Forbidden

by blackrosedrippingred

Set in a time reminiscent of the Feudal Era, Sasuke, a palace guard, and Sakura, the Emperor's daughter, must navigate the difficulties of a forbidden love while the threat of war hangs over their nation.

27. Chapter 27

Daniel, again, seriously, thank you so much! What a fun chapter, but what a beast to edit.

---

"They could not simply have absconded without so much as a threat to our ranks," Naruto said, staring blankly ahead of him, "Why would they do that?"

He turned to Kakashi for an answer, but the man merely shook his head as he stroked his chin. Sasuke's eyes flicked up briefly to Suigetsu, who paced beside the fire, before he addressed Naruto.

"I do not know, but that is what we were told."

"It is a ruse," Suigetsu said decidedly, "It must be. They know we are here and so they will wait for our guard to fall before they attack."

Sasuke did not remark on the familiarity with which Suigetsu seemed to speak, though he did wonder how the man came to be so comfortable amongst him and the other soldiers. Or why they all seemed so comfortable with him in turn. Sasuke was more willing to admit now, at least to himself, that he might have missed some greater aspect of the man's character, but he still held his doubts.

Adversely, Naruto shook his head, ever the optimist in the room as he offered, "Or, perhaps they have learned of our numbers now and know they will be outmatched. It could be the villagers were telling the truth," at once, his countenance changed. He turned to his brother with alighted eyes, "We could go home."

Sasuke could not bring himself to respond - it took everything in him to even nod his acknowledgement of the notion. Meanwhile, Kakashi remained silent and Sasuke shifted his gaze to look at him. But the man was far off, eye glazed and mouth tightened. Before he had even said a word, he stood and took off at a steady pace towards the barracks. Sasuke frowned and Suigetsu slowed his pace, both of them watching him go.

"It makes no sense," Sasuke spoke finally, his voice a coil of frustration and unease, a tenuous wire ready to snap, "They have used any manner of underhanded tactics to win this war - they attacked the palace twice - and yet the moment we bring reinforcements, they flee."

Naruto rested a hand on Sasuke's good arm in an attempt at placation.

"This is the best we could have hoped for," he said urgently, "It is far better than prolonging this war. Trust me."

Sasuke set his jaw tight and looked off towards the horizon. The sun would peak soon, but he was not yet tired. No, he was restless, desperate and disturbed by these newfound revelations. Nothing had gone according to plan. Nothing had gone right since his departure from the palace. Nothing was as it was supposed to be. And he was stuck in the middle of it all.

"We can not leave yet," Sasuke said adamantly. It could not end so unceremoniously; there had to be more, "You should delay your travel to set up the other camp in the meantime. We may need to fortify our position here."

"What will you do, then?" Naruto peered at his brother curiously and Suigetsu paused in his steps, as though he, too, were eager for Sasuke's response. But he was somber for a moment as he considered his choices, unsure of what he should do in such a position. The power was his now, the soldiers at his whim, but he was not a leader. He was only a man. Less than. . .

Although, if he did not have vengeance, he did not have purpose. And if he did not have purpose, he had nothing - he was nothing.

"We will proceed without change. I will station guards in the village and we will continue on to the next," his shoulders slumped as he propped his elbows on his knees and placed his hands at his chin, "There is nothing more to be done now."

Naruto chuckled at his brother's frustration.

"War is not what you expected, is it?"

Sasuke inhaled deeply, composing himself.

"It is not what I remember," he said solemnly, eyes passing to Suigetsu who lurked at their side with a curious expression.

"There will be time for bloodshed, there always is," Naruto said gravely, "Enjoy the peace while you can and stop looking for a fight," he eyed his brother carefully, "Because, when it comes, you will not be ready."

Sasuke hardly had the time to feel insulted as Naruto got to his feet and proceeded towards his tent for the night. He thought he knew what to expect of war. He thought he had seen it the night the Akatsuki had attacked his clan. But he was becoming less sure of that with every moment he spent at the front. If he returned to the palace, what then? What of his future? Was he to live out the rest of his days there? Sasuke raised a hand to his temples, his mind ailed by the strain of his thoughts.

Now that he was settled, he had begun to notice the salve's effect wearing off, the incessant throb of the wound on his forearm returning. With a sharp hiss, he clasped his wrist and squeezed until the pressure he'd created whited out the pain.

"Shall I get you something for that?" Rather than the teasing tone Suigetsu had so mockingly imposed before, there was now a peculiar sincerity that Sasuke could not place. A sincerity of concern? Contrition?

"I am fine," he bit out and stood suddenly. Ignoring the pulsation that slowly trickled back into his arm, he stormed off. His feet carried him to the edge of the camp where the mountains came into view and he paused to admire the scene in front of him. The fireworks had stopped, the clouds had cleared, and a myriad of stars swam around him, twinkling so brightly that they might defy the moon.

It was a different night now. A different sky. Maybe she was looking up at her sky, too. Sasuke's fingers twitched, aching for the key around his neck, but he stalled himself. He had spent the majority of his time dwelling on the past since he'd arrived and it had not done him any good. To think about her, to hope for her, to dwell on her would do him no good either.

After all, that's what she was now - his past.

---

Deidara ran his fingers over the stone walls of their hideout. He often considered himself a patient man, but there was a measure of anxiety settling upon him with every encroaching hour. The attack was imminent and, more than anything, he felt himself succumbing to a fear that was near crippling. He could not fail them, he could not fail himself, and he could not fail Kabuto's memory. Sasori was assured of the Akatsuki's success and thus had attempted to assuage Deidara's own uncertainty. But the truth was his doubts had only grown since his training had begun.

"Are you ready?" His commander's voice shook him from his thoughts and he stood to attention in the vastly empty hall. Situated well beneath the surface as they were, there was a reverent echo that traveled the length of the winding corridor as she spoke.

"Yes, Commander," he said stiffly.

"Relax," her voice was quiet as she waved her hand to allay him, "You would not be here if we did not have such faith in you."

"Thank you."

"You should know, he is very pleased by your talents with explosives."

Deidara bowed deeply.

"I am happy to share my knowledge."

"It will get you far," she commended him, though the hardness of her features gave nothing away, "Farther than Sasori ever promised you. If you are successful at the front, he will reward you greatly - I assure you of that."

"Thank you," he said again, his unease dissipating slightly, though he swallowed the misgivings that had been with him since he had pledged his loyalty; he was not so certain they would be received with the same geniality. After all, Sasori's demands were absolute. Obito's word was law.

And no one defied Lord Orochimaru.

"You should return to the others, the command could come at any moment and you need to rest," she instructed him.

"Yes, Commander," Deidara bowed once more, swallowed his guilt, swallowed his trepidation, and turned on his heel.

---

"I have been thinking," Suigetsu began as they rode on horseback down the winding forest path, "If the Akatsuki had us cut you off at the pass, how could they have known you were coming?"

Sasuke peered over at his companion. It was just the two of them that night on the second day of their journey to the next village and, against his better judgement, he found himself liking it much more that way. He supposed it might have had something to do with the rest of his regiment remaining safely behind. He did not have to fear for their lives, nor assume the role of leader. He did not bear the same responsibilities and, around Suigetsu, there were no airs to put on.

Or, almost none.

"The Emperor bartered with the Sand and in turn he gave us his soldiers," Sasuke spoke carefully, "If what the villagers have said is true, then the Akatsuki knew months ago that we were coming here - they must have known. That means they have eyes in the Sand," he grew more solemn as he continued on, "It seems as though they have eyes everywhere."

"Suppose they did order a retreat - ,"

"What do you mean?"

"If they found out we could not stop you, perhaps they believed there was no other course of action."

"And you believe that?"

"No," Suigetsu said with a laugh, "And I suspect you do not either."

"I do not know what to believe," he admitted, "Only what I wish to believe."

"And what is that?" Suigetsu prodded, but Sasuke looked away from him, adamant about remaining silent on the matter. So, Suigetsu took another course, "You are from Konoha, yes?"

"Yes," Sasuke could not keep himself from tensing at the question.

"Do you remember the night the Uchiha fell?"

"No," he lied.

"I was too young," Suigetsu said, turning his eyes forward, "But I remember when word came to my province. The elders held a memorial in their honor. There was nary a man, woman, or child that did not light a candle that night. And the next day, the Akatsuki came to destroy our village. The bandits came after, to pillage what remained. I left with them and have not returned since."

"Have you ever wished to?"

"No," Suigetsu shook his head.

"I thought you had no home to think of?"

"It was not a home," despite the somber topic, Suigetsu smirked, "It was a street to sleep on, a shop to earn my keep at - nothing more."

"And your family?"

"Dead or unknown to me," he shrugged, "I found a new family."

"The bandits?"

Suigetsu chuckled and looked over at Sasuke, but did not offer an answer. Despite himself, Sasuke opened his mouth again.

