The Path To Darkness (Book Two of The Choice of an Uchiha)

The War

~Sasuke~

"You can only use that move twice, so make sure your careful when you use it." Kakashi warned as we made our way back to camp.

It had almost been a full month since he took me out of the hospital so I could train for my match with Gaara of the sand, and I felt as strong as ever.

I nodded to my Sensei, showing that I understood his warning. He continued "Why don't we call it a night, we will pick it up again in the morning."

"Fine.." I responded. As Kakashi set up the fire, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I didn't see much except for a form, a familiar one at that. I turned to face my Sensei.

"Alai is here."

When he heard my statement he stood up quickly and left the camp without a word. "Could have at least finished the fire." I mumbled to myself angrily, making the hand sign for my fire release jutsu. Once I got the fire caught onto the logs I saw a shadow appear. Alai was standing at the other side of the clearing, waving and smiling. I noticed that her hair was now short and colored blonde.

'Why would she dye her hair?' I wondered while her footsteps echoed throughout the clearing, meaning she was coming closer to me. When she sat down I took the opportunity to say something.

"What do you want?" She never answered me, just sat down next to me and looked at me. "I'm busy." Instead of saying something like she normally would, she lifted her hand to cover her mouth and laughed silently. She shook her head slightly before standing up.

She walked behind me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Get off me." I demanded instantly, she listened but she was still silent. When she didn't take her place back next to me I turned to see what else she was up to. She was walking to the trees, away from me. I couldn't help saying "Alai..." in a slight whisper.

It must have been loud enough because she turned to face me again, smiling with her head turned to the side. I heard a sudden noise from my left, and before I could even turn to react to it, Alai jumped into the trees and disappeared.

It was then that I had noticed that Alai had placed a necklace around my neck. The cold pendant that rested on my skin was familiar to me, I had seen it before. In fact I had used to own it, but I thought I had lost it years ago. It was the Uchiha clan symbol on a small and simple black chain.

"What was that?" I heard Kakashi ask as he walked up to me. I quickly hid the necklace and turned to my Sensei. "You just missed her, she didn't even talk."

Kakashi froze.

"You saw her?"

"She was right here, Sakura must have sent her to come find me or something, or maybe she wanted to cause trouble."

There was silence for a moment before my teacher spoke again. "You don't know..."

"Know what?"

"Alai left Konoha, the night Orochimaru bit you is the last night anyone's seen her."

'Alai is gone? How come no one told me?' I thought about my idiot teammates and cursed them, 'Naruto probably didn't even notice yet, and Sakura...'

I didn't even want to think about it. Instead I thought rationally.

"And no one is looking for her? What about you?"

"She is safe with Kalen and Nema."

'Those two again, so Kakashi-Sensei got left behind.' But that was when something hit me.

"They weren't with her, she did look different though."

"Different? How so?"

"She didn't speak, and her hair, it was short and blonde."