Chapter 1: Sasuke's Halloween Plans

It was two weeks before All Hallows Eve in Konoha and everyone was excited. The village was decorated in jack-o-lanterns, scarecrows, and skeletons. Halloween seemed to be everyone's favorite holiday. Not one home was undecorated. Today was October 17th and it was midday. Sasuke Uchiha was having lunch at the Konoha High School. He was fifteen-years-old and loved Halloween just as much as everyone else. Instead of letting his parents ruin his holiday for him, Sasuke had planned on hanging out with his friends, Naruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shikamaur Nara, Shino Aburame, Choji Akimichi, and Gaara Sanderson. He wasn't quite sure what the plan for Halloween was just yet.

Neji, Kiba, and Shikamaru wanted to invite their girlfriends to come and hang out but Shino, Choji, and Gaara wanted to go pull pranks. Sasuke and Naruto just wished they'd decide on something before Halloween. Sasuke sat down between Naruto and Neji at the lunch table with the school's "living lunch." The lunch was even scarier around Halloween. Neji was already compromising with Gaara about Halloween by the time Sasuke sat down.

"How about we bring the girls pranking with us? Maybe they'll like it," he suggested.

"Are you kidding me? Girls aren't into that kind of stuff," he replied.

"My girl does!" Shikamaru said suddenly.

"But that's Temari. She's not a girl."

"Couldn't we ask them?" Neji asked again.

"I don't want a bunch of girls slowing us down. Let them dress up as fairies and get their sweets without us. Why can't we just have a boy's night out?"

Sasuke had a funny feeling that the group was going to be split up on Halloween if this kept up. He wasn't sure whose side he'd be on. He didn't have a girlfriend and he didn't want to get in trouble with the police for pulling pranks. Maybe he'd make his own plans with Naruto and his brother, Itachi. Sasuke could always count on Itachi to make hi holiday fun, no matter how much his parents neglected him.

"I'll ask Ino if she wants to play pranks," Kiba said on the other side of Neji. "Neji, you ask Tenten and Shikamaur…do you really need to ask Temari to pull pranks?"
"Probably not. She'll come even if I tell her not too."
Gaara groaned. While their friends argued, Naruto and Sasuke ate their lunches quietly. Naruto choked down some odd colored piece of meat before asking Sasuke, "So, Sasuke, have you heard the news?"

"Nope. What now?"

A wicked smile passed over Naruto's face and he leaned closer to Sasuke's ear. He whispered, "There's a werewolf running around town."

Sasuke's face changed to an irritated expression.

"Naruto! Quit it with the ghost stories—"

"But it's true! Honest! It's all over the news!"

"What? That werewolf crap?" Kiba asked, overhearing their conversation.

Being the dog expert he was, Kiba couldn't stand farfetched tales of rabid dogs and wolves eating or biting people and always had a rude opinion about it.

"Please. They probably found some lost husky's paw prints and said it was a werewolf just to excite people for Halloween."

"They said there was blood and drool puddle in the paw prints," Choji said menacingly.

"The dog must have been extremely hungry and got cut while running through a thorn bush or a tree branch."

"Two people have been attacked already I heard," Naruto said.

"Oh please. That's a load of garbage," Kiba retorted.

"Its true, actually, Kiba," Neji said. "Though I doubt that it was a werewolf, Mr. Hatake had a frightening tale and wound to share with us I class today."

"Tale and wound? You're not just pulling my leg are you?"

"Of course not! Shikamaru? You were there. I'm telling the truth aren't I?"

Shikamaru nodded. Sasuke was curious. Mr. Hatake was his favorite teacher and he knew he loved to make up stories to grab the class's attention. He waited for Neji to continue.

"Mr. Hatake said that he took a walk in the woods at sunset yesterday and for about two minutes was pursued by a dog-like drooling beast. He said it didn't look like a rabid dog and it was to…frightening to be a normal dog."

