Sakura
Sakura had pulled herself to her feet. She had managed to make herself continue to fight, live on, not give up, so why did she feel like she was so ready to just pass out and allow herself to die? Nai! The inside of the young woman's mind screamed at her, jolting her thoughts away and pulling her back into her current hellish reality. Assessing the situation, the kunoichi determined this one thing true. At the order that was given, if you considered for but a moment that Kakashi was much too far away to do anything, Naruto was too out of it to probably even be sensible enough to do something, and Kabuto was already pretty close to her in itself, she had no way out of this. Sakura was damned if she fought back, damned if she didn't. The thought of that frightened her. She wasn't ready to die. I can't die...Kakashi sensei and Naruto kun would suffer knowing that they were helpless to do anything...Surely there is a way ou-Oomph! So lost in thought had the young woman been, that she hadn't even realized Kabuto appear behind her.
When she whirled around, simply out of muscle memory and reaction to someone attacking her, their eyes met. Emerald glued themselves on dark onyx and the second they did, she went flying. Sakura hit the tree bark with a large Thud noise, falling to the ground in front of her on her hands and knees. Itaii...Kami, that hurts... By this point, the rosette began to cough up blood again from the impact. She looked up in a split second, only to see Kabuto above her, intent to kill very clear. This was not the problem. His intent was obvious, but his eyes held confliction and so did his facial features. This confused the young woman further. Almost instantly, his hand was at her heart and the girl's eyes widened in both fear and realization. I am going to die...This is it...Gomen, Kakashi sensei, Naruto kun..I wasn't strong enough..Kabuto san, you win...Check and mate.. Sakura shut her eyes tightly, heart racing as she attempted to prepare herself for her imminent demise, but that was not what came.
"I'm sorry.." was all she heard before they were no longer in the area they had been before. Daring to open her still very much frightened orbs, Sakura blinked several times and channeled some of her healing chakra into her abdomen where she'd been kicked. She coughed a few more times, vision becoming blurry as she tried to open her mouth and speak.
"Non..de..?" she questioned, hands on her aching body and eyes glued to her captor, but in a strange way, her savior as well. "What are you doing, four eyes..?"
Her questions were through choked breaths as she attempted to keep herself breathing. I don't want to pass out.. she groaned internally. I'm so confused...Kami, what's going on..? Why did he save me..? He looked very much ready to kill me, demo, you have always been one to toy with my mind, haven't you, Kabuto san..? Angry and confused, the dazed young woman tried to get to her feet, but to no avail.
The second she stood up, she fell right back down. Her backside hit the damp earth with a 'thunk' and she groaned in pain, shaking her dizzy head. Shimata, I can't see...My vision is so blurry...My head is spinning.. "Don't just stand there all silent and poised, answer my-" And that was when she couldn't stay awake any longer. Sakura fell forward in one swift motion and ceased to know consciousness.
[ I had no idea what was going on then. I was certainly not prepared for what I'd have to deal with now that I wasn't dead, but I still think it was better than what Sasuke kun had done to me. Kabuto confused me, and I was scared, and angry. Every fiber of my being ached, and it wasn't until I finally felt the lights go out that I realized just how long it would be before I got to see Naruto kun and Kakashi sensei again, not because they died or I died, but because of what happened after all of this madness. Thank Kami it's different now, for at first, I wasn't sure what to think.. ].
Naruto/Kurama.Sakura chan, nai! Kurama, do something!.
"I told you, I can't! I wouldn't get close enough!".
Nai, nai! Sakura chan can't die! I won't let her!.
"I see...Good luck, Naruto..".
Kurama relinquished his control over the blond, fading back into the dark abyss that was his sealed cage. Truth be told, he cared not for Naruto's friend, but he had promised he'd do what he could to help. He had kept his promise, now it was Naruto's job to do the rest. "Sakura chan!" Naruto shouted, getting off of his hind legs and running at full speed. He was close, Kakashi was closer, but Kabuto was closest. The blond watched in horror as Kabuto kicked Sakura very roughly into a tree. Her body smacked against it and he could have sworn her heard a bone or two break just from the sheer impact of it.
The girl was hurt. His crush, his friend, his Sakura was in pain and going to die. I can't just sit here and watch this! I have to at least try! Immediately, the blond made quick hand signs. Two other clones of himself appeared and one began to form the all too recognizable rasengan in his hand. As Naruto drew near, he had almost gotten it. Almost there...Hang on, Sakura chan! I won't let you die! Dattebayo! "Rasengan!" he yelled, but only blew the tree to kingdom come. The blond stopped in his tracks, blue orbs widening and trembling at the same time. Where did she go?! Where did he take her?! Rotten teme!.
Naruto whirled around, looking in every direction. His nervous eyes darted around every which way. No sign of them. All that had happened was the two had disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Kabuto? Kabuto!" Orochimaru seemed pretty pissed off, but not nearly as pissed off as Naruto. "Where did he go?!" he asked seemingly no one, getting in front of the snake sanin to block his path. "Oh no you don't, Orochimaru! Kakashi sensei, find Sakura chan.." was all the young man said. To his surprise, the older man did not argue with him. Kakashi nodded and quickly headed off in the direction that he suspected Kabuto and Sakura to have gone off in.
