A Growing Affection

Chapter 24: The Brothers' War Part I

"Are you sure?" Suigetsu sounded dubious as he observed the ruined mansion. Karin snarled, and threw a kunai at him. Out of deference to Sasuke and his plans, she missed on purpose.

"Are you sure, Karin?" Sasuke asked, his voice more neutral.

"Of course, Sasuke-sama," she smiled confidently, "That first stop was just to get his scent. Tracking by chakra isn't easy, and your brother's traces are still strongest around the Hidden Leaf Village. But the trail is strong here, and recent. If he isn't here now, he was in the last two days."

"Good," Uchiha reached out and squeezed her shoulder familiarly. Her smile turned lecherous, and she reached back to grab his thigh. He gave her a slightly annoyed look, and whispered, "Not now."

Regretfully, she stopped short

"If you two are done..." the shark-toothed swordsman grimaced. Karin shot him another murderous look, but considering what was coming, did not waste any more weapons.

The trio crept towards the home, keeping to the tree line as long as they could. When they could no longer hide, they darted to the broken doorway at their top speed. Karin and Sasuke passed the portal first, and had to wait a quarter of a second for Suigetsu.

"What the f...?" the swordsman's outburst was cut off by a look from Sasuke. The ruined outside was a front, concealing a slightly smaller, heavily fortified building.

"An Akatsuki hidey-hole?" the Mist Rogue whispered.

"Not Akatsuki," Karin was quiet, but for a different reason. She pointed to the symbol on the wall. It was a fan, red on the top and white on the bottom.

"Uchiha," she concluded. Sasuke walked slowly over to the wall, activating his Sharingan. He touched the hidden triggers, invisible to normal eyes. There was a loud rumbling, and a portion of the wall slid inwards.

"No way they didn't hear that," the shark-tooth shinobi drew Zabuza's massive sword with his right hand, and one of Raiga's hooked blades with his left. Sasuke continued in, but Suigetsu hesitated, and Karin pushed him into the dimly lit antechamber. After their eyes adjusted, Uchiha's companions saw an imposing figure, blocking the hallway leading further into the shelter.

"Heh," Kisame's grunt was almost like a laugh, "I didn't think you'd be this stupid, but I should have known better than to bet against Itachi."

"So, I have to go through you to get to my brother," Sasuke said.

"No," the shark-skinned renegade stepped aside, "You are free to go. I'm here for them."

He pointed to Suigetsu, and leered at Karin.

"Though if Itachi is right again, it's ironically redundant, because they are here for me."

Sasuke nodded, and walked forward.

"What, that's it?" Suigetsu groused.

"This was the plan," their cold leader shot back, "What more do you want?"

"Well," the Mist ninja was put off balance, "Just don't get yourself killed. That's my pleasure."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that," Kisame told his former ally smugly, "One way or the other."

Sasuke snorted derisively, and continued. Then he stopped, for a reason he did not understand, and looked back at Karin. She was surprised by this, but waved him on as if annoyed. The last Uchiha tread down the narrow corridor, and disappeared into the darkness.

"Now those blades look familiar," Kisame remarked, "But I don't think you've earned them, boy."

Sasuke passed the empty rooms, ignoring all of the potential history around him. He could sense his enemy before him, and would not be delayed. He dimly recognized the layout of the building as a he turned a corner, and knew where Itachi was leading him.