Title: Disadvantaged Children
Rating: R


Chapter Twenty One

Retrace

Fire. Swirling around Gaara, finding its way through the bed covers. Everything is burning.

Naruto can't breathe, but he can see the faint outlines of Gaara's body through the hazy smoke. And there, right in Gaara's hand, is the match that started the fire.

"How could you do this to me?" Naruto yells, screams, but the fumes get to him and he coughs violently. "You bastard! Is love meaningless to you?"

"You don't know what love is." Gaara says, face smeared with charcoal and eyes reflecting the flames consuming Naruto's room.

But Naruto did know, because that was all he felt as Gaara walked out of the room, leaving him for dead.

xx

"DOBE."

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" I scream then jump away from the intruder, only to find my face smashing into a car window. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! ARE YOU KIDNAPPING ME? ARE YOU FROM THE AKATSUKI? OH SHIT, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. YOU'RE SASUKE'S-"

"Don't finish that sentence," the dark-haired, Uchiha Sasuke lookalike growls before he shifts the gear and drives out of the side of the highway. With wide eyes, I peer closer at the guy in the driver's seat and then decide to test the supposed Uchiha Sasuke driver.

I poke him. "S-Sasuke? What am I doing in this.." I sniff then frown. "Stinky car? Is this your car?"

"No."

I search through my mind but I can't remember anything after the awkward hug in the forest. Almost hyperventilating, I claw at the car door in an attempt to jump out of the car. "YOU'RE NOT UCHIHA SASUKE."

Sasuke glances my way before calmly locking the car doors. "What are you talking about?"

Frantically, I look around the car for something heavy to smash the window. Unfortunately, my kidnapper doesn't keep rocks under the seats, so I start tugging on the lock in an attempt to break it. There's only one thought in my mind. GET OUT OF THE CAR.

"Naruto, what the hell is your prob-"

"Fact. You never call me Naruto." I give up on trying to break the lock and instead bang on the windows, hoping that someone will lend a friendly hand. "HELPPP, SOMEONE HELP, I'M GOING TO DIEEEEEE.."

"I am going to kill you, dobe, if you don't shut up."

I whirl around and point accusingly at the shadowy figure that's driving the car. "Fact. You never let me poke you. Fact. I don't remember what happened after being in the forest. Fact. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING HERE."

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "Fact. I'm tired. Fact. You fell asleep in my arms and I had to carry your body back to the orphanage where, fact, the matron lent us this car." He pauses then continues. "By the way, if you poke me again, I'll dump you here and drive away."

I sink into the seat, not knowing whether to blush, pout, or sulk. I had fallen asleep? Standing up? In the bastard's arms? No, no, wait.. He had carried me?

Nervously, I shift my body, trying to forget the feeling of ashes and burning dreams. "Why did you wake me?"

"You were bothering me."

"While I was asleep?" Grinning at the thought of my newfound ability to bother Sasuke 24/7, I kick back my feet on the car. "What was I doing?"

"Twitching. And muttering." Sasuke glares at my mud-caked shoes before he focuses his attention back on the highway and snidely says, "Not that you don't do that while you're awake."

I frown. "Still Mr. Grumpy Pants, ne?"

Sasuke doesn't respond to that and I turn my head to stare at the bright street lights flashing by. It's stopped snowing, but the morning is still young with its faint sun and waning darkness. My paper thin heart is finally slowing down from the nightmare so I slowly rest my head on the window, eyes heavy with something close to content. And yet...

"Hey, Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"What's your brother's name?"

He immediately tenses. "Why do you want to know?"

I scrunch my eyebrows in concentration before turning my head to grin at Sasuke. "Well, the Lonely Bastards Club requires a full name for all new members. And since everyone in the club has already given, well not really given but close enough, their permission..."

"Everyone?" Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "There's more than one?"

I humph in irritation. "Well, yeah. What do you think clubs are? I mean, there's Gaara, of course, and then Neji, and Sai but I think he's about to cancel his membership. You wouldn't believe how much progress he's made ever since he became friends with me! Yessir, I am the model perfection of anti-lonely and definitely anti-bast-"

"Am I in the club?"

The words come out of nowhere and they catch me by surprise. Without knowing why, I blush and ignore Sasuke's dark eyes fixated on me.

"No, you aren't."

"Oh?" Sasuke frowns. "I find that hard to believe."

"Well, you should! Believe it, that is." I start fiddling with the knobs to find the radio. "Yeah, believe it! Hey, I kind of like the sound of that. Believe it! Believe it believe it believe it believe it believe believe it believe it believe-"

"Naruto?"

"-lievelievelievelievelievelievelieve-"

"Naruto?"

"ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!"

"You're insufferable."

Sasuke looks away but not fast enough for him to hide the small smile that's starting to form on the ivory skin. I grin and it's starting to become easier, this game of hot and cold. The events of last night are fast disappearing and leaving a boy who's holding on to whatever he can.

"I wasn't lying when I said that you don't belong in the club." I scratch my head, embarrassed. "Yeah, you're a teme, but I've never pegged you as lonely. I mean, look at Neji and Sai. They are practically living, breathing examples of the lone wolf and all that shit. You're not like that. You have the Mansion, friends, adoring fan girls.. I mean, you even have me."

Silence.

Until Sasuke slams on the brakes, right in the middle of the highway, and says very softly, never once leaving his eyes from the road. "Come here, Naruto."

I don't think anything of Sasuke's command until I lean my face closer. "What do you wa-"

Sasuke's hand shoots out and grabs my collar with a gentle but firm grasp. Heart racing, I don't comprehend anything until his eyes meet mine, until faded scarlet meets blue, and I'm practically dying in that perfect stare, the imperfect words.

"I don't have anything, Naruto." He leans in closer and I see a spark in the dark, absorbing eyes. "Least of all, you."

But he doesn't let go. Instead, he licks his lips and lowers his eyes so that they're fixed on my own, abused lips, and all I want to do is what he wants to do which is touch lips and pretend nothing happened.

Because that's what you want. Another secret.

"Why do you have to do this to me, Naruto?" Sasuke softly whispers and he lowers his hands so that they're leaving the ghost of a touch on my arms, my clothes, my body.

My eyes widen and Sasuke's scent is intoxicating, an unsteady mix of reclusion and musk. Every inch of my nerves are on fire and it's all I can do to keep from moving. My submission to Sasuke is like a sick confession to my true feelings, the feelings that I've tried to bury under the deluge of burning memories, hidden skeletons.

I don't know what this is, I don't know what love is. I guess you were right all along, Gaara.

Sasuke tips his head so that his hair brushes my neck and I shiver from the cold in the car and Sasuke's warm lips .

"Are you listening, Naruto?"

"Y-Yeah."

A car passes by, shining its light briefly on both of us. Sasuke takes the moment to lean his body closer to mine and brush his lips on my neck.

"I don't know what I want anymore, because of you. So stay long enough for me to figure out, okay, dobe?"

And then he gently pulls his long arms away and turns his face back to the road. Disappointment floods my mind and all I want to do is pull him back and taste him. But his words are like a barrier between me and him. Stay? Didn't he know that I'd always be here, stuck in the moment, waiting for him to make up his mind?

Dammit. We're driving again and all I want to bash my head in for not taking the chance and grabbing Sasuke. Dammit. Dammit!

"The Third Event is tomorrow, dobe. Don't mess it up."

I bite my lip hard enough to draw blood and my hands are curled into tight fists, like little balls of disappointment.

"Oh don't worry, teme. I won't."


We're all crowded into a small room, waiting for someone to come in and announce the Third Event. For once, the heat is actually satisfying and I cast a glance out a near window, wincing when I see the snow covered branches. I'm still smarting over the events in the car with Sasuke and it's all I can do to focus on Sasuke and Sai's argument about art.

"Oh whatever, Sai! I bet you've never even been inside a real museum. In fact, I bet you don't even know who the most famous artists in Konoha are!"

Sai smiles condescendingly, like he has a secret in his mouth. "I bet you can't either."

"Of course I can!" Sakura turns up her nose. "Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige, Yoshiiku-"

"Wrong, pig nose." Sai smirks. "Those aren't real artists."

Sakura crosses her arms and frowns. "Really then? If you're such a hotshot, why don't you tell us what your definition of a real artist is."

"A real artist makes his art come to life."

Sakura snorts. "I didn't know you were such a cliché, Sai."

Sai opens his mouth to say something, but he's interrupted when a door opens and light trickles in to the small room which had been bathed in darkness before. Apparently, someone on the faculty really liked the 'shove them into a dark room and make them wait' technique which was a pity since no one in the room was holding their breath.

"Wonder who it'll be this time," someone besides me mutters while another person shuffles his feet in anticipation.

And that's when Kurenai Yuhi steps into the room. Followed by Jiraiya. And Kakashi. And Gai Lee. With a boombox.

Right.

"Hey, guys, listen up!" Kurenai claps her hands before pressing a finger to her forehead in annoyance. "These idiots behind me want to test out their new device. So bear with them and-"

A painful screech suddenly pierces the air and I groan from the sound. And then something like hippy music starts floating from the boombox which makes Jiraiya, and Kakashi grin and nod in approval.

