(AN: Just to let ya guys know, that there will be some changes to the original plot. Sasori does not die in this fic unless at the end I want him to. But then again, that's what "fanfiction" is all about isn't it? Disclaimers, how I loath thee, but very necessary. I don't own Naruto, so there you have it.)

Emotional String…

Beware the pull on your heartstrings - - no matter the form, no string can ever be truly severed.

Strings, that's all he's ever known. And perfect control over his puppets. Who could forget his puppets? And all that Sasori's done with them?

Sasori is a being who never felt anything but numbed pain masquerading as nothingness. So if interrogated, using any method, he'd answer that he felt nothing, not event he simplest human emotions. And his reasoning would be because he wasn't even human.

He was a puppet.

His very own puppet without limitations to feelings and muscles.

But a few people could argue this, but they've never been a puppet and the puppeteer at the same time. Infact, to most people, reaching that state would be considered impossible. But she'd done it, and Sasori was better than her. His own grandmother.

That's where his technique came from anyways, but he improved and soared past whatever Chiiyo-baa thought comprehendible. He was all powerful, nothing could harm him, for he felt nothing of pain that could be inflicted upon him. No one crossed him in battle and lived to tell the tale, so to speak.

And no one, no one, bested him or stopped him from completing what he wanted.

And yet…

Someone did…

And that someone was the chuunin Haruno Sakura of the Leaf. And he'd have her. No matter what it took.

- - - - - -

Chapter One

"Chiiyo-baa-sama, Kakashi has informed me that they have Gaara, safe and secure and await your arrival. But I can deal with Sasori or at least slow him down until the rest of the team get here. Your life and the other's are more important. No arguing." The pink haired chuunin whispered in a rush, hoping that the puppet master wouldn't hear but very much doubted that.

'Sakura, you really are just like Tsusandea…' Chiiyo-baa thought sadly and leapt out of the cavern that was now the entire room it seemed.

But what the old woman didn't know, was that Sasori had indeed overheard what he shouldn't have, and changed his hand into a sword and charged at his grandmother, who he cared nothing for. He was just doing his duty.

Sakura saw this, and determined to keep her mission her first priority over her own life, she ran with speed that would have made her friend Lee very happy. The pink haired shinobi could only hope that she'd make it in time.

Chiiyo-baa saw this when it was too late to do anything but accept what was going to happen.

No, she would make it in time, no doubt about it.

He'd kill her, nothing would stop him. Sasori smirked evilly as he felt his sword tear through the tenderness that was known as human flesh. Blood coated the sword as he pushed it through her side and stomach. But his smirk left his face and his eyes widened considerably when he noticed the pink in the tips of his eyes as he stared at her midsection.

A soft feminine grunt was heard, barely unnoticeable but he heard it. And it was much to young to be Chiiyo-baa's, and Sasori looked up and was mildly surprised that it was the young female, Sakura.

"Ugg…Leave now C-Chiiyo-baa-sama!" Sakura snarled at Chiiyo-baa and chanced a look at the elder.

Sasori began to pull out the sword when Sakura grabbed it to keep him from moving, giving the older woman the few seconds she needed to get out of there. And yet unconsciously, gathered chakra into her wound and began healing.

Chiiyo-baa nodded and performed the necessary to transport herself out of there, and with a last look, disappeared.

"You…weakling…!" Sasori stated in just above a whisper so that she had no problem hearing him. As soon as the poison began kicking in he noticed with her hiss that she couldn't control her chakra properly. To be truthful, he was surprised that even with a wound like that she could have healed.

Sasori smirked, and drove his sword deeper into her body, and then twisted the metal weapon. He reveled in her agony, the blood that spewed from her, her grunt of pain in effort not to give him the satisfaction that he was causing her physical pain. And then, ever so gently, he brought his blade slightly to the left.

Everything was leaving her as she knew that death was soon. The only thing Sakura regretted was that she didn't get to say good-bye to her most beloved's. Naruto, her best male friend besides Kakashi, Her Hokage, taking her in when even Kakashi wouldn't train her, Kakashi, who'd always have been her friend and teacher in her genin days. She'd miss them so much.

"You," he began as he jerked the sword slightly, "are pathetic, weak, and stupid."

Sakura opened her eyes, he'd said it. Exactly like Sasuke did once. She had vowed to never be that again, to never be called that again. She let out a laugh, so hard that her whole body shook. She couldn't feel anything, she balled her right fist and tried to gather what chakra she could control, and aimed a punch to the puppet, Sasori's head.

Then black engulfed her entire vision as she passed out.

Sasori's head snapped to the right, no one had ever moved after being poisoned for so long. This girl was special, he'd see to that. He'd have her, it was as simple as that. She'd answer to nobody's voice but his own unless he gave her permission.

Carefully taking out a small vile in the pocket of his heart, he opened the bottle and pushed Sakura's lips opened and poured the thick liquid down her throat. It was an antidote, the only kind that would flow through the bloodstream permanently, making the host forever immune to his deadly poison.

