Chapter 1: Tidal

The watercolor sky shifted from a husky coral overhead to deep violet along the horizon. Intermittent clouds drifted across the expanse, dyed yellow by the setting sun to the west, while stars winked on one by one, hesitant at first. Their reflections shimmered in the sea below, waves stirred restless by an offshore breeze. Even the tide, throwing itself against the sea cliffs in tune, appeared calmed by the glowing evening. The steady rush of ocean on rock was the only sound, spare the soft approach of footsteps picking their way through lengthening shadows above.

A gull cried suddenly overhead, and a raven-haired shinobi stepped out from behind the line of trees and tracked its movements as it wheeled it out of sight. His obsidian gaze fell back to the ocean, and a frown grew across the hard set of his jaw as he surveyed what lay before him. Years had passed since he had last seen the ocean, and the salt in his nose and the tide in his ears swept up memories, long forgotten. A bridge builder and ice crystals, and the weight of a teammate against his chest. He shook off the thought and pulled a hand through his hair.

Sasuke's eyes dropped as he pulled a scroll from his pocket and unfurled it across the rock at his feet. He yanked open a pen with his teeth and scribbled a note. He scowled at the mess of it—writing was exceedingly difficult with one hand—and made an attempt at smoothing a few lines. He paused, rereading it as the ink gleamed up at him. A slight depression formed between his brows.

2/6: Arriving in Kyreen midday tomorrow. Questioning harbor master.

Sasuke whistled through his teeth as he signed the note and rose from a crouch, rolling the scroll as his hawk circled. It landed evenly on his shoulder, ruffling its feathers and nuzzling against his cheek. He pushed the creature away from his face and knotted the parchment to its leg. After a moment, the bird took off toward Konoha and the approaching darkness. Sasuke released a sigh from deep within his chest and set on his path again, the wind swirling around his cloak beginning to cool.

He allowed his thoughts to drift to his most recent time in Konoha. His old teacher—who Sasuke still couldn't quite believe had run the country for as long as he had—pulled him aside for his bi-yearly chastising, during which Kakashi had been adamant about consistent check-ins. If possible, daily letters with mission updates and general whereabouts. Sasuke refused at first, but after reading the mission report the fifth hokage fanned in his face, he lamented. A spree of ninja had disappeared from fringe territories, and the council was growing anxious over any "key assets" still out in the field. Kakashi also made a point of wiping the dust off of a certain team photograph on his desk, and glancing pointedly from photo to student.

"I'm not particularly worried about your wellbeing, Sasuke, but we have to set an example here…" Kakashi had explained tiredly. "You can die out there if you want, but at least let me know in advance."

Sasuke's expressions tightened as he set off along the coast. It was only later, after he'd overheard a conversation between Shikamaru and Naruto on his way out of town, that he realized that the village was more worried about his kekkei genkai falling into the wrong hands than they were for his safety. He smirked at the idea. As if he could be beaten in combat, let alone lose to someone who could then steal his eyes.

Ridiculous.

What Sasuke would do, despite whatever idiocies the council spewed, was to find and remove whoever was abducting Leaf shinobi along the remote coast of the Mist. The town of Kyreen, only a few short miles north, would be his first stop. He had a few contacts to check in with, a few other to question, and hadn't allotted more than a few days to sort through the mess. It was a standard C-ranked mission, something fit for a chunnin – or even Team 7, at their formation – but since Sasuke was already in the region, he volunteered to get it done on his own.

Sasuke settled into a brisk pace. He wanted to get a few more miles in before settling in for the night. His mind wandered.

After all this, he would return to Konoha. A pit twisted in his stomach at the thought. That was something his body had decided on, without ever really consulting him. He was bone tired, his chakra reserves stuck well below half, and he needed more time to rest than his travelling schedule permitted. After that, he needed to train—the constant movement had taken a toll on his physical strength, and he disliked the leanness that stared him back in the mirror.

He also wanted to plan out the next phase of his travels, and for that he needed maps, intel and supplies. A quiet, unexpected smirk lifted his face in the dark.

Sasuke shouldered his pack, and continued walking through the dark for some time. When he grew tired, he shielded his chakra, walked into the forest some ways and pulled out his bedroll beneath an old oak tree. In a moment, he fell asleep beneath his blanket.

Sakura rocked back and forth on the porch of her apartment, wrapped in a down comforter. She tugged it against her neck, burying herself further within the warmth as Ino appeared at her side. Together they gazed out over the village, sipping on mugs of herbal tea. The lights twinkled, and the bubble of villagers leaving their various places of work began to hush.

