Cold

Callista Miralni

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or The Looking Glass Wars.

He hated music for the longest time.

Her sweet mezzo-soprano voice haunted his conscious mind, overwhelming him and pushing him into a dreamlike state. The words of her last ballad echoed in the air, surrounding him with veiled hatred.

Can I be your sanctuary?

Can I be your wings to fly?

'Cause I'm a desperate angel with a need to die.

And will you be my sanctuary?

Hold me close and not let go.

Even as my glass world shatters, my sanctuary remains forever.

"Sakura." He growled.

And the world fell apart.

He couldn't believe what he had found.

Or more accurately, who he had found.

An orphan boy, huddling in the darkened corner on this rainy night. The dimming streetlight threw odd shadows on his youthful face, highlighting malnutrition's mark on his countenance. But what startled the man was not his obvious poverty, but his eyes.

Startling blue, almost as crystal-clear as the deepest sapphire.

He crouched before the boy, offering him a friendly smile. The boy looked up, but did not say anything. He noted, with a shiver, that his expression was dead, as if he were a plant who had not seen the sun for a while.

"Hello." The man said with a smile. "My name is Hatake Kakashi. What's yours?"

The boy regarded him carefully, evaluating his sincerity. Kakashi allowed him to study; after all, who would trust a stranger in a mask?

"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." The boy replied hoarsely.

Kakashi offered his hand to pull the boy to his feet. "How old are you?"

"How old are you?" Naruto shot back as he clumsily stood.

Steadying the youth, Kakashi laughed. "Young enough. Want to come with me and eat ramen? I know a place, cheap food, good quality."

Open-mouthed, Naruto stared. Seeing his dumbfounded expression, Kakashi steered him ahead, leading him to the stall. "C'mon, after we eat, we can discuss other things as well."

"Like what?" Sapphire blue scrutinized him suspiciously.

"Alyss in Wonderland."

"Little boy, you should know better than to run and hide."

In his fear, he tripped over his own feet, catapulting himself into a crate. Suddenly, the crane powered on and he was hoisted high into the air but he knew better than to scream.

"Tell me where the rabbit hole is." The slithering voice echoed. "Tell me where your precious Alyss is."

The crane had stopped moving and he silently swung himself out of the crate and onto the beams above. Finding a broken skylight, he heaved his tired body out of the building and pulled out a cell phone. The screen pulsed with a faint blue light and a few moments later, a stealth aircraft dropped onto the roof noiselessly. The boy climbed into the sleek aircraft and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the familiar masked face.

"Kakashi."

The visible eye crinkled into what could have been called a smile. "Yo. You made it."

The boy frowned and dug out his bounty from his pack. "All that for a shard? Kakashi, what the hell? I had Tayuya on my tail."

"And a very important shard it is. You should be thankful you escaped relatively unharmed."

His scowl grew. "All the same Kakashi, what's going on?"

"Alyss in Wonderland."

Uzumaki Naruto couldn't take in everything at once. Everything seemed to be made out of light and air in this place, a kind of hidden asylum in the depths of the chaotic bloody world.

"Naruto- good to find you took me up on my offer."

The twelve-year-old frowned. "You got me curious. What's all this Wonderland crap about?"

Kakashi smiled again and beckoned him to the stairs. "All in good time. But here's the way to your room. We'll take care of you now."

"We? How many of there are you?"

"Enough." Kakashi answered somberly. "Enough."

The glass and steel staircase took Naruto by surprise- he never expected such construction materials to be used in a high traffic area.

"This is what they call Heart Palace, the 'heart' of Wonderland." Kakashi began to narrate. "HQ in a sense. Not everyone stays here but everyone comes here often enough. Plenty of leg room for unexpected giant slumber parties."

Naruto listened half-heartedly. He continued to observe his surroundings, still awed by the lightness of the Palace.

"Your room White Rabbit. It's your space; feel free to do with it as you please." Opening the door, Kakashi ushered the boy into the blank canvas. Naruto could feel his inner artistic skills tingling, ecstatic at the opportunity to be used again.

"Kakashi… thanks. For everything." He said with all the sincerity he could muster.

Patting him gently on the head, Kakashi smiled yet again. "It's what we do. This is Wonderland."

Outside, the world was caught in another storm, turning daylight into night. Ignoring the flashes of thunder, Naruto opened the refrigerator door, humming as he sought the carton of milk. Popping the cap off, he poured the liquid generously over his bowl of cereal before replacing the lid and putting it back in the fridge.

