The Root of the Problem

Lady Wilde

A/N: Thanks for all the faves and alerts and reviews! I'm glad my story entertains you, which is what ff is supposed to do! Thank you so much! Sorry this was slow. I'm in the middle of finals! Anyways, thanks again!

Chapter 2: Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?

Naruto was half ready to believe he ate some bad mushrooms in the forest by accident, but that would not necessarily explain the warm, in-the-flesh all too real hand of the first Hokage wrapping white gauze around his injured arm (Sasuke's handiwork). It was way too surreal to see the second Hokage poking at the still unconscious Uchiha Sasuke while the other two, now named as Uchiha Madara and Izuna, watched with an expression of haughty boredom.

"Uzumaki Naruto, is it?" said the Hashirama, tying off the end of the bandage and tucking it into the wounded cloth. Naruto noted how gentle and nimble his hands were despite the rough calluses on his fingers. He nodded numbly, staring at his bandaged arm. This is real. This is too real. He actually time-traveled! That Sawagu-chan kodoma wasn't kidding!

"Would you happen to be part of the Uzumaki clan from the north?" inquired Uchiha Izuna.

Clan? Naruto stared at Izuna, looking visibly confused. There was an Uzuamki clan? Now way…he's never heard of this! Was he related to this clan then?

"Hm, by the look on your face, I guess not," Izuna said with a small chuckle, "Although…the name Uzuamaki isn't common."

"Never of heard of them?" asked Tobirama. Naruto shook his head, "I'm the only Uzumaki I know…" Well, in the future. Of course, it made sense he wasn't told about any Uzumaki clan. Even Kakashi-sensei never thought to tell him he was son of the Fourth Hokage…

"They're an interesting group of people that live in the north," said Tobirama. He pointed down at Sasuke and asked, "This friend of yours have a name?"

"Uch..er…" he caught himself. Should he tell them that Sasuke was an Uchiha? He decided probably not yet. "Er…Sasuke…"

"Come again?" said Hashirama, puzzled, "What was his last name?"

"No idea," Naruto lied before he could stop himself.

"Sasuke," repeated Madara, nodding in approval "Now that's a good name. A strong name. But Naruto? The person who named you must've been drunk at the time. Who the hell name their kid after a fishcake?"

The Fourth Hokage, Naruto thought irritably as he looked at Uchiha Madara. Naruto decided he and Madara were destined to be enemies, no matter what the timeline. He was so much like Sasuke it pissed him off—the good looking face, the arrogance, that—that Uchiha-ness! Izuna, the brother, was no better, but he seemed to tone down the 'I-am-Uchiha-therefore-naturally-infinitely-more-talented-than-thou' atmosphere the other two exuded.

Naruto hmphed and exclaimed, "It's a name of a future hero, so don't forget it!" Seriously, thought Naruto, don't you forget it because I'm the one who's gonna kick your ass in the future! It was then a thought struck Naruto—he was in the past (yes yes, for the hundredth time), that meant he could change the course of things, right? He could make sure Uchiha Madara doesn't become a threat to Konoha, and thus he would have nipped the problem in the bud! He would not have to kick Madara's ass in the future if that was the case, nor will Sasuke have reason to be an evil, angry avenger. Excellent! So this is why Sawagu-chan sent him back to grant his wish! Not bad, not bad at all…

"You got spirit, Naruto-kun," Tobirama said with an approving smirk, "But you lack proper shinobi fashion sense."

Naruto blinked, "What?" Fashion sense?

"That orange is unbecoming of a soldier of the shadow," said Hashirama, chuckling, "That's what he's saying. Although, I think it's quite unique. Not something I would wear for anything involving being stealthy, however."

"Unless you were in a field of oranges," offered Izuna with a laugh, "Or tub of orange juice…"

"Or a field of sunflowers," added Hashirama with a grin.

Naruto pouted, not liking that the past Hokages were making fun of his clothes, "I've never had a problem with it before."

"Then you must be really inexperienced, really lucky or really powerful that stealth isn't a problem," Tobirama said, "Which one is it I wonder?"

Naruto opened his mouth the answer but stop as he saw Sasuke starting to stir. He froze, remembering just what Sasuke and he were doing before they were thrown into the past by an overzealous tree sprit. Before he knew it, he was up on his feet, kunai in hand in a defensive position. Hashirama looked startled, Tobirama surprised, Izuna frowned and Madara looked immensely intrigued.

Naruto watched anxiously as Sasuke groaned, opened his eyes and glanced around groggily. It took the Uchiha a few moments to regain his full senses it seems, because only after some time looking around dazed and confused did he suddenly jump to his feet, reaching for his katana. He looked around wildly, taking in his new surroundings with cautious eyes. He still had not spotted Naruto. His legs were strangely weak, and one knee gave in suddenly and he fell onto it.

