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Sanctuary: Chapter 4
This dream was different from his other ones.
He dreamed of darkness, a warm, welcoming, all-consuming blackness that held him and rocked him gently as he floated in it. He felt so light – so carefree- and he liked it. He liked it in the darkness where he didn't have to think about his life, of how worthless and awful he was. He was alone and that was okay because he was used to it, had had to become reacquainted with the feelings of abandonment after everyone other than Kyuubi had thrown him away.
Not that he blamed them, really he didn't.
He floated in the dark and wondered if this was what death was like. It wasn't so bad if it was; he didn't understand why everyone fought so terribly hard against it. He surrendered to it, pulled the thick blackness around him and let it drag him deeper, further away from everything that had been troubling him.
No more being the demon child.
No more being hated for something that wasn't his fault.
No more being Naruto Uzumaki.
Gods it felt so good- so good!- to just not be, to not exist, that he fought tooth and nail against the voices that tried to suddenly drag him back. He tried to block them out, tried to force away the energy being shoved into him, reminding him that he had a body. Abruptly, he heard a heartbeat, the sound incredibly loud after the silence that had enveloped him. He held onto the darkness, ignoring the pulsing ebbing and flowing through the substance, attempting to cling to it even as it began slipping through his fingers.
The landscape began brightening around him, the effect becoming more pronounced as he felt himself being drawn upward, as if he were surfacing from some unfathomable depth. Panicking, Naruto kicked and struggled, trying to resist with everything as he was dragged back into his body.
His achingly weak, disgusting body.
Under normal circumstances, Naruto wasn't much of a morning person; after everything that had happened, including another close brush with death, coherent thought was a very distant dream. At first all he saw was off-white, the color seeming faintly strange to him in a remote, abstract sort of way. Part of him thought that the unfamiliar ceiling should be white, the purer color somehow seeming more appropriate though he couldn't fathom why.
Tired blue eyes blinked vacantly up at the cracked and badly painted ceiling, as the blonde's sluggish mind attempted to process his surroundings. This was not his apartment. This was not a hospital room either because Tsunade would never have allowed such a piss-poor construction job. Where was he and who had brought him here? The thought passed through his mind apathetically since he couldn't really bring himself to care in his current hazy state though he doubted whether or not that would have changed if he had been in a more rational frame of mind.
A sound reached his ears and, after several minutes of listening to it he recognized it as snoring. Since he was awake Naruto by default was not the one making the sound and fear tried to rear its ugly head for a second, spurting through his veins like acid. The sensation made him twitch, made his heart burn and lurch in his chest as he turned his head to the right, toward the sound, breath hitching painfully until the sight of blue skin met his eyes.
Sleeping next to him was none other than Kisame Hoshigaki, fearsome missing ninja and member of Akatsuki. Slumped slightly forward, the former Mist ninja's upper body lay propped against the meager headboard of the narrow bed and the blonde winced at the highly uncomfortable position. It was obvious that the taller man's frame was working against him but, if the near sunken look to the skin around Kisame's eyes was any indication, he hadn't had the chance to pick a more comfortable position before merely passing out. One of the larger male's legs had fallen off the mattress at some point during the night however the blonde doubted that the Akatsuki member would wake up even if the rest of his body followed the appendage to the floor.
Adding to the weirdness of the situation, Naruto's heart calmed at the sight of the older ninja, reacting as if the other's presence was reassuring somehow.
If Kisame was here then his partner had to be around as well and right then the blonde became acutely aware of a heavy unfamiliar weight sprawled across his lower body. Of their own accord, his eyes drifted downward, his neck craning automatically to accommodate a better view of the brunette head resting so innocently on Naruto's bare abs. Itachi's long unbound hair had spread out to puddle in uneven pools on either side of the blonde's waist, making the already pale Uchiha's skin seem nearly ashen in hue. Warm, deep breaths sighed out over the sensitive skin near the blonde's bellybutton, the sensation causing Naruto to shiver as goose flesh broke out and faded in synchronous rhythm with Itachi's breathing.
It was then that the Kyuubi vessel found out that he was only a breath away from being naked but, oddly enough, this didn't really bother him either though he was bothered by the fact that he wasn't bothered by it.
