The bittersweet one
Hey minna-san!
I honestly can't believe it. I'm talking about the feedback and all. There are so many people reading this, some even review or put this on alert. I'm honoured. That's why I'm trying to write it well, even though I'm sometimes stressed to no end, I still walk happily to my computer and type down yet another chapter and oh, you don't know how happy I am to see that there are new reviews or something. Actually she's either doing the happy dance or getting a o.O look and looks a bit like a gold-fish. Latter is, by the way, my favourite because she writes more Inner Sakura parts then. Go, Inner Sakura! Cha! I love how my Inner just always ruins my ultimate English monologues, you know that? Well, what was I going to say? … … … O.o … … … Ah, yes, I got it. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING MY STORY AND SELFCONFIDENCE! So, keep it going. )
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, even though I sometimes dream of it. Maybe I get Itachi some day… "sigh"
Chapter 3
To reach the limit
The beast Op wasn't too surprised when Konan looked a little disturbed, but then satisfied. "Seems you don't lack courage, Sakura-san. This and the ability to do what you're ordered to do. Right, Itachi?" The Uchiha nodded, his face unreadable.
"May I ask, Miss Haruno, how far your loyalty is guaranteed?" It was funny how much less influence piercing stares had on the medic nin now that she was Anbu Black Op. There were things much more dangerous and frightening she had seen. "I am loyal as long as it doesn't interfere with my own ideas and as long as I am not better of with another group. But Akatsuki is the group I'm most attracted to at the moment. Although I know of the incident."
She let out a dry chuckle. "Were you part of the attack?" "Of course. I was the one leading it." Blue orbs widened. Impression or fear? Sakura shook it off. "You aren't saying the truth! I don't remember your chakra pattern. By the way, you'd have to be at least captain to be leading such attacks." The pinkette couldn't help but let irony show in her voice. "I never said I weren't, did I? Uchiha-san, have I lied once up to now?" He met her emotionless gaze half-way. Uchiha Itachi shook his head no. "Seems you are worthy of joining our organization then, Miss Haruno… at least mentally." The blue-haired woman across from her concluded aloud. "Zetsu, Kisame!" She hollered the next second and the other members appeared again.
"She's still alive? Great! I'm dying to test her." The former Swordsman of the Mist chuckled evilly. "Wait, Kisame, there's another one fitting this job better… I want you to lock this area. Zetsu, you'll help me observe her skills. And Itachi… you know what you're supposed to do. Just start." Konan grinned at Sakura, evidently misinterpreting her widened eyes as fear. I've been in a team with an Uchiha. I know the Sharingan. I may also know how to undo the Mangekyou… what should he do? Show me his real eye-colour? No, he'll glare you to death. Can't you trick him into the Mangekyou mode? You promised there'd be fun! Maybe… Great. "Get over here, kunoichi. I don't need to move far away to win against….uh!" Never talk bad about my Outer, crimson-eyed freak! Cha! Did you really…? Hell yeah! Uchiha Itachi got bitch-slapped and damn, it felt good doing that. Konoha's very own cherry-blossom hid in the next room right now, masking her chakra pattern totally. Itachi had only just lost his fish-imitation-look and was naturally pissed to no end. No girl ever slaps me. Never. I don't lose to girls. Especially not to a weak, little, pink-haired girl. Let's see where she's gone.
A blur of black appeared in the room Sakura was temporarily hiding in, but it was impossible for the Uchiha to find her with a chakra level that low. Jade eyes followed every movement the young man would make. The expression within the girl's eyes was lust. Not really bloodlust, although she had such times. She wasn't pissed enough to enjoy blood-splattering that moment, fortunately. The clan-murdering child prodigy a few feet away from her, on the other hand, was. The medic-nin saw him scanning the room in such a cold and cruel manner that she knew he would show no mercy. Let's play then. Remember to act like it. Sure thing, silly. With that, the biast Op put her chakra pattern in a higher level again, so that Itachi immediately found her. "Tch. Pathetic." He hissed somewhat bored. "Maybe." The female smiled sugary-sweet and used a water jutsu to create mist. "As if some mist could stop me. Don't try so hard to deny the truth, kunoichi." The Haruno grinned, clutching her secret weapon in her gloved hand, while acting like she would give up her own defense. The thing he truly despises is being weak or losing control, like me. I made him experience both, so he wants to hurt me badly. As he is one very observant shinobi, too, he knows I'm mostly vulnerable mentally. He'll use Mangekyou the exact second I'm exposed to him. Yeah, intelligent people are to be beaten by their own dirty tricks. Ready now? Always, bring it on.The kunoichi stumbled towards the dark clad figure in front of her and thus bumped against him, mocking fear and so earning a grin from him. "Like what you see?" The raven-haired ninja questioned ironically. He couldn't help feeling superior. This was too easy. He mused right. At first he thought she had somewhat talent being so mysteriously calm and all, but when he noticed her stumbling through her own jutsu like a lost sheep looking for its crowd, he knew she was no obstacle or even danger. Let's get rid of her. The amusing way. I wonder what is hidden behind that innocent green. Too bad the proud Uchiha missed the petite woman's genuine smile when the circles of his Mangekyou Sharingan began to rotate. They shared one thought: Gotcha!
