I don't know if it's the hair or the eyes or even the entire aura, but Sakura was looking at me, thinking that Sasuke was right in front of her. I took in a heavy breath and treaded closer towards the petite girl.
Her eyes were wide momentarily before they shrunk when she realized the stress marks and the long hair that differentiates me from Sasuke.
Her eyes...she's been crying...
"Hey there", I say as gently as possible as I kneel down on one knee so she doesn't feel menaced by my hovering body. Sakura simply stared back at me, her green colored eyes scrutinized every detail of my face.
"Do I remind you of Sasuke?", I gently ask, making sure to keep that soothing tone of voice. Sakura looks at me skeptically before nodding with her head.
"Would you still want me to teach you Genjutsu, Sakura?", I inquire politely.
Her lips part for a moment and I thought she was going to say something. But she simply nodded with her head again, making me breathe out an exasperated sigh.
Involuntarily, my expression saddens as I look back into those emerald eyes.
"I miss my brother", I truthfully say, making her tense up as she darts her gaze elsewhere, "do you miss him too?", I question, catching her attention and looking directly in her eyes.
Her eyes sparkle with affection, which earns a scoff from me. I smile a little widely and place a hand on the top of her head.
"I see", I remark, earning a momentarily gasp from her, "you like my brother", my expression softens again and my remark makes her blush.
She darts her gaze elsewhere and tips her head low.
"It's okay", I assure, making sure to keep the smile plastered, "Sasuke and Naruto are strong, they'll be alright".
"I'm sure Sasuke feels the same way...", I add.
At this remark, her head jerks up instantly only for her to be met with my genuine smile. Then, my eyes broaden when she finally uttered,
"R-really?", she croaked out in disbelief, which tugs at my heart.
From my peripheral vision, I see Shikaku tense at the fact that she'd just spoke.
"Sakura, dear, if you remember anything about last night's incident then please tell us, this could save Sasuke and Naruto's life", I look at her with furrowed brows as I hold my breath.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and hoped that she'd start talking soon.
There's no time to waste...anything could happen to them...
"Sakura please...", I plead, loosening a breath.
She looked a bit taken a back by my request, then her expression altered into a more determined one, before she began to divulge.
"We were off to spend sometime in one of the other training sites when Kabuto suddenly appeared", my eyes broaden and I whip my head over to Shikaku, whose expression mirrored mine. He quickly treaded over and remained silent, gesturing for her to continue.
"He wasn't wearing the usual Leaf headband", she said, which made my eyes flow back to Shikaku.
"A spy for another village", Shikaku read my mind.
We knew better than to ask her to describe the headband, instead, we motioned for her to resume the outcome of events.
"...at first, we didn't think much of it until he began attacking us. Sasuke was exhausted already as he and Naruto fought him off. I tried to use some of my Genjutsu on him, but my efforts were futile".
"He's a medical ninja", Shikaku interjected, directing his speech at me. My lips part for a moment as I digest what that meant.
"So that means he has perfect chakra control?", I say, to which Shikaku responds by simply nodding.
If we engage in battle, then my Genjutsu will be completely useless...
I let that sink in before gesturing for Sakura to continue.
"H-he wasn't the only one..."
My eyes widen at this and I turn back to Shikaku.
"How many were there?", Shikaku inquired, to which Sakura answered:
"There were four others, they surrounded us completely and left no opening. Sasuke and Naruto tried their best to fight them at the same time, but we were still outnumbered. I recall that one of them said something about saving Sasuke as a gift for Orochimaru...while holding Naruto as leverage against someone...".
My lips fall ajar and my heart sinks in my stomach. What could that possibly mean? Why will Naruto be held as leverage and why is Sasuke going to be a present for Orochimaru?
"Sakura", Shikaku interrupted again, his expression was serious, "what was the headband that Kabuto and these four people were wearing?".
Sakura's eyes drop for a moment, but I was quick to snatch a piece of paper and a pencil for her. I hold them up for her politely and ask, "could you possibly happen to know how to draw it for us?", I bite on my lips nervously as dangerous thoughts travel back and forth in my mind.