"This is way less fun with tea. Do you have a bottle of wine open?" Ino asked finally, plopping her mug down and standing up from her seat with a yawn. She cracked her back to one side then other, before turning inside.

"No, but there should be a few unopened on the counter. Beers in the fridge too," answered Sakura. Ino disappeared inside. "You want one?" she called out. Sakura glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. Ino grinned sheepishly as she made her way back and curled up in her seat again, overfilled glass of red in hand.

"So, what's got you so down?" she asked, taking a deep sip of the red before eyeing her strawberry-haired friend. Sakura was never one to decline wine, especially when it was just the two of them, and the switch to tea hadn't gone unnoticed.

"I don't know," she said after some time, sipping her tea. Then, after another pregnant pause: "It's just, the holidays are hard sometimes. The hospital has been so quiet lately, and everyone splits off with their families after. My very empty apartment hits home a little harder than usual, you know? It's just me and the cat. And he's not even my cat."

As if in answer to his mention, an orange calico slunk out from the apartment onto the porch. It plopped between them, release a noise that was a cross between a meow and a belch, and hopped up onto the railing. The cat didn't really belong to anyone – it had followed Sasuke to her flat one day and never left. Now it required feeding and near constant attention.

"You're not totally alone," said Ino. "You've got me! And he might not be here right now, but he's yours."

"Don't be ridiculous. He's been here a grand total of twelve days over the past ten years. And five of those days were in prison…" muttered Sakura. "And besides, he is absolutely not mine. Not anyone's. Sometimes, I don't even think he'd notice if I disappeared. He's the worst sometimes."

"But, also, the best."

"…Yeah," she hummed.

Sakura ran her finger along the rim of her mug absently, the taste of ginger on her lips. Ginger tea was his favorite, bizarrely enough. A calming tea, for the most tumultuous person she knew. Fitting, in his own ironic way. She closed her eyes, biting her lip hard.

She had never really known Sasuke, for all of those years she spent on his team, and then searching for him when he left. She thought she did, but she didn't really. Maybe there wasn't much to know, apart from the all-consuming drive toward revenge, and now that he'd had time to grow, there was a lot to him. All of these little facets and interests and hobbies that seemed odd when connected to someone of his prowess, but formed a part of him all the same.

"Sakura?" Ino murmured.

"Yeah?"

"It'll be okay. He'll be home soon," she said, setting her wine down to wrap her arms around her friend's shoulders with an affectionate squeeze.

"Love you, Ino. Thanks," said Sakura, drawing her friend into the warmth of ehr blanket. Ino nodded, and threw up her arms in a big yawn. After a brief moment of quietness, the two kunoichi gathered up their blankets and retreated indoors. The cat followed in behind them as a light snow wandered down from the sky.

Sasuke surveyed the town of Kyreen bustling about from a safe distance, assessing the layout before making his final approach. It was mid-morning, and the village looked nearly the same as every other town he'd passed along the coast. The collection of buildings nestled against an inlet with a single dock, and a disheveled collection of dinghy's bobbed just offshore. There were more buildings in Kyreen than the last town he'd passed through, but nothing more worth noting.

From his vantage in a tree, he counted ten residential homes as well as several shops clustered around an open market. A low fence circled the town, with a gated entrance from the main road. The ebb of civilian daily life flowed predictably – fisherman went out on their boats, came back with their catch, and the wives exchanged it in the town square for grains and baked goods and whatever else there was to buy. The smell of smoked fish filled the air. A few dogs lounged about in the sun, and children chased each other along the water's edge.

Sasuke picked out the harbor master's house without too much difficulty—it was the largest of the residential buildings and was the only one with a fresh coat of paint. It shone brilliantly among the salt-stained counterparts. A man whom Sasuke suspected to be the harbor master was just inside, his chakra signature seated at a table in the main room.

A few weeks ago, this same man had sent an urgent letter to Konoha, begging for aid. Of the twelve shinobi that had gone missing, four had been stationed in or around Kyreen, and one of those three was the master's own son.

Sasuke dropped from his perch to the ground, gathered his cloak around him, and made his way toward the town. Although snow had not yet fallen, the bite of winter lurked in the air, and the civilians he passed as he entered town were bundled in seal furs. He approached one of the market stalls he'd picked out from afar, run by an elderly woman selling rice balls. She perked up when he stepped forward.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" she gushed, pulling back her stall's curtain so that he could get a good look at what she had made for that day. Fish, crab, chicken, with various spices for each rice ball. He pointed out a few and she pulled them from the assortment, wrapping each in a fabric napkin. She handed them to him delicately, and he passed her a few bills.

