"Is this it, Sasuke?"

"This is it."

The young sixteen-year-old Sasuke Uchiha nodded as he and Team Taka made their way deeper into the forest, approaching the dark cave they were looking for.

"So, Sasuke. Who's going in?" Karin smiled once they stopped to analyze the area.

"I will. You three will stay out here and keep guard. If anything happens, meet back here. If I don't come out in an hour, Suigetsu and Jugo come in."

Gosh darn it! What about me? Hmph. No alone time with Sasuke, ya old bat... Karin bit her thumb and glared daggers at Suigetsu.

"Aw come on, Karin. You just want to be alone with Sa--"

"Will you shut up?!" Karin slapped her hand over Suigetsu's mouth. Not that it mattered, Sasuke wasn't really listening anyway

"Okay. I'm going in." Sasuke sighed then leapt down from the branch they stood on.

He stood carefully, eyeing the entrance for any suspicious triggers. When there was nothing, he ran in. The hall wasn't all that long. Sasuke soon found himself inside a large and empty room, with only a series of doors lining the walls in front of him.

"Hn." Sasuke shut his eyes, and when he opened them, they were deep red with the Sharingan. He scanned the doors, until he finally found what he was looking for among one of them, "in there."

He ran towards the door and carefully tried the latch, only to find it was locked. He pulled out his katana and slashed at the door. He clicked his sword back into its sheath and walked into the pitch black. He somehow felt around and found a burnt out torch in one of the corners of the room then performed a series of hand-signs, "fire-style, Fireball jutsu!"

He breathed out the flames and lit the torch. He picked it up and inspected the tomb: On the back wall were carvings of ninja symbols, clan symbols, and ancient writings. Sasuke inspected them, translating the writing with his Sharingan.

"Uchiha..." Sasuke muttered, then turned to the remains of a body that was laid out on the stone table. He inspected the white cloth, stained brown from old age, that's when he saw something underneath the skull at the head of the table, "there it is."

Sasuke carefully lifted the skull and pulled the book out from under it. There was an almost inaudible 'click', and if it wasn't for his Sharingan or his speed, Sasuke would've just been pierced by a litter of arrows. He grabbed his katana and deflected all the arrows before they could hit him. He looked around, then grunted, "that's it?"

He turned to the book in his hand, and he felt a different energy emanating from its binding. He took a deep breath and opened the cover. Before he could even read the first word, there was a bright flash of light from the book. He clenched his teeth as he dropped the book and shielded his eyes from the blinding light. Before he knew it, he was knocked out, and little did he know that after this mission, his life would be changed forever...

___________

"What the hell..." Sasuke groaned as he sat up, rubbing his aching head, "Why do I feel like I got hit by a house, and all from a flash of light..." Sasuke's voice suddenly trailed off as he began taking in his surroundings. "What the..."

He was no longer in the cave. In fact, he was in a bed in a room he didn't even recognize. He slowly pulled off the blanket and looked around, "th-this isn't my room..."

"Good morning."

Oh crap... Sasuke internally froze, his heart stopped, and when he turned around, there was some random girl in his bed.

"Wh-what's going on?!"

"That hangover getting to you, Baby?"

Who the hell?! Wait... This all makes sense now... The headache... The sudden urge to puke... Was... Was I drinking?! I need to get out of here, wherever I am.

"Come on Sasuke, it's still early." The girl smiled and patted the empty space on the bed drowsily.

"No... No..." Sasuke muttered, clutching his head, "I have to go." He grabbed his shirt from off the floor and ran out the door.

"Wait!"

Sasuke heard her yelling his name, but he didn't even look back. As soon as he stood outside, the morning sun hitting his face, he gasped at where he found himself, "how the hell did I get back here?!"

He was at the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Hey, Sasuke. Where were you last night? Don't tell me you were with a girl again..."

Sasuke's heart stopped when he heard the voice he recognized, "is that..."

He turned around to see his brother's best friend, "Why are you looking at me like that? As if I were gone forever or something... The mission wasn't all that bad."

"Shisui..." Sasuke's eyes filled with emotion, "How..." He looked around, then gasped when he saw a few children and a handful of couples going about their daily routines. What truly caught his eye, however, was the clan symbol on their backs. 

Uchiha?! But... They were...

"Are you underestimating my strength? Well, you and your brother do have a little bit of an advantage, I've got to admit."

Wait... Itachi... Is he...?! Sasuke was completely speechless. His eyes wandered away from Shisui then saw the Hokage faces. He felt the blood in his face drain out, "Wait... Is that..."

"Hm? The Hokage? Man, you seem pretty clueless today, Sasuke. Did you get brainwashed last night or something? Man you smell like alcohol. Don't worry, I won't tell."

Tell who? It's not like I have anyone to... Wait... If the Uchiha clan are alive... Does that mean...

"Lord Orochimaru."

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief, "Orochimaru... Is the Fifth Hokage?"

"Man, you really were brainwashed..." Shisui ruffled Sasuke's hair, "it's okay, Buddy. That's what happens when you get too drunk."

When did I start drinking? I've never drunk anything in my life... Sasuke groaned.

"Hey, Shisui. The art expo is starting in a few minutes. Hm."

"What?!" Sasuke turned to see four recognizable figures walk up to him, "you're kidding..."

Before him stood none other than art enthusiasts Deidara and Sasori with Hidan... And Tobi in tow.

"I didn't know you were going." Sasori turned to Sasuke in surprise.

I-I didn't know you guys were here without anyone knowing... "What are you guys doing?! They're gonna..."

"Huh? Whattaya mean?" Tobi gave him a weird look.

"Obito, stop wearing that stupid mask. You look like an idiot."

Everything going on around him already had Sasuke all shaken up, and for Sasuke, that's pretty hard to do. But nothing could shake him up more than the sound of Itachi's voice.

"Hey, Itachi. Found your little brother." Tobi... Obito said as he removed his mask, revealing his right Sharingan.

"Sasuke." Itachi smiled at Sasuke, tearing his heart in two, "there you are. How was that party?"

Party? Sasuke gulped, since when did I start going to parties? Where the hell... Wait, if this is the village, why hasn't Naruto or Tsunade done anything? Where are they?

"He looks confused AF." Deidara grinned, "he spent the night with some girl, I know it."

"What? Sasuke..." Itachi shook his head, "how many times do I keep telling you... It's not good for you to be doing this--"

"Ah..." Sasuke coughed, "l-look, I need to head out somewhere." Where exactly am I going?

"Alright. Just be home before dinner." Itachi reminded him. He only shivered at the thought.

Since when did he care about me like this...? Sasuke sighed as he ran away from the group. If anyone's going to have answers, it's got to be the Hokage... Not that they'd trust me or anything, I'm surprised no one's attacked me yet. Then Sasuke remembered, that's right... I don't have to worry. After all, the Hokage now is Orochimaru... This will be awkward as hell...