Disclaimer: I do not own every char in Naruto.

To have the story youu are going to read, I must say thank a lot to a great help of Invader Makiavella^^

Now lets see, what should I do nex, ah right!

" Lets start!" talking

"Review plz!" thought

"Arranged!" shout

It's a upside down story of Naruto.

The sun was low in the west; the entire village glowed in the warm orange light. The clouds flying on the sky made countless, unique shapes. Each had different shapes when one cared to look at one of them twice. His mind flying high in the sky, Shikamaru forced himself back to the present when his mother slammed something hard beside him.

"Shikamaru, get up and tell me what this is."

Oh, god things are getting troublesome. Thought the little Shikamaru, as he looked from his angry mother to the report about his mark and rank at the academy.

"Just a score-board, mummy." He said like it was no big deal. His mother smiled.

"Really, son? Just a score-board? Just a score-board?" His mother's voice was so loud, that it could break all the glass nearby. It also made their neighbors look through their windows to see what horrible thing was happening. Though they almost knew what it was immediately, they wondered that time who was the one driving the mother crazy: Father or son?

"Look at it." the mother pointed at the score-board. Her anger rose up when the son again looked from the report paper to her with 'not big deal' eyes.

He asked, as if he hadn't known what the problem was, "and I did. So what, mother?"

"Fine," Mrs. Nara repressed her anger, "could you tell why you are the next to dead last?"

"That one? Just because of it?" Shikamaru looked at his mother with innocent eyes, "I thought it was something else. It's nothing to bother, mother."

"What? You should remember that your father—"

"—is an extraordinary strategist of Konoha, right? Oh, please, mother, despite that, his result at academy wasn't better than mine" Shikamaru shrugged with 'the fact it was' tone.

Mrs. Nara was at a loss. Her son got up, yawned, and stretched his arms.

"That rank is nothing, mammy. Don't exaggerate it. Is there anything to eat, mum? I'm hungry."

"Stop right there!" Mrs. Nara shouted. At the same time, Shikaku, her husband, came back from his workplace.

"Oh, right, honey. I won't move." Shikaku obeyed his wife's command immediately, while wondering what he did for her to tell him to stop.

"Not you. Come and take a look at your son's results in the Academy."

Shikaku was relieved. He asked his son while he took the result report from her wife, "what's your rank?"

"The second to the last, father." Shikamaru answered simply.

"It's good, better than me. Is there anything you want..?" He trailed on, and, as he felt the sharp stare his wife was giving him, changed his tone of voice. "Son, it's not good. How could you be the second to the last? I'm so disappointed! Try harder next time."

"I'm sick of you two! Do whatever you want: I don't care."

Mrs. Nara went into the kitchen, maybe the food she prepared for the dinner irritated her as the noise from cooking work was somehow dangerous that day.

"Father, let play chess."

Shikaku gave his son a look meaning 'are you crazy?'

"What? You aren't scared?"

Perhaps year later, he would accept it, but now, before his little son, it was not acceptable.

"Ok, let's play, and don't cry when I beat you, again." Shikaku grinned. While he prepared the board, he asked his son.

"Who is the best this time?"

"Uchiha, again." Shikamaru shrugged.

"What about the other?"

'Uzumaki, again." Shikamaru said with the same, obvious voice.

"However," he added, "the mark or the rank is never the thing to decide. Right, dad?"

In Uchiha Sasuke's family's home, the dinner was missing someone, and the silent atmosphere was just broken when the father, Fugaku, asked his younger son.

"Sasuke, do you have the result at the Academy?"

"Yes, father. I'm the first rank." Sasuke answered immediately: he only waited for this question. He was the best again in his course. He always brought the result report along with him, ready to be showed to his father.

"That's good," Fugaku said with the same cold, emotionless face. He turned to his wife, Mikoto.

"Where's Itachi?"

"I guess he is practicing again." Mikoto replied.

