Naruto and its characters belong to Misashi Kishimoto.
Sayuri and other characters that have not and will not appear on the show or manga are completely original.
Thank you and enjoy!
A.N. Remember, if you have not read the manga there will be spoilers in this chapter!
"Is it...evening…?" Sayuri asked, still slightly out of it. The sun had moved a considerable amount from the time she had last seen it.
"Where are Naruto and Sasuke!?" Sakura asked turning to their teacher in alarm.
"They're probably having their last fight. To finally settle all their issues." Kakashi replied.
Sayuri turned her head to the general direction of the fight so quickly, Kakashi thought she might hurt her neck. "Well from what it feels like the two just might kill each other!" Sayuri pushed her self up and stepped forward surprising the two shinobi behind her. Her eyes shifted from their red and blue color to a dark and light green.
Watching Sayuri's body stiffen, Kakashi stood up helping Sakura in the process. "What's wrong?"
"There was a large burst of energy and then it suddenly vanished!"
Sakura gasped, drawing her hands to her chest. "Are Naruto..." she watched Sayuri waiting for a response. "...and Sasuke…?"
"Hold on..." Sayuri mumbled as she concentrated. "No...I can still sense them but their chakra is really weak...We need to move!" Sayuri ordered and pushed her self forward. Alarmed Kakashi and Sakura quickly followed behind.
Until Next Time
The night sky was clear, save for a couple of stray clouds left from the fight. The night air felt cool against his skin, and it was the feel of it that managed to wake him up. Sasuke grunted and slowly opened his eyes.
"You awake now…?" Naruto's voice was the first thing he heard, the intense pain came after. He turned his head to look and winced. "It's just as you see it. If we move too much we'll bleed to death."
Staring at the blonde laying next to him Sasuke frowned. The metallic taste of his own blood in his mouth made him look away. "Just look at you. Why do you insist on getting in my way?" Eyes on the moon above, Sasuke grunted in pain. "Why do you care so much about me!?"
"Look at you, talking so much now just because you can't move..." Naruto began to laugh but it died down, replaced by a pained hiss.
"Shut up and answer the damn question!" Sasuke yelled.
"Because..." Naruto started turning his beat up face towards him. "You're my friend."
"You keep saying that, but what does that really mean to you?" Sasuke asked, eyes on the tired blonde.
Naruto turned back to stare at the moon and sighed. "If you want me to explain it, I'm not really sure how to put it..." He smiled. "It's just that when I hear you blabbering about carrying everything on your shoulders...I kinda fell the pain too." Sasuke stared at Naruto in shock. "It really hurts. There's no way I can just ignore it!" Naruto began to laugh once again. "Well, today I'm hurting all over so there isn't much I can do." The blonde suddenly turned his head, jaw clenched as he hissed in pain.
Naruto… Sasuke thought, watching the blonde closely, I knew that in the past you were alone...You acted like an idiot on purpose so that people would scold you because you wanted them to pay attention to you. At first I thought you weren't worth considering at all. That you were just another weakling playing around. A 9 year old Naruto stood, back facing a 9 year old Sasuke. But after seeing you get scolded all the time for some reason I started to keep my eyes on you. That was when I realized that your weakness started to sink into me too. I couldn't stop paying attention. Fugaku, Mikoto, and Itachi Uchiha suddenly stood behind the 9 year old Sasuke. I saw you trying to create some sort of bond with others...it reminded me of my family.
The young Sasuke smiled kindly watching Naruto's back but then the smile faltered. Looking down at his feet, Sasuke thought sadly. And for some reason I felt relieved...but I also thought it was a weakness. I trained hard, trying to become stronger than my brother to be able to take revenge on him, but then I was put in the same team as you...along with her… Naruto and Sayuri were walking ahead of him, Naruto waving his arms over his head as he talked to Sayuri who laughed as she followed the blondes pace. Kakashi and Sakura suddenly materialized further ahead, Naruto quickly left Sayuri as he rushed to the rosette who crossed her arms and listened to the blabbering blonde, beside them Kakashi rubbed the back of his head.
