Ambivalent time line.
Dream
To sleep, perchance to dream…
-Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
I think I'm moving, but I go nowhere.
-Stop and Stare, One Republic
Kabuto had appeared out of nowhere, as Sakura has discovered he is wont to do. That day, however, Sakura didn't think she had the patience to deal with his special brand of cruelness. Perhaps, she thought, he would be scared off by the fact that Kakashi was with them this time. She hoped.
Unfortunately, instead of running away, Kabuto made a small, flickering movement with his fingers. Sakura knew she'd never seen this move from him before, but she quickly realized it was some sort of genjutsu. She made the seal and released herself. She couldn't help but wonder: Since when had Kabuto ever used genjustu? She shrugged off her amazement by reminding herself that she should never be surprised by what Kabuto did or did not do. Too late did she realize Kabuto hadn't been aiming for her.
"You'll enjoy this, Naruto," Kabuto promised cryptically, and Sakura knew Naruto was already caught in the illusion because he wasn't moving.
Naruto is five and very carefree. He enjoys coming to the playground with his mother, whose long red hair is currently shifting in the breeze, looking almost orange in the late afternoon sun. Orange is his favorite color.
His mother is sitting on a bench casually reading, but Naruto knows she sees everything he does. He's not quite sure what exactly it is about his mischievous behavior that upsets her, but he knows he'll have to be fast if he wants to get anything accomplished before she stops him. Fast, like his father.
Naruto wishes he was as fast as his father. When Minato is around, Naruto's mischief is stopped most often before it even begins. However, he has no doubt that one day he will be as fast as his father because Minato has promised to teach him all the jutsu he knows. Naruto has already decided that what he wants most in the whole world is to be just like his father.
He is sitting on the swings concocting devious plans when he hears his mother call his name.
"Naruto! It's time to go home."
Naruto puts his devious plans aside. Going home means they will stop by the Hokage tower to pick up his father on their way. He can hardly contain his excitement, and he bolts off the swing, running full tilt towards his mother. She smiles at his enthusiasm, the way she does when she's about to tell him she loves him more than anything.
Naruto is too enthusiastic and runs faster than his legs can go. He trips and lands on his hands and knees. He is momentarily surprised before the stinging sensations from his palms register as pain. He feels the tears well up in his eyes even as his mother hurries towards him.
Kushina picks him up and soft sounds of comfort and the familiar smell that is his mother envelops him. His hands hurt, but soon his tears abate and he doesn't notice the pain as much.
Suddenly there is a rush of wind and a blond head very much like Naruto's appears next to Kushina. She turns to her husband.
"We were just coming to get you," she tells him.
Minato shrugs and ruffles Naruto's hair.
"What happened, champ?" he asks.
Naruto holds up his palms for his father to see, and Minato nods knowingly.
"We'll just have to wrap those up when we get home, hm?"
Minato smiles and Naruto smiles back because his father is the sun in his sky.
-
Naruto is eleven and a little confused. He's not sure he wants to be on a team of genin, and he sort of thinks he doesn't need to be. After all, his father is the Hokage, and his father has trained him for as long as he can remember.
"Honey, all genin are organized into squads," his mother explains.
Naruto doesn't answer and Kushina sighs.
"I know what you're thinking. 'My dad's the Hokage. I don't need a team,' right?" Kushina looks at Naruto with a soft, understanding smile on her face. Naruto nods and marvels that his mother always knows what he's thinking.
"Your father is a very good teacher," she continues, "but there are things only being on a team can teach you." Kushina pauses, giving Naruto some time to think about what she's said. After a few minutes, Naruto looks his mother in the eyes as comprehension dawns on him.
"I'm being selfish, right? I mean, Dad's the Hokage. That means he can't spend all his time with me." Naruto smiles sadly, but he understands. His father is not his own alone.
"Your father has responsibility for everyone in the village. He does what is best for everyone, not just one person. That's what being Hokage is."
