Authors note: Okay, Okay---I've decided to finally update! A note to my reviewers who've asked to beta read my stories. I might hold you up to that offer and I appreciate your offer, but right now I have a friend who's proof reading most of my updates starting with this chapter. Some of this story has been updated and proof read and some of it, has not. Apologizes, for any grammar or miss spellings. I just couldn't wait for my friend to return back from his weekend to proof through the rest, I wanted to update for you guys sooner, then later. Thank you for all of you who took the time to comment on my story! It inspires me.

Special thanks: To ObiWan, for all his effort in perfecting most of this chapter for me, and for being the critic, the critiquer, and the inspirer.

Envy My Pain

A Chapter of Illusion

By: A Sinners Curse

An Illusion.

Best defined as: something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality. When the whispered words of love were spoken, it was as if a spell was broken. A foggy head impressed by the uncertainty of the magnetic pull to reality.

She'd just been caged for thirty-one days; she'd been in the arms and lip locked with a mass murder, an S Class villain that had single handedly slaughtered his entire clan, in exception for the little troublesome brother who had been deemed unworthy of death.

Evergreen hues blinked rapidly; they were heavy due to the inebriated state of her entrapped mind. She tugged weakly for the use of her hands, but found a raw pain shooting up her spine. Suddenly she became aware of her hands being restrained by the force of bondage. She gasped as her eyes were forced fully open, and there before her was nothingness. It was an empty deserted garden.

It lacked the vibrant colors of life and it smelled of decay and deterioration. She was confused at how she managed to be tied down to a chair, restrained and abandoned. Wasn't she, hadn't she been in the arms of her captor? Wait a second, how was it she could remember everything? Her life, her friends, her mentors---what was going on? Her eyes still felt drugged with sleep, and she felt whatever restraints that bound her hands cutting into her flesh. She hissed as she attempted to open the fury of her mighty strength, but came short to only feeling her body shiver with weakness. Chakra deprived, and obviously suffering insanity.

"What's happening, where am I?"

There was no response, and it made her uneasy that she'd been left here to die. Why weren't Kakashi and Naruto here to rescue her? She felt panicked now, and she began to fight her restraints, but forced herself to stop. Whatever held her hands twined together, it was tight enough that it would cut into her flesh if she fought too much. She wanted to cry, but her body was too weak to even produced tears.

Her head shifted to look at the ground. She noticed her feet were bound down by a shimmering blue thread, and it lead her to question her restraints' material. Chakra flow ran through them, strong enough to constrict against any chakra based elements that might respond in defense. Ingenious, those monsters had her broken down and weak. Her mental defense was pitiful, if not screwed up from their mind play.

Had they extracted information from her? Was it enough to endanger her village, and the people she loved? She felt tears brimming into view, she wanted to cry, and she wanted to die at the same time. She couldn't live with herself knowing that she'd betrayed the ones she loved. Kakashi would save her; he'd have to save her. He wouldn't let her down; he could never let her down. She shivered, it was cold out and she felt a bit weak. You could tell in the evenings atmosphere that it was about to rain. How long had see been under his spell of illusion? Had it been Weeks, months, days?

A voice slid out from behind the stone wall of the garden, it pulled her from her thoughts and into the direction of the voice, "Thirty-Seven days, to be precise."

Can they read our thoughts? How could have known what we were thinking…

"Who are you?"

"Who…am I? An interesting question; who am I? Then again who I am is not important."

She couldn't make out the persons face, and she was squinting hard to try to catch a glimpse of the threatening presence. She began to twitch against the wires, and a blue light seemed to flare up all along the bounds to defend against her struggles to free herself. The only noticeable feature she could make out was a glimmer of silver piercings along the contours of his nose.

"Don't worry; you've only been outside for a day or so. I've been determining what your use is going to be once I capture the nine-tailed fox. You'd be very surprised of the offers that have made there ways to our organization, you should consider yourself lucky that Itachi-Sama appraises you high enough," He gave a momentary pause as he looked her over with a questionable look, "I've just recently heard your beloved Naruto-Kun has awoken from his coma. Expect your value to increase, once the message slips under whispered lips of your location, and they will come Haruno Sakura." He gave a chuckle, it was an evil chuckle that made her skin scrawl with uncertainty. Tell me, Sakura-Chan how did you like the mind fucking?"

"Excuse me," It was hard for her to really think, to defend her, but this man knew no ends of limitations. She hissed under breath as she began to struggle more forcibly against the restraints only to hear the man in front laugh at her weak, futile attempts.

"Uchiha Itachi, he placed you into one of the more experimental illusions. I wanted to know how you enjoyed it."

