Naruto: A Journey to the Past

Chapter 2: The Scroll

The crunching of feet making contact with the road could be heard, and if one looked closer, they would find a rather odd group of shinobi.

Currently, the group was quite a ways from Konoha, and had conveniently stopped at a waterfall to figure out what they would do from there.

Naruto and Akari were lounging by the river, splashing water on each other's faces, while drenching themselves. Sakura and Hinata were chatting, and Sasuke chose to stand by and watch.

About 10 minutes later, the group was sitting together, refreshed and ready to discuss their next step.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, "So how exactly do your portals work? Six Paths Super Gramps said you'll indirectly know how to find it. So how do we do that?"

Sasuke paused to think. If there was a reason to get the two of them together, it would surely be the same reasoning they used to seal Kaguya. But they didn't have the unique ability received directly from the Sage of Six Paths. But surely...

Akari's eyes lit up, "Why don't you two just try fusing your chakra to Sasuke's Rinnegan? That might have the same affect as sealing Kaguya, right?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. His cousin completely outsmarted them, and she didn't have the direct knowledge received from the Sage of Six Paths that Naruto and Sasuke have now.

Sasuke looked away, his hair covering his face, thinking along the same lines as Naruto. The girls, seeing the boys downcast expressions, giggled, knowing full well why they acted as they did.

It was then, Akari decided to make a joke. Turning to the girls, she motioned to the boys, "No wonder Naruto is the reincarnation of the Shodaime. After all, he gets as easily depressed as the First. And Sasuke is just as broody as Madara."

It was clear that Sakura and Hinata were both trying to hold in the laughter, but realizing Akari was indeed correct, they burst into joyous laughter.

Naruto clenched his fist in Akari's direction, yelling, "Damn it Akari!"

Sasuke was much less verbal in his answer, but everyone could tell he was just as embarrassed as Naruto.

Sakura clapped her hands together to bring the attention back. Coughing slightly, to cover her laughter, she said, "As much fun as that commentary was, we do need to focus."

Naruto nodded, "Agreed. If there's no other idea, I guess we go with Akari's?"

Sasuke nodded, "It seems most likely to work. Though we're we'd be teleporting to, I have no idea."

Hinata then spoke up, "When we get there, I can also check our surroundings for anything that could be dangerous."

Naruto smiled, "I knew it was a good idea to bring you along with us." Naruto poked at Hinata's cheek teasingly."

Akari blinked and looked away. Silently cursing Naruto to be so loving at a serious moment such as this.

Sasuke, however, immediately spoke, "If you two are done flirting, we should really be moving on." he said in a monotone pitch.

Naruto and Hinata's ears reddened and they looked away from the others. Though the couple was new, their chemistry with each other was impeccable. Sakura and Akari giggled at the couple's shyness.

Naruto coughed, and slowly stood up. Noticing Naruto's expression was returning to a neutral one, Sasuke stood as well, motioning everyone else to do the same.

Naruto held up his fist in Sasuke's direction, to which, Sasuke bumped his fist with Naruto's. Akari could feel chakra swirling around the two, and it slowly made its way to Sasuke's Rinnegan.

Sasuke's Rinnegan snapped open. A purple swirling vortex appeared in front of them. Then Naruto stepped back from Sasuke.

Naruto questioned, "Is this it?"

Sasuke nodded, "We have no idea what's on the other side. Whether it is or isn't or goal, we need to be ready." Sasuke turned to Akari, "Akari. Prepare a seal. Hinata. Activate your byakugan."

"On it."

"Yeah, yeah."

Sasuke and Naruto stepped through the portal, followed closely by the girls. A flash consumed their vision for a quick second, and suddenly they were someplace else entirely.

Naruto slapped Sasuke on the back, "Heh. Got to admit, these portals of your sure are handy."

"I think I would know better than you, Naruto." retorted Sasuke.

Turning to the girls, Sasuke noticed Akari with a hand to the ground, eyes closed, Hinata was looking around the area, scouring ahead, and Sakura was double checking the equipment, making sure they could leave if the need rose for it.

Akari opened her eyes and faced the group, "There's a strange chakra coming from the North. Though I can't tell how far away it actually is. Something is blocking me from the exact location. How about you, Hinata?"

Hinata shook her head, "Nothing. I'm looking in the same direction, but when I reach a certain area, it's blank."

Sakura hoisted her bag onto her shoulders, "Guess we know where we're going. North."

Naruto faced the road, preparing to head out, "Let's get moving, then." With that, he started down the wrong road.

"Umm, Naruto-kun? You're going in the opposite direction." commented Hinata."

"Idiot." came Sasuke's reply.

Akari shrugged her shoulders, "Even though he's much older, he has the same mentality he had as a Genin."

Sakura wacked Akari on the back of her head, "Honestly. Can you try to take this seriously?"

"But it's Naruto."

"AKARI!" shouted Sakura.

"Fine fine. Let's go guys."

Hinata was still trying to cheer Naruto up. And what was Naruto doing? Muttering comments about how terrible Sasuke and Akari were. Though he immediately snapped out of it when the group started walking.

As they continued down the path, it suddenly gave way to a clearing. The sound of a waterfall could be heard, and the sun shined brightly overhead. In the middle of it all stood a very old temple. Though the temple was a single room, what was inside was something to behold.

A dust scroll was set up against the wall of the room, and it was clear to everyone that the scroll was what they were looking for.

As Sasuke turned to ask Akari to prepare a seal, she seemed to be deep in thought.

With a hand on her chin, she turned to face the group, "We have a problem. Though this place is only accessible to Naruto and Sasuke's unique chakra, I fear if there's anyone else out there with Six Paths Senjutsu or even the Rinnegan, they could very well possibly find this place. We're going to need to think a little bit."

Akari sat down on the ground, legs crossed, "Though if I'm being honest, if I knew what that scroll was, this would be a whole lot easier."

"Well. Why don't we just open it?" asked Naruto.

"Because we don't know what the scroll contains!" Akari exasperatedly. "We don't know if opening it will unleash something that could be potentially dangerous."

Akari paused, "That's what I would normally say. However, I believe it's worth the risk, considering the amount of oddities we've come across during and since the Fourth Great Ninja War. That being said, are we all in agreement for opening the scroll?"

Once she saw everyone was certain, Akari grabbed the scroll from the stand, and slowly opened it.

Though once she did, nothing happened. No sudden surges of abnormal chakra could be detected.

Naruto furrowed his eyes, "Now what?"

Akari frowned, "I don't know-!"

Though just as Akari spoke these words, a flash of light consumed the group. And a second later, them, and the scroll were somewhere else entirely.