(wow thank for tagging along with me thus far on my road down to complete madness, I seriously apologize to any Kakashi/Gai/Neji fans for the my last chapter I'm as big a fan of them you guys are, the other half of that battle)
"Wait Sakura Stop! That is as far as you go!" Lady Tsunade commanded. Sakura figured this was far enough where that won't be bothered. It felt nice to away from the puppet master who controlled every aspect of her life, but his constant mental presence let her know this was only an illusionary freedom. Sakura stopped in the middle of a field. She recognized this was where Tsunade trained her in being a medical nin back when she was only a genin. Tsunade also knew where they where, she shivered remembering seeing a young girl here, sweet and innocent standing in the field dodging her killer rubber balls. Now a cold hardened young woman stood where she used to stand in an evil Akatsuki cloak. "How did this happen, where did I go wrong?" she thought to herself seeing a cold uncaring expression where a smug and vibrate one once showed. "Sakura you better answer me, and answer honestly what happened to you?" Tsunade demanded.
Sakura looked up thinking as she spook "Finally, I've wanted every one to understand what has happened to me, but I don't want to explain it in words…I was to show every one what has happened to me." Tsunade shook her head not understanding, but sensing there was more listened on. "I understand if you don't yet, but this should help you begin to grasp what has happened to me," Sakura cryptically said. She undid the buttons on the front of her cloak while she shrugged it off. Tsunade noticed her elbow looked weird almost like her arms where synthetic limbs and she was wearing an ANBU vest and pants she shuddered to think of how she had acquired them. Then she grabbed the zipper and pulled down showing her inhuman body "this is the only living piece of me now the rest is merrily an imitation," Sakura said.
Tsunade took a step back horrified of what stood before her "Sakura, what have you done to yourself?" Sakura shrugged "actually I played only a very small part in this, but it doesn't matter I am this now and forever till some one ends it for me, but that may sadly never happen for me," she explained. "So what am I supposed to do about this, destroy you?" Tsunade said lost and saddened but resigned on what she may have to do. "That would be very kind of you, but I don't think that would be the outcome, I did make things easier for Sasori to spare Naruto's life, maybe I could do him another favor before I get repayment on that and open up a spot for Hokage, and I did use Sasuke as an excuse maybe a could further his goal by unseating the hidden leafs current authority," Sakura simply stated. The two women looked at each other before charging at each other in way they never had before in this field.
Tsunade throw the first punch narrowly missing Sakura leaving a huge crater on the earth. Sakura not only found it easier to dodge Tsunade because she had trained for years with her, but also because she seemed to aim for her legs or arms. Sakura realized that she was trying to capture her. It enraged her to know that her former teacher wouldn't give her the mercy of an end. Sakura hit the ground and sent a crack in the earth under Tsunade's feet unbalancing her. Sakura sent a burst of chakra to her feet giving her a burst of speed to rush the Hokage. She clenched her fist as small needles extended out of her knuckles ready to give a deadly injection. Tsunade may have lost her footing but she did not lose sight of her apprentice. Letting her self fall, Tsunade bit her thumb and slapped the ground.
There was a huge puff of smoke as Sakura punched something soft and rubbery instead of human flesh. The poison was given but it only resulting in a small slug rolling off the main body. "This is as far as it goes Sakura!" Tsunade told her high above the ground. Sakura impassively looked up, there where many new things within her body she had yet taken the opportunity to use. The slug Katsuyu raised it great head back sucking in air. Sakura knees bent in preparation. Katsuyu leaned forwards and spat a huge glob of acid. "Now she plays," Sakura mentally remarks as she sprung out of the way. It was much more difficult to dodge as there was an element of splash when the acidic spit landed near her. She raised her arm to protect her heart piece and eyes from the splash damage. "Don't break yourself," Sasori scolded her mentally, "you can't reassemble yourself like I can." Sakura looked at the few small droplet holes on her arm. Sakura straitened both her arms as two barrels came out of her hands. She was going to test both Sasori's weapon in her and her poison. Two small projectiles where launched at Tsunade from her hands. They exploded near her but acted like smoke bombs save the "smoke" had an unsightly purple color. Sakura remembered being caught in the gas cloud, if the poison work through the pours in the skin rather then being inhaled, it would have been so much more effective, this cloud worked so much better.
