Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Naruto.

XxX

"You selfish, bastard."

Standing the crypts of the Sasuke's family home Naruto Uzumaki glared at the man who was his best friend.

Sasuke Uchiha. Ex-missing nin of Konoha and one of the only two people with the power to fight Madara Uchiha.

"I can't let him do this." Naruto hand twitched as his mind tried to reach for a Kunai but his body refused to do so. Sasuke was his friend. And he needed him if he wanted to have a chance at ending the Fourth Shinobi War. Also called the 'bloodiest shinobi war'. Lasting four years and still not at an end it was the worst war the Elemental Nations had ever seen.

"We are losing, Naruto." Sasuke looked over his shoulder at the dead last. Now one of the strongest shinobi in history. "Konoha is ashes, all your friends and allies now fight against us thanks to Kabuto's Impure World Ressurection. Even if we do somehow defeat their army, kill Kabuto so no one comes back and then defeat Madara we still lose. There is nothing left to fight for."

Why couldn't the dobe see that? Sakura and Kakashi were gone. Those two were the only reason Sasuke even fought for the village after what he learned happened to Itachi. They were gone and so was every friend Naruto had ever made. Inside and outside of Konoha. Kabuto had spared no one in his ploy to beat Naruto's spirits down.

"Don't you want to save your friends, Naruto?"

Naruto's jaw clenched at the question. Of course, he wanted to save his friends but abandoning the war was made every sacrifice they made vain. "How could I do that to them?"

Reaching up to rub the metal of his headband covering his right eye he thought of Kakashi. His old sensei had been the last of his friends to die. A shell of a man after losing so much to the Shinobi world. His last act had been to give Naruto Obito's legacy and stay back to hold off the resurrected Konoha Eleven.

He had promised Kakashi he would continue to fight. To fight until he won, or he died trying. "I don't go back on my word, Sasuke. You know that. It's-"

"Your ninja way." Sasuke finished having heard the words a thousand times. "And I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to come with me and continue the fight in the past. Where we can actually make a difference. We could save everyone."

"Save everyone," Naruto whispered letting his hand fall to his chest where a green necklace shone brightly against the dark fabric of his flak jacket. "I'm not giving up, Kakashi. I won't stop fighting. The battlefield is just moving."

The blonde Jinchuuriki hoped that his sensei, where he was understood and wouldn't hold this decision against him when they were finally reunited.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Sasuke asked making sure he heard correctly. "I didn't think he would agree so quickly."

Naruto nodded. "I'm not giving up, just taking the fight someplace else."

Sasuke didn't grin or smile. He hadn't even smirked in years but his lips twitched breaking the cold stoic look he had adopted after Itachi's death. "Good. I'm glad you can see things my way."

"Nobody likes a bragger, Sasuke. Start the Jutsu." Naruto ordered and walked closer to the last Uchiha so that they were both looking down at the stone tablet. Only Sasuke with his Rinnegan could read the words inscribe though so Naruto was going on blind faith in his friend. Something he didn't like. Maybe when he was sixteen and still naive to most of the Shinobi world he would have believed in Sasuke and even now he did but the paranoia that had formed in his mind after years of fighting was screaming at him to walk away. To tell Sasuke to go to hell and that he wasn't agreeing to anything he couldn't.

He would find out within the hour that he should have listened to that paranoia. But right now he was still trusting.

"Set your hand on my shoulder, Naruto," Sasuke said as he began weaving hand seals. "Whoever is in contact with me when the Jutsu is activated will be pulled through the rift as well."

"Rift?"

Finishing the last seal needed Sasuke's Rinne-Sharingan opened wide it's power distorting the world around the two Konoha Shinobi as if a vacuum had opened around them.

"This is like the Kamui." Naruto thought as he was slowly sucked into the rift.

XxX

(Uchiha Compound)

In the dead of night, hidden from the world in the darkness a small hole in the air itself opened up giving two specters a way into the land of the living.

"Sasuke?" Lifting his hand as the portal Sasuke opened closed Naruto stared through his limb. "Did you kill us?"

