Reminiscence

When Shisui asked his best friend to hang out with him, admittedly under the pretense of patrolling the village. He wasn't expecting the latter's response to be anything but a hard no.

He was once again surprised when Itachi, not only agreed to his spontaneous request, but actually went to the length of suggesting a patrol route.

Really, he should’ve known right then, that something wasn’t quite right with his friend.

The neighborhood the pre-teen had chosen was in the red-light district. One of Konoha’s most neglected parts.

Even so, the night had been relatively calm. Except for the occasional drunken mishap, their patrol had been almost peaceful.

The sun had long since gone down when they finally decided to rest up in one of the local tea shops.

With the warm beverage held comfortably between his hands, he took a moment to look over his silent companion. Itachi had been extra quiet tonight, even more so than usual.

His mind was clearly elsewhere as he fiddled with the handle of his mug, eyes darting around the space as if searching for unseen threats.

“So,” He started lowly, breaking the relative silence that had settled between them, “Are you gonna tell me what’s been going through that twisted mind of yours?" He goaded, knowing that the other boy would rather drive himself crazy than actively reach out to anyone else.

“I don’t know what you mean.” The prodigy answered calmly, facade as resilient as ever.

“Right, of course.” He sighed, leaning back into his seat, his arms crossing over his chest. “I suppose you also wouldn’t know anything about the package I saw you holding yesterday while walking to this area.”

If he hadn’t been so well-versed in Itachi’s brand of body language, he would’ve missed the minute flinch overtaking the boy’s body at his words. It seemed that he was right in making the connection.

“You followed me?”

Huffing at the indignant lift of his friend’s eyebrows, he shook his head. “Nah, I was just out on an errand when I spotted you, but I don’t know where you went.”

That seemed to mollify the other boy, his expression smoothing back into his usual neutral mask.

Itachi opened his mouth, starting what Shisui expected to be a particularly interesting tale when two patrons walked into the shop.

After a quick slide of his eyes, he immediately dismissed them as none-threats, attention shifting back to the boy in front of him. Itachi however, was still wholly focused on the two newcomers.

“That freak is always running around, barreling into everyone.” The first one, a middle-aged man, was muttering to the woman next to him.

“Yes, well, what else do you expect when Lord Third lets that thing run wild.”

“Maybe this time it’ll finally learn its lesson, did you see them running after it?”

It took him a moment to understand just who it was the two civilians were muttering about. His blood boiled at the implications behind their gossip. 'It', they had said, as if they were discussing some kind of rabid animal.

“Hey, maybe we should-“ He was going to suggest checking in on the kid but when he turned back around, Itachi was already out of his seat, the door to the establishment swinging behind him.

“How rude!” The woman shouted as they both barreled past her, not bothering to excuse themselves.

_____________________________

Itachi runs, mind reeling with a hundred different scenarios he could be getting into. Anger simmers in his veins, sharingan blazing red as he charged across the rooftops towards the boy’s house.

Dread had been twisting his insides all day, a constant sense of unrest plaguing his thoughts as he remembered the look of utter defeat on the child’s face.

The boy had been so small, hunched in on himself as he was kicked out for merely wanting to buy himself food.

Fury ignited within him as he imagined his own little brother facing such hardships.

His eyes caught onto something while jumping across an alley and he skidded to a halt. His gaze hardened at the scene playing out before him. He doesn't think he's ever been this emotional before. "What you should do is step away from the boy." He says, vision tunneling to red. "Now."

He kicks away the man holding Naruto down, putting himself bodily in between the boy and his attackers. A kid, he reminds himself. A child no older than his little brother.

He doesn’t know what he does next, the fight, if you can even call it that, is a complete blur, his mind entirely focused on the tiny child that’s curled up on the ground, as if trying to hide himself away from the world.

_________________________

When Shisui finally caught up to his wayward friend, it was to an alley plunged in total darkness.

Five bodies lay motionless on the ground, either unconscious or dead, not that Shisui took the time to check. His eyes were, instead, trained solely on his companion. Itachi was holding onto something tightly, the shape was too hazy in the darkness.