A 12 year old Sasuke slowly got closer to Sayuri, whose back was still to him. You were always around Sakura...hovering, really. It annoyed her, I could tell but in you doing that I got to spend some time with her. Sayuri threw kunai and shuriken at a post, the scenery changed to them walking around Konoha, Sasuke still watching her back as they arrived at the gate, meeting up with Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto. They all leaped forward, landing on tree branches with Naruto close to Sakura, Kakashi leading, and Sasuke and Sayuri near the back.
And when I began to clear missions with you I realized that we were both getting stronger, and I realized that I wanted to fight with you. I started to see Team 7 somewhat like my new family...and that's when I saw you suffer and I would feel pain too. When I understood your pain, for the first time I considered you my comrade. But at the same time...I couldm't let you become stronger. When I saw how strong you had become I…
A sixteen year old Naruto stood before him facing him with a smile on his face. "When I met you, and found out that you too were alone...just like me, I was happy. I wanted to talk to you right away, but I didn't because I never knew what to say...so I decided to make you my rival. During our missions as Team 7 I kept going after you because I wanted to become strong and cool, like you!"
It's the opposite. Sasuke thought, as he saw the 13 year old Naruto facing away from him. I was the one jealous of you. You had a kind of strength I was missing. The 13 year old blonde turned to the 17 year old he knew today, but now it wasn't just Naruto standing with his back towards him, but Itachi as well. You always walked in front of me…much like my brother did...and today too.
Above them the moon started to recede and the sun slowly began to take over. The sky turning from black to shades of pink and orange. Naruto winced as the sunlight reached his eyes. Beside him Sasuke turned his head away opening his own eyes as well.
"Where are we? Don't tell me this is heaven!?" Naruto was the first to speak.
"Looks like we've slept until morning. Once again you're still alive."
Naruto tried to move but cried out in pain. "Shit! I still can't move! I wanted to punch you until you opened your eyes once and for all!"
A small chuckle made the blonde pause. He turned his head to watch Sasuke's shoulders shake as slowly he began to laugh. But this time it wasn't like the depraved laugh he had when they were in the Land of Iron. This time his laugh was serene...genuine.
"W-What!?" Naruto asked unsure if Sasuke even realized that he was laughing.
The Uchiha laughed until he winced in pain. "Do you still want to fight in your condition?" He looked over to Naruto, his left eye swollen shut, as he smirked at the blonde.
"OF COURSE! I'M NOT GIVING UP!"Naruto declared.
"All right." Naruto stopped and stared at Sasuke who turned to the bright sky. "I'll admit it. I lost." He smiled.
"YOU ASSHOLE! THIS ISN'T A FIGHT YOU CAN WIN OR LOSE!" Naruto yelled. "It's a fight between friends! I said I was going to smack some sense into you until you woke up! The fight I want to have comes after that!"
Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed. "Hey..."
"...Yeah..?"
"If I die here then the cycle that the Sage was talking about will end too right?" Naruto turned to look at Sasuke. "With that you can rebuild the ninja world, undo the Tsukuyomi and release the Tailed beasts and..."
"Oh, no..." Naruto shook his head. "You don't get to die now! Not after all that we went through."
"You never know..." Sasuke replied. "I might come back for your lousy ass."
Naruto laughed and turned back to watch the clouds move lazily across the sky. "You can't do much if you're dead! Why not stay here, and help me out! My dream is for all shinobi to work together, that includes you! Bedsides, if you wanna keep Sayuri safe you need to be here...among the living!"
"You really think everyone else is going to be happy about that..." Sasuke replied.
"Will you quit nit-picking already! You just don't get it do ya?" Naruto closed his eyes, lecturing the teen beside him. "Jeez, who knew you'd be that stupid!"
