Chapter 5 - Sakura's Choice
Submitted May 30, 2008 Updated July 10, 2008 Status Complete | Ryouko Kaguya is tossed in jail on a false charge. Upon needing his help, Tsunade lets him out. Ryouko has to work fast, and lead his first mission, to save a boy and his family from their execution at the hands of a new alliance.
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Anime/Manga » Naruto series |
Chapter 5 - Sakura's Choice
Chapter 5 - Sakura's Choice
Right off the bat, Ryouko let Sakura pick the place. No screwing up this time. Sakura had picked a run of the mill tavern that was advertising a special fish, served with rice and stir-fried vegetables. It was familiar food, so it sounded good to both of them. Or, it WOULD have, if Ryouko could have eaten. He picked at his food, trying to figure out how to make Sakura see another side of things. He DID keep drinking, though. The sake was watered down, but it still calmed him. And, brother, did he ever need that!
Feels like my heart’s going to bounce out of my chest…are dates ALWAYS so nerve-wracking? Or is it just because I really like this girl, and she may be deserting the village to join a criminal organization? I can’t let on that anything’s wrong. Am I always this nervous around her? Probably. So, just let it go. BE nervous. That way she won’t get suspicions. Being cool, calm, and collected would give me away, it’s not my style…
“Ryouko?”
Poke!
Sakura had to stop herself from laughing outright. Somehow, Ryouko had been in another dimension while she eating, and her talking had startled him. That didn’t explain how his chopstick got in his nose.
“Oh, hold still!” Sakura pulled the chopstick out and handed Ryouko a napkin to act as a compress on the wound. Ryouko pulled the napkin up. It was large, and had blinded him for an instant. Sakura saw her chance and dumped the powder into Ryouko’s drink.
“Sorry about that, real smooth thing for me to do,” mumbled Ryouko, once he was cleaned up. Oh yeah, THAT is my style. How the hell did I do that?
“That’s okay, I understand. You don’t have to be so nervous around me, you know. I’m just a kunoichi,” explained Sakura. Ryouko shot her a comical glance.
“Part girl, part warrior…a deadly combination…” Ryouko mused. Sakura giggled. Her chopsticks clattered to the floor when she hit them with her elbow.
“Oops! Ah, clumsy me!” Sakura bent down to retrieve the lost eating tools. Ryouko saw his chance. He quickly dumped a small amount of a suspicious-looking clear liquid into Sakura’s drink, quickly stowing the bottle in one of his pockets before Sakura noticed.
“You didn’t stare at my butt, did you?” Sakura interrogated upon getting back on her stool, adding a mock glare for emphasis.
“No! Wait, is that an insult, if I didn’t?” Ryouko joked. He and Sakura simultaneously reached for their drinks. Both of them smiled, then brought the cups to their lips. They kept watching each other, unknowingly playing a dangerous, calculated game of ‘chicken’.
Suddenly, both of them thrust their left arms out.
“Don’t drink it!” they said at the same time.
Looking down, they both blushed. Their hands had each grabbed each other’s right hands, to prevent the cups from rising to their mouths. In leaning forward, both had leaned forward, their faces inches apart. Ryouko’s eyes met Sakura’s. His dark hazel eyes searched her pale green eyes. They moved closer. Sakura was in the opening stages of a kiss, and Ryouko followed suit. Their mouths were inches apart, eyes in the process of closing, when the tender moment was broken up violently by a big blue hand hitting Ryouko’s head. His head bounced off the bar as he toppled off his stool. Sakura was quicker, and moved before the strike hit her. Focusing her chakra in a short burst, Sakura leapt high and punched Kisame in the face.
“Take that, you blue bastard!” Sakura added, as Kisame reeled backward. Ryouko had since recovered and grabbed a chair. As Kisame’s momentum came toward him, Ryouko swung for the fences and cracked the big goon in the back of the head. The chair shattered, sending splinters everywhere. Incidentally, that sent bar patrons flying.
“That’s for ruining my date TWICE!” Ryouko snarled angrily.
