Sorry for not updating. School is a pain.

Sasuke was suspended by the short chains on his arms keeping him in the air, as well as tight chains pulling his legs down. Sakura, Tsunade, Ibiki and Yamato walked in, and looked up to the raven-haired teenager.

Sasuke looked down at them, the seals around his arms, and binding to the ones around his curse seal and his eyes. He swallowed what dry saliva he had left, and spoke in a weak voice, "Well, well, well, Sakura. You and Naruto finally caught me…" He blinked, and sighed, "But I did not complete what I wanted." He looked up, looking at a lost. "Itachi is still alive. He's blind from using the Mangekyou Sharingan, but he's still alive. Kisame helped him out of the area, and we were chasing after him. He passed you and that man you guys were fighting before."

Tsunade stepped up to speak, "Uchiha Sasuke, you have repeatively attacked and injured, and twice almost kill, Konoha shinobi. Even if you have killed enemies of Konoha, you have released the Akatsuki against us, and as well as invading other nations. You will be sought upon all of the Kage of the land, to decide your fate."

Sakura was shocked by this, looking at her master. "Bu- But Lady Tsunade-"

Tsunade raised her hand, and spoke. "Sakura, I cannot discount that he has worked with an S-class rogue ninja, as well as others. Ibiki, begin."

Yamato put his hand on Sakura's shoulder, and brought her out. Ibiki approached Sasuke, and cracked his neck in preparation.

The Akatsuki regroup at last. Pein, Konan, Kisame, Itachi, Zetsu and Tobi are all that remains. They have decided against using the holograms, and decided on speaking face-to-face. Kisame was beaten up, while Itachi was blind. Zetsu was still his good, old, fucked up cannibalistic self with a split personality, and that basically was because he did little to no fighting. Tobi had his hood up, with no injuries on him. Pein was recovering from fighting with Jiraiya, while Konan was shaken up from nearly dying at her old sensei's hands.

Pein spoke out to them, "We need new members. This simply cannot do. Itachi is blind; Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, and Kakuzu are dead. Does anyone have any leads to powerful rogue ninja?"

Tobi spoke up, "I know of one. He's from the Land of the Mist. He was once part of the Yoshimoto clan, which was a nomadic and powerful clan. They spread out among the different villages, and collected ninjutsu. This man I speak of was Yoshimoto Hakataru. He was so powerful; he began to break out against his clan's rules, and did what he pleased. The clan leader ordered an assassination on him by one of Kisame-senpai's friends; Momochi Zabuza. Apparently, some believe that Hakataru survived, since rumors of him are that he lives in a cabin in the far out ridges of the Rock Village."

Pein rubbed his chin, and looked to Zetsu. "Zetsu, go with Konan and seek out this man. I want you to see if he lives up to his reputation." Zetsu nodded, and Konan grunted in her mind. Why do I have to go with the cannibal?…

As they left, Pein went over to Itachi. He looked him in the eyes. "You are blind, are you, Itachi?"

Itachi nodded. "I used up my Sharingan against Sasuke, and he got away."

Pein lifted his finger slightly to Itachi's forehead, and Itachi put his own index finger on Pein's with fast reflexes.

"I've known I was going blind for a while now, so I have trained my hearing to help me. Don't think that just because I am blind it means I cannot fight."

Pein smiled, and nodded. "Good." He walked away, having a sinister plan for Konoha.

Konan and Zetsu crossed the border of the Mizu no Kuni (Water Country), and began scouting out positions that Hakataru was rumored to be in. Konan asked around, while Zetsu patrolled the lands through the trees.

After hours upon hours of searching, Konan arrives at a bar. She walks in, and she looks around. She looks to an elderly man, and walks up to him. "Do you know where Yoshimoto Hakataru is?"

The man looked up, out of his sake. He looked like an experienced drinker; he had no blush on himself, and looked quite calm. "Old Hakataru? He's a hermit who lives out in the forest. Two miles out; a small house. You cannot miss it."

Konan smiled. Progress at last. She turned to leave, but the old man spoke up.

"I warn you. This man is very ill tempered. He may seem calm and collected, but he has the essence of a prowling tiger."

Konan stopped, and looked back slightly. Then she turned, and walked off. She got onto her microphone, linked to Zetsu's.

"Zetsu, I have gotten the location of Yoshimoto Hakataru. He is two miles outside of the town, in the forest. His location is in a house."

Zetsu's voice cackled back; "Roger." Then, his other side spoke up. "But will he come with us, is the real question."

She considered her words, and brought the microphone up to her face again. "He won't have a choice."

Sorry it may be short. I promise the next chapter will be more productive.