Rating: T for language, may be bumped to M later.

A/N: The "past" will be almost exactly like the canon manga/anime… Only, of course, Naruto is a girl. She also holds a larger amount of knowledge in regards to certain events(such as the Uchiha Massacre, Yugito's death, Obito's past) that she shouldn't have had access to. Basically, everything is the same up until mid-war in canon. That's when things take a turn for the worse for our heroine. I'll also be "filling in holes" for whatever isn't covered by the manga but this is written based on my knowledge of the series, so if things conflict let me know. This is written based off of the manga mostly, but I will take some elements from the anime as well.

Written from a prompt for a friend. She wanted a super-powerful femNaruto that goes into the past. She also requested FemNaru/Sasu, but this is subject to change. Just be warned, even if the main pairing ends up being different, there will most likely be setup for FemNaru/Sasu since that was the original idea.

In addition, this fic is heavily based on one of my favorite time travel fics by Fiachra Ochiern, "Doomed to Repeat."

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Also, this is my first fic, so a warning: questionable humor ahead(if any), rookie writing, etc.

This fic features: Time Travel, FemNaru, OOCNaru(an adult Naruto in a child's body. Not to mention, female Naruto. It's going to be pretty OOC regardless).

"Speaking"

'Thinking/Thought Conversation'

Flashback/past memory(or emphasis, on some occasions)

Tailed Beast

I Failed

Naruto's eyes widened. She stared at the figure in front of her, waiting, waiting for him to say that he was lying, to say it was a test of the sort. He only returned her gaze, his three eyes boring down into her very being.

Her eyes shifted lazily to her hands, palms up. They held a pale, wrinkled look to them, almost as though she had stayed in the bath for too long. She noted an odd swirl pattern adorning each of her fingertips, traveling up her fingers and arms.

She wrenched her eyes away and flung her arms to her sides. Her eyes settled to the ground between the two, and she worked to steady her breath.

They had done it.

Madara was dead. Kaguya was once again sealed.

Obito had sacrificed himself to save Naruto and Kakashi, and for that she was eternally grateful, even if he had caused much hardship and pain along the way.

Despite everything that happened, the point was, it was over. It was over, and they were going home to Konoha.

"Home," Naruto spoke aloud. To think, after so many years of battling, training, trying to protect her precious people, she was finally granted peace.

She was going home.

...

"In most cases you would be sentenced to a life of containment or executed, but due to your aid in lifting the Eternal Tsukiyomi, this option is available," Kakashi intoned.

Sasuke held his gaze for a fraction of a second before turning on his heel.

"Wait."

He stopped but did not turn towards the source of the voice. "… What?"

Naruto scoffed. "No words of goodbye to your best friend? Your rival? Hell, I'm practically your damn sister."

When he did not turn to acknowledge her, she walked up to him and grabbed his good arm with her own, startling him. He finally turned to her.

"I'll be waiting, Aniki," she joked with a humorous grin.

The corner of his mouth twitched downwards and his eyes held indefinable emotions. Naruto decided to continue.

"We'll all be waiting for you. Don't make any of us have to track you down again, or I'll beat your ass. Friends don't keep friends hanging, so you better come back."

Sasuke simply stared at her, seemingly searching. After a while he gave a curt nod before turning away and continuing down the road. Naruto and Kakashi stared after him for a while, even after his brooding form had disappeared into the horizon.

...

"C'mon!" The boy whined. His furry counterpart did the same.

"Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen," Naruto continued walking, ignoring the scene they were causing.

"B-but I got stronger!"

"No."

Kiba ran in front of her and glared at her right in the eyes, forcing her to momentarily halt her trek. "It'll only take five minutes! Just a quick spar!"

Naruto scoffed. "Yeah, that sounds about right. It'll take four minutes and fifty-five seconds for me to let you try and land a hit, and then five seconds for me to knock you out unconscious. I don't have time for this, Kiba, I need to go to Tsunade's. She'll kick my ass if I'm late again."

"Hmph, as if you'll actually be able to learn anything with that brick for a brain," he muttered.

Five seconds later Naruto had departed, leaving a noticeably beaten down Inuzuka in a bloody crater on the ground. Akamaru was lying down, happily chewing on the treat he received from the blonde.

...

"Here, Hinata-chan!"

Naruto handed a snow-white lily to the Hyuuga heiress, who stared lovingly at the flower. "Thank you, Naruto-chan. What is it for?"

The blonde smiled, she was glad that Hinata was finally making some thorough progress with her stuttering and social problems. "It's for your flower-pressing hobby of course, and… I guess, it's an expression of our friendship. In all honesty, I really wish that I had gotten to know you sooner, maybe when we were kids. I think both of us could have really used the companionship," she stated simply.

Hinata took out the book she always carried and opened it to an unused page. She gingerly placed the white lily between the pages and closed the book before returning it to it's normal position. She looked up at Naruto with a delicate smile. "… Thank you, Naruto-chan. Truly."