If I put the two and two together then I get one scary idea...and I do not want to think that way...
Sakura gladly takes the piece of paper and the pencil and began drawing on the table's surface. Shikaku and I watch intently, all the while giving each other curt glances from time to time.
I watch as Sakura scribbles down some lines carefully, all the while holding her breath as she tries to concentrate on her work.
I narrow my eyes down to slits as I take in the shape of the design she'd just scribbled. She then halts and puts the pencil aside, saying, "I'm sorry...I tried my best..."
But that's when my eyes widen as Shikaku and I look at each other knowingly.
"Hidden Sound...", we blurted out in unison.
Sakura simply stares at us in confusion, before Shikaku alters his expression instantly and tells her, "thank you for helping us, Sakura, now I'll have you escorted to your parents who are waiting-"
"Promise me"
It took me a moment to snap out of my train of thought and realize that she was directing her speech at me.
"Promise me you'll bring Naruto and Sasuke back", she almost pleads.
I attempt a forced smile and assured her.
"I will"
I stood up on my feet again only to fall back on one of the chairs as I desperately sighed. Shikaku had summoned one of the investigators and ordered him to escort Sakura to her parents. My hand reached to my temple as I processed all that I heard.
"Itachi..."
"I know..."
"The Hidden Sound...that's the village established by Orochimaru", he states, when we're all alone, "Is it possible that he plans to use Sasuke as a vessel? Then utilize his visual prowess to control the Nine-Tails?".
"No", I interject, then look up at Shikaku once again and sternly say, "Sasuke doesn't have that visual prowess to enable Orochimaru to do so..."
"I see...", he sighs, then questions, "Sakura mentioned something about using Naruto as leverage, what do you make of that?".
I rest my elbows on the table and brood hard before answering, "In her message, Hanabi mentioned something about-".
I halt instinctively as something seems to go off in my head. Shikaku was about to inquire something, before I jerked my head up in his direction. My expression took him by surprise as I demanded, "Danzo...", I got up from my seat rapidly, "who was Danzo going to meet at the Tenchi Bridge?!".
Shikaku simply stares at me for a moment as he stammered, "it took some time to undo the various seals and curses on the Root Anbu, but we got classified intel that he was associated with-"
Shikaku suddenly halts and the look on his face mirrors my knowing one.
"Itachi quick! To the meeting room!", Shikaku orders and I sprint after him as we walk fast on our feet.
I feel the two long strands that frame my face flow behind me as we rapidly barge into the meeting room like street gangsters.
"Not again", Koharu complains to Homura.
"Itachi?", father gasps.
"Sorry not sorry", I quickly say, before glancing around at everyone in the room and declaring, "we think we figured it out".
"What?"
"How?"
"Did the girl talk?", Inoichi inquires, to which Shikaku nods dismissively.
Father and everyone else, including the two geezers gave me all ears. I felt Shisui's eyes on me intently as I finally began divulging.
"Kabuto works as a spy for Orochimaru", I declared, earning gasps from everyone. I look over at Shikaku for approval and he gestured for me to resume. I nod back in response and swallow the lump in my throat.
"Danzo was meeting Orochimaru at the Tenchi Bridge".
"Huh?"
"It's as you heard", Shikaku interjected, "that's classified intel given to us by the Root Anbu".
"I-impossible...", father and the two geezers gasp.
"I thought he always wanted the Leaf's welfare", Choza remarked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What a hypocrite", Shisui scoffed in annoyance.
"Right", I cut them off then add, "Hanabi, which as of now is a member of the terrorist organization known as the Akatsuki battled him out on the Tenchi Bridge"
"And?", Homura arched a brow, but I disregarded him completely.
"Kabuto had said that he wants to use Naruto as leverage of some sort. And if we take into consideration the messages Hanabi dug into Shisui's skin then we end up with the piece of information that the Jinchuriki is valuable to the Akatsuki".
"Where's he getting with this?", Homura whispered to Koharu.
