Chapter 5 Conversations with the Old
"What the hell are you and what did you do to me?", asks Naruto as he notes the words leave his mind but no mouth.
"We have done nothing to your body, all we have done is transfer your mind through time and space into this body. While its original mind resides in yours for the time being", says the Yithian.
"Why, how, what. Ok I take it there is a reason you mind jacked me trough time", says Naruto trying to put on a brave show in front the strange alien being.
The creature slithers closer, in a way akin to a slug.
"We only wish to talk Naruto, we wish to understand, and warn you".
"Warn me?", asks Naruto obviously not calming down.
"Your possession of the Necronomicon is unusual, for a human. Not so much that you possess the true tome, it has happened before. What is unusual is your immunity to it's effects on sanity. This has drawn Unwanted attention", says the Yithian.
"What do you mean?"
"Your activities with the book are most interesting, especially considering you have read such words with your sanity intact. We still do not know why, which is what my colleague is doing in your body. We will not change anything we merely will attempt to understand why you seem immune".
"So let me get this straight, you swap my minds with some tentacled, cone-shaped gastropod to see why I haven't lost my mind?", asks Naruto.
"Yes, in return we have decided to issue you a warning, one you will only remember subconsciously when you return to your body".
"So you are going to issue me a warning that I won't even remember properly, great. Fine what is this warning".
"As I said your reading of the book has drawn unwanted attention to yourself young Naruto, The Gaze of the Outer Gods and the Great Old Ones has shifted to you, something about what you either have done, what you are doing, or what you will do has caught their attention. Trust me when I say for a human this is not good in the slightest", says the Creature as it begins to circle and inspect Naruto.
"If what little I read on the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones is true, saying it's not good in the slightest is a massive understatement", says Naruto as he attempts to move in his new body.
"Indeed, but we wanted to let you know. It seems as if the very day you discovered the book something has had a hand in shaping your life to become what it is now. We do not yet know whom or what this unseen force is, but it has plans for you. I would be wary before reading from the book again. In any event Whatever this force is, it is sufficiently powerful enough to block itself from our memories, considering we are a race capable of mentally traveling through the veil of time, this speaks greatly of it's power".
"Fine what do I do?", asks Naruto.
"I am not here to tell you what must be done. I merely am paying you for allowing us use of your body so we may understand this unusual phenomena"
"Saying a person keeping there sanity is an unusual phenomena does not inspire much confidence", says Naruto.
"In cases of humans retaining their sanity after reading from the Necronomicon, keeping your mind intact is much worse than losing it considering what now watches you" Says the Yithian.
Naruto attempts to shrug in the Yithian body but finds the action difficult.
"You are a bit of a pessimist, you know that right, whatever can you tell me anything about the Necronomicon, some information on it would help?", Asks Naruto.
"Very well, There are many copies of the Necronomicon, what you hold is the first, written by the Outer Gods themselves. While it does contain untold knowledge that is both valuable and useful it is also knowledge of a sinister nature. what it's true purpose is, I do not know but it travels from one universe to another to complete it".
"Ok is there anything else you wish to tell me?", asks Naruto.
"Only this the very presence of the Necronomicon is changing your world at a fundamental level, what these changes are we do not yet know. Also The book may make you powerful, but all power has it's price".
"Just one more question, I have wondered something for quite some time, there was this note in the book one side of it just had the words 'Look to the Stars' written over and over, what does that mean?", asks Naruto.
The creature remains silent. Seemingly attempting to find the best way to answer the question.
"I am afraid it means nothing good, the answer is within the Necronomicon itself, you may want to read more on the beings who now watch you, be wary but if you do this, you will understand".
The creature looks up for a moment.
"It seems as if we have concluded our research, the price for allowing this knowledge has been paid, goodbye young Naruto, we shall not meet again".
As the creature finishes Naruto's vision blurs, then goes black. His mind is pulled across both space and time to return home.
Naruto wakes on the floor of his bedroom. As he does he rubs his head in pain. As he does this he gets the strange feeling as if he has forgotten something important. After a few minutes trying to figure out what it is he gets up and heads off to the bathroom to clean up. As he heads there he looks out the window and notices it is still night. After the shower Naruto feels strangely aware, as if he has slept for days, though the clock reveals he barely slept at all.
Ignoring this Naruto decides to go back to the seal of twine and string adding to it. Noting the instruction in the book he continues working on the most difficult part of the seal, a large twenty sided geometric shape. Attaching it to the circle in the center of the room by bits of dark string, Naruto steps back to admire his work. Already over half way done Naruto decides to go back to the Necronomicon.
Using a loose piece of string to mark his page He flips through the book. Feeling as if something is pulling him to a certain page he stops on a page with another detailed drawing, this one appears to be a drawing of constellations in the night's sky. Looking at it he recognized the placement of stars to seemingly match that of the stars position as they always are, but as he looks at the drawing he notes several stars seem to be in slightly different location, as if they had moved.
