this is my first posted story. so enjoy, i hope.
disclaimer naruto is not mine. tear
So Much Change.
Sasuke had left his squad back at the village they were passing through, for now. He didn't need or want any help for what he hoped he was about to do. The lead he had on Itachi's whereabouts was fairly reliable, confirmed by (that annoying) Karin, and now that he had finally defeated Orochimaru, he could complete his lifelong goal at last.
So long as the dobe doesn't get in my way again, his mind finished for him.
He grimaced mentally (being used to concealing his emotions). The last time he ran into Naruto and the rest of Team Kakashi, he had been forced to waste a great deal of time and chakra. The nostalgia the fight had instigated took a toll on his usually solid emotional being as well. Seeing his former teammates had sent an unexpected shock of pain through him (that he had kept well-hidden beneath a stoic mask of indifference, of course). They had changed so much… Sasuke shook his head to dispel the memories threatening to cloud his mind. Naruto and Sakura were a nuisance, not a threat. He'd have to avoid them so as not to expend an single unnecessary drop of chakra that he needed in order to defeat Itachi. His teeth clenched at the thought of his older brother.
That second, he sensed a familiar chakra presence fast approaching from beyond the trees. It was strong, but too small to belong to Itachi. He could take whoever it was. After all, they appeared to be alone. He was certain it was a shinobi, though; no ordinary civilian could travel through dense forest at that speed. Sasuke hid in the bushes to avoid needless chakra expenditure.
A pink-haired kunoichi landed gracefully into a crouch on the ground directly in front of the shrubbery camouflaging him.
Sakura. I don't have time for her.
His eyes flashed red and he scanned the area for others, but Naruto, that odd knockoff of himself, Sai, and any other person that could be accompanying her were nowhere to be found. He stood, not bothering to get into a fighting stance. She wouldn't be too difficult to take care of. He braced himself for her reaction to his presence.
"Sakura."
Sakura turned toward him and straightened, not looking at all surprised. He fought to keep his own surprise from revealing itself. Where was the shock? Where were the tears?! This girl had worn her emotions on her sleeve for as long as he'd known her! How much could she possibly have changed? She hadn't even thrown herself onto him!
She gave him that glowing smile he remembered so well.
"Hi, Sasuke-kun!" she greeted brightly before continuing her journey through the trees.
He cautiously awaited a surprise attack or paper bomb to appear, a wave of shuriken and kunai, a genjutsu, anything. Nothing happened.
The Uchiha considered following her, then brushed off the idea as a waste of time. He shut his eyes and listened to the echo of her cheery voice bounce through the sunlit leaves surrounding him.
Hi, Sasuke-kun!
Pain overtook him again as a montage of Team 7 memories played behind his eyelids. He tried to think of something else. Sitting, he decided to ponder her reason for being here.
As he postulated, he didn't realize that he had failed to notice the slash through the leaf on her headband, as well as her complete change in attire: in place of her red and white outfits, there was an ominous, high collared black cloak, with a swirling red cloud pattern on it.
it shall remain a oneshot unless i one day get inspired to write a story. r&r would be lovely.