A/N: Huzza for updating before the month is out! I'm so proud of myself :D Also, it's the first day of fall! I'm so happy as it's my favorite time of the year.
Haha, really though, I'm sososo happy that this chapter is out. It was, surprisingly, a very easy one to that quite literally poured out of me. So, in honor of the super-speedy update, I want to dedicate this chapter to the lovely Sakura's Unicorn for being such a sweetheart with her awesome reviews and constructive criticism. Not to mention that she's an absolute joy and never fails to make me smile when I receive a new PM. Check out her one-shots. They're seriously amazing. :D
Now, enjoy the Sakura/Taka interaction.
xx LCF
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, man. So stop lurking outside my window before I call the cops (-failed attempt at a witty disclaimer)
Edit 6/20/17
Hey everyone! Don't mind me, I've just cleaned up and tweaked a few things around.
Storm
Chapter 5: A Matter of Convenience
It was dark when the four cloaked figures came to a stop. They stood atop the edge of a cliff and stared at the forest that extended as far as the eye could see. It was a long way down and the ground was barely discernible through the thick canopy of trees. The only open area for miles was on the ground directly below them.
"Karin, which way." Sasuke asked as his red eyes scanned the forest below. Most likely for the camp Juugo had been instructed to set up.
"He's at eight 'o' clock, about three kilometers from here." she replied as she opened her eyes and lowered her hands.
Sakura had to admit that despite her dislike for the redhead, her abilities as a sensor were phenomenal. She herself still hadn't managed to locate Juugo's chakra signature, and by the looks of the others, she wasn't the only one.
Sasuke merely nodded before he proceeded to walk over the edge of the cliff with Suigetsu quickly in tow. A soft pop filled the air as a giant shadow suddenly shot up to the sky, obscuring the moon for the briefest second before it flew closer. In the moonlight, Sakura took note of the giant hawk as it swooped down with Sasuke on its back. Summons and its master landed close to the two kunoichi that remained on the clifftop.
While it seemed that Suigetsu was content with making his own way down the side of the cliff, Karin apparently thought it to be too much trouble. The redhead quickly turned on her heel and walked over to where Sasuke's hawk had landed before promptly getting on its back. Sakura watched the scene with quiet amusement before she caught sight of Sasuke. He inclined his head towards her, as though he were extending an invitation to her as well.
Scowling, Sakura promptly walked over the edge of the cliff and let herself freefall. She welcomed the undeniable rush of adrenaline that surged in her veins because of her descent. The speed of the dive pushed her hood back, allowing her long ponytail to billow out behind her. As the ground approached at alarming speeds, Sakura assumed a diving position and gathered chakra from the palm of her hands up to her elbows. The moment her palms touched the ground, she dispersed her chakra throughout her body like a wave and used her momentum to roll forward into a crouch.
She heard an appreciative whistle as she stood, and turned to see Suigetsu jumping down the last ten feet of the cliff.
"That was pretty awesome, Kitten. You sure got balls, don't you?" he grinned.
Sakura raised a shoulder in a half-shrug. "I didn't want to seem incapable of getting down by myself."
Suigetsu let out a bark of laughter before Karin and Sasuke suddenly touched down several yards from them, the hawk nowhere in sight.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Karin snapped as she approached them.
"Whatever you want it to," Sakura threw over her shoulder, already making her way through the underbrush and in the direction Karin had previously pointed out. Another appreciative laugh could be heard before Suigetsu muttered something unintelligible.
Sakura didn't bother to stay long enough to find out what it was.
"Quite a spitfire, isn't she?" Suigetsu remarked offhandedly as his violet eyes remained trained on the pink haired girl as she disappeared into the woods.
"I don't see what's so special." Karin bit out, livid. There was something very close to jealousy mixed into her tone as she marched over and planted herself firmly at Sasuke's side.
Sasuke said nothing as he silently followed the medic, his own gaze boring into the back of Sakura's head. He ignored the sudden grin that the former Mist-nin threw at him before his lead along with Karin's angry huffs.
