11-08-2006, 04:11 AM
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
-- Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)
The Narrow Gate
a Naruto alternate-universe
by Acyl
Chapter One: First Steps
It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. The first day of his new life as a ninja, the first step on the road to becoming Hokage...and now this.
Stuck in a room for hours and hours and hours, just because some stupid jounin couldn't be bothered to show.
Oh, sure, Sakura-chan was here...but so was Uchiha Sasuke. That meant Sakura-chan refused to even look at him. She just spent all her time mooning over the bastard. It just wasn't fair. Maybe Sasuke was using some kind of evil genjutsu technique to attract all the girls. Or something.
Why did they have to team him up with SASUKE, of all people? Yeah, Iruka-sensei had given that whole explanation about the teams being balanced...and Sasuke was the number one student or something while he was dead last, but...
It just wasn't fair.
Naruto sighed, slumping face-down on the desk. "This is BOOORIIING," he cried, drawing out the last word.
Sakura turned to glare at him. "Naruto," she growled, in a tone of strained patience, "I'm sure our sensei has a reason for being late."
"Teaching us is his JOB," Naruto whined, "what kind of lousy ninja just...just..."
"Jounin are important people," Sakura replied, "maybe something happened that needed our sensei's attention."
Privately, though, she wasn't so sure. A part of her actually agreed with Naruto, but she wasn't going to admit that. Especially not in front of Sasuke-kun.
"Aw, Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan, quit defending him," Naruto yelled, "we've been sitting here for HOURS!"
"Three hours, forty-eight minutes, and six seconds," came a bland voice.
Both Naruto and Sakura whirled at the sound - the first coherent sentence Uchiha Sasuke had said in all that time. The dark boy stared back at them, impassively.
"See, see," Naruto exclaimed, "even the bastard is sick of waiting!"
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered. However, he didn't deny the claim.
Sakura clenched her fists, struggling to keep her anger in check. She wanted to pound Naruto's face in. How dare he insult Sasuke-kun? But if she did that, Sasuke might think she was violent...like Ino. So Sakura had to be ladylike.
Besides, the orange idiot had a point.
* * *
Teaching wasn't a prestigious job...not in a Hidden Village.
Leading a genin team wasn't so bad, because that still involved field work. Genin were still ninja, just of low rank.
But an Academy Teacher trained children. Children too young to do anything useful, too weak to learn anything but the basics.
As a result, most Hidden Villages considered teachers to be...somehow less than their front-line counterparts. Academy posts were only given to second-rate ninja, or those retired due to age or injury.
The Third Hokage...felt differently.
Sarutobi knew how hard it was to teach. He knew how difficult it was to maintain the right balance of harshness and compassion. He knew, too, how important teachers were. He knew this because he was a teacher himself.
Long before he became Hokage, Sarutobi was known as 'The Professor'. Not because of his mastery of techniques, as many assumed. No, he originally earned the name for his successes as a teacher, an educator, an instructor.
He was the one who built the Leaf's Ninja Academy into its present form. Before him, there was little in the way of a cohesive curriculum. The old established clans largely trained their own children...and those not born into a large ninja family were left to fend for themselves with only minimal instruction.
Sarutobi changed that. He was a teacher.
And that was why he was listening to the man in front of him. Any other village leader would probably have crucified the young chuunin for insubordination. The Hokage, however, just sat and listened.
Sarutobi knew the Academy Teacher's concerns were valid, and that his words were motivated out of genuine concern for his student.
Besides, Umino Iruka had a point.
"Hokage-sama," Iruka argued, "I must insist---"
Sarutobi tilted his head, giving the chuunin a significant look. Iruka stopped, mollified...and stepped back from the Hokage's desk. He looked somewhat embarrassed. Apparently, he hadn't meant to invade his superior's personal space quite like that.
"I understand your fears," Sarutobi replied, "about the choice of jounin-sensei for Team Seven. And I agree. However, my hands are tied. He is the best possible choice."
Iruka scowled. "But Naruto..."
"Naruto-kun deserves a kind jounin-sensei, one who understands his situation. Unfortunately," Sarutobi sighed, "the Village Council doesn't see it that way. The Council's primary concern is keeping Naruto...contained. They want a jounin capable of handling him in case of any...incidents."
Iruka's expression hardened, his voice turning cold. "Someone who can kill him."
The Hokage winced, but met Iruka's stare. "Yes."
"That's ridiculous," Iruka objected, "Naruto's not a demon. He shouldn't be persecuted just because..."
"I know that," Sarutobi interrupted, "but they don't. And you...you used to think of him as a demon too, didn't you, Iruka-kun?"
Iruka averted his eyes. "That was...before I really knew him."
"Still, you understand the problem," Sarutobi continued, with a hint of weariness.
Iruka didn't answer.
After a pause, the Hokage spoke again. "It's not just a question of ability, or any experienced jounin would do. The Council also wants someone...reliable."
"Someone WILLING to kill him," Iruka hissed.
Sarutobi released a breath, shoulders slumping. "I wanted to assign Kakashi to Team Seven," he whispered.
In that instant, Iruka was struck by how old the Hokage really was. For a moment, Sarutobi looked his age, weak and frail. That troubled Iruka, but he pushed the thought aside.
Instead, he asked, "Kakashi?"
"Hatake Kakashi," Sarutobi explained, "he would have been good for Naruto."
The name was familiar to Iruka. Of course it was. Everyone knew Hatake Kakashi - the infamous Copy Ninja, disciple of the Fourth Hokage, and one of the most dangerous jounin of the Leaf.
Iruka frowned. "So...why can't he be Naruto's sensei?"
Sarutobi raised his head. "Because the Council believes he would be too sympathetic towards Naruto-kun...and too loyal to me."
"Too loyal?"
"I do not want Naruto dead, and Kakashi would never go against my wishes. But there are factions in the Council who want Naruto...that is..."
"That's treason," Iruka snarled.
"No," Sarutobi said wearily, "that's politics."
"So this," Iruka said, pointing to the printed list of team assignments, "this is their choice? Him?"
"Their choice," Sarutobi confirmed, "approved by the rest of the Council. But it isn't as bad as it sounds, Iruka-kun. I do trust him, myself. He's not the one I would have picked, but..."
"You...you trust him? But, but," Iruka protested, "he's Orochimaru's student!"
"He was Orochimaru's last apprentice, yes," Sarutobi said, shaking his head, "but he is not the same as Orochimaru. He is his own man, not a slave to his master. And while he might not be loyal to me, personally, he is a shinobi of the Leaf. He will not mistreat Naruto-kun."
Iruka sighed. "I hope you're right, Hokage-sama. I really do."
* * *
Naruto flailed his arms, trying desperately to keep his balance. He should have picked another chair to stand on. His current perch had a wobbly leg, which made things just a little difficult. But he'd only discovered that halfway through, after shifting his weight. The sudden swaying had nearly spelt disaster.
It would have ended very painfully for Naruto...if Sakura-chan hadn't caught him. Naruto thanked her profusely for the save, and offered to buy her ramen...but she brushed off his gratitude with an angry lecture on safety.
To be honest, Naruto felt he deserved it. But it still hurt to be scolded in front of Sasuke. He knew the bastard was laughing at him. Sasuke was all quiet and stuff, but Naruto was sure the bastard was laughing anyway. Sasuke was evil. The bastard wasn't even lifting a finger to help.
This was all Sasuke's fault, too. Naruto had started by placing a blackboard eraser over the classroom door, hoping to prank their jounin-sensei as he walked in.
But Sasuke had sneered in that irritatingly superior way of his, calling Naruto an idiot. According to Sasuke, a jounin would never fall for a simple trap like that.
So Naruto made a better trap.
With a grunt, Naruto extended his arm, slapping the last explosive tag in place. The script-laden note adhered to the doorframe, and Naruto felt the familiar tug of chakra as it armed.
Climbing carefully off the chair, Naruto ducked round a razor-sharp spiderweb of wire, crawling on his belly. Once clear, he got to his feet, beaming proudly. "How's THAT, huh? Huh? I told you, I make the best traps ever, dattebayo!"
Still seated at his desk, Sasuke arched an eyebrow. The other boy studied Naruto's handiwork, and then said in a dry voice, "Your left tripwire is two degrees out of place."
Naruto whirled, jaw dropping. "What? WHAT? No it ain't!"
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered.
Sakura watched her teammates argue, unsure how to respond. It was wrong to build a death-trap for their sensei...wasn't it? But her voice in her head insisted: Well, he deserves it, doesn't he? Making us wait for him. It's almost five hours now!
FIVE HOURS!
And Sasuke-kun likes the idea...
Sasuke-kun's moods were hard to read, because he was so cool like that. But Sakura noticed he hadn't stopped Naruto from setting the trap, and even seemed to be egging Naruto on.
Meanwhile, Naruto broke off his verbal sparring with Sasuke, and went back to work. The orange-clad genin wiggled his way back into the heart of his creation. Easing his way atop the chair, he reached for the errant tripwire.
Moving slowly, Naruto slipped a hand into position. Adjusting the wire would be difficult, since the trap was already armed. It was still possible, but it required a great deal of care and precision. His eyes narrowed in concentration...
...then snapped open.
He felt pain. Sheer, unadulterated, red-hot pain.
Naruto grabbed his butt, fingers clenching in a desperate attempt to stop the agony. His hands bumped into a needle, sticking out from the seat of his pants. No, not a needle. Senbon. Two, three, fourlots.
