"Sasuke? What's wrong? You've been avoiding me all night," Sakura asked him. She was trying to be comforting, but he could tell she was reaching the limits of her patience.
He swallowed.
"It's…difficult." He couldn't think of a way to put it that wouldn't destroy them both.
"Honey, I'm your wife. You can talk to me about anything, we made that promised when we got engaged," she reassured him. He tried to form the words but couldn't think of a way to say it in a way that wouldn't destroy their relationship.
"The trial's decision. I haven't told you about it, and the two-week waiting period they gave me is over. I'll…I'll be forced to leave the village," he finally choked out. Sakura took on a worried look.
"Like, forever? Not forever, right?" Sasuke shook his head.
"Eight years. I have to serve a two-year sentence in each of the five major hidden village's special forces, under direct command of their Kage," he told her. "I don't know if I'll be allowed back in Konoha during the sentence."
She nodded; eyes sad but understanding. "It's sad that we won't see each other regularly, but I'll try to come visit you as often as my can. I still want a child after all. Don't you need to continue your clan, keep that Sharingan alive?" He flinched at that. Her expression became unreadable. "What, is there a problem with us having kids? Honestly, we talked about this before, didn't we? You seemed to be fine with it before, what changed?"
Sasuke struggled to get the words out of his throat.
"The other order from the trial…" he took a breath. "During each two-year sentence, I'm required to conceive a child with a woman of each Kage's choosing. They want to use my future children to foster lasting bonds between the villages." It was like speaking poison.
"What?!" his wife nearly shouted standing up and starting to pace around the room. "Where the hell do they get off ordering that?! And you agreed to this?!" She rounded on him again.
"Kakashi did. I have no choice. Either I follow their orders or slaughter the other Kage and try to flee the continent, is that what you would prefer?" he snapped back. She blinked and stepped back, regaining control of her anger.
"No, I wouldn't ask you to do that. I don't want you to become a criminal again. This just…it just sucks. It feels like we just got you back, and I don't want to lose you again."
"I know, Sakura. I know."
She swallowed this time, sitting back down on their bed.
"Sasuke…will you stay with me? Until you have to leave?" she pleaded to him.
"Always." Sasuke pushed his wife down.
They made love for two days.
Mismatched eyes snapped open. The room blurred into focus. Light greens and dark browns of his inn met Sasuke's eyes. His head pounded slightly, perhaps he'd gone overboard with the alcohol last night. Did he really drink all that much? He remembered celebrating with the kunoichi he had hired the night before, but he didn't think they partied that hard. She might have brought him to some club that served over proofed drinks.
Sasuke tried to sit up in his futon but found Chiho draped across his chest and right arm. He froze.
She was naked.
They were both nearly naked, sans his own underwear.
He took a whiff of her. They didn't smell like sex, at least, just of shampoo and light sweat. Sasuke forced himself to calm down, using a medical technique to rid himself of his hangover before he woke her up. He untangled himself from her embrace before shaking her shoulder to wake her up. She slowly stirred, brown eyes blearily blinking at him.
"Mmh? What time is it?" she yawned.
"Half past eight." He looks between them. "Did we…?" Sasuke asked her gently, just in case.
"Nah, we didn't." She stretched her arms as she sat up. "Sorry, I get hot when I'm drunk, so I sleep nude. I didn't mean to make you think I deflowered you or anything."
"Just get dressed," Sasuke tossed the blanket at her. "I already paid you the rest of the money last night, right?"
"Yep! Pleasure doing business, cutie!" she teased.
"I'll be heading off after breakfast. I have what I need."
"Aww, I was hoping you'd stay a little longer. It was fun spending time with you," she giggled. "And don't think I didn't catch you staring!"
Sasuke snorted. Throwing on his own clothes (it seems he had showered last night, even if he didn't remember it), he turned and walked past her, heading to the door.
"Hey, wait, where are you going? Leaving town already?"
Sasuke shook his bread. "I'm getting breakfast first."
"Well, let me treat you, at least. I know some great places in the city!"
"Reputable ones?"
"Well…" she hesitated. Sasuke snorted.
"Fine. Don't take too long. I'll be waiting outside."
He left, never noticing her gazing down her own nude form, smiling victoriously.
