Rewind, Relive, Return

by kashaminami

This is a dream, right? There's absolutely no way that all of this can be real, right? Yeah. There are five heads on the Hokage Monument. Not four. And Sandaime-jii-chan's been dead for years now, everyone knows that. There is absolutely no way he could've... is there? Time-travel's supposed to be impossible, isn't it?

2. Chapter 2 Who Are They?

A/N: I made a couple of changes in the first chapter. A thousand and one 'thank you's go to those who have reviewed, favorited and alerted my story. Mid-term holidays have just started; I'll try my best to update faster – no promises though. I might be a little slow in the update department, so please bear with me. And lastly, I don't have PM or anything, so I'm afraid I'll just have to answer your questions in the Author's Notes.

P.S.: I made a few changes in the first chapter. Just a few; nothing important. So, for those of you who have read it before, you guys don't need to read it again.

To kitty132383, EmiTenshi, RedRangerBelt, luckyschoolgirl, GunnerRyuu & PokemonKnight: Thank you very much! *bows to you in gratefulness*

To EmiTenshi: My book is just a short story about an orphaned kid and his uncle. I'm afraid that it will only be published and sold in my country, and I very much doubt that any of its copies could get anywhere outside of the South East.

*IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT!* To RedRangerBelt: I'm very glad that you seem to be enjoying my story so far. I can't tell you much as that might spoil the whole story. But what I can tell you is that every character will mostly get a sense of déjà vu here and there – and that because of this, they might get a sense of what to expect from the other characters and that they (except for the really stupid and bastard-ish ones like Mizuki) might not fall for the same trick twice or follow the original timeline exactly – and that Sasuke won't be the only one who gets those kinds of dreams.

Warnings: Slight OOC, spoilers and possible grammatical errors. This chapter is a little rushed. Sorry.

Summary: This is a dream, right? There's absolutely no way that all of this can be real, right? Yeah. There are five heads on the Hokage Monument. Not four. And Sandaime-jii-chan's been dead for years now, everyone knows that. There is absolutely no way he could've... is there? Time-travel's supposed to be impossible, isn't it? And the impossible is all that Uzumaki Naruto has ever done and – most likely – has done once more.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, then Jiraiya would still be alive

XxX

Rewind, Relive, Return

CHAPTER 2 – Who Are They? Future Allies or Potential Enemies?

XxX

At this moment, we can find our favorite blond shinobi walking down the halls of Konoha's Ninja Academy towards its administrative section which would soon lead him to the Hokage's office.

He had been happily arguing with the doctors and nurses of Konoha's Hospital – something he hadn't been able to do much of in the past (future?) due of the simple fact that Sakura and Tsunade also consisted of its medical staff and an argument with them usually ended up making his stay at the hospital longer – and had been planning on walking around the village placing his Hiraishin seals on the landmarks of the village, when a Chunin pops into his hospital room and told him that he had been summoned by the Hokage to his office.

The boy wondered what he could possibly have done to gain a summons from the old man. He had been too busy being injured in a hospital bed to take his Ninja Registration Form picture the way that he used to in the original timeline, so it couldn't possibly be because of that. Maybe it was because of a prank he pulled but forgot about. Yeah, that's probably it, 'ttebayo.

Last night, as he was laid down on a white hospital bed, Iruka had done his best to explain Naruto's condition to the blond – who had listened intently even though he had already known all of it before. He told him that he wasn't a demon, just a normal human with a demon sealed inside of him. The scarred man also told his student that he was what people called a 'Jinchuuriki' and that there were more people like him out there. This surprised Naruto a little as he wasn't told this little bit of information before the Chunin Exams when he had met Gaara.

Speaking of the future Kazekage, Naruto briefly wondered what he was going to do with his red-haired friend and how he was going to return the memories of the Jinchuuriki back to their respectful owners.

But that was for another time. Right now though…

"Hey, old man!" Naruto yelled as he burst into the Sandaime's office without knocking – not that anyone really expected him to. "So, what's up, 'ttebayo? What did you call me for, huh?" the twelve-year-old aked as he bounced up and down in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Naruto," Sarutobi began, stressing on the boy's name as he looked darkly at the orange clad boy in front of him.

"Hmm?" Naruto asked as he finally stopped his bouncing. He could feel the suspicion and dark aura surrounding the formerly known God of Shinobi – and a few of the hidden ANBU members hidden in the shadows of the office – with the ability of sensing negative emotions he had gained from Kurama. "What is it, old man?"

"Enough of this charade," the aged shinobi snapped in a dangerously low voice. "I want you to tell me exactly who you are and what you have done to the real Uzumaki Naruto this instant."

XxX

This morning, Sarutobi Hiruzen had expected to confront the impostor (Because what else could he be? There was absolutely no way Naruto could have learned the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and another one that Sarutobi had never heard about in such a short amount of time – no matter how great he had always thought the boy was and could be.) and get an explanation out of him of how and why he was impersonating their village's Jinchuuriki.

The Sandaime had expected the impostor to start a fight and try to escape once he had found out that his cover was blown. He had expected to join in the fight if the enemy seemed to be more formidable than he had first anticipated. He had expected for the man to be brought to Morino Ibiki kicking and screaming. He had expected to be told of the whereabouts of Uzumaki Naruto – the young boy he had come to view as his own grandson, Minato's only child and legacy – by the end of the day and hope against all odds that the blond was safe and unharmed.

What he had not expected was the blatant confusion on the impostor's face.

"Huh?" 'Naruto' said in comical disbelief. "What are you talking about, old man?"

"You cannot be Uzumaki Naruto," he said. "I had been watching you since you failed the exam yesterday. While I believe that the real Uzumaki Naruto has the skill and talent it takes to learn and master the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, it is impossible for him – for anyone – to have mastered it completely in the single hour that you have – and do not even try to deny it. The way you used that jutsu was almost like you were relearning something which you have already known.

"And another thing, there is absolutely no way Naruto would have known about the Kyuubi before last night. I would have known if he did. So, the only other explanation is that you," he pointed to Naruto with a wrinkled finger, "are an impostor."

"But," Naruto said as he kept half of his attention to the glinting of kunai and swords which the hidden ANBU had drawn, "I am Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo. I've even got the Kyuubi's chakra in me. You can check for yourself. There's no way any impostor – no matter how good – could have copied that."

"Then, you must be controlling his body somehow," the Sandaime said stubbornly.

There was absolutely no way the boy in front of him was the real Uzumaki Naruto. His eyes were too dark, too haunted to have belonged to the bright, cheerful boy he had always known. It was the eyes of a shinobi who had seen all the horrors this world had to offer and more. It was a look that Sarutobi never wanted to see in the eyes of Minato and Kushina's son. Those eyes just seemed so wrong. They didn't belong on Naruto's face – whose eyes were the same shape as his mother's and had the bright blue color of his father's.

"Aww c'mon, old man," Naruto groaned. "You can't seriously believe what that what you're saying is actually…"

The hard look in the old Hokage's eyes was enough of an answer for the boy.

Naruto sighed in defeat. What was he going to do?

Tell him.

The sound of the Kyuubi's voice greatly startled Naruto, but he tried his best not to show it. Kurama?

I told you already, didn't I, gaki? We need allies, Kurama said. And having the Sandaime on our side could be very beneficial for us.

But, how? Naruto asked. He thinks I'm an impostor, 'ttebayo. How the hell am I supposed to convince him otherwise? And even if he does believe that I'm the real Naruto, how the hell am I going to explain to him that I'm from the future?

I don't know. Figure it out yourself. You're supposed to be good at making people believe in you, aren't you? And with those 'helpful' words, Kurama severed his connection with his junchuuriki and left the poor blond to solve this problem on his own.

Thanks for that, 'ttebayo, Naruto thought sarcastically.

