Summary: After being conned into a mission by her former sensei, Sakura finds herself captive to a very hands-on interrogator. Will she be able to keep her secrets, or will the pressure be too much to hand-le?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, and make no profit from this fic. I do however reserve the right to make characters do naughty-naughty things to each other. Dattebayo!

Chapter Four: A Hand-y Guide to Stranger Danger!

In her desperate attempt to create distance between herself and the village, Sakura poured chakra into her legs, propelling her forward. However, as they delved deeper into the forest, maintaining her speed became increasingly challenging. Sakura's strides slowed, but she pressed on, determined to overcome her limitations.

"I'm so out of practice. I shouldn't be winded like this. When did I become so weak? When I return to the village, I'll train harder!" Sakura thought, determination etched on her face.

Lost in her thoughts, Sakura almost missed the surge of energy above her. Sensing the impending danger, she called out to Shino while evading to the left. Both Leaf-nin assumed defensive stances, narrowly evading the explosives hurled at them. Sakura's gaze darted around, searching for the source of the attack.

To her surprise, it was Deidara, who had broken free from her illusion. "How did he break my illusion? I know I'm stronger than this," she pondered, feeling a surge of frustration. Their eyes locked, and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she noticed the intensity in his azure gaze. It was as if he could see her inner turmoil, sizing her up. Suddenly, his eyes widened, transforming into a look of pure hatred.

"So, you thought you could get past us, yeah?" the blonde Akatsuki member yelled, throwing down more bombs. His laughter sent a chill down Sakura's spine.

Shino swiftly leaped away, ensuring he stayed out of harm's way, while Sakura barely managed to escape the explosive onslaught. Her attention shifted back to the Akatsuki member, his laughter still echoing menacingly. Deidara directed his partner, who jumped down from a tree, heading straight for Shino.

"I underestimated you. Trust me, it won't happen again," Sakura vowed.

Thinking on her feet, Sakura leaped backward and sought refuge among the dense foliage. Strategizing her next move, she threw some shurikens to divert Deidara's attention as she maneuvered herself to higher branches, concealing her presence. Remaining hidden, Sakura created two shadow clones, silently expressing her gratitude for Naruto's training sessions that had honed her skills.

One clone dashed out from the hiding spot, making sure Deidara was fixated on her every move. Meanwhile, the other two Sakuras approached the branch where Deidara stood from behind, ready to launch a surprise attack. The clone adeptly maintained Deidara's focus, while the spiders he had previously deployed scattered in an attempt to hit the Leaf-nin. The remaining two Sakuras leaped toward Deidara's branch, but he jumped just out of their reach. Unable to execute the element of surprise, Sakura and her clone retreated back to the ground.

"You can't fool me with such a dull jutsu, yeah," Deidara taunted. "You won't be able to lay a hand on me, kunoichi."

Sakura and her remaining clone regrouped by dashing into the forest. Shino, on the other hand, was struggling with his opponent, who proved to be too agile for Shino's bugs. The shinobi bombarded Shino with a flurry of attacks, ranging from kunai to taijutsu. Shino was quickly losing ground. Catching Sakura's gaze, they both came to the same realization: they were better suited to fight each other's adversaries.

Dodging yet another blow, Shino executed a substitution jutsu with a nearby log, catching the orange-masked man off guard. Unaware of Sakura's switch, Deidara failed to notice Shino till it was too late. His focus too intent on hurting the Sakura clone to notice the bug-nin till he was knocked off the branch by a swarm of insects.

Dispelling her clone and charging towards the enemy shinobi, Sakura focused all her energy into her fist, which glowed with power as she closed the distance. But with his incredible speed, the masked man evaded every one of Sakura's attacks.

"I'm going to lose. I have to end this quickly. I'm running out of chakra," Sakura worried, feeling the pressure mounting.

The masked man paused, waiting for Sakura to make her move. She leapt at him, but instead of aiming directly at him, she struck the ground just in front of his feet. The earth shook and cracked, forming a chasm that pulled everything within a ten-foot radius into its depths. The masked man fell in but managed to catch himself on the edge. Sakura's leg, infused with chakra, cocked back, ready to deliver the final blow. However, a cry of pain echoed through the forest, distracting Sakura.

She turned her attention to the ongoing battle between Shino and Deidara. Sakura witnessed Deidara laughing sadistically, holding onto Shino while his clay spiders ran rampant over Shino's body.

"No!" she yelled, rushing to her comrade's side, leaving the injured Akatsuki member behind.

