Japanese for the last chapter: Youma-demon (though they generally call themselves youkai…I think.), Akurei-evil spirit, Bakemono-monster, Doshite-why, Nani-what, ano-uh…
¤Chapter Three¤
The fire burns cold, and ice is hot.
And what you thought was real is not.
Naruto sighed as he tried to concentrate on the scroll in front of him. The last four years had been grueling on both Sasuke and him. So much had happened that was unexpected by either of them. One particular realization had made it much worse…
:Flashback:
Naruto stared at Sasuke in shock. Familiar eyes just stared back at him in confusion. And that's just the problem. They were familiar.
They had come out to the training grounds today to test their new limits. (After all, do you remember how strong you were when you were eight?) It had been going well so far. They'd found that the mental part of both of their strengths were still intact. So they had nearly perfect chakra control as before. The physical aspect though….let's say they were very out of shape, and as such had little chakra to control. Still, it had been going ok…until Sasuke tried to activate his Sharingan.
"I foresee a potential problem." Naruto said bluntly. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, confused. "What's wrong? Other than the strain it's putting on my chakra, it feels normal." he shrugged.
Naruto stared at him directly in the eyes, urging him to make the connection. "Sasuke, that's exactly my point."
The look of dawning comprehension and horror on Sasuke's face would've been comical if the reason weren't so problematic.
"…Shit." he muttered, his eyes fading from brilliant red back to black. "What am I going to do?"
"Well, I don't know," Naruto said sarcastically. "What do you think everyone will do when they find out you've got the Mangekyo?" Sasuke glared at him. "You're not helping Naruto."
Naruto sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know. I'm just wondering why you still have it….after all…she's still alive." he trailed off at the end, but he could still see Sasuke trying to hold back a sneer. "I remember reading in something in the Uchiha scrolls…about the Mangekyo." Sasuke stared at him in shock. "You got your hands on the Uchiha scrolls! The Sandaime wouldn't even let me see them!"
"Sasuke, I was the Hokage! I could access any scroll I wanted." Naruto said, calming Sasuke down marginally. Or trying to.
"So… what did you find out?" he asked, scowling.
"Not much." Naruto sighed again. "There has only been two other Mangekyo users besides you…and Itachi." he trailed off, remembering what Sasuke had told him about the Uchiha massacre just yesterday.
"And?" Sasuke startled him back to reality. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
"Uh…you already know that to obtain the Mangekyo, you have to kill someone close to you." At Sasuke's nod he continued. "Well, apparently the Mangekyo evolution isn't physical, but mental. It's all a state of mind. The scroll was pretty vague (and really long winded. That geezer was even more boring than paperwork!.), but it basically said that the user feels some weight of guilt for killing their friend…
That apparently triggers a genetic mechanism in your mind that causes the Mangekyo. It also changes the shape of your tomoe, so now it looks kinda like a pinwheel. Every user's shape is slightly different." He looked uneasily at Sasuke. "If there was more I don't remember it."
Sasuke stood for a moment, taking it in. "This means I'll never be able to show my Sharingan. To anyone." He spoke quietly. "…Shit."
"I think you already said that, Sasuke." Naruto said, trying to lighten the mood. Even though this new development was going to put a major block in their plans for the future, he still hated seeing Sasuke get like this.
Before Sasuke could respond, they were interrupted by a loud rumbling. Naruto clutched his belly and smiled sheepishly. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "C'mon Naruto. Let's go get some thing to eat." He turned away.
"Ramen!" Naruto shouted ecstatically. He was about to follow when Sasuke stopped, and turned back to him. Naruto's smile dropped immediately at the hardened look in his eyes.
"Naruto, whatever that scroll may have said, I want you to know…I don't regret killing her." Then he walked away.
Naruto stood for a moment, frozen.
"I know." he breathed, and followed.
:End Flashback:
Naruto shook his head to clear it. He set the scroll down, knowing he wouldn't be able to concentrate on learning that particular kata today. As if on cue his stomach growled in complaint. He looked at the clock on the wall. Only 11:00. Sometimes he resented his demon metabolism. Sure, he had a lot of cool powers, and even though he could go strong for days without eating, his stomach complained if he went more than two hours!
Grumbling, he got out of the comfy sofa where he was seated, and strolled over to the window. He poked his head out to get a full view of the training grounds laid out beside the house. "Sasuke!" he called.
"Stop yelling dobe, I'm right here." said a voice behind him. He jumped, and would have fallen over the ledge if the brunette hadn't caught him. "I swear, it's gotten ten times louder ever since you moved in."
Naruto scowled and playfully punched him in the shoulder. "You're the one who asked me to come!"
"Only because you lived in a dump. What did you want?"
"I just wanted to know what you wanted for lunch."
Sasuke smirked. "That's it? Anything but ramen."
"Teme! I don't only make ramen!"
"But that's what you usually make."