"Look," Naruto said to the old shinobi. "I really am Uzumaki Naruto, 'ttebayo. Believe it! (A/N: Sorry. I couldn't help myself.) But…" his voice faltered as he carefully chose the words he would use. "I'm just not the Naruto that you know… umm… It's a long story and…"

"What does that mean? Explain," the Sandaime snapped.

"I will," Naruto nodded, "under one condition."

"Which is?" the Hokage inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"You're the only one who hears it," Naruto said as he looked at Sarutobi with a hardened gaze. "I want all of the ANBU out of here and for the all of the privacy seals you've got activated to its full."

Naruto could almost feel all of the ANBU in and out of the office stiffen. One of them – some guy in a bear mask – appeared next to the Hokage and looked at him at what was supposed to be a questioning look – not that anyone could know with the mask covering his face.

Sarutobi contemplated what the boy – someone who apparently wasn't Naruto and at the same time was – had said. He was still wary and suspicious of the person in front of him. But if it meant the safety of one of his people – if it meant he could find out what had happened to Naruto – then, he'll risk it.

"Very well," he nodded slowly as he signaled for the ANBU to leave them.

The ANBU hesitated before he nodded slowly and Shushined out of the office along with several of the hidden ANBU.

"I said all of them," Naruto said as he turned his head to where he sensed one of the remaining three hidden masked shinobi.

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow at him before he nodded and the ANBU disappeared.

The old man raised an arm with the hand positioned in a seal before swiftly bringing it down, therefore activating the hidden privacy seals in the office. "Done," said the Sandaime.

Naruto nodded in satisfaction. He could still feel the ANBU outside, but at least – now with the seals activated – they couldn't hear what he had to say. He knew that what Kurama said was true, things would be better if they had more allies working together this time, but if possible, Naruto wanted as little people to remember about their previous lives as possible. The war was something that he didn't want anyone to remember about. He wanted postpone their memories return for as long as possible, which meant that he would he would have to find some other way to prove of his claim of being from the future.

But… Naruto's blue eyes moved to the dark corner of the room on the Hokage's right. Does the old man know that he's there? Maybe. All Naruto said was that he wanted the ANBU out of the office, and that man technically wasn't an ANBU, so…

Aww, forget about it. He'll just have to deal with him later, 'ttebayo.

"Alright… The truth is…" Naruto began. It would be better if he just said it straight out. He was never really good at beating around the bush anyway. Sakura and Ino had always said – in these exact quotes – that he was 'as blunt and tactless as a hammer'. "The truth is that I'm the future Uzumaki Naruto."

"What?" asked the Hokage, clearly puzzled.

"I'm the Uzumaki Naruto who came from five years in the future," Naruto explained. "I'm a seventeen-year-old shinobi in a twelve-year-old body, I guess… umm… I'm not really good at explaining these sort of things… But, you see… All of this started when…"

And so began the extremely painfully long story of Uzumaki Naruto's life. At first, Naruto was hesitant and he had to pause every two sentences to find the right words, but as the story continued, he grew more confident and his voice came out louder and it barely wavered under Sarutobi's sharp gaze.

The blond began his story with the day Team 7 officially passed the Genin Exam and continued with their first A-class mission to Wave Country. He told the Sandaime – and the eavesdropping toad on the wall – of the disastrous Chunin Exams and Orochimaru's attack on the village. He told them of the Sandaime's death – he lifted his eyebrows a bit at that, but didn't say anything about it and continued listening –of the coming of the Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade – again no comment – of Sasuke's departure, his training with Ero-sennin – here he could sense an enormous amount of annoyance coming from the dark corner of the office as the Sandaime's mouth twitched up in a slight smirk – his return to Konoha, Akatsuki's actions, the Jinchuurikis, the Ichibi's extraction and Gaara's revival, Sai and Yamato-taichou, Asuma, Itachi and Ero-sennin's deaths, Pein's attack on Konoha, his training at Myoubokuzan, the truth of Uchiha Madara, the Great Shinobi Alliance, his training with Octopops, the Fourth Great Shinobi World War and lastly, Naruto told them of the bijuus' plan and what they hope to accomplish from this – leaving out the part about the Shinigami, of course.

"…and that's how I got here," Naruto finished before taking in a deep gulp of air.

"That…" the Sandaime began, his gaze still sharply pinned to Naruto, "has to be either one of the most outrageous stories I have ever heard or the most insane and unbelievable lies in history."

"What?" Naruto screeched. "I'm telling you the truth, 'ttebayo! I mean, how else can you explain how I know all of that stuff about you and Ero-sennin and Tsunade-baa-chan? Heck, I even told you the truth behind the Uchiha Clan Massacre and you still won't believe me?"

"That can all be explained by both Danzo being right and the village's security does need to be tightened, or your village is in possession of one of the most skilled spies in the entire Shinobi World. As for the rest, you could have just made it all up or had predicted it through some type of fortune seeing jutsu I have never heard of."

At this point, Naruto was more than ready to rip out every strand of spiky blond hair on his head – and possibly his eyebrows as well. "UGH!" he groaned in frustration. "You have got to be kidding me, dattebayo!"

"I am not," said Sarutobi. "Now, I want you to either tell me the truth – the real truth and not some kind of elaborate story you have created – or I can call my ANBU back into my office and you can get yourself acquainted with our Head of Torture and Interrogation. Your pick."

Naruto groaned once more. Oh, he was very well 'acquainted' with Konoha's Head of T&I's, Morino Ibiki. And it was this very simple fact that made him shudder at meeting the man once more. He really hoped that he wouldn't have to deal with the insane man until the Chunin Exams.

"What can I do to make you believe me?" asked Naruto almost desperately – almost. "There's got to be something – anything – that I can do or say that can convince you that I'm telling you the truth, 'ttebayo."

"I'm afraid that there is no-" the wizened Hokage began, before he was abruptly interrupted by the self-claimed time-traveler.

"That's it!" Naruto exclaimed triumphantly with a wide grin. "'Dattebayo'!"

"Excuse me?"

"My mother, Uzumaki Kushina, 'ttebayo!" said Naruto. "She has a habit of saying 'Dattebane' whenever she gets excited. It was from her that I got my own habit of saying 'Dattebayo' every five sentences.

"I told you about how I got control of the Kyuubi's chakra with her help, didn't I? Well, what I didn't tell you was that after I had gotten hold of his chakra, Kaa-chan had sat down with me and told me about the story of how she and Tou-chan had met. I know how to convince you that I'm telling the truth now, 'ttebayo!"

"And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"By telling you something that only you, my parents, a couple of Jounin, the Kyuubi and me have heard. Back then, I was too you to understand what my parents said, but Kaa-chan had repeated those exact same words to me when we met in my mindscape back then."

"So," the Sandaime leaned forward in interest at what Naruto had to say. "What did Kushina say to you?"

"My parents' last words to me," Naruto said.

At those words, the Sandaime and the eavesdropper had stiffened and Naruto could practically feel their suspicion and depression crash into him in humongous waves.

Well, he'd already gone this far, there was absolutely no way he could stop now.

"She said…" the boy began slowly as a small smile appeared on his lips and a melancholy gaze took over his eyes. "Kaa-chan told me not to be picky with what I eat, to eat lots and grow strong… make sure that I take a bath everyday and keep myself warm… She also said that I couldn't stay up too late and that I need lots of sleep… She told me to make friends, but that I didn't need a lot – just a few. Ones that I could trust… Kaa-chan was never really good at it, but she wanted me to study and train hard… She told me that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, so I shouldn't get too depressed or frustrated if I couldn't get something right the first time. She said that I should always respect my teachers and seniors too…"

The Sandaime had soon realized that Naruto had just stopped paying attention to his surroundings and was seemingly talking to himself now. Though, he now believed that what Naruto had said was true, Sarutobi didn't want to distract or upset the boy by interrupting him, so the old Hokage just let the blond continue.

