Author's Note: I really like this one. Like, I really like it. I think it's one of my best pieces. So thank you to sasusaku-EienAi for reviewing and giving me this question to work with! I thought of posting this in "Inspirators" but it really belongs here. Not that you're not one of my biggest inspirators, sasusaku-EienAi! This one's for you, honey! ^^
Also, I haven't really decided if I'll make changes to the idea behind this project or not. I've considered not making this exclusive to Sasuke and expanding it to any and all of the other Naruto characters. I've also thought that maybe the question won't always have to be a 'Why'. I may throw in a 'When' or a 'What' every now and then but the collection is really too small to tell right now.
Q: Why didn't Sasuke attack Sakura right away when he and Team Kakashi met at Orochimaru's hideout?
Bubbles' A: Because it was his ninja way. XP
Laws
In his time away from Konoha – no, ever since Itachi had stripped him of the ability to love – Sasuke found life difficult to live. Ripped away from morals and virtues, Sasuke was left to do what he pleased, when he pleased, as he pleased. And it was hell. No longer were there any rules or limitations, save for those he placed on himself, to guide him in the way of his life. To others the prospect may sound liberating but, as the world knows instinctively, a life without laws is a world of chaos.
So Sasuke clutched to the only laws that were available to him after his family was butchered, and lived every single day according to the lessons it taught him: the laws of Nindo, the way of the ninja.
And it was well known in the way of the ninja to always, always, always let your opponent make the first move. Few exceptions counteracted this unwritten rule: if you knew exactly how your enemy fought, if your own strategy relied upon swift, silent execution, or if the both of you stubbornly stuck to the rule for longer than a single minute. Then, and only then, were you free to strike first.
Sasuke, while he did once perhaps, did not know how his enemies – teammates, some small part of himself corrected; ex-teammates, another edited – fought. He was no longer familiar with Naruto or Sakura's style of battle and he could not even begin to guess what techniques the other two shinobi possessed; though, before he had blown ground into sky, his nose had picked up on the distinct scent of wet ink when the dark one attempted to capture him. He also kept in mind that both of the strangers were fill-ins for himself and for Kakashi; it would probably be safe to assume that they were both at least as talented as those they replaced.
That was another rule in the way of the ninja: always assume your opponent is stronger than you are, until you can sufficiently prove so otherwise. Proving that they were weaker than you was only accomplished when they lay dead and you stood victorious.
As for his battle strategy, Sasuke's own technique was indeed fast and he often used his speed to his advantage, yes, but he did not completely rely on it. Sasuke preferred to attack as a serpent could: slowly, lazily coiling and shifting his muscles, circling his target and hypnotizing them with red, red eyes, watching for an opening and when he found it, he sprung forward and struck. Swiftly. Deadly. Sharply.
Like lightning.
Most of his victims had fallen while still stiff in battle stances, their bodies ignorant of being defeated, their minds shut to black like a light switch. It was not unusual for them to reawaken, days later, and spring forward to attack or be completely confused by their surroundings. So yes, Sasuke was fast but he felt he did not always need to be. Especially not now: he wouldn't want Naruto to forget the lesson he was about to learn.
His mind decided – it had long surpassed a minute of stiff stillness anyway – Sasuke moved beside Naruto, his arm entrapping him to his side in a mock gesture of brotherhood.
His following actions – his words, ("Just watch! I'm gonna be the best Hokage ever!") the slow unsheathing of his sword, the slow decline towards the blonde's back, the lazy taunts, the single Chidori Nagashi attack – he was coiling, testing the limitations of his opponents (teammates! ex-teammates!). Seeing both Naruto and his replacement crash to the ground, still sharp with rocks and debris, Sasuke kept his attention focused on the two shinobi left standing, not daring to look towards one or the other in case of a surprise attack. After all, that was another rule: don't ever let your guard down.
Besides, it was their move now.
Surprisingly, it was Sakura who came at him next ("What I like… Well, the person I like is…"). Sensing her movement, Sasuke turned to face her, his red, red eyes not missing the half-healed scratch wounds on her left arm nor the faint hint of red chakra that hovered over them. Many parts of Sasuke held him back from charging towards her right away…
She's enhancing her blows with chakra.
Where did she get those injuries?
She's obviously a short range combatant.
Stop, this is Sakura you idiot!
You need to keep your distance.
The fastest way to win a battle is to immobilize your opponent: that is the way of the ninja.
Decided once again, Sasuke adjusted his grip to Kusanagi and streamed his chakra down the blade. He'd planned to paralyze her and keep her from being a further nuisance when the other one leapt to her frontal defense ("Don't worry! I've got you covered!") and efficiently threw off whatever composure she had built, if her expression was anything to go by. Mentally, Sasuke scoffed. The fool would have been much cleverer to attack him from behind, attempt to strike his blind spot while trusting Sakura to distract his front. But instead he had gone to her aid, leaping to her rescue like he was some sort of hero. Sasuke was disgusted by guys like him.
The way of the ninja also said this: never, ever are you to allow emotional attachments with your allies interfere with your duty as a shinobi. Even from the very beginning, that was what Sasuke was taught: those who abandon the rules are scum.
So not only had the man unintentionally disabled Sakura from her ambition, he had disgraced himself as well. In Sasuke's eyes, he didn't have the qualifications of a proper ninja; he couldn't believe that he had thought this man was on par with Kakashi ("But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.").
The combination of all those thoughts guided Sasuke's hand and drove the Kusanagi deep into the man's shoulder, even deeper than he had intended to pierce Sakura and with a little more chakra than necessary. Perhaps this way the man would learn from his mistakes.
Hearing a struggle Sasuke turned to see a red-eyed Naruto trying to stand, fighting off the remnants of his earlier Chidori. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, the Sharingan showing him the now red chakra that flowed through Naruto's body – the same chakra he had seen all those years ago in their last fight, the same red chakra that was still clinging to Sakura's left arm.
Now understanding that it must have been Naruto who had hurt Sakura, ("I'll protect you all, no matter what it takes!") Sasuke grew angry once more. He saw no difference between what Kakashi's replacement had done for Sakura and what Naruto must have done to her. It may be foolish to even have allies in the first place but hurting them or interrupting their focus in battle was just imbecilic.
Twisting his still-imbedded sword, Sasuke's last thought before he entered the Uzumaki's mind was, 'Then you'll need a lesson too, huh Naruto?'
Perhaps it was time he sealed that red chakra away.
Author's Note: So how'd you like it? Pretty awesome, right? The thing I want to point out most are the italicized quotations I put in brackets. Hopefully it should be simple to figure out which quote belongs to which member of Team 7 but just in case: the first one is Naruto, the second is Sakura, the third is Sasuke, and the fourth is Kakashi. The fifth one, near the end, is meant to be quoted from all of them at some point in Team 7 history (Kakashi with Zabuza, Sakura in the Forest of Death, Sasuke with Gaara, and Naruto... well, at anytime). Just wanted to share that with you all!
Please review your support!