Something Quite Exceptional (ItaSaku)

chapter four

Sakura's P.O.V

We met at the Uchiha head household early the next morning, per Mikoto's request. The only thing I hated about missions was getting up at an ungodly hour. Today, I had to be at their house by '3am' just so I had time to eat then leave by '4am'. So here we were at '3:30' eating a delicious meal prepared by the Uchiha matriarch. When, I arrived I commanded she return to bed, it was a big meal and she had to have started at least an hour before hand. With a yawn and a hug, she scurried down the hall to join her husband in bed.

We ate in relative silence, I could tell by looking at Itachi he wasn't much of a morning person. Boy, did I understand that on a deep level. Shisui however, smiled and hummed as he ate. How in Kami's name can anyone be so chipper at this hour? We prepared to leave and I was double checking my ANBU uniform to see that it was in order. This was my first and possibly last time wearing it so may as well look sharp. My short arms prevented me from latching the strap on the front plate to the back plate. Itachi silently approached and latched it for me. After placing our masks we left, Shisui leading our shadowy retreat from our village.

On our way to the palace there were no issues. We handed the daimio his secret document and he returned to us with a correspondence an hour later. This seemed to be a pretty clear cut mission and it didn't seem as though we'd enccounter any problems. Of course that sort of thinking is what landed us in the current situation. Surrounded by rouge shinobi and with dwindling chakra. The ribs on my right side cracked and sore. Blood soaking my shirt, from where the kunai struck my stomach. Shisui was panting and his shoulder had a gabbing mouth caused by a blade. How they were able to get close enough to 'Shunsin no Shisui' was beyond me. His mastery of the body flicker technique made him damn near untouchable, but not today. Itachi was badly injuried as well and I was seperated from them as a means to keep them from being healed.

This was terrible, how was I going to get to either of them? Frustration began to set in as Shisui fell over due to blood loss. With a flick of my wrists I wove a series of hand signs and when I placed my palms on the ground my own jaw hit the floor. It was a complete accident and not at all what I was intending to do. A combination of my two chakra natures, water and earth should have produced the quick sand I'd been conjuring but instead something completely different happened. As I pulled my hands from the dirt Itachi spoke, "I didn't know you could do that?" I looked up at the man now next to me, "Neither did I.." As I continued to look on in surprise Shisui moaned. Quickly Itachi and I ran to him, I began pumping healing chakra into my hand but it wasn't enough. Without hesitation I would have used the Byakugou but Itachi stopped me. "It shortens the life span and you'll pass out, we need you. We're already half dead."

I had no more time to think as I stood and slung Shisui over Itachi's shoulder. "Itachi place them under a genjutsu for a moment." He did as instructed even though his chakra was depleted drastically. "They know the way back to Konoha, they'll be expecting us to go Northeast. So masking your chakra I want you to go Southeast then North from there. I'll keep them distracted, find cover as soon as possible and cauterize his wound. I'll see you at home I promise. Besides they'll be more apt to follow me because of what I just did." He looked down on me with the red stained Sharingan, "Sakura, Shisui and I made a vow." Softly I touched his cheek, "Some promises have to be broken for the good of the mission. But I won't break my promise to you. Our focus is to get that scroll to Konoha." He took a minute to think until we heard the sound of cracking. He nodded and made off in a different direction.

Itachi's P.O.V

There were no sounds behind Shisui and I. Taking the opportunity, I took shelter in a tree opening. I had no choice but to seal the gapping slice in his shoulder. Realigning the severed tissue, I held it together tight and cleaned the dry blood away in order to clearly see the gash. Using Katon, on a smaller, more controlled level, I was able to sear the wound shut. Thank Kami he was out cold or this would have hurt like hell.