Suigetsu was hungry, verging on dehydration and cold. But damn, did it felt good to have dropped the Konoha-nin. He hadn't sensed them on his tail since last night when he left them for the naive idiots that they are. Like hell was he going to just lead a Konoha hunting party to Karin. He was scum, but he wasn't scummy enough to just roll over and play bait for her. Not that he cared what they actually wanted with her, but he had a reputation to uphold and that sure as shit didn't involve being used as a Leaf puppet!
Suigetsu grinned to himself, catching the morning light in his violet eyes.
Nah, he was going to find Karin before she could find him! Then maybe rub it in her face that he was the superior tracker. Good luck to the Konoha-nin ever finding her once he convinces her not the help them. It wasn't anything personal really; he was just an anarchist. Old habits die bloody, or however the saying went.
Besides, he had business with Karin, he didn't need her getting all distracted.
"Ready or not, I'm coming for ya Karin."
As if in agreement, the hills hummed with the golden morning sun.
When Karin awoke this morning, she chose patience as her leading virtue. But looking back on it, perhaps she should've chosen hostility, as was so usually natural to her. She supposed she shouldn't be all that surprised at the situation she's in. She had felt that idiot's presence the moment he landed last night with the rest of them, and yet some blindly optimistic part of her thought perhaps he was just passing through. That he hadn't come here on some specific mission just to piss her off. Karin was not usually a blindly optimistic or patient person, and this just further proves her character.
"Oi, Woody!" She barely contained the shrill from her voice. "If you're going to trap me in a box with this loser, could you at least create some dividing walls and maybe a chair?" Karin shouted from the bars of her makeshift wooden prison.
Yes, patience was an obviously flawed and optimistic choice for today.
Karin had sneaked out of the compound in the early hours of the morning when she felt Suigetsu on the move. It was part curiosity, and part caution which compelled her to track him down. He was actively suppressing his presence; which although not an uncommon practice for ninja, still piqued her intrigue. She didn't get many visitors in Whirlpool, and for good reason. The place was a landmine of traps – perhaps not to the rumours extent – but that just solidified the area as an effective base and natural defence system. It was the reason she suggested it to Orochimaru. Well, one of the reasons.
She didn't know what Suigetsu was doing wandering around her turf, but she wasn't going to let him reign free, whatever his purpose. If the idiot wasn't here for her, that was fine, and they could keep it that way. If he was… well he was going in the completely wrong direction. The moron.
She had found Suigetsu navigating his way through the dense foliage, narrowly avoiding some of the more obvious and minor Fuinjutsu perimeter traps. Karin was torn between a snicker and an aggressive eye roll as she debated revealing herself to him. She sighed; she never had the patience to play coy with him. Without unsealing her presence, she flash-stepped two feet in front of him.
"Shit!"
He was overwhelmingly unprepared for her unannounced arrival and it was second-nature to offer a snide remark and enjoy the momentarily shocked and disgruntled look on his pasty face.
"Watch your step, Moron." She smirked.
His chakra, which he had been trying so hard to conceal unfurled in an impressive display of anger and embarrassment. For a moment, she felt relief that perhaps he hadn't come looking for her… or maybe it was disappointment, but like hell would she ever admit that to him.
They had barely hurled two insults at each other before she found herself within a sturdy and imposing wooden prison. Again, in hindsight, she probably shouldn't have trusted Suigetsu's hidden accomplices as much as she had in that moment.
There was a flutter of movement as the Leaf ninja revealed themselves, emerging fully from the lush landscape.
"Our apologies Karin-san, it is unfortunate that in this case you became collateral damage. It is however nothing personal." The pale one she recognised as Sai said from beyond her cage. The staleness of his smile did little to assure her of his sincerity. The tight reign he held over his agitating chakra was curious.
"Where the fuck did you two even come from? I ditched you last night!" Suigetsu squawked from far too close beside her, his breath as fishy as she remembered it.
Her eyebrow twitched. He didn't even know they were there?!
"Shut up you clown! And don't breathe all over me like that!" Her fist came down none too gently upon his stupid silver head. "You never ditched them. They've been shadowing you all morning!"
The imbecile had the nerve to look affronted. "How the…? Well then why the hell didn't you warn me? Or at least dodge, you crazy woman!"
Her nostrils flared.
"Because I assumed you were travelling together, you pig! I didn't think you would be stupid enough to have led a band of Konoha shinobi here unless it was intentional! Or be idiotically tailed by your 'enemies'. But I guess this one is on me for thinking you were smarter than that."
Karin knew she wasn't the most forgiving of individuals, but damn it all to hell, she had been working on her Zen lately and Suigetsu was going to undo all her hard work in a matter of minutes! The idiot had some nerve barging in on her life out of nowhere and acting like she was the problem! She was just thankful she hadn't alerted Orochimaru to their presence now. He would no doubt be more amused than disappointed, and an amused Orochimaru was a dangerous one.
"If you two are done catching up, we really only wanted to gather your attention… Although in retrospect, this particular method seems counterproductive." Their captive sighed, coming to stand before them. Oh yes, she recognised this one too. Yamato, the crafty wood-user.
"Shut up and get to the point Tin-head! You're in for some blood loss when I get out of here."
