Jinchuuriki

The clock read 11:10. Class started hours ago, and still Naruto's seat remained empty. The exam had continued with no further announcements regarding the Third's fate. His classmates had breezed through the remaining sections, securing themselves a place on a jounin led team.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

He looked up, away from Naruto's empty chair. His sensei nodded in his direction respectfully. He returned the gesture.

"You will be with Hyuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kiba."

The Hyuga girls pale eyes darted in his direction from across the room. She smiled weekly. The Inuzuka let out an audible sigh. Again his gaze returned to Naruto's empty chair. He'd known the likelihood of being placed on the same team was slim to none...but still he'd hoped..

Class broke for lunch and he watched his new teammates approach from the corner of his eye. He hurried up to the front of the room before they could reach him.

"Sensei."

"Yes, Sasuke?"

"Uzumaki Naruto is absent today. Is this due to his performance on the exam?"

The elder Uchiha observed him through narrowed eyes. His hands curled into fists at his side.

Just answer the question.

"Is there a reason for your interest on the subject?" He turned away, facing the whiteboard with his back to Sasuke. A dismissal.

"Curiosity."

"You know what they say about that." His teacher responded flatly. "Why don't you take a seat, it is important that you learn more about your new teammates, you'll be working closely with them now."

He turned away. No doubt his Father would hear of the exchange by the end of the day. He slipped a hand into his pocket and grasped the cold mirror within. It'd been over 24 hours since the smooth surface had lit to indicate a call from the other side. The last he'd seen of his friend was his orange clad back as he ran from the academy.

"S-Sasuke-kun." Hinata's small voice broke over the crowded class. He took a seat beside her. "I-It's great to finally know our teams. I hope you're happy with th-this arrangement." She turned to acknowledge Kiba. The brown haired boy scowled, leaning his chair back on its furthermost legs.

He grunted as a response, turning to watch the courtyard from the window. He'd known it was bad when he failed to produce the bunshin. There was a good chance he'd have to retake the year. But for Naruto to not even attempt to show up to class...it didn't make any sense. Since they'd received the mirrors they'd never been far from each other. He always answered within an hour or so when Sasuke tried to reach him. Yet he called into his own reflection all night and had yet to receive any acknowledgement that Naruto was even alive. Failing the exam..that was huge. And the Third's death.. He knew how much Sarutobi had meant to him. How could he not be responding at all at a time like this?

"Stuck up bastard." He heard Kiba mutter under his breath.

"Kiba-kun." Hinata's disappointed reply. The Hyuga girl was a welcome addition. Her clan was well respected within the village, and her byakugan would no doubt come in handy during future missions. The Inuzuka, however, was a strange choice. There must have been some politics at play for the half-wit to end up on his team. Uchiha's didn't often find themselves with the likes of his sort.

He stood up from the table, walking toward the classroom door.

"Sasuke?"

"I'm not feeling well. I'm returning home for the afternoon."

The wooden door swung shut behind him before anyone could respond. No doubt his Father would hear about that as well. The outside air was warm, another hot humid day. Naruto was out here somewhere.

"Uchiha-san."

He turned. A short man gave a quick bow, eyes darting up to his face.

"Has there been any news?"

"News?"

"On the jinchuuriki's wherebouts?"

"The..jinchuuriki?" He repeated. Completely confused. The man's eyes widened in horror.

"You-you're. Oh. I'm sorry. Nevermind, please forgive the interruption Uchiha-san. Have a nice day."

He watched the man scurry away, brows pushed upward in confusion.

Jinchuuriki?

"I'm home." He announced as he entered the large compound at the base of the Hokage tower. The family cat wound its way between his legs, arching its back in greeting. He knelt to pet it.

"Sasuke? It's so early. What are you doing out?" His Mother emerged from the dining room, hair piled on her head in a bun.

"I didn't feel well-"

"I don't care how many we have to pull, find him." He jumped as his Father's voice boomed from across the house.

His Mother's eyes didn't leave his face. She smiled.

"Your Father is working, why don't you head up to your room?"