"Why are you here?"

"Pardon?"

"The other night, you asked if I wanted to know - why are you really here?"

Suigetsu's mouth dropped open just as the whistle of a firework sailed above them. It crackled into an explosion of light, spooking the horses - the pair of which bucked and neighed. Sasuke soothed his steed, tightening his hold on the reins and slowing him to a steady clop. Suigetsu followed suit, sidling up to Sasuke who still peered at him expectantly.

"Another time, perhaps," he smiled and jerked his head in the direction of the approaching village, "For now, we have work to do."

After a moment of silence, a contemplative look, Sasuke conceded and rode to the gates with Suigetsu at his side.

---

Obito walked through the trees of the forest, measuring his steps with every one that Kakashi took on the other side of the barricades. Through the slits in the wooden posts, he kept his eyes on the silver haired man, following him like the shadow at his feet. He had not expected to see him at the front - or the younger Uchiha - but he would not allow it to complicate his mission. His fierce desire to get his hands on the man mere yards from him, the man he had once called friend, would only make their victory all the more sweet.

"Anything?" Sasori asked as he came upon Obito.

"Nothing."

"The men have been ready. How long are we to wait before we receive word from Lord Orochimaru?"

"Patience," Obito recited, turning his head to face Sasori, "Konoha is a far journey from here."

"We are wasting time," Sasori spat, frustrated, "We should attack now, while we can!"

"That is not your decision to make," Obito responded coldly, "We wait for Lord Orochimaru's instruction."

"Why?" He protested, "The man sits comfortably in his tower while we wage his war in the dirt. A true leader - a leader like you - fights at our side."

"Silence yourself before I am forced to," Obito hissed darkly, folding his arms over his chest, "Lord Orochimaru is not a man to be crossed. It is because of his guidance, his belief, his power, that I am here - and you as well. You can not fault him for his diligence. He does nothing lightly, because he would not risk even the life of one man under his charge. You could learn something from such fidelity."

"If I spoke out of turn - ,"

"You did, as you are oft to do," Obito scowled.

Sasori looked away, ashamed and infuriated both by his disobedience and Obito's obstinance.

"I will take watch," he said quietly, turning on his heel to the nearest tree. With a skill that was now second nature to him, he ascended the wide trunk with ease, pulling himself to a high branch shrouded by a dense smattering of leaves. He settled there, leaning back as he prepared for a long night. With a heavy sigh, he cast his eyes to the figures below, watching as the soldiers mingled idly. Their annihilation was imminent, yes, and long had he desired to play such a crucial role in the downfall of the Haruno Empire, but despite all he had pledged to the clan, his devotion in body and mind, he found he had little to show for it.

Sasori reached behind him, fingers inching towards the brand beneath his tunic. The brand was supposed to make him special, not simply another cloak in the crowd. It was supposed to make him a leader, not another follower. It was supposed to separate him from the rest, yet he still bent to the will of the man they called Lord. A man he had scarcely seen and heard even less from. He dug his fingers into the skin over his shoulder blade with a growl. A man that had made him no better than a puppet on strings.

---

"If this is war, I could quite happily spend the rest of my days traveling and drinking my way through the world," Suigetsu joked as they exited another shop, although he quickly became distracted by a passing group of brightly dressed women, "So long as I might stop and enjoy the people every so often."

"Pull yourself together," Sasuke grumbled as they made their way back to the horses. Despite the merriment they had just witnessed, he found himself to be in a far gloomier mood than when they had first arrived.

"Are we leaving so soon?" Suigetsu lamented.

"I see no reason to stay."

"We could rest the night," he stumbled as he tried to walk forward and look back at the village at the same time.

"We can do that in a tent," Sasuke replied flippantly.

"Do you not miss the feel of a warm bed at night?" He cupped his hands together as though some offering might fall from the sky in answer. Sasuke shook his head slowly, dizzied slightly.

"It is not the bed I miss," he retorted with a slur before he could stop himself. He cursed the drink in his system and vowed never to indulge so much in Suigetsu's presence, though he doubted the occasion would ever arise again.

"Oh?" He asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Come on, it is almost sunrise," Sasuke said urgently, shrugging off Suigetsu's interest. He unhitched his steed and mounted the saddle swiftly, then watched as Suigetsu unceremoniously did the same.

"So, there is a woman waiting for you?" He said, slinging his foot forward repeatedly and missing the stirrup each time.

"You had better be well enough to ride," Sasuke scowled as Suigetsu struggled with the reins, "We are not stopping until nightfall."

"What is her name?" He persisted, flashing a triumphant grin when he had finally managed to secure himself on the saddle.

"Hitch your horse to mine," Sasuke held his hand out, but Suigetsu waved him off. With a skeptic look, Sasuke steered his steed onto the road, maintaining a slow pace as Suigetsu maneuvered himself to catch up. As they began to retrace their path from the camp, the village, just now beginning to slumber, shrank with every gallop forward. Unfortunately for Sasuke, Suigetsu seemed all the more chatty in his inebriation and so he surmised the journey ahead would be a long one.

"What is next for us then?" Suigetsu asked cheerfully.

"Next?"

"Will we move on to the other villages?"

"I am not sure," Sasuke bristled, keeping his eyes forward, "What does it matter to you?"

"I follow you," Suigetsu shrugged, his eyes turning up to watch a bird flying overhead.

"Why do you say that?"

"Hm?" He asked, a genuine perplexity in his gaze as it fell back to Sasuke.

"You recite it as though it is a creed."

"It is," he answered simply.

"What does it mean?" Sasuke threw a look back at his companion.

"I follow you."

"But - ,"

"It is a creed for us thieves," Suigetsu chuckled at his frustration, "We do not live by much, but we do live by honor."

Sasuke scoffed.

"Honor among thieves," he clarified.

"I am not a thief."

"You are no less deserving of honor," he brandished a wide grin, "Or respect."

"Then, you say it out of respect?"

"Precisely," he nodded, "You ought to be flattered."

"Hn."

"It is not something I say lightly," he explained earnestly, the gravity of his voice becoming apparent, but Sasuke, unsettled, refused his gaze, keeping his attention ahead, "Nor do I offer my loyalty to just anyone."

"And I suppose you offered it to Kakashi-san?"

"Not in so many words," he paused for a contemplative moment, "Do you think he would accept it if I did?"

"I can not say."

"Would you?"

Sasuke peered at him from his peripheral, his lips parting to respond before he thought better of it.

"Come on, we must make better time," he spurred his horse into a run as the sun began to rise. Suigetsu followed close behind and called out over the heavy clop of hooves, insistent that he would be heard,

"So, what will you do then?" he asked, "If the war is truly over."

"Do you think it is?" Sasuke practically had to yell to be heard over the rush of wind.

"Suppose it is," Suigetsu pressed, "What will you do?"

"I," Sasuke started, avoiding his companion's persistent gaze, "I do not know."

"Ah," he smiled, but it was void of his usual humor, "You do not wish to return to the palace."

"Of course I do," Sasuke protested, throwing a glare at Suigetsu.

"Then why not go?"

"We do not know the nature of what is occurring here - not for certain."

"Is it not obvious enough?"

"You yourself have said it is inconsequential!" Sasuke rounded on him, his ire getting the better of him and his steed cutting off Suigetsu's horse.

"It is illogical, surely, but suppose it is true," his eyes fixed on Sasuke as he stood immobile in the middle of the path, "What would you do if not return to the palace? To her?"

"You speak of what you do not know," Sasuke glared, his mount pacing where they had stalled.

"You are correct," his eyes narrowed, "But I know enough," his lips twitched up in a willful smirk, "I know that you hide that key beneath your tunic - even from your own brother. I know that that little slip of paper in your coin purse is worn to almost nothing from the many times you have taken it out to read it. And I know there is something you are hiding at the palace, because every time you hear the word, you are gone like a leaf to the wind. I can only assume that is what fuels your reluctance to return."

"You think me scared of a woman?" Sasuke snorted.

"Terrified," Suigetsu challenged him. Sasuke glowered at the man before him.

"As a soldier, I am beholden to my duty to the Emperor," he could narrowly contain the tremor in his voice as he spoke, "That is not something so easily shucked, despite your own assertion that such a freedom is a choice. My duty is not a sword that I may sheath when I am weary of its encumbrances, rather it is the scabbard that never leaves my side. To suppose her presence at the palace is what keeps me from returning - ,"

"So it is her?"

"It is many things," Sasuke finally admitted, somewhat defeated by the onus of his fears and of his failure through the circumstances of this war.

"Would you leave if you could?"

"I would not know where to go."

"Anywhere. You could come with me," Suigetsu offered with a smile, "That is the beauty of freedom, Sasuke."

"You said you chose your freedom," he spat, "This is not freedom."

"It is what I make of it."

"Then you are most fortunate in that regard," Sasuke said bitterly, staring him down.

