Author's note: A thank you to all of you who stuck with me through that HORRIBLE previous chapter 14 that I posted. I have destroyed it, as was fitting. Here is the NEW chapter 14—and one that is more worthy of my dear readers.

I hope you like it better. I do.

The real chapter 14: Into Thunder Country

Sasuke watched as Naruto and Sakura walked together, laughing and joking, a short distance ahead of him.

They're so comfortable together.

His teammates had changed much over the three years he had been gone—he was still finding out new things about them.

And new things about himself.

"Deep in thought, I see." Jiraiya sidled up next to him. "Anything you want to share?"

"Hn. Hardly." The Uchiha shot him an annoyed glare.

"Eh, just thought I'd make some friendly conversation. But I see that's not your strong point."

Sasuke ignored him, continuing to watch as Sakura threatened bodily harm to Naruto for something the kyuubi boy had said.

Jiraiya followed his gaze. “Oh, I see. Your attention is elsewhere.” He smiled knowingly. “Have you ever considered reading one of my books…”

Sasuke scowled. "Are you done?"

The Toad Sage laughed. "Maybe you'd be the one walking with your attractive teammate instead of Naruto—If you weren't such an asshole."

Sasuke's jaw clenched.

He turned to reply…

But Jiraiya was already well on his way upfront to where Kakashi was walking.

The Uchiha quickened his pace.

"Sasuke-kun." Sakura smiled warmly as he caught up to them. "We were just about to slow down to keep you company."

"Yeah, you may be a great shinobi, but you sure walk slowly." Naruto grumbled.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun walks just fine."

He looked at Sakura. Her expression was one of warmth and friendship. And something else? Sasuke couldn't tell. She was far from the love-sick child she had been years ago. That she cared for him, he had no doubt. But she had yet to show any feelings toward him stronger than friendship.

"Um, Sasuke?" Naruto's voice interrupted his thoughts. He realized he had been staring blankly.

"We're getting left behind." The Uchiha motioned to the small figures of Kakashi and Jiraiya.

"Right!" Sakura grabbed them both by the hand, pulling them forward. "Come on you two."

A vague memory pushed its way to the surface of Sasuke's mind.

Application day for the chuunin exam. Sakura had pulled them along similarly after they realized they were in the wrong place.

Neither young man had pulled out of her grasp then. And neither did now.

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"Alright," Jiraiya poked at the meager camp fire. "What's the plan, Kakashi?"

The copy nin shrugged, not taking his eye off the pages of his book. "Maybe you should tell us what we're up against. Then I'll tell you my plan."

"Sounds fair." The white-haired man nodded. "The Raiju—the six tailed demon. Not a friendly character by any means." He looked thoughtfully around at them. "A creature of fire and lightening, the Raiju resembles a six-tailed monkey."

"A monkey!" Naruto crinkled his nose. "I hate monkeys."

"Good." The Toad Sage frowned at him. "I suspect he'll feel the same way about you. But…if I might continue…the Raiju is the first of the smarter demons—"

"—most of these creatures lack the intelligence to think in an organized fashion. They operate strictly on emotions. Killing when they feel like it. Eating when they feel like it. They have no complex thought process. This is demonstrated by the fact that Akatsuki obtained the 'uncontained' three-tail without much trouble—"

"—However, this is not true of the higher tailed-beasts. Not only are they intelligent, they are extremely powerful and ill tempered. Naruto can vouch for that."

Across the fire, the blond nodded.

"This is why the majority were sealed within a human. Their powers were still accessible, but their malicious will was suppressed. It is unfortunate…but each demon has the power to take control of the body that holds it—if the human container lets down their guard—"

"—we saw this with Gaara and we have seen this at times with Naruto."

"So this demon is still inside of a human then, right?" Sakura asked. "Unless it's gained control over them?"

Jiraiya nodded. "I spent many hours going over all the notes from the First to the Fourth Hokage in this matter. At the beginning of the Shinobi wars, every demon, with the exception of the eight-tails and the nine-tails, was sealed within a host. The sealing of the nine-tails happened later on, when it attempted to destroy Konoha."