"Naruto-" Kakashi called over his book. "I have to introduce you to someone."

"Who Kakashi?" Interest piqued, Naruto scanned the kitchen eagerly for the new face. "Someone like me?"

"Yes and no." The man hesitated. "He's a lot like you, but then again, he's not like you at all."

"Damn straight." A new voice growled as a gleaming blade appeared next to Naruto's carotid artery. "Because unlike you, dobe, I know how to kill without a sound."

Naruto dared a glance at the blade. The words "Mad Hatter" were engraved upon the blade in an ornate, flowing script.

"I know you." He said slowly. Thunder rolled in overhead. "You're the one they say to watch out for on the streets. The Mad Hatter."

"With good reason. You could have something I want, something I need in order to complete my mission. It could be something so highly precious to you; you would never give it up to me. The next time anyone sees you, I would have pried my prize from your cold, dead fingers and you would be drowning in a sea of your own blood." The other boy said softly.

Kakashi laid a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Now, now. Don't scare him- you'll need him later as your far guard and field partner."

The other boy snorted. "He's my partner? He's got a lot to catch up on. Besides, you know I'm never supposed to go out into the field. You know my job Kakashi and field work isn't it."

"You do it anyways." Kakashi pointed out.

"Only because she asks me to. If I had it my way, I wouldn't leave at all."

The older man sighed and shook his head. "At least release Naruto from your hold Sasuke."

The boy- Sasuke- lowered his weapon and pocketed it. Turning around, Naruto faced the other boy for the first time. He gasped in surprise. Sasuke was no older than him- slightly older by a few months at most- but he possessed a maturity that made him seem older than his twelve years.

Everything about Sasuke opposed Naruto in some way or another. The boy had pale skin, dark raven hair, and cold onyx eyes. He dressed in darker colors, hues of blue or black. Each muscle in his body seemed relaxed but Naruto knew better. Years out on the streets told him that Sasuke was a tightly coiled spring under his lean muscles, ready to strike at any given moment.

"Uchiha Sasuke, better known as the Mad Hatter." The boy grudgingly offered his hand.

Naruto grasped it, a winning smile plastered on his face. "Uzumaki Naruto."

Kakashi breathed a subtle sigh of relief. Part one of her grand plan was over.

Now to the next phase.

It was endless, Naruto finally decided. The rigorous training program Kakashi wrote out for him pushed him to and beyond his human limits. But Naruto refused to give up; he wanted to be worthy of the White Rabbit title.

Every morning one of the maids would come in and wake him up. Breakfast usually consisted of a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of milk. From there, Kakashi sent him off to the Palace's library for private lessons with Umino Iruka.

Iruka was the aide to the previous White Rabbit. He was both a warrior and a diplomat. Naruto's lessons with Iruka covered everything from the history of the world to political science. Iruka taught him more than book-smarts; he showed Naruto how to utilize his already learned street wisdom and combine it with political finesse. Naruto admired Iruka- a lot.

After lunch came the warrior lessons, as Naruto dubbed them. Kakashi physically trained him to be in top peak condition, molding him into a lethal weapon. Naruto looked forward to this part of the day. No matter how hard Kakashi pushed him, his mentor made the work enjoyable.

Sometime in the middle of the afternoon Sasuke would join them. While Naruto was running laps or doing core exercises on the edge of the cavernous training room, Sasuke and Kakashi were having their own private lesson in the center. On some of those days, Kakashi would be teaching some new technique to the older boy then leave him alone to practice it, giving their masked teacher time to read his strange orange book. Other days, particularly on the days Sasuke perfected the previous lesson, they would spar in the middle of the room. Naruto always paused his own training to watch them, before Kakashi would remind him mid-spar to get back to work.

After training, he went back to his room for a quick shower before returning downstairs to the dining room. Usually it was just him and Kakashi, but on some days Iruka joined them for dinner. Naruto never saw Sasuke any other time besides afternoon training.

"Ne, Kakashi-sensei…" Naruto said through a mouthful of rice.

Iruka looked at him disapprovingly. The boy hastily swallowed before going ahead. "Ne, Kakashi-sensei, why doesn't Sasuke ever eat?"

Kakashi choked on his vegetables. "He eats Naruto. Just not with us."

"So where does he eat? There's only one dining room in this entire building." Naruto pressed.

"He takes his meals elsewhere, with the Princess in her private suite in the Palace." Iruka explained.