Naruto couldnt stand it anymore. He screamed, and fell off his chair
springing the tripwire on his way down.
Sakura climbed out from behind her desk, coughing painfully. Shed taken cover soon as Narutos ass sprouted senbon, knowing what was coming.
Forewarned wasnt necessarily forearmed, though. She cracked open her eyelids, and immediately regretted it. The smoke didn't just smell, it also stung. Sakura wasn't sure what Naruto had used, but it was more than regular explosives.
She couldn't see Naruto, but there was another shape moving in the classroom, visible through the fumes. It was Sasuke-kun, his hands flickering through a rapid sequence of seals. "KATON," he yelled, "GOUKAKYUU NO JUTSU!"
The Uchiha spit a massive fireball, illuminating the smoke-filled classroom. It was then that Sakura realised what Sasuke was doing. There was someone standing at the back of the classroom, someone Sakura didn't recognise. However, she saw the threat - he had to be the one who threw the senbon at Naruto, the one who triggered the trap.
Goukakyuu was a powerful jutsu...though Sasuke-kun was very strong, so Sakura wasn't surprised that he could use such a technique.
But Sasuke's target easily evaded the attack, treating it like it was nothing. The flames incinerated tables and chairs, scorching the rear wall of the classroom. Yet the intruder was unscathed.
Just as Sasuke ended the jutsu, another figure burst from the smoke: Naruto. The boy was burnt and bleeding from his own trap, but the injuries didn't seem to faze him.
Naruto roared, screaming an inarticulate battle-cry...which quickly turned into a yelp of surprise. Their attacker didn't dodge Naruto's tackle, or kawarimi away. He simply snatched the blond genin out of the air, spun round, and released him...sending Naruto flying straight at Sasuke.
The two boys collided with a painful crunch of bone.
Sakura steeled herself, forming the seal for bunshin.
Then she froze, mid-motion. "Sensei?"
The older ninja laughed, bringing his hands together in mock applause. "Very good, Sakura-san. I was wondering who would be the first to realise."
As the smoke cleared, Sakura took a good look at their jounin-sensei. He wasn't as old as she expected. His hair was grey, but not with age. He was still a teenager, only three or four years senior to Team Seven. He wore the standard armoured vest of high-ranking ninja, but over a white short-sleeved shirt and purple bodysuit, not the usual uniform.
There was a groan from floor level, then Sasuke's voice: "Get off me, idiot."
"Fine, fine," Naruto groaned, as he untangled himself from Sasuke. He muttered something unintelligible.
The jounin coughed. "What was that, Naruto-kun?"
"I said," Naruto shouted, clutching his abused backside, "you're one of those watchacallums, a Sadie-Hawkinist! Youre liketotally into torturing children, arentcha? Huh? HUH?"
Sasuke made a tiny choking noise.
"Naruto," Sakura said, burying her face in her hands, "you mean...a sado-masochist."
"Huh," Naruto scratched his head, "ain't that what I said?"
Their sensei laughed, gesturing to the door. Or what was left of the door, anyway. "Please. You were setting a trap for me, Naruto-kun. How was I supposed to react?"
"You were late," muttered Sasuke, shooting a murderous look.
The jounin-instructor adjusted his glasses. "Was I? No. I was here before you, actually. I'm disappointed...none of you saw through my genjutsu. We'll have to work on that."
"You were here," Sakura asked, "watching us?"
"See," Naruto grumbled, "he's a pervert."
Team Seven's sensei shrugged, spreading his hands.
Sasuke folded his arms. "If you were really watching," he challenged, "prove it."
The jounin smirked, reaching into his vest. His students tensed, wary of another attack. But when his hand emerged, it was clutching a small notebook, not a weapon. With a casual flick of the wrist, he tossed it to Sakura.
Mystified, Sakura opened the book. Almost immediately, Naruto appeared behind her, craning his neck, trying to read over her shoulder.
"You...wrote down everything we did," Sakura mumbled, "everything we said. And...these notes..."
She looked up. "Sensei, are these ANBU codes?"
"Close," the jounin replied, "it's medic-nin shorthand. Psychological and psychiatric evaluations."
"You were testing us," Sasuke said, flatly.
"A shinobi," the jounin answered, "must always look underneath the underneath."
"That doesn't make sense," Naruto complained.
Both his teammates turned to glare at him.
"So," Sakura said, finally, "did we pass?"
"Please, Sakura-san. There are more outcomes than just 'pass' or 'fail. But for now, yes. I'm Yakushi Kabuto, your jounin-sensei."
Kabuto sketched a little bow, eyes gleaming behind his glasses.
"Welcome, he said, to Team Seven."
* * *
This was a new situation, the dynamics of which Sasuke didn't yet comprehend. He didn't understand it, and he didn't like it.
He wasn't in control.
In the Academy, Sasuke knew what was expected of him. He knew what the teachers wanted, and how to achieve it.
He knew his goal in life. He knew how things stood between him and his brother. He grasped, fully, his vendetta with Itachi...and the only possible outcome of their eventual reckoning.
He knew that.
This...
This was different. This was new.
Sasuke looked across the table at Kabuto. The jounin was seated on the opposite side of the square table, with Naruto on the right and Sakura to his left. The team was in a small family-run restaurant, along one of the village's commercial streets. It was fairly late for lunch, so they had the place completely to themselves.
Kabuto had promised them a meal, ostensibly to make up for all the waiting in the classroom. So he'd brought them here.
Sasuke watched Kabuto through slitted eyes, trying to figure the jounin out. There was something about Kabuto that set him on edge - something that reminded Sasuke of his brother.
Kabuto didn't miss the intense scrutiny. He couldn't, not with the way Sasuke was staring at him. The Uchiha made no attempt to hide, openly challenging Kabuto with his gaze.
The jounin responded - not with ire, but with a smile.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said, "I assure you, the food isn't poisoned."
Sasuke blinked. Belatedly, he realised that everyone was waiting for him. Well, Kabuto and Sakura were. Naruto was already clutching his chopsticks, an impatient look on his face. The blond was also literally on the edge of his seat...though that was probably due to the damage he'd suffered earlier.
"Fine," Sasuke muttered, picking up his own chopstick. He fended off Sakura's attempts to serve him, going for the food himself.
Kabuto had bought them each a bowl of rice - or in Naruto's case, noodles - plus some meat and vegetable dishes to share.
This meant Sasuke almost immediately found himself at war with Naruto, their utensils clashing as they fought for the same piece of chicken. The boys glared at each other, leaning across the table.
Kabuto watched them with a faint smile.
"Honestly, Naruto," Sakura complained, "can't you eat like a civilised person? Stop bothering Sasuke-kun!"
"I saw it first," Naruto insisted, tugging at the slice of meat.
Sasuke said nothing, but refused to give way, his chopsticks holding the other end of the meat in an iron grip.
"Na...RU...TO," Sakura growled, her voice rising dangerously.
Naruto paid her no heed, redoubling his efforts to win the chosen morsel...
...only to draw back, with a yell, when his chopsticks snapped.
Calmly, Sasuke popped the chicken into his mouth, and smirked.
Sakura was just as shocked as Naruto, but Kabuto had a speculative look on his face.
"Now, now," the jounin chided, "that wasn't nice, Sasuke-kun."
"Hmph," grunted Sasuke.
Naruto gasped, "What? What did he do?"
Instead of replying, Kabuto signalled a waiter. He asked for a new set of chopsticks for Naruto. It was Sakura who explained, her face lighting up as she discovered the answer.
"Chakra," she said, "Sasuke-kun channelled chakra through his chopsticks...and into Naruto's."
"That's CHEATING," Naruto wailed.
"That's ninjutsu," Kabuto corrected, as he placed some stir-fried vegetables into his own bowl, "though please refrain from further displays. We don't want to end up wrecking the restaurant."
For the next few minutes, they ate in relative silence, punctuated only by occasional outbreaks of violence between the two male genin.
Finally, Sasuke tired of the game. He pushed his rice bowl aside, and looked at Kabuto. "You didn't bring us here to eat," he said.
"Mmph?! Mmmph," Naruto blurted, his mouth full of noodles.
Kabuto tilted his head. "Didn't I?"
"You've hardly eaten anything, yourself. You've just been watching us," Sasuke stated, "in an obvious way. Like you want us to notice."
The jounin smirked.
"Kabuto-sensei," Sakura asked, "is this another test?"
"Of course," Kabuto replied, "everything's a test."
Naruto was somewhat perturbed by this, his face scrunching up. But that didn't put him off his food. It was rare for someone to actually buy him a meal, freely and of their own accord. If his pervert-sensei had an ulterior motive...well, so what? It was still a free lunch.
His teammates, however, were rather more suspicious. Both Sasuke and Sakura stared at the jounin, silently demanding an answer.
Kabuto rested his elbows on the table. He linked his fingers together, resting his chin in his hands. "A ninja," he said, "must always observe and analyse."
Sasuke frowned - and Kabuto grinned at him.
"Sasuke-kun," the jounin said, "you don't hold your chopsticks correctly."
Sakura started to object, but Kabuto cut her off. "I don't mean his table manners are bad. There's just a proper way to use chopsticks...which most people don't follow. These days, most parents don't actually teach their children. So many grow up holding chopsticks in their own way. Still perfectly serviceable, just slightly different from the 'correct' posture."
Kabuto turned to Sakura, then, favouring her with another of his knowing looks. "Sakura-san...you, however, wield your chopsticks in precisely textbook fashion. Either your parents instructed you...or you deliberately practiced it yourself."
