Chapter 2.- Challenge.

Hirome was pacing in the office where Tsunade was preparing herself to go out and be officially proclaimed as the Godaime Hokage. Shizune approached her.

"Are you okay?" Shizune asked.

"Hai, I'm fine." Hirome answered, then she changed her mind. "No, thinking it better I'm not fine. I don't understand why they had to send me to deliver the message of the upcoming ceremony to all those cities; and now they say I must be here…"

"But you would prefer if you could be with Sasuke." Shizune finished for her.

Hirome nodded, a sad sigh escaped her lips.

"I haven't seen him in so long." Hiromi said sadly. "I wish to be there, next to him, to help him, to take care of him, like I used to six years ago."

"Such a long time has passed. "Shizune nodded. "But if I remember correctly the Uchiha Clan was murdered five years ago, not six."

"You're right." Hirome nodded. "But I left Konoha one year before."

"And I decided to follow you two as well." Shizune finished.

Their conversation was interrupted when Tsunade suddenly walked out her office; her attire was the same as always, except that she now wore the traditional white and red hat with the Kage symbol over her head.

The presentation of Tsunade, one of the Densetsu Sannin, as the Godaime Hokage was made successfully. Everyone in Konoha who knew her seemed to agree immediately, and those who didn't had heard enough about her to support the Council's decision too.

Shizune, as Tsunade's assistant watched everything from behind; she believed it had truly been a good idea to return to Konoha, not just for her and Tsunade, but for Hirome too.

And Hirome, she was standing in the edge of that terrace, in the middle of the long staircase that lead to the Hokage's office and sleeping quarters. From there she had a wonderful view of everything and everyone; but just one was in her mind.

"Sasuke-kun…" she whispered.

And there he was, his expression as stern as ever; carrying just a couple of bandages on his arms and one around his torso, hidden by the shirt, those were the reminders of that fight that took place not long ago.

.---.

The following morning Hirome woke up as early as she could, took a shower, got dressed and prepared to leave, she was about to leave when the sound of a throat clearing was heard.

"Damn…" Hirome cursed under her breath.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsunade asked from behind her.

"To where I must, where I should have been since the day we arrived." Hirome answered.

"Fine, I understand." Tsunade nodded. "But first I have to talk to you about something. I promise it will be short and you'll be able to go soon enough."

"That's what you said right before the Council decided to send me as a messenger to all the cities around." Hirome replied sarcastically.

Tsunade just smirked.

"Tsunade-sensei, I may be your student, but I'm not stupid." Hirome said raising a brow. "I really want to go see Sasuke-kun and talk to him, and I don't have time for foolishness."

"If you consider foolishness that the Elders want you to become part of the Council…" Tsunade said casually.

"Nani?!" Hirome yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Hey girl, I can bet you just woke up at least half of the village." Tsunade said with a bigger smirk in her face.

"Don't play with me." Hirome replied getting mad. "What do you mean the Elders want me to be part of the Council?"

"That exactly, they want you to be a part of the Council."

"There must be a mistake, they cannot want me to be a part of the Council; they don't even know me."

"They know you're a great Jounin who once belonged to Konoha and has returned now. That you're my pupil, the only one I have taken in about ten years; that's a lot you know, and the only thing they seem to be in need of knowing."

"Well, then tell them I am forced to decline." Hirome said trying to keep her composure. "I have too many personal problems right now to get in more."

"Are you talking about Sasuke?"

"I'm talking about Sasuke-kun, and about Itachi-san, and about all this thing of the treason, and the vengeance."

"The past seems to be still hunting you."

"And it will forever hunt me, unless I turn and face it right back; there won't be any future, nor for me nor for Sasuke-kun until all this ghosts from the past are set to rest, and all the problems are given a definite end."

"You sound confident."

"I am. I've been running away long enough. No more."

"Fine. I'll tell the Elders you wanted to take time to settle down and arrange some personal business before you take a definite decision."

Hirome didn't fully like what her sensei was saying, because it meant she still held the hope that Hirome would change her mind and accept become a part of the Council, but she also knew it was the best she would be getting; and what Tsunade said should give her at least some time to find a solution to that endless whirl of problems that was her life.

.---.

Hirome was walking by some streets, she expected to reach the hospital before noon and still find Sasuke there. Just as she was entering the building she crashed into a pink-haired green-eyed girl.

"Gomen." Hirome apologized immediately.

But the girl didn't answer her, she seemed to be too occupied crying.

"Daijoubu ka?" Hirome asked looking right at her.

"It's just I don't know what to do." The girl confessed. "My two best friends just fought, it was awful. I just don't know what to do."

