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Many many thanks to runwithskizzers, HPBabe91, iamNOTafangirl3221, Rostta, cutiepug66, Latilen, and Tears like Crystals for reviewing! Now, what would I do without you guys, mmm?

Music: "Numb" by Linkin' Park.

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B r o k e n T y p o g r a p h y

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Chapter 7 - Sway With the Wind

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Step.

Step.

Step.

He stared down at his hands.

They were red and blistering from training.

Specifically punching and throwing kunai.

Not to mention the chidori.

Silence.

He smirked.

"So, are you ready for today?"

Pause.

He turned around.

Kakashi was standing there, looking at him, an eyebrow raised.

Silence.

"Aa."

He watched Kakashi heave a sigh, then take out that orange book of his.

"Well then, good luck. I'll meet up with you an hour later here."

Pause.

He turned around.

Silence.

He saw her running towards him, waving.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kuuuuuuuuuuuun!"

He stared as she stopping in front of him, panting slightly.

His heart lurched slightly as she smiled that beautiful smile.

"I just came to wish you good luck on the exams! I'm sure you'll pass!"

Her faith in him…

Was astounding.

"Hn."

"Really, Sasuke."

Kakashi.

"Sakura-chan runs all the way here to wish you good luck, and all you can say is 'hn'?"

Silence.

"Hn."

He heard her giggle.

"Sasuke-kun will always be Sasuke-kun, Kakashi-sensei."

"Mmm. Very true."

He raised an eyebrow.

They were simply standing there, talking about him as though he didn't exist.

Pause.

He watched her turn to him.

"A-ano…Sasuke-kun…"

He cocked his head to one side.

"Mm?"

Silence.

Stop.

Shock.

Her arms had gone around him.

Her body pressed against his.

In other words…

She was hugging him.

Again.

Pause.

He felt her let go.

He saw a pink tinge on her cheeks as she shuffled her feet, looking at the ground.

"…just for g-good luck, S-Sasuke-kun. W-well then…ja ne!"

He watched as she smiled once again, and ran off.

Silence.

"You seem a little flustered, Sasuke."

Damn that Kakashi.

"It's just your imagination."

He congratulated himself on his awesome reply.

"Really? Is that a tinge I detect on your face?"

Silence.

He turned away from his sensei.

"Hn. Whatever."

Damn.

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It lays there

In front of me

A long, winding road

Full of nothingness

A gaping void, in my heart

But then, that light…

Lingering

Lingering at the end

Is this what was meant to be?

Should I have gone this way

After my death

Or perhaps

My test

Of insanity

For nonetheless

It beckons me

To it.

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He could see.

The dust was settling, and…

He could hear.

Those idiots in the crowd, roaring.

Pleased to see his arrival.

Waiting to watch his fight.

Pause.

"Sorry we were late."

He glanced at the person Kakashi was talking to.

It was an examiner.

Hm…this was interesting.

Would he still be able to fight?

"The Uchiha is still allowed to fight."

Ah. Good.

He felt Kakashi turn towards him.

"Well, Sasuke? Are you ready?"

Silence.

"Hn."

He heard his sensei chuckling.

"Well, good luck then."

Luck…

He didn't need luck to win this.

Power was all he needed.

All he had.

Pause.

Something pink flashed in the corner of his eye.

It was her.

He could make out her form distantly, waving at him crazily. She was shouting something he

couldn't hear.

Smirk.

It didn't matter.

He would show her just how powerful he really was.

And she would admire him.

More.

More than she ever did in her life.

Pause.

"And now…"

The examiner was speaking.

"It is time for the final match, between Sabaku no Gaara and Uchiha Sasuke!"

He could hear the crowd yelling frantically.

Distantly…

And, they were fading away.

His vision…

Filled with only one thing.

Silence.

Sabaku no Gaara.

Silence.

The match had begun.

Pause.

He smirked.

Then ran at full speed, towards the redheaded sand nin.

As he expected, a sand barrier blocked his punch.

But…

He wasn't done yet.

Step.

He ran to the right.

Left.

Right.

Left.

In a circle.

A speeding whirlwind.

Jabbing at the sand barrier.

In. Out. In. Out.

In a smooth rhythm he had practiced, so many times before.

Weaken the barrier.

Defeat the sand.

Silence.

He picked up speed.

Running, now, faster than the sand itself could move.

He threw a punch.

He felt his fist connect with flesh.

Withdraw.

Run.

And again.

Pause.

That smooth beat.

Now, always.

Confusing his enemy.

Injuring his foe.

His attacks, succeeding, every time.

Silence.

Again.

Again.

Again.

He could see,

Gaara.

Looking around, trying to keep up with him.

But to no avail.

He smirked.

A shower of bullets came towards him.

Dodge.

