Chapter Five

Chapter 5

"What do you mean you can't find her?!" Yamato yelled at Sai, as Naruto lay passed out on his back. When Orochimaru had pierced Naruto with the Kusanagi sword, it had weakened him out of his Kyuubi state. Yamato had saved him and carried him to the spot everyone was supposed to meet up at. Only Sai had shown up.

"I looked all over where I placed her. She must have woken up and wandered off." Yamato sighed, and looked down to think of some ideas. "I did find something though." Yamato looked back up to Sai, with a questioning look on his face.

"What?"

"It might be where Sakura went." He said calmy.

"We have to go there then, show me where it is."

"She might be captive though." Yamato looked back down, confused on what to do. He shook his head in defeat.

"What have we gotten ourselves into."

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It was a light starry night. The moon was shining bright, not a cloud in the sky. There was a summer festival that weekend in Konoha. Team 7, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi had gone for the festivities.

At first Sasuke and Kakashi didn't want to go, but Sakura and Naruto persuaded both of them. They had spent their night eating at food vendors, playing festival games, and watching shows. Around them other villagers wore traditional clothing to the festival, but the three team members had not. It had been too much of a short notice. The attire didn't matter one bit though, they were all having fun. 

"I'm going to go." Sasuke said, as the three walked the filled streets.

"Are you sure? There's still so much to do Sasuke." Kakashi said, even though he hadn't even wanted to go at first.

"Yeah." Sasuke replied, readying himself to walk away from the group.

"C'mon, they're going to start the fireworks soon! We have to get a good spot!" Shouted a child as he ran by the three ninjas, along with a few of his own friends. The children ran away, their laughter melting away into the buzz of talk.

"Eh! Sasuke you can't leave now! There's going to be fireworks!" Sakura yelled in excitement, hoping to spend even just a few more minutes with Sasuke.

"I already came to the-"

"C'mon Sasuke-kun, just a little longer! Pleaaaase!" The pinkette urged on, no sign of giving up on the raven haired boy. They walked a little bit in silence, then Sasuke said,

"Fine." Sakura jumped and latched onto his arm, while Naruto freaked out at the sudden gesture toward his opposite. Kakashi laughed to see them getting along so well. Then the three shinobi made their way down the street to a viewing area for the fireworks.

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Her green eyes opened in a daze. She looked up to a dimly lit ceiling, with only a candle to light the dark room. Sakura slowly proped herself up with one arm, and examined her surroundings.

There was a candle on a table across from her, and a closet. The structure was made of stone. A wooden door was not too far, only in front of her feet. Her shoes were still on. As she got up and sat on the bed, her feet hit the stone floor. She got up from the hard bed she slept on, and put her ear to the wooden door. Closely she listened for anyone, and anything. There was nothing but quiet. Slowly, she opened the door. It creaked slightly, she jumped as the creak echoed throughout the hall. Suddenly, the door flew wide open, and she got pushed in with brute force. A hand quickly covered her mouth, but Sakura fought back against the danger. The door was shut as quickly as it was opened. The person turned her around to face them, to her surprise it was none other then,

"Sasuke?" She said, as her eyes widened. He put his hand to her mouth again, and set her back down on the bed.

"Shhh." Sasuke stood over her, while Sakura examined her previous team mate. He had grown taller, and filled in the muscle mass. The white shirt he wore split open to show his toned muscles. Her face began to heat up, remembering how he had been her first love. She noticed a black katana at his side, and wondered why he took the choice in weaponary. Outside the door, she could hear louder voices and noticable footsteps rattle throughout the hollowness.

"How is he doing." Said a deep voice of a man.

"Fine, the battle didn't injure him to badly. We should move soon, they could find our current hideout." Another voice replied to the one before, thought it had been familiar. From another area of the hallway, louder footsteps followed at a fast pace.

"Kabuto, he's asking for you." Sakura had been right, she could never forget that eerie, annoying voice of the silvered haired freak.

"Okay." He said and all the men who had been with him retreated from the area they were in. The two ninja held their position until they could no longer hear the foot steps outside the door.

Sasuke took his hand away from Sakura's mouth, and made his way to sit at the table across from her. The two of them sat together in the dimly lit room quietly. Sasuke stared at the door that could open at any moment, while Sakura stared at her shaking hands. To break the silence, she decided to speak what she wanted.

"You must already know why I'm here." She said quietly, keeping her focus on her hands.

"You shouldn't be here." He replied. The two went quiet once again not focusing on anything.

"Why are you hiding me."

"If I don't, you'll die." Sasuke said bluntly but Sakura showed no surprise. Words like those didn't bother her any longer. Silence crept into the small stone room once again, but only for a few moments.

"They'll come looking for me." Sakura said, as she looked across to the person she once knew so well. "They'll also come looking for you." The words rang in her ears, as she was hoping he would say something that would change everything.

"It'd be a waste of time."

"You have to come back Sasuke!"

