Sasuke's Dream*
Sasuke gradually regained consciousness as he heard the sound of someone nearby weeping, prompting him to fully awaken. From his reclined position, he rose to his feet and inquired, 'Hello?'"
The young Uchiha, observing that he was no longer within the confines of the hotel but rather in a forest adorned with sizable trees and a smattering of vegetation, deduced that he must be ensconced in a dream. Once on his feet, he proceeded towards the source of the weeping.
Persisting with his calls, Sasuke raised his voice, ignoring the melodic twittering of the birds overhead, as his primary objective was to locate the female responsible for the distraught cries.
Sasuke trailed the sounds of weeping through the dense woods for the past duration of ten minutes. Emerging from a cluster of bushes, he found himself in a spacious clearing, dominated by an unruly cherry blossom tree on which buds were anticipated to bloom imminently.
Once again, Sasuke called out, a touch of urgency seeping into his tone. He surveyed his surroundings and espied a young girl situated beneath the tree. Upon reaching a suitable proximity to the tree, he queried, 'Hey, are you alright?'
"Sasuke observed the girl as she raised her head to meet his gaze. The man with spiky hair inhaled deeply upon recognizing the familiar gray eyes, which he had seen earlier that day. He assessed the girl to be around the same age as him, somewhat resembling him during the time of his parents' death.
Without even registering her first words, Sasuke gave his attention when she spoke again, inquiring, "W-who are you?" The raven-haired girl's question immediately drew Sasuke's focus. He responded by crouching down to her level and disclosing his name: "My name is Sasuke. And what might your name be?"
"My name is Soifon," the little girl replied, casting curious gray eyes upon Sasuke. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she continued, "Can you please tell me why you're crying?"
Sasuke didn't quite comprehend why he felt concerned or why he even cared about the girl's tears. Nevertheless, he understood that this girl was a younger version of the woman he had glimpsed before. "I don't know. I suppose I've managed to get myself a bit lost," she whispered.
Sasuke nodded as he observed her presence and inquired, "May I ask why you are present in this location unaccompanied?" He attentively observed Soifon's movement, awaiting her response. She hesitated briefly before responding, "To be honest, I am uncertain. It appears that I was pursuing something, but unfortunately, I lost track of it. My intention was to apprehend it and present it to my superior."
Sasuke acknowledged her explanation with a nod, displaying his understanding. However, he remained curious and proceeded to ask, "May I inquire as to what you were pursuing?"
End of Sasuke's Dream*
After inquiring about Soifon's pursuits, Sasuke abruptly awoke from his dream, which left him feeling disheartened due to his curiosity surrounding Soifon's objectives.
Lying in bed for a few additional moments, Sasuke allowed his thoughts to wander, pondering if the Soifon in his dream was the same woman he had encountered—both possessing stormy gray eyes and similar facial features, albeit with a more mature appearance.
"I wonder if Soifon ever discovered what she sought," he mused, shaking his head to clear his mind. Glancing around, he noticed that Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu were already awake, prompting the realization that he had overslept and his team had vacated the hotel.
Upon sitting up and massaging his temple, Sasuke deliberated, contemplating whether to suspend his mission or simply trust in the chance of crossing paths with Soifon. Perhaps he should seek Jugo's guidance on the matter.
Additionally, he wondered if she was the individual about whom Itachi had spoken. Sasuke couldn't shake the feeling that she was the woman his brother had referenced.
Standing upright upon leaving his bed, Sasuke extends his arms in a stretch before proceeding outside the hotel with the intention of locating the rest of his companions. Their collective goal is to depart from the village and further advance in their quest.
Sensing the wind upon his face, Sasuke anticipates the impending rainfall, acknowledging the potential complications it may bring. Nevertheless, he refuses to simply wait for the weather to pass. With a determined mindset, he shakes his head and sets forth towards the anticipated whereabouts of his team. Letting out a sigh as he walks, Sasuke finds solace in the fact that he doesn't have to search for long before crossing paths with them.
