I don't own Naruto, if I did I'd be rich.
Chapter 6- Reasons
Morning came all too soon, for Tsunade who was still sitting in the chair at the window; the rising sun woke her out of sleep. She woke the others immediately, due to the fact that Sasuke was not back yet. Orochimaru immediately jumped up and kicked Jiraiya; the only answer he got was a few choice words and a kunai knife.
" Jiraiya! Get your lazy ass out of bed!" screamed Orochimaru as the boy pulled the blanket over his head, " we have to get going!" Tsunade glanced over and saw Jiraiya put the pillow over his head, she sighed it was time for desperate measures. Sandaime was up and everyone was ready to go, so she gave the lump that was Jiraiya a death glare.
" Oh Jiraiya-kun…" she sighed irresistibly, and didn't fail to notice the twitch under the covers, " won't you hurry up for me?" She just got a grunt, and then a loud snore, her eye twitched and Orochimaru walked over and whispered something in her ear. She face vaulted but agreed that it would get him up.
" Okay then," she sighed and looked out the window, " taking off my shirt." Jiraiya jumped out of his bed and raced over to her, standing right in front of her, staring at her chest. Then he realized what had happened, and turned to run, but was too slow and got bashed in the back of the head.
" Owieee!" he howled on the floor, " I ought to hit you back one day!"
" You do realize what would happen if you did right?" it wasn't Tsunade that answered, it was Orochimaru, he said it simply, " Sasuke would kill you." Jiraiya coughed and straightened his jacket, walking out the door. Sandaime laughed and the rest followed him.
A few hours later they were crouched on a tree branch listening to Sandaime's plan, near the enemy camp where Sasuke should be.
" Alright," he said with a sigh and looked at Tsunade, " if Sasuke is still alive, then they are probably holding him hostage, hoping for us to surrender for his return. Which will not happen, I'm sorry but it won't." Tsunade and Jiraiya nodded solemnly, but Orochimaru scowled darkly.
" We won't need to negotiate for Sasuke," he said simply, grinning at the others, " it's Sasuke, he's stronger than that, he's still alive and waiting to be rescued. I know it!"
Sandaime smiled and the other nodded happily.
" Good for thinking that way," he grinned, " now here's the plan, I'm going to go closer and take a look for Sasuke. Jiraiya I want you to go to one side of the camp and be prepared to jump in and attack. Tsunade and Orochimaru, I want you on the other side of the camp. Orochimaru, you be ready to jump in and help me fight, Tsunade you stay hidden and use kunai's and any other long-range attacks. We're going to rescue Sasuke, if we can. But you all have to swear to me, that you will listen to any orders I give."
" Of course we will" Orochimaru said, the other two nodded.
" If I say run and hide, you will?" he asked.
" Yes" they answered.
" If I say run to back to Konoha without looking back, leaving me behind you will?" he asked.
They hesitated with the answer, but after a stern look, they said, " yes we will."
" If we find Sasuke," he said softly, and they grinned up at him, " and he is injured, or dead, and I tell you to leave him behind?"
" No" whispered Tsunade glaring at him, Orochimaru and Jiraiya nodded firmly.
" If that is your answer then you need to go back to Konoha," he said with a firm look, " we don't know what we're going to find in that camp. Sasuke could be sitting there waiting with a smile on his face. Or he could just be a bloody mass, whatever we find you have to listen to what I say. That is part of being a shinobi, not letting your emotions take over, remember the twenty-fifth rule of shinobi conduct. No matter what happens a true shinobi must not shed a tear, the mission is the only thing that matters so never ever shed a tear. A shinobi who doesn't follow orders is trash, dead trash. Listening to me will keep you alive, so if you don't promise then I take you back to Konoha right now."
" Fine I will" Jiraiya whispered fiercely, Orochimaru nodded, Sandaime looked at Tsunade waiting for her answer.
" I know what it means to be a shinobi," she whispered shakily, " but a shinobi who leaves a comrade behind is even lower than trash. So if Sasuke is alive, I don't care what you say, I won't leave him behind."
" She's right you know" Orochimaru glanced at Sandaime who had his eyes shut.
" Fine, but if he is dead, we leave him be" he said simply, the three nodded " now you all know your jobs?"
" Yup" Orochimaru said.
" Roger dodger" Jiraiya grinned.
" Why am I not included in the battle?" Tsunade asked.
