Sixth chapter: the Summoned Ones
Sakura looked around her. The whole village wasn't up yet but women buying food and other supplies could be seen walking around the market. There were little children running around their mothers' hems, playing with each other. Sakura couldn't help but to smile at this. The atmosphere was so comfortable, without any stress and gloominess in it. How she longed that kind of way to live, but once she had chosen the path of a missing nin, there was no returning back.
Sakura glanced at the ground. Whoops.
"We forgot to change sandals, Uchi- erm, Sasuke -uh, -kun." She couldn't get the right words out of her mouth immediately. This was going to be a long day. Sure, in the past calling him 'Sasuke-kun' had been natural for her but now it just didn't feel right. 'Uchiha' was much more like it.
"Aa", was Sasuke's calm reply. Without paying attention to Sakura he observed their surroundings. It was a normal village with normal people. He found it hard to believe that there was some kind of mafia going around. But then again, the creepiest things always were there where they were the least expected. "You came from here to meet me, right?"
"Yeah."
"Did you notice anything weird around here?" Sasuke was now looking absent-mindedly at Sakura. Her pink tresses brushed her cheek softly as they danced with the wind. Her pink tresses brushed her cheek softly as they danced with the wind, and for a fleeting moment, her expression was eerily serene. Sasuke found himself thinking quite suddenly that without the mocking grin that creased her fair-skinned features, she was actually beautiful.
Sakura thought about it for a moment before answering. There hadn't been anything suspicious around when she had been there-
"That man!" she cried out loud. Right after that her hand flew over her mouth to silence herself. Sasuke pinched the flesh on her arm painfully.
"Yeouch!" she was taken off guard and growled silently. "What was that for?" She glared at Sasuke.
"Don't be so loud." He held a pause, taking in what she had said. His hand found its way to the pocket in his hakama and curled into loose ball. "What about this guy?" They were walking along a street that would lead them to the center of the village. He couldn't see anything hazardous around them so he turned to look at Sakura. The usually cheery ninja was now muttering something at him, sulking.
"Well, there was this strange man whom I bumped into. He didn't do anything shady but he was really strange looking and had an absolutely insane laughter." Sakura's description of the young man was vague and left Sasuke itching with questions.
Nevertheless, the young Uchiha put the thoughts about the stranger aside for a moment and focused on their appearance. He noted that they had moved away from each other, shattering the picture of a young couple in love they were supposed to be. Sasuke thought that people -especially adolescent people- who loved one other often held hands or rested their arms on other's shoulder. He wasn't truly experienced when it came to love so his knowledge was based on observing different people. On the other hand, watching others wasn't as easy as it looked like -with all the Leaf's hunter nins constantly behind him. But whenever an occasion like this emerged he made use of it and tried to settle for normal life around normal humans.
Sakura gazed lazily around her, not really needing to be continuously on alert. The villagers were waking up, keeping the streets busier and full of talk. She tried to spot any kind of abnormality that would require their attention. None in sight, her eyes slid to the little shops before them. The fruits and vegetables were fresh and inviting and they reminded her stomach about the habit of eating. A low growl erupted from her insides and she eyed the fruits hungrily.
"Could we get something to eat? I'm starving", she uttered her need for food aloud.
Sasuke's lips twitched to a small mocking smirk and he followed her gaze. It led straight to those juicy, delicious-looking foods and his hunger awoke. His stomach, too, betrayed him and rumbled lowly. Sakura heard it and cast an amused glance at him.
"Seems like I'm not the only one who's starving here." A crooked grin spread on her face and she pointeda finger at his chest.
Sasuke ushered her hand away with a soft slap from his own and stopped. He pulled Sakura closer to him and said, "We have to look like we're some idiotic teenagers in love."
Sakura made a blunt grimace at him puffing her cheeks and sticking her tongue out. Seriously, how boring could he get? She rolled eyes. Her current emotion was that of complete boredom.
