As For The Future…
Chapter 1: New Jutsu, Undesirable Effect
The wind blew through the trees. There was nothing. Just silence. He breathed hardly. The fight cost all his power. He looked around. Not a simple sign from his friends. I hope they're saved. He thought.
Again. A hard blast. Damnit! Where's he?
He took a few steps forward. Not sure what happened next.
„Sasuke!", he heard a voice.
„Naruto…", he turned around and breathed eased. The dobe was alright.
"Where's Sakura?", he couldn't see the pink haired girl. And he remembered she was with Naruto when they decided to split. "Sakura-chan? Ahhh don't worry. She is with Lee, now."
Sasuke nodded emotionless. Secretly he was glad that she was with that fuzzy eyebrow kid right now. But first rule for an Uchiha Sasuke: Don't show more emotions than necessary!
"So? Where is Orochimaru? Did you lose him?", Naruto teased.
"Hn.", was Sasuke's only reply.
"I see. So if you were a mean old snake…where were you hiding place?"
Sasuke looked up. "He can't be far away. He's strong, sure…but not that fast that no-one had noticed him."
Naruto glanced at his friend. He was right. How much Naruto hated it. Sasuke was always right. Since they started their training together they always tried to beat the other. He smiled. And now? At the sweet age of seventeen, it was still the same game.
"Naruto, let's find the others. Orochimaru is not in his best condition but he is still dangerous."
"Okay!" They jumped forward. This mission was just too important for Konohagakure. They couldn't risk loosing him. Not now.
It was spring time in Konohagakure. The trees were fulfilled with blossoms and the weather got nicer everyday. Ichiraku's had some new dishes at their menu, Konohamaru and his friends were excited because they were starting their first year at the Academy in a few weeks and Tsunade was annoyed of Naruto. Everything was normal. Yes. Everything was just normal.
The ninja teams were in training and that harder than ever before. Everyone had passed the Chunin Exam by now and so they were all responsible enough to go on higher ranked missions.
Missions like the one they were actually on.
Orochimaru. A name many ninjas feared. One of the legendary sannins. The killer of the third Hokage. The man who cursed Sasuke once. The man who loved it to play with dangerous new jutsus.
The man who was clever enough to set all ANBU's on the wrong track, so that the village was just protected by a few Jounin and Chunin.
The man who attacked his old hometown over and over again.
Tsunade had no other choice and so she sent the Chunins together with their senseis to defeat him. She knew it was an awkward situation, but they had to end it. Once and for all.
The fight against Orochimaru and his henchmen was pretty hard. Orochimaru himself was more in the background than in the actual fight. He was still injured, 'cause of the 3rd Hokage's seal. But he was still a risk.
After most of his Oto-nins were defeated, inclusive Kabuto, he decided it would be better to escape.
"Sasuke-kun!", Sakura cheered. "I'm so glad you're alright!"
"Hn." Sasuke eyes felt on Lee who stood next to Sakura. "We decided it's better to search together.", he said coldly.
Lee nodded. He was not really happy to see Sasuke. Sakura who was a bit afraid before seemed like another person. She felt completely saved when this Uchiha guy was around. Lee never understood what she saw in him. Well, except for his great talent of course.
"Lee!" He turned around. His team mates joined the small group. "Ah! Tenten-chan! Neji-kun! You're alright?"
"Yeah. But we didn't found him. Even my Byakugan couldn't see him."
Sasuke clenched his fists. Damnit! That stupid snake."
"Ahh look!", Naruto said. "There's Kakashi-sensei!"
Lee's eyes brightened. "And Gai-sensei!"
"LEE!", Gai screamed happily, "I'm so thankful, you are okay!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei –"
„Hmm.", Neji coughed slightly. Gai looked at his other team members. "Oh. Of course, I'm glad that the two of you are alright, too." He gave them a big smile.
Tenten smiled ironical. Yeah…of course…
"So? Where are the teams of Asuma and Kurenai?", Kakashi asked.
"Kurenai-san took Kiba-kun to the hospital. He is really badly injured.", Sakura said sadly.
"I don't know what's with the others."
"We are here!", a familiar, very dry voice said.
"Hey Shikamaru!", Naruto punched him on his shoulder. "Oh. Shino, Chouji and Hinata! You are here, too!"
Hinata looked at Naruto. She blushed a little. I'm so glad. Naruto-kun is alright.
"Where is Ino?", Sakura asked confused. She was worried about her "old-new-friend".
"Don't worry.", Shikamaru said a little bored, "She just helped Kurenai-san to take care of Kiba and Akamaru."
Thank Goodness, she isn't hurt.
Asuma went to Kakashi and Gai. "What shall we do now?"
"Keep waiting.", Sasuke said suddenly. Kakashi gave him a strange look. "What do you mean?"
