Mind Walking, Part 2
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own. Send me a comment! I would love to take advice and suggestions from my readers while continuing the story!
Thinking
Biju, etc. speaking
Biju, etc. thinking
Emphasis
Inoichi was getting a headache. How did this make sense? A second set of memories? Now Naruto - or "Naru-chan" - was living and being hidden from outsiders by the Sarutobi Clan. Jiraiya-sama was training her in secret whenever he was in the village, as was Tsunade-sama. What's the truth?
Aaaaand, once again he saw himself with the same little blonde girl, whom he introduced to the "Princess" as his daughter, and they became fast friends. Inoichi sat down on the sewer floors. Screw the stagnant water: he was mentally exhausted and needed time to try to figure out what was going on.
Many of these "memories" are nearly the same, but there were also important differences, Inoichi noticed easily.
Naru-chan was being hidden by the Sandaime's family because of the (in this view or timeline - whatever it was that he was witnessing,) deceased Yondaime's enemies, primarily in Iwa. It seemed that the knowledge that she was the vessel of the Kyuubi wasn't a problem for her now, and she knew who her parents were this time. The villagers blamed an unknown Uchiha for the attack that killed her parents and destroyed part of the village: not that the blonde had seen the village yet. Inoichi sighed heavily as he watched Jiraiya and Tsunade bicker over the blonde's training through her eyes.
Although she wasn't a Sage yet and hadn't advanced her Rasengan, she was formidable this time around and an obvious ninjutsu prodigy, Inoichi realized. Naru couldn't be more than 8 or 9, when - gods help them - the Uchiha were annihilated again. Needing more ninja, she was enrolled in ANBU.
"Why not?" he thought sarcastically.
He would like to believe at this point either this girl had incredible memories implanted by some unknown genius or had an unbelievable imagination along with a serious mental illness. That didn't seem to be the case, however, judging by things like her emotions and more. I don't know what to think!
Inoichi compared this "lifetime" to the past memories he had just witnessed.
So far, he confirmed the following:
- Jiraiya being a massive pervert while Tsunade hits him with near-lethal force continually: CHECK.
- Friends: CHECK, although the clan heirs of her generation were brought to her this time.
- Hatake being a pervert: DEFINITE CHECK.
- Hatake as a sensei: CHECK, although this time he was her ANBU captain.
- Fuuinjutsu: CHECK, from very early on in her life/this life - whatever it is that's happening...
- Orochimaru: CHECK - he was insane, experimenting on children!
- The Sandaime Hokage's death: UNCHECK - he survived but was forced to retire.
- Akatsuki's plans for world domination: CHECK.
- Danzo being an asshole and ruining their village and reputation: CHECK.
- Itachi being a hero of sorts: CHECK, but this time there were four surviving Uchiha, including Obito.
- Suna red-headed murderous jinchuuriki: UNCHECK - this time Jiraiya-sama fixed the kid's seal.
- The same redhead dating the girl: CHECK. Jiraiya refused a marriage contract between them.
Considering that in his mind, Inoichi watched as even with a war on the horizon, Naru-chan and his daughter, Ino-chan, dated what seemed to be every unmarried shinobi across the Elemental Nations. Yes, he was exaggerating somewhat, but for Kami's sake: there was no need for this! Some of those Jonin were SO much older than the girls. And he would never, EVER allow his daughter to do such a thing. Genma-kun had to be nearly 20 years older than the girls - wasn't he? - and they dated him at the same time: going out on dates together as a threesome!
I blame Hatake and the Toad Sage for this, Inoichi thought bitterly.
He could tell that at least from his subject's standpoint, it was mostly all in fun, but good lord! Obviously, her "dates" with Chouza's son were eating contests where the boy would pay, but that wasn't fair! She was much more… "active" would be a good way to put it, Inoichi supposed, with Shikaku's son: the Nara going from the state of a slug to a horny little shit in no-time flat when he saw the blonde. Ugh… Let this be a nightmare! He had been sure that Haku kid was gay or trans, but not when he was around Naru! At least she's not interested in Zabuza-san, although the swordsman certainly was interested in her for some reason after she saved his ass in Wave.