It was routine how her fist found its way immediately to the back of Suigetsu's skull again. "Can it, you limp fish! You're the reason we're in this mess."
Suigetsu rounded on her with nothing short of fury, clutching his abused head. "Ack! So says the Bimbo who sensed them and didn't even bother to DODGE!"
"Enough!" If there were any birds in the vicinity before, there weren't now. "It's like Naruto and Sai all over again." Yamato grumbled under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Karin could see Suigetsu gearing up to protest when Yamato cut him off once more.
"Karin-san, we're sorry for the nature of our arrival but we do have some important business with you."
She supposed he saw her disagreeable expression, for he took a step closer and became more solemn and open than she was expecting from someone at seven-thirty in the morning, ninja or no.
"I swear to you we are not here for anything other than information, but we need your help. It's Sasuke." His chakra was alarmingly sincere.
Her expression faltered. "Sasuke-kun?"
"Typical." Suigetsu sneered, distaste clear in his being.
Yamato nodded. "Sasuke needs our help, and if you're willing, your help too."
"What do you need?" Karin might've been ashamed at how fast she relented, but she had long outgrown her shame at holding bonds.
There was a chilling ripple in the man's chakra when he replied. "Bring us to Orochimaru."
Some days, Karin wished she wasn't born a sensor.
Sakura was ready to jump into the nearest frozen body water and live there, if it just meant getting rid of the tension that she had woken up to. Despite the generally amiable 'goodnights' that were said the previous evening, it was like everyone had woken up on the wrong side of the bedroll. The only ones who didn't seem to have some dramatic undercurrent of tension outlining their every interaction was Naruto and herself. But every other combination was disastrously rigid. Well, maybe not Naruto and Kakashi, but she was claiming Naruto for herself today. He was her buffer. Everyone else could back off.
Sakura bite the inside of her cheek. Even her unshakable comradery with Kakashi seemed off kilter and she would be lying if she said she didn't know why. She knew she was acting weird around him; while he was plastering on his usual routine of aloof Copy Nin Kakashi. She would be grateful for his respectful 'dropping the issue' if that wasn't the exact opposite of what she thought she wanted! He was acting like nothing had happened, which was putting her on edge because was he really not going to acknowledge how they left things last night? Not that she knew how to properly acknowledge it either, because well… could she really afford to get into that mistimed moment right now? Kami, she didn't even have a word for it! She was completely lost and she wanted to both confront it and ignore it completely.
Sakura clenched and unclenched her hands, tilting her head up to the slate sky. Her calves were burning, and her lungs were uncomfortably tight in the thinning air, but she welcomed the distraction. They were walking now, on a steep uphill climb, having finally neared at the entrance of Orochimaru's base. Sasuke had demanded they all walk – no using chakra from here on out until they arrived. Likely in an effort not to alert anyone of their presence if they were chakra sensitive, but more-so that she wouldn't be expending any chakra in the coming hours. They were imminent. Her chest tightened unconsciously at the thought.
A warm hand brushed the back of hers and Sakura turned to meet Naruto's comforting grin. How that boy always knew when she was getting lost in dangerous thought, she'd never know. But she loved him for it. She saw him open his mouth to say something and gave him a stern look. Sasuke had, conveniently, ordered complete silence in their travels – no talking. Maybe it was mission-oriented, or maybe it was self-preservation, but either way, she wasn't going to argue.
Naruto clicked his mouth shut with a distinct pout. She patted his shoulder consolingly. Sakura wasn't sure what her two boys were still arguing about; she thought they had sorted things out back when they were breaking each other's bones last night. Apparently not. Her blond friend tilted his head tellingly to Kakashi, bringing up the rear of the group. Ah, so he caught on to that one too. She felt a tendril of guilt, and chose to smother it with deflection and humour. She would've laughed at her adoption of Kakashi's own coping mechanisms if it didn't cause her chest to pang just that little bit more.
Sakura gave Naruto an eye crinkle reminiscent of their ex-sensei. Team Seven code for 'you're getting nothing from me, so don't even bother'. Naruto deadpanned, and she responded by tilting her chin ahead to their raven-haired leader. Naruto; Sage and Neo-Sannin that he is, maturely stuck out his tongue in the direction of Sasuke. Sakura sighed fondly. Yeah, she could relate.
Sure, she had thought she patched things up reasonably well last night with Sasuke, all things considered. Yet, this morning he was back to keeping everyone at an icy arm's length and practically glaring at anything that moved. She hadn't seen him this moodily apathetic since they first found him in Orochimaru's underground base –
Oh.
Sakura forced herself not to stop dead in her tracks. She risked a glance to Sasuke once more; effortlessly hiking an invisible trail to lead them back to one of his self-devised tasks of atonement. If she squinted, she could imagine his clan symbol fluttering with the wind on his back as she stared after him. A great pride now carefully concealed beneath a cloak of responsibility. A small knot unwound a little in her stomach. She understood a little better. Sakura felt a wave of protectiveness surge through her. She would have his back. They all would.
