Disclaimer: Previous disclaimer holds by induction.
A/N: Just a clarification about the Sasuke/Neji/Tenten thing - Neji does NOT love Tenten per se (as it stands, I don't think that boy's capable of that kind of feeling just yet). He just...doesn't like outside interference. As for Sasuke's behavior, which I openly admit is somewhat OOC, all will be explained in due time =) This chapter contains some explanations, and some hints...
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Chapter 5: The Girl Behind the Voice
A flood of memories and conflicting emotions washed over Tsunade. Haunting images that she kept buried in the far recesses of her mind rushed unbidden to the surface, bringing back in full force all the searing pain of the past. The passage of time, though purported to be a healing salve for all wounds, did nothing to diminish the vividness of her recollections. She could still see Miyako grinning from ear to ear, her head playfully tilted to one side, her long black hair tousled from the wind. Miyako's motionless figure sprawled out on the forest floor, her face drained of blood, her lips twisted into a small, chilling smile. Tsunade shook her head slightly as if to forcibly rid herself of the spectres of the past, drew a deep breath and began.
"Miyako and I were both elated by our team assignments after graduation. In my case, though Jiraiya wasn't particularly remarkable at the time, Orochimaru's genius was already evident. I saw it as a perfect opportunity to improve my own skills. Miyako was also teamed up with a highly skilled ninja, one Hyuuga Heizo. However, her happiness had a different motivation from mine."
"Hyuuga?" asked Kakashi sharply.
Tsunade nodded. "From the one and the same 'noble family' of Konoha. A branch family member. He and Orochimaru were heads above everyone else. Why?"
Kakashi shrugged noncommittally, his face expressionless. Making a mental note to question him about it later, Tsunade continued.
"As you may have gathered, Miyako was head over heels in love with this boy. It was obvious in her behaviour both on and off the battlefield. He was the only thing she ever talked about, the only thing that mattered to her. Her sentiments were somewhat of a hindrance to the team dynamic, and it was even noted as such by their jounin sensei."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, but kept silent. Tsunade gestured towards a tattered looking file lying on her desk. "Interestingly enough, said sensei appears to have been a relative of one of your students."
Kakashi leaned over and picked up the file. Sitting back down, he opened it and quickly skimmed through its contents. "...Her sensei was an Uchiha."
"That he was," said Tsunade dryly. Then she added, "You can keep that if you like."
"Thank you," said Kakashi, closing the file and carefully resting it on his knees. "So I take it that her affections were unrequited?"
"Completely so," she answered. "The few times I saw them together, Heizo's behaviour towards her seemed downright hostile. In retrospect, I think he was trying to get her to stop liking him. If he was, it didn't work. She was hurt by his cold demeanor, but her feelings for him persisted."
Tsunade brushed a stray hair from her forehead and leaned backwards in her chair, sighing. "She used to come to me, ostensibly for advice but really for sympathy. As the years passed, my team grew in strength and our presence was required outside of Konoha with increasing frequency and for longer periods of time. Heizo became a jounin, her other teammate quit and Miyako accepted a teaching post at the academy. In my absence, her former sensei became her closest friend and confidante. She trusted him implicitly, but even he was surprised by Miyako's reaction to Heizo's engagement."
Here Tsunade paused briefly, as if considering how best to word the following sentences. After a deep breath, she resumed speaking.
"We thought Miyako was happy with her life, and moreover, that she was over him. It had, after all, been almost a decade. Turns out we were all wrong. Miyako was crushed, and confronted him, demanding to know why he never even gave her a chance. His answer was straightforward, like her question."
Tsunade's voice acquired a softer, sadder tone.
"He told her outright that he had to marry someone strong, because weak blood, like hers, would dilute the precious Hyuuga bloodline that he was born to protect. His fiancee, while not of advanced blood, was a well-respected jounin with an impressive ninja lineage.
"I was away when this all happened and learned of these events only upon my return, from none other than Heizo himself. He wanted to know if Miyako was alright, as he'd heard some disturbing rumors. I went to see her immediately, but even I couldn't form a definite answer. She...was different."
Kakashi tensed. "Different how?" he asked.
