Ok, third chapter, here it is!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Home is Where the Heart is

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Chapter Three: Realization

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(Dream)

Killing, bleeding, crying, screaming, begging, glaring, punching, running, kicking, dying-

A scream tore through the mixed images, cracking it, shattering, breaking, falling, landing-

Chink, chink, chink the broken pieces said as they fell to the ground, breaking up even more-

A sob, tears drowning the pieces, cleaning it, washing, ripples distorting an image when a tear drop fell in the water, slowing down, the water started to become calm-

Images shown on the now smooth water-

"No! Please no-"

"Shikamaru!"

"God damn it! He was just a child-"

"No! God no! Please, please, please!"

"Please, they're just children-"

"Don't touch her! Sakura-chan!"

"Sasuke, you traitor! He was our teacher!"

"Iruka-sen-"

"Godaime-sama! Old hag! You can't be de-"

"NNNOOOOOOOOOO!"

I sat up, a scream coming out from my throat. I immediately stopped once I realized I was screaming. I sat there, on my futon, panting in a cold sweat. I cold feel my hands clutching the blankets tightly, almost tearing them. My eyes were unnaturally wide and I stared at nothing but the wall.

I hated the nightmares. They always haunted me, reminding me of what I lost and what I could lose. They made me become paranoid, sometimes distracting me, other times making me become extremely sensitive to my surroundings. I sighed and got out of the bed, it was almost morning.

I took a shower from the bathroom that was connected to my room. I changed into a fresh set of clothes after looking through the room. It seems that the Naruto who used to live here had no taste in fashion at all. All the clothes he had were dark and all the shirts had a swirl somewhere.

I donned on black pants that were a little loose. The common ninja sandals I wore were dark blue. The shirt I wore was sleeveless and navy blue. I put on a pair of black gloves. I found a black bandanna and put that on too. I guess I was a little self conscious about my bright, blond hair. I strapped the kunai holster on my right thigh.

Damn, I could have used my long hair in the middle of a battle by cutting it off and using them like wires. Ino had used something similar in the preliminaries at our first chuunin exam. My hair, however, was far more useful. It was nearly unbreakable with my and Kyuubi's chakras strengthening it, and could be used for traps, as weapons, and if someone dared it grab it during a fight, I could cut it off and make the hairs climb over the enemy's body to immobilize him. Sometimes it was annoying though, and people tended to think I was a little feminine looking or a masculine looking female. Damn my height and leanness.

I looked myself in the mirror and couldn't help but sigh. It was weird having my hair so short, thought it was longer than what most boys had. My hair only went past my shoulders by an inch or two. The fact that it wasn't streaked silver reminded me how young this body was. This Naruto…probably didn't have anything to worry about, besides the typical ninja stuff.

I left the house and was about to go to the Hokage Tower until I remembered I was still in the academy. It was a strange walk there. The girls would try and fight to walk with me, some latching onto my arms. I tried to ignore them, but I nearly lost my temper at times. Another thing weird about the walk was the fact everything seemed so much bigger than normal. This body really was short. About half of the girls fighting over me were taller than me.

"Naruto-kun! You look so handsome and manly today!"

"Aw! That bandanna is so cute!"

"You have a great sense of fashion!"

When I finally got inside the classroom, I was relieved to find that some were now fighting over Sasuke, who seemed also annoyed by the attention. He actually said that he wanted to be left alone. At least he wasn't ignoring them. Obviously, the girls pretended not to hear and continued to fight with each other.

I didn't know where to sit so I decided the nearest empty seat would do. It was next to Hinata-chan, who blushed crimson the moment I sat down. The other girls yelled out in outrage and started to pick on poor Hinata-chan.

"How dare you steal Naruto-kun's attention!" one of the girls yelled out.

Sakura-chan sneered, "Why would he want to sit next to a loser like you?"

Frowning, I decided to step in and said, "Maybe because she isn't making so much noise like you people." I forgot how much of a bitch Sakura-chan was when we were younger.

