A/N: 28 will be the last chapter.
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Back at the courthouse, Tsunade tried to calm the distracted crowd.
"Order!" she commanded firmly.
Tsunade herself was surprised that Sakura had left midway through the trial. There was a small but frightening possibility that Sakura would do something to hurt herself, and Tsunade debated whether to send either Naruto or Lee after her. She met Naruto's eyes but he turned up his palms, indicating that he knew only as much as Tsunade did. Tsunade sighed inwardly, but decided to trust her instincts which told her that Sakura just needed some space. Tsunade knew that her shinobi, especially Sakura, were not that rash, even in trying situations.
"Order!" she cried again. The din of the audience lowered momentarily, and Tsunade returned her gaze to the kneeling figure in front of her. A subtle change had occurred; Tsunade noticed his eyes were shut more tightly and shoulders sagged a bit more than before, as if he were digesting something painful in his mind.
For a fraction of a second, Tsunade felt a flicker of sympathy for this boy. He had walked alone all these years, but now, he must feel more alienated than ever. The evidence was damning, and the only person who might have had some compassion for his soul had abandoned him.
Tsunade shuffled some papers uncomfortably and continued the interrogation.
"Uchiha Sasuke, we will judge you based on the information and evidence presented now," she said with a renewed calm.
Sasuke opened his eyes again, and they appeared heartbreakingly defeated. To him, the only verdict he cared about had already been delivered, and it was guilty.
"This is your chance to say something on your own behalf," the Hokage said.
Sasuke exhaled and focused at the interface between the floor and the judge's panel. It was difficult to search for some words in his defense. It seemed foolish to try to justify his actions, especially when he knew everyone in the building was already convinced that he should suffer for his crimes.
Tsunade tapped the table a few times and watched his thoughtful and slightly confused expression.
"Uchiha Sasuke. If you do not offer the court any reason to spare your life, you will be convicted for sure," she warned.
When he did not respond, she added, "The likely punishment for crimes of this caliber is death."
Sasuke opened his mouth. Tsunade studied him with her chin supported by her knuckles. She half expected the young man to snap into a tirade, blaming everything he had done on his dysfunctional past and infamous brother. An explanation would not be unjustified, and it may even win over some shinobi who, while disagreeing with his methods of revenge, sympathized with his motivations. There was a chance Sasuke would come across as crazy and violent, but it would be beneficial for him to get it all out, especially if this was to be his last day alive.
Sasuke closed his mouth again, and paused before finally saying softly, "I've got nothing."
Tsunade raised her eyebrows curiously. He chose to die, then, with all the angst locked in his chest. She did not anticipate him to go so quietly.
"Are you trying to mock the court?" she snapped.
"No," he replied softly.
Tsunade reclasped her hands in front of her and was speechless for a moment at the sheer one-sided-ness of it all. It almost did not seem necessary to continue. An elder leaned over to Tsunade's shoulder and whispered something in her ear.
When he withdrew, Tsunade addressed Sasuke again. "Uchiha Sasuke...why did you commit the crimes you did?"
The answer was simple. "For power," he said quietly but clearly.
Sasuke did not include "to kill Itachi." He remembered that he had planned to be focused on only one face in his memory as he accepted his death. It still lent him comfort, however bittersweet. Sasuke found himself wondering where she was now, what she was doing, and whether she truly hated him. His fists clenched behind his back as he lowered his head again, recalling the earth-shattering shock that ran through his body when he had knocked off that ANBU mask and saw her loosened pink tresses fall over the hand gripping her neck. It had been the first real fear he had felt in a long time. A part of him knew that from then on, his life would not be the same, and it had been right. Since that fateful moment, she had awoken emotions in him that he never thought existed. Though the situation was less than ideal now, at least he had something to hold onto, something substantial he could carry with him to the grave.
"Is that all?" the Hokage pressed.
Sasuke paused.
"Yes."
Tsunade noticed then that the courtoom was deathly silent. There was no reason to draw this out much longer.
