Someone Screaming
Alternate Story – Dim Light
Ayane Selznick
Naruto halted once again. Neji and the others felt awkward by his sudden pauses. They didn't know what their teammate was thinking but by looking at his trembling eyes, they knew for certain that something was up.
"Naruto." The captain of the search party called to wake up the blonde's senses.
And fortunately he did for he saw how Naruto jerked on his position. Said person looked back on the team and then locked his eyes to Neji.
"Sorry, I thought I felt something."
Then the dog masked member of the team noticed how his dog scampered into him. Akamaru must have sensed something, too.
"Neji, Akamaru detected a certain amount of Chakra…"
All eyes landed on the dog while Kiba was scrutinizing what the dog has to elaborate.
"What does he say, Kiba-kun?" The trained Medic Nin asked softly when she landed down beside him.
"An evil yet familiar Chakra was detected close by. We're not far from the target."
Naruto looked ahead, now his senses proved to him that their target…rather familiar sickening Chakra was within their range. He narrowed his eyes further and heard Neji commanded them to move faster.
Now that the large Akatsuki was eliminated, the young Uchiha's lust for blood hasn't ended there yet. When he turned around, he took notice of the other Akatsuki who fled away for her dear life. Looking for anyone alive, he captured the presence of the pink haired kunoichi who had landed quickly to the ground.
When he looked straight to her eyes, he could only see fear.
Fear…
Yes… fear me… fear me for I shall kill you!
Then he walked towards her and she instinctively walked backwards when he noticed his presence coming towards her.
No… it can't be… Her eyes widened in full shock when Sasuke didn't stop walking towards her location, pace never changing. The power of the Cursed Seal… it's corrupting his mind! Again, she backed away when she took notice of their close proximity and the very evident objective that Sasuke was into.
Lust for blood…
Right at this moment, all she could hear was her heart beating fast… and his footsteps drawing near.
No… Sasuke… please… don't…
Soon she could feel his presence very well for he was just standing face to face with her as she was helplessly blocked off by the trunk of the tree behind her. She shut her eyes completely, scared of what he would do to her and how he looked at her.
"If…if you wish to kill me… then do it…" She said otherwise, trying to sound as if she wasn't scared at all.
Then what happened next surprised her…
With immediate vanishing lust of blood and evil Chakra, Sasuke was completely immobile as he was clinging to his consciousness. Too tired to have an argument with her, he extended his hand to her shoulder to look at him.
And when she did, she only saw the tired eyes of Uchiha Sasuke.
"Why…why would I kill you?"
Then that moment, he was in complete darkness… as what Sakura preferred as dreamless sleep for Sasuke just fainted to her.
All was silence other than the flames burning and scorching against the dry woods used to make fire. Crickets and some insects sounded everywhere. It may seem very peaceful for nothing was heard other than the nature's natural noise during night.
Slowly opening her eyes, she immediately notice the warmth those flames had sent her. Struggling to get back her vision, she also noticed the dark surrounding to her front.
Forest… I'm in the forest… Then it dawned to her as flashbacks of what happened earlier came to her mind.
She sat up quickly and looked around only to see Sasuke sleeping quietly beside the two equipped ninjas. Her eyes widened when she noticed them having a familiar tattoo on their left arm.
Konoha…
"You're up." Said a familiar voice from behind to which she quickly turned around only to find herself smiling back to him.
"Naruto…" She muttered while watching the blonde haired Jounin walking towards her with a grin plastered to his face.
"Sakura-san…" Then another shy voice to which she did recognize as the voice of the Hyuuga heiress.
Her smile grew wider when they went out of the darkness only to flash their smiles back to her.
"Naruto… Hinata…" Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes as she stood up and hugged her loud-mouth teammate.
Naruto was taken aback by her sudden action but due to his longing to see her friend safe and sound and missed her greatly as well, he didn't hold back and hugged her tightly.
"Sakura…chan… I thought… I thought…"
Sakura knew for certain that Naruto was struggling not to cry in front of her. But to think of the possibilities while she was gone, she knew that he had a hard time taking in the report that she was missing. She knew that he's not the type of person who would easily give up and lose all his hope. That's because he trusted them so much.
She hugged him tightly and rubbed his back up and down.
"It's alright Naruto… I'm okay now…"
Then out of nowhere, someone ruined Naruto's moment when he said, "So Naruto the dead-last turned crybaby all of a sudden?"