"Knowing Mr. Hatake, he probably twisted the story and it was really just a happy, playful, lost husky. This 'wound' he got was probably a tiny scratch from a thorn bush or a tree branch."

"Most likely but there is a chance that there's some kind of lost animal wandering around," Shino interjected.

Immediately after Shino spoke, Gaara said something rather enthusiastically which was always scary for Gaara.

"I know what we're doing for Halloween, with or without the girls. We're going to have a stake-out and find out what the truth is behind this whole werewolf story."

"Count me out," Shikamaru yawned.

"No way. You're crazy Gaara," Neji said picking up his tray of food and leaving the table.

"Neji? Where are you going?" Sasuke asked, worried.

"I have to talk to Tenten about Halloween. I'll see you tomorrow."

When Neji was gone, Shikamaru decided to do the same after spotting Temari, walking past looking for a table. With a yawn, he stood and said, "Later guys. Good luck werewolf hunting."

Sasuke sighed quietly and half expected Kiba to walk away too but he didn't. Sasuke looked at his dog-loving friend curiously.

"If there is a lost dog out there I should be there to help it find its owner," Kiba replied to Sasuke's unasked question.

"Naruto? Sasuke? You two in?" Gaara asked.

"Hell yeah! I've got to know the truth behind these stories. Count me in!" Naruto yelled in reply.

"Good. Uchiha? What about you?"

Sasuke didn't know what to say. He wished that for once they could've come up with something that included all of them. He didn't want to pick favorites. He glanced at Naruto who he found was staring at him hopefully. Naruto wanted badly for Sasuke to come with him. But Sasuke was hoping to spend time with Itachi this Halloween. Maybe he could fit both. He'd have to figure that out later but right now Gaara wanted an answer.

"Sure," he replied quietly and reluctantly.

"Yes!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Good choice Uchiha," Gaara said.

Sasuke got nervous. He hoped they weren't going to get in any trouble.

…..

When Sasuke came home from school, he tried to sneak up to his room without his parents noticing him. He succeeded but he found that Itachi was laying on Sasuke's bed!

"What the hell are you doing up here?" Sasuke whispered, irritatedly.

"Waiting for you," Itachi replied, sitting up on the bed. "We have Halloween plans to make right?"

"Oh uh…" Sasuke replied, recalling the plans with his friends.

"Sasuke, don't tell me you made other plans!"

"Well, I-I did, but, I was thinking that maybe I could fit two things into one night. I really want to spend more time with you Nii-san but I didn't want to let my friends down."

"Don't worry about it. That's perfectly understandable."

"Really? You're not mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you? I understand if you want to hang with your friends too."

Sasuke came and sat beside Itachi.

"Well, maybe you can come with us. I'm sure the guys wouldn't mind you tagging along."

"As long as it's okay with them. What are you doing exactly?"

"Well, don't laugh but…Gaara want to go find out about that rabid dog thing running around. He calls it werewolf hunting."

"Werewolf hunting? Doesn't he know werewolves aren't real?"

"He just wants to see the dog…I think."

"Sasuke. I have something I really want to discuss with you."

Sasuke looked at his brother's face. He looked like he was about to say something hard.

"Nii-san? What's wrong?"

"Sasuke…I want you to know how I feel about your friend Gaara. I think he's a bad influence on you. I'm afraid he's going to get you into serious trouble some day."

"Yeah. I know."

"You know?"

"Yeah. I think he's a bad influence too. The only reason I get stuck hanging with him is because Neji and Shino are friends with him. I like Neji and Shino sot he only way I can hang out with them is if Gaara can too. Don't worry. I never considered us much of friends anyway."

"Good, then. I also want you to be wary of peer pressure. I know you're smart and won't do anything stupid but Gaara seems to be having that effect on you lately."

"Like how?"

"Come on. Werewolf hunting? That's insane! It sounds to me like Gaara's got some serious mental issues."

