Author'sNote -- Yay, I'm getting faster hehe, my nights are free now since I"m working day shift so I can work on this. I was wondering what My father would say if i told him I wanted to be a writer- lol, can you imagine??
anyway, hope you like the way I portray Itachi and Kisame. The next couple chapters are going to be packed filled and hopefully I can end at 40 Chapters. Yes that's right folks, the end is nearing o.O
Chapter - Fine Again
And I am aware now of how everything's gonna be fine one day Too late, I'm in hell
I am prepared now, seems everyone's gonna be fine One day too late, just as well
--
Sakura squinted her eyes against the sun's brutal rays. It was high in the sky, indicating she had been lying out here for several hours. She didn't care really. It's not like she had any where else to go. She would much rather pretend she was dead. Allow the animals that were watching her to pick on her flesh. The birds circled above, squawking to one another, wondering who was daring enough to go touch her first.
Her tears were dried and cracked on her cheeks. Her body unresponsive and empty. Her gaze was the only attention she still possessed, staring at the trees in the distance, as if waiting for him to show his face again.
"Matte." A voice from behind. Two sets of footsteps sounded but she could care less who it was. Death would be welcome if it proved to be such. She actually prayed that it was. She no longer had a village to call home. And she had no one to share a life with. It was just like being dead. This probably was what Sasuke felt like.
"She doesn't look familiar."
"I fought her."
That voice.
Her heart stalled and she shoved herself to her knees to turn around. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened in disbelief, catching sight of the black cloak and the dancing red clouds. She slowly rose her gaze, her mouth dropping open wider and wider with every inch her head rose.
Until she saw those eyes.
Uchiha Itachi.
Sakura panicked, she struck the ground beneath with so much force rocks instantly flew to the sky, creating a mile wide, twelve foot crater, clearing the whole area of any wildlife that still roamed. The massive wave of dust and debris gave a great cover, she could no longer see them and preyed desperately that they couldn't see her. She ran with full speed, willing herself faster to get to the cover of the trees.
She screamed in shock as she slid on her feet, just in time to dodge the swinging of the massive sword held by the shark creature. His chuckle echoed in the air, as she backed up into the thick dust to hide herself. "She is a feisty one!" He laughed louder.
Her heart raced, her fists high in front of her, preparing for any attack. But she knew she would never last against them as the fight with Itachi replayed in her head. Three of them, including Kakashi, couldn't defeat him. She stood no chance. She had to run.
Sakura fled to the right, going away from the cave that was on her left. The dust was filling her lungs but she was grateful for it anyway. She had some cover. She pushed through it only to slid on the ground again coming to a complete stop. Itachi stood before her, his blank expression unreadable but she knew what kind of man reflected in his eyes.
Sakura went to slam her fist in the ground again but suddenly found her wrist grasped. She shot her eyes up, staring straight into the crimson eyes that mimicked Sasuke's. The other man walked up with a big grin on his face. "Too bad, I was actually having fun. Can I kill her?"
"Iie." Itachi's emotionless deep voice responded as he stared at her. "She knows our Jinchuuriki." Sakura eyes widened in panic.
"Aa. Bait. That saves us the trouble. That kid has been getting on my nerves."
She couldn't let them get Naruto. Not because of her, not at all! Her opposite hand lit with green chakra and she swung it, but his knee, not even detectable, suddenly slammed in her stomach. Her body flew mercilessly back nearly a mile before crashing into the walls of the mountain. She coughed blood, her body stuck in the crater it had created. Her gaze was dimming and blurry, consciousness was slipping away, "Naruto." She whispered before her head dropped.
"Haha," Kisame laughed as her body fell flat face in the dirt. "That was some hit, Itachi-sama, do you hate the girl or what?" They stepped over to her and using his sword, Kisame pushed the female over onto her back.
Itachi stared down at her, his large round orbs narrowed. "She has green eyes." He merely stated.
