The Immigrant, The Refugee, The Cold Case
The next day Sasuke rises bright and early. Fog covers the early morning village, impenetrable, only relenting as the sun inches over the mountains. Soon, the clouds will rise and Sasuke will go about his day with them hanging over his head, but for now it's a distant concern. There is a small window where there is neither fog or clouds: just their cobbled roads and conical stone buildings. No one was awake to annoy him.
This is the only moment of peace Sasuke knows.
He eats a protein-filled breakfast on the tip of the roof. The first sign of activity is always the stalls coming out.
Suburbs are divided by round platforms built around mountainous peaks, as large as they can be while remaining stable. There are residential peaks, industrial peaks, shopping peaks, and peaks so cloaked by clouds that their existence is debatable. Sasuke and his mom live in an apartment complex in the middle of a marketplace. It's close to the Raikage's office.
When it gets busy, it takes hours to slow down. Sasuke watches like a spiteful god from his perch as Kumo citizens set up shop. His mom likes to make complicated breakfasts; she'll be awake soon.
He swings in through his bedroom window. Sasuke makes his bed — his father was always on him about it, so Sasuke keeps up the habit — and gets ready for his day. Genin have to wear Kumogakure's standard-issue flak jackets to indicate their rank as shinobi, so Sasuke wears that on top of his cool grey t-shirt. The Uchiha fan is printed on its high collar, small and on-the-side. Sasuke won't leave his clan behind, not even here. The pants are wrapped at the hem with bandages, and he puts on his arm guards as well. Who knows? They might be necessary.
As he thought, he sees Mikoto's back when he walks into the kitchen. Fish is cooking, and she has rice boiling on the stove-top. "Sasuke," she greets without turning. Her elbows move in a motion indicating that she's chopping something. "Are you ready for school?"
Sasuke grunts. He isn't going to school, really. The posting will be on the announcement board, as well as his team members, his sensei, and their meeting place. He's graduated. It doesn't count as going to school.
"What are you making?"
"Salmon and miso. Wake up your brother please, he has an appointment today."
Sasuke pauses in pouring himself a glass of milk. "Did the Raikage organize it?"
Mikoto nods. Kagen is checked monthly by the Raikage's trusted medic-nin, Cee, for a dormant kekkei genkai. There's no way to tell if he'll have his sharingan until he awakens it, Sasuke knows that. Every Uchiha-blooded person has the potential, it's only a matter of satisfying the mysterious requirements — which, Mikoto and Sasuke have repeatedly said, are unknown to them.
"Others might know," Mikoto had said. Others did. But they're dead now, and they were all that was left.
Sasuke goes to the blue room. Kagen doesn't wake up when he throws open the door, so Sasuke kicks his bed. Kagen typically wakes slowly. He hasn't started his training yet. His father comes from a civilian family loyal to Kumogakure, and if Kagen doesn't activate the kekkei genkai, he'll inherit from Hidoi.
If he does end up with a sharingan, though, he's definitely screwed. It's too late for him to start training and end up any good.
"Nii-sama?" Kagen croaks. He peers at Sasuke warily through sleep-crusted eyes. "What…?"
"Wake up," Sasuke delivers his message bluntly. He kicks Kagen's bed again for the hell of it, storming back to the kitchen. He finishes his glass of milk and idly chats with his mother about his expectations today. Sasuke is the first shinobi in the household for this village. The graduation exam promised that Kumo was nothing like what Mikoto was familiar with, so she was as curious as Sasuke was.
"You have to tell me all about it," she says when breakfast is ready and she's dishing it out. "Invite your team mates over too, okay? I want to get to know them."
"If they aren't irritating," Sasuke murmurs. She shakes her head at him. He finds everyone irritating and she knows it. Kagen stumbles into the room, finally, freshly bathed and half-asleep. Sasuke shuts up and eats quickly, putting his plate and bowl in the sink when he's done.
"Going already?"
"Hanamizu said 'bright and early,'" Sasuke justifies. He slips on his sandals. "Good luck today, Mom."
She gives him a look. "Shouldn't you be saying that to Kagen?"
Kagen loses all color, as if he couldn't imagine anything worse than being spoken to by Sasuke. In his defense, Sasuke agrees. Because of that, he says nothing, leaving his house and making his way to the Academy. He can't say he took much notice of his classmates. He doesn't have any ideal people he wants to pair with, nor anyone he dreads. Sasuke just hopes, whoever they are, they know how to stay out of his way.