"She quit her job, moved out on her own, and isolated herself from everyone except for myself and her sensei. Rumors swiftly began circulating about town that she had lost her mind. Her former sensei was outraged by the villagers' gossip, and openly defended her. Then one day, he came to see me. He told me sadly that it was possible that their speculations may not have been without merit, and that maybe we should try to get her some help. Miyako had come to him, he said, claiming that she could manipulate reality with her mind. Mind-jutsus, as she called them, that gave her powers beyond comprehension by anyone of lesser intelligence. When he expressed some skepticism, she became hysterical and accused him of being 'just like the others'. She ran out him, crying."
"Then one night..."
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Tsunade walked home along the dimly lit village streets, glancing casually at the occasional stand that was still open. It was almost midnight, and most of the villagers were early sleepers. As she walked past a ramen stand, she thought she saw a familiar face. Miyako.
Miyako's sensei had come to her a month ago, concerned about Miyako's mental health. Concerned, Tsunade had gone to visit her the next day, but her attempts at getting through to Miyako were in vain. Miyako subsequently drew further into solitude and rarely ventured out of her residence. Hence Tsunade's surprise at seeing her in town, that late at night.
Tsunade entered the stand, which was deserted save for Miyako, sitting alone at a table. Her face a blank slate, she looked up slowly and nodded politely to Tsunade. Her complexion was devoid of color, and her eyes bloodshot as if from lack of sleep. A pang of worry struck Tsunade. "Miyako-chan!" she said, attempting to sound cheerful. "I'm so glad I found you. How have you been?"
When Miyako didn't respond, Tsunade sat down next to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Are you okay, Miyako-chan?"
Miyako shrank away from the contact, but answered quietly, "I'm great, Tsunade-chan. Never been better."
Tsunade forced a smile onto her face. "So what have you been up to?" she asked.
"I'm sure you've already heard," said Miyako caustically.
Tsunade was taken aback by her open hostility. "Miyako-chan..."
Miyako stood up to leave, but Tsunade held her back. "I have something to do, Tsunade-chan," she said. Giving her a small smile, she added, "I'll see you later."
Tsunade nodded reluctantly, but said "Can't it wait? Why don't we go somewhere to talk for a while? Like old times?"
"I'd love to, but I can't. I must go," said Miyako, her voice suddenly sad. Breaking free of Tsunade's grip, she walked to the door and paused briefly. Without looking back, she added as if to herself, "It will happen soon."
Tsunade watched her leave. Miyako's lifeless body was found the next morning, sprawled out on the forest floor. The cause of death was never determined.
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"...it was the last time anyone saw her alive," finished Tsunade.
Hearing Miyako's last words to Tsunade had sent shivers down Kakashi's spine, rendering him temporarily incapable of speech. An oppressive silence blanketed the room. Finally he stood up, holding the file in one hand, and said formally, "Thank you, Hokage-sama. Please give me some time to think things through."
Tsunade nodded tiredly. "Take whatever time you need, but I would like you to report back to me the minute you think of anything."
Kakashi bowed, and took his leave.
He swiftly made his way back to the clearing to find Gai and the others pretty much as he had left them, the only noticeable difference being that Naruto was now tied to a tree. Gai immediately went to Kakashi, saying with quiet urgency, "We need to talk."
Kakashi was on the verge of making a wisecrack when he realized that Gai was completely serious. "What is it, Gai?" he asked.
Gai shot a look at Sasuke, who was sitting on the ground throwing pebbles at a tree. His gaze moved to Neji, who was calmly counting birds in the sky with his Byakugan. Kakashi followed his line of sight, confused. "What?" he asked again.
"Our students appear to have a problem with each other," said Gai. "At one point, they were on the verge of physically tearing each other apart."
Kakashi's visible eye widened in surprise. "I wasn't aware that they knew each other well enough for hostilities to develop," he said skeptically.
Gai shrugged. "I don't know what's going on. But something's definitely not right."
Kakashi sighed. "You don't know the half of it, Gai."
Before he could say any more, two ANBU entered the clearing and approached Kakashi. Taking him aside, one of them said in low tones, "Kakashi, we need to talk to you. We can't find her."
"We looked everywhere. The others are still looking," added the other.
