Sasuke stands on Oki-Itachi's dresser, scanning the ceiling for a vent while the human rifles through his drawers and gathers supplies for the mission.

The Chibi frowns, not seeing any pipes or vents in the ceiling. He hadn't found any on the floor either, and would keep looking, but they have to leave in a few minutes. So he's going to need help if he wants to find the Chibi Akatsuki in time.

Sasuke stares at Oki-Itachi until the human notices and looks up, a roll of bandages in his hand as he straightens. "What is it?" he asks.

The teen bites his lip, suddenly realizing he isn't sure how to ask the Oki for help. However, he slowly gets an idea and points to himself with both hands. Then he runs over to the wall, raises a hand over his eyes and moves his head left to right, up and down.

Oki-Itachi's brow furrows, and for a long moment, he says nothing, but eventually he asks, "You're looking for something in the wall?"

That's not exactly what he meant, but it's on the right track so Sasuke nods.

Oki-Itachi scans over the wall and approaches it, yet stops when Sasuke shakes his head and makes a sweeping gesture around the room. The human picks up his meaning faster. "What you're looking for isn't in this room...but what are you searching for?"

Sasuke uses his finger to draw a rectangle in the air and makes four vertical lines in the shape.

Oki-Itachi's face scrunches in thought, and tentatively he guesses, "A square in the wall, it can't be the window so…a vent?"

Sasuke nods and Oki-Itachi's eyes narrow. "You want something that's inside the vents?"

He again nods and the human says, "There's a vent in the bathroom." His lips angle down. "I can take you there, but you won't have much time to search."

Sasuke inclines his head in acceptance and climbs onto Oki-Itachi's offered hand, sitting down. The human strides out the door and in seconds enters the bathroom.

The Chibi immediately sees the vent above the sink as Oki-Itachi reaches up to pull off its grate and lifts Sasuke to it. Yet he doesn't get off his palm, but stares at the human, raises his hand and rubs his thumb over his fingers.

Oki-Itachi lowers him to his face and sets the grate on the sink counter. "You need money?"

Sasuke nods, and though the human seems confused, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a few paper bills with coins on top. He holds the cash by Sasuke who ignores the bills and grabs the four 500 coins and single 50 coin. Oki coins are worth six times more to Chibi since a single coin is large enough to be melted down into multiple Chibi coins. So this is over 12,000 in Chibi currency, and Sasuke only hopes that will be enough to get the Chibi Akatsuki's interest while he takes off his headband and uses it to tie the money around his back.

Oki-Itachi is eyeing him strangely, but just lifts him to the vent and says, "Hurry."

Sasuke nods and immediately sprints down the metal tunnel, the darkness growing rapidly as he speeds and coins clinking along his back. He stops when the vent angles up, bending his knees and launching himself to the left wall before leaping to the right one, doing this over and over until he touches down on a horizontal vent.

The Chibi starts running again and nearly hits a corner in the dim lighting, but turns rapidly to avoid it. Yet he soon slides to a stop when he sees a junction of two vents that creates three paths. There isn't enough time to explore them all, so he'll have to leave his message here.

Sasuke calls lightning to his hand, savoring the feeling of having access to his chakra as he shapes the electricity into a blade no longer than his forearm. He turns to the nearest wall and slices the lightning spear into the metal surface, making it screech while he writes out a request for help to the Chibi Akatsuki.

In three minutes the letter is done, and he releases the lightning, unties the coins from his back and stacks them in front of his message. However, Sasuke jumps when an human voice echoes through the vent, only for him to realize it's Oki-Itachi calling.

Sasuke ties on his headband and dashes back the way he came. He again almost hits a corner in his rush, but manages to reach the vertical shaft unscathed and jumps down it to land in a roll.

The teen swiftly stands and runs towards the faint light ahead, ignoring the twinge of pain over his bruised chest as he pants.

