Two weeks later – after making a stop to the Land of Waves to get Kubikiribocho – they made it t the next base where they came face to face with non-other than the red-headed Karin. She was waiting for them, a frown on her lips.
"What are you doing here?" Karin questioned, looking at the ragtag group wearily, not showing her surprise at spotting a baby amongst the group. She had heard rumours about Miyako having a child, and it appeared that those rumours were true.
"I'm hunting down Itachi. I want you to join me," Sasuke stated bluntly.
"Why should I? I have to guard the prisoners here for Orochimaru-sama," Karin replied, and Sasuke closed his eyes in annoyance.
"Sasuke killed Orochimaru," Miyako stated, surprised Karin. "Suigetsu, can you release the prisoners, please?"
"For you? Anything," Suigetsu replied with a wink to Miyako before walking pass Karin and into the base to do as requested.
"Bee that as it may be, I won't come," Karin replied stubbornly to Miyako and Sasuke.
"OK. I'll just get someone else then," Sasuke replied and turned to walk away, only to have Karin get flustered.
"Okay, okay. If you want me that badly, I'll come," Karin replied, flashing him a flirtatious wink, making Miyako giggle as Suigetsu returned.
"If she doesn't want to come, we should get going," Suigetsu stated, rubbing the back of his neck with a yawn.
"She's changed her mind," Miyako stated with a smirk directed to Karin.
"T-that's not it! I just happen to be going in the same direction as you lot," Karin stated, flustered at having been caught out by Miyako. "At least, for the moment."
"We will stay here the night, and then make our way to the Northern Hideout to get the final member of the team," Sasuke ordered, and the group nodded, going their separate ways. Karin to pack, Suigetsu to get someone to eat, and Sasuke and Miyako to find a room to rest in for the night.
...
The next day, the group started to make their way to the Northern Hideout when Karin asked the first question. "Who are we collecting this time?"
"His name is Jūgo. I'm sure you've heard of him," Miyako replied as they walked through the forest.
Karin nodded in affirmation. "Everyone who works for Orochimaru-sama has."
"I haven't," Suigetsu stated.
"Anyone worth something to Orochimaru-sama has," Karin snapped.
"Sooo, who is he?" Suigetsu questioned.
"Jūgo was probably Orochimaru's most important experiment. He gave him the means to create the cursed seals," Miyako explained simply.
Suigetsu whistled in amazement. "Damn. And here I though Sasuke was Orochimaru's golden child."
Miyako laughed as they arrived at the Northern Hideout after arriving at a rocky, mountainous area. They entered the hideout, only to be surrounded by a group of curse infected prisoners.
"None of these are Jūgo," Karin stated simply, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance.
"Incapacitate them then. Don't kill them," Sasuke ordered as he and Suigetsu worked together to attack the experiments, whilst Miyako stayed in the shadows with Ainu so as to not draw any attention to them.
Karin stood in front of Miyako, prepared to protect her and the baby if need be. Though Karin knew that she probably didn't stand much of a chance against this particular group of foes.
In a matter of minutes, Sasuke and Suigetsu had incapacitated the group of prisoners. The group made their way further into the hideout until they found a room with keys for Jūgo's cell.
"Karin, lead the way," Sasuke ordered, and Karin nodded and took the front of the group, leading them through hallways and to a cell where even Sasuke and Suigetsu could sense the chakra of Jūgo. Karin unlocked the door and Sasuke entered.
Miyako and Karin stood back, as suddenly, Sasuke was attacked and sent through the doorway. Jūgo, and orange-haired teen, quickly followed, attacking Sasuke who kept dodging and tried to reason with him. Sasuke had no choice but activate his curse seal and the two teens battled it out the best way they could.
"Suigetsu, you have to beat him to a pulp to calm him down!" Miyako shouted, and Suigetsu joined in on the battle, which escalated.
Sasuke tried to calm the fighting teens down, but they wouldn't listen, which pissed Sasuke off. He summoned two snakes and wrapped them around Suigetsu and Jūgo, releasing a large amount of killing intent which seemed to calm the orange-haired teen.
Once the transformation receded, Jūgo rushed back into his cell. "Lock the door, and leave me here," he ordered softly.
