School makes updates slow. I apologize, but thank you for your enthusiasm toward my story. I hope to increase my update speed. I apologize for any discouragement to read on that bases. I also apologize for the slight death/hell obsession, it's just they have all this time to think and they're not a happy bunch...

I'm only pleased with pieces of this chapter...meh...maybe i'm losing my touch.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto charactors, places, etc.

TO NEVER LOSE

By Reverse

Chapter 12- Untraceable
"Lag behind and I'll leave you behind," It wasn't a warning. Itachi was certainly not considerate enough to warn anybody. Just like his rare words to his predestined victims, 'you will die,' it was only a promise.

Despite being known for ulterior motives, his promises were deadly and definite. "Lovely," I commented dryly as I sped up my pace, relying on chakra to propel myself what I knew would be the last mile or so of the journey. I could tell by the smell, it smelt like every plant was decaying, like rotten flesh around every turn. I nearly shuddered at Zetsu's proximity but reminded myself of how bad we all were.

Fucked up angels, that's what Deidara had said, how right was he?

Itachi threw a kunai directly at me, probably for my charming company. I jumped out of the way and ignored it. I didn't even increase my pace, matching up to his as he sped and slowed like an animal trying to shake a deer. It was spastic; he hit the trees with his hands occasionally; most of the time just barely hitting the lowest level of the canopy.

I could see why though, and started being a little more careful myself, changing even strides to untraceable ones. Our path would be increasingly difficult to track and we were to fast for any Konoha ninjas to catch up.

I felt a familiar signature, welling with power, only a few miles behind us.

I could see the mischief and arrogant triumph in Itachis' eyes. …Just a flash before he landed on the ground and I followed him.

Sometimes you can't count on people.

Naruto, we had lured Naruto out, that's why me. Sure I had skills but my loyalty was frayed, I was bait. I was bait for my old best friend and I was angry.

The oddest thing happened; we waited. We waited and Itachi sighed in displeasure. The signature was not getting any closer.

He had stopped. Maybe bringing Sasuke home had changed and matured Naruto more than even I would have ever imagined.

Even from here it seemed I could feel his chakra, insane in strength and retrained rather than tamed. Held by his iron will, and his supple heart; a beautiful angelic heart that beat furiously beneath his chest, shortening his lifespan by three minutes for every one held with that chakra in power. It was an evil, sadistic, fear-and-awe inspiring chakra. Chakra that had made Naruto hated and feared, powerful and slightly egotistical… And beautiful, for what power could ever be as fantastical, mythical, and legendary as that of the king of demons? Is there another lord in hell? Even the heat….

The chakra surged and at that exact moment both I and Itachi recognized it, him by experience and knowledge, and me by exposure. The summoning spell, for a toad, and likely no other than Gama Bunta himself.

The heat of the power became real as every tree for a mile and a half was burnt to dust, less than ashes. My finger tips had been singed as I pulled away, leaping out of the line of fire with a surge of chakra that may have caused a small crater. The depression would not have been alarming to say the least.

If nothing else, Itachi looked like he was enjoying himself. His Sharingan eyes gleaming with a predatory glint worse than even the legendary fox's mischief. He was imagining something. I distantly wondered if living so often in that imaginary world of the Sharingan had completely altered his mentality. Changed his morals so they were too insane….

Another burst of flame, and an equal eruption of water, I checked to see who had joined the party, since I doubted the Uchiha would bother with such things.

Surprisingly though, it was the Uchiha, copying one of Kisame's techniques.

More flame, then nothing. No water, no chakra signatures. Not even Itachi's coal and jade eye spinning into the oblivion of the red bloodline.

It was like rain after a year without it. Everything paused, everything cooled. Itachi stood up, I followed him gently away.

Nartuto would be standing, less than two miles off, being told once again that he couldn't retrieve another from the Akatsuki.

"Red," Itachi prompted as headquarters came into view. He demanded attention like a god draws from subjects, immediate. Immediate and competent, I knew I was slipping away, my usefulness already beginning to fade.

I had to keep it from fading; I did need to stay alive, for a little while at least.

"Are you still angry with your family?" I asked. Itachi didn't even look back.

"What family?" he countered my question with his own. I didn't bother to look for the affirmative or negative in his voice, I couldn't see anything of his eyes and his tone carried no expression. Only a dead tone drifting to my ears….

Headquarters here was a different one that the one I had originally been sent to, this one was closer to Konoha. I was pained to notice there may be significance.

I brushed it aside; any feeling from this point to the next was futile and would only interrupt my ability to complete my missions. I stilled my mind considerably.

There was nobody here in this base, just Itachi and I. There was only one day left till our mission ended and we were to be met here by the other members needed for the next mission.

That next mission was going to be trouble, I could sense it.

"I was never angry with them to begin with," There is a trauma behind Itachi's eyes, the pain of knowing exactly what it is and what you've lost. The pain of wishing you could regret it so you wouldn't be so easily justifying what went against your morals. Or whatever torn individual threads were left of your unpracticed morals; replaced easily for bloodlust and for insanity.

"Why not?" my voice sounded like a beg coming from any other person and I wondered why he didn't regret it, or feel more about it.

"You don't need anger to kill" He stated. "Not if you're strong."

I glared at him. "Strength is relative."

His only remark was a sneer and another kunai. Despite whatever anybody had said the Uchiha had emotions, unbearable and unpleasant and superficial, but still emotions.

"Do you believe in heaven and hell?" His voice was smooth as silk yet still as menacing as an enraged wolf.

