Chapter 24

"Hey, Sasuke." Karin sat up straight in her chair, propped up next to Sasuke's bed and absentmindedly adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her delicate nose. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

Sasuke didn't answer and Karin would have been surprised if he had. She nervously twiddled her thumbs. "You're probably wondering why I'm talking to you," she said softly. Sasuke frowned in his sleep and Karin sighed wearily. "You're probably even wondering about what I'm even doing here." Images of what Ino had made her do flashed painfully across her eyes and she winced at the memories of the things she had done under the will of someone else. She was sure she was one of the last people Sasuke wanted talking to him, having helped Ino gain control of him.

She didn't say anything for a while and gazed distantly out of the window on the far left side of the room, watching both vampires and Druids train together in the training grounds down the hill from the infirmary. Not as enemies but as comrades now, she thought with satisfaction.

"I'm the same as you," she said at last, turning her gaze back to the raven-haired boy, who, she was sure, was furiously calculating everything she said behind closed eyelids.

"You probably don't believe me," she added with a bitter smile, "But Ino also made me into something I'm not, the same as what she did to you. But it was done slowly over years, making it look as though everything I did was out of my own free will instead of hers. She was a prodigy, already able to harness her powers even as a child." She fell silent again, giving Sasuke time to think about what she had said.

"There are so many things I still want to blame myself for, that I did blame myself for, for a while," she said, but her voice sounded far away, like she was lost in her memories of the past. "For being too helpless, too stupid, too ignorant and naïve for becoming her friend in the first place. Too weak to fight against it. The list goes on." She paused again before continuing.

"Suigetsu and the Mizukage helped me, but I came to the conclusion on my own." She looked down at Sasuke with piercing ruby-red eyes. "I came to the conclusion that none of it was my fault. That there was nothing I could have done to prevent what happened and there was no way I could have known just how much of a monster Ino was. Blaming myself and sulking about it wasn't going to help me to go out there and do something to try and fix the things I've done. I guess what I'm trying to tell you is this:"

"It's not your fault, Sasuke," she pressed, placing her hand over the hand resting on his chest. "No one blames you for any of this, so you can wake up now." Sasuke gave her no response and Karin sighed again with exasperation and pointed to the stone ceiling.

"Sakura's up there right now. Fighting and risking her life for us even though she's only known about us for such a short time. She's challenging and changing everything about our world as we know it," she said in a low voice, leaning closer to him. "And sure, she's fighting for everyone but I think she's fighting for you most of all, because she loves you," she said softly before releasing his hand and straitening up in her seat.

"You should be there when she gets back," she said seriously, "Sakura's strong so she hides her pain and strain well, but I think she'll need you when she returns. The battlefield changes a person and I don't know if she'll be able to cope with those changes on her own."

Karin stood and slowly made her way to the doorway, deciding that she had gotten her point across.

She stopped herself in the doorframe and turned to face him before saying quietly, "All I'm saying is: Sakura's created a whole new world out there now, for all of us, and I think you should be awake to see it. Just think about what I've said, okay? For her sake at least."

"Goodbye, Sasuke," she called over her shoulder as she stepped out into the corridor of the mind-control wing.

"I doubt I could have done that better myself, youngling," the Mizukage said, falling into step beside the redhead who squeaked with surprise. "Mizukage? You were listening?"

"Naturally," the tall woman shrugged and Karin fell silent as they walked together.

"Were you looking for me?" she asked at last, curiously, as she looked up at the brunette and the Mizukage gave her a small smile. "Simply to tell you to begin gathering your belongings."

Karin gave her a questioning look and Mei explained further. "We will begin the relocation to my Village, the Mist, tomorrow evening. It would be best for you to be prepared."

"Yes, Mizukage."

"It shall be a long process however," the Mizukage said wearily, "It might even take weeks seeing as we will only be able to send one small group at a time so as not to give away our position." She sighed, "It's dangerous, but it's the best we can do."

They exited the infirmary.

"I must leave you now, child. I have other duties to attend to," the Mizukage said, patting Karin's head affectionately and moving to disappear, but Karin quickly caught her arm. "Wait! Please..." she faltered, realising what she had just done and pulling her arm away like she had just touched something really hot. The woman was a Kage after all.

