Disclaimer: Naruto and all the characters used in this story are property of Masashi Kishimoto. I am not Masashi Kishimoto. I am just a fan who wants to live Naruto all over again.

Summary: What if the situations had been different? What if the choices made were different? Would Naruto Uzumaki still be the child of prophecy? Would people have to go through the same infernal sufferings? Would the world still be cursed with war and hatred? This a tale about what you know. This is a tale of what you don't. This is a tale retold.

AN: "normal speech"

'thought'

"SHOUTING/SCREAMING"

"Tailed beast"

A Tale Retold

Chapter 1: The beginning of a new beginning

"Geez! I am sure Tsume sensei is going to bite my head off today!" panted a blue clad boy with black messy hair and orange goggles protecting his invaluable eyes as he pushed through the crowds of Konoha and made his way towards the ninja academy. Some stray curses flew his way as he pushed down one too many civilians. When everyone realized that they weren't capable enough to wipe that goofy grin off his face a few more curses were thrown his way.

Konoha sure could be quite colourful in the morning if one knew where to look.

(*flashback*)

"Obito! Obito! Get up!"

"What is it? Today's sunday granny. Let me sleep!"mumbled Obito in his half awoken state. He sure could be as lazy as a Nara sometimes.

"But today's your graduation ceremony!"

"Oh shit! Shit! Shit! Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!"

"Mind your language Obito! I may not be your mother or father but I sure as hell can slap some manners into you! And I have been calling you since *ing 6am!"

"Mind your language huh!?"

"Just get lost already!"(*flashback*) And thus had started Obito Uchiha's day.

A barrage of curses wasn't really something someone would wish to have for a morning. And Obito was quite sure that the day wasn't going to get any better. Not when he had spotted one of Konoha's most feared omen. You simply cannot afford to hope for a good day when you see Tsume Inuzuka standing right in front of you and baring her canines. But Obito had a secret weapon. One about which he knew not himself. It wasn't the sharingan that was feared across nations. It was something that melted your heart. (Figuratively of course) It was his smile. Such a beautiful smile it was. Pearl white teeth making themselves visible. Eyes closed. And above all, it carried hope. It was like a disease that spread to you when you laid eyes on the Uchiha brat. Hoping is dangerous for shinobi. Shinobi cannot afford to hope. But that's where Konoha shinobi were different from other shinobi. They never lost hope. And Tsume Inuzuka wasn't any exception. She just couldn't bring herself to be angry with Obito. Obito was allowed entrance into the classroom with just one smack to the head. Lucky brat!

"Ok! Now that everyone is here I will start the team sorting ceremony!" announced Tsume with a harder than usual tone. All the ninja aspirants glared at Obito for pissing her off. Only if they had realized that it was Tsume trying to cover her true emotions. She didn't want to look selfish. Selfish for wanting to keep all the students to herself for the rest of eternity. She loved them as much as she loved her Hana. They were all her children. And she was their mother who raised them. A dog truly is an emotional fool. A fool that every Inuzuka was proud of being. The ninja world really had exceptions.

'Oh Kami! Please! Please! Please! Please! I promise I will never curse again if I and Rin are placed together. Kami! Please! Please!' Obito seldom wished for anything from anyone. But Rin! Rin was worth wishing for. If it meant he would have Rin he would do anything. And why wouldn't he?! Rin was beautiful. Rin's beauty was beyond description. Rin was beauty itself.

"Asuma, you could have been the class topper if it had ever occurred to me to use Rin's face as blackboard. Your eyes never leave her!" Asuma's face turned a provoking shade of red which was no less redder than a fully ripened apple. And in a moment Obito had forgotten his promise to Kami and had used such colourful language that would cause even the slug princess's ears to bleed. In his mind of course. He didn't want Rin to think of him as a mannerless brat.

"Ok now I will be assigning - Might Gai don't pose! Sit down! I'll be assigning you to your respective squa- MIGHT GAI SIT DOWN AND EXTINGUISH YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH FOR ONCE!" if there had been a Nara in the class he would have died of heart attack.

As it happened to be Konoha's lucky day, Guy did actually decide to sit for once and Tsume got attention enough to let her let herself continue. But Rin for once was the one not paying attention. It rung in her ears. Her parent's warnings. Her mother's tears. For once in her lifetime she really doubted whether she was cut out to be a kunoichi. As much as she wanted to prove her parents wrong, she couldn't really find the courage. She never realized that she had missed the allotment of first six teams.

"Team 7: Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara!"

"Team 8: Shiranui Genma! Anko Mitarashi! Gekko Hayate!"

Rin was again lost in her thoughts. Once again. Isn't it standard protocol for a team to have atleast three members? Why then are there only two in my team? Is Obito getting special treatment for being an Uchiha? This type of special treatment is sure unheardof!' As a result of her musings, she never noticed when the blonde man walked in through the door. Though she didn't really need to. Tsume's voice had dragged her outside of her thoughts anyway. Rin always had a feeling that Tsume could pull a man out of coma with her voice. It seemed to her that she already had set out on the path to surpass the slug sannin.

"MINATO? WHY ARE YOU HERE NOW?"

"Tsume san actually I was here to get my students Rin Nohara and Obito Uchiha. You see-"

"DON'T TRY SWEET TALKING ME! YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR ATLEAST ANOTHER HOUR!" if enemy ninjas had seen 'the yellow flash of Konoha ' being talked to like that and him being actually scared and smiling stupidly, they would have died. The anbus keeping watch outside made it a point to tell Hiruzen sama about their discovery of a new mass murdering weapon that could wipe out entire platoons. Well yeah! Anbus unlike popular belief had a sense of humour too.

"JUST GET THEM OUT OF HERE BEFORE I AM CHARGED WITH YOUR MURDER! OBITO! RIN! GET LOST!

TEAM 10: ASUMA SARUTOBI! MIGHT GUY! KURENAI YUHI!"

None of the three offenders had actually waited for her command.

Obito prayed for the rest of the class. Unbeknownst to him eleven and a half people were already dead and three were in coma.

AN: Hey guys! That was the first chapter of 'A tale retold '. The last line was just meant to be funny. This is going to be one long story. Hope the first chapter was attractive enough to have glued you to it. I've tried to keep the words simple and have checked and rechecked for any grammatical errors. I am not going to have OCs(not major ones atleast) and hope the characters are not OOC. Expect a chapter every two weeks and sometimes earlier. Hope you guys liked this one.

Read and review!

Author out!