Sasuke was grinding his teeth. Not one. Not one rouge-nin had they encountered on their approach to the base. Considering their recent ambush, he had expected more trouble, yet they had received none. He hadn't sensed anyone – not that it necessarily meant anything – but he could not drop his gnawing suspicion that things were slightly too convenient. Logically, he knew there had been multiple times when the base was empty. It was custom for the missing-nin to retreat after a failed 'attempt', taking their dead with them… another disquieting piece of the puzzle. Why retrieve dead that you owe no allegiance? And yet they were meticulous in that aspect. Sasuke shelved that thought for later analysis.
He needed to concentrate. Orochimaru's base was unlike his usual ones. For starters, this one was located at the peak of the canyon; a surreptitious cavern built inside the high mountainous stone walls. It was long, narrow and perpetually dark. The only way to find where you were going was to follow the intense chakra signal that the seal gave off. However, you had to pass through Orochimaru's numerous ploys and traps specifically made to distract and misguide you from the source. It was, in ways, conceited. Like a surprise test before the ultimate exam. A predator playing with his prey.
Sasuke had encountered a number of bodies in a few of his excursions here, and yet they were always removed when next he came. It was usually a good indicator of whether or not you would be alone when you made it to the seal. Sasuke had felt his hair stand on end when he realised it was creed for the 'summoned' nin not to help each other reach the seal. They let the weak die off. Every time. Like a physical souvenir of evolutions 'survival of the fittest'; a trail of inferior shinobi serving as a reminder of both destination and mortality. And yet, the survivors of the attempt (or at least the ones who mindlessly watch), always retrieve them before leaving – those who perished from the seal, and those that never made it that far. It was an unsettling tradition they participated in.
Sasuke came to a sharp stop at the canyons tallest peak. From here they would essentially travel halfway back the way they came, but within the rock walls. Not for the first time, Sasuke was annoyed at Orochimaru's whimsical designs and constructions. Casting a final glance over the quiet landscape, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and stepped through a veil of rock. He took in his surroundings with a glowing red eye. He had just finished dismantling the entry-genjutsu when he felt it; the absolute stillness that did not usually befit his team's trend of luck. He placed a firm hand on the hilt of his katana.
"Stay close and don't wander. This place is riddled with traps. Do what I do, nothing else." He ordered.
He didn't bother to wait for their confirmation, merely trusted in their compliance. They fell into place behind him; Sakura at his back, Naruto and Kakashi following.
Sasuke had navigated this particular maze a number of times. He knew what to avoid, and more importantly, what to purposefully encounter. Crafty of Orochimaru to create traps that you intentionally had to endure in order to reach the seal, as well as ones that led you further away. It was just the manic sadism he would expect from his late-master. Sasuke took a series of lefts, the stone corridor growing narrower and colder with each turn. They each had to turn sideways to fit, feeling the rough rock pull and graze at their bodies as they edged through. Sasuke heard Sakura huff and Naruto curse. He supposed it made sense that two of his most brash and energetic teammates would have trouble with enclosed spaces.
It was a clever, if simple way of tricking your enemy. Get them subconsciously panicked by the increasingly claustrophobic walls, and when they finally reach the end of the passageway, lull them into a false sense of relief by the open space they find. And when they instinctively move to free themselves from the confining walls into the larger space, they die. Killed by a sheer drop and fatal stop, disguised by genjutsu. He'd never personally experienced it, but Sasuke had seen the remains of fools at the bottom of that grave fall.
They just had to ignore their psychological instincts and remain on the hidden narrow path. There would be no walls to feel and no real visual aid, dark as the chamber remains. Chakra was the only option. Sasuke glared ahead. The rest of the team would be fine. Sakura, however wouldn't be able to use chakra in the same way they can. Or more accurately, he wasn't going to allow her the option. He stopped abruptly, right before the trap.
"Stop." His voice echoed off the walls. "The space we're about to enter is a trap. Don't fall for it. Follow in my exact footsteps and don't let your guard down. Naruto, give us some light."
Sasuke never had to worry about providing light for himself, versatile as his eyes were. The others, however would greatly benefit from seeing the challenges they would come to face. The tell-tale buzzing of a forming rasengan was deafening in the quiet, and slowly a pale blue light illuminated the previously dark chamber. It looked like a simple, open cave. It wasn't. Sasuke turned around, noting their intent gazes and reached a hand out.
"Sakura."
The woman looked cautious but slowly reached a hand to meet his. The moment her palm slid along his, he activated his spectral arm and pulled her into him. Sakura's gasp was quickly swallowed up by the cavernous surroundings as he lifted her off her feet and into his arms.
"No chakra." He said by way of explanation, eyeing her flustered face so close to his.
She nodded, a serious look settling over her then.
Sasuke craned his neck slightly back to the rest. "Kakashi." He called, "Make sure the idiot doesn't fall."
"Hey!"
"Got it."
Sasuke took a breath, and felt Sakura do the same as he dispelled the genjutsu and stepped out unto the thin, precarious trail that was revealed. Chakra coated the soles of his feet and he began the long trek. If anyone was skilled enough to make it past this particular stage, they had to compete against a rather tiresome spike trap and then another blind forty storey drop which was, unfortunately, a necessary step.
Again, usually a harmless feat for any decent ninja. But not for a ninja trying to conserve chakra to break the seal. Not for the first time, Sasuke questioned Orochimaru's merciless intentions in enforcing one to expend the very thing they needed to succeed in coming here. It was obvious he had hidden something of great value here, but why make it all but impossible to reach the prize he had rumoured to leave? If passing on his legacy was his goal, then why the snares and misdirection? Surely the seal itself is test enough?
