Destiny, is hard to meet
It'll hunt you down somewhere along the way
Don't you see we're meant to be
The prodigies that came to show the way
But I don't want to rule the world alone
None of us can make it on our own
I'm screaming but I cannot hear a sound
The suffocation's all that comes around
Closer To The Truth - Cryoshell

The street was full of life as fireworks thundered in the sky, bright flowers and stars of brilliant colouration creating a beautiful piece of art, right before the patrons' eyes.

"Sakura-chan, try this one!"

Sakura found another dumpling stuffed into her already full mouth, and she made sounds of protest around the large portions.

"You should hold off with the feeding," Sai suggested, surveying the rest of the festival with quiet observation.

Naruto only made his typical laughing sound, holding up a bowl of ramen which he had swiped from the stall behind them. His painted face began to indulge, while Sakura struggled to swallow the forced rations. The Kyuubi container slurped up a large amount of noodles before giving Sakura a quizzical stare. "Sakura-chan…?"

Sai just shook his head, passing the pink-haired woman a cup of water, which she took eagerly.

The liquid assisted in the swallowing, and after several attempts, Sakura had managed it all down. She gasped for breath once this happened, before shifting an unimpressed glare on her blonde companion.

"Nani? What did I do now?"

Sakura just shook her head, deciding to leave it for now. She'd get him for it later.

Another boom exploded overhead as a larger firework was blasted into the cloudless sky.

Sakura tilted her chin, looking up with awe radiating in her sparkling green eyes. A smile found its way to her lips, and she even sighed with content.

"What are you staring at?"

"Not staring, just watching."

Naruto just blinked. "That's so boring. Come on, Sakura-chan! Let's go win a fish!" He set his now empty ramen-bowl aside, tugging on Sakura's pink kimono sleeve to pull her through the crowd hastily. Sakura, finding no reason to turn him down, followed with a smile, while Sai trudged along behind them.

~ • ~

His hood covered his hair, and a mask shielded his face from curious eyes. At his side moved three other masked, cloaked figures. They were conspicuous, and inconspicuous, all at once. The festival held a lot of odd characters, all painted up, dressed in a variety of different kimonos, yukatas, veils, and masks, so it wasn't difficult to blend in. They received confused, and sometimes, suspicious stares, but the excitement and flourish of the festival took away any further inquiry.

"Look, Sakura-chan! I won you a fish!"

He paused, blinking obsidian eyes as he caught a familiar flash of pink racing through the crowd, being pulled along by the obnoxious blonde of his youth. A growl rumbled in his throat. They were both so close. So very, very close.

"That's her?" A female voice inquired, full tone smothered behind her mask. It held canine features, and closely resembled a poor mimic of an ANBU mask.

"Hn."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"But there are so many with pink hair here…." That came from a male. His mask, a fishlike appeal, was adjusted by a strong hand.

"It is her."

"Alright, well, whatever you say."

"Hn."

The group moved onward, following the threesome discreetly.

"Sakura-chan! Watch this!"

A giggle followed. "Alright, Naruto, but be careful!"

The blonde was then standing atop a stall's supports, his painted face grinning mischievously while his colourful festival garments shifted in his movements. He crouched, heels raised as he rested on the balls of his feet, which were hidden beneath his ninja sandals.

"Hey! Get down from there!"

Naruto just laughed as he brought a piece of meat to his mouth, tearing the skin with his fox-like fangs.

The pink-haired Sakura just shook her head, her soft tresses moving about her creamy coloured face.

Sasuke Uchiha stared through the slits in his feline-styled mask, watching her movements with little disturbance. Her hips offset as she shifted her weight, a hand having found its way to the hip which now stuck out. He blinked once, taking in her beauty. And then, he saw it. The pink pendant glimmered in the light, the shape unmistakeable. It was the one he had claimed all those years before when he had originally left the Hidden Leaf village. He felt a sudden pain of jealousy – he recognized the emotion easily – because he was sure that Naruto would've been the one to clasp it around her smooth neck. He took a step forward then, wanting to take what was supposed to be his.

