Chapter 2

October 11th

Under the Cloak of Darkness

In hopes that she would meet up with him, Sakura woke up extra early the next morning.

With sorrowful eyes, Sakura stared out into the forest with high expectations. A blue morning haze lingered over the field as the sun rose steadily. The grass was a mild shade of green, and the wind ruffled it gently. Her surroundings promoted a sense of bitter loneliness, causing her hope to rapidly diminish. Though it was obvious that arriving nearly an hour early would cause her to have to wait, it still made her feel uncomfortable to be alone and exposed.

As she waited for anyone to arrive, she thought a lot about what happened the night before. To see any kind of pain in Naruto was heartbreaking, but last night there was something mysterious and intense about his emotions. He shed tears without crying; his voice came out sad through his smile. Everything he said and did was contradictory to how he felt, or how Sakura thought he felt.

"I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

"What if…he really can't…?" Sakura whispered to the air, doubting his words. She had been waiting longer than she expected and it was beginning to trouble her.

"I just need some time to think. I'll…see you tomorrow."

Sakura just hoped he was telling the truth.

The sound of sandals scraping against the grass reached her ears. She perked up and her head snapped in the direction it came from, thinking maybe he had finally come. Naruto was not there, but a different and familiar figure approached. With a blank expression upon his nearly flawless face, he walked towards Sakura with his hands dug in his short's pockets. Long, black bangs dangled in his face, partially hiding his onyx eyes from the world. A small smile traced Sakura's lips.

"M-morning, Sasuke-kun," she greeted warmly. He nodded her way, his eyes scanning the area.

"Where is Naruto?" Sasuke asked, his voice firm.

"Oh, uhm…" Sakura was at a loss of words at how suddenly this question came up. She stared out into the trees as she answered. "H-he's…not here yet…"

Sasuke appeared concerned about this, but he still retained an emotionless disposition. Words were unnecessary to express his feelings. He cared, but it would never truly upset him like it would Sakura. He knew that Naruto would show up eventually.

The two stood in utter silence for a while. It was painfully awkward without Naruto complaining about their sensei being late. It almost made the wait seem worthwhile. Lately, though, Naruto did not have the same spunk and attitude he used to have. He had become a lackluster shadow of his old self, quiet, distant and cold; that fact was blaringly obvious to Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto was still very temperamental, but his temper tantrums were typically harmless. Now he was dangerous when even a little angry.

The days of him being the group clown were gone a long time ago. Naruto had changed too much.

A flurry of white smoke appeared before their eyes. It cleared quickly, revealing a young man in his later twenties. His spiked, light gray hair slacked to one side of his head. A dark blue mask concealed his face from the nose down. His forehead protector covered his left eye, leaving him dependent on his right for vision.

"Morning, everyone! Sorry I'm late," said Kakashi cheerfully. He was silent until he realized that a key component to this scene was absent. His black eye searched the area in front of him. Something was definitely not right. When it hit him, he asked, "Naruto isn't here yet?"

Sakura shook her head, her eyes filled with grief. "It's all my fault…"

"That's…odd," Kakashi mumbled. "He's not ill, is he?"

"I…I wouldn't know," she replied with a heavy burden on her heart. "I'm the one who drove him away last night…"

In the distance there was a crack of a twig, causing alarm amongst the group. As a reflex Sasuke prepared to attack in case it was an enemy, activating his sharingan and performing hand signs for a fire jutsu. At a high speed, Kakashi seized his hands, clutching them tightly to stop the jutsu. He eyed his student sternly.

"It's not an enemy." Sasuke let down the Sharingan in obedience.

"What is it then?" Sakura asked, fear tracing her tone. The man craned his neck over and smiled, the only hint of it existing in his eye.

"It's just Naruto."

As he said that, the person in mention emerged from the trees, the earth and grass crunching beneath his feet. Naruto slowly ambled his way towards the team, an unfamiliar aura about him. His skin was mildly pale at a loss of its normal healthy glow. Dark circles encased his eyes, and red cracks stretched out into the whites. His hair, however, was mostly standard, standing tall and untidy above his blue forehead protector.

"You're late," Kakashi said bluntly. Naruto's gaze wandered elsewhere as he formulated an excuse.