"No problem! We'll always be friends, and I'll always give you flowers to press!" Naruto grinned, and Hinata gave an equally bright smile.

...

"Naruto."

The addressed blond halted her steps and turned around, smiling slightly when she recognized the teen.

"Oh, hi Shino. What's up?"

The Aburame inclined his head in a solemn greeting. "I wished to ask if you could procure a sample of digitalis purpurea from the Yamanaka flowershop."

Naruto's eyes widened for a brief moment before narrowing, her face twisting. "Ugh. Damn it Shino, if I wasn't under Baa-chan's 'care' I wouldn't have understood your crazy lingo, and even so I have no idea what digita-di-whatever is. Why can't you get it yourself?"

"I would not ask it of you if I were capable of doing so independently. Why? Because I do not wish to utilize my comrades in such a manner."

The blond crossed her arms. "... You're not gonna tell me, are you?"

Shino inclined his head again, this time in acknowledgement. "That is correct."

With a sigh, Naruto nodded. "Fine, fine. I'll get your stupid deta-shit-something. But you owe me ramen for this, dattebayo!"

The Aburame gave the briefest of smiles. "I am indebted."

...

"Oh, hi Naruto!" Tenten smiled at the blonde who returned the gesture. "What're you looking for?"

Naruto shrugged and walked over to the counter. "Just visiting my weapon-fanatic friend… At least, that was the plan, but now I'm seriously thinking of getting something." She glanced over to a small blade, a tanto, that was sitting behind the counter. "… how much does that one cost?"

Tenten giggled. "You have a good eye!

"You still haven't answered me," Naruto mirthfully chuckled. "How much?"

"Oh, no, I can't sell it to you, I'm afraid," Tenten donned an exaggerated expression of sorrow.

Naruto's face scrunched in confusion. "Why? Has someone already purchased it? Was it a custom order?" She crossed her arms. "Damnit, someone's already laid claim to it, huh?"

The weapons mistress smiled. "Yes to both, but it actually hasn't been claimed yet, per se…" Tenten placed the sword in a decorative box and placed it on the counter. She gave a small pout. "You know, you ruined your gift. Happy 21st Birthday, Naruto!"

Naruto stared at the aforementioned object.

"…Huh?" Was her oh-so-intelligent reply.

Tenten giggled. "It's your gift, silly! Don't tell me you forgot that it's your birthday?"

Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "Heh… What can I say? I never really had cause to celebrate when it was my birthday in the past… Thank you, Tenten. I really appreciate this." Naruto smiled and picked up the box. "… What are the specifications? Why did you choose this blade in particular?"

Tenten brightened visibly. "It's a chakra blade, and a really high quality one at that! The metal is an alloy of steel and a special chakra metal called "Blood Platinum," and works best with wind, fire, and lightning natures. Especially wind. It gets it's red hue from the blood platinum, and when I first found the metal I was completely ecstatic! There was no way that I wasn't going to make you a weapon without it!"

"You always get so enthusiastic when it comes to weapons." Naruto chuckled, taking out the blade to inspect it thoroughly. She noted the fine craftsmanship and the quality of the metal, inwardly praising her friend for her work. It hummed slightly as she channeled a portion of wind chakra into the blade and handle and she raised an eyebrow. "… How much would you say it is worth?"

"Eh…. Well, I didn't get that much since not a lot was needed for a tanto. The blade itself is about 70% blood platinum, which is actually a rather high amount… I think the worth is… about 90,000 ryo?"

Naruto coughed. "N-N-Ni-NINETY-THOUSAND RYO!?"

The weapons mistress simply nodded and smiled. "Yes, the price of blood platinum went up… There was a sudden shortage! I mean, it was always somewhat scarce, but all of a sudden it became that much more rare. Prices for it went up exponentially."

Naruto sighed defeatedly before bringing her into a hug. "… Thanks Tenten, but honestly! You don't need to give me something so expensive. The fact that you even made me something like this is plenty."

Tenten returned the hug. "It's no problem, Naruto."

The blonde left the shop with a spring in her step. The sharp pain in her head was momentarily ignored.

...

"Yosh, Naruto-san! Let us spar and demonstrate our springtime of youth!"

Naruto smiled at Lee. "Hello, Lee."

It had been many years since the end of the war, and Naruto had come to greatly appreciate the green-clad man's enthusiasm and vigor for life. She had come to realize that their "springtime of youth" saying—Guy's and Lee's—held much more meaning than what some people realized. When she had put together the pieces of the puzzle, she gained a heightened respect for the two oddities of Konoha, and would sometimes have short conversations about her own thoughts on the matter.

"Do you accept my challenge?" Lee looked curiously at Naruto, wondering why she had gone silent.

