Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything that might get me sued XP but one day, mark my words ONE DAY!


Forgotten: Fire

"Memories are like fire, they burn themselves permanently in our head but they also fade way into nothing unless we desperately cling to them and even then, it may not be enough." ~ Unknown


Ash was in the air making it hard to see and breathe. This was probably due to the various Katon jutsu used throughout the entire day. Naruto wiped his brow as sweat trickled down his forehead but he didn't let that bother him and immediately gathered the glowing yellow chakra around him. It exploded around him into multiple arms that formed multiple Rasengan in each hand.

"Rasenrangan!" Madara dodged them all, he even managed to throw back some with his stupid broken fan. Naruto landed on a, surprisingly still there, patch of grass.

"Dobe, that won't work, I already told you! He's not some lowly ninja, he's the HEAD of the Uchiha clan. He's the one we learned everything from so stop going at him with that stupid jutsu of yours!"

Naruto turned to retort back at the person but instead he jumped from his spot right as a tree root sprang to life from right underneath him. He flipped mid-air and landed next to the other person. For some reason his features seemed out of focus, blurry to the point that they looked like a shadow; even his name evaded him. Yet there was a sense of familiarity that he could feel coming from him.

"Doesn't hurt to try teme! More than I can say for you! All you've been doing is throwing those stupid Katon jutsu like if they'd actually hit!" Naruto yelled at him.

"Tch I was hoping more that it'd hit you so you would stop getting in my way and I can take him down." The shadow responded in an icy tone.

"Bastard!" Naruto yelled at him but deep down those words hurt. Even though they were fighting together he still didn't admit him as an equal.

"Shut up. You talk too much."

"My _, how cruel of you. Can you not see the boy cares for you, dare I say, even more than Itachi?"

"SHUT UP HE HAS NOTHING TO WITH HIM!" Then the shadowed figure, whose name still evaded him, suddenly sprouted a glowing dark skeleton that wrapped around him.

"Ah, so you want to play like that? Well then little boy we shall." Madara proclaimed and then he too sprouted a skeleton that wrapped protectively around him.

"I hate you Uchiha's," Naruto muttered before he took a deep breathe and released a clone full of Sage chakra that immediately gave him another boost before he called on Kyuubi and together, with his Sage Mode, they transformed into their giant fox mode with him right on the forehead.

"Let's do this," Naruto grinned excitedly, they were finally getting serious.

"Hn," was the shadow's response before, as one, they attacked Madara.

Naruto went first, a Bijuu Bomb already forming; it was second nature to him now part of him like the Rasengan is. He was quickly followed up by the shadow that let loose another Katon jutsu, but this was all a distraction, and they both knew it. Apparently so did their opponent who simply sent their attacks to another dimension using Kamui.

"Is this all that you have to offer? The most powerful jinchurrikii and the 'last' Uchiha? Turns out you really are just mere children living in a world of adults. I do not understand how you could have taken down Pein's Deva Path or face Itachi for that matter."

"Shut up! You don't know anything about Itachi!" the shadow yelled once agian before going through various hand-signs that sent a spear of lightening straight at Madara.

Who was Itachi? Now that he thought of it… Who were the Uchiha? He could only vaguely recall Madara as one of the last Uchiha but the shadow and this Itachi, he had no recollection of who they were. As a matter of fact, he couldn't even remember why they were so important. What was going on? His head hurt, as if protesting his thinking process or for even trying to think about this situation. Maybe it would be better if he didn't question it. As soon as he stopped thinking, the pain faded away.

"Let's go! We can beat this loser!"

"Shut up dobe! Why don't you start doing instead of talking like a moron!"

"Bastard!" A shot of what felt like nostalgia went thorough him then, with a shout he exploded the Clone Bomb Jutsu that had burrowed right underneath Madara. A giant explosion rocked through the devastated area, creating another crater in the area they had already demolished.

"Impressive but not enough," Madara appeared through the smoke created, half of his body burned but quickly mending thanks to the regenerative powers of the Edo Tensei.

"That wasn't all old man!" A clone appeared right behind Madara but was quickly sliced in half, but not before it slapped something on Madara's back. The effect was immediately visible as the healing slowed down before stopping immediately. It even made Madara fall to one knee before he picked himself up immediately. He narrowed his eyes on Naruto, who only smirked back at him. "Now the playing field is equal!"

