The Lost Boy
Chapter 14: The Lost Boy
Neji-
Deep beneath the school, far deeper than any students or even faculty ventured, Neji and Tenten prowled.
Normally, he would have been with Uzumaki, but Tenten's sudden development of power had forced the plan to change. As much as Neji hated deviating from the established plan, he would far rather have Tenten with him during such a critical time in her life than have her alone with an unstable person like Uchiha. Better if she'd stayed with Gai-sensei, but he wouldn't have insulted her by suggesting she was unfit for the mission.
Neji watched Tenten's back while they walked. She'd barely spoken in hours. For someone so opinionated, so confident, it was disturbing.
With a scowl, Neji considered what he should say. He'd been thinking about it since Gai-sensei had told him what had happened to Tenten. Aside from the fact that he felt that the wolf-person who'd attacked Tenten ought to be killed - pity that he was a student and therefore protected by the contract - Neji wasn't sure what to think about the whole situation.
"Why is she crying?" Neji had asked Gai-sensei when he'd taken Neji aside to speak with him. "She's more valuable to the village, now."
Gai-sensei had shaken his head. "It's not that easy for her. You're right - she is valuable to the village. I'm sure that's the upper most thing on her mind. Try to understand, she knows that everything is going to change the minute we return to the village. We can't ignore it. I expect her mother, so disappointed and bitter, will suddenly become very affectionate."
"Because of the power," Neji concluded. "I understand, I think. That would be awkward." Of course, everyone in Neji's family shared the same power. No matter how he felt about his family, at least he'd had people around who understood what was going on. Tenten was, basically, alone. Her mother had once, supposedly, had control of the bloodline limit, but drink had crippled that talent until it was as good as dead. "There will be no one to teach her?"
"No one." Gai-sensei turned to look at Tenten where she sat, still depressed and sitting alone. "Kakashi once told me of a boy his Cell encountered during one of their first missions. He described the boy as extraordinary. Kakashi never gives empty praise. That boy had power over water and spoke of how his village massacred his clan, how family turned against family to wipe out this power. I believe Tenten's parents had escaped the slaughter. They spoke of something similar. It's very possible that our kunoichi is the last person in the world to have this power. No matter what she wants out of life, she will be under a great deal of pressure to restart her clan for the sake of Konohagakure. She may not be given any choice other than to have as many children as possible, as soon as possible."
Neji didn't like that at all. "She will be forbidden from taking missions. It is prohibited to give pregnant women missions."
Gai-sensei met Neji's eyes, sadly. "She may be permanently removed from our Cell."
"The Hokage will assign another to complete our Cell." Neji had images of some giggling fool or an arrogant twit. He'd just gotten used to Tenten and Lee. "I like our Cell the way it is."
"I, too, am more than satisfied. We would be lesser without her." Gai-sensei put a hand on Neji's shoulder. "Take her with you in your search of the castle. Distract her for a bit. I will speak with the Hokage when we return. She isn't heartless or unreasonable. Perhaps I am worrying for nothing."
But Neji wasn't so sure. He didn't like the thought of vibrant Tenten being confined to the village, protected and pampered like an expensive pet while she produced child after child to build a clan she might not want. She would wilt.
Neji kept his thoughts to himself as they crept through the dark, unused passages. He could see the labyrinth of passages under Hogwarts, but as they tried to follow the map Neiji could see in his mind, things kept changing, as if the castle had a mind of its own. It was frustrating and made a job that had sounded simple nearly impossible. The passages simply refused to stay in one place! They, like many of the halls above, kept changing themselves in a seemingly random fashion. That, more than any other difficulty of the mission, irritated Neji.
There were cobwebs thick as curtains that draped across the entire passage. They were so thick that Tenten had to use her kunai to cut them apart and it rankled both of them, though neither said it aloud. There was no other way to pass, but Neji didn't like leaving any evidence of their passing - even if it were only a cut spider's web.
"You don't mind me tagging along, I hope." Tenten’s voice was soft, so quiet Neji barely heard her. As she walked, she didn't so much as stir the dust from the floor with her footsteps.
"Of course not." It was far better than working with Uzumaki. Neji tried to do as Gai-sensei had suggested and find some way to distract Tenten, but he couldn't think of anything to talk about and couldn't think of a reason to avoid the subject. After all, this was her fate. She couldn't avoid it. "Are you going to tell your mother?"
Tenten's back stiffened, but she kept walking. "I won't have to. Gai-sensei will have to put it in the mission report. My… talent affected the mission. It could have endangered someone. Not only my mother, but everyone will know."
Her new talent could have endangered someone, but didn't. No one of any worth, anyway. Only that wolf-boy. "You'll need to learn control. You need someone to help you train."
