(Suigetsu's P.O.V)
"So there's a war going on, huh?"
I ask Jugo and he nods.
"That's what the birds told me."
"Well now we need to find Sasuke and Lily before we get mixed up in the war!"
"Yeah. Let's try the hideout that's not too far from here first."
~
"It would've been nice if they were here, but I guess we were asking for too much!"
I complain as I stomp down a hallway of the empty hideout.
"Hey, Suigetsu. There's something that's always bothered me about you..."
"Oh yeah!? Well, I'm always concerned about you. Just having you around keeps me on pins and needles."
"I'm here because I made a promise to Kimimaro. But why are you here? Are you on the team just to cause trouble with the others?"
"Heh, heh! I love to mess with them! I want to break everything in two! I can't help it!"
I start laughing.
"You're insane, you know that?"
"Hmph... I hate you all! The only one who is at least a little nice is Lily!"
I cross my arms and pout. Jugo suddenly yells and runs me into the wall,making a hole.
"And I hate you most of all!"
I knock Jugo out before turning around and seeing a hidden room behind the hole.
"W-what... I've been here many times, but I never knew about this.."
I climb through the hole and look around.
"This is one of Orochimaru's secret rooms!"
I find a scroll on a small table in the back and quickly read it.
'What? This is... Orochimaru had planned all of this?! With this intel, it could change the whole outcome of this war!'
I roll the scroll back up and put it in my pocket. I hear Jugo wake up.
"This is exactly what Sasuke needs! That last punch is water under the bridge now, Jugo. We've found something incredible! We need to catch up to the others soon!"
(Lily's P.O.V)
I finally get to where Sasuke is at after awhile of running, and sneak into the cave.
'Why is he in a place like this anyways?'
When I get to the end of the tunnel, I see Sasuke, a creepy looking Kabuto, and Itachi.
'Wait! How is Itachi here!? I thought Sasuke killed him?'
I quickly hide behind a large boulder without them noticing, and get a better look at Itachi.
'He's been reanimated... That explains it. He and Sasuke are talking, I shouldn't bother them.'
(Sasuke's P.O.V)
"I've always lied to you and asked you to forgive me... Intentionally keeping you at a distance by my own hand...because...I didn't want you to get caught up in any of this... But now I think, that perhaps you could'be changed the clan. If I had come to you from the start... Looked straight into your eyes, and told you the truth... With me, who failed, telling you all this from above, it's not going to penetrate and sink in. But I want to say at least this much to you..."
Itachi pauses and pulls my head towards his, making our foreheads tap.
"You don't have to forgive me...and no matter what you do from here on out, know this... I will love you always. Also, take care her, just like she does with you."
And with those words, Itachi disappears.
'Who does he- Someone else is here!'
"Show yourself!!"
I yell. A figure steps out of the shadows and reveals to be the one person I've longed to see.
'Heh, now I get it, Itachi. Don't worry, I defiantly will...'
"Lily!"
"Hi, Sasuke."
She says with a smiles.
"How long have you been here?"
I ask.
"Oh not long. I didn't want to interrupt you and Itachi, so I stayed hidden."
I nod and look at her.
"H-hey, Lily. Can I tell you something?"
"Sure, Sasuke. What's on your mind?"
'It's now or never, Sasuke, tell her!'
"Lily, I-I-I lo-"
"FOUND YA!!!"
Suigetsu yells as he and Jugo charge in.
"Hehe, are we interrupting something?"
"No/Yes!"
Lily and I say/yell. Lily turns back to me and smiles.
"So what were you saying, Sasuke?"
"I-it's nothing..."
"Alright then."
Suigetsu looks at me with an 'I know what you were doing' grin. I glare at him and he takes a few steps back before going over to Kabuto.
"This is Kabuto? Kinda gross, eh. Umm... What's coming out of his stomach?"
"Just leave him be, Suigetsu."
I tell him then sit on a boulder. Jugo checks on Anko, who I had forgotten was here.
"What do you want with me after all this time? Going out of your way to find me..."
"Oh right! Yeah, yeah that's the thing. We found something incredible in one of the old hideouts!"
"You and Itachi stopped the Edo Tensei jutsu, right?"
Lily asks, I nod.
"So why is Madara still here?"
Jugo wonders while picking up Anko.
"I see... So it wasn't stopped."
"Can't you two see that I'm talking to Sasuke!? Don't interrupt!! Anyway, here! Take a look at this!"