That earned some chuckles and giggles from the members of the team, including Sakura maybe. After having a little fight with Kiba, Naruto returned to Sakura. The pink haired kunoichi however noticed the known silence of Hyuuga Neji who was sitting on the ground with his back slackened on the tree behind him, while…well maybe, thinking of something.
"I see, so Tsunade-sama sent you?" She asked more to Naruto when she continuously glancing all over the small camp.
Naruto nodded but he abruptly darted his eyes to the sleeping Uchiha. "Sakura-chan about Sasuke—"
She immediately cut him off, "I will discuss this matter with Hokage-sama. Neji-san," she called the captain of the team and inquired, "How are you going to bring Sasuke back to Konoha?"
Neji slowly opened his eyes only to reveal his white eyes staring back at her and said "Seal him with another type of binding technique and maybe not waking him up."
Sakura looked to Sasuke's sleeping form and pitied, "No, consider waking him up but seal his Chakra channels. That way he wouldn't escape."
That earned a little shock from Naruto.
"Sakura-chan." He called but Sakura didn't notice him as she walked towards the traitor of the Leaf.
She continued talking, "I don't want him to be held as a captive… but it is necessary. The Hokage-sama had given her orders years ago concerning Sasuke and I don't have the right to disobey it…even if it means killing this emotion that suddenly stirred in me."
"Sakura-san," The other member of Neji's troop earned her attention, "did this man hurt you?"
Sakura shook her head slowly and turned her back as she went towards her latter position, "Actually he saved me…twice."
The next day, Uchiha Sasuke felt the strong ray of sunlight beamed his face. Grunting because of irritation from sudden wake up call, he grudgingly opened his eyes only to notice shadows loomed over him. He didn't think twice when he quickly up and glared at the shadows who he presumed was ninjas.
"You're awake." The tall one said while looking down at him.
Sasuke was still a little blind from the abrupt effect of sunlight to which he squint his eyes, scrutinizing the man in front of him.
"What you do you want?" It wasn't a question just mere emotionless statement. He's not a morning person to begin with so they guessed he's having his morning temperamental condition.
"Get your ass up. We're going home."
Then all of a sudden he attempted to jump back. He was held by some strong strings from behind that caused him to stumble with his bottom on the ground. Panicking he rolled to his left only to be covered by another shinobi.
"Who are you people?" He gritted his teeth as well as having his eyesight back.
And as soon as he got his eyes clear, he narrowed it to the person who was walking towards him.
Noticing the ANBU uniform and the trademark Konoha insignia on their arms his eyes widened in great surprise.
"Welcome back, Sasuke-teme."
"Naruto…" He growled while the said person looked directly to Sasuke's Sharingan eyes.
Everyone was surprised to see Naruto's eyes hold nothing but coldness. They all think of him as the loud mouth ninja, a bubbly one as well as the optimistic one.
But right at this moment, the Naruto they're looking at was not the Naruto they've known for years.
"We didn't come here to execute you. We came here to find Sakura-chan. It was my request."
The pink haired kunoichi was not in the mood to enter any verbal argument so she stayed quiet at one corner while bandaging the last wound she received from yesterday's battle.
The blonde hair Jounin continued, "Unfortunately, she stumbled with you. We considered dragging you back to Konoha since Hidden Sound was abolished."
Came an obvious, quick retort. "I'm not returning to Konoha."
Before Naruto hit Sasuke, the ANBU Captain held his arm and glared at the Uchiha captive.
"You're coming with us whether you like it or not. I've closed your major Chakra channels for you not to interrupt our mission." To give a decent threat, the Hyuuga Captain's eyes turned dangerously as his Byakugan activated, "You will be interrogated in our headquarters. Once we find out that you're lying, we won't hesitate to kill you."
Ridiculous as it may seem, the Uchiha just smirked at him. "Threatening me under this circumstance is the act of a coward."
"You're one pathetic fool, Uchiha." Neji turned his back to captive as he commanded his troop to gather up.
"So are you…" Sasuke muttered, challenged.
The two ANBU who were his guard helped him stand up and pushed him to start walking. While doing so, he slowly turned his head towards his left only to see the pink haired kunoichi's eyes looking ahead and bearing nothing but stoic expression.
Damn it... His anger erupting even by thinking the girl whom he thought loved him so much would betray him in the end. He thought that she was just a bait to lure him back to Konoha.
Yes, he didn't believe what Neji or Naruto said… He only thinks that Sakura lured him.
Heavy footsteps could be heard by eight people who was on their way back to their home. The ANBU captain had sent the fastest hawk back to Konoha to announce their arrival as well as escorting the traitor back to where he should belong.
