Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own them...sigh...just the crazed maniac that we've all come to love.
(A/N: Sorry about the lateness. I couldn't update. Oi. I humbly ask for you forgiveness!)
Chapter 17
Resemblance
It was probably the quietest day of their collective lives.
No one spoke. They merely followed Shino and Kiba's directions as their animals led them in the presumed correct direction.
The Akatsuki kept their distance, as if they didn't like the idea of being stuck with the Konoha shinobi any better than the Leaf ANBU did them.
Shikamaru and the others kept looking over their shoulders at their 'allies' as if just waiting for a kunai to find it's way into their backs. They didn't trust them. The distrust was mutual, however.
They'd finally gotten Sasuke quiet, although it had taken a while. He had, after all, continued to argue with them about letting him go to kill his brother, who had, of course, stared at him with that annoying smirk just waiting for him to attack. After a threat from Ino to take over his body permanently, a few good punches from Naruto, and a few juken hits later from an unknown source (ahem), Sasuke was in no position to fight.
Sasuke felt betrayed. By all of them.
And yet he could do nothing.
They were sitting in a clearing, as the Konoha shinobi rested. The Akatsuki merely stood, waiting for them to finish catching their breath.
Sasuke's eyes rested hatefully upon his brother. He gritted his teeth, but he could do nothing. The moment he lunged, Shikamaru would have him in a shadow possession jutsu.
He'd already tried once before.
It hadn't ended well.
Do it for Sakura, Sasuke! And inner voice called out. Save Sakura and then kill him. You can avenge your clan and then…then Sakura will come back with you. She will see that she can come back and everything will be perfect again.
I can't…I have to kill him. I can't fight alongside him…
Even to save Sakura?
…
…
…even to save Sakura…
"Are you leaf brats rested yet? Or should I tuck you in and sing you a lullaby so you can get back to your afternoon nap?" Kisame snapped angrily. The Konoha shinobi bristled, and Akamaru let out a snarl.
Sasori raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as he turned to speak with Itachi once more.
Deidara finally spoke, smiling slightly. "Don't mind him, yeah. He just hasn't had his sake for today."
Kisame grunted. "Funny, Deidara. We aren't helping kitten by standing here."
"Kitten?" Kiba whispered to Lee, Choji, and Tenten. "An s-classed criminal calls Sakura 'kitten'?"
"Should that word even be allowed in his vocabulary?" Choji asked. "It just sounds so…weird hearing him say kitten."
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY VOCABULARY, HUH?"
Choji, Kiba, Lee, and Tenten jumped as he stood in front of them, glowering down. Everyone else had their weapons out. Sasori merely sighed as he turned from his conversation with Itachi.
Another long, uncomfortable silence ensued.
Hinata looked to Naruto, who seemed to be in his own little world. He wouldn't let anyone go near him, and he seemed cranky. He snapped when they'd asked what was wrong. He just kept looking at the Akatsuki, and then back at the scroll he had been holding.
He was still holding it, his gaze curious and thoughtful.
No one had asked him what was in the letter Sakura had written him. Mostly because after the first try, all they'd gotten was a glare and a growl. Even when Hinata had asked why he'd been crying, he just clammed up and didn't talk to anyone.
"Alright Shikamaru, I think we can head out again." Temari called out as she stood. "We don't want to try our dear fish friend's patience."
Kisame's eyes narrowed. "If you weren't important to this mission to rescue kitten, you'd be dead right now."
…once again, silence reigned.
Naruto ran with Ino and Temari, in between the Akatsuki and the rest of the Konoha shinobi. Naruto kept looking back at them, wondering.
He was thinking about Sakura's letter. About what she'd said about the Akatsuki…about being in the Akatsuki. …of her frightening words that had him doubting himself…and her. He didn't know what to think.
I think I'd say they're merely…
Human.
Yes, that's it. Human. They aren't as cold-blooded as everyone thinks. They're actually teaching me some jutsus. It's like team seven all over again, except it's a team of one student and three senseis. A bit different than what we had, ne?
