Ladies and gents hold on to your horses. This was a short but VERY important update. It's about to be off to the races for everyone! :O
"Sakura, are you going to eat that boiled egg, yea?"
I rolled my eyes and stabbed it with my fork. "Here Deidera." I extended my arm out offering up the egg.
Instead of grabbing it with his hand he leaned forward and ate the entire egg off of my fork.
"Seriously?" I gawked at him.
Itachi reached across the kitchen table grabbing the fork out of my hand and handed me a new one.
"It's not like she hasn't swapped spit with me before, yeah?" Deidera taunted Itachi.
If looks could kill (which Itachi's actually could) Deidera would have drop dead at the table. Itachi was delivering a nasty death glare.
Ever since Deidera walked in on me and Itachi in the bathroom their hatred for each other only intensified.
"I can't handle you two today." I groaned as I pushed my plate away and rubbed my temples. I had a killer headache and my chakra couldn't even get rid of it.
"If you two love birds are done bickering we have a mission to attend to." Sasori said standing up from the table and making his way outside.
I took that opportunity to escape before Deidera and Itachi could give me a bigger headache than I already had.
All five of us gathered outside of the compound. It was freezing cold and for a moment I was tempted to go run back inside and crawl into my bed. I hated snow and I hated the eternal winter in the Land of Iron even more.
"Alright. It will take about a week to travel from here to the land hidden in the grass. There are twelve days left before Orochimaru will be able to take over Sauske's body, that leaves us with five days to gather our strength back from our traveling and infiltrate his layer. Depending on Kabuto's medicines and his willpower he may be able to accomplish it sooner than that. Orochimau is expecting this attack, our only advantage is he has no sense of what day and what time it will happen. We need to move fast and we need to be efficient." Looking at me and giving a nod Itachi disappeared into the trees and the rest of us followed.
We traveled for twelve hours before taking a rest on my behalf right outside the border of the Land of Wind. Exhausted I plopped down against a tree, drinking water from the canister I packed. I could tell Itachi was irritated.
"Im sorry guys. I just need a couple of minutes and I'll be okay." Leaning my head against the tree I cursed myself. Why out of all the weeks in a year did I have to have this happen to me during this particular week? The week that determined life and death for so many people I loved.
"Don't worry about it Sakura-chan" Deidera reassured me.
Itachi knelt down in front of me.
"Are you going to be able to stand again anytime soon?" he asked.
I frowned.
"I'm not trying to be insensitive Sakura."
"I know, sorry. I'm alright now we can go." I lied.
Summoning chakra to me feet I took off into the trees again.
We traveled for another twelve hours before making camp at an old abandoned underground Akatsjui hide out Sasori led us to about two hours north of the Sand village. It may have been abandoned for a few years but the rooms were still well preserved. It was good enough for one night's sleep.
I was so relieved to rest. Pulling out a piece of bread and some cheese from my sack I sat down on my cot and quietly enjoyed my meal.
Itachi was above ground securing the premises making sure no shinobi passing by on missions had sensed anything. We were hiding our chakra signatures but you could never be too careful.
Deidera plopped down next to me holding out a rice ball. "Don't you want something a bit more filling than bread and cheese Sakura-chan?
I stared at the rice ball warily. "Uh no thanks Deidera, I'm not too fond of those lately. This will do just fine."
"Suit yourself, yeah?" as he devoured the whole thing in one bite.
I grabbed for my canister and went to take a sip but it was empty.
Dammit.
I didn't realize how much water I had been consuming on the way here. I finished it all and our next scheduled stop for food and water wasn't for another two days. I threw my canister to the side, frustrated with myself.
"Here take mine" Deidera offered.
"No Deidera I'm fine keep your water."
"Take it Sakura-chan I don't need it, yeah." He insisted.
Kisame walked up to my cot grabbing my canister. Walking to the other end of the hideout he performed hand signals and a small pool of water formed, he dipped my canister in it and handed it back to me.
"Don't say I never did anything nice for you." He smirked.
"Thank you, Kisame. That was kind of you." I smiled.
Savoring each sip I screwed the cap back on and put it away in my sack for later.
"Sakura." His voice called from the entrance.
I turned around to Itachi standing in the doorway.
"Come." He ordered.
I walked over to him and he motioned for me to come outside. We walked from underground into a starry night.
"What is it Itachi?" I asked.
"You aren't fully concealing your chakra signature. Why?"
Shocked at his question I didn't know how to respond.
"What do you mean?"
"You're using chakra as we speak. What exactly are you using it for?" he questioned me.
Was he on to me? Had he figured out what I had been doing in my spare time? I panicked.
"I'm not doing it purposely, it may be because I don't feel well. My chakra may be on autopilot trying to heal by itself." I knew he wasn't a medical ninja so I wondered if he'd buy that bullshit excuse I just came up with.
He stared at me for a long time.
"Try and get it under control, we can't risk someone sensing our chakra."
I dodged that bullet.
"Of course." I said turning around to walk into the compound.