"What Princess? Can I meet her? Where's her room? In fact, where does Sasuke go every other time of the day?"

Kakashi rubbed his eyes. Naruto's barrage of questions was tiring. "In due time Naruto-kun. Eat your vegetables."

The boy picked up one slimy vegetable with his chopsticks and eyed it warily. Making a face, he opened his mouth to take a tentative bite.

"Hrmph!" Blue eyes wide, a chopstick full of greens shoved its way down his throat.

"Just thought I'd help." Kakashi said innocently.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!"

He saw the familiar head of raven hair walking down the same hallway his room was located at. Jogging quickly to catch up with the other boy, Naruto hollered:

"SASUKE!"

The other boy turned around quickly. Glancing at him impassively, he returned the greeting.

"Naruto."

Now in stride with him, Naruto pelted him with questions. "Where have you been all day? Where do you go? How come I only see you in the afternoons?"

Sasuke smirked. "Miss me much? Sorry dobe, I don't bend that way."

"Bastard!" Naruto swore, shaking his fist. "That's not what I meant!"

That stupid smirk wouldn't disappear. "Sasuke-teme…" Naruto egged on.

"I'm busy." The smirk finally vanished.

"With what?"

"Alyss needs the Mad Hatter by her side, you know." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you ever read The Looking Glass Wars?"

Naruto frowned; he hated being left in the dark. "No… why?"

They were walking down the staircase to the second floor. "You should. It would explain a lot more to you than anything else."

A faint sound- a set of wind chimes, Naruto finally decided- rang through the Palace. Sasuke stiffened, before turning around to head back the way they came.

"Where're you going?" Naruto called after him.

"The Princess calls. Go read your book Naruto."

Turning back around, Naruto realized Sasuke left him in front of the library's doors. He peeked inside, noticing no one was around except for a blond-haired girl sitting at the circulation desk reading a book. Naruto stepped in and began to aimlessly wander around the shelves, hoping to stumble across the book and not look like a total idiot while searching.

"If you're looking for The Looking Glass Wars, Sasuke-kun left your copy up here with me." The blonde girl called out to him after fifteen minutes of searching.

Sheepish, Naruto made his way to the circulation desk. The girl, the first female he's seen in the Palace besides the maids, had sky blue eyes and a lighter shade of blond than his own hair. She chewed a piece of gum thoughtlessly, popping bubbles every now and then.

"Er… thanks. He didn't mention it to me."

The girl shrugged. "That's Sasuke-kun for you. He probably also didn't mention that you don't get your own copy of LGW until you've met the Princess. Why you'd get yours early… I have no clue."

"You know who I am?" Surprise laced his voice.

Another bubble popped. "Who doesn't?" She said dryly as she handed the book over.

The same chime that called Sasuke away rang again. "That's my call. Happy reading." The girl hopped off the chair behind the desk and walked out the door without another word.

Naruto looked down at the book in his hands and opened to the first page.

He had a lot to catch up on.

Today was different.

In the middle of lunch, Sasuke walked into the dining room. He went to Kakashi, handing him a folded note. Kakashi read it quickly before tossing it back to the Uchiha, the paper catching flame before it reached his hand. The note smoldered and blackened, its ashes dropping onto Sasuke's open palm.

"It's time." The other boy informed him.

Kakashi nodded. "Aa. I'll see you when she calls."

Sasuke left as quickly as he came. Curious, Naruto turned to his teacher, opening his mouth to ask-

"Hurry up and finish eating. When you're done, go take a shower and change into decent clothes. We won't be having afternoon training today."

Naruto wolfed down the rest of his meal and sprinted up to his room to do as Kakashi instructed. Half an hour later, Naruto came back down, only to find Kakashi gazing pensively out one of the many glass windows.

"Kakashi-sensei…"

The wind chimes again.

"That's our call."

He led Naruto down the familiar hallway. But instead of turning right to go down to the basement, Kakashi led him left, through a door Naruto was forbidden from entering. Even if he did try to sneak through, his attempts would have been futile.

-NAME?-

-Hatake Kakashi-

-PASSWORD?-

-Fortuna est-

-WELCOME: JABBERWOCKY-

The door hissed open.

"You're early."

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin. From the shadows of the dim hallway, Sasuke stepped out to join them.

Kakashi shrugged. "I'm on time."

