Like Moths to the Light Chapter 6: Red Clouds, a naruto fanfic

Chapter Six

Red Clouds

Chasing shadows slipping

in a magic lantern slide

Creatures of the candle

on a night-light-ride.

Sakura quietly glided down from one of the higher branches of a tree to a crouching position on a lower branch keeping her hardened eyes fixed on the northern gates where she was told to meet that man's subordinate for a mission. She let her hand leave a thin almost invisible wire before jumping down from her hiding spot assisted by the darkness of the night.

It was close to midnight, forty five minuets maybe, thus making her late.

She didn't really care.

They needed her not the other way around and so they would have to abide by her terms for now. If she felt like being a few stinking minuets late than she was going to be a few stinking minuets late.

"Your finally here. I was beginning to think you wouldn't show." Someone called from within the darkness.

Sakura turned her head lazily in that direction and glared at the skinny man that was waiting for her. "I come and go when I want to. No one can control me." She spoke in a threatening tone of voice putting an emphasis on the word 'no one' making the man slightly cower.

"Oh of course, now on to other matters. We have to make sure that you are good enough for the job of course…" He began gaining confidence. "And if it were up to me I would say you are not, after all who would be so blind to fall into such an obvious trap."

The man then disappeared as six ball like objects were thrown into the air before exploding to let loose a array of a million deadly tipped senbon needles all aimed at her. In the split of a second they were set loose shooting towards her gleaming wickedly.

Sakura couldn't run even if she wanted to due to the chakra enhanced rope around her ankles that snaked up and clasped around her wrists preventing her from performing any hand signs.

Her eyes widened in that split second, reflecting the deadly gleam in the needles as the sprang towards her unprotected body.

A large cloud was raised into the air obscuring the terrain momentarily.

"Such a pity really, we were hoping for so much ore too." the man mocked as the cloud slowly drifted away.

When the smoke completely cleared he was shocked beyond belief to see what was before him. Sakura was still there tied and bound beyond movement without a scratch on her. The needles lay limply around her deflected by some invisible force. Sakura lazily turned her threatening gaze up to meet his as the rope around her body began to hiss and steam before it melted away.

"Did you really think I would be that stupid? Honestly you were so painfully obvious it was heartbreaking. Sure I could have just sent a clone in but I though since you have such little faith in my abilities that a demonstration was in order. Now would you like me to kill you as well or have you seen enough?" Sakura asked irritated, lifting a outstretched hand in his direction.

You didn't need to be a Nara to see that she was ticked at his actions.

Really ticked.

"No…no, no, that will not be necessary! I can see you are adequate for the job." He quickly replied as a cold fear too over him blundering his words terribly making his fear painfully obvious.

Sakura paused and straightened up, coming out of her lazy looking attack stance and cracked her neck. The invisible wire that surrounded her made a zipping sound as it quickly recoiled into a small coil within her cloak.

"What a shame…I was hoping for some blood." She murmured quietly, smirking as she received the desired effects of fear gripping the man once again."Stop standing there like such a baka and lead me wherever you are to lead me to. I am not a patient person and I would hate to be kept waiting."

"Yes, of course. Follow me." He stated leading her around the side of the wall where a fancy carriage drawn by two black steeds waited for them. "Please step inside and we will be on our way dokubutsu ga."

Neji inhaled deeply and exhaled in frustration, his normally calm pearl colored eyes betrayed the turmoil his mind was going through.

Too many things were going wrong today.

He was distressed to find out that the day after arriving home he had sleep in terribly missing half the day as well as his possible spar with Sakura.

The same thing almost happened the second day but he managed to wake up before it was too late. Sadly his cherry colored sparring partner was not at their usual training grounds to meet him. The first time he shrugged it off but the following day when she didn't show up he became concerned, leading him to where is he today.

By this time he was extremely concerned.

He had stopped by her apartment room only to find her seemingly new looking door locked and after a half hour of banging and waiting the landlord chased him out of his building forcing him to leave with only more worry.

He then tracked down a few of her friends and asked them about her but they didn't have any idea where she was. His worry only grew when they told him they hadn't seen her in her in a long time.