Standing in the middle of the forest, a short distance from our destination, I still felt the need to argue. "If there is a hell I'll be your escort."

"So loyal," He began. "Does that mean you get to go first? I'll gladly send you there."

His vocal tone was automatic and thoughtless, words said for words, not meaning or emphasis. These words with anguish in their meanings becoming a habitual speech pattern; how far down would we spiral in this nightmare?!

I snorted, contempt in the undesirable action, "I've already sent myself."

His trademark "Hn." …Annoying in its provocative meaning, telling nothing and forcing you to reevaluate yourself.

"We are here." He stated, the lair of stone and mortar and pain spanning in front of us with the putrid stench of death. I was used to the smell.

"Would you go with me to Hell?" I asked.

"I would follow after." He whispered. I already knew. No.

I pressed on, relishing the rare conversation with sadism that would be shoved away as soon as we entered the halls of Akatsuki. "Would you find Hell with me?"

"We just arrived there." His words though were a praise to the evil as we pushed pust the doors that were worth their weight in stone and supposed emotion. This was it, all emotions, all sense of anything but loyalty, order, and duty were left at the door.

Even the sadomasochism was pushed aside for the higher cause, even though even the mission reeked of it.

The sadomasochism was the common interest, the precious stitches that held a wedding kimono together and kept from revealing the beauties of the bride. After all, there may not be beauty but these metaphorical stitches certainly masked the horror.

There was pain in these halls, I decided. But instead of shying away, we simply relished it, embraced it with blind acceptance.

Because it was easier to accept than acknowledge and we all knew deep inside that the pain was our own.

(Itachi)

She asked so politely I almost said yes, I would of course that I would find Hell with the little naïve ANBU. But I wouldn't, I found it years ago, I created it, became it.

I was hell and in this twisted game of hide and seek the martyr played, she had found me.

I had a reason now to kill her, every reason in the world. Yet I didn't. I wasn't confused, but rather curious, there was no explanation for why she wanted so badly to be dammed and yet I still wanted to know.

Compelled, I wanted to discover her secret, the thought or resolution that pushed her beyond her limits, retaining compassion among vampires who fed from it. She was rapidly becoming an infection within the blood of us, pure poison yet nobody noticed.

Alone I wanted to discover that incredible secret, for only one reason.

I wanted to break her.

I wanted to see her scream like my little brother and vow to kill me because that was understandable. It was annoying and weak but that way she wouldn't bother me. I could ignore her like every other in the world.

But I still wanted to see her world come catching down on her.

I wanted to know what she meant as her being an escort to Hell…

Damn. It was time to tell the Leader that I had a good feeling about the Kyuubi and we were going to finally make a move. This needed to end; now.

(Sakura)

"What is it, Deidara?" My voice sounded thin like the strain on pulp for paper, diluted and worn and hardly worth thinking about.

He was leaning with his back against the hallway wall, I was standing in the doorway to the kitchen imitate, his expression had shaken me to address him, though I had neither respect nor care for the more easily manipulated of all the Akatsuki. But I suppose every organization requires a scapegoat, the weakest link.

"What happens when we die?" He asked, simply, with his voice reaching melodious bass notes to gentle for a terrorist.

I shrugged. "We are in pain; and then we are not. We stand and then we fall. We die; that's what happens."

"I mean, uhm, like after." He clarified, "Yeah, after we die. Then what?"

"Hmph," I don't know, and I don't care.

He sighed, higher notes echoing with uncertainties and insecurities. "Do you think we get to live again?"

"Does it matter; it doesn't change what we did in this life." I whispered harshly.

"Sometimes I wish we could…but most of the time…" He sighed, dismissing me with the finality of the last sentence. "Most of the time, I hope not."

"I hope there is nothing."

I walked away. Nothing I could say would be useful, helpful or anything but idiotic. But I had a terrible tower of lies that was my life; Deidara had a chain gain of explosions at his feet. Itachi had a symphony of screams and cries, begs and pleads and harsh words. A complete orchestra of terror.

But Naturo, he had all of the lies, the screams and harsh words, all the explosions of power, he had everything we had gotten and he had turned out to be the purest of all.

I couldn't change, I can't change. But a touch of purity, all that I had left, I would give to save him.

Lest I be swallowed into the deepest pits of hell. I owed him that. Didn't I?

I knew, then, I would never fall out of dept, not even with death.

"Little Red ANBU, we are leaving in three days, after the kyuubi, and if you don't assist I will personally see that you die."

I nodded, hearing Itachi's voice drift behind me, deep and unemotional, unwavering by any personal conflict or interest. The perfect Shinobi, bent beyond rational, or so affected by reason that his morals were rewritten to this shell of a soldier, an instrument of pain, a mascot for death and betrayal.

So now I had vows to save Naruto, just Naruto, I could sacrifice anybody else, and I knew the one person who could play my hand for me so well that I would be remembered even if I when down. Would be, if anybody realized it was me.

I had the timing, the resources and somebody to take the fall for me both in the akatsuki and in Konoha. Everybody wants to be feared or respected, but the leaders; they always take the blame or the downfall. But Itachi… he was a decent partner, and he could affect my plans with just a breath.

"Itachi," I silently whispered knowing for a fact he would have left already, hanging around being of consideration or the useless and foolish, something he prided himself not to be. "Does anything matter to you? Do you want to die?"

The reply was menacing and unexpected. "Am I meant to die?"

I still couldn't conclude whether I found him inspiring or repulsive.