To the Ends Of the Earth: Naruto X Sakura
Chapter 4: Dark Reunion
Previously in Chapter 3
-Movie Clip mode-
Sakura: I don't understand any of this! An entire war, hundreds of thousands died, all for one man? It doesn't make any sense!? It just doesn't make any sense at all!
Familiar Voice: It doesn't have too; he is a walking demon after all.
Sakura: Sa ... Sasuke?
-
"Sa ... Sasuke!? You're-You're..." Sakura stood there as if she was seeing a ghost before her eyes. She couldn't believe her eyes, much less speak. This was the boy who abandoned his country and her for his own goals. A boy she long forgotten, and gotten over years and years ago after mourning his loss. A boy she would have given anything for recognition from, but instead he would only ignore her, and walk all over her. But he was also the reason why she matured, and found new life with Naruto, the true man who loved her.
He stood there in full regalia; he was a bit taller, still pretty fit, although his hair had gotten a bit longer from when they were kids. His eyes were red; he had fully mastered sharingan, although Sakura had never actually seen him like this. But something was wrong about him, although his eyes were full, they were also dark, as if he exhausted or had some kind of experience only she could imagine. He had a full black cape that simply covered his body.
"Hello Sakura, it's been a long time hasn't it?" He spoke in that "noble" tone of his, as if nothing had happened between them, and as if he hadn't disappeared.
"Don't you hello me, Sasuke." It was the first time she spoke his name in years, and without the silly -kun added to it. She was filled with so many emotions at that moment; anger, confusion, anxiety, surprise, shock, worry, caution, but also relief. She never understood why she actually felt relief at the moment. Perhaps because she always wondered what happened, but never truly cared, wondered if he had died, or simply gone away forever. But here he was standing in front of her, alive and somewhat well. Just as he began to take a step towards her, she immediately pulled forth the katana from her back and held it at Sasuke. "How do I know it's even you? For all I know you could be Orochimaru inside that body!"
She spoke all questions of him, and he understood his situation. Just suddenly showing up without a reason, and of all times now. He knew that at the moment he wasn't at a good standing, this Sakura was very changed from the one he knew when they were children. For one thing, she wasn't all over him and getting touchy feely. Another thing was she didn't call him by his "Sasuke-kun!" name, her tone was very serious and her attitude was also serious. He stopped where he was, and tried to reason with her. "Fair enough. Ask me anything, something only I would know."
Sakura kept her guard up; even though she knew she had no chance against his sharingan. (Think Sakura think. If he were here to hurt me, he would have done so. But instead he shows his face to me, and after all these years. Something isn't right, but maybe he can help.) Just then she knew what to ask Sasuke to prove his identity. But first she took out some type of pills and threw them at Sasuke.
"Take one of those first." She told him.
Sasuke took TWO of them and swallowed them.
"You just took a poison that will kill you within two minutes and I'm the only one who can save you now. Even if you were a Kage Bunshin the poison works its way back to the original user no matter what. So if you try to kill me, then no one can save you. Now answer my question correctly." She paused for a moment, and asked the question. "Back when we were kids, Kakashi-sensei had us do a test in order for us to become his students. What was the test about?"
This was something only she, Sasuke, and Naruto would know because it was before they had even encountered Orochimaru. Sasuke stood there looking at her with this baffled face, but the he knew remembered the answer and what she was trying to get at.
"Teamwork. He wanted us to work as a team."
Sakura sighed in relief, sheathed her katana, and went to manually extract the poison from Sasuke. She placed a hand over his heart, and began to chant a katra to expel the poison she had created herself. After that she did not let up on her guard, but for now trusted him. After that tense moment, they both sat down again and began to talk.
"Where have you been all these years? We thought you died! Why did you abandon us so long ago?"
"Sakura, I want to say that I'm sorry for my actions. I did abandon Konoha of my own free will, but because I was blinded by my own hate for my brother."
She didn't really buy that answer, because the Sasuke she used to grow up with was never like this. But she just played along to get answers. He told her about how he had gone to Orochimaru with the promise of greater power and strength to beat his brother Itachi. But somewhere along the way, Orochimaru never mentioned having to "borrow" his body. By borrowing he meant killing Sasuke and stealing his body for his own. Of course this was before the fact that he could go out to kill Itachi, but somehow he had escaped the clutches of Orochimaru and gained a new power by himself. Next he started talking about going off on his own training by himself in isolation, and traveling around as a vagrant. Until finally he got word from Konoha that war was broken out, and had just learned that Naruto had gone missing in action. He said that ever since their battle at the Valley, he never hated Naruto nor held any grudge against him. Instead he found that new respect that Naruto had wanted and somehow in that final clash they deemed each other family. Of course Sakura knew what had really happened because Naruto came back to her, but hearing it from Sasuke's side was slightly interesting. She wondered just how much of it was true, and how much of it he was just making up. All in all she pretty much accepted his cover story for now, and she updated him on the situation.
