Hunter

By: Innocent Attraction

Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

The lights hanging on the ceiling were contrast to the dark, dingy room that surrounded him. Naruto bites his lip, nervously fidgeting with a bit of string dangling from his shirt. Why did the ANBU have to interview him? He had nothing to do with the whole thing. In fact, he was only watching the events unravel. Ok, so maybe he played a small part in it but nothing that could get him into any sort of trouble, right? The ANBU sits next to him. "We have to ask you a few questions. You were one of the four people listed by Kakashi so we need to get information from you. If you don't speak up, then we'll never get this problem solved."

"I told you, I had nothing to do with this. I was merely a bystander. You can't get me into trouble for being a bystander." The ANBU officer seemed rather unconvinced. "Ok so maybe I played a minor role. So what? Sasuke had more involvement than I did. Why aren't you breathing down his damn neck instead of mine?"

"We'll get to him," the officer impatiently replied. "Right now, we're asking you. Just start from the top where things began to unravel."

"Fine." Naruto groans before speaking again. "I'll tell you, but you probably won't like what I have to say."

It was mid-afternoon when I got home from my last mission. I was tired as hell and didn't even feel like going to the Ichiraku Ramen bar to grab some ramen. I was too tired to think about food. My chakra level was low and bruises and cuts covered my skin. I had literally gotten my ass handed to me during a fight but, in the end, I still managed to defeat those stupid Sound Ninjas. They were no match for me…and Kyuubi but that's beside the point. As I made my way to my apartment building, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around me. "Long time, no see," Sakura says as she hugs me.

I turn around and greet her, my tired eyes staring into her jade green eyes. "Hey Sakura," I manage.

"Someone looks exhausted. Here, let me help you to your room." She wraps her arm around me and helps me sluggishly walk up the stairs. When we reach my floor, she opens the door for me and helps me through them. I wasn't expecting her to be so nice to me, but I certainly didn't mind it one bit. I reach for my key and unlock my door, walking slowly inside. "I'll get you something to drink if you want me to. How about I clean your apartment for you. I can get your groceries since you haven't been home for three months. Your milk has probably gone sour by now."

I couldn't understand why she was being so nice to me. She was never this nice to me. Not since I first met her. Usually, she has some catty comment to say or just punches me in the head. But she acted as if the body switchers came and switched her for a mom. "Sakura, you're never this nice to me. Did something happen while I was away? Are you hiding something from me?"

Sakura suddenly grew quiet. She turned her back away from me and walked towards the open window. "Sasuke's back. Several ninja spotted him outside the city lines. Other Sound Ninjas are with him. When they asked him what he was doing, slithering his way back to the village, he simply answered them by saying he was looking for an old friend. Naruto, he's looking for you."

I felt my knees buckle slightly. I leaned myself up against the walls of my room. My breath, and heart beat, quickened in pace. Sakura turns around and looks at me. Tears begin to drip down her face. "I was ordered to look after you when you got home. Kakashi is also. He's talking to Tsunade as we speak."

"Why? Why do you think he's looking for me? I haven't been any sort of importance to him since I tried to stop him from going to find Orochimaru. Why am I suddenly so important now? Does he want to finish what he started and kill me like he planned on doing?"

Sakura interrupts my rant. "I don't know. All I know is that he was spotted wearing an Akatsuki coat. They suspect he might've joined them and is coming after you to get your demon and take you back to their headquarters to remove it. I think it's something more personal than that though. You know Itachi Uchiha is dead right?"

I look at her shocked. "They found his body a couple weeks ago. They suspect Sasuke had something to do with it. He finally got what he'd wanted to do all along. Revenge against his brother. I don't see why he doesn't come back to rejoin our team, not come back to punish us."

I stare at my shaky hands as Sakura mumbles to herself. I can feel my whole body trembling in fear. It was a feeling that I never did enjoy so well. Sakura looks up at me, noticing my horrified face and tears that were forming in my eyes. She wraps her arms around me, pulling me close to her warm body and embracing me. "No matter what happens, I'll protect you. Not just because I'm supposed to guard you; but because you're my friend. I won't let Sasuke hurt you, even if it kills me."

I thank her. She releases me from her hug. I make my to my bedroom, telling her she could stay if she wanted but knowing she wouldn't. I shut my bedroom door, hearing the front door shut as well. I smile, thankful that she did in fact choose to leave. I throw off my dirty clothes and open my dresser to find my clean, comfier clothes. I dress myself and flop onto my bed, letting sleep welcome me in it's warm arms. After a long mission like that, a nap is something that always has satisfied me.

When I woke up, Kakashi-sensei was that the edge of my bed. "Well good morning, sunshine," he says in an eerily cheery voice.

I rub my head and look at the clock. "I've been asleep for 15 hours? Why didn't anyone wake me up?"

"Because knowing the strenuous time your muscles probably endured, I thought it be best to let you sleep before you were off on yet another mission."

"What mission?"

Kakashi pauses for a moment. "Naruto, you're in grave danger. My guess is if Sasuke has the strength and power to kill someone like Itachi, he'll be able to easily kill you. You've already been through enough with the Akatsuki at your feet. Dealing with him will only make matters for you worse. If we get you out of here by today, we should be able to get you far enough out of the city to where he can't find you."