"And the letter? The key?" Suigetsu asked, cocking his eyebrows, "It seems they only serve to shackle you to the past."

"Hn," Sasuke shook his head, "And if I forsook my duty, what then?"

"Freedom."

Sasuke tightened his jaw to keep from speaking further. With his whited grip on the reins, he yanked them sharply, steering his steed back onto the path towards the camp.

---

"Hokage-sama," the emissary bowed to Orochimaru who stood before the monument to Uwabami in the deserted underground temple.

"What is it?"

"The Emperor's soldiers have joined his army at the front."

"Good," he raised his hand to the marble in front of him, watching the warmth of the candles he had lit dancing on its surface, "And their numbers?"

"At least a hundred," the messenger answered, "Perhaps more."

"Obito and Sasori are in position?"

"Yes. And the other soldiers are waiting at the base."

"Very good," Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully, raising his eyes to those of the god above him, "Then, it is time for us to strike. Upon the return of our men, we must ready the village for the Emperor's arrival - I will be expecting him soon."

"And the provinces at the front?" The emissary paused, but when Orochimaru offered him no more, he proceeded on, "What of them?"

"The Emperor's army is our objective," he turned to face his messenger and folded his hands cordially in front of him, "But I would never deny my clan the opportunity to set to rights those who have wronged us. The element of our surprise would surely be defeated if the villages were to warn them of our approach. We must ensure that does not happen."

"Yes, Sir."

The emissary bowed and made his exit. Orochimaru waited a few breaths until he was certain he was alone once more, then turned his attention back to Uwabami. He lowered himself to his knees and placed his hands upon the wooden dais that supported the god's likeness. As he ran his fingers along its edge, he felt for the small latch hidden in a hollowed out pocket on the side. With the pad of his thumb, he pressed it upwards and a slim drawer slid open before him. He pushed aside the pendant and the leather bound journal on top, then reached to the back to retrieve the small pouch that housed his seer stones, the obsidian substance he so often gifted to his pupils. As he pulled a small fragment of it out, he resolved he would have to cure more in the coming days, but for tonight, that piece alone would do. He walked it to the basin in the center of the room and dropped it into the ravenous fire. At once, the smoke billowed into the air, surrounding him, encompassing him, and devouring his senses.

---

Sasuke knew the words by heart now. If he closed his eyes, he could recreate every sweep and curve of her handwriting. If he closed his eyes, he could hear her voice reciting the letter to him as though she were right beside him. If he closed his eyes, the hand that clutched the paper over his chest became hers. If he closed his eyes, he was back in her bed, listening to her remark on whatever had captured her attention that day, breathing in the fragrance of her hair as he stroked his fingers through the strands, and basking in the warmth of her body against his as they lay naked beside each other.

Sasuke sighed and folded the parchment, but kept a tight hold on it. He sat slumped against a mossy rock, while Suigetsu bathed in the stream that ran alongside their tents. They had hitched the horses to a nearby tree and unloaded their supplies for the night, but neither had seemed particularly keen on sleeping just yet. And though Sasuke had found the hunger to eat, he had regretted every bite, the rations only serving to dampen his mood further.

He raised his eyes to the sky above, the soft glow of the moon bestowed upon him as his memories consumed him.

"Do you know what name is given to people who stare at the moon?" Suigetsu called over to him.

"Lunatics."

"Yes," he responded after a brief pause, surprised by Sasuke's answer, "How did you know that?"

"It was told to me once," he said softly.

"That letter you keep," Suigetsu began, changing the course of the conversation suddenly, "Is either a profession of love or a rejection of it."

"It would not matter either way," Sasuke scowled, too weary from his counterpart's incessant questioning to bother hiding the truth any longer.

"And the key?"

"It is a key."

"To what?" Suigetsu hoisted himself out of the water and Sasuke shut his eyes, lest he see something he truly wished he had not, "To her heart?"

He scoffed, but chose to ignore the retort, while, to his right, he could hear Suigetsu fumbling with something Sasuke desperately wished were clothes.

"Why have you not told your brother?"

"I have not told anyone."

"Wait," an inkling of suspicion seeped into his words and he went rigid as he asked, "Are you in love with the same woman?"

"No!" Sasuke's eyes shot open as he glared at a half dressed Suigetsu, before pushing himself to his feet with his good arm and storming off to their tent.

"I meant no offense!" He yelled ruefully, "It is a rational question!"

Sasuke glowered to himself and flopped back on the blanket he had laid on the ground, beneath the canopy of their canvas. He smoothed out the creases of the parchment as best he could and with a practiced care, then reached for the leather pouch attached to his trousers. He untied the drawstrings and slipped the letter through the small mouth where it joined the rations of coin he had taken for the journey.

As he turned himself over in search of a comfortable position, he caught the glint of a piece of gold sticking out of a pocket on Suigetsu's pack. Casting a glance to the slim partition of the canvas flaps, Sasuke ensured he could still see him beside the stream outside and crawled towards the bag. He flipped the pocket open and slid out what appeared to be a large gold pendant hanging from a rather mismatched chain. As he ran his thumb across the surface of it, he felt the deep grooves of whatever had been carved there, but in the darkened night, he could not make them out. Before he could investigate further, he heard the approach of footsteps, hastily shoved the pendant back in its place and returned to his side of the tent.

---

"Then we rejoin them at the palace," Naruto said simply, "Right, Kakashi-san?"

"If the Akatsuki have indeed called a retreat, then I see no reason to stop us from going home," Kakashi agreed, but upon seeing Naruto's jubilant reaction, he hastily added, "Tell no one of this, yet. Not until we are certain we are leaving. We will have to get word to the Emperor first. At his behest, we will determine our next move."

Naruto clasped a hand on Sasuke's shoulder as he grinned broadly.

"I will be able to see Hinata-chan again," his voice was low, but brimming with excitement about the prospects before him. Then, he added quietly, just to Sasuke, "Mother and Father, they might be able to return to the palace now, too."

"Yes," Sasuke could only nod as he stared blankly into the fire. He could feel Suigetsu's eyes on him, boring into the side of his head as though the man were trying to read his mind. For once, he wished Suigetsu could, for even he himself did not know what thoughts were manifesting there.

"You should all get some rest," Kakashi declared, "We can convene tomorrow and send our correspondence to the palace then."

With that, he stood and retreated to his tent. As silence settled, Naruto and Sasuke each became lost in their own thoughts and Suigetsu decided there would be no better time for him to retire for the evening. He did not bother bidding them a good night, for he did not wish to distract from their attentions, but, unbeknownst to him, Sasuke watched him go every step of the way.

When they were finally alone, Sasuke exhaled a heavy sigh and turned to face Naruto.

"You were right," he admitted, his heart fluttering against the cage of his chest. With every day the reality of war had become more of an illusion and, though he knew it preposterous, his hope had soared at the thought that he might have the opportunity to return to the palace, to return to her, "I met a woman."

Naruto subdued a cocky grin as he looked over at his brother.

"Tell me about her."

Sasuke averted his gaze to the fire crackling before them. Propping his elbows on his knees, he leaned forward, enraptured by the flames as they danced in the modest wind. The warmth of the flickering embers offered him some solace as he once more found himself confronted by what he had hoped so fiercely to finally put behind him.

"She is smart."

Her curious eyes peered at him over the edge of one of her medical journals.

"Beautiful."

Tendrils of her hair came loose as she spun with a snarl, her blade clashing with his.

Sasuke cleared his throat roughly, blinking his eyes rapidly to shake him from his trance. Some things were too private, too sacred. If he spoke of her humor, her courage, her autonomy, perhaps they would cease to be. If he shared such things, then they would no longer belong to him, and him alone. To give voice to these aspects of her would be to manifest them into existence. And, for now, she existed only in his memory, but if he continued to speak of her or think of her or dream of her, she would become real again. Then, everything he had done to distance himself from her, from their feelings, from their calamitous romance, would have been for naught.

"All the things a man might want in a woman?" Naruto suggested. Sasuke was silent and so Naruto prodded, "Is she nobility?"

His brother stiffened ever so slightly, but Naruto caught the reaction with a grin.

"Yes," Sasuke admitted shamefully.

"Ambitious."

"Hn."

He had never meant to be, least of all with her, but it was not something he could help now. The longer he remained quiet, though, the hotter Naruto's gaze on him became, until it burned more than the flames in front of him.

"What?" Sasuke asked, irritated.

"It is nothing. Only - I never expected you to fall in love," he said with a flourish of his hand.

"I never said I was in love," Sasuke protested.

"But you are, aren't you?" His brother grinned, "Why else would you speak of her?"

Sasuke's eyes snapped to the knowing look on Naruto's face, an act he instantly regretted.

"What is her name?"

"It does not matter," Sasuke said abruptly, shaking his head, "It is done with now."

