A.N.
To those of you that are reading this please note that there is a story before this. It's calledSlowly Slipping Away and it's found in my page. I follow the manga as closely as possible so this is the Shippuden part of it.
Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: Naruto does NOT belong to me.
Sayuri and any characters that have not and will not appear in the manga and/or anime are completely original.
Naruto is copyright 1999 Misashi Kishimoto, Sayuri Marihasha, story, and original characters are copyright 2014 Salma Martinez, all rights reserved.
Please Review!
The Meeting
It was difficult to say how many days she's been with the snake but Sayuri was almost positive that it was going to be a month soon. The young konoichi thought as she wondered along the dimly lit hallway until she came to a complete stop. Kenji had sent a message last night that she could leave at any time now, the information she had gathered on the three was more than enough for now but…what was to say that she could get out alive?
She pressed her back against the stone wall. Sayuri had done more than enough spying on them to know that Orochimaru would find her and kill her if he found out…Or worse, use me to experiment with. She had to suppress a shudder. Suddenly the idea of telling the Uchiha who she really was came to mind, and just as quickly it was discarded.
No. Absolutely not! He'd just kill her on the spot. Just because they had been teammates in the past and had at one point considered him someone close to her did not mean that he would even take it into consideration, he proved that much when he had almost killed Naruto three years ago.
Sayuri clenched her hands, letting her head fall back, hitting the wall. Unless she killed the snake and his silver haired creep of a lackey there would be no escaping this place. Her luck was wearing thin as it was considering the numerous times she had snuck out to send and retrieve messages, and it was perhaps a miracle that Sasuke had not mentioned that he'd found her sneaking back in.
With a deep inhale she pushed herself from the wall and continued her walk. She needed somewhere quiet to think. Sayuri rounded the corner only to collide with something rather hard, suddenly something took hold of her shoulders, aiding her as she regained her balance.
It took her only a second to realize that the something that held her in place were in fact hands, and only another two seconds to realize that those hands belonged to Sasuke Uchiha. She took a step back and faced him with the same indifferent look she carried with her through her stay. Sayuri noted how his eyes narrowed down at her and how his face tilted ever so slightly as if trying to piece a puzzle together but not really having all the pieces. She blinked once before opening her mouth to speak.
"Is something wrong?"
Sasuke continued to stare at her indifferently, analyzing her every move.
Her chakra is not like hers…Yet there was something familiar about it but he could not put a finger on what it was. Then her mannerisms were so much like hers but then not at all. It was as if this woman was sending him mixed signals of some sort. Almost as if what she did was second nature to her, yet she would catch herself and do something completely different. Like now for example…when her eyes met his, he saw a flicker of defiance, something he'd seen in Sayuri long ago, but it was for only a second as she schooled her features back to neutral. Then there was the slight tugging of her sleeve which she did ever so slightly before she stopped abruptly and clasped her hands together as if that is what she had intended to do.
"Come." He said gruffly as he led the way back further into the lair.
"Will we resume our training?"
It took him a seconds but he grunted. "No."
"Ah." She nodded betraying no emotion, but inwardly she was quietly cheering. Ever since they got back from the Iron Wall Sasuke's been more…agitated. He pushed past his own limits and consequently hers as well during their training sessions. Take today for example, during one such session he pushed her to the point where she almost had to alter her chakra nature from earth to water when he mercilessly sent one fire jutsu after another at her. She was beginning to think that he was doing this on purpose to see if she would eventually give in or tire out and show him what she was truly made of.
They came to a halt at the main entrance to Orochimaru's lair. She looked up at the giant stone made snake before turning back to Sasuke who took a seat right next to its mouth. "Sit." He ordered in a somewhat annoyed tone. With a small huff Sayuri moved to the top of the stone carving and laid down golden eyes closing.
Another thing to add to her growing list of annoyance was that the Uchiha would still not let her out of his sight. She had expected for this to come to an end once they returned from their mission however now more than ever did he keep her at his side. If she left he gave her a time limit, if she wasn't back within the specified time he'd come looking for her, just like he did a couple of minutes ago. Even though he went out of his way to keep her in his sight she felt as if being around her agitated him even more, but that didn't stop him from keeping her in his presence. She sighed at a complete loss. Sasuke Uchiha was a total enigma to her in every sense of the word.