" You are our only medical ninja," Sandaime said simply, " also due to your personnel feelings for Sasuke you may end up getting distracted if he is gravely hurt, and then you could get hurt. Now lets go team." They all vanished and waited for Sandaime to signal them.
They watched him move stealthily into the camp, and watched him get pummeled by kunai knives; his doppelganger disappeared in a puff of smoke. And the real Sandaime attacked, motioning for Jiraiya and Orochimaru to join him, they came flying in and took out some earth shinobi. Tsunade stayed where she was, throwing kunai knives and looking for Sasuke, who was nowhere in sight.
Orochimaru finally took down his enemy and waited for more, but none came. Jiraiya looked at him and shrugged, as they walked over to Sandaime who had just finished off another Earth shinobi.
" This is strange," Sandaime scowled his eyes darting left and right, " I can't sense a single Chakra. Can either of you sense one, any ones?"
" No I've got nothing" Jiraiya sighed and checked an earth shinobi to see if he was dead.
" I can't sense a single Chakra for miles," Orochimaru looked downcast, " not even Sasuke's, also I can't see or hear anyone at all. Is Sasuke dead sensei?"
" I don't know," Sandaime sighed and motioned for Tsunade to join them, when she had he looked her in the eye, " this is our current situation, we have defeated the Earth Nin's and taken their base. But there is no sign of any Chakra here, not even Sasuke's." Tsunade didn't answer; she just looked at the ground.
" There is no point in staying here," Sandaime sighed, " we might as well go back to Konoha and plan our next move from…" he was cut off by a kunai knife flying into the circle, causing all of them to jump back. Orochimaru found the hidden attacker and flung some kunai knives at him, which he dodged easily, appearing in front of them, laughing. "Well, well, well," he laughed even more, " the Hokage of the Leaf and his subordinates, out for a walk in our territory? You know how foolish that is don't you? Wandering in with out a purpose."
" We have a purpose," Sandaime answered calmly, " we are searching for a comrade you have taken."
" Oh really," he answered mockingly, " that must have been the boy that was here earlier, but he is gone already."
" Where is he?" Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru asked excitedly, thinking that Sasuke had already headed back to the village and they had missed him. The man began laughing softly at first, then he got louder and Sandaime swore softly.
" I killed him," he said simply. Jiraiya's smile vanished and was replaced with anger and Sandaime had to grab his jacket. Orochimaru had turned paler then normal and was shaking with rage and sadness. Tsunade had dropped to her knees shaking her head violently with silent tears running down her face, she didn't believe that he was dead. No! Sasuke can't be dead! He's so strong…and he promised that he would come back. So no! He just can't be dead!
" Yes, yes," the masked ninja laughed again, " he was a very good fighter though, took out a lot of our men before we captured him. He's tied in that tent, or at least his body is tied to a stump in that tent." He walked over and pulled the tent apart, revealing Sasuke, who was tied to a pole, with his head hanging. They saw the blood on his face though, and Tsunade stood up and tried to get to him, but the masked Nin knocked her away.
" Don't bother," the ninja sighed darkly, " we beat the crap out of him, even if he is still alive, he can't recover."
" Sasuke!" screamed Tsunade, hoping he would get up even thought the medic inside her knew if he was alive, he couldn't move, " Sasuke wake up!" the masked ninja let out a low growl, this was obviously starting to annoy him.
" Enough," he growled, " I thought maybe I'd let you off easy, and kill you painlessly. But now I was to hurt you, so you'll die in pain." With that he flung off his long cloak and pulled down his mask.
" So it is you," Sandaime sighed darkly, " I was hoping it would be a different sadistic bastard. But it just had to be you."
" Sandaime-sensei," Orochimaru asked, " who is he?"
" You don't know him," Sandaime answered, " he used to be a Jounin in Konoha, his name is Mizuneo, but he is now a traitor and a Jounin for the Earth country."
" I only did it because you are a fool and Konoha will fall to the Earth country!" he snarled at Sandaime, " I'll make it happen by defeating you here and now. Oh and by the way just so that you don't think that this boy can be rescued, I'll finish him now." He smiled darkly and flung four kunai knives into Sasuke's chest, laughing as they hit. He turned to throw some more but stopped, then he yelled and threw a kunai into Sasuke's head. Sasuke vanished in a puff of smoke, causing him to yell even more.
" How could he have escaped!" he howled with fury, " with those wounds he shouldn't have been able to move!"
" I am an Uchiha!" came the low growl from above them, " I refuse to die in a place like this! I have a dream that I must complete, I can't die by your hands!" everyone spun around to look up at him, he was standing on a tree branch with his eyes narrowed giving Mizuneo a death glare.
