The Curse

Chapter Eight: Debriefing

Sakura couldn't help but sigh once more in absolute relief as she tightened her hold around Sasuke's torso, breathing in his familiar scent, taking comfort in the secure hold he had around her shoulders, and listening to Naruto's deep yet soothing voice drift through her ears. Admittedly, her body weight was sagging completely into Sasuke's form, the exhaustion from not sleeping during the night catching up with her; it also didn't help that Sasuke felt so comfortable and warm, the simple air of confidence he always carried making her feel safe and taken care of, as if nothing could touch her, and with Naruto's additional presence, it made Sakura feel almost invincible.

"And you are?" Sasuke's deep baritone questioned, the rumble transferring over to the tired kunoichi, her eyes slowly fluttering open as focus began to return to her, mind processing the Uchiha's inquiry.

"Makoto Dai," Another resonant voice responded and Sakura reluctantly pulled away from Sasuke's chest to make formal introductions; she didn't mind when Sasuke's arm chose to remain around her shoulders, her body really did need something to lean on, "…You must be Sakura-san's teammates. She was confident you'd come to find her."

"Of course we would!" Naruto declared, his arms crossed over his chest as sapphire eyes critically studied the boy, "So what's your story? Why are you with Sakura-chan?"

A flash of guilt passed Dai's dark-blue eyes, his gaze switching to the floor in shame, "…I…I called Sakura-san here…"

Sasuke's obsidian orbs narrowed accusingly, "So you're the one who sent her the false Mission Assignment."

Sakura's brows furrowed, viridian orbs gazing up at him, "How did you know it was false?"

"Hn," Sasuke replied instead, the Medic's own indirect confirmation enough to judge for himself; he glared at Dai, "You put my teammate in danger with a false Assignment. With whatever has been going on around here you could have gotten her killed."

Dai frowned, "I know it was risky but I need Sakura-san's help and going through the formal process of requesting for her aid would have taken longer than I wanted. It was not my intention to put her in harm's way–"

"You sent her on a Mission she wasn't prepared for," Sasuke growled, his anger mounting at the boy's naivety, "Seeing what I see now, seeing her covered in blood, you should expect nothing less than how I'm reacting."

"Please calm down, Sasuke-kun," Sakura pleaded softly, her left arm winding around his waist while her right hand pat his torso, "I'm okay, alright?"

"Says the one covered in blood," The Uchiha pointed out, his dark gaze shifting to her.

"Sasuke's got a point though," Naruto agreed as he studied Dai with narrowed orbs, expression skeptical; he panned his gaze to Sakura, "We thought you disappeared, Sakura-chan. The Tsuchikage told us about disappearances happening around here so me and Sasuke-teme came as fast as we could. We've been running all night and as relieved as we are that you're safe it sucks because it could have been avoided," He stared at Dai once more, watching as the Chuunin remained quiet and frowning, "Or it could have turned out a lot worse."

Sakura sighed, dropping her left arm from Sasuke's waist, "Dai-san's already apologized – numerous times – to me. Yes, he could have handled this better; yes, I wish I was more prepared, but what's done is done. We've got a bigger problem to solve now…"

"I'm not done," Sasuke growled, dropping his arm from her shoulders and staring at her intently, "What about you, Sakura? Why the hell didn't you go back to the clearing? Go somewhere safer? Or sent some kind of message to us?"

Sakura frowned, "I was going to send a message to you, through Katsuyu, and have her meet you at the clearing and tell you what was going on. I didn't send her yet because I thought you were still in Iwa," Her frown deepened as she placed her hands on her hips, "I didn't go back to the clearing because I was pretty occupied last night and Dai-san needed my help. I didn't go somewhere else because after what I've already been through I knew I couldn't leave because I knew you and Naruto were going to come after me. I had to stay to warn you because I didn't want you to get killed by those things!"

Clearly out of breath, Sakura inhaled deeply, staring at Sasuke while he stubbornly glared back. Naruto was analyzing Sakura now, taking in her appearance before thoughtfully observing the setting around him: blood trails, dark trails, a new character with a suspicious bag over his shoulder, and the strangest feeling crawling up his spine, as if he was being watched or something. Dai remained silent, staring between Sasuke and Sakura before turning his glance towards Naruto, the blonde's gaze directed at the forest behind him.

Naruto sighed, "Okay, so we got some holes to fill and stories to retell. Our Mission's not over until we figure all this out, so the sooner we get started, the better."

Sakura blinked, sighed, turned away from Sasuke, and wearily walked towards her blood-stained flak-jacket and medical bag, "…Naruto's right," She turned to Dai, "Let's try and find a one-story house…Bigger space, more rooms…Can your ofudas cover that?"

"Ofudas?" Naruto muttered, perplexed.

Dai nodded his head, hefting the bag higher onto his shoulder, "I'd have to use more, but it's possible."

"Alright," The Medic replied, looking down at her belongings and reluctant to pick them up, "Let's start looking for one."

Naruto walked up to Sakura while Dai wandered off to search; the blonde didn't miss the wince she exhibited as she picked up the crimson-covered bag and vest, "…You okay, Sakura-chan?"

