A/N: Welcome to exposition(™), the chapter! Boy I hope I wrote it in a digestible way. I'msosorry. Probably was a smoother way to deliver all this, but NOPE you instead get it all at once. Good luck. Just wanted to keep this dense because the sooner we can get through this stuff the sooner we can get back to Lee and Sakura. I typically take things slow and indulge when it comes to the leesaku parts and I'm trying to be a little quicker/snappier with the gen plot details.

I apologize for some weird line breaks in this chapter. It indicates a short passage of time. Usually in books you see just create a small gap when you do some mild jumping, but FFN's formatting doesn't allow it.

As promised, here's a short dramatis personae for the OCs. I only included a brief summary for the ones we've already met before so if you were dying to remember what they looked like, I included the bits of description I used in earlier chapters. If you don't care and want to picture them however you damn well please, you can skip the rest of this author's note. The other new OCs you'll get introduced to this chapter.

Yumi - late 20s. Violet hair, striking sunset eyes, and a grinning mask.

Funai - A pale, dark haired man in his 30s. Wears fur-lined clothing. From the same clan as Haku.

Tsume - Bushy red hair, with white face paint with black and red stripes.

Hanma - a visor-wearing Hyuga. Mid-20s. Dark, short-cropped hair, a crooked nose, and a small scar on his chin.

Chapter 33

Second Chances III

Sakura, Team Taka, and the Talons left Oto right after their meeting, heading northwest through the mountains. Sakura could still feel the distrust and animosity radiating off of the Talons when they looked at her - all except for Yumi, who was acting very pleased with herself as she asked Sakura innocent conversational questions. Sakura knew better than to indulge her and kept her answers short. After all, Yumi made her deeply uncomfortable - Sakura had no idea which private memories Yumi had pulled from her head and had at her disposal, and what she might have told Sasuke, if anything.

Because the distrust was mutual, Sakura made sure to keep a mental file on all of the Talons in order to determine how careful she had to be around each one. (She was thankful she ran across a few of their pages in the missing-nin book that Shikamaru showed her.)

First there was Yumi of the Stone - Sakura was already intimately familiar with her genjutsu abilities and her ability to read thoughts and memories through touch. Sakura had to worry about Yumi using her mind reading abilities to garner Sakura's true intentions here. That made her a similar threat like Karin - lying and deception would be near useless to Sakura if either decided to press her.

Second, there was Tsume of the Steam - the silent poison-user that had hospitalized both her, Shino, and Lee. If Tsume scratched her, and Sakura couldn't steal an antidote in time, it would be over for her.

Third, there was Funai of the Mist, from the eradicated Clan Yuki, able to manipulate ice. He carried the most open animosity towards her as of now. She would have to watch her back around him.

Fourth, there was Hanma Hyuga, whom she didn't know much about, but she at least understood how his Hyuga abilities worked. Don't get touched by his palms and don't expect to be able to hide from his Byakugan. Simple.

Then there were those she knew almost nothing about. Sara of the Grass and Koga of the Sand were there on the night that Sakura and her team's camp was attacked on the way back from the Steam. Kiba fought Sara - the blonde whip sword-wielder. He apparently didn't kill her like he thought; she had a new glistening scar trailing up her neck to her cheek. (As an aside, Sara snidely told Sakura, "Hope you and that dog boy weren't close… The next time I see him I'll kill him.") Koga Sakura had no recollection of - she assumed he was the burly man that rescued Tsume when Sakura was delirious with poison. Then the two women she knew absolutely nothing about were Mio and Rei - they weren't on the missing-nin list. From what she could gather they were a part of Orochimaru's old Sound and were likely his former experiments.

What troubled Sakura the most was that she would have to trust them with her life when it came time to face Orochimaru. And who knew what dangerous things Orochimaru might have gotten up to undisturbed with the years after the war.

When traversing through a narrow path between two mountains, Funai passed Sakura with a sneer and said, "Privileged Leaf-nin girl. You don't belong with us. Don't think I'm going to treat you special just because you're the boss's wife."

"Privileged?" she said carefully.

"Yeah. I can see it in your eyes. Too soft. No hardship in them. Bet you had a cushy life growing up with both parents, huh?"

Funai passed her before Sakura could think of a response. The eyes of most of the other Talons watching them agreed with him, and they too passed her, leaving her trailing alone at the back. All but Hanma.

"Don't mind him," Hanma said. "He's been insufferable ever since that Lee guy kicked his ass. Oh, and from one former Leaf-nin to another... you should remove your headband. You're not going to make friends displaying Leaf allegiance like that."

"Oh, thanks, I didn't even notice," Sakura said, before removing it and stashing it away.

"Yeah. While the other Talons are still huffy right now, they'll come around. Know that you'll have at least one friend with me."

"I appreciate that," Sakura said as she tied her long hair back in a bun. She then matched Hanma's pace. "Say, Hanma. You left Konoha because of the Hyuga, right?" Lee told her Hanma had uttered Neji's name.

