Akiko's Revenge

Chapter 9

I run the rest of the way to the training ground thinking about what dad said to me. I made him a promise I'm not sure I can keep. Especially since I'm going in there alone.

I make it just in time to see everyone lining up to get scroll. Wow, I'm late. I run up to Anko.

"Whats going on?" I ask.

"To put it simply, get a scroll and don't die." She says.

"Cool, thanks." I say and I'm about to get a scroll but she stops me.

"Sign this. I don't want to be held responsible if you do die." She says and gives me a consent form.

I sigh and spin her around and sign it on her back. I give it to her and walk to the tent. When I step in they don't give me one.

"Wheres the rest of your team?" A male asks.

"Its just me." I say.

"Your going in alone?" The other male asks.

"Yep, now give me my scroll." I say and snatch my scroll off the desk and walk out, shoving it in a different scroll on my belt.

I walk over to the rookies. "Good luck you guys." I say and I'm about to walk away when Sasuke pulls me in a hug.

"Good luck, Akiko. Be careful." He whispers in my ear.

I turn around and hug him back tightly. "Be safe, Sasuke. Be safe. I don't want to lose you, too." I say as I feel tears forming.

"You won't have to. I will be alright, just watch out for yourself." He says and his arms get tighter around me.

"Protect the idiots for me. I'll find you guys as soon as I can." I whisper and plant a quick kiss on his cheek and back away. I look to Kiba and see him looking at me with puppy eyes.

"Akiko." He whispers.

"Goodbye and good luck." I say and run to my gate. I hate this, but I need to keep him safe from my bad luck.

When Anko yells begin, I run through the gate as fast as I can. I look around when I hear a loud scream. Its near.

I run towards the scream and see Gaara, Temari, and Kankaru standing around a dead team. "Hey guys! How's it going?" I ask with a bright smile on my face.

"Hey, get down here!" Kankaru calls up with a smile as well. I hop down and he gives me a hug.

I give Temari a side hug and then I jump in Gaara arms as he spins me around smiling. He sets sees down and I'm a little dizzy so I fall right on top of a dead body.

"Oh, hi there." I say petting his brown hair. "So soft." I say and start playing with his hair.

I'm lifted off the dead man and being placed on my feet by Gaaras sand. "Well, I gotta go! Bye!" I say after I give Gaara a kiss on the cheek and run off, but not before I hear Temari and Kankaru giggling.

I see an explosion up ahead, then I hear a very familiar voice scream. "Sasuke!"

"Sakura!" I yell and run faster. I reach the clearing and see a very familiar face stretching towards Sasuke.

I jump in front of him and I feel his teeth sink into my neck. I scream in pain and fall off the tree branch and plummet to the ground.

"Akiko!" Sakura and Sasuke yell.

Someone catches me and I see that it was the guy who bit me. He's lifting me onto the top of the snake head.

"Well well, what do we have here?" He asks. I'm still groaning in pain holding my neck.

"Orochamaru. I should've known." I growl.

"My dear Akiko. How has the free life been treating you?" Orochamaru asks, grabbing my face and making me look up.

"Horrible, thanks for asking." I say icely.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You should've stayed with me." He says and his tounge stretches out and licks my bite mark.

"Why would I?! You just used me as a lab rat the whole time I was with you!" I scream.

"Now, you shouldn't speak that way to me, my dear. I know you want revenge for what happened all those years ago. I can help you achieve it." He promises.

I hesitate to answer. Those men already gave me a deal, but I know Orochamaru can give me the power to achieve my goal.

"All you have to do, is come with me." He says as his face gets closer.

"Don't do it! Akiko! Don't go with him!" Sakura yells at me. I look over to see Sasuke groaning in pain looking at me with pleading eyes. Did he get bit too?

I look back at Orochamaru and lower my head. "I won't go with you. I need to protect the people I care about. I have to know they'll be safe and out of this forest." I say, lifting my eyes.

I scream in pain as my mark starts to burn like fire. "I'll come for you and the Uchiha after this exam is finished." He whispers and throws me into a tree.

I scream and look down. A tree branch was impaled into my stomach. I cry out in pain and look over to see Orochamaru gone.

"Sakura! Get Naruto and Sasuke somewhere safe!" I scream at her as tears fall from my eyes in pain.

"But, Akiko! What about you?!" She asks, obviously worried.

"I thought you hated me." I say smirking.

"I don't! I just didn't want you to be around Sasuke!" She says as she cries.

"Sakura, save the boys. I'll be right behind you." I say smiling.

"But, how-" she starts but I shake my head.

"Hurry, Sakura. Please, do it for me. Save them for me." I say as the feeling in my stamoch is becoming numb. "Just go." I say.

"Okay! But you better find us! I'll mark the trees for you!" She says as she runs away with both the passed out boys.

"Thank you, Sakura." I whisper as I close my eyes.

I look over at him and smile. "I just wanted to say bye." I say.

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"Well, incase I die in the 44 training grounds, I wanted to tell you bye. I know what's in there and it is not a safe place to be." I say.

"Your not going to die!" He scolds me.

"You never know." I say nonchalant.

He grabs my shoulders and makes me look him in the eyes as he is now on his knees. My eyes widen when I see tears running down his one eye.

"You are not going to die. Do you understand? You will not die. Live. Please, live for me. Live for your friends. Live for Astumi, your mother." He pleads.

I'm dumbfounded. "I will. I will live. For all of you." I say, tears rolling down my cheeks as well. "I promise, I'll live for you."

"I promise." I whisper. I open my eyes and look down at the branch in my stomach. I scream in pain as I break the branch. I cry and wait a few minutes before I push myself off the tree.

I land on the hard ground with a painfilled scream. I whimper and shake as I crawl toward the way Sakura went in.

"I promise, I'll live for you all."

____________________________________________________________________________

1262 Words