Sakura opened her emerald orbs cautiously. "Welcome, kunoichi." A deep voice greeted her. "Where am I?" "In my world. You've been caught in my Mangekyou. You'll be punished for your misbehaviour here." "I see. Nice colours you have here, really." The cherry-blossom couldn't help but provoke him with her mocking. "It's no use to put on a brave and carefree façade. It's over." Suddenly another female, though more echoing, voice joined the conversation. Aw, it's over already? I thought we were going to have fun here. Seems that the party queen has to help a little. Itachi was aghast. "Show yourself!" He ordered bewildered. I didn't think of this. What is this? And why does it sound like the girl, only more annoying and cocky? You know, I can hear your thoughts. Sakura-chan, he's being mean to us. "Well, go and make him pay. I'll sit back and enjoy the show… oh, Itachi, do you have any snacks here? Or better, could you undo my ropes? If you're not too busy, that is." The Uchiha prodigy stared at her in horror. Well, he would, if he wouldn't think of that emotion as a weakness. Hey, I'm Inner Sakura, nice to meet you. The Sharingan master looked towards the direction of the voice and noticed that there was one big leg on each side of him. I'm up here, stupid. You know what, Sakura-chan's right, those are nice colours. Or were if they weren't those colours. How about green? I think green is very soothing. And it gives hope. You could need some, believe me. "You're part of the girl's personality as her Inner self, why aren't you under Mangekyou, too? Answer me!" The ever so stoic voice of Uchiha Itachi showed confusion right now. Because no cute little genjutsu can reach my mind level. You see, I'm part of her personality, but I'm split up enough to have my own thoughts and ideas. Therefore I cannot be reached or hit by your mind games. Do you know what I can do, too? The man shrugged. Remind you of your insignificance. You thought you had everything under control with that sad excuse of a genjutsu? Well think again, I'd suggest. No way in hell are you strong enough to defeat me or Sakura-chan. Should I tell you something? You were tricked into this. I have fun with you, watching you suffer by things you'd usually do and are supposed to do to me... you hate my guts, don't you? You know what, I knew how to outdo your Mangekyou ever since I knew how it works. Basically it's mind-raping, but you cannot conquer two minds at the same time, so you're losing, Uchiha. And don't look at me like that. I heard you were quite the thinker, you widening your eyes proves that you aren't. Only three words before I'll kick you out of Sakura-chan's mind: IN YOUR FACE! Suddenly, Itachi felt the pressure point in his neck being hit. While his subconscious eyesight was slowly fading, he saw the smaller pinkette grinning and hugging the leg of the bigger one, thanking her alter ego for her help and "the great show".
Emerald orbs watched the stirring body of the waking criminal and took that as the sign to put the senbon with the body-binding poison in contact with his pale flesh. "Put on a smile, please." "What is up with my body? I cannot move." The Akatsuki stated it more like a fact than truly asking for the infomation. An angelic chuckle blessed his ears with serenity for a moment over too fast. "This is my own invention. You don't need to know more. Come on then, lets go to your leader…" She started to walk away and didn't look back to the brought down prodigy. She took one step, two, after the third she started hum-singing a song along the lines of "Uchiha lying on the floor to-tal-ly helpless…". The childishness of her mocking made him growl lowly. "Anything you want to say, Uchiha-san?" Sakura couldn't deny the fact she just loved to provoke him, this time by emphasizing the honorific. "Hn." The great Leaf missing-nin grunted. She turned around and looked at him. All of a sudden she felt bad for letting him suffer like that. Don't tell me it's because of Sasuke-teme. We were over him, you know? It's his eyes. It's the Uchiha pout. It's too adorable for any woman to take. Look how he struggles to keep cool and to not ask me for help, thus protecting his pride. You are the Outer, you should let me say those creepy, cheesy lines. Go and release him already, he won't pick up another fight. "You know…" She began to explain the situation. "This poison wears off only when you admit you're defeated… I'd advise you to do it now, so that you're less embarrassed later. On the other hand I could carry you to the others and leave you like this for the rest of your life. Let's correct myself, I leave you here alone. Because I'm the only one knowing that you're here, this results in your death." The last part was spoken different, Itachi noticed. The woman's whole face changed, it looked gloomier, more accustomed to the dark things in life, to be exact… the innocence had been washed away, reached its limit, to reveal yet another, indeed intriguing side of her:
The uniquely attractive, yet so cruelly distant face of the devil's bride.
Well, and done again. How was that? Long and boring? I know… I sat hours typing and typing thischapter, not knowing how to put my ideasinto proper words… I hope you've read it nevertheless. My Inner's happy by the way. She loves my Inner Sakura. I really need to fasten up the story, but I don't want to until the fifth or sixth chapter. I need my relaxed and laid-back typing sessions. The plot has to flow in my brain… like some river does. Omg, I'm ranting… where's my Inner, by the way? It's so quiet here. Am I late? Gomen, I met Inner Kakashi and we were watching the newest Icha Icha the anime series episode. It was great, there was this….- Inner-chan? Yes, please? Don't need to her the damn juicy perverted details, got me? Yes, ma'm. Okay. Until next time, my Inner's ending this one. Legendary sucker's nothing compared to her… why's my Outer such a sucker? Oh, cruel, cruel world… well, see you, love you so much and if Inner asks, I'm being emo with Inner Sasuke. Tell her I won't be back until 9 p.m. (it's 7.30 p.m. right now, funny things time zones are, eh?)
Ja ne,
Novembermaedchen's Inner