Kisame broadly grinned picking the female up and throwing her over his shoulder. Itachi led the way ignoring Kisame's comment. "You and green. I'll never understand it."
---------------------------------
The inevitable. Karin watched the short rummage on the very edge of her sight. Her body tense in fear and when Sakura's chakra blinked to white, her hands fisted.
"Karin."
It was Sasuke. Her stress would be obvious to him. He noticed almost everything. He was in tune to all of his teammates, gauging their temperaments, they're strength, knowing how far he could push them before he had to stop. At first she had been flattered that he had been so interested. Fooling herself really into believing he cared. But now she understood why he had done it. So they could keep no lies from him.
Her red eyes twisted to Sasuke to catch his black gaze. She smiled, "It's nothing." She forced out but his step forward indicated that he didn't believe her. She shook her head, hoping he'll believe her. "There's a battle to the south."
"Who?"
She shrugged and turned her eyes back to the view. Karin felt tears prickle and she was glad Sasuke wasn't facing her. "It doesn't matter, it's over now."
Suigetsu jumped in, "What about Sakura?"
Karin shook her head still not facing. "It's far away. She sleeps safe."
Suigetsu barred his fang, "She sleeps through everything." And kicked the dirt as he went back to his quiet branch above Jugo who was wrapped around the bottom.
Karin could still feel Sasuke's eyes on her while she walked down to the river and out of sight.
--
Sakura groaned and shifted, rolling to her side relaxing when the pain subsided. Sleep was still hindering her conscious so she was quick to try and to surrender to her blissful dreams once more now that her hands weren't aching anymore. "Sasuke-kun…" She whispered wishing to reach out to her counterpart but when she tried her mind was alerted that she couldn't move her hands.
She stretched to ease her mind that she wasn't hurt yet her bare feet scraped against the dirt floor. Her heart froze. She flung herself to a sitting position, "Sasuke." She managed out, but the area around her was pitch black. Sounds let her know however that a fire was lit and she was even close enough to feel the sharp heat now that she was paying attention. Her gaze went to it, something was obviously covering her eyes. Her hands wanted to get to her face, this time though she realized they were tied up tightly behind her back.
Footsteps shuffled on the dirt floor and her heart raced as memories returned to the forefront of her mind.
Sakura pushed on her heals, hitting her back against the wall, her blind gaze going to the figure she knew was there. Itachi watched her but did not move again, staring down at her frightened figure with his sharingan orbs unblinking, unrevealing. "You say his name," His deep voice echoed softly in the hollow cave, "As if you know him."
Sakura struggled continuously to get her hands free. "You won't get Naruto. I won't let you." She bit, using the wall to help her stand but she winced and fell back to the floor, leaning over. A few of her ribs were broken, an effect of the knee that collided with them.
"You are weak."
"Against two, maybe. Not against one." She smiled and finally ripped the string from her wrists. She maneuvered herself to fix the broken ribs. She unveiled the blind, while her other hand continued to work, catching sight of his cloaked body in the entryway of the cave. He stared down at her, blank and deadly.
Yet Sakura was not intimidated. The gaze was too familiar to fear it.
Her words were a bold bluff she knew but she needed to buy some time as her mind raced on possible escape routes. She glanced down only for a moment. She had no shoes, no weapons, nothing. That was a setback. But she could still manage.
"If you use your strength this cave will collapse on top of you."
"As long as I take you down with me, I don't see a problem."
"You won't."
"Fine, killing myself would be just as well. I won't let you use me to get Naruto." Sakura moved the healing hand that glowed bright with her green chakra to the wall threateningly. Itachi made no move to indicate he was paying any attention to her actions as he stared down at her.
He waited. Not stopping, willing even for her to crash this cave and kill herself. And there she realized her own bluff. She couldn't kill herself. Not even out of sacrifice. Did that make her weak? She sighed, hating herself and she dropped her hand back to her side to continue healing her ribs.
