dreadix Thank you for the review. The short chapters are more comfortable for me. And if I start writing long chapters it may take a while for me to update. Also as a reader I always want faster updates and the story to move forward. Therefore, I hope you enjoy the new update.

Rayga Thank you so much. After reading your review I smiled so wide that my brother sitting in front of me asked what happened and I did not tell him cause writing this fic is supposed to be a secret from him. Anyway I hope you enjoy the new update.

A/N: I present my first ever attempt at writing. It is not canon compliant and will be AU since I will be manipulating the timeline as i wish. English is not my first language. Constructive criticism is welcomed but don't be rude. Also my minimum update frequency will by 1 chapter in 5 days. I am writing for fun and hope you enjoy as well.

I don't own Naruto and never will.

"Emphsis"

characters thinking/a simple narration

AN IMPORTANT PART

"characters speaking"

If you have any confusion, feel free to ask.

Without further ado, let's continue. Enjoy.

Chapter 14: Interaction

Shisui perked up when he sensed movement near the cave entrance. He stayed hidden and tried to curl his chakra into a tighter ball. He wished he had unlocked his Sharingan because it would have helped him tracing any movement easily. He was staring intently when he found Orochimaru-sama himself in all his elegant glory stepping out of the cave (like Orochimaru's world had not just tilted on its axis when he heard about the future) and sighed a breath of relief when he realized that it was an ally and not a threat, looks like he was worried about nothing. He was about to come out of his hiding place when time stood still and he found himself staring at two pools of familiar dark blue (still filled with that longing but the blue is lighter than last time, is it because of the sun?) How had he missed noticing another person he didn't know. (maybe he was too relieved to spot Orochimaru-sama and thought if he was present, then everything's alright, after all the Sanin was a loyal leaf shinobi) With a start he realized that she was looking directly at him and- how is this possible? Is it because I made some sound? Or is she some natural-born sensor? Even if she was a brilliant sensor there is no way a child can sense Shisui when he was masking his chakra with all his might.

As Naruto and Orochimaru were making their way out of the cave, with her emotion sensing ability, she could sense Orochimaru's ball of frustration (she is not giving him answers), nervousness (due to Kurama), fascination (due to her power), shock and excitement (time-travel most probably, she doesn't want to think about what got Orochimaru excited), curiosity (most probably about her and her powers), with a touch of malicious intent (of course he wouldn't be Orochimaru without it), all that wrapped in disbelief (she is ignoring all of it). There was a new emotion, "trepidation" if she has to name it coming just from outside the cave. (oh someone must have sensed them and was waiting for them to step outside, but they are a bit scared. That means someone who has little experience or is not strong enough to engage while having the brains to do judge correctly.) As they exit the cave she uses Orochimaru as a shield to hide herself from the view of whoever was giving off that emotion to prepare for a surprise attack. What she did not expect was the huge amount of relief she sensed coming from the same person and swings her head to look in that direction because what the hell? Who can be relieved to see Orochimaru of all people- unless they are his minions whom he had brainwashed (white hair, pale skin, and bones flash in her mind) and was met with Sasuke's eyes looking at her intently. Her mind immediately quietened and her racing heart was the only thing that she could hear for that moment. (she wanted time to stop, because that was her brother in every lifetime, the yin to her yang, she could prey and beg and die a thousand times for those eyes to keep looking at her, for her-)

"Uzumaki?" and just like that the spell was broken. Her eyes widened at the same time as Sasuke's (No!) and her throat closed up when she realized those eyes (not Sasuke's, can never be her Sasuke's because he can no longer look for her-) didn't hold the same love and fondness for her, they were full of naiveté, and curiosity and untouched by the hands of war. She also realized that Bastard Orochimaru had called her by her real surname and it was heard by those eyes as well.

Shisui hears Orochimaru-sama's call and both of their eyes widen at the same time. Before he can form any thought around that name-

"Destroyed in second shinobi war in a joint assault by Iwa, Kumo and Kiri due to their feared sealing prowess which was considered too powerful to let the Uzumakies live peacefully." He hears her report as if a student answering a question asked by her sensei.

Naruto makes a hand sign hidden from those eyes signaling "Nearby" to the so-called genius (she rolls her eyes inwardly).

"Uchiha?" Shisui sucks in a breath when he hears his surname. He was about to reply thinking he was being called out by Orochimaru-sama when-

"Known for their battle prowess and Sharingan. Members of the Konoha Police Force and one of the founders of the leaf." Naruto answers curtly.

Naruto can't decide whether to hit the bastard for following so smoothly with her unpredictable answer (as if her answer didn't throw him off one bit) or strangle him for even bringing the name "Uchiha" on his tongue.