No one dared to open up a topic noticing how the atmosphere was changed after reclaiming Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke back to the hands of Konoha. In front were Sakura and Naruto. Both of which didn't dare looking back to where Sasuke was held by two ANBU members. Hinata and Kiba scouted the area, roaming around to have the shortest way of getting back to their village. Hyuuga Neji, who was the captain of the troop, walked behind the captive and his guards. He was on a lookout if some group of thieves would suddenly show up for an ambush.
All ANBU members have transmitter. Hinata and Kiba would be heard reporting every now and then. Neji would simply command them to continue if everything was normal.
Noticing the atmosphere within the group, Naruto decided to inquire Sakura's troops.
"Sakura-chan," he called out.
"Mm?"
"Your teammates, where are they?" Naruto didn't dare to look back at her for he knew how disappointed she was when it comes to a successful mission but losing a number of people.
"We're ambushed. I'm the only one who made it alive."
Neji decided to butt in, "How could a renowned Medical Kunoichi fail to save her teammates?"
She thought he was insulting her, but then again, who would not thought that her team was killed while she was on duty?
"The Captain was stubborn. He didn't listen to me. He was confident to head on with his team seriously wounded from a previous battle." The way she reported her team's failure was like nothing new. Did she finally awaken her cold side?
She continued, "Actually, we could've made it alive if not for the sudden arrival of Akatsukis."
Upon mentioning the name of the organization, all of them that surrounds the captive, felt him tense up.
"Then before I could get a shelter another ambush came."
Neji could only smirk at the sudden thought in his head, "I told you to dye your hair. They're attracted to it."
"I wonder…" Sakura rolled her eyes at the Hyuuga's sudden antic.
By then, Naruto smiled half heartedly to them.
In Konoha, shinobis would appear every now and then to report every single mission that they've accomplish. For some, they would report for their presence to get another mission.
Konoha has been known as one of the powerful countries alive in the Shinobi history. Clients would usually call for the Hokage to seek escort as they travel from one place to another. Some would hire them to rescue people from the hands of villain persons.
The number of clients had dramatically increased day by day. And the Hokage was proud of every single Shinobi who did their task perfectly. Konoha ninjas are the most trusted ninjas in the land.
That morning, the Godaime, Tsunade-sama, was busy scribbling letters to answer a client's request. She had been busy the entire month and she hasn't found any rest. Sighing, she finished writing and set both the ink and brush aside. She relaxed her back on her chair, while she set aside all the business just so to ease the headache she'd been experiencing.
Well… I'm getting older and older everyday… I get tired easily… She looked down to the Hokage's table drawer and pulled it. Her eyes softened when she looked at the keepsake the Hokage kept for so long. I'm doing the right thing, right Sarutobi-sensei?
She smiled a sad smile and gently pushed the drawer. Seconds later, she heard the succession of footsteps coming in her room. She did hope it's not an emergency.
BANG!
With loud opening of the door, a panting woman appeared in front of the Hokage.
"Shizune…" She called in one of her laziest tone, "what's the rush?"
The woman was panting yet the Hokage took notice of the small note she's been clutching when she came.
"Hokage-sama…" She inhaled and exhaled, "Hyuuga Neji and his troop found Haruno Sakura within the Earth Country's territory."
"Wonderful." She said with her eyes smiling back at Shizune who hasn't been smiling all the time. The Hokage noticed her look, "What else?"
"Hai." She sighed after recovering from immediate running from one section of the tower to another. "They have Uchiha Sasuke."
The Godaime's expression changed upon hearing the name of the brat who left the village.
"They're heading back in two days." Shizune added.
"Alert the guards in all sectors of each gate. Do not let civilians see him."
"Hai!" At her command, Shizune disappeared with a puff of smoke.
Tsunade leaned on her table, her hands under her chin.
As expected from the report… Shikamaru was right. She narrowed her eyes. He needs to be interrogated.
Once she had her decision, she called her messenger to find the ANBU Interrogation Squad.
At day one, nothing has been suspicious of Sasuke. He remained sitting at one corner being guarded by Neji's members. Every now and then, Sakura would check up on the team but when it comes to Sasuke, the young man would simply say he's fine or he didn't need any of her treatments.
Sakura would look at him as if asking him what's wrong but because he was the stubborn type, he chose to ignore her and would look away.
