Disclaimer: Naruto is still Kishimoto Masashi's property. But this story with its dramatic bits is mine.

Note: For my soul sister and beta-reader Eri, this is for you. Thank you for the never-ending support and patience with my darkening creativity. For the readers and my constant reviewers, this one's for you as well. Happy reading!


Aftermath: Post War

Chapter 4: Detriments


"Thanks for accompanying me, Naruto," Sakura thanked him as they left the emergency shelter. While visiting her teammates, Shizune suddenly barged in the room requesting her assistance on an urgent procedure due to the lack of medical staff.

Naruto readily offered to escort her while Sasuke opted to sleep. He was suffering from insomnia lately so Sakura prescribed him with sleep-inducing pills. The medic nin suspected the Uchiha's lack of sleep was due to chakra depletion yet Naruto argued that his late-night brooding was the reason.

Eyeing her energetic comrade who was more than happy to be outside, Sakura warned, "Once we reach the hospital, head straight to your room. If Tsunade-shishou finds out you're loitering outside she'll kill you."

Her companion grinned. "Boring! I don't want to be stuck in that room with teme – that guy does nothing but sleep!"

The pinkette rolled her eyes. "Resting is part of the recovery process."

"If you say so," Naruto chirped. Thanks to Kurama residing inside him, his recovery was fast. His stump didn't hurt yet there were brief instances of painful twitching. On the other hand, Sasuke rarely complained of pain though his recent movements were sluggish.

Sakura's steps quieted down, causing Naruto to halt as well. "Sakura-chan?"

With a sheepish smile, she gestured at the oden stand. "I'm a bit hungry. You don't mind if we stop for a while, do you?"

He frowned. "If you say so."

They ambled to the stall, sitting on the vacant stools. After Sakura ordered food, they waited in silence. Naruto usually preferred ramen to oden but tonight, he will compromise. Noting Sakura's faraway look, he flapped a hand in front of her. "Earth to Sakura-chan!"

She blinked. "Hm?"

"You're spacing out."

"It's nothing."

Naruto smiled knowingly. "It's teme, isn't it?" When she didn't answer, he ruffled her hair playfully. "You're so predictable, Sakura-chan. So, how are things between the two of you?"

Sakura vividly recalled her previous conversation with Sasuke. When Naruto barged in on them, spouting words, "The ramen will get cold if I waited for more than twenty minutes," they returned to being civil – much to her frustration. Sasuke remained distant though he glared daggers at the unsuspecting blond's direction.

A week passed since then.

The pinkette sipped her tea. "Well, I got rejected."

His face fell. "Oh."

"Don't look so glum," Sakura chided, taking a bite of her food. "Sasuke-kun and I are fine now."

Naruto tucked a hand under his chin. "I read once from Ero-Sennin's novel that getting dumped is painful. You tend to do outrageous things like drinking sake and eating sweets nonstop till your stomach bulges."

Her lips quirked, finding his extreme scenarios absurd. "Wow…that's some imagination you have there."

"I find it weird you're taking this pretty well," he remarked dryly.

Sakura frowned, gaze dropping at her cup. "You heard what he said last time, right? With the way he is now, I can't force my feelings on him."

She smiled in spite of the lingering pain. "Sasuke-kun said my feelings closely resembled his past love – his family. He was right about the darkness in our hearts. He helped me understand that I was in love with his vengeful side – his past self. It didn't work out, since I almost got myself killed..."

"Sakura-chan…"

"Naruto, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I gave you a hard time by making you promise to bring him back. When Sai said you begged the Raikage to lift the execution order on Sasuke-kun, I realized how stupid I was to impose that heavy burden on your shoulders and I didn't do a single thing to ease it."

He raised a hand. "It wasn't your fault. I decided to bring him back at all costs. Sasuke's our comrade, our friend. If it weren't for your undying belief and love for him, I would've given up a long time ago."

Her reaction was a mixture of incredulity and pain as his words struck uncertainty in her heart. "Sasuke-kun's rejection…actually, I don't understand why he did it," she admitted.

Naruto nodded, letting her speak her mind.

Pouring herself another cup of tea, she continued. "At first I thought he rejected me to stop me from loving him. I anticipated that…but then –"

"Instead, he freed from the guilt of loving him," Naruto reiterated. "Like how I shouldered his hatred, he decided to shoulder your insecurities and negativity in order for you to move on." Scratching his cheek in a thoughtful manner, he beamed. "It is complicated, but, I think Sasuke-teme wants you to think for yourself this time, Sakura-chan."

"To think for myself?" she echoed in amazement.

