A/N: Merry Christmas and happy New Year's everyone! Thank you to my reviewers and followers who have stuck with this story.
Vigil of Sorrows
Chapter 17
"Stuck In Captivity"
….
Sakura ambled down the dark streets of Konoha with the moon shining brightly, lighting up the path ahead. As the girl walked, she thought about what Naruto had told her before.
"Don't worry about it, dattebayo! Sasuke wouldn't accept that bastard's invitation. He doesn't need to do that since he's really strong, dattebayo. I guarantee it."
'Naruto is right. Sasuke-kun would never make the decision to join that man,' Sakura thought with a small smile.
'Then why…' Her face fell and she stopped, dropping her eyes to the ground. 'Why do I get the feeling that he's wrong? What if…?'
Sakura hastily turned and ran in the opposite direction. If he left, then there was only one road he could take. She would wait for him there and confirm her suspicions. She wanted to be wrong and trust Naruto and Kakashi, but somehow she knew he would leave.
The familiar street came into view and she slowed in her footsteps. When the Shinobi felt the cobble beneath her shoes, she noticed Sasuke walking on the same road from the direction of the village.
She stopped and her eyes instantly landed on the purple bag on his back. Her mouth hung agape as her eyes widened. He really was leaving.
Sasuke stopped a few feet in front of her. "What are you doing…wandering around here at night?"
"Because in order to get out of the village, you have to take this road," she answered quietly.
"Go home and sleep." The Uchiha slowly walked around her and continued down the street.
'Was he really going to leave? Would he be gone forever?' Sakura felt her eyes water and the tears slip down her cheeks.
"Why? Why won't you tell me anything?" she asked. "Why do you always stay silent? Why won't you say anything to me?"
"Why do I have to tell you anything?" he questioned, immediately halting in his steps.
Sakura stared at him silently as more tears continued to fall.
"It's none of your business," Sasuke continued. "Stop concerning yourself about what I do."
She frowned and lowered her head sadly. "You've…always hated me, huh? Do you remember…" she returned her gaze to him. "The day we became Genin and when our three-member team was first chosen? The day you and I were here alone, you got mad at me, remember?"
"Oh yeah, you know how he doesn't have parents, right? If you're alone, your parents wouldn't get mad at you. That's why he's so selfish."
"The solitude…"
"What?"
"You can't even compare it to when your parents get mad at you."
"What's the matter?"
"You're annoying."
Sakura smiled slightly, hoping he remembered like she had.
"I don't remember," Sasuke responded after a moment.
The Shinobi gasped and dropped her head miserably, a tear slipping down her face and splattering on the ground. She forced a laugh.
"Makes sense," she stated in an attempt at a light-hearted tone. "That's something that happened a while back. But," the girl lifted her head once more. "That's the day when everything started…" she smiled, "You and I…and also Naruto and Kakashi-sensei."
Memories of their days as Team Seven flashed through her mind.
The day they were instructed to retrieve the bells from Kakashi. When they were training to mold chakra through meditation. The day they set out for their first challenging mission to the Land of Waves. All the happy times they spent together, everyone smiling happily.
"The four of us completed a number of missions together," Sakura grinned. "They were tough and a lot of work, but…above all…it was fun!" She opened her eyes and he didn't respond. She gazed at the ground in dismay. 'There must be something I can say to convince him to stay.'
She breathed in before again lifting her eyes. "I know about your clan, but revenge…" she stated as she turned to the side. "That won't make anyone happy. No one. Neither you... nor I."
The light that shone from the luminescent moon was now hidden behind a cloud, leaving the two young Shinobi in silent darkness.
"Just as I thought," Sasuke replied and Sakura turned to him in surprise. Had her words reached him?
"I'm different from you guys," he continued. "I walk a different path than you guys. I tried to think it was my path to do the things we've done up until now. The four of us did things together, but my heart decided on revenge in the end. That's my purpose in life."
Sakura stared at him in silence. Why couldn't he forget about revenge and stay? Why would he decide to live like that?
"I can't become like you or Naruto."
"Are you going to choose to be alone again?!" she demanded. "On that day, you taught me that solitude is painful! I understand that so well right now."
Her eyes continued to fill with more tears, which plopped on the ground with the rest. "I have a family, and I have friends, but if you're gone…," she took a step towards him, "To me…it'll be the same as being alone!"
"From here on…" Sasuke began after a short silence. "A new path will open for all of us."
"I…!" Sakura desperately took another step. "I love you so much! If you stay with me, I'll make sure you won't regret it! Every day will be fun. We'll definitely be happy. I'll do anything for you. So…please! Stay here!"
Nothing was working! What else could she say that would convince him?
"I'll help you with you with your revenge. I'll do something! So please stay here…with me!" she pleaded. The moon was emerging from the clouds and yet…Sasuke still wasn't responding. He still hadn't changed his mind.
"If you can't say," Sakura began through sobs. "Take me with you."
Sakura continued to weep before Sasuke finally turned to face her, a smirk on his face. "You really are annoying."
Her eyes widened as she released a gasp. After all that, he was still going to leave. Nothing she said had any effect on him. She was unable to convince him.
Sasuke shifted his gaze in front of him and continued walking away from her.
"Don't leave!" Sakura shouted desperately before running closer to him and stopping. "If you do, I'll scream!"
The Uchiha instantly vanished from the girl's sight and reappeared behind her. A silence fell between them as the Konoha wind slightly moved the pinkette's hair and the green leaves.
"Sakura…thank you."
The Shinobi gasped. What did he mean? The tears continuing to slip down her cheeks as another silence ensued. She suddenly felt pressure on the base of her neck and started to black out.
'Sasuke-kun.'
She then fell to the ground and lost consciousness.
That night…Sakura didn't like to think about it. She was always storing it away and constantly pushing it out of her mind. It made her feel sad and…it also made her feel pathetic. No amount of pleading could stop him. No tears would bring him back.
