Thank you reviewers!
els1321: Okay…ItaSakuSasu…thanks!
You Excellency: Gee, thanks for the review! Okay…ItaSakuSasu…
Fiona McKinnon: Neji, got it. Actually incase you should know that I changed most of the second chapter. You'll see the results afterwards…
Akagan: Okay, thanks for the review!
Saku-iimoto: Okay, sure. Thanks for the review!
xxRaikuxx: Okay, thanks for the review! I got the votes almost ready…
Hoishe: Okay! I got it! Thanks for the review!
sakura-nin: Sure, here's my update!
RoseWaters: Well, I'm not so sure about that fight…but I have to be fair about the polls…sorry. Who knows…?
SkySoul: Cool, sure.
Dark Angelic Kitty: I don't speak French…hehehe…anyway your vote is in. I got it.
RedWillow123: Sure! I'll make it as long as you want….man I didn't know the last chapter was long…Okay, I got your vote! Thanks for the review!
shinobi-sakura: It's alright, thanks for the long review! I loved it a lot! And sure, I'll get your vote in. Plus, its okay because that was the same reason I updated late, stupid school…
Bri: Thanks, here's your update. Your vote's in already.
Author's notes: The votes are in, you've given me your comments and to those who voted for the loser side, I'm terribly sorry. The votes were given by family members, friends, chat mates, and reviewers. Now the results…
Itachi x Sakura x Sasuke...20
Neji x Sakura x Sasuke...12
No more changes will be made, the votes were given and there will be no change to it.
Thanks y'all! I really had a hard time deciding…and to those who voted for the NejiSakuSasu, I'm really sorry, it wasn't my fault. So I hope you'll keep on reading this even though you didn't get the triangle you wanted. But, I'll make it up to you guys by making them good friends, I hope that's good enough for you. So, on with the story!
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"Chapter Two: Vitre"
The four ANBU squad members reached the Konoha docks. Walking casually, they move towards their destination in secrecy, avoiding any unnecessary actions. It was nearing sunset, they boarded the ship with haste. Nighttime came, Sakura stood by the railing of the boat as she looked out to sea. She felt the relaxing and refreshing breeze of the sea wind as it blew through her cherry pink locks. Alone, she looked down on the water below her as if she were expecting something to pop out from underneath. Another reason why she didn't want to sleep yet, was because she was afraid of having that dream again.
She took a long breath of air in and placed it back outside. She sighed heavily; it was hard to forget about Sasuke, especially now that they were looking for him. She knew her duties were futile, but she didn't have the heart to see Sasuke any day, any hour, any minute, any second, or any moment now. She wanted to go back to Konoha so badly now. She wanted to rest on her bed, in her home and live a normal day…but a normal day for a ninja was juts not possible. She stretched out her arms forward and turned to go to her room. When she turned, she saw Hinata coming up from below the ship.
"Sakura-chan…" she said as she approached her friend "Its getting late, what're you doing here?"
"I just thought I'd get some fresh air" she said "It feels so good up here…"
"Yeah it does…" Hinata stood beside Sakura as they both looked out towards the sea "Nee Sakura-san…"
"Yes?" she looked at Hinata with her sparkling green orbs.
"Right now we're on a mission to find Sasuke-san…" she started "…aren't you…affected at all?"
"Why would I be affected?" she smiled trying to hide her slight pain.
"We-well because…he's your old f-friend and te-teammate…and Naruto-kun told me h-he was your fi-first lo-lo-love…"
"…" she knew she was going to be asked this sooner or later "Well…the truth is…I'm really not so sure about this mission…I'm excited to see Sasuke-kun…but at the same time I don't want to. It sounds silly I know, but I'm really confused right now"
"Sakura-san…" she said "I understand how you feel…Sasuke-san never noticed how you felt for him, and then he left just like that. I felt the same whenever I saw Naruto-kun…"
"Hinata-chan, I understand what your trying to do. But, right now I guess the best thing to do is…when I see Sasuke-kun, it won't be the same. There's a high possibility we might fight, and in the end he'll even try to kill us…but…for some reason…I know believe I'll see him again. The things I've wanted to say to him, they've all disappeared. I'm trying so hard to give up on him, I guess this mission is a sign I can never move on…"
"Don't say that, it's your decision if you want to move on or stay in love with Sasuke-san, and nobody else's" said Hinata "If you love him then pursue it, if you're not so sure then decide, and if you're completely over him then just forget about him"
"Hinata-chan…" Sakura was surprised at Hinata's remark back then.
