Title: Picture Trends of Black and White
Author: Hiko Mokushi
Pairing:KakashixSakura
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, adult themes/sexuality, implied rape/sexual abuse, torture, human trafficking, and character death.
Disclaimer: Do not own at all.
Summary: Shizune froze. "What?" The blonde woman held her hands out in front of her, trying to work things through her fingertips that she couldn't with her mind. "What would you do to get Sakura back?"



V. Lazarus Wept

"Shizune!"

"Hm? Did you need something, Tsunade-sama?" Despite the black circles around her eyes, she seemed incredibly upbeat as she stuck her head from around the corner.

She walked into the room holding a small pill bottle, a bag of pills and a kunai. Setting down the bottle of pills and the bag, she seized the kunai at the right angle and took a pill out of the bag. She poked the tip of the kunai into the pill—it split directly down the center. Both halves of the pill were then deposited into the small bottle.

"Break out the sake; we got ourselves a reason to celebrate." Tsunade leaned back in her chair, propping her legs up on the desk.

"Oh?" The woman looked surprised.

Tsunade waved an open scroll in front of her face. "Temari went into labor about five hours ago according to this little note from the Kazekage. . ." she murmured, glancing down and then back up. "And now we have a bouncing baby Nara girl."

Shizune dropped the kunai and clapped her hands, cheering. "A girl? That's adorable. I'll bet Temari-san is pleased."

"Yes. . ." The blonde woman folded her arms across her chest. She stared at the open scroll. "I suppose so." The woman sighed, watching as Shizune materialized a bottle of sake out of nowhere.

The dark-haired woman poured a small amount into one ceramic bowl—then handed the entire bottle to Tsunade. The Hokage glanced wide-eyed at her confidant.

Shizune winked, sticking her tongue out playfully. "I figured you needed some cheering up."

"Arigatou, Shizune."

Tsunade smiled slightly, tipping her head back to—strangely—sip at her alcohol.

"Because really," Shizune continued, "we have a lot to celebrate tonight. Kakashi and the Kagekage-sama will be leading a team of the some of the best ninja the five counties have ever seen. They'll destroy these renegades, and they'll bring Sakura home. . . This is a joyous occasion."

"Shizune. . ." Tsunade's voice was not so joyous. "Do you believe in bad omens?"

The dark-haired woman froze and set down her half-drunken glass. "Bad omens?" she echoed softly, confusion overtaking her face. "Like what, Tsunade-sama?"

"They say for every ending, there is a new beginning." Tsunade closed her amber eyes, her voice ominously soft. "That would mean the opposite as well: For every birth, there is also death. This child. . . born at twilight the eve they are to rescue Sakura. A female child." Tsunade raised the bottle slowly to her lips again. Her eyes opened in time with a spike of lightning, shooting across the sky outside the window.

"Nara Shikamaru and Temari plan on naming the girl 'Sakura'. In honor of her great strength, courage, and fortitude as a kunoichi. If she is dead, it'll be in honor of the great woman we lost."

The medic-nin smirked.

"I don't believe in omens." Shizune glanced up again. "Care to make a wager on that?" she murmured, holding out her hand.

Tsunade smirked, eyes flashing open. "I'll take that bet!"



"You're a horrible person." Her voice was soft, bitter. She sniffled slightly, sucking in her breath through chattering teeth and quivering lips. Green eyes burned glossily, but she faced him with a belligerent air. "You know that though, right? That's why you haven't told them who I really am."

Sakura wiped faintly at her tears but ignored them for the most part.

She smirked, despite the way her lips kept twitching. "You've succumbed to the idea that you're stuck here. You're willing to do as much as possible so that they won't kill you, but you still can't even find it in yourself to ruin someone completely. You're out to keep yourself safe and sound, no matter who it hurts."

Guujin inclined his head slightly, eyes still glowing; but they had dimmed slightly. "You think so?" His faced was pinched.

"I can see it in your expression. You know it and you hate it."

"You assume much." He smirked and then raised his hands, palms to the ceiling, in an arrogant shrug. "What makes you think that I really don't care what you think or how you feel, and I merely like torturing you?"

The pink-haired woman returned his smirk. "Because seeing my boys doesn't torture me. It makes me happy."