"No," A ghost himself Sasuke floated down landing on the Naka river standing atop the water as if he was using chakra. "It's a Jutsu I created myself. I would explain how it works but we don't have time. Maybe later."

Floating down to the river himself Naruto frowned as he tried to channel chakra to his feet so he wouldn't fall in. "I can't feel my chakra!"

As if reading his friend's mind Sasuke spoke before Naruto could ask. "My Jutsu removes our souls from our bodies and without them, we can't use our Chakra."

"Then how the hell are supposed to make a difference, huh?" Naruto demanded livid that Sasuke hadn't thought to mention any of this before.

"I'm going to take over my old body. And you are going to take the body of Kagami Uchiha, Shisui's little cousin."

"Take the...No!" Naruto shouted swinging a fist at his friend only for it to go right through the Uchiha's face. Angry that he could hit him he crossed his arms and settled on glaring. Since it was the only thing he could do without a body. "I'm not going to steal some kids body, Sasuke. I'll take my old one, same as you."

Sasuke shook his head. "You can't. The old you is the Jinchuuriki of the Nine tail. If you try to take over that body the fox will destroy your soul. It's the same reason why Orochimaru never tried taking over a Jinchurriki with his Living Corpse Reincarnation Jutsu."

"He knew." Naruto eyes widen as it hit him right away. Sasuke knew he would never be able to take his old body. "This was always your plan, wasn't it? Force me to take over some kids body like Orochimaru. Make me into a monster like that bastard."

"Stop being so dramatic, Naruto," Sasuke said and started walking forward along the river. "You will find Kagami at the house with three red lanterns hanging over the door. Good luck."

"No, not good luck!" Running so he was in front of Sasuke, Naruto spread his arms out blocking the Uchiha's path. "I'm not taking over some kids body, Sasuke. I won't do it."

Sasuke finally reacted his black eyes narrowing. "Then you will be useless when the war starts. You can't do anything without a body. And yes, this was always the plan. When the 'young' you learns to harness the Kyuubi's power, I will be back to the same strength that I was when the war started in our time. Us two won't be able to beat Madara, but with another Uchiha capable fo using the Mangeyko Sharingan to it's fullest, it will be three against one. Madara may be a monster but even he won't be able to beat us."

"That's not a plan. Even if I did take this Kagami kids body I would find Tobi or Obito and stop him now. Not wait until he starts the war."

Naruto couldn't even start to begin to almost know what was going through Sasuke's mind but he wasn't about to wait a decade to take the fight to the Akatsuki. "If I was going to take that kids body."

But he wasn't going to do that so he had to convince Sasuke not to wait.

"If we tried to attack anyone when we get bodies we would be killed," Sasuke said and held up his hand so Naruto could see his palm. The half crescent seal from the Sage of Six Paths was missing.

Looking down at his own hand Naruto saw his own palm missing his full circle seal.

"You understand now. We no longer have the Sages chakra. I know you didn't pay attention in the academy so let me explain. The two components of Chakra are, Physical and Spiritual. When we get our bodies our spiritual chakra will clash with the physical chakra. Why? Because my young body and Kagami are very weak and our souls are strong. If it wasn't for the second part of this Jutsu then we might have killed ourselves trying to take their bodies."

"What?"

"Our spiritual chakra is much too great to mix with their weak physical chakra. Our spirits would tear the bodies apart and then since we were already merged with them we would die."

Staring at his friend, and possibly ex-friend Naruto reacted on instinct again punching Sasuke in the face only for his hand to go through. "Dammit."

"Stop acting like a fool, Naruto."

"Then start explaining what the hell is going on! I thought we were coming back to save everyone? How are we going to do that if we don't have our power?" Naruto didn't understand. Without the sages power, Madara was going to crush them underfoot quickly and with ease.

"We train." Sasuke walked around Naruto. "We have a little under a decade before the Fourth Shinobi war starts. We can't begin to truly train until we become Genin though. If we change too much too quickly our knowledge of the future will be useless. We must keep things as close as we can to the original timeline."

Naruto didn't agree with that. "I think it would be best to change as much as we can. Repeating history won't help us."