Guitars. Drums. And then something terrifying. Vocals.

"If you need a friend, don't look to a stranger. You know in the end, I'll always be there."

Gai starts shouting over the music and his bushy eyebrows twitch along to the beat. "COME ON PEOPLE. THIS SONG WILL GIVE YOU DETERMINATION FOR THE THIRD EVENT. MOTIVATION. SING, KIDS, SING!"

"And when you're in doubt, and when you're in danger. Take a look all around and I'll be there."

No one sings. We're all too busy getting over the shock of hearing a song about friendship and seeing Gai dance in his spandex, squeaky suit. Kurenai is shaking her head in dismay while Kakashi and Jiraiya are poking the boombox, delightedly.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say."

"I PROMISE." Gai hollers and flashes a thumbs up.

"I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be."

"I PROMISE TOO, GAI SENSEI!"

To no one's surprise, Rock Lee strides over to the front of the room and starts singing along to the music.

"But if you'll wait around a while, I'll make you fall for me."

By this point, I'm sitting on the ground, waiting for the horror to be over. Other people are doing the same while the more energetic Teams are shuffling their feet in time to the music. Sakura and Sai soon plop their bodies next to me and we can only shake our heads at the sight of the magnificent, green duo.

"I promise, I promise you I will."

"Can you believe this?" Sakura shouts over the music, disdain lining her voice. "Sometimes, the adults turn into the kids.."

I shrug. "They're just trying to calm our nerves. Besides, this gives us more time to plan for the Team 5 domination! Right, Sai?" Grinning, I lean towards my pale friend. "So, any ideas on keeping all our friends in the Mansion?"

"No. I don't really care."

"That's not what you said the last time I asked!" I pout. "Come on. You have to like some of these people."

"Why should I? Sakura's forehead is annoying. Chouji is too fat. Ino looks ugly in purple. Shikamaru looks like a skunk. And Shino only wears gray."

Sakura frowns while I pump my fists in the air, savoring this moment as the only one that Sai hasn't commented on my dick, stupidity, or too hyper behavior.

"Oh. And Naruto drools when he sleeps."

I sigh in exasperation.

"He also has a small dick."

That's when I join Sakura in beating the crap out of our teammate.

xx

"And if I have to walk the world to make you fall for me. I promise you, I promise you I will.."

I make a face when I find myself mouthing the lyrics. The song had been on repeat for a full thirty minutes, but most of the faculty were still fiddling with the boom box. Apparently, old people like Kakashi and Jiraiya didn't know much about technology, which meant that the young people would have to suffer.

When the hippy introduction music starts floating through the air again, I can't take it anymore. Growling, I stand up and stomp all the way to the front of the room.

"What the hell, old geezers! We're not here so you guys can make a fool out of yourself. My team is here to win this thing then get the hell out of here so we can figure out a way to keep everyone in the Mansion."

"I still hate everyone," Sai grumbles softly.

I ignore him and the confused stares on everyone's faces. "That's right, people. I, Uzumaki Naruto, am going to keep all of you in the Mansion. So that means no one goes to the Island."

Oh shit. Instead of looking grateful, most of the people around me are wincing from the mention of the Island. Way to go, Team Naruto.

Kakashi and Jiraiya exchange glances.

"You want to handle him?"

"Not really."

"Oh come on, Kakashi. You're his counselor."

"I saved a cat today. Give me a break."

"Fine then!" Jiraiya suddenly turns toward me and grunts. "Hold your tail, kid. The cars aren't even here yet, so quit running your mouth off and making trouble. Now, why don't you go and do all of our ears a favor by sitting down and being quiet."

I cross my arms. "Cars? What do you mean, the cars aren't here yet?"

"Didn't I tell you children?" Jiraiya squints at us then sighs when we stare blankly at him. "The Third Event is taking place in the village. We're all making an educational field trip to the most rural area around here so that you crazy kids won't bother so many people. The whole faculty will be coming along to supervise and blahblahblah. Of course, I'm going to take my sweet, sweet time in the sauna area so I can perfect my latest porn novel."

He nods, completely oblivious to the fact that we're all inching away from him. Kurenai shakes her head before shoving Jiraiya aside, her dark eyes flashing.

"Don't take Jiraiya's words at face value."

Her voice is quiet but intense and the room is getting colder from the full realization. "This Event will test your values, the lessons that you've learned from your stay in the Mansion. There is only one objective to this Event and it will define your future, your life."

She looks at each of us before saying quietly. "Don't mess this up."

