Chapter 2

Reiji

So far, so good. Sasuke was able to get through a day by merely avoiding everyone. For as long as he steered clear of contact with any living thing, he would be safe from that wretched curse.

This would be the day he would triumph against fate, he just knew it… but the day wasn't over yet.

Classes had just finished and he was currently on the way to complete isolation… to his house. Only a few blocks more before he could declare victory over that dobe guardian. He would prove to that dobe just how easy he could outsmart the situation.

Sasuke continued strolling down a deserted street, when a series of footsteps alerted him of the surroundings. The familiar shuffling sparked the dormant temper in him. If these people were who he thought they were, heaven forbid, any trace of peace may evaporate from his body.

He paused in place and glanced over his shoulder. Those crazy fan girls stalked him again. Why did they always follow him around? Was it that difficult to leave him alone? Why couldn't they just live their own lives without menacing him?

With clenched fists, Sasuke turned around and faced his nightmare. A few feet away, three girls cowered in embarrassment and shook in fear. He tilted his head to the side in a display of superiority and glared at each of them with pure disgust.

"How many times do I have to get rid of you? I don't need you filthy beings around me. Engrave this into those useless little brains of yours: Leave me. The hell. Alone."

Their trembling didn't cease as the girls stepped backward, gaining some distance away from him.

"W-we're s-sorry, S-Sasuke-kun."

"Y-yeah… We'll l-leave you now."

"Sorry again… B-bye!"

Then they scurried off and rounded one corner without risking another look at him.

Hn.

A satisfied smirk etched onto Sasuke's features, before he turned around to resume the journey to safety.

He paused. Again.

The pavement was under his feet. Well, that should be pretty normal… but when did he have four feet?

Don't tell me… Holy crap.

He looked down. The expected black sneakers and slacks were replaced by black paws and fur. A series of colorful and inventive curses run out of Sasuke's thoughts. This was all because of those fan girls.

The clicks of a tongue made him look around for its source, and his gaze halted at a higher elevation. Right on top of the fence, beside the sidewalk, sat the ridiculous orange-covered guardian.

"Now, what did I tell you about being nice to others, Sasuke? Look at you!" Naruto grinned and adapted the tone of a mother to her baby. "Aren't you a cute little kitty…"

If Sasuke had an eyebrow, it would have twitched by now.

I get it. Now bring me back to normal.

"Nuh-uh. I could only turn you back into human form, IF I were the one who transformed you into a cat. In this case, the curse had been activated by your actions. So, sorry man, I couldn't interfere with it. You would have to wait 'til the effect wears off."

How long?

"Let's see…" Naruto tapped an index to his chin and peered up the sky. "For verbal assault… about seven hours."

Football-shaped irises narrowed into slits. Seven hours? Are you kidding?

"That's how it goes. It's the shortest time period actually. If you want, we could roam around the city for a while. You know, get to meet some other street cats and all, improve your social life…"

Sasuke started walking away.

"Hey! Where're you going?!"

Home.

Naruto sighed and shook his head. "This might be the toughest challenge up to date."

Her footsteps were the only sound at the street. This part of the walk home was always the most serene and most creepy at the same time. A vacant lot rested on the other side of the road, while a tall concrete fence was located next to the side walk she was at. Few vehicles also passed by this block, since this was only a minor road.

She wasn't complaining, but at 5:00 PM, Sakura found it a bit bothering to pass through this street all alone. Konoha wasn't a perfect city, which could have zero crime rate and a hundred percent sane people. As much as she wanted to trust everyone, it always paid to stay practical.

So, with all the intention of heading home as soon as possible, Sakura quickened her pace and focused on the sidewalk.

She didn't usually go home this late, and had always travelled straight home just after classes were over. It was a routine she had developed and never planned to break. Unfortunately, unpredictable circumstances arose, and one example would be the sudden Science club meeting they had a while ago.

Since she was one of the officers and didn't have any pre-scheduled appointments, Sakura had no excuse to miss the discussion of upcoming school activities.

The meeting had been fun, with all the creative ideas and active participation of the members. So fun that they had lost track of time and hadn't realized two hours had already passed. To others, it may not be much of a big deal, but to Sakura, it equated to everything.

She always planned her day and every task should be scheduled as much as possible. A single lapse of time, together with the activity that corresponded to it, could destroy her entire routine.

Maybe I could make a few adjustments, since tomorrow's Saturday.

Yes, she could still go to bed at the usual hour if she would transfer the 'homework time' tomorrow morning. She would have to allot more hours for it though, since almost every subject teacher had given weekend assignments.

I'll go over them later.

Sakura had passed the 'empty block,' as she termed it, and was now at another street, where houses filled either side of the road. Streetlights were already on, although the sun wasn't completely hidden yet. Music buzzed from one of the households, accompanied by the barks of a few stray dogs.

She turned another corner and was walking half-way down the street, when a familiar brown-haired teen came into view.

"Hey Sak! Goin' home a little late today, huh?"

"Hi Kiba! Yeah, we had a last minute meeting at school."

"I feel yah. That sucks."

"I guess." She shrugged. "Are you going somewhere? I mean, it's pretty late."

