Forgotten Love | SasuNaru

~Chapter 33

3rd Person POV

A meeting of sorts, Shikamaru gathered all the teams for this collaborative mission. The goal was to search all villages on the border of the Fire Nation and intercept Naruto's advance. To do whatever it took to capture Naruto and bring him back to the Hidden Leaf before Naruto and Urashiki crossed paths first. It was a wide spread operation, Team Five and Team Fifteen will investigate in the Hidden Rain Village. Team Seven and Team Twenty-Five will search around the Hidden Sound Village for any leads on Urashiki whereabouts. Team Ten & Team Forty will go to the Hidden Frost Village and check with the locals to see if the Seventh Hokage had pass through.

On a different mission, Lady Tsunade had sent out Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy and Mirai Sarutobi to track down Urashiki but not engage unless completely necessary. Then do what they can to rescue Mitsuki before he can do anything worse than what the boy has already endured. Their first destination to look for clues was the Hidden Hotsprings Village. Then we have Sasuke, standing in the entrance of the Hidden Leaf gates. Getting ready to leave and head out to the Land of Waves when he heard someone familiar call out to him.

Sasuke POV

Upon turning around, I was met with Kiba shouting after me and Shino following close behind him. Along with his old Ninken, as well as on further observation, a smaller red dog was also following close to his heel. "Hey man, you didn't think we were just gonna let you leave without us, did you" Kiba asked smirking. "Lady Tsunade told us what you were planning, the academy is currently closed so I won't be teaching for awhile and well, Naruto is my friend as well and I want to help in the search for him" Shino stated. "Yeah and not to doubt your skills but you're gonna have a hell of a lot easier time with me by your side, Akemaru here is still in training so this would knock out two birds with one stone for me" Kiba explained. I looked over at Akamaru as he panted lightly, seemingly already tired.

Kiba seemed to quickly take notice, "oh don't worry, Akamaru won't be coming along...as much as I'd like to take him with me, I don't want him being in danger if we run into Urashiki, he's not as agile as he used to be" Kiba tried to reassure me. "So you're bringing the pup instead" I asked, "he may be a bit shy but he's a good tracker, I'm sure he's gonna be helpful in our search for Naruto" Kiba stated. I didn't push any further on the subject, the more we talk the quicker the trail gets colder. I turned my back to him when he put his hand on my shoulder. "Hey Sasuke, remember this isn't a solo mission....you can depend on us.....we will find Naruto..." Kiba promised. Letting out a breath, I guess in a way, I needed that reassurance as I relaxed my tense muscles.

I just couldn't help but worry about what kinda trouble Naruto might be facing alone. Couldn't help wondering why he left alone, why he ran without telling anyone, not Hinata, not even me. I could only wonder what could be going on in that idiot's mind. In search for those answers, we went to the Land of Waves, Akamaru being the only one left behind as we set out. On are arrival to the Land of Waves, we crossed the Great Naruto Bridge, I faintly looked up at the sign that displayed its name before crossing. I was hit with a bit nostalgia crossing that bridge, remembering the older days, it isn't as misty anymore.

Once we made it to the village, we looked around and talked to the locals to see if anyone had seen Naruto. They either didn't see Naruto or said the same thing, saying that Naruto left their village that morning. None however knew where he was going or where he might've been heading too. That's when one of the men had walked up to us, "is that you, Sasuke" the man asked. "Who are you" I deflected the question to push my own, "Inari, I don't blame you for not remembering, I haven't heard much about you either after the war" he answered. After observing the man a little longer, I quickly recognized the boy.

"Oh right, you're the bratty runt we helped back in the day" I stated blatantly. "Seeing both you and Naruto in one day can't be good" Inari stated absentmindedly. We all perked up at the mention of Naruto's name, "you've seen Naruto" I questioned. "Yeah, what's it to you..." Inari said dismissively, "okay, let's cut to the chase, Naruto's in danger and we need to find him, do you know where he went" Kiba cut into the conversation. "Anything can be helpful" Shino spoke up, "I found Naruto collapsed on our bridge last night, he passed out from exhaustion on his way here but...I'm worried, I didn't want to say anything but Naruto seemed to be noticeably ill when he got here and when he left this morning" Inari explained. I almost wince at the thought of him leaving while sick, his collapse two weeks ago was already strange enough.

"He didn't tell me where he was going but I did see him heading somewhere north of here" Inari told us. "North, heading north of here would be the Land of Hotsprings, we need to go now if we wanna catch up with him" I thought out loud. "Well what are we waiting for, let's go" Kiba shouted, so we left to pursue Naruto on foot. As difficult as the mission seemed, catching up to him might not be as hard as they once thought.

Naruto POV

I panted heavily as I sat down in this small crevice I found surrounded by vines and soft mossy rocks with some leaky rocks off to the side dripping from the ceiling. Just my luck that my feet decided to start swelling up. I ended up cutting my leg on some sharp rocks when I slipped on some mud. Even got some cuts on my hands from trying to stop myself from slipping. I used the wrapping from the bento boxes as a substitute for having no bandages on hand. Damn it, I didn't think this through, I'm so underprepared, what am I doing to myself.

I can't do this alone, what the hell was I thinking, I began to weep uncontrollably. What the hell am I even doing, I can barely take care of myself alone, why did I think this was a good idea. I glanced over at the little puddle of water surrounding by small rocks all over this place. It looked clean enough so I slowly put my hands in the lukewarm water. Trying my best to clean off the cuts and scraps from my hands. While doing so I ended up staring at my wobbly reflection in the water.

Even with tears in my eyes, one thing was clear to me. I'm not fit to be a parent, I can barely take care of my own children and I'm too scare to know what the other two think of me now. Boruto is right, I'm a sorry excuse for a father, I shouldn't even be called one. Sasuke has always been the one to take care of the twins when my children with Hinata were born. I couldn't see them as much, then when I became Hokage, I could barely see either. Hinata was the one taking care of Boruto and Himawari.

I leaned back against the mossy rocks, how could I take care of you. I thought as I put my scraped hand on the small bulge on my abdomen.