Something Precious

Chapter Four

The unwelcomed man wandered the blank mindscape trying to find his way into the subconscious where memories were stored, even those long forgotten. The ground was made of soft grass that swayed in the gentle breeze. The sky was covered in blood-red clouds. There seemed to be no end to the landscape - but as they say, walk far enough in one direction and you're bound to find something. After what felt like hours and miles of walking, Inoichi spotted a speck in the distance. He let out a relived sigh that mixed with the breeze.

It was a set of doors. The man approched them in confident strides, ready to see the mysteries of the ninja's mind.

The arched doors were made of a metal that seemed to be made of light, but the glow was not blinding, it was warm and soft. There were a bunch of carvings on the doors. Each carving depicted two ninja fighting eachother. On closer inspection you could see one that resembled the First Hokage and some other man with long thick hair. The one below it was much bigger than others, it was the boy with what looked like the rasengan and another the same age with a lighning jutsu of some kind. At the very top, looking down on it all with a wise and saddened face, was a man with an eye on his forhead and horns, he was surrounded on either side with all nine tailed beasts. He held a staff that was curved in a crescent on one end and had a circle with rings on the other. He had six round spheres formed in an arch above him.

The doors welcomed him to open them. He reached for the door handle slowly. The handle - that was made of the same metal as the rest of it - was so warm. It spread through his body providing warmth he never knew he lacked. He pulled the door open and walked through.

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Pale green eyes opened to the familar room in the Konoha hospital. Naruto was lying on the bed and had been unconscious for three days in a drug induced coma. After Lady Tsunade looked him over, she had stated that he had quite a few internal injuries and broken bones. His external injuries weren't as serious but he was still wrapped head-to-toe in white bandages like a mummy. She had said that if he was to gain consciousness the pain would put too much stress on his body and not allow it to heal properly. However he didn't seem to be healing anyways.

"What did you see Inoichi? Is he an enemy spy?" asked the Hokage. Inoichi furrowed his brow.

The man explained what he had seen. He described the doors in great detail. He got a feeling that they were important.

"Were the doors a mind protection to keep you from entering his subconscious?" inquired Minato thoughtfully.

Inoichi shook his head. "Maybe, like I said I've never seen it before. I don't think intentionally created."

The Hokage closed his eyes and sighed. "Well I guess we will just have to wait until the boy wakes, then we try again."

"Do you really think he will allow us into his memories?"

"Well if he refuses then I guess we will have no choice but to brand him am enemy of the Leaf."

"Refuses what?" the two men and a so-far silent Minato turn to the new voice in surprise.
"You shouldn't be awake." said the Hokage almost accusingly.

Naruto pursed his lips. "I just have a high metabolism." he said, looking away as if that wasn't the whole truth.

"Right." Minato said in a mumble that he probably wasn't supposed to hear. Naruto looked at him, meeting his gaze. A look of pain shadowed his eyes before his guard went up and they turned to ice, revealing nothing more to those infront of him.