All she ever did was cry and cry and keep crying. What good did it ever do? 'I failed when I tried to stop Sasuke-kun and all I did was cry while I waited.'
No. That was in the past and she couldn't change it. Although that thought made her feel better about crying all the time, it didn't change the fact that she had failed.
Ever since then, she thought, no knew, that if Naruto had been the one who talked to him…Sasuke might have stayed. Perhaps…Kakashi could have been successful, as well. He always seemed to understand Sasuke. He understood a lot of things. Like Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry…
Four Shinobi jumped from tree to tree until the oldest pointed to a clearing and ordered the group to stop there. They nodded and simultaneously the silver-haired leader and two others landed on their feet in the grass and the final tripped and landed on his face.
"Oww, dattebayo! Why was that branch so high?!"
"Hn," Sasuke grunted before making his way towards the fuming blonde. He crossed his arms and looked down at him, "Why did you jump too late?"
"Sasuke! Why do you always get involved in my business?!" Naruto exclaimed, turning on his back and glaring at the Uchiha.
"I could ask you the same thing," Sasuke retorted. "But you don't see me lying on my back and complaining."
"Exactly, Naruto," Sakura chastised before smiling admiringly at the Uchiha. "Sasuke-kun never complains about anything."
"That's because he's always trying to act all high and mighty, Sakura-chan," he replied.
"Shut-up, Naruto!" Sakura shouted, advancing on him with a raised fist.
"Annoying," Sasuke muttered before lifting a hand and stopping the pinkette's punch. She smiled at him and lowered her arm with a slight blush.
"What did you call me, teme?!"
"Nothing, dobe," the Uchiha replied, looking to him with a smirk.
"Alright, everyone settle down," Kakashi instructed as he waved them over with his trademark smile.
Sakura shot Naruto a glare before flipping her hair behind her as she turned on her heel and walked towards their teacher. She sat in the grass, trying to look as ladylike as possible before glancing back at Sasuke with a smile.
Naruto dropped his head dejectedly. "Sakura-chan…"
Sasuke glowered at the Kunoichi before reaching a hand down and grabbing the blonde's arm. He then proceeded to pull him to his feet.
"Sasuke, I could have gotten up by myself!" Naruto exclaimed as he tugged his arm out of his teammate's grip.
"Hn." Sasuke placed his hands in his pockets, another smirk forming. "Then why didn't you, dobe?"
"Perhaps I wanted to stay on the ground, dattebayo!" Naruto countered as he glared at the Uchiha.
"Fine," Sasuke replied before abruptly pushing the boy back into the grass. "If that's what you really want, then stay there."
Sakura watched their encounter in concern and followed the raven's movements with her eyes. He walked toward them and leaned against the tree behind Kakashi, his hard gaze remaining on the blonde.
"Sasuke-kun…"
The Uchiha's eyes narrowed when he saw Naruto rise to his feet again and wipe the dust off his clothes. "Didn't you hear me, baka?"
"I did…and I just decided to stand. You can't control me, teme!" Naruto yelled, clenching his fist.
"I don't need to control you, loser," Sasuke smirked. "I'll continue pushing you down simply because I'm stronger than you."
"Then I'll get even stronger until I can beat you into the ground, dattebayo! That's a promise, Sasuke!"
"I already told you to settle down…and I don't like repeating myself. Naruto," Kakashi glanced at the blonde and motioned for him to sit down. Naruto yielded and dropped in the grass beside Sakura, sending occasional glares in Sasuke's direction.
"And Sasuke," he shifted his attention to the other boy who silently conceded and lowered himself on the opposite side of the pinkette.
Sakura smiled at him while they waited for their teacher to inform them of the situation. "Alright, we are stopping here for the night then continuing our retrieval mission at dawn. For now, we will be taking hourly shifts…starting with me," Kakashi stated as he pointed to himself. "The next will be Sakura then Sasuke and finally Naruto."
"Kakashi-sensei, why do I have to go after him, dattebayo?!" Naruto demanded, pointing an accusing finger at the Uchiha.
Kakashi shrugged, "there was no reason."
Naruto opened his mouth to protest again, but was cut off by Sasuke, "Kakashi, I'm going to train until my shift."
The Jounin glanced at him and shook his head. "Sasuke…everyone needs time to rest and recuperate, even you. Get some sleep before we head off in the morning."
"Hn. I don't need sleep. I need to get stronger," Sasuke replied stubbornly. "Besides, I didn't tire myself out like the other two. I'll be ready for the retrieval tomorrow, Kakashi."
After a moment, their teacher shrugged and casually leaned against the grass. "Alright, Sasuke, feel free to train. I know I can't win against stubbornness."
The Uchiha responded with a smirk as he turned in the direction of another clearing through the trees. Before he could take a step, however, Naruto shouted, "You're just trying to get extra training so you can surpass me!"
"Hn," Sasuke grunted before leisurely making his way through the trees.
Naruto hastily jumped to his feet and ran after him. "Slow down, teme! I won't let you beat me that easily."
"Then walk faster, dobe."
"Don't tell the future Hokage what to do!" Naruto ordered before disappearing out of sight behind his teammate.
Sakura kept her eyes on the trees they just walked past. This rivalry they had always seemed to worry her. She just didn't understand it. What was it with the two of them?
"Sakura?" Kakashi asked, breaking her from her musings. She turned to him and raised an inquisitive brow. "Help me collect branches and we'll make a fire."
She nodded, "alright, Kakashi-sensei."
They then spent several minutes scouring the area for the appropriate wood until it created a nicely sized pile. Kakashi then proceeded to place grass on the top and light it with a match before the two Shinobi sat on the ground around it.
A cold breeze brushed across Sakura's back and she scooted closer to the fire, clutching her arms tightly around her. The forest was quiet and still, the only sounds coming from the crackling of the fire and the wind rushing across the treetops.
The peaceful silence was suddenly broken by the startling sound of clashing metal and shouts in the distance. Sakura sighed sadly. They were at it again. They were fighting. The shouts sounded like they were coming from Naruto and the weapons were either kunais or shurikens. She just hoped they didn't seriously injure each other.
