Edit Notes: April 24, 2005

Well, I've been re-reading my work and I have found out that there were several errors in it. So I'm re-uploading it with corrections. You will be seeing these notes up to Episode 8 with significant point as to what are the changes in the Episode.

In this Episode, most changes where in spellings and grammar. Though, I'm not still 100 percent sure that everything is A-OK, I believe that I have squashed most grammatical errors. A significant change in this chapter is Naruto calling Temari Ms. Sexy rather than Temari-chan. I have reason to believe that Naruto has a tendency to create pseudo names for people around him which he met only a couple of times.

Well, that seems to be about the changes in this Episode. I could say it's not much but oh well. –smiles-

End of Edit Notes

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto… But I wish I did… cries

Author's note: Hello minna! This is my first attempt to write a Naruto fanfic. I've been reading a lot lately and have been intrigued by it for quite a while so I decided to take what is rightfully mine and write what's on my mind in the world of Naruto.

On a side note, I'm not very knowledgeable about the manga. From what I have heard, the manga spun up to the time where Sasuke seeks Orochimaru to be able to grow stronger. And off the anime, I've only watched up to episode 89 (I've heard there was a 94 and so on). I will base the story on the manga where Sasuke leaves Konoha Village to seek out Orochimaru and it is up to Naruto to bring him back and to fulfill the promise he made with Sakura (to bring Sasuke back).

As for writing the actual fic, I encourage the readers to give comments and suggestions. Jutsus like TaiJutsu, NinJutsu, and GenJutsus are also a welcomed suggestion as long as they don't go over the boundaries of the Naruto world. I'll make sure that credit is given to those contributors. Criticisms are also welcome but if they ever reach a certain level then I will retaliate, even the so-called "constructive criticisms." I never believed in those nor will I ever believe. There is a fine line between criticism, suggestion, and one's point of view of the idea. But, please do note of any misspelled words. scratches head

As for indications of speech: "plain speech" Character Speech "italic speech" thoughts "bold italic speech" are Kyubi's or other demons, boss summons, or huge monsters "bold text" Jutsu

I copied this technique from all over the fics I've read in the Naruto section. It works fine so yeah, I'll be using it.

Also, the fic will mainly consist of action, adventure, and ofcourse the occasional romantic scenes (…..oh well, maybe often times!) and as stated above, pairings are inevitable. laughs again

Onto another wish of mine… sees the expression of the readers that of a bored look Wait! This is the last I promise puppy dog eyes

I really wish for the readers to tell me if the characters are getting out of hand or in simple terms getting "out of character" or OOC. Though there will be character developments, I really want the fic to develop on its own and not because a pressing matter needs them to be. I want them to attain their own personality and grow in a way (i.e. Naruto's loudness and being naïve, Sasuke's cool and icy personally, Hinata's shyness, and so on and so forth.)

Well, with all those out, let's get it on with the fic shall we? smiles

Episode 1: The Fulfillment of the Promise! The Return of Uzumaki Naruto!

Deep within the forest of Fire Country, a fierce battle was issuing much to the destruction of nearby trees. The scene soon reveals two individuals, both seem fatigued and limping as to explain why they are heavily breathing and the obvious bruises and cuts that are seen all-over their bodies. The two individuals stared at each other, none giving inch for the other to attack.

One of them wore a black hair which seems to have strands of purple. His upper garment had been torn apart revealing a fair complexion on his body. But the most noticing feature of his body was that it is covered in black flame-like markings. The markings seem to be glowing a slight purple glow that gives it its eerie touch. The boy's eyes were also noticeable since it has a red color with a seemingly rotating black circle within the eye.

The other boy wore a striking spiky blonde hair and a Konoha Leaf head protector just above his brows. His face is marked with seemingly like whiskers of a fox. His clothes are also torn but still managed to keep intact of his body while his body itself was bruised and bleeding all-over.

Both of the boys stare intently at each other, no one uttering a word until finally, the blonde broke the silence.

"Sasuke… Let us stop this… Please come back with me to Konoha… Everybody is waiting for us…" the blond utters while breathing heavily in between speech.

Sasuke closed his eyes. Seemingly to think of something until finally responding to the blonde; "I can't go back… Naruto… I wish to become stronger… To become stronger to kill my brother for I am the avenger…"

"But you can become stronger in Konoha! We have friends that can help you become stronger! Please come back with me! Come back to us!" Naruto exclaims. Sadness and anger both present in his tone.

"But the time it will take for me to get stronger in Konoha is too long! As of now, even as we speak, Itachi grows stronger! I cannot catch up to his strength at this rate! I believe Orochimaru has the answer to it all… He has the power to give me power… The power I need to kill Itachi!" Sasuke speaks ah he opens his eyes, his Sharingan still present and rotating.