Sakura was torn between embarrassment and indignation. It showed on her face.
"I suspect the latter," Kabuto concluded.
Then he shifted his attention to Naruto. The blond was the only one at the table still eating.
"Naruto-kun," Kabuto said, "you use your chopsticks like a shovel."
"Oi," Naruto spluttered, a few flecks of half-chewed vegetables falling from his mouth.
"He's right," Sasuke agreed, with a sneer.
"Yeah," added Sakura, making a disgusted face.
Kabuto unfolded his hands, making a small gesture. "Then there's how you relate to each other. Sakura, you keep giving food to Sasuke."
Sakura blushed, going faintly crimson.
"Naruto," the jounin went on, "you seem determined not to let Sasuke get the best portions. But you're also saving the parts that Sakura likes - and slipping them into her bowl when she turns to feed Sasuke."
It was Naruto's turn to blush, while Sakura blinked at him, not quite sure how to react.
"And Sasuke...you don't care about either of them, you're just eating whatever you want."
"Hmph," Sasuke grunted.
Silence reigned round the table, once again, as they digested their food...and what Kabuto had said.
Once again, it was Sasuke who broke the impasse. He fixed the jounin with a level gaze. "So," he said, "are mind-games the only thing you play?"
"Oh, no," Kabuto laughed, "finish eating, all of you. Then we'll go get some exercise."
* * *
Most of the Hidden Leaf's training grounds were wooded areas. Only logical, of course, considering the village's name and location - buried deep within the continent's largest forest.
Thus, the practice area that Kabuto brought Team Seven to was unusual. It was open terrain. Not merely a clearing in the forest or a meadow ringed by trees...but simply a large field, surrounded by a wire fence at its borders. There were no trees, no bushes, no rocks, no cover. Even the grass was patchy, with parts of the earth scraped into bare sand.
Naruto virtually bounced with each step, eagerly anticipating whatever their sensei had in store for them. Sasuke was still staring at Kabuto, his eyes hard and distrustful.
Sakura, though...her attention was drawn to their surroundings. She turned to Kabuto, a question on her lips, only to find the jounin already smiling at her.
"This field," he explained, "is used for the testing of large-scale traps and ninjutsu."
"COOOOOOOOOL," Naruto exclaimed, eyes wide.
"No, Naruto," Kabuto shook his head, "that's not why we're here."
Naruto's face fell.
"Combat evaluation," Sasuke stated.
"Right," Kabuto nodded, clapping his hands, "here we have a battlefield free of obstacles, obstructions, and distractions. A perfect venue for straight sparring."
Sakura frowned faintly, somewhat apprehensive. Direct combat wasn't her forte. She didn't like to admit it, but she couldn't deny her own Academy grades. She had no special abilities, no bloodline or clan techniques. All she had was the standard jutsu. She could still win a battle, but only by outsmarting and outmaneuvering her opponent. This open field would severely restrict her options.
Still...she had to do well. She couldn't look bad in front of Sasuke-kun.
Sakura glanced sideways, trying to catch his eye. Unfortunately, Sasuke didn't notice. So Sakura ended up locking gazes with Naruto, instead. The orange-clad boy gave her a silly grin.
She snorted, inwardly. Sakura was sure she could beat Naruto, at least.
"Rules," asked Sasuke, in a flat voice. If he was looking forward to the fight, he didn't show it.
"No killing blows," Kabuto answered, "no permanent injuries. That said, I'm a medical ninja. I should be able to fix you if anything goes wrong."
If the jounin's expression was supposed to be reassuring, Sakura didn't feel it.
Naruto began some inane declaration about beating Sasuke and becoming Hokage...but Kabuto raised his voice over the genin's monologue.
"We will have a free-for-all match," Kabuto announced, "the last one standing will be the winner of this exercise."
"You said 'we'," Sasuke observed, "you're participating?"
"Yes," Kabuto replied.
"I'M GONNA WIN," Naruto yelled, "I'M GONNA WIN! I'm gonna beat you! I'm gonna beat you!"
Sakura, however, was rather less overcome with excitement. "But Kabuto-sensei...you're a jounin."
Kabuto chuckled. "Glad you noticed. No, I won't use all my techniques, and I'll bow out if one of you lands a hit that'd incapacitate a regular genin. Fair?"
"I guess," said Sakura, slowly. Sasuke just made a sound of assent.
Naruto was oblivious to the whole exchange, still ranting away. "Haven't a chance! Haven't a chance! I'll be victorious, I'M GONNA WIN!"
Sakura twitched, sorely tempted to start the fight early. Naruto was getting on her nerves.
Kabuto coughed, politely, trying to get his attention. "Naruto-kun?"
Naruto snapped out of his reverie. "Huh?"
The jounin bared his teeth, looking suspiciously like a shark. "Ready?"
"Uh," Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "yeah?"
"Good," Kabuto said, bringing his hands together in a ram seal, "begin."
With that, Kabuto blurred, his body rippling like a reflection in water...and he was gone.
Sakura tensed, instinctively falling into a ready stance. She didn't know what the jounin had done, but...no, it wasn't genjutsu. It felt like some kind of stealth technique, wrapping chakra around his body to make him invisible.
Or nearly invisible. It couldn't be an advanced jutsu, since she, a rookie genin, had been able to see the trick. But Kabuto was invisible ENOUGH. She couldn't see him, and didn't know where he was.
Her senses screamed a warning. Sakura dropped low, hitting the hard ground. A kunai slashed overhead, just barely missing her.
Sakura rolled, narrowly escaping a follow-up attack. She came up in a crouch, facing her assailant...then gasped. "Sa...Sa...Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke regarded her with hard eyes, kunai clasped in his hand. He lunged, closing the distance between them.
Paralyzed by shock and betrayal, Sakura found herself unable to move. She saw him coming, and her rational mind shrieked that she should dodge. But the rest of her was rooted to the spot. Sasuke-kun? Attacking her? No, no, that couldn't be right, that couldn't be...
Then her world vanished in a flash of orange. She heard a blade strike, ripping through fabric into flesh and bone. She heard a hiss of pain - Naruto, she realized. The blond had thrown himself into Sasuke's path, protecting Sakura with his body.
Naruto was already injured. Less than an hour earlier, Kabuto had hit him with senbon, catching him in his own trap. He was scorched and battered. But this new wound was by far the worst. The kunai was lodged in Naruto's left arm, halfway between shoulder and elbow. Fresh blood oozed near the blade, staining his jacket sleeve.
They broke apart.
Sasuke leapt back, tearing his weapon free with a brutal twist.
Naruto shifted fully in front of Sakura, protecting her from the Uchiha. "HEY," he shouted, "don't pick on Sakura-chan!"
Sasuke landed, still clutching the bloody dagger. Steel spun in his fingertips as he shifted his grip, preparing for a renewed assault.
"Jerk," Naruto spat, "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"
With a double burst of smoke, Naruto stood flanked on both sides, shoulder to shoulder with four reflections of himself. Perfect duplicates of Naruto...except they were uninjured, compared to his own sorry state.
Naruto parted his hands, breaking the seal, and gave Sasuke the finger.
Sakura gaped. Kage Bunshin, the girl thought numbly, it couldn't be. The technique made solid clones of the user, not mere illusions. She'd never seen it, only read about it. It was a jounin-level skill, and a restricted one, besides. How did Naruto...how COULD Naruto...
But Sasuke wasn't surprised. He looked almost vindicated, like he'd been expecting the move. He looked like someone pleased to see his suspicions confirmed.
The Uchiha stood his ground, meeting Naruto's charge. He 'killed' his first attacker, slamming his blade hilt-deep between the clone's ribs. Sasuke spun as his victim exploded, whirling through the cloud of smoke to knife his second assailant, while blocking a punch from the third.
Naruto had numbers on his side, but Sasuke was faster, more agile, and by far the better fighter. Even stunned as she was, Sakura admired his technique. Sasuke moved with cool, confident precision. In contrast, Naruto just swung wildly, trying to overwhelm Sasuke with brute force and sheer weight of bodies.
Kage Bunshin was a remarkable feat, but Naruto was wasting it. Sakura could conclude nothing else. She'd been impressed, at first, but it was obvious that Naruto was still sorely outmatched. The clones were easily destroyed by a strong blow, and it was obvious which the true Naruto was. He had duplicated himself, but not his wounds. A stupid mistake, glaringly obvious to Sakura.
And to Sasuke as well.
The Uchiha knew which Naruto was real. It showed, in the path of Sasuke's movements. He fought and dodged his way through the clones, dispelling two more in the process. He lost his kunai, disarmed in the scuffle, but that didn't slow him down. He ignored the last clone...and in a heartbeat, he was upon Naruto, thrusting a picture-perfect palm strike into the other boy's gut.
Naruto doubled over, a choked sound coming from his throat.
Then he vanished in a plume of smoke, the signature death of a Kage Bunshin.
The only remaining Naruto - the real one - grinned. Sasuke had taken him for a clone.
A mistake.
Naruto slapped an explosive tag onto Sasuke's exposed back.
Sakura shielded herself from the blast. As the dust settled, she opened her eyes, searching for her teammates. She spotted them quickly. Naruto's brightly-clad profile was unmistakable, as was Sasuke's darker figure.
But they looked a lot more similar now, with Sasuke's shirt and right arm marred by soot and reddish burns.
