"They're WHAT?!" Tsuande roared as Shizune reported the incident at hand.
"Sasuke and Sakura have left the village…" Shizune repeated a little more softly than before.
"They we're going to find Nartuo…" Ino piped up as she stood next to Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten and Tamri the group that was suppose to accompany the other two Shinobi on their journey.
Tsunade sighed, practically pulling on the strands of her hair as she ran her polished nails through her scalp and cursed under her breath "Please excuse yourselves, all of you." With a light click of the door closing Tsuande sank deep into her office chair feeling more defeated in those five minutes than she ever had in her entire existence. "Do you believe in them, Kakashi?" she spoke through laced fingers and watery eyes.
With a puff of smoke the grey haired nin appeared and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder "I do" he responded gently.
Tsuande turned her gaze upward to stare at his covered face as if the answer she was looking for rested in that blue cloth. "But…with no real knowledge of their memories…of their power? I mean…Sasuke has his fire jutsu and his Chidori…and Sakura discovered her strength…but without it all pieced together…and if Orochimaru breaks the angelic seal that contains the Nine Tailed Fox in Naruto-" a light squeeze from Kakashi's hand to her shoulder made her thoughts trail as he smiled through his covering.
"Have faith in them, Lady Tsuande…if we don't believe in them…how can ever expect them to believe in each other?" She knew the sensei was right but it didn't leave her mind any less troubled and what was worse she couldn't send the other Shinobi to their aid. With no knowledge of which direction they were headed it seemed senseless to send a handful of her best warriors on a wild goose chase, leaving the village practically defenseless.
She sighed heavily and sunk her face into her paper riddled desk. "I need some Sake…" she groaned.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
The first day of their journey was coming to the end as the sun began to give way to the moon. Sakura stretched, arching her back and groaning at the long distance they had already traveled.
"Ne, Sasuke…according to these coordinates we should be there by tomorrow or day after at the latest." Her eyes scanned the parchment diligently before shifting her gaze up to look at the reclusive young man who stayed distant and silent from her. "Are you hungry?" She asked gently before setting her nap sack down on the lush grass and opening the flap to reveal an array of tasty goodies. "I made all these last night so they would be fresh…" She said as she dug into the sack and pulled out two pieces of wax paper "here" she said enthusiastically as she held out the treat for Sasuke who looked at her questionably, Sakura catching his wary gaze "If you're not hungry just say so…you're not going to hurt my feelings." She huffed, still holding out that neatly folded wax paper that concealed the delicious food.
"Why are you being so nice to me after you threatened my manhood?" Sasuke trying to hide his amusement from the statement he had just spoken.
Sakura smirked her eyes filled with mischief "Good lord, Sasuke surely you don't think the food is poisoned? If I wanted to kill you I'd do it in a much more satisfying way."
"And just what kind of way would be satisfying?" Sakura had caught the Uchiha's interest now and he slowly moved in closer to her.
"Mmm…" Sakura attempted to speak through a mouth full of fish and rice before she swallowed "Chinese Sceret…" She winked playfully at the raven haired boy, finding great pleasure in the fact she had teased his sense of amusement and blushed when she caught a hint of a smile curl up into the corners of his mouth.
"Then…" He said seductively almost on top of her now "let's just say you had a mission to kill me…how would you do it?"
What kind of sick game is he playing this time? Sakura thought to herself as she moved out from under his dominating position "I wouldn't…" she replied hastily only to turn from where he was and have him facing her again.
"What if you're life depended on it?" He asked, slowly backing her against the trunk of a tree and leaning in their noses almost touching. He felt something pulling at him to kiss her though he tried to fight it the feeling continued to strike him like an ice pick in the back of his brain.
"Sasuke…" Sakura murmured almost sounding like a whimper of fear or desire he was uncertain and with a slow movement their lips brushed each others in feather like touches neither of them igniting a full kiss. Slowly he backed away, grimacing at his weakness towards her.