"Yeah. Obvious, isn't it?"

"Can you answer something for me? What's really been going on with the clan? Is all this clan conflict just because Hiashi is afraid of losing power?"

"It's the opposite. He's afraid of us appearing too powerful. And in order to do that, he needs to bring us abolitionists to heel along with the traditionalists, else we'll stand out."

"Afraid of being too powerful? That doesn't make any sense. Someone prideful like Hiashi would want to see the clan grow in strength and influence, right?"

"Of course he does. But remember Kayuga? The ultimate villain of the war carried the Byakugan. Our dojutsu descended from her, a being not of this world."

"So?"

"Let me put it this way. Everyone thinks the Uchiha are all mad from the actions of the few. The Sharingan made them all the more terrifying and capable of massive destruction, and it too was inherited from Kaguya. What's to say the Hyuga won't be the next scapegoat if we're given the freedom to make the same mistakes the Uchiha made, especially when the last Uchiha dies out?" Hanma said, glancing at Sasuke, who was up ahead leading their traveling group.

"That's seriously what Hiashi believes?"

Hanma's face went solemn. "I hope a nice sharp dagger meets Hiashi's throat one day, but I think his fear is justified."

"And what does the rest of the Hyuga think of this?"

"They don't know or think it absurd. The only reason I even know is because I was a spy for the abolitionists and overheard Hiashi hinting his concerns in confidence with one of the traditionalist elders. When I shared what I heard with the abolitionist leadership, they ordered me to keep quiet. They said it would weaken their fight for freedom; Hiashi was just spreading excuses to keep us meek and agreeable. But, damn it, we can both be aware of future risks and still fight for our freedom. The branch Hyuga aren't that weak-minded. If anything, we need to be ready if Konoha tries to massacre us like the Uchiha."

"The Uchiha were only killed because they were going to do a coup though, right? It wasn't the right thing to do, but..."

"That's only what Konoha leadership tells us it was about. Consider this - maybe that's just the lie Konoha fed us to make them look more sympathetic when they could no longer hide what happened. The beloved Hiruzen let Danzo get away with it with no consequences and lied to us all - what's to say Naruto won't do the same?" Hanma spat.

"I…" Sakura bit back her defense of Naruto and said, "Good point." She had a cover to maintain, and didn't want Hanma to redirect his righteous anger at her.

"The Uchiha massacre was our first warning sign that Konoha's leadership can't be entirely trusted. There's no way that I can believe only one man was responsible for what happened. And as you can see, I'm certainly not going to be in Konoha in the off chance the Hyuga are all murdered in their sleep."

"I see..."

An unsettling look of hatred burned in Hanma's eyes. "Konoha and the Hokage did nothing for us branch Hyuga. Konoha can burn for all I care. All the other Villages can. Kabuto - Lord Second - he will find a way to remove this disgusting curse from my forehead, and then I will finally be free."

In the late afternoon, the dense mountains gave way to dense green forest, with thick moss dangling from the tree tops. Sakura guessed they were now in the no-man's land of the Mountain's Graveyard. They changed their direction north. Through the lush smell of nature Sakura thought she could smell hints of the sea. With how treacherous and difficult the terrain was, along with the colossal beasts they had to avoid, it was no wonder why none of the bordering countries had laid claim to it. Even the plant life was colossal in size; ferns and trees towered over them, making Sakura feel like a mouse.

One of the giant beasts attempted to ambush them from the trees - a territorial saber-toothed cat that was three men tall. Suigetsu stepped in and slayed it with one swing of his sword before they continued onward.

"Jeez, everything is so big here," Sakura muttered.

"It's because the natural energy in the area is strong," Jugo answered her.

"You mean the same energy used in senjutsu?"

"Yes," Jugo said. "Imperceivable except by those that can use it. Like Kabuto and I. Or special sensory abilities like Sasuke's Rinnegan."

Or even Naruto with his sage abilities.

Karin spoke to Sasuke. "There's three chakra signatures coming this way. I don't recognize them."

"How close?" Sasuke asked.

"A few thousand feet. They might be following our trail."

Hanma activated his Byakugan. "Karin's right. Their chakra is strong too."

Sasuke smirked. "In that case, let's hide in plain sight. I want to see who we're dealing with."

Karin called Yumi to her before barking orders to the rest of Team Taka and the Talons - form up around Yumi by the trees so she could hide them in her genjutsu.

Everyone followed instructions, packing close. Yumi stood in the center and formed her hand signs, casting the genjutsu over them all. Sakura and Team Taka stood at the front. A few feet in front of her Sakura could see the shimmering surface of the illusion in front of her - from the other side their tailers would only see an inconspicuous thicket of trees and rocks. With how talented Yumi was, Sakura expected the genjutsu to mask sound as well.

They waited.