"She also told me about the Three Shinobi Prohibitions. First, be careful with my money and save some of the cash that I earn. Second, no alcohol until I'm at least twenty and that I'm not allowed to drink too much of the stuff. And lastly, I shouldn't get myself hooked on bad women and that if possible, I should find someone who was more like her… Then, she warned me to be careful when I'm around Ero-sennin, 'ttebane…" Naruto gave a slight chuckle at that. He had always wondered what it would be like if he tried to talk like his mother had.

"Kaa-chan had said that I was going to face a lot of pain and hardships, but I should always be true to myself and stick to my dreams and… and that she wished that she could stay with me longer… and that she loves me…"

Tears had started to gather up at the corner of Naruto's blue eyes, but he shook his head and furiously rubbed the tears away before he continued.

"Then, my Tou-chan…" said the boy, his voice cracking a little. "He told me to listen… to my motor-mouth mother… Heh…

"After that, I promised her that I wouldn't just eat ramen anymore and actually eat those vegetables that Kakashi-sensei kept giving me instead of just stuffing them in the fridge before throwing them away… I liked taking baths, usually in the hot-springs with Yamato-taichou, Sai-teme or any of the others, so she didn't need to worry about that… And I sleep a lot so that definitely won't be a problem…

"And as for friends… Well, I have a lot of really good ones…though, I have – had," Naruto amended, "one that I wasn't really getting along with back then. Now about school and studying, Kaa-chan was right to fear about that… Heh-he… But, I don't really get myself depressed over that, 'ttebayo… A lot had happened with my teachers and my seniors back then, but one of the reasons I decided to go with the bijuu's plan is so that I can help them and make sure that none of the bad stuff happens to them, 'ttebayo. Anyway, Ero-sennin had already taught me about the Three Shinobi Prohibitions years ago… and Kaa-chan was absolutely right about me having to be careful when I'm around him. But, even with all of his perverted flaws, Ero-sennin was still my teacher and he was the one who's taught me about how a shinobi should live and I'm really grateful to him for that, 'ttebayo."

Naruto looked at Sarutobi in the eye and said, "When you've finally met the one person you had always dreamed of meeting, then you'd do your best to remember every detail on their face and every word they'd said to you, 'ttebayo."

He pointed a thumb to his chest and said clearly and firmly, "I am Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure no Sato, dattebayo. My dream is to surpass all of the Hokages – past, present and future! I'll become a bigger badass than my father and a strong shinobi than my mother ever was! Believe it! I-!" Naruto was about to say more, but this time, Sandaime cut him off before he could even finish his next sentence.

"I very much do believe that," said Sarutobi with a slight smile.

"W-wha…?" Naruto said in shock. He had expected the old man to come up with some other ridiculous excuse as to how he knew what he did, not to actually stand down and admit that he had really been telling the truth. Naruto was slightly disappointed as he was looking forward to talking a bit more, despite the fact that he had probably talked the most he had in the past two days than he usually did in a week.

"I believe you," the old shinobi said firmly.

"Well," said the blond as he fought back the small pout that was fighting its way on his lips at how anti-climatic the Sandaime's words sounded. Naruto – though he knew how childish it was – was kinda expecting the old man to start crying at how unfortunate his life was or maybe even start bending on his knees begging for forgiveness because he didn't believe him before. (Well… maybe not much of the second one, but you get the picture.) "I guess… that's that then, 'ttebayo…"

"So," a voice spoke from the shadows. "The future, huh? That explains…" with a soft 'poof' a tall man with long and wild white hair wearing a sleeveless red cloak and a giant scroll on his back appeared in between Naruto and the Hokage in what he thought was – but obviously wasn't – a cool and dramatic pose. "…Everything!"

Silence…

Sandaime's reaction: an amused quirk of the lips.

Naruto's reaction: blink twice.

"Hey there, Ero-sennin," the blond said dully, showing as little emotion at the pervert's entrance as possible – only because Naruto knew that it would tick him off. "I was wondering when you would show yourself to us. I almost thought that you'd fallen asleep from the story or something, 'ttebayo."

And Naruto's prediction rang through.

The boy could sense the irritation and annoyance the old hermit had from the name and the lack of reaction from the blond. Naruto could see a small vein on Jiraiya's temple snap and the man's fist clench as he slowly held back his temper.

Jiraiya huffed – Naruto half-expected him to start throwing a tantrum or something, though he doubted the old pervert would want to do something so childish in front of his sensei. "As I was saying," Jiraiya said importantly like he didn't pull off something so ridiculous just twenty-seconds ago. "You being from the future would explain a couple of weird things that I've been noticing recently."

"Such as…?" the Sandaime urged his tudent to elaborate.

"This!" The super pervert bit his thumb until he drew blood, did the appropriate handseals and pressed his hands to the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" And with a 'poof' two toads appeared along with the giant Toad Summoning Contract.

"Naruto-chan!" one of the toads cried with great relief and happiness.

"Jii-chan Sennin!" Naruto called out in surprise. "Shima-baa-chan!"

The two aforementioned toads quickly hopped away from Jiraiya before they tackled the blond boy to the ground with all their might.

"Naruto-chan! Thank goodness!" Shima sobbed. "You're alive! I can't believe this…"

"Baka!" Fukusaku yelled as he started to relentlessly attack Naruto with his staff. "Why didn't you summon us when you were fighting against Madara? We could have helped you! And why have you shrunk so much? You have some explaining to do, young man!"

Naruto – being the idiot that he was – just couldn't pass up the chance. "'Young man'? Jii-chan Sennin, you sound like an old- OW!"

"Tou-chan!" Shima yelped. "That's enough! We just got Naruto-chan back safe and you immediately attack him? What is wrong with you?"

"Oh don't look at me like that!" the Head yelled. "The kid deserves it for all the worry he put us through!"

"That may be true!" was Shima's replied yell. "But that is not reason to give the poor boy a concussion! He gets enough of those from Godaime-sama as it is!"

"I'll do whatever I damn well please, woman! Don't-!"

Naruto sighed as he made a wise decision – for once – to just sit back and watch from the sidelines, not wanting to interrupt one of the old couple's infamous bickers.

Jiraiya watched on with a fond smile before he turned to his old teacher. "I was doing some very important research in a small village a couple of dozen miles north of Konoha about two days ago," (ignoring Naruto's grumble of "He was probably peeping in the woman's bath in a hot spring somewhere, 'ttebayo," the Sage continued,) "when these two and a few more toads just popped in and started yelling nonsense at me. They said something about me being dead and not being able to contact 'Naruto-chan' before they started telling me that I needed to head back to Konoha immediately.

"On the way here they kept asking me how I was still alive and whether I remember what happened before I died. When they realized that I had absolutely no idea what the heck they were yammering on about, they started telling me these outrageous things like Tsunade-hime being the Hokage and that you and Orochimaru were dead and a whole bunch of other stuff. But what really surprised me… were all these ridiculous stories about my teenaged godson who – the last time I checked – was still twelve and barely out of the academy. They told me about things that I'm pretty sure haven't happened yet like me taking on Minato's kid as my apprentice and how I taught the kid the Rasengan and the Summoning Technique and a bunch of other stuff I'm pretty sure neither Minato nor Kushina would approve of."

The Sandaime raised an eyebrow at that, but soon chose not to comment as he was sure he wouldn't approve of whatever it was either.

"So, anyway," Jiraiya said with a cough. "I came here just like they asked so, here I am."

"Wait," Naruto said suddenly. "Did you say that they came to you two days ago?"

"Yeah," Jiraiya confirmed. "Sometime before lunch, I think."

