Disclaimer: not mine

Warnings: male/male pairing, unbeta-ed version

Naruto: 17

Itachi: 13

Sasuke: 7

Minato: 25

Kakashi: 18

Chapter 8

The sharp knock on the door had Naruto watching it warily. The time of his interrogation had come and he didn't know what he should tell them. If he didn't have to look out for Sasuke, too, he would have simply vanished through the window.

Wincing as Sasuke's movement on his chest pulled a muscle that didn't even want to exist right now; he had to admit, grudgingly, that there might have been a second reason why he hadn't fled yet. Despite what adrenaline and chakra had enabled him to do yesterday, his body would still need weeks if not months to get back into form.

The first person to enter was Itachi, his long black hair tied back in the neck, two shorter bangs framing his face. He looked just as calm and composed as the older version that had hunted Naruto for the Akatsuki.

But it was the second person that turned the blood in his veins to ice. He knew that strong face and golden, spiky hair, recognized the white cloak with the flame design ringing the bottom from Kakashi's tales and the almond shaped eyes were an exact copy of his own. Or rather, his were an exact copy of the man's.

"Naruto-kun, this is Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure. Hokage-sama, this is Naruto." Itachi introduced.

Looking at the man that had seen fit to destroy Naruto's every chance at happiness by sealing the Kyuubi in his own son, Naruto felt an ice-cold rage well up in him that was like nothing he had ever felt before. Only Sasuke's presence kept Naruto from allowing his emotions free reign and tearing the man limb from limb.

Itachi hadn't missed the cold look that entered the blond teen's eyes when he caught sight of the Yondaime. It was a curious reaction, especially for someone who had never met the man before. People usually tended to be very open and amicable around the Hokage, yet Naruto was brimming with outright hostility.

If the teen's hands hadn't been just as gentle in their caresses as they were, Itachi would have snatched his brother out of Naruto's lap in the blink of an eye. Now he thought that Sasuke's presence during the questioning was actually an advantage. He had a feeling Naruto wouldn't lie in Sasuke's presence.

Keeping his face carefully blank of his thoughts and emotions, he stood back, clearly signalling that it was the Hokage's playfield.

Minato had noticed the teen's hidden hostility as well and was just as clueless regarding its origins as the young ANBU captain currently resting against the wall in his back.

"I'll be frank with you, Naruto-kun. There has been an act of treason to Konoha committed by one of its most prestigious and powerful clans. We know everything that went on here in the village, but we can only guess at what happened in that cave where young Sasuke was held prisoner by his own relatives.

We do know that Orochimaru and his followers were trying to summon a being of power. I have studied the scroll that described the procedure and requirements that had to be used for the summoning very carefully and I can find no fault in them.

Orochimaru and his henchmen followed those instructions to a t, which raises the question why it apparently failed, since it was you that was summoned and not the actual target, the demon Kyuubi." Minato kept his voice matter-of-fact, never once lifting his eyes from the eerily alike pair in front of him.

The boy didn't break the gaze or gave any other sign of discomfort.

"I'm sure you're still tired, so I will get straight to the point, Naruto-kun. Who are you, why did the seal summon you and what is your relation to Orochimaru, Kyuubi and Konoha?" there was steel in his voice now, a sound that stroke fear in the heart of Konoha's allies and enemies alike.

The blond teen took a deep breath, tightening his hold on Sasuke a little and closed his eyes. When he answered, his voice was flat and lifeless like he was merely retelling what happened to someone else: "I don't know why that snake-bastard summoned me or how. I was visiting a friend's grave when I noticed the smell of blood in the air. Not a second later there was a flash of crimson light and the next thing I knew I was in a cave, next to a bleeding, bound child and surrounded by creepy, chanting people.

The seal summoned me, because as far as I know the Kyuubi and any other demon for that case, is a creature of pure chakra. He is a unique existence, there never has been nor ever be a second one like him. A demon's chakra signature is as unique as any shinobi's. I guess the summoning was actually targeting Kyuubi's chakra signature and not the demon's soul.

And therein lays the reason for the mistaken summon. The Kyuubi was sealed into me when I was a newborn. The seal was so designed that it slowly killed the demon in the span of 16 years by stripping it of its chakra, which then blended with mine.

The process ended approximately six months ago with the demon's death."

Minato could only stare at the teen that so stonily spoke about demons and their death. His heart screamed at him that Naruto was telling the truth, but he forced any and all sympathy down. He was the Hokage of Konohagakure and it was his duty to his people to ensure that the boy sitting so serenely on the hospital bed wasn't a threat to their safety.

"That's quite a tale there, Naruto-kun. I hope you'll understand that I will have to verify it. But that can wait for later, you still didn't answer my other questions."

The blond teen's eyes shot open at that comment, the anger shining in them froze Minato to the bones.

"I don't have any relation to Orochimaru other than hatred and since I was the one to kill him I don't think it matters.

I don't have any relations to your village, Yondaime." the teen replied curtly.

At this point Itachi deemed it right to take part in the interrogation. His voice rang clear through the room. "That is an interesting way to phrase it, Naruto-kun. Your accent marks you as a person that has spent most of his life in Konohagakure, yet you insist that you are not part of the Yondaime's village. I know you are not lying, but you are not telling the whole truth, either."

After watching the impact Itachi's words had on the blond teen, Minato gestured for the Uchiha to continue. For whatever reason, the young clan head had more of an effect on Naruto than he had.

Itachi obeyed the Hokage's silent command and walked over to the bed, ignoring his little brother's wide, pleading eyes and focused his charcoal grey eyes on Naruto.

"You were able to kill not only over a dozen high ranked shinobi that had the advantage of the Sharingan but also one of the legendary Sannin despite the weakened state you are in. You speak with an accent that only exists here in Konoha, you clearly recognized the Yondaime and you are overprotective of Sasuke, a child you have met yesterday for the first time.

Do you want to know what I think, Naruto-kun?" Itachi's voice became gentle and low.

Minato watched the display in open fascination. He had never seen Itachi act or speak like that to anyone other than his little brother. It was oddly intimate.

"You said you were visiting the grave of a friend. Is that friend the reason why you starved yourself to near death? The medics told me your body shows signs of a long time immobility as well as intravenous feeding.

I am sure the demon left more than just his chakra behind. Perhaps a heightened sense of smell? Sasuke told me that you were smelling and touching him when saw him the first time to make sure he was real. You are very protective and affectionate towards him. Tell me, Naruto-kun, is the friend whose death nearly killed you perhaps Sasuke?"

Sasuke gasped and glared up at his brother, he didn't understand why he was so mean to the blond, though he was really curious what they were talking about. When his brother reached a hand out to gently wipe a tear from Naruto's whisker marked cheek, Sasuke was appeased.

"As I see it there are only two possibilities, Naruto-kun. Either you are from the future, which I personally don't believe since we were unable to find any signs of your existence here and you have to have been very close to Sasuke to grieve so for his death, a closeness that usually only develops between either lovers or childhood friends and in both cases you would have to be around my brother's age.

Or you are from a different Konoha in a different time. Am I right, Naruto-kun?"

TBC

AN: I couldn't sleep so I thought I might as well be productive...tell me what you think about it, please.