Sasuke stole a glance at the woman in his arms. Her long pink hair looked an almost purple hue in the faint light, held neatly back by her red Konoha headband. This close, she smelt of jasmine and apples. It was nice, familiar. Sasuke grimaced at his own reminiscence and tried to ignore the warmth that was seeping from her body to his. As he turned his gaze away, her diamond-adorned forehead caught his attention. The last time he saw her use it, it was to save his life. He wasn't sure how he felt about seeing her use it again.
Sasuke frowned, why was he so afraid of her seeing her at her most powerful? The Uchiha in him was utterly drawn to that part of her, and yet the boy in him couldn't stop picturing his petal-haired teammate, hair shorn and face swollen giving everything she could to protect her teammates. She filled him with both pride and fear. His arms must've unconsciously tightened their grip on her, because Sakura was suddenly squirming and calling his name.
"Sasuke. Everything alright?" Sakura asked quietly, her expression pinched.
Sasuke had to stop himself from grinding his teeth in frustration at his slip of composure. "Ah."
He knew she didn't buy that, but he had already turned his gaze away from her peering green eyes. Always so damn green. No, he needed to focus. The spike trap was next.
"Man, why the hell can't Orochimaru ever build one of his bases somewhere nice and sunny? Like a beach! No one would expect that!" Naruto grouched, his voice grating Sasuke's straining composure.
"Shut it, Dobe." Sasuke reprimanded. They were close.
"You know Sasuke, I think you could use some more sunshine too. Get a tan, grow a smile."
"I mean it, shut up Naruto."
"Yeesh. Hey Sakura, you should tell him what you told me about Vitamin D. I think it would be good for the Teme, ne?"
"Naruto." Kakashi warned.
"Fine, fine." He sighed.
Sasuke jerked momentarily and then stilled. "On my count; dodge." He ordered sharply.
"Dodge?" Naruto parroted. "You really aren't giving us more than – "
"Dodge!"
"Damnit Teme!"
A flutter of pink hair filtered Sasuke's vision as he leapt to avoid the spikes shooting from bellow them; a heavy metallic sound filling the air with their projectile movement. The tight grip of Sakura's nimble fingers on his shoulders told him enough about how she felt being the 'damsel' in this situation. As did her growl of annoyance when the spikes changed direction to come from the sides as well.
"Shit!"
The only light source they had died out with Naruto's strangled curse. There was a heartbeat of pure terror before all the blood came rushing back into Sasuke's ears.
"Naruto!" Kakashi's voice boomed in the now pitch-dark void, the sounds of metal suddenly deafening in the absence of light.
Sasuke wasn't sure whose heartbeat he was feeling; his or Sakura's. They each strengthened their grip on the other as Sasuke shirked another cluster of spikes, and turned blindly to find Naruto; his red eye alight in the black cave. He had never had to worry about anyone else but himself when he came here, and now every reason why having a team was a bad idea was coming back to him in full force. Sasuke was in the midst of jostling Sakura to one side and forming the hand signs for a Kanton fireball to illuminate the cave, when he heard a familiar battle cry.
Several audible poofs sounded around them and suddenly the area was lit by multiple rasengan's and orange-clad clones floating in the open spaces of the cave.
"Geez, that was a close one." The clones chanted, a large rip now visible in Naruto's beige cloak.
Sasuke knew that if he wasn't holding Sakura, he would've punched Naruto straight in the face. In the middle of his next dodge, Sasuke felt Sakura press her forehead to his neck. This time, his heart stuttered for a completely different reason.
"That big, stupid dummy." She breathed into his collarbone, finally relaxing the death grip she had on his person.
Sasuke relaxed and let a smirk tug at his lips in agreement. "Hn."
"Naruto, get back here before you get impaled!" Kakashi scolded from somewhere behind them, sounding every inch the irritated Sensei.
Sasuke mentally did the calculation. "No." He commanded. "In three seconds, everyone, jump down off the edge at a 45-degree angle."
"What?" Sakura startled in his arms.
"And Naruto, this time if you let that light go out, you and Kakashi are dead."
"Hey that's – "
"Now!"
"Argh! Teme!"
Sasuke let his smirk rest a little easier on his lips as Naruto's yell followed him all the way down the tapered rock shaft.
The Dobe and Kakashi would be fine. Sasuke eyed the top of Sakura pink head, pressed firmly to his neck as they free fell. Sakura, though, will have to stay with me for now.
"We're here for information Orochimaru."
Yamato was careful to remain entirely neutral in the presence of the Sannin. He would not be baited into a reaction, despite Orochimaru's blatant non-reaction at their presence here. The man was far too calm considering he had spent the last four years avoiding any and all Konoha detection and interaction.
"Hmm not even a 'hello'? Well you certainly did not learn your manners from me – what do you go by these days… Yamato?" Orochimaru's yellow eyes appeared to glow under the florescent lights from where he stood, unbothered, in his lab.
"We are here for information." Yamato repeated.
Orochimaru flexed his wrist, the scalpel in his hand spilling drops of blood on the metal table.