Hai. A bit different…Naruto looked back at them, wondering at how Sakura could think such things. They seemed as cold as since the fist time he'd met Itachi and Kisame. They had tried to murder him! How could Sakura say those things?
Deidara's been teaching me some clay techniques. I was just promoted to exploding clay, which made my day of course. You had better watch out if you ever ask me to spar with you again. You'll be in for a rude awakening. I can mold it into a bird, but it doesn't look very good. Art was never my forte. But it can still fly. Not very well, of course. You'd laugh at it. It's rather pathetic.
Nah, you never were that great at art, Sakura. That was Sai's thing. Naruto looked back at Deidara. He wondered…what kind of a sensei was he? He seemed to be the only one who wasn't completely dark and twisted. Yet…he had almost killed Gaara…
Kisame, surprisingly enough, is teaching me swordplay. With Samehada. Can you believe it, Naruto? I can wield Samehada! Of course, I've only done so once or twice. Kisame gave me a rather pitiful imitation of it to practice with.
The thought of the blue-skinned shark man being nice enough to let ANYONE touch his sword this side of death was preposterous. Naruto could picture Kisame as a drill-sergeant, sitting on top of Sakura's back as he made her do push-ups. He seemed like the type to do that. It almost made Naruto smile to think of it. Almost.
Sasori made me this adorable little geisha doll. I haven't named her yet, although I suppose I should. If you think of any ideas, let me know. She's small, about a foot or so high, but Sasori taught me a special jutsu that let's me alter her size. This will help if I want to carry her around, I guess.
He's taught me how to control her, and I can fight pretty well using her. She has plenty of wonderful little weapons hidden everywhere. Kankuro would be proud. She's even got poisoned senbon as chopsticks for her hair.
Naruto remembered Sasori. He remembered how he'd killed Gaara and only Chiyo's sacrifice had brought him back…and he also remembered the little geisha puppet that had been lying in the middle of the clearing, looking so forlorn.
And Naruto had seen Sasori pick it up as they were leaving, his gaze slightly troubled.
You don't know them like I do.
I guess I don't…
You don't see it. The way they joke with one another like normal people. The way they try and help me. The way they get worried and fuss when I'm in a bad mood, which usually ends up in me smacking Kisame or Deidara because they won't stop asking 'what's wrong'. Like you, baka.
Naruto gave a small smile as he thought of Sakura hitting Kisame and Deidara over the head because they wouldn't stop pestering her. It seemed like something the slightly carefree and cheerful Deidara would get himself into. But Kisame seemed a bit cold for that. But then again, he did call Sakura 'kitten'.
The name fit.
Of course the way she compared Kisame and Deidara to Naruto himself seemed a bit strange. But he could see it slightly; in the way they talked with themselves.
And last but not least, Naruto's gaze drifted to Itachi.
You can't understand my feelings, can you? You're probably reading this and wondering how in the world I can care for them, or how I can…maybe…somehow…be in love with Itachi Uchiha?
No, he couldn't understand. He tried. Dear god he tried to see it Sakura's way. He tried to see if there was maybe some goodness hidden in his eyes…but he couldn't find it. And this man had ruined Sasuke's life. He was the reason Sakura and Sasuke had never been together in the first place. How could she love him?
I don't know if you can forgive me for what I've done, Naruto. I know it would be hard for me to understand if you or Sasuke left me. But…then again, you did leave me. So I suppose there isn't really an excuse, is there? But that's beside the point. I just want you to understand that…he isn't what you think.
Sakura…he killed Sasuke's family! He kidnapped you! He raped you…how could you love him? …and how do I tell Sasuke?
Did you know that he's actually nice, sometimes?
Naruto couldn't believe that Itachi Uchiha could be kind. He'd tried to attack Naruto for his Kyuubi! He'd used Sakura to get Naruto to come to him…
When I was injured, he carried me. And…it's hard to explain and it probably isn't that significant to you but…he gave me the bed.