Three figures burst from the trees. Sakura's eyes widened in recognition. Yamato, Sai, and Anko. The three of them stopped near the illusion, checking the ground for tracks. They spoke quietly amongst each other. Sai looked towards the genjutsu, and Sakura feared for a moment that he saw her. Her skin prickled as his gaze hovered, but then Sakura realized then he was looking past her. A moment later his gaze returned to Yamato.

"Leaf-nin," Funai hissed behind her.

Jugo glanced suspiciously at Sakura.

"We out-number them easily… we should kill them," Koga said eagerly. Koga was a towering, hairy beast of a man - looking part lion in the same way Kisame had looked part shark.

"They got a point," Suigetsu said to Sasuke, pointing a thumb back at the bloodthirsty Talons. "We shouldn't let them live if they're following us."

Sakura bit back a desperate plea. She looked to Sasuke, keeping her voice even. "Let them go. Please ."

Sasuke regarded Sakura before saying to Suigetsu, "Forget about them. It would be too much trouble. We don't know what their intentions are here anyway."

"Aw," Suigetsu said. "And here I was really itching for the chance to chop someone up."

"Bullshit!" Koga growled at Sasuke. "They're Leaf, same as her." He towered over Sakura, too uncomfortably close. She held herself carefully still; she couldn't back up any further or else she would end up outside of the genjutsu. "You seem awfully loyal to the people you deserted. What's that about, huh?" Before she could find a response, he thrust an accusatory finger at her chest - on a hand full of razor sharp claws, sharp as any kunai. " Huh?" he demanded she answer once more.

In a blur Sasuke whipped out his katana, moved in, and pointed the edge at Koga's neck. "Enough. Back down now," Sasuke said, eyes sharp. "Sakura is your ally now. Or have you forgotten?"

"N-No," Koga answered, holding himself stone still, eyes darting down to the blade uncomfortably close to his jugular.

"What is our first rule?"

"The past is dead," Koga recited, sweat beading on his brow as he slowly lowered his clawed hand.

Sasuke's eyes flicked over to Sakura. "Sakura, do you know why they're here?"

"I don't," Sakura said. "All I know is that they must be hunting Orochimaru, same as us. I had nothing to do with them here."

"She's telling the truth," Karin said.

"Then it looks like we weren't the only ones who picked up Orochimaru's trail," Sasuke said as he sheathed his katana in one smooth motion. "We just need to make sure we get there first."

Koga swallowed in relief when the blade left his throat before shamefully retreating behind some of the other Talons.

It didn't take long for Sai, Yamato, and Anko to leave after a few brief words to each other. Once they were far enough away, Yumi dropped the illusion. Karin ordered Yumi and Hanma to trail the three Leaf-nin for a little while, and misdirect them with genjutsu to keep them off their trail. The two Talons split off as everyone else continued onward on their original path.

Sakura desperately hoped that their group wouldn't run into her fellow Leaf-nin again.

Dark clouds were beginning to roll in from the sea as they traveled. It looked like it was going to rain. They briefly stopped for a break, in order to snack and relieve themselves before continuing onward. Sakura hung close to Sasuke to protect herself from any of the other Talons that were feeling particularly brave and angry. (Or just Yumi, who was taking pleasure in Sakura's discomfort at conversation.) It was really just her luck that only a few days ago she and her mission team fought and killed a few Talons.

Karin called Sasuke aside to speak privately about something, leaving Sakura momentarily alone. Koga swooped in not long after.

"Hey, I wanna apologize," Koga said. "My anger got the better of me. I shoulda known better than to bring up the past like that."

Sakura regarded him warily before saying, "It's okay. It's all in the past now, right?"

"Well said!" Koga grinned eagerly. "So tell me, Sakura. What's your story? Sasuke's mysterious wife joining outta the blue? There's gotta be an interesting story there."

"There's nothing much to say, really. We knew each other since we were in the Academy, and we've been married over a year. He... kept me in the dark to protect me. When he decided he could trust me he gave me the option to join him. I took it." Not wanting Koga to ask her more pressing questions as to 'why' she was here and garner new suspicion from him, she turned the questioning back to him. "What about you?"

Koga shrugged. "Sand got too peaceful with the new Kazekage. We lost our way. Used to be survival of the fittest, like it ought to be, but then the Kazekage decided to start coddling the weak and it hurt our country's strength. Decided to leave and killed a few weak shinobi on my way out to prove how the Sand has no standards anymore. A final 'fuck you' to the Kazekage." Koga laughed then.

Sakura swallowed her distaste. "Why'd you join up with the Sound?"

"Sasuke's strong. I like that. And he's gonna create a Hidden Village stronger than any of the rest. By the time he's done he's gonna piss off all the Hidden Villages, not just the Sand. And that's gonna keep me from getting bored - I'll never run outta people to fight." Koga chuckled darkly then. "The Sand's gonna end up wishing they kept me. I am the Sound's monster now."

