Sorry about the last one. No author's note. There's a couple things I'd like to say. First, if you have any questions at all feel free to ask. Second, please, please, please, REVIEW! I want to know how I can make it better. And finally I just wanted to say that this is dedicated to Uchiha Ringo (Youtube username.) Thanks for being such a good friend Ringo. I'll miss you.

Ok. NOW READ IT AND REVIEW PLEASE!

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Chapter 2

All day we ran and we were about to stop, since we had reached the border of the Land of Clouds, our destination, when I saw out of the corner of my eye a blur of movement. The next thing I knew, one of my men had been killed and the figure was heading towards the others. The thought of the oncoming battle had sharpened my senses and I could track the blur's movement. I shouted out to my remaining team to be careful but they realized it too late and fell to the ground, each with a deep slash in their chest.

I then saw the blur move towards me so I focused my chakra to my feet so I could move faster. The blur seemed to slow down a little bit and I guessed that, due to the build of the figure's body, my attacker was male. It was hard to tell for sure. The low light and the completely cloudy sky had made it very dark. The Land of Clouds truly deserves its name and it looked like it was going to storm really hard. When I focused my chakra, he seemed to hesitate for a moment, but that was all I needed. I didn't get away unharmed though. The man's sword had made a shallow wound in my left arm and a shallow slice through my stomach. Somehow, his sword had gone through the armor without damaging it. I was on one knee on the ground, and I looked around. He seemed to have retreated for the moment so I took advantage of that to go and check on my comrades.

The first one was dead already. His blood had leaked everywhere and had died of blood loss. I shook my head sadly and moved on to the next one. He was also dead with both of his lungs punctured. I heard strained breathing and went over to the source. The last member of my team was barely alive. She was a woman about 25 years old. She was bleeding profusely from the deep gash in her chest and her breathing was ragged. I guessed she might have a punctured lung as well.

"Lady Sakura!" She gasped quietly when I appeared above her. "I should have been more careful. Are you all right? Were you harmed? I am truly sorry!"

"Shhhh!" I said gently, trying to calm her down. "It's ok. I am fine. I'm more concerned about you! You're in really bad condition. Please, don't worry about me."

Her face twisted in pain. Then she panted, "Thank you Lady Sakura. I am glad you are okay. I can die peacefully knowing that." And with that, she gave one more stuttering gasp and then she was still. I laid the hand I was holding on the ground and brushed a little bit of hair out of my friend's face, then I stood up and looked at the sky. I'd never realized how much my squad cared about me.

Just then, it began to rain. I let it stream under my mask, down my face for a moment then quietly said, "The sky weeps for you my comrades. It sheds the tears that I cannot. Rest in peace, my friends." I hadn't forgotten the unknown enemy that lurked in the shadows so I managed to find a dry spot in a tree that had a hollow area. I sat down and began to heal myself using medical ninjutsu. The wounds were minor so I could heal myself in only about a minute. Then I took out a scroll that I had stored all of my spare chakra in whenever I got the chance. I set the seal so that it would leak a steady stream of chakra into me as I fought. I also took out a kunai and used it to make a small slice my thumb. I used the smallest amount of chakra necessary to make a summoning.

A small slug appeared. She was a special kind of slug that could read minds. She was the perfect messenger slug for this kind of job. "You summoned me, Lady Sakura?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Yes Kaiushi." I said very quietly, not wanting the enemy to hear. "I need you to read my mind during the battle then once it's over, go and report to Lady Tsunade. Do you understand"? She nodded. "Stay here." I told her. Just before I got down, I called a bird and tied a blank piece of paper to its leg and created a cage of chakra that I could open anytime I wanted from anywhere.

I stood up and jumped to the ground, since fighting in the trees would be too hard in this weather. I then heard a low chuckle. I started to get annoyed. "What's so funny?" I snapped, turning to where I heard the chuckle. My inner self was starting to stir. That was not good.

"You actually think you can win?" Replied a voice. He sounded incredulous. It sounded like a voice I knew. It was cold and hard, showing little emotion. Who was he?

"Why shouldn't I be able to?" I said, responding to his question with one of my own. "I escaped harm from your first attack, so why can't I dodge all the others?"

"Ever consider luck, or maybe it was an accident. How do you know that I didn't just let you get away?" The voice asked. It was starting to sound annoyed as well.

"I don't believe in luck or accidents." I spit out, trying to contain myself.

"Hn." Said the voice. It was quiet for a short while, then, "What is your name and rank?"

That question threw me a little off guard. "Why do you want to know?" I inquired, truly curious.

"I have my reasons." It appeared I wasn't going to get a direct answer to my question.

