"Well, at least it wasn't a total loss," the coach reflected. "We DID end up forfeiting the game, but now I'll get to use some of you as my ace in the hole for Suna."

The team was on the end line, looking miserable. Sasuke was on the very end, and there was a gap between him and the player next to him. The whole team was afraid of him now, and there was a good reason why.

"What just happened?" the security guard demanded. People were still exiting the building, and security officers were everywhere.

"Someone tried to sabotage the Shuriken by placing a bomb under the bench," the Shuriken coach said firmly. Behind him, Suigetsu snorted.

"Yeah, and they set the bomb exactly under the place where Uchiha always sits."

The guard looked interested. "Has anything like this happened before?"

"Yes, sir," Sasuke admitted miserably. "Someone put poison in my water bottle, but someone else ended up drinking it on accident."

The coach laid a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "He's a reliable boy, sir, never gives me a moment of trouble. But I must say, I've never had anything like this ever happen before on my team."

The guard jotted something down in a notebook, looking serious. "Hate to break it to you, son, but it looks like someone might have it in for you. After all, poisoning your water, and this" – he motioned behind him to the twisted metal shards of the bench- "I'd say it's pretty certain. I'd recommend that you either hire some security or go home for a little while, and see how everything blows over."

"But I can't go home!" Sasuke protested. "I've got to play!"

The guard frowned. "Someone's determined to make sure that you can't, for what reason, I don't know. Hire yourself a bodyguard if you don't want to leave."

"If security at these events was more reliable and efficient, perhaps my players wouldn't have their lives endangered so easily," the coach remarked icily. The guard looked affronted.

"Sir, we do our best at all these university events to-"

"I've heard the spiel before," the coach growled. "Come on, Uchiha, let's let them clean up."

"I'm sorry about the whole thing, sir," Sasuke said ruefully. The coach rubbed his temples.

"It's not your fault, son. But we will have to forfeit the game, and that means we lost to Iwakagure." He looked old for a moment, older than he was supposed to. "I just hope we win our next game, otherwise, we're out of the running for the championship."

"Who are we playing, coach?"

"Suna."


"Even though we lost to the Bulls, we can still defeat the Suna Sandmen with everything we've got!" the coach yelled.

After suicides, the team moved on to a weave drill. Sasuke found himself in the center line with the ball, meaning that he would be the one to perform the lay-up at the other end. As he side-stepped down the court, passing without dribbling to Suigetsu and Kimimaro, Sasuke was acutely aware of the glare imprinted on Suigetsu's face.

As they reached the far basket, Sasuke pulled up slightly, waiting for Suigetsu's pass so he could shoot. It didn't come. Instead, Suigetsu rose up on a high jump and slammed the ball through the net. Landing right in Sasuke's face, he leaned in and sneered.

"You think you're so tough, working with Orochimaru," he hissed. "Well, I don't care what anyone says, I'M not gonna let you walk away with all the glory!"

"Momitchi! Uchiha! What's the problem?" the coach barked. "You're holding up the drill!"

"Just wait until we play Suna," Sasuke growled. "I'll show you who's boss, then."

"If you're even alive," Suigetsu muttered as they returned to the three lines and each chose a new one.


Sasuke hated to say it, but after a few more days, he was pretty sure Suigetsu was right. As they got closer and closer to the Suna game, Sasuke became more and more aware of the strange things surrounding him. Afraid of being poisoned, he barely ate and drank, subsisting off of soda and snacks from the vending machines, which he was sure was safe.

The freshman also had a few more run-ins with Karin, who was hinting heavily that she would like to go out with him. Sasuke often would sidestep the cheerleader and continue down the hallway, but Karin was getting trickier and trickier to avoid.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun," she purred one day as Sasuke came down the corridor, already late for a Chemistry class.

"Hnn," Sasuke said, trying to get past her for the lecture hall. But Karin got in his way with her considerable figure, a pout on her pretty face. The hallway Sasuke was standing in joined another hallway that was perpendicular to it right where they were standing, and that was where Karin had waylaid him every day.

