AN: WARNING: This chapter may contain anime spoilers. I try not to use manga spoilers simply because not everyone gets to read the manga. I don't get to read it often but I watch the anime w/ english subs. Anyway, you have been warned.
Sasuke waited until it was nearing sundown before he started sneaking around the village. It seemed as though the village had pretty much regained its strength since the attack at the Chunin Exams so there were guards everywhere. He had to be extra careful sneaking inside the gate. He knew that he was taking a big risk by not waiting until it was completely dark but he didn't care.
He needed to know that Naruto was safely inside the walls of the Leaf Village otherwise he would have to look for him. The three years that he'd spent away from Naruto was hard enough. He hadn't realized how much he loved Naruto until that fight at the Valley of the End. That's when everything became clearer than ever before, yet he had to let him go. He had to leave him in order to uphold his family's honor. There was just no way he would have been ready to face his brother if he had not been trained by someone as ruthless as his brother. That's the real reason that he turned to Orochimaru. He needed to understand how an evil mind worked.
Sasuke had somehow managed to get past all of the guards and had made it to Naruto's room window. He quickly opened the window and slipped inside the semi dark room. Naruto's room looked as though it had not been occupied in a while. Sasuke started going through Naruto's closet and found that most of his clothing were missing. Damn it! He's not here! Where is he? Sasuke quickly headed back to the window and poked his head outside, staring up at the tower of the hokage. He saw that there was light coming from the tower and he wondered if she would be discussing anything about Naruto. The sun still had not completely set but there was no one around that he could see so he started across the roofs heading straight towards the tower. He landed gracefully outside the hokage's office window and was ecstatic to hear voices coming from inside.
"Kakashi, have you heard from Jiraiya yet?"
"No but he should be getting back tomorrow morning sometime. The last I heard from him was that the guards insisted that he take a break from his journey."
Yes, but where did he go?! Sasuke was starting to grow impatient but he continued to listen with hopes of finding information.
"Well…I suppose that's alright. I still don't know if letting Naruto leave the village was the best idea. I trust Jiraiya and I trust our allies too but Naruto can be so hasty. Who's to say that he won't convince his friends to help him go after Sasuke or maybe even members of the Akatsuki? You know they'd help him in a heartbeat!"
"Yes, I know but we gave them strict orders not help him even if he begs. Sasuke doesn't care about Naruto at all anymore so it's a waste of time to keep searching for him anymore." It's not a waste of time because I do care about him! Sasuke's foot slipped causing a piece of wood to fall to the ground.
"What was that?" Tsunade asked. Oh shit. Sasuke took off towards the forest at full speed. He kept running until he was outside of the village gates and deep within the forest. He stopped to catch his breath when a small shurigan whizzed by his head. He turned around and found himself face to face with Kakashi.
"Oh…it's just you," he smirked. "For a second there I thought I was about to get my first chance at the hokage."
"She hasn't the time to be facing rogue traitors of the village like you."
"A traitor huh? Don't you think that's kind of harsh? I mean, it's not like I've tried to take down the Leaf Village with Orochimaru. I'm only getting his help to speed up progress. What's so wrong with that?"
"It's wrong because Orochimaru is the enemy."
"The way we see it, the only enemy is the Akatsuki. You people are just thorns in our sides."
"Why you…"
"Look, I don't want to fight you. I just came here to get a bit of info. I didn't find out much of nothing so I'll just be on my way now." Kakashi threw another shurigan at Sasuke. This time it cut his left sleeve. Sasuke just chuckled before turning to face his ex sensei again.
"What makes you think I'm going to just let you walk out of here? If I take you down now and turn you in, then Naruto can come back home with no more worries."
"Take me down?" he scoffed. "Sensei, I'm not the guy you used to know. I'm a lot stronger now than you can possibly imagine. I really don't want to fight you but if you keep this up then you'll leave me no choice. You're not my enemy. My enemy is Itachi Uchiha and in order for me to stop him I can't stay here."
"Me along with the rest of the jonin could have helped you become stronger. Have you seen Naruto lately? He's as strong as ever."
"Which is why I beat him the first two times he found me," he said lazily. "Look, I'll give him this, he is just as strong as I am physically but mentally, he's as pathetic as ever which is why he's so easy to defeat. You're the same way sensei. You care too much. Caring is going to get all of you killed someday."
"No Sasuke. You're wrong. Having the wrong kind of company is what's going to kill you someday. Do you honestly think Orochimaru is training you for nothing? When he thinks you're just ripe, he's going to do you in and wear your body like a super suit."
"I'll get away before that time. Now I'll ask you one last time to let me leave in peace. I don't want to fight you but I will. You are trying to keep me from the most important task in my life but I refuse to let you or anyone else stand in my way. I am an avenger. That is my way of the ninja," he growled. The curse mark on his neck started to advance, covering only half of his body. Kakashi just watched him in horror as his sharingan eyes flashed. "You're hesitating Kakashi. Does that mean you're thinking about reconsidering or is it because you hesitate to see the true power of the sharingan all over again? I hear my brother showed you a thing or two in all of two seconds." I'd hate to kill him but I will…I won't let these fools stop me in my mission.
"I was hesitating because I don't want to kill you either. You were like a son to me, as Naruto and Sakura are like my own as well. To have to hurt you…"
"Stop the sentiments and show me what you got old man." Sasuke's whole body lit up as Kakashi lowered his mask revealing his sharigan eye. He lowered his hands in front of him, clasping his right wrist with his left hand.
"CHIDORI!" he yelled. Sasuke only chuckled.
"That will never work on me. I told you I'm a lot stronger now. Unless you think you're quick enough to find an opening, then you are dead. NAGASHA CHIDORI!" Kakashi had no idea when Sasuke had withdrawn his sword, nor did he realize Sasuke was behind him until it was too late. Sasuke just chuckled softly as he stabbed his ex sensei in his side sending electrical currents all through his body forcing him to the ground on his knees. Kakashi cried out in pain, the blood pouring from his side. Sasuke leaned over and whispered in his ear.
"I bet you didn't know I could do that did you? Orochimaru is not as bad as he seems. In the meantime, tell the hokage it would be in her best interest to insure Naruto's safety. I wish to be the one to fight Naruto and if the Akatsuki gets him then my dream won't come true and you don't want to crush my dreams do you?" he asked with a grin. He twisted the sword inside of Kakashi causing him to scream out once more before sending more currents through his body. He extracted the sword and placed it back on his side before running off into the night. When he was just miles outside of the village, he dropped to his knees and cried out into the night. Damn it all! He stood up and collected himself because he knew that he was being watched.
"I know you were watching…Kabuto." Kabuto landed silently a few feet behind him and shrugged.
"I was bored. You snuck off and I decided to follow you. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"Me? Killed? I don't think so."
"Yeah, I saw what you did to poor Kakashi. How could you do that to your own father?"
"HE IS NOT MY FATHER!" His eyes flashed dangerously but Kabuto only shrugged again, lifting his specs back up on his face.
"Temper temper Sasuke. I was only teasing. I don't suppose you would have stabbed your own father to death. Anyway, I suggest we get up out of here. If Orochimaru wakes up and both of us are missing, there will be hell to pay."
"Right." Sasuke led the way back to Orochimaru's hideout. Kabuto just grinned to himself as they traveled through the darkness. That Sasuke is so ruthless. Maybe he really will be the perfect vessel for Lord Orochimaru, but still…something's not quite right. I don't think Naruto would appreciate what he did to Kakashi then again…Kakashi isn't his sensei anymore but Jiraiya is…Oh well…
