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Besides the fact that he lost his Rinnegan and the powers associated with it, Sasuke considered this loss as a blessing. It was because of his famed Dojutsu that he had to leave behind his family in search of Otsutsuki's remains. So, all in all, Sasuke was internally happy that he was getting the chance to spend his time with his beloved family.
He spent most of his time doing simple domestic work, like cooking, dusting and tending to his small tomato garden. Sakura may be the best medical ninja but domestic work wasn't her forte definitely.
While watering his tomato plants, he suddenly remembered that Sarada had asked him for some clan jutsu books. fortunately or unfortunately for him, the book was in the abandoned Uchiha compound.
The Uchiha Compound wasn't barren per se now, but the main house was still isolated from the others. When Naruto had taken his title as the Hokage, with the Uchiha Patriarch's permission, he had remodelled certain portions of the compound and freed some of the compound for the civilians. The only land which was under the control of the current Uchihas were the main house and the training grounds behind it.
He donned his cloak over his sleeved vest and started wearing his sandals to prepare himself to go to the Uchiha compound and bring the required books.
"Eh, anata. Where are you going?" Sakura's voice came from the kitchen and after a few seconds, she stood near the entrance looking at him.
Wait, wasn't she supposed to be at the hospital? His question must have shown on his face as Sakura grinned at him.
"I have a day off," she clarified.
"Ah, I need to get some books from the compound," he said.
She skipped towards him and gave him a pretty smile (which she knew he was unable to resist). "Ne, can I go with you too?"
Sasuke looked in the direction of the kitchen for a fraction of a second and looked back at her pleading green eyes.
"Sure. But aren't you cooking?" he asked.
"Oh, it's almost done," she said and continued, "Wait for a few minutes and I will be ready."
"Hn," he grunted and walked towards the purple couch to sit on it.
As promised, Sakura came back to the living room within a few minutes. "I am ready. Let's go."
They started walking towards the Uchiha compound silently. He entered the main house and Sakura coughed because of the dust and the musty smell. She looked around the house once he switched on the lights and like always, she walked towards the family photo frame. They had a copy of the same at their place too.
Sasuke walked towards the secret basement where all the clan books were kept. He sorted out the books according to the topics but still didn't find the one he was exactly looking for.
He sensed Sakura's chakra coming towards him even before she entered the basement.
"Anata, did you get the book yet?" She asked.
"Hn." No.
"Are you sure the book is here?"
"Hn." I think so.
She didn't say anything after that but instead looked around for it too. While searching for the book, she came across a scroll which was lying harmlessly around the corner of the shelf. What attracted her was its shiny exterior and the unknown symbols engraved on it. Yes, engraved.
"Sasuke-kun, what is this scroll about?" She questioned and kept looking at the beautiful scroll.
Sasuke stood behind her, with his sole arm wrapped around her waist, and looked at the scroll. He was sure that he had seen it somewhere but couldn't recall where.
"I don't know," he murmured, his hot breathing fluttering around her neck.
He turned on his Sharingan to try to understand the symbols. As soon as he looked at it with his dojutsu, the scroll opened on its own volition and fell down from Sakura's grip. A white light filled the previously dark basement and engulfed both the people present in the room.
The experience wasn't much different from the times Sasuke had travelled to other dimensions. Although the impact with which they fell on the solid forest ground was more. He looked around the forest and realized that they were around one of the Uchiha hideouts, which meant that they were still in Konoha. This particular hideout was destroyed during Pain's invasions.
He looked at his wife when he heard some light groaning. She soon woke up and looked around the place with a confused expression (which he kind of found amusing, not that he'd say in fear of his wife's wrath).
Her eyes finally found him and they brightened up marginally.
"Sasuke-kun, it looks like we are still in Konoha," she said.
"Happy realization," he teased.
She glared at him for half a minute and continued looking around. "But something seems off."
"We are in a different time," he stated.
"How did you," she started but finally noticed the Hokage mountain, "know-oh."
The Hokage mountain had only four heads so far. There was no Tsunade-sama, or Kakashi-sensei or Naruto.
She stood up immediately causing her to stumble on her feet. Sasuke prevented her fall by gripping her upper arm and it was then he noticed the fallen scroll behind her.
He picked it up and straightened it. Beside him, Sakura peeked inside it too.