"Woah there, kid," said Hashirama, taking a hold of Sasuke's shoulders, "Take it easy." Sasuke looked up, looking irritated but his expression changed immediately seeing Hashirama's face. So you recognize him too, Sasuke, thought Naruto.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "Who are you?"

Hm, maybe not. Before Naruto could call out for Sasuke, Uchiha Madara had stepped towards him. Naruto jumped when he saw Madara's eyes red with the activated Sharingan. The older Uchiha spoke, "The question is: who are you? That is the Uchiha crest you are wearing on your back."

Sasuke whipped around, and Naruto mentally cringed when the Sasuke's eyes widened significantly when he saw Madara, no doubt thinking the same thing Naruto thought when he first woke up. Worse, with the sharingan activated, there was no doubt to Sasuke that the man was an Uchiha, and there was no hiding from the men that Sasuke was an Uchiha. Stupid Sasuke wearing his clan's fan so openly! Naruto wondered if Sasuke recognized him as Madara.

"Who are you?" asked Sasuke (Guess he doesn't recognize him, thought Naruto), "You have the Sharingan—"

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried out. Sasuke's attention immediately turned to him, his eyes intense yet so visibly confused.

"Is he an Uchiha?" asked Tobirama, watching the event with mild bemusement.

"An Uchiha who doesn't recognize Madara?" asked Hashirama, frowning. He cast a glance at Naruto who seemed to be making intense eye contact with Sasuke.

Sasuke reacted immediately to the name Madara, although it was a very slight reaction. It didn't go unnoticed by the four men, and Tobirama smirked. He looked at Madara and asked, "Madara…you sure you haven't done anything?"

"I don't know an Uchiha Sasuke," said Izuna, looking over Sasuke, "He certainly looks like us. What about you, Madara?"

"You're Madara?" asked Sasuke in a low growl, pointing the katana at the said Uchiha. Madara just raised his eyebrows.

"Sasuke, don't do anything stupid!" Naruto shouted.

"That's my line, idiot!" Sasuke retorted, "What the hell happened? What did you do?!"

"Look around you and figure it out, ya bastard!" Naruto answered. Sasuke cringed slightly at being told to figure something out by the usually dense Naruto. However, he did so (somewhat grudgingly), surveying his surroundings. The man he first saw, the man he thought he recognized stood by another man he swore he recognize too. The spiky white hair reminded him of Kakashi, but the combination with the red eyes, and face markings really looked liked—Sasuke stopped at this thought. There was no way, yet…

He glanced back at this Madara, a Madara he certainly did not recognize. Not that he had seen the man behind the mask, but it is something else to see a young, mask-less man with really long hair as Uchiha Madara. This would only make sense if one of these three possibilities: 1) He was stuck in someone's (probably not Naruto since the blond shows no aptitude for this) genjutsu, perhaps cast by that strange girl, or 2) He was going insane or he ate something bad, and lastly, 3) if he dared to say it…time-traveled. He snorted mentally at himself. Right. Time travel. What was he, 5 years old? There has to be another explanation as to why he was seeing and possibly conversing with two dead Hokages, and the presumably young Uchiha Madara. There has to be.

"I take it you two aren't exactly buddies," muttered Tobirama looking between the two boys, "Either that or you two are so awfully close that name-calling is actually a sign of endearment…"

Both Sasuke and Naruto threw Tobirama irritated glares.

"Not that huh?" mumbled Tobirama, smiling sheepishly at the reactions.

"So kid," began Madara, his sharingan still activated, "You really an Uchiha?"

Sasuke answered by activating his sharingan, his normal three tomoe sharingan, of course. Madara smiled at the display, and Izuna looked surprised.

"Three tomoe already," said Izuna, "How come we have never heard of you?"

"Sasuke, wait!" Naruto dashed towards him, pulling backwards, "Don't you realize what's going on?!"

"Perfectly," answered Sasuke coolly, "We're both crazy. If not that…then…"

"Then what?" asked Hashirama, "How did the two of you get here anyways? This part of the forest belongs to the Senjus."

"Konoha," Sasuke said in a firm voice, ignoring Hashirama, "We've come—"

"Hahaha…Sasuke!" interrupted Naruto quickly, roughly shoving the Uchiha, "He agrees with me too that Konoha is a great name for a village!" Sasuke glared at him, but he seemed to get it and did not press the matter.

"You two are quite the fan of the name, aren't you?" asked Tobirama, forehead crinkled in question.

"Which is why if you guys decide to…you know…create a village, you should name of Konohagakure no sato!" exclaimed Naruto.

"You haven't answered my question," said Hashirama, his voice even but firm and serious, "Where are you two from?"

"Um…" Naruto began, but it was Sasuke who answered, "Naruto is from a small village on the outskirt of this country."

"What about you?" asked Tobirama, "You're an Uchiha through and through…yet Madara nor Izuna recognize you."

