Once again, sorry this took so long to get out. I've been busy.
Anyway from this point on I'm going to be getting more into the plot.
There will be more SasuSaku moments and more twists.
Hope you enjoy and keep reading.
Please be patient with me- and review!
Thanks!
Chapter Seven:
Beyond Good Logic
"I'm not sure that I could walk away now, end it perfectly and just say your words are not affecting me."
Her back rested against the brick wall, arms crossed in front of her. The shadow made her presence feel more hidden, even though she probably wasn't. Her eyes were closed, listening to the quiet bickering. And this bickering, was pleasant...compared to what she knew would come.
She opened one eye as she heard footsteps walking down the opposite side of the alley.
"You wanted to see me." Sasuke's low, quiet voice roamed through the air. He walked slowly over to her.
"Yes." Lady Tsunade responded, opening both eyes and looking at him.
"Yeah...in an alley though?" He replied, reaching her. He stopped walking and put his hands into his pockets, eyeing Tsunade's calm expression. She nodded and looked off into the opposite direction.
They were between two old buildings by a calm water fountain near some village monuments. They were standing by the edge of the alley way, as if hiding from something. After they grew silent, Sasuke could hear the faint voices as well, arguing about something.
Tsunade sighed heavily and leaned her head back against the wall as well. "It's funny how things can change so quickly." She spoke softly, pulling her arms tighter against her chest. Sasuke took a few steps past her and peered over the corner of the building. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Sakura and Naruto sitting on a bench together, their voices intertwined in creative discussion.
Or argueing...whatever you want to call it.
"They've been like this for a while now. It's so strange." Tsunade spoke wearily, looking over at Sasuke. He took a step back and leaned against the wall opposite of the Hokage. His eyes met hers, piercing her gaze. Hers, tired. His, careless. But even though his composure said he wasn't interested, it was almost clear he was.
"They argue about the smallest things, and really...Naruto isn't one to argue. But lately...well I mean...this has been going on for about two months." She tilted her head down and sighed once again. She scratched the side of her head and then looked back up at Sasuke, whose gaze was drifting off to the side.
Maybe he wasn't interested?
Or maybe...he was listening. The voices in the background were faint.
"That's not a stupid reason."
"Yeah...maybe there's no such thing as stupid reasons, just stupid people."
"Ouch...that's harsh, Sakura."
"You're the one who told me I was hopeless!"
"I never said that you were hopeless! I just said loading yourself with too much was!"
"You'd know, huh, Naruto? Always sooo busy?"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, peering out into the clearing. Tsunade was right. Naruto never really argued back...at least not with Sakura.
Well...from what he remembered...he never used to.
"I'm sure you know...Jiraiya...is dead." Tsunade mumbled, causing Sasuke's eyes to shoot to hers.
Awkward silence.
"I'm sure it's just another strain on Naruto. And with you being back..." Her voiced trailed off as she noticed Sasuke's position tense. She stared at him for a moment, feeling tension form in the air. "I already know...about what really happened when you met up with Sakura."
"Hn."
What a reply.
Tsunade uncrossed her arms and crossed them again, trying to avoid any unwanted comments.
"Is that why you asked to see me?" He finally spoke, making the Hokage's eyebrows raise.
"But that's not the point..."
"The point is...we're pushing too hard...and it's not our decision."
"So you're giving up? That's it?"
"Sakura...what else can we do?"
"Something. Don't sit around."
Tsunade adjusted her leaning position a bit. "Despite my knowing everything that's happened with your being here so far...I'm not upset. No, really...I wanted to see you for a different reason." Might as well cut to the chase.
Sasuke glanced at Tsunade, and then back into the clearing. Hearing those two argue was...for some reason...making him uneasy.
"What is it?" He asked harshly, eyes now moving back to hers.
She uncrossed her arms and stood up straight, shuffling over a bit to the left, closer to the edge of the building.
"I know what you're after, and in all honesty...I think you know what I'm after as well."
