After their stop in the small village, they set off for the mountain looming in the distance once again; as each day passed, the trees became sparser as they grew closer. This scarcity of foliage seemed to be done on purpose however, as it accentuated the grandiosity of the mountain and its dwarfish handiwork that could be seen. In the distance during the beginnings of their travels, they saw large stone statues of dwarves, each kneeling on one knee, seemingly standing guard on each side of the path; over their heads, they carried a large stone arch. It was only until they got closer after the second day of travel that the others appreciated the craftsmanship of the statues and arch.

Unlike Sakura's attire, consisting of her simple chainmail shirt and leather guard overtop, the statues' were more ornate in their design. Their torsos were covered in full plated armor, the sleeves stopping just above their elbows. Chainmail slipped back into the armor as they held the heavy pillar above them, leather gauntlets similar to Sakura's clenched around the stone. Their lower halves were decorated similarly to the upper design; a plated action-kilt shielded their legs from any blows. So detailed were the statues, down to the last hair carved into the beards, that one could easily imagine the stone giants coming to life to guard the kingdom. Naruto happened to cast his eyes upwards, marveling at the intricacies, when he spotted runes written across the stone arch. He squinted, trying to make out the words with what little dwarf he knew, when Sakura spoke up.

"De marr ep kheluz ep enz kaurit," She said, "It means 'the mountain is as strong as its stones'. It is a popular saying amongst Oonoki's clan members; it symbolizes that if one of them are weak, the rest of them will fall."

"That's a lot of pressure to place on a single person." Naruto muttered, eyes still gazing at the stone arch.

Sakura shrugged in response. "It is not so much physical strength that they speak of, but emotional and mental strength. We are already loyal and stalwart, but Oonoki's clan takes these to extremes. They pride themselves on their wills and ability to self-sustain themselves, and it usually takes decades for them to come to a compromise with someone outside of the clan."

"They sound unaccepting of outsiders." Sasuke said, turning in his saddle to glance her way. "Do not tell me that we've come all this way only to be killed by your kin."

Sakura frowned, eyes hardening. "I am loyal to my friends; if they say a foul word towards you, I will make them regret it."

Similar words ran through his mind from when they traveled to his village, having been brought from the dregs of his memory. He turned away from her, focusing his attention back on the path to drive away the memories of that fateful day; he missed the flash of concern on Sakura's face, focusing instead of pressing onwards.

Shadows were cast on them as they passed underneath the arch, heading up the hill that lead towards the mountain. The entrance to the kingdom that had been blocked from their sight by the statues slowly came into view; the company's eyes widened as Sakura rode forward, immune to its grandiosity.

From afar, it was difficult to tell where the mountain began and where the entrance to the kingdom began. Although the carvings were smoother and more refined than the rugged mountain, from a distance they seamlessly blended together so that only a keen eye for dwarf craftsmanship could spot it from beyond the arch. The easiest structure to spot were the twin towers standing tall, their forms melting into the stone despite the slight swell of their bulk. Oval holes were carved into the stone, and if one strained their eyes enough they could see flashes of movement from within, signaling that dwarves were busy inside the towers.

Connecting the two towers was a battlement; even from their position they could see that it was used to defend the kingdom from the outside. The merlons that adorned it were detailed despite their use for protection, seemingly yet another testament to the dwarves' skill. As their eyes trailed up the mountain they caught sight of intricate symbols jutting out from the mountain comprised of loops that seemed to not have an end. They adorned the wall beneath another connecting passageway, though this one had the same oval windows of the towers carved along its length, offering its inhabitants a glimpse of the outside world. Farther up was a similar symbol decorating the center above the passageway, with a window placed underneath it.

"Marnag," A gruff voice called out from above, snapping the company out of their awe for the kingdom's outside. They searched for the source of the voice, eyes finally landing on a dwarf leaning out of a window of one of the towers.

"Vemu," Sakura said, hopping down from her horse. "Miz tnam bi Sakura Haruno."

"Kul dem," He asked, gesturing roughly towards the others. Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly as she stepped forward, body taking the posture of royalty.

"Leib abb kan, em bi nai? Dey vani Kakashi Hatake tharki, Naruto Uzumaki dorniti, kul Sasuke Uchiha dekhel dorniti."

The guard frowned slightly as he ducked back inside the tower. They could hear muffled yelling echo from within the tower; suddenly the sound of the doors opening could be heard. They directed their attention to a seemingly blank space of the mountain, where a hidden door opened before them. A few dwarves came out, heading immediately to take their horses; Sakura slid off her saddle, prompting the others to follow suit. As soon as they crossed the threshold into the mountain, the massive doors were shut behind them, dimming the entryway significantly. As their eyes adjusted to the change in lighting, the dwarf from before spoke up.

