The Time Traveler

The ringing of the bell signifying lunch woke the blonde. Naruto got up rubbing away the last remnants of sleep from his eyes as he blinks. He made a drowsy stare at the teacher that is walking out the door of the classroom.

'O yeah, I was meditating while sorting through my mind before I got tired and went to sleep.'

He was disappointed to say the least. He expected the ninja academy to be really special, but based off of the lectures in the morning and his parents' memories, his path to become a shinobi is a long time coming. The memories of his parents' lives that he saw was not as clear in his mind as it should be. He remembered the parts he thought was really interesting, but not so much about the lectures they had to go through everyday. He renews his determination to sort through these memories as soon as possible.

Naruto looks around the room to see the kids around him, as they were getting up and opening their ben-tos that they had brought before coming to the academy.

'Man, I didn't expect this. I totally forgot to bring food. Well, not that I could've known..'

"Hey." A dark-haired boy announces as he dropped his lunch on the table and sat right beside him.

"I was thinking you looked quite lonely there, and the place I was sitting was getting crowded and noisy." He said when he got my attention.

'An Uchiha' I realized as I saw the black hair and eyes along with the features and calm that is unique to their clan. As far as I could tell, he was just acting like another cheerful and awkward kid.

"Nice to meet'cha. Uzumaki Naruto! You are looking at your future hokage!" I gave my trademark foxy grin as I mentally facepalmed realizing I was acting pretty weird for a first interaction between potential friends. I quickly added before I continue getting ahead of myself.

"What's your name?" He was giving me an amused expression while also having a faroff look in his eyes and didn't seem to respond to my question.

"Oiii.." I waved my hand in front of him. I also realized many of our classmates, mainly girls, are looking at my interaction with the Uchiha. Well more like just staring at the cute boy beside me as though they had found their new favorite food.

"Ahh, hi. I'm Uchiha Sasuke." He looked up breaking away from his brooding.

-POV-

I went back!

I remember operating on Naruto while working with the Kyuubi after our fight with the Otsusuki clan. Using the most advanced technology in our time, I was trying to push energy using the laws of space-time to make a medical jutsu to revive Naruto from his lethal injuries. There was a sudden spike in the energy output of the machines however, and it reacted violently with the chakra of the Kyuubi. I was suddenly sucked into somewhere where I seemed to travel faster than the speed of light for what seemed like hours, before arriving here.

I looked around me to find the friends and rivals that I had grew up with fighting the same war and training together. I saw the blonde that I grew up loving like a brother. Who knew this little guy would grow up becoming the Hokage. Also, the person that instantly got my attention when I first arrived, my childhood crush and husband.

'Sasuke-kun' From my perspective, it has been a while since I saw him. I was staring at the chibi Sasuke for a while before finding many girls like myself staring as well. Finding it amusing that all of us are acting like fangirls I couldn't help but cringe seeing after so many years, I still act like the little girls around me.

Starting to brood, a habit I picked up spending years with my husband, I found it scary how I just accepted what is happening. I need to get back! So many people are waiting for me. I could not just stay here leaving Sarada, Sasuke, Naruto, and her other friends to fend off the Otsusuki by themselves.

From what I can see, I'm back in my academy years. From what time I don't know but I need to find a way to get back.

Clicking my tongue thoughtfully, I realized none of the equipment that I used could be manufactured without several years of research and gathering materials. I also did not know what happen and I don't think I can manipulate things to go exactly the same as it had, given the infinite variables there are to consider before even starting to redesign the accident, which threw me back in time, the second time.

'Hah.. so what should I do now'

Going through a war, facing many different gods and beings, now I got thrown back in time. Seriously what's wrong with my life. For the next few moments, my head was blank, trying to find its few last moments of peace before I ponder about my situation once more.

"Ne Sakura, don't you think that boy looks cute?" I was bumped a little from the side. Turning to look, I saw Ino leaning towards me whispering.

'O yeah, I believe we were pretty good friends at this time.'

"Dunno, I don't know that much about him" I answered, unsure of what sort of reply I gave the first time around.

"Hey, let's talk to him later!" Ino offered. Knowing to take the lead since I would never initiate this sort of thing.

