Her Destiny

Meeting

When Sakura woke up she was staring at a dark ceiling.

"Well, welcome back to the world of the living, brat," a voice called from somewhere else in the room.

Sakura groaned. Kami, she felt like she'd been beaten down by hundreds of Naruto's clones. "Oh, Kami, just put me out of my misery."

"I would, but I doubt that it would do anything good for relations between our villages, now, would it." With this comment, the red head came into her view, staring down at her, a smirk on his face.

"Sasori."

"Brat."

"Good to know that I didn't kill you. Would have put a wrench in things today, I'm guessing."

Sasori let out a snort. "You could say that."

"Where is everyone?"

"They're waiting for you in the conference room. I told them you would be up soon, so I assume they are just waiting for you to arrive."

"Well, come on then. We've got some peace to make, and I'm sure that I've got two very angry ANBU to calm down."

Sasori helped her up and then led the way through various corridors, letting her lean against him for support. "You could say that. The two haven't left me alone since you got here yesterday."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Of course they did."

The two of them walked the rest of the way silently. When they finally reached the door to the conference room, everyone within turned to see the unlikely pair walking through the door. Brows raised when the various Akatsuki members saw the pinkette leaning on Sasori for support.

"For having battled each other, you two seem to be on good terms," Kisame stated.

Sasori only shrugged. "I have nothing against a girl that was only doing what she thought needed to be done. I could have done without the stabbing by Mother and Father though."

"Oh, like you are innocent. You stabbed me with a blade soaked in that damn poison of yours. You're lucky I only destroyed your puppets." Snickers could be heard around the room.

"But look who ended up needing me in the end," Sasori snickered.

"Only because that bastard, Danzo, can still apparently issue orders from a goddamn interrogation cell." Itachi jerked a little.

"Not that we don't enjoy the commentary, Haruno-san, but we do have business to get to."

Sakura nodded. "My apologies, Pein. It's been a very long few days."

The man nodded. "I am sure that you know who most of these people are, Haruno-san."

Sakura nodded. "My friends and I have met most of them at some point."

"Very well. Let's get to the point. You sent a letter asking for alliance negotiations, but I know that Konoha would not allow it. So, why are you really here?"

"I am no longer a Konoha shinobi, which I am sure that these two have told you already. So, why ask?"

"I must know who you side with, Haruno-san."

"Look, I don't agree with what you are doing with the tailed beasts. I'll be the first to tell you so, but Konoha doesn't do everything right either. None of us do. I only ask that you try to see our side of things."

"Why did you leave Konoha?" Sasori asked, curious.

"We had . . . a difference of opinions on various things. Kabuto came to me with an offer and I accepted. Some friends came with. I was tired of being thought of as weak. I was tired of the way I was treated. And when I found out what had been done to Shikamaru to gather intel on my visit to Sound. . . Well let's just say that the council elders are lucky to be at the mercy of Shiro Nara, and not me."

"Shiro Nara? But he retired years ago. He was around when the Shodaime and Nidaime were in charge," Kakuzu noted.

"You would be amazed who comes out of retirement and pulls rank when their clan heir is tortured for information," Sakura stated, smirking.

"That man was scary as hell," Kakuzu mumbled.

"Oh, he's only gotten scarier and more inventive with age Kakuzu-san. Believe me."

"So, you and your friends abandoned Konoha?" Itachi asked in a scathing tone.

"I would be very careful about what you say in such a tone, Itachi-san. I have dealt with your shit head of a brother for too many years to give a shit about what you think. I don't give a damn why you did it, but he's been impossible to deal with. So, shut the hell up. He's part of the reason why people think I'm so weak. He's the reason that Naruto won't look me in the eye. He's the reason that Kakashi regularly asks for ANBU suicide missions. The three of us lost everything, and Sasuke seems to revel in making people miserable. He's tried to kill the three of us on several occasions. All because he wants revenge and thinks that having ties to people makes him weak."

Itachi flinched. "Keep in mind, Itachi. I destroyed a ROOT base with my bare hands and handed copies of everything there to Tsunade-sama. She knows exactly what you did. I know exactly what you did. I know who ordered what. So, stop acting like a goddamn pariah," Sakura snapped.

Itachi reeled back as if he had been slapped. Sakura just gave him a sharp smirk.

"Now, can I get back to the point? Oto needs support, and we are willing to offer agricultural support in return."