And he stayed up with me when I was afraid to be alone.
I think Itachi really does have a heart, not matter how emotionless he seems.
Naruto felt like punching some real sense into her, but as he'd read those lines, he wondered about it. Why would Itachi Uchiha carry her? Or stay up with her when she was afraid and alone?
And then it struck Naruto.
Itachi had stopped attacking Naruto to save Sakura from Sasuke.
Does he…could he maybe not be as bad as I thought before?…was that the Itachi that Sakura is talking about?
He watched Itachi closer. Itachi seemed to notice his gaze, for their eyes locked. Once again, Naruto searched. Once again, nothing. Merely an annoyed glare and a cold smirk.
Maybe I just have to look harder.
Kakashi was seated at the small Ichiraku stand with Jiraiya and Tsunade. He sipped some tea casually, his gaze dark and sullen. If Jiraiya and Tsunade noticed this, they tried to ignore it.
Of course, their cheerful fronts were pathetic at best. Jiraiya was flirting with Tsunade and she didn't even try to pretend she was offended, or smack him for staring at her.
She clenched her hand around her tea cup, immediately loosening her grip so she wouldn't shatter it. That wouldn't end well. She was remembering Kakashi's trip to her office a few days back, when he'd asked if there was any new news about Sakura.
When she'd said no, Kakashi had merely sat down in one of the chairs and sighed. Shizune had walked inside and asked what was wrong, and Kakashi had told them a story he'd been thinking about.
About the ANBU mission he and Sakura had been sent on.
Tsunade remembered it as clear as day. The ANBU patrol had come back carrying Sakura and Kakashi. Kakashi had been unconscious and Sakura had been close to fainting as well.
It had taken so much work to save them…
Tsunade sat down in the seat against the wall, waiting as she heard Sakura stirring on the hospital bed close to the window.
Sakura sat up with a small grunt. The hospital blanket pooled around her waist. She looked down at the fresh bandages on her stomach that wrapped all the way around her chest, up to her collarbone. She looked to the hospital bed beside her, and saw Kakashi sleeping peacefully.
"Sakura." Tsunade pulled Sakura out of her reverie, eyes narrowed seriously. "What the hell happened?"
Sakura leaned her elbow against one knee, which she had brought up close to her chest. Tsunade saw her wince slightly at the mild soreness that still remained. "It was a trap. Well, not technically. We infiltrated the base and got the files, but there was more then ten ANBU present."
Tsunade nodded. "How many?"
"Fifty."
Tsunade swore loudly. She could tell Sakura was just waiting for her to punch something. She barely refrained from doing so. "Fifty Mist ANBU? How on earth did you survive? Report, now."
Sakura nodded. "Kakashi and I entered the hideout believing we would only be dealing with ten, perhaps twenty mist-nin. We slipped inside unnoticed, and would have gotten out as well, but…thirty more mist-nin arrived as we were leaving, and one of them sensed us."
Tsunade's eyes darkened as she nodded for her to continue.
Sakura did so. "I told Kakashi to get the scrolls and go, and leave me with them. But you know how Kakashi is. Kakashi thought he should be the one to fight them and hold them off, since I was the medic-nin and would be needed to heal his wounds. I differed from his opinion since I would be better at long range attacks with my taijutsu against the mist-nin, since we weren't near a large water source."
Sakura breathed in deeply. "Kakashi managed to kill quite a few of them, and I was fighting off some of the others. Two of the mist-nin almost blew Kakashi's arm off with a strange water jutsu, but Kakashi managed to block the brunt of it with his own copy."
Tsunade waited to hear more.
"One of the two mist-ANBU captains came for me. He is the one who cut through my stomach with a water dragon missile while I was preoccupied with a few more of them. It was sloppy of me. After I was injured, I used my poison gas and then layered a genjutsu to keep them busy long enough for me to get Kakashi and myself away and mask our chakra levels. By this time we were both bleeding heavily. A few of the other mist-nin came for us, including the other leader, but we managed to elude them, although I had to fight in close combat once more, as did Kakashi. We gained a few more minor injuries because of this."
