SIX WEEKS PRIOR

“No trail? How could there be no trail?” He let out in a harsh whisper, his eyes steely with frustration. As I observed my blonde teammate for a moment, I couldn’t help but admit that he did mature, exceptionally. He put more effort into our missions, maybe because we were getting C and B rank missions now and hadn’t done a D rank in almost a year. Or maybe it was because of Jiraiya and…. Ever since he heard the news….Naruto’s really grown up.

Pushing these somber thoughts to the back of my mind, I turned my attention back to his question and lowering my head to pay attention to Pakkun who sat before us on the black gravel.

“I’m telling you Naruto, it just went cold. Whatever jutsu he used, he completely disappeared. He left no scent trail or anything that we could use. I’m sorry.” Pakkun told us in solemn agitation. If there was anything that angered a nin dog, it was losing a scent.

Naruto cursed and straightened, punching the tree to his left and leaned against it, running his bloodied hand through his hair, which thoroughly disgusted me, but I knew he was too angry to pay attention to what he was doing.

“We were so close.” He said, grunting, and turning back around. “Does Kakashi-sensei know?”

Pakkun inclined his head, and scratched at his hear with his rear paw “Tira told him, but he hasn’t given any further direction. To be honest Naruto, I’ve never seen Kakashi this shaken since the Fourth’s death…”

I lowered my head. Great sadness, anger, anguish, hopelessness and guilt suddenly welled up inside of me and threatened to burst in the form of hot tears. She had put up one hell of a fight, one goddamn hell of a fight…but it wasn’t enough. Whoever he was overpowered her and ended it before any of us could intervene. If she had only let us help her…only let us fight with her…but she had refused assistance. She was always so stubborn. So fucking stubborn. Just like the Third.

I lifted my hand and placed my fingers over the pale green diamond that adorned the middle of my forehead….

Her words rang through my head like they had every night since the invasion, since that horrid night. I had done what she told me to never do, under any circumstances. I had created a Yin Seal on myself. She was angry for months, and the first time she did speak to me, was to shout the words that just ran through my mind. I had had no choice, the battle had been too close, and Naruto’s life as well as my own and Sai’s were directly on the line. The Rain nin had been too strong…

For months I had snuck into the forbidden section of the library in the Hokage’s tower and read all the scrolls I could find that she had written about her seal, and I perfected the technique should the need ever arise and when it did, I didn’t hesitate, despite what she told me. My own youth and well-being didn’t matter like Naruto’s did. I hasn’t since he left and Naruto was there for me night and day.

There was nothing like feeling all of that chakra flow into my system all at once, where before it would take months to replenish my chakra supply. I never knew someone could actually feel so invincible, unstoppable, like nothing and no one could beat me, no matter who they were. And so I unleashed on the bastard that nearly killed us. I hadn’t killed him however, I wanted to-at a great length-, but we needed him for interrogation. From what our sources told us, he had information on the Akatsuki and Ibiki wanted him completely coherent.

This happened only week before she….

I didn’t go to her funeral. I know it sounds terrible of me, but I just couldn’t go, I couldn’t bear to see all those people and face the fact that she was really dead. It was too much….

“Sakura-chan….”

“Sakura?”

“Sakura-chan!”

After my name sounded loud in my ear, I snapped my head up and looked over an Naruto, who regarded me with a concerned look. “Are you okay?” He asked, blinking a couple of times and I nodded, turning back to Pakkun.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine, I just spaced out that’s all.” I told them both after noticing that Pakkun’s expression was mournful.

“How are you holding up Sakura? Its only been a week.” He asked me. “It must’ve hit you the hardest…you and Shizune.”

“It hit us all hard.” I replied, avoiding his and Naruto’s eyes. They didn’t know just how hard it did hit me. It was unbearable to see her lying there, in a growing pool of her own blood, eyes closed and body completely still, half her torso missing.

I had heard someone screaming frantically, high pitched and terrified. It was only after they pulled me away from her body where I had tried desperately to reviver her, did I realize the screaming was coming from me.“She’s gone Sakura-chan! She’s gone! There isn’t anything you can do!” He had yelled in my ear, gripping my upper arms and attempting to drag me away, but I fought him with all my strength.

“No! No I can save her! Let me go I have to save her!” I screamed back at him, and slammed the heel of my boot down on his foot, and he screamed in pain and let me go. He was strong, but they didn’t call it Iron Fist for nothing.