"And if we change something that changes something else that causes another change? What if Orochimaru never comes to the village? What if change something that forces Tobi or Obito to act sooner?" Sasuke demanded still walking away. Naruto never thought things through. "No, it's best to leave things as they are and when the time comes defeat Madara and the Akatsuki with our strength."

"You mean everything except the, Uchiha!" Naruto called at Sasuke's back and the Uchiha spirit froze. "You think I don't know you're going to try and save your clan? Save Itachi?"

"You're right. I am going to save Itachi and my mother." Sasuke admitted. "My mother who wasn't part of the coup will survive. My father and those who forced Itachi to make a deal with this village and kill them. They will die."

"Sasuke." Naruto watched as Sasuke started to move again. Walking further and further away. Choosing not to call to him again. "He has his plan, and I have mine."

They had always differed in their view of things, yet they had become friends. Unlikely as it was. "But this might be too much."

He had forgiven Sasuke for so much. Always making fun of him in the academy, trying to kill him at the Valley of the end, running to Orochimaru. It was him who was always forgiving.

"The house with the red lanterns."

XxX

(Uchiha Clan Head Home)

"Sasuke-Kun! I didn't expect you home so soon."

"Kaa-chan." Staring at his mother Sasuke stood still as a board just watching her move around the kitchen of their home.

Glancing over her shoulder a slight frown marred Mikoto Uchiha's beautiful face. "Are you alright, Sasuke-Kun? I'm sure if you ask Itachi tomorrow he can help with your Shuriken Jutsu."

"Ah, actually I was hoping you would come help me. Like you said this morning." It was easy for Sasuke to fall into the role of being a child. His soul was old and broken and withered down. But his mother had washed the pain he had carried for so long away with just her presence. "Are you busy, Kaa-chan?"

"Of course not, Sasuke-Kun." Wiping her hands on her apron Mikoto's frown flipped into a smile. Untying her apron she hung it on the counter and reached for Sasuke's hand taking it in her larger softer hand. "We can practice out back."

Tugging her the other way Sasuke smiled. "I want to surprise Tou-san and Itachi with how good I've gotten. We have to practice somewhere else or it won't be a surprise."

Giggling Mikoto let her son drag her out of the house and through the compound.

"I have to keep her out for as long as possible." Dragging his mother past people who would be dead within a few hours Sasuke kept his gaze forward and a smile on his face. A smile that wasn't forced. He was saving his family, and that was enough for him. "Because you are right, Naruto."

He was selfish.

Xxx

(Hokage Mountain)

"Itachi-san. Danzo-Sama and Lord Hokage wish to speak with you."

Kneeling behind the man who embodied what it meant to be a Shinobi, Naruto Henged as a Root Anbu member prayed his disguise worked. "Hokage-Sama wants to see you."

Turning around he began to walk away. Kagami's body wasn't very strong as Sasuke had said and Naruto could feel the boy's pacifist nature inside making his mission all the more difficult to complete.

Just holding a Transformation Jutsu for such a short amount of time was draining. "If I run out of Chakra."

"I will heal you, Naruto. Just keep moving."

"Tch, finally decided to speak, Kurama. I didn't know if you came back with us." Ducking behind a tree Naruto let his Transformation fall dropping to a knee as his 'true' face was revealed. Round-faced with cheeks made up of baby fat and short, unkempt, dark-coloured hair, with the black eyes of the Uchiha clan.

Breathing in deep breaths he fell back onto his butt and leaned against the tree behind him. "I'm sorry, Kagami-San."

He hadn't wanted to take the kid's body. But he needed to. It wasn't an excuse, he would live the rest of this life, however long it was with the guilt that he had killed an innocent child. Kagami hadn't even gone to the Ninja Academy. He didn't want to be a Shinobi and live a life of fighting and blood.

Because he was an orphan who had lost everything to the Shinobi world.

Which was why Sasuke had told him to take over his body. "No family to notice the change in 'me'."

Leaning over he peeked out from behind the tree and sighed in relief seeing the spot where Itachi was standing was empty.

"For everything you leave alone, Sasuke."

Naruto didn't grin but if he hadn't had to steal an innocent child's body he might have but he doubted he would be doing that anytime soon.

"I'll change something for the better."

