+ Onyx Eyes +
The sun was down and no one was around except him and her. Nothing was to be heard and neither of them were speaking. He was looking at her with his emotionless onyx eyes as she tried reasoning with her own green ones. But it was in vain. She had seen - had been in - this scenery before... That day when he left Konoha for Otto to become a missing nin. And now it was repeating and she was afraid it would be the same only this time, he might not return to her anymore.
He took one step forward and she blocked him. Sasuke looked at her apathetically and said, "Out of my way, Sakura."
"No... Sasuke..." she said trembling.
"Sakura." His tone was more serious.
"Sasuke, no... I..." Sakura gulped in attempt to hold back her tears, "I won't let you go to Itachi."
Sasuke grunted and gestured to grab her when Sakura pulled out a kunai. Sasuke stopped and looked at her with baffled eyes.
"You're... not leaving..." Sakura was half-sobbing, "... Not leaving without me..."
"Stop talking garbage." Sasuke straightened, "You will only get in my way."
"Sasuke, please...! If you won't stay then take me with you...!" Sakura broke into shimmering tears that, gripping the kunai, "We've been through this before and I'm not letting you out on this without me!"
Sasuke grunted at the image of a pink-haired girl shaking before him. She was crying. She was feeble. But she was Tsunade's prodigy - a superb medical expert with Tsunade's strength. So the avenger sighed and straightened and said lowly, "Start walking."
Sakura gasped and processed the short statement in her head as Sasuke walked past her. Although Sasuke did not back from his intention on hunting down Itachi, he allowed her to come with him. That was a good start. Sakura put back the kunai and turned to follow him.
~*~
Faster.
Sakura and Sasuke had been dashing among the trees for how long now. She was not tired but she was getting a little uncomfortable with the silence that had been building up between them. She should be used to him giving her this treatment since their genin days but after he returned to Konoha, he changed though but slightly. The whole of Konoha did not trust him anymore except for her, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei and the Godaime Tsunade. And because he had nothing much to do, he spent time training, developing new skills, strategies and such things. Undoubtedly, Sasuke became stronger much to many Konoha nin's fear and jealousy.
It was one day when she found him on the rooftop of the Hokage tower did she love him more dearly. He was alone and strangely enough, when she started speaking, he spoke back. And later on, they were talking to each other longer than they had in any of their days. It was not a happy conversation but rather an ordinary one but Sakura knew it was a good start. And when all of that was over, something very different happened...
Uchiha Sasuke smiled at her.
Sakura's heart skipped a beat whenever she remembered that short moment. She felt warm and happy deep inside. Sasuke did not change much after that and he didn't smile at her again either but she hoped that he would eventually... when everything turns out to be fine.
But just as everyone was beginning to accept the young Uchiha, something unexpected happened. Uchiha Itachi showed himself again with Kisame in another attempt to extract the Kyuubi out of Naruto. Sasuke was out on a mission that day Itachi came but nevertheless, they fought... She fought. Sakura. And the Godaime, Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Gai-sensei, Lee, Neji, Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru... All of them. Itachi retreated but he was sure to be back and since the event held such magnitude, there was no way they could keep it from Sasuke.
She could still remember how his eyes reverted in seriousness when he heard of Itachi but he didn't speak. And yet, all Sakura had to do was look into his eyes to know that he was planning on something... To hunt down Uchiha Itachi. She had kept a keen eye on him since and then it happened. She caught him... yet again... fleeing from Konoha in pursuit of his vengeance. And she was afraid that this time, he might not make it back.
"Sakura." His voice shot through her thoughts and he said, "Let's stop." And even before she could reply, they came to a pause by a river where they caught fish and cooked it over a fire Sasuke made. It was getting dark and Sakura had lately noticed. And when she was able to relax, it was only then, too, that she realized how tired her body was. Sasuke probably noticed this, too, and suggested they get rest since they start off early the next day. They lay down in their bedrolls, the fire out and silence between them. Sakura was looking at him although she could only see his back.
"Sasuke." Sakura said lowly. He did not answer. It was fine since Sakura did not expect him to respond so she continued, "What are you going to do after you've killed Itachi?"
There was a long pause and Uchiha Sasuke answered, "Return to Konoha..."
"Oh..." Sakura muttered. She was expecting him to add nothing more but then he moved and shifted to his other side and faced her. His black onyx eyes that shimmered so mysteriously stunned her and with this expression, he replied, "... To restore my clan."
"O-oh..." Sakura replied in muffled speech as Sasuke looked into her emerald green eyes. She had never been this close to Sasuke before. Sakura groped for anything to say but even before a word escaped her lips, Sasuke shifted back to his other side and said, "Go to sleep. We start early tomorrow."
"Oyasumi nasai, Sasuke-kun..." Sakura muttered and closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifted away into sleep then Sasuke whispered, "Oyasumi."
~*~
"Sakura, wake up." It was a command, not a request and the tone of it made Sakura's eyes snap open. Sasuke was with a kunai, his eyes red as he looked cautiously around. This stature of him was enough to tell her something was wrong. Sakura drew out a kunai and looked around. There was a rustling sound from the forest and from there emerged a shadow but even before Sakura could see who it was, Sasuke's hand came over her face as he said, "Don't look into his eyes."
