Naruto 1. Prologue

**A/N: Time travelfic. No pairings considered yet, open for suggestions.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. *Starts silently crying in the background***

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"Every person has a dark side. What defines a person with good character is not a spotless life of constant kindness, smiles and even temperament. But rather, it's the yearning to learn from your mistakes, applying it, making amends for them and choosing not to repeat them that define good character. These are the friends to keep in your life because they have stared adversity in the face and became a better person because of it."  
― Shannon L. Alder, _**Never or Forever**_

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**Prologue**

It didn't make him feel better. Not killing his brother. It didn't make him feel as if he had avenged his clan. After learning the truth behind Itatchi's actions, he felt hollow.

Then came the anger. Rage at Konoha, for allowing what had come to happen. He probably should have learned by then.

But he still took revenge on Konoha, his home village, particularly _Danzo- _he had made sure to kill him slowly.

It hadn't filled the hollowness in himself.

Seeing the betrayed look in his best friend's eyes had- if it was even possible- made the emptiness larger than before. And he realized just how badly he had screwed everything up.

He still didn't remember clearly what happened. But what he did know-_and, God, it was tearing him apart- _was that he killed Naruto. His lightning-enveloped fist _had gone through his chest. _Unlike last time, he did not heal. The skin had not sown almost magically back together, and-

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_ He stared in horror at the at the gaping hole in the right side of his friend's chest, his own hand protruding from the other end of the wound. _

_ "You didn't dodge," he rasped; his mouth had gone dry. _

_ Naruto __looked at him, eyes filled to the brim with pain. "Sasuke..."_

"_You were supposed to dodge!" Sasuke __nearly screamed at his former __teammate. _

_ "I couldn't. __Sasuke, not anymore. It would have ended up the same as always." A deep cough came from __Naruto, and __Sasuke __saw more crimson in the hand he pulled down from his face. Unable to stand any longer, he began to collapse._

_ "Naruto! You idiot!" Sasuke __caught him, making sure not to accidentally jostle the jinchuuriki's wound. Not that it mattered. Something like this couldn't be healed. _

_ "You know, __Sasuke?" Naruto__looked up at the darkening sky, a sad smile on his face. "No matter what you do, I can't hate you. Not even after destroying __Konoha __and..." he swallowed. "Killing them." The blonde man brought his gaze back down, and met __Sasuke's eyes. "I still consider you my brother, my first friend. I still want to bring you back. But there's no home to go return to." _

_ Another cough racked his body, and __Naruto's breathing became shallow. "...So this is it." Naruto __turned back to him and grinned, "I guess I'll see the others where I end up, yeah?" _

_Sasuke __stayed silent for a moment, unable to say anything through the tightening knot in his throat. _

_Naruto__grin softened into a smile, and sapphire eyes met ruby. "There's no more time left for me __Sasuke. Forgive me, for not being able to bring you back. I wish things could have been different. I just..." He trailed off as a drop of water hit his cheek. "So you _can _cry,__teme." _

_ Sasuke __blinked, startled. "I'm... crying?"_

_ "Naruto __chuckled weakly. "Goodbye, __Sasuke-teme..." _

_ His breaths grew shallower and more ragged, much to the horror of__Sasuke. "Dobe!__Naruto! No..."_

_ A small smile graced __Naruto's lips as he shuddered, and died in the arms of his brother. Never to see again, speak with that cheerful voice of his, or stand bravely and protect what he believed in. _

_Uzumaki __Naruto __was no more._

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_ -_and he had died. Just like all the others.

He just wished- yes, he, Uchiha Sasuke _wished- _that he could take it all back somehow.

Somehow, just to make everything right, to correct what he had done.

He was a fool for chasing after his dream of revenge when he was younger and disregarding all who cared about him- he was a fool for turning traitor and not allowing them to help.

Once again, the Uchiha could not suppress the tears sliding freely down his cheeks, nor did he want to.

Choking back a sob, he turned to face the cliff, a cool breeze caressing his face.

Maybe he himself would meet them there when he was gone.

He could tell them how sorry he was, what a idiot he had been.

