AN: I updated relatively soon... haha :| Ok, maybe not, but I really did try my best. Some of this chapter annoys me a bit, but I hope you like it. The proper plot has not started yet. It will start very soon. I hope you enjoy! I'm just sort of fucking with the relationship between Sasuke and Naruto atm. Because it's easily the coolest part of Naruto for me. Enjoy! (also, I cant bold the authors notes. i don't know why. im tired. sorry.)

The night fell quickly for Sasuke.

He'd not moved. Suigetsu, Karin and even Juugo had mentioned something to him at some point today. He didn't bother registering it. Thinking about it. He had a lot of things to think about that were not Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo. Mainly Itachi, and a couple other fleeting thoughts.

No-one had even come near the cave they were staying in. True to the Juugo's word, the cave was shallow but large enough – and dark enough to accommodate them. It was also relatively clean, and setting up camp had not been problematic. The small town of Chiro was a mere 2 miles away, and from Sasuke's view from the camp on the side of the mountain, it was clearly visible. But they were far from any public path, and it was an entirely civilian town. He had sat down to polish his blade, and had found himself unmoving for the entire day. Madara would surely be curious, but Sasuke had no interest in him. Even revenge on Konoha had been put on hold – for this scroll, the final writings of his brother. His brother came before himself, before Konoha, before everything in this life and the next. Itachi had asked Sasuke to leave Konoha be, but the younger Uchiha knew that was a kindness Konoha did not deserve. Now that Itachi wasn't here to save Konoha – like he always had been – Sasuke refused to let them lick their wounds before he cut off the head.

Sasuke refused to let himself think about it in depth. Sasuke refused to let himself think about the people waiting for him.

The town was a harmless-looking thing. No particularly large buildings – it was distinctly traditionally styled, with no paving on the roads and gently sloping civilian roofs. Like many Sasuke had seen before. Indistinct. A mere statistic, an insect in his palm that he could crush quickly and inconsequently. He'd once thought something of such meaningless murder. What of it now? Sasuke was unsure.

Lightning Country was wonderfully mountainous. Chiro's only source of tourism was sightseers, travelers that came to see the fantastic mountains and valleys around the village. The mountain that they had made camp on was a smaller one, and much less impressive than the rest. Sasuke doubted anyone would bother with this one. Too steep to take a gentle stroll up, but not impressive enough to be worth it.

He faintly heard Suigetsu stoking the small fire behind him, the noise of crackling and shuffling wood. The sun was setting quickly, gentle amber sunbeams pouring down the valley, the fantastic shadows cast by weary-looking boulders and cliffs outlined with a sharp but gentle red, staining green grass magnificently crimson. Careful sanguine cliff sides, until the red faded at the top to reveal a bloody orange. Orange, a sweet, hopeful orange that stained each rooftop, the shadows and soft orange strokes making the town seem like a far away painting that would become but a mere expressive mass of careless hue if he got too close. It was a train of thought that made Sasuke feel nothing; orange. A colour he was so tired of.

Suigetsu was too close.

"Na, Sasuke."

He had no intention of replying, but Suigetsu knew he was listening. "Konoha was destroyed by Pain, when he tried to collect the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Though the kid caused him a lot of trouble, I heard that in the end, he was talked out of it." Sasuke heard Suigetsu lean back. "Must be some guy, to talk someone out of their hatred."

Yeah, Sasuke thought, resisting the urge to rub his temples.

"Sasuke-kun?" She reached for his shoulder, but Sasuke turned his head to Karin with a gaze so cold that she retracted her hand instantly. "I, ah... I'm going to go down to the village and grab a few necessities. If there's anything you need..."

"Water. Get me 5 litres."

"I'm not carrying back 5 litres of water for just you, idiot!"

"Well if you're going to be such a bitch about it-"

"Ink," Sasuke said abruptly. He turned to Karin, who nodded quickly and put a dark cloak on before making her way down the haphazard path they had made.

Suigetsu sat beside Sasuke, crossing his legs and scratching the side of his jaw. "What do you want ink for? Something about that seal, huh?"

Sasuke didn't respond.