"Sorry." His voice was hoarse. He coughed a bit to clear it. "I sorta…slept in…"

"I see…"

Kakashi narrowed his eye at him harshly. "Naruto's house…is this way…" he stated in his mind, looking in the direction Naruto normally came from, "…but today he came from the other side of the village…the deeper part of the forest. There's no way he slept in…he was doing something out there, and I intend to find out what."

"Loser…" Sasuke muttered under his breath. Naruto, though barely hearing his comment, shot a glare in his direction.

"Nice to see you too, asshole," he scorned, straining to control his temper.

Sakura sighed and shook her head. There was something seriously bad going on with her usually goofy teammate. He seemed tired and angry, and she could not help but wonder if it was her fault.

"Naruto…I…" She eyed her teammate, whose gaze rose to meet hers. It made her uncomfortable, but mainly because it was not the way he normally looked at her. The sheer emotionless nature of his irises caused her to swallow nervously. "...are you alright?" she finally blurted out.

Naruto pursed his lips together, refusing to respond verbally. He nodded once in a slow, but assuring manner. Smiling, he paced over to Sakura, who tensed up a bit. When nothing but a few inches separated them, he put his mouth close to her ear.

"I told you last night. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"You sure? You don't look too good right now," she whispered back. She put the back of her hand to his forehead, a soft yet very present heat caressing it. "Feels like you have a fever."

"Trust me, I'm fine."

"We're going to leave without you," Kakashi quipped as he and the young Uchiha strolled away.

"But I…" Before she could say anything, he followed Kakashi and Sasuke into the forest. Sakura smiled warmly, and then she ran after her three teammates.

"Whatever you say, Naruto…I believe you."

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"I'm in position. Team Seven, report."

"Sasuke. Scouting sector E. No sign of the target."

"Sakura. Watching border between B and C. No sign of the target either."

"Naruto. Searching full scale. Target not found."

Kakashi sighed disappointed, leaning on a tree nearby. "Copy. Keep looking." He scratched his head, scanning the immediate area. "That dog's gotta be around here somewhere…"

Scowling, Naruto switched off the communicator attached to his neck. How could his teammates take this so seriously? He had once thought that Team Seven was beyond this "kid's stuff" as he called it. His abilities alone could handle a C-rank, maybe even a B-rank. Their skills as a team could even tackle an A-rank. But no. They did not get an A-rank. Certainly not a B-rank. No where close to a C-rank.

They had to get a D-rank.

Another damn D-rank mission.

D missions were meant for beginner genin, the fresh graduates, not for the experienced. Naruto recalled his first days as a ninja when he found difficulty in these supposedly easy tasks. His disability to concentrate did not favor him either, especially when doing the exceedingly boring. Finding a lost pet, without a doubt, was the definition of boring.

Even Tsunade, the current Hokage, knew Naruto and friends were more than capable of accomplishing the task she had pre-set for them: a regular, routine escort mission, C-ranked. It would not have taken them more than a few hours to accompany the worried merchant back to his village safely. It would have been perfect. He would have been home an hour before sundown, giving him plenty time to conceal himself.

Kakashi declined the mission, causing Naruto to throw a fit. Kakashi explained to Tsunade that they needed a break, using Naruto's exhausted appearance as proof. Even to the naïve, it was obvious Naruto had not received sleep the previous night. An escort mission would drain him completely, even if no burglars attacked. The logic was too true for Tsunade to say otherwise, so she passed the mission on to Team Eight instead and Team Seven got their taste of the old days.

They had been at it for hours. The sun was low in the sky when their search began, but now it was slightly to the west, the time sometime after noon. It was ridiculous. How could a mere canine elude four ninja so easily? As far he knew it was just a fluffy black domestic dog and not a trained nin-dog from the Inuzuka clan. Naruto scratched his head as he paced the forest floor, the dead leaves crunching under his feet. At this rate they would never find it, therefore not earning their pay for today, and in an even worse case, he may not get home before the full moon rose.

Naruto rested against a tree, sliding to the earth below him. He closed his eyes, lightly tapping his head on the bark to make himself think. If it did anything, it gave him a headache. There had to be a way for him to find that dog quickly. Well, there was that one ability he had, but he despised using it. It made him feel even less human than he already did. Unfortunately, he was running out of options. He rolled his head back and breathed in through his nose steadily. A colorful amount of aromas became apparent. Easily identifying them, he named them in his mind.