"Are you sure they were fighting?" Hirome asked. "Maybe it was just part of their training."

"I know Naruto-kun is capable of such bad jokes, but not Sasuke-kun." The girl assured.

"Sasuke-kun, as in Uchiha Sasuke-kun?" Hirome asked, surprised of the coincidence.

"You know him?" the girl asked.

"Hai." Hirome nodded. "I'm…an old family friend. Came to visit him."

"Then you should know he just left." The girl told her. "Right after the fight, both him and Naruto-kun left."

"Did Sasuke-kun say where was he going?" Hirome asked, she definitely didn't like the idea of crossing all Konoha to find him.

"Iie, he didn't." the girl shook her head. "By the way my name is Sakura, Haruno Sakura."

"Ah, I've heard your name, Naruto-san couldn't stop mentioning you in the way here." Hirome said with a smile.

"You're the woman who helped Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun." Sakura seemed to finally understand.

"Yes, that's who I am." Hirome nodded. "My name is Hirome. And if you excuse me Sakura-san, I must find Sasuke-kun."

Sakura nodded and stepped aside.

Hirome immediately ran to the top of the building, where she could see the results of the two teens fight.

"The Chidori." Hirome murmured to herself, fingering where one of the last attacks had impacted, then her eyes turned to one much worse. "This wasn't made by a Chidori." She touched it slowly, trying to feel the remnants of the attack. "Rasengan."

"You still have that special talent to identify the attack just by seeing its consequences." A male voice called from behind her.

"And you still like sneaking upon other people Kakashi-san." She replied.

"I wouldn't have believed you to be back, weren't I seeing you with my own eyes." Kakashi said looking at her.

"Is it that incredible that I return?" Hirome asked, although the answer was obvious.

"You left almost six years ago." Kakashi reminded her. "Without a word, or a letter, or even a little goodbye. You just disappeared from the night to the morning."

"I was young, and immature, I didn't know what I was doing. What was happening was so hard for me the only thing I could think of was to run away, to escape. But now I know I can't continue running away forever. It's time to face the truth." She sighed. But for that I first need to find Sasuke-kun."

"Then you know he's not here."

"I know, I found his teammate, Sakura-san, at the hospital's entrance, she told me what had happened. I must find him, right away."

"You know we still have to talk about some things."

"I know; and don't worry, I'm not planning on running away again for the time being. But right now I do need to find Sasuke-kun."

Kakashi nodded.

Without a single word more Hirome jumped to the edge of the roof, and then away. She ran through a lot of streets, looking for any signal of Sasuke, but what she found was totally different; she was right outside the limits of Konoha when she saw them:

"They are…invaders…" Hirome murmured watching the four travelers from a tree. "They are four, and their protector indicates they are from…¿The Sound Village? Something must be definitely wrong here." She jumped from tree to tree while thinking up a plan. "I can't let them enter Konoha."

Just as the four mysterious travelers were reaching Konoha Hirome left her hiding place and dropped to the ground, right in front of them.

"You won't enter this village." Hirome said. "Go back to where you came from."

"You're foolish if you believe you have any chance in stopping us." One of the four said, he had three pairs of arms instead of one.

"More likely stupid." The woman said.

"I don't have time to loose it with you, I have other things to do, more important things." Hirome said mockingly.

"Then get out of our way." A third man, fat, said.

"I already have enough problems to manage to add you to them, and I can't have you walking around right now so." Hirome didn't seem affected by the threats. "I suggest you leave right now or face the consequences."

The four ninjas laughed, they shouldn't have.

"I don't have time so…" Hirome chose her technique fast. "Kasumi Teien no Jutsu!"

It was one of her favorite techniques, taught to her by a very god friend, the 'Mist Garden', it was a technique based on illusions, and one of her best too. There was one worse, the 'Nightmare Torment', but she didn't wish to use that unless there was no other choice that technique could be truly dangerous, not just for her opponents, but for herself.

Hirome let the technique affect the four ninjas, until they began attacking each other, each believing to be fighting Konoha ninjas instead of their companions.

When considering they were weak enough Hirome broke the technique.

"I hope that teaches you not to mess with me when I'm busy." Hirome said. "Now leave."

This time the four ninjas didn't argue with her, they left immediately.

"Fine, one problem less." Hirome murmured to herself. "Now I really must find Sasuke-kun."

Hirome closed her eyes and concentrated, since being a child she had had the ability to locate others by their chakra; it was a very rare to be born with such a talent, like was her case, and even if it could be learnt through training, it was even harder to do so.