"Orochimaru…he's coming back. I feel his Chakra."
Neji smirked. Let's see if he's right… "Byakugan!"
Neji looked forward. There is something…and it's coming…very fast.
Gai followed Neji's glance. "What do you see?"
"Sasuke is right."
Sasuke smiled. He was really in a fighting mood. He waited so long to kick that old snake's ass. But there was something strange.
"Why is he coming back?", Sakura asked. Sasuke smirked. She thinks the same.
"Sakura-chan, it's clear! He wants to fight me!", Naruto said with the biggest smile he had.
"That's a mug's game, Dobe!", Sasuke said annoyed.
"Oh, and what's your opinion, TEME?", Naruto asked poutedly.
"It's a trap.", Kakashi said. Naruto's eyes got wide. "A trap?"
Sakura punched him on his head. "OF COURSE IT IS A TRAP, BAKA!"
"Ouch…Sakura-chan don't be so cruel."
"Enough already!", Neji said.
"Neji is totally right.", Gai said, "I know what to do. Leave it all up to me!"
Lee was proud. His sensei had a plan. "Gai-sensei…you are a true genius."
Kakashi looked at his new Icha Icha Paradise magazine. "If we leave it up to you, we're death in basically five minutes."
"KAKASHI! That was….that's the reason I don't like you!"
Kakashi looked at Gai. "Did you say anything."
Gai kneed down in a small edge next to a big old tree. This is so unfair…
Lee touched his shoulder. "I believe in you, Gai-sensei!"
"Thanks…Lee."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Am I surrounded by idiots?
Shikamaru sat down. His hand in his typical "thinking-pose".
"Maybe we should let him do whatever he planned.", he said.
"What? Are you kidding me?", Naruto asked in a rage.
"Maybe he is right. We should fall into his trap. We can't do anything else.", Shino added.
"But…", Naruto grizzled. "We can deal with it when we know what it is.", Shikamaru said dry.
Kakashi turned to Asuma. "What do you think? Is he right?"
Asuma smiled. "It's Shikamaru. He's always right."
Kakashi smiled under his mask. "Fine. Let the game start."
They all looked the way Orochimaru came from. Sakura leeched at Sasuke's arm.
He gave her an annoyed glance, but didn't say anything.
Hinata trembled a bit. "Don't worry, Hinata. Everything will be alright, I'll protect you!",
Naruto said and gave her his typical fox-like smile. She blushed again. "Na…Na…Naruto-kun…tha…thank…you", she stumbled.
Neji looked at Tenten who stand next to him. She pressed her kunai against her chest.
"Be careful.", he whispered. "You too.", she gave him a small smile.
Orochimaru saw the small group in front of him. An evil glance were shining through his eyes. How cute. They are all together, that's so perfect. If they'll like my new jutsu?
He formed something with his fingers and mumbled a few words.
Kakashi put his mask a bit aside. He watched Orochimaru with his Sharingan. What is he doing? A jutsu?
"GAI! ASUMA!", he screamed, "He's doing a jutsu!"
The two men looked at each other. Sasuke watched him too. "What's that? I never saw those signs before…", he said quietly. Sakura who stood very close to him understood his words.
"Sasuke-kun…", she whispered, "What – "
She couldn't complete her sentence. A hitch, almost like an earthquake let her fall down.
What the heck? Sasuke thought as he pulled Sakura reflexive into his arms to protect her.
"Shit! Kids run for it!", Asuma yelled.
Kakashi jumped aside. He looked at his team. They were at the centre of the almost earthquake. Naruto lay next to Hinata and tried to catch her hand. Sasuke a few meters apart with Sakura in his arms.
"Naruto! Sakura! Sasuke!", he screamed. Gai was also shocked. He escaped early enough out of the centre but his team was still there. Lee clipped on the floor. He tried to look up, but the earth quaked harder and harder. Tenten stood behind Neji. Her arms were pulled around his chest. Neji himself had all effort not to fall down like the others.
Asuma looked for his and Kurenai's team. He promised to her to protect them. To his pleasure he saw that Shino and Chouji stood outside the centre. He looked around. What was with Hinata and Shikamaru?
He then saw Hinata next to Naruto in the middle of the danger and Shikamaru who tried to escape. But it was too late he couldn't.
Orochimaru let himself down on tree a few meters away. "That's so much fun.", he hissed.
Kakashi looked at him. "What are you doing, Bastard?"
Orochimaru giggled. "Great, isn't it? That's my new jutsu."
Gai shuddered. "What kind of jutsu is it?"
Asuma and Kakashi tried to reach Orochimaru but the earthquake was still too hard.
"Oh, you'll see."
Sasuke's sharingan caught Orochimaru. Shit! I can't move…this damned snake!
