By My Side

𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖄𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝕱𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖘 𝕭𝖊𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖄𝖔𝖚

Chapter 14 :
Master Your Fears Before They Master You

SAKURA HARUNO was standing at the large gates of Konoha, waiting for the arrival of her teammates. Today was the day, Naruto and Sai was supposed to go back to Konoha.

Considering, their mission was supposed to be two weeks long. She has been sitting on the swing Naruto always sit, her attention was on the gates. Hoping anytime now, her would teammates arrive.

Thirty minutes turn to three hours, then six hours. She didn't realize it was already seven in the evening. She had been waiting for nine full hours.

Sakura sigh and decided to go home, she was mindlessly walking through the crowded street of Konoha, minding her own business - when she bump onto her Sensei, Kakashi. Who also wearing a distress expression, Kakashi was probably also worried for Naruto and Sai.

"Kakashi Sensei ... Where are you going?."

"I'm on my way to the Hokage's office ..." Kakashi muttered and started to walk away, Sakura silently watch Kakashi walk away, contemplating if she should follow him or no. In the end, she decided to secretly follow Kakashi.

When both of them arrive at the Hokage's Office, Kakashi knocked before opening the door. There they saw was the Fifth Hokage, chugging down a bottle pf sake. "Ah! When I thought that work is finally over!." Tsunade sluggishly exclaimed.

Before Kakashi could even greet her, the window suddenly move and a white short snake entered. It obviously alarmed the three, Tsunade suddenly sober and smashed the small slimy creature.

When Tsunade raised her hands, it was fully covered by dark ink. That's when she realize that the snake was not from Orochimaru.

"Sai ..."

Somewhere in the woods, was a small abandoned house, there where Sai being being held captive. The said skinned artist was tied up on the floor, blindfolded and a cloth wrapped around his mouth making him unable to scream for help.

"Where did you find him?."

"Near the borderline of Sunagakure, Master."

Because of the loud muffled voices, Sai's slowly regain consciousness. Feeling a little dizzy, he tried moving his legs but only to find out he was tied up.

"Why didn't you just kill him right away? He's no one important." The other voice said, "But Master, the mark on his tongue ..."

“Mark on my tongue?.”

Sai heard some footsteps getting louder, meaning someone is nearing. He felt someone touch his chin. "I know you're awake. I need to see you're tongue." A voice ordered. Sai tried struggling against the man's hands, only the gripped on his face to tighten.

"Just stick it out and I won't hurt you."

Grudgingly, Sai obeyed and slowly stick his tongue out. It was completely silence, his kidnapper didn't do anything.

The man gently removed his hands on Sai's face, and also remove the blindfold. The action instantly confused Sai, "Why didn't tell that you were one of them?." The voice asked.

Sai blinked rapidly, trying to enhance his eyesight, everything was blurred due to his blindfold being tied too tightly.

Slowly, his vision is starting to focus, his black obsidian eyes slowly examining his kidnapper' faces. He assumed that the more decent looking guy was Master and the Roll-on guy was the one who took him.

Master has a long wavy brown hair that reach his sides, Sai also noticed it was undercut. His eyes reminded him of his kunoichi teammate as they had the same color of eyes. Master was wearing a dark-colored cloak that cover his inner clothes, he was taller than the Roll-on guy.

Meanwhile, Roll-on guy was a tall bald man, with a long beard and a scar on his left eye, inshort he looks scary for Sai.

"Had a good sleep, boy?." Roll-on guy asked, with a lopsided smirk on his lips.

"Your ankle is still injured, but don't worry we already did something about that." Master said and back away from Sai, that's when Sai remembered the reason why he got kidnapped so easily, he was injured.

Since Sai had suddenly zone out, he didn't hear the other's questions if he knows a man named Danzo Shimura.

Roll-on guy's patience is starting to low, he then thrusted a small but long knife on Sai's thigh. He smile in satisfaction when he saw blood continuously spurt out.

Master made no effort on stopping him, as he watched curiously the reaction on Sai's face. "Is he really one of them?." Master thought.

Sai's leg throbbed and burned so much from the knife wound that it made him dizzy, his mind spinning as shame flashed his cheeks as red as cherries. How could he have been hit so easily?

"Still not answering?." The bald man hissed and buried the knife deeper on the artist' flesh, making Sai groan in pain.

"This is the one exact reason why I hate Ninjas ... They're very rude." The bald man grumbled.

Slowly, Sai started to smirk, he was going to die anyway, might as well have fun with it while he could. "Aren't you a Ninja yourself?." Sai asked, his infamous smile was present on his pale lips.

"I'm a fucking Samurai kid, get it right." He said and land a punch on Sai's face, more specifically on his nose. Sai could've swore he felt something cracking inside his nose, his eyes then started to water. The punch didn't really hurt, it's nothing compared to his ankle and thighs.

“What will happen to me now, now that my leg is maimed and useless?. This is the end, isn't it?.”

"Master, what'd we do to him while waiting for Danzo?" Roll-on guy said,

"Do whatever you want." Master said and walked away, before he could exit the room. He stopped and slightly turn his face, "Don't kill him yet. If Danzo say he's useless, then you can do whatever you want ... But, for now have your fun." He announced and closed the door with a quiet thud.

"Ya hear that boy? We'll be having so much fun!." He exclaimed and took a big scissors, a sinister smile plastered on his lips. He looked down at Sai with his eyes glistening in excitement.

“Atleast I'll finally be with you, brother.” Sai thought before he passed out because of too much blood lost.

“You're still so weak, aren't you?.” Sai snapped his eyes open, suddenly having a energy to be conscious.

“That voice! It can't be ... You're already dead.”

"Shin?!."