"Sasuke…" Naruto utters while dropping his guard and looking down on the ground. His face shadowed by his hair from the glow of the moonlight. "I understand…"

With that Sasuke too drops his guard. The markings on his body stopped glowing and his hair has now been colored to fitting black. His eyes are now also normal, the family bloodlimit deactivated. "Thank you… Naruto-kun…"

Sasuke was about to leave the scene when a voice suddenly halts him.

"No…"

Sasuke looks at Naruto, a Kage Bunshin standing beside him. The real Naruto was shaking from anger.

"This is not the way to become stronger Sasuke! There are other ways! I won't allow you to go! Besides..." Naruto trails as he brings his right hand in front of him. A gathering of enormous chakra could be felt at the palm of Naruto. The Kage Bunshin has now moved near Naruto's palm providing support in gathering chakra and swirling it leading to the formation of the most powerful technique in the blonde's arsenal of jutsus. Seriousness and determination now lines his face. "I promised a special person to me that I will bring you back… I promised my Sakura-chan that I'll bring back the most important person in her life! Rasengan!"

A ball of blue chakra has now formed at the right palm of Naruto continuously swirling and rotating.

Sasuke then once again close his eyes. He took a stance where his right hand is facing the ground while his left is to support the right on its wrist. The cursed seal on Sasuke's body is now once again emitting a purple glow. His hair having the same purple linings from before while his eyes now emits his bloodline limit, the Sharingan.

"Then we end this…" Sasuke utters in a cold voice. His right hand holding pure chakra of blue and purple which seems to be chirping like that of a thousand birds. "Chidori!"

With their most powerful jutsu completed, both growled at each other while leaping in the air, each one delivering a final blow at each other intending to end the long conflict and to prove each own point.

Meanwhile figures of several individuals rushes to the scene. A chuunin, whose hair is tied up, wincing in pain as he tries to walk. His left arm arched on the back of a boy who has a bowl-cut hair and fuzzy eyebrows.

Another figure with red hair is also following suit. Though, this one seems to be carried by the sand while carrying two other persons, a thin one who seem to be unconscious and another male genin who seems to be of the Hayuuga Clan also unconscious.

Closely following suit are two other people, a female with blond hair who seem to carry a large fan and a male who seem to have weird paint on his face.

As the group reaches a clearing up ahead, they all saw the collision of two great genins known to date. Awe marks their faces as the confrontation draws to an end.

Sasuke and Naruto are now high above the air drawing close to each other for the final showdown. The collision seems like eternity as though time has stopped. With each passing second, the two draws near to each other and thus completing destiny.

At that instant of collision, a bright light surrounds the area, blinding the group that has come to watch the final battle. Seconds after the bright light reveals two figures falling down a good few feet away from each other. Sasuke and Naruto both landed on opposite directions on their backs with a resounding thud.

The group then hurries towards the location of Naruto each faces marked with concern.

"Naruto! Naruto! Are you alright!" asked the chuunin with a concerned look on his face.

Slowly, Naruto opens his eyes with discomfort written all-over his face. "Shikamaru…?" Naruto asks trying to recognize the person in front of him with a blurry vision.

The chuunin smiled, obviously relieved to see his friend safe. "You're so troublesome Naruto…"

Naruto soon grinned with that comment which was immediately wiped off upon realizing something. "Sasuke… How is Sasuke…?"

Shikamaru puffed a smoke from his mouth upon hearing Naruto. "Baka! You're here bruised and bleeding and you still think of that stupid Sasuke! You're so troublesome!"

The boy with a bowl-cut hairdo and fuzzy eyebrows soon went towards Sasuke. Relief marks his face when he realizes that Sasuke was still breathing though unconscious.

"He's alive but unconscious though." the boy says while signaling the group.

"Ah… That's good to hear Fuzzy-brows." Naruto utters while slowly turning into a sitting position.

"We better return back to the village to report in. I'm sure they are all worried about us by now." Shikamaru said while trying to stand up himself but soon find out that he can't for at the next instant, he was falling towards the ground.

He never really fell though for a person caught him just before he landed on his face. Shikamaru looks up and immediately has annoyance written all over his face.

"I can stand on my own very well thank you!" Shikamaru states with annoyance and yet a slight touch of red on his face.

"It doesn't look like it though." the blonde woman states while still holding onto Shikamaru.

Naruto by now has stood up and walked towards Sasuke's unconscious body. Slowly, he picks him up and humps him onto his shoulder. "Oi! Shikamaru! There is no time thinking of perverted things about you and Ms. Sexy. We're still on a mission!" Naruto shouts wearing his foxy grin.

