"You know the oxygen masks on airplanes? I don't think there's really any oxygen. I think they're just to muffle the screams"-Rita Rudner(found on THE LORD KYUUBY NO KITSUNE's profile.)
Running through the building Sakura had one mission, ignoring the ache still pulsing in her head as she searched for her love. 'Sasuke-kun where are you?' she thought anxiously as she sprinted through a corridor of doors, brushing away the looks bearing into her as she passed the rooms.
'If he's not here…' Sakura ran up the last flight of stairs, panting heavily as she pushed onward, almost collapsing into the next hallway. Blinking the spots danced before her eyes as her hand rested on the wall, her fingernails scratching at the surface as she tried to hold to it.
"You." Sakura's head snapped up, her eyes pausing before they trained on the group standing before her. Before her stood three people, one whom she recognized to be the girl she roomed with. 'Tinari? Tenari? Temari?' Name evaded her as she regarded the blonde and her companions.
Dressed in all black and dangled with a few chains, stood another boy, his eyes darkened by make up and she noticed with slight surprise the make up trailed over his face in simple patterns and over his lips. 'Make up on a guy?' She blinked and looked to the final member.
Immediately she noticed his tuft of fiery red hair before slowly moving her eyes to stare at his. Chilling teal matched her, chips of ice forcing away her curiosity as he gaze away nothing. Shadows rimmed his eyes although she couldn't tell if it was make-up or fatigue.
"What are you doing here?" The girl spoke, hands on her hips as she regarded Sakura suspiciously.
"I-I'm looking for someone. My boyfriend, Sasu-"
"Uchiha?" The boy clad in black spoke up in disbelief before glancing at his red-headed companion. "Wouldn't have thought he'd show up again after that fight, right Gaara?" Sakura blinked, eyebrows raised in confusion.
"Shut up." Gaara replied coldly. Sakura watched as the boy stiffened under the remark but obliged, his wary glances at Gaara clear as he stepped back.
"What fight? Did he get in a fight? Have you seen him?" Sakura replied a hand clutching at her shirt as her eyes extended in suspense.
"Gaara and he got in a fight at Gideon once." Temari replied after an elongated pause. "And no," her eyes hardened upon Sakura, bearing into her like a boulder. "We haven't seen him." Sakura managed a quiet nod, her eyes shifting over each person. Without a word Gaara turned and Sakura noticed the large tan backpack.
'I wonder what's in that…' she thought to herself as she studied the backpack as he started to walk away, the others following quietly like puppies. Sakura sighed, her eyes dropping to stare at the ground in defeat. 'Where is he?'
"You." Sakura's head shot up again as she saw the girl peeking over her shoulder, standing confidently. A hand rose and she pointed down. "Saw him leaving." She smirked, eyes sparking in apparent amusement at Sakura's shocked and horrified reaction. 'He left?'
Her feet stumbled, tripping over each other as she scrambled for the stairs. Skipping steps she raced down the stairs, jumping onto the landings and pushing against her shaking knees as she would continue downwards.
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Emiko stood calmly, her arms folded and her eyes downcast as she stared vacantly at the ground. Blood spread it's tentacles across the floor, splatters smeared across the floor like an unwanted tattoo. Naruto rushed forward, air swishing around her as he appeared before her beaming.
"Come on we have to find Sakura-chan!" Naruto declared loudly, grinning broadly as he jumped away from her, waving his arms energetically.
"Naruto I can't go fast and I'm exhausted." Emiko muttered, her mood fouled by the sores all over her body. Hearing the words Naruto's face dropped to one of pure sadness and disappointment. Emiko groaned, closing her eyes as she tried to ignore the look.
"Fine." She relinquished and Naruto let out a loud whoop of success. 'Never mind the fact that I'm beyond tired and beaten,' she thought to herself as she opened her eyes and followed Naruto to the stairs.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted. Emiko's eyebrows furrowed as she scowled, fingers rubbing her temples as the shout played like a speaker to her head ache. Too exhausted too reprimand him for being loud Emiko stayed silent, lagging behind as he began to jog eagerly up the stairs.
"Naruto!" Eyes snapped open into attention as Emiko recognized the girl running down the stairs. A few steps away from the landing Sakura jumped and landed weakly before them, breathing heavily and gasping for more air as she collapsed before them.
"Sasuke-kun left." Emiko's eyes widened, her hands shaking as she listened. Naruto's fingers clenched into a fist as his sides as his eyes fell into shadow, his lip quivering in anger. Sakura gasped and tilted her head to stare at them, her deep green eyes shaking in pain as she searched their faces.
"Left the building?" Emiko finally spoke. Sakura only managed to nod and Emiko dropped her shoulders, slouching as though weighed with the sky upon her shoulders.
'If he left…we're probably disqualified…' Her hand curled into a fist and her eyes flitted up to Sakura's before traveling to Naruto's furious expression. 'This was an important chance…and he had to leave,' the words echoed in her thoughts, fury dripping from the letters, blowing away the ashes of any other thoughts. Pain disappeared to be replaced with the anger raging like a temperamental ocean inside her.
"Why would he leave?" Emiko muttered, restraining the urge to curse him. 'This was our chance! And he left! Why?' Sakura stood slowly, accepting Naruto's extended hand to help herself to her feet while she tried to explain.
"I came after Naruto and I were separated; there was some guy in the room with Sasuke-kun." Shivers tickled up her spine as she spoke. "He talked to Sasuke-kun said he could help him become powerful enough to kill his brother." Naruto's eyes widened, having never heard the story and he shot a glance at Emiko to see she was regarding the wall with interest. "He might have gone with him."
"What do we do now?" Sakura whispered desperately, her eyes searching her friends for a cushion of comfort and determination, something to show her it would be alright. Emiko finally dragged her head up and met Sakura's gaze softly, sadness pooling in the irises as she offered a small smile.
'What do we do? He left, we'll be disqualified.' Brief anger swelled before her imagination burst forth, playing pictures of Sasuke in her head like a painful slide show in her mind. She sighed. 'We can't leave him though. If he's doing something stupid we should stop him. He could be in danger.'
"We'll go after him."
