12

"What did you do?" Sasuke snarled into her ears while walking by her side.

She felt infinitely relieved that her teammates had somehow managed to find her by accident, even though it was not uncommon for shinobis to navigate through roofs. Naruto had naturally invited her to join them, to her other teammate's dismay.

"Do you have to scream in my ears like that?" she asked him. "It's only been five minutes, and you're already tired of me."

"Don't play stupid with me, what happened? Why was my brother with you?"

"I don't know!" she raised her arms." Maybe he was sick of the rain and looking for shelter, just like me. Why would I even be in his presence in the first place?"

"Why indeed?"

"Kami-sama! One second I was alone and the next he was there, weren't you sheltering from the rain too?"

"No. You did something, Sakura."

"Guys, guys," Naruto shouted to them, "Don't you know it's rude to whisper behind someone's back without including them!"

"Shut up," Sasuke groaned.

It didn't take more incentive to make the blond spawn in front of them. He grabbed his friend by the head like an unruly kid, "Really, Sasuke? That's how you want to play?"

"Fuck off, idiot," he got away from his grasp.

"What's wrong with him," Naruto asked her.

"His unhealthy obsession with his brother's whereabouts."

The blond chuckled, "I'm glad you weren't by yourself, Sakura-chan. If someone like Itachi-san's nearby, nothing bad can happen to you, I tell you!"

Sakura let out a nervous laugh.

"Anyway, while you were arguing, I noticed that tall building across the street. Let's see if we can find a way to reach its top."

He started walking towards the tower with his usual enthusiasm.

"We're not done," Sasuke whispered, as he passed by her.

After the last hours, she wasn't sure anything could move her anymore, especially her teammate's threatening behavior. As she followed her friends, she shut all undesirable thoughts out of her mind, taking in her surroundings, the sinister alley and dark building, shining from the recent torrential downpour.

They reached the foot of the huge tower shortly. Since there weren't many options to consider, they went inside the first entrance, judging it would not be as suspicious as climbing the building in plain sight.

"Here," Naruto beckoned them, as he found a stairway.

And they climbed quietly, time turning into eternity inside the cold building. Sakura was grateful for the silence that remained during the whole ascension. Emerging from the top felt like breathing again, even though the air was corrupted both by the evil curse from outside the gates, and the sullen village.

She found herself a spot against the wall, where she could wait while her teammates were doing their job. Eyes closed, she shuddered as flashes of the man's face, the one she had killed earlier, appeared in her mind. As much as she wanted not to remember him, there was not anything else to distract her mind with. Something hit her leg after a while, making her leave her painful memories. She looked between her knees, finding a snack bar waiting to be picked.

Despite not being that hungry, she welcomed the gift under the watchful gaze of her teammate.

"What's with the holes in your shirt?"

"Got into a fight."

"You? Did you forget you were supposed to lie low?"

"Drunk people looking for a fight don't care about that."

His eyes narrowed, "Did you drink?"

"No, Sasuke-kun," she gritted her teeth. "I didn't drink. I did my part, got the job done, just like the Captain wanted."

"Guys, guys!" Naruto shouted suddenly, catching their attention. "Bring your asses here! Quick!"

"Go ahead," Sakura said, "I'm not supposed to be involved in your mission, remember?"

"You could have been," he muttered, as he left her.

"You too, Sakura-chan!" the blond waved to her, "Come on, hurry up!"

Groaning in protestation, Sakura got on her feet and went after her brown hair teammate. Out of the ten Naruto that were scanning the town from the large roof, only one was gesticulating like a crazy man.

"Naruto…do you really need more eyes?"

"You saw one of them that night, right?" he spoke quickly.

"Briefly."

"Well. Look down there, there are a bunch of folks with gray cloaks. They could be our guys!"

Sakura's eyes looked for the culprit, "I don't know Naruto, they —"

"They look suspicious to me, "Naruto continued. "Look at the uncovered woman in the middle, she's not dressed the same way as them."

Sakura carefully studied the group. There were five individuals dressed in dark coats, and among them, a tall woman dressed in green, with brown hair tied in a single braid. She looked somehow familiar.

