Two Different Worlds

Author’s Note: -bows down fervently- Gomen nasai minna-san! This chapter took quite a long while to get updated, I apologize for the inconvenience. I got sick and everything. -sigh- It's too troublesome like that. Anyway, here’s the next chapter…it’s kind of confusing seeing we’ve got two Narutos and two Itachis now! sweatdrops I still hope you guys could get along with the plot. -huggles minna-

Ugh yes, since they're some who got lost in my previous chapter o.O let me explain it. The one they found at the Konoha grounds was the alternate Itachi...why he got there? Then wait for the future chapters, ehehehe!

Summary: Blue eyes met blue. The other to protect his village, the other to protect his most precious person. Things are going to get complicated. ItaNaru, slight onesided? SasuNaru in the future. Please read and review.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto...but umm o.O Can I claim the alternate ones? -hopeful look-

Chapter 6: Memories

“Where is he?” Tsunade stormed in, once they were inside, Shizune dashed towards the operating room excusing herself as she went. Seeing the blonde woman, Kakashi simply closed the book he was reading, placing it inside his jounin vest's pocket and got up from his seat.

Jiraiya had his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, legs crossed, a look of puzzlement marring his features. Glancing up when he heard Tsunade's voice, he straightened himself, heaved out a deep sigh and approached the Hokage. “I seriously can't believe this Tsunade, seeing him in that state...it just seems out of place.”

Tsunade had her eyes fixed on the operating room and back at her friend. “So it's true? This isn't just a trap or a genjutsu...you've thoroughly checked the body?”

Jiraiya solemnly gazed at her. “We have...and from the looks of it, I don't think he's going to make it Tsunade, that's why he had to call you here. You're the best medic nin around.”

The blonde woman's jaw tightened, her lips set into a thin line. 'I seriously don't want to treat that guy.' she silently thought. “I won't believe it, until I see him with my own two eyes Jiraiya.”

Jiraiya sighed. Suddenly remembering something he continued. "Oh and yes, we found this as well." The frog sannin handed the blonde woman a locket, it looked great yes, but the image inside was enough to make the Hokage's blood boil. "What the hell is this?" she exclaimed trying to keep her wrath in check, inside was the picture of a young smiling Naruto with the older Uchiha, and what was more disturbing was, Itachi was actually smiling in the picture. "This is..." she couldn't even put her words into it. "He was actually keeping a picture of himself and Naruto? How is this possible?"

"I don't know Tsunade, you're worried about Naruto are you?” Tsunade simply nodded in response, the frog sannin continued. “I know how it is, we're all worried, but judging from this locket, I doubt he's going to hurt Naruto that way, even if he does work for the Akatsuki.”

“I know that- but still...I just can't...” Tsunade held the locket gingerly in her hands. She'll get rid of that material that's for sure.

There was a moment of silence.

Not one spoke. Kakashi continued to look like he was staring at the wall, observing them from the corner of his eye, what he found out earlier sure was a surprise, he'll have to ask questions later. Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged glances, a look that only they and the deceased third Hokage understand.

“Where's Naruto?” Jiraiya asked trying to change the topic.

Tsunade rested her hand on her forehead. “He's at my office. He's not that stupid to try confronting Itachi when there's the possibility this could be a trap.” a pause. “Not like I'd let him anywhere near Naruto again anyway.” she ended in a mere whisper.

“Hokage-sama” Kakashi suddenly spoke, and in an instant the two had their eyes on him. “I was one of the patrolling jounins surveying the area when we found Itachi unconscious and bleeding hard...” he frowned. “…and there was a hole on his chest.” Kakashi sighed and continued. “The markings left clearly shows that it was a chidori that inflicted the damage.”

A pregnant pause.

Tsunade stared in shock, Jiraiya closed his eyes, the copy ninja had told him about his discovery earlier. There was only one student that Kakashi had thought that technique.

“It seems to me that Sasuke has finally made his move Hokage-sama.”