She hefted the bag onto her shoulder and folded the flak-jacket against her chest, quiet in thought until she softly responded, "…I don't know, Naruto. I'm…frustrated and confused about this whole thing," She looked up at him and Naruto was surprised to actually see a tinge of fear in her jade orbs, "…I don't like what we've gotten into…"

"Sakura-chan," Naruto grinned; and he took her medical bag and swung it on his shoulder, not caring about the blood that transferred onto his own clothes, "We can do this, Team Seven is on the job," His free arm wrapped around her shoulders and he squeezed in silent reassurance, "Teme's right, we're here now, you're not alone."

Slowly, an appreciative smile appeared on Sakura's expression and she leaned against Naruto with a sigh, "Thanks Naruto…I'm really glad you're here."

Naruto squeezed her shoulders one last time before the two began to walk off the Bridge, Dai already far ahead of them, checking the interior of the houses he passed, and Sasuke waiting at the Bridge's end, his arms crossed as he waited for his teammates, dark orbs intently observing Dai. When Naruto and Sakura reached the ex-Avenger the kunoichi grabbed his arm and began to pull him along; it was a reason to be close to both her boys and a silent truce between her and Sasuke for their earlier disagreement. The Uchiha glanced down at her momentarily, earning a small half-smile from her, and he grunted before adjusting himself to fit into her hold better.

"So," Naruto started, his voice lowered slightly as he nodded his head in Dai's direction, "…This Makoto-guy…Do you trust him?"

Sakura sighed, shrugging the shoulder Naruto wasn't leaning against, "…I don't know him very well but he did save my life…Though, I am staying open-minded. His reasons for calling for me here may be genuine or fake…But after what happened last night, well…" She sighed, "…I've still got a lot more to find out."

"And what happened to you?" Sasuke spoke up, dark eyes sliding towards her briefly, "You're completely covered in blood."

"It's not my blood," She assured him, "It's someone else's…He's dead now and what's left of him is in the bag Dai-san's carrying."

"He's in the bag?" Naruto yelped, staring in horror at the black plastic hanging over the male's shoulder.

"What's 'left of him'?" Sasuke chose to repeat, one brow raised.

Sakura shook her head, "We're dealing with something we've never faced before…Dai-san called it a Curse…So did Yoshiro-san."

"Who's Yoshiro-san?" Naruto questioned, absently looking around to see if there were any other strangers present besides Dai.

"…The man in the bag," Sakura answered unwillingly, eyes downcast, avoiding to cast her gaze on the object.

Naruto paled considerably as he stared at the item, brows furrowed with worry, "Oh…" He looked at Sakura, her previous statement returning to his muddled mind, "Wait, a Curse?" his soft inquiry openly displaying his confusion.

"Supernatural, Spirits, Ghosts," The kunoichi elaborated earning an incredulous snort from Sasuke.

"Do you think it's a Curse, Sakura-chan?"

"…I don't know…"

"You can't actually believe that, Sakura."

"You haven't seen what I've seen, Sasuke," Sakura responded, "At least not yet."

However, before Sasuke or Naruto could comment or question further Dai had called out to them, waving his free hand in a gesture that meant he had found what they were looking for. Sakura hurried her teammates along, glancing up at the sun and finding that it was still early afternoon. They had time.

The house Dai had found was perfect in Sakura's opinion. It was one-story, just as she had asked, with six rooms. The front door opened into a long hallway that led to the end of the house where there lay a large bathroom. On the left of the hallway the first room was the living room, complete with two couches, one recliner chair, a TV, fireplace, bookshelves, and one large, curtain-covered window that overlooked the street. Further down the left side of the hallway were two doors that led to two different bedrooms, both small, simply furnished with beds, dressers, vanities, and closets. On the right side of the hallway, across from the living room, was the dining room; it was sparse, with a large, rectangular, wooden table that sat six persons, and a window, similar to the living room's, also overlooking the street. Connected to the dining room, divided by a low counter, was the kitchen, complete with a stove and oven; a door in the far right corner led to a quaint backyard.

Two doors, two escapes – and entrances – and two windows that could be covered by thick drapes; and the house had accessible beds; maybe if she locked herself in one of the bedrooms the moaning and hissing wouldn't be heard and she might be able to get some sleep.

Naruto made himself comfortable on one of the couches, dropping Sakura's medical bag beside the low coffee table. Dai had also placed the plastic bag, containing Yoshiro's body, in the corner of the dining room, Naruto staring at it warily. Sasuke stood beside the door, watching as Sakura closed the entryway, stood there in silence, bit her lower lip, then purposefully threw the lock on the door, sighing after it was done. Her actions concerned him, questioning silently what she had experienced to make her so…paranoid.

"I'll need to get boards to block this off," Dai stated as he stared at the fireplace, "Something to cover it, and then I'll put an ofuda to make it more secure."

"A fireplace?" Naruto asked; he looked at Sakura, who was staring at the hearth also, her expression clearly conveying worry, "Isn't that a little much?"

