I want to remind everyone that I started writing this before the war began in the manga. Therefore, certain dead characters in the manga are not dead here. Inoichi has been getting some screen time. Now Neji gets a turn. Another note: I looked at several maps to figure out which country touched the Land of Lightning. One map said Land of Bears, one said Land of Mountains, and two said Land of Frost. I went with Land of Frost. Sorry if this is wrong.

Also, I updated within a month. Hehe.

Bases, Brevity, and Bear-like Broads

The town of Oni was almost abandoned. Illness, wildfires, and an epidemic of robberies had caused the already small population to take a hit about five years ago. Three years later, the remaining citizens had to evacuate for the simple fact that their lands might soon be overrun by Zetsu clones, long-dead Uchihas, and other various reanimated corpses, not to mention the trigger-happy Allied Forces in Fourth Shinobi War. Quite a few of the citizens elected to stay home, presupposing even the war—like the rest of the world—would fail to take note of their little town. While those people were dragged from their homes by family members, they were, in fact, proven correct. The citizens of Oni—those few who chose to return after the war—waltzed right back into their untouched abodes and resumed their simple lives.

One night about five months ago, the nearby river was diverted. Reports said that people awoke the next morning to a mere trickle in the riverbed and to the pungent stench of hundreds of dead fish. Men and women had set forth with pitchforks and staves to track down the culprits and never returned, further shrinking the dwindling population.

"Why didn't they call for shinobi?" Naruto asked, interrupting Hyuuga Neji's lengthy briefing. Eleven shinobi—including Naruto, Kiba, Choji, Ino, and Shino—sat or stood around Neji in the forest clearing. For three months, dozens of Konoha shinobi squads had scoured the Five Nations for signs of Orochimaru—and had found them. Using Naruto's Sage Mode, she and Konoha advisors had put together a map of locations to target in their hunt, but the squads had infiltrated those in the first month. Never before had an enemy's bases been more thoroughly ransacked. His chains of command were dismantled, his collaborators captured, his laboratories seized, but Orochimaru himself remained at large.

The search expanded and less likely options now became the prime targets. Any rumor of strange occurrences, if it aligned in the slightest fashion with Naruto's sensing, would bring at least three squads to the source of the rumor. Hence, here they were in Oni, listening to Neji's detailed report of the area, its people, and its history.

It was a proud moment for Neji. The war had afforded opportunities to take the lead, but he was still junior to most jounin. Responsibilities such as this allowed him to distinguish himself and his family, and he was eager to advance himself. He fancied, rightfully, that he had a knack for investigative work, and he enjoyed speaking before the gathered shinobi with the aplomb and cool demeanor of a Hyuuga who knows his worth.

Furthermore, this was a task entrusted to him by Naruto. A month ago, after scouting for two days with a small team, he'd given his first briefing. Naruto had beamed at him, and Neji had felt as though he'd done something exceptional. In his second briefing, he'd dug in deeper, really ramped up his efforts. The result was not quite what he'd hoped. Naruto had seemed distracted and distant. This time, he'd requested the assignment before Naruto could offer it. He was determined to improve whatever misdirection he'd taken, correct however he'd gone astray.

As a result, he had left no stone unturned and compiled an extensive report that could not fail to impress for its thoroughness. Yet Naruto had now interrupted him four times. He did not much care for interruptions and wasn't sure what prompted Naruto to cut him off. All the same, he recognized that she was listening more attentively now than ever. That pleased him.

"The citizens have long been accustomed to fending for themselves," said Neji in response to her question. "However, when they realized the situation was too dangerous for them to handle, they did call for aid."

Oni lay directly on the border between the Lands of Frost and Lightning, and its patron shinobi village had long been disputed—or it had been during the Third War when grasping councillors sought every possible advantage for their nations. Afterwards, both daimyos and their advisors seemed to forget Oni had ever existed. Indeed it had only existed to them on paper. It had never merited a visit by a dignitary or shinobi force. Very much off the beaten path, Oni was not important strategically or commercially and remained unclaimed to the knowledge of the town's citizens.

Thus, the handful of citizens who remained after their compatriots disappeared had a problem: which hidden village to apply to for help.

"Oh," said Naruto. "We don't have any towns like that, right?"

"It is certainly worth exploring when we don't have an enemy of Orochimaru's caliber with which to contend," said Neji.

