Chapter Three: The Intimate Truth

Everyone hurried out of the Hokage's office before she changed her mind about the few days off.

Sasuke was walking beside Sakura as they left the office. "So what are you gonna do for your days off Sakura?"

Sakura looked to Sasuke, "I'm gonna check on my patient at the hospital. If she's had rest then I can discharge her."

Sasuke nodded then surprised her. "Do you mind if I accompany you?"

Sakura was dumbfounded then answered. "Of course. But I'd suggest not saying anything about missions. It's a touchy subject with Kanabi."

Sasuke nodded and followed her to the hospital. They made a brief stop at the nurses station, so Sakura could grab Kanabi's chart, and headed to the ninja's room. Sakura entered Kanabi's room with Sasuke following. "Good morning Kanabi, how are we feeling today?"

Kanabi turned from her view out the window, to look at Sakura and a familiar face, that she thought she wouldn't see for a long time. "I'm just fine Sakura-sama, nice to see you Sasuke -Sama." Sasuke's only reaction was a raised eyebrow and a nod in greeting.

Kanabi turned back to Sakura "so how does my chart look Sakura-sama?" Sakura smiled as she examined Kanabi's medical sheet. "Well everything looks good. You are officially discharged and in good health, but I would recommend to continue getting as much rest as you can. And take it easy on missions okay?"

Kanabi smiled and nodded. "Yes Sakura-Sama. I'll take your advice and put it to use."

"Good. I'll go sign the papers and get a wheel chair. Then you'll be free to go."

Kanabi smiled brighter. "Thank-you Sakura-sama, I'm most great-full for what you've done." Sakura smiled. "Your welcome, now for the paper's. Sasuke, can you help me with the wheel chair?"

Sasuke nodded and followed Sakura out of the room. Kanabi looked through the window, and thought back on how different Konoha was from mist. It was nice to be able to look out and see in a far off distance without encountering a wall of mist to block it. She'd woken early and had the pleasure to watch the sun rise.

5 minutes later, Sakura came back into, with Sasuke behind her pushing a wheel chair. "All done Kanabi, you are officially free. Now just to get you out of the hospital." Kanabi smiled and willingly sat in the chair and was wheeled out of the room by Sasuke, and followed by Sakura.

Once outside she took a deep breath, and stood up. She couldn't help but smile at her freedom. She turned to sakura and Sasuke, and bowed. "Thank-you Sakura-sama, and to you Sasuke-sama."

Sakura smiled and laughed. "It's my pleasure Kanabi. Just promise to take it easy while you are free, and good luck." Kanabi smiled and disappeared leaving light blue feathers floating around. "God I just love when she does that. These feathers are just so beautiful."

Sasuke nodded then asked, "so what do we do with this now?" Sakura looked over at him and explained, "well now we take it inside and go for food. You up for it?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Sure why not. I'm hungry after that mission."

Sakura laughed and turned back to the hospital. Confused by her laugh, Sasuke watched her go, and Said. "What?"

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2 hours later

"Alright. Now lets see your genjutsu."

The surrounding environment changed. Blue flames licked at the tree's and everything around him. He raised his arm and noticed the skin was on fire and it was melting away. his muscles which once uncovered, also began melting.

He then looked down to his leg only to see bones. Then his bones disintegrated and Sasuke felt himself falling to the ground. He was forced out of the Genjutsu to see Sakura on the ground watching him as he fell on his butt. "Nice time to cut that off."

Sakura smiled "you wanted to see it. If it was real, I'd have killed you a while ago." Sasuke nodded. "How'd you come up with that one? It was nothing like what I've seen."

At this point Sakura stopped smiling. "I lost a friend that way. Only it was by your brother's black flames. Course this was before he decided he was wrong about everything and before we'd found out the truth about your families massacre. It was an accident, so I don't blame anyone for it."

Sasuke looked down at the grass and rested his arms on the tops of his knees. "I guess my brother feels horrible for it. Course he doesn't always say much anymore. But he's slowly opening up."

Sakura smiled. "So are you. You used to be just as bad, you know. I'm glad that you're more open to things. It makes things interesting. Especially when Gaara giggles. That was too funny and scary."

Sasuke nodded and looked up at the sky. "I...I'm still not used to being so open...you'll have to be patient ok?" Sakura although in shock, nodded in understanding. "That's ok, you still have to get used to me not falling all over you like I did when we were twelve."

