Summary: As everything she had ever known is turned upside down, Sakura strikes out with her newly founded team in a perilous time when friend and foe alike can become complications. AU. MultiSaku. Sakura centric. SakuraHarem. Sequel to "no good gift (goes unpunished)." Multi-chaptered.

Pairing(s): SakuraxNaruto, SakuraxSasuke, SakuraxSai, SakuraxGaara, SakuraxDeidara, SakuraxSasori, SakuraxKisame, SakuraxItachi, SakuraxHidan, SakuraxKakuzu, SakuraxTobi, SakuraxMadara, SakuraxPein, KakashixSakura, KibaxSakura, ChojixSakura, ShikamaruxSakura, HakuxSakura, ZabuzaxSakura, LeexSakura, NejixSakura, ZetsuxSakura, KimimaroxSakura, KabutoxSakura, ShinoxSakura, SuigetsuxSakura, JugoxSakura, ShisuixSakura, IzunaxSakura, KotetsuxSakura, IzumoxSakura, GenmaxSakura, KonohamaruxSakura, YamatoxSakura, BxSakura, CxSakura, DaruixSakura, MenmaxSakura, JiraiyaxTsunade, OrochimaruxTsunade, (implied) AxTsunade

Genre: Adventure/Romance/Friendship/Humor/Angst

Warnings: some cursing (they are teenagers!), general OOC-ness, dark and sometimes suggestive themes

Notes: So, personally, I really like the mindscape. As a psychology major, it is so interesting to delve into the mind vs. brain matter in a fantastical situation like this. After all, I don't think it's very normal to have full conversations with a fragment personality within your mind, but I digress. Anyway, this chapter will deal a lot with the fallout that Team Seven is starting to experience.

Chapter Summary: In which Team Seven attempts to cope; Sakura receives unlikely help; assumptions are made; and a plan is pulled off.

"the gifted and i"
Of Jailbreaks & Judgment
-9/26-

Naruto stared out of his window on the plane, teeth bared angrily. He stared down at his crossed arms with a barely concealed grimace. He tapped out an aggressive tempo on his arms, sighing loudly and glancing briefly at Kakashi. No response. Naruto slouched further into the seat cushion and sighed even louder.

With an angry snap, Kakashi closed his book and gave Naruto the look. Naruto gave a wide-eyed, blank expression in response. Kakashi glared at him before opening his book back on.

Naruto sighed again.

"What?" Kakashi hissed, looking practically infuriated.

Naruto bared his teeth at Kakashi, unimpressed in the face of his anger. He was raring for a fight. "We made the wrong decision," he growled, positively vibrating with energy.

"Did we now?" Kakashi inquired mildly.

"Hell yes!" Naruto replied. "We just lost Sakura and now we let Sasuke walk straight out the door? How the hell do you justify that?"

"Naruto," Kakashi stated, firmly but quietly, looking warily at the other passengers on the plane. "Calm down. You know that we can't go gallivanting out after Sasuke just because we want to. Besides, we don't know where he is or who he's with."

Naruto scoffed. "We know who he's with. Sasuke has been acting abnormal since our separation at Kumo! He's gone to that snake bastard."

Kakashi flinched, having thought the exact same thing. "Even so, we don't know where Sound is based currently. It would be complete folly to go off on what would become a wild goose chase. No, we need resources, intel and back-up. That's why we have to go back to the Academy."

Naruto didn't respond for several, long moments. Kakashi glanced over curiously, heart seizing when he caught sight of the boy's misty eyes. Kakashi often forgot that these students, that these capable soldiers were still so incredibly young. He placed a hand on his student's shoulder.

"How?" Naruto finally asked brokenly. "How can you be so callous? Sasuke and Sakura are out there, somewhere, all alone and I'm stuck here on this plane."

"I know that this inaction chafes," Kakashi began. "Trust me, I know. I'm not trying to be callous; I just want to go about this in the best possible manner available. Unfortunately, we need the resources that only the Academy can provide."

