Title: Key of the Twilight

Author: tir-synni

Disclaimer: Refer to prologue

Rating: PG-13

A/N: My apologies if everyone seems a little OOC. I was trying to compensate for the lack of a wild, golden fox in their lives. For example, beyond Naruto, I’ve never seen anyone act crudely to or ever really fire up Sasuke. There was always a certain amount of awe and respect when addressing him. And no one ever gave Sakura a reason to get her back up, especially when she stopped seeing Ino so much when they became genin. Nothing kept her from acting like the female she thought Sasuke would prefer. Other differences are hopefully adequately explained. And thanks to everyone for the helpful criticism and reviews.

Chapter I

              Very rarely in Konoha history was the genin numbers unevenly divided, creating incomplete teams. Usually, older genin were available, their teammates having graduated to the chuunin level. However, in these uncommon situations, another genin from an allied village joined the incomplete team for the chuunin exam. This was the case for Team Seven, Hatake Kakashi’s genin team—something for which he would never forgive himself.
              Yet another lackluster mission completed, the small team walked along a worn path back to their home village. Despite their irregular number, Haruno Sakura’s intelligence (when not impaired by her crush) combined with the icy genius Uchiha Sasuke’s skills made Team Seven a formidable match, making the D-ranked escort mission a breeze. Many of the genin, though they would not admit it, looked up to them. The adults adored them. Watching the small team amble through the forest, Sasuke coolly slipping his hands into his pockets, the beautiful Sakura leaning on his arm, and Kakashi carelessly leading them with his nose in Come Come Paradise, anyone would have assumed all was good with the brilliant team.
              Sasuke grows worse with every day, Kakashi mused, listening to Sakura chatter happily at the sulking boy. As does Sakura. They do nothing to balance each other, and nothing acts as a decent challenge to them, either. No one dares to test an Uchiha, not even the Hyuuga. He grows more conceited and arrogant. Reality is going to be a harsh blow to him. As for Sakura, the only one strong enough to put her in her place is drifting further away every day, and as a teacher, I don’t have the same influence as a peer. Nothing distracts her from her crush on Sasuke, inspiring her to train. Nothing balances them, drives them, strengthens them. At this rate, neither will reach the next level.
              For a moment, Kakashi reflected on who could have been the one to provide that balance, that challenge. Hastily, he shoved the thought away, instead concentrating on the forest around them. With every step they took, the forest grew denser and contradictorily brighter. Kakashi focused on the wilderness, allowing it to distract him from his thoughts as it had done for the past twelve years. The grey-haired ninja discretely hurried his steps, feeling his charges unconsciously match his pace. His nimble feet danced over the roughening path.
              Beautiful, Kakashi thought, surreptitiously glancing at the forest. The farther they walked, the more the trees and bushes seemed to glow. Even the woods around his home could not compare. Flowers not seen anywhere in the Fire Country bloomed along the path and winded through the trees. The fruits hanging from various trees were so full and ripe that Kakashi’s mouth watered, although he knew better than to pick them. They were close to the border now.
              Sakura’s loving coos stuttered to a halt as the brush grew thicker along the path. Here it comes, Kakashi thought drolly.
               “Master Kakashi?” Sakura perked up tentatively.
              Kakashi never looked up from his book. “Yes, Sakura?” he murmured. Absently, he kicked a rock behind him at Sasuke. The boy barely dodged it, Sakura an oblivious weight on his arm.
              Sakura swallowed, and Kakashi hid a heavy sigh. With her “white knight” there, Sakura did not act as assertive as a ninja should. It wasn’t “feminine.” Sasuke would not fall for her if she did not act “feminine” enough. Unfortunately, while Sakura had the skills to become a talented, though low-class ninja, Kakashi realized the only reason she originally attended the Academy was to be closer to the brooding brunet.
              He’s not going to fall for you anyway, girl, Kakashi thought grimly. While everyone else only saw how “great” the Uchiha survivor was, Kakashi recognized the rut Sasuke was falling into. Alongside his lack of real growth as a ninja, Kakashi doubted Sasuke had grown emotionally, not nearly to the extent needed to return Sakura’s affections. Sakura, clever as she was, would never recognize this.
              Not even looking back, Kakashi knew Sakura was trembling. “Doesn’t this path lead to the Grey Woods?”
              Inner Kakashi sighed. “What about it?” he drawled, boredom dripping from his voice.
              Kakashi could feel Sasuke perk up; he would have to speak with the boy about chakra control. “Demons are supposed to roam these woods. The sandaime has forbidden all students from entering them.”
              Kakashi mentally bet himself that if Sasuke had a tail, it would be wagging. In Sasuke’s case, it would probably be a cat’s tail. Of course, cats’ tails didn’t exactly wag as much sway. Whatever. Seeing another chance to test your strength, ne, Sasuke? If you can’t beat me, it doesn’t matter how many demons you fight; you won’t be able to beat Itachi. “Good thing you aren’t students anymore, huh?” Kakashi commented aloud.

