From Orphans to Thieves
Chapter 1: The Beginning, the Promise, and the Consequences
By Kikoru Sijan
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I don't own The Thief Lord either.
"Regular speech"
'Thoughts'
'Sounds'
"Inner thoughts"
A/N: Yay! I started another story, which will not be a one-shot! Please note that in this story, I changed the inners' thoughts to bolded ones! This is based partially on The Thief Lord. Thank you, and enjoy! And Tenten and Neji are the same age as the others. CIAO ACTUALLY MEANS HELLO, THOUGH I KNOW PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT FOR BYE!
Also, Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, and Tenten are in their PART TWO clothing. Ino, Shikamaru, and Neji are in the clothing BEFORE the chunin exams! Sasuke's clothing is like his in the FIRST MOVIE, except his shirt is black. NOBODY THAT HAS SHORTS! THEY HAVE PANTS INSTEAD! (EXCEPT FOR THE TYPE LIKE SAKURA WEARS. THAT DOESN'T COUNT AS SHORTS) Kakashi is just in his normal clothing.
Four years ago…
A twelve year old girl sat one of many bridges in Venice, Italy, one midnight, crying her eyes out. Her pink strands of hair stuck to her face as she continuously wipes her ever flowing tears away. She stifles a sob. The streets are not crowded like in the mornings and afternoons. Who knows what could be lurking out there?
"Hey, what's wrong?" the girl heard a voice call in fluent Italian. Her green eyes looked up to meet a boy about her age. His dark eyes looked a bit intimidating, but something seemed to soothe her about him. She was expecting to see an Italian boy, but he seemed more Asian to her. He wore a long sleeved blue shirt and a light jacket with some dark pants.
"M-my okaa-san and otou-" the girl started, realizing she was speaking Japanese. "Sorry, I forgot Italian for a bit." The boy just shrugged and gave a small smile.
"I'm Japanese, too. Just talk in Japanese if it's easier." She smiled. "So, what's your name? I'm Uchiha Sasuke."
"Haruno Sakura." Sakura instantly felt better, though it couldn't cover all her sorrow. "My parents died a few days ago, and they tried to take me to an orphanage, but I ran away. I didn't want to go…" The boy smirked.
"Same thing happened to me. How old are you anyway?"
"Twelve."
"Hm…come with me…I don't know if that perverted bastard might still take you in…he probably will…" Sasuke said half to himself and half to Sakura. Sakura got up, trembling from the cold and scared if she should really trust this boy, but she followed anyway. The only thing that kept her from getting lost was Sasuke's pale skin; everything else on him was dark, including his hair. After many twists and turns through the alleyways Sasuke stopped at a door.
'Knock'
'Knock' "Hey, dobe, open up!" Shuffling was heard inside and a grumble followed.
"Uhm…coming teme," a voice slurred. Locks being turned were heard.
'Click' "Hey, teme…who you got there?" the boy said, rubbing his blue eyes. His Japanese was fluent as well, though he didn't really look it. His blond hair was astray. "Br…get inside and tell us. Kakashi's out tonight. Probably stealing more porn…" Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Typical. Come inside, Sakura." The 'dobe' looked up and grinned as the two stepped in.
"Hi, Sakura-chan! I'm Uzumaki Naruto."
'Okay…he's Japanese…'
"Hi…I'm Haruno Sakura." More movement was heard inside. A girl with long brown hair and brown eyes sat up.
"Hm? Who's here, Naruto, Sasuke?"
"Oh, Tenten! Gomen, I woke you up. Somebody new is here! Her name's Haruno Sakura-chan!"
"Really…let me see her," a new voice said from the doorway. Sakura turned to face a man buried in an orange book. He had silver hair, but she could tell he wasn't old, probably in his mid-twenties. A mask covered half his face and one eye. His not covered onyx eye looked at her. "You fit your namesake…"
"Hey! Kakashi, your back!" This woke everyone up in the room.
"Gah! Why'd you wake us up, Naruto?! This is so troublesome," a boy said.
"Shikamaru, calm down," Tenten said. "There has to be a good reason, right Neji?" A boy with long hair and pale eyes nodded. He lit a candle.
"So what is it?!" a girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes questioned. A girl beside her with short dark hair and pale eyes nodded furiously.
"Ino, Hinata, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru…we have a new orphan. Her name's Haruno Sakura. Say hello, Sakura," Kakashi said. Sakura turned back to them. She waved.
"Hi."
"Can you please introduce yourselves?" Kakashi motioned to Sasuke.
"Fine. I'm Uchiha Sasuke."