Sakura bit the inside of her mouth to keep herself from retorting. Why Sasuke trusted such an immoral, dishonorable man eluded her.

However, Koga noticed her displeasure this time. "What, does that upset you? I can tell you're still soft, kinda like Hanma once was. It's not your fault - it's the Leaf for bein' weak for raising you that way. But don't worry. Spend enough time with us and we'll be sure to toughen up those soft edges you got."

Koga gave her a pat on the back and Sakura gave nothing but a flat thanks in response.

When the sky was starting to darken they set up camp in the bones of an extinct titanic beast. All the tents fit within its half-buried, mossy skull. So smoke could escape, one fire was set up under each eye socket and the other the nostril. The light drizzle made Sakura grateful for the shelter of the bones, despite its macabre atmosphere. Through the teeth Sakura could see the spires of rib bones piercing the sky. Hanma was perched on top of one, on watch, wearing Rei's wide-brimmed bamboo hat to ward off the rain.

The others were huddled around the fires to dry off. Tsume (whom Sakura had still yet to hear say a single word) was sitting close to Jugo. The two of them exchanged smiles, which broke Tsume's usually stony face. Mio and Rei sat around the same fire, leaning against each other. The four of them basked in silence together as they ate their rations.

At the second fire was Koga, Funai, and Sara. The three of them were getting into a belligerent debate about which one of them had the best offensive capabilities. Suigetsu joined them a moment later to boast about his own prowess.

The third fire had Sasuke and Karin. Sakura had been sitting with them until she left to discreetly use the bathroom. Before she could return to them, a voice interrupted her.

"Haruno, why don't you come set up the genjutsu tags with me?" Yumi called out, sitting cross-legged on one of the beast's worn molars. Sakura did a double take; she wasn't sure how she missed Yumi there on her way back into the encampment.

"No, thanks," Sakura said flatly.

"Oh, but I insist ," Yumi said. "We have so much to talk about, after all."

Sakura knew a threat when she heard one. "Fine," Sakura muttered as she approached Yumi instead.

Yumi patted the open spot beside her. "Come sit with me," she said, too friendly for Sakura's taste. "Let's wait for the rain to lighten a little first."

Sakura obliged, hopping up on the molar before sitting on the edge of it, as far as she could from Yumi. She was on high alert, prepared for the possibility that Yumi might try to dig her bony fingers into her head to read her thoughts again.

"Relax, Haruno. We're friends now. Though… 'Haruno' isn't right, now is it? Should I be calling you 'Uchiha' instead? No… that doesn't sound quite right either. Let's go with 'Sakura.' We are friends now, after all."

"I'm not your friend," Sakura retorted. There was no way she could ever relax around Yumi. She had this smug, slimy quality that reminded her too much of Kabuto for her liking.

"Aw, don't be like that, Sakura," Yumi said with faux sadness. "We're on the same side now. Isn't that right? Remember: the past is dead."

"Answer me this. How did you do it? Fake your death, I mean." It had been a question that had been nagging Sakura's mind all day.

"Your genjutsu countering abilities may be comparable to an Uchiha's, but it's still not the genuine thing, is it?"

"Your body was there and all the contents within. It wasn't a genjutsu."

"Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. You can't expect me to reveal all my secrets," Yumi giggled. "I'm not like some of the men out there who like to posture and explain every little detail of how their jutsus work to their opponents."

Sakura ground her teeth in frustration.

"Tell me, has either Lee or you confessed your feelings for each other yet? I've been dying to know."

Sakura's cheeks burned in surprise.

"So it's a yes," Yumi confirmed. "Considering you're here, I can assume he was the only one who did. Oh, you have to let me see." She leaned towards Sakura, hands raised and fingers twitching eagerly.

"Keep your hands to yourself. I'm not letting you in my head ever again," Sakura snapped. "Look, is the only reason why you've called me over here is to make me uncomfortable and pry for your own amusement? Just say what you wanted to say. Stop playing your mind games with me."

Thankfully, Yumi placed her hands back to her lap. She studied Sakura for a moment before removing her grinning mask. Sakura could see her sunset-orange eyes much more clearly now. She wasn't smiling. "What are you doing here, Sakura?" she said bluntly.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you forsaking your Village for Sasuke?"

"Do you really need to ask that? We're married and I believe in his dream," Sakura huffed.

Yumi cocked her head, studying Sakura with a hungry intensity. "You can't lie to me. I saw into your mind. You have no stake in any of this. And you still don't know how you feel about him either, do you?"

Yumi was right. But there were more important things to worry about now than the reasons why she felt uncomfortable thinking about her relationship. She had to keep her cover.

"Why are you asking me this? Your obsession with my relationships is sick and creepy," Sakura deflected. "Get your kicks messing with someone else's personal life."

"Perhaps I'm empathetic."