The potion was created to work instantly, and the results were as to be expected. And then Sakura's barely alive body began to breathe normally.

- - - - - -

Cold seeped into her skin as Sakura's mind came back into reality. It was much to soon to open her eyes easily, by the lack of blackness, as her eyes stayed closed, told her that the lights were on. And waking up to them wasn't too appealing.

A sound to her left made Sakura's eye twitch. Something was there.

Debating whether to see what it was opposed to pretend to be a sleep still made Sakura hesitant to do either of her body's natural reactions. 1, investigate, and 2, play dead. Curiosity getting the better of her being afraid of what she may find, Sakura cocked open an eye by a centimeter, and her mind barely noticed that the light was dim and flickering.

But easily found the reason she was cold.

Not a stitch of clothing could be found on her naked body, save for the leather collar that had been strapped around her neck tightly, and not really surprised when she noticed a big fat chain on it as well and connecting to the nearest wall.

So to do a recap on what she already knew, was that she was naked, chained, lying down, and there was something in the room with her.

"Just lovely…" Sakura groaned and sat up only to discover that she couldn't use any of her chakra at all. Surveying her surroundings didn't make her feel much better either. A single room, no bed, no chair, no nothing besides cold stone floor.

And finally she chanced a glance to the left where the sound came from and let out a squeal when she realized just what made the sound.

It was Sasori, the young puppet who she had been fighting. Which brought her to her next train of thought. She'd been poisoned and with no antidote, how could she still be alive? Now her mother had always impressed upon her to never look a gift horse in the mouth because you'll never know what you might find.

But Sakura simply couldn't resist, she should have been dead.

Sizing him up she asked as a calm washed over her, "Where am I? And why am I not dead?"

For a moment, the young puppet chose not to reply. And decided to just study her features for a short amount of time. But the girl seemed the type to never give up if it meant finding out valuable information.

"Well? Are you going to answer me or not?" Her insistence made Sasori's eye momentarily twitch with annoyance.

"Because you are not and you are here."

Inner Sakura screamed with frustration, it seemed that he wouldn't tell her what she wanted to know. Well, if he was going to use her secrets against the village, she would not allow it for anything. The sudden urge to cause bodily damage made Sakura's hands ball into fists that began to shake with anger.

But before she could even raise one of her fists, she felt a weird pull on her body, like something calling her to stand up and had no free will of movement.

It…the feeling was just like when Chiiyo-baa-sama controlled her with her chakra puppet strings. He-He was controlling her like a puppet!

And up she stood, her whole body shaking in pure rage at this point, and Sasori loved it. Loved the emotion he didn't have. This girl felt things he couldn't… He flexed his fingers apart, and made her spread her arms out, and then crossed them in front of her with her arms and hands extended outward towards him.

Sakura felt so… stupid and helpless. And be damned if she voiced these thoughts. Sakura willed her arms to fold over her chest, but her limbs remained where they were. If only she could severe the strings using chakra! But… he'd done something to her to cause that option to shoot right out the window.

"What do you want with me! I'm no use to you, I have no secret jutsus to benefit from, and I will NOT let you manipulate me like one of your damn puppets!" Sakura let out a savaged growl and began thrashing against the strings.

"Why resist?" Sasori prompted instead of answering her question. And then immediately stilled her movements through his control over her body.

His cool façade was beginning to really set on her nerves. What was up with all these goddamn emotionless men in this world? "A good ninja never portrays his or her emotions at all times..." she mumbled under her breath but couldn't care less if the sick Sasori heard her.

Well, she would play his games until he left open a weakness of some kind she could exploit to her advantage.

"Would a puppet have feelings if it were completely human?"

Sakura blinked out of her train of thought and was confused by the question, not knowing whether or not she should answer.

"Well?" Sasori prompted, and waited for her to reply to his inquiry.

"I don't understand."

"If a human were to be under someone's complete control, would they still have humane emotions to portray?"

Sakura pondered the question. So he had been listening to her… To be honest, Sakura had no clue as the answer, but whenever in doubt, always state what you know and revolve your answer around that and try to make sense of it.

So here it goes… she thought while taking a calming breath, "A human will always have emotions, no matter what they do to try to hide from them. That's what it is to be human, it's in their nature, as in everything else's. Being in control of someone wouldn't stop them from having feelings, even if they managed to keep a passive face." And took another breath and thought back on how she responded and resisted to pat herself on the back while Inner Sakura gave a 'Hell Yah Baby!'.

"Hmm…You're wrong." Came the reply and then he simply turned around and walked out of the door and shut it quietly and then Sakura heard a little 'click', signaling that he had locked the door.

And Sakura found out shortly after her first attempt since his departure, that she was still incapable of even the simplest of non-locomotion.

And besides that, another thing weighed on the pink haird kunoichi's mind besides the inquiries from before… how could she be wrong?