"That's around the time I got my memories back, 'ttebayo," Naruto said. Turning to the still bickering toads, Naruto asked, "Jii-chan Sennin, Shima-baa-chan, what was the last thing you remember before you asked Ero-Sennin to come to Konoha?"

The couple paused in the middle of their yelling match as they gave Naruto's question some thought. It was Fukusaku who answered, soberly. "I remember feeling your presence die, Naruto-chan."

"Yes, so did I," Shima agreed. "Tou-chan, Gamabunta-chan and the other toads had gathered together to honor your death in Ojiji-sama's chamber when the next thing we know, Gamakichi-chan and Gamatatsu-chan have shrunk and we felt Jiraiya-chan's presence in your world."

"What about the things that happened the day before that?" Naruto asked. "Do you guys remember what you were doing before you got your original memories back?"

"A little…" Fukusaku said slowly. "But it's kinda vague."

"I guess we were all too excited knowing that you and Jiraiya-chan were still alive, we didn't really think about what we were doing before," said Shima.

"What about the other Summons?" Jiraiya asked. "Do they remember anything?"

"I don't think so," said Fukusaku.

"So, how come the toads are the only ones who got their memories back, 'ttebayo?" Naruto asked.

"They must have remembered around the same time you did, Naruto," said Jiraiya. "Maybe the Summoners have to regain their memories before their Summons do…"

"That might be it," Sarutobi – who had been keeping quiet for a while – said. "speaking of memories… Naruto, you said something about finding a way to return peoples' original memories to them?"

"That's right, 'ttebayo," the boy said from his position on the floor – he was too lazy to get back up after the toads tackle – as if he had just remembered something he had long forgotten. "Ano sa, ano sa, do you want me to…?"

"No, no," the old Hokage said quickly. "I was just asking. If it is fine with you, I believe it would be better for me if you didn't return my memories to me. I very much prefer having the mysteries of the future remain just that, a mystery."

"Same goes for me, kid," Jiraiya said, "I- Oof!" before he was promptly knocked out from a punch to his gut.

"I never said anything about you having the luxury of a choice, dattebayo," the blond growled, his fist glowing with the golden chakra that usually encased him while he was in his Kyuubi Mode.

Sarutobi, Shima and Fukusaku just stared at the boy with wide disbelieving eyes.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya was going through the pleasant experience of having his memories rush into his brain like an enraged bull.

XxX

"If being smart means what you say it does, then I'd rather be a fool my entire life!"

Images flashing before his eyes…

The hot springs… Naruto, approaching him, demands that he train him… Can't help but think… 'So much like his mother… Wants to be Hokage… Looks exactly like Minato… Too painful…'

The Chunin Exams… sensei and Orochimaru, fighting… 'Sensei's gone…'

Naruto and Tsunade… Tsunade helping Orochimaru… Naruto mastering the Rasengan… 'Tsunade-hime as the Godaime Hokage… wouldn't believe it…'

Naruto fighting the Uchiha kid on the hospital roof… Kakashi finding him… tells him about the mission… lost a lot of blood… might not make it… Naruto on a hospital bed… 'I'm sorry, Minato… Kushina…'

Naruto's vow to save his friend… to never give up… 'Definitely Minato's kid…'

Training with Naruto… teaching him… giving the kid 'the talk'… watching him grow up and look more and more like his father… 'He could be the Child of Prophecy…'

Akatsuki… Orochimaru… 'Have to protect Naruto…'

Pein… Nagato and Konan… Yahiko… 'I'm sorry…'

Everything's gone…

More flashes…

Naruto…

Mastering Sage Mode… Konoha's destruction… the Kyuubi… Minato… Defeating Pein… Uchiha Madara… Sasuke… Killer B… Kushina… Kyuubi Mode… the Fourth Great Shinobi World War… Edo Tensei… Everyone dying… Last stand… Defeating Madara… Nothing…

The Past…? Kurama… the bijuu… Shinigami… one more chance… have to save them… protect them… last chance…

XxX

"…you alright…? …feel… Ero-sennin…?"

Jiraiya opened his eyes and the first thing he thought when he saw the bright blond head of his student was, "Too bright…" He groaned.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"I said," Jiraiya amended, "I feel like my brain's been squashed by a thousand golden bricks just after I got barfed out of Gamabunta."

"Oh, that's good," Shima sighed in relief.

"Yeah," said Naruto. "Now I can do this without feeling too bad about it."

"What?" Jiraiya choked out before he was given another bijuu chakra enhanced knuckle-sandwich to the gut.

"Not that I'd feel much either way, 'ttebayo."

Jiraiya quickly pushed himself up and furiously marched up to his godson. "What the hell was that for?" he yelled.

"For dying, dattebayo!" Naruto replied.

Jiraiya – and pretty much everyone else in the room – froze.

"For leaving me, Tsunade-baa-chan and everyone else!" Naruto continued. "And most importantly, for not telling me who my parents are!"

"L-look," Jiraiya began, "Naruto, y-you have to understand…"

"My own parents had to tell me who they were!" the boy kept going. "And they're dead, 'ttebayo!"

"Naruto, listen-!"

"Let's not forget the fact that you left me! You didn't even visit me! Not once! Seriously, what kind of a good for nothing godfather are you?"

"'Good for nothing'?" yelled Jiraiya in a horrified and scandalized manner. "Why you little-? I'll have you know that I visit you at the end of every month and every year on your birthday and on your parents'-!"

Naruto quickly cut him off. "Then please explain to me why the hell I've never even heard of you until the-!"

"Well, maybe it's because you never pay attention when-!"

The other occupants of the room just watched the shouting match between godfather and godson quietly from the side lines.

"Look at them," Shima said with and exasperated sigh. "They're fighting like children."

"It's a good thing we don't bicker like that, right, Kaa-chan?" inquired Fukusaku.

"Yes," Shima immediately agreed. "We are much too mature to do something such as that."

Sarutobi wisely kept his mouth shut.

XxX

So, after Naruto and Jiraiya's little… umm… 'argument' – which abruptly ended when Naruto tackled his mentor to the ground while crying about how much he missed him after his death therefore bringing Jiraiya to tears as well – the three shinobi and two toads had settled themselves down in the Hokage's office and were currently discussing a very important matter.

"So," Jiraiya began and everyone quickly gave him their full attention. "There's something important we need to discuss and decide on as soon as possible." He looked at the faces of each and everyone in the room before landing on Naruto's blue eyes gaze. "Who's going to get their memories back and who stays in the dark?"

Everyone was quiet, each lost in their own thoughts, before Naruto spoke up. "The rest of the Jinchuurikis, obviously. I mean, the only reason the Akatsuki even managed to get their hands on us the last time was because we were all separated. They picked us off, one by one until there were only just enough of us to barely be considered a threat. We're going to need their help and work together if we don't want things to end up like before, 'ttebayo."

The others nodded in agreement. "Tsunade deifinitely needs to have her memories back," the Sandaime added his two cents. "The sooner she becomes Hokage and takes this stupid hat off of my head and paperwork off of my hands, the better."

Both Naruto and Jiraiya shivered frightfully as they thought of the foul mood and snappy temper the buxom blond had after having her precious sake taken away from her by Shizune as punishment for the lack of finished paperwork.

"What about your other friends, Naruto-chan?" Shima asked the blond.

Naruto got in his usual thinking pose – arms crossed, face scrunched up and eyes narrowed (Sasuke used to say that Naruto made it look like thinking was too painful for him.) – before he spoke. "Shikamaru, definitely, 'ttebayo," Naruto said with a nod. "He's really smart and he's also part of my graduating class and his team's gonna participate in the Chunin Exams with me and stuff. He'll be able to keep an eye out for me and have my back when one of you guys aren't around."