"You?" Sakura said, incredulous.

"Tell me - have you ever ran across a crying cat stuck in a tree? We know it's not truly stuck - it only thinks it is. The solution is easy for the cat - it must simply trust in the knowledge that it will survive the fall if it only just jumps - yet it still lets fear overrule and thus thinks itself helpless. Frustrating, but one can't help but stop and help the poor cat anyway, even if it hisses and spats at you."

"And I'm the cat," Sakura said flatly.

"You need not to be ashamed. I too was once the cat." Yumi smirked at that.

Sakura was silent, her lips in a tight line.

"Your mind was oh so troubled when I was inside it. Sasuke was so secretive… He never told you about any of this."

"It's just... not what I was expecting," Sakura admitted. "He's daimyo of a whole country. I just… I don't understand how he was able to organize all of this, and get all these missing-nin to work together. You can't blame me for being a little overwhelmed right now."

Yumi nodded in understanding and her voice softened. "His legendary reputation precedes him - the last Uchiha; his clan massacred by his Village's command. He deserted Konoha as a mere genin to find justice. He trained under the sadistic Orochimaru himself, defeated him, and freed his prisoners. He worked with the infamous Akatsuki. He was instrumental in winning the war, and he still carries the mythical Rinnegan. Despite his crimes against the Kages themselves, he escaped punishment unscathed. Sasuke is untouchable and one of the most powerful shinobi alive. His defiance and pure strength of will is admirable, and those who need hope love a visionary. Is it so hard to believe that the shinobi that follow him hope that some of that luck and power might rub off onto them too? Or just to feel safe?"

Sakura glanced at Sasuke and tried to reframe her perspective. To her, who had known him since the Academy, he was just Sasuke, the person she had pined after for years. Powerful and infamous, yes, but still the Sasuke she knew all the same. But to others, those that saw hope in him, he was a larger-than-life legend.

"But… he's not very good at the interpersonal stuff, is he?" Yumi added, the corner of her mouth twitching into a brief smile.

"No, he never was," Sakura said, feeling her heart twinge.

Yumi hummed in agreement. "He wouldn't be able to accomplish any of this without Kabuto or Karin, who can manage logistics and people better than he can. But neither can't inspire loyalty quite like Sasuke. They all need each other to make the dream work."

"The dream of starting a new Hidden Village, huh?" Sakura swallowed.

The Sound, born anew. Full of terrorists, criminals, malcontents, and refugees, alike. A defiant, united front against the Hidden Villages that wanted every single one of them indiscriminately dead. And with all of the other Hidden Villages being so weakened after the war, it was truly the best time to attempt something like this.

Yumi nodded. "It's true what the others are saying; you don't belong here," Yumi panned her hand across the camp, at the rowdy misfits of violent, damaged people. "Leave before you lose the chance to go back, before your Village has the chance to discover you a traitor. This isn't your path in life. You still have a life to go back to, unlike the rest of us."

Despite Yumi's wisdom and strange kindness, there was still that unsettling look in her eye. Sakura recognized it now - the eyes of someone who grew up an unstable, harsh life full of violence, where her sanity didn't quite come out unscathed. A life of kill or be killed. It was a look shared by many of the Talons, and many other missing-nin Sakura had encountered over the years.

"Sasuke still has a home he can come back to," Sakura said. To her, to Naruto. But, her words rang false in her heart.

"He doesn't quite seem to like it though, does he? Wonder why that is?" The question was posed more for Sakura than for Yumi herself.

"I…" Sakura glanced at Sasuke. Jugo, Suigetsu, and Koga had joined him and Karin. Koga let out a roar of laughter and playfully smacked Sasuke's shoulder, like Sasuke hadn't just threatened his life hours prior. Sasuke was smiling. He looked more alive then than he had in years in Konoha.

This was the reason that she had been left so painfully alone, left wondering for so long.

"Oh, look, I think the rain has stopped for now," Yumi said, slipping off the molar. "Shall we?"

Yumi and Sakura headed outside the skull. Sakura kept the hood of her cloak up to ward off any stray droplets. The two of them worked to hide Yumi's genjutsu tags in the spiral pattern like what was done in the Steam. Sakura hoped it kept out Yamato, Sai, and Anko more than she worried about any of the fearsome beasts that lurked in the shadows. She wasn't sure if Sasuke could excuse not killing them to his team if the Leaf-nin trio tried to confront them.

Sakura watched Yumi while they worked. It was still odd seeing her face so willingly bare. To Sakura, Yumi was still an enigma. Sakura could place the others and their reasons for following Sasuke, for the most part. But not Yumi.

"Why do you follow Sasuke? What do you want from him?"

Yumi smiled softly; it was an odd expression to see on her face. "I was once a weapons experiment for the Stone, and was denied my very humanity. Sasuke found me on the run and offered me what I always wanted - a future and a home I can fight for. A place I can start a family and know that my future children will not be used as mere tools or experiments."

