Summary: In a land full of fantasy, one can normally predict what is going to happen next, only, for Naruto, his life just took an unpredictable turn.
Pairing: Itanaru, onesided sasunaru
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Naruto
Beta: xXxFrostyIceCubexXx is a blessing to me
Words: 3583
The Beauty Is Mine
Chapter Seven
The Dream Is Real
'Honestly why do I always have to go into town isn't anyone else capable of doing it?' Naruto stalked down the damn earth, his shoulders slumped slightly and a bag strapped to his back. Grumbling still he looked down at the earth and straightened his body.
Today was going to be very long.
Konoha hadn't changed much throughout his childhood, not once did a building fall down or even the people die or leave. Everyone in the village was almost exactly the same as when first met. Blond hair glowed in the light as Naruto, despite to escape town as soon as possible, nearly ran down to the trading post.
But there was no use escaping the comments by the people walking around him.
"Oh its Naruto..."
"Poor lad, dad's going away."
"Damn I want that figure!"
"Ah it's the freeloader."
"What do people see in it?"
"Can we talk to it mommy?" He slowed a bit and turned his head to the left slightly, "Don't you dare talk to him! His mother was a witch and left it behind to plague us!"
Sighing he started walking fast again. All through his life Naruto had listened to these words. Although he had never known his mother he blamed her for the comments. If she had been able to love him then maybe he would not have to suffer all the blame.
Kushina was to blame not him. She had abandoned his family and hadn't even bothered to watch her only son grow into a beautiful creature.
A creature that was both loathed and admired.
"Hey hot stuff come by my place tonight and I guarantee you a great time!"
Naruto felt like throwing up but thankfully his belly was empty. Not looking at the boy who had called it the blond walked quicker toward the bullet store. Once that was done he would grab a book and run back home. Maybe Jiraiya had something new...
"Hey Naruto!" Instinctively the blond looked back and grimaced. Sauntering forward, less than ten feet away, his 'enemy' showed himself to the blond. Uchiha Sasuke, son of Madara, smirked at him, "How are you doing hottie?"
Again the feeling of being sick was strong, "What do you want Sasuke-san."
"No no call me Sasuke-kun. After all you're going to be my partner when spring comes."
"Like hell I am!" Seriously the Uchiha needed to get over this partner business. Naruto was not interested in anyone here in Konoha and never would he allow himself to partner with Sasuke. The thought was just wrong to him.
Sasuke was nothing more than someone he liked to annoy and bug.
"Listen Sasuke I have no intention of partnering with anyone let alone you. I am not attracted to anyone and I would rather you stopped playing this illusion of me wanting to be with you."
"You will though, no one else in this place would want you the way I want you anyway." that one stung deep, making the blond feel terrible. Why wouldn't anyone want to be with him?
"Shut up Sasuke and leave me alone." Naruto walked up to Sasuke and delivered a punch to his jaw before turning and running quickly away to the book store instead of the bullet store.
--
This was the one place that the cold world of home could not touch. The book store was like heaven smack dab in the middle of hell for Naruto. Pushing open the door he was greeting at once with warmth from the owner,
"Hey kiddo how's your Gram's?"
"She's alright just as energetic as ever." Naruto listened as the door closed behind him, leaving the painful world known as Konoha outside. "Do you have anything new yet?"
Jiraiya blinked and then chuckled, "Actually I do have something," he reached to the left and puled a thick book out of a stack, "I think you'll like this one. It's about a person who leaves home for the outside world and never goes home."
Naruto grinned, "You're so right I do like the sound of it!"
Jiraiya returned the grin and handed the book over to the blond who immediately went to the table of contents to see how many chapters there were. Apparently there were just enough for him, "Thanks old man!"
"What have I told you?"
"About? Oh wait! Don't call you and old man but unfortunately I must due to you actually being an old man."
"You're a smart ass you know that?"
Naruto smirked, "Oh yeah!"
The two continued to joke around for awhile, Naruto promptly forgetting his previous worries for a long while. Unfortunately everything good and enjoyable comes to an end. "Hey I got to go so see you later okay?"
Jiraiya nodded and waved him off, "Bout time cause I'm positive your dad's going to be leaving soon."