"How can you say such a thing?" Naruto balked, admonishing him, "There is not a possession in this world I would trade for Hinata-chan."

"It is not a matter of what I would trade," he shook his head, aggravated that his brother did not understand, but also that he could not understand. For, in order for him to understand, Sasuke would have to tell him the truth. And that, quite simply, was something he could not do.

"Is she betrothed to another?"

"She will be."

"Sasuke - ,"

"It is fine. It is the nature of such things," he rubbed his jaw, feeling the stubble there and resolving to shave that night, "What could I have to offer anyway?"

"There is somebody out there for you," Naruto scooted closer to Sasuke and draped an arm around his shoulder, "I believe it."

Despite himself, Sasuke smirked and looked at his brother, who grinned like the hopeful fool he was. A calming hush fell over them as they sat beside each other. Only the spit of the fire and the far off prattle of a few soldiers surrounded them. But the longer the silence stretched between them, the more Sasuke was forced to think about what would come.

After that moment, when he stood from that makeshift bench, when the Emperor inevitably called his soldiers home, when the war was officially over. . . After that moment, where would he go? What would he do?

Who would he be?

---

Orochimaru knelt on the stone floor beside a shivering Obito. Uwabami observed them from his marble perch, now fully evolved, slitted eyes trained on the intimate exchange.

"One m-more time," he blubbered, "Let me s-see her. O-One more t-time."

"No," Orochimaru replied coldly, unwavering as he looked on at his prodigy.

"Please," Obito raised his reddened orbs frantically, his hands twisted in a furious grasp that marred his already purpled flesh. Months of training and trials had scarred him, transforming him into something more than a mere man. His hands were weathered and calloused, the muscles in his arms and legs defined, but still, beating persistently in his chest, there was his fragile heart. It's insistence for dominion over his being was a battle he had yet to win, but continued to fight with every breath. Yet, in that moment, he found himself finally ready to surrender.

"I have granted you the tools to unleash your power, but still you resist," Orochimaru stood slowly and began to circle his hunched form, "If you refuse to take control of your own destiny, how do you ever hope to take your revenge?"

"Revenge will n-not return her to my arms," Obito fell forward, his fingers splaying on the stone. His fallen tears wetted and darkened the floor beneath him. Quietly, he pleaded, "But you can. Orochimaru-sama, I beg of you - p-please. Return her t-to me."

A violent tremor ran up his spine and he heaved dryly, but his mentor made no move to help him, nor did he offer any concern towards his wellbeing. In fact, he did not seem surprised by the man's illness in the wake of his apparent withdrawals. Where Obito might have foolishly expected kindness, compassion, or some form of empathy, he was instead met with a calculating gaze and an infallible cruelty.

"She is a crutch for your sorrow when she should be the flame for your rage," Orochimaru's voice was level and calm, monotonous as though he were reciting a practiced speech, "What will you do when you finally face him?"

Obito was silent, save the heavy pants forcing their way past his lips. His stomach undulated with every breath, but he found there was nothing else he could produce to quell his sickness.

"Will you cower as you do now? Will you be rendered inept by the mere sight of him? By the mere mention of her name? Or will it be by the whisper of her memory?" The fine cloths that adorned his body swept out behind him with every step, "When we raise our army against those that defy us, will you surrender at their behest? When you are faced with your former clan, what will you do? The Uchihas, whose name you bore, cast you aside in favor of a child. How will you repay them? In service?" Orochimaru held a hand out to the basin of fire, his fingers close enough that they almost kissed the flames, "Or in blood?"

Obito clenched his fists, his gut twisting in knots of sickness, guilt, regret, anguish - and so much more that he could scarcely put a name to it all. With a swift flourish of his robes, Orochimaru started for the door of the temple.

"Wait!" Obito reached a weary hand outward, blurred vision fixing on the man in front of him. His voice was hoarse, his body fatigued, and his spirit nearly broken, but his resolve had hardened. He knew what he must do, and also what he would need to do it.

For her.

For the life they might have had. For the life they once did. For the memories that had begun to fade.

And for the love that never would.

"Obito."

A soft nudge to his shoulder roused him and he sat up sharply. Sasori eyed him cautiously, forehead creased and eyebrows furrowed. He was slouched against the brick wall in the corner of their abandoned well house in the middle of the forest, not in the temple beneath the village of Konoha, despite how real his dream had felt. But the errant rhythm of his heart began to slow as he breathed in the musty stench around him.

"You were talking in your sleep again."

Obito nodded stiffly and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms. He did not care to know what he might have uttered in his stupor; it would surely trouble him more than the prospect of ignorance as to what Sasori might have overheard.

"Have we received word from the camp?"

"Not yet," Sasori sighed and looked up to the angled roof where a small partition allowed for the entrance of a dim shaft of moonlight, "I am growing sick of all this waiting."

With the roots of his dream still seeded deep within his mind, Obito barely gave the outburst a single thought. Where he would normally outrightly correct such impudence, he, instead, silently agreed. Patience had been a staple of his teachings, a necessary tool to his vendetta, but now, with his objective so close, with Kakashi just on the other side of a wall -

"We strike together or not at all," Obito raised himself to his feet steadily and looked off towards the path that led to the camp, "But we will strike. It is only a matter of time."

---

Long after Naruto had gone to his tent, Sasuke remained, fingering the key around his neck and watching the dying light of the fire as it danced across the metal surface. It was becoming clearer to him now, the imminence of the war's conclusion. The Akatsuki had ordered a full retreat. Though they had not announced their surrender yet, the Emperor would declare his victory in due time.

But not a single thing had gone according to plan since his departure from her. His disillusionment with war had only succeeded in increasing to the point that he was not even certain there had been a war to begin with. The road he had first set out on, one of valor, redemption, and honor, now diverged before him. He could return to claim a victory that was not owed to him, a victory that he had not earned his keep in, a victory that he had not bled, nor sweat, nor even breathed for.

Or he could seize the opportunity seemingly laid before him.

Now was his chance. He could leave this all behind. He could finally live a life on his own terms. He could live to no expectations but his own. He could live free.

Naruto had a place at the palace; he had made a home there, as well as a name for himself. But all Sasuke had done his entire life was borrow. He had borrowed a name, borrowed a story, borrowed a home. And now he had the chance to make something that was truly his.

Maybe the Uchiha line would end with him. Maybe there was no redemption for his family. Maybe there was no future with her in it.

But maybe he could live a life of peace - a life that would be better for him.

And a life that would be better for her, too.

Sasuke came to his feet slowly, the stiffness of his muscles alerting him to just how long he had been hunched in that position, but before he could take even a step, he spotted Suigetsu walking towards him.

"I was hoping you were still awake," he said with a smile.

"Why is that?" Sasuke tucked the key beneath his tunic as Suigetsu paused before him, a trepidation in his gaze.

"I am leaving this place," he finally spoke, solemn in his tone, "Tomorrow night."

The offer was there, unspoken, yet apparent between them.

But Sasuke had already made up his mind.

"I will go with you," he said firmly.

"You will?" Suigetsu appeared delighted at the prospect.

"You were right. I can not return to the palace."

"You will not need to," Suigetsu beamed, "I assure you."

"Where will we go?" There was still a hesitation in his voice, but as much as the future daunted him, he knew the alternative was unthinkable.

"Sasuke, we can go anywhere we want!"

"Quiet yourself," he hissed sharply, closing some of the distance between them to keep their conversation intimate. He faltered as he said, "I will inform Naruto in the morning, but no one else."

"You trust him not to say anything?" Suigetsu did not even attempt to hide his skepticism.

"With my life," Sasuke said firmly, his eyes narrowed, "He is my brother."

Suigetsu nodded, satisfied, and, though Sasuke was still unsure of all that lay ahead, he found himself beginning to warm to the possibilities that stretched before them. They were bountiful, unending in their opportunity, and all without consequence.

---

Sasuke found Naruto the next morning after breakfast in his tent, readying himself for the day.

"Ah, Sasuke," he said with a grin and gestured to the belongings scattered around him. He was clearly preparing for their impending departure, "I can scarcely believe it, can you? I was beginning to think I might never see the palace again - or her."

"Naruto," Sasuke raised his hand hesitantly, inching for the key around his neck.

"I am going to ask Hinata-chan to marry me," he nodded to himself, "Yes, it is time. We can take residence at the palace - perhaps I can secure a position as a delegate to Kizashi-sama - or I will find us a place out in the country - ,"

"Naruto, I - ,"

"You must be there when I ask her, I will need your help of course - ,"

"Naruto!" Sasuke flinched at his tone as Naruto paused in his movements to face his brother. Sighing heavily, he said gravely, "I must ask a favor of you."

"Anything," Naruto remarked with a fervent nod. Sasuke took a deep breath, clutched the key and pulled the ribbon over his head. He held it in front of him, admiring the trinket for just a moment more. It was a small thing, of no remarkable make, yet it held a weight more devastating than he could have ever imagined.