"A seal that limits chakra to a quarter of its degree and only removed until all the chakra is stopped permanently. Truly impressive, when did you find the time to create this?"

"Who cares!" the shadow yelled before it attacked and set the area around them with black fire. Naruto remembered the name and it passed his lips at the same time the shadow said its name, "Amaterasu."

He remembered that Madara was able to block it with his own so it made it useless but this way, no one would interfere with the battle going on; not to mention it was now useful since Madara would have to release his Susanoo to use Amaterasu thanks to the seal on him. This was a big deal since Naruto was barely able to keep up his Sage/Bijuu mode and it was killing him. He didn't know about the shadow but by the labored breathing and the almost hesitant movements of the Susanoo, he wasn't doing to well either. He was lucky that the clone was able to put the seal on him, there had been less than 50% chance that it would but it did and for now that's all that mattered. The creation of the seal had cost him a lot of chakra but now it was self sustaining on Madara. It was eating eating his chakra instead of restricting it like Madara thought, it ate the chakra to remain active; a leech seal to put it simply.

"It's time we finish this," Naruto muttered and gathered all his chakra that wouldn't kill him immediatly due to chakra exhaustion.

"I agree for once," the shadow mimicked him and the Susanoo glowed with the extra chakra being fed to it.

"Yes, let us finish," Madara had a bit of difficulty standing but he managed, he now only had enough chakra for a few jutsu but he was going to make it count. They stood in triangle formation and as one, the shadow and Naruto fired their jutsu.

"Bijuu Mode: Bijuu Bomb Rasenshurikan!"

"Chidori Arrow!"

The lightning encased arrow of Susanoo's crossbow went first, only to disappear in Madara's Kamui once again. However, the Susanoo of Madara faded away which unfortunately allowed him to avoid the hit of Naruto's new jutsu.

'Damn-it! Just when I got it right!' Naruto thought pissed off to no end that the move dodged. That's when he felt it, his Sage Mode picked up the emotions coming off Madara and before he could think about it he pushed the shadow aside with a chakra arm right as his Chidori Arrow flew past.

"What the hell dobe?"

"Didn't you see your arrow almost hit you asshole!? I saved your ass!"

"I don't need you to save me! I don't need you at all!"

For some reason the shadow's words hurt him severely, like his heart had been punched and crushed in one blow.

"Is this really the time for a quarrel," too late, by the time Naruto heard Madara he had already grabbed him by the throat. "One touch to the forehead, that's all I need," Madara whispered in his ear as a hand caressed his whiskered cheeks. "You are so much like Hashirama yet not. Fitting that you, and Uzumaki and a Senju would be the rival of an Uchiha and also the key to the dawn of a new era."

"You don't have Killer B you asshole!" Naruto growled but dared not move, he was out of Sage Chakra as was visible as it slowly fading away, that's why he hadn't sensed him. Kurama was exhausted from their new creation and they still couldn't hold Bijuu mode for more than an hour. Not to mention that it was only yesterday that both him and the shadow beat Obito a… another U… chi… ha… who were these people!? A sharp pain went throw his head and he shook it to get rid of the pain. Whatever, it didn't matter who they were, just that they were dangerous and traitorous, all of them.

"Well once he sees you he's bound to come and try to save you, unless they kill him which would be rather annoying but what's another couple of years if I have you." Madara's lips were now pressed up against his ear and just at the nape of his neck. He shuddered at the feel of cold, dry, stiff lips on his neck. Madara could just bite him in the jugular if he wanted to and end his life right then and there.

"No kit! You got to fight back! I didn't give you all my chakra only for you to turn all sissy on me at the end!" Kurama growled harshly in his head.

'I'm thinking you big lump of fur! Hey, where's S-' a head splitting pain attacked him again as the shadow's name.

"Let him go Madara! Come fight me as a real ninja!" The shadow yelled.

"Hmm, why so peeved? I thought you didn't care for the little kitsune," the hand on his throat tightened considerably, making him gasp for breathe and arch his back to try to get away. "My how sensitive you are, maybe I'll have some fun before ripping the Kyuubi out of your gut."

Naruto's eyes widened at the implication of his words and he struggled to break free but he couldn't. Madara was stronger than him also towering over him. He couldn't even punch him in the solar plexus to let him go.

"I don't care for him!" Snarled the shadow and once again Naruto's heart felt like it was pulverized then stomped on.

