Kyuubi the Bitch

A.N.  THIS STORY IS NO LONGER MANGA/ANIME COMPLIANT!!!! Okay, there hope everyone got that. So, from here on out it’s my world. ^-^ Also, AlienX, yes I remember you but sadly I have misplaced your E-mail addie so you will need to resend it if you would like me to e-mail you. ^-^ Thank you for Reviewing! ^-^

 

Kyuubi the Bitch

 

Sasuke

 

Chapter 9: Round and Round the Mulberry Bush

 

            The loud explosions rocked the ground and caused dust to cloud the sky as the stench of burning clay made his lungs ache and his open wounds burn. Sasuke was aware that the wounds would have to be cleaned before he could wrap them and that would take more time then he was willing to give. Damn it! Why can’t this nuisance just die?! Sasuke’s eye twitched as blood, dripping down his forehead, ran into it making the world a smear of burning color.

            “I hate to say I told you so, but…” Suigetsu commented from his right, though the words were light it was apparent that he too was pissed as he held his sword a little tighter, eyes following the blonde maniac they were attempting to kill. Sasuke didn’t deem his statement with an answer. He was the leader and he’d made his choice and if they didn’t like it they could just fucking leave! He didn’t need half-assed people on his team or in this mission. On some level he knew that he did need them, but at that moment, he didn’t much care to be rational.

He couldn’t afford to waste time.

            Another explosion had his ears ringing and he slipped slightly letting out a low snarl and cursing the existence of the Akatsuki member. When he managed to knock the fucker from his floating clay bird, he would make sure he died a horrific death. One that would prevent him from ever again mentioning his brother. Perhaps he should have listened to both Karin and Suigetsu when they had stumbled into the irritant, but of course he’d let his damned emotions run him over and they had been drawn into this pointless ordeal, the only upside of which being that it would be one less black robed ass-hole after his dobe.

            Karin let out a sharp cry from somewhere beyond him and Sasuke cursed aloud feeling as he hadn’t in many years; anxious and unsteady.

            “Boss, a strategic retreat might be for the best.” Suigetsu said, once again at his side, and Sasuke spared him a glare before straightening back up. He was willing to admit that he had made a mistake in tangling with Deidara instead of just outright killing him, but he would not run away.

            “If Itachi is such a concern for him, then that means Itachi is stronger. If I can’t take him out, I don’t deserve to even confront my brother.”

            “… whatever happened to good old sneak attacks and assassinations?” Suigetsu sighed but moved back into a defensive position. “I’ll move Karin, you take care of the ‘exploding artist’.” In a moment Sasuke was alone again, left to plot and decide his next move. He was certain he could take the other down he just needed an opening. Concentrating on the other’s movements throughout the battle, the places that the suicidal little clay animals—seriously first Sai and his Ink paintings and now clay figures… was there some art freak out there dealing lessons in this shit or what?—had landed over the last hour, Sasuke was fairly certain he knew where he was positioned.

            His eyes slid shut as he focused on the chakra signal. He knew once the other was grounded he would have to make some quick movements—he had no clue what the other could do or blow up while not in the air, and his fighting style could very well change to suit his environment—but at least he wouldn’t have the smoke to cover him.

            Focusing his chakra to his eyes and waiting Sasuke briefly thought back to the beginning of this mess and berated himself for his pigheadedness.

 

            Karin pulled up short at the long haired blonde that was before them and her attention was snared to the left, following the lead beyond this road block. “His chakra is saturated here; lingering… they must have fought before… but…” She adjusted her glasses and looked around. “Damn it! It turns off back that direction.” Karin indicated to the direction they had just come from and she bit her lip shaking her head.

            “Well, that was helpful.” Suigetsu added, flopping onto his back end his head hanging between his knees. His posture was bored but he was still too taunt to have neglected the Akatsuki member before them. He was simply denying him an existence of any importance at the moment. Sasuke smirked, further inclined to believe his choices had been well made.

            “Shut up!” Karin snapped turning to point an enraged finger at the person they had all but ignored thus far. “It’s his fault for reeking of Itachi’s Chakra! How far up his ass did he have to crawl to get that dowsed is beyond me, and considering he was closer, and that annoying disturbance to normal chakra is still around, I’ve done—“

            Suigetsu yawned and leaned against the tree. “You fucked up, just admit it.”

            Karin was frothing at the mouth when Sasuke saw the blonde chuckle and start into an arrogant speech that he had little patience for. He waited long enough for the other to express his pity over their bad luck, and briefly noticed that he was referring to himself as Deidara before he tuned him out completely.

            “Get up, we’re going.” His words caused Karin to bounce back all batting lashes and smiles, already pointing out the direction they would need to travel in, while Suigetsu flopped and let out a long groan

            “Work, work, work…I think I liked you better when you were doing that inner smile thing after being sexed up…”

            “Sasuke would never—“ Karin reacted predictably and Sasuke rolled his eyes, feeling a fleeting sympathy for Kakashi. If this was how it had been to listen to himself and Naruto bicker day after day while trying to lead them, he was shocked they all hadn’t been killed by the jounin.

            “Where do you think your going?!” Deidara sounded insulted and Sasuke decided that he could damn well stay that way. Luckily, Suigetsu took it upon himself to answer.

            “Uh, away. You aren’t the guy we’re looking for. Be thankful blondie.” He retorted with another shark-like grin. They made it only a few steps before the other began laughing.

            “Itachi? Please that looser isn’t worth the time it takes to track him. He can’t even accomplish such a simple task as retrieving the fox…” there was a pause, and perhaps it was that leading tone that made Sasuke listen, or maybe it was the subtle threat posed to Naruto, in any case, it held his attention. “… or his little brother it would seem. Such a disappointment.”

            “Yeah, well, Sasuke’s hard to kill.” Suigetsu tossed out casually unaware that Sasuke had stilled. The insult to Itachi wasn’t deserved, as it was fairly obvious this man was only suffering from a bruised ego, much as Orochimaru had, after having been beaten by his brother one too many times. Sasuke had no reason to defend Itachi, he didn’t even want to try, but the allusion to his incompetence as well as to Naruto was enough to have registered his concern.

            Deidara was Akatsuki, and the less of them there were, the better off everyone was, but the usefulness of this battle might not be worth the time spent on it. Deidara smiled, seeming to think he’d stopped because of the insult as he continued with it, proving his incompetence. He was unobservant and far too proud to be anything but a slight annoyance. Then again, Sasuke was well aware of how much damage slight annoyances could cause.

Naruto came to mind.

            “You Uchiha’s are all the same. Only able to see your blood limit, but that is all that you have going for you, and it will be your downfall. It is your brother’s weakness and it is yours too.”

            “Damn, what does your brother do to make so many enemies?” Suigetsu asked, scratching the back of his head and Sasuke spared him a glare. Itachi was a murdering fuck, and a betrayer as well, what else did anyone need to hate him? “… I’m starting to think they all have man-crushes on him…”

            Sasuke lifted his eyebrow and turned away again. No, it would not be worth his time to dally with this pathetic excuse for a being, and even if he did prove to have some talent, or by some luck managed to injure any of them, it would not be worth the time wasted to heal them. Not to mention he wasn’t in the mood to be siphoning off Karin’s Chakra at the moment.

            But… that was a very good question. Why was Itachi picking fights within this new team of his? It was almost as though Itachi was doing it purposefully, like he had done back when he’d killed off Shisui. But what was the sense it that? What good did it do to start a fight amongst the ranks?