"When you return," he began slowly, offering the ribbon to Naruto. Perturbed by the severity of Sasuke's tone, he reached for it hesitantly, "Will you give this to her?"

"Sasuke, no," Naruto shoved the key at his chest, abhorred by what his brother's words suggested, but Sasuke caught his hand in a tight fist, closing their fingers around the teeth of the metal.

"Please," he was more disparate than Naruto had ever seen him, yet his voice was quiet, despondent, as he said, "Either something is coming or nothing is. But there is no life for me in glory - or servitude."

Naruto's wide blue orbs softened and his shoulders dropped with the weight of his brother's words.

"You will not return with us," there was no question in his words, but the slight nod of Sasuke's head solidified it. The prickle of tears began in Naruto's eyes as he stared at Sasuke in disbelief.

"I have no place there."

"Not with her?" he argued.

"Most especially," Sasuke shook his head slowly. There was a moment of reverent silence, a contentious battle within himself, before Naruto opened his mouth and asked,

"Not even as my brother?"

Without delay, Sasuke clasped a hand at the back of Naruto's neck, pulling him close until their foreheads rested together. He might have made his decision, but it did not stall the tremor in his fingers or the thickness in his throat as he stared, unblinking, into Naruto's eyes.

"I will always be your brother," Sasuke avowed fiercely.

Naruto was stiff, tears trailing down his cheeks, afraid to move for fear that he might fall apart completely. As much as it broke his heart, there was nothing left to be said about it. He knew that Sasuke's mind was not so easily changed, and why should his brother trade freedom for a life behind walls?

With a silly laugh, Naruto pulled away and brandished the key before slipping it around his neck.

"How will I know who she is?"

Sasuke smirked, but he struggled to hold it in place, to maintain his façade of staunch resolution.

"She will come find you."

Naruto rolled his eyes and swiped at his tears.

"At least tell me her name."

Sasuke shook his head solemnly.

"I can not," his eyes pled, begging Naruto to let him keep this secret, at least for a little while longer.

At least, until he could no longer.

---

"Brothers!" Obito called out to the throng of Akatsuki standing to attention in front of him. Orochimaru's herald stood to the side, enthralled in the unfolding speech and emboldened by the energy exuded from his clan, "Today is the day we claim our futures once and for all! No more will we be held at the mercy of the Emperor's corruption. His oppression dies with the rest of those dogs that have pledged their allegiances to him. Now, we strike!"

A raucous chorus of cheers and battlecries sounded from the crowd, reverberating through the clearing they had congregated in. As Obito continued to speak, provoking the rest of the clan, Deidara looked over to Sasori. He stood beside Obito, echoing every command, every epithet, his fist raised to the people before him. He had earned his brand in Deidara's eyes, but Deidara was also not blind to the strife endured by Sasori. He was not blind to the sacrifices his friend had made. He was not blind to the sacrifices he, himself, had made. And he was most certainly not blind to the sacrifice Kabuto had not intended to make. So he understood the pressure of their victory on that day, for it would be their best chance, and also their last.

Deidara turned to his commander who stood beside him, his voice a hushed whisper as he asked,

"What about the villages?"

"I have a plan," she assured Deidara.

"But, he said - ,"

"I know what he said," she hissed, "We can not risk it now, but you must trust me. I have a plan."

Deidara's eyes darted back to Obito and Sasori who continued to rile the crowd with promises of victory and violence. She was right, they had come too far now, they were too close, and they could not afford any setbacks. Begrudgingly, he nodded and said,

"Yes, Konan-san."

---

Sasuke met Suigetsu in the stables when the moon was at its highest in the sky. Suigetsu had prepared two horses - one being the black steed Sasuke had rode to the front - for the journey that lay ahead of them.

"Have you brought the rations?"

"Yes, enough for a day's ride."

"Only a day?" Suigetsu furrowed his brows.

"I will take no more than we need," Sasuke said sternly, "We can stop at the nearest village to stock up on provisions."

"That weak heart of yours will get you killed one day," Suigetsu scowled.

"Better a weak heart than a heavy conscience," he retorted.

"How do you think I have survived all these years?"

Sasuke ignored him, taking hold of the reins and leading his horse from the stables. Suigetsu made a crude noise in response to Sasuke's dismissal, but followed close behind. They clung to the shadows of tents and structures, avoiding the barricades where soldiers patrolled, and approached the path leading towards the villages. There should have been two men stationed at the entrance, but instead, they found only Naruto.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked.

"I had to say goodbye. Again," Naruto shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, "I might never see you after this."

"Perhaps one day - ," Sasuke faltered over his own words, but fell quiet as he caught the look on Naruto's face.

"We are pressing our luck," Suigetsu urged him, "We should leave before we are seen. I do not think they would take kindly to us borrowing their horses."

Naruto shook himself from his reverie and nodded.

"Be safe," he spoke with a sincerity, a certainty, an honesty that cut Sasuke to his core.

"You as well," Sasuke tightened his fist around the leather straps of the reins to quell the shake of his hand. It inspired a rush of pain through his arm that radiated from his still fragile wound, but it was a good distraction from the pain echoing in his heart, "Congratulations, Naruto. On your intentions with Hinata."

"Oh," the sorrow fought through the smile Naruto tried to keep in place, but Sasuke's words were only a reminder that he would be absent from such a momentous occasion. He bowed his head, before looking to Suigetsu, "Take care of him, won't you?" The beginnings of a smirk formed on his lips, "He is useless on his own."

Suigetsu chuckled and shot a smug look at his companion.

"I do not find that so difficult to believe."

Sasuke bit his tongue; he could drag this out all night long, trading casual insults for just another moment more. But much like his time at Sakura's side, he was only delaying the inevitable.

"Will you," Sasuke stuttered, the heaviness on his chest, on his shoulders, in his bones, hindering him, "Will you tell her - ,"

He fell silent and Naruto prodded him with a look. Sasuke shook his head with a grunt.

"Nothing," he said. Naruto frowned and bowed his head, choking on a sob as he raised his fist limply.

"Damn it, Teme," he shook as the tears escaped him. Sasuke stepped forward, clasping an arm around his brother to draw him close.

"Minato and Kushina," Sasuke started, but Naruto simply nodded; that, at least, he understood.

"I will," his voice wavered as they pulled away. Sasuke opened his mouth to say more, but promptly shut it. The inevitable was here. It was time for them to go. Without a word, he stepped around Naruto, out onto the path that would take him through the rest of his life. As he mounted his steed, he looked back to the only person he had called family since he had lost his the night of the attack, the only person he had ever called friend. Even through the tears, Naruto was still smiling at him.

Suigetsu sidled up beside Sasuke on his horse.

"Shall we?"

He nodded solemnly and turned his attention to the road ahead. Gingerly, he felt for the leather pouch at his hip, squeezing it between his thumb and forefinger to ensure the parchment remained snugly inside. He exhaled softly, relieved somewhat to know that no matter what, she would always be by his side.

As Suigetsu started into a gallop, Sasuke lingered for a long breath. He watched his companion ride forward, then bowed his head, aching to look back one more time. But he resisted, raised his eyes, and spurred his horse into a run. The sound of hooves beating against the dirt path drowned out the reverberating crack of the chasm opening in his chest. It drowned out the roughened breath that swelled in his lungs. It drowned out the bellowing thoughts that took residence in his mind. It drowned out everything, until there was nothing left.

Nothing at all.

Naruto rubbed his eyes furiously, attempting to right himself before he walked back into the camp. He had not expected to part from Sasuke so quickly, but now that it had occurred, he knew that it was only ever how their time together would end. He had never been able to imagine the pain of hiding his lineage for the better part of his life, of keeping a part of himself secret from every person that crossed his path, of being unable to find a place in the world to call his own. But it had not stopped him from doing everything within his power to prevent Sasuke from feeling like that. Or at least, from feeling like that alone.

Naruto must have stood there for nearly an hour, mulling over his thoughts and watching the road as though Sasuke might change his mind and come racing back. But it was not so. As he pondered alone, he realized he did not yet know what he would tell the others come morning - or what he might deny - but for now, he believed -

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the ground beneath his feet and he spun around to see the barracks set aflame.

---

A rustle of leaves in the trees beside them called Sasuke's attention. His eyes shot up instinctively, searching for the possibility of a threat.

"It is odd, don't you think?"

"What?" Sasuke returned his attention to Suigetsu.

"The fireworks," he pointed to the sky, "We have not seen a single one since we departed."

"We must nearly be to the village now," Sasuke mused, a weariness to his voice as he spoke, "Perhaps we will ask them."

"Right," Suigetsu agreed, albeit dubiously. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "Suppose the war is not over."

"Why should I want to suppose that?" Sasuke questioned as the opened gates to the village came in to view. Though the glow of lanterns could be seen, there was no sound nor indication of frivolity as they approached.