Soon the light grows and Sasuke skids to a stop at the entrance, Oki-Itachi's hand already waiting for him. He climbs onto the human's palm and sits, Oki-Itachi lowering him while replacing the vent's grating.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Oki-Itachi asks a bit curiously as he opens the bathroom door and walks out.

Sasuke makes the so-so gesture and Oki-Itachi seems to want to ask more, but they both know it might be impossible for Sasuke to explain with mere hand gestures. Therefore, the human simply tucks him in his front pocket and Sasuke grasps the pocket's lining to keep his balance as they meet Kisame by the tower entrance.

The sharkman smirks in greeting. "And to think I thought you weren't capable of being late."

Oki-Itachi's face has already chilled into a cold mask and his voice is flat as he replies, "I had to change the min-nin's bandages."

The sharkman glances at Sasuke and his smirk broadens to reveal razor-sharp teeth. "And how does it like its new collar?" he taunts.

Sasuke's blank face twitches, but he doesn't snarl like he wants to, and Kisame's smirk drops. "Ah," the man sighs, "I forgot the min-nin can't understand us." His eyes narrow and suddenly he leans into Sasuke's face. "Or can it?"

Sasuke blinks slowly at him, then grabs the pocket flap, pulls it over his head and zips the pouch close.

Kisame barks a laugh. "Ha, it's got guts! Kind of reminds me of you, Itachi-san."

Oki-Itachi hums and starts walking while Kisame's heavier footsteps follow. "It's a shame your counterpart's dead." Sasuke's heart stutters and he grasps the fabric over his chest. "I bet he would have been fun to have around too."

"Yes," Oki-Itachi replies. "But I wonder if you really killed him."

Sasuke's eyes widen.

"You know, I've wondered the same." Kisame's tone grows thoughtful. "If that guy was half as strong as you, it wouldn't surprise me if he faked his death." His cloak rustles like he's shrugging. "If he did, I hope he comes back, it would be interesting to fight him."

Sasuke doesn't listen to Oki-Itachi's response, hand dropping from his chest at Oki-Itachi's subtle reassurance. Itachi is in Konoha, safe and sound, and though he's not sure why his brother hasn't come back for him, he'll just ask Itachi about it once he gets back home.

Oki-Itachi lets Sasuke out once they're alone since the Zetsu spore ensures he can't run. Sasuke has to admit it's nice being able to stretch his legs and feel chakra running freely throughout his body even if he can't use any jutsu without permission.

The teen leaps from tree to tree, wind running through his hair and rippling over his cloak while the two Akatsuki members walk below him on the marshy mountain path.

Over the whistling wind, Sasuke hears Kisame saying, "We're less than a day from Kirigakure, so we'll start running into patrols soon. How do you want to handle them?"

"We'll have the min-nin scout ahead and take out the nearest patrols."

Sasuke hesitates on a branch, surprised by his mention, but quickly resumes leaping through the trees. Oki-Itachi must be planning something.

"I'll send him on a crow to help him avoid any Kiri-min-nin that might also be patrolling."

The Uchiha stops walking and beckons Sasuke who quickly turns and jumps down onto Oki-Itachi's shoulder.

"If you're telling it the plan now, let it know Kiri-nin like to hide in bodies of water, especially puddles that look like they came from the rain. Also, some say Kiri-min-nin are capable of breathing underwater and turning into fishes."

Oki-Itachi stares at Kisame and the sharkman shrugs. "Don't look at me, I didn't write the legends, but according to them our min-nin live in a village on the ocean floor."

Sasuke cocks his head. The man might be on to something considering his Chibi counterpart rode a shark underwater and both him and Kisame have amphibious features. Also, he's heard that Chibi Kiri-nin are absurdly fast swimmers, so maybe they really can turn into fish and live in an underwater village.

"I'll let him know," Oki-Itachi assures while summoning his Sharingan and turning to Sasuke.