"Ah, gomen…" she said realizing she had said too much "I didn't mean to lecture you I just…"
"It's alright" said Sakura "You really helped me with what you said Hinata-chan"
"Sakura-san, you're welcome" she said as she held Sakura's hand "Let's go back down, you really gotta get some sleep if you wanna find Sasuke-san"
"Yeah, yeah…"
That night, Sakura had a hard time sleeping. Below deck she and Hinata slept in a double decked bed. Hinata took the bottom bunk while Sakura took the upper bunk. She stared at the ceiling as she felt the ship move around her. She didn't get seasick, she was sort of used to this. Her eyelids felt heavy, they started blocking her sight little by little, she wanted to fight back, bt in the end her heavy eyelids were heavier than her will right now.
Sakura's dream…
This dream was different from her previous nightmares, this one seemed…happy. She was standing in a green field of gorgeous flowers. Around the wide field was a circle of cherry blossom trees. The clouds were big, white and fluffy, a beautiful sight to see in the sky. The sun shone brightly as she seemed to be dancing in the said field. She felt so light, as if the weight of the world disappeared from her shoulders.
Her clothes also changed, she was wearing a white summer dress with spaghetti straps, and her long hair flowed down her shoulders as she danced around in circles. Butterflies flew around her as she saw one lay softly on her hand. She looked at it admiringly; the butterfly suddenly flew away when another hand, which did not belong to her, suddenly held her hand. She looked up to see who it was, but the sun shone too brightly and blocked the man's face…
End of her dream.
Sakura opened her eyes, letting in a little sunlight in. She saw that Hinata had already woken up, since her bed was fixed. She looked at her watch in her bag, she saw she had been asleep for only four hours since last night; she didn't sleep in or anything she just felt late since she'd usually wake up before anyone else. Plus, she was thankful it wasn't that dreadful nightmare she had been dreaming about for almost a month now. She fixed herself up and tidied up her bed. She tied her hair in a high ponytail and dressed up in her Anbu uniform. She put on her mask and closed the door behind her.
She passed by an open room and peeked inside, she saw her other teammates there, and they just started eating breakfast. It was a small rectangular table, Shino sat beside Hinata and Neji sat alone with no one beside him.
"Ohayo Sakura-san" greeted Hinata.
"Ohayo…" she said "Did I sleep long?"
"No, you woke up only a few minutes after me" said Hinata "C'mon sit down and have some breakfast"
"Yeah" she sat down beside Neji and began indulging in the food given to them, simple fried fish with rice and tea.
"The captain said we'll get there in two hours" said Neji "We'll have to move quickly, Sasuke might've gone somewhere else by now. Here's the plan, two of us will ask around if anyone has seen him, while two of us will search in the forest. We'll meet at the inn at twelve midnight if we've had no luck"
"Got it" said Sakura.
"Hinata and Shino will ask around the village, Sakura and I will look in the forests and the outskirts" he said "If we find him anywhere send, convince him to come back. If each of us isn't back by twelve then we'll search for you, understood?"
They nodded in agreement. Two hours went by smoothly, they didn't find any trouble on their way there. Once they came to the Hidden Mist, they thanked the people who had brought them there and left their things at the inn. Shino and Hinata started asking around and at the same time looking for any suspicious movements in case Sasuke might've transformed himself, or even changed his appearance. Alas, no one has seen him so far. Did you really think it would be that easy to find Uchiha Sasuke?
We've been looking for five hours and no luck…thought Hinata as she switched on her Byakugan while she was on the roof of a house. She searched the place thoroughly, she didn't see anyone who was in a henge form or disguised. This is gonna be harder than I thought…
Shino had no better luck, he was already asking people and commanding his bugs to look for him everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Every nook, cranny, even inside trashcans, as if Sasuke would be in there but they could not let even just one clue pass by them or else it would be futile. If only Naruto hadn't messed up their mission a few years back, the on in which a certain bug was found to find Sasuke and trace him easily, but he ruined it badly.
"Excuse me, have seen this person?" Shino asked a woman in a purple kimono and brown hair, she looked at Sasuke's picture, back when he was only genin.
"Hmm…no…but he's cute, why are you looking for him?" she asked.