"Then show it," Madara stated then turned Naruto to face him and gabbed him in the forehead. Fire exploded throughout his very being as he felt Kurama being ripped away.

'NO!' his thoughts echoed and he struggled to keep Kurama in him with the aid of the seal. 'I won't let him take you!'

'Kit, it's already too late you're out of chakra. I'M out of chakra.' They were in his mind, where Kurama's cage was usually at but now it was deteriorating by the second. 'Once he takes me out, you die… I… I'm sorry Naruto.'

Suddenly the fox changed into a tall, full-grown man with vibrant red hair, slit eyes, and claws for hands. He towered over Naruto and was nude but he paid that no mind and hugged Naruto fiercely; Naruto hugged him back, shuddering as he held his tears back.

'No, I'm sorry. You were right. I was too weak.'

'NO D-' suddenly a scream from Naruto cut Kurama off and Naruto was yanked out of his mind scape violently back to reality.

Naruto's eyes looked around for the source of pain but he found none… until he looked down. There, there was a hand shoved right through his chest. He followed it and saw that it had pierced Madara's heart as well. He didn't need to look behind him to see whom the hand belonged to. The shadow… the shadow had saved him had saved Kurama. With shaky hands he pulled out a sealing tag from inside his coat and placed it carefully on Madara, his last one, the one he didn't dare use on Madara in the last clone attack. Madara seemed surprised at the hand going through him but then he noticed the seal.

"No, no this is-"

"It's over, you lose Madara," Naruto cut him off with a wet gurgling chuckle that was immediately turned into a gasp when the hand was yanked out of his chest. It may not a have hit his heart but it was close and the blood loss was already affecting him as hid vision blurred, his breathing was choked, and he coughed up blood.

'Hang on kit! I'll heal you!'

'Don't fool yourself you big lump of fur, even when I was younger and this happened I was only able to survive because Kakashi-sensei came and took me to the hospital. No one is near now, at least no one will come in time. The flames won't let anyone through.'

'Don't tell me what to do! Didn't you say to never give up you brat!'

'Sorry Kyuu, can't hear you.'

'Don't ignore me!'

Naruto ignored Kurama as he collapsed onto the dirt strewn floor on his knees before falling onto his back. He was looking up at the blue sky, it was so beautiful; he vaguely recalled Hinata comparing his eyes to it but his eyes could never be that amazing, that beautiful, that free. A shadow blocked his view; THE shadow since he still couldn't remember his name or even how he looked.

"Pathetic," it said and spat to the side yet, there seemed to be something else under his disgusted tone. Was it… regret? No, not possible, he never regretted anything he did, maybe killing Itachi but not anything else. Instead of responding him with a smart-ass comment or a question as to why he did what he did, Naruto only smiled at him. It was tired but it was the most sincere smile he had ever given anyone. He heard the shadow's breathe hitch, exhaustion maybe? "Why are still smiling dobe? Why are you still so goddamn happy! WHY!"

Naruto only smiled more prominently before he raised a hand to the shadow. The shadow leaned down which somehow surprised him, he had fully expected for him to turn away, to leave him all alone: again. He cupped the shadow's cheek and was surprised to find something wet on it but he didn't know what is was. Blood? Spit? Saliva? Water? Tears… no that was ridiculous, he never cried, especially not for him.

"I'm happy because I finally fought with the teme, not against him. We did it. We beat Madara! But, I'm happy," he coughed up some more blood that splattered over the shadow and trailed down the corner of his mouth but he took another deep breathe, "I'm happy because I finally saved the teme even if he doesn't know it yet. I'm happy because I just realized that I," he coughed again, spitting blood all over the place but he took a breathe, he needed to say this! "I'm happy because I love you S-"


He woke up with a scream; his head seemed to be exploding with pain! He clutched it in in between his hands and moaned pitifully as it throbbed like if a kunai had went throw it, and he knew from personal experience. However, that wasn't the only pain he felt; his chest ached as if the hand had really stabbed him there, it burned. He heard something from the other room move and things fall, soon enough footsteps could be heard and then his door was blasted open.

"NARUTO!" Karin screamed his name, yet instead of increasing his migraine of epic proportions, her voice soothed him. That's when he realized he was crying and his throat was drier than Tsunade's bank account.

"I-I'm fine," he managed to gasp out as he clutched a hand over the area where the shadow's hand had penetrated him.

