Crossroads (A Naruto Fanfiction)

I Fear

I was just as shocked as Minato looked. How? Just how did I speak just now? I was expecting countless questions I would leave unanswered but Minato asked me nothing. He sat frozen when I said those fateful words and told me he'd be back before he left. I stared at the door he closed behind him for a few minutes before realizing I had just revealed something that would put the largest of targets on my back, especially to those certain people if they ever find my information to be true.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I reached up to massage my acheing throat. Being left alone made me think of the kidnapping. From my memories, the healed bruises still left phantom pain in my nerves. It left me restless, but I had no energy to move and it only led to the worst parts of my memories: My first life and Athen.

I took another deep breath, but it came out shaky, and my eyes watered. Homesickness was always a risk and I looked around desperately for anything to get my mind off of it. To get off the fact that I had just told Minato something so absurd. That I had just spoken and still couldn't speak if I tried to again.

There's a book left on the bedside table. The cover was a plain hardcover burgundy color. As an avid reader from before, plain or vague covers were the ones that attracted me the most. They get me curious about what kind of world the book could hold and seeing that this world - once a story to me as well - existed... It made me wonder if all stories had their existence somewhere in the vast universe.

Existence was always such an unknown, and I was sure no answers would ever be found. That is why I never bothered to ponder on why and left it as a mere passing thought. Why am I here? Why am I still alive? Why do I still have my memories?

I struggled to reach out and grab it, but eventually I did. I settled it upon my lap and skipped the excerpt to head straight to the stories beginning. I almost laughed at myself for a second, wondering why I had forgotten that this world spoke in an entirely different language. I didn't recognize a word, but I stilled flipped through the pages and traced the characters with my fingers and imagined what they read.

Come lunch, Itachi and Mother came to visit the same day. They already knew of Minato's visit and asked me what we talked about, hoping I would speak up again, but all I did was shrug my shoulders or shake my head because I was at a loss myself.

How I spoke the last two times were unclear, and I could only guiltily keep my mouth shut for now. Mother frowned at my continued silence but shook her conflicted thoughts away to show me a comforting smile. "It's okay," She said, and I'm reminded of how Itachi promised me his protection. "There's no need to force yourself to speak." She opened a bento box filled with delicious food. "Itachi, wasn't there something you had to say to Satsuki?"

Itachi caught my eye with a hesitant smile on his lips. "I'm going to attend the academy." He said. I stared at Itachi for a moment, trying to process what he had just said. The book I was still holding thumped harshly as I closed it. Itachi shifted on his feet and looked away from my eyes. "I'm going to attend the academy next month." He repeats, clearly hiding his nervousness at the blatant disbelief no doubt written over my face.

No... No, that made no sense. Next month? What does that mean? I remember Itachi graduated when he was seven after only spending a year in the academy. So he entered the academy when he was six. He was only four now. I blinked rapidly and darted my eyes to Mother, but she had her eyes on the apple in her hands as she peeled it.

The war has still yet to fully end. Itachi was a genius. A once in a generation prodigy. This fact would no doubt show in his time in the academy and early graduation would be unavoidable when everyone knows of his skills. With the war still ongoing, graduating before the war finished meant that he would have to participate.