"Did you ever know that kid- Naruto, was it? He's around your age..." Suigetsu grinned at Sasuke a moment. "Though, you'll just be killing him too, eventually, right?"

"Visitors, huh? From where?"

Shikamaru bowed deeply, fixing the glasses on his nose in a professional manner that irked Naruto as something Kabuto would do. He shuddered. "Konohagakure. I'm Nara Daisuke, a civilian doctor, and this is Haruno Yumeko and Koichi. Koichi is currently from a cerebral destructive disorder." Shikamaru brought a realistic seriousness and sombre mood to his tone. "His vocal muscles have begin wasting – the next affects will be bodily failure, inability to focus eyesight, etc. Whilst he still has his eyesight, he has requested to see the beautiful sights of Lightning Country. He had thought he had plenty of time to come here when he was older, but..." The Nara let his eyes look to the floor. "He and his wife want to stay here for just a week. We won't intrude on your village any longer than that. I'm just here in case of any complications."

It wasn't particularly hard for Naruto to act as though he was upset to even hear those words, especially when he was actually being crushed by the horrendous reality that he was, indeed, dying. He let his eyes shine with unshed tears, and Sakura grab his hand in a subtle but affectionate reassurance. It worked, and the on-duty guards nodded; the three of them passed through without incident.

The town was tiny, but dense. Filled with small, cute houses, with wildflowers hung in shabby-chic baskets outside of their homes, the main square filled with market stands, most being run by kindly old ladies. There were a couple kenjutsu stands filled with well-crafted swords, the men running them scarred and rugged but a strange kind of handsome. Though it was not a shinobi town, Naruto supposed, that wouldn't stop a few samurai from passing by and picking up some weapons. They looked as though they were retired, but they still had the harsh, unforgiving faces of men who had locked eyes with war.

It was harder than Naruto had thought, maneuvring through the waves of civilians and children he nearly stood on – especially when he often got a glare for being rude, when he couldn't reply. Being a mute was so difficult, not only because he was an avid conversationalist but because he couldn't do basic things. Like express difficulty, apologise for bumping into people, ask for things without pointing – it was so much harder than he had first anticipated, something he only realised now. They had stayed in an inn on the way here, but he'd had no involvement in the booking of the room. Thankfully, he'd fallen asleep before Shikamaru had finished his strategic considerations and sent them off with a messenger bird – successfully avoiding any kind of confrontation. Naruto felt like a coward, but he honestly had no idea what to say to him. He didn't know what he was doing himself. His morals had failed him. Shikamaru probably knew that too – otherwise, he might've made a greater effort to try and speak with him.

"Koichi," Sakura said, gently drawing him out of his thoughts. "Koichi, there's a ramen stand over there. I'll buy you some miso, while I look around." Naruto knew she'd seen the stands filled with gorgeous hand-crafted ornaments and jewellery, and nodded eagerly; maybe the ramen would taste different. She nodded, leading him arm-in-arm over to the stand, before speaking clearly yet amiably to the strict looking man running the stand ("One miso, please. Extra pork."), handing him the money before smiling gently - leaving, weaving amongst the throngs of people. He did not recognise her instinctively, but Sakura had a way about herself that made her smile distinct from any differences in genetics. Maternal – caring. That was what Sakura was; what she always was. Gentle.

An enticing aroma came from the bowl the man pushed towards him, and he tried to utter a thank you – feeling like a fool for even bothering – before taking a pair of chopsticks, splitting them, mouthing an "Itadakimasu!" before shoveling food into his mouth. He was an expert at it now – the meat was succulent, the food salty but not too much. It was unlike Ichiraku Ramen, however, because the food had vegetables that he'd not even seen in the food back in Konoha; ones that he'd not even seen, cuts of plants he assumed must have been cut and taken fresh from the wild. He appreciated the difference; it gave the food a slight tang, spice that he could not name but felt sweet but tingling on the tip of his tongue. Tastes he did not expect to appreciate, but did. Though Naruto couldn't say he had a preference – they were just different – he looked up at the chef, and taking out his notepad, scribbled a quick note. That was fantastic. There is no ramen like this in Konoha, he wrote. How do you make it?

