Chapter 1 - Sakura's Diary

Sakura writhed against the snakes binding her to the ground. Even as she did, she didn’t know WHY. Wasn’t being with Sasuke her dream? Even as she thought that, she answered herself:

Not like this!

Where the hell was anyone else? Why was she alone in this room in Orochimaru’s cavernous hideout, awaiting Sasuke return? Hadn’t she come with the others? Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, and Sai? Wait, they had been captured, the same as she had. That left one option, and that was the backup squad.

But they won’t send Katsuyori! That means…Ryouko. No, this is suicide for him! It’s better I should die…What am I saying?! Dying won’t solve anything! I’ve got to get out of here! Before Sasuke comes back and…no, I can’t think of that! I can’t be afraid! I can’t!

Sakura’s eyes were starting to tear. The snakes wrapped tighter, one licking the salty tears from her eyes. That made her cry even harder. When the door opened, and light peeked in, her tears quelled momentarily. But what she had hoped was her salvation was now her undoing. Ryouko had been caught, too. And by Sasuke.


“You always had your eyes on her, didn’t you?” Sasuke asked. Not evilly, just chillingly calm. Ryouko glared straight ahead.

“Ryouko, adopted name of Sarutobi, Hidden Leaf genin.”

Sasuke sighed mockingly. “Name and rank, huh? Not surprising. The picture of loyalty, you won’t sell out, even now. Don’t worry…this won’t take long. I’m just going to ruin your mind by taking Sakura…and making her MINE. My girl, and mine alone. I can see inside you...” Sasuke’s Sharingan glowed more red momentarily, as if he COULD look inside Ryouko.

“It’s killing you, to see her at my mercy. You know what I’m planning to do…”

Sasuke loosened his gi top, smirking at Sakura, who was blushing. Evil or not, he was still attractive, in her eyes. But knowing what he was planning to do to her…It was a horrible thought. Sakura silently begged fate to step in and stop this. Then she heard it:

“I do. You coward.”

Ryouko had finally spoken up. Sasuke turned around slowly, looking at the boy propped up in the shadows. Snakes protruded from the walls, holding his arms and legs. It was his eyes that were scariest. Those eyes were what people saw just before their minds were pushed to near-insanity.

Sasuke strolled over, unconcerned with time. He leaned on the wall near Ryouko.

“Coward? You’re hardly in any position to fling mud. I’ll give you credit for even coming here. All for a girl that doesn’t want you, and never will. And you can’t have her. It’s pathetic, chasing someone like that. Sakura had the guts to tell me how she felt, no matter what I said, I can give her credit for her honesty. You…you couldn’t tell her, no matter what.”

Sasuke’s mind had grown warped over the years. Now he decided to play a dangerous game with the first genin to grace the ANBU torture/interrogation ranks.

“Tell her you love her, and I’ll let her go. Obviously, what I had planned for her won’t work with you…so I’ll just kill you…but she’ll go free. I’ll even let the others go. YOU stay in their place. I’ll resurrect you and kill you once for each of them. And it won’t end there…you’ll be my servant. You’ll KNOW that you’re serving me, but you won’t have a choice. So, choose wisely: You, or the others? Who lives, and who dies?”

Ryouko felt the snakes release him. He closed his eyes, and gulped.

“They live. I die. I’ll do whatever it takes…”

Sasuke nodded, almost feeling bad, but those feelings were quelled immediately. “Go, then. On your knees. I’d say ‘go naked’, but that’s not the kind of humiliation I have in mind for you. If I wasn’t going to kill you…It can’t be helped. Go.”


Sakura couldn’t hear what was said, but she knew it couldn’t be good. But when Ryouko got free, she cheered inwardly.

He’s fought Sasuke before! And he’s won! This is his chance!

But when Ryouko came to her, sunk to his knees, and looked defeated, Sakura’s happiness left her as quickly as it had come. She had never seen Ryouko bow to anyone before.

“Sakura-sempai…I’ve made a deal. You’re going free. I just have to tell you something, and you’re free to go…”

Ryouko nodded his head closer, near her ear. The snake binding Sakura’s mouth moved at Ryouko’s request- screaming wouldn’t do any good anyway.

“I love you,” Ryouko said. Under his breath, he muttered ‘Bite my lip’ to Sakura. He moved to kiss her, cradling her head, his eyes trying to convey the message he had just whispered to her. Sakura understood what he was doing, and let him kiss her. Or so it appeared. In reality, with Ryouko’s hand blocking Sasuke’s vision, Sakura used her teeth to bite into Ryouko’s lip. She felt his warm blood trickle into her mouth, but it was gone immediately.

