DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE IDEAS OR CHARACTERS FROM NARUTO
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(A/N): Hey, everyone! Thanks for reading… Hope you've enjoyed the story thus far. .
On another note, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM is welcome. Please, do not be cruel without giving a reason and at least have the decency to tell me what I did wrong & how to fix it.
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Thought
"Memories of what other people said"
Kyuubi
"Speech"
Shinigami-sama's speech
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Ch. 3: Shifting between the Past and the Present
Sighing, Naruto trudged over the large, wooden stool and slowly pushed it against the counter hoping to reach the cupboards. Five years old and already living on my own… Stupid orphanage attendants… Well, at least being kicked out of the Uchiha compound in my last life wasn't for nothing… If that didn't happen, I probably wouldn't know how to fend for myself the way I do now… Damn it! Ramen again?! Oh well, not like I can afford much else… Still, I miss Aunt Mikoto's miso soup… At least I know how to make it. Now, if only I was allowed to use the stove…
Finishing his dinner, he went brush his teeth before freezing in front of the small mirror of his bathroom. What the Hell?! M-my eyes, they're… Black?! No way… Should I?
Concentrating chakra into his eyes, Naruto was greeted by the familiar site of the sharingan with a single tomoe. Pouring more energy into them, he was pleased to see two, then three tomoe forming the pinwheel of mangekyou in his iris. Wow… This is great! Now to change them back…
Letting the chakra dissipate, Naruto concentrated again, but was horrified to find his eyes still black. Even more alarming was his hair had turned ebony, his body even more petite, and his originally tanned skin was paler. He was once again Uchiha Obito and had no idea how to change back. Suddenly, he was struck by a wave of nausea. Shit! Chakra exhaustion! I shouldn't have tried Mangekyou so soon! Obito thought as he passed out.
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He was floating in a familiar void, the very same one in which he had last spoken to the death god.
"Namikaze Yuichi," Shinigami's deep, chilly and disembodied voice greeted, "Your transformation powers have awakened. We shall spend our time training you to control them in the dream-scape."
"Shinigami-sama," Obito greeted back before asking, "How long will this take? I don't want Sandaime-sama finding me in this form and he's supposed to check on me in a few hours."
"I control the flow of time in this dream-scape," The death god answered, "Several weeks in the dream-scape are mere minutes in the living world. Do not be troubled. You are now old enough to begin training for your tasks. We will begin with your transformation abilities. Have you already rediscovered your kekkei-genkai?"
Nodding, Obito answered, "Hai, shinigami-sama, but I used its final form, the mangekyou, and passed out from chakra exhaustion."
"Do not strain yourself so soon, child," Shinigami chided, "Before reusing your kekkei-genkai, you must build up the chakra capacity to maintain it. You can practice that after mastering your transformation abilities. Now, try shifting back to your true form."
"My true form? I don't understand," Obito said, puzzled.
"You were reborn as Namikaze Yuichi," Shinigami began, "That is your true form now. Uchiha Obito is your past form. Begin by relaxing yourself. Focus your life as it is now."
Following the instructions, Obito was relieved as he shifted back into his blonde-haired blue eyed form. Then he asked, "How do I shift into my old self?"
"To do it consciously, you must concentrate on an aspect of your former life. It can be anything from people you knew to things you did in that life," Shinigami answered as Yuichi shifted back into his old form, "Your shifting powers are also affected by your moods, so you must learn to control your emotions."
"My emotions? How so, shinigami-sama?" Yuichi asked.
"The Uchiha kekkei-genkai flashes when they are angry, does it not?" Shinigami started, "Therefore it is safe to assume that your eyes will shift into their Uchiha form when you are uncontrollably angry. This will also activate your kekkei-genkai. You must experiment with your other emotions and learn to control them so as not to give away your secrets. Do you understand?"
"H-hai." Yuichi answered, "Is there anything I can do to train in that?"
"Meditation," The death god replied, "Once you've gained enough practicing shifting between your past and present forms, along with controlling when you shift and the circumstances in which you shift, we will begin working on some of the more complicated aspects of your abilities."
"More complicated aspects?" Yuichi repeated, dumbfounded.