The citizens chose to send a delegation to both nations. The apathetic, low-level representatives from each hemmed and hawed and resisted sending a squad of shinobi to investigate an occurrence that was most likely a natural phenomenon that the citizens of Oni were too simple to understand. As for the missing people, it was tragic but no doubt they were either dead from a rockslide or had drowned or had gotten lost, in which case they would find their own way home before the shinobi could arrive. However, one Oni woman let it slip to Kumogakure that Shimogakure, the Hidden Village of the Land of Frost, might already have solved the mystery in the time they'd spent waiting for Kumo to come to a decision so "thank you very much, but we should be heading back home now." The response was swift.

Shimogakure, having received similar information, and Kumogakure converged on the town. The shinobi of each hidden village spent a full week arguing about and mapping out which areas the other was allowed to explore. The second week involved less mystery-solving than it did violating the agreed-upon rules. As tensions mounted, there had been a small skirmish, which was resolved without bloodshed when the Oni citizens fired both shinobi forces.

"They sound like a bunch of idiots," Naruto complained. "The shinobi, not the Oni-ians—Oni-ites? The Kumo shinobi especially. They've got a huge country. Couldn't they just give a little ground to Shimo seeing as how they didn't want it in the first place?"

"Oi!" said Karui, a Kumo shinobi. She'd been assigned by the Raikage to escort the Konoha shinobi through the Land of Lightning.

"Either way, there was a real problem with people's lives on the line," continued Naruto hotly, "and they just worried about their pride."

Ah, thought Neji in a flash of inspiration. That was why Naruto kept interrupting. When Neji had gathered this information, he had studied the political ramifications of Oni's position and found them interesting. He had also chuckled over the absurd posturing of the shinobi. Naruto, however, thought of the people. That was why she would make a great Hokage. Mentally chastising himself, he nodded at her in admiration.

Naruto saw the appreciative nod and couldn't begin to explain the reason for it. She was bored out of her skull. She kept trying her best to focus. After all, a shinobi should never enter unknown territory unprepared, especially when it was the tell-tale stench of Orochimaru that had brought them here. But Naruto would swear by her love of ramen that no person alive, dead, or reanimated had ever managed to talk in such a continuous stream as Hyuuga Neji.

Naruto was captain of her squad and ranking commander of joint forces. She couldn't nod off during a briefing. It set a bad example and made her seem incompetent. Obaa-chan had lectured her on proper behavior for a Hokage, and proper behavior did not include telling a fellow shinobi to shut up or be swallowed by a giant frog. Neither did it allow Naruto to skip out on the briefing and investigate the area for herself.

Per Obaa-chan's instruction, she had been trying to delegate and had needed a shinobi to compile the intel and present the information relevant to their mission in this meeting among squads. She had considered Shino. Was he smart? Yes, maybe, probably. Was he respected? Er, sort of, not really. Kiba came next. Was he smart? No. Then she considered Neji. Smart? Yes. Respected? Yes. Organized? Well, she couldn't say for sure, but he seemed like the kind of person who would be. Trustworthy? Without a doubt.

Naruto had appointed Neji.

Never again.

Never. Again.

His first briefing had been fine, great even. His report was succinct, and Naruto's team infiltrated the site within a half hour. But his second report had gone on for twice and again as long as the first. Neji must have taken a real shine to the briefings because he had approached her to request the briefing assignment of their next mission—Oni—as well, and because Naruto hadn't been smart enough to get the jump on him and appoint someone else, she'd agreed.

For nearly an hour, words had poured from his mouth, and Naruto had fought against her inclination, hardened by years of snoring during Academy lectures, to zone out. Very un-Hokage-like behavior. Then again, allowing a shinobi to ramble was un-captain-like behavior. Wasn't it her duty to end this travesty with all haste?

It wasn't just Naruto who was struggling. Kiba had nodded off. Drool slid out from a corner of his mouth. Ino clung to a tree for support. Shino was upright, but Naruto would swear his collar was positioned higher than usual to hide a jaw slack from sleep. And his eyes were probably sealed shut behind those glasses. Never before had Naruto envied his choice of apparel. Choji seemed more alert, but that was just because he had Karui in his line of sight.

"The shinobi of Kumo and Shimo were more concerned for their nations' claims," Neji said, "not for their citizens, yes. But that's not the point."

