Chapter 2
Initiation
Sakura yawned and stretched as she awoke. She felt a cool breeze blow in from the open window as she opened her eyes to greet the new day.
It was the first sunrise she hadn't dreaded in a long time. She slipped out of the bed as Naruto bounced in excitement, running underneath the blankets. He looked like a strange little lump that was running around in circles on the bed beneath the green coverlet.
Sakura couldn't help but laugh as she watched him, before she lifted the blanket and he zoomed out of it, panting silently as he cocked his head to one side, watching her as if to say, 'it's time to get up! I'm so adorable, you HAVE to play with me!'
Sakura stifled another laugh as she tickled his nose and he nibbled on her finger playfully, like a normal puppy would. She petted his head as he let go and she walked towards the window, looking outside.
She could see down the mountain now, to the quaint little village nestled in the valley beneath them. She leaned her cheek on her hand as she gazed down at the people bustling around in the village, all looking like busy little ants.
"They certainly all have something to do, don't they Naruto?" Sakura asked the little puppy who was adamantly scratching his ear. Hearing his name as a summons, he jumped off of the bed, running around her legs in a tight circle.
"You're going to get dizzy." Sakura reprimanded with a smile as she bent down to tickle him underneath his chin. His tail thumped loudly against the wooden floor. Sakura sighed as she stood once again, looking around the room.
"What should I wear?" She spotted a gray yukata with pale-pink sakura blossoms on it, with a black, white, and gray obi and black slacks. She thought it was beautiful, and decided it must have been from Deidara. Who else would have gotten her all these new things?
He's such a sweetie! Sakura smiled as she headed towards the table. She took one step and felt herself lose her balance as she tripped over Naruto. She let out a small yelp as she landed on the ground with a crash, almost landing on the puppy that smartly ran in the other direction.
He zoomed back to where she lie, licking her face as she made to get up. She had heard a 'thunk' when she had landed, a sound that had nothing to do with her fall. She immediately tensed as she looked up, seeing a kunai embedded in the wall opposite her. If she hadn't fallen onto the ground, the kunai would have gone straight through her chest.
Sakura flipped around, jumping up and into a fighting stance. It must be the ANBU from Konoha.
She felt a moment of fright fill her as she thought of whom it could have been sent after her.
Let's do this. She tried to sound confident as she looked around, scanning the area with her eyes.
Hidan and Kakuzu walked up the trail leading to the Akatsuki hideout in Cloud. Both were not morning people, and their grumpiness was almost reaching its peak as they trudged along, faces murderous.
"We're finally here." Hidan muttered. "Took long enough."
"Shut up." Kakuzu grunted back at him.
Hidan's hand clenched on his weapon as he made to attack. He would have done so, if he hadn't noticed the movement in the window ahead. He stopped short, eyes narrowing. "Look there."
Kakuzu gave a small sigh as he looked up, before he too stilled in confusion.
A scantily clad woman was standing near the window, her back to them. All they could see was white skin, a supple body, and bright pink hair.
"What the hell?" Kakuzu growled out.
Hidan grabbed a kunai. "How did she get in? She must be an enemy shinobi."
"Let me kill her, then." Kakuzu grinned. Before he could do anything, however, Hidan threw the kunai. Just then the woman seemed to duck from their view and they heard a crash.
"Well?" Kakuzu's brows furrowed. "What happened?" He and Hidan ran into the room through the window, seeing the near naked woman in a fighting pose, glaring at them with bright green eyes.
"What the hell are you doing here, bitch?" Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. He assessed the situation quickly. This young woman didn't look like she was very powerful, but he had to believe that she actually had some type of ability. If she didn't, she wouldn't have been able to get inside of the base, where Deidara and Sasori would have caught her.
Of course, perhaps she had killed both of them already. She looked like the type to be able to seduce a man. No doubt that was what she had done to Deidara. Sasori, however, she would have had to defeat in battle not in bed.
She showed no signs of injury, which she would have to have had after a battle with an Akatsuki member. No one could escape from such a thing unscathed. Her eyes were hard and disciplined, like a shinobi.
Her stance was strange to him, perhaps a fighting style he didn't know, which was surprising.
From this he could surmise she was a kunoichi, not some simple whore that Deidara had hired. Also, she was dangerous, if she had snuck into the base.
However, she was unarmed and almost completely unclothed as well.
Hidan had not waited for Kakuzu to tell him this, however. He merely rushed inside, his weapon at the ready. Kakuzu almost gave a loud sigh of impatience. He was like a child sometimes.
