I’m gonna try to make this brief...I’ve redone this cuz I have been absolutely ashamed of this fic and how I’d portrayed the Uchiha prodigy. He’s practically a walking tragedy, poor man. I can’t bring myself to enjoy writing him as an evil asshole anymore. Hell, I don’t even feel comfortable reading over those old chapters. But, I have desperately tried to patch this one up. For those of you who wish to read the original three chapters, it will be posted in the third instalment of The Smut Bucket.

That being said, please review and above all else...enjoy.

The Virus

-

This is the virus – the virus of life

This is inside us – the crisis – the knife

-

“Everything has been taken care of,” Zetsu said quietly. “The ship that departed from Port City has been demolished before reaching the intersecting port of Jiro Island. The Cha no Kuni prince has already been expended.”

“And what of his caravan?” A blurred figure cloaked in the soft shadow of the night replied.

“Devoured.”

“And the boat?”

“Burned and sunk.”

“We must not leave behind any evidence.” The figure spoke again in an appropriately hushed, diluted tone. “Have you kept the body? It mustn’t be allowed to decompose further than necessary.”

“Yes,” Zetsu nodded stiffly, his fluorescent yellow eyes were unblinking. “It has been frozen and concealed at an undisclosed hideout until the mission is complete.”

“My orders?” The voice kept its questions and responses simple and brief.

Zetsu pulled out a scroll from the inside of the his Akatsuki cape, the garb prescribed to each official member of the organization. “Lord Pein has inclosed the final orders.”

A pale hand reached out and accepted the document containing the dictations. A signet ring cast a quick gleam of reflecting moonlight over the Shu kanji centered on the fourth finger of a masculine right hand, short black nails contrasted starkly against the exposed pallid skin.

“The mission is to be completed by the end of the week. Lord Pein is expecting you and Kisame to report back to me at the stronghold in the Earth Country at a respectable distance from Kika Island. You must hasten yourselves to retreat to the base upon completion in the utmost discretion that this mission must be carried out with.”

“Understood,” The dark form stepped into the glow of the moon, exposing the void features of Uchiha Itachi. “Thank you, Zetsu.” He said, tucking the parchment into the confines of his own cloak, intending to destroy it once he had fully scanned over the mission details.

The monestrous messenger didn’t respond and Itachi watched as his body slowly began to sink into the ground below. Disappearing into the earth. Within moments, he was alone and he turned to make his way back into the quiet port town of Kika Island.

-

It seemed Tsunade was putting her on less missions and more hospital duty theses days, Sakura mused idly, twirling her pinky around the moist rim of her glass. Not that she minded. But hospital work lacked a certain quality of excitement that you only got on a mission to retrieve a stolen scroll, or escort some dandy from one extravagant palace to another. They held a particular element of surprise that meant you never knew what dangerous event might happen next.

Sakura sighed and took another sip of her water as she leaned her cheek into her hand. Tsunade had shipped her off the Sea Country to graciously offer Konoha’s aid and support to the pathetically small Medical Center at Kika Island. A rapid outbreak of influenza had ravaged the humble town and the local medical team was dismally shorthanded and ill-equipped to handle the virus.

The endlessly tropical equatorial views along the seashores were gorgeous and stunning, but she’d barely even found a chance to appraise or enjoy the resplendent weather with the demands of her job.

She had been sent down to head the small crew of nurses dispatched to the remote island. Now, she sat in the dark corner of a bar, sipping water and flicking peanuts across her booth. They had been reluctant to let her in the pub at first, ‘No kids allowed,’ they’d said. Until she flashed them her Konoha hitai-ite and suddenly they had no objections to the young medic nin who’d been sent save them from their woes. Being a shinobi had its perks sometimes.

Besides, it was either this place or that family restaurant down the street. At least in here she wouldn’t have to hear the piercing wale of babies screaming their lungs out. She’d had enough of that from the Medic Center today. Not that she didn’t like children, she loved them. But it was difficult not to hear those cries and feel either annoyance because they simply wouldn’t shut up, or grief because she knew most of them were sick, ailing and in pain.

A loud crash from across the room caught her attention and her eyes strayed over to investigate.