Naruto was taken out of her musings and nodded, dragging him over to the nearest training field. "It's been a while since we've sparred. I'll make sure that you are unable to do your daily training for at least a week," she grinned manically.

Lee, despite his fervor and appreciation for the blonde's power, gave a nervous chuckle.

...

"HAH! I FINALLY BEAT YOU!" Naruto jumped up with glee and did a half-dance, half taunt. Shikamaru shrugged.

"It was only a matter of time. It's not like you were ever an actual idiot."

Naruto grinned. "What are people going to say when they here that the Jounin commander Nara Shikamaru, lost to the DEAD LAST in a Shogi game? Hah!"

Shikamaru waved off the taunt. "Like I said, only idiots still think that your idiot-guise was real. Almost everyone in Konoha has realized that you are a formidable opponent in strength, techniques, and mind-games. There is no shame to losing to you." He saw Naruto's appreciative gaze and sighed. "Troublesome."

"Heh, well I think I'm on a roll!" Naruto began setting up the pieces again. "Let's go for one more ro-"

She hunched over and fell into a coughing fit, and Shikamaru sat in place stunned. When he recovered his bearings he rushed to Naruto's side.

"Naruto? What's wrong?" The Jounin commander held a hand to her back and felt the trembling of her smaller frame. His concern for her was genuine, and he waited for her to compose herself.

She slowly removed her hand from her mouth and spoke in a low tone. "… Sorry about that, Shika. I'm fine, I promise, the doctors have been taking care of it…"

Shikamaru probably saw through her lie. He probably saw through her "fine" facade. Inwardly, she was trembling and afraid.

In her hand, there was a rather prominent crimson liquid.

...

"Do you have any flowers that don't mean love or whatever? I mean, sure, it's sweet and all, but it's sooo cliche." Naruto twirled the rose in her hands unenthusiastically and motioned towards all of the other blossoms.

"That's rude! Of course we have flowers with other meanings, and love is not cliche!" Ino huffed. She walked over to a batch of flowers and pulled out a rather sparse-looking white flower and a small branch adorned in small flowers, similar to fruit tree blossoms.

"This is the rainflower," she lifted the white flower slightly, "it means, 'I will never forget you.' The almond blossom holds the meaning of 'promise.'" She lifted the branch adorned with small flowers.

"Mm." Naruto noticed an odd coniferous plant in the corner of her eye. "Does this one have flowers too? It looks like a branch from a tree."

Ino laughed with mirth. "Hah, you're close. It is indeed a part of a tree. It's called thuja, or arborvitaes. It symbolizes everlasting friendship."

"I didn't know you weren't strictly a girly flowergirl."

The platinum blonde rolled her eyes at the insult. "I'm a botanist. I specialize in flowers, but I also have extensive knowledge with herbs, trees, and general plant-life. A lot of it is for my medical practices."

Naruto placed her elbows on the counter and hummed to herself. "'I will never forget you.' 'promise.' And 'everlasting friendship.' I like these three."

"The plants themselves or their meanings?" Ino questioned as she placed the flowers back in their respective pots.

Naruto smiled. "Both."

...

"Another bowl, Teuchi-jiisan!"

"Me too!"

Naruto sent a glare Chouji's way and he sent an equally potent one.

The two had ended up having an eating contest. Naruto couldn't even remember why, or how, but she had accepted his challenge… It had been many years since she had last had an eating contest with the Juurokudaime Akimichi head. She had to admit, it was rather fun going up against the infamous bottomless pit.

19 ramen bowls later for her, 18 ramen bowls later for Chouji, and Naruto was declared the winner.

"Hah! I won this time, Chouji! What's the record now? Six to Five?" She turned to her friend who was begrudgingly counting what he owed the ramen shop owner.

"Hmph! You were lucky this time!"

Naruto smirked as she watched her friend's wallet deflate—quite literally. "Sure, sure. Man, we should do this again some time, I almost forgot how fun it was to just hang out and do stupid crap like this with friends, y'know?"

Chouji graced her comment with a small smile. "I know what you mean. There has been a ton of missions lately, what with all of the hidden villages recovered. For the most part, anyway."

"Well, there will be even more missions once I become Hokage! To strengthen ties with the other villages and to protect the five great nations, it'll take a lot of work! I'll need each and every one of you to help me on my quest."

Chouji chuckled with amusement. "Of course."

Without warning, Naruto's head fell forward onto the table, and Chouji stared at her with confusion. "… Naruto?"

"Maa, don't worry Akimichi-kun. I'm sure Naruto-chan is just feeling the 19 bowls she just ate." Teuchi glanced with slight worry apparent in his eyes. He handed back the money that Chouji had given him. "Take her home and make sure she is alright though, and the meals are on the house. Just for today."

The Akimichi leader accepted the gesture graciously and helped his half-conscious friend home.

...

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto started.

