Me, Myself, and Naruto

Ch1: We Started Here

Everything before was like a pleasant dream. A mother who was prim, beautiful, and loving in her way. A father who was distant, stern, but at least present. Cousins, tons of them, though I can't say I knew any of them particularly well. Most important though was my brother. My older brother. The best brother that anyone could ask for. He was the brother I had always wanted. He humored me, played with me, and was simply- the best. Everything was good. Perhaps not always easy, but good.

Then there was blood everywhere. Then everyone was dead. Then the weird sense of déjà vu that had followed me around my entire life made sense. Then, as I woke up in a hospital bed, I shattered.

It was orientation day. The day teams were assigned.

This was important for many reasons, but mostly because I felt light. For once, as I made myself breakfast before heading to the academy, I was excited. I had spent the last few years angst-ing as was appropriate for a young boy who had… been through a lot. Both because it was… terrible and because I didn't know what else to do. When I woke up after the… When I woke up in the hospital, I had gained memories of a past life and had lost my family and my future at the same time. Knowing what my future was meant to be, knowing that I certainly did not want to follow the path set before me, I was still hesitant to move from it. So, to an extent, I remained similar to the Sasuke those memories suggested I should be.

I was quiet. I always had been so in this life. The woman from the memories was terribly introverted as well. I focused on getting stronger, world rending dangers lived in the future after all. I remained aloof to my peers. And let me just say, it was painful. Where I hadn't had what I'd call real friends before… everything happened, I knew I needed people. At least one. Someone like the friend the woman had who would care even if they couldn't understand. However, I wasn't sure who that should be. The fact was: not all of them would be able to stick by me. The few from the memories, the main characters. Well, they were just kids like me. The part of me that thought itself older than them couldn't put this on them. So, I suffered with myself.

But today was different. Today team seven would be formed.

Today I could change…

Maybe. At least that's what I hoped as I entered the classroom bright and early.

My early years had been sprinkled with small spells of déjà vu. From the names of my family and the Uchiha crest to places in the village and other small things. However, as I sat at a long desk a few rows back, I was hit with the strongest dose yet. The woman my memories had come from had restarted the series more times than she had finished it and this early episode had been engrained and clear. I frowned as the world around me suddenly became surreal.

Something like dread filled me and it took effort for once not to squirm. Naruto plopped himself down on the other side of my bench. My stomach flipped. Sakura and Ino burst in the room. The optimism from my brisk walk here left me. Shikamaru questioned Naruto's presence after he had failed the day before and Naruto bragged in return. I felt ill. By the time Sakura finally noticed me and rushed over I wasn't in a state to respond. I couldn't breathe. Which had me following the stupid script everyone else was dancing to.

Their voices muffled, the room spun. There wasn't enough air in this room. I couldn't breathe!

I closed my eyes. In through the nose out through the mouth. Slowly. Something needed to change. In through the nose out through the mouth. Anything. In through the nose out through the mouth. Someone needed to break this … this…

Naruto's lips were on mine. The growing panic shifted to irritation. I clung to it. If everyone is following the same old road and you fall into the same old pitfall, well then you couldn't blame anyone but yourself. I should have dodged it. I knew it was going to happen. They didn't. They didn't know they were following the path.

What's my excuse?!

Naruto sputtered and gagged before me. Hand flat, muscle memory guided my arm like a reflex, I gently palm strike Naruto's forehead and the metal plate that protected it. He toppled right over into the kid below. That felt like some form of justice. Both Naruto and the other kid floundered and yelled at eachother.

It broke. The strange grip on me as everyone had followed their paths broke. I could breathe again.

Naruto was back on the desk. Standing this time. "Look here you jerk I-"He froze and as he looked over I followed his gaze. Ah. Angry fangirls. A thought occurs to me, though I'm not sure if it will make the situation any better. Especially for the blond before me.

Over the threatening growl of fangirls, my best poker face in place, I said, "Do you really have no manners? You should really take a person out to lunch or at least buy them flowers or something first."

