AlexandriteSky: Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. I am alive and have posted another update! I hope to update my other fics sometime soon as well - thank you to all who are still with me and endure my long periods of absence! Like always I am terribly sorry for how long it has been taking me to put out new chapters; as we all know, life is a bitch - one that likes to kick my ass, at that. Without further ado, enjoy!

"Rise and shine, ladies and gents! Up and at 'em, we've got a long day ahead of us!"

Sasuke's eyes shot open as his hand reflexively went for his sword, his hand clenching the hilt tightly until the shadow of Naruto's figure slowly became clear. At his side Sakura stirred similarly, and together the two of them blinked away the sleep from their eyes while the blonde grinned widely at them from across the room.

"Where's Kakashi?" Sakura inquired drowsily, glancing around the room.

"He's out at the markets picking up a few things I asked for. Until he gets back, why don't you guys help yourself to some grub?" the blonde motioned towards some bread and cheese that had been laid out on top of the drawer.

Sakura responded to his invitation eagerly – Sasuke was more hesitant to do so. Now that he was alert, the events of the night prior were beginning to seep back, as were the terms he and Naruto had left off on.

Naruto seemed to notice his hesitation, head cocking to the side.

"Not hungry, bastard?" he asked with an innocent grin, sapphire eyes glinting with unspoken challenge.

Sasuke's jaw clenched before he determinedly crossed the room, scarfing down his portion while Sakura glanced in between the two of them curiously.

Fine. The raven-haired male resolved. If the other male was going to pretend like nothing had happened, then so would he.

"Will you be holding me instead?"

The portion he had just swallowed seemed to stick to his throat.

Naruto looked as if had something more to say, but his attentions were drawn elsewhere as light footsteps announced Kakashi's approach. The silver-haired man had the capability of moving soundlessly, but the last time he had appeared unannounced Sasuke's sword had found his neck the moment he opened the door, making for a rather unpleasant experience.

"I'm ba-ack!" the man sang, stepping in with a few bags balanced in his hands.

Naruto scowled. "What's the deal, old man?" he demanded crankily. "You left hours ago!"

"Oh?" Kakashi's one visible eye crinkled upwards. "I apologize for my tardiness, but it couldn't be helped you see – on my way back I was overcome with a peculiar emotion, one of true enlightenment; thus, I bore the burden of using that fleeting moment of clarity to explore the disconnectedness of my secular and spiritual life. Time was but a fleeting illusion as I made my transcendent journey."

A vein appeared on Naruto's forehead. "…Anybody have any idea what the fuck this guy just said?" he asked, looking to both Sasuke and Sakura.

"Sorry, Naruto – you can ignore his senile ranting." Sakura's brow twitched as she marched forward and knocked the back of Kakashi's head. "He does what he likes and says what he wants to match."

The silver haired male grabbed his smarting skull. "Princess, I'm glad to see that your monstrous strength is as healthy as ever. It defies female limitations altogether." He remarked cheerfully, laughing even as Sakura irately kicking him in the knee.

"Go die, miserable geezer!"

"Did you get everything I asked for?" Naruto asked with a sweat drop, taking pity on the man who had suddenly assumed the role of royal punching bag.

Curiosity halted Sakura's blows as Kakashi straitened.

"Of course!" he chirped. He dropped the bags and opened them to reveal provisions, a couple rolls of bandages and one conspicuous black wig, the latter of which was retrieved by Sasuke suspiciously. It was short in length and in the style appropriate for a young adolescent male.

"This is…" he held it up questioningly.

"For the princess, obviously." Naruto replied with a roll of his eyes. "Unless you have suddenly found yourself in dire need of a change in hairstyle?"

"The only thing I find myself in need of is bearable company." Sasuke muttered, ignoring the blonde's indignant 'Hey!'. "And these?" he continued, motioning towards the dressings. They already possessed an adequate amount in their bags – it seemed superfluous to carry more.

Naruto shifted. "Why don't I let the more bearable company explain." He sulked, crossing his arms.

Kakashi glanced in between the two, trying his hardest to restrain an amused smirk as tension crackled in the air.

At least Sasuke wasn't reaching for his sword yet. The older male took this as a sign of improvement.

"These are for you as well, my dear." He addressed Sakura, who's eyes widened curiously. "I'm afraid we will have to employ even more caution than usual when traveling within the boundaries of Tonika Village. Unfortunately, changing your hair will not be enough to successfully stave off all suspicion – the shape and color of your eyes will be enough for any skilled mercenary to identify you."

