Notes: Urgh, this chapter has been forever in coming. I know you guys hate it, but a lot of this chapter will be focused on Gaara's new team, or at least a team in Konoha.
The Nature of Love
A Naruto Fanfic by
Nate Grey (XMAN0123-at-aol-dot-com)
Chapter 10: The Talented Uchiha Sasuke
5 Years, 11 Months in Konoha - October
"Sasuke-kun, you're fidgeting again."
"No, I'm not."
Hinata smiled patiently and reached over to pat his arm lightly. "If you say so."
Sasuke scowled at her before glaring straight ahead again. How could she possibly be so calm? They were about to be placed in their three man cells under a jounin sensei, and it was highly unlikely that he'd get anyone good. After all, Sasuke was the best student in the class, so he automatically got stuck with whoever the worst one was. Probably Shikamaru, since he slept through most of the tests (ironically, he'd have the best written exam grades if he ever bothered to stay awake).
He tried not to seem too anxious as Suzume began to announce the teams. It was odd, how Iruka and Mizuki had simply disappeared, but the rumor was that they were away on long-term missions. That had happened to more than a few of their teachers, to the point where Suzume had gone from teaching the kunoichi exclusively to handling the entire class again. She wasn't quite as boring or longwinded as Iruka, but Sasuke still found it odd to be taking lessons from a female teacher. It wasn't her ability he questioned, but girls and boys were built differently, and he couldn't help but feel his education would suffer from not having a male teacher.
"Why do you think Suzume-sensei skipped Team Seven?" Hinata asked just after Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba (plus his dog Akamaru), and a delighted Haruno Sakura became the new Team Eight under Yuuhi Kurenai.
Sasuke blinked, as he hadn't noticed that. Some of their classmates were giving each other confused looks, too. It wasn't like Suzume to make such a large oversight. "I don't know. Maybe the person that was supposed to be their sensei got killed?"
Hinata frowned. "I hope not."
"In any case, I doubt it's going to affect us at all. They wouldn't assign us to anyone that could die so easily."
"Really, Sasuke-kun, that was in very poor taste, and-"
"Team Ten," Suzume announced loudly, "will be Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino. Your sensei is Sarutobi Asuma."
"Maybe something really did happen to our sensei," Hinata murmured.
Sasuke was just about to stand up and demand some answers when Suzume cleared her throat.
"Your attention please, class! Everyone has been placed in a trial genin team, except for two of you. This is because Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata have received an unheard of honor! They have been invited to join Konoha's first junior ANBU squad! Everyone be sure to congratulate them!"
Sasuke and Hinata stared at each other.
"Did you know anything about this?" Sasuke asked.
Hinata shook her head. "I've been in Hokage-sama's office quite a few times with Gaara recently, and he never said anything."
Sasuke frowned thoughtfully. "Gaara. I'd bet anything he's behind this. He's the only ANBU our age. Either that, or Kakashi called in a favor."
"Hokage-sama might have done it himself. He would do this if he thought it would make Gaara happy. But you don't seem too happy about this, Sasuke-kun."
"It's just... you know how Gaara is. Will we be able to improve if he's always protecting us? I don't know if this is a good idea."
"I'm actually more concerned that he might be too rough with you," Hinata countered with a faint smile. "You're always pushing yourself to your limits, and he'd want to help you with that."
"I'd want him to be heavy-handed with me," Sasuke snorted. "How else will I grow?"
"A heavy hand can teach discipline, but it can also scar." Hinata reached out and gently traced his cheek with her fingers. "However, a tender touch can inspire the greatest strength of all."
Sasuke paled considerably. "I think I'd rather have Gaara try to kill me than touch me like this."
Hinata giggled softly. "My silly Sasuke-kun..."
He blinked slowly. "Yours, huh?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.
"Yes. That much, I know Gaara would back me up on."
"That's because he doesn't know about being engaged first. He just thinks you're either married, or you're not."
