Disclaimer: Nope, don't own. I like to pretend that I do...but then again I like to pretend I have a pet elephant...
A/N- *face palm* every time I tell myself not to start another chaptered fic, I fail to take my own advice. I've had the beginning of this chapter sitting on my hard drive for about a year now and finally got around to finishing it today. Then I sat around for a couple of hours staring at it, trying to decide if I was going crazy or not. Apparently I am crazy, because here's the prologue to another Naruto fic...
I totally owe Kami, Jess-Mex, David, Smidget and Gabe for their help! Remember- reviews make writers less paranoid, and make Shino luv you! You want Shino to luv you, right?
Summary: The future where Orochimaru turned evil no longer exists, Jiraiya had chased after him and brought him back. The present is ravaged by a war that no one remembers the cause of and amongst it all, three young ninja may be the answer to the end of it all. The question remains who will be the ones to bring an end to the suffering?
Pairings: NarutoSasuke, KakashiIruka, InoShikamaru, JiraiyaOrochimaru, SakuraIdate, ShinoKiba, GaaraLee (umm...that's it for now I think...)
Prologue: Epoch
Epoch: the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of anything.
The Past changes
The rain poured down from the darkened sky; leaving the streets deserted, save for one lone figure, almost gliding gracefully heading away from the centre of the village. The figure, feminine in appearance, but at a closer look male, had nothing more than a small pack strapped to his back as he made his way, hidden from prying eyes by the shadows of the falling night.
The gates to the village loomed high above, visible even from there, through the sheets of rain. The weather hid any sounds he made, thunder crashing above as everyone sane sought shelter under their blankets, or sitting at their dinner tables with their families.
He snorted at the concept, making sure that the ninja guarding the gate were distracted, before darting out, slipping through the gates and into the forests before they could notice him. Not that it mattered of course; he had more skill in his little pinkie than they had combined.
The branches overhead sheltered him from most of the downpour, a light sprinkling making its way through, enough however for his hair to stick to his face and his clothes to weigh heavily against his body.
He was leaving home, not that he was sure that Konoha could be called 'home' as he wasn't sure what 'home' was. For others home was where their family was, however he had given up the notion of a family years ago when he had lost his own.
A branch broke behind him, alerting him to the presence of another, a rather annoying individual that seemed to be unwilling to let him go. A part of him had hoped that his disappearance would not have been discovered until morning when he had been long gone, but he should have known that out of everyone in the village, he would have been the one most in-tune with what he was thinking.
"You should return to the village." He paused, turning ever so slightly so the person following him would be able to hear him properly. He did not want to repeat himself. "I will knock you unconscious if need be."
The person behind him snorted in disbelief, stepping out from behind one of the large trees the littered the forest.
"Like you could take me in a fight."
"I am leaving. This village can offer me no more. There is no reason to remain." A hand on his shoulder surprised him slightly, as he was turned to face his ex team-mate.
"I think I should take offence at that." His hand was tugged on lightly, back in the direction of the village. He resisted, pulling his hand away. "I'm not letting you leave." The humour was gone from the others voice, eyes watching him carefully.
"You can't keep me here." He turned away, annoyed when Jiraiya appeared in front of him, blocking his path. "Move out of the way."
"No. I'm not letting you become a missing nin. Who knows what'll happen to you." Jiraiya reached out again, but this time he backed away, shaking his head.
"You're worrying about me? You should be worried about this pathetic little village." Orochimaru sneered, hair sticking to his face, eyes flashing, giving him the appearance of a wild animal. "The ninja are weak and undisciplined; nothing is stopping it from being crushed."
"So stick around and help me protect it, 'cause if you're leaving, then I'm leaving too." The white-haired teen crossed his arms stubbornly, not breaking eye contact.
"This village is holding me back- I'm leaving," He stepped around the other teen, pausing briefly. "Perhaps we'll see each other again someday. But when we do, things may have changed."
He continued to walk, ignoring the strange tugging in his stomach, in favour of the knowledge that by leaving he would become the most powerful ninja in existence. He had few strong connections to the village and by leaving Jiraiya behind he could finally move on.
Something flew by his ear. He ducked just as another was aimed for the back of his head. Turning furiously, what ever had previously missed him, impacted with his face, with a loud wet noise. Wiping the substance away in disgust, he stared at the mud on his hands.
Jiraiya stood before him, holding another handful of mud, glaring at him.
"I am so fed up with your high and mighty attitude!" The white-haired teen stormed over to him, the emotions on his face matching the stormy weather making its way through the treetops. "You have people here that care about you! There aren't enough skills in the world that can make up for what you'll lose if you leave here! I'll spend the next eighty years looking for you if I have to just so I can drag your sorry ass back here to prove to you what a huge mistake you made!"
