OK, I realize I might've confused some people, due to first making Pein the awesome-cuddly-comforting-daddy-dearest, then changing him into a cold-hearted bastard. Sorry for that ^_^
Hope this chappie clears away some confusion!
Love xx
On another note,
Thank you all for the wonderful reviews!
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"Itachi!" a bubble-gum haired girl called out. "Train me please!"
"Sorry, Pink, Itachi-san's busy with missions." Kisame replied gruffly.
"Itachi!" the girl pouted. "Please?" she asked meekly.
Itachi sighed. "We leave in three hours. I guess I could help you… A little." Itachi retorted, trying to ignore his partner's laughter and his call of 'The kid has you wrapped around her little finger, Itachi-san! Oh, that's just priceless!'.
He walked over to Sakura, inwardly marvelling at how similar this situation was to the one with his brother. He imagined Sasuke, and he noticed that the rosette child had the same stance about her – pout, outstretched arms, wide, begging eyes.
"Yay! Thank you, 'Tachi-kun!"
The raven haired teen smiled slightly at the easily-pleased girl. This time, he swore to himself that he would protect her from the unfairness of the world. Just as he failed to protect his otouto.
A timid knock sounded at his door, and he stood up, already knowing who stood on the other side.
Only one person in the entire hideout had small enough hands to knock so softly. But what would she be doing outside his room at three in the morning?
He opened the door and was greeted with the sight of messy pink hair and hazy emerald eyes. The girl still looked half asleep.
"Sakura? What's the matter?" he asked.
"I-It's three in da mornin',right, 'Tachi-kun?" she slurred.
"Yes." Itachi answered, still not seeing the significance of the time.
A tired, yet content smile blossomed on the girl's sleepy features.
"Happy birthday, Ita-kun." She mumbled, before thrusting her hands out. "I-I got you somet'ing. I know it's stupid, but still…" Sakura trailed off.
Itachi's heart leapt. The act was innocent and childish, and reminded him so much of his otouto it hurt. But he still smiled, and picked up the small rosette girl. Her arms wrapped around his neck, the present still clutched tightly in her tiny hands. He took her into the room and eased her gently onto the bed.
"Don't you want to open da present?" Sakura slurred in her half-asleep state.
"Hm." He murmured, before gently pulling at the wrapping paper.
Sakura watched with eagerness as he took out a square box and smiled at his widened eyes as he removed the lid.
Itachi's heart missed a beat, then started again, double the speed. Inside, laid a small, ornate bracelet. From the thin leather string hung two detailed, clay beads. One was a tiny Uchiha fan, all in its' fan-shaped, red-and-white glory. Next to it was a miniature cherry blossom flower, and, Itachi noticed, the two meads were linked. Instead of pondering the reason as to why Sakura had given him a bracelet for his birthday, which, of all possible jewellery is probably the most impractical one, he just sat and stared at the gift, his throat clogged up with some unknown emotion and his eyes stinging.
The raven-haired teen shifted his stare from the bracelet onto the girl's pleased, calm emerald eyes. She wore a small, tired smile on her face, but when she noticed his gaze her smile brightened even more.
Wordlessly, Itachi stretched out his bare wrist, carefully handing her the bracelet. She took it in her little hands and wrapped it around his wrist. When the rosette was done, Itachi grasped her wrist and gently tugged her towards him.
Pressing a soft kiss to Sakura's forehead, Itachi smiled.
"Arigato… Sakura-chan."
Sakura shot up to her feet, her eyes snapping open. She was in a dark, cold room, and her back was stiff from lying on a hard surface. After her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, she was able to make out the wooden cot, small bowl with water and the bars.
She was in a cell.
It was only then that the realization that she wasn't alone kicked in. The unmistakeable feeling of another chakra signature close by sent cold shivers down Sakura's spine. Her eyes flickered from side to side, trying to locate the sinister chakra.
Her eyes finally landed on a dark silhouette in the corner of the room. Emotionless Sharingan eyes connecting with her own.
Uchiha Sasuke.
"Where the hell am I?" she snarled at the teen.
"Hn."
"Uchiha, I'm really not in the fucking mood for your monosyllable answers, so just answer the goddamn question before I lose my mind!" Sakura hissed.
"You can't lose something that's already lost." Sasuke replied, his own venomous tone slipping into the snide remark.
"Fuck!" she yelled as her fist connected with the closest wall, even without chakra leaving a fairly large dent. She ignored the feeling of her knuckles cracking against the hard surface, and instead concentrated on wiping the slimy substance from her bloodied hand.