"Then say your final words to the court." Her voice was softer and less abrasive than before.
Sasuke tried to sort out all the thoughts that were flooding his mind, but he soon got tired of it. With his gaze focused on some random point in space, he spoke again.
"I can't take back what I did...I don't even know if I would want to...Everything happened for a reason; if I wasn't where I was two weeks ago, I wouldn't have met...someone."
He was just thinking aloud, knowing he was not making much sense.
"If I hadn't committed all those crimes and gotten so deep into this...then..." he hesitated. "...then I wouldn't have known what it was to be saved."
When Sasuke lifted his face to meet Tsunade's at the end of his sentence, she instinctively avoided his dark eyes. They were almost sensitive in their search for some hint of understanding, and this unnerved her more than she wanted to admit. Tsunade knew who he was talking about, of course. Though she was relieved that he had not used Sakura all this time, for some reason she also suddenly felt guilty, as if this man was innocent, and she was the criminal. Luckily that flash of shame only lasted for a second, and Tsunade quickly regained her composure when she realized how silly it was.
After all, despite everything he said, that woman was poignantly absent.
"No one is saving you now, Uchiha Sasuke," Tsunade said plainly.
He stared at his knees again and pressed his lips together. The Hokage did not understand, but he had said all he wanted to say and there was no point in delaying the inevitable.
"Hokage-sama, given the reports, it would be stupid to beg for my life. Do as you please with me...I won't resist," he said evenly.
There was a murmur of surprise from the crowd as Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows and met his resigned eyes. She eventually sighed and organized some loose papers on her desk.
Before she deliberated with the elders, there was one final formality to get through.
Tsunade addressed the crowd. "If anyone else has something to say on behalf of this man, please speak now." She tried to give an unbiased scan of the audience, but she was especially sensitive to Naruto's reaction. He had perhaps the most at stake here of those present, being Sakura's best friend and Sasuke's former teammate.
The blonde shinobi wore a pensive expression on his face, trying to determine the best course of action. Sasuke had been out of his life for so long; given what Naruto had learned about the nature of his crimes, as far as he was concerned, this person was nothing more to him than a stranger who deserved to pay for all his transgressions. Though he could not guess how close Sakura had gotten to Sasuke over the last couple weeks, Naruto knew that even after all these years she reserved a soft spot in her heart for him. Her panic yesterday morning had been the most flustered he had ever seen her, and it spoke volumes of about what Sasuke meant to her.
Sakura would be devastated if Sasuke died, and Naruto did not want to be the one to tell her the news. For some reason he instinctively took responsibility for Sakura's happiness, ever since Sasuke had left Konoha as a child. Naruto remembered what Sakura had told him before he embarked on the mission to recover their runaway teammate.
"The only one who can surely bring him back...is you, Naruto."
And at that time he had smiled confidently.
The promise of a lifetime.
Naruto clenched his fists until they hurt and then released his grip with a heavy sigh. He never went back on his words, but this promise remained unfulfilled.
Naruto debated with himself for a few more seconds, but the image of Sakura's happy face took over his mind. He would do all he could to protect it. He had failed to save Sasuke once; this time he would carry out the task.
Finally, Tsunade saw Naruto raise his right hand in the air slowly.
"Naruto-kun. Please stand up." she said.
Sasuke's stomach dropped when he heard the Hokage call out his ex-teammate's name. He knew there was no chance in hell Naruto would defend him, not after the way they had parted long ago. Perhaps Naruto would ask the Hokage to deliver the slowest, most excruciating punishment known to exist.
Naruto obeyed and felt hundreds of eyes focus on his body.
"Tsunade-sama," he began with a small bow. In an everyday situation, he was pretty casual in addressing his Hokage, leaving off the -sama or simply calling her old granny. He was about the only one she allowed to do this, so long as he had the sense to speak to her formally in front of others. This was one of those occasions.
"What have you got to say, Naruto?"
