OVA 6: The Cross Roads

Sora: Yay the first OVA!! I like this one, it gives me the chance to make Sachi be a creeper again.

Sachi: Hey!

Sasuke: You know you like it really, baka -.-

Sachi: ...shut up Mr Teddy bear boxers!

Sasuke: (///A///) SHUTUUPPP!!!

Sora: lol. Well, aaaanyways, Sakura will not be featuring in this chapter, Sachi will be filling her spot instead (if you have seen this OVA you'll get what I mean) since Sakura is bed-ridden at the moment.

Sakura: What are you talking about, I'm fine- *is grabbed and thrown out of nearest window by Sora*

Sora: OHMYGOSH SAKURA ARE YOU OKAY?!?! :O

Sachi+Sasuke: ._.'

Sora: Well, now that that's outta the way, on with the show!!! :3

Sakura: Owww...

- - -

I folded my legs as I sat on the windowsill in the dark room, leaning back against the window pane. I doodled absently in my sketchbook, taking a break from sketching.

I had been here for about an hour. It was around half five in the morning, but still dark because it was Winter. I had to go meet squad seven in half an hour for a mission.

Sasuke suddenly sat up in his bed with a gasp, his hand going to his neck over the bandage where senbon had been, breathing heavily.

"Did you have a bad dream, Sasuke?" I asked, and Sasuke's head snapped to me.

"Sachi?! What the hell are you doing in my house while I'm sleeping?!" he yelled, leaping out of his bed. I shrugged.

"Payback, mostly." I said indifferently, "That, and I was bored. You're amusing when you sleep."

"And you would know that how?!" Sasuke seemed freaked.

"I sometimes couldn't sleep while we were in the Land of Waves." I explained, folding my arms behind my head, "Also, you should get central heating. It's freezing in here!!" I shivered, then shook my head. "But anyway, you better start getting dressed. We've got to leave for a new mission soon."

I then turned and opened the window that I had been sitting in front of (and had come in through) and started to leave, before turning and flashing a grin back at him.

"By the way, you might need to fix your window..." I said, scratching my cheek, "I'm not very good at picking locks..."

The Uchiha just yelled at me wordlessly in annoyance, and I ducked out of the window just in time to avoid a candle to the face. I just laughed, running to the place where we were to meet the others.

Within half an hour, Sasuke reappeared, glaring at me then leaning against the railing of the bridge with a scowl.

"Aw, come on, don't be mad!" I said teasingly, "Sasuke-chan."

He just growled at me, then continued scowling at the floor.

"Sachi-chan!! Ohayo, dattebayo!!" Naruto yelled at me, and I grinned.

"Ohayo Naruto-kun!!" I yelled back. "Now we're just waiting for Sakura-baka and Kakashi-baka!!"

"What was that?" a shadow loomed over me.

"Naruto!! Why did you call sensei a baka?!" I reprimanded the stuttering blonde, then clambered up and patted Kakashi's cheek, "Can't you see how awesome and manly he is?"

"But I- you- Sachi-chan!!" Naruto stammered.

"That's what I thought you said." Kakashi said, narrowing his eyes at me. I shrugged and giggled, and he just grabbed my ankle to pull me off of his back, then dropped me on my head on the floor.

I sat up, and rubbed my sore head, "Owww... And you people wonder why I have brain damage. 'Blame the Dandelions!' Sheila said, 'the chemicals are effecting her brain!' but no! It's you people dropping me on my head!!" I took a deep breath, ignoring the 'Who the fudgemuffin is Sheila?' looks, and asked, "So, Sensei, you're early today? What happened?"

The first reply I recieved was a punch to the head. The second was, "I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep... so, here I am." Kakashi eyed our group then nodded, "We're all here."

"Matte, matte!! Sakura-chan's not here!!" Naruto exclaimed, and I grimaced. Who cares? It's not like we needed her. If we wanted someone who would complain constantly and flirt with Sasuke all the time then we'd bring the lovechild of Ino-onee-chan and that lazy guy, Nara Shikamaru. Who, I might add, is perfect for my sister!!

"Shut up, Dobe." obviously Sasuke shared my opinion.

-Gen POV-

"Actually, Sakura's in the hospital. She was thrown out of a third storey window by a mysterious force, and is now recovering from a fractured leg." the Genin blinked at their sensei, then two of the three seemed to cheer up because of this news.

