Thank you all for waiting so patiently. Sorry I haven't written in forever…again. I was in Vegas for a week, then I had another week when I totally could have written, but I didn't because I'm an idiot, and then school started back up, and I haven't had time lately. So, here is the first chapter of Cor Unum. I hope you like.

JAPAN, 1880

Nine years had passed. Sasuke hadn't seen or heard from his brother since that one day nine years ago. That day, Itachi had left him for dead, waiting for these dark creatures to take him. Sasuke had just barely survived.

His village had been the first to be burned. The people who had once been his family were now monsters, though most had died in the fire. When word reached the emperor that the disease was still spreading, he ordered everyone in close contact with the infected to be killed. Whether they themselves were infected or not was a minor detail. Because of this, Sasuke was on the run.

He was sixteen now, and he took care of himself. His entire family had been wiped out by the disease, and his brother…his brother was going to pay. Sasuke didn't have solid proof, but he was certain that his brother had created the disease somehow. Now his only reason for living was so that he could one day kill Itachi. If he died immediately after… well he didn't care. What reason would he have to keep going once he accomplished his purpose in life anyway? And he was confident enough in himself to believe that he would be able to do it. His strength and his rage would help him reach his goal. All he had to do now was find his once beloved nii-san.

AMERICA, 1880

They're sending me away. They're going to throw me on a ship and send me to Japan. Iruka-sensei can't save me. And really, I should have seen this coming. I mean, I finally figured it out; why they hate me so much. They're afraid. There is something inside of me that could so easily get out if I lost control. So maybe it's for the best.

Iruka-sensei has told me so many wonderful things about Japan. Maybe I'll make some friends for once. They aren't going to know about the Kyuubi. That's what it's called, apparently. The thing inside of me. If it were to get out, it would take on the form of a fox. A great, big, red fox. And it would destroy anything and everything that got in its way. So I need to be really carefull. And maybe, if someone were to see the seal on my stomach, they would think it was just a tattoo. And the scars on my cheeks…well, those are just scars. No need to cover them up. According to Iruka-sensei, the thing people will notice the most about me is my bright blonde hair and big blue eyes. So maybe I'll be okay after all. Yeah, I bet everything will be just fine. No one will hurt me, or insult me, or ignore me. No, because I am Naruto Uzumaki. Everything will be fine. It's just…

I'm scared. No one has ever accepted me in my entire life. Aside from Iruka-sensei, of course. He's been almost a father to me these past years. I'll miss him a lot. I wish he could come with me, but he has a life here. His job, his friends. I could never ask him to leave all that behind. He's done so much for me already. But still… I'm going to be really lonely without him. But I'm sixteen now! I'll take care of myself. Japan is going to be great.

**********

"Naruto, I have good news!"

"What is it, Iruka-sensei?"

"I'm going to come with you to Japan. And I don't want you to feel bad or anything because I really want to go." Naruto just stood there for a moment, mouth hanging open.

"R-really? You want to come with me?" Iruka laughed.

"Silly. Of course I do. I didn't take care of you all that time to just let you walk out of my life. I think of you as my son, Naruto." The blonde ran into the others waiting arms, trying unsuccessfully to hold back his tears. He was just so happy.

"Thank you, sensei." He whispered into Iruka's chest.

"Don't worry, Naruto. Everything's going to be fine. I'll take care of you."

"Thank you, sensei." The boy repeated. It felt good to be loved.

JAPAN, same year

It's impossible. I can't find him anywhere. Honestly, where the hell could he have gone? It's been almost a month, and still no sign. It's like he just disappeared. No matter who I ask, no one can ever give me any information. I've heard other things, though- things of no importance. What I really need to hear, is where I can find my brother. There is one man that I can rely on for information, but even he hasn't heard anything. Maybe I should go and visit him today. He might have heard something in the past week since I last saw him.

**********

He's late. Of course he is, why would I ever think he might actually be on time to meet me? That annoying pervert can't ever put down that damn book of his. And when he gets here, he's going to have some stupid excuse about how he was helping a snail cross the street safely. Ah, here he comes. Let's hear it.

"Ah, Sasuke. Sorry I'm late. I was on my way over here, but all of a sudden I was viciously attacked by a flying squirrel with teeth the size of—"

"Hn. Don't bother with the lies, Kakashi. Just tell me if you have any information for me." I watch as he scratches the back of his head sheepishly.

"Uh, sorry, Sasuke. I got nothing. How 'bout I buy you lunch to make up for it?" I inwardly sigh. I won't be able to just get out of this one.

"Hn." I'll just have to be rude enough so that he never makes the mistake of asking me ever again.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." He says cheerily. It's a shame that I'm going to have to break his spirit. I start heading to the only place where I can eat without being ratted out to the imperial police. It's small, about the size of a house. I only usually go there when I can scrape enough money together. The people inside aren't exactly what you would call friendly, but they aren't outright hostile either… unless you provoke them. Around here, if you aren't carefull, you'll be killed.

