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Prologue: Beginnings
Lightning danced along the towering clouds. What was once an ominous view on the horizon quickly erupted into a fierce display of power and fury. Loud crashes rang throughout the tiny clearing of trees, while wind ripped and tugged at anything in its path. Rain fell like icy bullets, soaking everything completely through. Most people at the site of such a storm would call it a day. They'd close down their businesses and head home to wait out the storm with their families, or if one was traveling, they might try to find a large cave or a sturdy tree to make shelter. To the four ninja standing in the middle of the clearing, the thought of seeking shelter could have come across their minds, if they could still think with the shear amount of killing intent rolling through the area with the thunder.
Of the four ninjas, one was standing alone. This shinobi had bright red eyes with three black commas around each pupil. His skin was pale—gained from being underground for a couple of years. He was also wearing a white shirt—now drenched from the from the rain becoming slightly opaque and drooping heavily—was open to reveal his chest and was flapping in the wind, but this didn't seem to effect the man. The pants he wore were pitch black, but around his waist there was a blue cloth held securely by a purple belt that snaked around his body. The man slowly unsheathed a chokuto that was secured to his back. He played with it for a while, as if trying to decide what to do with it.
The next person was a shinobi—jonin—with silver hair. He wore the standard attire; a green flak jacket that was accompanied by a blue long sleeve shirt and matching pants. The lower part of his face was veiled by a mask. The hitai-ate across his forehead was the standard navy blue, with Konohagakure no Sato's symbol carved into the metal. The most interesting feature about the man was his left eye. Unlike his right eye that contained a small black pupil and iris, his left was the same eye that the pale skinned man had. His left eye also had a scar running down from his forehead to under his mask—it was a sign of experience; to walk away from such a violent attack meant that the man possessed skill.
The third person was a kunoichi. Of the four ninja, she was visibly the most shaken. A very slender woman, her most noticeable feature was her bright pink hair. Pink strands hung in front of her eyes as torrents of water fell off the individual fibers. She was wearing a red sleeveless shirt and a pink skirt with black shorts underneath. Her elbows were also covered in pink protectors to help protect herself from scrapes. In her right hand was kunai. She gripped the tiny weapon so tightly that her knuckles were white and her arm was shaking. To an experienced ninja, this meant one thing—fear.
Adjacent to the pink haired girl was a man different from all the others; different in that he had no discernible features. The only details about him were his long tan hooded coat and fox-shaped mask. The symbol of Konohagakure was on the mask, etched into where the person's forehead would be.
The pale skinned man, regardless of the passive look on his face, was becoming annoyed. Tired of the staring contest between him and the coat covered figure, he began to speak in hopes that it would move this farce along.
"Poor Sakura. Still as weak as ever. You should have spent more time training."
Before the girl could even begin to respond at the taunt through her fear induced haze, the man in the tan coat spoke.
"Hatake-san, please escort Haruno-san from the premises."
The girl, Sakura, having finally worked up the courage, began to speak after hearing that she was to be removed from the area. She was not too weak to help; she had proven herself. This time Sakura Haruno wouldn't sit and cry as other went off to fight.
"No, what about Naruto?"
No answer came from the masked man.
"Fine then, why are you here? What do you plan to do?" she asked hoping to get a response. The retrieval mission was supposed to be her and Naruto's job.
Only silence was her answer.
"I won't let you kill Sasuke. I have to get him back for Naruto. Is Naruto okay? Please, where is he?" she pleaded again.
The mask man turned towards the girl. A tense few seconds went by as the man decided what to say. The girl stared at him intently; the man suddenly had a feeling that any answer he could give her wouldn't be enough.
"Naruto is fine. Leave now and return to the village. Sasuke Uchiha will not be harmed by order of the Hokage and Village Councils."
The girl began to protest, but the tan covered man appeared behind her and knocked her out. As her body began to tumble to the ground, the man caught her and picked her up bridal style. For a brief moment, the man couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she looked—this was not the time for such thoughts though.
"Hatake-san please take Haruno-san from me and return to the village," the man ordered again.
The silver haired jonin was still. "It's the wish of the Hokage," the masked man clarified.
Mentally shrugging off his confusion, it was clear that the ANBU didn't want his help and since he had no authority to challenge the Black Ops ninja; he decided it was best to follow orders. The masked man could handle himself, of that he was certain.
Throwing the limp girl over his shoulder the jonin jumped into the trees to clear the area and find shelter from the storm. He was wet and it was beginning to get uncomfortable. As he was jumping through the trees, the girl on his shoulder made a small whimper that sounded like "Naruto" and shed a single tear that was lost in the rain.
The pale man known as Sasuke looked away from the retreating form of his old sensei back to the single figure in the field. He studied the man. A fight was eminent; he pointed his chokuto at the man menacingly.
"That was quite a performance," the Uchiha praised in a voice that could freeze blood, "but I'm afraid it's time for you to end your act, Naruto."
Updated: 11/24/10