“I’m sorry I had to do that…” Ryouko said, using part of his shirt to wipe the blood off her mouth. “I wanted to kiss you goodbye…Let me get rid of the filth I put in your mouth, so maybe you can forgive me for kissing you someday…” Ryouko said this almost regretfully, trying to fit the situation. He DID feel bad about it, but with his hands newly bound behind his back, he had no choice.

The snakes hadn’t released Sakura yet. She knew Ryouko was suspicious. For her part, she hadn’t believed the ruse would work. But it was the best option in a bad situation.

“Why isn’t she free, Sasuke?” Ryouko asked carefully.

Sasuke smirked at Ryouko. “Do you think I’m stupid, Ryo-bozu? I know you two have something planned. I was COUNTING on it. I want to see what you can do! Until then, Sakura stays. And when you fail, I’m going to make you watch…”

Ryouko couldn’t take anymore. The blood on his lip was enough. He bit down harder, forcing more out, until it dripped down onto his chin.

“Summoning Jutsu!”

The Adamantine Yoi would have to be enough. Ryouko used it cut the snakes binding him and Sakura free. The hole in his plan was that Sakura had been here for so long she was weakened, and therefore an easy target. She was on her knees, but barely. This did not bode well.


Sakura saw what was going on, and knew just what Ryouko had planned. But she couldn’t force strength from her body. It had taken all she had just to stay alive. Her ration pills had been taken. That’s when something flew to Sakura’s lap. Ryouko didn’t break his glare at Sasuke as he said:

“Light one, hurry! It’s a chakra cigarette!”

Sakura couldn’t. Mostly because she suddenly sensed Sasuke behind her. Ryouko kicked off and aimed a punch at Sasuke. Sasuke smirked and disappeared, landing behind Ryouko. He kicked Ryouko with a sidekick just as Ryouko was turning, knocking him into the wall, cracking it so that it broke gradually, rolling Ryouko into the next room.


“You always wanted to be the one to help me rebuild the Uchiha clan…why do you fight me now, Sakura-chan?” He seemed to sincerely want to know. Sakura shook her head, and mustered up her courage. With the plethora of emotions running through her, it came easily.

“Not like this, Sasuke! You’ve lost your mind, and I’m not going along with this! You’ve lost touch! You never wanted anything to do with me!”

Sasuke couldn’t answer, because Ryouko had returned and pushed him into the other wall, pinning him as long as he could.

“Run for it, Sakura! I’ll hold him off! Kakashi-sensei and the others are a few rooms down the hall to the right!”

But Sakura still couldn’t run. Her chakra was returning, but not fast enough. She cursed herself for being weak yet again. Ryouko seemed to understand. With Sasuke momentarily stunned, he had just enough time to get to her level.

“Hold still,” he whispered in what he hoped was a calming voice. Sakura did, trusting him. Even when his lips meant her, she didn’t doubt him. He was too loyal. Somehow, through the kiss (WAS it a kiss?), she felt her chakra returning.

“H-how?” she managed, as Ryouko let go.

“Chakra Transfer Jutsu. Sorry for the near-kiss part, it’s the only way I know how to perform the jutsu, since it’s normally forbidden. Now, hurry!”

As Sakura left, she saw Ryouko still hadn’t moved. Sasuke was focused on him now, and appeared to be laughing. It was only then she that Ryouko had knives sticking out of his back.

When he was doing the jutsu…Sasuke must have tried to interrupt it…but he never even moved…
I’ve got to get the others and get out of here! Kakashi-sensei can help Ryouko, but I need to get the rest freed. Ryouko isn’t the priority, he knew that when he took the job…

All the same, Sakura knew she wouldn’t be leaving without him.

--

“I’m sure Sakura is touched,” Sasuke told Ryouko as he bashed him aside. Ryouko spat out blood, though some of it dribbled out of his mouth. Ryouko’s eyes were alight as he snarled his answer at Sasuke.

“You wondering why I’m alive, aren’t you? Don’t doubt ANBU- the torture my friend and teacher, Ibikki, used to train me is worse than ANYTHING you could do to me. All the @$$-kickings I’ve taken have made me that much stronger. And now I have to return that strength. ‘Cause if I’m going down…”

Ryouko punched Sasuke in the jaw, surprising him. Sasuke suddenly saw the eyes that one Sound agent had described to him. The eyes that were almost insane themselves, and ready to make your mind crack. They weren’t as feared as the Sharingan, but they were unique to Ryouko. The last thing most people saw before going insane…

“…You’re coming with me!” Ryouko snarled, now even looking pretty damn insane to Sasuke.

Ryouko grabbed Sasuke by the collar, while Sasuke did the same thing. Both scrapped any defensive plans. It was going to be a pummeling, to decide who lived and died. An all-out brawl where punches were the carte de blanche.

--

Sakura found Kakashi and the others, alive and well, but in a locked room. There was a barrier of what was close to pure chakra in front of the door, which would explain why no one had escaped.

