Her Face
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Kyuubi talking to Naruto in bold italics.
Naruto talking to Kyuubi in bold.
Chapter 4
Kakashi, Kurenai, Guy, and Asuma were rather frustrated to put it mildly. They were trying to eavesdrop on what was going on in the Hokage's office, but they couldn't. They couldn't hear a damn thing.
"He must have soundproofed it." Kurenai whispers and the others nod in agreement.
"Well there is still body language! The power of youth won't be defeated that easily!" Guy says as he strikes a dramatic pose.
Kakashi frowns as they watch through the window. The Third was definitely talking to an Uchiha. The man had to be an Uchiha. That Clan definitely had a distinctive look. Unfortunately, Kurenai was right. The office was extremely well soundproofed.
"The Uchiha's body language looks pretty tense. I think he's in some kind of trouble." Asuma says.
The four children frown as they try to figure out what was going on. After awhile though, the Uchiha's shoulders slump in resignation. He was giving up on something and the Hokage looked rather pleased with himself.
"Wait. I think the Uchiha might have something up his sleeve. Lord Hokage looks a little annoyed." Guy points out.
Indeed. The Hokage did look a little irritated and the stranger was smiling as he sipped his drink. Something was up. Something big was up.
"Well I don't think we are going to find anything else out by standing around next to a soundproof office. We should probably go. Someone is going to notice us, if we just stand around here all night." Kurenai reasons and the others nod.
They all quickly head back towards their respective homes. An unspoken agreement had been formed. They were going to find out what was going on between the Uchiha and the Hokage.
Soundproofing Jutsus be damned. They were no match for a child's curiosity. Though Guy put it a different way. Soundproofing Jutsus were no match for the power of youth!
The next morning, Sasuke groans when he wakes up back in Apartment 17 and the sunlight streaks through his windows. He really should have closed the curtains. Sighing, he gets up and stretches.
"If I'm going to do this, I have to figure out a way to improve relations between our Clan and the rest of the village." Sasuke says.
He wasn't sure how he was going to do that. Talking to the Third might help. Sarutobi sorta knew what was going on. That and no one knew this village better than him.
"HURRY, OBITO! You're going to be late for school!" Sasuke hears someone call out from down below.
He winces. Obito? In hindsight, he should have seen that one coming. If he had his math right, Kakashi would be about seven. That meant Obito would be as well.
Obito was here. Sasuke just wasn't sure what to do about that yet. The kid was completely innocent in this era and in the end, he had been a victim of circumstance more than anything else.
"Alright. So I have to save my Clan, including Obito. It'd also be a bonus, if I could save Naruto's parents." He mutters to himself as he quickly gets dressed.
He wasn't sure where he was going to go exactly. He figured that Mikoto would probably know where he was supposed to be. He certainly wasn't going to the Academy, but he didn't have any missions.
The most natural solution would be for him to join the Military Police Academy, but he didn't know if his father would go for that. Fugaku was clearly suspicious of him. He might not want Sasuke to join the Force.
"Not that I can blame him. If I was in his sandals, I wouldn't let me join either." He mutters to himself.
It hurt. The eras might have changed, but he still didn't REALLY know his father. His memories of his father had faded with time. They were a little fuzzy around the edges, but he knew one thing.
Sasuke had never known Fugaku Uchiha. The man had other things on his mind at the time. He remembered a powerful and proud ninja. One who was rather stern and traditional. He certainly didn't wear his heart on his sleeves.
"I guess all I can do is ask. It would be useful to join the Military Police Force. It would give me more access to my Clan and a better chance to prevent the Massacre." He says to himself as he heads out the door.
Looking back on it now, he supposed opposites really did attract. How else had Mikoto Uchiha married her complete opposite? Sasuke knew that it hadn't been an arranged marriage. So clearly, Fugaku had opened up to at least Mikoto. He wasn't COMPLETELY unreachable.
As Sasuke was walking outside, he bumped into something. Something small and furry? He blinks and looks down. Oh. A cat.
"Sorry." He says to the cat and reaches down to pet the poor creature that he had stumbled into.
"It's alright." The feline replies and Sasuke blinks.
Right. A Ninja Cat. He should have seen that one coming. The Uchiha Ninja Cats were the only living reminder of their Clan in the modern era, besides himself. They were probably prowling throughout over the District.
"Oh good. Do you know if Mikoto is up?" He asks.
"Mikoto should be out in a few minutes. I'm Tsuki. I'm bonded with her." The feline says proudly.
