Have you ever chapter 17

Have you ever been in love?

Been in love so bad

You'd do anything to make them understand

Have you ever had someone steal your heart away?

You'd give anything to make them feel the same

Have you ever searched for words to get you in their heart?

But you don't know what to say

And you don't know where to start


Kawa no Kuni = Land of Rivers

Tanigakure no Sato = Hidden Village of the Valleys

Yu no Kuni = Land of Hot Springs

Yugakure no Sato = Hidden Village of Hot Springs

Shimo no Kuni = Land of Frost

Shimogakure no Sato = Hidden Village of Frost

Kai = Break (free from genjutsu techniques)

Akasuna no Sasori = Red Sand Sasori

Niji= Rainbow


Kawa no Kuni, six days later.

As Orochimaru gritted his teeth, he stared into the distance. It had been six days since they left Oto. Their destination should have already been reached by now. The twins appeared to enjoy provoking battles the most. Once they detected a powerful enough ninja approaching, a battle would begin. Normally, the Sanin would try to order them. Ukon seemed to have more control than normal; his strength had increased tenfold. Snake-man could not observe them properly. There must be a logical explanation for this change. To find out the answer, Orochimaru would have to wait until the whole thing was over.

The small group had just crossed the border into Kawa no Kuni. Orochimaru was furious. The group had lost two days. As a result, the sanin came to believe the twins were trying to drive him crazy. Orochimaru wouldn't give them satisfaction, he'd keep them around until they found Sasuke. They were needed to battle the Uchiha. Once that's done, he'd let them go. Those twins could turn against him if they found out. Although snake-man was not worried, he knew that his strength contained a significant amount of skill unknown to the majority. In the event that the brothers turned against him. So, he would have to kill them like a dog that is too sick to be useful. Orochimaru accelerated without hesitation. His patience was wearing thin. Before leaving camp, he checked his scroll to see where Sasuke was. The young Uchiha was still in Yu no Kuni, much to his surprise. In addition, he was not near their hidden village of Yugakure no Sato. Sasuke appeared to be out in the middle of nowhere and hadn't moved for three days ago.

What could the Uchiha be doing in the middle of nowhere? Orochimaru realized that it was possible that the jinchuriki had survived the battle, and that Sasuke had him in his hands. He remembered well his surprise when his former protégé had participated in the fight. Not against the blonde, but against him. Would the Uzumaki have been able to persuade the heir to return willingly to the village? Would he surrender his revenge? The snake-man could not believe it, the hatred, the resentment was deeply rooted in his being. Omachimaru had worked hard to keep Sasuke's emotions deeply ingrained. He could not imagine that the jinchuriki could offer the Uchiha anything more satisfying. As he looked over his shoulder, he could see the brothers not far behind. Orochimaru waved his hand and ordered a stop, and the twins arrived near him minutes later.

"Why do we have to stop?"

His tone was irritated, which was unusual for him. The two brothers must have argued, according to Orochimaru.

"We have arrived. The door is directly in front of us."

"Relase!"

Suddenly, a huge door appeared in front of the three men. Orochimaru calmly walked towards it. The door moved as he was about to open it, revealing a man with a shark-like face, blue skin, and sharp teeth.

"What are you doing here, Orochimaru?"

The Kiri nukenin's tone was not pleasant. It appeared that the nukenin was not pleased with the presence of the former sanin.

"I know where Kyûbi is located, Kisame."

He looked at him without saying a word. Instead, he turned towards Sakon and Ukon.

"How about them?"

"They are with me."

For a long time, the two nukenins stared at each other. Both brothers watched the scene with a barely contained smile on their faces. They felt like they were watching a cockfight. These brothers were here to fight Sasuke. Ukon had decided they would only intervene if threatened. In the end, Orochimaru was able to defend himself from the giant shark. In the end, Kisame turned on his heels and motioned for them to follow him inside. Suddenly, the huge door shut behind them. Their eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness of the cave. The walls were illuminated by a few torches. Other than that, there was no light. Ukon awoke to the strength of the chakras surrounding him as soon as he entered the central room. Anyone in the room would have been terrified by the wave of cruelty from the nukenins. It was fascinating to see all these powerful ninjas in one place. Ukon would have liked to compete with some of them. A man slowly walked forward with a blindfold covering his lower face. Ukon immediately recognized him as Akasuna no Sasori. Ninja puppet master, he created several deadly poisons and powerful puppets. Here, the twins knew better than to underestimate the ninjas. Still, Sasori was a legend in his own right.

"Orochimaru, what do you want?"

"He claims to know where the Kyûbi is."

Kisame's tone made it clear that he doubted the information. Since the jinchuriki fled his village, all the members of the Akatsuki were looking for him. They had not been able to find him.

"I know exactly where the Jinchûriki with the nine-tailed fox is within 300 meters."

