Next chapter ( and sorry for the delay). I was very preoccupied with uni-related matters and quite discouraged in general. However people kept reading this story and leaving reviews and it made me feel bad for not updating. If you see that the story takes some time to update don't hesitate to guilt-trip me into posting more.
When Sakura was finally released from hospital it was almost time for the final test. Summer had been replaced by fall and the lingering heat had abated leaving a clear atmosphere that made the sky take a light hue of blue. The trees were still green, only a few, lone leaves here and there had taken on their golden color. It was only a matter of weeks before the whole forests surrounding Konoha were tainted red and orange.
Kakashi had heard that fire country owed its name to the color its large forests took on during fall. The elemental nations had emerged at the same time as the hidden villages and the first five Daymos had taken reign at the same time as the Kages. However, the present outlines of the countries were shaped by the countries that existed before. At the time of the clan wars the borders changed constantly. A plethora of very small countries were making war to each other perpetually, allying themselves to the different clans. At that time fire country existed already albeit as a smaller version of itself. It stretched through the valley in which modern Konoha was built, the forest southern of it but stopped just before the beginnings of the wide plains that made up the south-western part of the present fire country. It was the home-ground of the Nara's and the Inuzuka's and not as some assumed of the Ushiha and the Senju. The former had lived in the northern part, along the eastern coast.
His father had told him that at that time the Hatake clan had dwelled farther in the west. The Inuzuka and the Hatake probably had common ancestors, the Inuzuka were the ones who had chosen to settle in the forests while the Hatake had remained nomads in the plains of the modern western Fire country, Rivers country and Wind country.
Fire-country had grown: it was only the third-biggest nation in term of physical size, but it held the biggest population and had the largest hidden-village. The capital city was even bigger than the hidden village and had accumulated riches from the prosper trade it maintained with neighboring countries. The prosperous higher class from the capital would make up most of the audience the day of the exam.
Before that however another cause for celebration was driving citizens of the capital to Konoha, especially traders and merchants of all kinds. The Founder festival was approaching, and it would be the occasion for all of Konoha to celebrate and amuse itself. While Sasuke had only scoffed about the frivolity of it Naruto was literally buzzing with excitement and Sakura had been kept in check all week by the medics thanks to the threat of not letting her out before the beginning of the festival.
Kakashi had already decided to spend the week huddled in his small apartment or maybe he would volunteer for guard duty. Few shinobi felt very dutiful these few days. Kakashi honestly didn't mind missing it. The noise and large amount of people made him antsy, the general good mood left him indifferent and he had never quite gotten why celebrating lifted everyone's spirit. All in all it held very little appeal for him.
Kakashi had insisted his genin train at least until the first day of the festival even though Sakura had almost been dragged away by the young Yamanaka to a "pre-festival shopping trip". It had sounded like something dangerous he would like to save his young charge from. Sakura's hair had been cut very short so that it looked even. The left side of her scalp was still red but slowly fine hairs were beginning to grow again. She had happily showed them off to Naruto who had shared her joy. Neither of the boys were acting any different around her and that, more than anything else, must be helping her.
They had gone over the basics again to all three of his genin's displeasure. They didn't quite seem to realize that reflexes would save their life way more often than high-class jutsus. Sakura's taijutsu skills were finally acceptable. She had learnt to jump away and duck when attacked, her genjutsu skills were coming along nicely and she was steadily becoming better when it came to the aim of her throws.
Sasuke was still the best of the three. His taijutsu was flawless in its execution and he was getting stronger. His chakra control was getting better and Kakashi had decided to teach him another katon jutsu.
The biggest changes though came from Naruto. The boy was challenging the Ushiha more and more to the dark-haired boy's displeasure. His taijutsu remained absolutely eclectic but he was picking up some moves Kakashi showed him. He seemed to favor a style with jumps and feints, remaining in motion perpetually. It worked in perfect synchronization with Sasuke's more offensive style made of quick, fluid movement, hits, darts and retreats. It was becoming quite entertaining to watch them.
Finally, the festival was launched the 2nd day of November, 83 years after the founding of Konoha. Kakashi had been called to a meeting about security and left his students with a last word of advice: "have fun but don' t create a mess I will have to take care of".
That left the three young shinobi alone to decide what to do. Sakura had to go home quickly lest she had to suffer her mother's anger.
Only the boys remained. Naruto made some kind of joke about how they were lucky no one could order them around, but the joke fell terribly flat. Both of them felt their loneliness way to deeply to laugh about these things. Sasuke was about to leave. He wanted to reach the Uchiha compound before the festivities really started. He hated them. Before it was the one time his parents accepted to do what he wanted and followed him from one stand to the other. The whole Uchiha compound forgot about its self-imposed isolation and mingled with the rest of the village. As a kid he would try all the shinobi games like the one with the tiny kunai or the one with the fake harpoons. He would often win and when he didn't Itachi would play and win the prize for him even though ninja were charged extra.
