Chapter Twenty-Three: Missions
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"What's going through your mind?" Kakashi asked. He and Sakura were waiting for their Anbu teammates before embarking on their reconnaissance mission for Sarutobi. It would likely take them three days — three precious days away from their true mission. They stood in the upper boughs of a large centurion tree near the village gates.
"I just was hoping Sai would have found it by now. I wanted to replant it before everyone started to be gathered back at base," Sakura explained. She had hoped to leave Shisui whole before doing the mission commissioned by Jiraiya.
"We'll take care of it when we get back. For now, keep your head in the game, Bunny," Kakashi ordered.
"Yes, Captain Wolf," Sakura answered.
Kakashi sighed. "That sounds ridiculous. It's either Captain or its Wolf. You don't say both."
"Oh, yes, Wolf," Sakura corrected.
Kakashi looked at her carefully. "There's something you're not telling me," he reasoned. "You're an open book even with a mask."
Sakura laughed. "There are so many things! I'm obviously making up the rules as I go along." She sat on the branch they waited upon, and swung her legs back and forth anxiously. "It's just, there's someone that's a big player in the Akatsuki. I know his identity and I'm not sure if he can be reasoned with to abandoned such an evil cause or if I out him now it will result in his soul being beyond redemption."
Kakashi sat next to her. He was the same age as her in this time, and yet he still seemed to have so much more life experience than her. He was certainly more poised. "So there is still good in this person and you're worried if you interfere it will be snuffed out prematurely?"
"Yes, if he could be reasoned with and turned from his dark path now, countless lives would be spared," Sakura murmured. "His dream was created from his grief."
"Name a shinobi that isn't haunted by grief?" Kakashi scoffed.
"He's incredibly powerful. Ultimately, he tips the scales in favor of whichever side he chooses. I'm also afraid that I won't recognize my time if I approach him now. And why would he listen to me anyway?" Sakura blew out a breath and looked over at her Captain, her future Hokage, the love of her life. "I don't want to do anything that will risk you."
"Then do nothing," Kakashi suggested. "Somethings you just have to let it happen. If this person is shrouded in darkness, he might kill you without a thought and it will all be for naught. It's not worth losing you."
Before Sakura could think of a response, their teammates Genma and Yamato — though he went by Tenzo at this time period — showed up. They took off at a fast clip with chakra-enhanced speed towards the coordinates Jiraiya had given them.
Sakura was anxious to see Obito, though he'd be going by Madara at this point. He was still responsible for the attack that resulted in the death of Naruto's parents, but maybe if he's stopped now the real Madara wouldn't be resurrected and Kaguya would never be released from her prison. And maybe Kakashi wouldn't be so damn sad.
It took Team Ro a day and a half to reach their destination. A mission under Anbu was definitely different that the types of missions Sakura was used to taking. There was no friendly chit-chat and the night was not restful, it was marred with anxiety with two people on watch at a time. And unfortunately, she'd shared watch the Genma, not Kakashi. It was like he didn't trust her to pay attention if they'd been on watch together. She was professional. She wouldn't have made out with him on a mission— probably. Or maybe she was used to doing missions with either Naruto or Ino, both of whom were rather chatty people. The two rays of sunshine in her life when all her other friends were thunderstorms.
It didn't seem to matter that she hadn't come to a decision about Obito, because he wasn't there.
The person she did see was hauntingly familiar. "Sasori of the Red Sand," Sakura whispered upon spying the young man. He had to be about the same age as Kakashi and he was very much human, not an immortal puppet. Even if she were to somehow find Chiyo and tell he about Sasori, he was already a murderer at this time. How many of his nearly three-hundred puppets did he have? And standing at his side was the Snake Sannin, Orochimaru.
"You know him?" Genma whispered.
Sakura nodded her head. Sasori wasn't inside his Hiruko puppet. And he'd not extracted the emotions from his body to make himself into a living puppet yet. Though he looked defenseless, she knew he would have scrolls on him containing his puppets. He would have already defeated the Third Kazekage by this time. And if he spied Kakashi's silvery hair, all hell would break loose.
Kakashi used the sign language of Anbu to indicate silence amongst this team.
Sakura's mind raced. She assumed they would run into Obito and Kisame. She thought maybe because she and Obito had worked together in the end, that she could maybe reach him in this time. She still got shivers remembering double Mangekyo Sharingan Kakashi from her time when Obito had helped him beyond the grave. That electric blue Susanoo had been the most amazing thing she'd ever seen!