Sitting on a bench outside the inn, Sasuke waited for Chiho outside. He didn't have to wait long. She came out in casual wear, a light blue jacket over a printed tee and black shinobi pants, with navy sandals to complete the outfit. She grinned at him, waving him over.
"Come on, pouty! I know a great spot!" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her.
Pouty?
He brushed off the comment, standing up and strolling over. She grabbed his hand, still grinning, and dragged him down the street, pointing out a few shops and other various restaurants, bars and such that she apparently frequented.
"It's this one over here, come on!" She brought Sasuke over to a small, hole-in-the-wall style restaurant. It seemed they served both traditional continent-style breakfast as well as some trendy non-continental breakfast foods sold in places like Oni no Kuni. A waiter greeted them inside.
"Welcome, please have a seat and we will have someone to take your order shortly. Here are your menus, feel free to take your time," the waiter handed them their menus as they sat down.
Sasuke flipped open the menu, half-skimming their options as he glanced at his acquaintance excitedly muttering about all the options she could order. He haphazardly decided on a furikake egg dish, uncaring of whatever monstrosity Chiho would certainly order.
"So, did you find the information you were looking for?"
"I have a few leads. Nothing concrete." She raised an eyebrow, looking up from the menu she was poring over.
"Nothing concrete? With how much money you spent to get it?"
Sasuke shrugged. "I'm dealing with rumors; I can't expect anything concrete."
"I suppose…" Chiho trailed off doubtfully. The two settled into silence until their waiter came by to take their orders. As expected, his hired hand had requested some pancake-and-fruit monstrosity that could only conceivably qualify as dessert. He offhandedly gave the waiter his own order, who blinked at both of their orders before scooping up their menus and telling them that their food would arrive shortly.
"I gotta say, for a man, you seem pretty powerful. How good are you with that sword?" the woman questioned him, once again breaking the settled silence.
Sasuke shrugged. "It's a dangerous world. I have to be able to defend myself." Chiho nodded cautiously in agreement, likely still suspicious of him. Sasuke couldn't bring himself to care to try to ease her suspicions.
"You don't have the eyes of someone who simply can defend themselves," she pointed out. His eyes snapped to hers and she began immediately backtracking. "Not...not that I'm accusing you, I just think it's interesting, that's all, I've never met anyone like you," Chiho stuttered.
Sasuke's eyes dropped. "I spent some time in Mizu no Kuni. I caught the attention of one of the Swords. She got a kick out of fighting me. I had to learn fast." Hopefully, she would fail to catch his lie. He had a feeling she would realize he was dishonest if he met her eyes. Storytelling was never his greatest strength.
"That's super impressive, especially for a guy! I can't imagine how I could pull anything like that off without chakra to help me," she stared at him, apparently awed. He uncomfortably avoided her eyes.
"I suppose. I had to either get better or die. I wasn't willing to die so early."
Chiho didn't seem to have a response for that.
After a few more minutes of silence, the waiter came by with their meal, setting Sasuke's ordered breakfast in front of him. He put the dessert abomination his compatriot ordered out of his mind as he politely dug into his egg and rice.
His food was adequate, well-spiced, though not the best he'd had. He had no real complaints about the breakfast, though. Chiho moaned contentedly across from him, clearly enamored in her food.
He did his best to ignore her.
Turning his focus to the list of Akatsuki bases, Sasuke mentally made a list of which bases were most likely to hold the Gedo Mazo, then rearranged them in the order of which bases were closest to Yugakure.
Hot Springs, Rice, Fire, Grass, Rain, Rivers…this will be a pain. I'll check the one in-country first, but my bet is that it's in Rivers or Grass. I'll also stop at Rice on the way, It's possibly there. I don't think Pain would hide the statue in his own village, it's most protected there, but also too obvious. Zetsu would never agree to that.
"Thank you for the meal," he told Chiho as he pushed forward his empty bowl slightly. "I have to be going."
"Aww, so soon?" she asked.
"I can't burn any more daylight."
"Alright…do you plan to come back anytime soon? It's been fun talking to you," she told him. Sasuke snorted quietly.
"Maybe."
"Is this goodbye, then?"
"…Yeah."
"Alright, go do what you need to do. I hate long goodbyes. Just…" she hesitated. "If you're ever in the city again, here's my address. Come look me up and I'll see if we can help each other again," Chiho handed him a piece of paper. He took it, staring at the address, before pocketing the slip.
