Chapter 4:

He could feel the stares.

Sasuke's well honed Shinobi senses picked up on them as soon as it became apparent. A glance to the left revealed a green-clad shinobi, no doubt a member of the Standard Shinobi Corps, idly watching him with something akin to annoyance.

Sasuke gritted his teeth with such force they squeaked in protest. Was the entire village filled with fools? Snarling at the injustice of it all, he shot a dark glare at a young woman who had been staring at him curiously.

She seemed startled, and quickly turned away to busy herself with a shop window, but Sasuke felt her keen eyes on him again as soon as he turned his back.

He couldn't take this anymore.

Pouring chakra into his legs, he leapt onto one of the rooftops, enjoying the distracting burn of his legs muscles with the effort. His landing was perfect. An attack-ready kneel with his arms already brought up in a block.

He leapt over the rooftops with the careless abandon of a boy who has nowhere else to go. No friends. No colleagues. No mentors.

He was truly alone.

But I don't have to be. A traitorous voice whispered in his head.

Finally Sasuke came to a stop on an abandoned rooftop, and sat down on the edge, letting his feet dangle off the side. He had to consciously loosen the muscles in his back, not realizing he'd been tensing them for most of the afternoon.

Itachi.

Sasuke let himself smile, thankful no one was around to see the small tear that accompanied it. His brother had come through for him, even in possibly his last few weeks of life.

He could be back with the clan. He could have a family again. All he needed to do was show that they were wrong about him. That he was nothing like his father. That he was worth something.

The small smile fell away like a house of cards. Shisui had asked for the impossible. His team didn't stand a chance, if the last battle was any indication.

They hadn't even fought against the other group yet, not that it mattered. If they couldn't handle Shikamaru, how could they hope to beat two Root Trainees?

Sighing at the injustice of it all, Sasuke pulled out a shuriken and idly gripped it between his knuckles.

And in that moment, Sasuke knew what he had to do.

Itachi. He deserved to die a member of the clan. It was his right, more than anyone else's in the world. He could give that to him. If he could win these rounds and get the clan to accept his importance, surely they would allow his brother too?

It was the simple-minded logic of a thirteen year old boy, desperately searching for a lifeline of hope amid a storm of injustice. Damn his pride. He'd grovel before the Hokage if that was what it took to prove his loyalty.

Itachi was more important than that.

Sasuke stood up, and turned towards a familiar training field. First, his team needed to win.

And for that, we have to start acting like one.

Kiba rushed forward as an earthen wall erupted from the ground in front of him. His four-legged run pulled him forward, giving his body enough incredible speed and momentum to leap high into the air.

His body was like that of an animal, arms bent at the elbows thanks to his enhanced physiology. He could feel his body twistingas he wreathed himself in Chakra, preparing to unleash his attack.

"Fang Passing FANG!" He roared.

The world became a blur, nothing more than endless streaking lines as the torque of his movement spun him wildly through the air. He couldn't feel anything through the sheer speed as his attack carried him. All semblances of balance and thought fell to pieces in the storm.

Then it was over, and with long practiced motions, Kiba righted himself into a hunched feral posture.

Behind him, the wall was cleanly cut through the middle, as though some massive mechanical drill had chosen to pierce the offending structure.

"Alright, that's it." Iruka said, panting more than the young boy in front of him. "I'm spent on Chakra for the day. You'll have to practice the rest yourself."

The teacher sent an encouraging grin towards the boy, which Kiba found himself reciprocating, too tired to stop himself. The rush of battle still ran through him, keeping his senses alert and alive.

He could feel the thrill running through his body, along with the burning feeling of it losing it's feral enhancement. The ache in his muscles grew stronger by the second, but he didn't mind it a bit.

He knew with a sinking feeling, that his rush wouldn't last. Without maintaining the chakra that allowed for his feral taijutsu, his mind would twist back to normal, and clarity would be lost once again.

Why does everything have to be so damn complicated. He found himself thinking. Things were so much simpler from his more beastlike perspective.