About ten minutes into her walk, Sakura caught the faint scent of smoke and cooking meat. Licking her dry lips, she crept further into the forest. It was completely dark save for the spots in the canopy overhead where the moonlight would pour in, so her vision was extremely limited. She heard the others trailing behind her, Suigetsu's rough voice filling the night air with obscenities whenever he tripped over the protruding roots.
Biting back the urge to chuckle at his expense, Sakura pressed onward and broke through the dense brush before stumbling into a cramped clearing. The first thing she saw was Juugo's large form hovering over a fire, his eyes snapped over to her entrance, but he remained by their cooking meal. The warm light of the fire washed over her and the smell of cooking meat assaulted her nose. Her stomach growled suddenly, and the small twitch to Juugo's lips was more than enough confirmation that he'd heard it.
Mortified, Sakura gathered what little dignity she could as she made her way over to the giant. "That smells good."
"Here," he said as he handed her a skewer. "They should be ready now."
Sakura gave a small smile of thanks and took a bite just as Suigetsu stumbled in, a fuming Karin not far behind.
"You're so fucking stupid!" she snarled before she punched him violently, his head splattering on the ground. Sakura set her dinner down on the pseudo-plate she had made for herself at the sudden loss of appetite.
"Aw, now look what you've done Red. You've made Kitten lose her appetite and she hasn't eaten a thing in forever." Suigetsu quipped, his reformed head reattaching itself to his neck and shoulders. He leered at Sakura, pointed teeth gleaming in the firelight as he snickered at Karin's angry sputters.
"Does it look like I care?" the bespectacled kunoichi seethed.
"Suigetsu, Karin, that's enough." Sasuke drawled as he walked into the clearing, effectively ending their argument. He inclined his head slightly to Juugo as he walked over to the open fire and came to a stop where Sakura was seated.
"Is there something you need?" she asked as her eyes met his.
"You'll eat to keep up your strength. If you're not strong then you're useless to me." He said, his intense stare giving her goosebumps.
A scowl made its way onto Sakura's face, clearly displeased with his order, but more so for letting his countenance affect her the way it did. She hadn't seen him in so long, and thought of him even less so. Trying to survive every day for the past three years was strenuous and mind-jarring enough, Sakura hadn't wanted to add the extra emotional baggage that thinking of him would bring. But if she were completely honest with herself, she'd admit that there were more than a few occasions where his visage would appear in her mind's eye if only for a few seconds. And now he knew it too—had seen it for himself when he'd forced himself into her memories. The knowledge made the already angry flush on her face grow hotter with embarrassment.
However, when she had thought of him, it was when she was either very angry or very upset. They were hardly romantic fantasies. The fight for her survival far eclipsed anything else.
It did little to appease her flaming cheeks.
The fact of the matter was that whether she wanted to admit it or not, Sasuke still meant a great deal to her. The question was, just how much in light of everything that's happened? Did she still care about him the way she had after everything that's happened? After she caught wind of his infamous reputation?
She wasn't quite sure.
There were too many things left unseen, and despite the small twelve-year-old part of herself that was undeniably happy to be at his side once more, she couldn't ignore the unease that settled in her stomach everything she so much as looked at him. He was so different, and yet hauntingly familiar.
Shaking her head, Sakura looked over to where Sasuke sat eating his meal before turning to watch the other members of Taka.
Suigetsu and Karin had started up another fight while Juugo tried to placate them. However, the fight quickly turned physical as Karin threw a punch that Suigetsu evaded. He exploited her unbalanced position as he took hold of her still-extended arm and twisted it to the small of her back, his forearm coming around and crushing her windpipe as he held her steadfast. The redhead snarled, kicking wildly as she fought to free herself.
Sakura wondered when Sasuke was going to be forced to step in, but before she could glance at him, a sinister cackle suddenly erupted from Juugo. Only, he didn't look like himself. His skin was covered in rough-looking scales, and his eyes burned yellow in the firelight. The undeniable thirst for blood was evident in his aura and his chakra was suddenly a chaotic mass. He let out another piercing laugh before he lunged for the tussling pair.
"Shit!" Suigetsu swore, shoving Karin away from him as he reached for the sword strapped to his back.
