Normal

"Speech"

Thought

Kyuubi

Warnings: I do not own Naruto. Rated "M" for language and adult situations

Chapter 37: Face to Face

Jugo had wondered pretty far from the camp site. He had grown tired of Suigetsu's constant teasing of Karin and Karin's constant beating on Suigetsu. Sasuke had gone off to do what ever it was that Sasuke did on these days when they were camped close to the resort town near Konoha.

Jugo didn't like being near Konoha. There was always a danger of being found, but it seemed that over the last year, there hadn't been an interest in Sasuke anymore. The large man sighed heavily and continued to wonder the forest. He was momentarily lost in the sounds of the spring birds singing away, when he heard a sob intermixed with the bird song.

He crept closer to the sound of the sobbing and saw a woman, dressed in purple. She was sitting at the base of a large tree with her knees pulled into her chest and she was crying. The sobbing stopped and the woman looked around in Jugo's direction. He quickly hid back behind the tree. Stealth was not his area of expertise. "I know you're there. Come out where I can see you… Please…" Said the woman. Her voice was laden with her tears.

Jugo walked out into light. The woman had stood up and had taken a defensive stance. "I didn't mean to disturb you." Jugo said sheepishly.

The raven haired woman relaxed. "No bother, I need to start back anyway." She whipped her cheeks of tears and sniffled.

"Why were you crying?" Jugo asked. There was something about her that screamed she needed a sympathetic ear. He didn't understand why, but he felt like he could help.

Myra blinked up at the large orange haired man standing before her. He was another man that had a great amount of sadness and regret floating around him like a swam of flies. "What the hell? Is a tragic past a pre-requisite to get accepted into Ninja world these days?" She shook her head. "Unless you know what it's like to kill with no regret, I doubt you can help."

Jugo hung his head. "Actually, I do." Myra felt the overwhelming amount of shame and remorse that came from Jugo.

She walked over to him and put a gentle hand on Jugo's arm and looked at him with understanding in her brown orbs. "My name is Myra, and I didn't kill him, but I might as well have."

They spent the next hour or so talking about regrets and guilt. Myra cried on his shoulder and she felt better. Jugo didn't cry, but he did feel better. Karin had never wanted to talk to him. Suigetsu wanted to kill him. Sasuke, well, Sasuke didn't talk to anyone. Myra didn't seem to be upset about the fact that he could rage out of control at any second.

"That's ok, I can run really fast." She chuckled. Myra stood up and stretched. She felt another presences coming fast from the tree tops. Myra tilted her head. Before she could think about what HE was doing there, she felt the air crackle and she smelt the ozone.

Sasuke aimed the Chidori Bolt at her chest. He wanted her unconscious, but relatively unharmed. Myra pushed Jugo out of the way. She took the bolt square in the chest and was only pushed back a few feet. Jugo watched as Myra allowed the lightening dance between her hands for a few seconds then she redirected the bolt back at a tree just to one side of where Sasuke was now standing.

The tree trunk exploded into splinters, Jugo looked surprised and confused. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Myra. Myra was looking a bit pissed off at Sasuke. "You shouldn't play with lightening… You could hurt somebody."

"Hn." That was the point. Sasuke walked over and got very close to Myra.

"I see you still have no sense of humor." Myra shook her head.

"Hn." I don't see anything funny about this situation. He dusted himself off.

"I see the humor in everything. Anything can be funny if you look at it right." Myra smiled. Jugo was still taking a few steps away from Myra.

Sasuke blinked and looked at Myra. "I haven't said a word."

Myra raised an eyebrow. "Yes you did. You said "Hn"… Which is a word… I think."

Sasuke started to look around the clearing. I need to get her to leave before someone misses her.

Myra sighed heavily. "I am sure I am already missed. I left in a bit of a huff, but I don't have to back for another hour or so."

This time Sasuke knew something was strange. He cleared his mind of all thought and turned to Jugo. "Go back to camp. I will deal with her."

"You aren't going to hurt her. She's actually very nice." Jugo looked worried.

"She won't feel a thing," Sasuke nodded.

Myra smiled at Jugo. "Don't worry big guy, I think I can take him…"

Jugo smiled. He knew what was coming. Sasuke wouldn't kill her, but he would make her forget what she had seen, and probably what they talked about. Jugo felt sorry for Myra, but at least he could keep the memory of the chat and maybe he could use some of her advice the next time he felt his sanity slip.

Sasuke waited until Jugo was out of sight. Then he rounded on Myra.

"CRAZY BITCH, what the hell are you DOING?" He snarled.

