Chapter 11: To survive you must kill
"Still playing ninja, eh? When I was your age, these hands were already dyed with blood"
Momuchi Zabuza "Devil"
Sasuke panted. He had been working non stop for hours already, and still he had to prepare a few alternate plans for dealing with the Four Sound, prepare the conversation, put the grass back, choose the moment when he would set the trap, put the nails back, and finally remove the smell of paint. This was truly the longest day of his life.
Not to mention that after all the training was done, this was the first time he was coldly preparing the death of another human being. Killing in combat was one thing he was always ready for, but to prepare with such care for an assassination was more difficult. At least the memories of Itachi had its uses: Every time he doubted, he only had to ask himself if his brother would hesitate. All the indecisiveness disappeared.
Sooner or later, he would become a demon. He would then chase after another demon. It was just a matter of time
Kakashi knocked on the door. After a few seconds, it opened quickly and a familiar face looked at him, first with a expression of happiness, then surprise, then disappointment, and finally with her usual kind face
"Hi, Kakashi-sensei."
"Hi Sakura" said Kakashi, the suspicions that Sasuke was not at his house just confirmed. He had slipped again. "Can I speak with Sasuke?"
"He's busy" she answered without missing a beat.
"It's kind of important" he warned.
"Just tell me the message, I'll pass it to him" she answered again. Kakashi was surprised for her ability to lie.
"Sakura, I know he's not here. Stop lying" he finally said.
"If you knew it, why did you keep talking as if you didn't know?" She asked, not even blushing for being discovered, as Kakashi had expected.
Kakashi was taking aback. Sakura had, somehow, changed in the last twenty-four hours, and he was not sure he liked it.
"Sakura, I came to try to convince you to stop this insanity. I tried convincing Sasuke, but he is too determined to even consider if the roads he is choosing are wrong" He finally said. His original plan was to enter the house and talk about other things, and carefully, very carefully, convince her to leave Sasuke that very night, but Sakura apparently didn't feel like cooperating.
Sakura's smile almost disappeared.
"Was it you that fought with Sasuke? His face was full of fight marks."
"I didn't intend to hurt him."
Sakura smiled.
"You tried to convince Sasuke, and now you come to convince me. Should I invite you to the living room for a cup of coffee, or should I get the training gear?"
Kakashi for a second was sure he was speaking to Sasuke using Henge no jutsu.
"Sakura..."
"I am sorry, Kakashi-sensei, that wasn't fair. It's just... It has been a very long day, and I'm worried about Sasuke" she closed her eyes.
Hai, thought Kakashi, I know that far too well, both things.
"Do you actually have any idea where he is headed? I have to warn the ANBU to send a squad after him."
Sakura opened her eyes again and smiled.
"I don't know where he is, but you don't have to worry. He will be here tomorrow" she said, and there was a total security in her voice
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because he promised me, and I know he won't break up his promises to me, ever." Again that security. Kakashi sighed.
"Sakura, what I am going to tell you is top secret information: I was watching Sasuke the other day, and I saw the Four Sound, Orochimaru's elite guard, speaking with him. They offered him power, enough to kill Itachi, if he went to Orochimaru. Itachi is..."
"His brother. I know. What happened then? Did he accept?"
"Not then, but I am sure Sasuke has already accepted. He's probably in his way right now to Orochimaru."
Sakura smiled.
"I guess I am really going to be a bother to him." She said. "You don't have to worry; I already figured out that he had made some kind of deal with Orochimaru. But he is coming back, sensei, he is coming back today. He is going to reject Orochimaru."
Kakashi sighed.
"It's too late. He won't be back. His hate against his brother is too huge"
Sasuke felt their chakras approaching before he could see them. It was almost pitch black as the clouds were partially covering the moon. The Four Sound were approaching him for each cardinal point: North, South, West and East. They were very careful, not letting him a single place to escape.
The plan was starting now, and he had a very short time
"Sasuke-sama, let's go to Orochimaru" said the one that had identified himself as Sakon
"Fuck you" Sasuke said simply. For one second he had doubted.
"What?" said the one with four arms: Kidoumaro
"I said fuck you. If you don't get it, it also means no" said Sasuke while his hand went to his pocket.
Immediately, Sasuke felt all their chakras turning hostile and getting ready for a fight. He smiled as he took out a pack of cigarettes.
"Jumpy, aren't you?" He said taking one cigarette out and looking around his pocket, apparently for a lighter.
"Damn" he murmured to himself, even if he knew the Four Sound were listening. He started making seals, and the Four Sound jumped backwards. He used Katon at the slowest power, just enough to light the cigarette. "You guys are too nervous. You should relax a little bit" he mocked with an amused voice, while he smoked his eleventh cigarette of the day. First time ever he smoked and he was already getting sick of it. Shit with the stupid plan!
