Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure I don't own Naruto
Author's Notes: I know it is a little bit early to say this. Since this story takes place before and during the war, I will only show you bits and bits of it. What the heck am I even saying?! Never mind forget what I said. Let's just wait till that moment comes. This chap is a little bit longer than the previous one. I hope you don't mind. Oh and I will update this story on Saturday or Sunday. For the time being...
: - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - :
Chapter Two
: - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - :
In the eyes of the world, a little boy could be seen teasing his assigned table partner. A few of their classmates - and their teacher as well - were surprised by the spectacle. It was a rare sight indeed.
The girl stared at her crush as he was interacting with the girl he likes. She felt a tiny bit jealous of the pink haired girl. He never noticed her.
The little boy, Uchiha Sasuke propped his chin on his small fist. He was admiring how the girl beside him could blush a different shade of red in just a few minutes - give or take a few seconds. Normally he would not pay attention to any of the girls in the Academy or the village in that matter. They were too annoying. Even some of the grown ups would pinch his cheeks followed by the word 'cute'.
He was not cute. Cute are for girls only.
Sasuke was quite surprised that the little girl beside him did not bother to make a conversation with him unlike some other girls. She only greeted him politely in the morning. Nothing more, nothing less. He secretly thanked the teacher for not placing him next to one of his fangirls.
Under normal circumstances, he did not mind the silence but not today! As and observant child, he did not comprehend how the Hyuuga heiress admire him. Yes, he knew the girl by title. "What's so fascinating about the dobe anyway?" he blurted out one day.
The girl gave a startled gasp. "A-ano..."
"Wait," Sasuke said, choosing his worlds carefully. "Do you like him?"
"I-I don't l-like h-him!" she protested, blushing a darker shade of red.
"I see the way you look at him," he said plainly. He reached out to poke her cheek. He was curious! "It's warmer than I expected. Your cheeks look like tomatoes."
The poor girl had almost fainted at that point. "I am going to call you Tomato-chan," Sasuke declared, grinning.
Hyuuga Hinata smiled softly at the memory. Tomato-chan. It had been years since she heard him calling her that name. No matter how many times she told him her name, he refused to call her anything else other than Tomato-chan.
That was until his whole clan was murdered by his brother's own hand. She had been there with him at the funeral. He broke down crying, calling for his Okasan and Otousan, when she embraced him. Tears were streaming down her face as well.
Its better to grieve than keeping it bottled up in your heart.
The Hyuuga heiress had lost her mother once.
That was the last time he had shown vulnerability. The Sasuke she had known and love died that day. He was replied by a boy hungry for revenge. He called her by her name 'Hinata', not 'Tomato-chan'. Just Hinata.
She never knew how much she enjoyed him calling her by that nickname.
"Sasuke-kun is here in Konoha, Mikoto-san," Hinata whispered, clutching the red and white fan pendent resting on her chest. "He came back to us. He kept his promise."
She wiped the tears that were flowing down her face. I'm not weak anymore, she thought. Hinata placed the forget-me-not flowers and rest it against the headstone.
The Hyuuga turned around and froze. She saw him standing by the tree. The wind ruffling his hair, the seal peeking beneath his bangs and then she blinked twice. He was no longer there.
It must have been her imagination.
: - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - :
The last Uchiha did not waste his freedom. But then again, he wasn't really that free given the fact that ANBU was breathing down his neck, day and night. He even had his Mangekyo Sharingan sealed. He couldn't really blame them for being paranoid and did these things to him. If he was in their position he would be doing the exact same thing too.
Sasuke arrived in front of the Inuzuka Compound (1). It had been a long walk for him due to the Inuzuka Compound for being at the other side of the village. He even managed to steer away from the Konoha 11 - or 12, whatever.
The Inuzuka clan was known as the best tracker in Konoha. Their senses were sharper than an average ninken. They were always seen with their dog companion. It was not a surprise when their compound was littered with various sizes and types of dog. Sasuke wondered why Itachi and Shisui - more to Itachi actually - would associate with them. The Inuzuka clan were considered as a respectable clan but Sasuke had never actually seen any of his clansmen talked to any of the Inuzuka clan member - unless necessary.
Sasuke stopped in front of the Inuzuka main house. He had checked with the veterinarian section of the hospital. He was confident that she was at her home. He'd doubt that she would be anywhere else, not after the rumours of Sasuke killing Itachi spread around the village.
Unless she didn't listen to gossip.
He knocked on the door. It's too late to turn back now.
Black eyes widen as she caught the sight of him. "Sasuke..."
Sasuke turned his body to face the shell-shocked Inuzuka. A smirk plastered on his lips. Her canine companions, the Three Haimaru Brothers growled as they sense her anxiety. She had looked exactly like he remembered.
Her brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. Two brown lock framing her large, black eyes. The colour of her traditional fang-like tattoos on both her cheeks looked as vibrant as ever.
"You looked the same as ever," Sasuke greeted, "Hana-san (2)."
Inuzuka Hana regained her composure. "What do you want Sasuke?" she snapped, her companions had stopped growling but their posture was tensed. "An Uchiha doesn't normally visit an Inuzuka very often. In fact I think they don't even visit anyone."
"You could at least be pleased that Itachi's little brother took his time to visit you," he said. "And tell your dogs to calm down. I'm not going to attack you. I'm here to seek some answers."