Alright. Sasuke mentally translates that to Tsuki being essentially his mother's version of Garuda or Aoda. He could work with that.
"Good morning, Daisuke. I see that you met Tsuki. Tsuki this is Daisuke. You might not remember him. He's grown a lot since you last saw him." His mother says sweetly.
"Oh yes. He's a big tomcat now. Definitely not a kitten anymore. I'm going to go see if the fisher will share any of his catch with me while you show him around." Tsuki says as she bounds off.
Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. Well that was the difference between a Ninja Cat and a Ninja Dog. A Ninja Dog waited for orders. A Ninja Cat did whatever it liked, until you made your "suggestions."
"Come along. I'll take you to the Police Station. I'm certain that they'll get you suited up quickly." Mikoto says.
"Do you really think that Fugaku is going to let me join? I don't think he likes me that much." Sasuke says.
"Fugaku can take awhile to warm up to people. You said it yourself. He's like a lion protecting his pride. He just has to remember you are part of his pride. Besides, don't worry about him. I'll take care of him." She says with a wink.
Oh you have no idea, how right you are about that, Sasuke thinks to himself slyly. Minato had told him that it was obvious his parents liked each other. They weren't together yet though.
It was only a matter of time. That much was obvious. Itachi would be born two years form now, if the timeline wasn't altered too significantly. That meant his parents had to get together and soon.
"Oh I'd love to see you take care of him. He seems pretty stubborn." Sasuke says.
"Believe me, he is. I'm just more stubborn." Mikoto assures him as they head towards the Police Station.
Meanwhile Kushina and Minato were walking around the village. The two of them were on a date. Kushina couldn't help but notice her boyfriend was extremely distracted.
"Is everything alright? You've been totally spacing out on me!" She says accusingly.
Minato rubs the back of his head sheepishly. What could he really say? He didn't even know what was going on yet. Neither did Fugaku.
He couldn't lie though. Something seemed unusual about Daisuke Uchiha, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"It's a long story. Daisuke Uchiha has returned." Minato says conversationally.
He figured the easiest way to deal with the situation was to act casual. He loved Kushina, but she put her heart and soul into everything. Unfortunately, that also included conspiracy theories.
"Daisuke Uchiha? Who is that? I've never heard of them." The red head replies in confusion.
"He's Mikoto's cousin." He supplies helpfully.
Kushina tilts her head to the side as she tries to recall Daisuke. Hmm. She was coming up with a blank. Then again, the Uchihas were a huge Clan. It was easy to forget about a few of them.
"Well that's good news then. I'm sure that Mikoto is thrilled!" She says excitedly.
"Yeah. It's good news and I'm sure she's happy. It's just that Fugaku thinks something funny is going on. I have to admit the resemblance between Mikoto and Daisuke is uncanny." The blonde offers.
"I don't know why that would bother you. Of course, they look alike. They are cousins and Uchihas tend to look alike to begin with." Kushina says knowledgably.
"Maybe. Maybe you're right. I might just be overanalyzing things. So did you want to go to the Ramen Shop?" He asks.
"I'd love to go! I heard they are unveiling a new flavor!" She says with a dazzling smile.
"Alright. Let's go check it out." Minato says with a chuckle as he leads his girlfriend off to the shop.
He really didn't know how she did it. Somehow, Kushina made ramen sexy. Oh he liked ramen well enough, but he had never fully appreciated it until he saw Kushina eat it.
There was just something really attractive about the way she would completely savor it and the way she sucked on those noodles. Mentally, he slaps himself. Clearly, he had been spending too much time around Jirayia.
"Ah here's a table." Kushina says as she pulls out a chair and gestures for the blonde ninja to join her.
"Yeah. Good find." He says with a grin.
Kushina might have a point. There was a very real chance that it could just be a very strong resemblance. He and Fugaku might be worried over nothing.
"I still would like to meet this Daisuke. It's not like you to get so anxious about anything." Kushina decrees and Minato rubs the back of his head sheepishly.
He probably should have seen that one coming. Kushina might be the Nine Tailed Fox's host, but she was as curious as one of the Uchiha Clan's beloved Ninja Cats.
"Well that's kinda up to him." Minato replies cautiously.
"Oh don't be silly. It's not that big a village. Sooner or later, I'll bump into him. You'll just have to point him out to me." She insists.
Minato sighs. He could tell when he had been defeated. Reluctantly, he nods his head. Hopefully, their meeting would end in disaster.
Back in the Uchiha District, Fugaku sighs as he goes over some of the latest reports. Mostly it was tedious paperwork. He didn't see anything that was too concerning.