"I've got a chair over here, if you'd like to sit," she offered as she plopped herself into one of two chairs beside her stand. He joined her, nibbling on one of the rice balls. It was surprisingly rich.

"Thank you," he muttered. She nodded and laced her fingers together, looking at him up and down with curiosity. She was a short woman, with dark leathered skin and long fingers. Her hair was wild and gray, pulled back in a bun, stuck with beads and braids and at least one feather.

"What brings you to town?" she asked. "We don't get many handsome young men passing through these parts."

When Sasuke blanched, she went on: "Oh, wipe that expression off your face! Just making conversation. Finish your food, child."

He did as he was told, and turned to watch the market bustle about them as he ate. He liked this old woman, as old and grizzled and forthcoming as she was.

"Tell me about the harbor master," he said after a time of silence, turning back toward the woman. She blinked, then leaned back in her chair.

"His name is Enko. Good man, he is," she answered slowly. "He treats the whole town like family. Every one of us. He's a good man."

"Go on," said Sasuke. The hesitation in her voice had spoken volumes.

"Well, his son went missing a few weeks ago. He was a kid, just out of the academy. He was back visiting his family, and went into the woods to pick some herbs with his mum. They never came back – the wife was cold when they found her, and the son had just vanished." As the woman told the story, her hand involuntarily moved to her chest, where it clasped a pendant around her neck.

"Enko doesn't leave his house much anymore, really. Can you blame him? Nothing like this has happened here before. A week later, two more kids are gone. Another just a few days ago. It's all going to hell."

"Can you tell me more about the kids?" Sasuke asked after a long pause, when it appeared that the woman had caught her breath. "How old were they? Skill level?"

"Enko's son, Kuro, was not quite fourteen. I used to watch him when his parents were busy. Scrappy kid, dark hair and dark eyes. The others were older, all teenagers. The most recent was in his twenties – he had one of those green vests that ninja wear. They were all good kids… I don't know why someone would do something like this."

Sasuke folded and refolded his napkin in his hand, a feeling of unsettledness rising in his gut. He wanted to speed this up. He asked for the woman's name.

"Gana. And yours?"

"Sasuke." He stood and offered her his hand, which she shook gratefully. Then, he turned and trudged toward the harbor master's house.

Sakura perched on her desk at the front of the class, watching her students scribbling away. Exams made for an easy day as a teacher, but a frustrating day as a doctor. She desperately wanted to be at the hospital, working with her patients, instead of watching these kids put pen to paper. She glanced out the window, where the sun shone brilliantly against the newly-fallen snow.

One by one, each student handed in their papers, thanked her, and headed out to enjoy a few weeks of class-free holiday break. She didn't blame them for their relieved expressions – her class was known for being one of the more intensive in the Konoha medical school.

When they'd all finished, Sakura locked up the classroom and slipped into her office. She dropped off the exams in the TA's box, grabbed her bag, and headed to the hospital wing at a fast clip. She pushed through the double doors, and the rush of beeping monitors and nurses brought her immediate ease. She changed into her scrubs mechanically, dropped her bag in a cubby, and dove into the fray. Within minutes, she was setting a child's arm, and then healing a puncture wound from an exercise-gone-awry, and then back to setting another broken bone.

"Here, I want you to hold up your good arm like this. Okay?" Sakura raised her hand, and the five-year-old she was treating mimicked. "Perfect. Hold that there, and I'll be right back with your new armor!" Kids needed encouragement when it came to wearing a splint for eight weeks.

Sakura turned away to grab something on her tray of scalpels and bandages and froze mid-stride. At first, it was just a pulse of pain in her chest. A white-hot pain that shook her core and snatched her breath. Then, it spread in a blindingly wildfire, filling her with a fear and a horror that was not her own. Her body trembled violently, and she tried to open her mouth but couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. The intensity of the pain consumed her.

Then, the screaming. The most viscerally horrible sound she'd ever heard – a tortured agony that cried out over and over again in her ears, more pain and fury than she'd experienced – roaring in her ears like a violent drum. Her tray clattered to the floor, tools flying in all directions. She crumpled against the wall, covering her ears, but couldn't get away. Tears leaked from her eyes as she sunk to her knees on the floor, nurses crowding around her as she curled into a ball on the linoleum. She couldn't hear them over the screams. Screams that, as she was forced to listen, she knew she recognized.