Kakashi crossed his arms. "What?" he said incredulously. "Is this some kind of joke?"
Having followed them, Gai looked from the ANBU to Kakashi and back again. "Hnn? You still haven't found that Sakura girl?"
Gritting his teeth, Kakashi quickly came to a decision. He took several steps away from them and gestured casually to the genin. "Hey. You guys are dismissed for the day. Go home." As an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and Sasuke - untie Naruto."
They looked at him in surprise, but there were no objections. Scowling, Sasuke untied Naruto while Neji and Tenten left, and soon the four adults were left alone in the clearing.
"Let's find a more secure place to discuss this matter," said Kakashi, forcing his voice to be calm.
Kakashi didn't like it, but he was prepared for it even before they told him. The search for Haruno Sakura was now officially under ANBU jurisdiction.
Though it was but early evening when he got home, Sasuke soon found himself lying in bed staring listlessly at his ceiling. He was tired, but couldn't fall asleep. Insomnia was neither uncommon nor particularly unpleasant, as he greatly preferred reality to his often unsettling dreams. Allowing his thoughts drift aimlessly, it was sometime in the early morning, long after he'd given up all hope of falling asleep, when a memory from the previous day jumped out at him.
"Do you dare doubt it?" Neji's voice hissed in his mind.
"What if I do?" he heard himself say, his voice arrogant and self-assured.
...What?
Sasuke sat up and let his legs hang off the side of his bed. Hands resting on his knees, he leaned forward, furrowing his brow in concentration as he forced his brain to focus on the events of the previous day.
"Byakugan!"
"Sharingan!"
...What the hell? He fought Neji?
He slowly raised his hand to his neck, where Orochimaru's curse seal still remained. Could it...no, it couldn't be - that was completely different, a desire that seized him forcibly and left him breathless with power and anticipation. When it receded, he was completely drained. Then what, if anything, had come over him? Straining, he thought he recalled something like a delicate suggestion, poking at his mind, subtly provoking him...
But he had been in control of himself that day. He was sure of that. He had chosen to act the way he did. He just didn't know why.
Sasuke stared at his wall, troubled. He remained in that position for the rest of the night.
He didn't know it, but Sasuke had not been alone in his confusion. When Neji walked Tenten home that evening, his face was rigidly expressionless the entire way. Tenten desparately wanted to ask him for an explanation, but Neji remained resolutely uncommunicative. She resigned herself to asking Gai-sensei in the morning. Maybe he knew something she didn't. When they reached her front gate, Neji promptly turned to leave.
"See you tomorrow, Neji," said Tenten, still hoping to create an opening for conversation.
Neji, who was already walking away, turned his head slightly and stopped for a moment. "We'll see," he said, turning away again.
Tenten impulsively grabbed a hold of his arm, preventing him from leaving. Neji's silver eyes stared at her blankly. "What?" he said, eyes narrowing.
She'd had enough. "Neji. Why don't you start by explaining what the hell happened between you and Sasuke today?"
His gaze fixed on hers, he said simply, "I find him annoying."
Tenten let out an exasperated sigh, one she usually reserved for Lee. "Yeah, okay. But you were at each others throats. WHY?" she said, emphasizing the last word.
She had been bracing herself for a yelling match. Instead, Neji pursed his lips and after a moment's pause, answered quietly, "I don't know."
Surprised, her hold on him loosened, and he strode off into the night. Before long, he was out of her range of vision.
Tenten was left to ponder his words, standing alone in front of her house.
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Tsunade never remembered her dreams. It had been so since childhood, and for more than half a decade there had never been an exception. Until this night. This night, Tsunade dreamt, and remembered.
A beautiful autumn afternoon in Konoha.
"Tsunade-chan!"
Tsunade turned at the sound of her name. Looking up the forest path, she could make out the distant figure of Miyako running towards her at full speed. She stayed where she was and waited for Miyako to catch up to her.
When Miyako finally reached Tsunade, she was panting heavily. Tsunade patiently waited for her to catch her breath before asking, "Miyako-chan? I noticed that you weren't in class today. Is everything alright?"
Miyako nodded, smiling. "My parents needed me. Did I miss the team assignments?"