Sasuke looked down again, watching the blood from their severed arms mingle. "Shut up idiot!" The two smiled up at the sky as they lay completely immobile.
"Hey, Sasuke…?" Naruto started.
"Hn..."
"We're gonna die." Naruto said and Sasuke snorted.
"After all that talk about working together."
XXX
"Sayuri how much longer?" Sakura asked, she had been supporting Kakashi for a while now. They had been running all night to reach their two teammates and they just didn't seem to get any closer.
Sayuri slid to stop, peering over the cliff she sighed. "There!" She pointed as Sakura and Kakashi arrived.
"So they came here after all..." Kakashi muttered.
Bellow among all the rubble of what used to be the statues of Madara and Hashirama linking fingers, lay Naruto and Sasuke, both looking worse for wear. The two noticing the tree ninja turned to look at them from where they were.
"Sakura!" Sayuri called out. The medic let go of Kakashi who pulled back and let the twp jump down.
"Hey!" Naruto said with a grin then turned to Sasuke as the two konoichi landed in front of them. "Looks like we're not dying after all."
"They're bleeding out." Sakura assessed, she knelt down followed by Sayuri. "Just follow my lead. All we need to do is stop the bleeding, disinfect and close the wound." Watching Sayuri's hesitant look Sakura leaned back. "I can do both of them if you feel like you can't help. It'll just take me much longer to get them fixed up."
"No! No…" Sayuri said slowly, eyes on the puddle of blood on their knees. The sticky, red, wet substance was already seeping into her pants. "I can help."
"You get Sasuke, I'll take care of Naruto." Sakura ordered as she placed both glowing hands on Naruto's stump of an arm. Sayuri quickly gathered chakra to her hands and hovered them over Sasuke's wound. "Find the blood vessels and seal them off, then find the muscle cells and have them seal off the opening, finally stitch the skin back together."
"OK!" Sayuri nodded as she bit her lip and concentrated on the healing process, repeating the instructions over and over in her head.
"Thanks, Sakura!" Naruto grinned up at the rosette who smiled down at him.
"Sakura...Sayuri..." Sasuke started.
"Don't talk." Sayuri stopped Sasuke before he could go on.
"She's right." Sakura agreed. "We need to concentrate, you two did a number on each other."
Sasuke watched the two then glanced at Naruto, who gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry..." he said ignoring the order.
Sayuri stiffened, chakra wavering for a second before she regained control. "For what…?" she heard Sakura ask after a minute. Sayuri waited, for the Uchiha's reply. She peeked at him from under her bangs, carefully analyzing every little twitch and movement he made.
Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, and breathed. "For everything I've done." Sasuke watched the two konoichi closely as one healed him, biting her lip and the other began to cry.
"You better be!" Sakura was the first to respond as tears rolled down her face. "Stupid."
Sayuri began to laugh, keeping the tears back, "Who knew, you'd be so much trouble...Uchiha." she looked at Sasuke who stared back at her in mild surprise.
From above, Kakashi watched the four interact, remembering the very first time he had met them. The two boys slowly sat up as the girls finished healing them. Sayuri fell back on her bottom leaning on back on her arms as she sighed. Sakura turned to her and pat her on the back commending her on her healing ability as she inspected Sasuke's arm to make sure everything was in order.
"They're finally together again." Kakashi smiled as he pulled down his headband over his left eye out of habit.
Sakura turned back to Naruto and leaned forward, placing a hand on his cheek to inspect his swollen eye. "Hmm...this will have to wait, I don't have enough chakra to heal it right now."
Naruto blushed at the contact and attention and laughed. "It's fine." Sasuke watched the interaction and smiled. Sayuri and Sakura laughed at Naruto who waved around what was left of his arm, pointing out the Sasuke's was shorter than his.
"Hey, you two." Sayuri said after her laughter subsided. "I think it's time you undid the Tsukuyomi and released the beasts, don't you think?"
