CHAPTER NINE / Escape

"So…Now that we're starting my first mission with us together, what's my weapon? Huh?" Karin asked, leaping onto another branch and bobbing her head closer to the shrouded Itachi. He was kept to himself, while Kakuzu and Hidan watched from behind, studying Karin's flirtatious, annoying personality. Karin disregarded them, but still glanced back from Hidan to Itachi, thinking her own grim thoughts - recreating an image of Hidan and his open, bare chest.

Karin kept close to Itachi, still waiting for an answer to her question. Itachi grunted, irritated, then turned his gaze at Karin. Karin looked back hopefully, gripping her sloppily painted fingers together impatiently. She had many weapons in mind, rejecting shuriken and kunai knives, plotting whether or not to steal Hidan's weapon if she got a 'lame' weapon.

Itachi looked back onto the forest road in front of them, landing on a branch and leaping faster on it, attempting to escape Karin. He failed miserably, Karin only pushing closer to him. He sighed and scowled, as if he was squinting forward, and gritted his teeth, thinking of a response. He closed his eyes, still being able to leap from branch to branch, thinking hard for a weapon to throw her off. If it would keep her out of his nose for at least an hour, he would be happy.

"Itachi? Itachi? Itachi!?" Karin nudged, a pathetic grin beaming through her cloak.

"Don't start," Itachi replied darkly. He clenched his fist and his eyes stirred - Karin swallowed, disappointed, but not afraid of his "skill". She pouted silently, letting herself slip behind to her "dark spot".

Just when Itachi thought he had been relieved, Karin squealed and beamed brighter than a kunai knife under a bright sun. "Itachi-san!"

"Damn it, Karin!"

"…giggle."

--X--

"I would give you advice, Naruto-san, but -"

"Don't…Yamato, don't start," Naruto replied firmly.

Naruto held his fists tightly together, his nails puncturing through his bare palms. Blood began to ooze, but Yamato was in his dark spot, ignoring the loud drops of blood that made a red pool…Slowly.

Naruto sat at his chair, arms on the windowsill, staring angrily down at the peaceful Konoha. He tried imagining peace for Konoha, but he kept thinking of destruction. Even with Orochimaru dead, along with his minions, there was still one enemy left hiding - the Akatsuki. And strangely, the Akatsuki's goal wasn't mainly for him - now he was just another goal in second. Their main goal was something else, something Naruto couldn't quite get, and something that he felt would affect the whole village…Maybe the world.

"What do we do now?" Yamato whispered darkly. Naruto kept still, staring at the setting sun, hearing the lonely birds chirping, as if they knew they were in grave danger. The breeze swept through the village, traveling from Sunagakure to Konohagakure - a bird flying through the wind current, and entering through the other window of the Hokage's office. Naruto ignored the bird for a moment, then reached for the white, snow-owl like bird that entered.

The bird bobbed its head and craned it down toward Naruto's outstretched hand, then the bird opened its beak, the well-kept and spell locked scroll dropping into Naruto's bloody palm.

Naruto held a sign, whispering "release", the spell tag sizzling to ashes. He untied the scroll carefully, unknotting the two pieces of thin, red yarn, and unrolled it with care. Yamato bobbed his head curiously, walking closer as he got a close view of the newly made scroll. It was an urgent message, from none other than the Kazekage Gaara himself.

It was written in precise, yet urgent penmanship, a drop of black ink smudging across half the parchment. Naruto read it quickly, and was sure to only make sense of it after reading it at least twice. Yamato grunted and rose, already finished reading the urgent letter. He looked down sadly and turned toward the door, with Naruto saying his parting words of command. "Get your squads ready, Yamato. They're coming."

---

"What do you mean they're coming? Who?" Sakura asked impatiently, following Naruto as they scurried along the corridors of the Hokage's Mansion. Naruto checked and advised, making more commands as they made their way. Sakura continued to ask, getting nowhere, wearing on her black gloves. She pulled them down to her wrists and folded the ends, tightening her fists as she fitted them on.

"They are coming," Naruto repeated as a reply, pushing through a room on the second floor. He spotted three other jonin helping each other equip themselves with armor and weapons, two medics helping them pack and heal any previous injuries, and heard their busy voices disregarding the Hokage as he checked on them. Sakura continued to follow as the busy Hokage inspected everyone, then pulled Sakura aside once they reached the last and first floor.

"Naruto," Sakura began.

"Listen. While Yamato's army is getting ready, we must move as the rest are guarding the village."

"Why are you talking like some…"

Naruto paused, staring at Sakura, waiting for her to finish. Sakura looked away, ashamed, and took out a kunai knife, gripping on it's handle. She touched the sharp tip of the knife with a tip of her finger, while Naruto nodded and adjusted his armor. They made their way out of the mansion, meeting with Shizune at the exit, also in armor.

"Shizune, be careful," Sakura whispered, glancing down at Tonton.

"Shizune-san," Naruto said as Sakura went on ahead outside. "Remember my last command. Please fulfill my promise…Alright?" Naruto narrowed his eyes, Shizune nodding sadly and looking away, listening to Naruto's last steps out the door. She looked at Tonton and swallowed, going their own separate ways.

Naruto waved his cape-like flamed robe, his armor jingling, and jogged alongside Sakura, out through the village.

"Alright team," Shizune said, many groups of medics lining up together in front of Shizune. "Let's beware of our enemies and teammates - and help anyone you spot that needs our help. Let's make Hokage-san proud.

"Right team?" Shizune yelled at the top of her lungs. Her group saluted proudly, then took off as well.

Shizune was left, a breeze surrounding her, quiet and sad. It would be normal to be worried for their Hokage, but it wasn't normal to have a hunch that something bad would happen to them.

Sakura and Naruto took off through the empty Konoha gate, then split up and ran through the thick forest, ascending higher through the branches and farther towards Sunagakure - the Village Hidden in the Sand…Where the Kazekage, who supposedly 'wrote' the letter, awaited them.

A/N: Sorry about the short hiatus. I will update as much as I can and luckily, summer vacation is almost up...So...Yay. :) PLEASE REVIEW...Thanks for all the clicks. :) My goal is to have at least ten reviews by the end of June. Hopefully I'm not asking for too much. ;P Thanks for reading and the next chapter is coming your way.