Chapter 11

Abandoned

Konaha 11 months ago

It took her 15 minutes to get Ino up on her back, leg splintered and set, she tied her with pieces of rope she'd found, to her back and was hauling her out. Making a mad dash for the entrance, well what she hoped was the entrance. The stairs she had found earlier were her only hope. Turning corners and slapping more seals. She was going to blow this place sky high.

Hopefully trapping the red haired bastard below, with all his sadistic glory. Then she would make it to konaha, where she could get help. Ino was coming in and out of consciousness, comtinusly begging her to get out.

The problem was when she got to the top of stairs it wasn't an exit as she'd hoped. It was more hallways. More doors. Fuck.

She steadied herself against the wall, tuning into the area around her. She couldn't sense any signatures close by, that's as the only bit of an edge she'd had, and hopefully the progress she'd made hadn't been discovered yet. If they caught on that she gotten out, and we're following her trail, well there wasn't much she could do with ino on her back. Her chakra was dangerously low, she had maybe one good pulse left if she had to fight, and no chakra pills to help. Her reserves hadn't quite built up enough for the hundred year seal yet. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Then she felt it. The signatures. She took off, racing down the Corredor. The adrenaline pumping through her veins. She couldn't even quite put a number to how many we're following her. Inos rasping was sounding more and more labored.

She skirted to a vault readjusting her cargo on her back, turning to face the two men at the end of the hall, they were closing in.

Then she seen the stairs, out of her peripheral.

"There! She's almost to the end! Get her!" One man shouted as a few more poured into the hall.

She smiled dashing out the hall and up the stairs. Sunlight!

She slapped more seals with one hand as she pushed through the end of the stairs and ripped the door open making the seal before completely free feeling the seals blasting behind her, crumbling the walls of the compound, and turning it into a tomb. Explosion started low rumbling and quaking the earth, before massive power blew out, sending her and ino about 10 feet forward. Flying for a moment sakuras mind reeling. Then both of them were rolling. The ear piercing blast and rumble flying about her sending her into shock, her ear drums momentarly ringing with deafness.

She blinked, the ropes had come undone, and ino lay feet from her. Her arm dislocated again, she tried to right herself but shaky legs stopped her, she grabbed her arm and slammed it back into place, the pain setting her into a dizzy moment of agony

Sending a small pulse of chakra to the joint to numb it, she stretched her fingers the vertigo was something she would have to deal with. She checked her head, no wounds. Then she pushed to her hands and knees, crawling towards ino, reaching.

The foot that stepped into her line of sight, stopping her outstretched hand.

Peering into the blinding light of the sun, she found red hair blazing, and a half cocked smile.

His mouth opened but no words were heard. Shaking her head, trying to settle her hearing loss a hand grasped her hair at the base of her skull and tugged her up onto woozy feet.

"Your quite a handful, petal," she finally heard, looking into green eyes. Fear ripped through her. "Didn't think you could cause this much trouble when I was gone. I guess I should have broken both you legs."

Sakuras head was still reeling from the explosion. She tried to right herself on her shaking legs and grasped the hand holding her afloat.

His face inches from her, warm breath fanning her face. "You are a special one arnt you?" He laughed, a twisted smile marring his face. "Strong, smart, yet not willing. My favorite kind of pet. Thought it seems," he turned back to the collapsed ground, seething. "I'll have to find a better way to lock you up. No matter. I have another base, this time, I'll make sure your accommodations are more secure."

"You fucking monster, you'll never have me. I will find a way everytime." She spit into his face.

His smile widened.

"Oh, dear petal." His sardonic sing song voice bellowed. "Our child will be so full of life don't you think." His free hand rested over her Abdomen. "I hope they get your pink hair, so that when I send them to destroy leaf, they know it's their sweet little petals offspring."

She paled. No, she wasn't pregnant. She would have felt it. Her first scan had shown her as much. But this man, still wasn't ready to kill her. "Just end it. Stop drawling it out and end it." She said between clenched teeth.

