To Hiddenleafcheeryblossom and readers: You brought up an interesting fact that I have not told everyone yet and I thank you for. I hate Sai, absolutely detest him. So let's just say they voted and kicked him off the team considering he's a traitor. He won't be in my story at all.
Anyway, Itachi will be in this however, (even though I absolutely detest him too) it will be way into the future. I'm thinking toward the end. Right now (I'm guess-amating) twenty-seventh chapter, around there. I'm hoping to make this story at least 30 chapters.
And it's official just so you know, the story will fully switch to Shippuuden after chapter 10, and I know what half of you are thinking, Thank Kami! Since I'm sure then not most of you are only reading the Shippuuden parts (they're my favorite parts too), but please at least skim the past so you won't be so confused at the best parts.
Thank you all for reading and reviewing, it is awesome!
---------- Chapter 6-- Little Wing
---- When I'm sad, She comes to me with a thousand smiles, she gives to me free. It's alright she says, it's alright. Take anything you want from me, anything.-----
----------
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto screamed with a smile as he unlocked the door to the female's apartment. "Wow, this is a nice place." He spoke loud, hoping to wake Sakura with his incessant talking. "My place isn't as--Ahh!"
Sakura snapped awake finding Kiba's wide eyes next to her. They both grabbed their robes and ran out of the bedroom nearly knocking into one another when they screeched to a halt. Akamaru had Naruto pinned to the floor, growling dangerously low, baring his 12-inch fangs.
"Akamaru, Iie!" Kiba yelled. Upon his master command, Akamaru whined and licked Naruto's body in apology, soaking his face and clothes.
Naruto backed up against the wall, his hand resting on his heart, trying to calm it as he panted still in fear. "Akamaru! What are you doing here?" His blue eyes looked around and found Kiba. And Sakura. And they both were wearing robes. His eyes narrowed in suspicion but it only took him five more seconds for his gaze to widen in realization. "Nani!" He screeched high-pitched snapping to his feet. He pointed idiotically at both of them, stuttering. Sakura hung her head in her heads preparing herself for his overbearing, overdramatic, and simply embarrassing attitude. "What's he doing here, Sakura-chan? What's going on? I don't understand, why is he here. Why are you here, Kiba? What's going on?"
"Naruto!" Sakura snapped, her hands fisting at an attempt to keep her rage from unleashing. "Why are you here?" She bit.
He folded his arms with a deep scowl; his eyes nearly shut narrowing them so severely. His lips scrunched together unhappily. "Tsuande-obaa-chan has called a meeting for us. All of us."
"All of us? You mean…Minna?"
"Hai, Hai. Now tell me what's going on?"
"There's no time." She waved her hand and ran back into the bedroom.
The two boys faced each other. Kiba narrowed his eyes, mimicking Naruto's threatening gaze. Slowly he took steps backwards, not willing to back down from the blond ninja's challenge. However the moment he past by the door to the bedroom he slammed it shut in defiance. Sakura laughed while putting on her clothes, "You shouldn't provoke him so much."
"Provoke him! He's the one walking in here demanding answers." Kiba mumbled to himself obscenities Sakura didn't know he knew as he dressed quickly. They both exited together and hurried out the door, ignoring Naruto's questioning gaze.
They jumped over rooftops and swung through sidewalks, all the while Naruto's stare was getting on their last nerve. Sakura swung her eyes to him, "You finally found out, congratulations! You're the last to know like always! Kiba and I, relationship! Nothing more to it then that. So stop glaring at us!"
"Gee. Sakura-chan. You didn't have to yell at me. I just didn't think. I thought you were waiting for…"
"I won't wait for a dead man, Naruto. I refuse." She jumped ahead.
Kiba glared at him with more zest, riding on the back of Akamaru. Naruto turned his gaze to him, "Nani?" He bit. However, Kiba only shook his head and demanded his dog to go faster.
They entered the Hokage's office, the last to enter out of the Rookie 11. Their four sensei's were lined against the back wall and ten members of ANBU were standing to the left.
Tsuande stood, leaning her hands on the desk. "Last night, several inmates at the prison tried to breakout our captive Sasuke. Lucky the guards were all ready on alert and were able to prevent their escape. Demo this just means we have to do something. I have decided to move him until we can set up a permanent separate jail. There are three locations that are the most suitable. And we will use all three. Three teams, three Sasukes."
