The Girl They Never Saw [Completed]

Chapter 17 ~ Purple Hearts

      "Love is a lie. This world is one made out of hate." -Sakura Haruno

      Sakura woke at dawn, and nearly screamed. The beady eyes of a crow were staring at her, the bird's head only a few inches away from her face. Reflexively, she batted it across the room. Then she realized. Crow. Itachi. She leapt out of bed and ran over to the bird, who appeared offended but unhurt.

      A small scroll was tied to its back and she unfastened it with shaking fingers. As soon as it was free of its burden, the crow took its leave out the window. Sakura released the seal on the scroll and read it quickly.

      Blossom,

      Something has come up most unexpectedly and Leader-sama orders you back. Return at once, but don't rush yourself. I doubt you've given yourself time to fully recover from that battle in the woods. You'll have a new mission as soon as you arrive, so be ready.

      Yours,

            Crow

      Sakura burnt the scroll and nodded to herself. It had been almost a week since her "rescue", and she had gathered more than enough information to help the Akatsuki. Time to wrap up the final stages of her plan.

      She opened the door to the apartment Gaara had arranged for her, then strode down the hall to the Kazekage's office. "Morning!" She sang to the gaurds as she knocked on his door.

      They nodded in return as his monotonous voice called for her to enter.

      Sakura pushed the door open and stepped aside as three shinobi filed out. "Good morning Gaara-sama!" She smiled at the red head and closed the door behind her.

      "Good morning to you, Sakura-san." He barely glanced up from his papers.

      "Well," She coughed into her fist. "I just came to inform you that I'd best be heading back to Konoha."

      At this he did look up. "Is that so? Well then, safe travels. And give my best to Naruto, would you?"

      Haha, unlikely. "Of course Gaara-sama. Thank you for your hospitality." She bowed from the waist and departed in a puff of smoke.

       She reappeared in front of a cell a thousand feet below the ground. A haggard blond and irritated puppet stared back at her, though the gaurds appeared not to notice her presence at all. "Genjutsu." She whispered to their questioning looks. "Fifteen minutes. Gate. Be there." Then she disappeared again.

      Exactly fifteen minutes later, more goodbyes had been said and the Sand Siblings were watching Sakura's retreating figure. As she neared the horizon, two other forms seemed to join her, and Kankuro squinted. "She didn't tell us she was meeting anyone, did she?"

      Then the figures disappeared from sight and Temari shrugged. "Doesn't really matter, does it?"

      They turned back to their village, never noticing the disturbingly large pile of dead Konoha messenger birds hidden nearby.