Future Memories

A Naruto fanfiction by FatefulGravy

Previously: Naruto received an explanation from Kyuubi and Hinata's teammates noticed a change in her behavior.

Chapter 2

Integration

'Naruto's different'. It was midday of their second day in the Forest of Death, and Sakura had noticed a distinct change in Naruto's attitude. They had yet to collect any scrolls, indeed, they had yet to meet another team at all. But Sakura, strangely, was more focused on her blond haired teammate than the current lack of the scroll they required. She seemed worried.

'He hasn't spoken all day, I hope he's okay, wouldn't want him to cause Sasuke-kun to fail!'

Then again, she all ways had a somewhat one track mind.

Naruto's silence was due to him being deep in thought. True, the day before he had received the memories of his future self, but they had been little more than flashes. Images without any real significance. They had been in a different place than his current memories, the two sets having no relation to each other. He had, in effect, been shown how time would play out, but he had not experienced it. That however, had changed as he slept. Sleep, apparently, was a the catalyst required for his future memories to fully integrate with the present day Naruto.

As he slept, the images grew. As if a haze was lifting what was once a vague series of events became a complex network of memories, each one branching to several more. The images became moving pictures, he heard peoples voices, recalled their joy, their fear. As he slept, Naruto felt the emotion of each memory, clear as the day it occurred. The two separate sets of memories meshed together to become one cohesive set, one leading into the other. When he awoke, he felt as if he had actually lived though the coming years. This was the reason for his silence.

'Hey fox'.

'Brat', Kyuubi answered the call grumpily.

'What was going on last night', Naruto asked.

'I believe it was a side effect of the memory transfer'.

'You 'believe', you mean it didn't happen to you too?'

'No, as a demon my personality will not change significantly over such a short period of time, you however, are changed by each and every event in your life. Therefore, going through each memory you received in detail while you slept allows your future personality to integrate with you current one'.

Naruto was surprised that he understood the big words, he figured he must have learned them in the future.

'So I'm going to act different?'

'Any changes would be minimal at best, the future you is remarkably similar to the present you'.

'Thats good, I don't want to be forced to be like I will be, uh, yet, at least'.

'Idiot'.

'Shut it foxy,' he snapped, 'anyway, why do you remember the future me but I don't, you'd think I would remember myself'.

The great red fox gave a shrug, the insect was asking questions again, lots of questions. He was hoping to avoid the issue of missing memories entirely, he'd have to wrap this up before Naruto's curiosity forced the great kitsune into a corner. He hated having things forced out of him, though few beings had the guts to try.

'Grr...You memories tend to focus more on what you see and feel and less on how you yourself acts, therefore I remember you very well, but you don't, got it'.

'Er.. yeah, but what about...'

'NOT now, I'm tired and you have a decision to make regarding the musky one'.

'Huh, oh, Sasuke, right.'

Far across the forest Hinata's team were also noticing changes in her. She too had experienced the enhanced memories the previous night, however, it appeared that her future personality was totally incompatible with her current self. The presence in her mind that had talked to her earlier had actually been an image of her future self, and as Hinata experienced the memories this future self grew in strength. The result was two distinct personalities which Hinata seemed to switch between. Currently her future self was in control.

"Akamaru says that a mist team is nearby," Kiba informed his team.

"I see them, 250 meters to our rear," Hinata responded.

"You can see that far?" Kiba seemed surprised, they were a recon team but that seemed a bit out of Hinata's normal range.

"Are you questioning me?" She actually glared at Kiba. A byakugun glare. Freaky.

"Um...no, just checking," Kiba backed away, Hinata was emitting a slight killing intent.

'When did Hinata become so...scary.'

Shino, who had been quite till now spoke up.

"They have the scroll we require, how should we go about attaining it?"

"We each take one each, if we are quick they wont be able to react," said Hinata, acting every bit the Hyuuga.

'Hinata giving orders, very scary.' Kiba's thoughts about how scary Hinata had become continued.

Several minutes later Team 8 was in the trees surrounding the mist team, awaiting Hinata's signal. Which turned out to be a very unsubtle kunai striking the ground in front of the mist team.

Kiba leaped into action, Akamaru following. His target was looking at the kunai and didn't see his approach from behind. Akamaru skidded to a stop in front of the mist ninja then jumped for the surprised ninjas throat. Being to skilled to be hit by such a simple attack the ninja jumped back-

-straight into Kiba's Tsuuga, the spinning attack knocking him across the clearing, unconscious.

