They stopped a few branches from Team Snake's campsite and watched the people before them.
Sora and Midori couldn't move, couldn't breathe, it felt as if it was a dream.
Sora couldn't feel the hard wood beneath her feet, the small branches that scratched her every time they moved. She pinched the inside of her elbow to see if it was a dream but they pain told her it was all real. There he was...just like he always was to her...so close yet so far away.
Midori grabbed a few strands of his hair and tugged because his body felt like it was paralyzed.
Found you Sasuke.
How many times had he dreamed about seeing his old rival again? Twenty three...twenty three dreams and nightmares since Sasuke left the Hidden Leaf Village. In almost half the dreams, he killed Sasuke and before he died, every time, he would confess that Naruto and Sakura were the only friends he ever had and going with Orochimaru was a mistake. That he really loved Sakura as much as she loved him and was just afraid of loosing everything all over again because she needed protection. That the only reason he wanted to be stronger was to protect their intertwined futures. In other dreams, Sasuke would kill him and he couldn't think of a better way to die than by the hands of his own friend. The friend who pushed to him to be the best and helped him become stronger by pushing him to the limit.
But nothing could prepare Sora and Midori for the moment they saw Sasuke's new group, nothing in the world.
One had pasty blue skin and looked like Itachi's old Akatsuki partner, Kisame. He had the same teeth, the disturbing smile, and carried something extraordinary on his back. "It's Zabuza's sword", Midori whispered to her and it made her eyes narrow. What was Sharkboy doing with Zabuza's sword? If Sora remembered correctly, Zabuza's sword was placed on his grave when he died...if Sharkboy had it that meant that they traveled to the Land of Waves...and crossed the Great Naruto Bridge. Interesting, thought Midori, Seems like Zabuza had a stalker.
There was a girl in the group as well, who had red eyes and even redder hair. Her glasses made her look intelligent and by the way she was looking at Sasuke she was interested in him. But there was something disturbing about her, maybe it was the fact that half her hair was short and messy while the other half was long and smooth. Was it a new style that said: Look at me! I don't look stupid at all! or something? She was talking to Sharkboy, well...it was more like she was nagging him about something, and was being ignored by the way he rolled his cyan eyes.
The spiky haired man to the left of Sasuke drinking water looked lost in his own thoughts and every few minutes looked around him, as if paranoid someone was there. He looked pretty normal, his hair was wild yet without tangles, but they could tell he was hiding something. He looked too normal to be associated with Team Snake on the outside but, Sora bet, if she took a peak at his mind she would be scarred for life.
It was official...no one in Team Snake was normal.
It was like Orochimaru's own group of misfit toys that he used to play with before he got careless and was killed by one of them.
Oh well, who really gives a damn? Everyone and their mothers knew he walked right into that one when he trained his "toy" to be stronger than himself.
Stupid slimy bastard.
Anyway, last but not least was Sasuke Uchiha and all his abdominal glory. Seriously, would it kill him to put a shirt on or cover up a little? Sora had a hard time keeping her breath steady. Though he was sitting down, the two ninjas could tell he had grown taller and leaner too by the way sunlight glinted off his muscles. How could he be out in the sun all day and never get tanned? His hair was the same style but looked a little darker, to the point where the blue tint was hardly noticeable anymore.
But their observations were cut short when the girl in the campsite suddenly looked into the foliage right where they were, "We're being watched".
Oooo how scary, siiiike, Midori was not even the least bit frightened. He used to think seeing Team Snake would scare him but they just made him want to kick some ass.
"Show yourselves", said Sharkboy grabbing the handle of his sword. Oooo how scary, he's going to blind me with his big shining sword.
With a kunai in each hand, Sora jumped down first followed by Midori who carried a shuriken between two fingers. Sasuke's dark eyes turned to Sora and she felt her insides screaming. His eyes, like his hair, seemed darker than before and his face was completely neutral as he looked at her closely. The glasses girl seemed to notice and came forward to Sora asking, "Who are you and what do you want?"
Remember to disguise your personality, don't let Sasuke remember you. "Step aside Four Eyes, let me talk to your leader".
Sharkboy barked out a laugh that he tried to pass for a cough when the girl glared at him, Midori smirked.
"Who are you?", asked Sasuke, his voice made her shiver. It was still as dark and sensual as it always was, thank goodness she did not blush at that moment. Why the hell was everything about this man dark but his skin?
"I am Sora and this is Midori, we want to join to your team."
"No, no, absolutely not!", screamed the girl, the hell was her problem?
"Karin, let the woman the speak", rumbled the broad shouldered man in the corner. He glanced at Sora for a moment before looking away, staring into the camp fire.
"What can you offer?", Sasuke spoke again, looking disinterested. She froze a moment, not knowing what to say. Back in the Team 7 days, Sakura would have gladly given him anything he needed, would she do that same now?
Midori put a hand on her shoulder, "We can offer protection from those nuisances that call themselves Leaf Ninja, you all should conserve your chakra". As he said this, his nails dug into Sora's shoulder inconspicuously. He seemed to pain him to say that, kissing up to his eternal rival. It took all self control not to rip Sasuke apart where he sat for all the trouble he's caused to his village.