"Yes," Shinigami answered, "You will learn to shift one feature at a time. This will require much more control and concentration than you currently possess. With enough training, you will be able to hold multiple features from both forms at the same time. Perhaps, if Akihiko's blessing permits, you may find yourself able to truly shape-shift into nearly any form you desire. However, for now, focus on switching between your past and present forms."
"Hai, Shinigami-sama," Yuichi said as he began shifting once again.
"Have you noticed the differences between your two forms?" The god asked after what seemed like several hours of practice.
"Well, I'm starting to," Yuichi answered, "Why do you ask?"
"Each human body is unique in its build and abilities. For example, your old body had a slender, more flexible build and was more suited for speed and stealth than it was for power and head to head combat," Shinigami lectured, "Your true form, on the other hand, is just the opposite, I predict it having a sturdier, more muscular build, that would still be quick, but not quite as agile or graceful as your old body. It should be similar to that of your sensei's seeing as you are his son. Also, the flow of chakra and the range of your control would differ between bodies. In such a case, each form will specialize in a different set of fields. This should become obvious when you use the different forms in your training. It also means you'll have to train twice as hard if you wish for both forms to be on equal terms in skill and power."
"So, one form would be better at ninjutsu than the other while another would be more suited for taijutsu, etcetera?" Yuichi asked.
"That is correct," Shinigami answered, "There is no way to tell what each form would specialize in yet, however you can still begin your general training."
"General training, shinigami-sama?" Yuichi questioned.
"Yes, you must remember that with your slower aging, you will be less developed than other ninja your age. The malnutrition of your current body has made you even smaller than expected. Do not be surprised if you end up being the smallest child in the academy despite your age," The death god answered.
"Oh man, I completely forgot about that! What am I going to do?!" Yuichi groaned.
"You are a most unusual mortal," Shinigami commented, his deep, chilly voice filled with mirth, "Most ningen would be thankful for the slow aging and tripled lifespan. If you wish to fix the situation, then there are two useful jutsu you can learn to take advantage of your extra years of life and youth. The first is called the Souzou Saisei."
"Souzou Saisei? What is it and what does it do?" Yuichi asked as he shifted and settled into his true form.
"It is an S-ranked jutsu used by one of Konoha's Sannin, the legendary medic, Tsunade-san." Shinigami began, "A shadow seal is required for this jutsu to work. As for its function, it can instantaneously heal all of your wounds, regardless of their severity and the rate of healing accelerates for the duration of the jutsu. However, I must warn you that each time you use the jutsu, you will significantly shorten your own life span by several years. Not to mention it is an extremely difficult jutsu to learn and perform. I'd advice you to only be use this jutsu as an absolute last resort for the most dire of situations. The second however, is a special, S-ranked Genjutsu which will hide your physical age. Tsunade-san uses it to make herself appear considerably younger than she is, however you may use it to make yourself look considerably older than your form appears."
"S-ranked! Those'll take forever to learn!" Yuichi shouted in disbelief after coming out of his stupor, "and a shadow seal?! Man that's going to be a lot of work!"
"Which is why we will begin with your basic training, ningen child," Shinigami replied casually, "We will condition your body and I will teach you new jutsus as well as more efficient ways to use the jutsus you already know."
"Ano, shinigami-sama? Forgive me, but, how exactly will I be trained? I mean, will I need to black out every time I have to see you?" Yuichi asked nervously.
"No, I will speak with you mentally, but only when absolutely necessary. Other than that, I will instruct you in the dream-scape. I expect you to apply what you learned in the dream-scape to your real life training. What you do in the realm of dreams can not replace the actual physical conditioning that must take place in the waking world." Shinigami answered.
"Really? You can talk to me mentally? How is that possible?" Yuichi asked after digesting the new information.
"As a soul that has died and been reborn, the scent and aura of death lingers about you, however faint. You are connected to me, not only through that, but also as the one I have chosen to fulfill a special task. You are the living incarnation of my will and by training you, an indirect extension of my influence on the mortal realm is made. Do you understand?" Shinigami explained.
"H-hai. Ano, I think I've gotten my shifting abilities under some control," Yuichi stated, "How do I shift one feature at a time, Sens… I-I mean, shinigami-sama…"
"Ningen child, do not fear. You may call me sensei, if I may call you Yuichi," The death god's chilly voice murmured in an unusually comforting way.
