Scent
He froze, turning to where the shout had echoed through the trees.
"Naruto!" He called out once again.
"Sasuke kun!" Hinata's thin voice wavered down the path. Kiba followed just behind her.
"Naruto!" He shouted, ignoring them.
"Have you gone crazy, Uchiha? Why are you-"
"SASUKE!"
"He's that way!" Hinata pointed through the trees, byakugan activated. Sasuke grabbed her by her arm, tearing through the foliage. Kiba cursed and followed them into the brush.
"Straight ahead!" The girl cried out. Sasuke half dragged, half carried her, aware that he was going too fast for the shorter shinobi to run.
"Sasu-"
Sasuke burst through the trees, nearly smacking into the blond. Hinata dropped to the ground.
He grabbed the shorter boy by the arms, grasping his elbows so he pulled him to face him fully. His gaze traced over Naruto's face almost hungrily. Blue eyes wide and mouth agape.
"You-" Naruto started to speak.
"You're alive." Sasuke bit out, his voice broke and he shook his arms slightly. "Why didn't you answer?"
"What do you-"
"The mirror!"
"I though yours was- you fixed it?!"
Sasuke nodded. The other boy's eyes welled up.
"I lost it."
"What!?"
"I don't know what happened to it. It was there and then it was gone."
"Where?"
"On the bedside table. When I woke up it was gone."
Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes, dropping forward so their foreheads touched.
"You lose everything." He muttered.
Naruto's breath caught and he froze in his grasp. Sasuke breathed in deeply. The warmth running through him went deep to the core. His skin felt hot where they touched.
"There was something I needed to-" Naruto started. His voice sounded off. Low and hoarse, almost dazed. Sasuke tightened his grip on his forearms, pulling him closer so their cheeks brushed. Wanting more and more of this feeling, this high that he got just from touching him.
"Na-Naruto kun." Hinata spoke up. Sasuke started. He'd forgotten his teammates were there. He broke away awkwardly, turning so he could see their faces. Kiba's eyes were wide as he took in their odd half embrace.
"Where have y-you been?" The girl's cheeks were red. She avoided Sasuke's eye.
"Training. Away from the village." He said. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I..um.."
He straightened suddenly, turning back to face Sasuke with wide eyes.
"Stay away from Orochimaru." He reached out to grab Sasuke's wrist, reconnecting them. "He's trying to kill you."
"How do you know about that?"
"I overheard Jiraiya-"
Sasuke froze.
"What did you say?"
"Stay away from Orochimaru?"
"No, Jiraiya. You said-"
A crash, and Naruto's hand was ripped from his.
"Let me down!"
The boy kicked wildly in a strangers grasp, slung over his shoulder like a sack. The man shifted so he was more secure. Two bold red stripes adorned his cheeks. His long hair was white and wild.
"Sorry kids." He shot Sasuke an apologetic grin. "We really have places to be."
"Let him go!" Sasuke brandished a kunai.
Jiraiya winced as one of Naruto's blows caught him in the ear.
"Can't do that I'm afraid."
"You're Jiraiya!" Sasuke's heart was pounding in his head. Blood rushed to every limb and his lips peeled back from his teeth in a snarl.
The man nodded, face puzzled.
"You killed my brother!" His senses were heightened with the adrenaline. Every detail on the man's old face stood out to him in sharp relief.
He launched a kunai, followed with a quick kick. The man dodged both, catching Sasuke's leg in one hand. He twisted in his grasp and threw a shuriken at his neck. The man deflected it, freeing Sasuke's leg.
"Woah now, I think you have the wrong idea here."
Kiba's punch came from the right, Hinata from the left. Jiraiya jumped above both, landing on a tree branch.
"Naruto, he killed Itachi. Fight!"
Jiraiya tightened his grasp on the captive boy. He stared down at Sasuke with bemusement.
"Kakashi, control your students."
Sasuke felt his arm twisted back behind him as Kakashi appeared. He roared in frustration.
"Let me GO!" Naruto kicked wildly at the air. "Sasuke!"
"You're working with him?" Sasuke hissed at Kakashi.
"Kakashi, let's meet in a bit. Same place. You'll take care of this?"
"No problem."
"What does that mean?" Naruto shouted, writhing.
Kiba grabbed Hinata's hand, pulling her away at a run. They took off down the clearing. Sasuke felt the pressure on his arm increase. He looked up in time to catch one last glimpse of Naruto's horrified face as Jiraiya leapt away.
"I'll find you!" He screamed. "I swear I'll find you!"
Kakashi increased the pressure on his arm, forcing him lower towards the dirt.
"Sasuke, there's no need for the theatrics." Kakashi's voice was calm with the usual edge of amusement.
"Naruto is perfectly safe with Jiraiya."
"He killed my brother." He struggled, kicking up dirt and leaves from the ground.
"Why do you say that?" The jounin sounded honestly confused.
"My Father told me. They found a lead on Itachi's killer. It's him."
"Hmm." Kakashi turned Sasuke so he looked him in the eye.
"You've awakened your Sharingan." He remarked casually. "Congratulations. I'm afraid you won't remember it though, as I'm about to show you-"
He raised his headband to reveal a scarlet eye.
"Mine."
Sasuke's mind went dark.
"Why does he still think you're dead?" Naruto launched into a tirade as they reentered camp. Itachi was seated near a small campfire, eyes closed in thought.
"It is safer for him this way."
"So you're just letting him live with that. Do you have any idea how upset he was-"
"Naruto that's enough." Jiraiya sighed as he dumped the boy on the ground. He rubbed at his ear where the small shinobi had socked him.
"You've caused enough trouble for today."
"The Itachi I know wouldn't do this." Naruto ran to the Uchiha, standing over him in quivering indignation. "He wouldn't lie and keep him in the dark like this."