Suigetsu yells then hands me a scroll, and I read it.
"It's a mind blower!! Now team Taka can take over the entire shinobi world!"
"This is it, the all-knowing!"
I stand up and walk towards the others.
"Now I need to get out of here and meet up with someone. I'm leaving."
"Wait, who are you talking about?"
Lily asks.
"Orochimaru."
"You killed Orochimaru! Are you crazy, Sasuke!? We need t-"
"You're really surprised someone as powerful as Orochimaru, might not be killed easily, Suigetsu? And even if I fond him vile, I do need him to do something for me... Clan... Village... It's time to see the all-knowing!"
~
"Who would have imagined it would be you guys who created my return!"
Orochimaru says then looks over at Suigetsu, who is hiding behind Kabuto.
"Hehe. Hi... Long time no see, Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru, there's something I want you to do for me."
"No need for the details. I've been watching from inside Anko this whole time... I secured senjutsu chakra in those curse marks. They're like pieces of my consciousness."
I notice Lily stiffen slightly, and Jugo giving her a worried look.
'What's wrong with her, and why is Jugo looking at her like that?'
"Then you know about the war too?"
I ask.
"Of course. And I have something to tell you...Suigetsu."
Suigetsu jumps, still hiding behind Kabuto.
"Despite what you might think. I have no interest in this war whatsoever."
"Huh!?!?"
"It's someone else's war. The only thing I'm interested in right now...is my new vessels! Heh, then again, it's not like I currently have the strength to steal them. What is your intent in meeting them, Sasuke?"
"There's too much that I do not know. I want to hear about everything from them."
"Everything? There's no need to know it all... You're still a child."
"You're wrong. I'm not a child anymore. I can't stay a child... I want to know what started it all. What I'm supposed to do."
"Are you questioning your vengeance?"
"No. Not my quest for vengeance itself. After reuniting with Itachi, my hatred towards Konoha has grown even stronger. It's just...I want to understand how even in death, Itachi could still consider himself a Leaf shinobi, and care about and protect the village that dishonored his name... Who was Itachi? What is a clan? What is a village? And so, I want to know everything so I can finally have the answer... I need to see with my own eyes and decide with my own mind what I must do."
I finish then glance over at Lily, who is smiling.
'I guess that I gave the answer that she wanted to hear after all... I finally understand what she's been saying after all this time.'
Orochimaru starts walking over to Kabuto and Suigetsu. Suigetsu runs from him and over to me.
"He's gonna take Kabuto's power and kill him! Watch out guys! He might try to catch one of us off guard too!"
He yells.
"You know, Sasuke. The current you...isn't half bad."
Orochimaru says and Lily nods.
"I agree!"
Orochimaru starts taking chakra from Kabuto.
"I told you he'd steal Kabuto's power!!"
"No, Suigetsu, you're wrong. He undid the sage transformation. He's taking back his own chakra that was inside Kabuto. But he didn't take any of Kabuto's chakra."
Jugo tells him. Orochimaru turns back to us.
"Alright, I'll help you! Come along."
"Where are we going?"
"A place you actually know quite well. Now, shall we be on our way?"
"Just a minute. Hey, Lily?"
"Yeah?"
"Come with me real quick."
She nods and we walk over to the other side of the room.
"So what is it you wanted?"
"Look, Lily, I'm sor-s-sorry! I'm sorry for everything that's happened. I was so obsessed with revenge I lost myself... Will you forgive me?"
I ask. She's quiet for a moment before she burst into laughter. My face turns red from embarrassment.
"W-what's so funny!?"
"I've never seen this side of you before!"
She says between her laughs.
"But you know what... I like this side of you! Of course I forgive you!"
"Thank you..."
"Welcome. Now let's go over to the others."
I nod. She smiles and goes to pat my shoulder, but as she makes contact, she collapses. I catch her before she could hit the ground. I instantly notice how pale and cold she's gotten.
"Lily! Lily, wake up!!"
I yell.
"Sasuke, what happened to Lily!?"
Suigetsu yells as he and the others run over.
"I don't know! She just touched my shoulder then collapsed!"
I hold her as close to myself as I can, trying to her as warm as possible. A bright light appears and I close my eyes.
"Sasuke? Is that you?"
Someone new asks.
'Wait, that voice! It can't be...'
I open my eyes and they widen when I see who's in front of me. The one that I have wished I could've had more time with is standing right there. Her dark hair blowing in the wind perfectly. I take a huge deep breath.
"Yuko..."