Chapter 200: The Awaited Meeting?
Disclaimer:
Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 200: The Awaited Meeting?
Before them stood the figures of Sasuke and Kabuto.
The former had changed quite a bit over the last three years. He was taller, more muscular. His hair was longer, and the intricate purple and black robes he wore gave him a mature look. The moment he spotted them, Sasuke's hand moved to the handle of the long sword at his hip, giving him an air of danger and wariness.
The latter had not changed at all. He looked exactly the same as Naruto last saw him, except for the different clothes. The moment he saw them, his expression changed to one of displeasure and when his eyes landed on Naruto, this ones became filled with anger.
Next to Kabuto was a small child with long dark green hair. Judging by his posture and expression, it was easy to assume he was there against his will, even if they hadn't heard his earlier pleas.
"Sasuke, I finally found you!" Right now, Kakashi's attention was solely focused on his former student.
No matter how calm and composed he liked to appear, it was clear that this encounter had shaken him emotionally.
Yamato's eyes darted between Kabuto and Sasuke, waiting for instructions on how to approach the situation. A wrong move could put the child's life in jeopardy. Even though protecting him wasn't part of their mission, they couldn't let an innocent civilian get hurt.
Naruto observed Sasuke closely and noticed something odd. His posture and general demeanor were different from what he remember.
This wouldn't be too strange after such a long time apart, but what surprised Naruto was that his demeanor felt familiar, it reminded him of someone he had seen before and must have left a strong impression on him.
Sasuke didn't seem to react strongly upon seeing his old allies from Konoha. He discreetly turned to Kabuto and whispered something.
"You sure?" Kabuto looked at him with concern.
"Just do what I say." Sasuke's tone turned quickly to irritation.
Kabuto didn't dare to argue further. Before anyone could react, he grabbed the young boy and moved away.
"Hey!, hold on!" Yamato made an attempt to go after Kabuto, but Sasuke stepped into his path.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," the black-haired boy said, his hand still on the hilt of his sword. "If its a fight you are looking for, then I will be your oponent."
Feeling an inexplicable sense of dread, Yamato hurriedly stepped back. "What the…" He could not explain why, but he a tremendous danger when standing this close to Sasuke.
Kakashi was the next to act. "Sasuke…" He appeared at Sasuke's side. "What do you think you're doing?"
Sasuke turned to look at Kakashi. "If it isn't my sensei. How are things going in Konoha?"
His face didn't show any emotions, making it difficult for Kakashi to discern the intention behind his words. Was he being sincere or mocking him?.
Kakashi glared at him in response. "Sasuke… you betrayed me, your teammates, and the village. I'm afraid that I need a proper explanation." His hand tightened around a kunai.
"An explanation? You already know what I'm after… you always knew, didn't you?" Sasuke asked innocently.
"Revenge and power? Are those really the only things you care about?" Kakashi raised his voice. "What about Sakura?!"
Sasuke stepped back, visibly shaken at the mention of that name. "Sakura… that was…"
Finally seeing a reaction in the boy, Kakashi pressed on. "You killed her with the jutsu I taught you." his tone was accusatory.
Sasuke shook his head. "No… that was… I didn't mean to…"
"Sasuke…" Kakashi carefully observed his former student's response. He hadn't expected him to show such remorse but was secretly glad that he did. Perhaps there was still hope for Sasuke.
Yamato remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the moment. He knew Kakashi had been waiting for this confrontation for years.
Naruto, however, was focused on something else. There was definitely something very different about this Sasuke.
"Come back to the village with us," Kakashi finally said. "We can discuss your punishment with the Hokage. I'll speak on your behalf."
"I… I don't know. I work for Lord Orochimaru now. I owe him too much," Sasuke replied, taking another step back.
"You don't owe him anything!. He deceived you, Sasuke. He's a master manipulator who took advantage of you," Kakashi argued, stepping closer.
"Can I really come back?" Sasuke glanced at Kakashi before looking away. "I… don't know. I've done too many bad things already…"
"Kakashi…" Yamato's instincts flared with a sense of danger. Something was wrong.
But Kakashi didn't notice. He placed a reassuring hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "It's not too late to make things right. You can start by coming back home."
"Sensei… I…" Sasuke gently clutched Kakashi's sleeve, his head bowed. "I don't know what to say, except…"
When Sasuke looked back up, Kakashi realized his mistake...but it was too late.
Sasuke's mouth opened, and a blade shot out at lightning speed, aimed directly at Kakashi's face.
The jonin couldn't move, as Sasuke had effectively restrained him with more than just his hands, but had also done something to prevent him from using his chakra.
The blade was less than an inch from Kakashi's mask when a pair of sandals deflected its path.
Kakashi caught a fleeting glimpse of Naruto, who used one foot to kick the blade away and the other to strike Sasuke's face, sending him flying into the nearby lake.
"Naruto!" Kakashi exclaimed, catching his breath.
"Kakashi!" Yamato joined them. "That's not Sasuke!"
The copy ninja, though emotional, wasn't blind to the truth anymore.
Sasuke leaped out of the water and landed back on the shore, cradling his cheek. "Naruto… that's no way to treat your beloved teammate."
"You're…" Kakashi stared in shock as Sasuke's countenance began to change.
Sasuke's features contorted into a familiar cruel grin as he glanced at Kakashi. "Kukuku, how were my acting skills, sensei?" His tongue slithered out like a snake, licking his lips.
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