"What is the point?" said Naruto. She didn't think it counted as whining to ask a valid question. She could already have scouted the area and been in and out of the base three times in the amount of time it had taken Neji to give his report. Her concern for the Oni people wasn't faked. The sooner she and her team removed all traces of the snake from their home, the sooner the town could return to normal.

Worse than being bored, she was anxious. Every second they wasted gave Orochimaru's trail another second to grow cold. If he'd ever even been here in the first place. Naruto was still not privy to that information because Neji had spent a full fifteen minutes discussing the mineral content of the soil and how it affected which crops the farmers chose to grow. True, he had connected that to Orochimaru by reminding them all that Orochimaru was known to enjoy red bean paste, and Oni grew the beans that could be used to produce it. But was that really necessary to share to the group?

"The point," said Neji, "is that this area was ripe for Orochimaru's plucking. It's the perfect place to conduct covert experiments."

Naruto sat up straighter. "And did he? Is there an active base here?" Other shinobi came to attention. Kiba's eyes blinked open.

"Recently active."

Naruto shot to her feet. That was almost the best news she could have hoped for. "Any remaining personnel?"

Neji sighed. There went the rest of his carefully prepared briefing. "It does not appear so, but I recommend extreme caution on initial approach. The diverted river seems to power a generator. No doubt Orochimaru had experiments in progress when the base was abandoned."

Naruto ordered the squads to form up. Her heavy hitters would go in first. An R&D or Intelligence specialist would accompany each squad to catalogue whatever madness Orochimaru had cooked up. The energy of the group buzzed, the tension palpable as the shinobi got into position. This was the part Naruto enjoyed: the deployment, the infiltration. Before this, she had never been engaged in an extended campaign. Since leaving Konoha, she'd suffered through three months of tedium spotted by brief rushes of activity. It was good experience, though. Shit she needed to know, probably. But on this particular mission, the most important lesson she'd learned was that Neji would forever be banned from the briefing assignment.

Naruto pushed that from her mind. Neji guided their four-man team to the entrance of the base, situated in the upturned roots of a massive, fallen tree. The diverted river swept through a formerly forested area, snaking around a jutting plateau of rock. Naruto was straining against the confines of her self-control. Every cell in her body hungered to dive into the lair and rip apart its secrets, yet she had to sit back and wait for the teams to signal they were ready. Waiting, as she had for three months.

The signal came. Naruto was off like a shot, down the tunnel, past ninjutsu traps and explosive tags. She disassembled them all in short order. A quarter hour of systematic perusal revealed what Naruto and her team already suspected: The base was abandoned.

"Trashed and burned," said Kiba, wrinkling his nose at the smells. "All of it."

Naruto cursed. Deeper inside the base, Choji expanded his hand into a giant fist and broke through a rock wall to reveal a hidden room, but it too was abandoned. At Naruto's signal for the all-clear, other shinobi poured in to catalogue their findings and glean any intel they could from the remains of Orochimaru's base.

Another failure. Naruto couldn't stand it. Her part in this was over, and now, somehow she had to calm her agitated senses and soothe her quivering nerves. Too many times this had happened. Far too many. At least in the war she'd had an enemy to punch. There had always been a person to channel her energy into defeating. This, she wasn't good at handling. This…nothingness.

"Uzumaki-san," called a kunoichi named Shiho, "we have something."

In a flash, Naruto stood by Shiho's side and studied with widening eyes the marks on the stone wall. Four whirlpools formed the points of a diamond. Her mother's signature.

Naruto traced the seal with her forefinger, causing Shiho to screech, "Uzumaki-san, we haven't analyzed the seal yet. We must take precautions—!"

"No need," said Naruto, as though from afar. This was the first concrete proof they'd ever found of Kushina's presence. Her mother had been here. Here. Possibly within the last week, her mother had stood exactly where Naruto now planted her feet. Naruto felt members of her team gather around, taking up defensive positions. Who could anticipate what little gift Orochimaru had made Kushina leave behind?

Without another word, Naruto performed the release for the seal and placed her hand inside the four whirlpools. A small hole opened in the rock in the middle of the seal. Shaking, Naruto reached for the scroll inside, earning another squawk from Shiho. Naruto unfurled it and read:

Naruto-chan, you will forgive me for leaving on such short notice, I hope. Other matters require my attention. However, I await our reunion with eager anticipation. Kushina says hello-ttebane or some such nonsense. —O

Naruto read the message again. And once more. Then she reeled back and slammed her fist into the wall, shattering her mother's seal.