"Suppose it was all a diversion," Suigetsu reminded him as they came upon the gates, "As you said."

"Why desert the villages unless - ," Sasuke broke off abruptly. Bared before them in a sickening display of ruthless carnage were the very townspeople that not a week prior had welcomed them into their province. Their bloodied bodies were scattered along the path, their homes ablaze with what Sasuke realized had not been the warm glow of candlelight, but rather a devastating fire. They slowed to a stop, horror entrenching them in place as they looked on at the grisly scene before them.

Sasuke had never seen such violence before, but a sickening revelation took hold of him as he realized his clan had shared the same fate.

"This is unspeakable," Suigetsu swallowed against the lump in his throat, stalled beside Sasuke at the threshold of the village, "What monsters would - ,"

"The Akatsuki," Sasuke's hands trembled as he clenched his fists around his horse's reins, "They already had control of the villages, why - ," he shook his head, eyes widening, "No. . ."

"What?"

"The palace."

"The palace?"

"They're going to attack the palace," he turned his horse around sharply, facing down the path that would lead them to the camp, "We have to go back!"

Together, they charged down the road, racing against what might already be waiting for them.

No, he could not afford to be late. Naruto was in danger. The Emperor, too. And Sakura. . . Sakura. . .

Sasuke spurred his steed faster, the wind like needles to his eyes as they surged onward.

He had to stop them.

The clouded cloaks.

---

Naruto ran inside the barracks, his tunic covering his nose and mouth as the smoke muddled the air around him.

"Over here!" He called out, ushering his men towards the exit. They sprinted at the sound of his voice, just as the structure began to buckle and moan, escaping through the door one by one. But as the wood continued to creak, Naruto was forced to roll out of the way, the building collapsing and trapping the remaining soldiers within. Shouting to the men around him, he said, "Are you all right?!"

Though many were unable to respond for the smoke in their lungs, the few that could managed a meek nod.

"Get your weapons!" Naruto bellowed as more men gathered in the wake of the explosion, "Take your posts!"

All around him soldiers took up swords, bows, and shields. The archers ran to the watchtowers, ascending the stairs with great rapidity, while the men on the ground took up their formations, standing back to back, their shields raised. One of the men approached with a spare sword and Naruto took it dutifully as he joined the ranks of his soldiers.

"What do you see?!" He barked.

"Over here!" An archer called from one of the watchtowers.

"They are here!"

"Just beyond the barricades!"

Naruto swiveled on his feet as every call came out around the camp, but no matter what direction he faced, he saw the horde of masked and hooded figures closing in around them.

---

Sasuke sped through the forest, Suigetsu hot on his heels. He could only hope, could only pray, that he was not too late; he would not lose another brother to the Akatsuki. He could not.

"Sasuke," Suigetsu's voice was tight as he pointed to the sky. Smoke rose into the night, dark and voluminous, as they looked on. Seized by terror, they barreled towards the camp, only to see the mass of black figures blocking their way. A blaze of determination lit within him, Sasuke unsheathed his sword, spurred his horse, and charged towards them. They turned at the sound of the hooves, some jumping out of the way and others catching the point of Sasuke's blade. But, before he could get much farther, a knife came sailing through the air and lodged into the neck of his steed. The horse flailed, bucking Sasuke off the saddle as it fell to the ground. Sasuke stumbled as he righted himself, brandishing his sword just as another came striking down towards him.

The cold visage of a painted mask met him as the man pushed against his blade and he realized the great disadvantage his wound still left him at. The pressure became too much and he was forced to release his hold. Sasuke ducked as the sword sliced through the air in front of him and kicked out the Akatsuki's legs from beneath him. With a swift pivot of his feet, he drove the iron through the man's chest and yanked it back with a pained hiss. He quickly took up the hilt in his left hand - a sturdy replacement for the moment, yet with far less dexterity than his dominant arm.

But, as the swarm of Akatsuki turned their attentions to him, he realized it would not matter. They were dangerously outnumbered - even with their reinforcements, they had never stood a chance.

"Sasuke!" Suigetsu careened towards him on his horse, his arm outstretched. Sasuke took it, releasing a savage cry for the pain it caused him when Suigetsu hoisted him atop the saddle, whereupon it took all of his strength to grab hold of Suigetsu's tunic as they rode away from the cloaked figures.

"We have to get into the camp," Sasuke panted, "Naruto - I have to - ,"

"I do not see a way in," Suigetsu kept the horse at a gallop as they rode around the length of the barricades, keeping their distance from the advancing horde, "Do you?"

"We fight our way in," Sasuke proclaimed.

"We have no chance!" Suigetsu protested, "But we have a horse - we can leave, get somewhere safe."

"I will not abandon him," Sasuke said ferociously, "If you will not help, so be it, but I will not run away from this fight."

Suigetsu let out a frustrated growl and jerked the reins, pulling the horse in the opposite direction.

"Fine, but you are on your own. I have no intention of losing my life today."

Sasuke held his tongue. He did not either, but that choice did not belong to him.

---

"FIRE!" Naruto roared and arrows shot from the watchtowers. They crested through the smoky sky and dove into the sea of black that bordered their barricades. The archers reloaded, pulled back, and fired again as Kakashi came upon Naruto, his sword in hand.

"Where is your brother?" He questioned, "We need him."

"I," Naruto started, then looked off to the hooded men that began to spill into the camp, "I do not know."

Before Kakashi could respond, a violent yell tore through the commotion. Their attention drawn, Naruto and Kakashi turned to the man at the forefront of the battalion. He pushed his hood back and threw his mask to the ground with a force that shattered it to pieces. The significance was lost on Naruto, for he had not a notion of who the man might be, but beside him, Kakashi had turned an ashen white. A tremor started in his hands that spread to his limbs and it took all his power to remain upright as Obito lurched towards him.

As if they had been given a signal, the rest of the Akatsuki hurtled forward, rushing the soldiers in the camp.

"Kakashi-san," Naruto shoved against him, but the man would not move from his position, "Kakashi-san!"

Obito raised his blade as he ran, but before he could strike, Naruto drew his sword and threw himself in front of Kakashi. The metal clashed with a resonating ring and seemed to snap Kakashi from his daze. He pushed Naruto aside and swung his blade against Obito's. Naruto fell to the ground with a grunt, his sword clattering as it slid away from him.

"It does not have to come to this," Kakashi hissed, his voice out of earshot from anyone else, "Let me explain!"

Obito unleashed a furious yell and pulled his arm back.

"Ple - ,"

His sword came down in relentless strikes. There was no meditation to his movements, no skill or precision - only anger. In sharp, hacking motions, he advanced on Kakashi, driving him back towards the smoldering wreckage of the barracks.

Naruto scrambled for his sword, his eyes on Kakashi, when he was wrenched back by the collar and thrown to the ground. Above him, the tip of an iron blade came down and he rolled to the side before it could pierce his chest. He clamored to his feet and plunged his sword forward.

---

"I will get you inside the camp, but that is all," Suigetsu said decidedly. As they rode towards the herd of black, he instructed Sasuke, "You take the left and I will take the right. We will clear a route to the entrance."

"And how will you get out of the camp?"

There was silence until Suigetsu quipped,

"Do not make me regret this already."

"Hn."

They tore into the crowd, their swords flanking each side to cut down the men that blocked their path. When they neared the opening in the barricade, the numbers thinned as the Akatsuki dispersed within the camp, allowing for them to slip through the entrance.

"You should get off here!"

Without a word, Sasuke leapt from the horse, tumbling to the ground and landing on his right arm with a bellowed curse. He did not need to look to know the stitches had come undone; he could feel the trickle of blood winding down his wrist already. Using his sword, he pushed himself onto his feet and looked wildly around him.

"Naruto!" he shouted, spinning frantically in a circle, but all he could find was a sea of black overrunning the camp.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called out and he whipped around, spotting his brother locked in a fierce struggle with two Akatsuki. He surged forward, running towards them, lifting his sword with his left hand and sank it into the neck of one of the men. Naruto was able to parry the other, knocking him back and lunging into a strike that penetrated the man's chest. He turned to Sasuke, frenzied and enraged, "Why did you come back?!"

"To help you!"

"You should have kept going!" Naruto said furiously.

"No," Sasuke shook his head, but his eyes darted about them, noting the advancement of the Akatsuki all around them, "I would never abandon you - and I could not run from this fight."

"Sasuke," Naruto admonished him, but the approach of more Akatsuki stalled their quarrel. Of course he had returned. Of course he could not simply have left with this knowledge. Of course he could not run from this fight. It was about more than Naruto, more than the empire, more than his name. . .

They turned their backs to the other and confronted the danger before them.

---

Obito vaulted from the rubble, his sword raised above him as he jumped towards Kakashi. Their blades slid against each other and Kakashi stepped aside as Obito lunged once more. He faltered and Kakashi grabbed his arm, flinging him against the barricade and trapping him with a blade to his throat.

