Chapter 9
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Emerald eyes met onyx and after staring at each other for a few minutes without anyone budging, Itachi switched to sharingan and quickly, before Sakura could look away, pulled her into the recesses of her mind. Searching through her most recent memories, Itachi had a feeling he was getting close when he was thrown back suddenly. In front of him stood Sakura, rather a black and white younger Sakura with the word "INNER" printed on her forehead. The girl scrutinized Itachi for a minute before slowly walking up and punching him in the face. Itachi tried to leap away but found that he could not move.
"What is this?" Itachi asked, unnerved.
"This? This is my domain. You were not permitted to be here." The Sakura-look-alike said in a serious tone.
Out of nowhere, the girl giggled.
"Itachi-kun I would loveto give you free reign here but Sakura-chan would be very angry at me." The girl's eyes darted around playfully before motioning for Itachi to come closer. Itachi was about to voice that he could not move when the invisible binds that kept him from moving were removed, allowing him to move closer.
"My name is Inner Sakura but you can call me Inner. I express all the things Outer Sakura, the one you know, wants to say/think. I am kind of like her unconscious self. I am not allowed to tell you who hurt us. It is amazing how far Outer I will go to protect her teammates Itachi-kun, truly amazing."
Itachi was still pondering her words when she continued.
"I see things in you that Outer Sakura has yet to notice." Inner giggled before disappearing and reappearing behind Itachi.
"Personally I think she won't tell you because I don't think she wants you to hurt Sasuke-kun" Inner whispered. Itachi's eyes widened in shock.
"Bye-Bye Itachi-kun." Inner huskily whispered before kissing him on the cheek. Itachi blinked and suddenly he was no longer in Sakura's mind but was standing by the –now- sleeping girl's bedside. Feeling overwhelmed with all that Inner has told him, Itachi flickered to his best friend and cousin's chakra signature. Shisui was idly minding his own business when his favorite cousin Itachi flickered in front of him. Normally this would not be anything out of the ordinary except for the look of bewilderment in his eye.
"Itachi? What is it? Is Sakura-chan okay? Shisui asked unsurely, not knowing what to expect. Itachi just closed his eyes and sat down.
After a moment, he sighed and opened his eyes. Glancing around Itachi finally took note of where his cousin was, Shisui had been training in the same secluded Uchiha ground Sasuke previously occupied. (See chapter 3) Just thinking of his little brother made him growl out of fury. Shisui stared at Itachi as he let all the emotions he was feeling show across his face. Shisui was scared. Itachi was too out of what ever he was thinking to guard his emotions, which was scary since it has never happened before. Shisui sat down next to his cousin and analyzed him. Itachi, for once, looked like a confused and angry seventeen-year-old boy. As ninja, it is easy to forget how young they all really are. Itachi looked up at his cousin with onyx eyes. He took a deep breath before speaking.
"I know who hurt Sakura-chan."
Shisui was taken back. Itachi Uchiha just added "-chan" to Sakura's name. Once the sentence processed though, Shisui grew impatient. Shisui was wondering why Itachi was suddenly so hesitant to give up the perpetrator.
"Well… who is it?" Shisui asked when no name came.