CHAPTER 2: THE FINAL VALLEY

Kakashi bound across branches, rushing through the forest along the perimeter of the Land of Rice Paddies. If Sasuke was still there, Kakashi would soon know. Pakkun leaped through the canopy, keeping pace with Kakashi.

'There you are,' he said. 'The scent's old. He hasn't been here for weeks, but at least we can tail him now.'

'When you have something, tell me,' Kakashi said.

'Just so you know, there's more than two scents heading toward the Sand. If you ask me, you've been sent on a wild goose chase.'

'No one's asking you. Just report back when you have something solid, okay.'

'Will do, Kakashi,' Pakkun said and disappeared.

An hour later, the forest was thinning. Kakashi stopped on a branch and took a scroll from his tool kit. He encrypted his report and performed a reverse summoning, sending it to Tsunade. Three blackbirds circled the canopy; Kakashi neutralised them with shuriken. Two disappeared, the other one transformed into a scroll. Kakashi uncurled the paper and read its contents. In seconds it burned in his hand.

'Naruto.' Kakashi sighed. Naruto, convinced Orochimaru was behind the attack, was currently in pursuit of him. Neji and Shikamaru had gone after him while Jiraiya was tasked with protecting Tsunade. Jiraiya didn't know much more but he said Naruto was heading in Kakashi's direction. Kakashi would have to stop Naruto before he compromised the mission. Dumb luck wasn't needed this time. Kakashi bound back through the forest, backtracking on his steady progress. Because Naruto had gone off by himself, Kakashi was losing ground. He didn't have time to deal with Naruto, and Naruto would inflame the situation with Sasuke, so he could not be allowed to interfere.

Kakashi caught up an hour later. Naruto was speeding toward the Sound with that stupid look of determination on his face. Kakashi followed at a distance, and threw five kunai. They split past Naruto and bent back, hitting Naruto in the chest. Naruto flew backward from momentum. Kakashi performed an X-bind jutsu before Naruto landed. Kakashi remained hidden as the other two arrived. They stopped over Naruto and checked him.

'What the hell you do that for?' Naruto yelled, trying to wriggle free from the bind. The more he struggled, the tight it got and soon he wouldn't be able to move at all.

'What you mean, you idiot?' Shikamaru drawled. 'It wasn't me.'

'Did you see them?' Neji asked.

'What? No. You're the one with the uber eyes,' Naruto retorted. 'Get me out of here, would ya.'

Shikamaru tried, but he wasn't strong enough. 'We have to get him to Tsunade. It's too powerful.'

Neji picked up one of Kakashi's kunai. It vanished along with the other four, prompting Neji to scan the area. Shikamaru pulled a kunai from his pack.

'Yo, Neji, what do you see?'

'I'm not sure. There's a faint energy.' Neji's bakyugan swept toward Kakashi's position. He moved before Neji could find him. He'd lost time and ground as it was. He had to locate Sasuke before Naruto got it in his head to try again. Without stopping, Kakashi sent a message to Jiraiya telling him Naruto had been successfully stopped.

Night fell quicker than Kakashi expected. The landscape was changing; forest was making way for fields and plains. The Land of Wind was still out of reach, so Kakashi downed a food pill and kept going. He'd be in River Country soon and planned to be at the outskirts of the Wind by the end of tomorrow.

He didn't know what was going to happen when he did finally catch up with Sasuke. Being reinstated as ANBU did make it slightly easier; he could once again utilise X-rank jutsu, but even then, he didn't know to what extent he would need to go. Tsunade said not to kill him, which meant she understood that excessive force could be necessary, but Kakashi would be free of consequences if that did happen.

'Kakashi! We've found him,' Pakkun said, landing next to Kakashi. 'He's not heading to the Sand. He's in River country. Close actually, about four hours from here. He was hard to sniff out with all that water, but he's definitely there. Bull and Akino are keeping an eye on him until you get there.'

'River country, huh?'

'This is your lucky day, Kakashi.'

'So it would seem. Do you have an exact location?'

'Yeah. Follow me.'

On the way to River country, Kakashi alerted Tsunade. It was poetic in a way that Sasuke would set up base here so close to the Wind. He was probably trying to keep his eye on both lands and was using the central location to his advantage. The faint rumble of rushing water echoed on the wind as Kakashi realised exactly where they were.