\V/
Netsu isn't on her team, but Sasuke is, and some guy named… "Uzumaki Naruto?"
"He's not in our class, right?" Netsu rubs the side of her nose. She looks perplexed. "Am I forgetting someone?"
"I dunno, the name is familiar," Sakura is deep in thought. She does recognize the name, but try as she might, she has no idea what he looks like. Definitely she's never had a conversation with him. Sakura shrugs, mentally brushing away the deja vu. "I'll know when I meet him. Sasuke-kun, however…"
Netsu leers when she catches the look on Sakura's face. "Do you still have a crush on him?"
"I don't have a crush on Sasuke-kun," Sakura splutters. "Who told you that?"
"I see the way you stare at him; it isn't fuinjutsu. Anyone could figure it out. It's exciting though, isn't it? You have a chance to get close to him. Really get to know the guy. Who knows what could happen…"
Sakura punches her best friend in the arm, for once unconcerned by the pained hiss Netsu makes. She deserves it. "You're incorrigible. Help me out: do you know who Darui is? Apparently that's my sensei. I've never heard of him."
"Neither have I, but that doesn't mean anything," Netsu says bluntly. "I don't keep track of those things. The only strong ninja I care about is the Raikage and myself, when I get there."
"Business as usual."
"That's right," Netsu beams. "Tell me how it goes. I really want to know who this Uzumaki guy is. That isn't a Kumogakure clan. Sounds watery."
"Could he be from Kirigakure?"
"Beats me. You're coming over for dinner, don't forget. Mom misses you. I think she resents not having you as her actual daughter."
"If the alternative is you… I don't blame her."
Netsu would hit Sakura for that if Sakura wasn't obviously physically superior. Netsu used to playfully smack her a lot before Kai-shishou came into the picture. Now that Sakura's biceps were bigger than most small dogs, not many people crossed her. Considering she used to be bullied for having pink hair and a round, soft face, Sakura isn't too mad about it.
The friends part ways. Sakura's listing says Darui-sensei is waiting at 'ravine seventy-three,' which isn't a place as far as Sakura knows. There are confidential areas that civilians and students aren't allowed to know about. She can take her ID to Intel and ask there.
\V/
"Ravine seventy-three? You must have Darui-kun. It's his favorite place to train; it's pretty low alt, the air isn't as cool. Good for storms."
"Storms?"
"It's his trademark," The intel officer explains. She seems fond of this Darui guy. Storms, too — is that a release? Sasuke's pretty sure you need multiple chakra releases for storm, and it counts as a kekkei genkai. It could be interesting. "You know, I'm surprised you didn't come here with your teammates. A young one like yourself. Pink hair. She was quite polite."
Sakura. Had to be. Sasuke didn't glimpse at his teammates, just his sensei and where he needed to be. If it's her — that's not as bad as it could be. Sakura is a hard-worker. She will stay out of his way.
"I'm not interested in being buddy-buddy with anyone," Sasuke says. The intel officer sends another person away to fetch a map. Ravine seventy-three is apparently difficult to find, secluded and on the outskirts of the village. At least it'll be warmer. Sasuke still isn't used to the cold air here. "Was there anyone else?"
The intel officer shoots him a knowing look. "Yes, a young man wearing orange."
Sasuke blanks out. "What?"
"It's a bold color, right? But it was what he was wearing: bright orange hoodie, orange bandages too. I didn't know wraps came in that color. I think you're going to have a very colorful experience with your team!"
Sasuke — isn't concerning himself with it.
"Can you just get me this map, woman?"
"Amai. It's Amai."
"The map."
The intel officer gestures and a scroll mysteriously appears in her hands. Almost, Sasuke thinks, like it was waiting for her signal. "Patience is a virtue," the intel officer winks. "Tell Darui I said hi."
Sasuke intends to do no such thing. He surveys the map as he leaps across rooftops. It's on the lower levels: the lowest levels. Sasuke didn't know there were settlements this low on the mountain. There isn't a set, safe trail either. Sasuke is going to have to scale dangerous terrain just to find this place. It's a training exercise in and of itself. Sasuke needs to buy mountain-climbing equipment.
Alright.
Darui... You have his attention.
\V/
Holy shit.
Naruto screams as he skids down the side of a mountain. Damn, damn, damn! Sensei was crazy! Insane!
