Chapter 2: Dream World vs. Reality

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and saw a familiar blond medic. "Tsunade-baachan?" he muttered, then cringed as his throat hurt.

"Shh," she said, placing a finger gently on his lips. "If you need to talk, whisper."

"I had an awful dream," he whispered. "The world around me went wacky then Orochimaru said that I'd spent fifteen years in a virtuous reality or something and no one will remember me, even though I know them."

"I see," she said softly, but with a serious tone. "Get some rest, we'll talk more later."

Naruto closed his eyes as she left. He heard the door close then voices. "It seems Orochimaru had him in a virtual reality this whole time, Hokage-sama."

Naruto's eyes shot wide open. The voice had belonged to Tsunade, but why was she calling someone else Hokage-sama? What's more, why was she talking about his dream like it had been a fact?

"I see," said a familiar soft voice. Naruto recognized the voice, but... It-it can't be? he thought sitting up, ignoring the throbbing in his body from the effort. How...?

"I'm sure he'll be alright, Sensei." Naruto heard Kakashi-sensei say. Now there was no doubt in his mind. The second voice belonged to the Yondaime Hokage, his father.

"I hope so, Kakashi," Yondaime said. "May I see him, Tsunade?"

"He's resting at the moment," Tsunade said.

"No, he's not," Kakashi replied, a smile in his voice.

Then the door opened, there stood a grumpy Tsunade, an eye grinning Kakashi and... "You're..." Naruto whispered. Naruto's father, tears in his eyes, was suddenly beside him holding him. "I'd almost given up finding you, Naruto." He sobbed.

He was warm, he was solid, he was... "Dad," Naruto whispered, tears filling his own eyes. "You... you're alive?" Naruto wrapped his arms around him, tears of joy spilling from both of them.

"So you were orphaned in that 'dream world'?" Yondaime asked when Naruto had whispered the story to him. Naruto had told him everything that had happened in the 'dream world' (a phrase that they'd adapted to using when referring to the virtual reality), since he was very sore now, he just nodded. "That explains why you were so glad to see me." Yondaime muttered.

"I'm sure you're both aching to visit longer," Tsunade said, "but Naruto needs to rest now Hokage-sama."

"Right," Yondaime said, getting up. "I'll be back to visit you soon, alright son?" Naruto nodded. "Then get some rest or Tsunade will have both our hides."

Naruto chuckled as Kakashi helped him lay back down, Tsunade glared at Yondaime for his comment as the three left and then fell asleep.

"I knew Orochimaru was a sick bastard, but this..." Kakashi was saying after he, Tsunade and Yondaime were in the Hokage's office.

"It's not just mental anguish that he's put on the boy," Tsunade said.

"What do you mean, Tsunade?" Yondaime asked, now more worried than ever for his son.

"He grew up in a tank, so his muscles are weak. Not only that, but it's obvious that he'd been in more of a sitting, most likely fetal, position than standing. So now his organs are misplaced. I'm sorry Hokage-sama, but I don't think a full recovery is possible, even with my skills."

Namikaze Minato slumped in his chair at Tsunade's words. "So in other words," Kakashi said, "he's going to be crippled the rest of his life."

"I'm afraid so." She replied. "His only hope would be if he inherited his mother's bloodline trait."