Ripples

Chapter 7

                         Persuasion

Sasuke surveyed the field scattered with fallen shinobi, feeling a sense of grim satisfaction take root in his chest.

"You didn't kill any of them," Orochimaru mused. "You're too soft."

"They aren't the one I want to kill," he said bluntly.

And it was true. Why kill someone in a training exercise? All his attackers were unconscious – he could kill them at his leisure if he chose, so at this point the killing blow meant nothing. It would be pointless.

"If you don't become merciless, you'll never win against Itachi," Orochimaru commented.

Sasuke said nothing, sheathing his sword and making his way towards the entrance to the underground hideout. It was bewildering to think that Orochimaru saw no difference between killing grunts in some stupid training exercise and cutting down the murderer of his family.

The base they were staying at was much smaller than any of the others, and as such training had to take place above ground. Sasuke passed Kabuto on the way in, ignoring the unpleasant smirk on the medic's face.

"You spend less time training than you used to," the man snickered. "But then, I suppose I would, too, if I had Haruno Sakura waiting for me."

Sasuke stiffened, and wrestled with the impulse to turn back and impress upon Kabuto why he shouldn't make such an insinuation again.

But he knew it was true. His training had suffered ever since Sakura had come along – with her new, sarcastic attitude that could get under his skin faster than a parasite.

And Sasuke wasn't pleased by that. This was why he'd left. Sakura – and Naruto, too – could make him forget his vengeance, could make him think of nothing else but their safety and happiness...and that, he simply couldn't afford.

"It's me!" he barked at the solid wood door to his room, and was rewarded with the sound of a turning key before Sakura threw the door open.

"You know, I've got to be honest...I'm not entirely sure this structure is stable," she informed him, glancing pointedly at the walls braced with huge posts of wood.

"It's fine," Sasuke told her as he began to clean his sword.

The ground here was rather unstable – one reason why this was the smallest of Orochimaru's bases – and so the walls had to be braced so they wouldn't crumble. Many rooms were actually made entirely of wood, their walls used to brace the ceiling.

But this base had been designed well, and in all the times he'd stayed in it there had never been so much as a rumble of shifting earth.

Sakura was tapping the walls, looking them over dubiously, when Sasuke spoke, his voice low as though he didn't want to be overheard.

"I'm going to kill Orochimaru."

Sakura started, whipping in a half-circle to face him.

"What?" she hissed, her voice barely a whisper. If anyone outside heard what they were saying...

"I'm going to kill Orochimaru," Sasuke repeated, wiping his sword and testing the edge of the blade. "So do not venture outside this room – do not open the door to anyone under any circumstances – until I return."