Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Help Me To Remember ❯ Ignorance ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: Poseo Nada! (I own nothing!)

 

Ignorance (n) a condition of being unaware, or uninformed

 

Gangs. Death. Hate. Blood. Sasuke looked up again at the huge school in front of him, Konoha High School, and then back at the bus that had left him here, driving off without a care in the world to him.

 

“It's for your safety.”

 

Sasuke growled, gripping the handle of his suitcase tighter and shifting his backpack on his shoulders.

 

“Sasuke, you aren't old enough to do this.”

 

His growl rose from his throat, rolling off of his tongue, and his hand was starting to burn from the pressure he was putting on his skin by squeezing the handle so tightly.

 

“Father wouldn't have minded you joining so young, but I do. We just lost mom and dad, don't make me loose you too.”

 

His teeth ground together as his legs moved.

 

“Orochimaru and his gang are too strong. I'm not pleading with you Sasuke, I'm telling you. You aren't joining us yet.”

 

“And what about what I want?” Sasuke shot back. “What if you die?” he spat.

 

Itachi smiled and jabbed his brother in the forehead with his first two fingers. Sasuke winced, taking a step back as Itachi chuckled.

 

“Don't worry about me. I have help. I won't die.”

 

Sasuke looked unsurely around Itachi to his older brother's friends, though accomplices were more suiting words for describing these men.

 

First was Deidara. Sasuke really didn't trust this man and his obsession with everything that detonated, but Deidara was strong and smart, not to mention Itachi's lover. Deidara would never let anything happen to his brother.

 

Deidara winked at him. “Don't worry brat. He'll be fine.”

 

The rest nodded, having no intention of letting anymore of their band die or defect, like that bastard Orochimaru.

 

Orochimaru had tried to kill Itachi because he feared the Uchiha's strength, and he had immediately left their group when he had failed. Or, at least, that's what everyone thought. Everyone but Deidara, Itachi and Sasuke, who knew the truth about what had happened to the Uchiha family.

 

“So that's it.” Sasuke ground out through his gritted teeth. “You're sending me away, I may never see you again, and that's it?”

 

Itachi laughed, jabbing his younger brother's forehead again. This time, Sasuke's hand trailed up and rubbed the tiny mark forming on his head.

 

“I told you,” Itachi said more forcefully, though the smile never left his lips, “I'll be fine.”

 

Sasuke growled, his hand reaching out to shove the door open. A sign on a door down the hallway read `Main Office', he immediately headed for it.

 

“But I need you to promise me something.” Itachi continued.

 

“What?” Sasuke asked, the chair grating against the floor as he leaned in. A promise? His brother never asked for that.

 

“I want you to promise to not come looking for me, no matter what rumors you may hear, or what `sixth sense' feeling you get. Stay where it's safe.”

 

“But---!” Sasuke rocketed out of the chair, his palms slamming down on the tabletop. Damn Itachi! He was always too smart, he had always been that way, and it made it nearly impossible for Sasuke to do anything Itachi didn't want him to do.

 

“Promise me you will stay with whatever friends you make.” Itachi said more forcefully, clearly having no intention of letting Sasuke go anywhere until he promised.

 

Sasuke bit his lip viciously, looking back at the members of Akatsuki. Pain, Sasori, Deidara, they were all strong. Almost too strong for their own good, Itachi would be safe, but…

 

Sasuke released his lip, licking the blood off with a quick flick of his tongue.

 

“Fine.” He snapped. “I promise I will stay with whatever friends I make.”

 

“And if you don't make any friends?” Itachi continued.

 

Sasuke felt the growl rise is his throat again. His brother really did never miss anything.

 

“I promise I will stay where it's safe.” He spat.

 

Sasuke thundered on the door, too furious to try and stay quiet.

 

“Come in.” a woman called from inside.

 

Sasuke slammed the door open, his eyes burning holes into the poor unsuspecting woman's head.

 

“Sasuke Uchiha?” she asked finally, putting two and two together. He nodded, a sharp, jolting movement, unable to speak in his rage.

 

The woman sat up in her chair. “I'm headmaster Tsunade, your brother said you would be coming, speaking of which,” she reached for the phone, dialing and waiting until the person on the other end picked up.

 

“Mr. Uchiha?” she asked into the receiver.

 

Sasuke stiffened. What?

 

“Yes, he's here.” Tsunade nodded once and then set the phone back in the cradle.