Unless… he was trying to create a weakness… a break in the structure… as if—Sasuke scowled and shook his head.

            No. Itachi wasn’t some martyr, and he wasn’t holding some other agenda, he was simply being a bastard as he had always been. If he had to deal with irritants like Orochimaru and this freak day after day, Sasuke would see fit to drive them mad too.

            “You going to run away, just like him?”

            “Uh, no, we just don’t have time for recreational fun.” Suigetsu replied once more, and had taken up his spot as the end of their train. “But we’ll be sure to come back to kick your ass after we deal with Sasuke’s brother, okay?”

            “Don’t underestimate me…” The threat was a low growl before the air exploded and the group was thrown forward. Sasuke swung around, beyond irritated with the pest that refused to let him go. Suigetsu gripped his arm when he moved to attack the laughing blonde and shook his head.

            “It’s not worth it, and we both know it.”

            “You know, if you manage to beat me, perhaps I’ll be willing to tell you where it is Itachi should be.” Deidara began casually, messing with his hand and chuckling darkly. “I do keep tabs on him. After all, I will be the one to kill him. But that will be after I have proven his uselessness and have completed his job for him.”

And the battle was assured.

            No one threatened Naruto in front of him and lived to attempted it.

            Sasuke smirked, standing and brushing off the restraining hand to level his eyes on his opponent. “Why not. It might just be entertaining.”

            “Sasuke, wait, we have a lead there’s no reason to—“ Sasuke ignored Karin and she grumbled but turned back around obediently. “It would be better to be a step ahead of him instead of chasing his shadow.”

            Suigetsu let out a breath and then shrugged it off. “Yeah I was getting bored anyway.”

In minutes the ground was erupting and Sasuke was wishing he’d simply used Chidori on the fuck-head when he’d been spouting shit earlier. But that was in hindsight, and did him no real good at the moment.

 

            Sasuke’s eyes snapped open as his instincts twanged with the awareness that his moment had arrived. With a feral grin Sasuke applied chakra to his feet and was instantly moving. Let’s see you block this. Sasuke smirked as he extended the Kusanagi sword up and toward the sorry looking bird that held the idiot aloft. The sudden resistance on the blade told him that his aim was near perfect, feeling something close to joy, he forced his chakra to respond, and soon his chidori was racing up the blade to the bird. The fission in the air ate a hole through the dust and Sasuke met the confused and shocked eyes on Deidara just knowing that his sharingan would haunt the other’s nightmares for life, however short or long that may be.

 

-2-

 

            The room was dark, what little light that tried to climb in through the crack in the door was being snubbed out by blankets and pillows as little hands desperately tried to hold the door shut. Tears tracked down dirtied cheeks as hiccupping coughs escaped each time the door bounced and rattled in his palm.

            “Sasuke!” The voice sounded desperate from behind the fragile separator, and yet he couldn’t let it in. Not the warmth, or the safe feeling it brought. He couldn’t let it get in, because it wasn’t safe here. “Please, come out. Sasuke you need to come out.”

            The child trembled, his fingers numb and pinching into the frame as though he could hold it all at bay. He couldn’t go out. Not now, not when the darkness would return, and that bright light, that soft voice couldn’t stay in the dark. The dark would destroy it too. It was best if he kept it away, if he pushed it out now. If he did that maybe he could save him.

Maybe…

Maybe…

            Something hit his foot in the darkness. The voice on the other side sounded pained now, as though the child out there was crying too, but he couldn’t hear him. He couldn’t hear anything as he glanced down and saw the silver coated roll of duct tape glinting in the faded light.

            Shadows hissed to his sides, and he could feel them crawling over his arms and legs. He knew he should throw the doors open, but he also knew that that would only hurt the other out there. It was selfish and irrational. That was not an option he could take.

            A small trembling hand reached out for the tape as the voice faded, and as the tape screamed out in the darkness—pressing into nooks and cracks to seal out even the smallest scrap of light—the muffled crying of the voice ceased to even echo, until all that remained was the lingering feeling of regret, remorse, and fear.

He just couldn’t go out.

 

-2-

 

            His shirt was missing.

            That was the first thing he noticed when he woke up, and it was what he was choosing to focus on. Not just because he was certain that Karin had something to do with it, and he was now dealing with her shirtless—she was even less reserved than Sakura when it came to her obsession—though that should have been enough to make him want to not think passed the fact that his shirt was missing in action. It also made it easier to ignore the fact that he was stiff and sore from a battle that had been beyond pointless. After having blacked out at the battle’s end from a mediocre opponent—which only served to point out his own incompetence—added to the fact that they had wasted time when they could have been chasing after Itachi, all for information that may or may not be correct, he really didn’t feel like dealing with his own ineptitude.

            Yes, the fact that he was missing his shirt was a far better focal point at the moment. His ego was bruised enough as it was. Suigetsu regarded him silently, and for once, was wise enough to let the whole matter rest, though it was clear from the visible scuff marks and the small bandages that Suigetsu was showing off, let him know that his decision to fight Deidara had not been one of his smarter choices. Probably ranked up there with asking Naruto to bare his children. Sasuke felt a bubble of humor rise in his chest but quickly suppressed it before it could reach his face.

            The outcome had been similar—though far less satisfying—as well.

 

            Sasuke watched him fall with something akin to glee. The inevitable and sudden stop that was quickly approaching would be just as sweet, and Sasuke would have waited to watch—the motions seeming slow to his enhanced vision—just to hear the sound of that blonde head ricocheting off of the ground had he not wanted this tedious battle over with. With a sigh of brief regret, Sasuke used the chakra he’d stored in his feet to launch himself forward to the collision area.

            One move. One swift thrust upward with the Kusanagi and this battle would be over and done with. Sasuke could almost taste the end and his curse seal burned in response to his excitement. It was sick, dark and coiling, but damn if he wasn’t going to relish this.

            Just a shot.

One.

Single.

Shot—

 

            Blood dripping from a deep chest cavity, blue eyes wide and accusing as blood pushed through teeth and lips. His fault. All his fault, always his fault…

 

            Sasuke jerked back and stalled at the last moment as the memory invaded, stalling his blade. No… not like this… never like this… His curse seal ached, unable to open fully due to Kyuubi’s scalding in the Valley of the End, but it was fighting to escape. That only angered him further. To lose control against a weak enemy who had thus far shown no potential aside from his exploding Claymation, was an insult to not only himself but his team as well.

            His stall cost him both his opportunity as well as the pleasing sound of Deidara’s impact. The other was shifting to his feet, his head shaking slightly as though working through a daze, and Sasuke pushed everything to the back recesses of his mind. He only had to beat Deidara enough to get the information on Itachi. Killing him was not his top objective at the moment. Getting information was.

Beating the tar out of him was a perk.

            Again, Sasuke moved, using the sword in hopes of pinning him—painfully—to the ground. Deidara came to his senses at the crucial moment and dodged, his one visible eye wide. “Damn you—“

            “Told you we’d kick your ass.” Suigetsu said from the right, and Deidara had barely looked over his shoulder when Suigetsu’s sword slipped straight through him with a squelching sound. Immediately afterwards a loud popping sound issued and Suigetsu was left with a pale clay doll impaled on the worked steel.

            The pale nin blinked startled and then he was leaning back eyes more than slightly shocked. “Fuck!”

