Woot, my final revision for this story. Let's see... if all goes well, this fic will end in chapter 17-18.

NOTE: Some parts will be fast forwarded.

Chapter 14 – Trail Mix

Sakura – The Insane

Sakura wondered aimlessly around paths of the maze. How long was it since they started from the entrance? Truthfully, she had lost count. She was tired and wary of her surroundings and wished she could return to Naruto's or Sasuke's side. If better, both of their sides'.

The sky was getting dark and she hated to admit it, she was getting a little bit scared. The dark was something but having creatures roaming around the maze in the dark was another. She had been attacked by animals of all kinds ever since she entered the labyrinth and most shockingly, she had been attacked by walking trees. She didn't know what to expect anymore.

Maybe the walls might come alive in the dark and attack her.

Oh god, she was going crazy.

Sakura turned right around a corner and sighed loudly. The walls looked the same. Everything looked the same except for those fricken animals. She was starting to think tigers weren't so cute anymore. AARGH!! Where is the exit?! If this keeps up, I'm going to go insane!! What if Naruto and Sasuke arrived at the entrance already? That means I'm the last one!!

"Rawr"

She turned around and hung her head. It was a tiger. Again.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty."

She was going officially insane.

Naruto – The Jelly

"Help...somebody help me..." Naruto groaned. He wasn't in trouble, but he was damn hungry. So hungry that he was getting angry. And when he's angry, he talks to himself. Oh boy...

"Where the hell is the exit?"

I don't know...I need ramen...

"Why can't I find it?!"

I don't know...I need ramen...

"I wonder how far Sasuke-teme and Sakura-chan have gone...have they found the first exit yet?"

I don't know...I need ramen...

"I will not lose to that bastard...I must find the exit before he does..."

Ramen...

"Effing hell! I can't think damnit!! Aarghhhhhhhhh...I need some ramennnn!" Naruto screamed as loud as he can and started running madly, turning around random corners in the maze. He ran for about ten minutes before he started to breathe slowly as the anger subsided with the scream and the chakra within him.

-Grumbles-

He looked at his stomach and sank wobbly to the ground. Pretty soon, he found himself lying flat on his belly and wiggling his way around the maze using his feet as a propeller just like a jellyfish.

"Help."

-Sniff-

Hey? What's that smell?

Sasuke – The…Uchiha

Could it be Sakura? No...her mother's name? No...her dad's? No...

Sasuke sighed giving up on guessing possible Haruno Safe passwords as he walked slowly, taking a careful note of the details around him. He had tried every possible way to find the exit already but still…no luck. He tried torching a wall, punching a wall (Sakura style) but ended up hurting his knuckles badly because his chakra control wasn't as good as hers – although he made a pretty good dent in the wall. He also tried climbing the wall and every method you could name.

Nothing worked.

And his knuckles were still throbbing.

Fuck.

Seeing he had tried every tactic to find the exit he resorted back to the easiest way: walking and choosing random passages. To keep himself from dying of boredom, he tried guessing the passwords to the Haruno Safe while planning on what he should to next with Sakura.

It was annoying really. Sakura, the mission, Orochimaru, everything. Especially this damn maze. "When the hell would an ANBU ever need to go inside a maze?" He muttered. He was getting pissed off. This test was absolutely useless.

Show me the exit already!!

"Aarghhhhhhhhh...I need some ramennnn!"

His ears pricked up and smirked at the off-tuned manly voice. Looks like some dumb blond was still going through puberty. He would never say this aloud but thank god the blond idiot was on his team. He started to run, guessing the directions that would lead him to the blond.

Pretty soon to his luck, he found a vast space which he presumed to be the center of the maze. In the center of this space was a huge fountain. He was blown away by the scene.

But it wasn't the sight of Naruto rolling on the ground that blew him away; it was the colour of the water flowing from the fountain. The water was black.

"Dobe, get off from the ground." Sasuke ordered with annoyance and walked towards the fountain.

"Sasuke-bastard...hehe...looks like you made it too! But too bad I beat you! I found the first exit before you did!" The blond sang.

