From an outsider looking in, Elysium would not seem that amazing, barely distinguishing itself from the surrounding eviscerated landscape, but to many, it was a symbol of hope, resistance and freedom. It was a collection of pock-marked buildings; all surrounded by a wall that was composed of a collection of scrap metal, concrete blocks and various assortments of material. Of the few human settlements scattered across the land, Elysium was one of the few that had been able to resist the onslaught of Oni attacks. This was mainly due to the fact that it had its own organized military force and many of the soldiers that were part of it had prior experience with warfare in some way or another.
Or maybe because the Onis had heard the fan-girls… Itachi mused to himself.
Itachi had never been a particularly humorous person; he rarely found a reason to laugh in these dire times. Often, he could hear people talking to each other about him, wondering if he had ever developed the actual facial muscles that made smiling possible, or if he had some sort of brain imbalance. He never really paid attention to those gossip-mongers; they often sickened him with their nosy personas and obsession on knowing anything and everything about the people of Elysium. He preferred to leave to his own quarters after a mission and relax in solitude until he was called on for debriefing.
But today was a different day, and he wondered if this was kind of sign that he should lighten up.
He couldn't help but let a laugh slip through his lips as he watched his younger brother get crushed under a teeming mass of hysterically screaming girls. He had tried to keep his face stoic, but it was just too hard as he observed his brother vanish in a short span of five seconds. He couldn't help but notice the concerned looks people gave him as he held his sides and struggled to get his laugh under control.
Meanwhile, poor Sasuke's sides were on the verge of splitting as girl-upon-girl clambered to get close to him. All he could hear was shrieking and crying, and followed by more shrieking and crying.
Maybe I should have just let the Cerebus crush me instead…
Occasionally, he could hear the dobe laughing, between the breaks in the shrieking, accompanied by an odd, obnoxious snicker of some sort. He grimaced and started to make his escape out of the disgusting, yowling mass of girls.
Did someone just grab my butt…?
"Ok girls that's enough, I think Sasuke has had too much excitement for the day and he going to need his warriors rest!" Sasuke heard a surprisingly male voice yell, which sounded suspiciously like Naruto.
"But he must be horribly traumatized after battling a Cerebus!!" one girl yelled back. The girls turned their attention to Naruto, giving Sasuke enough time to make his escape from their clutches.
All he could do is groan and cover his face.
"C'mon Casanova, it's time to go to debriefing, that is of course, if you are done romancing half the female population of Elysium…"
Sasuke ripped open his eyes and glared and Naruto.
"My threat still stands, you know that right…?" Sasuke seethed out at the blond.
Naruto just flashed him a smile and hauled Sasuke to his feet.
"Sorry girls, you'll have to wait, but you know, I'm always here if you get lonely…" Naruto wriggled his eyebrows at the dumbfounded girls.
"Um, we'll have to pass on that…"
Naruto's expression fell and Sasuke couldn't help but let a cruel smile flit across his lips. Sasuke turned to face his brother, who was surprisingly red-faced and teary-eyed, but Sasuke just left it to the fact his brother was never that sound anyways.
"Are you coming…?"
Itachi nodded with a smirk and began to stride forward in front of the two younger males. Sasuke and Naruto followed suit and made their way towards the main building in Elysium.
The trio entered the main building in Elysium, which seemed to be one of the few remnants from before the war. He had heard someone say that it was an old "hotel", whatever that was.
The three teammates made their way through the run-down halls ways, passing the injured and displaced clogging the hallways. There were more and more people trickling in each day, claiming that there was a large army of Oni massing in the north and it had been sweeping through the land like a plague. There had been such an influx of refugees lately, it wasn't hard to believe.
When they made it to the main office, more like one of the only rooms with a door, Itachi knock quietly on the door and stood back. A few seconds later, the door opened to a flustered looking boy.
"Of thank Kami-sama, you guys are here, Sarutobi been throwing a fit!" the boy sputtered out as he ushered them in. They followed the boy down the small hallway to the main office. Sasuke internally groaned as he made his way into the small room and stood next to Naruto.
This was going to take ages…
Itachi, the captain of the team, began to address the elderly man sitting behind a splintered desk, "Sarutobi-sama, we encountered a minor inconvenience during our patrol of-"
Sasuke frowned as he heard Sarutobi let out a small chuckle.
"Oh yes, I heard all about the "minor inconvenience", dealt with quite swiftly I understand?"
All three nodded.
"Well, I congratulate the three of you for eliminating the threat before it could reach this city. You have my gratitude."
Sasuke felt and elbow nudged his side and he glared at Naruto, who was wiggling his eyebrows at him.
Idiot
"But despite your heroic actions, I have unfortunately received another mission for you three to complete."
Sasuke internalized a snicker when Naruto's eyebrows froze in mid-wiggle.
"BUT SARUTOBI!!!! We just finished a mission, can't we have break?!!! I mean, it's only-"
Sasuke groaned and he heard his brother do the same.
"Naruto, I believe you should exercise the utmost politeness while address a superior." Itachi said with a flat tone. Sasuke could sense the venom laced in it though and smirked at the thought of the verbal beat-down Naruto was going to receive once they had left the room.
"YA, I Know, but we just got back from a mission!!" Naruto wailed out, oblivious to the impending doom "and we should at least-"
"And that is why we need your team to leave on this mission, Naruto-", Sarutobi said in a strained voice."- and since you seem to be highly skilled and experienced, we have no other choice but to send you, all the other teams are on missions."
Sasuke could hear the dobe inhaling to start another juvenile rant, but his brother quickly blurted out a reply.
"We are honoured by your expectations of us, and we will gladly accept the mission, Sarutobi-sama." Sasuke heard the dobe whimper and took a quick glance over to his idiotic friend, whose foot was currently getting smushed into the ground by Itachi's. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk.
"Very well, you will be sent to investigate an outlander bunker located north-east of Elysium. We last had contact with them a week ago, and it is vital we establish communication with them again. Find out why communication has stopped and if the worst has come to them, try to find survivors and bring them, back to Elysium. Understood?"
All three echoed their reply, "understood Sarutobi-sama."
"Excellent, Itachi here are the details, and good luck."
Itachi stepped forward and picked up a small spherical object and set it in his jacket pocket. The three boys bowed and made their way to the exit.
"Oh, and one more thing. Naruto, don't do anything stupid."
Itachi shoved the blustering blond out of the room before a battle could break out.
A/N: sorry for the incredibly long wait, school has been hectic, as well as work. Anyway, I've started the fourth chapter, so it should be up soon. I seem to get hit by my muses at 12am as well, so I'm a wee bit tired right now.
Any Constructive criticism, questions, comments and reviews (duh) are welcome!
The little button yearns for the caressing clicks of your mouse…