Healing

Passion

The next morning, they all packed up and headed out in nearly dead silence. It would have been dead silent if it wasn't for Kaii consistent efforts to make small talk with everyone, particularly Sakura. Against his wishes, this bugged Sasuke. Despite his... whatever emotion this was...he didn't enjoy Kaii near her.

As they bounded through the trees, Naruto finally spoke up. "We're nearing her. I can finally sense something."

Sasuke felt himself tense. These were the most emotions he had felt in weeks due to the treatments. He inwardly wished he could ask Sakura could block his pathways again so he could kill her more easily. She wouldn't, he sighed. It would be too unethical. This jutsu was to help people not create killing machines.

Within moments, the forest ended and a grassland appeared. In the distance, there was a village. Everyone broke into a run as soon as it was noticed. Upon arrival, they slowed.

"She's not here anymore." Naruto announced

"But she just left," Ino noted as she began to inspect the houses for wounded. As they broke up, the scene was just as abysmal fresh as it was days after. There was still no sign of life. Naomi seemed quite capable of doing the job well and leaving next to no witnesses.

Sakura stopped as she left a house near the edge of the village. There was blood smeared on the side of building. Upon further inspection, she realized it was resembling a compass. There were several smears near the north-east section. She beckoned for everyone to join her.

"She's heading northeast. She knows were following her."

They broke, almost immediately. Heading northeast.

"There should be a village less than ten miles from here," Kai announced.

Sasuke noted his demeanor was different. He felt a power from the strange, exceedingly average man. He could respect it, maybe there was a reason Sakura had found an interest in him other the fact he was nice. His likeness of the man quickly diminished as she noticed Sakura glancing at Kaii with a look. He knew that look all too well, she liked when he was like this too.

Sasuke shook off those feelings. That was more than enough, he was about to have a kill someone and he was busy being concerned about his love life. How far had he fallen?

Within less than an hour, Naruto came to a dead halt. Since he was the sensory nin in their formation, everyone stopped just as suddenly.

Naruto turned to his right and stopped. "She is right in those trees."

And yes, yes she was. A pink haired kunoichi came out and walked the twenty or so feet to be near them. She tilted her head to the side, smiling eerily. She did look a lot like Sakura, everyone could not fail to note. If it wasn't for her demeanor and lavender eyes, they could honestly be twins.

"So Sasuke-kun, this is who I was made after? I have to say, I'm prettier."

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he felt Sakura looking at him. Naomi was modeled after her? Sakura couldn't help but inquire to herself. Why her? Sure, they were teammates, but Sasuke had never been to sentimental. Yet there he was, tenser than she'd seen ever seen him.

"Silence is any an interesting noise considering there are five of you," she teased. Her teasingly creepy demeanor suddenly became more sinister.

"Do you want to know how many lives I had to destroy because you found me? Your skills have diminished greatly."

Naruto angrily went to lunge but he was met with Sasuke's arm in front of him. "She's mine," Sasuke hissed. The words made Sakura cringe, especially considering the resemblance.