"Sa…Sakura….you alright?"
She tried to look up. "Ye…yes…"
His eyes searched for Naruto. "Dobe!", he yelled.
Naruto turned slowly his head around. "Sasuke, what's going on here?"
"I dunno!"
Orochimaru formed again a few signs. Shino looked at Chouji. "Look…he's doing another jutsu…"
"No.", Kakashi said, "He's doing the same as before…"
He felt helpless. His team was in danger and he just could watch. How he hated it.
Orochimaru laughed. "Hah, this is so funny. Kakashi you and your brat annoyed me such a long time! I'm really heartbroken that you're not in my little earthquake!"
"You….monster!", Gai stumbled. "What are you doing with them?"
Neji looked down at his feet. What? He was few meters over the floor. He looked at the others. What happened here?
"Ne…Neji…what's going on?", Tenten asked scared.
He didn't know. No-one did.
Orochimaru closed his eyes. He mumbled something and concentrated on the group of Chunins.
Gai looked afraid at Kakashi.
"Shikamaru….", Chouji whispered and looked at his best friend.
Orochimaru suddenly opened his eyes. "Jikan no Jutsu!", he screamed. (aka. Jutsu of Time)
Everything went black for a moment. And then they were disappeared. The place where the young ninjas were captured was empty. Not a sign of them. And not a sign of an earthquake anyways.
Orochimaru smirked. His eyes went to Kakashi. He looked shocked. He couldn't move. He couldn't understand what happened.
"I'm ready for today. See you guys later.", Orochimaru said amused.
He almost left when Gai suddenly recovered his speech. "Wait. What have you….where?", he stumbled.
Orochimaru turned his head around. "Have fun while searching."
Than he disappeared.
Chouji looked at Shino. "What happened?"
Shino jumped down. He looked around. It seemed save now…but…not a small sign of them…
"Asuma-san!", he said and interrupted Asuma's thoughts. "They are really….kinda lost."
Asuma jumped down. "That's really mysterious…Kakashi, Gai. What do you think?"
The men gave each other a worried glance. "Kakashi?", Gai asked.
Kakashi stared at the floor. The same words went through his mind. Over and over again.
Jikan no Jutsu? Jikan no Jutsu? A jutsu…that…but that can't be…"
Naruto slowly opened his eyes. A butterfly sat on his nose. He strummed carefully with his eyes. The butterfly decided to fly away. Naruto looked next to him. There lay Hinata. Behind her lay Shikamaru and Lee. Naruto stood up. He was a bit weak-kneed. Behind Lee his eyes caught Tenten. He smirked. Under her was Neji. Her arms were still around his chest.
A few meters apart lay Sasuke, Sakura still in his arms. Naruto kneed down next to them.
"Hey Sasuke…", he whispered. No answer. "Sasuke…", his voice got louder.
Still no answer. "SASUKE!", he screamed.
The young Uchiha opened his eyes. "Naruto?", he asked.
Naruto grinned. "You slept well?"
Sasuke didn't respond. He really hadn't a bad feeling while sleeping. He felt somehow warm and salvaged. As he looked down, he suddenly knew why. There was Sakura deep in his arms.
She looks peaceful…
"Sasuke? You okay?", Naruto asked annoyed.
"What?", he shook his head. "Everything's fine, Dobe."
Naruto chuckled to himself. This wasn't the first time he caught the great, emotionless Uchiha Sasuke while he watched Sakura. But as stupid as Naruto could be sometimes, he decided that it was better to be silent now.
"I'll go and wake the others!", Naruto said and made his way back to Hinata.
Sasuke touched lightly Sakura's arm. He looked at Naruto. He wanted to be sure that that stupid dobe didn't watch him at the moment.
"Hey, Sakura…wake up.", he tried to sound as cold as always, but somehow it didn't worked out. To see her lying in his arms like this was a strange feeling. Even for him.
She slowly opened her eyes. "Sasuke-kun?", she asked. "What happened?"
She looked around. As she finally recognized where she was, namely in Sasuke's arms, a little scream came out. "Oh my god! Sasuke-kun, I….I'm so…sorry…I…."
He stood up. "It's okay.", he said, back in his usual cold tone.
"Hinata?"
The shy Hyuuga girl opened her eyes. A smiling Naruto was really close to her. Her face turned tomato red. "Na…Na…Naru…to…-kun….", she stumbled.
"I see, you're alright."
He jumped on his feet and turned to Shikamaru and Lee. He didn't wake them as soft as Hinata. "LEE! SHIKAMARU! WAKE UP BREAKFAST IS READY!"
Lee looked at Naruto, a big question mark on his face. "Breakfast? Where's Gai-sensei?"
Shikamaru yawned. "Do you have to be so loud, idiot?"