"Hmm-mm." Taking a piece of fishcake from her bowl, he popped it in his mouth then chewed thoughtfully. "Sakura-chan, you've always been our constant support, the only one who keeps us on our toes. Without you, Sasuke and I will not make it this far. However –"

His smile was tender. "You've spent your entire life watching our backs. In order to catch up to us, you trained under Tsunade-bachan. You improved quite a lot and you think WE didn't notice?"

Sakura's eyes widened. So, all this time they knew…and she thought they'd never…

"Sasuke caused you a lot of pain so he rejected you to spare you from it. He totally recognized your strength so he didn't want you to waste that on him. Even I knew that and I'm supposed to be the densest in the group."

She tilted her head weakly, mollified at their dark-haired teammate's silent display of concern. Nevertheless, Naruto's words gave her a semblance of hope.

"You don't need to do this anymore. I'm freeing you from loving me, Sakura."

"Naruto…I still love him," she confessed. "But he told me…"

He flashed his widest grin. "Sakura-chan, have you ever tried to think beyond his words?"

Jade eyes reflected uncertainty. "N-no."

"It's true that love is the last thing on his mind. That guy has too much emotional baggage to deal with right now. I don't want to get your hopes up, but if he does finish settling those problems then he'll probably come around. Did he tell you to stop loving him?"

"He didn't, but I…"

Naruto poked her arm lightly. "Then don't think so low of yourself. You're a great girl and don't ever forget that 'ttebayo! If it makes you feel better, then be strong for him. You know how condescending he gets if he finds out you're feeling sorry for yourself."

The pinkette blushed, appreciating his considerate gesture. Naruto's warm-heartedness and sincere compliments instantly lifted the depressing mood.

He quickly diverted the topic. "After your talk, Sasuke didn't mention anything about it to me. It must be a private matter between you two since he didn't want me to intrude." A sly grin crossed his face. "I'm sure he got annoyed when I interrupted your moment."

"You mistimed."

"Hah! Like I'd let good ramen go to waste."

Light chuckling escaped her lips. "Thanks, Naruto. I'm sorry we made you worry. "

"I'm just happy you guys are okay now."

"I still can't believe he's back."

"Same here. I kept pinching teme's arm just to be sure."

They both grinned.

"Truthfully, there are things I want to ask him – his family, the clan, everything," Sakura told him, "Considering his condition right now, it'd be better not to stress him."

Naruto tensed in trepidation. Aside from him, Kakashi-sensei and Yamato knew the truth; both swore not to disclose any more information. Not only that, he promised Itachi he'd keep his true mission a secret and avoid tarnishing their clan's name. Thinking back, there's also a huge chance that Sasuke might've encountered his brother in the midst of battle.

He'd have to ask him sometime.

Staring back at Sakura's face, worry laced through him as he saw her eyes dulled from exhaustion. Even if he wanted to tell her, he couldn't. It was contradicting; he told his friends to be upfront yet he couldn't tell Sakura the truth.

Only Sasuke could provide the answers.

Speaking of Sasuke…

"Sakura-chan," he began, voice low. "Have you ever wondered what will happen to him?"

Sakura considered it carefully. They were in a public area and she sensed an Anbu guard lurking a few feet away from them. His question should be answered in a more private setting. "I'm not sure," she answered cryptically.

"I see." Naruto discerned the urgency in her voice. He felt it too – the sensation of being watched. Gripping his cup, he took a distracting sip. Sakura followed suit, quickly finishing her meal. After paying for their meal, they walked back to the hospital.

Blue eyes darted back and sideways, checking if they're still followed. With his heightened chakra senses, Naruto deduced that the chakra flow shifting a few meters from their position indeed belonged to an Anbu. 'This is strange.'

Beside him, Sakura's pace was slow. Her rigid posture and stiffened shoulders prompted alertness. They pose no threat to the village…so why were they stalked?

Unless…

The two of them knowingly looked at each other.


Self-sacrifice. To uphold peace from the shadows, unknown to all.

Shisui imparted the words to Itachi before his supposed suicide. His brother dutifully followed those words when he massacred their clan and left the village as a criminal.

Now he entrusted those words to Sasuke along with his memories.

The Uchiha's eyes opened.

Revisiting his brother's memories was his favored pastime, offering comfort to his current condition. With three years of vengeance over, he had ample time to reminisce about Itachi, his parents, and the clan.

His persistent weakening from chakra overuse and recurring nightmares made him restless. The sleep-inducing pills he consistently took for the past few days provided little assistance as his mind relentlessly battered him with memories of his past actions, leaving little to no sleep.

It was odd.

He did nothing but rest for days so his large chakra reserves should replenish by now. He mentally ticked the first time he felt weedy…

He flexed the fingers on his right hand.

