from Academy to Anbu by theriku260

chapter 4

One week after the attack…

Sasuke Uchiha was many things: a genius, an avenger, an Uchiha. And avenging genius Uchihas don't get captured by three missing ninja barely chunin level- but he had.

It was unacceptable. When he woke up in the hospital, Kakashi lazily read his book and informed him that ANBU had stopped him from being taken. Seething at his vulnerability, the 'last' Uchiha demanded more training, more power than the team exercises and conditioning he had been limited to. Kakashi just eye smiled, patted him on the head, and told him powerful jutsu weren't the answer; that the ANBU who took down the leader just used shadow clones, poison, and a C rank jutsu.

Sasuke scoffed at that and left the hospital to train on his own, spending his week off at the Uchiha training grounds. I need to get stronger- to beat him. The brooding teen clenched his fist in his pockets in anger, not noticing his afternoon walk after another stagnant training session was taking him to a section of the village he'd never been in before: the part of town his sensei and every other higher up ninja lived, bought food and hung out around. No civilians and most shinobi under chunin level knew about it- heck, Sasuke only knew about it because he lived with an ANBU for a month after the massacre (AN: no way a recently orphaned seven year old would live alone right away- not when he no doubt had no way of knowing how to do simple things like cooking, cleaning, ect).

His thoughts lost in the past, Sasuke almost missed a certain blonde haired dead last walking slowly through the streets, a limp in his step and blood splattered on his face. Almost, is the key word. He's gotten stronger- I need that power. Heh, I have the Sharingon, I'll fight him and steal that power. A dead last doesn't need it anyway, I bet he got an office job or hospital post- those losers don't need power like an avenger.

Naruto was exhausted- relieved, but exhausted. A simple escort of the Daimyo from the capital to Konoha turned almost deadly when a pack of seven missing ninja- this time with mixed Iwa and Kiri head bands- had attacked the caravan holding the Daimyo- well, the decoy anyway. In reality team Ro was escorting the Daimyo's double while Gama and two other squads took the real Daimyo of Fire on an alternate route which wove underground at times. They defeated the bastards with only minor injuries- by Naruto's standards anyway. Hikaru kept insisting Naruto be carried when he sprained his ankle in a round house kick. When they returned to Konoha with the bodies, the higher ups congratulated them on their work, but everyone in Ro got the impression they weren't happy none were taken alive- it made proving their likely affiliation with the newly discovered "Otogakure" nigh impossible.

That was almost a day ago and Naruto was off until noon tomorrow. Until then, the exhausted ANBU had plans to secure his apartment, shower, and sleep with his newly made sound barrier seals and privacy seals- months of work would pay off, as Gai's voice was not something one could learn to 'tune out'.

That was Naruto's plan, before the Uchiha he saved- not that he would ever know- stopped him on the street.

"Fight me, idiot." Sasuke demanded arrogantly. Naruto looked the brat- for Sasuke Uchiha was very much a brat in Naruto's eyes now- and stared at him with tired eyes.

"No." He said simply and attempted to step around the older boy.

"Hn. Scared? You will fight me." Sasuke said and blocked his path again. Naruto sighed, wishing he had agreed to go get sushi with Hayate and Yugao now, or even the hot springs with Hikaru. He idly wondered if this was karma for slipping away from his comrades. Nah, not even karma is this cruel.

"I just got back from a mission; I'm tired and have no time for you- leave." His voice was cold but Naruto didn't care: he had a (hopefully still hidden) Ramen stash waiting for him and warm shower calling.