Kakashi smiled at the pinkette, "are you worried about them?"
She looked to him in disbelief before nodding. Why was she surprised? He could always tell what was on their minds. "I just…yeah, I'm really concerned. They're always fighting, Kakashi-sensei."
"Not always, but it's true that they fight. However, beneath all their banter, they understand one another," the Jounin shrugged. "Rivalries…are complicated, but…" he smiled, "there's no reason for you to worry, Sakura."
Sakura glanced at the direction of the noises and saw an explosion in the trees. She slowly returned her attention to Kakashi before returning the smile. "You're right, Kakashi-sensei. Perhaps I should try not to worry so much."
But maybe that was a mistake. Sasuke still left the village and he almost killed Naruto in the process. Their rivalry had grown into something more than simply trying to outdo each other. No matter how many times Kakashi assured her that everything would be alright, they weren't in the end.
And also…Sasuke was a better teammate to Naruto than she was. Even though the Uchiha had abandoned the village and fought him, it was true…when they were still Team 7. All she concentrated on at that time was her crush on Sasuke. Always pining for his attention and seeking the return of his affections, which she now knew was just a ridiculous fantasy. During that time, she either ignored Naruto or was simply cruel to him.
Maybe…she wasn't always so awful towards him. They had become close friends and knew each other very well. She had grown to care for Naruto like a brother. Their relationship now…was much better than it was in the past. And the reason it wasn't that great to begin with was because she only focused on Sasuke.
Sakura hummed a familiar lullaby as she skipped down the streets of Konoha. It was their first C rank mission and she was anticipating it. Team 7 had been doing a lot of boring and laborious jobs lately. Naruto was right, but she would never admit it or openly complain about the situation.
Speaking of which, she noticed Sasuke walking a short distance ahead and she squealed with excitement. The girl then proceeded to pick up her pace and quickly fell in step beside him.
"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," Sakura greeted with a wide smile. Sasuke acknowledged her with a small nod and continued down the street. She laughed, "so, what do you make of the mission?"
"I hope it's not a waste of time like the previous ones," he answered simply.
"Well," Sakura began. "It's an escort mission, for one thing, and that's much more interesting than pulling weeds."
"Hn," Sasuke grunted. "I hate pulling weeds," he muttered quietly.
"Also, the Land of Waves is a new place," she continued, grinning happily. "None of us have ever been there, except maybe Kakashi-sensei, but you never know where a Jounin might go. Anyway, it's bound to be an adventure, Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke stopped walking and looked to the ground intently. "An adventure, huh? I don't need any of those. All I need," he lifted his gaze to the sky before narrowing his gaze, "is the means to get stronger."
Sakura giggled, "but you're so strong already, Sasuke-kun. You're more powerful than everyone in our class, especially Naruto."
As if on cue, the pinkette noticed a flash of orange rush past her before hearing a crash on the street behind her. She quickly turned around and saw the source of this disturbance was none other than Naruto. He had bumped into Sasuke then they both fell down on the street.
Sakura held back a laugh. Naruto was always such an idiot.
"What are you doing, baka?" Sasuke asked before pushing the blonde off him.
"Nothing, dattebayo. I fell," Naruto replied with a shrug.
The Uchiha rolled his eyes at him. "That's not what I meant, dobe. Why were you running?"
"Oh. Well," Naruto began as he pushed himself to his feet. "I was excited, dattebayo."
"I'm excited too, but do you see me acting like that?" Sasuke questioned, gesturing to his teammate.
"…dattebayo," Naruto responded in defeat before grabbing the Uchiha's hand and pulling him up.
Sakura smiled at him, "Are…you excited, Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke sighed. "Let's just go."
…..
"Why am I the one who gets sent on these errands all the time?" Sakura complained aloud. It was a long trip from the market to the house and all the bags she was carrying were making her arms sore. She scowled, "my mom is so lazy."
As she passed by the Dango Café, the owner waved to her and she returned it with a smile. Even if this put her in a foul mood, she would still be polite, especially to the people she knows.
"Get out of here, Monster!"
Sakura spun around at the sound of the sudden shout and ran in the direction of the source. She came to a stop outside of an antique store where an angry looking man was waving a broom around.
"Look what you've done!" he shouted before throwing the remnants of a broken teapot in the dirt.
"Oww! Hey, watch where you're throwing that, Old Man!" a familiar voice exclaimed and Sakura pushed passed a woman to see Naruto sitting on the ground, his hand bleeding from a recent cut.
She gasped softly. 'A piece of the pot must have cut him. Why is he out here anyway?'
"I don't care about your hand! No one here gives a damn about you! You're trash!"
Sakura dropped her gaze and took a step back into the crowd, but she still had a decent view of the ordeal. She cared…but she wasn't going to defy the opinion of the crowd and admit it. She would be shunned, as well.
"I'm not trash, dattebayo!" her teammate countered, rising to his feet and cradling his bleeding hand in the other. "And I'm not a monster. Here," he reached into his pocket and held money out to the man.
The shopkeeper glared and smacked his hand away. "I don't want anything from a plague like you. Keep your filthy money," he stated through gritted teeth.
Sakura's mouth hung agape. 'What does this man have against Naruto anyway? All he did was break a teapot…and he was even willing to pay for it. Why is this man being such a bastard?'
"Maybe you could save up and buy yourself a family outside of this village. I'm sure there is some woman out there who is desperate enough to take in a monster!"
Sakura watched as tears welled up in Naruto's eyes as he hung his head. He stuffed the money inside his pocket before again grabbing his bleeding hand. The blood had dripped to the ground and new drops splashed on top of the old, expanding the small puddle. Then a light, silvery liquid plopped in the center before more followed.
"I'm…not a monster…dattebayo," Naruto choked out. "I'm…Uzumaki…Naruto."