"How is that gonna work?" Naruto demanded, took the only seat in the room, holding his heart. His strength still wasn't as strong as it should be and he rubbed the sweat that had gathered on his brow.
"If you have patience and let me tell you." Tsuande bit, glaring at the blond boy. She sighed straightening herself. "You eleven, will go to Sunagakure. They have an underground prison that only a few people know of. You four and three ANBU will go to Kumogakure. I believe that is where the most danger will present itself. The Raikage is very much interested in Sasuke's doujutsus but with you all, there he will make no move. The rest of ANBU will take him to Tsuchikage; this team will have the most trouble considering how far away the sato is. However, you all are also the fastest. I expect nothing less then success from all of you. Now, you all will stay there for a few weeks and then change up." She sighed, pausing for a moment, "Many of you are confused on how there will be three Sasuke's. There is a group of ninja that perfected the ways of body changing. They have agreed to work with us on this dangerous mission and at the moment are using their abilities to transform into Sasuke."
"Why are we going through so much trouble?" One of the ANBU members questioned. "He is an S-criminal. He should be executed."
Naruto was the one to swing on him, "He's done nothing wrong! All except go to Orochimaru! We don't know anything about him and what he did there."
"If he's done nothing wrong, why are all the insane villains of the world coming to save him?" The man fought back.
Naruto had no response to this and he hung his head. His hand gripped the shirt covering his heart tighter. Sakura put a soft hand on his shoulder but he did not acknowledge it.
"We are going through the trouble to figure out what he has done wrong. He was once a part of our sato. We owe it to the Uchiha clan before we kill the last of their kind." The man was going to speak again but Tsuande interrupted him, "If you or anyone else does not want to take a part in this mission tell me now and I will replace you." It was a subtle threat but it did its job. No one questioned her again.
"Tsuande-sama," Neji spoke, "Who will take the real one?"
"That I will not tell you. For the obvious reasons. You are to treat your prisoner as if they are the most dangerous alive. Because for right now, he is. You leave in two hours. I suggest you prepare for the worst." The many shinobis slowly exited the room, the ANBU popping in a cloud of smoke. "Gai, Naruto and Sakura, stay behind." Upon their names, Sakura and Naruto exchanged a questioned glance then walked back to her desk. When the door shut, the Hokage sat heavily in her chair. "I am making you leader, Naruto."
"Nani? Me?"
"Hai, Hai."
"Doushite?"
"I figured it was about time you lead." She brought her eyes to the female, "Sakura. Make sure he doesn't screw it up."
Naruto glared his hands slamming on the desk as he lowered his face to be even with hers, "I don't need Sakura looking out for me! I can lead just like everyone else! I'll show you!" He stomped out of the room and quickly swung shut the door.
Tsuande smiled, "At least his spirit isn't as broken."
"Shishou?" Sakura whispered getting her attention. "Should Naruto really go on this mission? He's still hurt?"
"You want to tell him iie?" Tsuande laughed but she quickly sobered and came around the desk only to lean against it. "You know it as well as I do, that he is fine."
"I know." Her bit her lip with concern. "I don't understand why he's still so weak though."
"It is all mental, Sakura. The pain he is in is in his head. Getting stabbed in the back by your best friend, is not something you can get over quickly no matter how fast you heal." Sakura dropped her eyes to the floor, guilt weighed heavily down upon her as she thought back to that event. How her feet had denied her movement until it was too late. "None of us thought he would do it, Sakura. It's all of our faults." Tsuande put a soft hand on her shoulder but Sakura was ignorant of it. "Go on now, I must speak with Gai." Sakura nodded absentmindedly and shut the door behind her. This mission was going to take so much out of her.
PAST
"She so did this on purpose." Ino complained, panting heavily wiping the sweat from her brow. She looked straight up. Sasuke was climbing the fastest with Naruto right by his side. They were obviously having another competition.
"Those two I swear." Sakura groaned in annoyance, "They just go and leave me behind like always."
"If Lee were here, he'd be right up there with them." TenTen added and looked over to Neji to see how he was doing. His eyes were activated, and with each movement of his hand and foot, he found the perfect holds to lift himself up in. However, she was relieved to see sweat glistening on his cheek. At least she knew she wasn't being entirely pathetic. Mountain climbing had not been her forte.
