A/N Slanted words mean it's either a memory, an inner thought, or there is emphasis on that word.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Yamanaka Haru didn't like the look of the boy as he stepped through the door and into his exam room. Haru was a trained specialist in reading not only ones mind, but also ones body language, their behaviors, and so on and so forth. And this boy was covered in suspicion. His shoulders were tense, his jaw set into a grim line, and he kept playing with the hem of his sleeve nervously. His hair poked up in odd angles, as if he had never found the time to comb it, and he seemed to favor one side of his body more than the other. All suspicious signs.

Haru knew who this boy was. He knew about the "creature" that lurked within this boys body. But he couldn't afford to let himself think that way. Mind walks were very intimate things. It was almost as if you were baring someone nude, and reading their soul. So in order to make it seem less revealing to not only for the victim of the mind walk, but also the performer, one was to distance himself from the subject by any means possible.

"Now," Haru said to the boy, "If you could just sit down here please," he indicated the white bed that sat in the corner, "and close your eyes. Don't worry, you might get a bit of a headache, but it will pass."

The boy nodded slowly, eyeing him warily. His fingers kept twitching to where his kunai pouch was. Haru had seen this particular trait in many shinobi who came to see him. Mostly war veterans though. People, who for years, had not had any type of positive contact with humans. And while this boy was no war veteran, he had had many battles, and survived many things, so it wasn't all that far fetched to think that he had developed an evasion to humans. However, at the moment, this boys paranoia was hindering his work.

"Look," Haru said, starting to lose his patience. "How about this. You are allowed to take whatever precautionary means necessary to make sure that I do nothing. Is that alright?"

Once again, the boy said nothing. However, slowly, hesitantly, the boy nodded at him. He summoned three clones, who he then ordered in a quiet whisper to stand guard. The boy then walked over to the bed, and lay on his back.

"Okay Doc," he said, a sly grin adorning his face. "Work your magic."

Haru didn't hesitate upon entering the boys mind. Haru fell through the boys consciousness for what seemed an age. Darkness swepped past him, before, finally, he landed in a dark clearing, hovering just over a vast lake.

Everyone's minds were different. Some people had minds full of colors, rainbows and waterfalls, while others had musty, dark sewers whose pipes creaked and groaned under their own weight. The mindscape that one had represented their entire being. Each mind had it's own complications, it's own ways of hiding secrets. Which was why he felt no confusion at all upon entering the boys mind because, like he said, everyone's mind was different.

Haru surveyed the place that he had fallen into. An inky darkness spread out across the area that surrounded him. White snowflakes fell from the sky, which were then quickly devoured by the lake spreading out around him. The lake was separated into two parts, one side lighter than the other. Haru's hand stretched out to catch a falling snowflake, stopping it before it too hit the lake. Immediately, he was assaulted with images not his own.

The forest was beautiful this time of year. Birds flew through the sky, their delicate songs whispering on the wind. The trees swayed and bent, a timeless, majestic dance, while the sun hung bright and blinding in the sky. A serene clam had settled over the clearing that he currently sat in, the grass tickling at his toes, and the scent of of water lilies reached his nostrils, fresh, and pure. He threw his hands wide, and twirled around, and around, and around, peals of joyous laughter escaping his mouth. What a beautiful day it was, Naruto thought. What a beautiful day indeed.

The image left his mind as the snowflake melted in his palm, dripping off the edges off his hand, and falling into the lake. Haru blinked, trying to clear the fogginess that pervaded his mind. He didn't quite understand what it was he had just seen, but maybe if he tried again...

Once again, Haru's hand came out to catch one of the few snowflakes floating to the ground.

Naruto loved the village. They were always so very kind to him. Like when they threw food at him. How very kind of them! They must have known how hungry he was that day. Or when they chased him through back alleys and through streets. They must have realized how lonely he was getting, and decided to play a game of tag with him. Or whenever they were trying to get the bugs that always seemed to be on his skin, and they accidentally hit him instead. But at least they got the bugs off of him, because Naruto hated bugs! What very kind people they all were. Naruto loved them all!

Ahhh, Haru thought, as once again the snowflake melted and the image left his mind. So that's what the snowflakes represented.

Innocence.

Pure, un-tainted innocence. That human emotion that allowed you to accept or love what adults would otherwise question. It was him before he opened his eyes to the cruelties of the world, before he realized that he was unwanted and unloved, before he knew just how horrible his life actually was. But then, if that was what the snowflakes represented, then that meant that the lake devouring the snowflakes was...

Haru walked over to the lighter side of the lake. Slowly, hesitantly, Haru crouched down to touch the water below him. As he did, ripples spread out across the lake from where his finger had touched, and a brutal assault of what he presumed were memories ripped through his mind.

No where to run. No where to hide. The street lamps cast ominous shadows onto the ground, highlighting the figures of his pursuers. He knew he had to run. He knew he couldn't, shouldn't stay here. But there was no escape.

Haru tried to pull back away from the lake, so as not to be overwhelmed by the boys negative emotions that were attached to the memories. But it was too late, the scenes in his mind changing rapidly, one after the other.

