DANIEL1120, this chapter would not have come together without you. THANK YOU. The insane amount of typos and grammatical errors before he got his hands on this chapter - you would think I'd have written it while I was drunk.
I'm so sorry about the delay in this update, but you'll be happy to know that chapter 27 will be following shortly after (maybe a week or so). I hope everyone has been taking care of themselves - physically, mentally, emotionally - and I hope your families are staying healthy.
As always, your reviews bring me so much joy! Thank you.
"Are you ready?"
Though the disembodied voice seemed to echo around him, there was nothing but a pitch black expanse before his eyes. He turned his head to the side, felt the motion of the shift from the base of his neck, and still he was met with a vast nothingness. Stretching his arms out, he tried to feel around for something tangible, but came up empty. There was only black, darker than any night he had ever known. As he took a few steps forward, the crunch of dirt beneath his bare feet startled him. He could feel that, the sharp pressure of rough pebbles digging into his soles.
The voice spoke again,
"Are you ready? We have to run."
He recognized something in those words, or maybe it was the tone in which they were spoken. He had been running, they had been running all night; that was why his legs ached and his lungs burned. How could he run anymore? They were trying to escape something - something that seemed inevitable. . .
Suddenly, he was jerked forward by a sharp pressure at his wrist. He spurred himself on, trying to keep up with the person that must be in front of him. His fingers flailed in the darkness, searching for something to hold on to, for the person that had a hold on him.
"Close your eyes, Sasuke. Don't look, just keep running. I've got you."
His heart pumped furiously and he felt his eyes watering, the wind rushing past him, but seeing nothing around him. He swallowed gulps of air as he fought to breathe, but it felt like he was swallowing smoke. He turned his head even as he was pulled in another direction and this time he saw it; the towering inferno billowing into the night sky. He stumbled at the sight, foot catching on something in the darkness, and then he felt himself falling down, slipping further, winding deeper, succumbing forever -
"Oi, Teme," Naruto smacked Sasuke's cheek lightly. Sasuke stirred, his hand still clutched over his heart, fingers twitching around the corners of the parchment as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Hn?"
"Come on, wake up."
Sasuke swatted his hand away with a growl, but Naruto only chuckled.
"What do you want?" He glared, irritated at being roused from the rest he had finally achieved, however discontented it had been.
"I brought you food," Naruto pretended to be affronted by Sasuke's cold manner, but he understood that was how his brother had always been, ever since they were kids.
"I will eat when I am hungry," he said flatly, turning his head away from the cracked bowl of rice and vegetables where atop it sat a modest helping of unseasoned meat. The rations would be diminutive here, but that did not concern him for he found himself to have no appetite.
"What is that?" Naruto reached towards Sasuke, but was shrugged off before he could discover the parchment.
"Nothing," Sasuke grabbed the bowl with his good hand and started eating.
"I am surprised to see they did not chop your arm off entirely," Naruto scrunched his nose and leaned in close, "You know, I think it looks infected."
Sasuke shoved him back when he could not retort through the mouthful he was chewing on. The laceration on his arm flared from a dull throb to a wincing pain, but he resolved that it was worth it when he saw the grin on Naruto's face.
"You need something, Dobe?"
"Yes, I need you to get up off your ass so we can hunt these Akatsuki," Naruto folded his arms over his chest, "Think you can still keep up with the rest of us in your fragile state?"
"Hn. We may share the same title now, but that does not mean you are my equal," Sasuke said with a playful sneer. Naruto opened his mouth to lob a scathing retort, but stumbled and dropped his gaze. He forced a harsh laugh past his lips, an attempt to hide the thickness in his throat.
"I am glad you are here," he whispered sincerely. Sasuke bowed his head, but gave the slightest nod in agreement. There was too much to be said and, yet, too little to say it with. How many missed months and foregone fortnights had passed? The years of each others' absence stretched between them, bridging their divide, but neither one made any movement to cross it.
"How is it here?"
"Dreadful," Naruto's voice was grim and he appeared more solemn than Sasuke had ever seen him before, "We can not claim any ground beyond our camp and the Akatsuki seem to know our movements before even we do."
"And the villages?" Sasuke propped himself up on his pillows, adopting an air of urgency despite his predicament.
"We have no contact with them. Since the Akatsuki took over, we can no longer trade or travel. Our resources rely solely on what we receive from the palace now and we are confined to the camp," though this was not new information to Naruto, reciting it aloud took its toll once more. He rubbed his eyes, cupped his chin, and frowned. Naruto did not remember that night, the night they fled - at least not entirely. He was not born in blood or remade through steel. Even now, as his bones ached and his flesh scarred, war did not carry the same meaning for him as it did Sasuke. But as they sat in thoughtful silence, it seemed the years of unrest had caught up to him. The sallow skin beneath his eyes sloped to his sunken cheeks that bordered his trembling lips; he appeared a haunting depiction of his former self.
"They have pushed us back so far, I feared we would not be able to hold out much longer," Naruto hung his head, ashamed that he alone could not turn the tide of this war and ashamed that he had not yet restored his father's name, "These troops, are they well trained?"
"I trained them myself," Sasuke assured him and Naruto looked up with a grin.
"Well, then we are doomed."
"Hn, I see you have lost your fortitude, but not your arrogance."
Naruto laughed boisterously, shaking his head at Sasuke.
"Only that and my wits."
Sasuke smirked and quipped, "You never had those to begin with."
"You are lucky that arm is still healing," Naruto leaned forward, narrowing his gaze.
"It is a fair fight then," Sasuke taunted him.
"You could grow two more and it still would not be fair," his brother grinned, laughing boisterously.
"Hn," Sasuke chuckled softly; this was easy for him. He did not have to quander over his responses or berate himself for speaking out of turn. There were no consequences to be had from his ill manner of speech and, much like the rapport of their childhood, he could navigate such banter with little more than a breath. It was different after so many months, surely, but familiar, and he found it to be a comfort.
Naruto quickly sobered himself and rubbed his hands together anxiously.
"Tell me," he exhaled sharply through his nostrils, "How is Hinata-chan?"
"I thought you came here to inform me of the Akatsuki," Sasuke could not help himself from further tormenting his brother after being apart for so long.
"We can talk of them later," Naruto waved an errant hand, but his azure eyes pled silently as he spoke softly, "Tell me."
The key in Sasuke's pocket suddenly felt like a stone as he regarded Naruto's nervous expression. She had to know by now, she must have figured it out. What did she think of him?
"She worries for you."
