A/N: Uwaa~ I'm finally back!

Already halfway into summer vacation and I've only accomplished a single chapter (ahe~) I guess I was too deprived of school break after suffering a lot of traumatic dilemmas.

Anyways, I'm so sorry guys that this chapter took a lifetime to finish… I was so bummed and frustrated because chapter 119 of Gakuen Alice Manga is not out yet (at least that's what I know) so I went out on a fanfic writing strike (hell yeah, as if those manga writers will hear your cry and protest). I've been waiting for a long time already…well, if you guys are up to date, do tell.^_^

Then, I came to realize that even though GA 119 is not out yet I still forced my lazy butt to finish this fic for the sake of those who are waiting (I feel your pain, trust me) for this chapter.

I have been psyched up too after watching some episodes of Naruto Shippuuden. (Jiraiya died though*bummer* but Sasuke in an Akatsuki clothing makes up for it! Kyaa!~*fangirl mode*)

Here's the latest chapter, Enjoy!

"I'm the one who is supposed to be asking you that kid." The shinobi's answer to Natsume, "this is the first time I saw you here…"

"Just leave me alone then…" Natsume was starting to leave, ignoring the shinobi.

"Hey kid! I'm not finished yet…" the shinobi stared at Natsume with a deadly piercing stare to show who's in authority.

Natsume stared in his eyes for a while before letting go a sarcastic smirk.

"So…you're the 'Sasuke' they're talking about."

CHAPTER 5

CRIMSON

"Who are you?" Sasuke was taken aback by the kid, "why do you know my name?"

"Lucky guess," Natsume looked directly into the empty depths of those icy orbs, "by the way…nice eyes."

"Hey kid I was still talking to you…" in an instant, Sasuke was already in front of Natsume who almost bumped into him.

"Will you just leave me alone?" Natsume eyes are now filled with rage that Sasuke can't help but think that he was looking at a reflection of his younger self, "I'm a stranger…you can't trust me."

While saying those words, Natsume was already distancing himself away from Sasuke but he never averted his gaze away from the Shinobi. He was already using his alice and Sasuke seems to be unaware that the flames are all ready to swallow him up. This made the younger boy smirk a little, "I am not the type of person to be messed around with, wha—?"

Just as the flames were ready to engulf Sasuke, black flames suddenly appeared from his body and completely dominated Natsume's flames until it disappeared. Itachi's Amaterasu that was forcefully implanted on him proved to be useful a lot of times.

"—and I'm not the type of person who messes around either," It was Sasuke's turn to smirk now and added, "that's knuckleheaded Naruto's hobby not mine."

"That noisy blond?" Natsume couldn't help but smile a little, "well, he really looks like it…kinda reminds me of someone I know."

"Wait, you know Naruto?" Sasuke was surprised he knew the blond Shinobi

"He was the one who found us..."

"Us?"

"I've already gathered all the available chuunins hokage-sama," Shikamaru arrived after about an hour with Shizune bringing with him Ino, Chouji, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Tenten and also Neiji. "The rest are in the middle of their mission so we're few on manpower but fortunately, I met Gaara—I mean the kazekage together with Temari and Kankuro along the forest while looking for the other chuunins."

The last three mentioned who was patiently waiting outside went inside the Hokage's office as soon as their names were mentioned.

"The kazekage here is out on a serious training." Shikamaru further explained, "Since he no longer is a jinchuuriki, the elders of the sand couldn't help but think that his power weakened so under the supervision of Temari and Kankuro, he is sent out to hone his skills further."

"Our intention here hokage-sama," Temari continued the explaination, "is that we would like to propose a deal."

"A deal?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing big really," Temari walked and stood beside Shikamaru, "From what this guy had told me, you are planning to send all the available chuunins out on a very dangerous and top secret mission. I would like to ask your permission to let us join them on the mission and as an exchange, we will not ask any further information about the kids." Temari looked at the direction of the Gakuen Alice students.

"Are you capable of attending on missions without any further information?" Tsunade seems to reconsider.

"All we have to do is to protect the kids, right?" it was Gaara who answered this time.

"Well then it is settled." The hokage smiled and stood up from her seat, "I was almost going to say that you should have at least gotten permission from the Kazekage before I took you under our responsibility but as you can see—"

"Well then, permission granted." Was all Gaara could say.

"Aren't the elders there going to be mad about you deciding things on your own?" Shiizune was talking about the elders in Gaara's country.

"All they needed to do is obey the Kazekage." Gaara answered straightforwardly, "it is up to my power whether I should follow their advice or not. As to my case right now, I think that intense training is a compulsory option for me."

"Woah," Naruto whistled, "that's the kazekage for you."

"By the way…" Ino's eye missed something, "where's Sasuke?"

"He already finished his mission yesterday, right?" Shizune also asked

"I met him earlier." Shikamaru was now giving off an annoyed and bored look, "he said he's going to check out some fuss on the street but he'll be joining us right after."

"Awe yoo sher he'sh coming?" Chouji was between mouthfuls of chips.

"It's Sasuke after all…" Naruto was scratching his head as he said this, "he wouldn't miss such a mission like thi—"

"—so this is what the fuss is all about…" Sai's entrance in hokage's office went unnoticed but the chuunins are already used to his types of entrances that nobody seems surprised to this now, except maybe the Gakuen Alice Students who are just observing quietly, even Mikan. They all seem to be trying to digest everything around them very slowly.