"Hn." That sound, so typical and irritating, a sound Sasuke made on a constant basis. Sakura's eyes widened watching the older man turn his back and walk out. Her heart throbbed in her chest in fear. Only a few words past between them, and she could already see Sasuke in every bit of Itachi. She covered her mouth with her hand, scared of what that could mean.
And a distant question rose to her brain, What made Sasuke any different from Itachi?
--
It wasn't long until they started moving. Finding out where they were going or where they were taking her wasn't an easy task. Because unlike normal captors, these Akatsuki members didn't humor her. They paid no attention to her questions and if she got to annoying a dark look from Itachi was all that was needed to shut her up.
She wish she at least had shoes. It didn't take long for her feet to be covered in dirt and for every mile they walked, she felt another blister. Her attention though was barely on her discontent.
Even though she knew how dangerous he was, she couldn't stop herself from staring at Itachi. He had Sasuke's build, Sasuke's color hair, Sasuke's eyes, lips, nose, everything. Just little differences that weren't big enough. He had longer hair, a bit taller, and the lines on his face. Nothing significant. He even walked the same.
How could two men, who haven't been with each other in so long, be so alike?
What made Sasuke different?
She needed to know it. So when she faced Sasuke again, if she ever did, she could tell him. Proving that he didn't belong in this evil world he put himself.
Sakura scoffed. Sasuke fucking left her in the fucking desert. Abandoned her. And she was still fighting. Damn it, she learned nothing! Absolutely fucking nothing!
A few hours ago she had given up on living, and now she was back fighting for Sasuke again? What a weak bitch she was. No wonder Sasuke thought she was fucking loser. It was true.
It was just so hard to forget Sasuke, when his brother, his replica stood not ten feet away.
Typically they were a day's run from Konoha to Lightning Country but the Trinity were stalling and Kiba didn't like it one bit. There was something they knew that they weren't sharing with the rest of the group. Arashi was more than impatient before when they were still in Konoha but now that they had ventured out into the terrain she was stalling worse then her siblings.
Not only that, but the weather was getting peculiar, forcing them to seek shelter in nearby caves. After the sixth time in six hours, he wasn't the only one who finally took notice.
Ino voiced her opinion on per usual, "What the hell is going?" She screamed to the triplets that surrounded the fire.
"Nothing."
"Nothing."
"Nothing."
She stomped her foot and made a very animalistic noise that Akamaru found interesting. Kiba patted his head gently.
Neji spoke. "They are stalling." His eyes were closed, resting peacefully with TenTen sitting next to him. They finally looked comfortably in each other's company. Kiba smiled softly filled with jealousy.
Neji had done it. He had managed to get out from under the Hyuuga's incredible hold and be with the one he wanted. And TenTen wasn't even a pureblood. If Hinata had wanted him, she could have had him. But it was a sad fact to realize that she had no feelings for him.
"Stalling? For what?" Ino questioned angrily.
He shrugged indicating he didn't feel like sharing. Or perhaps he really didn't know why.
Raikou stood, "I will dishonor you no more, dear Konoha comrades." Raikou gathered their attention quickly. Her big purple eyes seemed only black in their limited light. "We stall for good reason. Our spies say Akatsuki reside in our village. We were waiting for them to disperse but it seems they now reign there."
"So why don't we go somewhere else?"
Arashi growled, "Where exactly do you want us to go?"
"Somewhere else!" Ino shot back.
Raikou quieted them both with a wave of the hand. "I thank you, Ino-san, but we cannot. We go back now to bury our parents. We will not run from them. We are stretching this voyage out for as long as we can but by tomorrow morning we will be entering the village. Day light will help us. Until then bare with us.
Kaminari grasped Ino's hand, kissing it gently, "You do look beautiful when you rage."
Ino pushed him away and stomped out with annoyance.