Naruto just sighed. "They're…they're my family, along with you and Sai. I just can't stand knowing that I'm hiding in safety while they're out fighting the unknown without us."

Kakashi looked grim. "You aren't hiding in safety Naruto. You're…merely gathering your assets."

Naruto barked out a bitter laugh at that. "Yeah, I suppose so." He looked up from his lap suddenly with eyes burning like blue fire. "I just hope those bastards know that there is going to be hell to pay for touching my family."

Sakura seated herself in the ivory chair, glancing around the once more dull mindscape. "So what's happening?" Sakura asked warily. At Inner Sakura's confused look, she clarified, "Why so serious right now?"

Inner Sakura merely sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Have you ever wondered why I exist?" she asked quietly.

Sakura shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I've never really questioned it."

"Well, I'm sure you have realized by now that having another voice, another presence, isn't particularly normal."

Once again, Sakura moved her shoulders lethargically. "Technically, very little in my life can be considered 'normal.'"

"Touché," Inner Sakura replied. "To get back on topic though, our connection, my entire existence within your head, is strange even for you." Her eyes glazed over as she stared past Sakura. "My existence is unprecedented. There are no others like you…like us."

Sakura recoiled. "How do you know?" she demanded angrily. "How can you know things that I don't know? And anyway, aren't Kisame and Samehada connected the same way? Zabuza and Kubikiribocho? "

Inner Sakura shook her head sadly. "We aren't like them. The swords have an external existence though they communicate with their swordsmen internally."

Sakura scowled, catching the way that Inner Sakura circumvented the first two questions. As she started to reiterate the questions, the mindscape began to shake. "What's happening?" Sakura asked, leaping to her feet.

"Someone is interfering!" Inner Sakura exclaimed. Sakura began to fade in and out. "Wait! I need to tell you-!"

She was cut off.

Sakura opened her eyes to the overly bright, fluorescent lights of her cell.

Sai blankly looked at the two individuals that had been sent from Kumo as a gesture of good will. C was in the window seat, doing his utmost to lean as far away from B as possible while still maintaining his calm disposition. B, on the other hand, was bouncing up and down in the middle seat, harassing fellow flight passengers with his poor attempts at rap. Sai's gaze hardened as he watched. How dare they act with such…frivolity in light of all that had happened in the past few days?

C glanced up, catching Sai's gaze. He frowned, turning to B and speaking with him quietly before standing and making his way over to Sai. B, Sai noticed with disinterest, had calmed down, much to the joy of the other passengers.

"Is that seat taken?" C asked, glancing at the seat beside Sai.

"It has not been occupied," Sai replied.

C gave him an uncomfortable look before sitting down. "So…what's your story?" he asked.

Sai frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what's your deal? I've seen the little looks you've been giving us since we've teamed up. I just want to know why," C said, trying to look approachable and open.

"What is my deal?" Sai asked frigidly. "My deal as you so term it is that my team has been put through a very harrowing sequence of events. We are tired, scattered and broken apart. Since then, I have watched you and B gallivant around, playing instead of being focused and serious!" Sai snapped.

C looked forlorn as he gently placed a hand on Sai's arm. "You are not at fault for everything that has occurred. The events were outside of your hands." Sai's eyes fluttered shut as he released a shuddering breath. "I didn't really get to know your teammates all that well, but I did fight alongside your comrade Sakura. She was brave and loyal to a fault. I don't doubt that she fought like hell to get back to you guys."

Sai shivered, trying to process the emotions flowing through him. He wasn't used to trying to handle such a turbulence of feelings. It was hard enough as it was to make his way through one emotion at a time.

"As for B's levity…" C shook his head. "I apologize that it makes you uncomfortable; it's B's way of dealing with serious situations. It is hardly appropriate, I know, but that's B for you. We all deal with pain and trouble in different ways."

Sai looked over at C, surprised to read the compassion in his eyes. After a few moments, he nodded. "Thank you."

C smiled at him. "Your team will be reunited again, I promise you."

Sai's lips turned up slightly at the corners. "Yeah, we will be."

