Falling In Reverse

Chapter 1: Displacement

A wave of explosion from where jutsu had clashed hit Naruto full force and he was thrown across the field, landing hard on the ground in a cloud of dust.

He was tired.

Naruto coughed. A sharp pain jabbed at his chest and side, a bitter irony taste irritating his taste buds. He tried to lick the blood from his lips, but his tongue felt like it was glued in his mouth.

He was so, so tired.

The blond Jinchuuriki heaved his broken body from the ground, ignoring strained muscles and the red liquid dripping from his numerous wounds. With some struggle, he stood up, planting his feet deep into the blood-drenched soil for much needed support, and straightened up.

He was tired, but he would not die groveling in the dirt.

Naruto choked out a chuckle, imagining the expression of those two pompous Uchihas that they would make seeing him stand up again and again and again. Because even if he would die, he refused to die as their enemy had dictated. He would choose his own way, clawing at it with his teeth and nails, as always.

Naruto Uzumaki never gave up, even if he was completely exhausted.

Kurama was roaring in the back of his mind, and though the young man could hear him, the meaning of his words eluded him at the moment. There was constant ringing in Naruto's ears and uncomfortable pressure to the side of his skull that just wouldn't go away. He brushed the wet strands of blond hair off his face and grimaced at the blood on his hand.

Sweeping over the chaotic battlefield with his eyes, Naruto felt strangely detached from all of that. His chakra reserves were completely empty and he couldn't draw more from the Kyuubi if he didn't want to kill his friend or, more likely, both of them. He was beyond saving without Kurama's healing. Tsunade-baa-chan and Sakura were already gone.

Blue eyes snapped up as a colossal shadow fell over him. Juubi was staring down at him, its enormous red orb glowing menacingly even in the daylight. Obito Uchiha appeared on one of the beast's shoulders while reanimated Madara stood on another.

A small smirk tugged the edges of Naruto's lips. Both Uchihas sneered at his obvious mocking gesture, and all hell broke loose in the next minute.

A huge black ball of energy started to form in front of the open mouth of Juubi.

A ribcage of Susanoo suddenly flickered into existence around Naruto. "Silly Sasuke..." he wheezed out, unable to stop the tender smile.

They had reunited just a few days ago after a year being apart, without knowing that they both survived the primary battle and went into hiding after it. Sasuke together with his reanimated brother, and Naruto with Kakashi and the three reanimated Hokages, excluding the Sandaime who sacrificed himself so that the others could escape.

Obito ran his fingers through series of seals, but before he could finish, another Susanoo flung him from the Juubi's shoulder.

Naruto swayed, yet kept standing fueled by the pure willpower alone. He briefly glanced to the side, catching sight of bleeding Kakashi on the ground not far from him as he used his last strength in a vain attempt to crawl towards his blond student, the remaining eye wide and terrified, the other one scarred and shut closed forever.

The latter's smile grew a bit wider.

Itachi's Susanoo slowly dissipated into nothingness. After a moment, Obito returned to his previous spot, Mangekyou Sharingan spinning in both eyes.

A water shield, courtesy of the Nidaime, enveloped the area where Naruto was standing in the middle of Sasuke's barely formed Susanoo, the young Uchiha clearly pushing his last drops of chakra into it.