Disclaimer: Whoops. Every time I update the chapters, I just now noticed that I forgot to put the disclaimer on! My bad. Well, um, I definitely don't own Naruto.
Chapter 7
Apologies and Assholes
Tomokazu lounged inside of Orochimaru's old chambers. He chuckled to himself, taking another drink of his wine. He loved wine. The reddish color reminded him of blood, the one thing he loved more than any other.
You love me, don't you Tomokazu-chan?
Tomokazu's eyes narrowed as the glass stem of the win glass snapped like a twig. He watched the head of the glass fall down to the ground, shattering. The red liquid slowly spread across the cold stone floor. He followed it intently with his eyes.
Just like blood.
How beautiful.
Just like me Tomokazu-chan? Do you think I'm pretty?
Tomokazu snorted, ignoring his own thoughts. How dare that bitch get back into his head? He didn't need this anymore. He turned around in Orochimaru's throne, propping his feet up on one of the arm's. He gave an agitated sigh as he closed his eyes for a moment.
What did that damn scroll say?
Surely it was important. He knew that pink-haired kunoichi from Konoha could read it. It was one of those things he could sense. He'd read it in her eyes as well, right before he'd left. He hadn't paid it any attention, merely took the box and left.
Tomokazu knew it was about the Uchiha Clan. Could it perhaps tell him Itachi's weakness? Surely that was what it was about. Some flaw of the Sharingan.
How foolish, to write down the Clan's secrets on paper, where someone could get their hands on it. It was one reason why Tomokazu's Clan had never written down anything about their kekkei genkai.
It was actually rather ironic. Their desire for privacy and power was what had gotten them killed.
Tomokazu-chan, why can't we tell anyone else in the village about our kekkei genkai? It is that big of a secret? Why won't Sumiyoshi-sama let anyone else know? What will the Kurokage say?
Tomokazu glared ahead of him at the blood on the ground.
Damn girl wouldn't get out of his head.
He felt himself drift into all-too-familiar memories.
Tomokazu, a mere boy of twelve, gave a loud, annoyed sigh as he sat down against the tree trunk. He had finished training for the day, and now he was bored. His mother had said he'd needed to stop or he'd wear himself out.
"Tomokazu-chan!"
Tomokazu looked up to see the young girl, also twelve, run up to him. She smiled, her bright green eyes glowing, although there was something wrong. He could see it, the way her lower lip trembled and the way she fidgeted with the sleeve of her sweater. She always had a habit of doing that when she was nervous.
"Hai?"
The young girl sat down next to him with a sigh. "I just got back from a mission with Sumiyoshi-sama. My kekkei genkai activated itself."
"Oh." Tomokazu's eyes narrowed briefly as he looked over his one and only real friend. "You shouldn't be telling me this."
"He said I could tell you. Besides, it's not a secret to our Clan. Just the village."
"Hn."
"Tomokazu-chan?" The girl asked tentatively. "Did it…did it scare you?"
Tomokazu turned to her with a small frown. "No. Why?"
"When it happened…it scared me, just a little." She whispered, "It's scary, I think. I don't really like it."
"Then don't use it." Tomokazu snapped.
"Oi." The girl rolled her eyes. "Don't act like that, Tomokazu-chan. I didn't mean it that way. Why are you so edgy?"
"I have my first real mission tomorrow."
"Real mission? So assassinations aren't real missions?" The girl teased, her trembling smile actually holding.
A small, secretive smile crossed Tomokazu's lips. "No."
Tomokazu sat up, sliding out of the chair and heading to the desk in one corner. He sat down in the chair there, opening a scroll. It was a simple jutsu, but he engrossed himself in it, to forget about the next moment. But it came anyway. Dammit.
"T…omokazu…chan…" The girl gasped out, holding her bloodied side. "W-why?" The tears in her bright green eyes shined even in the darkness.
Tomokazu gave an impatient sigh. The kind he always gave. "Because you're in my way."
"What?"
"All of you." Tomokazu's eyes narrowed. "You're holding me back. You're ruining my chance to be the greatest."
"What…do you…mean?" She seemed to be having trouble staying conscious.
Tomokazu chuckled darkly as he leaned against the tree trunk. The same one as the day before. He watched her with a scornful glance. "Our Clan's kekkei genkai. Yours, Sumiyoshi-sama's, my mothers. You're holding me back. I cannot be great if others have my power."
"How…how can you be so…cruel?" She gasped out, coughing up blood. "You killed all of them…why? To be the strongest? You were always the strongest."
Tomokazu scoffed, "Stop being stupid, Masako-chan. You were merely a hindrance. Always a hindrance."