After I got free from the ninja, I raced back over to her body and attempted the healing technique again, and again…and again, crying and screaming all the while. Faintly I had heard Naruto’s voice yelling my name and could see his feet running over to me through my peripheral vision, but the other ninja who’s foot I shattered stopped him and said: “Leave her. She needs to come away on her own. She’s in shock and she’ll only fight you.”

"But Kakashi-sensei..."

It was at this point, through my blurred vision and blurred mind did the realization occur to me, and I stopped the technique, blinking my eyes and moving away from her. She really was dead, I had only wasted chakra. As I stared at the horrible wound that marred her body, I saw that nothing was healed despite my efforts….dead cells can’t be healed.

“Sakura-chan?” Naruto said, his voice cracking with tears, as he walked around her body and knelt down beside me, but I didn’t look at him, I only stared at her body, my eyes wide an my body trembling.

“I-I tried to..save her…I…I had” I mumbled, not able to form a coherent sentence. I choked and buried my face in my hands. I didn’t want to see the mess she was in anymore. I wanted to forget this, to open my eyes and see her standing in front of me, hands on her hips, and hazel eyes staring at me curiously and annoyingly, wondering why I was on my knees crying. I wanted her to tell me how foolish and stupid it was cry over nothing and to get up and get back to work. But I didn’t want to open my eyes because I knew what I would see, and it wouldn’t be what I wanted.

I wanted to live in denial. I wanted it. I didn’t want to listen when they said she was dead, when they said I needed to move on. And I would say: “Why should I move on? She isn’t dead.” They would shake their heads in sad, swaying motions at me and my daft denial. My stupid, ignorant denial. The truth was, I needed her. I needed my Sensei, without her…where would I turn? Who would I talk to? Naruto, maybe. But there were just things he didn’t understand, he didn’t need to understand, but Tsunade, she always understood. She always knew how to help me, even if it was just hitting me over the head and calling me a moron because sometimes that’s just what I needed.

….And now she was gone. I’d never hear her voice issuing commands or hear her scold Jiraiya and deck him a good one for some crude remark he‘d made. I’d never stumble down the streets with her after she’d had too much sake…I would miss her terribly and swore to her that I wouldn’t let her death be in vain. I would find the fucking asshole that did this and I would make him suffer so much he’d beg for death. I would get to him even if I had to dedicate my life.

After I told Naruto this, after I looked into his broken, tear-stained face and told him this, he shook his head.

I frankly didn’t give a damn what she would’ve wanted for me, I wanted this. I wanted to make sure she was avenged. I wanted him to know he couldn’t just take a Hokage, and a sensei away from a village without paying for it and I was quite sure there were plenty other people who felt the exact same way.

When I spat my protest at him and glared at him with the deep, burning anger that flared in my stomach, he shook his head some more and more tears fell from his eyes. He had turned away from me and placed his hand over Tsunade’s cold one. “Tell her. Tell her Granny…” He whispered.

I didn’t say anything after that, only turned my teary glare downward.

“You don’t understand.” I had muttered, and I felt his shard gaze on me.

“I don’t understand? How the hell do you think I felt after Pervy Sage died?! Sakura-chan, how can you even say that?”

“Then he didn’t mean to you what she meant to me.”

 “I will kill whoever did this. I have to.” I had said to him, still not looking at him. “This…this won’t go unpunished. Whoever did this must pay, she‘s Hokage. It’s law.”

“She still is.” I sneered. “If you’re not going to help me find him, then I’ll go alone. We owe this to her.”

Naruto lifted his and stared at me, defeated.

Don’t become another Sasuke…that’s what he had told me. I wasn’t anything like Sasuke….Was I? I had wanted revenge…I wanted to rip the man apart for what he did, for taking what didn’t belong to him…Was I really like Sasuke?

Was I?

No. I didn’t abandon my village…but then of course I didn’t have to because the next day an order was issued to go after the man. But…I would’ve…for her. Because she was worth it. I didn’t care what happened to me as long as this man’s debts were paid…

Is that how Sasuke felt…feels? If it is then I can’t blame him any longer. I can’t curse him and I can’t hate him. Because this pain…No one should have to feel this pain. No one should have to die the way Tsunade did, or the way his family did. But…this was reality…that’s what Shikamaru had told me.

“Sakura. People die, everyday. That’s the reality of things. Tsunade, she would’ve died someday and she died protected the thing she loved most in this world….”

“She didn’t die protecting Sake..” Naruto had butted in with a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. If it had been anyone but Naruto, I would’ve pummeled them, but cracking jokes was just the way he coped, if he didn‘t laugh, he‘d cry. He didn’t mean any disrespect, but he did get a very irritated look from Shikamaru.

