Fate's Garden

Part 1 - Anomalistic

Chapter 5 - They come in flavors?!

They were such good little orphans. Each of them developing coping mechanisms at around the same age that both could see straight through. Sasuke stared after Naruto as he hurried past him to the shower he probably had no clue as to the location of. That was his fake smile. He'd been using it since he blew chunks. Sasuke grudgingly wandered up the stairs, listening as the dobe opened up several different doors. A second later Sasuke heard him exclaim 'Aha! I win!' and then the sound of a door closing. Sasuke wasn't so much bothered by the fact that Naruto was using such a mask as he was confused as to what had caused it. He hadn't been outright mean to him. Not seriously anyways. Dobe knew he was just teasing for teasing's sake. That's how they were. Maybe it's because he remembered you killed him? Sasuke thought. He sighed. He picked up the thought and threw it back into the far recesses of his subconscious for further ignoring. This was starting to get frustrating. Whereas yesterday those random reminders had him tensing up and feeling as though a shard of ice had been rammed through his chest, now he could just push them aside.

Sasuke paused outside of the bedroom door and glanced over his shoulder. The fox was staring at him. He lay next to the bathroom door across the hallway, merely staring at him. Sasuke couldn't even summon up a glare to send back at him. That gaze was holding him steady, moving his hand onto the doorknob and pushing the door open. His head turned to face forward, and he stepped through the doorway, the house disappearing behind him. He was standing in the middle of a garden that seemed familiar to him, yet he couldn't remember ever being there before. There was a short, fat, balding man sitting on a small island in a pond. He seemed content, with his clay in each hand. Both hands were working independently, quickly and expertly forming new figurines. When they were finished he would tie a bit of red string around their ankles, linking them together, before setting them on the ground at his feet.

Suddenly a tall man with excellent posture strode swiftly into the garden. He came through the entry way to the left of Sasuke. A path led out of the garden to…elsewhere. Sasuke had no idea where this garden was, or where its paths might lead to. The visitor approached the man with the clay and knelt before him. Neither spoke for a stretch of time. The new man had ragged orange hair, and fox ears where human ears should have been. His face was long and narrow and young, eyes thin and gleaming and red. Though he wore thick robes that concealed most of his body's shape, it was obvious he was slender by the thinness of his wrists. Tails poked through the back of his robes, nine of them, all just as orange as his ears, long and flowing. Each of them was twitching, twisting and twining in separate directions of each other. Finally, the fox man spoke.

"I see you have tied my childe to a mortal, father." The fox gestured to a pair of figurines currently sitting on a stepping stone in the pond.

"It was to happen." The man nodded, his hands never ceasing in their movement.

"But you could have prevented it, father."

"I warned you when he was birthed, he would be tied for three lifetimes to a mortal, and that mortal would follow him."

"But the realms are disrupted." The fox insisted.

"They are." 'Father' nodded again.

"Two more realms are to be put out of place before he may come into his heritage and join us in the garden. By then he could be so very well attached to this mortal he may no longer see the truth!"

Fox was so distressed by the conversation that he had stood up from his respectful bow. He now stood over the shorter man, hands clenched into fists. 'Father' smiled serenely at the fox and set down two newly finished and tied figurines. He gathered up his clay bag, which was now empty. Confidently he took the fox man by the arm and guided him over the short red bridge linking island to shore.

"You were just such a childe once, my son. Be understanding of your own offspring as I was of you." The short man intoned warmly.

"But it is so difficult to watch and not aid him. Of the nine kits in my litter he was the only one to survive…father, I just want him home again." Fox sighed tearfully.

"I understand, my son." The man nodded his head twice, balding head bobbing. Aged silver hair lay over his shoulders and thinly on his fat cheeks. "Now how bout you come to the forge with me and gather some more clay. Perhaps even, we may have some tea."

"Yes father." Fox's ears flattened against his cheeks to show his clinging anxiety.

As they started to leave the garden through the left gate, Sasuke could just barely hear their conversation.

"Tell me now, my son, have you heard much of your sister Shukaku? I have not seen her lately…"

Sasuke gasped as he was suddenly once again in the bedroom he shared with Naruto. He spun around to look at the fox that had just discreetly turned his gaze to the floor. He winked once before closing his eyes and letting out a contented sigh. Then, with no warning whatsoever the bedroom door swung shut with a loud bang. Sasuke jumped and scuttled backwards across the room to his bed, eyes never once leaving the door. He hadn't touched it. It had just…he gulped. Shaking his head Sasuke lay on the bed and rolled onto his side, facing the wall. He waited for Naruto to finish with his shower so that he could go take one. He would ignore the door, and that damn fox. Sasuke found that he did not, however, want to ignore that vision he'd had, if that's what it was. He didn't know what had happened really. But he remembered all of it, how the strange fox man had moved, and how assured the older, smaller man had been. He also remembered that the figurines the fox man had gestured to, when referring to his son, had been Sasuke and Naruto.