"My sweet sweet petal, we will make a child together, and then after you've nursed them, after your torn bleeding and begging, then I will make you into the most masterful pup-" he let out a gurgled scream dropping sakura with a thud and whipping back to the accused. Ino sat up, kunai in hand, ready to send another his way.

"You won't touch her again." Ino said, voice icy.

Her free hand running through a mess of signs before her head dropped slightly and sasoris body started to tremble.

He turned to face her again. Sakura wheeled ready to strike as best she could.

Then she seen it.

His eyes a light blue now.

"Ino…?"

"Sa….sakura, I can't hold him long…. He's…he's strong…" his voice said, through inos words. "You have to…use it. Use…use it while I have him."

"Ino no!" She screamed. "Your too close, you would get caught up in it!"

"Do it sakura! Do it now!" He yelled at her.

Sakuras hands shook. Starting at her friend, behind the monster. Knowing it would end them both.

"We are shinobi. We knew we wouldn't live long. We knew we would die in battle!" He yelled his body convulsed. "And you have to do it now, I'm losing him sakura." His arms twitched.

Tears streamed freely from her eyes. "I love you ino." Her hands flying through signs, the ground shook again. This time from her Jitsu, a hand of earth came up scooping both body's up. "Hand of god."

It came together, squeezing. Blood splattering out the cracks, before it shattered in the air, dropping blood and boy parts. Sakura stumbled to the bloody body of ino. Twisted and choking.

"Ino! Ino I'm sorry!"

"Sakura……" her voice croaked, blood oozing out the corners of her mouth "tell….him….tell him….i love him…"

"No kami no!" She pulsed her hands, the green blazing, then burning out. Her chakra was gone. Empty. She couldn't fix this. "You'll tell him yourself! Please hold on ino!"

She grabbed inos broken hand, holding tight. A slight squeeze came from her blonde friend, before her hand released. Her eyes going blank.

Sakura screamed. Blood curdling, laying her head on inos chest sobbing.

She was gone. Ino was dead.

She had killed her.


Sakura couldn't tell how much time had gone by. Just that the sun now sat further west. Close to falling over the mountains. Ones she recognized. She was close to the border of sand.

That set her about a two day journey east to leaf

Pulling the body scrolls out from inos pouch she had retrieved when carrying her to safety. She sealed her. Standing on weary legs. She turned. Her heart sped at the sight of the robe and hands twisted unnaturally.

"Fuck you sasori. You deserved to hurt much worse than this." She walked closer. Kicking the robe open a bit at his chest.

When she realised something. Their was no blood. Just broken wooden pieces.

"A…..a puppet?…." She starred in horror. Twisting her head side to side. Was this some kind of mistake. Did he….

Did he plan this? Her body shook. Not from fear but from frustration. She sealed the puppet, and as it disappeared from sight, she picked up the robe. Under it, a white mask caught her eye.

Shaped like an eagle. Painted with intricate feathers, chipped from duty. Inos mask.

She had definitely not grabbed that on the way out, and it was undoubtably there. In front of her.

He'd left it for her, it was a warning.

For what, she didn't know.

Grabbing it, and tying it to her head cocked up to the sky. She flashstepped into the forest. In the direction of leaf.

She wouldn't stop until she got there. Her mask wouldn't adorn her face.

She'd made sacrifices. The village would know.


Konaha present day

Kakashis window was open. Sakura landed kn the pane. Listening to the shuffle of drawers and footsteps bantering on the wood.

He was packing. A mission she figured, kakashi was only ever late because he dillydallied. Not because he wasn't efficient.

She perched there like a raven, absorbing the commotion.

"Well it's a little early for you to be sitting around waiting on this old man isn't it, sakura?"

He didn't even turn to her, his traps weren't even set. But he knew her signature like his own.