Sakura blinked wildly, trying to get adjusted to the bright lights of her room. Eyes streaming, she glanced around. "Tenten?" she questioned, gaping at the woman before her. She couldn't be real…there was no way.

"In the flesh," the apparition replied with a sardonic twist of her lips.

Sakura stood and tentatively reached out, gasping when her fingers met warm, real skin. Tenten was actually here.

"Why-?" Sakura began to ask angrily, mouth snapping shut when Tenten shushed her.

"There's no time," Tenten hissed, glancing around the room apprehensively, taking in the sight of the video cameras all around. "The videos are on a loop for right now, but eventually, they will realize that they aren't getting current footage." She grabbed Sakura's arm and began to pull her toward the door. Sakura didn't budge. "Come on!"

Sakura shook her head slowly, pulling her arm away and stepping back from the agent warily. "I'm not going anywhere with you," she whispered vehemently.

Tenten let out an aggrieved sigh, raking a hand through her hair. "Seriously? We don't have time for this! Do you realize that this is the only time we can pull this off?"

Sakura folded her arms, taking on a firm stance. "What do I care? How do I know this isn't some elaborate ploy to get me in trouble with the Council? I know they'd love another reason to punish me."

Tenten scowled. "Look, I know you undoubtedly hate me now, but I really am here to help." She averted her eyes. "I got curious after I brought you in. I read through some of the files, most of which were buried deep by the way, and I realized that you were right." Tenten turned to look Sakura straight in the eyes, sincerity blazing in every word. "The Council has been becoming increasingly shady throughout the years, but their recent plans have gone too far." She shuddered. "They planned on using you-"

Sakura scoffed, cutting her off. "I know exactly what they had planned for me, thank you very much."

Tenten nodded in concession, cheeks heated with embarrassment. "Well, I knew I couldn't leave you in their hands, especially with what they had planned, so I decided to…"

"Break me out?" Sakura asked, unimpressed.

"Yes," Tenten replied. "Today is the only day that this will work. Koharu and Homura are not here today as they have a meeting with Headmistress Tsunade."

"And Danzo?" Sakura asked, starting to feel actual excitement about the plan but still worried about the shadiest of the Council members. She did her best to tamp down on the giddiness, knowing that no good would come of it. And, there was the small, tiny fact that she did not trust Tenten.

Tenten shook her head. "You don't need to worry about him. He doesn't have an office here. He stays with his Root agents at another location."

Sakura nodded; glad that he wasn't going to be anywhere nearby. Danzo had been Team Seven's personal bogeyman, even before they'd come together as an official group. He'd been vigilant of them; always looking for the tiniest of flaws so that he could break them apart. Thankfully, nothing had come up. Sakura suspected that he was nursing a very personal and bitter grudge against them for stealing away his star pupil and "infecting" him with emotions. She and Tenten stood there awkwardly for a few long moments, just staring at each other. "So…" Sakura drawled, feeling uncomfortable. "What's your plan?"

"Well, take you out of here and reunite you with your team," Tenten said, as if it were obvious. "Come on, I have your clothes in the car."

Sakura shook her head. "I'm not leaving without Menma."

Tenten opened her mouth to refute her and tell her all the reasons that it would not work, but upon seeing the single-minded determination, she closed her mouth with a sigh. "Very well, follow me. You do realize that the guards will see us in there right?"

"Don't go in with me then. Tell me how to get out of this building and I'll meet up with you outside," Sakura replied. "That way, this can't be linked back to you."

Tenten hesitated; obviously concerned that Sakura would turn tail on her. She deliberated, allowing precious, valuable moments to pass them by. Sakura raised an eyebrow impatiently. "Fine," she huffed. "Here's the map," Tenten stated, throwing the paper to her. She turned to slink down the halls.

"Tenten?" Sakura queried.

Tenten turned once more to look at her. "What?"

Sakura raised her wrists in Tenten's direction. The red glowed mockingly into her face from the Gift-inhibitors. "A little help please?"