"Can you really trust your children will be safe with some of the people here?" Like Koga and Suigetsu, who just wanted the freedom to kill. Like Jugo, who walked free yet could snap at any moment. Like Kabuto, who no doubt took sadistic joy in the dark experiments he performed under Orochimaru, and whose supposed change of heart was shaky at best.

"I trust Sasuke to keep the mad dogs tame and distracted. His enormous power grants him that privilege, don't you think?" When Sakura didn't immediately respond, Yumi continued. "He puts trust in those who are worthy of it, no matter how bloodthirsty they are. You can't blame them for their nature; killing is all they - we - know. And it would be awfully foolish of us to squander this second chance he's given us."

What would this supposed future of the Sound look like? Sakura saw innocent children playing next to barely restrained killers, all hovering on the edge of snapping. She tried to imagine a motherly Yumi, with all her joy in emotional manipulations and creepy intrusions.

"I see the look on your face, Sakura. You're wondering how I can be okay with raising a child surrounded by all these dangerous killers, aren't you?" Yumi smirked. "Would it really be much different compared to the Leaf? You and the Leaf-nin are killers as much as we are. Don't think for a minute we're different just because your Village sanctioned your murders."

Sakura had no care to split hairs with Yumi on what the differences would be between the Sound and Leaf. "So that letter you carried on you... is that the person you want to start a family with?"

Yumi giggled. "Yes. He's the spy stationed in Orochimaru's hideout. Oh, I'll have to introduce you."

So the letter wasn't a stupid code. Someone as bizarre and disturbed as Yumi was able to find love. Someone like Yumi really wanted to raise children one day. Sakura wondered then what sort of person found love with Yumi. Perhaps someone as strange as her.

When they finished laying out the tags, they headed back towards camp.

"I haven't told Sasuke anything, by the way," Yumi said.

"Why? You owe me no allegiance."

"Let's say I like to collect secrets. And they lose their luster when you share them." Yumi paused then. "And, I was once like you."

"How are we anything alike?"

"Blind... Paralyzed with indecision... You put your entire being into those that you love, even when it hurts you. I once did too."

So Yumi had been a slave to love. Just like Sakura had been her whole life. But no longer, she firmly thought.

"I hope you were able to find your happiness," Sakura offered.

Yumi smiled. It was genuine and warm. "I have. But when will you, I wonder? When will you take that leap of faith out of the tree? Only time will tell." Yumi branched off towards her tent once they reentered the skull's toothy maw. But, she then stopped. She glanced over her shoulder, back at Sakura, and said with a low, sinister voice, "Oh, and Sakura… I hope you're here because you're confused, not because you're here to betray us… You can still go back and forget all that you saw here. I'm sure Sasuke is merciful enough to offer you that. I hope that I am not misplacing my trust in you."

Yumi left Sakura then, not waiting for a response.

Sakura approached Sasuke at the dying fire. He was alone, Karin having presumably left for her tent. Everyone else had retreated to their tents as well, except for Funai and Sara, who were still lightly bantering a little at their fire while Sara stamped out the flames.

"Is now a good time to talk?" Sakura asked him.

"Yeah. I owe you that," Sasuke said, standing up from his seat.

The two of them chose the top of the skull to speak privately. Sakura tucked her cloak underneath herself to keep dry as she sat next to him. In the horizon, towering over the treetops, a silhouette of a four-legged creature leisurely passed by. The distant echoes of crashing branches and trees could be overheard over the rustling leaves and the drone of crickets.

"So this is your secret world, huh?" Sakura said, hugging her knees.

Daimyo of a whole country...

And what was her place in it? What danger and uncertainty was in Sasuke's future? The world's future?

"Yeah… it is." He paused, uncertain how to continue. "I'm... sorry you found out this way. I thought it would make more sense to show you it so you can see why for yourself."

"Yeah. I understand now. You're giving these people who have no home a place to call their own."

"Exactly. I'm giving them a second chance."

Sakura understood why. He too was once a missing-nin - one once consumed by darkness and hatred. He had been given the privilege of a second chance due to his connections. Others like him were not so lucky. Despite Sasuke's aloofness, it was clear that he now carried deep empathy for others once like him.

"At some point you won't be able to hide this," Sakura stated. "You'll have to leave Konoha forever."

"Yeah." The understated simplicity of his response was infuriating, yet so typically Sasuke.

Sakura buried her face in her knees. "Is Konoha really that bad?"

Sasuke paused. "I… It was hard," he admitted, brow furrowed. "To come back after being gone so long. The truth behind why Konoha's grounds are soaked in my clan's blood changed things. I could see nothing but Konoha's sins." His hand found a loose shard of bone at his side and he casually tossed it over the side of the skull. His voice grew bitter. "Despite Naruto's promises, nothing changed. I got tired of waiting and decided to take things into my own hands."

