CHAPTER 1

"Goodbye!" I called to my brother as I silently walked closer to the Leaf Village. I sighed. A new journey… I fiddled with my snow village headband. Yuck. The snow village sucks. As I stepped through the village gates, I saw some children playing in the grass. I glared at them and they backed away. How am I supposed to blend in here? Glaring was greeting where I came from… I wandered the narrow streets for about half an hour, staring at the picture of the apartment building I was supposed to go to. It was white-coloured, with quite a few floors. I looked up to see that I had finally found it. I walked slowly to the apartment building. I opened the door and I searched my bag for my room key. I saw a boy walking toward me. He had short blonde hair and whisker-like things on his cheeks. That's the nine-tailed fox boy. Brother showed me pictures of him; he's on Sasuke's team. I'll be in trouble if he tries to stop me from completing my mission.

"Need some help!?" The boy asked me energetically.

"No." I said, walking to my room. I opened the door and slammed it, making the boy jump. I put my stuff down on the floor and I looked around. The room was pure white, with a bed to my right and a desk to my left. There was a small window at the back and a table with two chairs right in front of it. There was a miniature kitchen on the right side of the room. There was also a dresser near my bed. Other than that, it was empty. What an ugly room. I looked at the bed and I saw a note. I picked it up slowly. "To Autumn." It read. It looked like my brother's cursive writing. I opened it carefully and I read the letter before me;

Autumn, I am fairly certain that you have the skills required to do this job. You must not let on where you come from or your background. I think that you can come up with your own cover story if anyone asks. If people come close to the truth, you may let on who your mother is. But, however, you must sacrifice your life before revealing who your father is. Remember that if you don't finish it, you will never see me again, and you will live the rest of your days in the leaf village.

I put the letter in a drawer in my dresser and I heard a knock at the door.

"Are you sure you don't need any help unpacking or anything?" A voice asked. Naruto! I rolled my eyes.

"I don't need help." I said.

"You sure?"

"Yes, now go away." I went about my room, unpacking my clothes into the dresser. All right, blend in, blend in. I felt the boy's presence behind the door. I picked up some more clothes and I started walking to my dresser with them. My hands were full, so I picked up some things with my hands and feet. The door opened and Naruto stepped in, staring at me. I looked at him as one of my bras dropped to the floor. He kept staring. I fumbled around and tried to make it to my dresser, but I fell down, scattering my clothes across the floor. Naruto blushed, looking away, and someone else walked past.

"Want some help with those?" She asked me. The girl had long blonde hair that was in a pony-tail. She smiled and came over, helping me pick up my stuff.

"Ignore Naruto, he's just being an idiot." She said. I nodded, getting up.

"Right Naruto!?" She yelled, ushering him out. He walked away but he left the door wide open. The girl put the clothes in my dresser and she nodded to me.

"What's your name?" She asked me.

"I'm Autumn, what's yours?" I asked her.

"Ino." She said. As she said that, a guy walked past the door and stopped.

"Ino, ready to go for lunch!?" He asked. He was kind of chubby, with swirls on his cheeks.

"Sure." She said, walking toward him.

"Hey Autumn, want to come?" She asked me. I was about to shake my head, dumbfounded, but I remembered that I must be normal, so I nodded. Ino smiled and I walked with her out the door, closing it and locking it. Another guy walked up. His dark hair was in a ponytail and he had a see-through shirt on. I almost smiled at him.

"Shikamaru, Choji, this is Autumn." Ino introduced, gesturing toward me. It felt weird being this cramped hallway with three almost-strangers.

"She's coming with us." Ino explained. Choji nodded.

"Only if she doesn't mind sharing." He said. I smiled.

"It's alright, I don't eat much." I said.

"Oh so you're like Ino, worrying about your weight so some guy will like you." The other guy said, – Shikamaru, was it? - finally speaking up.

"No, actually." I said coldly, my eyes narrowing, "It's for fighting, I need to move fluidly."

"That makes more sense then Ino's reason." Shikamaru stated. I smiled.

"Sasuke is a great reason to cut back!" She screamed at him.