"I'm afraid that's classified" he put the picture back in his pocket "Thanks for you help"
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Two certain ninjas leaped through the trees of the Hidden Mist, Neji and Sakura were looking for any traces for Sasuke, even just a small strand of hair. Neji had his Byakugan on at all times, Sakura used her summoned slug to find Sasuke (She also learned the summoning technique from Tsunade here, I know some of you know she didn't but let's just pretend she did). She had hoped to see him today, she didn't want to wait any longer…wait, she gave up on him right? Why would she be expecting to see someone she doesn't…care…about…She shook her head and ignored the thoughts her inner self was giving her. Neji signaled Sakura to stop, she saw this and stopped, they hid behind one tree each and next Neji signaled her to look forward. A few meters away from them, they saw two beings walking in their direction. Both of them were dressed in black cloaks and had red clouds printed on them…
It couldn't be…Neji thought as he used his Byakugan. He knew these people, the same people they were asked to watch out for when they became Anbu members…
Akatsuki! Sakura slightly panicked, knowing these people were way beyond her capabilities. She hid behind the tree even more, fearing that Itachi may be on of those two, for she could never beat an advanced Sharingan user. Neji looked at her, she looked back at him as well, Neji's eyes told her something like "Don't do anything, stay calm"
She felt more comfortable seeing this from Neji's face. She calmed down a little and stayed down and tried to stay perfectly still, as much as she could. She felt their presence coming closer and closer, her skin began to show off major goose bumps as she felt the air from behind her neck…wait, behind her neck? She panicked and immediately looked behind her, she saw a dark figure sitting behind her from where she was hiding, she backed away and looked to where the Akatsuki members were headed, but they were gone. She looked in front of her, the dark figure had a long black cloak and a hood covering his head and face, so she could barely make out the features.
"Who are you!" she screamed, she looked to her side and saw Neji was also gone "What have you done to my friend?"
"Hm" he had a familiar voice to Sakura, but it didn't matter, she raised her fists and gave him a piercing look "I'm gonna ask you again, what did you do to my friend?"
"I didn't expect you to be actually like this…" he said.
"That's it!" she ran towards him, he didn't know about her true power though.
"Like a girl like you could actually…" he flew upwards and landed on his feet, sticking on a tree "What the…"
"Don't ever underestimate me…" she said "Who the hell are you?"
She's grown stronger…much more than I expected…he made a hand seal and said "In time…Sakura"
"What…?" she felt a piercing pain in her head as she clutched it, trying to ease the pain a little. It was a horrible feeling, she gathered her chakra in both her hands, now clutching tightly to her head, and healed herself a little. The technique worked, she gasped for air as she finished doing her jutsu. She looked up and saw it was nighttime…what had just happened?
"Sakura!" she heard someone call her name from behind, she saw her three other comrades approaching her.
"Sakura!" Neji, Hinata, and Shino all stood beside her looking worried.
"Sakura-chan, are you okay?" asked Hinata.
"Ye-yeah…why? What happened?"
"When we entered the forest, I suddenly lost track of you" said Neji "Especially since I was using my Byakugan"
"I…" she looked into her head for anything that had happened "I don't know exactly…the last thing I remember was seeing you Neji, and then…"
"What…?"
In time…Sakura. These words rang into her mind, she remembered the man she saw a while ago. Her thoughts were that he had cast an extremely strong genjutsu on her for her not to notice "N-nothing…nothing at all…"
What do you mean 'nothing'? her inner self screamed in her head.
"I see, we're headed back. Shino and I are going to check out the place a bit more, Hinata and you can rest. It'll be bad if something happened to you" said Neji as a suspicious look came from the corner of his eye.
"Sure, Hinata let's go" she said as she leaped away.
"Neji-niisan…" she whispered in a worried tone.
"Watch out for her" he whispered back.
"Got it" she followed Sakura back to the Hidden Mist. Currently they all had suspicions about Sakura now, all of them.
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They searched the Hidden Mist village for ten days straight, not even a stroke of luck had showered them. Nothing suspicious has happened, nothing, not even a clue. Sakura has felt less and less for Sasuke by the second, all she wanted now was to get this mission over with. Just as flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade, Sakura's blooming love for Sasuke was beginning to fade, ever so slowly. The thought that he had betrayed their country, the thought that he had killed others for this, the thought that Naruto was at the edge of death because of him, how could she say she still loved him, after all he has done? Confusion takes place, her mind questioning herself and vice-versa. How long shall she wait before she is released completely?
Sakura wondered the forest, for they will be traveling to the Tea Country next if they find nothing here. She leaped from tree to tree, looking for one last clue, a tiny little clue that might even lead them to him. Shino's bugs couldn't find him for some reason, Hinata and Neji's Byakugan were not even seeing him within any of the perimeters. So, this was the last day, yet of course a back-up plan was staying just in case he was still there.