            And the clay doll exploded.

            Sasuke zipped back, flipping twice in midair before landing in a less-than-graceful crouch. The loose dirt slipped under him as he skid leaving soft skid marks in his wake. “Suigetsu.”

            “God-damn it! My sword is all smudged and chaffed now! God damned mother-fucking—“

Suigetsu was fine.

            The boisterous laugh, haughty and filled with ill-felt confidence gave Deidara’s position away. Glancing around, Sasuke was able to see Karin holding her arm where a dark stain was spreading though not rapidly. She was injured but it seemed she was healing herself efficiently. She was almost as good at that as Kabuto was, and he’d often wondered if she wasn’t an experiment Orochimaru was working on in an attempt to make another Kabuto, but that held no purpose here. Jugo was in front of her, his limbs changing form swiftly as he battled away a small clay army, each one as dangerous as the last, and he could only hope this ended before Jugo seriously got annoyed.

            “I told you not to underestimate me!” Deidara’s voice was half crazed and he stood his hands locked in a seal, Sasuke barely had the time to recognize which one it was before huge chunks of earth were levitating from the ground and hurtling at him. “Retsudotensho no Jutsu!” Sasuke made a dive for the ground rolling as debris collided with him and shattered around his form.

            Suigetsu was cursing again, and with the sound of shattering water and the clatter of a sword, he went silent, easily escaping the damage from the earth elemental attack. Damn, he hated earth attacks. They were messy and loud, and often times more irritating than any other. Save wind—which he had a reservation with due to the near death experiences he’d had with it—Sasuke was certain it was his least favorite element.

            “Ha! Your blood limit means nothing! Compared to a real Ninja, someone with true talent, you Uchiha’s are nothing but third rate magicians!” Deidara’s rants were tiring and continually looped back to his brother. Perhaps Suigetsu was right, and Deidara secretly had a crush on Itachi. Really, it wouldn’t be surprising, what with how masochistic this idiot was. “What does He see in Itachi anyway? Why is he given such liberties while I… unless summoned for the Genryu Kyu Fujin… I am unneeded…”

            “Is there a point to your bitching? Or do you just like to hear yourself talk?” Sasuke asked, once more positioned before his assailant. Suigetsu was reforming behind the Akatsuki member, the sword already lifted for a killing blow.

            Deidara glared at him, his face flushing dark with his anger. It seemed to be the perfect shot until Sasuke realized that those hands were busily mashed together. He was already creating another bomb. Sasuke shot his gaze to his advancing teammate in hopes of warning him, but was seconds too late when Deidara spun, slamming his hand into the ground. The impact ignited the explosive and another cloud filled the air along with that excruciating cackle. “Nendo Bushin no jutsu!”

            The words were like a curse and Sasuke was rolling away from the large chakra source before him. The psycho might be a one trick pony, but his one trick was very effective, and he had no desire to tango with the creation. “Suigetsu, take care of the clone.”

            “Oh, sure, give it to me… You know, just for the record, I want to point out that I told you so—“ Suigetsu’s sentence ended on a rising note as the clone attacked with Taijutsu. “Hey, not on a first date, clay-head. I do have some standards…” Suigetsu was grinning again when Sasuke turned away.

            That man seriously wasn’t right in the head.

            Jugo was still defending Karin, whipping around in a disfigured dance that was almost elegant in its grotesqueness. So far it seemed that Deidara wasn’t interested in any of his team, just him. God, his brother was such an ass-hole. Just being related got him into trouble.

            A spike in chakra had him pivoting around and slamming a fist into Deidara’s face, his other hand diverting the fist that was aimed his way. Deidara was smirking, his lips cracked in a crooked smile, eyes alight with a crazed intensity. “You know, if I take you out, Itachi will look the fool. All that remains is to bring in the Kyuubi, and I’ll have the honor of standing by his side when the Red Dawn begins.”

            Sasuke narrowed his eyes, not certain what exactly the lunatic was referring to. It really didn’t matter at the moment, but he filed the words away to mull over them later. “Hn. Too bad.” Sasuke muttered and enacted his full body Chidori.  

            The chirping sounds filled the area and made his flesh warm with the residual static. He’d never admit it aloud, but of all of his attacks the chidori was his favorite not for its power but for the fact that it caused such an adrenalin rush. With his heart pounding and the cold-fire screaming in his ears, Sasuke never felt more alive.

            It was the fact that Deidara wasn’t conducting that saved Sasuke from possibly losing a limb.

            “Jibaku Bushin…” Deidara’s words were quickly followed by his cry to send his art projects flying apart, and Sasuke used the speed he’d perfected in Orochimaru’s lair to work. His scrapes and bruises protested the sudden movement as his equilibrium—messed up due to the loud sounds—made his stomach roll was the world blurred around him. Damn it, he was tired, and his seal was itching in an irritating manner, and he was having trouble with a ninja who really wasn’t worth anyone’s time.

            Where are you… Sasuke mentally snarled, wondering just how many clones the other had managed to make. His eyes burned and ached and he managed to find at least two other clones. One fighting with the tiny clay army against Jugo and the other busy dancing with Suigetsu, who was obviously having too much fun as he practically tap-danced circles around the explosive clone.

            “Enjoying yourself, Sasuke?” Deidara teased, and Sasuke—without a conscious thought—was suddenly behind him, his eyes locking on the chakra signature and his mind willing him there. It was a moment of clarity, one that Sasuke had felt briefly throughout his life. Once in the lad of waves when he awoke the Sharingan, again when he’d figured out the Chidori, and again when he managed to slip passed Orochimaru unheeded and unseen. He’d never questioned how he managed to pull it off, and he didn’t stop to now.

            “Immensely.”

            Deidara didn’t even get the chance to gasp before Sasuke had launched himself at him. Shishi Redan… Sasuke thought, his fists and feet flying in the copied moves of Lee and his Lotus Blossom technique.

            Deidara was thrown up into the air repeatedly being knocked higher and higher up and Sasuke drove him. His fists and feet met flesh with a satisfying impact, and in moments Sasuke was reaching out to grab the other, preparing to slam him headfirst into the ground. He really hadn’t expected the sudden agility shown by the other as he flipped in mid-air, hands reaching out to engage him.

            Sasuke managed to block one with his own hand, but nearly jerked back when teeth scraped against his palm, and the slick slide of a tongue tasted his skin, but he was soon forgetting the awkward feeling, as the other clamped down on the juncture between his neck and shoulder and teeth sunk deep into his flesh. Pain rippled up his spine and Sasuke found himself crying out before he could regain his balance.

            Dark spots danced before his eyes as the teeth dug deeper just inches from his curse seal, deep, thick blood rolling down to soak his white shirt a vivid red.

            “My, my… do all Uchiha’s taste this good?” Deidara asked, his tongue—the one in his head—slipping over his lips in a lewd gesture, and then he ripped his hand straight up.

            Sasuke screamed as a chunk of meat jerked free from his body with the action. The air stung the wound, and Sasuke stumbled, his hand yanking free from the other hand to clamp over the wound. The broken nerve endings fired when dirt encrusted finger smeared through the seeping wound and sunk into the deep divot.

            With a shake of his hand—as though he had touched something slimy—Deidara’s other mouth spat out the chunk of meat onto the ground, the teeth in the palm of that hand grinning and stained with his blood. “Sorry, did that sting?”