"My apologies," He said, bowing before Sakura, "Your letter from your father came a while ago; however, we were not expecting your company."

Sakura placed her hand on her hip, staring coolly down at the man. "Are you insinuating that my father would have us killed? Or is it that he is going senile with age?"

"O-Of course not, dornessiti! Many things have happened since the arrival of the letter…it may have slipped the king's mind to tell us who would be arriving with you."

Sakura blinked, eyebrow raised in curiosity at his words. "What has happened? Is it something that we could assist with?"

"I'm sorry dornessiti, but under King Oonoki's orders we are not allowed to speak of it. At least, not within the presence of outsiders." He said, daring a look at Naruto and the others. Sakura sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Well, at the very least, may you show my companions the guest rooms? Or should I assume that they are unprepared as well?"

He shook his head, standing up quickly. "Of course; follow me."

They followed his lead, or rather followed the lead of Sakura as she strode confidently behind him. Naruto was accustomed to seeing her influence over the members of her own clan during feasts and festivals; yet never had he seen her actually demand respect from another. He glanced over at Sasuke and could see that the elf was also having trouble combining the Sakura that they traveled with to this figure of royalty that strode ahead of them. To take his mind off of the dissonance in his mind, Naruto decided to look around at his surroundings.

The first thing he noticed was that ceilings were nonexistent within the mountain; instead, walkways crisscrossed overhead. From his position he could see dwarves bustling about, either pushing carts filled with jewels or precious metals or just going about their day. He also noticed how some paused in their duties to stare downwards at them, eyes and beards peering over the railings. He gave a sort of half-hearted wave and a nervous grin, only to be met with more questioning eyes.

"So…don't get many visitors, eh?" Naruto asked, tearing his eyes away from the inquiring stares from above. The unnamed dwarf looked back at him over his shoulder, but not before catching Sakura's gaze. Although Naruto couldn't see her expression, he assumed it was unnerving, as the dwarf heaved a sigh and turned back around, launching into an explanation.

"Not unless they are from the Haruno clan. We pride ourselves on being self-sufficient, and thus have had no reason to dabble in the affairs of man or elves for many centuries. You are quite possibly the first human that many of them have seen; so I advise you to not embarrass your race."

Naruto gulped, suddenly feeling the weight of not only saving the world, but also not making a fool of himself come crashing onto his shoulders. He went back to surveying his surroundings, mind frantically working to calm itself. The room they were in seemed to be circular, with different stairways scattered along its edges. Light came from torches fastened into place on the walls; the fixtures that held them appeared to be made in the likeness of dwarves. From his distance he couldn't appreciate the exquisiteness of the details, though he could easily assume that they were just as intricate as the statues outside. The more he looked at them though, the more at unease he felt; the shadows that fell across them made them look angry, almost as if they were made at him for stepping into their domain. He breathed a sigh of relief as they entered a staircase, only to internally groan as he saw it lined with the same fixtures. Luckily for him though the journey was short, as they exited the staircase after only a few flights.

They walked down a large hallway, with stone doors lining their path on each side. The guard seemed to pick one at random, unlocking it and opening it for them. "You'll each have your own accommodations," He said, stepping aside to allow them to peer inside.

In the room offered there was a single bed displayed in the center of the room; its sheets weren't ornate, but they were a deep red color with gold stitching across it. The headboard was pressed against the wall, and placed directly into the center was a large ruby. In a corner of the room was a desk with a candlestick holder pushed off to the side; in another corner was a closet as well as a chest of drawers. Naruto immediately claimed the room as his own, jumping onto the bed and giving a satisfied sigh as he sank into the mattress.

The dwarf rolled his eyes at the behavior, looking at Sakura. "I shall show the others to their rooms, and we shall head to meet the king?"

"Eh," Naruto's head shot up, "You mean we're not going to meet him?"

"There are things I will need to discuss before seeing him," Sakura said to appease him. "I am sure that you all will get to meet him during dinner, where he will discuss the situation with us."

Naruto nodded, accepting the explanation laid before him. Sakura smiled before looking at the dwarf; he nodded, going to two other rooms. He quickly unlocked the doors for Sasuke and Kakashi, before returning to Sakura's side. Sakura gave a small wave to the group as she followed after him back into the stairwell, her form blending into the darkness quickly.

The ascent to the king's room was quiet without her companions; the Iwa dwarves were never really ones for small talk. Always wishing to get to the point and deal with business rather than pleasantries, at times they made the Haruno clan feel uncomfortable within the mountain. However, her father could get even the meanest member to welcome him warmly, and she'd be damned if she couldn't produce the same effect in their king without her father by her side.