Naruto had been watching them from time to time and he knew what's forming inside Sasuke's head. After the interaction between his old teammates, Naruto decided to pay him a small talk.
"Oi bastard." He started while looking straightly at the Missing Nin who had his back slackened on a tree.
Sasuke didn't even spare a look to his old, ex-teammate. Not even a single grunt to acknowledge him.
"I know what you're thinking."
"So?"
Naruto wanted to let out his frustration towards the Uchiha but then again, he's matured enough to be able to control his childhood anger. And so, he chose to glare at his rival.
"She didn't lure you in whatever ways you are thinking. You're the one who's stupid enough to reveal yourself after so many years."
Sasuke returned the glare, "I have no intention of revealing my person to you people." He growled and then glared at the person that they were debating. "I never intended to stay with her."
Sakura froze slightly in her place while she was checking up on the captain. She knew that Sasuke was talking behind her and his verbal blows were digging into her pride already. Fortunately, Neji noticed her slightly forming anger.
He put his right hand over her left shoulder. Sakura looked up to him.
"He's an asshole, alright. I'll ask the Godaime to find a disciplinary committee to teach him manners."
The pink haired Medic Nin smiled at him as she resumed checking up his system. "Do as you wish…"
On day two, Neji's team had passed the Fire Country's border, which was a mile or two before they see the Konoha's tall gates. There were no encounters ever since they were dispatched.
Sakura and Sasuke encountered battles together and those days weren't enough for them to get back their energy. On the contrary, their bodies have matured and experienced and exposed in the battlefield to which their system would easily revitalize from any previous battle.
They bore the same strange atmosphere as the legendary team seven did not speak to each other. Naruto would simply talk to Hinata or insult Kiba or some time he would ask Neji for any future missions. Sakura remained quiet. Sometimes she would glance at the captive only to receive a glare.
She sighed.
It has been like this from the past hours of walking then some time later, Hinata reported.
"Neji-nii-san a Konoha Nin greeted us. He wants to you speak with you."
"Aa." He gave a certain look to the team which surrounds the captive. Then he simply disappeared with a puff of smoke.
Hinata and Kiba returned to the party as Neji told them to do so. Naruto greeted them with a fake smile and started walking. The silent Medic Nin took the position of her cousin as she activated her Byakugan.
Sasuke-san had been quiet for sometime and I think that's because he's experiencing dizziness to which I'm sure he'll pass out later…
Indeed, after Neji closed all his major Chakra channels, Sasuke had been quiet. He had been trying to retrieve his stamina to stay awake but the more they walk the long road back home, his stamina reduces. He didn't want to show it to everybody but the two Hyuugas and the Medic Nin herself knew exactly what he's experiencing.
Some time later, the captain arrived.
"We'll have to take the west gate straight to the Hokage Tower." He stared at Sasuke, "Hokage-sama requested not to let the civilians see the captive."
All his team members nodded as they continue to walk towards the said gate.
While trudging the narrow road going to the west gate, Sasuke noticed the number of shinobis watching them pass by. He knew that his escorts had noticed them and since they're all from Konoha, nobody will dare attack them. Even if they knew he was a traitor but being escorted, none of them would recklessly pay him back.
However, what could possibly happen when he set his foot in his home?
To be continued…
Author's Note: See what happened? The difference from the first story? They were on time! However, aren't they a little too testy to him? You'll find out how they're going to control themselves now that Sasuke had turned more bastard than ever. I hope I could make you understand why he was like that though.
Next chapter would be… Sasuke's arrival in Konoha!
Author's Response:
Prizz - You're flattering me (blushes) thank you for the comment/review and support (hugs) Yes dear she won't die I assure you.
angel-puppeteer - I don't want this one to be separated from the first. Although it's an alternate. Bah! I'm just confused that's it. This story? Well consider it long or somewhat.. can't tell yet though xp Naruto ata pina-aga na mga 5 pm (or katapat ng Full Metal Alchemist). Don't worry about the ending. Even if I don't blurt out the obvious, I won't spill anything xp About Itachi.. OF COURSE! BIASED eh! HAHAHAHA!
aPplecHeRrY - Magaling ka naman siguro no? n-n Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter even though napaka-mahigpit ng grupo nina Neji. May pagka-hints of NejiSaku nga lang pero... hindi sila!
shinn - Summoning ba nilagay ko? Paq hindi summoning yon! xp
Shinobi Darkbeak - Thank you so much for your support and reviews! I really appreciated it!
cocoa-latte - Weee yeah dear you're right! Hopefully you liked this one too!