When Tsunade nodded in response, Miyako looked at the ground, and after a moment's pause asked quietly, "Tsunade-chan...who are you teamed up with?"
Initially taken aback by her abrupt change in demeanor, a slow smile spread across her face as a gradual realization dawned upon her. Miyako was really so transparent sometimes. She answered matter-of-factly, "Don't worry, Miyako. I'm with Jiraiya and Orochimaru. That leaves you in a good position."
Miyako looked up, startled. "What do you mean, don't worry? In a good position for what?" she said defensively.
Tsunade laughed, and put her arm around Miyako. "You like him, don't you?" she said in confidential tones. Miyako drew back instinctively, but Tsunade leaned in closer, grinning widely. "Admit it! You like know-it-all Mr. Pale Eyes, don't you! Just admit it!"
Miyako finally broke free and turned a deep crimson. She did not venture a denial. Tsunade smiled triumphantly as she added, "You know, the way the rankings are, you're probably on his team."
"Really?" said Miyako, her eyes shining.
Tsunade nodded sincerely, trying her best not to laugh again. Miyako's feelings were easily hurt, and she didn't want to offend the girl. "So how long have you liked Heizo, huh?"
"I..."
"Don't try to deny it!"
"...A while." capitulated Miyako, blushing again.
Tsunade turned her eyes upward as if in deep thought, before saying solemnly, "Well, I guess he's not that bad looking."
Miyako looked surprised. "So you approve?"
Shrugging, Tsunade resumed walking. Miyako trotted alongside her. "I don't know about approving exactly...he's a bit arrogant, but I guess it's to be expected, him being Hyuuga and all. At least you don't like Orochimaru."
Miyako shuddered. "Orochimaru...he scares me. Don't even joke about that..."
Tsunade shrugged. "Well, after all Orochimaru IS a genius ninja. He could even beat your precious Heizo-kun. It's good for me to have him on my team. It'll push me to excel more."
"Not my Heizo-kun, Tsunade-chan."
Tsunade shot a questioning look at Miyako, but said nothing.
"I wish I was strong like you, Tsunade-chan..." said Miyako, barely audible.
Tsunade was taken aback by Miyako's comment. "What do you mean, Miyako-chan?" she said. "You're ranked only one below me."
Miyako shrugged, and they walked in silence for a while until she spoke again. "I'm only ranked that high because I scored perfect on the written portion of the exam."
"You scored perfect?!" exclaimed Tsunade. "That's amazing, I've never heard of anyone who doing that before..." She trailed off when she noticed the look on Miyako's face. "What's wrong, Miyako-chan?"
"Heizo-kun wasn't nearly as impressed as you are."
Tsunade scoffed, "That boy wouldn't be impressed by anything. He needs to get over himself."
Miyako stopped dead in her tracks, and Tsunade halted with her. "Miyako-chan?" Tsunade said worriedly.
"You impressed him." Her tone was almost accusing.
Tsunade stared blankly at Miyako for a moment before saying sharply, "What?!"
Her gaze fixed on her feet, Miyako answered quietly "I overheard him talking to a friend. He said that you were the only female ninja in our class worthy of respect."
"Hey."
When Miyako didn't answer, Tsunade grasped Miyako gently by the shoulders and said simply, "Look. If he's as perfect as you make him out to be, he should recognize that intelligence is no trifling matter. The written final was not simple one, and you got a perfect score. Did he?"
Miyako sniffled, but shook her head.
Tsunade continued, "See? So stop underestimating yourself. Don't let him control your feelings, and don't your intellect go to waste just because of something silly you overheard. Okay, Miyako-chan?"
Miyako nodded silently. "Thank you..." she whispered, raising her eyes to meet Tsunade's earnest gaze.
Clear green eyes, still wet with tears, stared imploringly at Tsunade. A silent cry for help.
Miyako's face. Haruno Sakura's eyes.
Tsunade woke. "Miyako-chan?" she whispered to an empty room.
There was no answer.
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A/N v.2.0: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! The biggest distraction right now is my ever growing Neji obsession...so three guesses who my next fic will be about. =) But anyways! Focus! (Agh, he's hot.) The next chapter will probably be up by the weekend since tomorrow is my last exam...wOOt, thermodynamics.
