Sorry about this chapter; I know there are grammatical errors this time. It was rushed because I couldn't draw inspiration from anything and I've been working on other fun things. And note: All future updates will appear on the second of each month, any later than a few days past the deadline and you can assume that I've died. Well... Enjoy.

Warnings: OOC on everyone in general; strange underlying humor.

Title: Realities Away
By: SukiAme
Entry: 04 – And So My Life Begins

Alter-verse

Several loud bangs woke Sasuke from his light slumber.

The previous night's events, or rather something that he read induced a long bout of insomnia resulting in obvious lack of sleep, a huge headache, and something pounding the side of his head. Sasuke warily opened his eyes and then closed them before and shook his head to clear the headache and the pounding sensation. Neither stopped; and as the seconds inched by, both conditions seemed to worsen.

Finally giving into the painful affair, he opened his eyes and sat up. He turned his head to his side and stared groggily at a hovering red object. It took him a moment to realize that a hollow and plastic red mallet hung inches from his head. It took another moment before he arrived at the fact that Itachi was sitting on the edge of his bed and holding the said mallet. Then he came to the conclusion that Itachi was the one who was causing the pounding and headache.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke murmured in his half-asleep state as he fell on the bed and pulled the blanket over his head. Before he successfully regained comfort, the blanket was pulled off him causing him to shiver from the cold morning air.

"Sasuke," Itachi said calmly as he moved the blanket away from Sasuke's groping hands, "It's morning; it's Monday; it's not vacation time; you have school."

"I already graduated," Sasuke answered frustrated as he continued his blind search for the blanket.

"Sasuke, if you don't get up, Naruto-kun is going to accept Neji-kun's proposal," Itachi stated in a slightly beckoning tone as he pulled the blankets to the end of the bed and proceeded to tread to Sasuke's disheveled closet for his uniform.

"What do I care what Dead-last does?"

"Would you like to test what I'll do to you if you don't get up?" Itachi asked in a dangerously soft voice. When Sasuke didn't say anything, Itachi threw the uniform on top of him and glanced at his brother who just stared blankly at the clothes. "Get dressed and be downstairs in ten minutes. I'll take you to school."

Sasuke gazed at the door in a dazed form, only semi-conscious of what he was doing as he put on his uniform. While that was done with pain-staking slowness, Sasuke glanced at the red lights of his digital clock before he dashed into the bathroom in an attempt to clean himself.

He splashed water on his face and watched the water stream down and cling onto his stiff-necked white dress shirt. The burgundy red tie with slanted silver-gray strips and black lined border hung in a loose knot which he tightened and fitted it underneath the stiff collar. A pair of gray pants and navy coat with golden buttons and the school emblem attached to its left breast pocket completed the uniform.

He then grabbed a black and silver backpack and shoved various flimsy textbooks in it. He took one last glance around the room before he walked toward his door.

Inconspicuously lying in his path was a thick book which he obviously didn't see for after two steps he tripped over it, the carpeted floor breaking his fall but not muffling the loud crash from impact to the floor. Sasuke spat a loud and long string of curses before he kicked the book under the bed before he slammed the door to his room shut.

-

I would still like a damn good explanation about where the hell I am, Sasuke thought pitifully as he stepped onto school campus only to notice that there were several people glaring at him. All of them were male; Apparently, the rest of the student body was male as well. It was an all boys school obviously, but that did not explain the menacing death looks.

Sasuke ignored the looks and strode past several of them still deep in contemplation, And what happened to Yoshikawa-san, and Naruto? Sasuke stopped and stared blankly at the school building before he shook his head, Naruto's been brainwashed. That must be it, some screwed up jutsu making him think weird things. Or... that journal...?

A tuft of familiar blond hair caught the edge of Sasuke's perceivable vision. Sasuke turned toward the boy and shouted, "Naruto!"

At the call, the Naruto turned to inquire on the person who called him, but his searching eyes turned feral when he noticed it was Sasuke; he shut his eyes and turned away ignoring the brunet.

