Chapter 8
"Shouldn't we make camp?"
"Why would we do that?"
"...Because it's getting dark, and you always say that you don't want to move when it's night because then we can fall into traps and-"
"Okay! We'll fucking stop then, happy?"
Yuuko sighed when she plopped down on the forest ground and stretched her legs. They had been running for about eight hours straight and although her stamina was far from depleted, her leg muscles were protesting. "If you're going to snap at me like that, then no. I'm not happy."
The red-head rolled her eyes, before sitting down as well. It was actually dark already, the sun having set a few minutes before Yuuko had realized that Ketricken seemed to be desperate to get away from Konoha as fast as possible. A little too desperate, in her mind. "Sleep, I'll take the first watch."
"Not until you tell me whats going on."
Midnight blue met yellow when Ketricken stared, before asking in a nonchalant manner, "What ever do you mean?"
"I mean, what's up with you running away from the village like the devil himself is on your heels? What's up with waking me up and ordering me to get ready without a warning the night before?"
"I just want to get to Grass before..." For some reason Ketricken stopped herself from finishing that sentence and turned her head away, breaking the glaring contest between the two girls. "Just go to sleep."
She stared at the red-head for a few moments before sighing and laying down, turning her back to her friend.
Something is wrong.
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She was wandering in the woods, the moon shining down at her pale and thin form. They had released her, had let her go with her life after she had signed that blood-oath scroll. But it had been more like throwing her out. Itachi had led her some ways away from the compound before taking off the blindfold and throwing an Akatsuki cloak at her feet. Then he had disappeared, leaving her there - shivering, tired and in pain from the wounds Itachi had given her during her first weeks in that cell.
She coughed heavily and leaned on a tree, wheezing and gasping. She let out a whimper. She was lost and if her wounds didn't get treated soon, they would kill her. She seriously didn't understand that Uchiha. How the hell was she supposed to do the things asked of her if she were to die in these woods.
She struggled onwards, her legs starting to shake. After some minutes of steady walking she fell down, her body protesting when she tried to get up again. Her rapid breathing slowed, and she blinked heavily before she lost consciousness.
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Something hit her shoulder and her eyes snapped open. In a flash she was standing a kunai in hand, ready for battle. But she relaxed and cursed as soon as she saw the mischievous smile on the other girl's face. Ketricken had thrown a stone at her.
"Really mature."
"Thank you. Now, if you don't mind I'm going to sleep."
Ketricken turned her back to Yuuko, who sat-legs crossed-on the ground again. Very soon she heard the red-head's steady breathing and relaxed fully, closing her eyes and focusing on the area around them, letting her chakra spread out and create an "alarm bubble"around them. If anyone were to step inside that, she would know immediately. Her bubble ready. she started to contemplate on her dreams.
Why am I seeing these things of no importance. Was it Sasuke that triggered it? Or maybe this time it was the forest?
Yuuko looked around her and had to admit that the woods looked similar to the one she had been lost some time ago, but there were differences as well. This one seemed calm and somewhat tranquil, unlike the other forest with it's fog and half-dead trees and the menacing air that was too heavy for you to breathe, making you gasp and choke...
She closed her eyes and stopped that line of thought. Yuuko sighed before concentrating on their surroundings again.
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The second day of their travel was ending and it was getting dark again. Ketricken hadn't said a word to her since Yuuko had woken the girl up that morning. She had just continued moving, knowing that Yuuko would follow. The red-head was careful, nervous and worried. Some other person wouldn't have noticed this, because of the cold mask on the girl's face, but Yuuko saw how her blue eyes shifted from right to left, checking over everything and also how those eyes kept glancing back at her, as if she were to disappear any moment.
She had had enough. In mid jump she twisted her angle and instead of reaching the next tree branch she hit the ground and straightened, folding her arms across her chest. The other girl heard the sound of feet hitting ground and stopped as well, turning back to see Yuuko standing there, her eyes demanding an answer.
"Keep moving."
"No. Not until you tell me what's wrong."