"Yay!! No Sakura-baka!! Thank you mysterious force!!" Sachi cried. Sasuke said nothing, but smirked faintly. The only one that looked remotely upset was Naruto.

Sachi's celebration was cut short by Kakashi clearing his throat and giving her a disapproving look.

"Oh... I mean, oh no, I hope Forehe- Sakura's okay, darn you mysterious force." but the words were half-hearted. Sachi's grin immediately returned with her excitement, "So, so? What's our mission today? A good one, I hope!!"

Kakashi couldn't help but smile at the youngest member of his squad, then replied, "We're to search for a missing man. His name is Genmai, and he went missing from the Inaho village a few days ago. He hasn't returned yet, so we have been hired to find him."

Naruto and Sachi turned to each other in excitement.

"Finding a missing person!!" Sachi exclaimed.

"Sounds cool, 'ttebayo!!" Naruto yelled. They then both turned to Kakashi.

"Which way, Sensei?!" they demanded together, with mile-wide grins.

"We'll find this Genmai person in double-quick time, dattebayo!!" Naruto grinned, and Kakashi and Sasuke sighed.

"I'm not going to point you in a direction, you'll just have to follow. Calm down." Kakashi said tiredly, "This'll only take until about tonight, so we don't need to take anything with us. Therefore we'll be leaving right now, so come on."

They all started to walk, soon exiting the village and becoming submerged in deep forest.

"It's quite a long walk, so we'll take a short break half way." Kakashi informed, and the Genin nodded.

"So, Naruto." Sachi said in a mock-deep voice, quite difficult considering her actual voice was a high-pitched soprano, "What shall we do on this mission?"

"I don't know, Sachiko. I think that we should swing from the trees like gorillas on Crystal Meth." Naruto replied in an also deep voice.

"But I do not believe I have any on me," Sachi then turned to Sasuke, "Sasuke my dear, do you perhaps have on you some Crystal Meth?"

"You may have it back once we are finished with it." Naruto added. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Idiots." Sachi frowned at him.

"Don't scorn it, Sasuke darling, we are the life of the party." Sachi still spoke in the deep voice. Naruto placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Do not fret, Sachiko darling, he is just jealous because we are that much more intelligent than he is." Naruto said in a snobbish voice.

"Quite, quite." The kunoichi had a hard time not laughing, "Sasuke my dear, you should not push away friends. After all, friends are like potatoes." Sasuke waited for the girl to continue, half expecting her to come out with one of her random outbursts of intelligence, "When you eat them, they die."

Sasuke sweatdropped; had he really been waiting for her to say something clever? Naruto, however, was unable to hold it, and burst out laughing.

The rest of the journey until the half way point passed quickly. "Right guys, we'll stop here." Kakashi said, "I'm going to scope ahead. You three stay put."

Sachi pulled a water bottle from her leg pouch and took a long drink, then put it away and walked over to Sasuke. "Y'know, you should smile more." Sasuke blinked up at the earnest blonde, and she smiled, "You're cute when you smile."

A dark red colour painted the Uchiha's cheeks, and he turned his head away.

"Baka..." he muttered gruffly, and Sachi just grinned, ruffling his hair, then walking away to swing from a low branch of a tree while the other two got their energy back.

Without warning, two ninja with no headbands flew out of the trees, aiming weapons at the two boys. Naruto grunted in surprise and ducked under the katana as it slashed at him, while Sasuke parried the blow with a kunai. There was a metallic 'shing' as the Sharingan started to glow in his eyes, and he kicked the ninja hard in the stomach. The ninja used his height to his advantage and loomed over Sasuke, using taijutsu that took the Leaf shinobi's full attention.

"Ah!!" a sudden feminine cry tugged at the two boys' ears, and they both turned their heads to see Sachi, her mouth being covered by a large hand, her body restrained by another. She was pulled back into the shadow of some trees and carried away at such a speed that she was soon out of sight, but Sasuke had seen one thing; she was absolutely terrified.

"SACHI-CHAN!!" Naruto yelled, panicked. Sasuke stayed quiet, but regrouped with Naruto urgently.

"We have to get going or they'll get away, come on!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto nodded, and they quickly took to the trees after the unfamiliar ninja.

Sachi, in the mean time, was quaking with fear. The man had carried her high into the trees, and because of the way she was being held, she could see the floor, and she was terrified. Of both the enemy ninja that had her incapacitated by use of ninjutsu, and the distance between her and the ground.

