Naruto 1. Authors Note

Hi, Guys this is your author here going under my new name, don't worry I haven't given up on any of my stories I've simply revamped them a little. Hopefully the things you'll be seeing from me will be better.

Thanks so much.


	2. The flight part I

**Hey guys this is IndieStrawberry here under my new penname. I've just wanted to apologize for not updating for a whole year or was it two...? Anyway I've come back with a new version of this story because now that I've re-read the first version it seems absolutely terrible and all the characters seem rather lobotomized (courtesy of TheRightWayAgain, good comment by the way) so I'm updating this story with a shorter hopefully better version of the first chapter. I would appreciate your feedback thanks**

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_Choices are the hinges of destiny"_

_Edward Markham_

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There is a saying that "Choices are the hinges of destiny." This was soon to be proven true during the face-off between Naruto and Sasuke at the infamous Valley of the End. Brother against brother; friend against friend. This scenario had been played out once before between The First Hokage and Mandara Uchiha.

Naruto stood atop the statue of Hashirama Senju red demon chakra infusing itself with his natural blue colour poured from his body. He faced his teammate Sasuke who stood on the Mandara statue. The last Uchiha was in the second stage of his curse seal. Dark, gray, hand shaped wings protruded menacingly from his back.

They were both in bad shape, with multiple injuries and torn clothes. Water dripped slowly from their hair as they stooped over, hands on their knees in order to catch their breath quickly. Straightening up, both boys and former teammates stared at each other in a tense silence neither moving nor breathing; each waiting for the other to make their move. Crimson eyes bore into swirling Sharingan.

For a brief moment Naruto's determination wavered, this _was_ his best friend someone he considered to be as close as a brother. Seeing as Naruto didn't have any actual blood family Team 7 and Sasuke was the closet he'd ever get to a real one. Team 7 had been like Naruto's family albeit a dysfunctional one, with Kakashi's laziness, Sakura's temper and Sasuke's ever present aloofness. It was a family nonetheless and Naruto would do everything in his power to keep it together. Families didn't run away from their problems, they stuck it out no matter what and with that final thought Naruto's determination came back with full force.

Sasuke coldly looks across the Valley at Naruto, his friend and ultimately his best friend and rival. Gritting his teeth Sasuke thought '_why couldn't he understand'_? He wanted no needed power in order to defeat his brother and Orochimaru was going to provide him with just that.

To his annoyance regret mingled with his anger, he had admittedly for a short while been attached to Naruto and the rest of Team 7. Thought Naruto was his friend in a sense he would never forget that they were rivals for power. That had been made abundantly clear to him on the day of their rooftop battle. Why was Naruto even doing this anyway? Though Sasuke wasn't at the level of skill he'd like to be, he could still could kill Naruto and leave for the Sound anyway.

'_I always knew Naruto was stupid, but never stupid enough to risk his life.' _

The events of the attack on the village during the Chunin exams suddenly came back to him. How the blonde had risked his life to stop Gaara for his 'precious people.' _'This is probably all for Sakura' _he thought, recalling Naruto's painfully obvious crush on their pink haired teammate. _'He risked all this for a forehead protector and a promise to a foolish girl.'_ Sasuke thought, it wasn't as if he liked having to kill Naruto they were after all rivals and the blond was a good test for power.

Their pink haired teammate was another reason that Sasuke had decided to leave, her unhealthy attachment kept him from his goal: revenge and the path to his revenge was best walked alone. Breaking out of his thoughts he gathered his chakra and prepared to face his destiny.

Naruto was the first to break the stillness, forming a blue Rasengan in his hand. At the same time Sasuke created a silver Chidori in his. The two rushed at each other in a blur of red and dark purple, Naruto aiming for the forehead protector and Sasuke aiming for the blonde's heart.

Inwardly Naruto hissed in pain, the demon chakra was slowly and agonizingly tearing every muscle in his arms and legs apart. He knew that if he failed, death would be what awaited him. He couldn't die though! He had too much to do and see and learn and it would destroy him if that dream ended here.

For a brief moment he looked at the Uchiha's stomach and then to the wings on his back. If the wing was hit just right and he could muster a kick to his stomach it would be guaranteed that Sasuke would come back with him.

'_Shikamaru, Neji, Chouji, Kiba, Lee, Gaara, Tsunade baa-chan, Sakura-chan; I promise I won't fail, I won't die!' _

With that final thought Naruto charged at his rival. "Sasuke!" he cried out, not aiming for the previously desired forehead, but instead for the clay wing on his back.

The two friends and rivals clashed, consumed by a bright white light, the power so overwhelming that it could be felt in the next village over. The Rasengan influenced by demon chakra and sheer determination cut through the wing and delivered a final kick for reinforcement, while the Chidori just missed Naruto's heart. Both boys cried out in pain as they fell to the murky shallow water below, at that moment as if on cue a slow drizzling rain poured on their faces. Their fates now held in the hands...of one silver haired lazy Jonin.