The four things which he found out from the scroll were:
- They were stuck in a time-changing dimension
- They were stuck in the said dimension for 6 hours
- The scroll belonged to the late Uchihas and could be activated only by an Uchiha who had a Sharingan.
- Not to influence the future in any way.
Well, at least they weren't stuck in this dimension for an eternity.
"So, what are we supposed to do here for 6 hours?" Sakura asked.
He looked at her blankly, prompting her to tell what she wanted to do.
"We can enter the village," she said with an excited expression.
"What if they recognize us? Your pink hair isn't very common, you know," he countered.
"You do realize we can use a henge, right?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Are you sure that you have enough chakra for it?"
She stood up with a huff and pointed at her forehead. "Chill, Sasuke-kun. I have enough chakra and if I run out of it, I have extra chakra stored."
"Hn. Fine." He stood up and summoned his travelling bag.
He took out a hat from inside it and placed it on his head.
"Wait, I think I do recognize it from somewhere," Sakura said and kept looking at it. "Also, why am I the only one who has to use a henge?"
He avoided the first question and instead answered the second. "For one, I don't have pink hair and second, nobody will recognize a one-armed one-eyed man."
He tolerated her laugh at his expense. She did her hand signs for the henge and soon, she turned her hair colour into a brown colour. Her eyes remained the same.
"You need to change your clothes," he said and pointed at the Uchiha symbol behind the dress she was currently wearing.
Luckily for them, Sasuke had an extra cloak inside his travelling bag. He handed it over to her, ignoring her reluctance.
"But I will look like you," she whined.
"Don't you want to look like me?" He questioned.
She mumbled something under her breath but wore the offered cloak which was a bit too long for her.
***
They were able to cross the village boundary safely and as expected, they weren't recognized. Their first stop was at the Hokage Office to inform them about their accidental time traveling.
The Hokage Office was in the same direction they were accustomed to so they started walking towards it.
The village almost seemed the same except the few shops here and there. Sasuke stopped in his tracks when he saw something. Or rather, someone. Behind him, his wife yelped when he froze suddenly causing her to stumble on his back.
She glanced at the direction where Sasuke was looking at. She saw a dark-haired woman talking to a red-haired pregnant woman. Somehow, they seemed familiar. There was a little dark-haired infant in the dark-haired woman's arms.
She looked at Sasuke for an answer.
"That's my kaa-san and Naruto's mother," he mumbled.
It was then that she realized the acute similarities between her husband and his mother. Mikoto Uchiha was a gorgeous woman and it seemed that Sasuke and Itachi had inherited most of her features.
"Let's go and talk to them," she said and before Sasuke could protest, she pulled Sasuke in the direction where the women were standing.
"Hello," she greeted both the women, who in turn looked at her sceptically.
She continued with a dazzling smile, "I am Sayuri Minura and this is my husband, Hiro-kun. We are new in this village. It would be nice if you tell us where to find the Hokage."
Kushina-san, or Naruto's mother, was as energetic as her son.
"Sayuri-chan, I am Kushina and this," she pointed at Mikoto and said, "is Mikoto-chan. Mina-er-Hokage-sama's office is in the middle of the village."
"Thank you so much, Kushina-san," Sakura said with a bright smile.
She looked at the infant in Mikoto's arms, who was now looking at her with his dark doe-like eyes and giving a toothy smile.
"Hi cutie," she cooed at baby Sasuke and also saw her husband's reaction. As expected, he was turning into a shade of red.
"What's his name?" She asked, knowing the answer already.
"Sasuke," the dark-haired woman said with a smile.
"Sasuke-kun," Sakura repeated slowly and the baby giggled at her.
She pulled away from the infant and grabbed her husband's arm. "Ja ne Kushina-san and Mikoto-san. I hope we meet again."
She walked towards the center of the village with husband and giggled at the memory of her husband's baby self.
"Sasuke-kun, you were so cute," she gushed.
"Tch," he scoffed and pushed her shoulder. "Am I not cute enough for you now?"
She shrugged her shoulders without giving him an answer.
As they were walking towards the center of the village, they felt the change in the surroundings. Sasuke immediately turned on his Sharingan but it was of no effect. The genjutsu was strong. The surroundings around them changed. They were not in the same place they were before but the time changed. The people around them seemed unaware of the change.
***
"Looks like we are in a different time frame now," Sakura mumbled.
"Hn," he agreed.
"Sasuke-kun, we aren't in the same place," she realized.
