It is said that if two shinobi are close and equally strong, they can read each other’s mind when their attacks collide.
- Ninja history Handbook
“There!” Kuro pointed, “that tower. That must be the place.”
“Are you sure?” Daro asked.
“Yes I’m sure. Come on.”
Daro and Hiro followed close behind him.
“Uhm… guys…” Hiro called, “Shouldn’t we slow down? How about security?” He came to a halt when he almost ran into Daro who had stopped.
“I don’t think we have to worry about that anymore,” he said.
“What happened here?” Kuro gasped. They stared at the building a few feet ahead. The roof had collapsed and there was a giant hole in one of the walls. It seemed deserted.
Slowly Kuro made his way towards the building.
“Careful,” Hiro said, “what if it’s a trap? What if someone’s still here?”
“Then we’ll deal with them,” Daro said and dragged Hiro with him, ”come on already, maybe we can find some clues.”
“Hey guys!” Kuro called from somewhere inside the building. His friends hurried towards him and found their friend kneeled next to a body.
“That’s a samurai,” Daro gasped, “is he…”
“Yeah,” Kuro nodded, “he’s dead.”
“What do you think happened?” Hiro asked.
“There must have been some sort of attack,” Kuro said.
“Who would attack a meeting with the Kages?” Daro said horrified.
“Criminals obviously,” Hiro said, “you know… missing nin.”
“You mean Akatsuki?” Kuro questioned.
“Do you think Taryn-sensei is in danger?” Daro whispered, “or Kazekage-sama?”
“No one else is here,” Kuro said, “I haven’t found other bodies yet. No blood either, though one of the rooms appeared to be melted.”
“Melted?” Hiro asked.
“Some kind of acid,” Kuro answered, “do you think we should look around?”
The boys looked at each other.
“I’ll summon Kera and her flock,” Hiro said, “they can check the area from above us and warn us for enemies.”
“Okay,” Kuro nodded, “but just to be sure… let’s stick together.”
“Sure,” Hiro said.
“Right,” Daro agreed.
Slowly they made their way down the corridor. When they reached the corner, Daro took out a hand mirror to look around the corner, but the hallway was empty. They shivered when they entered the room where the ceiling had caved.
“Imagine what would have happened if there had been people here,” Hiro muttered.
“Seems like everyone else got out safe,” Daro commented. He turned to Hiro. “Did Kera and the others find anything?”
“No,” Hiro answer, “no one’s here but us.”
They moved upstairs and entered a large room with banners hanging down from the wall. On each banner was a symbol that represented one of the Great nations.
“Well, we found the council alright,” Daro muttered. His friends stared across the room with stunned expressions.
“There’s fighting going on,” one of the smaller hawks, Chavi, announced. He flew down to where Hiro was. “About sixty miles to the North, as the hawk flies.”
“It will take us at least a day to get there,” Hiro said, “longer since we can’t travel in a straight line. We’ll have to take the long road.”
“Let’s go then,” Daro said, “there’s no one here. Let’s not waste time.”
***
Sakura froze in place as she took in the scene she had stumbled upon. Taryn was there, kneeled beside some girl that was badly injured. And Sasuke… his eyes were so cold. He appeared to be wounded as well. He was so different from the Sasuke she had known.
“What do you want with me?” Sasuke asked coldly.
Sakura took a deep breath. This was it. It was all or nothing now. “Sasuke,” she said, “I will follow you. I’ll leave Konoha!” She moved closer, but still kept a fair distance between her and Sasuke.
Taryn stared at Sakura dumbfounded. What was the girl planning?
“You wouldn’t gain anything by following me,” Sasuke said, “what are you plotting?”
So he didn’t buy her story either.
“I’m not plotting,” Sakura hurried to say, “it’s just… I’ve always regretted not going with you when you left Konoha.”
Taryn glanced from Sasuke to Karin and back, debating with herself if she should get Karin out of here to some place safe.
“I’ll do what ever you want me to,” Sakura continued, “I don’t want to have any more regrets.”
“Do you know what I want?” Sasuke asked coldly.
