Ch 5:

Sakura Haruno opened her eyes.

The first thing she noticed was the scent of cherry blossoms, faint, as if coming from a long distance.

Frowning from puzzlement, the kunoichi slid out of bed and went to her window. Throwing it wide open, she closed her eyes and raised her face to the rain-drenched wind…but there was no cherry blossom perfume: only the sharp smell of fresh rain.

“That’s funny,” she said, her voice reaching only the nonexistent ears of the empty room. “I could’ve sworn…” She trailed off uncertainly. Already, the flowery perfume was fading. Sakura couldn't help but to feel as if she was missing something...or if something was hiding, perhaps along with the source of the cherry blossom scent. A forgotten dream...?

Suddenly, a drop of rain landed on her cheek, a stark and chilly reality-check. Quickly, Sakura closed the damp window, then leaned her forehead against the cold glass. She could not see the Uchiha complex, especially in such weather. Yet, Sakura could not help but wonder what Itachi was doing at that very moment. If he was asleep, or standing at his window, straining to see her house the way she was straining to see his.

Yeah right.

“Stop this nonsense,” Sakura murmured to herself.

And yet, it took her a good five minutes before she could tear herself away from her window, and another half hour to finally fall asleep with thoughts of crimson eyes and the scent of cherry blossoms.

“I suppose I could do a little research. See what I can pick up…the marketplace is always a good place to hear things…”

Sakura cursed herself silently.

What in the world gave her that idea? In what delirious state did she believe she would find a cure for Itachi here?

The marketplace.

It wasn’t even technically in Konohagakure, just out of the reach of Konoha’s watchful police forces. In addition, despite the fact that all the items sold in the marketplace claimed to be legitimate, anyone with half a brain could see the black trade happening out in the open. Sakura must have seen more than ten suspicious-looking parcels exchange hands during the brief five minutes she had been strolling amongst the run-down booths.

The ‘marketplace’ was dangerous.

But the ‘marketplace’ was also necessary.

Sakura grimaced at the thought, but persevered nonetheless. ‘Besides, even all these people put together can’t be half as dangerous as Itachi Uchiha alone…’ The thought did not comfort her much.

A man leered from the doorway of a nearby tavern, his face grotesque and scarred with strange pustules. “Hello, my pretty. Why dontcha c’mon in for a drink?”

The kunoichi shuddered, but replied firmly without making eye contact, “No thanks. I think I’ll pass.”

Why couldn’t she just have gone to Tsunade again? To wake up after only a few hours of sleep and trek through the after-fog of last night’s rainfall was starting to seem really stupid. Tsunade seemed like such a comfortable option.

‘But it’ll make her too suspicious, especially when you constantly refuse to reveal your so-called patient…’ The kunoichi kicked a nearby pebble moodily. It skittered across the crude dirt ground, and hit the wooden boards of a nearby stand. Its owner shot Sakura a dirty look.

Putting on the most innocent look she could muster, Sakura plowed onwards. It was better not to get on the bad side of people here, especially when she may require their help later.

A rickety shop nearby bore a multi-coloured sign--hard to miss as it nearly made Sakura’s eyes bleed from its brightness:

RARE SCROLLS for ALL PURPOSES

(Legalized and approved by the administration)

The last bracketed part made Sakura roll her eyes, as it was highly unlikely. Nevertheless, she looked both ways with a touch of paranoia before hurrying through the door.

Inside, it was dusty, dark, damp, and had a distinct rotten smell of something that had died and still had yet to be cleaned. Sakura hoped it was only a rat or a plant…

“Can I help ya?”

The kunoichi started; caught off guard by the stranger’s voice. An elderly man with a shock of snow-white hair had shuffled out of the shadows, and now stood glaring at her suspiciously from behind the counter.

“Er, yes. I need—” Sakura caught herself in time, deciding that shouting private information would not be wise, even though the shop appeared deserted. Instead, she picked her way slowly through the dim light toward the cluttered countertop, and swore she heard a scuttling rat along the way.