"You're early Sai." The Hokage smiled.

"Mission seems to be easier than expected. Group needs a bird's eye view?"

"What a lucky coincidence!" Naruto butted in the conversation, "so, you'll be joining us Sai?"

"Well, it's up to the Hokage…" Sai's head swerved in the direction of Tsunade.

"If you save me the trouble of re-explaining what the mission is."

"I already know, information already gathered." Sai answered nonchalantly.

"Can't argue about that…" was Tsunade's 'yes'.

"As expected from the root anbu…" Ino's eyes were full of admiration.

"So, these are the kids we need to take care of…" Sai approached Mikan and the rest with his usual confusing smile, "It's kind of late for greetings but… hi, my name is Sai. Nice meeting all of you, I hope we all get along."

"Hai!" Mikan was the only one who was not affected by Sai's smile. The rest of her classmates are still doubtful.

"I'm Mikan Sakura and they are Hotaru Imai, Ruka Nogi, Yuu Tobita— but he's known as Iinchou, Yume Kokoro, Permy— sorry, I mean Sumire Shoda, and Kitsuneme. They're my classmates. Then there's Harada Misaki-senpai, Andou Tsubasa-senpai and Noda-sensei. Also…" Mikan was pointing to each and every one of her friends when she remembered that she forgot a single person and that changed her happy expression to annoyance as fast as she said 'hai' to Sai earlier, "there's that perverted kitty cat, Natsume Hyuuga who went out strolling."

"Hyuuga?" that changed Sai's smiling face to that of curiosity.

"Eh?" Kiba heard it also, "you have a brother Hinata?"

"I-iie," Hinata answered quietly, "that's what I at least know..."

"Are you su—"

"LET ME GO! I SAID STOP CARRYING ME!"

Before Kiba could finish, a loud noise was heard outside the Hokage's office followed by a big loud crashing sound as the door was forcibly opened.

"Sorry I was late Hokage-sama. It took quite some time to take care of the fuss."

"Sa-Sasuke?"

"I said let me go you jerk!" Natsume, who had been slung by Sasuke in his shoulders(you do get the picture, right?^_^) while on his way to the Hokage's office finally kicked his way out of Sasuke's strong hold and fell butt flat on the floor, "temme…"

"Hmm, not bad…" Sasuke looked down on the floor to where Natsume landed and give Natsume another smirk, "that kick was pretty strong…for a chibisuke."

"Why you bastard…"

Before anyone could realize what was going on, Natsume's hands were already curled up into flaming fists. As a defense, Sasuke activated his Sharinggan to release his Amaterasu. Everybody watched in fascination as two pairs of scarlet eyes glared daggers to each other, it may look like a situation that could lead to a very big trouble but watching the two reflect each other's personality proved to be quite amusing.

"I didn't know Natsume had an older brother here…" Mikan whispered to Hotaru, "Ah, I know, maybe he's Natsume's long lost brother!"

"Bakka," Hotaru answered back, "didn't you hear them say earlier that his name is Uchiha Sasuke?"

"But people can change their names ri—?"

"—Natsume doesn't have an older brother." Ruuka answered out of the blue, "Although I could feel Natsume's personality in him too…something might have happened to him in the past…" (You got that right Ruuka-pyon!)

"I think they are quite cute and amusing," Temari was standing beside Shikamaru who only yawned in response.

"Quite an amusing pair…" Tsunade was talking about Natsume and Sasuke, "just exactly what Konoha needs, another vengeful kid."

"Ha-hai…" Shizune only sweat dropped in response, "anyway, I think we should stop them before any serious trouble arises."

"Cut it out you two…" Naruto finally cut in but was ignored by the two, causing the blond shinobi to have a vein popping in his temple.

"I'm running out of patience weird eyes," Natsume slowly raised his fists which flamed even brighter.

"Look who's talking…" there was confidence in Sasuke's voice, "Don't act too cocky kid or there won't be any help for you."

"I didn't ask for your help you bastard!" Natsume snapped back.

"Why you little…" Sasuke couldn't take it. He hates Natsume who acts and behaves just like his twelve-year-old self. He hated it because he used to hate himself back then

Neither of them could really take it anymore and was poised for the attack, ready to jump off anytime.

"I'll teach you a lesson kid!"

"Why don't you try…sensei!"

"Wha—" Sasuke suddenly had gone numb and couldn't move his body no matter how much his brain would tell him to, he looked at Natsume's direction and was surprised that he also couldn't move.

The answer to his question lies behind Natsume. Sasuke saw that Shikamaru was stepping on Natsume's shadow so he concluded that somebody was also stepping on his shadow but he was baffled as to who did it. There were no other shadow manipulators besides the Narra clan.

"Okay, reunion's over guys…" it was an unfamiliar voice to Sasuke.

A/N: done!

(I think you all already knew who's stepping on Sasuke-kun's shadow right? *wink wink*)

Gomen minna if this is shorter than expected (I didn't even expect it too!O_o) curfew for being up is at midnight so I should hit the hay now.

Anyway, I'll try to make the next chapter longer and exciting^_^

Keep on reviewing…they serve as my inspiration. ^_^

~Aishi05 out~