"I think his perspective holds some merit. The only reason I'm not living with you is because you haven't asked me to."
Sasuke's eyes widened. "Do you keep doing that accidentally, or are you trying to give me a heart attack? You don't want to live with me! It's-"
"The only difference between our homes," Hinata interrupted firmly, "is that your clan has a valid reason for acting like ghosts. If it wasn't for Hanabi, I wouldn't even bother going home. Sasuke-kun, are you going to make me beg? How many different ways can I say that I just want to be with you, before you actually believe me?"
"It wouldn't be right," Sasuke protested weakly.
"You don't care what anyone thinks about you, and I'm almost to that point myself. The only person you need to satisfy is yourself."
"Then why are you pushing this?"
"Because I'll be satisfied once I'm living with you," Hinata replied. "Anyway, I'd be much more helpful to you in your home instead of mine. Or is it too soon to call it our home?"
Sasuke closed his eyes, counted to ten, and opened them. Hinata was still staring at him expectantly, a small smile on her lips (which he was definitely NOT thinking about kissing at the moment), so he did it again. It did no good, so he sighed.
Sometimes, he thought to himself wearily, Gaara was far easier to handle than Hinata. At least Gaara didn't have that strangely sexy pout when someone told him no. Then again, nobody told Gaara no, so maybe that was why.
5 Years, 11 Months in Suna - October
"Can we take a break now, Kin-chan?" Naruto whined. "Please?"
Kin glared at him. "No. Now stop complaining. I'm almost there."
"You aren't! You're no closer than you were ten minutes ago!"
Her left eye twitched noticeably. "Naruto-kun..."
"Well, you aren't! I've been watching! I've got nothing else to-"
"DIE!!!" she screamed, launching a trio of kunai at him.
Naruto sighed, closed his eyes, and then opened them, revealing eyes that now glowed with a pale blue light... the very same light that formed a protective barrier that deflected Kin's kunai yet again.
"NOW can we stop?" Naruto asked hopefully.
"SHUT UP!!!" Kin howled, snatching up another pair of kunai from the ground and throwing them hard. They bounced off of Naruto's barrier as well, and Kin reached up to tear at her hair in frustration. Before she could, though, Naruto zipped forward and grabbed her wrists.
"Pretty girls shouldn't hurt their hair," he stated, as if that should be common knowledge.
Kin's cheeks turned a bright red, and she quickly yanked her arms free and turned away, still able to feel Naruto's steady gaze on her. It was getting harder and harder to spar with him, and not just because he was so much stronger than her. Since his embarrassing loss to Dosu, Naruto had been taking his training, with them and on his own, far more seriously. He wasn't just doing it to impress her anymore, although that was no doubt one of the benefits.
He was making them all look bad, quite frankly. That her team had come here to study the techniques of the Sand was their cover, but each of them had only been able to learn a handful that they could really make use of. Zaku had learned to mix the environment, such as sand and rocks, into his attacks to make them even more damaging. Dosu could now focus his sound attacks on an area no bigger than a kunai tip, or expand them to devastate one larger than a house. The only thing Kin had managed to pick up was Soshuha (Manipulating Attack Blades), a common jutsu among Suna's medic-nin, partially because it used very little chakra, but mostly because it required very good chakra control. Kin had managed to expand it to the point where she could pick up and hurl nearly anything that wasn't heavier than her with chakra alone, and some things that were if she were angry enough at the time. She actually had Naruto to thank for that, since she'd thrown him headfirst into a wall once without really meaning to (technically, she'd been aiming for the ground).
Naruto, on the other hand, never seemed to stop advancing. He'd gone from knowing a handful of wind jutsu to becoming a master of them in his own right. Zaku wouldn't even fight him anymore for fear of being shown up in an element he himself specialized in. Dosu never turned down a challenge... but he never won again, either.
"How come you won't ever go out with me, Kin-chan?" Naruto asked quietly. "You said you liked me..."