Then, all at once, it stopped.

Enko, the harbor master, eagerly led his new guest into the kitchen. Although his eyes were gray – the kind of deep gray one gets from prolonged grief – he smiled pleasantly, and showed Sasuke around the main level of his house as any good host would. He was a stocky man, with thick arms and a thicker beard. His clothes were simple, his demeanor equally so: a fisherman, who'd lost his wife and son, trying to make things right.

"Can I interest you in some tea?" asked Enko, after offering Sasuke a seat at the kitchen table. He nodded, and Enko busied himself at the kettle. Sasuke, meanwhile, took a moment to examine the room.

The house was simple enough – sparse decorations, no paintings or photos, just old floral wallpaper, a few trinkets on the shelves, and simple furniture. He sensed no other chakra signatures in the house, and he checked to make sure.

Enko set two mugs on the table, and took a deep sip of his own. "I hope you like green," he said quietly, glancing up at Sasuke for nervous affirmation. Sasuke thanked him, and sipped at the drink. It was warm and delightfully bitter. Although not his favorite, it would certainly do.

"Tell me everything," Sasuke said quietly, folding his hands in front of his face and leaning in.

Enko talked at length, repeating much of the information offered by the woman at the stand. He was out fishing for the day, his son visiting home after being away from some time. They went out to the forests to forage, and never came back. Enko stared into his mug, his demeanor saddening as he pressed on.

Sasuke stifled a yawn as the man spoke. He was very tired – he had slept poorly the previous night. He took another sip of his tea and shook his head to clear himself.

"Can you tell me more about your son? How old was he?" Sasuke managed as Enko stood and moved into the kitchen. The man took out a few biscuits from a cupboard, and set to arranging them on a plate.

"He was a good boy. Tall, smudge of dark hair. Bright brown eyes, like his mum. Terrible at taijutsu, but he had a knack for substitutions. Best in his class!" Enko seemed to lose his train of thought, before picking it up again. "He was eighteen."

Eighteen?

Sasuke sat back in his chair. His head was swimming, he couldn't think. Something was wrong. His eyes flicked up to glare at Enko, and found the man watching him closely, an odd gleam to his eye. Sasuke tried to stand up, and stumbled back. His body felt heavy and unresponsive. He squeezed his eyes shut, but found his mind unable to keep a straight thought. He gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white, and mustered all he had to stay steady.

"W-what the hell did you do to me?" he growled through gritted teeth, snapping an eye open to glare across the room.

He could sense Enko rushing toward him, but it was at a lag. He tried to gather up his chakra, but the threads evaded him. Something heavy rammed into him, and he slammed back hard onto the wood floor. He tried to activate his eyes, but couldn't. He tried again, and the familiar red tomoes swam before his vision, but too slowly.. This is bad.

A feral instinct took over, and he drove his knee into the person that had attacked him. Everything was blurry, he couldn't see anything at all. He could feel the edges of his senses going black. He was passing out, that much he knew, and fury lanced through his limbs at the thought of it. He forced his chakra through the fog, and didn't realize until after that he was yelling. In a flash of light, he could see and his Mangekyou slid easily into place—

But it was too late. He looked down, only to see that he was standing in the middle of a seal on the floor. A seal for chakra absorption. There were seals everywhere, actually, and he was in the middle of them all. And they were glowing, in the midst of activating, milliseconds away from sealing his defenses away. An ambush. A fucking perfect ambush.

Rage consumed him. Screaming in fury, he lit fire to the room. As the black of unconsciousness closing in on him, he sent black flames everywhere he could touch. Burn in hell, burn in hell, burn in hell–

A blinding light swallowed the room as the seals finished activating. His screams turned from fury to agony. He collapsed in a heap, unable to see or feel or think apart from the searing of the seals. And then he was out, limp on the floor as the enemy scrambled to cart him away.

Author's Note

I'm back, friends! I know it's been a long time – almost ten years, if you're counting – and I could not be more excited to be here. Thank you for all of the PMs and the notes you've left me during my absence, it truly warmed my heart to come back to all of the love.

This story came to me one night while I was re-reading the last few chapters of the Naruto manga, and I was so frantic to write it down that I ran out of my boyfriend's house in my pajamas to go home and make it happen.

I hope you like it! Please review, lovelies. :3

xoxo Indigo