Tenten stopped walking and put a hand out to touch one of the walls. Her eyes closed. She looked tired. "I can feel it. The water… it's everywhere. I can feel the dampness around us, seeping into the walls from the lake outside." She almost smiled and her eyes slid open. "When I was a child, I remember playing in the rain. Father always laughed and said I was getting a head-start."
"He should have taught you when he had the chance."
Tenten let her hand fall back to her side and she started walking again. "Well… he didn't." She paused and looked at him over her shoulder. "Don't look like that. I'm not going to cry on your shoulder anytime soon. I'm a big girl. I'll figure this out."
Neji opened his byakugan and looked through the walls of the passage. He looked up and saw, high above, some professors and students moving around. He looked down and saw earth. To the side there was water, the sea and the lake. "We have to find you a trainer. An untrained talent…"
"I know. I know. Don't worry. I'm sure the Hokage will think of something." But her voice was tighter than normal. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"You could be killed by your own talent." Just as Neji could - his father had once warned - be driven mad by the byakugan. If he couldn't control it then he ran the risk of having random flashes of seeing everything all at once or, worse, having the byakugan permanently locked on. "There's a corridor to the left. Take it. I'll have you in my clan."
"What?"
"Left."
"No! Not that! You'll have me… ?"
"In my clan. Yes. I can help you train, if you like. Techniques shouldn't be so different. Focus and concentration for the most part and… " Neji looked down. "There's that snake, again. It's huge."
Tenten whirled on him. "Stay on one subject! What are you talking about? Your uncle won't let me into the Hyuuga clan!"
"I said MY clan and I meant MY clan." He put a hand on Tenten's arm, thinking that such gestures were meant to comfort, but not sure he was doing it right as he wasn’t in the habit of giving comfort. "I haven't told anyone, yet. I'd appreciate it if you kept your silence."
"About what?"
"I'm leaving the Hyuuga clan."
Tenten's eyes widened, then narrowed. She pressed her lips together, all the while staring at Neji. Finally, she nodded. "Right. What brought this on?"
"Hinata-sama."
"Ah."
"Now you understand?"
"Yes. It makes a good deal of sense - if the Hokage will allow the split it'll be easier."
"She must. I have only one other choice and I would rather not commit myself to such drastic action."
"What drastic action?"
Neji stopped walking and squatted down. He put his hand on the stone on the floor and stared at the massive sleeping snake far below them. He was silent and let his head fall forward enough that his hair shielded his face. "Uchiha Itachi had a way to deal with his family."
Tenten smacked him on the head and snarled. "Don't you dare! After all the grief you've given Uchiha since this mission started, I would have… I never… just don't!" She crossed her arms and stepped away from him. "Do you really think Hinata-sama would ever forgive you if you killed them all? She loves her family, no matter how they treat her."
"I don't need her forgiveness. I need her safety and… and her happiness." He wanted to explain to Tenten, but didn't know how to say it. To him, it was obvious. "I am Hinata-sama's protector. I alone am responsible for her life. Whether I have liked my destiny or not, I have always accepted it. She is my only reason for living. How can I let her be killed? If her family is dead, they can't hurt her."
"You'll end up a missing-nin, just like Itachi and Orochimaru. You really think Hinata-sama can handle a life like that? Always on the run? Do you want to do that to her?"
Neji thoughtfully rose and turned his eyes up to the ceiling. He looked though it to the levels of the school above. "She won't have to if I do the killing. She'll be the only Hyuuga left and the Hokage will ensure that she is the most protected person in the village until she can start spreading the byakugan." Neji felt ill just saying it. He didn't want Hinata-sama turned into a brood-mare anymore than he wanted it for Tenten. If that would save her life, though… "If they manage to kill Hinata-sama there will be nothing done about it, don't you? No justice for her. They will burn her body and forget her. The Hokage will do nothing because there would be the risk of the Hyuuga clan leaving Konohagakure. Why is it just for them to kill Hinata-sama, but unjust for me to kill them? Why should her life be less worthy?"
"It isn't," Tenten sighed. "Look, just stick with the plan to split the clan, for now. Please? If it doesn't work, we'll think of something else. I can't see any reason why she would refuse you. Protecting the byakugan is a worthy reason to make such a change. Tsunade-sama is very sensible; she'll understand. A clan of two… "
"Three, if you'll join me. Four if Lee chooses to join us." He paused. "Perhaps I will invite Uzumaki. He's rash and not overly intelligent, but I believe he has redeeming qualities. He would be good for my new clan. I'm not certain he would accept. He is very fond of Umino-sensei. I don't think he would want to leave that household."