"How can it?" he spat. With certainty he withdrew; cloying together like a mess of dark clothes and skin—except for his glowing eyes. They blazed now, and Sakura wondered if for a moment, she has finally seen the man angry. She had never been able to pull any emotion from him before. Whatever insult or plea she had thrown or offered had bounced off of him and fallen to the floor like a leaf. But now, it seemed that she had raised some sort of ire. "To see those whom you love, whom you were taken from. . . how can that give you pleasure?"

Sakura merely smiled.

"Because I love them. And I know, that despite my predicament. . . they are happy."

"What would you say if I told you that they were dead?" Guujin snapped, and his eyes were suddenly the dully, sickly green again. "What if I told you that your precious Sasuke has been decaying in the ground and his name carved on that black memorial? What would you think then? How would you feel then?"

Her grin fell. "Then I will look forward to the day I die, when he is there to meet me."

Guujin shook his head and the sand fell in a single drop, betraying the cold steel doors behind him. He spat at her and shook his head. "Then you are a fool."

"So be it." Sakura chuckled and twirled a lock of hair in her hand. "But I know you're lying. I would know if they'd died. They are my only reason for living, for pushing myself in this hell. If they no longer lived, than I would know; because I would have no urge to continue to live." She pranced towards him as she spoke, and he merely glanced over his shoulder as he walked out of the cell.

"Then die, Mitsuharu Rin. Because you are stuck."

The doors were shut in her face. "Mitsuharu Rin will die!" she screamed at him, as the sand sped furiously up. Once again, she was sealed within the room—but this time, she had no urge to cry, or plead, or pray. The tear paths had dried upon her cheeks, and for a moment, she felt strong again. "It's Haruno Sakura that will live."

She spat at the wall and then winced at the lingering smell coming from that side of the room.

The oatmeal was still stuck against the wall.



The first sound he heard was a baby's cry.

The man turned sharply, taking the hallway to his right instead. Following the hall, he rounded a corner—he could see the crowd of people loitering around a door at the end of the hall. As he walked toward him, a blond head turned.

"Finally, Kakashi-sensei," he growled loudly, crossing his arms aggrievedly over his chest. Kiba turned from where he was speaking to Natsume, brought a finger to his lips and grinned; Akamaru gave a deep growl that sounded like a chuckle. Naruto glowered good-naturedly, but lowered his voice to a whisper. "It took you long enough. You couldn't even join us for dinner?"

Kakashi ignored the young man's irritation; spending his time glancing around at the surrounding people.

Genma was further up the hall, flirting outrageously with a female nurse in a short skirt. Gaara was leaning up against the jam of the open door, holding the hand of his young daughter. Kankuro was standing behind the Kazekage, speaking to Taizo in low, hushed tones—obvious by how little his mouth was moving. Arashi walked down the opposite side of the hall towards them. Lee and Shikamaru were nowhere to be seen—neither was Temari—but that reason was quite obvious.

"I was busy," he offered without real apology, giving no further excuse "Natsume-san brought me a meal to make sure I wouldn't starve."

The Copy-nin smirked, eye creasing pleasantly. "Besides, the only reason you wanted me there was to see underneath my mask." He chuckled slightly at the young man's disgruntled look. Naruto grumbled sheepishly.

"Naruto-nii-san!" The blond dipped low to pick the tiny girl up, enveloping her in his arms. She giggled and clasped her arms around his neck. "Otou-san and Oba-han let me see the baby! She's so small!"

"That's because she's a baby, Mika-chan." Naruto shifted her slightly against him, so that she was propped against his hip at a more comfortable angle. "You remember when Daisuke was born? He was that small. You were that small too—everybody is that small when they're a baby. Even people like Shikamaru and your Otou-san; I bet that's hard to belie—Lee, what the hel. . ." He caught himself as he glanced at Mika's interested face.

Naruto coughed slightly. "What the heck is the matter with your face?"

The green-clad shinobi had a sweet, large smile on his face as he approached. It was very reminiscent of his sensei. "Sakura-chan is so cute! I mean. . ."

Lee broke off as Kakashi gave a strangled choke.

Mika leaned forward and raised her hand in front of her face—looking very much like she was trying to tell a secret. "Your sensei's kinda weird, Nii-san," she stage whispered. Kakashi would have frowned under his mask if he hadn't been trying to restart his heart.

