Disclaimer: Nastiface does not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does (lucky chump).

Warning: Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, language, insanity, violence, and Gaara's sick little self

Sorry, chickies! I had this chapter written earlier, but then my electricity went off…oh no! So yeah, I spent the whole day (after school) flopping about from sofa to sofa and bemoaning my wasted day. Oh, and eating donuts. Hehehe! Um, so, this is really more like Chapter 1, and the other one was more of a prologue. I tried to do better with the story format, and I hope you all enjoy the changes. Have fun, my sick little chickies!

Chapter 1: Of Killer Vines and Mirrors

I stared down at the agitated skin surrounding the stitches on my wrists. I could hear muffled voices in the psychiatrist's office where my parents were conversing with the doctor assigned to me. I shuffled around slightly in the uncomfortable waiting room chair, glancing about discretely to check for any reflective surfaces.

On the ride here, whenever we passed a storefront with reflective glass, I always saw Naruko, her face scrunched in a sneer and her eyes glaring balefully into my own. I shivered. Naruko's hatred was deep, so deep, that sometimes I felt it like a blanket around me. A very scratchy, burning hot, acid-coated blanket, that is.

Just then, a woman walked into the room. She sent me an uninterested glance before placing a mirror, of all things, in front of me, of all places! Okay, so it wasn't exactly right in front of me, but it was at enough of an angle for me to see Naruko scowling face. Would it look too weird if I slammed my hands over my ears, scrunched my eyes closed, and started singing "LALALALALALA!" at the top of my lungs? Yeah, probably.

"…Naruto…I…am sorry," whispered Naruko, her face twisting into an expression of disgust and even a little disbelief at her own words. Of course, if she was surprised, how much more was I! I raised an eyebrow, after recovering from the shock, of course.

"Even though I hate you, I never meant for you to be put into an asylum," she sighed, annoyed that she had to explain herself.

"Asylum!" the strangled word leaped out of my throat in spite of myself. What was Naruko talking about! She smirked slightly and bitterly, sagely nodding as well.

"Why, didn't you know, Naru-kun? Why else do you think they are here? Oh sure, they might try a few meetings on a soft couch with low lighting and calming music with incense burners and such, but when they get to know you, they'll surely throw you in the loony bin," she sneered.

"Why?" I frowned. She shot me an incredulous look.

"Surely, you realize that I am you, and that you are me. Thusly, I will remain as long as you remain. So, as long as you sit on their nice, soft couches, I'll be there too. In fact, I'll always be there. You can't live your life never looking at any reflective surface, Naru-kun. I'm here to stay."

"So…what should I do? What can I do? I can't just let them cart me away to the loony bin" I whispered hysterically.

"Correction, little Naruto, you can. I mean, really, what are you going to do? Tell them you're not crazy? That'll go down real smooth, genius. There's absolutely nothing you can do…oh, wait…there is one thing…but, no. You're much, much too chicken to even consider…" she trailed off.

"What! WHAT! Consider what? What can I do?" This time my whispers were frantic. I barely restrained myself from grabbing the mirror.

"…Run away, of course." She spoke, blinking slowly up at me. My mouth dropped. For the second time that day, I thought, what was she talking about?

"Run away!" I shriek/whispered, "I can't do that!" She sneered at me again.

"I know that, baka! That's what I just said! It's a shame too, I don't exactly fancy spending the rest of my days in an asylum either…" This was said with a helpless sigh. I shot up out of my seat and paced anxiously.

"Are you sure running away will save us…me?" I corrected quickly. Naruko's eyelids lowered slyly at my mistake.

"Yes, Naru-kun, if they can't find us, they can't throw us in the loony bin."

"But…where would we go? How would we get food, clothes, and shelter?" I queried. She rolled her eyes and made a graceful dismissive gesture with her thin fingers.

"Don't you remember the lessons that your uncle gave you years ago?"

"No! Naruko, we told us that we weren't…that is, I told you that I wasn't going to that anymore! He shouldn't have taught us, me, that!" I protested emphatically.

"Oh please," she snorted as she rolled her eyes," You just stole a wallet two weeks ago, Naru-kun. You may have intended to stop, but we both know that you won't. So suck it up! Go! Run! Steal! Do whatever it takes to keep us safe!" Naruko snarled. Not for the first time, I felt envious of the conviction, determination, and careless recklessness that Naruko showed, but, for the first time, I found myself realizing that I could have all that as well. In fact, I already did have all that! After all, Naruko was me, and I was her. We were separate and not, together and not. I smiled at the mirror, and for once it showed, my, Naruto's, reflection. It was smirking in a purely Naruko fashion. I laughed happily at the image.

Maybe I put too much distinction between Naruko and me. We were two sides of the same coin; you couldn't get one without getting the other. We were a tree and a choker vine, kill one, and kill the other. We were so entwined and connected together, that where Naruko ended was where I began. We were one.

We smirked one last time before strolling out of the office. We took the elevator down to the ground floor and walked out the revolving door. With a deep preparing breath, we stepped out onto the rainy street. We walked across the deserted street and headed towards the business districts. The fog swirled up around and behind us, obscuring the building behind us from view. At least, we would imagine so, for we never looked back…