"Don't you get it yet?", I almost yell at the two geezers out of frustration, earning a glare from father. I am on my nerves already and they only add more.
Goodness are they even good for anything?
Reminding myself to take in a breath I ignore them and start again.
"In order to battle Danzo at the Tenchi Bridge, Hanabi had to take Orochimaru out of the picture. It only makes sense to assume that Orochimaru is within the Akatsuki's grasp, which is why Kabuto and four other of Orochimaru's underlings plan to use Naruto as ransom in exchange for Orochimaru", I explain in an annoyed voice as I calmed down my pacing heart.
"N-no way...", the two geezers exchange a glance between each other as I felt a pit in my stomach after I left this explanation hanging there.
"Th-that's definitely reasonable...", Inoichi trails off as he lets it sink in.
"So that's it then?", Choza sighs in despair.
"I can't believe it...", I heard Shisui mutter to himself.
"What about Sasuke?", father interjects through everyone's train of thought, "why did he take Sasuke with him as well?", father demands in a concerned voice.
I look back at the pain on his expression, before letting my shoulders sulk as I respond.
"My guess is that he wants to use Sasuke for experimental purposes..."
Father's eyes widen in shock and I felt my chest tighten at his pained expression.
"Oh Sasuke..."
"Fugaku calm down", Shikaku says, "I know how you feel, I'd have the same reaction if Shikamaru got kidnapped but you have to keep it together-"
Shikaku was cut off by Choza and Inoichi who placed their hands on either side of his shoulders.
"Shikaku, he can't keep it together, you know that'll be my reaction as well if I knew that Ino was in such danger", Inoichi sadly informs.
"He's right if something happened to my precious Choji I'd be in tears..."
Shikaku simply sighs and looks at my father apologetically.
"Father I promise you I'll get them back"
Father gives me a look then sighs, "I know..."
After a wave of silence had washed over us, Shikaku stepped up and declared, "alright, listen up everyone"
"The names of the ninjas who'll leave at nightfall will be given to the Hokage for final approval", Shikaku's eyes fall on mine as he says the next bit, "and I bet that we might even come back to the village with not just two, but three people", he gives me a smile that takes me by surprise, making my lips part.
"And what are you betting on exactly?", Koharu inquires, to which Shikaku's grin widens slightly as he says, "I'm betting that on a hunch".
My cheeks flushed red...
***
At The Main Gates of The Village...
I'd taken a new fit from the Police Force's locker room as Shikaku made sure to take care of the procedures with the Hokage.
About seven ninjas were to be dispatched on this top-secret S-Rank mission, including me.
We were currently present at the main gates of the village, where Kotetsu and Izumi were having a conversation with members of our dispatched squad.
Hana was hugging Shisui tightly on the far left as they muttered things to each other. I'm surprised that she was let in on this mission, but then again Shisui must've told her.
"I'm betting that on a hunch"
I haven't been able to get Shikaku's hopeful words out of my head all day long.
I crane my neck to the dark sky and wonder about Hanabi as I gaze up the crescent moon. With a single tear trailing down my cheek, I just hoped that I'd get to see Hanabi's blue one more time, when out of the corner of my eye I spot Hiruzen Sarutobi.
I instinctively whip my head in his direction as I witness the dispatch squad assemble at the gates at his presence.
"Lord Third?", I force the words out of my mouth.
He inhaled in a deep breath before saying some more hopeful words...
"I know I've failed you and Hanabi time and again, but I promise you that if this mission is successful, then I'll do my part in maintaining this peace".
I narrow my eyes at him skeptically and ball my fists, giving him one last distasteful side-eye I mutter, "I doubt it", before taking off to assemble with the dispatch squad.
____________________________________
A/N:- Brace yourselves for the Final Arc and the epic conclusion to this story. While I have to admit that it'll be hard since Kishimoto didn't do Itachi or Shisui any justice when it came to their power. If you think about it, we barely know anything about their powers, so that'll be challenging, but other than that it'll be fine✨✨
~A