Naruto slipped and fell down in the shower, a painful smack sounded through the bathroom. He cried out in pain at his now sore bottom, and hands as they had reached out to help catch his fall. They weren't cut but were bright red. That was the loudest he'd ever heard a door slam. What was up with Sasuke to make him throw a hissy fit? Either way he stood up and reached for the handle on the wall of the shower. As soon as the water shut off Naruto carefully stepped out of the shower/bath combo and grabbed a towel to dry off with. During his shower, however brief it had been, Naruto had calmed himself down on the Sasuke front. He was finding himself doing the one thing that had kept him from going crazy during those two years of training with Jiraiya. He was purposefully ignoring the reality of the situation. Sasuke was Sasuke was Sasuke. It was the way of the world that he be an ass, and so Naruto should take it with a grain of salt that he was still, in fact, an ass. It didn't matter just how nice it had been to curl up with a Sasuke that cared about Naruto's well-being. It didn't matter that the Sasuke who'd cared had nearly pushed him off the bed in an effort to be closer to him. All of that was well and good, but his was his Sasuke, and he knew him inside and out. He was Naruto's. That's what mattered.

He wrapped the damp towel securely around his waist and scooped up his dirty clothes in his arms. Then he opened the bathroom door and walked across the hall to their bedroom. Inside Sasuke was curled up in the fetal position on his own bed facing the wall. Something catastrophically horrifying must have happened. Naruto dropped his clothes in a heap and hurried over to the bed. If Sasuke was just being normal he would be lying on his back staring at the ceiling in that endearingly robotic fashion Naruto was accustomed to. This was a regression to the age of four, Naruto was sure. He rested one hand tentatively on Sasuke's shoulder.

"What happened?" Naruto asked. You had to be blunt and specific or else he would find a way to evade and deny any interrogating you tried. If Naruto asked 'Are you okay?' Sasuke would say 'Hn' and walk away. If Naruto asked, 'What's wrong?' Sasuke would say 'nothing, dobe' and walk away. Keywords being 'walk away'.

"Nothing."

Well, that wasn't 'hn'.

"Why are you chomping on your bottom lip like it's some of Shika's deer jerky then?"

"I'm not." Sasuke twisted his head around to glare at Naruto. He was still chewing on the inside of his bottom lip.

Naruto quickly took Sasuke's bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger and pulled it out from between his teeth. "Really?"

Sasuke slammed his fist into Naruto's jaw, sending him reeling backwards and causing him to let go of him. He then stood up and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Naruto rolled his eyes as the knot finally loosened on his towel. It slid off his hips and to the floor in a crumpled wad. He plucked it off of the floor and chucked it over to the dirty clothes pile next to the door. As he picked out an outfit and arranged his kunai Naruto watched the clock. It was almost noon. Damn Sasuke and his girly showers. He could risk life and limb to yank Sasuke out of the shower and pull him across the hall into their room. OR, he could wait here and possibly end up being later than Kakashi-sensei to their meeting. They might even fail their test by showing up late. Kakashi was a real bastard. Even if he was the closest thing to a father that Naruto ever had, well…him and Iruka-sensei. But still, they were teachers! They shouldn't have been his parents! He groaned. The bedroom door opened and in walked a rather prissy looking Sasuke. His hand was clamped firmly around the knot of his towel.

As Sasuke got dressed Naruto stared at the clock. They really needed to start heading out. He got up and started packing up Sasuke's kunai pouches for him, knowing what sorts of arrangements he usually kept them in. By the time Sasuke had secured his sandals Naruto was holding out his weapon packs to him. Sasuke glared at him but took them regardless. Once they were out the door with Kyuubi lazily loping along after them Naruto bothered to touch his now tender jaw. It felt a little puffy but not as bad as when Sakura occasionally punched him. Oh well, he thought. They sped over roofs upon roofs heading for the meeting place where sure enough Sakura was already there. She glared at them.

"Figures that the two losers would show up late, you know that Kakashi-sensei told us to be here about two hours ago, right?" Sakura scoffed before they had a chance to answer, turning her eyes onto the wood of the bridge.

"Well is he here yet?"

"No, but-"

"We weren't gonna stand here for two hours like you did when we knew he'd be later than us."

