Story's Title: Of Truth and Reality

Author: SchwarzViolet

Rating: PG-13 (coz of later chapters)

Pairings: uhmm… you'll soon find out

I do not own Naruto, period.

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Ohayou!

It's 2:16 am and I'm doing my assignments. But well, as is obvious, I'm not concentrating on doing my work, but rather my eyes are glued to the computer screen and my hands, which should be cutting papers now, are typing furiously away on the keyboard. Hehehe… so much for being a responsible student, duh. I'm such a priority-ignorer. Well, I don't mind.

I know, I know. It took me a lot of time to review, ne? I've got good excuses…

1.) My computer was destroyed.

2.) I was grounded. I couldn't use the computer for a month.

3.) The exams were on at that time, but now they're done with. (Thank God!)

I got new reviews and I'm happy that some find my story interesting. Yes, yes. I'm so glad. J Thanks again to the reviewers. Okay, let's start. On with the third chapter…

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Chapter 3: Ikki-san

Kyo-san's POV

I left the room, closing the door behind me. Sighing, I turned to the direction of my office. I felt so helpless.

'Nori… how could I bring you back?'

I started walking away but stopped abruptly, as I saw a figure hurrying to me. He reached me and stopped, panting and out of breath.

"I heard what happened, so I came as fast as I could… How is he doing? I heard he crashed to evade a person in the middle of the street. That is so unlike him. He usually doesn't get careless, even if the person in the middle of the street just jumped in in the last second…"

He looked past me at the door behind.

"Is that his room? I saw you coming out of there just now. Can I go in to check on him?"

Questioning eyes met mine and he suddenly understood. I didn't need to say a word. Probably my eyes told him. It had always been like this between Ikki and me. He knew what I was thinking without me saying it out loud.

'Probably because he's a shrink… though, it could be that we were friends for just too long now.'

"Ikki, he's in an… unstable situation. Come with me to my office. We'll discuss about it there."

He just nodded and followed behind. Judging from the silence between us, I could say that he was very worried. Usually, he would start talking about his patients, if it were any other day. But today was different and I felt like a cold breeze was constantly blowing around like a threatening mist. Anything could snap out of control. I'm sure he felt it, too.

Yes, this day wasn't my ordinary day. It was the day my brother lost track of who he was.

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Oh Gods! Kakashi is Naruto's brother! Where the heck did that idea come from? I swear it just popped out of the blue and I didn't plan this in the first and second chappie… Whatever… on with the story! Yey…

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Ikki-san's POV

"Now, tell me what happened."

Kyo turned away from the window and gazed at me. He felt helpless. I could sense it in his every action. I couldn't blame him. It was, after all, his brother in that room. He said that Nori was in an unstable situation.

'Could he be near death? In a comma?'

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach at these thoughts. I was worried too, of course… Nori was like a little brother to me.

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Kyo-san's POV

I sighed. Hesitantly, I began my tale.

"It went like this."

FLASHBACK

"Now tell me Kakashi-sensei; what's happening here?"

I nodded and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.

"That's just the thing I wanted to ask you, too."

At this, he shot me a bemused look and complained about having asked first, his bottom lip slightly put forward. I smirked inwardly. No matter how serious the situation was, he always managed to look childish.

"Well, tell me. Who do you think you are?"

He looked confused as he just sat there on the bed, pondering about that single, simple question.

"I don't know."

His answer troubled me. I knew he wasn't lying. He was dead serious.

"What do you remember?"

"I know that I'm a ninja… I am Uzumaki Naruto… a ninja of Konoha."

This statement didn't surprise me. I knew that Nori was fascinated with ninjas and their techniques and skills. His room was full of books about them and posters hung on the wall with ninjas on them. Heck, he even had a set of real shurikens. I wondered often where he got them.

"Just continue."

He nodded and went on.

" I am… I am… an orphan. I am…"

His eyes went wide.

"… a monster."

I frowned at this.

'A monster? This is something else… Did Nori have some self-hatred locked up in him?

I scribbled in my pad and stopped as I heard it.

"Kyuubi."

As he said the name, I shivered. There was something dangerous to it. Though I knew it was an uncalled for feeling. After all, it was just a name, nothing more.

"Who is this Kyuubi?"

He looked at me with sad eyes which seemed to reflect deep pain.

"The monster in me."

I couldn't take the expressions on his face any longer and so I changed the direction of the discussion.

"How about the name you used for me a while ago?"

He looked at me and faked a smile, offering this small gesture as a sign of his thanks for changing the topic.

"Well, you're Kakashi-sensei, my teacher. At least… that's what I think…"

Even if he was trying his best to hide his feelings from me, he couldn't. After all, I lived with him since we were young… since our mom…

"Nor-"

I stopped and frowned.

"Na-"

I shook my head, not being sure about what I should call him; him-my own brother. I felt a pang in my chest.

I looked at him and urged him to tell more.

"You're my sensei, just like Iruka-sensei."

'Iruka… that must be Ikki.' I thought. I scribbled again into my pad.

"You're teaching me different techniques and helping me improve my fighting style. But you also have two other students… Sakura-chan and that cold-blooded ass, Uchiha Sasuke."