Sasuke frowned at the defiant act as he wondered what was wrong with the blonde. A mental image of the previous evening's events along with a hidden diary floated across his mind. A blush invaded his features as he rolled his eyes toward the gray morning sky and a small sigh escaped him. He was torn between being embarrassed and being angry, but irritation was a nice way to sum his emotions at the moment.

Sasuke approached Naruto and tapped him on the shoulder. Naruto turned and glared at him before he repositioned his backpack and tried to walk away but Sasuke reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Let go," Naruto hissed through clenched teeth.

"Listen, I-"

"I don't want to hear it."

"Look if you're angry about what happened it's because, I don't like you like that."

"Well that's certainly and obtrusive way of putting it," Naruto drawled, rolling his eyes in sarcasm, "No, wait; First it was hitting me, then telling me that. Congratulations, Ice Prince, it couldn't be any more blatantly obvious. If that is how you treat someone close to you, I don't know why so many girls are infatuated with you."

"Will you stop acting like a pansy? I have a problem here!"

When Naruto felt Sasuke's grip loosen he yanked his arm away, "I do too and the problem is that it's too early for me to deal with you, so quit being an asshole and leave me alone," Naruto snapped angrily as he stomped away.

Sasuke stared after Naruto's retreating back while his eyes were narrowed in a silent and aloof manner of fury. He ignored the curious stares that were tossed his way as he bottled the aggravation for a later use.

But then aggravation comes in many forms and since the gods seemed to enjoy confusing mere mortals as mortals found amusement in tormenting one another; at that moment, it chose the lithe and graceful embodiment of one Hyuuga Neji as the bearer of further vexation.

"Good morning isn't it, Uchiha?" Neji inquired with a polite smile. "I happened to notice your little lover's spat at first. You don't have to answer if I'm prying but what did you do to make Naruto so -what's the word I'm searching for- peeved?"

Sasuke shot a simple glare at Neji before he stiffly said, "Shut up, Hyuuga."

Neji mocked hurt before he remarked, "I'm just concerned about the well being of my dear friend. No need to get snippy." Neji smirked as another thought dawned on him, "Or perhaps my dear friend isn't happy with the way you perform; couldn't perform?"

Sasuke's brows knitted together unable to grasp the colloquial words that Neji had said but his eyes widened in horror when he finally comprehended the implications of the other boy's words. A full scale blush of embarrassment lighted Sasuke's face as his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water unable to spit a denial, or even an insult.

"Well then," Neji said pleasantly as he walked away with a nonchalant wave, "I don't suppose you'll mind that I dine with Naruto for lunch then. But then again, you don't get a say in it do you?"

At the last moment, Sasuke caught himself and yelled, "Go to hell, Hyuuga!" Several pairs of eyes turned on him at the sudden outburst before he "Sharingan-Glared" them causing several people to sweat uneasily and several other to look away when they felt a cold chill run up and down their spines.

-

Kishimoto-verse

Sasuke sulked as rested his head on his arm at the windowsill. He gazed blankly at the slowly darkening evening while a thick book laid open on his lap. He couldn't concentrate on it and idly wondered what he was going to do, but every time the thought it out he always arrived on two options. One was to search through all his books and any other book he could find to solve his predicament. The second was to accept fate and do his best as he lived out the life of this ninja, Uchiha Sasuke.

"I hate everything," he sighed in discontent as he looked at the world through half lidded eyes. He really detested everything about this other Sasuke. First of all was the fact that he and Naruto were not together meaning no tender hugs or shy kisses. Second was that Naruto liked this large forehead-ed, pink-haired girl who was apparently on his former Genin team. Third was that he lived by himself, meaning he had to provide all meals. Fourth was that he only had about three different sets of clothes. Fifth was that the Naruto who existed here was so different from the one he knew from home; actually not different, just completely clueless like when they first met. There was more but the excitement of listing everything was just too much for him to comprehend, or so he claimed whilst rolling his eyes.