Sakura's heart thumped and she felt cold sweat trickle down her back. Why would Sasuke tell her not to look into certain eyes? It was Uchiha Itachi's, who else's?
"Foolish and careless as always." Itachi spoke calmly, lowly, mockingly. Sasuke growled at him and told Sakura, "Do not interfere."
Sasuke lunged at Itachi with a kunai, which Itachi dodged effortlessly. Sasuke threw the kunai at the older brother and sent him a kick. Itachi caught the attack with his hands and twisted Sasuke's leg. It wasn't long before the little brother turned into a log and behind Itachi was Sasuke, shooting fireballs out of his mouth.
Sakura watched on as, as if in a split second, Itachi was behind Sasuke and chopped him at the back of the head. Sasuke tried enduring until Itachi sent a knee to his midsection before an elbow to his back. Sasuke hit the ground hard and he coughed blood.
"Not... Into his... eyes..." Sasuke coughed.
Itachi then looked at Sakura and she froze, avoiding his eyes. Then Itachi stooped and picked Sasuke up by the neck and said, "You never give up. I like that. But it seems you need more motivation." Itachi's eyes widened and the Sharingan tomoe swirled.
"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted and dashed an attack towards Itachi. The older Uchiha looked at the approaching ninja girl. His body language made it clear he had no intention of dodging or counterattacking. And then, all of a sudden, a hand caught her by the neck.
Sakura gasped for air as her vision moved unstably. She recollected herself and found Itachi standing nearby. And to her right was her attacker - Uchiha Sasuke.
"But... But why...?" Sakura managed to say, sending him a questioning look of confusion. But Sasuke looked surprised himself as she could see her reflection in his wide, crimson eyes.
"You underestimated the Mangekyou - the Sharingan - and forgot it's ability to 'suggest' courses of action into the mind of its opponent." Itachi said flatly.
Itachi was controlling Sasuke's body!
"If the death of the entire clan was not enough to fuel your anger to make you stronger..." Itachi said with no change in tone, "Perhaps the death of this girl by your hands will be."
Sakura gasped in horror and the fingers on her neck tightened. Tears formed in her eyes. Sakura lifted her kunai with every ounce of strength and wounded Sasuke's arm in attempt to inflict pain to break the genjutsu but it was in vain. The Mangekyou holds its reins strong on Sasuke. Sasuke struggled from the force controlling him. And in this image of him, visions flashed and voices echoed in her head but only a few did she understand.
You... are annoying.
"Sa...suke..." Saying his name took more physical effort than it should.
Thank you... Sakura...
"Sasu... ke..." But that same name that escaped from her lips gave her strength to carry on even just a little more farther.
Return to Konoha...
"I..." A little more time to see his face.
...To restore my clan.
A little more time to hope.
"SAKURAAAAAAAAA!"
A heart-splitting cry followed by the loosening of the fingers around her neck returned Sakura to reality. Her vision swayed in disarray and she felt herself hit the ground. With every ounce of strength, she pushed herself up and as she looked, she saw Sasuke's body falling backwards towards her...
And she caught him... like how she always does. And as she set sight on him, the tears streamed from her eyes.
There was a kunai lodged in his chest.
In order to break the genjutsu, he stabbed his heart in the short moment he was able to fight it!
"SASUKE!"
His mind, under the influence of Mangekyou, was shutting down his system and Sakura's medical abilities could do nothing. And she cried.
Failed him. Failed him yet again. She was not able to stop him from leaving Konoha the first time. Orochimaru had him, coiled around him and fanged at him with every ounce of venom that could seep into his mind. Second time, she was powerless to stop him. No, she did not stop him. Instead, she decided to play bamboo and go with what he wanted, went with him for the sake of being with him... as if she could protect him from whatever it is that was bound to happen.
And as those black onyx eyes looked at her, with blood on his lips, Uchiha Sasuke did something Haruno Sakura cried at.
Uchiha Sasuke smiled at her.
"Pity." Itachi spoke, suddenly standing right in front of her.
"BASTAAAAAAAAAARD!" Sakura retaliated in anger. Itachi jumped back in defiance to the attack. He stood before repeating, "Pity."
~*~
The sun was down. Tsunade looked out into the darkening sky.
Today was the last day.
The cold wind blew into her office. She sighed, stood and closed the windows. And as she walked back towards her desk, there were three knocks on the door.
"Come in."
A blond spiky-haired young man's face came from behind the opening door with a creak. Tsunade reached her desk but she did not sit. Naruto entered followed by Kiba and Shikamaru.
"Did you find them?" Tsunade asked. Shikamaru shook his head.
Tsunade sighed, hesitating a moment before pulling out folders and a stamp from her drawer. She opened the folders and pressed the stamp on the ink but as she lifted her hand, Naruto's voice shot through the room, "No! I refuse to believe this!" And he barged out of the room running.
Tsunade said nothing and pressed the stamp on the papers before gesturing at Shikamaru to leave. The Godaime sighed, looking at the papers with the picture and biodata of an Uchiha and a Haruno who, as the stamp signifies, are MIA.
MIA. Missing in Action.
But in other terms: "Assumed Dead".
- END -
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