Hi Fwends!
So SORRY about the huge delay since the last chapter was released. I swear I have a good excuse!
Long story short, I lost it all!
The folder I keep all of my notes/documents/outlines/potential plot idea/etc, as well as six pre-written chapters clocking in at about 40k words is… GONE! The folder got corrupted and nothing could be salvaged.
So I've been, quite frankly, fucking pouting like a child. It's so annoying losing everything like that. After that happened, I just lost a lot of motivation to write. However, I finally put my big boy pants on and got back to writing.
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I don't know how close to the original it is. I can't remember if there's any small details I missed or anything, so hopefully it all works out.
For those unaware… IM STARTING TO REPOST MY KENTA YAMANAKA STORY!
Anyone unfamiliar, it was my first every fanfic.
It's a trainwreck! But it's my first born child and I still love it in all its glorious messiness, shitty tropes, and horrible clichés! :D
Eventually I'll be re-writing the entire story, but not until this monster is finished first!
In the meantime, I'll be releasing probably 3 chapters a week in my Kenta story. Go follow along and you can see how BAD I WAS when I first started writing!
As well as sporadically updating my Gamer Fic!
Busy, Busy, Busy!
Anyway, lets go!
Chapter 28: Sasuke's Decision
His heart raced as sweat rolled down the nape of his neck. Percy chanced a glance out of the corner of his eye, only to be met with dozens upon dozens of angry glares directed straight at him. His head snapped forward once more as his back went ramrod straight. The foreboding feeling in the air was thick enough to choke a grown man.
Someone sat down across from the fire he was hunched around. It had been two days since he and the main force joined up with the rest of the rebel army as they marched northward to meet Yagura for their final confrontation.
He took a risk and glanced up at the person sat across from him. Percy felt the crushing tension lessen in his shoulders upon seeing the teasing grin aimed right at him.
"So, Commander. Care to fill a humble Special Jonin in on how you managed to befriend one of the most dangerous men in the Elemental Nations? I'm sure it's a riveting tale that's perfectly suitable for a wartime campfire story."
Percy chuckled. "Good to see you too, Genma."
Genma's grin widened. "Well? Don't keep a man waiting."
"I'd like to hear this as well." Raido said as he sat down next to Genma. "Greetings, Commander."
Percy sighed. "Can I assume the entirety of the Konoha troops have heard about Kiri's newest ally?"
Genma nodded, smile still stretching his face. "Oh you wouldn't believe some of the rumors flying around. I heard one Chunin state with absolute confidence that you were a snake charmer and ensnared Orochimaru in an auditory based genjutsu. And that's one of the believable ones."
Percy groaned. "Oh, gods. If only it were that simple."
"Well, don't keep us waiting! I know I want to hear how things went down once you left us in that little tizzy of yours. And I'm sure the people clearly eavesdropping right now would like to hear your side of the story."
Raido nodded stoically.
He was always stoic, Percy thought.
"I think you could put many minds at ease tonight, Commander." Raido said.
Percy nodded, took a deep breath, and then launched into his strange and queer story about everything that had happened over the last month since leaving his squadron.
By the end, Genma was rolling on the ground in laughter, much to Percy's consternation. Raido simply shook his head ruefully while muttering about gossiping Chunin. Thankfully, Percy could sense the shift in the atmosphere around him, and when he risked a glance at the gathered Konoha shinobi, he was pleased to see the glares had lessened considerably.
"Oh, Gods. I thought Baby Uchiha was exaggerating. But you really do find ways of getting yourself into the most awkward yet hilarious situations." Genma said, chuckling the whole time. He composed himself and shot Percy his patented smirk. "I've decided. You and I are besties now. I'm gunna be with you the next time some crackpot idea pops into your head that will land us in some zany situation."
Percy sputtered. "Hey! It's not like I go looking for trouble. It's just that trouble usually finds me!"
"Are we talking about Percy's obnoxious hidden talent for getting into the most bizarre situations? Did you tell them about that time we were sent to break up a drug ring, only for you to somehow get the mob boss to fall madly in love with you and propose on the spot?" Sasuke asked as he sat down next to Percy.