The chef's voice had a strange lilt to it, that made it more exotic than anything he'd heard. He suspected he was foreign, but from what part of the world, Naruto had no clue. "It doesn't grow in Konoha - not mountainous enough to sustain it, boy." He brought out a small sealed jar of herbs. "It's called hibiscus. I dry it with chilli, before adding honey for taste. It takes a while, son, so take this. You can find the original flower in the mountains if you want to make it yourself."

Naruto found it hard to convey all the different things he wanted to say - ("I couldn't! Surely this is hard to prepare?") but chose instead to nod thankfully, putting his hands together and bowing his head, before taking the small jar of herbs. Dried petals, it was clearer now; stained red from chilli, drops of honey on the side of the jar like the dew of morning.

The man leaned forward, eyes dark. "A few petals will do for a bowl. Tear them up if you want the taste to go through the whole dish, and put it in during cooking if you want. You can put it on last, though. It's down to preference." He took Naruto's bowl, cleaning it absent-mindedly. "What brings you to Chiro?"

To see the mountains and valleys before I die. It was not entirely a lie.

The chef nodded, eyes sympathetic yet somehow unpitying. "People go up to the highest mountains for the view. It's a broad view of the world, but before you go up there, the smallest mountain is the best for a view, in my opinion. The village looks small, the mountains look massive, and the stretch of land beyond that – the sunset there is magnificent. You're not a giant, but you can see everything. I might just be an odd one son. There's no footpath... but it's worth your while." Naruto briefly heard the clattering of bowls and plates. "Be on your way. Don't spend your days speaking to a boring man like me."

Naruto laughed, the amused smile coming across even without the sound. The chef nodded, before turning around and cleaning once again. He left the stand, tucking the small jar into his pocket as he scoured the crowds for Sakura's unfamiliar hair and face. Naruto found her soon enough, as she wasted an unholy amount of money on a stained glass dragon necklace. Her self-reassuring protests to Naruto were distant ("You'd probably not find anything like this back in Konoha anyway-") as he scoured the horizon for that mountain. It was off-path, a couple miles down the way they had came, a troublesome looking mountain to climb, filled with bushes and cliffs and boulders.

"-Koichi?" It was hard to respond to that name. He looked at her. "Were you listening? This is Momoko-san. She sold me this beautiful necklace!" Naruto felt her elbow digging into his side, hard. He smiled, attempting to utter words before feeling stupid for trying (again). He held out his hand, and her wrinkled, hands shook his with a grip firmer than he'd expected. Sakura brought her gaze to his. "She's the counsel for the daimyo's daughter."

"Can this young man not speak?" Momoko's voice was husky with age but clear. She shook her head, white strands brushing the sides of her face. "What a poor soul. You have such bad luck, boy. Come with me – it is the job of my daughter to help people like you." The woman tapped a man with a kenjutsu stand next to her ("Mind my stall, please?") before walking slowly, steadily, out of the square with the two of them in tow. They reached a beautiful, large home, the door of beautifully carved mahogany and stained glass and the beams holding up the porch of the house made of the same wood. It had no upstairs but a beautiful garden and an acre of grass – easily the largest home in the town, though Naruto supposed that was no surprise; the daughter of a daimyo was technically a princess. It was out of place, but not overly lavish. The home still had a cute feel to it.

The old woman opened the door, not bothering to knock before calling in. "Aeri-sama? Aeri-sama, are you home?"

"What is it, Obaa-san? I'm trying to get ready-"

A princess indeed. The daughter of the daimyo was indeed beautiful, with long blonde hair in beautiful curls and dark eyes. She wore a long blue dress, embroidered with gold patterns. It was sleek and silky, and the material continued to the floor, and to her wrists as well. Naruto found himself captivated by the girl – she was just as striking as her clothes.

"Who is this?" Naruto found himself wincing. She certainly didn't sound appreciative of his company.

Momoko tutted. "Haruno Koichi. A visiting civilian, from Konoha. We're on good ground with them, you know-"

"Yes, I know." The girl sounded exasperated. "I just don't care. I'm not making friends with people because of where they're from. Get that into your head, lady."