"You asked him to accept refugees from other Villages and to forgive missing-nin, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but not only that. I also wanted him to dissolve the Founding Clans Treaty, and to eliminate that damned Council that fights every inch of change. Then, pressure the other countries to follow suit with everything."

So Sasuke had the goal of helping the Hyuga Clan too. Without the Founding Clans Treaty Konoha no longer had to give a blind eye to any cruel clan traditions. It could step in and interfere with the Hyuga's curse seal practice. No wonder Hanma and the other two Hyuga defected to his side. And if Sasuke was offering this freedom to others stuck under the thumb of an oppressive clan or Village...

So this is the whole truth.

Sasuke had a noble goal, seeking to help those with no voice. But, he was doing it with a group of volatile missing-nin, each with their own motives and questionable loyalty. There was no way Sasuke could reliably control all of them and their lust for violence and vengeance. No doubt some of them were only with the Sound to ride on Sasuke's coattails as they took advantage of an upcoming upset in the balance of power.

What would the Sound transform into without Sasuke's absolute control?

What would it take to bring Sasuke drop this goal of his and convince him to come home? Was changing Konoha itself the only option?

"But Naruto would move mountains for you," Sakura said. "Surely he would have done something ."

"Naruto already has all he wanted. He got the title of Hokage, the acknowledgement of Konoha, and he brought me back home. What else does he owe anyone?" Sasuke's lip curled.

Sakura frowned. "You're being too unfair to Naruto. He cares. Even you know that."

Sasuke relented, saying, "Then he got cold feet. He's an idiot who can't handle difficult politics after all - so he lets a loyal Leaf dog like Shikamaru do all that for him. Naruto likes the idea of Hokage more than what it actually entails. He's all idealism and always has been. But you know that already."

"Perhaps Naruto and everyone else is just too focused on recovery after the war… maybe they would be more willing to change once things go back to normal," Sakura said, trying to appeal to him.

"You're wrong. Now is the perfect time for radical change. For revolution."

Sakura stomach dropped at that word.

Sensing her worry, he said, "I don't want to change the world through force like Madara, Obito, or Kaguya. At this point my intention is to carve out a place to live free, a place not beholden to other countries or an out-of-touch Council. That's all."

"What's to say you won't fall astray and end up like them anyway?" She then added quietly, "Or like how you were before?"

"Do you know why I didn't accept a new arm, one like Naruto's?" Sasuke said, clutching the stump of his other arm. "It serves as a constant reminder to myself - to never take that dark path again. I will seek justice in order to protect, not vengeance to destroy."

"Then what the hell happened in the Steam?" Sakura countered, her fingers gripping the cloth of her pants. "Out of any shinobi country, the Steam are known as peacekeepers. What did they do to deserve any of that?"

"They did nothing. But it was done out of necessity. Partly, a distraction to keep all their shinobi focused on the west border so we could steal one of the scrolls - the one that's hidden somewhere in Konoha now. But also... the secret jutsu we're pursuing - the pieces we do have - list a set of instructions. There are natural energy pathways across the continent, and areas where it's stronger. Almost like roots through the ground. One powerful root exists in the Steam's land. We need undisturbed access to that concentrated current for the jutsu."

What sort of great power existed in this jutsu that it required energy outside of a shinobi's chakra? And most importantly - how dangerous was this jutsu?

"Do you plan on invading any other countries?" Sakura swallowed. "Like the Waterfall or the Land of FIre itself?"

"If we must. The violence can't be helped at this point… but it'll be worth the lives that are saved."

Sakura shivered. "I see why you're doing this, Sasuke. But I wish it didn't have to be this way. This will be a path full of bloodshed and hardship for all sides. Are you sure this path is worth the cost?"

"Yeah," Sasuke answered with conviction. "It'll be less stifling not being bound to Konoha this way. And it's not like the people of Konoha want me there anyway." He let out a wry chuckle. "They will jump at the chance to judge me and my blood again. But what's a little more hatred towards me and the Uchiha? Just another drop in the ocean."

Sakura's brows furrowed. There had to be something she could say. Something that would satisfy Sasuke and convince him that Konoha and other Hidden Villages could change. Somehow without bloodshed, or having to accept back unrepentant missing-nin which were a danger to all. But she didn't know how. If Naruto couldn't do that for Sasuke, what could she even do?

"Sakura… have you decided yet if you wish to join me?"

Sakura's mouth twitched. "What would happen if I said yes?"

"After this mission we'll head back to Konoha and you can live out life normally until the right moment, until we declare our presence to the world. Then you will live with me in the Sound, by my side. It'll be just like you wanted."

Sakura briefly imagined her life as the Sound Daimyo's wife. She would abandon her home, her parents, and her friends - never to see them again except perhaps on the opposite side of a battlefield. A crazy notion, yet she would finally get what she wanted for so long: Sasuke. Because even when married to each other, she never quite had him; it never stopped feeling like she was pursuing him.

