Lotus Blooming! Book 2

Chapter 17 -- The Uchiha

I flinch as I hear Sakura's voice. "All right, enough!" She shouts, most likely at Sai. "Tell us what you're really up to! How many times were you going to betray us before you--"

"Sakura," Sasuke drones.

"Sasuke..." She whispers softly as I try to get up. A harsh pain swerves up my body, and I quickly wrap an arm around my torso.

'Dammit... I'm starting to feel sluggish from the cloak...' I stare back up at Sasuke. Naruto runs out from the halls, and stops where Sai and Sakura stood.

"Well, Naruto," Sasuke muttered. "You came, too. I assume, Kakashi is here?"

"Unfortunately, Kakashi couldn't make it," Yamato said. "So, I'm here in his place. Team Kakashi has come to escort you back to The Leaf."

"Team Kakashi..." Sasuke droned.

"I knew it!" Sakura gasped. I turned my gaze over my shoulder. "Sai, don't!"

"So that guy's my replacement? I thought the team already had a weakling. He was saying something about wanting to protect the bond between Naruto and me." Sasuke scoffed.

"Sai, I thought your mission was to assassinate--"

"It's true." Sai stopped her. "I was given a classified mission to find and eliminate Sasuke. But I'm through following orders. From now on, I think for myself. Naruto, I think you can help me remember, and bring back those old feelings I thought were lost. Things that were once important to me. I really don't know what much about you, Sasuke. But I do know that Naruto, Sakura, and Ren would be willing to risk just about everything for you. They don't want to lose their connection with you. They would give anything to protect those bonds. I still might not understand it that clearly, but you Sasuke, you must understand it."

"You're right," Sasuke hummed. "I did understand it. And that's why I severed them!" I just gazed up at him in anger, cursing myself for once again, being weak. "You see? I have a different bond now. Between my older brother and me. It's the bond of hatred.  Having too many ties in this world will only lead you astray. It weakens one ambition. Distracts you from what truly matters."

"If that's all true, then why didn't you kill me that day?" Naruto shouted. "Weren't you gonna break our bond, Sasuke?"

"The reason is simple. It's not that I couldn't break our bond, Naruto. I was simply doing as my older brother had done before me. It was nothing more than a strategy to gain power."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto growled.

"I don't owe you any explanations. All I can tell you is that day--  That day, when I left you lying there with Ren, I only spared your life on a whim. Nothing more." He was fast. Faster than Lee, or Guy, or even me. He was in front of Naruto in an instant. "You know, come to think of it, wasn't it always your dream to become the Hokage? All of the time you spent chasing after me would've been better spent in training. Wouldn't you agree, Naruto?"

"Sasuke, what are you--" I gasp as I stumble to my feet.

"But this time, my whim is telling me to finish what I started." Sasuke says as he starts pulling out his sword.

"How could I ever be Hokage?" Naruto inquires. "I can't save a friend. Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

"Sasuke!" Sakura cries as he plunges the sword at Naruto's back. Sai grasps the wrist with the word, and holds his smaller sword on the other side of Naruto.

"That block you selected was the correct one," Sasuke mentions. "Chidori Stream!" Sai and Naruto go flying, Yamato's Wood Jutsu is splinted before even touching him.