There's something about Kurenai's warning that makes me wonder if this could be it. The final answer to all of the secrets, the questions. I take a glimpse at the people around me, at Sai, Sakura, Shikamaru, and the rest of the teams. Even though we all want the same thing, we're still separated by the tinge of loneliness, the only skill needed to survive the past. What was the objective to the Third Event? Did it have to do with our own secrets? Our own lives? Or was the Mansion just another pit stop along the way, another lost chance?

"Naruto?"

I whirl around and Sai is in front of me, tightening his gloves and staring at me with hard eyes.

"What are you thinking, Naruto?"

I can't keep back the words, because the fear is still there, even when I'm not. "What happens if I mess up? If I only end up making a fool out of myself, because I tried to save everyone, because I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"Who I really am."

Eyes flashing, Sai steps closer towards me. "You won't screw up, because you'll never forget who you really are." He turns his head to look at the chattering orphans in front of us. "You'll figure it out. I know you will."

I can only close my eyes and let the clatter and the noise trickle into a waning silence. "I hope so, Sai. For your sake and mine."

Something gently touches my arm and in surprise, I open my eyes to find Sai smirking at me. "Haven't you been listening at all, Naruto?"

And the world comes back at full speed, allowing me to listen in on the music that's finishing its last swirling words. I grin and my fears shatter into pieces that coalesce with the song's silent intent.

"I promise you I will."


We're not welcome.

As soon as we hop off the bus, we're hit with the sounds of a busy village – rapid chatter from the random hagglers in a market, the kids running through dirt roads and corners, and gossiping village women with their group of friends. But then, there are the other sounds. The hushed whispers, the glares, the spitting.

It makes sense. After all, most of the scary-looking orphans have the word "criminal" imprinted on their foreheads. Others orphans are so notorious that they're known by face. And then, of course, there was me. I wasn't even allowed here. So what was I doing, wading through the sea of hostile people and ignoring the threatening hisses, the boos?

"Wow, Naruto. They really don't like you!" Sakura says cheerfully before she takes Ino by the hand and runs toward the front of the crowd, which is being largely ignored by the villagers.

"Bitch," I grumble. I immediately regret it, though, because the villagers take offense at my hostile tone. With a sigh of exasperation, I push through the suffocating crowd and flip the middle finger to those who are throwing things at me.

"Thanks for leaving me behind," I whisper when I finally catch up to Sakura, who's waving at some of the younger girls.

"Unlike you, Naruto, I actually have fans." She continues waving then walks on. "It's not my fault that you racked up a reputation and then clinched it all by burning down your orphanage."

Breath caught in my throat, I almost stumble on the dirt clods. "What the hell! How did you know about that?"

Sakura shrugs. "I didn't think it was such a big deal. Your file says worse things about you. Then again, I'm not so sure that your file is all that accurate..."

I sigh. "I'm not even going to ask how you got a hold of my file. I think the bigger question here is.." I turn to face her. "How the fuck do you have fans?"

"Well, for one, I'm beautiful!" Sakura squeals before holding up two fingers. "And second, my gang used to be a sort of Robin Hood thing. We stole a lot of stuff from rich people and then gave it to the poor. Riiight, Ino?"

"Whatever, Sakura-pig. I have fans too and I didn't go around bragging about my wealth. I got it purely from my beauty. Ha, take that!"

"W-well, I bet Sasuke-kun cares about beauty and charity!"

"You don't have any beauty, pig nose."

I interrupt them with a frown. "Have either of you even talked to the bastard?"

Ino and Sakura stop dead in their tracks.

"Of course we have! He talks to me all the time. In the hallways, sometimes during class.."

"Don't listen to her, Naruto." Sakura crosses her arms and tosses her hair. "He's never really talked to her. Even though Sasuke-kun is known for mingling with the orphans, he's really reserved. Of course, that makes him all the more hotter and sexier and more mysterious!"

I roll my eyes then tune out the mindless chatter about black-haired boys and their appeal. Every time I even thought about the teme, my blood boiled from anger and embarrassment. Of course I still wanted him, but..

Rubbing my eyes, I keep walking with the group. The villagers are starting to leave us alone which probably had something to do with the way Sai was eyeing them like a piece of meat. The shingles on the roofs are catching the light, reflecting heat even though the wind is chilly. I see parts of the past that I've forgotten. The quaint shops with their little souvenirs, the pieces of tin strewed on the floor, an abandoned game on someone's porch... At one point or another, Kyuubi had destroyed this casual piece of life with its fury, its tainted sins.

"Okay, we can stop here. Listen up, people."

Kurenai stands in front of us with Kakashi and Jiraiya behind her, casting disinterested glances at the village. Her bandaged arms wave at us to quiet down and her long hair flips in the wind.

"Every single one of these villagers play a part in the Event. It is your goal to talk to enough of them and obtain an answer. Think of it as a scavenger hunt, if you will."

