The grass thins out the further Sasuke walks until it disappears entirely and he steps out onto a thick mud.

Sasuke scowls as his feet sink into the mire, the mud covering his exposed toes and staining the top of his sandals. He would normally avoid such sludge, especially since mud can be as deadly as quicksand if a Chibi isn't careful, but his movements are very noticeable in the grass and Tobi might be tracking him.

Also, the muddy area appears to be a man-made trail cutting through the tall foliage on its sides, which means it's connected to a human settlement. Whether that place is a shinobi village or a civilian city, some Chibi probably reside there, and perhaps Sasuke can bargain for a ride on their summon. Or maybe he can hop on an Oki carriage heading towards the Land of Fire. Whichever gets him home faster.

Sasuke's eyes narrow determinedly as he trudges through the mud, splashing some of it on his pants. The sun beats down on his back, his wet clothes already drying from the heat, but the mud at least keeps him somewhat cool.

The teen marches on under the brilliant sun for hours, only stopping a couple of times to get a drink from the river. Every time he does, he keeps an eye out for fish to catch, but none swim by, and Sasuke doesn't dare linger on the chance Tobi might be near. Though maybe the masked man switched to his more playful personality and gave up on hunting him.

Sasuke doubts it, in fact, he's starting to doubt the guy really has a split personality. Mostly because Oki-Itachi seems to view Tobi as a threat, which Sasuke agrees with after fighting the masked man. Also, Oki-Itachi called Tobi a manipulator, and if that's true his childish personality could be an act. But why put on a persona? Who is he trying to fool?

Sasuke can't think of a good answer once he arrives back at the path, brightening when he sees the mud has dried to point of being solid. Quickly Sasuke throws back his arms and starts blazing down the trail, crossing as much distance as he can until the sun dips into the horizon and the sky grows dark.

Crickets hum all around the Uchiha while he travels through the grass. He could make a fire and keep going, but the flames might attract unwanted attention from Oki. However, the air is chilly and goosebumps are forming on his exposed skin, so Sasuke walks until he reaches a tree. He pushes chakra into his feet and runs up the bark, scanning every branch until he finds an empty bird nest under a cluster of leaves.

Broken blue eggshell pieces litter the nest, but there aren't any feathers—the chicks must have grown and flown off already. Sasuke's stomach rumbles, yet he ignores the hunger pang and gets settled in the middle of the nest. He lays down, suddenly feeling very tired as he gazes at the stars twinkling between the tree leaves.

Sasuke frowns, recalling a time when he and Itachi were young and chased each other under the moonlight in the garden.

Sasuke's eyes burn and he looks away because he still doesn't know if Itachi is okay. Sakura was going to tell him, but she got interrupted and he can only guess what she was going to say. Itachi is in trouble? Itachi is in the hospital? Itachi is in the next life?

The Uchiha's mind splinters while he considers what might have happened to his beloved brother. Yet somehow he stamps out his whirling thoughts and sighs. "I'll just have to go home and see for myself."

His resolve comforts him as he closes his eyes and quickly drifts to sleep.

That night Sasuke dreams he's on a desk in a forest with Oki-Itachi staring down at him. The human's raven eyes are warm as he reaches with two fingers and gently taps them on Sasuke's head.

"Let's go home, Little Sasuke."

He beams, and for some reason, Sasuke smiles back.

The next day, the Uchiha has been running for hours when he reaches a crossroads.

Sasuke cranes his neck back to read the large kanji on the wooden signpost between the two paths. Below the painted red arrow pointing left is the name of a town he's never heard of while below the right arrow it says—

"Amegakure?" Sasuke gasps, and then wants to hit himself.

Of course he's near Amegakure! That's where Oki-Itachi was taking him, and didn't Yamato mention they were in the Land of Rivers? That country is right next to Ame!

Sasuke looks from the right path to the left, frowning. If he goes to Amegakure, he might run into the Akatsuki and be recaptured. Even if he doesn't, Ame isn't Konoha's ally, and while they aren't at war either, Ame-nin aren't known for being friendly to outsiders. Yet, Sasuke knows nothing about the small town, and if no Chibi live there, traveling to that town would be a waste of time.

Sasuke's stomach rumbles and his hand falls on his gut while it cramps with hunger. Going to the small town would guarantee easy access to food, and it is fourteen miles closer than Ame…

The Uchiha bites his lip, thinking hard for a minute. Then he heaves a sigh, turns and starts running down the right path.

