Complications

Authors Note: This is where the reviews would go, but I can't do them right now. So I will just say thank you to those that continue to read and support me with this story.

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Chapter 3


“Are you certain that’s what happened?” Tsunade bit out as she narrowed her eyes at Kakashi and Sai. Sai looked away almost whistling as if he weren’t the one in trouble and Kakashi stood there beside the other ninja. “Naruto and Sakura are captured and Sasuke is here?” Tsunade pointed to the map that Sai had brought to her.

“Yes. I am pretty sure that is what I said,” Sai looked back at her his eyes showing something that took Tsunade back a little. He was worried and obviously worried about Naruto and Sakura. They were on his team after all…He’s opened up a whole lot more then I would give him credit for. Usually he would have said it wasn’t his business. Sai looked at her and then back at Kakashi who continued to stare with his lazy eye on Tsunade intently.

“We obviously need to get them back. Sakura and Naruto are valuable to our ninja and as members of Konoha. We can’t leave them to Akatsuki at all without a good try at getting them back. Kakashi, you and Sai round up Shikamaru, Lee, Neiji, and Sasuke…Tell Sasuke that this is partially his redemption back into Konoha and that he better help or else I’ll find him myself and take him down.”

Kakashi looked to Sai who nodded and both left the room. When they left the blood drained from Tsunade’s face as she sat in her desk. She didn’t trust herself to stand at the moment. “Naruto….” She whispered. That poor kid was going to go through so much and he had all ready been through so much. It wasn’t fair to him. “Oh Naruto…” She breathed. Sakura would be okay…She was strong, but if akatsuki got to Naruto…Would he ever be the same?

Finally Sakura had woken up in a dark prison. She had a bed and her wounds had been taken care of as she had slept. Her clothes were rags now and her body was sore all over, but for the most part she was fine. The silence was dangerous to her though. Sakura would have rather heard screaming or even some type of walking from guards or even crying. The silence unnerved her as she sat there on the bed her eyes on the barred window. There wasn’t much she could do there…If she did something they could have hurt Naruto.

“Naruto.” The words slipped through her lips as she sighed biting on her bottom lip. This is all my fault… If Sakura had stayed put like Sai had told her to, then they wouldn’t have been in the mess that they were in. The door to the room opened and a blue haired woman moved into the room, her face was stoic and she wore the akatsuki cloak.

“I brought you a change of clothes.” Konan informed the young woman as she moved towards the bed and she laid out the clothing for her. It was a kimono that was black and pink, but it was shorter than normal kimonos looking like it would come maybe down to her mid thighs. Sakura stared at Konan and then back down at the kimono, “You will put it on after you have had a bath…Your other clothes and forehead protector for Konoha will be disposed of.”

Sakura’s hand flew to her forehead protector. Konan just watched her movements will dull eyes. A smirk spread over the blue haired girls lips, “Honestly…Did you think they would let you stay a ninja when you were captured? You are the property of akatsuki now.” Sakura narrowed her eyes at the other woman as she stood up her clothing tattered and barely concealing her growing body.

“Do you think I’ll honestly let you order me around you bitch? Why should I listen to anything you say?!” Sakura practically snarled as she moved into a fighting stance. Konan rolled her eyes and then stood there her hands hidden by the sleeves of the akatsuki cloak. Sakura moved forward her face mere inches from Konan’s, “You can’t make me do anything.”

Konan raised her hand and with a swift movement sent it across Sakura’s cheek causing the girl to stagger back her hand coming up to her cheek. It had been a solid hit that would probably leave a bruise later. “How dare you presume that you are shinobi material? You lost your rank of shinobi when you were captured by Kisame and Itachi. You should learn your place like Naruto-kun has.”

At the mention of Naruto, Sakura stared hard at the woman. Konan stared back at her as she smirked, “Oh that’s right. You don’t know do you? Naruto is going to be inducted into akatsuki soon. If he doesn’t you will be killed…That is why you are no longer a shinobi. Do you think you should have such a title when all your good for is sitting in this room?”

Sakura felt her head spinning. Naruto joined akatsuki for my sake…Oh no… Konan watched the girl as she motioned to the adjoining bathroom, “Hurry up and strip and get dressed in the kimono…Sakura…You have no free will.” With that Sakura’s shoulders lowered as she started to take off the tattered pieces of her uniform.

After a hot shower and also redressing her wounds Sakura moved out her towel around her as she grabbed the kimono. Startled she felt the material and looked to Konan who just shrugged, “Pein told me to get you a uniform ….something that would suit your body. You won’t always be locked up …I’m going to put a seal on you that will kill you if you leave the compound. Naruto will need you to tend to him…If our information is right you will be healing all the members if they need it.”