Sasuke looked around trying to recognize the surroundings.
Shopkeepers. Little kids. Genins. Jounins. Old woman. Cat. Black hair. Black eyes. Uchiha fan.
Shit.
They were in the Uchiha Compound. The Uchiha Compound where people still lived.
"Turn around, Sakura."
Too late. Sakura already recognized the place. And the first person whom she saw was a 6-year-old Sasuke with his elder brother.
"Isn't that you and Itachi-san?" She asked, her eyes fixed on the smiling 6-year-old and the older brother.
"Yes. And nii-san," Sasuke answered with longing in his eyes.
As if Itachi sensed their stare, he looked at the strangers with a slight confusion. As soon as he stopped talking, the 6-year-old Sasuke also looked at the newcomers. But what attracted him were the pretty green eyes of the pretty woman.
"Pretty." Little Sasuke said, smiling at the woman shyly.
Sakura couldn't help but smile at his cuteness. "Thanks, kid."
Itachi interrupted his brother before he could say something else. "Who are you? I haven't seen you around before."
This time, Sasuke introduced himself. "I am Hiro Minura and this is wife, Sayuri. We are travelling around the villages."
Itachi nodded his head but was still skeptical. "I am Itachi and this is my brother, Sasuke."
Little Sasuke perked up when he heard his nii-san say his name. He tried to look at the pretty woman sneakily once again but was caught when he found her smiling at him already.
"It was nice to meet you. We will leave now," Sakura said and waved at the two brothers. Only little Sasuke waved back to them.
As they walked out of the compound, she sneaked a look at her husband who seemed to have been lost in his own thoughts. She squeezed his hand, making him look at her.
The scenery around them changed once again. The earlier scene seemed to be absorbed in the new one.
***
"Do you have any idea how much time has passed?" Sakura asked him wearily.
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and continued to walk towards the centre of the village.
Sakura suddenly saw Kakashi sitting on the railing of the same roof where they had introduced themselves to him before.
"Anata, let's hide in that tree and see them," she said.
They climbed on the tree nearest to the roof and hid their chakra. They were still able to hear the words of their younger selves.
"I am Kakashi Hatake. I have no intention of telling you my likes and dislikes. As for my dream, never really thought about them. As for my hobbies…"
Sakura and Sasuke sweat dropped at the same time. 'So useless.'
"I am Naruto Uzumaki. I like cup ramens…"
Both of them filtered away whatever ramen-loving Naruto said.
"I am Sakura Haruno. I mean the person I like is," she glanced at Sasuke, "and my dream is," she squealed.
Meanwhile, Sasuke was looking at his wife, who was turning into a shade of red, with an amused expression.
"So," he started.
"Shut up, Sasuke-kun," she grumbled.
She looked at their younger selves once again and found something which made her grin like a Cheshire cat. Sasuke was blushing.
"Aw Sasuke-kun, you were blushing too," she teased.
"I wasn't," he grumbled.
"Oh but you were," she said.
"Shut up. So annoying."
"I am Sasuke Uchiha. I don't have any particular likes or dislikes. I don't have a dream. I have an ambition. I want to restore my clan and kill a certain man."
"So angsty, Sasuke-kun," Sakura mumbled beside him.
"What can you expect from a traumatized teen who wanted revenge on his clan murderer?" He retorted.
"You aren't wrong. But you were a jerk," she muttered.
"I know."
"You are lucky that you had a pretty face back then."
"Shut up, Sakura."
"So rude. Did you have any idea…how to…restore your clan back then?" She said, through laughs.
Sasuke hid his burning face under his hat and mumbled a "No" which incited another laugh from his wife.
They came down from the tree quietly and waited for the surrounding change once again. As expected, the scenery around them was distorted..
***
This time, the couple found themselves right in front of Team 7 minus Kakashi. It looked like they were coming back from a mission and Kakashi had already fled away to read his dirty books.
As usual, Naruto was ranting about ramen this and ramen that. Sasuke had his permanent resting-bitch face and Sakura was either fangirling over Sasuke or admonishing Naruto. The same old.
A few minutes later, Naruto walked away from them to have his ramen treat from Iruka-sensei.
"Sasuke-kun, would you like to eat at the new barbecue place?" Sakura asked hopefully.
"No," he denied and walked away.
"Please, Sasuke-kun," she pleaded once again.