Sasuke giggled and Itachi smiled softly.

When will I ever get to tell him? Itachi asked himself. Soon. Maybe on Halloween. He seems mature enough to understand.

"So, will you come with us on our hunt?" Sasuke asked, breaking into Itachi's thoughts.

"Sure. I'll try not to make other plans."

Sasuke blushed in embarrassment when he realized Itachi was referring to him.

"I said I was sorry—"

Sasuke fell silent when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs to his bedroom. Itachi shot a glare over to the doorway to Sasuke's bedroom. Why hadn't he remembered to shut it before? Sasuke held his mouth shut. He knew better than to say something when his father was around. Fugaku Uchiha appeared in the doorway of the bedroom dressed in his blue Uchiha Police Department uniform, his cold eyes taking in the scene before him.

"What do you want Dad?" Itachi demanded more than asked.

Fugaku focused his attention on Itachi and acted as if Sasuke wasn't' even there.

"You're late Itachi. You're supposed to be helping us down at the station."

"I still don't know why you need my help. You're putting up lights, garlands, and some blowups. You've got a hundred other perfectly strong men down there to help."

"May I remind you that this little charity was your idea in the first place. You should be down there helping."

"For the last time it wasn't my idea! It was Sasuke's—"

"Don't make me baby you Itachi! If you don't get moving within the next twenty seconds you will not have a Halloween!"

Itachi glared back at his father for a moment longer before looking longingly over at Sasuke. Sasuke didn't make eye contact. He wasn't supposed to speak to anyone else in his home. Itachi sighed and stood up, signaling he would be leaving with Fugaku. He stole a rub of Sasuke's hair before following Fugaku out the door. Sasuke listened to the slowly fading footsteps. When he couldn't hear them anymore, Sasuke let out all his breath. That's how it had always been…for as long as he could remember, Sasuke was forbidden from being part of the family. He wasn't allowed to speak to Fugaku, Mikoto, or Itachi since he was 8-years-old. He still wasn't sure why his parents hated him so much. Why did they even bother still allowing him to live in the same house? It didn't matter. He was actually glad they didn't kick him out. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to sneak these conversations with Itachi. Last week, Sasuke had told Itachi about an idea to raise money for a good cause. He suggested they have a "pumpkin drive." People would pay a dollar to come in and carve a jack-o-lantern. The dollar they paid would go to buying candy for homeless kids on Halloween that couldn't afford a costume for trick-or-treating or bags to hold their candy. Itachi told Fugaku about it, giving Sasuke all the credit but still…Fugaku gave all credit to Itachi.

Sasuke didn't mind. It wasn't about him. It was about those homeless kids that couldn't enjoy Halloween. It didn't matter if he came up with the idea or not. All that mattered was the cause. Sasuke stood up and went to his window. He gazed at the small view he had of the village. Most of the trees had lost all their leaves and were heaped in giant piles. There were a few late ones that still blazed like giant torches. The sky was gray for the sun usually didn't shine much during October. It didn't matter though. Sometimes he imagined those late trees were sun. Sasuke kneeled down, folded his arms on the windowsill, placed his head in them, and stared out at his hometown.

He thought Konoha looked its most magnificent during Halloween and Christmas. Sasuke missed Itachi already. He hated when his father always tore them apart. His father always ruined everything for them. Fugaku had ruined Sasuke's life. He couldn't enjoy his family anymore. He had to make a new family at school which was now his seven friends. He and Itachi were very desperately trying to remain a family like they used to be.

It's not that bad, Sasuke told himself. At least they sort of get proud when I bring home good grades.

Sasuke pushed himself to his feet and looked at his calendar. Halloween was starred, circled, and heavily marked and noticeably.

I'll make this year the best of my life. Mom and Dad won't screw this one up.

A/N: Cliffhanger! Oh well. You'll have to red the next chapter! XD ;) u all rock…luv the authoress SASUKEZ