Author's notes: I suddenly had this wild idea while I was waiting for a bus. Anyways, I am writting this purely for fun so please excuse my grammar and mistakes. Thank you. I don't own Naruto. Thank you and enjoy!
Chapter 1: Time travel?
Despair, yes the complete absence of hope. Naruto stared at the flaming battlefield. The stench of burning flesh and blood filled her nose. Years of being a kunoichi was not able to numb her. Death was still a sorely painful subject. Especially when the shinobi alliance fought to save the world, but only a handful made it out alive.
Despite the somber mood, It still warmed her heart, seeing the survivors cherishing the remaining survivors around a bonfire. Naruto sat on a tree branch, not wanting to join them. She was a disappointment, she could not bare to face them. So much for being the child of the prophecy. She couldn't save her friends and her people. All the pent up grief caused tears to brim in her eyes.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned around to face her reanimated father. Minato noticed the look of anguish in his daughter's face, his heart clenched at the sight and then pulled his daughter in for a hug. In her father's warm embrace, her tears flowed down freely, drenching Minato's shirt.
"Otou-chan, what should we do?" Naruto mumbled, not letting go of her father.
"I don't know Naruto-chan. I will be with you as long as I can.".
The remaining reanimated kages and Itachi stood there watching the father-daughter pair. "Ne, do you find it weird that we are still here even though Kabuto is dead?" Senju Hashirama remarked.
"Aniki, could you not be so insensitive," Senju Tobirama smacked his older brother on the head. This caused the shodaime hokage to pout, muttering about disrespectful younger brothers.
Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, held his predecessor by his arm to drag him away, not wanting to ruin his surrogate granddaughters moment with her father. After all, he knew that they did not have much time left. The two of them observed from a distance.
As Naruto pulled apart from her father, the Nidaime Hokage pulled a scroll from his pants. "So I managed to find my old research on space-time jutsu... I think time travel is possible.".
Letting the words sink in, Minato leaped from the branch to the ground to read the scroll in Tobirama's hands. "This is amazing, Nidaime-dono. Sending the soul back to their host body. You could use this to send Naru-chan back.".
"In theory I could send even the Itachi and yourself to a time when you are still alive, but i am unsure if I have the capabilities to send 3 people back in time."
"Then lets send Itachi along, at least Naruto would have someone to be by her side.".
Tobirama nodded his head, Itachi's eyes widened. "We could sa-save everyone,"
"Let's do it," Minato exclaimed before Tobirama shunshin-ed all of them to the Uzumaki shrine.
"You know this might be the last time you see him," a deep voice echoed in her head. Realisation dawned on Naruto, "Go."
"Otou-chan…"
"That's right, I've been meaning to tell you. Happy birthday, You've become a splendid young lady, Naruto.".
"Thank you.".
"We are an existence outside of the rules. We can't remain in this world forever. It's time to say goodbye. We will not be able to join you in this journey back in time. I promise to tell Kushina everything." Minato and Tobirama weaved through the long string of hand signs.
Itachi and Naruto existence were slowly shimmering.
Naruto nodded in understanding, trying to maintain the cheerful facade "Tell her not to worry, I'm eating and will continue to eat properly. I'm not picky and eat lots of different stuff! Like tonkotsu ramen, miso ramen, and shoyu ramen… Oh but, not just ramen though! What else, what else,... I've made lots of friends! And they're all good people. Hopefully, I'd get to meet them again. Naturally, I obeyed Sandaime-sama, Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya-sensei. I respect them all. Oh! And those 3 prohibition of a kunoichi? I learned a lot about that when I was with Ero-sennin. I just turned seventeen today, so I don't know much about sake and boys. Not everything ka-chan told me about went well but I will do my best to make amends. But I've got dreams too. I know ka-chan said to find someone like you. But… that's…. Um…" Naruto rubbed the back of her neck before she continued.
"I'm gonna become a better hokage than you, I swear I will in my new timeline and I will save everyone. So when you see ka-chan over there, please tell her that she doesn't need to worry about me at all! Tell her I will do my best!" Tears streamed down Naruto's eyes as Itachi held onto her hand.
"Wakata, I'll make sure to tell her everything. I love you Naru-chan, and no matter what, know that we are proud of you.".
And then all turned dark.
…..
Naruto opened her eyes, but she could not control her cries. A familiar red hair was presented before her eyes. Her mother?