Her fingers twitched as the now two familiar chakras penetrated the quiet room; however there was a third…one that seemed vaguely familiar.
"You're late." She heard Sasuke begin. "You said you were going to help me hone a new jutsu this afternoon Orochimaru."
"If I were you boy I'd take a more respectful tone." Sayuri almost scoffed at that. Sasuke didn't know what respect was.
"Enough, Kabuto. Our efforts today have been rewarded with a little gift, someone for our friend here to reminiscence with…a shinobi from his dear Konoha."
Her eyes snapped open in that instant. Konoha? Shinobi? She fought the urge to sit up and kept her place on the snake's head. Did someone else defect from Konoha? There was a long pause before the third person decided to speak.
"So you're the legendary Sasuke Uchiha. I'm Sai, nice to meet—"
"Get lost."
Sasuke…she frowned rolling her eyes at his bluntness.
"No matter how much I smile everyone seems to dislike me from the start…Even Naruto."
Naruto? Her eyes widened. He knew Naruto? Does that mean he's nearby too? What on earth was going on! Why was she not informed of this! Her hands clenched at her sides but remained silent, not wanting to draw attention to herself just yet.
"But I can already tell you're nothing like him, so I have a feeling that you and I will get along much better." The air around the room shifted suddenly to a more deadly one. And at the sound of Kabuto yelling out Sasuke's name she immediately she stood up just in time to watch as their new companion fell back. Golden eyes shifted between the new comer and the Uchiha.
"You shouldn't bait Sasuke too much…" Orochimaru smirked. "He's more difficult than I am."
"I don't care about him. Come on, let's go."
The Uchiha said as he moved to stand, Sharingan eyes shifted to the purple haired teen atop the snake. Quiet as always Sayuri stepped forward giving one last look at Sai before she moved to stand next to the young Uchiha.
"Naruto told me a lot about you. He's been looking or you this whole time…for the last three years."
Sasuke's eyes shifted once again over to the group of three. "Oh yeah…him…Let's go Orochimaru." He shifted once again to walk away.
"Naruto…" Sayuri fought the urge to roll her eyes at him. Did he not get it? Obviously the Uchiha was not interested. "He thinks of you as a brother…or so Sakura says."
Sayuri turned to Sasuke expecting no response to that until he managed to surprise her completely. "The only brother I have…I want to kill." With that said he suddenly vanished from sight.
"I'm going to join him…" Orochimaru stated with a smile. "Kabuto, why don't you compile a bingo book with these..." He gave the silver haired ninja a folder before his eyes shifted to Sayuri who stood still as he looked tilted his head. "Rei, be a dear and get our new friend acquainted."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." She felt two pairs of eyes land on her as the snake Sanin turned to leave.
Slowly she made her way over to them and took a good look at Sai, what struck her the most was his similarity to Sasuke but she made no comment of it, instead she turned to Kabuto who opened the folder given to him.
His face went from passive to astonishment as he looked through the papers. "This is…a copy of the register of ANBU members directly assigned to the Hokage!"
What! Sayuri narrowed her eyes at the papers that the silver haired medic was shifting through. That's Team One's information! Thinking back to that night she remembered the second ninja's chakra, and it all made sense. Although she had barely caught it, that man's chakra matched Sai's. This means that the second ninja that helped steal those documents from Kenji was him!
With a small intake of breath to calm herself Sayuri turned to traitor. "Sai, was it?" he turned to her eyeing her carefully.
"Yes." He smiled and all Sayuri really felt like doing was wiping his fake show of emotion off his face.
"Kabuto…" she waited for the silver haired ninja to turn to her, eyes glinting. "Where would you like me to take him?"
He rubbed his chin as if in though before answering. "Why don't I just accompany you, Rei…" She gave him a curt nod and followed him down the hall, Sai close on their tail.
Her eyes were trained on the manila folder that Kabuto currently held. How should she take them? She needed those papers. Then there was Sai…should she dispose of him or keep him for interrogation? Then again that was considering that she managed to escape.
They arrived at a door, the two ninja watched as Kabuto opened the wooden door and stepped back to let the other two in. Sayuri followed close behind and watched as he placed the folder on the small desk in order to light the candle in the room.
"This will be your room until you're needed." He turned to Sai then and Sayuri took this chance to quietly step behind him. His back turned to her she vaguely heard Kabuto give Sai instructions as she slipped the folder into her sleeve as soon as Sai turned to look at his bed.