"Leaves…trees…the river…rabbit…squirrel…" He closed his eyes tighter to concentrate. Maybe he needed something the dog had been in contact with to distinct its scent from any other canines that might've passed through. Something as simple as shed fur or a paw print in the dirt would suffice or even better yet, its collar.

Naruto smirked, realization hitting him. Reaching into a pouch, he grabbed a large, red leather ring, a name tag and vaccination tag attached to it. He had been given the dog's collar while Sakura had one of its toys and Sasuke had the leash. This division of items ensured that there would be teamwork at one point during the mission, a precaution made for the starter genin. Tsunade did not bother modifying the mission for them either.

He held the collar close to his face, inhaling through his nostrils, taking in the canine's diverse scent. As he breathed out he contemplated over its properties. The aroma was an amplified version of what humans could smell on a dog with musky undertones that gave its variety.

Naruto sniffed the air, sorting through countless odors for that particular scent. Once found, his eyes snapped open, his mind overwhelmed with this new insight. He stood slowly and began to follow the scent. It was as if the trail was visible, considering how easily he traced its path. Naruto's heart pounded with the thrill of the chase, a devilish grin gracing his face. His walk shifted to a jog and then to a sprint, satisfying his need to burn off the extra energy pulsing through his veins.

Leaves flew off the ground as he sped by. The feeling of the wind striking his face was both exhilarating and refreshing. The scent's direction changed dramatically and he was unsure if he could make the turn at his current momentum. Thinking quickly, he jumped off the ground, landing his feet on the side of a tree. Using his chakra to defy gravity, he stood firmly on the tree as if it were flat ground. He kicked himself off the side, sticking his landing and then jumping back into a run on the right course.

With each step, the scent got stronger. There were apparent signs that the dog had been here recently, such as prints in the dirt, scratches on the bark, and its waste (which, thank the lord, Naruto did not step in!). He grinned to himself, a sense of pride washing over. This time around he would take the glory, instead of Mr. Perfect, Sasuke Uchiha. He would be the one to find the dog, and he would catch it too. Naruto chuckled to himself.

The aroma reached a peak, causing Naruto to stop in his tracks. He pulled himself behind a tree, pressing his body to the bark. Naruto could hear a steady breathing and it was very close. Cautiously, he peeked at what was on the other side. Lying on its back in a sunlit clearing was a black furred creature. Its eyes were closed and part of its tongue hung out of its mouth. Its coat of fur had a beautiful shine to it. The animal was obviously well groomed and domesticated.

Naruto pushed a button on his communicator. "Naruto to Kakashi."

"Kakashi here," the leader's voice returned. Naruto narrowed his eyes towards the animal.

"Target sighted," he declared coolly. He heard Kakashi groan.

"Finally…What's your position?"

"Taking a guess. Around sector G. I can see the wall from where I'm at."

"Copy. We'll be there in a few minutes. You still have the collar?"

"Yeah."

"Get it on him. The owner said it was friendly, so you should not have any trouble. Then keep an eye on him until we get there."

"Gotcha. Naruto out."

Letting go of the button, he carefully stepped out into the clearing with the collar in hand. The dog's ears twitched, its eyes opening suddenly. Naruto flinched. As fearless as he seemed, he hated dogs. Not as much as raccoons and definitely not as much as cats, but he still had a particular loathing for them. What was worse, like any animal they could tell that you despised them. It was exactly why he hated them in the first place.

And the eyes. He absolutely hated the eyes.

This dog was large for its breed. A wild guess assumed that if it were to stand on its hind legs, it would be just two or three inches shorter than him. He watched it roll over and stand up, stretching its body. Its claws dug into the dirt below and its curled tail swayed freely while doing so. Naruto drew nearer to the canine.

"H-hey there…uhm…" He looked at the name tag on the collar. "Cosmo?" The dog perked up and turned its head around, panting slightly.