"Tell me. Tell me everything kakashi." He stopped pulling clothing out of his dresser. Standing completely still.

"And what would you like to know?" He cocked his head to the side. "What is it I'm supposed to be-"

"When did she sanction it?"she narrowed her eyes peering at the ground, her muscles tight.

"Ah." He turned, leaning against the wood. "That."

"Yes that!" She raged. "The part where you all went off to find sasori and didn't say a damn word to me about it!"

"Well, the cats out of the bag, metaphorically speaking." He sighed. Setting the clothing he held down on the side of the dresser. "Would you like some tea?" He motioned stepping out of the bedroom.

"I'd like some damn answers kakashi!" She reeled, stepping off the window seal and following him into the adjoining room.

"And I'd like some tea." He said walking into the small kitchenette.

She put her hands on her hips, mostly to stop from hitting him. Breaking some ribs would not help her right this moment.

"Tell me this first, then I'll agree to some tea." She begrudged. "How long."

"Four months." He replied filling the small kettle with water and setting it on the burner.

Her irritation grew.

"And for the record, I wanted to tell you." He kept his face away from her splaying his hands out over the counter top.

"Why didn't you…."she stopped, realizing it before the words left her mouth.

"You weren't entirely stable then. You had just left the mental wing. You weren't dealing well then." He sighed again. "Your really only starting to deal."

"I'm dealing just fine kakashi." She dropped her gaze. Mostly because she really wasn't. What was up with her furious reaction in the first place. He wasn't wrong, entirely. Neither was Tsunade.

"Are you?" His head turned to her, watching her.

"I'm starting too." She clenched and unclenched her fists. Why was it so hard? Feeling again. Letting it sleek back. The last week had been nothing but reactions. Things leaking back in. They were right. She wasn't acting accordingly.

"That's all I ask." He stated, as the kettle whistled. "Now have a seat. I'll pour us something and we can talk."

"Fine." She marched back too the small grey sofa, making herself at home. Plopping loudly onto one end.

As kakashi reentered the room, he set one of two cups on the coffee table, Taking his own and making a seat across from her on the ground.

"We found him. Well, we think we found his location." Kakashi started. "It has to be close to his underground base. We've been working with sand, they seem to have books and knowledge on other bases. However those have all seemed to be abandoned."

"So then." Sakura grasped her tea cup with both hands. "What's the next course of action? Have you secured an approximate location? Settled boundaries?"

"Well that's the biggest problem." Kakashi pulled his mask down. "We've found bodies from several diffrent hidden villages. All female. All around the ages of eighteen to twenty two." He stared at her, watching her features. "All we're similar in height. About five foot two to five foot four."

"He's killing young women? Why?" She sipped her tea. Schooling her face for nonchalance.

"They all had long dyed pink hair. All had green eyes."

Sakura froze. Her attempts at keeping her calm flew out the window. Her heart beat sped up.

"He made them look like you." Kakashis tone was harsh. Venomous.

"Why….why would he do that other than…."

"Yes." Kakashi stated blandly. "He's luring you."

"He's…killing women and….leaving them out for me to see?" She felt bile in the back of her throat. A sick feeling in her gut made her set her cup down and lean back on the couch. Covering her face with both palms.

"Yes. He's raping and killing women, concealing their features, and laying them out as a calling card."

Kakashi stood, set his cup down and kneeled in front of her.

"Your not going in alone, and if you don't shape up, your not going at all." Kakashi laid his hand over hers, pulling them back from her face. "If you really want this, if you really want in on this, you need to get battle ready sakura. Their is only one way for me to sign off on this as your commanding officer." He squeesed her hands.

"I know kakashi." She leaned forward, and pressed her forehead to his. "I will be ready. I will do whatever's necessary. I will face my demons head on this time."

"I know your strong enough." He leaned up and kissed her forehead.

Sakuras face reddened. It wasn't the first time he'd done this over the years, but it was the first time he'd done it without his mask on.