They followed Sasuke down the labyrinth halls. Naruto tried to keep up with them while trying to observe his surroundings and memorize this part of the Palace's layout. Ahead, Sasuke opened the door at the end of the hallway and stepped inside. Kakashi followed behind him at a leisurely pace. By the time Naruto realized where they had gone, the two vanished through the dark door. Racing to catch up, Naruto ran in breathless before coming to a screeching halt.

Sasuke knelt low before the darkened throne, going down on bended knee. A little ways behind him, Kakashi imitated the boy, leaving Naruto standing bewildered by Kakashi's side.

"Princess." Sasuke intoned, bowing his head.

The lights flickered on but the girl's face remained hidden in the shadows.

"Uchiha-san."

In one fluid moment, Sasuke was off the floor and in front of the throne twenty feet away. Naruto gasped audibly- how did he move so fast?

A pale hand stretched out and Sasuke grabbed it, bringing it close to his lips. Facinated, Naruto watched Sasuke transform into a different person right before his eyes.

"Sasuke, you work too hard." A soft voice like wind gently chastised. "Stand up- you're far too proud to be on your knees. Take your place beside me."

A hand jerked Naruto down to the floor during this exchange. The boy almost screamed in rage but a gloved hand silenced him quickly.

"Show some respect." Kakashi hissed. "The Princess doesn't like to be ignored. She knows her power and position."

Naruto's brow furrowed. "But Sasuke-"

"-has a certain standing with the Princess. One day, when you've known her for as long as Sasuke has, you will be granted that same priviledge."

"Hatake-san." The Princess called. Sasuke was rising from his servile stance, moving to stand beside her throne.

Kakashi also rose, leaving Naruto still on bended knee on the floor. He too kissed her offered hand.

"Princess," Kakashi began. "I have completed the task you have requested of me. Here is the boy you seek."

"The White Rabbit." She murmured. "It has been such a long time since we've all been together. An omen from the thread."

Kakashi beckoned him forward. Naruto stumbled as he stood up, muscles stiff from retaining the same pose for so long. Bowing awkwardly before the throne, Naruto was inwardly glad the Princess didn't offer he hand. He didn't know what to do with himself as it was.

That pale hand caught him by the chin and forced him to look up. Naruto gasped as their eyes met for the first time.

The Princess was tiny- like a delicate porcelain doll. Her pale sakura hair was caught up in a neat ponytail a top her head. Her eyes, as clear and as startling green as the darkest peridot olivine, were wide-eyed and innocent but contained the barest hint of power in their depths.

"Stand up. You don't need to be so stiff. Relax- I won't bite."

Dazed, he stood. Those glittering eyes were all he could see. Naruto could drown in those eyes; he would do anything she asked of him. He would kill for her, die for her, live for her, steal for her-

She blinked and the spell was broken. Confusion washed over his mind. What the hell had just happened?

"Forgive me." The Princess muttered apologetically. "I just needed to be sure…"

Naruto blinked innocently. What did she have to be sure of?

She started speaking again but Naruto didn't hear a word.

"- your name?"

"What?" He responded blankly.

Sasuke growled in his exasperation. "She asked for your name dobe."

Sheepish, Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." He stuck out his hand.

Around him, Kakashi and Sasuke tensed.

The Princess stared at his outstretched hand before she began to giggle. Her giggles soon turned to laughter, lightening the tension in the room. Grasping the offered hand, she shook it and smiled brightly.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura." She introduced herself.

Sakura let go of his hand and gracefully rose from her throne. "It was nice meeting you and all, Uzumaki-san. Please excuse me- I have lessons in a few minutes. Sasuke, if you would please-?"

The boy moved to follow her. Sakura gave them one last bright smile.

"I'll see you all at dinner." She said before taking hold of Sasuke's arm.

Naruto watched them leave. In the few months he had known the other boy, he had always seen him as calm and stoic individual, one who was too focused for his own good.

But in the presence of the Princess, Uchiha Sasuke softened. Not much, but enough to make a subtle difference. His usual smirk took on a new meaning as his lips slightly turned upwards at something the Princess said.

"Well!" Kakashi's voice broke through his thoughts. "Let's get back to training."

The years passed and their bond with each other grew. Wonderland sheltered them, parented them, loved them…

But they're not twelve anymore. No, they are too twised to be called innocent any longer.

They are seventeen with a license to kill.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Haruno Sakura.

Uzumaki Naruto.

The Princess and her Shields.

Welcome to Wonderland.

Welcome to my world.