Image of Freedom

Relinquish

Kakashi stayed silent while Sasuke stares quietly at his former female teammate. "Savor each moment spent with everything you will leave behind."

 Sasuke broke out of his reverie "What are you saying?" 

Kakashi looked at Sakura. " When the time comes you want to comeback for it.." Kakashi eyed Sasuke seriously. " They might not be at the same place you left it."

Sasuke's eyes flickered. "If it isn't there, then it wasn't mine in the first place." 

Kakashi sighed "Looks like nothing will change his mind, might as well give him time to spend with her." Kakashi stood up. 

"Hey I thought we're going to talk." 

Dusting his pants  the copy nin replied. "You already gave me your answer Sasuke." Kakashi stretching his arms "Stay here, I'll go find Sai. I want to make sure he disposed of Orochimaru's body properly." 

Sasuke harumphed "Why do I have to baby sit?" 

Kakashi eyed him jokingly "Because this could be the last." With that said he was gone in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke was once again left to stare at the girl beside him. He would never admit it out loud but Sakura has changed a lot and in his opinion for the better. She kept her hair at shoulder length, maybe to avoid distractions while training. Despite the length her pink hair made her more feminine than any other woman he met. As the moonlight touched her skin, he realized that she contained a glow different from any other. 

He stretched his arms and reached out to touch her cheek. "Soft and fragile.." was what he thought. The sensation on his skin gave him an urge to come closer. To resist the temptation, he withdrew his hand.

"There is no way in hell we'll let you near her again if you leave." From afar another blacked haired boy spoke. 

"You gave her so much pain it would be best if you keep away." Sasuke eyed the speaker underneath the tree's shadow. 

"And who asked for your opinion?" The other just smiled. 

" Well if you're going to leave her, you might as well stand up for it."

"What are you driving at?" Sasuke was beginning to get irritated. 

"Don't come running back to her when you finish your vengeance spree. Even if you do kill your brother, there won't be anything left for you after that. You might consider coming back to Konoha since I heard the Hokage will not penalize you if you behave while you're away." Sai finished.

"You think that I am that weak person to beg for leftovers?" Sasuke snorted. "You don't know me." 

Sai stepped out of the shadows. "Maybe I don't, but I know the feeling of living just to kill." Sai eyed Sakura's sleeping form. " Then I realized that kind of life was not worth living at all. You know I must thank you..." 

Sasuke's eyebrows twitched. "Because if you didn't leave, I won't be able to meet them. I won't be happy right now. I guess someone's sorrow is another's happiness."

"You talk too much pray tell." Sasuke glared. 

" You can do whatever you want Uchiha. Just don't bother her anytime in the future. And I'll even do you a favor." Sai continued to smile. 

"What favor would that be smiley?" Sai placed a hand on his chest, where his heart is. " I'll make her forget about you."

Those words shocked Sasuke to the very core of his being. " Make her forget about me?" He managed to keep his straight face above his disturbed mind. " How do you plan to do that?" Sasuke challenged. 

"I don't know yet, however I will find a way. If that day comes can you promise me something?" Sasuke crossed his arms. 

"I don't do business with crazy people." Sai's face displayed wonder. 

"You considered Orochimaru sane? Your definitions are strange Uchiha. What did Sakura see in you?" 

Sasuke stood from his seat. " I needed the power and now it is in me. That's all that matters." 

Sai sighed somewhat in relief. "What was that for?" the irritated Uchiha asked. 

"You said the power is all that matters. As for me, I have this alien feeling in me saying that my new team matters a lot. However, Sakura matters the most. Since power is your sole priority, I'm relieved to know we won't have conflicting interest in the future." Sai was getting on Sasuke's nerves. 

"What favor do you want from me? The future thing you were blabbing about?" 

Sai's eyes glistened in the moonlight. "Once you kill your brother, if you decide to come back to Konoha. Please don't fall in love with Sakura."

"You're crazy, what makes you think I'll fall in love with her?" the Uchiha retorted. 

" I just want to make sure. A lot of guys especially shinobi's from Konoha and other places will go after her. But she doesn't seem interested in them. You are the only threat Uchiha, maybe because you're her first love and a friend just the same."

"I won't fall in love with her you have my word on that." Upon saying those words he began to feel a sting of pain within himself. "Is that all what you want?" Sasuke inquired. 

"A shinobi never backs out on his word Uchiha. Thank you, if you want to be friends with her I don't mind. You already know your limits."

What was wrong with this guy? He seems begging him to stay way from Sakura. But he has no intentions of staying or keeping any ties. Sakura would just be in a way, a weakness he might not be able to protect. Maybe she would be better of with Sai. At least he seems really interested in her. "You should savor each moment that you spend.." Came echoing in the back of his head. "with everything you will leave behind." 

Sasuke sighed, how come he has this strange feeling of defeat within him? " Just make sure you'll take good care of her smiley. She's a cry baby so make sure she won't cry because of you or else.." There was threat in his words. 

"Or else what Uchiha?" Sasuke gave one of his signature smirks. " I will personally, come back for you, a liter of your blood for every tear that will drop from her eyes."

Sai extended his hand to Sasuke. "It's just fair, so we have a deal then?" Sasuke was taken aback by the gesture. Sai was really serious about this favor as he calls it. There was no sense in turning back now. A shinobi never goes back on his word. Sasuke reluctantly raised his hand and shaked hands with Sai. 

The pact was finished, the contract has been agreed. Sai's face glowed with genuine smile and eyes full of light. Both men released their hands from the handshake. Sai walked past Sasuke to check on the slumbering Sakura. Sasuke remained still in his position eyebrows twitching and body shaking. An instance flashed through his head. " When the time comes you want to comeback for it.." His chest seems to be getting suffocated by now. " They might not be at the same place you left it." 

He began to feel a certain sadness once more. A feeling so familiar to him, it was just like the day he left Konoha. The day he rejected her love, which he believed, was infatuation. However something inside him is nagging his conscience. He looked at Sai, the smiling boy has laid Sakura's head on his lap. His hands were gently stroking her hair. He felt lost. 

"I have sold myself to the devil again..." was all he could mutter in the darkness.