"What was there to enjoy?"

"Oh? So his Mangekyou Sharingan didn't live up to its expectations? Amusing, I'll have to inform him at the meeting that his pet finds him unsatisfactory."

"No need. I'll take things from here, Leader." She watched the image of a shadow bowing towards a taller figure. Now identified as, Leader.

Wait a second that was the Leader of the Akatsuki! What the heck? And Who was that individual approaching? That voice---we know that voice, it's…did he hear all that just conspired between us and his Leader, he's going to beat me mute for disrespect.

If you thought she struggled before, she was cutting into her flesh now; she could feel the blood dripping along her hands as she began to fight against her restraints, as if life and death were an issue. She felt the chair shifting as she began to fight relentlessly at the wires.

"Leave me alone. Don't you dare touch me…S-stay away!"

She could only make out the Sharingan which shot its death glare in her direction, making her pause in mid-action. She bit back a whimper as she quickly shut her eyes. Refusing to be sucked back into that world where she could determine what was real, and what was the illusion. She shivered as she watched the Leader and the Uchiha exchange a few curt words whispered under a silence she couldn't hear, and then she watched the bowing of Itachi's head as the Leader parted his way.

She had her eyes closed, and she refused to open them. She was afraid of what he was going to do, and she didn't want to be tucked away into the security of a false world. She needed to be mentally competent and aware of what was going on. She flinched as if poised for a strike that never came, as soft hand captured her chin, and her evergreen hues seemed to force there way down in a stubborn squint to keep them shut, she jarred her chin to sway away from his grasp, only to find her body firmly poised in the direction he wanted her to be in. She panicked when she felt the brush of his cloak pressing into her form, and when she felt lips descending to her eye lids, kissing each one softly enough to show her that he wasn't posing a threatening demeanor towards her.

Slowly she felt her body responding to the proximity of his body to her own, and she felt her eyes hesitantly drift up to sneak a peak, and when she found onyx, she allowed herself to breath. Had she been holding her breath? She shivered as his thumb and forefinger held her chin so that he could gaze down at her features and before she understood his actions she found sensual lips kissing her back. She bit back a cry, but felt foolish for doing so. No sooner then she had tried to cry in protest but before she could she found his tongue caressing over her own coaxing her into silence.

She began to fight back on the restraints, but when she felt his free hands gliding behind her and untying the restraints, she heard the whispered words, "It's me, Sakura-Chan."

Her eyes drew up big as saucers and she began to feel tears brimming over her hues. He had come to rescue her, she wanted his lips back on her own, and as he united her, despite the ill treated wrists she jumped around him and twined around his neck as she drew his lips, which were amazingly unmasked to her own. She kissed him passionately and openly that it surprised even herself. He'd used a transform Ninjutsu. She sighed into the kiss as she felt the Itachi imposter tug her away, watching the out of character smile of Itachi play on his lips.

He tugged her forward, pausing momentarily before taking off in the direction of the labyrinthine maze of the Akatsuki hide out. They couldn't waste anymore time; Leader would be quick to learn the deceit of Hatake Kakashi. Kakashi was no fool, he knew that he'd be limited on time---he couldn't take the risk of being confronted by the full force of the Akatsuki.

They were becoming more and more active in there activities of world domination, not to exclude that he'd also received leaked information pertaining to his former student. The Akatsuki leader had been making a side deal with Orochimaru. Sakura's enhanced skills at medical Ninjutsu, enough that her incredible memory and highly skilled gifts in Genjutsu made her an exposed threat, if ever given the opportunity to be handed off in the wrong hands.

Lucky enough for him, Jiraiya and a few Konoha Anbu (Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai- Assassination Tactics Special Division) had a run in with a Sound-ninja spy. It didn't take long to abstract information from the Jounin-ranked spy. The information wasn't extensive but it was enough to learn that there was a bargaining of trade for the young Kunoichi.

It left him to madness, and more fear in believing that he was losing her. All he could think of was Sakura. It took him a fortnight to map out the difficult terrain, to collect some more detailed information leading to the Akatsuki. He had gone over the plans with the council, and the fifth Hokage. If Orochimaru was able to get his hands on her healing abilities, the threat of being attacked again was to high a risk to take.

The village was still struggling from its last attack by Orochimaru, and its defenses were weakened enough that the work loads were still doubled and construction was still going on all over the village. It was a nightmare, but it had been even more so to Kakashi without the knowledge of Sakura's safety.

