Disclaimer/ I do not own Naruto, or this song.
This chapter is deadicated to ~WhiteWitchFire on DeviantART! Please read, enjoy, and review.
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Chapter Seven
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Silence
Stretching out between us
I dream of a presence
With essence
And absence of doubt
Come closer
Come and stay with me now
Help me reconcile
Come and stay a while
And I will find a home
Because we love till the end
We love till the end of the day
Of the day
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Sakura stared out into the cloudy atmosphere that swirled around her. It had been around two months since she and her small family had defected from the abandoned base. So far there had been no signs of activity within three miles of where they were staying, but Sakura always seemed to feel uneasy. She didn't want to let down her guard so easily. Just because no one saw anything didn't mean they weren't out there, hunting for them. She was sure they were.
Satisfied with this end of the mountain, Sakura flipped back and began to run along the side of the summit towards the opposite side. She would have to go over there and watch for another two hours before returning to the others. It's not that she didn't enjoy their company, but it was suffocating some of the time. Especially now with this newly dropped weight on her shoulders.
Hitome's condition had worsened- a direct result from being forced to activate her clan's blood-limit at such an unhealthy age. Her eyes were crumbling away into blindness and Sakura didn't know enough about her bloodline to do anything about it.
Sharingan.
All she knew about it was what she had picked up form the archives in the hospital and that medical tests she had preformed on Kakashi. And even then, Kakashi was not an Uchiha like Hitomi was, so there was a great difference in how their worked in relationship to the eye.
When the Sharingan is first activated by a user, it has a different number of tomoe around a central pupil, varing among the wielder of the Sharingan, through continued use, evolves the Sharingan which involves gaining tomoe. The maximum number of tomoe in a conventional Sharingan is three. When the user gets three tomoe in each, he becomes able to predict all movement from his opponent.
The only level up from there is the Mangekyo Sharingan, which is said to be gained by the loss of a precious person or thing or people in your life. Was that how the first level of the Sharingan was reached for her? Had they murdered her friends right in front of her eyes and put the blame on her? It's a possibility Sakura didn't want to have to face. That girl was one of the purest beings on the face of the earth.
Sakura's shoulder stiffened and her eyes flashed gold.
"What are you thinking about?"
"What do you want Kakashi? I'm on lookout." Sakura looked back over her shoulder to take in the sight of her former teacher. His scarred headband was up, leaving his blood red eye exposed for Sakura to see and study.
Unlike the Byakugan, the Sharingan does not automatically appear from birth in a user; instead, the user has to awaken it . After this first appearance, the user can then call up the Sharingan any time he or she pleases. Due to its unique nature, however, Kakashi's Sharingan cannot be deactivated, and thus he usually covers it to conserve chakra.
Sakura must have been staring since Kakashi chuckled and faked a blush. "Sakura, you're embarrassing me with those bedroom eyes of yours. You know all you have to do is ask."
"Why is your Sharingan out?"
Kakashi huffed, disappointed with how professional Sakura wanted to act when it was just the two of them. How often did that happen? "You are going to grow wrinkles and age early in life. You're too stiff. What's bothering you."
"You're avoiding my question."
"So are you."
"I asked you first."
"I'm older than you, seniority rules."
Sakura huffed, annoyed. "I'm worried for the kid's, that's all. I don't want to admit it, but at this rate, Hitome will go blind if I don't find a way to reverse the deterioration of her Sharingan. It's not like a normal blindness. If it was, I wouldn't have so much trouble. I hate the woman's guts, but I wish Tsunade could help me with this. She was working on your eye before I was even a medic. If i only had some medical files from the Uchiha clan."
Kakashi didn't answer, choosing to remain standing behind her, slightly off to the left. A strong breeze blew the few stray stands of hair that had escaped her braid in to his general direction. He caught one between his fingers and twirled it around his thumb and forefinger. The black was fading away to it's natural cherry pink color.