When she reached the counter, she leaned in, meaning to whisper, but withdrew abruptly: the dead odor was radiating from the shopkeeper himself. She paused, refraining from making a rude face, and then made do with lowering her voice instead. “I was wondering if you stock any scrolls that restore memories, but not the common amnesia kind. Stronger.”

The old man wrinkled his liver-spotted nose. “Is this a practical joke?”

“What?” Emerald eyes widened with surprise and a touch of indignation.

“Ya heard me. Now quit kiddin’, ye ain’t funny no more.”

Sakura scowled. “I was being serious.”

The shopkeeper studied the pink-haired kunoichi long and hard. She could practically hear the gears in his brain churning. Then, sluggishly, he shuffled away into the back room, pushing aside a heavy rug that hung over the doorway irritably.

Sakura wondered if he had just walked out on her, but a moment later, he returned, clutching an abnormally large scroll with both hands.

“’Ere,” he grunted, heaving it onto the countertop with a mighty thud. Clouds of dust bloomed around it. Now it was Sakura’s turn to wrinkle her nose.

“Um, are you sure…?”

“Lady, do I look sure?” snapped the old man. Sakura regarded him cautiously, and decided it was better to leave that question unanswered. Instead, she ran a finger gingerly over the rough parchment of the gigantic scroll as if she were afraid it might crumble beneath her touch.

“Okay, ya gonna take it or what?” demanded the shopkeeper aggressively.

Sakura thought for a moment, and then decided it was better to take precautions. “May I open it up? Just to see?”

“What? Whaddaya wanna do that for? ‘Course not!”

Sakura watched him, a tint of suspicion dawning in the back of her mind. “Why not?” Sakura prepared to reach out for the scroll and take it into her hands, almost twitching with the anticipation of grabbing it.

“B-because!” sputtered the old man. “So—hey! Stop!” He lunged for the scroll, but--

Too late. Sakura had unrolled it fully, spreading the inner parchment atop the counter.

It was blank.

First, there was silence.

Ominous silence.

Then, “You were trying to sell me a fake.” Her voice began to elevate in volume and the air in the room became thick with tension.

The old man actually shrunk back, sensing the sudden change in atmosphere. “I-I…”

“Oh, save it,” snapped Sakura. “I don’t feel like reporting your illegitimate shop, so you’d better tell truthfully,” she leaned in, jabbing a warning finger at the shopkeeper’s wheezing chest. “Is there such a scroll that can restore one’s memory?”

The old man could only stare for a moment in complete silence. Then, as if waking from a dream, he shook his head, like a dog trying to clear water from its ears. Upon seeing Sakura’s impatient expression again, he shook his head even harder.

“N-no, miss. Ain’t no scroll like that be ‘round no more.” Sakura narrowed her eyes, searching his yellowed ones for a lie. But they hid nothing beyond what he spoke.

Sakura was took a reluctant step back, turned, crestfallen, when something clicked in her head. Slowly, she turned back. The old man literally jumped. “What…do you mean by ‘no more’?”

He merely watched her, faint curiosity mingling now with his frightened features.

Sakura tried again. “There used to be a scroll like that?”

When the old man did not answer, she rushed back to the counter in two steps, the latter of which left spider web cracks snaking from the patch of floor her foot had been.

She almost grabbed the front of his shirt in desperation. “Tell me!”

“Aye, but ‘twas a myth! Ain’t never existed ‘fore, jus summat folks dreamt up!” He held up his hands in front of him as if it would defend him from the kunoichi’s sudden outburst.

Sakura was willing to take her chances. “What is it called?” She pushed onward, trying to get every bit of information she could out of the man.

“Lady, I ain’t know nothin’ more.” Eyes narrowed, Sakura searched his yellowed once for a shred of deceit, but found nothing hidden beyond his words.

Frustrated, the kunoichi took a reluctant step back, taking deep breaths. What she had just done frightened her a bit. Usually, amongst Team Seven, it would probably have been Naruto doing rash things like that, or perhaps even Sasuke, in the heat of the moment. But Sakura?

Never.

“Okay,” she said when she finally trusted her voice. “Okay. Fine. Good day to you, sir.”

She swept out of the shop without a single backward glance.

-X-

It was getting late.

