Beauty behind the Madness

Thank you to: LilyRammsteiner, Linou1603, Rebeca13, The Plague Doctor.

Special Thanks to: Lavendor Queen, angleofdestiny16.

If I didn't write your name, I AM SORRY. I took me a while to post this chapter, and all the fun alerts came in and I couldn't update in time.

EDIT 1/03/16 It's my birthday tomorrow! 2/03

Edited 23/03/16 Grammar fixes, added content-

Chapter 2

Sasuke, I'm impressed.

You came. I'm laying clues for you. I can't just tell you. It's too dangerous.

If you decide to find out; Your next clue will come, first, solve this:

How did I do it?

I'm watching you.

S.H

"Why did you come back?" Kakashi watched his students.

Naruto's question seemed to strike some sort of nerve, as Sasuke froze. He turned slowly, his eyes meeting Naruto's in a questioning gaze. "Because I heard, uh… the news, on Sa- her, and came to investigate."

Uchiha Sasuke stuttering? This was unheard of.

Naruto stiffened visibly at the words 'news' and 'Sakura' or at least part of it.

Team 7 were in their usual training grounds, as Naruto and Sasuke had their sparring match, which once again, ended in a tie. ( or at least Kakashi stopped them from killing each other )

The trio lay on the ground, two sweating, and one- reading porn.

Sasuke had been thinking about the memorial stone a lot. The slash across Sakura's name, and the note. But why would Sakura fake her own death, or something like that. Why couldn't she just tell Naruto and Kakashi, and her problems could be solved.

Why? Why? Why?

Unless something was stopping her, but it didn't match up.

Sasuke sighed, subconsciously.

What a drag.

He'd borrow Shikamaru's phrase for a while.

She pulled the black cloak around her tiny figure, as she continued to hop through the trees.

In a while she would meet her master. Punish her, he would.

She shivered, as he thought about him. If she got caught, who knew what would happen.

Hopefully he understood. But her master was not one to understand the feelings of others.

Her eyes darted cautiously around the clearing. Seeing no intruders, she unstrapped her pack, and set up camp.

You're getting closer.

The thought of reality was fearsome. She couldn't deny her thoughts. Her conscience reminded her of that, constantly. Closer to Master. Closer to her punishment.

She'd delay her trip back, if she could. But he wasn't patient. He would not tolerate unpunctuality.

A small delay would be a lucky escape. To delay her trip by even one day, that was more than lucky.

She didn't have a choice. Reality was harsh, but true. The seal on her prevented her from speaking. But genjutsu?

No.

Freedom. Uchiha Sasuke had never felt the emotion.

His whole life had been shadowed, cover by the mere silhouette of his older-perfect brother.

Part of Sasuke hated him, but one part admired him. In some cruel, sick, ungodly, way, he did. How could he, he told himself. Admire the man who brought you pain? How could you?

Really, how could he? Being an Uchiha, he was forced to be the best of the best, training for hours and days on end- it was all part of normal life. The Uchiha lifestyle.

Itachi had grown up to be a prodigy, better then all of his clan. Itachi grew up being praised, being drowned in admiration- and he? Sasuke wished for nothing more at a younger age. He grew up in his brother's shadow.

Sasuke longed to be the shinobi that Itachi was, powerful, and even just simply- loved. He wanted to be loved.

He knew that Itachi had loved him, at some point, at least. What did Itachi feel now?

Kami knows, how would he know?

The pain of the situation bit at his heart. His teammate presumed dead, (or not), his brother still out there, waiting for Sasuke to fight him.

And so was Sakura.

The evidence was clear, she was dead, the situation still didn't add up. How could she cast a genjutsu on herself without Kakashi sensing it? The copy-nin had the sharringan, which allowed him to see her chakra patterns.

The said copy-nin had been emotionless about the situation, but he was acting suspicious. It was clear something was wrong with him, but he seemed to feel no pain on Sakura's presumed death.

Could Kakashi know Sakura was alive? Is she alive?

Too many questions. Sasuke sighed for the millionth time today, as he sat in the couch of his temporary 'house'. House arrest wasn't very pleasant, with the ANBU guards patrolling every millisecond.

A familiar chakra pattern approached the door, and Sasuke found himself staring at the face of the hyperactive blonde. The idiot was still colour blind, he noted, as Naruto pranced around in his orange jumpsuit.

"Sasuke-teme, hehe, can I have some advice?"

Oh great. Just what he needed. Sasuke sighed in his head, (again) and turned to look at Naruto. The blond started back at him, his face changing into a sheepish grin as the seconds passed by.

The question would've been normal, but Sasuke was a rogue ninja. Who happened to prance back into his home villiage.

"For what, which ramen flavor to try out?"

Naruto's face turned into a scowl.

"Eh, Sasuke-teme, not about ramen, about -um-, g-girls!"

Sasuke gave into the urge to slap his forehead. "Who are you asking out? Yamanaka?"

Naruto appeared shocked. "Ino? She's Sak- her friend, do you imagine what state she's in now?"

Sasuke tucked this information away for later. "Cut to the chase, dobe, who are you asking out?"

Naruto blushed beet red, and rubbed the back of his neck characteristically. "H-Hinata!"

Hyuga? Naruto finally noticed she liked him?

"Hyuga?" Sasuke said, voicing his thoughts.

"Yeah, Hinata Hyuga, how many other girls called Hinata do you know?"

"None."

"Sasuke-teme, that's beside the point!"

Sasuke smirked, the long forgotten gesture had finally been put to use. Though he would never admit it, he had missed the long fights between him and Naruto.

Naruto stood waiting for advice, looking at him expectantly.

"Just ask her out. She like you anyway."

Naruto smiled. "!"

"Really Sasuke-teme? You'd better not be lying, you, um, teme!"

Sasuke deadpanned.

Naruto stared.

"I'm not lying, dobe. I'm actually concerned with your lack of awareness. She's liked you since academy days."

Naruto half-heartedly glared, but his face was brought into a smile at his lavender eyed girl.

"Thanks Sasuke-teme! I'm gonna ask her out to Ichiraku!"

God he's clueless.

Sasuke just turned away and started walking.

"Haruno Sakura….. Just who were you?"

Sasuke put his smart brains to use. The note, the kunai, the genjutsu…?

Ugh. Sakura was a talented medic-nin. That's all he knew about her.

Kabuto had spoke highly of her. Many times. But he hadn't listened.

First Mistake.

He left the Leaf.

Second.

His concentration on walking was disrupted, as an idea surfaced in his mind.

He tripped on a rock.

The pain of the stone stubbing his foot didn't process in his mind.

Kabuto used to tell him, he would use the Uchiha genes to replicate the sharringan. He cloned the genes.

He cloned the genes.

Clones! Of course! A genetic clone would be easy to make, judging by Sakura's skills in medic areas.

And when she faked her death, all she had to do was put the clone in place, and then damage its vitals.

Easy.

Genius.

Next clue, Sakura.

Sasuke opened the door to his temporary house.

It was so blank. So dark. Just like his life.

But he had something interesting to work on. Sakura's little problem.

Tut. Tut.

This was oh so interesting. He was glad he left the Sound Village.

All over a girl.

tbc.

Reveiws are appreciated.