"…"
"…" Another smirk.
"I'll make miso." Naruto turned away and strode into the kitchen, pouting slightly. Even after all this time, he was still often the loser of their verbal battles.
He didn't know where Sasuke went after that. Probably back out to train…
Sasuke had changed so much in the past years, it was almost baffling. Not just in personality, but in appearance. He still had the same hair style, but it had grown a few inches longer now. He'd also changed his clothes. He still wore the same pair of tan shorts, but now wore a long-sleeved fishnet shirt, with a sleeveless black turtleneck that clung tightly to his skin. Neither had mentioned it, but Naruto had eventually noticed Sasuke's phobia about exposing the skin on his neck and shoulders.
It wasn't exactly unfounded, and Naruto knew when to leave well enough alone.
The biggest change of all was in Sasuke's manner. Around others his eyes were as hard and cold as they had been previously, maybe even more so. But whenever they were together, just the two of them, he would let his guard down, and actually smile. Naruto could remember how startled he'd been the first time he'd heard Sasuke laugh. (And a real one too, not that homicidal psychopathic avenger one.)
He was really turning into the Sasuke he'd known was always there, beneath the surface.
"Oi, dobe! Have you even started lunch yet? Why are you just standing there?"
Of course, he still occasionally called him by that annoying nickname.
"Urusai! I was just starting!" he growled.
All he got was a smile in return.
¤
Sasuke ran around the training grounds, practicing his kenjutsu. The sword form flowed with practiced precision and grace, even though he was now a good deal smaller than when he'd first learned it.
He bit back a sigh of frustration when he stopped to correct a certain stance. He absolutely hated kenjutsu.
He'd tried to purge anything left to him from his memories of Orochimaru, but unfortunately, most of the things he had been taught were jutsus. After one long and very uncomfortable talk with Naruto, he'd decided to keep training in the sword art the snake sannin had taught him. That was only after Naruto had pointed out how useful it could be in the future. He'd even started training Naruto in it, but it was clear within a few days that Naruto just wasn't a 'sword person'.
Naruto. He had to smile when he thought of the blond.
Even though it'd been four years since they'd 'woken up', he still wanted to laugh every time he saw Naruto looking so chibi and cute. He had eventually also stopped denying that he thought of him as cute, if for the sake of what was left of his sanity.
Sasuke knew he'd changed a lot compared to the past, but Naruto had changed more. He still yelled and occasionally said stupid things, but he knew when to be silent. He'd even slip into what Sasuke privately called 'Hokage mode', where he would be come quiet and decisive, and everything else that would be required in a leader of Konoha.
Sasuke had been shocked and borderline amazed when Naruto told him he was the son of the Yondaime. But when Naruto let his hair grow out, the resemblance had been so obvious he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before.
It didn't take much persuasion to get Naruto out of the blazing orange jump suit. (Which Sasuke had promptly taken out into the yard and burned with a well placed Katon jutsu.) Now he wore plain black cargo pants, a red t-shirt with a white spiral on it, and fingerless black gloves. Sometimes he even wore a long black over-vest that reached his knees.
Sasuke had told him it made him look strange (only not as nicely) to which Naruto replied that he'd gotten used to this style of dress, and besides, it was better for concealing weapons than Sasuke's clothes were. He hadn't had any reply that.
On another matter, there was how Naruto acted. He was still dead last in the Academy. After a few talks, they'd agreed it was best for people to underestimate both of them, as well as to get on the same team. So Sasuke had to restrain himself severely, and he couldn't imagine what it must be like for Naruto.
He frowned at that thought. Naruto had reverted to his stupid dead-last act in the Academy, and around anyone else besides him. Every time he went out, it was always with that huge idiotic grin plastered on, and it never faded under the glares and whispers that followed him everywhere.
It worried him sometimes, seeing that. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought that's how Naruto actually was. 'And I didn't, before.' Just how long had Naruto had to keep up such a façade?
'Probably his whole life…'
And it must pain him to know that all the things they whispered behind his back were true, now… Sasuke growled.
It had been happening more and more lately, Sasuke would get a fiercely protective feeling. It was an urge to just gather the blond up in his arms and-
"Sasuke! Lunch is ready!" Naruto's voice cut into his thought before it could go any further. He sheathed his sword with a small sigh of relief.
'I really don't know what's wrong with me anymore…'
¤
"Sasuke, I really think we should tell him!"
"Naruto, we've had this argument a thousand times."
"He would understand!"
"He won't believe you! And even if you did prove it, what do you think he'll do when he finds out I was a traitor? He'll throw me straight into prison!"
"We don't have to tell him that part. In fact, I could just not include you in it at all!"
"He'll see straight through you, Naruto."
"I was Hokage once too, you know. But we have to tell someone. We can't change things on our own, Sasuke! And as much as you don't want to admit it, we need help."
"…I don't like it."