With that Naruto sprinted out of the store and ran to retrieve bullets.
--
"Father?" the echoing sound of Sasuke's voice resonated around the large, black room coming back even louder than when he had spoken them. "Father how much longer until you come outside with me? I'm sure my time to kill will come soon. But please come out into the light and eat."
The small rattling sound caused the raven to smile a bit, "I'll make whatever you want."
A man with rivers of thick raven hair stepped slowly into the light filled doorway, his pale skin looking unusually pale. "Thank you my child..." His voice was soothing for the boy, like being wrapped in a blanket.
"Father why don't you go to the window for a bit; you can see the villagers for once and maybe catch a glimpse of the Namikaze son."
"Ah my boy you are such a comfort to me."
"I know."
Of course Sasuke knew. Who else did Madara have that would take care of him?
Being unusually kind, Sasuke helped his father over to the windows hoping that Naruto would be walking by. Unknown to him was his father wishing the exact same thing since no one would rightfully not keep an eye on him. After all his grandmother was a witch and his father was most likely the same. There was no telling what his gift would be.
It might be useful to getting rid of Itachi...
--
A certain blond teen shivered suddenly as he walked by the Uchiha home. "Is someone talking about me?" Shrugging the thought off he continued toward the large building where his father had always purchased anything that involved hunting.
Naruto never understood the need for such a large place. Inside there was just merchandise but the building was large enough for several stores. Letting his pondering drift the blond pushed the door open and felt like closing it back up.
Morino Ibiki glared back at him, his scared face set in a frown as he saw who it was. Every time, despite the fact that other people did work here, Naruto always ended up with Ibiki selling him goods.
"Good day Ibiki-san..."
"There's nothing good about it unless you're going to go die." Naruto never took this personally though after all Ibiki did tell every person he meets that. It was just his way of saying that he better be doing something worthwhile to be purchasing anything from this place.
"I need so stuff for my father. He said that he already ordered them and I was just to pick them up and pay?" It was a question because Naruto wasn't one hundred percent sure if that's how Ibiki saw it. Sometimes the man seemed to be all secrets and never answers.
"Maybe that's correct. You don't sound so sure brat." typical!!
"You have them and I want them now Ibiki-san!" It was ridiculous that Naruto had to resort to ordering just to pick up something. But then again this was Ibiki...
"That's better," The man's scars seemed to glow red before he turned to go to the back room. The blond shivered a bit and was reminded of one look a look that terrified him whenever he pictured it.
His grandmother had told him stories when he was younger of a king whose eyes glowed crimson in all light. Their depths would devourer any soul who dared to look straight into them. When his father had learned of that story he quickly ended it, much to Tsunade's displeasure but Naruto's joy.
Walking back in Ibiki glared at the blond, "Now don't you dare drop this boy! They took a lot of time to make and I don't want them to get dirty before use got it?" Naruto nodded automatically as he reached out for the box that held Minato's life. How interesting that a simple bullet would decide if someone would eat or not.
If that person would make it out of the Forest of Death alive or not…
--
"Mother...is it time already?" deep azure eyes looked at the womans back, his face held only sorrow.
"Yes...today you will lose all memory of the deal and go hunting my boy."
"Lose my memory?" Which parts would he be losing?
"I'll just seal them behind a small barrier. Just long enough for Naruto to go to Itachi. Hopefully the king will let you go...but you never know with that man." Her breath was light as she started her magic on Minato, who did not seem to notice.
"My darling boy, go to the deepest part of the words and follow the forbidden road to the very end." Minato's eyes were blank as memories were blocked, keeping their plans secret for the time being. "Down there is the most tender deer and Naruto deserves some for his near birthday."
There was a loud clunk then as a door slammed open, "Hey got your bullets!" her grandchild yelled from the main door. Resisting a curse Tsunade looked at Minato and tried to hurry the spell a bit, "Dad?" She watched as the blankness in those deep azure eyes shown with light. Just as the door handle rattled Minato regained his own mind.
"Dad?" Naruto poked his head around the door and grinned, "Got your bullets and I didn't even drop them!" he sounded proud at his little accomplishment.
Minato stared before comprehending, "Ah great! Now you'll get Kyuu for me and I'll get going."
