'Naruto' and 'Naruto Shippuden' are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

Self-Combustion

MetaMirage

4

Karin kept her ear close to the ground when it came to missions. Knowing the variety of jobs available was only natural to help her understand her own assignments more. It wasn't until Karin mentioned a blueprint retrieval operation from a draughtsman in Konoha that Sasuke made her regret that fact. His interest in the mission became fanatical to the point he paid off one of the clerks for files detailing the case.

"I knew it. It's targeting Sai. He's Danzo's personal draughtsman."

"Why are you telling me this?" Karin questioned dryly in disapproval of his bribery. Yet again he was making a mockery of the rules the Youth Armed Sanctuary thrived upon. Her only humility was that she often used her position to get information, making her no different.

"It's an opportunity to get information on Danzo," Sasuke pushed. "We are the best suited team for this. I have to get the mission. Will you back me?"

His determination was infectious and impossible to deny. At least that's all she allowed herself to think when she agreed.

"I refuse."

"What do you mean you refuse?"

"That squad is not matched to the criteria. In fact none of our teams have the necessary skills for an assassination of that calibre. I will not support another suicide mission!" Officer Tawanaka said vehemently.

In a small desolate room, missions were assigned. The panel of Lord Orochimaru's most trusted advisers was becoming smaller. She counted six people entering the war room. Sasuke was only concerned with one when he broke in, calling him out. "I nominate my team for the Konoha retrieval. I have a unique proposition."

People shot to their feet. They had barged in on the panel and were lucky to not already be lynched on the spot. Karin quivered, doubting her decision to track the meeting. She didn't expect him to publically make an address, just eavesdrop.

Lord Orochimaru held up a hand that silenced everyone. "What is this proposition?"

Karin relaxed at his exception. Sasuke solidified his agenda, "I have contacts within Konoha that will guarantee successful retrival. There is a group dedicated to usurping Danzo called the Autumn Leaf. They are constantly tracking his movements-"

"We don't even know if these people are capable, let alone if they are trustworthy," Officer Tawanaka cut off. Karin couldn't help but agree with him. The argument Sasuke had placed forward wasn't succinct.

"They are trustworthy and I can engage contact with the YAS to ensure that," Sasuke argued. "We can't accurately predict the location of the blueprints. They can."

"It could be useful," the new head of the medical core spoke up. The room went abuzz, people talking over each other just to be heard.

Officer Tawanaka raised his voice above the din. "Is everyone forgetting the fact Sasuke is an Uchiha. Sending him back to a country with a purge on his kind is idiotic."

"I know Konoha. I was born there," Sasuke defended.

Officer Tawanaka looked him up and down, taking in his dark hair, eyes and pale skin. "You are a text book Uchiha," Tawanaka retorted indelicately. Karin watched Sasuke grit his teeth, eyes withered briefly. Word by word everything he worked toward was slowly being wasted away but to the end he would remain defiant.

"My knowledge of the city, contacts and the detailing of my group will all prevent my identification."

Before anyone could form a rebuttal, Lord Orochimaru stood abruptly. Everyone at the table did the same, as was protocol. Karin and Sasuke were forced to salute as the lowest rank in the room.

"We will review your request," Lord Orochimaru said harshly. "Dismissed."

Dr. Kabuto Yakashi was a valuable asset to the YAS. Not only were his medicinal donations critical but he fed out a steady stream of information straight from the heart of Konoha. He served as an army doctor to the 34th infantry and therefore had access to sensitive frontline information. The hardest part of his collection would not be gaining his favour but delivering the supplies to the YAS without interception.

"Here."

Karin took the envelope, ensuring the string was fastened. It undoubtedly detailed Konoha's movements, troop sizes and any special weaponry. Sasuke's gaze lingered enough to put her on guard. Sasuke was restless, on a razor edge as he awaited the result of the review. She hoped he wouldn't do anything rash.

"You should both stay here until sunset," Dr. Kabuto suggested, throwing on his travelling cloak. He had patients to see. "It's safer to travel at night."

The news jarred Karin as she had never been asked to stay in a house as grand as Dr. Kabuto's before. She believed herself an intrusion on the immaculate royal purple carpet, crisp wallpaper, polished mahogany furniture and extravagant oil paintings. War ordinarily bought such finery to extinction and she hesitated at the spiralling staircase thinking it could all vanish at any moment.

"Stay upstairs and away from the windows."

They were left in a dormant house.

They found themselves in one of the many rooms that captured both their imaginations. For Karin it was a vanity table and Sasuke curious glances at a dusty grand piano.