She quirked a brow and almost had to blink twice, just to make sure her vision wasn’t going bad. There was a blue man sitting at a table at the other end of the bar. Well, that’s a skin color you don’t see everyday. Curiosity, however, was cut short and morphed into dismay as the man threw his glass onto the floor and released a spew of impressively vulgar curses, a few of which even she had never heard before.

“You call this shit sake?” He bellowed.

“It’s the same thing you’ve been drinking for the past three hours, sir.” The waiter stuttered nervously. If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, she’d have to say it looked like that man actually had gills.

“Yeah, and it tastes like horse manure!”

Sakura bit back a laugh, cackling under her breath...and just how exactly did he know what horse manure tasted like?

“Bring me something stronger than this cheap crap.” He leaned back in his chair and pulled a Kiseru out from a long, deep red coat he had draped over the edge of the table. The coat appeared to have been pulled inside out, judging by the seams sticking out.

“I’m sorry, sir, there’s no smoking in here.” This time, it was the bartender who approached him. An irritated look possessed both of their features. When the blue man didn’t acknowledge his statement and began to light the end of the spout, the old bartender reached down and snatched the pipe from his patron. “No. Smoking.” He enunciated the words.

His face turned near murderous and Sakura suddenly decided to keep her eyes sharp, sensing there would probably be trouble. Sad, really, how quickly these things went from humorous to hazardous. Still, individuals who worked in places like this often new how to handle such situations. She wouldn’t involve herself or give assistance unless it was absolutely crucial and necessary.

In the next instant, however, without warning, there was a quick flash of blue light and Sakura felt her pulse surge. For the moment after she had simply blinked her eyes, the old mans head was rolling on the floor. “What the–?” Her shocked gasp was just one of many filling the air, a scream and several horrified testimonies from the occupants in the small bar hummed in her ears.

“Don’t. Touch. My. Kiseru.” The man positively growled, articulating each enunciation of every word as if in mocking of the old man’s previous command. Standing over the body and showing off rows of serrated teeth in an ugly snarl.

Before panicked screams were elicited and the crowd of people could react, Sakura felt a disruptive flow of chakra enter her body. Things began to sway and she sensed herself drifting away from reality. She had only just begun to hear a pair muffled voices conversing amongst themselves, but they were fading fast. Her eyes began to close...things seemed to be smoothing over. Everything was going back to normal, people were drinking quietly at their tables, conversing amongst themselves. She was sipping her water, musing over her busy day.

No, wait.

This was...

Her heart thumped, recognizing the technique easily enough before letting herself fall completely victim. This was a genjutsu.

In a pub?

What was going on?

She’d barely been able to discern it before it had completely consumed her lucid reasoning and voluntary thought processing. And at the moment, she was scantily holding onto her own faculties. If she could reject it before the genjutsu took over, she might break free.

Quickly, before the invading chakra had a chance to react thoroughly and dominate her whole body, Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated on accumulating her own chakra, building up a resistance to push through her system.

The genjutsu was rather weak, she noted. Either that or it had been easier to expel because it hadn’t beget an opportunity to have taken hold of her full cognitive senses. She was certain if it had, she would have, most likely, been rendered helpless. Of course, there was also the possibility the tactic had purposefully been weak. After all, whomever had cast it probably hadn’t expected a kunoichi to be amongst the recipients.

Sakura released a slow breath as she felt her vision begin to clear and her chakra return to balance. The haze that had been surrounding her dispelled and she kept her senses on high alert. Every one of the townsfolk who’d been enjoying their drinks only moments before, were each frozen in a catatonic state. Eyes heavy lidded and heads lulled lifelessly to the side.

Those voices, the ones she had heard just seconds before the genjutsu had begun to take hold, were still talking in the corner opposite to her side of the room.

“....you must dispose of the body, Kisame.” A soft, low pitched male voice reached her ears.

Sakura glanced over and noticed another man had joined the blue-skinned murderer. His back was to her, preventing her from seeing his face. Neither of them seemed to be dressed in the common garb the locals were wearing. Sandals, dark pants and fishnet tops. They looked like shinobi.

The taller man grumbled something indistinguishable and bent down to retrieve the beheaded corpse, swinging it over his shoulder and splattering blood everywhere.

