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Predicament

Problem III

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Did I ever mention how much I despise uniforms? Well, in case I haven't, I. Hate them...With a passion. That's saying much since it takes a lot for me to hate something or someone with a passion. Okay, so I lied about the 'someone' part when you add in the prick after first meeting with him.

Yes, I have taken to call him a 'prick', 'bastard', and any other I deem worthy to call him.

Anyways, back to me and the despicable uniforms.

I mean, uniforms just doesn't agree with me. It's like its drowning my individuality and where's the orange? Do you see the color orange anywhere among black, white, and emerald green?

Nope, didn't think so.

Let's not forget the fact that school wants me to die by the hands of a ruler. I swear, if I didn't know any better, I'd thought the school and uniforms were conspiring against me. And to make matters worst, the school the bastard goes to is a prestigious one. Hell, I didn't even know of the word 'prestigious' up until now!

And the school: Konoha Academy School a.k.a 'Snob City' with even more spoiled ungrateful brats.

Wonderful. What joy. I'm estatic about it. Let's dump me in a school full of smartasses while 'protecting' the iceberg with females dropping left and right in his presence! Note the sarcasm, people.

Remember how I said I wanted to strangle my sensei and the old geezer to death? Add the 8th Wonders of the World---the bastard if you didn't get it---in and instead of strangling them; let's change it to...oh, say, slice them to ribbons. Nice, right? And very possible too. I've seen it done and have yet to try it out. Gotta thank Kakashi-sensei for that one!

If anyone of you is thinking that I'll do it to the three, it's very likely, but I won't, since I'm such a nice guy.

I'll save it as my trump card. Hehe.

I'd go on, but it's apparent that you would like for me to shut up. And that's what'll I do.

...For now, anyways.

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Immediately right after the brief tour (that included verbal assault and stare downs, which was before a very long brawl to get the brunette to be convinced of the Shinobi's 'worthiness'), Naruto went straight to work with his trusty duffle bag, after learning the layout of the manor.

So far, there were three levels---four including the spacious attic. The first floor comprised of the kitchen, dining room, and common room; the second, on the west wing was the guest rooms while the east wing was of the family's; and the whole third floor was its own library of various types of books one can imagine. And the attic? Well, let's just say after a murderous glare that was filled with the very promising intent on mutilating and maiming the blond shinobi, Naruto preferred to keep his limbs and be intact and left the attic alone.

The energetic blond went about the house installing cameras and the likes for security purposes, adding more to the already booby-trapped estate---a lesson Naruto learned once he accidentally touched one of the family's portraits and wounded up narrowly avoiding a knife that strangely resembled a striking appearance to a kunai, near his upper torso. It was amazing that it barely brushed the portrait's frame.

Once his short-lived surprised passed, upon closer inspection of the same painting, he had to stifle a chuckle. In it was a several years younger image of Sasuke, but instead of a blank expression with his mouth in a slight scowl, he was actually smiling.

What a shocker that was.

Naruto couldn't help but use that as an arsenal in his rebuttal with the bastard. In what, he didn't know yet, but it was nice to have some backups even if it was pitiful blackmail.

If the iceberg smiled more often, he wouldn't be such a bastard. That and look like he had a stick up his ass all the time.

'Really, loosen up.'

Anyways, to make the installation faster (and maybe as a bonus, possibly confuse the prick) he grinned (evilly). Of course, right after he dutifully scouted the place.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Multiple clones of him appeared after the smoke settled, smirking and grinning cockily.

"Let's get it to, soldiers!"

Each solid carbon copy grabbed the necessary items and scattered to different part of the huge house. While the duplicates were doing his manual task, the real Naruto was left searching for the raven-haired teen. Evidently, the pale teen was found in the backyard, sitting on the provided stone benches, appearing to be relaxed, surrounded by the colorful flowers.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme!" He called out while waving his hand, faintly startling the other though that was gone once he schooled his face into an annoyed expression.

"Is this how you treat you're charge?" Midnight eyes narrowed, faintly frowning due to the intrusion upon his privacy.