Kisame swung for Ryouko’s legs with his sword. Ryouko jumped over the strike, adding a kick to Kisame’s gills. As Kisame spun from the impact, he was met by a punch from Sakura. He felt the bones in his jaw shatter. For the occasion, Ryouko broke out a special genjutsu that he had seen Orochimaru himself use.
“Death Foreseeing Technique!”
The technique was brutal. It forced the receiver to watch his death over and over, until they lost their minds, or broke the genjutsu. From the look of horror on Kisame’s face, he HAD seen his death.
“We’ve gotta get out of here, come on!” Ryouko urged. He and Sakura hustled out of the tavern, using genjutsu disguises to reach home.
--
“Release.”
Itachi’s impassive voice ended the genjutsu. Kisame got off his knees, looking around. How did he get back at the hideout?
“I brought you, Kisame. We need to talk about something…your disobedience, and your failure.”
“Hold it, Itachi! I’ve done nothing wrong! I wanted revenge on that little prick. And you know as well as I do that our mission would go much smoother without him and his team getting in the way. So I took a little initiative, big deal,’ Kisame snorted dismissively.
“It Is a big deal, Kisame. You nearly ruined our plans with your haste. It’s not a risk any of us are willing to take again.”
Kisame’s face dropped. “What are you saying, Itachi?”
Wordlessly, Itachi opened his eyes all the way. The tomoe of his Sharingan began to spin. Kisame fell back to his knees; this couldn’t be happening!
“Itachi, I promise, I won’t lose again! Give me one more chance!” he begged, completely out of character for the hulking man.
“Amateratsu…” Itachi chanted tonelessly. Black flames, hot as the sun itself, began to scorch Kisame. Amateratsu was the name of the sun goddess, and one jutsu Itachi rarely used. The black flames were said to be able to burn for seven days and seven nights, and if you felt them, they were the last thing you ever felt. As Kisame’s flesh began to crisp and peel off, and his screams began to die, the legend rang true.
It WAS the last thing you ever felt. But that wasn’t the worst part. Kisame was seeing exactly what Ryouko had planted in his head with his “Death Foreseeing Jutsu”.
--
Back in her room, Sakura broke down and told Ryouko everything. She was surprised when Ryouko wasn’t. His explanation surprised her even more.
“I heard…all of us did…I told them not to say anything, because you had to decide for yourself,” Ryouko told Sakura quietly. “And none of us are going to pressure you. That was originally why I took you out…but after we stopped each other from drinking those spiked drinks…I couldn’t do it. It’s not fair of me to try to make you sentimental about the Leaf Village like that, not when you trusted me. I’m going to back off…and hope that you and I won’t be enemies…”
Ryouko paused, looking away, running a hand through his thick brown hair. He said one more thing to Sakura.
“If you DO decide to stay with Konoha…I’ll help you and your team find Sasuke. I see what he means to you…what matters is your happiness…if it’s not with Konoha, then it’s not, and no one can force you to be happy there.”
Ryouko got up from the windowsill and left Sakura to her thoughts. She watched, wide-eyed, as he left.
How important is Sasuke to me? Do I abandon everything and go after him? Or do I take Ryouko’s word? I don’t know what to do! Itachi is more powerful, and Sasuke WILL come to him, while he avoids the Leaf Village…
Sakura suddenly shook against the cold night air. She had left her window open to let the breeze come in the house; it was so damn musty in there. She strode across the room and shut it. She put one hand against the glass panels, looking down. Soon, it began to rain. The water came down in sheets, plastering the window. The drops crissed and crossed across the window, weaving an intricate pattern against the glass.
I’ve only got two hours left…and I face Itachi again. I’ve got to go alone. I still don’t know what I’m going to do…maybe the Akatsuki wouldn’t be so bad…but they seem so wrong…trying to take Naruto’s demon, and nearly killing Gaara…I’m not a murderer, I couldn’t do that to someone! But…I need to decide, now! What am I going to do? Okay, I choose…huh?
Ryouko had walked outside, without his vest. He glared up at the rain, as if daring it to keep raining. It did. To Sakura’s surprise, Ryouko slid off his shirt and tied it around his head, like a bandanna.
