A chance of fate; A nick too deep and the future is isn't what it's supposed to be anymore. A world where the incarnations of Asura and Indra finally found peace.
Declaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.
Note: English is neither my first language nor my second, if you find any grammatical or spelling mistake, please point it out.
Chapter 1: Fuun
"Hand over the scroll, Naruto" Mizuki lunged, throwing multiple kunai at the young blonde.
"Over my dead body baka! Kage Bun..."
But Mizuki was a tad faster.
In an alternate universe Naruto was a bit quicker and his clones were able to defeat Mizuki. But in this one it was not to be.
Kunai was sent flying and its aim held true as it stuck in the throat of one Naruto Uzumaki.
"Naruto!" cried Iruka watching in shock as the boy he had come to love as his little brother fell slowly as if in slow motion.
"Now it's your turn." laughed Mizuki looking at the chūnin.
Iruka closed his eyes, feeling his life slip away as he waited for the kunai to end his life. His breath hitched as he felt something sharp tear through his heart.
'If only I was better' Was the last thought that went through his mind as he crossed the realm of the living.
Mizuki laughed. Now if only he could safely reach Orochimaru-sama. Things were finally looking up. Suddenly he stilled as he felt a wire twist around his neck. Before he could do anything a single jolt ran through the wire and the last chūnin standing fell.
Looking at the chūnin that died for the village, the silver haired ANBU sent a silent prayer, his eyes moving across the terrain searching for a little kid.
Lying on the forest floor was a small blonde, coated in red chakra, blood still seeping through the wound in his neck. Had the boy not been the container of an entity as powerful as the nine tails, he would surely have died thrice by now, but as it was, the kyūbi was still trying to heal the wound.
Inu slung the scroll on his back. Carefully holding Naruto in his arms, he sent a powerful burst of chakra through his feet jumping a few meters in the air leaving behind the bloodied corpse of two academy instructors for the retrieval team to pick up.
"The scroll has been secured."
"What of the boy?"
"Sent to the infirmary. Initial reports state that the kunai severed through multiple nerves. Medics predict a full body paralysis below his neck."
A strong punch crashed through the table furling multiple documentation around the room.
"It has been most... unfortunate for Konoha. Leave me Kakashi, report if the situation changes."
"..."
"Speak your mind."
"Sensei would have been disappointed."
The Kage looked as if he aged decades in a few seconds.
"Indeed, he would have" the older of the two replied with a sigh.
With barely a flick the silvery haired ninja disappeared.
"Tenzo, it's time for the slug princess to head back home." said the aged Kage to seemingly thin air
"As you command Hokage-sama."
When Naruto woke up it was to a blank whitewashed ceiling, lying on a bed.
Immediately his thoughts went back to the night of graduation, when his whole world came apart. Finally, he knew why the village hated him.
He felt a small itch on his nose and tried raising his hand to scratch it. It was only then that he realized that something was seriously wrong with him.
Try as he might his body refused to cooperate, his eyes started to water as he hyperventilated. It was suffocating and before he realized he found himself screaming for someone to come and help.
"Settle down, you're going to raise everyone here." a nurse came in tow with a guard, who it seemed was sitting outside the room.
"Help me." Naruto gasped through tears.
"Now… lie still and be patient, someone will be here momentarily to explain your situation, " she said, giving a slight nod to the guard who immediately jumped outside the window to fetch the elderly leader.
"... This is a disgrace. The leaf is weak now.."
"... Maybe we should change the vessel..."
"... Assign more money towards the Shinobi division..."
Sarutobi was having a bad day.
The news that their jinchūriki was now barely more than a vegetable, at least in a more practical sense, had somehow leaked and the elders were not happy about it.
The council was in shambles, everyone pitched their own ideas, based on their self-interest.
He raised his hand and slowly the noise abated.
"I've listened to all your opinions and will take everything under consideration before declaring my verdict. For now let us focus on strengthening our ties with Suna. At times like these strong appearances are necessary to dissuade anyone of any foolishness."
"Danzo, send a seal expert to review the seal of Ichibi jinchūriki, Kazekage would be delighted."
"Surely you don't mean to strengthen their jinchūriki.." Danzo frowned.
"Unless you are planning to..." his lips curled into a twisted smile.
"Naruto has awoken Hokage-sama"" An ANBU whispered bowing to the fire-shadow.