"What's going on?"

"There is always work to be done for a Hokage. It's nothing for you to worry about."

She ushered him towards the stairs.

"He's only a child, he can't have gone-"

Sasuke planted his feet in the ground, turning back towards the dining room.

"Mother, I want to know what's going on."

A panicked whine was beginning to fill his ears.

They're talking about Naruto

"No. This is not for you to get involved in. Go to your room."

Jinchuuriki

His Mother placed a firm hand on his back and pushed him upwards, away from his Father's voice.

"Sir, the last anyone saw of him he was at the Academy."

Sasuke's face felt cold. He ran, away from his Mother's frantic shoving and towards his brother's room.

"Itachi!" He called. Silence greeted him. His brother was supposed to have downtime today, where was he? Why was he never there when he needed him?

"Sasuke, why don't you lie down in your room. I'll bring you up some soup since you're feeling sick."

He turned stiffly to meet his Mother's eyes. A fake smile was plastered onto her face. Her hands were held out in front of her, placating.

"Okay." He moved obediently towards his own bedroom. Waited for her footsteps to descend down the stairs, and leapt from his window to the road below.

Naruto's apartment wasn't far. He'd only been to visit him twice since he'd moved out of the Third's house. Both times he'd snuck over in the dead of night at the other boy's behest. The thrill of sneaking past the Hokage's guard had been exhilarating, and they'd laughed at the sheer excitement of it. The memory twisted into his gut like a knife now.

The apartment block was crawling with shinobi. Radio to their mouths. He cursed, forming a hand sign. He'd have to sneak his way past them.

"Henge" He whispered. He took the form of his doe eyed classmate. Hinata would not seem too out of place calling on the blond. She was a kind girl, and had always shown a special interest toward his friend.

He walked past the guards, doing his best to seem nonchalant. Naruto's door was at the top of the stairwell, protected from view. He twisted the doorknob, finding it unlocked. No doubt the shinobi downstairs had just left it.

"Naruto.." He whispered as he entered the small studio. Clothes were draped around the floor haphazardly. He shut the door, locking it. The mirror was tight in his smaller pockets. If its pair was in the room he should see the light from it when he called.

"Naruto, Naruto please answer." He looked into the empty surface, feeling the frame warm under his hands as the object activated.

Nothing changed in the room. He pulled the covers back off the bed, searching for any trace of the white light. A crinkled piece of paper fell out of the bed and to the floor. He held it up.

A crudely drawn picture of himself and Naruto adorned the page. They were smiling, hands outstretched and clasped between them. Leaf headbands crowned their foreheads. He crumpled the paper against his chest, next to his heart. The image burned into his mind.

"Naruto...where are you?"

"Hinata?"

His gaze dropped to the mirror. A familiar whiskered face greeted him.

"Naruto!" He clenched both sides of the small object, raising it up to see in more clearly. The boy was unharmed. He was outside in the sunlight, standing in a grassy field he didn't recognize.

"Sasuke, why do you look like Hinata?"

He blushed and dissipated the henge, moving to sit cross-legged on the bed.

"Where are you? Where have you been?"

The blond grinned, he gestured around him.

"I'm outside the village. Itachi brought me here."

"Itachi?" He said. How was his brother involved in this?

"Yes its.." Naruto fell serious suddenly, the grin slid off of his face. "Sasuke, I can't tell you everything yet."

"What? Why not? What is going-"

"Just trust me. Itachi wants to tell you himself." He frowned. "He should be back by now. Why are you in my apartment?"

"I was looking for you." He shook his head, frustrated. "Naruto where are you? Why didn't you answer?"

"I can't tell you. Just, I'm safe. And..." He looked down, not meeting his eyes. "I might not be back in the village for a long time."

His heart clenched. He frowned, trying to push down the pain that he knew was showing on his face.

"I need to know what's going on."

Naruto smiled bitterly. Something he'd rarely seen. He raised his clear blue eyes to meet his.

"Did you find out who is on your team?"

"That doesn't matter." He waved his hand dismissively.