"I don't have too."

"You can't let power get to your head! It isn't the only thing!" Her tone in voice rose, giving off a slight echo in the space.

"Shh!"

"We'll take you back with force if we have too!"

"Keep it down!"

"I'll even use my bare hands to drag you back ho-" In a instant, Sasuke was back in front of Sakura, his hand covering her mouth. He stared into her eyes, seeing that they were already swelling up with tears.

"Shut up, you're annoying." As he said those familiar words, tears began to fall down onto his hand. Her green eyes showed pain that she couldn't hold back. "Be quiet, got it?" Sakura nodded her head, as her pink hair trickled across his fingers. He backed away to take his place back at the table he sat at. Sakura looked back down at her hands, waiting for more tears to fall on them. There were none that she could come up with then.

As Sasuke listened for anymore unwanted visitors, he heard Sakura mumbling to herself. He could hardly make out a word she was saying. Turning his head to find her frozen in shock, she mumbled more loudly,

"You promised."

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"Sasuke, you promise you won't leave me?"

"I promise."

"You pinky swear?" The boy shrugged and reached out his pinky towards the girl across from him.

"Pinky swear." The two connected their smallest fingers, to commemorate at sworn prophecy.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Hn."

"Thank-you."

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His eyes were empty, as he stared at the wooden door, reminiscing the promise he never kept. Suddenly there was a light rap at the door.

"Don't come in!" Sasuke snapped.

"Orochimaru-sama wants to see you." Kabuto said on the other side. His voice sent shivers up Sakura's spine.

"I'll be there."

"Okay then." Kabuto said, as he turned back down the way he came from. Sasuke stood back up from his chair.

"Stay here, and don't make a noise." He quickly turned to face Sakura as she slowly nodded her head. As he walked out the door, she listened to hear his foot steps dissapear into the darkness. Once they could be no longer heard, she cupped her face in her palms to let the tears come out.

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The room Orochimaru stayed in was bigger, and darker. He sat at the side of the room in a replica table like Sasuke's. Kabuto stood behind the snake like man, only his glasses shined in the darkness.

"Please, sit down Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru said as he motioned to the chair across from him. Sasuke didn't accept the request, but only moved a few steps towards his master. Orochimaru was already used to the rude manners of the student he taught, in which he only wanted one thing from him.

"What is it you want." The man leaned back in his chair, while taking a drink of his herbal drink. "I don't want to waste my time breathing the same air as you Orochimaru."

"We'll be moving to a different location today Sasuke."

"I'll pack my things then." Sasuke turned on his heel to head out the door, but was stopped by the still conversational man.

"Don't you want to know who it is this time, Sasuke?"

"I'm not interested, nor have I every been." As he reached his hand to the door handle, the man spoke anyway on his own behalf.

"Your leaf friends have come looking for you again. Maybe you can use them for your bidding, to get a certain something. Right Sasuke?" Before he could turn the handle, Sasuke jumped back into the darkest corner of the room. The door burst open, and a cloud of dust distorted the person responsible. As the figure emerged from the dust, it turned out to be a young boy, no older then Sasuke, walk through the opening. His skin was white, and he wore a smile on his face. His eyes closed shut.

"Hello, I am looking for an Uchiha Sasuke." Orochimaru smirked, then disappeared with Kabuto using a transportation jutsu. Sasuke then stepped out to reveal himself to the new face. His hand rested on his Katana. "You must be Sasuke!"

"Who are you."

"I'd rather not tell you my name, since you won't be needing to know it for long."

"You're here to kill me."

"Yes I am. Oh and before I do just that, have you seen miss Haruno Sakura around? My team mates and I are very worried for her well being." Sasuke looked at the young adolescent that stood before him. The way he looked so calm and collected, really pissed him off.

"Die."

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Sakura jumped up from the loud explosion. It shook the dirt off of the ceilings. In an instant she was out the door.

At the end of one hallway, a bright light shined in the distance. It wasn't just some candle, but the sun light. As she ran down the hall, she began to wonder just what had happened.

Twenty feet, fifteen feet, ten feet, five feet.

The first person she saw was Sai before her vision became blurred. She had been in the dark for so long, her eyes would have to adjust to the daylight. When her vision became clear, she saw that Sai was staring up to the sky. Around them there seemed to be a crater sized impact. Sakura looked up to find none other then Sasuke standing before them. She couldn't help but be in awe whenever she saw him. It was like seeing a movie star that she could only look at in pictures.

"I see you already have a replacement for me, huh." Sasuke said from above them.

"Yes I am." Sai replied bluntly, aswering for Sakura.

"Wait no that's not-"

"I won't be needed back at the village anymore. So don't waste your time."

"Don't think to such conclusions!"

"SAKURA-CHAN!!" Naruto yelled as he came running out of the direction opposite to the two, with Yamato behind him.

"Naruto too, huh." The blonde heard his voice and immediately turned around.

"Sasuke!"

