Chapter 10: Student and Teacher
The moment when a teacher feels most proud is when the student surpasses the teacher. In some cases though, the student will only feel satisfied when the teacher is dead. Sooner or later, Orochimaru and I will fight to death. I think that if he kills me I will at least be satisfied with his progress.
The Third
Sasuke was still feeling the strong intent to kill that his sensei was emanating. Basic precaution would be assuming a defence stance, but he didn't want to assume the worst.
"Sasuke, what have you done?" asked Kakashi, with an open hostility.
"Nothing much. Well, I married. Sorry, I didn't invite you to the ceremony"
Kakashi moved with a surprising speed. Sasuke knew he was fast, but he was still surprised. One second he was standing, and the next he was rushing towards him. He didn't even see him as he kicked him hard in the face.
Sasuke was still in the air, when Kakashi attacked again, straight to the guts. Sasuke was left confused for a second on his knees. It was instinct that made him protect his face, and a second later he managed to block the kick that was going to his face.
Sasuke jumped back and spat blood.
"I don't get it. If Sakura and I married each other, why I'm the only one getting kicked around?" He said, to get time to get ready.
"Sasuke, what have you done?" Repeated Kakashi "Cancel the wedding immediately. It's an order."
"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei, but that's not that easy. She married me of her own free will. Ask her to cancel the wedding. If she accepts, I'll not object."
"I am ordering you to cancel the wedding" Kakashi warned with a dangerous tone.
"And I don't like people ordering me what to do, Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi attacked again, moving at an incredible speed. Sasuke was forced to activate the Sharingan just to try to stop the onslaught of very advanced taijutsu that Kakashi was launching.
Sasuke finally jumped backwards, while the bones in his arm were protesting for being the ones being beaten. Suddenly water from the nearby river rushed at him with tremendous violence. Sasuke had to duck underground to escape from it.
"That's Suikodan no jutsu, isn't it? The jutsu you copied from that Zabuza from the Mist." asked Sasuke emerging from underground. "Sensei, are you really trying to kill me? Because it looks like that way"
"I am not going to kill you, but I'm going to force you to stop the wedding, whether you like it or not." Kakashi warned
"Sensei, if Sakura wants it, I'll cancel it. If not, not heaven not hell will force me to cancel it."
Suddenly a second Kakashi pulled his arm behind Sasuke, and started twisting it.
"Damn it!" Sasuke yelled, while being pushed to the ground.
"Sasuke, cancel it or I'll break you arm and you will never be able to complete your dream!" warned the first Kakashi, while the second was twisting Sasuke's arm more and more, pushing Sasuke's face to the ground.
"Fuck!" yelled Sasuke. Resisting the pain, he moved his whole body violently forward. Making a supreme effort he pushed back the head, smashing it against an out of guard Kakashi. The shadow clone banished, and Sasuke had barely the time to stop a punch from the real one.
Sasuke panted, this time keeping a strong defence stance, while Kakashi circled him.
"I will not back down, Kakashi-sensei. For my part, at least for the moment, the only way I'll be away from Sakura is if she becomes a widow."
Kakashi adopted the stance of Chidori. Sasuke mimicked him, wondering how it had come to this. Was his sensei really going to attack him with his strongest technique? His sensei was far faster than him. He would not be able to escape. The only way to defend himself was using chidori too, but with the power of both chidoris, it would be very difficult to control. Worst case scenario, they would kill each other.
They stood for some minutes not one of them moving, silently gathering some chakra, not enough to launch chidori, but close.
Finally, Kakashi stopped his stance, and Sasuke stopped it too.
"Your quest will only bring sadness, Sasuke. You won't feel any joy satisfaction killing your only living relative you have left"
"I already know that."
"You know it, and still you are going to go forward toward the void"
"I didn't choose the setting, not the pain, not the revenge, but the deeds have been done, and the only thing left is to pursue my brother to the bitter end, whatever it is."
"You are free to chase your brother to hell, if that's your heart desire, but why do you have to take Sakura with you in that path? Are you set into accomplishing your second desire as well?" asked Kakashi
Sasuke sighed.
"I don't want her to drag her into anything, sensei. I'm not interested in passing my genetic material to the next generation either. Things happened, and we decided we should marry. That's all." said Sasuke, fully expecting Kakashi to ask what the hell he was talking about
"Why? Why did it have to be Sakura?"
Sasuke just shrugged, still wondering what the hell was wrong. That had sounded too much as a generic question, not a real one. Anybody should be asking what things had happened.
