bogusbabe asked for "canon Naruto-Hinata-Sasuke-Sakura gets to know the SasuHina kids and NaruSaku kids and learns all about their powers and how their world is different from theirs. I hope canon Sasuke learns that "his" kids with Hinata are powerful and set to be the next Hokage. And yes, please! I do hope the 2 timeline adults meet and get to see how each differs from the other." in regards to my Canon/Deliverance crossover from ch. 2.
Warning of character bashing (but not really? I mean they are bashing my AU versions of the characters so...)
Let me know if you have any prompts you'd like me to fill.
See you on the other side. Unbeta'd.
three
The Butterfly Effect
A History Lesson
prompt: canon Naruto-Hinata-Sasuke-Sakura gets to know the SasuHina kids and NaruSaku kids and learns all about their powers and how their world is different from theirs.
As expected, once the initial surprise and fear wore off, everyone still had questions. Due to the confusing terms of these people being their parents, but not their parents, Isao came to the conclusion that they will call them by their names to separate them from the people they called family and friends.
Tetsuya is the most uncomfortable, which leads to him clinging to Hajime. He only releases his brother when Ayaki and Haruki, together, force him to spend time with them. Hajime knows the three of them are close, have always been considering Tetsuya's tendency to follow them around like a puppy given he had no friends of his own, so he is glad his brother isn't only soothed by him.
Sadao has always been a reflection of his brother, cool and collected, but high alert and ready at the drop of a hat. He spends most of his time in the library with Isao and Hajime, researching how to get home and writing to Katsumi, who in the dead of night he whispered to Satoshi that he hoped would be waiting for him.
Satoshi, on the other hand, had always been the most aggressive and outspoken of then Uchiha Children. He made sure no one bothered his siblings and Isao as they researched, and spent his nights awake with his Buranku activated just in case.
Ayaki and Haruki spent their time between helping with Tetsuya and doing their own things. Both girls found comfort in learning who their parents were in another life, in a way their brothers all found discomfort in such knowledge.
After leaving the lot of their brothers in the library, grouped together and ignoring the watchful eyes of Kakashi Hatake, the girls find themselves seeking out their not parents for the sheer chaos of learning how opposites attract in a separate sense.
First, they find Naruto and Hinata, which is still strange to see them together since in their own world, Ayaki's mother avoided the blonde like the plague and only spent time with his wife. They both look uncomfortable in the presence of their would-be daughters, but also mildly intrigued.
"Everything okay?" Naruto asks them when they enter the Hokage's office. Ayaki and Haruki share a look, before nodding slowly.
"The boys are doing research and we grew tired of staring at scrolls so we figured we'd explore a bit. If we are interrupting, we can go elsewhere." Haruki says, airily with a small smile.
"Nothing to interrupt," Naruto promises and waves them in. "We were actually... talking about you all."
Hinata looks mildly embarrassed and Ayaki grins. "Ah, the other children must be a recently common conversation in your household," the Uchiha girl laughs as she and her friend walk in, shutting the door behind them and offering themselves up for insight. "We can try and answer any questions you have?"
A small pause, and then, "We were just... interested."
Haruki nods, like she understands. And really, she does. They all do. Many nights they lay awake questioning what this world is, why it is. Who these people truly are. In another life, none of them would be alive and their parents would not be together and...
"You can ask us anything," Haruki tries after a small, awkward silence. "We may or may not answer, but you are more than welcome to ask."
"The youngest.." Hinata starts breathlessly. "He mentioned I don't look right, before. I... Do we look different in your world?"
Ayaki nods, a faraway look in her eyes. "My parents have been through a lot. My mother was very sick when pregnant with me, and Tetsuya was a bit of an accident, though we still love him more and more each day. With that said, my mother is still the most beautiful woman I've every seen. Longer hair, paler skin, a bit curvier due to more child bearing. Seeing you dressed less formally, with shorter hair and lighter eyes has been a bit of an adjustment, if I'm to be honest."
"And... your father?"