"He's taunting me," she said, almost choking with fury. "He's got my mother, and he's taunting me."

Kiba and Choji glanced at each other. Both were good friends of Naruto, but they were accustomed to interacting with a hyperactive bundle of sunshine, not this…angry, violent creature. Neither knew the right words to calm her.

"Ma, Naruto," said Kiba, willing to give it a try. "Your mom might be on his leash, but at least she's not suffering, already being dead and all."

For that, Kiba received a piercing, blue gaze that promised no small amount of punishment. Kiba's hackles raised at the un-Naruto-like glare. He pointed an accusing finger. "You have been spending too much time with the Uchiha to pull off that look."

"Hm," said Naruto, eyes narrowing. Her voice took on an edge. She was raring for a fight. "Too much time? What is that supposed to mean?"

Seeing the growing tension, Neji judged this an appropriate moment to intervene. He approached Naruto, carrying a small scroll that had just arrived by messenger hawk. He hesitated to give her their newest orders in her current mood. Instead he clapped a hand on her shoulder. "This is progress, Naruto. We know he was here. We get closer every time. Patience."

Naruto clenched her fist around Orochimaru's note and gave Neji a curt nod.

"I'll take that scroll, Uzumaki-san," said Shiho. A sandy-haired, glasses-wearing kunoichi, Shiho rarely ventured beyond Konoha's borders. She worked in Konoha's Cryptanalysis lab and had once decrypted a message from Ero-sennin that led to Pain's defeat. She was here now for that very purpose: to search for information hidden to the average shinobi, to hunt for codes within messages. Naruto doubted the note had any secret significance. It was a letter of challenge to her, mocking in its politeness. Nothing more.

Neji steered her away from the broken seal. "There are a finite amount of places for Orochimaru to hide. Even though those places number in the hundreds, we'll knock them off one by one if necessary, after our leave—"

"Our what?" she shouted.

Neji winced and held up the scroll from Konoha for her to see. He fully agreed a break was well-deserved, and furthermore, it was required. Three months of active service was the longest stint allowed for a reconnaissance and infiltration operation such as this.

"For a week," said Neji. "Even if you don't need rest, other people do. We can't stay sharp without it."

Naruto despaired of her team's flagging energy. "But it's another delay. We're wasting—"

"We haven't been wasting our time," said Neji. "We've uncovered hideouts, dismantled his experiments, taken his people prisoner—"

"That's just it though!" said Naruto, swinging around in a fury. "He's abandoning everything he's worked to build instead of fighting us. So what's so important that he's dropping everything else to protect it? I'll tell you what—his ultra secret, ultra evil project! How can we take a break when that's still going on?"

"It's only our three squads and one other. Meanwhile other squads' leave is ending—"

"Then I'll join up with—"

"No way." Neji crossed his arm and remained firm. He spoke not as a shinobi under her command but as a friend. "You need to relax, Naruto. You're too wound up. Quite frankly, you've been short-tempered and anxious."

To Naruto's thinking, a week of enforced relaxation would only stir her up worse. A niggling sensation tickled her brain, the thought that she could have already found Orochimaru if she were allowed to let loose. A thousand clones would be over four times the number of shinobi on the hunt for Orochimaru and her mother.

"Don't go getting a big head," said Kurama, a whisper inside her mind.

Naruto grit her teeth. "It's not big-headed if it's true."

"It's not true. Your clones aren't hardy enough for real reconnaissance. Face it, Naruto. You're frustrated and angry, and worse, you're starting to take it out on your nakama."

Naruto blanched. That wasn't true. Sure, she'd been pushing them, but she'd asked no more of them than they were willing to give.

"Hmph. They'd give their lives for you. Does that mean you should take it from them?"

"Don't be so dramatic," she said, but she opened her eyes to study Neji. From him, her gaze moved over the whole team as they worked over Orochimaru's lair. No one was smiling—not they should while disassembling the base. At the same, there was an oppressive air hovering over them all. The shadow of Orochimaru? Possibly, but maybe it was her fault too. She took every failure as a personal blow. If that feeling was being transferred to the shinobi under her command, maybe she really did need a break.

Neji had been waiting patiently while she had her conversation with Kurama. She sucked in a steadying breath, fixed a smile on her face, and asked, "Any news of Sasuke?"