The woman watched with careful eyes as the two males talked about the hunt. Naruto still wouldn't go but he did like to help Minato pack up. She was fairly sure it was because Minato allowed Naruto to stay by himself if he did. Not that she planned on staying here for the next few days.
"Hey Grams what do you want for dinner?" She blinked and looked into those soft azure eyes.
"Wha? Oh! Well brat since your fathers going hunting I was planning on doing some shopping around the country. We're running out of herbs that I need so I have to see if I can find more soon." This wasn't a lie. Lately the villagers had been catching colds and the flu. Tsunade may be a witch but she did require many things to do the normal healing.
Her powers were at their limit as it was.
"Oh..." the note of disappointment stung at her heart but she ignored it.
"You don't want anyone to die do you?"
"Of course not!"
She smiled, "I promise that I'll hurry home if you really want. I always assumed you liked spending time alone."
Blinking the young adult looked shocked, "Of course I like staying alone! It's just that I assumed you were going to be here for dinner..."
"No...Sorry my darling child."
Minato then took control of the conversation by telling Naruto, again, to get Kyuu ready and start his dinner. In just a few hours their plan would start. Hopefully no one would notice much...
--
"Bye dad!!" Naruto waved his arm in the air, not caring that he was twenty. Just waving good bye to someone he loved and cherished.
"See you soon Naruto!" Minato was looking ahead yet the small blond still heard him.
"Bring me some deer!" all that meat would help them through the winter after all. Deer was also the easiest for him to cook into so many different things.
The older male didn't seem to hear though as the giant horse galloped down the road and toward the forest.
Looking back toward the now empty house, Tsunade had left just moments after he had started setting up Kyuubi, the thought of quiet sunk in. "I'll be able to read my new book now..."
It was odd for someone as smart as Naruto to still be reading books. Most of the other boys his age didn't even bother with reading. All they needed to read was the taxes and news. As far as the blond knew he was the only one who still read books in his age bracket. The women didn't see any point since they would not have time later on in life. Maybe this was why no one seemed to want to be with him, apart from the Uchiha.
"I wonder if anyone likes to read as much as I do..." He whispered before stepping inside the warm, comforting house.
--
"Shh my boy." Soft velvet sheets brushed against skin as a man moved on the large bed. Underneath him was a blond who was panting, his arm covering his eyes. Breathing in and out the man on top smiled and ran his clawed hand over golden skin.
"I'll make you come for me no matter how long I have to work."
Itachi's eyes snapped open as his head slid off his arm, landing on the desk with a soft thud. Blinking several times he straightened before discovering a small problem down south. "Damn it," he hissed as his friend grew hot and irritated, "That stupid dream."
It had been weeks since that dream had started and during that time Itachi had been reminded of the witch who had changed everything. The boy was the same too, much to perfect to be real but captivating. The need to get rid of this feeling kept growing as the dream flashed before his eyes; some parts much to clear for comfort.
Everything was much to clear for its own good. Hard crimson eyes looked out the window as soft fluffs of snow started to fall down from the clouds above. Soon winter would be here and, once again, he would have to go out in the forests to gather foods and supplies to stay alive.
--
The even trotting of horse hooves against the cold earth was a comforting sound. Made even more comforting when you had absolutely no idea where you were.
"Kyuu I hope you know where we're going." Minato whispered while his ears pricked a bit, his senses on alert for different sounds other than the ones that he and the animal were making. For some odd reason the feeling that he was being watched was strong to him. But that was impossible since no one dared come so deep into the forest.
At least that's what he wanted to believe.
Kyuubi suddenly whined then and the blond rider looked around in slight panic. Turning his attention to the front of him Minato noticed there was a fork in the road. One that had not been used in several years it looked like.
One was bright against the unusually dark trees and the other seemed darker than the first. There was a small pull in his mind, telling him to take the one that was unusually darker than everything else around it.
Kyuubi seemed to think otherwise though as he started walking toward the light path.
"Hey!" Minato pulled at the reins that he normally didn't use since Kyuubi knew what to do on his own now. The years that they had been forced to go out had allowed them to tune in a bit more than necessary but it feed others. "Dumbass we're going this way," he pulled lightly toward the dark path.