Percy glared at his Sugar Plum as Genma was sent into another fit of bellowing laughter.
Even Raido snorted! The traitor!
Before Percy could respond, a new voice joined the group. A voice that made Percy's stomach do backflips and heat rise in his cheeks.
Inoue smiled at him as she began speaking to their quickly growing group. Percy couldn't help the dopey smile that slowly spread across his face.
He knew, right then and there, he was going to marry Inoue one day. Most likely, as soon as this war was over. The scare he got with her injury was the biggest wake-up call he could have gotten. He had almost lost her. Had it not been for the man that started this entire discussion appearing from thin air, he would have lost her.
In his old world his life was dangerous.
But this new world? This new life? It made being a demi-god at Camp Half-Blood actually look like he was just going to a normal summer camp!
Percy allowed himself to daydream for a minute, just wondering what life married to Inoue would be like.
That is, until he actually heard the words she was saying.
Percy couldn't wait to marry Inoue.
Only so he could divorce the traitorous Siren the next day!
"It was not long after I joined their team. We had taken on a mission to track down a group of bandits that were being led by two missing shinobi from Ame. The Demon of the Mist wanted to see Percy's growth, as well to see how I fared on a mission. So, he sent the two of us in to deal with the bandits once we tracked them down to a small cave in Takigakure. Percy rushed in, heedless of the danger, much to my irritation. I suggested caution, but Percy was being a typical man and thought he could just brute force his way through.
"His plan worked, at least until we got to the back of the cave where the two shinobi resided. It turns out, these shinobi were a tandem team. One was a taijutsu and weapons specialist, the other was a genjutsu specialist. However, I think that Percy's bold assault threw them off just enough. The genjutsu user ensnared Percy in her illusion quite easily. Thankfully for Percy, as well as for my own entertainment, she somehow snagged her partner in the illusion.
"One minute I am strategizing how to deal with the genjutsu user while breaking Percy out of her illusion so we can take down the taijutsu user, the next minute I lose my composure in the middle of the mission because Percy and his opponent are suddenly on the floor, rolling around, attempting to suck the souls out of one another!" Inoue crowed with laughter. Genma, Raido, and everyone listening quickly joining her. Percy felt his cheeks burning as he glared at Inoue. The horrible woman had the audacity to simply smile and wink at Percy.
She continued once the laughter died down. "Luckily for both Percy and myself, the genjutsu woman was just as shocked as I was. I fully believe that if the man was as dashing as my husband, I would have stayed there all night watching them kiss and who knows what else! Thankfully, he was a brute with hardly any teeth left and a face only a mother could love, so my shock was easily replaced with disgust. I took out the genjutsu user, and as soon as she was dead the illusion broke. The stupefied look on Percy's face was oh so priceless. We teased him about that mission for month's afterword."
Percy glowered and angrily poked the fire with a stick he found lying on the ground. He glared at Inoue. "Did you really have to tell them that story?" He whispered harshly once she leaned into him.
She simply smiled that smile that easily took the wind out of Percy's sails, though he was still irritated. "Look around, husband. The tension everyone has been feeling is nearly nonexistent. I truly am sorry for embarrassing you, but it was to boost the morale of the troops. Sometimes, we as leaders, need to make some sacrifices for the good of those under our command."
Percy sighed. "I guess you're right. But there were way less embarrassing stories that would have had the same effect."
Inoue lightly stroked his cheek. "I know, but in spur of the moment decisions, we usually fall back to our most fond memories."
Percy blinked. "That was a fond memory for you? What, two guys making out is something you're into?!"
Inoue chuckled. "Well of course it is. But only if both men are attractive. That show you gave was totally one-sided in your favor, husband. But that is not the reasoning for my fondness. It was the first time since meeting you that I saw you as human. As someone who's not perfect or infallible. It showed me a side of you I hadn't seen before. Your recklessness and bull-headedness. Your embarrassment. Your dramatic and over-the-top reactions. These were the first time seeing these things. Before that, you were a man who had bested me in combat twice without breaking a sweat. You spurned my advances; something else I had never experienced before.