The girl's lips parted. "So I'll be…?"

"Starting from today, you are Sasuke's cute younger brother, blind and few of words." The blonde finished with a flash of his usual charm. "It was the best Kakashi and I could come up with."

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged glances.

"So I'll be wrapping these around my eyes?" she questioned, fingers ghosting over the bandages. "But then, I really will be blind."

"All the more convincing." Naruto beamed. At his side, Sasuke bristled.

"This seems dangerous." The raven-haired male scowled. He didn't like the idea of Sakura of wandering around practically blindfolded. She would be put in extreme risk should they be forced to separate.

"If you've got any better ideas, please do tell." The blonde snapped, crossing his arms impatiently. "And keep in mind that this is an entire village that makes its living off of capturing people like you. One slip up and we're dancing in the middle of the frying pan."

"What about going around, then?" Sasuke took a step forward threateningly.

Naruto was unfazed. "Tonika Village has scouts set up all around its borders to catch people stupid enough to try to sneak by." He answered. "Think about it. What's the only kind of people that would want to avoid a city full of bounty hunters?"

The question hung in the air like a dark cloud.

"People with bounties on their heads." Sakura answered in a small voice. "Like me."

Sapphire eyes softened as Naruto glanced in her direction. "Yup." He nodded. "Plus, the village is bordered by a mountain on one side making it impossible to cross in that direction – in order to completely bypass its borders on the other, we'd have to add another few weeks onto our journey – and that's something we lack the time and necessary resources for."

Begrudgingly, Sasuke was forced to accept the situation though he did so with a glare.

"And you?" he spoke suddenly.

Confused sapphire turned to him. "What about me?" Naruto asked blithely.

"How can we be certain that you won't turn us in?" Sasuke demanded. "Seems to me like this would be a prime opportunity to do so."

"Sasuke-" Sakura protested before being cut off by a firm gaze.

"No, Sakura." The raven-haired male replied darkly. "I'm not taking any chances."

The room grew deathly silent as the two males stared at each other, Sakura shifting nervously at the side. Kakashi leaned against the wall towards the back, his one visible eye expressing no intention to intervene.

Kakashi liked the blonde male, he really did.

But his first and only priority was to get his princess to Byakugan City alive.

Naruto's countenance was one of surprise, and then sheepishness as he scratched behind his head under Sasuke's piercing stare.

"I don't really know what to say." He admitted at last, cocking his head to the side. "I have absolutely no intention of betraying you, but there's nothing I can do to prove it. The only thing I can tell you is that you're going to have to take a leap of faith."

Sasuke released a low, guttural snarl. "That's not good enough."

"It's going to have to be." Naruto replied flatly. "Because honestly, you don't really have any other choice."

Tumultuous waves of sapphire warred with swirling obsidian, neither side yielding to the other. It wasn't until Kakashi spoke that the two males tore their gazes apart.

"He's right, Sasuke." The silver-haired male stated. "And you know it."

The raven-haired male snorted but turned away as Naruto looked after him with a slight frown.

The remainder of the hour was spent packing what little possessions the group possessed and preparing for the trip ahead, the morning's confrontation hanging heavily overhead. Sakura and Kakashi exchanged the occasional word while Sasuke wordlessly cleaned his sword, and Naruto remained in uncharacteristic silence as he examined his maps.

Finally, it was time to set out.

Sasuke exited the room first with Sakura following close behind. Kakashi waited until the two were out of the room before grabbing Naruto's arm, motioning for the other to hang back.

The older male didn't waste any time in getting to the point.

"You are right. We have no choice but to believe in you."

His grip tightened and the blonde winced.

"But know that if you betray us, Sasuke will gut you alive in the most excruciatingly painful way possible."

Kakashi's gaze threatened to set the other aflame with its intensity.

"And more importantly, I won't stop him."

A moment later, Naruto was released. The silver-haired male shot him one last pointed look before leaving to catch up with the others, leaving the blonde alone with his thoughts in the deserted room.

Nature itself seemed to grow silent as the group traveled farther and farther away from Hacho City. The playful breeze that had accompanied them thus far retreated and the earth seemed to still. Not even the creatures of the forest dared to move, though their gaze remained ever present.

"I don't like this place." Sakura whispered, glancing around anxiously. Sasuke rested a comforting hand on her shoulder, which she leaned into.

"I hate to say this," Naruto spoke up. "But things are about to get worse."

