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Assistant: Title: Chasing Yesterday
        Author: The_King_in_White The Jingo 
        Chapter: 4/14 
        Summary: Rokudaime Hokage Uchiha Sasuke is a man with nothing beyond duty to the dead. Yet when a second chance comes from the lips of a demon, his battles begin anew...
            
            
  "Sasuke, there comes a point in every man's life where he has a choice between what he wants to do and what he must." – Uchiha Fugaku
        Contents: Chapter 4: Loyalty Renewed
    

    

        
          
          
            
  "I'll be gone soon. But I'll say this, even if it is my undoing. Whatever your plans are, do not destroy Naruko. If you do... you'll regret it..." – Kyuubi no Kitsune

          
        

  

  
  
    
    "Juugo."The orange-haired man all but ignored him, curling into an even tighter ball on the floor and sobbing. "I did it again, I did it again…" Juugo gasped, stomach twisting in guilt and self-loathing. Why couldn't he just control himself?"Get up Juugo."He just wanted to be left alone. He'd only gotten involved with Orochimaru because he'd thought the man could provide him control over his condition. When the old snake didn't even try, just using his blood to experiment on other people, he'd known.Orochimaru was never going to help him.A clawed hand wrapped around his throat and heaved him off the ground. Slamming him into the wall, he was left staring into a greyed face with spinning red eyes and black sclera. The man's lips were purple, fangs poking out over his lips. Wings resembling webs hands arched out of the man's back, and his hair was a shaggy blue-black mane.One of his copies."Juugo." The copy hissed at him. "Now that I have your attention…" the other snarled, his skin lit up with coiling red and the state of cursed power left him. The face left behind was pale, framed by raven-back bangs, and the expression he wore was ice-cold.Dropping Juugo on his ass, the other crossed his arms and stared down at him. Rubbing a hand on his bruised throat, Juugo stared back."Do you know me?" the teenager asked him."I don't." Juugo shook his head, staring at the cursed seal that marked the other's neck with something like remorse. The other's lip curled. Whether in derision or pity, Juugo couldn't really say."Uchiha Sasuke."Sasuke stared at Juugo carefully, searching for some form of reaction. Juugo made none, seemingly content to stare at the cursed seal with painful regret on his face. The Uchiha sighed. As annoying as it was, he didn't have the heart to snap at the bi-polar male for his guilt.Sasuke himself was no stranger to guilt. He couldn't fault another for feeling it.Grabbing the orange-haired man's chin with a pale hand, Sasuke forced the other to stare into his eyes. "I am Uchiha Sasuke." he repeated. "I have come here for you, Tenbin no Juugo.""For me?" Juugo stuttered. TThe Uchiha narrowed his eyes before opening with his trump card. "I come in place of Kimimaro." He stated boldly.Juugo's eyes widened and he shot to his feet. "You're here for Kimimaro? Where is he?" Sasuke drew back warily, but Juugo was beyond caring. Grasping Sasuke's biceps with desperation, he pleaded with the other. "Where is he?" he repeated. "It's been a very long time. No one would tell me anything about him!" Juugo had been starved for news of his only friend.The Uchiha regarded him with a mixture of shock and pity, before his face softened slightly. "So they haven't told you yet…" Sasuke mused, more to himself than to the orange-haired man.Juugo watched him with a growing sense of trepidation. "Just tell me!""Kimimaro is dead."The man went pale, reeling away from the raven in despair and pain. Covering his face with one large hand, he choked back a sob. "Oh no…" he muttered. A hand came up to grip his shoulder, and he startled at the unexpected kindness from a stranger."Come Juugo." Sasuke commanded, before striding off down the hallway. With nothing else to do, the orange-haired man went after him."Kimimaro died for my sake." Sasuke offered the other as he stepped out into the dark night.Juugo's detached look sharpened and focused on the Uchiha, hanging on his every word."I left Konoha when I was thirteen years old to go to Orochimaru." Sasuke continued, eyes cautiously scanning through the twilight for any escaped convicts."Konoha sent a team to pursue and retrieve me. Anticipating this, Kabuto woke Kimimaro and sent him out to ensure that I made it to Otogakure safely. Kimimaro died in battle against Sabaku no Gaara; the man who would become Godaime Kazekage."The prison courtyard was silent except for twin sets of breathing rasps. Sasuke folded his arms and leaned back against the outer chain link fence while Juugo looked on. The orange-haired man took a moment to mull over what the raven had told him."That doesn't explain why you've come here." He finally stated. "Or why you've come looking for me."Regarding Juugo with an impassive look, the Uchiha's hand rubbed at his chin thoughtfully before he opened his mouth. "I have goals. Things I need to do. For that purpose, I'll be assembling a team. I need strong people to fight with me. I sought you out because you are strong. And I know you're not motivated by ambition, so you won't turn around and stab me in the back.""And what's in that for me?" Juugo muttered, clenching his jaw at the thought of being someone's p@wn again."After all is said and done, I intend to return to Konoha." The cursed man sent him a questioning look, to which Sasuke shrugged in reply. "I am finished with my tutelage beneath Orochimaru. I had no intention of becoming his next body. And since he had no intention of letting me go, I killed him."Pressing his lips together as the teen