"Was it Sakura chan? I'm going to be so jealous, you know I like-"

"Naruto."

"Ooh or Ino is not bad either. Man I wish I could have been-"

"Naruto. Tell me where you are."

"I've got to go Sasuke. I'll talk to you later. I'm fine, so don't worry about me."

"Wait!"

The mirror went dark and he was left staring into his own reflection.

Voices echoed in the hallway outside and he heard the doorknob rattle. More shinobi come to search for his friend. He slid the crinkled picture of himself and Naruto into his pocket, returned to the henge, and leapt out the window. Within minutes he was back in his own body and room. He opened his bedroom door and found soup and crackers left outside of it. The broth had gone cold in his absence. He returned downstairs, searching for his Mother. A thin wailing echoed from the living room now. He pulse quickened as he hurried toward it.

His Mother was fallen to the floor, her head bowed to the ground. His Father sank next to her, the Hokage's hat covering his face. An ANBU stood in the center of the room, hands clenched at attention.

"Sasuke-" His Mother drew a ragged breath, reaching for him.

He felt cold in the pit of his stomach. Distantly he was aware that his hands were shaking.

"Your brother."

He should be back by now. Naruto had said.

"Itachi was attacked outside the village. He-" His Mother's wailing increased. The ANBU turned away.

He was shaking his head. Stepping away, back towards his room.

"Itachi is dead."

Night was falling. His second ever spent outside of the village. He'd always imagined the land surrounding Konoha to be wild and overgrown, an untamed wilderness full of danger. Instead, he found the small town they stayed in to be quaint and calm. More importantly, no one seemed to know him. There were no stares here. No quiet judgemental glares. No hurried footsteps to step away from him. The people here were just ordinary villagers. Going about their routines unaware of the happenings in the shinobi world.

"You've quieted down a bit, kid. Finally getting tired?"

The tall shinobi shot him a quick glance over his shoulder, taking in his demeanor. His wild white hair was loosely held in a ponytail that reached down to his back.

"I'm fine." He said. The old man grunted, turning forward.

Say, how did you know my Father?" He asked, suddenly curious. Before Itachi had left he'd explained that this man, Jiraiya, had been a close friend to the Fourth Hokage. He hadn't said much more before disappearing back towards the village.

The old man stopped, turning round to clap a hand on his head.

"You look just like him you know." He grinned, dropping down to a crouch. "I can only hope you'll prove as worthy a student."

"You were his teacher?"

"Yes. And his friend as well."

Pain twisted the wrinkled face for a moment as he reflected on some dark thought.

"Let's get to the hotel, we can talk more there. Where there is less chance of prying eyes and ears."

Naruto glanced around. The people milling about them seemed ordinary enough. He wondered who would care enough from this village to spy on his conversations. Perhaps the old man was on the run.

The woman at the front desk of a small inn seemed on friendly terms with Jiraiya. She smiled graciously and led them to their room, planting a quick kiss on one red striped cheek before turning to leave. Naruto raised an eyebrow at him.

"What can I say, they love me." The man chuckled, scratching his chin as a light blush dusted his cheeks. He unlocked the door and led the way in, flipping the light switch to reveal two twin beds. A bag was placed on the far bed closest to the window. Jiraiya nodded towards it.

"That's all yours, since we didn't give you time to pack."

Naruto dug through the bag. A toothbrush, toothpaste, boxers and a change of dark clothes.

"You had all this planned out." He said, holding a shirt up for inspection.

"Itachi had been concerned for a while. The Third's passing." He stopped, coughing to compose himself. Naruto didn't miss the shimmer in the older man's eyes as he mentioned the Third. "All but confirmed his suspicions."

"But why would the Sasuke's Dad kill The Third?" He sat on the bed, watching the old man carefully.

"Fugaku had multiple reasons, but perhaps the most pressing was you."

"Me?"

"You were close with him weren't you?"

Naruto felt heat press against his eyes. He blinked back tears, looking away.

"He was the only one to take me in..after.."