Someone raises their hand. "What's the question?"

Jiraiya steps forward, eyes glinting with amusement. "It's not so much a question as it is a mystery, kid. For this Event, you have to find one thing and one thing only."

Kurenai nods. "Jiraiya's right. Don't expect an easy answer."

She pauses and in the silence, my heart stops. I already know what we're supposed to find, because it's the only thing that I've wanted for so, so long.

"The object of the game is to find the Mansion's secret."


SPLASH

"AND STAY OUT, YOU.. YOU HEATHENS!"

Sakura and I laugh at the sight of Sai gloomily wading out of the pond with koi fish wiggling out of his pockets. In the corner of my eyes, I see the fat cook slamming the door and shutting the blinds on his gleaming, glass window. His house had been enormous, practically a symbol of wealth on top of a hill, but that didn't stop the owner from being a complete dickface.

Sai wrings his hair and, scowling, hands us a wet piece of paper. "That's the third house on this street and we still have nothing."

I grin. "You know, Sai, if you hadn't insulted the cook by pointing out his triple chins and his eerie resemblance to an elephant, maybe he wouldn't have kicked you out."

"He knew who you were even before I opened my mouth."

Sakura nods thoughtfully. "Sai's right, Naruto. Most of the villagers stop talking to us as soon as they see you."

"Ne, should I sit this one out then?" I ask, scratching my head sheepishly.

Sai and Sakura exchange glances before shaking their heads and walking to the next house. "That wouldn't be the point of the Event, stupid."

I run up to them, grinning, and put an arm around both of their necks. "Awwww, you really love me, don't you?"

"Nope."

"Don't flatter yourself."

I ignore their replies, treasuring only the feeling of this team before me, the thing that remains in the midst of hostile glances and the painful memories.

We would win. It was inevitable.


"Sir, sir, would it be all right if we could ask you a few questions?"

"Sure, kids, what do you want to kno.. Wait a second. You. Blondie. come over here."

Reluctant shuffling. Silence.

"I-I know you! You're that Naruto kid. Why the hell are you here? Get out! All of you, get out!"

Sakura sighs then pulls out a map. "Okay, so, that didn't work out. No surprise there."

"What about that house over there? Looks right up Naruto's alley."

"Eh, what, RAMEN!"

We walk in. The doorbell jingles.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen! What can I get you kids today?"

My stomach growls. "Three steaming bowls of ramen, sir!"

"Hohoho, another fan of my cuisine, eh? All right then. Three bowls of ramen, coming right up!"

We sigh in relief and then take a seat.

Sakura whips out a notebook. "Sir, if you don't mind, could we ask a couple of questions?"

"Sure, why not?"

We sigh again. I duck my head, hoping, this time, we'll get some answers before the guy recognizes me.

"Thank you very much, sir. Now, these questions might be kind of weird, but they.. uhh.. don't pertain to us at all!"

The shop owner grins. "Whatever you say, young lady."

Sakura nods, determination lining her face. "Question one! What do you know about the Uchiha Mansion?"

Almost immediately, a dark look comes over the owner's face. "I don't know why you'd want to know such a thing. That Mansion is the black sheep in Konoha. It started gaining some press coverage around three years ago by that boy.. What was his name again?"

My mouth moves on its own. "Uchiha Sasuke."

The guy takes a second look at me before going on, uneasily. "That's right. I don't know nothing about the Mansion's owners before Sasuke, but all I know is that he's the one who made it famous. He took on strange people... I mean, that's what people of his nature did for charity work. But this Sasuke.. He took in the people that no one wanted. The unwanted kids."

Sai doesn't blink an eye. "Can you describe these people?"

"You know. The ones with the freakish diseases. There was something that wasn't right about them. All kinds of strange, unexplained things." He frowns before snapping his fingers. "Now, there was one case I heard about this girl who was admitted to the Mansion. People say that she could do strange things with her hands. All she had to do was touch you and bam! You were stone cold dead on the floor."

Sai nods. "Anything else that you want to tell us about the Mansion?"

"Well, there is one thing, a rumor that I've heard." He leans in closer, sweat lining his jiggling chin. "Something about.. the Akatsuki."

It's like a bucket of cold water has splashed on me and I yelp. "The Akatsuki?!"

"Yes, the Akat..." He stops and I gulp when his gaze is locked onto my face. "Say, you look familiar, runt. What's your name again?"

"Uhh.."

"No, wait, I know you. Matter of fact, I think I know who all of you are. You people are all from the Mansion, aren't you?"

