Back to the past, Believe it!

Miracles have their complications 

(I would like to say that this fic is under editing, and while I dislike the POV switches being all in the same chapter, I am not rewriting their POVS in its entirety. Simply not down for that. So y'all have to cope with me 🥲

The world seemed to scream, spin, and grow larger yet shrink all at the same time. For a long moment, it's as though they themselves are dormant, half-delirious, as they watch the green of the surrounding grass turn white, coated in snow, before it turns a muddy brown, dead.

Naruto- Later, the only one who'd be able to recall the shifting of the environment around them- opened his eyes. Much to his own regret, as his body protested the action.

Though he had every intention to laugh as he tilted his head, only just managing to catch sight of Sasuke, all that came from him was a rasping wheeze.

The man, now a boy, looked as young as the day the two fought for the last time, really fought, anyway. Naruto did not doubt in his mind that Shikamaru and he looked much the same.

Already, he's drained more than half of his chakra reserve; it'll only be a matter of time before he begins to drain Kurama's own, phantom pain it may be, his chakra coils already burn at the thought. He can only hope Shikamaru will be alright, Nara or not, he doesn't have the reserves he himself has, much less the reserves Sasuke bears.

The beginning of the trip went smoothly, as far as Naruto could tell. However, it's as the sky grows cloudy, vision fuzzy, and body burning that the trip turned from just barely doable to agonizing- As their chakra reserves run thin, it seems like the seal is scraping for the last bit more, if only to go just a day further into the past.

Out of the three of them, not a single one had it in them to realize they were finally in the past.

Sasuke, somehow, was the first to wake. Groggily, he used his arm to cover his eyes, feeling the sun drift higher into the sky. It was a near thing that he let his mind drift back to the comforts of sleep, a close thing.

The boy stumbled as his heart sank from the realization. Pulling his covers from himself, Sasuke looked around harshly as he felt heat rush through every vein in his body.

"We did it." Sasuke thought as he stood. Slowly, his eyes drifted towards the door of his room, his childhood room. A chest filled with old toys sat in the corner, while the closet was filled to the brim with Uchiha-crest clothing. Closing his eyes, he brought his hand to his forehead, where a headache was beginning to bloom.

Sasuke's eyes fluttered open once more, tilting his head as he looked at his clearly empty sleeve. With a frown, he huffed; it never crossed his mind that he would harbor old wounds, even now in the past.

While he was fully aware he was a child, the fact that he made any sound at all disturbed him.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows; the abilities he used to harbor were gone; however, it felt as though, should he try, it wouldn't be hard. From what he's able to feel, he has almost all of his original chakra. Locked away as it is, something he's unable to use.

He's unsure of the conditions to 'unlock' the sealed chakra, but it's something Sasuke hopes to figure out soon.

Walking as silently as he could across his room, Sasuke looked in his closet. Hesitantly, he found a presentable long-sleeved shirt, though as he put it on, he grimaced. The sleeve meant for his arm was empty, and more importantly, incredibly noticeable.

It's with that thought that Sasuke grunted as his small fingers finally managed to tie a knot on his sleeve.

"As a child, I can joke that I have no arm, and simply can't use it..." Sasuke mused, "But as a child of a prestigious clan... I'll have to train eventually." Sasuke muttered. It was as he thought over his options that he froze, the sound of a door sliding open, then closing thereafter.