"I… I know her!" she suddenly exclaimed, finally remembering where she had seen such a haircut. "The woman, back when we were in Ginza. She's the one who came back to me with a picture of Ryuu and the baby!"

"Why would she be here?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know, but it can't be a coincidence."

"That would be one hell of a coincidence," Naruto commented. "Besides, doesn't it look like she's being escorted? Like she's being—"

"Forced to," Sakura finished. "Yes, you're right. We must do something!"

"Agreed," Naruto nodded furiously.

"No," Sasuke said, hostile to their enthusiasm. "We're not supposed to engage with them."

"Unless you don't have any other choice," Sakura continued. "This is the best opportunity to gather information."

"Why are you being so involved now, Sakura? I thought it wasn't your mission."

"I'm not remaining passive when I could help someone in danger."

"It's two against one, Sas'ke."

He sighed in resignation, "They must absolutely not see us."

Naruto clapped his hands, "We've been trained for extraction procedures. It'll be a piece of cake!"

"Wait, look who's coming. The police…" Sasuke started, "they could become a problem."

The blond grimaced, "What're they even doing? Are they following them or somethin'?"

"Could be."

"No," Sakura said, "they're looking for someone," she turned to the blond, "Naruto, I think I may have a way to distract them! Gather you clones!"

Red shades were going in all directions, followed by enraged men, unable to understand that they were being played with. As for the unknown group hidden by their dark cloaks, they had disappeared, spooked by the sudden commotion.

Sakura was rejoicing inwardly when the door burst open suddenly, letting appear her friend and her very outraged woman.

"Let me go at once!" she kept screaming, as several iterations of Naruto were trying to make her pass through the rooftop's door.

Rushing to them, Sakura caught the attention of their prey, "We're not going to hurt you! Look at my face! Do you recognize me?"

Upon hearing her voice, the woman stopped resisting, "You… Haruno, isn't it? Tell them to let me go!"

"Do it," Sakura nodded towards her teammate, noticing fingernail scars on Sasuke's face. She looked at the brown hair woman, "Look, we were just trying to help you."

"Help me?" she repeated while rearranging her attire. "You just ruined weeks of work! Weeks of being constantly on edge without knowing when it would end. They almost trusted me! Almost! I was so close, so close-!"

"But it looked like you were in need of assist-?"

"No!" she shouted. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to return to them, I might still find a way to save the situation."

She went for the door, but Naruto blocked her path, "Hmm, sorry ma'am, but we still have questions for you."

"Hun! Not going to harm me, you said? Yet, I'm a prisoner now."

"The people you mentioned," Sasuke inquired, "Who're they? What're they doing here?"

"I'm not sharing anything with Konoha," she said firmly, "Listen, we're going to be here for a long time if you don't let me go, and my men, innocent men, they'll die. They'll get killed by these people, and you'll be responsible for their deaths. Is this what you want?"

"Help yourself then, "Sakura urged her, "Help your friends by telling us what you know."

"You're no different from them. Do you think I ignore what you're seeking here in this forsaken place? Rabid wolves who'd destroy everyone in their path, all for the sake of power!"

"What of you, woman, why would you associate yourself with the wolves you despise so much?"

"They work with the family you protected, they're threatening my people in our own land! When I spotted them in Ginza, I took this opportunity to approach them, to learn about their doings."

"They didn't recognize you?"

"Just like there are thousands of your people with all kinds of upbringing, they too are in numbers, and they weren't the same group threatening my folks."

"Not a clan, then."

"They come from the Land of Ashes."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "You're lying."

"Everyone knows there's nothing in this place, ma'am."

"I'm merely repeating what they told me, but I'm not surprised by your arrogance in believing the whole world revolves around the five Nations."

"What would they be doing here, so far from their home? And above all, associating themselves with strangers?"

"Who knows… We so happen to know how to read old languages, which was exactly what they were looking for."

"Translators?"

"Aye."

"She's not telling us everything."

"I've told you enough."

"They weren't taking her somewhere; she was the one leading them."

"Was she?" Naruto repeated, thoughtful. "Where were you heading then?"

"It doesn't matter anymore, 'cause they'd never trust me again."