"All right…" Naruto swallowed, getting closer. He held the red band out. "I'm just gonna…put this back on your neck…" Cosmo had turned his whole body around at this point as if it were cooperating. He sighed relieved. When his hand was close enough, Cosmo put his moist black nose to his skin, sniffing it.

The canine growled angrily and Naruto pulled back. "Calm down there, Buddy. Not gonna hurt ya'; just gonna put your collar on."

Naruto slowly forced his trembling arm towards the dog. It growled again with its ears pinned back. The fur on its back stood up. Cosmo barked viciously, baring its teeth. Before he could move, the dog barked again, flinging its muzzle at Naruto. It sank its teeth into his hand, causing him to drop the collar. It started as a sharp pain, and then faded to a medium sting. Naruto winced, gritting his teeth to endure the pain.

"Hey, l-let go!" he demanded, trying to pry his arm out of its mouth. The ferocious growls grew louder, its grip tightening. Blood trickled down the sides of his hand, staining the dog's pearly white fangs. The red liquid dripped onto the ground.

Why Naruto hates dogs, reason number three: they bite. Hard.

"Dirty mutt," he insulted. Cosmo did not take kindly to his words, strengthening his hold on Naruto's hand further. A short, but loud cry escaped his lips.

"Fine then…" Naruto managed out. He glared at the dog angrily. With his free hand he opened a pouch and located a kunai knife. He held it up by the taped handle, the tip pointed at Cosmo. He scowled at the dog. "Let's see if you like hell, you dumb animal."

Just as he was about to lower his arm, he was stopped. Someone had grasped onto his wrist. He protested, still attempting to lower the knife into the dog's neck.

"What…are you doing…loser?" the person asked, struggling to hold him back. Naruto recognized him immediately as he turned so their eyes would meet. His cold black irises pierced through Naruto's clear blue ones. Naruto grimaced, gritting his teeth.

"Nothing, asshole," he replied irritably.

"Our mission is to return the dog, not kill it, Naruto!"

Naruto dropped the kunai and jerked his arm away from Sasuke, and he narrowed his eyes at Sasuke. His wrist was numb from the short cut off of circulation. "I know that, Sasuke! Just because I look like an idiot, doesn't mean I am one!"

"Then what were you doing with the kunai?" Sasuke asked sternly.

"The damn dog has my hand, you bastard! What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and laugh about it?"

"No, but you can't just kill it either."

"Then what do you suggest, genius?"

Sasuke sighed, looking down upon Naruto's bleeding hand. He kneeled down to eye level with the dog, staring at it blankly. Cosmo glanced at Sasuke, but returned its gaze to Naruto uninterested. Sasuke put his hand close to the dog's nose, his middle finger poised behind his thumb. Releasing it, he flicked the dog in the nose lightly. Its eyes widened and Naruto felt the grip on his hand loosen. Sasuke quickly grabbed its lower jaw, prying it open, doing the same to the upper jaw.

"Okay, pull your hand away," he said dully. Naruto did exactly as he said with no second thought, clasping the wounds with his other hand. It hurt worse than it did before, but at least it was out of the reach of that homicidal canine.

"Th-thanks…" Naruto mumbled gratefully, staring at the ground. Sasuke grumbled back with his famous "hn."

"It's basic animal survival," he said modestly, taking Cosmo's collar off the ground. Sasuke replaced it with no difficulties, hooking it onto the leash. "There was a whole lesson about it at the academy."

Naruto frowned shamefully. Yet another of the many things he failed to learn at the academy. He was always running off, skipping class, pulling pranks, and causing trouble instead of focusing on his studies. It was a mistake he wish he never made, but back then his young mind was corrupted, clouded with desire for love, attention, and respect, something he had been deprived of since birth.

"Sasuke to Kakashi," Sasuke said, holding the button on his communicator. "Confirmed lost pet: Cosmo. Target captured."

"Good work, Sasuke."

Naruto felt a familiar emotion boil inside him at Kakashi's words. It was how he felt everytime Sasuke received praise. It was always "Good work, Sasuke," never "Good work, Naruto." Kakashi always gave all credit to Sasuke, no matter how much or how little he did. Naruto was the one who found the dog, and all Sasuke did was leash it.

"I'll meet you at the Hokage's Office," Kakashi declared. "Just wait where you're at. Sakura will join you to check for injury."

