History: Out Of Order
Part 2

The sweet summer wind swept across the land, leaping up and down over hills and eventually dove down into the small town below. The lone ninja on the hill held his black bangs from his matching onyx eyes, watching the city below. Naruto's spies had only taken three days to track him down this time, Sasuke thought, barely enough to fetch his supplies and relax for a small time. The shinobi stood, hefting his pack. This game of hide and seek was becoming vexing. Didn't Naruto know he simply wanted to be alone? Surely Konoha's finest had something better to do than keep tabs on one of the Hokage's ex-teammates? Like keep tabs on Sakura, for example. Giving a disgruntled growl, the blue-garbed ninja set off towards the east. He had just wanted some time alone at first time to sort out what had happened to the village while he had gone. But time stretched to months, and when Konoha agents had caught up with him and questioned what he wanted, he knew what he was going to answer. Tsunade had been Hokage then, the Uchiha thought as he entered the patched shade of the trees. She was more sympathetic than most when he returned to Konoha and he was grateful for this. But Sakura... Snorting gruffly, Sasuke lengthened his stride through the underbrush. Now that Sakura was gone, Sasuke didn't have any reason to go back. He was a wandering ninja now; he still owed alliance to Konoha, but there was no reason to stay in a village where people distrusted him automatically. But Naruto just couldn't leave him alone. The ninja trudged up the next hill, leaning heavily on the traveler's staff he had created. He didn't particularly want to talk to the Hokage. Not that he wouldn't mind having to, but it was something he would avoid if possible. There was simply nothing he wanted to say. Reaching the top of the hill, Sasuke looked down on the town he had left and suddenly felt very tired. It wasn't that he had traveled very far, but the weight in his mind suddenly seemed like a wet sandbag over his head. The feeling was strange, but he felt as though he had known it before. He wondered what it was as he stared down at the village until he realized what he was feeling. It was loneliness. The man was startled. He knew he was alone, but he never thought he would be lonely. He had always though he would be able to return to Sakura... He cut this thought off with an angry bite to his thumb. Performing the Kuchiyose hand seals with more vehemence than usual, the Uchiha dropped like a stone as he slammed his hands into the ground. A large puff of smoke and one of his serpents lifted its alabaster head from its coils.
"Come on, Orochimaru." He muttered, letting the snake named for his master twine up his arm and gently circle his neck and shoulder. "Let's get out of here."