Tenten smirked. "Why not invite him, too? Umino-sensei's clan was destroyed by Kyuubi. If you're going to go that far, you may as well take in Hatake-san and Uchiha… "
"No," Neji snapped. "Not Uchiha. I don't trust him."
"No one does… except Cell 7. He's done well, so far."
"So far there has been no real trial for him." Neji's eyes narrowed. "There will come a time when he will be tempted back to Orochimaru's path. Power will come his way and he will… "
"He might."
"He WILL," Neji insisted. "Betray them to get the power he wants. He's selfish. He cares only for himself and nursing his grudge against Itachi. He'll betray his Cell and the village the first time he gets Itachi in his sights."
Tenten smiled gently. "And you? Are you really any better? You would betray the village to save Hinata."
Neji couldn't argue. "Perhaps I am a hypocrite. He is still untrustworthy."
Tenten raised an amused eyebrow. "Can I presume that you won't be arranging a marriage between him and Hinata-sama anytime soon?"
"He doesn't deserve her."
"In your eyes, no one deserves her. How do you plan to fight your clan with… that." Tenten gestured to Neji's forehead where his hitae covered the curse mark his family had placed on him. "At the first sign of resistance they'll activate it."
"It's only pain. I can stand it."
Tenten looked thoughtful. "I suppose. This won't be easy, though. You're strong, but your clan has enough people to stop you."
"It's been done before. That was how the Uchiha clan began." Neji had learned his lessons well, before he'd begun at the Academy. "Uchiha's ancestor was a Hyuuga."
"I'd heard rumors. Something about a family argument."
"That's putting it mildly, but yes. There was a quarrel. The First Uchiha asked the Hokage to grant a new name to himself and those who followed him to prevent the Hyuuga's from controlling them. The Hokage granted permission and, thanks to that, the village now has - had - the Uchiha's. Unlike myself, however, the first Uchiha had enough supporters to protect him from an unhappy Hyuuga clan."
"Will Hyuuga-sama try to stop you?"
"I don't think so. Uncle may not treat Hinata-sama as well as he should, but I don't think he wants her dead. If he did, he could have done it years ago when it became apparent that she would never be the strong leader the clan needs. No. He loves her even if he doesn't show it. I think he will anticipate me fighting for her. He should. It's the rest of the clan that's a threat." If Hyuuga-sama, Neji’s uncle and Hinata’s father, helped, it would make everything easier. Neji touched the headband that covered the curse mark on his forehead. "I'm not strong enough alone, but with Hinata, Hanabi, maybe even Hyuuga-sama, and with the Hokage's support… maybe I can save her."
Kakashi-
Dream-
…
…
…
The darkness gave way to gentle shadow and Kakashi, fifteen years old, again, wandered the streets of Konohagakure. It wasn't a silent village, not even at night, but it was quieter and softer than the day. Kakashi had always liked the night.
He barely noticed when the shadow eased out of a building to his right.
Kakashi didn't raise his head to look at the shadow or the building. He didn't need to. He'd lived in that building for a few weeks. The Orphan's House. It was full to brink since two years ago. A few adoptions here and there lightened the load, but the children left alone by the kitsune's terrible attack still filled The Orphan’s House.
The shadow paused in the doorway of The Orphan's House before stealing down the street.
Like they were attached with razor wire, Kakashi followed the shadow.
Dream. This is a dream. No… a memory.
The realization hit him as he followed the shadow - Iruka - through the streets. He remembered that night, ten years ago. Even in the dream, remembering that painful night, Kakashi knew he’d been searching for a distraction and he'd found it in the shadow from The Orphan's House.
He followed the shadow though the village and, strangely, to the edge of The Forest of Death. He crept closer until he could see the face of the shadow under the light of moon. The face was round and soft, frowning as he looked this way and that in his search. His hair was lank and uncared for. An old scar crossed his face over his nose and onto his cheeks.
Iruka.
Kakashi hadn't known Iruka at the time. It wasn't surprising. He knew hardly anyone close to his own age.
There came, from just at the edge of The Forest of Death, a cry - a loud, unashamed bawling and it tore through the peace of the night.
"There you are!" Iruka dashed to where the awful sound was coming from and knelt down. "Haven't I told you to stop wandering off? No more fussing. You’re safe. I’m here."
The crying eased and Kakashi heard a pitiful sniffle.
Iruka tsked and shook his head. "It's your own fault. Wandering around without me… what if you get hurt?" He sat cross-legged in the grass and pulled the squirming, skinny toddler onto his lap. Kakashi could see the coarse hair, yellow as sunshine, and the whisker-like scars on the toddler's cheeks.
Naruto.