Jiraiya nodded. He knew the Nara kid – Shikaku's son. And the boy was definitely smart, no doubt about that – he remembered losing almost a hundred Ryou to the kid when he challenged the lazy ass genius to a Shogi match and pathetically lost.

"What about Kakashi?" the Sandaime asked his successor's son. "He's smart and if I remember correctly, you said that he will be your Jounin sensei, right? Won't he be a better choice if you need someone to help cover for you when questions are raised."

"Nah," Naruto said. "I think I've caused Kakashi-sensei enough trouble already, 'ttebayo. The guy died – twice – and for me. I think Kakashi-sensei deserves a break, don't you?"

The blond ignored his godfather's grumbling about Kakashi getting a break and him getting two punches in the gut – and from his own godson no less!

"Very well," Sarutobi nodded in understanding, choosing to respect the blond's decision. "But, if anything were to happen and the only option you are left with is to return Kakashi's memories back to him, I trust you won't hesitate to do so or try to do something ridiculous… will you?"

Naruto shrugged. "No promises, 'ttebayo."

Sarutobi sighed.

Though, Jiraiya really wanted to ask Naruto what he was planning to do about Uchiha Sasuke, he decided that maybe it was better if he didn't say anything about the kid. He of all people should know how touchy his godson would get at the mention of his ex-teammate. He guessed he would just have to trust Naruto to make the right decision on this one.

"And the Gokages?" Fukusaku spoke up. "What are we going to do with them?"

The others looked to Naruto for the answer – because even if they all thought that it would be better to just return everyone's memories back to their respective persons, it would all come down to Naruto and his choice.

"The same goes for them, I guess," Naruto finally said after a short pause. "If I don't have to return their memories back to them, I won't. If I have no other choice and it means life or death, then… we'll see."

The others sighed.

"Why are you so hesitant to give everyone their memories back, Naruto-chan?" asked a curious Shima.

"Because I don't want them to, 'ttebayo," replied the boy. "I'm trying to prevent the Fourth Shinobi War, remember? If I just go around tossing memories of a war that hasn't even happened yet, who knows what'll happen?"

Jiraiya looked at Naruto with annoyance. "Then, how come you didn't even hesitate when you gave me my memories back?"

"You died before the war," was Naruto's quick reply.

"I gained all of your memories of after my death," Jiraiya shot back. "That includes the happenings of the war."

"You deserve it," Naruto said, "for not telling me about my parents." That wasn't entirely true. The boy was just spiting the man for making him – the most awesome shinobi ever – cry like a heart-broken academy school-girl (and he's seen plenty of those from having to spend his academy years with Sasuke as his classmate) over a super pervert like him.

"But Kakashi-!"

"Hey, old man," Naruto called to the Sandaime – ignoring Jiraiya completely. "Do you know what time it is?"

The Sandaime checked the position of the sun from his office window before replying, "It's almost noon." He was slightly surprised at how much time they had spent talking, though he tried his best not to show it. "Why do you ask, Naruto?"

"Okay then," the blond said as he got up from the chair he was sitting in. "You can undo the seals now and call your ANBU back if you want." He started walking away before his eyes widened and he remembered something he had almost forgotten from all the excitement of that morning. "Oh, hold on a sec, 'ttebayo," Naruto called back. The boy stuffed his hands into his pockets before he brought out a few slightly crumpled pieces of paper and handed two of them to the Sandaime and another one to Jiraiya. "Here. Just pour some chakra into one of those and stick it to your skin. The seals will be absorbed into your body, but don't worry, they won't mess with your chakra or leave any kind of mark on your body or anything. And if you ever need me, all you have to do is visualize me and I'll come to you in a flash – literally."

Sarutobi inspected the seals given to him before he gasped in amazement. "These are…"

"Hiraishin seals," Jiraiya said fondly. Turning to Naruto, the white-haired pervert said, "So, you've managed to figure out how the technique works, did you?"

"Yup." The boy grinned. "Thanks again for leaving me my Pa's old kunai, Ero-sennin."

Jiraiya snorted. "I'm just glad that they weren't wasted on an idiotic brat like you like I'd been afraid of. (He ignored Naruto's indignant "Hey!") You even managed to improve the seals and made them permanent."

Naruto's sheepishly rubbed the back of his head at the unhidden pride in his mentor's voice.

"Naruto," the Sandaime called for his attention once one of the seals given to him had been absorbed into his body. "May I ask, what the extra seal you gave me is for."

"It's for you to keep in your office," the boy explained. "Just let it absorb into your desk the same way you absorbed it into your skin. I just wanted to leave a seal here just in case, y'know. Better safe than sorry, 'ttebayo."

Sarutobi nodded at the explanation as he let the seal absorb itself under his desk. Jiraiya was done with the seal that had been given to him and was now working on deactivating the privacy seals in the office. Shima and Fukusaku chose that moment to return to Myoubokuzan to tell the other toads of their discovery.

The Sandaimed did some type of signal and it wasn't long before Naruto sensed the ANBU reappear in the office.

Naruto nodded in satisfaction before he cleared his throat loudly. "And now," he said dramatically as he swayed his way over to the door. "Watch in amazement as I, the ever awesome Uzumaki Naruto, make an eight-year-old brat appear out of thin air!"

Sarutobi and Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at this.

Naruto opened the door and in stumbled the aforementioned eight-year-old brat – also known as – Sarutobi Konohamaru, the Sandaime's grandson.

"Jiji!" yelled the small boy in his high-pitched voice as he showed them the shuriken he had in his hand. "Fight me, kore!"

"Tada," Naruto said with a grin as he indicated his right hand towards Konohamaru.

Is that… Jiraiya thought as his mind took some time to process the image of the small person standing infront of him, the Konohamaru kid that always seems to follow Naruto around? Sensei's grandkid?

The boy charged. "The title of the Godaime Hokage is mi- ACK!"

He tripped on his ridiculously long blue scarf and fell on his face.

The others just stared.

Konohamaru covered his face as he laid on the wooden floor hissing in pain. "Ouch…"

Ebisu – who had made his appearance not a second ago – gasped in shock at seeing his young master convulsing on the floor.

"Is this some kind of trap, kore?" the smallest in the room demanded as he rubbed at his bruising face. His gaze eyed the people in the room suspiciously. The all look strong, he thought before he landed his eyes on the blond boy standing by the door. And that guy seems extra powerful.

Ebisu looked at the two powerful figures in the room before his eyes moved towards his young master – he paid no mind to Naruto – and back again. "Are you alright, young master?" the 'elite' shinobi asked in concern. "And by the way, there are no traps," he said as he adjusted his round sunglasses.

Konohamaru looked from Ebisu to the blond kid. Ebisu – who had just notice Naruto's presence – gasped in shock. It was the Kyuubi-brat!

Naruto's mind meanwhile had started traveling a few years into the future and thought fondly of the boy he had once thought of his apprentice. Now that I think about it, the blond mused. It's been a while since I last saw the Konohamaru Corps. I guess I just never had much of a chance with the war going on and all.

"I got it," Konohamaru said as he marched up to Naruto and shoved an accusing finger in the older boy's face. "You did something, didn't you, kore?'

Naruto smirked and quickly wiped it away before the others could see. And the fun begins…

Naruto grabbed the boy's shirt and started yelling just as he did in the original timeline.

XxX

The next morning, the Fourth Hokage's son could be seen studying his face in the mirror hung on his bathroom wall. He tugged at a lock on his hair and couldn't help but miss the slightly longer threads of sunshine blond he had fashioned as a teen. Naruto lifted his black shirt and stared at the revealed smooth tan skin that still had the few traces of baby-fat he knew he won't get rid of until he was at least fifteen. He'd have to do some serious hard work if he wanted any hopes of getting his old speed and strength back.