Sasuke let a dry laughter escape his lips at her expression and then his face became stern again. "Come on, let's make the plan work", he commanded and pulled her arm to rest on his. It wasn't uncomfortable, or it wouldn't have been uncomfortable if Sakura hadn't started squeezing his flesh aggravatingly.
"Could you please stop that?" Sasuke cast a meaningful look at Sakura's hand that was making him feel slightly irritated. The shorter ninja looked innocently at him.
"Stop what?" She played dumb to annoy him even more. Her large jade eyes looked at his black mirrors only to be reflected back. Sasuke put his palm over her hand.
"Pinching me. It's quite unpleasant." He removed his hand and arm from her grip and put it around her shoulder, sighing in exasperation. How can this woman be so immature? She's twenty for God's sake!
Sakura squirmed a little but returned sharply, "This better be nothing personal. I dislike you as much as you dislike me." She began to pad forward like a modest young lady would, taking short steps to match the flowing of her kimono. She fiercely wondered how women could wear such clothes, feeling that the only meaning for the kimono was to make her feel as uncomfortable as possible. Her hand snaked itself a way around Sasuke's waist in return for his arm around her shoulder.
They went to the nearest small shop where an old lady was selling fruits. The pudgy woman noticed them and plastered her best selling smile over her face.
"What would the young couple want?" the elderly woman asked making a showing motion with her arm towards the fruits.
Sakura and Sasuke's Inner Selves made a meeting of minds and cast a disgusted look at the seller. On the outside, both were smiling stupidly and widely like lovebirds ever with their cheek muscles strained. They giggled foolishly at each other and started the act.
"Oh, whatever my beloved Juicy Cheese would want!" Sakura chirped. She tugged Sasuke closer to her and pinched his cheek. This couldn't truly convince anyone, could it? People were definitely getting stupider if they would fell for their act.
Sasuke was motionless until the sharp stretch on his cheek. He faked a pleasant smile on his lips and silently promised her that he would pay her for the name 'Juicy Cheese' as it was. Two could play this game.
He brought his hand behind her back and to her side and then crushed her against him. Sakura let out a muffled yelp but managed to keep the sweet smile on her face. If they had to play lovers then they should go at it with all they had got.
"You know I want you to decide for the both of us, my Sugar Coconut." Sasuke's voice was unfaltering and Sakura almost fainted at the realness of it.
When did Sasuke learn to act?
"Oh, right. We have the same taste, anyway." Sakura's reply made a small crack to the mask of their faked love. Sasuke gritted his teeth and hoped that the saleswoman didn't notice anything. It wasn't her business the least bit.
Sakura was still leaning heavily against Sasuke's side when she made her decision.
"We'll take two mangos. And one pineapple."
After making her order, Sakura leaned to Sasuke and whispered to his ear, "You do have money, right? Because I don't." Sakura grinned sheepishly at him and returned to her position at the tall man's armpit.
The Uchiha removed the bag from his shoulders and tugged the strings open. Then he pulled out a small leather pouch.
"How much is it?" He asked the seller, opening the leather pouch. His other hand still hooked around Sakura's waist it was pretty hard to get the money out of the pouch. He brought the small bag under the pink-haired kunoichi's nose. "Could you-" He never finished the sentence before Sakura hastily nodded.
"One hundred and eighty yens, please." The lady picked the fruits from the shelf and put them to a paper bag. Sakura took the money out of Sasuke's wallet and handed it to her as the vendor gave Sakura the bag.
"Thank you", Sakura and Sasuke said simultaneously and smiled widely. The elderly woman mumbled something in return, her politeness and cheeriness lost.
They turned around to leave the little store, still side by side, arm in arm. Sakura made a small fake giggle to fool the merchant but as soon as they were out of the woman's sight they leapt away from each other, coughing and brushing their clothes, as if the other one would have dirtied them. Sakura eyed Sasuke with disgust and suspicion and Sasuke eyed back.
"Well. That went well, didn't it?" Sakura's question was more of a statement than a question. Sasuke merely nodded and then reached out a hand to grasp the bag where the fruits were. His fellow ninja noticed this and clutched it tightly to her chest, taking a step backwards.
