Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Genre: General
Rating? not for children anyway…
Notes: AU, no pairings
Summary: Seven years have passed since the Uchiha clan was murdered and the two children of the clan head disappeared. What happens when Naruto meets a strange boy wearing a strange cloak? And what is a boy around his age doing out in the middle of nowhere anyway?
Authors Notes: An ongoing birthday present for Ryuu.
I may not be able to update for awhile but I'll keep writing. I'm on vacation right now and will post whenever I can. I'm sorry that you're going to have to wait. Thank you for all the reviews!
Cursed Blood
Chapter One: The Fox
"Kachiku Mokuzai! If you don't SHUT UP I'm going to rip you a new breathing hole where the sun don't shine!"
"Eek! Kakashi-sensei! Haruno-san is picking on me!"
"Now, now children, you're interrupting the good part of my book."
"YOU PERVERT!"
Naruto Uzumaki tilted his blonde head to the side and rolled his big blue eyes. It was just another day with Konohagakure's team seven. His gaze was focused on the only female member of the team. Sakura Haruno was in the middle of strangling the youngest member of their team while screaming at their teacher. He tugged on his baggy orange pants and shifted from one foot to the other.
"Ano… You guys?" He paused as a set of glaring emerald eyes locked onto his orange clad form. He tugged nervously on a spiky strand of blonde hair before speaking again. "Takagawa-jii-san wants us to take a break now." With that Sakura's eyes softened and she let the blue-faced Kachiku go. She quickly bowed in the old man's direction, a blush rising to her cheeks. Naruto resisted the urge to snicker.
"Ahh yes, thank you young man." The elder remarked. He was team seven's newest client. He had been escorted to Konoha by his son-in-law, who was the esteemed owner of Ichiraku (Naruto's favorite ramen restaurant). But he needed an escort back to Cloud country where he lived. As an old man he was easy prey to bandits and thieves.
The group of five seated themselves on the upraised roots of one of the giant trees that made up Kitamori, the forest that bordered Cloud country from its southern neighbor. Each tree had a trunk large enough to make a house in. The one they were currently leaning against was bigger than Naruto's entire apartment building.
"This reminds me of the Chunin exam (1)." Sakura finally remarked, looking around in the dim twilight cast by the leaves hundreds of feet above their heads. Her blonde teammate also cast a cursory glance at their surroundings before a grin lit up his features.
"Yes, Kyu-" he cut himself off as he glanced at their client. "I had a good time," he finished. No one outside of their group of friends and the Jounin knew that the demon fox, Kyuubi, was sealed in his stomach. Fourteen years before, Kyuubi had attacked Konohagakure. The Yondaime, the leader of the village, gave his life to seal the demon fox into his newborn son's stomach. Naruto's mother had died in childbirth. Since both of his parents were dead he was raised by the Sandaime, his father's predecessor, until he turned seven. Once he was seven the clan heads' of the village forced him to move out. He still called the Sandaime "jii-chan" meaning 'grandfather'.
Naruto grew up ignorant of his father's sacrifice; and his own role in the rescue of the village. That is, until he turned twelve. During his and Sakura's first C-ranked mission as genin(2) they were attacked by the legendary missing-ninja Zabuza. During the fight Kyuubi was released and killed both Zabuza and his companion Haku. Since that time Kyuubi and Naruto merged slightly and talked from time to time.
"Alright, it's around seven now. We'll make camp here for the night." Kakashi remarked, breaking Naruto's train of thought. "Sakura, Naruto, you two go hunting for food. Kachiku, you'll stay with me and set up camp." The twelve-year-old whined until he was smacked over the head by Sakura. He rubbed the back of his head, short brown hair getting mused beneath his fingers.
"Hai, sensei. (3)" Both teenagers answered before disappearing faster than the eye could follow. Since there were an odd number of genin during his and Sakura's graduation they had been placed in a two-man team rather than the normal three. After they became chunin, the Godaime, the new leader of Konoha, decided that they should be paired with Kachiku. There had been an odd number of genin during the last year and Kachiku was the lowest in his class. To even out his weakness the Godaime paired him with team seven. As chunin they could watch out for him.
Naruto silently stalked after a large rabbit, licking his elongated incisors with maniacal glee. It had been a long time since he was allowed to hunt like this; and Kyuubi was close to the surface. Dealing with the annoying brat, AKA Kachiku, always made the barrier between the blonde and the fox especially thin. Suddenly Naruto stopped in his tracks. He lifted his head and sniffed the air, a frown forming on his face. He smelled…
In an orange flash he vanished from the ground floor and appeared up in the trees, jumping from branch to branch. His eyes flashed red as claws started to form in the place of his fingernails. He reached the end of the forest and stopped, staying back in the shadows. He had reached a large field of tall grasses, the scent of wild flowers filling the air. The evening sky was still bright as it was summer; and the days were long this far north on the continent. In the distance was a single tree, its large leaves as green as emeralds. Nestled on one of the larger branches was a black shadow.
Naruto's nostrils flared as he crouched low in the grass and crept towards his prey. Closer. Closer. Still Closer. Now bend the knees. Just so. Now take a deep breath and-
"Stop that ridiculous stalking. I could hear you before you left the forest." A deep male voice intoned from within the tree. Naruto pouted and glanced up at his 'prey'. The shadow was, in actuality, a young teenaged boy. He looked like a shadow because his black hair, eyes, and cloak blended into the shade of the tree. On closer inspection he looked a lot like a china doll. Delicate features, long eyelashes, and perfect pale skin. He was in direct contrast with Naruto's handsome visage, golden tan, wheat colored locks, and sky-blue eyes.