He would much rather be out in the field at the moment or at least patrolling the streets. Unfortunately, being the Chief of Police meant that he had to battle the Paperwork Monster regularly.
"There is no more sadistic foe than paperwork. Paper cuts are not to be taken lightly." He mutters in annoyance as he sips his coffee.
"Maybe you should wear mittens while you do paperwork." He hears a feminine voice suggest with a slight giggle.
Fugaku sighs and looks up at the ceiling. Why him? Why did Mikoto have to pick that moment to walk in on him?
Oh lovely. She wasn't alone. She had brought Daisuke with her. Damn it. This was going to get ugly and quickly. He knew exactly what the dark haired beauty wanted and there was no way that he was going to give it to her.
"No. I'd lose the necessary dexterity to complete my word. I also know what you are going to ask about Daisuke. The answer is no. He just came back from a long mission. He should enjoy a vacation before jumping back into things." He says firmly.
Mikoto shakes her head and sighs. She knew that he was going to be difficult, but the Uchiha woman had meant what she said. She was far more stubborn than Fugaku and she was going to prove it.
"You're all stretched too thin. Another set of hands would be useful." Mikoto reasons as she sits on his desk.
"Mikoto, will you kindly get off my desk?" He asks.
He HATED when she did that. It gave him a lovely view of the woman's legs and that was far too distracting. That and the last thing he wanted was for Mikoto to catch him looking. She'd probably smack him for being a pervert.
"I like your desk though. That and I know it annoys you. I'm not moving until you agree to be reasonable." She insists.
Fugaku pauses as he considers how likely that reaction was. On second thought, Mikoto probably wouldn't smack him. That was more of a Kushina thing. She'd either tease him without mercy about it until the day one of them died or she'd lock him in some sort of Genjutsu. Mikoto Uchiha was not a woman to be underestimated. Far too many people made the mistake of doing so because she came across as rather sweet.
"I don't really mind a vacation…" Sasuke says as he watches his future parents begin their battle of wills.
Honestly, this woman was intent on giving him a heart attack. Surely, that was the only logical explanation. She liked being on his desk?! Did she sincerely not realize the million ways that such a declaration could be taken in the WRONG way?!
"Maybe a vacation wouldn't be a bad idea. Still it couldn't hurt for Fugaku to at least get you, your uniform and registered." Mikoto points out.
"You heard the boy. He is just fine with a vacation. After his vacation, I can get him registered. Besides, I have more than enough on my plate right now. Getting him a uniform and registered is rather low on my list of priorities." The stubborn Uchiha states.
Mikoto raises an eyebrow. He wanted to play rough. Fine. She was more than capable of playing rough, if she had to.
"If you don't get him immediately, I'll let everyone know what your favorite dessert is." She warns him.
Fugaku blinks. She wouldn't dare? Would she? He sighs as he looks at her and decides that she would.
That woman was as evil as she was beautiful. He couldn't believe that she was capable of such cruelty. His pride would never recover, if the other men found out what his favorite dessert was. Pink frosted cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles.
"Alright. Alright. I'll get him registered, but he's not on active duty until his vacation is over and you had better not tell anyone that!" He says.
"That's better. See, Daisuke? I told you that I was more stubborn than him." Mikoto asks smugly.
Sasuke blinks. His mother had done the impossible. She had just changed his father's mind. That was a first.
Scratch that thought. Honestly, he didn't really know what their marriage was like. They didn't fight as far as he could remember. Mikoto Uchiha wasn't someone who liked direct confrontations. Apparently though, she was capable of using "blackmail" to get her way.
"Don't get too cocky. This was a mild thing. I was likely going to have him join eventually, anyway." Fugaku mutters.
His pride had been damaged, but Fugaku knew he'd recover. He wouldn't recover, if the others knew about his favorite dessert though. That would just be a disaster.
"Of course. I just saved us all some time." Mikoto says with a smile as she hops off his desk.
He had no idea what he was going to do with this woman. Honestly, she was going to be the death of him. Between her beauty and unintentionally outrageous comments about desks, he was going to have a stroke before thirty. He just knew it!
"Of course. You were just being considerate of my time." He says.
"Mhm. Well I'll let you two boys get used to it. I have a mission to go on." Mikoto says as she saunters off.
"I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with that woman. It's as if she has no respect for my authority, at all." He says with a sigh.
Marry her and have two children, Sasuke thinks to himself. Of course, he knew better than to say that to Fugaku. That would really mess up the timeline.