"Just shut up and look at the water."

Naruto, being too excited about finding the exit at last, calmed down and took notice of the fountain for the first time. "Whoa...it's black."

"You think its ink?" Sasuke asked.

"Beat's me." Naruto shrugged and leaned forward to touch the water but was instantly pulled back by Sasuke. "What the hell Sasuke?!"

"Idiot." He growled and pointed at the top of the mountain. "Use that brain of yours before you act."

Naruto's gaze followed the direction of Sasuke's fingers and widened his eyes. On top of the fountain, there were words inscribed into the stone.

Touch not by one. Drink not by two. Dare not for four.

"A riddle?!" Naruto groaned. "Why do examiners like riddles so much?!"

"Why don't you ask them?" Sasuke snapped and sat down. "Anyway, rest that idiotic brain of yours. Sakura still isn't here yet."

"You reckon she's in trouble?"

Sasuke shot a glare at the blond. "Do you want her to be in trouble?"

"No...but I'm worried... I think we should go look for her."

Suddenly, Sasuke had an idea in his mind and tried not to grin. He was worried about Sakura too (only because she was his victim, or so he says), but laughter would do him some good. "God...if you're so worried about her, then just go!"

Naruto growled and stood up angrily. "What? You're not worried about Sakura-chan?!"

"Not a bit."

"Fine! Bastard... I can't believe you don't care about your teammates at all."

"Psh, unlike you I still have faith in her that she's going to make it."

"Whatever...I'm going." Naruto brushed him off and started towards the exit designated for Sakura. Sasuke just smirked and watched the blonde's back.

"Be careful." He said in fake innocence which caused Naruto to jerk around but it was too late. Suddenly, five bolts of electricity erupted from the sides of Sakura's exit and zapped Naruto momentarily causing him to scream like a girl and Sasuke clutching his stomach because it hurt too much from laughing.

"Ba-Ba-Basta-ard!!" Naruto growled, stammering on the way.

"You're fault for being so careless." He smirked. "Why did you think we each have our own exits and entrances? Of course they won't let us help each other out. It's a test for an individual remember?"

"Whatever! You did that on purpose!"

"Took you a while enough to find out." Sasuke grinned triumphantly and chuckled at the thought of Naruto screaming like a girl.

"I'll get you back...you just wait..." The blond twitched from aftershock and stumbled his way to sit down. Still twitching.

"But really..." The Uchiha prodigy's expressions darkened. "I wouldn't mind going through the exit myself if it weren't for those shocks."

"Heh..." Naruto eyed him and grinned a little. At least there's still some human in him... "Yo...how did you find this place anyway?"

"I heard you scream. You?"

"The Ramen God led me here... I swore I smelt ramen...come to think of it...do you have any ramen on you?"

-Twitch-

Sakura grumbled and swayed from side to side in the maze. She was deathly hungry and the raven perched on the wall up ahead looked mighty tasty. Chickenn...

"I would eat you if you weren't so high up." She told the bird who was staring at her intently. The bird however just rustled its feathers and flew away to the right of her.

Since I'm lost...and it wouldn't hurt to get even more lost, I might as well catch my dinner by following that raven...I wonder what raven tastes like...

Thus, Sakura the insane ran and followed the raven, taking random turns by instincts and BAM.

"SAKURA-CHAN!!"

Food?

"Cheh...took you long enough."

"Sasuke? Mr. Sunshine?" Sakura gasped in disbelief and looked back seeing the exit she had passed through. "HELL YEAHH!! I made itt!!"

Out of happiness, she grabbed Naruto's hands and started dancing in circles.

"Ahem..." Sasuke coughed with a vein on his forehead and crossed his arms. "We're still not done yet."

Sakura looked at him for a minute before realizing the situation they were in again and sighed. "Right."

Thus, they went to the fountain and tried to decipher the code. Sakura stared at the whole stone fountain in awe and at the same time, wondered if the examiners had too much time on their hands to create such a piece.