 

“He thought I wouldn't show, didn't he?” Sasuke snarled. It makes sense, if I never came here, I technically wouldn't have to stay here.

 

“I don't know about that, but he asked me to phone him when you arrived.” Tsunade pulled a drawer out and rifled through the papers.

 

“I have your schedule, your dorm number, a list of teachers, and the name of your roommates. We have five to a room, but all the boys' dorms are full so… I guess we can just stick you into a full one.”

 

Sasuke's brow furrowed. Five roommates to a dorm? Most school only have two, or three in a tight situation. What kind of school is this?

 

“Let's see…” Tsunade held up two papers, “oh, one dorm still has an empty spot. How about I put you with… dorm 372?” she handed him the paper.

 

Sasuke dropped his bag unceremoniously on the floor to take the paper, even though his other hand was free. He easily ignored the glare the headmaster sent him.

 

There were four pictures on the paper. A boy with brown hair and red triangle marks on his cheeks, a boy with short black hair and pale skin, a boy with brick red hair and one boy with golden hair. His eyes were bright sky blue, and distinct whisker-like scar marks on his cheeks were a very prominent feature. The names under the pictures read Kiba Inuzuka, Sai, Gaara Sabaku, and Naruto Uzumaki.

 

“Not all of them have last names.” He pointed out.

 

“Not all of them have parents, so they don't have last names.” Tsunade answered easily, as if a student's full name wasn't a necessary thing. “And some of them choose not to reveal their last names for safety purposes.”

 

“Safety?” Sasuke repeated. This was too strange, he had long since forgotten about being mad at Itachi.

 

“Here's you class schedule, and a list of teachers.” She passed over his question and placed some more papers in has palm. “You can keep that too.” She gestured to the profiles of his roommates. “It's Friday today, and you got here too late to sit in on the last class, so I guess you can head up to your dorm and spend the next two days preparing for your classes and meeting new people. You're dismissed.”

 

“Hey, old lady?”

 

Sasuke turned to the door, where the boy with the red tattoos on his cheek stood; he recognized it as Kiba Inuzuka, one of the boys in his dorm.

 

“What?” Tsunade snapped. She didn't seem too miffed about the nickname, just about the lack of respect when he barged into her office like that.

 

“There were some people going after Naruto again, and we broke a window, by accident of course.” He seemed very relaxed about the whole situation.

 

“Of course.” Tsunade groaned. “Why don't they learn?” she asked herself, hiding her eyes behind her palms. “Is anyone hurt?”

 

“One broken arm.” Kiba shrugged. “The rest bolted before Gaara could really get to them, he dealt with the one messing with Naruto first. It was some idiot trying to prove how strong he was. He had his dorm jump Naruto, they don't seem to get how protective Gaara is on Naruto.”

 

“Ah well, I suppose I should go make sure he's alright.” She grumbled, like this was an everyday occurrence. “Oh, Kiba, this is Sasuke Uchiha. He's in your dorm starting today.”

 

Sasuke's eye met dark eyes, he couldn't even tell their real color, they were more of black slits instead of pupils, and he had no irises. The peered into him, Kiba's eyes squinting as he seemed to assess Sasuke.

 

“Cool!” Kiba yelled suddenly, leaping forward to sling an arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

 

“Kiba Inuzuka!” he yelled, a huge grin spread across his face. “Dorm room 372, nice to meet you!”

 

Sasuke said nothing, but Kiba didn't seem to need any encouraging.

 

“Come on,” he detached himself from Sasuke to grab the discarded bag on the floor and slam it into Sasuke's chest. Sasuke oomphed quietly, “I'll show you our dorm.” He marched to the door, the fur on his hood ruffling from the air coming in as the door was opened.

 

Sasuke, assuming that he was to follow, shifted his bags on his back and in his hands and walked out after the boy, stuffing his papers into his pockets as he went.

 

“First thing you should know is that you're lucky the old lady put you up with us.” Kiba looked back over his shoulder to smirk at Sasuke.

 

“… And why's that?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow, trying to give off an aura of disinterest. It wasn't working.

 

“We're kind of like the elite around here, sort of VIP's, it would've tough on you if you got placed in a weak dorm.” Kiba smirked proudly.

 

“Elite?” Sasuke repeated. This school got weirder by the second. The students were the ones on top? Or maybe the school was divided into the weak and the strong, so to speak.