"Hey, stop staring at Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke lifted his angered attention to the blonde on the stall who was glaring down at the four, and every other emotion, save for the jealousy and rage, left his strong body.

~ • ~

Sakura followed Naruto's gaze, inclining her head with interest at the four personas, who stood no more than ten feet off, their appearances hidden from view. She took into account the different masks each one wore. There was a jackal, some form of fish – possibly eel, as it held that same appearance – a rhinoceros, and the last, most likely the leader, sported a striking panther disguise. She blinked her dazzling green eyes with intrigue.

Sai came up to her side, touching her shoulder gently, most likely in a pacifist manner. He obviously didn't want a fight to start, which she agreed with. However, Sakura noticed the feline, who was standing a couple feet further ahead than the others, tense slightly at the action. They stared, Team 7 at the strangers with puzzling interest, while the strangers stared back with rigid facades.

Naruto blinked, twisting his lips into an angled line. This silence was annoying. With this thought verified in his still child-like mind – despite his age of nineteen – the Kyuubi container slipped down from the stall's supports. He ignored the angered reprimands he was given by the vendor, moving instead to where Sakura and Sai stood. Where Sai stood on their favourite cherry blossom's left, he took residence on her right, snaking an arm around her waist without hesitation. His gaze was solemn, but warning as now three on four took part in the staring contest.

Seemingly defeated, the strangers turned and walked off into the crowd, vanishing between colourful cloaks.

Naruto followed them with his eyes, only returning his attention to his companions when the others had gone. "What do you think they wanted?"

Sakura just shrugged. "Not sure. Maybe they just liked your face paint, Naruto."

Naruto narrowed his eyes with irritation. "They were staring at you, Sakura-chan."

Sakura gave him an unimpressed look. "And how do you know that? They were all wearing masks, so maybe they were just waiting for you to get down so they could purchase some food, hm?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, they were definitely staring at you."

"Naruto, everyone stares at everyone here. It's a festival. It's not uncommon for someone to admire another's costume, or face paint, mask, or whatever, baka," she stated with annoyance, slipping away from his arm. "Now come on! This is my vacation, and I say we get a drink!"

Naruto's grin returned as he punched the air excitedly. "Hell yeah! Sakura-chan's treating us to a drink!"

Sai smiled his fake smile. "I could use a free drink."

Sakura shook her head. "Not what I meant, guys!"

Naruto just chuckled as he grabbed her arm to drag her off again. Sai caught up quickly, forcing the now unimpressed blonde to release their konoichi companion's wrist, for in his reasoning, she wouldn't then be able to purchase their beverages. Naruto complied eagerly and together, they slipped into a bar nearby to enjoy the drinks, and the intoxicated cheer engulfing the room.

~ • ~

"What's the plan, Sasuke?"

"We drink."

Suigetsu smirked, a sound falling from his mouth with content. "Finally! A mission I can enjoy!"

"Sasuke-kun, what are you planning to do?" Karin demanded softly.

Sasuke adjusted his mask, his hand with its black, fingerless glove attached by a small cloth ring to his middle finger, showing visibly before returning to his cloak pocket. He otherwise, didn't answer.

"His business is his own," Jugo responded for him. He was the Uchiha's confidant; his knowledge of their mission rivalled that of the Akatsuki's knowledge of the Jinchuriki.

Karin pouted. "But Sasuke-kun…" she whined.

Suigetsu elbowed her. "Lighten up, Karin. What he does is no interest of ours, so long as it benefits what we're planning to do, yeah? Now stop asking questions and just go along with it!"

Karin 'harrumphed!' like a child, before averting her sceptical gaze.

Sasuke grunted as he started to move through the crowd once again, this time, aiming for the pub which his former teammates, and replacement, had just entered. Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo followed him like obedient nin-hounds.

They took residence at a table in the corner, their cloaks and masks remaining in place effectively, shielding their identities from prying eyes. None bothered them, for fear of a fight, though a few of the more scantily clad, heavily endowed women eyed them up, trying to figure out if they were male, female, or both.

