Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. I DO own Tiku and Youshi Garukin (Yes, he's back! It's the prequel silly.) Ai Mizuri (now known as Kaori) is owned by xEMOtIoNaLLyCOnSTipaTEDx- Aya Kiriyama remains the sole property of Aya-Sama3000.
Chapter Ten - Love's Outcast
Sasuke stared at the Konoha gates as they closed behind him. Look after her, Dobe. He thought to himself as he pretended that the tears weren't falling. Slowly, he turned and walked away from his home, leaving behind the only people he had ever cared about, the only woman he had ever loved.
For three days and three nights, Sasuke travelled north, avoiding patrols and any signs of life. People were the last thing he wanted to see at the moment.
On the fourth day, with food supplies running low, Sasuke was forced to go in to a small village on the border of Fire Country. He felt his heart clench as he saw the entrance of the village was lined with Cherry Blossom trees, his mind flashing with images of perfect pink hair and soulful emerald eyes.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see the figure gaining on him. A hand creeping into his money pouch had his senses on high alert. He grabbed the hand and twisted it round until the owner was on their knees, pleading for mercy, something Sasuke was running short on at the moment. He added pressure to the hold, ready to break the thief's wrist when a voice stopped him.
"Chill, I was only playing, boss."
Sasuke's eyes finally snapped down to the face of the thief. The man had white hair and sharp teeth showing through a wicked, but pained, grin. "Suigetsu?"
"Yeah." replied the man. "Hey boss, you wanna let go?"
Sasuke felt the hint of a smirk grace his features at the sound of his former title. It was safe to assume that news of his undercover work had not reached the rest of Sound. That thought in it self reminded Sasuke of the destruction of said village.
"You should be dead." Sasuke stated.
Suigetsu, still pinned by Sasuke's tight grip, grinned. "I should be a lot of things, but I ain't."
"How did you survive?!" demanded Sasuke.
Suigetsu motioned to his imprisoned wrist, silently asking for freedom. Sasuke merely glared at him. Suigetsu sighed and nodded, understanding that he had to answer first.
"We…" started Suigetsu.
Sasuke instantly interrupted him. "We?!"
"Yeah. Me, Karin and Juugo." replied Suigetsu. "Anyway, we saw you and Orochimaru-sama taking off. Figured maybe you knew something we didn't, so we set off after you. We barely made it to the tree line when the attack started. They were everywhere, boss. Me and Juugo wanted to go back and help but Karin demanded we find you and Orochimaru-sama, that our duty was to protect you two, not the village."
Suigetsu paused and grimaced. "Could you please let go of my wrist?!"
Sasuke thought about it for a moment, then shrugged and finally released Suigetsu, causing said man to sigh and rub his wrist in relief.
"We found what you left of Orochimaru. Nice work, very effective." Suigetsu grinned as he added. "I thought the whole, tearing his head off part, was a work of art, boss. Truly inspiring."
"Hn." Sasuke replied, while glaring slightly. There was something not quite right about how Suigetsu was acting. Suigetsu, realising he had been caught out, grinned and shrugged.
"Alright, alright. So we figured out what you'd been doing." he grinned again. "Let's face it, he was planning on turning you into a skin suit, you were bound to kill him sooner or later. And who cares that you hadn't actually deserted from Konoha, you were fucking awesome at what you did! Besides, its not like anyone was actually there by choice!"
"Good to see you again, Sasuke-kun."
The new voice sent shivers down the spines of both men, and not in a good way. They turned as one to see Karin and Juugo walking their way through the crowd to reach them.
"Didn't expect to see you again so soon, Sasuke-kun. Tired of her already?!" said Karin with a twisted smirk on her face.
The smirk, and all humour associated with it, died the instantly she looked up at Sasuke. His eyes were blazing, three tome, Sharingan, his fists were clenching tightly and tiny black marks were spreading out across his neck.
Juugo, sensing the extreme danger, stepped in front of Karin and bowed to Sasuke. "I am glad to see you mended, Sasuke-sama."
The adding of the suffix was just enough to throw Sasuke's concentration slightly. He looked at Juugo and, taking in his position of obedience, felt his temper cool and his anger calm. He glanced over at Suigetsu and Karin. They too had taken Juugo stance. Sasuke started to feel a little uncomfortable, standing in the middle of a market place with three of his former team Hebi all bowing at him, all adding Sama to his name.
"I need supplies." muttered Sasuke as he walked away from the group, only to have them straighten up and follow him. Sasuke turned and glared at them. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.