A/N: Just a clarification about the Sasuke/Neji/Tenten thing - Neji does NOT love Tenten per se (as it stands, I don't think that boy's capable of that kind of feeling just yet). He just...doesn't like outside interference. As for Sasuke's behavior, which I openly admit is somewhat OOC, all will be explained in due time =) This chapter contains some explanations, and some hints...
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Chapter 5: The Girl Behind the Voice
A flood of memories and conflicting emotions washed over Tsunade. Haunting images that she kept buried in the far recesses of her mind rushed unbidden to the surface, bringing back in full force all the searing pain of the past. The passage of time, though purported to be a healing salve for all wounds, did nothing to diminish the vividness of her recollections. She could still see Miyako grinning from ear to ear, her head playfully tilted to one side, her long black hair tousled from the wind. Miyako's motionless figure sprawled out on the forest floor, her face drained of blood, her lips twisted into a small, chilling smile. Tsunade shook her head slightly as if to forcibly rid herself of the spectres of the past, drew a deep breath and began.
"Miyako and I were both elated by our team assignments after graduation. In my case, though Jiraiya wasn't particularly remarkable at the time, Orochimaru's genius was already evident. I saw it as a perfect opportunity to improve my own skills. Miyako was also teamed up with a highly skilled ninja, one Hyuuga Heizo. However, her happiness had a different motivation from mine."
"Hyuuga?" asked Kakashi sharply.
Tsunade nodded. "From the one and the same 'noble family' of Konoha. A branch family member. He and Orochimaru were heads above everyone else. Why?"
Kakashi shrugged noncommittally, his face expressionless. Making a mental note to question him about it later, Tsunade continued.
"As you may have gathered, Miyako was head over heels in love with this boy. It was obvious in her behaviour both on and off the battlefield. He was the only thing she ever talked about, the only thing that mattered to her. Her sentiments were somewhat of a hindrance to the team dynamic, and it was even noted as such by their jounin sensei."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, but kept silent. Tsunade gestured towards a tattered looking file lying on her desk. "Interestingly enough, said sensei appears to have been a relative of one of your students."
Kakashi leaned over and picked up the file. Sitting back down, he opened it and quickly skimmed through its contents. "...Her sensei was an Uchiha."
"That he was," said Tsunade dryly. Then she added, "You can keep that if you like."
"Thank you," said Kakashi, closing the file and carefully resting it on his knees. "So I take it that her affections were unrequited?"
"Completely so," she answered. "The few times I saw them together, Heizo's behaviour towards her seemed downright hostile. In retrospect, I think he was trying to get her to stop liking him. If he was, it didn't work. She was hurt by his cold demeanor, but her feelings for him persisted."
Tsunade brushed a stray hair from her forehead and leaned backwards in her chair, sighing. "She used to come to me, ostensibly for advice but really for sympathy. As the years passed, my team grew in strength and our presence was required outside of Konoha with increasing frequency and for longer periods of time. Heizo became a jounin, her other teammate quit and Miyako accepted a teaching post at the academy. In my absence, her former sensei became her closest friend and confidante. She trusted him implicitly, but even he was surprised by Miyako's reaction to Heizo's engagement."
Here Tsunade paused briefly, as if considering how best to word the following sentences. After a deep breath, she resumed speaking.
"We thought Miyako was happy with her life, and moreover, that she was over him. It had, after all, been almost a decade. Turns out we were all wrong. Miyako was crushed, and confronted him, demanding to know why he never even gave her a chance. His answer was straightforward, like her question."
Tsunade's voice acquired a softer, sadder tone.
"He told her outright that he had to marry someone strong, because weak blood, like hers, would dilute the precious Hyuuga bloodline that he was born to protect. His fiancee, while not of advanced blood, was a well-respected jounin with an impressive ninja lineage.
"I was away when this all happened and learned of these events only upon my return, from none other than Heizo himself. He wanted to know if Miyako was alright, as he'd heard some disturbing rumors. I went to see her immediately, but even I couldn't form a definite answer. She...was different."
Kakashi tensed. "Different how?" he asked.