"Yes, I heard you the first time." He tutted, then straightened. A smile stretched across his pale, elastic face. "Although I do confess myself surprised you went to all this trouble to find little old me? I had thought Konoha and I to have an agreement."
"Circumstances change."
"Oh? Should I be concerned?" Orochimaru deemed Yamato unimportant enough to ignore, turning his attention back to the mass of unidentifiable flesh he was currently carving into.
Yamato swallowed his disgust. "Not if you intend to cooperate."
"And whom, pray-tell is asking for my cooperation?"
"Does it matter?"
"The devil is in the details, my dear Yamato." Yellow eyes remained preoccupied.
Yamato exchanged a look with Sai. There really was nothing to be gained by knowing whose hand the order was delivered. In this case, it might actually help more than hinder.
Yamato relented. "Lady Tsunade."
There was a slow pause to Orochimaru's movements. A pink tongue slivered out to lick his lips. He finally met Yamato's eyes once more.
"Oh, well colour me intrigued." Another lick of his lips. "And what precisely does my Hime desire?"
Yamato willed his body to relax. "She wants to know about the seal you have in the North."
Orochimaru pointedly did not react, and yet somehow that felt far more foreboding than his previous posturing.
"Hmm… Well before that, first we must settle the terms of our trade." He placed the bloodied scalpel down with a clank. "What is this information worth to her?"
"I am not at liberty to make deals with – "
"What is it worth to you, Yamato?"
Yamato bit back his impulsive response to hurl a kunai at the serpentine bastard.
"What is it that you are asking of us Orochimaru?" Sai spoke from his right, altogether calm where Yamato was teeming.
"A favour. Completely harmless. A simple IOU really."
Yamato narrowed his eyes. "You can't expect us to agree to that."
Orochimaru rounded the table to stand before them, open-palmed and smiling.
"It is a simple matter of cost and benefit. As it stands, I lose nothing and gain nothing by withholding what I know…but you do. Alternatively, we can both benefit something, if we but find a mutual cost." His smile vanished. "However, if you truly have nothing to offer, then that means you came here completely relying on my altruism… A foolish gamble for a ninja to make, as I'm sure you know by now, I am not the benevolent sort."
Orochimaru held their eyes, running his hand along the edge of the table and plucked something from a silver tray.
Yamato and Sai tensed with the action, but kept their distance. Slowly, Orochimaru revealed a small black snake in his hand. He tilted his head innocently at them. The snake slithered up his wrist, and Orochimaru brought his other hand over to play with it, letting it glide and curl between his fingers.
"And really, you came intruding upon my home, armed and dangerous. I would say I've extended quite a patient welcome so far. However," Orochimaru suddenly drew his hands taut and squeezed, strangling the snake in the process. "one might find themselves losing favour of the snakes the longer they play uninvited in their pit. But here I am, offering you the ladder you so requested, if you but take my hand."
Ever so slowly, he eased his grip off the tormented creature, offering his open palms back to them where the snake lay now coiled and sluggish.
"You're sick." Yamato spat.
"And I made you what you are, so where does that leave you, pet?" There was a tone of triumph in Orochimaru's voice which was echoed in his eyes. Waving a green hand over the snake and placing it back in its tray, he stared, scrutinising them.
Suddenly Yamato was a child again, watching the world through a haze of green water and glass. Flashes of a pale man and yellow eyes he thought for the longest time had only existed in his nightmares. He felt ill.
"What sort of favour?" Sai asked, voice as blank as his face.
Orochimaru turned pleased eyes onto him, and Yamato felt his hackles rise defensively for his kohai.
"Well to be entirely honest I haven't decided yet. Why waste a perfectly good favour on rushed thinking? But, perhaps I will become inspired, pending your agreement."
"Taichou." Sai turned dutifully to him, and Yamato knew the boy was preparing to take on whatever task Orochimaru thrust upon him. A fog lifted from his darkening mind.
"Fine." Yamato stared the Sannin down. "I agree to be solely responsible for the fulfillment of your favour, on the condition that my village and comrades be left completely out of it."
The snake summoner twisted his head on an awkward axis and laughed. "My, you really are the heroic type these days. What changed I wonder?"
"Do we have a deal or not?"
Orochimaru paused and sobered completely.
Yamato didn't flinch when Orochimaru shunshined but a meter in front of him. A pale hand was extended to him, all laughter gone from his sadistic yellow eyes, replaced only by sheer challenge.
"A deal between gentlemen requires the proper seal of agreement."
Yamato fought the chill that raced down his spine upon taking the man's hand. It was unusually cold and horrifically dry; just like the air around them. Clinical, desiccated.
"It's a deal, Orochimaru."
Dark pupils dilated and sharpened – a reptile snaring its prey. Orochimaru withdrew his hand slowly. A forked tongue slithered out and he licked the edge of his palm, holding Yamato's eyes with every action.
"Hmm splendid. I so relish in your agreeability, Yamato."
Yamato tried to pretend he hadn't just given Orochimaru exactly what he wanted. "Tell us everything about the seal, and what it's hiding."
For the longest time, the man simply smiled, as though frozen in the moment; tongue still tasting the skin of his hand. "Over lunch." He eventually decided.
"Orochimaru – "
"I'm a changed man these days Yamato, and as such, I must treat my guests with the proper hospitality. Karin should have things prepared by now." He passed them and walked straight out the door they entered from, calling, "Lunch and then we talk."
