As of writing this I'm not actually finished with the Naruto series, so forgive me for any discrepancies. :P When I finish it, if I find any discrepancies going back through it I'll fix those. Otherwise, please point them out to me. ^^

I have no plans for doing any sort of pairings, before anyone inevitably asks, but if I find it fitting later in the story than I will. I'm not a big fan of romance in crossovers like these, so don't expect anything. Also, this starts many, many years before the beginning of the Bleach series, and at this point, Isshin is still with Soul Society, so Ichigo hasn't been born yet.

I don't own the universes or the characters (aside from the OCs), but please enjoy the story! ^^

Chapter 1: If You're Seeing a Large, Ugly Nose, You're Probably Dead

1942

When Uchiha Sasuke first awoke in the fiftieth district of South Rukongai, he was pissed. Waking up in a strange place with strange people and not remembering who you are or where you're from is a real pain, especially when you're sure it's something important. Of course, the large, ugly nose in his face wasn't very helpful either.

Upon seeing him awake, the nose retreated, revealing the face it was attached to, a grin spreading just underneath it.

"So you're finally awake, huh kid? Ya know, we had to carry you all the way here. Didn't wake up for days." His accent stretched words and vowels in unnecessary places, further adding to Sasuke's irritation. Slowly, the raven-haired teen sat up, hand going through his thick, unruly hair to feel the throbbing and tender area somewhere in the back of his head. The man laughed sheepishly, showing off his gap-toothed smile. "Uh, yeah, sorry 'bout that. We mighta' dropped ya a few times."

Sasuke stood slowly, testing his weight on his feet. He was clad in a simple cotton yukata, a blue color so dark it was nearly black. It was a simple thing, pulled loosely around him and tied at the waist. He was barefoot, but straw sandals sat neatly aligned by his feet, and after a moment, he put them on. He looked back up at the man, whose bright eyes squinted when he spoke. Sasuke would've thought it was because of the sunlight streaming through the only window, but clouds covered most of the sky and the sun wasn't that bright.

"Where am I?"

"Fox Track, the fiftieth district of South Rukongai in Soul Society." He recited, as if he'd already been asked this question a dozen times. Sasuke gave him a look, and the older man rolled his eyes. "You're dead, kid. In the afterlife. A spirit. Ghost. D-E-A-D. Dead." He grinned, holding out a hand as his attitude took a one-eighty. "So, what's the name, kid? If you remember it, anyways."

Sasuke stared at him for a long moment before answering. "Uchiha Sasuke."

When their hands clasped in a polite greeting, the man's gap-toothed grin widened. "Nice ta meet ya, Sasuke. I'm Hibiki Genji." Sasuke only grunted in reply, but Genji seemed to pay it no mind. "Well, follow me, I'll introduce you to the rest of the family."

He waved at the younger man to follow him, stepping out of the quaint, feudal era room. The rest of the rather small home wasn't much different from the bedroom. A small, tiny area seemed reserved for a sort of kitchen space, a small handmade wooden table set in the center of the room, where a single flower rested in a glass. Despite the simplicity of the home, and the open doorway that provided little security, there was a warm feeling about the place, a sort of joy that echoed from the walls.

"We stay here with four others at the moment, so don't expect to get that bedroom all ta yerself." Genji seemed to like grinning, seating himself rather comfortably at one of the many small stools surrounding the table.

Sasuke stayed standing for several moments, processing the information as he spoke. "Are they your family?"

The older man squinted at him. "Well, here in Rukongai, it's next to impossible to find yer real folks if you didn't arrive here with 'em, so most of us live together with others." He explained, shrugging before giving Sasuke a reassuring smile. "But don' worry. These folks are nice people; we're like a little family o' our own."

It was as he said those words that another entered the house; a young woman somewhere between Genji and Sasuke in age. She smiled at the two of them warmly, her arms full of a squirming child. Small hands pulled incessantly at her brown hair, mussing what must have once been a neat bun. Her expression was warm, but weary, as if she hadn't slept in years.