What the hell is doing outside? It’s pouring! He’s practicing taijutsu?! In this weather?
As she watched Ryouko, Sakura figured out he wasn’t practicing taijutsu. This ancient house had a stove, and it needed wood. Sakura never noticed a supply, and now she knew how the house stayed heated. Ryouko had gathered wood every day. Even in this horrendous weather, the house needed heat.
Despite herself, Sakura watched Ryouko. He wasn’t a body-builder, but he was martial-arts athletic, and stronger than he looked. A swift kick knocked a tree over. Before it crashed to the ground, Ryouko had ran up it, then smashed his heel into the top of the tree, cracking it down the center. Then he jumped back off, falling gracefully to the ground. His right hand was glowing with a Chakra Scalpel, which he used to cut the tree into logs on the way down. As he landed, the tree fell into sections. Gathering them up, ignoring the cuts on his arms and chest, Ryouko went back inside. Sakura stared at where he’d been a little longer. For some reason, she thought of their date earlier.
Was I…going to kiss him? Was HE going to kiss ME? And we nearly poisoned each other. But he never said a thing about it…
Sakura felt a surge of loyalty for her team and her village in her chest.
It’s time I made a sacrifice, too. I love Konoha. I’ve just got to love it enough to do the right thing.
--
Itachi was waiting, a crow perched on his shoulder, at the stream where he had met Sakura before.
“What is your decision?” Itachi didn’t turn around when he spoke.
“I’m with you. I want to join the Akatsuki. Anything to see Sasuke again…” Sakura sounded ashamed of herself. Kunoichi weren’t only part warrior, part girl- they were also part actor.
Okay…time to sabotage these cloak-wearing bastards! CHA! Let’s just see if the Akamadori family is alive…
Itachi reached into his long cloak and pulled out another cloak, one that was Sakura’s size. She slipped it on over her regular clothes before accepting the straw hat Itachi offered her.
“I won’t need this anymore…” Sakura took off her headband and threw it in the mud.
“Let’s go. You’re going to be my partner, Sakura. My old partner met his end…he was too weak.”
Sakura smirked. “Kisame? Push-over. I’m not one to let down my partner, Itachi. Lead the way, I’ve gotta put some distance between myself and my old team.”
--
“She accepted our offer. Her team won’t be far behind,” Itachi told the leader.
“Fine. I will give you a detachment of two additional members. Eliminate these pests. Hidan and Deidara will accompany you. Deidara has been forgiven by ingeniously escaping from Konoha’s clutches, and evading their ANBU forces. Should he fail again…execute him.”
Itachi closed his eyes. “Understood. I will deliver their corpses to you.”
“Itachi…attack them. Don’t wait for them to come to you…”
--
“She’s gone…” Naruto muttered, looking at the creek. No signs of a struggle.
“shoot! It’s my fault…There was another fight, and I couldn’t lie to her…damn it!” Ryouko sat down near the river, already planning how to rescue her. Itachi, I’m going to make you pay for this! I swear!
Sai was drawing the picturesque scene, as though unaware or uncaring of the problem. He sat down on a rock and began to sketch. He finished his drawing, and colored it with pastels. It wouldn’t have a title; none of his pictures did. He had no feelings, as a result of being in ROOT, a special (now disbanded) attachment of ANBU agents that were cultivated at a young age. They were taught not to feel, or care, and only to obey their orders. It was drilled harshly into them nearly since their birth.
Sai kept coloring, until he noticed something about his drawing. There was a Leaf headband in the foliage, partially sticking out of the mud. Sai looked up, and saw the real Leaf headband.
“Ryouko-kun, this may be a clue…” Sai knelt down and pulled the headband out of the mud, turning it over in his hands. Once Ryouko had walked over, Sai let him have the headband. Ryouko suddenly smirked.
“Man, she’s clever! She hid a note under the metal!” Ryouko exclaimed, reminding himself to kiss her, then realizing he would never get the courage up again, most likely. Still, that didn’t deter his happiness.
“This note tells where the hideout is! She’s going to find the Akamadori family, then escape!”
“We’ve gotta help her!” Naruto declared.
