Ichiban

Chapter 3

Author's note: Someone said they wanted longer chapters, so here it is :P Apologies for being slightly late though. Just got back from holidays.

8…8

"…Uchiha…Sasuke…" Iruka stuttered as he stared at the figure in front of him. The boy had grown immensely since the last time Iruka saw Sasuke. He had grown taller, his body more toned, leaving little sign that he was only a youth. Sasuke's black hair, which once stuck outwards, was now longer. As well as this it no longer stuck out, rather it just grew and covered his ears and reached all the way to his shoulders.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke? You know that you are being sought after, right?"

"Yes, but I am here for a different reason…" Sasuke's eyes seemed to burn as Iruka looked on, listening to every word the boy said. "I have no time to explain but please take me to the Hokage."

"O…Ok…" was Iruka's reply. As the two started walking, Sasuke turned his head to talk to Iruka.

"Iruka-sensei, how has Naruto been since I left?" Iruka looked at him for a moment before answering.

"How else? He's been depressed and saddened by your departure," The chuunin sighed as he recalled all the moments he spotted and even talked to the Jinchuuriki. "He really hasn't been the same since you left, but then again no one really…" Iruka was about to continue when he saw the expression on Sasuke's face fall to an emotion of regret. So the chuunin thought best not to continue.

The two men did not speak a word to each other, even when they reached the Hokage's office. As Sasuke was about to head in, Iruka spoke one last time.

"Sasuke….please bring Naruto back to the Konohagakure…" Sasuke processed the request into his head, replying with a nod as he disappeared into the door. No sooner did Sasuke enter the Hokage's office, he noted that only the Hokage, and Sakura, were present.

"Long time no see, Uchiha Sasuke," Tsunade said as Sasuke simply bowed. Sakura was overjoyed.

"Is it you…Sasuke-kun?" Sakura couldn't believe her eyes. The person that she loved had returned to the village he abandoned. She wanted to reach out to him, to touch him once more. But as she started to walk over to him, he started to speak harshly.

"Tsunade-sama, have you located Naruto?" His voice had a hint of worry, and to Sakura, Sasuke sounded almost sounded as though he was scared.

But why would he be scared…unless… As Sakura continued to ponder, Tsunade answered the Uchiha's question.

"We are looking into the situation and we're doing everything we can to find Naruto, but so far our findings have turned up empty." Sasuke's face began to quiver at the news that Naruto had not been found.

"Do you know who took him? Was it Itachi?" Sasuke sounded desperate this time, and Sakura's fears were beginning to be realised. Tsunade just sighed as she picked up her tea cup from the side of her desk. She sipped the contents of the cup briefly before speaking.

"Sasuke, we are doing all we can to find him," The calm front could not be kept any longer by Sasuke. He went to the desk and slammed his hands into the wooden structure.

"THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" the Uchiha shouted as his frustrations were released. Tsunade stood as she released her fury.

"Uchiha Sasuke, keep in mind that YOU left this village 2 years ago, and now you want to know the issues of this Village?" She said coldly, silencing the Uchiha teen almost instantly. "What is your intention to be here, and why are you not with Orochimaru?"

"I don't need to tell you my business here," Sasuke had instantly returned to the calm and extremely cold self that he was renowned for. "In any case I will look for Naruto with you. What I do after is of no-one's concern." With this Sasuke turned to the door, but not before being stopped by Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun…Please don't leave the village again…" she whimpered as Sasuke turned his head to look at her. "We all miss you, I miss you…"

"I see you still harbour those useless feelings for me…" the Uchiha simply said, leaving a shocked expression on Sakura's face. "I'm off to look for Naruto now." As he started walking, Sakura could not restrain the fear and sadness any longer.

"Sasuke, why are you so desperate to find Naruto!" She shouted at the Uchiha. "Why do you care so much about what happens to him? Why…" Sasuke turned his head away, walking towards the door. As he turned the knob, he answered Sakura's question…

"I think you've already figured it out, Sakura…" Sasuke answered as he walked out of the door. Sakura could only slump to the floor as her fear was realised.

So you came because of love…for him…

8…8

Sasuke began to run through the crowds of Konoha. He failed to remember that Fridays at the Konohagakure were market days, and the streets were loaded with people from various countries, all wishing to purchase and sell their wares. As Sasuke continue to run through the mass of shoppers, he was stopped by the voice of an old lady.

"Uchiha Sasuke, I presume…" Was all she said as Sasuke stopped at her stall.

"How do you know my name…?" He enquired coldly as the aged woman smiled.

"My name is Shigura, and I bring you information…" Sasuke didn't know what the woman was on about, so he listened. "It regards the whereabouts of your lost friend…" Black eyes widened as Sasuke knelt in front of the old woman.

"You know where Naruto is?" the Uchiha said loudly as Shigura nodded. She simply took out a pendant from her shoal and handed it to the boy.

"What's this?" Sasuke asked as he looked at the trinket. It was of a woman. Shigura smiled as she explained.

