Sorry, sorry, ya see... I'm sure you don't want to hear my excuses, but I'll tell you them anyways. Urm... School's after my hide, I can't write persuasive essays, and I'm trying to sneak into a concert. So... Yeah.

On another note! I got an anonymous review. It was signed g. I will not post the review here, for I believe the review in itself should be rated M, but I will respond.

First of all, why are you on fanfiction if you're comparing this work to the original? I am obviously not Kishimoto. I think I should also mention that this is my first multi-chaptered fic, therefore it will be crummy. Now, as to address the plot issue
I stated a chapter or two (or three) ago that it would be long. I drag things out. I haven't gotten deep into the plot yet. Remember how long it took for Naruto to get to where it is? Yeah, it takes awhile.
Next, no, not everyone fell in love with the person they loved first. Sakura was disgusted by Lee for quite a while. Hinata never showed any romantic feelings toward Kiba, and Shino is not married to anyone within the Konoha 11. Ino was always annoyed by Chouji. Shikamaru and Temari were the only pairing that was even ever hinted at in the manga/anime.
Next point is; you are the first person in over 23k people to complain about my story. And why should I delete it? It's not hurting you! There is a lot of crap on this site, you know, so if you are so upset by it, just don't come. Also, you reviewed on the first chapter, leading me to believe that you only read the first chapter. How can you decide if a story has a plot from the first chapter?
Finally, if you are going to flame me, sign it. Don't be a coward. When you don't sign a review, be it good or bad, it gets responded to here, at the top of my story, where everyone can see it. You are only humilitating yourself.

And by the way, using big middleschool words and curses does not make you smart. Or make people take you more seriously. I think you had more curse words in that review than I've had in this whole story.

I do not own Naruto.

World 1 refers to the world Naruto came from.

World 2 refers to the world where Naruto traveled back to.


Mindscapes

Chapter Nine


Arashi shifted under the Hokage's stare

"How did you get from the battlefield to where Obito, Kakashi and Rin were so quickly?" Hard, dark eyes met shifty, endless blue ones.

"I… er... you see… um…" Arashi was stuttering, looking for an excuse somewhere in his head. Or, more likely, from the people inside his head.

"Rin, Obito, Kakashi. I want you three to head to the hospital. While I don't doubt Rin-chan's medical skills, better safe than sorry, ne? And Rin, I'll send a Yamanaka for you, to make sure your captors didn't plant anything in the genjutsu and that you're fully released from its effects."

The three youngest cringed at 'captors'. Rin nodded, quickly, though, recognizing the dismissal. "Thank you for your confidence and the… help. We will leave now."

With a quick bow, the three left, shutting the large, heavy doors behind him.

Hiruzen motioned for an ANBU. "Bring me Jiraiya and Inoichi. Now."

'Let the chaos begin,' the Hokage thought, watching as Arashi stared at something only he could see, and as Minato stood diligently at attention, watching Arashi out of the corner of his eye.

Approximately five minutes later, Inoichi coolly walked in, eyeing Arashi with something akin to a strange sort of curiosity, one where you are so afraid of something you just have to know about it.

Then Jiraiya came bursting in through the open window. "Darn it, Sensei! Never send a female ANBU after me! Their hits hurt more!" He was whimpering, hoping to gain some misplaced pity.

The old Sarutobi knew, though, that his student was acting. He raised an eyebrow. "All the better to get you here quicker, boy. Now, onto business. Inoichi, report your findings on Arashi-san's mental state."

Inoichi left a beat of rest before he started his report. He had needed a second to get his thoughts in order.

"From my mental evaluation, I have found evidence that the man known as Uzu Arashi has a ninety-eight percent chance of having multiple personalities. The other two percent is that he has just a very complex mental trap. I did not have enough chakra to continue my search. I did find something interesting. The first mental trap I encountered after I made it to Uzu-san's mindscape."

Minato held up a hand. "Explain this to me. I'm not well versed in this whole thing. What's so interesting about a mental trap?"

"I was getting there. You see, the thing with mental traps is, is that you can't have a trap, jutsu, anything, unless you can perform it in real life. This rule only applies to the mindscape, but if one has more than one personality, the techniques can vary to each 'scape'."