I think I broke him. Eye twitching and face gaining a shade of red. Perhaps the girls too as several of them choke on the growling noises they'd been making.

"Kiiikiiiiikiki" It was the only sound he seemed to be able to make as his brain seemed to be rebooting. I'll call that a victory. Then the killing intent from the girls spiked. I glance at them, had they turned on me now? No. Their rage was just spilling over. I marveled at the bias of teenage hormones.

"Okay everyone, take your seats- Naruto! Get off the desk!" Iruka-sensei saved the day and spares Naruto the beating he would have likely gotten. Sakura is instantly by my side before anyone even started moving. I blinked at her slowly, I suppose she was a ninja after all. Naruto plops grudgingly down on her other side looking decidedly constipated. Torn between glaring at me and ogling Sakura, I guess.

Everything falls neatly back into place. Iruka-sensei listed off the teams, Naruto's celebration, and then Sakura's. The strange feeling of having no control is there but isn't wrapped around my lungs like it had before. After all, even when Naruto complains about me on que, I didn't have to return the favor.

I shook. I swayed. I hated.

The memories had been normal to me, so I hadn't looked at them closely. The memories implied that it wasn't normal to remember things like I did, but they were mine. You wouldn't inspect your hand unless something unusual happened to it. The memories weren't new or unusual to me.

So. I. Didn't. Look.

But I was looking now. Now that I knew that I should have known. What could I have done? Probably nothing. That wasn't the source of my anger though. At least not all of it. After all, I already knew why this happened.

I knew who to blame and for what.

Habit had me the whole way to the academy gates for our lunch break before I remembered that I had a team now. That, if I left without them, I'd be doing the same thing the other Sasuke did.

"Sasuke! Where are youuu?"

That said, hearing Sakura call out for me, I nearly bolted on instinct. My memories had a particular bias for both Sakura and Naruto. I had trouble reconciling the fangirl and hyperactive brats that I saw with the image of them that I remembered.

I didn't turn, but I waited.

"Ah! Sasuke!" She darted right for me, "S-soo… Hey we're in the same group now so- Well I was thinking we should have lunch together and get to know each other."

Looking to the sky I hesitated. I didn't want to encourage her fangirling, but I also wanted to accept the offer. What a thin line. Then again… "Go get Naruto."

"Well I… uhh what?" Her tone dropped for a moment, "But Sasuke. He's just, I mean I wanted-"

Looking at her I make myself clear. "He's part of the team too."

She worried her lip looking down then back at me. Her mouth opened once or twice, an argument for why Naruto shouldn't be invited probably. She was spared the need to reply though.

"Well, then it's a good thing I'm here already! Let's go eat!" Naruto's voice was characteristically loud but as I glanced back at him, he was eyeing me warily.

"Then keep up." I turned and walked away. I already had my lunch with me, and it didn't really matter if they had theirs. I thought it likely that even if Sakura hadn't had her food with her, she'd follow to make sure I couldn't change my mind while she was gone. Naruto of course would follow Sakura.

They followed and I led them a short distance away before stopping at a bench. I sat at one end. I wasn't ready or comfortable with the idea of them surrounding me. This time it was Naruto who plopped down beside me. I was mildly surprised until I figured he was keeping me separated from Sakura. For her part she only mildly yelled at him, an indignant squawk more than an actual yell. She sat quietly on the blonde's other side when I raised a brow at her.

I put my lunch box on my lap and Sakura did the same. Naruto did not and I wondered if he had left it behind or simply didn't have any. It didn't matter though. I opened my box to three rice balls, nine apple slices, six carrot sticks, and three fried meat buns. All were divided evenly between three neat trays. I looked at the setup with some warmth before I handed one portion to Naruto.