"Oh, no you won't." Sakura took another step back. Eat them all by yourself, she added in her mind.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this and took a step forwards. I can play this game, too, my pitiful companion. The green eyed girl stuck her tongue out at him, a childish habit that had its power over her. Taking yet another step forward she peered to the bag and saw the juicy fruits. Her mouth watered at the sight of them and she had to close her mouth to stop the drooling.
She glanced over her shoulder to see if there were any objects behind her that would be uncomfortable to collide with but that was the brief moment Sasuke had been waiting for. He snatched the bag from Sakura's hands flashing at her a victorious smile and when she looked at him, her eyes filled with disbelief. Then her shocked expression turned into a mocking one.
The bag in Sasuke's hands turned into a puff of smoke and when the grey cloud resided it left only a small piece of wood into his hands.
How had she done it? He had been looking at her the whole time! Sasuke was awestruck at her speed that had seemingly increased rapidly since the last time he had seen her.
Sakura burst into fit of laughter when she saw the mighty Uchiha's face from behind the smoke.
"Why, you-" Sasuke jumped at her but she had already regained her senses and started running away from him. The young male ninja started following the girl but she had already made a fair distance between them. A hint of admiration towards the woman lingered in his mind. He could only see a pink head bobbing here and there in between the occasional villagers.
Nevertheless, he ran after her. He couldn't stand the thought that Sakura would eat all the food alone. It was very uncharacteristic from him to be so concerned of himself; in fact he was never worried about anything at all. But now he realized that he was so hungry that he would starve to death if he didn't get anything to eat. Suddenly, he remembered his wallet.
Did she take it too?!
He tried to search for it from his bag but he found nothing.
Damn. Damn that thief.
His swearing was cut off by the sight of Sakura's hair. She had stopped to let an old man with huge packages to cross the road before her. She was so close that he only had to reach out his hand and grasp her shoulder. When he turned her around with a firm push to the shoulder he heard Sakura gasp slightly.
The Uchiha looked at her. "Had a nice time?" They were standing beside a huge wall that towered over them. The wall shadowed them from the warm rays of the rising sun.
For a moment they forgot other people around them and just glared daggers at each other. The staring contest ended with Sakura's win when Sasuke had to wipe dust away from his eyes.
"Victory!" Sakura held out two fingers high in the air, grinning triumphantly. "Whew. I haven't done that in quite a time." Her hand passed by her forehead and the other one still clutched at the fruits tightly.
"Don't squeeze the life out of our food!" Sasuke's warning rang to deaf ears as Sakura didn't loosen her grip. Sasuke sighed in exasperation and let his hand fall to his side. He presumed that Sakura wouldn't run away for the second time. He looked at her questioningly and stuffing his hands to his pockets he said, "So. What are you going to do with our food?" The black haired man was getting annoyed at his companion's childish behavior.
Sakura pouted her lips innocently and opened the papery bag. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Why the hell did I buy only one pineapple?!" Astounded by her own stupidity she couldn't do anything but stare at the bag, mouth gaping.
"You and your IQ", Sasuke muttered. "We're going to have tough time sharing it." He then took Sakura's arm again, this time more gently. Sakura didn't protest but laid her hand quietly against his. The feeling of the rough fabric teased her skin.
"Well? Are we going to eat?" Sasuke casually asked as they began to walk back to the center of the village. "You ran quit a bit, didn't you?" They strolled seemingly absent-mindedly through the streets. Now the people were almost fully awake and it was getting crowded, making it more difficult to proceed.
Sakura glanced at Sasuke but when he didn't seem to really expect an answer she didn't give him one. She just took out one mango and handed it to Sasuke who accepted it without a word. They ate in silence sauntering like normal people with normal chores.