Sasuke's eyes widened at her words. "So you really do know about it?" He asked, less sharpness in his words. It was almost as if Konoha was becoming a harbor for many secrets and changes.
Tsunade nodded.
"Why can't you just grow up?!"
"Grow up...?"
"I'm doing all I can for everyone, and here you're telling me to stop."
"I'm only saying it's foolish."
"So I'm foolish?"
"Whatever! If that's how you want it to sound then yes, you're foolish!!"
The voices were rising.
"Madara Uchiha." She spoke calmly. Her eyes met his, and his expression turned into a glare. And after a few seconds, Tsunade's did as well. "I'm not sure exactly what happened to Jiraiya but...Madara...also known as Tobi...is behind it all." She continued, a scowl on her face.
Sasuke could see the anger in her eyes. A yearning for revenge.
It looked all too familiar.
"You're looking for him. Konoha is looking for him. I need him found, and soon." She said again, eyes drifting to her left, out into the clearing. The sky was cloudy and grey, and the weather was slightly chilly. A rather dreary day.
"Get to the point." Sasuke demanded, shifting his hands in his pockets.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed even more. "If you must leave...then go. But if not...I could use you, Sasuke."
His heart jumped, and he tightened his fists in his pockets. What a stupid request!
"There's nothing you can do."
"Just...shut up already!"
"Think about it...there's so little we can accomplish..."
"Sakura."
"Isn't that what you're saying?"
"Stop being like this! It's not my fault this happened! You're the one who brought him back!"
Sasuke shifted over a bit to peek at the two fighting. The words were sharp to the tongue now...and clearly, they were talking about him.
"I know it's almost an imbecilic request...but we can benefit from each other. Face it, if you had every intention to leave...you'd be gone. But something is holding you here. You need my assistance. We don't have to be enemies." Tsunade continued, never moving her gaze back to Sasuke.
A moment of silence passed.
"Pein acts as the leader, taking orders from behind the scene. Getting to Tobi won't be easy, and I don't have much time." He replied, his words regaining some of the coldness from before. Tsunade bit her lip. "With the possibility of you somehow finding him before me...you won't be able to take him out. Itachi told me that Madara assisted him in the assassination of my clan." He continued.
Tsunade nodded.
"That's bullshit, and you know it!"
"Oh is it really? Tell me why you still get so defensive!"
"Your...an asshole!"
"Save it, I've heard that one before!"
"Perhaps. But you think you can?" Tsunade counted, hearing a small scoff from Sasuke. Lacking manners. Stubborn as ever. Same old Uchiha.
"I've heard he's lost some of the strength he was once well known for. But still...only my eyes can keep up with him." Sasuke peeked around the building once more, to see Sakura standing, shouting at Naruto, who had an angry look imprinted on his face.
Silence.
"I've heard you're in no condition to use those eyes." Tsunade looked back to Sasuke, and her eyes widened. He was full out glaring at her with the sharingan, clearly not liking her comment.
"I don't know what Sakura has told you, but I'm fine."
"I'm no fool. Besides what she's told me, it's clear your body is run down. I can just see it in your eyes. Your physically...and psychologically in no position to throw yourself into battle." She spat, earning a dangerous groan from Sasuke.
"I'm fine. Need proof?" He challenged, making Tsuande's brow furrow.
"Forget it, Uchiha. There are important matters at hand. Don't play games."
"I can't believe you're this stubborn! You're no better than Sasuke!"
"Like you'd know! You're just as stubborn!"
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
"I hate arguing with you! Why do you always have to fight with me, Sakura?"
"It's your fault!!"
"Isn't it always?! Because what, you're perfect?!"
Sasuke's thoughts were interrupted by those words. Naruto wasn't one to say such harsh things...especially not to Sakura. His eyes trailed around the corner to see Naruto standing up as well. By the sounds of their words, it would be no surprise if this got physical.
"I wish we could help. It's a shame."
Both Sasuke and Tsunade looked down the alleyway to see Kakashi walking up. His hands were in his pockets, body language, calm. Sasuke eyed him curiously, still listening to Naruto and Sakura fight.