"Impress me", the last Uchiha said fingering his sword. Impress you...impress you?!! thought Naruto, Sasuke could still piss him off with just one word, how about I impress you by sticking my kunai down your throat, pulling out your non-existent heart and feeding it to your little shark buddy. How about that Sasuke, will that impress you?!!. I can't believe you replaced us with these freaks Sasuke, I thought you were better than that. He would have loved to abandon the mission right then and there and just kill Sasuke. But the jutsu was for a long time and the mission needed to be completed or else.
Midori did the reverse hand signs of the Fire Dragon Jutsu first, since there was no large source of water near, concentrating on a tree before him. Sora saw how Sharkboy's eyes looked at Midori's hands, like he knew the jutsu or something. "Saru...Ushi! Fire Style! Fire Dragon Jutsu!". This time the force of the jutsu almost knocked him back on his ass but he pushed forward instead. The huge fire dragon twirled itself in the air a few times before roaring, twinkling its light blue eyes. It crashed into the trees and it erupted in flames, lighting up the entire night.
A fire jutsu, Sasuke thought to himself, hmm.
"Good going genius", Karin told him, smirking to herself.
She wants to die, Sora told herself, she really wants to die. "Is there a river around here?", she asked, looking around the forest.
"North, a couple of yards from here", answered Sharkboy, pointing North. Sora ran quickly in the direction and suddenly found herself in a small stream, the thing was just a small trickle of water. She felt bad about wasting it but that thought could not be entertained. She performed the hand signs anyways,"Tori, Ji Ne, I...Tori! Water Style! Water Dragon Jutsu!". The stream lifted itself clear off the bank, the dragon roared through the night air.
Crazygirl and Sharkboy followed the dragon with its eyes, muttering an "Oh shit" when it passed them at full speed and headed for the inflamed tree. The water hissed as it extinguished the fire, leaving the tree black and thoroughly burned.
"You can do water jutsus?", asked Sharkboy when she returned, "Are you from Kirigakure?".
Midori waited by her side for her answer until Karin interrupted her, "But then...that would mean that the red head is from Konohagakure!". You don't know how right you are.
"You could say that", Midori looked at Karin, "My grandparents were from Konohagakure, I've never been there before".
"Then who trained you?", she was trying so hard to catch him on his bluff.
"I bought stolen scrolls from a merchant in my village and taught myself". Way to go Naruto! Sora mentally applauded his bold face lie.
"You have not impressed me", came a cold voice.
"Me either", Crazygirl crossed her arms and tried to look intimidating but it worked against them.
"I like them", the bulky one said again, eyeing Sora.
"Me too", Sharkboy was vouching for them? "We're practically kin!", he gave Sora a one armed hug, pulling her to him. His skin was so fluid-like and cold, like he was a walking, talking form of water. When they pulled apart, the side of her clothes was drenched in water. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, What the hell is this guy anyway?
"But we don't need them", Crazygirl whined, "Itachi is already dead, what good would they do? They would just get us caught!".
Sasuke didn't flinch at the mention of his dead brother, he just turned his dark, tired gaze on her wordlessly. He would of glared at her into submission if she was looking at him, but she was turned toward Sora. The blue eyed girl could tell that Crazygirl thought she was the Alpha Female in the group. She was...for a while and now she would need to step down. Old jealously surfaced in Sakura, like when she was thirteen and would see Ino all over Sasuke. She just wanted to tear this girl apart, starting with her crazy, you-fucked-yourself-up hairstyle.
"Don't get us caught and stay out of our way, understood?"
"But Sasuke...",the freak whined.
"Enough Karin", he silenced her and stood up, walking away from the campsite. He glanced at Sora before disappearing into the thick growth of the forest.
"He does that often", said Sharkboy, falling to the ground and getting comfortable," He goes to meditate or whatever, comes back in the middle of the night every time".
"What's your name?", Midori asked putting his pack on the ground to rest his shoulders.
"I'm Suigetsu, that's Jugo", he pointed to the quietest of the four, "And you know Karin". Under his breath he murmured,"Fugly bitch".
She heard, he wasn't that far away from her, and kicked him on the head, causing both of them to get into bad moods. "Damn it Karin, what the hell was that for?".
"I'm not fugly, I'm beautiful!".
O...kay, that's uncharted territory.
Not wanting to get involved, Sora and Midori jumped to a huge branch above them that supported two people. It was the same branch they were just on. They got as comfortable as they could on it and stretched out on it next to each other, watching the stars through the many leaves. They sparkled as far as the eye could see, giving people something to believe in. Something to hang onto in a time of hardship and confusion.
"Can we really do this?", Sora whispered to Midori, his eyes were closed, "How long can we last?".
He rolled on his side to face her, opening his forest green eyes at her. "Relax Sakura", he whispered it right into her ear so no one would overhear him, "Everything is gonna be fine, sleep".
I hope so. I finally have Sasuke back after all these years and it still feels like we're a million miles apart. When will I close the distance, can I close the distance. It doesn't seem like he's changed much but why do I feel like there is. What is he hiding from everyone?