A/N: I'm FINALLY inspired. Thank goodness.

You were always remembering something else,

eyes always on that distant shore,

it was far from here, wasn't it?

Regrowth - Ch. 4

Sakura woke slowly, the increasing heat from the sun warming her blood. She was loath to leave her spot though, because she quite enjoyed being against this warm and comfortable pillow. However, her brain finally kicked in, telling her that this wasn't a pillow, and why wouldn't she just wake up already? No matter how good her shinobi senses were, or how much she trained, she was always so cloudy minded when she first woke up. Her cheek was pressed against something warm but firm, smelling lightly of the ocean. That was odd, she was about as far from the ocean as possible. It wasn't quite the same as the ocean, salty but with a definite masculine tone behind it. Her eyes opened, glancing up to see Kisame already awake and waiting. Oh, of course, that smell was him.

She blinked sleepily, coming out of the fog. "Morning." The oasis sparkled bright, enough food and water to keep them for a couple weeks, but she didn't feel like waiting here that long. "Where should we go? We can't stay here."

He seemed somewhat troubled, though it wasn't anything she had said. After a lengthy pause, he nodded down at her. "I want to go home."

Her brows met, puzzled. "Home? You mean back to Akatsuki?"

"No, no, none of us can go back there. I meant to the mist country, maybe further toward the land of waves. The mist has a lot of better things to do besides hunt me down, especially now that they are missing their Kage. They'll probably never get back on their feet, and even if they do, they won't be worried about war for a long time. I... wanted to be as far away from there as possible, but..."

"You miss it, right?" She smiled at him reassuringly. "Like you said, they're not worried about war right now, we could go right by them and they wouldn't even care."

"That's true enough, but... I don't think that's what kept me from going back. I saw it, not long after the big war. I saw the state it was in. It... really hit me hard."

"I had no idea you cared so much about that place..."

He rose to his feet slowly, packing away what little he could scavenge from the oasis that might be useful. "I cared more than anyone." With an uneasy glance at her, he turned away again, focused on what he was doing, though not really; this was just a distraction. "This was what Itachi and I really had in common. We both loved our home villages too much. He died thinking he was protecting Konoha, and he died honorably. Just as he was ordered to betray Konoha... so, too, was I ordered to betray the mist."

Her eyes widened; never had she guessed that he had given so much, just like Itachi. "W-what?"

With a nonchalant shrug, he gestured eastward. "Well, first of all, are you coming with me? If you are, I'll tell you while we're on the road. No point in sitting around and talking our jaws off. Might as well get something done."

She rose, stuffing just a few things in her sack before following right after him. "I'm coming. No matter where you're going, I'm not leaving."

"Alright then, kid, follow me. I know the way."

Instead of following behind, she laughed, running up to be beside him. "I do too."

He was somewhat surprised at first, but he remembered quickly. "Ah, that's right. You were there before. Well... As I was saying before, I was ordered to betray the mist."

"Was it Madara?"

"Sort of. He was the one that appealed to us, the swordsmen. We didn't listen to him at first, so he killed the Mizukage without our knowledge and made himself ruler. Not long after, we were given orders to attack the Mizukage, it must have been written right before the old man died. He knew Madara would take control so he ordered us to attack "the Mizukage" so... I don't know how to explain it. Well, nothing happened when we got there. Madara was in charge, and he had our attention. We did as he asked, and left the mist village disgraced without a single weapon thrown. I joined Akatsuki, but the others scattered. Still don't know why, but I guess in the end, I was more determined than they were."

"That's pretty confusing. Well... That's what you did, and I did what I did too, there's nothing we can do about it anymore. Naruto used to say something like that. He'd never give up, no matter what. I guess I got a bit of his stubborn attitude, being with him so long. It's what has kept me going, though. Even in the worst of it, I never gave up."

"That kid was insane. Someone had to do it, though. Well, whatever... I'm glad something came of it, I guess."

A smile slipped onto her face, remembering fondly all her friends in the past. Yes, most of them were gone now, but she was still comforted by their memory. "Although they're all gone, I'm still here to remember them. I'm here, and I remember their ideals and goals. Even if I were to go too, someone would still be around to remember somewhere." Silence fell around them, each in their own quiet reflection on events in their lives, the desert winds around them muffling even the sound of their feet. "What is the mist country like? We were only there for a few days, so I didn't get to see much. I remember that everything was in a fog, colder than normal, though in one area it actually made things hotter. So... what's it like there, besides the obvious?"