" You…. what are you!" screamed Mizuneo with fear, Sasuke's sharingan eyes were piercing into his, " are you even human! Those wounds would have killed any normal man! Or at least crippled him!"
" Don't you listen, idiot!" Sasuke jumped down and landed near by Tsunade, who noticed him wince as he landed, " I told you! I won't die until I've had my revenge! But you can prepare to die! You've really gotten on my nerves, it was luck that you can conceal your Chakra so well, or I would have noticed you sooner, and you wouldn't have caught me! I hope that you like to experience pain as much as you give it out! Here comes a good dose of it!" Sasuke ran a Mizuneo, charging his chidori as he went; Mizuneo was apparently frozen with fear, because he wasn't moving. As Sasuke drew closer fear was etched all over his face, and he tried to move at the last second, but Sasuke was faster and he plunged his hand throw Mizuneo's chest. Mizuneo choked up blood, but also threw a punch at Sasuke who didn't manage to block it in time and went flying. Sasuke flipped over and landed on his feet, only to jump back up in the air to avoid a kunai knife. He formed quick hand seals and launched out a powerful attack.
" Katon! Goukakyuu no jutsu!" (Fire Style! Giant Fireball Technique!) Sasuke blew out a large fireball that Mizuneo barely managed to dodge. Mizuneo crashed into a tree only to find Sasuke standing a few feet away from him.
" Here's my ultimate punch," Sasuke scowled at him, while pulling his arm back, " Uchiha Fury!" the punch was just like the punch he had taught the younger ninjas but there was way more power in this one. It sent Mizuneo back through a lot of trees and he didn't get up.
" Sasuke did it!" shouted Jiraiya jumping up and down.
" Go Sasuke!" shouted Orochimaru also jumping up and down.
" Good work Sasuke!" grinned Sandaime.
" Sasuke! I'm so glad your okay!" Tsunade started running towards him, he looked at her and grinned, then he coughed up blood and fell face down on the ground. They all ran to him, Tsunade pulled his shirt back, and gasped. There was a long gash running down his chest, she immediately began healing it. As he lost consciousness he watched her heal him, and smiled softly and fell into darkness.
It was really dark and dead silent, Sasuke tried to move but found he couldn't. Then he saw someone standing in front of him. It was his brother.
" You and I are unique brothers," Itachi said with a smile, " to surpass your own limits you and I should stay together, even if you hate me."
Itachi vanished and was replaced by Sasuke's mother. She smiled down at him like she always had.
" When your father talked to me," she said happily, " all he talked about was you."
She vanished and was replaced by his father, who was walking away from him on the dock in Konoha.
" As I expected," he said proudly, " you are my son."
His father vanished and was then replaced by Sakura.
" Please let me go with you!" she pleaded, " I'll do anything! Because if you were gone I would feel completely alone! Because I truly love you!"
Sakura vanished and no one came for a minute, but then he saw Naruto walking towards him, a sad looked placed on his face.
" When I'm with Iruka-sensei, I wonder if that's what it's like being with a father," Naruto said sadly, " and when I'm with you, I wonder if that's what it's like being with a brother."
Sasuke tried to turn away to block Naruto out, as he had done for so many years, but this time Naruto wouldn't leave.
" You're my friend! And I'll bring you back to Konoha!" shouted Naruto angrily, " even if I have to break all the bones in your body!"
Sasuke then was hit with the flashbacks of everything he had been through with team 7, from the lame missions, to the dangerous ones. His memories flashed through from the sad times, to the times where they would all laugh, even the times when they would fight. He heard their voices echoing in his head.
" Sasuke-kun!" called Sakura happily.
" Sasuke!" shouted Naruto angrily.
" Yo!" called Kakashi-sensei with a smile.
Sasuke was finally able to move, and he tried to run away but they followed him.
" Hey fool! Why are you acting so cool!" Naruto shouted, " We're really worried about you!"
" Please Sasuke-kun," Sakura sobbed, " don't leave me!"
Itachi appeared again, but he was glaring at Sasuke.
" You too can awaken this mangekyou sharingan as me, but there is a requirement," Itachi scowled at him, " you must kill…. your closest friend."
Sasuke dropped to his knee's watching them talk, in his memories. He sighed, your right you know. You're all right, except for Itachi. I'm sorry I left. But I'm coming home now, I've been running from my past for long enough, now it's caught up to me. I've been here long enough, to find love, friendship and that I miss you all. Naruto I'm sorry, you are my best friend.
