Sasuke smiled as Sakura recounted one of the missions she'd completed with Team Kakashi. He was particularly amused by Captain Yamato's ability to shut up Naruto with one look. It seemed the former ANBU member got along well with them and he hoped that he'd have the opportunity to work with the wood style user one day.
They walked back towards the inn side by side and Sasuke couldn't help but notice how their hands often brushed, the fabric of their cloaks and his glove separating their skin. Even so, part of him desperately wanted to reach out and link his fingers with her. Not because he was in pain, quite the opposite. It was because he felt so content in her presence. Sakura knew nearly everything about his past. She understood his personality and his quirks. Talking with her was refreshing and easy. She was intelligent yet optimistic the latter something she had likely picked up from their absent teammate. There was no pressure to hide who he was and what he'd done or pretend to be something that he wasn't. She wasn't like Karin either, constantly trying to seduce him. It seemed that she was genuinely just content to walk along side him and the sensation was so warm he couldn't help the gentle smile that touched his lips when he reached out to steady her when she stumbled on the muddy road they walked.
"I'm sorry Sasuke." She said quickly blushing as she leaned against him and regained her balance. "I have this stupid wound on the back of my knee that's still a bit tender."
"It's fine." He said easily watching as her eyes widened slightly and her blush deepened as she focused on his face seeing the smile there.
She smiled back then continued walking forward. "So I never heard about what happened to that team of yours after the war." She said. "Do you know what happed to them?"
"Why do you ask?" he replied.
Sakura shrugged. "Curiosity I suppose. Besides, I like to stay updated on the conditions of my past patients no matter the circumstances." She said glancing over at him.
His mind immediately conjured up the image of Karin lying in a pool of her own blood gasping and telling Sakura that he wasn't the same person she'd known. Sakura had dragged her back from death's door with her medical ninjutsu.
"Last I heard. They had all returned to Oroichimaru." He said.
The pink haired medic raised a brow at that. "That's surprising. I would have thought that they'd head for the hills or followed you back to the village. They seemed very loyal to you."
Sasuke shrugged. "It was a team established on the pretense of usefulness." He said. "I used them to get what I wanted and they used me to get what they wanted. That's about as far as it went."
The girl tilted her head to the side. "That's a little strange." She said after a few moments. "I'm not sure I get it."
He sighed. "Suigetsu has the unique ability to turn his body to water and was swordplay prodigy. He wanted to Executioner's Blade Zabuza used and his freedom. I gave him both so he stayed with me. Karin's ability to sense chakra and give large amounts of chakra to anyone that bites her made her useful. She was madly in love with me so she came willingly as well. Jugo is where the curse mark originated. He'd lose control and go on murderous rampages. My sharringan was able to suppress his murderous impulses so he followed me in order to stay in control of himself."
Sakura's head inclined. "I get it now. Everyone had something to gain and nothing to lose. At least at first."
He nodded. "They had all been rescued by Orochimaru at one point or another. Part of their loyalty to me came from the knowledge that I'd defeated him. When he was revived and I made the decision to return to The Leaf Village and atone for my crimes they returned to him. Suigetsu wanted a safe place to rest after the insanity of the war, Jugo wanted Orochimaru's help to control is rampages, and Karin…" he sighed. "I think she's afraid of becoming part of a village. She was treated harshly by the members of her own village when she was younger. I doubt she'll ever want to live in that environment again."
The medic nodded. "I suppose I understand. Orochimaru… I might not agree with his methods or philosophy on most things but at the end of the day, without him… All of us would be dead. I can understand why someone with his abilities and powers would attract people."
Sasuke nodded. "Almost anyone can be pursued if you offer them what the desire most."
Sakura glanced at him her eyes tinged with sadness. "That's true." She looked down at the ground. "I heard he offered to bring Tsunade's little brother, and lover back to life if she healed him after he attacked the village."
The new snake Sannin snorted. "That sounds just like him."
The medic sighed and then shook her head. "Anyway, I'm glad to hear that girl is going well. She had me really worried there. Something about her chakra seemed familiar too."
"What do you mean by that?" Sasuke asked.
"I'm not sure… When I healed her, it felt a lot like healing Naruto for some reason." She touched her chin. "Maybe it was because she looked a bit like his mom but still…"
The Uchiha's eyes narrowed slightly. "Well that's not terribly surprising I guess. She's from the Uzumaki clan."
"That explains it." Sakura said with a nod of her head. "That hair too."
"How do you know what Naruto's mother looks like?" he asked.
"I met her." She said in a matter of fact tone.
He cocked a brow at that. Orochimaru had brought Minato, Naruto's father back from the dead but he was fairly certain that he'd never brought his mother back. "How?" he asked.
She glanced over at him her brow knit together before her eyes widened. "Right! You weren't there were you? I forgot that it was just me and Naruto that got dragged into that mess."