Neji and Tenten woke up, too. Naruto's scream was loud enough to wake a whole village. Tenten sat up carefully. She looked down at Neji. He turned around and glanced at her.
She suddenly looked away. A small blush on her face. "I'm sorry…."
He stood up. "You don't have to be."
Shikamaru looked around. Hmm….strange…this area here…
"What happened?", Lee asked confused.
"All I remember is that there was Orochimaru and…an earthquake?", Sakura wasn't sure anymore. Everything seemed like a very odd dream.
"Orochimaru used some strange jutsu and the next thing I remember is that I woke up here.", Sasuke said thoughtful.
"What did he say before?", Neji asked, "Ji…something no Jutsu?"
"I don't know.", Lee said affected, "Everything went on too fast."
"But where are we?", Tenten asked.
"Unless I'm very much mistaken…", Shikamaru said, "Then we are in the forest near to Konoha."
"What?", Naruto asked, "Why Orochimaru should sent us back to Konoha?"
Lee raised his fuzzy eyebrows. "Maybe…maybe his Jutsu failed?!"
Sasuke shook his head. "I don't think so. If we where just back at Konoha…then…"
"Then…", Sakura went on, "Kakashi-sensei and the others had found us here. Right, Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke nodded. "Hn."
"Yeah, but look around. We all know this forest!", Shikamaru said again.
Hinata looked down. She was not really a very active person, but…
"Ne….Neji-no - niichan…", she stumbled.
Neji looked at her. "Hm?"
"I…I…maybe…we….we….should….use….the…Byakugan…"
"Good idea. If we are near Konoha, we will see it."
Hinata breathed out. She was glad that Neji didn't treat her like an enemy anymore.
The stood back to back. "Byakugan!", they both shouted.
"I'm only seeing trees, but it could be the Konoha forest…", Neji said.
"I…I….see….a village.", Hinata finally said.
"What?", Naruto asked. "And is…is it?"
"I…I'm not…not sure Naruto-kun…but…but I think…yes…"
Lee flowed Hinata's eyes. "But that doesn't make any sense…"
"Lee is right.", Tenten said. "This is really confusing…"
Shikamaru walked up and down and up and down…."Neji…what did Orochimaru say?"
"I already said it. I'm not sure. Naruto, you and Hinata were the closest to Orochimaru. Did you hear anything?"
Naruto shook his head. "No. Not really."
"It was something….like….Jiken…or…Jikan….no Jutsu…", Hinata said shyly.
Sasuke looked up. Jikan no Jutsu? But that's impossible.
Sakura gave Sasuke a worried look. "Sasuke-kun….what is it?"
"Hinata…you're sure it could be Jikan no Jutsu?" he said.
Hinata nodded slowly. She was afraid that she said something wrong.
Naruto jumped in front of Sasuke. "Hey Teme! You've got an idea?"
Sasuke ignored Naruto like he did it very often. Instead he turned to Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, think about it. Jikan no Jutsu."
Shikamaru let the words run through his head. Suddenly everything went clear. He looked at Neji. He already understood it too.
"This is quite impossible.", the Hyuuga prodigy said monotone.
Shikamaru smirked. "Yeah. But it is also logical."
Naruto jumped from one foot on another. "Can someone please explain it now?"
Shikamaru leant himself against a tree. "Is it so hard to understand? Jiken no Jutsu or Jutsu of time…do you understand?"
Naruto looked first at Shikamaru than at the others. "I think I'm understanding", Tenten said. Hinata nodded shyly. Naruto got a bit panic. Tenten and Hinata already understood the situation. And it seemed that Lee and Sakura understood it as well. Everyone…except him.
Shikamaru yawned again. "Gosh, Naruto! What we're thinking is that Orochimaru may used a time jutsu and well…it sounds unbelievable, but maybe we travelled through the time!"
Naruto's eyes got wide. A time travel? Yes sure. A time travel?!
He started to laugh. "What is so funny, Dobe?", Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"What is funny? Are you kidding? You are thinking of a time travel! That's impossible! I mean that's too odd, actually for Orochimaru."
Shikamaru punched Naruto on his head. "Hey! Why did you do that Shikamaru?"
"Because you are an idiot! It is logical. I heard about jutsus like this one before. I never thought that those jutsus are really existing but I guess…that's showing us the opposite.
And think about it…if you can….Neji and Hinata are saying we are in the Konoha forest and right, if we were just home, Asuma-sensei and the others had found us, but…"
Sasuke continued for Shikamaru. "But if we are in a total different time it's sure that no-one could've found us."
Naruto looked at his friends. They were really believing that theory.
"Fine.", he said, "But if we are in a different time…I mean in what time are we?"
Shikamaru took a deep breath. "That's the problem. We don't know."
Chapter 1 - End