I know this is a cannon fodder scene in the anime, but these guys are even weaker than I thought they would be… Jin thinks as he, Sasuke, and Suigetsu stand over a pile of their now unconscious enemies.

“Wheeeew...” Suigetsu sighs with relief as he leans on the hilt of his sword.

“I found the keys!” Karin shouts as she runs out of a hallway to the rest of the group while dangling the keys in her hand.

“Lead the way, Karin.” Sasuke says as the group follows Karin’s lead.

As they walk down the hall, the group stops at a fork in the road.

“That way.” Karin says, pointing to the right path.

“Finally.” Suigetsu remarks as he, Jin, and Rito follow him down the path.

Karin’s going to try to convince Sasuke to ditch and go on their own, but will fail epically… Jin thinks as he recalls the events of the anime and manga.

After several minutes of walking, Suigetsu breaks the silence by asking, “So Jin, does the curse mark turn you into a grotesque monster like the ones we just fought?”

“What? No, I don’t have a curse mark. I use something else and I don’t grow wings, tails, or some other body part.” Jin explains as they continue walking. “Rito has a curse mark, but it’s a weaker version of Sasuke’s.”

“It’s true.” Rito adds.

“.....That wench...” Suigetsu says as he stops walking looks behind them to see that Sasuke and Karin are not with them. He clenches his fist which shakes with rage.

After being tricked by Karin, the three, Jin, Rito, and Suigetsu wander aimlessly through the hideout. Several minutes later, they return to a very familiar location.

“Huh? Here again?” Suigetsu notes as they return to the open area that just served as their battlefield. “I knew we should’ve turned right back there.”

“W-why… have you… come h-here…?” Mutters one of the prisoners still injured and lying on the ground.

“Why? We’re here to recruit Jugo of course.” Jin answers as he takes a step closer to the defeated prisoner.

“You have no idea… what you’re getting into.” The prisoner says in a more coherent manner. “You may be strong... but you’re nowhere near his le-GHUAGH!”

The prisoner is interrupted by an irritated Suigetsu stomping on his chest. Suigetsu replies with, “Listen, the only reason you’re still alive is because Sasuke told us not to kill.”

“Kuhu… JUGO WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!” The prisoner yells as he’s aware of what is about to happen.

“I think he'll forgive me just this once.” Suigetsu says as he reaches for his sword. “Do you two have any reservations?”

“Have at it, I don’t care.” Jin responds. He’s even more of a background character than Rito and I are...

“I won’t say a thing if you won’t.” Rito adds, still salty over them trying to kill him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well, what’s going on here?” Suigetsu asks, announcing his, Jin, and Rito’s arrival as they walk in on Sasuke and Jugo’s skirmish. “You really are a piece of work, you know that? You tricked us back there.”

“Give me a break, you got lost all on your own.” Karin snaps back, unapologetically as she adjusts her glasses.

“No, you gave us... bad directions.” Jin points out, coughing from the dust in the air.

“Listen, I really resent that accusation…” Replies an angered Karin with a vein bulging out of her forehead. “What would be the point anyway, what would I get out of tricking you like that?”

God, I hate tsunderes... Jin thinks, cringing at her foul attitude and cold remarks.

“Why, you get to be alone with Sasuke…” Suigetsu mocks with a grin. “Isn’t that right?”

“WHAT? NO, SHUT IT!!” Karin shouts defensively.

“So, is it safe to say that Jugo went berserk and attacked Sasuke?” Rito asks, changing the subject as he surveys the battle.

“Yeah, they’re outside now…” Karin confirms.

A brief moment later, Sasuke is seen running back to the group with Jugo right behind him. Jugo throws a punch with his piston-like left arm, but is countered by one of Jin’s own punches. Jin jumps out of the way in order for Suigetsu to swing his Executioner’s Blade, but Jugo quickly morphs his hand into an axe and swings back. After their blades clash, both Suigestu and Jugo skid back some due to the force of their attacks. As they go in to attack each other again, Sasuke intervenes by jumping between them, coiling two white snakes around them.