"We are all living dark times. We have just finished the war against the Sand, and the war against the Sound is just a matter of time. In this time, there are very few lights, and, you are set on shutting it off one of the few left." said Kakashi almost to himself.
Suddenly a thought appeared on Sasuke's head. That thought was stupid, idiotic, groundless, ridiculous, silly, absurd... almost as brainless as the idea he had had of going out with Sakura and Naruto to drink.
"Kakashi sensei, could it be that you are in love with...?" No, no way. Hell, that was stupid. No, he was stupid. He was actually worse than Naruto. Apparently the alcohol was still in his system.
"Sasuke, I plead to you. Stop your revenge. Stop this madness. Stop causing pain to yourself and everybody around you." Kakashi pleaded.
Sasuke closed his eyes.
"I am tired of this duty, too. Training with you, Naruto and Sakura... I enjoyed it, a lot. Still, I can't, and won't, ever, stop. I am sorry." He confessed.
There was a long, quiet silence. Sasuke lowered his head, and started walking away.
"Will the original Uchiha Tragedy repeat itself, Sasuke?" Kakashi suddenly asked
Sasuke stopped surprised, and turned around. There was the beginning of a cruel sarcastic smile in his head.
"The original Uchiha tragedy. All long living clans have dark secrets hidden in their past, but the secrets of the Uchiha clan are really dark. One of the darkest secret is the tragedy that caused with the break-off from the Hyuga clan and the creation of the Uchiha clan, a story that couldn't be told to a 7-year old child." Commented Sasuke "That secret made the Uchiha clan be known as the tragic clan or the cursed clan. It took hundred of years that story to be forgotten. I'm surprised you know it. One day I should ask you about your left eye and how you know so much about my clan, Kakashi-sensei."
"What is your answer? You know about the dangers of following the path of revenge, and still you will go thought it?"
Sasuke turned back and kept walking away
"We are all bound by our feelings, by our blood, and by our pain, among other things. If you want to stop me you better use chidori to pierce my heart" Sasuke wondered if his sensei was going to do that in that very moment
"I'll do it, Sasuke. Believe me that if you force me to it, I won't doubt it." Kakashi promised.
"The original Uchiha Tragedy, the current Uchiha Tragedy. Do you want to know what they have in common, sensei?" Sasuke still walking away.
"I'm guessing you are going to tell me."
Sasuke smiled.
"The ending. There will not be a happy ending, I am sure of that. That's the reason they are called tragedies, and my destiny is to follow this tragedy to its bitter end."
Sasuke was feeling really bothered. The reactions of Kakashi and Tsunade were not was he was expecting. They never even tried to ask him his reasons. Instead, they had used respectively violence and authority. How come they hadn't tried to convince Sakura too?
A melodic sound stopped him. There was a young boy playing the flute. The colour of his hair was one he was familiar too and there was a tattoo in his hand, which looked too much as a curse seal to be a coincidence. Their eyes met for just a second, and he was already sure.
"What are you playing?" Sasuke asked
"An old song, about revenge and duty" the boy answered
"May I play it, please?" thinking that the Four Sound were underestimating him. They didn't need to be that obvious
"Sure" the boy answered, giving the flute to Sasuke
Sasuke took it, trying to remember a song or another. Then he started playing. It was a sad, nostalgic music, about shattered dreams and painful grief. After a few minutes, Sasuke gave it back to the boy
"That was really good!" Admitted the boy "Where did you learn to play?"
Sasuke's calm countenance changed for a second, to an expression of pure anger
"A person taught it to me. He was the best musician of the whole Uchiha clan, probably of the whole Leaf. It wasn't that surprising, though. That person excelled in absolutely everything."
Sasuke started walking back to his house without looking back. He knew that the ANBU were still following him, but that the "boy" would be able to slip away. He knew his plans were in motion. He also knew he was probably going to be killed.
Half an hour later, the boy changed back to Tayuya, one of the Four Sounds. When she looked into the flute, as she was expecting, there was a note
"05:00. Bridge "The First". Outside the Leaf."
Tayuya considered carefully if it could be a trap. It couldn't be. That bridge was far away from the Leaf, and there were a lot of places where they could hide if the ANBU were expecting them. Besides, if he wanted to trap them, he would have done it inside the Leaf, where they would have a far harder time to escape.
The time for Orochimaru getting the body of Sasuke was getting closer.
Sasuke got into his neighbourhood, something that could easily be seen by the silence and the lack of people walking in the street, and he was not very surprised to find Ino looking around the house, afraid to enter. She was holding a huge bouquet of flowers
"Oh! Hi, Sasuke-kun!" She said six times higher than what Sasuke would have liked.