"Do they need to?" Sakura inquired, "You're going back to them for your friends, aren't you?"

"Of course, I am."

The blond stepped forward, "Then, you're going to need us. What's your name again?"

"Kanao Tamaki."

Despite how many times Sasuke had voiced his disapproval of their new plan, he went quiet, like the rest of the group, when they forced open the door of an Izanami shrine, one of the goddesses his clan worshiped. The very old building was empty and full of dust, saturating the air. There was a huge statue of the deity, circled by a couple of lightened torches.

"They must be here," Naruto whispered. "These lights don't look normal," he tried to touch the flames with his fingers, "Why does it look blue?"

"Don't touch it," Sasuke warned, "It's mugen fire, its flames never die."

A reddish shade on the ground caught Sakura's eyes, "They've definitely been here," she grabbed the hair strands, and showed her discovery to her friend.

"Odd," the blond pointed out. "Who loses a bunch of hair like that?"

"People fighting each other," Tamaki spoke while studying the statue. "I remember some words from the abandoned outpost's relic. The one they stole from you before you could even take it."

Sasuke made a displeased face upon hearing her innuendo.

"It was something about being willing to sacrifice a part of oneself," as she spoke, she took a senbun out of her pocket and cut a bunch of her hair.

They looked at her expectantly, and then around them, waiting for something to happen, alas only more silence welcomed them.

Sakura, who was still holding the red hairs in her hands, studied her finding once again, hoping to find the key to their predicament, when she suddenly realized the obvious, "Guys, the ends, they got burned!"

Understanding what they had to do, their new ally walked to one of the torches and let the flames ignite a bit of her hair. A yellow light appeared on the ground followed by sounds of rocks being squeezed against one another, confirming what they had suspected already. A kind of seal barrier technique had been used here. They looked around, discovering a square opening had appeared on the ground, next to one of the torches.

"Well," Naruto said, as they all looked into the abyss of the strange hole.

Their guest jumped in first without hesitation, like she had done this many times before.

Sasuke groaned, "Send one of your clones to Captain Hyuuga"

"Who do you take me for? It's done already!"

"Good," he jumped in, disappearing into the darkness.

"Sakura," Naruto said, getting impatient.

She walked forward.

Once she hit the bottom of the conduit, the sound of water splashing against walls made her regret coming here. There was a small bottom of backwater, from which a horrid smell was emanating. This place had to be connected to the skewers of Oirase.

She heard someone fall behind her.

"It's completely dark, Naruto. Can you see anything?"

"What the hell is that smell? It stinks!" he whined.

She made a few steps, "I'd rather not know, actually."

"Wait, Sakura-chan!" he shouted, "There's a strange light over there."

"Probably Sasuke-kun. Why can't he just wait for us? Was he going on his own way too during your training?"

"Hm… sometimes. You know how he gets when he's annoyed."

They kept walking for a while, the only sound being heard was the sound of their feet hitting the thick water and their occasional coughing, even the air seemed foul. At some point, they started hearing voices, hushed whispers.

"What's going on, Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha turned to her, the small flames on each tip of his fingers lightening his angry features, "She was trying to get away."

"Wrong," Tamaki crossed her arms on her chest. "I thought you were behind me. I was waiting for you here, at this crossroad."

"Don't you know where to go, woman? You were their guide, weren't you?"

"I've never been here, remember?" she turned to Sakura, "Is he always like this?"

Naruto stepped forward, "Maybe we should split up."

"No, they went this way," Sasuke knelt over a couple of water footprints, which lay on the only path that was not invaded by the still water.

The team started to move, except for their new friend, "Wait, I cannot follow you further in."

Sasuke glared at her, "So you were planning to ditch us."

"As much as I want to find what power lies ahead, I fear for my friends, I fear that we won't be able to reach them first."

"If they're in, they'll need to get out," Naruto remarked, "They're basically trapped."

"Not if there are other ways out."

"We're wasting time," Sasuke turned around and resumed his initial plan, regardless of their wishes.

"Wait, Sasuke!" the blond yelled.

Sakura grabbed his shoulder, "Send one of your clones to her people", she then turned to the worried woman and spoke with confidence, "If you go on your own way, you'll be in danger too. Naruto will find your friends, trust me. Just tell him where to look!"

