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And So It Begins

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The sun rises on the horizon, and golden petals stretch outwards into the rich blue.

Inside the Uchiha household, Sasuke is gearing up in his bedroom. It seems no one is stopping him, especially his friends, Itachi, and Misa. He discussed his vengeance on Danzo, not agreeing that all nations would become allied with him. It's not going to be a peaceful conference, that's for sure.

Sasuke wipes his sword clean with a cloth and notices the moon necklace tied on the handle. It represents his and Misa's love. He puts the fabric down to touch the shiny charm. His dark eyes softened. There were some things he missed about his old life.

Joy, harmony, and companionship.

The youth is nothing compared to where he is now.

Sasuke believes the older he gets, the more he realizes life is not always bright and pure. He begins to notice that with Misa. She is losing her cheerful spirit. Her smile falters, her responses are not enthusiastic, and her beautiful face is more grim. But the last thing Sasuke wants after everything is to see Misa happy again.

He then brings it back to the present. He continues to pack his supplies, mainly weapons and warm clothes. The young Uchiha will be traveling to the Land of Snow. He remembers hearing stories from Misa about the small village's eternal winter. For someone who grew up in a warm atmosphere, Sasuke will most likely complain about it.

"Wow, you look like you're going on an adventure."

Itachi leans against the doorframe with his arms crossed. A smirk is graced on his face. His gaze lands on the moon necklace. "I've seen Misa wearing one like that." He indicates the item.

Sasuke tells him. "I gave it as a birthday gift and she did the same for me."

Itachi chuckles. "You two are a match made in heaven." He walks into the room. He also heard a groan of annoyance. It's always entertaining, well, for Itachi, to go all sappy with Sasuke.

The older Uchiha will admit his baby brother is the biggest tsundere. One moment he is uptight and stoic and next he is gentle and kind. Itachi stood next to Sasuke to place a hand on his right shoulder. "Be careful out there. I know you have your squad, but you must be prepared for what's coming. And I don't want to lose you." He looks deep into his other blood's eyes with tense emotions.

What more can Itachi take after so many years of suffering?

As a promise, Sasuke says, "I won't leave you alone. It'll never be that way." He hopes for more time with Itachi and to experience bliss. Then he jolts when his brother pokes his forehead with his index and middle finger.

Itachi's lips etched a tender smile. "I know you won't. If you need me, send a message bird and I will help you in a heartbeat." He reassured Sasuke.

With a short nod, "Thank you." The little brother appreciates him.

Sasuke is ready to head out, after packing his materials in a backpack and a black cloak over himself. He bids Itachi a goodbye and then exits his home. Sasuke comes face-to-face with Team Taka. He strides his legs so he can stand in front of them. It's time to be the leader again.

Suigetsu smirks, "Wow, look at you. Leader-sama is all high and mighty now." His sharp lavender eyes look at the raven. It's giving him the same memory when he first met Sasuke. Except this goal is completely different.

Sasuke explains to his group before leaving the village. "Remember. We cannot let anyone notice us. If we have to fight, then don't hesitate. I understand we shouldn't add more casualties, but I want all of us to get out of there alive. Our goal is to exile that man. Understood?" He ends it sternly. Team Taka matters to Sasuke because they're like family, a pretty twisted one.

"Alrighty, then, leader-sama," Suigetsu says while still smirking because he is thrilled about the action.

"Rest assured," Jugo replied in short.

"Will do, Sasuke." Karin nodded her head.

After receiving their obliges, Sasuke makes a small countdown in his head before telling them to scatter. He hopes Misa and the rest will be safe once he is gone.

"Let's go!" Sasuke hollers and the group make their way out of Konoha.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

It felt like a fresh breath of air.

Sasuke doesn't remember the last time he traveled into the world. He sees the beautiful nature surrounding him and the luminous sun in the cerulean sky. He also thought about taking Misa everywhere in the world. They might find more places they've never known existed—maybe hidden islands or long-lost villages.

Despite traveling for nearly an hour, Sasuke misses Misa. He is used to seeing her daily and having her in his arms. But he knows she is feeling the same way.