Naruto sighed. It's been days since this whole time-reverse and memory thing started. So much has happened…

Yesterday, Naruto had decided to try to keep things as close to the original timeline as possible and only changed the really important things like the Sandaime's death and Sasuke's departure. Hehad spent the entire day teaching Konohamaru his Oiroke no Jutsu and had given the boy his speech on not using short-cuts to become Hokage and how he needed to work really hard if he wanted people to acknowledge him. Konohamaru had left – dragging a knocked out Ebisu – announcing that from that day on, he and Naruto were rivals and that he was going to become Hokage way before Naruto would. Naruto couldn't help but give a hollow smile at how right Konohamaru had been when he had said that.

If Naruo was really going to save everyone and beat Madara, he was going to have to give up on his hopes of becoming Hokage, seeing that his soul would have already belonged to the Shinigami long before that happened. But, then again, maybe he could become Hokage before he defeated Madara or…

He dropped his shirt back over his stomach as he mulled over his thoughts and walked out of the bathroom and into his kitchen where his newly bought orange-and-black jacket – Ero-sennin had transported via toad to the shop where he had bought the original one yesterday afternoon – was hung over one of the chairs at the small dining table. He put it on, but left it unzipped, just as he had been doing these past few days. He then, tied on his modified hitai-ate – he had taken the metal piece off and attached it to a longer strip of black cloth, much like his old one – and checked himself in the mirror once more.

Hmm… the boy mused as he adjusted the hitai-ate on his forehead. It's not too bad, I guess.

Naruto grinned. Now if the jacket wereas big as his old one and he had his Kyuubi Mode on – chakra shroud and all – then he'd look almost exactly like he did while in battle during the Fourth War.

The blond put on his – also newly bought – black sandals and before taking his first step out of his apartment and towards Konoha's Ninja Academy, Naruto took a deep breath and readied himself as if he were about to take part in an epic battle. It had been easier for him to see his friends yesterday because they all still looked like children and he could view them as such, but now… they would all have their hitai-ate on and Naruto was afraid that the familiar faces of his comrades would make his confidence crumble and fail him.

He was afraid that they would remind him of all of his past failures and the pressure might be too much for him to take therefore causing him to fail once more.

No! The blond shook his head furiously. I won't fail! He twisted the door knob and opened it.

Not this time!

XxX

Shikamaru had entered the class that day feeling lazier than ever. He had been forced out of bed and had to drag his feet to the Academy – by threat of castration courtesy of his scary mother.

The lazy genius shuddered as he thought of how much scarier the woman had been that morning. She kept yelling things like how now that he was a shinobi he needed to have a better sense of responsibility – she said many more things, but Shikamaru had already tuned out her ranting by then.

He sighed as he opened the door of the class that was filled with his classmates and the freshly graduated Genin of the year. Women are so troublesome, he thought.

When he entered the class, the first the first thing the Nara boy notices is the head of spiky bright blond hair that was seated next to the so called Rookie of the Year.

As Shikamaru studied the other boy, he couldn't help but notice the determined and serious look the blue-eyed-boy had on his face. It was a great contrast to the large grins he'd fashioned for as long as the Nara boy had known him. He also noted the strange way the blond looked at the other Genin in their class. Something a kin to disbelief, happiness, regret and a whole bunch of other emotions flitted together in the blond's bright blue eyes. He also observed how his friend's eyes refused to turn around and look at the black-haired Uchiha sitting next to him.

The genius walked up to the blond to confirm that what he was seeing was real and that he wasn't still dreaming on his bed – his mom would be so mad knowing that he still hadn't woken up yet. "Naruto?" called Shikamaru.

Said blond turned his head around to look at his friend before he grinned at him in the only way Uzumaki Naruto could. "Hey there, Shika!" the loud boy greeted. Shikamaru took in how different the blond looked with his jacket unzipped and that he was wearing the same look last week during the day of the Genin Exam as well.

"Why are you here?" Shikamaru asked, not bothering to beat around the bush and try to sound polite just because it would be too troublesome. "Today's meeting is only for those who graduated."

The Jinchuuriki's grin just grew wider. "Hey, are you blind or something? Can't you see this?" he asked as he jereked his thumb towards his black hitai-ate. "You're looking at a full-fledged Konoha shinobi, 'ttebayo!"

Shikamaru raised a brow curiously, but didn't question his friend and partner-in-ditching. He absently noted how the black hitai-ate suited the blond more than the blue ones the others were wearing.

And while Naruto was rambling about some random subject or other, a short-haired girl at the back of their class looked on at the blond with a deep blush adorning her face. She fidgeted and pressed the tips of her fingers together nervously. She was really glad that Naruto was able to graduate

The girl was too busy telling herself not to pass out; she didn't notice the person of her affections glancing at her blushing face from the corner of his eyes and smile at how much cuter she looked with shorter hair.

"Ano sa, ano sao, Shika?" Naruto called to the other boy – who he noted with fond annoyance had tuned him out in favor of looking out the window at the clouds that were floating in the sky.

Shikamaru grunted to indicate that he was listening to him.

"Do you mind spending lunch with me today?" asked the Uzumaki in an unusually somber expression. "There's something really important I need to talk to you about, 'ttebayo. If you'd like, we could eat on the roof and I could talk while you watch the clouds like you seem to like doing so much."

Shikamaru just shrugged lazily. "Whatever," he mumbled before he walked to an empty seat at the back of the class. If he hadn't been the genius that he was, he would have missed the quiet sigh of relief his friend heaved at his answer. Something big was about to happen, Shikamaru could tell. And something tells me that Naruto's going to be right in the middle of it.

How troublesome…

XxX

"I win!" yelled two girls – one blonde and one with pink-hair – the moment they stepped into class.

They both took in deep breaths of exhaustion before the blonde – Ino – spoke up. "Looks like I win again, huh Sakura?"

"What are you talking about, Ino-pig?" fumed the pink-haired girl known as Sakura. "My toe entered the class before yours by a centimeter."

"Are you blind?" yelled Ino. And as the blonde started raving about how she entered the class before Sakura could even get close to the Academy, Sakura's eyes darted around the class until they finally landed on the one person she wanted to see the most.

Sasuke-kun! the pink-haired kunoichi squealed in her head.

She didn't notice how the blond sitting next to her 'one true love' watched the hearts in her eyes with melancholy and fond blue eyes. The boy just couldn't help but smile at how different his (future) teammate was compared to the love-struck fangirl he saw now.

As Sakura marched up to her beloved Sasuke like a raging rhino determined to get its hands on its newly chosen mate – ignoring Ino's called of "Hey, Sakura!" – the boy sitting next to the Rookie of the Year hurriedly jumped over his seat and into the empty one in front of him. He had learned his lesson of not angering Sasuke-loving female kunoichi from his original timeline and he refused to make the same mistake twice.

"G-good morning, Sasuke-kun," said Sakura sweetly to the brooding dark-haired Uchiha – who didn't dignify the girl's greeting with a reply, but still gave her a quick glance from the corner of his black-eyes. "Can I…" Sakura blushed, "sit next to you?"

"Hey!" Ino yelled as she marched up furiously to her love-rival. "I'm going to sit next to him!"

"First come, first serve!" Sakura shot back.

"I came into the classroom before you did!" argued Ino.

"No, I did!" yelled Sakura.

"If that's the case," said another girl as she walked up to the arguing ex-best friends, "then, I should be the one who gets to sit next to Sasuke-kun! I came in here way before either of you did!"

"No, I was first!" yelled another.

"I'm going to sit next to Sasuke-kun!"

"No, I am!"

Naruto just watched the arguing kunoichi with much amusement – which only doubled as he thought of how the future Sasuke would react to all of this.