"You showed me that I still had so much to learn about you. It was the mission that made me start to see you, the real you. And it was the mission that I decided that I would do everything within my powers to see every side of you and to find out just who Percy Jackson was."
Percy smiled softly, anger completely forgotten about. He chuckled quietly. "Aw, geez. When you put it like that, how can I stay mad at you?"
Inoue's smile became coy. "You know you could never stay mad at me, Percy Jackson."
Percy shrugged. "Guilty as charged. You hold a mysterious power over me, Inoue Yokoyama."
Inoue's reply was cut off by another round of boisterous laughter. Percy glanced around the fire and immediately found the smug, smirking face of Sasuke.
He scowled. "Did you tell them another story?"
Sasuke nodded. "I did. Not my fault the two of you were in your own little world."
Percy's scowl deepened. "Bad, Apple Dumpling! No head pats for you!"
Sasuke perked up. "Oh no, whatever shall I do?" He asked, tone dry as the desert. "If I tell more embarrassing stories, what other "rewards" will you take away?"
Percy rolled his eyes, his rebuttal on the tip of his tongue before someone from the Konoha crowd called out to him.
"Commander Percy?! Is it really true that Orochimaru was innocent of the crimes he was accused of this whole time?"
Percy met Tenten's eyes and nodded. "Yeah. It's true. At first it was just his word against Konoha's. However, we've now confirmed his innocence with concrete evidence given to us by an incredibly reliable source."
Tenten's eyes widened. "Well, shit."
Percy laughed loudly at that. "My thoughts exactly, Bun-head!"
She puffed out her cheeks and stuck out her tongue. Percy only laughed harder.
His thoughts came to a grinding halt though as he caught the eye of Sasuke once more.
Shit.
He whispered his plan into Inoue's ear, rising after getting a serious nod in confirmation from her.
Percy stretched, rubbing the kinks out of his back. He turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, come take a walk with me."
Sasuke cocked his head to the side. "Why?" He asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Percy met his gaze, all traces of laughter and teasing gone. "We need to talk."
He nodded hesitantly and rose from his seat, quickly catching up to the retreating form of his infuriating friend and mentor.
They walked in silence for several minutes, the sounds of idle chatter and laughter quickly fading until their only companion was silence.
It was hours after the sunset, but they had plenty of light with the full moon hanging overhead. Sasuke kept shooting curious glances at Percy, but never opened his mouth to ask one of the many questions burning on his tongue. Finally, Percy came to a halt.
"This should do." He glanced around. "Take a seat wherever. I'm going to set up the barrier."
Sasuke sat on the trunk of a fallen tree. "Barrier?"
Percy nodded as he set a tag on the ground about ten feet away. "This is known as the 'Cube of Silence.' It's a sealing barrier that seals all sound inside. We won't have to worry about being overheard."
Sasuke nodded warily as he watched Percy set up the remaining tags. Once the last one was in place, Percy returned to the center. With a single hand seal and burst of chakra, a light blue barrier shimmered into existence around them momentarily before disappearing altogether. Sasuke activated his Sharingan ensuring the barrier was still there. Judging by the hazy blue around him, it was safe to assume that Percy knew what he was doing.
Percy turned to him and grinned. "Gift from Naruto's cousin. She really is a genius seal master. Mei ordered all Captains and Commanders to have a few sets of these tags on us at all times so that we could have emergency meetings in the field without fear of being overheard. Super simple to set up and activate. I mean, even I can do it, so what does that tell you?"
Sasuke ignored Percy's jovial tone. "You wanted to talk to me. You went through all this trouble to ensure we aren't overheard. What is this about, Percy?"
Percy sighed and scrubbed his hand through his hair. "I wanted to be the one to tell you before you heard it from the rumor mill and didn't get the full or accurate story." He held out a small black book. "Page five."
Sasuke nodded and took the offered book. He activated his Sharingan, quickly scanning the page Percy mentioned. His eyes widened as he turned to the first page and quickly began to scan the latest entries.
