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 Seven: Fighting Tooth and Nail
Sakura's eyes fluttered open, unsure of the hour as the scraping of a bar and the squeak of a door rudely roused her from sleep. A shadow loomed over her as Tobi placed a tray of food on the floor of her small cell. Sensing her stirring, Tobi hastily retreated, leaving her to wonder about his strange behavior.
"Good morning, Sakura-chan," Tobi's cheerful voice echoed through the confined space. "I brought some eggs and bacon, but don't tell Sempai." With a mischievous grin, he settled against the door, eagerly awaiting her reaction. "Sempai said, 'She's a prisoner, yeah. She doesn't need to be comfortable,'' he mimicked Deidara's voice, "but Tobi knows the most important meal of the day is breakfast."
Sakura studied Tobi skeptically. "It's probably poisoned," she stated, pushing the tray back toward him.
Undeterred, Tobi reached out and took a bite of each item, demonstrating that they were safe to eat. "It's not poisoned or anything. Deidara-sempai wouldn't kill you. He told me last night that he plans to keep you around for a long, long time," Tobi said, his head tilting in apparent confusion. "Though he seemed mad when he said it, so I'm not sure what he meant by that," he shrugged.
Sakura's mind flashed back to Deidara's anger the other day. He must want to keep me around to torture me, she concluded, a sinking feeling settling in her gut.
Deciding that Tobi was likely telling the truth and the food was safe, Sakura cautiously picked up the tray and began devouring the meal, much to Tobi's delight.
"I hope you like it. Konan made it, and she's really good!" Tobi beamed, displaying a childlike innocence that momentarily warmed Sakura's heart.
Although Sakura didn't know who Konan was, she assumed she was another member of the criminal organization. She hurriedly finished her meal, half-expecting it to vanish at any moment.
"So, were you the one who killed Sasori-sama?" Tobi innocently inquired, causing Sakura to choke on a bite of her breakfast. Concerned, Tobi quickly patted her back, trying to help her regain her composure. After narrowly avoiding a tragic demise at the hands of her own food, Sakura pushed the tray away and mustered a response.
Clearing her throat, she began, "Sasori had kidnapped a friend of mine. He was going to kill him. When Granny Chiyo and I reached the place where Sasori had taken him, my friend—Gaara—was unconscious and barely alive. As we tried to help him; heal him, Sasori attacked. In the ensuing battle, Sasori wasn't the only one who perished," Sakura's voice trembled with sadness as she continued, tears welling in her eyes. "Granny Chiyo sacrificed herself to save us. But to answer your question, yes, I killed Sasori."
The room fell into a heavy silence after their conversation, and Sakura finished her meal without uttering another word. When she finally looked up from her plate, Tobi appeared deep in thought, contemplating the information she had shared.
"I'm glad you saved your friend. Because you defeated Sasori-sama, I get to be Deidara-sama's partner. Although the thought of Sasori dying makes me sad," Tobi confessed, his innocence shining through his words. "I think Deidara-sama is still mourning the loss of his friend, and that's why he's so mean to you." His simplistic deduction elicited a genuine smile from Sakura, who marveled at the simplicity of Tobi's perspective.
Suddenly, the door swung open forcefully, and Deidara stormed into the room, catching Tobi off guard.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
"Why are you talking to the prisoner, yeah?" Deidara's voice seethed with anger, feeling betrayed by Tobi's interaction. "And what did I tell you about her food? None of this!" He gestured disdainfully at the eggs left on Sakura's tray.
"S-s-sorry, Deidara-sama," Tobi stammered an apology, hastily retreating with the tray. He cast one final glance at Sakura and waved before scurrying away.
Sakura glared at the intruder, assessing him for any signs of threat. Deidara had forsaken his formal attire for a simple ensemble of black pants and a fishnet shirt that clung to his lean frame. She quickly averted her gaze, not wanting to reveal any unintended thoughts.
"Have you decided to help us?" Deidara asked calmly, his piercing blue eye fixed on her.
Meeting his gaze with a withering stare, Sakura held his gaze as long as she could. His eye seemed to penetrate her very soul, and unable to withstand the intensity, she eventually looked away. An expression of irritation crossed his face, and with a sound of displeasure, he stalked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. The resounding clang and the scrape of the lock confirmed that her defeat was complete. Sakura sighed, feeling trapped and defeated in her current predicament.