To that Sakura merely huffed and Naruto grinned at having caught her. Sasuke wasn't openly staring at Sakura but for him, he might as well have been. He kept glancing at her when she wasn't looking, his eyes a little wider than normal. Naruto translated this into normal people speak, Is she mentally ill? How hard did she hit her head? Why isn't she trying to flirt with me? He laughed to himself while Sakura hated them from afar. Sure enough, Kakashi arrived a mere ten minutes after Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura looked between the two boys and their sensei and growled to herself. No doubt she was angry for not having thought of adding two hours to the requested meeting time herself.

"Kakashi-sensei where were you? You told us to get here at ten!" Sakura demanded. Sasuke and Naruto merely shared a languid look and pushed themselves off of the railing they were leaning against.

"Well, on my way here I witnessed some young delinquent like yourself steal an old woman's purse. So I tracked him down and got it back for her. The whole chase combined with the processing of that hooligan downtown made me quite late."

Sakura was twitching like she wanted to pummel her sensei. Sasuke and Naruto, who'd known their sensei already for so many years thought nothing of it and merely shrugged. They wanted to get this test over and done with so they could go home. There was an unspoken agreement between them, both of them would work together to get the two bells and give one to each other. Then when Sakura was tied to the pole and hungry, they would both give her bits of their lunch, no matter how bitchy she was. Kakashi-sensei would be happy, Sakura-bitch would shut up, and they could go home. It was as simple as that.

Naruto glanced towards Kyuubi who was sluggishly following them towards the training grounds. He seemed so exhausted. Easily opening the link between them, Naruto mentally prodded him.

What has you so exhausted?

Nothing that you need to know.

No amount of pestering will make you tell me…?

Try and 'pester me' and I will tell the dark furred kit all of your thoughts on him from this morning. Don't test me. You know I'll do it.

Naruto seethed for several minutes about that. Through their link the pesky fox had laid on thick the truth behind his words. He would in fact 'do it'. Of, that Naruto had no doubts. The last thing he wanted at the moment was for Sasuke to find out just how angst ridden he'd been. So for the moment he left the fox alone. There was no way he was risking his tenuous peace with Sasuke over something he probably didn't want to know. Once they'd reached the training grounds Kakashi began to explain the test. As he revealed the truth as to why he'd ordered them to not eat breakfast Sakura was outraged. She shrieked about injustices and unfairness until she'd practically gone hoarse. Then, of course, Kakashi was forced to inform her that he couldn't care less about her whining and so she should, therefore, halt such ministrations. Sakura went immediately quiet and chose to quietly simmer over her blunt dismissal. Sasuke snorted at her actions but didn't move to verbally slap her yet. Naruto laughed inwardly, eager and yet afraid about the upcoming encounter. He could feel it coming. Sasuke was just waiting for the right opportunity. As a feline stalking its prey in the tall grass he was biding his time, allowing the perfect opportunity for the final blow.

Kakashi pulled out his infamous orange book and began reading. As he turned a page he told them to come at him intending to kill. Sasuke and Naruto shared a look before speeding off for the trees. Together they created a suitable henge that Kakashi's transplanted (not rightfully inherited) sharingan would have at least a little trouble seeing through. They had but precious seconds to discuss a plan of attack. So they couldn't exactly attack full on, or else Kakashi would stop them and then wonder where they'd learned such advanced techniques. He would then inform their 'father' of the circumstances. Their 'father' would then instigate further interrogation. Being the hokage's sons made them perfect targets for kidnapping and installing imposters to replace them. Of course, once they'd figured out they weren't spies, (they were who they resembled) an entirely different conversation would take place. Neither scenario was one Sasuke or Naruto looked forward to. They had to find a way to be clever, to get those bells without using all of their foreknowledge and strength.

Eventually they were forced to ask Kyuubi for help. The fox, who'd been lethargically lounging on the forest floor gave them a look suggesting they were dealing him a great imposition. Technically they were but who cared. Having no want, nor inclination for his 'kit to be found out', Kyuubi whipped up a far more superlative henge than Sasuke and Naruto's combined efforts initially produced. While Kakashi's sharingan was the real deal, it was gimped by not being actually his. Also, while the blood-limit technique allowed the user to see through all such henges and other such illusions, it was no match for a tailed-demon's power. Now, as they bided their time they whipped up a plan with Kyuubi. They could go all out against Kakashi, and the fox would create an elaborate illusion. This illusion would cause Kakashi (and Sakura) to believe they'd merely been miraculously outsmarted by chance. Sasuke and Naruto's effortless victory would be masqueraded as dumb luck. Quite helpful, but as Kyuubi reminded them, they could not merely rely on the fox's generous attitude forever. They would eventually have to find a way to illustrate their superfluous strengths and knowledge through excessive studying and a broadening of their horizons. Perhaps a few extra afternoons in the library and in the training grounds might be necessary.