"Cut back!? You nearly starve yourself!" He said angrily, but he still kept calm. He must really care about her.

"Well, mister smarty pants, I don't see you trying to show off for anyone." Ino said in a mocking tone, "Because you don't have anyone!" I rolled my eyes.

"Are they always like this?" I whispered to Choji.

"Pretty much." He said.

"I don't need girls. Women are such a drag." Shikamaru said. Ino rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips, marching out the door. Choji ran – well, jogged to the best of his ability – up to her.

"I win again." Shikamaru muttered.

"Try telling her that." I said. Shikamaru crossed his arms.

"So, are you new here?" He asked after a while of silent walking.

"Yes."

"You're from the snow village?" He asked, observing my headband.

"Yes."

"Can you say anything other then yes?"

"Yes." Shikamaru chuckled.

"Another odd one…" He mumbled.

"I am not odd!" I yelled, overreacting a tad.

"Sure you aren't." Shikamaru said, opening the door for me. We turned onto the sidewalk.

"You remind me of someone…" He said. I sure hope he's not thinking of Sasuke!

"Really…" I said nervously.

"Yes, but I can't put my finger on who…"

"Maybe that's best…" I mumbled it, but he still understood.

"Why?" He asked. Okay, here's where the real lying comes in!

"Because if it was someone ugly, I would think you were calling me ugly." I explained, lying the best I could.

"I don't think you're that ugly."

"I'm glad we cleared that up." I said, "You're not ugly either." He smiled slightly, no, more like a smirk.

"Now that we've established whether or not we're ugly…" Shikamaru started, "We're here."

"Oh." I said, my mouth becoming a little "o". We sat across from Choji and Ino in the little booth thing. I've never been in a restaurant before… I looked around to see what was going on. There were a whole bunch of people sitting in group or alone, eating their food.

"What's the matter?" Ino asked, "You look as if you've never seen a restaurant before." I blushed slightly.

"Actually, I haven't." I said. Choji gasped.

"You don't know what you're missing!" He half-screamed.

"Well, this is a barbeque place, where they let you barbeque your own meat, it's Choji's favourite place to eat." Ino explained. I gulped. Barbequed meat? I can't! Choji started shoveling meat down his throat. I swear I almost vomited.

"You look a little green." Ino said.

"Yah, some people get that when they first see Choji eat." Shikamaru said. I stopped and I readied myself. I just need to stay mentally focused, mind over matter… I won't throw up, I won't throw up, I won't throw up.

"There, that's better." I said, sitting comfortably again.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Shikamaru asked, his mouth full of food. I looked at the meat before me.

"Umm, no." I said.

"Who are you trying to impress?" He asked.

"There is no guy involved!" I screamed.

"It's Sasuke, isn't it?" Ino said. I laughed, almost snorting.

"No." I said, my face becoming blank.

"Then who is it?" Choji asked.

"I just arrived here, who could I know well enough to like?" I asked.

"She has a point." Shikamaru said, dropping the subject.

"Thank-you." I whispered to him.

"Come on, try a little." Choji urged.

"No, I can't do it, I can't cheat the diet." I refused. Ino picked up a piece of chicken and moved it closer and closer to my mouth. I finally gave in and I bit a large chunk off, chewing it and then swallowing. I got up and I ran to the bathroom, throwing up in the toilet.

"You don't have to be bulimic to make guys like you, just don't eat much." Ino said, leaning against a mirror.

"I'm not bulimic, Ino, and there's no guy. I just don't like the taste of meat when it's covered in all that fatty sauce." I explained.

"Whatever you say." Ino said, applying her makeup. I went up and stood beside her.

"Do you at least think any of the guys are hot?" She asked me. I shrugged.

"I've only seen Choji, Shikamaru, Sasuke, and Naruto." I said.

"Okay, so do you think Sasuke's hot?" She asked.

"Ummm, I suppose." I told her. Is that what a normal girl would say? Ino thought for a moment.

"What about…" She gasped, "Shikamaru!"

"Ew! No!" I yelled.

"Oh really, because I heard you say that he isn't ugly."

