Chapter 6: The Familiar Stranger II

Sasuke had learned as a child that solitude was one of the worst companions a person could have. And as he walked down the long, twisting road beneath the grayness that was the sky in the Land of the Dead, it seemed as if he had been friends with loneliness for far too long.

Even with Kakashi and Naruto, there was always a barrier. It wasn't so much their fault as it was his own. They would give their lives for him if the need ever arose. He felt the loyalty instinctively. They were that kind of people. Yet, there would always be a certain reluctance that he could never overcome.

It wasn't that he wanted to be lonely. It was unfathomable to his mind that such a desire would ever exist in anyone.

But he could never let them see what was truly in his heart, never let them see how truly encompassed by darkness his soul was. They would never understand the black and deep desires that lurked beneath the surface. They would never understand how he yearned for his own death at the same time he yearned to drench himself in Itachi's blood. They would never understand how terrified he was of life and of living it. In the end, they would never understand the weaknesses of his heart…

He thought of raindrops and green eyes.

Sakura…

Was she like them?

Iie. She was not like them; she had seen.

He was certain of it even if the only reason she had seen was because he had willingly showed her. Starting in the Forest of Death, she had witnessed his failure. He still remembered the expression of fear that she had worn the first time she had encountered the darkness inside him. She looked as if she had seen a monster, full of terrified tears and trembling. Black, morbid marks had covered his face and body. That alone should have been enough to keep her away. His eyes, too, had been hungry for blood.

But the memory, full of rage and frenzy, was accompanied with a brief instant of tranquil calm. He had felt her arms around him, felt her fear, and, at the same time, her acknowledgement and acceptance.

She had not run away.

After everything he had ever done, after all the cruelty he had willingly inflicted on her… she had not run away. She had not yelled. She had not criticized. Only worried and suffered, always drawing on a patient love.

And above all, she had stayed. The fact was more dear to him than he realized.

Even after seeing the flaws that lay beneath the genius and good looks, even after being treated firsthand to how cold-hearted he could be, she had not abandoned him. And in the end, only she knew. Only she knew how truly weak he was when it came to other things besides fighting, how truly frightened he could be of losing himself to evil and how afraid he was of goodness…

And yet, still and always, she believed in him more than he believed in himself.

Sasuke could not think of anyone in his life who had ever treated him that way. He could not think of anyone else who had ever loved him so faithfully, so completely.

Then… was that why he was here? Because she had loved him that way?

There was more to it, he suspected, but his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

"Waaaiiittt for me!" a familiar voice called.

Sasuke glanced back to see 'Naruto' running up to him.

"You know, it was rather rude of you to just leave me hang—"

"You said you would help me find her," Sasuke cut in sharply, studying the dilemma before him. He had stopped at a split in the road and there were no signs to tell him which way to go, "Which path do I pick?"

Before the shadow could answer, someone offered, "Perhaps I can help."

The voice was light and carried by the wind. Sweet and soft, but nonetheless surprising.

'Naruto' jumped and Sasuke reached quickly for a weapon. He scanned the trees for possible enemies until his instinct finally directed his gaze to one spot. There. Underneath that willow tree. It was rather difficult to distinguish him but Sasuke was certain there was someone standing there underneath the hanging branches. No doubt about it.

"Show yourself!" he demanded and when his request was unanswered, he flung his kunai at the motionless figure.

It was caught neatly. Sasuke prepared himself for confrontation.

The enemy moved forward slowly, elegantly brushing aside the willow's hanging boughs. At first glance, it looked like a woman. The features were fine and the hair was long and black. Even the smile was beautiful in a feminine way.

But the kunai that was held easily between two fingers was not beautiful at all.

Sasuke knew who this person was and he didn't like it one bit. "You," he said, recoiling slightly.

"Hello. I didn't think I would see you again so soon," came the casual response.

'Naruto' stared at the newcomer with obvious admiration, "You're hot!"

A pair of calm eyes fixed themselves on the false copy, "And you're not really Naruto-kun, are you?"

The question was delivered in a kind, gentle tone but the shadow shrunk back in fear nonetheless. The blue eyes that had lit up with interest abruptly became full of malice. With his disguise revealed, 'Naruto' scowled hatefully, not really looking like Naruto at all.

"Thought so. Naruto-kun would never frown as ugly as that."

The shadow snarled, stepping forward with clenched fists, "Would Naruto rip that pretty smile off your face?"

"Harmless threats," Haku dismissed, amused, "But you do share Naruto-kun's temper. How cute."

"You— you—" spluttered the shadow, not knowing whether to interpret the remark as a compliment or insult.

"Oy, Faker… Shut up."

Haku returned his gaze toward the black-haired boy that had originally caught his attention. The expression on the other's face was fierce and cautious. It reminded him of Zabuza; he hid his sadness before asking, "Who are you looking for?"

"Why are you willing to help me?"

So he remembered their last fight, too. There was a clear mistrust in those black eyes. But Haku peered deeper, past the shield and into his soul, and found that they stood on common ground, "Because we are the same, you and I… I am also looking for someone precious."

Sasuke bit his lip.

Sensing hesitation, Haku added reassuringly, "Don't worry. In the Land of the Dead, one doesn't really hold grudges. I bid you no ill feeling for what happened. Now tell me, who are you looking for? Perhaps I've seen them. I've been on this road for a long, long time…"

It seemed a while before the boy spoke again. When he did, it was with a final, begrudging resignation, "I'm looking for a girl with pink hair. Which path did she go down?"

He remembered her. A girl with happy, green eyes. Her soul had not been complete, though. Nevertheless, she had gone down the right path that those with good, clean hearts were prone to go. The left was for those with lesser hearts, those who deserved to suffer for their actions.

Haku pointed accordingly, "She went that way."

The boy walked in the right direction, not saying thank you, not looking back. But Haku didn't mind. What he wanted wasn't gratitude. After all, everything he had ever done had always been for one person. The one closest to his heart.

He knew he could follow the boy and forget his burden but what he wanted wasn't paradise either. It was simply…

"Zabuza-san…" Haku said softly, "I helped another person. Is that enough? Can I see you now?"

No one answered. No one appeared. He remained alone on the road.

Yet, he refused to believe that an eternity would pass without the possibility of reunion. Someday, he would see the face of his precious person. All he had to do was wait for that day to come.

He would never stop waiting.