He hoped Sakura hated him. He hoped that she exposed him for the vile traitor he was. He hoped that she would never have to see him again. He hoped that he would never have to be faced with the consequences of the pain he undoubtedly caused her.
"I miss her," Naruto muttered quietly, bitterly, his shoulders sagging. Sasuke set his jaw tight, perturbed by his brother's candor, "It is difficult for us to send correspondence to the palace these days. The Akatsuki have intercepted us at every turn," Naruto sighed heavily, "I fear for her safety."
"The palace was attacked," Sasuke said, unsure of whether or not Naruto had been informed, "Twice."
It seemed so far off now, but Naruto had been gone for much longer.
"Hinata-chan told me," he nodded, though it was clear it pained him to think on it, "She also told me that you saved Sakura-san from the Akatsuki. Twice."
Sasuke's gaze fell to his lap and he did not make a sound.
"So modest," Naruto leaned forward with a grin and pinched his cheek, but Sasuke jerked away from him, "It is no wonder Kizashi-sama took a liking to you."
"Hn," Sasuke swallowed thickly and put down his bowl, "How are they?" Lowering his voice, he clarified, "Minato and Kushina."
"I have not spoken to them in some time," Naruto shook his head, raking a hand through his mess of hair, "It is difficult to get any correspondence across the border. I can not risk it now."
"But they are safe?" Sasuke's brows knitted together, a nervous sweat gathering on his palms. Naruto took a breath; he could not say for sure, but then why would he deny his brother the reassurance of ignorance?
"Yes, they are safe."
Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief; that was one less burden for him to carry. But after a heavy silence, Sasuke grumbled,
"Enough of this. I am here now to ensure you do not cause any more trouble."
"Me?!" Naruto balked, "It is the damned Akatsuki! I had hoped the Emperor would send us valuable assistance, yet they could not even deliver you to me in one piece."
Sasuke glowered at his brother,
"I will not let this delay our mission," he replied steadfastly, "I intend to reach the first village tonight. As planned."
"Tonight?" At once all humor had been leeched from Naruto's countenance, "You must rest more. You are in no condition for a fight."
"If it comes to that, I will be ready," he said flippantly, even as needles of pain shot up his arm in protest. Naruto grimaced as he looked Sasuke over.
"You are of more use to us when you are in full health."
"We do not have the luxury," Sasuke snapped, "If we wait any longer, we are only wasting our time. We must learn their numbers, their rotations, the location of their base - ,"
"Come with me," Naruto stood suddenly and beckoned for Sasuke to sit up.
"What?" He asked, confused.
"I need to show you something," his brows furrowed and he cocked his head in the direction of the moonlight streaming through the tent flaps. Begrudgingly, Sasuke rolled onto his good arm and off of the gurney. With a practice he had adopted from his time in the palace infirmary, he managed to stuff the hem of his tunic into the waistband of his pants with one hand so that he might appear halfway decent. Gingerly, he straightened his elbow, letting his bandaged wrist hang limply at his side, wincing until the pain became a constant throb. Naruto waited for Sasuke to find his footing and adopt a steady pace forward. Though he could have strode ahead, he measured his steps to match Sasuke's weary gait and even offered his shoulder for support, but his brother refused. He was ever as stubborn as Naruto remembered from their childhood. Sasuke had always carried a sense of pride that Naruto had slowly come to share. It was that same pride that had been a mark of the Uchiha name, a mark that he was born with, but one that Naruto had adopted. In turn, it seemed Sasuke had, albeit unknowingly, developed the Uzumaki's sense of humility, though neither brother was one to be humbled so easily. It was these traits in particular that Naruto found their bond to be reinforced by, and so there was a weight of responsibility, a measure of accountability to challenge each other and be challenged - a balance of equals.
As they stepped through the threshold of the makeshift ward, Sasuke thought the image of a military encampment nothing like the stories he'd been told in his childhood. Soldiers milled about, listless and possessed by a rumination he had never witnessed before. Whatever conflict lay beyond their camp had not only breached their walls, but their spirits as well. He remembered the tales woven by his brother, the tales of his brief moments at the front, the moments before the war had consumed not only his life, but his clan's too. Itachi had spoken of his fellow soldiers like an extension of himself. Sasuke had imagined a camaraderie of a family made, not born. A belonging forged in purpose and honor.
But he saw none of that.
The dark of the night bled around them, encompassing them so that not even their fires provided much light. Then, suddenly, from above, a flash of sparks sailed through the sky with a whistle. Sasuke ducked expectantly, but then saw Naruto laughing at his reaction. With a gentle nudge, he pointed upward as the sparks exploded outward with a bang.
It was not an aerial assault as he had thought. Sasuke straightened himself, looking to the sky as another flash lit up the night. His eyes narrowed as the sparks flared.
"Fireworks?"
"From the village," Naruto affirmed, "They started not long ago, but it has been every night since."
"What are they doing?"
Naruto shrugged.
"To lead my men there would be too much of a risk. Since the Akatsuki have cut off our trade supplies with the villages, we have been unable to get close. Their spies would recognize us too easily," he turned his despondent gaze on Sasuke, "The retaliation on the townspeople - and our camp - was too harsh. Even now, we are still struggling to rebuild with what they have left us."
Sasuke listened intently, but continued to watch the lights that danced above them.
"They celebrate as though they have won the war," he mused.
"Then, they are taunting us," Naruto scowled.
"A bold effort."
"I would not put it past them."
"It would be too big of a gamble to take so many men," Sasuke remarked, eyes flicking to the soldiers around him, "They could be expecting us. I will have the rest of the troop watch the road and secure our position in the trees."
"You should not go in your condition," Naruto reiterated, incensed by his brother's stubborn attitude.
"I will be fine," he said stiffly, "And I will not go alone. I will take one of the men that came with us through the town so that we may observe the people - the villagers will not know our faces."
Naruto nodded hesitantly, slowly conceding to the fact that he would be unable to sway his brother.
"We have civilian clothes in the barracks," he gestured in that direction, "What will you do about your arm?"
"It is not so bad," as though in objection, a sharp pain ran from his wrist to his elbow. He closed his fingers around his forearm, cutting off his circulation with a hiss, "The nurse gave me a salve. I have had worse."
"Have you?" Naruto cocked a brow.
"No," Sasuke shook his head, a crooked smirk tugging at his lips. Naruto's laughter caught the attention of Kakashi who had been passing by and now wandered towards their commotion.
"How are you feeling, Sasuke?"
"Fine, Sir."
"Fine?" Kakashi did not hide his surprise as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I was just telling my brother I am ready to infiltrate the first village tonight."
