It takes hundreds, perhaps thousands of Naruto's to fix the original timeline any number of ways. It takes one Uchiha to take beautiful Amaterasu to that network of different timelines, and erase them forever. For you see, Naruto? He's flighty. He won't admit it, but he looks back on all of his past experiences and wants to change all of it. Give everyone their happy ending, which results in a tangled mess of timelines. He takes a mysterious Seal from the former Land of Whirlpools, brings it home, and tinkers with it until he makes a pretty decent Time Travel Seal.

But Sasuke? Why, he's the opposite of Naruto in every way. He thinks through his actions (at least when he's not revenge-obsessed…). He's a 'genius'. Sasuke was made aware of that Seal the day Naruto brought it home; how could he not? Come what may, Naruto really did change him for the better, and now the current incarnation of Indra is for once in many lifetimes acting like the older brother he should be. He warns Naruto the Seal wouldn't be a good idea, for the precise reason that Naruto is so indecisive.

Naruto doesn't see the bigger picture. He never does, because he didn't process Hagoromo's tale very well. Sasuke, as 'revolutionary' as he was at that time, did, in fact, listen to Hagoromo's tale. Quite sharply. Hell, he thought Hagoromo's decisions were wrong when he heard them in detail.

He still did, to some degree, but he, Naruto, and everybody else had worked together to fix that mess, so Sasuke was pretty content with how things were.

But Naruto was tenacious. Sasuke knew it. Kakashi knew it. Sakura knew it. Everyone in the village even down to the homeless shmuck knew it. Nobody was aware of Naruto working on that Time Travel Seal… except for 'older brother' Sasuke. So like caring older brother, much like Itachi had been to him, Sasuke had made a copy of that Seal by memorizing the strokes with his Sharingan. And he kept it for just the right moment.

Namely, when Naruto's Shadow Clones went on those expeditions into the past. Sasuke did not make a Shadow Clone for this; he wanted to personally be the one to fix the mess Naruto would soon create. Yes, that meant he would be moored in the distant past, but frankly, it was better that way. Naruto's Shadow Clones could get a job done, but they couldn't stick around to ensure that things stayed fixed.

Sasuke preferred to oversee things, no matter how 'inconvenient' it would be to be treated suspiciously because of being from the future. So, timing it perfectly, Sasuke used his Time Travel Seal the second that Naruto's Shadow Clones used theirs. Sharingan hax and all that.

That flash of light that followed? That wasn't any of the Clones' doing. That was Sasuke cutting the problem off at the root. Naruto might have killed Black Zetsu in the past in a timeline or two, but he didn't go far back as Sasuke, ironically enough.

What separated Sasuke from Naruto… it all boiled down to decisiveness. There was no 'well, what if I did this instead?' with him. No, no, no. One trip to the past was needed, and one trip only.

Timeline Omega

To be frank, Sasuke had to go back slightly further than he had wanted, but that was because he was unsure of when the manipulating had begun. He was around when Asura and Indra were born, and he watched the two boys grow up. Indra in particular Sasuke paid attention to; following him whenever the boy went off on his own to train.

Sasuke had to admit, for his original predecessor, Indra strongly resembled him. It was him who had invented hand signs, interestingly enough. Sasuke was pleased to see that the boy had a childhood very similar to his own – the bond between the brothers was very strong. And if Sasuke had his way…

Oh, who are we kidding? We all know Sasuke got what he wanted.

'So it was you… You inherited Mother's powers!'

"Who's there?! Come out!"

Sasuke knew when he heard that, it was his cue. He'd introduced himself to Indra from day one, pretty much, so the boy was accustomed to him being around whenever he trained. Sasuke had come across as a hermit, but one completely different from Indra's father, he was quick to correct whatever 'positive' image the boy might draw from that information. Another reason for staying in the past was one of atonement. He would never get to see how his family and friends turned out.

Oh, Sasuke. If only you knew that Hagoromo felt he had sins to atone for as well.

'I'll always be watching you…'

Indra was a child, so he couldn't pinpoint Black Zetsu's exact location in the forest, but Sasuke could. And before the bastard managed to slip away, he had cast Amaterasu on him. This had the intended effect of Black Zetsu whipping around to face Sasuke, who he thought wasn't present for this training session.

