Fandom: Naruto
Title: Mind Games
Part: 01?
Genre: Angst/Romance
Rating: R
Warning: AU
Spoilers: Manga up to Shippuden (and possibly beyond)
Summary: How would you know the brilliance of light if you've never laid eyes on the sun?
It's dark in this world, the all-consuming kind of darkness where self-doubt and fear bloomed like daisies in a graveyard. It might've been called 'death'. For the longest time, I thought it was what 'death' felt like, yet it didn't seem so much 'death' as it did a very long dream. I wasn't sure where this darkness came from or how I got here in the first place. All I knew was that in this world, he was the only other person in existence.
"Who are you?" He would ask, hand gentle against my forehead, as if he were brushing away thoughts that muddled the mind. "Where are you from? Why are you here?"
At one point in time, I knew the answers. I know I knew the answers. But as time passed, that knowledge just... left. I knew it then I didn't, that's all. He continued to ask me the same three questions until one day, he abruptly stopped and began to tell me things instead.
"Your name is Uzumaki Naruto. You are from the shinobi village of Konoha in the Fire Country. You are here because the people there have driven you away from your home. They drove you away because they fear you. You are here because you feel hate. Do you hate the people of Konoha? Yes, you do. You despise them. You want to destroy them. You want to make them suffer."
The first time he said those words to me, I did not believe him, but when I said so, he merely patted me on the head and said "Denial is always the first stage, Naruto-kun". The second time, I believed. Why wouldn't I? What reason would I have to doubt his words? What reason would he have to lie to me? So I began to hate this village called Konoha. I began to hate the shinobi of Konoha who had driven me out.
More time passed and he began to tell me more things about me.
"Your village shunned you because you were the vessel of a demon."
Every time he talked, he mentioned a demon.
"The demon within you is the nine-tailed demon fox, the Kyuubi youma. He was put in you for the sole purpose of supplying you power. You must learn how to use, to harness that power, and destroy everyone who hates you."
How? I would ask. When?
And his reply was always: "Soon."
I couldn't stop wondering when 'soon' is. Later, I would find out that 'soon' came far earlier than I could anticipate. It seemed like no time had passed the next time he came to visit.
"Come with me, Naruto-kun," he said at once.
Why?
"Don't question. Just do it."
And so, without a clue how to go with him or why to go with him, I went with him.
---Itachi allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction as he pulled the boy from his three-month long slumber. It was a delicate process, really, one that required meticulous precision and large amounts of chakra; chakra that Naruto-kun himself unwittingly provided. It had been a stroke of pure luck when he discovered the Nine-Tail Jinchūriki, collapsed on the forest floor, practically begging to be snatched- which was exactly what he did.
The higher-ups of the Akatsuki had been thrilled. Even though the jutsu needed to draw out the one-tail Shuukaku, much less the nine-tail Kyuubi, but obtaining the vessel so easily from right under the Leaf Village's nose was nothing short of pure dumb luck. The possibility of using the most powerful vessel of the Bijū as a human-weapon before they killed it cam as an added bonus.
Upon his attainment, they had immediately ordered him to be put in a coma, using his capturer's Sharingan to wipe his memory and reconstruct it to their liking. Human-weapons were always more efficient if they felt like they had a personal reason to fight.
The boy stirred. His eyelids twitched a few times before they slowly cracked open, revealing a dull shade of blue. The 'world' Itachi had created for Naruto was complete darkness. No light, no matter, nothing. It would take him a while to adjust.
Once he had, the boy gazed inquisitively at him and asked: "Who are you?"
---It was like waking up after a long nap. The space between dream and reality that had been so massive had been shortened in what seemed like no time at all. Light that I had not seen for an eternity pierced through the darkness and when I could finally see again, I saw a man sitting by my side.
"Who are you?"
He says nothing, but places a cold, gentle hand on my forehead. It all came rushing back. This man was him. He was the man of my dreams. His voice, his touch; the familiarity of it all came back in a flash.
"Do you remember me now, Naruto-kun?" He asked.
I nodded.
"I am Uchiha Itachi." It doesn't sound familiar. Then again, nothing does. "I need to ask you a few questions."
He began to question me on everything he himself had told me. My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I came from the Village of Konoha and I despise the place with all my heart. The people there hated me a drove me out because they feared the Kyuubi, which was why I was to use to Kyuubi to exact my revenge. I will destroy Konoha. I will make it suffer. Now, understand, I don't actually feel dislike for Konoha- I don't think I've ever been there, to be honest. But when I am asked how I feel, I automatically respond with disdain. Reflexive, and I have no idea why.
The oddest part of the questioning came with Itachi listed names and asked me if I knew any of them. Haruno Sakura? Hatake Kakashi? Hyuuga Neji? Inuzuka Kiba? Jiraiya? Sabaku no Gaara? Sandaime Hokage? Tsunade-hime? Uchiha Sasuke?
I said no to all of them, truthfully. Finally, Itachi seemed satisfied. Happy, even.
"We will talk more tomorrow," he said. "For now, rest."
He waved his hand over my eyes and darkness fell once more.
T . B . C(Author's Note: December 1st, 2008) When I first began this story, Itachi had only appeared once and his character wasn't fleshed out as it is now in the manga. Because of this, I debated back and forth between either sticking to my original idea and making everything AU, or to adhere to the canon seeing as 'Mind Games' is still (pathetically) only one chapter. After much consideration, I've decided to make this story an AU completely and I will write this story one day.
That said, I will not continue this story until all of my other works have been completed. I will be honest: it'll take a while. When I finally do focus on this, however, it will be my only priority. Thanks for your patience.
- Izzy