"It should not have been this way," Kakashi seethed, "You could have stopped him. You could have prevented all this bloodshed."

Obito sneered, his fingers inching to his blade before Kakashi kicked it away.

"You could have saved her," Obito spat vehemently, "Her blood - and theirs - is on your hands."

Kakashi thrust his sword ever closer, letting it kiss the skin of Obito's neck.

"I have mourned for her every day since," his voice trembled as he spoke, "It was my loss to bear, too."

"You insult her memory with your lies," Obito jeered, taunting Kakashi, "Kill me now and you would be doing me such an honor. Reunite me with her. Go on!"

Kakashi drew his arm back and sheathed his sword in its scabbard. He could see the fury swirling in Obito's eyes at his refusal and so a satisfied smirk settled on his face.

"You have taken your pound of flesh from me," he clenched his fingers, tightening his knuckles, "But I will not take mine."

As he turned away, Obito swept his leg out, catching Kakashi's ankles and sending him tumbling to the ground. Obito shot to his feet as Kakashi whirled around, scooting across the dirt on his back.

"You refuse to fight me?" Obito cracked his knuckles and flexed his hands before drawing them into fists.

"I have no desire to!" Kakashi declared desperately as he scurried away from the man in front of him, "You are not my enemy!"

"Is that not what you made me?!" Obito yelled, raising his leg to stomp his foot down, but Kakashi caught his boot and threw him to the side. He crashed into the barricade with a groan. Hurrying to stand, Kakashi raised his arms defensively.

"It was all Orochimaru's doing - ,"

With an angry shout, Obito shot to his feet. He ran at Kakashi and swung his fist, but Kakashi shoved his arm up and deflected the blow. Undeterred, Obito unleashed the full fury of his anger and slammed his fist into Kakashi's chin hard enough that a grisly crack could be heard. Kakashi faltered backwards, clutching his slackened jaw as the taste of metal hit his tongue.

"You are a coward!" Obito struck again, his fist connecting with Kakashi's nose, "You let her die!" Another punch and Kakashi was forced to the ground. Blood leaked from his nostrils and his cheeks swelled from the contusions, "And now you will pay for what you did," Obito raised his leg and shoved his foot forward. His boot hit Kakashi squarely in the face and he fell limply to the ground. Obito reached into the pouch at his side and withdrew a kunai. He ran his thumb over the Akatsuki symbol on the blade thoughtfully and dropped to his knees beside Kakashi.

His breaths came in deep and heavy, his chest swelled, and his eyes watered as he hovered above the man he had once called friend. Clenching the handle of the blade tightly, he pressed it against Kakashi's throat and whispered,

"Forgive me."

---

Like two dancers to the same beat, Naruto and Sasuke moved in unison as the battle around them raged, but it seemed with every Akatsuki member they felled, two more of the Emperor's soldiers had been taken with them.

"This is not going to end well," Naruto admitted, shoving his blade through the stomach of the man in front of him. Sasuke darted forward and swiped his sword across the neck of another. As they caught their breath, they came together again and Sasuke muttered,

"We have to warn the Emperor."

"Where is Kakashi-san?"

The two spun on their feet until Sasuke spotted Obito with the kunai in his hand.

"There!"

Naruto charged forward, brandishing his sword and letting loose a fierce cry that attracted Obito's attention. Springing to his feet, Obito was able to jump out of the way just in time as Naruto's blade cut through the air. He struck quickly, but Obito evaded him again.

"I know you," he taunted, tipping his chin to sneer condescendingly, "I was there the night your father fled like the coward he is."

Naruto growled and lunged for him, but Obito shoved his palm against Naruto's elbow, breaking his bone with the force of the contact. Sasuke ran for Naruto as he released a pained wail and dropped his sword. Obito looked over with a smirk as Sasuke sprinted towards him.

"Uchiha," he spat and the word was enough to cause Sasuke to falter, his defenses dropping long enough for Obito's hand to shoot out and wrap around Sasuke's throat. He gasped for air and swung his sword, but Obito caught his wrist effortlessly. Constricting his fingers tighter, Obito sneered as he watched the discoloration gather in Sasuke's face, "Yes. I know you, too - And your brother."

Despite every choke and strain for breath exhibited by the man whose life he held in his hands, Obito whispered harshly,

"Tell me, filth, does Itachi live? Or did he die beside your pathetic parents?"

Sasuke's right hand flew up to Obito's wrist and he dug his fingers in, attempting to pry himself free. Regardless of the pain, Obito held on, seething as he hissed,

"We never could find his body."

"AGHH!" Naruto yelled as he ran up behind Obito and stuck his sword through the man's shoulder. Obito released Sasuke with a violent cry and flailed for the hilt of the blade that had pierced straight through his flesh. Sasuke choked and heaved as he struggled to his knees on the ground just as a second explosion deafened the sound around them, blowing plumes of dust into the air.

"Sasuke!" Naruto looked frantically about, but could scarcely see an inch in front of him. Then, a figure appeared in the smoke, staggering towards him, and Naruto crouched beside Kakashi defensively.

"Naruto," Sasuke coughed and hacked as he stumbled forward, nearly tripping over his own feet in the muddled space.

"Here!" Naruto held his arm out to reach for Sasuke, his broken one flaccid at his side. Sasuke caught his hand and fell to his knees, still heaving in gulping breaths despite the pain it caused him.

"We have to go," Naruto said urgently, "We have to load up the wagons and fall back."

"Go," Sasuke nodded and slid his good arm under Kakashi, shouldering what he could of his weight until Naruto rushed to help him, "Take Kakashi and I will hold them off."

"What? No!" Naruto faltered as Sasuke released his hold on the unconscious man.

"Trust me," Sasuke implored him, ushering him in the direction of what he hoped were the wagons.

"You are coming, though, aren't you?" Naruto nearly buckled under the weight of Kakashi's body; his other arm was rendered inept now and so it was difficult to balance himself, but he had to hear his brother's answer.

"Yes," Sasuke assured him, even as he backed away, slipping into the cloud left from the explosion, "I will be along, but you must go and help them now!"

Sasuke retrieved his sword, then ran past the debris and into the clear night, but the assailant that had tried to kill Kakashi was nowhere to be found. His eyes searched what he could see of the camp. How had that man known of his identity? Who was he?

"Uzumaki!"

Sasuke shifted at the sound of the name, confusion marring his features, and found himself looking into the face of a man he just barely recognized. Though his face was familiar, he could not place him just then, but the man clearly knew him.

Sasori strode forward, brandishing a kunai that he flung sharply. Sasuke raised his sword quickly, deflecting the blade. Then, Sasori reached behind him for the pack at his waist and withdrew three more. In quick succession, they left his fingers. Sasuke twirled his blade, countering the first two, but unable to properly wield the sword in his left hand, he took the third kunai to his shoulder.

His blade dropped with a clatter and his bloodied right hand reached for the handle of the knife. Shaky fingers closed around the hilt, but even the slightest pressure as he attempted to pull it free had him howling in pain.

Sasori smirked as he cornered his prey and Sasuke was forced to relent, leaving the kunai lodged in his left shoulder. It was at that moment Sasori slipped his hand beneath his cloak and unsheathed a long steel blade. He angled the tip towards Sasuke's chest.

"It would please me greatly for you to beg me for your life," Sasori sneered, "As I am certain that is what my brethren did before you so heinously took their lives."

"You were at the palace," Sasuke seethed, realization dawning on him. His eyes were fixed on Sasori despite the sword pointed at him.

"Indeed," he stepped closer, forcing Sasuke back, "But I have found one thing to be most irksome about that night - and that is you. How could a mere soldier," he hissed furiously, "Have known of our plans that night?"

"Your brethren told me everything," Sasuke's breath labored as they continued to dance around each other. The pain in his shoulder spread like a poison throughout his body, while the laceration on his forearm had breached the point of sheer numbness.

"And why would he do that?"

"A guilty conscience perhaps?" Sasuke would have shrugged if not for the kunai impaled within him.

"You were right to kill him then," Sasori seemed almost to applaud him as he continued on, "There is no room for guilt here - it is a weakness, a plague," with a pointed look, he proclaimed, "You would do well among us."

"I have no desire to join your ranks," Sasuke spat. He wished to say more and, well, he very nearly did. His head pounding, his breaths shortening, his body weakening - why should he not have this moment of veracity, of redemption? But before he could, an arrow came whizzing through the air and struck Sasori in the back of the hand. He screamed in pain, dropping his sword, and whirled around to find the archer.

Suigetsu lowered his bow with a wry smirk and ran for Sasuke. As grateful as he was to see him, Sasuke barked,

"Go back and help Naruto!"

"He is fine!" Suigetsu retorted as he placed himself between Sasori and Sasuke. Drawing another arrow from his quiver, he loaded his bow and remarked snidely, "You need more help than him."

