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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


Part 11: Paths

"Where is Kabuto?" Sanban asked. He looked at his list to see who he was interrogating today.

"He is off somewhere. Do you need me to get him?"

"No we should be fine."

The door opened. Sanban looked at the unexpected visitor and had a perplexed face on.

"What are you two doing here?" Sanban asked.

Neji closed to the door behind him as Shikamaru cleared up his throat to speak.

"Lady Tsunade just wanted us to check up on here."

"Well there is no reason to."

"Lady Tsunade's orders; you have a problem, you go deal with her troublesome rage."

Sanban sighed in frustration and placed his clipboard on the counter.

"So," Neji started. "Who do we have today?"

Shikamaru and Neji looked in front of them to see the interrogation room.

"Sai."


"What makes you think I'll let you?" Sasuke asked.

"Then let's go right now!" Naruto said. He smiled and started to jump up and down.

"Let's go! I'll knock you-"

Naruto's foot placement went wrong and his ankle twisted a different direction. The young blonde lost his balance and fell straight to his side. Sasuke's eye twitched. The anbu beside him even couldn't believe what was happening. Naruto went straight back up. He looked each side of him to see if anyone was watching and went back to jumping up and down.

"Yeah, I meant to do that! I'll knock the shit out of you Sasuke."

"You are not allowed to touch him Naruto. He is under my care and I will not let you."

"Try to stop me." Naruto said back and quickly threw a fist at Sasuke's direction.

Sasuke swiftly moved to the left and did an under punch. It hit his old friend in the stomach and made him fly. Naruto clenched his stomach while he was yards away from the ground. He saw Sasuke stare at him uninterested. Naruto finally reached down and started to throw random punches at Sasuke.

Naruto never liked hand to hand combat. He liked using his weapons and jutsu. Maybe that was a wrong decision. Naruto landed softly on the ground. Naruto went behind Sasuke and hit him in the back. Sasuke moved forward and finally got his balance to stop him from falling. Sasuke kneeled down and kicked Naruto's legs, bringing the blonde down as well.


"So Sai how is your leg?" Sanban questioned.

"Fine." Sai answered. He played with his hands in front of him on the table. His pale white hands were touching each other. Sai heard Sanban was not a good guy so he tries to keep away from eye contact. Playing with his hands was the only resolution.

"What do you know about Sasuke Uchiha?"

Sai hesitated as he was staring into his palms. His leg was getting itchy so he took his ruler he brought with him. He snuck it under his cast and started adding friction with the leg and the end of the ruler. Once Sai brought the ruler back up, he can see the gum underneath the table. They were a variety of different colors and some of the colors were already faded. He saw a glimpse of the tape and recorder in the corner and looked at Sanban's direction.

"That he used to be part of Squad 7." Sai answered. He placed his ruler on top of the table and stopped playing with his hands.

"Well you have to know a little bit more than that. You've been with Squad 7 for a while now." Sanban compelled with a smile.

Sakura taught him what a fake smile was and he knew what those were by instinct. Sanban was wearing a fake smile.

"He left Konoha and went to Orochimaru."

By Sanban's face, it showed he wasn't that satisfied with Sai's answer. The Doctor swallowed and placed his tie looser so he can breathe. He looked down to his hands in concentration. Just thinking what other question to ask should he use to bring Sasuke to hell? Sanban looked at the ruler on the table and looked back at Sai.

"Sai, who did that to your leg?" Sanban started.

Sai noticed what he was going to and started to panic a little. He was trying to put him against Sasuke and make Squad 7 against Squad 7.

"Two ninjas from an ambush."

"Didn't you fight back? You are part of Root."

"I can't. It's for Naruto and Sakura's sake."


Sasuke stood up and brushed himself off as Naruto was whining.

"Ow- that freaking hurt asshole!"

Naruto rubbed his head and quickly latched his legs onto Sasuke's left leg. With a quick tug, Sasuke went down. The Uchiha went head first and was the first to literally taste Konoha dirt. He didn't like it that well and spit it out in fury.

"What the hell idiot!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto's and Sasuke's legs were tangled within each other and looked ridiculous.

