Sakura stared into the cup of tea thinking about how over the years her team had been torn apart and all from the betrayal of one person. Sakura was determined to find this certain person because she had adopted Naruto's notion that if he returned everything would be okay, sure it was a very far cry from reality but it was all she had left to cling to.

Sakura took one more look around the room she grew up in; it was almost time to set off on her journey to find Sasuke Uchiha and to finally bring peace of mind to one of her oldest and dearest friends. This journey would be long in fact she could end up spending her whole life on this journey and still not get what she set out for. Sakura got out some Anbu armour plating, an Anbu mask and a black wig; she knew that this quest of hers would be risky as it would not be permitted so she was going to do the smart thing and dress up as an Anbu. Since Anbu left the village often on missions it wouldn't be questioned but still there was a chance that they might still check her.

Sakura took off the clothes she already had on then proceeded to put on the disguise. First she put on the black fishnet top then the black shorts and the white arm plates with the white shin plates but the hardest to put on was the white chest plate. Sakura took one more look at the mirror to see her self in this moment; she cut her hair so it was only an inch long then put on the black wig. Sakura wiped a tear off her face just as she put on the Anbu mask then she grabbed her back pack off the bed and set off on her journey.

...

Sakura had made it out of the village without getting caught but she wasn't that far yet and there was a likely chance that as soon as they found her gone they would send someone after her. Sakura knew this but didn't care and she would rather die then see the people she knew and cared for the most suffer any longer.

Once Sakura reached Tanzaku town she took off her mask so she could blend in with the crowd of gamblers and tourists. Sakura walked along the streets until she reached the nearest hotel taking the risk to stay the night even though she was still in a close enough range to get caught.

When Sakura got up to her room she locked the door then the windows and drew the blinds, she might have been to paranoid but this is what she chose and she was going to stick with it even if it killed her. When she relaxed her eyes started to close and she fell in to a deep sleep.

…Switch…

Sasuke was looking over the small town he was hiding out in; he was completely ignoring his latest conquest who was currently sucking on his cock. Sasuke hated this type of thing but his urges we're a distraction that needed to be remedied so he often had women service his needs.

This day had been a complete disaster since he injured his right leg escaping the first bounty hunter he encountered today; luckily he hadn't broken or shattered the bones so he was still able to walk but barely. Sasuke needed to find a healer who didn't ask any questions and fast, the blood of the wound started to seep through the make shift bandage he made from his pants so he pushed off the woman who was servicing him and hobbled over to the bathroom. Sasuke washed the wound again then rewrapped the bandage around his injured leg.

Sasuke looked into the mirror above the bathroom sink and saw how weak his body had become, his anger for his weakness engulfed him and he smashed the mirror to pieces. Hatred had consumed him but just maybe it could be quelled and he could be rid of his demons.

…Switch…

Sakura finally woke up at 10:47am and of course being this late already she for goad the shower and went straight for the check out reception. As Sakura reached the outside of the town she had a choice to make either take the road to the land of Rice Patties where she knew Sasuke had been before and would be comfortable hiding out or take the path which leads to the land of Lightning? After weighting the pros and cons of the situation she chose the former because of his previous affiliation with the land and the people it once contained.

As Sakura walked upon the elongated riverside path all she could think about was not having Naruto with her, after all he's been waiting for a chance like this since Sasuke left it was after all completely unrestricted by Sensei's or comrades who have accompanied them in the past. Sakura thought this all over and came to the conclusion that the power of her selfishness is what drove her to go on this insane quest for the truth, if she had told Naruto she probably would have backed out and he might of actually told someone who would have stopped them.

After travelling for hours Sakura came to a town which seemed to be a stop over for bounty hunters and bandits so she decided to go into the local bar and try to use her youthful beauty to con some man into giving her information. Once she walked into the bar all eyes we're on her of course all the people in the bar we're male so it was no wonder they all looked at her. Sakura chose to sit down at an empty booth so she would have more privacy to talk freely; a few seconds after she sat down a tall, slender and somewhat handsome man sat down next to her. Sakura did a standard flirting technique which entailed her smiling then looking away then looking back at him with a sort of shy expression on her face.