'Look familiar?' Pakkun asked.

The towering statues of the First and Madara stood sentry over the waterfall in the Final Valley. All around, monolithic cliffs guarded against intruders. Kakashi crouched on the cliff face with Pakkun on his shoulder. He was exposed; the open landscape made it impossible to hide. Sasuke could see enemies approaching on all sides.

'He's holed up behind the waterfall. Bull's inside, tracking him. Says there isn't much resistance. Should be easy to get in.'

'He already knows we're here,' Kakashi stated. He'd felt a strong energy as they approached the waterfall. 'Be on guard.'

'You're kidding me,' the pug complained. 'What can I do in there?'

Kakashi pulled a scroll from his pack and tossed it in the air, performing a transformation as it landed. He sealed the scroll with his and Pakkun's blood. 'You're my backup,' he said as Pakkun transformed into a copy of Kakashi. Kakashi performed the shadow clone jutsu and merged it with the pug's copy. 'Let's go,' Kakashi said and the two of them leapt over the side of the cliff, sliding to a halt at the edge of the waterfall.

There was something strange about the water. It crackled and shimmered. Looking closer, Kakashi's suspicions were confirmed.

'Chakra,' he said.

'How do we get in?'

Kakashi took a kunai from his pack; the blade glowed as chakra flowed through the metal. He stabbed the blade through the energised water. Sparks crackled around the blade as Kakashi forced a split in the flow. The split grew wider, allowing Kakashi and Pakkun through into a dark, cold and enclosed space. Kakashi and Pakkun had to crouch slightly to fit.

'That was easy,' Pakkun said, but Kakashi knew differently. Forcing open a pure chakra barrier had drained his reserves. He already felt woozy and dizzy, but something else was adding to the problem.

'Feel that?' Pakkun asked.

'Yeah.'

The rumble from the chakra falls was interfering with Kakashi's balance and concentration. He also felt like his strength was being syphoned away. Something in this place was sucking out his energy. He took a pouch of chakra pills from his pack and tossed one to Pakkun.

'I don't know how effective it'll be, but might as well give it a go,' Kakashi said as Pakkun swallowed the pill. Kakashi took his, hoping for the usual boost in energy. They were nowhere near as effective as they usually were.

'Sasuke's scent is coming from straight ahead. It's faint but fresh.'

Kakashi nodded. They rushed down the narrow passage. Long shadows played on the slick rock walls. The passage sloped downward and the temperature dropped steadily. The further they went, the more Kakashi felt drained. The chakra pills had no effect and Kakashi found himself sweating and puffing. The stifling energy was making it hard to breathe, and despite the cool air, Kakashi's blood was boiling. It wasn't genjutsu either, it was physical. The amount of power it would have taken to construct a defence like this was unimaginable.

They came to a four-way split in the passage and Pakkun led them straight ahead without hesitation. Minutes passed and still the passage went on. Kakashi could feel a darkness, a confidence which was so familiar to him, pulsing faintly from the shadows ahead. They arrived at a dead end, meeting Bull.

'You don't look so how,' Bull said to Kakashi.

'I don't feel it either. Where is he?'

Bull nodded his large head at the blank wall. 'Through there.'

'I'll take it from here,' Kakashi said, pressing his palm against the blank stone. The hounds disappeared as Kakashi performed the fire blade jutsu. He was hoping for a covert entrance; even if Sasuke already knew, he didn't need to make a song and dance about it. His palms glowed as molten rock dripped down to the ground, but the breach closed up again almost instantly. Kakashi cursed as he performed the jutsu again, this time punching his hand through the wall at the same time. He managed to squeeze through the hole which closed again behind him.

The familiar dark energy, dampened by the sealed passage before, was now overwhelming and undeniably belonged to Sasuke. Kakashi followed the chakra signature through a hopelessly long passage, winding its way underground. The signature grew to its strongest in a cavernous space around a right-hand bend. Candles flickered on the walls, casting long shadows and emitting a strange blue glow. Kakashi cursed again as he fell to his knees, weakened as his chakra melted away.

He performed the nightshade jutsu, rendering his presence physically and spiritually invisible. He rushed up the wall. Getting too close to Sasuke would be a mistake. Sasuke's abilities with the Tsukuyomi had surpassed his brother, but as long as Kakashi stayed out of his line of sight, he would not be able to use it on him.