Tremors.

Activating his Sharingan, he stared at his hand again. His blood-red eye slowly receded into its usual black as he finished assessing his condition. Counting the last time he ingested the pills, the chakra instability within him will last for four hours until the next medication.

Coincidentally, he had to take it for another four.

He smirked, closing his tired eyes. 'I can't believe I fell for it.'

Noting his weakened state and edginess, Sasuke sensed something imminent was going to happen. Without his left hand, performing hand seals and retaliating with taijutsu would be impossible.

There's nothing he could do now.

Instead, his thoughts drifted to Taka. After his resuscitation by Kabuto and the Rikudō Sennin's Yin Power, Taka officially disbanded. He lost all contact with them after the battle yet he surmised they escaped along with Orochimaru.

Eventually, Konoha mobilized some of its forces to chase after his team and former mentor. His teammates risked their lives to save him countless times and he never uttered a single word of gratitude.

He was a pitiable man.

His hand unconsciously reached up, fingertips touching his closed lids as Itachi's words echoed inside his head.

"People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true – that is how they define reality. However, what does it mean to be correct or true? Merely vague concepts – their reality may all be an illusion."

His brother's broad understanding of the world stemmed from his pacifist nature – something Sasuke was ignorant of due to his youth. Until now, he didn't understand the complexity of Itachi's pragmatic outlook.

Though his brother's memories showed him everything, he couldn't fathom the emotions Itachi suppressed when he brought the curtain down on their clan. While Sasuke solely nurtured his hatred, Itachi endured loneliness, patiently waiting on borrowed time until he'd die by his younger brother's hand.

This was the sole reason Sasuke never regretted killing Danzō.

And now…

'I spent my whole life walking on a path full of lies and deceit. This time…everything will be different. I know what I have to do,' he mused, opening his eyes.

Then his senses brought him to full alert.

There was another presence in the room.

Recognizing its chakra signature, he muttered tiredly, "A bit late for visiting hours, don't you think?"

Kakashi stepped away from the shadows, a smile hidden under his mask. "Hmm…I guess so. Is it wrong to visit my student?"

"Hn."

"You're no fun," Kakashi chided. "How's your arm?"

"Fine."

"It won't hurt you to be honest."

"It's fine."

The older man sighed. "Okay then." Giving his student a stern look, he began. "I'm sure you already know why I'm here."

Mutely, the raven-haired teen pinpointed Morino Ibiki's chakra and a platoon of Anbu shinobi on standby right across the hospital. One false move and they would not hesitate to bring him bodily harm.

For now, silence was the best course of action.

Kakashi surreptitiously waved a hand outside. Ibiki and the platoon's presence promptly disappeared, giving him ample time to talk to his student. There wasn't a need for physical altercation since Sasuke's weakened condition provided him little resistance.

His former protégé showed no signs of fighting back whatsoever.

Thankful he didn't need to tie Sasuke up with wires, Kakashi plopped down on the molded plastic chair and faced him. His eyes roved at his student's sitting form, scrutinizing every injury, every scar. Concern marred his face as his gaze landed at the remains of Sasuke's dominant arm.

The Uchiha noticed where his gaze was, his other hand firmly grasping the stump. "It's fine."

"You said it a lot of times. Were you saying that to assure me or more to yourself?"

Sasuke only glared.

The older man crossed his arms. "We haven't talked like this for a long time. Before I had to tie you down and provoke your hatred to make you talk but Naruto assured me you're not gonna do that anymore." After making sure what emanated from his student was not bloodlust but annoyance, he spoke, "I'm sorry."

Sasuke regarded the other man absurdly as if he grew an extra head.

"Obito told me the truth," Kakashi said quietly, watching Sasuke's uncovered eye twitch. "It's a bit late but…"

"It's all in the past. Don't bring it up," he retorted dismissively.

"Even if you pretend not to care, your face says it all," the Jōnin quipped, jogging a particular memory. "Since he was young, Itachi possessed tremendous loyalty and dedication to the village." He regarded the stoic teen's confusion with a comforting smile. "I'd vouch for that since he was my subordinate."

Hearing about Itachi from another person was irritating. Sasuke didn't need to be frequently reminded of his brother's kindness. "I'm pretty sure you didn't come here just to talk about Itachi," he stated flatly.

Kakashi sighed, failing once again to curb his student's foul mood…oh well. Sasuke remained much the same surly teenager as he was before, albeit less hostile – no use beating around the bush. "I'm here to arrest you for killing Danzō and aiding Madara in his terrorist attacks against the Five Great Nations."

No response.