"Damn…when can we get out of these things?" demanded Suigetsu as his gaze focused on the obvious prostitutes.

"Soon."

"Soon ain't soon enough," Suigetsu mumbled despondently.

"You're going to give us away if you keep complaining," Karin snarled in a quiet tone.

Suigetsu mimicked her words in a very immature way, causing the redhead below her jackal mask to beat on his arm with a hard punch.

"Ow!"

"YOU DESERVED THAT!"

"I did not!"

"You did," Jugo put in.

Suigetsu glared through the eyeholes of the mask. "Who's side are you on anyway?"

Jugo shrugged.

"When we get back to camp, I'm going to-"

"Be quiet now!"

Karin instantly went silent at the harsh reproach from the Uchiha. Her head turned, indicating she was looking around the establishment, though she really was trying to calm her raging hormones.

"And then I was like, 'GO GET A ROOM, YOU SON OF A BITCH!' Ahahahahahaha!"

Sasuke's attention shifted back to the new Team 7, where Naruto was laughing uncontrollably, nearly falling off his stool. The raven-haired man smirked. Was he really that much of a lightweight?

"That wasn't funny," Sakura pointed out as she sipped her drink.

"No, it wasn't at all," Sai agreed. He didn't have any form of beverage, as he was taking his job a little more seriously.

Naruto calmed almost immediately, and his pout was visible to anyone who paid attention. "Hey, Sakura-chan, you're almost done! Do you want another?"

Sakura glanced down at the surface before her; Sasuke watched her hair rise off her neck, and he felt sudden desire well inside his being. He grumbled as he stifled the feeling, watching Sakura return her attention to her blonde companion. "No, not right now. Thanks though."

Naruto grinned, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Are you sure?"

Sakura frowned visibly. "Yes, I'm very sure. Now get your arm off of me before I break it off."

Naruto instantly withdrew, laughing nervously. "Sorry, Sakura-chan."

Sakura just seemed to grumble something incoherent under her breath. Sasuke flicked on his Sharingan, catching a brief, "Stop coming onto me, you baka, or I'll make sure you're eternally infertile" before she took up her cup to those luscious, cherry red lips. A small smirk tugged at his mouth.

~ • ~

Hours passed before any form of feeling left their bodies, the enjoyment of being within each other's company, as well as the freedom to do whatever they pleased without fear of punishment, sent them into wild thoughts and moods.

Sakura was busy throwing back her twentieth shot, while Naruto swigged his beer indolently. It was just past midnight, and they latter was completely intoxicated. The former felt a tad tipsy, but apart from that, had her wits about her.

Sai was the only one who remained completely sober, his unimpressed gaze watching as they joked around, sluggishly and without inhibition. Naruto was continuously coming onto their pink-haired teammate, but she didn't seem to care, or she just didn't want to deal with him then. She teased right back, taking advantage of his drunken state, causing the blonde to persist, and eventually, start with the touches and caresses. This is when it crossed the line.

"Naruto, I insist we escort Sakura back to the inn," Sai announced then, rising from his stool to take the Kyuubi container's arm.

Naruto just glared, wrenching from his grasp. "Sak'ra and I are havin' fun. Leave us 'ere! You go back!"

Sai shook his head. "Hokage-sama would not be pleased with this turn of events. It is time we leave."

"Aw, c'mon Sai. Ligh'en up," Naruto slurred, grinning wildly. "We's just havin' fun."

The black-haired artist shook his head once more. "Sakura needs sleep. Look at her."

At the mention of their companion, Sakura stood, forcing a yawn. Sai just blinked with a ghost of confusion. Wasn't she drunk?

"I am exhausted. And your fish needs to go back too, Naruto," Sakura put in.

Sai tilted his head inquiringly. The konoichi just winked at him in return, before stretching with exuberance.

Naruto watched her languidly before glancing at his goldfish, which swum in a bag on the bar's surface. Its scales glimmered in the light. He then pouted, followed by a hiccup. "Aw, all t'is ruin'd for a fish. An' it's not eve' mine."