              He could still feel the fear in Sakura’s chakra, but the girl dared not say anything in the face of Sasuke’s eagerness. In the face of her crush, it seemed impossible to hope that Sakura would stand up for herself any time soon.

              Still seemingly focused on his book, Kakashi did a mental sweep of the area. No unusual chakra, although demons did have better camouflage abilities than humans. However, he mostly focused on the animals in the forest. They skittered through the brush and branches and dirt, some eyeing them curiously, some focusing more on their food and sleep. The birds sang noisily, and various squirrels and chipmunks seemed to be contemplating which acorn would be the best to throw at the three intruders. The usual.
               “The Grey Woods are guarded by fox demons,” Kakashi replied with a careless shrug. “We don’t hurt their woods, they don’t hurt us.”
              Sasuke grunted, but Kakashi felt Sakura’s chakra lighten. Next lesson: chakra control outside battle environments.
              Sasuke’s chakra spiked again. “Didn’t the fourth hokage die fighting a fox demon?” he inquired casually.
              Laughing blue eyes sparkled in Kakashi’s mind, and he thought he could feel a gentle fist ruffling his silver hair. He didn’t blink. “The Lord Yondaime sacrificed himself to defeat a nine-tailed fox demon, yes,” Kakashi answered just as casually. “To this day, no one knows how he did it. He is one of the legendary heroes of Konoha. It’s said the fox demons, to honor the battle between their greatest warrior and ours, claimed these woods in memorial.”
              Sakura’s wide eyes burned into his back, and he looked back at her, his visible eye smiling. Such a cute girl. “No nine tails exist in these woods,” Kakashi reassured her. “At most a three tails and they leave people alone as long as their homes remain untouched.”
              Before Kakashi could tease her about the mating habits of demon foxes, he noticed the sudden silence of the birds. Fingers tense on Come Come Paradise, he allowed his senses to roam. At least five foreign chakra, coming from the north-east and moving fast. Covertly glancing back, Kakashi caught Sasuke’s subtle nod and Sakura’s stiffening.
              No one else in at least a five kilometer radius, Kakashi mused. They’re moving fast. Definitely shinobi. Shinobi on a mission. For a particular destination . . . or living targets?
              Frowning inwardly, Kakashi again hurried his steps. This time, he knew his subordinates noticed the change in pace. Didn’t matter. If the shinobi were after them, they would stop as soon as Team Seven passed the border into the Grey Woods. If nothing else, few beings dared to cross the deadly tricksters, the fox demons. Only because of the sandaime’s sage advice was Kakashi not afraid of these woods. Always with a sad light in his eyes, Lord Sarutobi coaxed Kakashi never to fear the forest and to respect the creatures within it. For everyone else, these woods were a plague to be avoided, in fear of the infamous demons’ wrath.
               “Stay to the path,” Kakashi tossed over his shoulder, keeping a sharp eye on the shimmering foliage. The trees and thick leaves seemed to hover over the rough path, as if keeping an eye on the visitors. Considering fox demons’ affiliation with plants, they could be spying on them. Kakashi decided to inform Sasuke and Sakura of that after exiting the forest. Sometimes, they could be surprisingly uptight for young people. And if he didn’t know better, that weed had been trying to trip him—oh, wait, it got Sakura. Heh heh.
              As Lord Sarutobi had reassured Kakashi, no demons interfered with their passage. For Sasuke’s sake, Kakashi hoped Sakura noticed that soon. That arm would be as good as dead soon. Heh. The mighty Uchiha defeated by a no-name ninja. He coughed and focused back on the forest before he could start laughing and scare Sakura even more. The forest grew brighter with every step they took, and Kakashi took a deep breath, enjoying the beauty. If nothing else, the fox demons knew their crafts.