"I took a walk and got lost in the forest… It happens. What the hell are you doing so freaking close to Konoha you Fucktard?" She shouted back.

They both glared at each other for a second. Myra finally rolled her eyes and turned away. What a Fucktard! She thought and Sasuke's eyes went wide. Myra looked at Sasuke like he had gone completely mad. "What?" She asked.

"You haven't noticed." That I don't have to talk? He looked at her with cold black eyes.

"You don't talk anyway. So what does it matter?" She still looked confused.

Are all geniuses as stupid as you are? He raised an eyebrow.

"How dare you use one of my insults!?" Myra turned her back on him and as she was starting to storm off, it dawned on her. She turned around and looked at him with the widest grin on her face. HOLY SHIT! I wonder if its just verbal thought? She got the most evil grin on her face as she allowed a picture of Naruto dance in her brain.

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a very deep breath. "It isn't just verbal thoughts, now make it stop." He looked like he was going to be sick.

Myra started to think about Sakura and allowed a picture she had seen of Sakura in a very tiny bikini dance in her mind. Then she watched as the Uchiha ice cube melted and blushed. "Eureka." Myra giggled evilly.

Sasuke shook off the thought of the pink haired kunoichi. Myra felt the darkness take over Sasuke's thoughts again. "I guess I better get back to civilization." She started to walk back towards the main road to Konoha.

"Oi, Crazy Bitch… How did you shrug off my Chidori?" He glared at her.

"Part of that family history lesson I promised. My dad started to throw lightening bolts at me when I was nine. Ravenheart family element is Lightening, so I am intimately familiar with what lightening can and can not do. My hand is still extremely numb by the way. It may have looked cool as hell, but it hurt just as much." Myra showed Sasuke the burn mark on the palm of her right hand. Myra sighed. "I need to get going." She started to walk away.

Sasuke watched her take a few steps. Then he did something despite himself, he grabbed her wrist. She turned back to him. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Is there a way that, maybe I can see Sakura?

Myra smiled at him. I will see what I can do. I can't promise anything, but I am sure I can come up with something. There isn't a way I can convince you to just come back with me is there?

Sasuke let go of her hand and returned to his cold emotionless expression. "I can't go back." Not yet anyway.

"What ever… See ya round Fucktard." Myra started to head towards the Gates of Konoha. She was really late for that early diner. But she needed the time alone. Talking with Jugo, Myra understood something new. She had allowed the rage and anger to take over when she destroyed Dante. Sure it felt good at the time, but it didn't make her feel any less violated. Myra would get back to Konoha and as soon as she could, she would tell her father the truth about Dante.

Sasuke watched Myra's figure disappear into the forest. He turned around to find Karin standing with her hands on her hips looking scandalized. "Who was the harlot?"

Sasuke didn't dignify Karin with a response. Sasuke turned his death glared at her. Karin flinched and took this as a sign never to ask again, which she didn't. At least she wasn't going to ask Sasuke. The Uchiha didn't wait for Karin when he started back to the camp. He was met with Jugo's sad face at the loss of his new friend. Sasuke had tried desperately not to get attached to any of his "teammates", and he hadn't really. But Jugo was the exception.

Jugo was a really nice guy, a little naïve maybe, but a really nice person. Sasuke had taught Jugo to meditate to keep the rages at bay, and it had been working for the most part. Jugo also noted that taking out his frustrations on a near by tree or rock when he got angry seemed to help as well. It had been almost 4 whole weeks and not a single outburst.

But the sad look on Jugo's face threatened that record. Sasuke put a hand on his shoulder and nodded. "She's fine." Then as soon as the acknowledgement was there, it was gone before anyone, but Jugo could notice. Sasuke went back to being stoic and unemotional. Karin made it back to the camp site.

"I think we better leave before this place is crawling with Leaf ANBU." Karin crossed her arms.

"Hn. We stay here. They are holding Chunin Exams in Konoha right now. They don't have the ANBU to spare. Get some rest. We will be here for a few days." Sasuke bounded up a tree. Jugo took his position under the tree and glared at Karin.

Karin thought there was something fishy about the whole thing. The girl, Sasuke's behavior with the girl, and Jugo's odd smile bothered Karin. What was more disturbing was when she had gone to get Sasuke in the clearing, she thought he was alone. She hadn't felt the girl with him. Now that they were apart it was strange. Karin could sense Sasuke high in the tree, but if she didn't know any better, she could also say that Sasuke was heading for the gates of Konoha. Yes, there was something fishy about that girl.