AN: thanks so much for all of your reviews! Even though I haven't gotten many, I appreciate them all! I'm sorry for making Sasuke have feelings, and for his outbursts that he has! I have an explanation, though! For the people that don't know all that much about Naruto (meaning the anime- some of my friends like Naruto but have only watched part of the first and second anime episodes, so don't know too much about the characters), I wanted them to get an idea how mean his personality can be. Don't worry; he will get his normal personality back. But thanks so much! I'm going to try and get a chapter done before this lady's funeral that I have to go to. ;;;; I hope you think that his personality is slightly back to normal in this chapter! Let me know what you think!

Thanks!

Mal Hartigan

Chapter three:

Confrontation

"So do you hear a river nearby?" Naruto asked as he continued his trek up the mountain, securing the heavy pack on his shoulders.

Sasuke only shrugged, not caring. His feet carried him up the hazy dirt path, regardless of whether he wanted to go or not. He had training to get done, after all. And it would take longer to achieve the strength that he wished to possess since he was training with the idiot.

"What's up your ass now, Sasuke?" Naruto questioned with a sly grin.

"Shut up and keep walking." It was a demand, Naruto could tell, because his tone of voice was somewhat fierce and upset at the same time. He didn't feel like objecting this time, so he turned back around and continued to walk, keeping his eyes peeled for a river. "If you hear a river and I don't, will you tell me?"

"Whatever," Sasuke muttered, rolling his eyes. He glanced around his surroundings quickly, not paying attention to where he was walking, and he slipped on a rock that was in his path. He fell to the ground with an agitated grunt and smashed his side onto another rock, causing it to split open. He groaned quietly; not with pain, but with anger as blood began to spill from his wound and stain the dirt as well as his clothes.

"Are you all right?' Naruto asked with a gasp of worry, seeing Sasuke lying on the ground, his face twisted in anger rather than hurt.

"Just keep walking," was all that he voiced as he pushed himself up from the ground, casting away the glance of Naruto's worried eyes. Naruto did as he was told with reluctance, trying to ignore Sasuke's annoying demands.

Sasuke was at his feet now, staggering ahead, pressing down on his side gently with hopes of subduing the hurt that circulated through him. "I hear a river," he grumbled, stopping in his tracks abruptly.

"Ah? You do?" Naruto asked excitedly. "Where, where?"

"I don't know."

"I'm gonna find it!" he cried, and began to dash around madly, searching for the sound of trickling water. Sasuke only shook his head.

"He's hopeless. How did someone like him ever even pass to become a shinobi?" he wondered to himself, clenching his teeth with the pain. "He's more than worthless. He can't even hear the sound of running water." He closed his eyes for a moment, resting and thinking. When the sound of footsteps faded away, he opened his eyes abruptly.

"Damn it!" he cursed quietly. He scanned the area again, but Naruto wasn't in sight. He shook his head again with agitation, beginning to fume with anger. He couldn't understand the feelings he was getting towards Naruto, and it was bothering him, not to mention that fact that he had just gone and disappeared.

"Fucking moron…" He let his voice trail off.

He heard an abrupt wail that shocked him, causing a shock to surge through his veins. He wasn't expecting a scream, but one rang through his ears nonetheless. He knew that it was Naruto's voice. "Where are you at, damn it?" he asked himself as a furious whisper.

Without a second thought, he ran ahead, trying to find a trace of Naruto or where his voice had come from. His feet carried him, slapping the dirt ground with hollow thunking sounds. He heard the piercing scream again and he clenched his teeth tighter, picking up his pace.

Thinking quickly, he lept into a tree with ease, grabbing onto one of the large branches and glancing down, scanning the area. Squinting his eyes, he could see two figures in the distance near a rushing river and without a second thought, he jumped down from the tree and ran in that direction.

"Ahhh!" Naruto screamed hysterically, closing his eyes and yelling at the top of his lungs. "Ahh!"

A laugh sounded and Naruto looked up into the menacing, glistening ebony eyes of the one who had bound him. He wriggled persistently, trying to escape the covetous grasp of the rope that was wrapped around his arms and legs.

"That isn't going to help you," the person said in a deep, smooth voice.

"Shut up!" Naruto roared at them, gnashing his teeth angrily. "Lemme go!"

"Not after the trouble that I went through to catch you," they replied. "Stop being so demanding before I kill you."

Naruto swallowed hard and somewhat audibly, nearly choking on his obscene comments. He continued to jerk around, trying to free his body.

"That's useless, you failure. That is a rope tied of my chakra. You're never going to get free from it unless I feel like letting you out."

"I don't care! What do you want me for? What did I do to you? I don't even know who you are!" he wailed.

"That isn't relevant at the moment. I'm waiting for your little friend to come and rescue you," they responded calmly, massaging their knuckles.

"What do you want with Sasuke?" Naruto demanded.

"Shut up before I hurt you."

"Tell me what you want with us!"

The man smirked grimly and delivered a fierce kick into Naruto's vulnerable stomach, causing him to gasp for air constantly. "I mean what I say, you bastard."

"Why you-" Naruto began, but his voice trailed off suddenly with the fear of being kicked again.

"Let him go." Sasuke abruptly appeared in front of the man, a hand stuffed into his pocket as usual.

"I've been waiting for you to arrive," the man responded with a sly jeer.

"I'll say it one last time. Let him go." His voice was fuming with anger of a sort Naruto had never detected in his words before.

"Not without a fight, Uchiha Sasuke," the man pressed on, his lips curling with another smug grin.

"Identify yourself," Sasuke ordered with a tad bit of nervousness edging into his voice.

"My name is Kyoru Sashaki."

"What a stupid name." Sasuke took a step toward the man, his black hair billowing with the wind. "What do you want?"

The man didn't reply but kept the evil sneer pasted upon his lips. With another swift motion, he nailed Naruto in the stomach with his foot. Naruto began to gasp and choke immediately.

"You'll pay for that," Sasuke told him, narrowing his dark eyes. He charged up to the man with incredible speed, his arm extended for a punch, but Kyoru grabbed his arm and shoved him aside.

"You'll never be able to hurt me with such immature attacks. You're underestimating me terribly."

Sasuke whirled around; his angry charcoal eyes nearly slits and his brow furrowed. He hurriedly yanked four shurikens from his shuriken holster and tossed them at Kyoru.

Kyoru moved carelessly to the side and let them twirl past him, his eyes glued upon Sasuke. "You once again seemed to have underestimated me. Let me show you exactly what I am capable of!"

Sasuke braced himself, standing with his knees bent and his eyes scanning Kyoru's face.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Sasuke asked himself. "This could be bad. I might be way in over my head."

He barely had time to think as Kyoru came at him, is fist extended and aiming for his face. Sasuke grabbed his arm tightly, holding it in his grip, and tossed him aside.

"Don't underestimate me either. That really pisses me off." He kicked Kyoru in the back, knocking him over onto the ground.

Kyoru began to laugh, his deep, evil voice echoing through the air. Sasuke furrowed his brow even more, scowling with fury.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you kick like a girl!" he roared, standing back up. "You can't hope to possibly win the Jounin exam that way!"

"Fuck you," he spat, clenching his fists tighter. "Wait a second… how did he know that I was going to take the Jounin exam?" he asked himself. "What the hell is going on?"