Immediately the girls quieted and tried to look attractive. I looked out the window, embarrassed for them. They weren't very developed yet, so them trying to look sexy as twelve year olds was silly. Hinata continued to fidget nervously and glanced at me every now and then, a confused look on her face. Some of the kids in the class were also giving me odd looks, but I ignored it. They eventually thought I was just having an off day and returned to what they were doing.

Iruka-sensei walked through the door with Mizuki. He smiled at the class and said, "Today we'll be training outside." He paused when some of the students cheered. "Everyone, let's go."

I followed everyone out, staying with the group but not being a part of it. Sasuke was actually having a conversation with someone. I was mildly shocked but I guess some things were different not just for me, but everyone else.

"Naruto-kun, please demonstrate to the class how to throw shuriken," Mizuki said politely.

My indifferent mask was still in place but inside, I was confused. Was I supposed to be the top of the class or was he trying to humiliate me? I stepped forward and quickly, well, quickly for them, threw four shuriken around Mizuki's head, each exactly a millimeter away from touching him. He was leaning against a tree and they landed and stayed next to his head. I hated the bastard, and since I was convinced this was genjutsu, it wouldn't hurt to scare him a bit.

The class was shocked and slowly began to applaud me. Iruka-sensei said, "That was…impressive. Your speed, you must have been training quite a bit to move that fast. I could barely follow myself. Um…Naruto-kun, but your target was over there." He hesitantly pointed to something behind me. "I can't give you a good score unless you do the exercise correctly."

"Then give me a zero," I said without caring. A lot of the class gasped in surprise. I honestly didn't care. What was the big deal with hitting a nonmoving target? It was stupid. But I suppose we all have to start somewhere.

"Naruto-kun? Are you feeling alright?" Iruka asked me.

"Whatever." I said and turned around to walk to Mizuki. I retrieved my shuriken as the stiff-as-a-board sensei looked at me in fear. I walked back to the class and leaned on a tree behind them. Honestly, I was an ANBU captain, that was a cinch.

-.-.-

"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun! That was amazing!" I heard Sakura-chan say during break. Hmm…I really should stop referring her with the chan part. She isn't the girl I know, I shouldn't compare them.

"Yeah, I couldn't even see you move!" Ino put in.

"Shut up, Ino-pig!" Sakura yelled.

"Why don't you?"

I turned away from them and sat on the swings. Back home, the swings were destroyed along with the rest of the academy. The Sound had wanted to prevent the making of more ninja for the Leaf.

Someone joined me next to the swings. I didn't turn my head but I moved my eyes. It was Sasuke. What did he want?

"You seem different," Sasuke said.

I didn't answer. Let him talk.

"We know you can tell me anything, right?" he asked me. "We're friends, right?"

I stopped the swinging of my legs. That was a bit of a shock. "Did I ever say we were?"

He looked at me, hurt. "No…but I just assumed we were. We always talked…"

I frowned. This was…pathetic. All of my childhood, I wanted to be Sasuke. I wanted his looks, his skills, his popularity…I had wanted his friendship. This place, it looks like things were reversed.

"Are you saying we're not?" Sasuke asked, looking at me intently.

I decided to take pity on him. "If you want to be friends, then we're friends."

He seemed relieved. He just sat there, looking at nothing. I sighed, realizing he wouldn't leave. I asked him curiously, "Why do you want to be friends?"

He looked at me, taken aback. "Why do you ask that?"

"You didn't answer the question."

He seemed to think about it for a moment. "Who wouldn't want to be your friend?"

"You just want to be friends with me, because everyone else wants to?" I asked. I felt…disappointed. This must be how Sasuke felt when everyone was fawning over him. For him to have someone hate him instead, it must have been new. Is that why he declared me his rival instead of someone else?

"No! I didn't mean it like that!" Sasuke said. "You're…amazing. It's just, you're special. You have to suffer because of the Kyubi. No one deserves that burden."

"It's not so bad…" I said, surprising him. Then he had this knowing look. "I'm not being modest either." Now he was confused. "It doesn't matter. Break's over."