His lips were soft.

"Will you be able to train with me?" She looked up at him as he stood, grabbing both cups and retreating to the sink.

"I have to leave tommorow morning. We have an assignment. We're going to investigate two more dens." He spoke as he washed the cups and set them to dry.

"When are you slated to return?" She asked hopefully.

"It's possible I'll be done with reconnaissance in about three weeks." He huffed. He knew she needed him, now more than ever.

"That's fine." She stood, headed into the kitchenette. "When you get back, I'll be ready. Tenchou."

She leaned up and kissed his bare cheek. Then flash stepped out of the apartment.

Kakashis hand came up to the spot, fingers grazing the skin. Then walking to the window he looked out after the pink figure disappearing into the village.


Sakura got up before the sun, training field nine was barely visible. Her hair pulled back in a tight pony tail, black spandex shorts and matching sleeveless top. Her knee high ninja boots in place. She was going to master this move. Today, and The first person she would kill with it, would be the ex sand nin.

Her brow was lined in sweat. Her chakra levels getting low, but she would stop for breakfast soon.

Again she darted to the tree, summoning the chidori, wielding it like a blade forcing it outwards, rock billowed up from the sheer power of it.

Pressing it down into the tree she felt it's presence, it's essence. The tree shattered, like a dirt clod in a child's hand crushed beneath dirty palms.

She felt the wood splitering, she felt her will pull the tree apart creating senbons, creating gods will. Its pieces dancing in the Lightning of her chakra. Purple and green, spinning in the air, dancing. Pressing to her toes she twirled, the senbons twisting with her deadly dance as she pulsed her hand into the earth, it quaked, shooting a fist sized hole down into its depths.

Then it happened. What she had tried to perfect the last few years. Ino had put the idea in her head the first time she'd mastered the chidori.

She said that sakura looked like she was performing a ballet. Twisting in the air like she was training for a show. She had mentioned turning the lightning into senbon, needles the pierce the hearts she so willingly pulled from chests. Only sakura had imagined trees, like splinters of death raining down on army's.

Her senbons blew out, hitting trees, bushes, blowing holes in the ground. It was all she could hope for and more. The joy she felt at completion.

Completion of a project she had worked so hard on, coming together like a good sonnet.

She did it.

"Ha!" She screamed out punching the air, feeling free as she danced about, letting loose all that tight anxiety. She felt like the sky was the limit.

"That's very impressive." A tenor voice called from the tree closest to her.

Her body froze. In all her commotion yesterday, she'd forgotten a promise she'd made. Something along the lines of immeasurable pain.

"Uchiha San." She said, pushing stray hairs behind her ears, as she strode in the opposite direction.

"Where are you going, Sa-Ku-ra?" He flash stepped in front of her. Her face twitched. He reached a hand out, pushed a stray pink lock back in to place, his hand playing with it behind her ear, caressing the side of her head.

"Uchiha San. Do you value all of your fingers?"

"Sakura, please, Itachi." He demanded softy.

"Because if you do, you better well keep them to yourself." She reached up and grabbed his hand. Pushing it back towards him.

"Sakura, no need to play games." He mocked.

"No Uchiha San, this is not a game. This is a promise. The next time one of your-" she motioned up and down his body, "limbs gets in my way, no scratch that, comes within a four foot radius, consider it donated to the amputee ward."

She brushed past him, as she did he grabbed her pony tail at the base. She growled.

"Sakura, you really say the most hilarious things." Itachi breathed into her ear.

That's when she broke. Flipping around and swinging a chakra laden fist at his face. He dodged. She realised her killing intent. Not only had he disrupted her, but not he was mocking her. Fuck that.