Sakura crept along the hallway, wrists feeling strangely light after finally being freed from her restraints. Her heart sang with joy as she began to accept the fact that she was actually getting out of here. Sakura shook herself slightly, knowing that it was not the time to get distracted.

She peeked around the corner, glancing down at her map. If she was reading it right, Menma's room was right down this hall. Sakura moved silently down the hall, stumbling once or twice. She cursed under her breath, knowing that everyone back at the Academy would be laughing their asses off at her lack of grace. She couldn't help it though, as she hadn't been in action for weeks now and the sudden lack of weight around her arms and legs was throwing her off.

Sakura stopped in front of the door, stumped for a moment by the retina and fingerprint scans. She hesitated, knowing that she didn't have credentials to open the door. Sakura glanced down at her hands, lighting them with her Gift. She grinned.

Well, she could always force her way in.

"Menma," she whispered through the door, hoping that his heightened senses would pick up on it.

A few long moments passed before she heard him reply incredulously, "Sakura?"

Sakura huffed out a laugh of relief, glad for Menma's senses. "Yeah, it's me. We're getting out of here."

"…really?" he asked quietly with unmistakable hope in his voice.

"Really," she replied warmly, pushing as much sincerity into her response as possible. "But you need to make sure you're completely ready to go as the moment I open the door. All of the alarms will be triggered and I'm sure all hell will break loose."

"I'm ready now," his reply was muffled. "I don't have anything I need to bring with me."

"Okay," Sakura breathed, preparing herself for what she was about to do. Saving Menma might jeopardize her own bid for freedom. Still, she wouldn't leave her friend behind in this hellhole. Tenten was going to kill her. She leaned against the door for a moment, rallying her strength. "Alright, I'm going to count back from three, then be ready to run like hell." She glanced back at the wall behind her. "We'll probably go through the wall."

"Okay," he responded.

"Stand back," she warned. "Ready?"

"Yes."

"Three."

She clenched her fist.

"Two."

Her entire arm began to glow with her Gift of Power.

"One."

Headmistress Tsunade glanced sorrowfully around the room at the agents who had recently returned from Kumo. All were haggard and grim, looking eons older than they had been before the most recent attack on the Academy. It had been what? A week? How much did her students have to suffer for the cause?

She rubbed her temples. "Report?" she requested quietly.

Naruto looked up then, eyes raw and red from lack of sleep and tears. "It's pretty obvious isn't it Grandma?" he demanded angrily. "Sakura's been taken by Akatsuki and Sasuke's gone rogue! We don't have time for all this legal bullshit!"

The sympathy in her eyes completely vanished as her lips hardened. Tsunade was the Headmistress for a reason; no one talked down to her or patronized her, not anymore. "Naruto, stand down immediately. That behavior is completely inappropriate."

As she spoke, Kakashi cuffed Naruto's ear. He flinched, more from Tsunade's reprimand than Kakashi's gentle tap. "Sorry, Headmistress," he murmured contritely, knowing that he'd crossed the unspoken line.

Sai cleared his throat. "May I give the report?" At the Headmistress's nod, he proceeded. Of the team, he was the most accustomed to giving unbiased reports. Working for Danzo had some, very few perks. "We, sans Kakashi, flew out of Atlanta with no issue. Upon touching down in Missouri Sakura was engaged by the Akatsuki pair, Kisame and Itachi. She escaped and we decided to lay low."

He paused, hesitating for but a moment before continuing, "Sasuke chose to hunt down the Akatsuki who were tailing us. The rest of us followed and engaged them. Sakura was injured by Kisame's sword and we retreated. We caught a train to Las Vegas and were attacked by Team Sound. In the ensuing battle, Naruto and Sakura were thrown from the train but we all met up again in Vegas, where Kakashi joined us.

"From there, we went to Kumo and explained the entire situation to A. While there, Sound attacked the Excellent Academy and Team Seven was separated. From C's, one of Kumo's students, account, he and Sakura were attacked by Kabuto. They split up to find their teammates after that. No one has seen her since then."