The head medic set her papers down and looked up at the blonde. The two had become great friends in the past ten years following the war. For a while, things once again became tense between the two, their relationship becoming as acidic and harmful as it was in their early Genin days. However, the aftermath of the war had seen them both mature greatly, and they grew to appreciate the bond they shared—if not simply because of the many losses they both experienced.

They made this a habit, these daily visits. Naruto would stop by just before lunch, they would chat for half an hour, and the two would go back to their individual lives with more vigor.

"Yes, Naruto?"

Naruto gingerly placed her cup back on the coffee table in front of her. She looked up at Sakura, sincerity in her eyes.

"… You know, despite the past… Despite our battles, differences, discrepancies, I am eternally grateful that we… That we were put on the same team. I just want you to know that I consider you a great and irreplaceable friend."

Sakura gave a mirthful chuckle. "I feel the same, Naru. But don't you see everyone as irreplaceable?"

"Heh," the blonde scratched the back of her head, "I guess so. But you're like… A sister to me. We've had our fair share of fights and clashing ideals, but ultimately, we always made up. I'd like to think that we've a solid understanding of each other at this point… And I don't think that I'm far off with this hope."

Sakura snorted. "No kidding. It was so weird when I found out you were a girl, for the longest amount of time I thought you were a cheeky brat with a stupid crush on me. It's still awkward to think about!"

"I know," Naruto rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I was just so desperate for attention back then. Honestly, I'm sorry for whatever headaches I gave you…" She looked up at her pink-haired teammate and smiled. "Like I said, even though we've had our discrepancies, we always ended up resolving the issues. I really do consider you a sister."

Sakura gave a bright smile. "I have to agree. It's a little difficult to not become inseparable friends with someone you've known for fifteen years, after all… And you are one of the most stubborn people I know. Even if I tried to rid you from my life, I think it'd be impossible."

"Hey!" Naruto pouted. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of detestable, ill-wanted presence."

The two continued their back and forth banter on amiable terms, befitting sisters.

...

"You're dying, kit."

It was as simple as that. Kurama's bluntness was, at times, a refreshing contrast to Naruto's own uncertain and indirect acceptance to her plight.

The blond pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes, thank you for informing me. I already knew." And it wasn't a lie. She had simply decided to store that bit of information away in the far reaches of her mind, never to surface again until she experienced her final moments wherein she would say, 'oh, it's now.'

"Then why," Kurama growled, "have you refused to tell anyone? I am certain that the old slug hag would've been able to do something if you told her… Heck, she might still be able to save you. This is a wound of the soul, kit, and the fact that you insist on continuously using your chakra is only-"

"Kurama." Naruto spoke, silencing him. "… I know. I know that I am dying, and I know I probably should have told Baa-chan. I know I probably should've stopped using so much chakra; it was early on that I realized that my own chakra was corrosive and eating away at my body… My soul. But I wish to give as much as possible to Konoha, even if it ends in my death."

She gave a small chuckle. "I think it fits. I'd rather die young while giving as much as I can to my beloved village than live a long life where I am trying to run from the inevitable." She tapped her chin in a contemplative manner. "Oh, but don't worry Kurama. Before I die, I'll be sure to release you from your seal for good."

"That is not the point!" The fox bellowed in anger, appalled at—dare he say it—his friend's cavalier attitude towards her own life.

Naruto simply shook her head. "I'm sorry, Kurama. It's what I've decided. Quite frankly, I've done what I needed to do. I've lived my life. I wish to give the remainder of my life to Konoha, and nothing could make me happier. I've already made preparations for Konoha to continue after my death; my successor, my will, my legacy. I just…. I've done as much as I can for Konoha at this point, there is no need to spend the rest of my life clamoring to try and extend my life. It's already too late."

The conversation ended, and Naruto went on with her daily chores.

...

The feeling of the ruby necklace with a telltale Uzumaki spiral, falling against her chest with each step, was arrhythmic to her heart. The man who had gifted her the trinket held her hand in a firm grasp as he lead her to their destination.

His ebony hair bounced slightly with each step, and onyx eyes were out of her view, though she thought back fondly to moments before. His eyes held such happiness, such care, such emotion that she had never seen before. Not in those eyes, at least. Those eyes which usually held cold indifference, calculating hatred and antipathy, those eyes that could go from a bleak, glassy-obsidian colour to a deep scarlet.

The eyes of her long-time rival and best friend.

Her heart beat faster as she found herself being dragged into the Hokage tower, wondering just what was going on.

In the office, she saw most of the Konoha 11, along with the Sand Siblings, the Jounin senseis, Yamato-taichou, Iruka-sensei, Tsunade-baachan, and of course, the Rokudaime Hokage—Kakashi. Her eyes flitted from figure to figure, confusion evident in her motions and eyes.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Kakashi's voice held the superior and commanding tone, befitting that of a Hokage. Immediately, Naruto's attention shot to him and she straightened. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

Kakashi motioned for Naruto to come closer. He was not sitting at the desk, but standing in front of it. Naruto noted that the desk was, oddly, bare. She noticed that it was not just the desk, but the room itself was rather empty with the exception of a few furniture items and the people currently occupying it.

