The night of the Uchiha massacre Sasuke's goal of being noticed by his father dies and a new one is born: to kill his brother. Just three days later Hinata's mother is killed by S rank missing nin Momaru. Both want revenge and both will unite to get it...

Journey of Avengers

Prologue

Six Years Ago

A young white eyed girl sat quietly in the middle of a clearing. Her short raven black hair was down and her big emotional eyes were full of unshed tears. The wind blew her hair as she cried quietly scolding herself for being so weak as to let words get to her.

The clearing she was currently in was her sacred place, it was where she went when she was sad or depressed, like she currently was. The sole reason of her being there was her father's stinging words, though they were not spoken to her.

"She's a weak offspring, no matter how much I train her she does not progress as fast as she is supposed to. She is the heiress of my title and as such should be able to learn as much as possible before she takes over. At the rate she's going she's going be a weak leader and I will not have that!"

Those had been the words her father had told her mother. Words that were spoken with much disappointment in the young 7 year old. The only reassurance that the young girl had of not being weak were her mother's words. Her mother had defended her like any mother would her young child.

"I understand that you want her to be strong but you can't expect her to be powerful at such a young age. She is only five years old she will get better just be patient, I know she has potential I can feel it! It's just she has not tapped it yet."

As the young girl remembered her mother's words she smiled a little. She couldn't help but wonder why she was so depressed over something that mattered so little. Though she highly valued her father's opinion her mother was right, she had the potential to be strong. All she needed to do was tap it and she would finally fulfill her father's expectations for an heiress. With her mind set to train to be stronger and make her father and village proud of the ninja she was going to be, the young girl stood up from her sitting position and placed her right hand on her heart.

"I will become stronger no matter what, and show my father that I'm not weak," the young girl said with a great deal of determination.

"That's a very big promise you're making there," someone said from behind her. The young girl jumped and turned around in surprise. Standing there was a young boy with raven black hair and onyx eyes.

"I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I saw you all alone and came to see if you were okay," Sasuke said with a small smile.

"It's okay, my name is Hyuuga Hinata," Hinata said with a blush. She was embarrassed and felt foolish, she hadn't expected anyone to hear her declaration.

"Why were you here by yourself?" Sasuke asked with curiosity. Hinata sighed as tears welled up in her eyes again, but none dropped. Sasuke immediately panicked and was about to apologize for being so nosy but Hinata spoke before he could.

"I heard my father telling my mother that I was weak. I know it's stupid for me to let something like that bother me but I can't help it! I'm the Hyuuga heiress and I should be stronger. I hear the servants talking with each other saying how I'm weak when I should be strong and proud to uphold my title. After I heard my father say the same things everyone else did I guess I just snapped and came here, it's where I come when I'm feeling sad."

Hinata felt a large weight lift from her shoulders after she told this almost complete stranger what had happened to her. It felt awkward to be speaking her feelings to someone she had just met, she usually kept everything bottled up inside her so that other people wouldn't look down at her for being emotionally weak.

"So you want to make your father proud, I have a dream that is sort of like that one," Sasuke said as he sat down. Sasuke understood completely what Hinata was going through for he also felt the same way. He felt inferior to his older brother Itachi because his father won't acknowledge him like he acknowledges his brother. He patted the grass beside him motioning for Hinata to sit beside him. Hinata hesitated but sat by Sasuke anyway, she was still embarrassed but she didn't want to be rude. She was also a little curious to know what Sasuke meant by a dream like hers.

"What is your dream?" Hinata asked shyly.

Sasuke stiffened a little but relaxed again, it was only fair that he told her since she had told him her problems. "I want my father to notice me for me, and not as a shadow of my brother," Sasuke stated simply as he looked ahead.

"Oh," was all Hinata could say. She looked down at her hands which were resting on her knees. "I want to make my father see that I'm not weak," she said after a moment. Sasuke turned to look at the young girl beside him as his mind started ticking.

"I have an idea to help both our dreams come true," Sasuke said with a smile. Hinata turned to him with curious eyes. "What is it?" Hinata asked.

"We could train together! Both our dream is to become stronger to prove something right? Well, if we helped each other we might get there faster!" Sasuke said with a smile as he stood up. Hinata smiled also and stood up. She had just met Sasuke and already felt like they were both close friends.