before him shot up several levels on his danger scale, Juugo frowned."When I go home to Konoha, I'll turn you over to Tsunade - the Hokage" Sasuke clarified when the man simply looked confused. "She was Orochimaru's teammate back when he was a Konoha-nin, and she's a famous world-class medic. A complete genius in her field. If anyone would cure your rages without demanding you sell your soul to them, it would be her.""I see." Juugo muttered with a considering face."So how about it Juugo? Will you help me accomplish my goals?" Sasuke pressed.Eyes flashing, the gentle giant stared at the Uchiha suspiciously. "And what would your goals be? I have no intention of trading one dark master for another.""I am going to hunt Akatsuki.""Akatsuki?""Akatsuki is an organization of S-ranked criminals that intend to gather all the tailed beasts under their command. With that power, they will rule over the world.""And why would you take it upon yourself to hunt them?"Sasuke's pale face went oddly vulnerable. "I have… precious people I suppose. They're not strong enough to go against Akatsuki yet, and when they are it will be too late. I can't let that happen."Throughout Sasuke's confession, Juugo's face softened from suspicious to understanding. Taking in the new look on the cursed man's face, the raven posed his question again."So Juugo, will you help me? Will you help me destroy the Akatsuki?"Juugo's face curled into a small smile."I can't let you die… You're all I have left to remember Kimimaro. So I'll help you."Sasuke's face melted into an indecipherable expression. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that." He whispered.And the two melted into the night, vanishing under the dark moon.Crouch. Tense. Leap. Repeat.Sasuke and Juugo continued to push themselves at a grueling pace through the night, fleeing Orochimaru's North Base, heading southwest. The Uchiha took the lead, guiding Juugo through forests, over rivers, and around rice fields. The orange-haired male was content to follow quietly.As dawn peeked over the horizon, Sasuke called for a stop along the bed of a small stream. Bending down, he cupped some cool water in his palms before bringing it to his mouth. He deliberately ignored the way Juugo dropped down beside him, more desperately drinking. The cursed man was soaked in sweat, hands shaking slightly as his body was forced to readjust itself to exercise after years of inactivity.Sasuke grunted, plopping down on a rock and folding his hands between his knees. Juugo lowered himself to the ground beside him, determined to find rest but not to show weakness.Sasuke didn't really care either way. He was in a good mood. He'd killed Orochimaru, escaped Konoha, and found Juugo. Things were coming together nicely.Of course, Kabuto had escaped; he'd had a painful run in with Naruko, and after his confrontation with Team Sarutobi Konoha would very likely redouble their efforts to capture him.Sasuke's mood soured.While Juugo's breathing regulated and he stopped sweating, Sasuke stared down at his hands."Juugo.""Hn?""Have you ever hurt someone you loved?"Juugo sent him an ironic look. "Sasuke, do I need to remind you that my murderous rages are completely out of my control? What do you think drove me to seek Orochimaru out in the first place? I didn't hurt someone I loved, Sasuke, I murdered them." The orange-haired male seemed to age decades in a breath. "Not a moment goes by when I don't regret it. It drives me to try to be better than I am - to work towards being a kinder and less selfless man to atone for my sins. It inspires me to keep looking for a cure to this curse as long as I draw breath."Absorbing the speech in silence for a moment, Sasuke's hands clenched until his knuckles turned white. "And what would you do if they were still alive?""Do my best to make amends I suppose. Even if I had to spend the rest of my life doing so. Until they forgave me and I was able to forgive myself."Dragging a hand through his hair, Sasuke's face went pained. "What if you don't deserve to be forgiven? What if no matter what you did, you never could deserve absolution…" he whispered.Placing a hand on the younger teen's shoulder, Juugo stared him in the face. "Sasuke…" he sighed."My father once told me that people don't deserve forgiveness. Forgiveness isn't something to be earned, not really. It's a personal choice to forgive someone. Letting go of hatred and pain… it happens when the wronged party is willing to give it. Then it's just up to you to accept or reject it."Standing, Juugo wandered along the stream to gaze down the road. He gave Sasuke a moment alone.Watching the orange-haired man's face, Sasuke was struck poignantly by all the quiet nobility and wisdom he read there. Swallowing past the taste of ash in his mouth, he stood. This was the man he had left to die after the Kage Summit?Evidently, he'd committed more crimes than he knew."Come Juugo. We have places to be." Sasuke was proud of the careful neutrality his voice and face portrayed. He began to walk.Not that it mattered, with Juugo reading the turmoil in his coal black eyes.Nodding wordlessly, the giant followed.A bag of scrolls was upended on her desk.Tsunade watched skeptically as Sarutobi Asuma began to thumb through them, sorting the cylinders into neat rows for her inspection. Stepping back, the jounin lit up a cigarette and took a long drag."That'll kill you, you know." The Senju informed him with a long-suffering glance."Maybe, but it won't kill me today." Asuma grunted. Shikamaru stood behind him and slightly to the left, unable to help the roll of his eyes at his stubborn sensei.Shaking her head with amusement, the Hokage selected a scroll at random. Rolling it open, she examined the storage seal before assuming a