Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei

Crusty's note: If you've read the manga 'GHOST!', then you'll be familiar with the theme :)

The Ghost of Uchiha

That day was quite hot. Hot enough to melt an ice cream in twenty seconds, but never to melt Uchiha Sasuke's passion to improve his shinobu skills.

Sasuke started his training at 5.00 am. By high noon he was ready to take a break for lunch. He looked for a shady place around the small forest where he practiced. After walking around for some minutes, he sat under one of the tree and opened his lunch.

At the moment, suddenly he spotted a young lady sitting behind one of the tree. She hid her face between her crossed arms. Sasuke didn't bother to say hi, yet his curiosity leads him to that girl—since she didn't seem in a good shape.

"Are you okay?" he asked the girl. The young lady raised her face in surprise. Sasuke noticed she has a grace of face, but she was like about two years younger than him.

"You… can see me?" the girl asked hesitantly.

Sasuke knitted his brows. 'Yea, I can see you. Thank God I got a pair of well functioned eyes just so you know,' he thought cynically

"You really can see me?" she repeated her question, this time excitedly.

"Yes. Are you alright?" Sasuke replied in monotone.

"Ureshii-!" Suddenly the girl jumped and floated right before the shocked young Uchiha.

"I've been waiting for someone who can see me! Well, nearly no one visits this forest, but when they do, they can't see me or hear me. But you can! This must be my good fortune," the sweet girl kept on babbling and floating around.

"Who… are you?" Sasuke nearly gaped. Is this some kind of high level Ninjutsu or something? He never heard of such Ninjutsu—if it really exists.

"My name is Uchiha Ayame, I'm twelve, single, and… waitaminit…" Ayame pulled her face towards Sasuke's. "Aren't you…"

"You know me?" Sasuke stepped backward avoiding Ayame. Moreover he couldn't help to hear that she's an Uchiha.

"Aren't you… Ita… chi…?"

The name sent a rush into Sasuke's blood. 'Itachi? She said that I'M itachi? Who is she? How the hell she—'

"Sorry! My mistake," Ayame tapped her own forehead, "You couldn't possibly be him. Though you look like him a lot… I believe you are… Sasuke?" she sounded a bit unsure.

"How do you know me? Who are you actually? Why you use the name Uchiha—"

"Easy there kid," Ayame waved her hair gracefully. "I use the name Uchiha of course because I'm an Uchiha. What else? D'uh… And that also explains why I know you."

"I don't think I know you…"

"Whaat? No way! You don't know me? And you call yourself an Uchihaa?" Ayame's eyes widened in disbelieve while Sasuke closed his ears to protect himself from Ayame's soprano voice.

"I'm the blooming flower of Uchiha, the diamond amongst Konoha girls! PS: I'm the daughter of cousin of sister in law of uncle of your mother. That's how we're related."

"Uh… whatever…" That's not what Sasuke wanted to know about. "I think you should just tell the truth. There's no way that you're an Uchiha just like you've just claimed."

"Why not? Don't be silly," Ayame chuckled.

"Because they're all dead… except for me… and Itachi…" Sasuke's voice got lowered.

Ayame laughed and waved her hair again. "You seem bitter but I don't expect you to have such a bad sense of humor."

"I'm not joking. It's true… they're dead."

Ayame's smile slowly faded away to see the firm expression on the boy's face. "What…?" her voice was above a whisper.

"That's why I said that you're lying. You're not Uchiha Ayame unless you're dead just like the rest of my clan."

Ayame put a mild smile, "But I am dead."

"Huh?"

"I am dead. I'm a ghost. And I'm stuck in this lonely forest."

Silence for some moment. There was only the sound of the wind blowing the tree tops.

The idea of seeing a ghost sounded like a good bullshit to Sasuke, but that could explain why this girl kept on floating around before him. And it would make sense too if she's truly someone from the Uchiha clan. She's dead, right?

But seriously… A ghost? Yea right…

"What's the proof that you're dead?" Sasuke knew it was such a silly question but he couldn't think of other question.

Ayame put a naughty smile. Then she came closer to Sasuke and held the boy tight. In an instant, Sasuke felt an uncomfortable cold wrapping around him. He shuddered as if he was going to die. In no time the cold faded away quickly, but he was surprised to see himself standing in front of him.

"What the—?"

"Now you believe me?" The Sasuke in front of him smiled and waved his short hair gracefully.

"What? Wait! I mean…!" Sasuke got more confused. But when he realized that he was floating just like Ayame before, he suddenly thought of something that's impossible—at least for him.

"Yes, dear Sasuke… I lurked in to your body and kicked out your ghost. I repeat my question, now you believe me?"

Sasuke was speechless. "Get out of my body!" suddenly he snapped out. He grabbed the Ayame-Sasuke shoulders and tried to enter his own body. Well, He has no idea how to do it, but perhaps he could do the same thing like Ayame did.

"No! I want to try this flesh!" Ayame persisted and tried to maintain her own ghost inside Sasuke's body. They both struggled and if someone who cannot see ghosts is viewing them right now, Sasuke would look like someone doing a silly dance.

"I've been a ghost for quite a long time—I think… You can't stop me experiencing to be alive once more!"

"But this body is mine! Get out you silly girl!" Sasuke still held his grab.

"Sasuke, please… give me a chance just for a day… please…!" Ayame started to beg.

"No way. How do I know you won't try to posses my body forever?"

"I promise!" Ayame squeaked in Sasuke's voice. It surely sounds stupid.

"Please…" she begged and stopped her struggling. Sasuke could see that she began to cry and it was somewhat felt bad to see himself started to sulk. Sasuke let go of his grab.

"Okay, just for this once and just for a day. But you have to promise me you wouldn't do anything silly. It's my body you're using and other people would think that you are me. Undestand?" Sasuke sounded strict.

"Thank you!" Ayame smiled gratefully. "So, shall we go?"

Sasuke slightly nodded.

Then they went off to the village.

tbc