The older man scratched his head, thinking his approach ridiculous. Even his perpetual tardiness got the best of him – leniently waiting for Sakura and Naruto to leave the room in order to corner Sasuke.

It was an arduous task since the two of them left at midnight after Shizune requested Sakura's assistance at the emergency shelter.

Regardless, the resident physician's assessment of Sasuke's current physical condition was spot on. His weariness from the sleep-inducing pills Sakura had concocted was still in effect. What the pinkette didn't know was that Tsunade secretly placed chakra suppressors inside the pills, causing the chakra instability in Sasuke's body.

The effects were lukewarm since Sasuke still managed to keep himself conscious but regular intakes of the pills eventually took its toll on his body – even molding chakra at his state would be difficult.

Noticing Sasuke's skeptical look and slight tensing of his shoulders, Kakashi assumed the latter already figured out the reason for his purposely drug-induced haze.

'Why do I get the feeling that Sakura and Naruto are going to get me for this?' he warily thought.

He quickly reverted to the topic. "Well, that's how it's supposed to be…but, I ordered Ibiki and the others to stand down."

Heaving a sigh, Sasuke's back hit the headboard with a soft thud – the implications of his former instructor's words sinking in. "Why?"

"Before anything else…I wanted to talk to you."

Sasuke did not buy his act.

"The council elders are planning to take this matter to the Kage Summit if the Godaime didn't send an order to arrest you."

"…"

Kakashi found the younger man's silence unnerving. Likewise, Sasuke carefully weighed his words. Both were aware that they're under surveillance yet Kakashi chose this time to – "In any case, what you can do for now is to plead for forgiveness."

Sasuke's tone was deceptively soft. "You want me to plead for forgiveness to the ones who wronged my clan?"

Kakashi eyed him seriously. "Itachi sacrificed his life to save you. Are you going to throw his hard work away for nothing? The least you can do is show humility for once to lessen your sentence. I don't want to see your head rolling off the chopping block."

The Uchiha reflected on this. It was laughable that Kakashi offered to bail him out. As appealing as it sounded, his dignity was the only thing he had left – and he intended to keep it.

He wasn't a hypocrite.

He already knew what the council had in store for him the moment he returned to Konoha.

"You don't even have to forgive me. And no matter what you do from here on out, know this – I will love you always."

Sasuke's onyx eye flickered somberly. 'I'm sorry, 'Nisan. This time, I'll protect them in my own way.' Taking a deep breath, he started, "I asked Naruto what he'd do after the war. He said everything would return to how it was. I found his answer akin to a child's –"

Kakashi recalled Naruto's words. They didn't get to talk much due to the Godaime's interruption. He and Sasuke had the same mindset, preferring realistic outcomes than idealism so he had a grasp of what went on inside the younger Uchiha's head.

Using what little strength he had, Sasuke pushed himself to sit on the edge of the bed. "– But it gave me something to believe in. It made me believe that despite how wretched I was, I could still set things right."

"Such as?"

Sasuke ripped the bandage from his other eye. Blinking once then twice, he turned his attention to Kakashi, mismatched orbs gazing tepidly at him. "Self-sacrifice."

Kakashi stilled.

"Shinobi are people meant to endure – that's what I learned from Itachi and the First Hokage. When Itachi conveyed his memories to me, I understood why this village was precious to him," Sasuke explained, sluggishly removing the intravenous fluids and tubes attached to his body. "No matter how peaceful an era is, as long as there's negativity in the people's hearts, there will always be conflict."

"Sasuke…"

"I fully understand the consequences of my return," he admitted, standing up. "This time, I won't run away but I need you to do me a favor."

"What is it?"

"Leave Taka out of this."

The Jōnin was taken aback by his request. It was difficult, considering he'll raise an appeal to the Hokage and the council. However, he couldn't deny his student's wish to be held accountable for all the allegations. He knew Sasuke did it to preserve whatever self-worth he had left.

The words he imparted to Naruto occupied his mind.

"There were certain sacrifices needed to uphold peace – Even if it meant spilling the blood of an important comrade."

Just like Rin, Obito and Minato-sensei.

Kakashi nodded, begrudgingly. Orders were orders – even he couldn't go against the Hokage. Once again, he regretted not being able to do anything for his student. "Forgive me, Sasuke."

Even when he was young, the only time Kakashi saw Sasuke exhibited emotions was during his fight with Naruto at the hospital.

Back then, his killing intent was real.

This time, there were no traces of fear or anger reflecting on his pale visage. His red-rimmed eyes and the dark circles underneath were telltale signs of insomnia though his expression remained impassive – if only Kakashi learned to read his emotions, helping him would be easy.

