CHAPTER VIII
SASUKE
"He refused," Naruto said, sighing as he sat behind his desk and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Sasuke stood in the corner, his black cape hiding all below his neck but his legs. He looked away, staring out over the village.
"I told you that he would," he replied evenly. Stubbornness was a trait that all of his children possessed, none more so than Sosei. Sasuke also suspected that he wasn't too thrilled to be back in Konoha. "How long do you want to wait?"
Naruto shrugged. "At this point, we're in a terrible position. We have enough intel to guess what Yashagoro is up to and where he may be headed but if we move too soon, we could rush into a trap. If we wait, well…"
Nodding, Sasuke turned from the window to look at his friend. "He needs to cooperate, whether he does it willingly or not." The Uchiha lord tapped the hilt of his sword and stared at Naruto. "Let me talk to him."
Staring back, the Hokage then shook his head. "Using genjutsu to influence him to talk isn't going to give us the results we need. Besides, that's just going to ruin things before you even attempt to repair them." Sasuke scoffed internally. He couldn't find it within himself to car. The intel they needed was more important than trying to reconcile a relationship with an angry child. Killing Yashagoro was far more pressing. However, Sasuke wouldn't go against the Hokage's word.
"Then what do you suggest, Naruto? We can't afford to sit on our hands and let whatever plan Yashagoro has come to fruition. We need to act. Now," Sasuke said. Naruto sighed and nodded, dipping his head in thought. He raised his head slowly, frowning.
"If I let you talk to him, do you think you can convince him that we need his cooperation?" Naruto asked. Sasuke was positive that he could. But, he knew Naruto's real question.
"Could I reestablish a bond with him and make peace?" The Uchiha gave his friend a cold, stubborn look. "No."
Naruto sighed. "Then we're screwed."
There was a puff of smoke in the middle of the room and Sasuke stared at it suspiciously before it settled, revealing the familiar figure of his old sensei, Kakashi Hatake. The older man gave a casual wave and smile. "Perhaps you aren't." Naruto smiled and Sasuke gave only a fraction of a nod.
"Kakashi-sensei, good to see you," Naruto said.
"It's good to be seen," Kakashi replied. "On the topic of Sosei and tracking down Yashagoro, I do have good news. He's decided to contribute whatever intelligence he has to you."
Naruto looked to Sasuke then back to Kakashi. Sasuke narrowed his eyes as Naruto spoke his thoughts. "That's great, but why the sudden change? I'm guessing there's a condition?"
"Well, yes. Sosei wants to be included on the mission to confront Yashagoro. He wouldn't reveal why but…"
"It probably has little to do with simply stopping him," Naruto finished. Kakashi nodded then looked at Sasuke. The Uchiha met his eyes.
"Would you have any insight?" he asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Sasuke replied. Probably better. It was a bit odd for him to feel this lost in a conversation about one of his children when he had prided himself on knowing all of them so well and maintaining that private bond. Even with Sosei. To be so separate from him and Kichiro triggered something in Sasuke's brain. Perhaps it was regret or sadness, but his pride didn't let him acknowledge the thought.
"I doubt that," Kakashi said. "Perhaps there's some answers he was close to that he didn't get to before we brought him back. Either way, I believe that allowing him to join the squads is a good idea. His strength is considerable for him to have survived the wounds he suffered as long as he did without a medic and he has extensive knowledge of Yashagoro and his agents' abilities that we don't have."
Naruto seemed to consider Kakashi's words. "You're right. And if what Yashagoro's intending to do is just a diversion for attack on Konoha, we'll need to hold most of our shinobi back."
"Then who goes?" the silver-haired man, leaning against a wall. He looked visibly tired and Sasuke often forgot that his former sensei was an older man now, not the young jonin he once was. Sasuke almost suggested that Kakashi go since he and Sosei had rapport but if this should be a feint, someone should be left in Konoha to defend it. That could either be him or Naruto. The Hokage's flexibility allowed for him to leave a clone in his place and should an emergency arise, he could use the Flying Thunder God technique to teleport back and deal with it. But, if the Hokage has to leave the battlefield, he could risk losing the exchange. If Sasuke stayed behind, it'd give the Hokage freedom to ensure Yashagoro's capture or death for all Sasuke cared.
"If Naruto goes, he can make sure that whatever team he takes is protected. Yashagoro shouldn't be stupid enough to attack the village but should he be that bold, I'll remain behind," Sasuke said.
"And you won't be alone," Kakashi said with a nod. "I may be old but…"
Naruto raised his hand and grinned. "Finally accepting your old age, huh?" Kakashi simply smiled and Sasuke felt uncomfortable. Naruto seemed to sense it and moved on, saying, "So now, I pick my team, I guess." He rested his head on his hands, seemingly in thought. He then raised his head. "Mirai's team and your old team, Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "My team?" he asked incredulously. "Why…"
"Shōgo is the greatest tactical mind of his generation and brute force alone won't get Yashagoro as we both know. Honami offers a almost 360 degree field of vision and with her…"
"I know their abilities," Sasuke snapped. "Why them?" He hadn't intended to sound so emotional, so angry but it had burst from him almost violently. He took a breath and closed his eyes, recovering the frosty shell he had.
"Then you know they're skilled enough to handle this mission. You trained them to chunin level, they've participated and succeeded in multiple missions since then. I know the risk but all of them are the only ones to have faced someone in the Three Deaths before. And I'm going with them," Naruto said, sternly. Sasuke frowned but swallowed his pride and dipped his head.