Sakura either didn't notice or didn't care about what he was doing with her hair."Anyway, I'm just going to have to try my best I guess, and if worst comes to worst, I'll go back to the base and look around for some abandoned files, again. They couldn't have destroyed them all."
The strand of light pink hair fell from his numb fingers to mingle with the rest of her hair. "...Go back?"
Sakura nodded, looking over her shoulder to see his shocked expression. "Don't act like that. No one is going to be there. It's not as dangerous anymore." Sakura turned around full and crossed her arms over her chest. "Now it's your turn, why did you leave your Sharingan out?"
"There were chakra signatures up near the base. That's where I just came from. I didn't get close enough for them to see me, but there were certainly red clouds on their cloaks. You may not think it's dangerous up there, but if you had gone a day sooner, you would have been trapped in there with those guys outside. The base is out of the question."
Sakura was suprised-to put it mildly. "Y-you were at the base? When was that?"
"A few hors ago. I just got back."
The skin around her eyes tightened as she stared at the older man with shock and horror and maybe a bit of immature jealously. He went to the base when he knew there were people there and yet it was too dangerous for her. Akatsuki or no Akatsuki, that was unfair. She was probably stronger than him after all the crap those people put her through, and here he was telling her it was dangerous for her. he was smothering her!
"You went to the base... without telling me?" Her voice was dark compared to the unusual serious tone Kakashi was adapting to. "Why the hell would you do that?"
Kakashi was calm as he spoke. "Because if something happened, you would be the first to know and react. I'm not used to working with little kids like you are. Sure I was a sensei once, but that was with you guys. Aside from that, they listen to you and respect you more than they do me. They would question my orders but they would obey yours."
Sakura relaxed a bit, but didn't loosen the glare she held him in.
"I know you feel frustrated, and I want you to remember we're planning on living here. We can't risk exposing our position-and before you start, let me say I have taken into consideration your perfect chakra control. I know you would be great for stealthy missions like this, but you are needed here more so, right?"
Sakura huffed, remembering her earlier dilemma. Hitome and her eye issue. It was frivolous to wast time arguing on Kakashi when she knew he was right. Time was running out for her and she didn't like the feeling of being out of options. There had to be something more she could do.
"Kakashi," Sakura asked, her glare relaxed to a half lidded stare. "If I tried to leave this home, would you stop me?"
"Probally."
"Would you be able to stop me?"
"I would try."
The wind picked up again, sending the loose strands of her hair up around her face before settling back around her shoulders and arms. "I'm running out of time. I'm leaving tomorrow morning if you want to try and stop me."
"I don't think I want to let you go to that base, but if you're really that determined, I'm a bit frightened of the alternative. I might have to let you go."
Sakura bit back a smirk as her former teacher slid his headband down over his red eye to leave only the one closed in a crinkle exposed. "I'm not leaving for the base, Kakashi. I'm heading for the remains of the Uchiha clan."
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Kisame cursed once again, throwing the gnawed clean bone back down with the rest of them before reaching for another leg of meat. The other customers in the restaurant kept their distance from from the pair and hurried to finish their meals.
"There's hardly any meat on these damn things. I'm almost tempted to kill a pig myself."
"Their meat is not so desirable. If you want something worth eating, jump that guy in the corner there. He's got enough meat on his bones."
Kisame frowned, chewing the half cooked meat with his mouth closed before spitting out the small joint bones that had not been picked out. "Man Zetsu, you really have a disgusting personality. I can see why no one every works with you now."
"Your opinion on my personality is noted, though unneeded. We will be departing soon enough. And to be honest I can't stand you either, fish face."
"Fish face, eh? Haven't heard that one in a while-maggot."
Zetsu cleared his throat, and it looked like his white side was the one that was taking over, though it was always hard to tell. His black side did that sometimes to tease the other members and freak them out. "However much I may dislike you, Kisame san, I would appreciate it if we could remain civil while on duty. That goes for you as well, I dislike arguments. Shut up, I'll do as I damn well please, goody two shoes!