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Kakashi Hatake rushed through the thick forests of Konoha, Pakkun his summoning dog bounded beside him, the air between them was solemn and tense. Adrenaline coursed through him not from excitement, but from a feeling that he had only felt a few times in his life: fear. Despite his famous nonchalant attitude his was genuinely concerned for his students; both of them.

The Jonin had been a witness to the rooftop skirmish between Naruto and Sasuke and the amount of power they had displayed. That was only at half their potential, if they went full force... he shuddered to think of the consequences. Though he knew the Naruto could more than handle himself in a fight it was his raven haired student had worried him. Sasuke had always been removed, but lately he been taking that cold attitude to the very extreme only having contact with others when needed.

At first meeting Kakashi had pegged Sasuke to be just a youth with a sullen look on life who needed a serious attitude adjustment, but after awhile he realized it was much more than that. His all consuming quest for vengeance of his clan was frankly disturbing and if he wasn't careful the desire would swallow him whole.

Upon reaching the Valley, he grasped that nothing he ever thought could prepare him for the sight that greeted his eyes. Destruction had ravaged and gutted the Valley of the End, trees and rocks had been overturned and uprooted, the faces of the two statues had been reduced to mere rubble and in the air hung a slight scent of burned flesh. And at the base of the waterfall lay Naruto and Sasuke side by side.

Making his way to the two boys he let out a large sigh of relief seeing the ever so slight rise and fall of their chests. _'Oh thank God, I'm not too late.'_ He thought. Wasting no time, Kakashi bent down and quickly assessed their conditions. What he saw wasn't good. Both boys had serious burns and lacerations to their skin, a couple of broken bones and Sasuke had a hole in his stomach, while Naruto had one near his heart. Quickly, he sustained both boys with a simple medical jutsu and gathered them up on his back, ignoring the slight pain he felt knowing that the pain of not being to help his students would be much greater.

While Pakkun raced ahead to the hospital, Kakashi bounded from the Valley towards the hospital praying that they would make it there quickly.

And silently from the shadow of the waterfall, Zetsu watched.

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Tsunade Senju Fifth Hokage and leader of the village set down the pen in her rapidly cramping hand with an audible sigh. She had finally defeated her worst enemy; paperwork. She had spent most of her day rushing from the hospital and the office and this was the first time she got to relax. Stretching her arms to the ceiling she began to rethink the previous stressful events of the day. Sasuke Uchiha the last of his ill-fated clan had defected to the village of Tsunade's former infamous teammate the Snake Sanin Orochimaru. Fortunately for her, Sasuke and the retrieval team that she sent after him had left rather early and had gone unnoticed by the villagers.

It was well known that Naruto was the vessel of the Nine Tails and Sasuke was a promising strong ninja and if word got out that two of them had disappeared, it would mean hell for the blond Kage. Gossip in Konoha travelled quickly and the last thing she needed was gossip and speculation. It was a damn good thing she had been able to keep it contained for this long.

Slowly but surely the retrieval team she had sent out consisting of Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru, Chouji, the Sand Sibling Trio and Rock Lee had began trickling in with tons of injuries for her to heal. None of the Sand Siblings had been hurt, Rock Lee only had a broken wrist and mild chakra exhaustion and Shikamaru had gotten off easy with a broken finger.

The more serious cases were Kiba, Neji and Chouji. Neji had come in with serious wounds, major chakra depletion and a hole in his chest. It had taken the combined efforts of Shizune, herself and several other medical ninja to get Neji in stable condition. Kiba had been a little less serious, but still time consuming with a stab wounds to the stomach.

Chouji had been the worst of them all with injuries including major chakra depletion, a broken leg, two broken ribs and a kunai wound that punctured one of his lungs. If it wasn't for the Nara's medical book he would've never survived. Now the only ones left were Naruto and Sasuke.

She sighed again and was about to take a swig of sake when an ANBU with an eagle mask burst into the room interrupting her thoughts. She stood up alarmed as the ninja stood at attention in her presence.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Lady Hokage, Kakashi Hatake has just arrived with the Uzumaki and the Uchiha, their both in serious condition and they need your help at the hospital urgently."

Nodding in response Tsunade snatched up her emerald green coat and rushed out the door praying that the boy she had become so fond of was going to be alright.

And in a dark meeting room in Konoha, a plot began to form.

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**Well there you have it! As you can see I shortened it considerably and changed a lot, I hope that my portrayal of the characters was better than the first time around. Your reviews feed my soul and questions and critical feedback are greatly appreciated. **

**R&R**

**Indie **


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Naruto, Adventure, Romance