"As I said, you shouldn't have to waste your time."

"I'm bringing you back home no matter what Sasuke!"

"Even if you could, I would still refuse. In the end it's just a trap to kill me."

"Where did you get that idea!" Sakura yelled in confusion.

"That right there tried to kill me. It failed, but it tried. Who knows, you're probably in on it too." Both Naruto and Sakura turned to face Sai. Yamato looked to only figure out the reason why.

"What the hell Sai!"

"Our mission is to bring Sasuke back ALIVE!" Sakura yelled.

"I was only given orders to kill Uchiha Sasuke."

"Lady Hokage never said to though!"

"Not by her."

"Root, isn't it Sai." Yamato chimed in. Sai nodded.

"Well whoever this Root is, I'm going to beat him to the ground!"

"Root is an organization idiot!" Sakura protested.

"I'll still do it!" Sasuke quivered his fist. First Sakura would hit him across the head, then he would tell Naruto what an idiot he was. Kakashi would then attempt to calm everyone down and then.

Wait. Before anyone could comprehand the situation, Sasuke was standing before them all.

"You're annoying, and you are wasting my time." He said. Sai was closest to Sasuke, so he had a better advantage. Naruto was beside Sai, Yamato right behind. Sakura was the furthest from all four of them. First Sai darted for Sasuke, with Naruto and Yamato to obviously follow behind. In a quick moment, Sasuke had his sword in his hand. Thrusting it into the ground, he takes his free hand to emit lighting from it. The current travels through his sword to the ground, only to electrocute the ones caught in it. All three men fell to the ground. Sasuke straightened back up.

As he looked across from him, Sakura stared back at him in fearful confusion. Tears streamed down her face from her green eyes. Their gaze was locked, nothing else mattered. She began to run slowly, then fast towards his direction.

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"Ne Sasuke, are you happy?"

"Why should I have to tell you"

"Because you hardly talk to me, I feel like I don't know you."

"You're really dense aren't you."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Ne, Sasuke. You won't leave right. You were just kidding before weren't you?"

"You know I wasn't."

"You don't have to leave! You can stay here and be happy!"

"I have too, you know that."

"I know what you want to do, but you will never be full filled if you go aft-"

"If I promise not to, will you stop bringing that up?"

"Sasuke, you promise you won't leave me?"

"I promise."

"You pinky swear?" The boy shrugged and reached out his pinky towards the girl across from him.

"Pinky swear." The two connected their smallest fingers, to commemorate at sworn prophecy.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Hn."

"Thank-you."

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Then in the corner of his eye, he saw Sai make movement. Just in time, he jumped back up to his spot on the cliff.

As he looks down, a kunai knife explodes. The three struggle to get up from the shock they had gotten. He examines the area, noticing that Sakura is no where near enough to be hurt. Raising his left arm, he says,

"Die." Just before he can bring it down, Orochimaru appears in time to stop him.

"I thought I told you not to use that jutsu, Sasuke-kun." The snake man held his arm before a forbidden jutsu could be used. It was one that he had still yet to master.

"Let go." The man released Sasuke's arm, and let it fall to it's side.

"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted as she looked up above her.

"We should get going now." He hissed, as the transportation jutsu began. Small flames started to envelope the two of them.

"Hn." Sasuke grumbled, as his vision started to fade of the scene he just went through. The last face he saw, were sad green eyes, and a fuzz of pink hair.

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The team stayed for awhile, trying to figure things out. Naruto had freaked out on Sai, Sakura had been quiet. Once things started to calm down between everyone, they made their way home back to Konoha.

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Sasuke spilled his bag empty of the things he managed to grab before he left for the next hideout. There were only a few special weapons, some extra clothing, and a journal of jutsu formula's he kept to study.

As the things fell onto the hard bed, the journal bounced off to fall to the ground. As he reached to pick up the notebook, a piece of loose paper fell to the ground. Sasuke reached to pick up the paper, trying to recal a time he would need to use such notes. Picking it up the side that showed was blank. He turned it over to find words he hoped wouldn't show.

Liar.

The writing was neat and pretty. As he stared at the note with hard empty eyes, he opened the journal to only place the loose note back in. Placing it on the table he'd always keep it on, he reached for the pen on the bed. Holding it, he imagined the person who had recently used to write the note. Opening his palm, he looks down at the thin black pen.

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When they all arrived home and reported back to the Hokage, the village had a strange lonely atomosphere to it. Sakura dragged her feet as she walked home. Just before she could open the door to her house, to which her sleeping parenst lie, she looked up to the night sky. Stars twinkled brightly across the black sheet. The bright ones were easy to notice, the dim ones were still there. As always, she would notice the ones that were slowly fading away.

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He ducks back into the door that leads into the secret hideout,

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And tip toe's into her room careful not to wake her parents.

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As he sits down to lie on his bed,

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She places her head gently on the fluffy white pillow.

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He closes his eyes,

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She dreams of old times.