He paused reflectively. "I don't know how to really describe it... Ah... Have you ever had one of those nightmares where you feel like you can't breathe, surrounded by darkness, and then you wake up in a cold sweat?"

She shuddered. "Yeah. I've had those."

"That's the mist by night. Although... out in the land of waves, it isn't as bad. The closer you get to the hidden village, though... the harder it gets to keep sane. People not native to the land can get lost in the mists and wander forever. Others go insane, a few getting caught in the bogs or mires in the ground. The rest... well, some are never heard from again, while others can survive intact. Your Jounin, that guy... ah... what was his name..."

"Kakashi," she supplied.

"Oh right, right. I'm sure he got through because of his Sharingan. As for Itachi," he laughed briefly at the memory, "nothing could perturb that guy in the mist. Nah. With those eyes he was never lost. I suppose the Byakugan could find a way out too. For those of us born without those things, though, it's a matter of knowing. You might know a lot about strategies, medicine, all that, but believe me, if you fought me on my home ground, I'd win. There's no question of it."

"I know. It's not unlike enemies fighting me in fire country."

"Doesn't matter where I am, I can fight in it. Part of initiation into Akatsuki was that you had to visit each of the major countries." He grimaced. "It was nasty, but it proved to be the most valuable thing he ever made us do. Know your enemy, he used to say. Our leader may have been misguided, but he was a very smart man. He knew what he was doing. Well, the only reason you didn't have to do it was because there was no time for it. So... it's how I figured I could survive out here. But you know, it's still there, I still crave the ocean, it's never going to go away."

"Yeah, the ocean is so magnificent! It seems to stretch forever!" Beneath, the sands broke into cracked hard earth, hardy plants clinging to flood ravines, ancient, tiny coniferous trees sprawling from cliff sides. She motioned him to stop for a moment, collecting some of the growing pine cones from the branches. It was early in the growing season, the pine cones still quite green. With her kunai, she sliced a large handful, stashing them in her pack. Shuffling her pack back into place, she walked forth again. "The sap is really heavy in those cones this time of year, and sap from those trees makes a very effective salve for burns when combined with a few roots we should be able to find near here."

He chuckled, keeping pace with her again. "You're pretty handy. Now why didn't I get it in my head to find you and take you here to begin with? I could have used you a while back!"

"I suppose I am," she said with a laugh. "Although, I haven't been to all the countries like you have. There's still so much I haven't seen."

He stopped in his tracks, turning around to look at her. "Really now? Hey, I'm not in that big of a hurry to get home. How about you come along on that delayed mission of yours, huh? Now is as good a time as any, you know, what with hardly anyone guarding the borders anymore."

She paused, hesitant. "I... well, yeah, I mean..." Her expression suddenly grew bold, an odd trait of hers that he had seen a few times. Somehow he found that endlessly amusing. "Of course I will! I'm not going to chicken out. Damn it... I was in Akatsuki with all of you, for who knows how long. What would a few border guards be able to do?"

"That's the spirit!" He laughed wholeheartedly, slapping her on the back for good measure, causing her to stumble despite her own abnormal strength. "Alright. Let's head to Rain first, I actually have a few things that I should take care of there."

"Is there anyone left to take care of it?"

"I know that Konan is still alive, and knowing her, she's taking care of the village now. She always was such a caring person, I know she wouldn't turn her back on her home." He turned aside, walking north towards the country of rain, keeping his gaze averted. "I used to have a little crush on her for a while, but eh... I knew it wouldn't turn out into anything. She was unavailable, I was unavailable, and temporary flings typically don't turn out too well. She knew what I thought, and I knew what she thought, but we never talked about it. Anyway, she was Leader's girl, and she loved him flawlessly. I know she always will, too."

"I figured she did, it wasn't very obvious, but I paid attention." She followed silently for a moment until she remembered something else he had said. "What did you mean that you were unavailable? I didn't know you were in a relationship when I was around."

"Nah. I wasn't. Just... you know. Unavailable."

She understood that well. "Yeah. For a while I was too. Just didn't want to deal with it. Too much has happened, it's still a lot to absorb."

"Yeah. I can't help but wonder if Leader is still alive... He probably won't die until he figures out a way to end the wars."

She scoffed. "Yeah, well, we all know how that turned out. You suppose he's satisfied?"

"I don't know. We'll have to go and ask him."