Tsunade snorted. Sakura and Kakashi's minor injuries would have killed a lesser shinobi.
"When we were finally free, I tried to heal some of Kakashi's wounds, but I did not have enough chakra to do so with my own, merely disinfect them."
"I saw that. You almost died. Several times. Your heart stopped twice." Tsunade began roughly. "And Kakashi was right. You should have stayed out of the battle."
"If I had not joined, we would both be dead right now." Sakura answered back softly.
Tsunade frowned. She hated it when Sakura was right. She sighed as she began looking over Sakura's injuries again. "Sakura, why do you put yourself through these missions? Why didn't you call for backup earlier? You were inside of the border when you were both blacking out, surely you could have found someone else."
Sakura's hands clenched on the sheet. "Because I no longer wish to be weak. That's what everyone always wanted, wasn't it? To get rid of the weak little Sakura and have a stronger kunoichi in her place?" Sakura's voice trembled slightly.
"Sakura…" Tsunade sighed.
"I gave up everything to become strong. Like you and Kakashi wanted, ne? Like all of Konoha wanted. I became a true shinobi. I became strong. I don't cry anymore. I don't scream. I don't laugh. I don't smile. Because emotion is weakness. I am strong and I will never go back to being weak again because—" Sakura stopped herself biting her lip as she clenched her hands.
"…because if I do…I will be nothing." Sakura finished, looking down at the ground. "I don't have Sasuke now. I don't have Naruto. I don't have anything anymore. All I have are my skills as a shinobi. That's it. And I can't give that up, Tsunade-shishou…because if I do…I'll die."
Tsunade's eyes darkened with worry. She hadn't thought her and Kakashi's pressing Sakura to get better would have this effect on her. If she had known…if she had only known that Sakura would cut herself off from everyone else just to become better for Konoha, she wouldn't have pushed her.
I've never seen her like this. She's never shown that much emotion. She's always strengthened herself for the news of Naruto and Sasuke's deaths; because she lost all hope the day Naruto left.
She grabbed Sakura in a hug. It was the only thing she could think of doing. She felt as if she had made Sakura into this empty, emotionless shell and she hated herself for it.
And there was nothing she could do to fix it.
Tsunade leaned against the small bar, twirling her chopsticks in the bowl. She wished she could turn back time and stop Sakura from ever becoming like she was now.
She wished she could turn back time and stop that idiot Uchiha from ever leaving so he would stay and love her Sakura-chan and they would have been happy together.
But…Sakura would have never become her apprentice…she would have never become the extraordinary medic-nin she was now. She never would have been able to save Kankuro from poison, many of Konoha's shinobi would die because Sakura hadn't been there to heal them.
…if I could turn back time…
…would I, Sakura-chan? You always talked about turning back time, but you would always get the look on your face as if you didn't know if you would or wouldn't, given the chance. And now I see why…
What if I had turned back time even further and stopped Orochimaru from ever leaving? What would have happened then? I guess we just don't know what the future has in store for us. I never would have become such a great medic-nin…I never would have become Hokage…
…there are so many outcomes, so many lives hanging onto that thin strand of fate…
Tsunade supposed that no one could truly say they'd make the right choices if they could turn back time.
Because the new future just may turn out even more twisted than the old one.
Itachi leaned back against the tree, ignoring the soreness of his eyes. Sakura had told him before that he shouldn't use his Sharingan all the time, but he'd ignored her, assuming she'd be there the next time he needed his eyesight healed.
He'd become dependent on her healing abilities and it irked him.
Now his eyes were a bit sore because of the new strain on his Sharingan. Sasori was seated next to him. They'd bunked down for the night, and the Konoha shinobi were keeping their distance.
Sasori pulled out a small doll from his cloak and Itachi recognized it as Sakura's geisha puppet. Sasori then pulled out a small pack and opened it, revealing many different jars of paint. He dipped a brush into one, and began fixing the scratches on the geisha puppet's face.