"I see," Kakashi nodded, his one exposed eye narrowing as he regarded Sasuke, "And what do you make of this?"
"I do not know," his gaze lifted to the sky once more, "But I intend to find out."
"Might I make a suggestion?" Kakashi asked, but barely had Sasuke nodded before he was gesturing towards Suigetsu who had quite obviously made himself comfortable beside some of the other soldiers. At once, Sasuke became livid.
"Why is he still here?" he questioned through gritted teeth.
"What would you have us do with him?" Kakashi asked, a mirthful smile on his face.
"Turn him loose. Let us be rid of him."
"Who is he?" Naruto asked.
"A thief," Sasuke spat.
"He is a good warrior," Kakashi protested lightly, "He saved your life. And he has no loyalties."
"That is precisely what makes him dangerous," Sasuke countered, but Kakashi shrugged, "He could turn on us for the right price."
"He does not seem the type."
"How could you know?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes as Suigetsu caught his gaze.
"We have had many conversations since he joined our party, at length," Kakashi nodded, peering over at Sasuke, "He is only looking for shelter and food - a purpose, even."
"And you believe him?"
"He is skilled with a bow and arrow, well versed in tactics of stealth, and surprisingly adept with a sword," He cocked a humorous brow at Sasuke, "We should not discount him so lightly. One man could turn the tide of this war."
Sasuke screwed his eyes shut, taking a deep, steadying breath before he opened them again.
"You want me to take him to the villages."
"He would be a stranger and he does not act like a soldier. They would have no reason to suspect him."
"An asset," Naruto offered, but quickly shut his mouth when he saw the scowl on Sasuke's face.
He grit his teeth, but nodded.
"If he is caught, it leaves us exposed. He will not hesitate to turn our plans over to the Akatsuki," he warned, but Kakashi only grinned.
"You had best watch his back then."
Sasuke sat beside the blazing fire with his troops, donned in plain linens, as they poured over the map before them. It was a small group of soldiers he commanded that night, some of whom were even younger than Sasuke, or at least as young as he was when he had arrived at the palace. Their somber faces were lit by the soft glow of the flame, but when he looked to Suigetsu, he could see a flash of excitement burning in the man's eyes. A bloodlust, perhaps.
"There are three roads leading into the village," Sasuke began, "I want two men at each entrance. You will find the best coverage in the trees," he gave a begrudged sigh before looking at Suigetsu, "He and I will go around on foot. We will scout from the ground and regroup with the rest of you once we have some information. It is imperative that you are not seen by the villagers or the Akatsuki. Is that understood?"
A procession of nods went around the fire.
"When we return here, we will devise our plan of attack," he looked once more at the men around him, "This is what we have trained for," as he continued, he brought himself to his feet, "Let us move out."
The soldiers stood and followed in his steps as he led them to the edge of the camp. When they breached the barricades, Sasuke caught sight of Naruto running upon them.
"Oi, teme!" He called out and Sasuke smirked as he looked back, "Don't get yourself killed!"
"Hn," he chuckled to himself, then yelled back, "Stay out of trouble!"
Naruto made a crude gesture with his hands before running back to the barracks.
"Your brother?" Suigetsu asked as he matched his pace with Sasuke's.
"Yes," he responded stiffly.
"I would hardly have known."
"You do not know," Sasuke reminded him sternly. Silenced, Suigetsu put a measured distance between them as they embarked along the trail. The cover of the trees, the dark of night, and the sounds of the forest aided their journey onward. A reverent silence settled over the soldiers as they marched in unison. Meanwhile, Sasuke's heart hammered in his chest harder with every step he took. This is what they had trained for, what he had trained them for. Now, their success hinged on his abilities as a leader. Those five months could have been five years and it would not have prepared him for the near crippling weight of responsibility he was shouldering in that moment. He could not know what lay ahead of them, what lay in wait in the shadows around them, but every choice, every decision, every outcome, belonged to him. While such a notion was enough to make the greatest warrior into a frightened coward, he found his resolve to succeed only grow. He would not allow hinderances, nor mistakes, nor failures. His regiment were stalwart in their duty, but opposing them was the unknown and in the balance hung an entire empire; in that, he supposed there was no better indoctrination to his role as general.
As they approached the village, his soldiers broke off to their factions and diverged from the clear path ahead. Only Suigetsu and Sasuke remained steady on their course. In the near distance, they could see the light beckoning them forth. The thrumming beat of drums and the gentle chorus of strings wafted towards them. The further they proceeded, the louder and brighter the fireworks became as they continued to alight the sky above them. Suigetsu seemed to wait for Sasuke's indication that they would continue, so Sasuke threw him a questioning look.
"I follow you," Suigetsu answered simply. As perturbed as Sasuke was by his words, he brushed them off and kept walking. Passing through the threshold of the village entrance, they saw the path before them packed by the townspeople spilling out of the shops that flanked the road. Barely could they take a step forward without nearly running into someone. Drunkards stumbled and dancers twirled, musicians played and children chased, poets belted and bystanders cheered. All around them celebrations raged and the noise was enough to drown out the remark Suigetsu made as he stared in awe.
"We should move off the road," Sasuke shouted and Suigetsu followed him towards the side of a teahouse out of the way of the throng of revelers.
"Do you think a change of plans might be in order?" Even with the volume of his voice, Suigetsu found himself leaning in close to be heard. As much as it pained him to agree with such a man, Sasuke said,
"Stay by my side. We will visit at one of the shops, but only for a moment. We can resume our search after."
Suigetsu nodded and pointed towards a lodge just a bit further into the town.
"I could use a drink," he cajoled. Sasuke opened his mouth for a sharp retort, but held his tongue.
"Yes," he said begrudgingly, "So could I."
They made their way to the lodge and pushed inside, finding an empty corner beside the bar all the way at the back. The host, too busy to pay them any proper attention, dropped a carafe and two small saucers before them. Suigetsu was quick to pour their drinks, but Sasuke let his eyes wander around the bustling lodge first. Upon discerning no immediate threat, he took up his saucer and drank.
"Aside from that woman," Suigetsu nodded briefly in her direction and Sasuke noted how fixated she seemed to be on his counterpart, "Not a single person in here has looked at us."
"It can not be coincidence," Sasuke said quietly, but Suigetsu was preoccupied with the woman on the other end of the room. He grabbed his arm as Suigetsu started to stand, wincing at the pain the action caused him, "No. We are only here to observe."
"Could you not allow me this indulgence?" Suigetsu griped, "I can not remember the last time I felt a woman's touch."