Watching as his teacher sped off, the blond returned his attention to Orochimaru. "I don't know what's going on here, demo you're not getting anywhere near Sakura chan, you snake! You'll have to go through me first. Dattebayo!".
Kakashi
Where could they have gone..? He wondered, jumping through the trees and keeping a close eye out for the two of them. Orochimaru ordered him to kill her, yet he hesitated..He almost seemed like he was having to force himself to do so..Just what is going on here..? Shaking his head of his trivial train of thought, the older male pushed himself faster and faster. He had to find Sakura. It was the only way of knowing if she was alright or not. Come on, Sakura chan..Kurasai be alright..I don't know what's going on here, demo I'll rescue you and we can all go home together...
Sasuke
The younger Uchiha growled in his rage. He thrust his sword forward, only to have the leverage used against him. When Itachi spewed forth a fireball, Sasuke jumped back and did the same. Afterward, he ran through the smoke and charged his hand with electricity. "Chidori!" he yelled, aiming to use the smoke from both of their attacks as a way to easily cut through his brother's defenses and kill him. This will be over soon..I just know it.. He had no ounce of care about what was going on beside him. All Sasuke knew was that there was a lot of commotion. Okay, so maybe he was just slightly curious, but that was it. It doesn't matter. I can't afford to lose my focus now..I have to kill him..I have to..I am an avenger!.
Itachi
A fireball simultaneously shot towards Itachi at the same time the elder Uchiha shot his own. Although both of them easily dodged such an attack, the smoke caused by the fire proved to be problematic. He could barely see, not to mention his deteriorating eyes made it no easier, but right before an attack hit him, he saw his little brother. In his hand was a powerful chidori. Right before it connected with his chest, however, sharingan met sharingan and a random memory electrified his mind.
He remembered it clearly. The wavering scent of fresh, fancy cuisine as well as the delightfully sinful scent of unhealthy deserts and salty soups like ramen with its thick sauce and noodles piled high with various meats and treats. However, Itachi rarely submitted to these morbid foods. Instead, he often enjoyed something his mother made at home. It was simple, yet elegant and very difficult to make. It was onigiri.
A couple of years after Sasuke was born, his mother decided it was time to teach her eldest son how to cook. His father didn't agree. It was Itachi's duty as the next in line to focus solely on the uchiha ninja way. At first, he agreed. It wasn't that he didn't want to cook, but he thought it would be better suited if she simply teach Sasuke when he was old enough to learn. Itachi would never have the time for such things. However, Mikoto persuaded him.
"Itachi, I think Sasuke would rather learn from you. He admires you so much, and you never do get to spend much time with him. Your father has you doing so many things for the clan, but now your mother is asking you to do this for the family. Could you find some time?" she had asked him with a smile. He had agreed, and one day when his father was away, his mother sat him down and showed him how to form a rice ball.
"...and you see? Now, it's much more difficult than it looks. You have to cook the rice just right; it can't be too sticky or too dry. You can make some more while I cook the rice, and when you're ready, we can switch."
He had done as she asked, forming the rice together in perfectly circular shapes that were all about the same size. Soon there was no more rice to use, and so she gently pulled him closer.
"Make sure to constantly stir it like this, okay? And then you add this..and this.. mmhm.."
When the rice looked right to him, the young Itachi poured it into a bowl for his mother to use. While he continued to cook another batch, he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She dipped her hands in salty water and gracefully formed a triangle out of the sticky rice. After puncturing a delicate dent, she scooped some of the filling and placed it inside. She then covered it with rice until it could not be seen and wrapped it in seaweed. Hers looked perfect, and determination swelled within Itachi.
"May I take your place?" he asked, speaking for the first time since they started. She appeared shocked for a moment, as if she wasn't expecting him to speak, but then a smile grew on her features. "Of course.'"
He then began forming onigiri of his own, making sure to follow her example completely. By the time all the rice was gone, the triangle shapes he made perfectly mirrored that of his mothers. He stared at his creations and smiled slightly. Without being asked to, he began to clean up. He didn't mind. But his mother protested. "Thank you, Itachi, but I can do this. Go take some origiri to your little brother."
He hesitated for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. Purposefully picking out several of the rice balls he had formed, he placed them on a plate and headed towards Sasuke's room. When he opened the door, he expected to see his little brother laying in bed. It was getting dark outside, and so this worried him. Placing the plate on a dresser in his room, he ventured quietly ventured outside and looked around. There was no one, and so he ventured further. Until finally, his feet carried him to a spot he often trained in. That was where he saw none other than a five-year old Sasuke carefully throwing around shuriken, trying to hit a tree. Itachi quietly sat down on a nearby log and watched while hidden by the shadow.
Sasuke was still very young, but he had determination pulsing through his veins. Still, he lacked in experience. His little brother craved this experience from Itachi, however he was unsure of how to proceed this. Not only did he have little time to do so, but it troubled him that he may be looking up to the wrong person.