            He was going to kill him. That was assured, and when he did the other would no longer be able to speak, let alone mock him. Deidara was gloating when Sasuke attempted to move and his head spun sickeningly sending him to one knee. Blood loss and exhaustion. He’d been pushing his team hard these last few days, it was a mystery they weren’t all dead on their feet. Damn, he really should have thought of that. Should have realized his mistake, it was elementary and pathetic, and he was definitely paying for his stubborn stupidity now.

            “You know, if I didn’t have to listen to Karin’s bitching, this might be funny.” Suigetsu said casually, again interrupting at the crucial moment and drawing Deidara’s attention away from Sasuke with a sharp jerk.

            His eyes searched out his clones, but Sasuke already knew they were both kept busy by Jugo, and if he wanted, Jugo could take the blast head on and come out without a scratch. Deidara was out matched there. Sasuke felt himself smirk, and moved his hands swiftly back to his front and through a series of seals.

            “Yeah, you see, I fucking hate her on a good day, when she’s PMS-ing, well, let’s just say nothing is worth that shit, and Sasuke wounded registers on nuclear warfare levels. So, you can see why I’ll have to kill you now, right?” Suigetsu was doomed to be unanswered as Sasuke finished the final seal and breathed the words in a hiss, so reminiscent of the original owner that Suigetsu actually flinched.

            “Sofuushansen no Tachi.”

            Deidara went rigid, his one eye wide with shocked recognition. His throat bobbed in an obvious attempt to talk, but Sasuke was tired of hearing him and had frozen the vocal chords as well. “Yes, my master was quite useful in the end. Though, like yourself, far too fascinated with my ass of a brother.”

            Suigetsu stepped back, sword swung up on his shoulder looking bored again. His eyes lifted to where the last of the excitement was tapering off and back to the frozen man several times, obviously debating where he wanted to be more. A loud explosion made the decision for him and the other frowned his head hanging low. “Man… this is so disappointing… I was hoping she’d die…”

            “I HEARD THAT YOU FREAK!” Karin’s screech was unnatural and Suigetsu looked up at Sasuke with shocked eyes, tilting his head in her direction.

            “Damn, she must really be part bitch. Her sense of smell and hearing are out of this world…”

            “I’LL RIP YOUR INTESTINES OUT THROUGH YOUR NOSE AND USE THEM TO HANG YOU, YOU—“

            Sasuke stepped forward while Deidara was distracted by the useless banter and—just because he could—drove his sword straight through his shoulder and pushed down until he was pinned to the floor, one of his arms nearly severed.

            His screams ripped free as Sasuke ended the jutsu, and he took a moment to feel vindicated, his shoulder throbbing vindictively. “Well, looks like, I won.”

            Deidara glared up at him, his uninjured arm gripping uselessly at the sword in his shoulder. Blood was staining the ground and coloring his long hair and interesting shade before he finally gave up. Tsugetsu, Jugo and Karin had all formed a semi-circle around him and he was pinned; beaten and broken.

            He bared his teeth as though he thought that might be intimidating and Karin giggled, both arms moving freely about her. She had finished healing herself it would seem. Good, like it or not, he was going to need her help as soon as they were away from this place.

            “Tell us were Itachi is.” Karin sneered, pushing her glasses up her nose regally. “That was the deal, and Sasuke-sama wo—“Her wandering eyes managed to land back on him and more specifically on his large wound. Her mood flipped like a switch and she was yanking the poor bastard further up the blade and she screamed into his face, “YOU SON OF A GUTLESS WHORE! HOW DARE YOU RUIN THE PERFECTION THAT IS MY SASUKE! I’LL TURN YOU INSIDE OUT AND SHIT ON YOUR INSIDES YOU SORRY PIECE OF SHIT!”

            “I told you…” Suigetsu said with a laugh, and Karin dropped Deidara to advance on him once more already gearing up for another fight.

            “And where the fuck were you?! You were supposed to be helping him!”

            “Yeah, well I was busy. Besides, he’s still alive isn’t he?”

            “That is not the point you fucker!!!”

            Sasuke ignored the bickering and pushed more of his weight on the blade getting another pained gasp and glazed, pain-filled glares. “Now, where is Itachi.”

            Deidara spat the words out as though they were the broken fragments of his pride, and they probably were. “Off the coast of Fire Country, closest to the Hidden Mist Village there are sheer cliffs. A river runs between them, and built into the siding is a cave. Itachi was sent there to prepare.”

            “Prepare? For what?” Karin asked, once again calm and curious, her argument with Suigetsu all but forgotten.

            Deidara snarled up at her. “I said I’d tell you where he is. Nothing more.”

            “Those are some tough words coming from the loser we just beat.” Shark-like teeth glinted in the light and Sasuke felt some of his equilibrium return with Suigetsu’s cocky manner.

            “Nothing you do will make me talk.”

            “Ha! Please, we’ve been trying to shut you up for hours!”

            “Hn.” Sasuke agreed with him, but found no reason to say anything more. He knew what the preparations were for. Obviously, whatever event Deidara had been looking forward to was going to be taking place in that cave, and Itachi—the favorite of the leader, if the term ‘He’ was anything to go by—was to get things in order.

Perfect.

            With a hard yank Sasuke removed the Kusanagi from Deidara’s body. The squelching sound was nearly drowned out by the agonized cry and when the tip fell free, Deidara rolled to his side, his hand gripping the wound, his whole body shielding it from them. Shasuke shuddered inside thinking about how that tongue bust be literally licking the wound.

            Sheathing the weapon, Sasuke turned away, his back proving that he no longer felt the other a threat. “Karin.”

            “Y—Yes!” She chirped, once more flushed with sadistic glee and she pranced forward. “You need hel—“

            Sasuke glared at her effectively shutting her up. “Start looking for his scent. Best to cover all our bases.”

            She looked torn between disappointment and glee as she turned and began sniffing the air. Jugo lingered beside him, eyes like those of a worried child and Sasuke stood straighter to prove he was okay. Jugo gave a brief nod and moved to follow Karin. Suigetsu—who usually took up the end—moved forward obviously not wanting to linger. He probably knew how much of Sasuke’s bravado was an act. It was galling, but a good thing none-the-less.

            “Uh…hic…”Deidara was either crying or trying to keep from screaming again, and Sasuke felt sick. The man was pathetic, and he didn’t even spare him a backwards glance as he moved to follow his group just as Suigetsu muttered something that once again set Karin off on a rant.

            If it wasn’t obvious how much they hated each other, Sasuke might have thought that they were flirting, but with their history that was more than impossible, it was improbable.

            “Heh…heh…I told you…”Deidara’s words were a raspy whisper, and something in them caused his instincts to rise. Alarm bells were blaring, and he turned around quickly. “… not to underestimate me.”

And the psycho exploded.

 

            “You really gave us a shock back there.” Suigetsu began, looking off toward Jugo. Had he been anyone else Sasuke would have assumed that Suigetsu was attempting to push off his own concern to Jugo—who for obvious reasons had been the first to get to his side—but that didn’t seem right, so Sasuke assumed that Suigetsu’s movements were just what they appeared to be. Him pointing out that his comment was specifically oriented to Jugo, not himself. “You got to be more careful.”

            “Yes, you were really badly wounded.” Karin said in a rather simpering voice, more proof that he really  didn’t want to know what had happened to his shirt. “You’ve been out for a while. The good news is that the interfering chakra has dispersed.”

