Empty Eyes: The Sequel

Chapter 27

The first thing Tsunade did was offer me a small vile of thick, green juice. My face was burning hot as she pulled it out from her well-endowed chest.

"We're going to travel out of the village so we can train openly, but we don't want anyone following us, whether it's your masters or those goons from before. Drink this. It'll mask your scent for a few days."

I pulled the small cork out and sniffed it, eyebrow quirking in surprise when it didn't smell foul. Instead, it was a citrusy scent with just a hint of different herbs. Going out on a limb and choosing to trust these people, I tossed back the entire vile, gagging after I swallowed it because it didn't taste nearly as good as it smelled.

Shizune reappeared, then, followed by a purple-haired woman who was holding two travel packs. Tsunade took them, handing one to Jiraiya and one to me before facing the women again, "Shizune, Anko, if anyone comes looking for this girl, you're to tell them she stopped for a meal and left. You know what to do if there's trouble."

Both women looked at me before returning their gazes to the taller woman and nodding in understanding. Then, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and I left the underground bar via the same door we entered through.

We traveled well into the night for hours before finally coming upon an oasis. Outwardly, it appeared just to be another cave, but upon navigating a long and winding tunnel, the three of us entered a gigantic cavern.

Lush grass and plants lay about, and a pond sat calmly at the far end. Fireflies were the only light source, but vampires don't need it anyway, so visibility was no issue. The atmosphere was humid and warm, a stark contrast to the chilled wind of the dry desert night outside. A pleasant aroma of flowers and nature met my nose.

"It's beautiful...." The others made non-commital sounds of agreement as we crossed the ample open space to stop at a plot of stone near the pond.

I stifled a yawn, garnering a chuckle from Jiraiya. "I shouldn't be surprised that you need sleep as well, but somehow I am." He momentarily knelt to rustle through his pack before pulling out a bedroll and handing it to Tsunade, who wordlessly accepted it and began setting it up. I slid my own pack off and fished out another, unrolling it so I could slide into it and prepare to get some rest.

Even if these people hadn't done anything to earn my distrust, I slept with my back to the cave's wall and woke up at the slightest sound for a long time. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and I found myself dreaming of Sasuke.

When I woke up the following day, it was bittersweet. Even if it was in my dreams, seeing his face only proved to dig the knife deeper into my heart. So, eager to hurry the process along, I immediately joined Tsunade in the middle of the cavern.

The sooner I can maintain control, the sooner I can meet the Ame advisors currently trying to follow my trail in battle. Once that's done, I can travel to Amegakure and defeat Yahiko. Then I can return to him, to Sasuke. He won't be in danger because of me anymore.

"Tell me what you see when you visualize your energy."

I clenched my fists at my sides, "It's like a horse's reins. If I lose my grip on them, that's when I...."

She nodded in understanding, "The longer they're loose, the harder it is to grab onto them again."

Tsunade didn't wait for me to confirm her statement and continued, "The fact that you had an answer for that question means you're much further along than you think. Visualization is the hardest part."

She asked me to try and lift a medium-sized stone nearby so she could see what I'm capable of, and I hesitated, glancing at Jiraiya, "I'm not sure if I... Well, can you stop me if I lose control?" The woman made some sort of sound that meant yes.