"Touch not by one. Drink not by two. Dare not for four." Sakura repeated over and over again.

"Eh...why is the three missing?" Naruto scratched his head.

"Obviously, it means something." Sasuke replied in annoyance.

"I have an idea..." Sakura started slowly, biting her thumb.

"Anything idea would be good now...excluding dobe's." Sasuke said with boredom and earned a whining 'hey' from Naruto.

"Well...let's do what it says." She explained simply.

"What?! But it says we can't!" Naruto argued.

"Not really. How about I reword it…we touch by three, drink by three, and it's a dare for three. Get me?"

"Makes sense." Sasuke nodded thoughtfully.

"What if the black water is poison?" Naruto said worriedly.

"My Mr. Sunshine, I thought you were the daredevil." Sakura teased.

"I don't want to die just yet!"

"Just do it pussy." Sasuke muttered and got ready with two arms stretched out. Sakura and Naruto did the same beside him, hearts thumping. "Ready?"

"Yup."

"One... two... three!"

All three of them sunk their arms and heads inside the fountain and began drinking the black water.

Mmm...this water tastes like ramen...

Yum...chicken flavour...

What the hell? This tastes like tomatoes...

Within seconds, all three of their heads resurfaced gasping for air and stared at each other in amazement.

"I tasted ramen!"

"I tasted chicken!"

"I tasted three door are appearing."

"What?" Sakura and Naruto said in unison and looked at Sasuke as if he was insane.

The raven haired boy sighed and directed his gaze towards the opposite of the exits they came from. "Three doors are appearing."

They both looked over and formed a big O-shape with their mouths.

"Well...I guess it's time to separate again..." Naruto sighed.

"At least we're refilled...I think." Sasuke replied remembering the tomato-tasting water.

"Hey, is that footsteps I hear?" Sakura asked, her ears perked up.

Both males listened silently, and sure enough they heard footsteps. The other team was gaining on them. Without a word, they nodded at each other and ran into each of their own exits without hesitation.

Sakura ran steadily down the path forming plans in her mind. It was well past midnight and they had entered the second day of the exam. Although she was tired, she didn't dare to stop now. Someone or something was following her. Oddly, she wasn't scared but she wished the thing would just show itself for the past hour.

5 minutes passed, 30 minutes passed, shortly an hour after.

She couldn't take it anymore. She hated the fact that a pair of eyes were on her back every minute. Daringly, she stopped in her tracks and turned around. Nothing. She breathed heavily and scanned her surrounding. When she jerked her head to the left, the eyes would go to the right. And when to the right, it would go to the left.

"Alright, show yourself." She called out loudly and rested on a leg haughtily trying to give an impression that she was not afraid.

10 minutes passed...

Inner Sakura: Still nothing?!

Am I hallucinating?

"No, it's definitely here." She reassured herself and walked slowly. Again, that set of eyes burned her back. "ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT! Come out you pervert!!"

Angrily, she slammed her fist against the wall causing it to surprisingly crumble. It was strange because the walls wouldn't crumble before no matter how many times she punched it. But she didn't have time to think right now because a smoky mist was beginning to form in front of her. The figure seemed almost...snake-like.

"SSSakurraaa..."

"What do you want?" She demanded calmly.

"Jewwelll..."

Why wasn't she surprised?

"It's in the safe if you want it."

"I needdd the passssword." The figure turned more tangible now and began forming a shape of a man. Sakura's eyes immediately narrowed, clearly recognizing the man.

That grin on those thin lips and the skin as white as snow. It was not doubt…

"Orochimaru."

"Correct." The legendary sennin nodded approvingly and gave his mouth a long lick.

"It's in the safe." She repeated coldly.

"I like your eyesss..." Orochimaru observed her amusingly. "You're so cold on the inside...it's a pity."

"So what? Aren't you the one that made me this way? I bet those past 'lovers' of mine were all of your followers."

"Wrong...or should I say not entirely. I am quite disappointed that one of my best subordinates failed to get the password."

"Who?" Sakura said in alarm.

"Guesss?"