At that moment, it would have been hard for anyone to believe that they were both actually deadly missing nins with terrible burdens over their shoulders. That they had been haunted for a time so long that neither could remember a time when they had been free. That they shared those dark times with silent companionship. Without suppressing it in words, they supported each other with just being there. That was why they hated -and loved- each other so much. The other knew too much about the other, leaving no secrets or walls between them.
Something freezing splashed over her. She felt like she was not present, not in this world, but nonetheless, her body was crushed against something solid and very hard. It was like watching herself from above, outside her body. Everything else was cloaked in darkness but she could see herself, lying crouched in the middle of that darkness. Her arm was covering her face and the other was hugging her legs tightly against her chest.
She blinked once, twice, but could see nothing else. It was very weird, looking at herself, but then, from where was she looking? She turned her eyes from the resting form to herself. She was there, floating above herself. But while her actual body was lying in that darkness, her floating self was examining the body beneath her.
What is this?
The darkness seemed to have swallowed her. She was too confused to be scared. Something fluttered softly against her thigh, caressing her. It was the dress she was wearing, a plain white dress.
Where am I?
She opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out, nor did her mouth open. She had lost her control over her body, she could only see.
There it was again. That freezing sensation, rushing over her. Nothing in the view changed, only a heart-freezing touch on her skin. She shivered slightly.
Is this me?
From somewhere came a white little light. It floated down to her, dancing before her eyes like a feather before landing in front of her. The light made small ripples on the surface of the black water. The circles reached her feet and sent a warm tingle through her toes into her entire body.
She reached out a hand, now noticing that she could move, and touched the light. It felt solid yet very light. She lifted her hand, the light on the tips of her fingers.
Why is this happening?
With the light in her hands, she looked at herself once again. Her body glowed. Her eyes turned to her solid being and it was still there, unmoved. The clothes on her were worn and stained. Blood trickled from her mouth in a small stream and her face was clotted with the same red liquid.
She took a step closer to the form lying in the darkness. Then another step, and another. Her feet raised small ripples in the blackness that was like velvety water. She stepped forward until she was so close that she could touch her. Reaching out the hand where the light was she brought it to the face of the unmoving body. Bringing out a finger she moved it slowly along the line of her jaw.
The light floated from her hand to the forehead of her solid form and placed itself there. She drew in a little breath when the light sunk under the surface of the snow white skin. She felt herself being drawn to the body and then she understood.
This is a dream… I'm dreaming in my mind.
An empty feeling filled her, replacing the warmth of the small light.
Am I truly like this?
Settling herself to kneel beside her body she took her hand to hers. It was cold, so very cold.
Am I dead? Is this what death is like?
Her body seemed to rest peacefully in spite of its broken state. No sign of self-loathing touched her face. Only the horrible scars marred her calm features. She slid a palm under her bangs to her forehead and rested it there.
Tell me.
A voice came to her mind. The soft, yet demanding voice filled her ears.
What?
Tell me what you feel.
…It's cold.
Why is it cold?
I… don't know.
She looked around but there was nothing. The darkness surrounded her from everywhere, as if she had gone blind. Then something mysterious caught her attention. A faint of light had spread around her, in the shape on a spiral. It didn't reach far but it lighted the darkness gently.
She could no longer hear the voice talking to her and it made her feel lonely. Even though it had been an unknown voice it had taken the silence away.
Her solid form moved. It turned to its back and coughed a little. Then her vision blurred and she couldn't see anything.
Hinata woke up with a feeling of someone's soft lips pressed against hers. Her lungs filled with oxygen causing her to feel extremely horrible and she had to suppress a cough. She tore away from his lips to cough out blood on the side. Then she could breathe again but it was shallow and difficult. She rested her back against the ground heavily, exhausted.
Neji watched his cousin who was lying on the ground, or actually on an oddly thick tree branch where he had carried her. He had probably saved her life. They had drifted to the shore and Neji had found her breathless, her body crouched over a rock. Her breathing was now growing regular and calm. He slid a comforting hand to her forehead and rested it there, finding a strange feeling of calmness surround him.
