Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Those rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

The Savior That Can't Be Saved

Chapter 5:

Academy Days: The Decision to Change!

Naruto awoke and smiled at the new day before him. It had been a least a year since he went back in time. He was definitely used to his younger body, liking that he was actually able to move quite a bit faster since his body was light. He was probably as fast as Sasuke right now, but that was great since Sasuke was always pretty fast and had great reflexes. Maybe he inherited it from his family. After all, Naruto had seen Uchiha Itachi in action and he was on a plain that Naruto had once thought would not be accessible, not able to get onto.

Since Naruto had already been through sage training, he could access Sennin Mode. The only form Naruto could not yet access was the Kyuubi Chakra Mode. This was because he had not taken control of Kurama in this timeline. Hopefully, he could work out something where he could go to the Waterfall of Truth and conquer Kurama. With him already friendly with the Nine-Tails, it shouldn't be as hard as it was when he last did it. Plus he would have the help of his mother…

Naruto smiled sadly at the thought of his mom. That was definitely a positive experience in this: getting to see his mother again. Not only his mom, but he would be able to see his father as well. While that might be a long ways away, Naruto could wait… Wait, what if he didn't need their help this time…? What if he doesn't go Six-Tails against Pain and it starts to go to Nine-Tails? What if he conquers Kurama without having the help of his mother…? Then…, he wouldn't see them.

Naruto shook his head. You idiot, you need to think of the positives, not the negatives.

Naruto looked at his hair, flowing more toward his cerulean eyes as it almost reached toward his shoulders, the look exactly similar to his father's at his age. Naruto smiled at his face, the face that reminded him of his mother, smiling, and tears of joy cascading down her face as she wrapped him in one last hug. The crimson swirl on his chest didn't help reminding him of his parents, the symbol of his clan clearly shown to the world as it was surrounded by black. He looks at his black pants, noticing the orange strip that went down them as he smiled at the lines. After all, he still loved the color orange.

The blond Academy student made sure he had all his ninja tools in case that Iruka had planned a surprise test on accuracy or some other thing with their tools. Naruto, however, always made sure because he wanted them by his side. They were his ally, nothing could change that. He admired how he looked in the mirror, pleased with his appearance. His cerulean eyes sparkled as he raced out his door, ready for his next day at the Ninja Academy.

XXX

Uchiha Mikoto called down her sons, smiling at the smiling, eager face of Sasuke and slightly frowned at the emotionless face of her older son, Uchiha Itachi. Itachi wore a short sleeved black shirt with the clan symbol appearing proudly on his back and black pants as he went straight to where his shoes were laid out, slipping them on. Mikoto's frown widened on her face as the two boy's father, Uchiha Fugaku, appeared with a slight smile when he saw Itachi, wishing him luck in training to become an ANBU, saying that it would be important for the clan. Itachi merely nodded in reply to his father, his mouth not moving at all.

Mikoto noticed the emotionless eyes of her elder son drift to the saddened face of his brother for a slight moment before turning toward the door. That's when she decided to speak to him. He was drifting farther away from not only his father, but his brother Sasuke, and her too. While she was always closer to Sasuke, just like how Fugaku was closer to Itachi than Sasuke, she still deeply cared for Itachi and knew when he wasn't as close as he used to be. She could barely read Itachi, but she could tell slightly when he started to drift from the clan, almost like he wasn't a part of the family.

"Itachi-kun, could you at least eat breakfast with us before you go train for the day? You haven't sat down at the table with us for a while and it seems you're drifting farther from not just most of the clan members, but your own family as well." She looked at Sasuke's sad face, getting an idea from when she saw Itachi's slight gaze on his brother. "I bet Sasuke would love to talk to you about what is happening at the Academy or just have the pleasure of seeing you at the table to eat. Wouldn't you, Sasuke-kun?

Sasuke's face shot up to look at Itachi as he smiled slightly embarrassed with a light tint of a blush on his pale face. "Yes… Could you please sit and eat with us, Nii-san…?"

Mikoto noted the light smile that danced on Itachi's face, which looked to have secretly, slightly brightened up at what his little brother asked. Mikoto's smile widened when Itachi went up to a chair across from Sasuke, beside Fugaku, and said, "Fine, Sasuke… I would love to hear your stories of the Academy... Along with the progress you have made over the past year… Maybe I could help you with something at some time if I'm not busy."

Itachi hid a chuckle when he saw Sasuke's excited face, just smiling as he listened to Sasuke's conversation, along with Mikoto and surprisingly Fugaku. Mikoto happily noticed this, knowing Fugaku loved Sasuke, just not showing it as much as he did with Itachi. Mikoto, then, shook her head and focused on her youngest son, who was talking about his days at the Academy. She giggled at his pouting face when he mention his fangirls, encouraged him when he told them of his test scores and performance, but there was one thing, no, one person that got the attention of all the room on Sasuke and Sasuke alone.

The moment the name left the young Uchiha's mouth, the room was deadly silence as if the moment Sasuke spoke the name, all of the people around them would die from talking of this said person. Mikoto held back the emotion that name gave her, an emotion she wish she would not have felt, an emotion she wish she could just forget, but even if she forgot it, that wouldn't keep that feeling she felt from coming back to haunt her. Fugaku stiffened slightly, knowing of the name, knowing of the name's meaning, knowing of who this person truly was. His hidden hands tightened as his knuckles turned ghost white. He didn't want to remember the ones who gave birth to the person who held this name, but he couldn't help it, his face gaining a scowl. Itachi was calm, but his parents could tell that Itachi knew of the person who held this name, and knew this person's purpose in this world.

