...The voices in my head tell me that I don't own Naruto…They are usually pretty correct…

Chapter 6: Akatsuki

Sasuke tried to ignore the incessant chatter coming from the direction of Naruto and Sai. To him, it seemed that as their pace slowed, the more the two seemed to talk.

He was beginning to loathe the uneven landscape that forced them to clamber through at a more cautious pace.

He wasn't sure what had been bothering him the most over the last few days. It could have been the fact that he felt like a complete idiot. Naruto's way with words had opened Sasuke's eyes to the fact that he had been more than foolish to assume Kabuto was being honest about the sleeping pills. When had he become so desperate that he unquestioningly accepted artificial help from Orochimaru? He had never trusted the snake sannin. So why had he let himself get into that type of situation?

It made him grind his teeth.

And then there was the fact that the Konoha crew hadn't shut up about Sakura since they entered Earth Country. Her name kept snagging his attention as it was mentioned in fragmented conversation.

Even Kakashi seemed unusually candid about the missing young woman.

Sasuke cast a sideways glance at Sai. Why was he talking about Sakura as if he knew her? He had been with the team for—what—six months? And now he was talking and drawing pictures of her. Sasuke had known Sakura much longer than that replacement. Who was he to talk about her at all?

That made Sasuke's jaw clench.

There was something positive he had noticed though. Since Naruto's food tantrum the other day, the Uchiha had been a little more cautious about the food and water he had been accepting. He even went so far as to ask Yamato to allow him some of team seven's rations.

The former ANBU member had looked at him in surprise but then willingly handed over a large portion of food.

The change in the clarity of his thoughts had made Sasuke realize that there was much more going on than he had realized. He wondered if Orochimaru had been drugging him from the beginning. The thought only made him angrier.

Traveling behind the Uchiha, Kabuto and Orochimaru talked quietly.

"Things are unraveling." Orochimaru whispered. "We need to meet with…him…and figure out what needs to be done."

"How will we get away long enough?"

The sannin inclined his head and Kabuto followed the direction. Up above them, a small dot soared over the trees.

"A clay bird?"

Orochimaru nodded. "You will meet with him tonight on your watch. Just be cautious of that former experiment of mine." He glanced over at Yamato. "He will most likely be keeping close watch on you."

The medical scientist nodded. “Tonight then.”

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In her cell, Sakura struggled to free her hands from the metal cuffs. Even though her skin was raw and bleeding, she kept trying to squeeze her hands out of them.

But it was no use. No amount of twisting was going to free her.

She stopped what she was doing and looked up.

"That looks like it hurts, Sakura-san."

Her green-eyed glare was full of venom. She didn't speak to him as she continued to pull forcefully against the manacles.

"Stop." Itachi stepped toward her.

Instantly she turned her back to him, unafraid of any physical violence he might inflict upon her. Nothing could be worse than what he had already done. The pain of it still made her head swim and the images had left her awake and sweating during the night.

Itachi smirked. He could tell that she wanted to be more defiant but wasn't about to risk looking into his eyes.

"Don't make me turn you around myself." He issued the warning quietly.

Sakura went rigid but didn't give in and Itachi watched as her hand clenched into a fist.

"Try it," She whispered.

He wished she could see his smile. Just by forcing her into talking meant that he was winning. But she did pose a problem. If she was anticipating him, it would make it harder to trap her in the mangekyo.

"Sakura…" The edge was back in his voice. "Turn around. I won't use the sharingan."

"No. I have no reason to trust you."

He jingled something softly, knowing from her stance that she knew just what they were.

"Turn around."

Forcing her feet to move, the pink-haired young woman swiveled around, glancing quickly at the keys Itachi held up in his hand. So far she had neglected to heal her wrists due to the fact that they would just blister again under the weight of the chains. But if Itachi would let her have a while without them on

"What is it you want?" She asked.

"Another look, uninhibited, within your mind."

"No. I'll die first."

He wanted to chuckle. She was so determined to be difficult. "It will happen, Sakura-san. And you will be very much alive for it. But I'm offering you the chance to make it easier on yourself. Let me do what I want and I won't bring the element of torture into it. But if you force my hand again," His voice lowered. "There are many more ways I could make it unpleasant for you."

She shuddered, remembering the shame she had felt the first time while under Itachi's control.

"You'll unchain me?"

"For a while…and only after I release you from the jutsu."

"Why?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Why?" She repeated. "Didn't you find out enough? Maybe you should just try asking me questions. It might be easier on both of us."

He nodded. "It's true, I did find out what I wanted to know. However, there is something more I wanted to see and I lacked the chakra to search it out the first time."

He lacked the chakra? Flags went up in Sakura's mind. So he's weak after using the mangekyo sharingan. And if he releases my bonds for a short while afterward… She might just be able to find an opportunity to escape.

But that would mean allowing him to enter her mind unhindered.

Itachi watched her defensive stature relax. Her green eyes met his stare. "Alright. But never again after this."

I will do as I please as often as I please. But he bowed slightly and said. "Of course."

