1"Read" zanpakuto talking

'Read' zanpakuto thinking/talking in the real world

"Review" normal talking

'Review' normal thinking and flashback

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Bleach but I due own this stories ideas.

A Different Life : Shinigami Naruto

Since I could remember I have always been different. Wait that's not quiet true. I should say that I never quiet fit in with my family.

My okaa-san, Yoshino, was a women that you don't often find. She looked to be in her late thirties early forties with a few winkles on her. Her hair was long, it went to her mid-back, it was black with a few streaks of grey, and it looked like silk strands. Her skin was pale but it didn't look sickly, in fact it made her look more like an angle than what was the soul of an ningen. She was normal height being about 5'5", and she was slender but not meek. She had a presence about her that exuded warmth and love but at the same time was cold and strict, if that were possible. But the best thing about her was her eyes. Her eyes were so black that they reminded me of the night sky on a cloudless, moonless moon, and like the sky it seemed as if they went on forever. All in all she was a beauty and I find it hard put to find anyone who comes anywhere close to her. And my otou-san, Momomaru.

My otou-san was nothing like my okaa-san. He was older than my okaa-san being in his mid forties, and had a few more wrinkles than okaa-san and was in his late forties. His hair was the color of wheat and had texture like straw. His skin was bronze from the many hours he worked out in the field working toward the harvest. He was taller than her too, being 5'9" and he was somewhat muscular from his time working out in the field. And his presence was different than her too. Where she was warm and loving he was simple and fun loving, and where she was cold and strict he was mean and scary. My otou-san didn't have eyes as enchanting as my okaa-san's were, his were merely brown. He was someone who could get lost in the crowd and you wouldn't even notice him. All in all they were exact opposites and both of them liked it that way.

As for me. I am only five years old in appearance(1). I have blond hair and sun kissed skin but not like my tou-san's. I don't really know my height, it has been such a long time since tou-san has measured me. But the thing that my parents say is my best physical quality is my eyes. They are blue and my parents say that they put the sky to shame and seem as endless as the sea. I look completely different than my parents because I was adopted. They told me a long time ago but said that even though they weren't my real parents didn't mean that they didn't love me like my real parents would.

Anyway back to the topic of me not fitting in with my parents. I had always felt it deep down, that I wasn't like them or anyone of the people that they knew. I didn't know why back then but you can't really blame me. I was young and naive and didn't know about the world outside of my own family.

The first time that I really thought consciously that I was different from my parents was my birthday. I was turning 55 in soul society years...

FLASHBACK

'What a great day' is the first thought to cross my mind as I awoke. 'The sun is just getting up, the birds are singing, and there isn't a cloud in the sky. What a better way to start off a birthday.' I got up and went about to do my morning ritual, which consisted of going to the bathroom, taking a bath, and getting dressed in a simple pair of cotton pants that were a beige color and a shirt that was white.

After getting ready for the day ahead I went downstairs. I could hear the sound of eggs firing before I got to the last step. It was a tradition in my family to be up and go down with the sun. The eggs were obtained from a neighbor in exchange for a portion of our rice. We traded with the neighbors at least once every two weeks, in fact it was like a farmers market in our section of Rukongai and everybody looked forward to it. When I had gotten into the kitchen it was to see my tou-san sitting down at the table waiting for the food to come, and to my kaa-san at the wood burning oven cooking.

That oven was a rare commodity in soul society. It wasn't found in many places in Rukongai and the only reason we had one was because a shinigami from the twelfth division had traded it to us in exchange for the rice we grew. He said that by getting it from us instead of the other sellers that bought the rice from us he paid less. He was nice and asked us for the rice trade instead of demand it like many of the other shinigami would have. Anyway we excepted and got the stove.

Now I never understood why we used it for cooking, it was helpful during the winter when it got cold, or why we ate at all since we never got hungry. My tou-san said that it was something they did when they were alive and that "old habits die hard, even in death". I would understand because I have been dead since I was a baby. But I had to admit that the food always tasted good.

Anyway I sat down in the seat to the side of tou-san and waited for kaa-san to finish cooking. It was a silent wait because we never talked at the table unless everyone was there. It was only a short wait for kaa-san to bring over the eggs and some rice for us to eat.