"Right!" Naruto stood up, stumbling a bit from the loss of his limb but stood up none the less. "What do you say, Sasuke?"
Sakura turned to the dark haired teen in question. Watching as he smirked and pushed himself up, like Naruto he stumbled forward but regained his balance. "Let's do it."
The two teens, formed the release seal together. At the battle field the vines whitehead and fell, the cocoons that held the Shinobi Alliance slowly fell away from the people trapped in them. All slowly stood up and looked around them in surprise and shock. With a loud cheer, they celebrated their release.
Naruto… Sasuke thought as he undid the Shinra Tensei and let the tailed beasts go. Maybe now I can learn to stop living in the past. He watched Kurama grin down at the blonde beside him. Naruto laughed and scratched his head. We used to live in a world of hate but now...I think that it'll be OK. To love and be loved. He turned to look behind him.
Sayuri stood by Kakashi who had made his way to them. She looked the to the sky with a small smile on her lips. Sasuke followed her gaze to a bird flying across the sky. He was so focused on Sayuri that he didn't notice Sakura until she placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her, a little take a back by her proximity. The medic had a small blush on her cheeks, his apology obviously had taken her by surprise and from the looks of it she took it without hesitation. Naruto turned to the two, and Sasuke thought he saw a flicker of a frown on his friend's face, but even if he did, Naruto quickly covered it up with another one of his grins.
"Let's go home guys!"
Kakashi and Sayuri made their way closer to the group then, both eager to get back to the village.
XXX
"And next time you decide to do something like that again, you'll find your ass in prision! Do I make myself clear!?" Tsunade bellowed. The war was over a month ago, all the shinobi had returned to their villages, and now the blonde Hokage was dealing with Sasuke Uchiha, fresh out of the hospital.
"Crystal." The 17 year old replied, without much emotion. That only managed to anger the blonde woman more.
"Hey, granny, ease up a bit won't you?" Naruto pleaded on his behalf. "He won't be going back to his old ways again! I promise!"
Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temples. Having the two boys in her office was giving her a headache. "Yeah, yeah, you two can go ahead and leave." She waved them away and the two were quick to obliged. Shizune laid a glass of water next to Tsunade, who quickly picked it up and drank. "I need to find my replacement. I don't think I can handle any more of this."
Shizune laughed, but agreed. It was time to let someone else take the reigns.
XXX
The day they held a massive funeral for all those who lost their lives to the war, it was raining. The sky was gray, the air humid. Shinobi filed into the cemetery as they laid their loved ones to rest. Naruto bowed his head at Neji's picture on one of the displays. The Hyuga's name had been engraved in the KIA stone a few weeks ago.
Next to him stood Sayuri, who clenched her fists at her sides, eyes swollen from what he could only imagine was her crying the night before. He bit the inside of his cheek and turned back to the ceremony. After two months, and everything finally settling down, the death of all of the shinobi weighed heavily on all of them.
Once the ceremony had been done, all the ninja were ushered out. Sakura followed behind Naruto, who led her out of the gates. Sayuri had stayed behind to talk to Hinata, her sister and, her father. Sasuke did not show up to the event. The people around them were still not very accepting of him. Something, Naruto hoped would go away soon.
"We should go check up on Sasuke…" Sakura offered. Naruto hesitantly agreed and the two walked down the wet road together.
XXX
"Aww man!" Naruto whined, as he fell unto his back on the green grass. It was January and the weather was still cold, but Naruto didn't mind. He was on the training grounds with Sasuke who watched the blonde as he looked at the Hokage monument, tucking in a kunai into his pouch. He had finally been allowed to train without having a guard at all times. "I can't believe Kakashi is the new Hokage! I mean, can you believe them!" Naruto turned his blue eyes to Sakura who sat close to Sasuke, warm coat hanging on her shoulders. "I save the world, and they still choose that guy over me!"
"You're right, Naruto, how could anybody ever choose Kakashi-sensei over you..." Sakura teased.