Yamato glared after him. Anything to keep from looking too closely at the jars and vials that lined the metallic walls of the room. Rudimentary as the base appeared from the outside – nestled in the heart of Whirlpool ruins – much of the interior, the lab included, was well equipped and built. It never ceased to amaze Yamato, the sheer capability of that man to slither away from failure and recreate himself again and again. How he somehow twists the world to shape itself around his will. And Yamato felt himself a fool to have so easily bent along with it, to become just another example of that man's success.
"You did not have to take that deal alone, Taichou." Sai said softly, breaking him from his thoughts.
"Yes, I did Sai." Yamato said firmly. He would gladly bend and break for any one of his team. For all his shame, he would never regret that which makes him strong enough to protect and fight for his family.
When Sai remained silent, Yamato took a moment to look him over. The usually blank-faced boy had a deep crease forming between his eyebrows. He was worried, and Yamato sympathised.
"It's alright Sai." He solaced. "We'll play his game just a little longer if it means getting the information we need. Stay on alert. And don't eat anything." He added after a moment.
Walking forward, Yamato mentally prepared himself to join what was likely to be the most hostile meal he's ever been present for. And he was there for Team Seven's initial 'welcome home Sasuke' dinner… held in his prison cell.
"This is it."
"Yeah no shit, Teme."
"Knock it off you two." Sakura came to stand between them, having finally been lowered to the ground after what felt like hours in Sasuke's arms. Her legs were almost numb, she couldn't imagine what his arms would be feeling like. She was half-tempted to run a glowing hand over him if she didn't know he would chew her out for it.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He stood as tall and apathetic as ever, as if what he had just done for her was nothing. But she was grateful. As much as it hurt her pride to be treated as a civilian in need of saving, she appreciated Sasuke helping her the way he did. Even though he really could've let me down a lot earlier… A part of her grumbled in commentary, cheeks warming. Being that close to him, it had felt almost surreal. She didn't know what to do with that information, but to ignore it for now.
"So, this is what it's all been about, huh?" Kakashi commented, bringing a hand to rub at his chin.
Sakura turned her attention to absorb the source of all their recent distress. It was a massive room; almost more comparable to an indecently large chamber, and it was empty but for the singular glowing seal at its centre. It was emitting a low white light, just strong enough to illuminate its immediate area, and it was thrumming a soft buzzing noise. Most intriguing of all, was its intense chakra signature – powerful enough to knock the breath out of you if you got too close. She had felt it for a while now, but at this distance, it was almost as good as killing intent for the supreme power it gave off. If it already wasn't freezing, Sakura might've shivered at the mere sight. It was just a little bigger than a sheet of paper, every inch of it covered in some complicated Fuinjutsu symbols she had never seen before. Sakura watched Kakashi slowly approach and walk around it, inspecting both sides of the hovering seal.
"Can you study it?" Sasuke asked, stepping up to him.
"Yeah, I think I can." Was all Kakashi gave, not taking his eyes off the seal.
"How long do you think it will take you?" Naruto shuffled up beside him.
Kakashi slid a cool grey eye over his way. "Longer if I keep having to answer questions."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah, right. Sorry Kaka-sensei."
Kakashi exhaled through his nose. "It's alright Naruto, sorry for being short. I'm not sure how long this is going to take. But if you find yourself feeling restless you could set up a perimeter? I'd rather not be rushed if I can help it."
At his suggestion, Sakura cast a second glance around the area. It was difficult to say how big the room truly was, and impossible to see a couple feet beyond the seal. There could potentially be other entrances or exits at this level, or perhaps another ambush lying in wait. Not to mention, they were basically sitting ducks for anyone coming in from the outside.
"Sure." Naruto nodded, forming another rasengan in his palm. "Come on Teme, you're just as useless as me right now. Let's see how far this cave goes."
Sasuke shrugged off Naruto's arm hooking around his neck and turned to regard Kakashi.
"Fine. Just try not to touch it until you're ready to un-seal it. It'll latch on to the first touch of chakra and won't let go until you're dead."
"Understood." Kakashi was remarkably more serious than Sakura had seen him in days. She suddenly felt the gravity of the situation drop on her shoulders like a building.
"Hn. Flare your chakra three times if you need us." Sasuke turned to leave but paused catching Sakura's eye. "Be careful."
His eyes remained on hers and Sakura felt herself nodding at his request, barely quite processing anything beyond feeling the intense pull and push of the seal's chakra. Sasuke stared at her a moment longer, and Sakura saw from the corner of her eye the moment he went to lift his hand in her direction. She flickered her eyes to meet his in silent curiosity. Sasuke's fingers twitched where they froze in their ascent towards her.
Sasuke's jaw ticked and his fingers curled into a weak fist. Sakura watched fascination as he gave her a final nod, then left to join Naruto in wandering off into the darkness, leaving her bewildered and anxious.
Sakura allowed herself three seconds worrying about her boys, before focusing on the task at hand. She took a hesitant step towards the seal, reaching Kakashi's side. This close, it felt exhilarating yet terrifying. Like standing on the edge of a mountain and looking down; knowing there is nothing to catch you should you fall, and yet strangely seduced by the desire to try and fly. Sakura inexplicably felt herself panic.
