So quick note...
The story is set at a year to a year and a half after the time-skip
Hence, Sakura, Sai, Sasuke and Naruto are around 16-17y/o. Kakashi is around 30 y/o
Thanks for the comments
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Chapter 2: The Gamble and the Game
There was only one moment in his life when he almost faltered against the wrenching pull of anxiety.
It was that moment, years ago, he entered the gates Konoha after the tragedy that had left him as the bearer of the Sharingan.
As he was about to exit the same towering gates, he feared that he might actually live to experience a second.
He gave his troop a quick once-over.
A socially inept ANBU
An emotionally labile reinstated missing-nin.
A usually overzealous and effusive kyuubi.
A seemingly timid, yet potentially hostile medic.
A brat pack of lethal power, exceptional skill and...
"Kakashi-sensei! When are you telling us the plan!" demanded the fair-haired kyuubi
He sighed heavily.
...raging hormones.
Nothing could beat the new team seven. It was a potent mixture with an explosive force that could create new continents and sink old ones. All that was needed was the proper catalyst--a careless comment, a misinterpreted look, a rancid remark...
He sighed his 100th sigh of the morning.
His tardiness must've finally caught up for him to be appointed the "fail-safe".
How he wished they were still those cute impressionable kids. Just a few choice words would be enough to silence them. And if that didn't work, he could simply tie them to a tree.
So much for the usual methods.
"Here's one..."
"This better be good, Naruto" Sakura tilted her head menacingly towards the blond Shinobi
"It'll blow you away."
"Alright then, start!" she grinned excitedly with anticipation
"What if... there was a jutsu that could enable you to master any technique the very instant you read it on a scroll..."
"Okay. what's the catch?"
Naruto met Sakura's gaze, a goading glint in his blue-eyes, "You'd have to eat each and every scroll you'd have to master."
"What! Are you kidding me?! That doesn't even merit the first 'T' in 'thought-provoking'"
"Well, would you do it?"
"What do you think? Of course not. I don't know about you, but paper isn't exactly what I consider part of a 'healthy diet'."
"It's fiber."
"Processed fiber." she rolled her eyes incredelously, " You'd die of bowel impaction before you could even perform a hand-seal. That is, if ink-poisoning doesn't kill you first."
"Most inks come from natural materials, Sakura" Sai flatly interjected. "Hence, they are harmless."
Naruto beamed triumphantly at Sakura, as he hooked his arm around the dollfaced ANBU's neck.
"Yeah Sai, go tell her."
"But, there are those who use poisonous ink, especially for forbidden scrolls that contain very dangerous, high-level justsus."
"Really? " enunciated Sakura in mock surprise, as she gloatingly savored the devasted expression on Naruto's face.
"Before this gets out of hand guys," interrupted Kakashi, who was a few paces ahead and still riveted on his paperback, "Do you mind telling me what this is all about?"
Sakura started.
"It's a game we invented while we were on a mission a while back. It's called 'What if?'"
"Someone has to think of a 'What if...' scenario" explained Naruto, "where the others are forced to make a difficult decision."
"In other words, it has to be a thought-provoking question" continued Sakura underscoring the "thought-provoking" part of her statement, "The players then have to defend their answers."
"Sorta like...what if you had to give up your Sharingan to save the last existing copy of Icha Icha Paradise, would you do it?"
Kakashi stopped and rested his free hand on his hip. Bewildered, the four watched the slighlty hunched form hunch even further.
"Hmmm. That is a tough one."
User of the Sharingan. Hatake Kakashi. The legendary copy-nin.
"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura sighed "You just don't know how sad it is to see you actually ponder on that."
"I have one." Sai's eyes crinkled happily.
Everyone eyed the ANBU curiously. As far as Naruto and Sakura's memories went, this was the first time Sai had ever initiated the game.
"What if...you knew that the only way to save someone truly important to you was to take his life..."
And for the very first time, they got more than they had bargained for.
"Would you do it?"
Nothing but dumbstruck silence followed. Even Kakashi raised his dark eye to peer beyond his book. Amidst the noise of rustling foliage a mute discord had begun.
The ANBU, nonetheless, seemed oblivous. Finally, he turned to the quiet young man at the opposite end of the quartet.
"Sasuke-kun"
The indecipherable smile had not left his unblemished countenance.
"Would you do it?"
"But Tsunade-sama, what if this doesn't turn out how we hope it would?"
"Then, there's nothing we could really do about it."
"Maybe its too soon. They haven't even completed the psychological preparation for this, most especially Sasuke. The way Orochimaru had gotten under people's skin..."
"Enough Shizune, don't you think I am very much aware of that."
With a pang she remembered how she too had almost become a willing accessory to his sordid ideals. Orochimaru was cruel beyond measure. He seduced with words that played on a person's vulnerabilities, and wrapped those deceived in his tight consuming embrace. But like the snake that he was, he savored his conquest, squeezing out ones life bit by bit, one short breath after another. Those exceptional few who did manage to escape found themselves too emotionally and psychologically mangled, even time wasn't enough to mend the broken pieces.