“It doesn’t matter,” Sakura answered, “I’ll do what ever you say.”
“I want to destroy Konoha,” Sasuke said in a calm voice, “that is what I want.” Sakura’s eyes went wide in shock. “Would you rally betray Konoha for me?”
“Y-yes…” Sakura stuttered, “if you say so…”
“Then you have to prove it,” Sasuke said. He motioned towards Karin. “if you kill her… I’ll let you come with me.”
Sakura stared at him. She wasn’t sure what to do. When she came here, she wasn’t sure what to expect, but it wasn’t this. She looked at Karin. There was no honor in killing someone that was already down. She cast a quick glance at Taryn who held an unreadable expression. Sakura still wasn’t sure what the older girl was doing here. She looked at Karin again, more determined now, and drew a kunai knife. “Who is she?” she asked while approaching.
Taryn kept a close watch on Sasuke now, ready for anything. Whatever Sakura was up to, the girl had no idea what she was getting herself into. She was still too innocent. Sakura had never been much of a fighter. She was skilled enough, just too attached to her emotions. When dealing with Sasuke, that was a crucial mistake.
“She is one of the members of my team,” Sasuke answered Sakura’s question, “As you can see, she’s of no use to me now. Sakura, you are healer, aren’t you? You’ll make a good replacement...”
Sakura stared down at the girl at her feet.
“What’s wrong Sakura? Can’t do it?”
Sakura trembled and lifted the knife. ‘If I kill Sasuke now… it will all be over…’ She closed her eyes.
“S-stop… Sasuke,” Karin suddenly rasped.
Sakura’s eyes snapped open and she heard the sound of chirping birds behind her. She turned and saw Sasuke’s hand engulfed in lighting. The next second she was tackled to the ground by Taryn. At the same time, Sasuke’s attack was blocked by someone else.
Sakura gasped. “Kakashi-sensei.”
There was murder in Sasuke’s eyes. Kakashi stated at him coldly. ‘He really meant to kill her.’ “You’ve fallen deep Sasuke.”
The two threw each other away and landed in a crouch.
Taryn pulled Sakura to her feet and glared at Kakashi and Sasuke.
“Heh,” Sasuke scoffed, “one after another. They just keep showing up.”
“Sakura,” Kakashi said, “were you going to kill Sasuke on your own?” Sakura looked down. “There is no need for you to take that burden yourself,” Kakashi said softly, “as leader of team seven, it’s my fault this has happened. I… said things to you I shouldn’t have, to try and assure you everything would be alright. Maybe I was just trying to reassure myself. Sorry. I haven’t been a good sensei.”
“That’s not true,” Sakura whispered.
“Sasuke,” Kakashi turned to him, “I don’t like saying things over and over, but I will tell you one more time… don’t be consumed by revenge.”
Sasuke started chuckling, but it soon changed into a loud laughter. There was an insane look in his eyes and Taryn eyed it concerned.
“Bring me Itachi,” Sasuke said in a dead voice, “…and my father… my mother… bring me my clan! Then I will stop!”
“Sasuke,” Taryn whispered.
“I don’t want to kill you,” Kakashi said calmly.
“Heh,” Sasuke said, still that same look in his eyes, “you say that like you actually could. Don’t act like I’m still your student. I’ve been dying to kill you, Kakashi.”
Next to Kakashi, Taryn clenched her fists. “I won’t let you do that,” she said though her teeth.
“You!” Sasuke spat, “I despise you. Always going on about how much you loved Itachi, but his body isn’t even cold or you’re already with Kakashi.”
“How dare…” Kakashi started, but Taryn already charged at Sasuke. Quick as lightning she moved up to him. And punched him square in the face. She caught him by surprise and he rubbed his jaw. “Heh,” he scoffed and gave her a threatening look, “you really shouldn’t have done that.”
Lightning circled around his arm and around his body.
“Taryn!” Kakashi shouted, but Taryn had already dodged the attack. He glared at Sasuke with a look of pure hate.
“Taryn, no!” Kakashi yelled.
“Stay out of it!” she snarled and activated her Byakugan. She charged at Sasuke.