"Copy. Sasuke out." Sasuke sighed as he released the switch. "Looks like we have to stick around."

"Hmph…" Naruto grumbled, turning away from Sasuke with his arms crossed. The blood on his hand stained his coat. "Exactly what I need. Alone time with 'Uchiha the Almighty'…"

"Uchiha the…Almighty?" Sasuke repeated skeptically. "What?" He stared at the blonde boy, arching an eyebrow. "What's his problem?"

"You heard me, asshole."

"Whatever, loser…"

At that very second, a hidden, uncontrollable rage clicked in Naruto's mind. In attempt to restrain himself, he took deep, steady breaths, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth. His feats however, were futile. He craned his neck around, sneering angrily at Sasuke. His hands were balled into tight fists at his sides, the bones cracking.

"That's…it…" he muttered, his voice low and raspy. Turning abruptly, he charged at Sasuke, his arm prepped for a punch. "I'm sick and tired of you calling me that!"

Naruto shouted a battle cry as he drew near. Sasuke took immediate action, first by side stepping to narrowly dodge his punch. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's orange sleeved arm and twisted it behind his back. Naruto cried out at the ache that followed. Sasuke was able to do this while keeping hold of the dog's leash.

"Maybe I wouldn't call you that if you weren't such a loser," he taunted, letting go of his arm. He delivered a kick to Naruto's back, tossing him foreward and onto the ground. He lay there flat on his stomach. "Why don't you stay down till Sakura comes? You'll have less chance of dying of blood loss."

Naruto put his wounded hand before his eyes. He stared at the injuries and the blood that was still seeping from them. The bleeding had slowed, though, and the gashes were shrinking. The edges of the wounds glowed a dim orange. A soft hiss could be heard as a nearly invisible smoke rose up from the bite marks. Naruto narrowed his eyes hatefully. The Kyuubi was using its chakra to heal him, not out of compassion, but from his distaste of perishing alongside his wretched host.

If Naruto died, the Fox died.

He slowly pushed himself off the ground, ignoring Sasuke's interest for his well being. "Thanks, but I think I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

Naruto sighed, looking down on his hand again. The bleeding had now stopped and the wounds were almost fully healed. He felt calmer now, no longer burdened with his anger. "Yeah…I'm sure, Sasuke."

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After a job well done, Team Seven was rewarded for their efforts. Though a D-mission did not pay as much as the higher ranks, they still had some cash on hand. It did not matter much to Sasuke, seeing as he had plenty of money saved from previous missions and access to the Uchiha fortunes he was given when he was young. He rarely used his inheritance, saving it for when he really needed it. He learned to handle his finances at a very young age, being dependent on himself since he was eight.

The twilight sky was a soft lovely orange as he strolled down the main street of Konoha, his sandals scraping against the brick pavement. Nightfall was approaching, but the streets remained busy as ever. Taking a walk this time of day was a great way to wind down after a mission. It was very relaxing for him. The air was just starting to cool, a light breeze blowing. The inscrutable sounds of people conversing with one another lingered over.

As he enjoyed the serenity he felt his body collide with something. Startled, his eyes snapped open.

"Sorry, I…wasn't looking," Sasuke apologized. The man in question looked down on his with his single black eye, his head slightly cocked to the side.

"Ah, Sasuke. I was looking for you."

The boy turned around and looked up, discovering that the person he had bumped into was his sensei. "Kakashi?" he mumbled. His teacher chuckled warm-heartedly.

"Evening, Sasuke. I was hoping…that I could ask you…for a favor." His voice grew quieter as he spoke.

"Favor…" Sasuke muttered, faintly interested. He never generally did favors for anyone unless he got something out of it. If it did not good for him, it was nothing but a waste of time. "What kind of favor?"

Kakashi scratched his head, knowing it may be difficult to ask him for this. "Well, I guess you could call it a…mission of some sort."

"It all depends. You haven't explained what it is you want from me."

"Oh, of course, silly me," Kakashi teased cheerfully. "Why don't we discuss this somewhere more…private?"