Naruto glanced up and offered his ex-teacher a sympathetic look. "It's okay, Kakashi-sensei. Shikamaru and Temari named their little girl 'Sakura'."

The man had finally been able to move. His eyes strayed passed the group. "You scared the living shit out of me," he admitted, scratching the back of his head awkwardly; he was finally able to breathe properly again.

The blond man opened his mouth to say something, but a voice interrupted him.

"Kakashi-san."

Kakashi glanced down the hallway and found himself staring into the cold, teal eyes of the Kazekage. "Yes, Kazekage-sama?" he asked, stifling a cough.

"After you're gone," Gaara instructed quietly, glancing silently as Kankuro walked in front of him and into the room. "Have Kankuro show you down to the War Room. He'll get the rest of you outfitted for tonight. We'll be down there as well."

Naruto and Lee paused, glancing back and forth between Kakashi and Gaara wonderingly. Lee's face broke open in a broad grin. "Yes!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. "We will rescue Sakura-chan for sure!"

Genma stepped up behind Lee, thumping him hard on the head. He seemed slightly aggravated—Kakashi expected the nurse turned him down. "Idiot, shut up. You're going to wake the baby. Then Temari-san will come out here and murder you herself."

"Temari's asleep," remarked Naruto conversationally.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and slid around the group. "Excuse me," he said quietly, patting Genma distractedly on the shoulder. He walked past Kiba, continuing straight into the hospital room.

Shikamaru looked pretty pleased with himself, sitting beside Temari, his hand lying possessively on her shoulder—the woman held their little girl, wrapped carefully in a pink blanket. Nastume stood on Temari's other side carrying on a fairly animated conversation. Shikamari glanced up, took his hand from Temari's shoulder, and got to his feet. His face looked strangely serious, and Kakashi was surprised to see him so solemn.

"Kankuro says we're heading to the War Room? Is that right?" the dark-haired man asked quietly, glancing sidelong at the puppet-master. Kankuro's eyes were closed, but his brow furrowed slightly as he leaned against the wall across from Temari's bed, apparently listening.

Kakashi nodded. "Congratulations on the birth of your child," he murmured, raising an eyebrow slightly in amusement, "was what I had been planning on saying first. But yes, as soon as we're finished, Gaara-sama wants us to meet him down there to be outfitted."

The young man grinned. "Yea, yea, thanks." His face grew somber once again, and he angled himself away from Temari and Natsume. "Has anyone told you that we named her after Sakura?"

"Yes. Lee nearly gave me a heart attack earlier." Kakashi offered a one-eyed smile, but his face was pinched. "That's a very kind thing to do. What made you decide this?"

Shikamaru looked slightly uncomfortable.

He slid his hands into his pockets—glancing away before turning to stare back at the older shinobi. "I've known Sakura since we were kids. I may have been closer to Ino than Sakura, but I was incredibly angry when she was taken. I was part of the back-up Tsunade-sama sent to help you. And I still think, maybe if we had been faster. . . then she wouldn't have been taken. She was a strong kunoichi and a prodigy when it came to her medical prowess. She's known especially around here for saving Kankuro's life."

He inclined his head slightly the hooded ninja. "My daughter deserves to be named after such a great woman."

For a moment, Kakashi did not know what to say. He could recall when Asuma had first taken this man—still a boy then—under his wing. He may no have been influential in how the young Nara had grown, but he knew the Shikamaru now.

"Asuma would be incredibly proud of you right now, Shikamaru," praised Kakashi quietly, putting his hand on man's shoulder. "I just want you to know that. And you don't have to come tonight." The man turned his head and peered silently at the blonde woman on the bed. "There's a chance things could get pretty ugly. You have a family now. You'll want to think about them before you go jumping into anything like this."

Shikamaru shook his head. "Temari understands. I need to do this. For Sakura. I couldn't help you guys once, but I'll help her this time. I refuse to believe that she's dead." A smirk ghosted across his face. "Sakura was always one of the most stubborn and pigheaded women I've met. Her temper's worse than Ino's from what I've seen. I don't think she could ever allow someone to just kill her."