While Naruto chose to go with the few moves that earned him the nickname 'one trick pony' Sasuke fell back on some favorites picked up from Orochimaru. Together they managed to pick up the bells in less than ten minutes. True to form Kakashi and Sakura were none the wiser. Kyuubi trotted along next to them giving them a less than impressed look. It wasn't their fault that they had to act like this. They'd been thrown into a whole other universe about four years in the past! Either way the fox still remained in that grouchily fatigued mood for the rest of the day. When the time came around for Sasuke and Naruto to share their food with Sakura, their willingness to do so was sorely tested.

"I can't believe you two losers managed to get those bells! It only figures you barely got them, and through blind luck at that!"

Sakura was strapped to the wooden pole, writhing quite voraciously against the bindings. All the while she was consistently insulting them. Naruto noticed out of the corner of his eye that the grip on Sasuke's chopsticks was tightening. The avenger raised a single bite of rice to his lips and forced it into his mouth stiffly, gaze riveted to Sakura's indignant face. The air was stiff and Naruto elbowed Sasuke in the side meaningfully. It would be time to give Sakura some food. Bitch or not, she was a teammate, and Kakashi expected them to do the right thing and feed her. But Sasuke interpreted the cue wrong. Or, perhaps he understood what he should do and instead did what he wanted to do.

"What are you staring at?!" Sakura screeched.

Sasuke paused, allowing his eyes to drift down from the top of her head to her eyes, and then he smirked. Naruto's breath hitched. This was what it must feel like to have a heart attack, or watch an impending natural disaster approach you at terrifying speeds. The cat flexed, raised its haunches, preparing to pounce. The worst part was, the prey it was hunting was completely oblivious to its imminent peril. Sasuke opened his mouth and began to speak. As the words started to roll out of his mouth as smoothly as poisoned caramel, Naruto realized it might have been merciful to beat her instead.

"Well, I was staring at your immense forehead. But then you started squawking again so now I'm staring at your face." Sakura gaped at him, her eyes bulging in her eye sockets. But Sasuke wasn't finished yet.

"Tell me, have any of the young mothers' clinics in Konoha requested to use your forehead as ad space for condoms? I figure the deal might be beneficial to you, and come to think of it," Naruto could see the tears starting to well in Sakura's eyes. A part of him that remembered his Sakura was begging him to punch Sasuke in the face. But he wasn't fast enough. "…it would probably help the clinics too; they could finally stop running tests on you for all of the sexually transmitted diseases under the sun. I'm sure they must be expensive."

Just like that, as if he mercilessly shredded people's self esteems every day, Sasuke resumed eating his lunch. But, with a minute difference only Naruto would notice. His entire body posture was less tense, and his eyes were practically alive with well contained mirth. Naruto wanted to glare, he really did. He wanted to yell at Sasuke and tell him he was a right bastard, and a snarky one at that. But, Sakura's relentless keening had ceased and while she was crying, Naruto found it to be a rather pleasant change. He was horrible. He stood up, carrying his bento box with him towards Sakura. Turning back to give Sasuke a pointed look Naruto paused in total confusion. Sasuke was sitting up ramrod straight on his designated log. There was a look in his eye that neither suggested, nor politely requested that Naruto retreated from his current course of action. That look said 'Stop now' and left no room for argument. He resembled an unsettled animal, its hackles raised, fur on end, and eyes flashing angrily. Naruto could just imagine the warning growl rising like steam up Sasuke's throat, and then erupting in flames out his mouth like an enraged dragon. Naturally all of this appeared to Naruto with one look. If it had been anyone else they might have seen a rather pretentious boy staring fixedly at them, as if they had mud on them.

But, as dominating as Sasuke liked to think himself, Naruto had never been one to bow down and accept. He strode confidently towards Sakura and raised a bite of rise up to her mouth. Without looking at him she took the offered morsel. She nearly choked trying to swallow as the hiccups her quiet tears had caused made eating difficult. Naruto fed her the rest of his lunch since he wasn't really that hungry. Then Naruto turned back to Sasuke. Oh, Naruto would be in trouble when they got home. He could see it coming a mile away. Yet still he leaned over and smartly plucked a single dango stick out of the box, he gave Sasuke a pointed stare. Play along, little avenger. When we get home you can be a bitch again, but for now you have to play nice with the other kids. Sasuke always was a quick study. You give him a set of instructions once, he could repeat them to you an hour after he'd followed them, word for word.