I raised my brow at that. So he had a bad relationship with that… Uchiha Sasuke. I bet that Sasuke's Soujirou. I chuckled in my mind.

'I guess they'll be rivals in whichever world they are in…'

My eyes snapped open.

'So I really do believe him that there is this world out there…?'

Images flashed through my mind. I shook my head but couldn't get off the feeling of nervousness in my chest. After all, there was something wrong… and it was damn serious.

"Iruka-sensei was my teacher in the academy. He always treats me out for Ramen… He's like an older brother to me."

Though I tried to ignore it, I felt a pang of jealousy that he didn't say I was like a brother to him, too.

'After all, I am his real brother. Or am I really?'

I noted down things, again, kicking myself mentally for having such childish thoughts.

'Nori is suffering from a mental problem and I am sitting here with other thoughts on my mind than to simply listen and take down notes. Damn, I am usually not that unfocused.'

I looked at him and he was talking on.

'That must be cause this time, it's my brother sitting there and not just any other patient… It's hard to accept that…'

"-and we always have meetings on the bridge. You would show up hours after the real appointed time…"

I raised my brow for the second time, disliking the idea.

'Me and late? That just didn't fit…'

"Me and Sakura-chan would shout at you and- oh, this is crap! This is total bullshit! Damn!"

I then looked up from my pad and saw his expression, trying hard not to loose the cool demeanor I always had as a doctor when I was around my patients and the staff. The patients threw fits many times. By now I was used to that, so I didn't even flinch when Nori shouted out.

He was looking at me angrily, trying to hold back from punching me.

'What did I do to rile him up this much?'

I didn't let my confusion show, but it sure as hell was eating me up from the inside.

Naruto just continued glaring until his gaze softened once more, turning apologetic. He turned his head to loook out the window. It started to rain.

I waited patiently, for I thought it wise for me to keep my mouth shut, no matter how I wanted to ask what was wong. After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke again, his voice slightly quivering.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I just…"

He faced to me and I saw mixed emotions showing on his face.

"It's just that you keep on writing down the things I say and I feel like I really am sick in the mind. I know that what I'm saying isn't what you believe is real, but it's what I believe is true, Kyo-nii-chan. Yes, I know that you're my brother… in this world. I know now, again, that Iruka-sensei is Ikki-san. I know that… I know that… I remember so many things. But it's all mixed up. You see, I'm having trouble deciding which is the real one. I am Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto. But at the same time, I'm Nori."

My eyes went wide, as realization sank in. He never forgot about this real world. He still knew us, but he knew another life, too.

"Have you ever considered that Naruto is just your former self in the past life?"

He shook his head violently.

"It is not the past life because there should have been a life that passed already in the first place to even have a past life. I feel like my 'past life', as you call it, is not over yet… I am still Naruto. And that is who I really am."

I looked at him and made a decision. He needed help, but not just any help. He needed Ikki.

"Don't worry, we'll fix this mess. Trust me."

He looked up at me and nodded unsure.

There, I got up and with a last assuring glance, I left to find Setsuna. After all, I promised her to have another word with Nori when we were done.

END OF FLASHBACK

"That was how our conversation went, Ikki."

He looked up at me worriedly.

"Unstable… is the correct word for that."

I nodded at my friend on the couch.

"Yes. I still remember the blank look on his face as I left him in the room. He was perfectly still and not his bouncy self. It seemed so unlike him. Nothing had ever fazed him before… not even when our mom…"

I inhaled deeply, to calm myself down. Ikki looked at me knowingly.

"Hey, you alright?"

I nodded and continued.

"I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Let me guess… You want me to be his doctor right?"

"Yes"

"…."

"…."

"You know that can't be. I'd be too soft on him and my feelings would be in the way. You know that he's like a brother to me."

I looked at him and understood, but I couldn't back down.

"He needs you, Ikki. I would help him myself, but-"

"Of course, I'd like to help, too, but you know-"

"No, Ikki. I'm not a shrink and… the only one I could entrust Nori to and have peace of mind is you."

He was definitely flattered but he still shook his head.

"Kyo, I…"

I went to him and held his cheek.

"Please? Please, my dolphin?"

He blushed at this and mumbled a yes.

I chuckled. I knew I could get him by using my endearment for him.

"That was mean…"

I just laughed at him and he laughed with me. For a moment there, I was able to feel better again. Ikki would be there for Naruto, so he was as good as healed. Ikki was the best in his league.

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Uhhm… that was a shonen-ai there, I guess. But in a way, also not. That's why I didn't warn beforehand. I mean… the two are best buddies, aren't they? Can't friends not be sweet to each other?

So, how did you find it? This chapter's slightly longer than the first two… to make up for the long time without any update at all… 'sigh' I'm so sorry… I really am… Gomen…

To Mr. Just passing by (if ever you would pass by again):

I read your review and I must tell you that I prefer not saying whose POV it is, because I would like to make the readers think a bit and read well to find out who exactly the character is. But well, since it seemed you had a confusing time, I'm going to add from now on whose POV it is. Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciated it!

So, that was all folks! See you next chapter, which will hopefully be soon… Ja ne!

SchwarzViolet

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