Orochimaru opened his mouth to reply only to have his words cut off by demanding lips pressed against his. His muffled protests were cut off as he was pulled close to his team-mate, the kiss falling away into a tight hug that stirred unfamiliar feelings in him.
He had to forcibly remind himself that he was supposed to be leaving Jiraiya behind, that he had no room for the white haired ninja.
"That won't work on me. I'm not the damsel in distress from your perverted novels." He grunted in protest as warm breath puffing against his ear.
"I never said you were; just giving you another reason to stay." Jiraiya grinned against his shoulder, tightening his grip further as though afraid to let go. "But you're still not leaving; even if I have to tie you up and drag you back myself."
That was a definite possibility. He couldn't return, not if he wanted to become the best. His skills would only reach a limit in the village.
"You're not the best in the village yet." While he wasn't as strong as Tsunade, Jiraiya had a strength of his own, one he was using to embrace Orochimaru as though if he could hold him long enough they would be bound together. He couldn't bring himself to hate the idea, or the other ninja for trying. Jiraiya was making it harder to leave and everything he was trying to forget kept returning to him. "Get over it, there's more than one way to learn new things."
He pushed himself away suddenly, glaring at the teen in front of him. "You're ridiculous."
"Yeah," Jiraiya nodded, grinning. "But at least I know that you can't leave now." He paused, grabbing Orochimaru's hand and pulled him back in the direction of the village. "At least not yet, and I'll be there the next time you try to leave too. And the time after that." He added as an afterthought.
"You won't be able to stop me if you can't find me." Jiraiya snorted, sparing him an amused glance.
"Like you'd be able to sneak away from me."
Changes
Kakashi waited, muscles tensing in anticipation. The yard was silent around him and he could feel the first few rays of the sun creeping over the horizon on the back of his neck. He waited, catching the sounds of the birds waking.
Remove one sense and the others compensated for it. Even with the sun slowly making its appearance his world remained dark.
Finally he pounced.
The skuriken flew from his hand in rapid succession, faster than most would have been able to track.
The Genin landed just as gracefully, bending his knees ever so slightly and silent as the night.
With a sigh he straightened, pulled off the blindfold and turned to face the person sitting on the edge of clearing that had been watching him for awhile. Or rather…the kid.
The kid that was sitting against a tree, knees pulled to his chest couldn't have been more than six. Not with brown eyes as large as saucers and hair that fell down around his face making him look almost like a girl.
Kakashi stared at him and the kid stared right back, and then looked over to where the shuriken had hit the target dead center.
"How'd you do that?" The kid finally asked.
Kakashi shrugged and leaned forwards as though he were telling a secret. The kid leaned forwards eagerly, intent expression on his face that reminded the Genin of his teacher.
"I practiced on little twerps." He told him solemnly. He figured that at least some people would have believed him. Hatake Kakashi, top of his class and the youngest; there had to be something wrong with him, right?
The kid, instead of running away in terror just blinked at him and then snorted, blowing long brown hair away from his face.
"You're funny."
Kakashi leaned back slightly. Funny? People didn't call him funny.
He stepped back as the kid stood up, unfolding long, gangly limbs that made him almost as tall as Kakashi.
"I'm Umino Iruka. I'm seven, but I'm turning eight soon!"
He blinked, surprised when the kid- Iruka, just kept smiling at him, realizing that he was waiting for an introduction. Most people recognized him right away.
"Kakashi."
The smile directed at him didn't fade with realization; instead it just grew larger with mischief.
"So, can you teach me how to do that?"
War Breaks
The night air was pierced with the sounds of screams, some the villagers in pain or scared and some bone chillingly inhuman.
Smoke filled the air, choking him, making his eyes burn and water. It hurt his lungs and clung to his skin. His hair fell in front of his eyes as he stumbled down the street, feet bare and bleeding, shoes long forgotten in his haste to escape what had once been his home and was now just more rubble.
A great shadow fell across the street and Iruka ducked into the frame of a doorway, cloaked in the darkness.
There was an explosive sound, so loud that it made his head spin and so close by, followed by the inhuman wail again.
He pulled his feet close to his chest and clamped his hands down over his ears, trying desperately to block out all the noise and destruction.
His eyes were squeezed tight, trying to stop the nightmare, stop the tears that were freely flowing down his cheeks and into the long gash across his nose. It burned. The blood trickled with the tears, mixing and dripping into his mouth every time he took a ragged breath.
The door frame he hid in quivered as the building shook and threatened to fall.
The world was ending.
The moon was barely visible through the smoke and fires as he pried his eyes open again. The great shadow had moved on. He didn't understand how such a terrible monster could exist.
His parents were out there, out in the madness, fighting to protect their home- a home that was quickly being destroyed. He should've been out there too, fighting. He didn't know much, was still young, but he could at least try.
That was what Kakashi would be doing.