"Why would he, after all this time, finally come looking for me?" I never felt so confused. "I spent years looking for him and now, he's actually looking for me? I don't believe it for a second. There's got to be another reason he wants to come to the Leaf Village. I don't think it's me." I get out of my bed and walk towards Kakashi. "I'm staying here. I don't think he's looking for me."

"Naruto, don't be an idiot! You know very well he almost killed you the last time you fought him. You can't risk your life just to see your old former friend. He's not your friend anymore. He's an enemy; a rival. And there's nothing you can do to change that. We've got to get you out of the village now."

I punch the wall angry. "I'm tired of running away from everything. If I'm a ninja like I say I am, then it's up to me to face whatever danger comes my way. I'm not running anymore and unless you have some other way to make me, you can report back to Tsunade that I'm not going."

Kakashi is becoming angrier with me. "Look, you have no choice. Sakura will take you by force if she has to. She's not going to let this rival take your life. It wouldn't make sense in the least. Think about this team."

"I am thinking about this team," I suddenly burst. "Sasuke was once a member of this team, don't you remember? Team 7 with Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. Led by Kakashi Hatake. That was our team. Whether you or Sakura are accepting it or not, Sasuke was part of that team."

Kakashi doesn't answer me for a while as I pace across my bedroom. I finally stop, staring out the window. "Whatever happens to me happens. I'm tired of running away from everything. I didn't run away when people considered me a freak. I didn't run away during the mission with Haku and Zabuza. I didn't run away from my encounters with the Akatsuki. I'm not about to start running away now."

Kakashi walks out of my room with nothing more to say. I could tell the way he slammed the door that he was angry with me. I didn't care. I was happy that I had proved my point. I wasn't going to allow myself to run. Even if it cost me my life, I'd go face-to-face with Sasuke if it required me to.

"So you are more involved in this story than you led on," the officer asks. "You were the reason Sasuke decided to come back to the city after all?"

"No," Naruto answers. "I'm not up to that part. I'm merely trying to tell you that's what all the other ninjas thought. That I was the reason for his return. That's only partially true. The rest is for an entire different reason. Now let me get back to my story."

Apparently, immediately after he'd left my house, Kakashi went to the Hokages' office to discuss what I had said to him. Within a couple hours, ANBU and other Jounin surrounded my apartment, their orders were guarding me from getting outside. I never felt so angry. I didn't attempt once, knowing many of the ANBU ordered to my apartment were probably more skilled than I was.

Sakura enters my room. I'm sitting on the window pane, looking outside to the village. I don't turn to look at her. She was in on this just as much as Kakashi was. "Look Naruto, I'm the last person you want to talk to but this is for the best. Please don't resent them. They're only here to protect you."

"Look I don't see how you could even begin to think that. They've got me in a cage. I'm trapped in my own house. It's basically the same thing as running away from my problem. Only I'm hiding from it."

Sakura walks up towards me, leaning her back against the wall. "Naruto, Sasuke almost killed you. With what strength and power he probably possesses now, he could easily kill you. Even Kakashi said he fears to fight him. No one knows what kind of training Orochimaru put him through." She looks over at me. "They know what Orochimaru is capable of and all the knowledge he has on different jutsus. Imagine what he could've taught Sasuke."

"I don't. Although Sasuke is skilled, I doubt Orochimaru would teach him any that Sasuke could use against him. I highly doubt Orochimaru is stupid enough to train Sasuke in that kind of manner."

"There's nothing I can say that will convince you this is for the best, is there?"

"Nope."

"Fine. Then be a dumb ass! Get yourself killed! Sasuke is looking for you and you don't even look like you care if he kills you. He's stronger than you when it comes to fighting. You know this. Don't be such a dunce!"

Naruto looks over at Sakura. Her face with red with anger. A couple tears stream down her face. She was scared. She was scared of Sasuke. I gets up and wraps my arms around her. For a moment, I doesn't talk. I try to comfort her the best I knew how. Once I releases her, I speak. "I have to face him. He might be considered a criminal ninja to the others, but to me, he's still my friend. He's still a member of Team 7 no matter what anyone says. I'm gonna go. I just have to think of a way to get out of here."

Sakura wipes the tears from her face. "I'm coming with you then. I don't want you to face him alone. You're right, he's still a member of Team 7."

I thank her. We begin to plan our escape. He knew we'd need a bit of help from Kyuubi, but the rest seemed to be easy. As I quietly performed the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, Sakura prepares herself. "Now!" In a split second, 5,000 Narutos burst out the window, Sakura and me in the mix. We run down on the streets towards the village gates while ANBU are distracted trying to find the really one. By the time all the Narutos were destroyed, Sakura and I were far out the city. I turn to her as we rest in a tree for moment. "I'm going to warn you now. If Sasuke turns towards you and goes after you, I'm stepping in front of you. I don't want to lose you."

"Awe how sweet. Naruto has a sensitive side."

"Shut up. I just don't want to lose another team member. We've already lost Sasuke. I couldn't stand losing someone else." Sakura nods. We hear ANBU sweeping through the trees. We know it's time to go.

If you like the story so far, please let me know. I've worked really hard on this one. If you haven't picked up what's going on, Sasuke is returning the village. No one knows what reason he'd have. In the show, there's mixed reasons. Right now, there's two reason. Most people believe he's come to kill Naruto or to bring Naruto back to the Akatsuki clan. They're being interviewed. That'll be explained in the later chapters. I hope you like the concept of the story. Please review if you'd like to see another chapter. Thanks ^_^