When the food was set down and kaa-san was sitting as well tou-san turned to kaa-san and asked "Do you know what today is Yoshino-chan?" Her reply was "No Momo-kun what day is it today?"

"Today is... Monday. I really love Mondays don't you?" he said with a serious face. " Why yes it is Monday isn't it. I do so love Mondays." she said trying so hard to keep the mirth out of her voice and facial expression. She was failing at it.

' They do this every year that they give a gift to me.' I thought. ' I know that they are trying to get me to be mad and believe that they really did forget my birthday and then spring a huge surprise on me. I'll play along for their sake' I decided.

I put on the best angry face I could and in a slightly angry tone said " Kaa-san, tou-san don't tell me that you forgot about your only son's birthday. How could you!!"...

FLASHBACK

Now you see my parents always did tell me that I could fake emotions a little to well. I didn't even try to and they almost always fell for it. And when I did try I scared myself with how good I was. Anyway back to the story

FLASHBACK

... they appeared to have bought it just like they did every other time before. "Oh is it really your birthday Naruto-kun, I completely forgot. What about you Yoshino-chan?" tou-san asked kaa-san in a voice that was supposed to be full of shock, it wasn't very good but he tried.

"Oh my I believe it is. Now how could I have forgotten my precious baby boy's birthday. I am a horrible kaa-san. Why I believe that I am so bad that Naru-kun should just get up and go outside." she said in a horribly fake sad voice. But none-the-less I got up and went outside like she oh so subtly, note the heave sarcasm in my voice, told me to.

When I got outside it was to a great surprise. There in the yard tied to the fence for kaa-san garden was a cute puppy. 'No they couldn't have. They wouldn't have. They actually got me the golden retriever that I wanted.'

I went up to the puppy tied to the fence post and squatted down. It looked at me with inquisitive eyes and when I held my hand in front of it it sniffed it. I heard footsteps behind me and turned my head to see my parents looking at me with eyes full of happiness.

"Is it really for me tou-san, kaa-san. Is it really my gift." I asked hoping that they would say that it was. "Yes Naruto-kun, the puppy is for you. But your going to have to take care of it and make sure it is always happy. That includes naming it." kaa-san told me. " And just so you know before you name it the puppy is a boy."

I stared at him a little more before tou-san asked "What are you going to name him Naruto?" I stared at him and then at the puppy. I then went into my "thinking pose" as my parents called it. Whenever I had to think of something I would put on my chin and tap them. I would always move my leg to if I was thinking really hard. It usually took me forever to think when I was like that but whatever I thought when doing my "thinking pose" would always be just what I needed.

It took me a whole ten minutes but I finally thought of a good name. "I'll name him Kenchi.(2)" I told them. "Kenchi dear. I think that is a wonderful name." Kaa-san told me. "I like it." was all tou-san said. "Your name is Kenchi now. Welcome to the family!!" I exclaimed looking at the puppy. He barked with what I thought was happiness at it.

After that we went back into the house to finish breakfast. Then tou-san went out into the field to work and kaa-san went about to do house hold chores. I went outside and took Kenchi from his spot on the fence and into the woods.

I always went into the woods and played by myself. My parents didn't mind as long as I didn't go to far and came back before sundown. Now with Kenchi I had someone to play with and it was even more enjoyable. I would chase Kenchi around or run when he chased me. I would watch when he went about chasing whatever it is he found interesting.

Before I knew it it was almost sun down. So I picked up Kenchi from where he was laying and went back home. I got there before the sun even started to set and tied him to the post he was tied to before. 'I better ask tou-san if we could build a house for Kenchi soon. It wouldn't do to leave him outside without one.' I thought as I entered the kitchen. Kaa-san was already cooking dinner, which consisted of more rice and some vegetables from her garden. I went and took my seat.

Not a few moments later and tou-san came in from the fields and sat down as well. Kaa-san was just finishing cooking when he came in. She severed the food and we all said a quiet "Itadakemasu(sp?)" ' I should ask if Kenchi could sleep in my room for a few days?' I decided halfway through dinner. So when we were all done eating I did just that. Tou-san looked at kaa-san and kaa-san said "Okay but only for a few days." I was excited but not excited enough to forget my other question.