Sasuke sat in front of an altar. His eyes were closed, and his right forearm rested on his bent knee. His left hand performed a series of hand signs. The same five, repeated. He seemed almost to vibrate with energy as he chanted quietly. Kakashi couldn't make out the words as he crackled with alertness and anticipation. Kakashi almost wanted to blow his cover, almost wanted to … He pushed the thought from his mind.

Sasuke didn't seem affected by the chakra draining energy. His chakra hummed, fully charged and bristling with power. Kakashi was right above him now, as he drew throwing needles from his pack. One strike was all Kakashi needed to put Sasuke out. Kakashi took aim, targeting Sasuke's chakra point below his skull.

Kakashi, wired like a spring, paused as Sasuke stopped chanting and lowered his left hand. 'I know you're here,' he said. His voice … Kakashi's heart pounded with a mixture of regret, hate and fear. He had the confidence and arrogance of a shinobi who knew no one could beat him. The boredom in his voice, mixed with the subtle hint of excitement and hunger, was sickening.

Kakashi threw the needles. Sasuke dodged and flipped out of the way, crouching on the ground, facing Kakashi. He stared at him with glowing red eyes. 'Show yourself, or I will return these,' he said aiming the needles, 'and I won't miss.' Without his sharingan, Sasuke's movements would be impossible to track. 'I won't ask again.' Sasuke's arm and chest muscles tensed in readiness. Kakashi unleashed with a barrage of kunai. Sasuke flipped out of the way, and squinted in the strange blue glow, searching for Kakashi.

'I haven't had a good spar for a while,' Sasuke said, with eyes ablaze in anticipation. 'It's been rather boring actually since I killed that snake.'

Kakashi knew he was lying. Orochimaru was injured, but still alive. Maybe Sasuke wasn't aware of this? Maybe, somehow Orochimaru had made it look like he was dead. It wasn't surprising; Kabuto was his right hand after all. It wouldn't take much for him to feign death.

'Orochimaru is still alive,' Kakashi said, hoping it would distract Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes widened subtly, almost invisibly, but he regained his composure in an instant.

'Hmph,' he said, masking the surprise. 'I'll have to fix that. After I'm done with you.'

Incredible.

Even through the nightshade jutsu, Sasuke was able to sense him. Not even Itachi was able to detect a chakra masked by an X-rank jutsu.

'Your tenacity should be applauded,' he called, repeating a long-forgotten taunt from a very long time ago. 'You shouldn't have made it past the first chamber.'

Kakashi's elbow connected with air as Sasuke dodge out of the way. A flash of movement from behind, but Kakashi couldn't follow him. Not without the sharingan, but he wasn't sure that Sasuke knew it was him, or whether he was simply guessing. He was familiar with ANBU technique, that much was evident from the way he moved. Kakashi was sickened to think that Kabuto had done an extraordinary job on Sasuke's taijutsu. But it wasn't the taijutsu Kakashi was worried about. He could feel Sasuke in his mind; a subtle but powerful presence was fighting for dominance and Kakashi couldn't afford to get trapped in the Tsukuyomi.

Kakashi released numerous shuriken, forcing Sasuke closer to the ground. The paper bombs exploded in the cavernous space, setting off a secret jutsu. Instead of the acrid smoke which usually shot from the explosion, a cloud of Kakashi's chakra engulfed the area. Now Sasuke was powerless to track Kakashi. Kakashi lifted his mask, lifted the headband and employed the sharingan.

Sasuke stood on the head of a massive stone statue; he swept the area with his eyes, feeling Kakashi, but not seeing him. Kakashi took the two kunai, infused with Tsunade's serum, from his pack and landed behind Sasuke. With one swift move Kakashi grabbed Sasuke's hand, the one still holding tightly to the needles, and brought the fistful of poison to the chakra point under his jaw, pushing the kunai into Sasuke's palm, and splaying them in his fist so they were within millimetres of Sasuke's eyes. He pulled Sasuke to the ground and kicked the back of Sasuke's knees, forcing him to kneel. He performed a binding jutsu, rendering Sasuke immobile from the waist down. Sasuke held his neck stiff, well aware that if he moved a muscle he would lose his eyes.

'You seem fond of them,' Kakashi said, pushing on the back of Sasuke's hand. Sasuke sucked air in through gritted teeth. 'If you want to keep them, I suggest you do as you're told.'