"Quit yapping up there, will ya." Shikamaru had a small side smile on his lips. He looked over to Choji but the boy seemed completely ignorant of his adventures as he continued to climb beside him with ease. Shikamaru knew Choji was only hanging back with him, to keep him from falling. Otherwise he knew the over sized ninja would have reached the top by now. He shook his head and continued to climb having missing the large rock that was thrown at his head. Choji reached out before Shikamaru could fall and held him up. "What the hell, onna?" He glared up to find Ino's eyes on him. Her smile drove him nuts, and he narrowed his eyes, basically saying, 'I'll get you back later, wench.'
Ino, nearly reading his mind, laughed, "The day I'm scared of you, is the day I quit being a ninja." Shikamaru saw it before she noticed it, but the rock she now gripped was beginning to wiggle from its holding. With great speed, he got out his rope and threw one end to Choji. Her scream echoed the world around them and everyone stalled with wide eyes.
"Ino!" Sakura yelled going to reach for her, but in effect, her grip loosened also.
Sasuke noticed, his rope was out, flung to Naruto before pushing himself away from the rock and falling straight after her, the same motion that Shikamaru performed as Ino's body flew past him.
Shikamaru grabbed her from around the waist, when their bodies were even with each other, and the robe constricted harshly. His back hit the rock, and he groaned in pain but held tight to her as they spun. His hand shot out, glowing blue with chakra and stalled their movements, gripping the rock next him tightly, and placed his feet in holes, most awkwardly now that there was a body between him and the mountain. She looked up at him fear present in her orbs. His shook his head in annoyance "Mendokuse Onna."
Her gaze widened as her fear fell away and rolled her eyes. Her cheeks reddening with embarrassment, mumbling, "Tako."
Sasuke's body fell after Sakura and he reached out a hand, gripping hers severely, he shot his glowing feet out, skidding on the mountain wall, coming to a slow stop. He panted heavily, glaring down at the female he held on to. By the look in her eyes though, she knew she had been stupid and she hung her head, reaching for the wall.
"Sakura-chan! You okay!" Naruto shouted out, releasing the robe when Sasuke nodded to him.
"Hai." She whispered her cheeks red from her embarrassment and she held tight to the rocks.
"No more talking." Sasuke snapped. "Concentrate." His brows were tight knit, glaring at the female above him, cursing her to the seven hells and back. She was weak and always a damned burden to the damn team and now because of her pathetic strength he had to stay behind with the others just in case she were to fall again. She had been so damned careless. When was she ever going to get stronger? How many more times was she going to be a damned inconvenience? She reads all these damned books, and knows the entire dos and dont's as a ninja and yet she still won't get stronger.
It's not as if she can't. Sasuke knew that from prior missions. She just chose not to. Why was she going to be a ninja if she was too damn lazy to excel? Sasuke wanted to snap at her, to make her realize all her mistakes, not to be belittling her but to get her to understand how much of burden she was really. A burden he did not want to deal with. He had enough problems on his plate at the moment, the burning sensation on the back of his neck reminding him even more. What good were friends when all they did was get in the way?
--------
It took a grand total of twelve hours to get up, over, and down, the mountain, with only two other near death events. And those two times involved Kiba and Shikamaru. A fact Ino pointed out with great vehement, laughing maliciously while she poured alcohol over the gash on her teammate's leg.
A few coarse words fell from Shikamaru's lips, which he tried to pass off as part of his healing process but he ended up having to nurse a slap to the back of the head.
Kiba could only smile as Hinata gently rubbed in a cream over his wound and began to wrap his arm up with gentle hands. He was the lucky man out of the group. A fact he loved to flaunt.
"Sakura." Sasuke called, "Let's find food."
"Me?" He took off before she was able to suggest someone else for the hunting. She was never very good at finding food, her conscious weighed on her whenever she had to kill something so cute and loveable. Nevertheless, with a questioning gaze to her fellow ninjas, she ran after him. "Why did you pick me, Sasuke-kun?" She tried to hide her brilliantly lit smile as Inner Sakura screamed in her head, 'He's taking you far from the campsite to tell you how he feels about you and kiss you under the moonlight!' Her excitement boiled in her as she jumped from one tree branch to the next, her eyes only on Sasuke.
