Writers Note: Alright, here's the 3rd chapter. Hope you like it! R&R please.

Chapter 3

Sasuke was a little irritated.

He had forgotten his backpack and began thinking, 'How in the world could I forget that of all things.'

He was on his way to finding Orochimaru until Kabuto had jumped him. He told Sasuke that he was sent by Orochimaru and that to follow him. Least he didn't have to waste time trying to find him but he wished he hadn't forgotten his belongings...

Kabuto chuckled. Sasuke glared at him, "What's so funny?"

Kabuto stopped, and smiled, "What's funny is that you actually came to us. Didn't think you'd have to come to the enemy to get stronger. But that's how Orichimaru planned it." Kabuto kept his gaze forward.

Sasuke sneered, "It's for revenge."

Kabuto shook his head, "Whatever. I just wonder what you're going to do once you get that revenge." He meant it as a question but Sasuke ignored it.

After walking (& branch-branch) for more than 4 miles, Kabuto stopped. Sasuke stopped walking beside him, "What is it?" Sasuke couldn't sense anything, so he assumed it was Kabuto.

Kabuto looked at Sasuke, "You do know that you won't be able to go back to your friends, right? That they might come after you?" Sasuke kept his gaze ahead of him, "I understand that. If I didn't want that, I wouldn't be here." Kabuto sighed, "Aren't you going to miss them at all? What about Naruto? And Sakura?"

"What about them?" Sasuke replied, getting annoyed. Kabuto noticed, and kept pushing.

"Naruto is not going to give you up. I don't know about Sakura, but I do know she'll try harder." Sasuke kept his gaze.

"I know Naruto will try everything."

Kabuto raised a brow, noticing he left out Sakura, "And Sakura?"

Sasuke closed his eyes, "She's too weak to come after me."

Kabuto frowned, adjusting his glasses before responding, "Well, aren't you cold. But I wouldn't say that. Let's just say she's going to get a lot stronger."

Sasuke turned around, "You know something, don't you? Don't try to hide it from me. "

Kabuto just smiled. Sasuke was already fed up with him now, and grabbed him by the collar, "What is it that you know that I don't?" Kabuto didn't make any attempt to release Sasuke's grip, but only laughed, "It's not like you care, right? She's weak, isn't she? I thought you were ready to leave everything behind." Sasuke was irritated. He didn't like Kabuto and his ways of mocking him at all. Kabuto didn't care whether he was despised by Sasuke. He enjoyed seeing Sasuke get angry. He thought it was adorable.

"Tell me already." Sasuke was getting angrier. 'He apparently still cares for Sakura,' Kabuto thought, "She left the village not too long after you had left..."

Sasuke's eyes widened, "What?"

Kabuto frowned, "She left, just like you." Sasuke let go of Kabuto and looked the opposite way, 'That can't be true. Sakura would never leave the village, would she? Where would she go...? Why would she..?'

Sasuke's mind was taken over with thoughts about Sakura being alright to where is she now.

Kabuto spoke, "Hey, I don't think you should come if you're like this. Forget about her, she's probably dead anyway."

Sasuke's fist clenched, "I'm coming. Let's go."

He began walking, 'I can't believe I actually began caring about her to that extent. She's not my responsibility. She's on her own now.' Sasuke shook his head. He tried to stop thinking about her safety, but he just couldn't shrug it off until they got to Orochimaru's abode. Kabuto just trotted along, walking up to a big boulder that leaned up against this small hill. They were already out of the forest by this time. Now they were at what seemed to be a small desert. Kabuto touched the rock. It began moving aside, leaving an entrance.

'Ah, so this is Orochimaru's hideout,' Sasuke thought. There was dirt and sand rising in the air. He couldn't see the entrance until it all subsided.

"Well, hello Sasuke-kun. Long time no see." Orochimaru was standing at the entrance, with his weird tongue licking his lips.

Sakura and Ryu entered the town.

Even though it was already the afternoon, it was still hot. Sakura unzipped the last two of her sleeves (making her jacket short-sleeved) and stuffed the others in her pack's side pocket.

Ryu was right beside her.