"It's good to see you're finally awake." She said, nodding at Sasuke. "My name is Sasaki Anna and this," she gestured with a jerk of her chin to the child in her arms, "is my daughter Mio."

Sasuke nodded. While for a moment he was going to question why she had been able to pass over with her daughter, one quick look at Mio told him that the two weren't blood-related. Mio's head was covered in bright red hair, her young face bright and her skin practically an ivory color compared to the dark mocha hue of Anna.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Anna smiled and nodded in acknowledgement before her attention was taken by Mio, who had begun whining.

Genji nodded to himself. "The last one is a good kid, a few years younger than you. He's probably out with his friends right now," then he added with a mutter, "Unless he's found a job." Thinking for several moments, the old man seemed to come to a conclusion as he nodded to himself once more, this time more assuredly. "Anyways, his name's Eita. Fujii Eita."

There were several minutes of a comfortable silence as Anna passed the baby to Genji, who took the child happily, setting her on his lap and bouncing her around. Mio giggled, arms waving about as he made faces at her. Anna set immediately to work in the kitchen, only turning after a moment to see Sasuke still standing in the doorway leading to the bedroom, starting to look a little uncomfortable and out of place now. She smiled sympathetically.

"Dinner's in an hour, so feel free to look around the village in the meantime. Once you get used to it here, I'm sure Genji can help you find a job or an apprenticeship." She suggested, and Sasuke nodded, heading out the door.

He took a brief few moments to memorize the location and appearance of the small home—it was more of a shack really, with the multitudes of patches on the thatched roof—before taking off into the village, straw sandals stepping silently on the roads.

The village of Fox Track was a small place; Sasuke could easily jog from one end to the other in less than a day. Vendors crowded along the streets, trying to sell their wares against the storeowners standing outside of the shops. Children ran between the legs of the men and women, laughing and chasing one another, shoppers and potential customers smiling at their antics. There was an air of peace around the town, a close-knit feeling, as if all the town were a family.

There was something almost familiar about the feeling that spread through him, the aura of the village seeping into every object and being, a soul binding them all together. Fox Track itself was a living being, and the notion nudged at the dusty corners of Sasuke's mind, a memory locked away in the book under his bed.

He dismissed the notion, pushing it to the back of his mind, something in him unwilling to remember. It was not important, he decided. It would remain something to peruse over later, on a night he couldn't sleep.

Sasuke continued strolling through the village at a casual pace, easily dodging any person or animal that jumped in his path. He made a mental map of the small village, memorizing landmarks and signs. He walked about half an hour out before turning around, returning to the home exactly an hour after he left it.

Genji was still seated at the table, Mio in his lap, and Anna bustling about as she put the last finishing touches on what appeared to be a small, rather simple meal. Aside from those three, there was a new addition—a young teen just a few years younger than Sasuke. He was sitting at the table impatiently, green eyes glaring swords into the table. His scrawny arms were crossed firmly over his yukata-clad chest, blowing a strand of brown hair out of his face every few minutes.

Upon Sasuke's entry, all eyes turned to him. Anna's and Genji's faces brightened, welcoming him to the table, while the boy—presumably Eita—turned his scowl in the newcomer's direction, expression darkening even further, if possible. Ignoring the boy's clear hostility, the raven-haired young man sat at the table, coal-black eyes staring dispassionately as Anna set the food out before sitting down herself.

A quick grace—as insisted by Genji—and Sasuke welcomed himself to a simple meal of bread, a small fish, and an overly ripe apple.

"Well, let's begin with introducing yourselves."

The silver-haired jounin looked completely unreliable, lazy, and frankly not fit to lead a team of kids. And now he wanted them to get friendly with each other.

It was a complete waste of time.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you my likes and dislikes. Dreams for the future… Hmm… And I have lots of hobbies."