--
Sakura followed lethargically. Her hands clasped one another, a bind wrapped tight around her wrists, forcing them to stay together in front of her. After several escape attempts they were hardly impressed and decided to just limit her abilities.
Her bare feet were covered in blood and dirt but her misery had swallowed up any pain she should have felt. She was hungry, thirsty, lonely, and terrified on what was going to happen. Her mind had tried so many scenarios on trying to get out of this damned mess but nothing ended well for her.
She glanced up, her lips frowning in concentration. How they went on for so many hours without any form of communication bothered the hell out of her. The silence made time go by so agonizingly slowly she wanted to gouge out her eyes just for some entertainment. A smile spread on her lips. She was seriously going crazy.
Sakura came to abrupt halt when Kisame turned to her suddenly with a smirk on his lips, barring his large shark fangs. Out of boredom, she kept to her spot wondering what he was going to do when he started walking toward her. He flung her over his shoulder and once she realized just what had occurred she started screaming and kicking. It was a relief to hear a voice when Kisame spoke but her body froze instantly, "Stop squirming unless you want me to like it." His hand rested upon the lower portion of her ass and he squeezed it suggestively.
"Kisame."
"Hai, Itachi-sama, I was just having some fun with the girl." His hand lowered to her thigh begrudgingly.
"I can walk just fine." Sakura fought with annoyance.
"So I noticed." He responded carelessly.
Sakura was just about to respond when the ground she was annoyingly staring at disappeared from view and instead flew up behind her. The freefall feeling was what made her fearfully aware that she actually 'freefalling.' Screaming did half cover the sounds that came out of her mouth.
When his feet finally impacted with the ground, leaving only spider cracks in its wake, Sakura shoved her chakra into her hands, panic making her rash after the ten second death trip. Gritting her teeth she lifted her hands to bring down in a hurried motion into his back but right before her limps touched his, a hand grasped her wrist. Awkwardly, she bent her body upward to catch Itachi's black gaze. It was a silent threat but a scary one nonetheless and she released the strength in her hands.
Kisame dropped her unceremoniously which he found to be humorous, his chuckle gave that away as he stepped over her.
She grumbled obscenities to herself, having a bit of trouble picking up her weak and shaking form from the ground with the use of her clasped hands. Finally standing she followed behind again though when she saw the large sign they were passing under, hope brightened her eyes. It may not have been the village she wanted but it was hope that help wasn't too far away. Sakura ran ahead of them and they were careless of her which she didn't find odd since she was too anxious for help.
The moment she saw a set of people she went up to them, grabbing their arms with her clasped hands, "Get help. These men kidnapped me, onegai--" The man jerked out of her hold and slammed the door shut to his store. Sakura hope was fading. Still she went to the next person she saw, "I've been kidnapped--" The woman too, pulled the blinds to her food stand.
Having already passed her, the two Akatsuki members stalled and glanced back, waiting patiently. Kisame wore a proud smirk. They obviously knew no one would help. Sakura sighed, tears springing to her eyes before she swallowed them and silently followed behind.
They entered the familiar building, soldiers back up out of their way to let them pass. Sakura eyed them with hatred shining in her green orbs. The fact that they had acted the same way when Sasuke had been in this town not two months prior did not suite well with her. These two members were supposed to be feared.
Sasuke was entirely different. Her eyes dropped to the floor when the word 'how' whispered in her head.
Kisame turned to her, "You are not to speak." He warned threatening which shocked her. Her eyes were wide, quickly nodding and they walked into the Raikage's room. Kisame and Itachi stood in front of her, their cloaks wide enough to hide her from the man she knew sat behind the bamboo screen in front of them.
"Welcome." The Raikage's voice sounded with a tone of friendly familiarity.
Sakura narrowed her eyes wondering why this man spoke so nicely to these two. No wonder Sasuke had made a stop here. She lowered her gaze remembering the fight they had with each other the night they had stayed near this village.