Amegakure promises faster transportation to Konoha, and even the risk of being attacked by Ame-nin or the Oki Akatsuki won't deter him because whenever there's a choice between himself and his brother, Nii-san comes first. Always.

Sasuke sits by the riverside at sunset and drinks his fill of water, but it's no longer enough, and the world sways as he stands. He needs food badly.

The average Chibi can't last longer than three days without nourishment, and though Sasuke has only gone a day and a half without food, all his running has sapped his energy to the point he can barely walk.

The Uchiha glares at the river, but no fish, turtles, or even a slimy frog emerge from its depths.

Think, Sasuke, a voice that sounds oddly like Itachi urges, and the teen takes his advice.

He could eat bugs, but they're too small to fill him for long. No edible vegetation is nearby, and waiting for prey to show up in the river probably won't work because it seems none live there. The current is just too fast for the river to be habitable—

Sasuke inhales sharply. The current, that's it!

The Chibi staggers to the tall grass, pulling out a shuriken from the pouch Sakura lent him and bending down to cut some of the blades. He picks up any twigs he comes across and leaves his gatherings by the water. Then Sasuke returns to the Oki path, uses his shuriken to cut out blocks of mud from the ground, and drags them back to the stream.

Sasuke hands shake as he kneels by the river and dips the mud blocks in the water, moistening them until they're malleable. Next, he arranges the twigs crisscross over each other and coats them in mud before layering the grass over them.

He waits thirty minutes for the sun to dry the mud, glueing the grass and sticks together, and once it's ready he drags the raft towards the river and pushes it halfway in.

The makeshift boat sinks a little as Sasuke steps onto it, but stays above the water and no leaks spring up, so he has faith the wood will hold his weight as he grabs a twig off the ground and uses it to push the raft fully into the river. The boat immediately surges forward, Sasuke dropping the twig while he falls to his knees and stares ahead in amazement as the scenery blurs past.

The wind whips across his face, so Sasuke has to squint to see while he circulates chakra to his legs and sits up right as a large rock appears ahead.

Sasuke draws lightning to his hand and shapes it into a long sword, bearing it down on the stone and smashing it to pieces seconds before the raft can hit it. He sighs in relief as the raft bobs over the debris and releases the lightning while calling on his Sharingan since it will be hard to spot other obstacles at the speed he's going.

The raft suddenly dips and Sasuke grips the boat's sides as it slides down a cascade, bouncing on each landing and sprinkling water on his clothes. He's concerned the raft will break, but it rights itself once it reaches the bottom and continues speeding steadily down the river.

Sasuke gazes ahead to the sunset painting the water golden with a frown. He's taking a gamble riding the river on the chance it empties into a lake near Amegakure, but walking was draining too much of his energy. Besides, even if the river doesn't lead to Ame it will likely take him to an Oki settlement, and where there's Oki, there's food.

Sasuke only hopes he lasts long enough to see where he ends up.

The Uchiha faints sometime in the middle of the night, and upon awakening, opens his eyes to stare at a gray, cloudy sky.

Sasuke blinks, vision blurry and world spinning despite him lying motionless. Every inch of him is heavy, so when he tries raising his head, it merely lolls to the side. Yet Sasuke is startled to see tall, dark shapes beyond the water he's floating on—water he notices now is much more expansive than a river.

The raft is on a lake, drifting closer and closer towards the dark shapes until Sasuke can make them out as towering, industrial buildings. Is this Amegakure?

Something about this place seems oddly familiar as his raft hits the muddy shore and gets stuck there, but Sasuke can't focus on one thought long enough to figure out why. He's just too exhausted, his chakra levels depleted after he used his Sharingan for most of last night. Really, it's no exaggeration to say he's on the verge of death.

Sasuke chuckles softly. He'd been born at the edge of a lake, so wouldn't it be perfectly poetic to die at one?

Yet Sasuke doesn't want to die, but wishes to go home and see his brother and everyone else again. He doesn't want to abandon them or leave them mourning his death. However, he's already drifting into a slumber he probably won't wake from and his sight is getting dim.

Sasuke's eyes are closing for what might be the last time when he spots something white fluttering high above. He thinks it's a bird, maybe a dove, but it starts floating down and its shape thins and sharpens until there is a woman with large, white wings hovering a couple of feet above him.

For a moment Sasuke thinks she's an angel and he's dead, but then he notices the woman's wings are layered not with feathers, but sheets of paper.