"I hope you're right." Kakashi couldn't bring himself to say it fully. He wished, he hoped; but he wouldn't declare it. He'd knocked on wood far too many times in the past four days to curse his luck now.

The young shadow-master walked back to his wife's side and kissed her forehead, whispering something to her that Kakashi couldn't make out. Natsume was apparently close enough to hear, because she averted her eyes, glancing at Kakashi smartly. A shapely eyebrow arched slightly, and she pursed her lips before turning back to Temari.

The blonde lolled her head slightly to the side, sighing. "Kankuro, get your ugly mug out of the room; you're going to scare the baby." She tsked softly, a tiny smirk gracing her features. "I don't know why you put your war-paint on yet. You won't leave until nearly dusk." Temari waved her hand, and she would have laughed if she hadn't been so tired. Her arms reflexively tightened around the bundle in her arms as she turned her eyes to her husband. "Shika, come tell me good-bye and then go with them. I can see—you're all itching to fight."

The woman wasn't wrong.

He couldn't speak for the other two, but Kakashi knew his body was practically thrumming with the urge to fight.

He didn't want to wait. He wanted to play the Naruto card; blame his emotions and rush brashly into the situation, guns blazing. He wanted to be sloppy and reckless. He wanted to take his anger out.

But they had to think about Sakura.

They had to make sure they got her out of there safely. The entire mission had no point if Sakura was compromised.

Shikamaru smiled silently, walking over to the woman and pressing a kiss softly on her forehead. He murmured something to her—so soft that even Kakashi couldn't make out what he was saying. The young man kissed his daughter, before nodding to Natsume; he returned quietly to Kakashi's side. Kankuro pushed off from the wall, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"Follow me," he instructed, nodding his head towards the door, before walking out.

Kakashi mimicked his actions, hands sliding into his pockets as he walked out the door. Pausing, he glanced sidelong at the young men down the hallway. "Naruto, Lee, Kiba, Genma," he called, inclining his head slightly. When he was sure that they had noticed him, he continued. "Let's go."



That night, when sleep finally settled on her, Sakura dreamed.

She coughed lightly, stretching along the mattress like a ct. If she'd been awake, then she might have pondered the onslaught of the dreams visiting her. Were they the result of Guujin playing around with her brain? Was her subconscious merely playing the devil and reminding her of those she lost? Or was she just dreaming happy thoughts?

She wouldn't have been sure.

But the dreams—she would never have the heart to call them nightmares; remembering them meant far too much—certainly made sleep less fitful.

They changed shape constantly, morphing; never remaining the same scene for more than five minutes.

"Wake up."

A loud bang on the bars caused her to start, jumping in on her mattress and pulling the sheet up around her. Sakura stared out, the lights too bright behind the figure that stood at her cage door. The light hurt her eyes, and she winced, sticking her hand up and using it as a shield.

"Up now, sleepyhead?" She recognized the voice now; the sarcasm, the timbre, the volume. She gritted her teeth.

"What do you want, Gomi-baka?" she managed, her voice hoarse from sleeping. She coughed the tickle away, rubbing uneasily at her throat. It wouldn't do to get sick in a place like this.

The dark-skinned man glowered at her—not that she could tell—and tapped his taser against the bars in an annoyingly cheerful rhythm. "I just thought you'd like to know, Boton died two hours. Well, see you later, killer."

Sakura fell back against the make-shift bed.

She pulled the blankets over her head, trying to block out the little light her swinging light-bulb created. Sleep was just as hard to come by.



The walk down to the depths of the Kazekage's tower was a quiet, calm event. Kankuro led them slowly, Shikamaru's placid face keeping Kakashi at ease.

The puppet-master opened a large door, walking in first.

"We've got almost any weapon under the sun," explained Kankuro boredly, waving his gloved hand at the wall as he walked towards a large cabinet, stationed in the corner of the room. "They shouldn't be that difficult to locate if you're looking for something specific though."

Kakashi leaned against the door jam, his head tilted to the side slightly. The dungeon-like room was long and narrow, the walls lined with different sorts of weapons. Along the right wall were stocks of throwing weapons; the left, were the hand-held ones. At the very back were large cabinets attached to the wall, with large, wide doors. As Kankuro pulled two cocoon-like objects from inside the one, Kakashi realized that they were where ninjas stored their puppets. Observing the distinct array of different weapons the Sand-nins had in stock, he was slightly amused by the fact that they seemed to be arranged in alphabetical order.