In the gentle light of the moon Iruka smiled down at little Naruto and crossed his eyes. He laughed when Naruto giggled and playfully patted his cheeks.
Kakashi stood there for a very long time, just watching. The scene made him happy and that surprised him.
Everything faded away and he felt Iruka's soft hands on his face. "Love you." Those fingers ran over his face, bare and vulnerable, lightly tracing the odd shape of Kakashi's face.
Kakashi tried to pull his malformed face away from Iruka's hands.
Iruka held his face, firmly. "Love ALL of you."
…
…
…
"Kakashi? It's your watch."
The voice pulled Kakashi from his dreams and he woke to find Gai standing over him. "Ah… sorry. Lost myself for a bit."
"Has anyone told you that you talk in your sleep?"
Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed. "Am I going to live this down?"
"I doubt it. So… what did Iruka say when he saw you in the forest? Tell the truth."
"Don't I always?"
"No."
"I'm hurt."
"Surprised?"
"No, but hurt all the same. If you must know, I introduced myself. Iruka threw a rock at me and yelled at me for scaring the baby. As if it was my fault Naruto went wandering off."
Gai laughed, naturally. "He's always known Naruto, then?"
"Just about. Naruto went into The Orphan's House as Iruka was getting old enough to go into The Academy. You know how Iruka is - saw a baby no one wanted and took him under his wing. It wasn't until later he found out what lived inside Naruto."
"If I may say, Naruto doesn't seem to be taking your relationship well. What are you going to do about it?"
Kakashi sat up and ran a hand over his hated face. The mask was still in place. He was safe. "I've lived my whole life hiding myself. Iruka is just about the only person I've met who's been able to look at me - touch me - and not flinch. I'm not giving him up. Naruto will just have to get used to having me around. Any news from the brats?"
Gai shook his head. "Not a thing. I'm worried for Tenten."
"We're all worried. Give me a minute and I'll relieve you." Kakashi left Gai in the tree and went to a stream they'd found in earlier exploration. He listened carefully, but heard no sounds - not even animals. When he was certain he was alone, he pulled down his mask and bent over the stream. With his hands cupped, he splashed cold water onto his face then stared down at his wavering reflection in the water.
Ugly. It was a simple fact. There was no self-pity, not any longer. Kakashi had long since gotten over that particular weakness. No, it was realism that led him to keep himself constantly hidden. His face was like a clay sculpture that had been started, but abandoned before it had been finished. The upper part of his face looked perfectly normal. The bottom part of his face… Ugly. It's a miracle I can speak.
Quickly, Kakashi pulled his mask back over his mouth and nose until he was satisfied nothing could be seen. He was surprised by the little orange toad watching him when he turned around.
"You Kakashi?"
"Ah… yes."
The little toad hopped closer before speaking, again. "Some kid told me to tell you that the lost boy went for a walk."
Kakashi felt his stomach sink. His blood seemed to go cold. "I see."
"He said not to worry. He'll find the lost boy."
"Of course he will. Where is he?"
"The village. Down there. At least he was. Seemed to be in a hurry. Bye now." The toad vanished in a puff of smoke.
Kakashi stood and looked up at the moon. Then he turned and went back to Gai. "I'll wake you in a few hours. I'm going to see what that group of wizards is up to, those ones who'd made the poisoned air." He moved away to where Sakura rested. "Sakura?"
She woke as if she'd never been asleep. Her eyes were clear and alert. "Yes, sensei?"
"You wanted to look for herbs around the school grounds?"
Questions flickered across her eyes, but to Kakashi's pride, she didn't allow it to show on her face. She answered promptly, "Yes. May I have leave?"
"Try that way." He pointed in the direction that the toad had indicated. "You might find something interesting."
"Yes, sensei." Sakura was gone almost before she'd finished speaking.
Gai was staring at him hard.
It was a feeble deception and they both knew it.
Gai leaned back against the tree, exactly where Kakashi had been sleeping, and closed his eyes. "You'd better go, then."
Gai-
He didn't open his eyes until after he'd heard Kakashi and Haruno-kun leave and knew he was alone. "Good luck," Gai muttered. "Whatever's happened, solve it before I'm forced to."
He knew something was wrong with Uchiha-kun because Kakashi would have let Haruno-kun sleep, otherwise. Kakashi would have told Gai what the trouble was, otherwise. All the same, Gai settled back and let his eyes close. It was wrong, no matter how he looked at it. He should have followed Kakashi or Haruno-kun. He should have questioned Kakashi at the very least. But until I know something,' he thought. 'I don't have to act against him.
Diagon Alley-
Sasuke-
Sasuke silently walked alongside Snape-san's uncle, Prince-san, but had no intention of leaving his back-up behind. Before they'd gone far, he stopped and squatted down with Snape-san's book bag resting between his knees. It was enough to hide his hand from Prince-san.