The Four Sound started getting closer again. They were probably angry with themselves for being made fun of. They would probably be less careful. The first part of the plan was complete. The second part would be harder. He had to choose carefully the moment when the four of them would be distracted.
"You shouldn't smoke Sasuke; it's bad for your health. Kids shouldn't say that sort of things either." said the fat one: Jiroubo.
Sasuke stared at him. Was that guy for real? He just blew the smoke in his direction.
"What do you mean you are not coming with us? Have you forgotten your purpose?" asked the female: Tayuya?
"You see, guys" said Sasuke trying hard not to cough "You probably know this already because I'm betting you have been following me for the whole day, but I was just married. I am sorry I didn't invite my future team mates to the wedding. Anyway, leaving the Leaf on my wedding night would destroy my reputation. It's not that I care about what other people think about me, but there are some things that you just don't do. Running out on your wedding night is a no-no, you know? People may think I don't like women or that I got scared."
There was a deafening silence. Still, to the weak light of the cigarette Sasuke could see that they weren't distracted enough yet, and he was running out of time
"Bah, forget it. I was just trying to be funny because I made a stupid promise to an idiot. The least you could act as if it were amusing" he said. Time was still running out.
"What about Itachi? Are you going to let him live after he killed your whole clan?" asked Sakon
"Who is going to let him live?" Sasuke answered with a dangerous voice He forced himself to calm down. "Don't worry about him. I am planning to go to Orochimaru sooner or later, so, why don't you come back later?"
"It's a pity" grinned Kidoumaro "Our orders were to bring you to Orochimaru without delay. You can come with us, or we will take you by force"
"Just try it" grinned Sasuke. He knew his plan had failed "I'll take you on."
"Hold on a second, why aren't you coming?" Asked Tayuya "And don't give me that stupid crap about being married."
"Well, you see," said Sasuke, his plan was still on, but he was quickly becoming desperate. He was running too fast out of time. "The thing is, I think a team-mate of mine is pregnant because of me, or at least there is a high possibility she is, and I have to take responsibility. What about it? Go back to the Sound and return here in five months. If she isn't pregnant, I'll go with you. If she is, well, just wait eighteen years, and I promise I'll go there."
"Eighteen years!" Yelled Kidoumaro, but Sakon interrupted
"When did you get her pregnant?"
"The other night." Sasuke explained. "We got drunk, and we ended up spending the night together. It sucks, I know"
There was another silence, and Sasuke was already going to risk it, when Tayuya started laughing. Very soon he was followed by everybody.
"I don't think it's that funny" said Sasuke. His chance was there, all his enemies were distracted, and he had to do it now. Still... killing was not an easy thing to do.
"You are... you are... an idiot!" Tayuya was saying. Sasuke then thought about Itachi, and everything became easier.
"Whatever" he said, and without any sudden movements, he threw a cigarette to a corner of the bridge. Maybe with normal light somebody could see that there was something wrong in the corner, even if the colour was the same as the rest of the bridge. With the small light of the cigarette and with the darkness of the night, it was totally impossible.
When the cigarette touched the scroll, it ignited. The explosion provoked a chain reaction in all the scrolls hidden inside and under the bridge, as well as the explosives buried in the land surrounding the bridge.
Usually, the Four Sound would have been fast enough to react, even in the single second that the first scroll needed to explode. This time, however, they were too distracted laughing, and they didn't have time. The last thing they saw was Sasuke's face: It was smiling. Then the explosion enveloped all of them.
Kakashi's eyes darted to the right. He could swear he had heard a small sound from far away, like an explosion.
"So, you too have given up on him, haven't you, Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi stood silent.
"I still remember the beginning of the chuunin exam." remembered Sakura closing her eyes.
"You will let me pass through and also remove this surrounding created with genjutsu. I'm going to the third floor" said a smiling Sasuke
"So you noticed" said the genin that had been trying to thin out the candidates for the chuunin exam
Sasuke grinned, and turned to Sakura, who he had noticed that had been acting strange all morning
"Sakura, you must have noticed first, right?" He smiled an encouraging smile "Your analytical ability and genjutsu know-how is the most improved of our team
Sakura blushed. She smiled.
"Of course I noticed a while ago, because this is the second floor"
Sasuke smiled, as the genjutsu disappeared.
"I didn't have any belief in myself. Sasuke's words gave me confidence about myself." Sasuke seems always cold and unfriendly, but actually he is kind." Explained Sakura "He cares about me."
