Naruto and Hinata had disappeared for two weeks. One day they were sleeping in their home, and then...nothing.
After two weeks of fruitless search, Shikamaru called Sasuke to Shikamaru's house to entrust the Uchiha with an important mission, with a condition for failure.
"So you're telling me, that I have to find Naruto or I will become Hokage?" asked Sasuke, incapable of understanding of what Shikamaru had just said.
Shikamaru scratched his forehead, a little irritated.
"There's no chance in hell I will become Hokage and the absence of the Nine-Tails puts the village at serious risk Sasuke. I mean, you know Kurotsuchi is the least reliable of our allies and had threatened to enslave the tailed beasts before. I see a bad scenario where Darui gives in to her behind-closed-doors suggestions and attack us. Without Naruto as conciliator, we need you."
"You're just trying to convince me to take his place huh?"
Shikamaru exploded. He raised from his chair, put his hands on the table and screamed at Sasuke.
"It's about the Hyuuga clan too Sasuke! Their head disappeared for months and goddammit who kidnapped them is too good because even our ANBUs and the Sand's Special Forces can't find them! This whole situation is so similar to The Third Kazekage that are rumours that Sakura and Chiyo didn't really defeat Sasori! You have the minimal idea of what Ninja World War means?"
Shikamaru then turned his head to the side. Temari was on the door, reclined to the left side of it with her arm sustaining her inclined position.
"You're gonna scare the whole village with this. I thought you were calmer."
Shikamaru turned his head to the other side. "Being calm is Shino's gimmick, not mine. I'm lazy remember?"
Sasuke also turned his head away. "I don't think anyone kidnapped or killed Naruto. Too strange to live, too weird to die. Poisons and wounds don't would kill him. Genjutsu would be a option, but the Nine Tails would break them. Wherever he is, he is gone to there willingly."
"Being Hokage is Naruto's dream." answered Shikamaru.
"Being respected is Naruto's dream, not being Hokage. He may have run away from what he considered an overbearing responsibility. Honestly, I think the same, but unlike him I'm not an idiot to easily accept this position. But Hinata going together, hum...I have a theory. A crazy theory."
"Of what kind?" said Shikamaru, sitting.
"The 'deserted island' kind. Some kind of romantic fantasy." said Sasuke, raising his head to the ceiling of Shikamaru's house.
"So, any suggestions of where to search?" said Shikamaru.
Sasuke didn't answer. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn't receive Shikamaru's question. A sinister plan's seed of Sasuke's own kind was planted on his head.
"Sasuke?"
Sasuke lowered his head, and looked to Shikamaru.
"Let me hunt him alone. Naruto could discover spies at a mile of distance. As I'm almost always wandering with my own objectives defined by myself, when I find him, if he sees me, he will not think I was searching for him".
Sasuke left the village the same day.
When Sarada kissed him before he left, he felt the odour of ramen in her breath, making him suspicious.
After that he was never seen again.
Soon war was declared and thousands of people died.
The Leaf lost, and the Fire Country had give away territory, riches, and even kekkei genkai users to be bred like animals to the Cloud and Rock villages.
Sarada was raped repeatedly, and her kids were raised like attack animals for the Cloud Village.