Sasuke just nodded. Then got frustrated and stood. "Ok now lets see your taijutsu." Sakura smiled and stood. For the next three hours, they trained and trained. Not stopping till a voice yelling for them, made them stop.

"Sasuke, Sakura." they turned to see Naruto and Hinata running towards them. Sasuke and Sakura relaxed their stances and waited for Naruto and Hinata to reach them.

Although they'd been training for 5 hours, neither one looked tired, or out of breath. Although their clothes were a little torn and dirty and slightly ripped, and slight blood in places, they felt as if they'd only been going at it for an hour. How time flies when your having fun.

Naruto came to a stop in front of his team-mates, and was about to speak till he noticed the state of their clothing. "Um...how long have you guys been training?"

At this point, Sasuke and Sakura finally looked down at the condition of their clothes. Sakura looked back up, then at her watch. "Um... since my shift at the hospital ended. Which was five hours ago."

Naruto smiled. "Sweet. Five hours of training and you don't even looked tired and worn out." Sasuke and Sakura nodded. Sasuke then asked. "So why did you come find us?" Sasuke's question stumped Naruto for a minute before he realized what was asked. "Oh right. Tsunade-sama called us to her office."

"Ok, see you there." and right in front of Naruto and Hinata's eyes, Sasuke and Sakura both disappeared, leaves mixing with cherry blossoms.

"HEY!" was all Naruto Said before running full speed back to the village. "Bye Hinata!" and disappeared, little frogs flying out from his spot. Hinata smiled and Shook her head.

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Sasuke and Sakura appeared just outside the Hokages office. Naruto appeared beside them 2 seconds later. "Thanks for waiting guys."

Sakura smiled at Naruto. "Your welcome." her smile grew seeing Naruto's scowl. He wasn't thanking them for waiting outside Tsunade's office, he was annoyed they didn't wait for him, when he'd gone to fetch them. Sakura could tell by the look on his face.

"Let's just go in." Sasuke said as he pushed both his team-mates into Tsunade's office. Tsunade didn't look up from the folder she was studying. Sakura spoke just as Kakashi walked in behind them. "Tsunade Shishou. You called for us?"

Tsunade nodded but didn't explain. The expression on her face became even more frustrated and thoughtful. After two silent surprising minutes, Tsunade finally looked up only to see Sasuke's, Sakura's and Kakashi's hands clamped over Naruto's mouth.

Tsunade smiled. She knew that without their hands keeping him quiet, she wouldn't have been able to think about the upcoming mission for them. Tsunade motioned for them to take their hands away from Narutos mouth. Which they did so reluctantly.

"I called you here for an important matter." she concentrated on their faces. "There's been information leaked to us from an unsuspecting person about the Akatsuki. I want you three to go and meet up with this informant and see what you can find out, then bring them back here!"

"So if it's just us three going, what's Kakashi here for?" Naruto asked while pointing at their sensei behind them.

"Kakashi's here on a different matter. You leave in 15 minutes."

"Hai Tsunade shishou." Sakura disappeared and Sasuke just nodded and left the room followed by Naruto.

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When Sasuke arrived at the village gates, Sakura was sitting on the ground meditating. He walked over and sat in the grass beside her and together they both waited for the last member of their team to show up.

Within 10 minutes, Naruto still hadn't shown up and Sasuke was becoming bored. He looked over to Sakura, and saw that her patience was starting to run out. She had a frown on her face that was getting worse by the second.

Till finally she snapped. "Gah, I can't believe this. Even Naruto who gets excited about missions decides to be late. He was told 15 minutes. It's been 20 already. I'm gonna hurt him...!"

"Well now's your chance, he finally decided to show up."

"Good!" Sasuke smirked, but was smiling inside 'this is gonna be good.'

"hey Sasuke, Sakura, sorry I'm ....ooff"

Naruto flew up and over the village gates and hit the ground on the other side. Sakura rubbed her fist. "That friggin hurt. He's got a hard chin!"

That was when she heard a snicker beside her. She turned to see Sasuke trying to contain his laughter. She smiled then motioned for them to get started.

Sasuke nodded and followed her out the town gates and past the hole containing a groaning Naruto. "Come on Naruto. The faster we get this done, the faster you get back here and get Ramen."

Naruto came flying out of the hole and followed Sakura and Sasuke.