If that made any sense.
Frowning slightly, Naruto lay back down and returned to staring at the ceiling as the mental fog clouding his mind began to clear. He wasn't sure he really wanted that to happen, not fully anyway, because then he would have to think, to feel, and Naruto did not want that to happen- didn't want it at all. He closed his eyes and concentrated on not thinking about anything in particular, pretending that he was still floating somewhere far away in the dark.
He probably would have spent his whole day in this manner if the smell of spoiled food hadn't become progressively worse as the sun traversed the sky and it became closer to noon. The heat of the day increased, making the already warm room warmer and the awful smell damn near horrific.
Naruto reached down and touched the tip of his fingers lightly against the dark crown resting on his belly, stroking hesitantly at first then with more force as Itachi continued to remain unresponsive. Letting his hand drift down to the Uchiha's shoulder, the blonde prodded the skin gently to begin with then added more force but, though the muscles beneath his touched tensed feebly against the pressure, they quickly went lax again after several seconds. Naruto nudged him a second time but Itachi didn't stir again no matter how much pressure the blonde applied. Turning his attention back to Kisame, Naruto poked the blue skinned shoulder closest to him hard. He received a grunt in response but nothing else; the larger male made no other acknowledgement of his presence other than that small sound.
Neither of them would be going anywhere anytime soon, not under their own power at any rate- the blonde was quite familiar with chakra exhaustion symptoms and the pair had all of them.
Since no one else was going to deal with the problem, Naruto would have to handle it himself if he wanted the smell to go away. Pinned or no, his sensitive nose told him in explicit terms that he had to make that happen before the room got any hotter. Raising himself up halfway, the Kyuubi vessel spread his legs so that Itachi dropped more solidly against his lower body and pressed a splayed hand against the brunette's upper back before abruptly turning over.
He did it in a movement too fast for a normal human- or even a trained shinobi- to accomplish, a lightning quick movement that was over and done with in little more than a split second. One minute Itachi was sprawled atop him and the next the elder male was being gently lowered to the bed by Naruto's hand, the appendage sliding out from under the brunette seconds later. Now free, the blonde crawled backwards carefully off the bed, wincing a bit once his feet touched the floor and his ankles took his weight.
They hurt still but it was a dull pain- nothing he couldn't manage.
He'd felt considerably worse, after all.
From his position at the foot of the bed, Naruto looked down at the bed's occupants. His gaze lingered over the smaller of the two, admiring the pale skinned face surrounded by all that dark hair and found himself wishing that it was another, similar, pale face surrounded by shorter, similar, dark hair.
A familiar awful ache wrapped around his heart and squeezed ruthlessly.
'Why didn't you just let me die? Why did you save me when there's nothing worth saving anymore?! I was gone, I was happy! Why, damn it, WHY?!' He realized that he was screaming the questions aloud at the pair and sank to his knees, burying his face in his hands as he hunched over, uncaring when he fell onto his side. He curled up on the floor and sobbed into his knees. "Why, damn you, why?"
It had been so peaceful in the dark, so very quiet and everything Naruto had wanted.
He cried and, instinctively, tried to crawl under the bed to hide but the space was too small for him to fit. Frustrated, unable to do anything else, he wrapped his arms around himself and rocked, trying to find some comfort as his body shook from sobs and pain.
The pain was back and there was no refuge to take- not for things like Naruto.
Not for monsters, never for monsters.
He wasn't sure how he managed to find the strength but he did, eventually, pull himself up off the floor. He wasn't sure how long he had been there but the bright sunlight coming in through the room's dingy side window was slanting in a way that suggested it was currently late afternoon. With a small groan, Naruto used the edge of the bed to pull himself to his feet, trying hard to ignore the sharp stabs of pain that raced through his frame from navel to neck. He hurt so badly he wanted to lie down but he forced himself to ignore it and stand, moving over to the other bed in the room to turn down the bed sheets before returning to the occupied bed and picking up Itachi.
Naruto did not let fanciful thoughts grip him this time as he transferred the Uchiha to the waiting mattress. He strangled his imagination as it tried to flicker into life and did not let his hands linger as he handled Itachi. He did not let himself think of that person in any way as he pushed the dark hair back away from the pale, exhausted face. Naruto simply laid the other male down, pulled off Itachi's sandals and cloak and tucked the Uchiha in, putting the removed items neatly beside the bed.