Perhaps Kakashi had sensed her sudden fear, because he clapped his hands on his thighs and let out an exaggerated sigh, breaking the tension with his usual grace. Sakura snapped back to reality, as if torn from a trance.
"Well, before we get started, we ought to check in with Tsunade I'd say. Give her a heads up we found the mighty seal and are about to do something highly idiotic in the coming moments." His face was an open smile.
It was a peace-offering, a comfort; she could read that much between the lines with Kakashi. She felt her nerves simultaneously sooth and fray with the invitation. She had put a pin in her internal deliberation of all things Kakashi. But here and now, being alone together and suddenly face to face with the damn seal, Sakura felt entirely out of her depth.
Mechanically cocking a hip and resting her hands there, she quirked a brow and hoped she didn't appear as transparent as she felt. "And let me guess, you want me to relay that message?"
Kakashi's smile grew a little kinder at her strained acceptance. "She does like you best." It was said far too softly for the teasing it was intended as.
Sakura fought to bite her lip. It was a bad habit of hers.
"The things I do for my team." She said instead, mimicking one of Kakashi's own famous put-upon sighs. She felt like a fraud, and judging by the tightening of Kakashi's eyes, he felt it too. Sakura unconsciously bit her lip and dutifully turned her face away. She knelt down a few meters from the seal.
Silently praying she had substituted enough meditation in the last few nights to pull this off and then some, she bit her thumb and summoned one of her smaller messenger slugs. There was a small flare to the seal in response, but they both relaxed when nothing else happened. It was risky using any chakra in the vicinity of the seal, but even more so for her to be using any until the right moment. But they had no other choice. It was their last chance at communication for who knows how long… Quickly relaying a concise message to her slug, Sakura stared distractedly after its disappearance.
"Shall we wait for a response?" she murmured. She couldn't muster up a humorous comment to distract them from the weight of their circumstances. Her mind didn't know what to focus on. So, she decided on staring mindlessly at the ground.
Kakashi came to squat beside her kneeling form, joining her in peering at the slimy wet patch left by her summons. "I suppose that would be the intelligent thing to do." He said equally soft.
In the quiet, Kakashi tilted his head and scratched his chin. "Not that I couldn't hypothetically overrule Tsunade's command. You know, being Rokudaime and all." He smirked roguishly at her.
Sakura let out a surprised laugh and peeked at him, her chest a little lighter. "Careful old man, if your head gets any bigger they'll have to resize your hat."
Kakashi shook his head, but she saw light in his eyes. "Such disrespect, and from one of my most loyal kunoichi."
"I think that just makes you sound more pathetic." Sakura smiled. Their teasing was embarrassingly soft and half-assed. But, for a moment, she felt weightless.
Their small reprieve was broken by a puff of smoke alerting them to Tsunade's reply. Receiving the slightly slimy note and warmly dismissing her slug, Sakura read the missive and bit the sensitive flesh of her bottom lip.
"What's the prognosis, Doc?" Kakashi nudged her shoulder with his. The contact lasted longer than it needed to. Neither said anything of it.
Sakura didn't reply, just handed the slip over, allowing Kakashi to read the script for himself.
Fine. Don't fuck it up, Hatake.
Kakashi hummed. "You know, I've always admired her handwriting. For a doctor it's really quite legible."
"It's about as good a blessing as we can hope for." Sakura laughed in an effort to hide her growing nerves. Shishou always became a woman of brash and few words when she was worried about something, and Sakura had no doubt that it was her team that was the current concern.
"Must she have singled me out though?" Kakashi grumbled under his breath.
Sakura smiled a little more honestly at his pouting. "Well, like you said, you are the great and illustrious Rokudaime. That has to count for something, doesn't it, Hokage-sama?"
"You think I'm illustrious?" Kakashi tilted his head at her, and suddenly they felt a lot closer than before.
For some stupid reason, her heart jumped into her throat. She swallowed it stubbornly back down and frowned at herself. What is wrong with me?
"Just shut up and read the seal." She muttered standing up and offering him a begrudging hand.
He smiled as he took it. "As you wish, Sakura-sama."
Orienting himself to the seal, Kakashi rolled his shoulders back and took a focusing breath.
"Sakura, if you could monitor any slight reactions you feel emitting from the seal, or otherwise as we go, I'd be most appreciative."
She nodded resolutely, matching his changed tone. "Of course, Sensei."
"Right. Let's get started, shall we."
Tsunade let a deep sigh pass her glossed lips as her summons disappeared. She stared distractedly at the patch of slime seeping into the hard wood of the desk. She waited for a violent itch to overcome her, a precursor to some cathartic relief, and was greatly disappointed when all she felt was deep worry and regret. She sank further into the Hokage's chair.
It seemed Team Seven had more of a head start on them than they anticipated. She still hadn't heard word from Yamato or Sai yet on their investigation and she had no choice but to approve Sakura's request to proceed with their mission. She couldn't very well have said no, even though it killed her to say yes…
They were at the seal, the centre of enemy hostility and had finally caught a break – they had to take an opportunity when it so freely presented itself. She couldn't order them to wait for information that might never come. As much faith as she held in Yamato, she knew how slippery her ex-teammate could be. Tsunade creased her blonde eyebrows, glowering at the drying slime. As of now, she won't be able to communicate further with Team 7 unless Sakura herself initiates it. Attempting to communicate via Katsuyu whilst Sakura is accessing the seal could very well mean her death. Team Seven – Sakura – was now on their own.