"No you're not! You screamed as if a ghost were in here!" Karin argued and walked towards him. There was a pitcher of water at his bedside and she poured him a glass. He took it gratefully and gulped it down.

"Thanks and no, no ghosts" he chuckled lightly, it seemed that fear of ghosts ran in the family but he frowned immediately, "only ghost memories though, again."

He heard her gasp lightly and then she hugged him. Another thing about Uzumaki's was touch, they comforted each other by touch and he immediately relaxed into the hug.

"The last one you had, had been last year! What… what was this one about?" He sighed and hugged Karin back, burying his head into the crook of her neck.

You see while he was technically 21 like all the other Rookie 9; he looked only 18. This was because at the last battle that ended the Fourth Shinobi War six years ago Naruto had died but, with the help of Kurama, Tsunade, Sakura, Karin, Ino, and Hinata; he was brought back to life but in his 12-yr old body and his memories of the last 4 years gone. He thought he had remembered everything but this night's dream/memory made him realize he hadn't, not yet. The shadow, the shadow always seemed to be a part of his life but for his life he couldn't remember who it was! Neither could he remember the Uchiha! He had scoured all over Konoha for anything about them but he had never found anything and everyone he asked was tight lipped about them. They said he needed to remember on his own.

"I remembered the battle with Madara, almost all of it." He heard her gasp again but this time he felt her tense up as well.

"The shadow?" she asked and all he could do was nod. "Oh…"

"Who is he? Wait… he, HE! It's a guy!" Naruto exclaimed happily and lifted his head to look excitedly at Karin, only to frown when he saw her pained look. "What?"

"Do you remember anything else?"

He was about to say no but then… stopped. He did, towards the end of his dream, as he looked at the shadow, his eyes, he finally saw his eyes; and they were beautiful. Black, so black and shiny, like an underground pool of water or anthracite.

"His eyes," he whispered as if by speaking out loud he would forget how they looked like but now that he remembered he was determined to never forget! "They were so black, so pretty and they- they were like… like-"

"Like they suffered through so much and were so lonely that you wanted to take that loneliness away and be the one to comfort him?"

"Y-yeah! How did…?"

"I-I know who you're talking about, but," she lifted a hand to stop his protest, "I still can't tell you, you have to remember yourself. I'd rather you didn't." She pressed a hand to his chest, right where he had been punctured, "He was the one who killed you after all."

They remained silent, a rarity for them since they were both so lively people. Naruto pondered her words as he rubbed the spot; the phantom pain already gone. He was so glad Karin was with him. When he first woke up in his 12-yr old body he remembered nothing except that he hurt and that he had just graduated from the academy thanks to Mizuki. It had freaked him out even more when Kyuubi had talked to him with such familiarity, he had barely found out and all of a sudden the beast that had cause him suffering just talked to him! Like he cared! Well, Kurama did indeed and their bond if anything had increased greatly as he remembered. Throughout all that though he had Karin, family, real family, flesh and blood, and she was beautiful and had the vibrant red hair of the Uzumaki's. She was there for him throughout everything, in this second chance he got he was no longer alone and he had friends who were, albeit older than him, there for him. The memories of his first experiences were always with him, with random holes in there even now, but they served to make him cherish what he had now. No longer alone and viewed as a hero.

"C-can I tell you something?" He finally broke the silence with the hesitant question.

"You know you can," she responded.

"T-towards the end… right after he shoved his hand through me," he saw her wince in pain. Little did he know that she knew exactly what he went through, after all she was stabbed with the Chidori as well. She motioned for him to continue and he did. "I-I said I loved him, and I think… I think he was crying."

They stayed silent some more, pondering if that part was true or not, honestly Karin couldn't remember Sasuke ever showing emotion besides hate, anger, and insanity. Naruto was wondering if it was just wishful thinking or whether his head, to make him feel better about what happened, implanted it. Yet, he had been happy when he was dying, accepted it.

'Kurama, what's going on?'

'You have to remember on your own though I do agree with brat #2, I'd rather you didn't and forget the asshole.'

'Jerk.'

'Brat.'

"Wait!" He was snapped from his internal bickering with Kurama at Karin's harsh yell.

"What? Hey… you okay?" He noticed her wide eyes and elevated breathing. Was she hyperventilating?

"YOU SAID YOU LOVED HIM!? ARE YOU MAD!?"

"DON'T YELL!"

"DON'T YELL BACK!"

