Ch.19: Shattered Promises

(Sasuke's POV)

I couldn't stop the unease I felt as I sailed further and further from her. I glanced at the other passenger. The more I thought about it the more none of this made any sense.

It was all too convenient that she happened to run across our camp, that she knows of all these so-called bases.

I didn't trust her in the slightest, but I had no choice but to follow her. As much as that frustrated me.

I decided to see if I could pry any real information out of her.

"Your name?" I asked bluntly.

She just looked at me.

"I'm just supposed to follow you blindly?" I asked annoyed.

"I don't see the point in knowing my name? It doesn't change anything whether you know it or not." She said as she glared at me.

I knew that look in her eyes well. It was the look so many had given me before, the look I used to use to gaze at the world.

Fear. Hatred. Distrust.

I almost pitied her for having that look.

"I've heard about you, the infamous Sasuke Uchiha. The rouge ninja turned war hero. I am honestly surprised that they let you out without your 'leash'." She said glaring at me.

"My leash?" I said intrigued by her words.

"The real hero, Naruto Uzumaki. But maybe she is your travel leash." She said with a chuckle.

"Do not talk about her." I warned.

She glanced at me.

"Kikio." She said.

I looked at her.

"My name, it's Kikio." She said as she glanced back to the ocean.

"Why are you after the Syndicate?" She asked.

"Because it's what I need to do." I replied.

"They aren't to be taken lightly, how much do you even know about them." She asked.

I stayed silent.

"They aren't like typical 'bad guys'. If you found them you could take them out instantly if I had to guess. But that's just it, you can't find them which is why you are forced to follow a stranger like me.

They don't have much brute force, they work mainly in trafficking and blackmail to control others.

They have hundreds of lackeys to do their dirty work. Fugoshin the man who had me imprisoned is probably the worst out of them all though. From what I heard the others see this organization as nothing but a business venture whereas for him... It's all about finding the ultimate pleasure.

That's all that matters to him, and right now he thinks that is Sakura. It's going to be near to impossible to keep her from him. I have been at his side for a long time I have seen many of his 'dolls' come and go. But for him she is different, she's special." She said with a distant look in her eyes.

"Why so talkative all of the sudden?" I asked as I joined her gazing at the water.

"That's a good question." She mumbled.

We stayed quietly watching the passing water.

(Sakura's POV)

I sighed as I sat on the docks. It had been nearly 6 days since Sasuke left.

With him gone it felt like a piece of me was missing.

I hoped he was doing ok. I wasn't sure what I should be doing while he was gone. I spent most of my time at the docks in a small attempt to ease my mind.

Every since Sasuke left I felt this pit in my stomach like something bad was going to happen I just wasn't sure what.

I continued like that waiting for him to come back safely.

Finally, nearly three weeks had passed and I had hoped that he was nearly back.

I was on my way to the docks when I heard a familiar sound.

I looked up to see Sasuke's hawk circling, my eyes lit up at the sight.

I whistled for it as it dove towards my raised arm.

I quickly retrieved the paper fastened to it's leg.

~ I am on my way back, the situation has changed. Stay at the inn and do not let anyone in until I return.

-Sasuke~

"What does he mean the situation has changed? Did something happen out there?" I said as I began to worry. I sent his hawk back to him and hurried back to the inn as instructed.

*Please get here soon.* I mentally prayed.

The whole day went by and there was still no sign of him.

I heard a knock at the door.

I quickly ran to it.

"Sasuke!" I said as I opened it.

Only to see an inn worker with a tray of food.

I sighed disappointed.

"Ah, I'm sorry miss. I brought you something for dinner." He said as he came to set it on the table.

"Yes thank you." I said as I set down to eat it.

He was the only person I interacted with.

He would bring me my meals and I would sit quietly and eat while he would change the futon out and tidy the room.

He was a nice distraction from my worries.

I watched as he diligently tended to his duty.

I had offered to help on several occasions, but he always turned me away saying if I did that there would be no need for his job.

I guess I understood what he meant but I still wished I could help.

As I watched him my eyelids grew heavier.

*I'm so sleepy.* I thought as I started to nod.

I hadn't been sleeping that well since Sasuke left, guess it was catching up with me.

Before I dozed off I could faintly see someone walking towards me.

"It finally started to take effect huh?" I heard them say.

Then it all went black.

(Sasuke's POV)

We were close to arriving at the island. I hoped this would lead to something and wasn't pointless.

