The Perils of Dimension Hopping | A Naruto/LOTR Crossover

Chapter Two: Disagreements and Fights

She lost count of the amount of screaming they both did at each other, determined not to be the losers of their little shouting match in the middle of nowhere. They were lost, cold, and they both had tempers to match. When it all boiled down, Sakura had no desire to wander around with Madara – the man behind the war her shishou and the other kage were desperately trying to stop – and Madara had no desire to put up with all her complaints or her snarky little comments about his methods and motivations for his grand scheme.

"Sure thing, Mr-I-Want-Peace-So-I-Started-A-War," Sakura growled, squirming frantically from her position tucked under his armpit. "What kind of twisted logic was that?"

"You're naïve," he spat back, trudging through yet more unknown shrubbery, heedless of her writhing. "The Infinite Tsukuyomi is the only path to true peace. It's hardly my fault if all of you can't see that. You're all blind to the truth."

"And you're somehow the only one who can see it?" She scoffed. "If that's not the infamous Uchiha arrogance, I don't know what is!"

"I'm doing what's necessary—"

"No. You're doing what you think is necessary—"

"Shut up already, brat," Madara hissed. "There's no point in arguing about this until I get back and save the shinobi world once and for all."

"Sure, because trapping the entire world – most of whom don't believe in your stupid idea of peace – in a giant genjutsu is totally saving it," she said, rolling her eyes. He was even more stupid and bull-headed than Sasuke and considering said Uchiha had run off with a paedophile of a snake who'd given him a cursed hickey just for that reason... well, it definitely spoke volumes about his intelligence levels. "You're an idiot."

"Quiet," Madara spoke, command rolling off from his bell-like voice that rang through the air all around them. "I spent years in that cave thinking things through. Seventy odd years consolidating my plans and putting them into action. If you'd lived as long as I did, you'd understand better... you're not like that idiot friend of yours... you'd be smart enough to realise the truth, even if it took you a hundred years or so."

"What the hell is your fixation on this truth?" she grumbled, ignoring the odd backhanded compliment... or whatever the hell that actually was. "I don't understand you at all. You talk as if you're the only one who's ever thought about a lasting peace!" She glared up at him mulishly. "Don't you think that's I don't know... a bit arrogant?" Green clashed with cold dark grey, and Sakura shivered. She could feel the intensity of his stare, and it was nothing like what she'd ever felt before. She could remember everything the trees had ever told her about the man-turned-boy holding her. "What makes you so different from the rest of the world? What makes you so sure of yourself?"

"Enough," he snapped. "We won't talk about this any longer. We're enemies, and as soon as we get back to the battlefield, we'll be fighting each other again. The only reason I'm with you right now is because you're the biggest clue I have in getting myself back to where I need to be. This is a temporary alliance. One of convenience. Nothing more. So just shut up and stop trying to talk me out of saving the world. Don't think I won't kill you if you get in my way once we return."

Sakura laughed bitterly. "And you're supposed to be the saviour of the shinobi world... You're nothing more than a bloodthirsty warmonger seeking revenge for Izuna."

She felt him stiffen at the name, it was impossible not to, considering he was carrying her. "And how," he began slowly, voice as cold as ice, "do you know that name?" he asked, stopping in his walking, glaring at her sharply as he set her down in front of him. His grip on her wrist was iron tight, face set in barely concealed fury and hurt.