"So that's what happened." Sasuke said with a dark face.
Sakura nodded her head. "Yes. I know he's out there, and I'm going to bring him home."
"Heh. You know, this is just like a role reversal. He would risk his life meaninglessly just to save you and now here you are going on a one-way trip to save him." Sasuke paused and remembered all those countless times Naruto saved Sakura. "You must really care about him that much?"
"Is that jealousy I detect Sasuke?" She chuckled slightly trying to lighten up his mood.
Sasuke gave a small grin and just shook his head. "I always knew you two would make a good pair."
"If you had stayed, it might have been different. But you left and I moved on. Since you left, over time I finally got to see the Naruto you always said I never got to see in action. Naturally I fell in love with him." She looked away with a soft smile.
"Well I want to make amends for the pain I must have caused for both of you. Allow me to help you Sakura. He's just as important to you as he is to me!" Sasuke demanded in his usual (I'm going with you no matter what) tone.
Sakura could use the company, besides Shiro by her side, and he was a sharingan master. She nodded her head, and gladly welcomed Sasuke back. She thought to herself, perhaps he has learned his mistakes over time just as Naruto had said he would. I guess I could trust him for now, he could be of great help in the future.
And so the two of them continued on the hunt for Naruto ...
---
Meanwhile back at The Chateau, the Marquis was not so lenient about Naruto's first escape attempt. So he had put him under extensive poisoning. He would introduce multiple neurotoxins (poisons that affect the brain and nervous system), but then give him antitoxins to counter the poisons. During these sessions he would play mind games with Naruto trying to break his consciousness.
"Come now boy! All we want to do is talk to the fox himself!" The Marquis spoke diligently.
Naruto was chained up against the wall; his entire body was exhausted just hanging by the chains on his wrists and ankles. He spat blood onto the floor, keeping his face to the ground. "I'm sorry Kyuubi isn't here right now, please leave a message after the - GO TO HELL! Beeeeep."
"You're a strong lad with a strong will. I'll give you that, which is why it's so exciting for me to BREAK IT!" The Marquis picked up a hot poker, and moved it towards his body. "Come on boy, you don't have to suffer much anymore. Just let us speak with the Demon and I'll give you the finest room in this castle with food!"
"You wanna talk to the demon? I'm afraid you're gonna need a psychologist, or perhaps an exorcist! Heh." Naruto still mocked his torturer.
"I'll take that as a no?" The Marquis spoke in a sickly teasing tone.
Naruto lifted his head, his eyes dark from restless nights of poisoning, smiled and said, "No."
After that answer the Marquis began to burn Naruto's skin with the hot poker. Screams of pain and agony filling the dungeon, while the Marquis himself was singing along with Naruto.
"You know you're the first person who's lasted this long without telling me anything, and hasn't successfully escaped yet. What are you waiting for? No one is coming for you; no one knows where you are. As far as you're concerned the world thinks you are dead! All you have to do is let us have the demon, or even just an audience with him, and you can go home!" The Marquis made his offer.
Naruto breathing hard began to laugh even though he was in pain. "Hahahaha! I'll tell you now. Talking to him isn't that easy! Much less if he even chooses to listen! More like you'll just piss him off and then he'll get really angry! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The Marquis growing impatient struck Naruto directly in the gut knocking whatever wind there was left in him. Naruto slowly fell down as the chains held him up, his head sunken down.
"An exorcism eh? This could prove to be fun ..."
The Marquis exited the room they were in and gave off a shrilling laugh that echoed in the darkness.
---
"The trail here ends at the boarders of Grass and Wind/Sand Country. From here it's all sand. Damn! How am I supposed to find a trail that can no longer be seen!?" Sakura felt anger rise in her, as they had hit a dead end.
Sasuke looked around as the grass line slowly shifted into a sandy dune. "We should head to the main Village of Sand, and try asking questions there."
Sakura nodded her head and they began to make their way into the country of sand/wind. Unsure of what they may find, or what invisible trail they would follow. Sakura didn't give her hopes up, she continued on.
But Sasuke on the other hand ... (Excellent, I'll just lead her on the same path we took Naruto, and by the time we reach him she'll be mine! Then I'll use her to break him! Come Sakura, I will show you the weapons of the Akatsuki, and our dogs of war! FUFUFUFUFUFUFUFU!)
To Be Continued.
A/N: It's like whoa ... I actually updated EOTE!? Chapter 4 ... pretty short, and fast. It all gets to the point, and now we're gonna have to bare with Sasuke and Sakura traveling together. But something isn't right ... why does he keep on laughing like Orochiimaru ... what are the weapons of Akatsuki and who are the dogs of war!? I'm not entire sure myself, but hey! Just work with me!