 

“You could've also joined 374. They're second around here.” Kiba continued as if he hadn't heard him. “Here it is.” He said suddenly, stopping in front of a door with a nameplate 372. Sasuke hadn't even noticed when they'd climbed the stairs.

 

Kiba turned around to look at him, pulling a key from his pocket as he did. “It gets a little weird around here, but don't worry, you'll get used to it fast.” He clicked the key in the lock and pushed the door open.

 

“We got new meat!” he called into the dorm, shoving the key back into his pocket as he entered.

 

“New meat?” someone from the far room asked. “We're already full.”

 

“We can make the dining room into another bedroom, we always use the kitchen table anyways.” Another boy answered the first. “Who is it anyway?”

 

“His name's Sasuke Uchiha.” Kiba dropped his coat on the back of a chair and motioned for Sasuke to do the same and then to follow him.

 

“Uchiha?” the second repeated.

 

“None other.” Kiba turned the corner, leading Sasuke into what looked like the TV room. An outrageous number of people sat crammed around a small table in the center of a room that barely fir everyone, and a miniscule TV and something that Sasuke guesses was supposed to be the couch was shoved into the corner to make more room. They all wore the school's uniform, a black blazer and pants with a white shirt for the boys, and a black skirt and white shirt for the girls.

 

“I thought she said---” Sasuke began.

 

“We aren't all in this dorm.” A Kiba interrupted him. “The people that are in our dorm are me, Sai, Gaara and Naruto.” He pointed to them in turn, though it wasn't needed. Sasuke's memory would've allowed him to name them all of because of the paper Tsunade had given him. The orange band on Naruto's arm stuck out almost as much as the design on his shirt, it reminded Sasuke of a doodle of a sun, with a swirl in the center and different squiggled lines moving away from it. He'd clearly draw it on, judging by the way the marker had bled a little in the fabric, but Sasuke wondered why the administration was letting him wear anything but the regulation white shirt.

 

“Next, the guys in 374, the room next door:” Kiba pointed to some more people as he named them off, “Shino, Choji, Rock Lee, or just Lee, Neji and the lazy ass in the corner is Shikamaru.” The five of them nodded to him. “Shikamaru thinks that everything is troublesome.”

 

“Because it is.” Shikamaru growled, living up to the reputation Kiba spoke of by not even turning his head to face the people he was talking to and continuing to watch the clouds.

 

“Next are the girls.” Kiba pointed. “From room 206, Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Hinata. Girls only have four to a dorm because there are usually less of them in the school then boys.”

 

The questions dominated Sasuke's mind, but he couldn't get any of them out of his mouth. Why are there fewer girls than boys? Why are there five to a dorm? Why was the headmaster fine with you calling her old? What did you mean `elite'? And why wont those girls quit ogling at me? He added as he noticed that Ino and Sakura hadn't look away from him once since he had walked into the room.

 

“You look confused.” Sai pointed out. Beside him, Lee nodded enthusiastically.

 

Everyone glanced at each other, and the back to him again. Some of them were shrugging, and others looked just as confused.

 

“Has anyone actually told you what this high school is for?” Shikamaru asked, seeming to be the only one who could figure out what was wrong with the picture.

 

“Oh.” Everyone said at once, finally understanding as Sasuke didn't answer.

 

“Konoha High School is a… special school.” Shikamaru began when no one else spoke up. “It's a school were people go to learn things that no normal school would ever teach its students in a million years.” A few people nodded in agreement with him, and the rest just sat motionless, waiting to see Sasuke's reaction.

 

“They teach us how to fight here, how to infiltrate heavily guarded places, how to hack into different technology with different securities, how to use different weapons, the best places in the human body to deliver fatal blows…” Shikamaru trailed off, waiting to see how Sasuke would take the given information.

 

“… I'm waiting to how this applies to me.” Sasuke said finally.

 

“Well, if you're Itachi Uchiha's brother, than it would really make sense, though why he didn't tell you himself, I'm not sure.”

 

“What makes sense?” Sasuke demanded, lacing his voice with impatience to try and force it out of them.

 

“Well, that he would send you to a school that teaches people how to be in a gang. Basically, a school that teaches you how to kill.” Shikamaru shrugged.

 

Sasuke's eyes went momentarily wide, and he glanced around to everyone again. They're all here to learn to kill? His eyes found the two that stuck out the most, the ones that hadn't left his face the entire conversation.

 

The wide, shocked, sky blue eyes of the boy called Naruto Uzumaki.