"What's the problem?" Prince-san barked when he realized Sasuke had stopped walking. "Get moving."
"No problem." Sasuke concentrated his chakra and focused it as hard as he could on the tip of his index finger. He made a show of opening the book bag with his free hand and rifling though it. "I've misplaced something."
"Hurry it up. I haven't got time to waste."
Prince-san watched Sasuke carefully, but he wasn't watching correctly. He watched Sasuke hunt in the book bag and watched him pat down his robe with one hand. He didn't watch Sasuke's free hand hidden behind the book bag. Sasuke discharged the pent up energy, a finely controlled chidori, and used the power to scrawled a crude likeness of the Uchiha emblem in the stone street, certain that no one just passing by would notice and, if they did notice, they certainly wouldn't know what it meant. As a last touch, he quickly drew an arrow in the direction Prince-san was taking him.
"Enough!" Prince-san took Sasuke by the shoulder - or he tried to.
Sasuke shied away before he'd caught himself and forced himself back into his role. Sasuke slowed his body's movements and allowed Prince-san to take hold of his hair. The man twisted Sasuke's hair painfully, but not unbearably, and pulled up until Sasuke was pulled to his feet. Sasuke gripped the book bag hard and winced when Prince-san gave a yank, jerking Sasuke's head to the side.
"I have appointments to keep and if you think you're going to be able to wiggle out of this, Severus, then…"
"Pardon me," Sasuke interrupted, softly. "Are you so certain you want to be doing that?"
"What?" He yanked again, hard enough that Sasuke wondered if his scalp would be bleeding when Prince-san released him.
"Manhandling someone laden down with such dangerous treasure." Sasuke ran one hand down the front of Snape-san's robes then pulled them open slightly to let Prince-san see some of the little bottles.
Prince-san instantly released Sasuke. His face turned red and pinched. "Threats?"
"Warnings," Sasuke insisted. "We wouldn't want accidents, would we?"
Prince-san pulled Sasuke in close enough that Sasuke was right against the man's chest. Close enough to kill. "Don't threaten me, Severus. You know what I can do. For all your bluster, you're smart enough to remember what happened to your parents. It would be a shame if you, too, were to have a sad end."
Sasuke knew, then, that Snape-san had valid cause to think his uncle would kill him.
"You've given me enough trouble over the past two years," Prince-san continued. "That your value is diminishing. The only thing saving your life is young Master Malfoy's interest in your skills at potions. If it weren't for him and for my lord's need of useful servants, you would be dead, now." He pushed Sasuke roughly away. "Walk."
Sasuke stumbled away, grateful to have distance between them. He heaved the book bag over his shoulder before he started walking, confident that one of his Cell would find his sign. Sasuke didn't like having Prince-san behind him.
Orochimaru stood close enough behind Sasuke that he could feel the man's chest moving with every breath. Sasuke grimaced when Orochimaru's hands touched the open wounds on Sasuke's back. "You fought my people, my Sasuke?"
"I don't want them touching me."
"They were acting under my orders. They've been disciplined for the damage they did to your body. I wanted you perfect. I wanted you… unmarred. These wounds are deep. I fear they won't heal well."
Sasuke cringed at Orochimaru's breath on his ear. "Why? Why order that?"
"Your body is mine. You agreed. You said you would be mine to use so long as I gave you power. When I've finished with you," he laughed. "Your body will be the most powerful of all shinobi."
Sasuke fought down the bile and pushed the memory away. Orochimaru hadn't been lying. He had just neglected to mention that Sasuke, himself, would have been dead while Orochimaru would have crawled inside Sasuke's body. He understood, now, what Orochimaru had been thinking. After long talks with Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, he came to understand that back then Orochimaru had ordered he men to ‘touch’ Sasuke because Orochimaru had wanted to watch his future-self having intercourse and that it really had nothing to do with Sasuke except that it was his body. After confessing what had happened to Iruka-sensei, Sasuke had seen Iruka-sensei in full fury for the first time.
No, Sasuke definitely didn't want anyone so close to his back. Even if it weren't for his personal problems, there was just too much that was unknown about wizards for Sasuke to be comfortable with them. They were too dangerous. ‘The Hokage should have at least one shinobi whose sole job is to study the wizards. They're too dangerous for us to have such a limited understanding of them.’
Of course, the village did know about them, but not the details. While they knew enough about wizards to complete missions, they didn't know all the spells or the various other types of magic. They didn't know the politics of the wizards or the social arrangements - all important information.