Before, he had not realized that they meant something to him. The thought had never even crossed his mind. But no. Even if he had tried to block them out, they had still wormed their way into his heart.

_You never realize what you had until it's gone._

"Naruto, I'm sorry."

Saying such a thing didn't hurt him anymore; he had lost his pride long ago.

"Everyone, forgive me."

He pushed himself forward, gravity taking him and pulling him down towards the Earth.

_Naruto, __Sakura, __Kakashi-sensei, Lee, __Ino, __Shikamaru, __Neji, __Hinata, __Tenten, __Choji, __Kiba, __Shino, __Itatchi. _

_I was wrong._

The Uchiha opened his eyes and saw the rock covered ground approaching.

There was no pain.

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**A/N: Chapter one will be released soon. Please don't hate me! And don't forget to review! **


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello again, everyone! I'm back, along with chapter two of the story. Hope you like it! Please Review!**

**Guest Reviewer: Thanks! I'm glad you think so!**

**Guest Reviewer #2: Yes, in this chapter actually.**

**And BEWARE, for this is Un-betaed! (However you spell that.) But don't worry, my grammar is usually pretty dang good. The only mistake you'll find (if you do find one) is a result of a typo.**

**On to the chapter!**

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An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.  
_**-Mahatma Gandhi**_

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When Sasuke came to, he couldn't say that he was surprised. And why was that? Because surprised was quite the understatement.

No, he was completely stupefied after opening his eyes and finding himself where? No, not at the bottom of a cliff. Not in some stranger's house. But _in his old bedroom _which was supposed to be _a pile of rubble. _

Blinking suspiciously at his surroundings, Sasuke's mind whirred at a thousand miles a minute.

He should be dead. That was certain. The fall should have killed him. There was no way for anyone to have survived crashing from that height, unless…

Sasuke's brow furrowed as he realized he had no recollection of hitting the ground. Okay, that was very unusual. So unless you lost your memories of a few seconds before dying and the afterlife was some sort of reliving of your childhood…

He wasn't dead. Sasuke pinched himself a few times (just to be sure). Yes, he was positive you weren't supposed to feel pain after you were dead. Hence the fact that some parts of his skin were now red and stinging; he most definitely had not pushed up any daisies, so was therefore alive.

So that brought him to one question.

_What the hell is this?_

Could it be a genjutsu? Sasuke gazed around the room, drawing in the details- down to the little indentation where he had thrown a toy when younger. No one, _no one_ could have gotten this much detail down. No one that was alive anymore, at least.

Someone- or _something_ was screwing with his mind. Casting a quick glance around his seemingly empty room, he grabbed hold of the frame of the window next to his bed and heaved upwards, opening a way out. Without a second thought, he leaped out and landed with a small huff on the dusty, hard-packed clay road a story underneath his window.

Incidentally, as he jumped down, Sasuke happened to fall in front of a very reflective window. The movement of his reflection drew his attention, and Sasuke gaped with wide eyes at what he saw.

It just wasn't possible. Staring back at him was him- _but as a six year old_. Shaking his head, he decided he would sort it out later. But no wonder everything seemed so abnormally large!

Still, it should not have been possible. Letting out a huff of frustration, the small Uchiha's flickered at the rising sun, and he sprinted off through the streets of his district.

The houses and shops took longer to get by than he would have liked. Much to his annoyance, it seemed he was unable to use his chakra- which meant no jutsus, sticking to walls, or really doing anything chakra-related. The most he could do right now was taijutsu. It probably was underdeveloped, seeing as he most likely didn't have any muscle-memory in doing it.

_Damn it all!_

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Sasuke plopped down on the edge of a miniature pond some ways from the Uchiha compound. Situations like these… he snorted. Being in a situation like this- and he was absolutely positive that no one had encountered something like this before him- was absolutely mind- exhausting.

Oh yes, he had worked out that he had been pulled into the past. But how? That was the question.

His chakra cords were not developed enough to use, he had close to no strength, and he barely had stamina at all. It _sucked_ being six. Still, what could he do? Now that he was in the past, he could change so much…

Hundreds of names and ideas alike buzzed through his mind, but one name stood out more than the others.

Naruto.