"He's visiting," Momoko said, her tone biting. "To see these mountains before he passes away from an illness. Be civil, Aeri-sama." Ah, yes, Aeri – that was her name. It sickened Naruto to hear the old woman convincing Aeri with pity for him. Pity – the more time went by, the more Naruto was sure he'd be constantly irate if he told his friends about his illness. Pity, pity, pity.

Aeri huffed. "I don't care if he's sick or not. What do you expect me to do for him?"

That was more like it.

Though he heard Momoko scolding the girl, and saw Sakura twitching with irritation, Naruto laughed. It was soundless, but he laughed, smiling wide and genuinely. What a girl, to not give a shit whether he was dying or not.

"What?" Aeri said, irritated. "What's so funny?"

Sakura laughed awkwardly. "I think he just thinks it's funny that you don't care whether he's dying or not. He gets pity from everyone – it makes a surprising change."

Abruptly, Naruto held out his hand to the princess. She looked shocked, and Naruto knew she'd been expecting a respectful bow. He could tell from the moment she'd spoke that Aeri was not the sort of person to appreciate overly pretentious greetings and constant 'respect'. He'd assumed she'd enjoy this show of fellowship, and she did, shaking hands with him and smiling. Sakura looked at the two of them, captivated by Naruto's innate ability to enchant people – even without words, it seemed. He just doesn't change, does he? Something about him... just makes you want to make his dreams come true.

"I'm Aeri, daughter of the Lightning Daimyo. Welcome to my father's village."

"I'd never speak to such a moron." That wasn't far from the truth.

"This is where you'll be staying," Momoko said, pushing open the doors to a lavish inn. Naruto looked at her in surprise. Why on earth are we being paid for, for one – but why somewhere so expensive too? Are these relations that important?

He looked to his side, and could immediately see that his two teammates were thinking the exact same, but it was harder to deduce from Shikamaru's constantly blank expression. Naruto would bet his life allowance he already had the whole situation carefully hypothesised, calculated, and predicted. Sakura bowed steeply to the elderly woman. "Thank you so much for your kindness. Do you know what room we're in?"

The woman smiled broadly. "Ask the lady at the desk. We've prebooked a room for you – I think Aeri has taking a great liking to you all, especially you, Koichi-san. It's rare for her. She has quite a temper, you know."

No kidding, Naruto thought, remembering her furious, spoilt rage when they didn't have her preferred type of onigiri for sale. He would have slapped her if it were not for her social standing, and he could safely say it was the same for all of them – Momoko had done it herself, however, standing on Aeri's foot and elbowing her hard.

Momoko bowed deeply, leaving at a leisurely pace. A lady in deep blue and gold clothing came over to them. She was a striking looking woman, with wide blue eyes and long white hair despite her youth. "Welcome to the Cat's Inn," she said, bowing her head. "I believe you three are our special guests. Please come through."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. He turned to Naruto, and he immediately read the Nara's look – even in this unfamiliar face – as suspicious. Shikamaru didn't trust these unnaturally friendly relations they were being presented, but Shikamaru walked in before Naruto did. He pushed back the pleated navy curtains that hung in the door way, and found himself in a beautiful lounge. The seats were quilted, cushioned, trimmed with gold, golden chandeliers hanging above, detailed cat paintings with minute strokes donning every wall. Perfectly set out bottles of liquor at every table, glasses of every size and shape on the tables. Naruto heard Sakura gasp delightedly; the place certainly had a feel he'd never seen before in Konoha. A lavish, modern feel. It felt unfamiliar, and Naruto hadn't ever drank out of anything but a sake shot cup before. Navy, gold, navy, gold – dominated every piece of furniture and every item of décor in the room. It was impressive, and a strange kind of entrancing – Naruto felt too cheap to be in such a beautiful room. The liquor, again, was something he wasn't used to drinking at all. Then again, Naruto didn't remember drinking anything but sake.

