Chapter 5: The Long Dark

0427, Rendezvous Point A

This was not safe, the raven haired captain surmised-his subordinate was too loud. The damned girl wouldn't shut up. It's not like he wasn't used to a loud partner, hell, Naruto was worse, but her incessant chatter was beginning to grate on his wire thin nerves. He clenched his fist and advanced ahead of the rosette, perhaps putting more distance would drown out her chirpy voice.

The pair were 2 miles out from Mt. Unraikyu. The weather had begun to pick up with heavy winds and light rain making for a perilous ascent from the base of the mountain. Their destination was a derelict temple nestled another 2 miles high-thunderclouds looming overhead, a continuous reminder of the territory the two were in. Kumo was notorious for its overcast, ever-cloudy, and gloomy atmosphere. Thunderstorms and blizzards ravaged the city for nearly a century, with its residents left scrambling to prepare for the daily change in weather.

Sasuke rather liked the rain, and in no time, the quiet patter of droplets began drowning out his subordinate's annoying ram-

"Are you even listening-" her shrill voice going two octaves higher, tired of being in a one sided conversation, "-I asked if we could set up a shelter." She grabbed Sasuke by his shoulder, swinging him around to face her. A choice she quickly regretted. Before she could release his shoulder, he had grabbed her left wrist and quickly backed her into the cliffside. Her double layers did nothing to fend off the biting cold from the near-frozen slab of rock. Her arm was pinned over her head as he loomed, threateningly in front of her. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw him raise his other hand, no doubt about to strike. Her eyes quickly shut, expecting the worse.

Tap

Emerald eyes shot open in confusion. "What th-", she was about to lay into him for tapping her on the forehead when she noticed his hand movements. She exhaled. Sasuke had begun using sign language to communicate. She went on alert. Something was up.

She signed back immediately, not missing a beat. Her captain's left eyebrow raised, minutely, relieved the girl understood sign language. Her babbling had caused his migraine to flare, and the only clever solution he could devise was signing.

"Why are we signing, Captain?" Sasuke had taken a step back to allow the rosette space. Sakura quickly peeled herself off the cliffside, her back numb from just the few seconds of contact. "Your voice is being carried in the wind, and will alert nearby enemy operatives. Think before you speak next time. I expect better of you, Haruno." Sakura tried to hide her faint blush at his not so subtle reprimand. She dropped her eyes to her black, rain soaked combat boots, and nodded faintly in understanding.

Sasuke turned, intent on continuing their assignment, satisfied he could continue the rest of the hike in relative peace.

It didn't take much to startle the rosette, but kami, her captain was fast. She reached out to grab his shoulder and in flash, the wind had been knocked from her, and she was being pinned.

She watched his back as he continued up the cliffside, her left wrist still ablaze with the ghost of his firm grip. She'd have to do better. Being scolded by her Captain less than 2 hours into her very first assignment was humbling. Why was she even babbling to begin with? Clearly he wasn't even listening. The pink head huffed in mild annoyance.

Babbling. It was another habit she'd acquired from her years with Tsunade. At least once a week she was trapped in the blonde's sprawling mansion with no way out-forced to listen to her drunken rambles over dinner about some old acquaintance who never bothered to return her calls. For hours on end, Sakura would endure the slurred whining from her mentor, wishing fervently that every glass of wine would be the last. The busty blonde could talk a deaf man's ear off and not. give. one. damn.

She glanced at her watch noting their location. At this rate, we should reach Point A by 05:00. Right on time.

Sasuke maintained his steady pace. To his quiet amusement, his subordinate was keeping up. Even Naruto, with the energy and stamina of a rabid dog, would struggle and complain about his partner's cruel pace. He had to give the girl credit-she had yet to nag or fall behind.

Sasuke's gaze wandered to the gloom above. The moon sat tucked behind a thin veil of storm clouds. Even in the early morning, the moon shone brightly in Kumo. He noted how the pale rays of light reflected off the slabs of ice on the cliff face-bouncing from rock to rock, highlighting the jagged rock surfaces in an eerie glow. This was the first time traveling to . The locals referred to it as the Crystal Mountain Range, and now he understood why. He scoffed at the stupid name, but the sight was truly breathtaking.

Just then, his left foot hit a slick patch of icy rock, but his quick reflexes helped him immediately regain his footing. Blink, and you'd have missed his misstep. Sasuke watched as the loose rocks tumbled down the cliff side into the foggy depths below.

Breathtaking, and deadly.

He glanced back to find his subordinate quickly looking away, as if to avoid being caught staring at his slip up. It wasn't like him to make mistakes-ever, and he'd be caught dead if he let his subordinate catch him off guard again. He exhaled, calmly, reeling in his focus.

For the next 11 minutes, the two continued their steady ascent, with the change in elevation becoming clearer as the air began to thin. The Uchiha was used to every climate imaginable-but the rosette was struggling….surely. He peered back to confirm his thoughts.