Henge, Sakura realized. Naruto had used the transformation technique. He hadn't been careless. He'd deliberately misled Sasuke - and Sakura - into thinking his clones were imperfect duplicates. In truth, he'd actually made one clone with a complete set of injuries...while using Henge to disguise his own wounds. They'd pegged the 'injured' Naruto as the real one, badly underestimating him.
Sasuke's lip curled, his expression either grudging acknowledgement or annoyance. Sakura couldn't tell. Maybe both. But his eyes...
His eyes...
"Sharingan," Sasuke stated, with a ring of finality.
He wasn't facing Sakura, but she still caught a glimpse as his eyes turned red, pupils melting into black swirls against a sea of crimson...the Uchiha Clan's bloodline, the power that made them the most feared in the Leaf.
Naruto met Sasuke's gaze, staring deep into the Sharingan. He twitched, muscles spasming...and collapsed, without a sound. He writhed for a moment, then lay still.
There was silence.
Sakura breathed.
"Sasuke-kun," she said, hesitantly, "I don't want to fight you, can't we..."
Sasuke turned, his eyes still the red-and-black of his bloodline limit. He stared at Sakura, who found herself unable to look away.
He stood across the blasted field, distant, so distant...
...and yet, the spinning Sharingan filled her vision.
There was nothing else.
Nothing, except for a soft voice, impossibly far away.
"Enough."
And suddenly, everything changed.
Sakura found herself back in her body. She slumped to the ground, landing on her hands and knees. There was a tightness in her chest, and she struggled for even the slightest breath.
She heard the voice again, recognizing it as Kabuto. The jounin was speaking, his voice polite. But there was a distinct edge to his words.
"Impressive, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said, "an eye-based genjutsu with physical effects on the target. Not as good as your brother's, of course, but still impressive. Your tactics, however, need work."
Sakura looked up, finally regaining enough strength to lift her head. She saw Sasuke, standing rigid, fists clenched in anger...with Kabuto behind him, holding a kunai to Sasuke's throat.
"Ah, Sakura-san," Kabuto murmured, "if you can move, please wake up Naruto. This exercise is over."
Slowly, Sakura got to her feet. She stumbled over to where Naruto lay, and shook him. When he didn't respond, she shook harder, then brought a hand up to slap him.
Naruto grabbed her wrist before she could complete the motion. "Alright, alright," he grumbled, "enough already."
"Are you feeling okay, Naruto-kun? Good," Kabuto said.
In a single motion, the jounin released Sasuke, dropping the kunai away from his neck...and giving him a little push. Sasuke stumbled forward, and by the time he spun round, Kabuto was safely out of his field of vision.
"Settle down, Sasuke," Kabuto chided, "a shinobi must always control his temper."
Sasuke snarled, but drew himself short, reining in his anger. His eyes faded to their normal color as he released the Sharingan.
"Mmn," Kabuto nodded, "now sit. All of you."
They did so, settling down on the bare earth of the practice field. Only Kabuto remained standing.
"Now," he continued, "how do you think you did? Pass, fail, somewhere in between?"
"Sasuke CHEATED," Naruto complained, "he used that freaky eye thing!"
"Wrong answer," Kabuto said, "this wasn't about your individual performance. Or lack thereof."
Sakura blinked. "But..."
"Yes, I told you the fight was free-for-all. Every ninja for themselves. But think, just think. I was the greatest threat. You should have banded together...against me."
Sasuke scowled. "You said---"
Kabuto didn't let him finish. "I said I'd bow out if any of you got a decent hit on me. I said I would limit my skills. True. But I'm still more dangerous than any of you - and I began the fight by concealing myself. I could have killed you a dozen times over while you fought among yourselves."
"Bastard started it," Naruto accused, glaring at Sasuke, "he attacked Sakura-chan!"
Sasuke didn't appreciate the lecture, or Naruto's claim. "It made sense. Eliminate the weakest first. Sakura. You. Then him," he said, ending his statement by pointing at Kabuto.
"You think I'm weaker than Naruto?" Sakura felt a little crushed. Was Sasuke's opinion of her...so very low? Sure, Naruto had displayed a surprising amount of skill, but he was still the worst student in their class.
"Yes," Sasuke replied, flatly.
"In terms of combat ability," Kabuto interjected, "Sasuke-kun is correct. Naruto knows Kage Bunshin, a jounin-level technique. And he has defeated a chunnin in battle."
Naruto looked proud, while Sakura's head spun. She goggled at Naruto, almost falling over. Naruto? Defeated a chuunin? How? When?
"Hmph," Sasuke snorted.
Kabuto smiled, thinly. "But you already knew that, didn't you, Sasuke-kun? Who told you? Your brother?"
A dark cloud crossed Sasuke's face.
"Ah," Kabuto said, "he did, didn't he? Well, he would know. The Military Police were involved in the search, after all. Mm. Fair reasoning, Sasuke-kun...but still flawed. You should have seen your teammates as potential allies...not obstacles."
Naruto started to make a smart remark, mocking his rival - but Kabuto silenced him with a look.
"You didn't do well either. Nor you, Sakura."
Both tried to protest. Kabuto ignored them.
"Naruto," the jounin rebuked, "you attacked Sasuke over a personal grudge. You did defend Sakura...but only because of your juvenile infatuation. Sakura, you were unwilling to fight Sasuke-kun for the same reason. You planned on helping him against Naruto, then me, correct?"
Sakura winced. That had been her plan, at least until Sasuke tried to stab her.
Kabuto shook his head. "That...isn't teamwork."
"You tricked us," Naruto objected.
Kabuto folded his arms. "Yes. But it was supposed to be a test. Every jounin-sensei is required to evaluate his students. If he finds them lacking, they are stripped of their rank and sent back to the Academy. Now, what do you think the passing criteria is?"
The jounin frowned at their blank looks.
"Why do you think genin are grouped into three-man cells? Why do ninja almost always operate in units?"
Kabuto looked at each of his students, in turn.
"If you can't work together, you don't deserve to be in the Leaf."
Then he smiled.
"Think about it. I'll see you tomorrow. Outside the Hokage Tower, seven o'clock. Oh-seven-hundred hours."
Kabuto made a hand seal, and vanished in a cloud of dust.
* * *
"I'm home," Sakura called, slipping her sandals off and placing them on the shoe rack.
Silence met her announcement, which was what she expected. The house was empty. It'd been empty when she left, and the intervening hours hadn't brought any change.
Sakura closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She was a kunoichi. She shouldn't feel lonely or abandoned.
But she did, and it hurt.
She climbed the stairs with slow, measured steps, heading to her room.
Her father was probably still in Waterfall country. She hadn't heard anything from him, not since the last message saying he'd been delayed. She had no idea when he'd be back.
By now, Sakura was used to living alone. Ever since her mother died, she'd been left pretty much to herself.
Her father's job often took him away from the village, sometimes for weeks at a stretch. He wasn't a shinobi, but rather a trader, one of the civilian representatives that kept the Leaf fed and supplied.
Sometimes, Sakura wondered if he considered work more important than his daughter.
She needed someone to talk to, but there was only silence.
* * *
Naruto was no stranger to solitude. He'd literally raised himself, not just figuratively. His home was a small apartment, just big enough for his needs.
He sat on a stool in his tiny little kitchen, hands clasped around a cup of steaming instant ramen. He enjoyed the heat and the glorious smell of the hot soup. It brought him peace, comfort, and helped him think.
Naruto's brow furrowed, as he reflected on the events of the day.
Teamwork, Kabuto-sensei said, teamwork.
What did that mean?
His head hurt.
So he ate his ramen.
* * *
Sasuke pushed open the sliding door, stepping into his family home. There was no lock. His was a traditional dwelling. And the house was within Uchiha territory, so there was little need for security. No thief would dare venture into the clan's compound.
Truth be told, Sasuke dreaded it himself. He spent most of his time away from home, as much as he could.
He would never admit it, not even to himself, but Sasuke was afraid. He had bad memories of this place, memories of that night when everything changed. The night when he found his parents dead. Even time could not wash away the blood.
But there was more to his fears than just nightmares of the past.
"Welcome home, little brother."
Itachi stood in the hallway. To any outside observer, his smile would have been warm, affectionate.
Sasuke trembled, barely keeping his rage in check.
Itachi's eyes glowed in the evening twilight, the deep crimson of the Sharingan. He approached Sasuke, grasping his brother's shoulder. A friendly gesture...
...and Sasuke broke free. Violently, driving an elbow into Itachi's chest.
The older Uchiha barely felt the blow, the impact largely absorbed by his uniform vest.
Itachi's mouth twisted in faux disapproval. "Temper, temper, Sasuke-chan."
Sasuke pushed past Itachi, stalking into the house.
Itachi remained in the corridor, watching Sasuke go.
He sighed.
"Foolish little brother."
Annnnd...that's it. Chapter One. I've revised the first few scenes based on feedback from Aaron Nowack, SkyeFire, and CattyNebulart in my first thread. Once again, thanks, folks. I really appreciate it.
The later scenes...probably need more editorial cleanup. But this is just a draft. Chapter One ends here.
Chapter Two will open with another scene in the Hokage's Office, with Anko and Ibiki giving Old Man Sarutobi a headache. Well, mainly Anko. Then back to Team Seven, and...hn, I haven't really decided where to cut it off. When I hit a good point, I guess. I write by the seat of my pants.
