Author's Notes: Hey there! I sincerly apologize for the lack of updates over the last month but I've been extremely busy with homework. Plus, I started working on a rewrite for The Last and I have finished all of it's chapters. I will not post them all together though as slight editing and stuff is bound to happen. Expect weekly updates for that story. Now... this story has been a lot of fun so far and I enjoy writing it. But all good things must come to en end. This story will be finished by next month, if not, maybe a week after that but it is ending. The poll for the sequel is still going and it seems like everyone wants it so it is very likely to happen. Still, you can still vote. Also to the readers of Standing by your Side, I haven't updated it in two and a half months and there is a very good reason about it... I'm working on a rewrite. I feel like my writing skills have improved quite a bit since then and I don't feel like a story of such magnitude and length (It will be lengthy) deserves a poor kick off. The concept will be the same but changes will be made to both plot and writing style. Anyway... I've already said too much. Enjoy the chapter :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.
"Wha- What happened?" asked a confused Naruto as he stared at the unconscious bodies of his rival and future self.
"Sasuke's Curse Mark is gone but the Unsealing Jutsu put a lot of strain on his body. As for Naruto... I think using the Nine-Tails' Chakra after all this time took a lot more out of him." Older Sasuke answered.
"Sooo... Anyone care to explain WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE TWO DOING HERE!" Ino shouted while pointing an accusing finger at Naruto and the unconscious Sasuke.
"Troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered.
"I'll explain later. Right now we have to get them to the hospital." Older Sasuke said.
"You're not going anywhere, Sasuke-kun!" screamed Older Sakura as she got closer to the group followed by a battered-up Sakura.
"Whoa! Sakura-chan you look like crap!" said Naruto before Sakura bopped him on the head.
"SHUT UP BAKA! I KNOW I DO. HELL, I FEEL LIKE CRAP TOO!"
"How come?" asked Naruto rubbing his sore head.
"Her! She did this to me!" Sakura screamed at Older Sakura comically.
"Now, now. That's exactly what I endured too okay?" Older Sakura said sheepishly.
"What did you do to her?" Older Sasuke asked.
"I trained her."
"..."
"You... trained her...? She looks like she went to hell and back!" Naruto shouted at Older Sakura.
"Hey! I trained like this for two and a half years straight! It works!"
"They're not staying here for two and a half years though. So why bother starting that kind of training?" Older Sasuke said calmly.
"Don't start with me Sasuke-kun! Mind telling me where Sarada-chan is?"
"... Uh..."
"I thought so. I told you to get her to the Academy this morning, didn't I?"
"...Uhm.." Older Sasuke was now sweating under his wife's intense gaze.
"Yeah. So imagine my suprise when I saw her running around the village with Boruto-kun and the rest of their class."
Older Sasuke was squirming in place until Shino spoke up.
"I have a day off from the Academy today so if any students decided to skip today's lesson it's the substitute teacher's problem, not mine. That said..."
"Shut up Shino! That still doesn't change the fact that Sarada-chan went to the Academy alone."
"Well... I... had to train... Sas-"
"NO EXCUSES!" Older Sakura bopped Older Sasuke on the head. Hard.
"Damn it woman, I'm sorry!" he said rubbing his head to ease the pain.
"You're just lucky I stopped all of them and returned them to the Academy." Older Sakura crossed her arms.
"Uhm guys?" said Naruto to get everyone's attention.
"What about these two?" he said pointing at Older Naruto and Sasuke on the ground.
"Oh right, them. Let's get them to the hospital." Older Sasuke sighed.
XXXXXXXX
Meanwhile, at the Uzumaki Estate, a certain midnight blue-haired mother was scolding her son, again.
"Why?" she asked.
"Why what?"
"Why did you do it?"
"Oh, I was going to show everyone an awesome prank after school but then we heard that Shino-sensei wasn't teaching us today and we kinda left..." Boruto informed his mother.
"Kinda? I got a call from Sakura-san telling me that you and Sarada-chan along with the rest of your class were running around the village."
"It's not like anyone got hurt, y'know."
"And if I'm not mistaken, your father talked to you about your pranks." Hinata said.
"Hmph, Dad finally got a break from being Hokage and all he's been doing ever since is training-"
"- Young Naruto-kun."
"Yeah! I didn't even know what to call him."
"Boruto, Young Naruto-kun is only staying for 3 more days. It's not like it's forever. Plus, your father has told you all about his adventures in the past. Don't you think Young Naruto-kun needs a little help?"
Boruto scoffed.
"Anyway, they should be getting back for today. Will you be a darling and help mommy set the table?" Hinata asked in the cutest voice she could muster. It worked... Every Time.
"Fine, fine. I'll help. Hey, where's Himawari?"
"She went out to play with some friends. She should be back any minute now." Hinata answered.
"Should I go get her before we start?" Boruto asked.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Who the-"
"I think she's here..."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK...