Sakura tried not to flinch as he approached her. Itachi stood a few inches from her and tilted her face up so he could see her eyes. He could feel the animal instinct to flee coursing around her. But she stood her ground. With his other hand, he tugged a strand of her hair gently, causing her eyes to go wide with surprise and then outrage. It was fun to try to push her over the edge.

But he had made a bargain. So he dropped his hand and stared down into her eyes.

After a few moments, Sakura found herself in a place she had hoped she'd never be again.

It was hard for her to ignore the feeling of panic that arose when her silhouette acknowledged the fact that it was, once again, under the control of the Uchiha. However, true to his word, Itachi had left her as she was in reality. She still could not move—something she attributed to a precaution on her captor's part.

Itachi was unconcerned with the form of Sakura standing off to the side of him. He was not there to extract information, so she was of little consequence at the moment. He was merely…exploring.

He focused his thoughts and began the process of stripping back the layers of his prisoner's mind.

The images he found were the same as before. The same people, the same village, the same interactions that had been branded into her subconscious. Every so often, a new memory would work its way to the surface, but rarely were these images anything coherent.

When he hit the dark void that had interested him before, he sensed Sakura tense.

But he was unaware of the smile that had formed on her face.

Itachi's eyes went wide.

He found himself staring at a duplicate Sakura. She had her back turned to him. If he could have seen her face, he would have noticed the same smile crossing her lips.

Years ago, someone else had unwittingly discovered what Sakura herself dubbed as 'Inner Sakura'. And that person had been on the losing end of the battle of wills.

Childhood insecurity and years of being picked on had made this other personality within her. 'Inner Sakura' was all determination and nerve. She was forceful and strong and she was never uncertain. She was the true Sakura—what would have developed if circumstances hadn't turned the real person into a shy, introverted little girl.

But harsh years of training under Tsunade had slowly changed 'Inner Sakura' into 'Outer Sakura'—normal, everyday Sakura. The sannin had instilled in the young woman a new sense of self-worth. And little by little, Sakura had felt herself become more of the person she truly was on the inside. This transformation had made 'Inner Sakura' obsolete.

However, she still existed within the medic. She was a defense mechanism. And she was a damn good one.

'Inner Sakura' had developed so strongly over the years, that she was a separate spirit in herself. And she didn't hesitate to manifest herself when insecure Sakura needed her.

Itachi had come into her world and now, he was going to play by her rules.

The sharingan user froze. He knew, instinctively, that the tables had turned. And since he was familiar with the workings of the human mind, he had some grasp of just what he had encountered.

But a separate spirit? Was that even possible?

Would this be what would be like to enter the mind of a demon-host? Was the Kyuubi's mind similar?

His reasoning was cut short as Inner Sakura appeared before him. Before he could react, her fist made contact with his stomach and he flew back from the shock.

Stunned, Itachi looked up as she loomed over him. Her hands reached for him—

--and he broke the contact with Sakura's mind.

They fell apart from each other in the cell, both disoriented with a trickle of blood coming from one nostril. Sakura looked at him, her green eyes dazed.

It was all Itachi could do to contain his anger. He staggered to his feet, turning to go, but a plea from Sakura stopped him short.

"W-wait," she struggled to stand. "Our deal…"

He sneered and glared at her menacingly. Holding the keys out, he dropped them on the floor, just beyond her reach.

He left without a word, leaving her to stare in despair at the opportunity for freedom just beyond her grasp.

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Night had fallen hours ago, cloaking the small camp in quiet darkness. On one side, Yamato sat at watch, acutely aware of Kabuto perched nonchalantly in a tree on the opposite end of camp.

What he wasn't aware of, though, was the cloaked figure that spoke softly to the deranged medic from the backside of the same tree.

"Orochimaru and I had a deal." The voice was menacing. "It was agreed upon years and years ago, before he left the organization. If he cannot hold up his end of the bargain, perhaps his usefulness is over."

Kabuto swallowed, but his voice was calm. "Orochimaru-sama simply asks that we look at other options. Sasuke-kun is becoming…difficult to maintain."

"Hn. Did you expect something less from one of Uchiha blood?" The stranger asked. "The deal was to take over the boy so we had control of the second sharingan. It is vital to the final plan that we are able to control him. It is equally important that Naruto die by Sasuke's hand. Do I really need to explain all this to you again?"

"Forgive us, Itachi-sama. Orochimaru simply wanted to let you know things are slightly off schedule."

Itachi scowled behind the rim of his cloak. In one hand, he crushed the clay bird Diedara had made for him. This conversation was only serving to add to his irritation from earlier in the day. Things were not supposed to be going this way.

"Kabuto," He whispered dangerously. "Tell Orochimaru that he has two days. It will take you that long to reach the holding area for the girl anyhow. By the time he enters my realm, I want him in Sasuke's body. There is no compromise where the final plan is concerned. See that you do not disappoint me."

And then he was gone.

Kabuto breathed out a sigh of relief. Something about the oldest Uchiha unnerved him. He was glad that the conversation was over.

But he wasn't thrilled about having to give the details to his master. Things were about to get much more complicated.

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Coming soon: Chapter 7: Carefully Laid Plans

Some of you who read my previous story will notice a similar theory being used for the sharingan. This is because I think there is only one logical explanation for it, but the story line should be different enough that the theory behind it won't matter.