Haruki takes over, after Ayaki looks away. "Uchiha-sama... he's what we jokingly say was 'beautiful in another life'." She grabs Ayaki's hand and the girl sighs with familiarity. "He is lovely, tall and dark and handsome. But a bit worn away, too. And with both arms."
Naruto looks a bit nauseous, and the door opens to reveal Sakura in all her glory, eyes bright and alight with knowledge and years.
"Oh," she pauses. "We can come back?"
The immediate deja vu makes Ayaki and Haruki laugh softly, as the door widens and permits Sasuke Uchiha as well. They enter after beckoning from Hinata and Naruto, brought up to speed.
The conversation finds a lull, and Ayaki and Haruki find themselves leaned into one another, speaking only with their eyes and jesters. Its something you pick up after spending your entire life loving someone. Ayaki can do it with her brothers too, and Isao if she tries hard enough. But Haruki? Haruki is someone who has always been able to and will always be able to read her as if an open scroll.
"You look like my mother." Finally, the silence is broken and Ayaki takes a second to realize not only who broke it, but that it was directed towards her. She looks at the man with her father's face and smiles softly.
"My father reminds me of that often." She says gently. "I was almost named after both of my Soba, but my parents decided against it last minute."
No one responds for a second, before Hinata lets out a deep breath. "You are very beautiful, and I'm sure both your Soba would have adored you, if they'd been given the chance to meet you."
Ayaki feels her heart warm, and she smiles softly at the woman. "Thank you, Uzumaki-sama. Did any of you want to talk more?"
"Can I ask about your brother?" Sakura says slowly, eyes on Haruki. "He's very... closed off. Uncomfortable around us. Do we not have a good relationship?"
"His relationship with our mother and father is a bit difficult." Haruki states after a small, awkward breath. "After Uchiha-sama and Hinata-sama found out they were pregnant with Hajime, they left Konoha with some help. My parents sort of got into Tsunade-Baba's sake and well... Isao was born from that. My father was next in line for the Hokage title, and politics aren't nice to bastard children."
They all seem to nod slowly, before Naruto lifts his head. "You said Hinata and Sasuke left Konoha?"
Ayaki lets out a breath. "They had Hajime in Iwagakure. Mother was pregnant with Sadao and Satoshi when Konoha found them and brought them home. I clearly wasn't around, and no one likes to talk about that time period. Father still has nightmares." There is another awkward silence, and then Ayaki rolls her eyes. "I don't know how to say this nicely. Basically, Father was locked up and Mother had the twins on her own. Father was tortured and only allowed to return to his family months after the twins were born. Our families aren't necessarily close, considering Hokage-sama didn't fight to have him released sooner."
The girls find themselves watching the adults have a silent conversation back and forth. Haruki is the one to finally interrupt it.
"Our lives are not horrible, please don't mistake what we say for a disaster. My mother and father love one another now, truly. And they love us. And Uchiha-sama and Hinata-sama have been in love for many years, and never once thought to not love their children. In our lives, while you four aren't best friends or as close, it doesn't mean we aren't or don't have good lives." She swears, strawberry blonde hair being pushed away from her eyes. "Ayaki and I have grown up like sisters. And Isao and Hajime are joint at the hip. Tetsuya is the little brother I never got. The twins are some of my best friends and the reasons I made it through the academy. Isao is a genius, a Special ANBU. I'm a Chunin. We're happy."
Ayaki takes over. "Chichiue takes us through the grounds every year on the anniversary of our clan's demise and speaks of every member he can think of. Hahaue and Tetsuya visit Hanabi and Hiashi every week for training and tea. Hahaue has bi-monthly luncheons with her former teammates. Sakura-sama and Hahaue are good friends, they meet regularly for tea - it's how Haruki and I met. Hajime is also a Special ANBU, a chosen bodyguard to Hokage-Sama. He's married to his best friend. Sadao trains under Sakura-Sama, he's a well-known and powerful Medic. Satoshi works with Haruki as a Chunin Exams Proctor. He's planning to propose to his girlfriend. My father just announced me Heiress of the Uchiha Clan. Tetsuya is only twelve and is slated to take the Jounin Exams next year. Hanabi is going to name him the Heir to the Hyuga Clan when he passes. We are definitely happy."
