Staring at my teammate, my friend I left behind, I remembered the situation we were all in and quickly masked my presence. It wouldn't bode well if they all knew I was here.

Sasori is my mentor, my sensei. I betrayed Sakura and the rest of my friends.

And if I had to pick a side I'd always choose hers.

She's my friend. Like a little sister. But I can't. I've made too many enemies since leaving. And being close to them would only endanger them. And I have no right to. For now, I must watch.

On Sakura's side is an older woman. Despite her age, I can see the great amount of chakra she has. She's a shinobi. And a good one at that.

I took in the situation and saw the broken pieces of Hiruko strewn about. Leaving Sasori out in the open. And although they're thin, undetectable, I could still see the strings connecting to Sakura from the woman.

Interesting. She's a puppet master, like Sasori. And Sakura is her puppet. "Become my puppet." Sasori's request rang in my ears.

He's done that as well. Connecting his strings to me. And given the situation, he would do the same were I to reveal myself.

I kept myself hidden, staring at them. At Sasori's slight smirk. Something he rarely does. What's going on here?

The older woman's gaze remained transfixed on Sasori. And his gaze on her. Blatantly ignoring Sakura. "What's the matter Granny Chiyo? Are you so filled with emotion that you can't speak?" Granny Chiyo?

Is . . . is this woman really his grandmother? "I'm not surprised. It's our first reunion in twenty years."

"Sasori. You . . ." She trailed off, eyes still wide. "While I have you, let me show you something special." A familiar scroll slid down his sleeve into his awaiting hand. My own eyes went wide. That scroll-is he insane?!

"I guarantee it will move you. This piece was particularly difficult to acquire."

I watched in disbelief as his fingers unfurled the scroll with the word 'three' on it. "But on the other hand, that's what makes me so fond of him. The scroll lit up briefly before a cloud of smoke obstructed my view.

When the smoke dispersed, there is the puppet of the Third Kazekage.

"No. That can't be. Impossible." Chiyo gasped. Sakura glanced back, making me snap my head out of view and press myself further into the stone wall. "What is? What's impossible?!" She asked, worry clear in her voice.

Ah shit. I fell on my bottom, sitting atop the water as I stared at the forest ahead.

I need to leave. Now. Before Sakura sees me. Before Naruto and Kakashi-Sensei return. Before Sasori knows I lied about not caring for my old friends.

Run away.

That's what I need to do. But why can't I? Why can't I run? "It's him. It's the Third Kazekage."

I shut my eyes tight. Sasori's chuckle broke through the tense silence and I clenched my fists.

"What do you think? Doesn't it take you back Granny Chiyo?" He taunted. I've never heard Sasori like this. Taunting someone like this. That's not a good sign. "The Third Kazekage.Lady Chiyo what does this mean?" Sakura questioned. But the old woman was still reeling in this information.

"So this must be what happened to him. It's been over ten years since the Third Kazekage suddenly disappeared from the village without a trace. We scoured the countryside but could never find him. The strongest of our Kazekage simply vanished. Sasori. It was you?!"

I opened my eyes and stared at the water. My own reflection stared back. Almost asking me what my next move will be.

Will you leave them again? She'll die. I grit my teeth as the voice made its appearance again. But you don't care. So long as your goal is met. My reflection smirked back at me. Her blue eyes turning a blood red and the whites turning black.

I gasped and stepped on the reflection, making it ripple.

That won't work. A whisper sounded in my ear. I snapped my head to the left but she, I, wasn't there.

Leave. If this brings you so much distress, run away. Like you always do. "Shut up." I hissed quietly. She, it, laughed at me.

Damn it. Snap out of it. This isn't the time to let stupid voices distract me. I shook my head madly and turned my attention back to what was happening inside. "It's true Orochimaru and the Akatsuki have some history. We've done some work together."

What did I miss? No, more importantly, I need to go. I stood again, about to head out when Sakura's voice stopped me.

"So you were. If you worked with Orochimaru, then you know all about him. And the things that he's done. Which means you have all the answers I'm looking for." Anger laced in her voice.

If she had any fear in the beginning, it's completely gone and replaced with anger.

She's so much more different then all those years ago. "I'd love to stay and chat, but unfortunately I really must eliminate the two of you and then go capture that jinchuriki."