Naruto felt Sasuke's grip on her hand loosen and she walked forward, slowly, with clear trepidation.

"You were once the pariah of this village." Naruto flinched, still wondering what all of this was about. "You were shunned and alienated by the village, refused at every threshold, and seen not as Uzumaki Naruto, but the Kyuubi incarnate. You lived without parents, family, love, affection, friendship."

Naruto felt her shoulders sag imperceptibly. Why? What was the point of this? Sure, she had gotten over most of her grudges about her past, but it didn't mean she was comfortable with someone—her village leader—reciting the damnable memories. Her hands clutched the necklace she received only minutes earlier.

"However," Kakashi continued. The blonde did not notice his hands reach up to grab the Hokage hat that sat atop his head. "Despite all odds, criticisms, vitriolic stares and curses, you continued to grow. You continued to prove each and everyone of your offenders wrong, about who you were and what you were capable of."

Sapphire eyes looked up in surprise. Naruto glanced around the room and noticed that all of her friends had looks of lachrymose pride, happiness, and many other emotions within their eyes.

"Despite your burdens and despite your lack of love from a young age, you turned around and gave your own understanding and acceptance to each person you met. You managed to befriend and make a home in the hearts of many, including the tailed beast within you. You have shown great ability to connect with people, and a charismatic personality that motivates people to follow you. Nothing is more important than the safety and happiness of those important to you, and you take the teachings and ideals of past Hokage to heart."

Kakashi gingerly placed the Hokage hat onto Naruto's head and watched with amusement as her eyes widened comically. He smiled. "Now, you shall continue on your path, protecting and guiding the people of Konoha, as you have done many times in the past. However, from now on, you will do so with this title of 'Hokage,' the fire's shadow, and serve as the greatest support and power within this village."

Everyone in the room bowed, and Kakashi delivered the final blow. "I couldn't be more proud of you, Nanadaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. May you continue the legacy of your predecessors, to protect the budding leaves that make Konoha."

Naruto looked fondly at everyone, though it was difficult when she couldn't see their eyes. She let out a light cough to try and alleviate her nerves. "Ahem, well… I suppose my first order—demand as Hokage… Stop bowing! And stop being so formal Kakashi-sensei, It's ruining the mood 'ttebayo!"

Everyone looked up and chuckled, and Naruto motioned to hug each and every one of her friends. Not a single person in that room missed the obvious mist fogging the young Hokage's eyes as she gave each of them bone-crushing hugs.

...

"Booooring!"

Stamp

"Uuuugh, I don't want to do thiiisss."

Stamp

A cough was heard and Naruto lazily lifted her eyes to meet those of her Jounin commander. "Hokage-sama, I have the reports here-"

Naruto interrupted him. "Shika! This is so boring… And trust me, boring is multitudes worse than troublesome. I don't want to sit here and stamp papers all day!"

"Well, you aren't supposed to simply stamp papers all day. You are supposed to read them," Shikamaru drawled with a roll of his eyes.

"Wha-of course I do! It's just so repetitive. I can see how paperwork is considered the number-one enemy of all Kage… I want to go out on dangerous missions and just do stuff!"

Stamp

Shikamaru shrugged and sat down, not yet wishing to clock out and meet the wrath of his young and fiery wife. He brought out a thick folder and opened it, seemingly checking through the papers.

The repetitive sound of stamping and rustling paper was the only thing that broke the silence for a period of time. After it had continued for a while, Naruto decided to speak up.

"… We've all grown."

Shikamaru lifted his eyes from the documents he was perusing. "Hmm?"

"We've all grown," Naruto reiterated, "No longer are we the 'leaves of the tree.' We are now the roots that support it."

The Nara leader smirked. "That's how it works. We as the roots are what keep Konoha running and functional. Without us, everything would be in chaos, there would be no direction and no order. But that is also why you cannot just leave the village and take missions as you would like. What tree can momentarily remove its roots and continue to thrive?"

Naruto groaned. "I know, I know. As the Hokage, I and many of my trusted friends—" Shikamaru coughed and interjected, 'subordinates.' "…. Yeah, my friends, are the roots of this system. We are meant to ground Konoha, keep it stable and secure in more ways than one; political, moral, emotional, etc."

She looked out through the window to behold her beloved village. "… I love Konoha. It feels odd to me, simply sitting in a chair and doing paperwork all day. For my entire life, I had been fighting, fighting to protect and build friendships. All that time, I had never been given a moment's reprieve, simply because I didn't have the time to. I always had to work and train, for fear of my enemies deciding to take away all of my happiness."

