Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. This story is made with no profit in mind. I make no money from it.

AN: I'm looking for beta readers.

Altered Story

Chapter 1: Second Chances

=AS=

Part 4

Chunin Exam Tower
The "Forest of Death"
Konoha

Sasuke slumped on the floor next to the first aid station, where medic nins were tending to Naruto and Sakura. The docs were still dealing with the Kunochi's injuries, when his interview with the Hokage ended. He was well aware that the Old Man was suspicious of him, mainly because Anko had seen him use moves he shouldn't know or be able to pull off. The flimsy excuse about Uchiha Ninjutsu scrolls worked to somewhat appease the Hokage, though Sasuke knew that he would be watched closely for the foreseeable future. Though that was a given, with Orochimaru being after him. Which in turn would make whatever plans he had about changing the future somewhat more difficult.

Nevertheless, right then and there, changing the fate of the Elemental Nations wasn't particularly high up on his agenda.

She was here. Just beyond a thin stone wall. Not the insufferable blonde he remembered from his teenage years. Oh, no. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, the Sixth Hokage of Konoha. His Naruto.

She was here. The woman he finally admitted to love had come back with him. Somehow.

On the other hand, once she was back on her feet, Naruto was liable to pumpel him into the ground...

Sasuke's mushings were interrupted by the approach of a familiar Chakra signature. A swirl of air and leaves later, Kakashi was standing to the Uchiha's right. The Jonin was nonchalantly leaning upon the stone wall while reading his favorite smut. And to think that Naruto had continued writing the Icha-Icha series after the Toad Sannin's demise... making her Kakashi's favorite student ever...

Sasuke shook his head.

"Sensei. It's nice of you to drop by," he gave a cross look to his teacher. "I hope that we didn't cut into your reading time, being wounded and all..." the Uchiha deadpanned in a dry tone.

"Maa, maa, Sasuke-kun. It's nothing. I always have time for my adorable little genin!"

"Uhuh. Riiight, Sensei..." Sasuke snorted. 'Pull the other one,' he thought. His onyx eyes narrowed at Kakashi. "This isn't a social call, is it?"

Hatake snapped shut his book and fixed the genin with his single uncovered eye. "Going by Anko's account and ANBU's preliminary investigation, you fought against Orochimaru himself. An S-Class missing nin of Konoha. And you came damn close to killing the bloody snake."

Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly. He knew that those questions were coming, either from the Hokage himself, his Sensei or the T&I folks. Perhaps by all of them together.

"I did train the three of you. You are good for a genin. Almost exceptional..." the Jonin trailed off. "Compared to someone like Orochimaru, that's nothing. Yet..."

"Be careful what you wish to know Sensei. We are in a Shinobi country after all. Who knows who is listening..." Sasuke smirked and looked Kakashi in the eyes. The Uchiha's irises morphed, becoming a spinning kaleidoscope. "My story isn't for just anyone to hear. When the preliminary matches are over and we are back at the village, I'll tell you and the Hokage the truth."

Kakashi studied his student for long seconds, before giving him a curt nod. "This isn't either the time or place for a sensitive conversation, Sasuke-kun."

"That should be obvious even to a bunch of green behind the ears genin!" Sasuke snorted.

Their brief conversation came to an abrupt end when the Trauma Center's door opened and a Medic Nin came out. The woman glanced at the pair and spoke. "The girls will make complete recovery in few days. Their main problems are related to Chakra exhaustion for the Uzumaki and few moderate wounds for the Harunto girl. We were able to fix the damage to their ears from whatever happened to the genin. You should be able to visit them shortly," the medic spoke in a calm and reassuring voice, one she had used hundreds of times on patients comrades and relatives.

"Good to know," Kakashi muttered.

"Indeed."

=AS=

Two Days later
Chunin Exam Tower
The "Forest of Death"
Konoha

Naruto stirred with a quiet moan. Her eyes snapped open and she used her ability to sense Chakra to find out who was around her, while she was busy untangling herself from the hospital bedding and the intravenous system put into her left hand. The first person she felt was Sakura, or at least her subdued and so much weaker signature that it wasn't funny. For a split second, the Sixth Hokage thought that her friend was somewhere far away, but then her mind started truly awaking and with that came all her memories. Both sets of them.

She also felt a load of familiar and unfamiliar Chakra signatures, many of people who had died during the years. Yet, in this time and place they were still up and kicking.

Naruto grinned impishly. She owed one to those magnificent bastards Sasuke and Kurama for pulling out that stunt. She painfully remembered her final battle in that previous life, when almost everyone precious to her was already dead or about to be murdered by Madara. She knew that even her final act of releasing Kurama wouldn't be enough to stop the ancient madman. Neither Sasuke, exhausted as he was, could hope to face his ancestor and triumph.