Tsunade just had to focus on damage control now. If and when Yamato's information came, then she could figure out how best to use it. She couldn't work miracles, despite what others have claimed in the past.
A thick smell of smoke coated the air, and Tsunade glared in the direction of its source.
"Cut that out. Don't you dare smoke in front me, Nara." She snarled.
Shikamaru sighed out a cloud of smoke, his body slouching further into the corner he had wedged himself in when Sakura's message first came. Lazily reaching over to crank a window open, he took one final drag before snubbing his cigarette out on the icy sill. They both took an unhealthy amount of relief in the cold air that filtered in through the office.
"You made the right call." Shikamaru didn't take his eyes off the snowy village. "They'll be fine."
Tsunade gave in to the urge to tip her head back and screw her eyes shut. She knew why Kakashi never wanted this job. She knew his many, many, reasons. But the one she was sure she, and every damn Kage could relate to, was this exact reason. When they, as Hokage have to make a decision that feels so very much like a death sentence… for the good of the Village… she finished softly in her head. The voice sounded so much like Hiruzen, she tried not to wince.
She dropped her head, and tucked a hand under her chin.
"Alright Shikamaru, send the next team in. We're not getting any younger here."
They each took a small comfort in each other at that. Tsunade's strong command, and Shikamaru's conciliatory nod. A Hokage and her advisor; and a burden just big enough to share between them.
Yamato sat uncomfortably rigid in a large concrete dining room, sharing a meal with a group of people he could easily say are some of his least favourite living individuals. Sai's stiff posture to his right appeared to echo his silent sentiment.
Across from them were Karin and Suigetsu, with Orochimaru at the head of the long metal table. The food Karin had laid out was surprisingly edible looking, not that he was going to touch a thing, politeness be damned. Suigetsu, on the other hand had no such reservations about the quality of food, and was already stuffing himself, potential poisoning and all. Orochimaru was meticulous in his eating, whereas Karin appeared to suffer a similar loss of appetite as Yamato and Sai. Everything about this situation was unsettling and Yamato was at his wits end. He opened his mouth to speak but Orochimaru beat him to it, his cutlery clinking delicately on his plate.
"You know I had thought Konoha and I to be on similar terms these days. We were both very happy pretending the other doesn't exist." He rested his elbows on the table and folded his hands under his chin, tilting his head. "So, who went and stepped on our happy accord? My base in the North is not Leaf roaming territory."
He was fishing for information, and Yamato sure as hell wasn't going to give him a morsel of it.
"Ha! You should know the fancy foot-work of your own apprentice by now Orochimaru." Yamato almost choked at Suigetsu's brazen interruption. "Apparently, he's been snooping through ya stuff. The ballsy bastard."
Yamato was half-way cursing the brat to hell and back when he heard Karin muttering under her breath.
"You said you didn't have anything in the North…"
A movement at his right confirmed that Sai heard it too and found it similarly intriguing. Just what had this snake been hiding all these years, even from his own people?
"Hmm Sasuke-kun will never cease to give me headaches it would seem." Orochimaru tittered. "Although it does surprise me that he would ask Konoha for help."
It was a very obvious probe for information, and before Yamato could reach across the table to strangle the blabbing punk, Suigetsu interjected once more, right into Orochimaru's hands.
"Pft Sasuke didn't ask for shit – "
"Suigetsu!" Yamato thundered.
"No, no, let him finish." Orochimaru flapped a hand, his grin growing by the second. "If I am to know exactly how to help you best, I need all the variables."
Suigetsu smirked at Yamato and Sai with the smugness of a child. "Sasuke went and kidnapped that pink medic from Konoha to use to break the seal. Apparently, he needed her to do it. Then rest of her team came crying after her."
Suigetsu smirked, evidently proud of his interfering and reached across Karin to pluck another bowl of rice from the table. As Yamato trailed his movement with the heat of his glare, his eyes caught upon a curiously concerned expression on Karin's blanching face.
Yamato felt his stomach drop further when he heard Orochimaru's gleeful laugh. "That boy. He truly takes after his old master."
Yamato rounded hard almond eyes on the snake, patience thinning by the moment. "What are you talking about?"
"Merely the ironic symmetry. Years ago, I attempted the same feat with my own teammate."
The room was silent in the wake of his admittance. Orochimaru picked up his cup and slowly drank from it, licking the stray rivulets that escaped past his lips. He smiled at the baited stillness in the room, and leaned his head on his hand.
"I once planned to abduct Tsunade to unlock that seal myself. Although, it seems in this case the student has become the master."
Yamato was sure he stopped breathing.
"Why would you need Tsunade-sama to unlock your own seal?" Sai voiced the question Yamato dreaded to have answered.
Orochimaru locked eyes with Yamato and leered.
"Why, whoever said that seal is mine?"
A/N: Thank you to all those still reading and those who leave a cheeky comment - you all motivate me so much to keep the ball rolling! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I think I stressed myself out writing it. As always, stay safe and happy reading this festive season. :)