"Do Madara and Izuna know of everyone in the clan?" asked Sasuke, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, "It is a big clan. Besides, my family…we work for the clan abroad. I have come back to main clan to join and work under Uchiha Madara. Naruto is my…" he glanced at Naruto briefly, "…companion."

"Hm, that is true we don't know every Uchiha well," conceded Izuna, "And we do have shinobis working abroad…"

"So you've come to work under me?" asked Madara, looking amused, "Well, let's see how living abroad have strengthened a Uchiha—"

"Madara we will not have any fights!" Hashirama exclaimed irritably, "At least not now. Do that in your own time."

Madara looked slighted, but obeyed, much to the relief and surprise to the two boys. However, something told Sasuke he wasn't going to get off that easy. Madara had that usual 'I'll deal with you later' Uchiha expression, one that Sasuke have seen a lot of times of his father. However, the Madara's actually sent a chill down his spine. Now that hasn't happened since he imagined Kakashi's face with buckteeth and fish lips.

"What village are you from?" asked Hashirama, staring straight at Naruto with serious eyes. Naruto got a vague feeling he was going to be interrogated.

"Er…" Naruto's mind raced to think of a name, "Uzz…er…zzzohhhki? Uzoki? Right, I'm from Uzoki!" Sasuke suppressed an urge to facepalm.

"You don't seem too sure," prodded Hashirama.

"'Cause he's stupid…" Sasuke answered, "He hit his head hard, forgive him."

"Are you also joining the Uchihas too, Naruto-kun?" asked Tobirama.

"Hell no!" Naruto blurted out, "Not that crazy cl—"

"No," Sasuke cut him off sternly, "He wants to join you, Senju Hashirama-sama."

"Does he?" asked Hashirama, looking still a little suspicious of all of this.

"Yeah I do," Naruto confirmed with his signature sunny grin.

"Didn't you say you didn't know what Sasuke's last name was?" Tobirama asked Naruto.

"Er…I lied," Naruto said truthfully, "Being..cautious…you know…"

"Why would you be cautious about telling Uchihas that your friend was an Uchiha?" asked Izuna, frowning.

"Like I said…he's an idiot," answered Sasuke, much Naruto annoyance (Shut up, bastard! I'm not!)

"Well, the four of us are heading towards the Senju compound," said Hashirama, although he did not seem completely satisfied with them, "Join us then."

"We'll be glad to…" murmured Sasuke in response as Naruto replied with a characteristically energized, "Alright, we will!"

When the four men were reasonably out of earshot, Sasuke gripped Naruto's collar and roughly pulled him closer. He said in a low, cold voice, "Naruto, what the hell is going on? What did that girl do?"

Naruto's face wrinkled irritably as he struggled against Sasuke's grip, "Er, Sawagu-chan? She's a tree spirit! She sent us back in time!"

"Naruto," said Sasuke, his eyes glistening menacingly, "Run that by me again."

"She sent us back in time," Naruto repeated, nervously noting Sasuke's sinister look, wondering briefly if Sasuke decided he wanted to kill Naruto again, "We time traveled Sasuke!" Naruto sounded much too excited for Sasuke at that point. He released the blond from his grip and stared at him for several seconds. It would amazingly easy to kill him now, but with Senjus and the Uchihas not too far off, it probably wasn't the best route to take right at the moment…if he really did time traveled that is. And if he really really did…then…is trying to kill the Naruto still…valid? He couldn't destroy Konoha since there was no Konoha for him to destroy, nor could he take revenge for his family because the Uchiha clan was still thriving.

Sasuke closed his eyes, feeling deeply troubled. One moment the world was shit and he reveled in it, obsessed with tearing both the world and Naruto apart. Now his reasons to act bat shit insane and satisfy his bloodlust and revenge was suddenly turned on its head…how the hell was he supposed to act in a situation like this?

"So Sasuke," came Naruto's serious voice, "Let's call a truce."

Sasuke looked up and met his 'companion's' grave blue eyes, "Since we're in a strange situation and all, let's call a truce until we figure things out. If we really did…time travel…then, we probably should work together for now to figure out what we should do…I mean, this doesn't happen everyday…"

"Hm," Sasuke smirked, "It makes the most sense. That's the smartest thing I've ever heard you say, idiot."

"That's the sanest thing I ever heard you say in awhile, bastard," retorted Naruto, returning the smirk.

A/N: Lol Sasuke is having problems. His reason for being…well…Sasuke has been taken away for now…if he truly time traveled, then how can he claim revenge for something that haven't happened and will not happen until 80-100 years from then. XD

I've been rewatching/rereading Naruto so I could try to write more in character, but it's hard. Especially Sasuke! I don't want to write him all emo and angsty, but it's hard not to! It hurts to write emo angstiness! It burns!

Please leave a comment or review! If you see any glaring inconsistency, typos or grammatical errors, feel free to point them out! Thank you for reading!