The last rays of the summer sun were retreating, leaving a chilly wind behind to take its place.

Nevertheless, Sakura continued, determined to unearth something before night fell, because when night fell in a place like this, it was wise to retreat immediately.

Many rickety booths were already empty, of both merchandise and merchants. Sakura had asked almost every last one of them, from other scroll merchants to jewelry dealers, all with no avail.

‘It’s over. Give up. Tomorrow, go to Tsunade and confess. Hand over Itachi, and let them deal with him. Maybe some extreme torture could bring back his memories--’ Sakura stopped that thought abruptly. She didn’t want to think about it, even though a part of her knew very well the torture Itachi had used upon his victims. The kunoichi’s hand clenched and her eyes squeezed shut, thinking of Kakashi-sensei. And the vengeance of her own she will never get to carry out.

So it ends here.

She opened her eyes.

And two things surprised her.

Firstly, her eyes were damp, brimming with tears. Sakura wondered if they were for herself, her friends…or a certain cold being with the beautiful crimson eyes.

Secondly, there was the woman standing right in front of her, who had not been there before.

The woman was stock still, and Sakura almost took her for a mannequin. But then she raised her head, making Sakura jump, and the last sunrays illuminated the features of her face.

She was short and plain, middle-aged. Perhaps she had once been pretty, or even beautiful, but now her lips were thin and solemn, her coal-black eyes lined with age and wisdom.

The woman peered up at Sakura, tipping back her bamboo hat and revealing her jet-black hair, laced with grey.

Then she spoke quietly: “You have question?”

For a moment, Sakura lost her tongue. Stumbling over words slightly, Sakura asked her how she knew.

The woman shrugged a pair of thin shoulders. “Saw you asking. Want to help.” Her voice was heavy with an accent, but Sakura could not identify it.

“O-kay…” Sakura paused, wondering if this was some kind of joke. If this woman was quite right in the head.

But the strange lady watched her with such intensity, with such peculiar intelligence despite her broken dialect, that Sakura decided to give it a shot.

“I’m looking for something - a scroll, probably. It should restore one’s memory, yet it’s not quite an amnesia scroll. Those didn’t work on my…client.” Sakura paused, and then decided it couldn’t hurt to add another detail. “I’ve heard of a scroll like such, but my informer told me it was but a myth.” Sakura shook her head in a slightly discouraged manner, careful to keep the hopeful tone out of her voice.

At that point, the short woman shook her head with such fervor that it shocked Sakura. “No. No myth.”

Sakura’s heart missed a beat, then doubled its speed. “You mean…?” She did not dare finish her sentence, for fear of being disappointed again afterward.

The woman nodded her head, still unsmiling. “Real. Real scroll. Call it Shoseki no Omoide.”

Sakura could have fainted. Something rose rapidly within her, and she wanted to punch the air, to jump, to scream with happiness. Shoseki no Omoide. Shoseki no Omoide. Shoseki no Omoide. It was music to her ears, melted chocolate on her tongue.

Shoseki no Omoide, Shoseki no Omoide, Shoseki no Omoide--

“Real, lost.”

The bubbly sensation popped. “What?” She blinked, unsure of whether she heard correctly or not, and not wanting to have heard correctly. The woman blinked back. Affirming.

Now something else was rising rapidly within her, except this time, Sakura was determined to keep it in. Swearing profusely in front of a helpful stranger was probably not very tactful.

“Nami no Kuni.”

“Excuse me?” ‘Where the hell is this going?’

“Nami no Kuni,” repeated the woman patiently.

“The land of…water?” Sakura raised an eyebrow.

The woman nodded enthusiastically. “Nami no Kuni, Nami no Kuni,” she crowed.

“Okay, okay. I get it.” And she did. The scroll…it’s in the Land of Water.

The woman beamed for the first time, showing a row of surprisingly even and white teeth. For some reason, it sent chills down Sakura’s back. She didn’t understand why, nor did she particularly care, given the elating moment.

It’s real. The scroll is real, somewhere in the Land of Water. My plan is real. My hope is real.

No more dreams.

When her emerald eyes cleared, they saw the woman was hobbling off.

