Hey everyone. I was originally going to complete this before posting any of it, but I changed my mind and decided to give you a say in how it's written (See bottom for details). I started this a while back, just to sort of explore a darker, more serious side of Sai. I had planned to make it into a full blown multi-chap fic, but it's better written as drabblish-length chapters. Having said that, it's a bit of an experiment for me with subject matter, form, and I'm going to try try try to update it weekly.
The Replacement
Prologue
It had all come full circle.
In the end, Naruto had kept his promise to bring Sasuke back home. Years after he first uttered the promise to Sakura, he came limping through the gates, Sasuke leaning on his shoulder.
Sakura was ecstatic. It was her happily ever after.
After killing Itachi, and learning the truth behind the massacre, Sasuke had turned his hatred to Konoha. But Naruto could be very convincing. After all, look what the village had done to him. And he would gladly die for it. Besides, the Kyuubi container promised that he would be Hokage soon, and things would change. He had seen the mistakes the past Kage's and elders had made, and he was going to fix them.
And so, Sasuke had decided to come home. He was tired of running. He was tired of pushing everyone away. He had wasted his childhood and he was filled with regret.
And Sakura, she finally had her boys back. Right where they belonged; Trying to kill each other over something so simple as a sparring match.
Yes, life was good.
Ultimately, Yamato had remained their captain. Kakashi had decided to officially stay with ANBU and was currently on a squad with Neji. The other members of Team Seven didn't mind as much as they thought they would. Who would hate traveling with a guy who could pop up a cabin lickety-split?
Besides, he had gotten over his stark ANBU-ness, and lightened up a little. He was even growing fond of Naruto. Although, he still wasn't late, and didn't openly read porn, but they considered that a bonus.
Sasuke was another story though. He was still, for lack of a better word, Sasuke. He still fought with Naruto. He still scowled most of the time. He still rejected Sakura's attention (Which, to her credit, was largely toned down.) She was more along the lines of happy to have her friend back, than completely lovesick.
In other words, she didn't worship the ground he walked on. Instead, she hit him upside the head when he said something out of line. She treated him like Naruto, like a brother.
And where did that leave Sai?
Where he had always been: On the outside, looking in.
He was all but forgotten in the excitement of reuniting Team Seven. After all, he was just the replacement. It was never a permanent position. And now it had expired.
Tsunade had given him the option of remaining on the team and even Sakura had asked him to stay. But she didn't mean it. Even he could tell that. Besides, he was just another thing the Uchiha hated. He would never intentionally destroy their bonds. They were better off without him.
After all, he was just the replacement. And the one he had replaced had returned. There was no use for him anymore. And so he was discarded, like the tool that he was.
In the end, he had joined up with ANBU. He was ex-Root, and the transition was seamless.
His consolation prize? His captain was none other than Hatake Kakashi.
And the great Copy Ninja was nothing if not perceptive.
I'm going to go ahead and post the first chapter, considering this is just the prologue and you can't really see how it's going to look.
BUT! What I'd like to know from you, the reader, is how you'd like to see this written. In other words, what POV? The one like the next chapter is going to be - a narrator/omniscient type POV, or first person... some in Sai's POV, some in Sakura's, Kakashi's, Naruto's, maybe Sasuke's, possibly even Neji's?
Review and let me know, majority rules!