"Her name is Aoi. She is the wanderer of the forbidden Konoha forest." Shigura smiled as she explained. "She is the culprit of your friend's kidnapping." Sasuke looked at the picture again. The woman seemed innocent and peaceful.

"What is she doing with Naruto?" Sasuke asked as he enquired further.

"You don't know about your friend do you…have you heard about the legend of the Kyuubi?" Sasuke nodded as Shigura continued. "They say that the Kyuubi was sealed in a single living soul, a baby born under this very village…and that was 15 years ago…"

"WHAT! You're not saying that Naruto..." Sasuke stammered as he fell backwards through shock.

"Yes your friend is the jar that holds the Kyuubi…" Shigura whispered as Sasuke was placed in a temporary state of shock. "The spirit of Aoi wishes to exact her revenge on the world by fusing your friend and the Kyuubi together…" Sasuke was snapped out of his state of scaring when he heard that sentence, finding that there was something not right about it.

"A spirit?" Sasuke looked confused as Shigura laughed.

"Oh yes I forgot to mention this, Aoi died about 1000 years ago, only her spirit remains…" Sasuke just looked at the old woman, confused as anything. Aoi was DEAD? And Naruto was captured by a dead woman?

"I will tell you her story…." And so Shigura began her tale.

Sugawara Aoi…. She was known as the sunflower of heaven.

Aoi was born in the Konohagakure and grew up like a normal child. But since birth her parents knew of her magic abilities, as well as ability to heal. Her powers were soon discovered and she was exploited for all sorts of means, good and bad.

But eventually the evil exploits over-ran the good, and her heart was slowly twisted. When she turned 24, she decided to conduct ill-willed and frightening experiments. Her last crime was that she defiled a child of his face and hands, before turning the poor boy into a frightening creature using the genes of a wolf. She was hung and her body was hidden deep within the depths of Konoha forest..

As Shigura finished the story, she noted that Sasuke's face had gone partially whiter than before.

"Now Sasuke, you have to find your friend before it is too late…the world is at stake…." With this Shigura disappeared. Sasuke sighed as he stood up, noticing that he still had the pendant in his hand. He looked at it before hearing a familiar voice in his head.

Uchiha Sasuke, the fate of the world is at stake. I will be here to protect you but only love can save your friend…

"Shigura?" Sasuke looked around. There was no one in sight that looked remotely like the old woman. He looked at the pendant before running in the direction of Konoha forest…

8…8

"Where am I?" Naruto's mind asked as he was standing in a world of white.

This is your sub-conscious mind boy, I have been brought here by that Ghost…

Naruto turned to find that the Kyuubi himself was sitting behind him. If the Kyuubi was not known to be violent and cruel towards all, Naruto would have thought of the giant fox as a majestic creature.

"The Kyuubi? What are you doing here?" Naruto could hear the fox gruff as the animal stood up.

We are here to fuse… Naruto stared at the fox for a moment, before registering the words the demon animal said.

"FUSE!"

Yes you stupid boy! You are here because that ghost brought you here and whether you or I like it or not, I am going to be one with you…

Naruto fell onto his bottom as the news was clear. Aoi wanted to fuse him and the Demon fox together? How could she pull off such a near-impossible feat. As he thought of what he would look like fused with a giant demon fox, he saw the Kyuubi light up for some reason.

"Hey you fox…what are you doing?" Naruto started to panic. What was happening to the demon?

This is the beginning, I will be fusing with you now… It wasn't long before the Kyuubi's form disappeared, leaving only a red spark behind. It stood in a state of suspended animation for a moment before it sped towards Naruto. The spark hit the blonde boy's chest, the pain quickly taking over his soul.

"No! THIS is TOO MUCH!" Naruto screamed as his subconscious mind passed out from the pain and the stress it was having on his spirit.

8…8

Sasuke ran to the gates of Konoha, where the border between the outside world and the village resided. Sasuke quickly passed through the gates, meanwhile bewildering the guards who were outside at the time. He ran and ran, until he was well out of reach of Konohagakure. Then he stopped…

"From what I know the only way to get to the forbidden forests is by foot…That'll take me about 5 hrs." He was prepared to walk when he was stopped by a girl with a staff on her back.

8…8

Sadako should take care of any intruders coming to save Naruto… Aoi spoke as her silhouette moved to the pod where Naruto was being held captive.

Naruto…Soon you will have power beyond your wildest dreams…Then you can take over the entirety of the world… Yamamura! Kinamori! Two figures appeared before the silhouette of Aoi, bowing down instantly before their higher command.

"Yes Lady Aoi!" The pair replied in unison. Yamamoto and Kinamori were demon twins, born under the Zodiac of the Dragon. Yamamoto was a male, Kinamori was female, both with matching Pink hair colour, both with short hair cuts and both just as deadly as each other.

Your duty is to protect Naruto-sama from the people that wish to steal him away…

"YES Ma'am!" With this they disappeared.

8…8

OH NO another cliffie. Oh well you'll have to wait until next week. Ja ne!

KaIaKeN!