The four adults seem to need to take a break in order to completely digest what the girls are telling them. It's a difficult thing to process, so it's understandable. To realize there are alternate versions of yourself, lives you never got to live and experience. Children that are biologically yours that you didn't create in your own timeline. Loves never loved, stories never found, lives never lost or created. There are the good and the bad to all stories. In this world, were the Uchiha Clan is three strong instead of seven and growing. Where the Uzumaki children run around with Hyuga blood. Where Neji Hyuga doesn't breathe, his bloodline ending with him. Where there is no Next Generation of the Konoha Twelve. Where there is a Fourth Great Ninja War, a father with a missing limb, a different air of memories surrounding them all.
Before they can continue the conversation, the door opens and Kakashi Hatake steps inside, looking pleased with himself.
"Sensei?" Naruto asks, questioning the man sudden appearance.
"The two eldest found the timeline slip. You may want to come to the library with me." The white-haired ninja offers.
"What the hell do you mean Sasuke came back to the village?" Naruto grumbles.
Hajime sighs, looking over his siblings and companions briefly before starting over. "In our world, my Chichiue returned to Konoha following his battle with our Oji-san. Itachi told him about the coup, about Danzou, about everything. Chichiue returned to see that Danzou was tried for his crimes against his Clan. During the entire process in finding the truth, which the Hyuga aided in, my parents grew close. Soon after my Chichiue being reinstated as a Konoha ninja and Danzou being found guilty, my parents got together. Within the year I was conceived."
"Hatake-san told us this never happened in this world. Uchiha-Sama never returned to Konoha. We believe this is the point of concern and our ticket back home." Isao confirms, not looking up from his scroll. "Now that we know where the timelines split, we can figure out how to reverse the switch and get everyone back to their proper timeline."
"So the catalyst was me." Sasuke hums. He looks to not-son. "If Konoha fixed its mistake with Donzou, why did your parents leave again?"
Hajime frowns. "I only know some. Most of it Hokage-Sama and Neji-Ojisan told me. The Hyuga Clan allowed my parents to pursue a relationship in hopes that their children would obtain both bloodlines. They wanted to seal us. I don't know the details, but it would have been difficult for Tsunade-Sama and Hokage-Sama to step in due to it being a Clan issue. When Neji-Ojisan realized Hahaue was pregnant, the majority of Konoha Twelve got together to plan. It was a pact in order to avoid us being enslaved, to avoid the possible outcome of Hyuga backlash, and to avoid further civil dispute."
"We helped them escape," Sakura concludes.
"You planned their escape," Isao corrects. "And then planned their recapture, followed by aiding in torturing an innocent man for ten months. You weaponized your only son in order to regain his trust, only that failed. So you coaxed their eldest the same way your predecessors did his uncle. You blindly continue life believing that wrongs have been righted. You are no heroes in our story, please don't fool yourself into thinking you are the same Naruto and Sakura that sully our timeline."
"Isao!" a handful of voices call out, making him pause. He frowns, meeting Hajime's, then his sister's eyes. Without further comment he leaves the room.
"He really hates us," Sakura whispers sadly. "How do we fix mistakes we didn't technically make?"
"You've all made mistakes in our timeline," Satoshi grumbles. "Yeah, the Uzumaki's aren't the tightest of families. But we're kind of all worse for wear. I mean it, seriously. Don't feel too bad. Our Chichiue does his best but his trauma makes more bad than good days. Our Hahaue has the world on her shoulders. Hajime is a workaholic, Sadao has trust issues, I'm a blind asshole. Isao is just holding this grudge because it's the last thing he has."
Sadao chuckles. "Haruki, Ayaki, and Tetsuya are kind of the only normal ones. We'll see how they fair in the years to come." He ruffles Tetsuya's hair, making his little brother wince.
"I will talk with Isao. Hopefully we will all be home soon and we can forget this mess," Hajime sighs.
Could life really just go on after this encounter, though? Would any of them be able to just forget?