"Come, Rei." She obediently followed him out of the room just as he took out a key. "Sorry I'm going to have to lock you in…because you're…well you know." The silver haired ninja closed the door quietly and locked it before turning to the purple haired ninja. "It's been a while since we've been alone now…hasn't it Rei?"
Rei merely nodded her head once, taking note of how he moved closer to her. She watched him carefully as he continued his advances before speaking. "Kabuto…" the man in question tilted his head. "Sai…is a shinobi of the leaf?"
He smirked as his hand shifted to play with her short hair. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
"I just wanted to make sure I heard right. It's not common to hear of leaf ninja becoming rougue." She answered dully, her hand tightened slightly on the folder hidden under her sleeve. "I should go now." She stepped back and away from the male. "He'll come looking for me if I don't show up sometime soon."
Kabuto narrowed his eyes. "Sasuke does not own you." He said as he stepped closer to the girl.
"Oh?" she remarked. "Lord Orochimaru specifically said that I was to adhere to his every wish…does that not mean that he owns me? Or was Lord Orochimaru wrong?" at that Kabuto stepped back and sighed.
"Very well, go." She bowed and turned to leave. "But, Rei…" she paused, back to the silver haired ninja. "Do come visit me whenever you can." He asked while giving her a knowing smirk.
Without sparing him a glance she continued her walk down the hall making a left turn then a right and a final left and continued on until she could no longer feel the man's chakra she increased her pace. Just as she was about to make another right turn she spotted the Uchiha as he rounded the corner. The two stared at each other for a few milliseconds before he moved to open a door to his right and walked right in. Releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding she continued down the hall, arriving to a door she paused, her hand on the doorknob.
Taking a step back she moved turned left and went down the hall stopping at the third door she found. She couldn't take any chances if Sasuke was somewhere near her it was possible for him to be spying on her the teen reasoned as she opened the door closing it quickly behind her.
These are copies…She though as she shifted through the documents all the while she made her way to the lone bed in the room. Copies come from the original so then who ever this guy is working under has the actual documents. She thought back to the dark haired ninja. Sayuri knew for a fact he wasn't ANBU. He couldn't express emotion. The thought suddenly came up bringing with it a fake smile that he had tried to use on her. What ninja is trained to have no genuine emotions? The konoichi wondered as she fell back on the bed staring at the black ceiling.
"Danzo…" she whispered suddenly. The head of the ROOT! Sayuri sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Well damn."
XXX
Two ninja stood before the head of the ANBU, one brunette and the other a grey haired. Kenji read through the reports. "All right everything seems clear. You're dismissed." The two looked at one another before turning to the man at the desk.
"Uh..." the brunette began. "Sir?" green eyes looked up from the desk. "Have you heard anything from Sayuri?"
Kenji smiled at the two and nodded. "She's infiltrated their base…Sayuri is safe."
"Thank you sir." Hajime and Diachi bowed.
Just as the two turned to leave Kenji called their attention once again. "Hajime…" the silver haired ninja turned to the captain. "Make sure to keep a good eye on Danzo…I'm sure he's keeping something from all of us."He nodded once and turned to leave behind his teammate.
"Diachi…" Hajime began as the two made their way back to the village.
"Yes?"
"Naruto and Sakura they're both in Grass looking for Sasuke right?"
Light brown eyes turned to the silver haired nin. "Yes…"
Hajime smirked. "I wonder what Sayuri's face would look like once she finds out about it."
Diachi frowned and shook his head. "One of these days Sayuri will kill you for being such and insolent pain in the ass." And with that the brunette disappeared and a poof of smoke while the gaping Hajime glared at the spot.
"DIACHI!"
XXX
Sayuri sat up with a start. Someone was in the hallway and whoever it was she didn't recognize their chakra. Suddenly she eyed something moving rather quickly on the ground only to suddenly run up her night stand. Her eyes narrowed at the small mouse that sniffed the air around it and in a swift motion she took hold of it bringing it to eye level.
"What the…?" she paused as her free hand went to stroke its head feeling something sticky and wet on her fingers. With a frown she stood closer to the dim candle light to take a look at her fingers only to find that they were black. She turned to the mouse in hand and held it up to her nose and pulled back. "Ink?"