"But…we…" The girl's eyes filled with even more tears. "What about…?"
"It was nothing." Tomokazu shrugged. "You never meant more to me than anyone else in my life, Masako. A barrier. A hurtle to be jumped over and left behind in the dust. I passed you and now you mean nothing. Is that so hard to grasp?"
He bent down next to her, grinning maliciously, "That mission I was being sent on? It wasn't given to me by Sumiyoshi-sama. It was my own mission. To kill all of you…"
The girl's eyes slowly began closing, as she slumped forward.
"I…I always…"
He began walking away, listening to her last dying breaths.
"…loved you…tomo…kazu…chan…"
Tomokazu couldn't help but give a small, dark chuckle. How stupid could Masako have been? He didn't need love. He didn't need friends. The only thing he needed was power.
But still, it irked him.
The resemblance.
That damned pink-haired kunoichi with her bright green eyes the same as Masako's. That bubbly personality, the hidden strength. If it weren't for the difference in hair color, he would have sworn she had come back from the dead to haunt him. They even wore their hair the same length. Both liked yukatas and slacks instead of kimonos.
And just like Masako, she was holding him back from his true power. Not with her kekkei genkai.
With the scroll she had stolen from him.
Sakura Haruno was getting underneath his skin and on his nerves.
Such annoyances were best dealt with quickly and efficiently.
"Tomokazu-sama!"
Tomokazu turned around with an air of boredom as five sound Jônin walked into his room.
"What?" His eyes narrowed dangerously, and they all cringed. This man had killed Orochimaru after all.
"It seems…master…" One of them began, swallowing hard.
"Naoyo-san's body was found in a village in Cloud. She was killed with a large wound to the stomach area. Almost as if someone had used a chakra-filled punch, but only the Sannin Tsunade can concentrate chakra like that…"
Tomokazu froze for a moment, but it passed quickly as he nodded slowly. "Very well."
"That's…all?" One of them asked hesitantly. Another glared at his fellow sound shinobi, silencing him.
"Of course, master. We will leave you now."
Tomokazu waited for them to leave. He merely sat back down in his chair, musing. So, Naoyo was dead. It must have been Sakura Haruno who killed her. How interesting.
That meant that Naoyo's child was dead as well.
Tomokazu had known about it long before Naoyo had. He gave a small, cold smile.
At least he didn't have to kill the child himself now.
Like shooting two birds with one stone.
He gave another laugh, his gaze almost insane as he pondered the options now open to him. It was glorious.
No one would ever gain his kekkei genkai. Not even his child. It was his secret and his alone.
He had murdered his entire Clan to keep it for himself. What was one more?
Sakura sat in her room at her small desk, her small jewelry pouch in front of her. She had finished her training with Deidara already. Her fingers itched from all of the explosives and molding of clay she had had to do. She had finally managed to get all the clay out from beneath her fingers.
Kisame had said he didn't want to train that day. That was better for her, she supposed. After all, she wanted to make herself look presentable.
Itachi was coming home.
Sakura placed on a necklace that Neji had given her for Valentine's Day: a lotus flower carved in sapphire on a silver chain, with white gold leaves. She touched it with a smile, remembering the time when Neji had given it to her, placing it beneath her pillow with a small note that had made her smile:
Happy Valentine's Day, Haruno-san.
I didn't want to get you chocolates, because they would have made you fat. Shinobi do not need to indulge in such things.
Do not forget about training tomorrow morning.
It had been so simple and rather insulting if she really thought about it. That merely made her smile to herself even more. Neji hadn't meant it like that. It was just a simple note. But it had held so much more. Neji hadn't gotten a gift for anyone else.
Just like with Deidara, why didn't I see it for what it really was? Why did I think that we were only friends? I should have realized that I was leading him on as well…Sakura bit her lip as she twisted her hair atop her head in a knot.
She gave a small sigh, as she looked at herself in her small mirror. She wondered why she was even trying. She didn't truly believe that the difference in her appearance would help to soothe Itachi's hurt.
Why did she give a damn if she hurt him!?
Sakura frowned as she bit down on the bobby pin she held in her mouth. A second one was already in her hair, holding it tightly in place, just in case she wanted to train later on that night.
Its just Itachi. I don't care if he saw me.
He should have waited for an explanation!Why, he's the mighty Uchiha Itachi after all.
That idiot, making me worry like this. What's wrong with me?Sakura took the pin out of her mouth, placing it in her hair as well. She breathed in deeply, smoothing the edges of her yukata. The one he had gotten for her. She wondered if he'd even notice.