Wait a sec… Slimy?
That was when the events of the previous hours caught up to her. Hours? She questioned herself. Fuck, I don't even know anymore.
"Orochimaru's hideout." The rosette spat with obvious distaste. "Pein, the damn bastard."
Then it came to her. "How long was I unconscious?" she asked.
"Tch. Annoying." His cold voice drawled. "Just over an hour. The snake hasn't come out of his room. He's too busy discussing 'politics' with Amegakure." Sasuke scoffed at the last sentence.
Politics…? Sakura was stumped. There were no such things as politics in Amegakure. Unless…
Memories from her past flashed before her eyes; Saviour of this World, Child of the Prophecy, God…Pain.
Without further explanation, Sakura sprinted out of the room. Tearing along the corridors, she concentrated what little chakra she had left, scanning the base for that awfully familiar chakra signature.
There.
Sakura stopped in front of a large wooden door, just as a figure closed the door behind him. Ringed purple eyes turned to glare in her direction. An overwhelming sadness swept over her. Pein… Father. The one person she used to associate with comfort and warmth. But that was over seven years ago. That Pein was long gone.
Tears pooled in her eyes, but she held them back. No point crying now. She was well past crying.
"Why?" her voice cracked.
"Because I've never cared. You were weak as a child. You failed to get the doujutsu as my heir. You didn't have the Rinnegan. You were weak, you are weak, and you forever will be weak. Fate of an individual does not change, you foolish child. You have never experienced true pain. You have never had someone close to you die. You know nothing about the world around you. You don't care, and therefore you don't deserve to be cared for."
His cruel words were finally getting to her. Sakura's knees wobbled, but she refused to give in – giving in would mean admitting defeat.
"So it was all an act. On my fifth birthday… You were lying, weren't you?"
Pein chuckled coldly. "Of course. I can't believe that it took you over five years to figure it out." He snorted.
Sakura thought back to the scene. Something wasn't right…
"Sakura… You're too young, I shouldn't be telling you about this yet, but I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already did. " Pein whispered. "I'm sorry that you have to go through all these complications. I'm sorry that you can't have a normal childhood. But… I will understand if you chose to leave. Having S-class criminals as parents is not the future I would have planned for myself either.
Konan and I… as well as the rest… we will understand if you decide to leave. I-if you choose freedom over us. After all, we are S-rank criminals… We will get over it. Eventually." His voice broke at the end.
Little Sakura stared at him with bewilderment. Then, small hands reached up and grasped his shoulders. "But Daddy, what are you so concerned about? That I will leave you? For what? Freedom?" She giggled slightly making her father gape at her curiously. "Wasn't it you who always told me that the only freedom shinobi will ever get, is the freedom of death? I am an Akatsuki, Father. And I follow the path that lies in front of me, never looking back."
"No, Father. You weren't lying then. You're lying now."
As his glare on her intensified, she allowed herself a small smile. "You were genuinely concerned then. Atleast partly. I don't think you would've allowed me to just leave the organization… But back then, on my fifth birthday, you were a man who truly wanted peace. Now, you just don't care."
"You're deluding yourself. I've never cared for you, or for the organization. I want peace, but in order for the world to be in peace, there must still be sacrifices." Pein hissed.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "You're in denial. Something happened. I know it did. You were cold-hearted, but you were never cruel."
Suddenly a hand was at her throat, chocking the air out of her. "Don't attempt to read me, girl. You have no idea who I really am. How can you? After all, you've always lived in a secure environment, that Uchiha brat protecting you from the outside world." He noticed her wince at the name and smirked maliciously. "What happened? Did you finally realise that you won't be able to depend on him any longer? Foolish girl, you're on your own now."
"Tha-that's where y-you're wrong, Nagato." She felt his grip on her neck tighten at the sound of his own name. "E-Even a foolish child can grow up in a right way, when they learn what pain is. Knowing pain controls ones thoughts and decisions. I have been through more pain than you can imagine… F-Father."
She felt him release the grip on her neck, before she dropped to the floor in a heap.
"You have no ties anymore. You betrayed Konohagakure, Ame won't accept you, the Mizukage thinks you're dead. Shinobi with no ties are weak – they have no one to manipulate."
"But when the weak realize they're nothing but that – weak, useless, pathetic, it gives them a reason. It gives them a reason to fight; gives them determination to get stronger; motivation to keep going despite the pain. And in the end, it's the weaker ones who become the stronger, because the stronger ones take their power for granted. And the weaker ones watch in satisfaction as they flee like the cowards they are. You, Father, are exactly that." She knew that finishing the sentence could very well cost her life, but she was too far gone, too far past caring. "A coward."
