Old Friends

Around a campfire in the far north of Fire Country sat three ninja sharing a meal.
The smallest of the trio was telling them all that had happened in Konohagakure
since Itachi had left. The Uchiha stared into the fire lost in thought. He had
noticed that Naruto only spoke of the major events of the village as a whole,
nothing about his own life. It was troubling; the blond should have been okay
after he left. He had made sure to cast fear into the hearts of the worst of the
villagers so they would leave the kyuubi-vessel alone. Had something changed? He
didn't let any of his thoughts show on his face, and continued to listen to the boy
ramble.

Naruto was now relating his experiences since becoming a genin. He told them about
the mission to recapture the "devil cat, Tora", sending Kisame into convulsions of
laughter. Also, about the woman who wanted her yard weeded. As he related the
tale of their mission to the Land of Waves, Itachi sat up and paid close attention.
He had known Zabuza briefly, and was glad to hear he was dead. He wasn't happy to
hear that his otouto had almost died, though. And Naruto said he got really mad,
then didn't remember what happened? What HAD happened? He could use his Sharingan
to find out, but didn't want to subject the little blond to that again if he didn't
have to. He came back to the present to hear the boy describing his training under
the legendary sannin, Jiraiya. There was something the blond was hiding,
concerning that training, and the Uchiha wondered what it could be. When the boy's
head started to nod, Itachi called it a night. Kisame took first watch, and Itachi
and Naruto curled up in their bedrolls and went to sleep.

"Where are we going, Itachi-san? Can you teach me some more jutsus like you used
to? I'm a lot stronger now. I can handle more powerful ones. Please teach me a
cool jutsu! I want to be able to show up Sasuke when we get back home," Naruto
begged. He was bouncing on his toes as he spoke, dancing in circles around his
idol.

Smirking at the blond's enthusiasm, the Uchiha just shook his head and continued
walking.

They had spent the day near a small lake in Lightning Country. Itachi showed his
young companion how to do a new jutsu, called Bunshin Daibakuha (Clone Great
Explosion), and Naruto had been practicing it all day. The blond was now fast
asleep, thoroughly exhausted. Itachi picked him up off the ground, sat with his
back to a tree, and cradled the boy in his arms.

Kisame snorted in disgust. "Why do you bother? It's not like he'll ever get the
chance to use that jutsu. Now we've wasted a whole day that we could have been
travelling. Leader-sama is expecting us back soon."

Itachi, who had been staring at his prize and running his fingers through silky
blond locks, glared sharply at his partner. "I am well aware of our orders," he
said coldly. "I will do as I wish until we return, however. The boy wished to
learn a new jutsu, so I taught him one. We will arrive at headquarters soon
enough. No need to frighten the jinchuuriki beforehand, or make him suspicious."

The former Mist nin snorted again and bedded down for the night. He would have to
keep a closer watch on his partner. He seemed to be a bit too...attached...to the
blond. That didn't bode well for the success of their mission.


****

Sasuke had agreed to accompany Jiraiya on his search for the Slug Sannin, Tsunade.
He was totally disgusted with the old pervert's methods of extracting information,
and so far, nothing had come of it other than Sasuke having an empty wallet. The
man now insisted they go into a bar for lunch, knowing the Uchiha was too young.
Ignoring the boy's protests, he entered; scowling, Sasuke followed. Two young
women were sitting at a table near the back, and Jiraiya made his way to them.
'Typical,' the raven thought, 'always chasing the ladies.' He was stunned when it
turned out that the blond bimbo with the big boobs was the one for whom they were
looking. He listened while Jiraiya explained the situation in Konoha and asked the
women to come back with them. Then the bimbo made a comment about HIM and Sasuke's
Sharingan flared. NO ONE talked to him like that! They stepped outside to settle
their differences where Tsunade promptly put him in his place. She then said she'd
think about returning with them; they were to meet her at the end of the week and
she'd give them her answer.

Shizune had come to get them. She was worried that Tsunade was going to give in to
the snake-bastard who had put a curse-seal on the Uchiha. They caught up to
Tsunade while she was battling Kabuto, and losing. Sasuke immediately attacked the
silver-haired teen, only to be struck down when pain erupted from his seal. Kabuto
kicked him far from the fray, knocking him out in the process. Sasuke awoke to see
Kabuto and Orochimaru attacking Tsunade, and calling forth his Chidori, attacked
Kabuto. Tsunade now was able to concentrate solely on the snake sannin. After
much blood and pain, she chased him off, along with Kabuto, and his snake summons.
She then agreed to return to Konoha as the Godaime Hokage.

****

Tsunade healed Kakashi and assessed Rock Lee's injuries. Once that was done, she
sat down with Jiraiya and Sasuke to discuss the important matter of the missing
Naruto. She didn't seem overly concerned about the missing genin until Jiraiya
told her he was the jinchuuriki. She was instantly very attentive, listening with
interest to all they could tell her of the young blond boy.

Sasuke was confused; why had she become so attentive all of a sudden? And what the
HELL was a jinchuuriki?! And how did it apply to Naruto?! He listened quietly as
plans were made and discarded. When it was decided to send a team out to look for
the loudmouthed idiot, Sasuke spoke up. "I'm going, too. He's my teammate and
friend. I don't know why he left, but I'm going to bring him back, even if I have
to beat the shit out of him to do it."

Tsunade raised her eyebrows at this, but agreed it might be for the best. It would
also get the Uchiha away from the village, and out of reach of Orochimaru. If he
wasn't in the village, Sound would have a difficult time finding him. They made
their plans and set things in motion.

****

Kisame didn't like how Itachi was acting since they had taken the blond. It seemed
as if he was a different person, somehow. He smiled and laughed at the boy's
antics, and kept the boy close at night. If they were to complete their mission,
the Uchiha would have to be dealt with, and soon.

Itachi was distracted by their young companion; Kisame took his chance. Pulling
Samehada free, he swung it at the raven. The Uchiha, as if sensing the attack,
dodged and, too fast for the eyes to follow, freed his katana and beheaded the
shark-like nin.

Naruto stood in shock, mouth agape. His trance was broken by the Uchiha; Itachi
removed his cloak and wiped the katana clean on its folds before putting it away.
Then draping his cloak over the body of Kisame, he performed a few hand signs and
blew a fireball, incinerating the other man.

"Come, Naruto. Our destination lies elsewhere now." He gripped the blond's hand
firmly and, masking their chakra signatures, started off in a different direction.
They didn't stop to rest that night, getting as far away from the area as was
possible.

****

"So. He has betrayed us," the Leader mused. "Zetsu," he called aloud, "find the
Uchiha. When you do, kill him and bring me the jinchuuriki."

"Hai, Leader-sama." The plant-like cannibal left their lair in a puff of smoke.

Zetsu stared at the patch of charred earth for a moment, then cast his senses wide,
searching for signs of the others. The plants in the surrounding area were his
best bet, but they all claimed no one had passed this way in over a month. Zetsu
frowned and headed south-west, the direction of Konohagakure.

****
A/N: Next chapter should be up soon. Thank you for the reviews.