A/n: Hopefully this chapter isn't too dull, it gets way better during the Chuunin Exams. I don't have much else to say except what was said in the previous chapter, the prologue. Thanks for reading! Please review; constructive criticism welcome. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!

Chapter One:

The trip was a tremendously long one, especially since Natsuki walked at a slow pace with the luggage she had; until, that is, a man in his mid-forties with broad shoulders and a mustache was kind enough to offer her and Tomodachi, her dog, a ride. The two didn't make much of a conversation during the two days they rode together. All she knew about him was that he was a travelling merchant who went from village to village to buy and sell things of prominent value. He didn't know anything about her except that she liked to read. That's all that Natsuki was doing when he saw her, reading or sleeping.

It was on the third day that he let her go, as he was heading in a different direction than she; thanking him, she made the last day's walk steadily. No more rocks under the wheels, throwing her off her place in the book she was reading; not that she wasn't grateful for the ride, of course. It sped up her journey, would probably would have been eight to ten days instead of half that.

At dusk the small wagon which she'd bought from the merchant for a reasonable price squeaked. The weight of her small puppy, three suitcases and eight trunks, plus the diminutive box which held some of her identity was getting to be too much for the thirty-five pound wooden cart. Well, thought Natsuki, at least it's now that it's choosing to break. I've reached Konoha, and on good timing. The sun is setting.

As she began to walk passed two men, guards she deciphered, she was ordered to halt. When she looked at them, asking, "What?" in a weary voice, one of them wanted to know if she had permission to come into the place. Without a word, Natsuki flicked out her laminated card with a cheerful grin; her permission. The men nodded in approval and she made her way to find an inn before the darkness of the night settled in completely.

When she went to turn a corner, Natsuki's senses kicked in suddenly and she spun around. It would've been okay, if her hand hadn't still been gripping the handle of the wagon. Her luggage tipped over and five of eight trunks which contained her books opened, scattering them all over the dusty ground.

A boy her age perhaps was standing there; looking at the mess he'd taken part in causing. His face showed he didn't care; he didn't even apologize, but an apology wasn't what Natsuki really expected, or even wanted, really. She began to lift the large steel cases back onto her wagon, demanding of the boy, "These are kind of heavy. I could use some help." Her voice emerged as soft, but any idiot could tell it wasn't a polite request.

"Tch, it isn't my mess," he replied. The boy's hair was short, blue-black colored, and his skin was a peachy shade. His eyes were dark and his mouth curved into a half-frown. He wore a navy shirt with a red and white crest on the back, and khaki shorts as well as blue sandals. Hands rested in his pockets.

Natsuki nearly scowled, but she knew that if she did, she would lose all control she had. After her last mission, she swore to stay as collected as possible; she would try to appear happy, look kind. As an alternative, the girl smiled. "You're a ninja, aren't you?" She glanced at his hands behind the sunglasses she was wearing. "Oh, you're still in the academy. Well, how about you help me pick these things up? Unless you aren't strong enough; then I'll just have to do it by myself."

How did she know I'm in the academy? He asked himself, but he didn't fret. Silently he lifted the trunks and silently Natsuki put her books in just as they were. It was only when the stranger turned around to walk in the direction he was heading did the girl think to ask him a question, for some help.

"Hey?" Natsuki stopped him.

He half turned and asked, slightly irritated, "What now?"

Natsuki pulled the pendant on her necklace out of her shirt, but gripped it so the boy couldn't see it yet. "I was wondering if you knew…" she began, unsure. "I was wondering if you knew anyone from the U-Uchiha clan."

"Hn," Sasuke glared at her, uninterested in what she had to say, imperative or no. I don't feel like being tackled by a stupid fan girl now, he mentally groaned. But he wondered if she noticed the symbol on his back already, and what she was getting at. He'd never seen her before, not that he cared.

Instead of saying anything more, Natsuki let her hand slide off the pendant identical to his symbol. His dark eyes widened and Natsuki's shut. "… Why do you have that?" inquired Sasuke in a whisper.

"Do you know who that boy that survived is?" She set his question aside for later, knowing only the answer 'From my father,' which may not have been the most informing of answers.

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah, that's me."