Eh. Capture Naruto? No. This wasn't in the plan. I've been spying on them for so long. Naruto is Itachi's job. Sasori's . . . wait, who was Sasori's?

"Sasori, regarding the One Tails-" My eyes went wide as I remembered Deidara's words. The One Tails.

Gaara? How did I not catch onto that? I was too busy in my own stuff that I neglected the whole jinchuriki situation. They took Gaara. I-I could've stopped it. Or delayed it. And now he wants to take Naruto?

No. No. I won't let him. I won't let anyone take my brother! Even if he is my teacher. Even if . . . even if he was helping me.

Sadness dwelled in my chest as I heard the fighting began. "Are you going to kill him? Sasori and his group will be the only ones to accept the monster you've become." The voice spoke, standing off to the side.

The illusion is clearer than before. I refused to look at her, me. She didn't seem to mind either as she stared at the forest.

"You sure are quick to form bonds. You don't want Sasori to die. But you refuse to allow the girl in there to die as well. Then there's your brother who you prioritize over everything else."

The illusions are getting clearer and it seems that they stay longer. I need to work on that.

She chuckled. "I'm only like this because your heart is conflicted." To this I looked at her. She smirked before fading away.

Damn it. What do I do? Save Naruto. Save Sakura. Save . . . Sasori.

Ah-Ah. I sure made a mess of things. I stared up at the sky. So blue, calm, and peaceful. Ignorant of the death battle occurring just behind me. The white clouds drifting softly and slowly.

Shikamaru says that cloudwatching is his favorite pastime. And it is nice.

But right now it's pissing me off. While they can leisurely stroll across the sky, I'm stuck here, trying to figure out what I should do.

Save Sakura?

Go after Naruto?

Take Sasori away?

No. I guess I won't do any of that. I chuckled, turning my gaze back to my reflection. This voice has a point.

I Flash Stepped away, not too far, but where I couldn't hear their voices. It seems running away is my specialty afterall.

Hey, Haku. You were able to protect your loved one. Much better than me. I protected Sasuke, sure. I gained a powerful ally in Haru to help me do so. I relayed top secrets to the village to stop Orochimaru's treacherous plans.

I let Orochimaru do all that to me so he wouldn't mess around with Sasuke as much. I stuck my neck out for my brother just to get this close to the Akatsuki. And I'm even working on getting ahold of Itachi through Sasori as well.

Everything I did, I did it for them. Yet, it's not working as well as I hoped.

No, my plan was flawless. I just didn't count on my team pursuing the Akatsuki. That was my fatal mistake. If not for their presence I'm confident it would have worked.

But they did show up. So it became a flawed plan.

I can sense their chakras. If Sakura's began to fade, I'll step in. It'll ruin everything I've been working on, but I won't let her die. But if I don't have to intervene, that'd be the prefered.

If I don't have to. Please don't let me. Even if Sasori has to . . . die. I chuckled darkly. I really am terrible.

I grabbed my elbows and pulled my knees to my chest. I need to become stronger. I'm still so weak. If something like this unrattles me this much I still have a long way to go.

I can't protect them if this is all I am. Stronger. I must become stronger. I have to become even stronger!

"You'll be plenty strong once you embrace yourself. Go ahead color the ground red." I almost sighed as the annoyance returned. I turned to look at the illusion.

That's right. My greatest weakness right here. This . . . this illusion. Becoming a great hindrance since the Blood Release incident. My greatest weakness is my psyche.

If this keeps on popping up, I'll never be able to protect them. She's in the way. My gaze hardened instantly. I won't let her endanger my friends. She jumped at my intense gaze.

She's in the way. She flinched a bit before sighing. "Despite your mind, you have strong willpower." She mumbled. She looked into my eyes and seemed disappointed. But she disappeared yet again.

Sasori said that this was normal for Blood Release users. At least what I've told him so far. And he's the only one I've told about this. The only one I really can talk about this.

And now, now he's going to either have to die or forever hate me. Then there will be no one to confide in about this.

Sasuke . . . Sasuke has his own issues that he's working with. Or feeding. Besides, he was there when I was in that tube. He was there when all the experiments happened. Yet . . . I shook my head. Sasuke has been sorting through his problems for a while now. And I can't disrupt that.

Haru would only blame himself. And that's it. Those are the only two that I could talk to.