"Go and see it done, Danzo." the aging Kage said before getting up to leave.
"Hello Naruto."
"Hey old man..." Naruto was subdued when he finally met the Kage.
"It has been more than a week, I missed you."
"I don't think many villagers share your sentiments." Naruto gave a bitter laugh.
"..." Hurizen was at a loss. There was nothing that he could have said to make any difference.
For a few minutes both sat in silence not knowing what to do or say. It was Naruto who broke it.
"... would I ever be able to walk again jiji?" the young boy finally questioned the old man hesitatingly.
The silence was all the answer, he needed.
"I'm sorry, my boy." Hurizen turned and walked away in silence.
It would be a long time before Naruto would see the old Kage, longer still before he would get a chance to talk to him.
"Team seven" announced Suzuki, a young kunoichi that had recently been appointed as the new teacher.
"Uchiha Sasuke..."
A dark haired boy turned his head to look at the teacher, single red tomeo rotating hypnotically in both his eyes.
"Haruno Sakura..."
The girl in question smiled at being placed on the same team as her crush, giving a smirk to her rival, Ino.
"Inuzuka Kiba..."
A small puppy, was seen trying to wake his current master.
"Your jōnin sensei is Hatake Kakashi..."
"... what I have is not a dream, but a goal; to kill a certain man and restore my clan" The last loyal Uchiha said quietly.
"Ma Ma… So full of angst, you need to loosen up kid." Kakashi sent his student an eye smile.
"Anyway, I hope that you guys will be ready for the survival training." He said getting up.
"Meet me tomorrow at 5 in training ground 10" with that the jōnin disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The test was a disaster. No-one came even close to touching the bells.
"... none of you are allowed to give your food to Sakura" Kakashi thundered in a menacing voice.
In another universe where a young blonde had held feelings for a particular pink haired girl, the boys decided to give Sakura their food.
But in this one, it was not to be… the Inuzuka went through his bento box like a ravenous beast and unfortunately the Uchiha was never one to initiate a friendship. Giving the dog boy a nasty glare he stood up and went to sit under a nearby tree before eating his food in peace.
After the lunch they waited a long time for their sensei to come back, but he didn't. Evening approached and they saw a chūnin running towards them.
"Team seven is hereby disbanded, please be at academy tomorrow at 7." with that the unnamed nin leaped and went back.
They failed Kakashi's test and none of them knew why.
'The past years were a waste of time' pondered Uchiha Sasuke thinking about the years he had wasted in school.
He had observed the growth in himself. It wasn't as good as his prodigal brother, but surely he was certainly good enough to be a genin. He mused.
The months after the failed bell-test had been harsh on the last loyal Uchiha, where once people looked at him in awe, now they snickered at him. For an Uchiha to repeat a year, especially the younger brother of an S-class nin was beyond shameful.
Where once he enjoyed the spars in the academy, now he rarely fought. His calligraphy grew sloppy and his grades dropped.
But no, this wasn't because he had given up on his dream to avenge his clan.
Oh no, his training was going as diligently as ever. Each day he spent hours on the training ground behind his home practicing shurikenjutsu and punching on logs.
"Ugh..." He held up his knuckles breaking the kata.
It looked broken. Sasuke sighed.
It had been months since anyone came to meet him. Naruto was looking outside the window from his wheelchair in the permanent ward of the hospital.
Not that he needed anyone.
It had been weeks since boy once so cheerful, had smiled. His characteristic grin had now turned into a twisted parody of itself.
'People...' Summarized Naruto '... were only willing to spend time with you as long as they saw in you something useful.'
No-one had come to meet him. The old man whom he loved like his grandfather had left him now that he was useless.
A broken tool. That's what he was.
In the first few weeks he had been told that there was a chance that he would be back to his normal self.
And then Tsunade-sama, considered to be world's best medic had gone through his case and had looked at him with pity.
"It's too late..." she had said.
That night Naruto cried and Konoha had been engulfed in a storm, the ferocity of which was akin to an raging God.
With each fallen tear the sky rumbled and lightning ravaged the forests outside the village.
It was then that Naruto came upon an unexpected realization, it was he who had caused the storm. It was his chakra that leaked into the air bending the wind to his will.
Since then Naruto had practiced and practiced. Every moment was spent trying to control the chakra once it exited his body.
Every second spent trying to make his dream come true.
