To Save Him

The start of the prequel to With the Rain.

I have been writing this story on my iPod, and it has taken forever just to get to 6 chapters, and it's not even finished yet.

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Maybe it was to save the one that she loved, or maybe it was to save her friends, whoever it was for, she knew that she just had to save him...

Currently the shinobi Uchiha Sasuke, was perfecting a new jutsu he had been learning, when the underground training area was interrupted by the snake sannin, and a unknown but familiar chakra, one that he knew in the back of his mind but hadn't felt in years.

'Orochimaru. Why have you disturbed my training session? And who's with you?' His voice was filled with such malice towards the sannin that Orochimaru had to work to suppress a shudder. Placing a smirk on his face to hide his discomfort, Orochimaru calmly walked to his promising student.

'Hm? I would have thought that you already knew who was with me. After all, you are both from the same village.' His smug attitude annoyed Sasuke the most about his arrangement with the sannin. Giving more of his attention to Orochimarus' captive, he found determination, as well as fear, in "her" chakra. It was plainly obvious who Orochimaru had bought to him, he just wanted to examine the difference three years had made.

'Hn. So, how did you get her? I doubt she would have come along quietly.'

'It was quite simple really. She was on a mission travelling through our land, and I just thought that it's been a while since you've relaxed and had a little...fun.'

'I don't have time for fun Orochimaru! I have to get stronger to defeat Itachi! Fun does not exist in this world'

'But defeating Itachi isn't your only goal, is it Sasuke-kun.' The silence in the room was suffocating to say the least, though it only lasted a short time.

'No. It isn't my only goal.' Sasuke answered in a quiet but strong voice.

'Good. Now, I shall leave her in you private courters, restrained of course, for your use later.' With his signature evil chuckle, Orochimaru turned to drag "her" out of the training area.

After another two hours of continuous training, Sasuke retreated to his room for the night. Upon entering his courters, he discovered someone chained in the corner with chakra draining tags and apparently drugged. Making the most of the quietness, because he knew there wouldn't be much later on, Sasuke took a long desired shower and a light nap to rest his muscles. The clinking of chains awoke him from his sleep, it was so unfamiliar to hear it that he was up and his sword was ready for battle when he recalled seeing "her" in the corner. Turning to look at his captive, he first saw the bright pink of her hair, and then he saw the light aqua of her eyes. Lastly he observed her figure and how it had filled out nicely in the years that he hadn't seen her.

'So, Haruno. What mission where you on to take you through this country?' His voice was so soft, it seemed as if he genuinely cared about her mission, but Haruno Sakura of Konohagakure knew better than to believe such nonsense. She remembered clearly how the Uchiha used to be, when they were all still in Team 7: he was a calm and collected ninja, but he only ever spoke of getting stronger, gaining power to take his precious revenge on his brother, Uchiha Itachi.

'Why do you care Uchiha? You never cared back then, so why the sudden change?' Although her voice was firm, her eyes told Sasuke that she was terrified and the chains indicated she was shaking.

'I don't care' that statement hurt the Konoha shinobi more than his leaving the village. 'I just wanted the information because Orochimaru will want to know.'

'Even if you cared, I still wouldn't have told. As it is, I'm keeping that information to myself; you won't be able to get it out of me.' Haruno Sakura then turned her gaze away from her ex-teammate, after making such a bold challenge, making it known that she was done speaking with him.

Silence...

'You have no idea what you have just started, Haruno Sakura-chan,' the Uchiha stated, in his silky and masculine, and at the same time, such a deadly voice that you would not want to have directed at you.

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Thanks for reading.