Always by Myself, but Never Alone

Summary

As a result of a severe beating at a young age, Naruto has gained an ability that makes her see the world in a reverse reality. There is life and there is death. Is there life after death? Is this a gift or a curse? Female Naruto.

Chapter 1

Disclaimer-I'm only going to say this once so pay attention I do not own Naruto.

Let me remind you that this is a fanfiction, things are supposed to be different, so don't rearview saying how off the story is! I know it's different, I wrote it!

The first few chapters happen before everything: Uchiha Massacre, Neji's curse seal, and his father's death.

Seven year old Uzamaki Naruto is sleeping on an old dirty mattress inside her ramshackle apartment, given to her by the Sandaime Hokage after she was kicked out of the orphanage. At the foot of her makeshift bed is the side wall of her bathroom, which installed with a shower head on one wall and a toilet off to the side. She was lucky to have an undersized window above her bed. The north wall of her apartment and three feet from her bed was where her kitchen resided. The kitchen itself consisted of a small sink, a single-burner stove, and a mini fridge. All in all her apartment was about ten feet by ten feet.

The time was currently 5:27 AM and Naruto who has learned to get up long before sunrise, to avoid crowds, began to wake up. First she forced her spiky, blond head out from underneath the single thin sheet. Her eyes were kept squeezed shut as she rolled out of bed and headed over to one of the two cupboards in the kitchen to pull out her only other set of clothes. She then stumbled into the bathroom, dropping her clothes on the floor. Bracing herself Naruto turned on the water and let out a little scream as the freezing icicles stab at her back. Her eyes shot open revealing gorgeous, sapphire orbs.

Gasping Naruto waited for her body to adjust to the temperature. It was like this every morning, because the land lord refused to give her hot water. The only way to get it was to heat it on the stove and that's only if she had enough matches to light it. As she got used to the cold she allowed the water to hit her dry clothes so she could scrub those as well.

When she was done she left the bathroom donning her still wet clothes. Naruto lit the burner noticing she only had three matches left. She cursed as she remembered she ate her last cup-of-ramen the day before. Che! At least it's not the first time I've gone hungry. She thought to herself bitterly. I'll just steal something later. With that thought she walked out of her apartment into still dark and empty streets.

The frigid wind whipped at Naruto's too large orange t-shirt and loose black shorts. The wet clothes clung to her making shiver. She wasn't worried about getting sick; she never got sick, ever. She headed in the direction of the thick forest surrounding the village of Konohagakure to practice her kunai aim.

7:59 Am/-/Academy Starts at 8:15

Naruto stands at the edge of the forest preparing for the next part of her "training"; speed, endurance and possibly pain tolerance. She reached up and quickly tied her hair into two spiky ponytails at the back of her head. She couldn't afford it to limit her vision. The sun's position told Naruto that she didn't have much time to sprint to the Academy and hopefully snag something to eat from a street vender.

I hate this part! She inwardly screamed to herself.However Naruto pushed her fear aside and started jogging. As soon as she hit the crowded streets she broke into a run trying desperately not to show the pain on her face as she heard the villager's reaction to her appearance.

"Monster!" "Why aren't you dead yet?!" "Demon!" "Trash!" Monster, demon, trash. Monster, demon, trash. Monster, demon, trash. The insults rang again and again in her head like a chant. Naruto grit her teeth showing a large but fake smile to the world feigning ignorance to their words.

She was brought out of her thoughts as she neared a fruit stand. Perfect, crossed her mind and Naruto started to speed up. She shot out her arm and grabbed two apples; however in the second that her gaze drifted from her path, she tripped and met the ground harshly.

"Oi, give those back, you demon thief!" The shop owner yelled, coming around from the other side of the cart.

Shit, shit, SHIT! Naruto screamed in her mind. She tried get up quickly. However she was too slow because half way up She was struck ruthlessly across her face. Yep, defiantly pain tolerance. Nevertheless,the cart owner unintentionally gave Naruto the momentum she needed to turn around and take off again. She forced herself not to cry at the sting on her cheek instead choosing to smile victoriously at the apples in her hands and ignoring the string of obscenities following her as the man gave chase.

Now having a reason, other villagers began to run after her. Naruto shoved the apples into her pockets and dashed into an alleyway, unrelenting in her speed even as her legs ached and her breath came in harsh gasps. She knew far worse pain would come if she stopped. Naruto broke across to the other side of the alley and plunged into a whole new crowd of villagers, hopping to loose the ones chasing her.

Her plan worked surprisingly as they lost sight of her, but she still couldn't stop yet. The crowds faded away when she hit a park and her shortcut to the Academy. She was surprised when she spotted a boy a little older than herself headed in the same direction. Naruto wasn't exactly sure what to do so she didn't do anything but eventually whether unconsciously or not their speeds evened out and they were running side by side.