"I'm still not following you." He replied.
Sakura took a deep breath. "Obito showed up in the village shortly before the war and tried to steal the Nine Tails from Naruto by throwing him into a world parallel to ours. I was with him so I got sucked in as well."
"A parallel world?" Sasuke clarified. "What does that mean?"
She raked her hand through her hair. "How do I put it… It was just like our world only opposite?" He stared at her still confused and she sighed. "In that world, it wasn't Naruto's parents that had died protecting the village when the Nine Tail's attacked, it was mine." She explained. "Naruto's parents were alive and well."
Sasuke's eyes widened. "That's crazy." he admitted.
"That's not even the strangest part." She said shaking her head. "Everyone's personality was messed up too. Ino was sweeter than honey, Kiba loved cats, Shino couldn't stand bugs, Hinata almost pummeled me for being close to Naruto, Shikamaru was dumb as a sack of rocks, Choji didn't like eating, TenTen was clumsy, Neji was a total pervert." She sighed and shook her head. "It was the most bizarre experience of my life."
"It sounds… Insane." He said finally settling on the word he wanted.
She nodded. "In that world, Naruto was the one who had gone rouge and was wreaking havoc on the world and the Akatsuki were hired to help fight him." She chuckled. "I remember that the other Naruto, I think he was called Menma, had kidnapped me to lure Naruto out. It worked like a charm by the way,"
"I'm sure." Sasuke agreed.
"Anyway, during the battle things got a bit crazy and Itachi rescued me." She said.
He glanced at her. "Itachi did?"
She nodded. "Yes he did. Swept me right up into his arms and carried me out of harm's way."
Sasuke chuckled. "That actually sounds like something he would do."
Sakura nodded. "It wasn't like everyone was completely different. The Konoha Twelve were still as close as ever."
He nodded and then a thought occurred to him. "Wait, if Naruto left the village doesn't that mean I stayed?"
She sighed. "Oh yeah, you were there alright." She said a touch of bitterness in her tone.
He glanced over at her. "So what was I like?"
Sakura chuckled. "You were a total play boy." She said in a monotone voice. "Passing out roses and swearing your undying devotion to every girl that crossed your path."
Sasuke's eyes widened. Him a playboy? Passing out roses? The thought made him a bit sick to his stomach. "I… I don't even know what to say." He admitted.
She shrugged. "Eh, whatever. On the plus side, you weren't wearing that blue skirt you loved so much." She said with a wink.
He sighed and lowered his head. Naruto had given him so much crap about that outfit he'd worn up until their final fight. It wasn't like he'd had much of a choice when it came to his clothes. The open necked shirts were convenient for his transformations when he had the curse mark. The skirt… Well he hadn't really cared about his clothes, didn't have time to care.
After a few minutes, he spoke again. "Did that other me give you a rose?" he asked.
Sakura glanced over at him and then back at the ground. "He did. Showed up at my house early in the morning and gave one to me claiming I wasn't acting like myself and that he was worried about me." She chuckled. "He told me he'd always be there for me. I was so flattered until I saw him hours later saying the same thing to one of his fan girls." She sighed. "Gosh I was so glad to get out of that world. The only thing that saddened me was that there Naruto's family was complete."
Sasuke nodded and pushed the door of the Inn open for her. They hung up their cloaks to dry and nodded to Mrs. Mamiya before heading back towards their room.
"Do you want to hear more?" she asked. "There were actually some pretty darn funny things that happened there. Like Lee sneaking into the bathhouse and putting on TenTen's underwear."
"Bushy brows? There's no way." He said his eyes wide.
"I'm telling you the truth!" she insisted with a grin.
He chuckled and opened the door to their room. "Alright then, you've peaked my interest. Tell me more."
#$#
That night Sasuke tossed and turned, caught in the throes of a vicious, terrifying dream that he'd had frequently since he was a child.
"No!" he screamed falling to his knees as the horrifying, bloody images of his clan members dying filled his mind. "Itachi!" he shrieked. "Why are you showing me all this!?" His eyes widened in horror as his great uncle tried to protect his wife pleading with Itachi to spare her. "Auntie! Uncle!" he cried reaching out to them his eyes widening when they were struck down by his brother's kunai. "No! Stop it, Brother! Stop!"
He trembled his stomach turning, his mind breaking as he watched his brother raise his sword against their parents. "No! Father! Mother!" he howled in agony. "Itachi don't! Please! Stop!" tears streamed down his face. "Make it stop!"
He collapsed on the floor, the horrible visions finally over gasping for air his body quivering from the shock. "Why? Itachi, why?" he whimpered reaching towards his most trusted confidant and hero turned traitor. "Why did you do this?"
