Chapter 1: Dissimilar
Sasuke awoke next to a bush.
His body ached a fair bit from…something (he didn't remember being injured), and he didn't recognize where he was. The only thing he knew for certain is that this place was not Kaminari no Kuni. He took in his surroundings, noticing the not-too-dense woodland and humid climate.
Mizu, then? Maybe Nami?
No matter. Finding out what happened to Zetsu was the priority. Sasuke reached out with his chakra. He was no sensor, but he knew Zetsu's signature enough to find him if he happened to still be nearby. Nothing. There weren't any signs of human chakra anywhere near him. A scan with the Sharingan confirmed that.
Back to square one, then.
He began walking, looking for some kind of path. Eventually, after some almost aimless meandering, he found one. Deciding to walk along the road until he reached civilization, or at least human contact, he set off into the afternoon sun.
After a few hours of walking (he was too lost in thought to keep track), he reached a small town just before evening, the sky showing the barest hint of orange. Upon arriving, he realized that some event seemed to be going on in the center of town.
Perhaps that will give me some sort of information.
He stepped into the crowd (that seemed to be made up mostly of kunoichi, oddly enough) and tried to see what everyone was watching. He peered into the center of the large circle to see that someone had seemingly challenged Ringo Ameyuri to a match for the Kiba blades.
Ringo Ameyuri was supposed to be dead.
Sasuke's Rinnegan detected no genjutsu, and Ameyuri certainly wasn't an Edo Tensei either. He watched the fight with mild interest, taking the time to scope out the crowd he was in. Not only were the many of them kunoichi, but most of them were female. Sasuke noticed that there were very few males, and none of them were shinobi. He supposed that Ameyuri had built some kind of kunoichi haven. Were things really that bad in Mizu? He knew the bloodline wars were going on when she was alive, but did it get this bad for Kunoichi in general to the point that they needed their own village? He certainly didn't remember hearing about that.
When he looked back at the duel, Ameyuri had won already, and they seemed to be finalizing the terms of whatever they had agreed upon, the challenger bloody and begging, while Ringo just had a shark-like grin on. The crowd cheered for her.
"Alright everyone, that's what we call a victory! Drinks on me, bitches!" Ameyuri shouted above the crowd, and everyone slowly filtered into one of the large bars in the center of town, Sasuke going right along with them. Perhaps he could find out some information there, since he seemed to be missing some. Mostly on why Ringo was still alive.
Sasuke sat near the end of the bar, ordering a cup of Junmai-shu, hot. As he waited for his sake to be heated, a dark-haired kunoichi that was probably around his age (he was never the best at judging that) sat next to him, ordering a whiskey before eyeing him.
"We don't get a lot of guys out and about here. Ameyuri-sama tends to get a bit rowdy with the boys," she spoke to him after a second. He glanced at her with his normal eye.
"I just got here. I don't know anything about this place." She looked a bit surprised at this.
"Well, you're in Ameyuri-sama's territory here. Whose territory did you come from. Hozuki's?" She seemed to be rather comfortable around him, given that most people still remembered him as an international war criminal. Did she not recognize him?
Ringo Ameyuri is alive. Assume nothing.
"Just passing through. I haven't visited Mizu enough to know whose territory belongs to who at any given time." She nodded at his answer.
"Well, you're welcome to stay a while. There isn't a ton here, and it can get rowdy at times, but it's ours. Any men who settle here we protect as our own, which is more than can be said for some territories," she replied, smiling at him. Did the shinobi in Mizu think themselves honorable due to their connection with the swordsmen? The only ones he had encountered were missing-nin, so he supposed it was possible.
"Perhaps someday," Sasuke accepted his sake from the bartender and took a sip. "How is Mizukage-sama doing?"
"Yagura-sama has probably been stressed, what with her swordsmen holding a lot of local power around the country, but honestly, it's been pretty peaceful, at least relatively. It's rarely even called the Bloody Mist anymore," She replied casually, still stealing glances at him.
So Yagura's alive as well. Also, she?
Sasuke had to find someone to dig some serious information out of without exposing himself, it seemed. As he shifted, the woman's eyes glanced down before widening slightly.
"Is that a sword? Are you a radicalist?" She spoke, staring down at the scabbard.
"Never heard of them," He spoke honestly after downing another cup. He was about to get up and leave, but it seemed their conversation attracted some attention. Ringo Ameyuri slipped her arm around him, sliding over from near the center of the bar.
"Ooh, we usually don't see a man around here too often. Here for the victory celebrations? I might not stick around too much longer, but I wouldn't mind bringing you back home to continue to celebrate~…" Ameyuri breathed into his ear. And that was his cue to leave.
"I was just leaving," he said tonelessly as he brushed off her arm and turned to exit the establishment, pushing open the worn wooden doors. He didn't look back to see her reaction.