When he was done with the brunette, the blonde turned around and did the same to Kisame, having to augment the routine slightly by first repositioning the blue skinned man. Taking hold of the ex-Mist ninja's fallen leg, Naruto used it to pull him down the length of the bed several inches then turned the other onto his stomach. When he was satisfied that Kisame was in a more conducive position for sleeping, Naruto removed the other's shoes before pulling the blankets up around the Akatsuki member's shoulders.
It was all a bit hazy but these two, as strange as it might be, had been taking care of him. Back in Konoha, Itachi had offered comfort. Yesterday Kisame had taken Naruto out for food, had carried him when he couldn't walk. Neither of them had hurt him though they had had ample opportunity to do so. They hadn't yelled at him. They hadn't stared at him. They hadn't made him feel like a freak. They'd been nice to him and, even if it was only a ploy to gain his trust for the sole purpose of making him an agreeable captive until they could extract the Kyuubi, it was still a pleasant change of pace.
Come to think of it, this arrangement could be mutually beneficial to all involved- the Akatsuki would have the Kyuubi and Naruto would be free. All he had to do was just not resist and that was so easy it was laughable. After all, where would he go? Konoha, back to the people who despised him so? Back to his 'precious people' who wanted nothing to do with him?
His precious people, his family, and they had just thrown him away…
His lower lip trembled and he pointedly stared at the floor trying to make the tears go away. He failed and, miserably, he wiped at the moisture leaking from his eyes with the heel of his hands. The emotional wounds were too deep, still too raw, to really be contemplated in any way without a crying fit but Naruto still felt as if he had failed some major test.
Ninjas don't get emotional, they don't cry.
He really was worthless.
Feeling utterly defeated, the blonde retreated into the bathroom to wash his face and prepare for his outing, already compiling a mental list of the supplies they may need on their trip to Akatsuki's headquarters. He still intended to get rid of the spoiling food but why stop there? Why not go get the things he needed while he was already out? It seemed wrong to keep mooching off his companions after everything that had happened and, since Kisame and Itachi would need at least a day to recover anyway, this was the perfect opportunity for Naruto to get everything set up for their journey while they were out of commission.
He dressed and applied sufficient make-up to hide both the fox's marks gracing his cheeks and the tell-tale signs that he had been crying. He smoothed his hair with water and placed the barrettes as Kisame had done last time. Finding the small shopping bag he had gotten from the jewelry vendor, Naruto fished out and put on a pair of red earrings and the matching black choker necklace. As a precaution, he wrapped his ankles in fresh bandages taken from a medical kit he found in the bathroom before padding back out into the room to pull on his slippered footwear.
In order to purchase supplies, he was going to need money to shop with. Nodding to himself over this sound justification, Naruto searched Kisame for his wallet and took half of the cash he found in it, replacing the purloined object and tucking the wad away in a fold in his obi. If all went well, he would be able to repay it in only a few hours time when he returned to the inn with everything they'd need.
His eyes fell on Samehada, Kisame's sentient sword, on the other side of the room. Naruto had never seen the former Mist ninja without it and having so much distance between them seemed strange, wrong. The blonde frowned and walked over to the sword, about to test how intelligent it really was.
"Hello, Samehada." Naruto said politely, stopping well back and bowing respectfully. "I have to go out to go get a few things for your owner and Itachi while they're asleep. I'll be back in a few hours but I don't want to leave them defenseless." He paused and looked for any sign that the sword was listening. Finding none, he licked his lips nervously and continued. "I want to move you closer to Kisame. If he wakes, I'm sure that he'll be looking for you. I think he'll feel better if you're close by- I know I would if I had a sword like you. I'm just going to move you. Just move you, not wield you. If I try to hurt Kisame or Itachi, you can kill me, okay?"
Warily, he stepped forward, one hand extended to grasp the hilt, unsure of what would happen if Samehada decided to retaliate but assuming that it would be very messy. The sword had chosen Kisame to wield it and Naruto bet that it would grievously main anyone else who attempted to use it at the very least. Samheda just seemed like that kind of sword, devoted and loyal to the one person who it willingly submitted to.