I looked at tou-san again and asked " Is it okay if you build a house for Kenchi to sleep in?" He responded with " Of course I'll build a house for Kenchi. You didn't think we would let him sleep out there with no protection from the weather did you." I told him " No. I didn't think that at all I just wanted to make sure."

I then went outside to get Kenchi from the fence and brought him inside. When I got to the stairs a looked at my parents who were still in the kitchen and said "Naito kaa-san, naito tou-san."(3) I went upstairs to my room, got Kenchi into a comfortable position, waited for him to fall asleep before I joined him in dream land.

When I sleep I usually dream of things. But this night was different. This night I dreamed that I was in a black space. Or at least I think I was in a black space. For all I know I didn't even have my eyes open. When I tried to speak nothing. I couldn't even feel if I was laying on something of my body for at all. As for my hearing, it was like I didn't even have ears. And taste was the same as the other senses. The only reason that I knew that I was dreaming was because I could still think.

It was like I was in one of those dreams that you know your dreaming but can't do anything about the dream at all. It scared me in all honesty. All I could do was stay there and think. Luckily for me it didn't feel like I was dreaming that long before I woke up.

When I did wake up I felt tired. Like I had less energy than usual and I think I felt hungry. That's how I would describe it as anyway. Like there was this empty feeling in my stomach and like it was a hole.

Kaa-san told me thats how hunger felt like anyway when I asked her why her and tou-san eat when they were alive. She said that it was because living people needed energy from food that they got the empty hole feeling of 'hunger'. With this feeling and the weird dream I just had I had to think how 'I am different from kaa-san and tou-san.' I shook my head to clear away that thought. It wouldn't do to upset myself thinking like that.

After breakfast I felt normal again. Tou-san went into the fields but left early to go home and get some spare wood to make a house for Kenchi. I even got to help him, when I wasn't busy playing with Kenchi.

That night I went to bed as usual, but I had the same dream as the night before. But this time it felt like it lasted longer than the last time and that was unnatural.

FLASHBACK

After that night I had no more normal dreams. I would only dream about that senseless place and it became such a natural occurrence that I just thought that it was just a normal dream. And the same could be said for that weird feeling of 'hunger'. It became an everyday occurrence that I thought it was normal, even when I started to get 'hungry' during the day. After a week of having Kenchi sleep in my bed with me tou-san got his house built and we put him there to sleep. It took a few days to get used to sleeping alone outside but he did.

Everything else was the same for me after that. So my life went on in the same hum-drum style as before. I would wake up, get ready for the morning, eat breakfast with the family, play with Kenchi, tie Kenchi to his house, go inside to eat, then go to bed.

It stayed like this for two years until one night during the dream something strange happened.

FLASHBACK

'This dream will never go away will it.' I thought while in the senseless world as I have come to call it. This world had begone as a dream had now become a part of my life. The time in it had started off quick and gotten to the point that I couldn't tell the difference between the time I spent awake and the time I spent asleep. So every night I stay in this world and think.

'I wonder what it would be like if I lived in this world forever, awake and asleep.' I thought. 'What would my thoughts be trapped here forever, what would I be like?' It took me a while before I answered my own question 'I would be depressed and suicidal, that's what I would be like.'

As I continued to wonder what I would be like in a world like this something happened. I heard something. At first I thought I had finally snapped but then I heard it again. It was a voice I soon realized that the voice was speaking to me. So I put all of my being into hearing what the voice was saying.

"You... finally...young..." was all I heard at first but then I tried even harder to hear what it was saying. "You have finally arrived, you have finally been able to hear me young one. I have tried for so long for my voice to reach you." the disembodied Issei said. I couldn't tell if it was male or female but I didn't care I finally had someone to talk to, to ask questions to. So I asked the Issei "Finally arrived where?" I asked the Issei. "I cannot answer that question young one. While you may finally be able to hear me you are still not ready to see me." it answered.

"Why not? Why can't I see or feel you?" I asked it. "Because you are still trapped." it replied

"Trapped where? Where could I possibly be trapped in?!" I was growing angry at the Issei. I wanted answers to my questions and all it was doing was making me think even more questions.