"Stop being weak, Sakura." He bit so suddenly she stopped on the branch and looked at him with wide eyes. He stalled on the tree limb ahead of her, refusing to look back. She was bound to have tears in her eyes like usual but he needed to say this. "You're pathetic." He ignored her gasp. Against better judgment, he turned to face her, hoping only that maybe this way his words would have more effect but he was unprepared no matter how much he expected it by the water that filled her gaze. "You can be better than all of us, yet you chose not to. I don't understand why you chose to be weak."
Her head shook. This had not been at all what she had wanted to happen. Her eyes narrowed in her hurt as she tried to form words. "I'm, I'm n-not choosing." She whimpered.
"If you wish for my attention, Sakura. Get stronger then me. Only then will I recognize you as a ninja." He performed a back flip and turned his body away from her before continuing on his hunt.
Sakura did not move from that spot.
-----
Naruto paced with maddening thoughts, having just realized that Sasuke and Sakura had gone off alone. What were they doing? Why pick Sakura, she hates hunting! She screams whenever they bring dead things into camp. Moreover, squirms with disgust when they skin the dead animals. He did not like this one bit. If Sakura was alone with Sasuke that meant he wasn't on her mind. He needed to always be on Sakura's mind!
Sasuke dropped down in front of him, holding up two full bucks by the antlers. He threw them to the group to clean. Naruto was at his side suddenly staring him in the face. He rolled his eyes in annoyance, pushing Naruto away harshly, "Where Sakura-chan!" He demanded. But Sasuke only shrugged his shoulders, performing the hand seals to light the fire.
It was an hour later however that he actually began to worry. Maybe he had been too harsh on her. His hand rose to his shoulder, resting on his seal. It was bothering him, the only reason he had gotten so annoyed with her was that he was annoyed with himself, and this damned cursed seal that never seemed to stop. He stood, "Find her."
However, just as everyone prepared to take off, footsteps sounded in the darkness and she came lethargically. He eyed her, unsure how to make out the emotions on her face that she normally expressed unconsciously. But she was stoic and stared at the floor, not allowing anyone to look in her eyes. She smiled though, "Oi, I'm just gonna go to sleep, I'm really tired."
"What about food?" Naruto questioned, holding up the leg they saved for her.
She shook her head, "I'm not hungry." She past by them entering the tent.
Naruto looked directly at him with narrowed eyes, "What did you say to her?"
"What's it matter?" Sasuke provoked, he was upset with himself for making her miserable, and he was upset with her for being so weak as to let his words affect her so much. He would have picked a fight with anyone now and since Naruto was ready to go, why not?
"It matters, because Sakura-chan is upset!"
"Like I care."
"You should! She's your teammate, damn you!"
"Don't remind me."
Naruto finally stood and Sasuke mimicked him, getting right in each other's faces. "Teme! What the hell is your problem?"
"Just because you worship the grounds she walks on, doesn't mean we all have to!"
Naruto cheeks reddened with embarrassment and rage. He gripped Sasuke's shirt, threateningly but the Uchiha heir only smirked in his face. "I'm going to beat the shit out of you!"
"Naruto." Sakura's voice sounded (and everyone who had been enjoying the show switched their eyes over to the entrance of the tent). Naruto turned his gaze. "Don't you worry about it, all right? I'm fine." She smiled brightly to him and waited patiently for him to release Sasuke.
The young Uchiha "Hn" jerking away and fixing his shirt before he turned away from Naruto. His eyes for a moment going over to Sakura but she didn't look at him. He disappeared in the trees.
"Man, it was just getting good." Kiba sighed disappointedly and scratched Akamaru on the head. The dog whined in agreement.
"Kami," Ino sighed with a smile and Shikamaru eyed her in question. "He's so hot." The said boy rolled his eyes and scoffed.
-----
Sasuke stared at the roof of the tent. He was so obviously annoyed, he couldn't hide it from his face, he was thankful however, that it was dark and his teammates were asleep. Well, sort of. His eyes went to his socket, peaking a glance at Sakura but her back was to him. And that was the biggest insult of all. Her back never faced him. It was a nerve-racking, pathetic, annoying, pleasant habit she had. And for her to show her back now proved that he had damaged their friendship by saying what he did.
