The Three Sacred Treasures

Seichuu no Katana, Kaichou no Kagami, Chiyu no Magatama

(Sword of Loyalty, Mirror of Unity, Jewel of Healing)

Pierce of Valor, Reflection of Wisdom, Shine of Benevolence

Part One

Identity Lost

Chapter Five

Golden Orbs of Ringed Fire

Naruto panted, his pack dragging on the floor.

"Hurry up, Naruto." Sakura called to him, "You're dragging us behind!"

"My pack's too heavy…" Naruto complained.

"No one told you to pack so much." Kitsunata said.

Suzuko chatted amiably with the escort, a young woman with brown hair and eyes.

"Here, let me help." Ryuusei lifted the pack easily and walked on.

Naruto blinked and shouted, "I don't need a girl to help me with my things!"

"Sure seemed that way." Sasuke said coolly from up front.

Naruto glared at him. From amongst the forest, golden eyes watched them in secrecy, tracking their moves. The person who owned these orbs smiled. In a flash of golden thunder, the spy was gone.

Shina looked deep in thought as their team walked forward, in a formation around the four escorts they were to bring. She was at the end. Taura trailed behind a bit, "What's wrong with you?" She asked crudely.

Shina side glanced at Taura, "You're out of formation."

"That's not the answer."

"It's none of your business." Shina said.

"And they say I'm colder than ice." Taura commented, "What is it, Shina? Thinking about your little crush Kiba?"

Shina looked surprised. With a blush upon her face, Shina shouted, "Shut up! You don't know anything! You're just like you always were at the academy, even after two years. Always playing jokes and pranks on everyone."

"Yes, and you are exactly the same too. TOO SERIOUS. I mean, get real. If you want him to like you, have a little fun. Just go with it!"

"No, Taura." Shina said, "That's your style, and I'm not one of your academy followers who were exact clones of YOU!"

Taura turned away, a grin on her face, arms shrugged in submission, "So I was popular. What's your point?"

"Just forget it." Shina said.

"That's what you always say. Not everyone can just simply forget it. After all, we are just human."

"Go hit your head on a tree." Shina said.

"How very rude," Taura taunted. "Don't you know anything about manners? Now are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Why do you want to know."

"Just answer me!"

Shina sighed, "Last night, when we were finally able to cross the border and into the Land of Earth, when we were going to bed, I collected the wood, remember?"

"Yeah, what about?"

"I say this pair of eyes." Shina said.

"Eyes?"

"Yeah. They were yellow…No gold. They were ringed with red, like a demon's."

"You're sure you saw these eyes?" Taura asked.

Shina nodded.

"Kinda like those." Taura pointed into the forest, where those gold orbs were. The owner suddenly darted away.

"What the hell?" Shina shouted.

"Sssh!" Taura said, "You don't want to scare the escorts!"

"We have to tell Kyoshi or Kurenai!" Shina stated.

Taura nodded in agreement, "But tonight."

"Why tonight?"

"Cause, these are our last escorts. We don't want them knowing that the entire time there was a possibility that they were being followed!"

"Please tell me we're not lost?" Ino stated.

Kentaro chuckled, "It just looks that way, Ino. Calm down. We will be perfectly fine. Look, we just have to keep walking straight, and we'll hit border by sunset."

"Okay, good." Ino sighed in relief.

Nariko walked quietly alongside Takara and Ino. Shikamaru watched Nariko and Takara talk.

"What's wrong, Nariko." Takara asked in her usual growl like tone.

Nariko shook her head.

"You can tell me." Takara said.

A tear shed from Nariko before she hastily wiped it away.

"I'm hungry!" Choji complained.

"Here," Kentaro pulled a package of non-fat potato chips from his pack, "Eat these."

"Thanks!" Choji exclaimed, taking the bag graciously and immediately starting on it.

'He thinks of everything.' Sarutobi thought to himself.

He stared for a long time at a specific spot in the brush that he'd thought shined gold.

"Bye!" Yanagi and Marise waved to the last of their escorts.

"Now all that is left is to find the scroll." Guy said to Tsuyu.

Tsuyu nodded, "Easier said then done."