Sakura sighed, shaking her head at Naruto's inquiry before she walked towards the front door, "I'll look for some spare wood."

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest but Dai beat him to it, "It's okay, Sakura-san. I was speaking out loud; I said I was going to get it. Stay with your teammates, I'll be fine."

"You shouldn't go out there alone," Sakura pressed.

Dai offered her a half-smile, "I've been dealing with these things since I was a little boy…I'll be okay. But still…thank you, for showing concern for my safety."

Sakura looked at Dai, could see the sincerity in his features and for the first time really wondered what happened to him. Why was he involved? What was his situation? Why was he so set and desperate to stop those creatures? What was his story? She watched the sadness in his eyes flicker away as he smiled once more, reassuring her.

"I'll go with him," Naruto offered, standing up and stretching, "Shouldn't take too long anyway."

Dai nodded, "I appreciate that, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto waved his hand dismissively, "It's no problem," He paused, "Hey, how'd you know my name? Did I mention it?"

Dai shook his head, smiling, "Who doesn't know Hidden Leaf's Legendary Team Seven? It's only natural that if anyone knows of Haruno Sakura then they know of Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke also. Your names are connected – associated."

Sasuke's brow rose in interest at that tidbit of information, watching as Dai and Naruto moved towards the front door, conversation easily starting.

"Is that so? So what have you heard about us?"

"Plenty of things," Dai answered with a hint of eagerness, "Like when…"

And the door shut behind them. Sighing, Sasuke turned away from the door, his dark gaze spotting Sakura as she went towards the kitchen sink and turned on the faucet, spinning the handle to release cold water and placing her flak-jacket under the freezing spray of liquid. She was quiet as she scrubbed away the blood, her head bowed, hands rubbing against the stains, her efforts becoming more vigorous as the seconds ticked by. Frowning, Sasuke walked towards her and the closer he got the more he could hear her desperate muttering.

"…So much blood…Please, come off…Please…"

"Sakura," Sasuke stated, trying to get her attention.

"…It'll come off," Sakura answered mechanically, "There was just a lot, but it'll come off…It has to."

But Sakura wasn't focusing on her vest anymore, she had taken off her gloves and added it to the cold spray, but her hands were rubbing together, desperately, her arms beginning to shake.

"Sakura," Sasuke repeated more strongly, coming up to her and firmly grasping her hands to stop the scrubbing; her viridian orbs snapped up to him and Sasuke's heart lurched at the fear he could see in her eyes; it didn't help that she was also covered in blood, making the image all the more disconcerting for him, "Sakura…"

He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what was wrong. He didn't experience what she did.

The adrenaline she had probably felt beforehand had ebbed away, all the shock from previous encounters was wearing off; now that relief had filled her with his and Naruto's arrival she was beginning to break down because there was no immediate reason to be strong. All she had was the silence of the house and the blood on her flak-jacket and skin.

No, she had him too. He was there to help her now.

"I'm here, Sakura. We're here," Sasuke assured her softly, feeling her tremble against him, "You're safe now."

And she fell against him, her tears silent, no sounds escaping her as she clutched onto the front of Sasuke's shirt, drowning in the relief that she wasn't alone, that even if she wished everything was a dream – or nightmare – at least Sasuke and Naruto were with her.

"I'm trying to be strong…" Sakura whispered, "I am strong. But all that blood; all the noises; all the shadows and questions and…" She sighed, "…I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you're both here."

They stayed in silence for a few more moments, Sakura taking comfort in the safety of Sasuke's warm embrace and Sasuke really questioning what he and his team were facing. If something had caused Sakura to break down – into tears that she doesn't shed as much as she did in her youth – then he had to take caution. Sakura was a strong girl, one that wasn't easily broken, one that was logical, and if she said something wasn't right then something wasn't right. And like all other ninja, Sasuke didn't like the unknown, he prided in the quickness in which he found enemies' weaknesses and if this new adversary seemed undefeatable – especially running free after ten years – he wasn't sure what could be done, and he despised that uncertainty.

Sakura slowly pulled away from him, removing Sasuke from his thoughts, and she turned back towards the sink; however, Sasuke stopped her, "I'll clean your vest…You should clean yourself up."

Sakura looked at the flak-jacket and dark gloves floating in the cold water and then at her blood-stained torso. With a sigh she nodded her head, offered Sasuke a grateful smile, and headed towards the bathroom.

"If you're not out of there in thirty minutes I'll get you out myself," Sasuke warned, clear indication that he didn't want her to do the same thing she just did with her vest: rub her skin raw.

Sakura managed a small smile in response, "…Thanks Sasuke."

He turned towards the sink and began to clean the bloodied items, "Hn."

Another short glance at him, a slight widening of her smile and Sakura walked off towards the bathroom, ready and needing to wash the blood off her form.

Just under an hour later Sakura was sitting on the couch, cleansed of deep scarlet and basking in the motion of rubbing her long, wet, pastel locks with a soft towel she had found in the bathroom's cabinet. Her dirtied clothes – and the drying flak-jacket Sasuke had helpfully washed – were hanging to dry in the tub; her gloves also sitting on the dining room table for later use. Fortunately, the Medic had brought a spare change of clothes for her Mission and was donning a fitted, long-sleeved black shirt and baggy, black sweats that tightened just above her ankles – plain but comfortable.

