Chapter 9 "Lady Mito"

"Aah, I'm exhausted! I am glad this week is over. Aren't you?" Naruto asked as he starched himself.

"Yeah." Sasuke said as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Well this means I can sleep now. What are you going to do now?" Naruto said looking way to excited than he should have been. Sasuke pushed the blonde's face back with his index finger.

"Too close, usuratonkachi." He muttered as he sighed.

"Oi! I am only curious." Naruto said.

"If you really want to know, I am heading home."

"Home? Nah, Sasuke .. Where in the forest do you live again?" Naruto asked. "

Not far.."

"Should I come with you! I am dying to meet your family." Naruto said the excitement clearly visible in his face.

"No." Sasuke said not even looking at the blond.

"W-Whut?"

'I said no."

"Why?! You know my family!"

"Because I work with your father, damn brat." Sasuke hissed.

"Tsk, why so cocky all of the sudden. Are you embarrassed? As if I am never embarrassed of my old man. Come on! I won't stay long." Naruto said folding his arms. 'No.' Sasuke said as he kept walking.

"Oi! Are you even aware of what the people here think of you! They assume you have been raised by wild animals, savages! Why don't you just proof me that you have nothing to hide?!" Naruto shouted losing his patience quit fast. Even after this week of having guard duty with Sasuke. He thought the two had got some kind of connection having spent every morning and night together, but he was wrong.

Sasuke stopped walking and turned his head around to look at Naruto.

"The answer is no."

"Why?"

"Rumours are just rumours, I simply do not care what people think. Even If I proof they are wrong. I will be just wasting my time since they will come with a new ones sooner or later. Naruto, I simply don't care." Sasuke said as he turned around. It was then that Naruto realised that they already reached the walls of Konoha.

"Well, take care." Sasuke said not looking back as he waved a quick bye with his hand. Naruto looked frustrated.

"Tsk, why does he need to be such a jerk.." Naruto muttered as he crossed his arms in a childish way.

"Oi, Naruto what is wrong?" Naruto looked up from his thought only to see Kotetsu Hagane.

"Hagane-san. Well … It is that cocky jerk to be honest." Naruto said.

"You mean that raven one? Orochimaru's old pupil?" Kotetsu asked as he looked at the forest where Sasuke had disappeared.

"Yeah, that jerk ... First he was a cocky brat, then he turned out nice .. And now he is a jerk again. Can you believe that?" Naruto said.

"When it comes to Sasuke, I am able to believe anything." Kotetsu said.

"I can't believe it. This entire week I had the feeling we were .. Ya know .. Bonding." Naruto said.

"Oi, Naruto-kun do not tell me you have laid eyes on him!"

"No! I was talking about friendship N-n-nothing more!" Naruto said his face turning red. "Well, I'm not really friends with Uchiha Sasuke, neither have I ever talked to him, but I think it is better not to get close to him…"

Naruto eyes widened a little suddenly feeling something strange. "Could this be … Sasuke's chakra I am sensing? Yes … I know exactly where he is, how far he is and where he is going. My sensing abilities are increasing by the day!" Naruto thought as he looked up at Kotetsu."Lend me a hand; we are going to meet Sasuke's loved ones." Naruto said grabbing Kotetsu's arm as he dragged him with him through the forest.

'What are you talking about; I thought Sasuke lived by himself or something that had to do with wolves." Kotetsu said.

"Those are all rumours. You can't just trust everything you hear. I bet he just has a lot of siblings who are teasing him all the time, or maybe a mother who loves to show his baby pictures! Or a dad who is just overprotective! That explains everything! He is just embarrassed! Kotetsu when we are there we can meet everyone one of his loved ones. Maybe then the rumours will stop once we have met them!" Naruto said. His voice excited like a kid during Christmas. He ran as fast as he could, dragging the chuunin with him while he kept talking about his expectation.

Suddenly Naruto stopped running. He stood still, looking in front of him. Kotetsu looked confused as he looked at the blond boy. "What is..?' Kotetsu looked at the small wooden house in the middle of the forest, a lake covered in fog only a few meters away from the house gave a creepy unpleasant feeling, but by the looks of it, it didn't bother Naruto, but something else did.

"I sense a very weak chakra … Like a small candle." Naruto said his eyes looking quite sad. It was almost heart breaking for Kotetsu. The blond had so many good expectations, but he got hit hard with reality.

"Maybe, he is alone with a baby brother." Kotetsu lied, of course he knew that was impossible, but it seemed to cheer Naruto a little up.

'I haven't considered that." Naruto said with a weak smile. "Let's peek." Naruto said smiling again as he ran towards the house and sneaked under a window.

"Why are you dragging me with you, if Sasuke finds out we are going to die."

"He won't kill us." Naruto muttered as held up a small mirror to peek inside.

"Don't bother hiding; I have sensed you two already." A weak voice of a very old lady said. Both Naruto and Kotetsu froze. "Konoha shinobis? I assume." The old women's voice said.

"Hai.." Kotetsu said as they both stood up. 'Well .. Either get out or get in." The women said, her voice sounded pretty harsh.

"Who is this old lady?" Kotetsu whispered as he looked at Naruto who took a deep breath and walked inside the wooden house. "That damn brat, not even considering consequences!" Kotetsu thought as he walked behind Naruto.