With one hand, Kiba scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm looking for Akamaru. My sister had gone grocery shopping this afternoon, and she was carrying loads of bags when she walked through our gates. She wasn't able to close it immediately, and Akamaru's off the leash. So… You get the picture."

Sakura nodded. "I see. Well, Akamaru's a smart dog. He could find his way home and could evade potential danger."

Kiba's gaze landed on the ground. "I hope so."

His sudden drop of mood was contagious, and before Sakura could stop herself, she was speaking once again.

"How about I help you find him?" Oh shoot. Nice thinking Sakura, veeery nice… Anyway, my schedule's ruined as it is.

She had been a witness to Kiba and Akamaru's friendship ever since the dog was just a puppy. They were so close that Akamaru could now be one of the Inuzuka's… a family. At the strength of their bond, Sakura could almost distinguish a pang of jealousy within her stomach.

Kiba grinned from ear to ear and started brushing his nape. "Nah… you don't have to… but if you insist… then I guess it's okay."

They proceeded to the previous street, where Sakura had just heard a few barks. Kiba searched along one side of the road, while she scanned the alleys along the other side.

At one particular alley, the loudest bark could be heard. So, Sakura made her way to the narrow path, squinting at the dim lighting provided by the setting sun.

Trash bins and old carts were scattered on the ground. As a consequence, the stench of garbage, and whatever rotten things in here, also loitered in the air. She covered a few meters deep into the alley, when she caught sight of a familiar white coat that stood out from the dim surroundings.

It was the Pyrenean Mastiff, barking at a knocked over trash bin. His head was ducked into the opening, but due to his broad shoulders, he couldn't squeeze himself in any further.

Sakura turned behind. "Hey Kiba! I found Akamaru!"

Then she whirled back around for the dog and walked near him, while also calling out for his name. Akamaru finally backed away from the bin and turned to her. Since the dog's stance made room for an advantage, she grabbed a hold of his collar to secure him in place.

"I got you. Come on, boy. Kiba's been looking all over for you." Sakura tried to pull him away, but the dog, with a withers as high as her waist, wouldn't budge. Instead, he started another round of barking, all directed at the trash bin.

Curious, she crouched beside the dog and peered inside the large can.

Gold.

That was the first thing she made out against the dark. A striking set of gold eyes stared back at her. It was a cat.

Sakura moved forward and blocked Akamaru's view. Still facing the dog, she raised an index in a commanding gesture and looked at him in the eyes.

"Stay there, Akamaru. Stay… Now sit."

The Mastiff gave a low whining sound, before complying with her instructions. After ensuring that the dog wouldn't make any more violent reactions, Sakura peered into the cylinder once again.

"Here, kitty, kitty."

Golden eyes blinked at her.

"Come on… I won't hurt you."

With a gentle move, she reached out a hand inside the bin. The cat growled in warning, but Sakura continued stretching the hand towards it. Just as the tips of her fingers came in contact with fur, a sharp sting also ran down her arm.

"Ow!" Sakura drew back, in time with Akamaru's barks. Four lines of red marked her forearm, and she chose to ignore the pain at the moment. "Shh… Quiet down Akamaru. You'll scare her."

"Akamaru!" Kiba ran towards them, ruffled the dog's coat, and held onto its collar. "Thanks Sak! I owe you one. What's happening here?"

"Akamaru seems to have cornered a cat inside this bin. I just want to check if she's okay."

Kiba nodded. "Go ahead. I'll keep Akamaru right here."

With a great deal of courage, Sakura resumed calling the cat over. After a few minutes, it finally stepped forward.

"That's it. No one's going to harm you now." She urged on.

The black cat moved further into the dim light, enough to notice its limp front leg. Careful not to scare the cat like earlier, Sakura slowly stroked its back and informed that she would carry it in her arms before she actually did so. She stood up and walked over to Kiba with the cat against her stomach.

"I think she's injured. I'll bring her home first and try to heal her leg."

Kiba smiled. "That's kinda nice of you. Sorry for the trouble. I don't know what got into Akamaru, he's usually kind to cats. There's just one thing that got my attention, though."

"What's that?"

Without warning, Kiba raised one of the cat's hind legs, which earned another growl from the feline, and then let go almost immediately.

"Yup! This fella's a guy."

Beige-colored walls enclosed the bedroom he was dragged into. Below him, a soft pillow cushioned the hardwood surface of the study desk. To his left, a wooden bookshelf stood, in line with this table. Through the left wall, one casement window was located. To his right, the entry door of the room. Against the right wall, flushed sliding doors, which – he guessed – were the doors to a closet. And before him, a twin-sized bed with green sheets lay in between night stands.

He observed every corner of the room, but Sasuke just couldn't distract himself from a specific blonde's laughter.

"I like – haha! – I like that Kiba! He's a wise kid, you know. He double-checks information!" Naruto burst out into another fit of laughter, clutching onto his stomach and feeling at home as he sat on the bed, back against the headboard.

Sasuke could only glare at the guardian, waiting for a miraculous flame that would be a nice touch to that blonde head of his.

Damned that Kiba… And his dog.