Naruto decided not to cause a scene here in the courtroom and instead try to convince the Hokage in private to spare Sasuke's life.
"About his punishment..." Naruto could not even bring himself to say his ex-teammate's name. "I have no opinion. But I request to be present when you carry it out."
Sasuke's eyebrows raised. This was something he did not expect. So Naruto wanted to watch him take his last breath.
"For what reason?" the Hokage asked suspiciously.
Naruto searched his mind.
"It will help me...better understand the Hokage's duty." He congratulated himself for thinking up an excuse, considering using his brain was not something he was terribly good at.
Tsunade thought for a moment while watching the young man who would most likely be the successor to her title.
"Naruto-kun," she said through narrowed eyes. "The Hokage needs to be fair, even to old teammates. Since this is a position you want so much, it would be in your best interest to learn this as early as possible. Your request will be granted."
As Naruto sat down again, Tsunade asked if anyone else had anything to say. When she was met with silence, Tsunade declared, "Then this trial is over. Please be still for a few minutes while the elders and I deliberate on a verdict, and if necessary, a punishment suitable for these crimes."
Tsunade stood up and exited through a door in back, followed by the elders. Low murmurs diffused through the crowd and a few accusatory fingers pointed toward the offender. Sasuke kept his gaze forward, trying to prepare himself for what he was sure he would hear.
After a few minutes, Tsunade came back into the courtroom and sat down to address the anxious assembly.
"It was an easy decision. Uchiha Sasuke, you are hereby found guilty of all the charges brought against you. I have been given the authority to punish you as I see fit."
She scrutinized the masses of shinobi sitting in the front rows with narrowed eyes. They all appeared solemn, and even a little penitent. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. Hopefully you will think twice before becoming a traitor to this village. It is not worth it; your crimes are bound to catch up to you."
There was complete silence for a moment as the shinobi registered the threatening tone in her voice.
"That is all. Citizens and shinobi of Konoha, you are all dismissed."
People started standing up and filing out the door soberly, directed by a few Chuunins.
Tsunade stood up and said over the din of the crowd, "Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, you are coming with me to my office."
The two ANBU wardens picked Sasuke's limp body up from the floor roughly and led him toward the back exit after the Hokage. Naruto hopped swiftly over the barrier and followed them through a door on the side of the courtroom.
The five shinobi walked in silence down a long corridor, up a few flights of stairs, and then down another hallway. The courtroom and the official government headquarters were conveniently connected, though from the outside they looked like two separate buildings.
Tsunade pressed a finger on the sensor to open the heavy glass doors, and soon the shinobi found themselves in the familiar first floor of the Hokage building.
When they reached her office, Tsunade thanked and excused the ANBU nins, who gave a low bow and left. She took over the hold on Sasuke's arm, and led him inside. Naruto followed behind them, careful not to meet the eyes of his old teammate.
Sasuke looked around at the office; it was exactly as he had remembered—not that he had much time to forget. He was struck with a feeling of déjà vu, noticing how similar the situation was to that of the previous morning. The ending, however, was bound to be different.
Tsunade walked toward her desk, and turned around in front of it. Sasuke and Naruto stood side by side, separated by a considerable distance and each refusing to acknowledge the other. Tsunade could not help but think back to those days when the young men were merely innocent boys engrossed in a silly, but harmless rivalry. Times sure had changed. Children whom she had once had to bend down to talk to now towered over her. Their potential, too, had developed remarkably, though, on Sasuke's part, not in the way she had hoped. The two of them were standing before her now as experienced shinobi, with a few more scars on their bodies and regrets hidden in their souls.
"Uchiha Sasuke," she said finally.
He had kept his eyes fixed on her entire time.
"You have left me no choice. Your fate will follow all other S-class criminals who have been captured before you...it will be death," she said calmly.
Sasuke's head lifted a little higher, but he remained silent. Naruto shifted uncomfortably, deciding when to interrupt.