As much as he loves her wholeheartedly, Sasuke is glad Misa didn't come along. Her life is super precious to him. Sasuke will risk it all if he needs to. Plus, he doesn't want her to get a criminal record. She has given a new nickname, "Konoha's Angel" which is so corny, yet he agrees. Misa is one, except she is his angel.

Team Taka continues to head north and they begin to feel a sudden change in the weather. It's getting cold.

Now and then, they would take breaks to catch their breaths. Especially Suigetsu who gets dehydrated so fast that it does make Sasuke question whether he needs the whole water in the world to stay alive. When nightfall arrives, the team decides to camp in the wilderness. To their surprise, they haven't come across anyone yet. No one wanted to jinx it, which is a relief.

They sat around the campfire and ate their dinner, which were bento boxes.

"Yo, Sasuke. Anything happened between you and MiMi-chan?" Suigetsu asked out of the blue. It sounds like another bonding session.

The Uchiha munches on his riceball. He looks at his teammates and they have their eyes on him. Should he tell them about his engagement? He hasn't given it out to anyone yet. After she told her father, Misa also announced it to Reiko and Koichi, which surprised and confused them. But in the end, they all accepted it.

"Yes, there is. We are engaged."

In unison, they all have flabbergasted expressions. Sasuke looks at them and chuckles deeply. "Surprised?" He questioned.

Karin and Suigetsu yell out loud, "Hell yeah we are!"

While Jugo smiles proudly.

Karin claps her hands and fat tears run down her face. "Congratulations! When is the wedding?!" She asked with sniffles.

Before Sasuke could answer to Karin, Suigetsu utters, "Wait. Aren't you two underage? Don't you have to be adults?" He doesn't see an engagement ring on Sasuke's left hand.

To clarify, Sasuke explained he would much rather spend the rest of his life with Misa. The public will see them as young love with a questionable relationship. But it didn't matter for them because it's not every day you see the Uchiha Sasuke smiling or clinging to a girl who can make him listen and lose his brooding persona. He wasn't expecting many people to like him—for instance, Misa's family.

"I know it's terrible of me not to ask for their blessings before the proposal. Hopefully, they won't attack me." Sasuke spoke without sarcasm because he wanted to continue living.

Suigetsu laughs merrily. "Wow! You are something else! Seeing the new you is a bit jarring. I don't know if I'll get used to it." He wonders if the other Sasuke is still there.

Karin puts on a grin. "To me, you are still the same. You just changed mentally." She can pinpoint the subtle alternations of Sasuke's behavior. He is not much of a ruthless shinobi. Even though she had a mega crush on him, Karin can see how Misa makes Sasuke happy.

Jugo then speaks, "Again, congratulations. Let's hope for more better days to come once we finish everything. I do want to have a happy ending in my life." He is very open to expressing his desires. A man like him faced multiple obstacles and is still searching for peace.

To end the night on a good note, Sasuke affirms. "We all will have our happy endings. I understand it'll take time than ever, but don't give up hope." It astonishes him how Kakashi taught him moral lessons and he is following it. Of course, his brother, best friends, and lover did help him, but Sasuke wasn't expecting to have another role model aside from Itachi.

After a pleasant rest and a new day arrives, they're not stopping. The summit is in twenty-four hours and the Kages are traveling at the same time as them.

Several hours later, Sasuke tells his team to take a break because they've been on their feet since the morning. He sees them landing on the ground to sit themselves down. He decides to stand on a branch of a tree. Sasuke takes a deep breath and a small mist escapes his mouth. To test the waters, he let out his hand to feel a cold air brush against his flesh.

They're close to the Land of Snow.

Miles away, he spots a blanket of snow on the mountains.

Sasuke takes a seat on the branch to open his bag. He pulls out a scarf made by Misa. She gave one to Naruto before he left with Jiraiya a few years ago. His scarf has his favorite color with the Uchiha crest on the ends. Of course, Sasuke told Misa he loved it, plus, it was soft and smelled like jasmine tea. The raven wrapped it around his neck and dug his face into the knitted fabric.

"Cute scarf."

He heard Suigetsu's comment, who was standing in front of him with his usual snarky grin. Sasuke told him that Misa gifted him it. Suigetsu sighed, "I wish I had someone as perfect as Misa-chan." He pouts with his fang sticking out of his upper lip.

