Ripples

Chapter 18

                               Truth

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Sakura was now quite confident she was beyond shocked and in some emotional realm never charted by human beings. But at the same time, she knew whatever confusion she felt couldn't hold a candle to what Sasuke was feeling.

Itachi had killed the whole clan...on orders?

"There was a problem in Konoha...a problem that stretches back to the day it was founded," Madara narrated. "Itachi was used to 'correct' that problem."

"What proof do we have that you're telling the truth?" Sakura asked, unable to help herself from pointing out the obvious.

Though the mask prevented her from seeing Madara's expression, Sakura could practically feel a chill creep down her spine. Apparently he didn't like being interrupted.

Sasuke shifted minutely, muscles coiling, readying for action. Ready to fly at Madara if he made any move towards Sakura. He glared at the spiral surface of the Akatsuki's mask, trying to communicate that he had been completely serious when he threatened him earlier. He didn't care how exhausted he was or what information this man promised – if Madara harmed Sakura, he was a dead man.

The elder Uchiha seemed to realize this, because he resumed speaking without making any sort of move towards the medic.

"I have no proof," he admitted. "It's your decision to believe me or not. But just hear me out – that's all I ask."

Sakura didn't say a word . Sure, she was curious, but this decision was entirely in Sasuke's hands – she didn't have the right to make it for him. There was a moment of silence, then she felt Sasuke nod slowly against her.

"Alright, tell us."

His voice sounded firm, but Sakura couldn't help but notice that one of his arms had disengaged from the blanket to slip around her waist, holding onto her as a child might clutch a stuffed toy for comfort.

Whatever indifference he might pretend, she could tell Sasuke was honestly scared of what he was about to hear.

Sasuke knew that, under normal circumstances, he would probably be rather embarrassed by the way he was clinging to Sakura. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be clinging to Sakura in the first place.

But these weren't normal circumstances. He felt as though he was teetering on the edge of some sort of mental cliff and when he fell...he didn't know what would happen. Holding Sakura like this made him feel calmer somehow, more in control of himself.

He listened to Madara tell them about the time when ninja organisations were just individual clans who acted as mercenaries. But there were two who were proclaimed as the strongest – the Uchiha and the Senju of the forest. Even among the Uchiha, Madara was considered to be unusually powerful – the fact that he had survived so long was living proof of that. He gained the Mangekyou Sharingan and then used his brother's eyes to make it permanent (as Itachi had said) and became the leader of the Uchiha clan.

And in a time when each clan's skill was given to the highest bidder, it was inevitable that he clashed with the leader of the Senju clan – Hashirama.

'I know that name,' Sakura thought, consulting her formidable memory in an attempt to pin down where she'd heard it. 'Wasn't that the name of the First Hokage?'