Tsunade continued, "You should understand that I need to make an example of traitors like you. Our reputation as a village will be tarnished if I let you go."
Sasuke watched her vacantly.
"Naruto-kun," Tsunade finally said, "please stand to the side."
"Tsunade..." Naruto began to protest, with his piercing blue eyes urgently fixed on her in a serious entreaty.
Tsunade had an idea of what was to follow. It would not be the first time he used that intent expression of his to try to convince her of something. In the usual situation, she would most likely cave in while cursing him for his persuasiveness. She had not meant to play favorites over the years, but there was no doubt Naruto was one of her most determined and reliable shinobi. He also held a special place as the one who had woken her out of a downward spiral of decadence to resume the position that her grandfather had established. But even he would not be able to stop her when she made up her mind.
"Please move. You wanted to come here to understand the Hokage's duty. So step aside and watch," she replied with controlled firmness.
"Tsunade, there is another way. You don't have to do this," he stated.
"Be quiet and do what I just told you."
"There's another way. Tsunade—"Naruto repeated more heated this time, while taking a step forward.
"Naruto!" Tsunade turned her sharp brown eyes toward him. "I didn't let you come here so you can plead for his life."
"That's not what I'm doing!" he exclaimed, as he took a few more steps closer. He was now right in front of her; he wanted to make her understand. Naruto tried to take her arm, but she pulled it away fiercely.
"Are you trying to defend this man? After what he has done?" Tsunade asked in disgust.
"Tsunade..." Naruto said with a calmer, but more callous voice. "I say this on Sakura's behalf, not my own. I personally don't care if this son-of-a-bitch lives or dies. But I also believe he would suffer more if he was forced to face all those he betrayed. Why not let him stay in the village...only make it so he couldn't hurt anyone—"
Tsunade did not want a repeat of what happened last morning, nor did she like how Naruto was contradicting her in front of another shinobi, even if it was Sasuke.
"Naruto!" Tsunade said through clenched teeth. "Leave my office. Now."
Naruto loss his patience and threw his hands up in the air. "Can't you see he's not even sorry?! What would be the point in killing him today?!"
"Naruto!" Tsunade's eyes were wide with offense at her insolent subordinate.
Naruto met her expression with added determination. He could not hold back and tried to grab the Hokage's shoulders to reason with her more directly. "Think about her, damnit! Think about Sakura! She's important to you, I know it!"
Tsunade was shocked by his audacity and immediately shook away his hands from her body.
Undiscouraged, Naruto continued his desperate entreaty. "I don't want to see her sad again—I know you don't either—"
Tsunade felt the heat starting to boil inside of her. Her patience had been spent a long time ago; she had half a mind to send this boy flying across the room.
"Naruto, watch yourself!! You are way out of line! No matter who you are, I am still your Hokage and you will obey me. Right now I am commanding you to leave!"
"Please...Tsunade...please...I'm begging you ...at least take into consideration what—"
"Out! Now!"
"Tsunade-sama, I—"
"I will not warn you again!" Her livid eyes turned to his, her hand raised and ready to strike.
Naruto stiffened as he looked at the Hokage's furious expression, and his gaze fell to the ground. After an exasperated breath, he turned around abruptly and started walking toward the exit. He did not look at Sasuke as he passed him, and as he left, he suppressed a desire to slam the door.
Tsunade exhaled angrily when he left, shaking her head in disbelief. She leaned her weight against the edge of her desk and took a moment to calm down after Naruto's outburst.
"Uchiha Sasuke-kun," she said after a few moments, with a renewed restraint.
He had been silent all this time, a little confused at the most recent argument. All the while he had expected Naruto to damn him to hell and watch him suffer with a smirk on his face. Though Sasuke would die without ever having exchanged a word with Naruto in seven years, it was comforting that that kid still took Sakura's happiness seriously. Naruto would take care of her, and that was what was important.
Sakura...