"Like anyone would bother to have you." Karin joins in with a spiteful response.

Suigetsu chuckles slyly, "The same goes for you."

The redhead healer groans and clenches her hands into fists. She is not in the mood to beat his ass.

Jugo jumps on the branch to be with his teammates. "What do we do once we get there?" He asked Sasuke. A gust of cold air blows on them. Suigetsu shivers with his shark-like teeth chattering. Karin embraces herself with her arms. Jugo has enough body heat to keep himself warm, so that's an advantage for being a buff giant.

Sasuke gives a brief explanation. "There is a village we can stay in overnight, and tomorrow we'll sneak into the place. As always, get prepared and we'll leave our message loud and clear." He reminded the three and they nodded their heads.

Abruptly, Karin thought of something. "What if it doesn't go as planned?" She knows it's a straightforward task but suspicions could occur. Sasuke responded firmly, "We'll make a plan on the spot. Anyone who chooses to interfere will receive the same treatment." He is not backing out until he has Danzo's blood on his hands.

Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu could see the heat of anger in their leader's eyes.

The other Sasuke is still in him.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

As expected, he wouldn't survive the cold. But he has to admit, the snow is beautiful. Sasuke and his friends are in the land where Misa was born.

It's like any other village, but a different lifestyle. Team Taka notices people of all ages dressed in heavy clothes, the buildings are small yet have shops, restaurants, and entertainment, and a lot have oil heaters to keep everyone warm. Sasuke looks around the area and his dark orbs land on a bakery. Misa once mentioned going to her favorite bakery when she used to live here and Sasuke just found it.

"Ahh, finally some toasty air! I thought I was going to end up as an iceberg!" Suigetsu slumped on the futon and his body felt rejuvenated with the much warmer atmosphere.

"I wished you did," Karin mutters but Suigetsu's strong hearing catches it while putting her stuff on the floor.

"Oi! Can you be nice for once?" The swordsman whines.

"No." The kunoichi responded with no hesitation.

Suigetsu groans and rolls on his side to take a nap. Jugo exhales and sits down with his back against the wall. "Interestingly, a village like this has eternal winter," He says, craning his neck to look through the frosted window.

The snow is a beauty to the eye. They're freshly fallen from the sky with a mysterious no ending.

Sasuke checks the sun from the window to see if it's close to evening. It seems like the sunset is almost present. "Stay here. I'll need some privacy and be back before night." He informs his team and leaves the ryokan where they're staying.

The Uchiha heads to an empty spot where he only sees the snow and trees. It comes to Sasuke's impression about why many people don't know about this village.

Isolated yet unique.

Sasuke wonders if Misa enjoyed living here.

He sets him down on the snow and leans against a tree. The young shinobi grabs his small notebook from his bag. As promised, he writes a message to Itachi.

It's Sasuke.

If you're reading this now, my team and I are in the Land of Snow. We haven't been spotted by rogues yet and will not let our guard down. Everyone is safe, for now. But if you think we need help, you might as well get over here. I'm ending it here. As a favor, tell Misa her home is beautiful and I would like to go again but with her.

Sasuke finished his message and created hand symbols to summon a crow. He tears out the note and rolls it up. He places it into a small and gently straps it around the bird's neck. "Go," Sasuke demands and watches it fly into the sky.

"Itachi's dear little brother has arrived. Who would've thought he would go after Danzo without your help."

A light male voice speaks far away and Sasuke doesn't notice them.

"He is on the right pathway. We'll give him a special appearance after everything."

A much deeper voice replies to the non-human shinobi.

Obito and White Zetsu have followed Sasuke's footsteps since Pain's assault. They'll be enjoying the show tomorrow.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

When returning to the group, Sasuke was kind enough to bring them food to dine on.

They appreciate him because he is their savior. From freeing them to living a life they never knew they needed. It's magnificent in a way.

Eventually, they rested in one big room as the oil heater warmed the cold atmosphere. Sasuke hears Suigetsu snoring while Karin and Jugo are sleeping in silence. It reminded him of the moments when Team Seven went on missions and they had to share a space for sleeping.

He even remembered the time when they tried unmasking Kakashi. It irks him that he still hasn't seen that man's face years later.