thoughtful look."You say the nukenin Uchiha Sasuke gave these to you?"Team Sarutobi's leader shrugged. "I couldn't say either way," he confessed. "Though Shika is pretty convinced that he did.""Is that so?" Tsunade pinned the Nara with a hawkish glare."Troublesome…" Shikamaru sighed, tugging at his topknot absently. "You didn't see it, Hokage-sama." He answered. "The Uchiha just played us. He had control of the confrontation from the very beginning. We wouldn't have been able to take these to you if he didn't want us to have them."Tsunade tapped her arm in thought before coming to a decision. Lips thinning, she turned to the chain-smoking shinobi. "Sarutobi Asuma, I want you to bring together a team consisting of Team Asuma, Team Gai, and Team Kurenai. Yuuhi Kurenai is excused from this mission due to health concerns related to her pregnancy. Assemble back in my office shortly after noon.""Hai, Hokage-sama." He confirmed. Team Asuma departed, trailing out the door. Shikamaru sent the Hokage a calculating glance over his shoulder as the door banged shut behind him. "She's up to something." The shadow-user muttered.Chouji tossed his head. "Probably. But she's the Hokage. We're supposed to follow orders.""You three go find Team Gai. I'm going to look for Team Kurenai." Asuma ordered.Ino leered at him. "Looking to get some private time with Kurenai-sensei?" Chouji chuckled and Shikamaru rolled his eyes at her conduct.Stepping out of the Tower, Asuma wordlessly formed a hand seal and vanished in a swirl of leaves."Hey! No fun!" the blonde whined."Quiet down." Shikamaru ordered exasperatedly. "We'll go to Tenten's family shop first," the Nara decided, turning and heading east. "Oh, and I think it would be best if we didn't say anything to Sakura about Sasuke," he suggested quietly."Got it." Ino affirmed while Chouji nodded in agreement.The bell rang when Chouji opened the front door of the shop, dulcet tones filling the air. "Ohayo, ojii-san!" Ino chirped to the brown-haired man behind the counter. Regarding them with impassive brown eyes, the proprietor merely gave her a nod."We're looking for Tenten." Shikamaru informed him. "I don't suppose you'd know where she is?"Sighing, the man leaned forward on the counter, propping his face up on one hand. "I don't know what my niece gets up to these days. She's not a kid anymore. Probably off training with her team or eating lunch with them."Thanking Tenten's uncle, Team Sarutobi filed out the door.Standing on the sidewalk awkwardly, Chouji frowned. "I don't suppose either of you know which training ground they'd have picked today?""Let's try Training Ground Three" Ino offered. "Sakura goes there sometimes and Lee is still asking her for dates." Rubbing his forehead, Shikamaru agreed. As one, the three teammates moved across the village to Training Ground Three.Clamping over the red oak bridge that had been identified with Team Seven once they passed the Bell Test, the Yamanaka couldn't help but sigh. Ino against the rails, staring down at the river. Her reflection looked back up at her, long blonde bangs covering one half of her face and leaving one blue-green eye visible."Things have changed a lot in the past couple of years, haven't they?" she mused.Chouji's reflection peered over her reflection's shoulder, and the plump teen grinned. Shaggy brown hair waved about in the breeze and he raised his left eyebrow. "You're being uncharacteristically philosophical, Ino." he teased, and she swatted him playfully."Ino-san!" a voice called."Eh?" the blonde spun around.Waving eagerly from the field next to the bridge, Rock Lee continued his one-armed push ups.Sitting cross-legged on the chuunin's back, Neji smirked before placing one hand on the bowl-cut covered head to force it to face back to the ground. "Don't get distracted Lee, or is your training truly not that important?" the Hyuuga goaded."Yosh!" the Green Beast shouted, a fire lit in his eyes. "I will do a thousand one-armed push ups!" he declared. "And If I cannot do that, I will run around the village one hundred times one my hands backwards! And if I cannot do that, I will climb the Hokage Monument on only one foot!"Nodding along absently to his teammate's rambling, Neji gave Team Sarutobi an amused look."We were just looking for you." Shikamaru grunted, shoving his hands into his pockets.Face falling into a curious expression, Neji crossed his arms. "Oh really?" he asked."Well, you and the rest of your team." Chouji amended.Frowning at the newcomers, he jerked his head towards the woods. "Tenten and Gai-sensei should be somewhere in there having a sparring match. We'll be here when you get back." The Hyuuga uttered with a bored tone.Groaning in annoyance, Shikamaru strode into the brush. Leaving his teammates behind, the chuunin continued alone. Pushing brambles out of the way, he wandered the woods before catching a faint clash of metal. Turning towards the source of the sound, the Nara moved around gnarled trunks before stepping out into a clearing.Tenten dodged under Gai's fist, lashing out towards his face with a brace of shuriken. Pulling back from the flying stars, the jounin went low to sweep her legs out from under her. The brown haired girl recovered with a handstand, flipping away before drawing out a katana. Stabbing toward her sensei with a sharp thrust, Gai whipped out a kunai and deflected the path of her blade with a skitter of sparks. He winced at the force behind the blow, and withdrew.Clapping his hands to indicate a time-out, the taijutsu specialist turned to their visitor. "Shikamaru-kun." He greeted dubiously."Gai-sensei," the shadow-user returned, eying the man's panting pupil."What can I do for you?" Gai asked, motioning to his student. "If it is something I can do quickly, I