"Sakura, what else does the scroll say?" Sasuke asked as he walked alongside his team-mates. Sakura pulled the scroll from her pouch and read the contents. "Nothing different from Tsunade Shishou already explained to us."

"Not even who the informant is?"

Sakura shook her head. "Nope. It's blank."

Sasuke turned back and concentrated on the road ahead of them and began to wonder just who the informant was.

"Come on. Lets get this done and over with." with that said, she jumped into the tree's and the three spread off towards the meeting place.

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"I want you to keep an eye on them. Make sure nothing goes wrong. If anything happens jump in at all costs. We can't afford to have this chance go out the window."

"Hai"

with that, the three jumped out the window and into the tree's.

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"So this is it?" Naruto quietly asked as he looked around the clearing. "For a meeting place, it's kind of open."

"It's a good choice. No tree's for a few miles. You can see if your enemy's coming, and that way there's no surprises. I'd definitely pick his spot."

In the middle of the clearing, there was a lone tree that was bustling with leaves and flowers. The tree was the perfect place to be able to see in every direction. And still stay hidden. "So what do we do, just walk out and say hi? We're here for information that we were told you had. Plus you get to come with us, or...what?"

Sakura smacked Naruto in the back of the head. Causing him to hit the ground in front of him, with his nose.

"Oww! Sakura that hurt!"

"Good. Next time don't ask such obviously stupid questions! Tsunade thought of that already."

Sakura did a few hand seals, and summoned her teacher's favourite companion. The little slug nodded to them all, and moved across the field to the tree. A sharp whistle was next to be heard. Sakura then turned to her friends and nodded. Sakura slowly crept out of the bush and slowly walked towards the tree. Sasuke and Naruto followed closely behind.

As they got closer to the tree, they saw the informant hop out of the tree and land just as the foot of it. The figure was clad in a black trench coat, the normal ninja sandals, the hood of the coat pulled up over his head and covering his face, was a mask of a wolf.

The figure was so protectively clad, it was impossible for them to figure out who it could be. "Greetings. It's magnificent day today, is it no?" the figure asked team seven. Sakura having been the one to read the scroll, replied "greetings to you as well fellow traveller. What news is there today?"

The figure behind the mask snickered, "very little. But what I do know is very interesting. Are you ready to listen?"

"With open ears and mind wide open."

The figure nodded and began. "Akatsuki's on the move. They plan on taking the secret relic that the old legends talk about. This is rumoured to help control anyone whose in possession of all the jinchurriki. Or in words your friend here can understand... the one's who have the demons will be able to bend the beasts and make them do whatever they want, just by using this scroll."

The stupid look that had graced Naruto's face, suddenly disappeared in understanding. "Where about's was this scroll said to be located?"

"It's said to be residing in Konoha, but no one knows where exactly..." the man stopped speaking and looked off to the right.

Sakura noticed at the same time as the figure did and as she looked to the right, she asked "we'd really appreciate it if you'd accompany us back to Konoha."

"I'm sorry. But if I did that, my position would be badly compromised. I can't allow myself to join you. But we've got company, and they do not seem friendly."

"No they don't" Sasuke noticed the strange look as it crossed Sakura's face. "Sakura, what is it?" Sakura slowly shook her head "I don't know but the t races of Chakra seem familiar somehow, but I can't pinpoint why?"

This confused all of them. Including the figure who was their akatsuki informant. Sakura slowly turned to him. "Well I guess our meeting is done. Wish it ended differently. But I believe it's time to go."

The figure nodded and disappeared.

Sasuke surveyed the area "guess it's time we move on." Sakura and Naruto nodded. But before they could move, they were suddenly surrounded by the five Shinobi, they'd felt hiding in the tree's.

"well, well. Look what we have here? Harmless konoha nins. What could that man have possibly wanted to talk to you three about?"

Sakura made a hand motion that both Naruto and Sasuke understood as stay silent and follow along, but be ready to run for the trees. "He wants us to get supplies for a surprise birthday party. But pink is so out this season. He was thinking more towards a puke green or blood red. What do you suggest?"

The man who was presumably the leader, Laughed. "This girls got a sense of humour. I'd prefer he blood red. Preferably that of you and your friends blood. How's that?"

Sakura began laughing and slapping her hand off her leg. "Haha this guys got a sense of humour too... so funny..." She pointed to the leader while looking to Sasuke and Naruto.

"That would be so good for you to have our blood, but not today."

