Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Dawnwalker ❯ The Sandstorm ( Chapter 4 )

Dawnwalker

 

.IV.

 

Neji sat quietly in his seat, fiddling with the dice again, as he watched Kakashi sort out the table. Lee sat across from him, looking distinctly ruffled and sheepish. Finally, Kakashi (or rather, Megumi-chan) clapped his hands and smiled cheerfully at the two.

 

“So, is there anything else you'll be needing?”

 

Lee opened his mouth quickly before closing it as an uncertain expression filled his face. Neji narrowed his eyes.

 

“Kakashi-san—”

 

“Megumi-chan, if you may, sir.”

 

“Megumi-chan, why are you here?”

 

“Well, to serve you of course!”

 

The dark-haired man restrained himself from rolling his eyes. Ever since their fateful encounter at the front desk, Kakashi had waved off all their questions and instead went along with his business calmly and quite happily. Neji knew there was no one eavesdropping as he had done a quick and surreptitious scan of the area, so he could not fathom why Kakashi insisted on maintaining his role.

 

“Um, you arranged for two rooms, right?” inquired Megumi.

 

“Yes,” replied Neji.

 

Megumi tilted her head to the side and nodded quickly. “Do you know when your companions will be coming back then? So I can get an idea on when to set up dinner,” she asked.

 

Lee and Neji shared glances. “They went exploring—so we have no idea how long that will take,” answered Neji calmly.

 

For a second Megumi looked utterly appalled. “Exploring? What in the world is that—I mean—yes, I see!” she exclaimed, laughing nervously.

 

Neji lowered his gaze to the table and took a sip of the tea Megumi had made. “Is there any particular reason why you're watching us so closely?” he inquired sharply. If Kakashi was going to continue avoiding the topic then Neji could very well use the same tactic against him.

 

But Megumi only smiled cheerfully. “It's part of our policy to stay with our guests from the outer territories to make sure they get a familiar feel for the city. I'm sorry if I seem imposing but it's my duty,” she chirped.

 

Touché, thought Neji inwardly.

 

Suddenly the door to their room slammed open and in walked a bright redhead and an exasperated Shikamaru.

 

“Oi, Neji, Lee! What's—oops.”

 

Neji would have cursed at Naruto if it were not for the fact that Megumi was in fact Kakashi in disguise. Shikamaru stared at the young woman in mild suspicion before Neji nodded his head slowly.

 

“Why hello, sirs! I was under the impression that these two here were Tetsuya and Shuu—not Neji and Lee,” greeted Megumi brightly.

 

“Uh…they're nicknames,” answered Shikamaru quickly before cocking his head to the side to shoot Neji a look that simply said, “What the hell is going on here?”

 

“It's Kakashi-san,” Neji stated.

 

Suddenly Neji was faced with Megumi's murderous look and Naruto's outburst.

 

“Kaka-sensei? What are you doing here? And you're using my Sexy no Jutsu, too!”

 

Megumi suddenly turned back into Kakashi with a loud poof of smoke to glare at Naruto heatedly. “This is a simple transformation jutsu, Naruto. Please don't associate me with your crazy techniques,” he pointed out before turning to face Neji. “And you, try to be a little more subtle. For all you know it could have been someone else pretending to be me. How did you know for sure?”

 

Neji hid a small smile. “Certain habits gave you away, Kakashi-san,” he replied lightly.

 

Kakashi stared at the younger man for a moment before shaking his head. “Young people nowadays,” he muttered to himself.

 

“But why are you here anyway?” inquired Shikamaru as he sat down on the matted floor.

 

The silver-haired Jounin sighed. “This mission is top priority in Konoha right now. And Tsunade-sama has wasted no expense to ensure the scroll's return,” he answered. “To be honest, though, she seems to be overdoing it a little.”

 

“Typical Baachan—if it were me I would never waste any shinobi on one mission!” proclaimed Naruto.

