"Hour of the Ox, two o'clock in the morning. In ancient times, this was called the most tormenting time for man shortly before dawn, when demons of evil and death hold sway."
© Ivan Yefremov
Naruto couldn't sleep all night. He thought about the surviving Uchiha girl. From time to time, he drifted into drowsiness but didn't notice. It felt like he was already awake and it was all real.
...brushed his teeth, had breakfast...
...waves at passing Shikamaru, who lazily raises a hand in response...
...bursts into Sasuke's house, and Sarada opens the door...
Everything's good. Everything's fine. Now it's definitely good, because now he's sure—it's nee-chan, and she's alive. It'll be like before again. Could he have hoped for such happiness?
Naruto woke in cold sweat.
Just a dream.
Dark outside the window, dark in the room too. When would dawn come? For the first time, he awaited dawn so eagerly.
Who knew. I'm scared to close my eyes, because I'll dream again of what I want.
...leans on the bridge railing. Sakura-chan fuming, Sasuke nearly asleep on his feet. No Kakashi-sensei. How long can he be late?
...asked timidly...
...Sasuke's voice: "That's not Sarada. What, idiot, hoping it's your girlfriend?"...
...knew it.
Of course not her. Stupid-stupid-stupid dreams. Meeting his parents—even more likely.
Naruto woke again. His body shook with chills.
I can't take this. I can't hold out.
Reliving the coming day over and over, feeling every possible outcome.
Seeing her alive, exhaling in relief, waking to realize it was a dream and nothing's certain yet.
Hearing Sasuke's sharp reply, burying his dreams, then suddenly back in the dark room bed: he still doesn't know the truth, hope remains.
Naruto got out of bed, washed his face, and put the kettle on.
Go to Sasuke's now? It's his clan business, he should know... No, stupid. Can't show how much it matters to me.
Cheek on crossed arms, he watched sand trickle in the hourglass. Sand ran out. Freshly brewed ramen steamed with an unpleasant aftertaste. With each minute, Naruto wound himself tighter. Recalled his childhood, Sarada here in the apartment, in this very kitchen.
Damn... damn... Should've gone to Sasuke yesterday. Even if he brushed me off, fine. At least I'd sleep knowing the truth.
His stomach knotted from nerves and early rising. Naruto set down his chopsticks and left the half-eaten breakfast.
"Sarada would yell seeing I didn't clean and wash the dish," flashed the thought.
But washing it means preparing for her arrival. And by the Law of Sod, that girl won't be nee-chan. Decided, Dattebayo! Don't wash the dish to not jinx it.
Naruto raked fingers through his messy uncombed hair. He'd go mad before dawn. Idiot. Why didn't he go to Sasuke yesterday?
Naruto did calisthenics, dressed, and climbed onto the balcony. Sleeping Konoha lay before him. No people on streets yet. Sky lightening in the east, fading stars on night's retreating cloak in the west. Only Hokage faces awake, staring at Naruto haughtily, menacingly.
"I'll surpass you all," he thought as usual. "Don't look at me like that, Ttebayo..."
He vaulted the balcony railing, landed on the roof, and descended the wall as learned on the Land of Waves mission. Dawn broke behind him.
Naruto arrived first at the meeting spot. He noted with displeasure that in his dream, this scenario ended in disappointment.
Wait for Sasuke under his house after all? No. He'll call me idiot. Damn...
Naruto sat on the bridge's wooden planking and leaned back against the railing. Canal water murmured softly behind. Sleep tugged. He closed his eyes—plenty of wait anyway, sit a minute like this, eyes drooping regardless.
"Naruto?" Sakura's surprised voice sounded over his ear.
"Huh?!"
Naruto surfaced from oblivion, opened his eyes, bright light stabbing them.
"You're so early?"
"Did I fall asleep?"
Morning already. Time flew. Naruto thought sunlight would dispel his anxiety, that it was just solitude and dark, but no relief.
"You're acting weird today."
Naruto pulled his canteen and moistened his dry throat. Sasuke appeared on the bridge. Walking as usual sullen, hands in white shorts pockets.
"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura-chan sang sweetly, hands behind back, slight bow.
Naruto choked on water and coughed. Sasuke leaned on railing, crossed legs, replied:
"Yeah."
He looked rumpled today. Up all night too? Naruto capped the canteen, wiped lips on sleeve, stood, and yelled:
"Sasuke!"