Sasuke's eye twitched. This man…

"Yosh! My name is Uzumaki Naruto. What I like is cup ramen. What I like even more is when Iruka-sensei pays for my ramen. What I dislike is waiting three minutes for the ramen to cook. And my dream…"

Naruto pissed him off. The idiot was annoying and, well, idiotic.

"…is to surpass the Hokage and then have the people of this village acknowledge my existence."

The worst part was, Sasuke actually kind of believed he could do something so impossible. A small, small, miniscule part of him rooted for Uzumaki. The much larger, much more rational part of him squashed that part.

"Next."

Sasuke sighed inwardly. This was such a pain.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are lots of things I dislike and I don't really like anything. And… I can't really call it a dream… But I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan and… to kill a certain man."

Sasuke told himself the awed look from Sakura and the apprehensive one from Naruto didn't mean anything to him.

"My name is Haruno Sakura. The thing I like is… Well the person I like is…" Sasuke stubbornly ignored the looks she sent him. "And um… My dream for the future…" He tried not to roll his eyes.

Predictable.

"What I dislike… is Naruto." Sasuke let his folded hands hide his smirk. That was actually pretty funny.

He knew not to underestimate a Jounin. Sasuke wasn't stupid. But he didn't think the difference in skill between them would be so large. At this rate he would never be able to get stronger.

"Yup, all three of you should quit as shinobi."

His words struck a nerve, and Sasuke clenched his teeth. Of course, leave it to Naruto to make the outburst.

"Quit as shinobi?! What does that mean?!"

Kakashi's answer only served to piss him off even more. The last Uchiha leapt at the Jounin, only to be stopped with a frustrating ease. The man didn't break a sweat, and as his foot pressed harder down on Sasuke's scalp, the boy clenched his teeth.

This was humiliating. Sasuke knew it was futile to struggle. He knew. But that didn't stop him from wanting to try.

"It's teamwork."

Teamwork. Something so simple. Even as Kakashi explained it, Sasuke's mind raced ahead at the implications. The man was right. He knew he was better than the other two, but he had let that get to his head. Even if he was better than them, they still could have had their uses.

But where was teamwork going to get him? That man didn't use teamwork. He hadn't needed it.

But perhaps… perhaps that was where they differed. That was where Sasuke could beat him. By utilizing the strengths that he didn't have.

Kakashi left, and Naruto gave his signature obnoxious grin.

"I don't need any food! I'm fine!" His stomach growled, negating his point, and Sasuke rolled his eyes as he sat down to eat. He didn't eat much before glancing over to see Uzumaki's miserable mug.

Sasuke did not feel sorry for him. He brought it on himself. But if he was going to get stronger…

When he woke again, he didn't quite remember what he had dreamt of, only that he knew it was important. Yellow, pink, silver… An odd combination, a strange concoction from his mind that he didn't fully understand.

The wisps of a memory were gone by the time he rose from his bed, and soon enough, Sasuke forgot about it.

Around him another bed had been set up, upon which Anna slept. Just next to her was a makeshift crib for Mio. On the other side of the small, and now crowded, room slept Eita, curled up under the thin, dirty sheet. The last mat was empty, though heat still emanated from it. Sasuke made to leave, moving silently so as not to wake the still sleeping occupants. He turned, and after another brief moment of thought, pulled the sheet from his bed, throwing it over Eita's body. The boy shifted but otherwise didn't stir.

Genji sat at the table once more, picking at his browning teeth with a toothpick. When he saw Sasuke, he grinned, ushering him over. "Good to know you're an early riser, kid. So, I know it's a bit early, but I was thinkin' of takin' you to a friend o' mine. He's a blacksmith, and has been looking for an apprentice fo' some time now. You'll get a share of the profit; especially once you start makin' your own weapons." He leaned forward, grinning widely, and Sasuke held back the urge to escape from the vicinity of the large nose and equally large smell. "So whaddya say?"