"Kushina, are you feeling ok?" Naruto whipped her head at the voice. 'Otou-chan?'
"It'll be hard since you just gave birth but I'll do my best to suppress Kyuubi!" Minato hovered his hand on his wife's belly…
'Is this the day of my birth?' Naruto was stunned but appreciated that she could see her parents one last time.
The next thing Naruto knew, she was in the arms of an unknown man "Yondaime Hokage, Minato. Step away from the jinchuriki."
Kushina grunted as Kyuubi slowly crept out of the seal.
"I told you to step away from the jinchuriki," the masked man claimed.
"Wait! Just stay calm," Minato exclaimed unsure on what to do.
"I'm as calm as can be," the masked man stated before tossing Naruto in the air. "NARUTO," Kushina hollered.
Naruto felt so helpless. Here she was back in time but she could not do anything to save her parents. Her father grabbed her from the air and promptly discarded the blanket that was plastered with explosive seals before shunshin-ing away to a safer zone.
"Good, Naruto's not hurt," Minato smiled warmly at his crying daughter.
'He succeeded in separating us, I have to hurry.' Minato used a string and tied her around his back to return to Kushina's side.
Meanwhile, with the masked man and Kushina,"I'm going to extract the Kyuubi from you, and destroy Konoha. In Kushina's mindscape, Kyuubi's chains slowly disappeared, a deep voice resonated in her head, "Uchiha!" before his eyes morphed into that of the Sharingan. Letting out a growl, the kyuubi escaped from the seal as per the masked man's orders.
Minato managed to catch Kushina in a bridal style, in her weakened state, she noticed her daughter on her husband's back, "Take Naruto away, keep her safe.".
"Don't worry about that, I'm trying to save all of us!" Minato shunshin away to bring Kushina to safety. This confused Naruto further, what was going on. As she rested on her father's back she resisted the urge to climb up to his shoulders to see what was happening, as she did not want to disturb her father.
"Kuchiyose no jutsu," Kyuubi landed in the centre of Konoha, letting out a growl, standing in all its glory with all of its nine tails spread out, black eyes morphed into that of the sharingan.
When Naruto finally managed to adjust herself to have her head over Minato's shoulder, she noticed Kyuubi going on a rampage, destroying the of terror resonated throughout the village as everyone scrambled for safety. 'Kurama….' She wished she could be of help to her companion who was under the Uchiha's influence.
Shinobi and Kunoichi alike were throwing explosive kunais and jutsus to protect the village. The village was set in flames. Deja vu, it felt like the fourth shinobi war to Naruto.
Slowly black energy seemed to concentrate and swirl into a black spherical ball of chakra heading towards Konoha. 'Bijudama'. Flashing into a yellow blur, Minato fuinjutsu was able to stop the giant ball of destruction. Minato whipped up his tri pronged kunai and flashed towards the masked man with a kunai in hand.
As Minato was about to phase right through the masked man, he leaped above him with a rasengan in hand to pummel the Uchiha into the ground. "That was my level 2 Hiraishin.".
"How is it possible, I must have let my guard down a little," the Uchiha exclaimed, as his lone sharingan eye morphed back into the mangekyou sharingan. Before he knew it, he felt a force at his abdomen, his lone eye widened and realisation dawned on him, 'I see, he must have marked me. How is it possible that he knew?'.
The seal spread on his body, "You no longer have command over Kyuubi!"
"One day, I will control this world. There are many ways to do so," the masked man mangekyou sharingan spinned wildly before disappearing through Kamui.
Minato cursed under his breath as he watched the man escape before returning back to the village to face Kyuubi.
Meanwhile back in Konoha
"Kuchiyose no jutsu. Come out, Monkey King Enma!" Sandaime Hokage used a transformed Enma to attack Kyuubi. 'Kyuubi eyes no longer have the sharingan?'
"Kuchiyose no jutsu,"
"It's the Yondaime Hokage!" cries of relief could be heard as Minato appeared on Gamabunta's head. The sandaime climbed onto Gamabunta's head while Minato drew the Kyuubi away from the village.
Suddenly, chains appeared to wrap the Kyuubi. 'Ka-chan' Naruto thought.
"I'm already dying, I'm going to draw the Kyuubi in and die. I'll use my remaining chakra to save all of you," Kushina struggled to say.
"You made me the Yondaime Hokage, and now you made me a father," Minato relinquished to the fact she could not save his wife.
