Journey of Discovery

Chapter 5 - Getting Answers

"Papa please wait!" She yelled as she ran after him. He was much faster than her but she knew deep down exactly where he was heading; Orochimaru's lab.

At the speed he was moving they made it there in no time. Sasuke kicked the door open, not bothering to use his manners.

"Orochimaru!" He yelled as he walked down the hallway. The man in question poked his head out of one of the lab rooms. "Ahh, Sasuke. It's been too long" he said before disappearing out of sight again.

Sasuke stormed into the room and grabbed Orochimaru by the back of the neck to slam him down , face first, and held him against the table.

"Who do you think you are giving my child access to a Forbidden Jutsu!?" He said through bared teeth.

"Don't get mad at me because I told your daughter what you couldn't" and he smirked which made Sasuke's rage burn even hotter. Sasuke picked him up and slammed back down against the table. Every item on it shook from the force. "You have no right!"

"Papa stop!" She begged.

"Stay out of this Sarada!" He ordered as he lifted Orochimaru to look him in the face.

"I will not let you corrupt my child like you did me" he told him in a deadly whisper. "You're lucky she's here or my Chidori would be through your chest right now." Then he shoved him backwards.

He walked over to where his daughter stood and held out his hand, "Come on, I have something I want to talk to you about." And they left the lab.

Sasuke led his daughter to the nearby river dock, somewhere they could have some privacy and be able to speak freely. They each sat on the edge of the dock, feet just above the water's surface, silence between them.

"Sarada, do you know why I did. . .what I did?"

"You mean just now? Or?

"Or."

She looked up and met her father's eyes and shook her head. "I only saw what he did to grandmother and grandfather" she answered quietly.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand down his face. "I can't believe you saw that" he whispered to himself.

"You mean just now? Or?"

"Both."

She sat quietly, patiently waiting to see where Sasuke was going with this. Surely she was going to be in some kind of trouble.

"Sarada, while what you saw then was true, that's not the full story. There's much more to tell. Things I didn't know until after his death."

She could hear the sadness in his voice, the longing.

"Itachi was manipulated by members under the Hokage. They made him believe that killing our clan was the only way to achieve peace in the village."

"Why didn't he kill you then?"

Sasuke took a deep breath, "He couldn't. He loved me too much."

"So then, what happened after you unlocked your Mangekyo?" She asked.

"You saw that too?"

"Yeah" she said quietly, "when you were on the beach. You were crying."

"That's after I learned everything." He looked out over the water, thinking. "What else do you want to know Sarada?"

She thought about it for a moment, he seemed to be in a telling mood. "I want to know something good that happened to you after that." While she did have many many other questions, she felt both of them could use some cheering up.

The corner of his mouth tugged up slightly, "Okay something good." Then he got to his feet, holding his hand out to Sarada. "How about I just show you."

She took his hand and gave him a questioning look as she stood. "What do you mean?"

"The Jutsu Sarada."

"Are-are you sure? I mean- I mean you were mad that I used it."

"I was angry Orochimaru gave you access to a Forbidden Jutsu. I was angry with myself for keeping this from you and pushing you to the point where you had to go to someone else for answers."

She stared at him in awe. This was all she ever wanted from her father; to know more about her and her clan. She had always believed that this Jutsu would be the only way she would get answers.

A smile spread across her face, "Really?"

"Yes Sarada. I'll show you something good. Then, we can get answers to any questions you might still have."

She showed him the hand signs he needed to make. "Then you just have to think of what you want to see."

He nodded in understanding and did just as he was instructed before they were enveloped in darkness.

• • • • •

When Sarada opened her eyes she didn't recognize where she was. It was dark and damp, the walls and floors made of stone. The only light came from torches along the walls.

She was looking around when she heard a woman cry out, followed by the sounds of a baby. She looked to her father, "Where are we Papa?"

He put his arm around her shoulders and guided her down the hall into a room on the left. She peeked around the doorway to see a woman lying on the table.

She gasped when she realized it was her mother. Sasuke carried a newborn in his arms and laid it on Sakura's chest before bending over and resting his forehead against hers, tears flowing down his cheeks.

Sarada could see the happiness and love in his body language. She looked up to her father and he was smiling.

"You said you wanted to see something happy. Go on, get closer" he encouraged. She hesitated for a moment but walked to stand next to her mother. She saw herself in her arms; tiny, pink, and a mess of black hair.

"What should we name her?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke reached over and rubbed a finger over her pink cheek and smiled, "Sarada. Sarada Uchiha."

She turned and looked to her father, "So this is your happy moment?"

He hugged her close, "This is my happiest moment Sarada."

"So where are we anyways? Why aren't we in the village?"

He chuckled, "This is Orochimaru's hideout. Just outside the village. Your mother and I were traveling together when she became pregnant, we tried to make it back in time but didn't. This was better than out in the woods."

"You ne-"

"Never told you? Yeah, that was your mother's decision. She was furious about this." He laughed to himself from the memory.