“She died protecting her village and I doubt she would’ve done anything different. One dies to protect hundreds. I would’ve done it, Naruto would’ve, you and anyone else in this village. Sakura, if it meant saving every other life in this village wouldn’t you give your life for it?”

“Well then why are you so angry at her?”

.“I-I’m not angry at her..I..” I replied, but he interrupted me.

“Oh come on Sakura, quit lyin’ to yourself. Sure you’re angry at her killer, we all are, but you’re more angry at her…Because she didn’t ask for help, because when the opportunity arose to save herself, she didn’t take it. Because you feel that…she let herself die.”

I turned my head and glared at the wall. I hated the fact that he was so goddamn smart, that he could tell so much and not even be slightly wrong.

I hadn’t said anything after that, only looked at him with tired eyes and then walked out of the infirmary. He was right, but I didn’t want to hear it. I wanted to believe in my own ideals and interpretations. No matter what anyone said, it wouldn’t change my mindset.

So, maybe I am like Sasuke, but is that such a bad thing? To want to honor your loved ones, no matter what you have to do to get there?

My entire life has been altered forever. If she had died from natural causes, I would’ve been able to accept it and to move on. But this…This was unforgivable.

“We’re going to need to regroup.” Naruto said, whisking me out of my self pity and self examination. He pursed his lips and punched the tree again, breaking open the cuts on his knuckles even more and I couldn’t take it.

“Will you quit that! Its unnecessary damage and we don’t have chakra, time or supplies to waste!” I finally chastised and he looked at me with apologetic eyes.

“Sorry Sakura-chan. I’m just…I can’t believe we lost him.” He went to punch the tree again but he stopped himself before I could give him a hard look.

“We need to meet up with Kakashi-sensei and figure out where we’re going form here. But in the mean time can you and others scour the forest for the next five kilometers? Just to make sure we haven’t missed anything.” He told Pakkun and the nin dog nodded.

“We’ll let you know immediately if we find anything and if not…well we’ll meet up with you.” He said in his deep, doggy voice and after a curt nod from Naruto, he disappeared in a small puff of smoke.

The future Hokage sighed, and rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand.

“I thought for sure we had him. I thought we’d finally…” He murmured, mostly to himself then to me. He stopped rubbing his head shook it, looking over at me.

“You thought we’d finally be able to kill him?” I asked bluntly and his brow furrowed at my response. He took a step forward and went to touch my arm, but paused and closed his fingers into a fist, stepping away.

“You know we can’t kill him Sakura-chan…we need to interrogate him first. We don’t know why he attacked Konoha.”

“Does it matter?” I replied. “He killed our Hokage Naruto. How can you defend him?”

“I’m not! We need to know if there’s anymore threats. He could be just one of a whole conspiracy, you know the possibility of that. We have to be sure, if we’re not more people could die. Including another Hokage.” He told me, finally moving to touch my arm, but when his fingers brush my skin, I flinched away from and I saw the hurt flicker across his expression.

“Give it time Sakura-chan. I want him dead too…”

“Like hell you do!” I shouted, “You didn’t even try and help her! You didn’t do anything! How can you want to keep him alive at all! He killed Tsunade-Sama right in front of us and you want to keep him alive! What if he escapes?! What then!?”

Now Naruto’s expression was a mixture of hurt and anger when he retorted to my cold outburst.

“Tsunade-Sama isn’t the only one he took away from me..” He said in a low voice and turned away from me, and leapt into the trees.

I glared after him. He was being just as selfish. Why in the world would he want that scum alive? It was completely beyond me, but I swallowed my agitation and set my mind on meeting up with Kakashi-sensei and the rest of the group.

HIDDEN SOUND, EAST BUNKER 

“You wished to see me my Lord?” A stale voice said through the firelight of the dim, but dastardly room. A man stood before a table, obsidian hair reaching his waist and forearms slathered in the blood of the body that lay dismembered not only on the table, but on the floor around it. He turned, a smile on his serpentine face, yellow eyes curious and twinkling.

He held the head in his hand, gripping it by the black, grime-caked hair, suggesting that whoever this mess was, they had been in Sound quite a while. Curiously, despite the obvious experimentation surgical table and the multitude of wicked looking weapons and tools that adorned the walls and tables, and the scrolls that lay open on the table, scribbled on with brown, crusted ink that could only be dried blood, the man wore no gloves. He gloried in the kill, loved the feeling of warm blood on his chilled skin.