Chibi-Konan drops lightly onto the raft, her cool expression ebbing into concern.

Sasuke manages to turn and meet her amber gaze, stuttering. "Help..."

Konan's brow furrows, lips moving, but a loud ringing swallows up her words as Sasuke's eyes close for what feels like a second. Yet when they open the raft is a brown dot beneath him and the wind is running through his hair while arms cradle him under his back and knees.

Sasuke blinks again and everything afterwards is hazy.

He hears voices, one feminine and the other deeper, but all he sees are quivering shadows.

"...wasn't sneaking...found him in the lake outside..."

"...safer to kill..."

"He's a child...needs..."

"...foreign ninja...dangerous..."

Sasuke groans and the voices go silent as he pries open his eyes. Red, blue and orange blobs garbed in black hover over him.

"Eat," the blue one says, pressing something warm and flaky to his mouth.

Sasuke catches a whiff of honey as he uses the last of his strength to open his mouth and sink his teeth into the biscuit. He downs it, hardly tasting the bread in his rush, and when a second honeyed biscuit is brought to his mouth, he downs it even faster, vision clearing and strength returning as his body is nourished.

A plastic cup is brought to his lips and Sasuke doesn't even question what's in it before guzzling down the liquid, which turns out to be orange juice. Once he drinks every last drop, the cup is taken away and Sasuke finally notices he's leaning in the corner of a Chibi couch under a bright lamp hanging from a metal ceiling.

"How do you feel?"

Sasuke turns to the speaker and stiffens at seeing the blue-haired woman wearing a black cloak with red clouds. Stunned, he whispers. "Konan?"

The woman's eyes light with surprise and Sasuke quickly explains. "I've seen your Oki."

Konan makes an understanding sound, face returning to its neutral expression while Sasuke says, "And I feel much better." He bows his head towards her, though the motion makes him dizzy. "Thank you, Konan-san."

The kunoichi smiles faintly. "You are welcome, child." Her expression goes blank. "Though I must ask, what is a Konoha-nin doing so far from home?"

"I'm wondering the same."

Sasuke looks to the doorway where a man with spiky, orange hair and brown eyes enters the living room, coming over with a stern expression.

"Pain?" Sasuke asks in shock while the man's face warps with confusion.

"Huh?" The man cocks his head. "You got a headache or something? Want some painkillers?"

Sasuke frowns, perplexed. "I thought… Isn't your Oki called Pain?"

The man stares at him like he's speaking a foreign language. "Uh, no." He smiles, but his grin is sharp. "My Oki was called Yahiko, same as me, and I doubt you met him since he died twenty years ago."

Sasuke grows more confused because Pain is alive. Though this man doesn't have Rinnegan eyes like Pain or his piercings, so maybe Pain really isn't his human counterpart?

It's as he is examining Yahiko that he realizes Konan and him are both wearing black cloaks with red clouds. "Akatsuki?" He whispers because he thought he might run into the Oki Akatsuki, yet never expected to meet their Chibi versions.

The Ame-nin freeze, but soon Yahiko grins wide. "You've heard of us?" He sets his hands on his sides and puffs out his chest. "If even Konoha-nin know about us, then our reputation must really be expanding!"

"Don't get distracted, Yahiko," Konan chides lightly and faces Sasuke. "We still need to know why you came to Amegakure."

Yahiko frowns, hands dropping while his eyes narrow on Sasuke. The Uchiha swallows, knowing he's still weakened by his earlier starvation, and though Yahiko probably has limited chakra since his counterpart died, Konan would be hard to fight in his condition.

Sasuke braces for their disbelief and says, "I was captured by Oki."

Konan's eyes widen and Yahiko's mouth drops while Sasuke continues. "My team managed to free me, but during the fight I fell in a river and got separated from them." His dark orbs gleam with sincerity. "I couldn't find any food so I decided to head to Ame before I starved."

Sasuke looks at Yahiko, guessing he's the Akatsuki leader like Pain. "You're mercenaries, right? The Oki took all my weapons, but my teammate lent me some shuriken." He reaches for the pouch and sets it on his lap, opening it. "I can sell them and give you all the money if you help me get back to Konoha."

Konan gives the shuriken a considering look and takes the pouch before regarding Yahiko who frowns. Sasuke's hope wanes at the lack of a reaction, but soon the man says, "I'll have to discuss this with the other members. In the meantime," he looks Sasuke up and down, eyes lingering on his shirt that's more brown than white and streaked with grass stains. "How about you get cleaned up?"

