The Lost Flower of the Hidden Leaf (WIP - On Hiatus)

Chapter Three; First encounters

Eight years ago, age four

Something weird was going on. All the adults were acting jittery. Sasuke really wanted to know what was going on, but as usual, he wasn't allowed to sit in during the meeting. Too young. Always that same excuse. Yet his older brother hadn't been allowed to join either, which was really strange. Itachi was six years older and a Chunin already. Father considered him the pride of the family — with good reason — and told him everything. His friend, Shisui, was inside, so why couldn't Itachi be as well? Then Sasuke realized someone else was missing. Fear gripped his little heart, and he pulled at his brother's shirt.

"B-Big brother, did, um... did something happen to Mother?"

"To Mother?" Itachi raised a brow. "No, of course not. Why would you think that, Sasuke?"

"S-She went to the hospital and isn't back yet. A-and everyone else is here and acting weird. I-Is it because of mother? Is she...?"

Sasuke's words faltered. Luckily, Itachi understood his concern immediately and put his hand on top of his little brother's head. It was different from the usual playful poke against Sasuke's forehead.

"Mother went to help someone," explained Itachi. "My squad found a girl at the border with the Land of Rain when we returned from our mission yesterday. She needed urgent medical help, so we brought her back with us. Mother knows some people from the Land of Rain, so she went to see if perhaps she knew the girl to get her back to her family."

"Oh, I see." Sasuke scrunched his nose a little in thought. "But then, why is everyone so jumpy?" 

"I don't know, little brother. I'm curious too."

They both looked at the closed door of the room where the heads of the clan had all gathered in. Sasuke heard some muttering, but nothing he could make sense of. It didn't look like anyone was coming out soon. They just kept talking and talking and talking...

"Hey, I have an idea," said Itachi suddenly. "Why don't we go as well? That girl is your age, and she's probably very scared. Maybe you can try talking to her? Mother will be so grateful for your help."

"Yeah, okay!" exclaimed Sasuke.

Itachi left a note for their father and then took his little brother on his back. Sasuke adored the piggy back rides with Itachi. He made everything so fun.

"Can you go by the Academy, please, big brother? I wanna see it again."

"Sure," said Itachi. "Hold on."

Sasuke grinned widely and hugged his brother from behind. When they arrived at the Academy after a few minutes, his eyes wandered greedily over the enormous building. He was going to start classes soon and was really looking forward to it. He'd already practiced with Itachi's shuriken, determined to become as good as him.

Suddenly, Sasuke heard a soft creaking and glanced at where the sound came from. Under a big tree, just across from the entrance to the Academy, was a boy on a swing. He had blond spikey hair, big blue eyes, and funny whisker-like markings on his face. Sasuke didn't know the boy personally, but he had seen him around the village — Naruto something. People didn't like him. He couldn't understand why. From the looks of him, he was just a regular kid. Maybe it was because he liked to play so many pranks.
Sasuke decided to wait until classes started to see if he could be friends with Naruto. If he was a troublemaker, then better not. But... he did look kind of lonely. Come to think of it, Sasuke had never seen Naruto with anyone. Not a brother, sister, mother, or father. Was he an orphan? If so, maybe he should just be his friend? Everyone needed a friend, especially when they were lonely.