“Is he okay?“ He asked, spotting the slight trembling in Itachi’s hands.

“He’s hurt. I need you to take them in for questioning.”

“Are they-“

"They're alive." The only time he's ever heard Itachi’s voice sound this cold was when his little brother’s well-being was involved. It never failed to make the hair on his arms stand on end. “I need to-“

“Go, I’ll take care of everything here.” Itachi nodded his head once, gratitude evident only to Shisui as he ran passed him. In the dim moonlight, he could see a glimpse of blood and golden hair, before the two disappeared in a whirl of motion.

A groan interrupted his worried musing, and he shifted to crouch next to one of the men responsible for this. “You better hope he gets out of this okay.” He hissed before kicking the man in question, he didn’t need them to be conscious until he got them all wrapped up, nice and pretty for the Hokage.

___________________________________

The last thing Hiruzen Sarutobi expected, was for one of his Jonin to barge into his office just as he was getting ready to go home for the night.

The boy had a stormy look engulfing his features, twisting his usual smiling face into a scowl as he dropped what Sarutobi counted as five unconscious grown men, all tied together. As if he were merely presenting him with an offering.

“What is the meaning of this?” He intoned, knowing that the ninja wasn’t known for shows of disrespect such as this one.

“Hokage-sama, these civilians were found attacking Naruto Uzumaki near his apartment by Itachi Uchiha and myself," Shisui reported seriously. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back as he stood straight, gaze never wavering from his superior.

“Naruto? Is he alright?” The old man asked, suddenly feeling his age. He didn’t even need to ask why they were doing so. Already well aware of the contempt the villagers foolishly held against the small child. “Was he injured?”

“Itachi took him to the hospital, he was beaten up and bleeding last I saw him. I do not know the extent of his injuries.”

With a sleight of hand, the Anbu guard assigned to his office was signaled. “Summon Uchiha Itachi to my office.” He ordered quietly, satisfied when the chakra signature disappeared momentarily before reappearing.

Raking a hand over his face, he sat down heavily in his chair, having not noticed himself standing up in the first place.

His mind whirred with the possible repercussions of this event. He knew he needed to take charge before things got out of hand. With another signal of his hand, the Anbu guard shunshined into the room. "Take these men and have them detained and charged. Do not inform anyone, and I mean anyone at all of the identity of their victim." The masked Anbu guard nodded once before disappearing, this time with the five men in tow.

A knock sounded at the door a moment later. Itachi entered the room, posture tense and strung out.

“Thank you for coming, Itachi-kun. It seems thanks are in order for saving our village Jinchuriki." It seems he picked his words wrong if the way the boy seemed to tense further was of any indication. "Nevertheless, I called you here for a reason." He began, knowing that what he had to say was, regrettably unavoidable. "I need you both to make sure that tonight's events remain hidden from the public. The only people who are to be involved are those directly related to the incident. I will be speaking with the hospital staff in charge of Naruto-kun’s case personally. Am I understood?”

All at once, the room's temperature seemed to drop. The tension rises in the very air around them like static. The source of the disturbance was unquestionable. "You disagree with my decision." He stated, already knowing the answer. "Speak freely."

Itachi remained silent for a moment, his expression not betraying any of his feelings. "How are you going to prevent this event from repeating itself, if you do not make an example of these men?" He asked, his voice calm despite the icy tone.

“I’m afraid that given the circumstances, incidents like this one were bound to happen. The villagers, despite my best attempts at discouraging their irrational hatred, are adamant in their views” He responded solemnly, his expression betraying the helplessness he held in the situation. “I may be Hokage, but I cannot control every citizen’s personal feelings and opinions.”

“So, the kid’s situation will remain as it is?” Shisui asked, talking for the first time since Itachi stepped into the room.

Seeing the tension persisting, the calm fury only solidifying, Sarutobi was suddenly hit with the perfect solution.