"To test the limits of my own abilities." Itachi answered, his voice cold and calm even as he stood over the dead forms of their parents.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. It didn't make sense. "To test your ability?" he repeated in disbelief. He gasped and trembled as his brother took a step towards him and raised his eyes meeting Itachi's cold gaze. "No." he whimpered. "I'm scared." He stumbled back and jumped to his feet. The desire to live burned bright like flames inside him as he turned away and ran for his life. "I don't want to die!" he screamed. "Not like this!"
He skidded to a halt, the stones of the street biting into the flesh of his bare feet as Itachi appeared before him. "No. Not like this…"
His eyes flew open as he felt hands on his shoulder shaking him.
"Sasuke! Wake up!" a feminine voice called out to him.
Sakura's face filled his vision as his eyes focused, her emerald eyes filled with concern and worry.
"Sakura?" he croaked sleepily. "What's wrong?"
"You were crying out in your sleep." She said softly. "I was worried. Are you alright?"
He shifted sitting up in bed and touched his forehead. "I'm fine." He assured her.
She frowned. "You don't seem fine to me." she said reaching out towards his face. His eyes widened when she wiped away the tears that had escaped them during his nightmare. "It was that dream again wasn't it?"
"What dream?" he asked turning away but accepting the glass of water she offered him.
"I don't know. You never told me, but you've had it a lot." She replied. "When we were genin you'd cry out in your sleep sometimes and wake up with that same look in your eyes. Like you were absolutely terrified and heartbroken."
He lowered his head as he handed the empty glass to her. "It's not something you need to worry about."
Sakura let out an exasperated sighed. "Sasuke Uchiha, you should know by now that even if you tell me not to worry, I'm going to worry anyway. I'm not a little girl anymore, so if you're holding back because you think it'll frighten me you're dead wrong."
"Saku-" he started but she held up a hand to stop him.
"However, if it's too painful for you to share then I understand. I won't pressure you. I just wanted to let you know that if you want to talk about it, I'm here." She said her eyes filled with warmth and concern.
Sasuke sighed and glanced at the ceiling. "I should be over it by now." He said softly. "It happened so long ago and I know and understand why it happened and yet…" he took a deep breath. "I dreamed about the night Itachi and Obito wiped out our clan." He confessed.
Sakura's head lowered once but she didn't say anything giving him the option to elaborate or leave it at that though she reached out and covered his hand with her own. A silent offering of support. For a reason he couldn't really explain, the warmth of her touch was his undoing. His lip trembled and the tears he'd held back for years began to flow down his cheeks.
"I understand why…" he said trying to control the shakiness of his voice. "I know why but still." He moved his hand, gripping his hair as he curled forward. "None of them deserved it. My parents didn't deserve it. I didn't deserve it. Itachi didn't deserve it." His jaw clenched. "Damn!" He hissed between his teeth as his body trembled. His eyes widened when Sakura reached out and wrapped her arms around him pressing his head against her shoulder.
"I know." She said softly. "What happened, that entire situation was so wrong." She laid her head against his. "It's ok to cry for them." She assured him. "They were your people, your clan, your family. You're only human."
His eyes closed as he let years of pent of pain, frustration, and guilt roll down his face and shake his body. Sakura said nothing as he sobbed her hands holding him tightly yet gently as though he was the most precious thing in the world. He reached up and gripped her arm with his remaining hand clinging to her like a lifeline until his sobbing subsided and the tears ran dry. He raised his head and was shocked to find tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Sakura?" he said softly reaching up to wipe them away. "What's wrong?"
She looked at him, her eyes still glistening with tears. "I can't help it." She said softly. "I love you Sasuke, so seeing you in so much pain hurts me too." She took a deep breath and blew it out again between pursed lips as she tried to get her own emotions under control.
On impulse he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers closing his eyes at the comforting sensation. "Thank you Sakura." He said softly. "I feel a bit better now."
She reached up and gently laid her hand against his cheek. "You're welcome Sasuke." She said gently.
He leaned away and glanced out the window. It was still pitch dark outside meaning the night was relatively young. "We should get back to sleep." He said gently pushing her towards her own futon. "Morning will be here before we know it."
She nodded and crawled back under the covers of her own futon. "Do you want a sleep aid?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. I think I'll be alright."
"Alright then." She said laying down. "Goodnight Sasuke."
"Goodnight Sakura." He replied before closing his eyes again slipping into a mercifully dreamless sleep.
$%$
They left town early the next morning after thanking Mrs. Mamiya who informed them that they were welcome to stay with her any time.
The next few days were uneventful as they moved through the land of fire at a steady pace. Six days after they were ambushed by the two rouge ninja, they stopped in a large town that was just two days away from the port where they intended to board a ship to take them to the land of lightning.
Sasuke sighed as he hung up his cloak and Sakura dropped her bag at the entrance to their room.