She sighed before jumping down as well. "I'm not sure if I should."
"Well, I'm not moving until you tell me everything."
Blue met yellow as they had another glaring contest, which ended with Yuuko winning as always. Ketricken looked down at her feet, which fidgeted slightly and closed her eyes before speaking softly, "There were rumors going around in Sound. The Sound nin were talking about Orochimaru's next plan." She heard Yuuko coming closer, but didn't open her eyes, "I managed to overhear a couple of jounin talking about it, while walking past the forest." Now she met the other girl's eyes as she revealed what Yuuko wanted to know, "He's going to attack Konoha."
A sharp intake of breath before a soft thump. Ketricken knelt before the slumped girl and tried to get her to see reason, "I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't have left. But you know we are no match against him. Fighting him would mean using up all of our chakra, which would end in our downfall as well. I don't want to lose you Yuuko," she placed her hands on the girl's cheeks, gently lifting her head, making her distraught eyes focus on her, "I don't want to lose you."
"But, we have to help them!"
Yuuko needn't tell who she meant by that, Ketricken knew, "Yuuko listen, Kakashi is the Copy Ninja, Sarutobi is the freaking Hokage and Sasuke, he is a fucking Uchiha. They'll be fine. You know they will."
The girl nodded weakly.
"You know that all three of them would want you to be safe. Well, maybe not the kid, don't know about him... anyway, Kakashi would kill you himself if you were to go back now, knowing that your father will be there!"
The girl nodded again, now looking a bit more determined.
"We just got to keep on moving, alright? I don't know when he's going to attack. It could be today or hell, it could be in two or three weeks. But we have to be in hiding by then. So, you ready to go on?"
"Promise me, we'll keep ourselves updated on how Konoha's doing."
The red-head stared at the girl who looked insecure, so unlike the facade she liked to use. She knew that this was what Yuuko really was. Not strong or seductive as people liked to think, no. Yuuko was insecure and full of self-doubt. And it warmed her heart, that this girl trusted her so much, that she would let her weakest side show through.
"I promise."
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The walk home was duller than ever before. He had gotten it, just like he knew he would. Sasuke stared at the hitae-ate now in his hand. This was what he had wanted... right? This was what he had trained for. To be a genin, so he could become a chuunin, so he could become a jounin and in the end he planned to become an ANBU, the best way to get to Itachi. But it seemed like a long road. Too long, and it would take too much time. Through all of this Itachi would still be free to roam around killing other people's families.
He entered the Uchiha compound.
Often he thought of moving away from here. Away from the memories of him and his aniki spending time together, the memories of him begging for attention from his father. It hurt to remember. But somehow he couldn't leave. These memories hurt and they made him angry. And they made him hate Itachi. And he needed this hate so he could reach his goal faster.
He entered his house.
He remembered Yuuko's face as the girl told him of her past. What her father did to her, in one way it seemed nothing compared to his past, yet in another way it seemed worse. To have your own family torturing you, using you as a tool. But wasn't that what Itachi was doing to him as well? Wasn't his brother torturing him, letting him live so he could dream of his parents' dead bodies and of Itachi's mangekyo sharingan staring at him, challenging him every night?
Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed before heading upstairs. As much as he hated it, he needed company at the moment to keep his mind from wandering back to that night when his entire life had changed. He knocked on Yuuko's door and waited. When no answer came he frowned before entering the room. Looking around, he noticed that the bed was made and when he looked into the closet he found that all the clothes she had, were gone.
He ran quickly downstairs and checked the kitchen as well. On his way to the living room, he saw that the cupboard next to the stairs was open slightly. He took a look inside and realization hit him as he saw two of his kunai packs missing.
She was gone.
And for some reason it hurt.
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Fuzzy:
Hello again XD I know this isn't 3000+ XD But hey I have the next chappie already half-ready. All you need to do is ask for it ;D
I'll just thank sasukez again LOL. For inspiring me to write this.
So, school holiday! YAY! No studying for a week! I'm like... crazy happy right now XD
So R&R ;) and make me even more happier! X)