As they walked Prince-san only spoke to snap directions until they came to the door of a tanner's. Sasuke thought it was a tanner's, at least. It turned out to be just another senseless waste of magic. The tanner was doing no work at all. He watched his tools work on their own with only an occasional spell from the tanner to keep them moving.
The building reeked and Sasuke was hard pressed not to put his hand over his nose. Like the rest of Diagon Alley, the tanner's was a dark shop and felt dangerous. Sasuke raised a hand to touch his throat out of habit.
The tanner, a short, plain man with a stained leather apron, smiled broadly when he saw Prince-san. "Mister Prince." He held out a hand and the two men shook like old friends. "I thought you might not be coming. You've cut it pretty close."
"I know. It took time to find him." Prince-san set a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and ignored Sasuke even when he twisted away from the hand. "You know how children are - always running here and there. Now that he's here, I'm sure he'll understand what's for the best."
The tanner smiled approving and winked at Sasuke. "It's always good to know the future, young man. You just mind your manners when you meet him and you'll be fine."
It made Sasuke nervous. For one, he didn't like people winking at him. For another, there seemed to be a conspiracy.
The tanner retrieved a nail for Prince-san and handed it to him as though he were holding a precious jewel. "Have a good trip." He looked at a large clock on the wall. "It's almost time. Are you ready?"
"Yes, yes. Let's get this done with. I hate this." Prince-san took the nail and looked sternly at Sasuke. "Touch it."
Sasuke looked at the nail, then at Prince-san. "Why?"
"Oh! For the love of… !" Prince-san took Sasuke's hand and slapped it onto his own, touching the nail in the process.
There was a pull and dizziness… then darkness and pain.
Hogsmead-
Naruto-
He'd searched twice more, everywhere that he could think of going, but still, there was no sign of Sasuke. Desperate for his friend and sick at the idea of returning to face Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan without Sasuke, Naruto returned to the alley where he'd last seen Sasuke.
As he was still wrapped in the universal wizard’s robes, Naruto felt himself very well hidden and was comfortable enough to search the streets. With a negligent brush of his hand, Naruto tucked his, now, lank black hair behind an ear as he searched the village. It was just by chance that he happened to look down and see the Uchiha Fan.
"There you are." The symbol of the Uchiha Clan had been hastily carved into the stone sidewalk. Naruto squatted down and traced the crude fan with a fingertip. It was Sasuke, Naruto was certain. His smile broadened. "And you left me directions. Clever. Very clever." At the top of the fan there was a tiny arrow, so small that Naruto almost missed it.
Naruto stood and frowned at the mark he was sure Sasuke had made. He looked in the direction the arrow indicated, then looked back the way he’d come from. He should go back. It was the correct thing to do. He should inform his Cell leader what had happened and allow Kakashi-sensei to decide what to do.
‘Waste of time!’ Naruto thought, unhappily. ‘Sasuke will get further away. I want to find him now. What if he's in trouble? What if he's hurt?’ Naruto tapped his foot impatiently as he thought and finally smiled, again. Naruto went back to Hogsmead and found a secluded area, a small, empty lot with overgrown weeds. The weeds were nearly two feet tall and were plenty thick enough to hide what he had decided to do. Naruto bit into his thumb and watch blood well to the surface before he slammed his hand to the ground.
There was a tiny puff of mist and when it cleared, there was a small toad sitting in front of Naruto.
"What?"
Naruto smiled and patted the toad on the head. "You gotta deliver a message for me. In the forest, that way," he pointed to the far off trees. "There are some shinobi marked by leaf." Naruto pointed to his forehead protector with the engraved leaf - Konohagakure's symbol. "One of them is a man with silver hair. Kakashi." Naruto frowned. Gai-san would be with Kakashi-sensei. While Cell 9 wasn't exactly the enemy, Naruto didn't entirely trust them. If they overheard the toad talking to Kakashi-sensei and found out that Sasuke was missing, for any reason, it would look bad. "Wait until you can talk to him alone. Then tell him the lost boy went for a walk, but not to worry. I'm going to find him."
The toad glared up at him, but nodded.
Not more than a half-an-hour later, back in Diagon Alley, Naruto was stopped by a smelly man stepping out of a shop that smelled even worse. The man seemed astonished to see Naruto. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the Malfoy's!"
Naruto stared, then remembered that the man saw him as Snape-san. "Ah… "
The man glowered. "How did you get back here so quickly?"
"Well… I just forgot something." Naruto knew he wasn't as good at espionage as Sasuke. Still, he was shamed by how much suspicion he was drawing. "I'll just go now."
