This is my first fic. Reviews, withstanding flames are most welcome. I took some liberty as to the fact of Sasuke's age when he was taken in by Yukimura. Some Sasuke X Yukimura.
Disclaimer: I don't own SDK, in fact I don't really own much TT.
Outside Looking InAuthor : Jouhaiichi-gou
The young boy stood on the tree branch and watched across the river. At 15 feet high, the wind was strong and blew silvery-blue hair into his face. He brushed it away absently from his golden eyes and continued his watch. There is a reason why his birthplace was called Aokigahara, and the same reason had made climbing trees second nature to him.
The boy's tree was at least 30 feet away from the campsite, but he could see the 4 young men and a young woman clearly. The broad river beside which they had camped was the dividing boundary of the Aokigahara and the "Pure Land".
The party had camped on the Pure Land side for the past 3 days, training. The boy watched, sometimes on the ground behind the trees, most times up on the taller ones. His location was always upwind from the party, and he figured they did not see him.
Throughout his watch the boy noted that one of the men, one with black hair flowing just a little past his shoulders, was more content drinking and making fun of the others than training himself. But the others had never minded this, instead, they treated him in a highly respectful manner, bowing and carrying out his orders.
The boy presumed that this drinking, laughing man was actually their leader.
He came across them setting up their tents on their first day. Fascinated, he had returned to watch, sometimes for a whole day, turning back only when he had to. Six years of living in the dark forest had taught the boy that the Aokigahara is not a place to be roaming about at dark, even if you were born and raised there.
Today, the boy had came again. It was morning, and the woman was preparing some food by the fire. She usually tended to such chores, cooking and washing, but during the training, the boy could see that she was no weak woman.
Two of the men were washing themselves in the river. In fascination the boy watched the tall one took his head bandana off for the very first time. The man seemed uncomfortable without the bandanna on however, and after a hasty wash, had quickly tied it back on.
The boy saw that the food was ready, but nobody moved to eat. The woman and the two men busied themselves doing other things. It was nearly noon when another man came out of the tent, holding the flap open. Their leader came out stumbling towards the river, the boy guessed he was having hangover. However, the long haired man emerged looking fresh and energized. Only then, together with him, did the others proceed to their meals.
The boy's stomach growled as the wind carried the smell of food. It reminded him of what he had for dinner last night: a small apple-like fruit (you could never be so sure in the Aogikahara) and .. an unpleasant "lecture" from an old man who took himself to be the boy's group "leader".
"You know the Pure Land is out of bounds for us, Little One."
"I know that."
"Then where have you been?"
"Nowhere."
"You should not go too close to the river."
"Where I go is my business alone."
"Take heed Little One, for people of the Pure Land will kill you. They do not take a liking to people like us."
People like us. The words repeated over and over in the boy's mind. People like me.
People like him, who are gifted and cursed at the same time.
People like him, who never knew of any parents or family.
People like him, who from the first day of consciousness moves around from one part of the forest to another looking for food and shelter.
People like him, who although had kept in small groups, never really cared about members of the same group, much less of the other groups.
If surviving the dark forest meant having to dispose of your fellow member, then –
The boy closed his eyes and tried to force the memory of ..
.. the warm sticky feeling of blood drenching his hands-
NO.
..the sharp edged steel-
GO.
.. the shocked and questioning face of a person who was once your one and only –
AWAY.
Blank. Just think of nothing. Everything is just empty and blank.
The laughter brought him back to reality, and the boy opened his eyes. The longhaired man had just taken his subordinate's bandanna away and is now tying it on his own head in funny movements. The others laughed, but the tall man just held his straying hair back with one hand and made pleading gestures with the other.
When the tall man finally got the piece of cloth back, the boy could see that he was smiling.
"People of the Pure Land will kill you."
Right. The boy's fists tightened into balls. As if I'm really safe in this place.
The boy shifted from standing to sitting on the tree branch. He gazed down and saw that they have finished their meal.
Soon they will start the training. The boy thought. That's what they do everyday.
First the guy with the bandanna will take out a weapon, then the others will follow suit. Except of course the long-haired man. The four would pair up. Training in either two sets of one-on-one, or fight a two-on-two. The boy especially liked to see the guy in the bandanna fight.
The boy watched as the man went to his tent. There he is now, taking out his weapon.
No. Wait, what is he doing?
The bandanna man was taking down his tent and packing it away. The boy sat up and saw that the others were doing the same. Except, again, the long-haired man. He just sat on a big rock nearby and drank from his drink-pack. His bigger tent was being taken down by the woman.
They're going back home.
The boy exhaled loudly and looked away. The thick lush green forest behind him contrasted glaringly with the broad meadows on the other side. It gave the impression as if the sun was only shining on one side of the river and not the other.
The light and the darkness.
He folded his arms and leaned back against the tree.
They are returning to where they belong. And I have to return to the dark, where I belong.