“Damn right we do! Let’s go get her! Wait!” Ryouko held out an arm. He breathed once, to fortify himself, then spoke one more time.
“Thanks for everything. Listen carefully, and swear that you’ll listen. I’m going for Itachi. No matter WHAT, if he kills me, get out of there. Take Sakura with you. If I’m going to die, I’m taking him with me. No matter what- run. Report to Lady Tsunade. Blame it all on me. But don’t let yourselves get caught. Alright?”
Sai and Naruto exchanged glances. Ryouko didn’t wait for an answer; he took off for the tree tops, heading in the direction Sakura had outlined in the note she had left.
--
Sakura met Deidara and Hidan. Two very creepy individuals with criminal records a mile long. Deidara was an artist, of sorts. His exploding clay had once defeated the Kazekage, Gaara. That was no easy feat, as anyone who had seen Gaara fight could attest to.
Hidan was more of a mystery. With a foul mouth, and an obsession for the most bloodthirsty religion Sakura had ever heard on, he was almost immortal.
Sakura had been paired with Itachi, while Deidara and Hidan were to fight together. Against Ryouko, Sai, and Naruto, it would hardly be a fight. The Leaf Ninja were going to be horribly outclassed, unless Sakura could do something to tip the advantage toward them.
“Feel free to explore. We have a meeting in one hour. In that time, get acquainted with the hideout.” Itachi rarely spoke, but when he did, he commanded attention, even from Hidan and Deidara.
Wordlessly, Sakura walked away, down a corridor to the side. She snuck glances in every door, every window, seeing horrifying things, strange things, weapons. But not one sign of people. Specifically, the Akamadori family. Sakura combed the hideout, looking everywhere, but not finding what she was looking for. The hour was nearly up, but then Sakura heard it?
“Sakura?” A weak voice came from the second to last room on the corridor.
“Katsuyori?!” Sakura pressed her ear to the door.
“Sakura, what are you doing here?! Don’t tell me…you’re one of them?!” Katsuyori was now glaring accusingly at Sakura. Katsuyori had been Ryouko’s student, but in the way of the sword, not the way of the Shinobi. A former Mist genin, the fourteen year old had come to think of Sakura as an older sister, and Ryouko as an older brother. The boy was cursed with horrible luck. Blind in one eye (Name that manga! Katsuyori’s character is derived from a popular CLAMP character. Can anyone name him? HINT- the name of the manga starts with “T”.), and cursed with an anxiety so horrible that he could barely feel safe around his mother, Katsuyori’s was also orphaned. The Amakadori family had adopted him. His father, a samurai, had been cut down by a ninja in a senseless fight that never needed to take place. His mother had commited suicide, stricken by grief.
Just when Katsuyori’s life took an upward turn, it was snatched away from him. A decidsion made by the Mist Village, and approved, unknowingly, by Lady Tsunade, due to illegal citizenship in the Hidden Leaf, Katsuyori had been turned over to the Mist authorities. Ryouko had protested so long and so loud he was arrested. Upon realizing what she had done, Tsunade had freed Ryouko to rescue Katsuyori. Ryouko had added Katsuyori’s family to his priority list. He had been a bouncer at the Akamadori bar, and their sake was prescription for his own anxiety. It was also Lady Tsunade’s favorite brand of the strong rice wine.
“Katsuyori, how is your family?!” Sakura ignored Katsuyori’s glare. Her voice and question gave him reason to trust her.
“They’re alive, but not for long. They aren’t Shinobi, or even fighters. They’re only bait, for Ryouko! Sakura, ou can’t let him come here! They’ll kill him! Please, don’t let Ryouko come here! I don’t want him to die, too!” Katsuyori’s voice turned desperate at the end. Through the narrow barred window in the cell, Sakura held his hand.
“Don’t worry about Ryouko. To be honest, Katsuyori, he was sent here to save you. And there aren’t many things that could keep him away at this point. Just trust him to make the right move, okay?”
Katsuyori looked back at Sakura, his face gaunt and white from being trapped in a dark cell for so long. But he nodded.