He was six, and cold. Snow littered the ground that he lay on, bringing no such warmth to his small body. Naruto watched as the tips of his fingers slowly turned blue, and everything started to go numb. He was so tire-

He was eight, eyeing the village from atop the Hokage monument. It was October 9th, a day before the celebration. Naruto watched as the villagers set up the party decorations, painting the streets in a variety of colors. It wasn't fair. He had only wanted to help. So why had they thrown him out with such cold stares? It wasn't fair. What had he ever done to-

He was ten, watching the other children play together from his position on the swing. Suddenly, there was a shout, and the blue and red ball that they had been passing around sailed past the girls waiting hands, and at his feet. Everything went silent. Nobody moved. Then, slowly, Naruto bent down to retrieve the ball for them. Maybe if he gave it to them, they'd let him play with them! But just as he was about to pick up the ball, he was shoved out of the way, his butt hitting the ground with a soft 'thud.' The mother who had pushed him quickly picked up the ball and walked away, not even sparing him a backwards glance. Naruto was left to stare after her retreating figur-

He was twelve, a day before the graduation exam. Naruto dug at the earth, to make a small, oval hole. In it, he placed the body of a small Kitsune, his best friend. Puncture wounds crusted over with blood, staining his orange body red. The puncture wounds had come from a pitchfork. Naruto replaced the dirt that he had dug up over his friends head, and patted it down carefully.

"Rest now, my friend."

And Naruto wept for all he was worth.

Haru yanked back his arm, stumbling, and nearly falling off of his feet. He hadn't expected such a violent surge of emotions. The force had nearly pulled him off his feet and into the lake itself. But what really scared Haru was that this was only the light side of the lake. He shuddered to think of what lay on the darker side. He didn't want to investigate further. But Haru's job was to investigate the mental stability of his patient. And if he wasn't thorough, then he couldn't say concisely that the patient was mentally stable. He didn't want to, but really, if he wanted to keep his job, then he had too.

Slowly, he turned, and made his way to the darker side of the lake. The deeper side. A hollow scream pervaded the air, the sound full of sadness and anger. The sound tugged at his mind. It was so lonely, so tortuous, so sad. It was a sound that was tainted with both helplessness and weariness. Haru sank to his knees, his whole body shaking. With a last burst of effort, he shoved his hand into the lake, and waited.

He was thirteen, and scared. Sasuke held him at the neck, and he eyed Sasuke through unkempt bangs. Sasuke's chidori lit his face with an eerie glow, his features demented. A psychotic laugh left his lips, before he plunged forward.

'Fight, Naruto.' a voice whispered from his mind.

'But I'm so tired.' he answered back. 'I don't want to fight anymore.'

'Dammit Naruto.' the voice came back with a vengeance. 'You don't have to die like this. Move, you idiot, MOVE!'

His hand lashed out, twisting Sasuke's hand out of the pathway of his heart. Just in time. Any longer and he would have-

He was fifteen. Back in the village barely ten minutes, and already the villagers were trying..."things." He was on his knees, pants down, a searing pain through his back. Jeering laughter reached his ears, but he paid no heed. It didn't matter anywa-

Sixteen years of age. An apartment that smelt of mold and urine, and a heroes title to his name. But of course, that didn't matter. Another day, another painful set of flaming hoops suspended over nothingness that he was forced to jump through.

'Fight it Naruto. You don't need it. You're stronger than this.' And there it was again. That little voice in the back of his head.

'But you're wrong. I do need this.'

And then he drew the blade out across his skin, the blood flowing out of the wound.

"Yagh!" With tremendous effort, he pulled his hand away from the lake, and stumbled as far away as possible. His strangled cry caught in his throat, and he choked on his own bile. After a while, he managed to regain himself.

"I have to tell Tsunade-sama. This boys mental health is deteriorating quickly, and he needs help ASAP. I have to tell her-"

A blankness filled his mind, momentarily stunning him. He clutched at his head, trying to ward off the oncoming headache. And then as quickly as it came, it left. Haru blinked once, twice, another time. And then he continued what he was saying before the headache hit.

'-to tell her that this boy is fit and ready for service. Now all that's needed is a physical and we're done. Finally.'

Haru was relieved to finally be able to leave the boys mind. He din't know why, but for some reason he felt unnaturally tired and drained. A good rest would serve him well.

Haru put his hand together into the seal to release the jutsu. However, if he had taken just a second to glance behind him, he would've seen the massive cage that was slowly but steadily rising up out of the lake. He would have seen the orange glow that encased the cage. And he would have seen the red, slitted with black eyes that lit up with glee, and the smile that stretched across the face of the fox.

But he didn't look back. And he soon found himself standing once again next to the blonde haired boy who no longer seemed so suspicious.

"Well," Haru said, clapping his hands together, "You seem to be in perfect mental health. Now lets get you in to see lady Tsunade so she can do your physical."

The boy nodded slowly, getting up off of the table, and dispelling his clones. Without any argument, the boy followed obediently after him.

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A/N Sorry if things are moving a little slow. But I hope you're enjoying it so far.

Reviews are greatly appreciated, and they make me write faster!