Dammit! So close... Biting my lips, I prepare to run out of the room. But before I can, I hear a crash and Sakura's pinned the shop owner to the wall. Sai and I stare with wide eyes at her bared lips, clenched fists, and frighteningly dull eyes.

It's not Sakura anymore. It's her other self. Another personality.

"What did you say?" She growls and her voice is tinged with madness, laced with something beastly.

"C-calm down, lady, it was just something I heard." The shop owner stutters. "Just that the Mansion has.. Has connection with the Akatsuki. It has nothing to do with you, with any of you.."

Before I can stop her, Sakura grabs a fistful of the owner's shirt and brings him in closer to her face. "That's where you're wrong, dipshit. The Akatsuki has EVERYTHING to do with me."

Dipshit? Since when had Sakura even learned the word dipshit? A little panicked, I motion Sai to follow me and we advance slowly, slowly on Sakura.

"Look, miss, I don't know who you are, but I will report you if you don't let go of me. I always knew you people from the Mansion were bad, but how bad.."

"You think this is bad?" Sakura says quietly and slowly. "What do you think bad is, sir? Do you think it's the men with the black, dark cloaks? Or maybe it's the voices in your head, telling you exactly what to do, what to say, what to feel. No, no, it's none of that. Because, you see, what's really bad, truly obscene, is watching the Akatsuki plant the seeds in your parent's head and doing absolutely nothing about it."

I'm about to grab Sakura and drag her away when her last words make me freeze. How was it that I could stand here, proclaiming to be her teammate, when I didn't know anything about this side of her and her past?

Sakura slowly lets go of the guy's shirt and he scrambles to his feet, rushing towards the phone. She seems drained of energy and it's only when I call her name that she turns around slowly.

"Let's go."


The rest of the day is a blur of doors opening and closing, disappointment, and, sometimes, gratefulness to the rare villagers who answer our questions without sneers or frowns. Sai and I had silently agreed to watch over Sakura, but we soon found it was unnecessary. She was back to her normal self, if not a little subdued.

"Last house for tonight!" Sakura chirps. "Hopefully, this family will actually tell us something important instead of mumbling about ghosts and beads."

Sai's eyes glaze over. "Who would have known that the old grandma had such a good sense of fashion?"

"She didn't, Sai. You're talking about her daughter. You know, the mom."

He shrugs. "They looked the same to me."

Sakura shakes her head. "And that's why we got kicked out of that last house." She flips through her notebook and sighs. "I don't think we're going to win this one, guys. All we have is a bunch of random information about Sasuke and the residents of the Mansion. Nothing about the Mansion and certainly nothing about the Mansion's secret."

"So you're saying this is our last chance?" I ask, gulping.

Sakura nods. "Like I said, don't be too disappointed if we don't get anything."

"But we have to win!"

"I know, Naruto." Sakura smiles at me. "We'll just try our best."

I nod then walk to the house which is gleaming with lights and filled with people inside. Goats and other animals are tied up to a post outside and there's even an old cart that looks a lot like a rickshaw. The dirt is everywhere, on top of the thatched roof, inside the floor, and swirling in the air. It looks like our last house is also the poorest.

Steeling my resolve, I knock on the door.

"More visitors? Why, come in, come in."

I open the door, only to be greeted by Shikamaru and Chouji. They look grim, which confirms my suspicions that they haven't solved the riddle of the Third Event either. Sakura, seeing Shikamaru and Chouji, goes inside the house to look for Ino while Sai takes a seat inside the house.

Shikamaru and I stare at each other before he speaks. "Is this your last house too?"

I nod. "Did your team get anything?"

"Tch, no. The villagers were troublesome." He looks thoughtfully at me. "But I suspect that your Team had a more difficult time, right?"

I scratch my head. "Yeah, but it doesn't matter. Say, Shikamaru.. What do you know about the Akatsuki?"

Shikamaru looks surprised. "The usual. They've been plaguing Konoha for a while and there are rumors that Uchiha Sasuke has relations with someone in the gang."

Starting to feel a pressure squeezing itself into my body, I shake my head. "No, I mean, what do you know about them? Do you have any connections with them?"

All of a sudden, Shikamaru turns away, voice hardening. "No, I don't."

He's lying. But there's nothing I can do about it, so I shake off the growing shadows around my thoughts. Is there something I'm missing? Something that's crucial to everything about the Mansion?

"Naruto!"

Jolted, I make my way toward Sakura who's fidgeting, looking uncomfortable in a ratty wooden chair. She's sitting next to Ino and Sai, who are both focusing their attention on a frail, old man in the middle of the small room. He's surrounded by small children, who are ignoring us and watching the old man with wide eyes.

"Sir?" This time, it's Sai who has the notebook, which is strange since I've never seen him take notes. "Could you answer a few questions for us?"