They were racing through the endless stone wall maze, but she had been falling back a few good leads due to her lack of Chakra and strength. It was going to slow them down, and he'd have to carry her. As troublesome as this was, he had a larger threat to worry about than checking her wounds. He had to get her out of this maze, and into the safety of the Anbu that waited just outside the main gates. It had been a tedious and tiresome mission. Lucky enough for him, he'd found Sakura.

He was besides himself with the fact that she'd kissed him, it had been so passionately executed that it left him to wonder on what exactly they'd done to her. She wasn't experimentally kissing him, she was like a woman who'd just spent the last thirty-seven days learning the sexuality of femininity.

He had her forearm restrained in his powerful hand, as he yanked her along the wall. He was jerking her uneasily with him as he mapped his way through the impossible. He could calculate the severity of her wounds and injures later; right now the threat of their lives was on hand. Sakura took in a breath as she watched his transform Ninjutsu fade away. He would need to reserve his Chakra incase of an immediate threat. With a small forced smile, she felt her body relaxing with relief.

"I do believe you have something, which belongs to us, Copy-Nin. Yeah?"

She was forced from her thoughts and Kakashi moved her behind his back as a protective measure. A droopy hue slid up with the intensity of pure determination, as he held her safely behind him. He'd die before he'd allow her to fall into enemy hands again. He now knew why his instincts had instructed him to hold her in such high regards. She had become a very valuable player in the fields of love and war. Whoever this newly arrived member of Akatsuki was, he was very dangerous, and it distracted Kakashi.

Like the wisp of wind, Kakashi felt the blow before the image of Itachi could properly materialize before him. Blood was coughed up from the force of the attack. They weren't playing, and he was afraid that Sakura's safety was priority over his own. She tried to cry out, but her scream was a mere whisper, her throat raw feeling overused. She felt her knees give out from under her as she crumbled to the stone ground of the labyrinth. Her head hit hard, and before she could fight off the blackness she was sucked into unconsciousness.

Kakashi darted a glance behind him, and then his rage exploded as he slid his hand to his Konoha forehead protector. He gave a snarl as the power of his Sharingan flashed a deadly red, before the sharingan's marks began to rotate. He stood over her protectively as he watched three more members entering the scene. 'Shit' he thought to himself, this was turning out to be ugly, and he'd bet his life on it---he wasn't going to make it out of this prison alive.

It was only when a fist shattered into the ground, delivering a mighty blow, that Kakashi came to his senses. A blow like that could only possibly be from two people, and one of those people was already unconscious.

"First you attack Naruto, and then my student. I'll have you no Uchiha Itachi, it's most unwise to start a war with Konoha, even in its weakened state---your criminal organization still does not have the funding or the manpower to provoke its enemy head on."

Itachi had not been paying attention. His eyes were elsewhere, set on the crumpled Kunoichi on the stone floor, and not on the Hokage. His eyes seemed to glow under the heaviness of his Sharingan hues---which lifted up with the pure entity of madness, capturing the weakened Jounin with the intent to kill.

Kakashi's obsidian eye slid shut with caution, as his only defensive he slid open the powerful crimson hue of his own Sharingan with the same mimicking three pin-wheel effect as the man before him.

"We've been through this once, Copy-Nin; have we not? Yet even that the power of your one verses the power of my two are incomparable."

"It would seem that the stakes are higher, then before."

"Ah' so you've developed strong feelings for your student, is that it? Isn't that a bit unethical for a sensei to overstep the tutelage of his team, for a mere companionship?"

"It's not something comprehendible by the heartless. Your own ethnics are a bit unprincipled himself stealing a Kunoichi and taking advantage of the situation."

"Hn'…heartless? Am I considered so low that you'd categorize me heartless? I've not physically harmed the Kunoichi, all injuries are self inflicted or self caused. Nor have I taken advantage; she's been compliant all on her own. You'd be amazed at how easily information can be extracted from a sexually deprived Kunoichi," An evil mocking smirk rose to his lips. He was toying with him, pulling the right strings, as his Sharingan hues drifting down with a threat of mirth and mockery to the elder Jounin.

"I see I've touched a sensitive spot?"

"K-Kakashi-Sensei?"

"Shh, Sakura---I'm here," The husked voice of her Sensei whispered as he towered above her, defending her with his life. Always rescuing her from her stumble with death, always there to be the guardian angel trying to shield her from the evils of the world.

Itachi noted the lift of her lips curving into a trusting smile towards her former sensei's whispered words. His eyes watched her intently as she fought the unconscious world. His pet was brave for running from him. She had more guts then he'd credited her for, but her punishment was inevitable. His head tilted into the direction of the Hokage, for the first time acknowledging her.