Naruto looks away from his mother as he realizes that while he has always known this, he hasn't ever really known what it means. Now he can see that it means sacrifice. He doesn't hold it against his father; rather, he is very proud of his father. But that doesn't stop the tears from coming, or the embarrassment that accompanies the tears. Naruto thinks he is much too old to cry.
Of course, his mother understands. She moves closer to hug him tightly, something she does less often these days since he tells her he's too old for it.
"But you know, your father and I love you more than anything."
"I know," Naruto says and Kushina smiles beautifully as she lets him go.
-
Naruto is fifteen and frustrated.
His father is not helping.
He is training with his father, something that is a rare and pleasant occurrence. Minato is always busy, so Naruto is usually grateful for moments like this, but today he is slightly annoyed. They are working on Rasengan again; Naruto almost has it down. Though his father tells him his stamina is practically unbelievable, Minato has insisted on taking a break for a few minutes. However, this is not why Naruto is annoyed.
"You mean she's turned you down every single time?" his father asks cheekily.
Minato is teasing his son.
"Geez, Dad. Do you have to say it like that? It sounds so pathetic," Naruto mumbles. Minato chuckles.
"It's just, I really like Sakura-chan…" Naruto's voice trails off. Minato gets a little more serious, but he keeps his smile on his face.
"Naruto, girls are always going to be like this," he comments. Naruto looks at him in alarm.
"They'll confuse you and abuse you for no apparent reason," he continues. The alarm in Naruto's face has changed to pure horror.
"Why would you tell me something like that?!"
"Because it's true. Girls are always that way," Minato pauses for dramatic effect, "but, for some reason, you still like them. I suppose that's because they can be perfectly wonderful sometimes." Minato grins at Naruto, who is now letting his annoyance show.
"Dad, I am never asking you for advice again."
Minato takes it in stride.
"Well, maybe it's best if you just do whatever you think is best." Minato thinks for a moment before adding, "Though, I don't recommend following any of Jiraiya-sensei's advice about women."
"Why?"
"Well, if Sakura is as much like Tsunade as they say, you'll have a fair amount of broken bones pretty fast."
Naruto swallows audibly.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Minato stands and brushes off his pants. Naruto quickly follows suit; the break is over. Although, Naruto wants to ask one more question before he won't be able to concentrate on anything more than the chakra he'll be molding in his hand.
"So, if girls are so awful, what's with mom?" Minato looks at Naruto, surprised thoughtfulness coloring the corners of his mouth.
"Your mother is the best thing that's ever happened to me," Minato says truthfully, "but she wasn't easy to convince."
"Then how'd you do it?"
"Persistence." Naruto thinks about this and Minato can see he is taking this answer seriously.
"Of course," Minato adds, "then you might end up with a bratty teenager you have to teach Rasengan to one day."
"Hey!" Naruto protests, but he's no longer annoyed because he knows this is his father's way of saying he's pretty proud of him.
Sakura moved towards Naruto to release him from the jutsu. She was well-aware Naruto had never been that great with genjutsu, and she knew Kabuto wasn't playing fair. Before she got there, however, Kabuto was standing in front of Naruto, two of his fingers connecting with Naruto's shoulder.
Sakura suppressed a gasp of fear, but when she saw Naruto wasn't losing blood or something equally awful, she was confused. What had Kabuto done? And then she understood: Kabuto had pushed some of his own chakra into Naruto's shoulder, releasing Naruto from the genjutsu.
"I knew you'd like it," Sakura heard Kabuto say. "Too bad it wasn't real." And then Kabuto disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Naruto was standing in shock. There was a strange look on his face, and Sakura could see anger along with… longing? Just what had Kabuto shown him? She started moving towards him again, but this time she was stopped by Kakashi, who held her back without saying a word. Sakura looked at him questioningly, but he only shook his head. She looked back to Naruto, who was slowly sinking to his knees. The strange look hadn't left his face, but now there were a few silent tears sliding off his cheeks.
That was when Sakura decided Kabuto's cruelty knew no bounds, and she could see Kakashi was thinking the same thing.