Sasuke took his opportunity and kicked Naruto in between his legs. The kick was hesitated but not noticeable. It was still strong and it made a full smash. Naruto's eyes started to get watery but he quickly started breath evenly and wiped the tears. The two finally separated and they once again went to fist fighting for a couple minutes. It ended with Naruto on the ground and Sasuke wiping his lip.

Naruto can feel his shoulders getting weak and his legs were already sore. His head was spinning everywhere mostly because he just got knocked to the ground. Sasuke can also feel himself getting a little sore but he paid no attention to it.

Naruto quickly stood up.

"That's it! We're getting serious!"


"Why?" Sanban questioned. Sai is a part of Root. Plus, it was in self defense if someone was randomly jumping you.

"I am still part of Squad 7 even if I have a faint relationship with Sasuke Uchiha. If I need to help persuade people that he deserves to live, I am not allowed to harm others or others would think I am violent as well."

"But it's part of self-defense."

"If you hated us, would you think that?"

Sanban looked down and sat up from his chair. He started to walk around Sai like a ghost with his soft footsteps. He was trying to scare Sai but Sai had no idea what his intentions were at the first place.

"Sai, did those two ninjas, Sarah and Yumi, ever tell you why they were attacking you?"

"They didn't tell us. They just asked us if we were Sasuke's friends."

"Did you reply?"

"Not to the question, no."

"Why do you think Sarah and Yumi asked you if you were Sasuke's friend?"

"They asked all three of us."

"Who?"

"Naruto and Sakura."

"Did they get hurt as well?"

"No physical damage."

Sanban looked the other way and cursed to himself. He put a fake smile on and turned to Sai.

"Oh so you're the only one who got hurt?"

"Dramatically, yes."

"Well that isn't fair," Sanban started. He wore a 'sorry' face and stared at the artist in front of him. "I mean, you don't even know this Sasuke and you get hurt because of him."

"That's alright."

"It's alright? You got jumped because of a man you barely know. You have never worked with him before. Why would you defend someone you don't know?"

Sai looked down in shame. If it wasn't being a part of Squad 7 he wouldn't have his whole leg casted. Squad 7 caused him trouble to himself. They have also made him into someone human. Sai never understood people and if it wasn't for Naruto and Sakura's guidance, he wouldn't have ever taken another step into life. If protecting a guy he doesn't know repays them, Sai will take it.

"Because," Sai started. He lifted his head up and stared right at Sanban's glasses. "Naruto and Sakura care about him a lot and that is their special someone and friend. And I will help them achieve what they want because they are my friends."

Sanban looked at Sai in silence and silently clicked the recorder off.

"Thank you Sai. That'll be all!"


Sakura heard some crying and yells as she started to walk by. Usually she would just ignore it since it was probably a fight but this time she was interested. It sounded exactly like the boys she's known her entire life. Sakura slowly walked toward the noise to see her friends fist fighting. Sasuke had a black eye and Naruto's cheek was already swollen.

"Why won't you just help us?" Naruto asked while he was dodging punches.

"I have no intentions of doing so."

"Don't you want to live? I know about your clan and if you don't help, you will never get any justice from them."

Both of them threw a punch at each other but each one of them caught eachother's fist. They both slid across the floor still standing.

"How would you know about justice? You didn't even know how to do a copy jutsu!"

"People change over the years Sasuke."

"I told you, this bond between all of us is over! We are all in different paths. There is no going back."

"Guys stop-"Sakura was about to yell. She was close to going up there and stopping the fight but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. The strong grip held her in place from moving any further.

"Kakashi-sensei, you can't let them keep fighting like this." Sakura argued.

"They need this Sakura. It'll let off some steam." Kakashi said as he watched the show.

Naruto and Sasuke started attacking each other more. Sasuke already got a broken nose and he is bleeding from his forehead. Naruto was bruised badly everywhere and a couple of his teeth were bleeding. Sasuke and Naruto stepped back from each other and were ready for one last blow. They ran each other with full speed with their fists ready to blow. Fists collided with the cheek bone as both of them heard a crack. Their arms retracted and they can feel the sting sensation on their cheeks. The two flew back from the sudden impact. Sakura and Kakashi watched as they slid across the floor, their hair getting dust inside the root of their locks.

"Alright Sakura, you heal Naruto." Kakashi said as he walked up to Sasuke.

"Alright."


"Neji." Shikamaru called out once the anbu and Sanban were gone.