"Good job boy, he never saw us coming!"

The victorious puppy gave a happy bark and took his place on Kiba's head.

Looking around Kiba saw that Shino had disabled his opponent with a swarm of chakra eating bugs while Hinata had taken her opponent out with accurate Jyuken strikes to the female mist ninjas arms and legs. She was actually still conscious, she just couldn't move.

'Scary'.

"Got the scroll?" Kiba asked Shino.

"Yes, we should now head for the tower."

As they turned to go they were interrupted by a soft voice.

"Um...Kiba-kun, w...were are w...we?"

Kiba and Shino turned just in time to see her collapse.

As Team 8 began their attack Naruto was thinking over the Sasuke issue. Today Orochimaru would attack them and place the cursed seal on Sasuke. Naruto knew this and it wasn't what he was having problems with. Nor was it whether or not he actually could stop Orochimaru, he knew he was nowhere near that strength. No, Naruto's problem was that he was unsure if he should try andstop Orochimaru.

He needed to make a decision soon though, and the blasted fox wasn't helping, something about it being his decision alone. Needing a solution Naruto decided to list the things that would be better if Sasuke didn't get the cursed seal. However, despite thinking about it for several hours he could only come up with one benefit of him avoiding the seal. Sakura would be happier. That was it. Sakura would be happier if Sasuke didn't leave, and even that wasn't guaranteed. Naruto had no doubts that Sasuke would leave anyway once he believed he was not gaining power quick enough. What sense was there in delaying his inevitable betrayal?

The positives of Sasuke leaving scared Naruto. If Sasuke didn't leave Naruto and the others wouldn't go after him. Shikamaru wouldn't get that vital first command experience, Chouji, Neji and Kiba wouldn't push beyond their limits. If he didn't leave, Sakura would have no reason to get stronger. She would never apprentice under Tsunade and she would probably remain a genin for a very long time. It wasn't like Orochimaru would be getting the sharingan eyes anyway. Sasuke had killed him shortly before he himself died. Has much as it hurt Naruto to admit it, Konoha was better off without Sasuke.

And so was he. Without being able to constantly compare himself to Sasuke, the future Naruto had only had his sensei, Jiraiya, to compare himself to. And his desire to reach his teachers level and ultimately resulted in him becoming much stronger than if he had been trying to keep up with Sasuke. He doubted he would have learned how to tap into Kyuubi's power without Sasuke leaving.

He had to conclude, that Sasuke was more of a hindrance to Naruto and his friends than a benefit.

Decision made Naruto checked the position of the sun.

'Almost time'.

His plan was remarkably simple. He would be knocked away by Orochimaru's attack, and unlike in his memories, he would not come back after defeating the snake. He would simply observe his team until he was required. Simple, nothing could go wrong.

Sasuke was on edge. The quiet made him nervous. Granted he wasn't a talkative one but there were some things in the world he felt you could count on, Naruto being noisy and annoying was one of them. This silent Naruto made him feel like something was wrong.

He was so hung up on thoughts over Naruto that he only noticed the highly destructive wave of air tearing through the ground at the last second, and was only able to grab Sakura and pull her to safety. When the wind died down he saw a huge trench in the ground, but no Naruto.

Team 8 had reached the tower, scrolls in hand, several hours ago. Hinata remained unconscious, which had the other two members worried. They had found her a bed, and were keeping watch, but so far there had been no change.

Hinata woke. The ground was hard under her, rocky, but oddly she didn't ache as she expected. Sleeping on such a hard surface should have left her sore. Opening her eyes she gasped, she was in the middle of a small rocky island. It was not, as she expected, surrounded by water. To her it looked like the dark purple sky went under her island as well. A floating island? Impossible. Where was she?

"Welcome...to the islands of your mind."

Hinata's head snapped around, the speaker was behind her.

"W...who are y...you?"

The speakers body faded out, Hinata could no longer see the ghostly body, but she could still sense its presence.

"Me?"

Behind her again! She spun quickly but only managed to catch several fading gray wisps.

"Why...I'm you."

Hinata spun around once more, and locked eyes with the speaker, white eyes, her eyes.

Naruto picked himself up and groaned. The blast had hurt more than he expected, but hey, at least he was separated from his team. He'd have to make his way back carefully, he didn't want them to notice him. He dusted himself off, something was tickling the back of his mind, something he really should remember, something about a really...big...SNAKE.