If the blonde didn't need his help, he didn't know who did. Sasuke knew enough about Naruto's past to lead him to believe that it was not pleasant in the slightest. Truthfully, it had been an absolute terror. Loneliness… he understood loneliness well, so well that there was no way that Naruto was going to go through that darkness again if he could help it. And he definitely would help him. He was his best friend after all.

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Midday had come and gone, and by the time the sun had just begun to scrape the horizon, and Sasuke's search for the blonde knucklehead came up empty-handed. The small Uchiha gnawed on his lower lip, only _slightly_ annoyed, but hell if he really wasn't getting worried now.

Sasuke Uchiha worried? Back when he was younger, he would have scoffed at the thought, and called the other person crazy. Through the more recent days though, he had begun to show more emotion.

Trudging down the street, eyes scanning the area for any sign of the jinchuuriki, Sasuke wondered how he couldn't have noticed the crowd ahead before. Curious, the dark haired boy ran forward, only to stop in shock as the whispers drifted to his ears.

"Monster..."

"Should have been killed already…"

"How could Hokage-sama allow it to live…"

"Fucking bastard…"

"It needs to die…"

Red anger clouded Sasuke's eyes for a moment and made his ears buzz. Had Naruto really gone through _this_ every day through his childhood _alone_? If this was what he had withstood all those years… Anyone else, anyone at all, would have eventually gone crazy or believed their words and committed suicide. Sasuke himself wouldn't have been able to take it.

"Move!" He shoved the nearest two civilians aside, storming through the rest of the crowd. Sure enough, at the center, stood a six year old Naruto with a tear-stained face. The sight of his best friend made Sasuke's heart leap with joy. The dobe was alive!

He glared at the crowd. And it would stay that way.

Someone grabbed his shoulder, and Sasuke started in surprise. A middle-aged man stood over him, frowning.

"You shouldn't get near that thing, kid. It's a monster. It's best you stay away."

And that was it. Sasuke could barely suppress the bile rising in the back of his throat. How could they treat him like this? Couldn't the idiots see that Naruto wasn't the Kyuubi, that it was a little child that they were treating like the lowest form of dirt? Heck, they would probably be nicer to dirt than Naruto.

He gagged. _And his parents had been like that too. _

Snarling, Sasuke slapped the man's hand away. "You know _nothing!_"

The man seemed taken aback. He held his hands up, trying to calm him down. "Easy there, kid!"

"_Leave me alone._" Hissed Sasuke. Snapping back around, Sasuke marched over to where Naruto was standing and held out a hand.

"Come on."

The boy whimpered, looking at him through wide blue eyes. "But… but I'm a monster."

Sasuke forced himself to smile. Oh, how he wanted to pummel those guys into the ground right now. "No you're not."

Naruto blinked, fighting back his tears. "Y-you really think so?"

Sasuke growled internally. '_The people themselves are the real monsters.'_

"No, I don't only think." He confirmed. "I'm absolutely sure."

The small blonde stared at him with newfound hope.

Sasuke's smile widened into a true one. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke, your new friend."

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**A/N: Aaand cut! So how is it so far? Like? Dislike?**

**I know I'm not the best author out there, but I try my best. If you have any problems, don't be afraid to tell me, I usually appreciate the feedback. But please if you have any rude comments, keep it to yourself. Yep, only constructive criticism here, folks!**

**Don't forget to favorite! And PLEEAASSE review! Thanks to all of you! The next chapter will be out soon, hopefully longer than the last two.**

**-Past Lies**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey again! *Rubs back of head sheepishly* Well, I read back on the chapters I've written and I think it progressed a bit too quickly. Seriously, I think that in my excitement I forgot to actually take my time. So it's safe to say that the next chapters will be slower, but not too slow. Ah, yes, and they will be longer as well. *grins* I'm gonna turn this into something awesome! Yosh! Into the chapter we go!**

**OH YEAH! By the way, in answer to** **Aemilius95****'s**** question: No, Sasuke is not an orphan yet. If I remember correctly, Sasuke's family is not killed until he's eight, a couple weeks after beginning the academy. I'll be getting to that soon. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, which saddens me deeply. But don't worry, I don't brood about it *cough* Sasuke *cough***

