I kind of rushed this chapter and the last one. I'm a bit too excited to start on my new fic. I'm sorry if this chapter let you guys down. :(
It was a difficult battle considering they were in a foreign territory now and they had to try their best not to draw any kind of attention to themselves. Hunter nins, they were vermin to Kakashi and did nothing but slow them in doing their jobs and carrying out missions. Someday, he swore, he'd go out and kill ever hunter nin he'd come across on behalf of all ninja.
Naruto dropped the last of the nins from his shoulder and piled him on top of the others. He stopped a moment, trying to sense if there were anymore around the thick of the woods. When he could sense nothing, he let his body lean against the nearest tree and groaned, "We need to stop for food now, Kakashi. We haven't stopped to rest in a day. I'm so hungry."
The Copy Nin could tell it was past lunchtime though he wasn't sure because the branches and leaves of the trees were too thick to even see the sun's position.
They'd been running non-stop to get a hold of Sakura's scent before it faded away. And though Naruto was right about stopping to replenished their diminished energy, there was something that hindered them from doing so.
"There isn't anything to hunt around here," Sasuke interjected. "If you haven't noticed, we scared away every creature within three kilometers. Neither did we pass a river or any source of water."
Kakashi firmly nodded at Sasuke's statement. "We need to keep going. Let's walk for now and we'll reach the nearest village before sunset," he suggested. He then looked to his little ninken and gestured for him to lead the way.
()
Kisame's regular ranting about his wasted efforts on buying Deidara's cake was getting on the celebrant's last nerve. They'd travelled seven miles already and they haven't passed one mile without the shark groaning and mumbling about his hard work looking for a decent cake and his wasted money.
"For the last time," Deidara growled, "I don't care about that stupid fucking lousy excuse of a cake! Now, can you locate where Sakura's chakra is now?"
The older of the two halted in his steps and held Samehada. The sword's scales flinched at glowed yet after a moment, Kisame shook his head. "Pinky got a head start. Several hours is enough for her to get out of this country and cross any border she wants to if she went all out. And considering that we reached seven miles in just two hours and found nothing must mean she moved real quick. Seems like she was desperate enough to get away from you."
Deidara shot him a not-helping look and scratched his head. "I should have carried my clay pouch when I sprinted out of the house," he muttered in a sigh. He could have just molded some giant bird and hopped on it and would have no difficulty in traveling at all. He just had to be a careless asshole, didn't he?
"That's why I was calling you back, idiot," Kisame snickered as he smacked Deidara's head.
They were now crossing a plain meadow with tall grass that reached just over their waists. The sun was merciless like hell and Deidara didn't know how much more he could take the heat. Kisame had difficulties in catching his breath in the intensely dry weather. Though, compared to a normal shark which was supposed to be dead several hours back after their little journey began, Kisame was perfectly fine.
After a few more hours of traveling, the two nins finally crossed the border and Samehada at last found traces of Sakura's chakra. It wasn't fresh and woodland creatures seemed to have trampled all over it but the sword was amazing enough to track it down. They headed south and continued to follow the chakra she left behind and it seemed to grow stronger with every kilometer they crossed.
()
Sakura held on her ice-cold glass of lemonade and sat on the dining table across the open window where the summer breeze passed through, waiting for her companion to finish her afternoon shower and sit in the dining room with her. It wasn't long until a blonde woman stepped into the kitchen and took a seat beside the nin.
"How's the water, Akiko?" She asked the perky-looking woman.
Akiko dragged the pitcher containing the same drink Sakura had in her glass and poured herself some. "Just how everyone wants it to be this summer," she chuckled. "Hair-raisingly ice cold. By the way, it was nice of you to stop by and see me again last night, Sakura-san."
The kunoichi smiled and said nothing at the blonde's politeness. It was amazing what medical jutsu and genjutsu could do to a brain when combined and used in the right way. She didn't even know this woman until last night and yet, here they were with Akiko believing that she and Sakura had been friends for years. It was perfect for the story she sold her shishou. Although she didn't feel good at all about lying to her master… Or her comrades.