"I can't believe this is the last room left." Sakura said with a sigh. "I guess it was just bad luck that this town's Lantern Festival was this weekend."
The Uchiha nodded. Though the distance between them had shortened drastically since he'd fallen apart in her arms the week before, they were both still uncertain on what that change in distance really meant. He wasn't nearly as hesitant about touching her, and she seemed to feel the same. Even so, each of them seemed to sense that they were carefully toeing the line that blurred friendship and romance. That uncomfortable more than friends but less than lovers place that was just…
"Awkward." Sakura said nearly making him jump.
"What's awkward?" he asked trying to cover up his blush.
"That guy over there." She said pointing out the window of the room they were renting. Sasuke glanced over and cocked a brow at the sight of a man clinging to the balcony in nothing but a pair of underwear covered in hearts while two women, one fully dressed and another half-naked bore down on him their faces red with anger. "It looks like he got caught in the act of cheating." She said with a shake of her head. "Idiot."
He nodded. "I don't understand why men do that." He said.
"You should have spent more time around Master Jariya." Sakura replied. "Then maybe it would make more sense to you." She said closing the curtains. She stopped suddenly and turned back towards the window just as tapping sounded against the glass. With a smile playing on her lips, she pushed it open and Mitsuhide glided inside. "Look who finally made it back." She said as the bird landed on the table.
"I'm not surprised he took so long." Sasuke said as he untied the thick package tied to his back. He opened it and found two letters addressed to him and five addressed to Sakura. "He had a lot to carry." He said handing Sakura's bundle to her.
"Sorry about that." She said a slightly uncomfortable smile on her lips.
"It's fine." He said sitting down at the table. With a flick of his finger he opened the folded paper and immediately recognized Naruto's sloppy handwriting.
Hey Sasuke! How's it going? Have you gotten anywhere with Sakura yet? His brow twitched in irritation. Of course the loser had started out with a question like that. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that it's really boring without you two here. I hope everything is going well and that you're safe. Take care of Sakura for me please. I guess that's kind of stupid to write though huh? You were going to do that anyway weren't you? Sasuke smirked at that. Of course he was. Take care, write often, and stay safe. Hang in there! Love Naruto. Oh and if in one of the port towns a man offers you a mushroom, DON'T TAKE IT! Say 'Hi' to Octopops for me!
Sasuke shook his head at the note and then opened the second one addressed to him. The handwriting was obviously Kakashi's.
I hope everything is going well. We looked into those ninja you wrote about and they've been taken care of. It seems that the one who hired them did so anonymously so we're still searching for the culprits behind it. In the meantime, stay vigilant. There's a strong possibility that whomever hired those two hired others as well. We've also informed the Raikage of your intentions to travel to The Village Hidden in the Clouds. There should be no problems considering who you're with but be careful anyway. I'll keep you posted on any changes. Take care of Sakura for me ok? Kakashi.
Sasuke's brow furrowed. He was expecting it, but was also hoping that Kakashi would have been able to find the ones behind the attacks. Then again, both he and Sakura were high profile ninja. Just the bragging rights alone for taking either of them down would be enough for some to attack. He was just hoping they'd discover the ones behind it before they were able to hire anyone that could actually become a threat to them. The sound of Sakura giggling caught his attention and he glanced over at the medic who was grinning down at the note in her hands.
"Is that from Ino?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No. It's from Lee."
He was a little surprised to hear it but not by much. Rock Lee had made his intentions towards the pink haired kunoichi very clear from the first time they'd met. He'd proved it over and over again too. Putting everything on the line to protect her from danger. The taijutsu master clearly deserved her affection more than he did.
"How is he doing?" he asked.
Sakura blinked at him and then smiled. "He's doing well. He says that when we return, he'll have become an even stronger ninja."
The Uchiha nodded and looked at the other letters spread across the table. "Who are the others from?"
"One is from Naruto, another is from Kakashi." She pointed to one in pink. "That's from my parents and the last one is from Ino." She said pointing to one with dried flowers pressed into the paper.
He nodded. "When you're finished reading, we should go to the market place and look into getting some more supplies. Since it's bigger the prices should be more reasonable so we can stock up."
"Unless the vultures have jacked the prices up because of the festival." She said with a little sigh.
He cringed a little at that. "You have a good point. Even so, we should have better luck here."
She nodded and quickly went through the rest of her mail while he adjusted the purple turban on his head. His hair was almost long enough for him to go without it. Truth be known, he wasn't a fan of the head gear but it drew attention away from his Rinnegan. It was his most prominent feature and as a man who had once been one of the world's most wanted fugitives, he did his best to hide it to avoid unwanted attention. He frowned as a section of hair on the back of his head stuck up and tried to tuck it into place only to see it stick back up.