I quickly stepped off the boat and looked around. The island was covered in a jungle-like forest.

I looked back at Kikio.

"Where is it?" I asked her.

"It is in the middle of the jungle. But I am not going any further, I escaped once I am not about to get myself captured again.

I just nodded as I started to walk into the jungle.

My fingers twitched at the thought of finally catching that bastard once and for all.

(Kikio's POV)

I watched as he headed deep into the jungle.

After a few minutes, he was out of sight.

"Fool." I muttered.

*Any normal person would feel regret for this, but not me. No one felt regret for me when I was his slave.

I started out as one of his lackeys I did it for the money, I was a mercenary and after the war, I had found there wasn't much need for me.

So when I got picked up by this group I didn't mind the dirty work. I got paid well enough and had food to eat that was all that mattered till that bastard decided he wanted me for his own.

So what if I have to damn someone to that same fate so I can survive.

In this world, the only one you should look out for is yourself to hell with everyone else. They won't be there for you when it really matters.

I have always lived my life like this no need to change it now.* I thought as I stood there watching the waves crash into the sand.

I felt someone come up behind me.

"Good work, the boss will be very pleased." He said as he handed me a sack.

"What is this?" I asked as I took it.

"Compensation." He replied.

I opened it to see it was full of money.

"So now what?" I asked.

"Now you are to get on that boat and leave where you go is up to you. As of now, you are free." he said as he disappeared into the shadows.

I chuckled at the notion.

"Free huh?" I said as I pushed the boat out to sea.

"I hope you die on this island, would mean much less trouble for me." I said as I stared back at the island before the current pushed the boat further away.

(General POV)

A figure stood on the sand watching a boat drift further away.

He took a breath as he pulled out and bow, he drew an arrow and aimed.

"You are free... Free to die." He said as the arrow flew quietly and quickly over the water to it's target.

The girl in the boat turned just in time to see it strike her. It hit a fatal artery in the neck.

After a second she dropped. In seconds she was gone.

(Sasuke's POV)

As I walked further in I could tell that this path had been traveled recently.

It was a good sign, it meant someone was at least still here.

I decided to stop traveling on the main road and to stealthily approach by treetop.

After a little while, I arrived at a clearing in the jungle.

It was almost night, there was a fire lit and a few men camped around it.

*Best option would be just to take them all on, and see if anyone was willing to 'chat' after.* I thought as I leaped into the air.

I landed in the middle of them, they all fell back in shock.

"Where is Fugoshin?" I said as I activated my Sharingan.

One of them stood up and smirked.

"Well, you see... I would really like to help you, but I have no idea who you are talking about...Sasuke Uchiha." He said as he drew his blade.

*They always choose the hard way.* I thought as I readied myself.

The man then snapped his fingers.

Out of the treeline, a large group emerged.

Rough estimate it looked to be about a hundred in all surrounding me.

They all then put on some type of goggles.

"These should make your Sharingan useless against us." The man said as he tapped on his goggles.

"Shall we test that?" I said as I drew my own blade.

(General POV)

It was late in the night the sounds of blades crashing.

after some time the sounds stopped bodies laid everywhere. Only one remained standing

One of the men looked at him.

"Why...why won't you kill us?" He asked.

The man turned and looked at him.

"Because, you are not the one I am after." He said as he walked towards him.

"But you will tell me where he is." He said as he picked the man up by his collar.

"Now, where is Fugoshin?" He asked as his grip tightened.

(Sasuke's POV)

He began to laugh.

"What is it?" I said annoyed.

"It's just you're trying so hard, when in the end you've already lost so I find that laughable ." He said as he smirked.

I threw him down.

"What are you getting at?" I asked as I brought my sword to his throat.

"Don't you see, he is not here yet you were brought here. And to make it better you came alone. While you have been here all this time blindly following Kikio, everything has went exactly to his plan." He said.

*Sakura!* I thought.

"I bet the boss is showing her a real good time right now." He said as he chuckled.

I ignored his words as I ran back to the boat. But when I got back to the shore it was gone.

"Damint! So she really did trick me."

I tried to think of something, but my mind was running to fast I couldn't think clearly.

Images of Sakura flashed in my mind.

"Damint!" I yelled.

I fell to my knees.

" I promised her, I promised and yet.."

"Are you giving up Sasuke?" I turned to see who said that.

"What are you doing here?" I asked surprised.

I hope everyone is enjoying this so far, I really enjoy writing it.

Can anyone guess who is there with Sasuke? Hehe.