            “Yeah, supposedly she’s no longer useless. Of course that has yet to be seen.”

            “Shut it! If it wasn’t for me Sasuke would be dead by now!” Karin screeched and Sasuke flinched at the sound so close to his person and pulled the blanket further around him. Great, so now he felt dirty.

            Suigetsu, noticing his motions also picked up on his discomfort, and of course, ran with it. “You know boss, if I were you I’d look into getting a new shirt. You wouldn’t believe what Karin has done with the old—“

            “I washed it you ass-hole!”

            Jugo sat looking at them all placidly from a place close enough to observe but far enough away to stay out of the fight entirely. It was oddly like watching himself on Team Seven. Sasuke brushed that aside quickly, returning to the problem at hand.

            “—ver you like some chakra sucking vampire straight from—“

            “I was healing him your sick fucker! How else am I expected to—“

            “—hell and then, oh boy, Jugo can back me up on this can’t you?” He paused to look at the older man who did nothing more than blink, probably just as confused as Sasuke was. He was probably the only really smart choice he’d made for this team. “Yeah so we had to drag her off—“

            “Stop lying you son of a—“ Karin’s continued rant and Suigetsu’s taunts were cut short at the sudden appearance of his summon. Sasuke watched the pale snake as it approached, somewhat shocked it had survived. He had assumed it had died or simply been dismissed with no return message. The fact that it hadn’t done either was mildly amusing to him.

            The serpent coiled up into his lap, it looked about as pleased as he probably did, showing that whatever had detained it had not been a choice it had made. It’s tongue flicked out several times showing its displeasure and Sasuke lifted an eyebrow to show that he was waiting, as well as to point out that the snake was free to speak in the presence of those with him unless otherwise informed not to. The snake took an extra moment which was odd, as though giving him one last chance to change his mind.

            It seemed out of place, seeing as snakes didn’t care what was being passed along and unless specifically told to be careful, they would relay all no matter the connotations. Perhaps it was acting this way because of his recent actions that resulted in Manda’s death. But, if this snake has been with the Hokage this whole time, then it would have no way of knowing… Not that he really cared whether or not the snakes would feel betrayed, it would make communicating difficult, and he had hoped not to have to try for some time.

 

            “Boss!”

            “SASUKE-SAMA!!!”

            The twin screams echoed in his already ringing ears, and Sasuke slumped further down reclining against the giant body of the now mortally wounded serpent, mildly surprised that he was still alive and that the summon had answered him.

            Manda was known for being proud and difficult on the best of days. There were times that Sasuke was certain Orochimaru had seemed almost frightened of the larger snake. Sasuke doubted he had ever truly had control over the snake, and yet, here he had summoned the beast his first try, with moments to spare, and little chakra control.

            “… how can this… be… beaten by this… child… you… you are not… not…”Manda’s voice was growing dim, and Sasuke was certain his hearing was failing him as his world was swiftly going dark around him.

            Jugo was beside him, strong arms holding him like some fragile glass trinket his silence far more comforting than any words, and perhaps it was  that silence that allowed him to hear the last of Manda’s dying words, the serpent taking the blow that was meant for him.

            “… what kind of… demon… are…you…”

Sasuke’s world turned black.

            The words followed him down circling and clawing at his mind until Sasuke couldn’t decipher who was speaking the words, or if he himself was screaming them in the darkness.

 

Sasuke blinked back to reality, and stared at the tiny serpent.

Looks like he’d be testing that theory now.

            The small head bobbed once before it began its message, the influx to its voice none other than the Godaime’s on a bad day. “I do not believe I gave you permission to pursue procreation with your teammate, Uchiha.” The first line made all present blink. Thankfully the sudden statement stalled Karin long enough that by the time it had computed all she could do was gape and look between him and Suigetsu like they had planned this. The thought of plotting to knock up Naruto with the other was mildly horrifying and more than slightly disturbing.

            So. It had been a success.

            Sasuke felt several things in that moment, from excitement, joy, trepidation, excitement, and fear to name a few, but he quickly shoved them all to the back of his mind. Naruto’s pregnancy had been planned—sloppily and not well in the least, but still planned—and that only meant that he was secured inside the village. Both the idiot and his child would be safe within its walls and he could stop thinking about them all together. It was a relief, at least it was until the snake continued its report.

            “The ninjas you forewarned about were part of a team attempting to take out the world by awakening a demon.” Well, that at least explained the unusual chakra that had been messing with their mission. Demon’s did tend to exude a lot of irritating chakra.“A certain idiot, decided it was best to keep his condition a secret when he was sent to the front line to protect the only person capable of stopping the destructive events.” The snake had intoned her irritation and latent fear precisely, quite the feat all considered, but he suddenly tensed as fear rolled through him.

            That god damned idiot! I knocked him up to keep him there what was he thinking?! Fucking dobe! Sasuke was trembling in his anger and had to clench his teeth to the point where they ground together to keep from showing much else. He could deal with hunting his brother, he could deal with the setbacks and the fact that he was now unnecessarily injured and the information gained from Deidara was most likely false, but he could not deal with the Dobe pulling Dobe stunts while carrying his child.

            The serpent had paused in its delivery of its message to stare at him it was as though the tiny serpent was calculating Sasuke’s response and choosing how best to deal with his anger. It was smarter than his team it appeared.

            “What does that mean? ‘Procreate’, it can’t be… no Sasuke-sama wouldn’t—“ Karin began, her voice oddly quiet and calm. That wasn’t going to last for long.

            “I told you, he went to the village for some nookie!” Suigetsu laughed loudly then pointedly staring at Karin with a sharp smile. “Looks like someone else got into his pants before you. You may as well return his shirt now.”

            “Shut up! I don’t have it! And just because he fucked that bitch doesn’t mean shit!” Karin flipped her lid again, but Sasuke wasn’t in the mood to deal with either of them. Chakra infused his eyes. His chakra paths tingled, charged with power and it soothed him slightly, focusing his anger and pushing the power of his curse seal back before it could even activate.

            Moving swiftly he grabbed each of them by their throats cutting them off mid stream. Karin looked like she was either going to pass out from shock or from masochistic pleasure, while Suigetsu calmly lifted an eyebrow.

            “Shut up?” His question brought a slight smirk to Sasuke’s lips before he released them, once more basking in the silence. Suigetsu rubbed his neck a bit after he was released. “Could have just said something boss…”

            Sasuke glared returning to his serpent expectantly. The snake didn’t bother mincing words. “Long and short of this message, Uchiha, you are to get your ass back to Konoha immediately.” Sasuke was slightly impressed with the demand. “Your personal vendetta is revoked. This is a direct order from your Hokage, come home now.” The snake finished the threatening tone and immediately bowed its head as though to prove it was not his doing.

Maybe it did know about Manda.

            “Woah… that’s one angry ass ruler.” Suigetsu broke the strained silence with a sharp grin, his eyes pinning Sasuke in place. “So, what’s the plan of action… boss.” It was clear that he was not happy with this change of events. Sasuke really couldn’t blame him for that seeing as how he had yet to even see the Samehada or Kisame. Sasuke had just shown him how infantile he could be with that battle against Deidara, and he was the only one who knew Sasuke had deliberately made a stop back home. This was a threat to his goals, and if Sasuke even thought of breaking their deal or cutting it short just because his Hokage ordered it, he could kiss Suigetsu’s help goodbye.