The Chibi doesn't fight the genjutsu that washes over him and merely blinks when he finds himself standing on Oki-Itachi's palm, held up in front of his face. He is surprised too see they're in a meadow with the sun shining on them from a clear blue sky, but it's a refreshing sight after spending hours under gray clouds.

"I know how to sabotage the mission." Sasuke's head snaps to Oki-Itachi who looks serious. "You can warn the Kiri-min-nin about the Akatsuki's plan, assuming you share the same form of communication…"

Sasuke's lips slant down. He could try warning the Chibi Kiri-nin, but Kirigakure and Konoha aren't exactly allies, especially since their Oki have stolen eyes from Uchiha and Hyuga. However, Chibi Kiri-nin aren't known to steal dōjutsu, though that might simply be because Chibi from different villages don't interact with each other as much as their Oki counterparts—the distance between the Elemental Nations being much farther for Chibi.

Sasuke nods, but his expression must convey his uncertainty because Oki-Itachi frowns. "Or if you can't speak to them, you could simply make your presence known and put them on alert so they'll guard the human Mizukage more closely."

That plan is less ideal since Sasuke will likely have to harm some Chibi Kiri-nin to put them on alert and that could sour things between Chibi Konoha and Kiri. However, once he's escaped the Akatsuki, maybe he can explain why he had to attacked them.

"I can stall Kisame for around three hours at a local teahouse while you set the plan in motion, but be careful not to alert the Zetsu spore about what you're up to, okay?"

Sasuke nods, and Oki-Itachi smiles slightly before the sunlight dims and the peaceful meadow is torn away until they're back in the marshy woods.

"He knows what to do," Oki-Itachi tells Kisame while Sasuke slides off his shoulder and catches his zipper pocket's rim, dragging himself into it. "We'll send him out once we reach the teahouse and wait for him there."

Kisame frowns, but soon perks up. "Well, I'll still get to pick off any patrol he misses."

The man sounds almost comforted by the possibility and Sasuke wonders just how much Kirigakure's moniker—the Bloody Mist—is warranted.

Sasuke picks up one of the roasted almonds from the packet beside him and bites it in half. He only hopes Kiri Chibi aren't as bloodthirsty.

Rain starts pouring ten minutes after Oki-Itachi sends him out on the crow. The bird soon lands in a tree, unable to fly with its wings weighed down by water. Sasuke dismounts and begins walking away, but the bird caws at him, and he winces, glaring back at it.

"I know it's dangerous," he growls. "But they're going to reach Kirigakure in hours and I have to do what Oki-Itachi asked as soon as possible." He's purposely vague so the Zetsu spore doesn't learn about the plan.

Yet the crow angles its head, black eye asking, "Seriously?"

Sasuke scoffs, turning his back to it. "Just track me down once the rain stops."

The bird caws again in contention, ringing Sasuke's ears, but the Chibi activates his Sharingan and leaps to the branch ahead. He lands in a slide and his eyes widen as he shoots chakra to his feet, stopping himself right at the branch's end.

Staring down at the forest floor far, far below, Sasuke realizes maybe it's not a good idea to search on foot. Maybe it would be better to have the Kiri-nin come to him.

Sasuke smirks and draws lightning to his hand, shaping it into a long Chidori Spear. He holds the blade against a large tree on his right, pulls back his arm and chops through its trunk. He cuts another tall tree while that one falls and the two trees groan in a cacophony of cracking wood.

Branches snap as they topple onto other trees and a deafening rumble fills the air when they all crash to the ground. Sasuke disperses his lightning to cover his ears while the branch he's on quakes. Yes, this will definitely get the attention of every Chibi in a half mile radius.

However, Sasuke is shocked by a strong gust blowing past as an Oki lands next to him. Three other ninja touch down on nearby treetops and Sasuke realizes he caught attention from the wrong Kiri-nin. Yet putting the humans on alert won't help him since Kisame and Oki-Itachi will just take out anyone that interferes with the mission.