Oh, and...does the title suck? >_o;
-- Acyl
-- Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)
The Narrow Gate
a Naruto alternate-universe
by Acyl
Chapter One: First Steps
It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. The first day of his new life as a ninja, the first step on the road to becoming Hokage...and now this.
Stuck in a room for hours and hours and hours, just because some stupid jounin couldn't be bothered to show.
Oh, sure, Sakura-chan was here...but so was Uchiha Sasuke. That meant Sakura-chan refused to even look at him. She just spent all her time mooning over the bastard. It just wasn't fair. Maybe Sasuke was using some kind of evil genjutsu technique to attract all the girls. Or something.
Why did they have to team him up with SASUKE, of all people? Yeah, Iruka-sensei had given that whole explanation about the teams being balanced...and Sasuke was the number one student or something while he was dead last, but...
It just wasn't fair.
Naruto sighed, slumping face-down on the desk. "This is BOOORIIING," he cried, drawing out the last word.
Sakura turned to glare at him. "Naruto," she growled, in a tone of strained patience, "I'm sure our sensei has a reason for being late."
"Teaching us is his JOB," Naruto whined, "what kind of lousy ninja just...just..."
"Jounin are important people," Sakura replied, "maybe something happened that needed our sensei's attention."
Privately, though, she wasn't so sure. A part of her actually agreed with Naruto, but she wasn't going to admit that. Especially not in front of Sasuke-kun.
"Aw, Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan, quit defending him," Naruto yelled, "we've been sitting here for HOURS!"
"Three hours, forty-eight minutes, and six seconds," came a bland voice.
Both Naruto and Sakura whirled at the sound - the first coherent sentence Uchiha Sasuke had said in all that time. The dark boy stared back at them, impassively.
"See, see," Naruto exclaimed, "even the bastard is sick of waiting!"
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered. However, he didn't deny the claim.
Sakura clenched her fists, struggling to keep her anger in check. She wanted to pound Naruto's face in. How dare he insult Sasuke-kun? But if she did that, Sasuke might think she was violent...like Ino. So Sakura had to be ladylike.
Besides, the orange idiot had a point.
* * *
Teaching wasn't a prestigious job...not in a Hidden Village.
Leading a genin team wasn't so bad, because that still involved field work. Genin were still ninja, just of low rank.
But an Academy Teacher trained children. Children too young to do anything useful, too weak to learn anything but the basics.
As a result, most Hidden Villages considered teachers to be...somehow less than their front-line counterparts. Academy posts were only given to second-rate ninja, or those retired due to age or injury.
The Third Hokage...felt differently.
Sarutobi knew how hard it was to teach. He knew how difficult it was to maintain the right balance of harshness and compassion. He knew, too, how important teachers were. He knew this because he was a teacher himself.
Long before he became Hokage, Sarutobi was known as 'The Professor'. Not because of his mastery of techniques, as many assumed. No, he originally earned the name for his successes as a teacher, an educator, an instructor.
He was the one who built the Leaf's Ninja Academy into its present form. Before him, there was little in the way of a cohesive curriculum. The old established clans largely trained their own children...and those not born into a large ninja family were left to fend for themselves with only minimal instruction.
Sarutobi changed that. He was a teacher.
And that was why he was listening to the man in front of him. Any other village leader would probably have crucified the young chuunin for insubordination. The Hokage, however, just sat and listened.
Sarutobi knew the Academy Teacher's concerns were valid, and that his words were motivated out of genuine concern for his student.
Besides, Umino Iruka had a point.
"Hokage-sama," Iruka argued, "I must insist---"
Sarutobi tilted his head, giving the chuunin a significant look. Iruka stopped, mollified...and stepped back from the Hokage's desk. He looked somewhat embarrassed. Apparently, he hadn't meant to invade his superior's personal space quite like that.
"I understand your fears," Sarutobi replied, "about the choice of jounin-sensei for Team Seven. And I agree. However, my hands are tied. He is the best possible choice."
Iruka scowled. "But Naruto..."
"Naruto-kun deserves a kind jounin-sensei, one who understands his situation. Unfortunately," Sarutobi sighed, "the Village Council doesn't see it that way. The Council's primary concern is keeping Naruto...contained. They want a jounin capable of handling him in case of any...incidents."
Iruka's expression hardened, his voice turning cold. "Someone who can kill him."
The Hokage winced, but met Iruka's stare. "Yes."
"That's ridiculous," Iruka objected, "Naruto's not a demon. He shouldn't be persecuted just because..."
"I know that," Sarutobi interrupted, "but they don't. And you...you used to think of him as a demon too, didn't you, Iruka-kun?"
Iruka averted his eyes. "That was...before I really knew him."
"Still, you understand the problem," Sarutobi continued, with a hint of weariness.
Iruka didn't answer.
After a pause, the Hokage spoke again. "It's not just a question of ability, or any experienced jounin would do. The Council also wants someone...reliable."
"Someone WILLING to kill him," Iruka hissed.
Sarutobi released a breath, shoulders slumping. "I wanted to assign Kakashi to Team Seven," he whispered.
In that instant, Iruka was struck by how old the Hokage really was. For a moment, Sarutobi looked his age, weak and frail. That troubled Iruka, but he pushed the thought aside.
Instead, he asked, "Kakashi?"
"Hatake Kakashi," Sarutobi explained, "he would have been good for Naruto."
The name was familiar to Iruka. Of course it was. Everyone knew Hatake Kakashi - the infamous Copy Ninja, disciple of the Fourth Hokage, and one of the most dangerous jounin of the Leaf.
Iruka frowned. "So...why can't he be Naruto's sensei?"
Sarutobi raised his head. "Because the Council believes he would be too sympathetic towards Naruto-kun...and too loyal to me."
"Too loyal?"
"I do not want Naruto dead, and Kakashi would never go against my wishes. But there are factions in the Council who want Naruto...that is..."
"That's treason," Iruka snarled.
"No," Sarutobi said wearily, "that's politics."
"So this," Iruka said, pointing to the printed list of team assignments, "this is their choice? Him?"
"Their choice," Sarutobi confirmed, "approved by the rest of the Council. But it isn't as bad as it sounds, Iruka-kun. I do trust him, myself. He's not the one I would have picked, but..."
"You...you trust him? But, but," Iruka protested, "he's Orochimaru's student!"
"He was Orochimaru's last apprentice, yes," Sarutobi said, shaking his head, "but he is not the same as Orochimaru. He is his own man, not a slave to his master. And while he might not be loyal to me, personally, he is a shinobi of the Leaf. He will not mistreat Naruto-kun."
Iruka sighed. "I hope you're right, Hokage-sama. I really do."
* * *
Naruto flailed his arms, trying desperately to keep his balance. He should have picked another chair to stand on. His current perch had a wobbly leg, which made things just a little difficult. But he'd only discovered that halfway through, after shifting his weight. The sudden swaying had nearly spelt disaster.
It would have ended very painfully for Naruto...if Sakura-chan hadn't caught him. Naruto thanked her profusely for the save, and offered to buy her ramen...but she brushed off his gratitude with an angry lecture on safety.
To be honest, Naruto felt he deserved it. But it still hurt to be scolded in front of Sasuke. He knew the bastard was laughing at him. Sasuke was all quiet and stuff, but Naruto was sure the bastard was laughing anyway. Sasuke was evil. The bastard wasn't even lifting a finger to help.
This was all Sasuke's fault, too. Naruto had started by placing a blackboard eraser over the classroom door, hoping to prank their jounin-sensei as he walked in.
But Sasuke had sneered in that irritatingly superior way of his, calling Naruto an idiot. According to Sasuke, a jounin would never fall for a simple trap like that.
So Naruto made a better trap.
With a grunt, Naruto extended his arm, slapping the last explosive tag in place. The script-laden note adhered to the doorframe, and Naruto felt the familiar tug of chakra as it armed.
Climbing carefully off the chair, Naruto ducked round a razor-sharp spiderweb of wire, crawling on his belly. Once clear, he got to his feet, beaming proudly. "How's THAT, huh? Huh? I told you, I make the best traps ever, dattebayo!"
Still seated at his desk, Sasuke arched an eyebrow. The other boy studied Naruto's handiwork, and then said in a dry voice, "Your left tripwire is two degrees out of place."
Naruto whirled, jaw dropping. "What? WHAT? No it ain't!"
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered.
Sakura watched her teammates argue, unsure how to respond. It was wrong to build a death-trap for their sensei...wasn't it? But her voice in her head insisted: Well, he deserves it, doesn't he? Making us wait for him. It's almost five hours now!
FIVE HOURS!
And Sasuke-kun likes the idea...
Sasuke-kun's moods were hard to read, because he was so cool like that. But Sakura noticed he hadn't stopped Naruto from setting the trap, and even seemed to be egging Naruto on.
Meanwhile, Naruto broke off his verbal sparring with Sasuke, and went back to work. The orange-clad genin wiggled his way back into the heart of his creation. Easing his way atop the chair, he reached for the errant tripwire.
Moving slowly, Naruto slipped a hand into position. Adjusting the wire would be difficult, since the trap was already armed. It was still possible, but it required a great deal of care and precision. His eyes narrowed in concentration...
...then snapped open.
He felt pain. Sheer, unadulterated, red-hot pain.
Naruto grabbed his butt, fingers clenching in a desperate attempt to stop the agony. His hands bumped into a needle, sticking out from the seat of his pants. No, not a needle. Senbon. Two, three, fourlots.