After finding and purchasing a map, Sasuke departed the village and began to head to a somewhat nearby port town at the west end of the island. Surveying the mild fog that had begun to blanket the dark green trees as the sun fully set, he began to go over the information he remembered while drinking.
Yagura-san and Ameyuri-san are alive, and the Mizukage is a woman. This place has also been described as peaceful, so I think of a reason for Terumi-san to attempt to overthrow the Yondaime. What else could have changed? Is Zabuza still a Kiri shinobi? Is Haku with him? There are too many variables right now. I need to find out what happened in that seal. Did Zetsu rewrite history with the seal and Yin release? I didn't detect any power on the level of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, but I'm not well-versed in seals either. Any other genjutsu wouldn't be powerful enough to trick me, either. Therefore, even if this began as an illusion, it is reality at the moment. Perhaps if I can find Zetsu, I can reverse this.
A rustle in the leaves. Not from contact, but there wasn't enough wind to rustle them that much. No other humans around. He was being hunted.
Sasuke spun, unsheathing hid blade backhanded and raising it in a high guard to block the attack. Two blades clashed with his. He sidestepped, tilting his sword so that the blades he blocked would slide off from their wielder's strength, causing them to overextend. A wide kick from the left leg completed the exchange, though his opponent stepped inward to deaden the blow.
"I didn't know you were missing an arm, handsome. What happened?"
Ringo Ameyuri wasn't done with him, it seemed.
Sasuke's silence seemed to annoy her. He attempted to use his left leg, still raised, to push her away, but she dropped one of her blades to secure a grip around it. Before she had a chance to fully swing her other blade around to pin him, Sasuke twisted, using his trapped limb as leverage to swing up and kick her head in a high roundhouse, knocking her away and causing Ameyuri to release her grip on him so that she didn't hit the ground.
"You don't fight too bad for a man. I underestimated you," she flashed a leer at Sasuke. "But I like a fighter. It'll make it all the more fun when I have you pinned under me!" Ameyuri kicked up her blade, caught it and rushed him. Ducking a double high swing, he didn't bother to take the opening and dodged the next two swings and blocking a low kick the same way she blocked his, hitting her in the side with the pommel of his blade and kneeing her in the diaphragm. She was rather resilient, however, as she held her breath to bring around a short right swing to keep him from getting any further blows in. He parried it as he stepped back, but she pressed the offense. After getting fed up that she wasn't landing any blows on him, she swung a twisting overhead at him, swords crackling with electricity.
Arrogant.
He allowed the electricity to flow through him, directing it through his body, down to his right foot. Swinging his foot in a side kick, he struck the center of her chest and released her own lightning right back into her. A snap of electricity, then an explosion of force. Ameyuri was launched back, left arm temporarily paralyzed.
Beyond that, even, she seemed shocked at his technique.
"Lightning is a double-edged sword. It can't be wielded so carelessly," Sasuke finally spoke. He turned, sheathing his blade, and walked into the night.
Sasuke had no clue what ripples his actions would create.
The fourth Raikage's remaining hand slammed down upon the newly appointed sixth Hokage's desk.
"Full pardon?! Former student or not, he is a criminal that attempted to assassinate the Five Kage twice! Not to mention all the samurai he slaughtered, directly in violation of the treaty we signed with Tetsu! I want him imprisoned with his chakra sealed at minimum," A shouted at Hatake Kakashi, who folded his arms across the now cracked Hokage desk.
"While certainly true, Uchiha Sasuke's actions have ultimately benefitted the Nations in the long term: he assassinated Shimura Danzo, a criminal who made deals with Orochimaru, he killed Orochimaru himself, and he's the only reason, along with Uzumaki Naruto, that you and I are standing here talking about it today, along with everyone else in this world. By the way, you can over the costs for replacing my desk, right?" Kakashi met the Raikage's stare evenly. At the last sentence, A looked down at his hand.
"Huh-? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'm used to sturdier desks," A replied. "However, Uchiha Sasuke's actions of saving our lives to not justify his assassination attempt on both the Five Kage and my brother. And don't forget, the second assassination attempt on us was after he and Uzumaki sealed Kaguya. That doesn't exactly make me think he defeated Kaguya out of the good of his heart." The small spark of lightheartedness left Kakashi's eyes as he leaned forward over his desk.
"Uchiha Sasuke's every action since the war ended has been strictly for Konoha's benefit. He has personally helped repair multiple villages, worked to eliminate the remaining contacts of the Akatsuki, and denied the replacement of his own arm because of the guilt he felt from trying to kill his friend! During the war, he was a dangerous criminal, yes, but ever since then, he has been nothing but an exemplary, loyal shinobi, and I will not have him chained when he has administered himself enough punishment already," the Hokage nearly hissed at the Raikage. "And until he proves otherwise, Uchiha Sasuke will be given full pardon and reinstated as a Tokubetsu Jounin of Konoha. I'll happily speak on this at the next Summit, and no earlier. Now, if you have no other topics to discuss, I thank you for stopping by," Kakashi finished less defensively.