"Aaw, come on, Sasuke-kun," she pouted. "You never say anything more to me than 'Hnn'. Don't you have any other words in that vocabulary of yours?"

Sasuke looked down at her with distaste as she inched closer, one long, manicured nail reaching out to touch his chest. "Karin, I really don't have time for this…"

The next few things happened so fast that Sasuke's mind barely processed them. Karin's other hand reached out and jerked on the strap of his bag, causing all his textbooks to spill out across the floor. As he and Karin bent over to pick them up, Karin's hand fastened itself firmly over his hand. And three painfully loud explosions sounded from further down the corridor.

Acting on pure instinct, Sasuke grabbed Karin's shoulder and forced both of them flat onto the floor as something whizzed overhead, looking down the corridor that joined the one they were in. He thought he saw a glimpse of black vanishing around the corner. Crash after crash sounded down both hallways as door after door flew open. Students poured out, screaming bloody murder. Professors quickly followed, trying to make sense of the situation.

Sasuke stood up, Karin still clinging to his arm, rubbing up against him and screaming.

"MURDER! MURDER IN THE HALLWAY!"

But even Karin's raven-like caws could not block out the white noise that filled Sasuke's head when he looked at the wall behind where they had been standing.

Three black holes the size of a nickel each had been punched forcefully into the wall.


"Well, Mr. Uchiha, I just don't know what to say," the dean said, taking off his glasses and polishing them on his shirt. "You say there have been several attempts on your life, now?"

Sasuke nodded firmly.

"The most recent was the shooting in the hallway?"

Another nod.

"And you have no reason or cause to suspect anyone you know?" the dean asked wearily.

"Sir, we've been over this ground several times already," Sasuke said. "I don't know why ANYONE would be trying to kill me. The only fact I have is that my brother escaped from a high-security prison a couple months ago. He tried to kill my mother three years ago, it's possible that he might be after me." He did not mention that Itachi had been a part of Akat Tsu Ki.

The dean looked affronted. "Kishimoto University's security has always been of the utmost import-"

"Obviously not, because someone's almost managed to kill me three times!" Sasuke stood up, speaking in a raised tone. "I'm sorry, sir, but this really is getting us nowhere. I must return to my studies, and you must continue to focus on capturing on whoever it is is trying to kill me."

The dean sighed. "Very well, Mr. Uchiha. We will do our best to keep the other students safe. You are dismissed."

What a useless meeting, Sasuke thought as he emerged from the dean's office. He got absolutely nowhere. Could it really be Itachi that's after me? Or could Naruto be right, and it's just someone who's jealous of me?

He clenched his fist. Well, let's just make it to the Suna game. We'll see how things have changed from there. Just heed Suigetsu's advice and don't…die before then.


The dome was filled to the brim with screaming, cheering fans, clad in both the Suna and Kishimoto colors. The coach called the Shuriken over to him.

"Look, guys, if we win this game, we progress to the state championships," he said, clapping Sasuke on the back. "Uchiha, this is your chance to shine. Momitchi, play with all you got. Juugo, Sakon, Jidoubo, you guys got this. Ready, team?"

The team all laid a hand in the center, Sasuke's on top. The coach nodded. "On three. One…two…three…"

"KISHIMOTO SHURIKEN!"

Sasuke clapped his hands together, spun around, and jogged onto the court. On the huge screen overhead, he saw his face come up on the four sides. The announcer came on over the loudspeaker.

"And for a surprise start-up, the Shuriken coach is putting in a rookie point guard, Sasuke Uchiha! The freshman has played for Firestone High for four years and won a scholarship to Kishimoto University…"

The rest of his words were drowned out by the growing chant that Sasuke suspected was started by Karin.

"SA-SUKE! SA-SUKE! SA-SUKE!"

Sasuke grinned. Just like the old times, back at Firestone High – except that another name had been chanted alongside his.

"SA-KU-MO! SA-KU-MO!"

And he wasn't even taking the jump ball.