"Maybe he is kind, but he hates himself for it. His brother is forcing him to follow a dark road, and he will go after him. You can't stop him, Sakura."
"I have faith in him and in myself. This time, I am the one that is not going to give up, ever. I'll pull him out of that dark road, sensei. You can believe me when I say I'll do it" she said, and her eyes were shining. Kakashi stared at them. They were the same as Naruto's or Sasuke's: Eyes full of determination. He understood there was nothing he could say. Not even the truth.
"Sakura, I hope you are not making a mistake" He knew she was.
"Kakashi-sensei, you can ask yourself to Sasuke, when he comes tomorrow." She said. She had a convinced smile, the same one she had during the chuunin exam.
Kakashi left the house worried. Tragedies had one thing in common besides the sad ending: No matter how hard the characters of the tragedy fought, they could never escape their destiny.
Ukon got to the bank of the river, while the blood rushed out from his many wounds. The explosion had devastated the area. The Four Sound, the bridge and even that bastard of Sasuke had all evaporated. He had noticed only in the last second the scroll igniting. He had been forced to jump to the river away from the Four Sound, before the explosion killed him too. Shit, he had needed to use his own brother as a shield. That Sasuke bastard had killed himself. How...?
Before he had time to react, a shadow had appeared in front of him and had kicked him, hard. He was too hurt to react, while in the air and the shadow's owner used Shadow Leaf Dance to stop his movements. It hit him with a deadly combo of six strikes. It finished with a lethal kick to the abdomen
Ukon fell down, too hurt to even move
"Indeed, the Lion Rendan is better than the Initial Lotus. Especially when you don't have your brother to protect you" considered Sasuke
"But... but... you were dead... No! Kage Bushin!"
Sasuke smiled.
"It was a lot of training to make the shadow clone last so long to wait for the right moment to start the explosions. I got the idea from a green freak from the Leaf. He is actually very strong, but he praised me for my victory using a plan. I thought that if you were stronger than me, I could beat you by using my brain. The ANBU will think that you were killed when you were carrying stolen explosive scrolls to the Sound because of an accident. Even if they don't believe it, there will be no proof to link me to the explosion."
"Do you think you will get away with this?" yelled Ukon.
"I was watching the whole conversation with my clone from far away." Sasuke continued "If you had gone away, I wouldn't have needed to kill you. Now Orochimaru will have to leave me alone for a while until he reorganizes his troops."
"Damn it!"
"And now you die" said Sasuke, grabbing Ukon by the hair "I can't kill you using my weapons, it would be suspicious. I'll just have to drown you." explained Sasuke pushing the head of a too injured Ukon to the water.
Ukon tried to move, but his body didn't respond, and very soon he felt the air in his lungs disappearing. At the last second he felt Sasuke pulling him upwards by the hair. The air again entered his nostrils.
"I am sorry" Sasuke apologized "Before I kill you, you have one last wish you can make"
"JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR A MOMENT!" He yelled
"I am listening" Sasuke answered calmly
Ukon looked for the right words to say. If he screwed up, he was dead. He still knew something the Sasuke bastard didn't know. He would use it as the last weapon.
"You are not making any sense. What do you want, a happy family life with that girl? Your destiny is to join Orochimaru. Any second you lose here, is another chance your brother has of becoming stronger than ever. Just think about your clan. Think about all the people that your brother is going to kill him from now on. If you stay with her, you are putting her in danger. Think about Itachi. Think about your revenge."
"I know I am selfish" Sasuke admitted "but I can't leave her. Not now."
"If you stay with her, your determination will waver. You can still come to Orochimaru. He will give you power, enough to kill your brother."
Sasuke gazed at Ukon. He started to laugh.
"You don't have to worry about my determination. Either my brother or I will die at the hands of the other. That is written in the stars and nothing on Earth or under can change that fact."
Ukon opened his mouth to say something else, the most important thing. However before he could say it, Sasuke pushed him down. The water entered Ukon for his mouth, and soon he couldn't breath. He struggled a little more, but Sasuke's hold on him was firm, and soon he felt the life leaving his body. His last thoughts were to Orochimaru.
Sasuke stood ten minutes there, still holding the last of the Four Sound in the water. Then he started getting away, before any Leaf patrol could find him.
When he was in a safe place, he felt the adrenaline leaving his body. He started trembling. One second later he threw up all Sakura's dinner.
"Shit." He complained. Killing was easy when you just thought about your enemies as objects. It wasn't that easy when you considered them people. Still, he had done it. "Don't worry brother. You will be next, sooner or later."
Sasuke got closer to a tree that had some knife marks.
"Brother, brother, watch this. Very soon I'll be as tall as you" he was pointing to a mark on the surface of the tree, which was one centimetre higher than the last one.