Kakashi observed the exchange quietly then said, "That leaves a spot open if you want to have two teams of four. I'm assuming the eighth will be Sosei."
Naruto nodded. "He's the obvious choice. We can get him fully healed and up by the time we're ready to go. The village needs to prepare and be on guard. I don't want a repeat of Pain or Yashin."
"I'll oversee preparations personally," Sasuke said. He had some experience commanding, but never a defense. If Naruto could assemble a force for him to work with, he could have the city well-defended, not besides the fact that he was arguably the most powerful man walking the world behind the Hokage. Konoha would be safe with him here, whether alone or supported.
"That'll be a lot for you," Naruto replied. "Acting as my shadow means these duties don't belong to you." The blonde man turned to Kakashi. "The responsibility of assigning shinobi to their tasks will fall to you, Kakashi-sensei." The older man looked from Naruto to Sasuke then dipped his head.
"I'll do my best," he said.
Naruto gave a small smile. "Then everything will be fine." With a wave, he dismissed their former sensei. Kakashi put a hand in his pocket and saluted with his other before he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto then turned his blue eyes to Sasuke. The Uchiha was irritated and wore it plainly on his face. "You don't agree with my decision?"
"I just want to know why...for all of this," he asked in an icy tone.
"Because, I know you well enough to know that your mind is off in another world. With everything that's happening with Sakura…"
"I get it," Sasuke said. "but I am dedicated to protecting Konoha."
"Nobody doubts that or you, I just…" Naruto sighed. "I can't stand to watch you two split. She loves you. Always has. And I've watched you grow and learn how to express love, even if it is your own way. But, ever since Takuma died, things have just been so…"
"I know," Sasuke said.
"I just need you not to forgive yourself." Naruto's blue eyes seemed to look through as they always had and Sasuke turned away. He remembered how snowy the day had been when he and Sosei had returned to Konoha, having failed to find any replacement eyes for Takuma. He remembered the hospital being quartered off and how he had to use his Rinnegan to get past the guards. He remembered how Takuma had been laid on the ground with his head split open and his blood stretched across the snow like a scarlet hand reaching out for his father. He remembered how he had tried to find every reason not to take the blame until Sosei in his anger and reminded him how he failed his son.
"I can't," Sasuke said. He left the Hokage's presence and transported himself to the hospital. He walked up the stairs to Sosei's room and paused outside his door, listening. All he heard was the monitor beeping slowly and steadily. The Uchiha looked into the room and saw Sosei asleep, looking far more at peace than Sasuke had ever seen. He stood there for a few moments longer before turning away.
Sakura stood behind him, frozen as a deer hiding from a tiger. She visibly gulped when Sasuke's eyes went to hers. Sasuke searched his brain for something to say but when he found nothing, he just stood there.
"I...I need to get in the room," she said. Sasuke noticed the pills and vitamins in her hand.
Nodding, he moved out of the way. When his wife walked past, he smelled the cherry blossom and vanilla scent of her hair. He watched her briefly then disappeared again and let himself be led back home to his estate. His home was dark, cold and quiet when he arrived just as it had been when he left.
Sasuke stripped off his cape and his shirt, leaving his sword by the table as he went to his refrigerator and pulled salmon from the bottom shelf. After retrieving rice and some seasoning from the cabinet, he scooped some miso and put in a pot before he sparked the fire and began to melt it. Once it was in liquid form, he sprinkled sugar and poured some honey into it and mixed it before he could smell the sweet and salty savor. Finally, he filleted the salmon neatly and precisely before dropping it in the sauce and letting it cook. Sasuke heated up a small pot of water and dropped rice shaped into a square into it and let it boil.
As he sat waiting for his food to finish, the Uchiha let his mind wander. Briefly, he saw his family. Not simply Sakura and the children, but his brother Itachi and Izumi, the girl he had had to sacrifice in order to keep the village from war with their children as well as his parents, old and grey, but happy. He saw his clan, still strong and together, supporting the village and the Hokage. Everything he had wanted and imagined then slowly in front of him. His parents died. Izumi died and then Itachi, by his own hand. His family began to walk away with Sakura and Hikari going to one side, Kichiro to the other and Sosei fading into the distance.
The only one who stood in front of Sasuke was Takuma, crying tears of blood and reaching out for him. Sasuke couldn't lift his arms to get him and stared frozen as his son's head split in front of his eyes.
Sasuke smelled his food beginning to burn and rushed to his feet to turn the fire off. His mouth twisted in frustration when saw that his salmon had been slightly charred and his rice, hard. Nevertheless, he had gone through the effort of making the meal so he prepared a plate and sat down with chopsticks to eat. He picked through it and found that it tasted fine though not as good as Sakura's.
He continued eating his food until his plate was clean and he was full. Dutifully, he washed his dishes and put them away before he poured himself a drink and went to his back deck and watched the sunset. The orange glow of the sun falling below the horizon shined over Sasuke and the lake. As his glass hung in his hand, he again saw Takuma, bloodied and standing at the edge of the water. His son. Dead because of his negligence and his failures.
Finally alone, Sasuke allowed the guilt and shame to rise from his chest then wash over him in a wave. As the sun faded, so did the phantom of Takuma that he imagined and the squeeze on his heart intensified.
Sasuke wept.