“Do you both… want me to kill you?” Sasuke threatens with strong killing intent pouring off of him.

Note to self: Get a notebook and pen so I can draw while I sit through these longer scenes… Jin thinks as he leans on the wall with arms folded, watching Sasuke talk Jugo down.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once outside the hideout, Sasuke rallies his new team for it’s one singular purpose.

“...Good, now that I’ve gathered my perfect team… Here it is, this is my plan.” Sasuke announces to the group, maintaining his cool, indifferent demeanor. “My goal is to kill Itachi Uchiha.”

“Shocker.” Jin says sarcastically.

“I thought you were gonna say that…” Suigetsu agrees.

I wonder if they have art supplies at the ninja shop we’re about to head to…? Jin wonders as a provoked Karin slaps Suigetsu, splashing water due to Suigetsu liquifying himself to avoid damage.

“...it’s all set. Now that we’re a team, we move together as one.” Sasuke continues. “From this point on, we’ll be known as ‘The Hebi.’ Hebi has only one goal, Itachi Uchiha…”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometime later, the Hebi arrive at Granny Cat’s supply shop in the middle of an abandoned city. Sasuke is purchasing item for the team, Karin is off to the side, Granny Cat’s granddaughter, Tamaki is searing for clothes in Jugo’s size, Rito and Suigetsu are aquianting themselves with some of the cats present, and Jin is going through her wares for recreational items.

No, no, no… Why is it so hard just to find a notebook and a pen?! Thinks an irritated Jin as he sifts through the items in a box. After a few more minutes, he stops when he believes he’s found what he’s looking for. A pack of art pencils and a small hardcover book with blank pages? Close enough…

“We’ll be going now. Thanks for everything.” Sasuke says as he hands Granny Cat the money needed to pay for the supplies.

“Uh, Granny Cat, is it...? How much for these? Jin asks as he walks up to her holding out the book and pencils.

Not long after, as the Hebi walk out of the shop and the surrounding city, it begins to rain heavily. Jin and Rito both proceed to put on their new cloaks’ hoods to shield their heads.

“For some odd reason, all this rain is making me feel depressed.” Rito says gloomily as he stares off into the distance.

“Don’t worry, I have a feeling the rain will clear up soon.” Jin responds in a reassuring tone, trying to cheer up his friend.

“Let’s go.” Sasuke declares.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, back at the Northern Hideout, the prisoners slowly recover from their battle with the newly formed Hebi when they are greeted by two mysterious figures. One is a man wearing a cloak that conceals his face and the other, a machine that resembles a person.

“Who the hell are you two?” One prisoner demands.

“I don’t care who or what you two are…” Another prisoner exclaims. “Get in my way and I’ll kill you too!”

“Who we are is none of your concern.” The cloaked man reptiles as his ally punches the aggressive prisoner into a wall, causing a crater and killing him on impact. “Thank you, Mecha-Naruto.”

“IT WAS MY PLEASURE.” The mechanical ninja replies boldly.

The surviving prisoners look on in horror as they see their comrade fall to the ground with a large hole in his stomach. Blood oozes from the wound and drips from the robot's hand.

“If you’ll let me finish--I have no interest in killing any of you, I have a use for you all.” The cloaked man explains, sighing as he weaves signs and builds up chakra. “But now I have to do this to ensure your cooperation…”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Jin you were right, the rain did clear up!” Rito says as he basks in the sun’s warm light. After a minute of Jin not giving a response, Rito tries to get his attention. “Hell~o? Earth to Ji~n...?”

“Hmm?” Jin says, realizing Rito is three meters ahead, trying to get his attention. “You say somethin’?”

“So where were you? Thinking about a pretty girl?” Rito jokes.

“HA! No, something else…” A perplexed Jin informs as he catches up to Rito while folding his arms and tilting his head to one side. “It’s like an itch that I can’t scratch and it feels like it’s getting worse.”