The boy took one last look across the river and closed his eyes. He might as well take a short nap before returning back into the forest. The afternoon was just entering and the breeze was warm and pleasant.
The boy sighed. It was a mistake to be watching them in the first place. Behind his closed eyes was a clear vision the men and woman. Their laughter. Their smiles. The antics they pulled on each other. Their laughter. He couldn't get the laughter out of his head.
Why do they laugh so mu - NO. He shook his head and tried to blank out his thoughts.
How could they smile so easi - GO AWAY.
The boy folded his arms tighter and forced himself to see a vast white space with just -
NOTHING.
NOTHING. JUST NOTHING.
DON'T THINK ABOUT THE – I TOLD YOU NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT.
JUST NOTHING. NOTHING. NOTHING.
The boy inhaled slowly and for a second the only thing he could see was -
BLANK. WHITE. NOTHING.
- and all he could hear was the beating sound of his own heart and the blood rushing and –
He could hear the laughter again.
The boy let go of his breath in defeat. I knew this was a big mist-
Another laugh. Louder this time. The boy's eyes flew open.
"...kimura-sama! Don't!!"
BRRRUSSSHHH!!
Shaken, the boy sat up. Eyes shining, he saw the long haired man had jumped into the river. It was the bandanna man who had shouted. He was holding his master's clothes and was rather sheepishly shouting for the man to come back on shore.
".. just .. a while .." The wind was picking up and the boy barely heard the reply. The bandanna man gave up. He folded his master's clothes, placed it on a rock and went back to packing. The others simply kept to their work as if nothing happened.
The man reached the middle of the river.
He's coming closer!
The boy's first thought was to back away, maybe jump to the next tree. It was too close for comfort and if the man were to look up, he would have been able to see him. But somehow, something made the boy kept to his place, crouching lower behind the thick leaves of the tree branch.
When the water reached his chest, and the boy saw the man took a dive. Seconds later he emerged triumphantly from the river holding rather large rock. "YATTA!!"
Idiot. The boy thought. It is just an ordinary rock.
The man regarded the rock enthusiastically and threw the rock back in the water. His dripping black hair plastered his radiant face. Fair and flawless skin shone as his lean body glistened in the sun.
The boy marveled at the sight, unconsciously hoping to grow up into the same breathtaking physique.
He watched as the man dove underwater several times and came up with rocks of all shapes and sizes, each time whooping joyfully, as if he had found some sort of treasure.
Amused, the boy was caught off guard when the man suddenly emerged and climbed a rock on his side of the river. Nearly falling from the branch, the boy's grip tightened and he choked back a scream.
The urgency to flee flooded him again. But the boy was lost as to how. The man had sat directly beneath him, and to escape, the boy must first get down from the tree. The boy cursed himself for daring to choose a tree so near the water.
The man sat with his back to the forest and looked across the river. There, all four of the man's charge had came near the water and was watching anxiously.
"Yukimura-sama! It is dangerous over there!" Despite the strong wind, the boy could hear that the bandanna man was upset.. He was starting to get into the water himself when the man cupped his mouth and shouted.
"YOU'LL GET YOUR PANTS WET!! I'LL COME BACK IN JUST A MINUTE!!"
"But - "
"I'M OKAY, SAIZO! DO NOT COME HERE!!"
The bandanna man was certainly not happy with the order but he got out of the water anyway. He then stood and stared nervously across the river at his master.
The man chuckled and cheerfully swung his legs back and forth by the rock. Less than fifteen feet above his head, a six-year old boy on a tree branch started to move slowly. Golden eyes flashed as he looked around for a way to escape. He eyed the tree on his left.
That branch over there looks okay. I think I can reach it if -
"The water is really nice. I'm really glad we came here."
The voice was low and soft. The boy froze.
Is he talking to me??
He looked down and saw that the man was still sitting and looking across the river towards his agitated companions .
"It's too bad we have to leave so soon." There was a slight regret in his tone.
He's talking to himself, OF COURSE he is. People talk to themselves all the time.
The boy started to move again, eyes not leaving the man's back. The sooner I get away, the better -
"I wish I could see you before we leave."
The boy stopped dead in his tracks. Even softer, the voice was actually .. kind. The boy's hold tightened until his knuckles were white. His thoughts frantic.
He didn't just speak to me. Why would he want to see me?
He eyed the branch on the next tree which he had planned to jump onto earlier and gauged the distance. It looked pretty far. The boy wasn't sure that he could actually make the jump.
"It's not fair that I can't see you. You see me all the time."
This time, the man's voice was plain. The boy shivered involuntarily. He inched towards the end of the branch, fearfully eyeing the man's back.
Suddenly, the man stood up. "Maybe you should come down. It's pretty dangerous up there." Commanding. There was no mistaking the authoritative tone in the man's voice.
He's coming for me! He wants to punish me for watching them, for spying –
The boy's panic was blinding.
