Something Precious

Chapter Fourteen

The silence was filled by rushing water. The younger Naruo from the memories was meditating on a small patch of green in front of a waterfall. The small pond around him was still as if the whole area was holding its breath in anticipation. A shadow appeared in the waterfall.

"Why?" it asked. "Why didn't you give them your autograph at Ichiraku?" its voice was Naruto's voice but filled to the brim with malice and mockery.

Memory Naruto's bright blue eyes widened. He looked for the source of the sounds until his eyes fell on the ominous shadow. "What's that?" he asked.

"Can't blame you ya know. I mean after all, they can't be kissing up to you like that." the thing in the waterfall stepped out. The memory Naruto was shocked by what he saw. It was him, but it wasn't. It looked like him, except he didn't have blood red irises that had no pupils and his eyes had normal whites, not the black that this. . . this thing possessed. The alternate Naruto grinned widely and continued.

"They were completely disgusting weren't they?" it said.

'He looks just like me.' Naruto's memory self's thoughts rang out as if truely spoken.

"Don't you remember?" the red- eyed Naruto spoke tauntingly. "Everyone in the village used to treat us like outcasts, and then they try to pull that!"

There was a flashback in which Naruto was sitting at the noodle shop surrounded on either side by two men. "Can I have your autograph?" one asked enthusiastically. "And if you don't mind, could you make it out to my son? He's a huge fan." he added.

"Autograph?" Naruto repeated, dazed.

"Yeah." the other one said. "You're Naruto Uzumaki - the kid who makes miracles happen. If you don't mind could I pleeease get your autograph?" he pleaded.
The flashback ended. "Who the hell are you?" Naruto demanded disregarding his copy's words.

"Isn't it obvious? Come on, I'm you." he answered in a mocking tone.

Naruto was shook. "That. . . that can't be. I didn't make any clones." he insisted.

"Oh I'm no clone. I'm you, the real you, the one that exists inside your heart. You see I am you." the not-a-clone Naruo revealed.

Naruto got an angry look on his face and he rose an arm to point at the other him. "What are you even talking about?" he demanded. "I have no idea who you are. Now just stop making stuff up."

There was silence from the other him as the red-eyed Naruto tilted his head back to look at the sky. "So, they call this place the waterfall of truth? I never thought I'd be able to emerge completely like this. I like this place." he said all creepy like. His head snapped forward as he refocused on the other Naruto. "Anyway, I'm the truth that you're supposed to face. I'm the real you - your true self inside."

"The real me? But. . ." the sixteen year-old trailed off in disbelief. The on-lookers could guess what he was thinking; how could this possibly be him? How could this. . . this demon live inside of his heart?

"Yeah, I'm the hatred that's inside you. I'm the dark part of you." the Naruto explained. Naruto was once again left in shock. "The only difference between us," it continued in a more mocking manner. "Is that the Nine-Tails has taken a really serious liking to me."

"Then you. . ." there was once more a flashback. This time there was a toad, who was also a scroll? "The Nine-Tail's will is a massive hatred that is bound tightly to his chalkra by strong forces. No matter how hard you try to shield yourself it will find some hatred buried deep down inside you and try to take over." said the toad. The flashback ended and they were back at the waterfall.