"We need supplies too, but they refused to serve us. If we're with you, they'll be too afraid not to."
Karin's announcement made Sasuke pause in his steps. "Why did they refuse you?" he already had a good idea about the answer but just wanted to be certain.
"Orochimaru tortured people in this village for sport. Now they hate anyone associated with him." replied Suigetsu.
Sasuke sighed and shook his head slowly. This path was going to be more difficult than he thought. Sakura had always said that the past had a way of coming back to bite you in the ass. He had laughed at the time, not thinking anything of it, but now, he truly understood what she meant. He silently wished that she was there with him now, to help him overcome it, things had always been easier to deal with when Sakura was by his side.
Sasuke shut down his current thoughts. They were too destructive. The simple fact still remained that Sakura was another man's wife, soon to be mother of another man's child. Thinking about her would only make his temper explode, then his heart would break because he had lost her.
Pushing all thoughts aside, Sasuke strolled up to one of the market stalls. He handed over the list of items he desperately needed and waited as the man read it over. The man, finished reading, looked back up at Sasuke and glared. Sasuke glared back but knew the man's look was directed more at his companions that at him.
"I'm not serving them!" hissed the man.
"No." stated Sasuke. "You're serving me!"
"And just who are you?!" demanded the stall holder. "Another one of them?!"
Sasuke's glare turned to Sharingan. The stall holders eyes widened in terror. Sasuke kept his voice level as he set the man straight.
"I'm the man who killed Orochimaru!"
The stall holder looked like he was ready to have a heart attack. He rapidly gathered the items from Sasuke's list, even rushing over to other stalls for the things he didn't have. His hands were trembling as he handed over the bags but his terrified face turned to shocked confusion when Sasuke placed the money for the goods into the man's hand.
"But…"
"I'm not a thief." stated Sasuke as he loaded the items into his rucksack, careful not to damage the box at the top.
Suigetsu shoved his groups list into the mans hand. When the man tried to shove it back at him, he grinned wickedly. "We're with him!" he said, motioning to Sasuke.
The man gulped loudly and quickly filled the second list. Suigetsu handed the bags to Juugo and turned to walk away, only to be grabbed by his throat by an irritated Sasuke.
"You will pay the man!"
Suigetsu tried to gasp something out but Karin beat him to it. "I got it!" she announced, already rushing toward the stall holder, handing him the money for their items.
The stall holder, although still confused by the events, nodded his thanks to Sasuke.
***
It had been four months since Sasuke left Konoha. Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo were still travelling with him. Although he would never admit it, he preferred having them around. Even if Karin was still trying on an almost daily basis to get in to his pants, he enjoyed the company of Juugo, and at most times, Suigetsu too.
They had come across an abandoned house and decided to stay there for a few nights while they planned what to do next.
The search for a new home was proving harder than any of them thought. They had already been turned away from the Mist and Waterfall villages. All thanks to their past dealings with Orochimaru. Suigetsu had joked on many occasions that the dirty old snake was still screwing with them, even from beyond the grave. Sasuke had stayed silent when he had said that but he couldn't help but think that perhaps Suigetsu was right.
Juugo had managed to find some beers during his last supplies run. Sasuke took one and leapt up on to the roof of the old house. His mind took him briefly back to all the times he had sat like that with Naruto.
He felt his mind pulled back to Konoha. He wondered what his energetic blonde friend was doing at that moment. Hinata would have had the baby by now, he wondered if they'd had a boy or a girl, what did the child look like? Which parent would it take after most?
Thinking about Naruto, or Konoha, always led Sasuke's thoughts back to his most painful of subjects. Sakura. How was she doing? What was she doing? Was she happy? Did she think of him at all?
His thoughts dwelled on the last time he had seen her. Her wedding day, the day he lost her forever. She had barely seemed alive, just going through the motions. There had been a slight bump showing through her wedding dress. It had only shown itself to his Sharingan eyes but it was there none the less. He had received word, through overheard conversations of people in villages he passed through that she was due in a couple of months. He had even committed the approximate date to memory. It only served to torture him through his dreams but he knew he would rather know than not.
He raised his almost empty beer to the full moon and gave a silent toast to the health and happiness of those he had left behind.
***
Sasuke woke with a start. Shooting pains were racing through his abdomen. He clutched his hands to his gut and hissed angrily in pain. In his mind, he could hear heavy pants of breath, followed by a high pitched cry. The pain vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving a confused Sasuke to try and get back to sleep.