That name was…

"Uzumaki Naruto, the one person that I feel is stronger than me at the Academy, the one friend I have…"

Friend… Fugaku thought, his eyes narrowing, his hands tightening further, and his face becoming unknown, only showing his angry, sealing away the calm Fugaku, the 'kind' Fugaku. Fugaku chuckled darkly. How could an Uchiha, especially an Uchiha that was the son of the clan head, be friends with… that jinchuriki, that boy…? He holds the very thing that keeps us under watchful eyes… He is to blame for what is happening to our once glorious clan… The same with the members of the Senju Clan from back then… Still, their relatives still bug me, like that jinchuriki… Their eyes still hold the same contempt of the Uchiha… I have to stop him from mingling with that boy… No good will become of it at all… Only bad…

Fugaku held his clan in high regard. He was an excellent clan head from what most Uchiha said. He knows that the Kyuubi attack six years ago was blamed on them because only an Uchiha clan member was known to be able to control the Kyuubi, other than the long dead Senju Hashirama, the only majorly known Senju with the ability to suppress the Kyuubi with his Wood Release ninjutsu. It was obvious the village would blame the clan that was known to have this power, fearing of what that very clan would do to Konohagakure. The people of the village still felt the wounds that the Kyuubi attack left them with. People who knew of Uchiha Madara still feared what would happen, knowing of the destruction the Kyuubi made in the attack that created the Valley of the End when it was under control of the most powerful Uchiha in the history of the clan.

Not only that, Fugaku knew that the present Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was no slouch at all. He knew that the old man suspected it, but being the kind hearted man he was, didn't want to enclose the clan to their district, but he was overpowered by the council and the elders. The elders reminded the fierce Fugaku of one in particular, Shimura Danzo. Fugaku always hated that man more than the Hokage, knowing that the man was always hidden in the shadows, plotting something against him and his clan. The Uchiha clan head always had the suspicion that Danzo was the one that suggested that the Uchiha become a police force for the village, to be secretly watched by ANBU, but these ANBU seemed different from most ANBU, detached and purely emotionless, even more emotionless than Itachi.

Fugaku shook with rage at what garbage was coming out of his younger son's mouth. These words of sparing, laughing, happiness, growing in strength by the side of the thing that condemned his very family, his very clan enraged the man. They enraged him so much that his emotions took over, his arm lifting up quickly from the table, noticing that his wife and Itachi noticed his quick movement. He fiercely, swiftly pushed his arm into the kitchen table where they sat, crushing the wood against his elbow as he growled at the happy moments that his son had, getting his son's attention. The boy's eyes were extremely wide, black holes that absorbed the scene before him.

"Enough! I don't want to hear of Uzumaki Naruto at this table! Actually, I don't want to see, hear, or think that you are hanging around with that brat! He doesn't deserve anything! He's someone you should avoid! You hear me?" Fugaku yelled fiercely in anger at Sasuke, who nodded, scared to argue while Mikoto glared secretly at her son taking away the one thing, other than Itachi, that Sasuke was attached to. "Good…" Fugaku rose from his seat, not caring about the wooden table they had had for years that now lay broken on the ground, leaving his family behind him.

Itachi rose from his seat, "I'll be going, Kaa-san…" Itachi went ahead, leaving the two in silence when he saw his mother silently nod at him.

The mother and son sat in their place for a moment before Mikoto told Sasuke that he had to go to the Academy or he would be late.

Sasuke still held his sadness in his black pools, rising from his seat, picking up his pack, and slowly walking out of his home, causing his mother to stare at his back sadly, almost as if she was in the same pain that he was in right there.

But she didn't have to be in the same pain, she could just feel it…

And it hurt her more than anything…

XXX

Naruto was confused. Sasuke was avoiding him. And since Sasuke was avoiding him, everyone else was as well. All the people he had gotten to know because they loved Sasuke or were intimidated by the Uchiha were now as far away from the blond as possible. Iruka spoke of the Genin Selection Exam that was taking place today. Naruto had an idea of wanting to complete the Genin test since the Academy lessons were boring anyway. He was up there with Sasuke in class rank.

But then Naruto would not be on a team with Sasuke or Sakura… Hell, with any of his classmates! He would be with a bunch of complete strangers. That also means that he would probably have a different sensei. After all, he wasn't sure if Kakashi was even considered as a possible sensei at this point in time. Plus, he knew that Kakashi said that no one other than Team Seven had passed his test before. Although, Naruto knew the test so he could still pass… That was only if his team members even trusted him and what he said.

Naruto was too caught up in his thoughts that he barely heard Iruka dismiss the class. That's when Naruto decided that he would talk to Sasuke, see his reaction, and decide whether or not to take the Genin Selection Exam. He raced toward Sasuke, breathing heavily as he ran.

"Sasuke!" The Uchiha stopped and turned with a glare, shocking Naruto. "H-Hey! What's with the glare all of a sudden?"

"Just get the hell away from me…"

Naruto was shocked. "What…?"

"I said, 'Get the hell away from me!'" He grunted as he looked fiercely at Naruto, a look that shook Naruto to the core. "I shouldn't have been so close to you… I'm an Uchiha… and you're just a some shinobi wannabe with no clan… So, stick far away from me… or else…" The 'or else' was said icily as Sasuke turned away from the shocked Naruto, walking to his compound where the rest of his clan was.

Naruto stood still and decided what he wanted to do. He turned back to the Academy, remembering the look Sasuke gave him, and went into the building, ready to take the exam. He would pass the exam, become a chunin , become a jonin, and be Sasuke's sensei!

After all, that look reminded him to much of the destroyer's apprentice… not Sasuke…

That look reminded him too much of the past…

The past that he just wanted to forget, the past that he regrets…