"Itachi, have you found your jinchuuriki yet?"
Kisame spoke up, "We--"
"You do not speak unless spoken too." The man snapped. Sakura eyes widened, staring at the back of Kisame. She didn't know why she was surprised, he treated Suigetsu no different. "Itachi."
"Iie."
"You have one week left. If I am forced to do it myself…"
"Iie."
"Good. My jinchuuriki will be here in a few hours. Konan will be taking care of it. However, there seems to be some trouble. The Trinity have stopped trusting me and have gotten protection from Konohgakure. That stupid woman gave them a few elite ninjas as their guards. This might prove too much. Kisame."
"Konan is not easily killed."
"I believe there a chance. One of those shonobi is a Hyuuga."
Sakura tightened her spine, wondering quickly if it was Hinata or Neji, and if so…then help just might on its way.
"I want you two to stay in the village until it is done. This will be the only chance to get the Trinity. If they run and hide, with their skills we will never be able to capture them. I give you a week till Konan finishes the job to get your jinchuuriki. I do have some news for you, Itachi."
Sakura heard a shuffling of clothing and then the hard thumb of his cane hitting the floor. She dared not make a sound but she peaked through the small slit between the two bodies in front of her catching on the sight of the Raikage. And to her surprise there was no arm hanging down.
"Your brother paid me a visit a few months ago."
Sakura's heart thumped loudly in her chest, staring before her blindly. Was this what had happened that night? Sasuke had done this?
"He has gotten stronger. You need to keep avoiding him."
"I am not avoiding him."
The old man chuckled softly, "The hate in him is as bright as ever. He would be a fine Akatsuki member. Are you sure you wish to sacrifice him?" Her gasp had not only been in her head but now so loudly echoed in the silence of the room. Her eyes widened. "Who have you brought in here?" He bit violently and the two side-stepped reluctantly. Upon meeting her green eyes with his lightning ones, he growled, "You again. I can't seem to get rid of you."
Sakura smiled sarcastically, "Feelings mutual."
"Hn." The man smirked limping up to her. They were nearly even in height, her straightened spine verse his curved one.
Sakura only felt the hit then the hard floor that met her harshly. She held her cheek painfully, tears springing to her eyes at the horrible pain that swelled shut her eye. She looked up to see him smugly staring down at her, "A good place for you." He murmured before snapping his eyes over to Itachi and then to Kisame, "What did you think bringing her in here? She is in league with your brother. He seemed very protective of her, it made me sick."
"She is our captive." Kisame tried to explain.
"Captive?" He scoffed. "Bait. Pathetic. You disappointment, Itachi. Get her out of here. I am done with the both of you."
Kisame turned narrowed eyes at her, harshly grabbing her arm and dragging her to her feet, her head still spinning, unable to fully support her own two feet. He shoved her out the door and she slammed harshly in the wall opposite them. He continued down the hallway turning momentarily to see if Itachi had left as well until he heard the kage's voice sound again. "You know better then to bring Anioko into my sato."
Sakura's brow knit, leaning against the wall for support, holding her cheek tightly, gazing into the doorway in front of her where Itachi stood one foot away from being on the other side of the door. But he stalled. His black eyes on the ground, seemingly thinking over the words that had just left the Raikage's mouth.
She turned her eye quickly to Kisame who walked back, "Itachi." He nearly begged which caused her to bring her attention back to the man still unmoving. "Itachi, leave it."
Itachi slowly rose his black eyes up to meet Sakura's green eye. She narrowed it in confusion on what he saw when he gazed back her. There was actually emotion shining in them for the first time. And then with a flash red, his sharigan orbs shined and emotion vanished. With a sudden gust of wind the screen snapped shut violently.
Kisame tried the door but it remained held in place. "Kuso." He bit swinging back around to meet her. He barred his teeth and grabbed her arm roughly pulling her down the hallway, "You are more trouble then your worth." He bit.
----