I stood up and walked inside, Sasuke trailing after me. This time, I was early and not many people were seated yet. I chose an empty desk and Sasuke sat next to me. I laid my head on the desk, my arms under me, making Sasuke confused again.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Sasuke asked me.

"I'm fine," I answered. "Just a little stressed, nothing more."

"Naruto-kun's stressed? I'll relax your shoulders!" a girl squealed. Sasuke's death glare shut her up and she left us alone, for which I was thankful for. I smirked, my arms hiding it. If he could do that all the time, it wouldn't be so bad having him around.

Slowly, the classroom filled up. After a minute, everyone was here.

"Alright, we already did the field exercise," Iruka-sensei said as he entered the room. "Now for a pop quiz!"

Everyone but the silent types groan. Sasuke seemed excited. I silently sighed. I hated my academy days, my skills worked better under the battle field and pressure, not in a classroom. Text book answers, quizzes, tests, they mean nothing if you can't fight.

"Your quiz," Mizuki said, looking at the class (but avoiding my eyes) as he talked. "Is really rather simple. It'll be like a tournament. We'll hold it outside, for safety precautions. The winner will automatically pass tomorrow's genin test, regardless of how you do in tomorrow's test."

I mentally smirked. This was perfect! I wouldn't have to do tomorrow's test! If I remembered correctly, it was always the bunshin. Wait, this was only genjutsu. I'm getting caught up again…

"First up," Iruka began, "Is Nara Shikamaru against Yamanaka Ino."

I didn't really pay attention to the matches that were fought. I only bothered with the "Rookie Nine." Shikamaru had given up without a fight, making Ino very angry. Sakura fought another girl who I didn't remember the name of. Sakura had barely won. Taijutsu was not her strong point in her academy days. Sasuke fought Chouji and won. Kiba fought a boy who I remembered dying in his first real mission. He was under Shino's command, if I remembered it right. Shino and another boy fought. I didn't know him either. I fought the boy I remembered pushing me and making Sasuke and I share our first kiss. Needless to say, I enjoyed beating him to a pulp even if he was just an illusion. Hinata fought a girl and she won. Hinata felt the need to apologize to the girl and quickly walked off the platform.

We were given a ten minute break. Sasuke wondered over to me and started to chat. "Who do you think will win?" he asked me. I shrugged in reply. "I think you will, you're a great shinobi, you know."

"You're a good one too. But I don't really care who wins," I said. Then I frowned.

He sighed. "What's up with you? You've been acting strange."

I shook my head, signifying that I didn't want to talk about it.

I didn't know myself. I sighed, causing Sasuke to glance my way. Being here was starting wear down my nerves. I don't think I'm thinking properly, either. I keep thinking this might be real, but maybe that was part of the genjutsu…

The second round began. Only eight people were left. The only ones who made it to the third round were Sasuke, Kiba, Shino, and me. We were given five minutes to relax. I leaned against the wall as Sasuke did the same next to me. He kept throwing worried glances at me, which annoyed me.

I reviewed in my head what I shouldn't have done today. Then I decided it didn't matter, since this was only a trick of Orochimaru's. Even that excuse was starting to get tired. I mentally sighed. If only there was a way to be sure. All my instincts told me it was all a trick while my guts and that strange dream told me it was different…

I always trusted my guts before, so why should this time be different? I suppose I couldn't accept the fact that all this could be real. The fact that some where, in another universe, I could have it completely made and that everything I ever wanted was practically given to me. Why did it make me feel depressed if this was my dream world?

"Uzumaki Naruto against Inuzuka Kiba," Iruka announced.

I straightened and calmly walked to the arena, ignoring the cheers of my fellow classmates. I stood in front of Kiba and a little a ways from Iruka, who was acting as referee.

"Start!" Iruka ordered.