"You know, I haven't seen Sakura chan in a few months not that you mention it, Neji. I heard that her team went on a pretty tough mission without her and she was kind of down about it but other than that I haven't heard from her." Ino had told him when he stopped by her flower shop. "Aside from that I'm always free for a spar Neji san!"

"How can your best friend go mission for months without you noticing?" He growled under his breath.

He quickly turned down a side road towards the Hokage tower where he was sure to get some answers.

Tsunade looked up from her papers when the sound of someone knocking on her door reached her ears. "Come in." She called shuffling through a few of her papers, trying to make her work area appear neater.

Hearing the Hokage's voice Neji opened the door and stepped through, into her office, bowing in respect a few feet away from her desk. "Hokage sama." He greeted formally.

"Neji san, what brings you here so soon? It can't be a mission. I know how eager you were to return here from Guy's reports." She stated formally picking up her tea cup that was really filled with sake.

"Your apprentice."

Tsunade went numb briefly as the ceramic cup fell from her lifeless fingers crashing to the floor shattering into a million tiny pieced landing everywhere. She shivered slightly before laughing lightly.

"Oh dear I hope this doesn't stain, there was still some tea in there." She replied with a fake smile as she bent down to pick up the larger shards of her broken cup.

Neji frowned seeing right through her fake smile. "Hokage sama, I came her to ask you about Sakura san. Would you by any chance happen to know where se is at the moment?"

The tall blond woman stood up straight and coughed, clearing her throat. "I'm afraid all I can tell you Neji san is that Sakura chan is on a mission. Other that that everything is confidential. Please don't push for any more information because you won't get any."

"Hai, I understand you Tsunade sama. But….please just answer me this one question." Neji almost pleaded taking a steep forward. "When will she be back?"

Tsunade sighed as a sad expression swept over her features, you could read the raw sorrow that lingered in her almond colored eyes. "I'm sorry Neji san…but even I don't know."

"I see." Neji murmured as sadness entered his eyes as well.

Tsunade looked up from her seat and looked at the boy with chocolate colored hair that reached his waist. Her eyes narrowed as a question entered her mind. "Now tell me Neji san, why would you want to know this about my dear little Sakura chan?"

Neji's head snapped up into attention as a faint blush crawled across his face, whether this small flush it was due to embarrassment or just the thought of Sakura Tsunade knew not. "S…She and I used to spar everyday. I was looking forward to doing so with her again, that is all."

Tsunade gave him a yeah-right-you-can't-get-me-with-that look but said nothing thinking enviously about how many men her daughter like apprentice had subconsciously attracted without her knowledge. "Are you certain that is all Neji san?" She asked resting her chin on the top of her folded hands. She smirked seeing his almost invisible blush increase a tiny bit.

"Yes, of course that is all." He replied hesitantly knowing he was lying.

"Tell me Neji, dose Lee know about these sparring matches?" She asked.

Neji shook his head to the side knowing what would happen if that did happen.

"What about the rest of Team 7? If not I think you should tell them. They have been doubting her strength as a ninja lately and I think that put her out a bit." Tsunade stopped a little shocked as she looked up at furious looking Neji that was giving off a strong angered aura.

"They what?" He snarled as anger flashed through his eyes.

'How dare they?' he thought as he turned on his heel running out the door searching for a certain group of ninja that needed a piece of his mind.

Sakura let her cheek rest against the back of her hand as she sighed heavily for the hundredth's time that night it seamed. "Could this stupid coach be any slower?" She grumbled like a little child.

No sooner had the words left her moth, than the carriage she was riding came to a sudden halt.

"Eh, are we there yet?" She asked herself sitting up and turning towards the door, waiting for it to open.

The small square box she was riding in had no windows and only one door with a handle on the outside so she couldn't escape or evade their trapped box. She wasn't stupid, she checked door anything that could cause her harm but there appeared to be nothing that would threaten her existence at the moment so she relaxed for the time being catching up on a bit of meditation.

She let her eyes slid towards the door when she heard the door handle jiggle from the outside before finally opening to reveal the scared little man from before.