            Sasuke would expect no less from him. He had goals and he would not allow anything to stop him, so Sasuke wouldn’t get in his way. Like it or not, he relied most heavily upon the blonde, if he lost him this team would fall apart and his one chance at taking out Itachi would be forfeit. Of that he could be certain.

            “No reply.” Sasuke addressed the snake coolly then watched as it ‘poofed’ out of existence. The silence stretched taunt and vibrated like a plucked string while Sasuke rolled his shoulders, testing out the bite on it. If the maniac hadn’t already blown himself up, Sasuke would have ripped out his spine for the lingering twinge he felt there. He quickly inventoried his injuries. Karin’s help had made them almost negligible all that was left were a few scraps and stiff joints and muscles. Those would ease up soon enough so long as he refused to participate in any more pointless battles.

            Suigetsu had remained silent, a sure sign that he was seriously asking Sasuke if he was intending to keep his promises. Meeting those eyes Sasuke snorted rising to his feet swiftly. “Hn. Let’s go, we’ve wasted enough time here.”

            “Wh—what? But your injuries, you should—“ Karin was still babbling as he walked past, pushing out of the small hut that they had found. Sasuke wasn’t certain where they had found it, but it reminded him of the small ocean houses that The Land of Waves had held. It seemed like a simple enough structure, it wasn’t surprising to find it, he was simply hoping that he wasn’t anywhere near that village.

            He could ignore Tsunade for only so long, if she got irritated and decided to send out a recovery team, there was no reason to make their trip easier by showing up in familiar territory where he is recognized by name and face.

            “Right, so we gonna try out the information combustion man gave us or what?”(1)

            Sasuke ignored the nick name as he took in their location. Seemed they were in fact farther inland than he had feared, and if he recalled the geographic area correctly, they were already nearer to the destination Deidara had given them than they had been before. Sasuke gave a soft incline of his head in acknowledgement. Suigetsu grinned, falling back into his usual position at the back.

            “Well, that’s good, since we’ve already dragged you part of the way. Aren’t you glad you have such reliable people with you?” It was obvious he was warning Sasuke in his own way not to fuck up again, and he made sure to remember the fact that Suigetsu truly didn’t need Sasuke passed this point. It would be in his best interest to keep Suigetsu interested in this endeavor. At least until he’d found Itachi.

            “Hn.”

            “Well, I did most the work with healing him.”

            “The hell you did. You just made carrying him harder. Seriously couldn’t you wait until he was laying down to molest him?”

            “You lying sack of shit I did no such thing!!!!” Karin was dark red again, and Sasuke made a mental note to bathe as Karin turned and sniffed at the air. “This way, seems he might actually be right with his information. Though we might just be stuck chasing him again.”

            “Just get us there, Karin.” Sasuke said, no longer in the mood to listen. Karin Nodded, once again calm and they started once more.

            Jugo stuck close to his side, and asked in a quiet restrained voice only once, “You certain you don’t want to go back? Sounds important to me.” The larger man’s question was weighted but held no expectations of him, it was simply that.

A question.

            Sasuke was shocked by the inquiry, but when he remained silent Jugo simply turned to face ahead and let the matter drop entirely. He had a brief thought that perhaps he should contact Kakashi and ask him to check in on Naruto but he just as quickly pushed it aside. Naruto could handle himself. He may be an idiot, but he’d chosen Naruto because he was damned powerful and lucky. He could more than take care of himself.

            “It’s fine.”

            “… okay.” And Jugo was silent once more.

And then there was no time to think of him at all.

 

-2-

 

            Sasuke was going to serve Itachi as the main course of his victory meal when he finally caught the bastard. He had plans, meticulous plans, on how he intended to prepare him, and how to serve each irritating piece sautéed, grilled, charbroiled, and shredded into sushi. Oh yes, Sasuke had a plan, and Itachi was continuing to fuck with it.

            Deidara’s information had been correct in a sense. Itachi had in fact been at the cave on the coastline nearest to the Mist country, sadly Karin said that he must have already left as his chakra was fading.

He was irritated to find he was back in Fire country, the one place he really didn’t want to be in, but the lead had held true enough. The cave was cut out of a gully and he would have missed it entirely if he hadn’t had his sharingan working.

            It was a small crevice disguised as an optic illusion of a ridge. The inside was massive, with giant carved statures in the sides; they all seemed to surround a stone table. The room crackled with chakra, both latent and new, it skimmed over his skin and made his curse seal tingle with a light burn. He flinched when he walked into the room, his hand instinctively raising to his neck, at the same time, Jugo let out a harsh gasp, his hands rising to grip his head.

            Sasuke turned quickly as Karin jumped aside and Suigetsu stepped between the bipolar girl and the quickly deteriorating man. Jugo’s body was literally rippling and morphing—and from the cries it was without his consent—through several forms, almost as though his whole body were trying to perform the hand symbols for a Jutsu. There was no outside reason

            “Suigetsu, get him out.” Sasuke snapped, stepping closer to the screaming man, using his sharingan to look for what might be affecting the other. This wasn’t normal, this wasn’t his usual killing rage, nor was it like any of the side effects Sasuke had become accustomed with. Jugo’s eyes looked wild with fear, an emotion Sasuke doubted he had seen before. Sure he was certain it was fear of himself that had sent the larger man running to Orochimaru in the first place, but Sasuke had never seen it before now. Sasuke couldn’t see anything that would cause this reaction, but then again the room did have lingering Chakra. He could feel it like oil on his skin, so perhaps that was the reason behind Jugo’s reaction. “This place isn’t right for him.”

            Suigetsu, obviously in agreement with Sasuke’s assumption, cautiously approached the other. “Hey Jugo, can you stay calm for me?” his question was stupid but no more so than Sasuke’s order. He was certain that whatever chakra was nestled here, it was the reason behind reaction.

            “Kill… must… must kill…. It hurts… I must… must…” Jugo’s scream was inhuman and made Sasuke’s stomach roll. If he had to he’d drop the other, but he really didn’t want to waste more energy on his own teammate. He still needed him—probably now more than ever—and hurting him would gain him nothing. With grim determination, Suigetsu grabbed the larger man’s arm and shoved him out. It took most of his body weight it would seem, as they both tumbled out of the opening. Sasuke watched as Suigetsu rolled them out and away from the cliff side until they were out of sight.

            A loud curse followed a particularly concerning thump and splash, and then a silence Sasuke didn’t like much. “Karin, see if they are alright.”

            “Huh?” Karin turned to him, one hand fixing her glasses as she glared at him. She had been particularly annoying since Tsunade’s missive. Not only had she managed to crawl into his sleeping space each night—nearly naked no less—but she had been teetering on a razor’s edge, jostling between bouts of rage and depression followed swiftly by obnoxious hope and flirting giddiness. “Why? There’s not much I can do if they’re dead, and I don’t like Suigetsu enough to heal him properly… besides, my Chakra is for you, and you alone Sasuke-sama…”

            Sasuke had to try really hard not to roll his eyes. If Karin was acting like a fool, then Suigetsu’s aura and ‘scent’ were fine. All the same it was better to check. “Do it.”

            “Fine.” Karin sighed and moved to the opening. “You ass-holes alive?” Her cry was met by some muttering to which she replied. “What are you complaining about? You aren’t the one looking like a toddler—Oh! He hardly touched you, you big—TAKE THAT BACK YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

            Sasuke tuned the rest out, confident now that his team was fine, to view the walls and alter in its center. Something about this place forced Jugo’s mind and body into his killing rage, enough so that the strain on his body forced a regression. Why it had yet to activate his seal was the real question, and Sasuke casually rubbed at his mark.

