Just a quick question. Is it the village or the country of the sound? I don't remember. If I'm wrong, let me know… Thanks...

Twenty minutes later, Ino ran quickly past Naruto. He stood there looking into the room where Ino just was, then looked down the tunnel where Ino had ran. What in the hell? He started running after her. As soon as he got outside, he lost sight of Ino. Sakura came running out, and as soon as she saw Naruto, she stopped. "What happened? Where did Ino go, and why did she take off running like that?" she questioned.

"I don't know. I don't know what happened. I wasn't in the room with her." was Naruto's only reply.

......

Ino ran into her room and grabbed her equipment bag. She filled it with kunais and shurikens. Then she grabbed a larger bag and filled it food and clothes.

Flashback

"Where is he?"

"…"

"I said, where is he?"

"Go away."

"I will not. Not until you tell me where he is."

"It doesn't matter, anymore."

End Flashback

Ino looked around the room to make sure there wasn't anything else she needed to take. Hinata. Ino grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. She left her a brief note:

Hinata,

Went out, will be gone for a while. Don't worry.

Ino

The less she knows, the less the worries. Ino thought to herself. She ran out the door and carefully made her way outside the village, hoping that no one saw her. At first she thought about bringing someone with her. Naruto was her first choice, but she quickly dismissed the idea. He would only talk me out of it, and insist that he'll send people to do it. Then she thought about taking Sakura. No, she'll take Naruto's side. Her next option was taking one of the boys. They'd think I was crazy. Her last choice was to go alone. I can do this. I'm strong enough. I can find him, and bring him home. I don't have time to wait for a team and a plan. Ino ran as fast she could through the dense forest. She had some idea of where Shikamaru's team went, from what Sakura told her and Hinata. As she ran, she tried to keep her tears from falling.

Flashback

"What do you mean, 'it doesn't matter, anymore', what are you saying?"

"…He's probably dead by now."

"If he is, I swear I'll…"

"You'll what?" Sasuke was suddenly face-to-face with Ino. The only thing that separated them was the thick iron bars.

"Why would he kill him?"

"To keep him immortal. Needs a strong, young body to sacrifice."

"Why would you be an accomplice to such a horrible guy?"

"He gave me power."

End Flashback

I'm going to find you. Ino kept running in the woods. She didn't want to let herself rest until she reached her destination. The Hidden Village of the Sound.

.......

After three hours of running, her legs gave out from exhaustion. She couldn't run anymore. As Ino fell to the ground, she tried to catch her breath. Her stomach was shooting sharp pains from the lack of energy. She was lucky she hadn't run into trouble. I'll rest for a little bit here, then I'll continue moving. Ino took out a small snack and a bottle of water. She lay back on the ground and stared into the sky and watched the clouds. Ino closed her eyes, and breathed to calm her racing heart.

Flashback

"I don't understand why you would play on the same level as Itach and Orochimarui."

"I wouldn't expect you to."

"Orochimaru is using you. He's using you and you can't see it. You can't see it because all you care about is the power he gives you."

"…"

"People care about you. If they didn't, they'd let you stay with that monster. But because you're selfish, the one I love is in danger. Because you put him there."

End Flashback

That's enough. Time to go. Five minutes had passed; Ino put her bottle back into her bag, and got up. Her legs felt sore from the running, but made her mind ignore the pain, and continue running. Every second spent was one more second she feared of the outcome.

.......

Sasuke sat in the dark holding cell. He tried everything he could to get out, but the walls would just absorb his Chakra, and the bars were too strong to break through. The only thing he could do was sit on the cold bench, and think. Think about his past, his family. He thought about his parents. They had hopes for me, too. Even if I wasn't like him, they wanted me to grow up strong.

He thought about his father. Mother told me that he was proud of me, even if he didn't express it. She told me she was.

He thought of his brother, Itachi. You weren't always cold-blooded. You even helped me train. But you destroyed our clan, and you killed our parents. And let me live. You let me live because you knew I wanted to be stronger than you. I didn't want to lose to you.

He thought about his former sensei, Kakashi. It was hard to believe that you were a Jounin. You didn't act like it. Reading perverted jokes and playing stupid games with Gai. You acted like you underestimated our team, but you actually didn't. But you us taught well. You taught me Chidori, and how to improve on my Sharingan. Even if I still wasn't able to defeat Gaara. Why?

Sasuke thought about his life as a Genin. He thought about Sakura. You were so annoying. You still are. You looked after Naruto and me when we were unconscious during the Chuunin exam. You protected us. You grew stronger, because you didn't want to be left behind. And you didn't want me to leave. You wanted to stay with me. Why?

Sasuke then thought about Naruto. You were always an idiot. You were the idiot who became the Sixth Hokage, alongside Tsunade. You always acted like you hated me. Always competing with me. You were weak, but you had more power than me. You used your power to protect the ones you care about. You always fought with your heart. You fought to be Hokage, for your dream, your dream to protect. Why?

Sasuke stood up and walked to the other side of the cell. The conversation he had with Ino had struck him. It struck him harder than he imagined. He was letting the little blonde girl get to him. The same blonde girl who chased him, along with every other girl, years ago. She was just as annoying as the rest of the girls. But she had hit him.

Flashback

"You wanted to kill Itachi. You were determined to do it. You succeeded. But, can you tell me why that was your goal all these years? Besides that he killed your family and wiped out your clan?"

"What other reason do I need to have?"

"You wanted to overpower him. You wanted to kill him, because what he did was evil. He's your brother, you can't ignore that, but he was still evil. You let the same evil take hold of you. It took hold of your heart. And your letting the same evil take hold of other people's heart. Why? The people in this village helped mold you to what you are now. We watched over you, protected you, and took you home. Why do you want to destroy that?"

"…"

"I'm going to find Shikamaru. And I will find him. Because I love him, he means more to me than any evil power given to me. I will find him, because I care about him, and this village that I live in. When you care about something as deep as that, you don't let bad things happen to them. Because I'm better than that. But if I find him dead, I will kill you."

End Flashback

The last words that Ino spoke, were words of promise. She had determination in her heart. That was when it hit Sasuke. He understood what everyone was telling him from the beginning. Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto. His mind was too clouded; all he registered were empty words. He thought that no one could understand him. He knew he was always cold with everyone, but he didn't leave them behind. But ever since that one fight with Itachi, where he was put in a coma, and his fight with Naruto, the day he recovered, all he could think about gaining more power. And I got that power. Why?

.......

A day later, Ino walked up the gates of the Village of the Wind. She had been running non-stop since she left. She only stopped for five minutes a few times, to catch her breath, and eat a snack. Her legs felt weak and sore. She had been trying to ignore the pain the whole way to the village. She felt only little relief upon reaching the town. One step down, a few more to go. I'm almost there. Hang on, Shikamaru, I know you're still alive.

Ino tried hard to keep herself concealed as she made her way to a dark, run-down building in the way back of the village. She knew that this place was going to help her on her mission, at least give her clues to her next step. She walked into the dark building, keeping her guard up; not knowing what inside awaited her.

Please read, and review. Tell me what you think of this chapter. I'm trying to build up to the next one, so feedback is useful.