"Yes, what is it, youngling?" The Mizukage asked nonchalantly, flicking a stray strand of hair over her shoulder, completely unperturbed and Karin composed herself quickly.

"Do you know if Suigetsu's okay up there?" she asked nervously, pointing to the ceiling of the cavern and Mei sighed with a sad smile, but shook her head. "I cannot be sure, Child," she said softly, "Guerrilla warfare is unpredictable. The best you can hope for is that the Yamanaka child calls off her forces before we have to."

Mei looked the redhead over and said, "I would have sent you up there with him; but I need you here."

"It's a war. You kill people to win. That's how it works," Karin could almost hear Ino say, as if the blonde was standing right there with them.

You kill people to win...

xxxxxxx

"Lookout, Sakura!" Tenten shouted and Sakura ducked just in time, narrowly avoiding her opponent's blow before gripping the girl's wrist and slamming her viciously onto the ground of the old warehouse, pinning her down by straddling her stomach, sharp canines bared furiously as she brought her fist down.

Night had long since fallen over Manhattan and it was almost morning. Sakura had lost count of the number of enemy squads she and her teammates had faced. More than half they had confronted had been eliminated, but there were many that had still managed to escape without a trace in order to regroup with others before attacking once again.

Her and her team had met up with Tenten and Neji after hearing their battle from a few blocks away. The two of them had been heavily outnumbered, taking on three squads at once.

Neji dispatched the last of the enemy after Sakura had quickly and cleanly dispatched her own opponent.

I hate this, she thought bitterly as she took in the aftermath of the battle, the lifeless bodies gazing coldly at her with their sightless but accusing eyes and the blood, so much blood, all over the floor and walls of the warehouse. But these people are evil, Sakura told herself, They serve Ino willingly. Most of them. I hope...

"Let's move on so the Cleaners can do their job," Tenten said darkly as she collected her silver knives and cleaned the blood off of her silver short-swords. Her were clothes ripped and torn from battle, her body tattooed by cuts and bruises. Her brown hair, reaching just past her shoulders, hung loosely out of the two buns she normally wore it in.

"It's half an hour before sunrise," Naruto pointed out seriously and Sakura, scanning her memory for somewhere they could take shelter from the sun's rays, thought back to one of her squad's earlier rendezvous points. "I know where we can hide until sundown."

"Neji and I are gonna head out elsewhere," Tenten said, fastening her knives back onto her belt and strapping her two swords to her back in an 'x' shape. Neji nodded. "Maybe we'll see each other again before we return to base." Tenten appeared at Sakura's side and hugged her tightly. "Stay strong, okay? Don't die," she whispered softly and Sakura hugged her back. "I'll be fine," she whispered back before giving the brunette the ghost of a smile.

"Good luck," Naruto nodded to them and Sai did the same before the two brunettes vanished into the labyrinth of buildings outside.

"Let's go."

The rain had stopped and the skies had cleared but they were a mixture of dark pinks and oranges signalling that dawn was breaking and the sunrise was on its way.

It wasn't difficult to find the old motel again and they reached it just as the sun came out and bathed the city in warm golden light. They moved to the darkest room, devoid of furniture like the rest of the building, furthest away from the windows. That was when Sakura's exhaustion hit her. She could tell by the dark shadows that lined Sai's and Naruto's eyes that they probably felt the same. They sat in a circle in the centre of the room.

"I'm starving," Naruto muttered and Sai nodded tiredly, "I haven't had blood for a while." They looked up at Sakura expectantly and she shrugged, realising she didn't feel anything other than tired. "I'm just... tired," she frowned, surprised because she couldn't remember having eaten anything since two days ago.

"It's part of the Transition," Sai explained, "Your hunger for human food will slowly be replaced with a thirst for blood instead." Sakura sighed and nodded. "Makes sense." Naruto stood and headed for the door. "I'm going out to get some food."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Sakura demanded incredulously, sitting up straight and angling her body to face the blonde who shook his head. "Vampires can't move in the sunlight. And they can't attack me in the public eye of humans either. I'll be fine," he winked and disappeared through the doorway.