“Ah yes, Kabuto. Have you any news on Sasuke’s progress with Amegakure?” He asked quite casually, as if his surroundings were nothing more then a grassy plain or a pleasant village. He stepped back to set the head table down on the table, where it made a squishing noise before falling over, the glassy eyes fixing the Jounin with their dead gaze.

“Yes Orochimaru-sama, his report has just arrived. He’s killed the Daimyo and now has hold of Mizugo village and the other Nobles. He’s now advancing toward the western ward of Amegakure itself. Now that we have the dam, their water supply will be cut off and their agriculture support will falter and crumble. In a matter of months Ame will be in your complete control, and we can expand our horizons.”

“Yes, yes. He is doing very well, not that I expected anything less.” He said, a titled smile coming over his lips.

“Aren’t you a little doubtful of him? Even in the slightest? It is his first major mission after all.” The medic said, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, and giving a glance at the decapitated head on the table. She had been very pretty, dark hair, green eyes, adequate nose, though a little too big around the nostrils. Her lips were thin and extremely cracked and chapped, she had been, no doubt a whore before her ‘honorary duty’ had called. Down in the lower brothels, food and water were only given to those who provided pleasure worth the effort of bringing food and water, and by the looks of things, she hadn’t been very good despite her looks.

“I’ve never had any doubts my dear Kabuto, Sasuke-kun has been ready for a long time.” Orochimaru hissed quietly. “It surprises me that you doubt him. You’ve seen the kind of boy he is…wise and tactful far beyond his years…We trained the other day you know, I pitted him against three hundred men. He didn’t kill any of them of course, avoided all the vitals you see, but not a scratch marred his skin and not one drop of blood anywhere on his person. If that isn’t ready, then by God Kabuto, I fail to know what is.”

“Three hundred? And not one drop of blood…well, considering his great success so far, I fear I’m soon going to eat my words.” Kabuto replied listlessly.

“Yes, I’m afraid you might. You should have more confidence in him you know. Sasuke isn’t an ordinary vessel. His demeanor may have calmed quite considerably, and he no longer wears his anger on his sleeve, but have no doubt, his hatred has only increased. He fights with calm fierceness but I can see the fire just behind his eyes. The fire that longs for the man standing in front of him to be not a soldier, but Itachi himself. He’s strived for this and his hatred is only making him stronger.”

“Yes of course but, do you still believe he’ll honor the contract? I mean…” The spectacled medic responded, eyeing Orochimaru’s amused, downcast and then troubled eyes.

The snake man sighed and turned, running a thin, pale finger down the cheek of the beheaded woman, and then curling a piece of her hair around his finger.

“In all honesty, I’m beginning to have my doubts about his future loyalty. I don’t doubt he’ll fight it. He’s ready for the transfer, most definitely, and this body is beginning to decay, but I want to give it a bit more time. He’s swaying right now. I believe he is unsure of where his allegiances should lie: within himself, or within me. Of course, it is in his favor to choose the latter, if he were to choose the former, things could become very complicated…” Orochimaru said, the seriousness in his voice becoming even more apparent as he spoke.

“You don’t have confidence in your own abilities Orochimaru-sama? Surely he’d be no match for you. You’ve taught him much, but not everything.”

“This body is no longer fit for the heat of battle Kabuto, especially against someone who’s excelled as far as he has and limits have come to a rise. If I overwork it, it will cease to support me. If he challenges me….”

“Orochimaru-sama, do not forget about me. If he goes against you, he’ll have to battle the both of us. And medical nin jutsu is not something he’s studied.” Kabuto told his master, reassurance in his clear voice.

“Oh ho ho.” Orochimaru laughed, turning back around. “Kabuto, do not make that mistake. You may not have noticed, but his wounds heal faster and faster each sparingly time they occur. He’s been doing his homework on medical jutsu and I fear he’s been teaching himself through study and observation. Did you not notice the way he was transfixed on that last surgery you performed on Onatsu? With Sharingan nonetheless. If he should challenge me, do not underestimate him. I know not how much he knows. He’s become very detached from me. He spends his time either away on missions or training. He doesn’t request me to spar with him anymore, nor has he ventured into the brothels in a good six months. Leida was the last one I think, and he was more then likely disappointed with her because she was new, pure. I don’t believe he prefers virgins. He muttered something about the way they cry when they rip, ruins the whole matter he said.”

Kabuto nodded solemnly as Orochimaru began to babble, more to himself then to his medic.

“Did you use her?” He asked, finding a way into Orochimaru’s atmospheric, self-conversation.

