A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto. It would have been nice if I did, but you can't have everything, right?

A/N: just to set things straight, the characters in this fic have never met before. Only they get to partake in the great big journey of self-discovery, ne? Cheesy. Anyways, I hope you take time to read the story, and please read and review. Thank you very much!!!!!!!

Huwaah!!!!!!! Please don't flame me!!!!!!

CHAPTER ONE: Echoes Fade and Memories Die

"Where are you going?"

"Taking a walk."

"All right. But don't stray too far." With that admonition, the white-haired ninja watched companion's retreating back. His eyebrows were creased in quiet distress. Sasuke was hard to read, and many a night he had gotten tired of even trying. Kakashi shook his head and poked at their bonfire, his attention fully turned to something else. The flames etched strange shadows upon his face, rendering upon it an eccentric mask; making his expressions unfathomable.

Finally he sighed and laid out a sleeping bag. Curling up to sleep, nothing remained in his eyes but the shadows the fire flickered upon the trees.

"It's going to be one hell of a night…"

As Sasuke walked off he heard behind him Kakashi's exasperated sigh. He had no intention of worrying the older man; he hates worrying other people. It was also the reason for his leave; he took the pretense of walking around until the turbulent feelings inside him calmed down. No use in worrying Kakashi more than he is now.

Within the forest, near their camp was a huge acacia tree. At its foot he stopped. He looked up at it with slight interest, his eyes now catching the slow pattern of the leaves as they swayed, pushed to and fro by the gentle breeze that whispered through the trees.

In his mind something flashed; the image of a single cherry tree, its blossoms white with age, its branches nearly withered and broken. A strong gust of wind threw the pallid blossoms down, a rain of white paper flowers.

As he looked up at the acacia tree and saw the vines covering it stir gently, as softly as the breeze he whispered,

"Ghosts in shadows and demons of the lesser ilk…"

It was at this moment that terror stole so quietly, so imperceptibly across his heart, that, absently staring up at the great tree, he was taken quite unawares.

"Aniki?'' he spoke, in a tone short of a request. He watched as his brother tied up his shoes and turned to him, an eyebrow slightly raised.

"After school today… can you teach me in throwing shurikens?" He shuffled his feet, unsure if it was right of him to ask. He looked up at his brother, a smile brightening his face. "Can you, today?"

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I'm busy. Go, and ask Father," was the answer.

"But Father said you were better at shurikens, and…" he started as his brother motioned for him to come near. He stepped forward, and his motion carrying him toward Itachi, he was stopped by his brother's sharp jab at his forehead. Wincing slightly, he stepped back, holding his temple.

There was disappointment in his eyes as his brother once again refused his request. It was like that, time and again.

"Forgive me, Sasuke." What was it then in his brother's eyes? He may have had a premonition…

"You always say that, and tell me you will train with me tomorrow. But you never do." He reproached at his brother's back. Itachi closed the door, not hearing the reproof, nor seeing the forgiving look in his younger brother's eyes, the same forbearing smile. He never did care much about his broken promises.

Sasuke remembered the look in his brother's eyes. And remembering it grew cold at the thought.

At the family kitchen later that day, his mother was preparing his lunch. Sitting in front of him at the table was his father. He had always admired his father, yet in some way he had feared him. It was not long ago that he started to feel the strife between Itachi and his father, and it was also during that time that he gained his father's first approval. The gap amid the two only served for him to be closer to his father. Yet now he did not know how to approach him.

"Father…"

"Hm?"

"Does brother not love me?" In his father's eyes he sought confirmation, trying to find out if his brother loved him in the same way as his father did.

"He does. It is only that your brother does not know how to express himself to people." As an afterthought he added, "As far as I know, you are the only person he cared for."

He left off that morning full of new hopes. He worked well in school, tried to be best in everything he did. Someday, he knew he will be as strong as his brother. Someday.

But as he ran back home to school that day, he never expected that the sight that would greet him would be one of his brother stained with their family's blood.

Finally he knew the meaning of the look in his brother's eyes.

Kakashi woke up to a slight headache and discomfort from lying too long on the forest floor. Turning to his side he could just make out Sasuke's slight form, as he stood off to the side. It was still night. Leaning on an elbow, he said

"Go to sleep, Sasuke. It's bad for you to think too much."

Finally his charge went to his side. After a few moments peace regained, save for the soft whispers of the night and usual forest sounds. Once again he lay on his back, realizing that he can't go back to sleep once he was interrupted. To his left Sasuke stirred, his soft breathing ringing in his ears.

"Ha. He frowns even when he sleeps."