"You're right! So lets make a promise right now that we will never back down from!" Hinata said with a smile. Sasuke nodded his head and took out a kunai from his weapon holster. He cut his right palm and let some blood come out, he then passed the kunai to Hinata who took it. She cut her right palm and blood came out. They both then slapped their right hands together hard, wincing because of the pain, and began to make the promise.

"So Hinata-chan do you promise to train with me, Uchiha Sasuke, until both our dreams come true?" Sasuke asked with a smirk. Hinata smiled and said, "Yes I do! Now Sasuke-kun do you promise to train with me, Hyuuga Hinata, until both our dreams come true?" Hinata asked.

"Yes I do!" Sasuke said determinedly. Both of them smirked before they let go of each other. "We'll never go back on this promise okay Hinata-chan? It will always come before anything else!" Sasuke said. "I will never go back on my word!" Hinata said with a smile.

"Hmm, let me see the kunai," Sasuke said. Hinata gave Sasuke his kunai back and watched with curious eyes as he got down on his knees and started making a hole with the kunai.

"What are you doing?" Hinata asked as she kneeled down beside Sasuke with a confused look. "Well, I was thinking that we could use this kunai as a solid symbol of our pact. Since this is where we made our pact and this is the kunai we used to make the pact I think we should bury it here. You know how as time passes people usually forget about things they did as they were children, well if one of us ever forgets or starts forgetting we would come here take the kunai out and use it to remind each other of our promise," Sasuke explained.

"Oh, that's a very good idea Sasuke!" Hinata said with a smile as she started to help Sasuke make the hole with her bear hands. Once the whole was about six inches wide and twelve inches deep they buried the kunai.

"There done," Hinata said with a smile. They both stood up and looked at each other noticing how dirty they both were. They both laughed at each other before they started walking to their homes. Each smiling because of the new friendship they each found and because they knew deep down that with each other they would be able to reach their dreams.

A Year Later

A now eight year old Sasuke was running back to the Uchiha compound. It was already night and he was sure his parents were worried about him. 'I stayed out pretty late training with Hinata,' Sasuke thought as he ran. Suddenly though he noticed someone crouched on a light pole. He felt a wave of fear run through him and he stopped abruptly. He blinked at the pole only to see that there was no one there. Sasuke frowned, 'What was that? It felt like someone was there.'

Suddenly he gasped in shock, 'The lights are all out... But it's not time to sleep yet..' Worried Sasuke broke out in a run again until he came to a turn, he took the turn and slid to a stop with a shocked expression on his face. 'This is..'

Sasuke looked around in shock at the mess before his eyes. There were kunai stuck to the buildings along with cracks, the lights were all broken and the flags with the Uchiha symbol on them were all ripped. But what really got to him was all the blood splattered everywhere he looked.

"What is this?" Sasuke asked himself still in shock. He started running toward home again, "What is going on?"

As he ran further he found the bodies of his Uncle and Aunt sprawled on the ground dead. He stopped as he looked at them, it felt as if his heart was being held in a tight grip. His face concocted in one of fear and disgust as he watched the scene before him.

"Father! Mother!" Sasuke said in fear as he broke into a run again toward his home. He needed to go make sure they were okay, he didn't want to believe what he had seen earlier, he needed to see his family!

He quickly reached his home and quickly slid the door open. He gulped as he stood there with the door open not daring to go in. "Mother? Father?" he called. He walked in slowly taking his shoes off as he did so. He slowly walked to each room looking for them, fearing for their lives. Suddenly he heard sounds from his parent's room. As he ran he tripped twice, he wanted to get to his parents, he didn't want to believe they were in pain. He stopped in front of the door to their room and reached out for the handle but quickly took his hand back in fear, the air around him felt thick and the fear seemed to have tripled.

He stood in front of the door shaking too scared to go inside. "Someone's in there..." he said out loud as he heard a sound come from the room. He was panting for air as he waited outside. "Move," he commanded his body but his body just wouldn't listen it didn't move.

"Move..Move!" Sasuke said again more desperately his body seemed to have listened for he took a small step forward and his hand reached for the handle again. His other hand followed suit and he opened the door scared of what he would find inside.