Kyuubi looked at it for about three seconds before swinging his head back over to the friendly trail only to be directed toward the dark trail again. "We're going this way!"
How annoying some humans could be...
Unwillingly the animal stepped forward cautiously, his ears pricked forward as the wind began to howl. Small fluff balls started to fall then and the two looked up as snow came down in beautiful sheets. The white shine made the dark path look less inviting though, despite how welcoming snow usually was.
"Come on!" Minato pulled at the reins and, forcing the horse along, started down the uninviting path in search of that deer meat Naruto wanted so much.
--
"Itachi-sama?" one of the small teacups who had been part of the kitchen staff asked as she pushed the door open. Close to her was an enormous tea pot who seemed annoyed. Perhaps it was because the tea in him was unearthly hot and he just wanted to get rid of it.
"Konan I'll be back later." The raven monster pulled a thick pelt over his shoulders and pinned the ends together.
"But Itachi-sama the storm is growing stronger by the minute." The teacup jumped out of the foot path of the beast then and scowled after him, "You won't be able to find anything in this weather!"
Itachi ignored her and continued walking, pulling fabric over his skin to reduce the risk of frostbite. His ruby eyes glowed in the darkened castle and his skin looked whiter than the snow outside. Hair pulled out of his face the king walked through the silent castle without a sound.
--
"Ok…we're officially lost Kyuu…" Minato whimpered as he looked around himself, again, finding nothing familiar or showing signs of food. The large horse huffed before sliding across a small patch of ice causing the rider to clutch on for dear life.
"Damn it watch where you're going!" the blond growled before straightening up once more. Heavy flakes of white were falling down to the earth faster and thus had covered their trail into this part of the forest.
Minato looked around again as a small snapping sound echoed behind them. There was nothing but trees as far as he could tell. But his human senses were weaker than an animals, Kyuubi stiffened eyes shifted around as the scent of another being wafted in the air.
The animal slowly bent his knees in preparation to bolt for it. Minato still had no clue what was going on when Kyuubi suddenly started galloping away from where they were, toward some unknown area that they had not explored yet.
"What the?" There was a growling sound behind them and the blond turned his head in time to see a large grey wolf take a large mouthful of air around the horses legs. Panic filled his being as the need for self preservation took control of instinct, making the blond push the horse quicker. The wolf ran silently after the frightened pair, blood red eyes never leaving the human.
After galloping further into the forest, Minato saw the wolf jump and disappear from his view which made him relax a bit. Then his eyes widened as something warm and heavy crash into his left side, throwing him from Kyuubi's back and onto the ground. The cold snow against his skin caused what warmth Minato had to leave his body. Meanwhile Kyuubi kept on running never noticing that his passenger had fallen off or that he was running toward the village.
While the horse galloped away the blond wrestled to get the giant animal off him, teeth bitting down on his arm. Not hard enough to break his skin but still enough to hurt. Spending these last minutes fighting Minato realized that the wolf seemed to have pinned down his legs which was odd by itself.
Who ever heard of an animal pinning down a human? Looking through his arms which were covering his face Minato also noted that the teeth that were in his arm were gone now. But above him was not a wolf, instead it was a man with long raven hair and a pelt pinned to his torso.
He looked so odd though with wolf ears instead of human ears, not to mention those ruby eyes that held shock in them.
"Help me." Minato whispered before the cold finally got to him. Frozen now the blond closed his eyes and let sleep take him, the hope of getting warm strong. This stranger was his only hope to getting warm again.
--
Itachi kept his shock filled eyes on the blond who appeared to have fainted. This man was so familiar it was unsettling. His blond hair, tan skin, and the glimpse of blue eyes. This man was the older version of the boy he had been dreaming of.
Never had it occurred to Itachi that the boy might be real though. This man could have been his father thus proving that the blond boy was real and could be hurt. What was odd though was the fact that the king wanted to hurt the blond in life, not in his dreams.
"I'll help you old man." The raven bent down and gently pulled the man's arm over his shoulders and started walking home.
--
A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long to update! You see I have the chapter on a thumbdrive and well I misplaced it ^^; lame no? But it's true and I found it at long last! Who knew it would be under my bed! Hope you liked it and thanks for the reviews so far!!!