He sighed, and thanked Iruka for his time. He still didn't know why his teacher was helping him. Boredom perhaps? A passing interest?

In the end, what did it matter. He was getting training.

Iruka's ears pricked up, a motion which Kiba's still somewhat enhanced mind picked up on. Pouring more chakra into his sensitive nose, he allowed his awareness to open up once again, feeling the fields and forests around their small training field.

The smell was distinctive. It was of disinfectant and cleaning supplies, reminiscent of the unnatural cleanness one found around hospitals.

Kiba turned, half expecting to see Kabuto.

To his surprise, it was Sasuke.

The wind whirled around where the boy stood, hands in pockets and holding an unreadable expression. The boy's dark eyes were peering at him closely, somewhere between apathy and contemplation.

Kiba felt his hands instinctively ball into fists. Of course he would be here. Could he not get a little peace?

"Sasuke." Iruka greeted.

The boy's only response was a disinterested nod, but his eyes kept closely on Kiba. From the confines of a shaggy hood, two slit-like eyes peered back, not sure quite how to react.

Finally, those dark eyes flicked up towards Iruka.

"I wish to speak with him."

The teacher gave a light shrug, as if to say "don't ask me", then disappeared within a small swirl of leaves.

Kiba crossed his arms.

"Alright Nanashi. What is it."

Sasuke didn't respond immediately, and during that pause, the Inuzuka's nose picked up on some interesting smells from the boy, now that he was so close. Uncertainty? Fear? Or was that simply him feeling uncomfortable?

Sasuke's brow furrowed.

"I heard about your sister."

Kiba didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. Unbidden, thoughts of her flickered across his mind. Her smiles. The way she held herself. Her smell...

"What do you want, Nanashi." Kiba forced out through gritted teeth. His still elongated canines stuck out sharply in his now bared mouth.

Sasuke didn't rouse to anger. His apathetic mask held, but for a brief moment, Kiba was sure he saw something there. What it was, he wasn't sure.

"I want us to work together."

Kiba's sharp eyes narrowed even further.

"And how do you suppose that's going to happen."

Sasuke's voice was toneless, but he could feel the pain behind the words. As the boy spoke, his eyes turned up to the sky, reflecting the white puffy clouds in their darkness.

"My brother is dying."

Kiba's angry expression fell away, replaced by confusion. He didn't know much about the reclusive other Nanashi, aside from that he had been on a team with his sister.

"Good."

Sasuke's mask broke. He could see it happen. See the anger bleed into Nanashi's eyes. See the way his fist balled, his shoulders tensed, and his jawline tightened.

"Itachi is a hero."

"And my sister was unlucky enough to be on his team." Kiba retorted, enjoying seeing the frustration build up in his teammate. Good. Let him suffer. Let him feel guilty.

"I'll never get her back Sasuke." The Inuzuka growled. "I'll never hear her voice again. Can you understand that?"

He couldn't quite drown out the voice in the back of his head. The voice saying that this wasn't what Hana would of wanted. That she would hate to see him like this.

Maybe it was petty, but at this point he didn't give a damn. The bastard who had taken it all away was standing right in front of him, and expected his help?

"I lost my parents that night." Sasuke said, eyes narrowing. "Traitors or not, I lost them. And now I'm about to lose my brother, so don't talk to me about not understanding, Kiba."

The boy's posture straightened, and his arms came out of his pockets to form a simple stance.

The Uchiha kata.

Kiba stared at the outstretched hand of his teammate for a long moment. His feral slit-like eyes flicked up into the the coolly dispassionate gaze of Sasuke's.

Then, at the same instant, they blurred.

A split second later, the two met in the air, several feet away from where they had been standing. The collision revealed an extended leg, spun clockwise to meet a powerful clawed fist.

Then they were gone in another blur, kicking up dust along the ground as they went. Briefly, one could see flickers as they clashed, fist into claw, shoulder against elbow. Along the way, Kiba had fully adopted his feral form, hunched over on all four limbs. His enhancements gave him mobility earlier impossible, and the boy rushed forward, catching his smaller opponent by surprise.