They continued to observe the two Akatsuki members for about an hour and then Kakashi indicated for them to return. Jiraiya's orders had only been to observe from afar. Sakura had all but forgotten that Orochimaru would still have been part of the terrorist group at this time. It was Sasori himself that led to that connection when he'd outed Kabuto as his spy. Though, that sneaky medic had been a double agent.
They were almost back to the village, but it was very late. Kakashi dismissed Genma and Tenzo. He'd be turning in the report, little as it was to the Hokage and to Jiraiya. "I think you should come too," Kakashi told Sakura.
Sakura followed him, but the whole time she needed to know — where was Obito? She followed Kakashi's example by kneeling on the floor, mask still in place in front of Sarutobi's desk. Jiraiya was also in the room, but she no longer cared about their run in before — compared to what Danzo had in mind, it had been an inconvenience. Besides, she had boxed up that ordeal and placed it in the far nether reaches of her mind, right alongside all the other bad things that had happened to her.
"That was fast," Jiraiya murmured.
"There were two missing nin at the coordinates," Kakashi said. "Sasori of the Red Sand and Orochimaru of the Leaf."
Jiraiya cursed, throwing his hands into the air and started pacing. "Damn it! Those two are both experts in poison. Who knows what sort of lethal potions they'll concoct!" He whirled back to them. "Why did you return? Where are they going?"
"It must be a mistake," Sarutobi murmured. "Orochimaru would never join a terrorist organization."
"You're blinded by your affection for a boy who has cast off his humanity in his quest for immortality," Jiraiya snarled. He gestured back towards Kakashi and quickly averted his gaze from Sakura. He was very careful to avoid looking at her.
"Sasori was in his human form. That means he doesn't intend to fight anytime soon," Sakura explained, drawing the Sannin's attention.
He swallowed thickly, but looked directly at her this time. "Can you explain what you mean, please?" His tone was overly polite and caused even Sarutobi to look back at him in askance.
"Sasori doesn't risk his actual body in battle. He has puppets for that and usually he himself is encased in an armored puppet for defense. He's a genius and very strong. But right now, he's focused on perfecting his craft. He won't be engaged in active fighting for a while yet." Sakura closed her eyes and remembered the puppet she fought — the man's heart had been transplanted into the puppet of a teenaged body. He'd really just been a broken boy who's parents had been stolen away too soon — by Kakashi's father. "If he'd seen Kakashi's hair, he might have attacked regardless."
"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked, turning towards her, ignoring decorum.
"Sakumo Hatake killed Sasori's parents. There is no one he would want to kill more than you," Sakura explained. She looked back at Jiraiya. "Our orders were to observe."
"What about Orochimaru?" Sarutobi asked. "Are you sure it was him? Maybe you were mistaken."
Jiraiya rolled his eyes at the Hokage's hopeful question.
"Orochimaru will be on his way here," Kakashi answered. "We wanted to beat him back."
"Here? Why would he return?" Jiraiya asked. "He hasn't stepped foot in Konoha in six years."
"Actually, he has," Kakashi argued. "He's been doing experiments for Danzo. He has been for a long time."
"Lord Danzo," Sarutobi corrected.
"Danzo," Kakashi and Sakura spat the name together, both looking at each other briefly.
"Woah, that's quite a bit of venom," Jiraiya commented. He dared a look at Sakura. "You seem to dislike him even more than me."
"You're a pervert, but you mean well. He's a monster," Sakura explained.
"Danzo tried to kill Shisui. He stole one of his eyes. Orochimaru will be on his way to implant it into Danzo," Kakashi explained.
"That's quite the accusation," Sarutobi cautioned.
"It's the truth because I removed the poison from Shisui myself. He'd be dead otherwise." Sakura stared back down at the floor, no longer wanting to look into the eye of the Third Hokage. Why had anyone called him the Professor? He was so blinded by his feelings for Orochimaru and Danzo. She didn't want to judge him too harshly, his heart had obviously been broken when Minato died. Maybe he'd just given up after that?
"Where is Shisui now?" Sarutobi asked.
"Safe. Though, I imagine he'd like an audience with you," Kakashi suggested.
"I would like to speak with him." The Third reached into his desk for his pipe, held it in his hands briefly and then stuffed it back into the desk unused. He drummed his fingers over his desk in agitation.