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**Previous chapter: The boy whimpered, looking at him through wide blue eyes. "But… but I'm a monster."**

**Sasuke forced himself to smile. Oh, how he wanted to pummel those guys into the ground right now. "No you're not."**

**Naruto blinked, fighting back his tears. "Y-you really think so?"**

**Sasuke growled internally. '_The people themselves are the real monsters.'_**

**"No, I don't only think." He confirmed. "I'm absolutely sure."**

**The small blonde stared at him with newfound hope.**

**Sasuke's smile widened into a true one. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke, your new friend."**

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_Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning._

_**-**__**Albert Einstein**_

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Sasuke could hear the whisperings of the crowd around him. Did these guys ever stop?

Naruto was still staring at him. "Friend?" he sounded like he had never used the word before. "Really?" he whispered. The small boy he caught Sasuke's outstretched hand in his own and smiled shyly. "I'll come."

Sasuke nodded, and turned back to the way he had come, his glare shooting daggers at the on looking adults. If they even _tried_ to hurt Naruto on his watch…

Naruto in tow, the raven haired boy marched through the thick of the crowd, ignoring the pointed looks that some were giving them. If they didn't like what he was doing, then too bad for them. Sasuke was not going to let them screw up Naruto's childhood a second time, even if it would screw up the timeline too much for the small Uchiha to predict. He had survived through surprises before; he could survive them now.

Sasuke still wondered at Naruto's change of attitude though. If that had happened when he knew the jinchuuriki, the boy would have grinned and started proclaiming to the world that he had just made a new friend, probably pranking a few of the villagers in the meantime.

"Um… Sasuke-san?" Naruto asked hesitantly. Sasuke blinked. When had Naruto ever used honorifics? "Where are we going?"

Sasuke's eye twitched. He actually hadn't thought of that…

_Quick, think of something!_

"The grove of trees over there." He responded, after a brief moment of silence. "I suppose we can talk there. Less people, right?"

Naruto nodded. "Okay…"

Was it just him, or was the blonde more… quiet? At this point, the Naruto he knew would have been bombarding him with questions, and filling the silence with mindless chatter. Had Naruto always been like this when he was younger? Sasuke's eyes narrowed when he thought of the villagers. Had he changed because of them?

He cast a glance behind him as they entered the shade of the forest. Maybe… maybe it was so. Had that boisterous and carefree attitude really been a mask?

_Or he could have worn it so long that it morphed into his true personality. _Sasuke grimaced. _I know more than enough about masks to know it's certainly possible… and it seems to be the case here. But I shouldn't judge too much until I get a chance to really talk to him. _

Sasuke heard Naruto gasp a little as they entered the small clearing in the grove. His eyes caught how the pond appeared to be made of glass, and the long grass stalks swayed in the slight breeze.

The Uchiha turned around to face his friend. "Alright, why don't we sit down and talk?" He plopped down on his usual flat stone and patted the spot in front of him.

Naruto blinked wearily at him for a moment before nodding and sitting down himself.

Sasuke mentally cursed at the villagers again. No six year old should be forced to behave like how Naruto was. It was just, well, _wrong_. Growing up during wartime was one thing, but during a time of peace was another thing altogether. Sasuke seriously doubted Naruto got any relaxation time though.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched slightly as he realized that the silence in between them was beginning to grow awkward. The blonde across from him was still looking at him with a slightly puzzled but weary demeanor, whereas his future self would have been endlessly chatting or whatever.

'_This is Naruto, just younger and more…subdued.' _

Finally Naruto broke the silence. "Why'd you do that?" he asked softly. "Everyone hates me, except for Jiji and Inu*-san." He smiled softly at the thought of the two.

The Uchiha started slightly at the question. He had been expecting more of a 'who are you' and not such a direct question as what he just asked was. "Not everyone hates you." He stated. Naruto stared at him doubtfully.

"I don't judge anyone until I meet them. No matter what others say… I wait until I meet them first." He took a deep breath. "And my first impression of you is that you've been through a whole lot in your life and deal with it better than many others would. You stay strong, even when others try to knock you over. You are a good person."