He lost himself again in thought. On the outside, today he would pay the ultimate price for committing all those gruesome, merciless acts. Although to this moment he still did not regret a single crime, he would agree with everyone else in the world that he did have some sins to atone for. In his mind, he could view his death as a punishment for never acknowledging Sakura and being blind to her suffering all these years. His past selfishness and insensitivity riddled him with guilt, and when he spun it that way, he decided he could die for that. He deserved to die for that.
When he considered all things together, it was not so bad.
Tsunade's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"During your trial," Tsunade began. She wanted to clear the air about one issue before he never had the chance to again. "You never talked about that incident...or your brother. Don't tell me you have forgotten about him."
Itachi...
Sasuke felt a small pang in his stomach; it had been awhile since anyone had mentioned his brother.
"A day doesn't pass that I don't think about him," Sasuke said softly with closed eyes. His past was always a secret pain, something that motivated his every move but remained purposefully hidden from others.
Tsunade suddenly found it difficult to look at his defeated figure. Sasuke seemed more vulnerable now, more like the young boy she remembered seven years ago than ever.
"Are you afraid of dying?" she asked him in a more gentle voice.
"No," he responded calmly. It was the truth. He added, "You once gave me back my life...so it is yours to take away."
The Hokage shut her eyes painfully. As she was preparing herself for seeing Sasuke alive for the last time, her mind involuntarily traveled to the time she had first come across him. He had been unconscious in the hospital after being subjected to his brother's Mangekyou Sharingan, and Tsunade had healed him. Little did she know then that things would end up like this.
After a long pause, she gave a heavy sigh.
"It will be a relief, won't it," Tsunade said as she opened her eyes again.
So she understood.
"Yes," he whispered.
Tsunade swallowed and removed her weight from her desk, standing up straight.
"Then let's get this over with. I will make it fast. You have nothing to worry about."
Sasuke dropped his head so his face was out of view. "Hokage-sama..." His voice trailed off.
"Do you have any last words?"
He hesitated for a moment while staring at the patterns in the carpet under him. Sasuke was not one to reveal his private feelings to anyone, especially the Hokage, but now at the end, he realized there was something he had not said to Sakura. He thought he had shown her, but she might have forgotten after her disillusionment today. Even if she would scorn his words, for what it was worth, he wanted to tell her that everything he had done had been in earnest. If this was the only way he could communicate with her, he would have to tell it to the Hokage.
Eventually, he spoke in a low voice. "Just tell Sakura..."
Tsunade watched him struggle inwardly, as if he was debating whether or not to expose some highly classified information. It was a challenge for someone like him who was not used to confiding in anyone, and he stuttered uncomfortably.
"Tell her that I...I love her—I've loved her for so long without knowing it—and that I'm sorry."
The Hokage suppressed a breath that threatened to take the wind out of her lungs. There was a pause as she tried to curb the soreness building in her core. Even if she was a realist and not a romantic, she had not gotten so cynical that she was incapable of discerning the tone of honest tenderness in someone's voice.
"What is she to you?"
Sasuke lifted his head. "I don't know...I just...I just see in her eyes...everything I wish I was..."
Tsunade did not want to hear the rest, but he was not finished.
"...But...I was reckless." This statement was charged with pure regret, a bitter remorse she had not heard at the trial—and perhaps never had all her life.
Tsunade took a long, deep breath. When she first walked into that hospital room seven years ago, the vase by the bed had caught her eye. It was filled with two white daffodils that had been modestly, but affectionately placed. They had been fresh and renewed everyday, along with the hope of the little girl who had brought them. Tsunade noticed the anxiety and exhaustion in those eyes and realized that this child must have spent most of her time at the hospital, just in case that day would be the day her friend's unresponsive body would suddenly awaken. Even at that age, there was something between them. Tsunade did not know what it was then, but she had an idea now.
Tsunade shook her head sadly. There was a steady gloom growing in her heart that was getting more difficult to ignore by the second.
"Sasuke-kun, I will tell her."
He watched her straighten up.
