A New Brother?
The next Monday Sasuke wasn't in school. No one other than Iruka knew why, and he wouldn't say a word. He was out the next week and a half, too.
When he did come back, he was the quietest person in the room. He ignored everyone, including Naruto and Gaara. He didn't bully anyone, and he pretty much just did his work and went home.
No one knew why he was acting so strange.
--
Benjiro knew, of course, because she had been one of the ANBU called in to help chase after Itachi and later help take Sasuke to the hospital. The entire Uchiha clan, save Itachi and Sasuke, was gone.
--
The first day Sasuke came back into class, he wouldn't speak a word. Not unless Iruka asked him to do something. And when the other kids and his fan girls asked him where he was, he just shrugged.
When Naruto spared Sasuke, he didn't say a word, and Naruto thought he looked a bit more observant of his moves. Again, Sasuke lost.
The only two that could beat Sasuke were the Uzumaki brothers, and although Sasuke sometimes looked calm and collected, he still aimed a glare towards them. They were the only two that could beat the prided Uchiha.
Although Hinata was coming along, getting more and more confidence about her heritage. She trained with Naruto and Gaara, getting invited over the week Sasuke first made his leave.
Now the top rankings were set, and Naruto and Gaara were in a tie for first with perfect scores. Sasuke and Hinata tied at second with just fewer than hundreds, and the third was a little loose. It kept switching around each week, and at the end of the year Sakura and Ino took third.
Iruka was stunned that all three spots were in ties, but he gave them to them anyways. He didn't feel like making them spar for it. They had done enough during the year.
--
"Mom, mom! Look what I got!"
"Me too, I got the same thing!"
"Good job! I'll make you some of my special ramen!"
--
Hinata decided to go over to Naruto's house. She had actually gotten a smile, even though it was very fleeting, from her father. She wanted to celebrate, and she prayed that she wasn't interrupting anything.
--
"Okay, boys. I'm going out, I have a mission. You watch out for stray girls, and there is an extra bowl of ramen for them if they show up. See you and congrats!"
Benji ran off, her eyeless mask adjusting into place, her eyes curiously watching from afar as Hinata knocked on the door, startling the boys chowing down in the kitchen.
When Hinata was allowed in she grinned and went to fulfill her mission quota.
--
Benji took her route through the park, watching out for the young Uchiha. She smiled when she saw him on the same swing that Naruto had been on all those years ago. She went up behind him and pushed lightly, making sure he wouldn't fall off when she did.
Startled, he glanced behind him. His eyes narrowed when he saw a mask, and he jumped off the swing and faced her.
"Itachi?"
His voice was soft and yet rough, commanding to know the answer to the one word question.
"No."
His shoulders relaxed and he looked around.
"Then who are you and what do you want?"
His voice was still quiet and restricted.
"I can help you get stronger, if you'd like. I only have two conditions, and they are easy to fill."
"How strong are you?"
Benji grinned under her mask ferally. She took out her favorite weapon and swung it around, the blue chakra making a blade as sharp as anything that sliced through the air. She ran over to a tree, ran up the trunk, and sliced away branches with incredible speed. Soon most of the leaves were gone and she finished, leaping down to examine her handiwork.
The sculpture of sorts that she made was one of Uchiha Itachi, and she smirked when Sasuke realized it, too.
"Why did you do that and how?"
"I can teach you, but first you have to do a few things."
"…Fine. Teach me."
"…Fine. I'll give you three tasks and three days. If you've done all three by this time three days from now, I'll help you get stronger. If not, well….let's just say there are some things I need done…"
The raven nodded.
"Whatever. What are the three tasks?"
"One a day. The first one? Let's see…"
--
The next day, when Benji came back to the park at the same time, she noticed Sasuke watching closely to see if she'd come again. She once again snuck up on him, tapping him on the shoulder blades to make him flinch. She laughed.
"Did you do what you were told?"
"Yes."
"Then do it."
He nodded and made a few hand seals, running through them rather awkwardly. She knew that if he passed he would need to increase his speed incredibly. A minute later he took a deep breath and scorched the tree down. 'Itachi's tree' was burnt to a crisp.
"Good. You worked hard on it. You're next task is more interesting. All you need to do is this…."
--
"It's a very simple task."
"….."
"All you need to do is find someone in your class and sit with them at lunch. If you strike up a conversation, great, but you just need to sit with them for awhile."
"…How will you know if I do this one?"
"Trust me, I'll know."
--
So the next day in school, Naruto and his table got a big surprise.
"…Can I sit here?"
All three students at the smallest picnic table blinked. He had surprised them, because, for one, he hadn't said a word otherwise. And they didn't think to ask why. Just nodded and let him sit there, eating quietly, ignoring their conversation.
By the end of lunch he had a small smile on his face; Naruto and Gaara were fighting over who had to go throw away their lunch remains. Sasuke just shook his head, amused, and saw that Hinata was doing the same thing.
--
"Very good. Only one more to go"
Sasuke jumped from the swing in surprise. He was waiting, and he had been about to give up and go home.
"Sorry I'm late. Had stuff to do."
"It's fine."
"Is it now?"
"Mhmm. It's fine. Not like I have anything else to do."
"Alrighty then! Listen up. Tonight is the night where two major things happen."
"…Oh?"
"Yeah. Firstly! You will find out who I am tonight."
Sasuke grinned. "That's good. Like an ANBU would show anyone who they were."
Benji shrugged. "I've done it before."
Sasuke nodded and accepted this. He bet that person did. He was strong, and Sasuke couldn't wait to train under the man.
Finally Benji removed her mask. Sasuke's jaw dropped and he stared.
"Naruto and Gaara's mom?"
She nodded. "Just in some random gear, it's not mine. That's why you didn't recognize me."
He nodded. She always dressed a little…skimpy. This was a change for her.
"Okay, so what was the second thing?" he finally thought to ask.
"Oh, that."
She whipped out some papers and forms, a pen in her left hand. She smiled and rolled her shoulders back, working out the kinks in them. She loved taunting people like that. It made everything more dramatic.
"The third and final task. If you want me to train you, you need to do one more thing. You need to join my family.
Yay cliffhanger!
Naruto does not belong to me, sadly enough. He (and the others) belong to Kishimoto. Only Benjiro belongs to me. xD;