              As they passed the half kilometer mark beyond the border, Kakashi stiffened. Their shadows had entered the Grey Woods. No longer could Kakashi brush off the shinobi. For them to enter the Grey Woods, a place feared as a haven for demons, they had to have a particular goal in mind. Kakashi wracked his brain for a moment. Team Seven’s mission had simply consisted of guiding a salesman back home to his family, so why—
               “Brace yourselves,” Kakashi drawled before three kunai tore into his back. A stabbed log fell hard to the ground.~~~~~
              Dammit, that man had mastered the Sharingan at this age. Why won’t mine work?
              With a flare of chakra, Sasuke intercepted another kunai heading for Sakura. The kunai missed the girl’s back by inches, attaching to Sasuke’s foot long enough to be kicked back to its sender. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke spotted a flash of grey—the tail of an unfamiliar cloak—and he tossed out a handful of shuriken. A simple pop! was his answer. Yet another damned shadow clone!
              Sakura darted behind a thick tree trunk and gestured towards Sasuke. Tense and trembling, her green eyes nonetheless remained sharp as they swept over the forest. Against his will, Sasuke slipped over to her side. His fists itched to slam into their assailants, but he couldn’t leave Sakura’s side.
               “Three more,” she breathed, “to the east.”
              Sasuke subtly nodded and infused a handful of kunai with chakra. Despite her mediocre fighting skills, Sakura’s cleverness made her invaluable in fights involving trickery. Undoubtedly, their pervert teacher was able to figure out which enemy was real, too. Without the sharingan, all Sasuke could do was take out every target he saw and hope they didn’t pop, relying on Sakura’s skill for absolute certainty.
              Sharp onyx eyes darted to the bushes to their left. The soft grey of their attacker’s cloaks acted as the perfect shadows in these woods. Was it just a coincidence or was it on purpose? In many other places, a darker mix of grey would be better for camouflage, but with the eerie glow of the flora, such dark colors would be out of place.
              Like my hair, Sasuke thought ironically before focusing on the task at hand. Any fire technique would take half of the forest with it; Sasuke believed he could safely bet that would anger the fox demons. Beyond simply throwing kunai and shuriken, what technique could he use to kill their attackers without harming the forest?

            Before Sasuke could begin the required hand movements for a shadow clone, three shuriken slammed into the tree behind which they were crouched. Sakura cringed and hastily rolled behind another tree. Scowling, Sasuke slipped to her side.

              “What is the matter with you?” he hissed. “It’s only shuriken!”

              Sakura stared at him with wide green eyes. “But Sasuke,” she whispered, “they might follow it up with an attack. They knew where we were. We had to move.”

              Sasuke’s scowl deepened, and he glanced around their new hiding spot. He could see flickers of grey, but that was probably those damned clones. Were clones and kunai/shuriken all these guys could toss out?

              “Hn,” he grunted, again putting his hands in place to make his own shadow clones. Why did I get stuck with such a weakling? They haven’t shown any signs of proficiency with physical attacks. The only shinobi skill they’ve shown at all is—

              Sasuke’s eyes widened. He stopped his hands before they could form the first seal for the shadow clones, instead grabbing a handful of shuriken out of his pouch. Seemingly randomly, he tossed them out. As expected, a few telltale pops! answered him . . . and one kunai, hidden in the shadow of its brethren, slipped through a tree. Struggling to keep his face expressionless, he listened to the odd evenness of Sakura’s breathing: too deep and calm for a girl too skittish to keep her hiding place. And why would Sakura have moved anyway? Why did she keep moving? She was usually the first to notice patterns in enemy movements. Why would she leave a protected spot when she knew the enemy would only use long-distance attacks?