The Copy-nin chuckled.

Kankuro glanced over at him as he hefted the straps of Karasu over his shoulders. "Something funny?"

The man shook his head. "Just amusing. Do you always keep the weapons so well organized?"

The Sand-nin rolled his eyes. "Temari is a freak," he muttered, shaking his head. "She kept fighting on being allowed to do easy missions once she found out she was pregnant. Once she hit six months, we refused to let her go out on any missions—unless it included babysitting someone. She didn't have much to do. This place does look a lot better now then it did before, even if she did get a little carried away."

Lee smiled as he followed Naruto into the room, catching the end of the jounins' conversation. "Tenten would have loved to see this. I do not even think her collection was this extensive."

Naruto slung an arm around the taijutsu master, grinning and he surveyed the arsenal before him. "So what exactly do you have here, and what are we allowed to take?"

Kankuro smirked. "Well, we've got your standard kunai and shuriken, as well as poison-tipped ones and exploding ones. We've got three types of explosive ones though: ones that explode on contact, ones that have a set wick time, and then ones that require the ignition jutsu." The young man turned, attention turning the other way. "You've got your normal swords over here, daggers, switchblades, kodachi, wakizashi, maces, morningstars, battle axes, spears. . ."

Kiba glanced around, his hand on Akamaru's bristling neck. "You know, it's places that this that give me nightmares."

Naruto laughed and slapped the young man on his back.

"I'd rather see the weapon than wait for an invisible jutsu," Genma reasoned, walking into the room behind Taizo and Arashi, who had their heads together and were discussing something in low, secretive tones.

The Konoha jounin played with the senbon in his mouth, walking over to stop beside his friend. Standing side by side with Kakashi, he changed a knowing glance with his best friend, as he slid his hands into his pockets. "So. . . " Genma murmured softly, trying to look as though everything were normal. "How are you doing?"

Kakashi glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "What do you mean?" he asked, just as quiet. He shifted awkwardly on his feet, sliding backwards slightly, away from the other ninja, gathering their tools.

Genma shrugged. He lifted his hand to his face, using the pad of his finger to rub discretely at the skin under his eye. "No reason," he said, shrugging again. "You just look a little tired. Not that I pay that much attention. You just look a little. . . "

"I'm fine."

Genma sighed, glancing away. "If you say so."

The Copy-nin sighed, glancing apologetically at the man. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"Don't blame you. It's so damn hot here."

Kakashi nodded absently, watching the rest of the shinobi. He hoped that Genma would just let the entire situation drop. He did not need to let the man know that no, that wasn't why he couldn't sleep; he couldn't sleep because he kept having dreams about how Sakura had been kidnapped right out from underneath his nose. He couldn't sleep because he kept thinking about the fact that the woman could be miserable, hurt, or hell, even dead. If they rescued Sakura, they could possibly just be bringing her home to reunite her with her long-lost love. . .

And that wasn't him.

But even so. . . the man couldn't leave her there. He'd do whatever it took to save her, even if it broke his heart to watch her love someone else.

Kiba, Shikamaru, Lee and Naruto were gathered in a group, teasing one another as they tossed shuriken and kunai into their packs.

"Reminds me of going to get Sasuke," Shikamaru said, making sure the Konoha hitai-ate tied to his bicep was still tight and in place. He sighed, glancing towards the ceiling and smiling slightly. "Lee came afterwards, though. And Neji and Chouji were there." He shook his head, eyes serious. "Once the baby's old enough to travel, I've gotta convince Temari to take a trip to Konoha. I miss you guys too much."

Kiba laughed, tightening a collar on Akamaru's neck. "That's so sweet, Shikamaru!" he teased, making a kissy face at the young man. "You've lost your dick already!"

Shikamaru laughed in spite of the repartee. "Didn't Naruto tell you?" he asked, feigning hurt. "Hinata's expecting too."

The Inuzuka glanced at Naruto with shame.