“You mustn’t forget,” The unidentified one spoke again, his long hair falling past his shoulders, contained within a tie at the base of his neck. He, too, seemed to have a crimson coat draped over his arm. It appeared to be turned inside out just as the other had been, hiding the printed design that remained on the exterior. “...that we must make ourselves as abstruse as possible.” The voice sounded very hollow and empty, teetering on monotone.

“Eh, you know how I get when I drink.”

“Then, perhaps, you should not drink.”

“Kinda hard not to, when we keep getting dull missions like these.”

Sakura gasped quietly and narrowed her verdant eyes. Mission? Who were these people?

The younger man turned his head slightly upon hearing the noise, enabling her with a vague glance of his profile. Thin lips, a straight nose and a strong jaw line. She sunk further into the shadow of her booth and held her breath, waiting to see if they had noticed her. Her eyes gauged every move they made, her body on full alert as she suppressed her chakra, hoping they could not sense her presence.

“Come,” He said after retrieving the decapitated head. Her alert gaze never left the pair as they silently retreated out the door. Seconds later Sakura pushed herself from her seat and immediately followed, peeking her head out the front entrance before sliding around the corner of the building to scan the area. She searched for any traces or hints of unusual chakra in the vicinity, knowing they would probably be difficult to find if they suspected a hound. After all, they had already cast a memory erasing jutsu over the occupants of the pub, a blatant attempt at concealing their presence from ever having being there. It was obvious they didn’t want to be regarded or apprehended.

There... Sakura thought as she felt a brief fluctuation of chakra, calculating it to be at least several blocks east of her current position. It was probably the drunk one having troubles masking his chakra, she surmised. Quickly, she advanced from one building to the next until she closed in on the area she had sensed the fluctuation occur.

Sakura landed in the empty street, scouting around for any sign of the mysterious duo. She was having a major problem with what had happened back at that bar. That was cold-blooded murder, her conscious wouldn’t allow her to let them go unpunished, even if it wasn’t her currently assigned mission. And if she couldn’t stop them, she’d at least report them and request back up from Konoha, Tsunade would surely understand. Then again, the Umi no Kuni was not exactly paying them for their services of tending the to the unwell, let alone to eradicate renegade shinobi...and she knew how stubborn the woman could be when it came to money.

Her eyes caught sight of a shadow turning another corner and she chased after it, zeroing in quickly on the figure.

But, when she rounded that very same corner, there was nothing but an empty alley.

She bit her cheek and narrowed her eyes. They had to be here somewhere. She clenched her fists and tensed her body as she started walking slowly into the darky passage.

Sakura gasped in shock as a pair of cold hands wrapped around her wrists from behind and pinned her to a wall, her arms above her head. She wrenched and struggled against her captor, demanding to be released as a body was pressed flush against hers to restrain her.

“If you insist on following,” The very same hushed voice from the bar spoke quietly behind her. “I will have no choice but to kill you.”

Like hell... She thought.

She tried to turn her head, but a hand came down and grabbed a chunk of her hair, pressing her face into the brick of the partition she was imprisoned against. Sakura channeled as much chakra into her arms as she could muster in an endeavor to break her wrists free of his constraints.

His grasp did not abate with her continued efforts and he examined the small girl under his control. So, she was the one who had broken through his genjutsu? Judging by what he’d gathered from her aptitude thus far, she’d only been able to do so because he hadn’t cast the genjutsu with any great amount of effort. He’d done so in the assumption that only the average civilians of the port town had pervaded the lounge, it was necessary for him to keep the illusion to a minimum to spare such fragile minds.

Too much chakra sent through the system of an unmitigated mind and body, would undoubtedly kill them. But, he hadn’t suspected a kunoichi to be among them. There were very few shinobi in this community and most of them were nothing but weak, cheaply contracted nin from Water Country. Was she from the Hidden Mist, as well?

Still, her physical strength was unusually, if not excessively, at an immense high. Those tiny fists of hers were the underlying deceptive ammunition in her artillery, as long as they were subjugated, she was no real menace. He could sense her chakra and although it was far below what might qualify as a threat, it was in perfect balance.

What a strange girl...

