I'll Be Right Here with You

Chapter 22: Team 7 Reunited

Sasuke's pov

I looked down at where Tobi was standing over Danzo's body.

"You've overused your visual powers. If you keep pushing yourself too hard, you'll just end up shooting yourself in the leg," he said. "Your eyes are losing their light. What do you think you can do by yourself? In order to achieve your goals, patience is also important. Sasuke, a word of advice... That woman... If you don't need her anymore, then finish her off. She knows too much about us."

"'Us'? Since when did I become one of your friends?"

"Heh. Suit yourself," he replied. "We'll meet again."

He teleported himself away.

Hanako's pov

I sat in the teleportation dimension, waiting.

It'd been over an hour since I last saw them.

Maybe they forgot about me?

As soon as that thought popped into my head, Tobi landed in front of me.

"Come on," he said, reaching his hand out.

I took it, this time with no hesitation.

We teleported back to the hideout.

"Where's Sasuke?" I asked, immediately.

"You'll see him soon," was the only reply.

Sasuke's pov

I looked down at Karin and activated my Chidori.

"Goodbye."

I was about to hit her with it when I heard someone call my name.

"Sasuke-kun!"

I turned around and saw Sakura standing at the other side of the bridge.

"Sakura? For what purpose did you come before me?"

"Sasuke-kun! I want to follow you! I'm leaving Konoha!" She replied.

I raised my eyebrow slightly.

"What do I gain if you join me?" I asked. "What are you plotting?"

"I'm not planning anything at all. I just always regretted not coming with you when you left Konoha! I'll do anything you want! I don't want to have anymore regrets!" She shouted.

"Do you know what I want?" I said, narrowing my eyes at her.

"I don't care! I'll do exactly as you-"

"I'll destroy Konoha! That's what I want."

I saw the look of shock across her face.

"Would you really betray Konoha for my sake?"

"Yes, if that's what you want from me," she replied.

"Then prove it," I told her. "Finish her off. If you do, I'll believe you.

I pointed down at Karin.

"Who is she?"

"A member of my organization, Taka. As you can see, she's rather useless now," I said. "You're a medical-nin, right? You can take her place. You'll be a good fit."

She jumped across the wide gap in the middle of the bridge and began walking toward Karin slowly.

She stopped when she reached her, clutching a kunai.

Her hesitation was very obvious.

"What's wrong Sakura?" I taunted. "Can't you do it?"

She just kept standing there, frozen.

I walked behind her, silently.

I raised my arm up.

"Stop it... Sasuke," I heard Karin say.

I activated my Chidori again and brought my arm back down toward Sakura.

Before I could hit her with it, someone grabbed my arm.

I looked up to see who it was.

"How far you've fallen, Sasuke!" Kakashi said, glaring at me.

I aimed a kick at him, but he blocked it and pushed me back.

"It's just one after another," I said, smirking.

Hanako's pov

I was pacing back in forth in the hideout.

"You're going to hurt yourself, if you keep worrying," a voice said.

I turned to see Black Zetsu staring at me.

"You're Zetsu, right?" I said. "What's going on?"

"That you will have to find out later..." He replied.

I felt my temper flare up.

"Why?! It's been nearly two hours since I last saw Sasuke! What happened to him?!"

"He's merely taking a rest," a voice to my right said.

I looked over and saw Tobi leaning back on the wall.

"Just don't ask questions."

Sasuke's pov

I squeezed my eyes shut as an excruciating pain went through my head.

I opened them again and everything looked blurry.

"My vision..."

"Don't!" I heard Kakashi shout.

I sensed Sakura behind me and grabbed her by the neck.

I pulled her kunai out of her hand and nearly stabbed her when suddenly she was out of my grip.

I felt the kunai scratch something and looked up to see Naruto staring back at me.