Sticking his tongue out, Naruto replied, "You're the only exception, teme. You were rude to me first, so it's only fair. Anyways," scratching the back of his neck, he continued, "since I'm you're 'bodyguard' and all, I'll have bug every room, kie?" 'So what if I'm a bit late in telling him that? Won't hurt him.'

"Hn." Rising from his seat, Sasuke coolly strolled passed the blond, giving him a side-glare in the process.

Watching him leave, taking the 'Hn' as an affirmative, the teenager turned around to actually give the garden a good look over. Aside from having assorted flowers blooming everywhere, there were birds chirping up in the trees, and the stone bench off the little pathway about five yards away, the one the prick once occupied, appeared to be once elaborately decorated when it was in its prime time, now worn down with age and weather conditions.

'Sissy.'

Heaving a reluctant sigh, Naruto made his rounds about the garden, noting the state everything it was in, taking in the details that was stored away in file cabinet in the recess of his mind.

In the middle of his mental notes of the premises, a crash and "WHAT THE FUCK!" from within the manor snapped the blonde to sprint in that direction.

----

The young Shinobi had to strangle his laughter and ship it off to the farthest city in Fire Country with the scenario laid before him.

An apparently fuming and baffled Uchiha found he confronted with, not one but six Naruto, in the kitchen, backed to the silver refrigerator.

It seemed that while Sasuke was in the spacious kitchen, grabbing himself a glass of cold water after returning from the backyard, he saw the blond installing a camera to one of the corners in the kitchen.

'Strange…Whatever.'

Then, when he started for the common room, the 'bodyguard' was suddenly found working on another camera on the floor with a tongue poking out at the corner of his mouth, childishly.

"Weren't you in the kitchen?" He raised his eyebrow.

Naruto glanced up then resumed his workings, "Nope. You must be seeing things. Did you get your eyes checked, yet, teme?"

Sasuke threw him a deadly glower before settling down on the black comfortably stuffed couch, keenly observing the being before him.

"Did you dress yourself in the dark, dobe?"

"I look just fine in orange!"

"Hn."

'I know he was in the kitchen.'

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could've sworn his saw an orange-clad blur sped past, carrying an armful of wires. Snapping his head in that direction, the teen was able to manage to clarify that it was, indeed, Naruto, before he disappeared around the corner.

'What...?'

Sasuke whipped his head around to its previous position and lo and behold, the blond was still there, tinkering away like nothing happened.

He was about to voice his question but refrained from doing so, once the realization of sounding like a complete ass crossed his mind. Instead, he opted to survey the common room one last time before going back to the kitchen for another ice cold glass of water.

In doing so, he had to do a double-take.

There were at least five Narutos milling about the room, chatting with each other. Either Sasuke was going insane the moment the blond teenager entered with his orange wardrobe, somehow malfunctioning his senses, or this was some sort of Shinobi technique. Didn't he read somewhere about clones?

But, since when did clones did everything an actual being can, like touching solid objects let alone hold them? Especially when clones were suppose to be illusions.

Yeah, he was going insane. Definitely.

Surprised, he accidentally dropped his cup and subconsciously inched backward, away from them, "WHAT THE FUCK!"

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Maybe he didn't ship all of his laughter to the farthest city when a chuckle escaped him, earning a sub-zero glare from the Uchiha. A failed attempt at suppressing the foxy grin, Naruto responded. "Sorry. Forgot to mention I let the Kage no Bunshin do most of the bugging. Hope you don't mind?"

'Shadow Clones? I haven't heard of that before...' Making a mental note to look that up later, Sasuke briefly studied the individual.

From what he estimated, Naruto was only an inch or two shorter than he was, blond unruly spikes, blue eyes, whiskered face, lightly tanned and wore the most hideous shade of orange the face of the earth had ever seen, in a jumpsuit no less. Kami-sama, who the hell dressed him when he was a kid? That said Sasuke could already tell the Shinobi was painfully dense in academic area, where he succeeded quite easily. He didn't know how he knew, but he assumed it was safe to say it when the other just exudes stupidity.

