Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Feathers ❯ Waiting ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Silver Feathers

By: Black Dragon Diva

Rating: PG-13

Anime: Naruto

Spoilers: Up to Episode 144

Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto Characters

Summary: Sasuke comes home after four years away from Kohona. He struggles to return to his former position on Kohona, but its clearly not as easy as it seems. To make things worse,he doesn't return alone and everyone's pointing fingers. There's something wrong with the young man he finds outside the borders of the hidden Sound village, and its not just because he can't remember who he is. Is he an Orochimaru spy, Sasuke as well, or is everything just a massive misunderstanding?

Chapter One: Waiting

Naruto was waiting quietly, which was a sure sign that something was wrong. The normally fidgety, exuberant boy turning quiet and… Sasuke-like, would cause anyone to look about in alarm. Maybe the world was ending? The sky was still blue, and it didn't seem to be falling, although it had long since been drained by the lack of sunlight into a deeper, calmer blue. Of course, nobody in Kohona village would think `Sasuke-like' without looking away in remorse, clenching a fist in anger, or sighing in pity. It had been almost four years since Sasuke had left the village, and none of the inhabitants was unaffected by it in one way or another. After all, he had been a promising young ninja at the time, a `genius' by the standards of many, and a comrade to most. Or so they had thought.

Naruto had been different. He hadn't given up on Sasuke like many had. Some just didn't care one way or the other, noticing only the great loss of power with no Sharingan heir in the village. He knew the village had lost more than that. And he had lost more than that. So much more. He'd lost a friend. One of the only ones he had.

Orochimaru was gone now, and with his absence Sasuke no longer had a reason to stay away from home. His home, if he still decided it was good enough for him. Naruto had kept his promise to Sakura to bring their friend back home, or at least he was still trying. If this plan didn't work, he'd have to use much more forceful measures.

Of course, looking at him now, merely staring at the sky with a calm, mild expression, he didn't seem to be doing anything at all. Then again, guard duty didn't have many perks other than a great time to lose some sleep and think about things. However, Naruto was well past the planning stage of his plan. He was enacting it. He wasn't standing idly, he was waiting.

For Sasuke.

To come home.

Going to see the other male member of Team 7 hadn't been difficult for him, but Naruto knew it was hard for Sasuke to see him again as well, to struggle with his own defeat. Itachi was dead. But not by Uchiha hands. By Orochimaru. To make his container-to-be stronger. It killed Sasuke. Something in him died, and not just the Avenger in him. Underneath all that was hurt and loss. For his brother. Because of this something happened to his Sharingan, just as Itachi had predicted it would should he see the death of someone close to him. It evolved into the MangeSharingan.

As much as Sasuke had fantasized over obtaining the Mange Sharingan (although continuing to refuse killing Naruto to obtain it), Sasuke now had it with nothing to show for its glory other than haunting images of his dying brother.

Finding Sasuke hadn't been hard for Naruto. All it took was a dull sense of tracking to find unsteady footsteps and small splashes of vomit. There was blood too. His brother's blood. His own blood. Naruto's blood.

Finding him huddled, defeated, against a tall strong oak, as though trying to steal away its strength by pressing himself against it, did not please Naruto. Neither did the shaking in the other young man's limbs. Limbs that had grown strong thanks to the training of his brother's butcher.

Naruto had given him one month. A solid, comforting amount of time to get one's thoughts in order, one's feelings back to the confines of his mind so they would not explode upon looking at something that made them rage.

Sasuke hadn't answered him when Naruto told him he would be waiting, that all of Hidden Leaf was waiting for him. At home.

And that was exactly what Naruto was doing. It was a month to the day. In a couple of hours, he would be late, but Naruto didn't want to think of that. He didn't want to think that he might be late for a long time. Or maybe he was just turning into Kakashi-sensei.

Naruto had to smile at that. That would be the day.