“Hey, wait!” cried the kunoichi. “I didn’t even thank you! Or catch your name!”

The woman paid her no heed. She turned a corner, slowly but steadily.

Without thinking, Sakura sprinted after her, skidding around the corner just in time to see the tail of her dress disappear into a little shop.

Hurriedly, Sakura ran up to the shop, ready to call out again…and froze.

The crumbling shop front was laden with heavy chains, some of them even sizzling with chakra. A single window was carved crudely beside the wooden door, and the rotting shingles that made up the roof looked ready to give in at any moment.

The shop was abandoned.

‘And someone wanted to keep out visitors’, thought Sakura, eyeing the hostile chakra chains.

“I wouldn’t go near it if I were you, missy,” came a voice behind her.

She turned to face a brown-bearded man clutching several heavy-looking bags. He was watching the shop darkly, eyes narrowed slightly.

Sakura’s brow furrowed. “What’s going on?”

The man’s gaze did not leave the building. “That shop’s been closed for over ten years now. Heard someone got murdered in there in some stupid fight over an item, which is just a daily occurrence for this area. Anyway, the item was dangerous, and somehow it…”- here, his dark eyebrows knitted together before he continued - “messed up the shop and everyone in it. Killed ‘em. Now the entire shop is dangerous. Restricted access. Can’t go in there without getting zapped comatic by all those chakra lines.” He nodded at the glowing chains.

Sakura blinked, still uncomprehending. “But I just saw someone go in there!”

The man laughed. It was a humorless sound. “Sure. Listen, I’d go home if I were you. It’s not safe here after dark, be you man or woman, you know?”

Sakura did not reply for a while, still staring forcefully into the darkened window of the shop, not sure what she was trying to see. Finally, she turned around and forced a smile. “I know. Thank you for your concern.”

“No problem,” grunted the man, walking away swiftly. If Sakura didn’t know better, she would have said he appeared very eager to get away from the abandoned shop.

But she did not leave. Not just yet.

Careful to maintain a safe distance, she inched towards the single, dirty window again. The sizzling chains blocked most of her view, but she thought she could make out a boxed shape in the background, probably a shelf or—

There was a flash of red.

Sakura froze, feeling her blood run cold. Unintentionally, she took a step forward, eyes fixed, glued to the window. The chakra chains gave a sharp crack, warning her. Sakura stepped back again, reluctant but eager to stay alive. Still, her jade eyes never left the dark window, hoping to see that

(blood)

red flash again. However, nothing happened for the next five minutes where she stood there like a statue, every fibre in her body tense, and every fragment of her mind focused on it. Almost wishing for it to flash again.

Still nothing happened.

It was the sudden chirping of crickets that brought Sakura back and made her tear her eyes away from the abandoned shop. The sky above her was a dark orange, and the air seemed to have an even sharper bite than before.

Night had fallen.

Tossing the abandoned shop one last glance, knowing she would never return, Sakura started hastily away, lest she was tempted to return and stay for the night.

But after putting a safe distance between the now nearly empty marketplace and her, Sakura’s mind wandered back to It.

So maybe she had just imagined it.

Simply imagined the flash of red…that she could have sworn were red eyes.

Red sharingan eyes.

And maybe she had also imagined the face it belonged to. The face behind the grimy window with the smile that had given her the chills before, though back then she had not understood why.

Now she knew.

She did not trust that smile.

Not one bit.

“Tsunade-sama?”

“Yes.”

“I believe I need a mission.”

The blonde woman peered up from her paperwork. “You believe?”

Sakura sighed. “I know.”

Tsunade’s painted lips curved slightly. “Okay,” she consented agreeably.

Sakura gaped. “What?”

“I said ‘Okay’. Now run along and save some lives.”

When Sakura didn’t move, Tsunade put down her papers, a faint frown replacing her grin. “Is there something wrong?”

“N-no. I’m just surprised.”

A raised blonde eyebrow. “About?”

“Well…you were very quick to agree Tsunade-sama, for once. You usually…I don’t know. Think it over for at least a couple of minutes?” Sakura sighed, deciding that she sounded like an idiot. “What I mean to say, Tsunade-sama, is that you’re acting rather out of character.” She thought about adding ‘Have you been hitting the sake bottle again?’ but bit it back.