How annoying, thought the twelve-year-old Uchiha in frustration.

XxX

A few feet away from the rambunctious class of newly graduated Genin, a group of Jounin – plus the Hokage – were watching the commotion from the Hokage's office through a crystal ball with the use of the Toumegane no Jutsu.

"So, that's him?" asked one of the Jounin as the crystal ball showed them the face of the last Uchiha. "This year's number one rookie, Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Yes," affirmed the Sandaime from his seat behind his desk. "It's him."

"The survivor of the Uchiha Clan Massacre," said another Jounin – Yuuhi Kurenai.

Sarutobi 'Hmm'ed a confirmation.

The wizened shinobi studied the people in his room. According to Naruto, the ones who were going to pass their teams were hi son, Sarutobi Asuma – he tried not to think of the death his son was going to face – Yuuhi Kurenai, his future daughter-in-law and lastly, Naruto's Jounin sensei, Hatake Kakashi.

Even if Naruto hadn't told him of the team placings, Sarutobi had always planned of making Naruto and Sauske as one of Kakashi's students. The Uchiha boy, because of the fact that Kakashi was probably the only one who could teach him how to master the Sharingan, and Naruto because he believed that Kakashi had made himself suffer enough and that it was about time he forgave himself and let go of his past by facing and taking care of his sensei's sone just as he had promised many years before.

Sarutobi glanced at the masked white-haired shinobi and saw the man watching the amused Naruto through the crystal ball.

Uzumaki Naruto, huh? mused Kakashi as he silently noted how much the boy looked like his parents. Minato-sensei… Kushina-nee-san…

XxX

Said boy meanwhile was covering his head in his arms and blatantly refusing to get off of his seat. It was obvious to anyone who was watching that if he could, the boy would even glue himself to the chair he was sitting on.

I will not get off of this chair! I will not get off of this chair! the boy repeated in his mind like a mantra. I will not jump on Sasuke's desk to glare at him! And I will not…! Naruto's face flamed up in embarrassment and humiliation as he thought of what had happened in the original timeline. He furiously shook his head as if denying the event ever occurring. No! That won't happen! I won't let it!

The blond glanced at the girl's behind him and realized how close he was to them and that he could easily get himself caught in the crossfire of their fight. He decided that maybe it would be better if he chose a seat as far away from the girls and Sasuke as possible.

He stood up and started walking up the isle that wasn't packed with fuming fangirls – which as he didn't notice was the one that was right next to Sasuke's seat – and towards the back of the class where he Hinata, Shino and Shikamaru were seated.

And just as the blond was about to reach safety, a boy had hurriedly gotten up from his own seat to go to the bathroom and had knocked Naruto over in his haste. Naruto – who hadn't been expecting the sudden assault – had been knocked over and had fallen on his back on top of Sasuke's desk.

Naruto blinked up towards the ceiling.

Sasuke blinked at the shocked blond on his desk.

The girls' blinked at the two boys before they started yelling.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled furiously from the crowd. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Get away from Sasuke-kun, you idiot!"

"Stop staring at Sasuke-kun!"

"Well, don't just lie down there! Get off of Sasuke-kun's desk!"

Naruto sighed. He decided that though this was an unexpected turn of events, he very much like this one better than the original.

And just as the blond had sat up on his rival's desk – presumably to hop off and continue on his way to the back of the class – one of the girl's had used the commotion a chance to distract the other girls and sit next to Sasuke-kun. Only she didn't count on the fact of getting caught by Ino, who had immediately pushed the girl in fury. The girl had then proceeded to stumble forward and hit the back of Sasuke's seat.

Sasuke – who just like Naruto had not expected the sudden push – had to push his hands on his desk – on either side of Naruto's orange clad body – to stop himself from stumbling onto the blond.

But – unfortunately – he wasn't quick enough to stop his face from bumping into Naruto's.

And he was too late in preventing his lips from crashing into the blond's.

"Eh…?" Sakura muttered.

"Wait a sec…" Ino mumbled.

The entire class was silent as they slowly processed the scene in front of them.

Sasuke had his hands slammed on both sides of the blond sitting on his desk with his lips connected to… Naruto's who was sitting on top of the raven-haired teen's desk… kissing him…

They were kissing…

Sasuke and Naruto were kissing…!

Naruto was kissing Sasuke-kun!

Once the two boys had finally realized what they were doing and the intimate position they were in while doing it, they quickly separated themselves from the other with a gasp.

Sakura and the girls screamed in horrified disbelief.

Sasuke and Naruto had kissed! Has the world gone mad? Is this the sign of the apocalypse?

'Shannaro!' yelled Inner Sakura. 'Sasuke-kun's first kiss was supposed to be with me!'

The two boys meanwhile had separated themselves from each other. Naruto had immediately hopped off of Sasuke's desk and placed himself as far away from the raven haired boy as possible while he wiped his lips with the sleeve of his jacket furiously and stared at the floor – he absolutely refused to look at his rival – with a pale and horrified expression.

Not again, 'ttebayo! Naruto mentally groaned.

Sasuke had opted to spit the taste of ramen from his mouth and onto the classroom floor. "Naruto," he said to the blond. "I'm going to kill you!"

"My mouth's going to rot, 'ttebayo!" Naruto yelled as he wiped at his lips with more vigour. Then finally, Naruto had noticed the extreme spike of killing intent in the room – which felt worse to him than to anyone else in the room because for one thing, it was directed at him and also because of his Jinchuurki ability of being super sensitive to negative emotions. "I sense danger."

He turned his head towards the furious females in the room and his face grew ten shades paler.

"Naruto," Sakura growled. "You are so dead!"

Ino and the other girls nodded in agreement.

"It was an accident!" the spiky-haired blond said quickly as he brought his hands up in front of him in a vain attempt at defending himself from the onslaught of killing intent emanating from the kunoichis in the room. "An accident, 'ttebayo!"

Sakura and a few of the girls cracked their knuckles together while the rest took out weapons such as kunai and shuriken that gleamed dangerously in the light of the late morning sun.

"Get him!"

Why me, 'ttebayo?

XxX

"Naruto…" sighed the Sandaime as he pinched the bridge of his nose exasperatedly.

The Jounin just watched the poor blond take the merciless beating with unsuppressed sympathy.

XxX

"Starting from today, you are all official ninjas," said Iruka to the class of graduates. "But you are all still Genin – the lowest of the low." The scarred man took his time to study the faces of all of his previous students before his eyes finally landed on Naruto's beaten and bruised face. He hid a grimace at the sight before continuing his speech. "It's just going to get harder for you guys from here. You all shall be placed in three-man cells where you shall accomplish missions under a Jounin-sensei."

Most of the students gasped at this announcement – Naruto was too busy helping Kurama with healing his poor face.

A group of three? mused Sakura from her seat in between Naruto and Sasuke.

Ino smirked before she leaned down to talk to Sakura. "I wonder who's going to be in Sasuke-kun's team…" the long-haired blond said slowly.

"Who knows," said Sakura as she glared at Ino's smug face from the corner of her green eyes.

'Shannaro!' fumed Inner Sakura. 'I'm going to be on Sasuke-kun's team, of course!'

Sasuke just clicked his tongue in annoyance. A teammates would only burden him and get in his way. He would be better off alone.

"Now," said the Chunin after he had given his students some time to mull over his earlier announcement. "We have arranged the groups such that overall abilities are equivalent." Pulling up a single piece of paper Iruka continued. "Now, I shall announce the teams. Team 1 will consist of…"

And with that began the chorus of cheers, relieved sighs and disappointed groans by the students. It was a while before Team 7 was announced.

"Next, Team 7," began Iruka. "They are Uzumaki Naruto…"

The Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki tensed up.