"Thanks, Kakashi."

The apathetic Jōnin felt his emotions flurrying inside him. Hearing his student's words of gratitude certainly turned the tide. He'd never admit it aloud, but he was inwardly proud of him.

Naruto was right.

Knowing he already defied Tsunade's orders by offering a plea bargain, Kakashi had no choice. There was no sense in prolonging it any longer. Placing a hand on Sasuke's head, he affectionately ruffled his hair. "We've never seen each other eye-to-eye yet I could see that you're learning from your mistakes. No matter what happens, never forget that I am proud to be your teacher."

A small quirk appeared at the corner of the stoic young man's mouth.

Finally, Kakashi gave the signal.


"Who sent you?"

The shinobi struggled helplessly against Sakura's hold. Knowing her fingers were strong enough to crush his larynx, the pinkette tried not to squeeze too hard.

However, she can add a bit of pressure to make him talk.

"Why are you following us? Who sent you?" Naruto demanded. After catching their stalker off-guard by sneaking behind his back, he handed the struggling nin to Sakura who effortlessly restrained him with her enhanced strength.

"K…Kuh…"

"Answer us already!" Sakura snarled impatiently.

Naruto gripped her wrist. "Sakura-chan, you're choking him."

"He will be if he's not gonna talk."

"Seriously, Sakura-chan…loosen the death grip for a bit. If we unmask him then we'll know."

The pinkette relented, relaxing her fingers.

The stalker heaved huge gulps of air, grateful for Naruto's intervention. Finding himself at the mercy of two of the four most powerful shinobi in the world was a bad idea. When Naruto ripped off his mask, he gulped sheepishly as their jaws dropped in bewilderment.

Sakura unceremoniously released her hold on him. The sharp impact of the fall caused him to land hard on his butt. "E–Ebisu?"

"You're Konohamaru's sensei! Why are you stalking us?" Naruto demanded, rage flaring.

Ebisu knew there was no escape. He sagged against the wall, massaging his bruised neck. "I didn't want to do this but…yes, I was ordered to stalk you."

"Who ordered you?"

"K–Kakashi – san..."

Blue orbs widened in shock. Why would their idle teacher order such a thing? That didn't sound like Kakashi-sensei at all. "Why would he order you to distract us?"

Sakura cracked her knuckles for emphasis. "Tell us right now."

The sickening sound was getting to him. Sweat beaded Ebisu's forehead as he hurriedly babbled, "Kakashi-san ordered me to monitor your movements and provide a distraction if needed!"

Ebisu's answers were bewildering and it made Naruto angry. He was suddenly thinking of illogical reasons why their typically insensible sensei would suddenly order someone to spy on them. "I don't understand, why would Kakashi-sensei order such a thing –"

Conversely, Sakura was deriving a conclusion. Her eyes widened slightly. If something concerned their team, generally it would be about… "You don't mean…Sasuke-kun, do you?"

Naruto's head jerked in her direction. "Sasuke?" He glanced back at Ebisu for confirmation. The guilt reflected on the special Jōnin's face was unmistakable.

His body went cold with doubt, quickly grabbing the other man by his collar. "What about Sasuke? Are you guys after information? You won't get any by tailing us!"

Ebisu coughed. "You're mistaken! My job was to keep you guys occupied until Kakashi-san finished the job!"

"What job?" Sakura snapped as her fist poised to knock the older man's teeth out if he said any unnecessary words.

Ebisu nervously adjusted his glasses. No way was he able to lie on this one. 'Forgive me, Kakashi-san,' he inwardly pleaded. "The Hokage released an arrest order for Uchiha Sasuke. Apparently, Kakashi-san is slated to apprehend him by any means necessary."

Naruto and Sakura glared at him in disbelief.

It was ludicrous that their sensei would heed that kind of order. After all, he was the one who told them that those who abandoned their friends were worse than scum.

What possessed him to arrest his own student now?

Naruto's slack-jawed expression was akin to being splashed with freezing cold water. Trying hard not to let her anger run its course, Sakura furtively analyzed what Ebisu meant "by any means necessary." Her face turned pale, finally realizing something was indeed amiss.

Every time, Kakashi-sensei ingrained the importance of teamwork into their minds. Unfortunately, he knew Naruto inside out – that he would loyally accompany Sakura to the shelter. Since the loudmouthed detested boredom, the situation fitted perfectly.

"Shizune-san's request and the emergency procedure…you purposely lured us away in order to isolate Sasuke-kun," she revealed in a shaky breath.

She couldn't bear to see Naruto's horrified expression. "They knew we'd never leave his side so they gave the order to Kakashi-sensei. He's the only one who could get close to us that's why he…"

Naruto heard enough.