"We are not here for her," Sasuke hissed.
"We should be," Suigetsu poured them another round and they drank together, "If I could but be the cup that touches her lips."
"You fancy yourself a playwright now," Sasuke scowled at the man beside him.
"I might have been," he grinned, finally tearing his eyes away, "In another life."
"Words do me no good, lest you can charm your way out of a fight," Sasuke seethed, "I need a warrior, not a man of ill repute. As it stands, I fail to see your use to our cause and your continued occupancy with my regiment remains a mystery to me."
"I am a man of various trades," he smirked, "I carry more than a sword at my hip and a quiver on my back. While I relish in a bloody battle, sometimes words can do more harm - and more good."
"Hn," Sasuke stewed over the sentiment, deciphering what he was finding to be a modicum of truth to it; the man was more than he might have pegged him to be. Still, he could not fathom he possessed more skill or knowledge than the soldiers who had pledged their lives to protecting the Emperor's family. There was more to be said for loyalty than trade, yet this man had yet to display even an inkling of where his priorities were placed. He might have saved Sasuke in the forest, but it would take more than that to sway him.
Suigetsu had nearly drained the contents of the carafe before he commented quietly,
"This does not look like an oppressed village."
"No." Sasuke agreed.
"A trap perhaps?" He suggested.
"Why waste such effort?" Sasuke wondered aloud. All around them, music and chatter continued to clash together in a striking symphony of ceremony.
"To catch us by surprise."
"Then we have been caught," Sasuke muttered, "For I do not know what to make of this."
"Make an evening of it," Suigetsu raised the almost empty decanter and filled their saucers once more. Sasuke reached for his hesitantly. His arm had begun to shake from the overuse and so he switched hands, then cast a cautionary look at the companion beside him.
"Hn."
"I have presumed that while you are a man of oft few words, the complexities of your innermost reflections are those which few could begin to understand," Suigetsu smirked to himself, "Would I be correct?"
"I do not purport any such notions about myself," Sasuke responded flatly, "I am no more than any other man and certainly less than the greater few."
Less than a man, less than a person, less to be loved.
"Such humility," he quirked a brow, "For a general."
"I have been a general for far less time than I have been a man."
"What would warrant such supposition, then?"
"You speak so informally to someone you have barely met."
"Have you ever met a thief with proper manners?"
"I have not known of many thieves," Sasuke lowered his eyes to the saucer in his hand, "And certainly none that I have come to meet."
"Then we have that in common, for I have never met a general."
"So you were always a thief then?"
"As far as I can remember," Suigetsu tossed back another drink, "That bunch of bandits were the only ones crazy enough to have me."
"I suppose you take us for much the same then."
"It is not so bad to be crazy," he laughed, "I have yet to find such peace in sanity."
Sasuke paused, the saucer poised at his lips, before a smirk spread over his face and he chuckled lightly.
"Hn," he drank again, finding himself stumped by the man's words yet again, then said, "Let us be done here. We should search the rest of the village, see if we can find anything."
Suigetsu reluctantly set down his drink as Sasuke placed their payment on the bar. Squeezing through the crowded lodge, they finally emerged back on the path that wound through the town. Rows of modest homes had swung their doors open to allow for the comings and goings of all neighbors. Meanwhile, in the street itself, the villagers continued to gather to dance and sing. With such a small community, every joyful citizen's acquaintance seemed to be made all the more familiar by their celebrations.
As they traversed the only road that cut through the town, passing under the billowing fireworks, they remained a good distance from the crowds, watching and waiting for something that never appeared.
"If they were here, I think we might have seen them by now," Suigetsu proposed.
"They could be hiding," Sasuke said as they passed by a woman perched atop a dais outside a shop crooning a jubilant melody, "They could be any one of the people here."
"Might they have spotted us already then?"
"No," Sasuke shook his head, eyes sweeping over the path before them. They had already scoured the length of the village and found themselves back at the beginning of the road they had taken in, "We would not be here if they had."
"What is the matter?" Sasori questioned as he knelt atop a slim branch just beyond the military encampment. Obito sat beside him, his gaze settled on a point in the distance, a point that Sasori could not see.
"Nothing," he answered rigidly, tearing himself away from the man with one eye, "Report back to the others and send word to Orochimaru of their numbers."
"What about the villages?"
"What about them?" Obito faced his prodigy, daring him to challenge his orders.
"Are we just to stand by while they reclaim control?"
"There is nothing to control but civilians," he said harshly, "Civilians who can not fight. Those territories never mattered to Lord Orochimaru except to syphon the Emperor's resources at the front."
Sasori nodded stiffly.
"And you?"
"I will keep watch."
"But - ,"
Obito fixed him with a cold gaze.
"I will keep watch," he hissed through his teeth. A contentious moment passed between them as Sasori curled his fists. This was not the moment to dispute him; he still had much left to prove. Obito turned back to the camp and spat, "Go."
Biting his tongue, Sasori stood and leapt to another branch before dropping to the ground. He cast a look up to Obito who was now concealed by the thick leaves swaying in the soft wind, then took off.
Up in the tree, Obito rested a hand on the trunk beside him and leaned forward. He narrowed his gaze as he searched for the one eyed man again. Soldiers mingled in small groups across the grounds, huddled as they rejoiced in their renewed hope. Their ranks bolstered, they no doubt felt that they now stood a chance against the Akatsuki. But Orochimaru would prove them wrong.
With a frustrated grunt, Obito raised himself to his feet and climbed to another branch higher up. His view improved, he could easily pick out the coif of silver hair of the rigid figure standing beside one of the many fires. He seemed to be conversing with the soldiers sitting before him, throwing his head back with a laugh at some remark Obito could not make out. The rage that had for so long been left to fester in his gut was now boiling as it rushed through his veins. The man was laughing, the man could laugh, while she had been left to rot in the ground for all these years.
But Obito never left her alone for long. In fact, his time spent waiting at the front for the Emperor's army was perhaps the greatest absence he had ever taken from his visitations to her. The flowers he had last picked had no doubt died, but the shrine he had built in her honor would hold against any manner of weathering. What he truly worried for was his neglect of her memory. In those instances, when he felt her slipping away and he could not recall the cadence of her laughter or the brilliance of her smile, he would turn to his master. Orochimaru had gifted him with the power to recall her from the deepest recesses of his mind, to manifest her once more, to ensure her longevity for as long as Obito could breathe. And on the day he ceased to be, he would join her once more. Eternally.