She nearly cursed after her attempts proved fruitless. Even if her formidable strength could not overcome his restraints, she would not secede willingly. “You can’t just go around killing people,” She hissed over her shoulder. “I won’t let you get away with it.”

He was silent for a moment. “I did not kill him.” He replied, his voice dispassionate.

“Your friend did and then you cast that genjutsu to hide yourselves.” She accused. “Who are you?” She demanded.

“The civilians will awaken by the morning with no recollection of those events. If you are smart, you will do the same to forget what you have seen.”

“Do you think that man's family will forget? How can I dismiss something so cruel?” She nearly frowned at the lack of emotion in his tone, if she could have seen his face, she’d expect it to be just as callous. “That man was innocent, it’s bastard’s like you who ruin lives and spoil the peace for everyone else.” Sakura grit her teeth, trying to keep her voice as calm as his, but was having a hard time containing the fury burning throughout her insides.

Her ideals were endearing, but he did not have the time or the patience to humor her preachings of good and evil.

She began to writhe again in frustration, but he subdued her easily enough. If she continued on like this, he would most certainly have to kill her, a scenario he would rather prefer to avoid. He could not afford to have yet another liability putting the mission at jeopardy. The scene Kisame had made at the bar had been one risk too many.

Sakura’s eyes suddenly widened as she felt his hand start groping around her waist. “What are you–?!” His fingers pried and searched, dipping into the pockets of her white skirt. Her legs started kicking, attempting to break free. “Stop it!” She snapped over her shoulder when his palm slid under the hem around her mid-thigh, frisking and gliding over her flesh until he switched to the other. Sakura’s face bloomed a soft shade of red when his fingers grazed over the apex between, she nearly squeaked as her cheeks puffed out in fury.

Her hands clenched as she twisted and tussled to no avail. Apparently not finding what he was searching for, the hand moved up and reached under the short, black tank top that had begun to ride up her midriff in the struggle. She frowned at the sensation of his cold hands exploring her skin, continuously moving upward in an impetuously inconsiderate hunt something unknown.

“No...don’t...” She whispered in humiliation when his fingers skimmed over her breasts. In that instance, she wished she’d worn her bindings instead of her bra, they'd certainly offer more protection. But the only time she wore bindings over her chest were on strenuous missions, they were suffocating and unsuitable for daily hospital chores. Her eyes shut tightly when he dipped into the left cup and reached for the small purse she’d kept hidden there. She shivered when she felt his thumb brush over her nipple as he started to pull the pouch into his hand.

The eyes she'd just clenched shut, now shot open when she realized what he was doing.

Was he seriously pickpocketing her?

In one last desperate effort, Sakura gathered all her strength and wrenched her whole body. For a moment, she had thought it worked. The hand cuffing her wrists let go and she started to whirl around, fingers curled tightly in preparation for a punch fully intended for his face.

But, in the next instant, she felt the tips of his fingers softly touch on three of her tenketsu. Sending his own chakra pulsing into those points and blocking precisely specific pressure points in her chakra pathway.

Before she knew what happened, everything went white.

Itachi caught the girl as she slumped to the ground, temporarily rendered unconscious. He bent down on one knee and supported her back with the other as her legs folded beneath her. Her head lulled into his elbow as he tucked his arm under her neck and examined her face.

She was young and healthy with delicate, round features and long lashes. His eyes wandered up to the well polished hitai-ite she used to pull back her short, rosette hair. He saw the leaf.

Konohagakure.

Opening the small purse he’d confiscated from her, he searched the contents. Some cash, a tube of pink lipstick and a key.

Itachi retracted the key and closed the purse back up as he read over the metal engraved inscription. Kyakushoubai Kika Hotel.

“Itachi,” Kisame called down to him from a nearby rooftop. “Are you gonna kill her or what? We got work to do.” His words were faintly slurred.

Itachi slid his other arm under her knees and lifted her from the ground. Seconds later, he was standing next to Kisame. “She is a Konoha kunoichi,” He stated quietly. “If she is accompanied by others, they will surely notice her absence and investigate. We must not attract more attention than necessary.”

Kisame narrowed his hairless brows.

“You know, Pein’s eventually gonna say something if you continue to let them Leaf pipsqueaks off the hook all the time.”

Itachi’s vermilion eyes slid over to the taller man, but said nothing.