But before Sakura could reach Shino, he stopped her, waving his finger back and forth. "Ah, ah, ah, if you get any closer, there won't be a piece of your friend left, yeah. Tell me where the other three we sensed are, or this boy will become a masterpiece, blown sky-high!" he threatened, a wicked smirk plastered on his face.

Aware of the delicate pact between the aligned villages, Sakura couldn't risk revealing any information to Deidara. Instead, she tried to divert his attention by posing her own questions.

"Why are you here? Why did you chase us?" Sakura interjected, attempting to buy time.

Deidara flashed a hand sign, causing a spider on Shino's leg to explode. Shino crumpled to the forest floor, groaning in pain. His internal bugs surged to the wound, attempting to heal him, but they struggled to keep up.

"Stop!" Sakura shouted, moving forward. Her urgency increased when she heard another pop, followed by a scream. Shino's shoulder was now open and bleeding profusely, the insects unable to heal both wounds quickly enough.

"Answer my questions, or the rest will explode, one by one, yeah," Deidara declared, relishing the sadistic power he held over them.

I can't... I can't let him die... No! I will save him. I have to. I'm not that feeble, defenseless girl anymore. I am Sakura Haruno, and I won't let my friend die! Sakura resolved within herself.

Thinking quickly, Sakura devised a plan of action. She decided that a substitution jutsu would offer the best chance of turning the tables. Shino disappeared in a cloud of smoke, replaced by Sakura. Shino landed where Sakura had stood, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Run! Go get help!" Sakura shouted, her voice filled with urgency.

Using all her remaining chakra, Sakura engaged Deidara and the masked man in a fierce hand-to-hand combat, her fists charged with chakra. The fast-paced battle dislodged most of the clay spiders, but as Deidara realized he was losing his leverage, he detonated the remaining ones. Sakura screamed in agony as the explosions engulfed her, her legs buckling and her arms hanging uselessly, bleeding and injured. Despite the pain, Sakura focused her dwindling energy on healing her limbs. With a determined smile, she felt the familiar surge of chakra coursing through her, slowly mending her wounds.

The kunoichi's lips curved into a small, confident smile as she sensed her partner's chakra fading away, vanishing into nothingness. Deep down, she held onto the unwavering belief that he would manage to escape and alert their comrades of the dire situation at hand. Help would arrive soon, she assured herself, even as her own predicament grew bleaker with each passing moment.

Through the haze of searing pain, Sakura's eyes strained to focus on the blonde ninja before her. A twisted grin of sadistic delight twisted into a mask of furious wrath, transforming his countenance in an instant. With just two swift strides, he closed the distance between them, his hand darting into his pouch. In a heartbeat, his expression shifted once more, morphing into a scowl laden with unbridled fury. Without warning, his open palm collided with Sakura's cheek, the strike landing so abruptly that she had no chance to evade it.

The force of the blow jolted Sakura's head to the side, causing a fiery sensation to surge through her cheek. She could feel the fabric of her outfit being bunched up in his clenched fist, his intimidating presence leaning menacingly close. Panic gripped her heart as she frantically searched for an escape route, her gaze inadvertently falling upon the masked shinobi rummaging through her belongings, his orange attire standing out in the dim light.

In that moment, a surge of defiance coursed through Sakura's veins, overpowering the pain and fear that threatened to consume her.

Her inner voice, infused with resolute determination and unwavering strength, echoed fiercely within her mind. Fight back! You possess the skills and training to rise above this. You are better than this!

"Deidara-Senpai! I have found something!" the blonde ninja exclaimed with a mix of excitement and urgency, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere as he held up a mission scroll triumphantly.

Seizing the opportunity presented by Deidara's distraction, Sakura summoned every ounce of her remaining chakra and summoned her last reserves of stamina. With a swift, unexpected maneuver, she broke free from her captor's grip, relying on her waning energy to propel her forward. Her feet pounded against the ground, each step an act of desperation as she sprinted with all her might. The dense forest provided her with some solace, its thick foliage offering concealment and shelter from the projectiles hurled in her direction. Glancing back, Sakura's heart sank as she realized her pursuers were closing in rapidly, their relentless determination evident in their proximity.

Lost in her momentary lapse of focus, Sakura failed to notice an exposed root snaking across her path. With a sickening twist of her ankle, her body plummeted to the unforgiving forest floor, a sharp cry of anguish escaping her lips. The earth beneath her felt unyielding, compounding her agony as she lay sprawled on the ground. Within mere seconds, the two Akatsuki members loomed over her, their sinister presence looming like an ominous specter.

The weight of her circumstances bore down on Sakura's spirit, her thoughts awash with a sense of defeat and resignation.

This is it, she thought, surrendering to the harsh reality that death was imminent.