"I'll stand down for now Hokage-sama. But, as I've already stated before---Haruno Sakura belongs to me. I think you'll understand a bit more too, just how much, once she's under the protection of Fire Country again. Kakashi, be a good-boy and behave yourself. I'd hate to make you a personal vendetta. If you intend to kiss her like you've demonstrated in the gardens again, I'll eradicate you myself."

"Enough of this chatter Kakashi, grab Sakura and let's head out. Our Anbu team will assure are retreat."

The one intent gaze of his Sharingan blazed, as he gave a click of his tongue towards Itachi, "You were planning on trading her off to Orochimaru, what importance does she really have past the level of forced intimacy? I mean after all, Orochimaru would do far worse then just a force of intimacy…"

"The healing of ones arms doesn't refer to an exchange of Master's or the compliance of usage of her body, Copy-Nin. The information received was perhaps lacking, the temporary use of her is for her abilities of healing, in exchange for other things. That was all that is going to be conspired between Orochimaru and myself. But, I think it unwise to question her importance to me Kakashi; you'd get tied up on an ugly love triangle."

"Nothing is going to conspire; you'll have to kill me where I stand!"

The blond haired Shinobi hissed her anger out, as she parted her way cautiously towards the two dangerously powerful men, although In comparison to her; she could simply crush them both with the awesome fury of her strength. She was Lord Hokage, the strongest of all Shinobi, and feared even my the Uchiha.

"Kakashi, that is quite enough. We are leaving now! With or without you, and I suggest to earlier."

She shot Itachi the fury of azure hues, one that paused an open threat of, I dare you to fallow.

"I intended the threat of my words Itachi, you set foot on Konoha soil in a threat to steal Sakura, or threat to my village and you'll receive the fury of my wrath. And I assure you a war is an unsightly thing, even for the Akatsuki."

"Don't worry Tsunade-Sama, all good things have to end soon enough. The fruits and prosperity of your village are already weltering and decaying. I'll know when the right time comes into play, and I assure you when I come it will be a whisper in the night, I think you know the extent of my abilities and exactly what I'm capable of."

The Hokage gave him an open stare that would match his Sharingan hues with the emotions of hate and rivalry.

"Don't underestimate the abilities of my people, or you'll end up much like your former follower Orochimaru. Living in the misery of this world, pleading for mercy."

"Orochimaru was a fool."

"Much like yourself. I can already see the comparisons," The Hokage, hissed much like a viper ready to strike it's venom upon it's pray. She was cool, calculating, and irritated. Had Orochimaru been present in that moment he'd question his teammates likeliness to himself, if not worse.

"You might have the upper hand Tsunade, but don't underestimate or invite something you know nothing about. You'd hate the outcome. Leader has already ordered her dismissal for now, we are to stand down and permit her impermanent escape. So treasure the moments and the time you have with her, because the days will get shorter and the months even shorter until I'll come to retrieve her. She's apart of our scheme of world domination. I'd hate for something so important to be lost."

Itachi's eyes shot from the Kunoichi draped unconsciously in the Hokages grasp. Jealousy was evident that someone else was holding her, protecting her, and shielding her from him. It infuriated him, and you could only see madness through his eyes, and his impassive features. You didn't have to see the twist of features---you could feel the emotions that radiated of the air, and thicken under the intensity of the dispute. The Lord Hokage shot the Jonin a warning glare that she was departing, and he should fallow in pursuit.

"Copy-Nin, love her now, because soon enough not even your love will be strong enough to keep her."

"We'll see, when the time comes for her to choose. Maybe it's the you that's underestimated the power of our village's strength in devotion and love. We don't cower or surrender in fear or in the darkest hours of evil. I've danced many of times in the face of death---your intimidation is more of a nuances then it is effective."

"Ah there you go again Copy-Nin, underestimating my capabilities."

"One day, and I vogue this as a decree, it might not be me personally to do it, but you'll be put in your place."

"What place would that be, Hatake Kakashi? The bitter end of a blade protruding through my heartless heart. A cowards way, of escape maybe a leading example of one of Konoah's finest?"

He was personally attacking Kakashi, he'd brought up the soreness ache of his past and it made him flinch on the inside from the pain it had produced but the passive sway of the Copy-nins features would show differently. Itachi, new well the power of mine games. It made the anger in Kakashi's body all the more tense.

"Even if it is a cowards way of escape, it would be better the use of your own blade then the blade of a brother in vengeance."

"My brother will not be the one to maim me, we both know that. I'll die in my own time---as must we all, Correct? Fate plays it's cruel cards, and death always seems to know," He gave kakashi a sinister lift of lips, curving into a devils smile, "But, tell me Kakashi, before your Master is to far ahead for you to catch up, leaving you defenseless."

