Blue

Chapter V

Sasuke knew there had been a battle the moment he had entered the forest. First, there was that faint stench of death and the deeper he went, the stronger it was. He had been exposed to so much death that it no longer bothered him. Following the main path, he came across signs of the battle that had taken place.

The decomposing bodies still lay scattered everywhere. Some hang on branches, others torn to pieces. He froze when he saw the bodies of children bearing the Hidden Leaf bands. Counting three, Sasuke assumed that they were Naruto's students.

Approaching every dead body in the area, he didn't find Naruto. He didn't want to draw any conclusions from the scenario and the only thought he allowed to pervade his mind was that Naruto's out there. Chasing a monster or running away, he didn't know. Neither of which was good.

He searched throughout the clearing and followed any visible trail. Broken branches and twigs, dried blood and mucus, all signs of decay, and each time, he found a dead body. Sasuke gathered all the bodies he had found into the clearing, making a body count. All in all, fifteen dead: two old men, six nins from another village, three children of the Hidden Leaf and the four Anbu from the Hidden Leaf.

Sasuke cursed. He didn't have time to bury them. What killed these people was still out there, as well as Naruto. Whatever it was, Naruto wouldn't have allowed it to kill children without fighting it to the bone. That in mind, Sasuke gave chase, using his sharingan and alert for any possible attacks.

It wasn't easy to follow the culprit's tracks because the blood and burnt marks were everywhere. He stopped dead in his trail, almost hitting a tree because of his sudden halt from a fast momentum.

"Naruto!"

For a moment, Sasuke thought that Naruto was dead. The other was covered in blood and the rest of his remaining clothes were ripped to pieces. There weren't any serious damage found on the body and the breathing was even. As a matter of fact, Naruto looked perfectly healthy. Realizing that Naruto was just asleep, Sasuke wanted to hit the idiot.

"Wake up."

But Naruto didn't wake up. Sighing, Sasuke carried the sleeping Naruto on his back and looked for a safer and secluded place to make camp. There were no caves near the area and truthfully, his load was starting to become heavier and heavier at each passing hour.

He decided to just stay awake the whole night as guard and leaned Naruto against a tree. Sasuke closed his eyes, resting against another tree right across Naruto. He hadn't eaten anything for days now and he wasn't sure how many had it been.

It was daybreak when Naruto woke up. The first thing he saw was Sasuke, sleeping. Surprise was such an understatement to what he felt. He was confused also, because he didn't kill Sasuke in his sleep.

The other man woke up a few seconds after Naruto and they stared at each other, wondering what was going on in their heads.

Naruto wondered if Sasuke blamed him.

Sasuke just wanted to know what really happened. But if there was anything he knew for sure, he knew that Naruto took the blame on his own. "It wasn't your fault."

He was surprised once again but Naruto kept his silence.

"It wasn't your fault." Sasuke repeated.

"They're all dead. I killed my team."

"This is not the time…"

Naruto didn't let Sasuke finish and stood up. "I'm fine. Let's go back to the village."

Neither talked with each other on their way back to the Leaf Village, Naruto wasn't up to a conversation and Sasuke, admittedly, wasn't a good conversationalist. He didn't understand a lot of things and he almost feared what Naruto's reaction would be like if he asked what killed the children. He just settled with silence and respected that his rival…no, friend… would tell the story one day.

As for how they were going to explain what happened, that was another problem which plagued Naruto's mind as well.

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Back in Leaf Village, no one was able to talk with Naruto. He was called to report what had become of his students and client but he gave no answer. They would've needled the information out of him if the Godaime didn't stop the interrogation. Tsunade ordered that Naruto be left alone and be allowed to mourn. They would find out what happened in another way.

Meanwhile, Sasuke also faced a different kind of interrogation. No punishment was given to him by his superiors despite the disobedient act because his actions did bring Naruto back, alive and safe.

Nonetheless, the casualties couldn't be ignored and they needed to know what happened. Sasuke was indecisive on what to say so he just narrated what he had seen and stirred clear of Naruto's words. Instead, he twisted some things and mentioned that he had seen Naruto unconscious and badly beaten. A little white lie wouldn't hurt.

Naruto wasn't there when the ceremonies were held for the dead. Although there were no outright words that blamed Naruto, Sasuke felt how cold and distant the people were. Maybe it was for the better that Naruto didn't show up.

Sakura was present during the funeral rites. She wanted to ask what happened. She wanted to ask where Naruto was. She didn't want to believe that Naruto could be this careless as to fail in protecting his own students.

They were good students, too. She remembered each time Naruto would proudly and cheerfully chatter on about how his students were improving everyday. Naruto was so happy when they received the class A mission because that was very impressive to be handed over to young genins.

She waited until everyone had left and pulled Sasuke aside. Worriedly, "Naruto blames himself, doesn't he?"

Sasuke didn't want to talk to anybody about it. So he didn't reply.

"He insisted…he insisted that his team could take this mission…" She began to sob, wiping her eyes. She had always been easy to cry.

"He, what?"

"His students are real good, with great teamwork and discipline…" chuckling softly, sniffing, "much better than we were…back then…"

"Sakura…" He really didn't want to talk to anyone. He needed to think and he didn't need a reminder of the past right now of all times.

"…the Godaime trusted Naruto…everyone trusted Naruto…and now…."

"Shut up, Sakura. Just go home."

Sasuke didn't want to hear it. It was already starting and from Sakura, of all people. It wasn't Naruto's fault.


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