Then there was the miserable fact that he couldn't find any type of solution to get home, and being an Uchiha made an subconscious and unbreakable law that he was not to ask anyone for help. Something about "if you're too stupid to figure it out for yourself, then you live with your stupidity" was often sprouted from his brother's mouth. Strangely, it worked and got him out of very nasty situations quite a few times, but then again Itachi wouldn't leave him for dead... well, at least not purposely.

There was one instance when he had to retrieve a book from a old and slightly broken down mansion, fallen down into some mysterious room and broken his ankle, then there was this possessed girl who came from nowhere while he was in the mysterious room, chained him up and then tried to adsorb his life energy. But that was only one time.

Sasuke made a face at the memory before he lifted his head and bent over the book to resume his research.

"Well, at least I'm released from the burden of doing all that work," he muttered resignedly, "Thieving isn't as easy as some people make it out to be," he paused and pondered Naruto for a moment and an unpleasant image of Naruto's friend, Neji, came to mind, "Then again, love isn't either."

"Love isn't what?"

"Easy," Sasuke answered immediately without losing his focus on the small print of the book. It took him a second to realize that he just answered someone and his wild stare met with twinkling blue eyes. Sasuke jumped back and landed with his bottom on the floor and flushed while the book fell to a close a few feet from his landing area. "Geez, where the hell did you come from?"

"Door," Naruto answered as he gestured toward the general area with his ever present grin.

"Ever hear of knocking?" the dark haired boy snapped as he bent forward to pick up the fallen book.

"Yep, but for me, it's either stealth or being all out flamboyant," Naruto replied before he continued, "Besides, you should brush up on your skills if you didn't even sense me. You're truly losing your touch, Sasuke. Or you've finally resigned that I'm the greatest." Sasuke looked ready to spit to reply but Naruto changed the subject, "So what's this about love not being easy? Have you finally found a girl worthy of the great Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sasuke heard the snicker behind the teasing question and was torn between beating Naruto until he realized the truth or venting his pent up stress on some other inanimate object. He leaned forward and picked up the book as he chose a course of action and being saner than most people, Sasuke decided to use his words, "Ask me that again and I'll shove a drain pipe down your throat."

"You like someone," Naruto concluded gleefully, "Who? Neji?" At the name, Sasuke blanched, "because you always seemed a little gay, no offense if you aren't; and you act funny when you're with Neji."

The book slipped out of Sasuke's hand and found itself imprinting a mark on Naruto's face, "If you ever suggest that I would like that guy again, you'll find something entirely different shoved into your face."

"What you want to start a fight?" Naruto growled as he peeled the book away and held it like it was filled with communicable diseases, and something he liked to call the "Sasuke Germ" that was something like how children claimed that all other children had cooties but this little pathogen caused you to be moody, angsty and unreasonably cold for no apparent reason.

Sasuke let out an exasperated sigh before he asked, "Why are you here?"

"Oh, that's right, I almost forgot. We've been assigned another mission, B-ranked." Naruto tossed a scroll to Sasuke who caught it with ease, "Think you're up to it?"

"Missions are assigned to ninjas. There are three main rankings of ninjas, genin, chuunin, and jounin. B-ranked missions are assigned to the chuunin, or middle ranked ninjas." Sasuke reeled off in a quiet ramble but it didn't escape Naruto's ears.

"Yes, genius; so yes or no?"

Sasuke unrolled the scroll and skimmed it before rolling it back up, "I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

"Oh come on, it's not that hard. All we have to do is go and steal that scroll from those ninjas from Hidden Grass Village and all is well," Naruto unrolled the scroll and pointed at a few numbers, "And look how much we'll be paid!"

"No." Sasuke said, beginning to set camp in his 'stubborn as a rock' campsite.

"Come on," Naruto berated while repeatedly poking at the dark haired one on the shoulder.

"No, dammit! And will you stop poking me!"

"It's good money!" Naruto argued as he prepared to set camp at "whinny brat" mode.

"I don't need it," Sasuke argued just as reasonably which was true. He'd found the account book and found enough ryo 1 to live comfortably for quite a while.

"Think you can't handle it?" Naruto asked with a smirk as he decided to change tactics.

"Must you always goad me?"