Hana snapped her fingers and the triplets relaxed - slightly. She brushed pass him and slid the door open, removing her shoes. Her ninken trailed behind her and he followed. She gestured for him to take a seat and disappeared behind the kitchen, he was a guest and she have to treat him like one - even if she felt like punching him.
The jounin returned with a tray of green tea and placed it on the table, sitting down across him. "Now what do you want?" she asked bluntly.
He paused before replying. "I want to know the details of what happened before the Uchiha massacre. I know Itachi considered you as someone important to him. The very fact that you are still alive proves it. You must have known something."
"It's because of Itachi, isn't it?" her voice sounded softer when she mentioned his name. Sasuke's silence confirmed her accusation. She sighed quietly. "I don't know much. Not even Itachi told me his mission until Shisui hinted to me about it. It's not much but I think you should search for their journals. I know Shisui has one but I am not sure about Itachi."
Sasuke nodded and stood to leave. He had the information he required from her.
Hana didn't even walk him to the door because she was caught up in the past. Her grip on the cup tightens. He was so much alike and so different from Itachi. She could have sworn she saw Itachi in him.
: - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - :
The last Uchiha practically ransacked Shisui's home. He was frustrated. He couldn't find anything! "Damn it, Shisui!" he growled. "Where the hell did you keep your journals?"
He leaned against the wall, legs stretched out. He closed his eyes shut. Why does the Uchiha have to be so secretive among their brethren? He cursed his brother for ruining his life, making things much more complicated.
What does he expect from the clan prodigy?
Sasuke cracked his eyes open and stood up languidly. He made his way to the door and stopped when he heard a small creak. He took a step back and applied some pressure with his left foot on the loose floorboard. Dropping to his knees, he pulled out a kunai and wedges it open.
He placed the plank aside and peered into the small hole. In it was a book - journal decorated with the Uchiha emblem. Without a moment of hesitation, he took the book and rushed to his house. It took him a moment to realise there was someone else in the house. His sharingan was spinning as he glared at the silver haired jounin. "What do you want?"
The jounin raised his hand cheerfully. "Why to visit my cute student of course."
"Tch, I didn't know you were the kind of person. But then again," he retorted, "With someone your age, I don't think that anyone would want to associate with you."
Kakashi feign hurt. "Such cruel words."
Sasuke's eyes turned to the normal shade of black as he sat across Kakashi, still gripping the book in his hand. "I heard you visited Inuzuka Hana this morning."
"Don't you have other things to do?"
The silver haired man ignored him. "Naruto and Sakura are worried about you. I doubt that you've talk to anyone since the day you woke up - apart from Hokage-sama and Hana-san."
"I don't plan on staying long here in Konoha. As I have told the Hokage I am only here for information."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes but he didn't ask anymore questions. "If you need someone to talk to," he told him, "you know where to find us." With that he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Sasuke sighed and cracked the journal open. The people in Konoha were too nosey - at least some of them aren't. He flipped through the pages; skipping the part where Shisui mostly write about the fun things he did in the village. Basically what he did on a daily basis. But not once he mentioned what missions he did - probably keeping it as confidential as he can. His eyes caught something interesting: Shisui was starting to get open with his journal.
To the others, the Uchihas were considered as traitors. It leads up to Madara. Before I was even born. Every children in the Uchiha clan believed that we are great and honourable. I don't think that Itachi grew up believing that. He was just a child when the shinobi war happened. It was probably why Itachi was chosen.
I don't know what the counsel sees in him but every time I see him, I see the little naive boy dreaming for peace. Even if the Great Five Nations were to be in peace. One day, war will break out again. I have yet to find someone who could stop the war forever. All the previous heroes and heroines I know, they only manage to prevent the war from happening again. War is an endless cycle.
No one can stop it.
Not even the Uchihas.
Even the Uchihas were part of the founders, one of the powerful clans in Konoha. We can't stop it. Not even Fugaku-sama.
Otousan, Aniki (3), where are you when I need you most.
Sasuke would have continued reading if it weren't for someone knocking on the door. He placed the book on the table after marking the page and stood up. He slid the door open. Onyx black eyes met with pale lavender eyes.
Hinata.
Gathering courage, Hinata unclasp the necklace that she wore ever since Sasuke had given it to her before he left the village. Sasuke eyed the necklace as if she was giving him a poison. "I should return this to you," Hinata explained. "It was never mine in the first place."
"You don't stutter anymore," Sasuke mussed.
A tinge of pink stained her cheeks. "I-I-I... Just take it!" her voice raising an octave. She grabbed his wrist and placed the necklace on his open palm. She released the grip on his and bowed hastily before disappearing from his sight.
The Uchiha clenched the necklace. "Baka," he muttered under his breath. He didn't want it back because it was hers. What's the point in giving her the necklace if he wanted it back anyway?
: - : - : - : - : - : - : - : - :
(1) Let's just say that all the huge clans have a big compound alright? Cause I'm not sure if they have a huge compound.
(2) You do know her right? Sorry, I just had to add in ItaHana.
(3) Hana is actually a chuunin but I want her to be a jounin *smiles sheepishly*
(4) I'm making Kagami as his father and a friend of mine pointed out that Obito looks a tad bit like Shisui. So in this fanfic they are brothers.
Next time on Never Alone, Ever Again...
"This was the last place they've seen him."
"Teme! You came!"
"I am not avoiding you."
"C'mon, I'll treat you some dango."
"By the time we arrived, Itachi was gone. He's the only survivor; there was no sign of anyone else."