Disclaimer: Alrighty then, this is chapter 13. It's taken awhile, but I got here. I can't believe I've done thirteen chapters already! Haha. Well, thanks to those who reveiwed, and now it's time for the story.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Redemption and Memories.
Naruto sat up like a bolt in his bed when he heard the slamming on his door. As quickly as Naruto could manage he pulled on a shirt and groggily opened his door. Outside was a haggard looking Sasuke, breathing harshly.
"Sasuke?" Naruto cried in frustration. "It's two in the morning!"
"I know." Sasuke growled. Naruto blinked, if he didn't know any better, he'd think Sasuke was...Worried? "I need your help."
"Why?" Naruto asked suspiciously, earning himself a glare. "What's wrong?"
"It's Mayu." As soon as those words left Sasuke's mouth Naruto was serious, paying close attention. He even let Sasuke inside to explain. "I think she's either been kidnapped or ran away. Whichever the case we have to find her."
"What are you talking about?" Naruto gasped. "Why would she run away?"
"I don't know, that's why I need your help." Sasuke said. He flashed a knowing look at Naruto. "You're pretty good when it comes to finding people."
Naruto grinned then, though it was somber and a little forced. At that moment there was no time for being 'good friends'. They had to find Mayu. She still didn't have her memory. She wouldn't last long if she had run away, because they hadn't taught her how to make a fire or cook yet, which they should have. It just hadn't seemed important enough...
"Where would she go?" Naruto asked, suddenly serious once again. "And why?"
"I don't know." Sasuke replied, curling his fists at his sides. "But I kept finding peices and objects that came from her. A ribbion, a peice of her skirt. Footprints."
Naruto frowned. "Why would those be there? She knows how to cover her tracks..."
"Which is why she couldn't have run away." Sasuke answered. "She had to have been kidnapped. Why else would she leave all those obvious clues?"
"Is there anymore?" Narut asked. Sasuke shrugged.
"I came here shortly after I found this." He lifted the small ribbon. Naruto frowned.
"Come on, let's go look. She couldn't have gotten far. Not if she were being carried and struggling, which is probably where all this came from."
&&
Hinata woke to the sound of hushed voices talking in the kitchen. When she turned over she found the other half of the bed emtpy. Confused, Hinata got to her feet silently and walked to the door. When she peered out the door she saw Sasuke and Naruto standing around the table, murmuring. Sasuke looked, a little worried, which wasn't something anyone usually saw on his face.
Hinata knew she was eavesdropping, but something compelled her to listen. Maybe it was because of how worried Naruto looked, how serious.
"Come on, we have to find Mayu before anyone notices we're gone." Sasuke said, standing up to go to the door. Naruto nodded and followed. Hinata shoved her head back into the room when Naruto glanced her way with a longing glance. "Come on Naruto, Hinata won't notice. We'll be back before morning."
"Yeah, alright." The sound of the door closing drew Hinata's body out of the room. She glanced around with wide eyes.
"Naruto." Hinata squeeked. She fell to her knees, weakend by the lonley emptyness. It was the first time Naruto had ever been compelled to sneak away in the middle of the night. Without realizing what she was doing, Hinata lifted herself from her knees and bolted from the house. She didn't know what was going on, but that name Mayu was familiar to her. She remembered it from somewhere. "Kakashi will know."
&&
Sakura knocked twice once more but all the answered was the ghostly echoes of her knocking. Next to her Ino's brow furrowed in confusion.
"No one's home?" Ino murmured. "But Naruto and Hinata are always there."
Sakura shrugged and tried the door knob. This time it flung open. Without looking at Ino for confimation Sakura stepped through the door and glanced around. The entire apartment was empty, even the bedroom which was where they usually found Naruto in the mornings, snoring away his life with Hinata making him breakfast.
Now they were only ghostly memories as Sakura fingered the table with worry.
"Where could they be?" Ino asked, having stepped insdie rather reluctantly. It was strange being in there without Naruto's loud voice to great them, or Hinata's shy hello's. "It's so creepy in here without them."
"I don't know." Sakura sighed. She glanced down and frowned, picking up a small ribbon. "Is this Hinata's?"