It is not as if it wasn't true, damn it. He was not going to apologize for something that he meant. Maybe he hadn't needed to be so harsh or so cold hearted but she should not be so damned weak. He couldn't always be around to protect her. She had to get stronger if she wanted to stay alive.
Why should she care about what he thinks anyway?
Sasuke rolled to his side, facing away from her. He knew she wasn't asleep, no matter how she pretended. Her breathing was not as slow as it would be.
He clenched his cheek muscles. He shouldn't have played on her emotions like he had. She was too easily manipulated and too easily damaged and it drove him past insanity on how sensitive she was. Girls were so damn annoying it was disgusting.
But…maybe….all of that was something he liked about her. Her weaknesses required him to be better. Required him to be capable of protecting her. She needed him. On some level. It was an odd feeling…to be needed…to be wanted…
What does he care if she's mad? So what? It shouldn't affect him any.
He felt her move and heard the tent open. Well, at least she believed him to be asleep. He lifted his head to look out after her but smashed it back down on the ground. Let her sulk. It doesn't matter to him.
-----
TenTen stared at the tent in front of her. She lay on her side, facing away from her teammate. It was so weird without Lee. Neji and her in a damned tent alone. For the past two nights, she had been unable to sleep with just him. It made her nervous for some reason.
"TenTen." A female voice sounded from right outside. The weapon's specialist lifted her head and whispered back.
"Nani?"
"You asleep."
"Iie."
"Can I talk to you?" TenTen looked over at Neji but he made no move. She sighed stifling a yawn but got up nonetheless and slipped on her sandals.
The movement caused Neji to turn his head and look at her and she smiled softly, "Gomen, Neji, I'll be back." She turned and exited.
He eyed the place she left with annoyance before dropping his head back down. Two nights without any sleep was surely getting the better of him. It was because Lee wasn't here, he was sure of it. Sleeping alone in a tent with TenTen was just not something he was use to, and not something he liked. He closed his eyes, but then he snapped them open. Why couldn't she sleep? Neji sighed, forcing the unwanted thoughts from his head as he shut his eyes once more. Maybe now with her gone he will be able to get some much needed rest.
Sakura worked the fire, making the hot coals catch fire to the new leaves and sticks she had shoved on top of it. Soon the fire was blazing and the two females sat close by it to warm up. "So what's wrong?" TenTen questioned.
Sakura shook her head. "I don't know. Guess I didn't want to be alone and Ino's dead asleep so I tried you. Why weren't you sleeping?"
TenTen shrugged, "It's weird without Lee."
It was quiet for a while until Sakura sighed and looked to her counterpart, "How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Stay as strong as them?"
TenTen cracked a smile and giggled softly before shaking her head, "I'm no where near them."
Sakura's brows knit in confusion, "You always seem like your equal?"
"Because I don't appear weak. They know I'm not anywhere close to them. Demo they don't treat me weak. They let me fight for myself and defend myself."
"I wish I could be like you." She whispered softly, as she poked the fire aimlessly resting her chin in her hand, her elbow on her thigh. "I feel so pathetic sometimes."
TenTen sighed dropping her forehead on her thighs. "Me too."
"Nani?" Sakura eyed her in suspicion.
"Just because I don't shout it for the world to hear, doesn't mean I don't feel just as weak as you sometimes. Neji trains so much and for so long and I try my hardest to keep up with him demo sometimes I just can't."
"What do you tell him?"
"I don't say anything. I just keep going." The female picked up a distant stick and sat back down playing with the timbers as well. "At least your team talks to you. I don't know a single thing about Neji. And Lee. Well," She laughed, "Lee is a whole other story. He's too much."
"He's more like Naruto. Neji and Sasuke I swear could be twins." TenTen nodded in agreement.
"Sakura-chan." Naruto voice sounded from behind and the girls turned to see the two male members of team seven. Naruto wore his walrus nightcap and rubbed his eye tiredly. Sasuke had his arms folded and was looking the other way.
"Go back to sleep, Naruto."
"I can't. Sasuke keeps tossing and turning and you're not there, why aren't you sleeping, Sakura-chan? Come back to sleep."
