Fireworks

Chapter 7

Naruto wouldn't run away from the little Sasuke anymore. He stood firmly, looking straight into the younger's eyes that looked so empty, so lifeless. The little Sasuke walked straight up to him, craning his head up to continue the eye contact. The two of them stared blankly at each other for a while and Naruto wondered if he should make a move. Then the little Sasuke activated his Sharingan and instinctively, Naruto flinched.

"You, you killed him." Was all the little Sasuke uttered. Naruto blinked.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't kill anyone." Naruto said firmly.

"You killed him!" The little Sasuke screamed. Naruto almost fell backwards. It was the first time the little Sasuke had raised his voice. Usually the little Sasuke would just be excited or just plain creepy. Well...creepy in Naruto's opinion.

"I didn't." Naruto repeated, trying to glare at the little Sasuke. "I don't even know you."

The little Sasuke turned and walked out of the room. Naruto hurried after him, a little confused. Well, it was the first time he was actually listening to what the little Uchiha had to say. Except, he wasn't really saying anything. The little Sasuke walked into his room and stood next to the pile of scrolls in Naruto's room. Naruto's eyes widened in realization.

"The memory sealing jutsu?" Naruto asked. The little Sasuke nodded. "I see, so I just have to master this jutsu?" The little Sasuke frowned at him, looking frustrated. "Then what? I don't have to master it?" The little Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You're an idiot," he muttered before vanishing.

"Hey! Wait!" Naruto cried. "Where'd you go? Don't leave me! You didn't tell me anything! I didn't understand anything you tried to tell me!" Naruto snapped.

"Naruto? What happened?" Itachi's voice asked. The older Uchiha was standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost, his face sleepy. Naruto winced. Damn, he woke up the very person he was trying not to wake up.

"Sorry...just another one of my illusions. I'm going to sleep." Naruto said apologetically. Itachi nodded.

"If you need anything, just call." Itachi said before going back to his room. Naruto sighed. He climbed into bed. There was no use waiting around. The little Sasuke was gone and wasn't going to come back any time soon. He tried to sleep but what the little Sasuke told him was haunting him. If he unsealed his memories, would he really have killed someone important to Sasuke? Naruto prayed he hadn't. After spending fifteen minutes willing himself to sleep he fell into a restless dream.

-o-

"Neji? How many ninjas are up ahead?" Naruto asked.

"About fifteen of them. Their chakra levels suggest genin and a couple of chunin." Neji said, observing the distant ninjas with his byakugan. "They still haven't noticed our presences, but they're definitely lying in wait for us."

"We'll start with a quick sneak attack first. I'll use my ink snakes." Sai pulled out his scroll and started drawing his snakes faster than Naruto or Neji could comprehend.

"And if all is lost, we have Naruto's shadow clones." Neji finished off their plan of action.

"I was saying that we should use them in the first place." Naruto huffed.

"What do you think a sneak mission is, Naruto? We're supposed to sneak in and sneak back out with Lady Hiyori." Sai deadpanned. "Honestly, why does she always get kidnapped? This is the fifth time this year."

"Because she thinks it's fun to run around and play ninja with no proper training." Neji replied.

"Although her sword skills are pretty impressive. She had Sasuke on guard." Naruto chuckled. "But other than that, she's completely useless." They observed as Sai's snakes crawl on the ground towards the direction of the ninjas. "But why do they keep kidnapping her time after time without making any demands? They just wait for her to be retrieved. And why is it always a sneak attack? Why can't we attack them directly?" Naruto mumbled unhappily.