"Hyuuga?" her head and heart aches when that name pops an image of hinata's soft smile and Neji's stiff posture. oh he is enjoying her plight. That sadistic bastard. She takes a shuddering breath and her eyes flash red when they met Orochimaru's and he gets the message not to cross the line

"Known for their gentle-fist and Byakugan which provides a 360 degree vision around them. The only clan who brands their own family like cattle in fear of dojutsu theft."

"Oh good, at least you have got your facts straight. But don't say that in front of the Hyuuga or they will eat you alive. Now look what I found, apparently a small child hiding in the bushes eavesdropping on his allies in an abandoned city on the outskirts of Konoha"

Shisui realized he was found out and he apparently looked like a spy to Orochimaru-sama. He urgently came out of the bushes and bowed low with his waist-

"I am sorry Orochimaru-sama-" cue Naruto's sour expression at the honorific "-I did not mean to eavesdrop, my name is Shisui Uchiha and I was doing some task allotted to me by Neko-baa-san when I saw animals converging on this cave entrance. I also sensed some chakra and people talking so I hid behind those bushes in case they were enemy and had to be reported to the Hokage. But I found soon that it was just you and Hina-chan" Here he looks at Naruto, and Orochimaru raises an eyebrow at the boy knowing her name and his choice of honorific.

Before Orochimaru can comment-

"Were you collecting the paw prints Shisui-kun?" Naruto asks, looking at Shisui with a small smile that he knows is not for him, because she looks at him and sees someone else, her eyes a little distant as if reminiscing of fond past and he still answers with an excited hum (because he likes to see people smile even if it is not directed at him).

"Yes! How do you know? Have you also collected them before? Do you want to collect them together with me?" Shisui rambles.

Naruto finds herself getting cold at the thought of her memory with team 7 being overwritten by this Uchiha child.

"NO!" she snaps coldly and Shisui flinches as if she dealt him a physical blow.

"Oh I…I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked. Anyway how do you know Orochimaru-sama?" He is a bit hurt at how coldly she brushed him off, but he has his own mask that puts a smile on his face and smoothly changes the topic.

Naruto senses his hurt and immediately regrets snapping at the cheerful Uchiha.

"A smiling Uchiha and one who even apologizes, the world is going to end oh sage!" Kurama mutters in her mind seeing her interaction with the other child.

"But the world has already ended Kurama!" She answers with a hollow smile in her mindscape.

"Oi, Oi, Oi it has not and will never end because we are here to stop it from ending ne?" He prods gently because he can see how much will power it is taking his host to just keep her head out of the ocean of grief, and not give up. He will not let her drown though. He will stay with her every step of the way and guide her along, and help her heal as he had always done since she was born.

"When did you start sounding like a sage Kurama?" Naruto asks pointedly and Kurama has to take a second to understand the jab Naruto sent his way and-

"YOU FILTHY LITTLE FLESH BAG, I WILL DEVOUR YOU, COME HE-" Naruto closed him off with a smile that is not so hollow anymore and focused on the outside world, only milliseconds had passed.

"I am sorry for snapping at you like that Shisui-kun." She apologized sincerely. "I am with Orochimaru-sensei because I am his newest apprentice." She says with a smile so sweet that if he didn't know better he would have thought it was dripping with venom, but who wouldn't want to be trained by one of the Sanin? So he let it slide and thought she was really happy. (Although his gut told him she was anything but)

"Woah!" He looks at Orochimaru and then her and then back at Orochimaru-

"Can you train me too?" Shisui asks because it is worth a shot as he has nothing to lose by asking and everything to gain if Orochimaru accepts.

Before Orochimaru can either accept or deny he was again cut off by Naruto.

"No" She said panicked with widened eyes because Orochimaru cannot have another Uchiha in his hands. She will never allow that to happen again.

Shisui this time feels the familiar feeling of his anger stirring up in him because he is also a child one that can only handle so much negative answers delivered coldly.

"That is not for you to decide" He snaps back at her.

She scoffs so he does have some Uchiha in him, she was beginning to doubt if he really was an Uchiha. (Well not really, he has the Uchiha looks down pat, and those curly hairs of his look even better now that she thinks about it, Damn Uchihas and their beauty)

"Well, Well, Well Kidsssssssssssssss" Orochimaru interrupts and the hair on the back of her neck stands at his voice and accent.

"Will you never stop talking like that?" She asks whirling around to look at him when she senses his amusement. And Shisui gapes because this girl who is smaller than him dared to point out Orochimaru-sama's speech pattern-

"You should know better, shouldn't you?" Orochimaru-sama replies with a smile that seems cryptic

-and got away with it. Holy Shit Hina-chan can talk back to Orochimaru of the Sanin and get away with it. Anger forgotten, he looks at Naruto in wonder and thinks about what she had to do to gain the Sanin's acknowledgement. The doubts about her being a threat to the village vanished in a puff of smoke (not that he had actually believed it) and now-

"Will you be my friend, Hina-chan?" he asked earnestly with an honest smile on his face and his hand extended towards her.

TBC

Signing out

Yuki Race