Naruto raised a brow at the rosette. "Are you agreeing with me or making fun of me?" At his question, Sakura only laughed. "Aww! Come on Sakura! Don't laugh at me!" He whined once more.
Sasuke growing tired of watching the two of them turned to watch the blue sky above. This feels, good. He thought as his body relaxed, but then he recalled a certain auburn haired girl and his passive facade fell for an instant.
"Hey, where's Sayuri?" Naruto asked as if reading his thoughts. Sasuke glanced at Sakura who tapped a finger to her chin.
"She's been swamped with work." At Naruto's and Sasuke's curious looks, Sakura elaborated. "She's been training the new recruits and there a rumor going around that they're ready to select the new head of the ANBU. With Kakashi as the new Hokage, and with Keji-sen-" Sakura stopped herself and shook her head. "I mean Kenji, gone missing, the ANBU is in need of a new leader."
Naruto sat up quickly. "You think Sayuri's going to get the job!?"
"I don't know..." Sakura hummed.
Sasuke stood and dusted himself off. Speaking about the new Hokage, Sasuke need to go meet with him. His two bright haired teammates looked up at him with questioning looks. "I need to go talk with Kakashi."
"Huh?" Sakura stood up followed closely by Naruto. "We can go with you if you want." She said shyly. Still testing the waters around the new calmer Sasuke, although he remained mostly indifferent to her advances.
"No." He gave them both a stern look. "I'll be fine."
Naruto narrowed his bright blue eyes at the Uchiha. When Sasuke remained calm, showing no hint of backing down the blonde pouted, but turned to the rosette next to him. "Hey, Sakura, wanna go get something to eat with me?" He jabbed his thumb in his direction, wide grin on his face.
"Uh..." Sakura glanced at Sasuke who turned to stare at the Hokage monument. "Sure..." she said hesitantly. "But this is not a date! You got that!?" She added quickly.
"Aww, come on!" Naruto whined.
"See you later, Sasuke!" Sakura said as she led the blonde to a place of her choosing.
"Hn." he gave her a curt nod and watched the two walk away.
"And you're paying!" he heard Sakura say in the distance to which Naruto replied with a 'what!?' Sasuke waited until he could no longer hear them, to leave his spot heading to the Hokage tower.
XXX
"Congratulations!" Moriyo said as she walked into Kakashi's, now office, without so much as a knock. "Never, would have guessed that you wanted to be Hokage."
"I made a promise to Obito that I would." Kakashi put down the scroll he had been reading, and looked at the woman. She was as jovial and energetic as ever. He watched her stand across from him, hands on her hips looking at the room.
"What is it?" He asked after a minute.
Moriyo cocked her head to the side, a smile on her lips. "I want to ask permission to leave the village."
Kakashi blinked. "...What…?"
"You heard me." she shifted her weight to her left leg and crossed her arms. "I want out."
"Why?" at the moment Kakashi could only seem to ask one worded questions.
"Well...for starters, Sayuri doesn't need me anymore, secondly I want to go see what this new ninja world is like."
"Moriyo..." the man started, leaning back on his chair. "I need you here." At her raised eyebrow, he elaborated. "The ANBU selection process is about to begin, I know I cannot chose who becomes head, but I put your name up for nomination."
"WHAT!?" she yelled, slamming her hands on his desk, causing it to shake and some of the folders to topple over. "Why the hell would you do that!?"
"I need someone I can trust." he sighed. "Kenji defected, and we don't know where he went. We do know that he was working as one of Obito's spies, back when he was with the Akatsuki. He was trying to get his hands on Sayuri, and we still don't know why, and I'm pretty sure he wasn't acting alone. As strong as Kenji is, I don't think he could have killed Saito on his own four years ago."
Narrowing her bright orange eyes, Moriyo bit her lip. "You think he has accomplices inside of ANBU, and you need someone in it that you can trust."