The country of rain was aptly named. Hardly a minute seemed to pass between showers, both of them drenched to the bone quickly. Before long, Kisame sighed with resignation, insisting they find more suitable clothes for this weather. Sakura found a long dark sweater, perfect for the cold. Heavy, durable pants and arm bracers completed the set, and Kisame found much of the same thing, though he didn't seem to care much for long sleeves.

After departing the small village they had stopped in, Kisame frowned, looking back for a moment. "That was a close call." While in the village, a few people had given them odd looks. "They might have figured out we're here. Well... we better figure out a way to get through here. If anyone bothers to report us, he might send ninjas out after us before waiting for a description. Everyone here's still loyal to him, wouldn't want him to mistake us."

She smiled grimly. "We're still Akatsuki, you know. Let's let them know exactly who we are." She shrugged her pack from her shoulder, drawing out her old cloak. It felt so eerie to put on the familiar cloak, like it was something that had been missing and yet something that hadn't been missed. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kisame having the same reaction. They hadn't played this role in years. It wasn't the cloak giving her that feeling. It was being Akatsuki again.

They slipped into their old roles as surreptitiously as possible, staying out of sight and out of range of hunter parties en route to Amegakure. Once they neared the city gates, they dropped the stealth, walking slowly and quite obviously to the outer limit of the gate, waiting. Sakura started to continue forward, but Kisame held her back. "Don't. Better wait for an invitation."

She wanted to ask just what kind of invitation Pein might send them, but at the same time didn't want to know. A scramble of activity could be seen at the top of the gate, guards scurrying to report their presence at once. Without their signature hats, some surely recognized them by sight. Well... Kisame, anyway. Though Sakura had seen Amegakure before, she hadn't been out amongst the people enough for them to know her.

When the commotion suddenly ceased, Kisame smirked, not looking at her but directing a short, quiet comment to her. "Here comes our welcome..."

Before Sakura could even react, a kunai was at her throat. A flash of blue met her eye as she recognized Konan, chancing a glance at Kisame to see his smirk widen even further, Pein holding a katana pointed to his jugular. God realm... that was what she had heard this body was. Somehow, Pein had the ability to manipulate the dead. She stayed as she was, never flinching until Pein finally spoke out in his low voice. "Please. Come inside."

Konan drew her kunai aside, just as Pein was doing, allowing them forward with an empty gaze. Sakura understood what just went on. If they had started and attacked back, they surely would have been cut down. Only the true Akatsuki would trust the others. A disguised hunter would have retaliated. True, she hadn't expected this at all, but she trusted Kisame. With an inward sigh of relief, she followed Pein and Konan into a place she knew all too well. The enormous tower with gnarled faces still stood, though damaged in many areas. Scaffolding in some parts showed that they were reconstructing, though several buildings in the area were damaged as well. Despite the widespread damage, people seemed to be relatively happy, going about reconstructing the village with optimism.

Inside, the building was mostly intact, only some rooms having received damage. Wherever the damage had struck, people were hastily building, exceeding what she expected from usual building. She felt comfortable enough to ask. "Ah... Konan-san... Why is it that they're building so quickly? What's the rush? It's a time of peace."

Konan acknowledged her with a nod, though she kept her focus forward as she kept walking. "Perhaps, there is no knowing for certain. However, the reason is due to our climate. Rain is not kind to construction, or buildings already placed. The moisture can cause rot and mold, we are trying to prevent that as much as possible."

The main meeting room was just as she remembered it, though it echoed of emptiness, now only four members filling the room. Pein did not sit at the head of the table, but rather to the side, Konan across from him. Kisame hesitantly took his original seat, while Sakura took whichever one she came to first. After a short, tense stare-down, Pein finally spoke. "There are... many questions, but not enough time to answer all of them. However, there are far more things I must tell you, now that you have appeared once more. First and foremost, I must know you can be trusted. Tell me why you are here. Also, news of the outside world is a must."

Kisame glanced at Sakura briefly before continuing. "As you asked, I kept an eye out for Sakura here, just in case she might wander my way. Konoha's a mess, I'm sure you know. I kept a post out in Sunagakure, don't know if I ever told you that. Anyway, she found me by accident, now we're headed somewhere away from all the chaos. It's actually pretty peaceful out there, the only hunters we saw were yours, you know."

Pein's brows quirked slightly at that. His mannerisms were so much like Itachi's. "Is that so? What of Suna? Any hunters?"

