summary recap: A compilation of shorts conveying and exploring philosophies and ideas as to what follows the end of the war (subject to expand), and relationships between multiple characters, probably mostly Team-7-centered (also subject to expand). Intentionally manipulated plot-line to get into the "what-ifs." Rated T to be safe (mostly a precaution for occasional swearing).

I do not own Naruto.

This first short is a little something I wrote about a year and a half ago, so my writing style is slightly different (and I probably missed mistakes I would have corrected). Because of the chapter updates that followed, my philosophy has changed a bit, but I didn't want to delete what I'd already written. This scenario is based off the assumption that Naruto and Sasuke do go at it as Madara (Obito) promised they would. It may still happen that way, but I'm more inclined to think that Sasuke wouldn't want to battle Naruto full out when they're both exhausted if he had the option to do it when they're both at full power. I imagine they would fight over the title of Hokage, although its basically impossible for Sasuke to become Hokage because of his past. Plus, I think Sasuke hates Naruto (or more like, how successful Naruto is compared to Sasuke) more than I portrayed in this scene.

In any case, I hope you enjoy.

"What if...": Naruto and Sasuke battled it out at the conclusion of the war as promised?
Characters: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno
timeline: around the conclusion of the war

Something like this was not so easily done. From here on out it would be so much harder...Naruto grinned. But the most reassuring thing was that he and Sasuke were still alive–and for the first time, they understood each other. Sure it hadn't gone as planned exactly, but the end was the best-case scenario...not that this was necessarily the end. Naruto's eyes squinted into half moons. His limbs were shaking and felt like they were pulsing from so much strain, but this war had made these slight tremors frequent enough it wasn't too hard to move around (coming from an Uzumaki). And so, the stubborn, knuckleheaded, idiot-ninja fought his aching muscles and broken bones and did his signature punch to the sky. At the same time, Naruto turned his head to pass a cheesy grin to Sasuke; this was a moment Naruto would have gladly exchanged in place of becoming Hokage and he wished it would never ever end. Sasuke continued to stare at the sky, sprawled opposite of his rival. Slowly, his dark eyes slid to the side until he was looking at Naruto from the corner of his eye, giving his happy teammate his own signature evil eye. But his heart wasn't in it.

The blood the Uchiha had shed from using his brother's sharingan was already dry on his face, which would have given him a sinister look had his eyes contained their usual pools of darkness. The two teammates looked away and, for a while, the only thing that could be heard was the ragged breathing of exhausted and spent shinobi.

Sasuke breathed in deeply, registering the smell of dampened, burnt earth, ignoring the nagging voice in his head that breathing in the fumes of smoke was not healthy. He had thought that voice had died long ago.

"...Oi, Naruto."

"Hmm?"

"...Hn."

Naruto began laughing softly before his exhaustion made him blow it into hysterical laughter. Sasuke made a face, clearly annoyed but not angry enough to do something about it. Eventually Naruto's guffaws silenced themselves after he began coughing up blood.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Naruto grinned once more and they gazed up at the dispersing stormclouds. Whatever they had wanted to say had already been conveyed more clearly than words could have explained. With each exchange of their fists, it was almost something impossibly inconceivable, but little by little they had torn each other down until every feeling was exposed.

And so here they were, staring at the beginnings of another day. They had fought through the night, the bursts of wind, electricity, and both red and black flames creating bold flashes of light that sporadically illuminated the battlefield. The surges of energy from summons, jutsus, and forms like sage mode and the nine-tails form coupled with susanoo and other tricks from the sharingan would have affected those shinobi still fighting within several miles in every direction. Madara had indeed kept his promise when he guaranteed a suitable battlefield, transporting the two to a landscape mostly untouched by the war and, most importantly, far from the rest of the fighting. It simply would not do to have someone interrupt besides Madara or perhaps Zetsu (not that anyone in their right mind would get much closer than a mile from the fierce battle). Madara made sure he didnt send the two too far away from the fighting though. He wanted to be sure the pulses of energy and explosions of jutsu could still be felt and faintly heard by the Allied Shinobi Forces. He knew what effect it would have on the ninja that knew what the battle meant (meaning everyone—word eventually gets around).

Naruto felt the edges of his vision burn as his adrenaline rush finally began fading, "Ne, teme..."

Sasuke waited for Naruto's completion of thought, but when he glanced to the dobe's face, Naruto was fast asleep, the bruises on his face already healing thanks to the nine-tails. Sasuke glared at the whiskers on...Karuma's whiskers, on Naruto's battered cheeks. He had been surprised when he found Naruto and Karuma on speaking terms- friendly ones at that. Last he had checked, Karuma was far from sociable...

Sasuke stubbornly fought against sleep but eventually let his eyelids droop. So maybe he had been wrong all this time. Sasuke had been so sure of everything, especially after he revived Orochimaru and redefined his purposes and refocused on his goals. How was it that someone so stupid could so completely tear at and destroy every wall Sasuke had set up. (Well, not every wall, but I digress.) Maybe this was something he should have seen coming as soon as he and Naruto exchanged their first blows in their battle. It was almost as if Sasuke was destined to change his mindset again. If Naruto could overcome Karuma's hatred, the demon fox spirit that almost breathed hatred before he allowed Naruto into his life (pun and irony itended), he could overcome Sasuke's own hatred developed over only a portion of a lifetime and not centuries of resentment.

He would never forgive himself and never orally admit that Naruto had saved him from himself. It hurt his pride too much. And maybe when he came to...his eyelids twitched...maybe when he came to, he'd already be in the next world. After all, the orders for everyone else was to kill Uchiha Sasuke on sight, probably despite his aid on the battlefield. And with that lost thought, the rogue shinobi's lips quirked into a weak smirk before he finally let his conscience slip into oblivion.

It was to the sound of snores (from Naruto) and the smells of burnt skin and land that a certain pink-haired and panicking kunoichi arrived.

Sakura was about ready to bust a mountain. It was just like in Konoha against Pain. She could only watch Naruto suffer and try to beat someone she almost considered unbeatable. She was angry at herself. Was she so weak that she couldn't jump in and lend a hand? No, she had promised Naruto she would leave Sasuke to him. But that didn't lessen the pain in her chest. And she still couldn't make her body move towards them, even if she was not a burden any longer.

Calm down, she breathed in and out. Focus on healing everyone else. Conserve chakra so she could rescue her two idiots from death if need be.

She was so focused that it was some time before she realized that the gigantic explosions had ceased. "Sakura-san. They're finished," the slug from her shoulder offered. With a start, Sakura sprung from her seated position only to trip over herself. She hadn't noticed that the circulation in her legs was cut off either. Scowling and impatient, Sakura used her hands to spring herself through the air, furiously pumping what chakra she could spare into her numb and aching legs as the scenery flew by…

Author's note: I included a little short from Sakura's POV. Little out-of-order, but I'm okay with that. And I'm not a Sakura-hater. Just letting you know now.

Specifically for this story, I didn't even want to try to interpret what Kishi meant when Naruto told Sasuke that they would not be the same people (Naruto wouldn't be the ninetails-carrier anymore blahblah–I'm probably misquoting, do you remember this when team 7 saw sasuke and madara at the falls?), so I just did as I pleased.

I wanted to get at least a few of these stories out there before the manga's conclusion. I'll probably finish before that, but I thought it would lose a bit of its point if the series ended before. At this point, I know I have at least three (maybe more) shorts (updates) I've more or less planned or at least thought about. If anyone has any ideas they'd like me to write about, just shoot me a PM or review the suggestion to me: "What if..." Thanks for reading! R&R, plz&ty!

next update: Sasuke's fate post-war