 

Kakashi bore the redhead a critical gaze. “Don't disrespect the Hokage, Naruto,” he chastised.

 

“So what? You're just here to supervise?” queried Shikamaru, raising an eyebrow.

 

“No, to assist. She has faith enough in your abilities as Squadron Thirteen,” answered Kakashi calmly.

 

Shikamaru appeared unconvinced at this revelation, but said nothing. If there was anything he had learned about the famed Copy Nin, it was that he would reveal everything in due time. And having Kakashi on the mission would not be a negative aspect. He was certainly more experienced than any of them and could prove to be a valuable asset on the team. Shikamaru just hoped that nothing else unexpected would occur. He was growing wary of these surprises.

 

“Well, we managed to get a lead on our circus,” he began as he laid out a scroll on the low table for all to see. “We also managed to get their schedule.”

 

Lee blinked in wonder. “How did you do that?” he inquired curiously.

 

Shikamaru gave a small smirk. “You'd be surprised at how careless city people are. The guy we got it from was drunk and babbling. He didn't notice at all. And the only reason why he knew so much about the circus was because he used to be a part of it—one of the jugglers, right, Naruto?” he explained, shooting a glance at Naruto.

 

The redhead nodded and proceeded in engulfing a rice ball whole before downing it with several gulps of tea. “Yeah! He was fired because he scared the kids with his face. Man, was he a complainer. But I think the alcohol helped loosen up his tongue. We needed to know more after all. And we were in a bar so it was okay. Apparently getting people drunk here is normal,” he said.

 

“As long as we paid the bill,” added Shikamaru.

 

Neji analyzed the scroll and traced the path the roaming circus was following. “Assuming this thing is accurate, they would be going through Fenaru Desert now,” he commented to himself before looking up at the others. “That's just outside this city—there's a small town located there as well.”

 

Shikamaru nodded. “And of course, that's where we're heading—tonight,” he stated.

 

This took everyone by surprise.

 

“Tonight? But we just got here! Don't we get to rest up for a bit? We've been moving almost nonstop! The only time we got to rest was at Benjiro's house!” whined Naruto.

 

“Benjiro?” broke in Kakashi inquisitively.

 

“Just some acquaintance we encountered while heading to Hidden Stone,” filled in Lee quickly before shooting Shikamaru a worried look. “Wouldn't it be safer to go in the morning? We don't know much about the geography—and everything tends to be more dangerous at night.”

 

Shikamaru shrugged. “I figure we can handle it. We've been to Wind Country enough times to be able to handle this desert I think. And I don't think any desert can rival up to the one Gaara rules over—no offense to him and Sand of course,” he remarked offhandedly. He then looked at Kakashi. “What do you think?”

 

The older man simply gave a lighthearted chuckle. “Well, I'm not squadron leader! I'm only tailing after you. Whatever you order I can only follow without complaint,” he replied airily.

 

“Kaka-sensei, you suck,” Naruto pointed out feebly.

 

“In that case,” cut in Shikamaru, completely ignoring the glare Naruto was aiming at him, “I suggest we all eat up what we can and then save the rest for later. Get some rest as well. We'll head out after midnight.”

 

“He's really driving us hard,” whispered Lee into Neji's ear. The latter could only offer a small smile of reassurance.

 

After a while, Kakashi reverted back to his disguised form and left the foursome. Shikamaru and Naruto had retreated back to their room and Lee had decided to rest up for as much as he could before midnight came along. Neji sat alone in their room, sitting at the lone table and scrutinizing the circus' schedule. There was little to study, but for some inexplicable reason Neji felt the urge to memorize all its minute details. Shikamaru's mentioning of Fenaru had disconcerted him for a brief second—and he had no idea why. They had journeyed to far more treacherous areas before and yet Neji felt more perturbed by this desert than any other place they ever encountered.

