Chapter Sixteen: Sachi

Sasuke hopped off of his motorcycle and then set it up against the tree. Then he climbed up all of the wooden steps and stopped on the last step to look into the little girl that was inside the treehouse that looked like she was around Keiko's age. She had bright red hair and dark blue eyes with freckles up and down her cheeks. That's when suddenly she gasped and quickly spun around to look at him while withdrawing one of her kunai knives.

"Who are you!?" she exclaimed.

"Sasuke Uchiha." He began. "I'm your uncle and I've come to take you back to the hidden leaf village." He told her.

"No you haven't. You came to take me back to the orphanage." She told him.

"Why would I do that? We're family and you're the closest thing I have to having Itachi back with me." He said. "Now, do you trust me enough to let me come in?" he questioned her as Sachi took a deep breath and then sighed heavily.

"Alright." She began. "This better not be a trick." She warned him as Sasuke grinned at her.

"No tricks I promise." He told her while at the same time reaching his hand out towards her. "Now, do you mind?" he questioned while Sachi put her kunai knife back inside her holster and then grabbed his hand again and pulled him up there with her. "I have to admit, this is a rather nice place that you've got here." He said as he started looking around.

"Thanks." Sachi began with a grin. "I built it myself." She told him when suddenly he spotted a treasure chest in front of them.

"Really, what's that?" he asked her while pointing over at it.

"Oh that's just a box of things from my childhood." She replied. "Want to see?" she questioned him.

"Sure." He told her while she removed her kunai knife again and tossed it at the lock. All of a sudden it broke open and the lid lifted up. Sachi began to cough as dust suddenly filled the air. "I take it that you've had it for quite a long time." Sasuke said.

"Oh yeah, I've had it ever since I was a baby. I got my baby blankets and stuffed animals in here as well as some of my other toys from when I got older. Oh and I thought that you would like to see this." She told him as she removed a picture out of the chest and blew off the dust before handing it over to him. "It's my parents' wedding picture." She said while heaving a sad sigh and hanging her head. "I never met my dad and I don't know all that much about him to tell you the truth. All I know is that he was extremely handsome and he really loved me even before I was born." She explained.

"Yeah,.." Sasuke began while he looked at and studied the picture. "I bet." He finished.

"At least, that's what my mother used to tell me." She began. "What was he like Uncle Sasuke?" she questioned while glancing up at him with sudden interest as Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed.

"It's a really long story. Basically he was a very strong ninja and he really loved me." He told her before handing her back the picture. That's when he finally decided to look down at the text that Keiko had sent him. "Oh boy." He said to himself.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she questioned him anxiously.

"It's my girlfriend's little sister. She got into trouble in school today apparently. Well, it looks like I have to go home and talk to her." He said.

"Why? If she's your girlfriend's little sister then why do you have to be the one to talk to her?" she wondered.

"Because she's like a little sister to me too." He explained.

"Really? What's her name?" she asked him.

"Keiko. And she's about your age too." He told her when suddenly Sachi gasped and widened her eyes with complete and utter shock and bewilderment. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? I'm sure that you would like her. The two of you could possibly even become friends." He said as Sachi bit her lip. "She's different than most kids though just so you know." He told her.

"Umm,.. she wouldn't happen to have magical powers by any chance would she?" she wondered.

"Yeah, how did you know that?" he asked her as Sachi bit her lip again and felt the curse mark on the back of her neck. It was Sasuke's turn to be shocked.

"Is that what I think it is?" he questioned while pointing over at it as Sachi nodded.

"I've had it since I was six years old." She began. "A creepy lady on the playground asked me if I wanted any candy. I should have listened to my mother when she told me to stay away from strangers." She explained.

"Orochimaru. I knew it." Sasuke whispered to himself. "He just doesn't give up does he?" he wondered aloud to himself as Sachi bit her lip for a third time and slowly turned her head away from him and it was at that precise moment that Sasuke had a feeling that she was hiding something from him. "Sachi,.. what is it? Does this have anything to do with Keiko?" he questioned her as she slowly turned her head back over to look at him and nodded.

"Yes Uncle Sasuke." She replied.

"Well then, what is it?" he began before he paused. "Orochimaru's after her, isn't he." He suddenly realized as Sachi suddenly nodded again.

"He wants to transfer his soul into her body." She told him.

"Yeah, well we'll just see about that. He's got to get through me first." He said before he started dialing Sakura's phone number and waited for it to start ringing. A few moments later Sakura answered it.

"Hello?" she questioned.

"Where's Keiko?" Sasuke questioned her back.

"In her bedroom why?" Sakura wondered.

"I'll tell you when I get there. Just make sure that she stays there and see that she's safe." He told her.

"Sasuke what's going on, you're scaring me." She told him.

"Don't worry Sakura, everything will be alright, I promise you that. I'll see you both when I get back." He told her before he hung up the phone.