Looking at the back of the kimono there was the akatsuki cloud in pink. Looking back to Konan she dropped the towel and quietly dressed into the akatsuki uniform. Konan motioned to the table and then ordered, “All right …I’m in charge of you while you’re here…anything you do wrong will come back on my head. If it does you can be more than sure that I will come down on you. Do you understand?” Sakura grabbed the brush that Konan had been motioning at as she combed through her hair listening to the blue haired akatsuki member.

Naruto sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror. The black and red he wore didn’t suit him at all. While he was tan he now looked pale with all the black…The orange had done the job to balance out the colors and to make him look healthy, but with this akatsuki uniform he just looked…Dead. “Why me?” Kyuubi stirred inside him and just laid down in his mind. The nine tailed fox had been acting weird since the day before. The sharingan had disturbed him. Kyuubi what was that all about? Of course if he that he would get an answer Kyuubi was keeping his mouth shut.

“I can’t believe I am in akatsuki.” Naruto breathed as he talked to himself looking at his reflection. The uniform he wore was in direct conflict for everything he stood for and everything he wanted to be. How could Konoha forgive him for letting him get himself and the others into this mess? Just then Sasuke came to his mind as he sighed and then touched his cheek thinking of the bloody mess he had left at the inn just a day before. Did all this really take place in a day? It was hard for Naruto to believe it had.

The red cloud on the front of his uniform was embroidered and looked so much brighter than it actually was. Naruto frowned, “I don’t like these colors…” You don’t like the colors because they are the colors of your soul, kit… Kyuubi’s voice rang out in his mind as the fox demon lazed about. Naruto could almost see those nine tails flicking around boredly. “That’s not true.” Naruto argued. Kyuubi just laughed in his head, ”You do realize that Tobi…as he is called has the same eyes…as him.” Kyuubi in his own way knew what was going on…Naruto grimaced. The fox had always been smarter than him.

“If you know the situation better than I do…explain it to me.” Naruto found himself conversing with the demon. ”do you really think that they would let you live if there wasn’t someone that could control you by controlling me around in akatsuki? Naruto frowned. “You don’t mean…” There was a small tired growl, Yes. The one named Tobi…You were doomed the moment we set foot within these walls kit. Say goodbye to our free will.” with that the nine tailed beast finally went silent. Naruto tensed up as he heard the door open.

“Naruto today you are going to be initiated into akatsuki.” Itachi stood in the doorway of his room as Naruto moved out of the bathroom an eyebrow raised. Itachi just shrugged and turned as he moved out of the room motioning for Naruto to follow. Naruto put on his sandals and followed his akatsuki uniform partially open as he opted to button it up as they walked.

“Did you have to go through an initiation ceremony or is this something special for me?” Naruto wondered out loud as Itachi ignored him and they walked down a series of paths. “It takes so long to get anywhere in here…” complained Naruto as they continued to walk. If Itachi wasn’t going to respond he would keep chattering to himself. His nerves were honestly shot at this point.

Pein and Tobi were the only others in the room. On a podium was a small box that was all black. Konan moved in and at her side and far out of the way was Sakura. Naruto turned and moved quickly towards the other side, “Sakura!” His cheeks flushed as she looked at the ground guiltily and Konan put a hand on her shoulder her eyes warning him not to approach. Looking to Pein he heard a light chuckle coming from the man. “Please don’t hurt her.”

“Hurt her? She is a valuable healer Naruto…We won’t hurt her unless you fail to perform as ordered.” Pein told the young ninja as he stood there in the akatsuki uniform. “You are an akatsuki member in all but attitude. Your clothes and even the company you keep right now are there because of this group…Now you have to have the spirit to join it.” Tobi fidgeted as Zetsu appeared beside him slapping him lightly on the shoulder to get him to pay more attention. Tobi just rubbed his shoulder in mock agitation as he continued to watch between Naruto and Pein. “All that is left is for your blood initiation.”

“Blood initiation?” Naruto asked confused. Were they going to make him bleed he didn’t know what was going to happen by Kyuubi had perked up within his mind. He could feel the demon searching for a way to break out…If anything bloodshed was one of Kyuubi’s favorite words. “What do you mean? Why do I have to take your stupid initiation? I don’t even want to be in Akatsuki!” Pein just watched Naruto as the boy had a small fit in the middle of the room.

“It’s to test your loyalty to us and also the strength of your bond with Sakura.” Pein answered as he looked to Tobi who was intently watching the blond haired boy. Coughing a little he just waited in silence until a whine was heard and then Kisame walked in with a young child. Tossing the boy into the center and across from Naruto, Kisame took his place at Itachi’s side. Sakura’s head shot up and Naruto looked at Pein his eyes wide. Pein never looked at the boy…Not once as he ordered in a monotone bass, “Kill the boy.”