His brother just smiled, and the smile was kind.
"Why are you always in all my happy memories, brother, why do I have to hate you?" He asked. He closed the eyes and memories started to flood: All of them happy, all of them with his brother. He opened them again and this time the full sharingan was activated for the first time in his life.
Some minutes later, the ANBU reached the place of the explosion. They saw a fire from farther away. When they reached it, they saw a large area burning. They didn't find anybody.
Sasuke entered his home. Avoiding the ANBU had been hard this time. If it weren't for the secret passages to his house that now nobody but he knew about, he would have been caught.
He saw Sakura sleeping in the couch. He put the pink rose in the table near her, and he was walking back when there was a change in her breathing.
"If you are going to pretend to be asleep, you better control your breathing better" he warned
Sakura smiled and got up.
"I am sorry, Sasuke-kun. I was concerned about you."
Sasuke shrugged.
"What is that?" Sakura asked walking to the table
"Nothing. Just something I found" Sasuke said, lying
"Sasuke, look at this rosebush I found" Itachi said "It's surrounded by high trees, and most people wouldn't notice it."
"Bah! I don't like flowers. They are useless."
"Don't say that" smiled Itachi "You'll be entering ninja academy very soon. A lot of girls will also train there. You can give one rose to the girl you like."
"I am not going to like any academy girl." Answered defiantly Sasuke "First I am going to become stronger than you."
"I understand" grinned Itachi" You already have a girl you like, and you are not interested in any other girls. I see. Interesting" Itachi joked
"No way! What are you saying!" yelled Sasuke
"It's OK. I'll be sure to tell dad and mom you already have a girlfriend" Itachi smiled evilly
"I am going to kill you!" Sasuke promised attacking Itachi, that easily avoided the attacks.
Both of them were laughing
None of them knew that years later, in a rage, the same night Sasuke eliminated the Four Sound, he would burn the place where he used to train with his brother because the memories were too painful. He would only take a single flower for a girl
Sasuke saw Sakura smelling the flower and smiling. It felt peaceful. Why did he have to break up all the peaceful moments?
"Sakura, I want to let a few things clear" he started said. He wanted to explain that he was not in love with her, that his duty was more important, that she shouldn't get his hopes up "I..." He was stopped when Sakura put her finger on his mouth
"Sasuke-kun, whatever you want to say, it can wait until tomorrow. We are both tired. Let's go sleep."
Sasuke was surprised by Sakura acting so boldly, but she was right. He was very tired. She went to the guest room and he went to his room. He changed into his pyjamas, and entered his bed. It had been a long day. He closed the eyes and drifted to sleep.
Itachi and he were dancing, with kunais and shurikens flying to each to other. Around them, the bodies of Sakura and Naruto, that had stepped into the fight
"NO!" He screamed. Somebody was shaking him: Sakura with her pyjamas on.
"Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun, are you all right?" She asked with a concerned and tired look on her face.
Sasuke glanced at the clock and sighed: Three nightmares in little more than two hours. Apparently, he wanted to beat the record.
"Sorry, I woke you up again" he just said.
"Sasuke-kun, every time you start screaming, it sounds as if you were being tortured and I have to rush to your side." She said "This is already the third time. This can't go on."
"I totally agree" he answered. Apparently she was giving up on him very soon. But that was OK. She could go to a different house, or better, he could go to a different house to sleep. It was a good idea. Sakura would easily understand that she shouldn't stay close to him and... "What are you doing?" He yelled. Sakura was getting into his bed with him.
"What do you think I am doing?" She asked "I am sleeping with you. Every time you start screaming it sounds as if you were being attacked. I need to sleep with you so that I know you are safe."
Sasuke opened his mouth to object. That was his bed and his room. She was invading his personal space. Besides, last time they had slept in the same room catastrophes had happened. No, it was a bad idea. She should get out of his bed immediately. What the hell was she thinking, anyway?
"Sakura..." he started to say, but he noticed by the breathing that she was already asleep. Shit, then it was he that had to go to another room... He just needed to close the eyes for a second because he was tired. Definitely, it had been a long day...
Sasuke drifted to sleep before he could act. He didn't have any more nightmares that night.
Well, this is it. Next instalment of the story. As always, a mix between humour and bad premonitions, as well as character development and scenes of action and drama. I also tried to write a few parts of happy memories between Sasuke and Itachi, to show how hard it must be to Sasuke be the avenger he desires to be.
Also, thanks to all the people that made a deep review last chapter. I am learning a lot from the reviews. I am trying to keep the characters as they are shown in the manga, but I am also trying to show their evolution.