"I'M GONNA DIIIIIEEEEEEE!"
His foot catches on a natural ledge, but it doesn't help. Instead of stopping, it's small enough to dislodge the tumultuous but steady ride. Naruto is thrown off, now just free falling.
Oh, shit.
Nope. This — this was way worse. He has no idea how he is going to salvage this one.
Naruto tries to angle his body towards the closest rock formation. It looks like a straight drop down, cloud gathering making it impossible Naruto can't see the base. It doesn't even matter. If he doesn't stick this landing, he is toast.
Kyuubi Kyuubi Kyuubi help me pleeease—
Kyuubi doesn't respond to Naruto's urgent mental voice. He typically doesn't. Even though Naruto is literally going to die if he doesn't think his way out of the mess he's been thrown into. Naruto screams louder. The rock face is getting closer. There is nothing he can do about it.
Oh… this is going to hurt.
SPLAT!
Naruto collides face-first against the side of the mountain. He's goddamn positive his nose is broken. Kyuubi will fix that, probably. For now Naruto needs to figure out how to stick to this mountain before he reinvents his previous problem of sliding, unchecked, down the side of a scarily smooth mountain.
He doesn't even know if he's on the right track. Ravine seventy-three could have been five ranges ago and Naruto is none-the-wiser. If he had Kyuubi's tail, he could use it to slow his descent, maybe make a controlled climb across these damned things.
As it is…
… he's really going to die.
His screams are echoing now. It's a fever-pitch. Gods will hear him eventually, won't they?
And Bee — Bee won't let him die. He's a jinchuuriki.
The village won't let him die!
From the clouds comes a super big shuriken. Just… huge. Naruto screams for entirely different reasons now: it's coming straight for him. Now would be a really, REALLY good time for Kyuubi to wake up and realize that his container was looking mortal perish in the eye and welcoming it into his short-life—
Naruto ducks.
The shuriken connects, catching on his hood and stopping his fall; also choking him, but that's a minor concern when compared to how bad it could have been. Certain death, he said, and it's still true. Another thing launches itself through the clouds: man-shaped, this time. It comes closer. It's not a man, although the short hair and body shape makes Naruto doubtful. If it's a girl, it's not like any girl he's seen before.
She lands on the side of the mountain like it's stable ground. Sticking, like a frog. She squints at Naruto, eyes bright with curiosity. "Uzumaki?"
Naruto blinks moisture back into his dried-out eyes. She has a gigantic battle axe strapped to her back. He makes an educated guess and hopes he's right, or else he's about to offend someone. "Sakura?"
"Yeah," Sakura grins. Thank god. "Nice to meet you. Hey, were we in the same class?"
"No. I was, uh, homeschooled."
Sakura makes a strange face. "I don't think that's a thing, but… eh. You could have climbed it with your chakra, you know."
Naruto's face goes hot. She makes it sound like it was an obvious solution. "Did you learn that in the Academy?"
"What? No. I taught myself on my way over. I've seen shinobi climb walls and stuff, thought I could try it out. It's really easy. I can teach you if Darui-sensei isn't planning to."
Naruto has never felt so inadequate in his life, and he spends most of his time around Yugito and Bee. The Raikage doesn't count. He's just a crabby old guy. Not that impressive, honestly.
And now — Sakura. Now she's something.
"Sure, I'd like that. Thanks for saving me. How'd you know you wouldn't take my head off by the way?"
"I thought it was worth the risk. Either that, or…" Sakura pantomimes Naruto meeting his demise, splatting her fist against her open palm. There are added sound-effects. "At least my way would have been painless."
Naruto tries to eye the shuriken keeping him pinning to the rock. It's really big, he can't stress it enough. "I don't know about that. You're pretty cool, Sakura-chan."
She blinks at him. The smile returns. "You're not, but that's alright, Naruto-kun. Now — try not to squirm, my hands are sweaty and I might drop you."
"Huh?"
She grabs his hoodie in one hand and pulls out the big shuriken with the other. Gravity instantly makes a desperate grab for Naruto's body, but Sakura stoutly holds him up, swings him under her arm like he's a baby, and springs off the side of the mountain. Naruto screams because it's hard not to when death keeps coming for him like this.
Sakura, however, is laughing.
So it isn't just his sensei who's insane…
That's nice to know.