"Mother! Father!" Sasuke said as he ran inside. He came to a stop the door closing behind him. There in front of him was the bloody mess of his parents, his father was sprawled on the floor dead, and his mother was on top of his father. Sasuke watched in shock and in denial. Soon steps could be held and out of the shadows his brother, Itachi, came out. With each step Itachi took toward Sasuke he moved back. His brother came to a stop and so did Sasuke his back almost flat against the door behind him.

Sasuke looked at his brother in fear and disbelief. "Brother!" Sasuke said desperately. "Brother! Father and mother are... Why?! How?! Who did this to-!" suddenly Itachi threw a star shuriken at Sasuke who quickly shut up in shock. The star shuriken flew at Sasuke and imbedded itself on the door. What was his brother doing?! Sasuke watched in shock without moving a muscle, suddenly his shirt ripped at the shoulder and blood spurt out. Sasuke winced and clutched his shoulder in pain.

"Brother! What are.." Sasuke once again shut up, the look his brother was giving him was enough to make his muscles stop moving again. "What are you doing brother?!" Sasuke asked with newfound courage.

"Foolish little brother," Itachi stated as he closed his eyes. When he opened them again a few veins were visible and his three extra pupils merged together to form a swirl in his eyes. Sasuke watched in horror as his brother did this movement, the fear he felt before was nothing compared to what he was feeling now. Soon everything turned red and the light pole Sasuke had seen earlier appeared in his vision. Shuriken flew and connected with the bodies of some of the Uchiha clan members. Sasuke screamed in terror and confusion, he didn't know what was going on!

"Stop it!" Sasuke screamed in agony. His heart felt like it was breaking in pieces as he watched the slaughter going on before his eyes. He gripped his head tight and shook it from side to side. "Brother! Don't show me this!" he screamed. The images going on before him changed and instead of the slaughter his brother stood in front of him watching with emotionless eyes.

"Why? Why did you-?" Sasuke screamed again as the images of the slaughter appeared before him again. Soon the images were gone and Sasuke collapsed to the floor his mouth drooling. He panted heavily as he lay there in fear. His eyes widened suddenly and he asked again, "Why...? Why did you.." He looked up to see his brother looking down at him.

"To test my capacity," his brother replied simply. "Measure...Your capacity? That's all. For that alone everyone.." Sasuke said in disbelief.

"It was necessary."

Sasuke started to stand up, his anger was building up. "What was... Don't play with me!" Sasuke yelled angrily as he stood up fully and ran at his brother to attack. Itachi simply punched Sasuke in the stomach not even letting Sasuke get too close. Sasuke fell down and his eyes started to well up with tears, he couldn't believe what his brother was doing, what his brother had done! His tears ran down his face as he realized something, 'I'm scared..' Sasuke stood up and ran away from his brother fear clutching his young heart. 'I'm scared!' Sasuke thought in panic.

Sasuke ran out of the house and donned his shoes on. As he ran he tripped over his feet, but he didn't pay attention he just wanted to get as far away from his brother as possible. The tears didn't stop flowing as he ran, he screamed in agony and fear. "Don't kill me!" Sasuke screamed.

Sasuke came to an abrupt stop for his brother stood in front of him not letting him get any further. Sasuke panted as he looked up at his brother, the glare he was receiving was making him even more scared.

"This must be a lie. This is not how my brother is. Because..." Sasuke couldn't finish his sentence for Itachi spoke over him. "I played the role of older brother you wanted to test your capacity." Sasuke looked up at his brother in shock.

"The one who will test my capacity... You have that potential. You thought of me as unpleasant and hated me. You've always wanted to surpass me. That's why I'm going to let you live. For my sake. You are also capable of activating the Magenkyou Sharingan.. But there is a requirement as well. Your closest friend, you must kill him."

"No way," Sasuke said in disbelief. "Like I have."

"Brother you... Then you..? To Shusui-san?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. "That's right, and because of that I was able to obtain these eyes. At the main temple of the Nakano Shrine, underneath the seventh tatami mat on the far right side is the clan's secret meeting place. There you'll find the history of the Uchiha clan's dojutsu. And for what purpose it exists. The real secret is there.

"The real.. Secret?"

"If you can activate it, the number of people, including me, who can use the Magenkyou Sharingan will be three. If that happens there is a reason to let you live. But at the moment you aren't worth killing." Sasuke gasped at his brothers words and took a small step back.