“Ah yes. You know we don’t like disappointments Kabuto. She’s the one I tested the onmyoujutsu on. Nasty business if you haven’t the knack for it. I do wish Tayuya were still here, she could most certainly teach me a thing or two. Leida’s head couldn’t take the pressure and imploded on me, it was rather irritating, you know how they have to be alive for it to work. And it takes a good while to get things moving along. Especially since I’m only a beginner….

“I think I’ll try again next week, after Sasuke-kun’s next report. This week I travel to Songo in Rain Country. Jin has been requesting my visitation and it’s not a good idea to keep her waiting, she’s such an impatient woman.” Orochimaru continued on as Kabuto listened and then spoke.

“Ah, I remember her. She’s something of a spitfire. Why has she requested you?”

Orochimaru shook his, symbolizing his uncertainty. “I don’t really know. Her messenger didn’t say, and I’m sure he would have, they know what happens should they fail to deliver a full message. It’s probably about her pay. She probably wants a raise.”

“Well she does supply our brothels and our experiments wouldn’t be so easily supplied without her. We already pay her more then the thirty percent.”

Orochimaru shook his head again at Kabuto’s statement. “Well I wont know until Tuesday. I can’t afford another raise unless we take Amegakure within the next month and I doubt Sasuke will be able to accomplish that despite his strength.”

Kabuto exhaled loudly, but his pondering was interrupted by a sudden, harsh hack from Orochimaru, who doubled over, his body racking with one loud cough after another. It sounded as if he were retching up his insides. Kabuto immediately rushed to his side, and instructed his master to try and breathe as deeply as he could, to try and calm the hacks.

“Orochimaru-sama, you’re at the 9th level medicine. I can only give you one more level. I’m not sure this body will last a few more weeks. Two at the most, we have to prepare for the ceremony.” Kabuto told him, serious concern in his voice.

Orochimaru’s tirade of coughs finally ceased, and he put his palm to his chest as his breathing slowed and then he wiped the blood that had dribbled down his chin. He opened his watery eyes and glared at the ground.

“The mission will take far longer then that to complete, and I cannot pull Sasuke out now, we’ve gotten too far. I’m going to have to last. If worse comes to worse, we’ll have to transfer to someone else. We’ve got that Keitan boy from Water Country and Hana from Wind. They’ll do.”

“But sama, then that would mean we’d have to wait another three years before you’d be able to transfer again. And who knows if he’ll last that long. I highly doubt he will as a matter of fact..” Kabuto said, muttering the last part.

“Kabuto, can we please just take one thing at a time?!” Orochimaru snapped at his medic in a loud, hissing voice. “I’m in no mood to consider everything that could happen. I’ll figure things out after Sasuke’s return. Just…leave me. Now.”

Kabuto hesitated, pursing his lips as his master turned his back to him and leaned against the table, his breathing still not normal.

***

The man’s scream was immediately silenced by a hand over his mouth.

“Scream again, and I’ll make sure you never use that mouth again.” A cool voice said into his ear. The man’s silencer then moved his free hand to his side and in a matter of two seconds the advancing guards fell, kunais in their chests. The man hadn’t even seen the weapons being thrown. But then again, he was so terrified that he doubted he would notice much of anything. The sharp, fiery pain in his side only grew and he struggled to suppress the shout that sat behind his tongue.

“I’m going to let you go and you are going to tell me everything I want to know.” The cool voice said again, and after he nodded, the hand fell from his mouth.

“Y-you can trust me to give you any information you seek.” He stammered, terror causing tremors to sweep through his body. He squeezed his eyes shut several times, sweat seeping out of his pores and his breathing becoming less spastic. All he wanted was this man, whoever he was, to go away.

“I can trust you to know what’s going to happen should you not.” The voice said again as it moved to the side and then walked past him. Cold terror swept through him again as he spotted the small symbol on the back of the boy’s white shirt. He had heard of this boy…but never had he fathomed he would ever stand face to face with him.

The boy stopped and stood, his back still facing him and then turned, casually placing one hand on the katana that was tucked behind as a kind of threat to assure the man that if he didn’t cooperate then consequences would surely follow.

The boy’s beauty was striking and his calm demeanor radiated danger. His cold black eyes fixed themselves to man’s pale gray and his cool, dangerously calm voice filled the air.

“I want straight answers. I don’t want excuses and I will know if you lie. Whether this will be easy or hard is yours to decide.” He said, and the man nodded quickly. The boy began his interrogation.

“What is your name.”

“Masugatsu, Techiro.”

“Who do you work for.”

“Arichi, Nango, the Daimyo’s daughter.”