"We would like permission to infiltrate Root and retrieve Shisui's stolen eye," Kakashi stated.
"Root is part of Anbu. You don't need to infiltrate. You're already members of Anbu," Sarutobi argued. "I already spoke to Lord Danzo and he explained to me that Root is just a subdivision. Our earlier discussion is a moot point now, Hatake. The members are trained a little more extensively and from a young age."
"The members are taken in as young orphans and brainwashed," Sakura argued. "They are raised in groups of two and when they graduate the must fight to the death. One lives and graduates, and their best friend dies. All emotion is purged through this action. And then their tongues are sealed by Danzo that their secrets go to the grave."
"How do you know this?" Sarutobi challenged.
"How do you not?" Sakura asked back.
Kakashi cleared his throat and sent Sakura a warning look to tell her to be quiet. "I will pass on to Shisui that you are interested in hearing his report."
The Third Hokage continued to stare at Sakura. "Who are you, Sakura Namikaze? Tell me now, or I will call forth Yamanka and have him rip it from your mind."
She turned towards Kakashi and he shrugged. She stood and removed her mask. "I am a Namikaze — Lord Fourth was my mother's cousin. But, more to the point, I come from a time in the future. I trained under Lady Tsunade." She gestured towards Kakashi. "He is the most trusted person in the entirety of the Leaf, so I entrusted him with my situation."
"How far into the future?" Sarutobi asked, not seeming to question the possibility.
"After the Fourth Great War," Sakura answered vaguely. "I came to stop the massacre of the Uchiha clan — under Danzo's orders."
"I'm the Hokage, not Danzo. He has no such authority," Sarutobi growled.
"Let me ask you this, Lord Third. Who was your absolute best friend in life? Was it not Kagami Uchiha? And were you ever satisfied with the story of his death? A two-man mission with Danzo, but his body was irretrievable? And Danzo came back with a bandage over his eye at the same time?" Sakura's hands fisted at her sides. "Have you ever seen what's under the bandage?" She gestured towards Kakashi. "Do you deny that the transplant of a Sharingan is possible?"
"Enough." Sarutobi held up his hand. "You're dismissed."
Jiraiya looked like he wanted to protest, it was clear by his dark eyes that the had more questions.
"Understood," Kakashi answered. He grabbed Sakura by the elbow and led her out of the Hokage's office and onto the rooftops. He raised his hand in a casual wave to the Anbu guards stationed outside of the tower and started in the direction of the Hatake Estate. "He's clearly been influenced by Danzo's Sharingan. He's completely changed his tune about Root. I don't think spilling your entire truth was the best course of action— especially the part that breaks the laws of physics."
"I'm not cut out for subterfuge," Sakura admitted. She gestured towards his face with her free hand. "Maybe I'm the one that should be wearing a mask."
"If my hair wasn't already grey, it would be now," Kakashi mumbled.
"Silver."
"What?"
"Your hair isn't grey. It's silver," Sakura pointed out. "Grey hair has a wiry texture. Your hair is soft and silky."
"We're going to the estate," Kakashi said. "We should report to your other Hokage." He grinned under his mask, apparent by the familiar eye crinkles. "Your favorite Hokage."
"Some days he is, most of the time the Godaime is my favorite," Sakura pointed out.
No sooner had they arrived at the estate, then Sasuke showed up along with Sai. "Finally," Sasuke grumbled. "We've been waiting for you to return. You've been gone for nearly three days. What took you so long with the old man?"
"She told him she was from the future," Kakashi explained.
Sasuke and Sai's eyes both widened. "Was that wise, Sakura?" Sai asked. He shook his head. "I don't think it was. However, I found the eye and have been able to map out the Root facility enough for retrieval."
"I'm taking us back to base. You've wasted enough time on this little side mission." Sasuke took a deep breath and using Susanoo to collect his charges, stepped back through his portal back to the Whirlpool caves.
Sasuke stumbled slightly once they arrived and Sakura caught his arm to steady him. "Let Naruto recharge you." He pulled his arm from her grasp and walked towards the group that was already gathered together.
"It sure is a lot more crowded," Kakashi murmured. He slung his arm lazily over Sakura's shoulders. "Don't take it to heart. He's just stressed since it's the survival of his clan on the line and all." He leaned even closer to her ear. "And he's probably mad that you fell for my charms instead of his."
Sakura jerked herself out his arms. "Don't be a jerk," she warned.