The Raikage gave him a curt nod and a quick farewell before walking back out the door. Once it closed, Kakashi's posture relaxed, practically sighing into his chair, before turning and staring directly at him.
"Something to say, Sasuke?"
He dispelled his invisibility jutsu, snorting at his old sensei's blasé disregard of his spying.
"You're usually a lot more subtle in your conferences with foreign powers," Sasuke spoke to him. Kakashi nodded mildly.
"The Raikage respects those who stand their ground and speak directly. He understands the necessity of subtlety but doesn't enjoy it." Sasuke often forgot that Kakashi was ANBU captain for nearly a decade. There were few who understood and internalized subtlety like Kakashi, and it apparently translated to diplomacy rather well.
"Were you this involved with politics while I was gone? You seem to know what you're doing," Sasuke stated. Kakashi closed his eyes, shaking his head in response.
"If it weren't for Shikaku-san's coaching, we'd be in a lot worse of a situation than we are. I've been learning, but he's the real master," His old sensei replied. Sasuke nodded.
"While the room is secure, I should tell you that I've been tailed by multiple people not native to this village for a while now."
"Leave them be for now," Kakashi ordered. "The other villages are still wary of you. Being on good behavior will help your odds that they'll show you leniency at the trial next summit. But don't let them know you know that they're there, it could affect the outcome if they think you're just playing good boy for the audience." Sasuke nodded in understanding as he turned to leave out the window. As he prepared to jump out and onto the roof, Kakashi threw him a parting "Have fun on your next date!"
"Fuck off!" He threw right back as he jumped up the wall of the Hokage tower, on his way to begin his next vigil.
Sasuke woke up to the sound of crashing waves.
He sat up, looking around. He had paid for transport to Nami no Kuni aboard a cargo ship carrying whatever it was that Mizu primarily exported, most likely (he hadn't bothered to pay attention to the captain last night). He climbed up out of the ship's lower deck onto the upper, taking in the scent of churning seawater as the ocean spray splashed against his face. He could see the lush green forests in the distance. They were probably twenty minutes out until they hit land and he could figure out what's going on with the world.
Sasuke's destination was Keishi, the capital of Hi no Kuni. Home to one of the largest libraries in the nations, Sasuke could find books on mythology, history and news on current events to see exactly what had changed in…whatever this was.
The ship eventually slowed to a stop by the port and the captain began shouting orders to her crew to unload their cargo as efficiently as possible. He nodded to her in thanks as he walked by before slipping off the ship and heading into town.
Keishi is a good seven hours if I walk, though I should be able to make it before sundown if I head out soon. I'll grab something to eat first, I haven't eaten in a couple days now.
While walking through the somewhat familiar streets of Nami, Sasuke noticed that the mood of the people seemed to be much more somber and wary than when he last visited. The citizens (again, mostly women, oddly enough) kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact with him or anyone else they passed, a far cry from the jubilant island nation he remembered. Even the weather reflected the people's disposition: the fog of the early morning seemingly had never lifted above the rooftops of the city while the sun barely shone through the mist. Sasuke eventually found a serviceable enough yakitori restaurant, ate a decent meal in silence, paid with what money he had on him (he'd have to get more somehow, what he had on him wasn't going to last, and he couldn't guarantee that the Uchiha clan coffers would be available for him to use), left as he came and headed for the bridge he helped build years ago.
It wasn't there.
The Great Naruto Bridge wasn't there.
Sasuke knew he told himself to assume nothing, but apparently such a thing was easier said than done. His memories had never betrayed him before, why would they now?
Because nothing is simple when Zetsu's around, imbecile. You should know this by now.
With nothing else to be done, he shrugged off his thoughts and headed down to the churning dock, walking by one of the men standing by the boats roped to the worn wood-and-stone dock.
"How much for a ferry to Hi no Kuni?" Sasuke hailed one of the sailors. The woman looked at him with a rough but not scathing eye.
"Fifteen hundred," the answered. Sasuke's eyebrow raised in response. Three fifty was standard pay for the ferry from Mizu to here, so a five times markup was highway robbery at its finest.
"You're out of your mind charging those kinds of prices. One fifty," he shot back. The roughened woman snorted at his counter-offer."
"I'm not the one who sets the prices, so I don't haggle, not even with pretty men. You'll have to take it up with the boss."
"And who would that be?" the Uchiha asked. The sailor nodded up at the tower on the outskirts of the small city.