Now the festival only brought forth regret and pain.
He was about to turn away when Naruto gripped his elbow. He would have thrown some harsh words at the idiot when he met blue, uncertain eyes. There was a vulnerability in Naruto's stance and voice when he asked Sasuke if he wanted to go to the festival with him. That surely it was more fun when one didn't go alone. Sasuke should say no. A month or two ago he wouldn't have cared but it mattered to Naruto and even though he would never admit it Naruto mattered to him. There was a kinship between them. It had taken him a long time to realize because everyone had insisted they were so different. What could the dead-last and the prodigy, the loud-mouth and the somber kid have in common. But they both new the aching pain that came from going home to an empty apartment, from looking at families and friends with longing and still stubbornly advance on the lonely path they had chosen.
So, he accepted his offer.
He went only for Naruto and was wary at first of the colorful lights, upbeat music and carefree atmosphere but Naruto's awe and excitement chipped away at his reservation. He found himself rooting loudly for a wrestler in a small arena, people screaming everywhere. Later he found himself entranced by a strange animal half-octopus, half-cat, that supposedly came from Kiri. He laughed at Naruto's antics when he insisted that he needed to try a shooting game because the reward was a fake Hokage hat. He noted that the blond had absolutely no trouble in shooting down the quickly moving target. A few months ago, that would have been different.
They sat down at a stall and ate Takiyaki and strangely shaped rice cakes from the capital. A little later Sasuke spotted a mask vendor. When he was small his father had always forbidden him from buying one because they looked too much like anbu masks and that was something one didn't joke about. Itachi had always nodded gravely.
He approached quickly, excited and certain that he would buy one this time. He chose a black one with red markings and horns. "A fire demon", the vendor told him. When he looked back he saw that Naruto hadn't followed him. He was still on the other side of the street. When he looked up, he saw why. The vendor was looking at him with barely disguised hatred. Sasuke felt somewhat dumfounded. He knew some people didn't like Naruto and he knew now why, but was it really that blatant? He threw the man a withering look and threw all of his intent at him. The man was only a civilian, he paled, hissed and walked into the back of his stand.
He gestured at Narto to come closer and the other boy did so but hesitantly. He smiled an awkward smile at Sasuke but was quickly captivated by the masks. Sasuke chuckled when Naruto tried on a sad looking dog mask. The eyes were droopy, and the mouth was down turned. It clashed with the mirth dancing in Naruto' s eyes. He tried on a few others but Sasuke's eyes had landed on a fox mask painted a rusty orange color with red whisker marks. The thing was just flashy enough that he thought it would be perfect for Naruto. He stretched to take it down and handed it to Naruto.
Naruto didn't take it, he was looking around as if to make sure no one was watching.
"Euh, Sasuke it' s probably better if I don' t try this one."
It made Sasuke angry in a way to see Naruto act so different.
"Don' t you like it?"
"I do, it' s orange."
"Then take it. I thought you didn't give a shit about what other people thought."
"That' s true but I just better not do!"
Sasuke thought about that for a second
"You really like it?"
"Yes, I do."
Sasuke turned back to the vendor and in the most authoritative voice he could muster he announced:
"We will take this one."
The man didn't even turn from where he was scribbling something on a paper.
"Hey, old man. We want to buy this."
"I' m not selling this one."
"Really, even if we were willing to pay a lot for it."
"It' s too expensive for you."
"How much?"
"Too much."
"I said how much?"
"2000 ryo."
Sasuke growled. That was crazy. The thing wasn't worth more than 300 ryo maybe 400. 2000 that was almost enough to rent a small room for a month.
It was nothing of course compared to the amount of money, he, as the sole heir of the Uchiha clan possessed.
He dropped the coins and the billets onto the counter. The owner wasn't quite able to hide his surprise, with a last hateful glare in Naruto's direction and a growl at Sasuke he took the fox mask down from where it was hanging. Sasuke snatched it from his hand and walked away lazily. While still in earshot of the man he said loudly "my father used to tell me that some men would do anything for money, he must be one of them".
He didn't turn around to see how his jibe had been received.
It was almost time to go home they both realized but they still lingered in the streets that were slowly emptied from most children their age.
At a turn Naruto suddenly put on his mask, stole Sasuke's and climbed to the roofs. That was excuse enough to begin a game of chase.
They stopped breathlessly at a park near the Naka river. Naruto complained that he was thirsty. Sasuke hesitated a second but decided that he had already gone this far that evening, one more transgression of his vows of isolation wouldn't matter and told Naruto that they could drop by at his house that was close by.
He almost regretted it when Naruto laid his eyes on the deserted Uchiha compound. The boy was in awe and had a thousand questions that Sasuke had no interest in answering. But Naruto was perseverant if nothing else and he finally relented and quelled the blonde's curiosity.