"You both feel very strongly about this." His eyes assessed his subordinates carefully. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, he spoke. "Very well," His voice took on a tone that made the occupants of the room straighten their spines, ready for orders. It was, as his people liked to refer to it, his Hokage voice. “From this moment forward, until told otherwise, Chunin Uchiha Itachi and Jonin Uchiha Shisui, I give you the authorization to interact with the Junchuriki known as Naruto Uzumaki and act if ever he is ever in need of protection." His gaze raked over them, assessing. "However, if you are to do this, none of your missions can be affected, your priority and loyalty remain with the village. Do you accept this mission?

“Yes sir.” The ninjas knelt, no hesitation in their response.

__________________________________

For the entirety of the week that follows, Itachi feels as though he’s holding his breath. The med-nin in charge of Naruto’s case had assured him that from a health standpoint, the boy was recovering well and should have regained consciousness days ago. Nonetheless, Naruto had, to the frustration and worry of the doctors, shown no sign of waking up.

To his rising worry, his body kept falling into strange, unexpected seizures. They were even contemplating sending for a Yamanaka for a mind sweep, to check and see what was going on in the boy’s mind to cause the occurrences in question.

He's currently perched outside the boy's window when a familiar chakra signature appears next to him. "Are you seriously going to wait all the way out here?" Shisui asks, exasperation and well-concealed worry tinging his tone.

“Our mission is to guard him. I am… guarding.” At the deadpan look he receives, he turns away, gaze trained stubbornly on their surroundings.

“Are you really okay with letting the kid wake up all alone?” That was a low blow, Shisui knew. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty about it. Knowing his best friend needed to hear it. “Protecting sometimes means being there for him, you know.”

When he gets no outward response, Shisui sighs and decides to take this up again at a later time. He looks back at the hospital bed, spotting the small form laying on the bed. He hoped the kid would wake up soon.

__________________________________

Waking up, the light shines brightly pushing into Naruto’s eyelids heavily. They flutter and squint, an already losing battle. Through the blurriness, the first thing Naruto notices are the clean, pristine white tiles decorating the ceiling above him. The jarring difference in the setting makes the world snap into focus around him.

The sharp, distinct smell of antiseptics and unnatural cleanness aren’t unhelpful in recognizing where exactly he was.

His head aches, skull throbbing. It feels almost like the time he took a bludger to the head while playing quidditch and- the thought makes him pause as if reaching a metaphorical standstill, his thought process just stops. As if icy water trickles down his spine, he suddenly feels wide awake. Going back over the words in his head, he realizes that yes, he abruptly has access to a whole set of memories that couldn't- shouldn't belong to him.

He remembers walking home after meeting the Nara kid, and recalls getting chased and attacked by who he figured was his neighbor's son. However, when he scours his mind, he finds memories that, for all intents and purposes weren't his own. At least, not in this lifetime.

His mind reels at the thought.

Had he been reincarnated? Two sets of personalities and memories war with each other for dominance, creating a paradox in his own brain. Was he Naruto Uzumaki, or was he Harry James Potter? Was he somehow, both?

Suddenly, all the peculiarities he’s noticed over the years make so much more sense.

His fingers clench the sheets of his hospital bed tightly, creasing the fabric and most likely wrinkling it horribly.

Distantly, he wonders why he was even still alive. Was fighting one war not enough? Did the universe have to reincarnate him as a lonely orphan, destined to be, once again, all alone? Shunned and hated. Feared and looked down upon.

Trying to focus on his newfound foreign memories -and that was exactly what they were; 'foreign'- he finds that bits and pieces are missing. Like the lost parts of a puzzle or the discarded shards of a broken mirror, his thoughts are scattered and lost.

He doesn't remember dying, he realizes. He figures it's his mind's way of protecting itself from the trauma.

Despite having several recollections pertaining to a seventeen-year-old, he feels his current age. His brain is that of a five, going on to six-year-old. Admittedly, one with a lot of experiences to draw from, but a five-year-old nonetheless.

What the hell happened to him? To his friend? Were they still alive, somewhere? Or was he reincarnated in a completely different reality?