Sasuke came at her with Chidori. Just before she reached him, he stuck out his lightning blade. Taryn gracefully stepped around it, swirled and slammed her flat hand against his arm. Immediately Sasuke’s chakra level dropped an he glared at her. Taryn quickly used her Gentle Fist technique on him, but he blocked her attack just as fast.
“Sakura,” Kakashi said softly while eyeing the fight concerned, “take that girl and go somewhere safe. See if you can heal her most urgent wounds. She may have useful information.”
“But sensei…”
“Don’t argue with me now Sakura.’
Sakura lifted Karin and carried her to the far wall. She would get out of the line of fire, but there was no way she was gong to leave. She eyed the two fighters concerned. She still wasn’t sure what Taryn was doing here. At first she had believed Taryn had sided with Sasuke. But now she and Sasuke were fighting each other. And they seemed quite serious about it.
Lightning was flying everywhere as Sasuke blocked Taryn’s Gentle Fists. They both cast each other to opposite sides of the bridge and glared at each other panting.
Taryn took out her fan and threw a heavy wind attack at Sasuke. He took several cuts and dropped to one knee. His lightning attacks would be useless against her wind, but he could still wound her with it. He charged at her head on with Chidori.
Taryn dropped her fan and ran at him with her activated Byakugan. On the middle of the bridge their attacks clashed and the world seemed to come to a standstill.
“For the peace of Konoha, and most of all for you Uchiha Sasuke, he desired to die a criminal and a traitor.”
“Promise me you’ll never tell him.”
“I promise.”
Itachi was carrying a young Sasuke, on his back. Sasuke’s arms were loosely around Itachi’s neck and he was smiling.
Itachi stood in Taryn’s room in Suna. “It’s better if you hate me.”
Sasuke ran into the room where his parents lay dead on the floor. The killer was still there. Sasuke looked up, trembling in fear, and stared straight into his brother’s eyes.
“Forfeit the match,” Itachi told the little girl that was trapped beneath him in the arena. Both of them were holding on to their last bit of energy, “or you’ll bleed to death.”
“Don’t be a fool Uchiha,” Taryn spat, “you need medical attention.”
Sasuke entered his brother’s room. Itachi was busy studying, his back was facing the door.
“Nii-san, will you come practice throwing shuriken with me?”
“Not now Sasuke, I’m studying. I have an important mission tomorrow.”
“Please?”
“I don’t have time.”
Sasuke pouted and Itachi smirked. “Come here,” he said and motioned at his little brother.
Sasuke grinned happily and ran at Itachi. When he was close enough, Itachi flicked Sasuke’s forehead. “Sorry Sasuke,” he smirked, “maybe next time.”
At the ninja Academy grounds in Konoha, Itachi was sitting in a tree, hidden from view from any passerby. Seated underneath that tree was Taryn, stubbornly ignoring the young boy above her head.
In a clearing in an unfamiliar town, Itachi lifted his hair away from his face, revealing the scratch across the Konoha leaf.
Sasuke dealt Itachi the deathblow.
Itachi and Taryn, kissing in the rain.
“I can’t make it tomorrow,” Itachi said at the dinner table. His father gave him a furious look.
“Itachi, you know how important it is that you attend this meeting. You’re coming.”
“There’s a performance at Sasuke’s school,” Itachi said while glancing at his father, “I’m going there.”
“Settle for hating me. And when you’ve got the same eyes as me, come find me.”
Taryn stood at Itachi’s shoulder and glared at the three older Uchiha. “Three against one isn’t fair.”
Sasuke sat on his knees on the cold stone and was crying. He had lost everything he had ever cared about. His brother, his father, his family. Flashes of his former Konoha teammates entered his mind. Naruto… Sakura… Kakashi… there was pain where his heart used to be. He felt empty. His entire life was a lie.
”You want me to kill Gaara?! He’s my brother!”
“He’s become a danger to the village!”
“Only because you made him like that!”
“You walk out that door and I’ll disown you!”
“Bring me Itachi! My father… my mother… bring me my clan! Then I will stop!”
