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Beautiful Disaster - Part 2
Ch 4: Mission and Reunion
I'm guessing this will probably the last chapter before school starts. And after it does, don't expect too many updates until Christmas break.
I may post another chapter before the break (so review!! They make me work harder!!), but I'm currently attempting to untangle myself from a horrible author's block.
All right then! Here’s the first chapter for Part 2 of Beautiful Disaster. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto.
As soon as she was behind the strange puppet man, the kunoichi pivoted on one foot, and sent the other one crashing into her opponent’s back. The chakra-infused foot sent the Akatsuki member flying face down into the earth.
Panting slightly, but grimly satisfied with her work, Sakura tucked a strand of short, coral hair behind her ear before scanning her surroundings. Naruto was fighting a blonde man who kept on screaming “Art is a bang!” while Sai was taking on a blue-skinned shark-like man who was twice his height.
Finally, Sakura’s eyes found the pair she was searching for: A silver haired jounin squaring off with a coldly handsome man sporting long black hair tied back in a low ponytail. Even with his back to her, Sakura recognized the long-haired man immediately.
The pink-haired kunoichi clenched her jaw almost to a painful point. Itachi!
Anger burned within the depths of Sakura's heart like an inferno as Tsunade's voice drifted back to her: "He took one of Konoha's most valuable scrolls with him when he escaped. Your mission is to make sure you recover it." The Godaime had paused, and suddenly appeared true to her genuine age again, her expression that of worry and uncertainty. "And Sakura. Don't die..."
Said kunoichi pumped as much chakra as she could into her clenched fists, determined to complete the mission...but before she could tackle the Uchiha, a kunai had found its way to her shoulder. Biting back a cry of pain, Sakura whipped around, only to find the puppet man she was fighting before sending a volley of poison needles towards her. Shit!
Quickly, the kunoichi performed a basic substitution jutsu and reappeared behind her puppet-like attacker. Okay, Pinocchio. You’re going down!
With an almighty swing, Sakura brought her fist smashing through the young man’s back, bravely ignoring the stinging pain shooting across her knuckles. The puppet man crashed to the ground, twitching grotesquely, but still alive. Sakura cracked, then wrung her slightly bruised fingers, prepared to dish out another blow to the Akatsuki member if necessary.
However, an earth-shaking explosion followed closely by a yell of pain brought Sakura’s attention to a newly injured Naruto lying on the ground instead.
It was like pulling the trigger of a second instinct for medics. Rushing over without even pausing to think, Sakura knelt beside the Kyuubi container and began to pump chakra into his wounds, desperately trying to stop the steady flow of crimson life draining from the young man. Naruto was already teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, scarlet tinging his golden hair, cerulean eyes glassy and half closed, his irregular breaths dwindling. Crap Naruto. Don’t you dare die on me…
“Hello, Sakura-san.”
The kunoichi being addressed looked up to the owner of the smooth, low voice, stunned. Then she realized her mistake a little too late.
And the last thing she saw was a pair of spinning Mangekyou eyes.
Sakura groaned heavily, and peeled open her emerald eyes with some difficulty. She was greeted by complete darkness. The kunoichi squinted, and as her eyes adjusted to the dark, she found herself in a stone, dungeon-like room. Her hands were bound behind her back, and her feet were tied together in the same manner.
Half-heartedly, Sakura attempted to perform a few handseals. And of course, nothing happened since the chains binding her were designed to block chakra flow.
Looks like Tsunade-sama was right when she said we were supposed to have more people on this mission.
Sakura squeezed her eyes shut in frustration, attempting to get past her skull-splitting headache and analyzing where she went wrong. In the end, she traced it right back to that night when she freed that ungrateful Uchiha bastard. Well how was I supposed to know the whole reason he allowed himself to get caught by Konoha in the first place was to steal an effing scroll?
Yeah, but he may have been less successful if only you didn’t release him from the prison…against the orders of your superiors too.
Remind me again who talked me into it?
…
I thought so.
Suddenly, there was a distant sound of an opening door. Grimacing at the scraping sound amplified tenfold by her headache, Sakura shifted her bound and trussed form to get a better look at the figure standing at the door. Crimson eyes and the trademark lines under them told her everything she needed to know.
“Talk, kunoichi.”
“What happened to ‘Sakura-san’?” spat an extremely pissed pink-haired young woman.
“Do not push your luck. You should be thankful you are still alive.” Itachi Uchiha’s voice was flat and provided not a single clue to Sakura as to what he was feeling.