Tamaki nodded with reluctance, and after she told Naruto everything he needed to know, they darted through the narrowed tunnel in search of both Sasuke and what secrets this place held.

When they caught the shape of a shadow, standing still like there was a threat ahead, they stopped beside it. Sakura was the first to speak, "Sasuke-kun, do you see anything?"

His focused eyes were sporting red flames and black dots. It was a mesmerizing sight for the ignorant and a doom for the wise. Sakura didn't look away, being desensitized to the sight of her teammate's sharingan, but above all, trusting her friend.

His lack of answers made everyone more nervous and aware of their surroundings. Sakura tightened her fists, getting ready to fight off whoever was coming to them, but as looked behind her, she caught her flick of light. The light started flickering more and more until it grew like a giant white halo.

She could not see anymore, her sight blinded by the radiating light. She felt motions around her and suddenly her feet were not touching the ground anymore, like she was being pulled away forcefully into the air. When she regained the ground, she felt a painful ache constricting her heart, like she had jumped off a giant cliff. The light disappeared then, leaving her stunned at the realization that she was no longer inside the tunnel.

The first thing that she noticed was the green marble everywhere around her, from cold ground to high walls reaching heights only gods could reach. Then, she saw a door, its small size somewhat grotesque in comparison to the size of the chamber.

What's this place?

Sasuke and Tamaki were arguing right in front of it, just like earlier, except there was something off with his teammate's expressions.

Fear.

Out of instinct, her eyes moved swiftly, scanning every corner of the room, in vain, until she had no other choice but to ask, "Where's Naruto?"

"Both of you, sit down," Sasuke ordered.

Their guest rushed to her, "Your friend refused to let me go! I must do something, I can't just wait here while my people are in danger!"

Sasuke put his fingers around the handle of his katana, "Nobody's leaving."

"You're scaring me," Sakura muttered, as she came closer to him, "What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?"

"We're stuck," he burst out coldly, "Sealed inside a place where no human should be."

She considered his words, without understanding what had set him off in such a way, when the solution seemed obvious to her, "Then we must find a way out."

"Do you see Tozen around us, Sakura? The only seal-jutsu expert on our team? No. Because you thought helping a stranger," he glanced at the woman, "an enemy, was more important than our mission."

"You can't seriously blame me for this."

"Why not? None of this would have happened if you had obeyed orders. You weren't supposed to be with us."

"Really? When it's actually Naruto's fault, he's the one who must have sensed how sick I was of waiting with your psychopathic brother as company!"

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me all right, Sasuke."

"Why are you like this again," he complained. "I thought you settled everything."

"Settling something with someone like him?"

"What did you do?"

Not this again

She sighed, her friend's frustration getting to her, "I killed a man."

"You?" he repeated, bewildered.

"I swear I was being careful, but I still ran into trouble… A distraught man, claiming I was responsible for his daughter's death, came upon me in search of revenge. And I… I had no other choice than to… kill him.

"Do you know how many people Naruto has killed since he joined the Anbu?"

A deep sigh escaped her lips, "I knew you'd bring up this subject again…"

"Answer me."

"I don't know!" she yelled.

"None."

"He threatened you! What else was I supposed to do?"

"What of my brother?"

"Hun! He saw everything, how this man strangled me and stabbed me. Yet, he didn't help me. Not even once."

He appeared skeptical, "My brother isn't like that."

"No, he's exactly like that."

"You don't get it, Sakura," he shook his head. "If you had truly been in danger, he would have helped you."

"I froze for a long time because I…" it was difficult to admit her weaknesses when he had seen her fight by his side so many times in the past, "I couldn't defend myself. A long time during which he could have done something."

"But he was there, wasn't he? You weren't alone," he told her like it changed everything.

No arguments would make her teammate listen to her when it involved his holy and perfect brother. Sasuke was simply incapable of being objective, too blinded by the perfect image he had of his sibling, to the point he took any criticism as a personal attack.

There was no point in arguing. Sakura eye's widened when she gave a glance to Tamaki, "Sasuke-kun! Tamaki, she's gone!"