"LET ME GO YOU BASTARDS!!" she screeched, struggling in the grip of the large, muscly one. "LET ME GO OR I'LL CHEW THROUGH YOU GODDAMN MOTHER-FUCKING ARM!!'

The skinny man let out a low whistle, "Wow, she's got a mouth on her!!" he remarked, and Sachi growled.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING YOU LANKY BASTARD?!! I'M GONNA FUCKING CHEW OFF YOUR ARM AND BEAT YOU WITH THE SOGGY END(always LOVED that expression)!! WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH YOU YOU WON'T EVEN REMEMBER YOUR OWN MOTHER-FUCKING NAME!!" she roared angrily, kicking her legs and catching the muscly guy in the back.

"Ouch! She's really pissing me off." he said.

"If she's pissing you off then knock her out, dumbass!" Before Sachi could protest, the world turned black.

Sasuke cursed as the screaming cut out; there went his way of tracking. The two picked up the pace, Sasuke watching the mild trace of chakra that was left in the air.

He had to admit- he couldn't blame the enemy ninja for knocking her out. Sachi could be God damn annoying. But still, he knew, as anger curled his stomach into a tense, tight ball, he would never let that action slide.

-Sachi POV-

As I slowly regained consciousness, I opened my eyes, blinking as they adjusted to the darkness. I was in a dark, empty cave type area, and- I pulled at my arms- I was chained up. Damnit.

"Hey!! Show yourself you dickless fucker!!" I roared- I wasn't kidding around, I was even more furious than when Sakura had tipped that water over me and almost broke my mother's leather necklace- which, by the way, I was wearing at that moment.

"My my, you really do have a dirty mouth. Someone should clean it out with soap." someone said in a gay, Elmo-ish kind of voice. Dang those things are creepy. I shuddered momentarily, reminded of Kakashi's bar of soap. I then looked at the man and started to laugh, swinging my legs where I hung suspended in the air.

He twitched, "What's funny?"

"Y-your, aha, hat thing!!" I spluttered; he was wearing a rather hilarious shark-shaped hat, with the teeth over his forehead so it looked like his face was being swallowed, "That has to be the most ridiculous piece of clothing I've ever seen!!" his taste in clothing was worse than Naruto's!!

He remained silent until I was done laughing, though twitched at random intervals. "Are you quite finished?"

I nodded, punctuating it with a final snort. Silence reigned for about five seconds, before I was mad again.

"What do you want with me?!" I demanded. The man smirked.

"I am Kajika." he said, informative, but not really answering my question. "Do you think your little boyfriend will come after you?"

"Wait, what?!" I asked, anger fading from surprise, "Boyfriend who?!" I kicked my legs, "Ain't nobody got time for daatt (Russell Howard, anyone?)!!"

This response seemed to annoy him somewhat, "He's not your boyfriend?"

I shook my head, "I dunno which one you're talkin' bout, but I am a single pringle. Problem, Leviticus?" dang, I don't even know what I'm saying anymore...

"Darn, we took you on the assumption that you were... fucking information source..." Kajika looked pissed, "Well, he'll still come after you, right?"

"FOR THE LAST TIME!!! I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!!!" I yelled frustratedly.

"Black haired Uchiha guy!!"

I immediately grimaced. "Eeeewwwwww.... you thought he was my boyfriend? No waaayyy, man, he's way too shady. He watched me sleep the other day y'know!"

Kajika slapped his face with the palm of his hand, "Look, will he come after you or not?"

I frowned, "Why did you slap yourself? Didn't it hurt?" I widened my eyes, "Ooooh, are you a masochist?" they narrowed, "SICKO!! Hurting yourself ain't cool, man!!"

"Answer the Goddamn question!!!" he sounded reeaaally pissed now.

"Okay, okay!! No need to get your panties in a knot, jeesh..."

I paused, pursing my lips and swinging my legs thoughtfully, "I dunno. He might be glad to be rid of me," for some reason this realisation gave a pang of hurt in my gut, "But then, he won't have anyone to perv on if I'm not there anymore... dang Shady Uchiha..." I paused again, "But it seems most likely that he will be relieved that I'm gone."

"I can see why..." Kajika muttered, and then said, annoyedly, "So in other words, you are completely useless."

I smiled a retarded smile, "Yup! So you might as well let me go."

A crash and a grunt sounded outside, and a brief grimace crossed my features. The enemy ninja smirked, "Nice try, girlie."

I glared, God damnit! He was so about to release me!!