“You-! How could you? I set you free and you steal one of Konoha’s most prized scrolls in return? You know what? I wish I'd never released you! I wish I'd left you there to rot in hell! How-”
Itachi stepped into the cell and walked leisurely up to Sakura. Slowly, he reached down, and Sakura flinched away, prepared for a sharp slap or punch. Instead, she felt herself being lifted up and propped against the wall like a stick. Well, at least he didn’t hurt me…
Suddenly, cold fingers gripped the kunoichi’s chin like steely clamps and forced her sea-green eyes to clash with a pair of scarlet ones. Itachi watched her with faint amusement flickering throughout his face for a moment, while Sakura could feel herself becoming fidgety due to their close proximity. Their faces were so close together Sakura could feel his cool breath on her own lips.
Uncomfortable at the intimacy of the moment, she attempted pitifully to jerk away from the Uchiha's grasp. But he refused to relinquish his hold on her. Instead, he only leaned in further, so his mouth was right beside Sakura's ear, strands of her pink hair brushing his face. It took all of the kunoichi's self-perseverance not to flush several shades of red. She was really quite unnerved at how similar Itachi and Sasuke were in physical appearances. What I wouldn't have given to have Sasuke-kun like this...
Finally, Itachi spoke quietly, soft puffs of air tickling the shell of her ear. “I warned you that freeing me would be a big gamble. And I did not ask for your help. I would have escaped either way. You just made my mission much easier. Did you truly believe that a group of amateur ANBU could overpower me? It was all part of my mission to steal that scroll, kunoichi.”
Sakura immediately forgot about her discomfort and almost began shaking with anger. “I-I can’t believe you!” she cried out in disgust. And I was hoping Itachi Uchiha had even a sliver of good in him. I'm such a gullible idiot.
The Uchiha smirked slightly. The fiery young woman still looked rather beautiful even when infuriated.
“Then it’s about time you did,” he said calmly. Then he pulled back slightly, facing the kunoichi once more. “And now that I’ve told you about my mission, tell me everything about yours.”
Sakura glared at Itachi with undisguised disgust and hatred. But there was no point in keeping her mission a secret anymore. Besides, the kunoichi had an inkling that Itachi was already quite certain of what was going on. She replied irritably, "Isn't it obvious? We were assigned by the Fifth Hokage to retrieve the scroll that you stole!” Yeah, but we weren’t assigned to fight your cronies. Or to end up hostages of the Akatsuki. That definitely was not part of the plan…
The Uchiha narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the kunoichi before him dispassionately, obviously trying to detect a lie. When he was satisfied, he gave a faint but triumphant smirk, pulled back and started to leave the cell. Sakura shuddered involuntarily at the sudden lack of his warmth beside her, and her body suddenly felt empty without it making her bewildered by her unusual reactions.
What am I doing? Am I actually missing the company of Itachi Uchiha, infamous Akatsuki member, murderer of his entire clan...sworn enemy of Sasuke-kun? No. I can't be...can I? That'll never happen...
While Sakura was lost in her musings, Itachi straightened up and pushed open the heavy wooden door of the cell, flooding the dark room with light. The sudden burst of illumination caused the pink-haired kunoichi's attention to focus once more on the Uchiha's steadily retreating form.
But just before he exited, Sakura cried out after him, finally stirred from her tumultuous inner thoughts. “No! Wait! Where are the others on my team? What did you do with them?”
Itachi regarded the pink-haired young woman with cold disinterest. “Nothing. Yet.” He made to leave again, but was once more halted by Sakura’s voice.
“What do you mean ‘yet’?” she demanded shrilly.
The Mangekyou user responded monotonously, this time without even bothering to look at Sakura. “The Akatsuki intends to perform the sealing ritual on the Kyuubi container tomorrow to extract the demon fox. The rest of your team will simply be…eliminated. Including you.”
“NO! You can't!”
Itachi spared the kunoichi a quick glance over his shoulder, quirking an eyebrow slightly, but otherwise completely unfazed. “And what makes you think you have a say in that?”
“I-I’ll make you a deal,” stammered Sakura without a second thought, suddenly feeling vulnerable...like a mouse at the mercy of a starved feline. And for a moment, she was afraid that Itachi would simply walk out on her.
But to her immense relief, the cold Uchiha simply replied, “I’m listening.”
She took a deep breath to steady herself before beginning. "Well..." the kunoichi paused deliberately, stalling what little precious time she had. Oh Kami...what am I going to do?How do I get out of this? "Ummm..." she pretended to begin again, hpoing Itachi would buy her little bluff, because in reality, Sakura had NO idea what she was doing.
It was then that the kunoichi suddenly realized that this was harder than they made it seem in the academy. Making a deal that would determine the difference between you and your friends' life or death was no walk in the park. The pink-haired medic bit her bottom lip. This delicate matter had to be executed perfectly. It musn't give the Uchiha too much power, but if it was too favourable towards her predicament, Itachi woudl never accept it. But if she...