"…Haruno Sakura…"

The pink-haired girl groaned in disappointment at this. I'm doomed…

"…and Uchiha Sasuke."

The Uchiha remained silent.

Sakura cheered and jumped from her seat, "Yeah!" while the other girls in the classroom either groaned, sighed, fumed and glared daggers at the happy-looking pink-haired kunoichi.

The two glanced at their last member, to gouge his reaction. Surprisingly, the reaction they got wasn't what they were expecting.

"Sasuke and Sakura, huh?" Naruto sighed, a dark shadow briefly appearing in his blue eyes.

Everyone was shocked at this.

But they quickly shook the feeling away and just scratched it up to Naruto not having much energy to do much after his beating from the girls. Hey, even the hyperactive idiot has to run out of energy some time, right?

Hyuuga Hinata looked at her idol in concern before her expression turned into one of disappointment. She wasn't going to be in the same team as Naruto-kun…

"And now, Team 8," Hinata heard the teacher say. "Hyuuga Hinata…"

Hinata tore her eyes away from Naruto and gave her full attention to Iruka.

"…Inuzuka Kiba…"

The dog-lover smirked.

"…and lastly, Aburame Shino."

Shino remained impassive.

Sakuran turned around in her seat and gave a 'victory' sign and directed a superior smirk towards her love-rival.

Ino fumed. Why does Sakura get to be on the same team as Sasuke-kun?

'Shannaro!' cheered Inner Sakura. 'Love prevails!'

"Why do girls like tht guy so much anyway?" a bored voice dragged out next to Ino.

The blond girl shot the boy next to her a skeptical look. "You don't even know that, Shikamaru?"

"Because I'm not a girl," shot the lazy genius.

Ino sighed as if Shikamaru had just said that he didn't know the answer to 1+1. "This is why you will never be popular, Shikamaru. I feel kinda sorry for the idiots who end up on your team."

"And now, Team 10," announced Iruka. "Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru…"

The Nara boy smirked. "And it looks like you're going to be one of those 'idiots'."

"…and Akimichi Chouji."

Ino glanced at the round boy sitting a few seats away – who was inhaling a bag the bag of chips he had with him furiously – in front of her and groaned. "Not him too!"

"And that's it for the teams!" Iruka said to his students. "Your Jounin-sensei's will come for you in the afternoon. Until then, you are all dismissed.

XxX

Ino scowled at the retreating back of her skinnier teammate. "And just where do you think you're going?"

Shikamaru turned around and said, "Naruto said that there was something he wanted to talk to me about on the roof." The Nara boy turned back around and lazily walked out of the classroom.

"Hey, wai-!" Ino never got to finish her sentence as Shikamaru had already left.

She sighed. Damnit Shikamaru… Ino internally groaned as she glanced at the still eating Chouji behind her. Don't leave me alone with him…

XxX

"What did you want to talk to me about, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked the orange clad boy who had somehow gotten to their designated meeting place before he did. The blond must have just ran out of the classroom before he did and Shikamaru just didn't notice.

The blond smiled at him. "I'm not Naruto," he said simply.

The Nara boy gasped when he heard a similar voice from behind him. "I am."

Shikamaru only had enough time to turn around and get a brief look at the other Naruto behind him before he was knocked out by a hand that was glowing with golden fire.

Naruto sighed as he dragged his unconscious friend to a shadier part of the roof an his clone dispelled. If things went as well as it did with Jiraiya, then his friend was going to be out of it for at least twenty minutes, which gives them another ten minutes to discuss a few things before they were called back into the classroom.

The blond took out a cup of instant ramen – which he had left the clone to make while he attended the meeting – and started eating. "Itadakimasu."

He suddenly felt a presence make itself known from one of the higher roofs of the Academy. "Something wrong?" the blond asked as he slurped on his noodles.

"Not really," a white-haired man said as he jumped off of the roof and land in front of his dining godson. "Just came to tell you that I'll be leaving the village for a while."

Naruto raised his eyebrow in question; his mouth was too occupied with the task of chewing on his noodles.

"Sensei and I figured that it would be better if we could get Tsunade-hime back to the village as soon as possible," Jiraiya elaborated. "I'll track her down and drag her here by her big boobs back here kicking and screaming if I have to."

"You'd like that wouldn't you, Ero-sennin?" the blond boy chuckled.

Jiraiya just gave a brief smile in response before he continued, "I heard a couple of rumors about Akatsuki being sighted in the Land of Iron, I'm going to go there and investigate."

Naruto swallowed the noodles he had in his mouth. "Be careful," he said to his godfather softly. "Don't get yourself killed. If you do, then I'll use Edo Tensei to bring you back to life and kill you again myself, 'ttebayo."

Jiraiya nodded. He wouldn't be too surprise if Naruto actually did that – the boy was known for keeping his word, no matter how ridiculous they sound at first. "There's something I need to ask you," he said. "It's… more of a favor, actually."

The Fourth Hokage's son looked up from his cup of instant ramen and gave the old pervert a questioning look.

"If you could…" Jiraiya began slowly. "You… In your memories… Nagato seemed a lot happier when Kabuto had revived him and… I was wondering that maybe… do you think it would be a wise decision if… we gave him and Konan their memories back…?"

Naruto was silent as he thought over the idea for a few moments. It wasn't a bad idea… Having his fellow disciples on their side would save them a lot of trouble… but there was the issue of actually getting close enough to them to use the jutsu…

Jiraiya was starting to sweat. He wondered how Naruto would react to his idea. Would he be furious? Nagato did kill him after all, but…

"I guess we could do that, 'ttebayo," Naruto finally said. "But maybe we should just return Nagato his memories and let Konan decide on whether she wants hers back or not. And maybe we could even throw Itachi into the loop as well. I'd really like it if he would just talk Sasuke and tell him the truth about the Masacre and… I guess, he was never really a bad guy…"

"Yeah," Jiraiya agreed softly as he recalled Naruto's memories of skilled Uchiha. "But, let's wait. We'll deal with Orochimaru and the Sand-Sound Invasion first and discuss the idea with the others after the Chunin Exams."

"Sounds like a plan, 'ttebayo." Another slurp of noodles. "So, when are you leaving?"

"Right now," Jiraiya said as he showed Naruto the enormous pack he had strapped to his back. "I think I'll start working on that new book I'd been planning to write since our original timeline."

"Please don't tell me that it's something perverted…" Naruto grumbled.

"It's not," Jiraiya said fondly. "This book is going to be epic and it'll be called 'The Tale of Uzumaki Naruto'."

Naruto paused in his consumption of ramen to stare incredulously at his teacher.

"I'm telling you, this one's going to be a hit. It's going to have anything and everything there is to know about the Great Saviour of the Shinobi World. Everyone will know your name and they'll sing songs about your greatness and everything." Jiraiya's smile turned softer as he studied the dubious look on his godson's face. "I want everyone to know your story and everything that you've done for them – that you're still doing for them – after you've…" the old hermit chocked on his words. He couldn't say it… he just couldn't. "Are you sure that there isn't anything we can do that'll change your mind about this…? I mean, the Shinigami's stomach isn't exactly a five-star hotel and…" his words died in his throat as he saw the apologetic smile on the blond's face.

"Sorry, Ero-sennin," said Naruto. "But, my mind's made up. I don't care where my damned soul ends up, 'ttebayo. I just want-"

"To save everyone, I know." Jiraiya smiled before he turned away and walked across the roof of the Academy. "I'll see you when I get back, I guess," the Sannin threw over his shoulder before he Shushined away from Naruto's view.

Naruto remained quiet as he finished the rest of his lunch while he waited for his lazy friend to wake up.

XxX

A/N: So, what do you think?

Recommended fic of the chapter: Phoenix Rising, by Kai Maciel – a Naruto Fanfic.