Summary: For Sasuke, it's just another town. Only more people. What makes Konoha different? And what additions to his coven have been kept untold? A very vague summary. . AU with just one OC.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! (Only Itachi's heart.)


The next week went on at least close to normally. The leaves still fell; the geraniums still died. A colder chill migrated into the wind, sending shivers up the trunks of great trees. Student life continued, and class activity crescendoed as the year transitioned. People adapted to their atmosphere, confiding more closely to some and farther from others. Suspicions grew within the school halls on how Uzumaki Naruto had managed to disappear. Even his friends knew not where he'd gone.

"Honestly, the bastard ditched me last Friday, so I had to watch that shitty gore movie alone," Sai throws up his hands in dismay. "And it wasn't even freaky, so it didn't matter that Naruto wasn't there to shit in his pants cause he wouldn't have anyway!"

"As engrossed as you are to your speech of dire concern, I gotta cut in and ask if you're actually worried about him," Shikamaru spits, folding his arms and leaning against the school yard's back wall.

Sai twirls a cigarette in his right hand. He searches his pocket hastily with the other. "Sure," he says. "Got a lighter?"

"Hell no, for the goddamned last time," Shikamaru says darkly. "You know Asuma-sensei always stinks like those shit sticks every frickin day."

"Layin' on all the crap, eh, Shika?" Sai smiles eerily. "So how do you know what he reeks like, anyway? You smell him a lot?"

"There's something wrong with you."

Sai shrugs, looking to their quiet companion. "Oy, Sasuke, you got a lighter?"

"There's one sticking out of your bag's right pocket," Sasuke says detachedly. He sits, knees up and arms strewn over them; his head leans against the wall.

Fumbling to his right, Sai produces his lost lighter. "Oh, hey. How'd you see it?" he raises his brow. Sasuke stiffens. "Even I didn't--"

"You're blind," Shikamaru grunts. "So what."

Sai shrugs, illuminating his cigarette with a quick snap. Light smoke wisps into the air, swiveling oddly. Shikamaru wrinkles his nose.

"It's Thursday, already," the cross-armed boy says. "That means Naruto's been missing for six days."

"Six days?" Sasuke repeats.

"Choji said he saw him running out full speed Friday afternoon," Shikamaru says. "But that's it."

Sasuke stares ahead, entranced.

"Sounds like Naruto," Sai says, parting his lips and blowing. He replaces his cigarette. "He probably got himself lost."

"You think we should put missing kid flyers, or something?" asks Shikamaru. "Since the kid's got nobody else."

"Let's wait another day," Sasuke says quickly.

"Wait, eh?" Sai smirks. He taps the cigarette butt; ashes fall.

Shikamaru grits his teeth. "Why? You know he could be--"

The bell sounds loudly. "Ah, shit. First period," Sai pouts. "Le's go, guys!"


There was no sound more painful than that of the school bell. It was sharper than any rhyzite knife, higher than any note Sakari had ever heard.

Sakari sits upright at her back desk as students slip inside the classroom. She arches her back uncomfortably, letting her bandages loosen a little; her pencil forms swirls over her shredded notebook.

"Satoshi-san! You're here early!" A well-clad boy drops his bag on the desk beside her. He comes with an awkward sort of cheeriness, and his smile is true, a stand-off from his dark, dark hair.

Acknowledging him sleepily, Sakari continues her handiwork. "Ohayo."

"Don't sit there, Shusui-kun!" a short girl behind him yells. "Sit with us."

"Oh--" Shusui smiles apologetically, brushing back a short black strand of hair. "But I'm already sitting next to Satoshi-san."

"No, Shusui-kun, sit here!"

The boy frowns back at her. The taut skin over his brows wrinkles. "I don't see why it matters so much."

"Just sit with her." Sakari doesn't look up, irritated. Her gaze moves with her pencil as she begins sketching recognizable eyes. She doesn't catch Shuisui's apology but pardons it with a mindless nod.

"Alright, guys," the teacher says loudly. "We have a new kid today."

The third years look up soundly, curiosity and temptation clear in most eyes. A boy with a heavy build and broad shoulders towers over their mumbling teacher. His thick black hair is gelled up into impossible spikes, and dark blue streaks arise at their tips. He smiles charmingly enough but folds his arms boredly. What stands out the most is his thick and impossibly oversized black hoodie, aligned with red and gold.

"Hoshigaki Kisame. That's his name--" Hayate Gekkou leans downward, coughing into his hand. "Well, sit."

The new boy shrugs, squinting his eyes slightly and discerning faces. He stops at the lowered head of one Satoshi Sakari and smirks to himself. Lumbering towards the vacant back desk, Kisame drops his worn pack onto the floor. "Hey."

Sakari crosses something haphazardly on her paper. Her lips press into a line.

Kisame falls into his chair, its metal legs shreiking backwards. "Oy, I said 'hey'!"

"Didn't hear you." She hears him laugh shortly and bites her tongue. Annoyed, she sketches out another iris.

In the front, their teacher droans raggedly. His chalk smears the board with a screech.

"So, anyone interesting in this place?"

Sakari rests her right elbow on the desk, covering her cheek from him. "No."