He looked up. "Is this the unofficial book?"
Percy grimaced. "Unfortunately, that's the official book."
Sasuke gaped. "What the hell? What does this mean? Am I a criminal now?! I thought this was all worked out with Tsunade?!"
Percy placed a comforting yet strong hand on Sasuke's shoulders. The barrier he had put up wasn't just designed to keep sound in. It was… a barrier. He didn't need Sasuke running head long into it since he had the tendency to either pace furiously when he was agitated, or in most cases flat out leave a conversation that made him uncomfortable.
The barrier was designed to prevent all information leaks, including a person trying to get inside the boundaries. Anyone touching the barrier would receive a nasty shock.
"No, Sasuke. You're not a criminal. Lady Tsunade didn't submit these entries. Tell me, what do you know of a man named Danzo Shimura?"
Sasuke shook his head slightly. "Not much. Just that he's one of the three elders who advise the Hokage. What does he have to do with this?"
Percy sighed. "Everything. Apparently, he was completely against sending Konoha troops to aid Kiri. So much so, that when Tsunade told him to go pound salt and sent her troops anyway, he went behind her back and labeled our little group a bunch of misfits."
The tension in Sasuke's shoulders lessened considerably. "I see. Thank you for telling me. But did you really have to bring me all the way out here just for this?"
Percy shook his head. "That's only the appetizer. Buckle up, kiddo. We've got a full seven course banquet to get through tonight."
Sasuke sighed. "Very well. Let's get started."
Percy nodded. He placed a thumb to his belt and unsealed a single envelope. He hesitated only momentarily before handing it Sasuke.
He took it and shot Percy a quizzical look. "What's this?"
Percy took a deep breath. "A mission scroll from seven years ago. Signed by the Hokage and all three of his advisors."
Sasuke nodded and opened the envelope. His Sharingan activated once more as he read the document. Percy knew when he finished reading as soon as the violently shaking hand released the document.
"That's a fake." Sasuke said in an emotionless voice.
Percy shook his head sadly. "It isn't, Sasuke. I'm sorry. A few weeks ago, your brother showed up and held a meeting with Lady Mei and me. He told us the truth not only about that night, but also every shady thing Konoha has done in its short history."
Sasuke shot to his feet, eyes blazing. "That's it! He got to you, didn't he?! He used his Sharingan – NO! They said his eyes were missing. I heard the rumors about his abilities. You have to snap out of it, Percy! That memory is fake! It isn't yours. Itachi used Shisui's eye and implanted this fake memory. You can't believe it!"
Percy continued to shake his head slowly. He withdrew the third and final item and held it out to Sasuke. "Your clan was planning to overthrow the Hokage. It isn't a fake memory, Sasuke, because fake memories don't come with concrete evidence in black and white."
Sasuke took the second envelope with shaking hands. His crimson eyes scanned the documents rapidly; searing the words into his memory in painstaking detail for the rest of his life. "No…"
Percy shot him a sad smile. "In there you'll also find all the evidence Itachi managed to gather about the events that led up to those final days. I'm sorry, Sasuke. It's fucked up. Both sides were in the wrong for decades."
Sasuke finished the last page before flipping back to the first page and reading again. "Military police created to appease the clan. Suspicion due to Madara Uchiha being able to control the Kyubi. Cursed eyes? Curse of Hatred? Suspicion renewed after the Kybui attack? Clan put on lockdown and surveillance. Double agents? Secret meetings?" Sasuke stopped and looked up; hot tears falling from crimson irises. "They just gave up on negotiations and murdered them all? They didn't even try Shisui's plan? I'm not an idiot! I'm not a naïve optimist like Naruto! I could understand an order to eliminate my father and the others who were calling for violence. But they… they killed civilians! They ordered the deaths of children! Of new born babies!"
Percy had Sasuke in his arms in less than a second, rubbing his back and doing whatever he could to offer any comfort he could.
"Why, Percy? Why?!" He screamed. "Why the children? They had nothing to do with the rebellion! And why was I spared?! Why me?! Why did he leave me all alone in this fucked up world? In a village that despises my very existence? WHY?!"