XxX

(Hokage Tower)

"Hokage, where is Elder Danzo?" Itachi asked appearing in a blur kneeling before the Sandaim's desk. His head was bowed so he missed the surprise on the Lord Hokage's face and kept speaking. "I wish to complete my mission tonight before Sasuke gets home."

"Mission?" Hiruzen asked puffing on his pipe. "Itachi-Kun, I haven't given you a mission. I wish for you to be in the village for the peace talks with the Uchiha clan."

Itachi's eyes widened. "He doesn't know. How could he not know? Was Danzo lying?"

But if Danzo had given him a false order from the Hokage why did one of his personal Anbu tell him to come to the Hokage's office to talk about his mission? Was there a traitor in Ne that Danzo didn't know about.

"What mission, Itachi?" Hirzuen asked again.

"To assassinate the Uchiha clan, except for my brother."

"Danzo, you didn't." The Sandaime pipe snapped between his teeth. "I see."

To think his old friend would go so far as to order a child to massacre his family. All for the Village. But that wasn't what Konoha was. His predecessor the Shodaime Hokage, Hashirama Senju had created Konoha to end the needless casualties of the warring states era. "Danzo, have you forgotten what Konoha stands for?"

Or was it his fault? For not being strong enough to bear the burden of being Hokage and handing the dirty work to Danzo. Trapping his friend in the darkness. Was that the reason for what Danzo had become?

"Itachi-Kun, I apologize for any grief this false mission has caused you. But please, I need to know everything you know about Danzo. If what you say is true, I fear he may start the civil war in Konoha, not the Uchiha."

"It was only one meeting, Lord Hokage. Early today Danzo said the mission was to eliminate the threat that my Clan posed to Konoha. He said that if it came to war every Uchiha would be killed including me and my brother. But if I did it and left Konoha as a missing-nin my brother would remain unharmed."

"Danzo." Hiruzen's jaw clenched. He really was a fool not to see it. "Itachi, Danzo was wrong to ask you to eliminate your entire clan."

Itachi caught the single word and he knew that even if it wasn't under false orders he would be leaving the village a nuke-nin. "Lord Hokage, I am prepared to carry out my mission."

"I am sorry to ask such a thing of you, Itachi-Kun."

"Have the mission parameters changed, Lord Hokage?"

"Of course." The Sandaime affirmed. "Only those involved in the coup, Itachi. I know you said that is most of the Police force and shinobi in the clan but Konoha can't be allowed to dissolve into a civil war. The other nations will smell the blood in the water and attack."

"Thank you, Hokage-Sama." Itachi bowed his head. The Uchiha would still be devastated but his brother would not be the last.

Hiruzens wrinkled face became more pronounced as his lips formed a deep frown. "Do not thank me, Itachi-Kun. I have failed tonight as Hokage of the leaf. If I had more time I truly believe a peaceful resolution could be found."

With both Danzo and the Uchiha plotting, there was no time left.

Standing from his chair Hiruzen opened the top right drawer of his desk and pulled a sealing scroll and a folder. "I have a second mission for you as well, Itachi-Kun. My student Jiraiya has notified me of a group of rogue ninja. All S-rank and another of my students, Orochimaru has joined their ranks. Orochimaru is extremely dangerous and an S-Rank missing ninja of Konoha. Infiltrate this group and send any intel you can to Jiraiya."

"Hai, Hokage-Sama."

XxX

"Naruto, you bastard."

It had been three days since the Uchiha Massacre and unlike last time Sasuke was not laying in a hospital bed in a coma induced by his brothers Tsyukomi. Instead, he was sitting in his backyard as his mother and some Kunoichi that was being inducted back into the clan. "Retired Kunoichi, I should say."

Because the Konoha didn't have a single Uchiha Shinobi in its reserves now that his mother had given Izumi Uchiha clan status. Then stripped her of her shinobi rank to stay in the village and help raise the many orphaned Uchiha children. "She's pulling a Hyuga on the village."

Just as they kept most of their Main Branch member in the village, no Uchiha would be leaving the village in fear that Itachi would go after him to finish what he started. And not one Uchiha child other than him was being sent to the academy. The ones were currently enrolled had been pulled out and would be trained by the new clan head, Mikoto and Izumi to one day become members of the Konoha police force.