Without Sasuke chanting, the assault on his chakra was less, but he was still weak. He couldn't move, because the shock holding Sasuke in check would soon fade and he would strike. Kakashi lifted his fingers and created a shadow clone. The shadow clone took a scroll and the third binding kunai from Kakashi's pack. It stabbed the kunai through its hand and the paper. Sasuke went stiff, then limp and Kakashi relaxed his hold.

'What do you want?' Sasuke said, annoyance peaking in his voice. He tried to struggle but the bind constricted his chest, and he gasped for air.

'I wouldn't struggle too much,' Kakashi warned. Sasuke probed his mind, forcing his way in. The cavernous space, cleared of chakra bomb, flashed, turned into a desolate impossible world and flashed back to reality. Kakashi couldn't afford to be locked in a genjutsu, but his chakra was depleted, and he needed to get Sasuke back to Konoha. The nightshade jutsu was using up too much chakra; but if he released it, Sasuke would strike and it would be over.

'What do you – '

Kakashi pushed Sasuke's head down and the fist holding the kunai upward. The tips disappeared into Sasuke's eyes. Sasuke screamed as Kakashi let his fists go and released the nightshade jutsu. He allowed Sasuke to rip the kunai from his eyes before completing the binding jutsu. The kunai clattered to the floor and Kakashi transported Sasuke out of the cavern.

Kakashi made it five hours from the Hidden Valley before he couldn't take any more of Sasuke's screaming, so he put him out. Kakashi couldn't get away from the fact that he needed to rest. Sasuke was out cold, but still a threat, but Kakashi's breathing had deteriorated into ragged gasps as his chest burned for more oxygen. His vision swam as he stopped in a high tree branch. The statues at the waterfall were still visible from here. He slumped against the trunk and alerted Tsunade that he was on his way back with Sasuke.

The night had passed when Kakashi woke up. The storms which had plagued Konoha had moved into River country overnight. Kakashi took stock of Sasuke's condition. He was still out cold and bleeding profusely from his eye sockets. What was left of his eyes was useless to him. He was cold and clammy from the loss of blood. He wasn't Naruto after all; the village and Tsunade's expertise were still too far away. He wouldn't make it back if Kakashi didn't stop the bleeding.

Tsunade wouldn't be pleased if Sasuke died.

Kakashi took bandages from his pack and wiped as much blood from Sasuke's face as he could. It was the eyes that were bleeding. Maybe … there was a chance if Kakashi removed them altogether. Kakashi was out of practice with that kind of jutsu, but still remembered the basics of it. It could go both ways. Either Kakashi was successful, or Sasuke would be blind for the rest of his life.

It took three hours and all of Kakashi's remaining chakra, but he successfully performed the forbidden jutsu. Sasuke, now with bandages over his eye sockets, rested on the high branch. Kakashi was wiped again, he would need to rest and rebuild his chakra before even attempting to move. He slumped against the vast trunk and his arms fell limp to his sides. He was out of practice; a few years back, he would have been back in the village by now.

An hour went by, two, and Kakashi felt his strength slowly returning. He took a food pill and a chakra pill and lifted Sasuke's eyes from his pack. Even in their destroyed state, they still worked furiously. The chakra package around them crackled as they worked to free themselves. Only Tsunade could fix this now.

Sasuke stirred and groaned. The bind had had to be lifted so Kakashi could perform the forbidden jutsu, but he wasn't expecting Sasuke to wake up so soon. He slowly raised a shaking hand to the bandages, flinching when his fingertips brushed the gauze. He tried to get up, pushing his palms against the trunk. Sasuke's condition, despite the loss of his eyes, had improved. He wasn't in immediate danger, but still wasn't free to relax. He was weak but determined as he tried to get up again.

'Stay down, or I'll help you stay down,' Kakashi warned.

'What do you want?' Sasuke growled. Subtle panic rose in his voice; he was blind and didn't know where he was. His debilitating fear had always been a weakness. He would still try and fight, but without his eyes he couldn't inflict the same damage. Tsunade would fix his eyes but thinking back to the falls and the incredible chakra barrier, Kakashi almost wished she wouldn't. Sasuke was powerful and if he ever decided to turn that power against the Leaf, it would be catastrophic.