"-mmm" I nodded, thinking that any other response would probably make Ino feel I'm different from my usual self. I hated acting timid and shy. It wasn't until baka-Naruto came with all his energy that I started rise my own energy levels to deal with it.

Listening to Ino gushing about what she thinks would be her prince charming, I went back to my own thoughts trying to think up a plan to make the future better than before.

'Madara, Obito, Sasuke, and frick, the Uchiha clan massacre, what should I do about that.' Looking back at Sasuke, he didn't look like the brood, or as closed off as he was after his clan was annihilated by Itachi.

'Should I don't anything to prevent it? Knowledge holds responsibility afterall, I couldn't stand doing nothing while Sasuke goes on the dark path of hatred once again. But would he still be the man I would know and love if I took this incident away from him?'

I pondered and felt as if a new weight has been added to my shoulders, I shook my head.

'No, I have to do something. I know of the pain he has to go through and how it defined the rest of his life. He shouldn't be alone once more.'

My thoughts drifted back to the blond who was staring at the teacher in front of me, who I didn't realize was there explaining how we would only go through mostly theory for the next semester before any actual ninja training. Throughout all of this, I realize that it was the blonde who was truly alone with almost none to turn to and give him comfort when he needs it. Putting up a persona of being loudmouth, brash, and mischievous in order to shield himself from it all. It was also probably what connected him with Sasuke so early on in Team 7 because of their shared pain and loneliness. It was also what drawn many towards him, like our own mini sunshine in Konoha. He took things at face value and believed the best in people. While many people through the goings of war become cold and calculating, although not as naïve as when he was a kid, he was able to let others know that he feelings and care for others are genuine.

'Did the teacher say that it was the first day in the Academy?' Suddenly interrupted from what I was thinking earlier, I caught on to some of the words our homeroom teacher said. Realizing the significance of this, I played that thought in my head realizing many of the implications and things that I could do. I continued thinking up plans while listening half-heartedly to the teacher talk, which she, honest to god, didn't want to listen all over again.

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The small break in between classes, Ino pulled Sakura towards Sasuke. They tried to make small talk, but once Sasuke introduced himself as an Uchiha, many other kids crowded around to try to talk to the Uchiha too. Sakura knew how much Sasuke hates all of the attention, especially when one kid in particular asks him if he was any good compared to the genius Uchiha Itachi, after knowing he was his brother. Sakura sighed to herself knowing how much this would get a rise of Sasuke.

Before being a target of Sasuke's annoyance, Sakura pulled Ino a safe distance before he showed his displeasure.

"I don't think he likes being put on the spot like that." Sakura piped up.

Sasuke gave a small smile. "It's fine.. I'm proud of my brother, but I don't like being compared with him, that's all."

Sakura gave a small smile back while thinking small thoughts such as if she could take Sasuke all for herself early on. She blushed and shook her head to clear herself of these thoughts of a shota-con. 'It's like trying to make out with Boruto.' She cringed and try to drive away the images to the depths of her mind forever.

Ino looked at her curiously. While the others were already starting to make conversations with the Uchiha, making him uncomfortable again. Sakura pulled Ino back to where they were sitting. Ino thinking that Sakura was just acting like her normal shy self, let herself be dragged. Sakura, knowing a lot about Ino that probably she herself didn't know, abused that knowledge and had a great time talking before the next period started.

Over the next few hours, Sakura thought about many things in her past life, for example Danzo. Sakura did not know so much about it, only as much as what Sai, her ROOT teammate, had told her. From the little information she could dig up, it was anything but good, assassinations, espionage, sabotage, blacker than black operations, paramilitary, mental and emotional conditioning and etcetera. From what Tsunade told her, he was very power hungry. He wanted to make the Kyuubi as his greatest weapon of mass destruction so that he could achieve his dream of an unchallenged Konoha and take over the Elemental Nations as its head. Luckily for Naruto, he was saved from that horrible fate thanks to the Sandaime of this time and Tsunade too when the Slug Sannin took over the hat.