Dust began to fall on her. Stepping back she watched as the ceiling began to shake. A light gasp escaped her lips as her bed was suddenly crushed by a large piece of cement until it all suddenly crumbled around her.
XXX
Cerulean eyes locked with obsidian the sun at the moment seemed particularly bright. "So Naruto, you came here too…" Sasuke decided to speak first, eyes shifting from the blonde to the rosette. "I guess that means that Sayuri and Kakashi are nearby."
"Sorry but Kakashi couldn't make it, I'm here in his place." Sasuke's attention was drawn over to the new comer. "As for Lady Sayuri…she's no longer part of team seven, now known as team Kakashi."
"Team Kakashi, huh…" Sasuke was stoic as ever as he looked down at the four ninja before him. No longer part of team seven? So then she's not taking any missions with them any more… His train of thought was cut short as Sai took out his katana.
"Sai! You're not still thinking about your mission are you?" Sakura yelled glaring daggers at the Sasuke look alike.
"Is he my stand in?" their attention was back to the Uchiha. "He said something about wanting to protect the bond between me and Naruto but…" he regarded sigh with contempt. "He seems like another weakling."
XXX
Sayuri covered her mouth and coughed as she breathed in the dust in the air. With a kick she managed to send the boulder that blocked her path flying to the opposite side of the wall. She moved quickly out of the hole just as it caved in. The currently purple haired ninja was on her knees taking deep breaths of fresh air.
The teen shifted her body slightly to get a look at the mess that used to be her room and sighed in relief happy that she escaped. However she froze as realization hit her. The documents she stole from Kabuto were on her bed…currently under a hill of cemented rock! Falling back she hit her forehead with her palm before moving to stand. Golden eyes narrowed as they tried to locate any chakra around her immediate area before setting herself to work. Her hands quickly shifted through familiar hand signs and slowly the ground beneath her rumbled, the debris shifting slowly causing some of the smaller rocks to fall to the ground around her with a clack. Stones shifted place until they completely parted leaving a small opening for her to crawl through. Getting down on her hands and knees she made her way through it only to bump her head against a boulder that blocked her way. Small hands felt around the piece of rock trying to find a small opening only to pull back as she found none.
Sayuri curse under her breath. The bed was under the stone…how was she supposed to get those documents out now? Refraining herself from giving the piece of cement a good kick she crawled back out and sighed. With a wave of her hand the small hole shifted and caved in as the boulders fell one on top of the other.
"Great." She mumbled as she let her head fall back against the wall. Thinking everything was lost she almost didn't register the two distinct chakras that suddenly flared up to her right. Brows furrowing she stood up trying to make sure she wasn't imagining it. "Naruto? Sakura?" she whispered before breaking off into a sprint towards the light. Slowly two more chakras made themselves known to her as she neared the opening one of them she recognized.
She came to a halt as she stared at Sasuke, his Kusanagi embedded into a man's chest. ANBU… Lady Tsunade's personal guard…Her mind filled in, eyes shifted over to Sakura who in turn stared intently at her.
"Who are you?" Sakura demanded as she took a defensive stance. Sayuri ignored her as her attention was drawn to a fallen Naruto as he tried to stand.
The ANBU turned to Sakura to see who exactly was the rosette talking to only to see a purple haired teen with piercing gold eyes. He frowned as Sakura moved to take out a kunai taking the girls sudden interest on her teammate as a threat. For his part Sasuke turned to the girls a slight frown on his face.
Rei…He eyed the purple haired konoichi. Suddenly he picked up Sakura's sudden movement. She was charging at her.
"Sakura!" the man beneath him shouted but to no avail as the pink haired girl swung the kunai down only to have her arm held behind her as the purple haired konoichi shoved the other down to the ground, a knee at her back. The girls golden eyes met his and realization hit him. Lady Sayuri!
"Sa-Sakura!" Naruto shouted as he held his arm. Blue eyes glaring daggers at the purple haired ninja.
Taking an opportunity as Sasuke stared intently at the two konoichi the ANBU clasped his hands together catching the Uchiha by surprise as his Kusanagi was pushed back by a block of wood suddenly a large wooden dome began to form around him.
With a quick movement Sayuri was no longer on Sakura as she landed on top of a cliff joined shortly by Sasuke as he burst through the dome easily. Sayuri looked down at her two teammates, feeling her chest tightening at the glares they sent her way.