Naruto couldnt stand it anymore. He screamed, and fell off his chair
springing the tripwire on his way down.
Sakura climbed out from behind her desk, coughing painfully. Shed taken cover soon as Narutos ass sprouted senbon, knowing what was coming.
Forewarned wasnt necessarily forearmed, though. She cracked open her eyelids, and immediately regretted it. The smoke didn't just smell, it also stung. Sakura wasn't sure what Naruto had used, but it was more than regular explosives.
She couldn't see Naruto, but there was another shape moving in the classroom, visible through the fumes. It was Sasuke-kun, his hands flickering through a rapid sequence of seals. "KATON," he yelled, "GOUKAKYUU NO JUTSU!"
The Uchiha spit a massive fireball, illuminating the smoke-filled classroom. It was then that Sakura realised what Sasuke was doing. There was someone standing at the back of the classroom, someone Sakura didn't recognise. However, she saw the threat - he had to be the one who threw the senbon at Naruto, the one who triggered the trap.
Goukakyuu was a powerful jutsu...though Sasuke-kun was very strong, so Sakura wasn't surprised that he could use such a technique.
But Sasuke's target easily evaded the attack, treating it like it was nothing. The flames incinerated tables and chairs, scorching the rear wall of the classroom. Yet the intruder was unscathed.
Just as Sasuke ended the jutsu, another figure burst from the smoke: Naruto. The boy was burnt and bleeding from his own trap, but the injuries didn't seem to faze him.
Naruto roared, screaming an inarticulate battle-cry...which quickly turned into a yelp of surprise. Their attacker didn't dodge Naruto's tackle, or kawarimi away. He simply snatched the blond genin out of the air, spun round, and released him...sending Naruto flying straight at Sasuke.
The two boys collided with a painful crunch of bone.
Sakura steeled herself, forming the seal for bunshin.
Then she froze, mid-motion. "Sensei?"
The older ninja laughed, bringing his hands together in mock applause. "Very good, Sakura-san. I was wondering who would be the first to realise."
As the smoke cleared, Sakura took a good look at their jounin-sensei. He wasn't as old as she expected. His hair was grey, but not with age. He was still a teenager, only three or four years senior to Team Seven. He wore the standard armoured vest of high-ranking ninja, but over a white short-sleeved shirt and purple bodysuit, not the usual uniform.
There was a groan from floor level, then Sasuke's voice: "Get off me, idiot."
"Fine, fine," Naruto groaned, as he untangled himself from Sasuke. He muttered something unintelligible.
The jounin coughed. "What was that, Naruto-kun?"
"I said," Naruto shouted, clutching his abused backside, "you're one of those watchacallums, a Sadie-Hawkinist! Youre liketotally into torturing children, arentcha? Huh? HUH?"
Sasuke made a tiny choking noise.
"Naruto," Sakura said, burying her face in her hands, "you mean...a sado-masochist."
"Huh," Naruto scratched his head, "ain't that what I said?"
Their sensei laughed, gesturing to the door. Or what was left of the door, anyway. "Please. You were setting a trap for me, Naruto-kun. How was I supposed to react?"
"You were late," muttered Sasuke, shooting a murderous look.
The jounin-instructor adjusted his glasses. "Was I? No. I was here before you, actually. I'm disappointed...none of you saw through my genjutsu. We'll have to work on that."
"You were here," Sakura asked, "watching us?"
"See," Naruto grumbled, "he's a pervert."
Team Seven's sensei shrugged, spreading his hands.
Sasuke folded his arms. "If you were really watching," he challenged, "prove it."
The jounin smirked, reaching into his vest. His students tensed, wary of another attack. But when his hand emerged, it was clutching a small notebook, not a weapon. With a casual flick of the wrist, he tossed it to Sakura.
Mystified, Sakura opened the book. Almost immediately, Naruto appeared behind her, craning his neck, trying to read over her shoulder.
"You...wrote down everything we did," Sakura mumbled, "everything we said. And...these notes..."
She looked up. "Sensei, are these ANBU codes?"
"Close," the jounin replied, "it's medic-nin shorthand. Psychological and psychiatric evaluations."
"You were testing us," Sasuke said, flatly.
"A shinobi," the jounin answered, "must always look underneath the underneath."
"That doesn't make sense," Naruto complained.
Both his teammates turned to glare at him.
"So," Sakura said, finally, "did we pass?"
"Please, Sakura-san. There are more outcomes than just 'pass' or 'fail. But for now, yes. I'm Yakushi Kabuto, your jounin-sensei."
Kabuto sketched a little bow, eyes gleaming behind his glasses.
"Welcome, he said, to Team Seven."
* * *
This was a new situation, the dynamics of which Sasuke didn't yet comprehend. He didn't understand it, and he didn't like it.
He wasn't in control.
In the Academy, Sasuke knew what was expected of him. He knew what the teachers wanted, and how to achieve it.
He knew his goal in life. He knew how things stood between him and his brother. He grasped, fully, his vendetta with Itachi...and the only possible outcome of their eventual reckoning.
He knew that.
This...
This was different. This was new.
Sasuke looked across the table at Kabuto. The jounin was seated on the opposite side of the square table, with Naruto on the right and Sakura to his left. The team was in a small family-run restaurant, along one of the village's commercial streets. It was fairly late for lunch, so they had the place completely to themselves.
Kabuto had promised them a meal, ostensibly to make up for all the waiting in the classroom. So he'd brought them here.
Sasuke watched Kabuto through slitted eyes, trying to figure the jounin out. There was something about Kabuto that set him on edge - something that reminded Sasuke of his brother.
Kabuto didn't miss the intense scrutiny. He couldn't, not with the way Sasuke was staring at him. The Uchiha made no attempt to hide, openly challenging Kabuto with his gaze.
The jounin responded - not with ire, but with a smile.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said, "I assure you, the food isn't poisoned."
Sasuke blinked. Belatedly, he realised that everyone was waiting for him. Well, Kabuto and Sakura were. Naruto was already clutching his chopsticks, an impatient look on his face. The blond was also literally on the edge of his seat...though that was probably due to the damage he'd suffered earlier.
"Fine," Sasuke muttered, picking up his own chopstick. He fended off Sakura's attempts to serve him, going for the food himself.
Kabuto had bought them each a bowl of rice - or in Naruto's case, noodles - plus some meat and vegetable dishes to share.
This meant Sasuke almost immediately found himself at war with Naruto, their utensils clashing as they fought for the same piece of chicken. The boys glared at each other, leaning across the table.
Kabuto watched them with a faint smile.
"Honestly, Naruto," Sakura complained, "can't you eat like a civilised person? Stop bothering Sasuke-kun!"
"I saw it first," Naruto insisted, tugging at the slice of meat.
Sasuke said nothing, but refused to give way, his chopsticks holding the other end of the meat in an iron grip.
"Na...RU...TO," Sakura growled, her voice rising dangerously.
Naruto paid her no heed, redoubling his efforts to win the chosen morsel...
...only to draw back, with a yell, when his chopsticks snapped.
Calmly, Sasuke popped the chicken into his mouth, and smirked.
Sakura was just as shocked as Naruto, but Kabuto had a speculative look on his face.
"Now, now," the jounin chided, "that wasn't nice, Sasuke-kun."
"Hmph," grunted Sasuke.
Naruto gasped, "What? What did he do?"
Instead of replying, Kabuto signalled a waiter. He asked for a new set of chopsticks for Naruto. It was Sakura who explained, her face lighting up as she discovered the answer.
"Chakra," she said, "Sasuke-kun channelled chakra through his chopsticks...and into Naruto's."
"That's CHEATING," Naruto wailed.
"That's ninjutsu," Kabuto corrected, as he placed some stir-fried vegetables into his own bowl, "though please refrain from further displays. We don't want to end up wrecking the restaurant."
For the next few minutes, they ate in relative silence, punctuated only by occasional outbreaks of violence between the two male genin.
Finally, Sasuke tired of the game. He pushed his rice bowl aside, and looked at Kabuto. "You didn't bring us here to eat," he said.
"Mmph?! Mmmph," Naruto blurted, his mouth full of noodles.
Kabuto tilted his head. "Didn't I?"
"You've hardly eaten anything, yourself. You've just been watching us," Sasuke stated, "in an obvious way. Like you want us to notice."
The jounin smirked.
"Kabuto-sensei," Sakura asked, "is this another test?"
"Of course," Kabuto replied, "everything's a test."
Naruto was somewhat perturbed by this, his face scrunching up. But that didn't put him off his food. It was rare for someone to actually buy him a meal, freely and of their own accord. If his pervert-sensei had an ulterior motive...well, so what? It was still a free lunch.
His teammates, however, were rather more suspicious. Both Sasuke and Sakura stared at the jounin, silently demanding an answer.
Kabuto rested his elbows on the table. He linked his fingers together, resting his chin in his hands. "A ninja," he said, "must always observe and analyse."
Sasuke frowned - and Kabuto grinned at him.
"Sasuke-kun," the jounin said, "you don't hold your chopsticks correctly."
Sakura started to object, but Kabuto cut her off. "I don't mean his table manners are bad. There's just a proper way to use chopsticks...which most people don't follow. These days, most parents don't actually teach their children. So many grow up holding chopsticks in their own way. Still perfectly serviceable, just slightly different from the 'correct' posture."
Kabuto turned to Sakura, then, favouring her with another of his knowing looks. "Sakura-san...you, however, wield your chopsticks in precisely textbook fashion. Either your parents instructed you...or you deliberately practiced it yourself."