I coughed and squirmed, and my spine gave a subtle ache. Damnit, the painkillers were wearing off...

"We caught them, boss." the skinny man that had helped capture me said. My eyes widened. No...

"They were no match for us." the robust one said, pushing Naruto and Sasuke along. "Should we tie them up next to the girl, Boss?"

"Sure." Kajika replied. I frowned hard, despairing; why weren't they running?!

Quick as a flash, Kajika whirled and threw two kunai at my teammates.

"No!" I yelled, struggling violently in the chains. But, relief surged through my body as the kunai plunged into the bodies with a 'poof' sound.

"Your feints could use some work." Kajika said smugly, the large man turning into Naruto and the skinny into Sasuke. They glared up at the shark-hat wearing man (LOL), and he just smirked.

Suddenly, Naruto couldn't take it anymore. "Let me handle this guy, Sasuke!" he yelled, "Kage bunshin no jutsu!!" a poof of smoke released several Naruto's, all running at Kajika with various roars of anger. I squirmed even more, ignoring the throb of my back as they were all hit aside with ease.

"Naruto!" I yelled distraughtly, as he skidded to a heavy stop, laying on a rock a few feet back. He was unconscious.

Sasuke gave him a slightly peeved glance as he managed to whirl just in time to stop a kunai from Kajika. The shark-man slashed at Sasuke, but Sasuke jumped backwards to avoid it.

"Our leader ordered me to test your strength." Kajika said, and I frowned. I thought that he was the leader? "And now I can see that you aren't up to much, Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke glared, but realisation struck in his eyes. As Kajika formed hand seals, my stomach twisted into a tight little knot of worry. Sasuke was way out of his depth with this guy. There was something wrong about him, something I didn't like.

"Ice shower jutsu!" he shouted, exploding into torrents of ice needles that all shot at Sasuke at breakneck speed.

My teammate managed to dodge most of them, but a few scraped his skin, just barely. I winced. It was too much like on the bridge with Haku.

Then, Kajika leapt at him, kicking him so hard that the rock he smacked into crumbled. I waited with bated breath for Sasuke to get up, show that he was fine- and he did, much to my relief. But his right arm, his throwing arm, was injured. Even I could see that. So a long distance battle was going to be difficult.

There was no way Sasuke could win this fight. Not on his own. He should get out of here while he still could-

My crimson eyes met his onyx for a split second, and I pulled in a hissing breath through my teeth.

He should get out of here, yes. But would he? No.

I just had to have faith in my comrade to survive this fight. And, from the looks of his expression, he was hatching a plan.

"Dobe!" Sasuke leapt over and lightly kicked the unconscious Naruto. "Dobe, get up!"

Naruto shot up, growling, "Teeemmmeeee..." he cut off as he remembered where he was, and whirled to stare at me worriedly, then glare at Kajika. Sasuke caught his attention before he could lunge again.

They started to speak, lowly, so that Kajika (and therefire me) couldn't hear them. Kajika, seeming highly amused by this, did nothing to stop their plans, even when Naruto set off a load of smoke bombs.

Jeez, what the hell were they doing?! They were already at a disadvantage!! Now they've just blunted one of the main senses, too!

A kunai suddenly whizzed through the fog in the cave, missing Kajika by about a foot. He laughed.

"Got to do better than that." he said smugly. The pattern continued, them throwing, him dodging.

A sixth kunai flew into sight and thunked into the rock that Kajika was standing on.

"I didn't even need to move for that one." Kajika said. Another suddenly sliced the air, whizzing millimetres from my thigh. I sweatdropped.

"Careful guys, that one almost hit me!!" I yelled. The smoke was starting to clear.

"Okay, this game is getting boring." The shark-man stated, and a now visible Sasuke smirked. Naruto was nowhere in sight.

"I agree." Sasuke then jerked his arms outwards.

Metal wires slid and scraped, tightening and restricting Kajika. I stared in surprise.

"You set me up!" he exclaimed angrily.

"Sure did, 'ttebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, drawing our attention, just in time to see, "Taju kage bunshin no jutsu!!"

About a hundred Naruto's appeared, laying into Kajika with fierce vigour. It was about half an hour before he finally stopped, and that was only because he collapsed.

"I guess this is the end, then." Kajika said, still smirking. Sasuke rose his eyebrows.

"He doesn't know his limit." Sasuke said, glancing at Naruto, then back to Kajika, "But you sure talk yourself up a lot."