The yet to be known man seemed to be eating up her flirting routine "So what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Sakura loosened up her shoulders then moved a bang out of her face as part of her flirting routine then proceeded to speak "Well I'm looking for a man with short black hair sort of shaped like a duck with black eyes that can turn if you believe it red"

The man's face turned serious then he relaxed back into the demeanour he had before hand "Now why would you be looking for Sasuke Uchiha?"

Sakura knew this was some sort of trick so she decided to lie her way out "Well I did a job for him a while back problem is he only paid me half of what he promised so as you imagine I am very pissed"

The man seemed to ponder this for a little a while then he had his answer "Your not the first to have this type of problem and let me tell you something little lady no one who looked for that guy every came back well not alive at least"

"If the authorities catch me I'm dead any way so does that change things" Sakura leaned back into her seat and started twirling her hair while slightly pursing her lips.

"I'd hate to see a beautiful young woman like yourself get killed but if your this determined he's been seen along the outskirts of Kikyo town for the past month, it's about a two to three day journey even longer if the mountain side has had another landslide"

"Well thank you very much for your most appreciated information" Now that she had the information she needed Sakura got up and left.

…Switch…

Sasuke was royally pissed as the hidden path that leads out of the bustling town of Kikyo had been blocked off by local law enforcement; he couldn't go the normal route for the same reason he couldn't go the hidden route because of the chance of being seen and recognised was extremely high. So he would have to stay in town until he could find another way out f the town without being seen.

Sasuke just went back to the abandoned mansion he was hiding out in but as soon as he got there he collapsed on to the dusty bed. Sasuke's leg was starting to really give out on him which was complete bad timing, at this rate he would never get out of this town and would end up getting caught.

…Switch…

Sakura traversed along the great forest road for the rest of the day but once it reached night fall she set up camp in a cave which seemed to be the resting place for wolf packs.

Now she had the information she needed she was almost done with her personal quest. All she had to do was locate him then find a way to bring him home or at least make sure he never left her. Sakura thought about how pissed yet proud at the same time the Hokage would be, in fact that's all she thought about since she started this quest. The standing ovation coupled with the punishment she would receive once she got back drove Sakura further than her own selfishness did probably because it was a part of the selfishness but not the original line of selfishness.

...

At the crack of dawn Sakura set out again for Kikyo town which according to other travellers she passed was only a four hour walk from her position which was good because Sakura was starting to get sick of all these natural blockades which protected the town from invaders.

...

Once she finally reached the mountain pass it was completely guarded by soldiers who seemed to be analysing every traveller who was trying to get through the pass. Luckily Sakura had been prepared for this type of situation all along; Sakura was smart enough to not bring weapons with her and to have a fake ID card in her back pack.

Sakura waited in line with the other travellers to have her inspection, it didn't take long for the line to move and so far she had not seen any one been turned away or arrested. When she got to the front of the line the forty year old soldier asked for her to hand over her back pack for inspection. The first thing he pulled out of the back pack was her ID card, which Sakura hoped she made authentic enough for any one to be fooled by it.

"Suki Meiko from the village hidden in the leaves, it seems you've come a long way"

Sakura paused her self for a second then took a slow breath before she spoke "Well I was here four years back visiting family and I had a great time so I decided to come back"

"Well just stay away from the south side of town, anyone who goes that way get's attacked by some young ruffian who keeps eluding us"

"Thanks for your advice, have a nice day"

Sakura watched as he packed everything back in to the back pack then after he was done she picked it up and started to walk slowly along the short distance of the path to the busy town of Kikyo.

It was truly a sight to behold the town of Kikyo was filled with new buildings which we're absolutely covered with neon signs. While wondering around this magnificent town Sakura started thinking about that thug the guard had warned her about, it was a long shot but maybe this thug was Sasuke. The problem was what was she going to say if she did meet him again? Then she thought that Sasuke was a man and men have needs so maybe she would pass herself off as a prostitute? It was all so blurry but her first priority was to get a hotel room since her feet we're aching to the point of nearly bleeding.

…Switch…

Sasuke suddenly woke up after a slight shock to his system; once he got more conscious he realized that shock was his body sensing a familiar chakra presence. It didn't feel like his brother or other members of the Akutsuki it didn't even feel like the chakra of Orochimaru or Kabuto. What ever it was he had to find it fast and identify it as either friend or foe.

…To be continued…