The pink-haired woman dodged his strike, bending backwards and grabbing the weapon between the blades, locking it in place with surprising strength so that Hidan could no longer swing it.
Then the real kunoichi appeared behind him, sending her elbow into his back as the clone holding the weapon disappeared. Hidan let out a loud grunt of pain as he felt his spine snap. Of course, with his almost complete inability to die; he merely stood up, rubbing his back as he snarled.
This caught the woman by surprise, who stared at him in astonishment. Kakuzu merely squatted down on the ground, placing his arms up to his elbows in the floor. As he did so, his hand erupted from the ground beneath the kunoichi, grabbing her ankles and holding her in place.
She struggled, almost falling over as she became unbalanced. Hidan grabbed his weapon, bringing it up to strike.
"Stop it, yeah!" Deidara yelled out as he rushed inside, Sasori right behind him. "Are you out of your minds?"
Kakuzu looked from the scantily clad kunoichi whom Deidara was walking towards, back to Sasori, who merely raised one eyebrow. Suddenly it became very clear as Kakuzu got another look at the kunoichi and realization dawned.
"She's the one then?"
"Hai." Sasori nodded. He looked up at the ceiling, "It's alright now, Haruno-san."
A figure dropped down from the ceiling as the clone being held by Kakuzu disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakuzu blinked as he stood, his arms reattaching themselves. So…she was a tricky one after all.
"Sakura-chan!" Deidara walked over to her, before blushing as he looked her over in her somewhat…revealing state. "You…um…yeah."
Sakura gave a loud sigh, before crossing her arms over her chest. "What's going on here?"
"I was just going to ask you that same question, woman." Hidan snapped back.
"Don't talk to Sakura-chan like that, yeah." Deidara warned.
"Sakura-chan?" Kakuzu repeated. "That's her name?"
"Hai." Sasori nodded. "Sakura Haruno." He turned to Sakura. "Haruno-san, please meet Kakuzu and Hidan, two other members of the Akatsuki."
Sakura nodded, though her eyes still flashed angrily. "Hello." She continued to stand in the middle of their group, clad in only her underwear and bra.
Hidan gave a loud laugh. "I should have known she wasn't one of you or Itachi's whores, Deidara. She looks unused."
Sakura stiffened, eyes narrowing. Itachi had whores? That…that…she wasn't even that angry about practically being called a little girl by two of the Akatsuki. It didn't really bother her. However, what did bother her was the fact that Itachi had women. Technically, she had known this, after all he wasn't hard to fall for, but it had never really seemed tangible till then.
An evil thought came to mind as she turned to see Deidara staring at her, blushing deeply. So he had whores too, huh? Well, well, well…
Deidara began stuttering. "I did not, yeah. I don't know what they're talking about, Sakura-chan…"
Sakura pouted. "Deidara-kun, how could you?"
Deidara swallowed. "I mean, it wasn't anything like that, Sakura-chan…yeah…" Oh god she's going to hate me now! Dammit Hidan!
Sakura gave a laugh; not being able to keep a straight face as she saw the distress Deidara was putting himself in. "Oh don't worry, Deidara. What you do with your women is of no importance or significance to me." She winked at him as he began to stutter out another excuse.
Sasori sighed. "She's joking, Deidara." My god he's almost as dense as Kisame when it comes to women. This is a wonderful little start to the day. At least Sakura showed that she can handle other Akatsuki. Making a good first impression is everything here. After all, Hidan and Kakuzu will tell Leader what they've seen, and that will help determine Sakura's place here.
It means everything at this point in time.
"Well, can you explain why you attacked me?" Sakura asked Hidan and Kakuzu.
"You were a strange shinobi in our territory, woman. That gives us every right we need to kill you." Hidan snapped out.
Sakura's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing, seeing that it was wise not to talk right now. The last thing she needed to do was get into a fight with these two. Getting them on her good side would be the best thing.
"Very well." Sakura continued. "If it had been me in that situation, I suppose I would have done the same thing." Lay it on them, Sakura. She spoke to herself as they snorted, looking like they really didn't care.
"Of course." She spoke offhandedly. "I would have used exploding tags to get the intruding shinobi out of the room first, then used the confusion of the smoke to go in for the killing strike, in case the intruding shinobi knew that you were there and was luring you into an ambush."
Hidan's eyes narrowed, though he couldn't help but respect her gumption and courage. Kakuzu watched her much the same way.
What an interesting little woman.