Tsunade sighed and shot Kakashi a worried look. "These two. What can we do?" She asked, her voice desperate.
Kakashi walked up in between them and looked over the corner as well. It was almost like front row seats to a horror film.
"Nothing, apparently. They only grow farther apart. It can't be helped." He replied solemnly, making Sasuke's eyes widen. No way...was everybody really changing this much?
Tsunade's brow furrowed and she took a deep breathe. "Kakashi...I'm worried about Naruto. He's-"
"Worried about you. And so am I. And so is Sakura...and the rest of the village." Kakashi glanced at her, and then over to Sasuke. Sasuke met his curious gaze with a bored, uninterested one of his own.
Kakashi sighed and looked away. "I'm glad some things never change."
Ouch. Sasuke's throat tightened. For some reason...that hurt. But...what did he care what the village thought of him? This wasn't his home.
And all of a sudden, Sakura's high pitched voice filled the air...an exasperated screech.
"I can't take this anymore!!"
Sasuke ground his teeth together, wondering what to do. This village was falling apart all around him. Nothing made sense anymore. He thought over all the words he had heard tossed around in their argument. He took a deep breathe, and peered around the corner, along with Tsunade and Kakashi.
Naruto and Sakura were now facing each other, glares imprinted on both their faces.
"I can't! You...you...I hate you, Naruto!" She shouted angrily, body shaking. Naruto's face twisted into a frown, but he rolled his eyes.
"...I've never heard that one before." He retorted, trying to hide the hurt in his voice.
But Sasuke could pick it out. Obviously. And he had never heard Sakura say that to Naruto before either. What the hell was going on?!
"I'm serious! Here...take...you're stupid-" Sakura grabbed at a bracelet around her wrist, trying to pull it off. But clearly flustered, she couldn't unlatch it, which gave Naruto enough time to forcefully swat her wrist down, making her other one fall to her side. His grip was tight, causing Sakura to look up at him with a sad expression. But what was the story behind that bracelet?
"Sakura, don't." Naruto spoke calmly, his glare softening as well.
Sakura swallowed hard. "Let go, Naruto."
But he never let go, and in anger, she too, wrapped her hand around his wrist and started pouring chalkra into her palm, crushing his arm. Naruto flinched a bit, but showed no sign of pain.
Sasuke only watched it all unfold until he heard Tsunade's voice break in.
"She always does that...tries to hurt him physically...and then gets so upset when she can't. But she doesn't realize...it's all emotional." Her voice was soft, and it seemed like she was really just speaking to herself. But Sasuke's eyes never left those two.
She kept her grip firm...squeezing. Her face was a slight glare as Naruto's was simply emotionless, showing her no pain. After a few second of this, she abruptly stopped the chalkra flow in her hand and pulled her hand away from his wrist quickly. She spat something angrily that Sasuke couldn't hear and she turned away from where Sasuke was secretly watching. She took a few steps away as Naruto sighed heavily and started rubbing his wrist.
And then he seen it. On the other wrist was slight bruising...similiar to how Sasuke's looked.
Was that from Sakura? It looked like Sasuke's, only it looked like it had happened a few days ago. And that was going to happen on his other wrist too.
Sakura's steps were slow, clearly like she was waiting for something to stop her from walking away. And that's exactly what happened.
"Stupid."
That was it. That was all he could say.
He was already a few feet away from the alleyway, making his way over to those two. Sakura had stopped dead in her tracks, and Naruto had turned to look at Sasuke, with no showing of surprise whatsoever. Maybe he had known Sasuke was there?
All of a sudden, words just rushed to Sasuke's head.
"Your both stupid." He said again.
Guilt started to show itself in Naruto's eyes as he glanced over at Sakura. Her eyes were glued to the ground in front of her, a look of complete distress accounted for on her features. This shouldn't have happened. Why did she always need to argue? Why did she feel so hostile?