Sasuke sat at her right, quiet, watching as Dai fitted a large plank of wood over the opening of the fireplace, slapped on a simple, rectangular sheet of paper with various characters in black ink, and then secured the board by stacking sacks of rice against it – found near the abandoned market during Naruto's and Dai's search for the wood.

"What if we lit a fire in the pit?" Sakura had asked when he had been setting the plank, "Would that prevent them from coming in?"

Dai had shaken his head in response, "Fire's only a shock to them, but they adapt. When you use fire it can only be used once every few minutes…You need to let the adaptation fade so the heat and light better affects them the next time it's used."

"…Oh."

A resounding beep echoed throughout the house and Sasuke and Sakura heard a door open and close, a delighted moan, and then Naruto was walking into view from the kitchen and heading towards them, taking a seat on the recliner, eyes directed happily on his Instant Ramen. Sakura smiled lightly – feeling appreciative of some normalcy – while Sasuke rolled his eyes. Dai paid no heed, instead removing a stack of ofudas from his pouch and setting off to place them in appropriate places around the house.

Sakura opened her mouth to offer her assistance but a yawn broke through her words and she closed her eyes and covered her mouth out of courtesy. When her eyes finally opened, Dai was gone and Sasuke was staring at her.

"Well," The Uchiha intoned patiently, "Start explaining."

Sakura stared at him, switched her gaze to Naruto to see him watching her expectantly also – with noodles hanging out of his mouth – and sighed in resignation, "…Right."

So, Sakura began explaining her side of the story, starting off with finding the Village abandoned, checking around for anyone that needed help or had answers, going to the Clinic only to find a room drenched in blood, heading to the Administrations Building to find her files looked through – and explaining that it was Dai's doing, finding out about the disappearances through Reports, hearing voices – eerie, children's voices, finding broken, bloody, dying Satsuma Yoshiro on the Bridge, him being grabbed by something, her running off to find and save him – earning a disapproving grunt from Sasuke – only to come into contact with creatures that were too unnatural to really explain…

Occasionally, Dai would appear, walking into the room to examine the walls before he placed an ofuda where it was supposed to go – windows, walls, the front door – and the first time he came upon the team with Sakura telling her story he quietly stood by to listen. His features had been neutral but a little curious as he soaked in the information of Sakura's experience when she had not been in his presence and when the story came to his – and Torio's – appearance he looked out the window, frowned, and left to continue his ofuda planting.

Sasuke remained silent throughout Sakura's entire report, his hands laced together in front of him as he watched her. Yes, her words were heard and being processed in his mind – incredulity for what she was explaining and had encountered also forming – but he watched her. Haruno Sakura was a gesturer and an emotional speaker, her body-language and facial expressions spoke louder than any words she produced and although there was absolutely no reason for Sakura to lie – and absolutely no reason for Sasuke to believe she was lying – he watched her because it helped him to understand her better.

The way Sakura kept playing with her hair, bringing it over her right shoulder and fiddling with the ends as she spoke showed nervousness and anxiety. When she had mentioned walking into a the blood-stained clinic room her knees had pulled up to her chest, as if she was closing in on herself, her discomfort with the gruesome scene clear with the deepening of her frown. When she focused on the events concerning Yoshiro, finding him on the Bridge and hearing the words he spoke, she bit her lower lip, her viridian orbs had clouded – as if she was going back to that point of time – and then she would quickly snap back to the present – like she didn't want to remember – and shook her head vigorously and closed her eyes as she rocked back and forth, plowing on with her explanation like she wanted to just get it over with.

And then she spoke of these spirits – ghosts, beings, creatures – and her brows had furrowed, clearly conveying to Sasuke that she was both frustrated and confused. She explained their elusiveness, swiftness, darkness, strangeness; she touched upon the mystery of what they were, the sounds they made, the words they chanted, their limits to an excessive amount of chakra and sunlight; how they only come out at night; the brutality of ripping apart Yoshiro and the intellect of setting traps like her Lantern and maybe even Yoshiro on the Bridge to perhaps lure her to the forests; and – most distressing of all – was that they couldn't be touched. Sasuke watched as Sakura sighed and leaned her forehead against her bent knees, looked up at Naruto – who was also staring at her with wide sapphire eyes of bewilderment and disbelief – before landing her gaze on him; and that's where he saw her fear, a fear she was trying desperately to hide but the exhaustion of not sleeping the night before making it easier for him to catch – that same fear he saw when she was trying to wash the blood of her flak-jacket and hands away.

Haruno Sakura was truly afraid of what they were getting involved with.

"…That's all I know right now…" Sakura whispered. Her fatigue was evident as she turned away, a shiver shaking her form and Sasuke wasn't sure if it was out of that same fear in her eyes or the inevitable influx of information they were going to get out of Dai.