Percy held the raging teen until his sobs and screaming subsided. He guided Sasuke back to the fallen tree before sitting down next to him, still rubbing his back to offer the comfort that words just couldn't.
He took a second to collect his thoughts before replying in a quiet voice. "I talked to Itachi that day, and since then we've exchanged a few letters." Percy smiled wryly at his friend. "Lemme just say, your brother is probably the coolest dude I've met."
Sasuke let out a watery chuckle. "Shut up, Percy." He mumbled.
Percy laughed quietly. "He told me and Mei something that day. Seven years ago, the day he was given that mission, he was a year younger than you are now. Can you even put yourself in his shoes, knowing how you were at thirteen?"
Sasuke's eyes widened at that. "I… I never even realized it. He'd always been my dear older brother. The fact that he was so young was the last thing on my mind."
Percy nodded. "What he said that day was 'I was… still am, really, a foolish and naïve child. I've been hailed as a once a century genius for as long as I can remember. Yet, I'm human. People seem to forget that. A human that makes mistakes.' And he's right, Sasuke. No matter how much you looked up to him, and no matter how cool I think he is, he is human. He was under so much pressure and was given an impossible mission.
"However, no matter what thoughts were going on in his head at the time, there was one thing that was consistent. His love for you. You ask why you were spared? It's because that as much as Itachi loves the village and no matter how loyal he is, he would have watched Konoha burn to keep you safe. Seven years later, that hasn't changed. Though his faith and loyalty to Konoha is broken, his desire to see you safe and happy hasn't changed."
Sasuke nodded hesitantly. "What… What do I do now? Where do I go from here? My whole life has been gaining the strength I needed to bring Itachi to justice. Now that's gone, so what do I do now?"
Percy shrugged. "Whatever you want! What do you want to do?"
Sasuke was silent for a full minute. His eyes flashed dangerously. "Since I can't kill the man whose decision was what sealed my clan's fate, I'll have to settle for his three advisors."
Percy nodded thoughtfully. "I can understand that. But is that what you truly want? Or is that just the only thing you know? Trust me, Sasuke. I know all about wanting to take revenge. When we meet Yagura in the next few days, I'm going to make him suffer. But… do you really want to end up like me? Someone so full of rage and anger that you end up accidentally hurting and killing people around you?"
Sasuke stared at Percy. "What do you mean? You haven't done that."
Percy nodded slowly and told Sasuke the story about finding out about his and Inoue's unborn child.
By the end of the story, Sasuke was even paler than usual. "That… I don't know what to say, Percy. I'm so sorry. What about Inoue? How's she doing?"
Percy shot the boy a quick smile. "Thanks, Buttercup. She's… doing the best she can. She's wracked with so much guilt. Haku keeps telling her she had no way of knowing, but she won't listen to him. Using shinobi techniques, a doctor can't even confirm a woman is pregnant until ten to twelve weeks. That's when the child's chakra signature starts to become independent from the mother's. Inoue was only six or seven weeks at the time, and kunoichi miss their menstrual cycles all the time due to their high activity lifestyles. I think she feels like she let me down or something, which I've told her is ridiculous.
"But, that's a conversation for another day. She's strong. We'll pull through this, it's just going to take some time. This is one of those wounds that the only treatment is time, and everyone recovers differently."
Sasuke nodded slowly. "I understand. I won't talk about it unless she brings it up."
Percy smiled and ruffled Sasuke's hair, much to his irritation. "Thanks, my little Strudel. You're a good kid. You've got a good heart, and a good head on your shoulders. I don't want you to lose that in your endless quest for vengeance. Tell me, you kill Danzo and the other two idiots, what then? Who's next on your hit list? If your identity is focused solely on getting revenge on those who wrong you, who are you when there's no one left on that list?"
Sasuke frowned. Who was he if not an avenger? The last Uchiha? What does that even mean? Who is the last Uchiha? Does he just forget his vengeance and go back to living a normal life? What even is a normal life?
The more and more Sasuke thought about it, the deeper his frown grew.