"Yanagi," Neji said, "Let's go."

Yanagi turned to her brother and said, "Okay. Come on Marise."

"Coming." Marise answered cheerfully.

'Yanagi listens to every word Neji tells her to do.' Lee thought to himself, 'Why?'

Tenten's precise eyes caught a flash of gold in the brush. She looked closer and found that there was no one.

Kitsunata sat with her back against a tree. It was night, and they were just leaving the village. Just one more escort, and they could leave to find the scroll. She flipped between pages of her album, the one with good pictures.

"You miss her don't you, Kogitsune." Sasuke said, sitting down next to her.

"Of course I do." Kitsunata answered.

Sakura, who sat by the fire at the middle of the camp, threw Kitsunata an envious look.

"This really isn't my field." Sasuke said.

"I know."

"I'm the one who doesn't want to see my sibling."

"I know, Sasuke, about Itachi and his horrors." Kitsunata said. "Don't worry about it…"

'Why does she get to hang around with Sasuke?' Sakura thought.

"Yeah, but I can't not worry." Sasuke said, "If this keeps going on the way it is…"

"Honestly, Sasuke don't worry about me." Kitsunata said.

"Kogitsune…Fine."

"I'm going to go get some more firewood." Suzuko said to them, "We could use some more."

"Alright." Ryuusei said, "Want me to come with you?"

"No, I'll be fine."

Suzuko walked into the forest, walking around the area looking for fallen limbs. It was beautiful and absolutely silent. She gracefully walked amongst the trees on this serene night, her attention no longer on firewood. It was now on the stars and night sky. They enchanted her. Something moved amongst the shadows, but she didn't seem to notice.

Golden orbs appeared somewhere in the brush and watched Suzuko's majestic figure as she began an elegant dance. Suzuko seemed to be dancing for the sky. She smiled. Then, in a sudden movement, she stopped, her eyes trained upon the golden orbs.

"Hello." Suzuko said, "You've been watching my team and I for quite some time now, haven't you?"

The owner of the eyes tried to leave, but found that it was impossible with Suzuko's eyes upon them.

"If you want to be friends I would accept." Suzuko said cheerfully, "If you are hungry, you're welcome to come join my friends and I back at camp."

The owner shook her/his head.

"Yeah, my friends might attack you." Suzuko said.

Suzuko analyzed the person's eyes, saying, "You have golden eyes like a hawk's. You are extremely precise. The red ring around your irises…Signifies fire, or love. Are you in love with someone? It also signifies warmth, like a fire burning warmly next to you. But theirs is also something else. A tint of blue, sadness…It's very small because you don't think a lot on what makes you sad, do you?"

Her voice faltered, "Huh…What?"

"It's true." Suzuko said, "If you need someone to talk to, I'd be more than happy to talk to you."

Suzuko turned towards the sky, then back at the girl of whom she'd been talking with. However, she was gone. Suzuko smiled to herself.

"They're all still on escort missions." 'Koji' said to Itachi.

"Good work." Itachi answered.

"Finding the scrolls may take a while." 'Koji' stated.

Itachi waved it off, "Let them find the scrolls. Take them from them when they find the scrolls. For now, just simply track them."

"As you wish, Itachi." 'Koji' said.

"Shall we move to the next town? I'm getting bored here."

"I am yours to command." 'Koji' said. "You know of the rumors they speak most of now?"

"Let them talk. We shall see how many different rumors they have come up with."

'Something about that Suzuko Hikari…' "Koji" thought, 'She…Saw right through me…With just a simple analyze of my eyes. But…How? How can this be?'

To Be Continued...
Next Time, On The Three Sacred Treasures...

Suzuko –

Kakashi and Kitsunata's team head back to Konoha to retrieve their last escort. She is the daughter and only heir to the main house of a large clan from the Land of the Sea. But on their way into Konoha, they meet a young boy, left behind from the Chunin Exams.
As they struggle towards the Land of the Sea, Sasuke finds that, as he spends more time with her, memories of Kitsunata become harder and harder to remember…He is afraid that he is beginning to forget…

A lost child will always find their way home.

Next Time, Journey Across Land, Quest Against Time