"I've got it." Sakura said slipping her slimmer fingers under the turban and tucking the unruly spike into its proper place where it stayed.
"Thanks." He said simply. "Are you ready then?" he asked.
She nodded and then studied his clothes. "Maybe you should get some different clothes while we're here." She mused as they slipped on their shoes and walked down the hall to the front door of their inn.
"What's wrong with my clothes?" he asked glancing down at clothes beneath his cloak.
"They're just wearing out." She said studying the hem of his pants.
"I hadn't even noticed." He admitted.
Sakura chuckled. "I'm not surprised. I even had to remind Sai from time to time and he's about as meticulous as they come." She said with a smile.
He nodded as they made their way onto the crowded streets. They were loud, bright, and full of laugher and shouting. As they walked, Sakura pointed to a clothing shop.
"There." She said pointing to it. "They have a branch shop in The Leaf. It's probably our best option."
"Alright." He replied. Truth be told, he didn't care where he bought his clothes as long as he was able to get the Uchiha crest sewn into them.
They ducked into the store that specialized in custom clothing for ninja and samurai and breathed a little sigh of relief when they found it was mostly empty with just a few people studying displays that showed the official uniforms of each hidden village's ninja and samurai from The Land of Iron.
Sakura glanced over at the navy and army green ensemble and sighed. "I don't miss that." She admitted. As they made their way to the counter. "It was so hot."
Sasuke glanced over at the uniform himself. He'd never worn it, a fact that actually disappointed him a little. Then again, Naruto had never worn it either so that was comforting.
"Hello there." Sakura said walking up to the counter. She pulled her leaf headband from her bag and laid it on the glass covered surface. "We're looking for some clothes better suited to traveling across the sea. Can you help us out?"
The man at the counter glanced up at her and then smiled. "Lady Haruno. I'm surprised to see you all the way out here." He said as he pushed the headband back to her. She took it and slipped it back into her bag. "On a diplomatic mission to The Land of Lightning I presume?" She nodded. "Very good then." The man replied his attention shifting to Sasuke his eyes narrowed slightly. "Uchiha is your escort? I would have thought that Miss Yamanacha or Master Uzumaki would have accompanied you instead."
Sasuke didn't miss the hardness of the man's tone, nor the hint of disrespect the man gave by using his last name alone. Even so he kept his face impassive. It was part of the price he was paying for his selfish actions and only strengthened his desire to change the mindset most people had about his clan, even if he was the only member now.
Sakura nodded her smile still in place. "Yes, well this journey is a long one so I asked Ino to stay behind to take care of the hospital for me and Naruto is a newlywed. This worked out better for everyone."
The man's eyes lit up at that. "A newlywed you say?" he said as he moved towards the exclusive part of the store, unlocking the door with The Leaf Village's symbol engraved on it. "I thought you'd be his bride. Who's the lucky lady?"
"Hinata, the heir of the Hyuga clan." She replied as he pushed the door open revealing clothing unique to their village in all sizes and styles.
"Ah! She's a pretty thing. I heard she's sweet as sugar but can hold her own in a fight." He said.
Sakura nodded. "It's the truth. I'm happy for them."
The shop owner smiled and nodded. "Indeed. Please take your time." He said as the two shinobi walked inside and he closed the door behind them.
Sakura immediately began to browse the racks of clothes smirking when she pulled out a purple ensemble and held it up. "I don't know how Ino can stand to have her stomach out all the time." She said holding up the skirt to her hips and wrinkling her nose at how low it rode. "Then again, she is training with the interrogation core." She said putting it back. "She's even been sent on seduction missions."
Sasuke, who had been looking at a rack of tunics stopped in his tracks. Seduction missions. Of course they happened. Genin weren't allowed to go on them or even learn much about them until after they graduated from the academy but Kakashi had taught them all about them after a particularly close call involving a captured Sakura and a mega creep with a Lolita fetish. He turned to face her as she put the signature purple that her friend wore back and moved towards the rack with bright hints of red on it.
"Ah, this is better." She said holding up a top that was similar to the one she was wearing just with slightly longer sleeves.
"What about you?" he asked.
"What about me?" she replied moving to where the arm warmers were lined up along the wall in all colors, lengths, and sizes her hands hovering between the pink and red pair.
"Have you gone on any seduction missions?" he asked turning away so that she wouldn't see the blush that touched his cheeks. She was a young, pretty, unmarried kunoichi with excellent hand to hand combat skills. If what she said about Lady Tsunade using chakra to change her looks, she could likely do the same and change her appearance to suit the clients. She was a perfect choice for such a mission. Yet the idea of it angered him. His mind quickly conjured up images of her splayed out beneath some faceless lowlife and his hand nearly burst into flames at the thought.
"Oh." She said softly. "I haven't actually."