 

The nagging feeling still lingered in the back of his head, taunting him whenever he let it consume too much of his attention. It seemed to Neji that he was almost afraid—afraid of something to which he still had yet to meet. It was an almost ludicrous idea, but the dark-haired man could not deny his growing concern—not just for his safety, but everyone else's as well. Already they had stumbled upon several anomalies in their mission: Benjiro, whom Neji still could not believe to be completely trustworthy, the foreboding words of the Cloud shinobi they had left in Benjiro's care, and Kakashi himself, whom anyone could see was clearly hiding something from them. Neji folded his hands and leaned his forehead against crossed fingers.

 

“Maybe I'm being paranoid,” he muttered to himself.

 

A grunt was issued from Lee as he turned over in his sleep, facing the wall. Neji cast him a spare glance before resuming his nighttime thoughts. In a couple of more hours it would be midnight. With a sigh, Neji settled into his futon and blew out the candle that provided the only light in the room. It would be no good for him to traverse the desert at night half-conscious.

 

It was only several hours later that Neji would awaken with a jolt as the door to his and Lee's room opened with a slam. Activating his Byakugan automatically and shifting into an offensive stance, Neji allowed himself to relax once he saw that it was only Naruto, who gazed at him amusedly.

 

“You must have been sleeping pretty hard if you didn't notice me until now,” he said lightly.

 

Neji closed his eyes and then looked over at Lee, who remained sound asleep. He shook his head slightly. “If it's not an intruder, he never wakes up. His reflexes puzzle me,” he commented quietly.

 

Naruto grinned and walked over to Lee, prodding his body with a finger to wake him up. “Nah, he just knows when it's us. Bodily instinct. And he's also Lee. That in itself calls for some strangeness,” he remarked before he started poking harder. “Oi, wake up, thick-brows! We don't have all night!”

 

Finally Lee sat up in a slight trance, his arms up in an unsightly pose. “I'm ready!” he shouted in a daze before Naruto punched his shoulder. Shaking off his grogginess, Lee looked from the redhead to Neji. “We're out?”

 

“Soon, Shika's making some last minute adjustments to our bags,” replied Naruto before stretching. “He said to meet up outside.”

 

Neji rolled up the scroll and placed it in his inside pocket before facing the other two. “Then let's go,” he said quietly before leaving the room.

 

Naruto arched an eyebrow at the dark-haired man's retreating form and shot Lee a questioning gaze. The latter shrugged and folded up his futon. “He's been a little tense lately,” he clarified.

 

“'Che, that guy's always tense.”

 

“More so now than before. He senses something…big is going to happen. And I kind of agree with him now that I think about it.”

 

Naruto slammed his fist into the palm of his hand. “Well, good! This mission's been getting kind of dull anyway!” he exclaimed excitedly.

 

Lee offered the younger man an exasperated look.

 

When they gathered outside, the only one missing was Kakashi. Naruto folded his arms grumpily and muttered to himself as the rest of the group awaited the silver-haired Jounin to arrive. When Kakashi did appear, he was back to his normal uniform and appearance and seemed to be in a rush as he immediately set off with no further comment.

 

“What's the hurry?” inquired Shikamaru.

 

Kakashi did not stop to look back. “Someone's after us. I don't know who but it's a presence I've felt since you got here,” he answered.

 

Naruto arched an eyebrow. “What did you do to the inn owner and workers?” he prompted.

 

“Nothing. They weren't in. I guided them away on a fake vacation retreat when I arrived here a few days ago and took over the place myself. Fortunately, there weren't too many customers but the ones I did get I simply impressed with my amazing cooking and serving skills.”

 

Naruto eyed his former teacher darkly. “You never change,” he muttered under his breath.

 

“You said someone was after us?” continued Lee.

 

The city streets were dark and not as beautiful as they were when they arrived in the late afternoon. Still people prowled through the night, drunken and loud. The group had no trouble avoiding the crowds as they flew over the high buildings. Neji glanced at the sky and noted the foreboding clouds. He activated his Byakugan to take in further sights as Kakashi answered Lee's question.

