Huge thanks to CactusGranny! XD

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The man pulled his hood off to reveal a headful of bright red hair. Of course, being from Konoha, Sasuke immediately recognized the man.

"Haruka's dad..." Sasuke muttered to himself with a straight face. He recalled the man having a smooth voice, not this strong demanding one. "Your voice, it–"

"This is my real voice. It's the first time in ages since I've used it. Heck, even my own daughter doesn't know what I really sound like." With that, he chuckled and his face turned solemn. "Do you remember the reason why I left the village?"

Sasuke eyed him and quickly searched his brain for any recollections of why. He remembered Kazuma abducting...abducting who? He had taken someone hostage and...and...

"Agh!" Sasuke knelt down as he rubbed his aching temples. Once more, he tried to remember why Kazuma had left, but nothing came to mind.

"No need to beat yourself up over it." Kazuma lifted the boy by his hand and helped him steady himself.

"No, I had remembered something...but it went away. Tch! What was it?" This matter was as frustrating as his fangirls, and that's saying something. Kazuma clicked his tongue and began walking away.

"It's nothing to fuss over. I just needed to know." He said over his shoulder.

"Needed to know? Needed?" Sasuke thought. Why would he need to know if he remembered? Was there something to hide? Sasuke grew wary and followed at a distance. They walked along at a slow pace and in silence.

"You're silence unsettles me. Just what are you thinking, Uchiha-chibi?"

"Don't call me that." Sasuke growled, glaring clear daggers at the back of Kazuma's head like a sniper focused on its victim. "Besides, I should be asking you that question. Just what exactly are you thinking?"

Kazuma smirked. "That I can't tell you."

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A sharp pain danced across his head as he rose. He looked over to his right side and saw Haruka lying unconscious.

"Haruka, are you alright?" Kakashi lifted her head into his arms as he gently tapped her cheeks as to wake her. Slowly, she stirred and popped one eye open.

"Kakashi, wh-what happened?" She asked, rubbing her aching muscles. She stood on her own as Kakashi scanned the floor.

"Based on the depth of the foot indents, I assume he's been long gone." He turned to Haruka and continued, "Get on my back. We have to go."

Haruka nodded and as least painfully possible got onto his back. Just as they were about to leave, a voice shouted from behind.

"Kakashi, what're you doing here? Where's Sasuke?" Kurenai asked as the others came to a halt. Team 8 stood beside her as Team 10 caught up. Almost like some secret military signal, Kurenai's question was answered with one single look from Team 7's leader. "Well then, what're we waiting for?"

Once more, they set off together as fast as their legs could carry them. Of course, there were a few complaints from a certain blonde that claimed her feet would get calloused and dirty from the mud.

"Hinata, do you see anyone up ahead?" Immediately, the young girl activated her eyes and scanned the area.

"I see two people several feet ahead, but their chakra...it seems damaged." Hinata reported, concern etched onto her porcelain face. As they got closer, she grew to recognize who they were. Her eyes widened. "I-It's Naruto and Sakura!"

"Ugh, it reeks of blood." Kiba added in, earning a bark of agreement from Akamaru.

As they approached, they noticed the blood that stained the ground in red stripes. Off to the side, there lay Kakashi's pupils in a pain induced sleep. Haruka quickly leapt off Kakashi's back, her own injuries at the back of her mind, and ran to Naruto's side.

"Naruto! Please wake up. Please tell me you're okay. C'mon, wake up!" She cried, punching his chest with each plead. She stared at his face, searching for any sign of a twitch. He simply lay in her arms unmoving. Haruka hugged his head to her chest and quietly wept to herself as the rest watched in pity.

"O-Ouch. Haruka, that isn't helping." Said girl pulled his face away from her and looked at his half lidded eyes. "Hey guys."

"Naruto, you're alive!" They group sighed in relief as the blonde rose into a sitting position. He looked at Sakura at his side and frowned.

"I was supposed to protect us all and I failed. Now, he took Sasuke." Naruto confessed, glaring at his lap. Asuma huffed and walked over to the three on the floor.

"It's not your fault. We all have our weaknesses that we can't overcome just over the course of one night."

"Yeah, Asuma-sensei's right." Ino added in, kneeling beside Sakura. "Wake up, Billboard-brow!"

The pinkette stirred and slowly blinked her eyes one after the other, absorbing her best friend's face. She stared at her friend with a blank expression. Ino smiled at her and helped lift her upper body off the ground.

"It's about time you woke up, lazy...bum..." She looked down at her hand which was covered in droplets of water. One after another, they came splashing down in tons. She looked up at her friend's face and inaudibly gasped. Her green eyes were dull and showed no emotion while her face was ghastly. "Sakura...Sakura!"

The pinkette slowly moved her head upwards. Ino lunged at her and wrapped her into an embrace as Naruto stood. As he took a step in the direction he had last seen Sasuke in, Asuma's hand reached and grabbed him.

"Naruto...I think it's time we head back."

"What!? We can't leave! Sasuke's still out there and I have to bring him back–"

This time, Choji put a hand on his shoulder. Naruto looked at him with wide eyes and looked behind him at Shikamaru. He nodded his head at the blonde and sighed.

"N-Naruto, you should listen. You're in n-no condition to go on. Y-You need rest." Hinata suggested, playing with her fingers.

Haruka took note and and added in, "She's right. Maybe we can try again some other time. Besides, Sakura wants to help too, but she's...she's..." She stared at the pinkette in gloom and crossed her arms. "Naruto, she needs a break. Now."

Naruto took glances at them all, pondering. Sure, he could continue on his own...but it'd be unfair to Sakura. And Sakura looked like she'd be needing counseling. He sighed and clenched his fists with a sour expression. He unclenched them and faced his comrades with a determined look.

"Fine. But I'm going to train my hardest and I will bring Sasuke back! Even if it kills me!"