"What?" came the displeased response.
"Sasuke," his voice trembled with excitement. "Is it true what everyone's saying? A girl survived..."
"What're you talking about, Naruto?" Sakura-chan wondered.
Sasuke closed his eyes.
"Yeah," he snorted. "Whole Konoha's talking already?"
Naruto licked dry lips. He'd just drunk. Where'd the dryness come from?
"Who is she?" he asked, holding breath.
Sasuke snorted again.
"Who she is!" Naruto burst out shrilly.
"Damn. Your girlfriend. That's why you're asking, right?"
Naruto couldn't believe his ears.
"Sarada?"
He lunged at the Uchiha, grabbed his t-shirt collar, yelled in his face:
"It's true? You're not lying? It's really her?"
Sasuke turned away, tried wrenching free, but no chance. Naruto clung like a tick to a dog.
"Hey, guys!" Kakashi-sensei appeared on the bridge arch. "I got lost on the road of life..."
They ignored him.
"Answer, Sasuke!"
"What's going on?"
Kakashi-sensei jumped to the bridge and pried them apart.
"How'd she survive?" Naruto exhaled, eyes still fixed on Sasuke, flailing to grab his clothes again.
"Don't know!" Sasuke snapped irritably and brushed off his t-shirt disgustedly.
"Who does?"
Sasuke glanced at the teacher.
"The jonin rumor mill's buzzing too."
"About what?"
Kakashi raised a pale eyebrow puzzled.
"Survivor from my clan, Uchiha Sarada. What do we know about her?"
"Hm... Yeah, heard. But sorry, Sasuke, I know no more than you."
"Uchiha Sarada..." Sakura murmured enchanted. "Who?"
"Your sister, if I'm not mistaken? Right, Sasuke?" sensei squinted.
"She's not my sister," Sasuke spat venomously. "Half... Whatever, nobody."
"Don't say that!" Naruto roared.
"Naruto, calm down," Kakashi said.
"Alright, team. Today's mission..."
***
Naruto's heart eased a bit. Now he knew the survivor was Sarada. But old anxiety gave way to new: how would they meet? Five years passed. She's a grown girl now, right? Naruto never dreamed his childhood friend would return from the dead. For three days he'd wandered under Sasuke's house waiting for Sarada to emerge. Futile.
Even morning before mission, Naruto took his post. Sasuke exited and headed to the canal bridge meeting spot.
Great. Late again, more scolding. Though Kakashi-sensei will be later anyway. Can wait more.
Then he spotted a young man in green Konoha vest strolling unhurriedly. Naruto squinted. Black hair... Crest! Uchiha emblem on his sleeve. Naruto jumped from hiding.
"Hey, mister!"
The Uchiha stopped, eyeing Naruto curiously blocking his path.
"Hey hey. What?"
"You're Uchiha, Dattebayo!"
"Yeah..." warily, not getting it.
"Uchiha Sarada," Naruto forced out painfully. "You know her?"
The man scratched his head puzzled.
"Well... yeah."
"Tell her to come out? Please!"
"Uh... You know her?"
"We were friends," Naruto stumbled. "She was my friend!"
"Ah, got it. Sure, I'll tell her if I remember."
The Uchiha vanished into the building door. Naruto exhaled, unclenched fists, and waited under the house. Morning sun baked his head.
***
Sarada sensed Shisui approaching. She'd just finished redrawing one barrier technique into a scroll and quietly honing it. Key slid into the lock.
Okay. Seals.
She slowly formed the seals carefully. Many; she'd barely memorized the sequence. Shisui sidled into the entryway and closed the door. Sarada finished the seals and pressed her hand to the central symbols group on the scroll. Intricate pattern lines shot across the wooden floor in all directions, followed by matching patterned circles forming a spiderweb-like net over the living room and entryway. Shisui froze mid-turn, bound by the technique.
"There."
He saw Sarada half-crouched on the floor, hand on the unrolled scroll. Quick glance around the living room, noted the neat seam on the sofa cushion.
"And the furniture?"
Sarada silently nodded toward the kitchen. Shuriken still stuck in the wall by the kitchen door. Sasuke hadn't bothered pulling them; Sarada left them on principle. Shisui eyed the shuriken sidelong. He couldn't turn his head; the barrier held him.