"Sai?" She asked, picking the name that first appeared in her head.

"Smart girl. Correct."

Sakura stared at her teacher's old comrade bewilderedly. Sai was just a wild guess. It couldn't be Sai. She never even met a guy called Sai before. But why would Orochimaru lie to her? "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because it won't make a difference since I'm going to steal your precious jewel and kill you." Orochimaru cackled and lunged at her with his neck. Sakura quickly dodged and threw out a kunai in his direction.

The senin dodged it easily and continued to lunge at her, this time with a sword coming out of his mouth. Sakura quickly went behind a pile of rubble from the wall she had just punched and began hurling every piece of it at the man like crazy. But to no avail, Orochimaru successfully passed through the shower of boulders and plunged the sword deep inside her chest just missing her vital organs.

Blood spattered out from her mouth as she fell to her knees.

Poof!

"As if I would get stabbed that fucken easily!" Sakura yelled coming from the top, and sent her chakra pumped foot right on his head while forming a crater in the process as the bushin disappeared. She smirked at the lifeless head beneath her boot but gasped as a hand came up and grabbed her arm. Orochimaru was still alive. This time both of his arms were extended.

Thinking fast, Sakura yanked the sword out of Orochimaru's bruised yet mocking mouth and swung madly yet accurately at the arm. His arms immediately got cut off but still held on to her like glue and tightened its grip. "Monster!" She seethed angrily and pulled the arm away from her body.

Orochimaru slowly pulled back his battered head and turned 360 degrees to get the bones in place with a creepy smile on his face. "I prefer being called an immortal."

Instantly, two snakes burrowed out from the ground and bit her deep in the flesh – one in the stomach while the other in the arm. This time it was for real, and crimson blood trailed down rapidly from her wounds.

"I'll spare your life if you tell me the password." The elder bargained persuasively.

Sakura looked at her for a second as if thinking but then a sinister smiled crept onto her lips. "Sorry, my lips are sealed."

She dropped the sword she was holding and grabbed both of the snakes with her hands and squeezed their heads as hard as she can until both snakes burst into pieces. It was disgusting but at least they were dead.

"It's a shame someone like you would have to die." Orochimaru looked apologetically at her. "You would be quite useful."

"Enough bullshit." Sakura winced as she pulled the snake fangs that was still in her skin and hurled them at him.

"Stubborn fool..." Orochimaru started to cackle and did some hand seals that were unfamiliar to her. And then all of the sudden, shadows from every corner started coming towards her. They weren't ordinary shadows either because hundreds of eyes appeared amongst it and they were all staring at her.

Sensing danger, she retreated quickly and ran in the opposite direction to escape her fate. What kind of monster is he?! She screamed in her mind as she felt the hairs on her skin tingle. The sensation of being watched became stronger and stronger until a shadow hand stretched out and grabbed her leg.

The passwords... She thought. If she was correct, the jutsu will penetrate inside her brain and will begin searching every corner for the hidden codes. Mom...dad...

She promised she wouldn't fail them. She promised she would protect the jewel. Turning around with fierce eyes, she grabbed her last kunai and prepared to plunge it into the closest eye. But a big ball of fire beat her to it.

"What?" Sakura squinted and tried to look through the brightness of the flame.

"Uchiha at your service." A teasing voice filled the air.

Sakura didn't know whether to be grateful or be angry at the mocking voice and just stared at the broad back of her teammate. Sasuke stood in a very relaxed position and crossed his arms, gazing at his teacher long and hard.

What is he trying to do?

"Ah...Sasuke-kunn..." Orochimaru slurred, his golden eyes glinting.

"What do you want Orochimaru?" He asked calmly.

"I'll let you guess." The teacher smiled playfully and played with a lock of his hair. "What do you think I want?"

"Her?" Sasuke answered in a bored voice without hesitation.

Orochimaru's smile turned wider at the reply and smiled until one could see the gum on top of his teeth. "Wrong!" Without warning, a head lunged out beside Sasuke and bit deeply into the flesh of his neck. "I. Want. You!"