"Uzumaki Naruto!" The girl with brown hair and brown eyes went.
"Tenten. I don't know my last name." The boy with long hair went.
"Hyuuga Neji." The girl with short dark hair waved.
"Hyuuga Hinata. We're cousins." The blonde girl went.
'Is she related to Naruto?'
"I'm Yamanaka Ino. And, no, I'm not related to Naruto no baka!" Sakura jumped.
'She read my mind.'
"Yes, I can do that, Sakura!"
"Okay, Shikamaru, your turn," Kakashi said.
"Nara Shikamaru. Now, can we go back to sleep?"
"Well…almost. I'm Hatake Kakashi. I am not any of their legal guardians, and I will not be yours. I just happen to have found a place for you. Every now and then I might check up on you…but if you stay here you must promise one thing, Sakura."
"What?" Sakura asked innocently.
"You must steal for the rest of your life, until you are eighteen. Then you can decide on what to do." Sakura thought for a moment. The people didn't seem bad.
"Okay." Kakashi's eye crinkled from smiling under the mask.
"Haruno Sakura, you are now a part of Shadow Blades. Your partner is Sasuke, he hasn't had one until now. Live your life as a thief until your eighteen. Now, I must go. Ja!" 'Poof' Kakashi was gone, and Sakura was now a thief. Sasuke grinned.
"Finally, I have a partner."
Present
"Sharingan, you there?" Sakura called through her communicator. The Shadow Blades were all sixteen now. Christmas had just passed, and so did Hinata's birthday; it was the 29 of December. Only two more years left for Hinata. Sakura stopped as the cold water lapped the stone walls and boats floated by in the nearby river. Her pale pink coat swept over, and her hands were pressed over her ear, trying to hear her partner. Her now short pink hair swept over her face.
"Uhm…you got the food, Cherry?" Sasuke's voice called over, using her codename. They only used their real names in private, or unless they were in a dangerous situation and couldn't think straight. They weren't legally allowed to live alone yet, so their names had to be a secret. Sakura looked in her cloak to check. She grinned.
"Yep. How much money did you manage to get this time?" Sakura asked, still grinning.
"You know how the girls swoon over me. It was easy…they should scream right about…n-"
"Eek! I lost my money! Thief!" Sakura giggled on the other line.
"You better get going! You and your cockiness!" Sasuke smirked. "Stop smirking!"
"How did you know I was smirking? Well, Cherry, meet you at point A?"
"Uhm…"
"See ya there." Sasuke clicked off. Sakura quickly ran to the cathedral near the square.
'Gotta get there before him!' She stopped at the entrance.
"Yes!" Out of nowhere, Sasuke appeared in his black cloak.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Too slow, Cherry." Sakura jumped in surprise.
"Ah! Stop scaring me like that, Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke shook his head and chuckled.
"You still jump after four years?" Sakura puffed her cheeks out.
"Well, you come out of nowhere! Your way too fast!...So how much did you get?" Sasuke smirked and dug in his cloak. He pulled out a pouch and opened it. Sakura found many euros. 10 000 to be exact. She mock glared at Sasuke.
"Did you flirt with those rich snobs again? And they still didn't figure out you're the thief." Sasuke shrugged before smirking, an evil glint in his eye. He put one hand on the wall Sakura was leaning on and got close to her face, causing her to blush.
"But you know that I don't love anyone but you, Cherry." Sakura felt his breath on her face and his finger on her forehead.
"Argh! Sasuke-kun, stop torturing me!" Sasuke grinned and got off of the wall.
"It's so fun to tease you." Sakura's eye twitched in annoyance.
"I'm gonna kill you when we get back home. I might have now but that'd cause a scene."
"Aa…so what food did you get this time?" Sasuke asked, closing one eye. Sakura shuffled through her cloak. She pulled out some bread, butter, a slice of ham, and lettuce. Then Sasuke rolled his eyes. She grinned.
"I'm not done!" She dug through and pulled out a clear bag of tomatoes. Sasuke was reached out to grab some but she pulled them back, waving a finger. He scowled. "Nope. You don't get some until the others get! Le-"
"HINATA-CHYAAAN! MEET AT POINT A!" Sakura sighed.
"That dobe…" Sasuke growled. "It's a wonder how he never blows his cover."
"Probably cause nobody understands what he's saying in Japanese…Good thing Naruto didn't bring his communicator today…" Sakura said. "That would've caused some ear damage."
"Probably…" Sasuke said. "We better go before the dobe finds us." Sakura nodded. They jumped through the rooftops and reached their home, an abandoned house that was still in good condition. They scanned around to see if anyone was near, and Sasuke turned his sharingan on to make sure.