That Akamaru had always been a pain. It hated him from the start, and he couldn't blame the dog for it. Sasuke had been a curious little boy, who wondered if a puppy's thick fur could protect it from boiling hot water. The experiment had been easy, since the Inuzuka's were only next door. From that time onwards, the dog had always barked at the sight of him, showing how much it loathed him.

Hn. The feeling is mutual.

Although he wasn't in his human self, the dog appeared to still have recognized him. He had been walking along the sidewalk in silence, taking the last few steps to his house, when that thing suddenly ran out of the adjacent gates and chased after him. He had to give that animal some credit, it possessed strong senses.

"You bet! Every animal does!" The dobe blurted out.

Keep out of my thoughts!

"If you just quit whining, then your thoughts wouldn't be so noticeable! Just be grateful that Sakura-chan saved you!"

Hn. So, you fancy that girl now?

"And why not?! She's nice! I like her! She's kind to animals, even if a certain someone didn't deserve that kindness."

I didn't ask for her help.

Sasuke glanced at his right arm – or right front leg – which was wrapped with a bandage. As soon as Sakura had reached their house, she had given him a bath and had taken care of his injury. If he hadn't been covered with dirt, he wouldn't have allowed her to touch him like that. Just the thought of someone giving him a bath sent goose bumps to his skin. In a horrid way.

Naruto crossed his arms over the chest. "Then why did you walk out of that bin and let her carry you?!"

Because she won't shut up. She's annoying.

"Hey! Don't call her that!"

Keep shouting like that, so someone can hear you.

Naruto shook his head and tried to show every single tooth he owned. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Sasuke, but that's not gonna happen! See, I'm invisible to humans, and they can't hear me either. Unless of course, I choose to show myself to them. Just how cool is that?!"

Golden eyes rolled up the ceiling and back at the…

Dobe. Then Sasuke eyed the glass window. I have to get out of here.

"Why the rush? You're practically neighbors, with only Kiba's house in between. 'Sides, can you jump off the second floor? Your leg could give out completely."

Just then, the door swung open and in came the pink-haired girl, holding two small bowls. With a smile, she sat on the chair before him and put down the bowls at his feet, one bowl contained rice cake and the other was half-filled with water.

At the sight of food, Sasuke became aware of his empty stomach. In an instant, he jumped at the rice cake and didn't care how he might look like in a different eating mechanics – by using the mouth alone.

Useless paws.

Sakura chuckled. "Sorry, we don't have any cat food. I guess that would have to do for now."

In no way would I eat some beast food.

Sakura slid open the desk drawer and picked up one object therein. Too consumed on the food, the cat didn't bother to know what it was. A few seconds passed, when a hiss caught Sasuke's curiosity, so he glanced at her for a second.

Sakura was holding a cotton ball in one hand, dabbing it onto the red scratches along her forearm. A strange stir happened in Sasuke's gut, so he focused back at the food to fulfill this 'hunger'.

Suddenly against the closet doors, the guardian spoke. "You see what you did to Sakura-chan, teme? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Hn. That would teach her to keep her hands off me.

Naruto sighed, exasperated. "Unbelievable. You're unbelievable!"

After Sakura finished with her task, she brought her attention back at Sasuke, whose bowl of rice cake was almost empty. He was still concentrated in eating, when a tap on his head distracted him. On instinct, Sasuke glared at the girl and gave a low growl, which caused Sakura to pull her arm back.

Her lips pulled down at the corners. "You're not so fond of touching, are you?"

You get that just now?

"Teme! Watch your tone!"

She can't hear me. Dobe.

Sakura spoke again. "You seem pretty well-groomed, you know. Well, despite the fact that I bathed you… because unlike other street cats, you don't have any parasites. So, you probably have an owner. You're not wearing a collar though. That's weird…"

And so is your tendency to talk to cats.

"…Maybe you lost it somewhere." She sighed. "Since I don't know what to call you, I'll give you a name for now. I'll name you… Reiji!"

Very original.

"It fits, teme!" The guardian grinned.

Shut up.

Naruto tapped an index to his chin and peered up the ceiling. "Come to think of it, humans tend to name animals after their fur color. And yours is the color of midnight… of reiji. I think it's a great association! Sakura-chan's so smart!"

Smart my ass.

Sasuke finished eating and sat back at the cushion, while Sakura put the empty bowls to the side. She rested her elbows on the desk and added her chin on the pile of forearms, before locking her gaze with his, green eyes calculating.

"You can stay here until your leg gets better. Then, we can find your owner. If, by chance, no one claims you, then I guess I could keep you here with me." Eyelids squeezed the greens and accented her smile. "I've always wanted a pet."

One. Two. Three seconds of silence.

You have got to be kidding me.

Then Naruto's laughter filled the room. Invisible sound waves jumped off the four walls and maneuvered straight to a pair of cat ears. Because fate had to be so cruel and plain unfair, no one else around could have the pleasure of despising the horrific loud noise, no one else but "Reiji".

A/N:

I'm not sure what breed Akamaru is, but he looks like a Pyrenean Mastiff to me. I discovered that breed from my friend Google, by the way... wouldn't want to take all the credit.