"It's the least I could do after everything you've done for me," she lied. "Some of my friends will be coming to pick me up later though. It's such a shame we could only get together for such a short time."
Akiko shrugged and began to sip on her glass. Sakura did the same, observing the trees in Akiko's backyard sway with the summer wind.
This was nice, Sakura thought, suddenly imagining herself retired in a small townhouse if she were lucky enough to live until her forties like the Godaime and the Sannins did. But it would take some sort of miracle for that to happen. She knew that even in her retirement, shinobi-related troubles would still haunt her from time to time. But it was still nice to hope for a life as simple as this. Sitting in a kitchen with no troubles to bother the calm of the house. She could do whatever she wanted to and visit places she'd never enjoyed before… And perhaps, someday, if she did live like this, she just might take into consideration visiting Deidara.
"Deidara," she whispered to no one in particular. He was awake now, she was sure. Did he like her gift? Was he mad when he found no one else in the house? Was he coming after her? Unfortunately, she was never going to figure out the answer because in a couple of hours, her team would be here and escort her back to Konoha.
After finishing her glass, she rose from her seat and took off to the bathroom and bathed as well. Travelling all night without rest was exhausting and it wasn't a pretty sight to get a hold of after.
After the shower, she and Akiko went into town to get some fresh air after being cooped up in the little house since sunrise.
Akiko kept telling Sakura stories that Sakura had no idea of. She kept babbling about people Sakura never met and would never know. But there were also stories that Sakura already knew—stories that she purposely installed in her system to make it seem like they knew each other for a long time. All she could do was endure this and laugh until later this afternoon. It made her feel bad that she had to involve an innocent civilian into her little lie—all to keep Deidara's existence a secret.
After dinner, they both went back in Akiko's house and not too soon, someone was knocking on the front door. A familiar chakra presence stood on the other side. In fact, six chakra signatures were there and four of them, she recognized well.
The blonde got up to answer the door but Sakura rushed to open it before Akiko could. "Uhm, could you prepare another pitcher of lemonade, Akiko? I'll take care of them. They're my friends." Akiko did not question her any further and detoured into the kitchen while Sakura answered the door.
She opened it, revealing her team along with Kurenai and Yamato. She smiled at them and hugged her team one by one. The wood jutsu user as well. She understood why Yamato was here—because she was a part of his team once—but she did not at all get why Kurenai was with them.
"Yamato, Kurenai," she greeted. "I was kinda expecting that only—"
"Our jobs were done so we managed to tag along," Sai answered. It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. It's true that their mission was finished but he knew Sakura was thinking they tagged along all the way from Konoha when in fact, Yamato only ran into Kakashi by chance when they arrived, looking for Sakura.
No one else from the group countered Sai's half-sincerity, mostly because they didn't know what was going on but Team Kakashi seemed to have a clue.
Kurenai was the first to let herself in, "I didn't know you were staying in this town too. How long have you been here?"
The others followed and made themselves comfortable on the couch, leaving no space for Sakura nor the resident. Fortunately, Kurenai's question was forgotten when a blonde woman emerged from the kitchen with a tray of glasses and a pitcher of pink lemonade.
"Good evening, everyone. Help yourselves with this lemonade. I made it myself," Akiko cheered, remaining clueless about the situation.
Sakura sighed inwardly in relief and asked Akiko to entertain the guests while she cleaned up before a long trip. It only took a few minutes and when she came out of the washroom, Akiko was telling them something about going to the spa together and the rest of the group seemed to be buying it. Except for Sai. But he was always indifferent. Still, there was something wrong with him.
After a few minutes, Sakura was bidding Akiko a goodbye and kissed her on the cheek in the middle of a hug. Her hands trailed to the back of Akiko's neck and plunged her chakra into just beneath the hairline. Akiko then yawned and closed the door after telling Sakura that she was turning in early today for some reason.