Then, Tsunade's face hardened necessarily into an expression of forced determination.
She said a little stiffly, "It will take a few minutes to charge up my chakra. I will aim for your chest with both of my hands. At first, you will feel a small pain, like needles pressing into your skin. But this will only last for a fraction of a second. Before your nerves can sense the full force of the attack...you will be gone.
"Do you understand?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Prepare yourself...and do not resist. It will only prolong your death."
Sasuke lifted his head, pressed his lips together, and shut his eyes. This whole morning had felt like an eternity, and a part of him was thankful that it would be over soon.
When he heard the swirling wind of the chakra starting to whisper in the Hokage's hands, he thought back on his life. Twenty years. It did not sound like much, but he had been forced to grow up too fast. Some people were just starting to discover what life was all about, but he already felt spent. Maybe his fate had been sealed from the beginning. The power and prestige of his family name had been his greatest asset, but also his greatest curse.
The voice—that singular voice that taunted him before he killed another man, filled his consciousness. Ironically, it sprung up now he that was expecting his own death.
"Foolish little brother..."
Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed as the sound of chakra began getting louder.
"If you wish to kill me—hate me, spite me..."
The image of his parents, bloody and lifeless on the floor of their home, flashed in his mind.
"Survive pathetically and run, run..."
His brother, his hero, loomed over him with the coldest, most foreign eyes.
"...and cling desperately to life."
The words had been like a leash, driving him along his path as an avenger. He could never forget them; the horror of that fateful night was so long ago, but always, always with him. As long as he was alive, there would be that voice in his head. Soon, though, it would be silenced. He would cease to exist. It would cease to exist. And what a beautiful, liberating feeling that would be. That haunting voice would finally be silenced.
Finally silenced, he repeated to himself with a faint smile creeping onto his face.
The sound of chakra was even louder now, and there was a distinct squeaking noise not unlike his chidori. Perhaps the Hokage could summon the same speed without the running start. Oddly enough it impressed him, and for a split second he wondered what type of jutsu it must be.
Then, Sasuke remembered that he had told himself to think of something else when the time came. It was another voice, now, that saturated his memory—innocent, hopeful, but not without a trace of sorrow.
"I know what happened to your family, but a thing like revenge will never bring anyone happiness. It will not bring you happiness."
His smile faded. She had been right.
"Sasuke, do you plan to be alone again? You were the one who told me about the pain of loneliness. Right now, I feel that pain too. Even though I have family and friends, without you in my life...I will still be lonely."
The sad tone had melted his cold heart, but that conversation was not a pleasant memory.
Sasuke forced himself to remember more recent events as he heard the Hokage footsteps, walking towards him.
A different set of scenes involuntarily flashed in his mind.
That night was a blur of emotions. Gentle kisses gave way to a more desperate desire and they tumbled out of the bathroom with hasty urgency. The warmth of her breath, the sweetness of her smell, and the smoothness of her slick skin were overwhelming his senses. Now, the cool sheets tangled around their heated bodies as they moved instinctively, driven by an insatiable force. His hands dragged along the inside of her forearms and then clasped hers tightly. He whispered something incomprehensible and soon became sensitive to every deep moan, every trembling gasp, and every thrilling shiver. Her swollen lips stung his face; sharp fingernails dug into his bare back. Then her head pressed hard into the pillow and she shuddered repeatedly, face twisted up in a tight wince. His name spilled out like a cascade over her slackened mouth as her chest heaved rhythmically under his. He saw her flushed cheeks were stained by tears that, for once, were not shed in sadness. That feverish sensation—an un-nameable pleasure...
She had been completely his that night. They had felt each other in every fiber of their being.
Sasuke clenched his fists behind his back.
"You're the only one. You know that...right? It has always been...just you—it is always going to be you. Remember that."
He planned to. It would be his last memory.
The sound of chakra was deafening now, and before he could wonder how far the Hokage had gotten, he felt her palms pushing against his chest in a sudden, forceful movement.