"I know…" Sakura continued when silence reigned for a few moments, her face hidden as she kept her head bowed against her knee, her hair acting as a curtain to hide her facial features, "I know it sounds crazy…But I swear I'm not lying…I know what I saw. It's…It's death and worse…and I hate being lost and not knowing what to do…"

"What about a Kekkei Genkai?" Sasuke offered – because Curses just didn't exist to the Uchiha Prodigy; it was invention and rumor, Curses couldn't be real – his brows furrowed, "Something that reanimates the dead; it's not unheard of if you think about Kabuto and Orochimaru and the experiments they messed with. Or even a Forbidden Jutsu or Genjutsu."

"I thought about that," Sakura stated softly, "Went through different scenarios…But nothing is certain unless I run some experiments and gather as much information as I can. I've only been here one night and I wasn't exactly prepared or even completely courageous enough to try to do anything," She sighed, "Now that I'm over the initial shock I'll begin to look at things a little more clearly and efficiently," She looked up and gave a slight half-smile to her two boys, "Lucky you that you get a warning before you actually experience it…"

"…It can't be that bad…" Naruto chuckled as he played with the empty styrofoam cup on his lap, but the furrow of his brows, the quick glance out the window for the day's progress, and his tensed shoulders betrayed his slight anxiety for the night's coming; his frowned deepened and he looked back towards Sakura, "…Say Sakura-chan? You mentioned a little girl, right?"

The kunoichi nodded her head, "Yeah…She's one of two that can speak. She knows my name and Dai-san's name and she keeps saying that she wants to play with us…"

Sasuke frowned and Naruto bit his lower lip, throwing the ramen cup onto the coffee table carelessly before he rummaged through his pockets and removed a small device, "…I think I heard her," Naruto glanced at Sasuke while Sakura stared at them in confusion, "We both heard her…She was telling us to turn back…Telling us she was going to play with you…And when I said I wasn't leaving this other voice, a little more raspy, started saying that she wanted your blood…"

"…They talked to you?" Sakura asked, staring in disbelief at the radio in Naruto's hand before leaning forward, rummaging through her medical bag on the floor and removing her own broken device from the pocket she placed it in after her shower, "…I lost my radio last night. I found it beside the dark trail when I went back in the forest this morning…"

"So they're capable of communication," Sasuke observed but Sakura could tell in his tone that he was still skeptical – still incredulous of the situation.

She stared intently at the device in her hand, jade orbs narrowed in deep thought, "…Smarter than I thought…" She mumbled, "But what's the extent of that intelligence…?"

With a tired sigh, Sakura rubbed her throbbing temples with one hand and allowed the other to place her radio back into her bag before removing a blank pad and paper. Mumbling to herself, the kunoichi sat back against the couch, knees pulled up and notebook resting against them, brows furrowed in thought before she began to jot down everything she just explained aloud, what Naruto had shared with her and the theories stirring up in her chaotic head. Sasuke continued to watch her quietly while Naruto remained staring at the broken device in his hand.

The silence remained for a good half-hour as Sakura continued to write down her report and Sasuke and Naruto let her words fully sink into their befuddled minds. The Uchiha was debating that a Curse could not possibly exist against the words of his Team Seven female comrade. As much as he wanted to believe Sakura the theory of spirits and ghosts was too improbable to completely accept. Naruto was pretty much thinking along the same lines as Sasuke, but with the evidence of the state they had found Sakura in, the slight jumpiness and tension palpable around her, the fact that the Village was abandoned, that the rumors of disappearances were true, that blood trails and dark trails were visible, and a dead body was sitting in a corner across the hall, Naruto saw no reason to disbelieve Sakura, however – as the saying goes – he would still have to wait to see it to actually believe it.

All Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke could do was wait for the coming of night.

It was when Sakura exhaled a deep sigh and dropped her pen and notepad on the coffee table that Dai reemerged from the hallway. The male had unceremoniously plopped onto the floor beside the coffee table – since no more seats were available – and had released a heavy breath as his hands came up to glide tiredly through his shoulder-length, brown tresses. As obvious as it was on Sakura the fatigue displayed on Dai was even more evident, his eyes blood-shot, hair in disarray, clothes dirtied and torn, and his entire body sagging with exhaustion.

"All the ofudas are in place," He stated tiredly, looking up to briefly meet three pairs of eyes, "When the time comes all I'll have to do is activate them."

Sakura nodded, feeling her shoulders lessen with tension and relief at his words before she sat up a little bit straighter, "Alright, I'd like to question you now…"

Her tone was almost as if she was asking permission, kind because Dai seemed so exhausted, but there was an edge to it that told Dai that the sooner he answered her questions, the better.

"Shoot," He replied easily, sitting up straighter and looking her straight in the eyes, seriousness melting back onto his expression, similar to the calm and collected boy she witnessed when they had been attacked the night before; even Naruto and Sasuke were mildly surprised by the quick change in demeanor.

Sakura nodded and took up her pad of papers and pen readily, "I want to know about when and how these attacks started; anything that can come to mind about its origins."