The Kunoichi wanted to call out to him and comfort him in some way, but what could she do? These people obviously held a grudge against him for some reason and…even though they were treating him so cruelly…she couldn't get involved. What if it they started treating her that way or even her family?
Sakura completely turned away from him and walked away. She stopped in the middle of the street before glancing over her shoulder. Naruto suddenly broke through the crowd of people and ran down the street, tears streaming down his face.
'Oh, what the hell? No matter what happened, this treatment is out of line and ridiculous and I won't stand for it any longer. Hell no! Naruto is my teammate and friend and he needs me right now!' Sakura clenched her fist and moved to go after him when she noticed movement to the side. She tilted her head and saw Sasuke walking casually on the opposite street.
The Shinobi grinned and immediately ran through the alley before ultimately slowing to a leisurely pace beside him. "Hey, Sasuke-kun."
He glanced at her briefly before returning his gaze to the road ahead.
Sakura laughed, "It's good to see you, Sasuke-kun. It's been like a week since our last mission. I wonder why we haven't gotten one yet."
"Most of the missions right now are probably level B rank or higher. We, as Genin, only go on D or C ranks. There are also multiple teams of Genin and any of them could be handling those," Sasuke replied simply.
Sakura nodded, "that's right. So, that means we just aren't getting a mission because there aren't many available." She smiled at the Uchiha, "you're so smart, Sasuke-kun."
"However," the Uchiha began, obviously ignoring her comment. "I don't want to sit around waiting for another petty mission," he clenched his fist, "they're a waste of time."
The pinkette stared at him in silence a moment before they passed the bakery and the scent of freshly baked pastries greeted her. "Do you like cake, Sasuke-kun?" she asked with a smile.
"Why?"
Sakura shrugged, "I wanted to make up for last year so I was planning on giving you a cake."
"What happened last year?" Sasuke asked, arching a brow.
"Your birthday, Sasuke-kun," she giggled. "They come every year and it's important to celebrate them. That's why it's been bothering me that I didn't get you a present. Of course, I never gave you one before, but I wanted to change that and ended up forgetting. Well," she smiled," even if I didn't give you a gift, I'm sure you still had a good birthday. They are called memorable days for a reason."
Sakura heard Sasuke stop behind her and turned to face him. She was about to ask if he was alright when she noticed he was glaring at her and his fist tightened. How long had he been doing that?
"What the hell do you know about my birthday?" he asked bitterly. "Out of all the shit you just said, the only thing I agree with…is that they are memorable. Every single birthday has been…memorable." His eyes widened briefly before he abruptly turned and headed towards the opposite end of town. "And it's all because of that bastard."
Sakura remained silent as she watched him walk away. 'What do I always say that makes him so upset? Maybe if I talked to him about something else it could take his mind off it.' She smiled and quickly moved to catch up to him.
He cast a glare at her. "Why are you following me?"
"Because I'm worried abo-"
"You're annoying," he interrupted.
Sakura lowered her gaze before returning it to him with a smile. "There was an annoying man in the market today. Did you see the commotion that happened outside the antique shop earlier?"
"No."
"Well," she began matter-of-factly. "The owner was being such a bastard. Apparently, Naruto broke one of the teapots and the man kicked him out. He was really out of line with the entire thing, though. He threw the shards at Naruto which made his hand bleed, and didn't accept the money he tried giving him to repay the damage. Also, he called him so many cruel names, like monster and trash, and he even…"
She looked to the ground sadly as the memory of the ordeal replayed in her mind. 'What a bastard.'
"What do you want to say, Sakura?" Sasuke asked shortly.
Sakura lifted her gaze and noticed they were walking passed the abandoned Uchiha Compound. 'That is Sasuke-kun's old home. Why is he going this way?' She shook her head and returned her attention to him. "He told him to buy a new family that would accept a monster and…Naruto cried."
Sasuke slowly shifted his narrowed gaze to her. "You saw all this?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, I was there with the crowd. At first, I wasn't going to do anything, but when he ran off I was going to go after him before…" she smiled at the Uchiha. "I saw you, Sasuke-kun."
He stopped. "Why did you follow me instead of helping Naruto?"
Sakura didn't respond. She couldn't give him an answer because she hadn't even considered that. Had she…chosen Sasuke over Naruto?
Sasuke scoffed and turned away from her, "Kakashi was right."
"W-what do you mean?" she asked.
"You would choose to save me…even if Naruto had a chance to be spared," he stated.
"Sakura! You cared more about Sasuke than Naruto, even though Naruto was in front of you and you didn't know where Sasuke was."
Kakashi had said that during their trial…and it was true. That is what she had done then and repeated now. Even though it was a different situation that was still the same.
"You're teammate was in trouble yet you chased after me because of some ridiculous obsession," Sasuke continued, sending a glare at her.
"…Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun, I'm-"
"Pathetic." He then sharply turned and walked into the empty home of his clan.
Sakura dropped her gaze sadly because she knew he was right. She was pathetic.
"Hmm…needs more salt."
Sakura's eyes suddenly flashed open. Her shoulder felt wet and the cannibal was crouching beside her with a contemplative grin.
"Or is it onion? Maybe carrot," he mused before again licking her and nodding. "Definitely all three and I'll also add some cabbage."
The pinkette gasped when she remembered the events from the night before. "Dimmur! Get the hell away from me!"
The pale man chuckled and ran a finger against her cheek. "There's no reason to shout, my sweet. I was just leaving to check on the soup," he leaned in next to her ear, "the delicious soup."
Sakura shivered and pushed him away from her. He laughed and rose to his feet before crossing the distance of the room to a small wooden table. She cringed when he grabbed a knife and started chopping vegetables with it.
The Shinobi closed her eyes and took a moment to collect herself. She assumed that she would never wake up again, so she just let her thoughts wander. However, she wasn't dead yet and she might have a chance to escape from this maniac.
Sakura slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was in a corner, but without any bondages and the wall she was pressed against felt like some sort of rock. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from burning candles placed in the walls and the lantern beside Dimmur, who was surrounded by several small tables, a stove with a boiling pot on it, and multiple shelves filled with herbs, spices and other cooking ingredients.