would prefer to have it done. Tenten still has much training left to complete."Glaring at the bowl-cut man as she straightened, Tenten trotted over to where Shikamaru and Gai were conversing."Troublesome," the Nara muttered under his breath. "I'm just here to let you know that Hokage-sama wants your team for a mission. Meet her in her office just after lunch." Gai nodded curtly in response, and Shikamaru spun about, vanishing back into the forest. Tenten watched him go with a frown before looking over at her sensei."What should we do Gai-sensei? Keep training?"The jounin shook his head. "No" he replied seriously. "Go home and clean up, prepare for a mission outside the village. We can't compromise our ability to do the mission by training more than is healthy. It would be most un-youthful."Snorting at that, Tenten wandered about the clearing to gather up her tools.Shikamaru collapsed to the ground beside the huffing Lee. Rolling over to stare up at the sky, he crossed his arms behind his head and relaxed. He took in the clouds rolling by, tuning out the world around him."Mendokusai."The world would be far better off if everyone acted on logic, rather than emotion. Or so Aburame Shino thought. Being sought out by the jounin of Team Asuma was one such example.While the logical process might have dictated that jounin Sarutobi Asuma would have immediately informed them as to his purpose in seeking them, apparently logical process was not in vogue with the other shinobi of Konoha.The Sarutobi was wasting his valuable training time. Such a thing could compromise his efficiency and end up costing him his life on a mission. Just a little faster, just a little stronger, or just one more technique could make all the difference in a life and death situation.Emotional platitudes had their place, of course. Rationality would declare that it was not conductive to the health of the human psyche to force oneself to follow all laws of the Shinobi to the letter. Shinobi were human, and humans felt emotion. It was a fruitless endeavour to attempt to force a human into being a machine. Humans were organic, not mechanic.Shino was a human as well, and perhaps that was why instead of breaking the moment so that protocol could be followed, he leaned back. He had his own emotions, and he was far too shy and embarrassed at the way Sarutobi flirted with his sensei.The Aburame was not getting involved, thank you very much, even if it did end up getting him killed. He wasn't loud or brash. He didn't interfere in the private romantic (or not so private in this case) lives of others.That was Kiba's job. And like a dog guarding his territory, the Inuzuka lurking beside him was getting more and more wound up at the man intruding on Team Yuuhi's time and space.Kurenai giggled, and Kiba snapped."As fun as this all is," he growled snidely, "Team Kurenai has things to do. So why don't you hurry up and tell us want you want, and then get moving."Kurenai shot him an appalled look, and looked ready to tear into him, but Asuma waved her down with a hand.Giving Kiba a slow blink, he drew a long drag on his cancer stick before blowing a cloud of smoke in the inu-nin's face. "I'm here to tell you that Hokage-sama has assigned your team joint mission with my team and Team Gai." He drawled nonchalantly.Kurenai pinned him with a red-eyed glance. "And who is going to be in charge of this mission?" she asked.Asuma shrugged. "Gai and I will end up sharing joint command most likely."Her brow furrowed in displeasure. "Is a woman not in the running?"The Sarutobi gave her a significant look. "You, Kurenai, won't be going on this mission."Giving her boyfriend an offended look, the woman growled. "Why not?" Hinata flushed and began to push her fingers together. The Inuzuka's face assumed a positively predatory look, and Shino merely readjusted his sunglasses.Placing a palm over her stomach, Asuma chuckled. "I should think that should be obvious."Nodding frantically, Hinata squeaked out "Ano… you should be more concerned for your health, Kurenai –sensei."Kiba grinned at her. "Yeah sensei, you don't want to do anything that might injure you."Shuffling, Shino made his own concerned contribution. "It is imperative that when one is in your condition, that they do not undertake unnecessary risks."The Yuuhi made a choking sound. "You all knew?" she demanded incredulously."I can smell it." The Inuzuka offered."Ano… Byakugan can see it." Hinata clarified.Shino just shrugged. "It was a logical conclusion given the change in pheromones my kikaichu can detect.""I see…" she trailed with a distant look. Sending her boyfriend a glare, she swatted the man's arm and told him to scram. Then fixing her team with a dangerous mask on her face, she smirked. "If you three have time to be gossiping about my private life, then you have time to be training. Twenty laps around the village in five minutes. Get to it!"Kiba groaned."We six have gathered here today to discuss the fate of Uchiha Sasuke, Nukenin of Konohagakure. S-ranked International Criminal.""The circumstances regarding the capture of Uchiha Sasuke are highly irregular. He chose to surrender himself to Senju Tsunade, Godaime Hokage of Konoha. He claims that he wishes to abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan and bring us aid in destroying Uchiha Obito. What say you, Five Kages?" General Mifune rumbled."He should be put to death immediately for his crimes against us." The Raikage growled.
  Leaning back in his chair, Sasuke listened. As curious as he was regarding what each Kage was doing, no one trusted him - an Uchiha - not to place a genjutsu on them. They had bound his hands behind his back, chaining him to a chair in front of the Five Kage and the General of the Land of Iron.