Sasuke bunched his fist and punched the wood next to his leg, frustrated Kakashi wouldn't answer his questions. 'You've destroyed the one thing that makes me valuable.'

Kakashi pounced, gripping Sasuke around the throat. He squeezed, just enough as Sasuke tried to fend him off, turning away and gasping.

'Shut up,' Kakashi said, and pushed away. 'You are in no position to say anything.'

Sasuke's fake laugh didn't fool Kakashi. 'If you were going to kill me, you would have already. So, what do you want?'

Kakashi flicked a kunai. Sasuke's instinct took over as he flinched and stiffened. The kunai embedded in the wood next to his head with a hollow 'thunk'. A small cut broke on Sasuke's cheek, and a single drop of blood dripped down his face.

Kakashi had to move him before his strength came back enough to cause problems. He bound Sasuke, performing the nightshade jutsu and connected them with a chakra bind. Sasuke couldn't run even if he wanted to. Kakashi leaped through the forest, making it to the boundary of Fire country as night fell. He pressed on, making it to Konoha around midnight. The security presence was stifling. Eyes glinted in the moonlight from the walls and trees and buildings close to the village walls. Protection jutsu, almost as powerful as Sasuke's were detectable around the gates. Two ANBU appeared before Kakashi.

Kakashi lifted the nightshade jutsu and swung Sasuke from his shoulder. The second operative grabbed Sasuke and the two of them disappeared. Kakashi scaled to Tsunade's balcony and crouched on the railing. The office hummed with activity. Shinobi entered to give reports, squads took orders and dispatched. Papers and scrolls teetered precariously over all surfaces and above it all Tsunade's booming voice rang out into the still night air.

Jiraiya stood patiently behind Tsunade's desk. He gave Kakashi a sidelong glance. 'Welcome back,' he said dryly. 'You may as well head to the baths, she's going to be here awhile.'

'No. I can wait,' Kakashi said and hopped off the railing to lean against the wall next to the window. 'How's it looking?'

Jiraiya snorted and gave Kakashi a disbelieving look, waving his hand at the mayhem in the office. 'The assembly had two outcomes. Mass panic and mass action. We begin evacuation in a few hours, but we've hit a snag. We can't move that many people in that amount of time without – '

'EVERYONE OUT!' Tsunade bellowed. 'OUT. NOW.'

Everyone in the office left quickly. An ANBU flashed in the darkness and was gone. Tsunade ripped away from her desk, overturning the chair and spun to face Kakashi.

'GET IN HERE NOW!'

Jiraiya smirked as Kakashi swooped through the window and crouched in front of the desk. She threw a small package at him. Kakashi picked it up. It was Sasuke's eyes.

'A little more creative than I was expecting,' Tsunade grated, barely controlling the rage. 'Now I have to waste time fixing this on top of everything else. What the hell were you thinking?' Steam basically blew from her ears, a vein in her reddened forehead pulsed as she glared at Kakashi.

'I had no choice,' Kakashi said simply.

Jiraiya picked up the chair, pushing Tsunade down into it. 'I'm sure Kakashi considered all possibilities before removing the kid's eyes, Tsunade.'

'Shut up, Jiraiya,' Tsunade screeched, leaning over her desk, bunching and unbunching her fists. 'I don't have time to deal with this.' She swiped at her forehead. 'An Uchiha without eyes … What the hell were you thinking?' She blew out a breath, trying desperately to calm down. 'Alright. Okay. It is what it is. Report to the interrogation tower. Keep Uchiha under guard until I can get there. I'll deal with this soon.'

Kakashi stood and bowed his head, placing Sasuke's eyes on the desk. He went to leave but Tsunade called after him.

'Talk to the kid. Get him to help us.'

'With?'

'We need his genjutsu.'

Kakashi looked from Tsunade to Jiraiya. 'No … Tsu – Lady Hokage … You're not going to allow Sasuke to use his sharingan on the Leaf? What will stop him killing everyone out of spite? Given the opportunity, he would sooner – '

'He will do what he's told. This is your bargaining chip,' she said, holding up Sasuke's eyes. 'He will help us. Report to the tower.'

Kakashi wanted to protest, but he knew there would be no point. Sasuke would rather die than help Konoha. He would have to convince him somehow; his eyes were a bargaining chip as Tsunade said, but would it be enough to get him to help?