"Until you cave, yeah, that's pretty much what I'll to do," Naruto moved to take Sasuke's former spot by the window and sat cross legged on the chair facing Sasuke with a determined expression in his eyes, "Besides, since when did you start saying no to B-ranked missions?" When Sasuke didn't answer Naruto stared thoughtfully out at the evening, "Or I can always ask Neji. It was cool working with him when you were out."

"Neji huh?"

-

Elsewhere in a semi-secluded area in Hidden Leaf Village, Hyuuga Neji approached a wooden door of a apartment building. His lavender pearled eyes traced the curved and intricate markings of the door's frame and the Arabic numeral nine at eye level on the center of the door. The bark colored paint glimmered under the dark illumination of the lamp that hung over his head.

He heaved a silent sigh as he curled his hand into a fist readying himself to knock. He glanced at the opened window and saw maroon curtains floating over the wind's currents while pieces of twine from the frayed ends of the curtains threatened to break and escape the night inside the apartment.

The sharp sound of shattering glass broke the quiet and a loud hiss emitted from the apartment followed by a sharp and high pitch screech of pain.

The dark haired boy flinched at the sound and took a deep breath before he sent two sharp raps on the door.

Then there was silence.

Neji half expected the door to slowly swing open by the slight push of the wind, but a curt, "Come in," shot that theory straight to hell. He asked himself whether he really wanted to step into this darker world, because it wasn't curiosity that lead him here, nor was it the fates; it was his own decision. And if he walked down this path, would there be any turning back?

Fear clenched his heart as he remembered the other person who stepped into this world and never came out; never came back. He shuddered as he swung the door open and before he lost his nerve and ran away, he stepped into the dim apartment. The door shut itself behind him and an automatic lock clicked into place.

A shadow moved to the opened window and pulled it to a close before clicking the lock on the window's latch. Neji's only escape was barred. He was trapped. Thousands of torturous thoughts that invoked sheer horror plagued his mind like a tsunami as he realized he really should have left when he had the chance. He knew that hey wouldn't free him until he stated his reasons for interrupting their ceremony.

In the pitch darkness, Neji saw the one of the shadows move to another room and then returning with a silver platter. The two shadowed figures sat down on a dark leather couch. One of them waved an arm indicating for Neji to sit, but he couldn't.

"We've been expecting you," one of the silhouettes said omnisciently.

"But of course, you're here for another reason," the other spoke mused aloud.

He felt something brush against his ankles causing an unpleasant shiver to run up and down his spine. He stared at where the two shadows sat in the darkness before licking his dried lips with sticky saliva showing a preparation to speak and a sign of nervousness.

"I-" Neji felt his throat dry faster than a drop of water in the Sahara desert but he had to complete the task, no matter how much pride he had to swallow. He paused and wondered why the heck he even cared but saved the thought for further contemplation later. "I... need your help."

- To be continued -

1 I believe that this is the currency exchange in Naruto, but I could be wrong.

Ranting: For those of you who follow the Naruto Manga: What do you think of Sasuke's recent decision? I for one am having mixed feelings about that entire end to chapter 225 torn between what he said [and what Itachi said], and his conclusion to it. Obviously, we all know he won't do it (Plus it would mess up the series for just about everyone), but the dramatic tension really irritates me. Add to the fact that I'm going to be cursing him until the entire ordeal is over.

More Notes: Thank you all for reading! (Even those who don't review: Hi!) No time to thank everyone this time: Know that I love long reviews and honest opinions, just not brutal ones. Criticize, tell me what I need to clear up, questions, errors on anything; don't be shy, even if my fic sucks, tell me why and I'll learn from it.

And to answer the ULTIMATE QUESTION:
Did you draw inspiration from D.N. Angel? Yes and no. I was thinking of it when I wrote up some of the traps stuff, but I was mainly thinking of one of Aku-tenshi's other manga called Thief and Detective. If you happen to wonder what Sasuke meant by the clothes in the last chapter, that's the basis for the outfit in my mind.

And finally: If you can guess who the two shadows are, I'll give you a cookie.