  It was with a bitter smirk that Tsunade bound his eyes. She chose to cover his vision with his old hitae-ate. The long scratch that Naruko's Rasengan had carved into it during their battle at the Valley of The End was prominent. The irony of it all was biting, and the memories assorted with that forehead protector made him ache to his bones.

  Silence met the Raikage's statement.
"Does no one wish to offer any alternatives?" the General finally asked."I say we use him." The Mizukage decided after a long pause, the typically sultry note of her voice repressed for a purely business-like manner."No!" the Raikage snarled."Oh stop your whining. She has a perfectly valid point." The Tsuchikage chuckled."You only say that because he's never done anything against your village." The Raikage barked."And you only say kill him because of what he's done to yours." the Tsuchikage answered curtly."You're not looking at this logically Ei." Mei drawled. "We're losing this war. Turning aside any edge out of foolish pride will be our undoing."
  The Raikage gave a wordless snarl, and all six of them drew quiet. Sasuke frowned. What were they doing?
"Even if we wanted to, we can't guarantee his loyalty." The Raikage muttered."He has a point." The General pointed out."Loyalty Seal." The Kazekage uttered in a quiet tone. "I do not do this out of fondness for my old friend." Gaara's voice continued. Evidently one of the other Kage had given him a suspicious look. "Personally, I would be happy to turn him into paste myself, but it is as Mizukage-dono said. We need allies.""A Loyalty seal won't take unless he's willing to go that far." the Hokage pointed out. "He knows perfectly well that whomever the seal is bound to could kill him at any moment.""Then - providing he accepts - we paint one on him. Either it'll take and we can use him, or it won't and we'll kill him. Is this acceptable, Uchiha?" the Kazekage riposted."Yes." Sasuke croaked, voice cracked from lack of food or moisture prior to his impromptu trial."All those in favour of the Kazekage's suggestion?" The General asked."Yea." Said the Tsuchikage."Yea." Said the Mizukage."Yea." Said the Kazekage."Nay." Said the Raikage."Abstain." Said the Hokage."So it is decided. We will bind Uchiha Sasuke if we can, kill him if we cannot. I assume there are no problems if I bind the seal to myself?" All five Kage agreeing, the General sent for ink and a brush.
  Sasuke's chains were unhooked from his chair and he was dragged blind and stumbling across the room. Pushed down on a table, his hands were bound again above his head.