"Correct." Kakashi watched Moriyo pull back. He turned to a drawer and pulled out an envelope, handing it to her. She hesitantly took it, and eying him she opened it. "The ANBU council took your nomination, you are one of the official candidates for the ANBU Head Selection Match."
"You do know..." she pursed her lips as she quickly scanned the paper. "...That I'd have to beat every single ANBU, including the candidates to win."
"I was in the ANBU too, you know." Kakashi replied.
Moriyo stared at Kakashi for a minute before sighing in defeat. "All right, Kakashi, I'll do it."
"Thank you."
"But!" she lifted a finger. "If I become head, you have to lift that headband of yours off of your eye and wear it properly." She smirked at his taken aback look. "You look ridiculous, Scarecrow."
Reaching up to touch the headband he smiled. "Sure, if you win the Selection Match and become head, I'll do as you say."
There was a knock on the door and the two turned their attention to it. And ANBU opened it and stepped inside. "The Uchiha boy is here to see you, sir."
"Sasuke?" the silver haired and the dark haired ninja shared a look. "Let him in."
The ANBU stepped into the hall way and followed the Uchiha inside. Sasuke ignored the stiff posture of the man and walked up to stand directly before Kakashi's desk. He eyed Moriyo then turned back to his old teacher.
"I wanted to speak to you, alone."
Moriyo raised a brow and huffed. "Ever the charmer." she turned on her heel and made her way to the door. "See ya, Kakashi."
With a short wave of his hand he watched Moriyo leave, closing the door behind her. He turned his eye to Sasuke who stood still before him. His next words, brought on a headache.
"I want to leave the village."
XXX
Clouds floated lazily across the sunlit sky. Some of the trees still remained barren, while other had managed to keep their leaves for most of the winter season. The breeze was still chilly, but slightly bearable. Yet when it passed, she still felt the need to hug her jacket closer to her.
Sayuri cleaned off the dirt of the tombstone before her. Not that there was much to clean, considering the Hyuga clan members that came to visit always cleaned the stone. Putting aside the white cloth, she ran a finger across the name, a sad smile on her lips. Shaking it off, she turned to the small bouquet of lilies and replaced the old flowers. She clapped her hands together and closed her eyes mumbling a quick prayer.
I hope you like the flowers, Neji. I know I've said this before, but...Thank you for everything, and I'm sorry. She thought as she finished and stood, dusting herself off. She slowly made her way to the entrance and cast a look at the now completed monument.
"It looks weird." A deep voice made her freeze. She slowly turned her head to the right, her breath caught at her throat, but she quickly cleared it away.
"Sasuke..." she breathed.
His mismatched black and rinnegan purple eyes, shifted to the entrance of the cemetery. "You come here every day?"
"No." she pulled her jacket closer to her. "Just when I can...I've been busy."
Turning his eyes to her, he noticed her bandaged fingers, and a band-aid on her cheek, as well as the light red color around her yes and light circles under them. She wore a light green dress under a mint blue jacket, on her neck the bell he had given her for her birthday four years ago. Her hair had been pulled back into a pony tail, leaving only her bangs to frame he face. Her own mismatched red and blue eyes, watched him carefully. Taking not of the black coat and the bag hanging on his shoulder.
"You're leaving." she stated to which he replied with a short nod. "I see..." she looked to the ground and began to fidget with the sleeve of her jacket. "Would you...like me to walk you to the gates?" she asked.
Sasuke nodded, but then realized that her gaze was still averted and replied. "Yes."
The two slowly followed the paved road, in awkward silence. When they reached the playground a couple of children who were playing tag, ran right across from them, weaving their way around the two teens as the laughed happily. The two stopped as the children turned back and ran around them once again heading back to the playground.
"Where are Naruto and Sakura?" Sayuri asked, looking over her shoulder to Sasuke who watched the children attentively. "I doubt they'd let you leave without saying good bye."