Sasuke had gotten quite good at hiding his presence.

'Wh-What?! Why!' Black Zetsu screeched as he made the classical mistake of looking into Sasuke's eyes.

He wouldn't be slipping into the ground to escape the flames now.

"You destroyed so many lives… and I don't care if it was 'indirectly'. Conflict will inevitably arise, but you controlled so much of it, behind the scenes. You set the Uchiha against the Senju, which turned into a Warring States Era. From there they organized into villages, and gave birth to even more violent conflicts. You are the progenitor of all that is vile!" Sasuke snarled at the creature, Eternal Mangekyo flaring. "Not this time…"

To be honest, Indra was quite unsettled at Sasuke's change in demeanor, but he had no idea how righteous his anger was. With one last dying howl, Black Zetsu perished. Not a scrap of him remained.

With his fury vented once and for all, Sasuke immediately calmed down and deactivated his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan for what he hoped would be the last time.

"Why did you kill him? He didn't do anything." Indra felt obligated to point out, now that they were alone again.

Sasuke straightened up and stared down at Indra from the tree branch he was standing on.

"You are correct, Indra. He hadn't. And now he never will." He began to turn away, but he tacked on the end, "That creature would have manipulated you, Indra. Set you on a path of destruction you never would have returned from. It wasn't even human to begin with; just the creation of a woman gone mad. Or perhaps she was never sane to begin with. Either way, it doesn't matter. The future will be secure now."

"You say that thing would have manipulated me… But how do I know you won't do the same?" Indra asked with a suspicious glare.

Sasuke now had his back fully to Indra now.

"Because you won't see me around anymore." Sasuke bluntly replied. "Look out for your brother. Help him. Asura has plenty of latent potential, so don't look down on him because he stumbles now. He will continue to do that, but in time it will become clear that he is just as talented as you are. Work together and build a future that everyone can be proud of."

Indra looked at Sasuke's back contemplatively. He searched for any veiled threats to Asura, but as far as he could tell, there was none. A breeze was all that was heard in the silence that followed Sasuke's speech, and before too long, Sasuke had disappeared in a shunshin.

The ripples that would follow this 'small' change…

"I think Indra will make a fine successor," Futami told Hagoromo, within earshot of Indra. "With him leading the followers of Ninshu, the future is bright!"

Hagoromo frowned minutely, as the subject came up again. He wasn't quite ready to 'decide' who would be his successor. But apparently, he didn't need to worry. Indra shook his head and crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Why should there be one successor? I get that a clear leader is important for structural integrity, but I refuse to follow tradition."

Hagoromo raised an eyebrow at his eldest son. He'd been quite strange as of late; seeming much wiser beyond his years.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"It's blatant favoritism," Indra replied curtly, like it was elementary. Which it was. "If there's one leader, who's going to have the courage to step up to him when he's clearly in the wrong? People will either be too scared, or they'll come together and openly rebel. That's not order."

"Then what would you recommend?" Hagoromo inquired curiously. His son did bring up good points.

Indra scowled fiercely. Was his father blind?

"You have two sons, don't you? So why don't you leave the future of Ninshu to both of us?"

For the first time in a long time when this discussion took place, Hagoromo smiled.

"Asura isn't respected like you are… He has trouble using Jutsu."

"But he's improving!" Indra all but roared. "And also… Respect should be earned, not freely given. Asura can keep me in check when the time comes."

Futami looked like he was going to object to the whole idea, but Hagoromo nodded firmly.

"I see… We shall try your suggestion, Indra. Keep working with your brother."

Indra bowed respectfully and left the dojo. Futami looked between Indra's receding back and Hagoromo.

"But… Hagoromo! This will completely shatter the system!"

"Perhaps it is for the best." Hagoromo told his disciple sternly. "The 'system' naturally gives power to the eldest, while leaving the younger siblings with nothing. I had been dwelling on the possibility of Asura becoming the successor instead… But it would change nothing. Perhaps change will do us some good."