Sasuke opened his eyes, and realized as he stared at a ceiling that he must be in a hospital. He looked around and smiled, Orochimaru was asleep in a chair in the corner, Jiraiya was sprawled on a couch and Tsunade was in a chair by his bed, her head resting in her arms on his bed. He sighed softly and moved slowly so he didn't wake her, or the others. Pulling on his shoes, half of him hoped that they would wake up, and the other half wanted them to sleep, not wanting to say goodbye. He pulled on his shirt over the bandages that covered his chest and with one last look into the room he smiled again.
" Goodbye you three, I'm really going to miss you," Sasuke whispered, he looked at Tsunade and walked over to her, he kissed the top of her head, " I love you Tsunade." As he shut the door silently behind him and walked down the hall, he felt like he had lost his family all over again. Walking out into the street, he walked into Sandaime who looked at him curiously and motioned for him to follow him. Sasuke and Sandaime walked into his office and sat down.
" So where are you going?" Sandaime asked him calmly.
" Home" Sasuke said simply, deciding to finally tell the truth, he was going to tell Sandaime all about Orochimaru and his evil plan to have him kill Tsunade and Jiraiya.
" You can't go home," Sandaime, sighed, " I can't send you back."
" I know you can't," Sasuke said simply, " I can go back though, I know the way."
" Then you came here on purpose? Why?" Sandaime asked slowly.
" You made a mistake in trusting me," Sasuke said softly, Sandaime's eyes narrowed, " I haven't done anything but I was supposed to. I was sent here to kill Jiraiya and Tsunade."
" What!" Sandaime exclaimed, glaring at Sasuke now, " how could you! Who would do that?"
" I know," Sasuke, said simply, " I was planning on killing them for Orochimaru. The Orochimaru of the future is evil; he has betrayed the leaf and now is trying to destroy it. In my time he kills you, but you stop him with a jutsu that takes his arms. I am his subordinate, not because I agree with what he is doing, but because I wanted power."
" Orochimaru is evil?" Sandaime asked sadly, Sasuke nodded, " why would you help him if you aren't evil?"
" My only goal in life is to kill my older brother," Sasuke said sadly, Sandaime looked confused, " he massacred our clan and left me alive so I could kill him. Orochimaru offered me power and believe me I have lots of power. He sent me here to kill those two so that he could destroy the Leaf with no trouble. But I couldn't do it! Not after getting to know them and falling in love with Tsunade."
" You love her?" Sandaime asked softly.
" Yes," Sasuke whispered looking out the window at the stars, " I truly deeply love her. More than anyone else in the world. But in the time that I must return to, she is over thirty years older then I. So in that time I cannot be with her." Sandaime watched him silently; Sasuke glanced at him with sad eyes.
" Sasuke, I still trust you," he said happily, Sasuke smiled, " I will try to help Orochimaru, not become evil. I will also try and stop your clan from being massacred, if you wish that." Sasuke looked up sharply, this hadn't occurred to him, then he realized something.
" I miss my parents, and the rest of my clan, but," Sasuke sighed, " no matter how much, if they hadn't of died I wouldn't be here right now. They are gone and I am still alive, that is it."
" That's very noble Sasuke," Sandaime said proudly, " I also have a way to help you with the age difference with you and Tsunade."
" What!" Sasuke exclaimed cheerfully, " how! What do you mean?"
" Listen closely and do this when you return to your time," Sandaime grinned and told Sasuke what to do.
" Okay I'll do that!" Sasuke grinned happily, " thank you for everything Sandaime-sama!"
" Your welcome," he smiled happily, " now do you want to say goodbye?"
" I don't know," Sasuke said sadly, " leaving is so hard."
" I think that they deserve to see you one last time," Sandaime said simply, " don't you think?"
" Yeah your right," Sasuke sighed, " can you go and get them, I'll meet you at the gates to Konoha."
" See you in ten minutes" Sandaime vanished in a puff of smoke. Sasuke had just enough time to run to his apartment and grab his stuff. He appeared at the gate, the sun was just starting to rise. He saw Sandaime and the three young ninja's walking towards him. Tsunade ran to him and hugged him; he smiled desolately and held her close to him. Then he released her and turned to the others.
" Well you three," Sasuke said slowly, " this is goodbye."
" What!" shouted Jiraiya angrily.