All of a sudden, the silence seemed to snap. Itachi turned around and began walking out, black cloak billowing out behind him slightly. Every fallen footstep echoed the steady beating of an execution drum foreshadowing doom, and she could already see Naruto's, Kakashi's and Sai's lifeless faces...but why was Sasuke among them as well...?
The creaking of the cell door signaled Itachi's imminent departure, and Sakura immediately switched unvoluntarily into panic mode. No! You're my last chance!! STAY!
"Stop!" shrieked the kunoichi, not caring how hysterical or desperate she sounded. She would do anything anything to save her friends...to make this all right.
Itachi did not make any sign to imdicate that he had heard her.
"I SAID STOP!" Say something Sakura! Say something...NOW!
“If you release the other three of my team, I’ll stay behind as a permanent medic of the Akatsuki!" It all came out in one breath, bursting forth from out of the blue. Sakura could've, would've, kicked herself, but her feet were bound by those stupid chakra draining chains. Sakura, you idiot...the Akatsuki does not have a need for a medic! You're so screwed...
But, strangely, her outburst had done the trick. The Mangekyou user slowed, although he still refused to face her.
Sakura decided to prod him a little in the...right direction. "I’m sure you’ve seen what I can do. I can guarantee excellent results.” Hint, hint! The pink-haired young woman awaited his reply, not even daring to draw a single breath.
Itachi was silent for a moment, scanning the pink-haired kunoichi and meeting her pleading emerald orbs with his own piercing ones. Sakura found herself unwillingly mesmerized by those scarlet sharingan eyes, their colour that of freshly spilt blood, yet they were so empty and emotionless...So much like Sasuke-kun...and so beautiful...perhaps even more beautiful...?
"Please..." Sakura did not recognize the pathetic, helpless voice that escaped her lips. And was it just her, or did even Itachi appear slightly...?
As if right on cue, said Uchiha turned to leave, his crimson orbs wrenching away roughly from Sakura's sea-green ones, the hem of his cloak whipping the medic, leaving her with a stinging cheek. But the kunoichi could have sworn he had appeared rather unnerved by what had just occured, before he turned his back upon her once more. Finally, his low voice drifted back to the captive kunoichi's ears, completely devoid of emotion.
“No deal.”
Something within the kunoichi broke. She felt it like an arrow thorugh her heart, like a stone lodged in her throat, like a blow to the skull, like when Sasuke left her unconscious on that bench, turning his back on her...
Sakura bit down on her bottom lip until she tasted metallic liquid, trying to hold back the tears balancing precariously on the bottom of her eyes. “I saved your life, Itachi Uchiha! You owe me this deal at the least!” she cried out to his retreating back as a last resort.
The Mangekyou wielder responded by shutting the wooden jail cell door in her face.
Salty water spilled down Sakura's face freely, splashing against the cold stone ground beneath. The dripping sound filled up the silence within the stone cell; a soft, melancholy song in the darkness.
It's over. Everything's over...
...And it's all my fault...
Swearing mildly under her breath, the pink-haired kunoichi raised her head off the cold, hard floor with some difficulty as everything came flooding back to her. Oh damn. Naruto. Kakashi. Sai.
Flipping onto her back, Sakura struggled helplessly against her restraints.
Wonderful. I’ve really screwed it up this time. Now my loved ones are going to die because of one stupid mistake. I should never have freed Itachi in the first place…
Almost as if right on cue, the door to the cell slammed open again. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut against the blinding light streaming through, and was prepared to hurl a steady stream of profanities at a certain Mangekyou user…
A large, strong hand grabbed her by her shirtfront and began hauling her out of the cell. The hand was blue.
It was not Itachi.
But for the moment, Sakura couldn't care less, especially not when she was being dragged down a dark, stone hall like a sack of potatoes. She struggled violently and cried out, “Hey! What the hell are you doing? Where’s the rest of my team? What have you done with them?!”
“Shut up kunoichi, you ask too many questions,” responded a low and gravelly voice.
Sakura raised her head painfully to see the back of a large man towering over her. His unusual blue skin triggered Sakura’s memory immediately. It was the Akatsuki member Sai was fighting. She racked her brains for a name, but no avail.
“Kisame! Hurry up, Leader-sama is getting impatient, un!”
The speaker was the blonde man Naruto was fighting. If Sakura wasn’t injured and bound by chakra draining chains, she would have attacked the man on the spot. That son of a gun hurt Naruto-kun! Now I’m gonna hurt him!
The blonde man smirked at Sakura's bound and helpless form as she passed. “Serves you right for what you did to Sasori-danna, un. I should really just bomb you, but Leader-sama wants to see you, un.” He flashed her an unpleasant and rather malicious leer before heading off on his way.