Kin shook her head. "We've been over this before, Naruto-kun. We're both ninja, and nothing can get in the way of the mission. Orochimaru-sama saved my life and made me strong, and this is the only way I can repay him. Helping his plans succeed is my first priority, and everything else comes second: my dreams, my life, and you. It's not something you can talk me out of."
"But Orochi-sensei approves of us!" Naruto insisted. "He even said he'd give me permission to marry you after-"
"Not. Another. Word," Kin growled, her face red. "What were you thinking? If I won't even go out with you, why would I marry you? And you should've been asking ME, not HIM! That's not the way these things work!"
"How am I supposed to know how they work if you won't talk to me about them?" Naruto demanded. "That's why I've been asking you out, so we'd have plenty of chances to talk about things like this! If you'd just admit that you're my girl, then-"
"When did THAT happen?" Kin snapped, glaring at him. "I don't ever remember agreeing to that!"
Naruto reeled back, the hurt on his face obvious. "But... Kin-chan... I thought we were-"
"Friends," Kin said firmly. "We're friends, Naruto-kun, and we can't be anything more until after the invasion. And that's assuming I'm not still mad about you going behind my back like you did."
"I didn't mean to! Orochi-sensei only said it to help me focus on the mission! Honest!"
"Seems more like a distraction to me," Kin sniffed, turning away from him.
"But it isn't. I'd do anything to be with you, Kin-chan," Naruto said softly. "Anything."
For several tense seconds, Kin didn't move.
Worried that he was losing her, Naruto did the only thing he could think of. Hoping she wouldn't kill him, he spun Kin around, seized her face, and kissed her.
It was a moment Naruto had dreamed of, and it had all the romance of kissing a dead fish. Kin's lips were stiff and damp and... salty? He pulled back, and was horrified to see tears spilling down Kin's face. Had he really been that bad?
Before he could apologize, Kin grabbed his head. Instead of slamming it into her knee like he feared she might, Kin only drew him closer and planted her lips on his, kissing him so hard that it actually hurt for a few seconds. But then Naruto reminded himself that this was Kin, his Kin-chan, and the pain and wetness (and even the saltiness) faded until he could only feel the warmth of her lips.
It was over all too soon, but Kin didn't immediately let go of him. She pressed his head to her heart and hugged him tightly, as if she had wanted to do that for some time. Naruto was confused and very much lightheaded, so he didn't bother with trying to say anything. All that mattered was that Kin returned his feelings, at least a little.
"You're a stupid, stupid boy, Naruto-kun," Kin whispered, "but I think that's why I like you."
Naruto had to stomp down the very odd urge to do something stupid right then, in the faint hope of getting another kiss. "Why are you crying, Kin-chan?"
"Because you make me so happy that I don't know what else to do... and that makes me very sad at the same time."
"Why?"
"I don't deserve you... and people like me never get what they don't deserve... not for very long, anyway."
She sounded so sad that Naruto felt he had to say something. "I'll promise."
Kin blinked and looked down at him. "What?"
"After the invasion... I'll promise."
"Promise what?"
"Whatever you want me to, Kin-chan!" he replied happily. "If you want me to promise we'll always be friends, I'll do it! If you want to be more than that, that's fine, too! And if you change your mind about getting married, even better! Whatever you want from me, just tell me then, and I'll promise it!"
Kin stared at him for a few seconds before smiling warmly. "It's a deal, Naruto-kun."
Sakura didn't say so out loud, but she was thrilled that she'd managed to end up on the same team as Kiba and Shino. Kiba was easily her best male friend (okay, he was a boy, but calling him a boy friend would only spark yet another long argument with Inner Sakura, during which she apparently gave off two scents and scared the hell out of Akamaru), and... well, she knew Shino, and he didn't talk much, but he was just as, if not smarter than her, which more than made up for Kiba's... brawn, so that was good. Sakura was getting a little brawny herself, according to Ino, which she took as a compliment.