The woman span, elegantly picking up a glass and pouring red liquor into it. She walked – almost like a gliding motion – over to Naruto, putting her red lips on one side of the glass as she held it to his mouth. She laughed, blue eyes sparkling. The Uzumaki saw Shikamaru's eyes narrow to the side; he doubted the Nara would touch a drop of alcohol this evening if he had any choice in the matter. Sakura, on the other hand, was utterly captivated by the elegant and sweeping movements of this woman. Every twist of her wrist, bat of her eyes seemed so pre-ordained, it was like watching a ballet; the ultimate show of practice and discipline. The woman laughed, her voice husky but not particularly low.

"Welcome to the Lounge," she said. "I am Setsuna. This is the private house of the Daimyo, reserved for special guests of him and his family. It seems Aeri-sama has taken quite a liking to you three – especially you, Koichi-san. Be careful – she is the Daimyo's daughter, after all." She walked, her hips softly swaying to each side with each stride of her long legs. She stopped in front of the piano, tucked in the far corner. "My partner, Fuumaru, is working behind the bar, and as a waiter. Feel free to request whatever you need from him... Aeri-sama will be with you shortly."

The woman began playing a soft, flowing tune on piano, and Naruto recognised it as jazz, something he'd only heard in the far reaches of his travels. It was well-timed, and the music began softly, and soon, so did her voice. It was husky but smooth, perfectly in tune and sweet to his ears.

I stare at the stars,

and the sky up above;

and think, what am I -

made of?

"What drink would you like, sir?"

Naruto found himself again straining to push words out, to speak – only to find he indeed, could not. It was an antagonising notion, and he felt foolish and blushed sheepishly. Fuumaru smiled gently, and picked up a bottle. "I believe you may enjoy our red wine. It's no matter if you do not, however." The man picked up the slender bottle pouring it at a considerable height into a smoothly curved glass. Fuumaru picked a berry from the fruit bowl in the middle of the table, splitting it and allowing it's juice to drip into the glass. Gloved hands placed the glass into Naruto's hands. Naruto took a sip, and it was a lovely taste. Sweeter than any drink, but not sickly sweet more than a generally gentler liquor than the ones he had drank previously. The strong taste of grapes domineered it, but the tangy, strange juice of the fruit Fuumaru had squeezed into it made it so different. Naruto loved it, the taste delightful, and he smiled brightly at the man, who let a slight blush tint his cheeks. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, sir," he said, before moving on to take Shikamaru and Sakura's requests.

Am I filled with sorrow?

Am I hurt and pained?

or am I filled

with love?

Shikamaru was drinking another drink, a completely transparent one. Naruto was beyond surprised that he'd decided to drink whatsoever, and he knew the boy had read it through Naruto's expression alone. "I get the feeling there are ulterior motives, but not the bad kind." Shikamaru sipped at the liquor, and the Uzumaki got a strong whiff of something that smelled like strong chemicals and fire. "It would only create more tension if I was to be on edge through the whole thing." Naruto knew that, despite his words, Shikamaru was on edge as could be. The Nara was a born genius; he could sniff out unnatural behaviour from a mile away. They both knew Sakura was the same by the look in her eyes, but she looked frankly delighted with the enchantingly strange room, free alcohol and gorgeous waiter.

I walk by myself,

on the streets below

and ask every child

I know,

Aeri walked in, and Naruto knew she had certainly spent her lateness doing something. She looked stunning, hair bundled into a curly mass on her head, beautiful clothes light blue and gold. The woman sat straight next to Naruto, smiling widely. The near-royal girl snapped her fingers, and Fuumaru poured her a strangely mixed cocktail that she had clearly ordered many times before. The demanding attitude she took on irked Naruto slightly, but he said nothing (it wasn't like he could have anyway). She drank the glass cleanly and quickly, licking her lips before leaning far too close to Naruto for comfort. Shikamaru's gaze bored through the back of Naruto's head from his other side; he knew he was watching like a hawk.

"Koichi," she said, the low cut collar of her dress slipping slightly as she leaned forward. Naruto swallowed. What is she doing- "You only have a while left, right?" Her hands began roaming and the boy's head began to spin, even more so from the alcohol in his bloodstream. "I'm sure I can give you the time of your life..." Oh, Jesus. Great. Naruto wasn't saying that he had no interest in women, per se, but it wasn't something he cared about – and this definitely wasn't helping the situation.