Before he could swing, Juugo's large arm successfully connected and knocked him back. His yellow eyes were trained on the redhead on the ground.
"You're it for today!" he growled, his arm suddenly morphing into a giant mallet. He brought it down with incredible speed and barely missed Karin as she moved out of his line of fire.
The kunoichi rolled off to the side once more before she shot to her feet and ran to where Sasuke sat. Juugo was hot on her heels, his mallet-arm brought up as he prepared to swing once more. Sakura watched as Sasuke reached to unsheath his blade and shot forward immediately. She couldn't allow him to hurt Juugo, not when it was clear that the larger man was not in his right state of mind.
"Don't!" the cry erupted from her throat as she rushed towards him, her gloved hands catching hold of Juugo's arms and putting and end to his onslaught.
He snarled as he used his momentum to drive himself forward. Gritting her teeth, Sakura locked into her stance and surged chakra to her arms and legs, determined to keep him immobile. The boost made it easy for her to overpower him and soon both were at a standstill. Sweat rolled down her temple, her arms trembled with exertion—she was definitely out of practice—when she felt Sasuke approach. She chanced a glance at him to find his Sharingan spinning wildly into Juugo's eyes. It didn't take long before the man suddenly slumped against her hold. Sakura caught him without missing a beat. The scales that covered him glowed brightly as they receded, the sight pulling at her memories regarding the raven-haired man at her side.
Once Juugo was back to his normal self, Sakura let go of his arms and he immediately fell to his knees. Concern washed over her as he clutched his hair wildly, his eyes clenched shut as he rocked himself.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." he chanted.
"Juugo, I—" she started, her hand rubbed soothing circles into his back. To think that just moments ago, the broken man before her had been so determined to kill Karin and completely unrecognizable.
"Leave him," Sasuke said tonelessly as a hand shot out and grabbed her arm like a vice.
"Sasuke he needs—"
"I said to leave him." he repeated before he nodded to Suigetsu to attend to the large man.
Sasuke spared no one else a glance as he hauled Sakura tōttowards the forest, ignoring how she stumbled behind him the entire way through. He had yet to relinquish his hold on her until they were well out of earshot and prying eyes.
"What the hell was that for?" Sakura bit out as she wrenched her arm out of his grasp. His silhouette was barely discernible through the shadows the canopy provided.
"You will not interfere when Juugo is in the middle of his cursed seal transformation. He's an entirely different person from the person you know, and he won't hesitate to kill you should you get in his way."
Sakura was incredulous. "Cursed Seal? You mean that Orochimaru gave him one as well? Does everyone in Taka have one?"
"No, the only ones were myself and Juugo. And Juugo did not receive Orochimaru's cursed seal, he was the basis for it."
Green eyes widened in surprise. Juugo was the origin of the power the snake sannin had perverted. The proverbial goose and his condition was Orochimaru's golden egg. His was instrumental in the creation of the vile mark Orochimaru had bestowed upon Sasuke in the Forest of Death, there was no doubt about it. Already Sakura could imagine all the torture and experimentation he'd been forced to endure at his hands. And he'd been born with it?
A man of his gentle nature? It was no wonder his sanity was barely holding on by a hair's breadth.
"Are you kidding me? That's even more reason for me to be around him. He needs help! Did you see the turmoil he was in just now? Did you see just how frail his psyche was when he returned to normal? He's unstable, which is—"
"Why you'll keep your distance should he be overcome by his urge again. He has nearly killed us many times over the past three years since I've formed Taka, we know how to handle him. Do not meddle or I will remind you of your place." Sasuke warned.
"And what place is that, exactly?" Sakura seethed, fury burning in her eyes and laced in her tone.
"Whatever history we had is gone— the bonds that were once forged have been severed. Team Seven has been over for a long time, and I won't hesitate to kill you if push comes to shove." The blade of his chokutō suddenly bit into the soft skin of her neck, but Sakura wasn't afraid. She could spot an intimidation tactic from a mile away and she wasn't about to let him bully her into submission.
"You're nothing more than a matter of convenience now. Don't test my patience for you'll find it very shortcoming."