The guard opened the door for her, allowing her to slip quietly into the king's room as he closed it behind him. There, at the far end of a long table, sat King Oonoki of the Iwa dwarves, so hunched over parchment that it was a wonder that his bulbous nose didn't smudge the ink. Everything about his seemed to scream his age; from his small stature, to the deep wrinkles lining his face and even the top of his bald head. He still had hair as white as snow, though most of it was pulled back into a ponytail by a yellow ribbon, or in the form of his long mustache and goatee. He wore chainmail and a black shirt underneath his green and yellow robe, the red collar barely being visible from her angle. She cleared her throat, causing his head to spring up from his work as he took in her form.

"Tis about time you showed up," He said; he gestured at a chair. "Pull one up, for we have a lot to talk about before you show me those traveling companions of yours."

She nodded, walking towards him and choosing the chair closest to him. As she pulled the chair out to sit down, she couldn't help but notice that the parchments he was reading were details about the mines from below. She barely made out a few words before he shuffled the papers neatly before him, causing her to meet his gaze.

"It would seem your mines have seen better days."

Oonoki sighed, glancing down at the parchment. "I've never seen anything like this in all my years of work in the mountain. We've tried so hard to ration the resources of the mountain; whenever we have signs of a bad haul, we move to other things and let the mountain balance itself again before digging any deeper. But this…in just a single month, it's appeared that the entire mountain has dried up."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock. "You mean there's nothing? No ores or jewels to be mined? But that's…that's impossible! You're always so careful!"

He nods. "I do not think the problem lies within the mountain though. Normally, there are indicators beforehand; this came out of the blue. I fear that something may have happened to Lord Roshi."

Sakura tilted her head to the side in confusion at the name. Mentally, she ran through a list of as many Iwa dwarves as she could remember off the top of her head; surely one as important as this Lord Roshi would top her list. However, nothing about him and his importance to the mines rang a bell.

"You have not heard of him," He explained, seeing her befuddled expression. "His existence is kept a secret, so only the king knows of his presence. However, he is rather…relevant, to your current quest, as your father has led me to believe."

Realization dawned on Sakura. "He's the guardian of Son Goku."

Oonoki nodded. "As I'm sure you've realized, dragons have magic far stronger than that mage you're traveling with. In legends, it's said that their very presence is able to alter the very balance of nature, not to mention affect the guardian they are bonded to. The only reason I can think of that the mountain has suddenly run dry is that something has happened to Roshi. I've tried to send someone up there to check on him, but…"

"But," Sakura prompted, leaning forward in her seat. He sighed, rubbing his temples as he rested his elbows on the table.

"They haven't returned," He stated simply. The words hung heavily in the air, almost as if a dense fog had somehow entered the room. Sakura leaned back in her chair, mind suddenly racing; did that mean Kaguya had already reached Son Goku? Would they be walking straight into a trap if they even bothered to try? These thoughts were at war with her loyalty to Oonoki however, as she knew that she would volunteer to go in a heartbeat if she didn't have other lives to consider.

"I…" Sakura swallowed, inhaling deeply. "I will have to speak with my comrades, but I assure you that, one way or another, we will find out what happened to Lord Roshi. In the meantime, I can write to my father, ask him to send some aid-"

"Do not trouble yourself," Oonoki said, raising a hand. "You know how I feel about treaties and words; they are cheap, and easily breakable. And your clan is small; they most likely need the resources themselves. I'd only accept help if our families were to become one."

Sakura opened her mouth, but instantly shut it. Her loyalty to her race was screaming at her, telling her to accept his proposal so that they could survive. Yet the other part, the part that Chiyo had awoken with her musings on a betrothal to Sasuke, was screaming just as loudly, telling her to not give up a future that she had only begun to dream about. So she merely looked down at her hands, gathering her courage before finally meeting Oonoki's steady gaze.

"I am sorry that you feel that way." She said steadily, hiding the turmoil that she felt within herself.

Oonoki merely sighed as he folded his hands in front of him. "I figured you would say that. Well, it doesn't matter; after all, I'd rather have such a thing be prepared after your journey is finished. Much less likely for you to die before being able to produce an heir." He waved his hand at her. "Go, speak to your comrades; bring them and your decision to dinner tonight."

She nodded, standing up from her seat. "Thank you your highness," She said, bowing. She then turned and headed towards the door, exiting just as quickly and quietly as she had entered.

With a sigh, Oonoki returned to his paperwork, feeling an ache in his lower back beginning from having sat for too long.