“Okay, Sakura-san. I’ll trust you. If Ryouko-sensei does…” Katsuyori was one of the few Ryouko had told about his feelings for Sakura. And Katsuyori was, like Lee, Naruto, and Sai, sworn to secrecy.
“Listen Katsuyori, I’ve got to go. For now, just stay alive. I’ll be back to heal you and your parents later. I’ll bring food if I can. I’ve got to go.” Sakura thought she head footsteps coming down the hall, so she backed away from the bars and started to walk towards the sound.
Feels like my heart’s going to bounce out of my chest…are dates ALWAYS so nerve-wracking? Or is it just because I really like this girl, and she may be deserting the village to join a criminal organization? I can’t let on that anything’s wrong. Am I always this nervous around her? Probably. So, just let it go. BE nervous. That way she won’t get suspicions. Being cool, calm, and collected would give me away, it’s not my style…
“Ryouko?”
Poke!
Sakura had to stop herself from laughing outright. Somehow, Ryouko had been in another dimension while she eating, and her talking had startled him. That didn’t explain how his chopstick got in his nose.
“Oh, hold still!” Sakura pulled the chopstick out and handed Ryouko a napkin to act as a compress on the wound. Ryouko pulled the napkin up. It was large, and had blinded him for an instant. Sakura saw her chance and dumped the powder into Ryouko’s drink.
“Sorry about that, real smooth thing for me to do,” mumbled Ryouko, once he was cleaned up. Oh yeah, THAT is my style. How the hell did I do that?
“That’s okay, I understand. You don’t have to be so nervous around me, you know. I’m just a kunoichi,” explained Sakura. Ryouko shot her a comical glance.
“Part girl, part warrior…a deadly combination…” Ryouko mused. Sakura giggled. Her chopsticks clattered to the floor when she hit them with her elbow.
“Oops! Ah, clumsy me!” Sakura bent down to retrieve the lost eating tools. Ryouko saw his chance. He quickly dumped a small amount of a suspicious-looking clear liquid into Sakura’s drink, quickly stowing the bottle in one of his pockets before Sakura noticed.
“You didn’t stare at my butt, did you?” Sakura interrogated upon getting back on her stool, adding a mock glare for emphasis.
“No! Wait, is that an insult, if I didn’t?” Ryouko joked. He and Sakura simultaneously reached for their drinks. Both of them smiled, then brought the cups to their lips. They kept watching each other, unknowingly playing a dangerous, calculated game of ‘chicken’.
Suddenly, both of them thrust their left arms out.
“Don’t drink it!” they said at the same time.
Looking down, they both blushed. Their hands had each grabbed each other’s right hands, to prevent the cups from rising to their mouths. In leaning forward, both had leaned forward, their faces inches apart. Ryouko’s eyes met Sakura’s. His dark hazel eyes searched her pale green eyes. They moved closer. Sakura was in the opening stages of a kiss, and Ryouko followed suit. Their mouths were inches apart, eyes in the process of closing, when the tender moment was broken up violently by a big blue hand hitting Ryouko’s head. His head bounced off the bar as he toppled off his stool. Sakura was quicker, and moved before the strike hit her. Focusing her chakra in a short burst, Sakura leapt high and punched Kisame in the face.
“Take that, you blue bastard!” Sakura added, as Kisame reeled backward. Ryouko had since recovered and grabbed a chair. As Kisame’s momentum came toward him, Ryouko swung for the fences and cracked the big goon in the back of the head. The chair shattered, sending splinters everywhere. Incidentally, that sent bar patrons flying.
“That’s for ruining my date TWICE!” Ryouko snarled angrily.
Kisame swung for Ryouko’s legs with his sword. Ryouko jumped over the strike, adding a kick to Kisame’s gills. As Kisame spun from the impact, he was met by a punch from Sakura. He felt the bones in his jaw shatter. For the occasion, Ryouko broke out a special genjutsu that he had seen Orochimaru himself use.
“Death Foreseeing Technique!”
The technique was brutal. It forced the receiver to watch his death over and over, until they lost their minds, or broke the genjutsu. From the look of horror on Kisame’s face, he HAD seen his death.