In the end, he never did approach his brother that night. He waited and followed him back home to assure his safety. When the younger Uchiha retreated to his room, it surprised him to see a plate of onigiri sitting on his dresser. He had assumed his mother cooked them for him while he was out training to become more like Itachi. Not once did he think it possible that his older brother made these for him cross his mind. Itachi never would have the chance to teach his little brother how to cook.
Of course now, due to his death, he never would. But he wasn't dead yet. It was not his time. He quickly dodged to the right, the lightning chakra barely grazing his skin, and jumped down into a tree. He knew this fight had gone on long enough, especially after allowing a memory to consume his mind for that moment. He was Itachi Uchiha of Konaha, and he would do his very best to continue on his path in life. He would not stray, and thus, he could not allow his thoughts to stray to what once was. Instead, he must focus on what could be.
Orochimaru
He was interrupted on his way to retrieve his medic by none other than the blond jinjuriki who was no longer consumed by , the snake-like man wasn't worried. Kabuto needed him, so there was no doubt he would return. Because without him, Kabuto was nobody.
"I don't care what happens to your kunoichi friend now, but I guess I'm far too busy here to leave. But without the help of Kurama, you're hopeless. Nothing more than an interestingly hopeless brat."
Kabuto
The captivating and endless forest that enclosed the area in various shades of deep and bright green hid the world around them. There was no escape save the spaces where light filtered through the top branches. The moment his feet landed in the small field encased in the trees, he inhaled the thick fragrance of plants and earthly herbs. However, Kabuto was not here to collect medicinal ingredients as he had been the day he ran into a certain pink haired kunoichi attempting to steal a certain notebook containing forbidden information. This time, the only noises were the rustling of leaves in the wind and the breathing of two people who didn't belong here. He was one of them. The other was the very prisoner whose life had been in his hands. The very girl he couldn't force himself to kill. But oh, how he had wanted to. In most ways, he still did. But a very humane, sympathetic side of him had decided to dominate. That was the only way he could explain it, of course. Why else wouldn't he kill Sakura?
His Sakura.
No words came from his lips as she questioned him, for he could do nothing but stare at her silently. Her coughing was worsening, her condition deteriorating. She demanded answers from him, answers he couldn't give. He didn't want to, either. He watched her struggle to stand, and as soon as it seemed she was able to, she fell back down and groaned in pain from the injury he had caused her without regret. He could tell that she was becoming annoyed at him, when at the very least she could have been grateful.
"Don't just stand there all silent and poised, answer my-" she insisted, however was cut short by her own failure at continuing consciousness any longer. She fell over on the mossy earth and he looked away, completely ignoring her presence as he began to heal his cracked rib.
I couldn't care less about her condition. She's alive, isn't she?
He took in a deep breath, clenching his teeth at the pain and forced back a violent cough that almost made its appearance. Now that he was alone, aside from his unconscious cherry blossom, and no longer in battle, he didn't have to worry about showing his discomfort. Although it pained him, the healing chakra did its work and as soon as he healed his rib enough so that it wouldn't be doing more damage he moved on to his lung. There was only so much he could do, and although it still hurt, he would live. He glanced back over at Sakura. Is she still breathing? Kabuto slowly approached the body that lay silently on the ground and settled beside her. Without hesitation and purely due to curiosity, he reached out to her neck to feel her pulse. He had to wait a moment, but eventually felt something. A very small something. His onyx eyes looked down at her weak body, and he felt as if he was given a second chance. If he sat here and did nothing, she would die eventually. He could return to Orochimaru, apologize, and explain that he just wanted to have more fun with her. However, it wasn't in him to ignore a dying person. But her death would be the solution to his problems, so he could make an except this time? Right?
Wrong.
His hands glided along her body, running down her arm until meeting her midsection. Her crimson blood stained his medical hands, but it didn't bother him. He was well used to the feel of that thick liquid. What bothered him was what he was about to do. His eyes narrowed, angry at himself.
Why can't she just die? She's making my life more difficult than it has to be, and now she's ruined all my plans. I'm sorry Orochimaru sama, I didn't plan for this. My pawn made it all the way to the other side of the board and chose to save her. What a wasted move. All toys must break eventually, and she is no exception. Hopefully next time someone will try to kill her when no medic is around.
Suddenly, he swore he sensed a presence nearby. His head shot up and he looked through the small openings between the trees. His eyes scanned the area, but he saw nothing. It seems I'm becoming rather paranoid as well.. he thought, letting out a sigh as he returned his gaze to the female before him.
"My cherry blossom..heh. It appears you've grown on me more than I anticipated. You're very lucky I couldn't kill you, but luck always runs out. I'll just have to keep you as my personal pet until I can." he uttered softly, mostly to himself. His hands began glowing with the radiance of his chakra as he began healing one of her many injuries. Although he couldn't stop himself from curing the internal war inside her, he knew he was no savior. I will be back, Orochimaru sama, but not until I've completed my order.