“Are you crazy?!” Naruto yelled as he looked to the little boy. He couldn’t have been older than ten or eleven at the most. He had large blue eyes and shaggy brown hair. His clothes were ragged and from what Naruto could tell he looked malnourished. Even Itachi’s eyes narrowed as he looked towards Tobi who seemed to be watching Naruto intently. Naruto threw his hands up and then pointed to the boy, “How is killing this boy going to test my loyalty to you?! You all ready have it since Sakura is here. Please don’t take a life unnecessarily!”

Pein looked to Konan who sighed and looked away. None of them were okay with this…Only Tobi seemed to be watching intently. Kisame gritted his teeth as Tobi stood up and walked forward. Zetsu seemed to eye the kid warily as Tobi moved up to Naruto’s side. “Naruto-kun…You heard leader-san….You have to kill the boy.” Sakura’s hands lifted up to cover her mouth as her eyes started to water.

Naruto’s shoulders trembled as he shut his eyes tightly. “I won’t!” A ripple of power went through his body as Tobi touched his arm. Looking at the man he opened his mouth to protest, but yet again that sharingan eye stared out at him…His body trembled as Tobi handed him a kunai. Naruto shook his head and tried to give it back, but something about the way Tobi looked at him from behind his back…and the power that Kyuubi managed to have over his own body was making him sick. Crying out in surprise Naruto took a step forward. ”Didn’t I tell you Kit…That this was the end of our free will once he found you again?” Kyuubi answered him sounding labored as Naruto felt his own body force him to take another step forward. “Kyuubi…Please don’t make me do this!” There was no more communication.

Itachi felt something inside him pinch as he watched the look on Naruto’s face…It was fear. Something he had never once seen on the boys face. Sure there had been disappointment and sadness but never a fear like this. The little boy on the ground scrambled up running until the rock was at his back. There was a pulse of power as Naruto screamed and then there was silence…

Naruto had fallen to his knees and behind him were the silhouette of at least three tails. “….” Naruto slowly stood up as he moved forward the chakra around them thrumming in the air. Sakura watched as Naruto stood up. No…This wasn’t Naruto it was Kyuubi. “Kill him now.” A deeper voice than all the people, except for Pein and Konan, that no one had heard came from Tobi. “Do it now…Naruto.”

Naruto moved forward without hesitation as he raised the kunai and all Sakura could do was watch in horror as the little boy was sliced to ribbons with the weapon she herself had wielded at one time. The little boy had screamed at first…But then …There was nothing but a pile of limbs on the ground where a boy had once stood. Sakura felt herself getting sick and even Konan had turned her face from the carnage with a grimace. Pein waited a few seconds as he shuddered and regained his own composure.

Quietly Naruto licked at the blood on the kunai before it dropped to the floor and the ring seemed to reverberate and his eyes went from being a red to their usual blue. Crying out Naruto backed up from the mess as the little boys head stared up at him with lifelessness from the pile of limbs. “Oh my God!” He scooted back his hands coming up as he saw the blood on them he looked at Tobi and then at the others. No one was looking at him except for Tobi…

“I didn’t…” Naruto protested as his eyes filled up with tears. “I didn’t mean ….” His voice choked as hot tears spilled down his cheeks. Tobi stood there satisfied and the others stood there unnerved…Kyuubi was Tobi’s …No he was Madara’s…Anyone that knew that. Looking to Sakura …Naruto saw her look of fear as she stared at him. “Sakura…I….” She looked away and that broke his heart.

Snapping out of what he just saw, Pein spoke in a clear voice, “Someone clean up this mess…Konan…Take Sakura back to her room.” Konan gratefully went about her task guiding the stunned kunoichi from the room. Zetsu quietly watched everyone as Pein grabbed the box and moved forward kneeling in front of the crying male. “Welcome to Akatsuki.” Leaving the box in front of Naruto, Pein walked stiffly out followed by Kisame.

Tobi picked up the box and whistled as he opened it. “Oh! They gave you Hokuto…Which is the big dipper. That means you are taking Kakuzu’s ring!” Slipping the ring onto one of Naruto’s bloody fingers Tobi stood up and then hugged the other, “I’m proud of you as your partner Naruto-kun! We will have so much fun together.” The way Tobi spoke to him sent a shiver down Naruto’s spine. With that even Tobi disappeared leaving Naruto alone with Itachi.