He looked around, refusing to believe what was happening, and ended up rushing to the door that he had been guarding.

"I'm coming with you."

"No."

When a scream echoed through the alternate realm they were stuck in, they both rushed to the door without hesitation and ran through the dark halls like death was at their doorsteps. The gates were still far in front of them, yet they found the woman on the ground, terrified to her bones. There were sounds of growls, ones belonging to an enraged beast, becoming more and more potent, pushing their most animal instinct to run away. Sakura recognized this distinct feeling of dread, but she managed to force all thoughts of it away from her mind.

They picked up the frightened woman by each arm and dashed back in the direction they had come, as far as they could from the gates and from the hellish sounds chilling their bones to the ground.

Once they were back inside the room, all breathing loudly, as they tied to catch their breath, the woman's panicked eyes looked at Sakura for answers, "What, what the hell was that? Was this…was this a god?"

Sakura let out a nervous laugh, wondering if there were such things as Kyuubi worshipers, "You can say that."

"I feel…I feel despair, I feel like I want to…die. What's wrong with me?"

"It'll pass," Sasuke assured her, his eyes stuck on the door, "Nobody's going through this door this time."

"My friends need me! We cannot remain here any longer."

"We're stuck, Tamaki," she took Sasuke aside and spoke in a lowered voice, "We're…we're inside…" Sasuke nodded, "You've been here before, right? And Naruto can access this place too, surely there must be a way to let him know we're here?"

"No, not ever since he stopped talking to…you know who.

"You could—"

"Sakura, you freed me years ago, and now you want me to go back to prison. Just to save a few strangers?"

"I know you killed one of my own, Uchiha," Tamaki put herself between them, "but he was already a troubled man… My companions are not bad people. They're innocent."

"So are the people in this village," Sasuke hissed, "This discussion's over. I'm not meddling with Kyuubi. Tozen's a seal expert, he'll figure out something when he finds Naruto."

"Kyuu…Kyuubi? Did I… did I hear right?"

Sakura nodded, and sat on the ground, holding her head between her hands while massaging her forehead. She could not believe that they were inside Naruto's seal. There was no way out of this situation, or at least, none that would not jeopardize someone.

"What if…What if nobody figures it out. I, myself, wouldn't have imagined someone could trap us like this. Even the most powerful seal expert."

"I'm not taking any chance, Sakura."

"You just need to make him see you, Sasuke-kun, to rile him enough…and maybe, maybe, Naruto will then understand something's off with his seal."

He groaned in capitulation, "If something goes wrong, it'll be on you."

Uzumaki was writing on the ground like a tortured animal when Itachi found him nearby the sewer entrance, outside the village's walls. A sudden spike of energy had led him here, one that was rather characteristic of the manifestation of the Nine-tail beast. Tozen was knelt beside him, seeming focused on the burning seal on Naruto's belly.

Despite being hidden by a large tree towering him over them, Naruto rose his face in his direction, acknowledging his present between his gasps of pain. Itachis's eyes fell on the animalistic features on his face, his glowing mustache and red eyes, all reminiscent of the demon trapped inside his body. Uchihas weren't forbidden per see to interact with Naruto Uzumuka, but many avoided him like a plague, fearing to be targeted by unfounded accusations. Even if Itachi wasn't as paranoid as his kinsmen, he remained wary, knowing his presence might exacerbate Uzumaki's condition.

"Help-me Itachi-san! Aarg! Tozen is killing me! I know you're up there!" Uzumaki groaned, as if he was spitting fire. "They—They took him. They fucking took Sasuke!"

Itachi jumped down the tree, forgetting just for a moment his purpose here.

"We found them. The— the shinobis. And then… I was…Aarg… I was alone;" his face distorted into pain, as his fangs became even more prominent. "Uchihas," a coarse voice said. "Always the ones to deceit, to disturb, to wander where you're not welcome!"

Tozen anxious stare turned to him, and explained, "Something is wrong with the seal. Captain, you….you should step back."

Itachi held his stare for a short moment, acknowledging what Tozen was too afraid to say.

"The…the painting," Naruto grumbled, back to himself. He pointed at a scroll on the ground. "The woman. Inside. She was looking at it."