After a couple of seconds she located Sasuke's chakra, he was near the Village's gates.

"Which means he plans on leaving Konoha." Hirome murmured to herself as she ran in the right direction. "I can't let that happen. I can't let him commit the same mistake Itachi-san and I made, I can't let him ruin his life."

With that decision she concentrated her chakra on her feet, so her speed increased. She reached Konoha's gates in a matter of seconds. And as she reached the place, she found Sasuke and Sakura were there, arguing in high voices.

"Onegai Sasuke-kun, don't do this." Sakura insisted. "You can't leave."

"I can and I will." Sasuke said. "I have nothing to do in this village."

"Yes there is." Sakura insisted. "Continue training with us, so you'll become stronger."

"I will never be stronger if I continue in this village of foolish pacifists." Sasuke replied. "I must be stronger, just that way I will be able to defeat Itachi. And the strength I need, I won't find it here."

"Onegai Sasuke… You can't leave." Sakura was about to cry already. "You can't leave because…because you're too important to me…" she sobbed. "Please Sasuke-kun, I promise if you stay I'll do everything in my power so you won't regret it. I'll do my best so you'll be happy here, onegai."

Hirome couldn't believe what she was hearing, this girl…this young woman, was exposing her heart as a last resource so Sasuke wouldn't leave Konoha. She was truly courageous, or too foolish.

Sasuke didn't even answer her, he just turned around and made his way to the gates. He was about to reach them when a female figure dropped to the ground right before him.

"Don't you dare give one more step, Uchiha Sasuke-kun." Hirome said seriously.

"I don't know who you are miss, and I really don't care." Sasuke said coldly. "Get out of my way or…"

"Or what?" Hirome asked raising a brow.

"I'm not in a good mood right now." Sasuke said angrily.

"Usually it was Itachi-san the one who never seemed to be in a good mood." Hirome said ironically. "You used to be sweet and happy."

"What may you know about me?!" Sasuke yelled, losing his patience.

"I know Sasuke-kun." She assured him.

Hirome gave a step forward, out from the shadows, the sunlight hitting her straight in the face, revealing her features.

Sasuke gasped when he saw her.

"It can't be…" he murmured. "You can't be."

"But I am." Hirome assured him.

"You are dead." Sasuke insisted. "Oka-san was told you died in a catastrophe in the Rock Village."

"I was there when that catastrophe happened." Hirome nodded. "But I didn't die. Tsunade-sensei decided we should leave because some ninjas were pursuing us and it wouldn't be fair for those in the village, who had just survived a natural disaster, to be involved in a battle for personal reasons."

"Why didn't you ever visit, or at least write?" Sasuke asked.

"I know it was rude of me, but I believed it would be better that way." Hirome explained. "After the awful terms in which I left Konoha I was so depressed I made myself believe I couldn't return until I had become truly strong, until I could prove all the time absent was worth it."

"I would have preferred if you had been here."

"I know. Leaving Konoha all those years ago is the worst thing I've ever done. And even when I know you might never forgive me, still I'm here to ask you for a second chance."

Sakura didn't know what to do, although she believed it would be best if she remained silent. From what she could hear those two had once been truly close. Sakura's mind drifted off, until she began wondering if those two were something more than just friends. It may sound strange with the obvious difference in their ages, but even then, one never knows.

Suddenly Sakura felt something was about to happen.

"Abunai!" Sakura couldn't help but cry out.

Hirome's movements were so fast no one without a sharingan could be able to make them out.

"Karui Mamoru no Jutsu!" Hirome called.

The 'Ethereal Shield', one of the protecting techniques Hirome had learnt from Tsunade, the shield immediately surrounded her and the two genins.

There was an explosion right above them when the bomb hit the shield, but the shield remained; Hirome waited until the dust settled to put it down.

"What was that?" Sakura asked. "Who's attacking Konoha?"

She couldn't believe it, the village had just survived, with great difficulty, one attack from Orochimaru, if they were attacked again it wasn't likely they would survive.

"It wasn't an attack." Hirome said as she gave a few steps, there she took a piece of parchment from the ground. "It was a message."

"A message?" Sakura asked, confused.

"From who?" Sasuke asked.

Hirome unfolded the parchment and read what was written in it, she was in shock.

"Hirome-san?" Sakura asked.

For some reason Sasuke raised a brow when hearing the name, but said nothing.

"It's from Itachi-san." Hirome finally replied.

"Nani?!" Sasuke took the parchment from her hands and read it to himself.

"What is it?" Sakura asked. "Sasuke-kun?"