"That still doesn't tell us how to find it." Sasuke leaned back. "We know little about the Thunder Country as it is."

"You're right. But I did find the name of the village where the Raiju was seen last. It will take some discreet asking, but maybe once we find it, we'll get some clues as to where we go next."

Kakashi closed his book and stretched out on the ground, arms behind his head. “Well then, that sounds like a good plan to me.”

"How will we know him if we see him?" Naruto began to lay out his own bedding roll. "If he's not in demon form, I mean."

It was Sakura who answered. "We'll have to study the way he looks. That's how we'll be able to tell."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Look at Naruto," Sakura pointed. "The faint whisker marks on his face. And Gaara…he had the black around his eyes like the raccoon demon that was inside him. From what I hear, the two-tailed demon cat's host had slanted eyes—like a cat."

The Toad Sage was impressed.

"I'm not sure what characteristic it will be…but something about him will seem odd."

"Hey! You're right!" Naruto smiled at her.

"You're right on the mark, Sakura." Jiraiya smiled as well. "Good work."

"Well, she was one of my students," Kakashi chimed in sleepily. "I'd expect no less."

Sasuke watched Sakura blush slightly as she climbed under her blanket. It was something she rarely did nowadays.

He arranged his own bed nearby.

"I'll take first watch then," The sannin frowned at the others. "Rest up. In two days we'll be in Thunder country."

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The time passed uneventfully. And on the evening of the second day, the mountains of Thunder Country were visible.

Due to the unique geography of the land, storms constantly rolled through the atmosphere. The air was heavy and moisture laden, making the squalls violent with massive bolts of lightening and deafening claps of thunder.

Here, on the edge of the country, the sky was overcast and a bitter wind whipped cruelly through their clothes.

"Let get as far in as we can today." Kakashi eyes the sky. "The first town we see we'll stop and ask around. Remember, you're not a shinobi and, most importantly, you're not from another country. If someone asks you, we're farmers bound for family in the east."

"What's the name of the village we're looking for?" Sakura asked.

"Yomakahanaru."

It started to rain.

"Lets go. The weather is only going to get worse from here on out."

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They passed many small, modest homes the further they progressed into the stormy land. Most of them were constructed on stilts, with wooden walkways and stairs connecting to adjacent buildings.

Jiraiya pointed out that during the heavy storm seasons, most of the land would probably flood.

And Sakura noted, as they stood waiting patiently for Kakashi, that even the gardens and the livestock were kept on stilted, glass covered areas of grass and soil.

The door to a nearby house opened, the copy-nin’s silhouette outlined by the brightness behind him. They heard him say some words of thanks before stepping back out into the rain.

"Nearest inn is in the next town over. Maybe about a two hour walk."

"They didn't recognize the village name?"

Kakashi shook his head. "They didn't have a clue. But the man and his wife also mentioned they rarely get any travelers in this area. So anyone who ever stops by is from someplace they've never heard of."

"Unfortunate for us." The Toad Sage wiped the water from his face. "Let's get going. If there's one thing I hate more than being drenched, it's sleeping out in the woods while I'm drenched."

A distant rumbled of thunder strengthened his suggestion.

As they walked, Sakura took in all she could of the scenery.

The land was rocky and moss covered. And the trees easily dwarfed any she had seen in Konoha. Their huge branches spread out and then drooped low. The roots of those giants reached out just as far in the rough terrain, making the walking treacherous.

Even as she was thinking it, Naruto tripped in front of her, sprawling out on the muddy ground.

"Aw, damn it!" He stood, looking down at himself. "Damn it!"

Kakashi rolled his eye. "Naruto, how long have you had those feet?" He asked seriously.

"It's not my fault! Stupid roots!" The blond kicked at them. "I can't even see two feet in front of me with all this rain!"

Sasuke sighed and frowned at Naruto. "If we had known you'd be so much trouble, we would have told Tsunade to keep you in Konoha."

"No way! She said she specifically wanted me on this mission. Me!" He pointed to himself.