Therefore, Sasuke jumps onto the Oki's knee, and the human's head jerks down. Though the man can't even gasp before Sasuke knocks him out with a genjutsu and he slumps back against the tree trunk.

"Hey!" A kunoichi calls in alarm, the other ninja also looking to their slumbering comrade.

Sasuke quickly stares into their eyes and the humans' faces go lax until they sag against the trees, sound asleep.

The Chibi deactivates his Sharingan, brow wrinkling in thought. Alright, he needs to try something that won't be noticed by Oki...

Sasuke glances around the forest floor, but fog shrouds most things from sight… Wait, fog?

He looks to the leaves extending from the branch he's on and hurriedly begins plucking the driest leaves he can find, tearing off twigs too. Once he has a leaf pile bigger than himself, Sasuke stabs the twigs through all the leaves and bundles the sticks under his arms. Then he jumps down branch to branch until he hits the forest floor.

Sasuke glances around the foggy area in search of dry land and spots some under a leafy sapling. He sprints through the rain, covering the twigs from the downpour the best he can while his hair gets soaked, and even the spikes on the back of his head droop as he stops under the sapling.

Sasuke ignores the chill settling in his bones and piles the twigs and leaves on top of each. When he's satisfied by the arrangement, he backs up and forms six hand seals.

"Katon: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

Chakra expands in his throat and he blows a stream of fire over the pile. He waits to see the leaves smoking and embers sparking over the twigs before ending the jutsu. He watches another moment to make sure the fire will survive despite the damp conditions.

It does, and gray smoke starts drifting up from the bonfire, though it blends in with the fog the higher it rises. The smell of burning wood also shouldn't travel far thanks to the rain, which means no Oki will notice his bonfire. However, Chibi typically travel near the ground to avoid detection from humans and it won't be long till someone notices a fire in the middle of a rainstorm.

Sasuke rushes back into the downpour, gathering any dry leaves, twigs and branches he finds. Unfortunately, the fire has gone out by the time he returns, but he simply lights the pile again and adds what he found to feed the flames.

He keeps doing this for what feels like an hour when finally he senses eyes on him. Soaking wet, shivering, and tired from gathering things to feed the fire, Sasuke barely leaps over the shuriken in time and lands on top of the sapling.

He makes sure the team of four Chibi Kiri-nin are staring at him, then as they're preparing to throw more shuriken, his Sharingan awakens.

The Kiri-nin cry out in shock when Sasuke creates a genjutsu where they're bound by steel ropes, and he doesn't give them a chance to recover as he says, "I've come to warn you about an impending attack on the Oki Mizukage from the Akatsuki."

"Akatsuki?" A man with blue hair styled up questions, appearing unperturbed despite his trapped state.

"Yes, the Oki Akatsuki captured me over a month ago and want to use me to put the Oki Mizukage under their control with my Sharingan." The Kiri-nin look surprised, though one glares at Sasuke and the blue-haired man's face hardens. "If I'm successful they'll have me do the same to the other four Kage so they can more easily capture the jinchūriki in their villages."

"What do they want the jinchūriki for?" the blue-haired man asks and Sasuke shakes his head.

"I don't know." He reaches for the Zetsu spore on his neck. "All I know is this thing they forced on me is monitoring what I do, and if I don't follow their orders I'll be killed."

Sasuke frowns. "But I don't want to help the Akatsuki because whatever they want all the jinchūriki for cannot be good for any of us."

"Why should we believe you?" demands a glowering blonde.

Sasuke shrugs. "I don't see how I would benefit from lying to you like this, but believe what you want." Some of the kunoichi's animosity fades into shock at his bland tone. "I'm going to be smuggled into Kiri regardless, all I ask is that you put up enough resistance that I won't be able to get anywhere near the Mizukage."

The blonde frowns and the other shinobi have blank or thoughtful expressions. However, the blue-haired man says, "This wouldn't be the first time the Oki Mizukage was controlled by outside forces."