Kisame swallowed quietly, once again having to remind himself to keep his tongue in check every time he had a few drinks too many. He was a fairly agreeable guy, most of the time. Comments just had the bad habit of happening to accidently slip out, occasionally. Without much concern, he eyed the limp girl in his partners arms. A little too cute for a kunoichi, he thought. But that was just his own personal opinion. Kinda hard to be intimidating with pink hair. “Alright, I’ll get rid of this body,” He said, running over the numerous possibilities he could execute to dispose of it.

Burn it. Throw it over the cliff into the sea. Feed it to some dogs. Inebriated as he was, blowing it up sounded pretty fun right now. He was sure if Deidara were here, he’d be up for it.

Shifting the dead weight of the corpse over his shoulder, he held the head by the root of the hair in his hand. Blood still dripped from the clean cut across the neck onto the shingles of the roof beneath their feet. His beady, white eyes fell to the girl again. That was when he noticed Itachi’s hands shaking almost imperceptibly, clutching around her knees and shoulder.

Looked like the kid was having another one of his ‘episodes’. He should probably leave so he could fix himself up again, or whatever it was he did to himself. Besides, he didn’t particularly enjoy seeing the guy like that. Kisame cleared his throat. “I’ll just meet back up with you after you take care of it.”

He saw Itachi incline his head wordlessly. And then they split up.

-

When Sakura awoke the next morning, it took her a few minutes to recount the events of the previous night. She quickly examined her body, finding no injuries or bruising and noticed her purse had been placed on the bedside table, none of the contents were missing. She was having trouble understanding and comprehending the motive behind the two mysterious men. Why were they on Kika Island? What was this ‘mission’?

This place was about as prosperous as a grain of salt. It was a small, poor, remote, barely inhabited and politically neutral country. There was nothing here for anyone to profit from except fishing and trading. And even then, most of those active enterprises took place on the main island of Haha.

She would have to write to Tsunade and report the strange happenings. Perhaps she would send a team to investigate.

Glancing at the clock, she’d realized she had overslept. Further pondering could to wait until later, she had work to do. Pushing herself out of bed, Sakura entered her bathroom to perform her usual morning routine. Bath, brush her teeth, style her hair, powder her face and put on mascara and lipstick– the full extent of makeup she wore.

Dressed in her simple white skirt and snug black tank, she headed out of her hotel room and hurried down the streets until she reached the Medical Center she was currently staffed at.

“Good morning, Sakura-san,” A short, blonde woman greeted her as she walked in the door.

“Hello, Atsuko-san,” She returned with a smile. “How are our patients today?” She asked as she retrieved her long, white medical haori from her locker and draped it over her shoulders.

The middle aged woman moved out from behind the front desk, motioning for her to follow. “Nani’s been asking for you, again.” She laughed softly and lead her toward the child’s bed. A bed that was only one of many occupied cots that filled and proliferated the two floors of the Kika Medical building. It made Sakura’s heart ache. She wanted to cure them all, but the treatment couldn’t rely on chakra alone, not like the necessity of physical injuries. Medicines and potions were the basic remedy for this disease and with the island’s remote location, lacking funds and few medical personnel, the needed antidotes and help required to tend to the sick were in dishearteningly low numbers.

“You have a visitor,” Atsuko leaned over a small bundle of blankets on a clean, white cot. She nudged an adolescent girl and jostled her shoulder tenderly. Sakura watched as she stirred in her sleep and began to roll over.

“Sakura-chan,” She child’s blue eyes lit up the moment she saw her. Sakura gently pushed her back down onto the pillow when she tried to wearily sit up, it was obvious the act was too strenuous for the child.

“And how have you been this morning?” Sakura offered the warmest smile in her arsenal as she sat next to her on the bed and Atsuko handed her Nani’s vitals chart.

“I’m still tired.” Nani almost whispered, her voice was so drained.

“Where you up all night coughing again?” She asked, clicking her pen out and scribbling something down. Just then the girl started hacking and Sakura grabbed a cloth by her night stand to wipe at the blood that spattered from her mouth and stuck to Nani’s chin. She looked up with concerned eyes to Atsuko.

“She was doing that all night, the poor thing barely got any sleep.” Her colleague confirmed.