Or care.
…
"Itachi! You're back!"
…
Sakura bit her lip, taking another large breath. It didn't work very well, her throat was dry and her hands shook slightly. She didn't think she could actually confront him. She was thankful that Deidara was out at the village, trying to get some more information about the woman who had attacked Kisame and herself.
She calmed her shot nerves, standing up stiffly and heading out of her room. She stopped at the door, unsure if she should go outside.
…
"Guess what? You'll never believe what our little kitten can do now. She's wielding Samehada!"
…
Sakura frowned. Why did Kisame have to bring her into the conversation? She slid the door open, walking outside as she headed down the hallway to the kitchen, where she could hear Kisame speaking.
Itachi took a sip of his tea. Sasori sat beside him, as calm and collected as ever. Kisame was rattling off about something Sakura had done.
Wielding Samehada, that's interesting.
If I cared.
Itachi mentally prepared himself as he heard Sakura's footsteps. He was only grateful that Deidara was not there. If he had been…perhaps Itachi would have had to talk with him.
He touched what was mine.
I warned him not to. Another voice then snickered, no, you didn't. You just expected him to know that he couldn't touch what you thought you owned.
Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly, and his lips thinned in irritation. This was the only emotion he allowed himself to show, however, as the door slid open and she walked inside.
"Good morning, Sasori-san, Kisame, Itachi-san."
The first thing he noticed was that she wore the yukata he had gotten for her. The Akatsuki clouds on the obi were as red as his Sharingan. She wore her hair up, tied back in a graceful knot. It looked good, with her bangs framing her face.
Her pale face seemed worried, and her emerald eyes flickered with uncertainty. She sat down next to Sasori, smoothing the edge of her kimono. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear she looked down at her cup of tea.
"Good morning Haruno-san." Sasori answered back, feeling the tension that had entered the room the moment the pink-haired kunoichi had. He had known this would happen soon. "We will continue our puppet lessons tonight. I must go and see if Deidara has found anything." It would be best to let them deal with this now. If Sakura does not heal his eyes, Leader will not be happy.
He stood, shooting a glance at Kisame, who was downing a glass of sake. This early? He gave a small sigh. "Kisame-san, let us go."
"Why do I have to come?" Kisame asked innocently, completely unaware of the uncomfortable air of the room.
"You are the only one besides Haruno-san who knows what the woman looked like. You will be needed to identify any pictures of her."
Kisame sighed with a frown. "Ok…"
He and Sasori left the room.
Sakura almost winced as she heard the door close. Itachi remained calm, sipping his tea with an air of aloofness.
How can he act so cool and calm?
"Itachi?" Dammit! Use 'san'!
…
"I wanted…um…" Sakura began fiddling with the sleeve of her yukata. "How are your eyes?" Great one, Sakura.
"Hn."
"That's…that's good." Sakura whispered back, biting her lip. She didn't know what else to say. He wasn't making this easy. "I…I wanted to explain about that…night." She then began quickly, "I'm not trying to make an excuse, really. I just want you to hear me out…"
It sounds like you're tryin to make excuses already.
Hurry, before he leaves!
…
"You see I…I was drunk."
Itachi looked up at her, his face impassive. She was drunk? She never gets drunk, except that one time when she was trying to escape, and then it was all an act. Surely she doesn't think I would believe that?
Sakura continued, not looking at him. "I didn't know what I was doing, but it's not Deidara's fault either," She amended quickly before talking once more, "I don't think either of us were in our right senses. I just…I just wanted you to know that."
…
Sakura looked at him, frustrated tears in her eyes now, though they did not fall. "Why won't you just say something!? I'm sorry, alright!?"
Itachi looked up at her, and for a moment it struck him how strange and innocent she looked. So out of place. She looked as if she were breaking in two. For a moment it worried him, her fragility. But in the next moment he was once again himself.
"I am not your father, nor your husband. I do not care what you do." He stood, his eyes bright red, the only thing that showed the fact that he actually did care.
"Itachi—"
"Whoever gave you the impression that I did, was wrong." They were completely right, and that's what bothers me. I shouldn't care at all.
Sakura gave a loud agitated sigh. "Itachi will you just listen to me? You're acting like an immature, spoiled little child—"
Once again, Sakura found herself pinned against the wall. Like that moment so long ago in Rain, when she had uttered words much like these. She was pressed against the wood, and for a moment panic ran through her, but it disappeared.
He was touching her.
She'd forgotten what it felt like. She almost gave a rueful laugh. The only time she could get him to touch her now was if they were fighting.