Sasori. Sakura realized that must have been the name of the puppet man she was fighting. So that girly-man holds grudges against people who hurt his friends too…but what did her say about this Leader-sama person again? He want's to see me or something? Why? Who is---
Suddenly, the man named Kisame who was dragging Sakura along lowered (dropped) her to the ground none-too-gently. The pink-haired kunoichi gritted her teeth at the sudden sharp pain shooting up her back. That's gonna bruise in the morning. Then she scowled up at the man/shark responsible for her harm, while mentally adding him to her list of to-be casualties as soon as she was free of her constrictions (which, she suspected, was not about to occur anytime soon).
“Ow! Hey, wha— ”
Instantly, the man/shark wheeled around with a black piece of cloth clutched in his meaty hand. Before Sakura could even make another sound, he wrapped the fabric around her eyes, blind-folding her.
Sakura growled under her breath in annoyance. “What the hell is that for?” she demanded impatiently.
In response, the shark-man tied the dark cloth a little too tightly.
The pink-haired medic responded with a stubborn, “Where are my friends?”
“Patience kunoichi. It would not be a wise choice to anger me.”
Sakura bit back a wave of rather unpleasant retorts. “Tell me who you are,” she ended up snapping.
“I am the leader of the Akatsuki. My true name is none of your concern. You shall simply refer to me as Leader-sama.”
Sakura glowered at this Leader-sama person. And then she realized it was useless through the thick, black cloth covering her eyes. So instead, she opted to retaliate with a succinct, “And why would I want to do that?”
“Because, as of now, you are officially the Akatsuki’s permanent medic.”
Sakura didn’t even notice her mouth had dropped open and was hanging limply in a very amusing manner. “M-medic? For the Akatsuki?” She paused to gather her wits, suddenly regaining her stubborn streak. “No. You’ll have to kill me first.”
The leader of the Akatsuki was silent for a few minutes. “Then I shall kill you,” he finally replied. “I’m sure your friends will not miss you, seeing as how they left you behind.”
Sakura’s head jerked up, even though she saw nothing. “What?”
“So you have not been informed about it yet.”
“About what? What happened to the others? TELL ME!”
There was a short pause, and Sakura listened to her surprisingly commanding voice reverbrating infinitely amonst the walls of her environment. She thought she detected a trace of panic and fear masked behind her sudden burst of confidence. The kunoichi just prayed with all her heart that the leader of the Akatsuki did not notice it.
Then, "Leader-sama" spoke slowly and deliberately, as if carefully choosing his words. “Your friends have…escaped. Somehow, they have managed to thwart the Akatsuki’s defenses.” Sakura noted with grim satisfaction that the Leader’s voice sounded rather sour at that part.
“All three are gone,” he plowed on flatly. “But it appears as if they forgot about you, which is why you are still here.”
The pink-haired kunoichi was stunned. Escaped. They’re safe…She almost sighed out loud in relief. However, the rest of the leader’s sentence returned to haunt her. “But it appears as if they forgot about you, which is why you are still here…”
No. Naruto, Sai, and Kakashi-sensei didn’t forget about me. They couldn’t have…they wouldn't...“Uchiha Itachi proposed this excellent idea. I have been informed of your healing abilities, and apparently, they are even comparable to that of the Fifth Hokage. So you, kunoichi, can stay alive and be a medic for the Akatsuki, or you can die a slow and painful death if you refuse. Choose now.”
Itachi gave him the idea? Sakura was having immense difficulty getting that particular fact around her head. Wait…then…does that mean he accepted our deal?
Inner Sakura was getting excited, although Outer Sakura managed to mask the elation artfully by copying the stony exression of a certain Mangekyou user. Of course! It all fits! The others have miraculously escaped and are safe, you are still alive, plus the Leader wants you to be the Akatsuki’s medic! Itachi must have agreed!
Sakura could barely contain all the feelings welling up in her chest. Gratitude. Relief. Hope. She wondered suddenly if Itachi was in the room as well.
The pink-haired medic felt a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Well, if that’s the case, I’ll have to keep my end of the bargain then.
But Sakura could feel her barely traceable grin evaporate rapidly as her thoughts wandered to her friends and loved ones. She was going to betray Konoha...for the second time. But there was no other choice. Sakura was a kunoichi who stood by her words and promises. So if Itachi had kept his end of the deal, it was now her turn. I'm sorry Naruto-kun. Kakashi-sensei. Sai. And...
She felt something awful tear mercilessly at her heart.
...Sasuke. Sasuke-kun.
Sakura raised her head in the approximate direction of where the Akatsuki-leader was standing. Taking a deep breath, she knew that what she was about to say would change her future forever. What she didn't know was that it would also be the birth of a terrible disaster.
This must be done.
“I choose to be the medic of the Akatsuki…Leader-sama.”
I'm sorry everyone. For everything.
To be continued...
"My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny."
- Elaine Maxwell
Constructive criticism welcome!
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