The ref blew the whistle and stepped into the circle, where Juugo and the Suna center were waiting. He threw it up…

Juugo swatted, and Sasuke caught it. He pivoted and began to dribble. Streaking like a bolt of lightning, the young Uchiha sprinted downcourt and put up an easy two points. He vaguely heard the announcer calling his name and points. The roar of the crowd eased down, secondary to the sound of a leather ball slapping the wooden floor.

The game was on.

As the Suna point guard came down the court, dribbling, Sasuke moved forward to pick him up, ready to play man-to-man. The guard slid Sasuke back, but was stopped just before the three-point line. He suddenly veered right, but Sasuke found his way blocked by a Suna pick. A pick that looked all too familiar.

"Quick! Suigetsu! Take ball!" Sasuke yelled.

"Got ball!" Suigetsu's cry replied from the other side of the pick that Sasuke was glaring at. His face broke into a smirk as he assumed a defensive position.

"Well, well, nice to see you, Subaku."

"The pleasure's all mine, Uchiha," Gaara sneered.

The two old rivals fought each other on the court with everything they had, except that, this time, both had impressively improved. If the game had just been between Suigetsu and Sasuke's efforts and Gaara and Kankuro's, the scores would have remained relatively even. But the Shuriken had one advantage: the enormous Juugo. He filled the lane so well and blocked so many shots that Suna was having to shoot far-out three pointers.

Sasuke was beside himself with the joy of finally playing. His talent flooded out onto the court, swamping Suna so much that, by the end of the game, they had lost 87 – 44. The Kishimoto fans went crazy.


"Hahah, well done!" Suigetsu said, clapping Sasuke on the back as they went down the tunnel to the locker rooms. "Sorry about our misunderstanding before."

Sasuke grinned as he punched his new friend on the arm. "Heh, not a problem. We kicked Suna's-"

"Hey, Sasuke-kun! Great job!" a new voice purred. Sasuke felt someone suddenly latch onto his arm. Suigetsu groaned.

"What are YOU doing here, four-eyes?"

"It's KARIN," Karin snapped peckishly. "What are YOU doing, freak she-man?"

"I play on this team, she-man or no," Suigetsu growled. "Now stop hitting on Sasuke, he doesn't like it."

Karin was shaken off for another reason: they had reached the door of the boy's locker rooms. She let go reluctantly.

"I'll be waiting for you, Sasuke-kun!" she called as Sasuke filed in with the rest of the ecstatic team to listen to the coach's post-game speech and shower.


True to her word, Karin was indeed there when Sasuke emerged from the locker room. She latched onto his side, following him down the hall.

"So, Sasuke, whatcha doing tonight?" she asked. They emerged from the dome and were standing by the player entrance. To get back to the quad, they would have to get on a bus and ride back to the east campus. The dome was on the west campus.

"I've got things to do," Sasuke mumbled, trying to shake her off. But Karin wouldn't let go.

"Look, I know you're scared about the whole someone's trying to kill you thing," she said, leaning back against the dome wall, holding his arm with one hand. "But that doesn't mean you can't have fun, eh?"

"Hnn," Sasuke said, looking around for the bus he needed to take back to east campus. There was one heading to Sannin Med…one headed to downtown…crap. It would take another two minutes for a east-campus bound bus to show up.

"Why won't you look at me?" Karin pouted. Sasuke spared her an exasperated glance, adjusting the shoulder strap on his gear bag. Karin twisted her wrist, bringing his arm around so that he was forced to face her. The duffel bag fell from his shoulder.

"That's better," she said, looking up at the basketball star. She smiled coyly. "Now I can actually see your eyes."

She was getting closer…his senses told him so. And yet, for some reason, his body forbade him to move…it was like he was a camera, zooming in on her. Her lips were way too close…they met with his.

Suddenly Sasuke could take it no more. Dropping all control, he slammed Karin back into the dome wall, claiming her mouth with his. All his fury, his frustration, his anxiety came out in one huge rush as he savagely kissed his fangirl. All Sasuke wanted was to feel that feeling he felt when he kissed Sakura, that feeling of contentment, of the place where he belonged.