Naruto noticed her first. “Sakura-chan!” It was clear he had been feverishly trying to break out. Sakura could tell his chakra was low, mostly like from the swirl mark on the wall that gave evidence to the use of the Rasengan. The walls must have been fortified, too, or Kakashi could have easily broken out. As it was, he probably gave the order to conserve chakra. He wasn’t considered the best of the best for nothing.

“Hold on, I’m getting you out!” Sakura called, pulling on her gloves. BLAM! The ground erupted, disrupting the chakra barrier, allowing Team 7 to slip out.

“Nice work, Sakura! How’d you get free?” Naruto asked, surprised that she could escape Sasuke like that. Or that she even would try to escape him, for that matter.

He’s, like, her dream! MY dream, Hokage aside, was to see Sasuke home safely…I guess that isn’t going to happen…Maybe not now, but I’ll catch up with you someday, Sasuke!

“Lady Tsunade must have sent Ryouko after us, he showed up, and he’s brawling with Sasuke! We’ve got to go help!”

Something in Sakura’s eyes tipped Kakashi off that something was wrong.

“Yamato, Sai, Naruto- you go find Ryouko and get him out of there. Sakura, I want to make sure you’re not injured in some way you didn’t know about.”

“Understood, Kakashi-sempai. Let’s go!” Yamato ordered. Sai and Naruto trailed after him, sprinting down the dimly lit hallway that seemed to lead nowhere.

Kakashi and Sakura watched the others run off down the corridor, toward the sounds of a fight. Kakashi helped Sakura sit (more like forced her to sit), and tried to get out of her what was wrong.

“Kakashi-sensei, I’m confused. Being with Sasuke was all I ever wanted, but then he…he…” Sakura broke down crying. “He tried to…” she whispered something in Kakashi’s ear. Even the stoic Kakashi showed anger.

“That’s the most filthy thing anyone can do. Try to put it out of your mind, Sakura, at least until we can get a genjutsu specialist. Once we extract Ryouko, we’ll get him to take a look.”

“No! It can’t be Ryouko! I, um, I just need to see…you know…another girl about this. I mean, it doesn’t seem right, having a guy probe around my subconscious! Even one I trust like Ryouko!”

Kakashi seemed to understand. “Alright. Do you trust him enough to administer a calming genjutsu?”

“Of course!”

“Alright. But first, we need to pull him out of the fire. No matter how good he is, he doesn’t know Sasuke like we do, and he’s going to get burned…”

--

Brack!

Ryouko blocked Sasuke’s kunai as Sasuke appeared next to him. He backhanded Sasuke, but Sasuke twirled through the air and evaded the critical shot that Ryouko had been aiming for.

Sasuke landed on the other side of the room.

“Too bad, loser. I’ll give you credit for protecting Sakura…” Sasuke smiled eerily as the curse mark spread. “…But you can’t protect her forever!”

Ryouko blocked an incoming kick, only to be struck with the other leg. He had rolled with the blow to lessen the force, and returned fire, but Sasuke was too quick in his Level 2 Cursed State. He brought his foot down on Ryouko’s head with sickening force, while snakes snared Ryouko’s ankle and sent him crashing even harder.

Damn, concussion, at least…I don’t have any sense of balance, either. I’d better do something, or I’m dead in the water…

Ryouko’s speech was slurred slightly as he said “Dragon’s Fire Wall!” in the nick of time. Sasuke’s foot hit the thick flames of fire, and burned him. Ryouko just had to keep the jutsu up. If Ryouko was Sasuke’s target, that meant the others were safe.


Sasuke looked up, smirking.

“So the calvary to the calvary has arrived...” Sasuke said, not turning around. He could sense Naruto’s enormous chakra. He couldn’t sense the others as clearly, but he knew there was at least one more person in the room.

“He’s gotten stronger…so have you, Naruto. But, now isn’t the time or the place for us to fight. I can only fight you again once my brother is dead!”

On those sour words, Sasuke disappeared. Yamato picked up Ryouko and helped him down the hall to where Sakura and Kakashi were waiting. Sakura tried to dry her tears, but they only flowed harder, seeing her savior beat all to hell. It was clear that he was injured, though how heavily Sakura couldn’t tell without performing a physical. In what might very well have been the caverns of hell, Sakura knew they didn’t have the luxury of checking. Thankfully, the Hidden Leaf wasn’t horribly far away, going at top speed.

“He’s got a concussion, Kakashi-sempai, and various cuts and bruises. Nothing very serious. Sasuke was just playing, I think. Ryouko was the one who Sasuke could never figure out, if memory serves…” Yamato explained. His words would have been mysterious to everyone, except for himself and Kakashi.

