The Path That Led To Darkness...

Self: Retrieval PT.2

Naruto had been thinking...

'Why can't I just leave? Why can't I just be free? Why?'

There were a lot of things on his mind since he'd left the Sasuke Retrieval Squad. He had a lot more time to actually think now, and now that he was alone with his thoughts he really couldn't see anything that stopped him from leaving.

Sakura and the rest of the chunin had been busy looking for Sasuke still, Kakashi was on a mission, Konohamaru was doing "special training". No one was really paying attention to him right now, he felt that he could just-

Disappear

And no one would notice...

The cold midnight breeze hit is face bringing him back to the present. The stars were shining particularly bright tonight. Maybe it was a sign...

A sign to leave

He sat on the sculptured head of the fourth Hokage as he looked out at the village. It was quiet. A few villagers roamed around but not too much. The ramen stand was still open. It looked like they were about to close.

As he let his thoughts float in his mind, Naruto wondered what Sasuke was doing right now.

'He's probably doing some super intense training right now...while I'm stuck here...resting'  He thought as his face frowned in irritation. He took a deep breath, letting out a heavy sigh as he flipped onto his back looking up at the dark starry night.

"Pervy Sage...I don't know what to do..." he paused. "I don't know what to feel, please help me.." He said aloud to himself. Tears threatened to spill from his tired eyes. "What should I do? Should I run? Should I go? Or should I just...".

He didn't want to say it. He promised he would never. No matter how bad it got, he promised he wouldn't. Not now. Not in another life. Not ever.

"What would you do if you were me? What would you do if you were here?" He waited for an answer — anything — but he knew no answer would be given, he was talking to himself after all, alone, nobody there with him.

Just him, and his thoughts.

After a few moments of silence, knowing his questions weren't going to be answered, he took a deep shaky breath and sighed, slowly closing his eyes allowing his body to relax. He knew that this was dangerous. Anyone could attack him. He was leaving himself open. Vulnerable.  But it helped calm him.

Before he knew it he was drifting to sleep. In a few minutes he'd been peacefully laying there.

Asleep.

———————————————

"Argh....how far till we get there?" Suigetsu whined

'Not again..' Karin complained to herself. "Can you just shut up for one second?! We just a few hours ago!" She said, obviously annoyed at Suigetsu's whining. "You could have just stayed behind with Jugo y'know?!"

It had been a few hours since they had left their camping spot and started heading towards their destination. Jugo had stayed behind for reasons only known to him. Sasuke didn't make much of a fuss, he knew he would most likely be a pain once they got there.

"Not much longer 'til we get there anyway, just stick it out" Karin said more calmly.

Karin was unsure on how to feel about this. She trusted Sasuke but sometimes that trust faltered.

They were sticking their necks out for Sasuke because they trust him but they knew nothing about this Naruto guy. From what Karin had heard from Sasuke himself, this Naruto, would just be a burden on them.