This matched the description he’d once overheard Orochimaru making when he was explaining some Jutsu he wanted to modify to Kabuto. Sasuke wasn’t completely certain of the details as he’d stumbled into that conversation a little late, but the idea was to use one’s chakra to force a soul—or perhaps another beings chakra itself, that too was rather vague—into an inanimate object that could be controlled or used by the wielder. Kabuto had insisted that it was impossible to perform it alone, much like the Fourth’s seal on the Kyuubi was impossible to perform without dying.

            Sasuke stepped closer, his hands running over the stone slab. It was smooth, and well worn with dark stains upon its surface. Grooves at the four corners suggested that some sort of bindings would—or could—attach there. There was an etching in the center though it was almost completely eroded away it looked quite a bit like a circle cut in half with one side slightly more raised than the other.

 

            “To master the evil, one must destroy the balance. Tip the scales as it were between heaven and hell, good and evil, right and wrong.”

            “… and that is what they tried to do?” Kabuto questioned, obviously just as captured by Orochimaru’s words as Sasuke was.

            “No. It’s what they did.” Orochimaru hissed and Sasuke felt his stomach flop as his flesh broke out in goosebumps. “… but they are missing something. Something vital… it was why Minato was killed. If I can figure out what it was… why they needed his son…it’s the last piece they need and if I could get it before them…”

            “But you said that Sasuke was—“

            “No, that’s another issue entirely. I need Sasuke to take down that fool Itachi. No, he was intended to be their sacrifice, but when it all went wrong He was fine with it. Something about that blonde brat is important… I just need to figure out what it was.”

            Kabuto was shifting again, Sasuke could tell by the way the shadows moved beneath the door’s edge. “Then perhaps it’s time I checked back in with my beloved creator.” His voice was syrupy sweet and sickening; a little too happy and dangerous sounding. Orochimaru’s returned chuckle wasn’t more than a wheeze itself.

            “Yes, I believe Sasori was sighted near this area.”

            Sasuke scuttled away from the door to the end of the hall before letting his chakra rise slowly and naturally as he re-approached the door just as Kabuto stepped out with a bow. “Then I will depart, Orochimaru-sama.” The bifocaled boy turned a narrow and cold star his way in which Sasuke easily ignored. “Sasuke-kun. Whatever has brought you here?”

            “My training was to start over an hour ago.” His tone was as bland as ever, but it still got a rise from the white-haired teen. The cold sneer was covered by Orochimaru as he stepped through with a grin eyeing Sasuke like some golden prize.

            “My apologies Sasuke, something came up.” If the Snake was using that tone instead of reminding him of the benefits of certain virtues, then whoever Sasori was, and whatever it was Kabuto was preparing to do, had immensely pleased him. Sasuke filed that away for future reference and followed Orochimaru down to the training rooms

 

            Sasuke pulled out of the memory with a soft sigh, his finger running over the carving. The Akatsuki obviously used this place for whatever it was Deidara was complaining about, and whatever it was that Orochimaru had wanted to copy. They had also both referred to someone, a “He”. There was a good chance it was in reference to the leader, or someone very much like a leader, of the Akatsuki. It was this person who was pulling the strings, and it was this person who had sent Itachi after Naruto. So, this leader wanted the Kyuubi, no needed the Kyuubi and Naruto for their master plan.

 Be it taking over the world or destroying it, Sasuke didn’t much care, but still it was clear what this place was to be used for. Whatever the initial Jutsu was that Orochimaru wanted to simplify, it was used here. The lingering chakra was potent, mixed and humming with hatred. Those souls that were shredded, the lives killed here left their emotional tags throughout the area and that was what had made Jugo flounder. He was weak to his emotions and those enforced upon him. Sasuke assumed he was unaffected because of the time he’d spent fighting against the curse seal, but he wasn’t willing to label it yet.

            Something about the place as a whole unnerved him. It wasn’t until Suigetsu had joined him, a little bloodied and disheveled but otherwise fine that Sasuke snapped from his own musings. “Jugo is a little useless right now. Since it seems this place isn’t so much fun after all, not to mention missing one sick bastard, I say we let Karin lead us on another merry chase.” He was smiling, but his eyes roved over the room like a hunted animal.

            Sasuke waited patiently, and sure enough, the other continued in a soft, unsteady voice. “This place… it’s like the rooms Orochimaru held us in… in the beginning… full of decay… death… hate…” Suigetsu shuddered and pulled a nasty face. His lips pulled back to bare his teeth and his eyes turned a harsh cold steel of something feral.

            Sasuke wasn’t really so surprised by that fact. Suigetsu’s humanity had been more than beaten from him, it was erased completely. In a way, Sasuke could well understand his desire for the swords. Suigetsu really just wanted to feel safe, and in control of himself. He doubted that Suigetsu would ever find the stability he needed, but he was starting to suspect that that was the reason he had yet to leave the group behind.

            Didn’t mean that the other would never leave, just that he’d stuck around even with all the bullshit, and Karin, because of the odd stability their team gave him. It was a routine, it was something that could be labeled as normal, and Suigetsu craved that.

Desperately.

            “Hn.” Sasuke turned away from the room itself and started toward the exit. It was in their best interest that they not remain. It seemed to wreak havoc on Jugo’s body, Suigetsu’s mind, and it was murder on Sasuke’s senses.

            “Foolish little brother, have you developed so little in our time apart.” The words were like acid and had Sasuke swinging around to view the darker shadows in confusion. The room had been empty, he knew it was, the lingering chakra was too scarce to actually be him but—he was in anbu, he was a prodigy hiding his chakra would be easy… Sasuke knew his reasoning was fractured at best. No one could hide from Karin which was why she was the best, but then again, the haywire chakra from earlier had messed with her ability, and it could still be acting up or scrambled with all the lingering fragments in the air how could he rely on that sense of hers?

            Suigetsu was glaring off into the corner where Itachi was now clearly outlined, his red eyes glowing ominously. It was just another shadow, a clone of sorts. It had to be! All the same, he doubted he could just turn away. He was angry and irritated, and at the moment, fighting any form of his brother seemed like the only thing he could do to keep from going crazy.

            Suigetsu froze himself, his eyes narrowed, and it was clear that he was still uncomfortable in the room. He was twitchy and irritable, which was probably why he said what he did next. “Genjutsu again? What is this? Are all the Akatsuki one-trick ponies? I mean together are they, like, one Ninja or what?”

            Itachi actually chuckled, and the sound ripped at Sasuke’s insides and triggered memories he didn’t want. It was the sound he’d once loved and fought to drag out from his beloved brother, and now it only served to remind him of his foolishness.

            Would that sound be the same when he killed Naruto?

            Sasuke tensed and turned to face the illusion. “What is the point of this game Itachi?” Sasuke questioned, his sharingan testing the area just on the off chance that the bastard was nearby. He had to be close in order to cast the Jutsu, so where was he, and why wasn’t Karin able to locate him? Is it possible to leave a Genjutsu as a trap? Sasuke pondered the thought a moment. He really didn’t know much about the Magekyou Sharingan. For all he knew it made such a thing possible. If Itachi could use the technique on him from a distance as he had done before, and if one could seal a demon in a baby or hop bodies, then it really wasn’t so far fetched.