There was something that caught his attention in the distance. Well, it caught Kyuubi's attention more than his. He had learned that the kitsune had exceptionally good hearing and sense of smell, which was sometimes lent to Naruto when it was feeling helpful. Or threatened. Naruto supposed this time it was just trying to be of assistance. Probably annoyed that nothing was happening; everything was mundane day after day. Naruto's energy levels skyrocketed higher than they even used to be as a graduate fresh from the academy. He had to keep himself amused for two, and it wasn't as easy as it looked. He also ate for two. His stops to the ramen shop grew in frequency, and the bowls consumed had doubled. It was no wonder why he was always broke. Iruka-sensei was always nice enough to invite him into the house should the youth come to scrounge a dinner. It was hardly a wonder why he took small, low-rank missions anymore coupled with the ones given to him by the Hokage. The kid had an appetite that rivaled Chouji's.

Kyuubi didn't feel very happy about the thing in the distance. Naruto could practically hear him growling. Over the years they had formed a bond, sensing each other's souls and emotions. And right now, Naruto had the distinct feeling that Kyuubi was Not Happy.

Naruto might have taken the time to ask why, but he didn't. Have the time, that is. Whatever it was, it was approaching; slowly, but still approaching. Not to mention that without a near-death experience, it took for-rickin'-ever to find the Fox. His container was full of dead-ends and labyrinth-like corridors. Needless to say, the Fourth had done his jobannoyingly well.

Something in the air made Naruto twitch his nose. A scent. Familiar, but not entirely earthy. A shinobi-like scent.

Having a non-suspicious, earthy scent was important to a ninja, who's life depended on blending in with the surroundings. It was, not surprisingly, unique to each country. Being this was an earthy scent, it was either a Kohona shinobi, or someone who had been living in the woods for one hell of a long time.

Sasuke fit both criteria, but Naruto was reluctant to hope. It was the very reason why he had told no one about what was happening. Or what might be happening. Hopefully. Maybe.

Sakura-chan was the main reason why. Should she find out and be disappointed Naruto would hardly be able to forgive himself. He was ashamed that it had taken so long for him to get anywhere in bringing Sasuke back and had made a point to try to avoid the topic at all costs.

Tsunade-sama was the only one, in fact, to whom he had hinted anything about Sasuke's return. And that was merely to keep ANBU away. He wouldn't stand for the elite ninja's to complete the mission he had started years ago.

The rustle was closer now. Naruto pulled a kunai from his pouch; just to be safe. He was both glad and not so much so that he had yet to figure out how to convinced Kyuubi to lend him eyes that could see in the dark. On one hand he'd see the intruder, but on the other, the suspense was thrilling. Nothing like adrenaline to get the blood pumping.

A snap in the brush made Naruto raise his weapon slightly. Whatever it was, animal or human, it wasn't hiding its advancement. An advancement straight toward him.

Naruto swallowed his hope forcefully. Even if Sasuke did come, who said he would come to this part of the wall? The thought was stomped out. He would. Naruto was the only one he would trust to show his face to right now and the Sharingan would help him find the blonde. Not to mention the fact that Naruto had specifically chosen this part of the wall because it faced the direction he assumed Sasuke would come from. He had taken it for over a week. In the process he had probably raised some suspicion, but he couldn't bring himself to care. People still didn't like him; not entirely. But their respect for him grew and continued to grow. At least most of the restaurant owners were fond of him. Or maybe his large appetite.

A deer leapt from behind the thick undergrowth. Upon seeing Naruto and his bright orange and black clothing, it veered swiftly off to the boy's left, upturning grass and clumps of dirt. It loped gracefully alongside the wall before jumping back into the forest, flashing a startled white tail back toward the way from which it had come.

“Naruto…”

……………………..

A/N: okay, short chapter first. My first Naruto fic. The real stuff starts next chapter. There are some heavy spoilers if you haven't seen up to the naru/sasu fight at the Valley of the End. Sorry!

Itachi has the Mange Sharingan. He obtained it after killing the cousin he saw as a brother. It has special techniques that are rare even for the Uchiha clan.