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Nyoko Gem;NikkoDaylight;Do itashi mashite You're welcome;GomenI'm sorry;Haiyes; iieno; (dijoubu) desu ka? are you okay?

The Hush of Mist Above Crimson

Chapter five

-LEAF AND SAND-

"Anyway," everyone looked away from the door, Nyoko and Nikko staring at Yukio expectantly. "what now?"

.x.x.x.x.

Sasuke was beginning to loose hope. He searched the village frantically but all he ever seemed to come across were orange street lights shining on evened out pieces of abandoned road, Nearly the whole village was settled in their homes besides the random party on one side of town or the other which he quickly passed through in search of Sakura. There was only one more place to look but Sasuke had his doubts about finding her there. He even hesitated to enter.

The government office didn't take well to intruders and if Sasuke was caught he would most likely be arrested or perhaps accidentally killed.

He ran down the empty streets towards the center of the city, knowing somehow the risk was worth it. If she was there, he would find her.

.x.x.x.x.

Sakura squirmed distressingly under Tabenomaru's steady hand. The medic attempted to yell through the cloth in between her teeth but it just sounded like muffled gibberish. She bit down hard on it, seeking a way to let out her frustration in any other way than crying.

"Look, I'm not going to hurt you." Tabenomaru began, tired of Sakura's unwillingness to be subdued. Sakura winced when she reached out to her face. She opened one eye, then the other after feeling the rough fabric leave her mouth. She rubbed away the soreness with the side of her hand.

"You think I'm going to believe you? I heard everything, I'm no fool." She swung her bound hands at this Akina who hopped back.

"Calm down, I'm serious- this is not what you think." She tried to convince Sakura that this was true, speaking low so the ones beyond the door could not hear her.

Tabenomaru had no intention of killing Sakura. She was not a threat and meaningless deaths were just a burden on her conscious.

Sakura, not registering another word reached for her weapons holster. Her anger deepened when she noticed they had removed it when she was out. Pausing to clear her head before she did anything regrettable, she realized that in her position it would be a lost cause to fight Akina.

"...how can I be certain what you say is true?" Sakura's voice was demanding and could almost pass for fearless if the shaky undertones weren't so painfully detectable.

The sand Jounin briefly paused from the other side of the room. I don't have time for this. She made her mind up, then quickly turned and locked the door putting the Haruno on guard all over again. Sakura left her no choice, being so difficult and all.

x.x.x.x.

Outside, Nikko and Nyoko's heads whipped around at the sound of the door locking. Yukio bowed his head knowingly, a bothersome smile on his face. "She should be finished soon."

.x.x.x.x.

Tabenomaru turned back to face Sakura who was eying her madly.

She took a deep breath then placed her hands together in a seal.

"Kai.", she breathed.

Sakura's wide eyes watched the small bit of smoke clear on a tall young lady.

Tabenomaru answered the Leaf's unspoken questions with a voice of strained confidence:

"My name is Tabenomaru from the village hidden in the sand. I am here on a mission, just like you say you are, and have no intention of fighting you. I took the position behind the Mizukage as the previous Jounin there who you know as Akina. Now please, if you cooperate we can leave now."

Sakura stared at her, shocked that she couldn't even notice the disguise. She was always good for stuff like that. This nin was high level...

This spy really did look quite different than Akina. Her raven hair was pulled up on both sides by large X shaped clips . Even up, it flowed down to almost the end of her back. Her shirt was white with thin straps and went down diagonally at about a few inches above her bellybutton. The end of it cascaded downwards to her left knee in an upside down triangle.

It was evident that this woman was not deceiving her about being from sand; the black symbol was a large contrast to her snowy top and baggy ca pries. Onyx string criss crossed up half of her left arm and up her right leg, the dissapeard under the fabric of her clothes.

Sakura waited a moment after Tabenomaru, who felt she was becoming too comfortable in her true form, changed back. At least both halves of her shared those sparkling green eyes.

"I can see you're injured." Tabenomaru said, trying to snap Sakura out of her distrustful stare.

"Huh?"

She motioned to her wound.