“We’ve gotta get out of here, come on!” Ryouko urged. He and Sakura hustled out of the tavern, using genjutsu disguises to reach home.
--
“Release.”
Itachi’s impassive voice ended the genjutsu. Kisame got off his knees, looking around. How did he get back at the hideout?
“I brought you, Kisame. We need to talk about something…your disobedience, and your failure.”
“Hold it, Itachi! I’ve done nothing wrong! I wanted revenge on that little prick. And you know as well as I do that our mission would go much smoother without him and his team getting in the way. So I took a little initiative, big deal,’ Kisame snorted dismissively.
“It Is a big deal, Kisame. You nearly ruined our plans with your haste. It’s not a risk any of us are willing to take again.”
Kisame’s face dropped. “What are you saying, Itachi?”
Wordlessly, Itachi opened his eyes all the way. The tomoe of his Sharingan began to spin. Kisame fell back to his knees; this couldn’t be happening!
“Itachi, I promise, I won’t lose again! Give me one more chance!” he begged, completely out of character for the hulking man.
“Amateratsu…” Itachi chanted tonelessly. Black flames, hot as the sun itself, began to scorch Kisame. Amateratsu was the name of the sun goddess, and one jutsu Itachi rarely used. The black flames were said to be able to burn for seven days and seven nights, and if you felt them, they were the last thing you ever felt. As Kisame’s flesh began to crisp and peel off, and his screams began to die, the legend rang true.
It WAS the last thing you ever felt. But that wasn’t the worst part. Kisame was seeing exactly what Ryouko had planted in his head with his “Death Foreseeing Jutsu”.
--
Back in her room, Sakura broke down and told Ryouko everything. She was surprised when Ryouko wasn’t. His explanation surprised her even more.
“I heard…all of us did…I told them not to say anything, because you had to decide for yourself,” Ryouko told Sakura quietly. “And none of us are going to pressure you. That was originally why I took you out…but after we stopped each other from drinking those spiked drinks…I couldn’t do it. It’s not fair of me to try to make you sentimental about the Leaf Village like that, not when you trusted me. I’m going to back off…and hope that you and I won’t be enemies…”
Ryouko paused, looking away, running a hand through his thick brown hair. He said one more thing to Sakura.
“If you DO decide to stay with Konoha…I’ll help you and your team find Sasuke. I see what he means to you…what matters is your happiness…if it’s not with Konoha, then it’s not, and no one can force you to be happy there.”
Ryouko got up from the windowsill and left Sakura to her thoughts. She watched, wide-eyed, as he left.
How important is Sasuke to me? Do I abandon everything and go after him? Or do I take Ryouko’s word? I don’t know what to do! Itachi is more powerful, and Sasuke WILL come to him, while he avoids the Leaf Village…
Sakura suddenly shook against the cold night air. She had left her window open to let the breeze come in the house; it was so damn musty in there. She strode across the room and shut it. She put one hand against the glass panels, looking down. Soon, it began to rain. The water came down in sheets, plastering the window. The drops crissed and crossed across the window, weaving an intricate pattern against the glass.
I’ve only got two hours left…and I face Itachi again. I’ve got to go alone. I still don’t know what I’m going to do…maybe the Akatsuki wouldn’t be so bad…but they seem so wrong…trying to take Naruto’s demon, and nearly killing Gaara…I’m not a murderer, I couldn’t do that to someone! But…I need to decide, now! What am I going to do? Okay, I choose…huh?
Ryouko had walked outside, without his vest. He glared up at the rain, as if daring it to keep raining. It did. To Sakura’s surprise, Ryouko slid off his shirt and tied it around his head, like a bandanna.
What the hell is doing outside? It’s pouring! He’s practicing taijutsu?! In this weather?
As she watched Ryouko, Sakura figured out he wasn’t practicing taijutsu. This ancient house had a stove, and it needed wood. Sakura never noticed a supply, and now she knew how the house stayed heated. Ryouko had gathered wood every day. Even in this horrendous weather, the house needed heat.