"That son is going further..." Fugaku sighed.

"Good job son." She picked up the food and put it in Sasuke's bowl.

It wasn't hard to realize Sasuke was unhappy. He continued his dinner even though it began tasting like grass to him. The happiness of being the best in the academy popped like a bubble and was replaced by the sorrow of not being the favorite son of his father. Once again, the slight envy to his excellent brother rose up.

"I wonder where that kid is now" Itachi talked to his friend while they stopped in the middle of practice. The sky had darkened and the heat had somewhat reduced, but their faces were still red, and their breath was still heavy.

"I think I know. I will meet him after this. Something must happen." Shisui said, "What about your brother? I heard many expect another prodigious Uchiha."

"He has a great potential, but I'm afraid the first step of success will make him overestimate himself. Besides, that will result, nothing really is important." Itachi shrugged. Shisui smiled. He said simply:

"Don't worry. It's you who also had success in the first step at the academy."

"He's different from us. He does not see..."

Shisui stopped him, and put his hand on Itachi's shoulder.

"I know what you want to say, just believe in your brother. Let's continue" Shisui said.

"Fine," Itachi smiled, which made Shisui feel relieved, "and I will beat you this time."

"It will happen after a long, long time, my friend." Shisui smirked.

He sat at the highest point of the village, the breeze running its invisible hand through his blond hair. He looked down the lightened street. Somehow, he was even smaller, lonelier—more than ever. That day was the day they met each other, he did not look for him to tell him about his problem. He always helped him and this time he let him down.

Naruto sighed. The result report was being held in his hand. Over the previous moth, he tried his best to prove he was not dead last anymore. He let himself be affected by—no, it was his fault, and he was not going to blame anyone else. He didn't have that strong will. He knew all along, and yet, he was affected.

The sound of steps echoed behind him. He knew who it was, so he didn't turn around, part of him was ashamed of himself. That one sat down beside him.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Shisui Uchiha asked as if Naruto being there proved that he had a problem.

Naruto didn't answer. He looked up to Shisui while he gave him the result report of the Academy. Shisui took a look at the paper in his hand, and smiled.

"So what?"

"So what?" Naruto repeated. He stood up "You saw it, you saw how a failure I am and that's so... I'm fine to be dead last my whole life. You don't need to waste your time with me anymore. Nothing is going to change..."

"Both you and me know exactly what happened the day before the academy examination. After all, those marks, that rank is nothing, understand? You now it is nothing but figurative: it doesn't prove anything." Shisui put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and looked into his eyes. Naruto turned his head to avoid his gaze.

"No, that's not it. The problem isn't this." Naruto pointed at the report paper, "but it's here, and here" Naruto said, pointing at his head and heart.

Shisui gave him an enigmatic look. Naruto sat down. His eyes gazed onto the blackened sky, onto the crescent moon.

"My will is not strong enough, it's too fragile and everyone could break it. It's because my head was not totally ready and my heart was too emotional to accept the fact that there is a monster inside me." Naruto put his hand on his stomach.

Shisui smiled again, Naruto seemed surprised.

"It's fine. Before you know it, you'll have a stronger will."

"Really?" Naruto asked. His eyes lightened.

"Yeah. Your head isn't ready, and your heart is still too emotional, but it's fine. It is because you're human, with blood and flesh, and not a monster—as people think about you. You will be strong, physically and mentally. You're also a smart kid. Believe me." Shisui said with a smile.

Naruto's face had slight pink colour. He nodded and smiled for first time in that day.

"I'm hungry," Shisui stand up and stretch his arms, "Do you want to go and eat something with me? I will pay"

"Really?" Uchiha nodded. Naruto's smile widened. All his worry had gone with the wind, Shisui really had something to make him relieve. "Can we eat ramen?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"Sure, I knew that you'd ask for it." Shisui grinned, "Climb on my back, we will get there faster." he sat down.

Naruto shook his head. He was already on the way down.