Pein growled, but then turned around and started to walk off. "I don't expect you to survive this. You're dead in my book. That's what the Akatsuki will be told. Their favorite little blossom died because she was too weak to protect herself." He smirked. "What a pathetic child."
Sakura sat there as Pein's footsteps faded away. Her nails scratched at the floor, the pain snapping her out of her daze.
I will become stronger.
I will become better.
I will become the perfect shinobi.
"I will get my revenge."
Suddenly, a pale hand appeared in the rosette's vision. She looked up only to be met with twin onyx orbs, and an emotionless mask.
"Are you going to take my hand, or just sit here and stare at me all day?" the raven-haired teen spoke exasperatedly.
Sakura allowed the teen to help her to her feet. Once she was standing, she stared right into his eyes. "Why?"
"Because we're both avengers."
A little bit after that, it dawned on Sakura that Sasuke might've actually followed her, and therefore overheard her conversation with Pein. Though, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she didn't really care. Even Sasuke asking random, embarrassing questions would've been better than the silence that surrounded them at the moment.
Sakura always enjoyed comfortable silences, or the I-don't-know-what-else-to-say-so-I'm-not-saying-anything types, but this was too much. Sasuke's eyes were glued on her, assessing her, taking in her every move. He looked as if he was bursting with questions, but was too damn prideful to ask them.
All because of the stupid pedo-snake (a term Sakura liked to use when describing the snake Sannin) who decided that Sakura should share the room with Sasuke for her first week at the hideout, since it was unknown if she would run.
And at her angry snarl of: But where the hell would I go to?
Came his reply - I prefer not to take any chances (insert creepy grin and irritating yellow eyes. Oh, and purple eyeliner.)
So now, the two avengers were reduced to sitting in the same dark, cold, absolutely boring room, trying to see whose glare could burn a metaphorical black hole into the other's head first.
How very fucking entertaining.
Finally, Sakura couldn't stand it anymore. Her previous encounter with her No. 1 annoyance – A.K.A Pein, her oh-so-awesome-and-badass Father, left her feeling a bit eccentric.
Or atleast, eccentric enough to act on her preferred rule of Act now, Worry later.
"Okay, that's IT, Uchiha! Stop glaring at me as if I've killed your goddamn cat! If you have any questions, ask! As long as they're not about Itachi, I'm willing to cooperate!"
She saw his gaze drop at Itachi's name. "Itachi is a no-go zone. I might be limited to staying here in this annoying room with the most anti-social, homicidal person in Otogakure, but I'm still loyal to Itachi. So, sorry cupcake, but take a number – no questions about your older brother."
His eyes snapped to her, the onyx pools swirling with a mixture of disbelief and a faint trace of amusement.
"You really have no sense of self-preservation, do you?"
Sakura snorted. "Sorry, I didn't realize you preferred an overly-emotional PMSing chick as your company for the next week." At his raised eyebrow, she smirked. "See, with me it can go in two ways – either a hysterical, PMSing, all-round bitchy temperamental thing, or a suicidal, cynical and absolutely Fuck the rules, come with me type. Depends which mood I'm in."
Sasuke looked like he was doing his best not to gape and/or laugh his head off. He snorted. "Not only without self-preservation, but also insane. Just my damn luck." He groaned.
Then, as if realizing something else, he sat up. "So, what does Akatsuki actually do?"
"Depends." Sakura answered with a crooked grin. "Tell me, chibi-Uchiha, how much do you know about Bijuu?"
And that's how the most incredible, yet bizarre (and slightly insane) companionship begun between the two most unlikely people.
After all, Sakura thought, if we're both going to die while trying to achieve the impossible goal set before us, we might as well have some fun while we're at it, right?
All done! Thank you for the support, and I hope it continues!
I realize that I made Sasuke a tad OOC but I honestly don't like his pissy I'm-better-than-everyone-else-hail-me attitude in the anime and manga, so I decided to twist it slightly. I also dislike Pein.
..
Okay, I agree, it's hard to dislike something so hott. -_-
.
But now, I have a question!
I predict this story to be about 40 chapters long, so the thing is,
SHOULD I MAKE A SEQUENCE TO THIS STORY, WHICH WOULD HAVE APPROIMATELY 15 CHAPTERS, OR CONTINUE THIS AND HOPE FOR THE BEST?
Give me your answer in your REVIEW!
Love y'all~
Invincible Shadow!