She turned back to her Jounin commander and smiled. "It's weird, that much is not debatable. But I have accepted the fact that this is what my village needs of me. Should the time come that I need to personally defend my village, just as Jijii had, then I will. Should I need to sacrifice my life to save my village, just as Otou-san had, then I will. And I hope that, as I lay on my deathbed, taking in my last breaths of life… That all of you will be there for me in my final moments. And then immediately after, all of you will be able to continue on as though nothing had changed, so that Konoha does not suffer."

Shikamaru held her gaze with suspicion, which was returned with a wry smile.

...

"My fellow shinobi, it has been ten years, ten long years since the end of the war! Eight years since the Yondaime Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi's ascension, six years since the Godaime Raikage, Darui's ascension, and five years since my own! In the past, our countries and respective villages have been at odds with each other, due to conflicting goals. It had taken the emergence of a mutual enemy to unite us, and after the ordeal had passed we struggled to repair amiable ties with one another.

It was a promise made, to friend and foe alike, that peace would be achieved and that the cycle of hatred would be broken. After the war, each of the Kage worked on programs and methods to strengthen the friendship we hold between the villages. It is easy to say that, at this point, we have achieved what we set out to do.

In the future, I understand that this arrangement will not last. There will always be people searching for conflict, people who wish to stoke the fires of hatred and vengeance. People will change, ideals will change, and the world along with it. However! Here, and now, we all stand together as we did in the last war, as proud shinobi! From now on, may we continue to work towards peace and understanding, for in our world, our strength does not come from raw power."

"It comes from here," Naruto tapped a finger on her temple, "and here!" her hand rested on her left breast, indicating her heart.

"Never forget the mistakes of your predecessors, or the consequences that followed. Always strive for the better tomorrow, for the future generations to come! For we are shinobi!"

The masses cheered and hollered as the Nanadaime stepped away from the podium. Her fellow Kage walked up to her and praised her for the speech, and they talked about matters of both trivial meaning and great import. The ceremony had been a success, and they had succeeded in riling their people. To enact the necessary laws to ensure peace no longer seemed like a ticking time bomb.

In the evening, Naruto found herself in her office.

She walked over to the only picture she had of her parents—her mother and father smiling happily, the former with the swelled stomach that would be born as "Uzumaki Naruto." The current Nanadaime.

Naruto chuckled, oh how she wished she could have achieved all of this with her parents still alive. How she wished she could have saved everyone that was gone, Jijii, Ero-sennin, Neji, Itachi, Obito, and many others…

A sharp pain through her chest shook her out of her reverie, and she collapsed to the ground while releasing dry hacking coughs. Her hands flew up to her mouth to stifle the coughs, each one sending jolts through her body that wracked her small frame.

She could not find the strength to so much as sit up, and she found herself curled in the fetal position on the floor. One hand, her right, was held over her mouth while the other gripped and clawed at her chest in a feeble attempt to alleviate the pain. When the coughing fit had subsided, she wearily withdrew her right hand and watched as it fell to the ground. She could not even find the strength to lift it and inspect the damage… But she did not need to.

She felt the warm liquid slip through her open fingers and pool underneath her hand.

Her eyelids drooped and she felt herself drifting off into darkness. 'How ironic,' she thought with dry humor. 'I was born alone, and on the day I was born I lay next to the corpses of my parents…. Now, as I lay weak and dying, I am alone once again…'

Naruto's eyelids shut and she felt the tenseness of her body release.

'How ironic, indeed…'

...

She woke up, bleary-eyed and confused. She could not move her body, and she gazed blankly at the ceiling above her.

"..a..to!"

What was that? She heard sounds… Someone was speaking. To her?

"Na..uto!"

She blinked and shifted her eyes to try and find the person speaking her name. All she could see were blurred figures. She didn't know if it was due to drowsiness or if her eyes had truly degraded so much. She noticed a familiar figure walking up to her, colours of blonde, green, and grey clashing against the white walls. It was Tsunade.

"Why did you not say anything about this sooner?"

The slug hime's voice was harsh. Naruto strained to make out a discernible figure, and noticed something peculiar. Tsunade of the Sannin, reputed for being the best medical-nin in history, with power and ability rivaling her two teammates.

She was crying.

"Heh…" Naruto struggled to keep her voice steady. The tears in her godmother's eyes did not help. "Sorry, Tsunade-baachan… I wanted to be Hokage-" She fell into a lung-tearing coughing fit and found that a glass of water had been placed in her hands. She gulped generously and looked Tsunade in the eyes.

"I wanted to be Hokage. I… I wanted to fulfill my dream, before I died-" Tsunade interrupted her.

"That's not the point, that isn't why I was asking! Had you told someone, had you let me know, we could have done something-!"