The effect on Katsuyu was supper effective, smaller slugs rolled off her rabidly diminishing her great size. Katsuyu used last of her self gently help Tsunade down to the earth before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Tsunade looked worst for wear as she was covered with purple spots on her skin. She looked at Sakura with fierce eyes. She grabbed a needle with a yellow fluid inside and injected it into herself. Sakura looked down on her former mentor and asked calmly "what do you hope to do with an antidote made from the poison found in Choji?" Tsunade eyes widened in shock "you mean…" "yes both me and Sasori-sama use completely different poisons now, I used the original antidote to introduce new properties in the poison making it so it enters the cells faster and break it down better, literally liquefying the insides in a matter of minuets," Sakura explained. Tsunade stared at the girl blankly "so the antidote I gave the squads is…" "Completely infective..." Sakura said finishing her sentence.
Tsunade looked at Sakura thinking she needs to end this and see to the main forces knowing they will need her. Sakura let the barrels retract and clenched her fist letting Tsunade she will not let her leave. "You're giving me no choice here are you?" Tsunade said. Tsunade focused her self as she preformed her shadow seal release to fuel the creation rebirth jutsu. Sakura knew this would be her most likely course of action if she where poisoned. Made sense the poison broke down the cells so she would counter by regenerating cells, but unlike her Tsunade's clock was ticking. Tsunade charged at Sakura, she raised her foot in the air and brought it down on the ground. Sakura knew she had to be air bound as she leapt into air. The earth in the whole field broke apart and crumbled. As soon a Sakura's foot touched the ground she had to leap against as Tsunade punched the ground sending a fissure in the earth under Sakura. Tsunade wasn't going to let her get away so easily especially when she was needed else where. She stopped on the ground and a boulder was thrown into the air. Tsunade punched a boulder sending it speeding to the air bourn Sakura.
Sakura unable to dodge the projectile punched it shattering it into lesser dangerous fragments. Sakura noticed a crack in her cheek where a particularly large fragment struck her. Sasori would be mad with her carelessness but lest she knew she could fully repaired there was only one piece of her she had to truly protect. She charged at Tsunade going on the offensive, both women punched and dogged each other attacking with little regard for the damage they where causing to the landscape. Sakura hadn't been watching what Sasori was doing unlike him who was both fully aware of his surroundings and hers. She noticed that her vision was blurred. The slight fraction of advantage Tsunade was quick to take advantage of landing a blow on Sakura's shoulder sending her flying and nearly taking her arm off. Sakura found she wasn't able to move as her senses dulled. She could now only really see through Sasori's eyes instead of her own. She saw something glowing an unearthly green, she recognized it was Gai looking like how Lee did during the chunin exams only he was looking far more intense. Pieces of Sasori gave away and fragments of him flew before her eyes. Then things grew dark, she was unable to move, see, anything. She decided it was like being all alone in a coma.
Tsunade was breathing heavily, she was near her limit. She covers her mouth as she coughed up some blood. Having the poison liquefy her internal organs then having them grow back then disintegrate again was taking its toll. She noticed Sakura not getting back up and knew this was her only chance was to physically remove the poison. She opened a bottle and poured the water into her hand. Then filling it with her chakra she placed the water next to her chest and gritted her teeth for the next part. She was a strong women but she could help but gasp out in agony as she forced the water into her body and through her sensitive internal organ removing the poison. Finally when she was sure she had removed the vast majority she pulled it out nearly clasping as she does so. She lets go of the chakra flow and the poison laden water slashes out her hand. Tsunade had to steady herself as his vision when from shades of hazy red to better focus. There where still trace amount in her system but the drain on her regenerative chakra was little.
Sakura lay there in a state of non existence. There was nothing, just the vast meaningless void, hell she decided wasn't filled with flames, it was this nothing. Like a switch, she could see again, she existed. Her eyes flicked, and she moved. She slowly stood up and looked at the crouching gasping Tsunade, noticing her wet hand she guessed what she had done. Sakura looked away now paying attention to Sasori's battle "Sasori-sama is nearly done, I have to finish this now my teacher else he will be angry if I make him wait," she informed. Tsunade was slightly confused at how she could know this but she didn't like the sound of the puppeteer being nearly done. A change came over Sakura as she fully opened her eyes making her emerald eyes gleam as she poured chakra into her puppet body. Tsunade and Sakura charged at each other but Sakura with her other damaged hand reached into a pocket at her back. "So love how goes your you battle with the Hokage" Sasori asked now giving her his undivided attention, know her plan as soon as she thought it up "cleaver girl, I'll assist you". Tsunade hit the earth beside Sakura while she moved to punch her. Sakura feinted her move while she dodged the attack throwing the chakra strings at her. Tsunade didn't expect that and Sasori took control of Sakura's damaged hand manipulating her fingers.