"What will you do?" She asked Sai in a low voice and was surprised when he produced a vial of blood hidden in a pack fastened to his belt. "Deer's blood," he explained before uncorking the vial and drinking its contents. Sakura scrunched up her nose when she caught the scent of it and bit her lip when she realised that it smelt almost appetizing to her. She felt her canines suddenly sharpen further in her mouth and tasted coppery blood from where they pierced her gums.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" Sai questioned with a raised eyebrow, seeing her shocked expression and she shook herself before laughing nervously. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." He shrugged, "Okay." and finished the contents of the vial before putting it away again.

Sakura lay down on the hard floor, barely feeling the cold of the concrete, and shut her eyes, the events of the previous day and night finally taking its toll on her.

xxx

"Hello again, Sakura," Inner Sakura waved down from where she was perched on a suspended plank of wood, the strings it was hanging from disappearing into the endless darkness above the two girls.

Sakura looked around quickly, realising that she was back in the strange, dark space where she had first met the beautiful and terrifying vampire version of herself.

"You have fangs now," she commented casually, her mouth still not moving when she spoke, and a mirror suddenly appeared in front of Sakura who gazed at her reflection, stunned. She looked even more like the girl hanging from the ceiling than she had the last time she had seen her reflection and true to the girl's word, Sakura did indeed have fangs, long and needle-like and incredibly sharp.

Her eyes, glowing, were solemn and grave, wise and not the eyes of a teenager, no longer the eyes of a human. But, Sakura realised with an elated feeling, she didn't feel different at all. Older and more mature of course; it was to be expected after everything she seen, done and experienced, but not blood-thirsty or crazed for blood. She didn't feel out of control of herself.

"Your real Transitioning has begun," the vampire said mystically and Sakura looked up at her seriously and asked, How long until it's complete? The girl thought about it.

"I'd give it three days tops," she said at last, "Maybe sooner. Being in a battlefield usually tends to speed up the process."

And then I'll be a vampire? Sakura asked breathlessly, her eyes wide and the vampire looked down at her searchingly. "Well that depends." She extended a delicate and slender hand toward Sakura. "When I offer you my hand, will you take it?"

Sakura didn't think before she extended her own hand upwards towards the vampire version of herself. She lifted herself onto her toes.

Yes.

xxxxxxx

5 Days Later...

"It's almost been a week and we still haven't learned anything!" Ino screamed at her reflection before bringing her fist down and smashing the mirror in front of her. She turned around to face another twenty Inos.

She stood in a room with walls that were completely made of mirrors, built under her orders in the Tsuchikage's mansion, and each one reflected a girl on the brinks of exhaustion and madness. Her eyes were lined with black shadows and dark rings, dark with fury and insanity. Her hair was messy and tangled.

A glass throne stood in the centre of the room and Ino sat in it before screaming, "Bring me my Council!"

It wasn't long before the large room was filled with Akatsuki and the rest of her Council, the mirrors multiplying the number of people and making it look as though the room was filled to the brink and Ino smirked with satisfaction, feeling powerful.

"Have we learned of the enemy's location yet?" She demanded testily, her eyes narrowed to deadly slits.

"No," Itachi spat venomously, looking livid, "And because you refused to listen to my warning we've also lost more than half our squads out there!"

Ino growled angrily. "I will kill you if I must, Itachi," she hissed warningly. "Unless you learn to hold your tongue."

"Bullshit," she heard Hidan mutter to Kakazu standing beside him and she screamed, throwing herself off of her throne and bringing Hidan to the ground, landing on his chest and snarling viciously down at him. She was made even angrier when she saw that he wasn't afraid and that the white-haired boy looked arrogantly and fearlessly back up at her, amused by her antics.

"I'll have your head," she snarled and he grinned up at her. "If you say so, princess."

Seeing red, Ino stood and, using one hand, lifted Hidan by the red cloud-shaped clasp of his cloak. His grin vanished with stunned surprise and Ino smiled nastily before she flung him effortlessly across the room and into one of the mirrors, causing it to smash and rain glass down on Hidan who lay there, looking up at the ceiling with shock.