Sakura continued to check the girls vitals. Her heartbeat, temperature and took a sample of blood, using her chakra to dull the pain in Nani’s arm as the needle pierced her skin. She jotted down one last thing on the clipboard before standing. “I’ll be right back,” She ruffled her brown hair softly. “I have to go check on your blood work before your sister gets here. She’ll want to know how you’re doing.”

The bedridden girl offered up no complaints as she eased her head back down, exhausted.

She excused herself and walked down the hall until she reached the end and swung open the doors of a room tucked away in the back of the building.

“Hello, Sakura-san,” A masculine voice reached her ears as she strode into the lab.

She glanced up from her clipboard and smiled. “Oh, good morning, Dr. Ikkaku.” Hideyoshi Ikkaku was the owner and founder of the Kika Island Medical Center, acting as head doctor and staff manager. A handsome, middle aged and mild mannered individual, who at times oddly reminded her of Kakashi. “Any word on that shipment, yet?”

He shook his head solemnly. “The medicine still has not arrived.”

“I see,” She sighed. They were depending on that cargo.

“What have you got there?” He asked curiously and walked over to investigate what she had placed under the high-reflective microscope to examine.

“Nani’s blood work.” She answered. “Take a look at the virion cells,” She frowned and moved to the side to let him observe.

“The red blood cells are deteriorating at an excessively high standard and there’s twice as many viral cells as there were yesterday. Her leucocytes are less than a third of the relative percentage.” He continued to inspect the micro-agent as he adjusted the objective lense. “What happened to her over night?” He mumbled to himself.

“Take a look at the virus’s genome. What else do you see?” Her face was more serious than usual.

“It...it’s mutated.” His voice lowered. “Already?”

“If it continues like this, even the medicine we’re getting shipped in won’t be of much help. The A strain just continues to adapt at a rapid rate.” Without vain, Sakura could admit she was one of the highest regarded medical nin in Konoha. This helplessness was just frustrating. “Nani was coughing up blood this morning,” She sighed.

“Pneumonia.” The doctor stated, knowing all too well how the disease ravaged and crippled children’s immunities.

Sakura tossed her clipboard onto the counter and vexingly pulled at the sides of her white lab haori in chagrin. “This is killing me. Sitting here watching all these people die of a virus that’s easily curable with modern medicine. And the children are going even faster, falling prey to pneumonia from their weakened states.”

“It is a hard pill to swallow,” Ikkaku agreed quietly, she could see the lines of stress on his features. “If the neuraminidase inhibitors do not arrive in time, we can only expect the worst.”

“We need to vaccinate the whole island,” Sakura muttered.

“The vaccination is being shipped along with the M2 protein.” He stated.

“Yes, but by the time it gets here, everyone on the island will be infected.”

She rubbed at her temples, wondering how many times she had run the scenarios over and over in her mind.

“Excuse me, Sakura-san,” Atsuko knocked on frame of the door to alert her presence. “Nani’s sister is hear to see her.”

Sakura glanced over to Ikkaku, frowning. “This isn’t going to be easy.” She sighed yet again, pushing away from the counter and left the room. It was always hard having to break the bad news to the family.

Retracing her steps up the hall, Sakura returned to the patient quarters. When she entered the room, she saw a young woman leaning over Nani, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Sakura smiled at the affectionate sight. The two looked so much alike, same brown hair, same blue eyes and same pretty face.

“Chiyoko, it’s good to see you again so early this morning.” Sakura smiled politely and ambled up to the woman and the three bodyguards that customarily accompanied her. Her kimono was lavish and beautiful, her features well kempt and her eyes were stunningly sharp. Chiyoko Matsumoto was the Daimyou of Sea Country’s daughter.

“Haruno-san, thank you so much for caring for Nani,” Chiyoko’s smile was warm and full of passion as she glanced back down to her younger sibling, running her fingers over the child’s sweaty brow to brush away stray hairs.

“How is your father?” She asked amicably.

A sad look came over her expression. “He writes that he is doing well,” She said. “But he still remains in seclusion on the main island until the epidemic has been contained.” Sakura didn’t miss the underlying anger and sense of abandonment in her tone.