Until then, he had a duty to her. He narrowed his eyes as he followed Kakashi's figure until he had disappeared into the shadows. A duty he intended to fulfill.
Sasuke lay on the gurney as the nurse redressed his bandages. The salve she'd reapplied had begun to set in and what had started as a pulsating ache, now dulled to a tolerable throb. Naruto and Kakashi sat beside him, brows drawn into a deep furrow.
"This makes no sense," Naruto muttered, "That village has been locked down for over a year. There were curfews, ordinances, punishments for fraternization - ,"
"I saw no guards, no cloaks - had I asked them, I would wager that not a single one of them would have known the name Akatsuki," Sasuke shook his head, perplexed, "And if they did, it did not appear it would cause them much trouble to hear such a name at all."
"Perhaps we move on to the next province already," Kakashi suggested, reciting his thoughts aloud, "It is not enough to ascertain our situation from only the one village," he appeared bemused to Sasuke, "But I leave that to you, General."
With a pointed look and coy smile, he rose from his seat and left the tent promptly without waiting for Sasuke's answer. It seemed of little import to Kakashi and the trust thus imparted on Sasuke by such indifference caused an unsettling chill to run down his spine. It was his responsibility, his choice, his decision, his outcome. Sasuke watched Kakashi go, contemplating his options until Naruto spoke again,
"We should brace for an attack. You should not leave for the next village just yet. We are still preparing our supplies to establish our new post - it leaves us vulnerable; we may need you here," his fists clenched tightly at his knees, "In case they retaliate."
Sasuke was pensive for a moment. Naruto might be correct, but they could not cower at the camp while they waited for an attack that may not come. Something was not right here, but what he could not yet ascertain. He supposed he would not be able to until they had gathered more information as Kakashi had said.
Sasuke remained silent until the nurse left.
"Suigetsu and I will go," he determined, "The rest of the men will stay here. We cannot delay our mission even if there is a threat of attack."
"Sasuke - ,"
"It is my decision," he assured Naruto, and himself, "Trust that it is not one I make lightly."
His brother nodded steadily, watching him carefully.
"I do trust you," he said finally, the hint of a grin pulling at his lips, "I always have."
Sasuke could not help but smile in turn; he had spent so long alone at the palace, that he had almost forgotten how it felt to have Naruto at his side. There was an unspoken confidence placed within each other and it assured that, regardless of the circumstances, there was somebody to catch them if they fell. After Naruto had left for the front, it had taken months for Sasuke to adapt to the distressing fact that he would no longer be roused in the middle of the night by his brother's incoherent ramblings as he recalled the ramen Kushina used to cook for them. In time, though, he had adapted to that, and more, convincing himself that he was better off on his own, guarding his own secrets and protecting himself from the threat of familiarity.
Now they were together again and he would have to unlearn the loneliness that had for so long been his companion. But Naruto would help him. He always had.
Sasori descended the cracked stone stairs that led to the tunnels beneath the forest. A vast network of ruins lay under the surface of the earth above - a piece of history lost to time, but a fitting hideout for the Akatsuki soldiers laying in wait to strike. As he followed the winding path deeper into the burrow, what had once been a deathly silence became slowly permeated by the quiet chatter of his fellow clan members.
Finally, he found himself at the monolithic chamber that housed their sleeping quarters. An array of cots littered the floor, barely a foot's space between them, with many a restless soldier seated atop them. Yet, as he entered the room, a contemplative hush fell over the men. He and Obito had been absent from the rest of their clan as they awaited the arrival of the Emperor's reinforcements, seizing control over an abandoned well house not far from the soldiers' camp. The room seemed almost to hold its breath as they anticipated confirmation of what his return to their base inevitably meant. Before he gave them the satisfaction of what they so desperately wanted to hear, he stepped to the side to address Orochimaru's herald. In a hurried whisper, he said,
"Inform our Lord that they have arrived and we are ready to attack," he leaned closer as he continued, "A hundred men, perhaps more."
The messenger's eyes swept the room; they had more than enough.
"I will leave promptly and return when I have his word."
Sasori nodded, then turned to face the others. He raised his arms victoriously, a broad, sinister smile overtaking his face.
"Brothers! Our time has come!"
The entire hall erupted in exultation at the news, every man rising to his feet with excitement. Yet, in a far corner of the hall, Deidara slunk away, out of sight.
The little bit of sleep Sasuke had managed to achieve was soiled by the unpleasant return of his nightmarish memories and he found himself rising from his gurney just before dawn. He stepped out into the tepid air and breathed deeply, calming his nerves. He started on a path with no direction, but what he had hoped might be an opportunity for respite was quickly soiled by the approach of a spirited Suigetsu. Sasuke mumbled a curse quietly to himself.
"Are you always so pleasant in the mornings?"
"What do you want?" Sasuke asked curtly, his gaze cast towards the road beyond the camp.
"What are you offering?" he retorted.
"Hn."
Suigetsu followed Sasuke's line of sight.
"Are you thinking of leaving again?"
"What?!" Sasuke turned on him sharply, affronted, "I would never desert my post."
"Freedom is a choice," Suigetsu laughed lightly, raising his hands in protest, "I chose my freedom."
"You were captured," Sasuke sneered derisively.
"And given the option to leave."
"By who?"
"By Kakashi-san."
Sasuke set his jaw tight and averted his eyes. He looked back out to the horizon, to the sun that peaked over the trees. Perhaps she was watching it rise, too. Perhaps she was sitting on her bench by the willow tree, looking out over the lake, and waiting for him to greet her.
"And yet you stayed. Why?"
"I told you I am a man of many trades."
"What could you possibly - ,"
"Sasuke!"
They whipped around at the sound of Naruto's voice. He sprinted towards them with a wide grin.
"I see you have made a new friend," he said jokingly, nudging his brother as he came upon them.
"Hardly," Sasuke said stiffly, "It seems I have attracted a parasite I can not rid myself of."
"I resent nothing of that statement," Suigetsu replied with a biting snark.
"If he insults you, it means he has grown fond of you," Naruto quipped, then added, "I would know best of all, right, Sasuke?"
"In that case, I find myself quite flattered," Suigetsu remarked and Sasuke scowled.
"What is it?" He questioned abruptly.
"Breakfast," Naruto beckoned them in the direction of the other soldiers.
"I am not hungry," Sasuke said flippantly.
"Good. Then you will not have to stomach it," Naruto grabbed his arm, "Come on."