Despite herself, Sakura watched Ryouko. He wasn’t a body-builder, but he was martial-arts athletic, and stronger than he looked. A swift kick knocked a tree over. Before it crashed to the ground, Ryouko had ran up it, then smashed his heel into the top of the tree, cracking it down the center. Then he jumped back off, falling gracefully to the ground. His right hand was glowing with a Chakra Scalpel, which he used to cut the tree into logs on the way down. As he landed, the tree fell into sections. Gathering them up, ignoring the cuts on his arms and chest, Ryouko went back inside. Sakura stared at where he’d been a little longer. For some reason, she thought of their date earlier.
Was I…going to kiss him? Was HE going to kiss ME? And we nearly poisoned each other. But he never said a thing about it…
Sakura felt a surge of loyalty for her team and her village in her chest.
It’s time I made a sacrifice, too. I love Konoha. I’ve just got to love it enough to do the right thing.
--
Itachi was waiting, a crow perched on his shoulder, at the stream where he had met Sakura before.
“What is your decision?” Itachi didn’t turn around when he spoke.
“I’m with you. I want to join the Akatsuki. Anything to see Sasuke again…” Sakura sounded ashamed of herself. Kunoichi weren’t only part warrior, part girl- they were also part actor.
Okay…time to sabotage these cloak-wearing bastards! CHA! Let’s just see if the Akamadori family is alive…
Itachi reached into his long cloak and pulled out another cloak, one that was Sakura’s size. She slipped it on over her regular clothes before accepting the straw hat Itachi offered her.
“I won’t need this anymore…” Sakura took off her headband and threw it in the mud.
“Let’s go. You’re going to be my partner, Sakura. My old partner met his end…he was too weak.”
Sakura smirked. “Kisame? Push-over. I’m not one to let down my partner, Itachi. Lead the way, I’ve gotta put some distance between myself and my old team.”
--
“She accepted our offer. Her team won’t be far behind,” Itachi told the leader.
“Fine. I will give you a detachment of two additional members. Eliminate these pests. Hidan and Deidara will accompany you. Deidara has been forgiven by ingeniously escaping from Konoha’s clutches, and evading their ANBU forces. Should he fail again…execute him.”
Itachi closed his eyes. “Understood. I will deliver their corpses to you.”
“Itachi…attack them. Don’t wait for them to come to you…”
--
“She’s gone…” Naruto muttered, looking at the creek. No signs of a struggle.
“shoot! It’s my fault…There was another fight, and I couldn’t lie to her…damn it!” Ryouko sat down near the river, already planning how to rescue her. Itachi, I’m going to make you pay for this! I swear!
Sai was drawing the picturesque scene, as though unaware or uncaring of the problem. He sat down on a rock and began to sketch. He finished his drawing, and colored it with pastels. It wouldn’t have a title; none of his pictures did. He had no feelings, as a result of being in ROOT, a special (now disbanded) attachment of ANBU agents that were cultivated at a young age. They were taught not to feel, or care, and only to obey their orders. It was drilled harshly into them nearly since their birth.
Sai kept coloring, until he noticed something about his drawing. There was a Leaf headband in the foliage, partially sticking out of the mud. Sai looked up, and saw the real Leaf headband.
“Ryouko-kun, this may be a clue…” Sai knelt down and pulled the headband out of the mud, turning it over in his hands. Once Ryouko had walked over, Sai let him have the headband. Ryouko suddenly smirked.
“Man, she’s clever! She hid a note under the metal!” Ryouko exclaimed, reminding himself to kiss her, then realizing he would never get the courage up again, most likely. Still, that didn’t deter his happiness.
“This note tells where the hideout is! She’s going to find the Akamadori family, then escape!”
“We’ve gotta help her!” Naruto declared.
“Damn right we do! Let’s go get her! Wait!” Ryouko held out an arm. He breathed once, to fortify himself, then spoke one more time.
“Thanks for everything. Listen carefully, and swear that you’ll listen. I’m going for Itachi. No matter WHAT, if he kills me, get out of there. Take Sakura with you. If I’m going to die, I’m taking him with me. No matter what- run. Report to Lady Tsunade. Blame it all on me. But don’t let yourselves get caught. Alright?”
