Day Four

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Sasuke and Sakura were already out of the desert, not wanting to waste time to get back to Konoha or run into unnecessary trouble. They've been running through the forest for about five hours and were taking a quick rest.

---***--- Unknown Location

"I see," Pain said, while shifting through the files. "Since these two are obviously powerful enough for the plan, capture them quickly."

"Hai." Kakuzu and Sasori said, then disappeared into the shadows.

---***---

Sakura and Sasuke were on the move again, almost to Konoha's gates. Sasuke was behind Sakura to be her backup if there were any attacks. Sasuke just happened to noticed how tense Sakura looked. Her face looked like she was thinking about something…a delicate situation.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" A dark voice said, echoing from all around the two ninjas. Sakura and Sasuke stopped in their tracks. They, of course, got ready for battle. Sakura pulled her battle gloves on, while Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

"Well aren't you quick to act?" A different voice echoed out, the mock obvious in his voice.

"Just show yourself already!" Sakura said, extremely annoyed that they were being treated like little genin.

Two ninjas stepped out of the shadows. Both were wearing the Akatsuki cloaks. "Sasori…" Sakura growled.

Sasori smiled. "This time we're taking you with us."

Sakura's vein popped. Sasuke still stood emotionless. "We don't have any time for this nonsense." He said, taking out his katana.

"Don't underestimate us, boy." Kakuzu bellowed, his eyes getting redder by the minute.

"Why do I have to listen to an old man?" Sasuke asked.

"Cocky, arrogant boy." Kakuzu muttered under his breath.

"Will you just shut up already so we can capture them?" Sasori said. "I'll take the girl while you take on the boy."

Sakura heaved a dramatic sigh, and then took a fighting stance. Sasori just smirked, and shouted, "You can't fight me, girl. I had much more experience from you."

"Yeah, yeah. You turned yourself into a puppet and killed one of the most powerful Kazekages of the Sand. Can we just get on with this?" Sakura said, not wanting to go over the whole story yet again.

Sasori frowned. Nobody knew that secret except his comrades in the Akatsuki. If she already knew how he would battle capturing her won't be so easy…

Sasori slumped downward, his face on the tree branch. Sakura smirked. "Too slow." She said. Sasori suffered a blow from the stomach, thanks to Sakura. Sasori gave the kunoichi a death glare. He slowly rose up, and took a scroll from his pocket. He quickly opened it, and the Kazekage of the Sand puppet was summoned.

"This battle just got a little more interesting."

---***---Sasuke and Kakuzu

"Alright boy. Let's just get this over with." Kakuzu said, his eyes glaring at the young Uchiha.

"Aren't we a little overconfident today?" Sasuke mocked.

Kakuzu didn't say anything just kept glaring at Sasuke as if that would kill him right then and there. Sasuke however just ignored it and began to fight.

"Chidori Blade." He whispered, Kakuzu unable to hear his attack. With lightning speed Sasuke ran and pushed his katana into Kakuzu's heart. Kakuzu stared into space, in a trance, but he quickly came back to earth.

"Very good. You killed only one of my hearts though." Sasuke gracefully did a backflip back and landed on a tree branch.

"I guess I'll have to release my hearts to capture you." Kakuzu said, cracking his knuckles.

He did a hand sign and slowly four figures jumped out of his body. All of the creatures or so called "hearts" surrounded him, and attacked him all at once with fire, wind, water, and lightning jutsus. Sasuke however, smirked. "You underestimate me." He said out loud, his voice full of confidence.

Kakuzu grinned. "You didn't notice your surroundings?" 'Huh?' Sasuke looked around him and noticed the creatures were holding him down with some weird wire. Sasuke struggled but couldn't get out of the hold.

Kakuzu smiled, his smile none too friendly.

---***--- Sasori and Sakura…..

Sakura was agitated. No…agitated wasn't the word for it. She was way beyond agitated. Sasori started blabbering about how he defeated the Kazekage of the Sand and Sakura was sick and tired of it. She resisted the urge to take her kunai and plant it through her heart. Anyhow, since Sasori was distracted, Sakura took the change to break the puppet with one punch.

"HECK YEA!" She shouted.

She turned to see how Sasuke was doing, and found her smile faded from her face. He was trapped, his death apparent before her. Her nightmare passed before her eyes again. I'm not gonna let that happen, She thought. Sasuke-kun is one of the people that I want to protect with my life!

Since Sasori was still in shock, Sakura charged at Kakuzu with full force, and with her trusty chakra-filled fist at hand. Kakuzu, who didn't see her coming fell on the floor like a regular enemy would. Sakura ran to Sasuke and began slicing the wires of with her kunai. When she was done, she barely heard a mumbled, "Thanks."

"Did I heart something?" Sakura said, cheerfully. Not everyday an Uchiha says 'Thanks.'

"Thanks." He said this time.

Sakura smiled, "You're welcome."

While Sasuke was rubbing his wrists she saw Kakuzu walking behind him….just like in her nightmare. Right at the moment when he was going to hit Sasuke by surprise, Sakura pushed him out of the way. Sasuke in utter shock thudded to the ground while Sakura took the hit.

Kakuzu, already seeing his advantage used his wiring jutsu to capture Sakura. Sakura couldn't see much. The hit made her mind pretty dizzy right now. But she could make out the image of Sasuke. "Run." She whispered. Kakuzu must've injected some poison in me. Sakura thought.

Sasuke stood there, eyes wide with one emotion….fear. What could he do? Join Sakura's fate? Or run away like a coward? His heart was telling him to stay but his mind was telling him to get a move on. Sakura saw his hesitation and to urge him on she weakly threw a kunai at him. "I said go!"

Sasuke took one more glance at her than left. Sakura sighed. He's safe. She thought before passing out.

---***---

Once Sasuke was a few yards ahead Sasuke performed a few handsigns and poofed into Naruto's office. "Yo, teme! I see you guys completed your mission. Eh, where's Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke wouldn't meet his gaze. He couldn't. "She's been kidnapped." He replied, his voice deprived of its usual tone. Naruto's goofy grin turned upside down. "WHAT DID YOU DO TEME?" He said, standing up.

"We had just completed the mission when we were attacked by….Akatsuki." He replied.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP HER?" He asked, his voice rising.

"I was going to but……she told me to leave. She even threw a kunai at me to make sure that I leave."

"Well, we'll have to get he back, now won't we?"

---***---

YIPEE CHAPTER FINISHED . this one was long……………