 

“They're skilled—whoever they are. I don't think you'll be able to track them down with your Byakugan, Neji. They've managed to hide themselves quite efficiently, but I know they're there.”

 

“This is going to be a long night,” murmured Lee.

 

Neji kept his gaze on the horizon, watching in apprehension as the storm clouds converged thickly, causing the air to be overwhelmingly stifling. There was also a certain muteness in the atmosphere and their voices and movement fell on flat notes. With everything around them so still and silent it would child's play for any enemies to suddenly launch a surprise attack on them. Kakashi's warning spelled inevitable confrontation—one that Neji did not care to greet. When on missions, he usually limited his actions to involve as little combat as possible. It was not only the quieter alternative, but the safer one as well.

 

“Looks like rain,” quipped Naruto as he briefly glimpsed the black sky.

 

And without any further warning besides the ominous thunder crackling through the night, heavy sheets of rain descended upon them. Shikamaru shot Naruto a wry look. “Nice call.”

 

The troop sped up heedlessly despite the slickness of the ground. The deafening rain only meant cover for their movements—but it also worked in favor for their enemy. Neji kept his Byakugan alert for any intruders. I know they're there. Kakashi's words echoed across his mind unbidden. There were, naturally, techniques one could utilize that neutralized the penetrating effect of the Byakugan—but such techniques were rare and unheard of. Neji was sure, however, that Kakashi most likely had one such technique up his sleeve. After all, the “Copy Nin” was not just some fancy title.

 

“How much further till we reach Fenaru?” shouted Naruto above the roar of the storm.

 

“Another hour or so,” replied Shikamaru.

 

“This is actually very good training for us. The water soaks through our clothes and belongings, making them heavier and more of a challenge as we run. And the slippery terrain makes our journey even more treacherous,” Lee commented aloud—in a strangely cheerful manner.

 

Naruto turned to glare at him. “You're obsessed—did you know that?”

 

The rest of the team had to stifle their laughter at Lee's genuinely surprised expression. Neji smiled slightly and tossed his drenched hair to the side. It was occasions like these that made him seriously consider opting for a shorter cut. When the rain finally proved unbearable, he reached into his pocket and tied his hair up into a messy but sufficient ponytail. Fortunately they were heading to a desert and the storm would not be following them there. Fenaru stood in a free territory between Earth and Wind Country. The town was completely independent of any outside influences and too minute for either of its neighboring countries to claim stake.

 

Even as they ran now Neji could see the sky beginning to lighten up as they moved away from the city. Fenaru existed as the border town between Wind and Earth Country and shinobi from both countries, as well as others, could often be spotted there—taking in the precious freedom of being in a neutral territory for a brief respite. It was one of the few places where shinobi could gather in peace for Fenaru's main policy included nonviolence and anyone who breached this principle would suffer consequences. There was generally no worries, however, since the main reason why shinobi even dropped by the cabin town of Fenaru was simply to have a break from the stress and priorities of being who they were.

 

Squadron Thirteen, along with Kakashi, would arrive there first to recuperate their strength before following the roaming circus through the rest of the desert. Neji drew in an unsteady breath as he attempted to quell his rising insecurities. There was no reason for this uneasiness. The mission was slightly unorthodox, but nothing worth so much concern. But somehow, it still unnerved him greatly. There were times where Neji could almost sense the future—whether or not it was because of his Byakugan—but more often than not when he predicted danger or when that nagging sixth sense told him otherwise, he was right to be so hesitant.

 

“Desert in the horizon!” exclaimed Naruto suddenly, breaking through Neji's thoughts.

 

He glanced up and saw that the redhead was indeed correct. The terrain was quickly shifting from rocky, uneven ground to the smooth and flawless backdrop of the desert. They had already passed the storm and Neji could still glimpse the dark city behind him, clouded by the black sky that was accompanied by brief flashes of lightning. The air became cold and brittle, unlike the humid and mild temperature of the city. When Neji breathed out he could imagine small clouds of white escaping his lips.