"Hmph." Sakura sighed and looked away. "Alright." she said, leaning off the wall she was up against.

Tabenomaru relaxed and let out a breath she had somehow been holding in anticipation. "OK. We need to go quickly since they're most likely already suspicious. Here,"

She threw Sakura one of her kunai who caught it with her teeth and nodded in appreciation. She brought her hands up channeled her own chakra into the blade. When it glowed a light blue she sliced the rope, narrowly missing her own skin.

The sand ninja rummaged through her pouch for a moment before pulling out a small pill. "Eat this."

.x.x.x.x.

Three minutes later a dirty blond haired Akina exited the closet with a limp Sakura on her back. Tabenomaru flicked her head to the side to get Akina's annoying bangs out of her face.

"What took you so long?" Yukio challenged.

"She resisted so it prolonged the process." She replied in a serene tone, nodding over to Sakura's head that hung death-like over her shoulder. Hair covered her sweaty face. The wound to her side was, to their advantage, extremely visible- for it stained the white of her medic vest where it spread.

"But it's finished now, I'll go dispose of the body." She turned to leave.

"Akina." Yukio called sharply.

Tabenomaru cursed him silently, praying that Sakura stayed under the effects of the drug for just a while longer. Blood from the kunoichi's side hit the grounds in plits, making pools of warm blood on the floor. Akina turned around, trying her best to erase annoyance from her expression.

"Yes my lord?"

Yukio started at her cleverly, searching her face for a lie. There was something wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Noticing his doubt and the suspicious stares from the twins, she turned around again. "I will return right away master Yukio." She bent over slightly to balance Sakura on her back, then placed her hands together in another jutsu. Then she was gone, the girl as well.

Swirls of smoke replaced them before evaporating . The large room remained silent.

"Do we go after her?"Nikko questioned after the Mizukage did not speak. Nyoko looked at him for an answer as well. He thought about it for a moment.

"No."

"No?" Nyoko interjected right after. "How can we be sure that the girl is dead?"

"Calm down Nyoko. If not already then in good time, with that wound..." Yukio looked to the door bitterly, "she will be."

Tabenomaru ran towards the fountain that was not far from the Mizukage's quarters. Water was the easiest way to take someone from a deep unconsciousness.

Darkness still blanketed the village, cementing the rule of the cloudless night. The air was ice against her face, making her eyes water slightly from the speed.

Back in the building she had told Sakura she would help her escape by faking her death and carrying her body to freedom. Of course, more than that would fool the great Mizukage. After taking the pill Tabenomaru gave her, she slumped down to the floor, its effects taking immediate action. She had about six minutes maximum until Sakura was capable of waking up again. The Jounin had ran her hand inches above Sakura's body to place a death like illusion over it. Sakura's skin paled.

This should be enough, Tabenomaru thought.

A growing pit of uncertainty sat in her stomach. Had it worked? Was he convinced? She quickened her pace at the next question that surfaced in her racing mind. Or was she being followed already...

.x.x.x.x.

Sasuke felt a strange energy coming towards him as he ran towards the office. If he kept like he was he would definitely encounter it. He decided for it when he sensed another presence as well. Their power was dim.

Most likely injured, he thought.

A part of him hoping it wasn't her, and another part praying he had finally come across his teammate Sasuke swiftly darted into the tree's when the figure approached the fountain.

A limp and pale Sakura was over her shoulder.

Sasuke forced himself not to give away his position by attacking out of sheer anger. Even in the moonlight, his enemy was unmistakable and he immediately identified her as one of the Mizukage's body guards from the meeting earlier on.

She had seemed vaguely familiar...he had briefly thought the same thing at their encounter that afternoon.

He watched , confused why she would stop at the fountain. He refused to believe Sakura was dead. But if she wasn't...

Was she planning on drowning the girl?

x.x.x.x.

Tabenomaru slowed down as she approached her destination. She gently took Sakura from her back and tried to sit her up upright against the fountains rough edge. Her head swung down limply.

The Jounin's mind was clearly elsewhere ,thinking over the consequences of returning to her homeland. Was it a wise decision for the sake of the mission or a cowards way out?

