Zetsu's Uncannibalized Daughter

Chapter 10: Kubikiribocho

Juzo panted and opened his mouth to speak. "I've been...poisoned...in the last...fight. That's why they...didn't pursue our...escape. Don't take me back. The poison...will spread...from my corpse. There's no...saving me." Juzo gave Itachi a bloody smile as he looked up at him with lifeless eyes. "The...Kubikiribocho...has always been my...partner." Juzo's weak shaking hand lifted the weapon towards Itachi. "Give it to th..at snot-nosed...brat. Go." Subtle pain colored Itachi's eyes as he took the weapon and started walking away from Juzo. "Tell her...I'm sorry. I...won't be arriving for...dinner..." With that Itachi ran away from Juzo's lifeless corpse. His emotionless face contradicted what he was feeling. His grip tightened on the weapon until his fist turned white. He took a peek back at Juzo and found a faint smile on his lifeless face.

Itachi trudged his way towards the entrance of the new base. Dragging the carefully wrapped kubikiribocho by his feet.

"Ada!"

Sakura's gleeful voice echoed in the room. "Oh you're back." Konan greeted as she carried Sakura in her arm with a warm bottle of milk at hand.

"Go report to Pein with Juzo as soon as you're ready."

Itachi didn't move an inch not did he make a sound, making Konan look his way. Konan dropped the bottle at the sight of Itachi's bloody figure. Eyes wide as she stared at the sword in his hand.

"Where's Juzo?"

Itachi simply remained silent with exhausted eyes and slowly made his way towards Pein's office.

Three knocks reverberated across the office and a quiet "come in" was heard. Pein looked up from his paperworks and was greeted by a very fatigued figure.

"Report."

Itachi settled the sword on Pein's table as gently as he could. "Juzo was taken by Konoha. We escaped but he was poisoned in the last fight. He refused to be taken back as the poison can spread from the corpse. He instructed to give kubikiribocho to Sakura."

"Give the sword to Sakura."

Pein glanced at Itachi's solemn figure. The heaviness of Itachi's feelings was somewhat suffocating.

"You weren't with him for long, how come you're affected this much?"

"I was incompetent." A monotonous answer was all that was given. Losing a member from simple relocation weighed heavily on Itachi's shoulders.

With that, following Pein's order, Itachi grabbed the sword and made his way to where Sakura is after a respectful bow to Pein.

"Gabbuh!" Sakura's joyful voice resonated in the hallway from Zetsu's room. The door opened before Itachi can knock, revealing Zetsu with Sakura in his arms.

"Abadaba!"

Sakura reached out to Itachi to be carried. He complied while handing Zetsu the sword in exchange.

"Juzo instructed me to give that to Sakura."

"Tell him to take it back. Even this sword's handle is larger than Sakura, what do you mean give it to her?"

Sakura simply stayed quiet trying to reach for the sword from Itachi's arms.

"He passed away and wanted Sakura to have his sword."

"Ada."

As if understanding the conversation, Sakura's voice turned gentle as she wrapped her arms around Itachi's neck, leaning in for a hug. Itachi's eyes softened which did not come unnoticed for Zetsu.

"I'll hold on to this for now. Why not take care Sakura for the night?"

Zetsu shut the door before Itachi could answer. He stood there, staring at the closed door for a moment before turning to return to his room. He settled Sakura on his bed before turning to the bathroom.

"Stay."

Sakura stared at Itachi's back as he entered the bathroom and locked the door behind him. A few minutes passed before the bathroom door opened, revealing a somewhat refreshed Itachi.

There was only silence until Saura's tummy grumbled. Itachi made his way to his table and opened a cabinet, revealing a baby bottle and milk.

"Adduh!"

Itachi carried Sakura in his arms and fed her. All was well until Sakura held Itachi's cheek with one hand as she fed. Itachi bit his lip and furrowed his eyebrows.

"It could've easily been prevented."

"Gabuh."

"I shouldn't have left him"

"Ada."

"Why am I even talking to you?"

"Guh!"

With a triumphant look, Sakura crawled out of Itachi's lap and lied down on his pillow, preparing to sleep. She hit the space beside her twice as if telling Itachi to get some rest to with he obliged.

"Sometimes you seem too smart for a baby." With a quiet mumble, Itachi lied beside Sakura and soon drifted to sleep.

Morning soon came and a loud crash rang through the hallway. As if out of reflex, Itachi grabbed Sakura and quickly made his way to the source of the noise- the living room. In the room was a pile of bounty and a very happy-looking Kakuzu.

"Ada!"

Kakuzu turned to the doorway and let out a smile.

"I'm in a very good mood today."

"No sh*t, you made us track down 3 months worth of bounty."

"And it's all worth it."

Kakuzu giggled like a little girl as he calculated how much they'll be getting from the hunt. Hidan grumbled profanities under his breath, cleaning his scythe off of bloodstains from the resent massacre.

"Ada gabbuh da!"

Sakura reached for Kakuzu. Itachi gently let her down and watched her make her way towards the bloody duo. She crawled and let out a happy grunt as Hidan picked her up, preventing her from getting dirty.

"Good morning to you too, b**ch."

Sakura let out a giggle as she grabbed Hidan's hair.

"Oh right, leader called for another f**king meeting in half an hour."

"Hn."

Itachi returned to his room, leaving the laughing Sakura with the duo. 30 minutes came not long after. Everyone present stood infront of Pein's table.

"Ada!"

Sakura giggled as she sat on Pein's lap. "We have a new member coming soon." Pein announced.

"I'm sure you're all aware of out recent loss. Lay low for the mean time, activities outside the base will be prohibited for the time being as konoha ninjas were reported near the premises. Dismissed." The quiet dispersion of the members from the meeting room was a loud cry of the loss of a member. The days passed slowly in the hideout and soon, it was time for Sakura to learn new things.

"Sakura-chan, it's time for your bottle--" Zetsu was cut off at the sight of Sakura lifting the kubikiribocho letting out gleeful sounds as she saw her dad. Little Salura got on her knees and stood on her two feet with arms high up for balance as she stumbled her way towards Zetsu.

"Was she just...carrying the sword?"

To be continued...

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A/N: Hey guys! It's good to be back! I'll be updating weekly from now on! Or as soon as I manage to think of ideas for a new chapter OTL

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