"HIMAWARI, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, THE DOOR'S OPEN!" Boruto shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Oops, sorry." said Himawari as she entered the house.
"Geez, what was that all about?" asked Boruto. "My head is ringing so bad I think I'll explode." he said making an explosion sound.
"Oh yeah... Mommy... Daddy and Tiny Uncle are in the hospital!"
"What! How? What happened?" asked Hinata with concern in her voice.
"I don't know. I was walking back home when I saw Uncle Sasuke and Aunt Sakura carrying them. I asked them what was wrong and they told me to get back home and tell you to meet everyone at the Hospital and then I ran back here and knocked on the door many times and then-"
"Himawari calm down. Breathe." Hinata told her. The poor girl was out of breath.
"I'm... okay... just... tired, that's all." said Himawari trying as hard as she could to fill her lungs with air again. Himawari was a gentle kid with a personality much like her mother's. That said, she was just as hyperactive as her brother and father.
"Now, Boruto, can you set the table for me sweetie? I'm going to the Hospital but when you're finished I want you to come too. Himawari, help your brother, will'ya?"
"Yes Mommy."
"Alright, we'll meet'ya there!"
"Bye kids. Be good." and with that, Hinata left for the Hospital.
"We're not gonna set the table are we?"
"Nope!"
XXXXXXXX
The Seventh Hokage has seen and felt many things. From a living God Tree, a Rabbit Godess, and Gods among Shinobi in general, Naruto Uzumaki now wished he was fighting the Ten Tails, Kaguya and Madara Uchiha all together at the same time than dealing with the splitting headache he had now.
"Fuck, my head feels like..."
"Crap?"
Older Naruto looked to his right from where the voice was heard and saw the 13 year-old Sasuke Uchiha on a hospital bed.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"'In the hospital. Gotta say, it looks a lot better than the Leaf Hospital of my time." said Sasuke looking around the room, noticing the diffirent colors on the wall along with the paintings that they sported. Some were fields of flowers like lillys and sunflowers or hills that were bathed in the sunlight with bright blue sky above them. It was... relaxing.
"Heh, I've always hated hospitals because they were so boring, y'know? And the food was even worse..." said Older Naruto with a shudder.
Sasuke chuckled. "So when you became Hokage you just up and changed everything?"
"No, just made some improvements. When you're stuck in bed for so long, looking around and seeing four white walls, a door and a window it gets depressing. Now, it's somewhat better." Older Naruto informed.
"So what's with the paintings?" asked Sasuke.
"Ah, I had Sai make some for every room in the Hospital. Now, if you can't sleep, you just look at them. They're very relaxing."
"I've gotta say, I never thought you'd put that much thought into anything. So what's the hospital food? Ramen?" Sasuke smirked.
"..." No answer came.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me!"
"Hey! It's 1000 times better than what they had back then!"
"Some things never change, do they?"
Older Naruto then mumbled something like 'Ramen is the food of the gods' earning another chukle from Sasuke. Then the door opened.
"What happened? Why were you shouting?" asked Older Sakura as she barged into the room.
"Geez Sakura-chan! Indoor voice please. My head's still ringing like hell." said Older Naruto covering his ears with a pillow in a very childish manner.
"God Naruto. You'd think the strongest Hokage the Leaf has ever had would be able to handle a little headache no sweat." Older Sakura teased.
Sasuke decided to speak up. "In any case... The Unsealing was succesful."
Older Naruto immidietly turned serious. "Show me."
Sasuke took off his high collar shirt and revealed the Curse Mark-free skin under it with a smirk on his face.
"Hehe... It worked after all. Guess I haven't lost my edge yet." Older Naruto chuckled.
Just then, everyone that was outside the room, including Hinata, stormed inside. Hinata looked especially worried as she ran to her husband's side next to his bed.
"Naruto-kun, what happened?" she asked.
"Hey Hinata. Looks like Sasuke has been training himself too. But Young Sasuke had the Curse Mark and it was getting in their way so I removed it." Older Naruto informed his wife with a heart-warming smile reserved only for her.
"So did anything go wrong? How come you're in the Hospital?" she asked.
"Well for the most part, nothing went wrong. But removing a Curse Mark is extremely taxing... Orochimaru's seals even more so. I almost ran out of chakra so I asked Kurama for help. Guess I haven't used his chakra in so much time that when I was done I felt extremely drained. I collapsed and we ended up here."
"Naruto-kun, there's one thing that strikes me as odd." Hinata said thoughtfully.
"What is it Hime?" Older Naruto asked, confused by her statement.
"How did your Chakra ran out? That's almost impossible and I know that for a fact."
Naruto seemed to process this for a while but in the end he couldn't come up with anything.
"Honestly I have no idea. I'll look into this. Now-" he turned his attention to the rest of the people in the Hospital room. "- I believe all of you deserve some explanations."
XXXXXXXX
It had taken some time to explain everything to the rest of their friends, but in the end, seeing there was nothing they could do, they accepted the situation.