Sakura looked up in time to see her captain gazing behind him for the eighth time. She had known she was under close scrutiny, but eight times? It wasn't hard to gather that the man didn't trust her abilities one bit. It was understandable since they'd really only just met, and if his last name was any indication of his skill as an assassin, she knew there was no room to slack.

She gave him a tight smile-and waved him off, silently reassuring him that she was okay, to which he nodded. Truth be told, she was anything but okay. The hour flight to Kumo was not enough time for her leg muscles to rest, and her left calf was still aching. The incline was not helping either. She cursed herself for not breaking in her leather combat boots immediately after purchasing them. The balls of her feet were paying dearly, and add to that her inflamed leg muscles, it was a miracle she was able to hike uphill for 2 miles. There would be hell to pay tomorrow morning, for sure.

A loud crackling noise ricocheted off the cliffside, startling the pinkette for a split second. Her training kicked in- eyes flying to her captain's hand for a signal. She nodded as he held up his left fist followed by his index finger, and back to his fist-the signal to sprint. For a split second, Sakura had second guessed his decision, especially considering the weather, incline, and unidentified sound. But, the Assassin Handbook, and Tsunade's teaching, was law: Assassin Rule #4, a subordinate must always heed to his Captain. Her second of uncertainty was instantly doused.

The pair took off in a sprint to Point A. The temple was about 1100 yards out, and thankfully the rain began to pick up, drowning out their footsteps.

The crackling noise was no stranger to Sasuke. He knew who was responsible. His subordinate would presume thunder-and perhaps she was better left in the dark. In an effort to conserve energy, the pair were set to hike to Point A at a steady pace, but he knew without a doubt, that if they couldn't get there before the next sound went off, they were as good as dead.

With practiced ease, Sasuke kept his breathing under control as he sprinted up the steep, rocky cliffside. All assassins were required to meet and maintain strict physical fitness proficiencies. He had little doubt the rosette was kept under different, lesser, standards. And for that reason alone, he did not glance back.

In 15 seconds flat, the pair had reached the temple outskirts. It stood seven stories tall, and looked seconds from collapsing. Sasuke led her around to the northeast wall of the building, to an expertly concealed wooden door that blended in all too well with the exterior woodwork. A trained eye could hardly spot the difference, but assassins were easily able to identify the smallest abnormalities in surface texture, within little to no time.

Despite reading the assignment briefing, Sakura had just realized she knew nothing about the temple other than the interior rendezvous location on the seventh floor. Access points, and building blueprints were not mentioned and Sakura mentally chastised herself for not questioning the briefing's lack of detail. She glanced at her captain to see him removing a sheathed dagger, slotting the tip between an obscure opening in the wooden panel.

She watched him, slightly irked that he wasn't the slightest bit out of breath. It was by sheer willpower alone that she stood next to him, rather than splayed out on the muddy patches of gravel and dirt.

Clink

A series of wooden planks parted to reveal an industrial, metal door. Sakura watched as he removed his right glove to place his palm over the biometric scanner. Of course Sasuke would have access to the building. The details of entrance were most likely omitted in one operative's briefing in case of a compromised brief. Each assassin had a slightly different version to minimize the fallout of a data leak. If an enemy operative knew how to access a building, an assignment could be over before it even started. Sakura dug her nails into her gloved palm in disappointment. This was all textbook-and she didn't place 2nd in the written exams to forget such basic infiltration strategies.

Sakura was snapped from her thoughts when she felt Sasuke staring.

The rosette quickly darted inside after her captain.

Sasuke could tell his subordinate was distracted. It took her one second too long to realize he'd opened the door and stepped inside. He watched as she unclenched her fist and snapped her eyes up to meet his glare. It was moments like this when he needed her guard to be up-her momentary lapse in concentration was unacceptable.

He continued his merciless glare as she walked to stand next to him, no doubt waiting for his instruction. Perhaps she'd realized her fault. It would do no good to criticize her actions since the chances were high it wouldn't be happening again. She dropped her gaze and gave a single nod, confirming his thoughts.

Onyx eyes spared a moment to look at the rosette before him. She was favoring her left leg, and he could feel the exhaustion. Sprinting up to Tsunade's office, and subsequently, up a steep cliffside in nearly freezing temperatures would take a physical toll on the most experienced assassin, and he could tell her boots had not yet broken in.

He sighed, noting that this was truly her first assignment. It's likely she had no idea The Director would be sending her off so soon. He spared her the tiniest nod before reaching out and poking her forehead with his pointer and index finger. Tired emeralds flitted up to meet her captain's gaze. She released a nervous breath, taking a moment's comfort in his action.

Relax-you can do it.

Authors note: Wah! I'm back! How are we doin y'all? Brownie points to anyone who gets the reference in the Chapter Title.