              Dammit! the boy howled mentally, ducking to the ground and expanding his senses. A genjutsu! He was trapped in an illusion!

              Snarling to himself, Sasuke grabbed three smoke bombs out of his pouch and threw them into the clearing. His mind worked frantically. He had been moving in order to keep Sakura safely at his side. Their attackers had been luring him away from the others. Why? Divide and conquer, or was it simply because he was an Uchiha? He gritted his teeth. Falling for a simple illusion. How pathetic!

              Before the smoke cleared, Sasuke rolled away from Sakura and slipped behind another tree. Clenching several kunai in one hand, he snapped, interrupting Sakura’s rising protest, “Stop hiding behind genjutsu!” His voice did not waver, proud and cold as befitting an Uchiha. Good. “Or are you too frightened to fight me?”

              For along moment, only silence answered. Even Sakura fell quiet. He tightened his grip on the kunai, expecting some sort of reaction. Finally, his attackers relented. The luminescent forest wavered and glittered. The trees and brush shifted, moving and elongating and contorting, until Sasuke kneeled in a section of the forest he did not recognize. Only one thing did not change: the sound of “Sakura” breathing behind him.

              “All right, handsome,” “Sakura” murmured agreeably, and Sasuke whirled in time to see a staff coming towards his face. Frantically, he rested his weight on his hands and flipped backwards. His feet kicked out, aiming for “Sakura’s” face. The wood breezed by his shoulder, like his feet whooshed past the stranger’s face. That fact that he missed barely registered before the hard wood clipped him in the jaw. Stars flashing before his eyes, Sasuke’s hands wiped out and sent him crashing into the dirt.

              The rocks by his face swam in and out of focus, but the even breathing above him remained the same. Ignoring the dizziness, Sasuke braced his hands and prepared to swing his legs around for another kick . . . only to feel a strong killing coming at him from above. Sasuke pushed off with his hands into a roll, but a cold part of his mind mocked him: “Too slow! Too slow!”

              And then a solid thunk! echoed through the trees, and the killing intent was gone. One more thunk! later and “Sakura” cried out, two cloaked shinobi skidding away from Sasuke’s prone form. Before wide onyx eyes, an orange clad figure landed in a crouch.

              “You big jerks!” the new stranger snapped. From his position in the dirt, Sasuke could see a small hand braced in the ground before the stranger, clutching convulsively at the grass. He looked almost like a cat, preparing to pounce. “Hitting a guy when he’s down.” The vividly clad stranger huffed. “Cowards.”

              Seeing the two cloaked shinobi stir, Sasuke leaped to his feet. To Sasuke’s surprise, the shinobi didn’t try fighting anymore. Before the brunet could stop them or even get a better look at them, they vanished, leaving Sasuke blinking helplessly.

              Then the stranger hopped to his feet, and Sasuke hurriedly stepped backwards before he received another bruise on his jaw. The orange stranger dusted himself off, grumbling incoherently to himself. Blond, Sasuke noted absently. Lots and lots of blond. Then the stranger turned, and Sasuke sucked in a startled breath as he met the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. They sparkled brightly at him, making the habitual glow in Sakura’s eyes look like a flickering candle.

              What the hell is this guy on? he wondered, looking the stranger over. No forehead protector, Sasuke noted, glancing over the odd scars on the blond’s cheeks. Perhaps a Bloodline like the dog genin? No symbol of allegiance adorned the vivid orange and navy blue clothes. Glancing again at those brilliant blue eyes and smiling face, Sasuke decided the stranger couldn’t be older than he was. Where had he come from?

              “Where did you come from?” the stranger asked eagerly, bouncing on the balls of his feet and making Sasuke blink. Those shining blue eyes had looked Sasuke over just like Sasuke had looked him over, and judging by the mischievous grin, he was found satisfactory. Sasuke scowled. Of course he was found satisfactory! He was an Uchiha!

              “Konoha village,” he replied shortly, tapping his forehead protector. “Can’t you see?”