"Hn."
Sasuke took just under two hours to cross the country and locate the Akatsuki base. It was small, out of the way and had comparatively minimal protections against intruders, though certainly was nothing easy. Using shadow clones with the Rinnegan's shared sight to simultaneously rip down the security seals, Sasuke tore open the front entrance, Sharingan spinning into the Mangekyou as he stepped forward.
Empty. The cavernous stone walls were bare. Only a mild clearing was visible. A minor base, and not one that had seen use in a while. Perhaps abandoned entirely, even.
Yet they still had a security system?
He would send a clone in to check for any hidden passageways or stored information, but Sasuke had to keep moving. He had no clue how much time he had before he was discovered, and if Obito was still working with Zetsu, then the statue might end up permanently beyond his reach.
Sasuke left, hunting quickly for the next base.
One after another, day after day, Sasuke tore through the nearby countries and all bases within that were marked on his map. Each were mostly empty, save for a few intelligence scrolls that he pocketed. He worked as quickly as he could, though not as quickly as he would have liked. If he was too careless, he might arouse Zetsu's suspicion too early.
Sasuke would not risk carelessness.
Six days later, Sasuke found an anomaly.
The Akatsuki base within Kusa no Kuni was far better hidden than many of the others, especially considering the overall lack of significant cover the country was known for. The barriers, as well, were far more complex, such that even Sasuke had great difficulty dismantling them.
I should have studied seals more. Naruto would have had these down in no time.
Sasuke pondered and puzzled the proper way to take down the barriers without setting off whatever alarms or traps they might have held within. He scarcely wanted to touch the seals he had found for fear of accidentally setting off one of their layers.
A sevenfold barrier, that much I can tell, but how to remove each?
With his clones deciphering the other seals using their shared vision, Sasuke pieced together that each seal had to be taken off using a different type of chakra, one for each element, one with raw chakra and the final seal drained of chakra as they were taken, all within a two second interval.
He failed to decipher what would happen if he performed the removal improperly, so he banked on not failing.
With the standard countdown to his clones, he channeled the Preta Path to rip the chakra from the seal as his clones each channeled the appropriate chakra into their marks to unseal the barrier.
A breath. Two. Three.
No discernable alarms, no lethal backlash. Sasuke was ostensibly in the clear.
Using an earth jutsu to move the stone barrier beneath the grass, Sasuke crept down the stairs, eyes alert and weapon drawn. Light was limited here, fading fast as he ventured further. He would need to acclimate to the darkness before he attempted to search the hideout.
After waiting in the darkness for a few minutes to allow his eyes an adjustment period, Sasuke ventured forth into the hideout. Winding passages and various barriers held him up for a time, but they didn't slow him down too much.
His Sharingan scoured the twisting tunnels for possible traps and dead ends as Sasuke wove his way through the labyrinthian base. The path eventually opened into a large, central chamber with multiple exits. Seal-powered torches eternally lit the cavern but provided no warmth. The floor and walls were roughly hewn stone, possibly naturally formed. An altar sat in the center of the chamber on a raised dais, encircled by unfamiliar, possibly ancient seals.
The Gedo Mazo stared down at Sasuke from the back of the cavern.
Found you.
Wasting no time, Sasuke brought forth his chakra, planning to burn down the statue, Sharingan spinning into the Mangekyou-
Woosh!
Sasuke barely avoided the plantlike appendage that attempted to spear him.
"My, my, Sasuke-san. You do work fast."
Black Zetsu stood at one of the tunnel entrances.
A female black-and-white Zetsu blocked another.
Amenotejikara.
Sasuke warped behind Black Zetsu, sword singing with lightning as it cut the shadow in half. Midway through a Chidori spear to pierce the other one, reality reset.
Black Zetsu was mid-swing at his head. Sasuke ducked, twisting right as black lightning danced across his fingertips, searing through Zetsu. His Sharingan spun, trying to ground reality.
He wasn't fast enough.
Reset.
In a motion, Sasuke unsealed and threw three wind-coated kunai at Other Zetsu as Black Zetsu struck at him with earthen spikes. A replacement teleport and Other Zetsu was cut down. Sasuke turned, pulled Black Zetsu forward with his Rinnegan and blew off his head with a kick.