"…" Sakura looked out to the cliff from the Hidden Mist, giving her a view of the whole village. Wind blew across her face and through her hair. The cold breeze told her that maybe, Sasuke was no longer here, at all. She used her chakra to sense him as best as she could…
C'mon Sakura…calm down…you can do this…she concentrated almost all her chakra in sensing him, yet, no luck I should just give up...wait a sec…
She picked up a very little sense of chakra near her, not too far, and not to near, but at a good distance, and very well hidden. She immediately threw a kunai in that direction as she turned with another kunai in hand to see who the perpetrator was.
"Who's there?" she said out loud "Answer!"
"Tsk, tsk, a little touchy…" a spine-chilling voice ran up her spine, the person, whoever he or she was, had a dark aura being emitted from this person. She let her mind wake up completely.
"Don't play with me, show yourself!" she spat out. Out of nowhere, she felt a hand run through her back, she panicked and turned around to see a man dressed in a black cloak, with red clouds, and he had the Sharingan.
"Sasuke-kun…?" she thought "No wait…your…Uchiha Itachi!" she backed away at a good distance as she prepared for a fighting stance.
"Do you really think you can beat me?" he said coldly.
"Hmph" she smirked "I won't know until I try"
Goddamnit! I'm saying too many stupid things! she thought.
"You're acquainted with Uzumaki Naruto right?" he asked her directly.
"What does it matter to you?"
"I just wanted to make a deal, either you help me get him, or…I'll take your life" he said threateningly.
"…" she didn't reply. She knew he was beyond her limits, but she had to try. She jumped in the air and threw kunai and shuriken at him, the weapons suddenly became surrounded by fire and aimed everywhere. And when it hit the ground…an explosion.
"Did I get him…?" she asked herself.
"You're naïve" a voice came from behind her and Itachi was soon behind her. A hand grasped her neck and her body was lifted up in the air at Itachi's eye level. She choked, he tightened his grip, but then she had placed her hands on his arm. He didn't flinch, suddenly she tightened her grip, and she had broken his bones thanks to her strength.
"Shit…" he muttered So this is what he meant by she's not to be looked down upon…he let go and she avoided him.
"I shouldn't have underestimated you" he said "From now on, it's serious"
"I wanted that from the beginning" she said.
Itachi ran towards her with full force, Sakura decided not to use ninjutsu or genjutsu at the moment, to avoid looking into his eyes. She lifted her leg up as high as she could and did an axe kick on the ground. The ground split in the middle and aimed at Itachi, he quickly avoided it and made a bunch of hand seals "Katon Housenka no Jutsu!"
Several fire balls aimed at Sakura, she did a bunch of hand seals as well and made her own jutsu. Chakra formed on her right hand and swallowed up the fireballs. Itachi winced and landed on the ground, he took out a kage shuriken and threw it Sakura, Sakura dodged it, but the problem was it kept coming back at her several times. It was like he had chakra strings to control its movements. He did another bunch of hand seals and made the kage shuriken blaze with fire. Sakura did her best to avoid it, but another problem appeared, he created copies of the shuriken. Sakura was almost cornered when…She stood with her mouth open, Itachi had stopped the shurikens and only one had stayed. He made it disappear, and soon. He turned his back on her.
"Hey! Get back here!" she demanded.
"We both know the conclusion of this fight…" he said he turned around, Magenkyou Sharingan filled his pupils "…and you will forget this"
"Get off her Itachi!" a voice came from nowhere, someone in a black cloak had appeared in front of Sakura "Touch her one more time and you're dead"
"I didn't touch her, Sasuke"
What? Sasuke? She thought.
"…today's not the day, little brother" a strong gust of wind came upon them, and Itachi disappeared in a bunch of leaves.
"Sakura are you alright-?" when Sasuke turned around Sakura had just given him a punch so hard he flew into a tree, and it snapped in half. He lifted his head up and looked at Sakura, with the same cold looks he had before. His hair had grown slightly longer, and he lost almost all of his baby fat. He grew some muscles, but not too much, once he looked cute, now he was just drop dead handsome.
"So much for a pleasant welcome" he said.
"Don't fuck with me!" she said "Did you expect I'd welcome you back with open arms? Did actually think that I would be happy to see you?"