With a loud snap, the thin branch end gave way under the boy's feet. He screamed as he fell, the wind burning his skin.
The boy squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for the fatal impact.
Then his body hit the ground with a thud. His heart stopped beating.
Am I dead?
The boy opened his eyes slowly and found himself staring up into the sparkling eyes of a smiling man.
"I told you it was dangerous." The voice was soft and kind again.
He realized that he hadn't hit the ground, instead had fallen straight into the arms of -
The boy gave a terrified shriek and struggled to free himself.
"Easy now, easy, I didn't mean to OWWW!!"
The man cried out in pain and let go of his hold. The boy stumbled head first to the ground. Getting on his feet, he turned around just in time to see a green light flash.
"Yukimura-sama! Are you alright?!"
The bandanna wearing man appeared from the flash. He took one look at his master's blood dripping from the wrist, and unsheathed his katana.
"Why you little demon, how dare you bite Sanada Yukimura!"
He advanced towards the boy with a deadly face. Frantic, the boy tried to move backwards but immediately found himself backed up against a tree. He looked up and saw the steel blade coming down on him in an arc. Falling to his knees, the boy threw up his hands to shield his face.
"Saizo. No."
The blade stopped just inches away from the boy's head. .
"But Yukimura-sama, he had just injured you." The bandanna man said plaintively.
The man stood beside the fallen boy. "And you are about to kill him. Keep your weapon, Jyuushi!"
Just as quickly as he produced it, the bandanna man sheathed back the katana. Then he took a step back and knelt in front of his master with his head down.
The man folded his arms and looked at his servant. "Go back to the other side. I do not recall requesting your presence here."
Shocked, the charge looked up. "But my Lord - "
"I mean it. Go back. ALL of you."
At some time, the other three followers had crossed the river to the scene. They looked warily at each other, uncertain of what to do.
"Go. NOW."
Immediately, they dropped to their knees. Heads down, they uttered in unison, "Hai!" and disappeared in a flash.
The four reappeared across the river. Reluctantly, they went about resuming their work.
The man turned towards the boy. For a moment, a pair of fierce golden eyes stared back at him, denying defeat. Then the boy casted his look down on the ground. The man's gaze was too intense. One might just drown in the depths of those blue-grey eyes.
Gently, the man said. "I'm sorry if I frightened you."
The boy swallowed, not sure of how to react. Silence prevailed for a few minutes.
The man turned and sat himself down beside the boy. The boy winced slightly at the movement but did not try to get away.
"You were the one who has been watching us, ne?"
A slow nod from the boy.
"My name is Sanada Yukimura. What is your name?"
Silence. The boy stared harder at the ground. He could feel the warmth emanating from beside him. After all, the man was only half-clothed.
"You are not mute, are you?" The man tried.
The boy blurted before he could stop himself. "NO! I'm not!"
The man smiled. "Ah, there you are. You have such a beautiful voice."
The boy's face flushed but the man continued. "Why wont you tell me your name?"
"Because .. because I don't have a name."
"You don't have a name?" The man sounded incredulous. "Then by what have people been calling you?"
"I don't like the name that people have been calling me." The boy countered.
"Oh, I see."
Silence again. Across the river, Yukimura's charge had finished packing. Now they stood, watching and waiting for their master. The man exhaled and turned to face the boy.
"Sarutobi Sasuke."
"Wha-?" The boy stared at the man.
"It's a beautiful name. Do you like it?"
The boy thought for a moment. "It's not bad."
"Do you mind if I call you that?"
"Me?" Puzzle in his voice.
"Yes, you. Sarutobi Sasuke. Can I call you that?"
The boy looked down. Silence again.
Moments later he looked up and saw the man, Yukimura, was still waiting for an answer.
"I guess so. Why not."
"Good. Good. Now that that's done." The man clapped his hands and stood up.
He took two steps in front of the boy and turned back to face him. "Sasuke..?"
"Uh .. y- yes?" The boy looked up to the man in front of him. His eyes widened at the man's outstretched hand.
"Would you like to come with me?"
He stared at the hand, unblinking. "With you?"
"Come with me. I can show you the world outside." A kind smile from the man.
Their eyes met and the boy felt something warm inside him. The feeling came from his stomach and spread to the rest of his body.
"There are lots of trees at my home. You can still climb them anytime you want."
The boy hesitated."I - I .. don't-"
Hand still outstretched, the man said softly, "I promise I would catch you again if you fall."
Something inside the boy broke soundlessly. He stared into the man's eyes and realized that he wouldn't mind it that much if he was drowning in those blue-grey pools. No, not at all.
The man and the boy held each other's gaze and neither realized the exact moment the boy had actually put his small hand into the older man's.
That's it! Sorry I had to reload the whole story. The first one felt too incomplete. Please review. Tell me of any spelling mistake. Bows