The old man nods and stares straight at me, allowing me to see the white irises, the blank face. I feel a tingle down my spine and it's then that I notice the way the little kids are getting things for him and the cane by his side.

He's blind.

"Questions? What kind of questions? I don't want to. I want Yoshi! Where is Yoshi, that little rascal?"

One of the little kids pipes up. "Ojii-chan, I thought Yoshi died when you were young."

The old man seems to deflate and he sighs wearily. "I don't know what you're talking about. Yoshi was the best dog in the world. Why, he'll live longer than I will."

For a second, I catch a brief glimpse of Ino and Shikamaru exchanging a wordless glance. There's something going on, I can feel it.

Shikamaru stands up casually and his voice is respectful. "Ojii-sama, I beg you to take leave of your uncomfortable chair and sit where my friend is sitting. We only want some words of wisdom about a certain institution that you may know of."

The grandpa sighs as Shikamaru takes his hand and leads him to Ino's chair which really does look more comfortable. Ino starts chattering softly with him while the little kids start chanting a song. But my attention is more on Shikamaru, who's staring intently at the old man, almost like he's examining him..

Strange. My head pounds with the realization that I'm missing something. But what?

"Back in my day.." The old man stops to catch his breath before going on. "Yoshi and I would play with the kids from next door. Oh, we had such fun times then. I think Yoshi was my only true friend. Mind you, don't go telling my wife that."

Ino looks around the room, but there is no wife and there is no dog. I can tell how sensitive she's trying to be as she looks toward Shikamaru for help.

Shikamaru clears his throat, never taking his eyes off the old man. "Ojii-sama... Not too long ago, while you were walking past the beads shop, did you and Yoshi hear something about the Mansion"

The old man's face gnarls into surprise. "Why, how did you know that, young man?"

How, indeed? We all stare at Shikamaru as he shrugs. I rack my brains, trying to remember things about Shikamaru, but nothing comes to mind. It was like Shikamaru had drawn that information out of thin air..

"Well, you're right. Yoshi and I were just strolling through the village when we saw these two cloaked men, whispering secrets. Now I've always been a sort of adventurer.." The grandpa starts chuckling. "So we eavesdropped on their conversation."

"And? What did they say?"

The grandpa starts coughing and it's a while before he stops. The room is silent, save for the sounds of Sai's pen on paper. Shikamaru still has the intense look in his eyes and it's like he's perusing through the old man's thoughts, his every memory.

"I.. I can't remember. This chair is too hard. I can't think in this chair." The old man shakes his head, slowly gets up, and points at me. "Move over, young man. I'll be taking that seat, thank you."

I quickly move out of the way and take the seat that the old man had. Shikamaru's face is slightly disappointed, but he shrugs and starts talking to some of the little kids.

Sighing, I fidget in my seat. How had Shikamaru known that little tidbit about the old grandpa? Was there a reason that he had asked the old man to move over here? Shifting, I inspect the chair. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Would it help if Yoshi were here?" Sai suddenly asks, looking up from his doodling.

The old man smiles. "Ahh.. Yoshi. Didn't I tell you? He's long gone, gone in a better place."

Sai's voice is urgent. "But if you had a dog besides you.. Could you.. Would you be able to remember what the two cloaked men said?"

"Why.. I believe so.."

In disbelief, we watch as Sai walks out of the room, notepad in hand. Sakura has the same face of confusion as I do, which means that none of us have a clue what our teammate is going to do.

Ino leans toward me and whispers, "I heard that in order to win, someone needs to tell the answer to one of the faculty by nine o'clock."

I can't think, because there are too many questions and answers lurking in my mind. Shikamaru.. Sakura.. They were related because of the Mansion, yes, but there was something else. Something that connected everyone, the common thread.

"Where can we find the faculty?"

Ino raises an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you already found the answer! Honestly, this old man hasn't said anything. Although, I do feel bad for him..." She pauses before answering, "You can find the faculty at the same place that we met in. I think it's only a five minute walk from here."

My head hurts. "Ino, can I ask you something?"

Ino shrugs. "Sure, why not?"

"Can you read minds?"

She bristles. "Yes. Not that it's any of your business."

"Just one more question.." I look at her straight in the eye. "How?"

"How?" Ino frowns. "I don't know.. It was just so long ago.."

I shake my head, feeling the time tick away, so quickly. "Is it genetic? Can your parents read minds?"

Her eyes narrow. "My parents did nothing for me. If they could read minds, I never knew about it."

I rack my mind, trying to find a connection, any connection. "What about your nanny? Could she read minds?"

