…A wise woman once told me 'You do not own Naruto". That wise woman was me. And I was right…
Chapter 8: Deception for Redemption
Naruto had lain awake through the night, the first screams from the forest enough to stop any hope he might have had of sleeping. When Kakashi had offered to keep his wakefulness company, he had shunned his sensei, preferring the comfort of his own thoughts.
As much as they were about Sasuke and what was happening to him, they were equally about Sakura. If it hadn't been so dark, Naruto would have taken her picture out and looked at it for comfort. It was times like these that he missed her the most. When he was at his weakest, Sakura was always there to push him on ahead. She gave him a purpose.
Was she alive? Was she hurt? What tortures had she endured? But the main question that harassed his thoughts was if she would hate him when she learned that he had stood by while Orochimaru took over Sasuke's body.
Naruto wasnt the fool everyone took him to be. He knew that, while Sakura cared for him, she would never love him the way she loved Sasuke. But just the fact that she trusted Naruto to bring Sasuke back had been enough for him. If he could do that for her, maybe it would have been enough for them all.
But he had failed. Sasuke was gone. And as much as that hurt Naruto, he now had to focus on saving his other best friend.
When dawn's pale light began to filter in through the trees, two figures walked back into camp.
Kabuto and Sasuke.
Naruto stared hard at the Uchiha. He looked exhausted but otherwise unchanged. His eyes were cold and calculating—just as they had always been. His walk was slightly different; more fluid and deliberate. But other than that, there seemed to be no other outward signs.
Sasuke returned the stares directed at him from the Konoha shinobi. He found it hardest to meet Kakashi's eye, aware that since his defection his former sensei had been disgusted with him. While Kakashi's look was appraising, it held no hint of suspicion. He believed that he was looking at Orochimaru.
"You may call me Sasuke, if it is easier for you." He said to them, doing his best to imitate Orochimaru's crooning voice. He even smiled creepily, just as Kabuto had shown him. Of everything, this was hardest. He rarely smiled even when he felt like it and to force the expression was nothing short of a miracle.
But to keep his composure he had to continue doing it.
"You're not Sasuke, so I won't call you by his name." Naruto said quietly. The blond shrugged on his pack and walked away from them. No one else said anything. One by one, they also followed the path Naruto had taken.
"Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto said the words deliberately. "We should arrive at the hideout by mid-day, correct?"
Sasuke mentally recalled the map Kabuto had made him memorize of Earth Country. "That is correct, Kabuto." Again, the evil smile.
Up ahead, the others cringed as they listened to Sasuke's voice speak words that were not his own.
It would take a lot of getting used to before they could forget that their former friend and teammate was gone.
Away from the others, Naruto fought against the tears that threatened to fall again. Where his anger would have normally been found there was only loss and sadness.
His mind raced with the memories of his friends. How, after all the hardships and rivalry, he and Sasuke had eventually come to accept one another. It had been a short, happy period of time.
And now that was gone forever.
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"Orochimaru," He whispered to himself. "When this is over—I'm going to kill you—Sasuke's body or not."
He made a promise and he would keep it. That was his way of the ninja.
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Sakura shifted slightly on the cold floor as she felt the vibration of footsteps within the stone.
She strained to hear them, wondering if they were coming toward her or not, but one of her ear drums was ruptured. The good ear lay pressed against the stone and any noises were horribly muffled. She would have rolled over if she thought it would do her any good. But the broken bones and bruised organs had finally found mild comfort in the position she was in.
After her beating, Itachi had Kisame use his weapon to drain her chakra. It hadn't been enough for him to see her bleed. He didn't want her to be able to heal herself either.
The vibration in the stone intensified and Sakura knew someone had entered her cell.
She forced her one good eye open. What she saw was blurry and encased in red due to the blood that had clotted inside of her eye. The other orb was useless, the socket having swelled and sealed over the badly bruised area.
Despite all her inabilities, she knew who it was. His presence had been stamped on her memory. She would know him even if her eyes were closed.
Itachi stared down at Sakura. Today his emotions were once again concealed and in control. And the man who looked at her today slightly regretted what he had done to her.
It wasn't regret for harming her. It was regret that he had lost control and almost killed her. If she had died in the night his bargaining edge would have been gone. If he had been slightly more in control, he would have left her with enough chakra to heal her more serious wounds.
But hind sight was twenty-twenty
For the rest—he did not feel bad. She was brave and strong. They were qualities he admired and so he had tested them.
He had not been disappointed.
"Sakura-san, it is time." He knelt down next to her.
Her bloody eye stared up at him. He knew she couldn't talk.
They had removed the chains and shackles yesterday, knowing that she was not in any condition to move let alone escape. Her wrists were still raw and blistered from the bonds.
Itachi gently picked her up and did his best not to hurt her unduly. He had no reason to cause her more pain now. She was serving her purposethe Kyuubi was only a short distance away. And when all was said and done, even if she survived, she would wish she had died.
No, there was no reason to cause her any more pain.
Up the stairs they went until Sakura could tell by the change in the air that she was outside. The sun was out and regardless of her injuries; she reveled in the tender warmth.
Itachi passed her small form to Kisame. He looked at the blue man in warning and Kisame knew better than to do anything other than hold her loosely. He covered her with the folds of his cloak so she was not visible.
Then the two Akatsuki waited patiently.