Ryouko and Sasuke both trained largely by themselves. Ryouko’s only frequent training partners were the Third Hokage and Rock Lee. After the Third’s death, Ryouko’s scroll collection had swollen, and he studied jutsu after jutsu, practicing fanatically, endlessly.

Sasuke trained by himself, with the Uchiha clan jutsus at his disposal, and the might Sharingan. As the story went, one day Ryouko and Sasuke agreed on a match. This was nearly three years ago now. Two loners duking it out was rare. They agreed on a proctor, plus Kakashi-sensei, to point out any mistakes they had made.

There had been no victor until nearly an hour in the match, when Sasuke had a final burst of chakra that outlasted Ryouko’s. But this had made Sasuke question himself even more. He had won the fight, but a largely unknown name had held him at bay for nearly an hour. He didn’t HATE Ryouko for that, but it did make him wonder if training by himself was enough. Sasuke started extra training with Kakashi shortly after. That was the only real fight Ryouko and Sasuke had ever had. Their personalities clashed, and Sasuke’s harsh treatment of his teammates was never lost on Ryouko, who had neither team nor sensei.


Ryouko tried to stand up again, but fell back down to one knee, shaking his head.

“You’ve got to get out of here. I’m no good anymore, I’m useless as a warrior, just leave me. I’ll take this complex out, and we’ll call it even…” Ryouko was breathing pretty hard.

“What are you talking about?! He’s delusional!” Naruto shouted. But Ryouko shook his head.

“You haven’t seen my back…knife after knife…and the concussion…I’m as good as dead. Just leave me…”

Suddenly, Ryouko crumpled to the floor. Sakura’s glowing hand was just above where his shoulder blades had been seconds earlier. No one move or spoke until Kakashi hefted Ryouko onto his shoulders.

“Good work, Sakura. We’ll treat him back at the Leaf Village. We’re in no shape to pursue Sasuke or Orochimaru ourselves, let alone without back up.”

--
Sakura’s Diary Entry 1

Diary,

It was horrifying. I really thought Sasuke was going to have his way with me. Tied up like that, I’ve never felt so helpless or scared…it was as if I couldn’t control anything. All my Shinobi training couldn’t protect me. It’s terrifying, being vulnerable after you thought you were strong.

Ryouko-san came to my rescue. He says that he’s never forgotten how kind I was to him when he first came to the Leaf Village. That I was the first to accept him without question. I guess he meant that, because he nearly died today, saving my life. Not that it hasn’t happened before, but today was different.

He kissed me. Well, kind of…sort of…not really…It was really weird, and hard to explain.

It confused me when he showed up and faced off against Sasuke. Sasuke was all I ever wanted, and I should have been wanting his love, no matter how it came. But when Ryouko came and let himself be humbled for me…It’s just something I’ll never forget. On his knees, telling me he loved me (He’s really scared of kunoichi. It’s kinda cute, actually, how he blushes whenever one of us is nice to him ^^), it must have humiliated him to bow down like that. The tough as nails warrior is forced to say something he probably didn’t mean, while tied up and on his knees. Poor guy. But we all got out, and Ryouko-san is going to be fine. My jutsu should be wearing off anytime now. Oh, good, he’s waking up! I’ll update you later!

--

Sakura closed the pink book and threaded a key into it’s lock.

“Ryouko-san! How are you feeling?!” Sakura exclaimed.

Sakura had been sitting at Ryouko’s bedside for hours over the past day or so. She felt like it was her fault he had gotten so beat up, and wanted to make sure he was okay, even if all she could do was sit next to him while he was in a drug-induced sleep that he, no doubt, would have resisted with all his energy, had he known about it.

“Sakura-sempai…I’m fine, is everyone else alright?!” Ryouko sat up, finding that his shirt and pants had been left on him, and even his mask was still in place.

Sakura breathed out a sigh of relief. “They all made it, Ryouko-san. They’re fine…I, uh, wanted to thank you for saving me…”

Ryouko brushed the thanks aside, though Sakura noticed his ears had reddened.

“I’m just glad I could help,” Ryouko replied, stretching, then stopping as he felt every little puncture wound in his back stretch. It hurt surprisingly little, considering how bad the injures must have been. If a genius medic like Sakura hadn’t been there, Ryouko guessed his life would have been forfeit.

Sakura reached into her waist pouch, digging around. “Oh, I almost forgot! I got you this, since you’ll be in the hospital awhile, and I’d imagine even you get sick of scrolls…I know you aren’t the journal type, but this might keep you busy for the next couple of days. Oh, I’ve gotta run, see you later, I’ll check in after training today!”

Ryouko didn’t have a chance to reply. Instead, he looked at what Sakura had given him. It caught his interest, although it was more because it was from Sakura than what it actually was.

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