"Hi" he answered almost politely. He was suddenly having an urge to run to his house. Besides, he had a very tight timetable. "You want to talk to Sakura?"
"Well, I was going to enter, but then I thought you two could be together. I didn't want to interrupt..."
«Waste of time » Sasuke reflected.
"You want to enter?" «Please say no »
"No, that's OK. Could you give these flowers to her? Since she stole you from mine, I thought I could still give her some presents for her victory."
"I don't know if that's a good idea. I'm really bad at taking care of flowers. All the ones I have died on me." «Exactly when I was yours, anyway», Sasuke asked himself
"You have one flower with you that is not going to let you go, so try to take good with her" Ino asked, holding the flowers for him
"Yeah" he promised taking them.
As soon as he grabbed the flowers, Ino grabbed his head and pulled him forward, kissing him full in the lips
"What are you...!" yelled Sasuke pulling back
"Don't think I've given up on you, Sasuke-kun. This is just a temporary defeat." She said with a sinister smile. "I don't know how she seduced you, but eventually you will be mine."
"But...!" Sasuke managed to stammer, but Ino had already disappeared. Sasuke suddenly had the urge to smash his head with concrete, metal or something harder. He should really check his mirror. The image it was giving him apparently was not what every single girl saw. He didn't get it, really. There was something wrong with the whole world.
Sasuke entered his house, and he was greeted by a laughing Naruto and a worried Sakura
"Sasuke, somebody made a joke with your home! You have a whole room painted in black!" laughed Naruto
"Baka, I already know that. I painted it myself." Hai, the whole world was crazy. Naruto was probably going to become Hokage sooner or later.
"Why? Do you like black that much?"
Sasuke shrugged but hyperactive Naruto had already moved to other question
"So, why did you marry Sakura so soon? I thought you didn't like her. Have you been going out in secret? You could have told us."
Well, finally somebody asked. Pity he couldn't explain the true reasons. If Naruto knew, they would be fighting for hours, and he was already running out of time.
"Naruto, let's train. I already know how to do Kage Bunshin, but I need to perfect the jutsu, and for that I need your help and experience with the jutsu" He explained.
"No way I am going to teach you my jutsu!" yelled Naruto
Sasuke sighed. He didn't have time for bullshit. He would have to force him.
He kneeled down in front of Naruto and Sakura.
"Naruto, please, teach me the Kage Bunshin" he pleaded
Naruto was truly shocked.
"Sasuke! What are you doing! Get up!" He yelled. Sakura was silent.
"No until you promise to help me perfect the Kage Bunshin".
"Don't you have any pride!" yelled Naruto, still stubborn. Sasuke was sure it was just a matter of time. Naruto had too many feelings. Still, the question deserved an answer
"Of course I have pride. I am actually very proud. However if pride, or any other feeling, for that matter, becomes an obstacle in the way of my objectives," and this time he was looking at Sakura "I'll grab it with my own hands and I'll eliminate it."
There was another silence. Naruto was trembling, Sakura was immobile and Sasuke was still kneeled down
"Why are you so desperate to learn Kage Bunshin?" Asked Naruto "Who do you need to fight?"
This time Sasuke was surprised at Naruto. He was more perceptive that people gave him credit. A little bit.
"I need to fight my brother. Other people I just use them to measure my strength" he said, not giving him any clues.
After a few seconds, Naruto sighed.
"Very well, but there is one condition."
Sasuke nodded.
"Whatever you want"
"You have to try to be a little funnier. Smile a little, make jokes, and stuff like that..."
"What?" Sasuke asked. Of all the stupid things Naruto could ask... Why didn't he ask him to be like Gay s... err, Gai sensei? ...
"So you can make Sakura happier" finished Naruto.
Sasuke was astounded. He didn't know if Naruto knew or not, but this time the blonde shinobi was throwing his words and thoughts back to him. He would never call Naruto an idiot again.
"Fine. Now let's train."
"And also you have to call me Naruto-sama, no, better Naruto-sensei, no better Naruto-sama, no..."
«Change of mind. Naruto is really an idiot, a total dumbass, the most stupid shinobi of the whole Leaf Village», Sasuke thought.
"Sasuke" interrupted Naruto
"Now what?" said a very exasperated Sasuke
"You are also my best friend, and it's not for lack of competition, you loner" said Naruto looking away.
Sasuke was surprised by that statement. Naruto had a knack to make him feel better.
Sasuke looked at the sun. It had almost disappeared. Perfect. Now he still had one hour to rest to gather chakra, and the plan would start.