Dai closed his eyes, pursed his lips thoughtfully and flexed his fingers before opening his eyes and staring at Sakura once more, "Everything started up around ten years ago, a couple disappearances here and there near my Village – a Bird Country Border Village beside this same forest – but it wasn't looked into as deeply as it should have been. Shinobi and the government officials at Bird Country's Capitol assumed it was some mass murderer or serial killer and it's wasn't an unlikely story; the disappearances happened in the forest and forests are the best place to perform criminal deeds like that. But then…" He sighed, shook his head and ran his hand once more through his chocolate locks, "…But then I went out into the forests. That forest out there," He nodded his head in the direction of the Bridge and the woods that lay beyond it, "That forest is untouched. It's pretty much inaccessible with all the valleys and mountains and lakes bordering it so my Village and Bird Country are the only ones that have open connection to it – which is probably why the Curse spread to this Village because of the Bridge they built to facilitate trade between Bird and Rain Countries…"

Sakura nodded, remembering the reports and records she found in the Administrations Building, writing down the information onto her pad with easy haste.

"Anyways…" Dai sighed again, fingers now lacing together as his arms rested against his bent knees, "I went into the forest with a couple of my close friends and my older sister. Since we had such easy access and it was isolated with very few visitors my sister thought it would be a good place to help train me and my friends – since, at the time, we were only Academy Students – and although there were rumors of disappearances Aneko-nee-chan was a very formidable kunoichi so we didn't think we had anything to worry about," He frowned and shook his head, "…How wrong we were…"

A short silence as Dai's dark blue eyes clouded over in memories; Naruto moved closer to the edge of his seat, "…What happened?"

"It came…" Dai answered softly, glaring down at his knees, brows furrowed, "She came," He looked up again to stare at Sakura pointedly, the kunoichi surprised by how dark his eyes had gotten, "That creature – do you remember? – last night, standing outside the shoji?" Sakura slowly nodded her head in reply, remembering its throaty moans and foreboding shadow cast along the paper partition, "…She attacked us. We thought she was in trouble, she kept whispering about blood and she sounded so sad but Aneko-nee-chan had still been wary…I remember her saying that it had an odd chakra and it was just so dark and that thing was just too fast," He shook his head again, hands clenching and unclenching, "My friends and I escaped with Torio…We watched as that creature killed my sister before our very eyes and then dragged her off deeper into the forest…More of those things followed…" The Chuunin allowed his left leg to stretch out, left hand planting itself behind his back as leverage, "That night changed everything. Torio came back to Bird Country with three Academy Students who were at a loss for words, information was relayed to Oowashi-sama – the former Feudal Lord, Toki-sama's father – and people started to take these disappearances more seriously now that they were becoming more frequent…My friends never became Ninja, Keitaro refused, he said he couldn't take it…and Kaya…she…" He shook his head again and plowed forward, "The entirety of Bird Country was on the hunt for whatever was causing the deaths – they thought it was a murderer at first, they didn't believe my friends and I when we brought up spirits and ghosts, they thought we were shocked and were just creating stories out of misconception and fear of the death we saw – so I trained, because no one would take me seriously unless I moved up in the Ranks and I trained because I wanted to avenge my sister…"

Sakura was so engrossed with the story she had paused in her writing, her brows were furrowed in sympathy as she felt her heart go out to the boy. Watching someone you care for die in front of you was not an experience anyone would want to live through. Now she understood the pain in Dai's eyes, could finally comprehend the sorrow and fury building within him for a mystery unsolved for ten years, and could see the irritation that peace had yet to be brought for his older sister's unfortunate death. She chanced a glance at Sasuke to see the Uchiha Prodigy frowning, dark eyes staring intently at the floor, hands still laced in front of his stoic features – he and Dai were a little alike in that sense; not being able to avenge someone they cared for was a festering feeling that grew more bothersome and aggravating the longer it remained unsolved.

"After the first few search parties were sent out and no one returned and no information was gained people began to lose hope," Dai continued softly, "Innocent and careless civilians were taken in the night if they strayed too close to the Village's Borders or stupidly dared to enter into the forests with the sun's setting. Rumors were beginning to spread that it was a Curse that was plaguing the Tri-Point Forests and I fueled it because I knew it was true. What I saw that night when Aneko-nee-chan was killed was not normal and once I became a Chuunin I became more involved in this mystery's solving. When Toki-sama stepped up as Feudal Lord she began looking into these deaths more closely – she was more accepting that a Curse was possible, unlike her Father – and heard about me and my story. So, she assigned me as one of the head Shinobi concerning this case, allowing me access to any information I needed and trying to provide for me any resources and Shinobi that could help…It's frustrating," Dai admitted, "I've been in charge for five years and we haven't gotten many leads…All those who disappear stay disappeared leaving us no evidence to study. Also, the reach of the Curse is continuing to spread if the evacuation of this Village isn't proof enough…"

"…So you don't know anything?" Sakura questioned with worry; limited evidence over a span of ten years was a very discouraging start.