"Clear." Sakura unlocked the green door.
'Click' "Anyone of you home?" Sakura called as heat flooded Sasuke and herself.
'Thank god the heating and water still works.'
"Hai!" Tenten yelled in reply. "Come to the kitchen! Neji and I have got some stuff!" Sakura laughed.
"Don't we always get something?" the rose haired maiden exclaimed. Tenten's laughter was heard. The two at the door slipped off their shoes. When halfway down the hallway, Naruto and Hinata burst in. Well, Naruto did at least.
"OHAYO!" It was nine in the morning, so it probably was still a bit appropriate. Naruto hung up his orange cloak while Hinata kept her light blue one on.
"It's okay, Naruto-kun, I'm fine. Anyway, it's a bit cold." Hinata usually stuttered, but she got used to the other seven and Kakashi, so she spoke normally.
"Hey, guys, let's go to the kitchen. Ino and Shikamaru should be back so-" Sakura started as the door burst open once again. Ino smiled and Shikamaru followed closely behind. Ino kept her lavender cloak on, and Shikamaru kept his brown one. Sakura turned to Sasuke. "Have you noticed that we're always getting cut off?" she whispered. Sasuke shrugged.
"I guess…"
"Ciao everyone!" Ino said in her fluent, sing-song Italian. "Let's go to the kitchen!" Everyone walked to the kitchen to see Tenten boiling some vegetables and Neji counting the money he stole. They were still in their cloaks, Tenten's green and Neji's white. All the girls were assigned to steal food this month, and the guys were assigned for money. This would switch each month and so on, but the girls always cooked and the guys always counted money.
"Hyuuga, I bet I got more than you this time," Sasuke said in Japanese. Neji raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" he finished counting. "Got 8000 this time." Sasuke smirked.
"10 000." Neji's eyes widened.
"Bring it here." Sasuke searched through his black cloak and threw the pouch to him on the table. Neji quickly counted. "You get a lot each day, Uchiha. Those rich girls are so stupid."
"Hn. Not my fault they fall into my trap." Neji smirked.
"I suppose it isn't."
"Tenten, you need any help? I got some ham and bread today. I'll make some sandwiches," Sakura offered.
"Whoa! Grazie! Well, make some would ya? How'd you get ham?! I only managed to snatch a few fruits and beans!" Tenten exclaimed, saying thank you in Italian yet the rest in Japanese.
"Yea, forehead girl! I only got some carrots and potatoes!"
"Sakura-chan, your so good. I managed to get some linguine and milk today." Sakura began to chop some tomatoes.
"Good job, you guys!"
"Kuso, forehead girl, you and Sasuke always get the best catches. That's why on birthdays and holidays you two have to do more than the normal!" Ino exclaimed. Sakura turned around and grinned. Just then a piece of tomato disappeared and Sakura felt a quick peck on her cheek. A muffled, "Love ya!" escaped the person's lips before they ran upstairs. Sakura felt her cheek.
"Uh oh…teme's in trouble…" Naruto whispered to everyone.
"UCHIHA SASUKE!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU KISS ME! GET BACK HERE, DAMMIT!!!!!!!!"
Half an hour later
"Ow…Sakura-chan, it was just a joke…" Sasuke said, laughing nervously. Sakura just closed her eyes and ignored him. She bit out of her sandwich. He smirked. "It's not like that was the first time I kissed you." Sakura blushed red.
"You still had no right. I'm not your girlfriend."
"Aa…but your like my sister. Don't forget who brought you here, Sa-ku-ra!" Sasuke said teasingly.
"He's got a point there…" inner Sakura said.
'Not you too!'
"Fine, I'm not mad at you anyway…"
"Hn. Uchiha, I don't get how you still live after so many beatings." Sasuke sighed.
"I don't know either…" Sakura glared at him.
"Couldn't you at least die once?" she said. Everyone sweat dropped.
"But, Sakura-chan, without Sasuke-san, you wouldn't have a partner. His speed and…" Hinata didn't want to say the next part, so Ino continued.
"His speed and looks actually help us get a lot of stuff. You two together make the best team!" Ino exclaimed. Sakura sighed in defeat.
"Fine…so how do you like the sandwiches." Everyone nodded in approval. "…And who's cooking tonight?" Hinata raised her hand and gulped down her food.
"You still got enough tomatoes to make some soup with the carrots and potatoes and some tomato sauce for the linguine. I think we can have some leftover ham, too." Naruto brightened.
"Wow! We have so much tonight…at least the linguine will remind me a bit about ramen…Ramen is still better." Sakura smiled.