"Then maybe we should have tied you up somewhere." Jiraiya said jokingly. "Now come on. Once your underwear gets wet its all over."

Everyone looked at him.

Once they were on the move again, Kakashi rubbed his head. What have I gotten myself into?

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Sasuke scanned around the small town they had come to. Its architecture was the same as the other buildings he had seen so far, but there were may more of them, some more than a few stories high.

Even in the heavy rain, people were still out and about. Most were villagers, but some, undoubtedly were shinobi. These he marked specifically in his mind. If there was going to be any trouble, it would be good to know where the defenses were set up.

A town like this wouldn't have much protection, but Sasuke was not sure how close they were to The Hidden Cloud City—Thunder Country's hidden village. If it were nearby, there would be a great many more ninjas to worry about.

For every secret look he gave, he was aware he was getting one in return. Newcomers to any village were always watched closely. It was a good thing they were headed straight to the inn.

Sakura stopped abruptly ahead of him, causing him to bump into her slightly.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun," she whispered, her gaze elsewhere. "I think we're being watched."

He nodded, impressed that she had noticed. But he should have expected that. Sakura was a chuunin. Her rank was higher than his at the moment.

"Sakura," he pushed her gently. "Keep moving."

"Maybe you'd be walking with her if you weren't such an asshole." He frowned, remembering Jiraiya's comment. He supposed he could have asked her instead of ordering her.

But Sakura seemed unfazed and she lengthened her stride to catch up with the others as they prepared to enter the inn.

"Welcome!" The jolly looking man behind the counter greeted them. He smiled widely, gesturing to the large dining area. "Please come in and make yourselves comfortable!"

They nodded in thanks, sitting quietly at a corner table.

"Hey! Hey mister!" Naruto shouted across the room. "Do you have ramen here?"

Kakashi buried his face in his hands.

"Ramen?" The innkeeper looked clueless. "What's ram…" His face broke into another smile at Naruto's disappointed look. "Of course we have ramen! Only the best ramen in all of Thunder Country!"

"Phew." The kyuubi boy leaned back.

Sakura kicked him under the table. "We're supposed to keep a low profile," she growled.

But Jiraiya chuckled. "Naruto probably is what keeps us looking normal. It'd be stranger if we were a large group of silent visitors."

Kakashi looked up. "Just remember why we're here."

"To eat and sleep?"

"No," the ex-sensei said dryly. "Any chance you get, ask about Yomakahanaru."

"Right, right. I was only joking, Kakashi-sensei."

Thankfully the food arrived before Naruto could wear on Kakashi's nerves any more.

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After a few hours, the dinning area of the inn was full.

And each member of team 7 spread out respectively to see what information they could gather.

"Stick next to me, Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered next to her. "There's probably a lot of perverted old men in here." He looked pointedly at Jiraiya.

Sasuke had been thinking the same thing, but had chosen to remain quite on the subject. But at least Sakura knew Naruto was worried about her.

"Don't worry so much, Naruto. You have to pick who you talk with carefully."

Sasuke sighed and watched them move off into the crowd.

Sakura worked her way around the tables, hearing bits and pieces of conversations as she passed. Some people were travelers, others were just there to socialize, and some were there for sake.

The later she stayed away from.

Someone did happen to catch her eye.

Next to the fire, an old woman sat, tugging at the wet laces of her boots.

She reminds me of Chiyo. Sakura smiled to herself at the memory of the old puppet master.

"Um, excuse me," She knelt down to help the struggling elder. "Do you mind if I help you?"

The wrinkled face looked at her in surprise, but nodded slowly, watching as the pink-haired young woman worked quickly through the knotted laces.

Sakura smiled, pulling her fingers away, but stopped when she realized they were stained crimson.

She looked at the old woman in shock. "You're injured somewhere! Let me help you!"

"No!" A withered hand gripped her firmly. "Do not waste bandages on a poor old woman like myself."

Emerald eyes stared kindly at the old face. Sakura placed her own hand on the one that was holding her arm. "I can heal you, if you'll let me."