"Not a lot," Dai answered truthfully, "Only a handful of us have survived to actually share any information but it's not much. Our shinobi numbers have dwindled in the past two years, as I said before, not many are voluntarily joining this case after all the deaths it has caused. The ones who have survived and are continuing to fight and solve this mystery are getting tired but the drive to avenge the loved ones taken from them keeps them going. We don't have much time left because if I don't solve this mystery soon it'll either spread farther into all three Countries – Rain, Earth, Bird – and beyond, or they'll try to set fire to the entire forest leaving the area unsalvageable which would cut profits in our crop and in our land…" He sighed, "And, even then, we're not sure if fire will destroy them entirely…"

"And that's where I come in," The kunoichi puzzle-pieced in, "You need more heads to solve this problem…"

The Bird Chuunin nodded, "Earth, Rain, and Bird didn't want to burden other Alliances with the problem; they weren't going to call for outside help. And with the Akatsuki War settling, building up Shinobi and Country defenses and homes prioritizes over this problem simply because we have the option to evacuate Villages to avoid additional deaths. However, after ten years keeping this problem within Bird Country and about a year or two spilling over to Earth and Rain we're still not getting anywhere, so I took initiative and found Fire Country to be my best bet. Hidden Leaf is filled with recognized and revered talents," He looked at Sakura again, "I already shared with you my theories about Yamanaka-san and Hyuuga-sans…As well as my choice for Nara-san's aid, but as I also shared with you, you were also a desirable choice, Sakura-san," He subtly glanced over his shoulder to the black, plastic bag in the corner of the dining room, "When I found Satsuma Yoshiro wandering around this Village I believed he could lead to a breakthrough, he was the first Civilian to have ever survived capture, your name, Sakura-san, has been referred to me many times as a renowned Medical Kunoichi which prompted me to send you the false Mission Assignment…I was hoping your Medical Expertise would help in deciphering what happened to Yoshiro-san, in mind and body…"

Sakura frowned as she scribbled on the rest of the information, her free hand tapping thoughtfully against her left leg, "…I wish I had been able to examine him a little more thoroughly while he was still alive…" She glanced at the plastic bag, "However, from what I gained on the Bridge when I found him he had severe internal injuries, clearly tortured, yet in a way that didn't hinder his motor functions…He was still able to move, to crawl across the Bridge to try to get away. And I wouldn't say he was mentally unstable…" She added with a shake of her head, "…He was coherent enough to speak with me, even scrutinize me like he was suspicious of my intentions…I think he was just scared out of his mind…And I wouldn't see any reason not to be…"

"So you say this is a Curse," Sasuke interjected staring at Dai, clearly skeptical still, "What plan of action are you planning to take now that we're here?"

"Nothing yet," Dai answered truthfully, which slightly irritated the Uchiha, "Nothing can be done until Sakura-san gets the information she needs. The best place to get that information is back in my home Village in Bird Country. There she'll be able to study the samples we've collected, question the Shinobi who are a part of the Case, and then use all that knowledge to help me come up with a course of action…"

"He's right," The Medic sighed, "I'd like to know everything before doing anything…"

"We can leave first thing tomorrow." Dai suggested, "The quickest way is to cut through the Tri-Point Forest and the only way to do so safely is in the daylight hours…It's about a four-hour run…"

"Hey, you said there are boundaries, right?" Naruto asked earning a nod from the Chuunin, "Do you know how far those creatures can go on this side? I mean, can they leave this Village or can they go past it?"

"They go as far as the mist goes," Dai answered, "And from what I saw last night, the mist only reached the Village Gates…So I'm guessing they can't go any farther than that…yet."

"…What a headache…" Sakura whispered as she rubbed her temples again; Dai throwing her an apologetic glance.

"And these creatures," Sasuke stated, "What can you tell us about those?"

Dai frowned, staring at the floor intently, "We are aware of four distinct creatures," Sakura immediately perked up at this, "There are the Deformed…They're pretty much exactly as they sound, deformed, grotesque creatures that resemble that of an animal…Four legs, growling…but they vary in sizes; they can be as tall as your hip or a few inches higher than your head. They're rarer than the others' appearances but still very dangerous; I've seen their teeth rip easily through flesh when they hunt humans down."

"Any weaknesses?" Sakura asked, "Can we fight them?"

"They can be fought," Dai replied with a nod, "They can be damaged by weapons and fire but even if you get close to killing them they'll retreat. That's another thing: These things are never caught."

"What do you mean?"

"You take them down, have them at the edge of death or unconsciousness, they'll retreat or one of their own will drag them off into the darkness," Dai explained, "Because of that, we can't get any bodily samples. They make sure no bodies are left behind."

"Well, there's always a first," Sakura stated as she pointed her pen towards the plastic bag hiding Satsuma Yoshiro.

A slow, agreeing grin appeared on Dai's face before he nodded, his shoulders losing a bit of tension as he continued, "Next are the Corpses…They're like the Deformed except humanoid – they literally look like corpses hence the name. They're much slower, no sharp teeth, but there are many of them. They're the ones that you saw congregated at the window last night, Sakura-san. Those can be touched, punched and kicked but they don't die easily; they can be severed at the waist and they'll still crawl after you so they can feed off you…"

Naruto paled, frowning deeply as his hands touched his waist, as if to make sure he was still one-whole, "F-Feed? What do they feed on?"