Everyone looks to him and Sasuke's eyes widen. "What do you mean?"

The blue-haired man glares at the floor. "The Oki Fourth Mizukage was influenced by someone's genjutsu for years, but no one ever found out who was controlling him. Could it have been the Oki Akatsuki?" he asks more to himself.

Sasuke's eyes twitch, strain from his Sharingan stinging him. "I don't know, but if someone did it before, it could happen again unless you stop me or the two Oki smuggling me into your village."

The blue-haired man goes to speak when the genjutsu cracks and Sasuke's eyes burn while the illusion breaks apart.

Sasuke falls to his knees on the sapling, hissing in pain as his Sharingan fades. The Kiri-nin below grasp their heads and shake off the remnants of the genjutsu while Sasuke slowly picks himself up.

The Uchiha staggers a little before leaping over to the nearest tree, not wanting to stick around in case the foreign shinobi attack. He lands on the branch right as a crow glides down beside him.

The avian stares expectantly at him and Sasuke ignores the shouts of the Chibi Kiri-nin below while he hops onto the bird's back and it takes off under the cover of leafy trees, avoiding most of the rain.

Itachi's crow still has to stop a few times and flap its wings to dry, which makes Sasuke concerned the Kiri shinobi will catch up to them. Yet the other Chibi never come and they eventually make it back to the teahouse unbothered.

Oki-Itachi notices them on the windowsill immediately from his seat at a booth and comes over. "How did it go?" he asks, eyes raking over Sasuke as he climbs off the crow.

Sasuke thinks about it and soon smirks. The Kiri-nin won't ignore his warning, he's sure of it.

Oki-Itachi doesn't smile, gaze on Sasuke's clothes. "You're shivering." He pulls out a washcloth and starts to pat Sasuke dry, and the teen doesn't complain because he's just too tired to.

Once the human's satisfied he's no longer at risk of hyperthermia, he tucks Sasuke in his zipper pocket and closes it halfway.

The Chibi lays out on the foam and only has the will to grab the soft cloth folded beside him and throw it over himself before he falls asleep assured his mission will fail.

Two patrol teams intercept them on the valley path, and Kisame takes them down with an efficient brutality while Oki-Itachi watches impassively. Sasuke winces as the last ninja drops at Kisame's feet, arm bent at a strange angle. He isn't sure if the shinobi is dead or unconscious, but there's nothing Sasuke can do for him while Oki-Itachi stands from the rock he'd been sitting on and approaches Kisame.

"All that's left are the gate guards," Kisame sighs, strapping the sword Sasuke is pretty sure is growling to his back. "But we have to be stealthy from here on out, so I'll leave them to you. The min-min will have forty minutes tops to accomplish its mission before someone notices the missing patrols."

Sasuke ducks to hide his grin in the darkness of his pocket. Forty minutes? The Kiri-nin will definitely be able to keep him occupied long enough that he won't have time to place the Mizukage under a genjutsu.

Kisame picks his straw hat off the ground and sets it on his head as the Akatsuki duo head down the road between two great mountains. Sasuke can't see much through the fog, so he's startled when Kirigakure's gate suddenly appears from the mist a few feet ahead.

Oki-Itachi waits to be right beside the two Kiri-nin who are conversing before lifting the brim of his hat and meeting their eyes with his Sharingan. The two guards drop and Oki-Itachi breezes into the village while Kisame stays behind to stall any Kiri-nin who notice their unconscious comrades.

Sasuke stares in awe at the stone and brick towers and circular architecture of the buildings that he glimpses behind the fog. He's never seen a place like this, and though Kirigakure had been described to him in the Academy, the actual village in person is far more impressive than any description.

Oki-Itachi leaps onto a rooftop, crouching as he summons a crow that appears on his extended arm. This is his cue, so Sasuke gets out the pocket and uses chakra to run up to the Oki's shoulder.