He removed the blade from her neck and instantly Sakura unleashed a wave of healing chakra to the minor cut, if only to show that he wouldn't get to her so easily. She was no longer the frightened thirteen-year-old girl he and Naruto had to protect, the one who could barely hold her own against run of the mill thugs. She was the Godaime's apprentice and a medical expert in her own right. She would not bow to him or anyone else.
"I hope you remember your words when time comes for me to heal you. Because when that time comes, your life will be in my hands."
Sasuke was upon her in an instant, his Sharingan spun dangerously and glowed blood-red in the darkness of the forest. "Is that a threat, Sakura?"
"Yes," she bit out as she foolishly met his gaze.
Sasuke sneered, and for a moment Sakura thought she would have to fight for her life, but after another handful of seconds passed, he turned on his heel and walked back to camp without sparing her a second glance.
Enough is enough, Sakura thought severely.
Green eyes slipped closed as she focused her chakra to the point on her forehead where she'd stopped feeding it to. Thankfully, she managed to maintain the chakra she'd stored before her defection so it wouldn't take much more time if she started storing it once more. She could deal with having only half her chakra at her immediate disposal for the next few weeks. What she couldn't deal with was not having the Byakugou if things turned sour and desperately needing it.
Sakura only hoped that she wouldn't have to.
Upon returning to camp, Sakura had ignored Sasuke for the rest of the night. After their impromptu meeting, the pink-haired kunoichi had purposely walked over to Juugo. She placated the older man and was pleasantly surprised when he had allowed her to examine him. She had done a brief psych evaluation, nothing too probing, but enough for her to gather bits and pieces of knowledge in regards to how his mind worked. When she began the physical evaluation, she was surprised to find a chemical imbalance in his brain that reacted with increasing volatility to her probing.
Juugo for his part, had spoken to her the entire time she worked, answering any questions she had regarding his problem. After a good hour of her probing about, Sakura proceeded to write down all her findings in a small journal she kept within her medic pouch. She'd have to find the time to analyze the information, but for the time being she was only able to comfort the man.
"I'm very sorry for what I did." Juugo mumbled quietly once she put the journal away.
Sakura gave him a comforting smile as her hand rested on his knee. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault and it's not like you can control when it'll happen. I promise I'll look into it when I have time and try to see if I can find anything in regards to your particular imbalance. If my hypothesis about it proves to be correct, I'm sure I can whip up something to help suppress the urges of eliminate them completely."
"No, I don't want to inconvenience you. You are here for Sasuke. I do not want you to stray from whatever goals you may have."
"Don't worry about it," Sakura insisted, frowning at his words. "What I do on my own free time is none of his concern."
Juugo looked towards her then, his orange eyes taking in her tense posture before he looked across the clearing to where Sasuke sat in much the same manner. "Please don't misunderstand. Sasuke has the best intentions."
Sakura glanced at Juugo. "How can you say that? He's been using his dojutsu as a way to keep your urges under control without care."
A small smile bloomed on Juugo's face. "I'm actually quite thankful for it." he confessed.
His confession threw Sakura through a loop. Thankful? Juugo was thankful?
At her confused look, Juugo hastily added. "Please don't misunderstand. I'm aware that Sasuke has to resort to using his Kekkei Genkai to keep my episodes at bay, but believe me when I say that his is the lesser of two evils."
"Several years ago, I went to Orochimaru in the hopes that he'd be able to create some kind of cure for my ailment."
"And instead he used you to create his own." Sakura finished. Juugo nodded silently to her interruption.
"Yes. Orochimaru took advantage of a boy desperate for peace and made him the progenitor for what would become the Cursed Seal. Though my time with him was not pleasant, there were small moments where I found the peace I sought. Those fleeting moments grew once I met Kimimaro, and when he was gone, they returned when Sasuke asked me to join him."
Sakura remained silent as she absorbed what Juugo was telling her.
Despite his suffering, he was able to find those rare instances of peace while under Orochimaru's 'care'. His friendship with Kimimaro seemed to anchor him, and when he was gone, it seemed that Sasuke's presence was enough to as well. But that begged the question; why Sasuke?