He continued with a tilt of his head as he held back the Akatsuki's members who looked persistent to kill, "how does your failure set in when you learn there is a curse seal etched onto the flesh of your most prized pupil a curse seal so powerful that even if you attempt a proper technique to seal it, what's to say that the creator could brake? How does your failure set in, when you failed to protect not only the vessel of the nine tailed fox, but my troublesome brother who's willing to destroy the foundations of your team in a vengeance to destroy me?"

"It all depends on how you account for failure. And how you perceive life, but I do not have to explain myself to you. Argument is the worst sort of conversation…"

With a few quick hand seals Kakashi, faded away like an current of a cool summers breeze---a few leafs shimmered under the moonlight of the evening, perceiving the gentle leaves glimmering like silver, in the decaying emptiness of the labyrinth. Just as he faded, A thick loud boom slammed it's way into the ground where the stone flooring of the garden's maze cracked and crumbled under the mighty blow of a sword, sharp jagged teeth flashed there way towards Itachi. The large fish-like man gave a snarl of annoyance towards his partner.

"You let him get away alive, I could have shaved of an arm, or a leg. Something good---what the hell is wrong with you."

"Be patient, haven't I instructed you in that before. At the right time things will play into our hands. It's unwise to provoke a war we can not win. For the time being we'll let them go unscathed, as were Leaders orders."

The man yet to be named felt like killing something, his heart war raising with anticipation. The hostility and rivalry in the air had yet to wear off, and the effects were having crazed effects on the blood craved villain.

"Itachi," A masculine voice slid from the shadows as an approaching member slid to the slide of the tall dark Uchiha. "How long would you guess, until the seal is activated, yeah?"

"Orochimaru never really told me the exact time, but he'd instructed me to be patient. It would depend solely on the hostess, and her inner ability of resistance."

"And her level of resistance you'd rate her at, hmm."

"I think that the Copy-Nin, might act as an interference with the processing of the seal. I can't really say when, but under the illusion she'd surrendered more then just her will, but her heart. She'll come to me, in time."

The young blond shot him a look of question, as a masked individual hopped from a towering wall, to stand near Itachi. He gave a lazy yawn as he rested with his arms crossed and his back resting on the same high stone wall he'd jumped from. He wore a mask, with only one carved whole for site, it gave the idea or the appearance that he was missing either an eye or was slightly impaired.

"So your saying that the girl's gonna come back to you, in time. That nice, so how's that going to sit in with the snake man? Or haven't you noticed that you'd stricken a deal with him, or the fact that blonde hear lacks all common sense to tell you that Orochimaru's already waiting in the rear for the healing of his arms."

"Tobi! I've told you once, I've told you twice, don't jump into conversations with…"

Tobi's head slouched over as he began to fake or attempt to give the image he was sleeping, the blond Shinobi took a powerful fist drive down onto the disrespectful partner. He shot Itachi a worried glance.

"He already knew about Konoha coming, he's hear because Sasuke."

"Oh. What about my brother?"

"It would seem that you'd both struck a deal a while back, that you'd keep your brother alive so he could use Sasuke as a vessel for his soul when the rightful time would come to exchange bodies, hmm. I guess it conspired when you was still evolved with the organization in the beginning. I guess things didn't play out right and he's stuck in someone else's body, again---Sasuke's learned the extent to what would occur to him if he'd continued his teachings from Orochimaru, and he's decided to brake away return to Konoah and back the very village Sakura's being escorted back to, yeah."

"What do I care about my troublesome brother? Or Orochimaru's failure in contain him. I've kept my part of the deal."

"Well that troublesome brother, is the same boy now a man, yeah. The same man that Sakura pined for all those years as a Jr. Kunoichi, hmm. Didn't you read her file?"

"I guess I have more then just Kakashi to worry about then, but I'm not to concerned over my kid brother. He's to set on killing me and his ambitions on vengeance. It is to important to concern himself with a troublesome women."

"Agreed, but what happens if he learns about the seal you gave her? Or if learns of her importance to you? She'd be a tool for him to use against you, yeah?"

"So Orochimaru has brought this to your attention and want's to strike a deal with me…hmm? Tell him I'm not interested, in whatever offer he has to give. I have more pressing issues to concern myself with then deal with his fuck-ups. I'll deal with my twit brother, and the Kunoichi personally if need be. After all, once the seal is properly activated---things she get interesting.

Foot note: Please review, and give me your freed back. I've got a good idea of how to make this story reach it's peek.