Sasuke felt most of the tension leave is body at her words. He doubted it would have made much of a difference even if she had. He wasn't that shallow, but it still made him feel a little better. "I see." He said quickly pulling a black long sleeved tunic off the rack in front of him.
"From what I understand, it was Lady Tsunade's request initially. She wanted me to focus on my medical training and hone those skills." She picked up several pairs of dark brown leather gloves and added them to her pile. "When Kakashi Sensei took over after the war, he told me to focus on the hospital. He also said that I was too well known to complete seduction missions effectively." She chuckled. "Ino was so angry when she heard that."
The Uchiha could hear the slight waver in her voice and looked over at her. Perhaps she felt inadequate since she'd never completed such a mission. It didn't make her any less of a kunoichi, or a woman for that matter but then again, she was on a team with a man whose nickname for her was 'Ugly'. He sighed. "It's true."
She smiled a little and picked up a pair of black shorts and black shorts. "Yeah. I can't imagine doing something like that honestly. I mean, I'm not an angel by any means but… I have a really low tolerance for perverts and scum bags" she sighed. "I'd probably end up punching the lights out of my target."
Sasuke chuckled. "Probably."
He grabbed a couple of pairs of grey pants and a couple of fingerless gloves completing his pile of purchases. He turned towards Sakura and found her holding a black vest in her hand staring at a light blue collared shirt. She slipped the vest over the shirt and buttoned it before stepping back and nodding at it with a smile.
"Sakura?" he questioned.
She turned towards him. "Oh, don't mind me. I just like playing with clothes." She said with a smile. "I think you'd look good in something like this though."
He cocked a brow and looked at the outfit again. He had worn high collared things for almost as long as he could remember. Something like that… Well it might not be so bad. It would definitely be easier to put on.
A knock sounded at the door startling both of them. "Do you need any help in here?" the store clerk called out.
"No! I think we're almost done." Sakura called out.
Sasuke nodded as they headed for the door. They laid their purchases on the counter, paid the man and then left with their wares in bags.
"Alright, so what else do we need?" Sakura said pulling out a list. "I'm getting a little low on kunai and shuriken. What about you?"
Sasuke nodded. "I am too but I don't want to buy them here."
"Oh? Why?" she asked.
"In the next village is a shop run by Ninja Cats. I'd rather get my weaponry there." He explained.
Her eyes lit up. "Ah! I remember them. The same ones from when we did that mission to get Nekomatta's paw print." She giggled. "That was a mission I'll never forget."
He sighed and looked down. "I wish I could forget." He muttered. "Those cat ears were so embarrassing to wear."
Sakura laughed. "Aww. I thought you looked pretty cute in yours. They even matched your outfit." She said with a wink. Sasuke shook his head. Of course she'd thought something like that. She'd looked cute too but he'd been a little too humiliated at the time to really pay much attention. "I remember when I went into the bar there and one of the cats bought me a drink."
He glanced over at her. "A ninja cat tried to pick you up at a bar?"
She nodded. "It was pretty funny actually. He was really into me until he figured out we were different species."
He snickered at that. "See? You would have had no trouble doing seduction missions then."
She nodded and glanced at a store as they passed. "Oh! I need to stop here and pick up some things."
He glanced over and immediately recognized it as a medical supply shop. "Alright." He said opening the door for her. She thanked him and stepped inside her eyes widening as she took in all the medical supplies and medicinal herbs that lined the wall.
"Wow." She murmured softly. "They've got the latest hypodermic deployment system here!" she said rushing up to pick up a case filled with the specialized syringes. "I was worried about having to go back to using the old model." She said throwing two cases into a shopping basket.
Sasuke chuckled and tucked his hand into his pocket as the medic bustled around the store her eyes bright and full of life as she filled her basket. Most women got this excited over jewelry, and clothes. She was definitely one of a kind bounding up to him and proudly pointing to a book of medical journals that bore her name along with Lady Tsunade's and Shizune's. He smiled at her and took it from her hands feeling a swelling of pride at his teammate's accomplishments.
"I'm going to go pay for this." She said almost half an hour later. "I'm sorry it took so long."
He shook his head. "It's fine. This sort of stuff is important."
She beamed at him and stepped up behind the only other customer in the store who was speaking with the shop keeper.
"So The Village Hidden in the Leaves is another ten days journey from here?" the hooded figure asked. He nodded and the person sighed. "Fantastic." They muttered. "That'll really be cutting it close. I've only been given ten months of leave."
Sasuke glanced at Sakura who nodded. The person was clearly an outsider. If they were a potential threat to the village, they'd need to eliminate them quickly.
"What business do you have there?" the man asked as he rang up the figure's items. "It's a den of ninja you know."