“Why is she after the Akatsuki.”

“They took something from her. I don’t know what it is.”

“Who took it.”

“She doesn’t confide in me. I don’t know.”

“Does the Daimyo know.”

“Yes. She tells him everything.”

“What work does she assign you.”

“Assassinations. Mostly political. People who threaten her and her father.”

“Who was your last hit.”

“Nichira, Hesoro.”

“Her fiancé. He wasn’t a political officer.”

“No. This one was personal. He was..” The man continued but cut himself off, hoping the boy didn’t catch it, unfortunately, his hopes were in vain.

“He was what.”

“..Plotting against the family.”

“Why. He could never be Daimyo.”

“He didn’t want to. He hated the Arichi family. Hated their power and hated their ways.”

“Then why did he agree to the marriage.”

“It was expected of him.”

“What do you know of the Akatsuki and their dealings.”

“Not much.”

“Do they hold sway in this city”

“Not that I am aware. If it is so, it is in the dark.”

The boy was silent as his onyx eyes burned into the mans scared pair.

“The man you killed was of great importance to me and my mission. You and your mistress have set me back greatly. I may have spared you tonight, but this will not go unpunished.” The boy said cryptically and then was gone, his departure silent as a shadow.

The man let himself tremble for a few more seconds, listening for the boy, but after he heard nothing, he fell to his knees, retching up this afternoon’s lunch.

Once he was done emptying his bowels, he swiped a hand over his mouth and stood, knees still shaking. Uchiha, Sasuke. Nango would want to hear about this.

“Nango-sama, Techiro is here to see you.” A male servant said, bowing deeply. His mistress, who sat in front of him behind a large mahogany desk, looked up from her scrolls.

“Techiro?” She replied, mildly irritated, “Has he said what he wants?”

The servant shook his head, no. “No Nango-sama. He only stated he needed to speak with you straight away.”

Nango put down her pen and leaned forward. What could the man possibly want? His next report wasn’t due until the end of the week…making her decision, she spoke.

“Fine, fine see him in.” She said with a wave of her hand.

As the servant disappeared, she leaned back in her chair and pursed her lips. However, she had told him not to hesitiate to see her if things were urgent. The sound of the door opening once more drew her attention and as Techiro entered the room, eyes wide with fear, it seemed that was exactly the case.

***

So they weren’t yet aware that the Daimyou was dead. That was a plus. If word got back that he had been murdered, the pandemonium and inauguration would set Sasuke back another month and Orochimaru would be more than displeased with that.

The next stage of the mission needed to commence tonight.He sat in the high branches of a huge old oak, Sharingan trained in the open window of the Daimyou’s palace, where his fair-haired daughter sat, scribbling on some kind of document. While he was away, Arichi Nango was elected regent until his return, holding the seat of power. Which, if things went as planned, wouldn’t be for very much longer.

There was movement at the door, and male servant stepped and spoke, Sasuke focused his eyes on his mouth, reading his lips.

“Nango-sama, Techiro is here to see you.” He said with a deep bow.

Nango looked up from her scrolls, her brows pulling together and her face etched with irritation and stress. He could tell this was the last thing she wanted to be dealing with.

“Techiro?” She questioned, “Has he said what he wants?”

The servant shook his head. “No Nango-sama. "He only stated he needed to speak with you straight away.”

Nango put her pen down and laced her fingers in front of her face, leaning forward.

For a few seconds, the woman contemplated something. He knew she was considering seeing him or not. Wondering if what he had to tell her was worth interrupting her work. Finally, making her decision, she spoke up.

“Fine, fine, see him in.” She said, waving the servant away.  Wonderful, she had done exactly what he had anticipated. Now he awaited that door to close behind Techiro.

From her tense posture, he could tell she suspected news of ill nature, and she was correct. However, he hadn’t expected the filth would snitch so soon, but it didn’t necessarily surprise him, fear was a strong emotion, and Techiro thought his mistress could protect him. What a silly mistake.

The next and nearly final stage of the mission would be done tonight that much was evident. He needed to destroy the foundation of the treaty between Ame and Tanigakure. The relations between Ame and Ishigakure as well as Kusagakure were already crumbling. He needed one more strike and war would most certainly be declared. As strong as Amegakure was, there was no way they’d be able to withstand forces from three bordering countires, and when they called for assistance, Orochimaru would offer and Amegakure would be his.

More movement at the door, and in walked Techiro.

***

Naruto paced angrily, kicking at rocks and clenching his fists. He was clearly more than irritated, we all were.

