A/N: Okay, I just want you all to know that there'll be a couple time skips along the way to the whole, Orochimaru, thing, okay? I'm doing this, 1, Because I don't have the time to type it all, 2, I'm too lazy to type every fight (bleh), and 3, I don't have the ideas to fill in the time skips. So don't complain, okay?
Sasuke sighed from where he stood next to Sakura and his daughter on the balcony above the preliminary fighting grounds. All of the winners from the preliminary matches, minus his younger self, stood in a line awaiting their numbers in which would order them for the third exam's matches.
Sakura looked at her older friend. "What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke glanced at his daughter. Arai had cheered up quite a bit while watching the matches and seemed to have gotten over her issue for the time being. The girl hopped over the balcony's bar and ran over to Naruto to see his numbers.
"It's just…." Sasuke thought for a moment and ran a hand through his hair. "There are so many factors coming up that I need to account for. I need to remember every detail and know what to keep out of so that the future stays the same."
"Is something going to happen?" Sakura asked, worried. "Something with Orochimaru?"
Sasuke gave her a grim look. Sakura flinched. He looked away. "Unfortunately, yes. He wouldn't be here if he wasn't planning something. I can't tell you-" he added quickly before she could ask, "but I assure you it gets the ball rolling for my future. We're at a critical point, and Arai can't be part of this."
He cursed under his breath. Sakura placed a hand on his arm. She wasn't used to seeing Sasuke show so many emotions. It sort of overwhelmed her, but she was also glad that he was different from his younger self. She could see what he was going through.
"I really didn't want to have to relive this part of my life." Sasuke muttered, and then he disappeared in a small whirl of wind.
"Sakura-chan!" Sakura started at her teammate's loud voice. She looked down to see Arai and Naruto standing under the balcony looking up at her. "Where's Kakashi-sensei and Ryuu?"
"I think," Sakura called down, "that Kakashi-sensei's with Sasuke-kun and I don't know where Ryuu went!"
"Thanks, Sakura-chan!" Naruto turned and dashed off with Arai on his heels. He looked at her. "Are you feeling better now, Arai-chan?"
Arai smiled at him. "Yes. I'm sorry for worrying you."
"It's no problem." He grinned at her. "But where do you think your father went?"
Arai thought for a moment. "I'm not too sure. He's probably worrying about the near future." She looked away, thinking of the future herself. "I'm not surprised. A lot of crap is going to happen." She smiled shakily at him. "I'm a little scared."
Naruto frowned in determination. "Don't worry. Sasuke and I will protect you." Arai's eyes widened as a sudden flash of her mother saying that to her once before appeared in her mind. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away.
"Thank you."
Sasuke wasn't surprised to see his old sensei suddenly appear next to him from where he sat by a river deep in Konoha's forest. It was a place that Kakashi used to take his team to when they were younger to just relax. Naruto had particularly enjoyed this place, thus Sasuke had learned to love it as well.
Sasuke stared at his fishing lure bob in the stream, waiting for a fish to bite down, but not really paying attention. "Yo." Kakashi greeted.
"Hn." Sasuke grunted. Kakashi enjoyed the fact that this Sasuke still used his infamous greet. Kakashi didn't speak for a period of time, just sitting next to Sasuke and reading his Icha Icha Paradise book. Sasuke knew this would go on forever if he didn't say anything. "What is it that you want, Kakashi?"
"It's not like you to be anywhere without your daughter." Kakashi observed offhandedly.
"If that's all you're here for, you can leave. I'm a grown man and Arai's fine now." Sasuke responded. He spotted a fish in the clear stream and watched it, expecting it to bite down on his line. Kakashi didn't answer. "Shouldn't you be working with my younger self right now? You know, training for the Chuunin Exam?"
"He's at a point where he needs to train by himself. Besides I find this more crucial."
"Then I repeat, what is it that you want, Kakashi?" Kakashi didn't answer. Sasuke scowled a little. "Kakashi." It was a warning.
"I'll get to the point, then." Kakashi said, having enjoyed messing with his ex-student and looked at him with his one eye. "You're obviously worrying over this Arai-Orochimaru deal. Talk to me."
"That might change the future." Sasuke stated.
"I found out that Naruto was your wife long ago, and that hasn't changed the future."
"You're a perceptive man. The attraction between Naruto and I isn't that hard to notice."
"You told us about Orochimaru and his kidnapping."
"It wouldn't influence the outcome of this timeline."
"Sasuke." Kakashi snapped his book shut, frustrated with his old student beating around the bush. He wondered faintly if he developed this from years of Naruto influence. "Enough. You're giving me crap. Talk to me." It was a command this time.
Sasuke didn't answer as the bob of his lure went down. He pulled up on the line, bringing out a fish with it. The fish sprayed him a little. Sasuke took a moment to examine the fish before pulling the hook out of its mouth and tossing the fish back into the water. The fish, momentarily shocked, didn't swim away until half a second later.
"Fine, then. You'll have to be more specific, though." He said, defeated.
"What's Orochimaru up to?" Kakashi asked seriously, his joking manner long since gone. Sasuke baited his line and tossed it back into the river.
"You realize that anything I tell you, you're not allowed to do anything about unless I tell you that you're allowed, correct?" He asked.
Kakashi realized in the back of his mind that technically this Sasuke, being an ANBU was above him in rank. This made it slightly easier to listen to his commands. "Yes."
"Orochimaru plans to attack Konoha. He's teamed up with Sunagakure."
The sensei's one eye widened in surprise. "What happens?" His eye narrowed. "Is that Gaara kid part of it?"
Sasuke watched his ex-sensei's reactions to judge what the man planned to do with this information. "Yes. Don't worry about him. When the time comes, you'll know what to do."
Kakashi nodded. "And Orochimaru?"
"He's going to kill the third." Kakashi reeled back in shock at this discovery.
It took a moment to recover. "Sasuke, you realize I just can't sit by with this information." He said slowly.
"You can and you will." Sasuke put down his fishing pole and turned to glare at the silver-haired man. "Kakashi, you don't realize how critical this whole thing is to my life. The third dying means that Jiraiya and Naruto go to find the new fifth Hokage and the woman that's going to save my wife. I won't let you interfere."
"So it's Tsunade-sama, then." Kakashi stated. Sasuke nodded and then picked up his fishing pole again. "What do you plan to do with Arai?"
"I don't know. I've been thinking about it. Probably go to the Chuunin Exam with her in the stands. I want to see Naruto's match and I know she won't miss it." He smiled slightly, just thinking of her indignation at him even thinking of leaving her behind. She would react just like her mother.
"Wouldn't you have seen Naruto's match, though?"
Sasuke gave him a look. "You know me, Kakashi, trying to get as much training in as possible. Plus getting all those damn bandages on was a pain." He muttered under his breath. "Don't know what the hell I was thinking…"
"We're going to be late, aren't we?" Kakashi asked drily, ignoring Sasuke's mutterings, but was humored by them, nonetheless.
"Very. Almost get disqualified." Kakashi chuckled a little.
A/N: Sorry, it's much shorter than the last one. Just thought I'd get this out of the way. I think I'll just skip to the third exam after this….keep sending me suggestions for the story, though! They're appreciated!
Oh, and I saw a picture that said, "the real reason why Sasuke was late" and saw him messing with his bandages and I couldn't help adding that in. XD