Chapter 3
Old Wounds
Sasuke darted out of the hospital and down the street. He didn't have a destination, he just had a lot of angry energy to burn.
"How dare they compare me to that bastard Itachi! I'm nothing like him!" He grumbled under his breath as he stalked past the villagers, not caring or even noticing if he knocked into them. He was so inwardly focused that he didn't hear Naruto call to him or start to follow him. "I'm not responsible for what Itachi does. It's not my fault that silly girl got hurt." He growled as he sent another hapless villager sprawling sideways. "If she was stupid enough to cross paths with Itachi then she deserved it!" He immediately stopped and chastised himself for thinking such a thing. "No one deserves what she went through. Why would Itachi do something like that anyway? And even more disturbing, why would he come back just to torture her even more? Why not just kill her?" Sasuke started walking quickly again and only stopped when he found himself standing in front of an area that was obviously used for training. It was deserted now that late afternoon was approaching and he smiled. "This looks like a good place to work off some energy."
When Naruto finally caught up with Sasuke he saw him hard at work, laying kicks and punches into training poles. Naruto knew something was wrong. He also knew that something was named Gaara and there would be little he could do about it. So he didn't say anything to Sasuke when he approached him other than. "Wouldn't you rather get a work out against something that fights back?"
XXX
The sun had set when Naruto and Sasuke finally called it quits and headed back towards the heart of town for a bath. Naruto stretched loudly as they walked down the deserted streets. "Ah that was great! It's been a while since we've sparred like that. I needed that workout." Sasuke said nothing but stared straight ahead. Naruto sighed. When Sasuke was sulking like this there was nothing for it. Fortunately Naruto had never needed another person's participation to keep a conversation going.
"So what do you think of Mizuki-chan huh? She's certainly showing guts considering what's happening to her. I can't help but respect that you know? Strength like that, you don't find it often in someone who hasn't been raised a shinobi. And she's mysterious too. A real puzzle but once we get her back to Konoha I'm sure we'll be able to figure everything out. Tsunade no ba-chan will heal her up right and then the medics can probably do a reverse hypnosis on her like they did on me that one time and we'll get her memories straightened out and who knows? She may be able to lead us right to that bastard Itachi when she gets her memories back."
"She couldn't even look at me." Sasuke spoke suddenly.
"What?"
"My eyes are the same as my brother's. I terrified her so much she couldn't even look me in the face."
"Well that's not your fault Sasuke. She wasn't prepared to see the Sharingan again so soon. It was a shock to her. I mean, what Itachi did is unforgivable and it'll probably take a while for Mizuki-chan to get over it (once she remembers it) but she will get over it and then she'll see the charming you that we've all come to know and love." Naruto grinned and Sasuke just glared at him.
"It is my fault Naruto." He replied looking straight ahead again. "If I hadn't been so obsessed with my revenge then I might have been able to see past my quest for power and gained the true power needed to defeat him. I left him alive and now look what he's done. Everyone here blames me for what happened to the girl and they're right to. For God's sake Naruto she thinks I'm more frightening than Gaara! I don't care how much he's changed that's just not right!" He sighed. "I shouldn't have come here."
Naruto looked at Sasuke shocked. This was the first time he'd talked about anything regarding his time away from Konoha and the fight with Itachi in three years. "But why is Gaara's opinion messing him up so much?" Naruto thought to himself. Out loud he said, "Itachi's actions are his own Sasuke you can't do anything about it other than to track him down and end it. Which is what I'm sure is gonna happen this time. Mizuki-chan is the key to finding and ending this crap with your brother I just know it! You can't let Gaara get to you." Sasuke looked at Naruto but this time it was Naruto's turn to look straight ahead. Sasuke could read the optimism on Naruto's face and despite himself, he was starting to feel better.
