So I've decided to keep going for now. Thank you to everyone who's bothered to read my ramblings:)

***QUICK NOTE!!! I'm shipping ShikaIno in this fic. I do support SaiIno, but I don't want that here.

Almost to 1k!!!!

Old picture:)

Sasuke's POV

"Hey Itachi, do we have eggs?" Sasuke called from downstairs.

"No, I used them all yesterday," Itachi answered, coming down.

"Great," Sasuke grumbled. "I guess I gotta pick some up then."

They'd been in the village for close to a month now, living peacefully among the citizens. They'd been greeted with curiosity at first, not contempt. Sasuke was actually approached by a few villagers who he hadn't even known, who'd welcomed him back warmly.

Sasuke and Itachi had discussed what had happened to their old home briefly upon their arrival, but dropped the subject quickly. It was too painful to speak about.

Personally, Sasuke was surprised they hadn't had any interaction with the enemy at this point. Perhaps they'd lost track of them? However, that possibility was actually very slim, so the two brothers kept their guard up at all times.

"I was thinking we could do a training session with Naruto today," Itachi casually suggested.

Sasuke glanced at him, pulling out rice for ongiri. "Ok, why not. We can invite Sakura and Kakashi too."

"Not Sai?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke shook his head vehemently. "I'd take Ino before him." He muttered darkly.

"You'd have to watch out for Shikamaru then," Itachi laughed.

Sasuke snorted, rolling his eyes. "I don't know what he sees in her."

Both Sasuke and Itachi had been introduced to all of team seven's old Ninja Academy friends, as well as a few others. Sasuke wasn't sure he liked any of them, though he respected a few, such as Neji, Tenten, and Shikamaru. Itachi, of course, got along with everyone.

After their breakfast, Sasuke stopped by Sakura's to ask her, while his brother volunteered to fetch the other two.

He walked to her doorstep and rang the doorbell. A few moments later, a middle aged pink haired woman came to the door. "Oh hello Sasuke, did you come for Sakura?"

"Yes ma'am," he answered respectfully. "I wanted to know if she'd join us for a training session."

"Give me a moment, I'll call her," her mother said, hurrying away.

Sakura arrived minutes later, wearing her usual red tank top and pink skirt. "Coming, Sasuke!"

She pulled on her sandals, grabbed her weapons pouch, and joined him outside. "I'll be back by two, Mom!"

She fell into step beside him, matching his stride. "Who's coming?"

"Naruto, Kakashi, and Itachi." Sasuke replied.

"Sounds great! Say...I was just wondering...do you want to go for lunch after? If you're free?"

Sasuke looked at her. Her green eyes glittered mesmerizingly in the sun, and her cheeks were slightly flushed, and--"S-sure," he stuttered. "Why not? I'll just...ask Itachi where he wants to go...and..."

"I was thinking it could be just the two of us!" Sakura blurted quickly. "Y-you know...b-but if you don't want to, I understand..."

"No!" He said. "No, that's fine! I can go!"

"Great!" Sakura cried. "I know an awesome place we can go! Ino took me once, it was real cool..."

Sasuke listened to her babble on and on, her nervousness seemingly erased at his acceptance.

She really was a funny girl, her personality as bright as Naruto's, combined with her healing and forgiving nature...she was just so complex. He enjoyed being in her company, though Itachi often teased him about it.

They reached the training grounds before Sasuke knew it, having been lost in Sakura's chatter.

He felt an inkling of disappointment, realizing the conversation would have to come to an end now, but he brushed it off. They were going to train.

*************************************

"This miso is really good, isn't it Sasuke?" Sakura asked, sipping at the hot liquid.

"Uh-huh," he said, while mentally smacking himself. Was that all he could say? Uh-huh? Sakura must think I'm an idiot, he thought, moping slightly. But she didn't seem to notice anything.

After their training, Sakura had gone off with Sasuke for lunch, while Itachi had pulled Naruto aside, saying he wanted to speak with him. Thank goodness, or else the dobe would have bugged them for hours about where they were going.

"Their pickled herring and rice is awesome too," Sakyura continued, digging around with her chopsticks. "Seriously, I'm so happy Ino showed me this place."

"Yep." Aghhhhh!!! Seriously?

"You're not very talkative, huh."

"Umm..." He was ready to kill himself at this point.

Sakura laughed. "That's okay. I talk enough for the both of us. Too much, I guess. I'm sorry if it's bothering you."

"No! Not at all."

"Wow, look at you! You actually formed an entire sentence!"

Sasuke let out an annoyed growl and stabbed at his fish.

Sakura giggled. "You know, you're really such a good person. At first, I didn't think much of your personality, but then I saw how much you cared about your people, and the love you have for Itachi, and that's when I realized it. You love so powerfully, that it causes you to hate and react violently to all who threaten what you care about."

Sasuke grew red. "I don't feel like that! I just--" Suddenly, he froze, setting his chopsticks down with a clank.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?" Sakura asked in bewilderment.

"Itachi...?" He stood up quickly. "What is that...massive chakra?"

Sakura stared at him. "Is something wrong?"

Sasuke looked back at her. "There's a huge chakra source coming from Itachi's location. It could only be Them, but the feeling of the chakra doesn't seem the same. I'm going."

Sakura stood. "I'll go with you!" She threw some money down on the table, and together they rushed out of the restaurant, with surprised waiters watching behind them.

Sasuke sprinted through the village, nearly crashing into citizens more than a few times. He finally rounded the corner that gave way to the training grounds, and saw...

Naruto, surrounded by a strange orange aura, chatting casually with his brother a few feet away. "Yeah, I can control it most of the time, except for when I get real angry. I'm still working on that."

"Oh, I see," Itachi said interestedly. "So it's sparked by your emotions?"

"Pretty much," Naruto replied. "I'm learning to summon it just by willing it to come. My friend Captain Yamato and Kakashi-sensei are teaching me." He turned, catching sight of a shocked Sasuke and Sakura. "Oi, teme, what are you doing here? I thought you and Sakura-chan were on a date?"

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked, puzzled. "Is that your chakra? How can it be so large? And we weren't on a date!"

"Ahh...yeah, I just was explaining to Itachi. He realized it a while ago, and wanted to tell me about something. Which was what, by the way?"

Itachi turned to Sasuke. "Naruto is a Vessel."

Sasuke felt himself gaping. A Vessel? Naruto? It would definitely explain why he had such a high chakra concentration. Come to think about it, he should've noticed Naruto's chakra signiture was way too high to be human. "Wh...which one?"

Itachi paused. "...Nine tails."

"WHAT!?!"

"It's true," Naruto said, looking bemused. "Is there a problem?"

"You may also be in danger," Itachi said. "The Mizuno seek power. They may come after you as well, especially now that you're with us. The nine tails harbors an enormous amount of chakra, enough to rival us clans that live above, if not more."

"Sooo..." Naruto mused. "That means I can help you fight these guys? Awesome!"

Sasuke glared. "That's not a joke! You've never faced these guys before, you have no idea what you'll be up against! You'll--" he froze suddenly, sensing something in the distance.

Itachi noticed as well, glancing around. Then he looked at the small group grimly. "They're coming."

Finals are almost done! Just language arts tomorrow. More updates will be coming!

If anyone has suggestions for the story, I'd love to hear them! I could use some ideas:)