…their departure is silent…

(chapter 2)

He tried not to look at her face as he bolted out the door and out of the building. She looked so concerned for him and he knew that she wanted to talk more about what he'd been through weeks before, but he couldn't bring himself to talk to any one about it in any more depth than he had to. When his friends had gathered in his hospital room after he'd regained some strength, a few begin to question him: how'd he end up in such a place? Who was the old man in the burning village? Those questions he didn't mind so much. Those questions were safe….those were ones he could answer. It was the other ones that bothered him a little deeper…it was those ones about—

"Whoa, Naruto! Where's the fire? You should really watch out where you're going. And didn't you just leave the hospital recently? You shouldn't be exerting yourself like that."

"Ah, Iruka-sensei!" His response was winded as he reacted to his collision into his former teacher. Iruka reached out a hand to help steady the young man as he straightened his posture. As he did, the last of the papers he'd been carrying fluttered down to the ground at their feet. Naruto let go a nervous laugh as he bent down low to help pick them up.

"Oh! Sorry, sensei…I guess I wasn't paying much attention."

"It's ok Naruto." He stooped beside the boy to help retrieve the rest of his work. "I guess it's partly my fault for walking around with so many things in my arms at one time. If it weren't you, it would have been someone. Like that ever-rambunctious Konohamaru. I wonder where he gets that from?" Iruka peered over to the blond in front of him. Naruto let loose another bout of nervous giggles before standing to his feet and handing what he'd picked up over to the accusatory man.

"Sorry again…" He sidestepped the scarred teacher and resumed his pace.

"Hey Naruto, wait!" Iruka called at the young man's back.

"Huh?"

"The least you can do is treat your old teacher to dinner after almost running him over!" His face settled into a soft grin as he saw the broad smiling face of his former pupil.

***

"So you have another big important mission? Wow, you are really growing, Naruto."

"Heh-Heh Heh, it's no biggie, sensei. It's just a peace mission."

"But that's very important, Naruto. You're responsible for establishing a good relationship between our two countries. A lot is involved in this mission. Though I am surprised, usually you hate deployments like this. There's no real 'action' in it. You really are maturing…this wouldn't," the teacher shifted slightly in his seat to look fully at Naruto, "this wouldn't have anything to do with what happened when you left does it?" Iruka tried to read the young ninja's expression as he noticed that the young man's hand was now hovered over his bowl of steaming miso ramen. The teacher's face morphed into that of concern as he leaned over and touched the blond lightly on the arm.

"Naruto?"

"Uh," his liquid blue eyes seemed to look past his old teacher. "Sorry, sensei, I have to get ready for my mission tomorrow…thank you…for sharing dinner with me." His tone was quiet as he reached into his pocket for the overstuffed green frog wallet and after counting a few bills; he laid some money on the counter for the meal and stood from his seat. Iruka's expression deepened to worry as he spun around and held to the sleeve of the rushing lad.

"Naruto, wait. I didn't mean to…I know that this past month has been hard; given what's happened to…I'm sorry. I should have been there more. I've watched you grow from a bouncy knuckleheaded kid to one of the best shinobi Konoha's ever had." Iruka could feel the tension in the young man's body ease a bit, as he spoke.

"Thank you…Iruka-sensei…" Naruto slowly pulled his arm away from the teacher's grip and he could hear his grieving sigh as he left through the door.

***

The rendezvous was slated to start before the breaking of the day, so Naruto was up, dressed and, out of the door in the darkness, heading towards the main gates of the village, his travel pack on his left shoulder. He wasn't told who was apart of the escort group, just what time to be at the gates to start the excursion. He was excited, and the bounce in his steps accented the fact that he was anxious to see the old monk again. He was curious to know how he and the remainder of Tayamura village were re-shaping. As he neared the arch, he could see several figures standing in the gap, apparently awaiting his arrival. As he stepped closer, the figures became clearer and he could see one of their hands take to the air.

"Yo! Naruto!"

"Bushy-brows?"

"Good morning! While we waited for you arrival, I ran twenty laps around the entire village!" the jovial ninja spring to life and proceeded to jog over to where he stood. His bowl-cut hairstyle bounced with each of his steps and his smile was broad. "We can get a few laps in before we leave-"

"No, you won't, we don't have time. Good morning, Naruto." A slightly haughty-toned voice floated over to him from behind Rock Lee. Naruto peered over Lee's shoulder to see the brunet jounin and another shinobi beside him.

"Ah, Neji! Kiba! You're on this trip?" He sidestepped Lee and headed over the other two men. Kiba face was set with a grin as he watched him approach.