Sakura was torn between embarrassment and indignation. It showed on her face.
"I suspect the latter," Kabuto concluded.
Then he shifted his attention to Naruto. The blond was the only one at the table still eating.
"Naruto-kun," Kabuto said, "you use your chopsticks like a shovel."
"Oi," Naruto spluttered, a few flecks of half-chewed vegetables falling from his mouth.
"He's right," Sasuke agreed, with a sneer.
"Yeah," added Sakura, making a disgusted face.
Kabuto unfolded his hands, making a small gesture. "Then there's how you relate to each other. Sakura, you keep giving food to Sasuke."
Sakura blushed, going faintly crimson.
"Naruto," the jounin went on, "you seem determined not to let Sasuke get the best portions. But you're also saving the parts that Sakura likes - and slipping them into her bowl when she turns to feed Sasuke."
It was Naruto's turn to blush, while Sakura blinked at him, not quite sure how to react.
"And Sasuke...you don't care about either of them, you're just eating whatever you want."
"Hmph," Sasuke grunted.
Silence reigned round the table, once again, as they digested their food...and what Kabuto had said.
Once again, it was Sasuke who broke the impasse. He fixed the jounin with a level gaze. "So," he said, "are mind-games the only thing you play?"
"Oh, no," Kabuto laughed, "finish eating, all of you. Then we'll go get some exercise."
* * *
Most of the Hidden Leaf's training grounds were wooded areas. Only logical, of course, considering the village's name and location - buried deep within the continent's largest forest.
Thus, the practice area that Kabuto brought Team Seven to was unusual. It was open terrain. Not merely a clearing in the forest or a meadow ringed by trees...but simply a large field, surrounded by a wire fence at its borders. There were no trees, no bushes, no rocks, no cover. Even the grass was patchy, with parts of the earth scraped into bare sand.
Naruto virtually bounced with each step, eagerly anticipating whatever their sensei had in store for them. Sasuke was still staring at Kabuto, his eyes hard and distrustful.
Sakura, though...her attention was drawn to their surroundings. She turned to Kabuto, a question on her lips, only to find the jounin already smiling at her.
"This field," he explained, "is used for the testing of large-scale traps and ninjutsu."
"COOOOOOOOOL," Naruto exclaimed, eyes wide.
"No, Naruto," Kabuto shook his head, "that's not why we're here."
Naruto's face fell.
"Combat evaluation," Sasuke stated.
"Right," Kabuto nodded, clapping his hands, "here we have a battlefield free of obstacles, obstructions, and distractions. A perfect venue for straight sparring."
Sakura frowned faintly, somewhat apprehensive. Direct combat wasn't her forte. She didn't like to admit it, but she couldn't deny her own Academy grades. She had no special abilities, no bloodline or clan techniques. All she had was the standard jutsu. She could still win a battle, but only by outsmarting and outmaneuvering her opponent. This open field would severely restrict her options.
Still...she had to do well. She couldn't look bad in front of Sasuke-kun.
Sakura glanced sideways, trying to catch his eye. Unfortunately, Sasuke didn't notice. So Sakura ended up locking gazes with Naruto, instead. The orange-clad boy gave her a silly grin.
She snorted, inwardly. Sakura was sure she could beat Naruto, at least.
"Rules," asked Sasuke, in a flat voice. If he was looking forward to the fight, he didn't show it.
"No killing blows," Kabuto answered, "no permanent injuries. That said, I'm a medical ninja. I should be able to fix you if anything goes wrong."
If the jounin's expression was supposed to be reassuring, Sakura didn't feel it.
Naruto began some inane declaration about beating Sasuke and becoming Hokage...but Kabuto raised his voice over the genin's monologue.
"We will have a free-for-all match," Kabuto announced, "the last one standing will be the winner of this exercise."
"You said 'we'," Sasuke observed, "you're participating?"
"Yes," Kabuto replied.
"I'M GONNA WIN," Naruto yelled, "I'M GONNA WIN! I'm gonna beat you! I'm gonna beat you!"
Sakura, however, was rather less overcome with excitement. "But Kabuto-sensei...you're a jounin."
Kabuto chuckled. "Glad you noticed. No, I won't use all my techniques, and I'll bow out if one of you lands a hit that'd incapacitate a regular genin. Fair?"
"I guess," said Sakura, slowly. Sasuke just made a sound of assent.
Naruto was oblivious to the whole exchange, still ranting away. "Haven't a chance! Haven't a chance! I'll be victorious, I'M GONNA WIN!"
Sakura twitched, sorely tempted to start the fight early. Naruto was getting on her nerves.
Kabuto coughed, politely, trying to get his attention. "Naruto-kun?"
Naruto snapped out of his reverie. "Huh?"
The jounin bared his teeth, looking suspiciously like a shark. "Ready?"
"Uh," Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "yeah?"
"Good," Kabuto said, bringing his hands together in a ram seal, "begin."
With that, Kabuto blurred, his body rippling like a reflection in water...and he was gone.
Sakura tensed, instinctively falling into a ready stance. She didn't know what the jounin had done, but...no, it wasn't genjutsu. It felt like some kind of stealth technique, wrapping chakra around his body to make him invisible.
Or nearly invisible. It couldn't be an advanced jutsu, since she, a rookie genin, had been able to see the trick. But Kabuto was invisible ENOUGH. She couldn't see him, and didn't know where he was.
Her senses screamed a warning. Sakura dropped low, hitting the hard ground. A kunai slashed overhead, just barely missing her.
Sakura rolled, narrowly escaping a follow-up attack. She came up in a crouch, facing her assailant...then gasped. "Sa...Sa...Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke regarded her with hard eyes, kunai clasped in his hand. He lunged, closing the distance between them.
Paralyzed by shock and betrayal, Sakura found herself unable to move. She saw him coming, and her rational mind shrieked that she should dodge. But the rest of her was rooted to the spot. Sasuke-kun? Attacking her? No, no, that couldn't be right, that couldn't be...
Then her world vanished in a flash of orange. She heard a blade strike, ripping through fabric into flesh and bone. She heard a hiss of pain - Naruto, she realized. The blond had thrown himself into Sasuke's path, protecting Sakura with his body.
Naruto was already injured. Less than an hour earlier, Kabuto had hit him with senbon, catching him in his own trap. He was scorched and battered. But this new wound was by far the worst. The kunai was lodged in Naruto's left arm, halfway between shoulder and elbow. Fresh blood oozed near the blade, staining his jacket sleeve.
They broke apart.
Sasuke leapt back, tearing his weapon free with a brutal twist.
Naruto shifted fully in front of Sakura, protecting her from the Uchiha. "HEY," he shouted, "don't pick on Sakura-chan!"
Sasuke landed, still clutching the bloody dagger. Steel spun in his fingertips as he shifted his grip, preparing for a renewed assault.
"Jerk," Naruto spat, "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"
With a double burst of smoke, Naruto stood flanked on both sides, shoulder to shoulder with four reflections of himself. Perfect duplicates of Naruto...except they were uninjured, compared to his own sorry state.
Naruto parted his hands, breaking the seal, and gave Sasuke the finger.
Sakura gaped. Kage Bunshin, the girl thought numbly, it couldn't be. The technique made solid clones of the user, not mere illusions. She'd never seen it, only read about it. It was a jounin-level skill, and a restricted one, besides. How did Naruto...how COULD Naruto...
But Sasuke wasn't surprised. He looked almost vindicated, like he'd been expecting the move. He looked like someone pleased to see his suspicions confirmed.
The Uchiha stood his ground, meeting Naruto's charge. He 'killed' his first attacker, slamming his blade hilt-deep between the clone's ribs. Sasuke spun as his victim exploded, whirling through the cloud of smoke to knife his second assailant, while blocking a punch from the third.
Naruto had numbers on his side, but Sasuke was faster, more agile, and by far the better fighter. Even stunned as she was, Sakura admired his technique. Sasuke moved with cool, confident precision. In contrast, Naruto just swung wildly, trying to overwhelm Sasuke with brute force and sheer weight of bodies.
Kage Bunshin was a remarkable feat, but Naruto was wasting it. Sakura could conclude nothing else. She'd been impressed, at first, but it was obvious that Naruto was still sorely outmatched. The clones were easily destroyed by a strong blow, and it was obvious which the true Naruto was. He had duplicated himself, but not his wounds. A stupid mistake, glaringly obvious to Sakura.
And to Sasuke as well.
The Uchiha knew which Naruto was real. It showed, in the path of Sasuke's movements. He fought and dodged his way through the clones, dispelling two more in the process. He lost his kunai, disarmed in the scuffle, but that didn't slow him down. He ignored the last clone...and in a heartbeat, he was upon Naruto, thrusting a picture-perfect palm strike into the other boy's gut.
Naruto doubled over, a choked sound coming from his throat.
Then he vanished in a plume of smoke, the signature death of a Kage Bunshin.
The only remaining Naruto - the real one - grinned. Sasuke had taken him for a clone.
A mistake.
Naruto slapped an explosive tag onto Sasuke's exposed back.
Sakura shielded herself from the blast. As the dust settled, she opened her eyes, searching for her teammates. She spotted them quickly. Naruto's brightly-clad profile was unmistakable, as was Sasuke's darker figure.
But they looked a lot more similar now, with Sasuke's shirt and right arm marred by soot and reddish burns.