Itachi almost let out a small groan. The feeling of her pressed against him reminded him of those times before. The times when she had eagerly accepted his kiss. And it angered him that he was still having those thoughts.
She shuddered against him, and Itachi wondered if perhaps she was having much of the same thoughts. He merely answered her back. "You will heal my eyes tonight. And then you will leave."
Sakura's eyes widened as he let go of her, and she slowly pushed herself off of the wall, numb. She looked up at him, not sure if she had heard him correctly.
"Leave?"
Itachi was already walking to the door.
Sakura acted on instinct. "Please don't go! I'll tell you what's in the scroll!"
Itachi's back stiffened slightly as he looked back at her over his shoulder.
"I don't care." I care more than I should. That's why you must leave.
Sakura blinked again as the door closed behind her. She absently sat down, leaning her elbows on the tea table. She stared down at her hands, which shook.
Leave for Konoha?
He wants me gone?
…I was right. He only wants me to heal his eyes.
…how could I have been so stupid?
Sasuke…what have I done?
Sakura's shoulder shook, but no tears came. She was too torn for tears. Her wide eyes merely stared into the teacup, seeing the liquid ripple and splash as her shaking jarred the table.
…he wants me gone…he wants me gone…he wants me gone…
Nonononononononononono…
…gone…gone…gone…
Deidara, Kisame, and Sasori began walking back up the road to the Akatsuki temple. They hadn't found out anything at all. The villagers were afraid of them now. They didn't want to have anything to do with these strange, cloud cloaked shinobi.
Deidara gave a loud sigh. "This trail is too long, yeah."
I wonder how Sakura is holding up with Itachi.
Probably not very well, yeah. She really did love him.
And he likes her, no matter how hard he tries not to show it.
Jealous?
Deidara shrugged, grunting in answer to his own question.
I don't really deserve her, that's for sure.
I can feel it, even if she tries to hide it. She's still not entirely comfortable with me anymore. She doesn't know what happened that night and…it scares her, yeah.
She's afraid of me.
Deidara's eyes grew sad.
But I still deserve her more than Itachi, yeah.
Kisame grinned as he saw that Deidara was moping. Pining over my kitten? He couldn't help but give a laugh as he thought about it. Serves him right.
"Hey Deidara, what's on your mind?"
"Hm?"
"Let me guess. It has pink hair, green eyes, and a tendency to break things when it gets angry?"
Deidara looked up at Kisame with an annoyed frown. "What's it to you, yeah?"
"Well, don't think about touching her again, Deidara. My kitten deserves better."
"Are you her father now, or something?" Deidara raised one eyebrow.
Kisame resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "All I'm saying is that she doesn't like you like that. It was all drink."
Deidara frowned even more. I knew that, you idiot.
"And if you try and rape her like Itachi did I'll—"
Deidara stopped moving. He was paler than usual and he stared blindly at Kisame and Sasori.
Kisame looked back at him in confusion. "What's your problem?"
Sasori had caught it, and he knew what was going through Deidara's mind. That was smart of you, Kisame. It's not as if Deidara would get angry when he found out that Itachi raped Sakura.
He resisted the urge to sigh.
This is all too much. I actually want a drink.
"He…what?" Deidara ground out, eyes narrowing. "Itachi did what?"
"Oh, it was a long time ago, when the kitten first got here." Kisame shrugged, continuing. "I don't think you and Sasori were there that night. Either that or you were already asleep."
Deidara stared down at the ground. Itachi had raped Sakura and he hadn't done anything? He'd thought it was just another one of the informants that Itachi was torturing. Someone to get information out of.
The one who had screamed that night…was Sakura?
Deidara's hands clenched as his eyes narrowed murderously.
Sasori saw it and gave a small groan of annoyance. He didn't need to deal with this now.
"He…raped…her…yeah?" Deidara's words were clipped and disjointed. Itachi deserved to die. Sakura was in love with the man who had raped her? Deidara almost paled. They were alone. What if Itachi tried to rape her again?
He didn't stop to explain to the others as he rushed towards the temple.
"What's his problem?" Kisame asked with a frown.
Sasori rubbed his temples. Even though it wasn't possible, he felt as if he were getting a headache. Why couldn't things have just cooled down for once?
"Let's go, Kisame." Sasori gave a small sigh as he ran after Deidara. Kisame appeared beside him, still asking him what was wrong as they sped towards the temple.
"You will heal my eyes tonight. And then you will leave."
Sakura sat down on her bed, angry tears running down her cheeks. "Who the hell gave him the right to tell me what to do!?"