Sakura spoke next, her eyes boldly meeting his. She knew there was nothing to fear, and she knew he would recognize that mannerism of hers. In a way, she was validating her identity by challenging his gaze. "They're like the walking dead. Nobody wants to fight anymore. The hunters we found were basically deserters, not being able to bear going back. Just like how I was for a while... The hidden villages are no threat now. Even if someday they might be, it will take at least a century to completely recover homes, resources, and armies. I... just want to live in peace now."

Pein's eyes closed, obviously conflicted with a decision, though she only knew that because she had read so many impassive faces in her lifetime. "This had been the original intent of Akatsuki. At the very least, my own personal vision. I realize now that idealism can only go so far. War, fighting, that too can only go so far. It was wrong of me to think that a single solution could solve every problem. Life is a delicate balance, and war and peace, too, are another balance." He stared at them impassively but his finger tapped the desk a few times before he schooled it away. Obviously he was very troubled. His eyes darted to Konan, and though she didn't even flinch, he seemed to get some resolve from whatever she might have told him. "I know you are who you say. I know you can be trusted. You can trust me as well. I have no intention of pursuing the other villages. As of now, we can only rebuild. However, there is something I have not mentioned to you."

Konan frowned slightly. "Is this wise?"

He only nodded briefly. "They must understand who they work with."

"Of course."

His chair scraped as he rose from his seat. "Very well. Please, follow me." He left no room for questions, swiftly exiting the room and into an inner hall. Sakura briefly noticed that Pein was not wearing the cloak of Akatsuki, favoring simple rain village styled clothing, simple short yukata and pants. She took the hint and removed her own cloak, the heat working in the rooms enough to where she didn't need it anyway. Kisame followed suit, and she looked about as Pein led the way deeper and deeper into the earth, to a chamber she never knew existed. From the look on Kisame's face, neither had he.

Darkness filled the chamber until she heard the click of a switch, lines of bright lights flashing one after another as the power turned on. Strange pods lined the walls, technologically advanced beyond even her own comprehension. She had known how to manipulate every medical machine back in Konoha, and she thought she had been at the pinnacle of technological knowledge. Boy, had she been so wrong. Maybe naive. What were these things? A hollow voice suddenly called from the back, still shrouded in darkness.

"You may return."

Pein nodded to the nameless source. "Of course." He obediently found an empty pod nearby, pressing a few buttons until the top of the pod opened with a rush of air. After entering a few more settings, he laid down in the pod, closing his eyes as the lid closed tight with another rush of air, sealing it. Sakura was completely baffled and she knew Kisame was too, though he was having a better time concealing it. When she looked around at the other pods, she recognized a few of the other aspects of Pein, the bodies he used as his guise. Wait... The real one is not with them... Jiraiya's last words suddenly echoed in her mind. Of course... She turned suddenly towards the voice in the darkness. "So you're the real one."

He didn't laugh, but his silence seemed to indicate amusement. "Sharp mind, just like before. Yes. Now you understand why I took so many precautions. Madara knew. I couldn't let anyone else know, it is always hard to know who you could trust. We trusted him with everything we had..." He paused, contempt lingering in his tone. "So much for that. Konan, please..."

Konan was suddenly in action, turning on the final light and illuminating the dark end of the chamber. Sakura gasped, her usual check on her emotions slipping. What laid before her was some kind of mechanical monstrosity. Rods seemed to jut straight from his skin, hooking to numerous... things in the walls. His red hair hung limp, the long strands straight and weak. The man himself seemed emaciated, his bones sticking out prominently. He seemed to be on death's edge, but she sensed such an immense chakra in him. Konan approached his machine, activating several glowing panels. The heavy rods disconnected from the ceiling and dissipated into... his body? Were the rods a part of him? Konan caught him when he fell, too weakened from the massive chakra it took to control his bodies.

Supporting him carefully, Konan looked up at them. "Nagato has been connected for too long. Please... if you would guard this tower for a few days... He needs his rest."

Kisame was still shocked beyond words, but Sakura came forward slowly, approaching the one now named as Nagato. Looking at Konan briefly for permission, she did a quick chakra enhanced scan of Nagato's frail body. "Such an expenditure... It could take weeks for him to heal properly."

Konan's eyes lowered. "I know. I know so little about healing techniques."

"I'll do what I can while I'm here. If I do, it should only take a week. We will eventually need to move on. After that, I'll teach you whatever I can so you can help him once I'm gone." She eyed Nagato once more. He was in bad shape, worse than she had let off. Konan didn't need to know how dire the situation was. Once she was through healing him, he could go a long time without assistance. He suddenly raised his head, his ringed eyes bloodshot and searching. She understood. They trusted.