"Dad came back," Sarada reported sullenly.
"Ah, so. Sasuke-kun?"
"Shisui-san, did you know it'd be like this?"
"Expected it, you know. But all good? You sorted it?"
"No, we didn't sort it. Temporary truce. He's still waiting for you to explain, Shisui-san."
Shisui rolled his eyes.
"Hoped to skip involvement here."
"Why can you talk?"
"Because your barrier's weak. But good job—for a start, not bad."
Sarada felt vibration ripple through the deployed barrier system. Instant, and connection to Shisui vanished. He slipped off shoes and stepped freely into the living room.
"H-how..."
Sarada stared, hand lifting from the paper shocked.
"Like that. Weak barrier, told you. Or scroll transcription error, or not enough chakra. Betting on the last. I've got more, after all."
Shisui, scratching his neck, examined the shuriken protruding from the wall.
"Uh... So you're leaving them? Part of the decor now?"
"They were waiting for you, Shisui-san," Sarada grumbled. "I only pulled the ones stuck in the kitchen floor. Just in case."
"Hm... Kitchen too then..."
"He nearly killed me, Shannaro!"
She slammed fist on the scroll angrily.
"Come on, Sarada. He wouldn't. Sasuke-kun's a good kid. Only wants to kill Itachi. You're not Itachi."
At uncle's memory, Sarada quieted.
"You're coming back to life bit by bit, I see."
Sarada sighed. True, feelings returned. She no longer fell into the abyss or thought of death. Yet now she was utterly different. Something fundamental had shifted in her worldview and personality.
"They let me train."
"Oh?"
"Train me, Shisui-san!"
"But I just off mission!" he protested, dropping his pack on the floor.
Sarada pouted, arms crossed.
"Fine. So be it," Shisui surrendered. "But evening, when Sasuke-kun returns. Both at once."
***
Sasuke and Sakura-chan led him by arms. Knot of his headband loosened, protector slipping over eyes.
"What an idiot," Uchiha snorted somewhat condescendingly.
Naruto deflated completely. Today nothing went right. He'd waited hours for Sarada and arrived at meeting even after Kakashi-sensei, but she never emerged. Didn't want to? Or that adult Uchiha forgot? But no, he seemed serious. So Sarada herself didn't want to see him. So much time... Maybe she didn't remember him anymore.
Today's mission: dog walking. For lateness, Naruto got the biggest mutt, which dragged him straight to a minefield. Naruto got tossed, but the damn dog fine. It broke free and fled back to the team at first explosion. Only after dust settled and smoke cleared did it approach stunned Naruto and sniff him with wet nose.
"All the dog's fault," Naruto groaned offended. "Why am I the idiot?"
Sasuke just shook his head.
"Yo, Sasuke-kun!" came a chipper voice.
Naruto shook his head, headband sliding from eyes to nose.
Right towards them walked that very same uncle he'd seen that morning at Sasuke's house. And next to him...
Naruto froze.
No-no-no. It couldn't be, dattebayo!
Sarada hadn't grown up, as he'd imagined. She'd even gotten younger. Her black hair was still short, the long bangs lying over her forehead protector. The same glasses, the same dress, thin arms—one in a fingerless glove, the other...
What was that, a piece of sleeve?
She was looking straight at him, a little surprised. Naruto imagined how pathetic he must look, and he wanted the ground to swallow him up. Sarada was no longer the big sister; she'd become his peer. And she... she...
"Naruto?"
Her voice. Exactly the same as before.
She...
"Oy," the uncle exclaimed, addressing Naruto. "Looks like I forgot something... Sorry."
He scratched his neck awkwardly.
Forgot. So he'd forgotten! Not Sarada!
But nee-chan wasn't rushing to throw her arms around his neck.
"What's with you?" she asked calmly.
"Uh-uh-uh... uh-uh..."
Naruto was speechless.
"He wandered into a minefield," Sakura-chan answered for him.
"Is that so?" the uncle said seriously. "You got off easy, you know. Sasuke-kun, we're waiting for you at the training ground by the water tower. Hurry up."
"Hai," Sasuke replied grumpily. "Let's go, usuratonkachi."
They dragged him off again. Sarada and the adult Uchiha walked past, while Naruto writhed in his friends' grip, twisting around to watch them go. His headband slipped from his nose to his neck.
"Stop squirming, you idiot!"