Older Naruto and Sasuke left the Hospital later that day, seeing that everything was okay and there was nothing wrong with either of them. After that, Hinata suggested that Sakura and Sasuke join the rest of the Uzumaki family for dinner. Everyone accepted.
XXXXXXXX
Currently, Older Naruto, Hinata, Boruto, Himawari, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Sarada, Older Sakura and Older Sasuke (in that order, around the table) were dining peacefully, enjoying Hinata's cooking in silence... that Naruto couldn't possibly stand another second!
"Alright, I really, really like eating with all of you, especially since I've been eating alone for all of my life... but I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE OF THIS!"
Older Naruto sighed. "Okay... what do you want to talk about?"
Naruto opened his mouth to speak but realized that he didn't really have anything to say. He just couldn't stand the silence.
"I really don't have anything particular to say... It's just that... I hate silence."
"Fine then. I actually have something I need to ask you three."
Naruto, Sasuke ans Sakura looked confused. "What is it?" Sasuke asked.
"What will you three do when you get back to your timeline? What are your goals now?" asked Older Naruto.
Sakura decided to go first. "Well it looks like I have a knack for Medical Ninjutsu and I am very interested in the arts. So I plan on becoming the best Medical Ninja the Leaf has ever had and always keep going forward. I'll protect my comrades and walk beside my teammates as their equal!"
"Way to go Sakura!" Older Sakura encouraged her 13 year-old self.
"What about you two?" Older Sasuke asked the other two genin. They seemed to think about it for a couple of minutes when Sasuke spoke.
"First of all I will train and become stronger so that I can protect what is precious to me... Then I will find and talk to Itachi Uchiha. After everything is dealt with I will begin the restoration of the Uchiha Clan. Sakura..."
Sakura turned to look at him in the eye.
"...Will you help me?"
She fainted on the spot.
"I'll take that as a yes." And with that he got back to eating the food in front of him ignoring the surprised glares he was receiving from everyone in the room. Minus one.
"Mommy, what did Tiny Uncle mean and why did Tiny Auntie faint?" asked the ever-innocent Himawari.
"Another time Himawari. Another time." answered Hinata calmly.
"So, Naruto it's your turn."
"Hmmm... I don't really know what to do after all of this." Naruto said honestly.
"What do you mean dobe? It's not like anything's changed for you. You'll get stronger just like everyone and fight to gain the respect of the villagers. Then you'll become Hokage." Sasuke said matter-of factly.
"Actually... So many things have changed that I don't know where to start."
Hinata looked thoughtful for a few seconds before she asked.
"It's about me from your time... isn't it?"
Naruto blushed but nodded. "I really don't know what to do. It's just that... everything's happened so fast that I'm not so sure about my feelings. Now don't get me wrong, I care for Hinata, more than anyone right now and I can easily say I love her. But how do I approach her without arousing suspicion?"
"I think I understand how you feel. It's about Sakura-san. Right now, everyone knows about your crush and honestly believe that you like her."
Naruto nodded.
"So it will cause confusion if you go from Sakura to me over week."
Naruto nodded once more.
"I wouldn't buy it."
Naruto sweatdropped.
"According to you three, your timeline right now is at the Chunin Exams' one month period between the Second and Third Round of the Exams. I was the Hospital, recovering from my fight with Neji nii-san. If you simply showed up and told me what you feel I would think you're taking pity on me."
"So what do I do? What if she does not return my feelings out of doubt?" Naruto asked desperate for the answer to at least one of his problems.
"Just... take it easy on her. After all, I remember I couldn't talk to you for more than a minute without fainting. Imagine if you stormed into my Hospital room and confessed to me..." Hinata trailed off in her thoughts.
"I'm not so sure I could do that... I mean... I really, REALLY wanna talk to her. To sort this out."
"Don't forget, we've got to worry about the exams too, and the Invasion. Can't have you distracted Dobe." Sasuke smirked.
"I think you're right teme. Maybe I should figure all of this out after the Exams." Naruto said thoughtfully.
"Speaking of the Exams..." Older Naruto spoke "... I take it you both want to make Chunin on your first try?"
Naruto and Sasuke both nodded.
"Forget it."
"What!? Why?" they both asked confused but also enraged.
"Win your matches, but save your strength. If you go all out then you won't be able to help against the Invasion. Don't go showing around your new skills in hopes of getting promoted. The examinations will be cancelled and if you're lucky you may get a field promotion." Older Naruto warned seriously.
They seemed to think about it for a while before nodding. "I guess that makes sense. And we'll have to fight Gaara too right?"
"Yeah, nothing you can't handle though."
XXXXXXXX
Soon enough, they finished dinner and the Uchiha left the Uzumaki estate for the night. It was a long day and they had come a far way in only 4 days. Two more and they were going back. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all thought at the same time...
"This is gonna be interesting..."
I hope you liked the chapter :)
Leave a Review and/or a PM telling me your thoughts about everything that has been adressed inside the Author's note!
As always...
Andrew... out!