He shook from fear and tears and the knowledge that his friends and family were out there somewhere.
The wind shifted and with it the smoke and for a moment the smells of the burning village surrounded him, became the only thing he knew.
Iruka curled onto his side and gagged, bile rising in his throat. The wind shifted and he could breathe again, fighting down the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him.
Enemy ninja were all over the village, aided by the monster. He needed to stay out of sight.
He pulled his legs up higher, ducked his head and made himself as small as possible. People would be running for the caves but he couldn't make himself leave the meagre shelter the door frame provided him no matter how hard he tried.
He jumped as something touched him, a panicked scream leaving his lips, only to be silenced as a hand clamped down over his mouth. This was it- eleven years old and this was his end.
"Iruka." His name was hissed in his ear and it was a beacon through the terror that surrounded his mind.
He tried to reply but the hand covering his mouth prevented it.
Arms wrapped around him, and suddenly the shadows he had been hiding in expanded, covering them both.
His friend was tense against him, waiting, listening, until after what felt like an eternity he seemed to relax slightly.
The hand was pulled away from his mouth with a quick whisper to keep his voice low.
"Kakashi." Iruka murmured, hugging his friend tight. The tears were back, though he wasn't sure if they had ever stopped and they mixed with the slowly drying blood on his face.
"What happened?" Kakashi reached up and carefully wiped tears and blood from his cheeks, mindful of the deep cut across the bridge of his nose.
"The house collapsed and I was supposed to stay with…with…" Iruka sobbed. He had crawled from his home, but his aunt, he hadn't been able to find her.
"Shh." Iruka was pulled into another hug, for a moment just forgetting where they were and crying as hard as he could as though it would help. "We need to get you to the caves. Jiraiya-sensei says that's where you'll be safe."
He wanted to ask why Kakashi wasn't at the caves, but Kakashi was only twelve and already a chunnin and he was so much braver than Iruka, he wasn't crying or hiding. Kakashi would have to fight with the other brave ninja while Iruka hid.
"I want to fight with you." He whispered. He wanted to fight but he was so scared.
"I won't be able to fight if I know you're in danger." Kakashi tightened his hold until Iruka was sure that they would be forever stuck together. "You're my best friend."
He sucked in a deep breath and stopped the tears with determination.
"I'm your best friend?"
Kakashi chuckled, breath damp against his neck.
"Yeah."
"Even more than Asuma?" Asuma was thirteen, he'd be out there fighting too- not hiding away.
"Even more than Asuma." Kakashi pulled back and stood in one swift, smooth movement. Iruka unfolded awkwardly, blushing as he stumbled. "Now, let's get you out of here."
Some things remain the same
It was getting cool out, signalling the return of fall to the village of Konoha. The end of the school day had come and gone and with it most of the other children; the few exceptions being the ones held behind for detention and Naruto.
The blonde child still sat on the swing set long after everyone else had gone home for dinner and stared stubbornly ahead.
It wasn't like he had anywhere to be.
An empty apartment and instant ramen held no interest for the child as he continued to stare off into the distance, legs pushing him idly back and forth.
Maybe he could find someone to come out and play? But no- people didn't usually want to play with him.
Well then maybe he could go bug the guy in the market! The old man that sold fish! He was getting really good at pulling pranks on him! But he was pretty sure the old man had a cold or something so he wouldn't be there.
He could just go home, heat up some noodles and read one of the books the Hokage gave him. They had tons of pictures of ninja. It didn't sound very fun though.
"Naruto?"
He jumped, surprised. Iruka-sensei, stared down at him with a kind smile.
"What are you still doing here?" Iruka-sensei asked. He was the new Sensei at the school, one of the youngest teachers. Most of the teachers were old ninja who had survived and had decided it was time to remain in the village and leave the war to the younger ninja. But not Iruka-sensei. Iruka-sensei wasn't even twenty yet and he was teaching at the school! Naruto didn't understand why he wouldn't want to be out there fighting in the war.
"Naruto?" Iruka-sensei asked again.
"I'm just…playing." The blonde started pushing his legs again, making the swing sway a little.
"Oh. Mind if I join you?"
Naruto blinked in surprise. No one ever asked if they could join him. He nodded and Iruka-sensei sat on the swing next to him.
"So…do you play by yourself a lot?"
Naruto shrugged, staring at the ground, and then brightened.
"Yesterday one of the girls in my class played in the sand box with me! She said her name was Sakura." He grinned at the memory. "She's my friend."
Iruka-sensei nodded, smiling too.
"I heard you were friends with Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto continued before his sensei could say anything. Kakashi-sensei sometimes came by the school when he wasn't out of the village. Sakura had been telling him all about Kakashi-sensei and Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei.
Iruka-sensei's tanned skin turned a funny shade of pink as his sensei scratched awkwardly at a long scar that ran across his nose.