Chiyoko was the only one of her family who had stayed behind on the remote island, refusing to leave her sister alone in such a sickly and unhealthy state. Sakura could understand the logic of evacuation, but in her mind, only cowards left their children behind to such desolation. She could barely stand to forsake her friends, let alone her family, amidst such a catastrophic outbreak. Or in any other bereft situation, for that matter.

“You have been such a blessing to this island and my sister, Haruno-san,” Chiyoko began. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Listening to this was making it harder for her to gather up the courage to explain that Nina had succumb to pneumonia and in such deplorable condition that her body was in, if the medicine didn’t come soon...Nina had fewer than five days to live.

“Please, Chiyoko, I really don’t deserve such praise,”

“No, I must implore you to come to dinner tonight to show my gratitude. We are holding a small feast in honor of the arrival of my fiancé.”

“You’re getting married?” Sakura was briefly stunned.

Chiyoko’s brown eyes slid to the floor. “Yes, well, the engagement did not occur until just this passing week.” She didn’t seem as happy as one might assume a bride-to-be should have been. “My father arranged the marriage to take place this weekend.”

“Your father arranged it?” Sakura grit her teeth. How disgusting. His youngest daughter was on her deathbed...and he was arranging for the other to be married off. He was probably profiting from it in some way, as well.

The older girl was silent, a despairingly forlorn look in her eyes. “Should I expect you tonight?” She finally spoke up with a hopeful voice. “I would be very happy if you came.”

“Of course,” Sakura nodded compliantly. “I would be delighted. There are a few things that I must speak with you on about Nina, would it be too imposing if we could discuss it then?”

“No, that would be convenient.” Chiyoko smiled again, rather weakly, as if she was expecting the bad news and knew it was coming. “I’m looking forward to your company,”

“Me too,” Sakura lied. She never looked forward to telling anyone their sister was about to die. “Have a nice day,” And with that, Sakura dismissed herself from the room to go about her duties. Tending to other patients and waiting anxiously for the vaccine to arrive.

-

“May I help you?” A burly man with a bald head approached her as she walked up the steps to the expansive Matsumoto household. It was built much on the same premise of the Hyuuga dwellings, but fractionally smaller in effect of the diminutive size of the island.

“Um, yes,” Sakura bit her lip. “I’m Sakura Haruno, I’ve been the medic tending to Nina Matsumoto. Chiyoko had invited me to the dinner tonight.” She explained.

Sakura squirmed a bit in her long, red kimono as the man’s beady eyes examined her. “So, you’re the woman who’s been caring for Nani?” He leaned in to hover over her ominously, making her appear smaller than she already was. The beams of the setting sun reflected off the glint of his shiny head as he tilted his chin.

“Yes,” She affirmed again, tapping her painted toenails on the wood of her geta sandals nervously. Feeling awkward and uncomfortable under such scrutiny.

The mans eyes softened suddenly and he reached out with a chubby hand to take hers and shake it vigorously as he bowed low. “Thank you so much, Haruno-san. You don’t know how much it means to the whole Matsumoto clan the efforts that you have put forth.”

Sakura blinked, slightly dazed.

“We are certain that Nani will fully recover under the care of such a well renowned kunoichi, and a student of the great Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, no less. My gratitude is endless, we are deeply indebted to you.” He sounded near to tears and Sakura placed her hand atop of his, offering a calming smile.

“I assure you I will do everything I can to help Nina and the rest of the villagers.” That was a promise she fully intended to uphold to the best of her ability. She watched as the man straightened his posture, turning quickly and wiping under his eyes as if to hide the fact he’d been crying.

He cleared his throat as his voice attempted to level out. “Come, this way,” He motioned for her to follow as he guided her into the house.

“Haruno-san has arrived, Matsumoto-sama,” He announced her and slid open the thin shoji door, ushering her into the room where Chiyoko was sitting in solitude and silence.

“Good evening,” The brunette stood to greet her as she advanced into the suite.

“Hello, Chiyoko,” Each of them bowed respectively, lifting their heads to smile at one another once her escort had left.

“How was Nani this afternoon before you left the Center?” Chiyoko asked in concern.