When sleep wouldn't come, Sasuke shrugged off his blanket and stretched his arms and legs out. The simple exercise helped to tired out his body enough for sleep to call him back and Sasuke spent the rest of the night dreaming of holding a small brown haired bundle with the deepest emerald eyes.
***
It had been over two years since Sasuke last saw Konoha. With Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo still by his side, they made their way toward the Star village.
They had been making their money by hiring out their services as they travelled. They had done many different tasks for many different villages along the way but word had soon spread that no mission against Konoha would be accepted by them.
A man in the Lightening village had tried to hire them to take out Neji Hyuga, having lost a battle to said man. Suigetsu had been the one who received that request but he had laughed and sent the man to Sasuke, telling him that their boss always had final say on what missions they took.
The man had returned to his home less than an hour later. His face was bruised and slightly swollen, his right arm was broken in multiple places and he had gained a permanent limp in his left leg.
When he had told some of his fellow villagers that he had tried adding Garukin Sakura to his hit list the Uchiha had gone crazy! His friends had laughed at him, calling him an idiot for not knowing that the Uchiha was from Konoha and telling him that he was extremely lucky to still be breathing.
Sasuke was less than impressed with the poorly guarded gates of the Star village. They separated, as they usually did, upon entering the village. It was easier to scope the place out and gather information that way.
Sasuke made his way to the market place. His supply of tomatoes was running low again. Well, not just tomatoes, but that's what he wanted most from his list.
As he got closer to the stall he wanted, Sasuke paused. Turning slightly, he scowled at a side street. "I thought I told you to check the east side of the village?!"
Karin stepped out of the shadows. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun." she mumbled. She bowed her head, trying to look shy, or maybe she was going for the alluring thing again. Sasuke was never too sure what the hell she was trying to do. Not that it mattered, his heart felt as though it hadn't beat in almost three years, not that he cared anymore. Sakura was happy, it didn't matter how he felt.
Sasuke felt his mind drift back to Konoha. Back to a book he would always love, that sat on a bookcase in the last bedroom he called his own. He had often thought back to his favourite book. He had taken all his other favourites, but that one had a purpose. Sasuke had often wondered if someone would ever find that letter.
Snapping himself back from his depressing thoughts, Sasuke glared harshly at Karin. He opened his mouth, ready to reprimand her for disobeying his direct order.
"BOSS!"
Both Sasuke and Karin spun around at the sound of Suigetsu and Juugo shouting. The two men were almost blurs as they raced toward them.
"Boss!" gasped Suigetsu as they finally reached them. Juugo helped to steady his friend as they waited for him to tell them his news. "Akatsuki!"
All thought of shouting at Karin were instantly forgotten. Sasuke grabbed Suigetsu and straightened him up. "Where?!" he demanded.
Suigetsu finally got his breath back. "Suna!" he stated. When he saw Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, he knew he had been right, this information was important.
"I was checking out their guards when I overheard a report coming in. The Akatsuki are on the move! They're going after someone called Gaara, in Suna. He's got something they want!"
Sasuke tightened the straps of his rucksack. "If they're on the move, so are we!"
***
It took four days for Sasuke and his team to reach Suna, but the Akatsuki had beaten them there.
Suna was in flames. Screams of the civilians rang out as they fled in all directions, desperate to escape the carnage going on all around them. The ninja of Suna were fighting back, but they were greatly out numbered.
"Time to go to work!" announced Sasuke. He turned to Suigetsu and Karin. "No holds bared this time!" Suigetsu whooped for joy and quickly raced after Karin, more than willing to crack a few skulls. Suigetsu had been getting tired of having to restrain himself, he was looking forward to really hurting people, even if it was only Akatsuki members, it was good enough.
Sasuke cracked his neck from side to side, letting all the rage he had been suppressing unleash, although, he held his curse mark in check for the time being. Now that he had learned to control it, he was more dangerous than ever.
Juugo fidgeted nervously in his place beside Sasuke. He was a gentle giant. He didn't like hurting people, but these Akatsuki were truly monstrous. They were chasing down and slaughtering civilians. They were hurting unarmed women and children.
"Juugo!"
Sasuke's voice pulled Juugo back from his dilemma. He turned to face his leader. "Yes, Boss?"
Sasuke had done some research on his team over the last few years together. The information gathered, stored away in the back of his mind, ready for moments like this.