He offers Sasuke his hand and the Uchiha grabs it, teetering when he's pulled into a stand, but soon regaining balance.

"Konan." Yahiko glances at the kunoichi. "Gather whoever's available in the meeting room."

She nods and walks away while the man lets Sasuke go and enters a corridor. "Follow me."

Sasuke trails the man into the hall, noticing the walls and floor are metal like the ceiling. Is this an air vent? Or is it an underground Chibi structure? Hard to tell unless he finds a window.

The teen drops the train of thought as Yahiko stops at a wooden door and pushes it open, revealing a tiled bathroom inside. Sasuke lights up while Yahiko waves him in. "Take as long as you need. Just leave your dirty clothes on the doorknob and we'll clean them while you're showering."

Sasuke nods, stunned the man is being so generous to a foreign shinobi like himself, especially since Yahiko is a missing-nin. Though the Akatsuki are seeking world peace, so maybe they're more altruistic than most missing-nin?

Yahiko shuts the door behind him and Sasuke immediately tears off his shirt, grimacing when it peels off his skin like glue. His pants are similarly hard to remove, but he manages to kick them off. He hangs his clothes on the doorknob and steps into the shower. Sasuke reaches for the knob, turning it to its hottest setting, and water bursts from the shower head. His whole body droops as the warm water rains on his scalp and rolls down his back.

Sasuke simply relaxes under the hot spray for about thirty minutes before actually picking up a washcloth and soap bar from the tub rim. It takes another fifteen minutes to clean off what feels like ten pounds worth of mud and grime.

Once he's finished, Sasuke dries himself off with a towel and steps out onto the fluffy green mat. He finds his clean clothes already hanging from the knob and quickly gets dressed. Then he exits the bathroom, assuming he should return to the living room. Yet he stops, muscles coiling at seeing a red-haired man in the hall.

The man's Rinnegan eyes peer at him past his long, side bang, and Sasuke's blood runs cold as the man says, "We should kill you."

Chakra floods over Sasuke's optic nerves in preparation to summon his Sharingan—though his dōjutsu probably can't save him from the legendary Rinnegan.

"However," the redhead sighs and shakes his head in exasperation. "I was outvoted." His ringed eyes suddenly fade into normal purple irises. "Come along now."

The man starts walking down the hall and Sasuke hesitates, but eventually follows. He stares at the back of the man's head while he walks, thoroughly puzzled because this guy has the Rinnegan like Pain, but Pain has Yahiko's face. There's clearly a connection between the Oki and two Chibi, but Sasuke can't unravel the mystery as they arrive at the living room.

Three Akatsuki members stand beside Yahiko and Konan, two he recognizes instantly as Chibi-Deidara and Chibi-Kakuzu. Though the third person is an unfamiliar man with dark, spiky hair and matching black eyes.

The dark-haired man stares at Sasuke, bare forehead knitting together like he's confused while a strange feeling of familiarity washes over Sasuke. Does he know this guy?

The redhead comes to stand on Yahiko's right and Sasuke straightens up as all the Akatsuki members turn to him.

"We have decided to help you," Yahiko begins with a frown. "But we can't offer you much."

"We shouldn't offer him anything." Kakuzu grumbles, eyes narrowing on Sasuke. "His shuriken won't cover what we're giving him."

"We can still kill him." The red-haired man adds, side-eyeing Yahiko. "You know with his chances it would be a mercy."

Sasuke is surprised by the man's earnestness, as if he truly thinks killing him would be a kindness.

"Nagato." Yahiko looks to the redhead. "Even if his chances are slim, the boy has a right to try." He looks to Sasuke and his eyes slant down in sympathy. "You can borrow one of our messenger pigeons."

Sasuke frowns. "Not a summon?"

"We can't afford to lend you a summon," Kakuzu says coolly. "Too many missions require them."

Yahiko grimaces. "And unfortunately our pigeon can only take you to the Land of Fire's border. Any farther and they won't be able to find their way back."

Sasuke nods. "I understand," he closes his eyes for a second, gathering himself. "Do you think I can borrow a map too? I've only been outside the Land of Fire twice."

Yahiko looks surprised then saddened, pity clear in his gaze. "Of course."

Everyone except Kakuzu sends him a pitying or sympathetic look because they all know it will take weeks for him to reach Konoha on foot, and that's without accounting for any time he spends gathering food or dealing with the number of things that could go wrong during his travel.