She wiped the tears away with a shaking hand as she gritted her teeth in frustration. "That bastard…that inconsiderate bastard…"
…
"Itachi! You bastard! Get out here now, yeah!"
…
Sakura blinked, hearing Deidara's voice. It was different though. Full of anger and fury. The voice of someone Sakura didn't know. She didn't think she liked it.
What's gotten him so worked up? What's wrong?
Sakura hurriedly stood, opening her door and rushing down the hallway. She stopped in the hall, where Deidara was standing and glaring at Itachi, who had just walked out of his own room.
"You bastard!" Deidara seethed. "How dare you do that, yeah?"
…
"You had no right…to touch her…to do anything to her…"
Sakura's brows furrowed. Touch who? She continued to watch, seeing Itachi as emotionless as ever. Deidara was far from it.
"Hn."
"Don't act like that, Itachi." Deidara's eyes narrowed as he spoke through clenched teeth. "I can't believe you. You raped her!?"
Sakura paled slightly, suddenly realizing just whom it was Deidara was talking about.
"Jealous?"
But how could he have found out? Kisame, you idiot!
Sakura bit her lip as memories of that night slowly resurfaced. Her cheeks flooded with heat as she realized that now Deidara knew about it as well. Jealous? That's all Itachi could say, taunting her with it! The bastard. And now Deidara knew…
Itachi's eyes narrowed in return, and a small smirk crossed his face.
Deidara let out a growl in the back of his throat.
Sakura merely steamed. What right did Itachi have to throw Sakura's rape in Deidara's face? Or bring it up at all for that matter?
Suddenly Deidara's fist shot forward. The crack echoed throughout the room. Sakura stared, dumbfounded, as Deidara brought his hand back. Itachi brought a hand up to his now broken nose, ignoring the blood as he glared at Deidara, his face still emotionless.
"Why should I be, yeah?" Deidara gave a snide smile of his own, massaging his knuckles. "I didn't have to tie Sakura up for her to sleep with me."
Sakura's eyes widened. How DARE Deidara say something like that!
Itachi's hands clenched.
"What's wrong Itachi?" Deidara gave a smile worthy of Tomokazu.
…
…
…
"Jealous?"
Itachi lunged, catching Deidara off-guard. Deidara barely managed to jump out of the way. He landed on his feet a little ways off, smiling to himself. I've finally got him mad, yeah. Good.
Itachi watched him as he twiddled with the kunai between his fingers.
Deidara's eyes suddenly became wide as he saw three long, blonde hairs fall to the ground. He hadn't gotten away as quickly as he had thought. His smile faded as his eyes narrowed and he got into a fighting stance.
There was a small moment of silence as they both stared at each other.
Sakura blinked and both figures disappeared, before they reappeared on the other side of the room, dodging and blocking one another.
What the hell are they doing? What are they fighting about?
This isn't like either of them. They're out of control.
Itachi's foot connected with Deidara's stomach, sending him flying across the room. He flipped in midair, landing on his toes as he skidded to a halt, before heading straight back at Itachi. He didn't even seem to be affected by the hit as he reached inside of his cloak.
Sakura paled. His birds!
Itachi did a few rapid hand signs as the explosive-filled bird shot towards him, "Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu." Five fireballs shot towards the bird, twirling together to make one large one right before they hit.
They met in midair, exploding with such a large force that Sakura had to put her hands up and dig her heels into the ground.
She blinked, eyes watering as the dust flew through the air around her. As soon as it settled, she noticed two things.
One: Itachi and Deidara were nowhere to be found. Two: they no longer had a kitchen.
She hurriedly ran out into the open courtyard—which was now only a few feet from her—and saw that Itachi and Deidara were still fighting.
Deidara breathed in deeply, wiping the blood from his lip. He flicked it onto the ground with a grin. "I've wanted to do this for a long time, yeah. Sakura deserves better than you."
"Someone like you, perhaps?" Itachi's voice was cold and scornful as he threw three kunai at Deidara. Deidara dodged, but he had to put up a small shield of earth to block the other kunai hidden in the shadow of the first three.
Deidara did a few hand signs as he sunk into the earth.
Itachi scanned the area, eyes narrowed. "Why don't you answer me, Deidara?" Talk and give away your position.
No response.
Itachi assessed the situation, one hand placed inside of his cloak. He decided a bit of goading was needed. He knew just what to do.
"It seems, however, that the only way you can get Sakura to sleep with you is after getting her drunk. At least I'm not hiding the fact that I raped her like yourself."