"I know…but we really don't have much of a choice."
"Can…can we just wait until before the chunnin exams?"
"Yeah…That should be enough time."
"I know I must seem selfish."
"Don't worry about it Sasuke, I understand."
¤
Today was the gennin exams, and Naruto was nervous. Not about the exams, no, he and Sasuke could've passed them years ago, with ease. He was worried about tonight.
Mizuki would try to steal the scroll of Forbidden Seals, and Naruto planned to stop him. He had no use for the scroll this time around. He'd already read it, searching for a way to break the Shiki Fuuijin without killing either of them. Unfortunately, that plan had failed.
Naruto's eyes darted toward Sasuke across the room. The other wore his usual sullen demeanor, completely ignoring the tittering girls that surrounded him.
Sasuke had listened with a blank face when Naruto explained the importance of this day to him, and nodded in acceptance when he proposed his plan. Still, Naruto couldn't help but feel there was something he was missing, when it came to Sasuke.
His glance passed over Sakura (who'd managed to sit next to Sasuke), and he paused. Over the years he'd gotten used to running into friends he'd long thought of as dead. It no longer gave him a start every time he saw Ino, Shino, or many others pass by.
But there was still one person he couldn't get used to. Though he'd slipped on his idiotic mask easily, he still avoided Sakura like the plague.
He'd observed Sasuke doing the same, but, as with all his fan girls, his efforts where futile.
'Too many memories…'
His attention turned elsewhere as Iruka entered the room. He smiled quietly at his brown haired sensei.
Iruka started the test immediately. He called the children one by one to the front of the class. They were told to perform a basic henge, Kawarimi, and then produce three bushin. Most of his classmates passed without any trouble at all. He sighed as a few of the older ones sneered at him. Little did they know that only nine of them would actually pass when they took the real gennin test!
He watched as both Kiba, Ino, and Shino passed, then Hinata, though she had blushed and stuttered when receiving her hitai-ate. 'I'm going to have to boost her self confidence!'
Shikamaru lazily went through the motions, but they still ended up perfectly. Naruto watched impassively as Sakura also passed, though he could see the beads of sweat forming on her brow when she performed the bushin jutsu.
He finally sat up and took notice when Sasuke's name was called. Sasuke strode confidently to the front of the room, apparently ignoring the quietly cheering fan girls behind him. He quickly and efficiently performed henge and kawarimi. When he placed his hands in the seal for the bushin, however, five clones popped into existence instead of three. Iruka smiled at Sasuke as he handed him his hitai-ate.
"Unless someone can do better, you'll be this year's number one rookie, Sasuke." Mizuki (who was standing next to Iruka) said. Sasuke just grunted and retook his seat. He met Naruto's eyes briefly and gave him a shallow nod.
"Next up: Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka called. Naruto stepped down to the front and Iruka gave him an encouraging smile, which he returned.
Before he was asked his hand snapped into some seals. "Henge!" he called out, turning into a perfect replication of Iruka. At Mizuki's nod he released the jutsu, turning back before replacing himself with a log provided for the purpose.
"Very good! Now all you need to do is bushin and you'll pass." Iruka praised. Naruto smiled. "That's easy now Iruka-sensei!" He performed the seals and three clones appeared in a puff of smoke. Then he grinned and the bushins disappeared. "So what do ya think Iruka-sensei? Did I pass?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes Naruto, you pass!" Iruka held out a shiny new forehead protector, which he accepted with a happy grin and a bounce in his step.
He didn't miss the slightly dark look that marred Mizuki's face as he turned away, though.
'You thought I wouldn't pass didn't you?' he thought as he sat down. 'This put a major dent in your plans! HA! This is only the beginning.'
He unknowingly shared a silent smirk with Sasuke.
From here on out things would change. It maws the turning point and they both knew it.
It was finally time to tear down the façade at least a little, and show everyone what they were made of.
¤
End Chapter Three
¤
Japanese for this chapter: tomoe-comma marks (those little dots on the Sharingan), Kuso-shit, Urusai- literally translates to 'you're loud', but basically means shut up; chibi-small, Katon- Fire Element, Shiki Fuuijin- Death Seal (what the Yondaime used to seal Kyuubi inside Naruto), henge- transformation, -kawarimi- replacement, bushin- clone
A/N: Ooh, who are they going to tell? And who is the female that Sasuke and Naruto keep mentioning? You'll find out later! (When I finally decide on what the hell I'm doing….)
School has started….yay. I'm not quit sure yet what I want to do with the next chapter, so please be patient! Oh, and check out my fic, Yashin. It's short (only three parts) but I got a little off track from this story and created it. There's NaruSasu at the end (I wrote my first kiss! YAY!)!
Oh, and on that subject, I got a pretty mixed reaction on the NaruSasu vs. SasuNaru thing. I'm still not sure what to do. I need more input!
Please review!