 

“How much farther is the town?” inquired Lee.

 

“About another mile,” Kakashi replied.

 

They could run that mile in a few minutes. Neji glanced at his watch and was noted with surprise that they had already been running for almost two hours. It was not a long time nor distance for them—but he was still slightly winded due to the luggage they had to bring along with them.

 

“Still sense enemies, Kaka-sensei?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“How, though? We would have seen them by now!”

 

“I never said they were following us, Naruto. There's a distinct difference between after us and following us.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Kakashi turned around to face the rest of the team. “I said there were enemies, yes, but I never said they were following us. They're all around us—from this desert to the shinobi I know are probably waiting for us,” he said before his visible eye crinkled up happily. “In other words—the future!”

 

There was a brief silence before Naruto exploded.

 

“KAKA-SENSEI! Don't try to sound so cool by giving the rest of us heart attacks!!”

 

Shikamaru arched an eyebrow. “`The rest of' us, Naruto?”

 

“Shut up, Akira.”

 

The silver-haired Jounin only laughed before suddenly transforming himself back to Megumi. “There's the town. Be on guard,” he said, his tone lacking the authority it usually held now that the words were said in a high-pitched female's voice.

 

Naruto gave shot him a mocking salute before the group slowed down their pace until they were several yards off from town. It was slightly difficult keeping up their rate in the sand and Neji was grateful for the break as they continued the rest of the way walking. The town, named Fenaru—like the desert it was located in—was quiet and dark. It seemed most of its inhabitants were sleeping, but there was sure to be several places open where they could snatch room and board.

 

“Ooh…spooky,” commented Naruto as they entered the wooden threshold. Unlike the city they had just past, Fenaru was simple in design and resembled Konoha's own structure save it was much smaller and less elaborate in décor.

 

“It's like a ghost town if you ask me,” Shikamaru pointed out nonchalantly.

 

“Well, everyone's probably sleeping,” reasoned Lee.

 

Naruto grinned widely. “I like it here. Except all this sand keeps getting into my mouth,” he said, scowling as he coughed up some dust.

 

Kakashi eyed him wryly. “Stop opening your mouth so wide when you talk then.”

 

The redhead looked at his former sensei scathingly and gestured violently in the air before Lee stopped him.

 

“That's rude, Naruto—especially in front of a lady!”

 

Kakashi gave an innocent laugh that sent chills down their spines.

 

They finally located a small inn that was brightly lit inside and entered somewhat shyly. Instantly greeted by a surprised keeper, they were welcomed nonetheless and guided without further questioning. Neji was grateful for this rule on privacy. He could see now why Fenaru had turned into a sort of safe haven for weary shinobi.

 

They had all managed to acquire one large room that they would all be sharing. It was quaint and humble with homey touches and soft lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Laying out their belongings carefully and tiredly, Neji sighed in slight relief at arriving safely.

 

Before they could all settle down completely, however, Shikamaru broke into their peaceful reveries.

 

“Anyone want to have a look around for a bit?”

 

Naruto immediately blanched. “What? Why, Sh—Akira?” he complained.

 

He knew, as well as the others, what Shikamaru had meant. He was suggesting someone be on lookout for several hours. They had now reverted back to their symbolic speech since the freedom they possessed at the previous inn was gone. Whereas only Kakashi was present there, in this new inn others could be listening through the thin walls. And in a place where shinobi were known to wander in, they could take no risks.

 

“I'll go.”

 

Everyone turned to Neji in surprise. The latter shrugged. “I can't sleep now anyway. I need a walk to clear my thoughts. Besides…I don't think this place is that dangerous, Akira. It's only a desert town,” he said.

 

Shikamaru nodded slowly. “If you don't back in three hours we'll assume the worse then, right? And our little trip around the world will have to go on a hiatus to look for your sorry ass,” he replied casually—meaning, “After three hours someone will relieve you. Until then, watch your goddamn back.”