"W-what?" Suigetsu questioned, making Miyako shrug and Karin roll hear eyes.
"While he may be violent and bloodthirsty when full of rage, Jūgo himself doesn't like hurting others. It's why he came to Orochimaru-sama, in the hope of getting some help, or being locked up so he doesn't hurt anyone else," Karin explained.
"Jūgo, I want you to help me with a mission," Sasuke explained.
"Just leave me here. Its safer for everyone that way," Jūgo replied.
"I can keep you in control," Sasuke offered.
"Only Kimimaro could do such a thin," Jūgo replied. "He was my friend."
"Jūgo-san, do you know how Kimimaro died?" Miyako questioned, making the orange-eyed boy look at her in surprise. He shook his head on reply. "He died bringing Sasuke to Orochimaru."
Jūgo heisted before slowly coming of the cell. "Hmm, if that's the case, I'll came with you." His gaze fell on Miyako and Ainu, surprise showing in their orange depths. "A baby?"
Miyako stood forward, though Sasuke moved closer protectively. He didn't quite trust Jūgo just yet. "I'm Shinjitsu Miyako. This is my daughter, Haruno Ainu."
"It's nice to meet you, Miyako-san. Ainu-chan," Jūgo replied.
"I'm Hozuki Suigetsu," Suigetsu greeted with a wave.
"Uchiha Sasuke. And this is Karin," Sasuke introduced himself and the redhead to the teen. "From this day forth, we are Team Hebi. Our goal it to kill my elder brother, Uchiha Itachi. Do I have your back-up?"
"I want Samahada, which is currently being held by Hoshigaki Kisame. I'll join your group seeing as he work with Itachi," Suigetsu stated with a grin.
Karin rolled her red eyes at Suigetsu words before speaking, "I'll also help"
"I know why you joined. It's because you—" Suigetsu started but was cut off by Karin punching him in the gut, winding him.
"You are Kimimaro's reincarnation. I will join," Jūgo stated, making the group to face Miyako who shot a smirk at them/
"I'll follow you anywhere, Sasuke. After all, I'm your self-appointed babysitter," Miyako stated, making Suigetsu burst out laughing at Miyako's words.
"God, I love this girl," Suigetsu stated, throwing his arm over her shoulder. "Don't touch her."
Sasuke ripped Suigetsus' arm off of Miyako, Sharingan blazing in anger.
...
After a week of travel, the group stopped at an inn in a village in the Land of Fire. Miyako was glad to let her daughter rest from their travelling and set up a room with Karin in the inn, whilst Suigetsu and Jūgo got another room, and Sasuke got a room of his own.
Miyako had just given Ainu to Sasuke to watch and returned to her room, only to have Karin disturb her plan of rest. "is it true that Ainu-chan is Itachi's daughter?" Karin questioned Miyako as she sat on her futon.
"So what if she is?" Miyako questioned as she laid down on the opposite futon, her blue gaze watching Karin wearily.
"Are you loyal to him? Itachi," Karin questioned her red eyes narrowed.
"'Course I am. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," Miyako replied as if it were common knowledge.
"You know that doesn't make any sense. Why would you help Sasuke kill his brother if you still care for him?"
"Itachi asked me to look after his little brother, and I promised I would. If that means I have to help him kill his brother, then so be it. After all, it's what Itachi wants," Miyako explained, closing her eyes in the hopes that Karin would drop the conversation, but, of course, she didn't.
"This is confusing. You make it sound as if he feels guilty for what he's done."
Miyako winced at the truth of that statement, a movement that didn't go unnoticed by Karin, whose red eyes widened as she started to slowly connect the dots.
"He does, doesn't he?"
"Goodnight, Karin."
"No! Not "goodnight, Karin"," Karin stated. "If Itachi feels guilty for what he did, that means he didn't want to do it. Which means..." Karin gasped. "Was he ordered to do it?"
"You['re entering dangerous territory," Miyako warned.
"You need to tell Sasuke-kun. You and I both know that if he finds out after the fact he'll feel so guilty he'll go on a rampage against Konohagakure," Karin warned.
"Which is why he won't find out," Miyako snapped, sitting up and glaring at the red head.