              The stranger blinked in confusion, and Sasuke grunted. Great. Dumb as a brick.

              “And why did you interfere?” Sasuke demanded, his fists clenching sporadically at his sides. “You let them get away!”

              The blond’s jaw dropped, his bouncing momentarily stilled. Then his eyes flashed angrily. “Hey, hey! I was saving your butt while you rolled in the dirt, asshole. And why would I go after them? I don’t want people like that around me.” The blond huffed indignantly and crossed his arms.

              Sasuke’s eyes widened before narrowing dangerously. Did this idiot just call him an asshole?

              “I was fine, dunce,” he sneered icily. “I’m a shinobi. I don’t need help from—“

              “You’re a what?” the blond interrupted, and Sasuke inwardly fumed. Did this guy have no respect? He was worse than Master Kakashi!

              Sasuke raised his chin proudly. “I am a shinobi from the—“

              The blond rolled his eyes and scowled. “But what’s a shinobi?!”

              Sasuke decided letting his jaw drop would be too undignified, and he refused to be undignified before this twit. “You just took on two of them,” he said slowly. “You knocked one out of midair. The Grey Woods lie within the territory of Konoha, a shinobi village. How can you not know what a shinobi is?”

              A light blush stained those tanned cheeks. Then the blond frowned again. “What’re the grey woods? Nothing is grey here.”

              Fuck it. Sasuke let his jaw drop. “We’re in the Grey Woods!” he shrieked.

              The blond bristled. “What a dumb name!” he snapped. “There’s nothing grey about these woods! This is the Forest of Iris. How can you not know that?” Proud of himself for his retort, the blond raised his chin.

              Sasuke seethed. “These are the Grey Woods.”

              “Forest of Iris!”

              “Grey Woods.”

              “Forest of Iris!”

              “Grey Woods.”

              “Forest of Iris!”

              “Grey Woods!” Sasuke snapped, then sucked in a deep breath. I’m not going to get into such a childish argument with this dolt!

              The blond sniffed at him. At him! “Iris!”

              “Grey!” Sasuke almost screeched.

              “Iris!”

              “Grey!”

              “Iris!

              “Grey!”

              “Iris!” the blond shouted. “I live here! This is the Forest of Iris!”

              Sasuke’s retort died on his lips. “Live here?” he gasped.

              Those luminous blue eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

              Before Sasuke could reply, the blond perked up and glanced over his shoulder. Curious and trying not to show it, Sasuke darted a look over the stranger’s shoulder, too. He frowned. He didn’t see anything. Apparently, however, the stranger did. Those proud shoulders slumped, and even his “whiskers” seemed to droop. Those odd blue eyes seemed oddly disappointed as he turned back to Sasuke.

              “My big brother is calling me,” he explained. “Your friends are calling you, too.” To Sasuke’s surprise, the blond abruptly straightened again and glared at Sasuke. “That’s fine! I didn’t want to talk with an asshole like you anyway!”

              Indignant, Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but the blond was already gone. Just vanished! No other last words! Sasuke’s jaw clenched so hard he almost snapped the bone out of place. He never noticed.

              That dunce! he raged inwardly. Insulting me and then just leaving like that! He didn’t even have the manners to introduce himself. Sasuke huffed in a manner oddly reminiscent of the now absent boy. Not that I care. Doesn’t want to talk to an asshole like me?! Well, I don’t want to talk with a dunce like him. He isn’t worth my time. No one talks to an Uchiha like that. Not even Master Kakashi speaks so crudely to me.

              Sasuke raised his chin and glared into the shimmering forest. Bah. Glowing trees. Who needed them?

              Still . . . for a person who doesn’t know about shinobi, he did attack a shinobi in midair. And I never even felt him, so he must have great camouflage abilities. I never even heard him. That’s the reason I’m curious about him. Yeah. And honestly, who lives in these woods besides the demons? No one lives in these woods. Sasuke frowned. I wonder where he lives in the Forest . . . Grey Woods.

              When Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura found him later, one concerned and the other frantic about the missing boy, they couldn’t understand why he kept staring into the woods, a thoughtful frown on his lips.