\V/
They navigate the rest of the trip together. It feels a lot like having a stuffed animal: Naruto can't do much without nailing chakra-walking, so Sakura carries him on her back through the dangerous parts. There are a lot of dangerous parts. At least he's stopped screaming: her ears were getting sore.
After ten minutes, Sakura finally hears the sound of rushing water. "I think we're here!"
Naruto tilts his head, then puts his hands over his ears. "Ugh! That's deafening."
She side-eyes him. Does Naruto have enhanced hearing? It's distinct, but still distant. "I bet we just have to climb this and we'll drop right inside the ravine. Gosh, it's warm. I'm not used to this kind of humidity."
Naruto pulls at the collar of his hoodie. "Yeah, can't say I'm a huge fan of it either. Luckily there's water. Think sensei will let us take a quick dip?"
"Probably not. Alright, Naruto-kun. Get on my back."
Naruto, after sighing, climbs on. Sakura secures his thighs around her waist and bounds up the side of the mountain. Amai said that Darui-sensei frequented this ravine a lot. It's kind of intense. If they do this every day, Sakura's legs are going to be amazing. Netsu will be so impressed.
Sakura unloads her teammate at the top. Like she thought, there's the ravine. A thin winding river that's gouged its path through rock over years and years. There's real greenery growing on the side of the wall, but no sight of Darui-sensei or Sasuke. Sakura lands in the water. It comes up to her knees. Seems like Naruto is going to get his dip in the water after all.
"I think they're ahead," she thinks out loud. Naruto lands gracelessly behind her, sending water all up her back. "Naruto!"
"Crap, sorry… Aww, my pants…"
"My shirt," Sakura growls, but Naruto doesn't see her expression, too busy pouting at his soaked pants. Unbelievable. "Let's just walk, the water has to be coming from somewhere, and this place isn't wide enough for training. It has to lead somewhere."
"If you say so," Naruto easily agrees. "Do you know anything about our other teammate, Sasuke?"
Just the name makes her heart race. Sakura clears her throat. He's handsome, Inner giggles, is that what you want to know, Naruto-baka?
Stop that.
"He's an Uchiha, talented at genjutsu, I think he's practicing with a sword as well. I'm not sure if that was just a rumor or not. Uh, what else… Sasuke-kun is popular."
"The hell? Why?"
"He's — well, he's cool. Handsome. What else do you need?"
"A real reason," Naruto drawls. "Sounds like a tool."
"He isn't," Sakura can't help but snap. "Sasuke-kun is… he's quiet. He's gone through some stuff. You haven't heard about the Uchiha?" Naruto shakes his head. It seems impossible for him to be telling the truth — everyone knows — but he stares at her emptily. "Wow, you're serious,"
"My education was strict. Didn't learn about anything that my teachers didn't think was relevant."
"I'll say. Sasuke-kun's family were murdered. The entire clan. He's from Konoha, but he migrated here with his mother after the massacre."
Naruto whistles lowly. "Huh. So he's from Konoha, too."
"Too?"
He shrugs awkwardly. "I was born there. Moved over when I was — young."
"No way," Sakura gasps. She halts, pulls him to a stop, and smacks his arm urgently. Naruto groans like she's hurt him — very likely. Sakura is way too excited to care about that. "I was born there!"
"In Konoha?"
"Yeah!"
"Seriously?"
"YEAH!"
"That's so weird," Naruto says wonderingly. "We're like… we're like a Konoha group. A bunch of former leaves… what is that called? Are we a tree? Branches?"
"I don't think it matters."
"Roots?"
"I really don't think it… anyway, isn't it cool? I wonder if the Raikage did it on purpose. He has to know."
"Probably. Seems like something he'd come up with," Naruto says unconcernedly. He sniffs deeply. "Heads up, Sakura-chan. I'm smelling trees."
He can smell trees?
Sakura mentally shrugged. Who knew what Naruto could do. They'd really have to find out. Following the course of the ravine leads them to an opening. It's a small word for what it really is, but the most accurate. The ravine opens into a proper valley; it's like stepping into a completely different area. The river is loud (deafening, Naruto was right) and surrounded by lush, green grass. There are pine trees here. The stone climbs into the sky around them.
It is quite literally a breath of fresh air.
"Pretty cool," Naruto gawks. "I mean — wow, this is beautiful."
"Konoha looked like this," Sakura says. It just comes out. She tries to avoid comparing things to her former village, Kumo people don't like it, but she thinks Naruto won't mind it. "Everywhere."