Spikes, hurtled at him.

Duck.

The sand, reaching out to grab him.

Block.

He…

Was simply too fast.

For one who relies on sand.

Then, suddenly.

He felt himself hit in the back.

Thrown, off his feet, into the wall of the stadium.

Thud.

He shook himself, and managed to narrowly avoid the second punch of sand.

Thud.

He began running again.

"I…will win."

He closed his eyes.

And let his body sway with the wind.

His feet moving in harmony.

His senses tingling at everything.

His strikes, aiming at every open area.

Connecting with every blow.

And once again, he was the predator.

Sabaku no Gaara…

Was the prey.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Silence.

Weaken the foe.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

kill the foe.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Stop.

Silence.

He felt his fist connect with solid sand.

As hard as steel.

Pause.

He opened his eyes.

He saw, there, sitting in front of him, a huge ball of sand, completely enveloping Gaara.

As hard as steel.

As hard as steel.

Silence.

There was no way he was going to break through that absolute defense with mere punches.

No.

It was time…

Time for…

That.

Turn.

He sped up the wall of the stadium.

Up to the very top.

And, once again.

Closed his eyes.

To summon that attack…

Focus.

Gather chakra into one hand…

Imagine.

Chakra…

Sizzling in wild directions.

Powerful enough to cut through anything.

Focus.

His eyes opened.

His mouth curled into that trademark smirk.

Pause.

"Chidori!"

He took off.

Down the wall.

Across the ground.

Heading straight towards the sphere.

His arm extending.

Bright blue sparks, jumping around his hand.

Reaching.

Reaching…

And then…

Pause.

He struck.

Plunging his hand directly into the sphere that was protecting his opponent.

And felt…

Something warm and sticky…

Coat his hand.

Smile.

He had drawn blood.

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Longing

Filling my heart

To walk on

Start after it

To finish that path

Travel to the end

To see…

That light

To touch it

Become mesmerized

By its ethereal glow

Illuminating the dark

Foreboding road

Ahead of me

However…

Is it alright

To let myself be pulled, by its touch?

Maybe it is…

But I shall never know.

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Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

His heart clenched painfully as he stood, panting.

His hand, drenched in blood.

An eye…

That wasn't human.

Wasn't human.

Something…

Was inside there…

That wasn't Gaara.

Sabaku no Gaara.

No…

It was a creature.

A creature…

Gaara…had changed into a creature?

No

Impossible.

Utterly impossible.

Silence.

He stared at the sphere, made of sand.

There was a large hole.

With cracks, surrounding it.

A hole…

A fault…

That he had made.

However…

Pause.

He frowned.

Something…

Was moving.

Were those tails?

No…

It couldn't be.

Yet…

Did he detect growls…?

Coming from that barrier?

Ridiculous.

Simply ridiculous.

But…

Silence.

Then, suddenly…

There was a crash.

Boom.

Screaming.

Yelling.

Shouting.

Crying.

All penetrating his torrent of thoughts.

Pause.

He turned around…

And saw…

Stop.

Shock.

The Kazekage holding a kunai against the Hokage's throat.

No…

No.

Silence.

What…

Just what…

Was going on?

He didn't know.

Pause.

He saw four figures surround the roof of where the Hokage was held, and perform some hand

signs he couldn't make out.

He watched as a square barrier sprung up around the roof.

The Hokage was trapped.

Pause.

He frowned slightly.

Why wasn't there more screaming?

The sounds of people running in panic?

Turn.

He looked at the stands of the stadium.

Nearly everyone was asleep.

But…

He saw.

Her.

Crouching on a seat, looking around.

Silence.

There were sand and sound nins running along the stadium.

Clang.

He heard the clashing sounds of kunai against kunai.

Sword against sword.

Then, suddenly…

Pause.

His eyes widened.

A sound nin…

Was heading towards her.

Silence.

She was in danger.

His eyebrows furrowed, and leapt forwards, performing hand signs.

Tiger. Ox.

"Katon, Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Thud.

He landed on the lower part of the bleachers.

Surprisingly, no one came to attack him.

Strange.

He saw her look up, her eyes wide.

Silence.

"…S-Sasuke-kun!"

Pause.

Step.

Step.

Step.

He began walking up the steps, towards her.

He watched, as she knelt there, staring at him in shock. Her lips were moving, but no sound came out. He noticed that her eyes were filling with tears.

Sigh.

He stopped a couple of steps below the platform she was on.

"Didn't I tell you not to cry?"

He saw her blink furiously.

"…h-hai."

Silence.

"You saved me, Sasuke-kun…"

Pause.

He looked up at her.

"Aa."

He watched her smile slightly.

"Arigatou, Sasuke-kun."

He looked up.

Shock.

"Sakura, watch out-!"