Tsunade never had chakra stings attached to her before nor was she willing but the impulses from the strings where hampering her movements. Sakura clenched her free hand into a fist and throw a punch for Tsunade chest. The needles from Sakura's fist ejected out while she smashed Tsunade's chest breaking the sternum causing the needles to puncture her heart. The two women starred at each other for a few moments, Tsunade's shadow seal release just didn't have enough chakra left to repair this damage. They looked into each others eyes. Sakura swore she could hear Tsunade's heart beat. "Thump, thump…thump…thump……thump…." The moment seemed to drag one. "Congratulations Sakura you have surpassed my highest expectation of you, a Kage level Shinobi…you are now an S class," he said to her with pride.
Sakura gathered her fallen cloak and walked to meet up with Sasori. She was surprised to see how damaged he was. Many pieces of his face and torso where missing. He waved away any attempt she made to make him focus him as he set on repairing her only slightly marred body. "An S class, you could almost say where equals," he said laughing, she could hardly any truth to it. "Why couldn't I move?" she asked him thinking this would be important for the next time. "Sakura it takes a great puppeteer to move our bodies, and you are not, so I do it for you, I read what you want to do and do it for you, I had only increased our bond when I made it so we both hear each other thoughts," Sasori explained. Sakura was surprised, not one movement, not one action had truly ever been her own, up till now he had given her the perfect illusion that she had to some degree control, with out him she would return to that black terrifying void. She realized she needed him far more then she new did. Knowing this she touched his cheek as he was delicately applying a plaster to her cheek. "He is my world, I'm nothing without him," she said to herself. "What thank you that's very sweet of you," Sasori remarked back having read her thoughts.
Naruto undid the heavy lock and strong seal on the door to Sasuke's room. It was easy to slip past the hospital staff as they where busy with the dead and dieing. Yamato had survived the attack and stayed back to watch the fight, his wood clone disintegrated after being hit with one of Sasori's needles. It was him that had to deliver the same news that the prides of the hidden leaf died in defense of the village. Team ten joined a team of ANBU to search for the missing Hokage. Hinata stayed behind with her clan as they recovered the remains of Neji and prepared his burial. The search team quickly returned, it wasn't very difficult to Tsunade.
Sasuke noticed that Naruto had been crying, why he didn't know but he wasn't going o let up. "Come to hit me again loser, I don't know where she is for the last time, she shouldn't have–" Sasuke started to say to Naruto before he cut him off. "I know, but I want your help to get her back," he said. Sasuke was confused but Naruto filled him in on what had happened, Sasuke looked shocked to hear of Kakashi, he still had some respect for his old teacher. "I will help you to kill Sasori and save Sakura from herself, but I'll still want my revenge and I am locked up," Sasuke said. Naruto walked up to Sasuke and grabbed him bringing his face next to his "listen, Kakashi is dead and Sakura is running around with his murderer, now will you help me or not?" Naruto demanded to know. "Fine I will but I'm how can I when I'm," Sasuke started to say, that was all Naruto needed to hear from him. He summoned a shadow clone and opened his left hand letting Rasengan being formed. "NARUTO WAIT!" Sasuke said before Naruto broke him out of his bonds.
There was a crashing sound that caught every ones attention. By the time hospital staff discovered Sasuke's prison break the pair where on their way out of leaf village. Two minuets latter they slipped through the gate and where heading out. "Are you alright?" Naruto asked out of necessity Sasuke would be no good to him if he was hurt. "Ya, but there are smarter ways to get those bonds off other then using one of you more powerful moves," Sasuke commented. Naruto frankly couldn't care long as Sasuke was battle ready it didn't matter. "Stop," Sasuke said his eyes flicking to their Sharingan state "where being followed." "Aw this soon dam," Naruto commented hoping he would have had a little more time to but some distance between them and the village. It was Rock Lee how appeared before them. He was mess, every muscle in his body was tense, he looked like he had just shed many tears, he bowed before saying "Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, I knew you'd both wouldn't let Sakura-san get away, Yamato told me before Sensei Gai died he made a good guy promise that the spirit of his teachings would stop Sasori, I must do this, let me help you." Naruto nodded his head. The three men who had strong ties to Sakura turned and began their pursuit to save her.