Naruto frowns. "That would explain a lot about them. If you saw scenes like this every day, how could you want to damage it? They're soft. I get it. Oi, I think I see someone."
"What, where?"
Even when he points, Sakura doesn't see anything. It's all trees, rocks, and moss. But Naruto is confident. He leads with his hand around her wrist, all but charging. As they get closer Sakura sees the silhouettes: one tall, hunched over, the other shorter, also hunched. They both have their hands in their pockets.
When Sakura can see their faces, it's not too surprising that their expressions are the same kind of blank.
Also, Sasuke is dripping wet.
Beside him has to be Darui-sensei. He's tall, dark-skinned, and has shaggy white hair that covers one eye. He's dressed in loose-fitting white-and-grey uniform. The hilt of a sword pokes out from behind his shoulder.
Darui-sensei rubs back of his neck and says, "Sorry, guys. I forgot how difficult it was to find this place."
… He's joking, right? He has to be joking. How do you forget something like that?
Inner is right — Darui-sensei is being outrageous. Naruto looks incensed. Sakura cuts him off. "You mean this wasn't a test?"
Darui-sensei looks baffled. "Of course not. The Academy doesn't teach wall-walking. I would have gone looking for you but I wouldn't know where to start. I'm really sorry."
Sasuke's expressions turns stormy. Paired with his wet clothes, he looks startlingly similar to an upset cat. It's unbearably cute. Sakura forces herself to stop looking at him before she suffers from palpitations.
"I nearly died, you jerk!"
"Really?"
"Sakura-chan saved my life!"
Darui-sensei looks at Sakura with a mildly curious lift to his eyebrows. "How'd you do that, Sakura?"
Sakura says, "I threw a big shuriken at his head and hoped for the best."
"Ah… that sounds about right."
"I also learned how to wall-walk," Sakura adds. It seems like something she should say. Approval lights up Darui-sensei's face, and Sakura can't help but check Sasuke's face to see if the expression is reflected on him. It isn't. He looks more irritated. "It was simple."
"That's good. One thing I won't have to teach you. The rest of you, however… kind of a drag, isn't it?"
"US?!"
"The situation," Darui-sensei quickly says, then: "Though — you, too. A little. Sasuke used mountain-climbing equipment to get here, but it broke when he was scaling down the ravine and he fell into the water. And you have an excitable attitude. I just don't think our first session is going well."
Sasuke snaps, "Isn't that your fault, though?"
Darui-sensei shrugs. "Yeah. Sorry, again. Do we need to make introductions? You all know each other, don't you?"
Naruto points directly at Sasuke. "Don't know you."
"It's not like you've introduced yourself either, moron."
"Moron?"
"That's what I said. Are you deaf as well as stupid?"
"STUPID?!"
"Right, I guess we can't have that." Darui-sensei sighs. He then proceeds to get Sasuke in a chokehold that immediately shuts the boy up: reasonably, Sasuke looks very alarmed about his new situation. Darui-sensei smiles at Naruto, who looks both wary and overjoyed. "Sorry about him. I think he has an attitude problem. This is Sasuke. Sasuke, this is Naruto. You two are going to be teammates from now on so don't go tearing each other's heads off. Boss will be pissed."
Sasuke tries to say something. Darui winces and releases him. Sasuke takes a large, pointed step away from their sensei. He says, "Don't do that again."
Darui-sensei makes a face. "No promises. Naruto, did you get that?"
"I get that you're both jerks and Sakura is the only person on the team who's a good person."
"Not quite the lesson I was going for but I'm glad you're learning at all. Speaking of learning: water-walking. Wanna do that?"
"Right now?" Naruto gapes.
"Not gonna do it tomorrow. You'll need it to get out of here."
That makes sense. Sasuke is already eyeing the sides of the valley, a contemplative expression that brings out the genetic perfection of his entire being. Not that I don't get where you're coming from, but focus, Sakura-chan.
Ah, right. There is a time and a place. Sakura raises her hand. "What about me, sensei?"
Darui-sensei rubs his chin and decides. "You can help me with the boys. We can chat while we're at it, I could stand to get to know you better. Water release, is that right? There's a lot I can teach you."
Alright! Inner cries, thrusting her fist in the air. Sakura struggles not to mirror her: that's how she feels as well. She smartly ignores Sasuke and Naruto's glares. It isn't hard. They'll get it in no time. "I'd like that, sensei."