She sat back suddenly, her breasts bouncing as she did so, her dress riding up to show a little bit more of her thighs – and she burst into laughter, the loud, cheerful noise reverberating through the whole room and the entirety of the glasses within it. She looked at Naruto, eyes staring straight into his, giggling. "Oh, you look so panicked. It was just an offer. I do owe you, after all," her voice faded to a whisper, "Kyuubi-kun."

"Do you think tomorrow

will bring sun or rain?

Which one of these

will show?"

Naruto's breath caught in his throat (what!?), and Shikamaru looked just as shocked – which was simply a blank expression, with wide eyes; that was as far as surprise ever really got for Shikamaru. She laughed and leaned back, clicking her fingers to receive another glass of the fruity but strong cocktail. Aeri looked straight into Naruto's eyes, no longer giggling but her eyes laughing all the same. "It's only natural you'd be attracted to me," she said. "After all, I am a cat." She downed the glass in two gulps.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura was seething, anger seeping into her words, her bad temper bubbling to the surface. Naruto winced. His teammate had never had a good patience, especially with things she did not understand.

"I knew who you three were as soon as you arrived," Aeri said, cheeks now flush with alcohol. She meowed, spinning around and laying across the seats, head on Naruto's lap as she looked at his expression. "I'm not stupid. My name is Nii Yugito, and I was the Matatabi Jinchuuriki."

I can't say good-bye,

to yesterday, my friend,

I keep holding on

'til the end

"You were killed by Hidan and Kakuzu." Shikamaru's voice was cutting. Setsuna had not stopped playing. "They took you for extraction, and you died."

Yugito began laughing, running the tip of her finger around the rim of her wine glass to produce an "oo" sound. It was a peaceful noise. "Oh yeah - that," she said. "You three all had a hand in their defeat. In fact, Shikamaru, was it? I heard you defeated Hidan all – by – yourself." She winked at the Nara. "It's impressive, to know that mere human intelligence and wit could overcome the strength of a Bijuu. Who'd have thought?"

Out of the darkness,

there is no other way

than the light leading to

yesterday

"But you were killed," Sakura said. "You were taken, and then you died."

"Certainly so."

Sakura's eye twitched with irritation. "So? So, you should be dead. What's with that?"

"Now, that's not a very nice thing to say, now, is it?" Yugito sat up, much to Naruto's relief. "Luckily for me, where they left my dead body was a nice area. The Matatabi was a cat, that I often transformed into. So, when I was left, near death, after the extraction, hundreds of cats came and nursed me back to health. Keeping me warm by curling up on me, licking my wounds... simple things, that allowed me to survive until I was found by Momoko." She leaned on her left hand. "I owe the Kyuubi a favour after you killed Kakuzu, but the Kyuubi served the Matatabi in their previous lives very well. I owe you a great deal of favours."

Naruto did his best to give a look that read 'they didn't have to be sexual'.

"I was already from Lightning, but I had to go into hiding. Luckily, or unluckily – depending how you play it – the Lightning Daimyo had a daughter, who was rather similar to me as a child, that had decided to go become a samurai. She lives under a different alias anyway, so pretending to have 'returned home' was not a far-fetched thing to say, since the whole samurai affair was completely covered up."

It's there that I'll find

inner peace not war

and dreams that I let

slip away...

She dropped her legs clumsily on the table, shaking the glasses and bottles and causing a glass to slip off the edge into Fuumaru's grip. He shook his head at her the way one would shake their head at a dog shaking water off his fur. Yugito turned to Naruto, grabbing a bottle of liquor and passing it to the waiter for him to open. "I've heard of your escapades, Uzumaki Naruto," she said, taking back the bottle and taking a long swig. "Saved the whole of Konoha! Tiding over a mighty enemy with mere words. I hear great things each day about you. The tales of your sickness – all lies, no? What are you really here for, Uzumaki?"

Naruto shook his head, before writing quickly onto his notepad, resting the paper on his knee. We thought my presence might cause problems. But I'm dying all the same.