I calmly stood in front of Kiba, hands at my sides. I eyed him and the dog he had that was on top of his head, Akamaru. I smirked. Kiba may have been a challenge to me back home, but his genin form was no match for an ANBU captain. He moved quickly for a genin, but not for me and I soon had him on his stomach with me sitting on his back, a kunai dangerously close to his neck. With my other hand, I held Akamaru by his hind legs. The dog was barking like mad at me and was growling viciously. It was all done in a matter of seconds, which probably annoyed Kiba greatly.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka declared.

I got off the dog boy and gently put Akamaru down. He bit me. I lifted my hand and he came with it. I brought him to eye level, the only thing keeping him there was his jaw. Kiba got up and glared at me. I ignored him, having a glaring contest with his dog instead. The girls in our class were yelling in outrage at Kiba and his dog, never mind the fact that before they always thought the mutt was cute.

"Let go," I said, ignoring the fact that my hand was dripping blood. I didn't bother to shake him off.

He growled in response.

"Oi! What are you doing with my dog?" Kiba yelled at me.

I smirked. I slowly held out my free hand for the dog to see and poked him in the belly. The dog couldn't help but let go and fall to the ground, on his back. I walked away from him and his owner, both throwing dirty or harassed looks my way.

I took my place next to Sasuke, who was trying to hide that smile he was wearing. It was weird, seeing him smile. I decided he looked better smiling instead of that scowl I was so used to seeing.

Sasuke and Shino were the next to fight. Many of the girls screamed in disgust when they found out Shino worked with bugs. Half of the guys showed some form of disgust with their faces. I remembered how I felt when I found out too and then I felt ashamed. Shino was a bit of a weirdo in my opinion, but so was everyone else I knew. He was a strong, silent type of guy, but he was very reliable. Sasuke tried to go for Shino but soon realized that Shino could make clones out of himself with his bugs. Then came the surprising part.

Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

It wasn't complete, with only two commas in each eye, but it was still impressive for his age. Not mind boggling like Itachi, but still impressive. After that, he beat Shino. Don't get me wrong, he didn't beat him easily, but he still beat him.

Afterwards, Iruka gave us ten minutes to get ready for our fight against each other. I spent the time relaxing, laying on the grass and staring at the clouds. It was a very Shikamaru like thing to do, and, correct to my assumptions, the lazy bum was doing the same thing. I guess this was much too relaxed for "me" since, again, my other classmates were staring at me. They seem to either like doing that or I must be really off for their standards.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked me when he saw what I was doing.

"Thinking of ten different ways to-" I was about to say "get you in my bed" as a joke, but I doubt my other self would ever say that, so I said instead, "beat you. Why, what's wrong?"

"Oh," he said. "I just never saw you acting so relaxed before."

"You need to get a life," I said. "Thinking about me all the time isn't healthy." I smiled coyly at him. I couldn't help it, in my-for a lack of a better word-childhood, Sasuke and I would tease each other all the time. It was just an automatic thing we did to each other.

As expected (and as I hoped) he blushed immediately and stammered something out, causing more attention to be directed towards us. I burst out laughing. This time, everyone was staring at me in open shock. Sasuke forgot about his blush and his excuse and had wide eyes.

"God," I said. "Don't be such a stuck up prude. You're so easy to tease." I looked at the other people and said to them, "If you're going to ease drop, at least make it not so obvious." They immediately looked away and started to whisper to themselves, probably to say something was wrong with me.

If Orochimaru was behind all this, he sure made things so easy.

I thought it over. If this was Orochimaru's genjutsu, I wouldn't matter if I was butt naked in the middle of the street. But, I was getting used to the idea that maybe, just maybe, this was real. Could somewhere in another reality, I was accepted for who I was? The idea was so strange, so foreign. I always hoped that was true, it was my greatest wish. Being Hokage was one way I figured would be able to achieve it, so it was also my dream. For it to be actually true…could I be happy? No hate filled glares, no whispers about the "Kyubi," no loneliness…at least to a certain extent…The very concept was so unbelievable that-

"The final match is about to begin!" Iruka announced.

I sat up. I always had time to think about it later. I stepped on the platform. This time, everything was quiet. The girls didn't know who to root for and the boys didn't want to miss anything.