Sasuke nodded, growing more curious by the minute. Kakashi lead his young pupil out of the busy streets into a quieter, more peaceful neighborhood in the Leaf Village. A few villagers were seen just retiring to their homes after a long day of work. Some children were still outside playing, paying little attention to the time of day. The skies were continually fading into a deep blue as the stars appeared one by one. The sun had just set on the horizon, gracing the world with the magical eye-candy of dusk. Every color of the rainbow rained across the sky, but soon enough those awe inspiring hues would be blotted out by the night.

The two reached an apartment near the edge of the forests. Going up a flight a stairs and down the hallway, Kakashi stopped at a door encrypted with the number "225." He grasped the knob and opened the door to a small room. Gesturing Sasuke inside, Kakashi closed the door behind them. Sasuke recognized this domain as Kakashi's home. It was not much of a house, consisting only of a bed, an end table, a few extra chairs, a closet, and a bathroom.

"Please, sit," Kakashi requested as he sat on the edge of his bed. Sasuke took a seat on a wooden chair directly across his sensei, a puzzled look upon his face.

"What sort of mission are we talking about, Kakashi?" he asked, folding his hands together. He rested his chin upon them, staring intently into Kakashi's eye.

"First things first," he stated in a strict, but calm tone. "I have a question for you: Have you noticed anything…abnormal in Naruto's behavior as of late?"

"Naruto?" That was the last thing Sasuke would expect this to be about. He paused for a moment to ponder over the odd topic. "Maybe one or two things out of place. I don't pay much attention to it."

"I see," Kakashi murmured.. "What about today? Was there anything about him you found…peculiar?"

Sasuke shut his eyes gently, thinking back on the day's events. "He did seem a little moody. More than usual."

"Yes, I can agree with that."

"Why are you asking, anyways? What's Naruto got to do with anything?"

The masked man exhaled an audible sigh. "There's something going on with him, and I intend to figure it out."

"Just because he's acting up a little doesn't necessarily mean something's wrong. He could have been having a bad day."

"There is something more to this problem than just a bad day."

"Such as…?"

"Well…That's what I'm trying to find out. The main thing I know is that he's been leaving the village often. At least once a month. Sometimes he doesn't return for days. During those longer time periods, a villager goes missing and is never seen again until the corpse is found."

"And you think there's a connection, somehow?"

"Precisely."

Sasuke averted his gaze to the floor. "He couldn't be a murderer. It's impossible."

"I'd rather not consider that, but for all we know it could be true. The way his mind works is complicated."

"Have you alerted the Hokage, Kakashi?"

"No. Tsunade-sama would not take kindly to an assumption like that, especially when it involves Naruto. She is particularly touchy about Naruto. That is why I need some proof before I talk to her."

"I'm guessing you want me to find that proof." Kakashi nodded once slowly. "Couldn't you do that yourself?"

"Normally, I would, but I've got an important meeting tonight that I cannot be late for." For once he was actually concerned about his tardiness, a shocking fact for Sasuke.

"Then do it some other night. I don't especially like doing things like this."

"It must be done tonight."

"But why?"

Kakashi turned, fixing his eye on his window. A clear view of the sunset was framed by the window pane. "He disappears the night of the full moon, as does the victim. I'm sure that tonight is when the full moon will shine. We must catch him in the act tonight or wait another month."

Sasuke grimaced. "What do I have to do?"

"I want you to follow him. Wherever he goes, you go. Do not let him out of your sight, even if he finds you. If you catch him trying to hurt anyone, stop him immediately," Kakashi explained, the intensity of his voice rising gradually. "I grant permission to use force, but not deadly force. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but before I agree to do this, I must know: what do I get out of helping you?"

Kakashi scowled, his expression hidden behind his blue mask. He despised how greedy Sasuke could be at times. "I'll see to it that this is put on your mission record as a class B mission. Does that sound fair enough?"

"Fair enough," he repeated, standing up. He stretched his arms and legs, preparing himself for this mission opportunity. "When and where do you want me to report back?"

"Keep an eye on him until sometime past midnight. I'll wait for you here after the meeting has dismissed."

"Got it," Sasuke assured his teacher. He walked to the door and placed his hand on the knob.

"One more thing before you go," Kakashi interrupted. Sasuke looked over his shoulder. "Be careful out there, and keep your distance. Naruto could be very dangerous."