His last second insight allowed him to dodge becoming snake food by a matter of inches. Instead of being eaten, he saw the snakes head make splinters out of the branch he had been standing on, before it lifted it up and stared into Naruto's eyes. He briefly considered beating the snake as he remembered, but that would involve getting eaten and he really wasn't in the the mood. Besides, he had something he wanted to try out.

Forming a hand seal Naruto created five Kage Bunshin and had them surround the snake. While they distracted it with a variety of taijutsu moves Naruto used his chakra to anchor himself to a branch overhanging the snake.

'Hey fur ball, I need some of your chakra to do this!'

'Great, you have to show off even when there is no one around'.

But this is a very efficient move, and besides I need the practice', Naruto said smugly, proud he had come up with a counter argument.

'Gah, just this once then but you had better be able to do this on your own soon'.

'Yeah yeah, thanks foxy', he dissmissed the demons complaints.

Naruto started to gather swirling chakra in his right hand. The wisdom of trying attacks he'd only done in his memories and not in real life was lost on Naruto, but still, at least he actually knew how to do the attack. With the ball red chakra formed Naruto grinned, before gathering chakra to his legs a pushing off the branch and charging towards the snake below.

"Hey slimy! Take this! Rasengan!"

He caught the snake just as it looked up. The rasengan smashing into its nose, drilling a perfect circle into its face, before Naruto released the energy allowing it to exploded outwards, shredding the snakes flesh in a display of flying skin and bone. Naruto was sent spinning into a tree trunk, the bark cracking and splitting from the impact, before he collapsed to the ground, out cold. The snake, minus its lower jaw and much of the top, collapsed to the ground in a cloud of dust and blood before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

"Y...you are m...me?"

"Yes, or rather, who you will be. I am your future self, whose memories you received."

"Your, the pr...presence who, who spoke to me ear...earlier?" Hinata guessed.

"Quite right Hinata-chan!" was the perky response.

The person in front of Hinata only bore a passing resemblance to her. The white eyes marked her as a Hyuuga, and her hair colour was the same, but everything else was different. Her hair was short at the back and swept forward over her right eye. In place of Hinata's jacket she wore a Jounin flak jacket under which she wore a black fishnet shirt. Black, standard issue ninja trousers completed the outfit. She stood with her shoulder facing Hinata, a cocky grin on her face. She was, in every way possible, Hinata's antithesis.

"Through a series of events I'm sure you remember you changed from you into me and I, somehow ended up in you. I don't know if this is how the technique Kyuubi used is supposed to work like this and frankly I don't care, all that matters is that I am here now and I'm much more capable of doing what has to be done than you."

Future Hinata advanced as she spoke and ended up leaning towards Hinata, their faces inches apart.

"You lack both the confidence and the ability to change the way things will happen, so I, much like I did in the Forest of Death, will be taking control of this body, while you can stay here, out of the way, okay."

She spoke in a deceptively sweet voice, as if pretending she was actually giving Hinata a choice. Before turning and walking away.

"Perhaps I'll let you out sometime, or perhaps you'll be able to take control like I have, but the only way you'll do so is to...well that would be telling. See ya!"

"W...wait p...please."

'I'm sorry Hinata-chan, please, forgive me, but you cant end up like me, I wont let you.'

Future Hinata faded away, leaving Hinata alone on the floating island.

FatefulGravy's Jutsu Dictionary

This section will give an explanation of a Jutsu when it is used for the first time. Just in case its one you haven't seen before.

Tsuuga (Taijutsu)

A technique used following the Juujin Bunshin (Beast Human Clone). The ninja spins violently at the opponent scratching and clawing as they go. Used by the ninja themselves and not in a team attack with their dog (Gatsuuga).

Used by: Inuzuka Kiba and other members of the Inuzuka clan.

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Ninjutsu, Forbidden)

Listed in Scroll of Seals. Creates clones similar to Bunshin no Jutsu, however these clones have a physical presence and can deal damage, however each clone can be dispelled by a single solid hit. The strength of the user is divided equally among the clones, making it hard to distinguish the original. Jounin level technique.

Used by: Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, and other high level ninjas.

Rasengan (Ninjutsu)

Chakra is continuously released from the palm of the ninjas hand into the form of a constantly spinning ball. The rasengan is a controlled ball of powerful chakra spinning in every direction, which can cause extreme internal damage to its target. Takes a great deal of control to use. Naruto can use Kyuubi's chakra to create the rasengan, resulting in a much more explosive jutsu.

Used by: Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya, Yondaime Hokage.

A/N Revised (2/10/06)