To her left, there appeared to be a long tunnel and she guessed that was the only way out. She reached back and found that her weapons pouch was still on her back. 'Good. He obviously didn't know I had more.'
The girl pulled out a kunai and slowly pushed herself off the floor, hiding the arm holding the weapon behind her. She kept her back to the wall and inched toward the tunnel's entrance. She heard a slurping noise behind her and saw Dimmur tasting the soup.
Sakura smirked and returned her attention ahead of her. She reached the passage and stepped inside it. However, a tall man suddenly walked from within and grinned when he saw her.
"Hello, child," he said, coming to a stop and patting her head. "Are you the special guest of honor?"
Her grip on the kunai tightened and she was about to stab the man blocking her way when she felt a hand wrap around her wrist.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Sakura gasped in surprise and craned her neck to see Dimmur standing behind her with a malignant glint in his eyes. She loosened her hold and let the weapon drop to the floor.
The cannibal chuckled and released her arm before stepping away. "Abrix," he addressed the taller man. "Why did you come?"
The man named Abrix shrugged, "we got restless and wanted to see what was on the menu for tonight."
Dimmur smiled at Sakura and sniffed her neck. "As you have seen, Abrix, it's this sweet creature."
Abrix licked his lips and nodded. "Well, can you hurry up? I'm hungry…and so is everyone else."
"It will be done soon enough. I'm adding the last few ingredients before I add," he licked Sakura's arm, "the sweetest and most important."
Sakura growled at him before walking away in the direction of the 'kitchen'. She stopped beside a table set with plates and utensils and leaned against it, keeping her gaze on the two maniacs. 'Abrix mentioned others and the table is set for five. That means there are five captors and they're all somewhere in this cave. And Dimmur...is the leader.'
"Yeah, I got that, Dimmur. The girl is obviously still alive. When will it be ready?" Abrix demanded.
"About an hour left," Dimmur replied with a throaty laugh. "Now, go wait in the tunnel with the rest."
Abrix cast Sakura a wink before turning and laughing as he walked back through the passageway. Dimmur walked back to the stove and ran his fingers across the Shinobi's cheek as he passed. She cringed before fixing her gaze on the floor.
The ground felt loose like sand, but there were large objects scattered around it. 'Are they rocks?' Sakura squinted in the dim light and could make out a white bump. She reached down and felt it. It was hard and solid.
Sakura gasped and immediately pulled her hand away. "Bones," she muttered. Why was it always…bones?
"Yes," Dimmur chuckled behind her, causing the pinkette to flinch and instantly move away from him.
"Where am I?" Sakura questioned as he walked back to the stove.
"Where, my sweet? You are here," he replied, chopping a carrot into large chunks. "Where else would you be?"
Sakura scowled and banged her fist on the table. "Where the hell am I, Dimmur?! This damn cave...where is it located?"
Dimmur laughed as he threw the orange vegetable into the boiling soup and stirred it with a long spoon. "We are in the mountains of Yokusei, Sweet Sakura."
"The mountains?" she gasped. She was still in Yokusei. 'Then Itachi-'
"Don't even think about trying to escape. You already know you can't get away from that last attempt," he stated before turning and placing a pale hand against her neck. "Be the good, delicious girl you taste like and don't try again. I would be forced to use violence if you did, and would rather not resort to that."
Sakura closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. He…was right. It was impossible for her to escape. Dimmur could somehow find her scent and there were also four more people in the cave. Not to mention the darkness would make it hard for her to see and she could easily step on a bone and that would instantly give her away. And she had no idea what those tunnels were like and what she might run into.
There were too many unknown factors at play. She was trapped. 'They…are going to eat me.'
The pinkette glared at Dimmur and slapped his face. "You can sure as hell try, you bastard. I won't just stand by and let you and your friends eat me."
Dimmur chuckled before swiftly grabbing a knife off the table and holding it against her throat. "What can you do, my sweet? You are powerless against me. You are all alone with five captors on a mountain. You have no control over anything that happens here."
Sakura gripped his wrist and pushed the knife away before raising her other arm and preparing a punch.
"Being that your stature is so small, you will undoubtedly find yourself coming across bigger opponents However, if your form is executed correctly, size will no longer be a factor."
The girl smiled sadly and lowered her fist. 'Itachi…'
"You see it, don't you?" Dimmur questioned, stepping back and twirling the knife around. "How hopeless this situation is for you. You can't run away and no one is coming to save you."
"No one, huh?" Sakura responded, taking a single step back. "You're probably right about that," she smiled. "My partner…is sleeping right now. Well, he should be, at least. It's impossible for him to know about me anyway."
"Exactly," Dimmur stated as a triumphant grin plastered across his face. "Now, will you go back in that corner and wait like a sweet little girl?"
Sakura laughed, "hell no. You'll have to force me, bastard."
He chuckled and advanced toward her, holding the knife to the side.
"What I will be teaching you involves using your enemy's own power against them."
She smirked and punched his sternum as he came closer, knocking him off balance before kicking his stomach and knocking him on the ground.
He lifted a hand and rested it on her head, like he usually did after their training sessions. "Allow those feelings of accomplishment to be directed towards yourself." He smiled, "though I do appreciate the gratitude."
"But I wouldn't be this accomplished if it weren't for my talented Snail-sensei," she countered, returning his smile.
"That…I learned from my sensei," Sakura stated proudly.
Dimmur coughed as he tried to laugh, turning on his side as he clutched his chest. "Did you? Why would he…waste his time…training you? How can he…be around you and…resist the taste?
Sakura glared at the man and swiftly made her way towards him, tightening her fist. "Not everyone…is disgusting like you, bastard. He's not a rotten cannibal like you. Itachi…is the best person I've ever met in my life. He's my friend."
"You're friend?" he laughed and pushed himself to a sitting position. "The best person you know? Tell me, my sweet, who is this Itachi? Do you know he's not like me?"