On the vanity she found a strand of pearls, a gold compact of pressed powder and a carved ivory brush with neat little teeth that stood to attention. She couldn't help but pick it up and pretend for a moment it belonged to her. One glance at the dirty faced girl in the mirror made her put it down in shame. Such finery could never belong to someone like her.

"My older brother was going to marry a woman with a house like this. She was much older than him of course." Karin perked up at Sasuke's voice. He was speaking slowly almost as if he didn't want to admit to having something as personal as a childhood. "She was paying his way through university. Itachi would have been an engineer by now..."

Rolling an iridescent pearl between her fingers Karin tilted her head, prompting him to continue. It was rare to hear him speak of anything but necessity. The house seemed to stir enough in him to mention an older brother for the first time.

"She used to let me play on her piano..." he finished before giving the piano another long look. Karin soaked up the new information, zoned in on his brother.

"What happened to Itachi?"

As soon as she said those words she wanted to swallow them back up. His pause spoke of death and she shut her eyes thinking of a clearing near Konoha and the oozing sore of earth. How insensitive. She needn't have worried though as Itachi was alive and safe. It became self-evident in the ease at which Sasuke continued.

"When I was little we used to chase each other and play hide and seek in our families Orchard. Even with the age gap between us he still indulged me. I was so spoiled."

Hearing him talk fondly was making her revaluate everything she knew about him. It was easy to think Sasuke was born as hard as he turned out.

"There was this big tree that whenever either of us got lost we would always meet under. When we were separated he mouthed our mother's birthday. I couldn't make it last year... but this time will be different," he said with an almost sweet devotion. "I will meet him under that tree."

Sasuke's main goal in life wasn't Hokage Danzo. It was reuniting with his brother. Suddenly she was wishing it on him, hope tethered to his happiness.

"I would love to hear you play," she finally asked.

His smile seemed more like a grimace but the glint in his eyes expressed a deep joy. She shifted excitedly when he sat down and placed his fingers on the keys. She closed her eyes, anticipating a striking symphony. Sasuke would play beautifully of course, those long fingers of his put to good use.

But there was no sound and she opened her eyes to his frown. He was in a state of unfathomable confusion and she couldn't help but fall into the blatant emotion on his face. He was hopelessly lost. Then it exploded to anger.

Furiously he stormed out the room. She pursued him, demanding to know what was wrong.

There was only a cacophony of silence.

Just before nightfall she found the stash of perfume, tucked away under the sink in the bathroom. She was completely overjoyed pulling off delicate caps that transported her to the woody spice of the East or the fresh dew of the mountains. Her mother had owned exactly one perfume bottle, the scent lavender. Karin had coveted that tiny bottle. Smell was a powerful thing and Karin couldn't walk past lavender flowers without thinking of her mother. Out of the dozen of beautiful crystal and stained glass bottles she was drawn to one of striking peacock blue, holding it out to Sasuke.

"This is my absolute favourite. Smell it." She wanted to share the experience with him, all the fumes conspiring to make her foolishly. "It's vanilla."

Sasuke pressed his mouth in a disapproving line and she realised her idiocy. What did it matter if the sweet smell was her most favourite thing in the world? It was completely impractical in his eyes and therefore not worth his time. It didn't help that his bad mood had returned in full force. She was sure he was agonizing over the Konoha review as they spoke.

Still she pressed on, grabbing at a more masculine looking bottle filled with amber liquid. "I love the smell of sandalwood on a man-"

"We're going," he cut off irritably, walking out the door and leaving her sprawled on tiles.

Karin sighed. "Right..."

She wished she never asked him to play that stupid piano.

On the home stretch they took refuge in creeping shade. Sasuke leaned against a dusty stone and cradled his face in his hands. To an untrained eye he seemed physically exhausted but Karin understood his mental anguish. She bit her lip remembering how cathartic talking about her mother and village had been. She felt she owed him the same courtesy but talking about his problems only wound Sasuke up more. She sat down next to him, pressing her leg against his for attention. A glare sought her out between fingers.

"No matter what..." she said carefully. "I will always support you."

It was a dangerous promise, laced heavy with treason and deceit. It was implied she would defy the will of Lord Orochimaru even if neither of them believed it for a second. Her reassurance achieved however as tension left his shoulders and he moved a little closer.

"You have been placed in Kiri. We are sending groups to spy on the city. You have been detailed to the west side. In this packet-"

Rage flooded Sasuke's veins as he whacked the manila folder out of Orochimaru's hand with a growl. Orochimaru raised a dangerous eyebrow and a shocked hush descended over the partners awaiting mission assignments. Such a move would cost Sasuke a week solitary confinement, permanent separation from Karin and a stripped title. He didn't care.

"Put me on the Konoha mission," he spoke evenly. A tranquil fury ruled him. Most people can't think straight when they're angry but Sasuke was different. He could only think straight. Only encompass his goal with a tunnel vision that coloured everything else a terrifying shade of grey.