Naruto was sitting on the branch too. Glancing at Neji and Hinata he felt a small twist of pain inside him that was certainly of no physical injury. He turned away from them, confused of his feelings. He sat on the branch crossing one leg under him letting the other swing high above the ground.
They were in a forest near the river where they had nearly drowned. The forest looked much like the one where the unfriendly village had been but Naruto definitely hoped that there wouldn't be a village here like the one they had encountered. They needed time to recover, especially from the fatal fall to the river but Hinata was still in a very bad shape because of the injury in her eyes. Neji had noticed that she had grown a fever and they were hoping that her temper wouldn't rise any higher.
Neji glanced at Naruto and saw that he was observing their surroundings absently. He hadn't felt anything near them when they had chosen the tree as their resting place and he still felt nothing peculiar. Hinata had fallen asleep, her head leaning against his leg. Her hand had somehow found its way to Neji's hand and was now holding it nearly without strength. Neji grasped it, just to be sure that when she woke up, she'd know that he was there by her.
"Do you know if there is a village or town near here?" Neji looked at Naruto.
The younger man shrugged his shoulders and thought about his answer for a while. He wasn't particularly familiar with this place but he remembered reading some books about the forest. "If I remember correctly, I think there is a village not very far from here."
"Do you know how far?"
"About… Five miles, I'd say."
Neji fell silent thinking about their situation. Naruto and he were uninjured except for little bruises but Hinata was in a bad shape. Her fever wasn't too high but the wound in her eyes had to be very painful. Neji could only imagine what Hinata had to go through when she endured the pain without complaining. He hoped that Hinata would stay up for a little while so that she could tell what herbs would help her.
If the nearest village was in the distance of five miles it shouldn't be a problem if he had to carry Hinata there. And of course, Naruto could help -not that Neji wanted him to. He had instantly noticed that Hinata and Naruto's relationship was close. Even though they had never been very close in their childhood Neji had known that Hinata had harbored a deep affection towards Naruto. It wouldn't take much to awake those feelings in her and that was a thing Neji didn't want to happen. He didn't know why, but it made him feel like he'd lose something very important to him if he let Hinata love Naruto.
Neji was drawn away from his thoughts by Hinata's coughing. He instantly held her hand tighter to comfort her. He wished that Hinata was sleeping a dreamless sleep so that she could regain her strength. Naruto came to sit beside Hinata too and looked at her, a concerned expression darkening his bright features.
"You'll be alright, Hinata", he whispered to her encouragingly. He brushed a few dark blue bangs from her forehead, soothing the feverish skin with his cool hand.
Hinata woke up with a feeling of two pairs of eyes looking at her. Her back was leaning against something hard, a tree perhaps, and her hand was held by another one. She knew it was Neji, she would have recognized that hand anywhere. There was also a calming hand on her forehead that belonged to Naruto. Those rough but still so very gentle hands had held her before, not many times, but those times were embedded into Hinata's mind.
Hinata licked her lips and Neji thought that she must be terribly thirsty. He helped her up to lean against the trunk and held a water bottle for her to drink. Hinata drank a little but found that her throat was so parched that it couldn't tolerate much of water at once. She sighed and handed the bottle back to Neji.
"When are you ready to move on, Hinata-sama?" Neji asked her. He didn't want to rush her but knew that they would have to leave as soon as possible.
"I'm ready anytime you are." Hinata was actually so tired that she could sleep for another twelve hours but she didn't want to be a burden.
But as usual, Neji saw right through her act. "You've never been good at lying, at least not in front of me", Neji whispered to her so quietly that only she heard it.
A faint blush rose to Hinata's face. Why did he have to make her so flustered? She was embarrassed of her body that betrayed her once again by blushing in a time when it was least welcomed.
"I can carry you." Neji was now speaking normally because Naruto was paying more attention to them. Naruto looked strangely at the faint red on Hinata's cheeks but decided to drop it.
"I don't want to be a burden, Brother Neji." Hinata tried to assure the two that she was perfectly fine and capable of taking care of herself.