Even on their wedding day, when they shared their first night together, he still had that same far away look in his eye, the same one that slowly overtook him when he came back to Konoha. And after that first disconcerting night Sasuke never initiated anything ever again, and Sakura had been too timid to attempt it herself even when she wanted to. (Everyone's first times are supposed to be awkward, right? But did she mess up so badly that first time that Sasuke never wanted to try again?)

Sakura knew that even if she had him in the Sound she would never stop feeling like she had to chase him. And there was no way she could betray her home.

She realized then Sasuke was staring at her, waiting for her response. The corner of one brow was furrowed, and in his eyes there was a flash of emotion Sakura recognized - guilt. But why?

"And what if I said no?" Sakura said.

"After this mission I return you to Konoha and ask you to forget everything you've seen."

"You'd actually trust me to do that?"

Sasuke shifted, and his mouth twitched in a troubled frown. "Yeah. I'm hoping I can. If you say you understand why I'm doing this, surely you see the merit in establishing a new Hidden Village."

Sakura wasn't entirely sure what else saying 'no' meant and she was afraid to ask. It sounded too simple to trust.

"What about you and Naruto? He… won't take it well. He dedicated so much to bringing you back. I… I thought you two were close. Like brothers." Closer than she ever got to be with Sasuke.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with," Sasuke said, shifting his face away. "Just forget it."

"It's not nothing. You promised me answers. Tell me," Sakura demanded.

Sasuke regarded her carefully then, studying her firm expression that declared she wasn't going to let him get away with dropping the subject. He had nowhere else to run away from her now and she wasn't his timid housewife anymore.

"Naruto… we've…" Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed, and there was a look of frustration, but also a rare vulnerable sadness. "We've grown apart. It was slow, but a little more every time I saw him. I can't pretend everything is fine like he can. I'm thankful for what he's done for me, but some bonds end one way or another. Naruto and I will stand apart again. This time for good." Sasuke let out a slow breath.

Seeing Sasuke look upset like this so openly in front of her was strange, and Sakura had to try something to comfort him. She put her hand on top of his. "I need more time to decide. This is a lot for one day," Sakura finally answered him. "Thank you, for finally being honest with me. I think... I understand you now than I ever have before."

There it was again - that flash of guilt - before it disappeared under a soft smile. Sasuke's face was cast handsomely in the moonlight that split through the storm clouds, making his fair skin glow. "Thank you, Sakura. For understanding." He finally accepted her hand on his, lacing his fingers in hers, and squeezed.

While normally she would expect her heart to melt at the way he was looking at her - in the way she always wanted him to - she instead felt a mixture of conflicted, uneasy thoughts. She didn't know why.

Sakura had no idea how Naruto and Shikamaru would be able to stop Sasuke and bring him back safely to Konoha. This was way bigger than anything she or Shikamaru was expecting.

Naruto had brought Sasuke home once. Now it was her turn. But, she couldn't just beat sense into him like Naruto could. Sasuke seemed… lucid, full of clear-minded conviction. His mind was no longer clouded with destructive hatred. She could see a reignited fire within him now, the one that had slowly extinguished when he came back to Konoha.

She decided forcibly dragging him back to Konoha a second time wouldn't do a thing. He had to be convinced.

She knew her words wouldn't be enough. Her best bet was to make it back home to Konoha and convince Naruto to talk some sense into him - to say or do something that convinces Sasuke from going down this path, and making himself an enemy of the world once again.

All she had to do now is keep her cover.

A/N: Oof this chapter was difficult. I cut a lot of unnecessary dialogue because I think I was overexplaining things. I kinda wanted to shove a lot of answers in this chapter, which resulted in several characters rambling while Sakura is the passive listener. Though, I guess it fits, as she's trying to keep her cards close to her chest. Still, I think there were some areas I could have smoothened out a little better, but I was getting to the point where I just wanted to post it and move on. Hopefully this chapter turned out okay. I'm a little nervous posting it, haha. After posing the mystery of what Sasuke is doing for so long, I can only hope revealing the truth and some of the motivations behind it is satisfying enough, especially since I'm dipping my toes in some more gen/political stuff rather than just plain slowburn romance.

I'm hoping to explore Sakura internally more in some upcoming chapters - she has a lot going on - from her feelings for Lee (and now she knows they're returned), her weird changing feelings for Sasuke, and Sasuke being a traitor. It can be a little hard to balance all three of those things when the traitor part is such a big deal but I will try to somehow do justice to them all.

I apologize if I missed responding to some of your kind comments. I think I got them all, but I had another sick period and I'll usually tell myself that I'll reply when I'm feeling a bit better - but you lose track of that when you're sick for a longer period of time. Oops. Either way, I did read them all and they never fail to bring a smile to my face, so thank you. :)

Until next time! And don't forget to get vaccinated if you can!