'Just like me but the person I had chosen, my would-be 'owner,' didn't want what I had to offer.' He thought sadly, the ache in his chest becoming more pronounced. The hand outstretched toward Samehada abruptly spasmed and dropped back to his side.
He didn't blame Sasuke, really he didn't. If their positions had been reversed, Naruto would have done the same thing and chosen Sakura. Guys had babies with girls, not with other guys. Anything else was disgusting, truly a perversion of nature.
Just like Naruto.
"Boys don't love other boys," Sakura's voice reminded him happily as it rang through his head. "God punishes people like that. It's a sin."
If she was right, then he was damned because he loved Sasuke and had loved the other for a long time. After the Uchiha left, Naruto's world fell apart piece by piece and the only thing that had kept the blonde going for the years until Sasuke's return was the conviction to become stronger in order to save the brunette. Naruto had mistakenly convinced himself that he needed to get stronger in order to rescue his teammate from the snake's clutches, that Sasuke wouldn't be able to do it alone. At some point, Naruto had become arrogant, had become so egotistical in his thinking that he had assumed that he was the only one strong enough to do the job, that somehow if he wasn't directly involved in the mission that it wouldn't be successful. Naruto had embarked on his training with Jiraiya in order to obtain his goal- they had time on their side since Orochimaru would be in his current body for three years. Naruto would get stronger, would become the strongest shinobi, and would drag Sasuke home kicking and screaming if need be whether the brunette liked it or not.
Sure being hauled back may temporarily derail Sasuke's vengeance but it wasn't like the Uchiha would be facing anything too major as punishment for his desertion- he was the last Uchiha in the village and Konoha wanted that particular keki-genkai working for it almost as much as the snake bastard wanted it for Sound. There was no chance that the death penalty, the traditional punishment for any type of desertion, would be an option when sentencing Sasuke and, once he had paid his dues to society, the brunette would have amply opportunity to go hunt down his brother.
Naruto would get stronger then rescue Sasuke- that was the plan. Simple, well-rounded, and tidy. Afterward, when everyone was home safe, everything could go back to how it had been before and, even if it didn't, Sasuke would still be home in one piece, snake free.
But things didn't work out that way. After training with the toad hermit for almost a year, Naruto had been sent packing, forced to return home in shame. Jiraiya had said it was pointless to teach him anything, had said that he was a pathetic excuse for a shinobi. The Sage had poured verbal poison in his ears until the blonde had finally broken down and cried then had used Naruto's moment of weakness as justification for renouncing him as a student.
Naruto was weak and Sannin did not teach weak students. Jiraiya wouldn't even fix the alteration he had made to the Kyuubi's seal before the blonde left, had thoroughly trounced the teenager for even making the meager request.
The fox vessel had returned to the village and, unable to find another teacher, had been forced to study and practice alone for the remaining two years, ignoring the relentless hatred directed his way. Nothing would deter him from his goal: he would bring Sasuke home, even if it killed him.
All that effort was made moot though when, one day out of the blue, Sasuke strolled through the village gates as if he'd never been gone. The Uchiha had returned on his own- Naruto hadn't been needed in any way, shape or form after all.
He had thought that things would return to how they were before once Sasuke was back but they hadn't and Naruto was left alone to just…exist. But that had been okay too because the Uchiha was back, was his normal stoic, grumpy self and the blonde became aware of a new reason to continue, a new reason to go on that was somehow so much simpler and yet so much more terrifying than charging into Sound alone.
Part of him had always known that Sasuke would ultimately be the person he fell for. Even years later, he still didn't understand it. Love was never rational, it couldn't be reasoned with or logistically defined. It was both wonderful and cruel. Euphoric and also heartbreaking. It could make you strong but it could also make you weak. Love was love and it played by its own rules. Naruto had always lived his life guided by his instincts and, until that point, they had never failed him. He trusted them and had believed them when they screamed that Sasuke was the one for him, that the other male would accept him, would love him, that they would be happy together and pave the way for a better future for all.