This is the end, he thought.
Sasuke's body flew back and crashed against the wall, and then it fell limp and collapsed to the floor.
The pain was coursing though his veins like a thousand sharp stabs. It was engulfing his body, and he wondered whether it would end. Every second that passed was like torture—and the feeling only became stronger, more pronounced with time. The Hokage had lied.
But...
Pain...what is this pain...he squinted and then opened his eyes. The sensation was beginning to plateau into a constant throbbing.
He was breathing hard.
He was still alive.
Had she missed?
Impossible...
Was she going to torture him before killing him? Sasuke had not expected this. He shifted his body painfully so he could accept her next attack straight on. Hopefully it would kill him this time. He did not care much for dragging things out.
It was agonizingly difficult to stand up, but he did so slowly, teetering for a minute before regained his balance. Re-closing his eyes, he waited.
"Uchiha Sasuke." The voice was slightly tremulous. She was close to him now.
He opened his eyes again and looked down to meet her gaze.
"Does your body hurt?" she asked as she studied the faint trace of smoke emanating from his chest.
"Yes."
Sasuke did not know what to think. What was she doing?
Tsunade turned her back to him and walked toward her desk again.
"I can't kill you," she said simply. There was a tone of frustration in her voice.
She had spared his life?
"Why?"
"I don't know," she said flatly.
The silence that followed was more deafening than the chakra that had pierced the air a few minutes before.
"Hokage-sama," he said, trying to stand up straight despite the intolerable pain in his chest. "If you ask it of me...I'll do it myself."
"Do whatever you please, but I've made my decision, Sasuke-kun. I am not like you. I understand that in some situations, killing causes more problems than it solves."
She turned to face him again with narrowed eyes.
"However, you're lucky Kakashi-sensei is dead. He told me privately...if and when you returned, whatever the purpose, he would finish anything I failed to do. As your teacher, he felt responsible for your crimes...
"I'll have you know...he was never one to regret his past, but he died disappointed in you."
A different ache seared through Sasuke's chest then.
Tsunade noticed his face contort slightly for a second. "That pain you feel right now, it's not from my attack is it..."
He did not respond.
"It is the pain of betrayal."
Tsunade went to her desk and distracted her hands by organizing some papers. It was clear, however, that her thoughts were not centered on cleaning up right now. She paused suddenly and stared at him.
"Do you even know what state they were in when they came back to Konoha after I sent them to recover you? Chouji pushed himself to the very threshold of death; Neji suffered chakra burns so severe there were holes through his body. They didn't even know you, you were just another shinobi, but they would have died for you. And Naruto...yes Naruto. You didn't see his devastation then, but I did. Sakura was so upset she couldn't eat for a week, and I don't recall her smiling until a year later. Did you even know what you meant to her? I saw it all, Sasuke-kun. Every one of us including me would have given our lives then for you to change your mind."
Tsunade was losing her calm, recalling that incident.
"Did you hear me!?"
Sasuke watched her silently.
"Who, Sasuke-kun, who would you die for?! Anyone?!" Tsunade was visibly agitated, and for once she did not care that he saw.
"There's one person," he said quietly.
She met his eyes skeptically, and discovered that they were not mocking her.
Tsunade sighed and threw a stack of papers on the table violently, scattering them all around. For awhile, she remained silent, staring at the mess she had made.
"What would you do...if I let you go." The question was posed as a statement.
Sasuke sighed. "There are some things...I have to make right. For one, I don't want to see her disappointed anymore."
Tsunade paused.
"Does that mean you will stay?"
Sasuke swallowed and stared at one of the paintings on the side wall. Did he? He was not sure of the answer himself. Would he be able to give up his desperate hunt for strength?
"Yes," he said resolutely, before a voice inside his head could argue differently. He wanted to her to have faith in him for once.
Tsunade hesitated. The last thing she wanted was an S-class criminal in Konoha, but then again, if he remained in the village she would be keep an eye on him. Just then, she remembered the suggestion that Naruto had offered.