Itachi turned back to see Sasuke glaring at him. It was getting annoying, his brother's hatred filled gaze. If they hadn't decided to work together, he would have killed the idiot for annoying him so much. But, unfortunately, he had agreed to the strange alliance with the Leaf ANBU.
If it meant getting Sakura back—to heal his eyes of course—then he didn't suppose he could complain too much. Sasori, Kisame, and Deidara had noticed Itachi's foul mood from the beginning, and had decided not to talk to him. Silence seemed the best.
I'm not worried. Why would I be? If she is too weak to survive then she isn't worth my time.
Itachi's eyes narrowed even more as they met sky blue, before the other person turned away to talk to the pale-eyed Hyuga girl.
And why is that damned Kyuubi brat staring at me?
Naruto watched as the Akatsuki member named Sasori begin to paint Sakura's geisha puppet. He watched as Sasori bent over it, working with care. It made him begin to believe Sakura's letter.
Maybe Sasori wasn't as demonic as he'd once thought.
"Mind if I sit with you guys, yeah?"
All of the Leaf ANBU looked up at the sound, before watching the missing stone-nin strangely.
"We do mind, actually." Tenten's eyes narrowed.
"Go ahead and sit." Naruto answered back. He had to see…he had to see if this man was like Sakura-chan had said. He had to see if she were speaking the truth.
"NANI?" Ino, Choji, Kiba, Lee, and Tenten exclaimed. Hinata let out a small gasp of surprise.
Temari, Shikamaru, and Neji looked up from their conversation a little bit away from the rest of the shinobi, then went back to it.
Sasuke glared at them all from where he was sitting against a tree, Shino watching over him to make sure he didn't do anything.
"Thanks, yeah." Deidara nodded.
There was a long moment of stilted silence, before Naruto blurted out, "Tell me about little Naruto."
Deidara blinked, before giving a small smile. "Did she tell you about him in that letter, yeah?"
"Hai." Naruto nodded.
Deidara couldn't help but smile at Naruto's trusting nature. It was as if he were trying to get to know Deidara for Sakura's sake. Sakura would have been proud.
"He was a puppy I made for her. Sakura-chan was very sad when she left all of you in Stone. He was a gift to cheer her up, yeah."
"I gift?" Lee asked suspiciously. "You gave Sakura-san a gift to make her feel better…?"
"Hai."
"Isn't that against your evil Akatsuki code, to be nice to someone?" Ino snapped.
Deidara flinched at her tone, but kept his smile. I suppose I should try and be polite, for Sakura-chan's sake. "Just because I'm in Akatsuki, it doesn't mean I'm a heartless jerk, yeah."
"Just that you murder innocent people and kill them for their demons." Temari snapped from where she, Shikamaru, and Neji were.
Deidara sighed softly and was ready to speak when Naruto did. "So, why did she name the puppy little Naruto?"
Deidara blinked a few times in confusion, before giving another smile. "Because she said he was just like you."
"You mean annoying, hyper, and loud?" Choji asked sarcastically, making Naruto frown.
Deidara smiled. "More like cheerful, loyal, and curious about everything."
"Th-that's Naruto-kun, alright." Hinata spoke as she blushed and avoided Naruto's gaze. The others snorted while Naruto grinned at her, putting his arm around her shoulders.
Deidara turned to look at Itachi. "He also didn't like Itachi too much, like you, yeah."
"Oh?" Naruto grinned.
"He bit him."
That made the Konoha ANBU smile, a few snickering as they looked in Itachi's direction.
Naruto sighed. "Is that when er…Itachi got rid of him?'
Deidara frowned, before his eyes flashed dangerously in Itachi's direction and his mouth was pressed in a firm, agitated line. "Yeah."
"You don't seem to get along with Itachi." Shikamaru concluded lazily.