The spiky black haired boy turned to her revealing dark green eyes (1) and asked, "You go to the academy?" Surprised that he was actually talking to her she just nodded. "What year?"

"First", stated simply and to the point but with a smile.

"Heh, I'm a third year. Name's Hagane Kotetsu." He smiled victoriously back at her. Slowly the Academy came into their view and was getting closer steadily.

"Che! No fair!" She pouted but continued anyway. "Uzamaki Naruto, future hokage!" They slowed to a stop when they reached the empty school grounds signifying they were late but neither seemed to care. Instead they focused on fulfilling their lung's request for air.

Still gasping Kotetsu said, "Heh, good luck with that first year."

"No luck required its all skill," Naruto responded confidently, "and don't call me that!"

"I guess I'll see you around then ne, Uzamaki Naruto?" He smirked, she's defiantly interesting. "Oh yeah and what happened to your face?"

Naruto put a hand up to cover her bruised cheek as she responded, "Nothin', just fell on my way here." It wasn't a lie but it still wasn't the truth either so she hurried on, "See you around Tetsu, Ja!" With that Naruto hurried to her class hearing a faint 'Ja' as a reply.

She didn't stop when she approached her classroom door and barged in rather roughly. She tried to catch her breath as the occupants of said room all stared at her.

"NARUTO-" Iruka-sensei started but stopped as she lifted her head to look at him. Not again he thought as he stared at her ugly, black and blue bruise. "Your late." he finished halfheartedly.

She didn't seem bothered and instead reached into her pocket and pulled out a shiny red apple. She smirked at his knowing look, tossing her apple once in her hand Naruto replied, "Gomen", before biting loudly into said apple.

Time Skip-October 9th

Iruka sighed deeply, it's only a day away, yet she seems so unfazed. Naruto has been coming to school beaten and battered for the last week. Of course all the evidence heals before lunch but that's beside the point. I'm so worried that one day her happy and brash exterior will shatter and all that will be left is an empty shell. She deserves so much better but nobody is aloud to interfere by council orders. The Sandaime, Hokage himself isn't even aloud to give her the money for a proper apartment! It makes me so MAD! She doesn't even know why she's hated and treated the way she is.

Today Naruto came sporting a black eye, bloody lip, and what looked like a broken wrist. When he cornered her at lunch her explanation was that she was lucky to get away with just those minor injuries and that is was no big deal. She even ignores the questions and concern that her small group of friends give. I fear for her life and even more so now- Iruka was interrupted from his thoughts as the small timer on his desk went off, followed by many protests for 5 more minutes.

Standing Iruka addressed the class. "Alright let's get started. As you all know, before you can have your own kunai and shuriken you have to learn how to take care of them."

"Aww not again Sensei!" spoke one Hyuuga Hinata. (2)

"Yeah, Hina-chan's right, we already did that! Let the upper-classmen take care of their own damn weapons!" Naruto agreed.

Iruka was happy that Naruto had made a good friend in Hinata. Sure they both had their acquaintances and people they could deal with in the class but not real friends. However the two of them together are a force that would break even the seasoned teacher. Just yesterday they managed to infiltrate the ANBU Headquarters, Kami only knows how, and superglue a number of their masks. They had to be ripped off when they finally noticed it. He was just happy they had each other but that didn't mean he would go easy on them.

"I don't care how many times you've done it; you'll keep doing it until I say you've done it enough!", Iruka yelled back. "I don't want any more complaints out of either of you two today and you both know the consequences if you do." He smiled triumphantly as they both promptly sat down with pouts. "Okay, now follow me to the storeroom."

The class of first years stood and walked on, grumbling all the way. That's just how the academy worked. First and second years learned the rules and guidelines of ninjas and how to take care of genin level weapons. Third and fourth years went over the rules, chakra and practiced weapon aim. Fifth and sixth years studied more advanced weapons, basic chakra techniques, genjutsu and taijutsu. Years six, seven and eight take on D-Rank missions and learn to work with various different people. The seventh and Eighth years you are required to pick a fighting style and learn it to the best of your ability. The eighth year you are assigned a team, and instructor, of the best people you worked with and that even out your abilities. The more advanced teams may be allowed the occasional C-rank mission but very rarely. Then you graduate at the end of your eighth year. (3)

When you become a Genin you take c-rank missions, Chuunin take B-rank and occasional A-rank missions, Jounin take A-and sometimes S-rank missions, ANBU take the S- and SS-rank Missions. (3)

They all shuffled into the storeroom seeing that the second years were already there and working. Hinata spotted her cousin Neji and went to say hi, picking up a fifth year's box of practice kunai. Naruto was about to follow her when the door slammed open suddenly and a dark blur knocked her to the ground. TBC

1: I know they are not really green but I didn't want you to think I was talking about Sasuke.

2: I don't very much like shy, pathetic little Hinata, so I'm going to have her start strong and become shy because of certain events.

3: I know its different deal with it.