This is my first fanfic, dealing with the relationship between Sasuke and his team, but also, and mainly, his relationship with Itachi as well. Review please!

~*~

A rival, a friend

There until the end,

Your eyes glare

Death in your stare

And while we fight

Over who's right

In the heart, In my eyes

Your figure in my sight flies...

~*~

The darkness enveloped the thin forest in a matter of second. Team 7 stood there, all back to back with each other, their eyes trying to penetrate the darkness caused by the enemy. Kakashi's headband was up and his Sharingan revealed, trying to pierce through the artificial darkness. Right behind him was Sasuke, his kunai in his left hand, his right hand free. Naruto stood to Sasuke's left, panicking. He had no weapon in his hand, however, he was performing the seals for the Shadow Clone Jutsu. And Sakura stood to his back, calm and collected, both hands free...

"Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatachi...you shall meet your end." one of the four enemies said, his voice like an oily grease, a liar's voice. They were bodyguards for a crime lord, sent after Team 7 after their mission dealing with Zabuza and Gator just came to an end.

Kakashi didn't speak. Naruto was a little afraid, but then remembered one of Kakashi's sayings

Only the weak are loud...

"Had Yeah right I'll take you down without using any weapons" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs, "Kakashi will kick your ass whether you've got darkness or not"

Naruto...what are you doing? Sasuke thought. Instinctively he thought it was another one of Naruto's dumb yells, but realized that Naruto didn't have any weapons to begin with...so it was different. Then he felt a large shuriken being handed to him Good plan...

"You want to die kid?" another one said, "ONLY THE WEAK YELL NOW DIE"

Naruto smirked as he realized his ploy was successful and performed the Kage Bushin no Jutsu, hoping the man wasn't lying and was actually going for Kakashi. His gambit paid off and he heard one of this Shadow Clones moan.

"Only fools are tricked by yelling." Kakashi said, not moving at all. Sasuke was shocked at his ability to see through ploys so easily, "Now you die."

"Shadow Shuriken " Sasuke yelled, throwing two shurikens in the space of one. He heard a slice as the first one made contact. Then he heard a scream as the second one incapacitated him...well...more like another one of Naruto's clones incapacitated him.

"Nice job Sasuke." Naruto said quietly

"Heh. It's not over yet..."

"You defeated him? Well...we have underestimated the Leafs...that will NOT HAPPEN AGAIN "

Sasuke heard the battle-cry and closed his eyes. It was going to...going to...

...TO SAKURA!!

Sasuke jumped in front of Sakura and held his Kunai to the upper left on instinct, blocking the enemy's wakizashi, and he saw the man's face, they were nose to nose.

"What is this? Another sharingan? " Sasuke almost recoiled in shock. He had performed the Sharingan again? How? He forced those thoughts out of his head and spoke softly

"Goodbye." A scream erupted as Sasuke cut the man in the stomach, not insanely killing him. Like Zabuza has said earlier, he couldn't kill anyone...not yet. His thoughts turned to his brother, Itachi..

He would finish him off.. A voice said to him, Sasuke wondered why he couldn't be like Itachi.

"SASUKE WATCH OUT!" Kakashi yelled in alarm. Sasuke's mental daydream faded and he felt a sharp pain in his side as he was pierced by a sword. He had jumped enough so it was a small slash, not deep. Sasuke mentally berated himself for being so careless and daydreaming during a battle.

"Now Sakura..." Kakashi said

"Right." Sakura performed a few hand seals and then brought her hands together, "Cancel "

The shadows faded, and Kakashi moved in an instant, taking down the one that had injured Sasuke. Naruto's Shadow Clones held down the last one. Sasuke smiled, performing hand seals

"Giant Fireball " A huge flame erupted out of Sasuke's mouth, a cry of pain came out of the following smoke. The last attacker stood there, his skin totally burnt

Itachi would have finished him off...

Kakashi walked calmly up to the man and finished him off. All of the attackers were on the ground, each with their fare share of injuries...until they disappeared into a poof of smoke.

"Impressive..." Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, Sandaime, said, "Very impressive. Sasuke, I'm sorry you got injured..."

"Hmph..." Sasuke said quietly

He's so cool Sakura thought

"Very good teamwork everyone." Kakashi said, smiling, "However, we still have work to do. Sakura, try and get that Cancel to require less of a Chakara charge. Naruto, you still have to practice Chakara Transfer, and Sasuke...well...I'd like to talk to you after."

Sasuke nodded as Naruto and Sakura walked away, Naruto steadily walking closer and closer to Sakura until she hit him so hard he flew against the nearest tree. The Hokage walked away slowly, and when they were out of sight Sasuke spoke

"Sensai?" Sasuke asked

"You did the Sharingan again." Kakashi said simply, "That's twice now."

"I know." Sasuke said

"You realize what this means..." Kakashi said

"No." Sasuke said

"If both of us use Sharingan, we'll be much stronger, and be a much better team. Also, you will be stronger as an individual..." Kakashi said

"..and?" Sasuke knew Kakashi well, and there was a moral coming

"You must never use the Sharingan for personal revenge while it is developing. Doing so corrupts the art itself. Until you have complete control over it, you are very, very, vulnerable to become evil in your heart....much like Itachi..." Kakashi said, "Do I stress that enough?"

"Yes Sensai." Sasuke said

"Good. Ramen?" Kakashi asked

"No." Sasuke said, and they parted

'You could become Itachi...'