"We should sleep…" He muttered as he released her from his hold. Sakura said nothing as she watched him walk away, her face as red as her shirt but thankfully hidden by the nights shadows. Slowly she followed him as they bounded into the trees where they would sleep in their make shift hammocks and Sasuke would experience his first string of unsettling memories with Sakura experiencing the same symptoms.
As Sakura's body slept her mind did not as it raged with soft and violent images that were only clear enough to make out the basics. The images raced through her mind, fuzzy and glitch as beads of sweat began to form on her brow. Her mind distinguished a male in her dreams, long raven black hair and dark eyes much like Sasuke's but through the blurred vision and distortion she could tell the man in her dreams was slightly older than her comrade. The image would sharpen and then dim only to reappear in full color before quickly vanishing as the image of her and this mysterious man played on her mind the last thing she witnessed was the handsome man (that she seemed all too fond of this seemingly make believe world) being run through by a cold steel blade. With her mind scorned with this frightful image she awoke from her restless slumber screaming against her will.
"URIEL!" She cried to no one in particular her jade eyes meeting the inquisitive charcoal stare of Sasuke who had been watching her against her knowledge "AH!!" She cried, falling backwards onto the tree branch that hung her hammock, startled out of her mind.
"Who's Uriel?" Sasuke asked, feeling a hint of curiosity and jealousy that his companion had been dreaming of someone other than him.
"I've got a better question…" Sakura snorted as she pulled herself back up onto the branch that once supported her "why the HELL we're you watching me sleep?!"
"I asked first." Sasuke retorted attempting to avoid her question in its entirety.
Sakura sighed heavily "I honestly don't know…" she said, frustrated with her own answer. Though the name feels eerily familiar… "Now for my question…why we're you watching me sleep?"
Sasuke hesitated to answer "I…" he snorted "You were making so much noise over there I thought something was wrong, you woke me…I came over to make sure nothing was happening." The black haired Shinobi would never admit to be woken by his own string of memorable nightmares similar to those the pink haired Shinobi endured. He rubbed the back of his neck, stiff from such a rough night's sleep before he eyed his comrade that was climbing back into her hammock. "Do you…still have those snacks, Sakura?" He watched her face light up as she reached for her knapsack and dug till she found a snack she thought he'd enjoy. She tossed it to him and watched as he unwrapped it gently to reveal grilled fished with steamed white rice and grilled bits of tomato. He looked at her and smiled gently.
"I made that one especially for you…" She grinned wide "I know you like tomato's…" she blushed sheepishly as she watched him eat it, slowly savoring every bite before he handed her the empty wax paper to place back into the bag as he climbed back into his hammock that was nearby.
"Thank you, Sakura." He said gently sending her a subtle smile before they both let true, pure sleep consume them.
-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-
"Little brother…" Itachi glowered at the looking glass that was filled with images of his younger sibling and the pink haired Shinobi "you make my job so much easier as you lead that girl to us…"
"Itachi…" a silky voice laced with slime called to him from the shadows "did you retrieve the female Shinobi like I ordered?"
Itachi turned to bow at his master "Your grace…" He spoke, his voice husky and respectful "I have retrieved your something finer until the female Shinobi arrives…I think you'll find her temporary replacement to be quiet satisfactory." With a gentle whistle Itachi beckoned the creature that had captured the blond nin with ease and is it slithered, twisted and rolled it's body to their position Orochimaru's eyes stayed attentive to his cherished pet. With a crack and a gurgle the beast unclenched it's jaw and spat the blond nin onto the floor, coated in slime and blood, his lips and skin tinged blue from blood loss yet Orochimaru's eyes glistened with pleasure at the sight of his new captive.
"Beautiful…" His voice slithered through the shadows as he rose to examine the body. "Get him breathing…" Orochimaru ordered "I want to use him at my earliest connivance..." he hissed, a cackle rising in his voice as Itachi and another servant whisked the blond away in a rapid attempt to revive him.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O
AN: There you have it…Naruto is not dead : ) I hope all are pleased :D Ok…so maybe it's a little dead…but I fix! I promise! Lmao.