Shizukesa: [11] - Pursuit

Sasuke regained consciousness with a dull thud against the dusty ground. Groaning, his body registered his injuries, seconds too late. Pain rushed to his head quickly, his gut, his back, all on fire. As he fought his way to sit up, he forced himself to open his eyes, only to see four pairs of feet and legs standing around him.

“Finally awake, are we?” Sakon’s voice clattered down, assaulting his ears. Pangs of splitting pain throbbed through his head, originating from where he’d been kicked. “I’ll make it simple. You’re coming with us.”

His eyes widened as he looked up, but his vision was gone once more.

~ ~ ~

Cool circles of morning sunlight dragged Sakura from her sleep. Her body was shaking from the cold of the floor where she lay, and all of it was stiff and sore. Gingerly getting to her feet, she had a split second reprieve before the memories of the previous night flooded back to her.

Sasuke.

She had to do something, and do it now. In a matter of seconds, she was out of the door and halfway to the exit of the Uchiha compound. The frigid beauty of the morning scenery was lost on her as she rushed by the empty buildings. Now empty, the village within a village seemed to sigh, and a lonely sparrow soared in the skies above.

Staring eyes watched the panicked pink haired girl sprint down the sparse streets. Only a few souls were awake to see her race towards the Hokage’s tower, and they muttered to each other as she passed them by.

Within minutes, she found herself at the bottom of the stairs, her heart thumping wildly like a war drum. She leaped up the flight of stairs four at a time, adrenaline driving her upwards.

The doors before the hokage’s office were locked, and as she frantically pounded on them, on the verge of tears once more. Voices from inside seemed agitated, and it was a moment before a ninja with brown hair covered by a round cap pulled the door open.

~ ~ ~

“What the hell are you trying to do to me?” Sasuke coughed, spitting out the tiny black sphere that Sakon had shoved into his mouth. Angry eyes glared at his captors, cursing them, hating them.

“Hehehe...” Sakon cackled softly. “We’re trying to make you stronger.”

Soft tones of sharp, raspy wind slithered their way into Sasuke’s disbelieving ears. The world through his eyes became strange, colors shifting, becoming harsh, and his face went slack.

Genjutsu.

He felt the spherical pill forced back into his throat, and caught snippets of words through the intense pain that came about as it slid into his stomach.

“Good...Tayuya... Idiots... Hurry...He... Dies...”

For the third time, his mind went blank and he passed out.

~ ~ ~

“I’m going with you!!” Sakura was enraged at the suggestion that she should stay behind.

Kiba, Neji, Choji, and Shikamaru glanced back at her. Naruto’s face assumed an innocent expression as he tried to excuse his blunder.

She fumed past him towards Shikamaru, who was organizing the troops.

“This is our formation.” he declared, holding up a rough sketch of the six shinobi who were present. She was placed behind Choji and in front of Neji. Adrenaline and determination were flowing through her in equal amounts as they departed into the treetops, and as she rushed past the multitude of leaves, she made a promise to herself.

I will save him.

~ ~ ~

Only herself and Naruto remained. The others had all fallen behind, engaging one of the sound ninja with them in an attempt to buy time. Even Rock Lee...

The haunting image of Sasuke bursting out of that barrel floated into her mind. Mottled gray skin and claws had overtaken his normal arms and hands, and he’d been deaf to their cries. She was even more afraid now, now that it seemed his mind had been kidnapped as well.

“Sakura...” Naruto’s voice interrupted, ripping her back to reality.

They had caught up.

He stood in front of them with his hands limply by his sides and his face sporting a blank gaze. Gasping, she saw that his eyes were inverted: the whites had become black and his irises were a diseased yellow. Wind tugged at his dark clothes and black hair, causing him to resemble a demon, like he were about to sprout leathery wings and sharp scales.

“Sasuke...” His name had no effect, he just stood there, still. She walked towards him, her eyes wide and teary, scared for him. “Sasuke...?”

Naruto hit the ground hard, flakes of dirt spraying up into the air. All of a sudden he’d appeared in front of her, arms crossed in a protective stance. Sasuke had struck him down with one hand as if he were an insect, and was now glaring at him with a crazed hunger in his demon eyes.

Naruto took to his feet again, his own eyes shifting color to a deep crimson red, his pupils stretching until they were a feline slit. The lines on his cheek widened and became savagely animalistic in appearance, and his mouth was full of sharp fangs.

Their chakras were frighteningly intense. Her throat constricted as the two boys stood, glaring, at each other, their eyes battling for supremacy.

“Sakura... Stay back.” Naruto growled. Maintaining her position, her face changed from fear to gritted determination.

“No... We’ll do this as a team.” she declared, trying to convince herself at the same time.

Instantly, the two boys were bombarding each other with punches. Sasuke dominated the fistfight, deflecting the blows with ease, his Sharingan active and gleaming. In a fluid combination, he caught Naruto’s wrist, drawing him far off balance, and landed a kick that sent him flying directly on his chest.

Sakura threw several kunai at him, which he caught and discarded without even looking in her direction. Smoke from the slowly burning explosive tags obscured his face, and his arm moved imperceptibly quickly, returning the kunai to her, point first.

She ducked below them and chucked a smoke bomb at his feet. The resulting cloud that burst forth gave her a second to recoup, and she ran to where Naruto was beginning to get back to his feet.