Reise zu Reinkarnation

IX

Medical class had been easier than Sasuke had imagined, mostly because the people there were too afraid to goof off with him in the immediate vicinity. Sasuke got the hint, learned as much as he could and asked Sakura for her books, and then retreated to Naruto’s office for the rest of the day. He spent his time studying the books, the papers and studies, stretching out his senses from time to time to try and find something out of the ordinary within the Hokage’s office. Then he went back to studying, ignoring the movement around him. A few of their childhood friends came to visit, though their voices were often strained and Sasuke couldn’t figure out why they would be afraid of him until he realized he was holding the pen in a white-knuckled grip.

He tried to relax, to get back to his studies, but by then, his temper had been aroused and Sasuke needed to move. So he rose, stretched, and felt his spine pop in several places.

You really should just kill them all and get it over with, Uchiha said almost scathingly.

Sasuke ignored him. “I’m going to go for a run, Naruto.”

The Rokudaime looked up from his paper work, frowning. “Want me to come with you?”

Sasuke could only smile. “You’ll get in trouble. If I’m not back in ten minutes, then you can come after me.”

Naruto stared at him for a while. Finally he nodded and went back to his papers while Sasuke moved from the office, taking to the rooftops to make a circuit of the village. The entire time, Uchiha and Orochimaru argued, and Sasuke did his utmost best to ignore them. He’d gotten better at it over the weeks, become more independent, able to turn off his senses toward the parasites within his own soul and live as he wanted.

Sasuke landed lightly before the old Uchiha compound, staring at the dilapidated building. He hadn’t even thought of visiting the place since it hadn’t been a part of his life. Uchiha’s yes, but not Sasuke’s. Uchiha had never wanted to come back, the place filled with evil and vile memories far too painful for him to even consider reliving now. But Sasuke’s curiosity had him moving for that door, pulling open rotting and splintering wood, stepping into the compound and standing still for a long moment. He felt the hatred in the bloodstained walls and floors, felt the revulsion, felt the sadness. The blood dried into the wood and paper remembered that horrible night so many years ago when all human memory had forgotten it. Sasuke, though, never intended to forget it. Stepping further into the house, the nukenin activated his Sharingan, colour being replaced with black and white images, the bloodstains glowing an eerie purplish hue with chakra that hadn’t quite dissipated after all this time.

It was with that lingering chakra that Sasuke began to weave his jutsu, bringing forth those painful memories that made Uchiha try to seize his heart with all the strength he could muster, trying to deter the body with pain.

“Stop it,” Sasuke whispered out loud. “I want to see it. I need to remember.”

I don’t! Uchiha cried. I don’t want to remember! What that bastard did…! What he did to me, my family…!

Orochimaru, for his part, kept his silence.

The images began then, ghostly, ghastly images of blood and violence, with Sasuke standing in the middle as a ghostly spectator himself. He saw child-Uchiha, Itachi. He saw the blood and the tears and finally, at a particularly painful squeeze to his heart, cut off his jutsu. His vision went from black and white to full colour. He dropped to his knees, panting, eyes closed tight.

I told you! Uchiha snarled. I told you I didn’t want to see it.

Shut up. Orochimaru drawled.

“Sasuke, what the fuck are you doing here?”

Sasuke’s head shot up to stare at Kakashi, black eyes meeting hardened blue and Sharingan red. After that, he could only bow his head once more, not having the energy to even stand. He wasn’t aware that he’d whimpered until Kakashi’s hand fell on his shoulder, the touch more genuinely comforting than genuinely angry.

“Sasuke?”

“I…” Sasuke swallowed. Weak. He was so weak. He licked his lips and tried again. “I wanted to remember what happened here.”

“So you came alone?” Kakashi helped his former student stand, helping him keep his balance when he wobbled. “There are people out to kill you, Sasuke.”

Of course there were people out to kill him. He had something that was desperately coveted by his two parasites. The room swayed slightly and Sasuke took a deep breath. “You came after me?”

“Naruto sent me after you. You’ve been gone for over an hour. The Council scrambled the ANBU and hunter nin.” Kakashi sighed and pulled Sasuke’s arm over his shoulder, supporting the younger man as he hauled him out of the miserable Uchiha family home. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

No!

Sasuke shook his head. “I don’t need to go to the hospital. I need to sleep.”

“You’re going to the hospital.”

The tone brooked no argument. Sasuke could only sigh and nod, allowing Kakashi to set up his alibi for his lost hour. He really wasn’t in the mood to argue anyway. Several tempers would already be raised in his defense, after all. Kakashi was his bodyguard throughout the entire ordeal, Sakura ‘tsk’ing and making notes on a chart just to make sure she could keep him away from the Council’s bloodhounds. Naruto, too, made his appearance, and when Sasuke was finally alone, the brunette just settled back on his pillows and closed his eyes.

“You’ve really done it this time,” Sakura said upon entering. “The Council says it has proof you were conspiring with Konoha’s enemies.”

“Going to a haunted house hardly constitutes as ‘conspiring’.” Sasuke said blandly. Sakura gave him a sharp look.

“You also failed the psych exam.”

What psych exam?

Sakura sighed and waved a bunch of papers in Sasuke’s face. “Multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia. You weren’t even aware Tsunade-sama was in the room testing you.”

Sasuke felt Uchiha and Orochimaru’s glee. He fought not to pale, fought not to react. “It’s typical, you know.”

“Not for you. Not in your case.” Sakura sighed, moving to stand before the brunette, head tilting to the side. “You’re going to be erased.”

Sasuke stared at her, his face a still, cold, calm mask. Naruto had done all he could, Sakura meant. Sasuke’s mistake in leaving the office had resulted in his own death. While the body could be mutilated beyond reasoning, the souls would live on. And one in particular would be able to put the body back together. But him, Sasuke, would be gone.

He couldn’t let that happen.

“Sakura. I’m enacting my privileges as ANBU.”

The rose-haired woman gave a small smile. “We were hoping you would.”