Naruto shrugged, sliding his leg pouch up his leg. "Tease me all you want," Naruto murmured, glancing up slightly. "I always wanted to be a father. Doesn't bother me. Hinata's always had me wrapped around her finger. Now I've just got all the more reason to be the best ninja I can be."

They all glanced up as Gaara walked into the room slowly, his infamous gourd strapped to his back.

Arashi glanced up, straightening his back. "Kazekage-sama, I wanted to discuss some strategies with you," he said, ignoring the fact that the rest of the shinobi glanced at him in surprise. "There is a certain way I think we should go about getting inside. . ." The man trailed off when Gaara held up his hand.

"We are merely here to assist the Konoha ninja, Arashi-san," explained Gaara, glancing towards Kakashi. "When you came to me with this information, I sent immediate word to the Hokage. I told her we planned on investigating, if only because it is within our jurisdiction. I did, however, offer to her that Konoha could have at them first—they are the ones that need to get Sakura-san out of there. We are joining if not for the sake of Sakura-san, but for the fact that they may need help. Sakura-san has helped Sunagakure on many occasions. She saved Kankuro's life."

The normally unemotional man glanced at Kakashi as he spoke, nodding his head once in his direction. "Kakashi-san is technically the mission leader here, and if you have something to discuss, then I suggest you take it up with him. However, it might do well for you to tell everyone your idea. Most of the Konoha ninja are not used to battling in sand."

For a moment, Arashi's face was a sickly green color, before he recovered and nodded his head, bowing deeply. "I apologize, Kazekaze-sama," he said, still facing the ground. He lifted his head again and glanced at Kakashi. "I did not know." The large man's eyes drifted to Taizo, who stood at his side, looking amused.

Taizo cleared his throat, smirking. "We believe that we should blow up the entrance. Apply jutsu-triggered kunai strategically along the entrance so that when the rocks fall, they fall deeper into the gorge and leave the entrance larger so that we could rush in." He glanced around, watching the other ninja, interested with their reactions. "These ninja they have hired are nothing more than thugs; fodder really, to allow time for the 'important' people inside to get out." He made little quotation marks with his fingers. "Mujihi is in this for himself—he'd even leave the women behind if it made sure that he could get out first. We need to find where he is and secure him first. Once taken, I do not believe the rest will fight."

Naruto narrowed his blue eyes, glancing imperiously around. "Tsunade-baa-san told me that we have permission to kill whoever we wanted." He specifically avoided looking at Arashi and Taizo, instead focusing on the side of the room where Kakashi and Gaara were standing quietly. "Is that still true?"

Gaarai shrugged. "We should probably avoid mass genocide," he murmured, a slightly sarcastic tone to his voice. "There are innocents in there."

At Naruto's depressing expression, the Kazekage smirked coldly. "But our mission, first and foremost, is to get Sakura-san. So really, it does not matter what you do—as long as you get her." The Kage glanced at Kakashi, including his head slightly. "Does the mission leader agree?"

Kakashi nodded. "No unnecessary deaths, though, Naruto. Don't get too carried away."

The blond kyuubi grinned, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Good."

Taizo nodded and walked to the center of the room. "Shall we make our plan?"



The door to her cage banged open loudly, pulling Sakura from her sleep. She struggled backwards, pulling herself against the wall. She tugged the hitai-ate into her lap, dragging her sheet over her legs in an attempt to hide it. Her pink hair was mussed, unwashed and greasy. She tried to smooth it back against her head and keep the fear out of her face.

"You fucking bitch." Mujihi Joushi stood before the shut bars. He hadn't even bothered to bring the sand back up and seal them in the room; too distracted by his anger. Sakura felt her skin prickle anxiously, her green eyes narrowing to slits as she stared at his shuddering form. His eyes were on the floor, hands shoved deep into his pockets. When he raised his head again, she almost flinched at the hate within his eyes. "You filthy little whore!"

Sakura slid to her knees, preparing to leap to her feet if she was forced to. "So I take it you've heard about Boton?" Her tone was quiet—testing the waters.

Joushi had beaten her before, almost every single guard in the place had. She was used to it. But she normally gave them enough wounds to make sure that they thought twice before they did it again. The only problem was that Joushi hated touching her—at least, that was how it had always appeared.

He'd always wiped his hands off afterwards, as though she were dirty; as if she were carried some deadly disease and she would infect him.