When the class let out for lunch, surprisingly, Shino was the one who suggested that they get to know each other by talking about how they would usually approach various battle situations. Apparently this would tell them (or at least Shino) a great deal about how their minds worked. Kiba's method was usually to trust his senses and charge straight in with Akamaru. Sakura's was more analytical, and so was Shino's, but he used bugs instead of just his senses to observe. They also figured out that Kiba's best area was taijutsu, and Shino's was ninjutsu, while Sakura was solid in taijutsu, but felt she might do better at something else.
The more they talked, the more Sakura felt at ease with her new teammates. They had all known each other before, but now they were each far less worried about being grouped together. With only a few minutes left until they had to report back to the classroom to meet their new sensei, all three were fairly relaxed.
Kiba was telling Shino how he had first met Naruto. Sakura had heard the story before, so she was stretched out on the grass with Akamaru curled up on her stomach. If the story was true, Kiba had lured all of the Inuzuka dogs out of the compound with a sack full of meat, and led them on a merry chase through the village, causing plenty of damage along the way. But the moment before he was about to be caught, Naruto had appeared, snatched the sack out of his hand, and ran off, effectively taking the blame for the whole incident. When Kiba asked him why later, Naruto had said he couldn't let a fellow prankster take the fall for something that Naruto would probably get blamed for, anyway. The story was less amusing every additional time Sakura heard it, but she wondered why Naruto had never let her see that side of him... or, if he had, why she'd never been able to recognize it for what it was.
Her mind was still on Naruto when Akamaru sniffed the air, stood up, and barked loudly. Sakura recognized it as his warning bark, and was almost to her feet when a woman with black hair and red eyes suddenly seemed to step out of mid air in front of them. Sakura almost thought she was a Uchiha that had been overlooked, until she realized that Shino didn't appear to be concerned, although it was hard to tell with him sometimes.
"You look like an interesting group," the woman said after a moment of silence, "but the first thing we'll need to work on is detecting genjutsu, since Shino was the first to notice me, and only then because he had some of his friends patrolling the area." She extended her left index finger, and Shino stepped forward and took back the black beetle sitting there. "Now, I know I'm a little early, but I assumed you'd all want to get started right away. Was I right?"
Sakura, Kiba, and Shino shared brief glances before nodding.
"Good. I am Yuuhi Kurenai, your new sensei, and I think the best way to start off is a short walk, before I give you a crash course in genjutsu. That should be a good test to determine if you're ready."
Sakura hesitantly spoke up. "Um, sensei, I don't know if I'm any good at genjutsu..." ("Hey now, that's loser talk!" Inner Sakura growled. "Man up, dammit!")
Kurenai just smiled. "All the more reason for you to learn, Sakura. I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out to be better at it than Kiba or Shino. Genjutsu tends to be a bit too subtle for most boys, although Shino would probably do better than most."
"Hey!" Kiba cried indignantly.
"It's true, Kiba. Had you detected me first, I might think differently. But I would guess your strength relies more on overwhelming opponents with speed and power."
Kiba instantly forgot the perceived slight and puffed out his chest a bit. Sakura rolled her eyes. ("Scratch the dog boy's ears, and suddenly he thinks he's a star," Inner Sakura snickered.)
"There's nothing wrong with a little pride, Sakura," Kurenai was quick to point out, her voice firm. "In fact, I never want to hear you doubt yourself again until after you've made an honest effort. It's hard enough making it as a kunoichi without being weighed down by your own mind. Do you understand?"
A little startled, Sakura nodded. Then she blinked, and realized she was all by herself.
"Hey, Sakura-chan! What are you doing back there?" Kiba shouted.
Sakura looked up to see that Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino were already several feet away from the Academy grounds, although Akamaru had run back to get her moving. Kurenai had a strange little smile on her face, and Sakura instantly realized that she'd just gotten her crash course in genjutsu without even knowing it. Shaking her head, she bent down to scoop up Akamaru before hurrying after them. She had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last little trick that Kurenai played on her, but at least there'd be good reason for them.
