Chapter 1:

Sasuke panted heavily as he made his way gradually further from both the site where he left Naruto's battered body and Orochimaru's waiting grasp.

"I'm not going to be anyone's pawn." He thought angrily. "Orochimaru, I won't let you take my Sharingan. Itachi… you won't determine my life anymore than by my own decision to kill you."

Continuing to stagger, sapped of most of his chakra, a man-shaped form appeared before him.

Hastily reaching for a shuriken, Sasuke observed the man carefully.

Despite the lack of a headband, he found it obvious that his potential adversary was a shinobi. He wore a pair of loose black pants with steel shin guards, a fishnet shirt (not unlike the one Shikamaru always wore), and a pair of lavender painted geta. On his head, he wore an ANBU mask that covered the lower half of his face. His hair was silver with black streaks, tied in a topknot, and of a comparable length to Ino's before the Chuunin exam.

At his side, hung a sheathed katana.

"Who are-" Sasuke managed before the shinobi cut him off.

"Uchiha Sasuke… only surviving member of the Uchiha clan with the exception of Uchiha Itachi who slaughtered all but yourself with ease. A Konoha genin who wishes to pursue his hated sibling." The man stated, his eyes cold as Sasuke's own. "Please let me know if I erred."

Sasuke's eyes went wide momentarily from shock before returning to an icy glare. "Whom do you work for?"

"Work for?" The shinobi laughed. "I work for myself."

Before the laugh finished sounding in his ears, a sharp pain shot through his body and the dirt rose up to meet him.

The man looked down at the unconscious Uchiha and grinned.

"Hey, stop beating yourself up about it, Shikamaru." Naruto demanded as the three stepped from the hospital. "None of us were killed."

Temari nodded in agreement. "Your team also killed presumably five of the Sound's best ninjas."

Shikamaru looked back over his shoulder to where his friends were being kept and continued to drown in a mix of self-pity and self-loathing. "…Arigato…"

The three continued to walk in silence; not even Naruto could manage his usual buoyant behaviour.

"The hardest part of this will be facing Sakura-chan… I swore that I'd bring him back…" Naruto thought unhappily.

A deep growl from his stomach snapped Naruto from his uncharacteristic foul mood. "Ne, how 'bout we grab some ramen?"

"Who's paying?" Temari asked, unwilling to pay for the meal of someone she'd just saved and a generally hyperactive idiot.

Shikamaru muttered something incoherent before raising a hand. "Best I can do to pay you back for saving my life and for losing Sasuke."

Under normal circumstances, Naruto would have had the decency to try and cheer up his comrade. However, free ramen was far from what he'd declare to be "normal circumstances".

They headed for the Ichiraku Ramen stand to find most of those who hadn't come on the mission waiting there.

No one spoke as the three sat down and ordered.

Sakura's conflicting feelings kept her silent; she hated Naruto for not being able to bring Sasuke back, however she knew that he couldn't have done anything more.

Still upset at Sasuke being gone, Ino had been ready to chew out the guys for letting him get away. It was the look of utter humiliation and disappointed on their faces that stayed her tongue.

Hinata considered going to try and help Naruto like she had before the last part of the Chuunin exams. Unfortunately, he had been the one to speak to her at that time and she had no idea how to help him now.

Everyone ate in silence; all hoping someone else would break the unnerving calm.

"Excuse me, but Kakashi's team 7 is here, correct?" A cheerful voice asked from the entrance of the stand.

"Yeah, what d'you want?" Naruto asked between mouthfuls.

"Ah, yokata. I've got something for you… actually, I should say someone."

Sakura was the first to turn around and let out a shriek. "Sasuke-kun!"

Various shouts of surprise came from the others. They all turned to release another set of cries.

"H-how did y-you-?" Sakura stammered, tears building in her eyes.

"Well…" The masked man began, scratching the back of his neck with his free arm. "… I was on my way here and I overheard a fight. I saw this guy wandering away, half dead. He was acting hostile so I, unfortunately, had to subdue him." He hesitated momentarily before adding, "Don't worry, I used a medical jutsu to ensure his health."

The limp Sasuke suddenly lost the focus of his peers as everyone eyed the mysterious shinobi with a mixture of reverence and suspicion.

"You said you performed a jutsu." Shikamaru commented. "What village are you from? And, perhaps more importantly, is your presence here not a breach of Konoha's security?" Two pairs of glaring eyes from two angry kunoichis led him to add, "Not that we're not grateful for you returning him…"

The man simply laughed at the rude interrogation. "I'm not from any village. You could say I'm self-taught. As for clearance, don't worry. The Hokage should have already been informed of my presence."

He moved up to the counter and placed his wallet on the counter. "Gomenasai, whatever these guys eat, I'll pay for." The man said, the visible portion of his face revealing a polite smile. "I'll be back as soon as I drop this guy off at the hospital."

Although he disappeared in a puff of smoke the instant his phrase had finished, Naruto had managed to order a half dozen more bowls of ramen before the vanishing act had been completed.


This is the first fan fiction I've written. I hope this has been submitted properly (in regards to rating, file, etc). Please offer your opinion, suggestions, or questions, just as long as the writing is intelligible. Based on what I get, I'll try to respond in my updates.

Let me announce right now, despite how it may seem at the moment, it will become more comical, I just need some time for the transition after such a serious section of the story.