"What can I get you?" A girl around my age asks us when we sit down. She has pink hair and emerald eyes. And she's staring directly at me, barely noticing Kakashi. Her smile is friendly and she seems nice enough, but I really don't have the time.

"I'll have anything, so long as there's tomatoes." I said, hoping the girl would at some point stop staring. It was beginning to make me uncomfortable.

"Yes, and I'll have some sanma no shioyaki.(1)" The pinkette smiled at me.

"I'll be out with that in just a minute." I turn to look at Kakashi as she's leaving. I know he has something to say to me, but apparently he's planning on taking his time. But that isn't something I'm willing to waste.

"What is it you need to talk to me about?"

"You figured it out? I guess I should have expected that." He paused for a moment, seeming to think something over. "It's not really that important. It's just that an old friend of mine is going to be coming here soon. He's bringing a kid with him the same age as you. Maybe you could be friends?" He asks hopefully. This is where the spirit-crushing starts, I guess.

"No." I state flatly. He flinches a little.

"I was kind of hoping you would answer with your usual 'hn'. Then I could at least take it as a 'yes'."

"Sorry to disappoint. But you know that I can't allow myself to have any distractions while I'm looking for my brother."

"But surely you get a little lonely every once in a while. You could use someone to at least talk to. And according to Iruka, the kid he's bringing with him could really use a friend."

"I don't care what this kid needs. I need to find Itachi. Nothing else matters." Kakashi sighs and shakes his head. I hate it when adults do that. The way they can make you feel like a little kid, and all it takes is an exhaled breath. Though I've only ever really gotten that from Kakashi and my father when he was still alive.

"Can you at least try? At least meet the kid, and then judge whether or not you could be his friend?"

"Why do you care so much anyway? Do you even know this kid?" Kakashi looks off to the side, successfully shielding his face from my curious gaze.

"I've never met him, but he is important to Iruka, so I want to make sure he feels comfortable here." I snort.

"It's impossible to be comfortable here. Where are they from anyway?"

"Iruka was originally from here, but moved away about twenty years ago to America. He got a job teaching at a school and met Naruto nine years ago. He's basically taken care of him ever since."

"Where were this Naruto's parents during all this time?" Kakashi sighs again.

"Apparently they died soon after he was born. He had been living alone until Iruka took him in."

"He lived alone from basically when he was born until he was seven? No one took care of him before that?"

"Not really. From what Iruka told me, Naruto has basically raised himself. You can't help but feel bad for the kid. Which is why I think you should be his friend. He needs it. And so do you, even though you'd never admit it." The pink haired girl is walking back to our table with our food, that annoying smile plastered on her face.

"Here you go. Is there anything else I can get you?" She asks sweetly.

"No." I say rudely, hoping it might get her to leave. It doesn't.

"Are you absolutely sure? 'Cuz if there is anything you need I can—"

"You know, actually there is something I need." I interrupt her.

"Oh, really? What would that be?"

"I need you to leave. Right now. And don't come back." The girl's smile falters a little, but to her credit, she doesn't let her sadness show through too much. She just quietly walks away. Kakashi sighs. Again. He seems to do a lot of that around me.

"Did you have to do that?"

"Yes."

"Whatever. Iruka and Naruto are supposed to show up next week. They'll be staying with me for a while, so why don't you come by to introduce yourself?"

"Hn."

JAPAN, one week later

I don't know why I'm even bothering to come meet these people. It's not like I need friends. I've been perfectly fine on my own all this time. But if it'll get Kakashi to leave me alone, then I guess I'll do it. We're supposed to meet at the place we ate at last week. I look up at the sky and notice that it's getting dark even though it's only around lunch time. It's colder outside, too. Winter's coming. I used to love the winter. Itachi and I would run around in the snow, throwing snowballs until we couldn't feel our fingers, at which point we would go inside, where mom had hot tea waiting for us. Father would come home a few hours later and we would all eat dinner together.

But now I the hate winter.

My first winter alone was the worst of my life. I almost died. Not only did I have to worry about the monsters lurking around every corner, but there were also the emperor's men that were sent to patrol everywhere. Nowhere was safe, and I was completely on my own. That, plus the fact that I didn't really have a place to live. I didn't have a roof over my head most of the time, and when I did, it was only for short, dangerous periods of time. You can never trust anyone.

Then I ran into Kakashi. I had met him through my cousin Obito once when I was younger. He recognized me almost immediately, because most Uchiha's look alike. He helped me out, and he still does when I need him to. I'm grateful to him for that, and I want to make it up to him somehow. But the one thing he has asked me to do is the one thing I have sworn to never do.

Give up on chasing Itachi.

He wants me to forget about revenge and just let it go. But I can't. Not after what he's done.

