The Perfect Plan

ItaSasu

Author's note: This particular author's note is rather pointless really, because I forgot to write it before I wrote the chapter. u.u So instead, I'll just tell you that I have no idea what the English name for the "Katon Goukakyuu no jutsu" is. It says in the subs on the anime, but to be perfectly honest, I really can't be arsed to go find it. xD

Oh, and "teme", when added to a name is a baad thing. Not a nice term. O;

Anywho, read on! 8D

Chapter 4 – Midnight Encounter

We'd been walking for an hour. Naruto and Sakura walked behind our client, chatting, arguing and hitting each other, while I walked by myself in front of our client. The whole way so far, he had remained silent and I felt his eyes boring into my back. I felt uneasy, but masked it as best as I could. There was something wrong with this guy. Something didn't feel quite right. I felt wary around him, but I couldn't say anything to Naruto or Sakura without being in his hearing range – apparently he'd specifically stated in his letter that we must stay within fifteen metres of him at all times – and if he were a shinobi, then there's no doubt he would be able to hear what we said.

So for now, I had to keep quiet and hope he didn't suddenly attack me from behind. He wouldn't be able to try anything while we were in fire country territory, but once we stepped into rogue territory… no, I wouldn't think about that. Come on…! Why was I scared? I was the great Uchiha Sasuke, for crying out loud. Few compared to my strength, so there was nothing to be afraid of.

We walked for so long. Every minute seemed like an hour, every hour seemed like a day. By about dusk, Naruto and Sakura had quietened down until they stopped talking together. We trooped on in complete silence. We reached the border at around nine in the evening and we decided to set up camp there for the night before entering the wild, overgrown stray land. We would use the whole next day to cover as much of the distance as possible, as sleeping there would be very dangerous. Sleeping on the border was dangerous enough anyway and we decided to take it in turns to go on watch duty.

We set up three tents: one for Kamen Sora, one for Sakura and one for myself and Naruto. We would've used a proper fire to cook the fish Naruto and I had freshly caught, but the smoke would have drawn too much attention to us. Instead (much to my displeasure), I used my Goukakyuu no jutsu. After eating, we decided that Sakura should be the first person to guard the camp, so our client disappeared into his tent and I lay beside Naruto in ours. We stayed in our ANBU uniforms so that we would be ready for any surprise attacks.

I lay on my back, staring at the roof of the tent. It was to be a full moon the following night, so there was already a lot of moonlight shining on us. I could see the vague shape of it through the dark green fabric.

I found it difficult to sleep, knowing that Sora was only a couple of metres away from me. If he attacked while I slept, there would be no chance for me. I tried to fight off the thought. I was shivering from cold, despite the fact it was mid-summer. "Damnit," I cursed inwardly, pulling the thin blanket tighter around myself, "Now is not the best time to get sick." I rolled over and shut my eyes, falling into a light and uneasy sleep.

Before I had a chance to dream, I felt a light touch on my shoulder and opened my eyes to see Sakura leaning over me, holding her mask in her hand. "Sasuke-kun," she whispered, "Sorry to wake you, but it's your turn to watch." I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she had become. She was no longer that whiney, annoying little fangirl. Now she was far more mature (perhaps more so than myself) in both physical appearance and behaviour. So many times I'd found it difficult to keep my eyes off her feminine curves. I didn't love her, hell no. I just happened to be the victim of very excitable teenage hormones. I couldn't be to blame, really - after all she was probably the most desired woman in Konoha.

Over the years, she'd become increasingly closer to Naruto. It was easy for me to see it, watching from the sidelines. Sakura no longer hated Naruto and, I believe, she no longer loved me. She would still look at me every now and then, but I had begun to notice that look in her eyes as she watched Naruto when he wasn't aware of it. He did the same. He loved her, I knew it – he would whinge about it to me all the goddamn day (when she wasn't around), saying things like "Sasuke-teme, stop making her love you and let some one else have her for once!" Well, I can't help it if she fell in love with me. All I ever did was treat her coldly, so what motives should she have for liking me?