Sasuke took a moment to regain his sense of smell before nodding. Genji sat back, satisfied, before pulling himself up and bounding out the door with a speed that belied his age. Sasuke followed at a calmer pace, Genji leading the way through the streets, still largely empty as the sun had just risen only minutes before.

They moved for several minutes in silence before Genji fell back, enough to keep pace with Sasuke, leaning over to speak quietly in his ear. "Listen ta me closely, kid. Eating isn't common for others around here, and those that do can be feared or persecuted. Since you seem to have enough reiatsu to need to eat, you can't let others know. Learn to control and hide your reiatsu, and don't let anyone but us know if you're hungry. Understand?" He stopped, giving Sasuke a hard look. He must've seen something in his eyes, because the man then nodded, attitude shifting as he grinned, slapping the younger man on the back. "Good! Now let's get goin'!"

Genji led him to a small shop, the area around it surprisingly spacious, compared to the cramped quarters of its neighbors. The small, sparse yard held a kiln and a bonfire pit, tables set up before them and filled with various wares, from daggers to cooking pans. Sitting in a shack of a shop was a man that seemed about Genji's age, his long hair pulled back, though silver strands persistently clung to his sweat-matted face.

The man looked up as they neared him, hard eyes as black as the ash and soot that coated his face. He scowled at the sight of the two of them, setting down the half-made blade in his hands as he stood, wiping his hands on his yukata, leaving black smears on the cloth.

"What do you want, Hibiki?" The man groused, eyes flicking to Sasuke for only a moment.

Genji grinned sheepishly. "Well, you know how you've been talking about gettin' an apprentice or something?"

The man's scowl deepened. "I said maybe."

Genji laughed. "Well, either way, I've found you an apprentice." He waved a hand in Sasuke's direction. "This kid here is Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke, this man is an old friend of mine and the local blacksmith, Uchiwa Jirou. You'll be an apprentice under him from now on." At the sound of Sasuke's name, Jirou's own eyes narrowed, but he otherwise said nothing, turning his piercing gaze to the only other old man in the vicinity.

"I haven't agreed to this yet." He growled, but Genji ignored him, laughing and slapping him on the back.

"But we both know you will eventually, so just go ahead and take him already! Show him the ropes! He looks like he's proficient with a blade anyways."

Jirou looked as if he was going to protest again, but Genji just laughed and escaped, leaving Sasuke to stand there somewhat awkwardly. Jirou turned to him grumpily, hard dark eyes glaring into Sasuke's own black eyes.

Another few moments passed before Jirou broke the stare first with a resigned sigh, sitting heavily down on his little rickety stool. He looked back up at Sasuke with a scowl.

"Very well. Be here tomorrow at sunrise."

狐跡 – A rough translation of the district name. I'm not fluent in Japanese in the slightest, so if you are, feel free to correct me.

**Another story in the saga of slowly transferring some AO3 stories over. I'm keeping the A/Ns from the original posting here below, since they're still relevant, and I'll be updating this regularly up until the latest update. :) Figured this should be done, since most Naruto fanfics are here on FF. Gotta keep em together, ya know?

So, as you probably noticed, there's going to be a lot of OCs for the first few chapters here. I'm going to focus on Sasuke of course, and once we get to a certain point in the storyline they're not likely to appear much at all after that. It's just the way I have the story set up, so bear with me on that. :P
Also, if Sasuke's OOC at all, do keep in mind he's a bit of an amnesiac, so while it's Sasuke, he's not going to be 100% himself.
Lastly, I'll largely be ignoring anything past Aizen's defeat cause complexities and issues in general with plot stuff. I may or may not include Ginjo and the Xcution arc, but that's up for debate as of now.

And also, just one more thing, I feel really iffy about using the Japanese suffixes with a few exceptions, so you'll see the suffixes used in some cases and not in others. I'll mostly use it when someone is referring to an elder, so the use of -chan and -kun will likely not be used much.