And then…

He watched, as though it happened in slow motion.

Her body falling.

A large slash going across her shoulder blades.

Haruno.

Her beautiful pink hair, the color of cherry blossoms, coming loose from her headband.

Sakura.

Her emerald green eyes widening as she fell, towards the ground.

He loved her.

His feet seemed rooted to the spot, as she fell slowly toward her death.

The sand nin behind her, raising a sword to impale through her heart.

And then, so abruptly that it seemed surreal…

He realized, with a jolt,

That she was going to die.

And here he was, simply watching her go to her death.

Down that path to hell.

Silence.

He leapt forwards, grabbing her around the waist and spinning around to meet the sand nin.

"Katon, Housenka no Jutsu!"

He landed evenly, and turned her over.

"Sakura…Sakura!"

He watched as she blinked up at him through half-closed eyes, her mouth contorted with pain.

"Sasuke-kun…"

"Sakura, are you alright?"

Stupid question.

He saw her smile slightly, then felt her wince again.

"Sasuke-kun…it hurts."

He realized that he had a hand where her injury was.

Thud.

He fell to his knees, bringing his hand up.

It was soaked in her blood.

Her blood.

"Hang on, Sakura…"

He looked around wildly, for something, anything that would help her.

He ripped off a part of his sleeve and put it over her injury, turning her so that the front part of her body was lying on the floor, with one of his hands supporting her head.

"Sasuke! Sakura!"

He turned his head and saw Kakashi coming towards them.

"What's wrong with Sakura?"

He turned back to gaze down at her.

"…she was slashed across her back."

He felt Kakashi land next to him and uncover Sakura's injury.

He was aware of her flinches as his sensei took off the cloth.

He heard Kakashi sigh.

"This isn't too deep. Sakura was lucky."

Lucky? She was hurt!

"Aa."

Pause.

He heard Kakashi call over a medic nin.

He felt the medic nin bend over her.

"Hm…I think I can heal this enough so that she can move without much pain."

Silence.

"Sasuke, please move back."

He grudgingly complied to Kakashi's order.

He heard her gasp in pain as the medic nin began performing a healing jutsu.

Step.

He felt Kakashi block an incoming attack from another enemy.

Pause.

"There, she should be fine now. But she won't be in any condition to seriously fight."

He saw the medic nin get up, and run off to another shinobi.

He felt her move, and looked around.

"Sasuke-kun…"

He supported her as they stood up.

"Thank you."

She was smiling at him again.

A pure, untainted smile.

Not one full of bitterness from him failing to protect her.

But instead,

She was thanking him.

For being there for him.

Pause.

"Are you alright?"

He heard her giggle slightly.

"Mm."

"That's good."

Silence.

"Sasuke-kun…you're so cute."

Stop.

He stared at her.

"…what?"

He watched as she giggled again.

Her body quivering against his.

"I said, you're so cute, Sasuke-kun!"

Silence.

"Aww, look, you're turning pink."

Pause.

What?

"No I'm not."

He looked at her as she smiled cheekily at him.

"Well, can you see yourself, Sasuke-kun?"

"…no."

She was smirking now.

"Then how do you know if you're not turning pink?"

Silence.

"I just do."

He watched as she pursed her lips.

"Liar!"

He could feel his face burning up.

Why

Just why

Did she have to pick this time to say that?

When they were practically hugging each other?

"You were so worried about me! That was so cute, Sasuke-kun. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

Silence.

"…"

"Oooh, Sasuke-kun is speechless for once!"

He heard her giggle again.

He was sure that he was turning red.

"…now is not the time for this."

Her giggles died down.

"Aa. You're right, Sasuke-kun, as usual. Gomen, I was just really touched."

"Hn."

He turned to her.

"Can you walk now?"

He saw her nod in response.

He let her go, although something in his brain was protesting against that particular action.

He squashed that little thought into oblivion.

Did she look disappointed?

Or was it just his imagination?

"Everyone's trapped in genjustu."

He looked at her.

She was looking around at all the sleeping people that were slumped in their seats.

"Man, even Naruto no baka."

He heard her sigh, and felt her move to the blonde dobe.

"Dispel!"

He looked around, and saw the dobe move slightly.

"Mmm…ramen…"

"Naruto no baka, wake up!"

He saw her punch the dobe in the stomach.

"Ow ow ow ow ow owwwww! Sakura-chaaaaaaaaan!"

Smirk.

"So, you're finally awake."

He watched as the dobe turned, blinked, and looked back and forth between him and her.

"Sasuke-teme? Sakura-chan?"

"If you've only noticed, Naruto no baka."

Silence.

"What happened to you, Sakura-chan?"

Pause.

He heard her laugh, rather falsely.

"Eh, nothing much, just got a scratch. That's all."

