A return to the past. A second chance. She thought it was the end. That she would never again see the ones she loved so dearly. Yet here she was, in the days of her younger years. Can she save them all from the bleak future she knew, even after having been broken? FemNaruto

Prolog

Is this the End?

There it was again. That searing sensation in her chest. 'How many times has this happened?' She took in a ragged breath only to choke on the putrid air that surrounded her. Coughing violently, scarlet liquid splattered onto the broad chest in front of her.

Her stormy eyes found it difficult to focus. 'So much red.' Another wave of pain shot through her body and the girl found it hard to even think. 'Never liked the color...'

She looked up to the face of the man whose hand now stuck out of her back. The edges of her vision were fading into black but she could still see his swirling red eyes clearly as he gazed down at her. 'Oh, that's why.'

The man's face had already taken on a look of indifference, his eyes already fading into their natural inky-black state. In that moment, she felt a sense of familiarity, almost a comfort in his cold gaze. After all, he was not the first to look at her that way. 'Are all the Uchiha like this?' Even in her state, she found humor in the thought. '…maybe it's a requirement to get their stupid eyes."

"D-don't look… like that…" She gasped out to the man. With a defiant yet pained grin, she continued. "We… are not… through."

The man sneered at the knowing look in her eyes. Here she was moments from death and she had him questioning his victory? His chest clenched in a twinge of fear as the dying woman let out a guttural laugh. NO! He would not let this vixen get to him. She was just a bug under his foot. She had outlived her usefulness and he would be rid of her!

He twisted his arm within her, bringing out the most satisfying scream.

Now, that was better. The slightest smirk lifted his pale lips as the young woman's trembling hands gripped at his torn armor. It was a desperate attempt to keep herself standing, yet, she still fell before him. Just as it should be.

Screaming.

It wasn't her own, that she was sure. And she knew, with painful certainty, that there was no one left alive on the battlefield that would scream and mourn her death. It was only after the cries took on a more feral quality that she realized that the sound came from within her own mind. Was the old fox mourning her demise? Or was he lamenting the incompetence of another weak human host?

There was no way to tell which emotion drove the chakra beast's cries as her mind drifted into darkness.

You must have heard the saying, right? 'When you die your life flashes past your eyes.' Well, it's not always such a pleasant thing, excluding the dying part. You'd hope to see happy memories. But all the young woman could see was covered in red.

Her hair spilled around her in a broken halo of gold, scarlet, and mud. Her skin paled. 'Why?' Her chest ached despite the numbness that took hold of her. 'So many died. It's not… suppose… like this… My p… promise.' The watery tears that filled her eyes did nothing to keep the life from draining away.

The man stared down at woman's body. It was a pity. Now that the fight was over he actually took the time to take in her appearance. She was quite beautiful. In fact, she shared many of the same features as Mito. The same shape of eyes. The same narrow nose. Though these were common among the Uzumaki women.

Looks were not the only thing that connected the two, though. It was how they both stood in his way. Mito may have taken the nine-tails away from him in battle and then choose the Senju over himself in love.

But this one little girl had caused him so much trouble. Her very presence had brought hope to the five nations, spurred an alliance between them. She herself was strong and equaled him in battle. Yes, it was a shame she had to die. He doubted she would have ever accepted him as a lover, though.

His hand gripped the object he tightly fisted. Oh! The irony.

He couldn't hold back the laughter that swelled, thoughts of the vixen forgotten. Finally! His vengeance was complete with the total annihilation of that despicable Hidden Leaf village. And with her death, as pitiable as it was, no one stood in his way. His victory was at hand. He simply had to wait for the Kyuubi to reform. What were another few years compared to the eighty he had already spent waiting.

The man grinned as he stepped over the young woman's unmoving body and strode past the multiple bodies of fallen shinobi. Whistling a tune as he tossed the object in his bloodied hand. With a soft thud, it landed on the war-torn earth.

The un-beating and broken heart of Uzumaki Naruto.

AN: Wow! I really did it. This is my first time putting anything I've written online. I've written a lot but not fanfiction. Please, let me know what you think and I'll give you more. I have about ten chapters of the story already done but I want to take my time to make sure that they are right.

Thank you for reading

AveonThorn