"I could go steal some instant ramen from the market if you like tomorrow, Naruto," Sakura offered. Naruto smiled, anime tears falling out of his eyes.
"Thank you, Sakura-chyaaan!" He hugged her. Sakura coughed.
"Naruto, your suffocating her," Tenten pointed out. He let go and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Gomen, Sakura-chan."
'Knock' 'Knock' "I'll get it," Sakura called as she got up and ran to the door.
"Yo."
"Kakashi! Why are you here? You don't come that often anymore!" Sakura said. "And Hinata's birthday was the last time you came…only a two days ago…"
"Well, Sakura, am I all of a sudden not welcome?" Kakashi asked teasingly. Sakura scowled.
"Seriously…you and Sasuke-kun just love to tease me don't you?" Kakashi ruffled the girl's pink hair and stepped in. "Do you want some lunch, Kakashi?" Kakashi's eye crinkled.
"No, it's okay," he replied as he stepped into the kitchen, but his stomach seemed to disobey him and grumbled. Everyone laughed as he grinned sheepishly. "Okay…I guess I'll have something. Whoa. Sakura, you got a ham sandwich. Hard to steal…that butcher is quite fast to act." Sakura grinned.
"We've got skills Kakashi, Sasuke and me." Kakashi nodded.
"It's true, you two do….though maybe the reason Sasuke's so good is because he was blessed with good looks." Sasuke scowled as the other's once again laughed.
"It just might be true, Uchiha."
"Hn. Yea right, Hyuuga. You know I'm faster than all of you." That silenced them all and Sasuke smirked triumphantly. "I see…you all know it's true." By then, everyone finished and were waiting for Kakashi to eat his food.
"Kakashi, want something to drink?" Tenten asked.
"You have any coffee?"
"Uhm…let me go make some." Kakashi looked around.
"Well, this abandoned house is a lot better than that small, abandoned book shop we used to live in."
"Uhm! Kaka-sensei-" Naruto started.
"Cut the sensei Naruto. You know I hate it…you know very well."
"Fine, but aren't you glad we got all this stuff!"
"Uhm…Where do you guys sleep anyway? I don't think you ever showed me."
"In the attic so if people happen to come, they won't really think there's anyone there. Anyway, the attic's roomy, and the blankets are really soft and the ground is stable. We don't have a window, so we can use light, and the entrance is in the closet of one of the rooms," Shikamaru explained. "It's not too troublesome to climb either. Not to mention well hidden." Kakashi nodded.
"The coffee's ready!" Tenten said as she brought the mug of brown liquid to Kakashi. "Here's some milk if you want. The sugar's already on the table. We usually drink hot chocolate though…well except for Sasuke…can you believe he still hates sweets?!"
"Grazie…and he still hates them?" Kakashi said, taking a quick sip of his coffee after mixing in some sugar and milk. Everyone nodded.
"Sasuke-teme even drinks coffee without the milk and sugar!"
"Whoa! What's wrong with you!" Kakashi exclaimed uncharacteristically. Sasuke shrugged as Sakura sighed.
"That's why he never let's me buy sweets…even on my birthday! Wah! He's so mean…always going, 'Sweets are a waste of money. How do you even like them?' Well then I'm thinking, 'Why the hell do you like tomatoes so much than!'" Sasuke glared.
"Because…their good…"
"And so are sweets! You know it, Sasuke-kun!...Well…maybe you don't, but you can't deny the fact! Who didn't like sweets when they were twelve?!" Nobody raised their hand except Sasuke. He sighed.
"It's not my fault…"
"Whatever. I don't really like sweet stuff now…but I know I liked it when I was little…" Neji admitted. Hinata nodded.
"Remember that time you ate the whole cake your mom made for your sixth birthday?!" Hinata exclaimed. Neji smiled a bit, though remnants of sadness were in his eyes. Everyone felt a bit down; they all missed their homes a bit.
"Well, Kakashi, why'd you really come? You always come for a reason. And anyway, you have to come in two days for new year…" Sakura pointed out.
"I need you all to make a promise…" the mood became serious.
"And what might that be?" Sasuke said, leaning back on his chair, one delicate eyebrow raised.
"…Don't leave each other until every last one of you turns eighteen."
"Why?" Naruto asked, being a bit confused. "Didn't you say that we could just do whatever when we turned eighteen?"
"…Because…they'll get you…"
"And?" Neji asked.
"…They'll kill you."
A/N: Yay! The first chapter! So I hope you all like it…the chapters will be shorter than in High School Life!: Year 1, but they won't be extremely short! Well, review!
Kikoru x3