Itachi was a very strong ninja, and if what Kakashi's telling them was true- 'What has Orochimaru been teaching Sasuke all these years?'

Moments passed.

The frog sannin was deep in thought. Kakashi was saying that Sasuke did this to his older brother. 'How much longer until that kid goes for Naruto with the intention to kill, to be able to acquire the Mangekyou Sharingan, or worse have his body used by Orochimaru. And there's still the threat of the Akatsuki after the nine-tailed fox within Naruto.' he mentally shook his head. 'But of course, Uchiha Itachi was here...Tsunade has to help treat him or he'll die, then maybe we could have him spill everything he knew about the organization. He's not in any position to resist anyway, not with his recent state.'

Tsunade didn't like what she was hearing at all. She hated to admit it but Itachi was someone she herself didn't like fighting, not just because they were almost equal in strength and power, but it was also because she hated remembering what she, Jiraiya and the third Hokage did ten years ago.

At first she too hated the blonde kid, she put the blame on him for the death of her brother Arashi, but after spending time with the fox child she couldn't help but love the boy, he had changed her to be a better person, even convincing her to protect the village she once cursed, and now the guilt of what she had done was eating her, it felt like everything she said and did for Naruto was a lie.

Now the ebony haired teen was in the operating room with only a small chance to live, a part of her rejoiced but also a part of her was saddened about this incident, he was after all Naruto's...she didn't even want to think about that again.

Sasuke had defeated his brother, which means he was even stronger than Tsunade herself, since the Hokage and Uchiha Itachi were almost equal, that was a lot disturbing.

“Hatake Kakashi who else knew about this incident?”

”Just a few Hokage-sama, that would be the three of us, the patrolling group and the medic nins inside operating him.”

The blonde woman pursed her lips. “That's good. I don't want anybody else to know. Let's keep this in the dark for now. Tell everyone that knew never to utter a single word about this, not even to their families.”

Kakashi nodded.

Tsunade growned, suddenly remembering the blond. “Kami-sama. Naruto knows.” she looked back at her friend. “Promise me Jiraiya, don't let Naruto out of your sight. I don't want him anywhere near that criminal.”

Jiraiya nodded in understanding.

Tsunade sighed and proceeded to the operating room.

--------------------------------------------

The heavens were filled with stars that night. A pair of ocean blue eyes stared at the night sky, so much can be seen in these pair of orbs, they held pain, sorrow, suffering, hatred, but what stood out more were the immense sadness and grief they possessed.

“Why do they hate me so much?”

These were the words he so often asked himself for many times in his life. Eyes closed and fluttered open, his whole body hurt, fresh tears made its way down his whiskered cheeks. He wanted to die.

‘Demon’

‘You killed my family.’

‘Murderer’

‘My mommy said never to play with you, you kill people.’

Hateful stares, hushed whispers, the daily beatings, the spiteful words they say towards him, he didn’t understand any of this or what they meant. He would’ve preferred being treated like he didn’t exist, but everything went the other way around. Everyone despised him and they wanted to see him suffer.

Bruised hands desperately tried to wipe the tears off his face; he lay flat on his back on the cold pavement, too weak to even try standing. Beating him up seems to be the past time the villagers had grown fond of, children and grown-ups alike. It was too much, it hurt too much, and at that night, as he lay there, bruised and blooded, it was then he thought, to just end everything.

Slowly reaching inside his pocket, he held the kunai gingerly in his hand, placing it to where his heart resided.

He had found the kunai once he wandered about the training grounds. He didn’t know what to do with it but he still kept it nonetheless. He laughed bitterly. ‘I know now the reason why I found you.’

And without even thinking twice, he plunged the weapon onto his chest. Scenes of his young life flashed before him, not even one scene showed him any happiness, no one cared, no one loved and no one to love. He smiled despite this though, because he knew that his suffering would end there.

But just when he was about to close his eyes, to put an end to his existence and this nightmare, he felt strong hands…lifting him off his supposed death bed, weakly looking up, the last thing he remembered were a pair of dark expressionless eyes and everything went black.