"What is it Shikamaru?" Neji asked. He looked at Sanban's list and looked at the recording. There was something about Sanban that seemed odd as well with that one anbu.

"Lady Tsunade wouldn't have put you in a position where you have to know about the interrogation among Sasuke's behalf as well as Naruto and Sakura."

"What are you getting at?"

"You must've wanted to get interrogated then."

"I didn't want to then. I just changed my mind now."

"What made you change it? I understand how you don't want a missing nin' and avenger to interfere with your team or family. But you're a tough guy to persuade unless ordered to."


Sasuke slowly opened his eyes for the first time to light. It felt like months he has ever opened his eyes to sunlight. He can feel the sun's beam on his face as it hugs his face in warmth. As much as Sasuke was enjoying the light, his face and body were held stiff and sore.

"Hello sleeping beauty!" Kakashi said. He smiled in his mask once his old student scowled.

There were chakra strings all around the teen holding him in place. Sasuke can feel the bark of the tree behind him poking his bruise Naruto gave him from that kick. Kakashi kneeled in front of Sasuke. He made a huge breath.

"Well doesn't this position bring back memories?" Kakashi said. He laughed as always and Sasuke's eye twitched.

"Why am I tied up?"

"Well whoever was supposed to guard you ditched. I guess I'm just going to have to bring you back to your cell."

"Well then let me go."

"I want to talk to you first." Kakashi said seriously. He looked at Naruto to see him still knocked out. Sakura was still healing his teeth. It was a bloody mess mix with ramen. Kakashi felt a little bad for her as well as Sasuke.

"You sure put up a fight."

Sasuke stayed quiet.

"Only a student of mine would be able to put up a fight."

"I'm not your student."

"Technically you still are. You are still under as a missing ninja. But that can always change. You can be put under deceased."

"…"

"Sasuke, I am wondering what you want to do as your individual person. I'm not going to consider you as a ninja, a part of the Uchiha clan, a part of Akatsuki, and my student. Just as Sasuke, I want to know what you want to do with your life."

"There were only two goals in my life that I have wanted to accomplish and it was killing Itachi and starting the Uchiha clan once again."

"From the sounds of it, it seems you only completed one goal in your life. If you die, you won't be able to complete your life goals."

"Still, if I do get interrogated and I don't get the death penalty, I don't want to be back with Squad 7. Our ties and bonds are all broken."

"You actually think Naruto and Sakura will stop begging you to come back?"

"No."

"Exactly. Sasuke, you already finished your revenge and it didn't satisfy you did it?"

"…no." Sasuke said with regret. He can remember the last thing his brother did.

"And yet you go after more revenge. You are going around in circles. This is the only time you can actually end the path and be satisfied with it."

"My path is started in a different direction with all three of you. That's the end of it."

"But our paths can end in a same direction. It can all be united. Like a team."

"No."

"Don't think for a second that Team Hawk was better than us. I know it and you even know it."

"How did you-"

"I know things. Sasuke, I know you are tired of running in circles and running your life what you are destined to do. This is the time where your path ends and you can make a new one with us. It doesn't have any holes or bumps as big as the last one."

Sasuke looked at his sensei in astonishment. He swallowed what was in split for his dry throat. He can feel his Adam's apple bounce up and down on his neck. Kakashi slowly got up and stretched his back. The sound of cracking twigs can be heard and followed with a grown.

"I'm getting too old for this… I'll come back to untie you once I talk to Naruto. Sakura is going to heal your wounds and that nasty mess." Kakashi pointed to Sasuke's face and noted Sasuke's bloody teeth. The teenager can feel the dry blood on his mouth and around his teeth. The taste of metal reminded the metal bars in the cell he has been for weeks. The smell of grass and leaves was what he would prefer to be. The feel of something warm against his skin instead of flames from his own hands or someone else is what he wanted.

"Alright, I'll do it." Sasuke said out loud. All three of his teammates looked at him in surprise. Sakura and Kakashi smiled while Naruto grinned with dirt in his mouth.

Because Sasuke knew he'd rather be here with these people than any other place in the entire world.

I am finally done with this chapter! I have been dealing with some technical difficulties so don't expect something really fast. Also bad news, I'm going to be gone for a while so don't expect anything for like this whole month. I only have three chapters left!