She noticed he was also tall. She shook her head, 'Stop checking him out, Sakura!'

She shoved her hands into her pockets and made a face. Ryu watched her curiously.

'What on Earth is bothering her so much?'

They walked and saw markets with a lot of food which caught their attention. Sakura went up to them and bought what she thought they would need (She took the money she found in Sasuke's pack). While they were buying their needs, Sakura noticed that girls were staring at Ryu. After a while has gone by, they started to approach him and ask him questions about himself, flirting, doing things girls do. But Ryu wasn't having any of it. He soon got annoyed.

"Sorry, ladies, I'm not going to be anyone's boyfriend. Now could you please let me be?" Ryu was rather rude.

"Why not! Are you taken?" The girls begged him to tell.

Ryu groaned, "Yes, whatever, I'm taken! Now will you leave me alone?"

Sakura suppressed her laughter.

An hour has gone by. Eventually Sakura noticed girls giving her nasty looks. She was wondering why when she hasn't even done anything to these people.

Ryu walked up to her, wanting to tell her something. "Sakura, what's a girlfriend?" Sakura blushed a little by this unexpected question, but answered her definition anyway.

"A girlfriend is basically your lover. The person you love with all your heart. Same thing goes for boyfriend, why do you ask? Don't you know this already?" Ryu's eyes widened in surprise and he flushed miserably, "Oh, dear…"

Sakura turned to face him, "What is it?"

Ryu looked at her and said, "The girls asked me if I had a girlfriend, and I told them it was you…"

Sakura blushed red, "WHAT?"

Eventually they got done shopping. Once she was done packing their things in her backpack, she asked if Ryu wanted to stay or keep going.

They decided to stay one day. They went looking for an Inn. While they were looking, they saw lots of things taking place. There were kids all over the place, playing games and teasing each other and joking around. The adults were chatting and laughing. To Sakura, this place seemed to be very happy. She was jealous of them. They seemed to have a perfect life, while hers ended up not so perfect. She looked at a small group of three children: two boys, and a girl. The little girl was tugging on one of the boys' arms while the other was giving him an irritated look.

Looking at this made her think back.

"Sakura? Is something the matter?" Ryu stood in front of her view of the children. She blinked back, and realized she was staring. She turned around, "C'mon, we gotta keep looking." Ryu gave her a look, and then turned to see the children, 'She was probably caught in a moment.' Ryu thought and caught up with her.

They eventually found a place. It was free because of Ryu. The woman at the desk couldn't contain herself when she saw him and said it was free. When they got to their room, Sakura looked around…!

"ONE BED!" Sakura half shouted. She was blushing as she said this.

"I guess so. They must think we're a couple."

Sakura grunted, "I wonder why." She shot a look at him. Ryu laughed, "If it bothers you so much, I'll just turn back into a wolf and sleep on the floor."

Sakura dropped their things beside the bed and took a seat on it, "Do what you want. Just be sure the girls don't stalk you." Sakura took off her jacket and placed it beside the pillow and took off her sandals. Ryu shook his head, "I'll just sleep on the floor. Don't worry about it." Sakura felt bad about it, but still didn't say anything to object. Ryu turned back into a wolf and yawned, "Man, I'm tired." He stretched with one last yawn, and sprawled himself close to the bed. Sakura smiled and they both exchanged their goodnights.

The next morning, Ryu was the first to awake, naturally. He yawned and stretched. Once he was finished he looked over at Sakura. She looked as if she didn't make one move last night. She was sleeping peacefully. Ryu was tempted to not wake her, but they have a mission. He thought of ways to wake her, but he wanted to annoy her in the process, since his licking her took no effect last time...

He walked a few feet away and turned back around, facing the bed. He took one deep breath, and then zwoom, he ran and jumped onto the bed.

Sakura shrieked, "AAGGHH-" Ryu jumped off before Sakura could lunge a punch at him. He laughed, "That was fun." Sakura grumbled and got out of bed, "Just wait, I'll get you."

Ryu chuckled, "We'll just have to see, won't we?"

And so, they got ready and left the hotel. Ryu told Sakura they were close to the end of their search.

Everything's finally starting to heat up.