"Fine. Follow me if your information isn't conclusive and you waste our time."

An unexpected metal tail appeared only millimeters from the sanin's throat.

"It won't save your life that you brought this strange duo with you."

The metal object vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Sasori began his slow journey back to the center of the cave. An opening in the ceiling provided dim lighting. The cave had a huge statue with two hands tied, fingers open upwards, each with a ninja. There seemed to be a nukenin in meditation. Orochimaru couldn't comprehend the power in the air around him as it vibrated with energy. As strong as the members present were, once on his way to find the Uzumaki, the sanin could easily fool the person assigned to him. Thus, he would keep the new knowledge he gained here, along with the jinchûriki. The sanin got closer to the statue. A ninja whose name he vaguely remembered was "Pein"? Orochimaru was not certain, so he waited for someone to speak to him and said nothing. The twins seemed delighted to be surrounded by so many powerful ninjas. Orochimaru only hoped they wouldn't fight. The last person Orochimaru wanted to see appeared in front of him.

"Orochimaru."

"Itachi."

A harsh stare was exchanged between the two men. The Uchiha would have killed him instantly, but it would have looked suspicious in front of the others. So, he placed his anger aside for the moment and kept his mask of impassivity on. He hated the sanin even more after he took advantage of his younger brother. Why was he here? There was also the two-headed ninja. The twin nukenin emanated a murderous aura that was barely contained. Itachi hoped they would lose control so that he could release the rage he felt at the sight of Orochimaru. Unfortunately, the strange ninja seemed to be in control for the moment. After a long period of tense silence, Kisame spoke.

"He claims to know where the Kyûbi is."

The Akatsuki members all turned to look at Orochimaru. He explained without being asked how he found the jinchuriki that possessed the nine-tailed demon. Although Itachi was boiling inside, he maintained his impassive demeanor. Too much was at stake for him to reveal his cards now. He would let their leader decide for Naruto. If Orochimaru tried to attack Sasuke, Itachi would have to be there.

"You're Otouto, Itachi, seems to be the key."

Pein, who was watching him from a perch, turned to the Uchiha. The Uchiha shrugged his shoulders in reply. Before speaking again, Pain looked at Orochimaru for a long time.

"I don't trust you at all, Snake. We will look for some of the other jinchuriki. You stay here. Once we have them, we will accompany you to the Kyûbi."

He had not expected this, he thought they would immediately leave. He wouldn't have taken Sakon and Ukon otherwise. At the same time, he feared Sasuke would try to take control of the host himself during this time. He may have been able to make Naruto believe that he was attached to him. Then Sasuke could attack him in a moment of weakness. In his mind, Orochimaru could not imagine that the younger Uchiha could feel anything other than revenge. He had worked so hard to raise that seed, and it was unthinkable that Naruto could destroy it so easily.

"I didn't ask you for your opinion, snake."

He was interrupted by the sharp voice of Pein. As a bloody retort threatened to erupt, the sanin clenched his fists. Particularly when he heard the two brothers snickering at him.

"Hidan and Kakuzu are already near their jinchûriki. I am leaving tonight to find the bijû I am looking for. Orochimaru, stay here until I return. Itachi, make sure the snake stays quiet."

Pein vanished into thin air with that. Itachi turned to look at the sanin. Oh, how he longed to end his life and let his dead body rot. For now, he must obey. Leaving the unwanted guests to their own devices, he turned away from them. Anyway, he knew that Kisame wouldn't let them leave their lair just to please himself.


Shimo no Kuni 3 weeks later.

"My hands and feet feel like ice. I think I turned into an ice cube."

After moving in silence for several hours, Sakura's voice broke the silence of the group. They had left Shimogakure no Sato empty-handed. The group had been in Kaminari no Kuni for a week and a half. With Killer Bee's help, they had searched each corner of the country. Naruto and Sasuke were nowhere to be found. They had to realize the two ninjas were elsewhere. Following some discussion, they decided to go to Shimo no Kuni as planned. Currently, they were outside Shimogakure no Sato. Another failure. The villagers and the surrounding area didn't see two ninjas matching the description of the two men.

"I see a small inn in the distance. Let's stop."

All of them were hungry and cold. A break would be beneficial to them. Their last few days in the cold country had not been easy for them. These temperatures were not part of their daily lives. Shikamaru had to admit to himself that he hadn't felt his feet in a while. Sai's usually white face was reddened by the cold, and he looked like he was in no better shape. The coats, scarves, and mittens they purchased did not seem to protect them from the cold. When they arrived at the inn, they immediately went inside. Upon feeling the heat, they all sighed with relief. Sakura rushed towards the fire. Taking off her mittens, she let them fall to the ground before putting her hands as close to the flames as possible. While she was doing it, the two ninjas laughed under their breath. Soon after, Sai joined her. Taking her hands between his, he helped her warm up. A pink blush appeared on the kunoichi's cheeks, but she remained seated. A smile spread across her face as she expressed her gratitude. Shikamaru approached the bar that ran the length of the building.