"He made Sakura-chan cry." Was all Deidara said, before he stood. "Well, I'd better get back over there and talk to Kisame. He looks lonely, yeah." He smiled at them all as he bowed, before heading back over to the other three Akatsuki.
"Do you think that guy really cares for Sakura-san?" Lee asked.
"They wouldn't just go and rescue Sakura if they didn't like her." Ino countered.
"Maybe they still need her for her medical abilities." Shino commented.
"Do you think Kisame would call just any medic-nin kitten?" Kiba asked.
Naruto gave a small sigh and the others looked to him, but didn't say anything out loud. They were all thinking much the same thing, however.
What had Sakura told him in that letter and what was he hiding from the rest of them?
Sakura wished she could stay asleep forever. But consciousness won out and she found herself blinking as her eyes opened. She was still sitting in the darkened room, tied to the chair.
Her entire body was sore. Her throat was raw from screaming.
But she hadn't cried. No tears. She wouldn't give him the pleasure.
She was alone, save for the insistent dripping of the damned water. She pulled on the ropes around her wrists, and winced. She'd already rubbed the skin raw in a hope to slip her hands through. The only other way she could escape was if she broke her hand. And she couldn't do that in her present state.
"Good morning, Sakura."
Sakura closed her eyes with a small sigh as he walked into the room, a smile on his face. That bastard. She hated his smile, and his cheerful nature. He loved seeing her in misery, didn't he?
"How are you feeling?"
"Quite well, thank you." Sakura answered sweetly. "This wonderful rope coat kept me warm in the cold freezing room; the soothing, constant dripping of the water lulled me to sleep; and the smell of the room makes me forget that I haven't bathed in two days, and it has cured my stuffy nose."
"I love your sarcasm, Sakura." Tomokazu sighed. "You really have an interesting way of dealing with horrible situations."
"It keeps me sane." Sakura grunted.
"This situation doesn't have to be horrible, Sakura…" Tomokazu murmured as he bit into the apple he held. How he could eat in a room that smelled like the dead amazed Sakura. She had thrown up in the beginning from the smell, it had been that unbearable.
"Just tell me how to use the jutsu."
Sakura gritted her teeth. "Just begin the damn torture already, Tomokazu, because I'm not telling you shit." She hated the fact that he was making her revert back to her younger days, with her short temper and colorful language. She'd thought she'd gotten over that.
Tomokazu gave a patient sigh, as if he were dealing with a stubborn child. "Sakura, Sakura…" He shook his head with another smile. "How long do you think you can last under this strain? If your entire body doesn't shut down I'll be surprised."
He began tracing the outline of her jaw again.
If I tell him the jutsu, he'll use it against them all. I have to be strong.
That is my ninja way.
Protect the ones I love: Konoha…Naruto… Kakashi… Sasuke… Deidara… Sasori… Kisame…
…Itachi…
He bent his face down near her's, their lips nearly touching.
Sakura merely gritted her teeth as she waited for the pain to begin. Tomokazu stared down into her eyes with his silver ones, and the amusement that flickered in their cold depths frightened Sakura.
"How many more hours do you think you can handle this pain? You've been suffering on and off for the past day or so. Why don't you just end the pain and tell me what I want to know?"
Silence.
"Very well." Tomokazu's voice was a deadly, icy cold. "Then I'll just have to show you the next level of my jutsu, Sakura. I told you that it could bring mental pain as well, just like the Mangekou. Enjoy."
The pain slammed into her full force and she let out a choked gasp.
And then suddenly she was falling forward out of her chair, slumping onto the ground. She hit a puddle of blood in front of her, and then she slammed down into it and it turned into an expansive ocean.
She struggled, opening her mouth to scream, but she couldn't. Her mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood and she quickly shut it, choking. She tried to swim upwards as she drifted down into the shadowed depths of the water, but her body wouldn't move.
She couldn't swim. Her lungs felt ready to burst. There was nothing she could do.