"Sakura, I-"
"Shut up!" she said getting a kunai from her shuriken holster "I hate you so much Sasuke…I hate you for nearly killing Naruto…I hate you betraying the village…I hate for joining Orochimaru…I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" tears strolled down her cheeks as she began to cry.
"It was my mission to bring you back...alive" she held the kunai tighter "Even if I have to bring you two inches close to death"
A painful feeling shot up to Sakura, Sasuke punched her gut and made her fall in his arms.
"No…not again…" she muttered. Sasuke placed his finger on her back and looked for a spot below her neck, and pressed it as hard as he could. She fell asleep soon afterwards.
"I'm sorry…" he said as he laid her down by a tree. He looked at her features, a sensation built up in his chest. He gazed at her, she had grown into a beautiful young lady, her hair had re-grown to its original length, well a little longer. The memory of him leaving her with such hateful words must still be hurting her.
Sakura…I…I didn't mean any of those words I said to you. I defeated Orochimaru Sakura, I killed him completely…he thought I didn't leave you, I never left your side Sakura. None of you knew…there were times I visited Konoha…I never betrayed Konoha, I'd never do the same thing my brother did.
The truth is, Sasuke never left her side, ever. He would come to Konoha once a year, just to see Sakura. There was a truth to it, it is true he joined Orochimaru, but only solely for power, and power alone. His power has surpassed one of the great sanins, and even killed one of them. He could kill Itachi anytime he wanted, but the guilt slowly crept upon him during the years. He truly wanted his revenge more than anything, but now he wanted to see Sakura. He slowly placed the tip of his fingers on her cheeks, her soft and delicate skin felt warm underneath his cold fingertips. His cold gaze, a face that shows no emotions, but his eyes tells it all. He knew Konoha was searching for him, he wanted to go back, but not just yet. He took out a piece of paper and crumpled it up; he opened Sakura's hand and placed it in her hand. He took one last look, and finally, left.
Ah tenkiame no machi de
fui ni guuzen surechigau
Ah mioboe no aru SHATSU
masaka anata da nante
(Ah in a city that is raining
we meet unexpectantly by accident
Ah the shirt I've seen before
I didn't know it was you)
sou okubyou na watashi wa
jibun no koto shika mienakute
itsuka anata no yasashisa ni motare
amaeteta yo ne
(Yes, a very timid me
I could only see myself
Someday, I was held by your kindness and
I was spoiled by you)
kazoekirenai yoru o koete
taisetsu na mono ni kizuita
kitto kitto mou mayowanai
hitomi wa ima anata dake o miteru
(Passing countless nights
I noticed about something important
Probably, I won't get lost again
I am only looking at you now)
nee TORABURU mo nayami mo
zenbu anata ni wa hanaseta
Ah juwaki no mukou gawa
nukumori o kanjiteta
(Troubles and problems
If I could tell you everything
Ah on the other side of the phone
I felt warmth)
mou gairoju no hikari ga
"daijoubu" to senaka oshiteru
sotto kizuite kureru you ni
akai kasa o yurashita
(The outlining light
Pushes me saying "it's okay"
Just like noticing slowly
The red umbrella was shook)
tsugi no SHIGUNARU kawaru mae ni
watashi kara koe o kakenakya
kimochi dake ga kakedashiteku
mizutamari hajiite
konna ni hiroi sora no shita de
kamisama ga kureta guuzen
nagai nagai tomadoi kara
nurikaetai kore kara no kisetsu o
(Before the next signal changes
I have to call him first
Only my feelings are running out
Splashing the puddles
Under this broad sky
The coincidence that god gave
From the long, long confusion
I want to change the seasons now)
SHIGUNARU kawaru mae ni
watashi kara koe o kakenakya
kimochi dake ga kakedashiteku
mizutamari hajiite
kazoekirenai yoru o koete
taisetsu na mono ni kizuita
kagayakidasu keshiki no naka
chikazuiteku massugu ni anata e
(Before the next signal changes
I have to call him first
Only my feelings are running out
Splashing the puddles
Passing countless nights
I noticed about something important
In the shining sight
Getting closer, straight to you)
The End
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KLiC: Damn it! Another short chapter! I gotta make the next one longer…I can't take this, I'm losing a lot of inspiration. Oh yeah, I'm really sorry for not updating soon enough. I got caught up in school and I had a lot of things to study for, a lot seriously. School is evil, too evil, even more evil than me. Never mind, anyway thanks for helping me in this fan fic with the deciding and stuff. I promise I'll try and update as soon as possible.
Signing out
"Chapter Three: Parcourez"