Sasuke swirled the gruel in his bowl, his already absent appetite soiling further. Meanwhile, Naruto and Suigetsu seemed not to mind the slop they had been served; he wagered that she had spoiled him in many ways at the palace, including in his perception of what passed for food these days. All those well cooked meals had only been made the more pleasant by her presence, too.
It was not new to eat without her, for he had been doing so in his effort to distance himself from her while he still lived at the palace, but yet again he was reminded of all that he was missing out on. He could hardly call his decision a mistake - it was a necessity surely - but everything he had done to her, with her before that had been. It had been a mistake to give into desire, to give into hope, to give into each other. If he had never known what it was like to be with her, he would never have had to feel the pain of being without her. The pain that consumed him now.
"What is it you do in your free time here?" Suigetsu asked Naruto as they sat around a burnt out fire from the previous night, "I dare say I might expire from sheer boredom."
Naruto laughed heartily before shoveling another spoonful of porridge into his mouth.
"Think of home, mostly," he said somewhat solemnly through a hefty bite, "But it has been so long, I do not know if my thoughts are memories or a fantasy I have conjured to make myself feel better."
"There is nothing wrong with fantasy," Suigetsu chuckled with a toss of his shoulders, "How was life at the palace?"
"I can scarcely remember," Naruto squinted as he looked to the sky, "It feels like another lifetime. I can recall the people - at least, most of them."
"You mean the women?" Suigetsu winked at him and Naruto shook his head with a smile.
"Only one. The only one that matters, anyway."
"Ah."
"It is important to find distractions out here," Naruto said softly, "It can be quite easy to fall into our grief if we are not careful."
Sasuke's throat went dry and he set his bowl to the side.
"I have never had a home to think of," Suigetsu said simply, the admission clearly causing him no such distress as he continued on, "Or a woman, but that is of no consequence. It would take such a woman for me to ignore the many whose paths I have crossed with."
"But it will be a grand thing when you find her," Naruto assured him, "You will know there is no other like her."
"Excuse me," Sasuke stood sharply and stalked off, away from the clusters of soldiers. The din of chatter subsided as he wandered back to the edge of the encampment. He found it to be mostly deserted, save the few scouts that took watch, a solitude he was grateful for. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out the parchment and unfolded it hastily. His eyes caressed the words in a harried frenzy, resting at no one spot, except her name. He held the edges of the tattered page, gripping it between his fingers as though he meant to tear it apart, but he could not.
Not yet.
"What is that?" Naruto came upon him suddenly, peering over his shoulder, and Sasuke crumpled the note and stuffed it into his pocket swiftly.
"Nothing."
"That looked like a woman's handwriting," the teasing lilt in Naruto's voice was almost too much for Sasuke's patience.
"Hn," he muttered flippantly.
"It is, isn't it?"
"Surely you have something better to do," Sasuke whipped around to glare at him.
"Than tease my brother?" Naruto scoffed, "How could I pass on the opportunity?"
Sasuke grimaced, his hands clenching tightly.
"Tell me, what is she like?"
"Quiet," Sasuke snapped.
"Oh, you must fancy her," the grin on Naruto's face was unbearable; Sasuke turned his head.
"There is nothing to speak of," he grumbled, his cheeks reddening slightly.
"Sasuke," Naruto began, contrite for any discomfort he might have caused, "I did not mean - ,"
"Put it out of your mind," he shrugged and Naruto nodded slowly. An uncomfortable silence ensued, so Naruto cleared his throat and said,
"Come on, then, help me prepare the supplies for the next camp before you leave tonight."
Sasuke clenched his jaw and tightened his fist to quell the tremor that ran through him.
"Fine," he conceded.
That night, Sasuke and Suigetsu ventured alone into the next village. There was scarcely a difference in distance from the last one they had visited and so they proceeded once more on foot, accompanied only by the dark that spread around them. Suigetsu, it seemed, was becoming accustomed to Sasuke's mannerisms and allowed silence to reign for the duration of their short journey - a decision that had not gone unnoticed by the latter.
As they approached the village, large, towering wooden gates appeared in their view, swung wide open as if in reception of their arrival. Much like the last town, they were met again with a riotous cacophony of fireworks and festivities. They paused just short of crossing into the village, reticence causing them to halt.
"Perhaps they knew we were coming," Suigetsu cackled at his own joke, but Sasuke wondered if maybe he was right. What if the townspeople had been warned? What if the Akatsuki had spread their ruse to this village and the next? What they were attempting to perpetuate with such a large display, Sasuke could not say. At least, not yet, but he resolved to find out.
"Let us get this over with," he said gruffly. Suigetsu nodded reverently and repeated,
"I follow you."
Sasuke forged their path forward, the cacophony of music crescendoing with every step that brought them closer. The village was alive with color, symphony, and song. A group of rowdy drunkards clinked their goblets as Sasuke strode past them without a second glance, while Suigetsu offered them a friendly smile and bowed in their direction.
Lanterns lined the path before them and shops opened their doors to the many patrons that waited just outside.
"I am beginning to think we may be missing out on something," Suigetsu remarked as a man shoved a plate of dango towards him. He shook his head forlornly.
"Indeed," Sasuke agreed, pausing in his steps to look at the revelry taking place in the town square. A large wooden stage sat in the center as men in flamboyant masks danced atop it.
"I dare say I have never seen such splendor before in my life," Suigetsu's eyes wandered over to a group of courtesans talking excitedly outside their brothel. They all leered at the pair of men as they passed.
"Is that what you would call it?" Sasuke asked, turning his gaze to the colorfully lit rooftops. Above them, the fireworks kept on, coating the village in a warm glow.
"And what would you call it?"
"Deception."
"I could ask around," Suigetsu winked at a passing geisha who peered at him with a coquettish smile, "Find out what the locals know."
"And risk our exposure?" Sasuke hissed.
"No more than they risk drawing such attentions."
"That is not for us to decide."
"No," Suigetsu reminded him with a smirk, "It is for you."
Sasuke grit his teeth, then looked over with a scowl.
"Fine. But do not get distracted."
"I will not make promises I can not keep."
He started to roam away when a firm hand clasped his shoulder. Sasuke fixed him with a deathly glare.
"I do not care where you go or what you do. I would remind you I have yet to find a use for you," he narrowed his eyes, mouth pulled to a thin, displeased line, "As it stands, we have established Kakashi-san thinks otherwise. I suggest you prove him right."
Suigetsu waited until Sasuke released him to speak, watching him with a peaked curiosity that unsettled the rigid soldier.
"You are quite unlike any other man I have met," he mused, folding his arms over his chest in scrutiny.
"Am I to take that as a compliment?"