Naruto's fingers found their way to her arm and she felt for the catheter that she knew was there. She gripped the foreign object and ripped it out, decidedly not wanting it attached to her anymore.

Naruto heard multiple voices cry out. "Naruto, what are you doing!?"

She took a measured look around the room this time and noticed that she was not alone in the room with her Godmother. All of her friends, along with multiple other people she had known crowded the tight space. Their faces had expressions of sadness and grim acceptance. Even the usually stoic faces of Gaara and Sasuke looked panicked, worried even.

Naruto felt her eyesight dimming once again, and she welcomed the darkness. "I already knew… That my death was approaching. It's something unavoidable-"

She vaguely felt someone grip her left hand and tried to identify the person, but her vision was gone at this point. Resigned to not finding out who held her hand, she turned her head to face the ceiling and closed her useless eyes.

Slowly, the darkness overtook her senses, and she felt nothing.

Sapphire eyes drifted up to meet amaranthine, her's weary and sepulchral, lacking in it's usual vim and vigor.

She opened her mouth and struggled to speak. Her words were almost inaudible. "… A dream?"

The man in front of her, the Sage of Six Paths, nodded his head. "I need not reiterate my statement. You understand."

Naruto didn't let her gaze drift. Images of the past—the past that apparently never existed—flitted innocently through her mind.

"… Since when?" Naruto's voice faltered and she struggled to hold the emotions that were swirling in fulmination. "Since when was I… Were we…?"

"As soon as Kaguya was resurrected."

The light in her eyes died. "… I see… That's…"

"We do not have time," Hagoromo's voice grew severe. "I must be brief. Do you understand why you have been awoken, Child of Prophecy?"

'Why I was..?' Naruto gasped, hope dawning on her features. "If I'm alive, does that mean-"

"No." He cut her off quickly, and her face fell. "But now is not the time to lament the dead. No human on this planet is alive, save for you."

The full emotional weight of being the only person on earth was almost enough to kill her right there. Just minutes prior, she was saying goodbye. Goodbye to all of her important people. But that was because she was leaving the world, she was supposed to be dead. She was supposed to disappear from the world while her friends continued to live their vibrant lives, filled with the happiness and joy Naruto wished them to have…

"Why was I awoken?" Naruto snapped. "I… I failed. Each person, everyone… They were my dream, my life. My world."

She tightened her fists and blood seeped through her fingers. "… And now, you tell me that everyone is dead. My dream is dead. My world is dead. My life…" Naruto let out an acrimonious laugh escape her lips before sending a glare at the Sennin. "Why the fuck am I the one who still lives? If everyone is dead, then what is the point!? Some Child of fucking-Prophecy I turned out to be!"

She was tired, oh, so tired. What did he want of her? To gloat? To rub it in her face that she was unable to save a single damn person that she cared for? She grit her teeth and seethed.

Hagoromo seemed to look at her with an almost disparaging look—a mixture of slight sympathy and slight disappointment—though his face was mostly taciturn. Naruto felt her rage come out in seething breaths.

No one. There was no one with her now. None of her friends, no one from her slapped-together family, not even Kurama—

Kurama.

She didn't even have Kurama. No, not "even," simply put, she didn't have Kurama. Not anymore. The damned fox that, even if she didn't know him for the entirety of it, she was with him for the entirety of her life. In some twisted manner, he had become her closest friend, both literally and figuratively. It wasn't until the war that they had truly begun to understand each other, to truly form a bond, and she didn't know whether or not she actually considered him a friend.

But still, he was gone. She failed to stop the Juubi from awakening, failed to save Kurama.

She failed him. Just as she had failed everyone else.

Her head hung low and she felt the stinging sensation in her eyes, the unbidden tears pooling. She failed Kurama. She failed Tsunade-baachan. Kakashi-sensei. Sakura-chan. Sasuke. B-occhan. Gaara. Everyone.

"You have a chance, a chance to change everything."

At this, Naruto's head snapped back up and she looked at the Sennin, confusion marring her features. She dared not allow her hopes to rise. "… What do you mean?"

"If you cooperate, you can go back in time."

Her eyes narrowed. It would take too long if they played this back-and-forth banter, and she wanted to hear everything. If it turned out to be a false pretense, she didn't want to waste time, she was too weary and broken. "… Back up. Let's just… start over for a second. Pretend I just got out of my daze, and I was unable to speak. Talk to me, tell me what you were going to tell me. Everything."

Hagoromo gave an assessing gaze before nodding curtly. "Very well," he breathed. "… You can go back into the past, Child of Prophecy. I have decided that you will be my heir, my heritor, to my powers. As such, you will be able to perform the deed yourself, and will have the ability and knowledge to change what you must."

Silence pervaded and Naruto sighed, realizing that she would need to ask specific questions if she wanted more answers. "… How does this time travel-thing work? When in the past am I going to end up? Why am I alive when everyone else is… gone? How exactly am I going to be your successor? And what is the catch?"