He jumps onto the crow's back and Oki-Itachi regards him. "The Mizukage's tower is straight ahead. Once you land on the roof, find a way inside her office. She should be alone for the next two hours, but you have less than forty minutes to place the genjutsu on her."

Oki-Itachi's eyes shift to the crow. "Take him."

The crow leaps into the air and Sasuke braces himself while the wind whips past him. In under a minute the edge of a stone building peeks through the mist and the bird perches on it. Sasuke almost expects to be attacked as he hops off the crow. However, no kunai shoot out the fog, so the Chibi figures the Kiri-nin are waiting for him inside.

He heads to the gray vent sticking out the roof, cutting a hole in its grate with his lightning blade. Stepping in the vent purposely louder than he should, Sasuke holds Chidori ahead of him and its light reveals the vent slopes down like a hill. He quickly ends his lightning, goes to the start of the incline and sits, pushing himself to slide into the vent.

He speeds down, body barely touching the metal as he travels faster and faster while the vent curves and bobs. The sound of rushing water emerges below him, and Sasuke frowns. Are there pipes beneath this vent?

The water gets louder, and Sasuke is about to try slowing his descent when his feet hit something cold and he gasps right before he plunges into a foot of water. He flounders and swims up, blinking water from his eyes though it does him no good in the pitch-black darkness. Is this an attack? Are the Kiri-nin here?

His Sharingan bleeds to life, yet he sees no chakra around to indicate other shinobi as the water's current drags him through the vent. Though the river slows in seconds and Sauske's feet brush against the ground until he's standing more than treading water.

The Uchiha shakes himself off, throughly confused because that dunk wasn't much of an attack—was it just a broken pipe?

Blue chakra flickers like embers ahead and Sasuke's dismay vanishes as he grins. The Kiri-nin!

Sasuke runs, Chidori sparking brilliantly in his hand because the fight must look real. Yet he stops immediately upon spotting the source of chakra.

A Kiri-nin lies on the ground, skin red and raw from burns and clothes in pieces.

Sasuke steps back in shock and quickly looks to the other flickers of chakra, only to find more Kiri-nin laid out or slumped against the wall, burns and cuts across their bodies. Who…who did this to them? And why?

He doesn't have enough medical knowledge or tools to help the shinobi—and he doubts many of them are alive—so Sasuke runs, heart pounding and sweat beading on his forehead when he finds more bodies strewn across the vent.

Sasuke's mind races because this isn't what was supposed to happen. So why did it happen? Who attacked these shinobi?

He can't imagine some rogue ninja happened to attack the Kiri-nin at the same time Sasuke was supposed to. Also, he's noticed all the shinobi's wounds are either from fire or lightning jutsu, so their attacker was likely either a Kumo-nin or…a Konoha-nin…

"You came back."

Sasuke starts, skidding to a halt at hearing the voice. He stares wide-eyed at the shadowy figure that pushes off the wall and slowly walks into the ring of light cast by his Chidori.

The Chibi Mizukage glares coolly at him, two deep gouges on her stomach and clothes shredded and bloody around them. However, she isn't bleeding as the skin is burned over her wounds—did she burn herself?

The woman's right foot is twisted, but she limps forward, green eyes locked on Sasuke. "So…you're here to finish me off?"

Sasuke's brow wrinkles under his headband. "What are you talking about?" He lowers his Chidori to show he means no harm. "Who attacked all of you?"

The Chibi Mizukage smiles, but it's as cold as the glint in her eyes. "To think you even fooled Ao, convincing him you were trying to warn us…when really you just wanted to lower our guard."

Sasuke suddenly understands what she's saying and his face lights with horror. "You think I did this!?" He shakes his head. "I got here a couple minutes ago, and I wouldn't have—"

"You might have gotten the Oki Mizukage," the woman talks like she didn't hear him, and maybe she didn't considering she's standing on what looks like determination alone. "Oki Kirigakure may be lost as well, but you won't touch Chibi Kirigakure."