Soon the entire crew from the future along with Anbu Kakashi, Shisui, and his father Taki gathered together. Mikoto and Izumi had the refugees from the Uchiha clan along with about twenty of Naruto's Shadow Clones a good distance away.
Hokage Kakashi took charge of the discussion. "We will go through with the retrieval of Shisui's eye. And Shisui will also inform the current Hokage of Danzo's attack upon him."
"Fucking right it's too dangerous in the hands of that murderous scumbag," Shisui murmured, pumping his fist in the air and knocking hands with an equally enthusiastic Naruto.
"Communications will take place through Ino," Hokage Kakashi explained.
"Finally, I thought I was going to be relegated to babysitter and bedwarmer this whole adventure," Ino complained. She glanced over towards her husband. "Not that I minded the bedwarmer role."
Sai grinned. "You're really good at it."
Sakura exchanged a look with Naruto and they both grinned. Ino and Sai had both come a long way in a short amount of time. She had chosen to stand next to him for the meeting, unhappy with Anbu Kakashi's attitude earlier and trying to give Sasuke space. Hokage Kakashi was still unhappy with her for going on the Anbu mission.
"Sai, explain the map to us once more, just so that everyone understands," Hokage Kakashi ordered.
"Since Naruto won't be joining us, I'm sure everyone else understood it the first time," Sai argued.
"I can't believe I'm being left behind — for babysitting duty when there isn't even anyone to babysit!" Naruto whined.
"It's because you have no stealth," Sasuke pointed out.
"I'll show you stealth!" Naruto roared, but Sakura hugged him from behind and used her monstrous strength to keep him in place.
"You're only proving my point," Sasuke added. His face was paler than usual and he was obviously running on fumes —both physically and emotionally.
"How do you survive being their instructor?" Anbu Kakashi asked his older counterpart. "We don't take up drinking do we? That would be highly irresponsible."
Hokage Kakashi looked between the younger shinobi. "No, we read a lot of porn. It helps."
Anbu Kakashi met Sakura's gaze. "Please, tell me he's joking."
She smiled back at him, but said nothing.
Sai leaned over the map and explained the layout once more. It was decided that Sasuke would teleport everyone — again — and that Naruto would share his chakra with him.
"Great, so I can be a battery then," Naruto grumbled.
"You can't always be the star," Hokage Kakashi assured him. He smiled faintly under his mask. "But I understand your frustration. It's hard to stay behind." He gestured towards Shisui. "Try to think about how Shisui must feel —it's his eye."
"And tomorrow I'm going to speak with Lord Third," Shisui vowed. "Make sure he understands about Danzo's treachery and the danger to my clan."
"I'll be joining you," Sasuke added.
Shisui smiled at Sasuke. "My dear cousin, you're doing enough. I can teleport pretty well myself. There will be plenty for you to do, but I think if the old man meets another time-traveling shinobi he really will die of a heart attack."
"I'm not sure I see the problem with that," Sasuke murmured.
Sakura snickered at the joke and she and Sasuke shared a brief smile. She relaxed. They were still good.
"So, what do you want me to repaint your mask as?" Sai asked, gesturing towards Sakura and Anbu Kakashi.
"Repaint my mask?" Anbu Kakashi sounded scandalized.
"It's temporary paint," Hokage Kakashi explained. "It won't wash off, Sai will release the jutsu after the mission is complete."
"When do we leave?" Sakura asked.
"After I recharge," Sasuke said. He waved Naruto over. "Come on, idiot. I need a power up."
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For years, Sasuke had traveled on his own without any teammates and he'd managed to come out relatively unscathed. Sometimes, he felt lonely, but now he was in danger of being overstimulated by too much concern from well-meaning friends and family.
And of all people, he was waiting in the forest next to Ino Yamanaka. Next to Sakura, Ino had been his second biggest fangirl growing up. It was strange knowing that she was married to the shinobi that had replaced his position on Team Seven. And Sakura had some thing going on with the Kakashis. Frankly, he didn't want to think about it too much, other than that it was odd.
He had a fairly easy job tonight. He was transportation and guard duty for Yamanaka as she used her mind power to keep everyone on the team in communication. It was a pretty cool ability, except he really didn't like people inside his head.
He itched to kill Danzo again. It would be much easier with his current abilities and knowledge. However, he did have to admit that Shisui and his father had a bigger grief against the despicable man. It probably was wise to keep Sasuke away from the Third Hokage. There was a good chance he'd want to kill that old coward as well. His ineptitude allowed someone like Danzo to rot Konoha from within. He looked down at his empty left sleeve. His madness and rage could directly be correlated to the decisions made by Danzo.