"You told us already, Uzumaki," Tozen spoke, as he tried to force him to stop moving. "Captain Hyuuga and Inose went back inside the sewers to find this room you mentioned. Forget about it for now. Just lie down!"

"Sakura-chan, Sasuke, they— argh!" he gasped, "How dare he show his face before me! I'll kill you, Sasuke Uchiha! I'll kill you all!"

"Tozen," Itachi spoke for the first time. "They're inside."

The man's eyes widened. "Inside? Impossible. That'd require intricate knowledge of jinchuriki's seals. A high proficiency unheard of…"

There weren't any other sensible explanations that would explain why the Kyuubi was so agitated and proffering menaces about his brother. Sasuke had told him of his rare encounter with the beast, in which there was never any else but hatred between them.

"If they— If they're truly inside. You— Tozen! You must get them out. Right now! They're not safe here. Ka—Kami-sama!"

With a newfound determination, the kind one only experienced where they were about to do one of the most important things in their life, Tozen started making signs with his hands. "I've never used this jutsu to extract people, Uzumaki Only creatures. Getting things out is always harder than imprisoning them."

"Do it!" Uzumaki urged.

"The equilibrium shall be restored." Tozen chanted like a prayer, "Haijo no jutsu!"

A burst of red flame blinded them for a short moment, leaving only silence in its wake, and the body of a young brown-haired woman lying still on the ground. Though Uzumaki's bestial shape remained

"Did…did it work?" Uzumaki muttered.

Though his bestial shape remained, the red halo around his body, and the tail behind his back had disappeared. Itachi dropped to the ground and pressed his fingers against the unknown woman's neck. She was alive.

"The seal is no longer disturbed," Tozen announced, out of breath. "Who…who's this woman!?"

"She's with us! Huh. Where are they? I don't see them! Sakura-chan! Sasuke!" Uzumaki tried to straighten himself into a sitting position, alas his motions caused him to feel more pain in his limbs, as he curled up over his belly.

"They should be here."

"Tozen! What did you do to them!" the blond shouted angrily.

Tozen jumped on his feet quietly. "Time and reality are else inside your seal, and sometimes the bridge between each reality is anything but a straightforward path."

"What the…argh! What the hell do you mean?"

"There were likely displaced, which means their bodies are somewhere around her. I'll go look for Sasuke Uchiha. Wait here."

"Not like I can— Aargh!Not like I can go anywhere," Uzumaki held his head in his hands, "Kami-sama!"

Tozen disappeared within the dark forest, not without glancing suspiciously at the foreign woman on Itachi's feet. An interesting surprise that Captain Hyuuga would certainly appreciate. Judging there was no further danger, Itachi approached Uzumaki, who was muttering ineligibles curse to himself. He faked his madness with the skills of a play performer, for a soon as he was at arm's reach, Uzumaki grabbed him by the ankle, with a strength proportionate to his determination.

"Find her!"

Itachi was tempted to remind Uzumaki that he wasn't supposed to interfere with the mission, even less to obey from orders from a disrespectful recruit, who seemed to have forgotten his place. Luckily for him, the madness inside his eyes had little to do with Naruto Uzumaki.

Even chores turned into opportunities for those who dared let their mind explore all options, even the least ethical. Her motionless body lay on a mound of mud near a small cliff towering over the pestilence of the poisoned river. He first checked her pulse, and took a few steps back, contemplating her future if she were to fall downstream along the slope and end up into the muddy water. Would fate be blamed for her tragic passing? Would Tozen be shunned for taking such a risk?

Alas, a true killer didn't hesitate twice, nor did he let on purpose his own weapon fall between the hands of his enemy. This all felt like a test again. One that he was failing. Her body started trembling, as if she could sense danger nearby. When she opened her eyes, Itachi saw the same disgust he had seen that night in Ginza. Her disappointment and disillusionment upon learning the truth. And just like back then, it tasted bitter.

The obstinate woman ramped on the soil, like she was trying to escape. Itachi followed her, waiting for the moment his prey would succumb. He was very tempted to just let her crawl all the way back to Uzumaki, alas, there was no time to wait.