Neji sighed. How could he make Hinata understand that she wasn't a burden? That he only wanted to help her? How could such a timid person be so stubborn? Apparently there was again no other choice.
He looked at Naruto and motioned for him to stand up too. They were leaving now. Hinata quickly stood up too, hearing the two get ready. Then suddenly she was once again lifted to Neji's back without her permission. She was getting familiar with the feeling of being carried but that didn't stop her from refusing.
"No- I told you- I'm fine, Brother Neji." Hinata stuttered and tried vainly to get down from Neji's firm grip.
"I'm sure you are", Neji murmured to her silently but didn't let go of her.
Hinata sighed in resignation and leaned her head on Neji's lightly. Then she suddenly remembered their food. Where had it disappeared?
"Did our food sink to the water?"
"No, it's in Naruto's bag. I can't carry it when you're on my back."
She noticed that she hadn't been really hungry ever since this journey began. How long had it been? Three days? Four? Hasn't it really been longer than that? It feels like months. So much has happened… She wondered if they'd ever be able to get back alive.
They journeyed in silence, on the tree branches. They were ninjas to their soul and had grown the habit of running on the trees, an easier and faster way than on the ground. They enjoyed the feeling of wind brushing their faces, leaves caressing their features, the shadows the trees created over them.
After a while of running Naruto stopped them. They came to a halt, but Neji still didn't let Hinata stand on the ground; instead, he held her tight to him.
"Somebody has been here just a while ago. Look." Naruto pointed at an area below them. They could see a small bridge and aspens decorating the side of the dark forest. There was a small clearing in the middle of everything and Naruto could clearly see footprints on the green grass.
Neji closed his eyes to focus on the feeling of their surroundings. "I don't feel anything ominous."
Naruto and Neji just looked around them for a while, trying to see any marks of living persons. Finding none, they silently decided to go on. In a short while they reached the village's borders. The massive walls didn't feel welcoming and Hinata had to suppress a sudden feeling of chill creeping up her spine.
They stood hesitating for a while outside the village but then Naruto decided that the waiting wasn't going to get them anywhere and gestured Neji and Hinata to follow him. They entered the village earning quite a bit of attention with Hinata's slumped form, though she tried to straighten herself so they wouldn't get into trouble. It was mostly Naruto and Neji who were in danger; who could tell what the villagers thought they had done to her?
Hinata's eyes, or rather, the remains of her eyes, attracted their own number of attention to themselves. She could hear people whispering, even though quietly, about what had happened to her. They were guessing that maybe those men did it to her or maybe she was attacked. Hinata smiled sarcastically to herself. Well, the attacker had gotten what he deserved, a quick death by Neji's hand. Then a flash of memory suddenly came to her; it was like the memory had been waiting for an opportunity to come to her.
She remembered how Neji had kissed her to silence her. Her hand flew instinctively to her mouth and vague thoughts raced in her mind. A heat rose to her face again. Her childish half wondered why Neji had kissed her like that even though they were cousins. Well, it wasn't in the meaning of an actual kiss but still… Neji hadn't said anything about the kiss so Hinata presumed that he, too, had forgotten.
However, Neji hadn't. Actually, the memory of the kiss was lingering in his mind in the exact moment. He remembered how Hinata's lips had been so soft even if they were blood-soaked and dry. He was rather disturbed of his own feelings, how his body reacted to Hinata's warmth on his back. He wanted to just hold her, hold her tightly so he would always remember…
Sasuke and Sakura had been looking for the man nearly everywhere. They were getting bored of their task and had sat down on a bench to rest for a while. Sakura hummed in a happy tone while Sasuke just looked plain annoyed. He tapped his foot to the ground and sighed in exasperation once in a while.
Sakura soon got bored of her fellow's act. She cast an angry glare at him and pointed him hard on the chest with her finger.
"How can you be so frustrating?! Are you never still, always shifting around like there were ants in your hakama?!" Her green eyes blazed at him like he was to be blamed of all the world's problems.
