The Monster Within Me

Chapter 22: Beat Up Trio

"Oi, danna, un! Hop on!" Deidara shouted, lowering the bird. The bird was about to fly away until it was forced to the ground by a punch. Sasori and Deidara jumped away with Sakura in Sasori's arms. "You'd have to defeat us before you can go back then." Naruto said, glaring at the trio.

"Very well." Sasori said, settling Sakura underneath a tree behind them. Tsunade let out a battle cry as she punched Deidara, successfully sending him a few meters back. "D-deidara." Sakura weakly whispered as she stared as Deidara stood up with a smirk on his face.

"Rasengan!" Naruto shouted as he ran towards Sasori with the said jutsu. Sasori simply stepped aside. His eyes widened when he realized that Naruto was aiming at Sakura. Sasori was able to get a hold of Sakura's arm and pull her away, just before the attack collided.

"What gave you the right to attack Sakura?" Sasori asked, completely pissed off as he settled Sakura down underneath another tree. Naruto readied for another Rasengan and ran at Sasori at full speed yet again. Sasori was able to attach chakra strings on Naruto just in time. "Danna!" Deidara suddenly shouted.

Sakura's eyes widened as Tsunade suddenly appeared behind Sasori and punched his spinal chord. Sakura cringed when she heard a loud, sickening sound of his bones being crushed. With that, Sasori lay unmoving before Sakura's eyes. "Danna!" Deidara shouted, sending clay birds towards Tsunade, anger present in his eyes.

Tsunade evaded Deidara's attack and turned to Sakura, watching her stare at Sasori's unmoving body. "This execution will be for our eyes only." Tsunade said, filling her fist with chakra as she aimed at Sakura's head, a few moments later, the chakra around Tsunade's fist turned purple. "This is the same technique I used on your precious friends." Tsunade said as she lunged towards Sakura.

Deidara jumoed infront of Sakura right before the attack could reach her. "Gah!!" Deidara shouted in agony. Deidara spit out blood as he felt his cells burning to crisp. "D-deidara." Sakura whispered, tears threatning to fall as Deidara fell on his knees, shaking from the pain. Naruto was about to walk towards Sakura when a hand gripped his ankle. He looked down and saw Sasori writhing in pain. "N-not another...s-step tow-wards the pink brat-t." Sasori whispered, his voice becoming harsh as he cough up more blood.

Naruto kicked Sasori's hand off and walked towards Sakura. Shadow covered Sakura's eyes as she cried silently. "This is game over Sakura-chan. It's your punishment for betraying the village." Naruto said, pulling out a kunai.

"I never betrayed the village." Sakura whispered, her hair turned white, yet again, but this time her eyes turned violet. "The village betrayed me!" She said, performing a hand sign. "Demon's curse!" Sakura shouted as black things appeared on Tsuande's and Naruto's skin.

Sasori and Deidara stared at the two, horrified at their expressions as they shouted in agony. A few seconds later, the two were engulfed in black patterns. "S-sakura." Sasori said, trying to stand up, grunting in pain, feeling his crushed spine. Sakura looked at him with purple eyes. "L-let's go home." Sasori said, smiling as Deidara managed to get up. He picked Sasori.

Sakura stared at the two who are smiling at her as her features returned to normal. "Mhmm!" Sakura said, smiling as tears filled her eyes. With that Deidara created a huge clay bird with much effort. "Should we take the jinchuriki, un?" Deidara asked, looking at Sakura. Sakura shook her head no. "Another person will make the bird heavier." Sasori said. "And besides, you're low on chakra, brat." Sasori said. Deidara grinned at Sasori and helped him get up with Sakura on his back. "Are you sure you can do this? Y-your too low on chakra." Sakura said, looking worriedly at Deidara as she try not to stutter from pain too much.

Deidara grinned at her as Sasori tried to steady Sakura due to her numb limbs. "I always have spare chakra for my art, un." Deidara said, grinning as they flew back to the base.

To Be Continued...