Right before their enemies eyes, triples of Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto fled from their very spot and into the trees.

He leader chuckled, "this is gonna be fun. After them."

The ninja's all smiled and took off after team seven.

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"That wasn't a good idea to egg him on Sakura." Sasuke stated as they jumped from tree to tree. "Well it worked. They didn't get any information from us did they?"

"Well.. No but still. It could have turned out bad. We might not have had this chance if it had gone differently." Sasuke was startled when Sakura stopped on the next branch and pushed Sasuke against the tree he'd stopped on. "Wake- up Sasuke, we're no longer 12 year old genin's. We no longer have the need for a teacher to watch out for us. All we have is ourselves, and the knowledge that we're strong and together we can conquer and beat anyone who tries to brake us apart. We've done it before."

Sakura released Sasuke and stepped back. That's when she raised her hand and caught the kunai that was aiming for Sasuke from the left of him.

She turned to look at who threw the kunai only to find the five Shinobi from before. "Well. Well. Our new friends finally caught up. Who does this fine kunai belong to?"

One of the ninja smirked and replied. "That'd be mine. Nice of you to catch it for me, but it was intended for your friend." Sakura threw I back to the ninja and stated. "You'll have to do better then that to kill him."

The ninja smirked. "I'll try harder next time."

Sasuke appeared in front of the man. "If you get a next time."

The man was slightly startled, and confused about not noticing him move so fast. Sasuke slowly drew his sword , but was stopped half way by a hand on his. Sasuke turned to look at the man who stopped him.

Behind him was one of the other ninja's. Sasuke quickly looked around and saw Naruto busy fighting off 2 ninja's and the leader was busy fighting Sakura in a hand to hand combat.

He turned back to the ninja's around himself, and turned the man he was holding away and kicked him. He then turned to the ninja who still had a hold of his sword and kicked him in the gut and followed with a kick to his chin which sent him flying in the air.

The other ninja who had short brown hair and green eyes, came at Sasuke and made him dodge a punch. Sasuke turned his eyes on him and glared. Sasuke threw a punch of his own and hit the man in the shoulder.

Both ninja's landed near each other to re-group. "This kid's getting on my nerves, Hara. We should have let Hatchi have him like he wanted." "Oh stop complaining Itchi! We just have to continue with our team work, and just keep giving it everything." "Right!"

Hara, long blonde hair, that was kept away from his face by braiding it, starred at Sasuke through his purplish eyes, pulled a kunai from his pouch and saw as Itchi did the same. Together they charged Sasuke.

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"Kage bunshin no jutsu." 3 Naruto copies appeared beside Naruto. Two headed for the man who had long silver hair and bright blue eyes, while the other two headed for the man who had short golden brown hair with green eyes.

The man with long silver hair, dodged all of Naruto's clones attacks. 'This kid is pretty good. He's used one excellent jutsu to his advantage against Ura and I. But we'll play along with him a little more, and see what all he could do.'

Ura dodged most of the clones efforts to hit him, but managed to get hit the shoulder and chest, a few times too many. He quickly glanced over to Hatchi, to see him having and easier time against the clones.

'If Hatchi can do so well, so can I!' Ura thought and turned his attention back to Naruto, only to get punched in the face and sent backwards.

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Sakura dodged a fist from the leader of the group and healed the kunai wound on her forearm carefully hiding the healing chakra from her opponent. The man stood and watched Sakura carefully.

'Something seems familiar about this girl. Is it the way she moves?' he studied her more closely. 'No. That's not it...' his thought were cu short when she rushed at him, and slammed her fist into the tree behind him after he moved, and watched as the tree disintegrated into tiny wooden splinters.

'She has amazing strength. I've only seen strength like this once before.'

A picture of a blonde haired woman, rocks flying all around her as she slammed her hand down into the ground.

'This girl has the same abilities as that woman.' a smile that was as evil as he was, graced his face as he thought, 'now I will crush her spirit. And make this determination of her's disappear!'

He lunged himself at Sakura and began throwing shuriken, and kunai's left, right and centre, forcing her to dodge every single one, and putting his plan into motion.

Sakura dodged every kunai and shuriken and every punch, kick, and anything thrown at her, for her training conditioned her too.

She went to dodge another attack, but just as she touched the ground again, a vine wrapped itself around her foot, trapping her.