"Time travel is not a simple endeavor. You will need years of preparation, how many, I do not know. The technique is a one-time use, and requires three factors: chakra, blood, and a strong mind. The exact point in time you end up is dependent on your execution of the technique, though with full mastery you should be able to navigate to the exact point you wish."

"In regards to being my successor… You were placed into the Eternal Tsukiyomi before we had met, and as such, the Rikudou Sennin that you encountered was not real. That is what you recall. However, that is not the case."

Naruto remained silent, signaling him to continue. "In truth, that was me, not a conjured figment of your mind. I had entered your mind in the hopes of stirring you from the illusion, but Kaguya had managed to dispel me before I managed to rouse you from your forced slumber."

"So," Naruto scratched her chin. "That was really you. We really spoke. Does that mean I actually did use your chakra? That if I took your chakra right now, that I'd be able to use it? And if Kaguya interfered before, why didn't she interfere now?"

"You had my chakra, and you did indeed manage to utilize it, though not in the manner you had envisioned within your dreams. I could give you my chakra at this very moment, but your current physical state is lacking, and your body would most likely collapse in on itself due to the sudden influx. My interference is the reason for your resistance, and why you 'died' at an early age in the Genjutsu. In order to awaken you, you needed to die in the dream world."

Naruto's mouth formed into a thin line as she reflected on her death. A sudden thought occurred to her. "Oh, that reminds me. How old am I? I was 29 when I died in the genjutsu, eleven years after we supposedly won the war…" Naruto looked down at her borderline emaciated frame and cringed.

"It has been two years."

"I see," she intoned. "You didn't answer two of my questions, by the way. What is the catch, and if Kaguya was a problem before, why isn't she now?"

"There is no catch."

Naruto raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Pardon?"

"I repeat, there is no catch. Contrary to popular belief, the concept of time travel and altering the past is not a forbidden or morally unjust action. There is no exchange to take place for you to change the past. The only consequences are those that you create through your decisions."

"So, no sacrifice needs to be made? I don't need to give an arm, an eye, part of my soul, no immense task?"

"No. As I said, whatever consequence you are wrought is determined by your actions. Should someone die before their time, their death will be weighted on your shoulders due to your meddling, but no other supernatural extremities shall occur."

Naruto pondered the information she was given. Somehow, the knowledge of there being no boundaries and limits to changing time did little to comfort her… It made her even more hesitant. "… What about Kaguya?"

Hagoromo closed his eyes and settled into a meditative position whilst in the air. "… She is asleep."

"What?"

"She has been asleep for approximately sixteen days. She sleeps to maintain the Infinite Tsukiyomi, and awakens at the end of each month. We do not have much time, we must send you into the past before she awakens."

Naruto crossed her arms. "You said that it takes years of preparation for the time travel jutsu. Besides, if I'm going back into the past, I want to be prepared."

Hagoromo opened a single amaranthine eye and stared at Naruto.

"What? I want to make certain that I'm going to be fine when I'm in the past. I am going to learn as much as I can now while there are no wars, political battles, and stingy shinobi guarding their shit. Besides, there has to be some way to avoid detection from the big-bad-bitch when she wakes up."

Naruto could swear that she saw the corner of the Sennin's lip twitch upwards, slightly.

"I see," he nodded. "There is indeed a way to avoid detection. But it requires utilizing sage chakra, which you are not physically ready for."

Naruto nodded. "Alright, then. Training trip. We go to Suna first, then Iwa, Kumo, Mizu, and then Konoha. There are some techniques I want, some history scrolls to brush up on, and the like."

The Sennin shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot leave here, child."

Naruto paused and looked up at him, eyes questioning why.

"My presence is dwindling. Kaguya's presence is engulfing mine, rendering my own existence moot. It is only while I stay by the husk of the Ten-Tails that I am able to maintain a visible form at all."

"… Is that why you can't send me back yourself? Why you can't go back yourself?" Naruto questioned.

"In a way, yes. But I would not have been able to change anything, anyway." He leveled his gaze. "Only you can complete this task, Child of Prophecy. You have seven years to gather what you must, no more, no less. You will return to me in seven year's time, and we will then perform the time travel technique to send you back through time."

"Then you'll take care of whatever 'preparations and stuff?"

"Yes."

"How do I avoid Kaguya?"

Hagoromo contemplated the question for a minute before stepping forward. He tapped Naruto's forehead with a single finger and stepped back.

"… What was that?" Naruto reached up to touch her forehead. She felt no different.

"I transferred a small portion of my chakra to you. You will learn to channel it, to make it your own, and to utilize it to conceal your presence from Kaguya. She will not be able to detect you."

Naruto nodded, weariness written in her eyes and posture. "Alright. Thanks, Sennin-oji. I guess... I guess I'll be back in seven years."