“You want your clan?” Taryn asked. She blocked Sasuke’s hand and grabbed his wrist. She flattened his hand and placed it against her stomach.
The entire area was lit up by the outburst of lightning. An explosion followed and Taryn was thrown back across the ground. She gasped when she came to a halt and slowly lifted herself form the ground.
Sasuke had been equally cast backwards in the other direction., but he was caught by a newcomer.
“I told you to take some rest,” Madara said. He looked in Kakashi’s direction and smirked when he noticed Taryn on the ground. He was about to say something when a voice interrupted.
“What’s going on here” Naruto appeared at Kakashi’s shoulder. His eyes went from Kakashi to Sakura and then to Taryn. Then they landed on Sasuke and he withdrew his breath.
Sasuke glared at him and was about to attack him too, but Madara placed a hand on is shoulder. “Not now Sasuke. You can fight him some other time. We have other things to attend to.” They vanished.
“Damn it,” Taryn muttered.
Kakashi turned to Naruto. “Why are you here? I told you to stay with Yamato.”
Sakura hurried to Taryn. Yamato had arrived only moments after Naruto and had taken Karin into custody.
“You were going after Sasuke,” Naruto answered, “I have every right to be here.”
“What part of ‘we are at war’ did you not understand? We can’t let Madara get his hands on the nine tails.”
“Are you alright?” Sakura asked carefully while kneeling down with Taryn.
“I’m fine,” Taryn mumbled, but let Sakura examine her. She had only minor wounds. Her mind was still with Sasuke. There had been something there…
Sakura frowned. There was something strange with Taryn’s blood flow. It went to places it shouldn’t go. Except if… her eyes went wide and she stared at Taryn. Taryn stared back at her calmly.
“Taryn…”Sakura whispered.
“Say nothing,” Taryn warned her.
“But you…”
“Don’t Sakura,” Taryn threatened.
Sakura glanced at Kakashi who was still in discussion with Naruto. “You shouldn’t be fighting,” she told Taryn.
“I have no choice,” Taryn said while crawling to her feet.
“What do you mean?” Sakura asked.
“Taryn,” Kakashi interrupted, “are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” she answered while giving Sakura a warning glare.
“What were you doing here with Sasuke?” Naruto asked.
“Nothing,” Taryn said, “I ran into him by accident.”
Naruto gave her a skeptical look. She was obviously lying.
“There’s nothing we can do now,” Kakashi said, “we have other things on our mind now. We need to get that girl to Konoha for interrogation. And then we have to meet the others at the campment.” He sighed. “Naruto, go with Yamato and Sakura, back to the village. Take the girl with you. Taryn, come with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said, “I have my own scores to settle.”
“Taryn this is not the time for personal affairs…”
“I have to do this…”
“Because of a promise you made to Itachi?” Kakashi asked calmly.
“No!” Taryn hissed, “because it is not too late yet. If only I can get him away from Madara…”
“Madara will kill you,” Kakashi said.
Taryn shook her head. “No, he won’t.”
“How can you be so certain?”
“Because he still wants something from me. And he needs me alive to get it.”
“What does he want?”
Taryn shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. You should go to the campment.”
“Taryn…”
“We don’t have time to argue Kakashi. The longer we wait, the more distance they gain on us. I can take care of myself.” She glanced at Karin. “Her name is Karin. She was one of Orochimaru’s subordinates before she joined Sasuke. If you want to get information from her, she needs medical attention. You need to leave now.”
“She’s right, Kakashi,” Yamato commented, “besides, you’re Hokage now. They need you at the front.”
Kakashi sighed in defeat. “Alright,” he said, “be careful.”
Taryn nodded and vanished. Kakashi rubbed his neck and turned to the others. He suddenly realized what had to be done. It wasn’t going to be easy. “Yamato,” he said, “when you’re done in Konoha, I need you to bring Naruto. When we retrieve the eight tails, there’s somewhere they need to go.” He looked at Naruto who stared at him confused. Kakashi took a deep breath. “It’s time you learn how to control the nine tails.”