She looked down when she couldn't move and found the vine was moving up her leg. 'Crap this isn't good' she thought as she looked back up at the man. 'Why the hell does this guy look so familiar? I don't get it.'

Sakura was frustrated. Not just by the fact that this guy managed to trap her, but also that he was so familiar and she was clueless as to why. She was just about to activate shii, when she was pulled backwards and pinned to a tree. The man was in front of her before she had a chance to struggle.

He grabbed her by he throat and just held her against the tree. "You fight very well. As do your friends. But your cocky behaviour just made it more fun. He paused and applied more pressure to her neck. "Now I'll ask once more, what did that ninja tell you?"

Sakura brought her hands up and grabbed the mans wrist. She then chocked out. "As I told you before... he needs supplies for a party. I'm guessing you were leaning more towards puke green then huh?..."

The man was losing his patience, he tightened his grip, cutting of Sakura's air supply. 'Sakura! We have to get out of this. Activate Shii now!' lightfoot urged her while remaining hidden. Sakura closed her eyes and with lightfoot's help, managed to activate Shii.

She opened her eyes and watched the startled look cross her captor's face. 'Those eyes. Light blue eyes! Why does this girl look so much like a woman I killed?'

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Sasuke blocked a fist, threw a kick, and jumped backwards up into the tree's and quickly looked over to Naruto and saw him punch one of the guys he was fighting, causing him to fly into the trees.

'Well Naruto's doing his normal.' he then turned his gaze to his other team-mate. What he saw confused him. Sakura could keep up to him, so why is she pinned to the tree. 'Sakura! Crap. I've got to hurry!' he then noticed something unusual. 'Her eyes. What's up with her eyes? Why are they blue?'

He turned back to his opponents, to see one charge at him. 'Crap. This is taking to long' he closed his eyes and when he opened them again, his opponent didn't have a chance. Sasuke smirked and disappeared.

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'So this is very interesting now. How can I possibly kill this girl, not knowing the truth as to why she looks so much like that woman.' using one hand, he made some hand seals, and created his technique by paralysing her. He turned and walked a few feet away thinking about what to do.

Meanwhile Sakura finally realized why this man was so familiar. He was the one who killed her uncle. This was he man she watched fight, when she was two. 'How did I possibly forget the face of this man? He killed my uncle.' just thinking about her uncle almost brought her to tears. ' No! I won't cry. Not now. I have to get out of this. I won't die till this man gets what he deserves.' she began to try and struggle.

The man thought hard about this news and smiled. 'Three new obstacles. Two are still fighting, which puts us at a disadvantage. I guess the fun ends here. But not for long.'

He turned back to see Sakura fighting the paralysing jutsu and moved back over to her. As he walked he pulled something from his pocket. He lifted his other hand and grabbed er chin. She glared at him with anger and slight fear, as he tilted her face up and to the right. "You won't get way with this!" she exclaimed.

"Oh but I already have." and with that, he jabbed a needle into her neck.

'No!'

Sakura heard Lightfoot's voice but couldn't respond. She could feel whatever was in the needle begin to flow through her veins. 'Damn it!'

Her vision became blurry, and she felt herself slipping away. Before her vision got worse, she spotted a green scorpion tattoo on his arm...

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The vines wrapped further up Sakura's slightly unconscious body. As the man released her, she continued to glare at him.

"Till next time." the man stated just before taking off into the tree's. as the man fled, three figures landed near each group. One with Sasuke, one with Naruto, and the last with Sakura.

Before they could intervene, the enemy ninja's fled the fight and followed their leader. "Sakura!" Sakura looked up at the in front of her and had to concentrate on their face. It was Gage. Relief flooded her body and she tried to speak. "Poi...son,....scorpion..."

Gage tried to understand by asking her again, but she'd passed and was slumped against the vines. "What happened?" Sasuke asked as him, Naruto, Koza and Kaiden ran up to Gage. "I don't know. She was just conscious, but she managed to say two words."

He paused and turned to Sasuke.

"Poison... and scorpion." Sasuke frowned and looked to Sakura. He walked over to the tree and was just about to cut her free, when the vines fell away, forcing him to catch her. He maneuvered her so he was carrying her on his back, then turned to the others. "Lets get back quick. Poison means we don't have a lot of time left."

The others nodded and followed Sasuke into the trees and at a rapid pace, headed to Konoha and the only person who could help Sakura. Tsunade!

End chap three..