An audience with Jiraiya or Grandma Tsunade is impossible. Kakashi-Sensei is a no go. And going to Naruto or Sakura would blow the whole thing.

Shikamaru doesn't need to be burdened with my problems either. He's doing enough for me as it is.

I'll just work on this on my own. It'll be fine. No one should be responsible for this but me. I should solve my own problems myself. I don't need anyone to help me. I'm strong enough to do it myself.

It's fine.

I'm fine.

~

I had felt it. The chakra leaving them. Their life force disappearing. When I knew there was no one else with them, I Flash Stepped in front of them.

My face, despite everything, frowned as I looked at the body in front of me. Two swords piercing him straight through his heart. A stinging sensation vibrated in my chest and sorrow filled me.

"You don't have to look like a wounded puppy." His usual monotone voice holding a tinge of amusement.

"I'm sorry Sasori. I-I could have helped you. I saw." I admitted. I could have lied. I normally would have. But I didn't want to.

Not to Sasori. "I know. I felt your presence." My eyes widened in shock.

What? But I masked my presence. Even the old woman shinobi and Sakura didn't sense me! He chuckled at my expression.

"Stupid girl. Of course I did. I can recognize my students presence a mile away." I bit my bottom lip to keep it from quivering. My throat closed painfully but I willed myself not to show my sadness.

He called me his student.

"Why didn't you call me out. To prove my loyalty to you or to find out if I was a spy afterall?" I asked quietly.

Sasori looked upwards, as if thinking. "Because I know you are loyal to me. That's just who you are. I've worked with you long enough to tell what kind of person you are. And you are quick to form bonds. So I know that you never really severed the ones for your old comrades."

He looked back at me. "The pinkette for example. All Leaf Shinobi must have that trait. Because she still cares for you and this Sasuke."

She told him? No, she must have demanded to know where Orochimaru was. For taking Sasuke. And, because I left with them.

"Although you're a greedy, stupid, girl; I didn't want you to lose that quality of yours. I suppose your stupidity rubbed off on me."

I bit my lip harder, making it bleed. "I'm sorry." I whispered. Actual emotions seeping into those two simple words.

These two simple words that can't really do anything. I can say them all I want. But they won't change the fact that I let him die. That I'm the one who brought this to him.

When all he did was help me. With what I'm becoming. He's a hardass, cruel, and a bit sadistic. But despite all that he . . . he still helped me. And he didn't have to. He chose to. And I repaid him by letting this happen to him.

"Don't look so sad. You're stronger than that, remember?"

I'm not though. And that's the biggest problem.

"I told that girl where to find Sasuke. If you're ready to reunite with them, go to his side. One of my men will return soon with information on the other Blood Release users. He'll tell you where you can find them. Get them to teach you how to deal with the bloodlust. Remember my teachings and try not to let them kill you."

This time I looked him straight in the eyes and allowed him to see every emotion I'm keeping hidden.

Because he is the only one that can understand them. Because he understands what I'm going through.

"Thank you Sasori. May you find peace in the afterlife."

He smirked before closing his eyes. I could feel the rest of his life force leave. He stayed there. Two puppets on either side of him with their swords through his heart. But in a certain light, it looks like they're embracing him.

Maybe if Sasori had people to do that for him, he wouldn't have ended up like this. But if that were the case, I wouldn't have had someone to teach me so much.

Yes, he's a killer. He had me kill people who didn't need to die. He had me gut them and turn them into puppets. He himself has done the same for many, many years. He even turned his body into this. He isn't a saint.

But he wasn't all evil.

We all have darkness in us. Some more than others. But darkness cannot exist without light. And Sasori had some light. It wasn't as bright as others like Naruto, Sakura, or Shikamaru, but it was there.

It didn't have to be extraordinary. Just like me.

I shut my eyes tightly and pushed my sadness back into my mind, like everything else. Now isn't the time to let my emotions take over. I have things I need to do.

I appreciate Sasori for teaching me many things. And for offering me a way back. But I can't go back. I have things I need to do.

Naruto should be fine. Afterall, Sasori is stronger than Deidara and he-he was defeated. They'll be fine. I need to get ahold of Sasori's messenger. And I need to find Itachi. I have a mission that still needs to be done.

Glancing at Sasori one last time, I turned. "Thank you."

Then I Flash Stepped away.