"I didn't know you were so fond of her," the woman continued, sliding her back along the wall as she stood to her full five foot, four inches of height and stared at him. Her hands clenched at her sides. She refused to shy away from death. "I thought we were all silage, huh? A means to an end? The way you were going to make your fortune in life. We don't have faces, merely bodies that you could manipulate into buying you whatever you wanted." Without thinking, she snapped, her voice escalating to a high-pitched, banshee-like screech in her anger.

Without thinking, she curled her fists angrily.

Without thinking, she took off at a run, drawing her right arm back.

Joushi stepped to the side and caught her around the throat with his hand.

Sakura coughed harshly, her throat raw. The man tightened his hand, and she felt her airway constrict painfully. The taller man held her up, off the ground, and spun; slamming her back against the bars. Her back hit painfully, and she shuddered against the pain, her hands rising to scrabble futilely against his.

"You are fodder," whispered Joushi, staring at her. His voice was eerily calm, his eyes narrowed into slits. "You think that you are so much better than the rest of them? Because you're a kunoichi? Because you were going to be married? Because you killed who were you supposed to pleasure?" His hand tightened and Sakura coughed, feeling something warm—she tasted copper—trickle down the back of her throat as something tore with her coughs. "You're not. You need to think about this. . . you're worse."

He smiled at the look on her face. "Guujin has told me all about you, Mitsuharu Rin. I am not completely inept. If you thought that I was never going to use your past against you, then you're quite an idiot."

"If you think that I didn't notice you, fawning over your little insignia from your days in Konohagakure," he whispered, getting dangerously close to her face. When Sakura, though running out of air, raised her fist to throw at his within-rage head, he pulled his head back, and she dropped her fist angrily to her side with another little shake against his grip.

He laughed. "You looked like a little lost child, petting your security blanket because your family failed to keep away the night-monsters."

"You've never seen real monsters, Joushi," Sakura managed, gasping for hair. He loosened his grip for a moment, allowing her to gulp in air fiercely before he tightened it on her fifth inhalation.

"Really?" he asked, blinking calmly at her.

Sakura's green eyes watered and she bit her tongue to keep from letting the tears fall. "They'll kill you," she whispered, attempting to shake her head. Her fingers tugged at his hand even harder, attempting to pull him away—try and do anything to get him to release. He merely tightened his grip and laughed in her face.

"Oh yes, your little. . . what did your mind call him? The 'kyuubi'?" he asked, watching the play of emotions on the young woman's face.

He laughed out loud.

"Yes, I forget the fool's name, but it's not like it matters very much." He put a finger to his chin as though he were attempting to remember. Then he shrugged and waved his hand—waved it off. He glanced back at Sakura, raising an eyebrow amusedly. "Or what about the Kazekage? I hear you know him rather well. You seemed to get along well with that little whore of spy they sent in. It didn't take long for us to find out about her and get rid of her. I did allow you to see her before she died though. . . I take it you discussed how you loved being kunoichi and how much life meant to you?" He snickered and shook his head, as though he thought his commented were funny jokes. "You're all so pathetic."

Bracing himself, Joushi pulled her away from the wall, hand still on her throat. Sakura coughed as his hand tightened and she felt her airway close completely. Her hands gripped at his wrist, and she scratched fruitlessly at him, her hands growing weaker as her oxygen level deteriorated.

"Keep your little forehead protector," he spat, tossing her with as much force as he could manage. "How will it help you now?"'

Sakura hit the concrete floor with a sickened smack, her back arching painfully as she let out a broken scream. Her throat hurt too much to make any form of noise other than a scream. She gulped in air, her body shuddering with pain as black spots clouded her vision. The air around her tasted coppery, and she rolled her head to the side, coughing painfully—it came straight from her chest—and spat blood onto the floor. She was getting used to seeing it. She attempted to push herself into a sitting position, but Joushi was in front of her again.

He threw a punch.

Her vision swam, and she didn't even try holding it—she cried out again, clutching at her jaw.

The man kneeled over her, gripped the front of her shirt and slapped her. He slapped her again, and again. Then he paused, catching his breath and pulled backwards, dropping her to the floor. Sakura moaned, tears streaming down her face as her chest rose furiously, attempting to breathe in as much as she could. Any could be her last.