"She quit her job, moved out on her own, and isolated herself from everyone except for myself and her sensei. Rumors swiftly began circulating about town that she had lost her mind. Her former sensei was outraged by the villagers' gossip, and openly defended her. Then one day, he came to see me. He told me sadly that it was possible that their speculations may not have been without merit, and that maybe we should try to get her some help. Miyako had come to him, he said, claiming that she could manipulate reality with her mind. Mind-jutsus, as she called them, that gave her powers beyond comprehension by anyone of lesser intelligence. When he expressed some skepticism, she became hysterical and accused him of being 'just like the others'. She ran out him, crying."
"Then one night..."
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Tsunade walked home along the dimly lit village streets, glancing casually at the occasional stand that was still open. It was almost midnight, and most of the villagers were early sleepers. As she walked past a ramen stand, she thought she saw a familiar face. Miyako.
Miyako's sensei had come to her a month ago, concerned about Miyako's mental health. Concerned, Tsunade had gone to visit her the next day, but her attempts at getting through to Miyako were in vain. Miyako subsequently drew further into solitude and rarely ventured out of her residence. Hence Tsunade's surprise at seeing her in town, that late at night.
Tsunade entered the stand, which was deserted save for Miyako, sitting alone at a table. Her face a blank slate, she looked up slowly and nodded politely to Tsunade. Her complexion was devoid of color, and her eyes bloodshot as if from lack of sleep. A pang of worry struck Tsunade. "Miyako-chan!" she said, attempting to sound cheerful. "I'm so glad I found you. How have you been?"
When Miyako didn't respond, Tsunade sat down next to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Are you okay, Miyako-chan?"
Miyako shrank away from the contact, but answered quietly, "I'm great, Tsunade-chan. Never been better."
Tsunade forced a smile onto her face. "So what have you been up to?" she asked.
"I'm sure you've already heard," said Miyako caustically.
Tsunade was taken aback by her open hostility. "Miyako-chan..."
Miyako stood up to leave, but Tsunade held her back. "I have something to do, Tsunade-chan," she said. Giving her a small smile, she added, "I'll see you later."
Tsunade nodded reluctantly, but said "Can't it wait? Why don't we go somewhere to talk for a while? Like old times?"
"I'd love to, but I can't. I must go," said Miyako, her voice suddenly sad. Breaking free of Tsunade's grip, she walked to the door and paused briefly. Without looking back, she added as if to herself, "It will happen soon."
Tsunade watched her leave. Miyako's lifeless body was found the next morning, sprawled out on the forest floor. The cause of death was never determined.
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"...it was the last time anyone saw her alive," finished Tsunade.
Hearing Miyako's last words to Tsunade had sent shivers down Kakashi's spine, rendering him temporarily incapable of speech. An oppressive silence blanketed the room. Finally he stood up, holding the file in one hand, and said formally, "Thank you, Hokage-sama. Please give me some time to think things through."
Tsunade nodded tiredly. "Take whatever time you need, but I would like you to report back to me the minute you think of anything."
Kakashi bowed, and took his leave.
He swiftly made his way back to the clearing to find Gai and the others pretty much as he had left them, the only noticeable difference being that Naruto was now tied to a tree. Gai immediately went to Kakashi, saying with quiet urgency, "We need to talk."
Kakashi was on the verge of making a wisecrack when he realized that Gai was completely serious. "What is it, Gai?" he asked.
Gai shot a look at Sasuke, who was sitting on the ground throwing pebbles at a tree. His gaze moved to Neji, who was calmly counting birds in the sky with his Byakugan. Kakashi followed his line of sight, confused. "What?" he asked again.
"Our students appear to have a problem with each other," said Gai. "At one point, they were on the verge of physically tearing each other apart."
Kakashi's visible eye widened in surprise. "I wasn't aware that they knew each other well enough for hostilities to develop," he said skeptically.
Gai shrugged. "I don't know what's going on. But something's definitely not right."
Kakashi sighed. "You don't know the half of it, Gai."
Before he could say any more, two ANBU entered the clearing and approached Kakashi. Taking him aside, one of them said in low tones, "Kakashi, we need to talk to you. We can't find her."
"We looked everywhere. The others are still looking," added the other.