Sasuke was used to fangirls falling all over themselves just for a chance of getting his attention for even a moment. So it was a little startling when they suddenly started glaring at him. He couldn't figure out why, at first, until he realized that at some point, either Hinata had taken his hand, or he had grabbed hers (definitely the former, his mind insisted).
He wasn't looking forward to returning to the classroom after lunch. It wasn't that the fangirls bothered him at all, but it was a matter of pride. People could not just glare at Uchiha Sasuke's future wife. It wasn't done, and it wouldn't be done, if he had anything to say about it, which he most certainly did. He was only seconds away from stomping over to put a good scare into them when the fangirls suddenly scattered in all directions.
"Sasuke. Hinata."
Sasuke looked up to see Gaara hovering just above them on a sand cloud. Strangely, Sasuke's first impression was that Gaara seemed... tired. Why he thought this, he wasn't sure. The dark rings around Gaara's eyes had been there for as long as Sasuke had known him, so it wasn't that. Hinata seemed to notice it, too, but she probably wouldn't say anything unless Gaara did something truly out of character, like yawn.
"I assume we're waiting for Kakashi now?" Sasuke asked, sounding weary at the thought.
"No. The squad is complete as it is."
Sasuke frowned as Gaara's cloud lowered to ground level and quickly vanished back into his gourd. "But there's supposed to be a-"
"I am the squad captain," Gaara replied. "Do you have an objection, Sasuke?"
In truth, Sasuke had entertained the idea for a moment, but just as quickly dismissed it. What did Gaara know about teamwork, or leading a squad, for that matter? Okay, so he was the strongest member, and he was already ANBU, but Sasuke still wasn't completely comfortable with the idea. Although, he had to say so in a way that wouldn't get him hurt too badly. He might not like the idea of Gaara leading him, but he liked the idea of Gaara throttling him even less.
"What qualifies you to be the leader of this squad?"
Gaara seemed a little too ready for that question. "I have studied your respective clans extensively over the past week. I was given access to certain scrolls that described your dojutsu in great detail. Admittedly, I have only been able to study the Byakugan with my own eyes, but I believe I have a very thorough understanding of its functions. If both of you agree to follow me, I believe I can unlock your ultimate potential."
"How were you able to study the Byakugan?" Hinata asked, more curious than anything else. "I can't imagine that my father was very accommodating."
Gaara nodded. "I was assured he wouldn't be, so I went over his head... well, under it. Hanabi was most helpful."
Hinata blinked in surprise. "Hanabi? MY Hanabi?"
"She knew where the scrolls were kept, and how to gain access to them. She did not appear to be concerned about getting caught, so I didn't bother asking what would happen if she were." When this didn't seem to calm Hinata's fears, Gaara added, "If she is harmed for assisting me, there will be blood."
Sasuke peered at him closely. "Gaara... do you know what you're doing?"
"I am protecting you, and making you strong, as I promised I would. Before I can officially become your squad captain, however, I am required to test you both, to ensure that you are ready for my kind of training. I have prepared a trial mission for each of you. It is in your best interest to pass, no matter what it takes."
Sasuke and Hinata traded uneasy glances, but neither said anything.
"Hinata, your mission is to return to the Hyuuga compound and determine if you are currently in any danger of being sealed."
The color drained out of Hinata's face, and Sasuke's eyes widened. "Sealed? Why would she need to be sealed? And who would do such a thing?" By the end he was shouting, and he only stopped when Hinata placed a soothing hand on his arm.
"If you determine there is any danger," Gaara continued, "then you are to pack anything you would need for an extended mission outside of the village, and be ready to leave by nightfall. I suggest you go now. There is not much time."
"What is he talking about?" Sasuke demanded. "Hinata-chan, what-"
"I was going to tell you, Sasuke-kun," Hinata whispered, unable to meet his eyes. "I still will, later, when it's safe." And before he could stop her, she kissed him firmly on the mouth, bowed respectfully to Gaara, and then ran off.