She mechanically dipped her hand in the fountain, ruining the reflection of moonlight on the once still surface. It didn't matter, she would be foolish to risk going back to Yukio as Akina.

She knelt down, slowly coming out of her distraught state to concentrate on what was happening now. Tabenomaru frowned, eyes venturing to Sakura's wound. The color was slowly returning to the girl but her side...it was pretty bad.

Then she froze, her wet hand meters away from Sakura's face.

She could feel someone there- eyes boring into her from the shadows with a bone chilling murderous intent. So she was followed? Tabenomaru hesitated before patting her wet hands on Sakura's cheeks and forehead, tilting her head up with a slim tanned finger. She contemplated what to do about the unexpected visitor while she lifted Sakura to sit on the cement rim when she did not stir. To get her face more water on it she would have to bring it closer to the fountain.

.x.x.x.x.

Sasuke saw her short hesitation. She had sensed him but it bewildered him further why she just chose to ignore it. Or was she already conjuring up a strategy? He watched while she hoisted Sakura's slender form to the edge of the stone fountain.

What is she...!

She turned Sakura's body over and was about to put her in the water when a cold but calm voice came from behind her shoulder.

"Harm her and I'll kill you."

x.x.x.x.

Sasuke stood only a short distance from her back. Her face hardened but she wasn't surprised.

Of course, she thought, one of her team mates.

In a quick move she had the girl lying flat on the ground in front of her, crouched behind her body much farther away from him. Great, the last thing she needed was a fight.

"I was just trying to wake her.", tried Tabenomaru, watching his face for any signs of backing down. She tensed when he smirked.

"Don't lie, I remember who you are." he answered keenly, his voice clear over the soft trickling of water from the fountain.

She exhaled softly, tired of always getting caught in these kinds of situations.

"Actually," Sasuke continued to her dismay. "now that I think of it, I believe I've seen you before...Akina was it?" He spat out her name.

Images of the blond haired Jounin's green eyes widening in fear as she ducked behind some bushes back at the Konoha border, surfaced in his mind.

He remembered.

And the more he thought about it, he was sure she was one of the assassins who attacked him back in Konoha almost four years ago. He recalled the annoyance he felt after sensing her. It wasn't the first time he'd been followed since he had left the village but after he felt the strong chakra emanating from the tree's of at least seven more he inwardly panicked. He shouldn't have left alone. He was only sixteen then- a boy in his eyes- but that seemed to be meaningless to them.

"How do you know my name?" Tabenomaru humored him. She focused on the vengeful look in Sasuke's eyes.

"You must remember." Sasuke mocked. "but I wouldn't waste my breath on trash like yourself." He put his hands up in front of him in a battle stance, letting his back foot create dust as it slid backwards for perfect balance.

Tabenomaru felt the sickening sense of alarm well in her. He was serious, but...she had never seen him before that day, Could it be possible that Akina...

"You can take her. She is still alive." She stood and backed away from the body. It was her last resort.

This caught Sasuke off guard but it clearly didn't show in his expression. She watched as he slowly put his hands down and after eying Akina suspiciously, he approached the body.

The first thing he noticed was Sakura's waist glistening in the weak light. He knelt down beside her, reached out and touched the wound.

Sasuke's usual calm face was now darkened with scorn. He may have appeared to be together on the outside but inside he was screaming. Right now, here, in the light of the watery silver moon she looked dead with the dirt on her face and the same red blood that stained her chalky top on her cheek.

'This must be what it felt like for her and Naruto...' He thought, resisting the urge to brush back the strands of matted pink hair from her pale face. Sasuke was in fact, feeling the same sense of dread that overwhelmed Sakura when she ran to his wasted body after his battle with Haku. Tears bridged the corners if her jade eyes when falling upon the trail of blood down his mouth and the acupuncture sticks that pierced his legs and neck.

Sakura's clothes were soaked in her own thick blood.

Tabenomaru silently cursed herself. How was she supposed to explain that one? Tell him someone else did it?

Sasuke's black eyes wandered to her neck. If this woman is dead...