"Ah, it appears that someone has finally awakened," Karin remarks, leading Jugo and Suigetsu alongside another woman, who possesses dark, flowing hair and pale brown eyes, trailing behind them. "Apologies for my tardiness, but I intend for us to depart shortly," Sasuke responds as he gazes at the others.
Jugo nonchalantly shrugs, adding, "It matters not. The extra time allowed us to acquire everything we required." Positioning himself beside Sasuke, Jugo subtly gestures towards the woman.
Sasuke observed the woman as Jugo proceeded to introduce her: "This is Akira Emiko," he said. The woman nodded and greeted them with a simple "Hi." Jugo then explained that she wanted to accompany them for a while.
The Uchiha pondered for a moment, considering whether they truly needed another person: "Do you believe it is necessary to have an additional individual with us?" Sasuke asked, showing no signs of anger towards Jugo for inviting Akira.
Jugo made a valid point, stating that having another person would be beneficial: "I think it would be advantageous to have an extra pair of eyes and she possesses skills that could be of assistance. Furthermore, her presence will not be permanent," Jugo explained.
Curious about Akira's abilities, Sasuke questioned her: "What are her particular skills?" he inquired, allowing Jugo's explanation to sink in. Akira eagerly chimed in, offering to demonstrate her capabilities during their journey: "Well, I can do a few things, but if you allow me to come along, I can show you along the way," she added to the conversation.
Karin pleaded with Sasuke, urging him to let Akira join them: "Please, Sasuke, allow her to come. It would be pleasant to have another woman on the team so that I don't have to deal with a group of men," she implored.
Ignoring the silver-haired man's comment, Karin addressed Suigetsu's remark: "You weren't complaining earlier," he remarked, rolling his eyes.
Sasuke considered the possibility of allowing Akira to join their group and concluded that it wouldn't cause any harm to have her accompany them, at least for a short period of time. With a firm tone, he stated, "Okay, but you must follow my instructions without question." Akira nodded in understanding.
Sasuke then turned to the rest of the group and suggested, "Alright, let's leave before it becomes too dark and we're unable to proceed with our mission." He began leading the way out of the village. Addressing Jugo, he asked, "Jugo, would you mind walking alongside me?" The man with orange hair nodded and proceeded to walk beside Sasuke.
Karin, Suigetsu, and Akira followed the two as they left the village. "Is there anything specific you need?" Jugo inquired as he walked beside Sasuke, his tone matching Sasuke's level of speech. Sasuke replied, looking ahead, "I require your opinion on a matter, and it must remain strictly between you and me."
Curious, Jugo maintained his composed tone and asked, "What matter are you referring to?" Sasuke then disclosed, in a hushed voice only audible to Jugo, "Well, it involves a message I received from Itachi in a vision yesterday morning."
Jugo inquired with a curious expression about the message that Itachi had given Sasuke. Sasuke proceeded to explain the contents of the message and described what he had witnessed the previous day when he went off on his own for a short time.
"Do you truly believe that this woman is the one Itachi was referring to?" Jugo asked with disbelief. Sasuke nodded, expressing his certainty, particularly after having a dream.
Jugo nodded as he pondered the situation. "And you seek my opinion on what course of action to take?" he asked. Sasuke nodded in agreement. "Yes, should I continue gathering information in Konoha or should I focus on discovering the identity and significance of Soifon, someone who Itachi deems important enough for me to protect? The woman I saw doesn't appear to require any protection from anyone."
"I believe it would be wise to continue our current path," Jugo suggested, making the point that if they were to encounter this woman, it wouldn't be a bad idea to engage in a conversation with her. "Especially since you mentioned that she was associated with your previous team and is likely located in the village of Konoha."
Sasuke acknowledged Jugo's perspective and regarded it as a more advantageous option, enabling him to accomplish two objectives simultaneously. Additionally, he expressed his gratitude to Jugo for sharing his opinion, saying, "Thank you for providing your viewpoint." Jugo affirmed his understanding as he accompanied Sasuke and assured him, "You need not concern yourself with it."
Sasuke glanced back to ensure the three individuals trailing behind them were still present, realizing they had been walking for over fifty minutes.