Cursing under his breath, he frantically raced back to the hospital. Following his lead, Sakura promptly knocked Ebisu out so he wouldn't alert the others. Leaping from one rooftop to another, she hastened after her disgruntled teammate, praying, 'Please, let us make it in time!'

Within fifteen minutes, she caught up with Naruto. They were about to round the corner when their movements suddenly stopped as if they were caught by an invisible net.

Shadowy lines gradually crept up their bodies, effectively holding them in place. Naruto struggled, uncaring that his angry tirade was gathering attention.

Sakura remained calm, instantly recognizing the Jutsu as well as its caster who languidly blocked their path. "Shikamaru," she greeted him half-heartedly, voice low.

"Oi, what's the meaning of this?" Naruto snarled, eyes turning to slits. If there was a word to describe his temper – it was feral. He had no time to play with the other man's games.

Sakura fumed. She promised Ino not to inflict bodily harm on her comrades unless it was necessary. Her fists began amassing chakra, in case she needed to smash it on someone's face. It was highly likely she'd be close to doing it to the person in front of her if she didn't like his explanation.

Shikamaru remained cool as ever, the twitching of his left brow meant he already anticipated their behavior. "Ebisu told you everything, didn't he? I'm here to make sure you guys will not interfere."

Naruto was ready to chew glass. "This is ridiculous! Sasuke is no longer a threat. He promised me that –"

"And you believed him?" Shikamaru retorted, scratching his head. "Naruto, I'm giving you a word of advice. Don't believe what others tell you or else you'll get easily influenced. Need I remind you that the Raikage hasn't lifted the assassination order – Sasuke is still an international criminal. And since he's a former shinobi of Konoha, it's now our call to mete out proper justice."

"Sasuke's no longer our enemy!"

"Where's your proof? He killed Danzō, kidnapped Killer Bee, joined Akatsuki and launched an assault at the previous Kage Summit. Naruto, these are serious allegations. Just because he face-turned doesn't mean he's exempted from all that."

Naruto gritted his teeth. That was all in the past but now they chose the wrong time to dwell on it. Whenever Sasuke's past crimes were brought up, even he had no idea how to defend him. The worst part of it all, Kakashi-sensei's words were becoming true.

Sakura scowled. "If that's how it goes, Sasuke-kun will not simply yield to your demands."

Instead of getting intimidated, Shikamaru smiled. "You underestimate me, Sakura. Sasuke's also my classmate so even I knew how stubborn he was."

Betrayal lanced through Naruto. Their conversation was getting to his nerves. "What are you getting at –"

"We planned on striking him at his weakest state." His eyes fixed at Sakura knowingly. "I'm pretty sure you're aware of that since you often checked on him."

The pinkette's face was filled with pure horror upon realizing the droopy-eyed nin's insinuation. "His insomnia…the pills…"

Naruto's eyes widened.

Shikamaru remained placid.

An indescribable look of guilt marred her fair features. Fists glowing faintly, she bleakly gave details to her equally shocked teammate. "The pills I provided for Sasuke-kun would surely make him drowsy. However, the dosage I prescribed isn't that strong so I told him to take it every four hours. Unless…"

"Hokage-sama tampered with your prescription," Shikamaru finished. "She knew you'd be the one to personally hand the pills to him. Since it's you, he wouldn't even suspect a thing." A smile crept on his face as he added, "It worked didn't it?"

At that moment, Sakura's heart dropped.

Naruto's cerulean eyes brimmed with anger. Kakashi-sensei, Shikamaru…even Tsunade-bachan. To think they would sink this low – even using Sakura's compassionate nature to bait Sasuke.

Struggling with his bindings, he hauled himself next to his friend's trembling form. "Sakura-chan, don't listen to him! It wasn't your fault so please…please don't blame yourself."

She wasn't listening to him anymore.

Her choked sobs were enough proof that she was blaming herself for unintentionally placing their raven-haired teammate in a dangerous situation.

Ironically, Naruto began blaming himself as well. He kept assuring his teammates that everything would be fine. Just when things were starting to go well –

"Peace is delicate so the village will now be relying on us to maintain it. In the worst case scenario, certain sacrifices must be made to uphold it."

Those were Kakashi-sensei's words yet he was in charge of arresting Sasuke. The blond clenched his fist. Was Sasuke really the sacrifice he talked about last time?

Recalling the incident at the memorial, he saw the intimidating stares of the people and their growing resentment while Itachi was posthumously honored…

Sasuke's cryptic words filled his mind and realizing its meaning was sickening. If he didn't ask his friend to come back with them to Konoha then maybe…this ill-treatment wouldn't happen. He happily redeemed him yet he wasn't aware of the repercussions.