After all, Gamamaru had one morning told him all about how the future was inexplicably changed. In an annoyed tone, and admitting that he couldn't tell what was in store for them now, but Hagoromo merely laughed and told Gamamaru to roll with it. The future would be whatever it would be. They really had no business 'knowing' it in the first place.

Time passed, and Asura and Indra became adults. They were Hagoromo's successors, and both married and started families. Asura's power had manifested, as Indra had told his father it would, but it was completely different from Indra's. Indra had acquired the Sharingan, and eventually the Mangekyo Sharingan, but he did not become obsessed with power. On the contrary, he likened power to fire. Fire was useful for a number of things, but too much and you could hurt yourself or others.

Indra considered his 'power' a huge burden rather than a gift, like his Ninshu followers looked at him. He trained his immediate family in the art of Ninjutsu, but cautioned them to not abuse it. Asura, on the other hand, taught his immediate family to work and train hard; to look to Indra's family in times of trouble, when their gifts would not be enough to save them. This familial loyalty passed onto future generations, to the point that the Senju and Uchiha Clans were joined at the hip. An Eternal Alliance had been forged.

Sasuke got to watch all of this unfold, and he was there when the world plunged into the Warring Clans Era. The difference being, of course, that it wasn't the Senju and Uchiha to start it. Sasuke pondered whether or not the Shimura Clan was cursed or something, because ironically enough, it was them that initiated that long era of war, this time around. Sasuke was very tempted to step in, but he did not, as it was not his place anymore. He had salvaged the future by killing the Orchestrator of Misery, so he would leave the rest to Indra, Asura, and their Clans.

Sasuke would pass on long before the time of Hashirama and Madara, but he did get to see many a battle where a terrifying purple Susano'o battled alongside a golden-colored construct of Six Paths Sage Mode. It was like watching an alternate reality, where he and Naruto got to hone those skills in numerous battles, and not just against Madara and Kaguya. All the same, he would not get to see the conclusion of this damned era.

It would prove to be interesting.

"So, what do we call you, Mads?" 'Hokage' Hashirama Senju grinned at his childhood friend, who had just been instated with him in joint leadership of the village. They hadn't quite come up with a name for Madara's 'position', though.

"Don't call me that." Madara scowled moodily. And in reply to the query, he shrugged. "And I don't give a damn about titles. But call me Prince Fluffington or something of that ilk, and so help me, I will kick your ass."

Evidently, Madara still took great pride in his luscious black spiky hair. Hashirama laughed and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm. Why don't we go with 'Anbu' for your section of government, and make you the commander of that?"

Madara rolled his eyes but did not disagree. He turned to leave the office.

"Just keep the bureaucratic politicians away from me, and keep training the baby ninja."

Hashirama frowned minutely.

"That's not nice, Mads. I've got Genin, Chunin, and Jonin under my command, too, y'know. Not just the Academy cadets."

"Right. Toddlers, children, and adolescents. … And stop calling me that."

Hashirama slapped a palm across his face and groaned. Madara was fine leaving the majority of leadership to him – because really, Madara was a warrior at heart, and he just wanted to be in charge of the hardcore shinobi who would go on the really dangerous missions – but that didn't give him the right to insult people of 'less talent'…

The next generation would surpass them, one day.

Tobirama did not regret passing on the torch to Sarutobi in the least, when they were confronted by the Kinkaku Squad. They had much longer to live than he did, and so they had more of a right to escape than him. Every single one of them.

What he had not anticipated was backup coming just as he was about to die.

"Tobirama, you numbskull! Just what do you think you were doing, taking these guys on alone?!" Izuna exclaimed as he took out the Kinkaku Squad member that was about to execute him with a Fire Style Jutsu. "I almost didn't make it!"

Tobirama twitched, but did not offer a 'defense'. He simply resumed fighting. It was Izuna's choice to treat him like a sibling, ever since Madara passed away months ago. Tobirama might have found it annoying, but he didn't have the heart to tell the man 'no'. Not when his own brother had passed away as well.

Maybe Hiruzen wouldn't have to take up the Hokage title just yet…

Hiruzen had been a Hokage-in-training when he took on a Genin team. No official administrative duties gave him the opportunity to keep a close eye on all of his Genin. Though Jiraiya did slip by with that little episode of Reverse Summoning himself to Mount Myoboku…

He hadn't taken his eyes off Jiraiya ever since.

But more than Jiraiya, Hiruzen kept an eye on Orochimaru, who had lost his parents recently. The boy was certainly ambitious, but Hiruzen made sure the boy's ambition didn't flare out of control.

"I want to become Hokage and learn all of the Jutsu in the world!" Orochimaru boldly declared.

Hiruzen chuckled and rubbed the top of the boy's head.

"Perhaps someday, but always keep in mind that power comes with a price. Never forget the allies you fight alongside; if you wish to become Hokage, then that is the first lesson you must learn. You can try and become immortal and indeed learn all of the world's Jutsu, but all of that will mean nothing if you cast away every person you care for. Simply 'knowing' everything will not be very fulfilling; filling your heart with others will, however."

Orochimaru absorbed the lesson like a sponge. And with his Sensei's help, he did develop a decent moral compass.

"So, you want to use the name 'Naruto', eh? Y'know that 'Tales of a Gutsy Ninja' really isn't my finest work. It didn't sell very well." Jiraiya told his former student sheepishly.

"I don't think that at all. I think it's a wonderful story! I'll be happy if my son becomes half as righteous as the hero in your story." Minato smiled warmly.

Jiraiya ran a hand through his hair and grimaced slightly.

"Yeeeah… It'll just all depend on who he takes after. 'Cause if he turns out like a mini-Kushina…"

"Don't remind me. I hear that enough from Obito these days."

Jiraiya just boomingly laughed. That boy had the misfortune of catching the conception of Naruto in the park. He still wouldn't pick up Icha Icha Paradise with a thirty-foot pole. Now his teammates, on the other hand… Yes, that included adorable little Rin. Who figured she'd traverse the path of Pervert-dom? Then again, she was a medic-nin…

"Will you train with me, brother?!" Little Sasuke asked ecstatically, only for his mood to change on a dime when Itachi poked him on the forehead.

"Sorry, Sasuke… The Senju are coming over tonight. Father needs me on hand in case Lady Tsunade gets raving drunk again and her husband and brother can't control her… We don't want half of our house to be rebuilt again."

Sasuke shivered at the reminder. Tsunade had cemented in his mind the fact that kunoichi were scary as hell. Which is why he virtuously avoided his fangirls at the Academy. He did not want to take his chance on one and discover later on that she could uproot with house with one hand.

Little Sasuke had no idea that he had allowed this all to happen, either. Well, an alternate future version of him, anyway. Lord Fourth was still the Hokage, though sometimes it was hard to tell because Kushina seemed to have the pants in their marriage half the time. Lord Fourth was grooming his Uncle Obito to be the next Hokage, and knowing his rival, Naruto would be succeeding him.

Sasuke, though, didn't want to become Hokage. He just wanted to become strong and move past his brother's shadow. He loved Itachi, he really did, but having a talented older brother sometimes sucked… Everyone overlooked you, or plainly compared you to him. And for Naruto, it sucked because he couldn't control all of his younger brothers and sisters. All four of them.

Yeah, Naruto wasn't nearly as badass as Itachi was at being the older brother. Though Sasuke did have the horrifying, daunting task ahead of him of being the middle sibling, because his mother was expecting again…

It was all so different, and nobody but a long-dead Sasuke Uchiha was any the wiser.

Author's Note: … Well, that's a wrap on this one for now. The big reason I didn't update this for half a year is 'cause I had so many newer ideas and whatnot. I didn't even think of having Sasuke seriously use the Time Travel Seal as well until I saw today's anime filler episode. Say what you will, but I found it tolerable, compared to the past couple filler arcs. Frankly, I found it 'good'. :P

Will there someday be more chapters with Naruto's Shadow Clones wreaking havoc? Probably. But keep in mind that this is the conclusion, so all of those timelines will be done away with. This is 'Timeline Omega' for a reason. lol Admittedly, this was more serious than past chaps, but, I liked how it flowed, at least for the most part.

Thanks so much for tuning in! You guys rock.