"You'll do no such thing!" The smelly man took Naruto's arm and pulled him towards the shop he'd just come out of himself. It was a leather working shop with horse's saddles, boots, gloves, and even money purses hanging on the walls. It stank as badly as the man did. "Do you have any idea what you're playing around with, Master Snape?! You get yourself right back to your uncle before… before…. "
"Before what?"
The man looked at him sharply. "Tell me, what did you think of him?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Him who?"
"HIM. You can't be all that impressed if you can ask ‘before what?’ so carelessly."
"Look, I should really go. Excuse me… "
"How do you expect to get there without me?" The man stomped away and returned a short while later with a tin can. He set it on a counter and put his fists on his hips. "Without this," he jabbed a finger at the tin can. "You won't get to Malfoy Manor today. It's miles away!"
"Of course." More magic. Naruto took the tin can, but nothing happened. "It's just a can."
"You think I can set one of these up to work on just a touch? You've got five minutes before it's active." His eyes gleamed suddenly. "I think, young man, that you'd better be honest with me and tell me exactly how and why you suddenly find yourself back here. I've been an associate of your uncle's for many years. You wouldn't want bad news to reach his ears. He went to a lot of trouble to help arrange this meeting."
Naruto opened his mouth, but at that moment, the shop's door slammed open and Hagrid-san filled the doorway. His face, like a thundercloud, was black and forbidding.
The smelly man nearly spit at Hagrid-san. "We don't take YOUR kind in here!"
Hagrid-san wasn't intimidated. He reached out and snagged Naruto by the back of the robe and pulled him backwards. "You're not to take innocent children in places like this, either! You come with me, Severus!" Hagrid-san hauled him out onto the street. "Giving me a run like that! Ought to be ashamed! You just come with me and you can spend the rest of the day at the school. Coming to a place like this… " Hagrid-san kept a firm grip on his arm while he pulled Naruto down Diagon Alley.
Naruto knew he had to get away from Hagrid-san, but as Snape-san, he couldn't do anything out of the ordinary. Naruto's hand clenched around the tin can.‘Five minutes. What does it do? How many minutes have passed already? Two? Three?’
Hagrid-san brought them through the passage that led from Diagon Alley and back into Hogsmead. Almost the moment they stepped into the sunlight Naruto's eyes fell on Sakura-chan's bright hair. She passed him and Hagird-san casually enough, but took a split second to meet his eyes. Naruto looked significantly at the tin can before he, discretely, dropped it and made a show out of pointing to it.
Sakura-chan didn't stop walking, but gave a minute nod of her head to show she'd seen.
Naruto took a look over his shoulder after he and Hagrid-san had gone a few more steps and he saw Sakura-chan pick up the tin can. She looked at it, then turned to look at Naruto with a puzzled eyebrow raised.
Then, she vanished.
Naruto stared, horrified, at where Sakura-chan had been.
Sasuke-
When it was over, Sasuke's eyes focused first on the sign: Malfoy Manor. Secondly, he heard a choked gagging and smelled vomit.
Prince-san was bent over and holding his stomach. He groaned miserably, then retched, again. The foul smell made Sasuke turn away. Prince-san slowly stood upright and wiped a hand across his mouth. He spat onto the ground, then used a spell to dispose of the mess he'd made. "I'll never get used to that. Come along."
Sasuke could understand the man's illness. The pain in his stomach was awful.
The sign for Malfoy Manor was large; words carefully welded onto a metal plate. The whole thing hung above the gate of a tall wrought iron fence that appeared to surrounded a vast, well-manicured property. The building beyond the gate was tall and stately. It was a house that looked as if it had stood for years upon years.
Prince-san was entirely unaffected by the sight of the house and pushed Sasuke along to the front doors. He used a door knocker - a brass dragon's head - to rap on the door, then stood back. Only moments later the door was answered by none other than Lucius Malfoy.
Malfoy-san grinned pleasantly as a small, hairless creature appeared and snatched away Prince-san's cloak. The little creature vanished without a word to anyone. Malfoy-san met Sasuke's eyes. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it," Malfoy-san said, cheerfully. "You seemed a bit hesitant."
"So you thought you'd send HIM after me? That was an interesting idea." Sasuke forced as much abhorrence into his voice as he could. Malfoy-san knew about the hatred Snape-san bore for Prince-san. He knew what Snape-san accused his uncle of.
"It was a good idea. Our guest approved."
"Yes… your guest." A kidnapping to meet someone? To meet a child? It seemed like too much effort, a foolish thing to even think about. Sasuke didn’t believe that Malfoy-san was a fool, so Sasuke reasoned that the guest must be fairly important to risk so much. No. There was no risk. As far as the wizard's government was concerned, Snape-san belonged to Prince-san which meant that it wasn't a kidnapping.
Malfoy-san scowled. "You didn't get your hair cut."