"You are so annoying. You should rather go and train instead of following me around. In terms of being a ninja, you are worse than the Dobe," he said rudely when he suddenly yelped.
Before Sakura could hold her husband back, Sasuke held the collar of his younger self's shirt and lifted him up.
“Don't be so rude to a girl, brat," he said and dropped him down.
"And who are you?" His younger self asked.
"It is for me to know and for you to never know," Sasuke said bluntly. "Don't treat her like that."
He said and walked away but not before seeing little Sakura looking at him with stars in her eyes (which was kinda satisfying to be honest).
Sakura looked at them with an apologizing smile but cursed 12-year-old Sasuke mentally when he huffed rudely and walked away.
They were out of their younger selves' hearing range before Sakura started speaking.
"You didn't need to grab him like that, Sasuke-kun," she said.
"He deserved it," Sasuke countered.
"He did. But you could have said it without grabbing him."
"Hn." No.
***
Unlike the previous time-changing phases, this phase was occurring during night-time.
The road in which they were walking led to the stone bench which had its own stories.
"Sasuke-kun, remember this bench," Sakura said as she sat on it.
"Ah," he grunted and looked away in guilt.
“Hey, don't worry, anata. Everything's forgotten and forgiven," she said with a smile.
He was about to say something but sensed something. Or rather, someone. He lifted up Sakura immediately, ignoring her yelp of surprise and hauled her away behind the tree.
12-year-old Sasuke walked through the road to run away from the village at night. Just as he was about to leave, he found a teary-eyed Sakura behind him.
He looked at her and said, "What are you doing here, Sakura? Go to bed."
"Sasuke-kun, are you leaving the village?" On receiving no answer from Sasuke, she continued, "Why don't you tell me anything? I have been your teammate for so many months yet, I know nothing about you. Why is it so?"
"I don't need to tell you anything. Keep your nose out of my business."
Sakura clasped her fingers to her chest and cried out, "Sasuke-kun, I love you…I…I will do anything for you. I will make sure that you are happy every day. We will help you… achieve your goals. Please, Sasuke-kun. Think about Naruto and Kakashi-sensei. About me. I…I will not be… able to live if you go away."
Sasuke considered her words for a minute but changed his mind immediately. He went behind Sakura swiftly.
"Thank you," he said and knocked her out, causing him to stumble because of her body weight.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and Sakura from the future looked at them. Sasuke was vibrating with anger at his younger self's stupidity. Sakura held him back from going in the scene and beating the hell out of his younger self.
Sasuke looked at the girl in his arms and sighed. His tired expression showed that he was indeed a child burdened by the misfits of his clan. He lifted her up smoothly and placed her on the stone bench. He ran his fingers across the few stray hairs that clung to her forehead and the tear tracks that ran down her cheeks.
"I am sorry, Sakura. I would have loved to stay behind but I don't want to put you and the others in danger. This path of revenge is only mine. I promise that I will come back to you," he said and kissed her cheek before lifting up his backpack and walking away.
The events that transpired so far were quite surprising to Sakura. She looked at her husband to confirm whatever happened so far but his expression was enough. Everything did happen.
She held his hand in her smaller ones and smiled at him.
"It's okay, Sasuke-kun," she said.
Sasuke offered her a brief smile and straightened up. He summoned his travelling bag once again and pulled out a blanket from it to place it on 12-year-old Sakura.
***
The next change wasn't much of a change. Rather, they came back to their own time and stood in the same dark basement of the Uchiha main house from where they had left.
"So, today was quite eventful," Sakura said to cut the tension.
"Yeah. Let me go and look for the book," Sasuke said and looked around for the book which he finally found in the wrong section of the shelf.
It was almost evening when they left the main house and reached their own house.
"Okaeri Mama and Papa," Sarada greeted as they came inside the house.
"Tadaima, darling," Sakura said with a smile.
"Tadaima," Sasuke mumbled and looked at his girls.
"Papa, what is that?" Sarada questioned when she saw a book in his hand.
"The book you asked for," he said and kept it on the table.
"Oh. Thanks Papa," Sarada thanked and looked at her mother. "Mama, why are you wearing Papa's cloak?"
Sakura realized too late that she still hadn't removed Sasuke's cloak. The sly man knew it, if his subtle smirk was any indication.
"Sasuke-kuuun, why didn't you tell me?" She whined.
He shrugged his shoulders. "You looked good in it."
END.