"Oi, Sasuke! Over here." I hadn't even realized I had arrived until he yelled out to me. I follow the sound of his voice and see him sitting not too far away. There are two others with him.

One is a man about his age, with brown hair, tan skin, and a scar running over his nose. That must be Iruka.

The other is a boy my age, slightly smaller, but not by much. His hair is blonde, and his eyes are a beautiful shade of blue I've never seen before. The lights in this place have never been very bright, but for some reason it seems as if this boy is almost absorbing the light. He is the focal point of the room. Yet his eyes are dull, and his hair-bright as it is- looks like it could be brighter. He's wearing orange and black, colors that you wouldn't think would fit him, but apparently they do. This has to be Naruto.

I walk up to them and end up sitting next to Kakashi and across from Naruto, who is already eating what looks like his fourth bowl of ramen. He briefly looks up at me to acknowledge my presence, but then immediately goes back to eating.

"Iruka, Naruto, this is Sasuke. Sasuke, that's Iruka and the one eating is Naruto."

"Hn." Is all I bother to say. I inwardly groan when I see that the pink haired girl is working again today. She's talking to a blonde girl, and they both keep glancing over at me and giggling. Honestly, does she not remember what happened the last time I was here. I practically made her cry.

"So, Sasuke, Kakashi says that you've lived here all your life." I look over at Iruka, who looks slightly uncomfortable, and is desperately trying to make conversation.

"Hn." The walk over here put me in a bad mood, so I'm not going to make this easy for him, even if he is a friend of Kakashi's. Kakashi seems to realize this and glares at me. I ignore him, choosing instead to watch Naruto as he eats. But Iruka isn't going to give up.

"So what kinds of things do you like and dislike? What dreams do you have for the future?" I smirk slightly. Poor guy doesn't know what he got himself into.

"I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and kill a certain someone.(2)" Iruka looks slightly taken aback, and now Naruto has stopped eating and is looking at me strangely. Kakashi just shakes his head, as per usual.

"Sasuke, do you have to be like this to everyone you meet?" I don't even look at him, or anyone else at the table.

"Yes." Kakashi looks back at the other two.

"Please ignore him. He's like this to everyone."

"Who do you want to kill?" Naruto asks, not caring if it was rude or not. Actually, I kind of liked his straightforwardness. He was able to get right to the point. I smirk at him, wondering what his reaction will be.

"My older brother." I hear Iruka gasp lightly. But Naruto just stares at me. It feels as if he is looking right through me.

"He must have done something terrible to you to make you want to kill him." I frown, not liking how he seems to figure me out so easily.

"What makes you think that? Maybe I just want to kill him for fun." But Naruto shakes his head, almost sadly.

"No. I don't think that's it. I get the feeling that you're actually a good person underneath that mask you've put up." My frown deepens.

"I don't know what you're talking about…dobe." He frowns at the name, but doesn't back down.

"Oh, but I think you do…teme." I glare at him, and I'm about to say something else when the pinkette walks over to the table, her blonde friend glaring daggers into her back. She looks at me.

"Hello again. Is there anything I can get you?" I glare at her, not liking the interruption one bit.

"No." But obviously this girl is a complete idiot, because she keeps talking, completely ignoring the glare. I turn the intensity up a little until it is a full-blown Uchiha glare. She flinches unconsciously, as she is still oblivious to it for some reason, as she tells me that her name is Sakura Haruno and that winter is her favorite season because of the snow. That's when I snap…in a way.

"Look, I don't care. Leave me alone." Then she finally notices the look on my face and takes a step back, most likely fearing for her safety. I really don't blame her, because at this moment, I honestly want to hurt her. But I hold myself back. I reign in my emotions and calm back down. That's when I notice that Naruto has been studying me this whole time. He doesn't look away when I look at him. In fact he stares even harder, as if he's trying to find something that he knows is right in front of him, but he just can't see it. I barely notice when the girl leaves.

"I don't know." He says mostly to himself.

"What don't you know?" I ask.

"What happened to you. I can't read you as well as I'd like to." I hear Kakashi chuckle, and look over at him. He's looking back and forth between the two of us, amusement clearly written on his face.

"Don't worry, Naruto. You are probably the only one who's ever been able to read him that well. Especially since you just met him. I've known him for years, and I only know a little bit more than what you've managed to figure out." I glare at him. He didn't have to mention that part. But, whatever. I don't care. Naruto can try and figure me out as much as he wants. I'm never going to let him get to know me though. No one will ever get to know me. It's better that way. Then I won't miss anyone if they end up getting killed, and no one will miss me when I die. That's the way it should be.

(1): salt-broiled saury, one of Kakashi's favorite foods.

(2): That's what Sasuke said when Team 7 was first formed and Kakashi was asking them about themselves.

I hope you liked it. Please review.