Sasuke rolls onto his back to look at the ceiling. It sounds sappy, but he wants to have those moments again. They were precious.

The raven turns his head a little at his sword lying next to him. Sasuke reaches for the moon charm to touch it for luck. His eyes slowly close and his subconscious takes over him. Sasuke will forever be dreaming about Misa.

The night passes, and the world welcomes a brand new day. It's finally time.

"I'm still tired." Suigetsu yawns loudly. Karin scolds him, "Well, get over it! We have to be on schedule!"

At the peak of dawn, Team Taka left the ryokan, ate a little bit, and went straight to the trail that leads to the castle where the meeting was being held. Their feet crush the heavy snow, leaving tracks behind. They also have the hoodie of their cloaks over their heads to hide their identities. Everyone is being as vigilant as possible.

It may be like nothing is around them, but they can't always trust a quiet place.

Subsequently, Sasuke's gaze detects the peak of the castle. "We're close to it. Make sure to mask out your chakra." He notified Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu. The trio nodded at their leader's demand.

Sasuke takes a deep breath and speaks, "Let's do this." At once, they sprinted their legs and hopped down the snowy hills.

Karin uses her sensory ability to find anyone around the castle. She tells the guys there are samurais inside and outside the building, but there is a clear entrance on the top level. Karin leads them and they all make it to the castle.

It's dark with endless hallways like they are in a loop.

Sasuke uses hand signals to have the three hide behind a ginormous pillar. He looks carefully and sees no one on the same level as them. In a quiet voice, Sasuke converses on what to do next. "On my signal, Karin will give me directions to the meeting room, and Jugo and Suigetsu will stay here making sure the samurais don't get in our way. Understood?" He asserted and they perceived his plan.

If only that were to happen.

After minutes of waiting, Karin jolts which alarmed the guys. Sasuke looks at her concerned. "What's wrong, Karin?" He asked.

Her red eyebrows furrowed. "For some reason, the samurais are coming close to our spot." She stated. Her friends became appalled like her.

Suigetsu grits his teeth. "What the hell? We didn't do anything." He is correct. They haven't made a sudden move yet.

Jugo turns his attention to Sasuke. "Someone has been following us, right under our noses all along." He assumes and it makes perfect sense.

The Uchiha's handsome face draws a deep frown. Who or what dared to follow them?

"Karin check the castle as much as you can." Sasuke kept his calm while directing orders. Instantly, the kunoichi focuses on the chakra points on every floor. Soon enough, she found the meeting room. Karin felt all of the Kage's and Danzo's presence. However, there is an extra one and it's not nice.

Karin informs the guys, "I found our answer. I saw an intruder in the meeting room."

That intruder turned out to be White Zetsu.

Even though Sasuke has times when he is not angry by interferences, this one makes his blood boil with rage.

"Alright, then. We have to change plans now." He has to make them concentrate before everything hits the roof.

Shortly, Sasuke removes his cloak to reveal his presence to the samuaris. He pinned it with a kunai knife on the pillar. Jugo, Suigetsu, and Karin dash to the upper level without getting caught.

A samurai sees the piece of clothing from the pillar. They ran to it and were tricked when they saw no one. "They're gone." The samurai said, but unfortunately, gets ambushed by Sasuke from behind and knocks unconscious. It brought attention to the samurais when he revealed himself to them with his haunting Mangekyo Sharingan staring at them intensely.

"I'm very irritated right now. If you attack, I'll show no mercy."

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Author's Note
i have returned baby!! 😝 i decided why not make this a longer and stronger update bc it has been months and yes i understand and i apologize for leaving you all in the dark 🥲 but yesss indeed sasuke is finally going to take down danzo, obito will play a bigger part of the story soon, and white zetsu's first appearance is here! kinda sad that misa wasn't in this chapter but our girl will comeback eventually 😉💫 plus we have more team taka moments which was very wholesome and sweet to write about them. i strongly hope to get into the war arc before the year ends and ofc i'll try not overwhelm myself 🤍 and just have a good time with this story bc i truly enjoy creating my stories and i appreciate the ones for sharing the luv and support 🤗 that is all for now so see you all on the next chapter! 💗✨