Orochimaru matched his repressed tone, deadlier than a snake concealed in tall grass. "Your team is more suited to spying. You discovered where a confidential meeting was being held did you not?"

"I'm going to Konoha with or without your permission," Sasuke grit out. The truth tasted like iron, had guards rushing him. Orochimaru leaned back in his chair, sizing Sasuke up. Then he roared with laughter and hit his fist against the table. Sasuke smirked as he was released.

He had him.

"Are you all seeing this you snivelling, spineless children," Orochimaru gestured to the thirty or so people in the room. "This is honesty. Something I have been sorely missing!"

Sasuke had always equated true power to the driving force behind desire. Orochimaru was nullified compared to himself. Always would be.

"I expect those blueprints young man."

The morning of her mission she spotted Officer Tawanaka with a group of guards following him to the western tunnels. When she called for him they all froze with a trained stillness that seemed almost unnatural.

"You have an escort."

He smiled as if she had just made a private joke. "I suppose I do. Good luck on your mission."

She nodded before Sasuke waved her over. She almost rolled her eyes at his sporadic urgency and worry. He was deeply hung up on the mission.

"Karin," she turned back to Officer Tawanaka as he eyed Sasuke. "Stick close to the Uchiha."

The vagueness in his voice clung to a desperate undertone she couldn't quiet make sense of. "I will sir."

Karin checked her papers once more before tucking them into her coat. The forgery was artwork; she commended the YAS for their contacts. Packing had been arduous, Tayuya obsessing over how to smuggle their weapons between the trunks lining to avoid detection. Catching a glimpse at Sasuke's suitcase she was surprised to see tins of food and an entire salami between his clothes. Tayuya was going to kill him if she caught a wisp of the fatty meat on his neat pant suit and white button down.

"Once inside we head straight to the Konoha Printing Company," Sasuke reaffirmed, keeping his voice low as they dodged through the crowd. "There we make contact with Ami of the Autumn Leaf. She is going to direct us to headquarters where we will be staying. There we will meet Shisui."

The finer details of their mission had been ironed out and the Autumn Leaf checked thoroughly. When it was established they could aid the operation their mission coordinator had agreed for them to make contact. They had been over it a thousand times but finally facing the imposing walls of Konoha it wasn't so simple. It seemed impossible just to get in. The city was heavily guarded with soldiers marching along the outskirts and poised in spire like watchtowers. The gates were segregated. Konoha born citizens entered at the main, decorative entrance and foreign born or refugee families in the cavern like one next to it. Within the walls were cafe's, shops and public services likely split up in the same manner. She made a move to blend in with some Suna miners entering at their gate but was pulled back. Sasuke steered her towards the official Konoha entrance and she almost jumped out of her skin.

She barely choked out a single protest "What-"

"Less risky," Sasuke replied, giving a single nod to the gold leaf gate. He was mad! Her heart was beating an incessant thunderstorm. Konoha was the state that originated the Vigilant Policy, persecuted the Uchiha, and Sasuke wanted to rub shoulders with them? She pictured all the people in line breaking into a killing frenzy at the sight of them.

She made a conscious effort not to let any of her inner turmoil show. Nobody in the line seemed to pay much mind to each other. In fact they got all the way into quarantine without any problems. The man on duty only glanced at them once, more concerned with their papers. He stamped them with a small smile and welcomed them home.

When they were out of earshot and winding down industrial back allies, Sasuke explained. "If I so much as glance at someone from Suna they instantly know I'm an Uchiha. It's like they can smell us," he said distastefully. Karin thought to press further but became distracted by the Anti-Kiri posters glued to the heavy stone walls. Konoha had officially declared war on Kiri after the disastrous Snow summit and it was interesting to grasp the war from their perspective. Suna had joined the fight against Kiri but was battling on two fronts against Kusagakure who had seized opportunity and tried to push into their borders. Kumogakure was suspiciously dormant. It wouldn't be long before they joined the war but to what effect was debatable.

She dragged her hand along a chalky limestone terrace, staring out at the soaring metropolis of Konoha. Spending her entire life between small villages she was awed by the sheer density of beautiful stone buildings and homes within the walls. Her eyes wandered the cobble streets, stretching from the barracks to the churning wheel of the water plant. Konoha was unlimited, stretching into the sky instead of burrowing into the earth.

Walking on the posters became like wallpaper, some dated a fading yellow. It meant they were close. Konoha Printing, the only company authorized to print within the country, was in sight.

Ami was a plump, no nonsense woman with stringy dark-hair pulled in a tight bun. Sasuke wasted no time with the pass phrase. "We are here to clean the storeroom."