Relieved she was no longer contemplating insubordination, Neji said, "He's recovering well."

"That's no more informative than the last message."

"Perhaps when we reach Kumo—"

"Kumo?"

Neji couldn't read the funny look on Naruto's face. "Yes, as in Kumogakure, the Raikage's home. What's wrong?"

"Er, it's like…well," she scratched her cheek, suddenly sheepish, "I haven't really talked to Raikage since…you know."

Neji's eyes widened. "That interview. In which you insinuated…"

"…that Raikage wanted to become a lady. He's gonna kill me."

"Yep," said Karui, passing by. Someone laughed, and suddenly the whole mood of the shinobi force had lightened.

"We haven't had enough death threats lately," Neji said. "Should be fun."

Naruto grinned. Now she remembered why she liked Neji. Putting aside his god-awful mission briefings, he was a standout guy. That reminded her… "Hyuuga-san, regarding your scouting and reporting on the mission—"

Neji straightened, recognizing the official tone. Behind him, Kiba made a gagging gesture, which Naruto caught and managed not to snicker at. "You did a brilliant job, like insanely thorough. I can't imagine any shinobi taking their duty more seriously."

"Arigato, Uzumaki-san." His chest swelled.

"At the same time, you've made it clear to me that too much enthusiasm can be a bad thing. Never would have thought that was possible, but you proved me wrong."

"I—beg your pardon?"

"Neji, you're a smart guy, but you've got no filter."

Neji gaped, speechless. He had no filter?

"I think while we're in Kumo," said Naruto, "you should take some time to consider the advantages of brevity."

"Brevity," Neji spluttered.

"It means being brief, like concise speech and all."

Neji knew full-well the meaning of brevity. It was more of a surprise that Naruto had ever heard the word and that she was now reprimanding him for a lack of it.

"Also," Naruto said, inspired by a thought, "you might consider a career in the Torture and Interrogation Department. I know if I had to endure much more of your briefing, I'd have been blabbing all my secrets for the world to hear. If it got you to stop, that is."

Neji nodded faintly.

Naruto returned the nod, satisfied. Other Hokage duties Tsunade-baa-chan had discussed with her were singling out shinobi with potential and steering them in the right direction. A job well done.

Ino approached, wearing a grim look. "We found the bodies of Oni's missing people."

"Ah," said Naruto, her mood souring again. There'd been little hope of finding them alive. Really, it was good news to have found their bodies in the first place. Orochimaru could just as easily have flung their bodies in the river.

"Let's help Oni give them a proper burial," said Naruto. "And figure out how to fix this river."

… … …

Sparks flew where steel struck steel. The battling shinobi were a blur of motion as they repelled off trees and raced towards each other for another clash. A sword arced through the air as a streak of lightning shot down its length. Sasuke's Chidori surged towards his opponent. The shinobi scrounged a Futon from his depleted chakra reserves, just strong enough to counter. In a nimble—nigh imperceptible—move, Sasuke swept the man's legs out from under him.

The man began to fall, slowly to Sasuke's eyes. He allowed himself a small smile. The battle was almost over, but he had an enjoyable idea for its conclusion. Channeling chakra, the purple haze of his greatest defense coalesced around him. Higher and higher, he rose above his hapless adversary. On the forest floor, the man stared up at him and gaped. Blood drained from his face.

Considering the shinobi was ready to faint, it seemed unnecessary to level a massive, deadly arrow at his throat, only inches from touching sweaty skin, but Sasuke didn't allow a little thing like compassion to sway him. He let himself descend to the ground, better to observe the effects of sheer terror on the human expression. Standing before the fallen shinobi, Sasuke cocked one brow and waited.

"Kami-sama," the shinobi gasped.

"Yes?" said Sasuke.

"I—give up."

"Wise."

Sasuke lingered for only a moment before he withdrew. Stretching and flexing as he walked, he relished the brimming energy in his limbs, which had for so many weeks lain limp with fatigue. He couldn't remember the name of the poor sap he'd just demolished. Some ANBU. So many of Konoha's top shinobi were off looking for Orochimaru. The ones that remained were occupied patrolling the village and guarding the Hokage, duties that could not be imperiled for a proper spar. All of which meant there was no one left to give him a real challenge.