"Sakura Haruno is an excellent medical shinobi. She is currently healing Itachi's eyes." Deidara put in, hoping they'd be impressed. "She was apprenticed under the Gondaime Hokage Tsunade herself, one of the three legendary Sannin, yeah."
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow.
"Fascinating."
Sakura nodded. "Yes, he's correct. And I'm also a freezing medical shinobi, so if you all wouldn't mind, I'd love to continue this conversation after I get dressed." She motioned to her almost bare body.
Sasori nodded. "Of course, Haruno-san. We shall leave." He motioned for the others to follow him outside of the room. "We will meet you in the tea room."
"Of course." Sakura nodded. "Thank you, Sasori-san."
Sakura watched them leave and resisted the urge to stick out her tongue. She gave another small sigh as she slipped on the slacks and yukata, wrapping the obi around her stomach.
Naruto came out from under the bed, his tail wagging in excitement. Sakura had wondered where he had gone. The little coward. She couldn't help but grin at that. She couldn't blame him, after all.
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Sakura gave a small sigh as she tightened the obi.
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"His whores!?!?!"
It didn't seem like she'd ever get over that.
Tsunade looked at Kakashi, who was sitting in the chair in front of her desk. Jiraiya sat on his right, Naruto on his left. Kakashi and Naruto seemed unfazed at being there. Neither of them seemed to even be paying her any attention.
Tsunade gave a deep breath. "I'm sending ANBU to find Sakura."
She waited for the bomb to drop.
"WHAT!?!?!" Naruto bolted out of his seat. "I won't let you, Tsunade-baa-chan!" He clenched his fists angrily. "I won't let anyone hurt Sakura-chan! I'm going to get her back, I won't lose faith in her! I'll hurt anyone who goes after her!"
Tsunade frowned, but continued to let him rant.
"If you send ANBU then…then you're as dumb and stupid as you are ugly!"
"Naruto…" Kakashi warned.
Tsunade's lip twitched.
Jiraiya had to hide his smile.
"I'll kill them all, all those stupid ANBU if they try and hurt Sakura-chan! I'm going to bring her back myself; I won't let you get in the way. I didn't think you could be so heartless Tsunade!"
"Naruto!" Shizune, who had been sent to go get tea, exclaimed in surprise as she entered the room. "Calm down! I can hear you all the way outside."
"NO!" Naruto growled. "I won't! Not until Tsunade promises not to send ANBU!"
"I can't do that, Naruto." Tsunade answered calmly, lacing her fingers together and leaning her chin on them, waiting.
"Then I'll leave the village too! I'll become a missing-nin and I'll—I'll—I'll—"
He's dug his hole deep enough. Tsunade decided. "Naruto, I'm not sending the ANBU to kill Sakura."
"I'll leave the village and let my demon out and let it destroy everything and—" Naruto blinked as the words seeped in. "…what?"
"I am sending a group of ANBU to get Sakura-chan and bring her back here, away from the Akatsuki. I understand she must have gone because she didn't believe she could stand it here in Konoha with Sasuke Uchiha." She saw Naruto clenched his hands at the name of his former best friend.
"And I want you to be second in command of the group."
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Naruto blinked once more.
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"WHAT!?!?!?!" This came collectively from Jiraiya, Naruto—and the rest of the rookie nine as well as Tenten, Lee, and Temari.
Tsunade glared as they fell inside of the room, landing in a heap on the floor, looking up at everyone sheepishly.
"Tsunade-dono!" Tenten, Lee, Shino, and Choji all exclaimed. "I thought you said Sakura-san was dead!"
Tsunade gave a loud, aggravated sigh. "All of you…"
"…ARE IN BIG TROUBLE!!!!!!"
Everyone flinched, but that didn't deter them as they entered the room, closing the door behind them.
Lee sniffed. "Tsunade-dono…is it true that Sakura-san is still alive?"
Tsunade sighed deeply. This just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it? "Yes…"
Lee, Tenten, and Choji cheered, while Shino nodded with a small smile hidden behind his jacket collar.
"We wanna come too!" This was everyone.
Tsunade stood to her full height, towering over them. "Now listen here." She pointed at each one of them in turn. "I am only sending three people besides Naruto."
"WHAT!?!?!?!"
Tsunade gave another loud sigh. I'm getting a headache and I haven't even had a drink in three days.
"Shikamaru, Temari, and Ino."
Everyone blinked, not understanding the team. Everyone knew that Temari and Shikamaru were right but…Ino? Even she looked a bit confused at it.
"But Tsunade-dono…if only three people are going, wouldn't it be smarter to send Lee or…or Kakashi?"