The former Uchiha was flung backwards into the air with a powerful kick. The Inuzuka's form blurred to the side, as he prepared to follow up to his attack.

Sasuke spun to the right and brought his arms up to cross in a counter, just in time to block as Kiba burst through the dust cloud before him, leaping forward with all the lean grace of a wolf. A clawed hand raked across the crossed arms, tearing neatly through the skin and fabric where it met, dying them red in an instant.

Droplets of blood flew through the air, but in that moment, Kiba knew he was vulnerable, and before he could bring his extended arm back, he felt a kick smash into his side, as Sasuke twisted out of his block to bring around his right leg. The impact sent Kiba flying into the ground, rolling shoulder after shoulder for several feet before he finally landed in a cloud of dust.

Sasuke landed hunched, face unreadable and eyes hidden in shadows behind his loose black hair. On his arms, long thick streaks of red showed where skin had been torn by Kiba's claws, and his chest expanded and closed in rapid succession, as his body fought to collect the oxygen it so desperately needed.

Kiba stirred from his position, pushing himself up with his two legs and unbruised hand, the other clutched close to his chest.

"Damn you." He coughed out, as small bits of gravel fell down from his form. There was silence except for Kiba's long panting breaths. The Inuzuka struggled to regain his energy, but before he could move, he saw a blurred form in front of him.

It was a hand, outstretched.

Kiba took it, and looked up the arm into the blank face of Sasuke Nanashi, where two luminescent red eyes stared back at him. At their bottom, a single black tomoe could be seen in each one. Behind the boy, a dark red sunset shone brilliantly, casting his body into shadows, and giving his eyes an ominous glow.

"Thank you." Sasuke said, through the crystal clarity of the Sharingan.

And he meant it.

Iruka let out a small sigh from his perch on a far treetop. Observing that fight had made him nervous for the health of his two students, but now, watching Sasuke pull up the boy he had only just a moment ago beaten into the ground, he found himself smiling.

Those two; perhaps they can help heal each other. They've been through so much. He thought, eyes tracing their walk back towards Konoha.

In any case, it seemed his services were no longer required.

With another swirl of leaves he vanished in a Shunshin, landing several seconds later on a rooftop outside the Hokage building.

His smile persisted well into the night, when he finally finished with his duties.

Kiba walked slowly next to his silent companion, turning over in his mind what had just happened.

Sasuke Nanashi was a traitor. His father had conspired to assassinate the Hokage and take over Konoha, putting the Uchiha in complete control. They were villains, attempting to ruin the peace and prosperity of the village.

It was obvious, so why did he find himself doubting those statements?

Sasuke hadn't said anything since his odd thanks, and Kiba still didn't know what he was supposed to say. Damn him. Why did he have to make hating him so difficult?

It was easy to blame his young companion for the problems surrounding his life. Since his sister's death, and his mother's near mental breakdown, he'd felt as though his life were effectively stolen from him. Once his mother had proven unstable, her position as the clan head had been overturned, and although many felt sympathy for his position, no one had stepped up to vouch for him. Not a single person.

They tried to hide it from him, how she died, but he'd heard enough.

She had been in the team that assaulted the Uchiha Building, and had perished during the mission. The details had been muddy, but one thing was clear. Sasuke's family was involved, and that had been enough for him. He had been a fool to assume poorly of his classmate, but he'd hardly been the only one. Out of the class, nobody had reached out to the then eleven boy, who had no family aside from a brother in a hospital.

With an uncomfortable pang of guilt in his chest, he realized that out of everyone there, he should have understood.

"I'm sorry about your brother." He mumbled, turning his eyes down and away. Sasuke inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"He was the first to graduate through the Root Program." The boy's tone held noticeable tinges of pride. "He was expected to be the best in the village; there was even talk of him being a potential successor to Danzo."

Sasuke's chest shook.