With that said, Sasuke nodded and departed for his task.

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Sasuke's heart pounded against his chest as he rushed across the now dead streets of the village. The light tap from his sandals were practically the only sound in hearing distance. He had never dreamed he would have to do anything like this, but it made his life as a shinobi even more interesting. Not only was it a spying mission, but an investigation of murder, not a bad combination in his eyes. He could not believe Naruto was actually the prime suspect, though. The blonde boy always seemed so innocent and virtually harmless.

He reached a spot where he could get a clear view of Naruto's apartment. Pressing his back to a brick wall, he made sure that he was hidden from sight. Channeling his chakra correctly, he activated his sharingan, causing his onyx eyes to turn a frightening red. At its power level, he could detect even the slightest changes. The keen hypnotic red eyes scanned the area carefully.

His eyes caught movement at his rival's door, causing him to perk up. The doorknob turned, the person behind it tentatively emerging. Though his back was to him, Sasuke could see his spiky blonde hair from a mile away. He was not wearing his typical clothing. His outfit consisted of a black hoodie and dark gray pants. Even stranger yet, he was barefoot. Sasuke watched as Naruto glanced over his shoulder, his blue irises shifting from left to right. The boy shut his door, pulling the hood up over his head so his face was invisible. He then leaped off the balcony in a blur, jumping across the rooftops of the buildings.

If his Sharingan were not active, we would not have seen him.

"He's fast…gotta move," he thought in shock. Immediately he took off after him, keeping his distance as Kakashi suggested. Sasuke found it remarkably more difficult to follow him than he anticipated. The fact that he was on the ground while Naruto was taking an aerial route made it that more challenging.

Naruto had led Sasuke to the very edge of Konoha before he stopped in front of the village gate. Sasuke stealthily hid himself behind a building to watch for his next step. Naruto stared upwards at the leaf symbol carved into the arch. His shoulders rose and then shakily dropped with his every breath.

"Please…don't let me come back…" Sasuke heard him mutter, causing himself to shudder. Naruto's voice was deeper and completely new to his ears. He quietly watched as Naruto sped off outside the village, and the pursuit was on once more.

"Just where is he going?" he asked himself. Naruto guided him through the deepest parts of the Leaf's outer forests. He noticed as the sky grew darker, the slower Naruto moved. To Sasuke's relief, he could slow down as well, his energy draining quickly. While Sasuke was nearly exhausted, Naruto was not showing any signs of fatigue.

Suddenly, Naruto halted to a stop at a grassy clearing. A small pond was located in this area. Sasuke took refuge in a nearby tree to get a bird's eye view of him. Naruto lowered his hood, revealing his spiked hair once more. He then proceeded to removing the sweatshirt and his undershirt, leaving his upper torso bare. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his suspicions rising.

"I won't hurt anyone…I can't…no matter how tempting…I won't…I won't…I won't…" Naruto chanted with his eyes shut tight. Tears threatened to spill, but he absolutely refused to cry. A deep maniacal laugh rang in his head. The Fox was mocking him for his fear. It became harder for him to breathe, knowing that the time was near. The sun was now gone and the full moon now blessed the night sky. Two tears dripped down his cheeks from the corners of his eyes.

"What is he doing?" Sasuke whispered to the air, bouts of confusion and bewilderment clawing at his mind.

Naruto spun around startled, his eyes wide. He heard something out there. A voice, a familiar one too.

"Wh-who's out there?" he shouted frantically.

"Shit, he heard me…but how?"

"Show yourself!" he bellowed, now angered. Birds in the trees flew off, frightened by his outburst. Sasuke sat on the branch petrified, unable to determine how he should react. He had been spotted. In a spying mission, that usually meant retreat, but his orders clearly stated he was not to let Naruto out of his sight.

Meanwhile Naruto felt his body quake, a fever rising up his spine. The full moon was now high enough to take its cruel and malevolent effect on Naruto. Whoever was out there was a dead man. He balled his hands into fists, very patiently awaiting his change into beast.

As he stared into the darkness a figure dropped down from the trees, staring at him with blood-curdling sharingan eyes. Naruto gasped, stumbling backwards. He gawked at him with pure terror.

"S-Sasuke?"

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End of Chapter

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