Anyway, now, I watch them and there's definitely something between them. When Sakura is around me, she always seems so bashful and awkward, but when I see her with Naruto she is completely relaxed and cheerful. I don't know why I'm describing this observation really because I wasn't in the slightest bit interested in it at the time. I didn't believe in love because I had no memory of ever feeling it and to be honest, I couldn't really see what was so great about it. I'd managed to survive those nine years alone so I didn't see why I couldn't do that for my whole life.

At the time, I did still see reviving my clan as one of my goals in life, but I didn't plan to think on that until after I'd had my revenge.

So, once I had rubbed my tired eyes, climbed out of my bed and put on my mask without waking the sleeping Naruto, I stepped out of the tent and into the moonlit forest. "Goodnight," Sakura said softly to me, smiling out the door of her tent. "'Night," I replied, and she disappeared inside it.

I sat on the grass and prepared for my three hours of watch duty. It was a hot night, and yet I still felt cold. I sat, shivering. I knew that if I went to get my blanket to wrap round my shoulders I would be admitting that I was sick. I'd probably caught a cold (God knows how) but I just hoped that if I ignored it, it would go away. I sat there rubbing my bare arms, silently cursing whoever in ancient times came up with the idea of creating colds.

Though I was cold, my face was sweaty behind my mask. I debated with my inner self whether I should remove it or not for a few minutes and in the end decided I would. I pulled it off and shut my eyes, enjoying the cool air on my skin. I placed the mask on the ground beside me and rested my head on my hand, leaning on my elbow.

I'd been sitting there for about an hour before I sensed movement behind me. Turning quickly to face backwards, I drew two shuriken from my pouch and flung them with pinpoint precision in the direction of the sound. I had no time to put my mask back on. What I was faced with was not something I had expected though. The projectiles were deflected easily and so quickly I couldn't even see the hand move. They struck the ground a few metres away. I looked up to see a tall silhouette with the moon shining brightly behind it. I couldn't see any of their features, but I could tell from the stance and the straw hat that the person was Sora.

"What do you want?" I asked as confidently as I could, hoping it didn't sound too rude. I didn't want to anger him – especially while my comrades were asleep. He gave no reply. I could just feel him looking at me. I had a kunai in my hand, ready in case he attacked. I began to feel slightly vulnerable – strangers and clients were not supposed to know the identity of the ANBU. I'd just broken one of the golden rules by removing it and now Sora knew my face. Shit.

"What do you want?" I repeated, louder this time. Though… I don't know how, but there was something in his silence that told me he didn't intend to attack. Gradually, I lowered my weapon. He didn't move. A breeze blew by and the dangling objects on his straw hat jingled softly. It was a sweet sound, but I didn't like it. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

A minute went by. I frowned and tightened my grip on my kunai, keeping my eyes on Sora. He looked off to the side, into the trees, and I found my eyes following his gaze to see what he was staring at. There was nothing there. He drew my attention back to him though, as he turned around and went back inside his tent.

I was left standing there in the night, clutching my kunai and staring at the tent, completely bewildered. What had just happened? Did he come out because he knew I'd removed my mask? Did he have something bad planned out for me? Was he going to use my identity against me?

When I thought it was safe, I flopped back onto the ground, dropping my weapon, my eyes never leaving the strange man's tent. I didn't move from that position at all, until I realised it was Naruto's turn to take over. I yawned and went inside the tent to kick him awake. He groaned and tried to slap my foot away but I moved it before he could. "Get up," I said.

He stretched and stumbled outside, still half asleep.

I didn't sleep a wink that night.

Author's note: Okay, I was going to write more in this chapter, but I figured it was getting pretty long already. xD And it's still only half the length of chapter 3… hehehe….. –sweatdrop-

Anywho, what's that Sora bloke up to? Did he get up to use the bathroom and get embarrassed? Did he get up to have a quick perv at the Uchiha boy we all know and love? All will be revealed in future chapters. 8D

I'm sorry that the Goukakyuu no jutsu bit is slightly incorrect, as Sasuke learnt it from his father and he shouldn't know it now that all his memories are gone, but I'll just dance lightly over that fact and pretend it doesn't exist, like I have just done. B)

I'm going to write the next chapter now! Yay! I'm really having a good time writing this! I hope you are enjoying it too! Thank you for reading and bearing with me, luff j000 –heart emoticon-