Loyalty (Sasuke Uchiha)

XXXVI: Parting

I froze the second I felt an icy touch on my shoulder.

The blood dropped in pools around me as I tore my gaze from Karin's, whipping around to see who had touched me.

I gasped as an image of a tall, silver haired man with red lines following his eyes down flashed through my mind, as he looked down at me with a heart warming smile.

I collapsed on my knees, feeling my heart ache in discomfort.

A single tear crawled down my cheek.

"Karin!! What the hell did ya do to the princess!"

Suigetsu's voice filled my ears as footsteps came closer.

"Nothing!! She was the one who tried to kill me!!!"

"Wait till Sasuke sees this. You sure will get-"

"Shut up, idiot! She collapsed for no apparent reason!!!" She screamed at him.

A gentle hand was placed on my shoulder as I lifted my head slowly to meet the concerned eyes of Jugo.

"Are you alright, Miyako?" He asked as Suigetsu and Karin continued to argue in the background.

"I don't know." I choked out, as another tear slipped from my eye.

I don't know why I was crying, I don't know why an image of that man flashed through my eyes. It's like he was standing before me, but he wasn't there.

Unless...

Shiroryuu.

I don't know who that man is.

Liar. Why the hell did you show me a random old man?!

I didn't.

I gritted my teeth together in frustration, as Jugo helped me up to my feet.

"You okay, Princess?" Suigetsu asked.

"Sasuke. Where is he?" I asked as I wiped away at the tear, my heart still twisting in discomfort.

"He ordered us to stay while he went to investigate a-"

"I'm going." I said.

"Wait." Karin snapped.

"What now?!"

"I sense a new chakra."

-

"Sasuke!" Suigetsu called out.

He turned his head as he watched us rush to him, stopping a few feet before him.

"I thought I ordered you not to come?"

"Karin sensed a different chakra."

He moved his gaze among us before landing on me, a frown forming on his face.

"You've been crying." He pointed out.

I scowled. "Was it Itachi?" I asked, wanting to change the subject.

Instead, he didn't say anything as he approached us.

"Let's go."

-

I still couldn't shake off the uncomfortable aching in my chest.

We were rushing to the place where Itachi was, but I had stopped on one of the branches, feeling my eyes burn once again. I blinked them rapidly in attempt to clear up my vision, but the burning only grew more irritating.