Naruto looks at the pictures confusingly, while most of the stars are spot on where they should be the ones that are in different spots confuses him further. Grabbing a blank piece of paper he marks the page to read it later. Putting the book down Naruto returns to tying and perfecting the seal. After hours of doing this he watches as the sun begins to rise. Standing back to admire his work on the 3 dimensional seal, Naruto returns to his room to prepare for a new day at the academy. As he does this the unseen tendrils again fix and perfect the seal.
As Naruto dresses he again tries to figure out what it is he had seem to have forgotten that seems so important now. After finishing getting dressed and noting that he has over 2 hours until the academy opens Naruto decides to go pay the Hokage a visit. carefully moving around the string Naruto heads out toward the Hokage tower.
Pulling his hood up to both not bring attention to himself and listen to the conversations going on around him, Naruto takes the shortest path to the tower.
After an uneventful walk due to the streets having little to no people in them Naruto enters the tower to head toward the Hokage's office. On his way up the spiraling stairs he hears voices coming from the office. He focuses his attention on the sound to hear better.
" Come now Hiruzen, surely nothing could interfere with the crystal ball", speaks a voice.
"Danzo I have not been able to use it to see anything, it's as if there is a shroud all around Konoha, I cannot view anything within the village, If you are not responsible who is", asks the Hokage.
"Hiruzen I understand your worry, but I wan not even aware the telescope technique could be interfered with is such a manner", says Danzo.
"Fine Danzo, I believe you, for now. But I will get to the bottom of why this is happening", says the Hokage.
"See that you do, I do not appreciate these accusations Hokage-sama, and the news worries me just as much as you".
The sound of a cane hitting the floor is heard, as if the man is moving closer to the door. When he opens the door Naruto looks up at the bandaged form of a man around the Hokage's age. Naruto accidentally bumps into him as he opens the door.
"Excuse me, I am just here to speak to the Hokage", says Naruto.
The man looks at Naruto for a moment his face unreadable, he gives the slightest nod before walking away. Naruto enters the room.
"Hey old man, how's life", asks Naruto.
"Ahh Naruto, good to see you. Don't you have to be at the academy soon", asks the Hokage.
"I woke up a bit early so I decided to pay you a visit, it had been a while", says Naruto.
He nods taking a puff from his pipe.
"So how goes your academy work".
"It's simple enough to understand, some of the history on ninja we have had to read is material I have already read, but I find ways to pass the time. Usually I bring a book with me in that event, but I am running out of books. Cant wait until I am a Genin, access to the Ninja Library will give me more to read on off days", say's Naruto.
"Glad to hear it", says the Hokage as he straightens himself causing several audible pops of bone.
"I'm getting to old for this", says the Hokage to himself.
"You really should find a successor, you work to much. Hell if it wasn't for the Kyubi attack you'd be enjoying your retirement right now", says Naruto.
Hiruzen smiles letting out a soft giggle, while the act was genuine Naruto notices the man's eyes widen ever so slightly at the mention of the Kyubi, but the act is so small Naruto is not sure he seen it.
"perhaps you are right, I remember when you wanted to be the Hokage once, only two years ago. You were only five. Sure you wouldn't want the job some day", asks the Hokage in jest.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I still remember the day I changed my mind. I was sitting in here all day while you worked reading those books you got me. The paperwork just kept coming and coming. I may like to read but even I have a limit", says Naruto with a smile.
Hiruzen laughs at Naruto remembering that day.
"Well when you put it that way you are smarter than I was at your age, much smarter. I didn't realize the power of the foe that is paperwork until I actually got the job", says the Hokage with a smile.
Naruto giggles at the words.
"Yeah, still don't get me wrong. I know it's an important job and everything, I just don't think it is the job for me, at least not how I am now. Besides there are probably a hundred ninja better suited to the job than I am or probably will be", says Naruto.
"Well at least you know your limits. It's a good trait to have".
Naruto nods. He turns to the clock on the wall.
"Well I should get going, I only got about half an hour to get to class, and for me to arrive even five minutes early that's too late. They might even mark me absent before the time is up. I'll catch ya later Old Man, take care", Says Naruto as he leaves the room.
The Hokage gives a small wave as he leaves. Then he turns his head to the unfinished paperwork, he gives off a sigh before grabbing the top sheet.
Naruto makes his way to the academy. Pulling his Hood up he idly listens to the conversations around him, an old habit he gained from the first days of hiding his identity. As the people talk to each other about life, their day, or other such uninteresting topics. Naruto's mind wanders back to the seal he has been working on. While it is a slow process he can't help but wonder how such a thing would somehow allow him to read from the Necronomicon without translating it.
Going over possibilities his mind wanders further as he thinks about the reagent. While it would be highly unstable with unpredictable results without the Devine Flower, he finds himself tempted to create the unfinished formula, to test on mice. As he does he is reminded of the events that happened to Dr. West and puts those thoughts aside as best he can.
After a while of contemplation he finds he is already at the academy and walks inside. Heading toward his class room, he notes that for the first time, he is not the first student there. Shrugging slightly, he walks to his seat and begins to read.