"My foolish little brother. If you want to kill me despise me, hate me, and live a loathsome life. Run away, run away and cling to life. And someday when you have the same eyes as I do come before me." Itachi said in a voice so cold that with each word he was freezing Sasuke's heart slowly.

With those words Itachi reactivated his Mangekyou Sharingan and before Sasuke knew it he was falling forward.

Two Days Later

A young eight year old boy with emotionless onyx eyes and raven black hair sat quietly in the middle of a clearing. He stared at the distance with the images of his slaughtered clan, mother, and father playing and replaying in his head. His brother's words were stuck with permanent glue in the back of his head.

"Run away, run away and cling to life," Sasuke whispered quietly. Sasuke sighed as his eyes watered. 'Why do I keep crying? When will I run out of tears?' Sasuke wondered as slowly but surely his heart was growing thick layers of ice around it. Sasuke sighed again as he willed himself to not let his tears fall anymore.

Sasuke felt arms slowly wrap themselves around his neck and someone bury their face against his neck. He sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't have to ask to know who the person was, he had been expecting her to come earlier than this.

"It's nice of you to show up," Sasuke croaked bitterly. His voice was sore from lack of use and from all the crying he had been doing for the last two days. He had grown bitter toward Hinata for not even bothering to come to him when he was in the hospital, and for taking this long to come to him. The pain he had been feeling the last few days was intensified because of that, because of the fact that the only person he had left that he cared about hadn't even shown up to see him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know, I haven't been to the academy in two days because my mother is sick and my father wanted me to stay with her. I told you that the... the day it happened before you went home remember. I didn't find out until today, I was looking for you the whole time. I went to... to your home. I looked in every house and you weren't there and then...then I came here and I found you. I'm so sorry, so sorry. I didn't know...I just didn't... didn't know!" Hinata cried against his neck. Her voice sounded full of pain and sorrow, she was really meaning what she was saying.

Sasuke sighed and put his head on his knees. They both stayed in that position for some time, both crying because even though it was Sasuke's family loss Hinata felt almost the same kind of pain from watching Sasuke's pain.

Hinata sighed and let go of Sasuke, after a while longer, then sat by him and laid her head on his shoulder. Both their eyes were red from crying and their faces were tear stained.

"Was it Itachi?" Hinata asked softly. Sasuke flinched at the mention of his brother's name and nodded his head slowly. "Why...Why did he do it?" Hinata asked with a sob. "He said he wanted to test his capacity, he also said he left me alive because I have the potential to test his capacity. He left me alive to be the Uchiha Avenger," Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

Hinata gasped and turned her head to look at Sasuke. Her eyes were wide in shock, she couldn't believe what Sasuke was telling her, it sounded so unlike the Itachi she had once met. Her eyes teared again as she watched Sasuke's face. It was full of pain, hatred, and determination she had never seen anyone with that face and she definitely didn't want to see Sasuke with it.

"Sasuke I... I..." Hinata sighed unable to put what she was thinking into words. She looked down at the ground and then back at Sasuke who was looking at her with piercing eyes. She took in a deep breath and stood up she walked a few feet away from Sasuke and kneeled down next to a prairie flower and started digging there. Sasuke watched her already knowing what she wanted to tell him.

Soon Hinata dug out a dirty kunai and went back to Sasuke. She showed it to him with pure determination in her eyes. "I won't go back on my word Sasuke and I hope you don't too. Your dreams have somewhat changed but even so the promise still withstands," Hinata said. Sasuke looked down at the kunai and then back up at Hinata speechless. He thought that after knowing how his brother had so easily defeated the most prestigious clan in Konoha, Hinata would try to make him change his mind about taking revenge. He couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips as he shook his head and then looked at Hinata again.

"I won't go back on my word either," Sasuke said.

The next day both shinobi-soon-to-be found themselves in the same situation as the night before, with another loss, another death, another reason to become stronger and fight for what they both wanted: revenge. Sasuke wasn't the only one who had lost people dear to him for Hinata's mother was assassinated by S-rank missing ninja Mamoru of Iwa. The only thing in both their minds now was to become stronger, both out to seek revenge on the deaths of their loved ones. Both wanted to help each other get what they wanted for they both felt what is was like to lose someone important to you.

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a fanfic so please be nice. Please review and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.