Another icy death glare was thrown his way once the brunette collected his wits about him when he realized the teen was staring at him strangely. Schooling his features back into a scowl, he stalked pass the Shinobi and up the stairs.

"Oi, where're you going?"

Pausing halfway up the stairs, Sasuke threw his reply over his shoulder, "To my room. Where else, dobe?"

"Oh, okay. Hey, stop calling me that! Now, where am I gonna crash, then?"

"Outside," was the sharp answer given.

"What! I'm your bodyguard! At least show me some decent hospitality!"

"That's my hospitality for you. Now shut up and do your work." With that said and done, he continued his trek up the stairs, but not before he heard the other exclaimed with a huff,

"Don't you ever take that stick out of your ass, teme!"

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"Where the hell does he keep the ramen!" Blue eyes darted about the kitchen, inspecting everything.

"Um, I don't think he even eats it," one clone replied after another one's head popped back out from the fridge, face contorted in disgust.

"What makes you say that?" Intrigued, Naruto shifted his gaze over to them.

"'Cause he's stocked full on various types of sushi," answered the one who had his head in the fridge.

"Figures he's a sushi freak," he muttered. "Just like how Neji's a neat freak."

"Don't forget that he, too, have a stick up his ass!" chirped another somewhere behind him.

"Yeah, but it's not shoved all the way up there like the prick. At least Neji can loosen it once in a while."

"Point." Another agreed.

"Ah, well, anyway, good job with the installations guys." The copies nodded and Naruto clasped his hands together, exhaling, "Kai!" In moments his clones disappeared in a burst of wispy smoke of clouds that faded away. A silly grin surfaced as one hand rummaged around in the bag he carried with, producing a Styrofoam cup. "Cup Ramen!"

Naruto immediately set about in getting a kettle and boil water with it, to make his favorite and most sacred food in the world: Ramen.

"Hope Sasuke had something to eat 'cause I sure as hell ain't sharing any ramen with him! No way!"

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The next morning found Naruto sprawled haphazardly across the couch. A natural early riser and light sleeping was expected from those of KSTFA. He couldn't recall how he wounded up here, but he did. Sleeping in an awkward position left his whole body screaming in protest with every move he made. Quietly grumbling, he made way to the bathroom that was located somewhere upstairs, carrying his toothbrush, and complained how this particular family made people walk upstairs just to use the damn washroom.

Returning to the common room, he found Sasuke and Iruka standing near the mahogany coffee table. The older man was holding a forest-green colored uniform, black slacks, white dress shirt, and red tie, on a hanger. The prick was donning the exact same thing but with a scowl.

Naruto involuntarily took a step back. "Oh hell no!" Blue orbs switched over to the chuunin teacher, away from the orange-deprived uniform. "You're kidding right, Iruka-sensei?"

"As much as I would like to, he isn't" The pale-being replied. Naruto could've sworn that scowl will forever remain etched on the bastard's face if it didn't learn any other facial expression.

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It had been one hell of joy ride in persuading the blond Shinobi to agree and change clothes. Needless to say, there had been a lot of compromising between the two while the raven played as a bored spectator.

Once that had settled, the two teens left the Uchiha compound after Iruka had disappeared.

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I am so going to make sure Iruka-sensei keeps his share of the (really) fair bargain! He owes me lots, you hear! All that compromising was for that human icicle!

Wait...It just occurred to until now...If Sasuke didn't know of this arranged assignment, and the old man assigned me to him...THEN WHO THE HELL WILL PAY ME?.! The pay better be worth my time or else I'm gonna pass it on Kiba! He's good with these bodyguarding duty with that dog of his!

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End of Predicament

Pages: 5

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I'm gone for the whole month of July due to vacationing on the other side of the world. Fun...I doubt there is internet accessibility...But I will try to write bits and pieces for all my fanfics in my notebook after squeezing in some reading time from for my Summer Reading...Bloody High Honors English...

Have a great summer people, and I'll hopefully see you guys in the month of August!

Review?