The arrow still lodged in his hand, Sasori scooped up his sword and lunged for them. Frantic, Sasuke raced towards a fallen soldier and took up his sword, its hilt still closed within the man's hand. He thrust it above him just as Sasori's blade came down. They collided with a resonant clang and Sasuke rolled back as the pain in his arms became too much to bear, scrambling to his feet before Sasori could strike again. But as Sasori surged forward, cutting through the air to plunge the sword into Sasuke's chest, another arrow sailed between them, piercing him in the stomach. Sasori staggered back and Suigetsu took that opportunity to yank the kunai out of Sasuke's shoulder and drag him off towards the caravan.

"You need to leave now!" Suigetsu berated him.

"No!" Sasuke objected, "I must stay and see this through. But the others," he gasped for a breath as they dodged projectiles and felled bodies, "They must leave before it is too late! The palace must be warned!"

Suigetsu opened his mouth to rebuttal, but upon catching the look in Sasuke's eyes, he held his tongue. As they came upon the wagons, Naruto went rigid at the sight of Sasuke bloodied and battered.

"Naruto, you have to go now!" Sasuke bellowed, "You have to warn the Emperor! We will hold them off while you escape!"

"NO!" Naruto said fiercely, extending his hand from the back of the cart. It was nearly loaded with soldiers, an unconscious Kakashi among them, and as many supplies as they could fit. All they were waiting for was him, "I will not leave you here. Not alone!"

"He will not be alone," Suigetsu promised Naruto firmly, coming to stand by Sasuke's side.

"You have to go," Sasuke pleaded, his eyes fixed on Naruto, "Make sure the Harunos are safe."

"Sasuke - ,"

"GO!" He barked and signaled for the wagon to pull away. The soldier at the helm spurred the horses forward and the wagon jerked unsteadily as it veered for the road beyond the barricades. Naruto shot to his feet, but was caught at the wrist by another soldier. He shrugged him off roughly, his broken arm swinging limply, but as he tried to leap from the back of the cart, the others shoved him back, holding him down until they were out of Sasuke's sight.

Without another look, he turned back to Suigetsu. They exchanged a determined nod, a wordless affirmation, and Suigetsu reminded him,

"I follow you."

"Hn," Sasuke bowed his head gratefully, but before they could say any more, he spotted Sasori storming across the camp, his eyes fixed on them. Suigetsu raised his bow, pulling another arrow from his quiver. He lined the broadhead up with his finger and breathed deeply.

"I will handle him," he declared, "Go and find a sword."

Sasuke nodded, clutching the wound on his arm in an effort to staunch the bleeding long enough for him to pick up a blade. But he knew it would be no use. He would have to fight through the pain. He would have to fight through every breath. He would have to fight until he could not anymore.

Sasuke took off in search of a weapon as another explosion jolted the entire camp. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the infirmary in flames and spotted the array of tents around it. Changing course, he dove inside one of them and found the belongings of another soldier still within. He grabbed a forgotten tunic up off the ground and tore it sharply. Hastily, he wrapped it around his forearm and tied it off with his teeth. That, at least, would help him to wield the blade which he retrieved from beside the now abandoned cot.

When he reemerged, the expanse of red and black that filled the camp was near overwhelming - he could not even pick Suigetsu out of the crowd. What's more, there was hardly a soldier left in his sight.

Only the clouded cloaks remained. Them, and the fire.

Sasuke flexed his fingers around the hilt of the sword and faced down the vast battlefield before him. He could spot at least six men advancing on him and in his condition he knew his chances of survival dwindled with every passing second. But if this was how it would all end, so be it. There would be honor in his death, redemption in this battle, and peace beyond this chaos.

He raised his sword defiantly, limbs aching, lungs shuddering, heart racing, and sprinted towards the Akatsuki. As they converged upon him, he slid to his knees, dodging their blades and slicing his across their legs. They fell with a unilateral cry and Sasuke jumped to his feet. He struck his sword through the back of the nearest man and shoved him with a kick into another.

Unable to stand, the remaining four scrambled across the ground, striving hand over hand to get to safety. Sasuke stomped his foot onto the spine of one of them, holding him in place as the hand that gripped his sword shook with pain. With a sharp sting that traveled up the length of his arm, he plunged his sword through the man's head. Blood soaked the iron as he pulled it free and dripped onto the dirt as he stepped closer to the others. A triumphant rush of adrenaline surged through his veins as he looked on at them. He did not know if these men had been there that night. He did not know if these men were the ones to raid his village. He did not know if these men had killed his family.

But he did know that they had pledged themselves to the same power that had taken everything from him. And that was enough.

He raised his sword above his head, the weight of it near crippling, when he felt the sharp edge of a kunai lodge in his side. He let out a cursed yell, his blade falling from his grip as he turned wildly, grasping blindly for the knife.

Sasori stood yards away, a sinister grin on his face as he held the collar of Suigetsu's tunic. With a harsh grunt, he threw the man at Sasuke's feet. Sasuke dropped to his knees instantly, shoving at Suigetsu's heavy form to turn him onto his back.

"Suigetsu?!" Sasuke was breathless as he searched for a pulse. It was faint beneath his trembling fingers, but enough to filter a relief through him that, even then, he was surprised to feel. Yet, his condition appeared dire. Blood seeped from wounds Sasuke could not even see and his skin had begun to purple with bruises and contusions that littered his body.

"Are you ready to beg?" Sasori inched towards him, his hands red and his gait staggered; Suigetsu had put up an admirable fight.

"There is nothing you could offer me," Sasuke spat, trying and failing to obtain a grip on the kunai at his side.

Sasori tutted as he approached Sasuke, circling him like a wolf ready to devour his meal.

"Perhaps a place among us?" He mused, "The man you fight for, his time is over. His empire will fall," Sasori placed his hand on the back of Sasuke's head, gripped his hair tightly, and pulled sharply, "Look around you. Your soldiers are dead, your camp abandoned. There is no hope left for you here. Surrender to us and you may find mercy."

Sasuke was silent, his eyes fixed on the desolation in front of him. The smoldering wreckage of the buildings around him, the singed flags bearing the Haruno coat of arms, the bodies of the fallen - this was war.

This was his memory. This was his village.

While he was no longer a child, he found himself to be just as helpless, just as scared, just as weak, in that moment as the night he had fled. But, at least Naruto was being taken to safety, at least Naruto had gotten away, at least Naruto could warn the Emperor.

At least Sakura would be safe.

Sasori leaned down to whisper in his ear, his rancid breath like a hot iron on Sasuke's face,

"Or you can die in the dirt with the rest of them," he shoved Sasuke forward and came around to face him, his eyes piercing as he asked, "What will it be?"

Sasuke spat at Sasori's feet. Infuriated, Sasori drew back his fist and let it collide with Sasuke's face. Sasuke fell backward, the kunai in his side sliding deeper as he landed on it. He cursed and hissed, rolling off of it gingerly, only to have Sasori swing his boot into his stomach. Sasuke doubled over in pain, a gasping breath sucked in through clenched teeth and a tightened throat.

"It is just as well," he said over Sasuke's distressed groans, "We have no use for such impuissance."

Sasori kicked him again and a shattering crack signaled the damage he had dealt to Sasuke's ribs. A shuddering wheeze fell from Sasuke's lips as he struggled to protect his abdomen with a broken arm and a bleeding gash, but he knew it was futile. Sasori prowled around him, cornering him, tormenting him.

The distinct ring of a blade being unsheathed sounded in his ears and Sasori grabbed Sasuke by the hair again, yanking him upright. Sasuke struggled to see through his swollen eyes as Sasori pressed the steel against his neck. All around him, there was only smoke and fire, destruction and chaos, damage and death.

An agonizing pain razed his nerves as he was forced on his knees, radiating from every cell in his body until he was consumed, until it was all he knew and all he was. He was already close to losing consciousness, the pain no longer concentrated to each abrasion or laceration on his body, but instead an encompassing sensation. His chest rattled with his final breaths, the force of every inhale like a knife through his lungs.

And through his muddled vision, he could see the encroaching black, but he could not discern if it was the darkness coming to save him, or the Akatsuki looming to claim him. Yet, what perturbed him most of all was the infinite indifference he felt either way. The pain was all he knew, all he was, and so he prayed for relief. He prayed for salvation.

He prayed for death. . .

His fingers twitched as he felt for the leather pouch hitched to his trousers; it was still there. He was ready. It was his time. His family awaited him - his brother, his father, his mother - and one day, far from then, far from that moment - far from the pain and the uncertainty and the fear - he would see her again. She would greet him with that arresting smile, with that wicked gleam in her eye, and with a kiss that would silence his disturbed mind. One day. One day.

Sasuke felt the blade slide across his skin as it was drawn back to strike, and the darkness welcomed him home.