Iruka yelled, "Start!"

Sasuke activated his Sharingan and watched me. Should I use any jutsus…? But then he would be able to copy it. If it was Orochimaru's trick, it wouldn't matter but if this was another reality, I didn't want him to copy my techniques. Then again, he's only a genin. I should be able to beat him with only taijutsu. After all, a taijutsu specialist is the greatest enemy of a Sharingan user.

As I was deciding on what to do, Sasuke whipped out a couple of shuriken. He threw them and I sidestepped, until I noticed something glint. Wires. The Sharingan Windmill Triple Blade! I was about to roll under them until I felt them wrap around me. I glanced at Sasuke and I noticed he was preparing to perform his fire jutsu. I couldn't move my arms from my sides. This is what I get for underestimating an opponent, even though he was a genin. I tried something I haven't tried in a long time. Begging the fox for help. I usually only have to ask or he'd just give it to me without me having to say anything, but I didn't know this version of Kyubi. My Kyuubi would easily give me anything he could (strangely enough, since we came to an understanding) so I would have been able to do what I needed by now, but this one I didn't know.

If this was a genjutsu, I shouldn't be able to contact the Kyubi. He is an old, (I hesitate to say) wise being, so he shouldn't be affected by something so simple as a human genjutsu. Ironically, I suck in genjutsu while he is the king of illusions. Then there is the fact he is a fire and illusion type fox and I don't know that many fire jutsus. Life is funny sometimes.

-.-.-

"…Kyubi?" I asked, my voice echoing. I stood in front of a large cage. It was dark but I could see perfectly for some odd reason.

"What pathetic human worm comes to my domain?" I heard a deafening voice demand.

I smirked. "You're domain? Last time I checked, this was my mind, thank you very much."

"So it's the miserable human brat I'm stuck in," Kyubi said in a bored tone. "What do you want?"

"I need your help," I began. I was cut off by his laughter.

When he stopped, he roared at me, "YOU DARE ASK FOR MY HELP?"

"Well, it wouldn't hurt you," I said, exasperated. "Come on, I'll let you out every once in a while. It must totally suck being stuck in here."

He stopped and I could see his glowing eyes staring at me. "Who are you? You're not the same brat from before."

"Has he ever visited you?"

"No."

"Then how do you know…oh, never mind," I said. "Duh, stuck in here, can see every thought." I slapped my forehead. "Anyway…I'll explain later. I'll give you access to my memories if you make my hands into claws for about…say, five seconds. Deal? I know you can't see my mind, your expertise doesn't cover that, does it? Well, it also has to do with the fact I meditate a lot…"

"You interest me, human," he said. "Deal."

-.-.-

I opened my eyes and saw fire coming towards me. While I stayed in there, a second had pasted out here. I wiggled my fingers and cut the wires, before the fire reached me. Great, now there were holes in my gloves.

Sasuke didn't wait and charged at me. I jumped back and grabbed his foot when he swung his leg at me. I twisted his leg, forcing him to turn with it. He lost his balance and the only thing that kept him up was my hand. I dropped him and stepped on his back. I quickly grabbed his wrists and made sure he couldn't move properly. He struggled for a moment.

"I resign," Sasuke said tiredly.

Iruka declared, "Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!"

I got off him. Right when I did, the bell rang to signify the end of classes for the day. I silently walked away. Well, ran when I saw many of the girls following me to "congratulate" me. I mislead them in some places and left for my real destination.

The Hokage monument. I needed to do some serious thinking.

-.-.-

Yes! He finally figured it out! And, at the moment, even if something doesn't quite make sense, except it at face value. It'll make things go a hell of a lot smoother.

In case you've been wondering about Naruto's attitude, I thought it was pretty clear. Apparently not. He's struggling to sepperate his feelings about the people he know and the people here. He thinks because they aren't real, it doesn't matter how he acts towards them and he feels that he shouldn't allow himelf to feel anything for them since it's a waste of time.