Sasuke could only watch her go in shock (and perhaps a little giddiness), but Gaara's next words got his full attention.
"Sasuke, your mission is to obtain the Sharingan. I will help you with that."
Hinata had quite a few questions to ask her sister, once they had a chance to talk. But foremost in her mind now was the mission... that, and the horrible look on Sasuke's face. He had been afraid, because he could only protect her from threats he knew about. That she had known, and hadn't told him, must have been a huge blow to his pride as a Uchiha, and a ninja. What kind of man couldn't even protect his own wife, after all? Hinata felt extremely guilty about that, and hoped their first real kiss had been enough to ease his fears. It had certainly done wonders for her, but unfortunately, there was no time to enjoy it.
Gaara had been strangely kind in implying that there might not be any danger for her, but Hinata suspected they both knew the truth. As long as there was anyone who could take her place, she would be in danger. And since she would not want any of her clan wiped out, she would have to go. There was no point in even bothering with the first part of the mission. She would use all of the time to prepare for the journey.
But that part turned out to be fairly easy, because when Hinata walked into her bedroom, half of her important things had already been packed, and Hanabi was in the process of packing the other half.
"Make sure I didn't miss anything or pack something you don't need, onee-chan," Hanabi said, not even looking up from the small container of healing ointment that she was stuffing into a bag.
Instead of asking questions, Hinata quickly scanned her bags with her Byakugan, and found Hanabi had done a better job than she would have. She was confused, touched, and a little hurt. "Are you so eager to have me leave, Hanabi-chan?"
"If it means you won't end up grumpy and sour-faced like Neji, then yes," Hanabi replied. "I almost wish I were going with you, but then they'd definitely notice the scrolls had been moved, and we'll be in enough trouble as it is. Make sure Gaara doesn't forget that he owes me, either. I might have to call in that favor sooner than I'd hoped."
"I... I don't want you to be hurt because of me, Hanabi-chan," Hinata said softly.
"Then be sure to tell everyone quite loudly that I tried to stop you on your way out. In fact, you'd better hit me a few times to make it look good. And I'll need to hit you once or twice, since you're supposed to be so awful at that kind of thing."
Hinata stood there for a few seconds, trying to decide if Hanabi had just complimented her or not. She finally gave up and went about gathering several more containers of healing ointment. She probably wouldn't need them as much anymore, but there was no telling what Gaara had in store for her and Sasuke.
"You need a sword," Hanabi said abruptly.
Hinata blinked. "For what?"
Hanabi scowled at her. "Don't make me hit you until I actually need to. What do you think it'd be for?"
"But we never-"
"All the more reason to get good with one, don't you think? They can't actually touch you to seal off your chakra if you've cut off their hands, can they?"
Hinata wasn't sure what to say to that, so she simply went back to packing.
"Promise me you'll get one if the opportunity comes up, onee-chan."
Hinata glanced at Hanabi uncertainly, but nodded. "I promise..."
Hanabi relaxed slightly. "I'd just give you one if I had it, or steal one if I thought I could get away with it, but..."
"That kind of talk shouldn't be coming from the Hyuuga heiress."
Hanabi paused and looked at Hinata, who was staring at the floor in a most determined fashion.
"They'll just have to cover their ears when I talk, won't they?" Hanabi answered with a mischievous grin.
The walls were closing in on Iruka.
The fall of the Wind Lord had gone pretty smoothly, all things considered. No one was openly fond of the man, and he'd been replaced with a swiftness that bordered on premeditated. His mysterious disappearance was not even looked into for more than a day. Investigators simply agreed that he was indeed gone, and shouldn't they be looking for the new Wind Lord instead of the old one?