But he'd been wrong, so very, very wrong and now Naruto didn't have any purpose again, had no more reasons for him to continue on with his pitiful existance. He'd been stupid, he saw that now, and could readily admit it if only to himself. Sakura and Sasuke made a good couple and the kunoichi would make a good mom, the blonde was sure, a better mother than he would have been, that was for sure. Their children would be beautiful, would be loved by the whole of Konoha, and would grow up to be little genius fighters or caregivers.
There was no room for Naruto in that beautiful picture, no room for him at all. He still didn't know what had he been thinking while entertaining his romantic little fantasy but it had been his dream for a while, his perfect little world where he was loved by the person he loved the most, where they had kids who were just as loved as their father. It had been Naruto's dream after everything else was torn away, a hope for a better future as Konoha's treatment of him grew worse and each day brought some new cruelty to his doorstep.
The problem with dreams is that they never last, that the dreamer had to wake up eventually. Naruto knew that, had known that, but he had still tried to nurture it to the bitter end, to keep that dream alive even as it burst. Sasuke love him enough to marry him? To degrade himself enough have kids with Naruto? He couldn't have a family, could bear the Uchiha's newest generation, because he wasn't…worthy… he wasn't good enough…
Naruto was a monster.
Blinded by more tears- it seemed like he was always crying lately, always hurting, always hating himself and always, ALWAYS crying like some weakling- he reached out and grasped Samehada's handle.
Half of him wished silently that the sword had slaughtered him while the other half was just too damn exhausted emotionally to care about anything and just wanted to find some place to lay down and sleep until he died. His hand wrapped around the handle and, though the sword wriggled in its bandages and made noises that suspiciously sounded like small shutters softly clattering together, Samheda did not hurt Naruto. True to his word, the blonde carefully lifted the weapon with both hands and brought it over to Kisame's bed, leaning Samehada gently against the wall within easy reach of the former Mist ninja.
"I think I envy you, Samehada." Naruto said softly, his gaze drifting from the sword to its wielder.
"A man giving birth?" And he could see the Uchiha in his mind as the other spoke, the pale nose wrinkling over the possibility that Sakura had suggested seconds before. "It's a disturbing thought."
Naruto swiped at his eyes angrily again, sniffling quietly as he bowed again to the sword and turned away. It would all stop soon, all the pain he carried would go away and he wouldn't have to remember what a failure he had been or how unnecessary he was or how unwanted he was. He'd just…poof out of existence and no one…. No one would notice or care… The world would just march on without him.
It hadn't stopped a month ago when the last thing he'd been living for was taken away so why change now?
He went back into the bathroom and stared at his reflection, taking in the sight of his ruined make-up, of his puffy eyes now red for a second time from his recent moment of emotional instability. He could be a girl for a little while, he could pretend and play the role until his final journey was over. Disguising himself in such a way would make traveling easier for them; if Konoha was looking for him since he was now a missing ninja, they would be looking for a lone blonde male not a blond girl with two attendants. If he pretended to be a lady of high status then the trio would be less suspicious since any lady of substantial means never traveled anywhere without some sort of body guard, a role that Kisame at least looked the part for perfectly.
Naruto ran his fingers gingerly over his jaw, tracing the strong outline as he turned his head from side to side. He stared critically at his nose, at his cheekbones, at his eyes- over emotional personality aside, his features were too male to pass as strictly female upon close inspection and he suspected heavily that the only reason the ruse worked yesterday was because he was too high up to be seen accurately.
Being the living vessel for a demon as powerful as the nine tailed fox did have some advantages, the ability to bear children only one among the many Naruto had planned to use to help Sasuke restart his clan. But that had been before he'd been rejected, before Sasuke had confirmed what Sakura had been hinting at.
Sasuke thought he was disgusting.
The blonde watched his lower lip tremble in the mirror as the thought brought a fresh wave of emotional torment and his gaze glanced up to see if the tears he clearly felt had begun to fall, ultimately having to look away from the raw pain he could see in the eyes reflected back at him.
Gods, how had he managed to do this day after day before? How had he been able to smile through the pain, to lie so completely with his body?
He wet a washcloth with cold water, wrung it out and pressed it to his eyes just as the tears started to fall, forcing himself to take deep, even breaths. He stayed that way for a long time, just breathing and listening to his body until he calmed down.