Their guests would arrive soon.
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Naruto was the first one to take up his position in the brush around the Akatsuki lair. He stared into the clearing, surprised to see Itachi and Kisame standing out in plain sight.
Did they…did they know we were coming?
Around him, the rest of the group had spread out as well. He caught Sai's glance and the two young men looked at each other uncertainly. Something was not right. It was as if the Akatsuki had been waiting for them to arrive.
Kakashi appeared beside Naruto. "Something's up." He whispered. "But I can't tell if they know we're here or not."
As if in answer, Itachi's voice rang out from where he was standing. "Uzumaki Naruto! Come out and bring your friends with you."
Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Remember, don't look into his eyes."
"Perhaps we should try talking to him first," Kabuto spoke up. "What harm could it do?"
"Talk is worthless," Sasuke snarled, but quickly recovered at Kabuto's harsh glare. No one else had heard the un-Orochimaru-like speech.
"Come out!" Itachi called again. "Don't forget I have something you want. It would be a shame if something happened to her because you hastily attacked."
His words had the desired effect.
Once they had all entered the clearing, Itachi feigned surprise at the sight of his brother. It had been an initial surprise when he had been contacted all those days ago by Kabuto saying they had joined with the Fire Country ninjas. He had planned on having Orochimaru with him at the final confrontation anyhow. Naruto had unwittingly been traveling with one of the men responsible for Sakura's abduction. The only aspect of the plan it complicated was the take-over of Sasuke's body.
But even that seemed to have gone as planned since the old form of Orochimaru was not present.
"Well," his voice was cold. "I must admit I did not expect you to bring my little brother all this way with you. It will make things harder, but not hard enough."
Sasuke bristled at the words but smiled an eerie smile. "Sasuke-kun is happy to be here."
Naruto's blue eyes flicked over to him momentarily. At least Sasuke will be able to have his revenge—even if he isn't really the one to achieve it.
If Itachi noticed the third-person reference, he seemed to ignore it.
"Where's Sakura-chan!?!" Naruto stepped forward in warning. "She'd better be alright—"
Itachi's smirk sent chills down everyone's spine. The Uchiha motioned to Kisame.
The blue man pulled back the fabric covering his arms to reveal a badly abused body cradled within. Pink hair and tattered clothing were the only recognizable traits. He straightened his arms and let her drop from them to the ground.
A painful whimper echoed in the otherwise quiet clearing.
Instantly, the air was alive with restrained fury. It was all Sai, Kakashi and Yamato could do to hold Naruto down. It was all they could do to control their own anger.
And off to the side, Kabuto was the only one who knew something inside Sasuke had been breeched. He placed a firm hand on the young man's arm as Sasuke's eyes filled with murderous rage.
"Sasuke-kun!" The medic whispered. "Remember! You're Orochimaru now. You need to keep that going until the time is right! Don't reveal yourself yet."
Inside, Sasuke was livid. He had seen Sakura hurt before. He had even seen her badly injured before. And once, when her injuries were minor compared to these, he had gone off in a rage and almost killed the shinobi who had done it to her. After, he had attributed it to the cursed seal. Now he had no such thing to fall back on. The mark had faded when Orochimaru was killed.
Now he knew it was his honest reaction.
Just a little longer. He stared at her fallen form. Just a little longer and then you can go back to being Sasuke.
But Itachi's next words chilled him—because he knew Sakura was still alive and could hear them as well.
"Now, perhaps we should drop this little charade." His sharingan eyes watched them all. "Orochimaru, I am pleased to see that you maintained your end of the deal. I wonder, how hard was it to take over my brother's body?"
Sasuke forced himself to smile. "He went quite willingly…Itachi-sama." He even bowed to keep the lie alive.
But Sasuke would rather have died than see what Sakura did next.
She struggled to push herself up on obviously broken bones. Bloody tears came from her one open eye and she struggled to say something, all the while looking in his direction.
And even though it killed him to do it, he gave her one of the snake sannin's evil smiles.
"How sad," Itachi watched her as well. "Just another example of how emotions make people weak."
He pushed the pink-haired young woman back down with his foot.
Red chakra pulsed around Naruto, warning his teammates that he was on the edge. The Kyuubi youth snarled in rage. "You're wrong! A shinobi needs more than just blind obedience! Look! Sakura is fighting even now because she knows the truth of that!"
He glared at Sasuke. I should have known better than to trust Orochimaru! He was in league with Itachi all along. I'll kill him! I'll kill him!
"It doesn't matter." Itachi replied. "Don't you get it, idiot? You've lost. You now have to defeat me and the new Orochimaru. And for you—that is impossible."
He smiled as Sasuke and Kabuto took up positions next to him. "Orochimaru," He inclined his head toward the group of Leaf shinobi. "Perhaps you'd like to close the deal now."
Sasuke turned to his brother, something in his eyes puzzling the older Uchiha.
"You have no idea," He said softly.
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Coming soon: Chapter 9: Battle Royale
Author's Note: This story is almost done. Yes, it is much shorter than my previous fanfic, but that is because I didn't choose to tie in all the loose ends in the Naruto World. (Like the other tailed beasts) If you want a story of those epic proportions, then my other story is for you. This one will only consist of two or three more chapters. And to make those the best they can be—I may take a little extra time in updating them.