Strangely enough, the new Wind Lord didn't look as if he would last for very long. From all the rumors Iruka had heard, he was pretty sickly despite his young age, and often had to end meetings abruptly so he could get plenty of bed rest. The one thing he had found time to do was increase military spending. In other words, the Sand was back in business. The missions were pouring in, thanks almost entirely to Naruto. Every day that he wasn't training, he was showing everyone exactly how powerful Suna's Desert Fox had become.
The increased activity also meant that the Sound's presence in Suna almost doubled. The Sound apparently had an excellent medic-nin training program, and many of their healers were in high demand, since Suna had been employing medic-nin less and less in the past few years (having been one of the first budget cuts the former Wind Lord made). The chief Sound medic-nin, a harmless-looking young man named Kabuto, had been assigned exclusively to the Kazekage's family.
Iruka only had to meet him once, and the truth had been obvious to someone like him. A sleeper could always recognize another sleeper, and Kabuto was among the best he'd ever met. If they ever came to blows, Iruka would lose his life, slowly and painfully. That was only thing Iruka had seen in Kabuto's eyes, and it had been enough. Maybe the Sand trusted him, but the Sound did not, and it was time to go. It would be all too easy for a group of Sound-nin to ambush him now.
In the end, it only took one, although she was able to summon a small demon army, so Iruka wasn't really ashamed that he'd only taken one down before a heavy blow from another's club brought on the darkness.
That was how he found himself a prisoner of the last person he'd ever wanted to meet up close. The worst part was that the first thing Orochimaru had done was shown Iruka a message… his own message. One of many he thought he'd sent to the Sandaime Hokage, and nearly all of which Orochimaru had in his possession. The ghastly feeling in Iruka's stomach only grew when Orochimaru revealed that the new Wind Lord was a highly educated young man named Kaguya Kimimaro, a Sound-nin in good standing. Somehow he had been placed in power with no trouble at all, and people were quickly getting behind his "war is hell, but we must be prepared for both, or risk destruction" stance. He claimed to be a peaceful man at heart, and he certainly came off as one that just happened to return Suna to its former glory.
Iruka was both amazed and disgusted by how quickly everything had fallen apart. If he had been unable to see this coming, and had been unable to warn the Sandaime, then in his mind, he deserved anything Orochimaru would do to him (despite knowing full well that nobody deserved to become one of Orochimaru's twisted experiments). But he would prefer to face death at the hands of a demented Sannin, than ever have to show his face in the village he had failed.
Unfortunately for Iruka, Orochimaru was neither merciful, nor in the habit of letting a perfectly good prisoner go to waste...
Sasuke wasn't sure what was worse: the unimaginable pain, or the history lesson Gaara was giving him the whole time.
No one had ever actually gone in pursuit of the Sharigan: it simply manifested when a Uchiha's life was on the line. The theory was that it couldn't be rushed, that it happened entirely on its own.
Only Gaara had another theory, one that involved repeatedly putting Sasuke's life in danger until the Sharingan appeared. It was pure madness, but Sasuke had been unable to provide a solid reason against it. He wanted the Sharingan badly enough, and even if he actually died in the attempt, he was as good as dead without it.
Gaara had thought the whole thing through in advance. They made the attempt in the Uchiha compound, in the very same room where Sasuke's parents had been murdered by Itachi. If that did not convince Sasuke's mind and body that he was about to die, nothing would.
There had been no warning to start with. The moment Sasuke stepped into the room, sand had closed around his left ankle, and the struggle began.
In certain moments, Sasuke honestly thought that Gaara had forgotten why they were here, that he was enjoying himself, and that Sasuke was just one of many faces he had wiped out of existence. There was no mercy, no hesitation, and no way to escape Gaara for more than an instant.
And then Gaara began to talk.
As he fought for his life, Sasuke learned more about the Hyuuga Clan than he'd ever wanted to know. Gaara told him of the sacrifice of Neji's father, the way siblings of the Main House were pitted against each other time and time again to claim the right to rule, and what fates awaited the ones who lost: enslavement or assassination. Hinata and Hanabi were actually odd in that they truly loved each other too much to consider such measures. Hiashi, however, lived by no such restrictions, and not only was he fully willing to sacrifice one of his daughters, but it didn't seem to matter which one it was in the end.
