I would just like to say I do not own Naruto or any of the other things I pay homage too. If you like one of my ideas please, feel free to use them in your own stories, though I would appreciate a PM so I can read them.

"Speech"

'Thought'

"Demon speech"

'Demon thought'

Jutsu

Masks

Sometimes things happen in life that leave a person scarred. Physical scars leave a visible mark upon the wounded but the greater shame is mental scars. Mental scars can easily go undiagnosed, especially when the one who has them remains reluctant to reveal them.

At a young age Naruto had gone through an event that left such mental scars that in the end he began to repress all emotions. But the boy was not quite the idiot that most think him today. He realized that if he were to become one of the emotionless robots that some mentally scarred become that he would be forced to deal with the scars and that was something that he was not willing to face.

He was inspired by the Anbu Inu who wore a mask on his face even when off duty as Kakashi Hatake. When on duty he would then where both his normal mask and the regulation Anbu mask. These masks allowed Hatake to more readily conceal the pain of loss that he went through daily.

It was an old theater that gave him his second piece of inspiration. In the theater there were once only two types of plays. The twin masks of Comedy and Tragedy were the representation of these two Ideals. These would also be the two masks that Naruto would figuratively put on.

Most people when they see the boy would see the mask of comedy, a loudmouthed rambunctious idiot prankster who never stops smiling no matter what happens to him. To the general populous this was the epitome of who the boy was. But he knew that with the amount of negativity that surrounded him on a daily basis that some would try to look past this mask knowing that it would be impossible for one remain so chipper in such a situation without being a bit off in the head.

For these people if they looked long enough they would see the mask of tragedy. A sad lonely boy who wore orange and pulled pranks while proclaiming that one day he would be Hokage as a sad outcry for attention. This mask would show just a hint of resentment for his situation as was to be expected but would also be balanced out by a greater amount of fear to show those who might start to fear him for that anger that he was weak and not truly worth being feared.

Some people would be drawn to the first mask making friends with the seemingly endless sunny persona. These people he considered shallow but allowed the mask to continue the friendships as bonds he understood were a source of great strength and could provide greater security as it would mean having those who would aid him. Several princesses he had saved during his missions had been drawn to this persona and would become strong supporters of him.

Others were repulsed by this persona and he would actively pursue their acceptance to subtly portray the second mask. Sakura was the ideal example of this as her violent tendencies would leave him seemingly wounded after an encounter.

This portrayal also had those drawn to it. His one fan girl Hinata and the false hunter nin Haku both were taken in by the seeming sadness of his situation and turned to his will. Hinata following him around and as she was the heiress of a major clan this brought the attention of others to him leading them to look closer and perhaps also begin to respect him. Haku on the other hand would be an enemy who was taken in and in turn could not fight to his fullest extent allowing his team to carry the day.

But truly behind both of the masks was a cold emotionless and logical mind who was constantly planning every move he made in life from when it was appropriate for him to seem weak and loose a fight to when he must at all costs provide the right words to turn someone to his side. If others knew the real him they would think he was a dark and perhaps very dangerous individual but none had ever penetrated both of his masks as he always was wearing both never letting them slide.

This was how he preferred it as it was far better than facing the darkness that would come were he to open the scars so that they could heal. As any good medic can tell you sometimes a scar runs so deep that to open it in order to heal it would be fatal in and of itself. That just wasn't a chance he was willing to take so he was fine remaining in his current darkness.

AN: Yeah kinda a dark one but this is what my muse gave me when I looked at a pendant bearing the comedy and tragedy masks that I wear on a daily basis. Almost as a reminder of what I would be if I let myself fall too far. But in the end I suppose that is what draws me to fan fiction and Naruto in particular.