Poll: Should Sasuke join our favourite misfit family in the black sheep 'verse?

[cywscross]

Another because I'm actually undecided about this. I'm still bitter over canon, Sasuke is not my favourite guy. Also me and new things get along, so yay, more polls.

Vote here!

 

Edit: Lolz I find it kinda funny that it's still pretty head and head when it comes to tossing Sasuke in the deep end and giving him a break.

Comments

My two cents...

[trace_by_echo]

Hello, new commenter here ;) Just a BTW, I really have enjoyed your works, this one included - I will be adding it to my list of Naruto fic recs, if you don't mind.

I wanted to explain my poll answer and perhaps give you some ideas. I answered "meh", but not because I have no interest. Rather, I think you should write what you like. BUT... if I were writing this, I wouldn't bring Sasuke into this plot. I feel that it would inject an additional dose of drama, when the level has really been so well balanced throughout the fic. Orochimaru doesn't need yet another young person whose mental and physical health is his responsibility when Konoha has failed, he needs an adult to accept him and help him with being a mentor to Naruto/Anko.

So, I actually think the prior chapters did lay some groundwork for an addition to the "family", but it wasn't Sasuke... it was Genma. The man is shown to be chill about Anko & Orochimaru, and is the most likely of the ANBU to straightforwardly ask Naruto if he can come and observe him at his real home. He could slowly become more welcomed over time... I can see Genma as providing an interesting new role in the "family" as support for Orochimaru and a different way of thinking for Naruto to observe and learn from.

Just my two cents! Hope you don't mind them. :) I will enjoy whatever direction you choose to go.

Re: My two cents...

[cywscross]

Hello! Thank you for commenting, and I'm glad you've enjoyed my fics :)

Your answer about Sasuke was pretty much what I was going for when I started this fic actually. I wasn't ever going to bring him onboard with the family. I felt like Orochimaru already had enough on his hands, and it wouldn't really be... fair I guess, even to Naruto who's basically never had anyone if Orochimaru had to divide his attention between him and Sasuke, who I feel might get jealous if one of the Sannin didn't pay more attention to him than a kid who's never stood out in class and everyone talks badly about. Aside from my inherent dislike of Sasuke from canon, I also thought he would be more toxic than anything else to the rest of the family if he was added, and it would take some real work to break him out of that. But a previous commenter made a remark about Sasuke, and I didn't know if maybe I was being too harsh deciding that for him since he's still a kid and not as set in his ways, which is why I set up the poll. (Also I just found that poll site and wanted to play XD)

As for Genma, YES, he is definitely going to play a bigger part in the future ^_^ I wondered if anyone might've guessed that with that mention I stuck in earlier. I love Genma, and I've never seen interactions between him and Orochimaru in other fics so it could be fun to figure that out. He's obviously not as old as Orochimaru but he's still older than Anko, and he's got that steady easygoing calmness about him that I think Orochimaru could really benefit from. So yeah, I'll work him in sooner or later.

I've rambled a lot so I'll end it here. Thanks again for commenting :)

Re: My two cents...

[trace_by_echo]

I agree re: Sasuke's effect on the plot. While Sasuke had reason for being a little S.O.B. as a kid, and could have been rehabilitated prior to his personality's dumpster-dive (which IMO starts after the curse mark & Itachi's mind-rape), it doesn't make it any less true that Orochimaru would have to devote a lot of time to Sasuke's issues. Would he even recognize them? Would he even have the time outside of his long missions? And Naruto & Anko wouldn't welcome a rival to Maru-Ji's affections with open arms either.

Perhaps, if you want to bring Sasuke into the story but don't want all the chapters it would take to make him emotionally-intelligent and part of the family, you could make him Kakashi's project. After all, there's a snowball's chance in hell now that Naruto is ever going to allow Kakashi space in his life, at least unless/until they're forced to work together, so Kakashi might be examining his life choices and thinking hey, I was wrong to let things go, I can't repay sensei but I can honor Obito by helping Sasuke, etc. etc.

Ooh, I'm super-delighted about Genma. He's been the star of a few fics I've read lately, and his attitude is really refreshing. I look forward to his debut in this story!

Re: My two cents...

[(Anonymous)]

I originally voted to help Sasuke because I'm a big softy, but after reading this thread I really agree that it's not fair to Orochimaru, Naruto or Anko to introduce someone new to their dynamic. Especially someone who needs as much help as Sasuke does. They're barely managing on their own. I'm so glad that you are moving in that direction with Genma. I was hoping for it when I saw how you mentioned him in the story.

Maybe after his massive failure with Naruto, the Hokage will realize that the hands off approach to new orphans isn't the best and Sasuke will actually get some help instead of being left to raise himself.

But yeah actually, you should just write what feels right to you! You do an awesome job as always. Thanks so much for writing!