His fingers checked her pulse, pressing skillfully to the crook of her neck. He relaxed slightly with relief. Unconscious. He thought, not wanting to imagine how. Sasuke hoped it wasn't from loss of blood. If so, he was short on time.

He glanced to where she had been anchored yo before when Tabenomaru moved her to the fountain. A small puddle of red, he hadn't noticed before, surrounded by scattered crimson drops stained the stone where she once sat. He stood and looked over to Akina with an unreadable expression. There was a short silence.

"So, are you satisfied?" Tabenomaru asked, hesitantly.

Sasuke averted his gaze to the limp figure before him. He paused, looking back up to her.

"No, not really." Before Tabenomaru had time to fully comprehend what Sasuke was doing, he was coming towards her at an alarming pace, jumping over his team mates body. Eyes, newly sharingan, he whipped out a kunai while running. He jumped at made a swift stab at her, Tabenomaru narrowly moved from the path of each one of the short swipes he made at her. He was so quick it was making her dizzy so she back flipped into safety.

On all fours, crouching, panting under the night sky 'he's fast' crossed her mind. Sasuke waisted no time in putting his hands together in numerous seals- the sequence for his fire jutsu.

Tabenomaru's heartbeat quickened. She didn't want to hurt him but...he was coming with a clear intent to kill her. 'No...thats-!'

"Katon: Gokakyuu no jutsu!"

A large flame spread in her direction with Sasuke's deadly exhale. She would be incinerated if she didn't think fast. Staying crouched she kept on hand up in front of her chest, middle and index finger facing the sky and slammed the other hand palm down.

Fire met a rising wall of sand with a deafening crash that lit up the small clearing.

The heat was so intense it solidified the small rocks into a smoldering glass, that after a moment became over heated and shattered into countless pieces.

Tabenomaru jumped back, trying to evade the daggers of glass and pieces of steaming rock that flew violently from the collision. Each shard made small craters in the dirt while the light of the fire dimmed and the debris showered down on them.

Sasuke rolled from the stray fragments of the tumbling wall. He darted over to Sakura, giving her helpless body cover as well.

The sand ninja was distracted for a moment when glass slit her arm before digging into the ground behind her. She winced in pain from the heat but in that second a ball of rock smacked her in the side of the head. Uhn!

She cried out in pain spinning from impact upon falling onto her side. The last bit of rocks landed around her while blood trickled down the side of her face. Sasuke removed his arm from over his head when it quieted down. His expression had changed from the aggressive one he held before. After bringing out his sharingan he saw something. An illusionary technique...but why...

His eyes sought out Akina but found someone's still corpse collapsed across the fountain. After a quick glance at Sakura he approached the body, his features unreadable.

This wasn't Akina but the same aura of chakra came from the girl before him. Steam swirled up from the stones around her.

Tabenomaru furrowed her brow, turning her head over, struggling to hold onto consciousness.

'Damnit...who would have thought someone like me would let herself get a direct hit to the temple. I should have killed this Uchiha boy right after he challenged me!' She grunted, attempting to sit up.

Sasuke involuntarily stepped back when she gasped and lunged forwards, hunching over, her black locks flying across her shoulders. The discomfort was evident on her face.

It pained her to look up but tried anyway; her vision was slightly blurry. She had let down her jutsu seconds before she hit the ground in case this boy would try to finish her off. Usually, Tabenomaru would never let down her disguise outside- it jeopardized everything she had worked so hard to accomplish. She wished she could say Gaara would be furious with her if she messed this up but knowing the Kazekage well she knew that he wouldn't want her to risk being killed by a mix-up.

Gaara... A wave of pain washed over her body and she fell back again after a small glimpse of Sasuke's dark figure. Then she became fairly still, only shifting every now and then.

Perhaps she'll die- Sasuke thought watching as her blood poured down her ear onto the dirt. Whoever this girl was...a hit to the temple could be fatal no matter how skilled a ninja you are.

Sasuke brushed these thoughts off. It didn't matter. His eyes fell onto the girls strange markings on the sliver of her tanned stomach revealed by the way her top fell. He watched, half concerned, half curious as she tried to regain her consciousness. The skin around her arm reddened and the wound bled profusely. Did he kill her?

