I realise that although this is a common idea, it is nonetheless ambitious. Hopefully, this will keep me on my toes.

Also, I do not own Naruto.

The Paradox Offer

Chapter 1

Sasuke took a step forward from the broken, ashen wasteland and into the mindscape of the blonde who had lay across the makeshift bed, motionless for the past two weeks. He admitted experiencing the emotions of desperation and an odd sense of loss as he stared down at the face, not comprehending how it could look so peaceful when all around it was destruction. The life he had grown to know over the span of years – although it seemed like a lifetime ago – was exuberant and optimistic, not this unmoving figure who offered nothing but infuriating silence. No…Sasuke was unwilling to believe he was losing his best friend.

The water sloshed around his ankles, dampening his bandages and rippling outwards like an indicator of his presence. He stopped a few metres ahead of where he knew that large cage to be.

"It's dark," he observed.

A dry chuckle sounded from somewhere in front of him. "Yes, well…the boy's life is flickering like a candle. It's no surprise…but that's not what I wanted to discuss."

Despite the numerous times Sasuke had visited Kurama, he still hadn't become accustomed to his towering height and authoritative voice that reverberated throughout the mindscape. He had once entertained the thought that this was what made Naruto into such a coward at times.

"I would have thought his wellbeing would be your primary concern, considering…or am I wrong?" Sasuke could clearly envision the fox's anger as if the area was bathed in sunlight, and it amused him to no end.

"I don't have time for your games," Kurama snarled, his canine teeth bared in warning. "If you have nothing else to say, then decide whether or not you're going to listen to my proposition. Although you should consider that it would be in both of our best interests if you did."

Sasuke let the amusement dwindle down and regarded Kurama carefully. He let his silence answer for him.

Kurama grinned. "I never thought I'd say this to any of you, but that was wise of you, Uchiha. Now…do you have that scroll?"

The scroll was indeed stored in a seal located on the underside of his arm. It was quite a large thing and had taken him more than one journey to retrieve it from the Uchiha hideout. While it appeared plain and deceptively normal on the exterior, inside there were symbols that were written in ink that he had deemed indecipherable. However, he knew it was at least as important as any Hokage because the sheer amount of chakra that coiled around the scroll indicated this to be obvious.

Sasuke released the scroll from the storage seal and grudgingly offered what was perhaps, for all he knew, an Uchiha heirloom to the giant fox.

Kurama retrieved it with a tail and took on an almost malicious expression that somehow also looked gleeful as his wicked eyes scanned the contents of the scroll. "This is perfect." His eyes flicked up to meet Sasuke's gaze. "Tell me, what do you know about this scroll?"

Sasuke had asked himself the very same question the past few days and had come up with nothing fruitful. It was merely a scroll to him – although very powerful – and he was not as proud as he had once been that he would fool himself with false knowledge and security. He had never heard a whisper of the foreign symbols in the scroll, and had little idea as to how long the object had been hidden away, in the possession of the Uchiha clan.

"It is powerful…but other than that, I find it to be a mystery."

A sharp grin stretched Kurama's lips. "As I expected. Well it did once belong to Uchiha Madara when he began his hideously flawed plan for the control of the Shinobi Nations. The day he created it, he managed to use that eye of his to manipulate me into injecting some of my chakra into the scroll. That is the reason for the strange chakra in it – there is a mixture of his and mine. You would have noticed the symbols, although I don't suppose you understood them. That is because they are not those used by Shinobi, but by demons."

"Then what purpose did he give the scroll?"

"Time travel."

There was a beat of silence and although Sasuke felt fury rise within him, for he believed that he was being taken as a fool by the fox, there was an odd shiver that ran up his spine at the prospect of such a possibility.

"No, that's impossible."

There was a glint of malice in Kurama's eye. "Oh? And I suppose a human would know more than a demon about such matters? Uchiha, what you don't seem to understand is that while Madara was both intelligent and ambitious, he was also a fool, and it was his foolishness that allowed the scroll to slip from his possession." He eyed Sasuke in silence for a moment, meaningfully, before continuing, "But of course, everything happens for a reason."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the hidden implication in the fox's words. He had, a few times, given thought as to what he would have done differently, what measures he would have taken to prevent the demise of the clan, but those times were before Itachi had died, before he had learnt the truth. After that, he no longer wasted time on such shameful thoughts.

"I have no interest in such a thing, Kurama," he said.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, Uchiha," the fox taunted.

Sasuke's eyes sharpened. "What?"

"It's fascinating, isn't it? Using the ability of the scroll to defy 'fate' and send your very existence through the veil of time, breaking the rules of physics and natural order…that is what you will be doing. Do you think I'm simply going to wait as Naruto approaches death? You will be able to rectify mistakes, both yours and others, but as I am a demon and doing this for my own selfish purposes, your decisions matter little to me. However, I am warning you that you must ensure Naruto remains alive and well and that the Akatsuki do not get their hands on him, otherwise everything would have been futile."

Sasuke inhaled sharply at the weight of the fox's words. The thought – the fact – that he would be embarking on such a journey was ridiculous, ludicrous…but it was also true that the world had become a long, wide, starved land that was as decayed as it was once flourishing, and so perhaps such a journey did make sense. "I assume there is a logical explanation as to how I will be transported, and in that case, sending my entire existence to the past would count for an immeasurable paradox. That's why only my soul will be transported."

There was a low hum of approval from the fox. "So you are intelligent…although you would need to be in order to survive this little trip. Now, let's see…"

There was an ominous glow that enveloped the scroll as Kurama's chakra was consumed by the strange symbols until they seemed to be twitching and trembling with excitement on the surface of the scroll. They pulsed with energy, bright and almost alive.

"I'll see you in the past, Uchiha. I would say 'good luck' except I'm afraid you'll think I mean it."

Sasuke blinked as his vision began to swim and, wryly, he thought that the fox's good blessing would have done nothing for his luck.