She looked up at them briefly before standing. "This way," she said tiredly. They were taken into a narrow hallway and lead past two men carrying a giant roll of paper with a woman clattering after them with a rainbow box of inks.

"Yes, you will find the storeroom is very dirty," Ami drawled and Karin listened closely for the subtext. The Autumn Leaf headquarters were obviously within the storeroom. "Typeface everywhere, especially the containers-"

"Ami!"

The woman jumped at the sound of a loud bump. The giant roll of paper was teetering dangerously between hands and she had to exit prematurely. Minus one guide they pushed onto the neat door at the end of the hallway labelled STOREROOM.

There were two levels to the warehouse, piled with ink bottles, fat rolls of differing paper and dated wooden printing presses. Karin made a connection between typeface and Ami's last words and they started hunting around all the containers until they found one filled with typeface on the top floor. It took them two stressful rounds because it looked more like a skip. They tried to move the box but it was bolted to the floor. Frowning, Sasuke dug his hands into the moveable type, trying to reach the bottom in a sea of letters. Karin watched on quizzically. Surely that wasn't the way to get in? It was time consuming and messy to move the little tiles. She gave the bottom of the container a kick and was startled by the hollow sound.

"Sasuke," she mumbled, crouching down. She inspected the container carefully; noting one of the panels had a scrape across it. She fingered the grove and decided it was worn and not some isolated scratch. Therefore the panel must slide across. She dug her fingers into the metal and pushed. The bin had a false bottom and she could just make out a ladder and a hole in the darkness. She moved forward but jolted when Sasuke placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me go first. He won't recognise you and might attack."

Sasuke descended the ladder and Karin followed pulling the panel back carefully. It was pitch black and she felt for the steps of the ladder. Finally she landed on concrete and held her breath. Her hearing was magnified and she could make out Sasuke's steady breathing in front of her and something more ragged to the left...

"Shisui?" Sasuke whispered. In a split second she was backed against the wall. Sasuke's body acted as a protective shield against the looming shadow.

"Shisui its Sasuke."

Karin commended Sasuke on his calm reaction. There was probably a weapon at his throat, it was the only way she could comprehend him shielding her and not just side stepping.

The assaulting darkness broke away, sounding shocked. "Sasuke?"

There was a scuttling before the warm light of a kerosene lamp illuminated a gaunt man. Shisui was in his thirties with long and unkempt hair the exact shade of Sasuke's. He was dangerously thin, skinny enough to be eligible for the 'fat until fit' program back at the YAS that fed up the underweight recruits with double food portions.

Shisui laughed, looking at Sasuke with miraculous wonder. "You've got to be crazy to break into Konoha little cousin."

Sasuke had left out the fact he and Shisui were related and returned his cousins embrace stiffly.

The Autumn Leaf Headquarters comprised of a long but thin room, Karin estimating its length to match the west side of the warehouse. Two people could barely squeeze past each other and Shisui had showed them the shabby bedding at one end and the bulky printing press at the other. The kerosene lamp had been swapped for a candle and the three of them huddled around the tiny flame. Sasuke had given Shisui the salami and the man started devouring the meat ravenously.

"Eat it slowly," Sasuke said crossly. It was a lot to ask of a starving person and too much to expect of Shisui.

"Why didn't you do the knock?" Shisui deflected. "Then you wouldn't have scared me half to death."

"The knock?" Sasuke replied.

"Didn't Ami tell you?"

"She didn't have time to tell us how to get in. Karin figured it out."

Karin was entranced with how quickly Shisui paled. He was understandably terrified his hiding place had been discovered so easily.

"I'm glad the sweepers aren't as smart as you," he said finally, watching Karin with reproach.

"How safe are we?" she said.

"Pretty safe, the case above us on the first floor is bolted down and this-" Shisui indicated the wall by placing his hand against it. "Is fake. When they were drawing up the plans for the building the owner added in the false wall, taking off just enough so anyone with the building plans wouldn't get suspicious." He suddenly addressed Sasuke. "This is where Itachi was hidden before getting smuggled out the city. Heaps of Uchiha have gotten out this way."

Sasuke wasn't impressed, eyeing Shisui's bites with distain. "Save some."

"Why should I? You've got more food."

There was a tension between Shisui and Sasuke that had Karin disheartened. Even with his own family Sasuke would be brash. Maybe it was because Shisui was being so presumptuous and thankless.

"Because you're going to vomit," Sasuke scolded. "The food is too rich; your stomach won't be able to handle it."

Shisui hand waved and finished the sausage in one last spiteful bite.

They spent the rest of the night listening to him dry heave.

MetaMirage:Reviews are always welcome :)