Percy saw the pensive expression and knew that Sasuke was now in his own world. He stood up and knuckled the small of his back. With a burst of chakra, he deactivated the barrier then turned to Sasuke. "I'm heading back to camp. Take the time to think about what we talked about. Don't forget, I care about you Sasuke and I'm always here if you need advice or someone to talk to. You may have been alone before, but you aren't anymore. I know you didn't pick us, but we're your family now, and you're stuck with us."
Sasuke's only reply was a distracted nod. Percy chuckled. He squeezed Sasuke's shoulder one final time before making his way back to camp.
'I know you didn't pick us, but we're your family now, and you're stuck with us.'
Those words, plus the conversation he had with Genma a month ago kept playing on repeat in his head. Over and over the words played, and each time the sentiment echoed in his mind, the more Sasuke realized how warm it made him feel.
A feeling he hadn't felt since before his brother was forced to murder their parents.
Sasuke stood as he gathered his thoughts, a soft smile forming on his lips. His mother's soft yet strong voice sounding in his head as he recalled the memory of the day that Itachi had to carry him home after he had pushed himself too hard in training.
"Oh my, what am I going to do with you Sasuke? You have got to already be the most stubborn and bullheaded Uchiha the clan has ever known. That determination will carry you far in your career, Sasuke, but as your ankle is telling you, you also need to learn your limits. Don't be so headstrong, think before you act, and one day you will be one of the most powerful shinobi the Uchiha have ever seen. That is, if you don't kill yourself training to become so strong.'
Sasuke smiled as his mother's teasing grin faded from his memory. He sent her a silent prayer, as well as an apology. He didn't learn his lesson that day. He was still just as stubborn, determined, and impulsive at fourteen as he was at the age of six.
Mind made up and refusing to second guess his decision, he turned on the spot and quickly made his way back to camp. Despite the quickly growing late hour, it seemed as though everyone was still just as awake as they were when he had left them hours ago. He spotted Team Guy, as well as Naruto and Sakura talking off to the side with Ino and a pretty red head that looked an awful like Karin.
A twinge of regret clawed at his insides, but he pushed it down for now. It was a problem to deal with on another day.
As he made his way deeper into the center of the camp, more and more eyes began to follow his progress. Once he finally reached the center of gathering of mainly Konoha forces with a sprinkling of Kiri shinobi smattered throughout, he took a deep breath before slamming his hand on the ground.
He rose into the air, higher and higher as the earth beneath him answered his summons. Finally, once he was sure he was at a height that everyone could see him, he cut the flow of chakra to his technique. He rose slowly until he stood at his full height.
Memories he had thought long forgotten during his quest for vengeance were flooding his mind once again. He fought to keep the smile off his face that wanted to bloom. His mother's voice once again rang through his thoughts.
'Remember, Sasuke. Even though you are not the Uchiha Heir, you are still the son of the Clan Head. You must always act in a way befitting your station. And that means making sure your posture is always perfect, even if no one is watching. You carry a great legacy in your blood. I know you will make our family proud, and I know that it can become tiresome at times. But just remember who you are. Even if you don't want to do it for your father, do it for you. Never let the world see you as anything other than cool, calm, collected, and composed. You are from the Noble Uchiha Clan, be proud of that, if nothing else.'
Sasuke lifted his head, threw his shoulders back, and stuck out his chest. If he couldn't honor his mother by being a levelheaded and logically thinking young man, the least he could do was ensure he upheld her lessons on posture.
A silence descended over the crowd as the last of the gathered shinobi finally noticed his position.
Sasuke's eyes calmly swept the crowd as many of the onlookers began to slowly meander closer toward his makeshift dais. Inside, he was a roaring ocean of turbulent emotions. He swallowed his nervousness, cleared his throat, and began to speak to the gathered crowd.
Over the next hour he told all those who would listen… everything. He didn't leave out a single detail, he didn't embellish the truth to make his clan look any less innocent. His goal was to deliver the facts, and nothing more. People would then form their own conclusions about the incident.