Naruto's eyes widened at the unexpected praise, and he blushed slightly. "No-no one's ever said anything like that to me before." He grinned and rubbed the back of his head in an embarrassed manner. "That means a lot to me, Sasuke-san."

Sasuke couldn't help but grin back. "Call me Sasuke, Naruto. We're friends now, after all, right?"

Nodding enthusiastically, Naruto agreed and then proceeded to tear up a bit.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Baka*, why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying, I just have something in my eyes, really!"

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***Inu: Dog**

***Baka: Idiot**

**A/N: So I was thinking that Naruto changed as he was older, and turned into the fun-loving lovable idiot we all know. (Don't deny it, Naruto can be an idiot a lot, but we still love him.) But when he was younger he was more calm and thoughtful… we all have our masks, right? Perhaps Naruto used one of a thick-headed and happy-go-lucky person for so long it morphed into his true personality. And who's to say that Naruto always did get the proper lessons at the academy? That could have (and probably did) add to his lack of…er… I don't know how to put it, but you get my point, right? Basically, he has his dad's personality. Hehe I can't stop giggling at the thought of a chibi yondaime… Tee-hee**

**Anyways, 'till next chapter, and don't forget to review!**

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**(Psst! Hey you! Yeah, you, the one that's staring at the screen! Review or favorite, won't ya? Maybe chapters will come out more quickly if you do…Thanks!)**

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**P.S. I know this chapter is really short, but trust me, the next one is coming out in a couple hours or so. And it will be longer. For sure.**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: See, what did I tell you? A few- *batman stomps in and slaps face***

**Batman: Shut up in the name of Justice. That was no few hours. That was a week.**

**Me: Uh... Sorry?  
Alright then, I just have a couple things I want to make clear with you guys before the chapter begins.  
1) Some of the character's personalities will be slightly different. I will try to keep it as original as possible. Sasuke and Naruto are going to have a bit of a more noticeable change than the others; Naruto's personality will be more or less like his dad with hints of his mom mixed in, and Sasuke will be considerably warmer than his usual self. Hence the smiling you've seen in previous chapters (that really need editing, if you ask me.)  
2) I will update as frequently as possible, but don't expect it to be in a pattern. I don't do patterns. I am spontaneous.  
3) I've got a vague idea for the setup of the story, but don't be expecting too much of it for now (hint: NOW, not later) until I have the whole thing properly aligned in my head.  
4) I really need a beta, so if any of you who are good with grammar and would like to give useful tips would like to take up the role, feel free to message me.  
5) These notes are really out of order.  
6) I am still unsure of the pairings, so I'm going to put up a poll on my profile page. Please note that this will not be NaruHina, but if it makes you feel better to vote for it then feel free to do so. I repeat, it will not be NaruHina. I see too many of those out there.  
7) And seven, uh… is heaven? Yeah, let's go with that.**

**Anywho, here comes the chapter! :D Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! I'm honestly surprised at the number of reviews, follows, and favorites already! It warms my heart and motivates me sooo much! :D  
*Shivers* This is so cool… I'm listening to some really awesome celtic music right now and it's helping me concentrate and and COOOOOOL!  
*Ahem* …Yeah**.

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Naruto gave Sasuke a slightly lopsided grin. "We didn't get to introduce ourselves properly. Why don't we sart over?" He stuck out his hand. "Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konoha! Keep it a secret, though, I haven't told anyone but Jiji."  
Sasuke felt a burst of warmth in his chest at the blonde's words. So he still had that dream... Not bothering to surpress his enourmous grin, Sasuke shook the other's hand. The Sasuke from a year ago- far into the future really- would have scoffed at the thought of him being so open with his emotions. He was different now though.  
(Italics) 'It's all going to be different this time around.' "Uchiha Sasuke. That's a big dream you have. I'll make sure to keep my mouth shut."  
Naruto just beamed at him. "I knew you were a good person! You're different from everyone else, dattebayo!"

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Sasuke really didn't want to face his parents. His clan. Really anyone from the category. He wasn't sure how he would react. Would he be angry? Depressed? It was just all too complicated. Sasuke hadn't given it much though before, having been too caught up in the moment... But now, laying in the grass and cloudwatching (surprisingly one of Naruto's hobbies. Naruto could barely sit still from how Sasuke had known him) with Naruto, he found it gave him a lot of time to think and reflect on the craziness of just the first day.  
The setting sun had only just become a mere speck above the horizon when Sasuke spoke.  
"Hey, Naruto?"  
"Yeah?" The blonde responded, eyes transfixed on the dissapearing orb.  
"Can I ask you a favor?"  
Naruto looked at him quizzically. "Yeah."  
"You see, I'm having a bit of a problem with my parents right now, and was wondering if I could stay over at your house tonight?" Sasuke seriously had the feeling he would break down if he saw his parents... or Itachi. Yes, he knew it probably wouldn't be a good idea to go without telling them anything, but he couldn't face them now. Not after knowing what his father had plotted along with the rest of the Uchiha council, which had led to the destruction of his clan. Sasuke knew that it was already too late to stop them from bringing up their ideas. Even if it hadn't, he wouldn't have stopped them.  
It was a sickening thought knowing that his clan had to go... but if they didn't, Orochimaru had a near one-hundred percent chance of getting the sharingan, and Sasuke would be dead before he would let that happen. The small Uchiha repressed a shiver. Orochimaru with the sharingan, now there was a scary thought.  
Not that he was scared of course. Just slightly apprehensive.  
"Yeah, of course!" Naruto's voice broke him from his thoughts.  
Sasuke let out a mental sigh of relief. "You're a lifesaver."  
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "It's not that big of a favor..."  
Sasuke stood, up offering Naruto his hand. "It's getting a ate. It's best we head back."  
Naruto nodded, pulling himself up. "Yeah..."  
The boy began walking, but stopped suddenly. Sasuke looked back at him, wondering what he was up to.  
"Is something wrong, Naruto?"  
Naruto shook his head slowly, drawing his gaze from the twilight sky back down. "No not really... Ne, Sasuke, you never told me your dream. Care to share?" Naruto stared at him, genuinely curious.  
Sasuke frowned. He actually hadn't given it thought whatsoever. It was deemed unimportant at the moment... But he figured he could make one now. "My dream... Is to create a bright future for the people I care for. I don't wish to see them hurt or suffering,"  
'Like they were before' he added mentally.  
"Every person I hold dear... There aren't many. So there's no way that any of them are going to die if I can help it."  
'And I will help it. None of you are going to die this time around.' He promised.  
Naruto considered his answer for a moment before stating his agreement. "You're awfully insightful for a six year old."  
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You too. Most kids our age are bouncing around and playing games, and not giving the true world a second thought."  
Naruto smiled somewhat bitterly. "Yeah, well, I don't have that type of time, being who I am. I was introduced to that world somewhat early."  
Sasuke's eyes narrowed.  
Naruto let out a huff of air. "It's no use crying over it," Naruto continued. "That's just the way it is for some people."  
The question surfaced once again in Sasuke's mind. How had Naruto gone from this to who he had known? It hardly made sense. Then again, he didn't have much room to talk. After all, time traveling was just as baffling.  
"You're right about that," Sasuke agreed. "But that doesn't mean we should just accept it."  
Naruto shot a glance at the other. "What do you mean?"  
"What I mean is that you shouldn't just take the villagers' crap lying down."  
Naruto scowled. 'I'm not."  
"If that's so, then what are you doing to prevent it?"  
The Jinchuuriki paused in his stride, taking in the question. His shoulders sagged in defeat. "...Nothing."  
Sasuke nodded sagely, gesturing with his hand to follow. "We can work on that tomorrow if you'd like. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve, regardless of my age."  
"You make it sound like you're old or something."  
"Hn."  
"What?"  
"Nothing. So are you up for it?"  
'Just wait until he sees what I have in mind... His expression will be priceless.'  
"You bet!" Naruto cheered. "Is it gonna be a cool jutsu? Oh, I bet! Is it?"  
Sasuke just smirked.