Henge, Sakura realized. Naruto had used the transformation technique. He hadn't been careless. He'd deliberately misled Sasuke - and Sakura - into thinking his clones were imperfect duplicates. In truth, he'd actually made one clone with a complete set of injuries...while using Henge to disguise his own wounds. They'd pegged the 'injured' Naruto as the real one, badly underestimating him.
Sasuke's lip curled, his expression either grudging acknowledgement or annoyance. Sakura couldn't tell. Maybe both. But his eyes...
His eyes...
"Sharingan," Sasuke stated, with a ring of finality.
He wasn't facing Sakura, but she still caught a glimpse as his eyes turned red, pupils melting into black swirls against a sea of crimson...the Uchiha Clan's bloodline, the power that made them the most feared in the Leaf.
Naruto met Sasuke's gaze, staring deep into the Sharingan. He twitched, muscles spasming...and collapsed, without a sound. He writhed for a moment, then lay still.
There was silence.
Sakura breathed.
"Sasuke-kun," she said, hesitantly, "I don't want to fight you, can't we..."
Sasuke turned, his eyes still the red-and-black of his bloodline limit. He stared at Sakura, who found herself unable to look away.
He stood across the blasted field, distant, so distant...
...and yet, the spinning Sharingan filled her vision.
There was nothing else.
Nothing, except for a soft voice, impossibly far away.
"Enough."
And suddenly, everything changed.
Sakura found herself back in her body. She slumped to the ground, landing on her hands and knees. There was a tightness in her chest, and she struggled for even the slightest breath.
She heard the voice again, recognizing it as Kabuto. The jounin was speaking, his voice polite. But there was a distinct edge to his words.
"Impressive, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said, "an eye-based genjutsu with physical effects on the target. Not as good as your brother's, of course, but still impressive. Your tactics, however, need work."
Sakura looked up, finally regaining enough strength to lift her head. She saw Sasuke, standing rigid, fists clenched in anger...with Kabuto behind him, holding a kunai to Sasuke's throat.
"Ah, Sakura-san," Kabuto murmured, "if you can move, please wake up Naruto. This exercise is over."
Slowly, Sakura got to her feet. She stumbled over to where Naruto lay, and shook him. When he didn't respond, she shook harder, then brought a hand up to slap him.
Naruto grabbed her wrist before she could complete the motion. "Alright, alright," he grumbled, "enough already."
"Are you feeling okay, Naruto-kun? Good," Kabuto said.
In a single motion, the jounin released Sasuke, dropping the kunai away from his neck...and giving him a little push. Sasuke stumbled forward, and by the time he spun round, Kabuto was safely out of his field of vision.
"Settle down, Sasuke," Kabuto chided, "a shinobi must always control his temper."
Sasuke snarled, but drew himself short, reining in his anger. His eyes faded to their normal color as he released the Sharingan.
"Mmn," Kabuto nodded, "now sit. All of you."
They did so, settling down on the bare earth of the practice field. Only Kabuto remained standing.
"Now," he continued, "how do you think you did? Pass, fail, somewhere in between?"
"Sasuke CHEATED," Naruto complained, "he used that freaky eye thing!"
"Wrong answer," Kabuto said, "this wasn't about your individual performance. Or lack thereof."
Sakura blinked. "But..."
"Yes, I told you the fight was free-for-all. Every ninja for themselves. But think, just think. I was the greatest threat. You should have banded together...against me."
Sasuke scowled. "You said---"
Kabuto didn't let him finish. "I said I'd bow out if any of you got a decent hit on me. I said I would limit my skills. True. But I'm still more dangerous than any of you - and I began the fight by concealing myself. I could have killed you a dozen times over while you fought among yourselves."
"Bastard started it," Naruto accused, glaring at Sasuke, "he attacked Sakura-chan!"
Sasuke didn't appreciate the lecture, or Naruto's claim. "It made sense. Eliminate the weakest first. Sakura. You. Then him," he said, ending his statement by pointing at Kabuto.
"You think I'm weaker than Naruto?" Sakura felt a little crushed. Was Sasuke's opinion of her...so very low? Sure, Naruto had displayed a surprising amount of skill, but he was still the worst student in their class.
"Yes," Sasuke replied, flatly.
"In terms of combat ability," Kabuto interjected, "Sasuke-kun is correct. Naruto knows Kage Bunshin, a jounin-level technique. And he has defeated a chunnin in battle."
Naruto looked proud, while Sakura's head spun. She goggled at Naruto, almost falling over. Naruto? Defeated a chuunin? How? When?
"Hmph," Sasuke snorted.
Kabuto smiled, thinly. "But you already knew that, didn't you, Sasuke-kun? Who told you? Your brother?"
A dark cloud crossed Sasuke's face.
"Ah," Kabuto said, "he did, didn't he? Well, he would know. The Military Police were involved in the search, after all. Mm. Fair reasoning, Sasuke-kun...but still flawed. You should have seen your teammates as potential allies...not obstacles."
Naruto started to make a smart remark, mocking his rival - but Kabuto silenced him with a look.
"You didn't do well either. Nor you, Sakura."
Both tried to protest. Kabuto ignored them.
"Naruto," the jounin rebuked, "you attacked Sasuke over a personal grudge. You did defend Sakura...but only because of your juvenile infatuation. Sakura, you were unwilling to fight Sasuke-kun for the same reason. You planned on helping him against Naruto, then me, correct?"
Sakura winced. That had been her plan, at least until Sasuke tried to stab her.
Kabuto shook his head. "That...isn't teamwork."
"You tricked us," Naruto objected.
Kabuto folded his arms. "Yes. But it was supposed to be a test. Every jounin-sensei is required to evaluate his students. If he finds them lacking, they are stripped of their rank and sent back to the Academy. Now, what do you think the passing criteria is?"
The jounin frowned at their blank looks.
"Why do you think genin are grouped into three-man cells? Why do ninja almost always operate in units?"
Kabuto looked at each of his students, in turn.
"If you can't work together, you don't deserve to be in the Leaf."
Then he smiled.
"Think about it. I'll see you tomorrow. Outside the Hokage Tower, seven o'clock. Oh-seven-hundred hours."
Kabuto made a hand seal, and vanished in a cloud of dust.
* * *
"I'm home," Sakura called, slipping her sandals off and placing them on the shoe rack.
Silence met her announcement, which was what she expected. The house was empty. It'd been empty when she left, and the intervening hours hadn't brought any change.
Sakura closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She was a kunoichi. She shouldn't feel lonely or abandoned.
But she did, and it hurt.
She climbed the stairs with slow, measured steps, heading to her room.
Her father was probably still in Waterfall country. She hadn't heard anything from him, not since the last message saying he'd been delayed. She had no idea when he'd be back.
By now, Sakura was used to living alone. Ever since her mother died, she'd been left pretty much to herself.
Her father's job often took him away from the village, sometimes for weeks at a stretch. He wasn't a shinobi, but rather a trader, one of the civilian representatives that kept the Leaf fed and supplied.
Sometimes, Sakura wondered if he considered work more important than his daughter.
She needed someone to talk to, but there was only silence.
* * *
Naruto was no stranger to solitude. He'd literally raised himself, not just figuratively. His home was a small apartment, just big enough for his needs.
He sat on a stool in his tiny little kitchen, hands clasped around a cup of steaming instant ramen. He enjoyed the heat and the glorious smell of the hot soup. It brought him peace, comfort, and helped him think.
Naruto's brow furrowed, as he reflected on the events of the day.
Teamwork, Kabuto-sensei said, teamwork.
What did that mean?
His head hurt.
So he ate his ramen.
* * *
Sasuke pushed open the sliding door, stepping into his family home. There was no lock. His was a traditional dwelling. And the house was within Uchiha territory, so there was little need for security. No thief would dare venture into the clan's compound.
Truth be told, Sasuke dreaded it himself. He spent most of his time away from home, as much as he could.
He would never admit it, not even to himself, but Sasuke was afraid. He had bad memories of this place, memories of that night when everything changed. The night when he found his parents dead. Even time could not wash away the blood.
But there was more to his fears than just nightmares of the past.
"Welcome home, little brother."
Itachi stood in the hallway. To any outside observer, his smile would have been warm, affectionate.
Sasuke trembled, barely keeping his rage in check.
Itachi's eyes glowed in the evening twilight, the deep crimson of the Sharingan. He approached Sasuke, grasping his brother's shoulder. A friendly gesture...
...and Sasuke broke free. Violently, driving an elbow into Itachi's chest.
The older Uchiha barely felt the blow, the impact largely absorbed by his uniform vest.
Itachi's mouth twisted in faux disapproval. "Temper, temper, Sasuke-chan."
Sasuke pushed past Itachi, stalking into the house.
Itachi remained in the corridor, watching Sasuke go.
He sighed.
"Foolish little brother."
Annnnd...that's it. Chapter One. I've revised the first few scenes based on feedback from Aaron Nowack, SkyeFire, and CattyNebulart in my first thread. Once again, thanks, folks. I really appreciate it.
The later scenes...probably need more editorial cleanup. But this is just a draft. Chapter One ends here.
Chapter Two will open with another scene in the Hokage's Office, with Anko and Ibiki giving Old Man Sarutobi a headache. Well, mainly Anko. Then back to Team Seven, and...hn, I haven't really decided where to cut it off. When I hit a good point, I guess. I write by the seat of my pants.
Oh, and...does the title suck? >_o;
-- Acyl
![[Image: smile.gif]](http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif)