AND BACK AGAIN [ NARUTO ]

[ 03 ] identity confirmed

"Back in––? Kurama, I think you should get your head checked."

Oops. He'd said it aloud. Now he really was getting strange looks from Tsunade, Kakashi, and Jiraiya.

"Who's Kurama?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto left the fox in his mind. "The Kyuubi. He seems to think that Madara sent us back in time."

It was silent for a few moments.

"It would make sense," Jiraiya said.

Tsunade slapped him upside the head. "Sense? None of this makes sense, you idiot!"

Kakashi leaned forward. "Tsunade-sama, I think the only way we can get straight answers is with Inoichi. If he resists, it only proves his defiance further."

Tsunade bit her nail, looking to be deep in thought. Jiraiya stood up and brushed himself off.

Naruto sighed. "Fine, if that's the only way to make you guys believe. I'm pretty sure this is a genjutsu anyways," he added the last part with a bit of contempt, upset his plans to end the war had been foiled.

Right on time, Ibiki emerged from the doorway with Inoichi in tow.

"Hokage-sama," he greeted. He looked around.

"Naruto?"

Naruto threw his hands up. "That's what I've been trying to tell everybody!"

"We need you to confirm his identity, Inoichi," Tsunade said, ignoring Naruto. "Find out anything else you can."

"Is it alright if I join you?" Jiraiya asked Inoichi. "I'll be able to further confirm things."

The Yamanaka looked to Tsunade for permission, who waved her hand.

"Fine. But make it quick. The real Naruto and his team should be headed back with a report soon. You know how nosy he is."

Inoichi nodded. "I can link all three of our minds through contact," he said. Jiraiya nodded and moved forward.

Soon, Naruto was staring at Inoichi's hand, which had been placed on his forehead. He really didn't appreciate the idea of having someone snooping around in his memories, especially in this weird world Madara had transported him to. There might be some things that weren't meant to be seen, and that worried him.

He was glad Jiraiya had been the one to volunteer, though, because the old toad sage seemed to trust him the most.

Inoichi took a deep breath and shut his eyes. "Here we go."

Naruto's eyes also closed as he appeared in his own mind beside Jiraiya and Inoichi. He stood still, watching as his memories played out, from the chuunin exams, all the way to the war he'd been plucked from. It was hard to gauge the shinobi's reactions as they watched, wide-eyed.

This didn't make any sense.

They knew all of this. At least, the Jiraiya and Inoichi he knew did.

Had he really been sent to the past?

////\

Inoichi's eyes fluttered open. For a long minute, he simply stared at Naruto's face. Jiraiya took a seat in a nearby chair and rubbed his chin in thought.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked.

"Where did you come from?" Inoichi asked Naruto.

Naruto's blue eyes sparkled with years of knowledge he couldn't comprehend. "Well, one theory is the future." He turned to Jiraiya, a pained expression on his face. He knew he'd figured out that he'd been killed in a fight against Pein. It was one of Naruto's most prominent and heavy memories.

"Well?" Tsunade said. "Who is he?"

Inoichi turned to her. "This young man is Uzumaki Naruto. He seems to have been sent backwards in time. But from what I can tell, it's really him."

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked.

"He's right. That's our Naruto, for sure."

Naruto sighed in relief. "Thank you!" His Tailed Beast Mode flickered on, and he quickly disposed of the ropes around his wrists. The occupants of the room watched him in surprise.

"How are you here?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto looked around. "I. . . don't really know."

Ibiki's eyes burned into him. "Well what happened last?"

"I. . ." It was tempting to tell them. But something in his mind warned him not to. "I don't really think it's a good idea to mix the future with the past."

Tsunade snorted. "Naruto, thinking things through? That's new."

Naruto pouted. "That's not fair."

Kakashi stood up from his spot on the table and put his hand in his pockets. "What now?"

Tsunade checked the clock on the far wall. "I have to get going soon. . .Kakashi, you take Naruto with you and try to figure some things out. Don't draw attention. I really should keep you here, but I know that's not possible."

Naruto nodded in agreement.

"Jiraiya, you work on keeping our Naruto from running into this one. We don't really know the details, and who knows what'll happen if things mix too much. You'll come with me and take Naruto from there. Ibiki, Inoichi, you're dismissed. Keep this on the low."

"Hai."

With that, Tsunade swept out the door. Shizune met her there, and then they were gone. Ibiki and Inoichi took one last look at Naruto before slipping outside themselves.

Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair. "We'll get you back to your time. Until then, don't mess things up."

Naruto swallowed hard and met his master's eyes. It was strange, to see him again after so long devoid of his presence. He wanted to tell him everything––how he trained on Mount Myoboku to defeat Pein, how his journies had turned him into the shinobi he was today, the bond he'd made with the Nine Tails Fox, as well as the other Tailed Beasts.

But if Jiraiya hadn't seen it or understood it in Naruto's mind, there was no reason to tell him now.

He cleared his throat and mustered up energy. "Yosh!"

Jiraiya nodded. Soon he was gone too, and Naruto was left with Kakashi-sensei in the dim room.

"You got taller," Kakashi observed.

Naruto glared at him. "I wasn't that short!"

Kakashi shrugged. "Let's go."