"Do you have a table available for a meal?"

"Of course, please take a seat over there."

A woman pointed to a table near the fire. Sakura and Sai were still together, and the artist was still holding the young woman's hand.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"How do you know?"

Shikamaru replied half-smiling. The heat made him realize how tired and hungry he was.

"Your two companions practically threw themselves into the fire. It's rather mild today. Go sit down. Niji will come take your orders."

Thanking her with a nod, the genie sat down at the table set by the woman. Signaling his fellow travelers to join him, he sat down. First, Sai removed his thick coat, put his mittens in his pockets, and finished with his hat. Moments later, Sakura took her place at the artist's side to face Shikamaru.

"It's been a week since we arrived here. I wonder if Naruto would have come here, he hates the cold."

On that point, Sakura was correct; the genie had granted her that. This may prevent others from searching for him in a place like this.

"You're not wrong, Sakura. However, if Naruto followed your logic, that would be even more reason for him to hide somewhere in this country."

Unconvinced, Sai and the kunoichi looked at Shikamaru, who shrugged his shoulders. Anyhow, it was better to talk about it with a full stomach and a warm body. Niji, their waitress, arrived silently near them and presented each of them with a menu. When she was about to leave, Sakura asked her a question.

"Could I have some tea, please? And did you see those two men?"

She showed him the two portraits Sai made. The young man had done an amazing job representing Naruto and Sasuke. Despite only having met Sasuke twice. Before giving it back to Sakura, she looked at the drawing carefully.

"I have never seen them, which is too bad, since they are very cute."

Sakura blushed at hearing another woman praise Naruto's looks. For Sasuke, it was nothing new. But sometimes the kunochi forgot that the blond boy had grown up to become a handsome man. After dismissing the waitress, Shikamaru continued reading his menu. The two others did the same. As soon as their tea was on the table and their orders were placed, the genie spoke again.

"I understand that you want us to leave Shimo no Kuni quickly. And truth be told, so do I. But we don't have to cut corners since the temperatures don't suit us. We need to find those two idiots as quickly as possible."

The two ninjas in front of him glanced at each other briefly before nodding.

"You're right, but my hands don't feel like that."

Sai placed his chapped and cracked hands gently on the table. After a sound of surprise, Sakura gently clasped his right hand.

"Why did you not tell me?"

As she reached into her bag, she pulled out a small jar of ointment. The scent of dead leaves filled the air when she opened it, reminding them of Konoha. A medique-nin gently spread the cream on his right hand, then his left hand. While thinking to herself, "she should have noticed earlier." She looked up at the captain of their team

"No problem, I'm fine."

They ate in silence, extending the meal as much as they could before they had to leave.

They left the inn about an hour and a half after paying for their meal.

"We've finished most of Shimo no Kuni's eastern part. Let's head north. Once we've finished this part, we'll go back west to finish in the south. Yu no Kuni will be the only part left before we leave for Konoha."

Shikamaru looked at the faces of the two acolytes who nodded. They set out again quickly. The sooner they explored the area, the sooner they would leave this ice-covered land. Shikamaru also believed that there was a slim chance their friend would be in this land of snow. It was unlikely that Naruto would be here with Sasuke because he likes the sun and the heat. Even though the chances of their presence in the area were pretty slim, they couldn't take the risk of missing him.

Every day, the Council harassed their Hokage to find out where the Uchiha was. Why wasn't he back in the village? The tension would get out of control for the Hokage, which would affect Sasuke's return. The genius figured the Council wanted to control the Uchiha through them. It's Sasuke who had the Sharingan, after all. Shikamaru agreed with Killer Bee when he said that Naruto was in love with Sasuke. This explains a lot about the blonde and his obsession with Uchiha. He also knew Naruto would do everything he could to protect Sasuke. Naruto had been neglected for a long time, mistreated by the villagers. So he wouldn't let them touch his lover.

Despite knowing what he was and what he carried within him, the Council never supported him. Naruto would do everything in his power to protect Sasuke if an exemplary sentence was ever passed against him. Shikamaru didn't want that to happen. He had a great deal of respect for Naruto, and he shared the feeling with all the other ninjas. They also had the Hokage and their sensei. Naruto, however, could be banished from the village or condemned to death if he refused to cooperate with the Council. However, the genius did not even consider that possibility. It would be destructive in every way to fight Naruto and Sasuke in the village. In addition to his speed, Shikamaru added more force to his jumps. Finding them quickly was imperative. He wouldn't fail, and there was no way the village would fall into chaos. Especially with a council that lives in the past. If Naruto ever becomes Hokage, he would change the archaic ways the Council worked. Therefore, improving the quality of life of the village ninjas and forming alliances with other villages.