After today, he wouldn't care about their opinions of him and his clan. It wouldn't matter. The truth in all its entirety would be out there in the world. People would know that his clan planned to stage a coup due to their mistreatment by the village, and in retaliation, Konoha ordered the genocide of one of Her founding clans.
Neither side was innocent nor blameless. Sasuke knew that. His clan was in the wrong.
Tobirama Senju didn't create the Military Police to appease or punish his clan as he had initially thought. He created the Military Police as a means of getting the Uchiha to think about the village first, clan second.
It didn't work the way he wanted. His forefather's felt slighted, however their blind stubbornness allowed the issue to simmer for decades, rather than nipping it in the bud before it carried over.
Had their just been better communication between Uchiha and Village, the massacre wouldn't have been necessary.
At least, that was the idealistic dream Sasuke stubbornly clung to. According to Itachi's personal notes, as well as the limited information he was able to piece together, this Danzo character hated his clan and had been looking to get rid of them for years. He was only looking for an excuse to massacre them, and unfortunately his Father and the other Uchiha gave him the perfect one. If Itachi was correct, the massacre was inevitable. It may have been delayed if a peaceful agreement could have been made, but it would have happened eventually so long as Danzo held any sway in the village politics.
But Sasuke wasn't here to try and garner sympathy or to turn his fellow Konoha shinobi against the village. He was simply here to report the facts, to make them aware that Konoha wasn't the perfect village many saw them as. That discordance in the ranks will be met with swift and lethal force if deemed necessary. And it didn't matter who you were, or what clan you belonged to. None of them were safe if they were deemed as a threat, or potential threat, to Konoha.
He was also telling his family's story so that way his next decision would make sense to his fellow shinobi.
Most importantly though, he was telling the gathered crowd his story so that they knew his dear elder brother was completely innocent of the crimes they thought him guilty of. It didn't matter whether they supported his clan and the unfairness of the massacre, or if they thought the Uchiha got exactly what they deserved. It didn't matter.
As long as they knew coming out of this that Itachi was innocent, then that was all Sasuke truly cared about.
Sasuke pulled himself from his internal musings and swept the crowd with his eyes. He was shocked, and pleased, to see a wide array of emotions being broadcast to him from atop his dias. Everything from passive indifference all the way to shocked disgust and pure rage. Sasuke was incredibly pleased that many of those who looked downright murderous were the small number of Kiri shinobi that had stuck around to hear his tale.
It was further validation that his decision was the correct one.
Sasuke cleared his throat. "I spent quite a bit of time pondering over what my decision would be after learning the truth. I mulled over the advice that Percy gave me, as well as some of the others I've talked to over the last few months. I came to a conclusion.
"I may have lost the family I was born to. I'll miss them every day for the rest of my life. But I got lucky. I found a group of people that, despite my best attempts to push them away, never let me succeed. I have a new family. They're obnoxious, loud, childish, immature, infuriating, and most likely clinically insane. They're dysfunctional and at times I'm sure the only reason it works is due to divine intervention. Saying all that, they're mine. And I'm thankful for them.
"I don't know where I go from here or what I want to do. My initial thought was to get revenge on those who wronged my clan, but then I thought what good would that do me in the long run? It wouldn't bring my clan back. My parents wouldn't rise from the dead and be waiting to greet me at the door once I got home. It would make me feel better, sure. But only momentarily. And then what? Where do I go from there? So I don't know where my life takes me now, the only thing I do know is that it will be moving forward with my new family."
Sasuke paused and licked his dry lips. 'I've spoken more today than I have in my entire life. What is wrong with me? Naruto must have rubbed off on me more than I thought. Him and that infuriating, black-haired, migraine inducing, man-child known as Percy' Sasuke thought to himself ruefully.
He took a deep breath and reached toward his neck. He slowly untied the headband that had hung from there since he had graduated from the academy two years ago. He held it in his hand and stared down at it.
"I know two things. The first, I'll move forward with my family. The second…" He took a deep breath, the headband he had worked so hard for sliding between his fingers. It hit the ground with a metallic clank. "I'll move forward, no longer a shinobi of Konohagakure."