She smirks. "It's a shame, you are rather handsome…"

"Wait—"

Her cheeks bulge and lava shoots from her mouth, striking the floor by Sasuke's feet and surging towards him. He jumps to the ceiling, standing upside, but the Mizukage aims the lava up and the heat rushes over Sasuke's hair while he flips to the side, extending Chidori into a blade.

He slices an X through the vent's left side and kicks his feet into the metal, knocking out a hole that he flies through.

Scalding heat brushes over his back as Sasuke falls, his left hand hitting a pipe and making him yelp while he drops into the darkness. He reaches out blindly, but fails to catch anything so falls and falls until he crashes onto a metal floor.

He chokes from the pain, body tumbling and falling once more for a second before he strikes another metal floor.

Sasuke groans, pushing himself up and blinking at the light pouring in through the metal grate under him. He stops short seeing the Oki Mizukage sitting at her desk, hands frozen over her computer keyboard. Why is she so still?

Sasuke quickly cuts a hole in the vent and jumps through it to the Oki's desk, his bruised knees crying while he straightens from his crouch. The woman remains unmoving, and the Uchiha tentatively comes in front of her, peeking at her face.

The Sharingan glows red in her eyes and Sasuke inhales sharply. No, no, she can't—who's doing this!?

Sasuke whirls around and freezes.

A boy who looks identical to him stands on the desk by the computer screen, his Sharingan spinning back and forth.

Sasuke grabs his head, clutching his hair. This can't be real… What is this!?

"Stop!" Sasuke snarls and rushes at the imposter, raising Chidori.

White explodes around his neck and Sasuke's body locks in place under the white mass stretching over him, Chidori fizzling to nothing under the spore.

"No!" Sasuke cries, suddenly understanding what's happened.

That imposter is another Zetsu spore who must have been hiding on him and jumped to one of those Kiri-nin when Sasuke warned them about the Akatsuki. It copied Sasuke's appearance and abilities like it did with Itachi, and now it's using his Sharingan to brainwash the Mizukage!

Sasuke's jaw goes slack. This was never about him completing the mission. Tobi just used him to carry the Zetsu spore to the Mizukage so it could complete the mission…and this is the same thing that will happen to the Kazekage, Raikage, Tsuchikage, and Hokage… Everyone will fall under the Akatsuki's control so easily and Sasuke is going to help them do it. He already has.

Sasuke's face twists with despair and he closes his eyes. He's doomed his Village, his friends, family, Nii-san…the entire shinobi world. Sasuke was a fool and now the Akatsuki has everything they need to accomplish their goal.

"It wasn't your fault," Oki-Itachi repeats for the hundredth time when they reach his floor in the Akatsuki tower, unzipping the pocket Sasuke has been holed away in for days.

"I should have realized what Tobi was planning—"

Sasuke shoves open the pocket flap and climbs out.

"Little Sasuke?"

The Chibi leaps to the wall, using chakra to run across it and heading straight to the bathroom. Oki-Itachi follows, but says nothing as Sasuke slices the grate off the vent and it clatters onto the tiled floor while Sasuke runs into the shaft.

Sasuke races down the path he took what feels like weeks ago, the world a blur of motion until he comes to a stop in front of his letter.

The coins sit before his message untouched, and Sasuke falls to his knees, tears welling in his eyes. He beats a trembling fist on the ground, but it doesn't change anything.

Sasuke falls back against the wall, wraps his arms around his knees and whispers. "Somebody help me…"

Nobody answers because Sasuke is alone, the shinobi world is doomed, and the Akatsuki have already won.


Well, I hope everybody enjoyed this chapter, and the snow day/day off from work if you had one!

Also thanks to everyone who reviewed, and take care 😄

Next time: Itachi helps Little Sasuke deal with the fallout of the mission and the Akatsuki continue with their plan…