"Yea, the Hokage asked us to be apart of the first escort group. We're going to have to stay off the main path. The Fifth does have a few Anbu ops on scouting missions across the country-"

"But we do have to be careful," interjected Neji and he stepped up besides them. "We still don't know where Akatsuki is and we have to take all precautions. We will secure you're passage to Tayamura and then a different group will accompany you back, when you send word that the mission is complete."

Naruto graced a slightly sour look as he processed what he was hearing. "Sounds like a glorified baby-sitting trip."

'Ah, c'mon, Naruto." He felt Kiba's hand slap around his shoulder. "Look at it as assuring that our ambassador arrives at his destination unharmed."

"We should leave now. We have a lot of ground to cover." Neji turned to walk beyond the gate and the others followed suit.

***

He'd been up early training in the center of a near-by forest. He'd been throwing kunai after kunai into the tops of trees and splitting the leaves that drifted slowly with his chokuto. Each leaf, several dozen apiece, had been split with precision, right through the stem, leaving a perfect symmetrical half that gathered with identical others at the bottom of the forest floor.

He supposed he was blowing off steam, more than training. A few days ago, he'd had another talk with that man again, the one saying he was Uchiha Madara, the only other surviving member of the late Uchiha clan, supposedly. And according to his brother, a major factor as to why the he and that man were the only ones left…

Schwing!

Another leaf appeared to burst into equal parts and fluttered the remainder of the way down. Sasuke's hand barely had enough time to relax by his side before he thrust himself into the air at top speed and caught the next two leaves in flight, duplicating those before returning to the ground and swiftly sliding his sword tightly back into its sheath. His eyes barely scanned over the polite carnage before walking towards a small path slightly off to the right and into the woods, traveling shortly until he came to a small clearing and a stream. Standing near the water's edge, he looked down and gazed upon his reflection. The wavering image appeared to mirror a calm man, but he knew better. He was not calm and he was increasingly becoming more and more frustrated with himself.

"Your skills never cease to amaze me." Sasuke's head shot up and his body twisted around until he could face the voice behind him. He tried not to let the surprise in his eyes show as he faced the tousled black hair of the older man behind him. How did he--? Sasuke scanned his mind to see how he'd miss someone quietly walking up on him without his knowledge. As far as he knew, he'd been alone that morning when he'd left for the woods. How did this man manage to find him?

"What do you want?"

"Just enjoying the early morning air and your practice session; you're as sharp as ever." Sasuke turned away from the man and faced back out across the water. His hand gripped tightly onto the handle of his sword and squeezed. He could sense the man standing there, but he continued to ignore his presence.

"Have you thought more about what I said?"

Silence.

"Listen, Sasuke. Like I said before, I have no need to lie to you. What I told you about your brother…about your past….is all true; those things of our past…your past, is the fuel to your future. Your clan…your name is the stepping stone these so-called honorable people used to step on to create the powerhouse of Konoha today. That fire burns as strong as it does because of the mighty fan that is iconic to our clan. The Uchiha name is the one of honor…of true strength! Look at you! Your name alone is commanding respect throughout the entire shinobi world." Sasuke looked back down into the gently rippling water and at his shimmering image once more. He tried to read his own dark eyes…tried to read their story. He stood staring at them as the man continued.

"You now know your true life's mission. To avenge your clan and re-establish the Uchiha name." He could hear the leaves and twigs crunch beneath the now approaching man's feet. "Hm. Such irony." He snickered as he passed over the split leaves on the ground below. "Sasuke. Where did you go after our first meeting?"

"I'm heading back to base now. Eagle's base. Don't sneak up on me again." the young ninja still held the handle of his sword as he paused by the old man briefly, before continuing on the path leading out of the woods. He could hear the crackle of the leaves below as the man shifted around and faced his receding back.

"Sasuke. In this reality. I'm all you can really trust in a world of lies. I bear your name."

Sasuke stopped slowly, his head turning slightly and his dark eyes peering sharply over his left shoulder. "Hm. I've spent all my life either trying to live up to or un-taint my name. So sorry if some stranger claiming to be an originating member of the Uchiha family doesn't have me jumping for joy," he snickered, "but I'm not buying that."

"Look. I need you to retrieve something for me. This will prove that I'm not lying."

"Now I'm an errand boy? Get lost." He started to resume walking until the voice continued.

"No, but this could prove what I'm saying is true and deepen your knowledge of the Sharingan…it's ultimate powers…powers that have even brought the great beast to their knees…" Sasuke stopped walking again. What did he mean by that? Powers that have brought the great east to their knees? He shifted around completely and face the rough face of the speaking man. Staring at him closely for a few moments, he spoke, not fully understand what he was agreeing to do.

"So what is it that you want me to do?"