"He watched over you, and he'd begun to suspect Uchiha involvement in the attack that killed your parents. Fugaku couldn't have someone of The Third's prestige questioning his reign."

He looked away, frowning.

"The kyuubi's attack had always disturbed me. For Kushina to suddenly lose control of the seal.. it never made sense. Your Mother was a powerful shinobi. Someone was there to drag the Fox out of her that day."

"That's another thing. So you're saying that my Mom had that..that thing..inside her. And now I have it inside me?"

"Have you never wondered why people treat you differently? Why they skirt away from you?"

He looked down. Years of torment suddenly explained away. So this was it. The reason he'd be cast as the village pariah following his parent's death. The reason why Sasuke wasn't allowed to so much as look at him.

"It's a lot to chew on for one day. How about this. I'm going to go down and attend to some business downstairs, how about you get some rest? Long day of traveling ahead of us tomorrow."

The door swung shut behind him and Naruto pulled the mirror from his jacket pocket. He'd felt it warm earlier as Sasuke tried to reach him.

"Sasuke." He whispered into the small device. "Sasuke, Sasuke."

The mirror glowed white briefly and his friend's face appeared inside of it. His eyes were puffy and red. Face pale and drawn. Itachi must have told him the truth about Fugaku.

"Naruto." His voice was hoarse.

He leaned forward, heart hurting for the boy. He'd expected him to take the news hard, but not this hard. It was if he'd been crying for hours.

"Itachi is dead."

His heart stopped. Mouth dropped open in shock. Sasuke was watching him closely, dark eyes focused on his face.

"He never made it back to the village."

"That can't be." He choked out. "I just saw him this morning. I just talked to him this morning."

"What did he say? Naruto, you have to tell me everything." A single tear dripped down one pale cheek.

"He said. He-" He froze, unsure of what to do next. Itachi had warned him not to tell Sasuke, to let him be the one to break the news.

"He wanted to tell you himself."

"Tell me what Naruto?" Frustration was building in the boys face. Pain and anger danced together in his dark eyes.

"He took me out of the village because he thought the Hokage was going to kill me."

"What? Why would he-"

"Because...because I'm a jinchuurki."

Sasuke's eyes widened. He leaned forward.

"What is that? What does that word mean?"

Naruto hesitated. So it was true that Sasuke didn't know. Would he look at him the way the villagers did after knowing the truth? That his friend had a monster inside of him.

"I don't want to tell you."

"Naruto. Itachi is dead." His mouth trembled at the word. "I need to understand what's going on."

He looked down, not meeting Sasuke's eyes.

"It means I have the nine tailed fox inside of me. And if it comes out, I'll die. And...and Itachi thinks your Father was going to take it out."

Sasuke sat back, his face hidden in shadow as he absorbed the information. The reality that Itachi was gone was beginning to crash over Naruto, and he felt tears well up over his lids and splash down his cheeks.

Old man, Itachi nii-san

He doubled over, clapping his hands over his eyes as shuddering sobs threatened to overtake him.

"Who did it?"

"I don't know." Sasuke's voice broke. "I don't know anything."

Naruto leaned his head forward so that it touched the mirror, as close as he could get to his friend. More than anything he wished he could be there with him.

"Naruto where are you? When are you coming home?"

"I don't know." His voice cracked. "Maybe never."

A deep voice reverberated in the hallway outside his room. He turned to listen. Jiraiya was coming back.

"I've got to go."

A key was turning in the door handle.

"Wait, no!"

He whipped his head around to watch the door, pressing the mirror against his chest to block the light that emanated from it.

"Who are you with!?"

He formed the seal to forcibly disconnect the mirror and shoved in inside his pocket. Just in time for the old man to come back in. His cheeks were a rudy color, and judging by the sway in his step he'd had some to drink. Naruto pulled into himself, suddenly aware of the tear tracks running down his cheeks. Jiraiya averted his eyes, heading straight for the bathroom. There was silence aside from the faucet. Naruto slipped into the bedcovers, pressing the mirror against his fast beating heart beneath the spread.

Itachi