She kicked out, he grabbed her ankle, she flipped mid air swinging the other leg up at his face, when he grabbed that ankle too she used the ground like a grappling board, pulling his body closer with her legs and securing her fingers into the rock below her she tossed him. He held tight to her ankle as he flipped backwards and she used the momentum to flatten him with chakra strength to the ground. He popped out of sight, replaced by a log, as her fist made a new crater. She screamed. Flipping around as a familiar wave of genjutsu fell upon her, she made the sign.

"Release!" Then flash stepped behind him, grabbing hold of his hair and swinging him up. He twirled mid air, grabbing both her wrists as she bucked, trying to find purchase with her knees before they landed. The wind knocked out of her lungs.

"Well we'll well, I love this look on you." He smiled.

"Uchiha San. Get. The. Fuck. Off. Me." She huffed out."let me go right this instant or I swear to-"

"Agree to a date." He spoke, smiling at her eyes shut.

Her face went beet red. Not from embarrassment, from anger. "Fuck you you god damn sadistic bastard!" She spit at him. "First you interrupt me now your ransoming me?!"

"Whoa whoa whoa." He leaned in close. She gritted her teeth. "One simple outing. Maybe we get some tea, catch a little dinner. Get to know one another."

"In your fucking dreams." She leaned her head into the dirt and launched it back smashing it into his face. Successfully launching him off her.

He let go, his sharingan activated. He would have to be a bit more careful with this pinkette. He held his nose, straightening it with an audible pop.

She steadied herself, "You'd better go to the hospital for that broken nose. Uchiha." Her face was animalistic. She crouched. Ready for more.

His smile spread across his face. "Show me the one you were practicing, sweetheart. That one with the lightning."

She growled. "How long we're you Spying on me!"

"Not spying, dear sakura, observing."

"Uchiha San, that move is for someone special." She gritted out, muscles moving before her brain could catch up, she flashstepped, hitting him with a uppercut, he dodged. Fainting left, she countered, swinging out with her right leg, he blocked.

With the sharingan activated, she was at a loss. She had to find his weak spot.

She flipped back two paces, but quickly summoned three clones.

"You know I can tell the difference." He grinned. "know which one is the real you." He appeared behind her, wrapping an arm around her midsection, and pressing into a chakra point. The clones dissipated.

"Oh really uchiha." She smiled. As she pooped out of reality.

His eyes widened. That had to be her, the chakra channels in that one, and his sharingan had pin pointed her before!

The ground broke below him as she nailed him in the chin, sending him flying.

"How about this, if you can beat me, with or without that sharingan of yours I'll let you take me out, how ever many times you want." She brought one leg up Parallel to her chest, and balanced one arm out sweeping down with a low crouch.

His body flew. Hitting a tree and proofing out of existence. She flinched. When had he summoned a clone?

"Deal." The tenor voice called. Seemingly everywhere at once. "But let me add this stipulation. You will refer to me as Itachi as well."

She looked all around her. Then it hit her.

Genjutsu.

She had never actually released it.

She had been trapped from the beginning.

"DAMN IT!" She made the sign focusing in, forcing her will out. It took almost all she had. "RELEASE!"

The training grounds reappeared. The sun higher in the sky as she fell to her hands and knees. Arms shaking.

"So how does does domingo sound?" He laughed crouched in front of her.

"Fucking bastard."

"Then maybe we can get some chakra tea. Your reserves are low." He held his hand out to her.

She eyed it warily.

"Your going to need help up sweetheart. You seem a little shaky." She took his outstretched hand begrudgingly. Legs wobbly from chakra depletion.

"You know it's cheating if you wait until I'm half dead on my feet, don't you uchiha San?" She grimmanced at the dizzyness, using his arm more than she would have liked to.

"Itachi." He stated as he lead her forward, tucking her arm into his as he walked.

"Never agreed to that. Uchiha. San."

He smirked. He liked that attitude of hers.

He liked that irritation he could bring out of her.

"And next time," she relented, "I will make you pay for that kiss. Kami knows, i will make you hurt."

Also, he liked her death threats.