Sai took up the bag, not trusting the fox-boy with the live prize, as he turned to lead him out. He pulled one of Naruto's arms around his shoulders, while the blonde somewhat slumped against him, his consciousness slowly slipping.

Sakura made sure the bartender was well compensated for the amount of liquor consumed by the bottomless pit known as Naruto, and with a nod of her head, she moved to leave after her friends.

~ • ~

It was time to move, and Sasuke Uchiha wasted no time in his approach. He stood silently, crossing the floor, and moving through the crowds without a word, his Sharingan still blazing.

He followed Sakura's movements with his eyes, watching her make a move for the entrance, just after Sai and Naruto left, trying to follow her companions with as little struggle from the crowd. He realized then that he wasn't the only one who sought after her. No matter, she would be his in a matter of moments and there wasn't anything anyone could do to shake his sheer determination.

These thoughts ran through his head, just as Jugo and Suigetsu's cloaked forms came to stand in front of the entrance, blocking any form of escape from the pink-haired woman.

She stopped, a familiar look of anxious frustration written on her pretty face. Sasuke smirked again, watching now as Karin's persona appeared between Sakura and the other two.

"Aw, don't you look pretty."

His smirk vanished. What the hell was she trying to do! She'd throw off the entire plan! His Sharingan swirled as he quickened his pace.

Sakura narrowed her bright eyes, which now shimmered with the desire to fight the one who hated her with equal ferocity. "Why am I not surprised that you're all here."

Karin lifted her mask, revealing the eyes framed by dark rimmed glasses, and the messily cut red hair. "You have some…things…we want. Sasuke-kun sent me to fetch them for him."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "And you really think I'd carry that damn scroll along with me?"

Karin shrugged. "You've always been a weird one, so it could've been a possibility."

"Well, I hate to burst your little Sasuke-kun bubble, but I don't have it here."

Karin frowned, glancing past Sakura to see Sasuke pause several feet away. A light gasp escaped her lips at the notice of the Sharingan, but apart from this, she made no sign that she knew he was there. "Well, we'll escort you to your Inn room so you can get it for us then."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You and what army? Jugo and Suigetsu? I'm sorry, but last time any of you tried to do make me do anything, I collapsed your hideout, and sent you out of Gobi running!" This made her smirk smugly. "I think you'll find it in your best interest to just let me leave without a stir, ne?"

Karin just frowned. Only then did the tension press so heavily upon them, the room beginning to feel like a burning sauna with the pressure. The crowd surrounding them had turned to watch the argument, most probably hoping for a brawl. The corner of her mouth tugged upwards. If it was a fight they wanted, it was a fight they'd get.

"Speechless? Good. Maybe then I won't have to listen to your irritating voice calling out for your precious Sasuke-kun at every waking moment," Sakura quipped, a devious grin painted on her face.

Karin's eyes flickered with anger. "What did you just say to me, bitch?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were partially deaf. Do I need to write it out for you?"

Karin's breathing quickened as she rolled up her sleeves. "I'm going to make you regret you ever said that, you stuck-up whore!"

"Yeah? Alright! Give me your best shot!" Sakura snarled, whipping out her combat gloves from the obi belt wrapped around her middle.

Sasuke grunted with annoyance as he moved now to step between them. His motions had left him closer to Sakura's side of the establishment however, for he really didn't care much for Karin. He only kept her around for her kekei genkai. He glanced from Sakura, to Karin, and back again, mask still effectively in place. "Enough."

Sakura tightened her hand into a fist as she pulled on the cuff of her right glove, glaring with hostility at the Uchiha she knew resided blatantly under the shield of cloth and plaster. He could see it written all over her face.

"Move now, Sasuke-teme, before I use you as my first target!"

"You can't talk to him like that!" Karin snapped, taking a step forward.

The mask was off now, teetering on the floor as a very angry Uchiha shot Karin a death glare. She paused her movements, her expression taking on that of astonishment. She was stunned.