As for Konoha, it was a ruined, burning shell of its former glory, with streets strewn with corpses.

Naruto growled fiercely. 'That future won't come to pass again. I will stop them, crush the bastards utterly! Obito, Akatsuki, Orochimaru and that bastard Kabuto! Every last one of Konoha's enemies!' she vowed to herself.

"So you are finally awake..." a familiar voice whispered from a darkened corner of the room.

Naruto, who had been able to untangle herself and stood up, turned that way, falling down into a defensive stance that was a second nature to her. A figure, which was a bit taller than herself melted out of the shadows, revealing a much, much younger Sasuke. While the Uchiha was carrying his trademark smirk, she could clearly see the relief in his eyes.

Sasuke released the tight leash he held upon his Chakra, letting a bit of its soothing presence to wash over Naruto. She sighed a bit relieved. Somehow, having a piece back from a future that no longer was, brought her a measure of relief. She gazed at her friend and occasional enemy, and gave him a smirk of her own.

He was wearing a dark blue blouse and pants and she could bet he had his clan's symbol on his back. If it wasn't for the fact that right now Sasuke was in his eleven year's old body, she would have called him handsome.

"We need to talk," Naruto said.

"After the exams. I told Kakashi that I would tell him and the Hokage the truth. After I faced the Snake prick in the Forest, they are more than curious about my current abilities."

"And I spent most of the time knocked out by the damn seal," she frowned. "You are aware that this room is certain to be monitored by ANBU surveillance team, right?"

"Naturally. Anything less would be idiotic!" he glanced at the ceiling, where a masked shinobi was concealed, suppressing her Chakra almost as good as Sasuke had been doing. "Right, Cat?" he asked, smirking at the covert operative.

The purple haired Kunochi grumbled at being found out by genin of all people, and dropped from the ceiling, landing with the grace of her mask's namesake.

"Kakashi and the boss would learn what they want to know in the Hokage tower, when this part of the exam is over. I won't be splitting the beans at unsecured location."

Those words got him a withering glare. "Cheeky brat," muttered the woman before vanishing in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke rolled his eyes while Naruto chuckled at their antics.

"Five more minutes, mum..." grumbled Sakura, choosing that moment to start awakening.

Naruto glanced at the bed at the other end of the room and gave a fond smile to the blanked covered bundle that was one of her best friends.

"Raise and shine, Sakura!" the Uzumaki exclaimed in a sing-song voice.

The pink haired girl's head snapped up and she glared at he blond friend. "Naruto! What are you doing here!?" she grumbled.

"We had an encounter with Orochimaru and few of his subordinates. You two ended up in the infirmary," Sasuke laid out the bare-bones facts of the situation in a bored tone.

For a moment, a blinding smile lit up Sakura's face. It was obvious, that the fangirl in her won the day for a moment, before her expression fell. She looked at the floor. "I was useless!" she hissed.

"You were slacking in your physical training since the accademy. Train, become better. We'll help," Sasuke spoke with a matter of fact voice, for once none of his usual superiority leaked through.

"That's right, Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed, showing a hint of her youthful exuberance.

"That's all and good my troublesome Genin, but it's time to raise and shine. The next part of the Exam start's in half an hour," Kakashi informed them in a bored tone from behind his book.

Sasuke glared at his sensei. Was he emulating the Nara's on purpose? He shook his head in disappointment. It was the damned Icha-Icha. Almost everything was troublesome for the man if it cut into his reading time.

Then a whisper of a smile tugged Sasuke's lips. "We'll let you change in peace," he looked pointedly at Kakashi. "And I will make sure to keep the pervert away from you."

The Jonin stiffened. He sniffed theatrically. "No respect whatsoever. Who are you taking me for, Sasuke-kun? Jiraya-sama?"

"Nonsense. You are only a pervert. That old toad is a leech in a league of his own."

=AS=

Arena
Chunin Exam Tower
The "Forest of Death"
Konoha

They made it on time. Despite what the Uchiha might have thought as a kid, when they wanted, both Sakura and Naruto could get dressed and outfitted with their shinobi gear reasonably fast. Even at this tender age.

Once Team Seven were in the middle of the arena along with the rest of the surviving genin participating in the exam, Sasuke looked around. Somehow the place looked much bigger, yet smaller than he remembered. Sasuke thought that the reason for that was his current position – all too close to the ground thanks to his young body. He disregarded the Hokage's speech about the true purpose of the exams. He had heard it before, more than once. Instead, Sasuke looked over the opposition. It was no surprise that he recognized almost none of the other participants. After all it had been a loooong time since this event. At least for him and Naruto.