The Hokage rolled her amber eyes to the ceiling. “Sakura. I’m sending you on an easy mission. A vacation, you could even say, but I know you would never accept it under that term--”

“Actually, I was going to request a mission.”

Tsunade put down her papers again for what seemed like the millionth time that day. “Oh? What do you have in mind?” But before Sakura could elaborate, Tsunade plowed on. “Because I certainly won’t allow you to take on any S-class missions in this condition. You are too stressed as of late.”

Sakura paused, gathering her wits to prepare for a perfect execution of her excuse. “Actually, I was hoping for some sort of mission in Nami no Kuni. I-I guess I miss the water and the peace. Besides, Konoha’s been unusually dry all year...”

The kunoichi trailed off, bracing herself for a retort to her flimsy excuse.

None came. Instead, Tsunade replied easily, “If that’s to your liking, then I shall give you a mission in the Land of Waves.”

Sakura bit back an astonished “r-really?” and managed a weak smile instead. ‘This is too good to be true. Maybe there isn’t a catch--’

“And you can go with Sasuke Uchiha.”

It hit her like a ton of falling bricks, leaving her speechless with a cottony dry mouth.

“I-I don’t…I m-mean that--” Sakura gave herself some time to compose her thoughts, and then tried again. “Tsunade-sama, I don’t understand. Why Sasuke-kun?” ‘Are you trying to hook us up?’

The Hokage was back to her papers again. “I would have had Naruto go as well. Unfortunately, he left on a mission this morning, and will not be back for a three weeks.” She signed something with a flourish. “Besides, this is a perfect opportunity for you two to mend your broken trust,” Tsunade continued seriously. “Naruto has already come to terms with Sasuke’s actions. Well, at least he’s getting there. You, on the other hand…” she trailed off, then went back to the paperwork without another word.

‘You, on the other hand…are helping Sasuke’s elder brother, who also happens to have ruined his younger brother’s life.’

A terrible thought registered to Sakura. Was she helping Itachi for the exact opposite reason her conscience claimed? Was she helping Itachi to punish Sasuke?

‘No. You’re overreacting. Itachi will be handed in to Konoha eventually. So, how can you be punishing Sasuke by doing this?’

Nevertheless, Sakura knew, just knew, something was very, very wrong with this picture. She was trying too hard, just to restore Itachi’s memory. Even going to the lengths of lurking around the black-trade marketplace, and experiencing those strange emotions that came to her that night on the roof…she had almost felt a tinge of regret as she prepared the amnesia scroll.

Sakura knew, even if she didn’t want to.

I can’t let Itachi go.

…And that is enough punishment for Sasuke.

“Tsunade-sama?” Her voice sounded far away, wan.

The Hokage looked up sharply. “What’s the matter, Sakura?”

“I can’t go with Sasuke.” Sasuke-kun.

Tsunade’s face was shadowed by confusion. “Why not? I don’t understand; you missed him so much while he was gone, and now you mean to tell me you want to avoid him?” Tsunade looked at Sakura with skepticism, resting her chin on folded hands.

Sakura started to deny, but realized that would be lying. She had been doing too much of that as of late. So instead she answered, “Yes. Because I just don’t think I’m ready for it. Could we please just…start off with small things?”

Tsunade did not reply for a long time; she merely regarded the flustered kunoichi a bit sadly, before sighing, nodding, and then tossing Sakura a large envelope. “Mission details are in that package. Burn it as soon as you have memorized it, you know the drill.” She paused, tenting her fingers, seemingly deep in thought.

Then, “I should warn you,” she added. Sakura tensed, ready for some horrible setback. “It is an ‘escort’ mission.” The tented fingers went up into quotations around ‘escort’.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand, Tsunade-sama.”

“We call it escort. We mean intelligence-gathering.”

“…Oh. Wh--”

Tsunade waved her hand urgently, and Sakura fell silent immediately, alarmed but taciturn. “It’s all explained in your mission statement. I don’t want to say too much here. Basically, a lord has required our escort services. However, we suspect him of trading highly illegal, not to mention dangerous drugs.”