"I tried to make things easy for you," Joushi murmured, standing and tilting his head to the side as he watched her. Sakura tried to wipe away the blood that seeped from her nose and gathered in the corners of her mouth. "I had never really planned to use you for clients. I just thought it would be a good way to break you."

He pulled his foot back and launched a kick into her side.

Something cracked painfully, loudly, and fire spread along her chest. Sakura shuddered, groaning, sobbing; but unable to control herself.

"You were perfect for me," he continued, as though she had never cried out. "You could heal, you could destroy. I had hoped that you could be like some of the other kunoichi and merely give in. But no." He stared angrily at her, spitting into her face. Despite the pain that flourished in her body, she wiped it away tried to spit back. He laughed darkly. "You couldn't just give in. You had to fight back. Injure not only guards but other women." His foot hit her side again. She curled, spitting blood on the floor. "Like Boton."

Dragging a hand through his dark hair, the man shook his head and sighed. "I had high hopes for you."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Sakura whispered, coughing, grasping at her throat. Her fingers slid against the concrete, looking, searching, for any time of grasp. "I don't jump on command."

"Another problem with you. That mouth."

Joushi paused and then searched inside his jacket, pulling something small and glittering out of the inside pocket. Sakura's eyes opened, and she stared at it. If she could have, she would have screamed. Adrenaline pumped inside of her, but her body wasn't responding—she couldn't move.

"What would your little ninja lover say if he could see you like this?"

The ring glittered coldly in the sickly pallid light, shooting from the swinging light fixture. He smiled and she shook her head, coughing.

Sakura almost wanted to laugh. "You can't be like regular mercenaries, can you, Joushi?" she asked quietly, swallowing blood and saliva the same. "You don't hock my engagement ring—you keep it so that you can taunt me with it." She shook her head again, and this time, the laugh came out. "You're the worst kind of devil alive. I can't wait until you burn in hell."

Joushi raised an eyebrow and smirked, dropping the ring to the floor beside her. Her hand swung out, and she managed to grasp it. "Can't wait to see you there. I heard it should be a blast, really. All that fire—"

He broke off as a loud explosion echoed through the cavern. He spun, ignoring Sakura completely. "What the hell was that?" Rocks bounced off the walls, clinking like ice dropping into a glass of alcohol. The man rushed forward, pressing against the bars of her cage as he hurried to unlock the door. "Gomimaru! Hikaru! What the hell is going on? What was that explosion?" The door opened and he walked out, slamming it shut behind him. He ignored the way Sakura shifted along the floor.

Dragging herself back to her bed, she grabbed the hitai-ate from her mattress. Struggling somewhat, she tugging it onto her forehead and tied it, laughing as Joushi glanced back at her.

Gomimaru glanced past his boss as he ran down the hallway, blood smattering his face. "The entrance guards have been killed, and the rock there is broken open to twice the size it used to be. There's ninja. We're under attack!"


TBC . . .


Lord. I wrote for three hours straight.

I should have been doing math homework. But I pushed finishing this off, and I was very angry with myself. It's been over a month since the last update. School does make things difficult, and this next go will be difficult. . . but I had incredible trouble with this chapter for some reason. I was originally going to have Sakura have some dreams, and there was going to be SasukexSakura stuff mixed in there. . . I think that's one of the reasons I put it off. However once I decided I was just going to skip these little dream/flashbacks, it got written a lot faster.

Do we see a trend here? (. . . a picture trend of black and white. . . I really need sleep . . .) Hiko can't write Sasuke It hurts her skills. So I should just not do it.

But yay! We're finally at the part where they're going to get Sakura! What's creepy, if probably the three parts with Sakura in here were the easiest to write. Sakura in pain, or being beaten up, or crying. . . That's the easiest for me to write. I specifically had the idea of her being taunted with her engagement ring in there from the beginning. I spoke to Nami about it and she absolutely loved it.

Thanks for sticking around with me, guys. You all really rock.

Just saying, I have updates in my profile of one-shots that are coming out, as well as a poll! I have a poll! (I was very excited that I figured out how to use it. xD) Hope I didn't make you all crazy with waiting.

- Hiko Mokushi