"Hinata doesn't wear ribbon's." Ino said, picking up the beautiful string. "Wow, this looks like it must have been expensive. Nothing Naruto could afford...But maybe, Sasuke could."
"So Sasuke was here?" Sakura murmured, looking around. "It looks like no one has been in here for awhile."
"Maybe they went somewhere last night." Ino shrugged. She jumped when the door flung open and spun around only to find a wide eyed Hinata standing there, Kakashi behind her.
"Sakura?" Kakashi murmrued in confusion. Both girls blushed at their intrusion.
"We came by and no one was home..." Sakura squeaked when Kakashi snatched the ribbon from her hand.
"This is Mayu's." Kakashi said with a firm nod. He glanced down at Hinata who was knawing on her lip.
"Where could they have gone?" Hinata said anxiously.
"Who?" Ino asked, desperatly confused. Kakashi turned his attention to the girls and sighed. It didn't matter anyways, he would need help with this in the long run.
"Sasuke and Naruto have gone." Kakashi said solomly. "To look for someone whom we never told you about. Do you remember the girl from the woods?"
&&
Naruto breathed heavily in short gasps of air. They had stopped running for some time now, but only because they hadn't stopped since they left Konoha. They had found numerous clues. If Naruto didn't know any better, he'd think Mayu wanted them to find her. Desperatly.
They were surrounded by unfamiliar forest, but weren't stopping to look around. Shortly after stopping, Sasuke found another tossed article and broke off at a fast run that Naruto had to scramble to catch up to.
"What's with you?" Naruto cried.
"What are you talking about?" Sasuke grunted, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Naruto wouldn't be fooled. There was definately something wrong. Sasuke just didn't act like that in real life. There was never worry in his eyes, not unless it was important.
"I know there's something wrong." Naruto skidded to a halt. Sasuke was forced to stop. It wasn't that he couldn't go on ahead without Naruto, it was that he didn't want to. Naruto had become, somewhat of a friend to him, if he did admit it.
"There's nothing wrong, let's go!" Sasuke snapped, ready to run off, but Naruto's grabbing fingers told him otherwise and yanked him around to face Naruto's glaring eyes.
"What's going on?" Naruto bit out in frustration. "I know there's something wrong, and if there is it'll only destract you as we go on. So spill."
Sasuke didn't reply. He couldn't. What could he possibly tell Naruto that wasn't true? He couldn't lie, because if he lied about something like that, he knew in the long run it would make him feel terrible. But he knew they weren't going to get anywhere if he didn't say something soon.
"Well?" Naruto asked impatiently. The time was ticking, and if they didn't leave soon...Sasuke was contemplating leaving Naruto behind. But if he did he'd never hear the end of it.
"I just don't think it would be good if we lost her." Sasuke knew he was dancing around the topic. It was fairly obvious. He knew that Naruto knew too.
"You love her don't you?" Naruto said with a shocked face. Sasuke felt his stomach churn. If anything, Naruto knew how to read anyone's feelings, no matter how deep down they were. True, Sasuke's weren't far down at all, but still.
Sasuke couldn't reply. He wouldn't. If he did it would mean doom to him and his reputation forever. Sasuke felt something for a girl, and not even a normal girl. Naruto always knew normal girls weren't enough for Sasuke. There was something in Sasuke that screamed he needed a bizarre girl who would excite him. Well Mayu could do just that, just by looking at him with those dangerous eyes.
"Let's go." Sasuke rasped, before jumping off through the trees. Naruto followed without a word because he couldn't make fun of Sasuke, not yet. At that moment, Naruto couldn't begin to describe the inner battle Sasuke was going through. If he did love Mayu, wouldn't it be a stab if she were kidnapped? "Another piece of cloth."
Naruto nodded and put the cloth in the bag he had been placing all the clues. He watched as Sasuke's face set into a deep frown or worry and he jumped off to find another clue, sweat was dripping from his chin. Naruto knew that what Sasuke was concentrating on looking at wasn't the trees or the bushed blocking his way, but a ghost of a certain future seere.
BWAHAHAHA, chapter thirteen is done! Thanks to all who reveiwed. Please, keep reveiwing, it builds my confidence.
I guess I should say now that I do not own Naruto characters, only the villian of this story and Mayu.
Read ON!!!!!