Occurs during Chapter 83, just after Team 7 returns to Konoha.
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Sai kneels patiently in the room beneath the village, face as blank as a mask. It's a natural expression for him now, after so many years, and yet today it takes so much effort to hold. It is lucky that Danzo-sama has not yet arrived, or his lapse would be noticed and punished.
A shinobi is empty of feelings, he recites internally, the words of a ROOT mantra a familiar as breathing, from hours and hours of repetition. A shinobi is empty of thoughts. A shinobi is an empty vessel through which the will of the village is carried out.
And even as he falls into the old patterns, breathing steady and body immobile… he cannot picture the ninja he has met on this mission as empty vessels. If Sai is an ink painting, the barest of black outlines, ready to be turned to any purpose Danzo-sama so desires, then they are all made of colour. Bright yellows and oranges and purples, bold greens and browns and blues, a riot of colours and noise.
The tapping of Danzo's cane is warning enough that Sai freezes that thought, and hides it away.
"Report," Danzo says. There is no need for him to offer greetings or preface the order with unnecessary information the way the others have. Sai is well trained. He knows why he is here.
Dutifully, Sai recites what occurred over the week he was travelling with the two members of Team Seven. It is not his most promising report, and there are… some details that remain unspoken. They are not important, he reassures himself, that is the only reason he does not mention them to Danzo-sama. What use does the head of ROOT have for campfire conversations and useless digressions? All the important information is shared.
"People with the First Hokage's bloodlimit?" Danzo interrupts, both hands coming to rest on the handle of his cane. "Are you certain that's what she said?"
"It is," Sai confirms. "We suspected as much with the sudden appearance of a forest within the Land of Wind."
Danzo makes a sound that is not quite a scoff. "There are many skills and powers in this land, boy. For something like this, 'to suspect' is a different creature than 'to know'."
"They made no further reference to an artefact or weapon," Sai continues. "And adhered closely to the classified nature of the information. I could not gather more."
Danzo nods. "And your opinion on the team?"
"They are unpredictable, easily distracted and extremely prone to disregarding mission directives," Sai says. "I fail to see how they have remained in the Hokage's good graces."
"That woman's whims are unfathomable," Danzo says. "The Jinchuriki?"
"He has considerable skill," Sai says. "But is insubordinate and easily distracted. His actions in the field did not always align with the mission directives, and he provided insufficient reasoning for deviations. I believe he will be an asset, so long as he is given little leeway to act counter to orders."
Danzo taps his fingers together, thoughtfully. "That concurs with my own assessments. And the Nara girl?"
Sai smiles, the expression beautifully empty. "There was nothing of note about her. She spent a lot of time talking about feelings. I don't believe she would make a very effective ninja."
"It's always the case with kunoichi," Danzo says dismissively. "They have weak hearts. It's a shame, she has good pedigree. Nara have the capacity for great things if they aren't coddled and indulged."
Sai waits a second, to ensure he is not interrupting as he continues. "If it is necessary to continue my mission, then Naruto has requested the Hokage that I rejoin the team. It seems I made quite the impression on him."
"Excellent," Danzo says. "You have done well."
Praise in ROOT is a rare and fleeting creature. It is often the only reward for a mission well completed, and the shinobi here know to value its worth.
And for some reason… Sai wishes it hadn't been given at all.