Sakura turned away and folded her arms. She bit her cheek wondering if she should say what she wanted. "Iie, not unless Sasuke asks." It was better then asking for an apology. She was reaching for something that might actually happen.
Naruto nudged him harshly and Sasuke glared brutally at the child. "You're the one that woke me up." He groaned, yawning pitifully and shutting his eyes, nearly falling asleep right there on the spot, had Sasuke not kicked him.
Sasuke glared at the blond boy and turned his gaze away, arms folded over his chest rebelliously but the guilt from the earlier conversation was berating him, telling him to say anything to get her to talk to him again. He sighed through his nose, "Come to bed." He ordered harshly before disappearing in the tent.
Sakura jumped up with a squeal, "I knew you cared, Sasuke-kun!" She smiled brightly bowing lightly to TenTen, "Arigatou, TenTen." and she ran to the tent, grabbing the sleeping Naruto's hand and dragging him inside.
TenTen stared at the fire, her eyes going to her tent where Neji laid asleep and without reason to be burdened. She decided against going back in the tent and jumped up on a tree branch to sleep.
-------
The eleven shinobis entered the village late in the afternoon; the sun was setting, and producing all the beautiful colors the world had to offer on the horizon. Sakura stopped only for a moment to stare at it before following her comrades further into the village. This place was so much better then Kumogakure. With waterfalls and big beautiful yellow, purple, and pink trees spread all along the banks of the streams that ran through the village. It was hard not to be caught in all the beauty that surrounded them.
Sasuke led them over bridges and through main streets where people bustled about, trying to get the last chores done before the sun fell. He had his pass out before him, showing all that questioned why Konoha ninjas were in the village.
This was a place where they had to be careful. Iwagakure no Sato had a deep seeded hatred for Konohgakure. Ask any of the fifteen year old ninjas 'why' and they'd shrug with indifference. According to them, no one had any justified reasons to hate Konoha, considering it was the best village out of all of them.
However, this was by far the most beautiful.
They were heading toward the hundred foot tall tree that stood in the middle of the village. The fifty-foot wide trunk had been hollowed out, and inside was built the Kage's temple.
They were made to wait outside for a good ten minutes before a member of their police guided them up two flights of stairs and huddled them into a small room with no furniture. It was another thirty minutes before they were seen.
The ones that had sat stood swiftly to their feet when the Kage entered, guarded by two ninjas. With a flick of his hand, a root lifted from the dirty ground and folded into a chair, which the Kage took for himself before even looking in their direction. "You come for a reason, Konoha Ninjas?"
Sasuke stepped up, his eyes narrowing when the two ninjas pulled out a kunai. Like a Kage actually needed to be defended. Especially against ten genin, and one chuunin. These people were being way over protective. The Kage put a hand up and the two ninjas stepped back, relaxing. "The Kage of Kumogakure has asked us to bring a message to you, in order to make peace between your two satos."
The old man chuckled softly and shook his head, "Now he's changed his mind? I thought he was glad to be rid of it." The Kage motioned him forward and Sasuke handed him the scroll. Taking several minutes in reading it he looked over it, "He went so far as to get Konoha ninjas." He mumbled mostly to himself. Then clearly, he stated, "I must ask my council. You will wait for two days before coming back here again, and then you may have my answer." A wave of his hand and a piece of paper and a pen was placed in his palm. The man scribbled on it before passing it to Sasuke. "If you lose that, good luck finding a place to stay and eat. Not many are willing to serve the shinobi of Konoha. You mess with any of my people; you will not go home again. Are we understood?" The ninjas nodded and were quickly dismissed.
Naruto raised a hand to the back of his head, "What a pleasant guy. And I thought obaa-chan was bad enough."
"He's not our kage." Kiba told him, "He probably treats his people way better."
"I hope so." Ino mumbled.
Sakura bumped into Ino, "Time for hot springs."
-----------
Rain poured brutally down upon the ceiling of the hotel. But it was the lightening flash that shot Sakura out of her nightmare. Sweat again poured down her temple and her body shook with uncontrolled terror. Carefully she rose from the bed, keeping her eyes glued on the other three females that slept soundly as she made her way to the bathroom and promptly threw up.