"This is why we should have went with my idea!" Deidara scowls, staring at Sasuke, and the lack of antagonism in his gaze is odd to see considering his Oki counterpart hates him. "Join the Akatsuki, hn!" He smirks and throws out his arms, revealing a clay bomb in each of his hands. "Then you can blow up whatever crap you want!"

Sasuke blinks—does Deidara really think everybody enjoys blowing things up?—while Yahiko rubs his chin. "Well, we could always use new members." He smiles at Sasuke. "How about it? Do you want to join the Akatsuki and help us overthrow the Oki?"

Sasuke balks. "Overthrow the Oki!?" He wonders if it's a joke, yet no one is laughing. "But I thought the Akatsuki wanted world peace!"

"We do," Konan says mildly. "That is why human rule must come to an end."

Yahiko nods. "The Oki are the ones who wage wars, us Chibi are just caught in the middle because we want to protect our villages." A dark, unreadable emotion passes through his eyes. "Only by controlling the Oki can we put an end to war."

Sasuke's expression goes blank while inside his heart races. This man is insane! Even if Yahiko's intentions are good, trying to control the Oki is impossible, not to mention morally wrong. For the Oki give them life, food, chakra, and children. How could the Akatsuki be so ungrateful?

Sasuke turns, not wanting to stick around this group any longer. "No thanks," he says over his shoulder. "I need to get home to my family." His eyes latch on an iron door in the right corner, and assuming it's the exit, he starts walking towards it.

"Wait!"

The teen pauses, looking back to see the dark-haired man gawking at him. "You...you're an Uchiha!?"

Sasuke turns around, unsure what to expect as the man strides over and stops in front of him to stare intently into his eyes. After a moment, he glowers and swivels to Konan, hissing. "Why didn't you tell me he was an Uchiha?"

It's unclear if the man is shocked or enraged so Sasuke shifts in case he needs to run while Konan says, "I couldn't see his clan symbol when I found him. His shirt was covered in mud."

The man spins back to him, frowning deeply, and Sasuke is about to flee when the man suddenly grins. "I can't believe it..." His hands clamp onto Sasuke's arms and he bounces excitedly on the balls of his feet. "It's another Uchiha!"

Sasuke is stunned, realizing what the man is implying. "You're an Uchiha?" He gasps. "But how…"

The man's smile falls for a second, yet quickly jumps back up. "I'll explain later." He turns to Yahiko. "Cut it out of my pay if you have to, but I'm taking my cousin back to Konoha right now." His expression grows determined as he shifts to grab Sasuke's elbow and drags him to the door.

"Are you sure?" The redhead—Nagato asks, looking concerned. "If a Konoha-nin spots you—"

"It'll be fine!" The man waves him off and throws open the door, depositing Sasuke outside. "Wait here!"

He closes the door, and Sasuke gapes, seeing he's on a metal ledge over a hundred feet in the air with the ground below obscured by fog.

The door slams open and the dark-haired man returns with a sack slung over his shoulder. A sweet and spicy aroma drifts from the sack—it must be food—as the man bites his thumb, weaves a blur of hand signs and sets his palm on the ground.

In a puff of smoke, a brown hawk appears on the ledge already wearing a saddle. Sasuke glimpses a faded uchiwa on the saddle's bottom left corner as the man jumps onto the bird and straps the sack to the back of the saddle.

The teen wonders if he'd be better off taking a pigeon because this guy can't actually be an Uchiha, right? And if he's lying, he must have ulterior motives. However, the other Chibi's dark hair, black eyes and fair skin are common features in the Uchiha clan. Also, riding a hawk summon would shorten his over two-week trip to a four day one.

Sasuke hops onto the bird and sits down while the man looks back. "Hold on!" He warns, tugging on the reins, and the hawk extends its wings as it leaps off the ledge.

The bird falls and then swoops up, soaring through the air. Sasuke gazes at the tall buildings they fly past in amazement, surprised by their height in comparison to the shorter buildings common to Konoha.

However, he glances back at the tower where the Chibi Akatsuki live and frowns. There's something awfully familiar about that tower…

"I'm Obito, by the way," the man says without looking back.

Sasuke doesn't recognize the name, but maybe Obito became a missing-nin prior to his birth and his counterpart could have died before the massacre.