"Blood and flesh," Dai answered simply; he then held up three fingers, "The third one is called the Shadow or the Creature. It's the one that left the dark trail, the one that stood outside the shoji, the one that chased us on the Bridge, the one that calls for Blood, the one that can't be touched."

"How many?" Naruto gulped.

"Only one," Dai responded, "It's tricky. In one moment it's as fast as a shadow, the next it'll just drag itself along. I theorize it's due to strength. When it's at full strength – full appetite – then it can move pretty fast. When its strength wanes, it's weak enough to have to drag itself…"

Sakura nodded her head, understanding the idea, brows drawn together as something bothered her, "…And why can't it be touched? What happens if you touch this particular creature…?"

Dai hesitated, lips pulled down in a frown, "…Touch it and you die."

Naruto yelped, "What? How?"

Dai's only answer was a shake of his head and a despondent shrug of his shoulders. Sakura stared at him, wanting to press for more information about this particular Creature – because she believed its existence was a key to the mystery – but refrained and pensively added a few notes to her notepad.

"And the Fourth Creature?" Sasuke inquired.

Dai sighed, "The most elusive of them; The Little Girl. There's only one of her and she can speak in conversation and sentences. She'll address you by name and taunt you but she mainly says that she wants to play."

"The girl on the radio?" The blonde moaned with distress, sapphire eyes widened, "You mean, I talked to a little ghost girl?"

"She's smart," Dai added, "Dangerous too. Everyone has either seen or heard her but no one has touched her. She feeds just the same but she's more the…voice of the Curse. Most of the deaths are committed by the Deformed, Corpses, or the Creature. I don't even want to think about what she is capable of doing…"

Sakura closed her eyes, sighing as she sorted out all the extra information in her head, "…It's a lot to take in," She opened her eyes, jade bright with conviction, "But it's the first step."

Swinging her legs off the couch, Sakura took a stand, stretched and then began to make her way towards the dining room. Curiously, all three boys stood also and followed after her.

"Step two," Sakura stated as she dropped the notepad on the table and slipped her gloves on purposefully, green eyes trained on the plastic bag just meters away from her, "We see what information Yoshiro-san's body can provide."

A/N: Yay! A week later and Chapter Eight has made its Debut! And it's LONG! Ish. You know, I'm having a lot of fun with this story and the plot, Horror and such, it's kind of more fun than It All Started With, but don't worry, I'm not giving up on IASW, haha. HOWEVER, this Chapter was absolute Torture to WRITE! I'm not entirely happy with it, meh. I despise writing out explanation and heavy dialogue (cause it's SO BORING!) scenes but it is important to the story. As much as I wanted to spread out all the influx of information the basics needed to be set and of course Dai was going to explain it in the first sitting. The more to know the better. Don't worry, you don't know everything yet, there's still some elements of surprise, but still tell me what you think! I want to hear all your predictions and what-not! Again, sorry for all the dialogue, I had to get it all out of the way but Next Chapter will be super fun for me to write and hopefully super fun for you to read! :)

If anyone is confused or have questions or I made some mistakes, please let me know, I wasn't really proofreading this chapter thoroughly since it's so wordy but I wanted to get it out sooner so I could get the Next Chapter out sooner too! So please drop a review with feedback and constructive criticism please, I want to send out stories and chapters worth reading and I can't do it if I'm making mistakes! Please and Thank You!

AND? Did anyone like the subtle SasuSaku? Don't worry more to come! Haha

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto…Then it probably wouldn't be Naruto. Heck, I'd probably name is Sakura. (But I still love Naruto!)

Next Chapter: Let the chaos begin… (Update: 5-7 Days)

UPDATES TO LOOK OUT FOR:

It All Started With – Chapter 17

False Façade – Chapter 2

Forbidden Bonds – Chapter 5

BY THE WAY: Which Story Do You Like Better And Why? The Curse? Or It All Started With?

And has ANYONE noticed that doesn't allow exclaimation points and question marks beside each other anymore? (notice the missing exclaimation point I wanted beside anymore!) It never saves! Ugh, I need those for when Naruto talks, it's funnier for me! Sigh :( Without it, Naruto's phrases aren't justified in its loud exclaimations, questions, and proclamations! D:
So when it says Naruto 'yelped' imagine a question mark and exclaimation point beside one another...

And! If anyone is confused about the Mapping of this story, I'd recommend checking out the World Map at (www . leafninja . com) Just take out the parentheses and spaces, it's where I get a lot of my Naruto Information! :)

BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed and read my fiction(s), I appreciate your support and feedback! You're all AWESOME!

Oh! One last thing! Anyone got a Twitter? I made one for the sole purpose of making friends who have the same interests as me (Naruto, Inuyasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, Final Fantasy VII, Anime in general), let me know, I'm open to new friendships and whatever, up to you, just PM me or drop a review! Happy reading everyone!

LotzaLove!
Luvinukag83
aka Len83