"What are you writing, witch?" Sakura said, grabbing at Kuri Hikawa's red book. "Cmon...lemme see."

"I'm a miko. And I was trying to think of a spell to make your outside reflect your putrid inner self." Kuri retorted.

Kuri had shoulder length black hair and bright blue eyes. She was wearing the red and white priestess uniform.

Her comrade Naruto Uzumaki, chuckled in spite of himself, and she smiled at him.

Naruto had blonde hair and blue eyes and prominent whisker markings. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit with an Uzumaki on the back.

"Naruto!" Kuri came over. "Please let me walk you home."

Naruto looked at her. Was she trying to protect him from something?

"That's ok, ttebayo." Naruto said nervously. "I don't need..."

"But I insist." Kuri pressed. "I wanted to see if you are interested in becoming a patron of the Hikawa shrine."

Naruto began to walk with her. "Aren't you the miko who solved the Sendai Hill Kidnapping ttebayo?"

Kuri blushed. "They were spirited away. Easy enough to find...the openings to that Other World..."

Naruto stopped. "Someone's watching us!"

Without warning a masked ninja fired a kunai at them, and it cut Kuri's cheek.

"Don't touch her!" Naruto shouted, whiskers darkening. "Get lost!"

"I cannot wait to see your face...when you find out the truth...Nine Tailed Fox." The ninja said.

Naruto moved his hand up, preparing a jutsu when an arrow flashed by his face, driving off the ninja.

"I had a feeling something was stalking you, Naruto." Kuri said. "Way to go facing off with it like that. You almost looked like a real demon."

She smiled at him, took his hand and lead him downtown.

Xxx

Sasuke sat on the rooftop of the Academy roof and looked down, watching Kuri and Naruto.

Normally he wouldn't care, but he had a soft spot for Kuri: she was his sister after all.

Sasuke couldn't let anything bad happen to her; and he had a bad feeling.

He climbed down, and followed them.

Sasuke saw Reiko Uzumaki in the garden next door.

He smiled and went to the gate.

"Reiko!" Sasuke said.

Sasuke had ebony spiked hair, and dark eyes. He wore navy blue and black.

"Heya Sasuchi!" Reiko said. "Kuri late again?"

Reiko had red hair in a ponytail and bright blue eyes. She wore a red and gold cheongsam and green fighting pants, and grinned at him.

"Probably got in trouble." Sasuke said. "Got anything in there besides girly flowers?"

"My tomatoes are ripe!" Reiko grinned. "Don't you like any of the flowers?"

"Mm..." Sasuke picked an orchid from the tree and tucked it in her lap. "This one suits you."

Xxx

Itachi passed by the scene in the garden.

Itachi was wearing all black, and was carrying a pendant.

He watched the red haired girl run to the dark haired boy.

His eyes locked on the boy as recognition blossomed momentarily, then faded.

He played with the pendant on his chest.

It was a dear gift, from someone.

But he could not remember...who.

And that boy, who was he?

He closed his eyes and was haunted by their faces.

Itachi continued down the street, swinging his pendant, mind completely blank.

Xxx

Naruto held Kuri hand as the two walked home.

Bundled in in her arms was a fox plushie (he understood the irony) and a duck bath toy. He held in his other hand a bag containing a chocolate truffle dessert for his mother—it had been Kuri's suggestion.

He had never felt like this for a human other then a family member, and even so his feelings for Kuri were different then the natural protective urge he felt for the city and its people.

Naruto's eyes flickered to her face. She feigned innocence, but she was a miko. She must know him for what he was; but she did not out him, and made no mention of it. She waited for him to speak of it.

Everything, her scent, her chakra, the sound of her voice—drew him in. There was only one explanation—this little miko was his mate.

As he came to this realization however, a ninja in black brandishing a sword, Sasuke, leapt upon them. Naruto lifted Kuri into his arms and leapt back.

"Consorting with a ningen...or is she your next victim?" Sasuke said, attacking.

Naruto drew a leaf blade and, unceremoniously dropping Kuri and their parcels, went to battle.

"Naruto! Let me help!" Kuri stood and drew her bow from beneath her shirt.

"No! Stay there!" Naruto growled at her, and drew Sasuke into the darkness.

As soon as he was gone the masked ninja appeared and reached out to Kuri.

"NARUTO!"

XXX

Sasuke slept and he dreamed.

The death of the Uchiha Clan.

His sister, standing in between him and Itachi, taking the Tsukiyomi instead of him.

Standing at her bedside, wondering if she would ever wake up.

And the same ending, always the same ending.

"Brother..." his sister's voice. She had long dark hair. Her eyes were blue, face blurred. "Brother please...find the Shikon no Tama..."

He reached out to her, his burning hand touching her pale skin. A lonesome broken cry ripped through the darkness.

"Brother!"

Xxx

"Good you're awake." Naruto said. "Four hours is a fast healing rate."

Naruto looked at Sasuke. "You called for someone in your sleep. Your sister."

"Hn..." Sasuke snapped.

He stood, putting his shirt on.

"I'm going." Sasuke stood. "And you...surely you heard her calling?"

"I heard." Naruto said. "I'm coming with you. We've wasted enough time already ttebayo...what should I call you?"

"Sasuke." Sasuke said.

The two were off, into the night.

xxx

"Sasuke. Naruto. How nice to see you." Kana purred at them.

She was a pale demon, with pale hair, and a shifting face, that seemed to almost always be familiar.

"I just finished my dinner." Kana said, eyes boring into Naruto. "She was delicious."

"YOU BITCH!" Naruto eyes flashed gold and he attacked, but just as his Rasengan almost made contact, Kana's face shifted.

"Please don't hurt me Naru-chan!" Kuri cried.

Naruto jerked back as if stung.

"SACRED ICE ARROW!"

An arrow flew, lighting up the darkness. This one was blue-silver, and with it came an enormous cold.

The place in the cave where it struck turned black with death and frostbite.

"Don't fall for the illusion, brother!" Reiko said.

"Kick her ass! She's just a pretender!" Kuri hissed.

Sasuke was staring Kuri in the eyes. For a second everything was still, Sharingan to Sharingan.

Then he was himself again.

Sasuke raised his blade. "Let's finish this!"

Naruto moved behind Sasuke as he drove in for a frontal attack.

Kana sent Sasuke spinning but wasn't able to avoid Naruto's Rasengan to her chest.

As she lay there, Sasuke strode over. "Now tell me. Are you responsible for the threats on Konoha."

Kana spat blood. "That is the work of..."

Sasuke impatiently ignited Chidori. "Speak quickly, or your ending will be slow and painful."

"...the Mugen..."

Shock registered on Sasuke's face as the ninja fainted. Damn. This would be difficult.

Sasuke knew that he would have to be careful, if he was going to unravel the mystery threat on Konoha.