"You will know where sooner or later and when you do you will understand and be able to see me." it answered in an even tone that told me that I shouldn't ask anymore on the subject. I let it drop seeing as I was getting nowhere and just ended up with more question than answers.

After moments of silence I asked a question to the voice that I had wanted answered for a while. "Issei-san, seeing as how you were waiting for me to be able to hear you, you must know a lot about me right?" I questioned to it. Issei responded with a cryptic "More than you can know, young one."

"So you must know about me getting hungry right? You must know why I feel that I why I feel full of energy after I eat right?" I asked. It took the Issei a while to answer. "Yes I do. I know why you feel these things. Would you like me to tell you child?" it questioned me. "Yes, yes please I want to know. It worries me not knowing about my body." I answered quickly.

"They reason you get hungry and then feel energized after eating is because you are different from your parents. They do not feel hunger or energy like you correct?" it asked. "They don't." I answered back quickly. The Issei went on " That is because they haven't unlocked the energy that is dormant within them. You have and because of that you can use that energy and need to replenish that energy through food." it told me.

I was silent for a while. So I could use some type of inner energy that my parents couldn't and that was why I got hungry. 'But wait a minute, if I could use this energy then why haven't I ever been able to.' I thought. I voiced this question to the Issei. It responded with " Because you don't know how yet. But don't worry, I will help you learn how to use the power."

"Really?" I questioned. "Really." it answered. "How?" I asked it. "I will tell you to do some exercises and the like." it answered. "But you can only talk to me at night when I'm asleep can't you?" I asked curious to it's answer. "No child, now that you can hear me I can talk to you even when you are awake." it answered. "Now it is time for you to wake up. The day is about to start and you have much to do today." it told me.

As I was feeling like I was waking up I asked the Issei one more question. "Can you tell me your name Issei-san? I feel weird referring to you as Issei-san." "No little one, you are not yet ready to hear my name so for now Issei will do." it told me it's voice fading.

And I awoke. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't just dreaming so I asked out loud "Issei-san, can you hear me." 'Yes I can hear you little one. There is no need for you to speak out loud if you want to talk to me. All you have to do is think it and I will hear it.' Issei told me.

'Oh, I didn't know that.' I thought. 'So how are you going to teach me to use this power inside of me.' I asked Issei.

'First you need to get ready for the day and eat something. Then you go into the woods and we will talk there.' it told me. So I did just as Issei said I should and when I got into the woods I contacted Issei-san.

'First off child you will need to know the energy inside you responds to you and you alone. It will do what you want it to do but only if you give it directions to do so. So for today I want you to get to know this energy.' Issei told me.

'Know this energy, what do you mean Issei-san.' I asked him. 'What I mean is that you will have to understand how it reacts to you. Like how it reacts when you are angry or when you are happy.' Issei answered. 'So I have to get to know the energy by getting to know my own emotions.' I asked. Issei had responded with a 'In a way that's what you have to do. Now I don't want you to contact me until you know this energy understood.' Issei asked. 'I understand Issei-san.' I answered.

FLASHBACK

And that's how I started to train in my inner energy. It took me four months to feel the energy inside of me, and after that it took me four more months to learn how it reacted to my emotions. And as I learned how it reacted to my emotions I learned how dangerous my emotions could be. One time when I got very angry the energy burst out and the wildlife around me withered. Even my parents felt it and said that it made them feel like they couldn't breath. So after that I went about learning to control my emotions. And one night nine months after my first encounter with Issei in the dream world I had another one.

FLASHBACK

The darkness again surrounded me but I didn't mind this time. It was peaceful in the darkness and allowed me time to think. After the incident with that power I started to think more. And I came to a conclusion. 'The world is so much bigger than just my own little world. Everything I do as an affect on the world larger than what I consider. So what is the world anyway? What is right and wrong in this big world? Who is good and who is bad, or is there even any good or bad in this world?' I asked myself. These deep thoughts kept coming to me more often and the more I thought them the more I realized that 'No in this world there is no good or evil. All there is is one persons perception against another persons perception. What one might think is good could be evil in an others eyes. We are all trapped in our own worlds of right and wrong that we never realize this.'

