R E S I S T A N C E

O R O C H I M A R U

Ayuka's POV

My mouth hung slightly agape as I stared at the Uchiha crest on Sasuke's back.

He was going to bring Lord Orochimaru back? But... how? Why? 

Did he really need his help for this? Surely we could figure out the scroll ourselves if we just took some time to read it thoroughly. I had a good bit of knowledge regarding summoning just from working under the snake sanin in the past, but I suppose Sasuke was always a bit too impatient when it came to things like this.

I closed my mouth slowly and looked towards my feet. This whole ordeal was becoming far too much for my conflicted brain to handle.

When I was finally able to feel Sasuke's chakra below us, I made a vow not to speak a word to him. I still was unsure of how I felt, or how I should feel where he was concerned. Part of me wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. That part of me wanted to trust him and believe that he had good intentions. That part of me was still drawn to him, and wanted nothing more than to stand by his side no matter what. But the other part of me, the one that acted as my voice of reason, was not so sure. 

How could I allow myself to follow someone who was so willing to toss his comrades aside? How could I trust someone who was so deep in the darkness that they reveled in it? 

How could I...?

Once I laid my eyes on him at last, I felt my heart swell in my chest. He appeared the same, and yet, also so different. His hair had grown longer, straighter, since we last met, with it falling in his face no matter how he tilted his head. His eyes searched me immediately upon our arrival, and they seemed to be just as conflicted as mine were. They seemed lost, completely unsure of what to do next, and that uncertainty almost convinced me of my decision.

Almost.

As soon as his eyes saw what was written in that scroll, he returned to his darker self. He was going to bring Lord Orochimaru back, and that was a decision that I simply couldn't get behind.

"But what do you mean? 'See' Orochimaru?" Suigetsu's voice caused me to lift my head and watch as sweat ran down his brow. "Who is this all-knowing person?!"

"You don't need to know," Sasuke's cold reply echoed through the cave.

"What? I don't get it," Suigetsu wiped his face with his palm in aggravation. "In any case, Orochimaru must never be resurrected! You probably want to ask him for help in using the power of the scroll, right? Just give it time and you'll figure it out! That's why we looked for you and--"

"There are still things only Orochimaru can do," Sasuke cut him off, clearly losing his patience.

I shook my head at his stubbornness, subconsciously pushing memories of Orochimaru out of my mind every time his name was mentioned.

"Sasuke, tell me," Suigetsu's voice grew more alarmed with every passing second. "You were Orochimaru's favorite pupil, right? So why can't you--!"

"Suigetsu!" Sasuke yelled, glaring over his shoulder as he walked over to Jugo. "Listen."

"Huh? What is it?!"

"Don't underestimate Orochimaru," Sasuke spoke slowly, as if trying to insult Suigetsu's intelligence.

His face went pale, matching the color of his hair almost exactly and I took that as a sign to make my way over to him.

"You idiot!" Suigetsu yelled, flailing his arms. "I don't underestimate him! It's the exact opposite!"

Sasuke began obviously ignoring his outbursts as he instructed Jugo to place the women down onto the floor again, but that didn't hinder Suigetu's mouth.