Sakura raised an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

Tsunade eyed her grimly. “Not quite. There are certain…risks, despite this being a B-class mission. The lord…he’s known to be quite the…lady’s man. Or he wishes he was.” A distasteful grimace.

But Sakura just had to laugh. “So he’s a flirt? Tsunade-sama, I have handled much worse than indecent, flirting men. This will be a piece of cake!”

However, the kunoichi’s laugh was cut short by the Hokage’s worry-filled amber eyes. “Sakura, are you sure about this?”

The kunoichi took a deep breath, preparing to lie again. “Yes.”

But as she exited the office, a sudden realization hit her.

It hadn’t been a lie.

“You’re not coming.”

“Explain.”

“Because I said so.”

“Hn.”

“I said no.”

“And I said nothing.”

“But you were thinking it.”

“Hn.”

“…Stop that. And why in the world did I let you into my house to begin with?”

No reply.

To fill up the silence, Sakura chucked a toothbrush rather violently into her bag. Itachi merely watched her silently, face blank, yet the kunoichi was shocked how much protest the Uchiha could cram into the blank silence.

“Look,” she finally sighed, examining a lone sock. “You can’t go on this mission. You aren’t a registered citizen of Konoha, much less an official shinobi.”

“So any fool with paperwork could be considered a shinobi?” It was such a pleasant tone…a pleasant tone covering a pool of poison.

Sakura shuffled uncomfortably. “Well, there’s the examinations and everything--”

“Which I passed.” Sakura had to hand it to him for not adding ‘at the age of ten with flying colours’.

Instead, she waved a hand dismissively. “Still. It’s dangerous. Risky. You can be discovered.”

“And why would that be so deadly?”

“I already told you it was about the paperwork--”

Itachi actually smirked, which caught Sakura completely off guard. “You are a terrible liar. Do you realize all your excuses lead back to paperwork?”

Sakura winced at that, unable to find a retort fast enough to the painfully truthful statement.

Silence fell again, letting the subject drop temporarily. Sakura was content to let it stay that way…for now.

There was a long moment of wordless space, only filled up by the sound of opening and shutting drawers, the clicking metal of weapons, and Sakura’s swift footsteps pounding as she gathered her things. Itachi watched her, leaning leisurely against a wall, but she knew his mind wasn’t really on where in the world was her other sock.

Then, just as Sakura was lulled into a false sense of security, “I’m coming.”

Sakura resisted the urge to throw something. “No,” she ground out through gritted teeth. “Don’t start this again.”

“So I am to stay at the Uchiha residence until you return?”

“Yes,” replied Sakura, trying to loosen her clenched jaw.

“And if I decide not to stay within the residence until you return?”

“Well then--” Sakura stopped abruptly, her mind only half registering the hidden implications of Itachi’s words. “Is that a…a threat?”

Silence answered instead.

“I can’t believe you! I’m trying to help!”

“No. You are trying to hide something from both me and the rest of Konoha.”

Sakura nearly jumped. ‘For a man, his intuitions are dead on.’

Said intuitions had just awoken another raging monster of a problem. If she left Itachi in Konoha, who knows what might happen? Sasuke could decide to clean the Uchiha residence a little ahead of schedule. For all she knew, someone was planning to demolish the damn place (over Sasuke’s dead body). And worst of all, the most probable one of all, Itachi could simply leave. Just leave. Walk right into his own grave.

‘Not that I really care about that, of course. I just want him to walk into his grave with his memory back and sufficient intelligence for Konoha.’

Sighing in defeat, Sakura zipped up her pack with more force than necessary.

“Fine. We leave at dawn.”

Thanks to Kisayo for betaing this!

Whew! I'm gonna fail my science test on Monday because of this. Ah well. Boring chapter once again, but things should finally be rolling into motion after this.

I'm sorry to say updates will be fewer, as I will be working on my first Bleach fanfic ever, as well as attempting to tie up loose ends on another story.
But reviews will still be very helpful! (hint hint nudge nudge)

-'sH