Sasuke didn't react. He continued to tap his foot to the ground and look like everything was nagging him right then. His eyes shifted from the emptiness he had been staring at to her and the fierceness in his look made Sakura stumble aback on the bench. After staring at Sasuke her mouth hanging open a few moments she leaned her back against the bench.
"Fine." She huffed a breath of irritation and muttered something about annoying bastards who didn't know their place.
When Sasuke was concentrating on looking as bored as he could he didn't notice a strange trio of people a little farther away. They didn't go unnoticed by many others, though. Several villagers pointed at them and muttered to each other about them.
Sakura noticed the fuss and looked around curiously. The center of the attention soon caught her eye, too. It was a suspicious tiny group of people. One was on the back of another and the remaining one was walking closely near them in a protective manner. Sakura narrowed her eyes to see them more clearly and a blonde head caught her full attention. There was something familiar about it…
A thought from the buried corners of her mind now presented itself.
It couldn't be.
Sakura shook Sasuke's arm. "Look!" she whispered to him. Her eyes made a quick contact with him and saw a flash of annoyance cross his features. She rolled her eyes mentally. Well, was there a time when he wasn't annoyed? But when he looked at the direction she wanted him to she was satisfied.
"What? There's nothing." Sasuke's voice dripped with frustration and he clearly would have strangled Sakura in the second she'd turn her back to him but a strong will and laziness stopped him. He couldn't see anything unordinary in the direction Sakura had pointed to him but still observed the area intently.
Nothing.
During the brief moment Sakura had turned her eyes away from the trio they had disappeared. Sakura tried desperately to find them but it was futile: they had vanished like ash in the air. Sakura heaved a deep sigh. Maybe they were just ordinary people…
"What was so strange I had to bother to look?" Sasuke was now awake and ready to face more problems besides the one they were working on.
Sakura looked at the tall building before her before answering. "There were three people who had just entered the village. And one of them looked very familiar."
"So you think it's someone we know?"
"Well, he did resemble Naruto… But it's impossible. There's no way he would be here."
Sasuke fell into a thoughtful silence. Then a memory struck him like a fist. His eyes widened and his hand searched for Sakura's. His mouth opened but no voice came out as a small drop of sweat slid down his jaw.
He remembered a conversation he had heard some time ago when he had last visited the Wave Country. He had no idea why it was discussed there but he remembered a group of people talking about Uzumaki becoming a hunter nin. They had celebrated for it and held a party at the Great Naruto Bridge. He had accompanied the party in secret, just trying to get as much information as possible. He had managed to learn that Naruto had indeed become a hunter nin and that made him scared as hell.
Naruto had always been a outstanding ninja. If he was a hunter nin it meant that sooner or later he would be ordered to capture or kill two of the most dangerous missing nins -Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura.
Sasuke didn't like this. He had barely escaped every situation he would have had to face Naruto but now he had run straight into them. It felt threatening to stay in the village but still they had to finish their mission. If they didn't they would be killed by the hand of someone else.
"He's a hunter ninja." Sasuke's harsh voice caught Sakura's full attention and she stared at him for a while, stunned.
"It- It can't be…" Sakura slumped down as the realization hit her, her hand gripping Sasuke's tightly. She, too, knew how dangerous the situation was for them. Naruto had every possibility to kill them now that they were in helpless state.
They just had to hope that Hinata was enough to keep Naruto's attention away from them or else the end would be very close to them. Even though Sasuke and Sakura were both amazing in their skills Naruto was better. When Sasuke had been the avenger for his family and Sakura had concentrated on her weaknesses, not her strengths, Naruto had been the one with the will to become the best with all his heart.
"We're in trouble if that really was Naruto." Sasuke muttered silently looking at the ground before his sandals.
"Yeah."
As if from a silent deal they rose simultaneously and began to walk to the direction where the three people had a short while ago disappeared. They had to find out if it was really Naruto or not.
Sasuke's hand still held Sakura's tightly but neither of them noticed it nor did they mind.