Temari and Shikamaru both turned beat red at Naruto's outburst while the others just smirked.

"Naruto no Baka! Bleeding and bruised, you're still loud mouthed and stupid! You're so troublesome!" Shikamaru shouts in defense while still turning deep red.

Naruto then walks on passing by the red haired boy.

"Naruto… Your chest…." the boy silently utters to the passing Naruto.

"Huh? What's that Gaara?" Naruto asks in confusion.

"Your chest… It's bleeding…" Gaara utters ones again this time pointing on Naruto's chest.

Naruto looks on and saw his left chest bleeding in what seems to be a fresh wound. He then gave Gaara a reassuring foxy smile. "Oh that… Don't worry about it Gaara… It's just a scratch!"

Gaara nodded in agreement with Naruto but his expression is somewhat that of not convinced.

And so, the group started on their long walk back to Konoha Village with Naruto leading the way with Sasuke up on his back.

Back at Konoha Village, a lone figure of a female genin stands in front of the village gate. She has pink hair and wears on what seems to be red Chinese dress. She looks beyond the forest of Konoha as if looking or in better terms waiting for something.

"Naruto… Please be safe… Please be safe and bring him back safely…" the female genin thought to herself.

She was about to turn around and head for home when the alarm suddenly sounded. Followed by this was a shout from the chuunin on top of the tower to the jounin just below the gate. "They are back! Shikamaru-san's team is back!"

Immediately, the jounin below the gates vanished into thin air with a puff of smoke while the gate started to open. The female genin with pink hair soon turned and ran towards the opening gate waiting for the arrival of the said team. Anxiety, fear, and restlessness are all to present on her face that she didn't notice another figure stand besides her placing a hand on her shoulder.

The female genin looked up and saw a familiar face. "Kakashi-sensei!"

The male jounin standing beside the female genin bore silver hair and a mask that covers his neck to the bottom of his nose. His Konoha head protector placed sideways on his head covering his left eye.

"Relax Sakura-chan. They are all fine." Kakashi utters while giving Sakura a smile.

The statement relaxed Sakura a bit and waited for the team to arrive. In a matter of minutes, the team immerges from the wounds and into view. By now, a number of villagers have gathered in front of the village gate as well as the fifth Hokage and Jiraiya.

Closer and closer, the team reaches the Village of Konoha. Naruto was now visible from the villagers view much to the relief and obvious happiness on Sakura's face. It soon brightened her more when Kakashi mentioned that Sasuke is with them though unconscious.

The village roared with cheers as the group enters the village. Each was branded a hero that day. Naruto then stood face to face with Sakura with a foxy grin on his face. Slowly, Naruto places Sasuke's body on a stretcher beside him which was prepared by medic-nins to help the injured.

Naruto then turns once again at Sakura beaming his foxy smile. "I'm back Sakura-chan… I kept my promise…"

Sakura was in tears. Tears of joys and relief for her two friends have returned. But the joy on Sakura's face didn't last long for it was replaced with horror as Naruto slowly collapses to the ground. Everyone too was shocked and turn towards Naruto. Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, immediately rushed to Naruto's side peeling Naruto's clothes. Kakashi and Jiraiya, along with Sakura and the rest of Shikamaru's team rush to Naruto's side as well. Their eyes widened in shock and horror when they saw the wound on Naruto's chest.

"This wound…!" Tsunade and Jiraiya utters in shock at the realization.

"This wound is from the Chidori!" Kakashi utters also in the state of shock.

Sakura's eye widened more with shock. The Chidori caused this wound… Then that would only mean that Sasuke is the one who caused it. "No…! Naruto!" Sakura shouts while tears flooded her eyes once again.

Outside the skirts of the forest, two lone figures sat by a campfire cooking food.

"So… Are you ready to go Konoha tomorrow?" asked a silver haired man in his mid 30's

"Hai! Hogumo-sensei!" the boy nodded. He wore a long black hair that reaches his shoulders. The base of the hair is tied in a knot by a red cloth.

"Good! We travel for Konoha tomorrow! Now get some rest Kinjiro-kun! Tomorrow is a big day for tomorrow you become a true genin." Hogumo utters with a smile on his face.

"Hai!" Kinjiro answers enthusiastically. The evident excitement marks the boy's eyes as he went to sleep in a sleeping bag.

End of Episode 1

Author's note: I hoped you liked this one. From here on, we'll be taking wild ride away from the manga or the anime. I just put up this chapter to denote a starting point for the fic and so that it won't be hard to develop a plot for it (which I actually have now laughs)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Till next time!