Deidara's hand erupted from the ground, reaching for Itachi's ankle. He grabbed a hold of him, pulling him down into the earth. Deidara slowly slid out of the ground, looking down at Itachi who was now trapped.
He shot his leg forward, connecting with Itachi's head. His neck snapped back—and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Deidara cursed as he put his hands up, blocking an oncoming attack from the real Itachi. They skidded to a halt as Deidara grabbed a hold of his leg, twisting him around and throwing him across the clearing.
Itachi twisted in the air, throwing five kunai at Deidara before he landed on a tree limb, Sharingan blazing.
Deidara dodged four of them, but the fifth ripped into his right shoulder. He gave a grunt as he placed a hand to the wound.
Sakura was too shocked to do anything. She merely stayed rooted to her spot, watching.
Deidara wrenched the bloodied kunai from his shoulder, gripping it in crimson-stained hands. He did a few hand signs, smearing the blood into a clay bird he was making.
"It's a special jutsu I created, yeah. It locks onto the only other blood it can smell in the area besides the one it's made out of. Try getting rid of this thing, yeah."
The bird shot forward, weaving through the tree limbs as Itachi dodged it.
Sakura tried to follow it with her eyes, but seeing the bird and Itachi whip through branches was making her slightly dizzy. She took a step backwards and tripped. She gave a small yelp as she threw her hands backwards to stop her fall. They scratched against the rough ground and she felt a few rocks dig into her palms, breaking the skin.
Sakura paled as she looked down at her hands, seeing the blood well up in tiny drops. Oh god. That bird…
Itachi began a sequence of hand signs, but stopped when the bird changed direction and left him, heading in the other direction. He stopped to ponder this only for a small moment before he lunged once more at Deidara.
Sakura hurriedly jumped up, as she realized that the bird had caught scent of her blood. She gave a small growl as she flipped backwards, hearing the sound of its flapping wings as it came after her.
Dammit, she didn't know many fire jutsus. The ones she did know, made her actually have physical contact with her enemy. That meant touching the bird to set off the explosions.
Sakura didn't feel much like committing suicide at the moment.
"Sakura-chan!"
Oh shut up, Deidara, this is all your fault! Sakura yelled out silently as she landed on a tree limb, dodging the bird once more. She caught a glimpse of Deidara heading towards her, before Itachi cut him off.
Well, no room for a knight in shining armor here. Guess I can't be the damsel in distress this time. Thanks Itachi. All you Uchihas are the same, not letting anything else get in the way of whatever you deem your 'sacred mission'. Sakura thought wryly as she lunged to the left, hitting the next tree limb with her hands, grabbing a hold of it as she twisted around and the bird zoomed passed her ear. She was surprised she had any humor at the moment.
Sakura cursed Deidara's efficiency in this new jutsu as she jumped back into the clearing where Itachi and Deidara continued to fight. She turned around, seeing the bird shoot out of the trees at her. Why couldn't that bird have just hit a tree and exploded already?
I can barely track its movements to dodge it, let alone hit it with one of my attacks! I'd need the Sharingan or Byakugan for that.
Sakura blinked, before her eyes narrowed. Now or never. She smeared the blood from her palms onto both thumbs, doing a stream of rapid hand signs. She felt the chakra surge through the blood on her fingertips as she placed her thumbs over her eyes.
I hope this works. And I hope I made the last few seals correctly!
Chakra shot from the blood to her closed eyelids, flowing underneath them and swirling around inside of her. She had to force her eyes to remain shut as pinpricks of pain dotted her irises.
She opened her eyes and for a moment, she couldn't see. She blinked, but all that showed as darkness. That scroll…what did it do!? This isn't what it said would happen. Maybe…what if I did it wrong!?
Then she blinked once more and she could see. She jumped to the side, eyes wide in surprise. She could see.
She could see everything.
Her hands moved quickly now, faster than ever before as she felt the chakra surge into her hand. It was a special jutsu, one that only a few people knew. Two besides herself, she believed.
The sound of chirping birds filled the air as she clenched her fingers, the chakra rushing around them.
Kakashi had been kind enough to teach two of his students the Chidori.
She rushed towards the bird, eyes blazing. I can move away before the initial blast hits me. That's the only way I can get rid of this damned thing…wait…now!
Sakura shot backwards as the chakra from the Chidori grazed the bird, making it explode. Sakura felt the heat waves roll off of the explosion, and the force threw her backwards. She landed on her feet, but she was pushed against a tree, which slammed into her back. She was merely lucky she hadn't been caught in the actual explosion, which would have burned the skin from her bones. Her hair fell around her and she only then noticed that it had come out of its hair-tie.