"A whole team for the trip of a dying man?" Yugito raised an eyebrow, leaning back and folding her arms. "I doubt it, you dirty liar."

It's the truth. Our Hokage wants us to see someone here as well, but I'm certainly not lying. You'll have to take my word for it.

"Let me guess," Yugito said, letting out a long 'hmm' before giggling. "It's the sealing master! Right?"

Naruto cocked his head at the girl.

She leaned forward, pressing her lips next to his ear. Her breath ghosted over his skin, giving him goosebumps. "Because, I hear you're after that criminal, Uchiha Sasuke. And he was here, just, was it... yesterday?"

I'll find the joyfulness

I'm looking for

way back,

in yesterday

"Sasuke, someone is coming."

"I know." Sasuke didn't move.

Karin paused, apprehensive. "It doesn't feel like a sensory ninja. If we suppress our chakra and stay quiet, we should be fine."

"Hn."

The soft padding of foot on grass was quiet, but Sasuke knew he was far away. Closer, closer- closer still. It was thudding now, the strong noise of strong shinobi legs slamming against ground. Strong, uphill sprinting. He could hear the heavy breathing now. The gasps for air, the thudding slowing down, and now there was no thudding. They had stopped, panting, coughing, and he heard yet another thud as the man fell to his knees. The tearing of grass. Heavier breathing still. The sky was clear.

"Sasuke? Sasuke!? I know you can hear me, goddammit! Where are you!?"

Suigetsu froze, turning to Sasuke questioningly. The Uchiha gave him a cold stare.

A choked sob. "What the fuck is this? What do you expect me to do, Sasuke?" A strained silence. "Are you doing this just to piss me off?"

Sasuke looked around the cave, the levels of intrigue in his teammates faces on a scale from Juugo to Karin. He had no plans on indulging who that was, in a furious rage above them, and yet he knew they would pester him until he put a sword to their throats. It wasn't all that unnatural, Sasuke supposed, since they knew next to nothing about him apart from his defection from Konoha then Orochimaru, and the events since. He still had no intentions of telling them anything he didn't have to.

"I'm trying my best to figure out what to do. I try my best not to chase you, but you're almost in my grasp – laughing at me. I wish things weren't the way they were. I wish you were still here. You're such a pain in the ass. I have bigger things to worry about..." Sasuke heard Naruto's laugh, his bright laughing despite his obvious distress. The Uchiha knew that what he'd said wasn't true. He seemed to be both the light and bane of Naruto's existence, the weight dragging him down into an ocean of sorrow and the hope that helped him crawl out of it. Naruto cared about him a great deal, and it tugged at Sasuke's emotions in a way that he wanted to remove, to cut out and ignore. He was a dead weight on his ambitions, his duties to his family – something to be removed, eliminated, for him to be cleansed of. Sadly, the situation had not turned out that simple; all of a sudden, the dead last was second – near first – and chasing him, constantly on his tail, and Sasuke hated it, despised it. He wasn't on the same level as someone so pathetic. An Uchiha and a dead last as equals was an idea that made him nauseous. Sasuke gritted his teeth, an action that did not go unseen by his teammates.

"You piss me off so much." Naruto's voice grated at Sasuke's nerves, his tone urging him to go up there and beat the shit out of him. "Revenge is the only thing that's ever on your mind. But when did it consume you, Sasuke?"

The moment I lost my family. The moment Nii-san passed. It doesn't matter. As long as the name of the Uchiha is cleansed of all sin, of all lies. Sasuke clenched his fists. I could go up there and kill him. Stab him straight through the throat, using the element of surprise. He'd never bother me again.

It would just cause more trouble for me. Retrieval of the scroll. A higher bounty on my head. Going against the Akatsuki. The Kyuubi causing trouble. Konohagakure actively pursuing me.

Sasuke had many reasons not to go after Naruto; none of them were quite right.

AN: The song Setsuna is singing is "Can't Say Goodbye to Yesterday" by Rika Muranaka. It's nice, especially the piano only version. The lyrics are simple but cute. I enjoy it. Thanks for reading; will update soon.