In the end, there were four persons that could be deemed dangerous. The sand maniac, who still might become one of Naruto's best friends. Naturally, the Uchiha himself and the impossible blonde he loved... and that bastard Kabuto who was wearing an infuriating smirk.

"...Kabuto versus Uchiha Sasuke!" Hayate declared amidst a coughing fir. "The rest of you, move to the stands."

The clan heir's train of thoughts was rudely derailed by those simple words. If he had had any ridiculous notion that the matches weren't rigged, it flew out of the window. Sasuke looked at the white haired youth, who was smiling at him. Kabuto didn't look like he had any intention of forfeiting. A vicious smile crept on Sasuke's face. Suddenly he didn't feel like holding back much. Or at all for that matter...

=AS=

In the stands, Naruto was restless. Thanks to the memories from her future self, she knew exactly who and what Kabuto was. Even in this day and age, the traitorous bastard was extremely powerful Jonin rank opponent, who could hold his own with the likes of Hatake Kakashi. While the Kunochi suspected that Sasuke could take on Orochimary's agent head on and even win, he would have to reveal disturbing amounts of skill and raw power. Such amounts of them that a mere Genin shouldn't be able to possess.

Despite all that, she couldn't help but want for her teammate to simply crush the bastard. Kabuto had caused Konoha and herself too much pain and grief. He had killed too many comrades and close friends to bare thinking about. Naruto knew that if she was down on the arena, she would do whatever it took to crush the bastard.

Her eyes met Sasuke's who had turned his head her way. The match was yet to begin, with the last of the genin just getting their butts off the arena. Naruto sighed, her expression hardening. While she didn't consciously know it at the time, she had turned into a miny copy of her future Hokage self. There was a steel, unbending strength in her azure eyes. All she needed to do was give Sasuke a firm nod. No words of further exchange was needed. The Uchiha had been given his marching orders, for an act he was about to do anyway. Naruto could see it in his eyes. In his bearing. He was coiled and ready to strike. To kill.

=AS=

To Naruto's left, on a raised platform, was the Hokage's stand. Its main difference, besides a location giving a better view, was the fact that he actually had a chair to sit on. A comfortable one too. Which was a good thing considering that he had to wear the heavy robes and mask of his office on this official occasion. Something that did no good to his aching back. For despite all his power and skill, the Professor wasn't a young man. Slowly but surely his body was starting to betray him. He was hoping that a decent successor could be found before it was too late.

After all, he had retired once with a good reason.

However, those were thoughts for another time. Now he could see for himself how the youngsters, from perhaps one of the strongest generations Konoha ever saw were about to fare in single combat. Further, he was particularly curious the skills of two genin. One was the girl he saw as his granddaughter. The kid of his successor, and predecessor, the Fourth. The child who despite all his power he was unable to protect as well as he wished. Naruto and the "last loyal" Uchiha were the ones interesting him the most in this tournament.

Sarutobi was looking at the blond girl when he frowned. The way she suddenly stilled... Her expression became a mask he knew all too well. It was the same one he wore when ordering someone's death. For a moment he was afraid that the damn fox was influencing the child but he quickly disregarded that idea, because from his vantage point he could see her eyes. While cold and filled with anger, they were blue. With no hint of the madness he would expect if the Kyuubi was influencing the girl.

Even more interesting, was the one she was looking at. It was Sasuke.

Hiruzen's eyes widened in surprise when she gave a curt nod to the Uchiha. An unsaid command, something he had done more than a few times with ANBU and Jonin who knew him well enough. The Professor's mind raced, running through the information he had about those two, especially since the Exam's start. Something had happened to those two withing the Forest of Death, and he didn't mean the meeting with Orochimaru.

The Hokage went from idea to idea, disregarding them as fast as he thought about them. He was sure that neither Naruto nor Sasuke were replaced by enemy infiltrators keen on damaging Konoha. Yet, neither of those two appeared to be the same persons who entered the Forest. Then there was Sasuke's apparent skill and power level. .. enough to fight Orochimaru to a standstill. At that age, even Itachi, who was a prodigy couldn't pull out such a stunt.

Sarutobi ran over his last conversation with Sasuke. The boy had acted like... someone wise far beyond his years... Nah, it couldn't be... Right?

Yet in the Ninja world almost everything was possible. Even bending the very fabric of space and time itself...

The Professor leaned forward in his chair, his whole attention focused on Naruto and Sasuke.

"Begin!" Hayate announced.

Instant later a halo of lighting Chakra engulfed Sasuke's whole body. The spectators gasped at the effortless display of raw power from someone so young.