She let out a small grunt of pain as the dust filled the air around her. That bomb was larger than any of the others she had seen Deidara use. She blinked again, feeling the pain begin to surface once more. She wasn't used to focusing so much chakra into her eyes.
She slowly let it fade away, and her own vision returned. She realized why Itachi always wore his Sharingan. She felt as if she were now blind.
The green of the trees was dull and lackluster. The sky didn't seem as blue. The dirt was duller than ever before. For a moment, Sakura wished she had looked at Itachi with those eyes. What would she have seen?
She breathed in deeply as she turned her normal, emerald green eyes toward the fight between Itachi and Deidara, which was still going on.
Apparently they had just gone in for a few hits, because when she went back to watch their battle, they were jumping away from a large crater in the middle of the clearing.
"Had enough, yeah?" Deidara was breathing heavily, smirking at Itachi as if he had the upper hand.
"Hn."
"She's always deserved better than you, Itachi. Sakura deserves so much more."
Sakura merely continued to watch them. Like you, Deidara? What do you mean? What do I deserve?
"I've been waiting for this for a long time. You have no idea, yeah." You didn't even realize it, but we've been rivals. Both fighting over Sakura's heart, yeah. I know I can't win her back, but I swear I'll make sure she gets someone better than you.
"Hn."
"You can't tell me you haven't wanted to fight me, yeah."
Sakura blinked.
Sasuke and Naruto stood on the top of the hospital roof. The white blankets hung up on the clotheslines flapped in the wind. It made it hard to see them. She could barely make out their figures in the distance.
"You can't tell me you haven't wanted to fight me, Naruto." Sasuke watched him seriously.
Naruto smiled boyishly. "I've wanted to fight you for a long time. So let's do it. A real fight, to see which one of us is stronger. Believe it."
Sasuke gave a small smirk. "Don't be an idiot, Naruto."
Deidara collected clay into his hands. Instead of making something out of it, however, he merely molded it over his arms.
Sakura blinked. If he touched Itachi, Deidara's arms would explode on contact. There would be no way to dodge them, if they touched him. "This is a fair fight now. To see which one of us is stronger, yeah." To see which one of us deserves Sakura more.
"You will die." Itachi spoke in his monotone as he did a few hand signs. Chakra collected in his hand, burning brightly before it became red and orange flames, curling around his fingertips. This was never a fair fight, Deidara. I've always been stronger.
Sakura watched in growing horror.
Sasuke breathed in deeply, placing his hand down as blue and white chakra crackled in his palm, filling the air around him with burning energy. Chidori. "This is it, Naruto."
Naruto grinned at him, his own hand filling with spiraling wind. Rasengan.
"Come on, Sasuke. I'm waiting."
Sakura watched them from behind the white walls of the sheets. Her heart stopped. Her lungs closed. Her eyes widened. Time stopped.
They lunged.
"Oh my god." Sakura whispered, just as Itachi and Deidara shot forward. Memories were flooding her mind, blinding her.
Sakura shot through the clothes, pushing the white sheets aside as she ran. "NO!"
She reacted on instinct, jumping to her feet.
Not fast enough. She would never make it in time. They just continued running at each other. The Chidori and the Rasengan glowed in the half-light.
"Stop it!" Sakura yelled out, but the sounds stuck in her throat as she cursed them both for their foolishness. She tried to gather chakra into her palms, in an attempt to use a jutsu to stop the two of them.
"Naruto! Sasuke! Stop it! NO!"
"Deidara! Itachi! Stop it now!" Sakura had always sworn she would be strong enough to stop this from ever happening again. She would stop them. She would protect the ones she loved.
She would live her ninja way.
Sakura felt the heat from their attacks as she neared them. She saw their eyes widen as they spotted her. She saw the panic and the fear and the realization that she was too late to stop them.
Sakura felt the chakra in her palms flicker and die, replaced with a new heat, as Itachi's flames and Deidara's explosives inched closer and closer.
Once again, as she appeared between these two, the realization donned in their eyes. She saw it. The panic, the fear in Deidara's, as he seemed to try and stop, but it was too late.
The flicker of something she almost didn't recognize in Itachi's, as his hand clenched and she saw him instinctively try and stop the jutsu.
"SAKURA!"
"Sakura!"
Once again, too late. Too weak. She'd spent her entire life training to be strong enough to stop her friends from hurting one another. To keep this from ever happening again.
Too late…too late…
Sakura pulled her arms over her head, shielding her face as she waited for the inevitable. She clenched her eyes shut and gave a scream.