The Shinobi pulled her fist back and punched the bastard in the face. "He's nothing like you."
"Well, my sweet, that may be true, but…, is he really what you think he is?" Dimmur chuckled before quickly moving behind her and knocking the hilt of the knife against the back of her neck. "Of course, you'll be eaten before you find the answer, Sweet Sakura."
'Well…I tried, Itachi. I'm sorry, but it seems like you'll have to get back home for the both of us now. Oh, but I utilized your training. Turns out my impulsiveness got the better of me, though. Maybe…if I had learned to control it...'
"...Damnit," Sakura muttered as her vision blackened.
"I just don't think I could ever bring myself to harm you."
"Sorry…Snail."
He returned her smile before lowering his hand. "Then I suppose, it would be best if we simply avoided the situation altogether."
"I agree," Sakura nodded, dropping her hand as well only to firmly grasp his. "Promise? I don't think I could hurt you either."
Itachi smiled. "Aa," he nodded. "I promise."
It seemed like she would break two promises.
She wasn't coming back and…she was going to hurt him.
'…but you'll be alright, Itachi. I know you will. Just make sure…you get your beauty sleep…Snail.'
...
Three Shinobi slept soundly in a meadow, a soft wind blowing the blades of grass back and forth. The stars were the only light in the sky as the moon's radiance was absent.
Sakura was awoken by a sudden stirring beside her and slowly opened her eyes to see Naruto crawling towards Sasuke before shaking his arm lightly.
"Hey, teme? Teme? Sasuke?" he whispered.
"What is it, dobe?" Sasuke responded, keeping his eyes closed.
"I can't sleep, dattebayo," Naruto replied.
"What do you want me to do about it?"
Sakura smirked, but kept her head lowered on the grass and pretended to still be asleep. However, she could clearly see what her two teammates were doing.
Naruto shrugged, "Can you sing?"
"What?" the Uchiha asked, opening his onyx eyes and looking to him in bewilderment.
"Like a lullaby," the blonde clarified. "It might help me go back to sleep."
"I'm not singing you a lullaby," Sasuke stated.
"Alright then, tell me a story. Not a ghost story, though, because that will only scare me."
"Hn," the Uchiha grunted.
"Come on, teme," Naruto pleaded. "Help out a teammate."
Sasuke sighed. "Fine," he replied before he pushed himself up from his sleeping position to sit beside the blonde. "I'm not singing to you, though."
"Thank you, dattebayo." Naruto grinned, "You're not such a jerk all the time."
The Uchiha shook his head at the boy before punching him lightly on the shoulder. "Whatever, dobe."
Naruto laughed and returned the punch before looking to the sky. "Wow."
Sasuke followed his gaze before returning it to his teammate and smirking. "Admiring the stars, baka?"
"Stars have always amazed me, dattebayo," the blonde replied with a nod. "Every time I see them, they make me think of the future."
"The future?"
"Yes, teme. No matter what we do or how far we come, we can never be as great as the stars above us." He looked to Sasuke with a grin, "it's like they shine for the bright future and keep us on the right path, dattebayo, but also keep us from getting arrogant."
Sakura smiled. What Naruto said might have been ridiculous, but it was a thoughtful thing for him to say. He always looked to the future optimistically.
"What do the stars make you think about, Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
The Uchiha remained silent and shifted his gaze back to the stars. After a moment, he sighed. "They don't represent a bright future. Stars make me remember the past and how weak I was. They make me feel…powerless. All I see when I look at them are faces I can't forget."
Naruto listened quietly and a brief silence ensued before he laughed and patted Sasuke on the shoulder. "You're putting too much thought into it, teme."
Sasuke frowned and leaned onto his back, his eyes remaining fixed on the stars. Naruto soon followed suit, except he had a wide grin on his face.
"You know, teme, you're supposed to make a wish when you look at the stars," he stated after a moment.
Sasuke chuckled, "that's only when you see a falling star, dobe."
"That doesn't matter, dattebayo," Naruto replied. "Because…I'm going to become Hokage. That's my wish. I don't need a falling star. It's going to come true no matter what."
"Wasn't that your dream?"
"You're right, teme," Naruto laughed. "I guess they ended up being the same thing because there's nothing else I could think of that I want. However, if I wished for something else, it would be…to know my parents, dattebayo," he stated in a more serious tone. He was silent a moment before turning to his friend with a grin. "What's your wish, teme? Or is it the same as your dream?"
Sasuke didn't respond. He tore his eyes off the sky by turning on his side and facing the vast meadow. Naruto watched him quietly before laughing, "That's alright. You don't have to tell me, dattebayo. As long as there's something you wish for that's fine, dattebayo."
"No," the Uchiha said quietly.
"Huh?"
Sakura frowned. He didn't have a wish? Everyone wanted something…right?
"No," Sasuke repeated. "My wish isn't the same as my dream, Naruto."
The blonde grinned, "That's good, teme. Wishes and dreams…they should be different. A wish can be anything, even if it's not possible. Why not wish for the impossible and save your dreams for reality?"
"Wish for the impossible, huh?" Sasuke mused. "Yeah, that's probably true."
"Alright. Now," Naruto jumped to his feet and stretched his arms over his head. "How about a race? And I bet I'll beat you this time, teme."
"Hn," the Uchiha grunted as he rose beside him. "Ready to lose again, dobe?"
"We'll see about that," he replied before taking off in the direction of a big hill. Sasuke soon caught up to him and they both disappeared down the other side.
Sakura watched them with a smile. She would never understand why they were always competing. 'Sasuke-kun is probably going to win again, though.'
She turned and looked at the stars. "A wish? What would I wish for?
The Shinobi didn't know the answer then, but if she were to wish for something now…it would be for everyone to be together again. Sasuke would return and they would have their friend back. And…Itachi would be there, as well. He wouldn't be a criminal who wasn't allowed to come home. He would be her friend. Everyone would be happy.
That was her wish.