Itachi smiled almost bitterly.
"I'm glad he has a friend like you." The Uchiha stood, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But trust me, this is the best way."
"If you told him what your Dad did-"
"No."
Jiraiya sat heavily next to the fire, digging through his pack for food.
"Then bring him here. We can train together. That way he'll be safe from Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru?" Kakashi emerged from the tree line. His silver hair reflected in the moonlight.
Itachi nodded, turning from Naruto to face the approaching jounin.
"Did you take care of your kids?" Jiraiya scowled at him.
"They won't remember anything." He assured. "Itachi, shouldn't you be in Suna?"
"I came to talk to you about Sasuke."
"What about the jinchuuriki? Gaara."
"He is on his way to Konoha now." Itachi sighed. "The chunin exams are upon us."
Fugaku thrummed his fingertips along the desk surface, impatient. A jounin stood before him with his genin team, reporting on their latest C rank. He nodded along at the recount and dismissed them.
Orochimaru entered the room as they left, spurring a long, measured look from the departing shinobi. Asuma, he believed the man's name was. The door slid shut and Fugaku rose to stand and face his latest visitor.
"Your progress?" He asked. The pale man smiled widely.
"Coming along very well. I may be done within the next few weeks."
"Anything I can do to speed that up?"
"What's the rush, it's worthless without all the jinchuuriki at hand."
Fugaku looked away. The slitted eyes disturbed him. Far too similar to a snakes stare.
"We will be ready by the end of the exams."
Orochimaru raised a manicured brow.
"I take it you have a lead on the nine tails?"
"Your info concerning Itachi was very useful. We've tracked him to the boy. You were correct in your guess, he is with your old friend."
"Jiraiya?"
"They're not far now."
Kiba yawned widely as they entered the room, stretching.
"Your dog causes more trouble than he's worth." Sasuke grumbled.
They'd been hunting for the small animal through the woods for the better part of the last hour. The chase had taken a lot out of him, and he felt exhausted.
"Stuff it Uchiha." The Inuzuka muttered. He stripped into a bathrobe. "I'm hitting the spring."
Sasuke stayed behind. As tempting as the hot water was, he felt exhausted to the bone. He sat on the bed, yawning. One last attempt to reach Naruto, and then he'd call it a night. He reached into his pant pocket for the mirror, and felt his fingers brush against something paper. He pulled out a crumpled note. Another letter from Naruto.
The bed squeaked as he sat up bolt right. He didn't remember getting this one. Scrambling, he reached for the mirror, hopeful that this time he'd get an answer.
"Naruto!"
It remained frustratingly blank. The boy reflected in it had sad, tired eyes. His pale skin still slightly flushed from the run in the woods.
"Damnit." He hissed to himself. He placed the note on the bedside table, drawing off his shirt to slip into pajamas.
Who could have slipped the note to him? No one got close enough to do that. He laid his head on the pillow, arm crossed under him. For the slightest moment a familiar smell hit him. An image flashed through his mind. Naruto's face in the woods. His scent. He sat up, cold suddenly. What exactly had he been doing the last hour?
He knocked rapidly on Hinata's door. The small girl opened it a crack, white eyes puzzled and cautious at the intrusion.
"I need to talk to you." He said quietly. She nodded and opened the door.
The room was immaculate. The girl dressed in a pristine white nightgown. He looked away, uncomfortable at the state of her undress.
"What do you remember from the last few hours?" He asked hurriedly.
"W-we were chasing Akamaru. He got lost."
"Do you remember anything we said? Did we see anyone out there?"
She frowned, trying to remember.
"I'm sorry, for some reason I don't remember very well." She tilted her head to the side. "For some reason I feel like...we did see someone. Someone important."
His heart was thumping. He turned to leave.
He tossed a 'Thanks' over his shoulder, shutting the door quietly. The note clenched in his fist. He went out to the front and sat on the porch. The warm night air lifted his hair in a gentle breeze.
Naruto.
He leaned against the side railing, feeling his eyes grow heavy.
Are you out here somewhere?
"You almost have it now."
The blue ball of energy vibrated above his palm, whirling in a barely contained mass. He strained to control his chakra enough to hold it in place. With a sigh he released the energy so that it dissipated.
"I'm impressed that you've come this far in so short a time." Jiraiya smiled at him, ruffling his hair. "Not so bad are you, kid."
Naruto looked away. Hating how much the praise meant to him, how his heart warmed at the compliment.
The smile slipped from Jiraiya's face as he observed him. He coughed, clearing his throat.
"We'll be heading somewhere new today."
"Where?"
If it's near the hidden leaf, I'll make a break for it.
"Someplace you've never heard of." Jiraiya smiled widely at Naruto's puzzled expression. He formed several hand signs, slamming his palm onto the ground in front of them.
"Summoning Jutsu!" A seal spread out on the grass. A loud crack split the air, and where Jiraiya's palm had been sat a fat toad.
"What the!" Naruto backed away from it in shock, then leaned in closer to observe it. He raised a finger to poke at it.
"What are you staring at?" The toad barked. He jumped.
"What? Have you never seen a talking toad before?"
Naruto whipped his head around to Jiraiya, mouth hanging open. The sannin laughed, a deep belly laugh to filled the air. The frog turned its attention to its summoner.
"We need to get to Mt Myouboken." Jiraiya said. He pointed a thumb towards his student casually. "Him too."
"He doesn't have a contract."
"Let's draw him up one now then."
The frog gazed at the fox child with what could only be described as deep skepticism. Naruto regained some semblance of composure.
"Pervy sage, what the heck is going on?"
"I told you, we're going somewhere new." Jiraiya draped an arm round Naruto's shoulders. "You're going to love it."