The room had fallen completely silent and Ino made her way back to her throne.

"Call off the squads," she said in a low voice, looking piercingly down at Itachi who met her gaze calmly. "I hand over all my forces to you then, Itachi," she hissed maliciously, "Seeing as you think you know how to handle them better than I do."

"Hn," he muttered contemptuously before leaving the room, the rest of the Akatsuki following behind him after Kakazu had pulled a bleeding Hidan back onto his feet.

It was only after the room had emptied that Ino stood before her reflection once again.

"The Halfling with be coming here soon enough. Now that I've called off the squads."

The girl in the mirror narrowed her cyan-blue eyes. And are you ready for her?

"Of course," Ino sniffed and the girl snarled. Don't be over-confident, Ino. The Halfling's already made it this far.

"And that's as far as she will go," Ino snarled back. "I know what I'm doing."

The girl sneered nastily with contempt. Like you knew what you were doing when you lost Sasuke, the Leaf, Karin and now half of your squads?

"Shut up!" Ino shouted before smashing that mirror too and falling onto her knees as the glass rained down around her, cutting her arms and legs.

She gazed down at her bleeding hands blankly.

I'm waiting, Sakura...

xxxxxxx

Sakura dangled her legs over the edge of her old apartment building's roof. Her parents had moved away so no one lived there anymore and Sakura closed her eyes as the cool night's breeze moved around her and through her long hair.

Her eyes shot open when she heard of the sound of unfamiliar feet landing on the roof somewhere behind her and she jumped to her feet, ready to fight if need be but ended up cocking her head to the side curiously when she saw Sai and Naruto talking seriously with a tall man she knew worked with Lady Tsunade.

Kakashi Hatake. She was sure that was his name. He was dressed like the rest of Tsunade's ANBU agents, but he had his red and white animal mask hanging from his belt instead of covering his face, not that there was much to cover. He already had a mask covering the bottom half of his face, up until his nose, and the black bandana he wore around his head covered most of his forehead, leaving only his mismatched eyes, one red and one black, and his spiky white hair visible.

The three males turned their eyes to her before Kakashi vanished, leaving only squad 7 on the roof again.

"What did he want?" Sakura asked curiously, walking over to join the two boys who looked relieved and happier than she had seen them since they had been sent up to the surface. Five days on the battlefield had made her become more like an adult than a sixteen year old; it was like that for all three of them. It was like she had aged years psychologically and emotionally in the space of five days, but she hadn't aged physically at all. And she wouldn't anymore, ever again.

She wasn't the same girl she was before coming to the surface.

"Ino called off her squads," Naruto breathed, sounding completely relieved and Sai smiled genuinely. "Tsunade's calling everyone back."

"We can go back?" Sakura whispered, having to force herself to believe it but the grins on both the boys' face answered her question and she felt her stomach flip with delight.

We won this round. It's finally over.

xxx

Sakura, Naruto and Sai made their way to the training grounds, the location where all the squads were gathering for medical care and roll call in order to count the number of losses their side had suffered. Sakura had never been so happy to be unground again in her life.

She spotted Suigetsu, looking tired and worn, bloody and battered, but he didn't make a move toward any of the medics so she was sure he was alright. She smiled when Karin ran to him and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay," she heard the redhead whisper, surprised that she could now hear things from so far away, and smiled again when Suigetsu wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet, and spinning the both of them in circles.

"Sakura Haruno!"

Sakura turned in circles, searching for the source of the voice calling her and saw the Mizukage make her way through the crowds of vampires and Druids towards her.

"I'm glad you survived, youngling," the tall woman said in a low voice after she had reached her and Sakura bowed her head with respect. "Thank you, Mizukage."

"I came here to tell you something important," Mei said quietly and Sakura felt a tinge of nervousness at the serious tone in the Kage's voice. "What is it?"

The Mizukage's eyes were like two sharp emerald-green daggers, and Sakura felt as though they were piercing right through her eyes and into her very soul, if she still had one.

"Sasuke Uchiha is awake."