Kakashi crossed his arms. "What?" he said incredulously. "Is this some kind of joke?"
Having followed them, Gai looked from the ANBU to Kakashi and back again. "Hnn? You still haven't found that Sakura girl?"
Gritting his teeth, Kakashi quickly came to a decision. He took several steps away from them and gestured casually to the genin. "Hey. You guys are dismissed for the day. Go home." As an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and Sasuke - untie Naruto."
They looked at him in surprise, but there were no objections. Scowling, Sasuke untied Naruto while Neji and Tenten left, and soon the four adults were left alone in the clearing.
"Let's find a more secure place to discuss this matter," said Kakashi, forcing his voice to be calm.
Kakashi didn't like it, but he was prepared for it even before they told him. The search for Haruno Sakura was now officially under ANBU jurisdiction.
Though it was but early evening when he got home, Sasuke soon found himself lying in bed staring listlessly at his ceiling. He was tired, but couldn't fall asleep. Insomnia was neither uncommon nor particularly unpleasant, as he greatly preferred reality to his often unsettling dreams. Allowing his thoughts drift aimlessly, it was sometime in the early morning, long after he'd given up all hope of falling asleep, when a memory from the previous day jumped out at him.
"Do you dare doubt it?" Neji's voice hissed in his mind.
"What if I do?" he heard himself say, his voice arrogant and self-assured.
...What?
Sasuke sat up and let his legs hang off the side of his bed. Hands resting on his knees, he leaned forward, furrowing his brow in concentration as he forced his brain to focus on the events of the previous day.
"Byakugan!"
"Sharingan!"
...What the hell? He fought Neji?
He slowly raised his hand to his neck, where Orochimaru's curse seal still remained. Could it...no, it couldn't be - that was completely different, a desire that seized him forcibly and left him breathless with power and anticipation. When it receded, he was completely drained. Then what, if anything, had come over him? Straining, he thought he recalled something like a delicate suggestion, poking at his mind, subtly provoking him...
But he had been in control of himself that day. He was sure of that. He had chosen to act the way he did. He just didn't know why.
Sasuke stared at his wall, troubled. He remained in that position for the rest of the night.
He didn't know it, but Sasuke had not been alone in his confusion. When Neji walked Tenten home that evening, his face was rigidly expressionless the entire way. Tenten desparately wanted to ask him for an explanation, but Neji remained resolutely uncommunicative. She resigned herself to asking Gai-sensei in the morning. Maybe he knew something she didn't. When they reached her front gate, Neji promptly turned to leave.
"See you tomorrow, Neji," said Tenten, still hoping to create an opening for conversation.
Neji, who was already walking away, turned his head slightly and stopped for a moment. "We'll see," he said, turning away again.
Tenten impulsively grabbed a hold of his arm, preventing him from leaving. Neji's silver eyes stared at her blankly. "What?" he said, eyes narrowing.
She'd had enough. "Neji. Why don't you start by explaining what the hell happened between you and Sasuke today?"
His gaze fixed on hers, he said simply, "I find him annoying."
Tenten let out an exasperated sigh, one she usually reserved for Lee. "Yeah, okay. But you were at each others throats. WHY?" she said, emphasizing the last word.
She had been bracing herself for a yelling match. Instead, Neji pursed his lips and after a moment's pause, answered quietly, "I don't know."
Surprised, her hold on him loosened, and he strode off into the night. Before long, he was out of her range of vision.
Tenten was left to ponder his words, standing alone in front of her house.
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Tsunade never remembered her dreams. It had been so since childhood, and for more than half a decade there had never been an exception. Until this night. This night, Tsunade dreamt, and remembered.
A beautiful autumn afternoon in Konoha.
"Tsunade-chan!"
Tsunade turned at the sound of her name. Looking up the forest path, she could make out the distant figure of Miyako running towards her at full speed. She stayed where she was and waited for Miyako to catch up to her.
When Miyako finally reached Tsunade, she was panting heavily. Tsunade patiently waited for her to catch her breath before asking, "Miyako-chan? I noticed that you weren't in class today. Is everything alright?"
Miyako nodded, smiling. "My parents needed me. Did I miss the team assignments?"