The day after, his life changed.

“Oi Naru-niichan is something wrong?”

Naruto’s thoughts snapped back to reality. “Ahhh, gomen ne Katsu-chan, I was just…thinking…about things.” he rested his free hand upon the kid’s shoulder giving him a light squeeze. “Are you hurting anywhere?”

Katsumaru shook his head. “No, not really, just a little bit I guess.”

The green-eyed child massaged his left arm, grimacing a little, and Naruto saw this. Stopping in his tracks, he placed the bag of food on the ground and held the boy’s arm. “Here, let me take a look.”

The kid didn’t protest and showed his arm, it had a cut and it looked painful. Naruto frowned, and momentarily his hand produced some sort of bluish chakra, and positioned it on Katsumaru’s arm healing the wound. The child was watching this with awe.

“Wow…”

“There…feeling better?” Naruto asked ruffling the boy’s hair.

He smiled and hugged the blond teen. “Hai! Arigatou Naru-niichan.”

The blue-eyed ninja hugged him back tighter, and after a moment they continue with their walk.

Naruto sighed to himself, seeing Katsumaru getting beaten up at the village earlier that night brought back painful memories of his past. ‘I really thought I was going to die back then…’

‘But he found us didn’t he?’ the fox within him spoke.

‘Yeah he did…though Kyuu-chan, seeing that I was going to kill myself, and of course that meant killing you too. Why didn’t you stop me?’

'...'

'Hey answer me will you.'

‘I knew we weren’t going to die that easily, though I have to say what you did back then was stupid.’

‘Beats me, they hated me because of you.’

‘Yeah yeah, I get your point, but you already know why I did what I did brat.’

Naruto's expression saddened. 'I know Kyuu-chan...it must have been hard.'

'...'

‘It's alright ne Kyuu-chan, you have me now right?’

A moment of silence, Naruto waited for the reply.

‘You're all I have now Naruto.’

'Don't worry ne Kyuu-chan.' he beamed. 'I will always be there for you, and of course It-chan too.'

The fox smiled, he wasn't even aware that he was slowly getting attached to his container. He was so much like someone...he cared in the past. Maybe that's why he couldn't really hate the kid.

So now I'm asking you again, why didn't you stop me that night?'

Just stop it with the questions kid, I have my reasons deal with it.'

Naruto mentally pouted. 'You're such a meanie at times.'

'Tch.' was only the Kyuubis reply, a smile marring his features.’

The blonde frowned, he concentrated on getting into the kyuubi's own thoughts but to no avail. 'Ugh this sucks, despite the merging why can't I still know what you're thinking?'

The fox chuckled. ‘Call it privacy? And besides, I don't pry into your thoughts anyway, thoughts of...' the furry thing grinned. 'a certain raven-haired man who makes you scream almost everynight?'

Naruto blushed a deep shade of red. ‘Waaa, I thought you said you weren't prying. BAKA!’ He pouted, the fox watched him as it snickered.

'Aki.' he thought.

A soft tug on his cloak made him snap back to reality again.

“Oniichannnnnnn.” Katsumaru half shouted.

Naruto cringed. “Waaaa…what is it?”

The green-eyed boy chuckled. “Nothing…you’ve just been really silent that’s all.”

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. “Ehehe…gomen gomen.”

Suddenly Naruto’s eyes darted to a corner, feeling an unfamiliar chakra signature.

“Ne Katsumaru…”

“We’re almost there Naru-niichan.” he happily exclaimed.

“Oh, okay then.”

TBC

-------------------------------------------------------------------

ENDING NOTE: waaaa I’m deeply sorry, this is all I could come up for now! School drained the life out of me! –sobs- Please bear with the short and crappy chapter.

Also I wanted to know if you guys are still interested on the story, since if there aren’t interested readers any longer, well! You get what I mean!

-slaps self- Of course I would continue this story no matter how long it takes. –gags-

Please read and review, give me more willpower minna-san! . I'll try my best to make a friggin' longer chapter next time I update.

-disappears into piles of books-