"He threw it all away, saving me." The boy continued, as his face tightened in anger. "He could have had everything, and now he's in a hospital, because I wasn't strong enough to save myself. Because I was pathetic, and weak."

Kiba didn't know what to say. He was still struggling with the idea that the teammate walking next to him was not so different from himself.

"And they hate him." Sasuke continued, unable to hold back the floodgates of emotion pouring through him. "Of all the injustices, they cast him out, despite everything he's done for this village. It's like everyone's forgotten his sacrifice. Like it'smeaningless."

The words were hissed out with such ferocity it made him shudder. By his side, Kiba had now turned to observe his teammate's face, with something between curiosity and confusion on his own.

Silence reigned for several moments, aside from the steady pattern of their footsteps.

"I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Sasuke half-muttered, half growled. "It seems the clan's finally gotten over it's prejudice. The Captain wants to induct me back into the clan, on the condition that I graduate this upcoming spring."

Kiba nodded his head, surprised at how much the usually-silent boy was opening up to him.

"When I graduate, I'll be recognized as an adult, and be able to move away from my mother." He said, after a pause. "She went off the deep end when Hana died, and since she lost Kuromaru..."

The rest didn't need to be said. Everyone knew about the deep connections the Inuzuka held with their companions. Many considered the death of one to be akin to losing a limb. They weren't the same without their partner-for-life.

It was one of the things that had pushed the pair of them away from the rest of the clan.

"We have to win these rounds." Sasuke said. "Itachi won't last much longer, and I want him to at least have his name before he passes."

Kiba said, "I don't know how the hell we're going to beat those root freaks, but I..."

Damn it all. This was too confusing.

"That doesn't seem right about your brother, assuming what you said is true," A bit of Kiba's normal growl had entered into his voice, but it seemed forced.

"Just... I'll think about it."

"Good."

Sasuke's face had dipped once more into emotionless apathy, and with a start, Kiba realized they were nearing the center of the village.

The pair of them arrived at a fork in the graveled path, leading down two very different roads. One lead left, up towards the Hokage Monument, where the great clans and more important buildings were located. The other swerved down towards the village gates, where the less favorable housings stood in disrepair.

After all, as anyone with a lick of sense knew, living close to the gates of a Shinobi Village was a less than favorable position.

Kiba grunted, and turned off onto the right path.

Sasuke stared after him for a long while, tracing the boy's movements with reactivated red eyes. They tracked the slumped posture, the up and down movement his shoulders, the way his feet dug deeply into the ground, as though he expected it to not be there when he looked away.

Sasuke stared, and for the first time that day, allowed himself a small smile.

In the darkness of an underground cell, Danzo Shimura sat hunched over a desk. It was smooth and flawless, made with a single form of polished stone that had been drawn from the floor. It's simple modern design was of the sort only possible through Earth Techniques.

It suited the man. Solid, and designed for efficiency. On it, several folders and stacks of paper were neatly set around him.

His one eye flicked up to the single entrance of the room. Without a sound, the smooth steel door swung open, it's frame less than a centimeter above the perfectly level stone floor.

A masked Silent approached the desk, and knelt before his master, awaiting instruction.

"What have you discovered?" The Hokage asked, the steely tones of authority permeating his voice. The man arose from his kneel, and flashed through several handsigns. They were a unique code known only to those highest ranked in the village.

To Danzo they registered as fluently as speech. He had invented them after all.

Infiltration successful. Targets sighted at area code 156-72. Hostile numbers approximate 5600. 147 confirmed. Target 013 sighted with Target 014 and Target 015. Byakugan Confirmation.

"See Kaze for your next instructions." Danzo said, turning away from the man, not bothering to watch as the door was neatly swept closed, and the Silent disappeared behind it's swing.

His eye stared blankly at his casted hand, while his mind turned over this latest predicament.

"Those three working together," He muttered. "After all this time." His eye focused on the Hokage's hat, sitting loosely on the far corner of the desk.

The man grimaced.

"Even in death, you continue to foil me, Hiruzen."