"Why did you leave Konoha?" Sasuke blurts, unable to help himself because he's never heard of a rogue Chibi Uchiha, and after what happened to the Oki Uchiha, he can't imagine how Obito survived all these years with such limited chakra.

Obito doesn't say anything for a long moment while his hawk glides over a still lake and the spiraling buildings fade behind them, and Sasuke is chiding himself for his bluntness when Obito sighs and turns.

The older Uchiha's dark orbs hold a heavy sadness while he quietly admits. "I broke Konoha's greatest rule."

The wind roars past Sasuke's ears, tousling his hair and chilling his skin. Yet Sasuke notices none of this as Obito's face hardens and he looks down. "I revealed myself to an Oki."

A jolt of horror strikes Sasuke like lightning because Obito didn't break just any law, but he broke perhaps the highest law all Chibi have.

"I was supposed to be executed, but my friends broke me out of jail." Obito looks up with a painful grin. "I had no choice except to leave Konoha." He turns ahead. "I was only fourteen… I didn't even get to tell my mom goodbye…"

Sasuke stares at the man, speechless. He has questions simmering on his tongue, but can't find the will to speak, so silence descends on them as the hawk sails through the dark sky.

.

The next two days are strange and awkward as Obito bombards him with question after question about the clan and how they're doing. Sasuke answers honestly when he can and skirts around any questions relating to the Oki Uchiha.

"How was the Fire Fan Festival last year? Do they still set off fireworks at midnight?"

"It was great, but we don't use fireworks anymore. We set off confetti instead."

Sasuke doesn't explain they can't set off fireworks. That was the Oki Uchiha's job, and if the Chibi set off fireworks in the seemingly abandoned Uchiha district, it would undoubtedly be noticed by the Oki shinobi.

"How's Fugaku-sama? Is he still grumpy as ever?"

"He...died three years ago."

"..."

"His son Itachi runs the clan now."

"...oh."

It's the evening of the third day when Sasuke starts to recognize the towns they're passing over and he practically vibrates in his seat after spotting a familiar road leading to Konoha.

That night Sasuke doesn't sleep, his excitement keeping him awake, so he sees when Konohagakure's walls appear in the violet horizon.

"We're almost there."

Sasuke glances at Obito who rubs his eyes drowsily from where he's sprawled across the saddle and sits up. They've been flying almost nonstop for three days, the man having switched his first summon out with two others so they could travel even through the night.

Sasuke nods, his raven orbs stuck on Konoha's gates while they get closer and closer. He's home. After a month of not seeing his village, Sasuke is finally home. Mother, Shisui, Izumi, his clan and teammates. He'll get to see all of them in just a few minutes.

And Itachi must be waiting for him too, probably having been worried sick about his little brother.

Sasuke takes a deep breath and releases it as the hawk lands on a tree branch ten meters from the gates where two Oki guards linger. There's a very small hole in the grass to the left of the humans, the main Chibi entrance to Konoha.

The teen stands and looks at Obito. "If there's anything I can do to repay—"

Obito is already waving him down with a bright smile that's reminiscent of Naruto's. "Don't worry about it." His mouth twitches, gaze falling on Konoha.

His eyes shimmer and he hums fondly. "I'm just happy to see home again."

Sasuke frowns, wanting to do more because Obito, even if he did break their highest law, had dropped everything to help him.

Yet Sasuke doesn't have anything to give and is desperate to see his brother, so he hops off onto the branch while Obito sends him a nod. Then the man tugs on the reins and his hawk leaps into the air, flying up over the treetops and quickly disappearing in the dawn sky.

Sasuke looks away once he can't see him and anticipation burns through his veins as he leaps down to the forest floor. He lands in a crouch, eyes on Konoha's gates when he hears rustling leaves.

The teen whips back and stops. His eyes widen as a man with long, ebony hair tied back jumps through the trees leading away from Konoha.

Sasuke gasps. "Nii-san?"

His Sharingan flashes to prove he's imagining the scene, but all it does is slow down the image of his brother soaring from branch to branch until Sasuke is certain it's him.

Without wasting another second, Sasuke pivots and jumps high onto the tree branch, springing after his brother with a cry. "Nii-san!"


Thank you all for your lovely reviews! Consider this early chapter a gift for all the support you've given this story, as it's now 40% complete!

Next time: Sasuke faces his brother, but their reunion doesn't go like he expects...

To all you students out there, I hope you have a wonderful summer break! And everyone else, I wish you a nice spring/summer! Till next time, see ya!