“Well Kakashi-sensei?” He asked, impatience dominating his tone. “What do we do? And don’t say go back to the village because that’s not an option. I refuse to just give up.”

Kakashi trained his eye on his blonde student. I could he was just as upset as the rest of us, but he was the leader, and he needed to keep a level head.

“Well what would you have us do Naruto? We have no scent, we have no way of tracking him. There is nothing we can do when we have nothing to go by.” He replied calmly. He understood Naruto’s frustration and he shared it, but there was nothing to be done. The scent was gone, all trace was gone. They couldn’t run in the dark.

Naruto bared his teeth and lowered his head, seething in anger. However he couldn’t deny the truth of Kakashi’s words. They simply couldn’t whip something up out of thin air. Speaking of thin air, that’s what really angered me the most, the man had just disappeared, there one moment, gone the next. I had been right behind him, I nearly had him in my grasp and poof! Gone. If he had used a teleportation jutsu, the dogs would’ve still been able to track his scent, but there was nothing. This entire situation completely pissed me off, and it took everything I had not to lose it. I struggled to keep my anger in check, but my body began to tremble and I bit my lip.

“Do we have any leads?” I asked quietly, my voice getting harsher with every word. “Do we even know what village he’s from?”

I got no response from Naruto or Sai and Kakashi shook his head.

“No, I’m afraid he wore no identification, only that mask.”

I couldn’t believe this. I couldn’t fucking believe this.

“So in other words, everything was resting on this mission?” I asked through clenched teeth. I was far too angry to use a louder tone. I was so thoroughly pissed off, I bit so hard on my lip, that the metallic taste of blood began to spread across my tongue.

We almost had him, if we had just tried hard enough, we would’ve been able to capture him. Damn, if we had only tried hard enough. Heaving a large sigh, I tried to pull myself and my thoughts together. Instead of focusing on how angry I was, I focused my thoughts on the man we were after, to see if I could remember any details that could give us a lead, no matter how small.

His attire had been nothing special, all black, usual stealth. His techniques had been strange though, not once did Tsunade-sama ever land any hits, they just seemed to go straight through him, as if he were made of air, which was exceedingly baffling. Whatever kind of ninja he was, he was powerful. So did it really surprise me that we had lost him? A man that not even the Godaime had been able to beat? A man that could disappear and leave not a single trace? A man that had gone as mysteriously as he had come? Yes, it did surprise me. My teammates knew how crucial this mission was, yet we failed. I clenched my jaw and tried to ward off the anger. I could get as angry as I wanted but it wouldn't change the fact that he was gone, there was nothing we could do.

I had put everything I had into this mission, determined to catch him and bring him down. I was hell bend on killing him, despite my teammates protests. Sighing again, I closed my eyes, searching my mind. Remember Sakura, there has to be something...

It hit me. Like a kunai to the head. I remembered, back when I had tried to snare him with razor wire. He had looked back at me, and I, refusing to take my eyes off him,  looked up into that single hole in his mask. There had been a split-second flash of red…it had only been a fraction of a second, but I was certain I had seen red…Whoever this man was could he have possessed Sharingan?

The memory, though very short, began to get sharper, and I lingered on that flash of red, becoming even more positive with every passing second….Red and black, chills down my spine, a feeling of ominous dread in the pit of my stomach…oh yes, it had most definitely been Sharingan.

“Sakura-chan?”I heard Naruto voice, but it sounded far off, as if I were under water. I was so dazed by my own revelation that I had tuned everything out and failed to realize to share the information with my teammates.

“Sharingan.” I said abruptly, I had no idea where to start, so I said the first word that came to mind, and I received looks of confusion from my teammates, but I ignored them.

“Kakashi-sensei, can you please lift your forehead protector?” I asked firmly, I was certain that what I saw staring back at me through that hole was Sharingan, but being able to make a visible comparison would make it undeniable.

“Why do I—“ He began to question but I threw him a glare.

“Just do it!” I snarled, my voice full of angry impatience.

Taken aback at my outburst, Kakashi stared at me for a second before nodding and deciding to humor me. He knew I wouldn’t ask unless I had a good reason.

He lifted the cloth that obscured the eye that his teammate had graciously given to him just before his death...

And that confirmed it, my face broke out into a smile, and I felt a rush of triumph.

“Sakura-chan come on!” Naruto whined, “Tell us what’s going on, stop keeping  us in the dark!”

