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Sakura now found herself standing with Naruto in front of Jiraiya, one of the deceased Third Hokage's three pupils.
"I'll have you know that I personally asked for you two to accompany me on this mission, so your behavior must-"
"Can we leave already?" Naruto groaned, putting his hands behind his head lazily. He had been spending too much time with Shikamaru.
The white haired man grunted in annoyance. "Fine, fine. Sakura-chan, ready to go?" His tone suddenly turned to one of a father talking to his favorite daughter.
"Yes, Jiraiya-San. Let's head out." Sakura said, neatly avoiding Jiariya's attempt to mess up her hair.
"Freaking perv." Naruto grunted. He shrieked when a small and gnarly toad suddenly poofed in front of his face, croaking loudly.
-
"Alrighty, I'm gonna go and see if i can find Tsunade near hot springs..don't open the door to anyone!" Jiraiya giggled suspiciously, before leaving with a red face. The three were in an Inn's room, in a town some distance away from Konoha.
"What the fuck..." Naruto grumbled. "Hey sensei, wanna watch some TV?"
Sakura smiled. "How about I teach you a new Jutsu?"
"HELL YEAH!"
-
After around thirty minutes, there was a knock on the door. Sakura already knew who it was, but she gestured for Naruto to open the door. "Why's he back so early...who are you guys!?" The boy gaped and stepped back.
"You must be the Nine Tail's Jinchuuriki. We're here to take you with us. Please cooperate!" A shark like man said cheerfully.
Sakura stood up from the couch and joined Naruto at the door.
"I'm sorry, but we don't accept door sellers. Or cult advertisers. Thank you!" Sakura smiled, before slamming the door shut.
"Okay Naruto, basically these are two of the Akatsuki I was talking about before. You can't defeat them, but it'll be a great opportunity to try fighting them. Great! You'll do great." Before Naruto could protest, Sakura had opened the room door and thrown the yellow haired boy out towards the shark like man.
At the same time, Sakura yanked Itachi into the room with her, before slamming the door closed. She could hear Naruto and Kisame yelling and fighting in the hall. Naruto was stronger now that Sakura had trained him, and so he would be able to put up quite a fight before Sakura would have to interfere.
"Hello, Sensei." Itachi smiled and leaned down to bring the girl into his arms in a tight embrace. "It is good to see you."
Sakura leaned into his embrace, channeling as much of her healing chakra into him as possible, feeling his illness fight against it. She felt satisfaction when she then felt the illness lie low after being defeated by her healing chakra. "I have missed you, Itachi. Has anything new happened?"
Itachi didn't miss how light and healthy he felt every time he was in Sakura's arms. And the girl had healed quite a lot of his illness this time...
"No. But I see my little brother has left Konoha." Sakura saw Itachi's eyes twitch as he spoke of Sasuke, and she chuckled slightly in amusement. "Were you there?"
"You already know."
Yes, in fact, Sakura had known. She had felt the Uchiha's chakra nearby in the form of a crow, gazing at Sasuke and Sakura's farewells. "Ever the watchful boy you are. What are your thoughts on his departure?"
"As long as he becomes powerful enough to defeat me, I care not what he does."
"Be kinder to the boy, Itachi. He's trying to live up to your name--even if he doesn't realize. And besides, you give yourself too little credit. I'm sure if Sasuke knew what had truly happened that night, he would admire you." Sakura gently put a hand on the older boy's arm.
"Thank you, Sensei." Itachi answered gratefully. "How is Shisui?"
"As bright as ever. He complains that its boring to be in the safe house all day, so I'm thinking of letting him loose soon."
"Loose? As in let others know he's alive? But Danzo-"
"Will definitely throw a fit, I'm sure of it. But if anyone is capable enough of finding his own way in this world, its Shisui." Sakura paused thoughtfully, and Itachi didn't miss the glint in her eye.
"He wouldn't, Sensei."
"Hm?"
"If you were thinking of telling him to join the Akatsuki, please forget about it. There's no way Shisui would let himself stray from his morals like that." Itachi said seriously, stepping away from the girl.
"Even if he knew you were in the organization? He is more similar to you then you think, Itachi." Sakura raised an eyebrow. "If needed, he would stand by your side no matter what."
Itachi furrowed his brows. "I respect your wishes always, but please, do not encourage Shisui into danger."
The pink haired girl's lips twisted in an unusually dark smile. "Encourage? My dear Itachi. Do you think I saved him just for you? For Sasuke? Shisui is an exceptional shinobi. He is useful in many ways beyond your comprehension." She stepped forward, and Itachi stepped back. Whether it was due to fear or anger was unknown even to himself.
"Uchiha Shisui will do what I say he will do, do you understand? You need only act as I tell you to act, only do as I tell you to do." Sakura's lips twisted even further, now into a sneer.
Itachi found himself shaking, for the first time in a while, in fear. The air around the girl had suddenly turned sinister. Did he even know this girl? "What are you planning? What value do I hold to you?" He asked, leaning closer. "You make me unsure of my own path."
"You only need to walk down the path I pave for you. I value you to exponential lengths, Uchiha Itachi. I will not let anything happen to you. So just do as I say." Sakura's face cleared, and Itachi breathed a sigh of relief. He realized he wanted anything but to see his beloved teacher angered or with such a dark expression.
He also realized in that moment that he had been waiting, wanting, for anyone--any person--to tell him that. He realized that all he had ever wished for was for someone to tell him they would protect him, that he would be safe. That they would choose his choices for him, that they would tell him what to do. Perhaps it was a result of his childhood--or his lack of one.