"No." Tsunade shook her head. I know you can't possibly understand my decision, but I think Shikamaru understands. I know that Sakura will not want to come back on her own. I need the four people who she is closest with. Shikamaru can reason with her on a philosophical level, Naruto is like a brother to her, Temari is like a role model to her, and Ino is her best friend. If anyone can do it, it's those four.
Besides, if push comes to shove, Ino will have to use her mind transfer jutsu on Sakura to bring her back.
"Kakashi or Lee can have my spot." Shikamaru groaned out. "Man, this is such a drag. Why can't Temari and I have our honeymoon in peace?" He and Temari had gotten married a few days before Sakura's memorial service, and had kept from going on their honeymoon until it was over.
Temari slung an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry, honey. We can continue last night on the way." She winked at everyone as they stifled laughs and Shikamaru turned bright red as he coughed slightly.
"You leave immediately. You should go and pack." Tsunade ordered as she handed them a map. "Judging from their movements and the direction they went that Kakashi could sense, they are going east, most likely to Cloud."
"The rest of you, stay here for a moment." They all nodded as Temari, Naruto, Shikamaru, and Ino all left the room, their excitement and anticipation almost visible.
Tsunade waited until their chakra levels were gone and they were out of earshot. Her face became serious as she looked back at the people still assembled in front of her. "I have a mission for the rest of you."
"And that is?" Lee asked, still frowning. He had wanted to go find Sakura.
"Sasuke Uchiha has left the village in pursuit of Sakura and Itachi Uchiha."
Everyone turned to look at her, eyes wide.
"Bring him back alive as well." I'm just in a forgiving mood aren't I?
"What if he accidentally falls onto my kunai?" Kiba questioned.
"Kiba…" Tsunade warned.
"Alright, alright." Kiba put up his hands in defense. "Who is the leader of our team?"
"I thought you'd never ask." Tsunade smiled. Suddenly the door opened and someone walked inside.
"I heard you sent Shikamaru off to find Sakura. Why are you sending me to go get Sasuke? I'll just end up killing him."
It was Neji.
Sakura walked into the tearoom, Naruto trailing behind her. Dodging him underfoot and keeping from stepping on him was the most difficult ninja training she could ever hope to have.
"Sakura-chan, come sit over here, yeah." Deidara nodded at the seat next to him. Sakura smiled at him and sat where he had pointed. She gave a small sigh as Naruto jumped into her lap, tail wagging playfully.
"A kunoichi with a puppy." Hidan snorted. "That's who we're bringing into Akatsuki?"
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Sakura blinked.
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Deidara blinked.
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"Excuse me?" They both said at the same time.
Sasori watched them coolly. "I am sorry for keeping you out of the loop." He watched Sakura's and Deidara's still completely shocked faces. "I sent word to Leader about Sakura's skills and feats, and recommended her a position. With Tomokazu no longer a member, it only seems fitting for us to receive a new member now."
"But…Sakura, yeah?" Deidara croaked out. He looked at Sakura, who seemed to be in a daze. Sakura being an Akatsuki?
It's what you always wanted.
But…she'd be a killer, yeah. She'd be the one thing I would never want Sakura to be.
…she'd lose her innocence.
Sakura stared down at her hands.
Be an Akatsuki member?
Betray Konoha completely?
Become an s-classed criminal? One of the elite? She blinked once more, trying to see if she were really in a room with Deidara, Sasori, Kakuzu, and Hidan. Hidan and Kakuzu remained completely void of all emotion, except for a slight annoyance and impatience.
Sasori was hiding a small smile.
Deidara cleared his throat. "I think they want you to decide, Sakura-chan."
Sakura breathed in deeply. So many thoughts were running through her mind. A few weeks earlier she had been sitting at her home in Konoha wondering what plants to put in her new apartment. Now she was being asked to join the most infamous shinobi organization in the world.
…It was what any missing-nin would want.
Sakura lifted her hand to her head, inconspicuously brushing a few locks of her rose colored hair out of her eyes. As she did so, her fingertips brushed her forehead. Her eyes widened slightly.
Her forehead protector.
She wasn't wearing one. She hadn't been doing so since leaving her own headband on the snowman in River.
She hadn't really noticed it until now.
Was her village really that unimportant to her that she could forget about her headband so quickly? Had it never really meant anything to her?
I really AM a missing-nin. I don't even have a headband anymore. She hid a rueful smile. I guess I'll never have to put a slash through it, will I?
"Haruno-san?"