"I'm searching for a ninja." The figure replied in a matter of fact tone. "He's originally from The Village Hidden in the Leaves so I figured that would be the best place to start searching."
"I see." The man replied. "Well good luck to you then."
The figure nodded and turned away from the counter. A pair of silver eyes met Sasuke's and widened. The customer, a woman with curly mahogany colored hair and tan skin dropped her bags. "Itachi? Is that you?" she said softly her hand reaching towards Sasuke's face.
The Uchiha took a step back startled by the woman's actions and mention of his late brother's name. "Who are you?" he demanded.
The woman blinked and then lowered her hand and hand a sad smile touching her lips. "I see." She said softly. "You're not Itachi." She glanced back up at him. "Your face and aura are so similar though and those eyes… They're definitely his." she closed her own for a moment. "Ah, I see. You must be Sasuke then."
"Answer the question." He demanded. "Who are you and how do you know my brother?"
The woman looked at him and her eyes flashed from silver to gold. He staggered back as images flashed across his consciousness. Images of his brother and woman in front of him. "My name is Aria." She said. "Your brother saved me several years ago and helped me return to my homeland."
"What did you do to me?" he asked touching the corner of his eye.
"It's a long story." She said picking her bags up from the floor. "However, it will become clear to you very soon. Since you have your brother's eyes, it's safe to assume that he's dead? There's not another person alive who could have had his eyes implanted in them without dying."
Sasuke nodded. "He died almost four years ago."
Aria frowned and touched her chin. "Really? That's strange. I was sure my calculations were correct. I'm sure that I made more than enough medicine. He should have had another year before…." She glanced at him. "Do you know how he died?"
He flinched and the woman's eyes narrowed. "He died in battle didn't he?" Sasuke nodded and Aria sighed blowing her head and pressing fingers to her temple. "Of course he did."
"Sasuke? What's going on here?" Sakura asked moving towards him. "Who is she?"
"I don't know other than she has some history with my brother." He replied.
The woman glanced over at Sakura and smiled. "You're with Sasuke then? I'm Aria." She said extending her hand to the medic.
Sakura took it carefully and put her basket up on the counter to ring up. "Nice to meet you Aria. I'm Sakura Haruno."
The woman's eyes lit up. "Really? That's fantastic!" she exclaimed. "I've read all your research regarding pediatric psychology. Your sleep aid formula for children with insomnia is a life saver for my younger brother. I never realized that his chronic lack of sleep was the primary cause of his abnormal psychosis until I read your journal on Gaara of the Desert."
Sakura blushed as she passed the money to the clerk and picked up her bags. "Thank you." She said. "I take it you're a medic too?"
Aria smiled and nodded. "I am though my country does things a little differently than yours does." She said.
Sakura nodded and then glanced over at Sasuke who was studying the woman with narrowed eyes. His curiosity was killing him. He wanted to know more about the woman's connection to his brother.
"Would you mind joining us for dinner?" Sakura asked. "We're from The Village Hidden in the Leaves so we might be able to help you find who you're looking for."
Aria smiled. "I will but you don't have to worry about the last part. I know now that he's already gone."
"So you were looking for Itachi?" Sasuke said as they walked out of the shop. "Why?"
They went next door to a noodle shop and sat down at a booth in the corner.
"I came to give him this." Aria said pulling out a gold colored liquid and passing it to Sasuke.
"What is this?" he asked.
"It's the cure to Scarlet Hand." She said.
"Scarlet Hand?" he repeated. "What on earth is that?" he asked.
"It's an illness caused by parasites that feed off of the oxygen rich tissue of the respiratory system." She explained. "It's a slow acting but deadly disease. It's called Scarlet Hand because most of the time, the first time patients notice the effects is when they cough up so much blood it stains their hands red. Thus, Scarlet Hand." She explained. "I noticed he was infected when he saved me almost five years ago."
"It's that slow progressing?" Sakura asked.
Aria nodded. "It's a parasitic infection. They want to hold onto their hosts as long as possible."
"How is it contracted?" the medic asked taking the vile and studying its contents.
"That's the tricky part." Aria said with a sigh. "It's only transmittable via saliva. My guess is that he was bitten by an infected person or animal."
"How strange. I've never even heard of it." Sakura said slipping the vile into her pouch.
"I'm not surprised." The silver eyed girl said. "It's not native to The Land of Fire. In fact, it's not even native to this continent. It originates from a small country called Incarus that's can only be reached by sailing for over ninety days across the ocean."
"How do you know that?" Sasuke asked.
"I'm originally from Wafir a nation located on the same continent." She explained.
"I see." Sakura said. "So how did you end up here?"
"I was brought over here to be sold." She explained.
"Sold? What do you mean sold?" Sasuke asked.
"Sold as a salve." Aria replied. "Itachi saved me while I was running from the black market auction."