Sakura exited after brushing her teeth, holding the walls for support, her body trembling just as badly but she felt a bit better no matter how she looked. She slid the door to their room shut, went across the hall, and softly opened the door. All the boys were sound asleep. How anyone was able to accomplish that with Naruto's snoring she'll never know. She shook her head hiding her smile. But she did notice that once again Sasuke's bed was empty.
The lightening struck and thunder followed behind it. The angry sky made her fear for him. Though Sasuke had made a promise to her, she knew he just might go against it. Right now however, she had to trust him. She wanted to trust him. Nevertheless, that didn't mean she didn't want to find him.
Sakura shut the door, walked softly out, and stood on the porch that wrapped around the building. The rain poured in the dirt streets filling them to the brim with water. The lanterns that hung were the only light keeping her from feeling the terror of the dark.
"Sakura." His voice was right behind her and she stiffened violently, her eyes wide realizing just how close he was. He sidestepped, thinking he had scared her by the straightening of her shoulders. "Go to bed." He said softly turning away from her, his hands in his pockets as he walked out into the rain.
"Sasuke-kun." She murmured her eyes wide with sorrow as she gazed at his retreating soaked form. Her heart cried out for him, wishing to ease the pain he seemed to always be in. She couldn't allow him to continue being alone. She had to prove to him just how much she wanted to make him happy.
With one rebellious look at the sky, she dashed out into the rain. He turned when he heard the splashes of her footsteps. She was all ready soaked from head to toe and she was shivering as she stood in front of him, her eyes shining. "Can I come with you?" She whispered her arms hugging herself.
Sasuke rolled his eyes, "You'll get sick."
"So will you."
He tilted his head to the side. She was so confusing sometimes. He knew he should not allow it and knew Naruto will be screaming his ear off if she got sick because of him, but for the life of him, he could not say no. Therefore, he turned and began to walk. It was a few seconds later he heard her catch up. Her footsteps following slightly behind him. He looked to the corner of his socket. He could see her trembling as she held tight to herself. He sighed silently. She must have had another nightmare. The only times her sleep was ever interrupted. He briefly wondered what it was she dreamt that caused such turmoil in her. Against his better judgment, he asked. "What do you dream about?" His voice was harsh, hiding his intrigue.
She shook her head, rubbing her eye to rid it of the water that was constantly pouring into it. "Nothing important." She whispered even while she heard Orochimaru's voice echo in her head.
Sasuke knew she was lying but did not press it. She never lies to him about anything so it was obvious she didn't want anyone to know. With the process of elimination, though, Sasuke pretty much already knew the answer to his question. Orochimaru was the only logical response. Why she was still so scared of that man, scared enough to have nightmares about him, he'll never know. She was protected, didn't she understand that? That sickening snake would never get near her again.
It was a very short walk, less then ten minutes, but he knew she wasn't capable of staying out any longer. Her teeth were chattering, her lips barely the shade blue. Though he hated her for not leaving him alone, she stole him away from the unwanted thoughts solitude brought. Something that he didn't think he deserved. She was so weird sometimes. So hard to understand. He by no means treated her well, and he would never treat her as an equal, as a friend. Yet, she stayed. She seemed to not see any of that. Just like Naruto. They were the same in that aspect. It was difficult, almost impossible to understand something he's never known before. But, it was…wasn't annoying…
When they got up on the porch and out of the rain he looked down at her, finding it humorous how she just stared up at him as if she was basking in the sunshine. Her green eyes wide and glistened even as she shivered from the cold. "Hn." He murmured not even knowing why he stopped. Her footsteps were behind him as they walked down the hallway. They both stalled in front of their perspective doorways.
"Sasuke-kun." His hand rested on the door but he made no move to open it, nor turn around to look at her. "I'm going to do it."
"Nani?" He looked barely to his right, to see her out of the corner of his eye. She was smiling at him, her pink hair dripping in her face, a puddle had gathered at her bare feet.
"I'm going to get stronger than you." Her door shut softly behind her and Sasuke stood there for another minute.
"Hn." He shut the door behind him.
Words:
Shishou--- Master-----------Doushite-----Why? What for? What's the reason?
Tako: Jerk, stupid jerk.
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Next Time:
Present: Sakura is preparing herself for the journey ahead when she bumps into a very upset TenTen
Past: Something for Shikamaru and Ino fans.
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