Reset.
Great clawed hands sprouted out of the earth and ceiling to crush Sasuke. He jumped out of the way, but Other Zetsu caught him midair, spearing him with vines. Sasuke avoided the lethal blows and whispered a word. Other Zetsu's top half exploded.
Sasuke warped in close to Black Zetsu. His Rinnegan drained the chakra from the wind jutsu thrown at him as Sasuke pierced Zetsu's brain and burned him through with Amaterasu.
With his brain gone, he won't be able to use Yin Release.
Reset.
Shit.
Sasuke brought forth great explosions before either Zetsu could make a move on him. The ceiling collapsed in on itself, burying half the cavern in large pieces of rubble.
Reset.
I need to buy time.
He was ready for the vines when they came to run him through. The Preta Path nullified the attack, withering vines slowly disintegrating in front of him. He pulled Other Zetsu toward him, catching her with a knee and crushing her skull with his heel as she attempted to sink into the earth to escape.
I can counter his Yin Release with my Yang release, but I'm not as fast with it as I need to be. I don't use it often enough. I need him off guard before he can break his genjutsu.
"This is tedious, Zetsu. I was hoping this would be more entertaining."
Zetsu prepared his Yin Release.
"I do hope you'll forgive my poor hosting etiquette, Sasuke-san."
Sasuke opened his mouth to retort.
Reset.
Sasuke's wind jutsu shredded the Zetsu clones set upon him as he kicked one Zetsu into the other.
"Maybe I should let you resurrect Kaguya again," Sasuke smirked. "At least it was fun putting her in her place.
Black Zetsu screeched, Yin Release allowing him to warp behind Sasuke as a clawed hand slashed at the back of his neck.
"You don't get to speak her name, gullible dog!"
Sasuke ducked, grabbing the shadow's hand as it passed above him. He pulled Black Zetsu toward him and struck him through the throat with a Chidori.
Reset.
"You know, I almost pity you," Sasuke ran a current of lightning through the earth. Most of the White Zetsu clones were seared, though a few jumped to avoid it.
All of the survivors were midair, unable to maneuver properly until they landed. Sasuke took advantage of this, throwing his lightning-coated sword through Black Zetsu's chest and kicking other Zetsu into the wall.
"If your mother wasn't such a failure, you two wouldn't be stuck cleaning up her messes all the time." Two indiscriminate howls of rage answered him. He dashed forward and put his foot through Black Zetsu's face.
Reset.
"It might be easier on you both if you failed to resurrect her," Sasuke dodged wooden stakes and cut down White Zetsu clones as he taunted the originals. "Then you wouldn't have to witness what a failure she is." Black Zetsu pounced on him as Other Zetsu came at his armless flank, arms reinforced and ready to catch him whichever way he moved.
"Shinra Tensei."
Neither Zetsu were able to avoid the pulse of gravity sending them into the walls. Amaterasu burned the Other Zetsu as Sasuke phased in front of Black Zetsu, hand on his skull.
Human Path.
With a tug, Sasuke began to rip Zetsu's skull from his body, encountering more resistance than he expected. One final pull and the resistance broke.
Reset.
Disappointing.
He'd have to take the risk after all.
"I will flay the flesh from your bones!" Black Zetsu roared at him, twisting his wooden vines into a drill-like projectile as the female Zetsu rushed him, earthen pillars rising and falling around Sasuke to block him in, containing his sight so he would not be able to teleport out of the way.
Sasuke waited, absorbing the chakra within the vines as he used the Asura Path to summon a mechanical left arm, already alight with an Onyx Chidori. He wound around Other Zetsu's blows, using the surprise of his new arm to gain leverage upon her and exploiting an opening to ram the Chidori into her black half's chest, concentrated lightning scorching her insides.
He dropped her charred body, preparing his Yang release. In a burst of Shunshin, Sasuke launched himself at Black Zetsu. He twisted slightly, but not enough to avoid the distorted lance.
The wooden spear pierced through the right side of his chest, out his back. Blood spattered. Pain arced through his whole body; his vision blurred. Sasuke was barely able to keep his concentration.
It was enough.
Sasuke's hand lanced into Black Zetsu's chest, twisting.