"This is what happened to Tiku." stated Sasuke before stepping away from the giant and rushing into the battle.
Juugo stood there, deathly still, as images flashed through his mind. "T… Tiku?" he whispered as the face of his little sister settled in his mind. How she had looked when he had left for training with their father. The mangled state of her body when they had returned to find the village destroyed.
Juugo felt his self control slipping away, his own monster unleashing. "TIKU!"
He charged forward, still screaming his little sisters name. He grabbed one of the Akatsuki's minion. The shorter green haired man panicked as he was grabbed by the throat and ripped in to the air.
"SHE WAS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD!"
The minion had no idea what the giant was screaming about, but the smashing of a fist through his skull didn't give him much time to ponder the problem anyway.
***
"Come on, chump." sneered Kisame as he threw Kankuro to the ground again. He turned to Pein and Konan, who were double teaming Gaara. "I thought these guys were meant to be tough!"
Pein laughed. "Give us your best shot!"
"Okay!"
The three high ranking Akatsuki turned at the sound of the menacing voice. Pein's eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he automatically moved Konan behind him. Kisame, for the first time in his life, felt true fear grip his soul.
"Sasuke?!" called Gaara and Kankuro as one, each wearing the beginnings of a smirk on their faces.
Sasuke, his Sharingan blazing, sneered at the Akatsuki before him. His eyes locked on to Kisame. He was there when Itachi hurt Sakura. he though recalling the image, murder coming to his mind.
Konan shrieked in horror as Sasuke unleashed his curse mark, transforming in to a grey skinned, winged beast.
Pein stepped back, not knowing how to deal with this kind of a threat. Konan, seemingly knowing where this was heading, grabbed Pein and tugged on his arm, begging him to back away from this fight. Seeing the fear in Konan's eyes clinched it for Pein. He could never bare to see the woman he loved in a state like that.
Juugo suddenly charged through the assembled group, roaring at the top of his lungs. Four terrified minions running for their lives, barely managing to stay ahead of him.
Karin used the distraction as her chance. She and Suigetsu had already freed Temari from Toby's clutches. Now, while the others were too busy watching Juugo and Sasuke, Karin and Temari raced in and snatched up Gaara and Kankuro.
"Shit!" shouted Kisame when he realised their target was gone. He turned to check with Pein, only to find said man racing away with Konan. Kisame knew a bad situation when he saw one. Nothing but a true nightmare could make someone like Pein flee. Kisame wasted no time in getting out of there.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Kisame was thrown across the street and smashed in to the side of burning building. The wall crumbled behind him, sealing him in to the inferno. He screamed out in terror. His legs were pinned, his hands were being crushed by falling rumble. If someone didn't help him, and fast, he was going to be barbequed.
Help came from the most unlikely of sources.
Juugo caught one of the minion he had been chasing. He gripped the pleading man tightly by the throat and charged him through a wall. The wall gave way and the man was plunged in to the fire beyond. His screaming turned frantic but soon faded.
Juugo almost jumped the height of himself when an Akatsuki member jumped up from the destroyed wall and thanked him before turning and running for his life.
***
Sasuke had meant to finish Kisame off. He would have too, but, something more urgent came up. Temari had been trying to patch up Kankuro's wounds when Toby had appeared from nowhere and snatched her.
She soon found herself pinned to the floor of one of the burning buildings, with Toby looming over her, his hand tugging at his pants while his knees forced her legs open. Temari's eyes widened in horror. Toby's lips crashed violently down on to hers, suffocating her scream for help.
His pants were soon lowering and Temari felt her own pants and panties being torn open. She felt something warm and solid edging its way along her thigh and tried, in vain, to pull her head away from her attackers, desperate for someone, anyone, to save her.
Temari felt the solid length of Toby come to rest directly over her unwilling opening. He finally released her mouth and grinned at her as his tip came in to contact with her lower lips.
"I'm going to enjoy this."
"Me too!"
Toby's eyes barely had time to widen before a cold breeze swept across the bodies of the two on the floor. Temari screamed out as Toby's head fell on to her before rolling and bouncing across the floor. The weight of Toby's body vanished as it was thrown across the room, smashing in to the wall.
"Are you alright?!"
Temari's terror filled eyes locked on to the hand now extended towards her. She followed the path up the attached arm until her eyes came to rest on a pair of blazing red eyes.
"SASUKE!"
Temari cried out in relief and threw herself at Sasuke, who caught the now wailing woman and let her grip him tightly, before passing her to the anxious Gaara waiting outside.