When Sakura voiced her question, she was surprised by the serene smile that quirked his lips.
"Because he is who Kimimaro gave his life for."
Green eyes glanced over at the lone Uchiha where he sat against the trunk of a nearby tree. She was surprised to find his eyes on her already, but made sure to keep her face carefully blank before tearing her gaze away and returned to the conversation at hand.
They woke early the following morning. The sky was a deep indigo that lightened with each passing second as the moon still clung to its perch.
Sakura stretched within the confines of her sleeping bag, a muffled yawn escaping her as her arms reached skywards in a delicious stretch. Her fingers unexpectedly skimmed warm cloth and her eyes shot open, a frown marred her face when she saw Suigetsu grinning toothily at her.
"How about you stretch for me one more time, Kitten? I wouldn't mind seeing you arch your back like that again." He smirked.
Sakura threw him a disapproving frown as she clambered out of the nylon encasement and promptly rolled it up before re-attaching it to the straps of her travel bag. She pushed past him to see Juugo already awake and sitting on one of the boulders she had perched on the night before.
"Don't be that way, Kitten." Suigetsu mock-pouted, "I don't want Karin to be the only girl I have to come in contact with. Not when there's a much more appealing option from the fairer sex among us now."
"My name is Sakura, not Kitten. And flattery will get you nowhere." She bit back; watching as Suigetsu dropped his hurt act and sauntered over to her.
"Alright, so you're not easily charmed then. Good to see a female that's actually able to look past a devilishly handsome face and know how to take a joke." She snorted at this. "Then again, you could just have horrible taste."
"What do you want, Suigetsu?" she prompted.
"Oh, there are plenty of things I want Sa-ku-ra." he leered. "Perhaps you should rephrase your question before I twist it into something I'm sure you'd gladly punch me for."
She rolled her eyes when he suddenly grinned. "Had you going there for a second, didn't I? But really, I don't want to be stuck having to talk to her." he continued.
"Then don't talk to her. It's really quite that simple."
"But then it gets boring. Juugo is always talking to his animal friends, and Sasuke is practically a mute save for the few grunts he gives out on occasion. Sadly, Karin is the only form of entertainment I get around here, that is, until she pisses me off."
"I see," Sakura said slowly. He was far cruder than what she was used to, and definitely a lot more bloodthirsty, but his semblance to Naruto was uncanny in regards to his easy-going personality. In all actuality the volatile acquaintanceship he shared with Karin was very similar to the one that Naruto and she once shared in their earlier years as genin. Only Karin and Suigetsu's were spurred on by a severe mutual dislike instead of the irritation that once ran through her at Naruto's stupid antics.
Sakura sighed as she trudged past him and over to see Juugo. He greeted her with a shy smile she was quick to return before her eyes caught sight of the falcon nestled on his arm.
"He's beautiful," she breathed as the bird cocked its head in her direction and watched her with piercing yellow eyes.
Juugo nodded in agreement. "He's been scouting the area since the time I woke up and let me know about what's going on in the forest. It's how I figured that this was a safe place to rest. There are no Zetsu and none of the armies are within at least a hundred kilometers from here. We're currently in a safe-zone."
A pensive frown curled her lip as she absorbed his words. If they were supposed to be Akatsuki, then why were they putting in so much effort to keep from being detected by the Zetsu? And why had a swarm attacked them back at the cave? There was something very peculiar going on.
Sakura was jarred out of her thoughts when Sasuke walked over to where they were congregated. "We leave in two minutes."
The pinkette pointedly ignored him as she walked over to where the rest of her belongings laid strew about and began strapping them on quickly. Sakura was still incredibly angry with him, but she was also mad at herself for exploding the way she did. She'd threatened him, knowing that if it came down to it, he would wipe the floor with her easily. But she'd meant every word she had said, and she wouldn't allow herself to to be taken as a simpering fool that would be at his beck and call.
She had accepted his offer for a chance to return home and to keep her loved ones safe. There was no going back now, even if she wanted to. With that thought, her resolve strengthened and she pulled on her traveling cloak before convening with the other members of Taka.
They were gone long before dawn's first light.