"I also believe he would suffer more if he was forced to face all those he betrayed. Why not let him stay in the village...only make it so he couldn't hurt anyone---"
Tsunade walked over to where Sasuke was standing again. There was one way she could make sure he was not a threat for as long as she wanted.
"You've used your powers unwisely for the last few years. You hurt people, when you should have been protecting them. As a punishment, I will use a justu to take away your chakra reserves. That means no Sharingan, no jounin level justu for three years. Also no missions during that time either."
Sasuke closed his eyes, absorbing the meaning of her words. Parting with the powers he had painstakingly trained and suffered for was going to be incredibly difficult—he had relied heavily on them for so long; they were the only things he trusted in this world.
That is...until now.
Three years. It turned out to be a small price to pay.
"Hokage-sama..."
"For the first six months, I'll have ANBU nins escort you everywhere you go. The slightest suspicion that you tricked me, Sakura, or anyone else in the village—believe me. I will find out, and I will not be kind."
He stared at her in wonder of her leniency.
"I'm going to take away your chakra reserves now. And don't think that anyone else can give it back to you, because they can't, no matter how skilled they are or how many forbidden scrolls they steal from my library.
After three years, if I think you deserve it, you powers will be restored through a set of five one-hour long recovery sessions. Got it?"
Sasuke straightened up and closed his eyes as he nodded. He felt her hands settle over his chest, which was still extremely sore after her previous attack.
The sensation was different this time around. At first it was only a chill, like an icy breeze, and then he realized that it was actually burning that he felt. His head tilted back in shock and a choked scream escaped from his throat.
The only thing remotely close to this was when Sasuke had gotten his chakra sucked out by Orochimaru's sound-nin during the Chuunin exam prelims—only now the pain was 100 times worse.
"Steady, Sasuke-kun. Do your best to remain standing. If you collapse now, you won't be able to stand for awhile afterward."
He tried not to focus on the agonizing pain.
"Judging on your chakra levels, this will take about ten minutes."
Ten minutes...she must be kidding...
Sasuke felt the beads of sweat trickling down his face. It was an excruciating process.
When she finally removed her hands after what seemed like hours, he was barely conscious and collapsed forward.
Tsunade supported his falling body with her arms, and though he was limp and heavy, it was nothing her monstrous strength could not handle.
She let him lean on her for awhile, clutching his body uncomfortably. She cleared her throat momentarily and said, "Sasuke-kun, stand up."
She supported him into a standing position, since his hands had been tied behind his back since the trial this morning. Sasuke obeyed reluctantly, still exhausted from the session.
"Turn around."
He rotated his body slowly but steadily.
Tsunade took a kunai out from one of the drawers nearby and charged it with her own chakra.
"I'm going to break the chakra strings tying your hands together now."
Sasuke was still breathing heavily, his body damp with perspiration.
When she cut the strings he was instantly surprised by the newfound freedom of movement he had. He had gotten used clasping his hands behind his back, but now he felt new, invigorating mobility in his arms. He tensed his muscles experimentally, and rubbed each of his wrists with his opposite hand. There was red indentation marking where the bonds had been.
Tsunade put away the kunai back in the drawer, and said in a soft, serious voice. "I want to believe in you. Don't let me down."
Sasuke felt his heart and breath finally slowing down now.
"I won't."
For a moment there was silence.
"Come here tomorrow morning. I will find something for you to do."
He bowed his head and remained still.
"You're on your own with regard to where you stay and who you associate with. But don't expect a friendly welcome from any of the Konoha shinobi or citizens. I know I will be answering to many people regarding your punishment."
"Tsunade-sama..." Sasuke did not know what he was going to say.
Tsunade walked back toward her desk and sat down in her chair.
"Why are you still in my office? Get out of here." There was a slight smirk on her face.
"Thank you."
She waved him off, and Sasuke gave a low bow and turned to run out of the office.