He knew that the dobe didn't really believe her.

"Um…okay."

He watched the blonde look around.

"What happened?"

Pause.

"Hokage-sama is in danger."

Silence.

Then…

"What?"

He looked as the dobe jumped up, eyes wide.

"Hokage ojiisan is in danger? Where?"

She was looking sad.

"On the roof. But Naruto, you can't-"

The dobe had already taken off, and was just about to jump onto the roof when he was

intercepted by a sound shinobi.

Silence.

He felt her look at him.

"Sasuke-kun…isn't there anything we can do to help?"

He knew what she meant by 'help'.

Pause.

"No."

He felt her sigh.

"I hope Hokage-sama is alright…"

He began leaping down the steps, to the ground.

No one came to attack him.

"S-Sasuke-kun, where are you going?"

He didn't reply.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

He jumped off the bleachers onto the fighting grounds, and looked up on the roof.

Silence.

Shock.

Horror.

The Kazekage…

Wasn't the Kazekage.

No.

No.

No.

Yellow snake eyes.

A long, slithering tongue.

Silence.

Orochimaru.

Orochimaru.

Orochimaru.

He felt someone land behind him.

He spun around, kunai raised.

"Sasuke-kun?"

It was her.

"What…?"

He heard her gasp in shock as she stared up at the roof.

"…I-it's…him!"

Silence.

He felt her turn towards him.

"Sasuke-kun…"

Her eyes were lingering near the base of his neck.

He frowned slightly, and unconsciously rubbed that spot.

The spot where…

No.

He wouldn't think of that now.

The village of Konohana was in danger, and it would do no good for him to contemplate thoughts

of the distant past. At least, not at this moment.

"Ano, Sasuke-kun…where-"

He interrupted her by turning around swiftly.

And, he saw…

Two sand genin approaching the large, sand sphere.

He recognized the two genin as Sabaku no Gaara's teammates.

He couldn't remember their names.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun…it's Temari-san and Kankurou-san."

So, that was it.

"What are they doing…?"

He didn't answer her question. Instead, he simply stared at the scene that was unfolding before them.

Then…

To his surprise, the shield of sand started to crumble as the blonde kunoichi said something he couldn't hear.

He heard her gasp, beside him.

Sabaku no Gaara was revealed, sitting on the ground as the sand was sucked back into the gourd.

The puppet user was saying something.

He watched as the red-haired sand nin got up slowly, supported by the other two genin.

However…

Gaara seemed to collapse, unconscious, as the other two sand shinobi tried to lift their teammate

up. They managed to do so, and sped off, out the stadium.

"Where're they going?"

He heard her voice, but her question didn't register in his head.

"Sasuke-kun, do you know where they're going?"

Silence.

He heard her clearly, this time.

"…no."

Thud.

He turned around to be greeted by Kakashi's form.

"Sasuke, go after him."

There was no need to ask who 'him' was.

"Aa."

He leapt off, but stopped when he heard her voice again.

"Sasuke-kun! I'll go with you!"

Kakashi's voice was heard, contradicting her.

"No, Sakura, you're in no condition to fight. Stay here."

"I can fight, Kakashi-sensei!"

"Sasuke."

He turned around.

Kakashi was addressing him.

"I have to help the others. Make sure that Sakura stays here."

He watched as his sensei left.

Silence.

"Sasuke-kun…let me go with you! Onegai…"

Pause.

"No."

He saw her frown slightly.

"But, Sasuke-kun-"

He turned away from her.

"You heard Kakashi. Stay here."

He took a step away.

"I don't want you to get hurt!"

Stop.

Sigh.

He turned around one last time to address her.

"Sakura. You're hurt. You heard the medic shinobi; you're in no condition whatsoever to fight. Just be good and stay here, out of trouble."

Pause.

"Don't follow me."

And with those words, he took off, out of Konohana, into the forest to track down Gaara of the Sand.

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It opens up to me

A path of darkness

A road of death

Leading me

To my ultimate downfall

But it's okay

For I,

Have no life left to live

Better to travel to hell

Than to stay, as a ghost

A mere imprint on earth

Of what I was, before

To go down there, away from her touch

For I can't stand

The sight of her

This yearning, tugging at my soul

To take a step down this road, to hell.

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Alright, some action this time! I don't really like writing battle scenes or fighting, but hey, this kind of violence is essential in these Naruto fanfics. Now, things just wouldn't be interesting without them, hmm? Well, it would seem weird if there weren't any battle scenes whatsoever. Hope you guys liked this chapter.

The lyrics in this chapter are from a song of mine called Path to Hades.

Well, if you review this time, you don't get a SasuSaku plushie, unfortunately…but you do get a million cookies, my thanks, and hugs! Well, maybe not hugs, as I'm not really that type.