"Hello I'm Uzumaki Naruto, a friend of Sasuke. You must be … Lady Mito?" Naruto said as he looked at the old women, she must have been very old. She sat in a rocking chair, knitting something near an old heater.

"Friend?" The old lady whispered looking surprised. Her serious expression changed into a kind smile. That surprised both Kotetsu and Naruto. "I see, you are a fine young man. I must disappoint you, Sasuke-kun has left to gather some wood." The old women said.

"Owh that is fine, grandma, it is nice to meet you. I always wondered where Sasuke lived and with who." Naruto said as he took of his shoes and walked towards the old women. "Nah grandma? Is there anything we can help you with?"

"No, sweetie … Just sit down."

"Owh, grandma. Sasuke isn't allowed to know that we have been here, could you keep it a secret? I guess he is just a little embarrassed for us." Naruto said with a warm smile. Mito smiled.

'I am relieved … For the years I have lived, I never imagined to meet a friend of Sasuke's." The women said.

"Really? did he never bring friends over?" Naruto asked.

"Never." Mito said.

"Nah, grandma." Naruto said kneeling in front of her chair. "Well .. Could you tell us some .. Hihi .. Baby stories!" Naruto asked with a smile on his face. "Please grandma, I'm sure my dad has told him some of mine. It would be only fare." Naruto said causing Mito to chuckle. She put down her knitting needles down and looked at Naruto. "Wow for an old lady, you still got some fire burning in those eyes." Naruto said.

"I see, you are really living up to our clan's name." Mito said. "I am also an Uzumaki, it is nice to see clan mate once in a while." Mito said.

"Cool! You must have been a very cool ninja when you were younger."

"Ah, I sure was .. Though when you become as old as I am, you have seen things you wish no one else gets to see. I have tried to keep Sasuke off the ninja path, but I guess when the shinobis blood flows through someone's veins, it just can't be helped."

"Why wouldn't you want Sasuke to be a shinobis? He is really good.' Naruto said surprised. "The shinobis world is harsh, especially for an abandoned boy. Even within clan's hatred is born and people get killed. "Mito said. "What do you mean, please explain grandma."

"Those eyes, no doubt … This kid has a heart of gold." Mito thought as she closed her eyes. "Boy, just by looking at you I can see the same eyes.."

"Same eyes?"

"The same eyes my husband had." Naruto's widened, though he quickly smiled. "Your husband must have had beautiful eyes!" He said when he started laughing. Mito smiled kindly. "I will tell you a few baby stories of Sasuke." Mito said. Naruto eyes shined when he heard the words of the old lady.

"Really grandma, thank you so much!" Naruto said.

"But this story is not something which can be told to everybody.' She said. Naruto turned his head to Kotetsu who muttered something and then went to sit on the other side of the room.

"It is already 18 years ago when I heard that strong cry coming from the forest. I remember searching for that women who bagged me to help her … once I arrived at the spot. I saw her dead body next to her …." Mito stopped talking; she opened her eyes looking at the door. Naruto turned his head around seeing Sasuke standing in front of the entrance.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke said his voice sounding dark and cold. Kotetsu quickly hid behind Naruto.

"Euh.. Hello .. Sasuke-kun. Well .. Guess who got lost in the forest ?" Naruto said with an innocent smile on his face. "

"You ... I told you I didn't want to see you!" Sasuke hissed grabbing Naruto by his collar and pushing him against a bookshelf. "What are you doing here? What the hell do you want?!" Sasuke shouted his eyes having the colour of blood. "If you move, I will not hesitate to kill you, Kotetsu." Sasuke hissed not even looking at the other shinobis.

"That blond one isn't an enemy of yours, is he?" Mito asked, her voice was calm, you could see that she used to be a good shinobis since she already was used to all this.

"He will be pretty soon." Sasuke hissed.

"I'm not sure about the other one, but killing Naruto-kun would be a waist." Mito said.

"Tch, it would be one burden less." Sasuke hissed. Naruto could see how hard Sasuke was trying not to shout at the old lady.

"Sasuke, put him down. Now." Mito said, her voice still calm.

"What?!" Sasuke turned his head around.

"I don't like repeating myself." Mito said. Sasuke hissed as he turned his head around to look at Naruto.

"Usuratonkachi.." He hissed as he let go of Naruto who fell on the ground.

"You aren't what they call visitors-friendly. " Naruto said.

"I told you not to come! Why can't you just accept a no. You are truly childish" Sasuke almost shouted as he gave Kotetsu a quick death glare. Before picking up the wood he dropped and threw it in the fire.

"Lady Mito, in your condition you can't afford letting strangers in." Sasuke said.

"Dear, at my age there is nothing to fear anymore." She said calmly.

"Don't be selfish now!" Sasuke shouted as he turned his head to her. She chuckled a little, though it sounded rather sad.

"Make some tea for our guests." She said, well it was more of an order. Sasuke didn't respond back, he only hissed as he looked at Naruto and then walked to the stove to make some tea.

"Oi, Naruto .. I think it is better if we leave.." Kotetsu whispered in Naruto's ear.

"What? We just got here, furthermore Sasuke-kun is making tea. We can possibly be that rude to leave now." Naruto said giving Sasuke a teasing look. Sasuke frowned sticking up his middle finger.

"Well then I have to leave you, I have still guard duty and cherish my life too much to die now." Kotetsu said

"I guess I am save as long as I stay with the old lady." Naruto said and smiled his warm smile once again.