Meanwhile back in the present, Naruto was getting really worried. He hadn't seen Sasuke in weeks. He knew that the bastard was antisocial, but this was ridiculous. He had to find out what was going on.
With that goal in mind, Naruto heads to the Uchiha District. The place still gave him the creeps. It was just so lifeless. He had non idea how Sasuke could stand to live there.
"It must have been beautiful, once upon a time though." Naruto says with a sigh as he wanders down the painfully empty streets.
The painfully empty and dark streets. This place looked like the perfect setting for a horror movie. Naruto didn't like it at all, but he had to find out what was going on with Sasuke and that meant going into the Uchiha District.
"Sasuke!" He calls out and grumbles when he received no answer.
Well that didn't mean much. It was late. The last Uchiha might be asleep. Yeah. That was it. There was no reason to panic.
"It's strange. His scent is so faint. It's as if the Uchiha hasn't been here in weeks." Kurama observes.
Naruto frowns at that announcement. He had never known the Nine Tail's nose to be wrong before. If Kyuubi didn't think Sasuke had been there for weeks, he probably hadn't.
"Let's go check out his place, before we jump to any conclusions." Naruto says as he continues on trek towards Sasuke's house.
It wasn't hard to figure out which one belonged to his favorite bastard. Sasuke's home was the only one left standing in the entire District. That was probably just one of the many reasons why the District felt like a ghost town, even the houses were "dead."
"I'm telling you, he's not here." Kurama insists.
Naruto didn't want to believe that. After everything, would Sasuke leave again? Just like that? Without a word?
"I don't believe it. He'll be inside his house! I'm sure of it!" Naruto says with a lot more confidence than he really felt.
With that being said, he races inside the home. He screams and yells for Sasuke. Naruto frowns after a few minutes, when he realizes no answer was forthcoming. That was a bad sign.
"There's got to be something around here. He had to leave a clue. Maybe someone took him or something!" The blonde cries out in horror.
"I know that you aren't stupid enough to believe that. Who do you possibly believe is strong enough to kidnap him? Madara is gone." Kurama poitns out.
"Shut up! He's here! I know it!" Naruto protests and that's when he notices a note.
A note that was written in Sasuke's handwriting. It even had his signature on it. Sasuke had the kind of signature that was really hard to fake. Naruto was pretty sure that Sasuke had made sure of that. This was real.
What he read was unbelievable though. Naruto mentally kicks himself for such a thought, shortly after thinking it. This was Sasuke. Almost anything was possible when it came to the last Uchiha.
Dear Loser,
If you are reading this, then the Time Traveling Jutsu either worked or I'm dead. The Rinnegan gave me the ability to finally fully decipher the Stone Tablets. They were filled with all sorts of useful information, including a Time Travel Jutsu.
Only someone with the Rinnegan can manage it. So don't bother trying to find me. I'm sorry, Naruto.
I really am, but I can't do it. I want my family back. I can't live every day in this village, in this District. It's too painful. If there's a chance that I can save them, I have to take it.
I hope that you can understand. If this is successful, there's a chance that neither of us will remember any of this. If it isn't, I want you to know that you are the best friend anyone could have ever asked for.
You never gave up on me. God help you, you were loyal to the point of absolute stupidity. Sometimes, I thought you were borderline suicidal. That doesn't matter now though.
Thanks to you, I have a chance to get my family back. I have a chance to make this right. I hope that whatever happens, that you will be happy. And one day, you will be a great Hokage.
Sasuke.
Naruto's eyes widen in shock and horror. Sasuke had actually tried to travel back in time?! He must have completely lost his mind!
"I know that he misses his family, but this is insanity! Does he have anny idea what sort of changes this might make to the timeline?! That's assuming that performing the Jutsu didn't kill him in the first place. SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" Naruto calls out.
Soon dozens of clones were formed. Naruto had them search the house and even the District from top to bottom. They didn't find a body. That could only mean one thing.
Sasuke had gone back in time. His best friend had done what was supposed to be impossible. He had time traveled.
"I hope the bastard knows what he's doing." The young ninja whispers to himself.
This was completely insane. Sasuke was messing with time itself! He had thought that Sasuke going to the Sound Village was bad, but that had been child's play compared to this.
Naruto had no idea what was going to happen. He just knew that he was powerless to change anything. He didn't have the Rinnegan.
This was one time where he wouldn't be able to follow Sasuke and that thought terrified him. What was going to happen to his best friend? What was going to happen to all of them?