"Gatou. She owns the ferries here. You wanna haggle prices, she's your gal. She might offer a discount for someone like you, but I'd be careful around her. She ain't the nicest around." Well, wasn't that interesting? Perhaps his funding issues weren't that big after all.
"I'd love to meet her," Sasuke showed the smallest of smiles.
The walk back through the village to Gatou's office tower was spent planning how to get in and out without tipping off his mercenaries to Gatou's death after he killed…her.
That was still weird.
Given the odd reactions to him that the various women had, seduction was a likely tactic to work, so long as the trend continued. The main problem with that was that Sasuke wasn't very good at seducing people. A loner by nature, Sasuke's social skills were close to nil. However, given how attracted to him the women here seemed to be, perhaps just a burning smolder, a few words and his looks could carry him through long enough to ensnare her in a genjutsu to bend her(?) to his will.
Besides, mass murder wasn't the worst backup plan.
Sealing his sword into an invisible storage seal on his arm, Sasuke walked in the door of the office building and sauntered up to the receptionist.
"Hello sir, do you have an appointment?" The receptionist asked, a plastic smile stretched across his face. Sasuke gave a small, equally forced smile in return before flashing his Sharingan at the man, placing him under a quick genjutsu.
"Yes, by Gatou-sama's personal request," Sasuke tried to purr. He was pretty sure he failed. God, this was embarrassing. How did kunoichi pull this off?
"Of course. Seventeenth floor, I'll send you up through the elevator. Normally we don't let people use the new technology, but I wouldn't want you wearing yourself out on seventeen flights of stairs before you even reach Gatou-sama," the receptionist gave a more genuine (if illusion-compelled) smile at Sasuke before handing him a key. Sasuke took it, spoke a quiet thanks for appearances and continued down the hall, unlocking the iron cage of the elevator. As he traveled upwards, Sasuke grew curious about the elevator's inner workings, and upon scanning it with his Sharingan, found that the entire thing operated upon a complex set of seals that adjusted the weight of the elevator's counterweight for set periods of time (or so he assumed, since he could only recognize about half the seals there).
Interesting. What seal masters are both alive today and willing to do work this complex for someone like Gatou?
It was something to think on later. He had work to do.
Just after he regenerated his left arm with his Rinnegan, the elevator opened, and he walked down the hallway lined with large, top-class offices and two battle-hardened women in suits at the end of the hall. Sasuke loosened his cloak and undid the top couple buttons on his shirt, showing off a bit of pale skin as he sauntered down the hallway in what was his best approximation of a high-class whore.
If it turned out his assumptions were wrong, neither of these two would live to remember it.
"Excuse me, ladies. Gatou-sama requested me personally, and I'd hate to be late…" Sasuke insinuated, doing his best to hold back his embarrassment. The woman on the left nodded, seemingly buying the act.
"Of course. We'll have to check for weapons first though. Standard procedure and all," the guard responded as the two of them moved to pat him down.
"Small knife strapped to my right thigh. I'd like it back when I leave, please." It was quickly confiscated, and he was cleared for entry.
Sasuke gave the room a quick once-over as soon as he stepped inside. No guards inside, no others visible except for Gatou at her desk, who looked nearly identical to how Sasuke remembered Gatou looking: Short, pudgy and dirty blond with beady eyes covered with equally beady shades. The only real differences were the lack of a moustache and the rounder face. His memories on Gatou's appearance weren't exactly the clearest—
Memories.
The thought struck him like lightning. No matter how good an illusion was, it couldn't replicate the viewed memories of a human soul torn out via the Rinnegan. And if this place was real, then it would give him information on exactly what was wrong with this world, allowing him to really start making long-term goals and plans.
Or so he hoped.
Sasuke pinned the businesswoman with a Sharingan illusion before she could get a word out, casually walking over to her and leaning over the desk, grabbing her by the forehead and ripping out her soul with the Human Path, observing her entire life at the speed of thought.
Sasuke understood.
"Shit," he swore. This place was reality. And it was very different from his own.
Women were around sixty percent of the continental population.
Traditional gender roles were swapped almost entirely, and heavily exaggerated.
All because men couldn't use chakra. Sasuke was stuck in an entirely different reality.
All his interactions here now made sense. He'd had theories and ideas but couldn't quite piece them together. Now that the truth was staring him in the face, though, Sasuke wasn't quite sure what to do. He needed to adjust his plans. Now that he knew he was a serious anomaly in this reality, he needed to lay lower than he thought he would to complete his goals.
And Zetsu still knew he was coming.
Sasuke's train of thought was interrupted when Gatou's corpse slid down into her chair, drawing a muffled "eep" from under her desk. Sasuke walked around it to investigate the noise, and found a pale, malnourished man cowering next to Gatou's bottomless corpse, her pants and shoes crumpled next to the prostitute.
"Shit."