Chapter Seven: Girl Talk / Uchiha Reunion

Mikoto sighed as the warm water relaxed her tense muscles from traveling and looked at the girl next to her. Sakura was smiling in contentment with her head back and eyes closed. I guess she could be pretty from the right angle. She thought to herself.

Suddenly she could hear Naruto yell from over the fence. Something about his penis.

Mikoto laughed while Sakura glared.

"Man," Sakura said, "He can be so embarrassing."

Mikoto looked at Sakura in surprise, "Why is that embarrassing?" She asked.

Sakura sighed, "He's just so loud and shouting inappropriate things. It's no wonder he always struggles with women."

Mikoto's eyes widened, "I figured he just struggles with women because he spent the last three years learning from the world's biggest pervert."

Sakura laughed and Mikoto frowned. She hadn't been making a joke. She was absolutely serious.

Honestly Mikoto didn't really know how to talk to other girls. Ever since her mother died she had really only been around men. First her papa and Kisame (and that man had a crude humor), then it had been Naruto-sensei and Jiraiya-sama. The innkeeper in Hoshun had been a woman, but she was usually pretty busy so Mikoto was either by herself or playing with the local children; and even then she tended to play with the boys.

"You have such nice hair," Sakura said, changing the topic, "I wish my hair was so beautiful."

Mikoto looked at Sakura, "Is this the kind of things girls talk about?" Mikoto asked her.

Sakura looked down at the girl in surprise and then she laughed, "Yeah I guess so."

Mikoto nodded seriously. She would try to engage Sakura in girl talk, "What's wrong with your hair? It's such a pretty shade of pink."

Sakura made a face, "It's so weird and bright. And it can make me a target. I've thought about dying it several times."

Mikoto shook her head rapidly, "You shouldn't do that! Then you wouldn't be you!"

Sakura looked surprised. She had never really thought about it like that.

Mikoto picked up a lock of her own hair and looked at it, "My papa has lighter hair than mine, and my mama had purple hair. I don't really know where my coloring comes from."

Sakura looked at the girl. Her hair was so black it was almost blue. She knew one other person who's hair was like that, "It's the same as Sasuke," Sakura said.

Mikoto's eyes widened, "really?"

Sakura nodded as she laid her head back again, "Yeah."

"What's he like?" Mikoto asked curiously. She knew about Sasuke and she knew he wanted to kill her father. Honestly she understood why. Afterall until recently she had felt similarly about Hiashi Hyuga. Hatred is a powerful emotion, and among the Uchiha, it's even more powerful.

Sakura looked up at the sky, "He's… serious." she said, "Always serious. But he could be funny too. He always showed affection by teasing. He tried hard to keep everyone at a distance, but I think Naruto and I slipped into his heart, if only for a little while."

Mikoto nodded, feeling satisfied with her response.

But she continued, "But then he got more and more consumed by his own hatred. It was almost like he was poisoned. There was nothing anyone could do to stop him from leaving. Even me." She said the last words sadly, looking down at the water, her eyes stuck in a memory.

Mikoto looked at Sakura and understood, "You love him don't you?" Mikoto asked.

Sakura's head snapped up, "No no no," She said quickly, "I mean he's one of my closest friends and I care very deeply about him." Her voice suddenly changed to a more serious tone, "I will do anything to bring him back."

Mikoto grinned at Sakura, "Uncle Sasuke's very lucky to have friends like you and Naruto-sensei."

Sakura looked at her in shock.

"Well this is enough for me!" Mikoto said, standing up, "Besides," She said pointing to a sign. It read, Warning: Children under twelve should not remain in the water for more than 15 minutes, "I have to get out."

Sakura watched the girl go. She was so different from Sasuke, even though she looked a little like him. She seemed lighter and happier. Almost like Naruto.

Sakura gave a small smile, "Thank you, Mikoto-chan."

Mikoto looked up on the side of the giant hole that her uncle had created with wide eyes. There he was. The man who wanted to kill her father with every last ounce of his being. The man who was willing to sacrifice everything so that she too could be an orphan. Albeit, he didn't know that yet.

He looked so much like her papa. His face was almost exactly the same, except darker. Everything about him was darker. From his hair, to his clothing, to the emptiness in his eyes. The emptiness that her father had created.

It had taken a lot to get them there. After the failed meeting with Kabuto, Naruto had released the power of the Nine-Tails at Orochimaru.

Mikoto had nearly intervened when it was only at two tails. She could put him under a genjutsu with her Sharingan. Jiraiya had taught how incase of an emergency, although she'd never had to try it.