I'm sorry you two…but I can't blow my cover. Her eyes shifted to the ANBU captain on the ground. I doubt he'll say anything for the time being.
"Don't you get it?" Naruto began. "Orochimaru's going to steal your body!"
"If it happens, it happens…" Eyes looked on to Sasuke as he gave his answer. "…So be it." Sayuri couldn't help but frown. "You're still a child Naruto. I don't care what happens to me or the rest of the world, so long as I can get my revenge. Nothing else matters." An image of a young brunette girl leaning over him, worried expression fully showing on her face came to mind but he quickly did away with it. "To be honest…neither Orochimaru nor I are strong enough to defeat Itachi on our own, but if I can obtain the power to kill him by giving myself over to Orochimaru…I would gladly give my life many times over."
Sayuri schooled her features to return to the detached expression she had accustomed herself to wearing as she stared at the avenger. You have no self preservation... Her fist turned white as she clenched them tight in mildly suppressed anger. It was a miracle that the Uchiha hadn't called her out on it.
"Enough!" The ANBU stood as he glared at the Uchiha. "Naruto, Sakura, out of consideration for you two I haven't taken drastic measures against Sasuke but…" his eyes momentarily turned to the purple haired konoichi standing beside the Uchiha. "…I see I can't hold back any longer…I'm sorry."
"Captain Yamato…!" Sakura turned to the older man in shock. Sayuri stared down at the ANBU meeting his eyes for a brief second before looking away, a silent 'go ahead' signal between the two of them.
"Konoha…" Sasuke spoke. "I'm done with you." He brought his hands up to make two hand signs. "Be gone!" He raised his left hand in the air alarming not only the four ninja below him, but the one beside him as well.
In a swift motion Sayuri took hold of his wrist, invading his personal space. His coal black eyes slid to her golden as they narrowed dangerously. "Don't…" she whispered.
"Let go." He ordered not shifting from his spot.
"Don't." she said one more time, meeting his glare with one of her own.
Taken aback by her blatant show of emotion he eyed her suspiciously. "Why should I stop?"
"It's not convenient…" he continued to glare. "Lord Orochimaru told me about the Akatsuki…as long as they're out there you will never be able to get to Itachi…they will interfere." Naruto and Sakura focused on the girl in mild shock. "They killed one off already…if you keep them alive they'll take down more of them making your goal easier to achieve." She explained.
"She's right Sasuke…" the voice caught everyone's attention. All turned to the snake sannin that stood behind the two.
"That's a pitiful excuse." The Uchiha responded.
"Jeopardize your quest for vengeance, or increase its chance for success…" Kabuto added suddenly appearing to their right. "Which seems the more prudent choice to you?"
Sharingan eyes turned to the purple haired girl before him then shifted over to his former teammates plus two. Suddenly he pulled his hand away from hers and brought it down.
"Bright boy." Orochimaru complimented as the four suddenly vanished in smoke.
XXX
Sayuri stood before the Uchiha, her left arm gripping his right as she held it and the katana it held away from her body. The wound in her abdomen beginning to act up again making her slightly weaker and as consequence making her really have to work to keep up with his movements. Coal black eyes stared down at the girl noticing how she seemed to favor her right. Shifting his weight he took her arm and pinned it behind her pushing her down to the ground, knee at her back. Hearing her light grunt as she tried to get him off, he bent down until his mouth was a few centimeters away from her ear.
"Next time don't interfere…it won't turn out nicely for you."
Sayuri looked off onto the river and laughed quietly. "Next time…don't be stupid so that I won't have to interfere." He looked taken aback as golden eyes met his briefly before he was pushed back by the roots that emerged from the ground.
Raising his katana in a defensive stance he watched as the purple haired konoichi took her time to stand up. Dusting her blue shorts before her right hand moved to rub her left shoulder. Their eyes met as the two stood before each other one in hidden shock the other openly showing her contempt.
"We're done for today." She finally uttered before turning on her heel and heading back into the hideout leaving the Uchiha behind in his stupor.
He saw it. The defiance in her eyes, the small smug smile that tugged at her lips. Her air of complete impudence as she stood before him…'Rei' slipped up. Rei had not once acted like that towards him…she was always submissive but the recent turn of events showed him that Rei wasn't all that she was cracked up to be.
A.N.
I want to thank those of you who review my story I really appreciate it! They really do motivate me.
Please review!