"Yes?" She asked slowly, her silky smooth voice coated with a thin layer of icy coldness.

"Uh, we have arrived at the desired destination dokubutsu ga san." He replied keeping his voice level despite the obvious nervousness of being in the presence of such a powerful human.

"About time too." She slightly growled standing up and exiting the carriage, her tattered brown cloak trailing after her in a wispy weightless fashion.

Sakura tilted her head upward and stared up at the tall castle like house before her. It was still very dark so she couldn't make out all that much but she could see that is was very exquisite looking and must have cost a fortune to build or buy.

Sakura let her fairy like midnight black eyes dark back and forth beneath her hood searching for any possible trap that could be waiting for her. She was always cautious of the possible danger that could follow her anywhere. She had to be, with assassin showing up in the most unusable of places trying to exterminate her for good. She did after all have a very large bounty on her head from all her assignations that any rouge or S class nin would be envious of.

Her attention was brought back to the present time and place after hearing her nick name called a few times. "Yes?" She growled turning around to glare at the frightened man, smirking at his pitiful attempt to make himself appear more brave that he was.

"T…This way miss," the man that was with her stated opening the front door with a deep bow.

Sakura nodded and stepped past him into the dimly lit hallways. In and out and through hallways he led her leading her only God knows where. After a while he stopped in front of a pair of large oak double doors. his was strange since the style was western and not Japanese like the rest of the house.

"Here?" She asked sharply making the man flinch before nodding. Sakura looked at him then the door, then him, then the door again. "Well aren't you going to knock?" She asked. He simply shook his head. "Men," she muttered to herself before rising a baled fist and knocking herself.

After a brief moment of silence the doors creaked open for her in a intimidating way.

She gave one last glance to the scared man and shrugged before heading inside, the large double doors slamming shot behind her. She didn't even blink from the loud sound of slamming doors as she continued advancing down the elongated hallway that was occasionally lit by a crimson flickering torch that danced away the darkness for a short distance before it's light grew too thin. Her long dark lashes descended over her eyes lifting to reveal her fairy like ink black orbs that darted about her surroundings.

At the end of the hallway she spotted a matt on the ground surrounded by bamboo screens on three sides. Assessing that this mat was here for her she bent her legs underneath her body and seated herself in silence waiting for something to break it.

Her perfectly almond shaped emerald eyes open halfway when she noticed three other presences entering her surroundings. Their shadows just barely creeping into her view.

The one in front was a short round man she presumed to be her benefactor an the other two long shadows behind him his full time body guards. Her hands inched a bit closer to her hidden wire she kept inside her cloak, weary of another trap, after all they tried it once. What was stopping them from doing it again? She didn't trust these people in the slightest and was ready the unleash herself if needed.

"Now now there love, there is no need for hostility here. Please save that for your job now won't you?" A voice from behind one of the screens chuckled with amusement.

Sakura relaxed a little but didn't lower her guard in the slightest, still weary of the other two humans with him. "It has come to my attention that you are in need of my services sir?" Sakura calmly spoke keeping her eyes peacefully fixed forward.

"You heard right dear. You see A friend and rival of mine has been becoming increasingly powerful with business and wealth, a bit too powerful for my liking. His business is threatening my own and stealing away all the profit. You see I don't like to loose to anybody and since I can't beat him in business…"

"You want me to take care of him as well as his company?" Sakura asked taking the pause as her cue to speak up.

Chuckling could be heard on the other side of the bamboo screen as the old man laughed heartily. "Yes indeed. You are a clever one. But I don't just want him out of the picture, I want him and his company completely obliterated. Everyone and everything gone."

Sakura shifted a bit feeling the back of her neck press up against her silky dawn tinted locks. What he was implying was a mass murder, a massacre if she understood correctly. If there was such a man to rival this one's power and wealth then his own home must be swarming with guards and his own personal assassins. What he wanted her to do wouldn't be easy in any way shape or form and would most likely exhaust her.

"How many is everyone?" She coolly asked keeping her voice from betraying her emotions.

She could almost feel him smirk with satisfaction or some other sick glee. "Around seven to eight hundred I would imagine." he chuckled.