"So what?" I said, "He said I wasn't ugly." Ino smirked and walked out of the washroom.

"That girl has problems…" I muttered.

"You think!?" A girl yelled, jumping over the bathroom stall. She had shoulder-length pink hair and she wore a red dress.

"Ino's always been that way." She explained, fidgeting with her dress.

"My name's Sakura Haruno, pleased to meet you." She said, shaking my hand.

"I'm Autumn." I replied nervously. This one's weirder then Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji put together!

"Nice to meet you Autumn." Sakura said cheerfully. I nodded slowly and I walked out of the washroom, sitting back in my spot.

"Hey Autumn, you okay now?" Choji asked. I smiled.

"Yup!" I exclaimed.

"How could you get sick from meat?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

"It's too fatty." I said bluntly. Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"No, I mean, my father had me on a strict diet, to improve my skill, and he would have never let me have this kind of food." I said. Well, my brother had me on the diet, but they don't need to know that

"Oh that makes sense; starve yourself so you can beat people." Shikamaru said sarcastically. Ino leaned in toward me.

"Don't listen to Shikamaru, he can be a real jerk." She whispered. Choji laughed. I nodded. Ino paid the bill and we all left.

"That was a good meal, but I'm still a little bit hungry." Choji said. I gawked. How can he be hungry after THAT!?

"It's normal." Ino informed me, she must have seen the look on my face.

"Oh…kay then." I said hesitantly.

"Well, I think I'm going to go home." I said happily.

"Do you want Choji or I to walk you home?" Shikamaru asked.

"I think I'll be fine." I said quietly. Ino rolled her eyes.

"I don't know, there are a lot of bad people around here, you may need someone big and strong like Choji…" She said slyly. Shikamaru raised his eyebrow. Pff, she just wants to be alone with Shikamaru…

"I told you I'd be fine!" I said with a slight edge in my voice. I turned away from them and jumped on top of the nearest building, hopping from roof to roof to get to my apartment building.

That's what I wanted to do, but I have to act normal.

"Okay, let's go Choji!" I said with a smile. Ino smirked at me, there seemed to be a bit of resentment in her eyes. What would she have against me!? Shikamaru seemed to notice that look too.

"Actually, my house is on the way so I'll go with her." Shikamaru said. Ino immediately frowned. Shikamaru and I walked away from Ino and a rather confused Choji.

"You realize she was doing that to be alone with you." I said to Shikamaru.

"Yes. That's why I tried to avoid it. Women are so troublesome…" He said.

"Are you saying I'm not a girl?" I asked curiously.

"I'm saying you're not as scary as Ino." He said.

"That's not much of a compliment." I said, smiling.

"Heh." Shikamaru said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, that girl with the pink hair… Sakura, was it? What's she like?" I asked.

"She's in a team with Sasuke and Naruto, she was the smartest girl in our class back at the academy, but she's still a little ditzy. Sakura, like Ino, is obsessed with Sasuke." He explained. I noticed a slight twitch in his eye when he talking about the obsession with Sasuke.

"Do you…have a problem with that?" I asked him curiously.

"Well, everyone loves Sasuke. It's: Sasuke this, Sasuke that. He's such a show off." He explained.

"Maybe you just aren't very good." I teased. He smiled.

"Are… you…jealous?" I asked him cautiously. I may have taken it too far.

"No, are you kidding? Do you really think I would be interested in Sakura or Ino?" He asked angrily.

"Sakura, no, but Ino… maybe." I muttered.

"I do not like Ino!" Shikamaru yelled. There was an awkward pause in the conversation.

"Good." I said, nodding. Shikamaru looked at me quizzically.

"At least I know you have some taste." I said, smiling. Shikamaru half-laughed and then he pointed to my apartment building.

"Here we are." He said. I started to run up to the doors but then I turned around.

"This wasn't actually on your way home, was it?" I asked. He shook his head. I smirked and waved goodbye, opening the door to the building. I walked to my apartment, unlocking it. I opened the door to see my brother, standing right in front of me.

"Itachi Uchiha." I muttered under my breath.