His head shot up and he shifted towards the source of the whisper behind him.

"Sasuke..." Sakura's voice was small, and she couldn't help but let it crack half way through his name. He ran back to her side, her tone reminding him of the day he left...

Sakura blinked at Sasuke, trying to wake herself up. Why am I outside...

Memories flooded back to her in an exciting rush. After a moment, a weak smile spread across her tired face.

He had found her,

Sasuke stared expectantly at her. He resisted the urge to shake her and demand what the hell was going on.

She tried to sit up but cringed in pain, her hand flying to her bloody side. She felt a warm goo ooze between her fingers. It was getting worse.

"Dijoubu desu ka?" He questioned, looking at her through worried eyes even though his voice sounded as if he was in a rush to get that question out of the way.

"Hai...I think so... It's just one of the Jounin sliced my side." She grabbed her head feeling a new pain. She swear she would die if she was rendered unconscious for a third time.

'Why did she do that...'

"Thank-you." Sakura breathed sincerely, looking up from her lap.

Sasuke nodded in response, unable to think of anything that wouldn't sound ridiculous to say. He stood, holding out a hesitant hand to her so he could help her up. She was overwhelmed with dizziness after standing and fell into Sasuke who slipped his hand behind her back to steady her. "Sakura..." He whispered sternly. 'I knew she wasn't alright.' "We need to get you to medic." He kept his arm around her in fear she would fall again.

She pushed herself up by putting her hands on his chest. "I am a medic." she stated, hating this helpless feeling. It was as if she was twelve again. "I can handle it. My hands aren't bound now, it will be simple to heal something of this caliber."

She pulled out of his grasp, summoning a healing chakra to her hands.

"Sakura, don't push yourself in that condition, you might-"

She let the familiar tingling sensation wrap around her fingers, drowning out Sasuke's voice. Just a little bit more...

"Hn-" Sakura fell to her knees. She heard her him call her name.

What the hell was happening..what's wrong with my chakra? I can't...do those pills Tabenomaru-san gave me have anything to do with this? Wait. Where is she?...and then she noticed it. Her eyes widened at the glass and rock scattered awkwardly over the barren ground.

"Sasuke...you...you didn't-" Sakura stumbled towards Tabenomaru who was beginning to get a hold of herself. She was pissed off now. If that Sasuke wanted to come back for more she wouldn't hold back. She felt someone fall beside her.

'Damnit, move you stupid body!'

"This girl..." Sasuke said walking up to stand behind the Sakura. "she took the identity of the Jounin Akina." He watched Sakura carefully for any signs of recognition or surprise.

"Yes... she is the one who helped me escape." Sakura gently shook Tabenomaru's arm who slowly sat up. "Sakura-san." She muttered, as her vision returned fully to her. She looked behind her to Sasuke and hoped back in alarm. Sakura jerked her hand away at her sudden movement. Tabenomaru stood after Sakura did. Her head pounded but that was nothing compared to what Sakura was feeling. She clutched at her arm.

"Gomen nasai Tabenomaru-san." Sakura apologized immediately before the other girl became on the defensive again, already guessing what went on between Sasuke and her. Sakura couldn't really blame him though. Under the circumstances the conflict was inevitable.

Sasuke stepped in front of Sakura who tried to not show her struggle to stay alert. "Who are you?" He wanted answers.

Now.

She straightened. "Tabenomaru of Sunagakure no sato. She answered dryly and gave a cautious bow. "And who are you? What real business does the Leaf have in Kimigakure?"She demanded. Her tone unnerved Sasuke even though he had used the same one when questioning her.

"Why don't you tell me what a sand shinobi would be doing here?" Sasuke retorted smoothly.

"Hmph." So he's stubborn "I guess its common courtesy." She watched as Sakura staggered into a standing position behind him. "I was sent here on a official investigation, and yourselves?"

"Same for us." Sakura's voice came from behind Sasuke who didn't care to turn around.