"No, she couldn't. But when I told her I could, she.. She wasn't surprised. It was almost like she knew that my headaches were a result of my new.. ability." Ino hesitates. "Now that I think about it, my headaches started ever since she started feeding me this soup. I mean, she told me that the soup was specially delivered for me."

I can almost feel the thread, can almost touch it. "Did you ever see the people who gave the soup to your nanny? What did they look like?"

She stops to think and the silence is maddening. I know what she's going to say, I know, I know..

"They.. Dropped by sometimes. They had some kind of long jacket on? A cloak of some sort..."

That's when Sai comes in with a dog. My world is blurring, making it hard to see, hard to hear anything except for the grandpa's sigh of content when his wizened hand touches the dog.

"That's right. I think I remember now. Yoshi and I.. When we walked by them, the two men were talking about the Uchiha Mansion and their plans for world domination. Crazy kooks, I thought. But what did I know? Oh, this dog reminds me so much of the good old days."

I can't breathe. I abruptly stand up, almost knocking over the chair, and the light hits me in the face. The chair had been in the shadows, cloaking my every move.

Shadows. Shikamaru.

I only need one more thing. One more confirmation. Just before I stagger out the door, I lean towards Sai and catch a glimpse of the drawing on his notebook. A dog. The exact same one that Sai had brought to the house.

Mind whirling, secrets twirling, I run out of the house, ignoring Sakura's cries and the old grandpa's mumbles.

I knew it now.

I knew the Mansion's secret.


Running, I'm retracing the steps in my head.

Sakura and her ties to the Akatsuki. Shikamaru and his powers, his freakish powers, the ones that the ramen store owner had warned us about. And then there was Ino and her own power to read minds. I knew what she didn't.

I knew who was to blame for her lonely past, her terrifying future.

Sai.. I didn't understand why Sai was in the Mansion. But if I took into account the fact that Sasuke had once accepted Kiba into the Mansion for no reason other than to heal me, then wasn't it possible that Sasuke had taken Sai into the Mansion for reasons that didn't help the Mansion's secret? It made sense.. It explained why Sasuke had been so hostile towards Sai. It explained why Sai was ostracized even in the Mansion.

And me? Shit. I was the biggest part of the mystery.

I had Kyuubi.

I run all the way to the heart of the village and I see a lone person, standing, staring at the moon. I keep running, heart almost bursting, until I can't tell whether it's Kakashi or Jiraiya or even Kurenai, waiting to hear the answer.

The Mansion's secret.

"I know!"

Sweat pouring down my hair, hands clasped to my chest, harsh breathing, twisted thoughts. "I know..! What the Mansion's secret is!"

"Do tell."

It's Sasuke. He's the final part of the mystery, the person behind the schemes.

"You made this Mansion because we're all connected to each other... Because the Akatsuki did something to each of us, something that made us all freaks. You want us to fight the Akatsuki, don't you?"

I look up and my breath is fading, the words so final and permanent.

"The Mansion's secret is the reason that it exists. "

Sasuke's voice is shock and silence, all rolled into one.

"That's.. That's right, Naruto."

He steps closer and his composure is back.

"You did it, Naruto. Your team won the Third Event."

I almost laugh, hysterically. "The Event? That doesn't even matter anymore. What matters is the fact that I'm a part of this, that I'm even supposed to play a part in this, and that's all you needed me for. I'm just a tool, another instrument to use and kill. In the end, you're just like the Akatsuki, just like every other fucker who's-"

Sasuke suddenly grabs me tightly and I'm warm and flustered and I don't think I'll ever be able to breathe...

"You're wrong, dobe, because I've figured it out. I know what I want now."

And before I can protest, he kisses me.


AN: o.o Seriously. Who saw this coming? And who didn't? I'm sure a lot of you have already figured out the main conspiracy behind the Mansion, but man. This was a bitch to write.

Okay. First things first. Sasuke and Naruto are both incredibly stubborn, determined little boys full of this great thing called a heart. Naruto is not passive. Sasuke is not passive. Then again, neither of them are the dominating seme. Yes, I did say this story was Sasunaru. But I only said this because in the beginning 1) Sasuke is the 'normal' one. 2) Naruto cannot make a move because he is afraid that Sasuke will kick his ass out of the Mansion and 3) I didn't have enough space in the wordcount summary box thing. So from here on out, from Chapter 27, let it be known that DA is officially sasunarusasu. Or narusasunaru. I have no idea how these things go. -fail-

Second, the dialogue which had a lot of 'Fact. Blahblahblah. Fact. Blahblahblah.' was a classic Dwight Shrute moment. Clearly, I am in love.

Third. I'm going to take a long, long nap.

Read. And review? My hands hurt. :(