Time passed and she was fully supported - especially by her admirers - from early on in the War. Obito was still delusional, Kakashi seemed to be even more of a pervert than ever, and the Sasuke kid was still bonkers, even after he met with Itachi-kun who was still alive. Oh, and the brat was dating Naru - until going on a double date with Ino-chan, and OH DEAR GOD NO!
This is not happening! Kami-sama: I'm going to have to delete this from the record, whether it's accurate or not! "We should both kill those sons of bitches…" He looked away in distaste from the screen.
Eventually, the war was won. The new Seven Swordsmen of the Mist definitely helped hasten its earlier end than in Naruto's last set of memories, just like an alive and toad-spiriting Jiraiya-sama had bounced all over the war-ravaged countries with Naruto, being an even more frightening shinobi than the man he knew now. Hiruzen Sarutobi died protecting his son and family, which he saw here as Asuma, his wife Kurenai, and their baby, Murai.
So in this "world," Asuma finally got the balls to ask her out. He's only looked like a love-sick fool around her since early on when they were in the Academy.
There were three jinchuuriki left, as well as two Uchihas. Kakashi - oh for Kami's sake: how is the village going to stand? Kakashi The Pervert Hatake became the Rokudaime Hokage, so it must be the end of the world.
It was normal to see especially meaningful things from a subject's life when doing a mind-walk, and often those moments included scenes of intimate relationships. Girls may have called him a pervert back at the Academy, but he had never actually been one. He had been a flirt: he'd agree to that title, but that was as far as it went. So it was especially disturbing that this GIRL'S memories of a life not lived (Surely?!) included so many X-rated scenes. At least, he supposed, they were all with one person…
Inoichi shrunk back as he looked away from that face that was above the girl -er, young woman. It's just not right!
Nanadaime Hokage: she reached her goal of two lifetimes, or whatever they should be called... Great, consecutive perverts running the village. Inoichi watched as months later, Naruto-chan realized she was pregnant. Reluctantly, Naru and her partner got married, but I'll admit, they are a happy couple, Inoichi thought. An exceptionally happy couple, it seemed. She gave birth in the cave she was born in, Tsunade-hime - still looking just the same - as her medic. Ino-chan was there as well, also pregnant. Inoichi scowled as he watched his bubbly so-called daughter glow, and had to admit that such a thing would EVENTUALLY be alright - as long as it was many decades from now. What she saw in that guy, though, he wasn't sure…
He felt fear as the other Uchiha appeared, killing Jiraiya and Tsunade-sama. The same thing was happening all over again! Inoichi watched in horror as one person after another went down on what was supposed to be this happy day. No matter what the traitor did, though, the Kyuubi refused to be taken, it seemed. Naruto was screaming, and her husband was fighting for their lives like a man on fire. In the end, he draped his body over her belly as she was giving birth to a twin. The proud, dying man was holding the first babe. Lightning flashed and buzzed, and it seemed the family was no more. Everything went dark; the last sounds he heard were her gurgling and the nightmarish sound of her "Rasenshuriken."
Inoichi released the breath he had been holding. "Oh, fuck! Fuck! What the hell was that?!" He was shaking all over.
Following the horrible nightmare he just witnessed, he felt pressure throughout the mindscape and looked up in horror to see the sewer water rise. It was now HOT.
Shit: Kyuubi!
Just as he started to move he saw those ringed purple eyes he had seen in the first set of memories on the screen again, and suddenly the water stopped rising and cooled. "Thank Kami," Inoichi panted, rejoicing in still being alive.
"You're nearly out of chakra, Mind Walker. Best move out, ne? No need to worry, I'll save the show for you." An extremely dark chuckle emerged from the cage ahead on his right.
Inoichi was frozen in fear. Gods, he could feel the demon's hot breath filling the corridor. He cut open his thumb with the pen he kept in his pocket to force himself to move. I'll never do this again without weapons on my person!
"Leave, flesh bag, and be SURE to return with that bastard of a Hokage!" Inoichi released the jutsu, but not before hearing the beast's parting words. "There is one more to see, Yamanaka. Until then..."