Tabenomaru paused for a moment taking this in. respecting the privacy of an investigation she didn't bother asking what for. She just had to rely on the information she had gathered earlier about them here for Ishimaru. 'Ishimaru...' she thought suddenly. "And what of the man you took with you?" She sounded the least bit concerned for his safety, just curious.

"He's dead," Sasuke smirked, raising an eyebrow, "we thought you killed him."

Thought so

"Iie." Sakura whispered. "There are two others. They did it-not her." Sasuke turned back to Sakura to ask their names or anything else she would remember but stopped. He got a good look at her. Sakura appeared so tired and spent while she clutched onto her blood stained waist. She was wobbly with an uncontrollable dizziness. She felt as if she would perhaps vomit? But her stomach was completely empty. Her mouth was dry and her throat felt constricted. Her whole body ached.

This is nothing, she thought, I've been training to function under circumstances like this...but still...if I could heal some of my minor wounds...

Sasuke looked away from her. Babying her wouldn't help a thing, but he could see that the more she moved the more she increased the blood flow. Even with a will like hers she won't be able to stand for much longer.

"Have you tried to heal yourself yet?" Tabenomaru spoke.

"Hn-" This caught both of them off guard.

"Don't. You will just weaken your body further."

"It's from that pill you gave me in the government building, wasn't it?"

She nodded. "You wont be able to mold any chakra perfectly until all traces of the med is gone from your body. It should be about a day or two before it all dissolves. The effects of the pill are to make the one who takes it seem completely deceased for around six minutes. In order to do that effectively the pigmentation of the skin needs to be changed, along with the users chakra completely masked. It has an intense effect on your chakra circulatory system, this being why it's hard to summon it in your state. The pill is a nice trick but more like a double-edged sword if you ask me. Say you don't make it out of the enemy's hideout before the time is up- you won't have any control over your chakra to defend yourself further."

"So it seems." Sasuke nodded back to Sakura. Her head was lowered, keeping her face out of view. "In that case, I need to get her back to the island for help." He was well above awkwardness and had no intention of apologizing to this fellow shinobi. Actually, it never even crossed his mind.

Tabenomaru flicked a strand of hair from her sun kissed face. "And I need to return to Suna." She glanced back in the direction of the Mizukage's quarters,

"I think I've done enough." She whispered to herself.

Sasuke nodded, "I'm sure we will be meeting again."

"Yes." Tabenomaru agreed with the same canny demeanor as the Jounin before her.

'Thank-you." Sakura voiced, "I would have been killed if you hadn't intervened."

Tabenomaru smiled, making her seem even more beautiful and mysterious. "Do itashi mashite." She curtly bowed to them both before turning and disappearing into the night.

-

Sasuke urgently turned to Sakura who returned his gaze wearily. Despite the situation they were in he couldn't help but feel sort of foolish for what he would say next. He turned around and eyed the ground beside him, watching Sakura from the corner of his eye. "Get on my back, we're returning to Konoha. Naruto is meeting us on another island with reinforcements." She was to tired to object and climbed onto his back, letting his strong arms carry her to the shoreline. He was warm, a sharp contrast to the cold night. Or was it just her that was starting to feel deathly cold?

"Sasuke..." She started as he stared straight ahead, walking along the sand towards the boat. "are you sure about this... I can walk. I mean...there's blood on your shirt."

He kept walking. "If you move to much you'll make it worse. Just...just go to sleep."

"Alright."

In minutes she was asleep, nestled unto his shirt, her breathing, as ragged as some of her breaths were, even again.

The night was departing, the sky turning a shade of a darker blue instead of its normal deep black. Sasuke struggled to concentrate on only safely bringing them back to the surrounding island before their deadline instead of the steady breaths of the injured kunoichi on his tense back.

This was getting out of hand, but...could there possibly be more?

To be continued...

Hey! Did you like? Yay? Ne? Thanks for reading but uhm, that took really long. Why? Cause there are thousands of hits (not just on the first chapter- that doesn't even count) and 16 reviews. Where do you expect me to get motivation to finish this...! Help me out here. I love constructive criticism! ANYTHING.

-AUTUMN FORTRESS

p.s. First chapter or San Wan Sushi (Overtime 2) up sooooon! ALRITE