "Kunoichi…we'll be going now…" he said in a monotonous tone
Sakura rolled her eyes and stood beside him, "Where are we going now, Itachi?" she asked, adding the tiniest venom to his name
Itachi grunted at this and pulled her arm as the three of them dashed out of the headquarters
Now, Sakura's mind was a haze. Why are they moving out of headquarters? Surely, Leaf ANBUS would not come to this part of the forest. And even if they did, wouldn't they expect quite a challenge when they try to kill the Akatsuki?
Sakura's train of thoughts were cut by the voice of the Uchiha who had just ordered Kisame to be a distraction.
The sharkman left and she could hear the sound of kunais clashing already. She assumed that there was a battle going on, probably with the sound-nins to get her. However, Sakura was curious on whom the Akatsuki were fighting, so she decided to look when Itachi grabbed her shoulder and ordered her, "You're coming with me, kunoichi!"
Sakura glared at him, but gave up on trying to put a fight with him. She would see to it that she gets an answer from Itachi. And with the way of thinking that being cooperative with him, it might be the only way.
As Sakura and Itachi jumped from branch to branch, Sakura couldn't help but look at his handsome face. His hair stumbling upon his eyes as the wind forced themselves to sway back. His eyes were expressionless but he did not let go of her wrist as they kept their inhumane speed.
All of a sudden, Sakura heard the nosy voice of her long-time friend.
"SAKURA-CHAN!" Naruto called out
That voice! That voice!
"NARUTO!" Sakura screamed
From the farther side of the forest, Naruto's eyes gleamed in happiness on having to have heard Sakura's voice. "Did you hear that?" He asked Neji
Neji nodded, shocked that they have finally found their teammate. Shikamaru was too. He never would've thought that it was gonna be this day that they would find her. They were soooo lucky!
Alas, luck doesn't always last that long...Sasori and Zetsu came out from the bushes and attacked Neji and Shikamaru.
"Neji! Shikamaru!" Naruto yelled. He was about to rush for his teammate's aids when Neji spoke up…
"Naruto! Go on ahead! I'm sure you'll fins Sakura-chan in the vicinity!" Neji shouted as he blocked the oncoming puppet hand of one of Sasori's masterpiece.
"But Neji…" Naruto hesistated
"Naruto, you have to make haste! Go and take Sakura back!" Shikamaru commanded
With a hesitant nod of his own, Naruto jumped to the trees and dashed off to find Sakura.
"This might be the pain Chouji and Kiba might be feeling right now by fighting the Akatsuki and sound-nins there!" Neji said
"Hehe, this is gonna be a troublesome day…" Shikamaru exclaimed
Itachi covered Sakura's mouth with his hand as they hid under the shady leaves of the cypress tree. His other hand, firmly gripping her waist in case, she tries to escape.
To heck with the cooperation thing; Naruto's here to save her! Sakura thought about what might've happened to Naruto seeing as Akatsuki and sound-nins might be fighting with them already. Itachi roughly whispered to her ear, "Never do that again, kunoichi…"
Naruto was in the vicinity now…and Sakura could see that he was searching for her. He was going this way and that made her heart jump, however, soon later, confusion took over. Naruto went to the other side and began to dash to the other are where she and Itachi were.
She tried desperately to get out of Itachi's grasp, hoping to catch Naruto's attention, but failed. Naruto was no longer in the proximity where her senses could sense him. Tears filled the corner of her eyes...
Itachi let go of her and Sakura stared at him in anger. He was breathing rather heavily, which made Sakura understood everything of why Naruto went away. He had used the sharingan to make an illusion of the both of them and made him think that the two silhouettes he would see would be her and her captor.
"Why did you do that? Can't you just let me go?" Sakura shouted
Itachi did not respond and looked at her, "You are my captive kunoichi! I would not let go someone of which was ordered to me to take care of!" he retorted
"You are not taking care of me, Itachi! If you were to really do, you would not act different towards me!" Sakura said
"What do you mean kunoichi?" Itachi asked
"You're always impolite to me! That's what I mean!" Sakura yelled
"What do you expect then kunoichi? For me to be polite to a captive? That is not a captor's attitude, should you know…" Itachi stated
"No…but you being you, I expect you to at least call me by my name and stop yelling at me!" Sakura said, her chest rising up and down, with the heavy breaths she took in
"You do not know me kunoichi!"