Sasuke set his box aside and snatched the desert out of Naruto's hand. Stiffly, resignedly, he walked towards Sakura who was suddenly very still. He held up the dango stick by her mouth and she grudgingly took a bite, and then another until she'd polished off the whole thing. Sasuke returned to his seat. Kakashi entered the clearing from the bushes where he'd been 'hiding'. He was watching Naruto and Sasuke with suspicion alight in the one eye he allowed them to see. But for the moment he couldn't really bring himself to care about the drama instigated by the raven haired Namikaze. He related a speech about people who forsake their teammates and their equivalence to mere garbage. Naruto knew those words well and felt himself recoil at his earlier thoughts. This was another reason why he had refused to give up on Sasuke for so long. If Kakashi was the closest thing to a father he'd ever had, no matter how neglectful he'd been, Naruto couldn't stand to disappoint him. If he gave up on Sasuke, he would be garbage in Kakashi's eyes. That was something he just couldn't take.

It might also be your rather blind affection for the kit.

Naruto's head snapped to the side, gaze intent on Kyuubi who now was watching him in amusement. There were times where he resented the fox's ability to gather various information from his mind at will. Naruto detested it so because of moments like this. There was also the added stress that now he wasn't the only one who heard Kyuubi's assorted perverted opinions and thoughts. Now there was the horrid possibility that the crotchety old demon would tell Sasuke whatever he found in Naruto's mind.

I do not hold 'blind affection' for Sasuke. Get out of my head.

So you are fully aware of the depths your adoration plummets to? It is rather impressive, you know.

Shut up you old pervert! I hate you; you ruined my life in another world. And you know nothing about any feelings I may hold (which are completely friendly and brotherly!) towards that teme.

Right. It's not like I can sift through your subconscious and your memories or anything.

Naruto could feel the fox roll his blood red eyes at him. Kyuubi sent him strong feelings of exasperation and amusement through their link. Imagining putting a stopper in a jar, Naruto cut off the link to the best of his ability and focused on Kakashi's words. They would meet at these training grounds tomorrow morning at ten. Sakura had mostly recovered from her verbal lashing and the only sign of her tears was the slight pinkness around her eyes; though that could easily be attributed to her pink eyelashes. That must be handy, Naruto thought. He could see her doing the addition in her head. If he told them to show up at ten she should show up at noon. She nodded absently to herself and hurried off of the training grounds. Meanwhile Sasuke left the grounds at a brisk walk. To anyone that knew him well enough (like Naruto), he might as well be stomping his feet and howling to the sky in absolute rage. This was Sasuke's equivalent of a hissy fit, and Naruto lived with him. He sighed and grudgingly followed him back to the house.

Once they were inside Sasuke whirled around, fists clenched at his sides. Naruto rolled his eyes and prepared himself for the inevitable.

"Our Sakura is pretty terrible, but she was at least tolerable to a certain extent. She never shrieked like that!" Sasuke exploded.

Naruto could barely get out a nod before duck-butt carried on, "Where does she get off calling us losers and going on and on like she's the center of the universe?! How on earth did this world's versions of us put up with it?"

Knowing that moving, or looking at anything other than Sasuke was not an option at this point he waited. Naruto stood there and listened as Sasuke vented out all the aggravation he'd contained. That quick jab at Sakura's potential viral infestations and forehead size was only a tiny leak of the steam welling up inside him. By the time he was done Naruto had no problem herding him upstairs to their bedroom for a post-tantrum nap. A few close years of handling a broody Sasuke had trained Naruto to deal with many of these sorts of situations. Without actually touching him for giving any direct instructions, Naruto managed to get Sasuke into bed, facing the wall and ready for an afternoon nap. It was times like these where Naruto wondered if any of his problems with Sasuke really mattered. He knew for a fact that there was nobody else out there who could handle Sasuke as well as he could. Despite all their troubles, when it came down to it, if Naruto up and disappeared, Sasuke probably wouldn't know what to do. Without that one constant, he'd be overwhelmingly confused to the point of being pitiful. He wouldn't even realize how sorry of a state he would be in either.

Naruto withheld the sigh that was weighing him down, refusing to let it out. He peeled off his jacket and weapon pouches. Then, with one last look towards Sasuke's bed which he found himself wanting to climb into, he settled down onto his bed. He snuggled into the blankets, face nuzzling the pillow. Just before he'd fallen asleep he was roughly shoved across his twin bed and against the wall. A dip in the mattress indicated that Sasuke had joined him and now lay on the edge, away from him, yet so close. As they fell asleep they would sprawl out, limbs entangling with one another, but neither caring for their sleep was so consuming.

TBC…