"He insists he'll get Naruto, and that if Hirome-san or I get in the middle, he'll kill us." Sasuke explained. "If I truly wish to fight him I must be ready."

"Ready? For what? When?" Sakura asked, she didn't like the sound of all this.

"For a final battle, in the woods surrounding Konoha, in three months." Sasuke replied.

"You can't accept." Sakura said worriedly.

"This isn't about accepting or not Sakura-san." Hirome said seriously. "Itachi-san has warned us he'll be coming in three months to get Naruto-san, and it is likely he won't be coming alone. There's no way to stop his upcoming, but we can stop him from achieving his goal." She turned to Sasuke. "We must be ready for him."

"You really plan on fighting him?" Sasuke seemed quite doubtful.

"Hai." Hirome said confidently. "I told him, no matter how much it pains me, if he insists on hurting those I care for, I won't permit it."

"Fine with me." Sasuke didn't really seem to care. "I must train."

"You should warn Naruto-san, Sakura-san." Hirome suggested. "I don't think he will want to be left behind in this one. I must go talk to Tsunade-sensei."

Without a single word more Hirome disappeared.

.---.

Tsunade had finally escaped the members of the Council.

"All these meetings are so boring…" Tsunade murmured to herself. "I sometimes wonder if it's fair that I want to get the poor girl into this…" she smirked. "Yeah, after all, she's good enough, she might even be able to get some of the boring work off my shoulders." She laughed to herself. "But right now I must get out 'a here." She was about to walk down the airs when a voice interrupted her.

"Running away from your duties again?" a female voice asked.

"Nani?!" Tsunade turned around violently, almost punching the newcomer, until she saw who it was. "You! You girl, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that, you're gonna drive me crazy one day, you know?"

"Well, it is your fault, you taught me." Hirome said as a matter of fact.

"So, you saw Sasuke-kun?" Tsunade asked as they entered Tsunade's office again.

"As a matter of fact, yes I did." Hirome answered as she sat down comfortably. "I suppose Kakashi-san already told you everything about his fight with Naruto-san so I'll go directly to what happened afterwards. I sensed four intruders that were about to enter Konoha."

"Intruders?"

"Hai. Ninjas from the Secret Village of Sound."

"What? You mean…"

"Iie, they came alone, Orochimaru wasn't with them. And they didn't make it to the gates. I managed to convince them it wasn't a good idea."

"You…"

"You know I can be really persuasive when I need to."

"Don't tell me you used the Night…"

"Iie, I used the "Mist Garden', even though I know the 'Nightmare Torment' is stronger, it's not one jutsu I can do lightly."

"You have problems and you created it."

"I know. But anyway, that wasn't all."

"I suspected as much. What happened?"

"Well, the intruders left without further problem. I managed to find Sasuke-kun and talk with him before he left the village. And then a message arrived."

"What kind of message?"

"A challenge, from Itachi-san."

"You can't joke with that…"

"I'm not joking Tsunade-sensei. I'm being very serious in this one. He says he and some of his companions will be coming to get Naruto-san, in three months."

"Then we must hide Naruto-kun and…"

"You know that will be useless as much as I do. The moment Itachi-san arrives he'll know his prey has left, and instead of leaving he'll burn Konoha to the ground. And anyway, the moment he knows what's going on Naruto-san won't want to leave."

"He doesn't have to know."

"Sasuke-kun and Sakura-san were there when the message arrived, believe me, Naruto-san will be knowing, if he doesn't by now."

"What do you suggest then?"

"I suggest we convince Jiraiya-sama to continue training him, and I'm sure Kakashi-san will help Sasuke-kun."

"Why Kakashi and not you?"

"You know the answer to that question Tsunade-sensei."

"You have to get rid of those ghosts of your past if you want to get back your life girl."

"I know. But first we must handle the matter at hand, and that is Itachi."

Suddenly they heard noises coming from outside the office. A second later one young ninja entered the room followed closely by two members of the ANBU.

"What's happening here?" Tsunade asked, her expression between mad, curious and amused.

"We're sorry Hokage-sama." One of the jounin began.

"We couldn't stop her." The other added.

Both Tsunade and Hirome turned to the 'intruder', it was no other than Sakura.

"Sakura-san?" Hirome asked, quite confused by the gennins actions.

"Train me." Was all Sakura said, her eyes fixed on Hirome.


Two reviews...well, it's not as much as I was hoping, but still, it's at least something. More than I got in the first chapter of a few fics at any rate. I hope this number will increase in the future, even though I'm changing cannon considerably, I still think the story is pretty good. Hope you'll be of the same opinion.

Ja ne!