"Hey- What?!" He yelped at the hand holding the tray in his face. Perhaps handed was a generous way to put it. For one reason or another this irritated him. "Hey! I don't need anything from-"

"This one's for Sakura." I cut him off. Sakura, who had perked up at her name, spared Naruto the task of passing it down. Naruto grumbled while Sakura gushed and easily put aside whatever was in her box. I pulled out a second trey and put it in front of Naruto's face again. "This one is yours."

"I said I don't want anything from-"

This time Sakura cut him off, "Naruto you jerk! Take it and say thank you!" Then remembering she had forgotten to do so herself her tone turned sweet, "Thank you Sasuke-kun~"

He took the tray. No thank you was given.

Quietly bemoaning the loud nature of my team, I pulled out my rice ball and dug in.

I survived our first team lunch with little conversation. Grunted acknowledgement when Sakura noticed and gushed over the sakura pattern carved into the skin of her apple slices. Shrugged when Naruto questioned the frog shapes carved into his. Showed them the dragon shape that curved along mine when prompted. I let them banter and it all remained surprisingly civil.

They had moved everything to an apartment. Everything had been set up exactly as I had left it in my bedroom. It was like they moved the room itself.

Part of me thought it was thoughtful of them.

Part of me argued that they hadn't asked me if I even wanted this.

I had curled up in my bed. I didn't move for a long time. I don't know if I slept but I know I didn't eat. I wallowed in self-pity. I loathed everything. I shook but didn't cry. I had done enough of that already. And no one came to check on me. How did that other Sasuke survive? I considered that maybe he hadn't.

I focused on my chakra until I forgot everything else.

I focused on everything good about me.

I held myself when no one else would.

I cried again.

Back in the classroom I knew we were in for a long wait. As other groups left Naruto became less and less patient. If he had even been patient in the first place. Sakura, I knew, was only putting up a good front.

Luckily, I had come prepared. Taking out a small stack of paper I started folding the first sheet. By the time Iruka-sensei left my arsenal was prepared. Sakura had been watching on and off, but Naruto had yet to notice I was doing anything unusual. He would be the first victim. I moved back a few rows for a higher vantage point as Sakura's eyes trailed after me curiously. Passing her I slipped a small supply on the table next to her.

Perched behind a desk I let the first projectile fly. Bullseye! Or, more specifically, Naruto's mouth as he turned around ready to complain (again). He gagged briefly, fishing it out of his mouth. He looked at the note scribbled on the paper throwing star like it was a different language for a moment.

-Prepare for battle-

I was going to give him a moment to work it out, but Sakura had other plans. A star flew from her direction and pinged harmlessly off his shoulder. "Cha! Direct hit."

Naruto blinked at both of us. I smirked at him and that's all it took. He lunged for the small pile of ammo I had left on the desk near the front and declared "I won't go down that easy! Believe it!"

It wasn't long before we were in a three-way battle royal. Dipping behind desks and dashing across the room in frantic bids for the limited ammo. Which is why, when Kakashi-sensei finally did show up, he ended up with three paper stars flung at him.

Perhaps I should have just let a bored Naruto put the eraser trap on the door?

Note: This will (hopefully) be the only note this long.

There are three main things I'm trying to do here.

One is a surprise for a little later in the fict, so I want to see if I can actually put in hints and foreshadowing without completely giving it away or being too subtle. Things that, after the it comes to light, you look back and go "Oh… OHHH!" At least that's the goal.

The second is a different take on my favorite reincarnation trope. Rather than the OC simply being reborn as Sasuke, I wanted Sasuke to be born and remember, if faintly at first, a past life. Those memories helped shape him but are less personal. He's not the OC so much as the OC is part of him. That said he's definitely not cannon Sasuke at all.

The third is just practice. I haven't written anything in so long I'm sure this will be flawed. I've always struggled with tense and I can't really remember half the grammatical terms. I've also been told, albeit forever ago, that I tell too much and don't show enough.

A side goal worth mention is also my goal to post regularly… though I'm not sure when that will be.

Advice and tips for any of these would be appreciated.