—-
In an attempt to fill her days, which Sakura estimated to be a few that had passed, she focused on exercising within the confines of her small cell. She meticulously worked on each muscle group, taking the time she had neglected before to stretch thoroughly. Afterward, she pushed herself through whatever workout she could manage in such a cramped space. When her body could no longer bear the strain, she slept, allowing her depleted chakra to gradually replenish itself. The only indication of time passing came from the meals that Tobi brought and left for her. After his third visit, Sakura realized that Tobi's sudden inability to engage in conversation or interact with her must have been a result of Deidara's anger towards him.
Counting the meals as they arrived, Sakura noted that on the sixth occasion, the door swung open.
"Afternoon, Sakura-chan!" Tobi breezed into the cell, a bright smile on his face.
"Hello, Tobi." Sakura greeted him warmly, relieved to see that he seemed back to his usual self.
Tobi placed the tray of food down and took a seat nearby. "Guess what, Sakura-chan? I'm not in trouble anymore! Deidara-sempai was mad at first, but now we're friends again!"
Sakura's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really? That's great, Tobi!"
He nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I'm glad too! Now we can talk like before, and I can keep you company!"
Sakura's smile widened. She ate her meal slowly, savoring the newfound company and conversation. Tobi rambled on, sharing various anecdotes about his time with Deidara and the other members of the Akatsuki. He spoke of random occurrences, like amusing mishaps and comical encounters, all while Sakura listened attentively. Though grateful for the distraction, she couldn't help but notice that Tobi carefully avoided discussing anything that could potentially reveal crucial information about the Akatsuki's plans or their organization.
"How do you like the food?" Tobi asked, his eyes lighting up with curiosity.
"It's great, Tobi. Did you make it?" Sakura replied, genuinely impressed by his culinary skills.
Tobi nodded vigorously, clearly delighted by her words. As they continued talking, Tobi explained the workings of the door, while Sakura mulled over her own thoughts. She almost missed the fact that the door had been left slightly ajar, allowing a sliver of light to filter into the room. Swiftly averting her gaze from the tempting sight of freedom, she checked to ensure that Tobi hadn't noticed her shocked reaction. Keeping her eyes fixed on the food in front of her, she assessed the amount of chakra she had accumulated over the past few days. She had enough for one or two chakra-infused strikes and perhaps a brief burst of speed. Armed with this knowledge, she formulated a plan while Tobi remained blissfully unaware.
Gripping the tray with serpentine swiftness, a resounding clang filled the air as she made her move. Guilt washed over her, realizing that she had taken advantage of Tobi's friendship. Casting aside her conflicting emotions, she discarded the tray and her feelings, swiftly exiting the cell and locking the door behind her. Choosing a direction, she set off down the corridor in a sprint. Sakura remained vigilant, her senses keenly attuned to detect chakra signatures and potential traps. She deliberately avoided the direction of a significant concentration of chakra and sought refuge in rooms whenever she needed to evade others, skillfully concealing herself and remaining undetected.
As Sakura pressed on in her quest to find the exit, her attention was drawn to a pair of imposing doors down the hallway. She entertained the hopeful notion that they might lead to her freedom, but cautiousness prevailed. First, she carefully checked for any signs of activity, keeping her eyes on the hallway she had previously traversed. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she pushed open the heavy doors slowly. To her dismay, she found herself in an expansive conference room, dominated by a large table adorned with scrolls and books, encircled by chairs. Before she could delve any further into her observation, Tobi's voice called out her name, seemingly emanating from the direction of her cell.
Wary of being caught in this suspicious setting, she swiftly retreated back into the hallway, leaving the conference room behind. Without glancing into the next room, she backed into it, her eyes fixed on the hallway, ensuring that Tobi was nowhere in sight. Once inside, she shut the door in front of her silently. Placing her ear against the wooden surface, she listened intently, her senses on high alert, as she heard the sound of Tobi's voice fading away as he called out her name in the hallway outside. A wave of relief washed over her, and she took a moment to gather her thoughts. As the silence settled in, she steeled her resolve and reached for the door handle, ready to resume her escape..
"This is a pleasant surprise, yeah," a hand shot out, abruptly halting her escape attempt.