She tried to hold herself up against a tree, only to fall pitifully, moaning from the pain of her vain efforts. Having enough of this pathetic scene, Itachi scooped her up in his arms, ignoring her protest. She struggled against him, letting out groans of disapproval, but she soon surrendered. Itachi felt her body become limp, as her head fell backward. Unconscious again.

When he returned to the sewer's entrance, Captain Hyuuga anxious stare met him. Her eyes shifted continuously from him, to the kunoichi in his arms. There was a silent understanding passing between them before Chiho brought back her attention to Uzumaki. Nobody wanted to be in the position of having to explain the Godaime why her precious student was no more.

"…I found this room within the sewers, full of books and dust, and the foreign kunoichi was right here. I swear! The second she saw me, she was gone!"

"We didn't find anything, Uzumaki," Chiho argue. "No shinobis. Not a single trace of them. Tch, they've done this to win time."

"They're more informed about us than we thought," Tozen chimed in. "What they did to Uzumaki… They had to be prepared for this."

Itachi dropped Haruno on the ground carefully, seeing his brother approaching them from the corner of his eyes. Sasuke was massaging his temple, having likely woken up recently from his slumber. He crouched down and started patting her body.

"She's fine, Otouto. Are you?"

"Hai," he muttered, still checking his teammate wounds, regardless of his words. Kyuubi's burns were known for being particularly lethal, after all.

"…you teamed up with an unknown woman, without considering even once the possibility that she might betray you!" Captain Hyuuga roared.

"Sakura-chan knows her."

"Taichou," Inuzuka called, holding an opened scroll. "I've studied the painting Uzumaki found inside the sewers. Doesn't look like a shrine? And look at this symbol, I think it's representing Inazami."

"There was an Inazami Shrine inside the abandoned village within the forest too," Tozen chimed in.

"Plus the one inside Oirase." Zamaru pointed out.

"Hand me the map, Zamaru. Quick."

Uzumaki took this opportunity to escape the wrath of Chiho Hyuuga, slowly making his way towards Itachi. Their eyes met for a brief instant. Uzumaki gave him a slight nod as a gesture of recognition and approval. The bestial features were still apparent on his face, but not as preponderant as before.

The flicker in his red eyes, as Uzumaki stared down at the inert body of Haruno, was one of both worry and possession. Somehow it made him feel threatened. It bothered him. Though he didn't know why. Just for a mere instant, Uzumaki was an enemy. His enemy. A ridiculous idea, really. It was his clue to step aside. To back off. To return to the shadows, before his mind played more tricks on him.

"The mountains," Inuzuka muttered, lost in her thought, as she looked up over the tall walls of Oirase," Aren't they the same as the ones depicted in the painting?"

"Gokusen's mountain," Chiho confirmed. She was still studying a torn map,one they had probably found inside Oirase. "There's a path going up there. Uzumaki, you said you saw the kunoichi stare at this painting a long time?"

"Aye!" he shouted.

She nodded, understanding like everyone else here where their journey would lead them next

"Taichou! The woman. She's waking up!"

Voices shouting unintelligible words were swarming her mind, forming a loud rumbling becoming stronger and stronger, making her feel like her head was going to explode. When she opened her eyes, Sakura groaned, an awful pain flaring in her head, like she had overslept. She saw the gray sky, whose light rain was falling on her face. Was it dawn already? How long had she been out? Memories of a dark room, red flames, and a demonic smile suddenly made her jerk off the ground.

The commotion was coming from a group of people a couple of steps away from her. She darted to them, feeling instant relief when she recognized her teammate. The plan had worked. They were safe. Tamaki was on her knees, in front of the Captain, while Zamaru and Inuzuka were holding her. Tozen and Inose stood guard nearby, accompanied by Inuzuka's dog.

"I'm not lying!" Tamaki shouted desperately, her eyes widening when she noticed Sakura, "Haruno! You must help me! Your people won't listen, they—"

Captain Hyuuga shifted, "You! I don't remember asking you to join us," her fingers circled tightly her right arm, only to lead her away from the interrogation, "You'll wait here. Quietly. And you will neither move nor speak until I tell you to. Do you understand me, Haruno?"