When Tsunade nodded in response, Miyako looked at the ground, and after a moment's pause asked quietly, "Tsunade-chan...who are you teamed up with?"
Initially taken aback by her abrupt change in demeanor, a slow smile spread across her face as a gradual realization dawned upon her. Miyako was really so transparent sometimes. She answered matter-of-factly, "Don't worry, Miyako. I'm with Jiraiya and Orochimaru. That leaves you in a good position."
Miyako looked up, startled. "What do you mean, don't worry? In a good position for what?" she said defensively.
Tsunade laughed, and put her arm around Miyako. "You like him, don't you?" she said in confidential tones. Miyako drew back instinctively, but Tsunade leaned in closer, grinning widely. "Admit it! You like know-it-all Mr. Pale Eyes, don't you! Just admit it!"
Miyako finally broke free and turned a deep crimson. She did not venture a denial. Tsunade smiled triumphantly as she added, "You know, the way the rankings are, you're probably on his team."
"Really?" said Miyako, her eyes shining.
Tsunade nodded sincerely, trying her best not to laugh again. Miyako's feelings were easily hurt, and she didn't want to offend the girl. "So how long have you liked Heizo, huh?"
"I..."
"Don't try to deny it!"
"...A while." capitulated Miyako, blushing again.
Tsunade turned her eyes upward as if in deep thought, before saying solemnly, "Well, I guess he's not that bad looking."
Miyako looked surprised. "So you approve?"
Shrugging, Tsunade resumed walking. Miyako trotted alongside her. "I don't know about approving exactly...he's a bit arrogant, but I guess it's to be expected, him being Hyuuga and all. At least you don't like Orochimaru."
Miyako shuddered. "Orochimaru...he scares me. Don't even joke about that..."
Tsunade shrugged. "Well, after all Orochimaru IS a genius ninja. He could even beat your precious Heizo-kun. It's good for me to have him on my team. It'll push me to excel more."
"Not my Heizo-kun, Tsunade-chan."
Tsunade shot a questioning look at Miyako, but said nothing.
"I wish I was strong like you, Tsunade-chan..." said Miyako, barely audible.
Tsunade was taken aback by Miyako's comment. "What do you mean, Miyako-chan?" she said. "You're ranked only one below me."
Miyako shrugged, and they walked in silence for a while until she spoke again. "I'm only ranked that high because I scored perfect on the written portion of the exam."
"You scored perfect?!" exclaimed Tsunade. "That's amazing, I've never heard of anyone who doing that before..." She trailed off when she noticed the look on Miyako's face. "What's wrong, Miyako-chan?"
"Heizo-kun wasn't nearly as impressed as you are."
Tsunade scoffed, "That boy wouldn't be impressed by anything. He needs to get over himself."
Miyako stopped dead in her tracks, and Tsunade halted with her. "Miyako-chan?" Tsunade said worriedly.
"You impressed him." Her tone was almost accusing.
Tsunade stared blankly at Miyako for a moment before saying sharply, "What?!"
Her gaze fixed on her feet, Miyako answered quietly "I overheard him talking to a friend. He said that you were the only female ninja in our class worthy of respect."
"Hey."
When Miyako didn't answer, Tsunade grasped Miyako gently by the shoulders and said simply, "Look. If he's as perfect as you make him out to be, he should recognize that intelligence is no trifling matter. The written final was not simple one, and you got a perfect score. Did he?"
Miyako sniffled, but shook her head.
Tsunade continued, "See? So stop underestimating yourself. Don't let him control your feelings, and don't your intellect go to waste just because of something silly you overheard. Okay, Miyako-chan?"
Miyako nodded silently. "Thank you..." she whispered, raising her eyes to meet Tsunade's earnest gaze.
Clear green eyes, still wet with tears, stared imploringly at Tsunade. A silent cry for help.
Miyako's face. Haruno Sakura's eyes.
Tsunade woke. "Miyako-chan?" she whispered to an empty room.
There was no answer.
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A/N v.2.0: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! The biggest distraction right now is my ever growing Neji obsession...so three guesses who my next fic will be about. =) But anyways! Focus! (Agh, he's hot.) The next chapter will probably be up by the weekend since tomorrow is my last exam...wOOt, thermodynamics.