  The cold end of a brush began to slide over his skin, and the Uchiha suppressed a shiver. 

  When they were finished, one of the Kage placed a hand on the center of his chest. Slim and soft, with long nails that almost pricked his skin. The Mizukage then. With a burst of chakra through the sealing complex written into his skin, he felt an agonizing burn over his heart.
"It is done." The General confirmed.
  Then the hand was removed from his chest. With a click, the wrists and legs were unbound. Reaching immediately for his hitae-ate, he moved to tear it off. Reconsidering, he only readjusted it to sit on his forehead. Blinking his eyes open, he caught the Hokage staring at the motion with an unreadable look in her eyes. Sitting up and swinging his legs around, he shakily stood.

  Sasuke ignored the hostile glances from the Raikage and Kazekage to stare down at his chest. Seemingly tattooed into the skin was the kanji for 'loyalty'. Surrounding kanji was a string of indecipherable characters that completed the seal.

  Raising his eyes to stare into the Mizukage's face, she smirked at him. It was not a nice smile.

  The General held out a hitae-ate with the kanji for 'Shinobi' carved into it.

  Sasuke tied it around his neck, leaving the one he had worn as a child on his forehead.
"Welcome to our side of the war, gaki." The Tsuchikage grinned. Shikamaru was startled out of his nap when Ino's foot slammed into his side. Curling over his hurt midsection, he sent Ino a deadly glare. The effect was obviously ruined by his wheezing, as the blonde just smirked at him."Come on you lazy b@m! We have to get going. It's almost time to meet with Tsunade-sama!"Clucking his tongue, Chouji offered the Nara a hand up, with he took with an exaggerated groan. "Troublesome," he muttered.Crossing his arms at the boisterous display, Neji regarded the team of chuunin with an impassive glance. Shikamaru just sent a mocking look back, to which Neji's face twitched. Whether in annoyance or amusement the Nara couldn't tell.Lee simply jogged in place, waiting for the rest of his comrades to embark.Gai and Tenten drifted out of the forest, the former looking unruffled will the latter looked rather displeased.Sending the two a curious stare, Lee couldn't help but voice his opinion. "Gai-sensei? It doesn't seem like the two of you have had participated in a youthful sparring match."Sending his protégé a blinding grin, the older man winked. "Of course not Lee! While it is commendable to give your all to your training, at the same time you cannot compromise your mission. Your missions are important for the safety of the village! It would be most un-youthful to fail them because you were foolish.""Yes Gai-sensei!" Lee recorded the words on a notepad."Yosh, Lee!""Gai-sensei!""Lee!"The sun rose over the horizon, and waves crashed against a beach that had appeared behind the two green-clad shinobi.Team Asuma looked traumatized.Team Gai looked long-suffering.With an enthusiastic shout, Gai took off running in the direction of the Hokage Tower, Lee close on his heels. With a sigh and a shake of his head, the Branch House Hyuuga followed along in their wake."How can you not be totally crazy by now?" Ino hissed incredulously.Tenten sent her a very wide, very happy grin. "Who says I'm not?"Chouji went pale, and Tenten skipped off after her team."Let's go." the Nara muttered after a long pause, meandering off in the direction of the Hokage Tower. Chouji gave a large gulp before d@gg@ng his childhood friend's heels. Ino just rolled her eyes at them before dashing in front of the Nara. Taking her place as leader, she looked over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him.Shikamaru just blinked at her antics before sighing and turning his face up to the sky.When the three got to the Tower, they were mildly surprised to see Lee and Gai standing around outside waiting for them. "Everyone else is already up in Hokage-sama's office. Come; let us go forth on our joyous mission!" Giving Chouji a blinding grin, the jounin ran into the Tower. Lee shouted "Gai-sensei!" before taking off in pursuit of his mentor.Ino frowned and jogged up after him. Shikamaru rubbed his face before continuing at the same lazy pace. Chouji pulled out a bag of chips. Offering the first one to Shikamaru, who took it as was their childhood custom, Chouji dug in.The Akimichi had just finished the bag and tossed the empty plastic into a nearby waste bin as the two reached the top floor. "Think it has something to do with Sasuke?" the big-boned teen asked lowly.The Nara didn't even have to ask what he was referring to. "Of course." He answered shortly, before stepping in the Hokage's office."You're late."Shikamaru sighed before trotting over to stand next to Asuma. Ino gave him an elbow to the ribs, and he sent her a warning look in return. Ino just rolled her eyes at him before turning to poke Chouji. Chouji poked her back, and soon the two were engaging in a war of pokes."Will you two idiots stop that!" Tsunade snapped. Flushing at the rebuke, the two subsided."Now," Tsunade growled. "If there are to be no more interruptions, I would like to get to the point of why you are all standing in my office.""As you all know," the Hokage began. "Nearly three years ago Uchiha Sasuke went rogue and abandoned Konohagakure." Those in the room who had participated in the disastrous retrieval mission stiffened."Tempted by the offer of power, the Uchiha deserted for the sake of S-class criminal Orochimaru. Konoha sent a team to retrieve him, but the effort ultimately failed and he succeeded in deserting."Pinning them all with a solemn glance, she continued. "This is what is commonly known and available on the streets of Konoha. I am about to offer you a top-secret mission that will be known to no one outside of this room. You may not even speak of it outside this room, until you are on the mission. Knowing these parameters, do you accept? If you choose not to participate in the mission, leave the room now."Nobody moved, and the Hokage nodded with a satisfied expression."Very well. Yesterday afternoon, Team Sarutobi encountered Uchiha Sasuke in the Land of Rice Paddies." Every face in the room snapped to stare at her."This encounter led to an altercation as Team Sarutobi attempted to apprehend him. They failed, and he escaped. However," she stressed. "He apparently passed this along to Sarutobi Asuma during the fight." She motion to a worn bag lying flat on the desk. "When Team Sarutobi examined the contents of the bag, they discovered a trove of sealing scrolls."Looking out at all the riveted expression that her subordinates wore, Tsunade leaned forward."Contained within these scrolls were more scrolls. And within those scrolls there was a wealth of information." Raising a hand, she rose one finger for each item she listed. "History, trade records, summoning scrolls, records of Orochimaru's human experiments, and Akatsuki.""Cross-referencing the information with our own records has indicated that the information the Uchiha passed to us