"Hardly," Suigetsu scoffed, "I find you to be more abrasive than anyone whose path I have yet had the displeasure of crossing."
"Good," Sasuke sneered, "Return here before the moon meets that tree or I will leave you behind."
With that, he turned on his heel, cloak swaying with the brisk movement as he traveled deeper into the village. The merriment proceeded around him. A group of women danced to the beat of the taiko drums, while a geisha sat amidst a chattering crowd playing the koto. Children ran about freely, careening around Sasuke as they wielded colorful dango sticks as though they were weapons.
Sasuke turned on the spot, surveying the many townspeople that surrounded him. He did not desire to approach any of them, not the raucous drunks or the concubines that beckoned him forth, nor the shopkeepers whose hands were too full to even care for the crowds that filled their modest spaces.
"A weary traveller," a soft voice wafted his way as a young woman circled him, "Exhausted from his long day's journey. Have you come to our little town to seek your repose? Or, perhaps, to sample the company?"
She settled before him, striking blue eyes fixing him under her stare. Her painted lips pursed and she tossed her raven hair over her shoulder as she brought her fan level with her neck to cool herself.
"I am only passing through," Sasuke said flatly, dropping his gaze to her, "It seems I have caught you in the midst of a celebration. What is the occasion?"
The woman started instantly, whatever guiles she had attempted to impose upon him disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Have you not heard?" She balked at him, "The Akatsuki have ordered a retreat!"
Sasuke blanched.
"What?"
"Yes!" She gripped his arm staunchly and if not for his shock, he would have brushed her off, "A full retreat!"
"That," Sasuke fumbled over his words, "That is not possible."
"We have been set free!" She exclaimed, sweeping her hand out to encompass all the merrymaking around them, "They left in droves - all of them - made off with our supplies, as well, but it matters not now. Without their threat, our trade has resumed."
"But the other villages - ,"
"All liberated," she beamed, "Come! You must celebrate with us."
"No," Sasuke shook himself out of his thoughts and carefully pried his wrist away from the woman's grasp. He was grateful for the effects of the salve in that moment as he could barely feel the resonance of pain she had unintentionally incited, "Thank you, but I am only passing through."
"On to where?" Her lashes fluttered as she gazed upon him, "Surely there could be nothing so pressing as the celebration of our freedom."
"Because you can not see them, it does not mean they are not there," Sasuke said quietly, casting a glance over his shoulder.
"Are you familiar with the Akatsuki, then?" She asked curiously, advancing on him slowly.
"No," he took a step back as her lips curled into a coquettish smile, "Excuse me."
Sasuke turned sharply, knocking into a stout man carrying a tray of steaming soup and tumbled with him to the ground. Bowls clattered around them, splashing their contents on the unfortunate persons nearby.
"I am terribly sorry, I did not see you - ,"
The large man cut Sasuke off with a wave of his hand and an unwavering smile.
"There is no need for apologies," he said joyously as Sasuke got to his feet. He held his hand out to offer the man help who took it with a pleased smile, "It is no life lost."
Sasuke nodded slowly as the man righted himself.
"Come," he continued, "Won't you join us for the feast?"
"No, I must," Sasuke stared blankly at the people around him - they laughed jovially, talked openly, and danced endlessly. He bowed slightly, "I must go. Thank you."
Swiftly, he turned away from them and started frantically back through the town. Fireworks cracked above him and music drifted around him - it was near deafening. An assault of sights and sounds and people barraged him, until he ran behind a small thatched hut separate from all the activity. Safely in the shadows, he took a deep breath to steady himself and leaned against one of the walls as he turned his eyes to the stars. If what she had said was true, if what he witnessed in these villages was real, if the Akatsuki were gone. . .
All those years living in fear and hatred of the people that had torn his clan apart, that had killed his family and forced him into hiding. All those years training, waiting, yearning for the moment he might face them on the battlefield. All those years seeking to one day claim vengeance for his family. All those years surviving in anonymity. . .
If the Akatsuki were gone. . . Then the war was over.
The war was over.
The war was over.
Sasuke trembled as he forced himself to stay upright, as he forced the tears back, as he forced the howl he so desperately wished to unleash down into the darkness. His unsteady fingers closed around his ears as he bowed his head and shut his eyes. If not war, if not vengeance, if not redemption, then what was his purpose? Perhaps he had not realized the gravity of his mission, or at least not comprehended just how much significance he himself had placed upon it, but either way he knew he had lost something. What else defined him but his lineage, his past, his burdens?
He had travelled all this way - and for what? For glory? For freedom? Sasuke forced a whinging breath from his lungs as he realized what this would mean.
He reached a hand to his chest, feeling for the parchment and key - but it was not there. His heart stopped and his eyes snapped open to dart frantically about his dark surroundings. He fell to his knees, hands scrambling for something, anything, for that last piece of her, but he found only dirt and grass.
Shooting to his feet, he retraced his steps, eyes cast to the ground. He tore through the frenzied revelers until he found himself back at the shop of the man with the soup. He scoured the space at his feet, searching for a glint of the key or a hint of -
"Were you looking for this?" The painted woman appeared before him again, brandishing the folded parchment between her middle and index fingers, "I thought you might come back for it."
Sasuke extended his hand towards her expectantly, but she pursed her lips and dropped her eyes to the paper. A respectful sobriety fell over her as she thought for a moment.
"You are a lucky man," she mused, stroking her thumb over the parchment, "But I trust you know that."
"What would possess you to say so?" He swallowed harshly, a slight tremor developing in the tips of his fingers the longer he waited for the woman to hand the letter over.
"She loves you very much," the woman said solemnly, "Too much for words."
With a subtle simper, she dropped the parchment in Sasuke's hand and closed his fingers around it tightly.
"You would do well to keep that safe," reaching up to the hair that sat atop her head in a neat coiffure, she untied the knot keeping the strands together. The woman lowered her hands, sliding a silky black ribbon between her fingers and extended it out for him, "Take this," Sasuke gave her an odd look and she uttered a tittering laugh, "For the key. You should not keep the two together - if you lose one, you will still have the other. But if you lose both, she is lost to you forever."
Sasuke pinched one end of the ribbon, pulling it from her slackened grip. As he smoothed the creases in the soft fabric, he caught her gaze.
"Thank you."
She nodded simply and bowed before him.
"We should all be so lucky," a wistful smile graced her lips and then she turned away from him.
"Wait!" Sasuke called after her. She gave pause, tilting her head in his direction, "The Akatsuki - are they truly gone?"
Her brows furrowed as she studied him.