"Sasuke!!" Sakura screamed and ran towards to catch his falling body after Orochimaru pulled his fangs away and disappeared. A very noticeable black mark appeared from where the eccentric enemy had bitted and Sakura felt an immense amount of heat erupting from Sasuke's body.

"Naruto!" She cried out instinctively but no answer came. She was alone, and the silence had returned once again.

Be strong...be strong Sakura... She told herself and tugged Sasuke's body into a well secluded corner with teary eyes. Sasuke was burning up really badly and the fever didn't seem to be going away. She had no water nearby nor did she have any necessary equipments to treat him.

Sakura, being expertly trained by Tsunade in the field of medics, knew the protocols however. Biting her lips and blushing heavily, she slowly stripped Sasuke's upper body until he was half naked. It was the only way she could think of to help cool down his body. His skin felt smooth under her palms but she frowned as Sasuke's chest rose up and down rapidly. He's getting worse...

"What should I do?" She whispered to herself gloomily and watched Sasuke's unconscious state. Why did Orochimaru want him anyway?

Inner Sakura: Herbs... go find herbs.

"That's right...this is the forest right?" She talked to herself and stood up. Quickly creating a chakra barrier around Sasuke, she dashed off to find any type of plant she could use.

On the way, Sakura carefully made sure she knew which turns she took in case she got lost. It took her one full hour to find a single plant that she wanted which made her hate the forest even more. Just as she turned around to go back to Sasuke, she suddenly saw something shining. Bending down, she realized it was a strand of blonde hair.

Naruto?

Scanning around, she quickly took a random corner and found a foot sticking out from behind a wall. "Naruto?" she called out hesitantly and peeked timidly around the wall. Sure enough, it was the blond…unconscious.

"Naruto...Naruto!" Sakura called out shaking the body as hard as she can. But no answer came from him. How the heck did he end up here?!

Inner Sakura: No time to think about that, go back to Sasuke!!

Right...

It took every last ounce of energy to pull Naruto back to where Sasuke was still lying. By the end, she was dead tired but she knew she couldn't stop right there. Sasuke's fever was still burning like heck. Crawling over to her side, she quickly wiped the plant as best as she could with her shirt and stuffed it all inside her mouth.

I can't believe I'm doing this!! She blushed while chewing vigorously. Will he hate her for this?

Inner Sakura: Hell no! We're trying to save his life!

Actually...he saved ours too...

Inner Sakura: Hurry! Just inject it!

Sakura looked at Sasuke's face for a long while and trembled. She never performed this type of medical treatment before. However, her inner body was getting more and more restless and took note that if she didn't hurry up, she would inject more saliva into his mouth than the herb itself.

Alright... She chewed for the last time and wiped the sweat rolling down her face. Think professional... Grabbing the back of his jaws with one arm and the other stabling the head, she pressed her lips against his and began pushing all the things she munched up into Sasuke's mouth. To her dismay, Sasuke showed no sign of swallowing which led her no choice but to stick her tongue in his mouth to agitate his throat so he would swallow.

IT'S NOT A KISS...IT'S NOT A KISS! I'M A PROFESSIONAL MEDIC! She blushed furiously and felt her body grow intensely hot despite the cold air. Finally, to her relief, Sasuke managed to cough down the medicine she gave him but still showed no sign of consciousness.

"Good..." She sighed, wiping her mouth madly. "He won't notice...He won't know...when he wakes up, he won't remember a thing...I hope."

Sakura then collapsed against the wall and checked if everything was alright. So far so good. Naruto was breathing normally and Sasuke seemed to be slowly getting better. His breathing slowed and his fever was slowly going away. Looks like the plant had done its job perfectly.

Inner Sakura: With my help! Mwahahhaa...

"Shut up." She grumbled tiredly, and the next thing she knew, she was fast asleep.

Fin.

Sighh... I don't know. Do you guys like it? Haha...anyways, thanks for reading. It's ending soon, so hang in there! A review would be nice :)

Revised on July 20, 2008