"Huh." Kisame presses his fists together with a quick exhale; his gnarled knuckles crack loudly. He raises his neck to see past her arm. "Drawing eyes?"

Shifting her shoulders again, Sakari shrugs. She narrows the lids of her scribble.

"You know, ignoring me isn't--"

"Hoshigaki-kun, I know it's your first day," Hayate says. HIs voice is loud, but his tone is monotonous. "But please pay attention to the class."

"'Sorry," Kisame grunts fixedly. The moment Hayate turns, he looks again to Sakari. Mumbling to himself, Kisame feints defeat. He watches Sakari's fingers wind her earlobe. "Well," his voice heightens. He grins to himself, leaning back at last. "Ain't that a nice ring?"


Sasuke shivers, unable to shake his uneasiness. He'd been at Konoha for little over month, and already one boy lay unconscious, hidden in their old mansion. 'Wait'? As Shikamaru had mentioned, it was already six days since the attack. Six days. Sasuke isn't surprised in the least at the delay in word. Kabuto's faith was futile.

"Sas-ooo-ke!" Sai crows next to him. The slim-eyed boy laughs uncontrollably, earning a stern look from the teacher and annoyed glares from his classmates.

Raising his thick glasses, the teacher growls. "At least pretend you're paying attention, Uchiha!"

Sasuke merely looks back with a bland stare, and a couple of girls beside him giggle heatedly, averting flustered eyes. Sasuke gives them the same look. "Can I go to the nurse?"

The teacher's chalk snaps as his expression quivers. He grits his teeth and replies, "If that's where you can find passing grade for English class, then fine."

Feinting ignorance, Sasuke shrugs and starts outside.

"Oh! I'll help him get there!" squeaks Sakura from behind him. "He looks really pale! He could collapse!"

"Sure, sure, Haruno," the teacher grunts. "You're semester average seems safe."

Sakura smiles, skipping out the door after Sasuke. "Hey, where're you going?"

Arranging his bag handle on his shoulder, Sasuke lumbers away. He starts for the school's front gates.

"You're just leaving?" Sakura giggles, struggling to keep up. "But Sasuke, didn't you hear what Sensei said?"

Sasuke sighs and turns the long tile-walled hallway. His shoes skid over the waxed floor, and from behind he sees Sakura grab the locker walls for support. "Listen, Sakura," he says, coming to a stop. "Just let me go, okay?"

"So you're not sick," she notes. She beams, as if proud of discerning the obvious.

"I am, so I'm leaving." He starts to leave again, but Sakura pulls at the back of his shirt.

"No! But Sensei said you'll fail!"

"I got other things to worry about," he blurts, pocketing his hands.

Sakura's expression alights immediately, and she rushes in front of him. She blocks his way, a blinding grin evident. "Like what? Will you take me with you?"

Sasuke glares. He knows he can out-run her easily, but is it worth raising her attention? Maybe if he controlled it, ran quickly enough to get away but slow enough to seem human. "Look, Sakura, no offense but you're getting annoying." Was he being too harsh? The last thing he wanted was to raise trouble.

But Sakura only widens her grin, pushing back pink bangs with flirty hands. Her mischievous eyes glow green excitement. "Oh, don't be like that, Sasuke!"

A minute from growling, Sasuke focuses on something that isn't fuschia. He concentrates on the pin of a nearby bulletin board. He sighs. "I really have a headache," and he isn't lying, "I'm just going home."

"Y-You're inviting me to your house?" she exclaims. Her cheeks color immediately.

"No!" he almost has to work to keep his voice even. "I'm gonna go now! Alone."

"Going to go where?" an authorative voice booms behind him.

Shit. He'd been so caught up in leaving his classmate, he'd let down all his senses. Maybe Konoha was actually turning him human.

Sasuke listens to the speaker's huffed breaths, their thick air. He recognizes them to be old and matches their voice to the first memory he can retrieve. Turning, Sasuke sees the elderly man from his first day. "I--"

"He wanted to go to the art room," Sakura interjects sweetly. "But he wouldn't let me come! I hear he's an excellent artist, Sarutobi-sensei"

"Oh," Sarutobi nods, unconvinced but sated. "Let me take the two of you there. These old legs need a little more activity."

"Yes, that would be great!" Sakura answers brightly, fussing to the elderly principal's side and chatting easily.

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke follows with heavy steps. The girl could be useful, he decides, no matter how bizarre her actions. He might have to thank her later. Might.

"Fourth period, is it? I'm sure there's a class in there right now," he hears Sarutobi say to Sakura. "Are you sure the two of you want to go now?"

'The two of you'? A growl vibrates from Sasuke's dry throat. His fingers, in his pockets, coil into fists. He wanted to leave. Waves of pain throb at his temples and through his head, waves worthy of a gong's doing.

"Now hurry up--" Sarutobi pauses, thinking. "--Sasuke? Isn't that your name?" The lines of his face crinkle as he smiles benevolently. It's a warm sort of expression, natural and honest.

"Of course it is!" Sakura practically shouts.

Sasuke grits his teeth, sucking in a worthy breath. He surveys a nearby clock. Only ten minutes until the period ended. He would leave then.