"I already did." He replied turning back to her. "They're probably still at Ichiraku's we went out to eat as a send off. You were invited, but Sakura said you were busy."
"Yeah." she nodded and lifted her bandaged up left hand. "We got our new ANBU Head today, and she did a number on us."
"I see..." He mumbled, he felt like asking her if she had slept well but decided against it and the silence between them continued.
The two stayed quiet for a moment longer before deciding to keep going. Around them villagers moved back and forth, some stopping to blatantly stare at them, whispering. Others minded their own business and carried on with their tasks for the day. When he noticed that Sayuri had stopped walking Sasuke turned to her watching as she eyed the construction of a new apartment complex. He stood in the shadows as the sunlight hit her form. Feeling his stare, Sayuri turned to him, just then the cloud above completely uncovered the sun allowing the sunlight to hit his form as well.
Cautiously he stepped closer to her and she turned to face him. Without thinking she reached up to lay a hand on his left cheek. Her brows dipped as she concentrate on his eye.
"That's not going to go away, is it?" she finally asked.
Feeling his skin tingle under her touch Sasuke cleared his throat and that seemed to snap Sayuri out of her thoughts.
"Oh! Sorry!" she said pulling away and shoving her hands into her pockets.
"It's fine." He looked away, a light pink dusting his cheeks for a second before he did away with it. "To answer your question, no it's not. The rinnegan is a part of me now."
Sayuri pursed her lips and nodded. "Oh...Well then," she laced her fingers behind her head and began to walk again. "You better start training with it, since it's pretty much useless after using it twice in a row."
Sasuke nodded. "Right, like your chakra sensing abilities are much better."
Sayuri's red and blue eyes widened. She snapped her head back to him and glared. "Excuse me!?"
He shrugged and kept his pace. "You get headaches whenever you've reached your limit. Not mention your fire style jutsu could still use some work." he replied bluntly.
"Go to hell!" She hissed and watched him smirk. Her clenched fists loosened at her sides and she slowly began to laugh. He looked down at her for a moment, quietly enjoying the carefree smile on her face before turning back to the road, not wanting her to catch him staring.
"So...How long will you be gone?" Sayuri asked, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket.
"For as long as it takes., but I'll be back. She glanced at him as he continued. "Kakashi made me promise to come back often so that he could keep tabs on me."
"Ah." she tilted her head up to stare at the sky as they walked side by side. "The Kage's still don't trust you."
"They have their reasons." he shrugged.
He stepped unto dirt road and turned when he didn't hear her follow. She had stopped on the still paved road that lead back to the village.
"I hope this time around, that you see what Itachi saw." Sayuri finally said, she was tugging at her sleeve again, a small smile directed to him.
"I hope so too." Sasuke glanced behind her and saw no one except the guards at their posts. Stepping closer so that he was directly across from her he lifted two fingers up and tapped her forehead.
At the act, Sayuri's eyes widened and she gasped practically jumping back and away from the Uchiha whose gaze soften down at her. A pink color began to dust her cheeks as she touched the spot on her head that he had just touched not too long ago
"Until next time." he allowed himself to give her a small smile.
Sayuri parted her lips but nothing came out. Watching the 17 year old turn and begin his long journey she let her hand fall down to her side and smiled. "Right...until next time."
A.N.
Well that's it for this part. That took a lot longer than expected but I got it done! Once again I want to thank you ALL for the lovely reviews and constructive criticism. An anon, pointed out that I shouldn't let Sasuke leave the village immediately and I agreed with her, but at the same time I couldn't figure out what to write about him and his stay, save for the small tidbits I could come up with. Any who he still left, because it is an important part of the series, as I feel Sasuke needed his journey to become a better person.
Any who for those of you interested PART 3 OF THE STORY IS OUT! It's completely original from here on out! So please let me know your thoughts, you'll find Part 3 if you go on my profile the title is Coalesce! It is rated M though because of future content.
Hope to hear from you all soon! Thank you!