Sakura's eyes widened behind her hood in shock. Okay she'll admit she was good but not that good. There was no way she could take out that many men all on her own. She might be able to cut that number in half but still that left another four hundred. What was this guy thinking.

"Excuse me but did I hear you correctly?" Sakura asked feeling cheated a bit.

Once again his heavy chuckle rippled through the air. "Ha, ha, I bet you thought I was sending you in there alone. Do not worry darling you will not be alone, you will have two companions with you to help."

Sakura nodded to herself remembering something about two other partners going with her to help with the invasion. But just how good were they to holdup against seven to eight hundred body guards? She doubted they would hold up as well as she would. But then again with that kind of money you never know.

"When do I get to meet these two then?" Sakura asked after a brief moment of silence.

"In a few minuets, if I am not mistaken their ride just arrived a few minuets ago and they should be entering this room any minuet now."

"Are you going to tell me who my partners are or will I have to wait until they both get here?"

"Aww now I wouldn't want to spoil the fun for you now would I? Sorry darling, but you'll just have to wait a bit longer for them to show up. It won't be long now."

"Whatever, what about my mission. Where will it take place and how would you like me to execute it?" Sakura asked pushing down her annoyance and bringing her mind back to business.

"Your mission will take place tomorrow night starting at sundown. The desired location is thirty seven miles east of my estate. You can't miss the building it's the only thing in twenty some miles. As for how you execute your plans, it's up to you as long as you get the job done. You can leave the bodies and building intact or burn it for all I care. All I care about is that the job is done and his business is no more." The voice on the other side of the screen spoke sternly.

" I understand and I can guarantee you that I will carry out your orders without fail, all I ask is to let one survivor escape the chaos."

"Oh, and why do you wish for such a thing? I though for sure you were the ruthless killer from all the rumors floating around about you."

Sakura remained silent for a brief moment as memories of previous nights at a pub or bar where she could catch up on the latest gossip and rumors. She always loved hearing about herself from the lips of others.

They spoke of the black eyed monster that emerged purely from the earth with only a drive to kill. Most of the rumors were complete nonsense but she didn't care. Some even spoke of her saying she was a winged demon that escaped from the netherworld to kill and ravage anyone that came across her path. Those were the more exaggerated rumors, most were about her being a missing nin from various villages that grew too powerful for loyalty. Some even said she didn't exist and her attacks were just planned that way to look like it was done by only one human.

"I want one survivor to escape alive to tell stories of the ruthless killing and carnage of the legendary dokubutsu ga. And who knows, it just might increase the bounty on my head." Sakura replied as her red full lips pulled back into a mischievously malevolent smile.

Chuckling invaded her hearing as her smile fell. That laughing didn't belong to the man behind the screen, it belonged to whoever just entered the room. "You really are blood thirsty, yeah?" The voice asked.

"Ah dokubutsu ga, meet your temporary partners for this mission. Dederia and Tobi from the Akatsuki."

Sakura hesitantly turned her head to see two tall looking men clad in black cloaks with red clouds dotting the black fabric. One was blond with a long bang covering his left eye and the other wore a orange mask to cover her entire face aside for his one eye.

"Hey yeah?" Deidara greeted with a bright smile and a wave.

"Oh Shit I'm screwed..."

R.I.P Dei chan, you will live on in fanfiction forever! -Sob- I miss him so much. I was so mad at Sasuke for living that I wnted to kill him myself! (I still do) But then what else is new. Deidara was so much cooler than Sasuke. Okay! Moving on...

Up yeah chapter what...six? As you could have guess I typed this a while ago...-- a long while ago. When Deidara was still alive. It took forever to clean up and fix so that it sis't sound like something a third grader wrote in class. But yeah here it is. I hope you enjoyed it since it took a while to work over/clean up. I liked the last line with Sakura's thoughts. I know dirty little head ain't it? And yeahI know she's OOC but I'm working on making her more human. Remember it's her moths that fight for her most of the time.

And I know you people are super busy and all but it would mean a whole lot to me if you would review.

So review pretty please! Flames welcome.

ja ne lovely people