Then something miraculous happened. The black of the dream world faded to a world that was made completely out of mirrors. And all they reflected was me from different angles. Then someone else appeared. It was a being that was neither a man or a woman but at the same time it could be confused for either. It had hair that was up to its shoulders, an acceptable length for any male of female, and the color was a white that was so bright that it put forth light but at the same time it seemed to absorb the light. It had a round face that was slender but couldn't be considered womanly or manly. It wore a white yukata that didn't have any prints on it. As for its body, it was thinner than a mans but more muscular than any woman would want. All in all the being was one of beauty that any man or woman would want.

"I see you finally are able to see me, Naruto-kun." it said in it's neither masculine or feminine voice that was soothing to me. "Issei-san is that you?" I questioned. "Yes Naruto-kun it is me. Oh how glad I am that you are finally able to see me. I thought it would take you longer than it did. I am glad that I was wrong." Issei told me.

I just stared at issei. "Why is it no longer black Issei-san, why can I see now." I asked although I thought I already knew the answer. "Because Naruto, you are no longer trapped. You have set yourself free and have become stronger for it."it told me.

"So what I was trapped in was myself?" I asked. "Not truly Naruto. While it is true that you were trapped within yourself and freed yourself from that what you were really trapped in was your sense of 'reality'." issei said. "You believed that the world was how you saw it so you were blinded to this world but once you realized that the world is bigger than yourself, you realized that your 'reality' wasn't the only 'reality' there was. Now that you can see me you can go even farther in you training with your inner energy. Once you wake up eat and go back into the forest and we will continue your training. You are ready for the next step." issei told me.

I awoke with a start.

FLASHBACK

After that I learned how to manipulate the energy. Issei started me off small by making me use the energy to make shapes with it. We started with a circle, it took me two weeks to do that, then a square, that took me the rest of the month. Then we went to a triangle, and a rectangle, took me an other month. Then we went on to three-d shapes like spheres, cubes, pyramids, and cones, which each took me a month to do.

After shape manipulation we went on to character manipulation. Issei had me go deep into the woods and use the energy to walk up and down trees, that eight months to do to her liking. Then she wanted me to learn how to walk on water which thankfully only took me five months to do.

And to make sure I learned what I was doing Issei-san would always ask me questions about how the exercises work. I had to explain to her that for the tree walking exercise I had to change the character of my energy to something sticky so I would stick to the tree. Then I had to find the right amount because to much and I would repel myself, and too little and I wouldn't stick at all. As for water walking, the concept was different. Instead of changing the characteristic of my energy into something sticky I had to make it into something like a magnet. I had to change my energy so that the water would be attracted to my feet and cluster there, then I had to make it into something like a platform on my feet. I had to make sure I had enough energy to attract enough water to keep me afloat. To much and the water wouldn't spread out evenly but to little and not enough water would be attracted.

These exercises were tough but they served their purpose of making my inner strength stronger and allowed me to control it more easily. But I didn't just train in my inner strength, I also trained my body. Issei had me do all types of muscle building exercises like sit ups, push ups, jumping jacks, and had me run for at least two hours everyday. And when I had learned one of the inner strength exercise Issei would have me practice them while doing my physical workout. I will tell you now doing sit ups while sticking to a tree is not fun and in the water is worse because one loss of concentration and your soaking wet. Issei said it allowed me to think about more than one thing and improved my concentration, which it did.

Issei still wouldn't tell me her real name though and that upset me. It wouldn't be long until I would hear it though, after the accident that change my life once more.

Authors notes.

Sorry for the delay. I actually had started the chapter before but I didn't like it so I deleted it and started all over. It turned out as good as I could hope for but if you feel like something is off about it please tell me so I could fix it. Reviews are always welcome.

Japanese words meanings

Okaa-san/kaa-san: mother

Otou-san/tou-san: father

Kenchi: point of view

Issei: voice

Some of the japanesse words also have different meanings but I used them to mean what I put

(1) In soul society it takes years for a person to age, at least in my story it does so while Naruto may look like a five year old he really is older.

(2) the name Kenchi is a hint to all of you readers as to what Naruto's zanpakuto will be try to guess.

(3) Naito as you know means night. So here Naruto is saying goodnight to his parents.

Thanks for reading. Review please.