Fin!
So I know that many of you were expecting the big battle this chapter, but you'll have to wait until the next one for that!
This conversation was a long time coming and I couldn't think of the more perfect spot in the story for it to happen.
Next week will be the final confrontation!
Until then, kiddos! Stay safe!
Gamelover41592 – Reactions? You mean from Konoha? Well as we saw, they were NOT happy with Percy at first!
Shine375 – Maybe one day far into the future! I need to finish this story first and foremost. After that will be my Senju Gamer, as well as my re-write of my Kenta Yamanaka books!
MYPJOWORLD – I don't want to give away too much, but Percy is going to eventually have the powers from ALL of the Big Three. That should tell you how powerful he's going to become. As for becoming immortal? We shall have to wait and see!
TheMeister7 – Honestly, I had thought about it! But I have something else planned for Percy's realization that he's starting to inherit his third and final domain. Stay tuned ;)
Overture OTSW – Me too! Especially as Percy gets more and more used to Orochimaru's eccentric personality, the banter between them gets even better.
CCAlpha – Percy will definitely be making snakes from his water (possibly even lightning) if for no other reason than to piss Orochimaru off with how easy he can do it. Percy's affinity (if you could call it that) is naturally for Water. No Sage mode. No Jinchuriki Percy. By the end of the story, he will have the power of all of the "Big Three." He doesn't need those power-ups to be God Tier. He's already almost at that tier and only has 2 out of the 3 powers of the Big Three.
chimera629 – Glad you caught onto that. Percy doesn't even realize it either. Because when he thinks of "his" people, he doesn't see them any differently. He's going to be in for a nasty shock once he realizes that he's starting to develop that "Godly" attitude he's been fearing this whole time!
jjjdunk1 – No. Percy, as he is right now, would be disintegrated by a Biju bomb. Plain old fire can kill Percy (though being who he is fire is basically worthless, but it's still a possibility), so a giant ball of pure chakra would completely wreck Percy. His best bet, just like with anyone else, is to interrupt the attack before it can be unleashed!
FanficSim13 – Yeah. Percy could take on the army solo, but there'd be a LOT of casualties since it would be hard for him to fight thousands at once without using lethal force. I had, at one time, had a scene in my head where Percy and a Yamanaka team up and take out an entire Fort in seconds. Using the Yamanaka to sense where every person is in the Fort, relaying that info directly into Percy's mind, and Percy pulling off a Rimuru and just blasting them in the head with a bullet of water.
Jxgod – Yaaassss! The plan has always been for Percy to end up OP as fuck. The hard part is making it a believeable power creep rather than him just suddenly gaining all these powers. Hopefully I'm doing alright on that end! And yes! Percy's attitude is certainly becoming more God-like, and he doesn't even realize it yet! He's going to have a full blown panic attack once he realizes it!
s9b – In this situation, it's feasible. Not only is Kiri divided almost in half, but they're on Percy's playing field. Imagine Percy, in the middle of Wind Country, trying to take on the entirety of Suna's army? He'd be boned. But he and Orochimaru are taking on just a fraction of Kiri's forces right next to the damn Ocean.
Rakuzai – Yaaassss! My plan is working. Soon, everyone who reads this will only be able to read "Good" Orochimaru stories! I have thought about Guren working with Haku. If it does happen, it'll be in the background because there's just SO FUCKING MUCH I have planned. As for Chino? Haven't given it much thought. We'll have to see how the story ends up going!
Perseus appolyon – Yes! That is the hardest part! I want people to be on the edge of their seats wondering "Is THIS the chapter that the real Orochimaru makes his appearance?!" He's innocent (in this story) but he's still totally a ruthless and insane wildcard that could snap at any moment.
As for Uzu, Percy already got that lesson earlier in the story. That's why it wasn't mentioned! :D
lil dynamic – THANK YOU SO MUCH! That is seriously the greatest compliment anyone can give me. I really do try to stay true to Percy's character while also making his character growth in this new world believable. So I'm glad that it's getting across to some people!