"Minato don't look so sad, I am happy you loved me. If there is one thing I'll regret is that I will not get to see Naruto grow up," Kushina took Naruto from Minato's back to observe her daughter.
Naruto could not help herself from tearing, she was glad to know that she is loved but could not bare the fact that both her parents were going to die. She tried to use her little fingers to reach out to her mother's face only to receive a heart-wrenching smile in return.
"Use what little chakra you have left to ensure a reunion with Naruto," Minato advised before his hands moved rapidly forming the necessary hand signs.
"Naruto… Don't be picky about your food. Eat lots so you can grow big. And don't stay up too late, you need your sleep. Also, make friends. I'm not one to talk, but do your best in school and with ninjutsu. Respect your teachers and seniors in the Academy. Don't drink any sake until you're twenty. It's okay if you become interested in men, but don't go after a bad one. Find someone like your tou-san! Speaking of vices, watch out for Jiraiya-sensei, dattabane! Lastly, believe in your dreams! And believe that your dreams will come true! I love you so much," tears dripping onto Naruto's face as Naruto wrapped her tiny hands on Kushina's fingers.
"I'm sorry Minato,... I took so long," Kushina apologized between sobs.
"Naruto, my advice to you as your father… is everything your motormouth mother said. I love you too and I believe in you.".
However, Minato's hands suddenly got wrapped by ninja wires before he heard the exclamation, Shiki Fuujin!".
"Sandaime-sama!" Minato exclaimed.
The Sandaime Hokage fell to his knees, with blood spilling out of his mouth. Sarutobi Hiruzen gave the Yondaime a sad smile before finalising the seal, "Fuin!" A spiral seal appeared on the Sandaime's belly before he collapse on one knee.
"Good, now for the eight trigram seal," Sandaime muttered as he coughed out blood.
"Sandaime-sama let me do it!" Minato pleaded as he was rushed to Hiruzen's side.
"Who would've thought it worked," Hiruzen chuckled bitterly as he held onto Minato's shoulder for support. "Tobirama-sensei truly is a genius. And to think he managed to send both you and I back as well.".
"I will not waste sensei's effort of sending us both back, you would do better in leading Konoha and guiding Naruto to saving the world than I would. Do me a favour and let me be the hero for once," Hiruzen continued weaving through the handsigns.
"Grow up well, Naru-chan. I believe in you. If you can understand me, you are and will always be my granddaughter. Take care of Konohamaru and Asuma for me," tears spilling on her cheeks, Naruto attempted to nod her head and reach out for her grandfather figures cheeks.
Hiruzen smiled warmly and reached out to Naruto's tiny fingers, "Hakke Fuin!"
And then Naruto went unconscious in Minato's arms. Tear brimmed in Minato's eyes as he watched his mentor and wife helplessly. "Raise her well, Minato. I love you," Kushina struggled to reach for Minato's hands but her limbs went limp. Her eyes slowly shut, a smile still donned on her face.
"Arigatou, Kushina, Sandaime-same," Minato looked up to the night sky as if saying goodbye to the fallen ones.
"Yondaime-sama! / Minato sensei!" a silver defying haired jounin appeared by his side to support him while a few ANBU and jounin stood at attention before their hokage, awaiting orders.
"Go home to your loved ones, we will clean up the village and bury the deceased in the morning," Minato commanded weakly, still holding onto his daughter.
A chorus of, "Hai, Hokage sama," was heard before all of them left.
"Can I look at her sensei?" Kakashi asked.
Minato smiled sadly as he brought Naruto into Kakashi's arms, "I hope you can be a big brother to Naruto, Kakashi.". Kakashi tucked the blonde strands of hair out of Naruto's sleeping face. A look of conviction on the normally lazy jounin face, Minato smiled at his student. "Kakashi, could you take care of her for a while? There are a few things I need to do first."
Kakashi nodded in understanding before poofing away.
"You can come out now," Minato commanded.
A red eyed, silver haired small little boy appeared from behind the tree. This piqued Minato's interest. The boy had an air of confidence around him despite his small stature. And that was odd for a boy who was in the battlefield after seeing the Kyuubi.
"What are you doing all the way outside of Konoha, where are your parents?" Minato questioned as he observed the eyebrows of the small boy furrowing.
"Minato…" This took the Yondaime by surprise. Minato scrutinise the boy further before his eyes widened.
"Nidaime-dono!?"