Sakura breathed in deeply, ignoring the fear the rushed through her. There was nothing she could do. There was no use in panicking.
Blinding, blistering heat. She felt for a moment as if her arms were on fire.
Then it stopped.
Sasuke and Naruto flew across the rooftop, slamming into the wall and ground.
"That was foolish of you Sakura. You could have been killed."
Sakura blinked and looked up, seeing the green Jônin vest of her sensei, Kakashi.
He'd saved her.
Not Sasuke. Not Naruto.
They hadn't cared. They'd continued to run at each other. They hadn't stopped. She would have died.
Sakura blinked once again, as she saw Deidara and Itachi fly across the clearing.
"Haruno-san, that was a rather idiotic move. If you had been seriously injured there would have been no medic-nin to heal you."
Deidara and Itachi flipped in the air and landed on their feet.
Standing in front of her was a billowing, black cloak with crimson clouds, not a green Jônin vest. Light hair, just like Kakashi's, but different.
Sasori straightened as he turned to look at her.
He'd saved her.
Not Itachi. Not Deidara.
They hadn't care. They'd continued to run at each other. They hadn't stopped. …she would have died.
Sakura felt sick and angry, all at one time. She blinked, trying to ignore the fact that her heart was beating too fast for her to even count.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Kisame roared from other side of the clearing, where he and Sasori had come from. "What were you two doing?"
"I would like to ask the same question." Sasori spoke up as well, turning to look at them as he gave them both an agitated, annoyed look. As if he were merely stopping a childish fight over a small toy.
Sakura breathed in a ragged breath, making everyone turn. She glared at Deidara and Itachi, emerald eyes glittering. She forced herself not to cry, even if she felt like doing so. Those last few minutes…the similarities…she couldn't stand it. She needed to find a release.
"How…dare…you?" Her hands clenched as she exhaled from between clenched teeth, almost hissing.
"You two…talking like that…how DARE you!?" She finally yelled out. Deidara flinched, Itachi remained emotionless.
"I'm not some whore to be talked about or passed around!" Sakura shrieked. "And I'm not some possession you can take out and use when you want to, so stop talking about me like I am! You're both—" She whirled around, back erect and hands clenched.
"—bastards!"
She breathed in deeply again. Deidara expected to see tears, but there were none. Instead, her eyes were hard, like jewels. Cold and beautiful. The eyes he had seen behind her ANBU mask the first time he had met her.
"I don't even know why I'm staying here, to tell you the truth." She gave a soft, dry laugh as she shook her head. "I really don't know why." Then she disappeared into the air.
There was a long moment of silence.
…
…
…
"…what just happened?" Kisame finally asked.
Itachi merely snorted, walking back into his room and closing the door behind him. Deidara was too stunned to protest. He hadn't meant anything by it…he hadn't meant…
Sasori gave another loud, agitated sigh. "I do believe Haruno-san left."
And I can honestly say I don't blame her.
(A/N: So? Did everybody like the fight scene? Sorry it couldn't be completely finished, but let's face it: Itachi would have killed Deidara. That would not be good. And now Sakura's gotten pissed and finally left. Geeze, if it were me, I would have left AGES ago. The 'Sakura running in the middle of the battle' might be a little cliché, but it fit the scene, since that's what she did when Sasuke and Naruto fought. I hope everyone liked the little 'Sasuke vs. Naruto' 'Itachi vs. Deidara' transition.
Next chapter? Why, an Itachi/Sakura moment of course! I know its weird to think of that right after this large battle, but it will actually happen—and make sense. Hm. Now that you've all gotten a taste of the scroll, what do you think? Let me tell you, however, it's not done yet! The scroll does a lot more. Oh so much more…hehehehe…
How did you like the little Tomokazu 'childhood flashback' scene? Yeah, he wasn't a very nice little boy. But technically, if you knew his story, you'd feel a little sorry for him. (I might just write a small little fanfic later on about Tomokazu's life before he joins Akatsuki. That would be fun …IF I had nothing else to do) But he wasn't very nice when he said that about poor Naoyo! She might have been a hoe, but hoes have feelings too. Tomokazu is not a nice guy at all.
Well, anyway, I hope you all liked it. This next chapter is part two of the Valentine's Day special! Yay!
Until next time,
Lady Hanaka is off again!
Life Question: If cocaine were legal, would they sell it in little packages like Sweet N' Low? Would they call it Sweet N' High?
P.S. ItachiISHot, instead of putting the answers to your questions here, I will hopefully find the time to post them in my profile, along with the quotes and sayings you wanted. I don't know when I can get them up, but I'll try my hardest to get them up soon.)