"No, I can climb up here, and then I can climb down there too. Let see who is faster. Try to catch up, niichan" he turned and waved to Shisui.

"Fine, if you want to."

Few minutes later when they already were on the road, Naruto finally let Shisui carry him on his back. While walking, they talked to each other about many things.

"What about Sasuke's rank?"

"First again…" Naruto shrugged, "So what? You told me not to care much about something like that, and now you care?"

"No", Shisui shook his head, "I just asked. Hey," Shisui added, "Do not lose to him."

"It's hard. He is a genius after all."

"So, my brother is nothing less than him. Besides, my little brother cannot lose to Itachi's brother." Shisui snorted. Naruto grinned evilly.

"I get it."

"It is the aim for you, understand? I will teach you to surpass him." Shisui said. Naruto sighed.

"But you don't have much time."

"You will be considered different..."

Shisui smiled, it was a surprise for Naruto.

"The boy will be happy if he knew."

The smell of Ichikaru flung around them. The warm light from the store made the road before it glow as if it had been made by gold. The warm light and the pleasant smell of ramen were inviting to lonely people. Above them, on the sky, the crescent moon was lighting the world with the cold, overflowing light.

Naruto never surpassed Sasuke at the Academy, everyone knew that. He was always the dead last the next few years at Academy, and he even failed the graduation exam more than once. Nobody was disappointed, because nobody ever had their faith in him. The only one who used to believe in Naruto had died long ago because his best friend, Uchiha Itachi, killed him; and then, after one night, the whole Uchiha clan was also wiped out by him.

There was only one survivor, Uchiha Sasuke: Itachi's little brother. Sasuke's hatred to his brother grew day by day and he swore that he would kill him to get revenge.

When Sasuke was twelve years old, he and Naruto were in the same team, Team 7. One was appraised because of his talent, which he showed anytime, and his bloodline; the other was defied because of many reasons, though no one ever talked about what the reason was. The distance between them was as great as the heaven and hell, but no one knew why their friendship grew up until that day.

The day Uchiha Sasuke left the village for his revenge's sake. He never knew that he was saved by the person he had sworn to kill, once again.

"Sasuke!" Itachi's desperate voice had echoed on the enormous space. His little brother, whom he could give away anything—even his life—to protect, was on his arms, lifeless. Under the cold rain, his brother was getting colder and colder, his breath was so faint that Itachi was getting afraid. His cloak was darkened by Sasuke's blood. His brother might not speak to him, ever again. In that moment, he had thought it would be pleasing to hear even those words that only showed hatred.

Itachi looked up. The one who caused this scene was no one else but Sasuke's best friend, jinchuuriki of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto. However, Itachi and him had shared another bond.

Itachi had looked at Naruto with crimson eyes. Itachi had roared. The sound of the waterfall couldn't drown his voice.

"Naruto! How could you do this to him? You promised you would take care of him, right?"

Itachi had searched the answer in the blond's eyes. His eyes were cold, different from the ones he remembered, at least before that day. The crimson eyes looked into the icy blue eyes for a while until Naruto started laughing, his laugh resounded. An insane laugh, but, somehow, it felt cold and lonely.

"I took care of him for you until this very moment. Anyway, there is no cure for his ignorance, and also arrogance. I'd rather kill him right here and now, as he was going to Orochimaru's hand. It's so easy b—"

The world around Naruto changed dramatically. The blue sky turned to red with black clouds. Sasuke and Itachi were no where to found and Naruto realized he was tied to a pillar. It was Itachi's strongest genjutsu.

That world was totally under his control. Naruto smirked as he heard Uchiha's voice.

"Naruto, before I take my brother I will torture you by dozen horrible deaths which you could never imagine. He will not die: it's you who's going to die. In the next 72 hours..."

"I'm sorry but what are you going to do." Itachi's eyes widened, Naruto had disappeared.