Whether it was Gaara's intention or not, the story filled Sasuke's head with rage. All this time he had been focused on his problems, and had never given too much thought to what Hinata might be going through. She wasn't the type to complain about such things, even if he had thought to ask her. The idea that she was so close to becoming even more of a puppet for her clan was completely unacceptable. Even Hanabi didn't deserve that fate, and for the first time, Sasuke wondered if he could liberate them both from their family.
In that moment, he forgot himself, and an unbreakable hand of sand wrapped around his throat and began to strangle him.
Sasuke was not afraid. He was still thinking of Hinata, only now he saw her with that glowing, horrible seal carved deep into her forehead. She was still beautiful, and Sasuke knew that with time, he could come to love even that Hinata, but something in him refused to. Loving that Hinata would mean accepting that he had been unable to protect her, and that was something he refused to do. She belonged to him, and no man would ever again take away something that was precious to Sasuke.
With a strangled cry of fury and newfound strength, the last Uchiha of the Leaf surged forward and spewed a stream of fire at his attacker. The flames did not reach Gaara, as a shield of sand rose up to protect him, as usual. The light of the fire did draw Gaara's attention to something that had not been there before, however: the Sharingan, blazing brightly even after the fire had long died out.
Curiously, once Sasuke had sufficiently recovered from the attack, they both agreed that his Sharingan had activated, not to save his own life, but to save Hinata's. But as Gaara carried them both to the hospital on a cloud of sand, Sasuke knew the rules of the Sharingan hadn't changed, not really. His life truly was in danger… and he should have realized long ago that its name was, and always had been, Hinata.
End of Chapter 10.
Next Chapter: Naruto makes a new friend in Kabuto. Gaara sends Sasuke on a mission to liberate Hinata. Iruka learns what Orochimaru has planned for him.
Endnotes:
According to Sasuke's memories, Suzume taught the boys and girls at one point… or at least stood in front of the class and looked all teachy while they were reading. But I doubt she shows up again, anyway.
Kurenai's eyes are a little too unique to be unrelated to a dojutsu, so I just made her up one in five or so minutes. But it's completely unrelated to her mastery of genjutsu, which makes her one of the few people that got results with sheer hard work (in this story, anyway).
Naruto's jutsu:
Futon: Kazeheki (Wind Release: Wind Barrier): A protective barrier formed from pure wind chakra. Best used for deflecting projectiles, but ill-suited for preventing elemental damage.
Kin's jutsu:
Soshuha (Manipulating/Guided Attack Blades): Blades are held in the air by chakra and directed towards their target. I don't know how common this jutsu is, but it's low-ranked, Yashamaru knew it, and he was a chuunin medic-nin, so I don't imagine it's terribly difficult to for someone with better than average chakra control.
Gaara's jutsu:
Sabaku Fuyu (Desert Suspension): Gaara creates a floating sand cloud he can ride on.
Sasuke's jutsu:
Katon: Ryoka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique): The user spits out a stream of fire that travels in a straight line.
Kurenai's bloodline limit/jutsu:
Hachuugan (Reptile Eye): The Yuuhi Clan bloodline limit that allows the user to see body heat (even residual) and chakra that is normally invisible (such as chakra strings, chakra weapons, chakra channels and gates in the body, and even Aburame insects) at will. This often makes them excellent trackers or battle strategists. In terms of overall ability, the Hachuugan does not compare to the insight of the Byakugan (it can only see into objects that have chakra), or the sheer power of the Sharingan.
Fukashi no Jutsu (Invisibility Technique): A genjutsu technique that makes the user invisible to most eyes.
Tsukanoma (Brief Time): A genjutsu technique that causes a target to lose track of everything for a few seconds. Most people mistake it as having their mind wander, and never realize their mind has been attacked.