"Very well. If you tell me your name first, then maybe I'll tell you."

"Hn." He said, though I thought I could hear a smirk in his voice. "Very well. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. Now tell me your name and rank." This time it wasn't a request, but a demand.

Sasuke. Hearing his name seemed to knock the wind out of me, but my surprise was quickly replaced by rage and hate. I could feel my inner demon using my rage to take control of me. Wrestling with her and paying attention to Sasuke was difficult.

In answer to his question I spit out through clenched teeth, "I am the Fifth Hokage's apprentice, Jonin, and Captain of Anbu Squad 11. As for my name, that is confidential and none of your business. Maybe you can figure out who I am when we fight." When he heard that, he jumped down off his branch and landed on the ground.

Uchiha Sasuke. He had changed. He was good amount taller than me, which meant that I was now the smallest one in the group. Short, little Naruto had grown during his training and was now a few inches taller than me. Sasuke's eyes seemed to have turned colder than before, something I didn't even think was possible! And what was even more disturbing was that he seemed to enjoy having other people's blood on his hands. Not that that fact surprised me. He had turned into a monster. No longer was he the Sasuke I knew.

As I thought about that, he ran towards me with blinding speed, sword drawn. I barely managed to avoid his attack but his hand shot out, grabbing for my mask but catching only my chopsticks, causing my long hair to fall in my face. He disappeared then reappeared behind me. I felt something cool and wet press against my throat and a strong hand grab and hold my arms. My skin prickled in disgust.

"Now I'll ask you one more time. What is your name?" His mouth was right next to my ear and his warm breath tickled. I said nothing and he pressed the blade of the sword harder against my throat and I could feel warm blood trickle down my clammy skin. This is not how I want to die! I thought. I cannot die by his hand. I won't give him what he wants. I will have my revenge! And with that I spun around and kicked Sasuke off of me. Doing so had caused some more cuts on my neck and I quickly healed them.

He jumped back into the trees and let loose a trap. Thousands of kunai and shuriken hurtled toward me. I dodged most of them but about ten got stuck in my legs, five in my arms, and about fifteen got stuck in my back. Luckily, none of them had hit any vital points. I tried to pick out the weapons and heal my wounds but Sasuke appeared in front of me. He grabbed my neck and pinned me against the trunk of a tree, causing the weapons in my back to go in deeper.

I cried out in pain.

"You wouldn't happen to be Sakura Haruno, would you?" He asked teasingly. I stiffened and he chuckled again. Then, he reached up and pulled off my mask. I couldn't have been a pretty sight. My hair was knotted; body dirty and bloody, and I had blood dripping out of my mouth. I growled at him. That, or my infuriated expression, must have amused him because he smirked his signature smirk and threw me on the ground. At least that part of him hadn't changed. My body forced itself to get up and fight some more, though I would have been happy to lay on the ground forever. I reminded myself that I wanted this more than anything.

"You can never be forgiven for what you did to all of us, Sasuke! I won't forgive you for what you did to me! I will kill you! But unfortunately, my mission requires me to get information first. Why are you doing this? What are you trying to do?" I asked. I was becoming impatient.

"Now, now. What's that look? Although, it is a good one. One of those kind of 'if looks could kill' expressions. And as for what I'm trying to do, why should I tell you?" Sasuke walked towards me slowly, circling, a lion stalking its dinner.

"Why should it matter to you? All you are is still the sniffling little brat you were back then. As I told Naruto, you know nothing!" His hand shot out and grabbed my neck once more and he pressed me against a rock wall. I hadn't noticed that was there.

He got close to my face. "No," I spit. "You know absolutely nothing about me!" I just then noticed that his Sharingan had been activated the whole time. I should have guessed that that was what 'Shari-' was. That must have been how he figured out who I was. At my comment, an angry expression crossed his face and his hand at my throat started to slowly tighten. The only things that could be heard were my gasping breath, the thunder and the rain.

Sasuke's breath was now cool, like the cold chill that Death leaves behind after he has done his bidding. Suddenly, I felt something on my head. Sasuke's free hand was touching my hair and I did not like it one bit. It appeared as though his guard had relaxed slightly, but only a tiny bit. I took advantage of that moment to use the last of my strength to break free.

I could feel him coming up behind be so I released the bird and waited. Sasuke was fast, but I knew what he would do. He appeared behind me getting ready to knock me out, and then saw the bird. One of the last things I heard was his slight intake of breath, the squawk of the bird as he shot it down with a piece of white light, and my final act of the night, "No...." I whispered as the darkness swallowed me up, slightly smiling as I could feel Kaiushi disappear to report to Lady Tsunade.

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REVIEW PLEASE! And stay tuned. It gets better.