"I am."
"But you're so different!"
"And that's what makes us good friends." Iruka-sensei pushed himself on the swing, higher than Naruto could with just one push.
"Huh." Naruto contented himself, pushing higher until he could out swing Iruka-sensei.
"I heard a rumour that you liked ramen."
Naruto stopped swinging and grinned. He didn't just like ramen, he loved it!
"Ramen is great!"
"Would you like to get some with me?"
Iruka-sensei stood up and Naruto blinked up at him. None of the other adults ever invited Naruto for ramen! He could tell Iruka-sensei would be the best teacher ever!
And Now
"It's a new record!"
"You cheated and you know it!"
Naruto grinned smugly, but didn't reply, running ahead of his pink haired team-mate as she continued to glare at him.
Sasuke followed behind at a more sedate pace, senses trained for any sign of the enemy- just in case. They were just outside the Konoha gates but that didn't mean that ninja from the Mist village wouldn't try and ambush them to retrieve the scroll they had stolen.
"I think I may have even beaten Shino's record!" Naruto crowed, stretching his arms above his head. His orange jacket and black shirt rode up to reveal a tan strip of skin, Sasuke found his eyes glued to the sight. He glanced up to find Naruto watching him with a smug look.
Sakura scoffed and snatched the scroll from Naruto's hand while he was distracted and walked off ahead of them.
"I can't wait to tell Jiraiya-sensei how fast I made it in and out." Naruto slowed until he was walking next to Sasuke and then threw an arm around his shoulders. The blonde had a few inches of height on him, having gone through a growth spurt over the summer, and Sasuke suddenly found himself flush against the others side.
He rolled his eyes and leaned in, still paying close attention to their surroundings but allowing himself this respite after a tedious mission.
"Shino didn't set off any traps when he set his record." Shino also didn't go around bragging to everyone about it. Kiba did it for him.
Naruto just grinned down at him.
Somehow the rookie nine had made it into a contest to see who could get in and out of the enemy encampments the fastest, with their mission objectives. He failed to see the humour in it, but if it helped the others relax, then he could play along from time to time.
They crested the hill, spotting both Jiraiya and Orochimaru-sensei's waiting for them at the gates. It looked like Sakura had already gone ahead to report to Tsunade.
Naruto let his arm drop for the time being but remained just as close as they closed the distance to the sannin.
"You broke the record!" Jiraiya slapped Naruto on the back, smug grin on his face that was mimicked on the blonde in question. "Congratulations!"
Sasuke nodded at Orochimaru, watching bemused as the pair next to them ended up wrestling in the dirt.
"There were more guards than expected." He finally said when it became apparent that Naruto wouldn't be winning anytime soon. The blonde may have become stronger but he was still no match for Jiraiya. "They weren't expecting us though."
"It went smoothly then?" Snake like eyes slid away from the scene before them and met his own. He nodded, meeting the gaze evenly. He could understand why many of the villagers stayed away from Orochimaru-sensei, why so many feared him. Jiraiya had mentioned to Naruto one evening, after too much sake, how the snake sannin had nearly left the village before, nearly became a missing nin. Sasuke held no fear of his teacher though; he had learned not long after meeting Naruto that one could not just judge a book by its cover.
Naruto and Sakura didn't seem afraid either for that matter.
"So, what's on the scroll?" Naruto shoved Jiraiya off of him and climbed to his feet, brushing the dirt off his face with a wide grin.
"The Hokage will tell-" Orochimaru began, but Jiraiya interrupted him.
"It's supposed to be a prophecy."
Orochimaru sent him an annoyed look but Jiraiya just grinned, reaching over and resting a hand on the nape of the other mans neck. Sasuke got the feeling it was to placate him.
"A prophecy?" Naruto's eyes went wide with a wonder that made him look years younger then the teenager that Sasuke knew and loved.
"Yeah." Jiraiya nodded, sobering slightly. "No ones really sure what's written on it, but some people think it may hold the key to the end of the war."
Sasuke sent Naruto a look, silently telling him not to get his hopes up- and hating himself when the blonde tried to tone down his excitement.
"Of course it could be nothing." Orochimaru pointed out. He pulled from Jiraiya's grip gently and turned to the gates. "But we will not know until we meet with the Hokage."
Jiraiya shrugged and followed the other sannin into the village.
"It's probably just a jutsu or something." Naruto broke the silence and headed after the pair.
"It might be something…cool." Sasuke finished awkwardly, feeling guilty for wiping the smile off of Naruto's face. No one should be allowed to remove the smile from Naruto's face, himself included.
A hand caught his, lacing their fingers together. He glanced down and then looked up meeting warm blue eyes.
"It definitely will be." Naruto grinned at him, leading them through the gates and towards Hokage tower.