Sakura sat at the edge of her bed, legs swinging slightly as she allowed the others to take in the information from her meeting with Oonoki. Each of their expressions was contemplative, most likely outweighing the pros and cons of such an endeavor. Finally, after a long moment of silence, Naruto spoke.

"I'll do it," Naruto said, looking up at Sakura. "We'll need them in the final battle, dragon or no dragon, so we might as well get on their good side now!"

"I disagree," Sasuke said, glaring slightly at Naruto. "It's obvious that the dragon is gone and it's affecting the mountain. Without it, these dwarves are practically useless; we might as well leave now while we still can."

Sakura bristled at his accusation, but before she could rant Naruto cut her off. "What the hell is that?! They may not be able to make armor or weapons, but they can still fight! Besides, they probably have whole storerooms of war stuff, right Sakura?"

She nodded. "A dwarf is always prepared to go into battle, so even with the lack of metals, they can still provide weapons and chainmail."

"See?"

Sasuke merely grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. Sakura frowned, but didn't say anything as she fixated her gaze on Kakashi. "So what's your verdict?"

Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well…just because the mountain is having troubles, doesn't necessarily mean that Son Goku is gone. While it is suspicious, the mining records might not have been recorded correctly, and so they just have to dig a little deeper in the future. Or, the dragon could even have come down with a bit of a cold; strange things happen to wielders of magic that are ill. In any case, I say that we should investigate the matter thoroughly and give King Oonoki our report."

"So it's settled," Naruto said, clasping his hands together. "Tomorrow, to the stronghold of Son Goku we go!"

Sakura smiled as she stood up, stretching slightly as she did so. "Alright, then we'll give him our answer tonight! Now run along to your rooms; we'll be summoned for dinner before you even know it."

Naruto cheered, excited at the idea of being part of a dwarf meal after so long. He exited the room and was followed by Kakashi. As the two existed the room, Sasuke went to follow after them; however, Sakura grasped his wrist lightly, preventing him from leaving. He glanced down at her hand before meeting her gaze, eyebrow raised slightly.

Sakura released his wrist as she began to speak. "Is…is everything alright Sasuke?"

"Of course it is; why wouldn't it be?"

Sakura shrugged, feet shuffling slightly. "It's just…ever since Kumo, you seem…different, somehow. I don't think it's in a bad way, but it's not necessarily in a good way either. And just now, your refusal to investigate…that doesn't seem like you Sasuke." She stepped towards him, still meeting his gaze. "If something's wrong, you can tell me; trust me."

Sasuke stared at her silently, expression neutral as he seemed to study her. Yet as she gazed into his eyes, she thought she saw conflict in them, as if he were having a heated internal debate over something with someone. As she was about to prod him further, he suddenly spoke.

"It's nothing," He replied. "The enemies are just getting stronger, so we shouldn't get into any unnecessary fights. As for what I said about the dwarves, it was said because I don't know much of your culture. Elves' livelihood is not on selling items for war; it was merely a mistake."

Sakura nodded, deciding to accept his answer for its face value. However, she still had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right; after all, if the answer was that simple, why would he have debated it? Still, she held her tongue, lest she press further and cause him to snap at her. "Well, if you have any questions about dwarf culture, I'd be more than happy to help," Sakura said, offering him a smile.

He seemed to relax at her statement, giving a short nod. "Aa," He replied, turning to head out the door.

At it closed behind him, Sakura sighed, sitting at the edge of the bed yet again. She stared at the door, and hoped that whatever was afflicting Sasuke wouldn't impact their mission tomorrow. Besides the lives of the Iwa clan being at stake, she hoped that for his sake it was an easily curable malady, as a single misstep could cost any of them their lives. Not to mention the nagging that persisted at the corner of her mind whenever something seemed to trouble him, which always had a way of keeping her up at night. She sighed as she lay back on the bed, legs dangling over the edge as she swung her feet back and forth, willing the worry to return to its dark corner at the edge of her mind.

Marnag: Stop

Vemu: Greetings

Miz tnam bi Sakura Haruno: My name is Sakura Haruno

Kul dem?: And them?

Leib abb kan, em bi nai? Dey vani Kakashi Hatake tharki, Naruto Uzumaki dorniti, kul Sasuke Uchiha dekhel dorniti: You have eyes, do you not? They are the mage Kakashi Hatake, Prince Naruto Uzumaki, and the elf prince Sasuke Uchiha.

Dornessiti: Princess

A/N: I got into a horrible rut of just uninspired procrastination, and now I'm in Japan, so I'll try to update this monthly at best. Whenever the hell I can at worst. Perhaps I'll try to go back through it and fix the grammar mistakes I made. *shrugs* Meh, we'll see.