Sai and Naruto exchanged glances. Ryouko didn’t wait for an answer; he took off for the tree tops, heading in the direction Sakura had outlined in the note she had left.
--
Sakura met Deidara and Hidan. Two very creepy individuals with criminal records a mile long. Deidara was an artist, of sorts. His exploding clay had once defeated the Kazekage, Gaara. That was no easy feat, as anyone who had seen Gaara fight could attest to.
Hidan was more of a mystery. With a foul mouth, and an obsession for the most bloodthirsty religion Sakura had ever heard on, he was almost immortal.
Sakura had been paired with Itachi, while Deidara and Hidan were to fight together. Against Ryouko, Sai, and Naruto, it would hardly be a fight. The Leaf Ninja were going to be horribly outclassed, unless Sakura could do something to tip the advantage toward them.
“Feel free to explore. We have a meeting in one hour. In that time, get acquainted with the hideout.” Itachi rarely spoke, but when he did, he commanded attention, even from Hidan and Deidara.
Wordlessly, Sakura walked away, down a corridor to the side. She snuck glances in every door, every window, seeing horrifying things, strange things, weapons. But not one sign of people. Specifically, the Akamadori family. Sakura combed the hideout, looking everywhere, but not finding what she was looking for. The hour was nearly up, but then Sakura heard it?
“Sakura?” A weak voice came from the second to last room on the corridor.
“Katsuyori?!” Sakura pressed her ear to the door.
“Sakura, what are you doing here?! Don’t tell me…you’re one of them?!” Katsuyori was now glaring accusingly at Sakura. Katsuyori had been Ryouko’s student, but in the way of the sword, not the way of the Shinobi. A former Mist genin, the fourteen year old had come to think of Sakura as an older sister, and Ryouko as an older brother. The boy was cursed with horrible luck. Blind in one eye (Name that manga! Katsuyori’s character is derived from a popular CLAMP character. Can anyone name him? HINT- the name of the manga starts with “T”.), and cursed with an anxiety so horrible that he could barely feel safe around his mother, Katsuyori’s was also orphaned. The Amakadori family had adopted him. His father, a samurai, had been cut down by a ninja in a senseless fight that never needed to take place. His mother had commited suicide, stricken by grief.
Just when Katsuyori’s life took an upward turn, it was snatched away from him. A decidsion made by the Mist Village, and approved, unknowingly, by Lady Tsunade, due to illegal citizenship in the Hidden Leaf, Katsuyori had been turned over to the Mist authorities. Ryouko had protested so long and so loud he was arrested. Upon realizing what she had done, Tsunade had freed Ryouko to rescue Katsuyori. Ryouko had added Katsuyori’s family to his priority list. He had been a bouncer at the Akamadori bar, and their sake was prescription for his own anxiety. It was also Lady Tsunade’s favorite brand of the strong rice wine.
“Katsuyori, how is your family?!” Sakura ignored Katsuyori’s glare. Her voice and question gave him reason to trust her.
“They’re alive, but not for long. They aren’t Shinobi, or even fighters. They’re only bait, for Ryouko! Sakura, ou can’t let him come here! They’ll kill him! Please, don’t let Ryouko come here! I don’t want him to die, too!” Katsuyori’s voice turned desperate at the end. Through the narrow barred window in the cell, Sakura held his hand.
“Don’t worry about Ryouko. To be honest, Katsuyori, he was sent here to save you. And there aren’t many things that could keep him away at this point. Just trust him to make the right move, okay?”
Katsuyori looked back at Sakura, his face gaunt and white from being trapped in a dark cell for so long. But he nodded.
“Okay, Sakura-san. I’ll trust you. If Ryouko-sensei does…” Katsuyori was one of the few Ryouko had told about his feelings for Sakura. And Katsuyori was, like Lee, Naruto, and Sai, sworn to secrecy.
“Listen Katsuyori, I’ve got to go. For now, just stay alive. I’ll be back to heal you and your parents later. I’ll bring food if I can. I’ve got to go.” Sakura thought she head footsteps coming down the hall, so she backed away from the bars and started to walk towards the sound.
Great story keep going