"Shinra Tensei."
Zetsu was torn apart.
Sasuke felt the shift to genjutsu at the last second.
He was ready this time.
Yang Release.
Reality cemented.
Sasuke's Sharingan and Rinnegan spun, Asura Path preventing Zetsu from activating his Yin Release. He coughed blood up from his gaping lung, using part of his remaining chakra to shoddily attempt to heal the worst of his wounds before cauterizing them with a searing flame.
It was a horrible job, but it would be enough.
His vision was fading. He had lost too much blood. No longer able to move properly, he helplessly watched the female Black Zetsu slowly stand up, still grievously wounded and scorched, and absorbed the shorn corpse of his Black Zetsu within her before limping off towards the Gedo Mazo, both the statue and the woman sinking into the ground.
Damn…wasn't thorough enough.
Sasuke blacked out.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
"Kazekage-sama."
Sabaku no Gaara's warm hair was contrasted by his cold voice. Sasuke met his gaze evenly, uncowed. After about a minute of silence between them, Gaara nodded.
"Come. We have work to do. Your first assignment begins tonight," the Kazekage ordered. Sasuke followed him into the village wordlessly.
The stares he received were not the hatred and disdain he had received in Konoha, but wariness and caution. They had little personal connection to the Uchiha's actions, aside from the Kage Summit. Their dislike of him was impersonal. He was simply another criminal joining their side for convenience's sake in their eyes.
Sasuke found he preferred it that way. They didn't need to know what he did to stop Kaguya.
He certainly didn't do it for them.
Led through the dusty streets to the bland but sturdy Kage's office, Sasuke was invited directly in without pomp or circumstance. Once inside, Gaara led him to a briefing room, sitting down in his chair.
"I would offer you a chair, but I fear it would be improper," Gaara confessed to him. Sasuke nodded, having nothing to say.
"While much of your more powerful jutsu is a rather obvious giveaway, your access to all elements and skill with a blade can disguise you a bit, provided you use the elements you're less associated with primarily," Gaara told him, setting a mask on the table. "From this point on, you will be known as Crane. Seals within the mask will grant you access to our black ops' headquarters. You will be a new recruit, sent primarily on infiltration and assassination missions with your partner, Badger. They will be your guide until you are used to the village."
"Understood."
"Good. Put on the mask, take some time to meet your partner and become acclimated to the area. Your first mission is tonight."
Sasuke nodded, placing the mask on his face. A map appeared in his sight, projected by the seals within it. Sasuke bowed formally, taking his leave to change into his new uniform.
Once at his new room in Sunagakure's black ops headquarters, he changed into the available uniform resting on his otherwise bare bed. As he put his other clothes away, a knock sounded at his door.
Opening the door, a thin, brown-haired woman in a weasel mask greeted him with a nod.
"I presume you'll be my partner?" He asked her. She nodded.
"I am Weasel. I will be your partner during your time in our black ops' division. I am also in charge of helping you become acclimated to the village and the mission process, as well as teaching you our codes and cartography."
"I see. Come in, then," he stepped aside, inviting her into the room. She walked in as he closed the door behind her, leaning against it. "You've been informed of my identity and why I am here?" She nodded.
"Kazekage-sama has seen fit to inform me. He believed I was the best choice to be your partner." He hoped she didn't mean what he thought she might have been implying. He really did not want to think about that so soon.
Luckily, she seemed to breeze past such topics.
"Each team is afforded a community kitchen, and each member their own rooms and bathrooms. Teams are normally in four-man cells, but we are a two-man cell at the moment. We may or may not receive other team members in the future." He nodded in understanding.
"Understood. Anything else?"
"Not for now. At nightfall, be in the kitchens. I will be giving you a tour of the city tonight. I will bring you a map to show how we divide our sectors. We have our first mission tomorrow, so you will need to be prepared," she told him.
Sasuke moved away from the door.
"For the record, Crane," she addressed him as she stepped out of his dormitory, "I do not like you. I do not trust you. Redeemed or not, you willingly joined an organization that murdered my lord. If not for his order, I would have simply had your chakra bound and left to rot."
She closed his door on him before he could respond. He stood there for a minute. Sasuke eventually took his mask off, sighing as he examined it.
He didn't blame her one bit.