For he had a dream, a dream to make the villagers acknowledge him and by Rikudou sennin, he WILL make them acknowledge him or die trying.
His face settled into a determined scowl as he flared his chakra once more.
Sasuke was exiting the hospital when he thought he saw a familiar mop of blonde hair. Tracing back his steps he looked through a partially opened door into a room where the said blonde was sitting in a wheelchair.
"You shouldn't peep in on others Uchiha-San." the boy said without turning back.
Sasuke stiffened.
"How do you know who I am?"
"The winds talk to me" the blond stifled a laughter.
The Uchiha turned around and walked away.
The friendship between the two boys was decidedly weird. Months passed and both had come to appreciate the company other provided.
Every Saturday was the same.
"I brought ramen for you." The Uchiha said, closing the door behind him.
"I told you not to bother with those." Naruto said, glancing at the steaming bowl his friend placed in front of him.
"Open your mouth, I'm not going to repeat myself."
Naruto opened his mouth and let the chopsticks inside, he knew first hand that Sasuke was a man of few words and if he said that he wasn't going to repeat himself, then he better opened his mouth or Sasuke would leave the bowl in front of him and walk away.
"Don't bother with it next time."
"Hn." replied Sasuke placing the bowl in a corner.
"Today I'll be teaching you how to feel lightning..." Naruto started eyeing his only friend who was sitting across him listening with rapt attention.
It was still weird for Sasuke to imagine that the class loser was giving him tuition. He still remembered how it came to be.
Sasuke was sitting in a corner reading a book he found in the family library.
"What are you reading there teme?" Naruto asked, trying to extend his neck.
"Elemental Manipulation... " then he sneered a bit "Not that you would understand it, dobe."
He went back to his book, but something felt different now. A few minutes passed, and he could feel the wind blowing from seemingly nowhere and hitting his face. Looking at Naruto he found the boy sitting with eyes closed.
Suddenly he felt as if a blade of wind had scratched his cheeks. He brought up his fingers to feel it, only to see a few tiny drops of blood.
His eyes narrowed as he saw Naruto smirking at him from across the room.
Clenching his teeth, he uttered the two words that would change the course of his life.
"Teach me."
And that's how their relationship grew. They were symbiote living off each other. Each Saturday Sasuke would tell him about the outside world and read him books, teaching him the concepts behind different jutsu and in turn Naruto would tell him about the experiments he did and if there was a way to do those jutsu without hand-signs.
"What is the status of the boy?"
"He seems content." A pause, then "Introducing the Uchiha was a wise decision."
"Konoha is going to be attacked soon." The man said after a few moments.
"I'm aware Hokage-sama. Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama have begun the preparations."
"There is something else that I must ask of you Inu, something that only you can do." The Kage said looking weary.
"Something that only I can do?" The ANBU was confused.
"Should something happen to me, make sure that the legacy of fourth continues. Naruto must live on." Looking into the single eye Sarutobi Hurizen emphasized once again "No matter the cost."
"Who do you think would win?" Naruto questioned the silent boy sitting in front of him.
"..."
"I think it would be Lee. He seems strong enough." The blonde continued.
Today was the final day of the tournament, and they had just heard over the speakers that Gaara of the Sand and Lee were about to spar.
A few minutes passed and then chaos ensued.
Three large summons appeared in middle of Konoha and everyone started running for their lives.
"I… I think you should leave Sasuke." Naruto seemed unsure about what was happening. Looking at his friend, he found him packing his bag and taking hold of a tanto.
"I'm not leaving you dobe." Sharingan flared to life as Sasuke took a stance in front of the door.
Naruto smiled before concentrating and suddenly hundreds of leaves from a tree outside the window broke before coming to a halt in midair ready to cut through anyone who dared to cross the door.
"Admirable..."
That was the last thing the young teens heard before falling unconscious.
When Naruto finally woke up, he found himself lying in a cart, his wheelchair folded beside him. Looking up, he found a disgruntled Sasuke sitting beside a silvery haired ninja.
"Ah! Finally, the sleeping beauty decides to grace us with his presence."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hatake Kakashi also known as Nakamagoroshi no Kakashi, currently we are on the run from Konohagakure. Hope we can be good friends." He said with an eye-smile.
Sasuke groaned.
It's gonna be an AU.
In terrible need of a Beta.
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