He could do this.
Of course you can. Came the immediate internal rumble as Kyuubi woke and added its two cents worth. You can do anything you want now that you are away from that place.
Naruto felt the words wash over him but ignored the comfort and reassurance they offered as his unintentional response reached the fox. I want to die.
Kyuubi shifted position and didn't speak but the silence emanating from its cage said volumes.
Naruto, feeling more determined, set the washcloth down and dried his face with a towel. He readied the make up for later use and set it aside, his hands moving to cup his jaw, thumbs rubbing over the sharper edges of the bone, smoothing them out and softening them into something more feminine. The flesh moved like thick warm clay beneath his fingers, taking the form he wanted and holding it once he finished. When he was satisfied with his new jaw line, he moved onto adjusting the slope of his nose, making it less sharp and smaller in size. From there he played with his cheekbones, pushing them inward and up but only a little since they were already near perfect for what he had in mind. After making sure everything was aligned correctly, his hands headed for his eyes, Naruto fully intending to change the color.
Don't. And this time the voice wasn't comforting or reassuring. It was loud, a command, and Naruto could see the fox rising to all four feet and glaring at him from inside its prison. Don't.
Why? He was genuinely curious since his eyes had always been just another feature that helped set him aside from everyone else in Konoha. No one else had eyes as blue as his and he had felt that absence like a physical blow.
They're your best feature. The fox said simply, its massive shoulders rolling upward briefly in what Naruto assumed was a shrug.
It sounded like a stupid reason but the blonde let it go and only played with the surrounding socket, adding a small up-tilt to the furthest corners. He tugged at his hair, lengthening judicious pieces around his face for further camouflage, adding bangs to hide the majority of his forehead and soften his face's over all appearance.
Naruto looked over his new face critically. There, now no one would think he was male, not when his face practically screaming woman. He used the make-up to add a healthy glow to his dull skin and to emphasize and enhance his new features; a little lipstick, some blush, some eyeliner and presto! He was almost good to go.
He practiced smiling in the mirror but soon stopped because every attempt looked abysmal. Turning his attention back to his clothing, he fussed with the outfit nervously before finally calling it quits and instead began experimenting with new placements for his hair barrettes while trying out several voices. After using his Kyuubi- born abilities to make his voice higher and his hands smaller and more ladylike, Naruto straightened his choker a final time, checked his earrings to make sure they were in and even, and gave himself a last once over before leaving the bathroom.
Naruto could do this- if he could carry a baby to term and still have a penis then he could surely pull off the act of pretending to be a girl.
Squaring his shoulders as he walked, Naruto grabbed the stinking bag full of rotten food off the room's small table and headed for the doorway. After saying goodbye to Samehada he booby trapped the hell out of the room as well as the door itself, and left the room. He shut the door quietly behind him and went in search of a trashcan.
It was early afternoon and the market was packed with people but the crowd made a path for the blonde as he walked through the area. It had unnerved him at first because it had been entirely too reminiscent of his life in Konoha where people had flattened themselves against walls to keep distance between themselves and Naruto. It was a pleasant surprise to realize that these people weren't doing that, that they were bowing and wishing him good day as he walked on. He couldn't keep his blush away but he did manage to remember the role he was playing and nodded as regally as he could muster and smiled in response to the well wishing, returning it stiffly.
The vendors greeted him warmly but he did not stop to buy, instead saying that he would be back later after he had finished with a quick errand. Some though would not him leave so easily and snared him with small talk, hoping to entice him to buy something at their stall before any other. He had to force himself to keep a pleasant face as he stood there and exchanged pleasantries with the store owner- though he technically had every right to be in the store, he had to force himself to remain relaxed because he kept expecting the shop owners to begin shouting at his presence or throw things at him to make him leave.
It was a very surreal experience for him, for Naruto Uzumaki, and the blonde again reminded himself that, at least for now, he was someone else. Today he was someone of status, a lady, and, though shopping was a new experience to his new persona it was not something to become anxious over. 'Enjoy the attention, bask in it and do not question your right to it."
Easier said than done when you've never experienced anything of the sort before.