Sakura smiled and waved to a girl she would never meet again.
()
Maybe he was never meant to follow her after all. Maybe he was never meant to leave his necklace in that drawer after all… Maybe he was never meant for a second chance… Or maybe he just wasn't meant to be happy.
In an alley several feet away from a little townhouse, he and Kisame concealed themselves within the shadows, watching Sakura leave with her team. The younger was gripping her kunai tightly in his hand and his jaw clenched at the sight.
He was too late.
Kisame mumbled something about looking for kunai polish that Deidara mostly didn't catch but he let him go anyway. The shark knew he needed some time alone and he would probably want to let his anger out by blowing stuff up. If that was the case, he didn't want to be around for that.
Diedara stayed put and watched her until she faded into the crowd of the commercial area of the village. He couldn't believe it. After all the effort he put into running after her, it was too late. He'd put up with Kisame and his pointless rants and endured the after effects of the jutsu Sakura used to knock him unconscious. After all that, this was what he ended up with—the sight of Sakura's back alongside her teammates and she never did once look back.
He would never confess it to anyone but he felt attracted to her. More than that, he liked her. Again. Just the fact that she tried to leave him unconscious made him want to leap out and grab her by the waist and bring her back. But he knew she wouldn't want that. A small clay house in the middle of the forest was not where she was meant to be.
She was meant for greater things—that, he could see clearly. She was meant to change the ninja world along with her jinchuuriki friend. She was destined to do great things and meet great people and that did not include him.
Though the pang in his chest felt more physical by the minute, he knew he had to let her go. They were never meant to meet each other in the first place, anyway.
And so, with one last look at the direction where she and her team took off, he sighed, placed the kunai in his own pouch and turned his heel to look for Kisame. But as he walked, he slowed his pace when he felt a pair of eyes burning a hole on his back. He stopped and slightly turned around and saw a small brown pup sitting about three meters from him.
"Stupid mutt," he smirked and was on his way again, knowing very well what that was and whose it was.
()
It was morning and they were to travel for another two days to get back to Konoha. It took longer this time because they weren't in such a hurry any longer. The sun rays pierced through Sakura's eyelids. Jade eyes fluttered open and she got up when she realized that no one else was in the camp site. Only she and Sai were left.
Almost immediately, she got to her feet and stretched her arms over her head. "Where are the others?"
Sai looked up from his sketchpad, glanced at her before going back to work. "Talking about Deidara."
Her arms tensed and her muscles stopped stretching. Her heart was now pounding in her ears. No, it couldn't be. Did they find out? "What about the guy?"
"Actually, that's why I volunteered to stay behind and watch you," he said, finally flipping his pad close and returning it to his pack. "I saw what you did to Akiko the other night, Sakura. You weren't really in that town before, were you?" Sakura put her arms down and listened to Sai as he continued. "We were there for two days already. I haven't seen you there since the night before. And while Kakashi was asleep last night, Pakkun was trying to wake him up but I stopped him. The dog said he saw Deidara. Kakashi should know this by now but I talked to him before he went away with the others. I told him that it was not his decision whether to tell Naruto and Sasuke or not. And he complied."
She didn't know whether to punch Sai or not for being so shockingly considerate. She smiled at him and hugged him tight. "Thank you," she whispered. "There is a lot that I need to explain to you and Kakashi." She slowly let him out of her hug but her hands grasped firmly on his arms. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone… Especially not Sasuke and Danzou. If the old creep finds out, he will banish Sasuke from Konoha. The only reason Sasuke is back with us is because he was the reason why Konoha has one less dangerous threat."
"I acknowledge that, Sakura," he smiled. "But you do know you'll have to explain yourself to the Godaime. What are you going to tell her then?"
"I haven't figured it out just yet…"
"Maybe you should tell her the truth, you know? She'll probably understand."
"Yeah, I hope she will."