"Look at you two, wasting your time fighting with each other...about me, nonetheless." Sasuke growled, a slight hint of mockery in his voice. Something burned in Sakura's stomach. She wanted so much to swear at him, telling him to shut up. He didn't know anything! He was the traitor who left with the promise to return...but never did. No, he needed to be brought back. He had no right to even speak.
"How pointless." Sasuke continued as Naruto turned to look at him.
"And look at you...wasting your time...hiding in the shadows watching us fight. Why?" Naruto muttered, a small irascible smile on his face. Sasuke's eyes met his and he let out an exasperated sigh.
"Coincidence, simply. But this little episode helped me realize what's really happening to this place." His eyes now shifted to Sakura, who flinched at his words. She shook her head very softly and Sasuke felt a bit of resentment toward her.
"Can you two handle seeing me off together?"
Sakura jumped at Sasuke's words, a cold chill running through her body.
He was leaving.
Really leaving.
Again.
She bit her lip and let out a shuddering breathe. After a moment of silence...
"Of course." She heard Naruto say. And his words shocked her. Was he really going to let Sasuke just walk away like that? That easily? She had thought so well that he'd be the one to stop Sasuke.
Was she wrong...?
"Good." Sasuke spoke simply, turning his gaze to Sakura. She could feel his stare, and knew he was waiting for her reply. So without a word, she nodded and started walking forward, in the direction of the village gates. Naruto slowly started walking behind her as well, and so did Sasuke.
As he watched his two former teammates walking ahead of him, he felt a pang of self pity. Why didn't he just leave? Tsunade had given him the go to leave whenever...so what was the reason of inviting these two along? Maybe it was to find something to hold them together for a while longer...
...because maybe after it was all over...it would all fall apart.
They were almost out of sight when Tsunade and Kakashi walked out from the alleyway into the clearing. Tsunade sighed and walked over to the bench. She glanced at the bench and up at the three walking away.
"You told him he could leave?" Kakashi asked quietly. Tsunade nodded and shot him a wry smile.
"I said he could. But he still had a conscience." She spoke firmly. Kakashi's eye wrinkled.
"Lady Hokage...do you believe time can erase everything?" He asked casually, sitting down on the bench. He also watched as the three disappeared from sight around a corner.
Tsunade shrugged. "I know there are three things people never lose. Their love, their hate, and themselves." Her words were smooth and comforting. Her grandfather had told her that when she was very young, and she still remembered it. After all, it seemed pretty realistic. Reliable.
Kakashi rested his hands on his knee's, looking up into the sky.
"You never lose the love you hold for people. There was a reason they were so precious...and that feeling is not ment to be lost." Tsunade smiled off into the distance, a feeling a reassurance flooding over her. "And you never lose your hate. It's such a powerful emotion, and if love is so unforgettable...hate, being the complete opposite of love and...well, its rival...it only makes sense you wouldn't lose that either."
She thought back on her little brother and the time she met Naruto.
"What about losing yourself?" Kakashi asked curiously, closing his eyes. He pictured his past as well, along with his idealistic view of the village.
Tsunade sighed. "Well, it's possible to lose yourself. As a matter of fact, we all do at sometime. But my grandfather told me that...even though you may lose yourself once in a while...you never lose yourself for long. After all...you're the one thing you can always go back to. It's hard to lose something you created from scratch. You love yourself. You hate yourself. And you need yourself."
She looked at Kakashi and gave him a hopeful smile. He opened his eyes and glanced at her.
"It's possible to lose yourself so much that you can't exactly find yourself . But that's what other people are there for. To show you the way back to who you really are. Past the love and hate...there's so much more to a person." She continued, placing her hands on her hips. She started giggling a bit and turned to walk away from the bench, leaving Kakashi to watch her as she walked away slowly.
"And you believe all that?" He called out after her.
She shrugged and called back, "It's a matter of fate, Kakashi. Fate...and hope." She inwardly complimented herself for sounding so much like a preacher than the Hokage. But in times like this...hope was all you had to rely on.
And she needed to give that one last thing to the village.