But no matter how he deepened his aggressive kiss, no matter how Karin wriggled happily in his arms, no matter how his hormone rush was satiated, Sasuke didn't feel what he needed, couldn't feel what he wanted. It drove him mad, he needed Sakura so badly…she could heal all this, his cherry blossom…

But even as he kissed her substitute, Sasuke heard something that made him tear himself away from Karin and look up at the bus stop. There was someone familiar there: a pink head standing nearby, looking at him. Tears filled the jade eyes as Sakura gasped in pain.

"Sakura…"

Mouthing wordlessly, Sakura gaped at Karin, who was grinning with a smug, vixeness' smile, and Sasuke, her boyfriend who had a look of utmost horror and longing on his face.

"Sakura!"

He broke into a run, trying to catch up with her, but Sakura had boarded her bus, looking at him through the window with tears running down her cheeks. The door swung shut and the bus began to pull away. Shedding his track jacket, Sasuke began to sprint after the departing vehicle.

"SAKURA!"

But no matter how fast the point guard could run, the motor in the bus was infinitely faster. Sasuke came to a halt on the sidewalk, staring after the fading red taillights of the bus that was carrying away the woman he needed.

"Given up on her?" Karin asked flirtatiously when Sasuke returned, a look of absolute shock on his face. She inched closer, obviously hoping for a repeat performance. "Smart thing, I say. Who would want a pink-haired girl like tha-"

Karin reeled away. Sasuke's hand remained where he had flung it, his eyes staring straight at the ground.

"Don't touch me."

He picked up his bag and stood over the terrified cheerleader, infinite hatred burning in his eyes. "Don't come near me again, you hag."

"B-but Sasuke-ku-"

"Don't say my name," he growled. "I don't want to see your face again."

Spinning on his heel, Sasuke marched smartly off to the east-bound bus that had just pulled up, his head reeling.


He stepped off the bus, the only one headed back for campus so late at night. Everyone else was already partying in the dorms, but this late into winter, the quad was dark and deserted.

Or so it seemed.

Sasuke spun around as a shadow stole up out of the darkness. The faint light from the sliver of moon showed him one thing and one thing only.

His attacker had a knife!

Sasuke's hand grasped the man's wrist below the hand, holding the knife away from his body. A short tussle ensued. Sasuke winced as he felt a tough set of knuckles smack him in the eye, but he twistly smartly on the wrist he was holding and felt the man gasp as the bones snapped with a painful crack. A sharp kick hit Sasuke in the ribs, and he fell down, gasping for air. He scrabbled frantically on the ground, trying to find the knife first. The man was almost on top of him…

Sasuke's hands closed on something sharp. Ignoring the pain in his fingers as he grabbed the blade of the knife, he shoved his hand upward to defend himself.

"AAAAAARGH!"

Sasuke scrambled away as the man fell, a black shape in the moonlight. Something wet and sticky had splattered on his face, and it was leaving black prints on the ground in the moonlight…

Please don't let it be what I think it is…please don't let it have happened!

"What's going on out here?" One of the dorm doors opened. The silhouette in the door stopped as the beam of light thrown out from the building caught the body lying on the ground.

"MURDER! MURDER IN THE QUAD!"


GASP! I'll leave you all with your thoughts. Oh, wait! I have some people to thank!!

LOOOOOOOOOONG REVIEWS! I GOT THEM, FINALLY! XD LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

ihearttoast09

Pretzel451 (both of whom are devoted readers, might I add! Huggles for you!)

velcroSUNSHINE

angelmomo211

hellopanda23 (Orochi IS Michael Jackson – Jap style :P)

serenity uchiha

sasukeztruelove (I WILL make sure Sasuke sends you a kiss! Air express!)

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO Joey-chan22 and ihearttoast09 for teaching me how to use the funky gray lines (now called pagebreakers, thanx to toast's correction of my vocabulary! Double huggles! XD)

So psyched about this story! But the cursed institution known as school is eating me alive, so while I lie dying in the throes of agony, I will attempt to pen a few more chapters for you, my devoted readers. Farewell! –dies dramatically- -magically comes back to life and writes more story-

Rhulain