"A-Arigatou Gozaimasu, sensei." Yuichi whispered as he bowed.
"Do not worry about it," Sensei brushed off before beginning to lecture, "To shift one feature at a time, you will need to concentrate on that particular feature, the way you want it to look, and an aspect of your life you can draw from to support the shift. Let's begin with your eyes, since that is the one feature most people concentrate most on. You are currently in your true form and I want you to try shifting your eyes to those of your past form."
"Hai, sensei," Yuichi nodded as he began to concentrate on an aspect of his past life. I wonder, maybe Aunt Mikoto's Miso soup?! No… Then… Ah, training with Itachi…. Slowly, streaks of onyx bled his startlingly blue irises; however that was where the transformation stopped.
"You've managed to change a bit of the color, however the shift was too slow and it is also incomplete," Sensei observed, "You must put a little more focus on the features and the aspect of your past life. Try to be more detailed and specific. I want you to visualize both of them clearly. Yes, that's it, you've got it!" it said proudly.
"We will continue more of your training later. For now, I believe Sandaime-Hokage is a few minutes away from your door." Sensei said matter of factually, "I suggest you shift into your true form. Since your body is still to young and undeveloped, we will hold off your chakra training physical conditioning until you are seven. Practice your transformation abilities until then. Fare well, Yuichi-kun."
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With a soft moan, Naruto groggily sat up from the bathroom floor. Remembering the reason he was down there in the first place, he quickly stood up and looked in the mirror. Still an Uchiha… Do I need to be conscious to shift?
He was startled when the familiar voice of the Sandaime called out, "Naruto? Child, where are you?"
Shit! Throwing a glance at the mirror, he concentrated on life at the apartment as well as how he looked as Naruto. Whoa! Is that what it looks like when I shift?! It's so cool!
"Naruto? Are you alright?" Sandaime's concerned voice called out again, closer this time.
"Hai, I'm coming Ojii-chan!" the five year old responded rushing out of the bathroom, "I was just brushing my teeth."
"Ah, Naruto-kun, how are you adjusting to living on your own?" The elderly man asked as he took a seat on one of the chairs in the kitchen.
"I'm doing Ok, Ojii-chan," Naruto answered, "thank you for paying for the place. I'm sorry for troubling you."
"Don't be, child," Sarutobi murmured, "I'm sorry you have to live on your own at such a young age. I would have allowed you to stay with me longer, but… Well, something came up… However, if you ever need anything, please let me know and I'll see what I can do for you."
"No need to worry about me, Ojii-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, "I'll be alright!"
Chuckling, the old man responded, "Yes, yes, I suppose you will be… Naruto, your birthday is next week, correct?"
"Hai, is something wrong?" the five year old asked, tilting his head in thought.
Turning his serious gaze to the small child, Sarutobi spoke in a firm voice, "If anyone troubles you on that day, I want you to come to me immediately, understood?"
"Eeh? Ojii-chan, why would someone bother me on my birthday?" the boy asked innocently, his wide blue eyes blinking, "Isn't there supposed to be a festival anyway? Why would they bother me when they're busy with that?"
"Yes, the Kyuubi festival… There are some that would be busy then, but I don't want to take any risks," the old man muttered, "Just promise me you'll come to me if there are any problems, especially on that day."
"Why?" the child asked, confused, "Wouldn't I go to you anyway? I mean, if something happened. You're the hokage right? So I'm supposed to see you when there are problems… Why do I need to promise for that?"
Sighing, Sarutobi shook his head and uttered a soft, "Never mind, Naruto. Never mind…"
"Ano, Ojii-chan? Would you like some ramen? It's not much, but…" Naruto trailed off uncertainly.
"No thank you, I'm fine Naruto," Sarutobi smiled as he stood up walked to the door, "Well, it's getting rather late, so I shall be on my way. Take care Naruto-kun and good night."
"Bye, Ojii-chan! Come again soon!" Naruto waved happily before shutting the door
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Gee, if I thought life was rough when I was the Uchiha disgrace, that's got nothing on being the Anathema of Konoha… Shinigami-sama, what have I gotten myself into? The village pariah was the last thing I wanted to be in my new life… A now six year old Naruto thought to himself as he fled deep into the dark forest at the top of Hokage Mountain while clutching his bleeding side.