Sakura blinked, coming back to reality. She shifted, feeling Naruto curl up in her lap. She looked down at him.
"…does Itachi know?"
Sasori's eyes narrowed slightly, wondering why it mattered. "Hai. He and Kisame were both briefed by Leader about this."
"I see." Sakura whispered. Was that the reason for his silence? She bit her lip, thinking. She could feel four pairs of eyes watching her, waiting for her answer.
"Do I have to answer right now?"
Hidan frowned. "Of course you have to. Get on with it, woman."
Kakuzu snorted. "Don't mind him. He's an idiot."
"And you're a motherless bastard."
Kakuzu and Hidan began glaring daggers at one another.
Sasori turned back to Sakura. "You need not answer now. You may have a few days to decide."
Sakura stood, nodded. "Alright." She answered softly, "Sasori-san, did you want to see that poison gas jutsu?" Just keep your mind clear. Don't think about it.
"Of course." Sasori nodded. "I made your puppet for you last night, Haruno-san." He stood as well, nodding to Hidan and Kakuzu, as well as a still dazed Deidara. "I shall go with Haruno-san now. We will talk again in the evening."
Sasori heard Deidara speaking with Hidan and Kakuzu as they left.
"Do you really think that kunoichi can become Akatsuki?" Hidan was asking.
"I do, yeah." Deidara answered truthfully, though his heart wasn't in it. "I think Sakura-chan can become very powerful, if she trains hard enough."
If Sakura heard it, she didn't show Sasori that she noticed as they walked down the hallway.
She merely held onto Naruto, who had jumped into her arms as she had stood. She had a feeling she had already made her decision.
She only wondered if she wasn't going to make the biggest mistake of her life.
Later that night, Sakura sat in her room, playing with the small puppet Sasori had made for her. She was toying with it, finding the small mechanisms that Sasori had placed inside of it. It was a small, foot tall puppet, shaped like a geisha.
She couldn't help but smile as she looked it over. Sasori must have painted it himself.
Naruto sniffed it, licking the wood. Sakura scratched him absently behind the ear as she continued to look the little puppet over. Sasori had taught her how to control it to some extent. Of course, her attempts were sloppy and half-hearted. Part of this was due to her inefficiency in this new jutsu, the other half was due to nerves. She was nervous about having to decide.
She'd taught Sasori the jutsu, and he was already learning to master it. She wondered if she'd ever be able to do that.
Sakura placed the puppet lovingly on the table next to her bed, picking up the only other object on the desk.
The scroll.
She'd almost forgotten about it, though she didn't see how. She felt Naruto shift on the bed beside her as she opened the scroll once more. She hadn't looked at it since that night, but she didn't think she'd ever forget it.
An Akatsuki member would use this jutsu.
…she smiled slightly as she scratched Naruto's head. One already—
The door slid open with a confidence and finality that Sakura had learned to expect from one person and one person only.
Itachi.
She'd felt his presence right outside her door the moment it opened. She looked up at him, momentarily breathless.
His arm was bleeding.
"You're hurt." Sakura whispered, trying to forget about the small butterflies rising in her stomach. She hadn't been alone with him since…since the last time.
With all the other Akatsuki members at the temple, would he try anything?
I hope so.
Sakura was shocked by her own thoughts as she tried to ignore the small blush that was creeping over her cheeks. "I'll heal it for you."
Itachi slowly walked over to the bed. Naruto sniffed the hem of his Akatsuki cloak as it brushed against him, and then he jumped up, running to the other side of Sakura for safety.
He rolled up his sleeve, showing her the wound.
He still had yet to speak.
Sakura looked it over efficiently, noticing that it was a rather clean cut. And he had cleaned it out, so there was no sign of infection. She pressed a small amount of her chakra into it.
"Did you hear about the meeting today?" Sakura asked lightly, trying to break the dismal mood surrounding them. For some reason, she was able to speak around Itachi, even if he never answered her back.
"Hn."
"They asked me to join Akatsuki." Sakura continued, knitting the skin back together with her chakra. "I was wondering if you had been told about it."
"Hn."
"What does Kisame think about it?"
"He's excited."
Sakura smiled. "He wants me to become an Akatsuki member?"
Itachi turned to look at her, raising one eyebrow. He wants his little 'kitten' to be in Akatsuki. Of course, he didn't say this. "Hai."
Sakura nodded slowly, as she finished healing the wound.
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"well…" Sakura whispered slowly, trying to get up the courage to hear his answer, willing herself to continue.
"…what about you?"
"Hn?"