"Alright everyone, good luck!" Ino said in everyone's minds.
"Pretty hard to see down here," Sakura thought.
"I'm not having any problems," Kakashi answered smugly.
"We don't have Sharingan," Sai argued. "It's not far now. Stay close."
Sasuke smiled faintly. He hadn't realized he and Kakashi were so alike until he met this younger version. If anything, Sakura definitely had a type. He tensed slightly. He and Ino weren't alone. He scanned using his Sharingan and noted at least six members of Root.
"We've got company," Sasuke added. "Six out here. I'll take care of them." He was glad he'd powered up using Naruto's endless supply of chakra. Sakura could heal any wound and Naruto could replenish chakra supplies. Their team really had all the advantages.
"Incapacitate, don't kill, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted in his mind.
"Fine," Sasuke agreed. He left a Shadow Clone to watch over Ino while she concentrated and then went after the uninvited guests. Sasuke used his Rinnegan to position himself behind the enemy and hit them hard at the base of their skull to render them unconscious. It would have been easier to kill them, but Sakura was right. He repeated the move five more times until the shinobi were no longer a threat.
"Found it," Sakura said. "It's in a storage case. And there's a notebook. Can you show Sasuke-kun? Is it Orochimaru's handwriting?"
An image of a dark blue journal manifested in Sasuke's mind and he recognized the handwriting of his old teacher. "It's Orochimaru's script."
"We're on our way out," Kakashi said.
The three of them were covered in ink and soot when they met Sasuke and Ino in the woods. Wordlessly, Sasuke called for his Susanoo's rib case and his teammates stepped inside and they all vanished through the portal back to their base in Whirlpool.
"Oh! Back so soon?" Shisui asked, bouncing on his feet eagerly.
Sasuke felt dizzy and he kneeled down on one knee to catch his breath. Sakura's warm hand was upon his forehead immediately. "Chakra exhaustion. Find Naruto, get another recharge and then you need to sleep, Sasuke-kun."
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It was a much nicer experience having his eye returned to him than having it snatched away. Shisui blinked up at Sakura gratefully from his two functioning eyes.
"Be careful when you use your Mangekyo abilities," Sakura warned. "Repeated use does lead to blindness."
"We can always exchange eyes for the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan," Taki mused. "I read that's what Madara did — he traded eyes with his brother and that fixed the issue."
"You would have to use the M.S. an awful lot to go blind," Shisui argued. "I've had it for five years and until my eye was snatched away never had a problem."
"So, what's the plan now?" Anbu Kakashi asked. "I think I should head back to the village." He stared at Sakura when she wasn't looking. "I assume I'll be losing my memories soon."
"Since I won't be dying this time, why don't we wait until after she's gone back. Allow yourself a little time to grieve," Shisui said quietly. "We can figure out exactly how to lock away certain memories, but not all. Otherwise, it will suck if you're one my best friends and you don't even remember me!"
"We were friends before all this," Kakashi protested.
"No, we weren't," Shisui said with a sad smile. "But now we are." He gestured towards the people from the future. "They're all about to go back, but we'll still be here. This is our time. And there are still plenty of people in my clan in danger of slaughter. I've got to inform the Hokage and frankly, if I kill Danzo — with permission — then there is no reason for the massacre. I believe Uncle Fugaku would accept his head as payment for the slights against the clan, especially since he instigated most of them."
"We found a notebook. Orochimaru has been obsessed with the Sharingan. I'm not sure if we should destroy it, or if we should show it to the Hokage as proof of the conspiracy between Danzo and Orochimaru," Kakashi reasoned.
"Both. I'll take it with me and then we'll destroy it afterwards," Shisui suggested. He noticed Kakashi's visible eye focused on the other side of the group. "How many days until they return to their time?"
"Three."
"A lot can happen in three days." Shisui ran his fingers through his curly hair and laughed. He understood why Itachi did such a terrible thing in the other timeline. But now, he was alive, and he could save Itachi and his clan. And Sasuke — poor sweet Sasuke would know how to smile once more.
"You look stupid when you're being sentimental," Kakashi deadpanned.
"Whatever. Thanks for getting my eye."
Kakashi grinned down at him through his mask. "What are friends for?"
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