Lying down on his back Sasuke stared up at the clouds passing overhead. He had a feeling Naruto wasn't going to listen to him. Being stopped by Anbu while he and his mother were walking home the night of the Massacre had been a dead give away. That shouldn't have happened. When one of the black ops spooks had gone on to say that more than half the clan had been killed it was a guarantee.

He was just waiting for the final answer. But he had a feeling he knew what it would be. "He's going to go after everyone he thinks is a threat to the future."

As the thought entered his mind the door to his house slid open behind him and his mother stepped out. And he had to give her credit.

She didn't look like a woman who had just lost her husband and most of the clan she now ruled to her psychotic murderous son. Her dark hair was pulled up and her clan robes were crisp and clean flowing around her as she walked.

"Sasuke-Kun."

"Yes, mother."

Kneeling down next to her son Mikoto set a hand on her youngest child's shoulder. She wanted to tell him. She wanted it so badly it hurt. But she couldn't. Itachi had made his choice so that the Uchiha name wouldn't be stained. He would carry the label of traitor alone and that was his decision. She wouldn't take that from him. Not after the pain she and Fugaku had caused.

"Your brother-"

"Is a traitor." Sasuke lied keeping his eyes closed. "And one day he's going to pay for what he did. And I will be the one to make him."

"You shouldn't worry about that. You're the Clan heir now, Sasuke-Kun." Mikoto paused and closed her eyes searching for the will to keep lying to her youngest. When she knew one day he might face Itachi and her sons would try to kill each other. "All because of our plans, Fugaku. We did this to our sons."

Sitting up Sasuke reached for his mother hand, pulling it from his shoulder and holding it in his two smaller hands. "I'll make sure to learn my duties quickly, mother. I'll be a great Clan head like father was."

Swallowing thickly Mikoto nodded and forced smile on her face. She sincerely hoped her youngest never became the clan head Fugaku had. Maybe if her husband had been different and talked to the Sandaime about the clan's problem with the village Itachi wouldn't be enduring the pain he was now.

Softly tightening his grip on his mother's hand Sasuke locked eyes with her. "As Clan heir and future Clan head, I need to know. How many?"

"Sasuke-Kun,"

"Mother, I need to know."

Sighing Mikoto gripped Sasuke's hands tight in hers. "We don't know. Some bodies are missing, but if we count the missing. There aren't even half a hundred of us left, Sasuke. The Uchiha was a shinobi clan first and foremost and other than Izumi and me no one was spared."

"Civilians?" Sasuke questioned.

"Shisui's little cousin, Kagami has vanished. But he is the only one."

Looking down at the grass to hide his eyes Sasuke felt his lips twitch. "So you did it, Naruto."

A part of him hadn't believed his friend would be able to go through with the Second part of the Jutsu. Naruto, even after four years of war was still kind-hearted. But he could also be cold and ruthless when it was needed.

There was only one question left now. "Who are you going after first, Naruto."

Not that it mattered. If Naruto didn't heed his warning of how frail their new bodies were he was going to die before he changed anything else.

Sasuke knew his answer to changing the future, had it planned weeks before he activated the Jutsu. And he knew Naruto's plan. Both opposite to each other.

"This will be our greatest fight. A battle of wills to change the future."

Looking back up at the clouds as his mother stood up and went back inside the time traveling Uchiha finally let his cold facade fall a small smirk appearing on his face.

"What is your plan to change the future, Naruto."

XxX

(Underneath Konoha)

"Sarutobi, you fool." Standing in one of the many training grounds for his Root Anbu Danzo stared down at the kneeling Uchiha before him with his visible eye. "I'm glad you accepted my offer...Kagami."

Another Naruto time travel fic from yours truly. I know there are hundreds of them and I'm in the middle of one myself but I like writing them because there are some many different ways the Naruto storyline could play out and I like exploring them.

And time travel is awesome.

Let me know what you think in the reviews. And leave your choice for pairing. Won't happen until the Shippuden part so the story will remain T-rated until then.

Hope you guys enjoy it!