"And how can you ensure that? Things always come out after people's deaths. Don't try to tell me otherwise, Miyako. Do you really trust that anyone who knows the truth will take it to the grave?"
Miyako looked away and bit her lip. She knew Karin had a point and that besides Konoha's elders, herself, and Itachi, at least two other people knew the truth. He ex-teammate and supposed to be dead Uchiha Hisoka, and the one who calls himself Tobi and Madara. An unknown Uchiha who helped Itachi kill the clan, the one who spared Hisoka for whatever reason.
"Shit,"; she cursed as she realised that the last two people would gladly tell Sasuke the truth to get him to do what they want. She didn't want to go against Itachi's wishes, but she may not have much of a choice if it meant keeping Itachi's wishes of peace for Konoha alive.
She stood up and looked at Karin. "Come with me. I need to tell Sasuke the truth to avoid the destruction of a whole village. You can look after Ainu whilst I tell him. After all, this is not going to go down well if I know Sasuke. But, before that," she turned not her bag and pulled out a scroll and started to write two letters, one to Itachi an the other to the current Hokage – Tsunade.
Once that was done, she summoned two falcons and tied the messages to their legs and let them out the window. She turned back to Karin, who watched in interest. "Let's go and ruin Sasuke's day, shall we?"
...
In Konohagakure – The Village Hidden in the Leaves – rumours were spreading amongst its shinobi that one Uchiha Sasuke had killed the snake sannin Orochimaru and had gathered a team to take out his brother next. The news had finally reached a blond whose bright blue eyes widened and he rushed to find his teammate.
He found her destroying a training ground with her fists. He sweat-dropped at the thought of being on the receiving end of those fists and decided it'd probably be best not to annoy her... for today anyway.
"Sakura-chan!" he shouted, and the pink-haired girl stopped what she was doing in surprise.
"Naruto? What's wrong?" she questioned as she walked up to him, wiping some sweat off her brow.
"Did you hear the rumours? Sasuke killed Orochimaru and is now hunting Itachi down," Naruto explained, making Sakura's eyes widen in shock.
"Do you think Miyako-chan is with him?" she questioned.
Naruto nodded. "Most likely. Come on. We have to ask Granny Tsunade to send us out to look for either them or Itachi!"
Sakura nodded in agreement and the duo rushed out of the training field and through the streets of Konohagakure to the Hokage building – which was cantered in the very centre of the village –
and ran in. They slammed the door to the Hokage's office open, making the blonde-haired woman look up in surprise, and the three other occupants turn to look at the duo in curiosity.
"Naruto, Sakura, great timing. I was just about to call you two out on a mission. I'm assuming you've heard the rumours surrounding Sasuke?" the blonde-haired woman questioned.
"Is it true then, shishou?" Sakura questioned respectfully to her mentor.
"My sources suggest so. However, I need confirmation. This is why I'm sending you five, plus two others on a mission to locate Sasuke and his team, along with Miyako, and confirm if Orochimaru is dead and, if possible, bring them back to Konoha," Tsunade explained as the door opened to reveal two more people. "You already know Fuchigami Takeo, this is his and Miyako's ex-sensei. Higa Tsuneo. I'm assuming you got the mission scroll alright?"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama. We accept the mission," Tsuneo stated, taking a look at the other people in the room. "Hmm, good to see you again Kakashi-san, Sakura-chan, Naruto. I – however – don't know you two." His gaze fell on the brown-haired shinobi and the pale boy.
"Captain Yamato, and this is Sai," the man replied with a respectful nod of his head. "It's nice to meet you, Tsuneo-san."
"Likewise," Tsuneo replied, his gaze looking over the ROOT member who gave him a smile so fake it was unnerving.
"Nice to see you again, Boring," Sau stated, making Sakura and Naruto sigh and Takeo laugh.
"Ok. You've all had your introductions. Now off you go. Leave as soon as possible. And, Yamato, you're in charge of this mission," Tsunade ordered And everyone stood up straight and nodded before leaving the office.
Once they were gone, Tsunade pulled out a scroll and unravelled it.
I hope you're prepared for a shit storm, Miyako. Especially if you really do plan on telling Sasuke the truth.