She had been about to leap forward but she hesitated. She had been warned by four separate people no to let Orochimaru see her dojutsu. First Naruto, then Tsunade when she realized that she was going to go, and then Hiashi when he realized that there was nothing he could do to stop her. And then later after the mission began, Captain Yamato had warned her of the same thing.

Would it be worth the risk to prevent the Nine-Tails from releasing? However before she could make up her mind the third tail appeared., By that point it was too late, there was nothing she could do.

Thank god for Captain Yamato and his Mokuton had really saved the day.

And then…

Mikto gave sidelong glance towards Sai. That guy had been a whirlwind of confusion since the start. First the was an asshole, and then a traitor, then not a traitor, and then a traitor again. What was he now? She honestly had no idea. He was probably still an asshole though.

Sasuke was suddenly next to Naruto, his sword inches from his neck. Mikoto's eyes widened and without thinking she was there, Sharingan blazing as she grabbed his wrist and knocked his sword away.

Sasuke leapt back, eyes wide as he focused on her, "Who are you?" He demanded.

Mikoto didn't say anything at first, and then Yamato intervened. He tried to take Sasuke down with a woodstyle technique. Mikoto was pretty sure she saw Sasuke roll his eyes as he sent electricity through his body sending everyone flying.

Next Sakura charged at him, "Sasuke, I'm bringing you home!" She shouted.

Sasuke sent electricity into his sword and swung, to be stopped by Yamato holding a kunai. The kunai was severed and sword hit Yamato, piecing his chest and numbing his body.

Sasuke turned to look to Mikoto, "I asked a question," Sasuke said slowly, "I'm not a patient person."

Mikoto looked at him cautiously. He was strong. Maybe almost has strong as papa. Maybe. Almost.

She smiled at him, her Sharingan still active, "my name is Mikoto," She said as pleasantly as she could, "It's nice to finally meet you… uncle."

Sasuke's eyes widened and then narrowed as realization dawned on his face. He lunged at her, pulling his sword from Yamato, swinging at her.

She tracked him with her Sharingan and dodged, barely avoiding his Kusanagi.

"How dare he!" Sasuke said angrily as he swung, "Name you," he swung again, hard, "after our mother!" He swung again, slicing into her arm.

"Itai!" she shouted, sending chakra too her feet, she jumped away as fast as she could, barely making out of his grip.

"Mimi-chan!" Naruto shouted. She turned to look at him. Oh no.

The Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra was starting to leak out of him. Sasuke turned and looked at him.

Suddenly the chakra was gone. Mikoto raised her eyebrows, Did he just… she stopped, Nevermind, he's distracted.

She activated her byakugan and leapt forward, as quickly as she could. There! She saw an opening on the tenketsu of his right shoulder. She reached for it.

"Yes!" she shouted.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he leapt towards the edge of the hole. He stared at her in shock. Byakugan? His right arm was completely numb. He scowled.

"Sasuke…" Naruto's voice rang out, "Why don't you get it? Orochimaru's going to take your body any day now! Come back with us!"

"If that happens then it happens," Sasuke replied, 'You're such as child… Naruto."

"Vengeance is everything to me. As I am now, neither Orochimaru nor I could kill Itachi. But if I can achieve my goals through giving him this body, then… It's worth it."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"I won't let you!" Mikoto's voice rang out.

Sasuke's head snapped towards the child. Itachi's child.

"I'll stop you!" She shouted.

"Then…" Sasuke said slowly, "I'll just kill you now!"

He tossed his sword down and grabbed his useless hand to make a sign.

He raised his hand in the air but then…

Before anything could happen, Orochimaru appeared and grabbed his arm. Mikoto quickly covered her eyes as she deactivated her dojustu.

She looked up again with purple eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't see.

Sasuke glanced at her and his eyes widened slightly in understanding.

"There's no need to use that justsu Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said.

"Remove your hand," Sasuke said dangerously.

"There you go again, forgetting who exactly who your talking to," Kabuto said, appearing as he walked up to the two standing at the end of the hole.

"I have no reason to stop," Sasuke said simply.

"You know what the Akatsuki is up to right? We want our friends to take care of as many as possible. They could get in the way of your revenge. Isn't that right? Sasuke?"

Sasuke snarled, "That's a pathetic excuse."

"But surely you'll allow it?" Kabuto continued, "If it could help your chances of revenge? Even by just a percentage."

Sasuke said nothing. He looked to the girl. He wanted to kill her. She was Itachi's blood and he didn't deserve to have any bonds. Not when he had taken them all away. But perhaps it wasn't the time. He could kill her in front of him. He smiled to himself. Yes he liked that idea.

"Let's go." Orochimaru said.

And the three of them faded away.