However, certain thoughts she had been suppressing suddenly came to mind.
Itachi. The main thing she always pushed back was her thoughts about him. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, it didn't change the truth. Itachi…was a criminal and…the man Sasuke always talked about killing.
"Also, I have an ambition that I have no intention to leave as just a dream. The revival of my clan, and to…kill a certain man."
"Only I can kill that man. I was crying at the time… My… I'm an avenger. I must become stronger than him. I don't have time to stumble here."
When she first arrived, that was the only thing on her mind. Uchiha Itachi had murdered his clan and Sasuke wanted revenge. That was all she knew and she hated that man.
However, when they became partners, they got closer and were even friends now. It was like he was a completely different person.
That wasn't true, though. Both people were Itachi, but she didn't know the one who killed his family. She knew the Itachi who loved tea, was a great sensei, a wonderful Shinobi and was always right. Sakura cared about him. He was an important person to her…but could she really ignore what he had done?
Itachi…was Sasuke's older brother. The man he hated. She could probably place her own hatred for him with her affections towards Sasuke. She had been trying to move on, though, and…did she still love him?
When he left, it was always hard to think about him because it made her sad every time. Now, however, it felt like something had changed and it didn't affect her the same way it used to. It was like…it was easier. Was that Itachi's doing? By simply being around him she could remember those times without getting emotional. Or was it that she really had been able to move on?
However, this brought her back to those thoughts of Itachi. Now that her reason for hating him was gone, how did she feel?
Sakura blinked and tilted her head before looking down at the bowl in front of her. "When did our food get here?"
"A little while ago, Sakura-san," Itachi stated.
"Oh!" Sakura's eyes widened in realization. "I didn't even notice."
"We still have to work on that," he winked. "Don't we?"
Did she hate him for what he did?
"I think you're…" he began slowly after another short pause, "definitely the most interesting and," she felt his hold on her shoulders tighten slightly, "craziest person in both my past and present acquaintance."
Sakura smiled and tilted her head to see his face. "So you don't think it's a bad thing that I'm crazy?"
"Quite the contrary, in fact," Itachi responded with a shake of his head.
Or was he still the same person to her?
"Are you alright, Sakura-san?"
Sakura avoided his gaze and stared pointedly at the wall beside him. "Not really."
Another crack of thunder sounded, but she simply waited for a response from her partner
Itachi smiled, "would you like some tea?"
Sakura suddenly felt her consciousness returning. There was something soft pressed against her back. Was it a bed of some sort? The sound of boiling water and the smell of soup was no longer present and she felt like she was pressed against a wall.
'Wasn't I supposed to die? What the hell? …Where am I anyway?'
The pinkette slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by the sight of the ceiling overhead. She blinked before turning her head and seeing a window with the vibrant colors of Yokusei's night sky through it. 'How did I get out of that cave?'
Sakura groggily pushed herself up to a sitting position before rubbing her sore neck and checking her surroundings. Something about this house seemed familiar. Had she been here before? She looked down and realized she had been placed on a cot in the corner of the room.
The Shinobi sighed. There were so many questions spinning in her head right now. She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. This room…where had she seen it before?
"Are you teasing me, Sakura-san?"
She lifted her other hand and tapped two fingers against his forehead, "of course not, Itachi."
"Hmm," he mused thoughtfully. She noticed his eyes shift to Gregor briefly before returning to her. He then removed his hand from under hers and wrapped it securely around her shoulders.
"Gregor," he began, catching the man's attention. "We've found the cure and have come to help your village. We suspected that it had spread here as well."
Her eyes suddenly flashed open as she gasped, the memory having occurred in this same house. "I'm at Gregor's…but how?"
Sakura blinked twice. She could ask Gregor what happened, but he didn't seem to be there. 'Where could he be?' She scanned the room once more and something beside caught her eye. It wasn't Gregor, but it was…
"Itachi?" she asked uncertainly. 'That's impossible. That can't be him.' The girl turned and faced him. It was definitely Itachi.
"How is…I thought…Itachi?" The Shinobi didn't know what to say. She was happy to see him, but still confused. After a moment, she sighed and simply stared at him.
He must have fallen asleep at some point. He had his back pressed against the wall and his head rested on it, as well. Sakura smiled slightly at his sleeping face. He looked peaceful. She raised an arm and brushed the bangs out of his face. Her arm rested there a moment before she lowered it. She then pulled her knees to her chest before leaning against the wall, keeping her gaze on him.
"I'm glad, Itachi. You got some sleep, after all. I was worried," Sakura whispered softly before feeling a single tear slip down her cheek. She wiped it away before sighing. There were still so many unanswered questions, but she would wait until he woke up to ask them.
Sakura felt herself smile again. He needed his sleep. That was more important anyway. However, not only was she confused about this situation, she was also confused in regards to Itachi. She needed to find the answer to the latter on her own, though.
The pinkette decided then she wouldn't push those thoughts aside any longer. They required attention, but she also didn't want them to affect her when she was around him. She sighed. That was probably going to be impossible, so she would think about it as often as she could, but not all the time.
At that moment, Itachi's dark eyes opened and looked to the place where she had been lying before he blinked and rested his gaze on her.
Sakura smiled at him, "did you have a good sleep?"
He returned her smile and nodded, "Aa."
She reached a hand out to ruffle his hair before deciding to instead place it on his shoulder. "That's good. You looked like you needed it."
Itachi didn't respond as he continued to look at her with a soft smile. After a short silence, he reached up and took her hand in his as he lowered it from his shoulder and shook his head. "That is…the last time I let you go off on your own."
Sakura smiled slightly and nodded before she felt her eyes start to water. She shook her head and pulled him into a tight hug as the tears started to fall. "I'm sorry, Itachi. I'm sorry."
He placed an arm around her shoulders and she heard him sigh. "Sakura, you don't need to apologize. It wasn't your fault."
"Okay," she nodded before crying harder and tightening the embrace. "I tried to get away, but they were better than me. I didn't want to die and I was afraid…because I didn't want to leave you, Itachi."