Kisame rolled his eyes and cursed something under his breath. "Why did I have to come with you, anyway? There's no one there at that stump of a has-been crap house. You're the scout of the organization and we all know you travel faster when you are by yourself. I'm just slowing you down and picking out of your pocket for the meal-not that I mind that part."
Zetsu nodded, brushing out a wrinkle in his cloak. "I am only dimly aware of the situation myself. It did not seen acceptable to question leader sama on his orders, no matter how inefficient they may be. You're both morons for not figuring it out by now. Fishface is here as muscle. "
"Why, there's no one left at that place? Just ruins and slaughtered bodies. Whatever went kookoo in that crack joint flew the coop months ago. You saw it for yourself, there was no one when we went to scout it out, yesterday." Kisame leaned back in his seat and waved down a waiter to bring him another dish of meat legs. Zetsu became vaguely aware of where all of Kisame's earnings went. This was his eighth order already and those servings weren't cheep.
"No wonder you're regarded as such an idiot. There were clearly signs of activity that took place after the attack. And all those children were returned to their parents, that's true, but whoever did that is probably long gone."
"Exactly, so why the hell was I needed?" Kisame grumbled, chewing on a bone that still has scraps of meat hanging from it.
"The risk, fat ass. The creations in that base were going to be some of the best. There was one-a female, who was going to be acting as a replacement for Itachi san if he should die-which he did. She was most likely the reason that base is empty."
"Whoa, back up a sec, I was going to have a chick for a partner?" Zetsu nodded. "And she ran away?" Zetsu nodded again. "Damn it, I have the world's worst luck. She was probably hott, too. I hope not, or else I'll feel really bad."
"She looked tasty."
"Shut up," Kisame growled, throwing the bone he had been sucking on at his partner, who easily avoided it be leaning over to one side.
Zetsu coughed into his hand before straightening up. "Either way, there were signs of recant activity there and Leader sama didn't want any more information falling into the wrong hands. He also wanted us to keep an eye out for those experiments- the female especially. He still wants her as a member, even if she doesn't like you."
Kisame was about to reply with a second flying leg bone when his ninth plate of meat was brought out from the kitchen by a frightened waiter who fled from the vicinity as soon as the meat was delivered. "Woos. He's never going to get a girl like that."
Zetsu's darker side snickered and then laughed out loud. "Like you can talk? The reason she ran away probably had to do with the fear of becoming partners with you and your hideous face. Though, that is most certainly not the case, since she had no knowledge of us at the time of the attack. I doubt if she even knew you were in need of a partner."
"Are you kidding, Itachi's death is the only thing the world can talk about these days. 'The younger Uchiha brother, sole surviver of the Uchiha massacre takes his revenge. Uchiha Itachi is fallen, the man is dead!' Shit, it's so damn annoying."
"You do impressions very well, Kisame san." Kisame huffed, before digging into his leg bone. "At least the reason behind taking an extra ring has become clear to us. Leader sama was expecting us to run into her. Shows how smart he is. She's probably three hundred miles from where we are. If I had the choice, I wouldn't be here. Well, its well and good that you don't have the choice then, isn't it?"
"It's really creepy when you talk to yourself like that."
"It's better than talking to a fish that has a half digested carcass jumping around in his mouth."
"If I had a choice I wouldn't be here with you either."
"Due to the loss of five members, Akatsuki lost most of its former strength. Leader sama has enlisted the aid of Team Hawk, to complete minor goals. Technically, the members of Hawk are not full members of the Akatsuki, as they do not possess the rings worn by each of the full members. But those kids are no better than this one. The red head is so damn annoying. It's not even fun watching her misery."
Kisame threw down the last of his mean and chuckled, remembering the skinny red head with glasses that followed Itachi's younger brother around like a love sick puppy. No one in the organization-including team Hawk- liked the young woman, despite her unique abilities. "For once, I agree with your darker side. She's even more annoying with he Uchiha away in leaf as a spy. I'm ready to leave now, let's go."