“Sleeping,” Sakura giggled softly. “You should have seen her in the activities room with the other children. She’s very intelligent for such a young girl, she was arguing with another boy over who would win if they played Sugoroku. I think she secretly likes him.” She tucked a strand of her rosette hair behind her ears, as it had fallen from the loose french twist that she had secured with a black chopstick hairpiece.

“I’m so happy that she is still social. Dr. Ikkaku does a wonderful job with the patients, but even I could see that he was devastatingly overwhelmed. Since you and your associates arrival, things have improved so much.” Sakura blushed again, everyone seemed to be so stuck on her positive and ‘uplifting’ presence.

The way she saw it, she was just doing her job. She wanted to help these people to her fullest extent.

“I’m thinking of dropping by there after dinner on my way home, would you like to join me? I’m sure Nina would love to see you again.”

“That would be wonderful!” Her voice raised above its usual, tranquil pitch. The excitement was clear in her eyes.

Sakura’s smile broadened as well, glad to bring some small degree of joy to the normally sober and somber woman. It seemed she had always been forced to uphold comely etiquette at all times, never straying outside the lines of propriety.

“So where is this fiancé of yours?” Her hand rested on her hip, trying not to sound offensive. “I hope he’s not as ambitious as your father.”

Her companion laughed at her statement. The sound was charming and something that rarely came from her lips. “He’s waiting for us in the garden. He said he wanted to enjoy the last hour of the evening.”

Sakura suppressed the desire to roll her eyes. How corny did that sound when Chiyoko, metaphorically, couldn’t even enjoy the last bits of her freedom. “At least tell me he’s handsome,” She teased as they began to walk down the hall.

The older woman shrugged softly. “I suppose, but he’s very quiet.” They turned a corner and approached the open doorway leading out into the lush gardens. “I think you will like him, Haruno-san. He’s quite affable and polite.”

“Sakura,” She implored lightly. “I think we’ve been acquainted long enough, besides, friends don’t call each other miss or mister, right?”

“Friends?” Chiyoko whispered and tilted her head, as if the prospect of having such a thing as a ‘friend’ had never occurred to her. “My friend,” She repeated softly, her blue eyes hazing over.

“Yeah,” Sakura reached out and took her hand as they walked. The grin she gave her was ardent and sunny, glowing ever more brightly as she felt Chiyoko give her hand a faint squeeze.

As they edged forward to the threshold, hand in hand, a strange and eery sensation swept over Sakura. She glanced ahead, seeing the silhouette of Chiyoko’s fiancé waiting in the gardens, his back facing the pair. A tall man in a dark kimono whose image grew clearer as they drew closer.

Her verdant eyes narrowed suspiciously, examining his long, dark hair...tied back at the base of his neck between broad shoulders. “When did your fiancé arrive, Chiyoko?” Sakura asked hastily, her hand tightening its hold.

“Last night,” She answered.

It felt as if the walls were narrowing in around her with only one opening. And at the end of that exit stood a dreary shadow.

“Rikuto-san,” Chiyoku called out to the figure as they came out onto the veranda.

Sakura watched as he gradually turned his head, revealing a familiar profile in the fading light of the setting sun.

Her steps instantly halted their progression, Chiyoko paused alongside her and glanced back in silent questioning. “Is something wrong?” She asked as she noticed the shocked, wide eyed countenance marring her pretty visage.

“Haruno-san,” The man voiced her name as he approached, it was the same apathetic and detached voice that she had heard whispering in her ear last night. He stepped up to the terrace and her heart skipped a beat as her body instinctively tensed. “It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” The words were at once both empty and honest. His eyes were fathomlessly black and devoid of any warmth, hanging over deep set lines of stress beneath his lashes. His face remained reserved and his skin was an unhealthily ashen shade of ivory. She watched behind skeptical eyes, his bow that was shallow and his movements were precise.

“Sakura, this is Rikuto Ryuunosuke, he is the prince of Cha no Kuni and my fiancé.”

Pushing back her confusion, anger and trepidation, Sakura bowed in return, biting her bottom lip hard to prevent herself from cursing. “The pleasure is all mine.” She said icily, raising her eyes to his as the last rays of the sun flickered away under the horizon.

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I don’t know jack about viruses and influenza. I had to research most of it, so please excuse any mistakes.