" No way!" howled Orochimaru irately.
" Sasuke… no," Tsunade whispered, " don't leave me."
" Don't worry," he tried to sound cheerful, " it's not goodbye forever, just for a long time. I promise you three, we will meet again one day." He walked over to Orochimaru who was looking dejected; he put a hand on his shoulder.
" Orochimaru," he said with a grin, " I know for a fact that you will be very strong. So be good and make me proud, alright?"
" Yes Sasuke-sensei" Orochimaru whispered trying not to sniffle or look weak, Sasuke smiled. He walked over to Jiraiya who didn't have a problem looking weak and was practically sobbing.
" Jiraiya! Don't be like that," Sasuke said with a sigh, " I told you that it's not goodbye forever, just for a long time, I swear to you we will meet. I also know that you will be very strong, so make sure Tsunade never gets hurt for me will you?"
" I promise," Jiraiya, blubbered, " I'll always protect her and the village, Sasuke-sensei." Sasuke clapped him on the shoulder and moved to Tsunade, the others walked away so they could be alone for a minute.
" Sasuke…. don't go!" Tsunade was sobbing, " I'll go with you, just as long as we're together, and we'll be…"
" No Tsunade," Sasuke said softly, " you can't go with me. Not to where I'm going, it is impossible."
" Why Sasuke!" she sobbed, " Where are you going?"
" I can't tell you, Sandaime will explain it to you in time," Sasuke said softly, " look Tsunade I can't promise that we'll be together forever when we meet again, I can't promise when we'll meet again. But I can promise you two things, I will wait for you, and no matter what happens, I'll still love you."
" Sasuke," she whispered, looking at him she flung herself into his arms sobbing into his chest, " I'll still love you too. I promise." Sasuke smiled as she said that, he brought his arms up and undid the necklace that he wore around his neck, the symbol of Konoha on a chain.
" Tsunade, I want you to have this," he whispered, she looked up as he put it around her neck, " I got it many years ago, from my brother. It means a lot to me and I hope you'll wear and remember me."
" Sasuke," she whispered looking down and smiling, " I'll always have it on me."
" Tsunade," he whispered remembering that guy Dan, " you should be open to seeing other people, because it could be many years, until next we meet. I just want you to be happy."
" Don't be stupid," she said softly looking up into his eyes. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, holding her close to him. The sun rose shining down on them, he released her and turned to walk away, a voice stopped him.
" Sasuke-sempai!" shouted Nawaki, he ran and stopped in front of Sasuke panting, " where are you going?"
" I have to leave Nawaki," Sasuke said miserably, " thanks for coming to see me off though."
" Are you coming back?" Nawaki asked innocently.
" No Nawaki," Sasuke smiled at the young boy, " not for many long years. But I know that you'll be strong, become a good man and a respectable Hokage. And take care of your sister for me okay?"
" Okay Sasuke-sempai" Nawaki said desolately, Sasuke ruffled his hair, and grinned down at him.
" Make me proud kid" Sasuke poked him in the forehead, because he hadn't put his forehead protector on yet, remembering how Itachi had done that to him before. Nawaki smiled up at him, and as Sasuke turned away he felt that he wasn't losing them. Just saying goodbye for a while. Sasuke turned to look back as he walked away, they were all waving at him, and he smiled happily and waved back. As soon as he was far enough from the village he began the hand seals, and felt the sensation of falling again. When he opened his eyes, he was back in the Otonin village, outside of Orochimaru's mansion. So Sandaime-sama wasn't able to stop Orochimaru after all, Sasuke thought sadly, he stepped forward and found Orochimaru leaning against a tree.
" Welcome back Sasuke," Orochimaru said softly, Sasuke didn't answer, " you didn't kill them, which makes me angry. But I know why, don't worry. And you were a great teacher, Sasuke-sensei." Sasuke smiled and Orochimaru grinned at him.
" Thanks Orochimaru," Sasuke said slowly, " and now I have to leave. I'm going back to the Leaf."
" I thought so," Orochimaru sighed, " I need the sharingan, but I'm pretty sure that you won't let me have it. So I'll let you go, but I will crush the Leaf so enjoy what little time you have there."
" Thanks Orochimaru," Sasuke said with a smile, Orochimaru grinned and walked down into the mansion. Sasuke jumped onto a branch and began the long journey back to Konohagakure. Tsunade I'm coming, and I still love you.
Wow that took me like three hours to write! I'm going to need a lot of reviews before i update! So start reviewing!