"No way! This world is totally under my control. No human can..."

"Right, no mere human could... The genjutsu that sacrificed Shisui's life is really worthy but it's no use to me, not anymore, Itachi-san" Itachi had found himself tied, and his world turned to black. He couldn't move, and he, helplessly, saw his brother disappear in the dark.

"Naruto where are you?" Itachi had roared.

"I'm right here. What's wrong?" Naruto had appeared, his tone seemed to be friendly, but his eyes were the same: as cold as ice... "Oh, your little brother," Naruto had said casually, "He's here, right beside me." Sasuke had appeared beside Naruto, his feet were few centimeters above the ground, or something else, similar to it. Hanged by an invisible hook, Sasuke's face down, his skin was so pale that it seemed to be glowing. Sasuke was right before his eyes, lifeless, and he could do nothing to save him.

He.. Has he...

"No, he's not dead, but I don't for how long..." answered Naruto, as if reading Itachi's mind.

There was no time to wonder about Naruto, the only things about the blond Itachi knew for sure were that Naruto was way different that day.

"Please, don't harm him. Do whatever you want to me... let him live" Itachi had begged. He didn't care about anything but Sasuke's life.

"What a surprise! You are begging for him, the one who hates you more than anyone in the world—no, maybe less than me. I'm kidding. It's no surprise at all. You could do anything for him. I already knew that many years ago"

"You know it, so free him... I will do anything..."

Naruto stopped him, his voice was high.

"What could you do for me with that sick body of yours? Your light is going to disappear soon. Yet, do you really think that I need you? Um?"

"So kill me, revenge me for what I did, do anything you want to me..."

"No, it was way easy to you, Itachi-san. I had a better idea, punish him: kill him" Sasuke's body was being flailed in the air, that air of the world now under Naruto's control, like a leaf in a storm.

"Please, stop..." Itachi begged, "do anything to me as you wish. Heal him and set him free, please... I know you can do that"

"Right, I could, but why should I help this useless thing?" Naruto had continued mocking Itachi.

"Because he was your best friend"

"So what? How about your best friend, Itachi-san? What did you do to him?"

"I..." Itachi was at a loss.

"Don't worry, I don't blame you. In fact, I have to thank to your brothers. Because of you two, this Naruto exists."

"What?" The world around him had turned back to normal. Naruto smiled, but his eyes were cold.

"I don't want it to stop here. I want more fun with your brother, Itachi-san."

Itachi's eyes were hot, as if they were being burned. The cold rain didn't help to repress the pain. When his vision regained clarity, Sasuke had already disappeared.

"Where's Sasuke?" He heard someone talk to him from behind. The chill came off from Naruto.

"He's on the right track. I hope, after the time he's going to spend with Orochimaru, he'll be different than the bunch of trash he's now."

"Don't worry," Naruto added, "he can't remember anything but the fact that he beat and let me live, that trees can't either. You were never here."

"But—" Itachi was about to say something, but Naruto cut him.

"Don't ask, I won't answer anyway."

Naruto once again appeared in front of Itachi's eyes, he was back to his normal shape, not his bad shape after the fight with Sasuke. He turned shorter and brighter than he was a moment before. The only things that had not changed were his eyes, as they remained as cold as ice.

"Now leave, Kakashi will be here at any minute. Don't ruin my performance."

Giving the last look at Naruto, Itachi disappeared. There were many questions in his head, and none had any answer.

Few minutes later, Kakashi came. He was late, Sasuke had left, Naruto was looking at the waterfall. He seemed to be in bad condition, according to the fact that he was unable to move.

"I couldn't stop him.' Naruto looked down.

Kakashi sighed. He put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. His eyes gazed at the waterfall. The water was running very fast, swept away everything in its way.

But...

No matter how hard the stream was, at the end of the river, water was still...

Do you like it? A upside down world where no one knows what is real and what is fake.

^0^ Thax for reading

See you soon...