It was day seventy.
Seventy days since Sakura had been taken.
Naruto stared out the window of his office, eyes off to the distance. Upon his desk were several scrolls from the other Kages.
He had the other countries sensors out looking for her and for anyone who goes out on missions to always keep their eyes and ears out for any news on the whereabouts of the missing Uchiha.
Beside him stood Sasuke, just as silent as he.
"We'll find her, Teme."
Sasuke remained silent.
"I swear on my life, we'll find her."
"But when?" Sasuke questioned. "No one is hearing anything of her. It's like she's disappeared completely."
A knock on the door disrupted their conversation. After allowing entry, Kiba entered, followed by his sister, Hana, and their canine companions.
"Hokage-sama," Hana greeted politely.
Normally quick to wave off such formal titles, he ignored it in favour of what information they had.
"The canines could trace nothing of her from the surrounding countries. There is no trace of Kuromaru either. His bloodline truly grants him passage through shadows."
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed, slamming his hands down on his desk.
"We need to go out looking for her, Naruto," Sasuke stated.
"You think you can do better then our-" Kiba held a hand up to stop Hana, shaking his head for her to be quiet.
The vet looked up at the two men who seemed to be stewing in hatred.
Hana bowed politely before dismissing herself. Naruto gazed long and hard out the window trying to come up with a solution.
"The village cannot afford to have all it's ninja out looking for Sakura."
"But Naruto-" the Inuzuka spoke up before Naruto motioned for him to quieten down.
"But I will never give up until she is safe back home with us, with her loved ones."
"What will you do?" Sasuke asked. "Regardless, I'm leaving to look for her."
"I'm sending the best after her," Naruto spoke.
"You mean-"
"Gather the Rookies."
'Sakura-chan?'
...
'Outer, come on. Answer me.'
...
'Outer, you need to respond. Come on.'
'Go away, Inner.'
'Never. You need to eat something, Outer.'
'I'm not hungry.'
'Baka, I'm you, alright? You can't lie to me. I can feel out stomach practically eating itself.'
'Just let me die here.'
'So that's it? You're just going to die here?'
'No, I-'
'That's what it looks like you're doing, Outer.'
'What the fuck would you have me do, Inner!? I'm chained, I'm naked, I'm weak.'
'You've stopped fighting.'
'I haven't told him anything!'
'I know but you're just letting him do as he pleases!'
'It's not like I have a choice, Inner. If I could stop him, I would! You think I enjoy his rape sessions? Huh!?'
'You're letting him break you, Outer! You've stopped defying him!'
...
'Stop ignoring me!'
'Just leave me alone, Inner...'
They were gaining on her.
Goddamn it, they'd boxed her in. There was no where for her to go! She could feel them pressing in from all sides. Her chakra flared angrily, trying to warn them off. She felt them slow down cautiously but alas, nothing would stop them.
Karin held tight to the twins.
Oh god, this was it.
For one last effort, she looked around, hoping to find some place to stash the twins but there was nothing but sand.
"Kami, please," Karin begged. "I need a miracle."
There was a rustle and she looked up to see Kuromaru's friends beginning to appear all around from the shrub.
"Hello, Karin."
Her eyes landed on their leader, Youma, the most twisted of them all. Second only to Kuromaru.
"Youma," she stated.
"Fancy meeting you here."
"Yeah, fancy that."
"What could you possibly be doing all the way out here, hm?"
Youma's eyes landed on the bundles in her arms.
"Aw, are those Pinky's babies? Can I see them?"
"Go fuck yourself," Karin spat, backing away but she was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Now that's not very nice. I have orders, you know. Orders to stop you from reaching Konoha."
Within the Hokage's office stood the legendary Konoha Rookies.
"What news on Sakura's whereabouts?" Ino asked.
"Nothing so far," Naruto admitted. "The Kage's have their ninja keeping their eyes and ears peeled for any news on Sakura. No, I've gathered you all here because Konoha cannot afford to have all it's ninja searching for Sakura."
There was several angry outbursts but Naruto continued.
"But," he called, causing the others to settle. "I will have my best out there, looking for her."
Ino's eyes turned hopeful as she took a hesitant step forward. "You mean..."
Naruto nodded.
"Who is better at finding her then those that love her?"
"What's the plan?" Shino asked.
"You will all head to a surrounding country each. There, you will search for any and all clues as to Sakura's location."
They all nodded.