was genuine. Furthermore, much of it was written in Orochimaru's own handwriting. We have concluded that for some unknown reason, Uchiha Sasuke has abandoned Orochimaru."The shinobi that were on Team Kurenai looked shocked."Orochimaru and Akatsuki are known quantities. We might not have the best or most accurate information regarding them, but we can definitively say they are enemies of Konoha." Frowning, she motioned to the bag."However, Uchiha Sasuke has become an unknown quantity. He is not likely to join Akatsuki, considering his brother is in the organization. He has just betrayed Orochimaru, and evidently is not going to go back, especially since he appears to have pilfered the old snake's entire library. We cannot definitively say that the Uchiha is an enemy of Konoha. We know absolutely nothing of his motives outside of killing Itachi. He has given us this information, but refused to return to Konoha. Thus I am forced to create this mission."Threading her fingers together, Tsunade leaned back in her chair and fixed the gathered shinobi in the room with a stern glare. "Your mission will be to capture Uchiha Sasuke and return him to Konohagakure. We cannot afford to allow him to roam about and do whatever he will. He has shown us that he is willing to interfere in our business, so we must take precautionary measures. Also, the time for Orochimaru's body transfer draws near. Allowing him to possess the Uchiha's body would be an unmitigated disaster for Konoha. The Sharingan is powerful, and we cannot allow one of our enemies to come to possess it."Uchiha Sasuke is a powerful shinobi, which is why I have put together this team. You are the best of your generation. You will form the Twelve Man Pursuit Squad for the duration of this mission. Team Seven cannot participate in this mission, because of the possible conflict of interest. I expect all of you to do your best to capture the Uchiha and return him to the protective custody of Konoha. Do you understand?" the Hokage's deceptively young brow furrowed."Hai, Hokage-sama!" the newly dubbed squad saluted."Dismissed." She ordered.The group filed out, and her apprentice slipped in the door.Staring back at her comrades with a curious look, Sakura turned to Tsunade. "What was that all about?" she asked with an arched brow.The Hokage just gave a small smile at her, "Nothing important Sakura, nothing at all.""Where are we going?" Juugo asked quizzically.Sasuke kept walking. "We're going to Orochimaru's West base. There is another person I want to retrieve there."The bi-polar male considered that. "Who?" he finally asked."Someone named Suigetsu." Sasuke answered shortly."And what is his specialty?"The Uchiha sent Juugo a sharp glance, which he just waved off."I'm not totally out of it, Sasuke." The orange-haired male protested. "You told me yourself that you came after me because I had power. Even if it's cursed, it's still a special power other shinobi don't have."Smirking at his companion's receptiveness, Sasuke turned to face forward again. "Suigetsu is a member of Kirigakure's Hozuki clan. They have special techniques that allow them to turn into water. Unless they're struck with chakra that can disrupt their abilities, you really can't kill them unless you can somehow force them to deadly chakra exhaustion. A knife would just pass through them, and smashing them would make them splatter into water. They just reform after any strike.""Sounds pretty interesting," Juugo confessed. "Do you think it's like a kekkai genkai or-""Hush Juugo," Sasuke interrupted. "We're here."Sasuke turned off the road, trailing into the woods with his companion at his heels. Stopping at the base of a massive tree, he crouched down and examined the ground near the roots. The Uchiha activated his Sharingan, easily perceiving the slight indentation that marked the hidden door switch, and pressed it.A plate to their right slid open, revealing a stone staircase that struck boldly into the earth. Immediately jogging over, Sasuke passed down the stairs. As he and Juugo made their way down, the timed door slid shut again.Reaching the bottom of the staircase in moments, they turned the corner and wandered into the base. Ignoring the curious stares from the base personnel, Sasuke followed the marked directions towards the laboratory.Pushing aside the metal door guarding one of Orochimaru's more valuable experiments, Sasuke stepped into the room. A huge cylinder filled with water sat in the center of the room. An insubstantial face formed within the liquid and pressed against the glass with a disgruntled look on his face.Sasuke almost laughed. He'd come to expect such things from Suigetsu.What he didn't expect was the familiar redhead staring at the readings Suigetsu's prison provided, jotting down the numbers. "Karin?" he wondered aloud, and she turned to look at the intruders with a curious look."Sasuke-kun?" she breathed, readjusting her glasses as if she did not quite believe his presence.He crossed the room with Juugo looming over his shoulders. "I didn't expect you here, in the West Base" Sasuke confessed. "I'd have thought you were still milling about in South Base."Mistaking his knowledge of her working schedule as interest, the girl flushed. "Well, Sasuke-kun." She offered shyly. "I'm here on Orochimaru-sama's orders to take care of Suigetsu for a while."The exasperated look on Suigetsu's face in the tank expressed what he thought of that."No, you're not." Sasuke stated curtly."What?" she queried in confusion."You're not here for Orochimaru. I killed him two days ago. His orders no longer mean anything."The redhead blinked in shock. She was just coming to terms with the information he'd dumped on her when he nudged her aside and slammed a palm down on the console. A hole opened at the bottom of the cylinder on the far side, and water rushed out.Suigetsu reformed outside the cylinder in moments before stretching with an exaggerated motion. Opening his arms as If to welcome the whole world, the purple-clad nin grinned at the ceiling. "Freedom!" he laughed.Sasuke came up behind him. Spinning to stare at the raven with a positively predatory look, the Kiri-nin bore his teeth at the Uchiha. "Just because you killed Orochimaru doesn't mean I owe you anything!" Suigetsu declared. Miming the motion of a pistol, he shot it at Sasuke, squirting him with water. "One of us would have done it sooner or later. What you did is nothing special."Ignoring the rudeness and the way Juugo frowned and Karin squawked, Sasuke pinned Suigetsu with a confident look. "I have enemies I think you'll want to fight.""Oh?" the white-haired shinobi leaned forward in detached interest."Kirigakure no Kaijin, Hoshigaki Kisame."Suigetsu gave him a long look before grinning. Clapping the raven teen on the shoulder, he laughed. "I think I'll get to like you! Now let's get out of this dump!" He quickly shook himself before practically running from the room.Juugo followed him after a significant look from Sasuke. He turned to stare at Karin. She stared back.
  (Don't move Karin.