Sasuke positively sauntered towards the small group of shinobi that had observed his latest spar. They kept insisting on taking his recovery slow, but he couldn't remember ever feeling so invigorated. Inoichi-san gave him a thumbs up, which Sasuke acknowledged with the barest of smiles. At the older man's side was Nara Shikamaru, who had returned last week to consult with the Hokage on tactical matters related to the hunt for Orochimaru. Now the genius squinted at the sky, his posture slouched with boredom.

For the past week, Shikamaru had been an adequate companion when he was off-duty. Sasuke might have even called him an exceptional companion since he never bothered Sasuke with frivolities. However, Sasuke had gone from beating Inoichi at Shogi four out of five games to losing every damn time to Shikamaru. Most recently, Sasuke had gone to great lengths to wake him at the crack of dawn and challenge him, hoping he'd have an edge with Shikamaru dull from sleep. The result was Sasuke's most spectacular defeat. Damn Nara had a vengeful streak, too.

Standing apart from them was Karin. She'd given her nurses the slip when she'd learned that Sasuke was in the hospital, only two floors up from her, but rather than crawling into bed with him in the dead of night, she'd pulled back her sleeve so that he could bite her and heal from his wounds. (Well, she'd pulled down the neck of her shirt first and told Sasuke to ravish her as he healed.) In any case, he had declined both offers until two weeks later when a doctor assured him that Karin would not die if he only took a small portion of her chakra. Naruto would never forgive him if he killed her cousin, and Sasuke himself might have felt a pang of remorse.

But Sasuke could spare those onlookers no more thought. Before him stood his incomparable nurse: Morino-sama. She crooked one finger at him.

"Sit."

Sasuke sat. It was best not to test Morino-sama's patience with unnecessary dawdling. She took his pulse, listened to him breathe, shone a light in his eyes, and repeated the process after a full minute.

"Stand and show me a jutsu," she said.

Sasuke held his arm away from his side, and lightning crackled. Morino-sama didn't flinch at the Chidori. She took his pulse from the non-electrified wrist and looked at her watch. "Keep the chakra flowing."

He smirked. "Happy to."

"Did I ask for your feelings on the matter, Uchiha?"

"No, Morino-sama." Sasuke wasn't afraid of Morino Aiko, not at all. Nope. In fact, over the months, they'd developed a most productive rapport: Morino-sama commanded. Sasuke obeyed. Sometimes she even allowed a question to be posed and condescended to grant a response. He wished all relationships were so simple.

"Morino-sama," he began. Her brown eyes rose to meet his. There was a certain tightness to her jaw that gave Sasuke a moment's concern. "Ah…never mind. Gomenasai."

The only downside was how little flexibility their interactions afforded him. For instance, Sasuke wanted to hear her assessment of his health. He felt great. Better than great. But he couldn't read her impassive face, and she wasn't volunteering the information. He would simply be patient and ignore the flutterings of excitement working their way through his every nerve. This was it, this was it, this was it, his inner self kept screaming. It was time to leave Konoha and rejoin Naruto.

Morino-sama continued with her work. Then she locked gazes with him and said, "Rinnegan."

Sasuke felt his eyes widen. "You're finally letting me—?" He cut himself off and closed his eyes. He might have feared that after so long the Rinnegan would be lost to him, but as he channeled chakra to his left eye, his whole body caught fire from the flood of power that the awakening of the Rinnegan released. Not literal fire, fortunately for the shinobi in the immediate vicinity, but it seemed that way to Sasuke, whose chakra coils sang with the rush.

This magical moment dispelled the second he opened his rippling eye, for Morino-sama shone a bright light dead into its center.

His brain exploded with pain. He huddled in a crouch and snarled, "Gods, woman! Do you have any idea how sensitive this eye is right now?" As his poor eyeball throbbed and fucking bled from the inside, he let loose a stream of vicious curses and stamped his foot as though to transfer his agony to the ground.

"What is going on here?" said another voice that Sasuke, through his shudders of pain, recognized as the Hokage's.

"Nothing to alarm you, Hokage-sama," said Morino-sama. "These little bouts of hysterics are quite normal—"

"I am not hysterical, you bear-faced broad."

"—for a shinobi of his delicate constitution."

"I'm in agony," he insisted. "Every cell of my body is being ripped apart."

"As is the flair for the dramatic."

"And it's your fault," he concluded with a hiss.