"Hai, Captain."

Sakura watched with frustration the obviously very pissed-off captain return to the group, wondering how much she knew about the last events. No matter how unfair it was, she did not mind taking the blame for her teammates. Especially with what Sasuke might have done to save them.

I must speak with him.

She kept observing them from afar, trying to read their lips and interpret their motions, despite knowing her efforts were vain. They were right outside Oirase's walls. Water was flowing down next to them, forming a thin stream going in the forest's direction. Its source came from a hole in the wall, a vertical squared sewer hole, whose metallic hatch happened to be wide opened.

So that's how they got out of the underground tunnels.

She took one of her magic pills under the watchful gaze of a shadow, one that she refused to acknowledge. Flashes of onyx eyes, of firm arms sliding behind her back and manipulating her body like a puppet, came to her mind. Merely dreams or tricks of her weakened state.

Sakura shook her head, chasing all invasive thoughts. Eventually, the group seemed to come to an agreement when Inuzuka stepped forward with an opened scroll in her hands. It looked like some sort of painting. Her faithful dog sniffed its scent, and ran off inside the forest. They then forced Tamaki to her feet. She wasn't here as a guest or an ally anymore, but as a true prisoner, this time.

Captain Hyuuga strode towards her. "Haruno. Did you manage to get masks?"

"I got…one."

"Ah," her eyes didn't blink, "you should have tried harder instead of disobeying my orders by joining one of my teams."

Sakura opened her mouth, "This isn't—"

"I don't care," she cut her short, "Just like I don't want to know why you thought you had any right to invite an enemy to our mission. History just repeats itself with you. Don't you ever learn? Kami-sama. From now on, do what you came here for and do not interact with our prisoner," She turned to the group gathered behind them. "Let's go!"

Sakura met Tamaki's desperate eyes when she passed in front of her, squished between Inose and Inuzuka. They were followed by Sasuke, whose aura was sinister than usual.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered, eager to get more information.

"Not now," he cut her off, going on his way without stopping.

Unfazed, Sakura looked for her blond teammate, who had been left behind. He was sitting cross-legged, with his eyes closed, ready to enter into a deep meditative state. As soon as she noticed his red glowing whiskers, she felt guilt rise within her.

Sakura knelt in front of her friend, whose eyes were still closed. She looked for any sign of acknowledgment, but he was already gone, far away from their reality and unaware of his surroundings. She chose to wait for him to come back regardless of orders—though nobody seemed to care, seeing as they were all alone here. Seeing his bestial features slowly disappear, she kept her guilty eyes on him, waiting patiently, until he opened his bright blue eyes.

"Naruto, please forgive me," she grabbed his hands, "I didn't mean to put you in such a position."

"I'm fine! And so is the rest of the team. It's all that matters, right?"

"I don't know what Sasuke did, but it's all because of me. I… I forced him to face Kyuubi without thinking of the consequences…"

"Nobody got hurt," he insisted, holding her by the shoulder, "You were right to do this, Sakura-chan. We would have never guessed where you went otherwise."

"Do you think Captain Hyuuga knows what he did?"

"He didn't do anything," Naruto answered in an unusually sinister voice. "And if he did, I dare them to try proving otherwise."

He wasn't talking about Hyuuga, but the Konoha's council, who had shown their loath and defiance for Sasuke, several times in the past. Sometimes rightfully so.

"I'm not breaking him out of prison again."

Naruto chuckled. "To this day, I still can't believe you did that…"

Though she didn't cherish her memories of the last shinobi war, this was one of the few that she didn't quite regret. Back then, Naruto needed to be saved from the Earth country, and since Konoha was too busy wreaking havoc at its frontier with the Land of the Rain, Sakura had no choice but to take things into her own hands. She couldn't lose him too. He was her only family left. However, alone, she had little chance of success, and that was why she had to find a way to free Sasuke, the only person besides herself who would die for Naruto.

"What the hell happened after we disappeared?"

"Sakura-chan!" he yelled with more energy, as he jumped on his feet. "We shouldn't waste more time. Let's go! I'll tell you everything on the way…"

Sakura nodded, hoping that this time, something good would finally come out of this nightmarish night.