"Wow. That's an incredible story." Sakura said softly.
The woman smiled and nodded. "His partner didn't seem to thrilled about it at first since it was a 'distraction' from their original mission to assassinate one of the buyers at the auction but he warmed up to me eventually." Her head lowered. "I'd hoped I'd be able to return much sooner and save his life like he'd saved mine but I see that I was too late." She raised her head and smiled at Sasuke. "Though seeing you alive and well with Itachi's eyes is comforting. In the end, I'm sure he was at peace. You were the most precious person in the world to him."
The Uchiha's eyes stung a little at that. He knew it well. Knew just how much his brother cared for him. Oh how he wished that he'd had more time with him.
"Hold onto that medicine." Aria said. "If that illness spreads here, it will be devastating. Itachi didn't last nearly as long as I'd anticipated he would after contracting the disease even with the medication I left with him to slow its progression. That leads me to believe that the immunes systems of those on this continent are weaker against those parasites. It might come in handy."
"Thank you very much." Sakura said. "Would you mind giving me the formula you used to make it? That way we can mass produce it if necessary."
The woman nodded pulled out a folded sheet of paper and handed it to the medic. "I know that you have different medicinal herbs here compared to what I used but if you use the chemical breakdown I listed as your guide, I'm sure you'll be able to come up with something close enough to work. Since it's a parasite, you have a little more leeway than if it were a virus or bacteria."
The medic nodded as she glanced over the paper. "Thanks. I'll make sure to distribute this to other lands as well just in case."
Aria nodded and turned to Sasuke. "If you're wondering, I cast a spell on Itachi right before I left that would erase traces of me from his memories in the event that he died. That way they wouldn't be passed on to whomever inherited his eyes. I just broke the spell in the shop which is why you have those strange memories floating in your head now."
"Why would you do that?" Sasuke asked.
The young woman sighed. "To be perfectly honest, it's because I'm the most wanted criminal in Solaris a country located across the sea. I was nervous about someone figuring out that I'd been to this continent and my connection to him and in turn you. I knew that Itachi had no intention of dying by anyone's hands but yours. I also knew that the probability was high that you'd inherit his eyes. That spell blocked all memories of me and had a hidden trigger that would have activated had anyone except myself from my continent tried to access your memories."
"A specific release trigger?" Sasuke questioned.
She nodded. "I taught the technique to Itachi actually."
"So that's where he learned it from." He mused. Sakura raised an eyebrow so he elaborated explaining how Itachi had planted his Ametratsu in his eye in order to kill Obito though his efforts proved to be in vain.
Aria nodded. "That makes perfect sense." She said with a nod. "Leave it to Itachi to find a way to protect his little brother even after death."
The group of three ate together while the woman explained how Itachi had saved her and traveled with her to a port town where she was able to board a ship back to her homeland. When they left the restaurant, it was dark, the town bustling with artistic lanterns lining the streets. As the neared their inn, Aria spoke.
"Sasuke, thank you for spending time with me today. It was a treat to meet the kid brother Itachi so often spoke of." She said with a smile before she bowed low. "I wish you all the happiness and joy in the world just as Itachi did. Good luck to you."
He nodded. "Thank you for caring for my brother." He said.
"Yes. Thank you for the medicine too." Sakura said with a smile.
The woman nodded and then turned vanishing into the crowd.
The pair of ninja mounted the stairs to their room and laid their packages down. "What an eventful day." Sakura said hanging her cloak up.
Sasuke nodded. It had been strange to hear someone outside of those in The Leaf Village that knew the truth about what had happened all those years ago to speak so highly of his brother. It was comforting to know that there were others in this world that thought of Itachi in such a positive light. The woman's wish for him to find happiness had also affected him. Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, Itachi and even this woman Aria wished for him to find happiness in this world. Perhaps it was something he deserved after all. Tears pricked at his eyes at the thought and Sakura noticed
"Sasuke." Sakura said moving forward and lightly grabbing his arm. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah." He said staring up at the moon. "I'm happy that someone else in this world thinks so highly of him. If I become half the man he was, I'll be satisfied."
The leaned against him lightly. "I'm sure that day will come." She assured him.
He nodded and they quickly prepared for bed. That night, he dreamed of his brother. Of their younger days training, playing, and talking together. In his dream, his brother seemed to smile just a little brighter and laughed just a little harder. When he awoke the next morning, he felt content the feeling only intensifying as Sakura walked out her hair still a little damp from her shower and beamed at him.
"Good morning Sasuke." She said cheerfully. "Did you sleep well?"
"I did." He replied.
"Good." She said putting her restocked med kit and new supplies in her bag. "We should get going soon."
He nodded and glanced out the window. The skies were clear and he didn't sense any electricity in the air that would signal a coming storm. A perfect start to what he hoped would be a pleasant day.