"My mistake, Uchiha," she replied simply, but it was enough to quell Sasuke's raging. Morino-sama never apologized.

Tsunade watched with great amusement. She might go so far as to call it enjoyment. When Morino held out a stethoscope and asked, "Would you like to take over?" Tsunade was happy to accept. The Uchiha's heartbeat was strong and steady, if a tad too rapid. His lungs were clear, and when he finally opened them, his eyes were alert.

There was no actual blood, Sasuke realized then. It only felt like there should be, but he forgot the residual pain when the Hokage asked, "What is your opinion of his health, Morino?"

Sasuke snapped to attention.

"Physically he's in prime condition," she said. "His mental stability is, of course, in question, but no more so than it ever was."

Tsunade glanced at Sasuke, expecting some form of protest. Instead, he gave Morino an appreciative look, as though she'd complimented him. Tsunade continued to study him. She took in his bearing: erect without being stiff, focused without seeming tormented. Not serene exactly, yet he lacked the pall of inner turmoil that had always haunted him. His eyes bore no resentment, and he held himself tall. He was a shinobi with a purpose—one that would not cause unbearable amounts of pain to untold numbers of people. In short, he had recovered more than she would have believed possible.

"In that case," she said, addressing Sasuke, "I'm clearing you for active duty."

Inwardly, Sasuke experienced an exultant, leaping feeling in his stomach, but he made sure not a single muscle twitched. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Naruto was somewhere in the Land of Lightning or had been when he'd last heard. He could be in Kumo in three days, two if his team had any sort of speed to brag about.

"You may very well be Orochimaru's target, so you can expect some pampering by your peers. And by that I mean surveillance. No venturing off on your own. No taking reckless chances."

What would he do when he saw her? Give a casual wave followed by a short "yo" as Kakashi was known to do? Sasuke didn't want to seem overeager.

"Your knowledge of Orochimaru may well be the final key in tracking his whereabouts. Keep your eyes sharp."

And he had been too eager, hadn't he? A month of strict bedrest—while ghastly—had at least given him time to think and plan and consider his mistakes. He'd become too enthusiastic too early on and let himself be deluded by his own fantasies. That couldn't happen again, no matter how Naruto smiled when she saw him.

"Inoichi, take charge," the Hokage ordered.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," said Inoichi.

Three days, thought Sasuke, maybe four if Naruto had wound up on some spit of land in the north of the Land of Lightning. He had time to consider a proper greeting.

"Uchiha Sasuke," said Inoichi. Sasuke listened with half an ear. "You'll meet your partners at the east gate in half an hour. Haruno Sakura, Hyuuga Hinata, Nara Shikamaru, Uzumaki Karin, and Arakawa Hachiro."

Naruto would be pleased to see so many of her friends again, though not as pleased as she would be to see him. He'd make sure of it. That last name was rather familiar, but he couldn't bring the shinobi's face to mind.

"Your first mission will take you to Suna, where you will meet with a delegation led by the Kazekage himself—"

Sasuke's reveries came to a screeching halt as Inoichi's words derailed him. Suna, not Kumo. Desert, not rocky mountains. Sand, not lightning. Strangers, not—

"I—no," he said, strangled, "I'm supposed—to—"

Suddenly Inoichi roared with laughter. "Gomen, gomen. Kami-sama, the look on your face—"

Sasuke hissed with all the affront of a cat dunked into water. He heard echoing snorts behind him. Damn them all. Inoichi wiped away a tear. Sasuke gathered the shreds of his dignity as Inoichi gasped through his laughter, "I couldn't resist. Gomen, Sasu-chan. You'll rendezvous with Naruto in Kumo."

When Sasuke still eyed him with suspicion, Morino-sama snapped, "You have your orders. Haul ass, Uchiha."

He moved, flat out disappeared from the training field. His gear was packed and waiting by his door, as it had been for the last month. He threw out everything in his refrigerator and took out the trash. He would not return until Orochimaru was captured and until Naruto had agreed to marry him. The latter might be hard to swing, but Sasuke had spent the entirety of his convalescence wisely. He had plans.

I couldn't last even a chapter without Sasuke to torture :) Does anyone know if Naruto can still summon those black balls that he (she!) got after receiving the Sage's chakra? I recently saw the Boruto movie and didn't notice if Naruto summoned them, and since those seemed super powerful I didn't know why he wouldn't have. Help?