Star walked up the dirt path until the gate to the hidden leaf village was visible. She ran as fast as she could to it, leaving her teammates, Shiori and Chihero, far behind. Once she arrived she had her paperwork looked at and within minutes she was inside the gates of her old home. She swiveled her head all around, not knowing when and where she might see Sasuke.
Just as she gave up hope, her and her teammates were walking across a bridge. Leaning against the side was a tall pale boy with onyx eyes and hair as dark as a crow's feathers.
"What a cutie." Chihero blushed.
"Yea, yea." Shiori smiled.
When Star looked up from her feet, she saw him too. His eyes widened at the sight of her. She walked up to him slowly, "Are you Sasuke Uchiha?"
"Depends on who's asking." He said coldly, but it was all a front. He knew who she was, and the fact that she had survived made him feel guilty for never searching for her.
Her smile faded, "I'm Star, Star of the Uchiha clan."
"Star? But you're…" Sasuke started.
She interrupted, "Yes, but due to my specific circumstances, that had to change."
He nodded and smirked, "You look so different. I've never seen your hair this long before…and your eyes are…different."
"Well, I am an Uchiha. My eyes are always strained; practicing use of the Sharingan is hard strenuous work." She smiled and gave a thumbs up.
"What brings you here?" He asks.
"He doesn't know?" Chihero asked curiously.
"Some power, if he was as strong as you claim, he would know…" Shiori scoffed.
"Oh hush, I'm sure he just hasn't found out yet. Sasuke, we're here for the Chunin exams." Star smiled.
She looked in his eyes for a moment and flashed back to him screaming at her to leave his house. When Itachi had appeared, she ran until she ran into him. He took her to the Village Hidden in the Sand. He told her that her destiny awaited there. He blessed her with unimaginable power that he was going to pass on to Sasuke soon enough. She twitched at the thought. She grabbed the mark that was half on her shoulder, half on her neck.
Sasuke gave her a look, "You ok?"
"Yes, just remembering some unfortunate events." She shrugged, keeping her hand firmly on the mark.
Does it burn my dove? His voice cooed in her head.
She winced, last time they spoke; he had hit her for suggesting she tell Sasuke before he marked him. She wouldn't make hasty mistakes like that again.
"Where's your team?" Chihero asked lightly.
"Dunno, don't care." He shrugged, never letting his eyes leaver Star's.
"I sense Kankuro causing problems." Shiori frowned.
"Let Gaara handle his siblings." Star smirked.
Sasuke could hear Naruto on the other side of the wall across from him. He jumped up into a tree and observed the trouble.
By the time Star walked to where her fellow sand genin were, all was calm.
"What's happened?" she asked, sensing Gaara's annoyance.
"Kankuro was bullying these children." Temari explained.
Star shot him a glare before looking to Sasuke, "Sorry for the trouble Sasuke, see ya."
She started walking away.
Sakura and Naruto just looked at Sasuke curiously. Naruto was the first to speak, "Who is she?"
"None of your business." He said, continuing after the purple haired girl.
Sakura sighed and thought to herself, 'She's beautiful.'
"Star wait!" Sasuke called after her.
She turned to face him, "We really must go, but meet me here tonight!"
He didn't say a word; he just nodded in agreement and watched as the Sand Genin walked to whatever inn they were to stay at.
That night as Star was preparing to leave, Gaara grabbed her arm.
"What?" she questioned.
"You know you'll only cause him more pain. Your alliance is sickening, and as your friend, I advise against this." He said, keeping his voice monotone.
She gave him a big smile, "Gaara, you know I have to do this. Sasuke and I aren't children anymore. Years have passed since we last saw each other."
"Ever stop to think that your feelings even after all these years, haven't changed?"
The question made her pause to think before replying, "I love him like a brother still, that much is true, but it won't distract me from my mission. Your father, the Kazekage, has agreed to work with Orochimaru to destroy the hidden leaf, I'm but a simple pawn in that plan."
"Ever get tired of being the pawn. You used to tell me stories of the great Uchiha clan. You would shame them if they could see you now. What about your mother, father, and brother?"
The word brother made her snap and punch the wall next to Gaara's face. He didn't move, flinch, or say another word. He just watched as she pulled her fist back, and jumped out of the window.
"I have faith in you." Gaara said simply as he exited the room.
When Star arrived at the small bridge where she was to meet Sasuke, she leaned against its railing and sighed. 'That could've gone better.' She thought.
"Hos-I mean Star!" She heard Sasuke call.
She turned her head slightly to see the raven-haired Uchiha approaching her.
"Hello there Sasuke. Now we can talk." She smiled.
He gave his best smile back, but seeing her brought back all the memories from the night his older brother slayed their whole clan.
"Sasuke!" he heard her scream as the door to his home slid open.
"Hoshi, run!" he cried.
His brother who had been standing in front of him was now gone. Sasuke ran as fast as he could downstairs to see Itachi pointing his sword at her.
Sasuke jumped in front of her with a Kunai in his hands, "Just go!"
She nodded and ran out the door.
He looked up at her with a serious expression on his face, "What happened to you that night? How are you alive? Itachi doesn't make mistakes."
"It's kind of complicated." She rubbed the back of her head as she tried to think of the best way to explain it.
"Well obviously. How did you end up in the hidden sand village?" He kept firing his questions at her.
"I ran out of colony and into the heart of the village where a man found me. He was kind and took me to Suna the moment I explained what had happened. I tried to get him to go back for you, but he said it was too dangerous, so he just took me. The Kazekage gave me a new name in case Itachi ever went looking for me." She explained as best she could without giving away who the man was.
"Does the Hokage know you're alive?!" he asked yet another question.
She sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Sasuke, enough of that for one night. Let's just talk about happier things!"
He sighed, "You're right. My sensei told my squad about the Chunin exams today shortly after that incident with the gourd guy."
Star paused for a moment before she fell to the ground laughing, "The gourd guy! That is too much!"
"I don't see how that's funny. It makes sense to call him that! He carries a huge gourd on his back." Sasuke looked away, a little embarrassed.
"I know, I know. But that gourd is probably the most dangerous thing he has and for you to talk about it lightly like that just makes me laugh!"
"How much do you know about him?" Sasuke began to question her again.
"How much do I know? Everything. How much will I divulge? Nothing." She laughed a little more.
"If I have to face him during the exams, it would be nice to know what I'm up against." He explained.
"Well, he said the same thing about you, but I didn't spill your secrets. Of course, he already knows about the sharingan." She got up and leaned against the rail again.
"Mine awoken on my previous mission. How long have you had yours?" he asked.
"So many questions with you Uchiha." She giggled.
"Uchiha? You're an Uchiha." He pointed out.
"No! My name is Star Izaki. I come from the village hidden in the sand. My parents died when I was young whilst on a mission and I never had any siblings." She responded like a robot.
"How many times did you have to repeat that to learn it?" His brow furrowed.
"Too many! Oh, and as for your last question, my sharingan awoke while I was in training. I was about ten. I've mastered it you know. It's fully developed." She stuck her tongue out and waited for him to act impressed.
He just got more serious, "Even Mongekyo?"
She froze, and knew instantly he was thinking of Itachi. She sighed and rubbed her temples, "No, you know the only way to do that is harsh and not worth it."
He put his hands in his pockets, "Yea."
Sasuke froze as Star wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "I missed you. I never knew if you lived or not."
He felt wetness on his shoulder. When he finally registered that she was crying, he wrapped his arms around her waist and embraced her, "I missed you too."