"You're safe now," he responded after a moment.
Sakura lifted her head to see him smiling and she weakly returned it. She then lifted a hand and rubbed the tears from her eyes. She paused before asking the question that had been on her mind since waking, "what happened?"
Itachi tilted his head, "Well, Bogford-san woke me up after you had been taken and told me what happened. We came to the village and we, along with Gregor, Snake-skin and Tinderwood, traveled to the mountains where we came upon a cave. We found you unconscious and…dealt with the people who had taken you." He sighed, "Afterwards, we returned here and have simply been waiting for you to wake up."
They dealt with them? So, those men were all dead. She couldn't say she was sorry. They were awful people and had…eaten plenty of people. All those bones proved it.
Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Those sick bastards," she muttered bitterly.
"Aa," he chuckled softly. "I can't think of a better way to put it."
The pinkette smirked in response before considering something else he had said. "How did the fish-man know what happened?"
Itachi shrugged, "he had his boat. I assume he was out on the lake fishing."
Sakura cringed as she remembered what happened by the lake. She lifted her arm and looked at the cut the bastard had repeatedly licked before placing her other hand over it with a grimace. After a moment, her gaze returned to Itachi and she forced a smile. "Well, at least he was there."
"Aa," he nodded. "Without Bogford-san, and Gregor as well, I would not have made it in time."
She lifted her hand and placed it against his cheek with a gentle smile. "I'll have to thank them later. And…I'm really happy you got there in time. I thought I would never see you again."
The Uchiha reached out a hand and ran it through her hair as he shook his head. "That's in the past now, Sakura." He smiled, "but I'm glad I made it in time, too."
Sakura's smile widened before she remembered her previous thoughts and abruptly rose to her feet. She glanced around briefly. "Where's Gregor?"
Itachi sighed then proceeded to slowly stand as well, "he's at the tavern." He then looked to the stove. "How about some tea?" he cast her a wink, "we missed it this morning."
"Tea sounds good," she nodded before walking towards the cupboard and retrieving two cups.
He turned and made his way to the kettle before heating it. "We will leave tomorrow sometime, after you have fully recovered. Perhaps even the day after."
"I'm fine," Sakura replied, shaking her head. "I don't have any injuries, so traveling won't be a problem."
Itachi looked at her and offered another smile, "all the same, I'd rather wait."
"Alright," she shrugged. "What are we going to do while we wait?"
He tilted his head before returning the shrug, "it doesn't matter." He smirked slightly, "whatever you want."
Sakura nodded. What she really wanted was to find an answer, but that was something she would leave for a later time. "Well," she began with a grin. "We haven't had much free time since we came to Yokusei. Maybe there's something to do in town."
"Perhaps," the Uchiha replied before pouring the hot water into the cups and brewing the tea. After a moment, he grabbed both and made his way to the table where he set them down and glanced at Sakura. "For now though, have some tea with me."
"Of course," she smiled before winking. "I can't refuse your tea, Itachi."
He returned the smile before taking a sip from his cup and glancing to the window. His eyes then lowered to his steaming tea.
Sakura walked towards him and lifted her own cup off the table. She took a small sip before looking to him with a smile. "Can we go back to the inn when we're finished?"
Itachi glanced at her and creased his brows, "what inn, Sakura?"
The pinkette blinked before her eyes widened, "Oh! We're in Gregor's village, aren't we?"
"Aa," he nodded before sighing. "After you finish your tea, you can go back to sleep and catch up on some rest."
Sakura nodded in agreement before laughing, "You sounded kind of like my dad."
"Oh?" he smiled. "You father sounds like a wise man."
"Sakura, do you know where your mom hid my brandy?"
"It's never too early for a drink. Except when it concerns age. That's why Sakura isn't allowed to have a drink with me…yet."
"Birds…are fascinating creatures, dear. Did you know doves are a symbol of love?"
"Hey, Sakura, want to help me hide the coffee from your mother?"
"Why do you think green is my favorite color? Hint: it has nothing to do with your mother."
"You'll have to go out in the world and make your own decisions someday. The right ones are the best for a reason, but you can always recover from the wrong ones. You just have to believe and never give up."
Sakura grinned, "He is, but only sometimes. My dad likes to make a joke out of everything."
"Utilizing a sense of humor in certain situations can be a sign of wisdom," he replied.
"In that case," she smirked, "he's very wise."
"Well," he returned the smirk before tapping two fingers against her forehead. "I suppose you must have inherited that trait from him."
"Hell yeah," Sakura replied. "Or he rubbed off on me. I certainly spent a lot of time with him in the past."
"That's good," he nodded. "You should spend as much time with your parents as possible."
"I agree," she responded before taking another long sip of tea and finishing it. "I'm done now, Itachi."
Her partner nodded before slowly finishing his own drink, setting it down beside hers then glancing down at her with a smile. "Are you tired?"
Sakura nodded and rubbed her neck again. "I didn't exactly get any sleep. I was knocked out twice."
Itachi lifted a hand and rested it over her forehead protector as he tilted his head. "Are you sore anywhere from that?"
"Just my neck and my wrist," she replied simply before glancing down at her hand. "And the knuckles on my right hand."
"Did you punch someone?"
"Yes, I punched Dimmur," she stated with a triumphant smirk.
Itachi smiled and grabbed both cups before placing them in the sink and returning to her. "Come on then, you need some sleep."
"I want sleep, Snail," Sakura winked as she rose from her chair.
"Of course," he shook his head. "Call it what you like."
She made her way to the cot in the corner before lying down on it. "Thanks for the permission."
Itachi sighed as he walked towards her and reclaimed his position against the wall, "goodnight, Sakura."
"Goodnight, Itachi," Sakura responded as she closed her eyes. It had certainly been a long day and she was very tired. And even though there were many things that still confused her, she definitely knew she was happy to be with Itachi again.
'I suppose that chuckle earlier counts.'