 

Neji nodded and stood up to gather some necessary items before heading out the door.

 

“Don't wander too far off, Tetsuya! We know how you get when you go into those moods of yours,” warned Naruto, surprising Neji.

 

The dark-haired man offered a slight smile before nodding and left the room and inn within a few seconds while giving off a faint wave to the innkeeper. As soon as the brisk desert air greeted him Neji breathed in deeply and released some of his tension. He could patrol around the area, yes, but his words were not a complete lie. He did need to clear his mind. And three hours would be more than enough time.

 

Naruto's words had proved to be foreboding, though, as Neji realized an hour later when the air around him grew thick with sand brought by the rising winds. Glancing around himself he noted that he was a good distance away from the inn and that the wind was worsening by the passing second. Without faltering he picked up his pace and ran through the town, blocking the intrusive sand to the best of his ability. It was not soon, however, when this action proved futile as the sand around him arose to a frightening height, surrounding and enclosing him in an inescapable trap.

 

Sandstorm, thought Neji mildly as he choked on the dust entering his lungs unsuspectingly. There was no cover for him and he could not even see what was in front of him anymore. The only choice he had left was to sit it out—or stand it out rather. But while he contemplated his options, the sand and wind gathering around him increased so much in speed and sound that he could no longer even comprehend the environment surrounding him in any way whatsoever. And suddenly, through the air came a heavy object—appearing to be a sign that was ripped from a store window—and it crashed heavily into the back of Neji's head, rendering him unconscious without warning like the storm that he was caught in.

 

The sandstorm continued its dangerous pace all throughout the night and by the time morning came, the devastation it wreaked was obvious. Sand littered all over the small buildings and houses while the wooden signs were scratched heavily by the passing grit. Some of the telephone posts had been bent into unshapely positions and the lines were strewn hazardously over the town. It was one of the worst storms Fenaru had experienced in its long years.

 

And while opening his eyes to look upon completely unfamiliar settings, Neji found himself instantly alert in dismay. He looked around himself and saw that he was lying in a bed—which was not right since the inn he had been staying in offered only futons. This could only mean he was somewhere else and that distinct throbbing of his head discontinued him from pondering this any further as he winced painfully when his fingers touched the thick gauze protecting his injury.

 

Someone else found me, he thought to himself as he looked around the room. Then, what happened? Confusion ringed in clearly and Neji could not understand his situation. He remembered walking through the sandstorm while considering his options and then suddenly—nothing. That blank spot in his memory was most likely caused by whatever hit his head, he realized with growing concern. When he looked out the window he determined it was still early morning by the soft light dancing on the sand and the warming air. His disappearance would not go unnoticed by his teammates.

 

“Shit,” he cursed, wondering where the hell he was. In any case, he would have to thank his caretaker and leave as soon as possible.

 

The sound of approaching footsteps filled his ears and Neji looked expectantly at the doorway as a person entered his room, holding a tray. When the stranger placed the tray by his bedside and backed away, however, Neji could not rip his gaze off him.

 

Long, raven bangs hinted blue swept the young man's eyes. The rest of his hair was shorter and cut in a rather messy manner that was carried past the nape of his neck. His face, though, his face haunted Neji's mind. Dark, deceptively innocent eyes stood amidst pale skin and otherwise handsome features. This was the face of a man that had turned his back on Konoha, on his friends, and the rest of the world. Neji stared and stared. The simple and casual clothes he was attired in could not fool him or the rest of Konoha Village of his true identity. And even then, Neji still could not believe this man, Uchiha Sasuke, was standing right before him—serving him even—in the utmost calmest manner.

 

As if sensing the disbelief radiating at him, Sasuke pushed the hair out of his eyes and shot Neji a half-smirk.

 

“Good morning, Ueda-san. It seems you had a rough night.”

 

TBC

 

There's more…