Natsuki half-smiled, delighted that she'd found him so promptly, and continued: "My name is Natsuki…" She wasn't sure if she should've also mention that she was an Uchiha as well, so she didn't. Sasuke was about to say something to that, but she put her hand up to hush him. "I've come here to find someone. I thought that here would be the only clue I could get." Putting her hand up to her mouth, she giggled a little. "There is a predicament at hand, though. I've heard there are no other Uchiha but you; oh, but except your older brother, but maybe you don't like to talk about him?"

Sasuke grumbled; his hands fisted tightly, "Itachi…"

As I thought, Natsuki told herself. He hates his older brother, as expected. I might hate my older brother if he destroyed my entire family. "Listen, I've travelled for days and I and my companion are tired. I guess I should let you think a while, kid," Natsuki told him calmly. "Calm down; later."

At the inn, which she'd found just a few minutes later, though in the dark, Natsuki checked in and made herself as close to home as she could. She had a feeling she would be staying there for some time. Biting an apple the color of blood, she mumbled to Tomodachi, "This is going to be an adventure, hmm? Something different…"

The small black and grey dog stretched beside her master in their shared bed and whimpered an answer.

"Yeah," she stroked the dog's white short fur.

*-*

The next morning Natsuki woke up and decided to enroll into the academy. Of course, she'd already been through it, years ago, but if Sasuke Uchiha was going to be there all day long, she would probably have no other way of contacting him. Well, at least not an easy way.

But what she didn't know was that Sasuke had a lot of people that wanted to talk to him. They were all girls, fan girls, she realized. I don't think he's very cute…She inwardly giggled at her inside-joke. I don't know what makes them so interested in that boy, Natsuki thought as she took her seat next to a loud-mouth blond boy who couldn't seem to keep still. Maybe this was what forced me to graduate so early; the children here are absolutely annoying! She looked around at them all.

The students had noticed a new presence, and they made it easily known. Most of them, excluding those that admired Sasuke, all looked at the girl with raven hair, whispering rumors that would be spread throughout the entire school and maybe throughout the village. Natsuki walked toward a couple of girls that covered their mouths when she did. Holding out her hand, she greeted them. "Hello there, my name is Natsuki." She would have been discussing something with Sasuke, but with him tied up, she resolved that she ought to blend in anyway.

The girl with dark brown hair reached out her hand as well and grasped the offered one, trying to seem brave. "Hi, um, I'm Aki. Nice to meet you, I guess." Her friend with the lighter colored hair said the same, and Natsuki thought, Wow, these people are actually boring; but I guess that's okay, since it means there shouldn't be any trouble. They should stop talking about me, though… it's annoying.

Something caught her eye when she went back to her seat. There was a girl with green eyes and long pink hair, shouting something to a blonde girl, with her hands on her hips. "Sasuke's mine, Ino-pig!" was what she told her.

"Oh, yeah; well why you don't just ask him who's better?" the blonde, Ino, retorted.

Marching off toward Sasuke, she replied hotly, "Fine, I will!"

Natsuki sighed at the two's incompetence. And they call themselves ninja…? Humph, they'll probably end up passing the graduation exam no matter what, for the sake of that kid. It looks to me like they would do just about anything for him, to him, or what-ever.

Sasuke ignored the hot-tempered girl's rambles and kept his eyes on Natsuki, but he only looked from the side. He stared forward, his hands clasped under his chin. He thought: she's here, but why? Is she an Uchiha, too? She didn't say, but she was wearing a necklace, a necklace with the Uchiha's crest. What if she is? And who is she looking for? The boy kept his expression plain and impassive as he waited for class to begin.

After academy, Natsuki caught up with Sasuke and started, breathlessly: "Hey, you ran away, didn't you? I had to… to run. Anyway, you're some kind of an Uchiha, yeah?" She didn't wait for him to answer, since the question was rhetorical. "So, I was wondering, are you sure there's no other existing Uchiha, besides your brother and you? Because, the person I'm looking for, I'm pretty sure, was or is from your clan. So, yeah, are you sure there's no one else, because then he would be dead, and I don't want him to be. Oh! Unless, --- this is completely unlikely ---, but he could be your brother, maybe. He'd have to have been… hmmm…" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Thirteen when he did, you know… so now he's probably seventeen, am I right?"

Sasuke nodded, a furious look spreading itself willingly or unwillingly across his face.

Natsuki went on, saying, "So, well, I guess that's way, way too improbable to believe; but it is still possible… but anyway, I just wanted to know if you knew of anyone --- anyone – else from your clan that's, you know, still alive."

Sasuke answered shortly, "I don't know anyone else." What's with all her talking? She's almost as annoying as Sakura or Ino, or any other girl.

Hmm… he's fighting his anger. I can tell. His hands are balled up into fists in his pocket, and I can feel him practically glaring at me. I feel unsure about him, this Uchiha, but I also feel that he can help me find him; he knows who my father is, but also, he doesn't know. Natsuki's face looked disappointed and she replied, "Hmm, well if you're sure, then I should definitely go back to the inn I've checked into and feed my dog. Oh! I'm hungry too." She held her stomach as it growled. "You don't have anything else to say, do you? You have nothing useful at all?"

"Tch, I don't even know what or who you're looking for, and I don't really care," his gaze was averted and he began to walk away from her. Natsuki waved and hollered a goodbye, but the boy acted as if he hadn't heard it; he honestly didn't care.

He isn't very nice, but I guess I'm not, either. But the least he could do is pretend he is, like I do. It would be less annoying; stupid kid. Natsuki sauntered off into the other direction, grinning with her hands jammed into her pockets.

That afternoon she went back to the inn and fed Tomodachi the core of the apple she'd eaten on the way there, and then found a training ground to read a book she had on the Uchiha clan; she preferred reading outdoors in a quiet place. Meanwhile, Sasuke was doing some real training. He was throwing shuriken and kunai at a short wooden post, panting for breath.

I've got to train harder, harder! He admonished himself. If I'm going to beat him, then I have to train harder! No matter how exhausted I get, I can't quit until Itachi is dead; not until I have the same eyes as him; I can't quit!

I've got to train less, less! She ordered herself. If I'm going to play "Genin," then I have to appear as weak, a mere Genin. But it's been years since I've been to academy, besides today; what good can come of that? I just know I'll have to take the Graduation Exam, which will be coming up in a few days, I'm sure. Then I'll have to become a ninja all over again. This is painful, very painful.

After snapping her book shut and after Sasuke threw his last shuriken, they both went to a fruit stand; to buy fruit, obviously. It was a sheer coincidence that they met one another there, but probably not one that Sasuke was purchasing cantaloupe and pears while she was purchasing apples and carrots. For one reason or another, Natsuki grew angry because of that, but she didn't tell him or show it.

I hate pears, and I hate even more cantaloupe; it's disgusting, and what do they do for you, anyway? Yuk.

"Kid," Natsuki addressed Sasuke with a nod when he stared at her, standing just a few inches away. She tilted her head to the left and added, "I've read about you, or, well, your clan. If you ask me, it doesn't sound as impressive to me as I thought it would. You know, hunting down long-time criminals, bandits, using a Kekegenkai called Sharingan… I wouldn't say that those things are impressive." Upon saying the last word, she leaned forward slightly and there was a glint in her sunglasses; she was joking, which explained the broad smile her lips created.

Sasuke closed his eyes and stuck his nose in the air confidently. Nerve-wracking, Natsuki inwardly grumbled, but you wouldn't have been able to tell what she felt by the totally peaceful and content look on her face. "I don't care what you think."

Natsuki tapped her chin again, which was meant to be an adorable gesture when she was thinking. "Your clan can't really be a clan if there're just two people, though, can it?" She tried to smother her giggles, brushing off the question, guessing that it would further irritate the child standing before her. Becoming suddenly serious, Sasuke's attention became hers. "Hey, follow me." It wasn't a question, it wasn't a request; it was a command disguised by a girl's innocent-sounding, mellifluous voice.

He wordlessly obeyed her, walking four steps behind the girl who's hair appeared somewhat similar to his, except it fell three inches above her waist; the style was done in one unadorned braid, and on each side of her head was let-loose hair that framed her face, like Sasuke's, only her hair curled inward a little more than his. So, yeah, she resembled him to some extent, but it was the front of her hair which was precisely like his that made her look too much like him.