"So I'm personality A, and you're personality B, then my mindscape can be protected by Fūinjustu while you can use clan techniques?" Jiraiya asked, trying to clarify the explanation for himself.

"Eh, pretty much. Back to my report. The mental trap I encountered was one that caught me off-guard. Minato, I think you'll be more interested in this more than us. Remember what I just explained to you."

"Get to the point already, Inoichi." Minato snapped.

"Fine, fine. Anyways, the trap used Haraishin."

You could almost hear their necks snap as Minato and Jiraiya turned to Arashi.

Said man blinked the cloud out of his eyes. "What're you all staring at me for?"

Only Minato noticed the slight smirked as he said it.

'That kid's planning something. What, though?'


*****World 1****

Kakashi stared out the window at the cloudy sky outside. It was appropriate, he believed, for it to rain on the anniversary of Naruto's death. Even Mother Nature missed the second blonde Hokage.

"Kakashi-sensei, if you don't get back to work, you'll have so much paper work you'll never be able to catch up, no matter how many shadow clones you make." Sakura scolded the man.

"But Sakura-chan, I'm the Hokage! Why should I be stuck behind a desk doing paperwork? I should be outside training so I can protect the village!"

"In case you haven't noticed, baka-sensei, it's raining cats and dogs out there. It wouldn't due for the Hokage to catch a cold. While you might have a good immune system, even Kazekage-sama would catch a cold out there."

"Kazekage-kun catches a cold if it's less than forty degrees."

"You should be more respectful." Sakura dodged the topic.

"So should you. Naruto should've, too. But we're not. Besides, Gaara-kun hates it when I call him Kazekage-dono. He says it makes him feel like his dad. I know how that feels. So I call him Kazekage-kun instead."

Sakura had tensed at the mention of Naruto. "Whatever. Just get back to work. The sooner you finish, the sooner you leave. I have clinic duty tonight, and I can't be exhausted chasing after you."

"Maa, maa, don't be so worried. I learned my lesson last time I tried to run." It was true. Kakashi still hurt from that kick. He absently wondered if he'd still be able to bare kids. He didn't fully believe Tsunade when she had that devilish smirk on her face. Oh well, he'd figure that out when he had a wife.

When? More like if…

Oh well. Kakashi had a certain stone to visit, and not wanting to risk kids anymore, he lazily made a hand sign and three clones popped into existence, ready and not so willing to do the mounds of paperwork before them.


Gaara missed Naruto. Everyone who was close to him knew it. Temari had informed him of his old friend's apparent demise. She had been in Leaf when it was attacked by Sasuke.

And so, in honor of the brightly-colored blonde, Gaara wore black. But not just black. Tied around his neck, were it wasn't so distracting, was a bright orange ribbon.

It was a tradition Temari inadvertently started. The day after the news of Naruto's death was confirmed, she had spotted a bright orange ribbon in the window of a sewing store. A store she really hadn't wanted to go in. That she'd never would've gone in, had it not been for that one orange ribbon.

Soon after Gaara had been presented the ribbon, the entire village knew why their Kazekage wore it. So they wore it, too, because everyone there knew of the Rukodaime Hokage and how he had helped save Gaara.

Said boy fiddled with the ribbon.

'I hope that that knucklehead is happy, wherever he is…'


*****World 2****

Rin watched nervously as the elder medic examined her team mates. The man was well known and highly respected, making her especially nervous.

"Well," the aging man started, "This is beautiful work, especially for it being done on the field. I can't find anything wrong with how it was done. I wish we had more medic nin like you, so many less painful deaths from infection."

Rin blushed under the praise. "Thank you, sir, I tried my best."

"Now, I think I will put them on some antibiotics, just to be safe, but other than that, they should only need rest. I recommend two months off active duty. Tell your sensei."

Rin nodded. It was better to be safe than sorry.

Now, off to see a Yamanaka about a genjustu.


It's utterly and extremely short. I have re-written it three times. I wanted to get it out on Monday. I am sorry.

There was something I wanted to say... But I forgot... So I can't say it. Oh well.

Oh, something I wanted to say. Not what is above, but something else. I would be honored if someone would take the time to make some sort of fanart. I really woul be. I've tried to draw the characters, but I'm too lazy to upload them to DeviantArt.

Reviews are appreciated, flames are given to my pyromaniac brother, and flamers (Like above) are publicly humiliated.