Man, this is as embarrassing as that time the orphanage threw me out when I was three… Of course, I have no where else to go, and I don't want to bother Sandaime-Ojiisan again… Kami-sama, it's not like I can go up to him and say "Sorry, but the villagers threw me out of my own apartment and ransacked the whole place while beating me in the middle of the night. Can I stay here 'til the riot's over?" I can so see that going well… Not! I'm really beginning to hate this time of year… Stupid Birthday… Stupid Kyuubi festival… At least no one will look for me here… Naruto thought as he swiped at the tears stinging his steadily darkening eyes before collapsing from exhaustion at the dead of the night.
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It was dark, as with all early mornings are before the breaking of dawn. A misty haze had settled within the dark green valley, in which the solemn quietness was disturbed only by the soft whispers of the wind dancing amongst the wild tangles of tall grass and reeds. To the east, a great mountain, upon which four enormous, regal faces were carved, stood majestically over the valley like a great wall of stone, gazing over and protecting the village below as the first rays of dawn glimmered over its peaks. In the distance, just past the narrow, winding path of dirt and pebbles that disappeared into the mountains, a small, inconspicuous shadow slipped into the verdant forest. In the small clearing, well hidden from plain view, a petite, raven haired adolescent sat on a large, slate boulder, his crimson eyes blazing.
Finally, I've gotten away… I hate when Hatake-san comes to watch over Outoto… At least he keeps Obito's eye hidden… I don't know what I'd do to him if I saw it… Hatake-san, what the hell did Obito see in you that was worth his life?! You were just like the others, treating him like trash, calling him worthless, hurting him, breaking him… Why did he give his life for yours?! I despise you, yet I can't hate you the same way I hate my clan… Is it because Obito treasured you, despite your treatment of him? Or is it because you're reminding me more and more of him? When and why did you change the way you normally act? Why are you mimicking my beloved cousin?! Are you mocking him? Is it to torture me? Why?! Damn it!
Pushing aside his anger, the boy sighed and glanced about the secluded area. This place… It's so quiet, so peaceful… Obito, you used to come here when you were feeling sad or upset… Smiling to himself Itachi looked up into the clear morning sky. You always were a bit of a cry baby, although… You were still the strongest person I knew… Did you cry when it happened? When you were forced to leave this world… To leave me? I can't believe it's already been over five years since you've died… Over five years, and I still miss you… I'm getting stronger now, not quite strong enough to make them pay for hurting you, but it won't be long now… I should be able to do it… Just another two or three years…
The peace of the clearing was disturbed by the soft, nearly imperceptible sound of whimpering. Warily, Itachi crept along the trees and stalked towards the sound. That scent… Blood… It looks relatively fresh… Where… A child?!
Rushing to the fallen figure, he carefully turned the small boy over he was stunned by the tear-streaked face that greeted him. O-Obito-Nii?! N-no… It can't be… This child is far too young… Yet… He looks just like him… How is this possible? His son? N-no… Obito was too young to have children… Isn't he?! W-who is this child?!
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(A/N): By the way, here are some things to remember to keep the confusion down:
1. When using his true form, Yuichi will, more often than not, be referred to as "Naruto."
When using his past form, I will refer to Yuichi as "Obito".
Any other form (in which features are mixed between past and true forms) will be referred to as "Yuichi".
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(A/N): Well, how was that? I'm not sure of when my next update will be due to school & a general writer's block. Most people have been bothering about the summary saying "Extreme AU" and want things as different from Canon as possible. I sort of agree, but I am an amateur fanfic writer and despite doing the best I can, my abilities are very limited. That being said, I need all the help I can possibly get.
If you have any suggestions for future chapters, character development, etc. please tell me, I'd appreciate it.
Also, I found that working on other pieces of fanfiction helps inspire me and frees me of most creative blocks, so I've begun taking a few requests from people outside of my circle of friends and it has helped a lot in terms of inspiration and honing my writing skills. I've just started this practice, so I'm not sure how it'll turn out. The first request fic I've started so far is Sketches from the Tenipuri category.
I'm not a very good writer (A complete amateur in fact), but if any one wishes to, they can PM me a fic request & I'll do my best to respond. I'm only taking the first few I get, that is if I receive any.
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Thank you, to everyone who has helped me with their suggestions and reviews, I truly appreciate it.