  A grateful look.

  Chidori through the chest.

  A look of shock and betrayal.)
Shaking the memories of the last time he'd seen her away, Sasuke gave the girl an unreadable look."I want you on the mission." He declared."Of course Sasuke-kun! Anything-""No." he interjected."Don't do 'anything for me'. I'm asking you to come on the mission because you have useful skills. I don't intend to indulge your infatuation with me." He informed her in wintery tones.Drawing back, she gave him a hurt look, and Sasuke sighed at the sight. "Look Karin. I know what you're feeling. I'm not blind. But I'm telling you right now, don't bother getting your hopes up. There is no chance of it happening.""No chance?""Yes.""What if-""No chance.""How about-""No. Chance."She regarded him with a strange look on her face. "Are you in love with someone else?" she finally asked."Yes." He admitted candidly. At that moment, Sasuke expected her to refuse the mission out of hurt. It would be annoying, but at least it'd be honest.He didn't expect her to squeal and throw her arms around his neck."That's so romantic!" she declared. "Oh I'm going to have to meet this girl! We're going to do her nails and visit the hair salon and maybe I'll even get to be a bridesmaid…" she rambled.The Uchiha drew back with a choking sound, and she trailed off. "So does that mean you're in?" he asked after a moment of silence.She smirked at him. "Of course I'm in, I can't let the prince die off before he marries the princess!" then she sauntered out of the room, leaving him to blink in surprise. Was it really going to be that easy? Maybe he should've tried it on his other fangirls back in the day…Shaking his head, Sasuke departed for the surface with a vaguely confused Juugo trailing behind him."What are we gonna call ourselves?" Suigetsu fired at him as soon as he reached above ground. Sasuke felt an amused and nostalgic smirk curve about his lips."We're going to call ourselves 'Taka', if you insist on juvenile titles like a sumo wrestler from Tsuchi no Kuni." And with eighteen days left before Uzumaki Naruko would return to Konoha, Uchiha Sasuke set off in the night after his brother.'
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
User: Summarize the chapter based on the content provided, ensuring to follow the set format and emphasize key aspects within the specified length.
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