***
"It's time to go, Gaara." called Sasuke as he helped the last survivor on with their pack.
Gaara had demanded that Suna's ally, Konoha, would send a search party once they heard what had happened. He refused to leave without at least leaving a note to let their friends know that their had been survivors. Gaara had kept to himself that he was also deliberately getting word to Sakura that Sasuke was alive and well, and helping people.
"You know." announced Kankuro as the group left the remains of Suna behind them. "There's forty-three of us, add Sasuke's group, and that's forty-seven people in need of a new home."
"Yeah." added Temari. "We can exactly wander around with this many people to look out for. We need a stable home."
Everyone fell silent after that. It was true, they did need to find something more permanent. Sasuke, although he would never admit it, was getting tired of travelling.
They walked on until nightfall, when they made camp in some abandoned caves they had found. Each member of the group locked in mental debate with themselves as they tried to come up with possibilities for their new home.
***
"Unbelievable!" announced Suigetsu.
Karin stood beside him, her mouth open in shock at the sight. "Wow!"
Juugo, standing between Sasuke and Gaara, was in just as much shock as his two friends. All he could manage was a gaping mouth and slight nod.
"This could work!" admitted Sasuke. He looked at Gaara, who was staring at him as though he had lost his mind.
"You want us to live here?!" Gaara just couldn't get his head around what he was hearing. "You're serious?!"
"Of course." stated Sasuke, tapping a nearby wall with his foot. "It's stable enough. True, it's in need of some repairs, but this is exactly what we need. It's per…"
"IT'S SOUND!"
Sasuke turned to face the outraged Kankuro and glared at him. "No! It was Sound. Now it's ours! Somewhere we can finally be free!"
"Free?" asked Karin. Then she smiled. "Free!"
"What are you talking about woman?" demanded Suigetsu.
"Free!" replied Karin, still grinning madly. "Free from Orochimaru, free from his shadow, free from his blame, FREE!"
Sasuke smirked, understanding her meaning perfectly. "You're right."
"She is?!" Suigetsu was getting more confused by the second.
"Yes." Sasuke replied. He nodded to Karin and held his arm out toward the broken buildings, sweeping his outstretched limb over the view before them. "Welcome to the Village of the Free!"
One by one, the others began to smile, understanding what had just begun. Gaara patted Sasuke on the shoulder, smiling proudly to his friend.
"Very well then, Sasuke-sama!" the two men shared a slight chuckle at the title. "It looks like we have work to do."
***
Sasuke crouched in the training field. The building of The Village of the Free had been finished for a month now and word was beginning to filter through to other villages. Requests were coming in thick and fast for the skilled ninja who lived there, so they were never short on either work or money.
"BOSS!"
Sasuke's head snapped up at the sound of Suigetsu's shouting. His nerves tingled, signalling a threat. Sasuke shot to his feet and raced over to the village gates.
"Does this belong to any of you?"
A black haired woman, dressed in a light and dark green outfit, stood proudly on the outside of the gates. Karin was beaten and bloodied at her feet.
Sasuke felt anger surge through his system. Karin still annoyed him with her daily attempts of seduction but that didn't mean this, green obsessed, woman was allowed to hurt her. Sasuke stepped through the gates and, while glaring at her, growled threateningly at the woman.
He waited for the usual look of fear, but it never came. Focusing more closely on the woman, he saw, was that more green in her hair?, that she, instead of running, had dropped in to a fighting stance. However, that wasn't Sasuke's only shock for the day.
This woman had Sharingan!
"Who are you?!" he demanded. "How did you get that?!"
"My name is my business!" said the woman as she glared at him. "But this…" she motioned to her Sharingan. "I was born with!"
Sasuke activated his own Sharingan and bore its full weight at the woman.
Suddenly, the woman dropped her rigid pose and straightened up. She moved closer towards him, her hand outstretched in greeting.
"The name's Aya, Aya Kiriyama." she smiled softly at him as she gripped his hand and shook it. "Sorry, didn't know another Uchiha was around here. You wouldn't be Sasuke, would you?"
Sasuke was beyond shocked. So shocked that he was nodding and shaking the woman's hand without realising.
"You got anything to eat, cuz?" asked Aya, sauntering in to the village as if she had always been there. "I'm starving!"
Sasuke picked up the unconscious Karin and sighed. He knew exactly what must have happened. Trust Karin to pick a fight with an Uchiha.
To be continued…