No! No! I can get out of this! It's just an illusion! I broke the Mangekou and I can break this cheap imitation! It doesn't…really…hurt…Her eyesight began blurring as her lungs screamed for air. Her entire body felt as if it was on fire, and it hurt to move. She was falling…farther and farther…
The light at the surface was fading as she fell into darkness. She could just see, barely…the outline of someone standing…
She squinted as she tried to make out who it was.
And then she recognized him.
Itachi Uchiha…
Itachi! Help me! She screamed silently, reaching forward. But his reflection in the water…
…the crimson reflection that radiated out of the bloodied depths…
…It did not waver. It did not move.
He merely stared at her, with a cold smirk on his face.
Shisui Uchiha was found dead. He drowned. It was labeled a suicide, but we have our suspicions…
Sakura remembered reading the file on the death of one of the last Uchihas before the Uchiha massacre.
The last person to have seen him alive was Itachi Uchiha, whom he had been assigned to watch.
Sakura felt her vision fading. Did you watch your best friend drown as well, Itachi? Or did you kill him first and then dump the body?
Itachi Uchiha later confessed to killing Shisui.
You did it for the Mangekou…
Sakura continued falling downwards.
Tell me, Itachi…was it worth it?
She closed her eyes, letting the darkness encompass her. It's a genjutsu! Don't give in Sakura! It's not real! Itachi would save you! He would!
She looked up, forcing her eyes open. And she saw it, a hand outstretched and reaching into the water…reaching for her.
Strength suddenly entered her limbs, as she kicked, swimming upwards. A small light seemed to burn inside of her as she reached forward, desperately clutching.
He did what he did and I can't forgive him for it…but there's nothing I can do about it, is there? He's shown me that maybe…maybe he's changed just a little…I won't…
…I won't give up on him…
And then she grabbed the outstretched hand and it pulled her out of the water. She took a breath of fresh air as she leaned against him, sopping wet. The ground beneath her was solid, and she felt safe.
"That was foolish of you Sakura. You could have been hurt."
Sakura let out a small laugh that faded into a genuine smile as she closed her eyes.
"…Itachi…"
Tomokazu smirked as he watched her whimper in pain. He wondered what she was seeing. Tears welled in her eyes but surprisingly enough, they did not fall.
He watched her tremble as aftershocks of pain hit her. After all, it still caused her physical pain as well.
Her face was contorted with pain. That's when he thought her the most beautiful, with her face flushed and her eyes clenched shut as she screamed. He'd always thought that death and suffering were pretty…
And then her entire body relaxed. She slumped against the chair and her breathing evened out. Her face softened and a small smile graced her features. A triumphant smile.
"…Itachi…"
Tomokazu's eyes narrowed in anger and disappointment as he stood there for a moment, his breath quickening in anger. Then he hurriedly walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving her to the aftereffects of the jutsu.
"I'll just have to make it even more painful next time, won't I Sakura? Let's see how Uchiha feels when he rescues a corpse!"
He'd lost.
He hated losing.
(A/N: Another chapter. Geeze, Tomokazu is a wonderful nutcase, isn't he? Anger management problems, perhaps? Yeah, I don't suggest anyone else try and hug him. We already have a few people in the hospital because of it. :) (that really made my day)
Well, we all knew Sasuke wasn't going to like what was going on. Oh well. He's just being stubborn. Sakura is more important than revenge! Argh! (I really do like Sasuke, even if I did make him an ass in this story, hopefully he'll be nicer in the next fanfiction that I write after this series is finished) Anyway, did you like the Deidara and Konoha moment? I think he's starting to be redeemed in their eyes…maybe…
And Naruto is trying to figure what the heck Sakura was talking about in her letter. Our cute little Kyuubi container is so confused… (it makes me smile)
Well, the next chapter may be a little while away…
How many of you think Tomokazu is hot? I want to know what everyone thinks he looks like. My sister and I have conflicting views on a few things about him, but we both agree that he's drop-dead gorgeous. I just want to know what everyone else things. (-sigh-if only he wasn't evil and insane…)
Until then, see ya!
Question: If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?)