The raven-haired male stiffened. "How so?" he demanded coldly.

The blonde shot him an annoyed glance.

"That, my dear knight of ice and gloom, is the Statue of Hachiman, Lord of War." he pointed into the distance, ignoring Sasuke's warning growl. "It marks the outskirts of Tonika Village – meaning that from thereon, our princess becomes fair game."

"Oh." Sakura paled.

Naruto shot her a sympathetic look. "This is where you must disappear, Your Highness." He said kindly. "Going any further as you are would be too dangerous."

The pink-haired female glanced at the items Kakashi retrieved from their packs and heaved a deep sigh.

"This sucks." She admitted, but did not complain further.

"You're going to have to change into these first." The blonde tossed a pile of clothes, which she caught with a wrinkle of her nose. Examining them, Sakura found the bundle to contain male breeches, a plain white shirt and a brown oversized jacket. She was no stranger to donning a male guise and had done so many times in the past; thus, the girl assessed them with a shrug before distancing herself to change.

"She's a strong one, isn't she." Naruto commented, looking after her.

"Yes." Sasuke allowed.

The blonde peered at him out of the corner of his eye before chuckling. "Well, at least we can agree about something." He stated lightheartedly.

"Hn. You're still an idiot."

Naruto scowled. "If I'm an idiot, what does that say about the people paying the so-called-idiot to keep them alive?"

The only reply he was granted with was a nasty sneer, but the conversation was cut short as Sakura reemerged.

"Alright." She said with false bravado, eyeing the wrappings in Kakashi's hands. "Let's get this over with."

Her brave demeanor was betrayed only by the slight trembling of her hands as the silver-haired male gingerly wrapped the bandages around her eyes and slipped the mop of dark hair into place, and by the time he was done she looked every bit like a prepubescent boy, albeit a pretty one.

"How do I look?" she asked shakily, turning uncertainly in their direction.

Kakashi beamed proudly. "You make a dashing young man, princess." He cooed. "It suits your monstrous strength."

Sakura's face transformed into a deep scowl. "Come here so I can kick you." She commanded, to which the silver-haired male lightly chuckled in reply.

"I reluctantly decline."

The girl's expression darkened. "That's an order, Kakashi!"

"But prin-cess…!" Kakashi wheedled, reflexively grabbing his shin and wincing at previous memories. "You should know that bones weaken with age – I'm not sure how much more abuse mine can take!"

"Even better!"

A rustle of leaves nearby instantly distracted Sasuke from the good-natured bickering, and upon scanning their surroundings he discovered a shadow lurking beyond the foliage.

"Quiet!" he hissed, unsheathing his sword. Sakura and Kakashi obeyed instantly as the raven-haired male launched forward, pushing past the dense barrier of vegetation just in time to see a figure scurrying off into the distance, leaving no trace behind for them to track.

Rage bubbled within him as he kicked a stone away from him with as much strength as he could muster. "Fuck!"

"Sasuke, what-!?" The rest of the group appeared at his side.

"There was somebody watching us. Our cover's been blown." The raven-haired male could hardly believe what he had just allowed to happen.

How could he have been so careless? Especially after what had happened in Konoha?

The group was stunned in silence.

"What do we do now?" Sakura asked helplessly at last, momentarily pushing the bindings up so that she could see.

Kakashi was uncharacteristically somber as he weighed out their options.

"For now, all we can do is turn back and return to Hacho City. There, we can start considering alternative routes." He stated soberly.

But now that they had been exposed, even Hacho City was no longer safe – and everybody knew it.

"Naruto said that there's a way to go around." Sakura said quietly. "We didn't bring enough food, but we can always hunt once we run out."

Kakashi shook his head. "It would take too long." he answered gravely. "We must get to the Roaring Mountains before the end of the season. Winter renders travel through the mountain pass impossible."

"But the only other paths from Hacho City are trade routes." she argued. "We'd have more luck trying not to freeze to death in the mountains than to take those."

As the two continued their heated debate, Sasuke watched as Naruto peered into the distance, sapphire eyes contemplative.

"What are you doing?" The raven-haired male finally snapped, frustrated with the blonde's seeming lack of concern.

The other male turned to look at him. "I'm waiting." He said simply, his reply infuriatingly vague.

"Waiting for what?" Sakura asked curiously, distracted from the conversation she and Kakashi had been sharing.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A scream – raw and filled with terror – sounded in the distance, and the blonde gave his companions a wry grin.

"That." he replied before setting off in its direction.