"Child, I appreciate your kindness. No many would help an old woman dry her feet by the fire. But the wound is nothing. It will heal in time. Do not waste your energy."

"Are you sure? It wouldn't take much if it's not serious."

The crone nodded. "I am sure. My name is Saruwatari."

"Mine is Haruno Sakura. I am glad to meet you."

The old woman nodded in greeting. "Now since you helped me, tell me how I may return the favor."

Sakura smiled warmly, pulling up a chair next to her. "Maybe there is something you can help me with. You see, my family and I are traveling through the country in order to live closer to other members of the family. But we were hoping to stop in Yomakahanaru on the way—Do you know where that is?"

The old woman's eyes went wide. It was a moment before she replied. "Child, what purpose do you have in that cursed place?"

The medic looked at her shocked expression, her own one of puzzlement. "We had just heard rumors of what a grand place it was. We had hoped to take some time there on our way."

The old woman's eyes narrowed. "You'd do well to forget that you ever heard of such a town. It is empty now—nothing but ruins. And those may not even be left since the trees started to take it over."

"Empty?"

Saruwatari nodded. “Take it from me there is nothing but death in that place.”

Sakura sat back, her expression thoughtful. "Thank you, for your information."

The weathered woman huddled further into her cloak. Other than her face and stocking feet, Sakura could see nothing else of her form. Her sleeves were far too long for her hands to be visible.

"Just heed my advice." Saruwatari stood. Her hunched figure moved closer to the fire. "Stay away. Stay far, far away."

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Sakura sat on the ledge of her window, watching as giant streaks of lightening lanced through the night sky.

Even if the thunder hadn't been so loud, she wouldn't have been able to sleep.

Out of all the people they had talked to, only Sakura had managed to get any information about

Yomakahanaru. She had even managed to gather it was somewhere a few days north of their current location. But after that, the kind old woman had said goodnight and had left Sakura sitting alone by the fire.

Now, Sakura sat in the solitude of her own room, wondering just what had happened to the mysterious town. Had the Raiju destroyed it? Maybe the Raiju was dead and its death had caused the destruction of the town.

Another blot of lightening illuminated the sky.

The following rumble of thunder almost drowned out the faint knocking at her door.

"Eh? Who is it?" She walked cautiously over.

"Sakura," Sasuke's voice was muffled through the heavy door.

Her eyes narrowed but she opened it slightly.

The Uchiha stood in the hallway, his eyes black in the minimal light.

"Prove it," She said wearily. All she needed was to let someone else into her room under the guise of one of her teammates.

"A ninja attacks when…" He recited the code they had made up years ago during the chuunin exam.

She opened the door the rest of the way.

"How do you know I'm not Naruto?" Sasuke asked coolly.

"Hmph. Naruto could never remember that word for word. He probably doesn't even remember it at all."

She went back over to the window. "Is the storm keeping you awake too?"

"No. Naruto snores louder than any storm. I was tempted to strangle him in his sleep, so I thought it would be best if I left for a few minutes."

She chuckled. "Kakashi and I normally just hold his nose shut until he starts breathing through his mouth again."

"He is still…something else."

She nodded.

They were quiet for a while, watching the storm.

"I should go back to Naruto." Sasuke headed to the door. "Kakashi would angry if he knew I was here."

Sakura shrugged. "He just worries more than he'll admit."

"He thinks I'm going to hurt you." Sasuke's eyes narrowed angrily, but his back was to her.

He could tell Sakura was staring at him.

"He thinks he knows me so well…" The Uchiha's fists trembled in anger. "But I wouldn't ever hurt any of you again."

"We know that, Sasuke. Naruto and I know. And that's all that matters."

Sasuke's expression softened and he headed to the door.

As he left, he said quietly, "I don't hate you either, Sakura. I know you've always thought that I did. But I don't."

She sat there for a while listening to the rain pelt the rooftops.

Tomorrow would mean the start of days of traveling. Tomorrow they were that much closer to the Raiju..

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Coming soon--

Chapter 15: The Raiju