Zetsu pulled out his walled and mumbled something to his other side before emptying it completely. Both sides gave Kisame an angry glare before following the taller male outside. "I'm compleatly broke now, thanks to you. And I'm hungry after watching you chug down all those disgusting legs. We're jumping someone on the way back."
Kisame simply chuckled, fingering the hilt of his beloved sword. "That sounded so wrong coming from you."
"Shut up and get moving, you slow us down enough."
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Sakura stopped in to a restaurant and removed her hat and cloak. The customers looked apprehensive of her at first but soon enough the males in the room warmed up to her. She draped her black cloak over her one arm and sat down at one of the smaller tables. She was quickly provided by with a waiter who was eager to take her order.
"So, where are you headed. You look like a traveler."
Sakura smiled and scrambled to make up a lie. "Amegakure, That's where I'm originally from. I'm a medic though, so I'm all over the place."
"No kidding, there was a pair in here earlier-real mean looking- that were heading there themselves. We though for sure there were missing nin, but they paid for their meals and didn't cause any trouble. Though the big guy did eat a lot."
Sakura's interest spiked a bit. "Mean looking? What did they look like?"
"The one was black and white faced, couldn't see anything more than that because he was hidden in a fly trap thingie. The other one was blue and he looked like a shark. He carried a big sword on his back and ate enough for nine men."
Sakura's eyes widened momentarily before she composed herself. "Ah, they do sound frighting. Good thing nothing bad happened. When were they here?"
The waiter blushed at her smile and stuttered a bit, tripping over his words before answering. "Two to Three hours ago."
"Well, I am glad everyone here is safe. I think I'll take a mint tea with that order."
"Yes, mamn."
Once Sakura was left alone, her smile fell and her mood turned sour. Hoshigaki Kisame was the blue one and the two colored man sounded like Zetsu. The first of the two was easy to recognize. Kisame has a distinctive shark-like appearance, complete with pale blue skin, small white eyes, gill-like facial structures, and sharp triangular teeth. Even his name, Kisame (鬼鮫), means "Demon Shark".
The other, while vauge, was undoubtly Zetsu. Not man men out there had black and white skin or their head stuck in a flytrap. Sakura closed her eyes and tried to go over what she remembered about the missing nin. Little was known about Zetsu's abilities when she was on the only technique he has been shown using is his Mayfly technique, with which he merges with the ground to instantly travel to a new location. Aside from that, he is a known cannibal. Several of her dead ANBU friends were proof enough of that.
If they were this close, did that mean they were waiting for her? Did they know she was on the move towards leaf? If they did, than it was possible she was being targeted by the Akatsuki. They would know Hitome was sick and loosing eyesight, and they would know she was willing to help. But would they know when and where she would act? She was powerful but not suicidal, Sakura didn't want to tangle with those two if she could help it.
'It won't matter. By this time tomorrow I'll be in the Uchiha compound digging up their secrets. If they run into me it'll be their grave.'
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"Oi teme, what's with you. You look distant."
Sasuke blinked and looked away from the parting clouds in the sky. "What was that?"
Naruto huffed and rubbed the back of his head. "I said you look distant. What's up with you, Sasuke?"
Sasuke blinked lazily before turning away from his blue eyed teammate and fixing his faze to the orange red sky and it's stained clouds. It was a marvelous sunset, even for Leaf. "No, it's nothing. I just have a bad feeling about tomorrow, that's all."
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Distant
Shifty-eyed and restless
I dream of a presence
With essence
And absence of doubt
Come closer
Come and stay with me now
Help me reconcile
Come and stay a while
And I will find a home
Because we love till the end
We love till the end of the day
Of the day
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Don't kill me! I'm too young to die!
So, Sasuke is a spy, and Kisame was plannong on making Sakura his partner....well, sort of. Pein was planning on that. There was no Mandera in this chapter, but he was...there, working behind the scenes, plotting a meeting was Sakura when she's weak and weary. *looks shocked* Did I say that? Anyway, mixing more and more plot into this and hopefully, something good will pop out inn the end.
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Ja ne
-Vesper chan