Sakura was evidently worried and want to make her moves discreet as possible, especially the role she wants to play in the Uchiha massacre. Danzo was the big force behind it all, driving Itachi to be the rougue nin that was misunderstood by the entirety of the elemental nations, and the pressure against the kage in his decision to let Naruto live the life he ought to have had as Konahagakure's hero.

Before she knew it, the bell signifying the hour lunch break arrived. She sighed as she realized her planning have been taking her nowhere. Fingering her bag that she brought, she took out a ben-to her mom made for her. Opening it to see how lavish her mom made it to celebrate her first day in the academy. She smiled, thankful for her loving parents before giving thanks for her food.

"Itadakimasu-"

She noticed from the corner of her eye that Sasuke chose to sit next to Naruto. Her eyes widening due to the strangeness of it all.

'This definitely didn't happen the first time around from what I remembered.' she mused before eavesdropping on their conversation.

-POV ends-

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To a certain time traveller's surprise, Naruto and Sasuke immediately got along as smooth as butter. Naruto pressing the spam button to his parent's memories, which he consider now to be the best cheat ever. He used all the charismatic tactics, teasing abilities, and social linguistic capabilities of his parents that they had practiced for over a decade, especially in their dating prime. He was able to talk to Sasuke of the different games that they could play in the future like tag, or play ninja. It was a fruitful encounter and they were able to understand each other fairly well before their conversation was interrupted by..

"Hey.." Sakura intruded, much to Ino's surprise as she was sporting an expression as if her favorite puppy had betrayed her.

The two boys' eyes lit up in recognition. Sasuke remembering her as one of the few people that showed decency so far in this classroom, and Naruto..

"Ah forehead girl!" He exclaimed. Remembering sometime in the past when he had defended her from some bullies.

"WHO YOU THINK YOU ARE CALLING FOREHEAD GIRL, KONOYAROU!" After a brief smack to the head and a whine from the fore-mentioned boy. She gave a greeting.

"Name's Sakura." She brightly grinned as if she hadn't turned into a demon just a moment before.

The two boys sweatdropped but gave a greeting of their own.

"Uchiha Sasuke desu.."

"Uzumaki Naruto des- dedattebayo.." Naruto imitated after recovering.

"Friends?" Holding up two fists in front of her. Knowing she has to be upfront with her actions to show that she has to stand out and any subtler way wouldn't be good in their books.

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-POV-

'I finally saw him again..' the girl tightened while holding down her shirt, trying to muster courage to talk to the boy while remembering their first encounter.

Flashback

The sky was dark. She was alone on a small bench in the park

"What are you doing here?" A blond boy about 3 years old moved up towards her in the snow.

Seeing her still crying he said when he walked up to her "How would I know if you continue crying -ttebayo.." Naruto gave a small smile.

"Where's your house?" Looking up, Hinata closed her eyes and shook her head with all her might after having spent a lot of energy crying.

"Can't help it I guess, come on," he said with a comforting tone, "Let's go!"

He pulled her up and walked her to the Hyuga compound.

"Omai-saa, you live in such a big house, why are you crying?" Naruto asked, seemingly somewhat insensitively before hearing his next words.

"I don't have anyone, but I never.. I never cry -ttebayo!" He turned to her giving her his foxy grin.

Flashback ends

There was nothing really special about their previous encounter, but it caused her to have just a little more courage then before, under the eyes of scrutiny within her own family. Seeing how friendly he was from what she can tell and the last time she met, she wants to make friends with the blonde but hesitant because of her low self-esteem.

"Name's Sakura" the voice seems to resound throughout the room.

'Wow.. she's pretty cool…' I couldn't help but admire the girl for being so bold.

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Sorry for my retarded expressions of Sakura. As you probably don't know, I'm a guy and not terribly adept at understanding women. I would try to read shoujo manga or something from now on to give better descriptions in a female POV from now on. Technically they are kunoichi who don't concentrate on romance as do girls in the modern age, but those are just excuses. Anyway, look forward to the next chapter.

If you think the chapters are slow, look no longer, I will begin to pick up the pace. I really hate time skips most of the times, but now that I started writing, it seems like I have little to no choice, but I'll try to struggle and see what I can do before that.