The sight of his parents on the floor and of his brother holding a blood-stained katana was too much to understand. His brother couldn't have killed their family, could he? He couldn't have been the one who caused the destruction outside! But one look in his brother's eyes confirmed the truth.

"Why? Why did you do this, aniki?" Despair and disbelief was in his voice.

"To see what I was capable of."

Those words still rings in his ears.

Kakashi sat up with a start. Something was wrong. Suddenly it became too quiet, even a forest should be alive at night. But it was too calm. Something from the distance flashed. He moved away just in time to evade three needles headed in his direction.

"Sasuke!" he called.

Three ninjas, clearly of the sound, appeared in front of him and simultaneously attacked. Dodging one he threw a kunai at another. Barely avoiding a weapon from the third nin, he stole a glance at Sasuke and seeing that he was faring well, concentrated upon his fight.

A few moments later saw their opponents upon the forest floor, severely injured and some dead. Taking hold of one's neck, Kakashi shook him harshly and forced him to talk.

"Was it that snake who sent you?! Answer!"

The sound-nin's mocking laughter irritated his ears. "Orochimaru-sama will have that boy! No matter how much you try to protect him-"

The man's tirade was cut off short as Kakashi broke his neck. He turned to Sasuke, dread in his heart. The boy in front of him has no expression, as usual.

"We must leave. He may have more men within this forest."

"Where will we go?"

"To the town of Hinamatsuri- what is wrong?"

A soft strain in Sasuke's voice was the only thing that betrayed his true feelings.

"You said there would be no hunters."

Kakashi shook his head in apology, and picked up their packs. Sasuke followed suit.

Half a day away, in the town of Hinamatsuri, a pink-haired girl sat on her window, and silently stared at the direction of the forest.

He may have had a premonition…

A/N: And that's it!!!!!!! This first chappie is what you might call a prelude, I'm sorry for the weird flow of the story, but the loose ends here are supposed to be tied up in the later chapters. Well, I hope you like it. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this!

Also, as a bonus, some of the characters here may have deviated from their personalities in the anime, so to give you a little back info:

SASUKE UCHIHA: There never was the correct term to describe Sasuke. And no painting will probably ever give him justice. As he was before, he has skin as pale as alabaster, and in direct contrast he had hair and eyes the color of night. The most remarkable thing about him is his eyes, sometimes black like freshly made coal, at times gray like the days when storms threaten.

He smiles only in brief flashes, like the way the sun glints upon a metal's edge. Much about everything else in Sasuke is sharp.

Never the possession, always the possessor, sometime you will look upon his eyes and feel them snag and catch upon your heart. He says little, and is very patient.

HATAKE KAKASHI: The decision to make Kakashi Sasuke's guardian was brought about by observations of his sometimes overly protective leanings towards Sasuke. He was with Sasuke in the Sound Village. He was the warden, the protector, always trying to turn his charge away from the path of an avenger. Yet it was also him who indulged Sasuke in his folly, too much, he found out later.

He still has white hair, and his left eye is still possessed of a sharingan, and through his mismatched eyes, he regards the world in his own unique way.

NARUTO UZUMAKI: He is the closest friend Sasuke obtained along his journey. Naruto was overcome with finding acceptance in a world that regards disparity as unacceptable. Still boisterous and loud, he was the incarnation of the fox-demon; the demon was punished by sealing him inside the body of a child.

He is clear-minded; the embodiment of innocence, and also of knowledge beyond all that time had the generosity to give.

HARUNO SAKURA: The beloved. It could not be more obvious. She has known the high cost of living, having lived alone, as her wish of independence was granted here. Her heart is strong, and so is her mind. She is the support, and she transcends her cute genki appearance, and is, suffice it to say, quite challenging.

She is celebrated in the song, Harmony.

ITACHI UCHIHA: He fronted their noble family. He was talented, beloved by his family, admired by all. He was set to become the head of their clan, he had achieved far more than those like him could have done. And, oh, he had a brother. A brother he loved above all else. A brother whom he would guide, somebody who would be just like him. A brother he would protect. A brother he would kill for…

And that he did.

Is physically very much like Sasuke, he however, is colder, a breaker of his own heart, an enemy to many. Itachi has many things hidden underneath his strange personality, though he shows only but a few.

And those are the character introductions. They didn't turn away too much from their personalities in the series. Anyway, this fic takes a shot at explaining why Itachi killed their family.

Thank you again for your patience. I would be very much obliged if you would read and review my story.

See you again!!!!!

And yes. I am morbid. Not much!!!!!!!!!!!!