Silence fell over the room, heavy and permeating. The tension was incredibly thick and Tsunade silently mourned the hard losses that this generation was being forced to shoulder. And Sakura's disappearance, at this time…it wasn't good.

"Kakashi, what are your beliefs about her whereabouts?" Tsunade questioned directly, forcing past the haze of pain that she herself felt. While she was not allowed to show any preference among the students, especially Sakura, she'd always felt an unspoken bond with the sweet girl who was forced into the harsh environment that was the Gifted world.

Kakashi blinked slowly. "Sound was responsible for the attack…" he trailed off.

"But?" Tsunade asked, eyes sharpening shrewdly, picking up on his hesitance.

"…Sasuke…he seemed to believe differently," he replied quietly.

Tsunade stiffened. "And why, pray tell, should I believe the belief of a traitor?"

All of Team Seven flinched, but, surprisingly, it was Sai who replied, "Because of everyone, Sakura was one of Sasuke's precious people."

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. "Okay, then who else do you see being behind Sakura's disappearance?"

"Akatsuki," Naruto hissed, eyes dark with anger. "They'd been trailing us from the airport."

"They were specifically interested in Sakura as well," Sai chimed in. "At first, I thought it was because of her history with Fish-Face and Red-Eye, but now, in light of recent events, I am not so sure."

"You think Akatsuki has a reason to go after Sakura?" Tsunade asked, looking for clarification.

Kakashi nodded. "Both before and after their defection, Akatsuki has shown a deep fascination in Sakura. It is no leap in logic therefore that they had a hand in her disappearance."

Tsunade nodded briskly. "Sai, Naruto, if you would go and entertain our guests from Kumo for a little while. Kakashi stay here. And Naruto," she spoke, cutting off the boy's protests, "send Jiraiya in. I better not hear a single complaint from our guests."

"Between Sai's lack of social graces and Naruto's…well, self, I believe you might just have a war on your hands," Kakashi muttered.

"We do have a war on our hands," Tsunade replied repressively. She groaned. "Why did A have to send these agents now? Why not come in person?"

"You know the reason for that, princess," an amused voice replied.

"Jiraiya," Tsunade remarked drily. "It was rhetorical. With an attack, I know A has his hands full and he needs to secure his position before meeting with us."

"He's also probably nervous about seeing you again after all this time," Jiraiya stated blandly.

Tsunade just laughed. "As if."

Jiraiya shrugged, knowing that Tsunade had no idea of how deeply A's affections ran for her.

Kakashi coughed politely, feeling uncomfortable with their easy-going banter.

"You wanted to see me?" Jiraiya asked, straightening up.

"Yes," Tsunade replied with a firm nod. "Your spies brought in reports of Akatsuki's movements of the past few months…" She turned to look directly at Kakashi. "These reports belied a dangerous motive; Akatsuki is seeking war."

Kakashi blanched.

"And now, they've found the perfect catalyst," Tsunade said with grudging admiration. "They've taken Sakura, the only living Gifted female aside from myself. And, what's more, they took her outside of her technical sector." At Kakashi's blank look, she smiled grimly. "Forgive me, I forgot that you don't play the tedious game of politics. Because she was outside of our sector, this case is no longer an internal affair. Any of the other sectors can involve themselves as they please. Considering the fact that it was Sakura…" she trailed off.

Kakashi's visible eye went wide. "They're instigating war among the sectors," he murmured. "They'll be more concerned over who finds her and who gets to keep her." He shook his head. "Surely the other sectors realize that Sakura is her own person."

Tsunade frowned bitterly. "It is unlikely that they will think of her opinion. Kiri and Iwa have been howling for years now over the fact that both of the Gifted women are located in Konoha, regardless of our own thoughts on the matter."

"The fact that Sakura disappeared in Kumo," Jiraiya began thoughtfully. "Well, once it gets out I'm sure both Kiri and Iwa will suspect foul play, especially considering the fact that Kumo has never once tried to demand Sakura's relocation. I doubt either sector will care all that much whether or not Sakura was taken by Akatsuki if they can pin it on Kumo and stir up some more trouble there." He shook his head. "Akatsuki is comprised of some damn good tacticians."