He grabbed my hand to stop me.
"Please rest."
"Hai." I nodded, gave his hand a squeeze and walked back into the hideout.
"This could very well be the most important mission we have dealt with in a long while" Tsunade addressed the entire ANBU squad as well as all the current chunin and Jounin from the rooftop of the Hokage's office.
"Kakashi's hounds have the scent of the piece of clothing shikamaru retrieved from the Akatskui member using his shadow jutsu. Thanks to his quick thinking we now have a path leading us straight to Sakura. I want you all to know that this isn't going to be a simple retrieval mission. The information gathered from the encounter with the two Akatskui memebers six weeks ago revealed that Sakura has not only joined the Akataskui to protect the leaf from a danger still unknown to us, she is also being sought out by Orochimaru. You very well may encounter Orochimaru and the Akatskui at the same time. Please stick together and choose your battles wisely. Whatever you do, avoid harming Sakura, there is a possibility she may put on a facade that she is loyal to the Akatskui in order to protect her true intentions. Sakura has saved many lives on countless missions, during countless battles. During the attack from Pein Sakura single handedly organized the treatment camp site; not losing one life that day. Instead of Sakura saving us it is our time to save Sakura. So please, come together as a village and help me save our dear comrade. I will have shizune and a medical team at the hospital ready to tend to any wounded. The other half of the medical staff and myself will be stationed at the gates of Konoha waiting to give medical assistance to the urgent cases that cannot make it to the hospital. I have only but one request left before all of you depart. Please, everyone come back home to me alive. The will of fire will not be extinguished by the efforts of the enemy!"
The crowd broke out into a roar of cheering and saluting.
"Hai!" Naruto yelled.
"The will of fire still burns!" Ino gave the Hokage a thumbs up.
"Sakura….Saskue….I'm coming to save you both." Naruto said to himself.
And with the Hokage's dismissal the leaf Shinobi and ANBU departed the village.
Another three days had passed and we had since then traveled from the Land of Wind to the border of the Land of Earth. We were close. Three days travel was left before we reached the land hidden in the grass.
I was deteriorating fast. Itachi was setting an almost impossible pace barely wanting to stop any sooner than once every thirty five hours. We were traveling for almost two days straight at a time.
We were currently stopped at a camp on a river bank. I slipped off my sandals and dipped my sore feet into the cool water. Closing my eyes I savored the feeling of the water current massaging my toes.
Itachi walked up and crouched down next to me handing me bread and cheese.
"You should eat something more. Are you sure you don't want any rice balls or fruit?" he asked.
"No this is just fine." I grabbed the food from his hands.
"We will move again in one hour. There is a storm approaching we must make it to shelter before it hits." He explained.
"Hai." I nodded.
Eating the bread and wiggling my toes in the water I couldn't help but think about how much I was anticipating seeing Sauske again. Would he be happy to see me? Would he come willingly? What will happen between him and Itachi?
My heart sank at the thought of that battle. Either way I was going to lose, because I loved them both.
I had to save them both. There had to be a way, but how? Sauske has spent his entire life determined to avenge his clan and kill Itachi. He abandoned the village and is risking his life and body playing Russian Roulette with Orochimaru. I couldn't kill Orochimaru only to lose Sauske to Itachi, everything I've done up until this point, it would all be in vain. There had to be a way. A way to convince them that they care for each other. A way to show them that they can start over fresh. I needed to prove to them that the slate can be wiped clean and life can start over.
My eyes grew wide.
I know. I know what to do.
We had crossed the border of the Land of Earth and walked right into a vicious storm. We were forced to drop from the trees and travel on foot because the wind was too great and the branches too wet to travel safely on. The only problem is the rain was whipping so viciously it was almost impossible to see anything. We had lost our sense of direction.
"Itachi!" I yelled over the thunder and howling wind. "We need to find somewhere dry soon, trying to outrun this storm isn't going to work!"
Suddenly a giant gust of wind pushed me causing me to fall over. This damn rain storm was insane.
Shielding my eyes from the whipping rain with my sleeve I stood and realized the wind was so loud Itachi hadn't heard a word I said. I looked around through squinted eyes, I didn't see anyone anymore. Had the gust of wind sent them flying too?
I began to jog blindly, hoping I didn't run into anything. The mud was so thick it was difficult to run through. I stepped in a thick pool of mud and as I went to lift my foot the mud suctioned it to the ground and I feel to my knees.
"Deidera! Itachi! Guys?!" My yelling was diffused by the wind.
A bright blue flash of lightning struck a nearby tree causing a loud crack! To resonate throughout the atmosphere.
Standing on my feet once again, I didn't know if I should stay put or blindly make my way forward hoping the storm would pass soon.
A hand grabbed my shoulder.
Thank God, someone found me in this mess.
"We need to find the others!" I yelled over the wind as I turned around "This storm isn't passing anytime—"
Crimson met Jade and I couldn't believe who I was seeing standing in front of me.
"S-Sauske…...?!"
Craziness! ahhhh!