"Despite all his harsh words and multiple threats to our lives, Sasuke was incapable of breaking the bonds Team Seven shared. In the same manner, he couldn't cut his ties with Team Hebi either."
"Team Hebi?" a girl repeated.
"Team Hebi, Team Snake, named so because all its members were given special abilities by Orochimaru. It was a team built of necessity, so Sasuke could hunt down and kill his brother. Suigetsu's body was literally made of water and he could liquefy to avoid harm. Juugo had the unique ability to absorb natural energy. And Karin was both a sensor and a healer.
"It was the perfect team to track down Itachi. Along the way Team Hebi built bonds as strong as the ones Team Seven shared. Sasuke hadn't known what had become of his second team after the war, but he was pissed to learn that they had been Suna's captives for three months."
Sasuke's body stiffened.
He had been standing behind Sakura's chair as she squabbled with Suna's Elders and advisors over the recent version of their treaty. The whole procedure was mind numbing, and as he watched silently, he couldn't imagine Naruto sitting in Sabaku's place. Naruto and patience didn't belong in the same sentence. Or book really.
But then one of them had asked what Konoha planned to do about the captives.
"What captives?" Sakura asked sharply. "You made no mention of Konoha shinobi being held prisoner."
Judging by the Kazekage's stern look of disproval and the other council members' alarm, that knowledge was not supposed to be shared.
"Who of our shinobi have you illegally held?" Ice coated her voice.
The one that had spoken originally pointed at Sasuke in fear. "They were with him."
Sakura mentally prayed to every deity that Sasuke didn't leap over the table and behead the foolish councilman. She pressed the council into a corner. "You have Team Hebi, consisting of Suigetsu Houzuki, Karin, and Juugo, in your custody. Why was Konoha not informed?"
"They're not Konoha shinobi!" One blustered. Sakura speared him with a withering glare.
"Regardless of their affiliation, all villages are to be notified when prisoners of war are taken in the event that their village is willing to negotiate for their release."
With Suna clearly in the wrong, Sakura demanded, and got, the immediate release of Team Hebi.
As they were walking back to their inn Sasuke thanked her. It was the second time he had done so. At least this time she knew what she had done to warrant the word and wasn't going to be left on a stone bench.
"Don't thank me yet. Tsunade-shishou is not going to be happy about me bringing back three criminal ninja. She's going to kill me for making more paperwork for her."
"Did the Fifth Hokage really kill you?"
"Of course she didn't you idiot. She's standing right in front of us."
The first boy turned to face the boy that scoffed at him. "But Tsunade-sama was capable of medical miracles. She could revive the dead."
"That's impossible."
The class's sensei cut off their verbal fight. "Settle down."
Sakura couldn't stop a smile from forming. The two boys reminded her so much of Naruto and Sasuke when they were gennin. "Now, there are ways to bring those that have died back to life. Chiyo-sama revived the Kazekage once, after his Bijuu had been removed, and there were many people who could use Edo Tensei to reanimate the dead. But Tsunade wasn't one of them.
"She didn't kill me, but at the time, the punishment she gave me made me wish she had."