"Oi, what are you doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?" Naruto called, leaping up on the branch the boy was perched on. Though the bough dipped and bobbed at the intrusion the boy stayed balanced. Ebony colored eyes closed as the boy seemed to drift into a light doze. "Hey! Don't ignore me you punk!"
"You're blocking my light." The boy intoned dryly.
"What's your name anyway?" Naruto growled out.
"Is it not common courtesy to give your own name first?" Naruto glared darkly at the stranger before finally giving in as the boy still hadn't opened his eyes.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! The future Hokage of Konohagakure!" He stated proudly, poking his thumb into his orange chest.
"The pleasure is, quite unfortunately on my part, mine." The boy drawled, tucking his arms behind his head. As the blonde started screaming and making a general ruckus an amused smirk curled at the corners of the boy's lips. Suddenly, in typical Uzumaki fashion, the blue-eyed teen stopped completely and gazed at the boy in contemplation.
"You're a shinobi." He remarked in interest.
"Very good. You obviously know how to state the obvious." The boy drawled. Naruto was too confused by what he saw to argue back.
"I've never seen that kind of head protector before. What village are you from? And why do you have a line through the symbol?"
"There are a reason shinobi live in hidden villages." The black-eyed boy snorted in disdain.
"Teme (4)." Naruto growled.
"Hn."
"NAARUUTO YOU DOOORK!" Sakura's voice rang out from the forest. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOOOUU?"
"If you're trying not to attract attention your group is failing miserably." The boy remarked, his voice tinged with amusement. His blonde companion groaned.
"COMING SAKURA!" Naruto shouted back, smirking inwardly as he saw the boy wince at the volume. "Well, I can't say it was nice knowing you."
"Bah." The boy growled. Naruto shot him a sunny grin and waved before preparing to jump out of the tree. "Sasuke." The next word from the boy surprised him so much he fell out of the tree. Thankfully he had made it to chunin for a reason. He landed gracefully on his feet.
"What?" The blonde asked.
"Dobe (5)," the boy insulted. "I said my name was Sasuke."
"Oh… see ya around Sasuke-teme." Naruto waved at the black-haired boy and darted off.
"There you are!" His pink-haired teammate greeted him a few minutes later as he returned to the clearing he had left his teacher and client. "Where were you? And where is the food you caught?"
"Sorry, I ran into this strange boy. He was a shinobi with a head protector from a village I've never seen before."
"Really?" Kakashi asked, glancing at his student from his one visible eye. He ran a hand through his gravity-defying gray hair.
"Yeah, it looked like a cloud but there was a big scratch through it." Nauto shrugged. "Anyway, he said his name was Sasuke."
"What did he look like? Was he cute?" Sakura asked eagerly.
"How the hell would I know!" Naruto screamed back. "Anyway, he was wearing the weirdest clothes too."
"Oh? What?" Kachiku asked in interest as he dropped a log into the campfire.
"Well, he had these black arm protectors on and a long black cloak. It had a high collar with a red lining and red clouds on it." His head snapped up as Kakashi dropped the pot he was holding. None of the three young ninja had ever seen their teacher drop something before.
"Did you just say he was wearing a black cloak with red clouds on it? And a headband with a line through the symbol?"
"Yeah…" The blonde trailed off.
"Why, what is it sensei?" Sakura asked in concern.
"Naruto, if you ever see this boy again do not approach him. Come straight to me." Kakashi ordered, picking up the pot once more.
"Why?" Naruto asked.
"Just do it." The gray-haired man replied. What the hell is an Akatsuki member doing way out here?
"You left without reporting in, and without Deidara." The leader chastised from the shadows of the cave.
"Hn." Sasuke huffed. "The nine-tail's container is Naruto Uzumaki, a chunin from Konoha. On his team are another chunin, a female named Sakura Haruno, and a genin named Kachiku Mokuzai. The genin is the weakest. They're escorting Tenzai Takagawa to Cloud Country. Kakashi is aware of my presence."
"Good job." The leader remarked. "Next time bring Deidara with you." Sasuke scowled at the silhouette of the man before looking towards his older brother. Though Itachi's face was as expressionless as ever his eyes glinted with his amusement. He met Sasuke's gaze and gave an imperceptible nod.
"Come Sasuke." Itachi finally remarked. "You have to restock the poisons after you make dinner."
"Oh? Not before?" Sasuke sneered. His brother gave a short exhale of air that on anyone else would have been called a snort. After all, Uchiha's are too dignified to snort. Even if they were accused of murdering their clan. Itachi poked his brother in the middle of his forehead, a small dent in the protector the only sign that this had been happening continuously since the two were young.
"Alright, alright." Sasuke finally muttered. He stalked around the ring of shadows and disappeared into the depths of the cave. "I'm making prime rib tonight, be at the table by eight." With that he moved beyond the sight of the ring of shadows.
(1)genin- apprentice ninja (a ninja has to pass from the academy to become a genin)
(2)chunin- junior ninja (a ninja has to pass the chunin exam to become a chunin. Higher in status than a genin.)
(3)Hai, sensei- Yes, teacher.
(4)teme- bastard
(5)dobe- I'm not sure of the exact translation but it means something like "dead last".