The outcome was forebodingly clear.

Naruto's chest tightened as the wave of negative emotions slowly filled him. Even Kurama sensed it and was doing its best to negate it. Besieged with anger, he had to do something.

Maybe…he could still convince Kakashi-sensei to forego Sasuke's arrest.

As if on cue, flaming yellow chakra instantly engulfed Naruto's body.

"Shit!" Shikamaru winced, watching in disbelief as the other man proceeded to free himself from the shadow bindings, its spidery lines ripping through his skin like wires.

With enough chakra, Sakura destroyed her restraints. Rushing to Naruto's aid, she unflinchingly grabbed the bindings with her bare hands.

"SHAANNNNNAAARRRROOOOOOO!" she roared, ripping the bindings off Naruto's body as if it were mere threads.

Both men gaped at her brute strength.

Sakura yelled at her teammate. "Go! I'll handle things from here."

Naruto nodded, using the Body Flicker Technique straightaway to transport himself to the hospital.

After making sure her teammate was far enough, she turned to Shikamaru. Fists glowing, she charged towards him. Nara barely had time to react as her fist collided with his jaw, hurtling him backward to the wall. Before Sakura could land a devastating blow on him, he disappeared with a loud POOF!

A clone.

Eyes glinting retaliation, Sakura hurriedly trailed after Naruto.

From his vantage point, Shikamaru knew their plan to restrain the two failed. Tapping his earpiece, he mouthed. "Naruto's on the way. Enforce Level 3 security. There's no time, once he gets there…he will kill you."


By the time Naruto arrived, a platoon of Anbu already assembled at the entrance of the hospital. Drained from exerting chakra to maintain his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, he was verging on collapsing. Furthermore, he couldn't use his Multiple Shadow Clones because he was an arm short and won't be able to complete the seal.

Despite the handicaps, he won't be going down without a fight. "Kurama, I need your help. Bear with me," he muttered under his breath.

The Anbu didn't waste time in restraining him. Naruto's Chakra Mode empowered him to push every shinobi who tried to get close to him. He didn't want to cause them further harm so he used his chakra arms to merely push and shove.

Still, with the platoon surrounding him like a caged animal, it will take him a long time to subdue them. He mentally wished that Sakura were there with him to obliterate them with her fists.

Then again, she was preoccupied in beating the hell out of Shikamaru.

He had to get to Sasuke, damn it!

Someone grabbed his arm.

Then another.

"Crap!" he cussed, wrenching his limbs from the two Anbu's grasp. Unfortunately, his chakra mode dissipated and fending them off with one arm was a huge disadvantage. "Damn it let go!"

"Stop it, Naruto."

He went still. "K-Kakashi-sensei?"

Said person stepped forward. Adding more to the blond's frustration, he didn't give an order to release him. Regarding his student with a wary eye, he carefully warned, "You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you and these guys! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Naruto argued.

"We're here by orders of the Hokage to arrest Sasuke," Kakashi answered firmly.

"You're the one who said we shouldn't abandon our friends! This…" Naruto thrashed for emphasis, "defeats the purpose!"

"As a shinobi, you should know by now that the Hokage's order is absolute. Even I can't do anything about it."

His off-handed remark was similar to a ton of bricks dropping on Naruto's head. Before he could come up with a retort, his eyes fixed on a sight that made him thrash more.

A person with a familiar mop of black hair walked past him while being led out of the building by Anbu guards.

Witnessing the real thing was shocking.

"Sasuke!"

Hearing his name, the raven-haired boy stopped.

Behind him, Ibiki made eye contact with Kakashi who simply nodded. They didn't have time for idle chats and their spectacle already attracted unnecessary spectators. He uncompromisingly jostled the Uchiha to keep moving forward.

Barefooted, bound with chakra-suppressing chains and a seal covering his eyes, Sasuke didn't need to guess where Naruto stood nor see him wrestling his restraints. His lips grimly tightened, silently appreciating Naruto's efforts to protect him.

Somehow, he was comforted by the fact that Sakura wasn't there with Naruto.

He resumed walking.

"Sasuke!" Naruto lunged forward to grab the other boy's arm, swearing when his fingertips grazed the sleeve. "Stop, damn it!"

Kakashi grabbed his hand, shaking his head. "Enough, Naruto."

"You're one to talk!" The blond spat angrily, jerking his hand away. "How could you let them do this to him?"

"I already told you it's the Hokage's orders."

"I don't care if it's Tsunade-bachan's orders! Let him go –"

"Naruto."