"WHY WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO YOUR MURDERER!"

"IT'S TRUE!"

"IT'S STUPID"

"HAG!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE-!" he dodged the fist aimed for his head and scrambled out of bed."COME BACK HERE AND TAKE THAT BACK!"

"SORRY AND I'M NOT COMING BACK!"

They continued to scream at each other and chase each other around the house. Naruto laughed as Karin missed his head yet again but yelped in pain at the knee in his gut.

"Mercy!" He cried as she tackled him and began to tickle him.

"Never!" she responded.

"Can't you two ever wake up without waking up the rest of the village?" They turned as one to the entrance of their home, only to see their Hokage standing in all her buxom glory, hands on her hips, sake bottle in one hand, and scowl on her face. Shizune was right behind her holding Tonton, she smiled at them good-naturedly and waved good morning.

"I don't know can you wake up without reaching for sake first thing in the morning?" Naruto countered, fight forgotten. Tsunade snorted in response before throwing said sake at his head, which he dodged. It broke into shatters on the wall but this was a daily occurrence in the Uzumaki household.

"I suppose not, I'll get a genin squad to clean this mess up. Get dressed my dear little Hokage-in-training, we have a meeting in a few." With that, she marched into their kitchen, raided the fridge, and left.

"Well then… let's go." Karin said and she left to get dressed for the day. Naruto sighed before following her example and going to shower and dress. In the shower he pondered whether to tell Tsunade about his dream, which he immediately banished; there was no question, he would tell her as well as the rest of the Konoha 11. The he'd show them the cool new move he remembered thanks to his dream memory. He frowned as he thought of the shadow, it seemed that everyone knew who it was except him; it really pissed him off because no one would tell him. He sighed in exasperation as he got out and dried himself before dressing. No matter, he would remember especially since now he had something to go by! Those black eyes from his memory flashed in his mind, making him shiver slightly. It was weird how he so immediately accepted that he was attracted to those eyes when not only a few hours ago he was certain all he liked was girls. That's why he distracted Karin from her outburst, because he didn't want to deal with it at the moment but now that he was; he readily accepted it. Weird.

'Psh I already knew you were gay, took you long enough. In case you haven't noticed, you aren't exactly the poster child for normal.'

'Shut up you dumb fox.'

'Don't antagonize the beast that gives you power.'

'Bah! Like if you don't want to try out that knew move I remembered.'

Silence met his statement and he smirked inwardly as he slipped his shoes on and walked outside and locked the door. Karin was already waiting for him and once the door was locked they both took to the roofs.

'Thought so,' he said smugly in his mind.

'Shut up.'

His laughed echoed throughout the village and all who heard it smiled at the sound. Their hero was well and sound, probably on his way to meet the rest of his comrades in planning the security of the village.

Team 8 heard the laugh just as they entered the village and as one they smiled slightly and put away their Hunter-nin materials before heading to the Hokage tower to report. Yes Team 8 would protect the blonde with all their might from the nightmare that always tried to soil him.


AN: :le gasp: What is this!? She has updated!? What? What? :le cough: Yes, so clear something up, in the flash back/dream/memory, the moves made are not canon (I think) and the names were pretty friggin lame, I really didn't want through tear through my Kanji book since I was too lazy, very bad habit that. Yep Naruto is alive but he has no memory! Oh noes! Now it's been 5 years since the war so Naruto is like 18 and through those 5 years he has been remembering the stuff he learned in life and also improving his own skills. Not to mention Naruto was 13yrs old again however! Unlike last time he had many freinds at his disposal and others and he wasn't hated he matured more! SO yes this Naruto will be more mature and a tad OOC but hey that's what it's like. Anyway, if you have any question PM. I'm really sorry if something confuses you because I am honestly going at this on the fly so if there are some inconsistencies yeah, please tell me so I can resolve them because most likely I had/have something planned but just forgot.

Ages (even if they haven't comed out and some may not but may be referenced)

Naruto: 18 (actually 22 but yeah)

Rookie 9, Karin, Suigetsu, Gaara: 22

Team Gai, Sai (yes he is also legit the same age Team Gai): 23

Juugo, Kankuro: 24

Temari: 25

Kakashi, Gai: 36

Iruka, Yamato: 32

Kurenai, Shizune: 37 (they're actually legit older than Kakashi by one year)

Killer B: 41

Team Ebisu, Hanabi: 18

Tsunade: 60