"I don't know why we must rush things. I don't even understand why it's so important to get team seven immediately back together. They managed without each other for so long. I think they would do just fine separately for the meantime."
"Shizune, its done. There's nothing more to talk about."
The petite medic knew that the Godaime was right. Nothing more could be done. Words couldn't stop what would happen. Waiting was the sole option. As she closed the balcony doors, Shizune prayed fervently that this time luck would be at Tsunade's side.
Hazel eyes surveyed the scene below. The hidden leaf village was, as usual, bustling with life. It was striking how Konoha never seemed to change. She had witnessed the passing of seasons and heroes, had survived the most gruesome battles, and had withstood threats from some of its own ill-willed shinobis. Yet here she remained standing, the proud village of more than a thousand brave souls.
"I don't remember the last time you looked at our village that way."
Tsunade smiled wryly. She knew that her new companion had overheard her entire conversation with her most loyal subordinate.
"So I'm guessing that Shizune doesn't know. She thinks this is one of your crazy ideas to force those three to rekindle their team spirit. Looks like I'm the only one in on the secret."
The clicking of wood on concrete grew louder as it got closer.
"Doesn't it make you feel that we have some kind of dirty li'l secret-eh, Tsunade"
She had to laugh. The years had not changed her childhood friend one bit. He was that same twelve year-old rascal who went around town asking random big-breasted women to be his girlfriend, and snuck into her bedroom to watch her undress as revenge being called a "pervert".
"Only a mind like yours would think of it that way, Jiraiya."
She hated to admit, however, that despite his lecherous ways, he was one of the very few she deeply trusted.
"Don't worry. They're a strong bunch of kids. Much stronger than us. Its quite amazing that they didn't turn out the way we did. It won't surprise me if they do become the true 'legendary Sannin'."
"I hope they would. They never gave up on one another in circumstances where most would have, and even the best did." She glanced at Jiraiya meaningfully, "But fate may just again prove that three is always a crowd."
"Is that why you sent a fourth?"
Tsunade chuckled unsure of how to answer the question. She had had more than her fair share of losing streaks to know it was foolish for her to rely on her own gut feel. But as always, she was stubborn, and her gut told her that sending the ANBU was playing the cards right.
"Jiraiya. You were a fool nominating me as Hokage." she deftly shifted the topic,"You know how much I suck at gambling. Picking the lesser evil was never my strong point."
"Which makes you perfect for the job." His tone turned serious, "Because for you, there is no such thing as a lesser evil. There can be no compromises, only solutions. Tsunade, there's no one else more worthy than you."
Jiraiya, leaned against the railing to gaze at the great faces carved in rock looming above. Finally his eyes rested on the earthen countenance of his former student.
"When the time comes," Jiraiya's raspy voice was wistful "and I hope to high heavens it never does, he may be the only one who can do it. You know that."
"Sasuke is of pure Uchiha blood, and from a strong line of Sharingan users. There's is little doubt that given time and training he will be able to do it...to save this village. But if and when that moment is upon him, would he be capable of actually going through it? That's an entirely different question."
Would you?
He heard the question again. This time it was that distant voice from long ago. The tiny voice he forgot had even existed. His own voice.
He looked back at the smiling ANBU. It was as if he was staring at his own reflection. The happy yet blank expression was mocking him ,laughing at him, jeering at his weakness.
He gritted his teeth to keep himself lunging forward, from smashing the smug expression off that face.
"Sasuke." Kakashi's characteristic drawl yanked him back to his senses.
He saw the alarm in Sakura's soft features, the tenseness of Naruto's stance. Like true shinobis their instincts were sharp. And, both were instantly ready to intervene in what might be more than an exchange of acerbic replies.
"Naruto, Sakura, Sai. Enough silly games. Let's get going."
Sasuke, shoved both his hands into his pockets, and began walking ahead. No one spoke after. Only the shuffling of sandals on dry earth punctuated the uneasy silence. As the shadows lengthened in the dying afternoon, so did the distances between the traveling teammates.
Sakura was lost in her thoughts until she found her self side by side with her willowy sensei.
"The game was never supposed to be that serious."
"I know." Kakashi spoke evenly, "Sorry I had to break it up that way. I didn't mean to treat you like kids."
She looked up to see Kakashi keeping a steady eye on the dispersed trio. After what transpired, she was glad that he was the one assigned to lead their team. If there was anyone who could knock some sense into stubborn, hot-headed shinobis, particularly those of Konoha's team seven, it was Kakashi.
"No. You were right, Kakashi-sensei. The game is silly."
Sakura grinned ruefully as she caught Sasuke chance a furtive glance at his blond comrade.
"How can a game be fun if, from the outset, there was no real chance of winning."
To be continued...