"What are you doing, student Sasuke? Use Kage Bunshin again! I'm waiting! Come on! Start doing it now!"
"It's over for now. I need to rest" explained Sasuke. Using Kage Bushin was very dangerous, because it divided your energy between the different clones. If the clones were defeated, the real one would be almost defenceless. The maximum he could do was three. Naruto could do easily one thousand. There was something weird with Naruto, something very wrong, but that wasn't any of his business
"You have training for hours" commented Sakura. "I prepared some dinner for you."
They entered his house, and for a moment Sasuke was surprised. The chairs were not in its place, a book had been moved, and there was a vase with the flowers that Ino had brought. What was the deal with those new tablecloths?
"Oh, Sasuke! I changed a few things around the house. It seemed too cold, you know" warned Sakura
Sasuke stared at her for a second. He had changed things in his house? Without his permission... oh, rats, it was their house now. Well, he could live with that.
Naruto was already talking how Sasuke would be in really good shape when the training was over. Sasuke used the time to glance at Sakura. She seemed to be really happy. That was good, probably.
"Sakura, we need to go to your home." warned Sasuke.
"What for?"
"I still haven't introduced myself formally to your parents. I have to tell them that you are married to me" « and I better show them the laws of the village to explain to them that I didn't need their consent », Sasuke mentally added.
"I don't think they are going to like it too much."
Sasuke was silent for a few seconds.
"Naruto, you said I am your best friend, right?"
"Yeah" said Naruto suspiciously
"Could you use Henge no jutsu to transform into me, and go explain Sakura's parents that I married her?" He said in his usual tone
"Why does it have to be me?" groaned Naruto
Sasuke smiled
"Just kidding" he said
Naruto and Sakura stared at Sasuke.
Uchiha Sasuke, the avenger, last survivor of the Uchiha clan, had made a joke.
Sasuke was dressed totally in black, this time without the Uchiha symbol. He was wearing in his backpack a change of clothes, besides some other stuff he would need. He wasn't expecting trouble in the way. The ANBU were too obvious, and trapping an Uchiha in its own territory was like trapping a fish in the ocean: Too many ways to get out.
"Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke almost jumped. People kept surprising him, first Ino and then Sakura. He had to be more careful
"I am sorry about my parents. They can be a little... overprotective, you know?" She continued
Sasuke shrugged.
"It's late. Go back to sleep" he said.
She didn't answer. She was staring at his backpack.
"Sasuke, I know I promised you that I wouldn't stop you with your mission. I don't want to be a burden to you. I also promise you that I won't ask this ever again, but, please, don't leave me."
Sasuke knew he was running out of time. Still...
"I am not planning on leaving you tonight, Sakura. I'll be back"
"Do you promise?"
"Hai. I won't promise you this ever again, but today I tell you that I will be back. Even if the old Nine Tails or the whole Sound tries to stop me, I'll be back. Even if I have to go through a road of blood, I'll be back."
"Sasuke-kun, let me help you getting out" she pleaded
"I don't need your help" explained Sasuke
"I know, but still, let me help you. Can you do it for me?" She asked
Sasuke looked at her. People around him had a way with words recently
The ANBU had a strong net around the Uchiha neighbourhood. This time they were not going to miss the target. When the target got out of the house and started jogging, they carefully followed him, but still maintained the net.
They never saw the real target getting away through a secret passage.
The Leaf chuunin guard quickly stood up when he saw the Hokage.
"How are things around?" She asked.
The chuunin was going to answer, when he noticed something weird with the charka of the Hokage. He never had time to give out the alarm when a second shadow knocked him down from behind. The Hokage disappeared while the real Sasuke took the keys from the body of the guard, and opened the warehouse of the ANBU
"Now it begins" Sasuke muttered.
This is it. Another chapter. Do you like it? Did you like the fight between Kakashi and Sasuke? Fights are hard to explain without any visual imagery.
More appearances of the mysterious Original Tragedy, and also, appears a hint of Kak-Sak, immediately discarded by Sasuke. Is there anything going on behind the scenes?
I am trying hard to mix the harsh reality (Kakashi fighting with Sasuke) thick story (ANBU vs. Sound) and gloomy future (Sasuke's comments on the bitter end) with parts of humour (Ino's kiss with Sasuke's reaction) and parts of hope (Sasuke trying to change himself)
Notice that I wanted to represent the moment when Sasuke left the Leaf, with the recent changes in his life. Even the last sentence is the last sentence of 181 of manga.
Well, let's wait for the next chapter. In the meantime, please send some reviews. We writers live for them.