"I don't need to tell you how important this is. One of our own has been taken and I sent our best scouts, sensors and trackers to find her. Nothing."
"I won't give up," Ino chimed in. "Sakura is my best friend and she would never have waited around like this if it were one of us. We've wasted enough time!"
Several around the room nodded their head in agreement.
"The Inuzuka are willing to keep searching," Kiba spoke. "Kaa-san adores Sakura-chan and she's willing to lead the Inuzuka dogs if you can't spare the men."
"The Aburame have released most of their beetles. They are spreading out over most of the continent."
"Arigatou."
Everyone's eyes turned to the previously silent Uchiha who'd stood by Naruto. Sasuke stepped forward, making eye contact with everyone in the room.
"Please," he murmured.
Small words spoke a million and they watched the Uchiha's usual cool waver, his worry and guilt shining through plain as day.
"Help me bring my wife back home, safe."
Inner paced before the locked room holding Sakura's memories.
Thanks to Kuromaru's continued onslaught, Sakura's determination was beginning to waver.
The many chains and locks that kept the door sealed was starting to disappear slowly, one after the other.
She couldn't blame her. She could see everything Outer saw. She could feel everything Outer felt. At times, Inner would collapse from the raw emotion shooting through Sakura's heart and sometimes she even got lost and shifted in and out of...
Well, she didn't even know!
Kuromaru was gaining ground and while it terrified Inner...
It also pissed her off.
Kuromaru's enforced madness trickled into Sakura's mind as white tendrils, licking at the ground and walls of Sakura's mind hallways.
As the larger white shadows had to be taken care of by Inner herself in order to keep them at bay.
The inner persona watched as five more large white shadows appeared, flickering towards her like flames. With a flash of light, two kamas connected by a chain appeared in Inner's hands.
"You'll go no further," she hissed before she lunged for the madness.
A flurry of shuriken and kunai flew at her.
The logical thing to do would be to dodge. But where?
She was closed in on all sides and she felt like if she made any such movements, they'd slaughter her.
So instead of dodging, she turned.
The airborne weapons pierced her back as she shielded the babies. She cried out and collapsed against the rock, careful not to land on the twins.
She heard Youma laugh.
"Pathetic," he cackled. "The only difference between you and Pinkie is that she was not just hot, she could fight too."
Karin stared down at the twins who had began to whimper and whine.
"I'm so sorry," Karin whispered to them.
"Quite a plan the two of you executed, wouldn't you say?" Youma began. "The way Pinkie took out Kuromaru's eyes so that he'd be unable to catch you via shadows, genius!"
Youma raised his leg and kicked at the kunai and shuriken imbedded in Karin's back, causing said woman to scream out in pain, back arching.
"I feel like you should receive the same punishment as the pink slut back home. Don't you agree? I'm sure Pinkie is screaming for help while Kuromaru fucks her tight little-"
"Stop it!" Karin screamed, shaking her head.
Tears landed on her glasses as she stared down at the innocent babies in her protection.
"You're all fucking monsters! Sakura never deserved this," she cried.
"Oh, but don't you remember?" Youma asked. "You're the one who wished this upon her. You told us to do what ever we wanted with her."
"I know," Karin murmured. "That makes me worse then you. I let my obsession with Sasuke change me and cloud my judgement."
"It's too late for that," Youma sighed. "Kuromaru was quite angry with what happened and I'd wager he's taking it all out on Pinkie. Now, about my fun..."
"I'm so sorry for everything," Karin whispered to the twins.
As Youma grabbed her shoulder, something jumped over the large boulder, landing on Youma, forcing him into the ground.
"I think not!"
Karin's head whipped around to stare at her old teammates.
Suigetsu and Jugo had found her. As they held off her enemies, she sobbed uncontrollably. But with a smile on her face.
It was a miracle.
Hey yo!
You guys totally had a point.
Bitches needed to be out and looking and so they shall be!
OMFG Suigetsu and Jugo to the rescue!
It's time that Konoha went on the offensive.
I ALSO CHANGED SOME THINGS SINCE I DID NOTICE I MADE THE MISTAKE OF SAYING 29 DAYS
THANKS TO THOSE THAT SPOTTED THIS MISTAKE!
Anyway, with everyone now on the move, what will happen?
Review people!
- Me 3
P.S. Sorry its short. *unhappy face*
But it was quick!
All thanks to your reviews, giving me the encouragement to give you something you've been wanting!
The race is on!