His Sharingan gaze shifted back to Sakura, and for a moment, red and black met jade green and a silent conversation was shared between the two. It would've sounded something like this:

Sakura, come with me. Hell no! You will be a perfect asset to the team. Konoha holds nothing for you anymore. It's not your place to tell me that, bastard! Sakura. Don't Sakura me! Come with us. That is no longer a request, but now an order. Stuck up son-of-a-bitch! What the hell gives you the authority to tell me what to do, hm? If I recall, you abandoned me, remember? Hn.

Sasuke moved from his position, but he didn't leave Sakura's person. He walked around her other side, hands suddenly placed on either of her shoulders. "You are coming with us."

"Like hell I am!" Sakura forcibly removed his hands so she could move, only to find herself spun around, quicker than lightning, and held around the waist. Her body was pressed flush against the raven-haired man who now stood in front of her, and she felt it impossible to move. "Let go of me, you bastard!"

Sasuke just smirked.

"Sasuke-kun, this wasn't a part of the plan!" Karin complained.

"Yeah, man, we need to get going before the nine-tails comes back here," Suigetsu put in, motioning out the door with a jab of his thumb.

Sasuke didn't answer. He was too busy staring at the woman held so securely in his grasp. Her look of pure bewilderment, annoyance, disgust, and confusion was splashed like paint across her beautiful face. And the pendant which rested proudly against her supple chest increased her beauty tenfold. She was far more intoxicating than even the strongest of liquors.

"Bastard! Release me!" Sakura demanded again.

"Be careful what you wish for, Sa-ku-ra," Sasuke murmured, leaning down toward her.

Sakura furrowed her brow, shoving her hands against his chest to push her upper body away from him. His arms held tight around her waist, prevented her from slipping out of his grasp, but she successfully managed to keep the upper hand…for the moment.

At least, that was until Sasuke slid a hand to her upper back, pulling her body completely against him once more. With this attempt, time was of the essence, and none of it was to be wasted.

Wide jade eyes stared into amused Sharingan-turned-obsidian orbs as his lips moved against hers. The action was hungry, desperate, and wanting more, leaving the woman in his arms stunned. She just continued to stare as his tongue was suddenly forced into her mouth, engaging her own in an intricate dance of triumph. That was when he felt she had had enough. As quick as it came, it was gone, and he was moving back toward the entrance, mask once more shielding his face.

Karin just stared with dismay, while Sakura stood there, too shocked to move.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" stuttered the redhead, darting to the Uchiha's side. "W-what…was that?"

"Do you not have eyes, Karin?" Sasuke tilted his head to the side, giving her an expressionless look. His eyes flickered through the slots in the mask, before he moved past Jugo and Suigetsu, out into the street. He was the first to vanish into the night's shadows.

"Huh, damn. That was unexpected," Suigetsu announced as he scratched his head.

Karin glared. "Can we not talk about it please?"

"Jealous, Karin?" Suigetsu drawled with enjoyment.

Karin growled.

Jugo, meanwhile, moved away from the quarrelling pair, taking up residence on Sakura's side. He grabbed her arm with astounding gentleness, before proceeding after Team Hebi's leader. Sakura tensed when he touched her, he could feel it, but apart from that, made no other movements to pull from his grasp. Something was off.

Suigetsu and Karin followed into the street, only to be stopped by the surprising scene that was set before them.

Sasuke stood, cloak removed, mask off, body facing the other side of the street, head turned to stare down the way. The other members of Team Hebi followed his gaze as soon as they took notice of the vigour in his eyes, Sakura included. The pink-haired konoichi's eyes had gone wide with a form of surprise, while the others just prepared for the unassuming outcome, for what greeted them there, down the road, was purely unanticipated. The plan would need to change to accommodate the new developments, there was no mistake about that.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Misashi Kishimoto

Wooooweee! That was fun =D What'd y'all think? Nifty chapter, yes? Hehe. I had fun writing it, and that was all that counts. So there. Nyeh ;p (yes, I can be immature when I want to be)

I know I just updated like…three or four days ago, but I couldn't wait to get this one up, cause I had a ton of fun writing this masterpiece, mkay? (:

Review are welcome and appreciated, so please review, mkay? Thanks guys! I love you all! ^^