Naruto looked at the ring on his finger as the tears welled up and Itachi stood behind him. “Naruto…” Naruto snapped his head around to look at Itachi…He opened his lips and all that came out was a sob. Itachi winced…It was Tobi’s fault …and his fault that Naruto was a mess at the moment. If he hadn’t of brought the other here …None of this would have happened. Things have not been going according to plan. This is troublesome. Helping Naruto up, Itachi moved with the other back towards Naruto’s room.

Once they were there Itachi quietly helped the young adult out of his akatsuki cloak as he moved with a cloth into the bathroom and back out as he cleaned off Naruto’s cheeks and hands the best he could. The blond would have to take a shower later when he was feeling up to it. Never once had anyone in akatsuki killed a child even for a gain of a mission. It just wasn’t something that was done. “I…I didn’t want to…” Naruto repeated over and over…Itachi just looked at the boy. “Please Itachi…believe me!”

Itachi calculated what was going on right now within akatsuki. Sasuke would be the wild card along with Sakura if she could even stand to be in Naruto’s presence right now. At this point if someone doesn’t protect Naruto…Tobi will break him. Itachi looked to Naruto and reached out. Naruto flinched thinking he was about to be struck with a strong firm hand rested upon his head.

“I know…” Was all Itachi had to say to let the trust form between him and the young man. That was all Naruto needed and in a flash the blond haired ninja had buried himself into Itachi’s arms. The sobs Naruto made were muffled by the same cloak that he hated so much, and by a man that his friend hated so much. Itachi just stared at the wall as he continued to listen to the soft muffled cries.

Sasuke winced as he heard the door open to his room and in came Kakashi followed by Sai and Neiji…Shikamaru, Gai and Lee and opted to let them go in because Neiji was fuming and had been insisted on being the one to go in and talk with Sasuke. Sasuke raised an eyebrow as Neiji moved forward his hand swinging back as he delivered a punch to Sasuke’s jaw connected as Sasuke’s head hit the headboard of the bed. “You asshole!”

“Now Neiji…We have come to give Sasuke a mission.” Kakashi warned the boy as Sai restrained Neiji who calmed immediately regaining his composure. Kakashi perched himself on the edge of the bed. “Now according to what we know…We know that Naruto and you saw each other and that he might have helped you against Itachi and Kisame. Tsunade said to give you a choice…Help us retrieve Naruto and you will be allowed back into the village, if you do not then she and the Anbu soldiers will come after you.” Sasuke listened as he sat there in bed. Naruto…Are you okay?

“Come on. He’s not going to help us…All he cares about is his damn revenge!” Neiji spat as he turned to leave the room causing Sasuke to snap out of his thoughts as he sat up putting his feet on the floor. Stepping towards Neiji he touched his shoulder and before Neiji could fight back Sasuke gave him a square punch in the jaw as he stepped back and Neiji rubbed at his jaw for a moment. Kakashi felt himself coil up when Sasuke turn back to him.

“Naruto…Is important to me. He defended me and if I would have listened sooner…He wouldn’t have had to endure anything like this…It’s my fault and I’ll take full responsibility.” Sai raised an eyebrow as he listened to Sasuke tell this to Kakashi…Is this the same guy? People changed and Sasuke had definitely changed for the better. Kakashi nodded and then pulled off a pack he had carried on his back as he pushed it to Sasuke.

“Thank goodness you said yes. Things would have been quite a bit harder had you said no. We will bring Naruto back no matter what it takes…” Kakashi affirmed. “We will be waiting outside the inn…I thought bringing you some clothing would be appropriate.” Leading the two outside to wait for Sasuke, Sasuke was alone to be able to look at the clothing. Surprisingly enough, the clothing they had brought for him was a black shirt with long collar, a pair of black shorts, sandals, and a new Konoha forehead protector. I’ve realized…That Naruto was right. I owe him so much…

A few minutes went by as the others waited outside for Sasuke. Lee of course was the first to perk up as he noticed Sasuke come around the back of the building. “Sasuke-kun!” The others turned to inspect him…He had grown a lot, but he was back…At least for now…The Sasuke they all had known in Konoha stood before them his hands by his side as he fidgeted in the shorts as he finally got comfortable with the material, “Well what are you waiting for? Let’s go save Naruto and Sakura.”
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Authors Notes: To those of you that waited for a long time for chapter 3. Thank you for doing so. I got on a Katekyo Hitman Reborn kick and ended up writing a one shot to take a small break from this story. I'll try to update once a week from now on with this story.

Thank you for the reviews and if I wasn't having to work on a British Lit paper I would totally respond to each and every one of them. But, alas being sick, working on school work and work have stopped me from responding too much. Keep the reviews coming and let me know what you think!