But what was the point?

            He knew Itachi wasn’t afraid of him, and if this was a trap then why was he still eluding them? There had been several opportune moments that would have guaranteed his death, so why was Iatchi letting it slide? Was he baiting him, trying to prove how weak he still was, how pointless it would be to kill him? But why provoke him then?

            Back when he’d come for Naruto, he’d simply beaten him and used his Tsukiyomi attack. That was more then enough to belittle him, so it made little sense for him to dance around them now.

            Unless… he’s not after me at all… Sasuke’s eyes widened as a cold epiphany settled upon him sinking into his skin like ice. He’s keeping me distracted… busy… away…

            “Ah, it seems my ruse has worn off has it?” Itachi, the illusion—or perhaps he was a shadow clone, that would make far more sense then a genjutsu unless it was a trap and both he had Tsuigetsu had triggered it—said with a bored tone that showed he had expected more and been deprived. “Well then, I guess there is no point in dallying here then. There are so many other things to be done.”

            “What are you playing at?” Sasuke snarled, pushing his fear aside. There was no way his fears could be true. Naruto was safe inside Konoha, and Tsunade wouldn’t let him out of her sight in his condition. No, the dobe was fine for the moment, and Sasuke ruthlessly squashed the thought that pointed out how easily Orochimaru had infiltrated the Secret Village.

“You afraid to face your brother now?” Suigetsu asked his expression less teasing and easy going then the other obviously hoped to portray. He was falling apart at the seams in this place, Sasuke nearly snapped at him to leave. At the moment he was only a hindrance, but Itachi seemed to find him amusing as he actually deemed his question with a response. Though it was aimed at Sasuke and not the blonde.

            “Little brother, have you not realized it yet? How disappointing.” He sighed his eyes, red and swirling, met his own and for a moment Sasuke was adrift. Those eyes weren’t mocking so much as challenging, and they urged him to fight. It was the same look he’d been given when he had asked Itachi to train with him, and when he’d complained about their father.

Something was wrong.

            The whole scenario was wrong, his understanding of it was just—

            “I needed to keep you moving little brother.” Itachi whispered and then those eyes were melting. Sasuke blinked only to realize that the Jutsu was expiring. The edges were feathering out and the solidity of his form was waning into an opaque mirage. “Tell me Sasuke…” The voice was an echo, “While you are out chasing my shadow who is protecting your legacy?”

            Suigetsu let out a curse and actually ran from the cave, his insight to get Karin was impressive, but his obvious concern was a little out of character for him. But then again, if he’d miss read Itachi as he was beginning to fear he must have then maybe his conclusions on Suigetsu were warped as well. He didn’t have time to worry about his short comings in that department however, and had to trust that he was getting Karin to pick up the trail once more while Sasuke finished up here.

            “What are you babbling about?” Sasuke sneered, again uneasy, and queasily wondering why he was even bothering to converse with the apparition.

            “I can’t wait to meet them,” Itachi murmured his eyes now nothing more than a smear of color but the words were threatening; promising. “My niece or nephew.”

            With that the Jutsu dispersed into a haze and then ceased to be at all. Sasuke didn’t even notice. His heart pounding in his throat and ears he bolted from the cave. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

            “Boss! Karin’s already—“ Suigetsu broke off when Sasuke simply bolted passed him and the other two, uncaring if they followed him or not. “—okay…” With a shrug Suigetsu was fast on his heals, carrying the small child that Jugo had yet to return from. “So, where we going?”

            “Sasuke-sama!” Karin cried out but from her lack of corrective directions, he was heading in the right direction after all.

That just made his heart slam harder against his ribs.

            Why?! Why am I always screwing this up?! Sasuke internally screamed when there was no immediate answer. He thought he’d learned his lesson when he’d held Naruto at the Valley of the End. Apparently, he hadn’t made as much progress as he’d thought. Damn it, damn it, damn it! Naruto, please be safe! His emotions in tattered pieces he barely heard Suigetsu’s words and assumptions as he filled in Karin of their destination, and this time he didn’t have time to worry about what the other would do, or how he’d react.

            Tsunade had recalled him; she wouldn’t have done so unless it was important, and Naruto wouldn’t have allowed her to if he was still working at one-hundred percent capacity. He should have realized, should have returned, he should have known the first few times Itachi had taunted him, and he should have known at that first taunt what his true aim was. Why, why had he allowed himself to forget that?

 

            “Why is the Kyuubi surrounded by your chakra?”

 

            Sasuke could kill himself, how much more blunt did his brother have to be? How could he have missed that? How could he have missed Itachi’s blatant courosion? Naruto had been his goal all along, and Sasuke had just been an irritant sent on a fool’s errand. Damn it!

            “Sasuke? Where are we going?” Karin asked, obviously confused on how he knew which direction to follow. Distracted, he answered her with an abrupt, and clipped tone.

            “Konoha.”

            “Konoha?! Why—NO! NO MORE SLUTTY BITCHES!”

            “Hey, it’s his unborn kid he’s worried about, besides, that’s where Itachi’s headed right? So why are you bitching?”

            “SHUT UP! I DON’T HAVE TO TAKE THIS FROM YOU!!”

            “Oh, well then, by all means, don’t let me keep you here.” The lighthearted teasing kept Karin busy and kept them from questioning him, and Sasuke was starting to wonder just how attached Suigetsu was to this little piece of normality if he was willing to play with Karin to keep the peace, but it was over shadowed by his desire to get back to Konoha.

To get there before it was too late.

 

-2-

 

            The child hurriedly ripped at the tape, his hands shaking and bloodied from the small cuts he received from his frantic actions. His tears ran over his cheeks unchecked as blotches of hazed and over-cast light filled the room and pushed the shadows back a bit.

            Cries ripped from his throat, choked and pleading as he finally gripped the sliding door and pulled. His whole body strained to force it open. His body leaned as he tried to use his weight but it still would not budge.

            The door creaked and his face heated with exertion, but the tape held firm. Outside the grey clouds blocked out most of the color, and the wind whipped through the area with a whistling sound. Chill and damp with the forewarning of rain. Tugging harder, the child rolled back onto his heels hoping that the motion would dislodge the tape, at first there was no change, but then with a crackling sound, the silver gave way and the door flew back rapidly, knocking him off balance.

            He collided harshly with the floor. His elbow bruising and stinging with the collision, but he was up again swiftly eyes scanning the area for the bright child he had left outside; the boy that had brought such warmth and light to the place, the boy he had tried to shut out.

            He stood just beyond the room, eyes wet and searching, but it was quiet and desolate aside from the wind, and he was alone.

The other child was gone.

 

 

A.N. Okay so I have discovered a new love for Karin. She is so much fun to write. She’s so random and she’s like an even worse Sakura. It’s quite fun. As for Suigetsu’s reason’s, well I’ll have to explain those in a one-shot because he really won’t just talk about it. But who knows, maybe Sasuke can pull it from him. ^-^.

            Sorry if this was confusing, I was trying to show that Sasuke is not perfect and not completely healed. He was just mind-raped by the one thing that had destroyed him before, that will not go without consequences, and this was it. ^-^ Well as always , please review! ^-^

 

(1) This is a shout-out to “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. Sokka gives that nickname to a villan that blows shit up and I thought it just fit far too well. ^-^