"I may not know you, but Deidara seems to do so more than I!" Sakura replied
"Deidara is not my partner…"
"That's not the point!" Sakura said, "You…Itachi-sama…are acting different towards me in Deidara's saying and I want to know, why!" Sakura said
"You want to know why I act different towards you, you say?" Itachi raised his eyebrows at her
Sakura gasped when Itachi caged her by the tree's trunk with his hands on either side of her body. He leaned in to kiss the crook of her neck and ever so huskily whispered to her skin, "I'm different kunoichi because I killed my clan without any remorse…" Trailing her neckline to the shell of her ear with his lips, Sakura let out a moan—unfortunately for her.
The feeling of the rough bark against her back, made Sakura whimper in pain. Trying her best to push Itachi off her, Sakura found it impossible as Itachi began to nibble on her earlobe, "I'm different to you kunoichi…"
Sakura gasped as his arms snaked it's way up to her side…as he let out his final statement... "…because you are my captive…"
Sakura's emerald pupils dilated when she heard that sly tone of his…He used it in such a…a seductive, yet pleasurable tone.
Itachi let go of the panting kunoichi and bent over to her ear, "Let's go then, Sakura…" he whispered
At first, Sakura wanted to slap the hell out of him by doing that to her, but he did call her now by her name. Maybe if she would continue again with her plan to cooperate with him…he would change for the better…
Itachi backed away a few steps to let her have space to stand on the branch as they both leapt down from the tree. He glanced at her flushed face and told her, "Don't try to escape now Sakura. Worse things might happen…"
Sakura sighed and looked at him. "As long as you'll be polite to me, I won't have such problems in following some of your orders." She said
And Itachi nodded at the deal Sakura made with him.
As the two ninjas made their way to their destination, by leaping off from tree to tree, Sakura started to think about what to do with him…Not in that kind of way, though. Should I actually start a conversation with him? Or would that lead to some kind of discomfort for both him and me?
"What's the matter…Sakura?" the voice of the Uchiha interrupted
Sakura got trailed off her thoughts when she heard him speak and decided to use4 this chance to talk to him. "Well…I was just wondering…where we are headed to." She said
Itachi looked at her at the corner of his eye and focused his vision to the road ahead once again. "We are to report to leader about the situation that is happening now." He replied
"To your leader?" Sakura asked, a bit of curiosity and excitement gracing her words knowing that Itachi would answer what she would ask next. "Isn't the headquarters his haven?"
"That would seem a bit obvious now, wouldn't it?" Itachi scoffed
Sakura blushed when she heard him laugh a little. I mean, only in rare times do Uchihas laugh, you know.
Itachi jumped to a clearing and Sakura jumped beside him. He scanned the areas if there were anything that would get to their way.
Sakura, however, heard the rustling of water just about east of them. "Ne, Itachi…could we—um—take a brake for awhile?" she asked
Itachi turned his head to face her. His hair tousled in his face as the wind continued to bow on them.
"A break?"
Miakoda13: Hey, this is another chapter of which I had to think about for like what, 3-4 weeks? An idea popped into my head when MitsukiShiroi gave me her review on the last chapter. It seems that I am making Itachi a bit OOC because of his rudeness towards Sakura. So, in this chapter, she confronts Itachi about this brewing hatred—well I wouldn't say that—their brewing ignorance of each other…and they both talk about having to cooperate with one another…
Crap, I know. But I tried my best so I hope you liked this chapter! I would've wanted to make this longer, but it seems that the things I was supposed to add should go to the next chapter instead…though it would be awhile when I update that, because my grandma said that I would be going with her to the U.S.
Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers for this story! I'm really glad about the comments and some critiques that help me to improve the story. Thanks so much!
Review replies for this chapter would be answered for the next chapter, because I've noticed that people are sending me good reviews that I can't answer so and so, so I decided that I would reply reviews that need answers about certain things. So guys, I look forward to your reviews!