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After a filling meal at Ichiraku's, (thankfully Sasuke had some conveniently misplaced money in his pocket), he and Naruto had headed over to the blonde's house, and settled down for the night.  
The Uchiha lay on the futon next to Naruto's bed, listening to Naruto's steady breathing. Time traveling... He was actually back in the past. He could change everything for the better. Sasuke didn't even really care about the reason that he had been thrown back to his early childhood, he was just very grateful that it had happened.  
Lying as he was, he could hear, feel, (see) everything that had been destroyed, killed.  
Already, he had witnessed with his own eyes that Konoha was here, he was convinced that it was no illusion, and that the people he cherished... They were alive. No longer were they those maggot-ridden corpses, but they were living breathing, their hearts were beating.  
And it filled his body with the emotion that he had never thought he would feel again.  
Joy.  
He smiled wistfully. If only it had been like this the first time, then Naruto and the others wouldn't have had to suffer, even if they had no idea now.  
If only he hadn't been such a anger-filled moron...  
He shook his head sharply, cutting the thought off. It was no use dwelling on things of the past... There was a new future to be shaped.  
Sasuke shut his eyes, sighing wearily. No doubt about it- it would be hard, harder that anything he had ever done before, but it would be accomplished.  
Madara. Akatsuki. Tobi, or rather, Kakashi's old team mate, Obito. Orochimaru.  
'_They_,' Sasuke clenched his fists._ 'They are the ones who pose as the biggest threats.'_  
And Sasuke knew that he would be unable to do anything about them if he-  
'No,' Sasuke corrected himself. _'If Naruto, the others, and I don't become stronger than we were, then we will fail.'_  
And Sasuke had no wish to see that happen.

* * *

"What?!" Naruto shrieked, losing his previous calm demeanor.  
"It's exactly as it sounds, Naruto." Sasuke couldn't help the smirk on his face. "Our chakra coils aren't developed enough to really start using jutsu yet. So we focus on studies."  
"But why?! Why studies? Let's go do taijutsu training!" Naruto tried pushing Sasuke to the door, only to find that he wouldn't budge.  
"The future Hokage needs knowledge as well as strength. After all, if you come to face an opponent who is equally matched with you in terms of physical abilities, the only way you would be able to beat them is with quick thinking and _knowledge_." Sasuke stressed the word. "Plus you can't forget those political meetings..." _'And paperwork_,' Sasuke added mentally, deciding to keep that last part to himself.  
"Argh!" The boy moaned, putting his hands over his face. "No... I didn't think of that..."  
"Exactly."  
Naruto shot him a half-hearted glare through his fingers.  
"Shhh!" The old librarian lady hushed them through her place in between the shelves.  
"Sorry!" Naruto apologized, lowering his voice.  
Sasuke chuckled darkly, pulling out quite the large scroll from the shelf. "I think... You should start on this one."  
"Ten-Thousand facts you need to know about Konoha's History," Naruto read, horror dawning on his face. "No! You can't be serious!" He exclaimed.  
"Shhh!"  
"Oh, I'm serious," Sasuke smirked. "So serious, that I'm going to have this checked out as well as ten other scrolls of relatively the same size."

Naruto groaned. "Damn it all..."

"Start reading." Sasuke shoved the scroll into the blonde's hands, and expertly veered him to the nearest seat. "Stay here, and study. I'm going to ask you questions when I return. I need to go gather information in a different scroll." Sasuke turned around, stalking back to the history section.  
"Why not this one?" Naruto asked before he was out of earshot.  
"I already know it."

* * *

** Sorry for the crappy end to the chapter, I just decided to post this before the day ends because... Well just because. **

**Alright, one more time.  
1) Looking for a beta reader that will help with plot ideas and give useful tips (and correct grammar of course)  
2) Poll is up on my profile for the pairings in this story  
3) The character's personalities will be slightly different than normal, Naruto's and Sasuke's will be the most noticeable.  
That pretty much sums it up.  
But, hey! This chapter was longer than the last ones! Accomplishment! *twirls around in spinny chair*  
*Ahem*  
So anyways, please leave a review, they are very much appreciated and can improve the story! I will begin answering to reviews next chapter as well.  
Uh... So, thanks, and don't forget to favorite and review!**


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Naruto, Adventure, Friendship