"I was busy getting kidnapped. When do I meet your guest?"
"So impatient. And who have you brought to my humble doorstep, Marcus?" The woman who'd spoken was tall and skinny with ink black hair and hard eyes. She looked down on Sasuke, critically.
"I've told you about my nephew, Loria." Prince-san went to the woman and kissed the back of her hand.
"Ah. I remember. Lucius did say he was inviting his friend over." The woman held out a hand which Sasuke dutifully shook. "I'm sure my Lucius has mentioned me once or twice."
"This is my mother," Malfoy-san told Sasuke. He went to stand at her side. "Mother, this is my classmate - Severus Snape. "
"A pleasure to meet you, young man. I hope you're hungry, Master Snape. Lunch will be served shortly. Please, join us in the parlor. Lucius has given me glowing reports of you. He thinks so highly of your talents that we simply had to introduce you to our guest." Her eyes sparkled, disturbingly. "Let's see if you can impress him."
Sasuke was led to the parlor which turned out to be a room bigger than Iruka-sensei's entire house. The floor, like that of the entryway, was a solid sheet of polished stone. There were ornate decorations and nick-knacks everywhere. Huge windows let sunlight in and seemed to make a halo glow around the head of a man standing in the parlor.
The man smiled at Sasuke when he entered and extended a hand. "Good afternoon. I've been eager to meet you, Master Snape." He was as fair and skinny as Loria Malfoy but with a head of curly brown hair, a charming smile, and gentle eyes. "I am called Lord Voldemort."
"It's a pleasure, sir." Sasuke stepped forward when Lord Voldemort offered his hand and shook it firmly. He let it go as quickly as he could and stepped back.
Lord Voldemort kept smiling. "Master Malfoy has told me that you might be a valuable addition to my entourage. He speaks very highly of your ambition, your determination, and, mostly, of your intelligence. I think you could be of great use to me, but more importantly, I think I could help you. Slytherin's are ambitious." He chuckled. "We've always been that way. It's our best trait. Sadly, it's one that is often maligned. I'm sure you've come across this trouble often enough."
Sasuke nodded, dumbly, but felt uncomfortable when he looked at Lord Voldemort. As discretely as he could, Sasuke shifted his eyes to stare at the man's mouth instead of his eyes.
"I can help you to reach your goals, Severus," Lord Voldemort said. "No matter what it is that you want, I can help you. Such a person as you are should not be left alone in the world." He gave another chuckle. "Look at me. Talking and talking. Forgive me, Loria. You've gone to the trouble of having your staff make a meal for us and here I am - indulging myself in business. You will forgive me, I hope." He turned that charming smile onto Loria Malfoy.
Loria Malfoy blushed. "No. It's no trouble at all, my Lord. Take all the time you need."
"I think our discussion can wait until after dinner, don't you, Master Snape?" Lord Voldemort moved closer to Sasuke. "There are so many things to talk about."
"Like what?" Sasuke asked, stepping away.
Lord Voldemort's eyes seemed to glow. "The future. Your place in the future. I can guarantee that your name will hold of place of high renowned when history is written. You will never be forgotten - not if you walk at my side. Lucius has told me about your life at that school. He's told me of the cruelty and the indifference you're forced to live with, not to mention the disrespect you endure. There's time enough for this later. Before we go to the dining room, I would like to introduce my associate: Sing Fan. Sing Fan is interested in my political work and has traveled a great distance to see the effects my policies have on the people of Great Britain."
"Greetings, Master Snape. I have heard high praise about you. Your family must be proud."
Sasuke felt his blood freeze at the familiar voice. Sing Fan stepped out of the shadows of the far corner of the room that he'd been lurking in.
"Sing Fan will be dining with us," Loria Malfoy said. "He's proven to be an interesting conversationalist and… "
Her voice faded into nothing and Sasuke felt like there was nothing around him. He felt distant from everything. There was no one in the room but him and the red-eyed man. Sing Fan wore the strange clothes the male wizards wore under their robes - slacks and a button-up white shirt with polished shoes. His dark hair was combed back, away from his face. The shadowed eyes were the same as they were in Sasuke's memories.
Itachi.
Itachi held out a hand to Sasuke, a hand Sasuke had once seen covered in blood.
"Severus," Prince-san elbowed Sasuke. "Show your manners."
‘The mission,’ Sasuke thought, desperately. ‘The mission must be completed. No one can know.’ "Good evening." He shook his big brother’s hand. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry and he wanted to kill. "I'm pleased to meet you."
Itachi smiled, cheerfully. "So obedient, but you do seem tense. In fact, I would almost say you look angry with me. Have we met before?"
To be continued…