Her thoughts were spinning rapidly in her head. There was too much to do...and if Sasuke left she'd only worry more. She didn't need that extra burden...but who was she to ask him to stay? After all...she had told him on numerous occasions already that she didn't harbor the same feelings for him as before.
And she wasn't a liar.
Either way...the fact that it was too late slowly started to sink in as she found herself standing still by Naruto, right in front of the village gates. Sasuke was a few feet a head of them, staring at the empty guard stand and the big pillars. Suddenly, things felt surreal. His eyes ran over the Konoha symbol at the top and his heart started pounding in his chest.
"Sasuke."
Naruto's voice jerked him from his trance and he took a deep breathe, not bothering to turn around and face him.
"I don't know whats out there that you're going after...but I hope you know that's not the only option." Naruto repeated, his words seeming rather down.
Sakura swallowed hard. If this was Naruto's attempt at making him stay, it was rather pathetic. But who was she to talk? She had nothing to add.
"I know." Sasuke murmured quietly, feeling the throbbing melt its way into his skull. He started to feel kind of hot...and his mouth was getting dry.
Naruto ran a hand through his hair and scanned the area. It all seemed so morbid. "Then...you'll keep yourself well?" He asked solemnly.
You're so stupid, Naruto! Sakura's psyche was screaming. But her lips wouldn't move.
"I will." Was Sasuke's reply.
Naruto nodded, and Sakura could see out of her peripheral vision that he was clenching his fists tightly at his sides.
This was it. All or nothing. And Sakura felt a rush shoot through her body. And then she knew...and he knew...that even though she was saying nothing...she was saying more than words could even explain.
This was her way of being strong...but begging him not to go.
"Sasuke, we need you! The village isn't the same- and you know that! It's so clear! You're strong...and could help us! Maybe our goals are the same! Stay here, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted randomly. Sakura glanced at him and then again at Sasuke's back.
What would he say to that?...
"Maybe...but...it's too late." He said one last time, and slowly started walking forward.
Naruto gritted his teeth together to stop himself from shouting anymore pointless pleas. This was how it had to be right?
Sasuke repeated that over and over in his head...but for some reason...each time it made less sense than before. He needed to find Madara...and Tsunade had clearly stated that she was after him as well. It would take time...precious time...to find Madara on his own. Even his teammates weren't much of an advantage. But Konoha had a military engaging itself in the same purpose as his own. Maybe...just maybe.
He stopped, giving the symbol at the top of the gates one last look.
Maybe...just maybe...this could work.
Konoha could locate Madara.
That would save him loads of trouble.
In the meantime...he could train...get access to information about the Akatsuki.
And it was all for a small price to pay, right? It was just Naruto and Sakura...he had stayed with them for a while before...he had managed. What could go wrong?
Lots, you idiot.
But things were different. He wouldn't make the mistake of losing himself to somebody else all over again.
He took a deep breath and growled a bit under his breathe.
Just be sure you're making the right decision, Sasuke. It may be the biggest one you'll make.
Oh, whatever.
He turned around quickly, dropping a foot back. His eyes met Naruto's instantly, causing a look of confusion to flood his previously saddened expression.
"Maybe our goals are the same. Staying might not be so bad." Sasuke replied, closing his eyes. He started walking forward, and as he did, Sakura felt her body go numb.
No way was this happening.
Her eyes never left his body as he strolled calmly up to them, clearly aiming to walk right in between them. Naruto took a step back, a smile plastered on his face, and Sakura did the same, her eyes wide with shock. She was so...confused.
And as Sasuke reached the two of them, he opened his eyes and they met Sakura's, making her blush slightly. As he continued to walk past them, right before he looked away, a small smirk flashed on his face. If only for an instant.
After he passed them he kept walking. Naruto chuckled a bit and started walking behind him...and Sakura unconsciously smiled after them both.
Funny how he could still do that.
And ironic how this was all working out.
Sasuke sighed as he continued to walk back into the village.
He wasn't sure how this was going to turn out...but he was ready to make mistake number two.
Next Chapter
Waking Up To Memories