Kajika just laughed, then convulsed. His head dropped, and vaguely familiar deep purple chakra seeped from his form.

"I commend you on defeating an opponent stronger than yourself, Sasuke-kun..." a hissing voice that I recognised from somewhere said, stunning me into silence. "Although, I am slightly disappointed that you needed help in that victory." Kajika- or what used to be Kajika- looked up at Sasuke with a face I couldn't see from my position. But Sasuke looked shocked.

"W-what?! But, how?! You're different-" Sasuke stammered, then cut himself off, glaring, "Who are you?!"

The new Kajika chuckled, "Until we meet again, Uchiha Sasuke-kun."

Then the body fell flat, crumpling in on itself.

"Look out!!" a new voice yelled. Something grabbed me and carried me to the exit of the cave before the explosion of what had once been Kajika pulled me in.

I was set on my feet in front of Sasuke. I scrutinised him for a moment- he was fine, except for a few cuts and bruises, but looked deeply shaken.

"Sachi, would you mind going outside to watch Naruto for a few minutes?" my rescuer's voice asked. I looked up.

"Kakashi-sensei?" I noted his serious expression, and nodded slowly, "'kay. But if I get kidnapped again, I'm sueing."

I marched outside, where the unconscious Naruto lay on the grass. Aw, damn. That meant he would get carried back by Kakashi-sensei, so I'd have to walk. And I was so tired after being up so early (like dawn) this morning. And my back hurt. And my neck, where that guy knocked me out. Tool.

In fact, I kind of hurt all over. Hanging suspended in a cave by ropes for an hour or more doesn't exactly do wonders for the circulation. I'd never trade places with a bat, that's for sure.

I laid down on the grass next to Naruto, my blonde hair splayed out on the grass. I stared up at the sky, and sighed.

Life for ninjas was so complicated. It sort of made me miss the simpler times, when I was just the bubbly carpenter's daughter.

But still, no use dawdling in the past. It's not coming back, no matter how hard I wish for it.

And tough times in life shape a good person. I remember an old quote my Dad told me once, years ago, whenever I complained about things being too difficult;

'Good timber doesn't grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.'

I smiled faintly. I could even imagine his voice as he said it, deep and rough, like the splintery end of a wooden plank. The complete opposite of my Mother's, which was warm and soft, like a heated feather pillow on a cold night.

I rubbed my stomach lightly as I thought about it, nursing the warm feeling before the unforgiving cold of depression could set in.

"Sachi? What are you doing?" I sat up lazily, the warm feeling growing that bit hotter, spreading to my fingertips and toes. It vaguely dawned on me that the cold should have set by now, but as I grinned at Sasuke, his expression that weird look he gave me when I did something strange, and remembered hugs and crying in the park, pranks, and teddy bear boxers, the warm feeling blazed even hotter than before.

I rubbed my eyes wearily as Kakashi picked up Naruto then shot me a concerned look. I was touched- he usually didn't seem to give a damn.

"Sachi? You look shattered, are you okay?" he asked. I shrugged sleepily.

"Was up since dawn... and hanging in the air didn't help..." I mumbled. Sasuke rose an eyebrow.

"It's your own fault you were up so early, because you were in my room- God knows why." he said. Kakashi eyed us confusedly, but didn't ask.

I shook my head, blearily poking Sasuke in the chest. "No... your fault... payback. You carry me."

Sasuke watched me for a second, then sighed. He -surpisingly- gently picked me up and held me on his bag, for once doing it without arguing or calling me a baka. I guess he's given up. Good on him.

"That man... new Kajika..." I felt Sasuke stiffen as I mumbled against his shirt, my head rested in the crook of his neck, but he kept walking, "Sounded like the tree he/she that made me fall in the Land of Waves..."

Being too drowsy for the conclusion to shock me, I promptly fell asleep, the smell of dirt and slight perspiration that clung to Sasuke from the fight oddly comforting.

- - -

So it's been a while!! Sorry, but my god damn iPod broke AGAIN!!

So, how's the first OVA? :D I've been wanting to write this for aaaaaagessss. Fan, vote, and comment to give feedback!

Next chapter is already typed up, and just needs editing, so will be posted soon! It's the start of the Chunin exam arc!

Also, I posted a new fanfic, called 'Kyoushin'. If you haven't already, please check it out!

Well, nanight for now. I'm tired... zzzzzzZzzzzZZZzzzz