The knowledge he has from this world tells him that yes, he was nowhere near the twentieth century of modern England.

All of a sudden, he feels all too aware of just how alone and helpless he was.

He tries to reach for his magic, the only reliable constant in his life, only to stop short. He knows it's there, can feel it, shifting just out of reach. Try as hard as he might, it just slipped away.

His body, he concludes with no small amount of despair, was not ready yet. Was this why children began attending Hogwarts at eleven? Wands weren't even a thing here, would he ever be able to use his magic like he used to?

Wandless magic, he remembers, was incredibly difficult, but not impossible. But what about chakra? Would the chakra pathways interfere with his magical core? Were they related or intertwined now that he had both?

He supposes solemnly, that he wouldn’t know until he was trained in both.

Was this why everyone feared him? Was this why they looked at him like an outsider? Did they somehow know he was different? That he wasn’t normal like them? They called him a monster, a freak. Were they like the Dursleys? Did they somehow instinctively hate wizards and magic users?

His mind whirred and buzzed with a thousand different questions and thoughts. Falling deeper into a bizarre sense of detachment as he analyzed and went through the information warring inside his mind.

Too engulfed in his thought process, he didn't notice the door to his room open to let in two people, nor did he hear his name being called out repeatedly by said newcomers.

A warm hand clamped down on his shoulder and he jumped, flinching away as he got startled out of his reverie.

It took him a moment to hear over the loud beating of his heart, only now recognizing one of the people standing in front of him.

“Naruto, my boy, are you feeling alright?” For a second, the face of the third Hokage merges with the ghost of the long departed. Flashes of a too-long white beard and an easy deceptive smile overtook the old man's features before disappearing like smoke. "You were unconscious for quite a while."

“Hokage-sama." He whispers, voice feeling as rough as sandpaper against his throat. The old man's eyes widen at the formal address, being used to much more familiarity from the child.

Contrary to Hermione's beliefs, however, he learns from his mistakes. He would not let himself be manipulated again. "What happened?" He asks, trying to calm down despite his overwhelming urge to burrow into his sheets and disappear.

“I’m afraid you were attacked, my boy.” The Hokage explains gently in turn, "The people responsible have all been detained for punishment. They will not harm you again." He finishes with confidence.

It wasn’t exactly reassuring, though, knowing that even with five down, there was an entire village of people who could still hurt him.

"Why do they hate me so much?" Feeling extremely vulnerable, he looks up for the first time during their conversation. To his horror and rising embarrassment, his voice cracks, a sob catching in his throat despite his best effort at remaining composed.

The teen who had walked in with the Hokage took an aborted step forward, as if wanting to reach out.

"As you have, lamentably witnessed, some people hold darkness within them Naruto-kun. Sometimes their actions cannot be rationally explained. That does not mean that the fault lies with anyone in particular. For we each hold both good and bad within ourselves." The explanation seemed to physically pain him to utter. As if he was holding himself back from revealing something grand and all-encompassing. His words are also a horrible echo of words he's heard before, long ago.

"You're lying to me. These men, even the people of the village, all hate me. It's not just them. W-what did I do? Why do they hate me?" His fingers were clenched so tight he could feel his nails digging into his sensitive palm. "You're hiding something." He continued, aware of the furrowing of the man's brows and the slight panic overtaking his eyes. He couldn't bring himself to care. "Why won't you tell me the truth Oji-san." His old nicknames bleed through his words as he looks at the older man, wordlessly pleading, begging for him to explain.

“I promise you, Naruto-kun, I will tell you everything you need to know when you’re older. You are not ready for the entire truth yet.” His words bore no room for argument. No place for disagreement or protest.

“When?” He asked quietly, already knowing what his answer would be.

“When you graduate the academy and become a Genin." And there it was, the plans and path this world had chosen for him.

“W-what if I don’t want to?” What if he wanted to choose his own path for once in both his lives? What if he wanted to forge his own way?

“You will.” Was the solemn response. He learned then and there, that even the Hokage, was bound to the rules of the village and its higher power.

They were all helpless, in the end.