Naruto stilled when Sasuke finally turned to face him. For the person who fought Kaguya alongside Sasuke, it was agonizing for Naruto to watch him manhandled like a common criminal. He knew his friend's sallowness and fatigue was due to his lack of sleep and if Shikamaru was right about the chakra suppressors…

He winced, recalling Sakura's remorseful face.

Sasuke's lips moved and the blond's eyes went misty, trying hard to comprehend his quiet message. Before he could answer back, the Anbu guards dragged the Uchiha away. "Wait! We're not finished! Stop!"

He managed to free himself but Ibiki already blocked his path. With Kakashi behind him, Naruto knew his attempts to be belligerent was moot. "Move, Ibiki-sensei! You're making a mistake!"

The notorious Anbu interrogator remained firm. "Step one foot forward and you'll be arrested for treason as well."

Naruto clutched his arm. "Like hell, I care! What you're doing is wrong! He's not gonna fight anymore!" The wounds he received from Shikamaru's shadow binds started bleeding profusely in unison with his chakra running on empty.

He lugged his body forward, pushing Ibiki along the way. The older man let him, seeing his resistance pointless. Regarding Naruto with a sympathetic look, he gave Kakashi a nod as he shadowed his prisoner.

As Sasuke's retreating figure turned smaller, the Anbu continued surrounding Naruto. The last sight Naruto saw when his body gave way was Ibiki roughly covering Sasuke's head with a dark cloth.

Then everything went black.


"Hokage-sama."

Tsunade didn't bother to acknowledge her visitor, eyes focused at the Hokage Monument. "Report."

"We successfully apprehended Uchiha Sasuke."

She poured more sake on her glass, relieved at the success of a mission considered difficult than the usual S-ranked ones. "We're not risking any chances so make sure he's heavily guarded at all costs. Tell Ibiki I want the Anbu to report to me directly from now on."

"Hai," The Anbu bowed before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Tsunade sighed, grateful for being alone. Before she could take a sip of her wine, the door opened. Eyes narrowing at the newcomer for disturbing her quiet time, she remarked, "You looked harassed. I trust everything went well?"

"We had a lot of difficulties yet we managed to pull it off. Although, I have to steer clear from those two for a while."

Tsunade smirked as she sipped her drink. Kakashi's brats were ferocious as always. She didn't have to guess what the two did. Watching Shikamaru trying his best not to shudder at their wrath was amusing.

They certainly lived up to their names as the next Sannin.

Shikamaru sighed, silently thanking his brilliant mind to use a Shadow Clone beforehand when he approached the two. He was outright scared when Naruto suddenly unleashed his chakra mode.

In Sakura's case, she held back yet he vividly remembered the impact of her punch when he sailed backward against the wall. For sure, if she were serious, he'd really end up in a body bag. "I just hope you know what you're doing. It ain't easy playing the bad guy."

The Hokage smiled, appreciating his efforts. They wouldn't be able to pull it off without him. "Thanks, Shikamaru."

The younger man nodded as he left.

Alone, the lone female Sannin stared at her empty office. Taking a drink, she longingly gazed at the Hokage Monument where the carved faces of her grandfathers and mentor were.

At the span of three years, she witnessed many changes. Starting with Orochimaru, he was the last person she'd expect to come to her aid. He told her that their era as Sannin had ended and they should leave it all to the next generation.

Hearing those words from the person declared a psychopath who horrendously killed people for personal gain; she thought the world was ending. Then again, after seeing Orochimaru's pale face contort with remorse upon her mentioning of Jiraiya's death…

Her heart lurched.

Jiraiya.

If he were alive…what would he do?

If only he didn't leave…

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She suddenly felt alone. However, Jiraiya's resolve to go to Ame paved the way for the new generation to thrive. In addition, if he were at her side right now, she knew that like Orochimaru…

He would say the same thing.

Leave it all to the next generation.

Walking behind her desk, the buxom Hokage reached under the drawer and retrieved another bottle of sake she had been hiding from Shizune's prying eyes. Taking a swig, she savored its bittersweet aftertaste. Her amber eyes warmed at the realization of her next move.

"This was the biggest gamble I've ever done in my life."


A/N: I'm seriously thinking of changing the genre to drama if this dark pacing continued. Finally got that Sasuke-going-to-prison thing out of my head! I really enjoyed writing complex characters and so far, I had the tendency to pass it on to others (like Naruto and Sakura). Quoting the First Hokage's words "Conflict no matter what era," it'd be nice to see how Naruto would turn the tables on this belief.

Now, if you'd please click the review button and give me something good to read I'll consider posting the next chapter at an earlier date.