"Do you want me to become an Akatsuki member?"
Itachi turned to look at her, seeing Sakura staring at him with a strange sincerity, as well as anxiousness and desperation.
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Itachi heard the bed creak as the little clay puppy he had seen before moved to peek at him from behind Sakura.
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"No."
Sakura let his words sink in, nodding slowly. She couldn't ignore how much they hurt, though she had known they were coming. "I see."
Itachi pulled his sleeve back down over his arm.
"Why?"
Itachi's brows almost furrowed as he turned to her. Did he really have to spell it out?
"You're weak."
Sakura sighed, biting her lip as hurt tears filled her eyes, though she blinked them away as she smiled up at him, keeping them at bay. "I guess you're right."
Itachi stood. "You'll finish healing my eyes tomorrow night."
Then he was gone.
Just like that.
Sakura waited for a moment in silence, the click of the door as it shut reverberating through the silence.
She sniffed, furiously wiping the tears from her eyes. "Stupid Sakura, what did you expect from him? Encouragement?"
Yes.
She let out a small laugh, while Naruto nudged her with his nose. She barely paid him any attention. "He's always thought of you as weak. He only wants you to heal his eyes, isn't that clear now?"
Healing your eyes, that's all I'm good for.
"Stop crying." She ordered, berating herself as she sniffled once again. "Don't get mad at Itachi for telling you what you already knew."
It hasn't changed your decision.
It just helped make it clearer.
Sakura's shoulders continued to shake, however.
"If I'll never be Akatsuki, then what good am I here?" Sakura whispered to the night. "If I can't be strong, then what's the point?"
"I already knew I'm weak. I could have been weak in Konoha. I didn't need to come here to see it."
Sakura let the tears flow down her cheeks now.
"What am I doing here?"
I abandoned everyone for this.
I forfeited Sasuke's love for this.
I forfeited Sasuke's love…for him
Sakura gave a small, dry laugh. "But it doesn't matter, Sakura. You're too weak. You mean nothing."
At least to Sasuke, I still mean something.
He wants to kill me now.
At least he still wants me for something.
I thought that Itachi needing me to heal his eyes was enough.
I was wrong.
…he didn't even look at me.
…I wish…
…that he would have kissed me.
…maybe this time…I would have given in completely.
…to be shown what love really is.
…that's all I want now…
…we always want the one thing we'll never have.
Itachi walked down the hallway. He had just come from a meeting with the other Akatsuki. They were all talking about Sakura being a new Akatsuki member.
The only one who seemed opposed to it was Itachi. Even Hidan and Kakuzu seemed to think she was good enough for the job.
She doesn't have any significant jutsus except for the Genesis of Rebirth.
Itachi turned the corner.
She's slow. Her Taijutsu is weak at best.
The house was silent. Everyone except for Kisame was asleep. Kisame was dead drunk in the kitchen, which meant he was as good as asleep.
She's horrible at sensing chakra levels.
Itachi didn't even know where he was headed. He merely went.
She's too emotional. She let's everything get to her.
He rounded another corner.
Dammit. She's weak.
Itachi stopped in front of a doorway, not even realizing which one it was as his hand went to the doorknob.
…why do I care?
He turned the handle.
…because if she's weak…she'll die.
He walked inside, Sharingan blazing.
And she hasn't finished healing my eyes yet.
"Itachi?"
Itachi looked up, the surprise almost visible on his face as he suddenly realized what room he was in.
(A/N: Hm. Hm. Hmmmm…how did you all like it? I think we all know which room Itachi just walked into. Hehehe, he was reaching out to her without even knowing it. How cute! And of course, he only doesn't want her to die because she was to fix his eyes. Hah! (we all know your secret Itachi!)
Well, I have a snow day, and I'll probably have one tomorrow so YAY! Extra time to write. (Since I live out in the middle of nowhere and can't drive anywhere in the snow and ice).
Alright, what to expect in the next chapter…hmmm…well, a talk between Sakura and Itachi, that's a given. We're going to lose someone special to our hearts, someone very close to us! (sob) and Sakura has to decide whether or not to become Akatsuki. I think that's a good basis for the next chapter.
My sister seems to think she'll like this story better than A Ripple in the Pond, mostly because it'll be a little more mature (because it deals more with the Akatsuki then with like Kiba and them, who are still sort of immature) I guess that's true. I hope all of YOU love this story as much as she does.
Until next time, buh-bye!
Lady Hanaka
Quote: Intelligence is like underwear, everyone should have it, but we shouldn't show it off.)