Tsunade laughed bitterly. "Yeah, and guess who trained them?"

Sakura let out a breathless laugh as she caught sight of Tenten in a nondescript car. They were going to make it! Alarms were sounding all around them, but Sakura ignored it. The moment that she'd broken open Menma's door; she'd kicked it into high gear. She had yet to even look at Menma; she was so frantic.

Sakura leapt into the car and exclaimed, "Go! Go! Go!"

Tenten, who was looking unsettled and frustrated, peeled out of the parking lot, driving as fast as she could. "What ever happened to a nice, quiet get-away?"

Sakura snorted. "As if. Will we be followed?"

Tenten hesitated, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. "No, I do not believe so. This is a remote location and they will not want to draw attention to this base. Some of their more…unsavory dealings occur here."

Sakura nodded sadly. "So, where are we going?"

"Well, we're going to switch vehicles and then head back to the Academy."

"Where are we right now?" Sakura questioned.

"West Virginia," Tenten replied.

Sakura settled into her seat with a slight huff of relief before turning to her companion. "So, Menma…" she trailed off; laughing slightly when she caught sight of the feline mask he was wearing. "I'm really sorry that I forgot about your restraints!" She looked him over, surveying the bands and chains that were wrapped around him as well as the collar around his neck. "You really weren't kidding about being neutered by the chains."

He shrugged lithely. "You might want to start with the collar; I can be electrocuted with it. Thankfully, only the Council members can use it."

Sakura scowled, practically diving over the front seat and into his lap in her haste to remove the collar. "Why didn't you say anything?" she asked as she brushed cool fingers over his throat gently as she summoned her Gift. "Tenten, can I use my Gift to remove the inhibitors?"

"I don't see why not," Tenten mused with a hum. "There shouldn't be any triggers that injure either of you."

Sakura nodded, brushing her fingers back and forth over his neck. Menma shivered under her ministrations, unused to gentle touch. In fact, outside of his meals with Sakura, he'd never experienced kindness or gentleness. "It wasn't important at the time," he muttered. "We were running for our lives."

Sakura shook her head but didn't speak, instead slipping her fingers under his collar and tugging. The collar popped; not before sending a shock through both of their bodies. Sakura hissed out an expletive, shaking her head at Tenten when she turned to look at them with concern. "It's fine, just a slight trigger," she murmured, forcing her Gift into the device to overpower it and completely stop the electricity that was running through her body. Sakura shakily ran a hand through her hair before giving Menma a wry grin. "Hopefully, the other inhibitors won't be so hard to remove."

Menma released a slight laugh. Thankfully, Sakura had no issue breaking the other inhibitors. Finally, there was only one left. Sakura reached up slowly and brushed her hands over the porcelain of the mask. "You didn't wear this one when we ate," Sakura stated, almost like a question.

He shook his head slightly. "Nah. This is a recent adjustment. After I bit one of the handlers…well, they decided I couldn't handle keeping my mouth to myself. Aside from our meals together, I'm always wearing this damn mask."

Sakura sighed. "You've had a pretty hard life," she stated sympathetically.

"So have you," he replied, equally as quiet.

Sakura moved her hands to the sides of the mask. "Ready?"

"Always," he replied.

She gently pushed her Gift into her fingertips, forcing her way under the mask. With a loud pop, the mask fell away from his face. Sakura gaped.

"Naruto?"

-9/26-
Complete
-9/26-

Dun, dun, dun! And thus, Sakura officially meets Menma face-to-face. What will she make of him? What will become of Sasuke? How will the Academy retaliate against this threat? All will be revealed some other time!

Haha, in all seriousness though, I'm so glad to be writing this story again! It's been so fun creating new nuances to the story line that will become apparent as time goes on. Watching these characters grow and become a part of a story almost completely separate from Naruto itself has been amazing. I hope all of you enjoy this installment!

So, on another note, who do YOU think the Big Bad is in this story? Review and let me know what your thoughts are and what sort of conspiracies you think are happening.

-jay