I took a deep breath. I was certain, I was positive. It had been Sharingan that I had seen. So why did I feel so hesitant to share the information? Was it because there was a possibility that the man that killed Tsunade-sama could’ve been…Sasuke? I didn’t want to believe it, but it was a possibility none the less. He had already betrayed his village, killing the Hokage didn’t seem out of his nature. However the nature of the abilities and movements of the man that attacked Tsunade-sama didn’t speak Sasuke. The man had moved with more wisdom and he wasn’t as theatrical as she remembered Sasuke liked to be during a fight. No, this man had been older, more experienced in battle.

“SAKURA-CHAN!” Naruto screamed at me, finally jerking me from my thoughts.

“Why won’t you talk?! We know you figured something! Come on we’re wasting time!”

His words finally brought me to my senses.

“I saw Sharingan.” I said, and again, I was met with confusion, which wasn't much of a surprise.

“The man, he had Sharingan. When I was in pursuit, he glanced back at me and  I saw it.”

Kakashi’s eyes became very troubled, but I knew he didn’t doubt me.

“Are you sure Sakura? That that’s what you saw?”

I nodded vigorously, “I’m positive, seeing your eye confirmed it.”

Naruto’s body tensed as he something dawned on him…“You don’t think..” He began in a soft voice, eyes searching Kakashi’s.

“No,” I replied, already knowing what he was getting at. “I don’t believe it was Sasuke. The man fought with the finesse of a hardened veteran. His techniques and strategy spoke of someone much older.”

Naruto clenched his teeth and fussed with the collar of his cloak, eyes now glued to the dirt.

“Who then?!” He demanded, “Itachi?!”

Again, I shook my head, but Kakashi answered before I could.

“Itachi is a member of the Akatsuki, and they travel in two man cells. They also wear very specific attire. Plus the man who fought Tsunade-sama was shorter, and his build was stronger.”

I could tell Naruto’s blood began to boil and I knew how he felt. If not Sasuke or Itachi, then who? They were the only two who possessed Sharingan besides Kakashi. I lifted my eyes to meet Naruto’s to find them already searching mine, doubt passed through his blue eyes before disappearing completely. He trusted me, and he trusted my judgment.

“This is very troubling.” Kakashi remarked, pulling his headband back down over his eye.

“Itachi and Sasuke are the only only ones who possess Sharingan.”

“That we know of.” Sai said, speaking for the first time. We all turned to look at him.

“What do you mean?” Naruto asked, shooting Sai and confused expression.

The pale boy, sighed and shoved himself away from the tree with his shoulder.

“The Uchiha brothers are the only two that possess Sharingan, that we know of. There could be another out there, and according to Sakura, there is.” He elaborated.

We were silent, he had a point. If it hadn’t been Sasuke or Itachi, then that meant it had to have been someone else. But for God’s sakes who? There was no one else that we had ever heard of, every single member of the Uchiha clan had been killed save for Sasuke, how was this even possible?

“Could it be that someone stole a Sharingan eye Kakashi-sensei?” Sai asked quietly.

The silver haired man studied Sai for a minute before scratching his chin in thought.

“I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but it’s highly unlikely. The eyes were taken by the Sandaime for safe keeping, so no one could steal them.”

Naruto’s head snapped up and he stared at Kakashi in disbelief.

“They cut out their eyes!?” He exclaimed.

Kakashi sighed, and nodded.

“I’m afraid so, it was too dangerous for them to leave them to be buried with bodies for the risk of other countries sending in ninja to rob the graves and attempt to steal it. The Sharingan is too valuable, they had to make sure it wouldn’t fall into enemy hands.”

Naruto’s lips were set in a hard line, and he looked away.

“It’s still disgusting.”

I had to agree with him, but the Sandaime had a point, it would’ve been very bad and possibly war-inducing if other countries had gotten hold of the Sharingan.

“So where do we go from here?” Naruto asked, glaring at a tree. We already knew the answer.

With another sigh, Kakashi answered.

“We have no choice but to return to Konoha and relay this information to the Elders…until a new Hokage is elected.”

I flinched at his words. I didn’t like it, but there was nothing to be done, Konoha needed a Hokage.

“Kakashi-sensei, haven’t they asked you?” Sai questioned, and our sensei ran a hand through his hair.

“Nnnyeah, I’m not the Hokage type, but I suppose if there is no one else then I’ll have to…”

As much as I hated the thought of someone else in her chair, I’m glad it was Kakashi, despite anything he said, he’d make a good leader. He was smart, he was powerful and he had a head for politics, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

“Well, we’re not getting anything done by just standing here, let’s head back.” He said in a solemn voice, and we nodded, leaping into the trees and starting the trek back to Konoha.