"Why do you seek them?"
"I do not," he said adamantly, "I seek only to put an end to their oppression."
"Then your mission is complete," she faced him once more, "It has been months since we have seen their kind here. On the day they left, they took everything - our supplies, our livestock, even our wagons and horses. They poisoned our wells and left us with no means for fresh water - ,"
"Poison?"
"Yes. A terrible substance - it causes visions, fits of rage and fear," she shook her head, "We had to seal them off when one of the children died. A few of our men risked their lives traveling on foot trying to get to the other villages for food and water, and that is when we learned they had left there, too."
"There has been no word from them?"
"None whatsoever."
"Are you aware of the camp just beyond your village?" Sasuke pointed in the direction of the gates.
"The soldiers camp?" She appeared confused as she asked slowly, "Have they not all returned home? Has the Emperor not declared victory?"
"They have no notions of your freedom."
"Are you a soldier, then?" Her eyes widened as she took him in again and anger coiled around her words as she spat, "Why have you come now? What good do you do us here?! Our people have died while your men - ,"
Sasuke clamped a hand over her mouth and wrestled her into the shadows behind the soup shop.
"Quiet. They can not know we are here."
The woman tore herself free and glared sharply at him.
"They are not here, because you are far too late. You are of no service to us now. Return to your men and tell them their duty is done!"
With that, she stormed off, blending back into the throng of joyous partisans and leaving Sasuke to linger in the darkness. His mind churned and his heart raced the longer he stood still.
The war was over.
He could return home now, to the palace. He could inform the Emperor of their victory. He could see her again.
Or. . .
Or, he could leave. He could run. He could run far away, far from his memories, far from his mistakes, far from his misery.
He could be free. Forever.
Sasuke tightened his fist around the letter, the key, and the ribbon, then set off towards the center of the town. Suigetsu waited impatiently for him beneath a large oak tree that spilled into the road between the shops.
"Where were you?" He grumbled, "I have had to deny myself the company of many a gracious hosts."
Sasuke scowled as he approached him.
"What did you find?"
"Nothing," he shrugged, "There is no trace of them here - at least, none to suggest they still possess power over this village."
"Nor the next," Sasuke affirmed.
"They told you the same then?"
Sasuke nodded and looked towards the gates.
"We should return to the camp and report to the others."
"Very well. I follow you," Suigetsu swept an arm out in front of him and stepped aside. Sasuke strode forward, adopting a brisk pace and Suigetsu stayed close behind. It was not until they had emerged from the village and found themselves halfway to the camp that he slowed their pace. He had been so eager to leave, but was no more enthusiastic to rush back to the other soldiers. He needed to think, he needed to breathe. Even if only for a moment.
"What do you make of this?" Suigetsu asked curiously, no longer content in the silence.
"I can not say for certain," Sasuke said, irritated by his own confusion as well as Suigetsu's inquiry.
"Come now," he bared his teeth in a wide grin, "Surely you can not be fooled so easily."
"If I am a fool of anything it is not this," Sasuke hissed, turning on him sharply, "But why would I discuss such things with the likes of you? The only reason you are still with us is because Kakashi-san has found you to be a most amusing pet - a decision I still have yet to comprehend. But make no mistake, your presence here is reliant solely on his fascination with you. It is certainly not on the merit of your character or strength as a warrior."
Suigetsu waited patiently for his tirade to end, then asked cheekily,
"And how is your arm?" Off Sasuke's look, he said quickly, "It was an unfair fight, you should not be so sore about it," then, with a coy smile, he added, "Would you like to know why I am still here?"
Sasuke considered him for longer than a breath. The man was an enigma, an oddity that he had neither the care nor the patience to begin to understand. Yet, it seemed this man already understood him. But, stubborn as he was, Sasuke refused to take the bait.
He responded curtly instead, his eyes fixing on the road ahead, "Let us return to the camp, there is much to discuss."
Obito straightened himself as he heard Sasori approaching, tearing his eyes away from the encampment to greet him.
"How is the clan?"
"Eager," Sasori came to a stop beside a tree, propping himself against its trunk.
"As we all are," Obito waved his hand dismissively, "Our patience will be rewarded."
Sasori nodded thoughtfully.
"Would you like me to take over?"
Obito was still for a moment, listening to the rustling leaves and the distant voices from the camp.
"Yes, I think so."
"I will keep watch until you return," Sasori assured him, noting the listlessness in Obito's gaze and the heavy toll that seemed to affect the set of his shoulders. He wondered when his master had last left Konoha, for he seemed most out of sorts beyond its walls. He had not known much of Obito's family, only that they had died long ago and that his lineage had been rooted deep within Konoha's history, but he supposed any distance between a man and his home was bound to inspire notions of melancholy, and so he put it out of his mind, turning his gaze back to the road leading to the camp. From their position, hidden behind the trees and thicket of the forest, he could just make out two figures as they strode down the path.
"Hey," transfixed, Sasori waved Obito over anxiously, " - him. It is him."
"Who?" Obito stepped beside Sasori, craning his neck to make out the two men conversing at the entrance of the barricades.
"The man that killed Takahiro. And that," Sasori pointed to the other figure, his face partially obscured by the form of the man in front of him, "That is the bandit from the village beyond the mountains. Traitorous thief."
But then, Sasori thought, he should have expected no less from a man whose living was to be bought. As he continued to babble obscenities and curses, Obito's attentions became diverted. He recognized the bandit without difficulty. The other man, however, had a striking familiarity about him, one that, though he could place it, he wished not to. Even without Sasori's confirmation that this was the same soldier who he had spoken of to Orochimaru in Konoha, the same soldier who had thwarted the capture of the Emperor's daughter, there was no question of his definitive features. A mess of solid black hair sat atop his head and, though the man's back was to him as they walked into the camp, his stature - somewhat taller and more broad shouldered - was unmistakable.
"That is him," Sasori hissed again, "Uzumaki Sasuke."
Obito clenched his fist as the swell of his rage crested and crashed over him. Patience, he reminded himself. Patience. He could not act without Orochimaru's blessing, but the knowledge that his former clan persisted still outside of himself was nearly too much for him to bear. Patience. He could feel himself trembling against the fury that swallowed him with every second that passed.
The clan that had cast him aside persisted. The bloodline he had forsaken beat on. And the brother of the man that had been chosen over him still lived. Itachi's brother had survived the massacre.
"Patience," the chill in Obito's voice was all he could manage as he felt the control over his personage wavering, "He will be ours in time."
He breathed sharply through his nostrils.
In time. Sasuke.