"You're curious about me, aren't you, kid?" she finally inquired once they reached the training grounds that she'd been at twenty minutes ago. Sasuke didn't admit it, but he definitely was; Natsuki didn't wait around for him to become less stubborn. Trying to make her voice sound half-amused and half-serious, as to keep the edge off of the conversation, she went on. "I don't know who I am exactly, but I have some clues."

Sasuke heard a crinkling sound and saw that the raven haired female was holding two sheets of paper, each stamped with a red cloud-shape on the middle top. What're these, and why do they have anything to do with me? He set the brown paper bag with his fruits in them so he could hold the documents in his hands, and Natsuki mimicked.

In his hands were Natsuki's strange Certificate of Birth and the letter from her father. He read over every single word as carefully as Natsuki did, perhaps even more carefully. For a moment, he thought he recognized the handwriting, and then thought, No way; it couldn't be him. He handed the sheets back to the girl three minutes or so later and thought about asking, 'Do you suspect anyone as the people or person you're looking for,' but kept his mouth empty of that sentence. Instead he responded, "I don't know why you showed me these. It's none of my business, and you shouldn't make it mine."

"Sorry, but I'm almost desperate enough to say… well… please." That time she spoke with a flat and uncaring pitch, and that surprised Sasuke; he tried not to show it, though.

What happened to her voice? He wondered, not that I care. The kunoichi was doing her best to seem like a "cheery little girl," but for a moment she let that drop to make Sasuke serious, to believe her, to try to cooperate with her. Her bright smile that made her look ever so radiant appeared once again; Sasuke became tense. First she smiles, then she doesn't… and then she does… What's her deal?

The wind hit her cheeks and blew her braid and fringed hair. I don't like the wind, she reminded herself solemnly. I should go before it gets to be too much for me. Picking up her bag and pulling out an apple Natsuki turned around and giggled a sweet, innocent giggle. "I'll be going now, 'k? Bye, now."

Sasuke was confused. First, she called him to her, and then she leaves, without giving him an explanation; not that he cared for on. It was just common courtesy. Tch, stupid girl.

Tomodachi whined and hopped into Natsuki's arms; she disliked the wind almost as much as Natsuki did. The wind wasn't a good omen for them. That was all there was to it.

Sasuke made his way back to his apartment, managing to steer clear of the girls that claimed to be in love with him: his fan girls. For supper he ate rice and pears, and fried meat. It was already nine thirty when he finished eating, and he went to bed early. Though determined, he didn't train after his meeting with Natsuki. Natsuki didn't read, or train, after her meeting with Sasuke.

"Big brother, no; why did you do it, big brother? Why?!" screamed a seven year old Sasuke, near to tears.

"It was for power; to test my capability."

"To test… your capability?" repeated Sasuke in a voice somewhat louder than a whisper. "But, Itachi, I don't get it. You killed Mother and Father, and everyone else."

Itachi, Sasuke's older brother, explained without any exasperation. "In order for me to grow stronger, more powerful, I had to kill all of them."

Sasuke broke down to tears and sobbed. . He was yelling, pleading, that Itachi not take his life as well. Itachi assured him he wouldn't. "When you have the same eyes as me, come face me; avenge the clan."

Sweat drops rolled down Sasuke's face as he panted, completely out of breath. Abruptly he sat up, clenching the sides of his head, trying to both forget about that night and trying to remember.

Natsuki sprang forward and took in a deep breath, and then she let it out. By that time she was used to it; used to the nightmares and bad memories people had. She also saw good things, but they would always fail to entertain or amuse her. Those visions weren't to her liking, but neither were the darker ones. She just wished she could have her own dreams and nightmares every night, rather than somebody else's. But also, it was the only time she was able to actually see.

Some nights, very few, her mind allowed her to see the very night she longed to forget. That was all she ever saw that was her own; anything else was just nothing, nothing at all. At times, Natsuki did prefer to share those memories of other people, strangers or not, to her own. It was because they weren't hers, they weren't her problem. It was because she didn't have to carry anyone's weight but hers. But either way, it was still nagging. Now she knew part of Sasuke's past, and now she knew why he seemed to be so cruel.

Itachi… Sasuke and Natsuki both thought. Except, when Sasuke thought it, it was with hate and disgust; he practically growled it. Natsuki was thoughtful about it.