He searched the market until he found what he was looking for, the little stall shoe-horned in between two larger ones. The old lady sitting behind the counter saw him looking over her display of scratch cards and beckoned him over happily, her face nearly splitting in two from her smile as Naruto headed over purposefully.
"Good afternoon, my Lady!" The older woman said, her toothless grin widening as she watched the blonde look over the selection. "Care to try your luck at a game of chance?"
"Hello Grandmother." Naruto said politely, fishing out some money and placing it on the narrow counter between them. He looked over the array of scratch cards, waiting until Kyuubi rumbled answers to him about the ones he should purchase. After telling the woman which cards he wanted and paying her for them, he stepped to one side out of the other patrons' way to begin following the printed instructions.
With a very full wallet now bankrolling him, Naruto went shopping, making good on his word and returning to the shops that he had passed by earlier. He bought something from each, even if it was small, and complimented the shop owner on his wares, asking questions about the items he was curious about. For the past few years, his movements had been restricted to the village only, a place that made no attempt to hide it's hatred of him. It was hard sometimes to remember that the world was larger than Konoha, that beyond the small walled city a much larger and open minded place existed.
Naruto felt something inside him loosen, his body flushing pleasantly as an unknown relief trickled through him. He let out a shuddering breath, not understanding the reaction and not trying to. The world was vast, more vast than he could ever imagine, and this realization eased a tightness in his chest that the blonde hadn't even known was there until it was gone.
Feeling incredibly lighthearted, he allowed himself to get caught up in his task, to enjoy the simple act of shopping. He browsed and asked questions, making small observations to the store owners about better ways to display certain objects and store security- simple things that somehow made him seem insightful and wise to those around him. Naruto constantly reminded himself to remain in character while he conversed with both store personnel and other customers; he was a noble lady and usually such ladies did not know much about how to select vegetables or similar things. Maybe it was because of the image he presented or maybe it was simply due to the slow emergence of his former warm friendly personality, but, either way, people fawned over him, welcoming him in a way that he had only glimpsed on his brief travels with the Toad Sage. He relaxed, let himself have fun, and this laid back attitude seemed to transmit to those he came in contact with be they merchant or shopper.
He made his way slowly through the market, purchasing the items he wanted, exploring, stopping at every shop he passed simply to see what was inside and to say good afternoon to the store owner. Some merchants owned multiple shops, moving between them throughout the day, and when they saw Naruto, recognizing him, they kicked up a fuss over the teenager, something that well and truly puzzled the blonde since he had no reference to go by in his life. People did not get excited when he arrived- not in a good way at any rate- so he didn't understand why so much attention was being paid to him.
Whatever reputation he had acquired spread after that and everywhere he went he was fawned over and thanked, was treated with respect and given free samples of merchandise.
It was beginning to put him on edge.
There was no where he could go without getting waited on hand and foot, shop staff nearly fighting each other for the privilege to dote on him as he continued to shop for his supplies. When the shopping bags became too numerous to hold, he purchased a backpack, deciding to splurge and get the best one since, even if he wasn't going to own it for very long, someone in the Akatsuki may need one. A considerate captive, that was Naruto and as he went to pay for the item, he wound up getting into a fight with the cashier over the price.
They weren't haggling. No; the cashier insisted that the bag was on the house and Naruto kept trying to pay him for it anyway. The argument continued for several minutes, becoming more of a spectacle when the owner rushed out to help smooth everything over. In the end, they compromised and Naruto paid half the asking price and promised to recommend the shop- Wakamine's Gear and Goods- to other people. This made the blonde feel a bit guilty since the man obviously thought that he knew influential people and Naruto simply didn't.
He didn't have any friends or family anymore but he promised the man any way- if the bag was as well made as it looked, and as tough, he would tell Itachi and Kisame where he bought it and maybe they would tell others.
Naruto really would have just rather paid full price for the pack.
Acutely aware of his attentive audience, he packed the bag carefully, having to intentionally do it wrong- he was posing as a lady of status and what did such women know about backing a traveling bag efficiently? With a bow of gratitude to the store owner and the cashier, Naruto left to get the last remaining items on his shopping list, almost immediately being pulled into a conversation between an elderly couple as they chatted about what nice weather they were having.
A very surreal experience for Naruto Uzumaki, indeed.