Line #17 FanFic/TimeAndAgain


1	->''Blood.\
2	He could smell it everywhere. On him, on the burning buildings around him, leaking out of the body of the last of his childhood friends not far from him, it was even in the mud that he was lying in. Something cold and wet hit his face, causing him to stir and beginning to bring him back to his senses. Was it raining too? He couldn't remember when it had started.''
3	-->-- '''Prologue'''
4
5	[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4041754/1/Time_and_Again Time and Again]], and its [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4781296/1/Here_and_Now sequel]], is a masterful re-telling of ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', with a twist.
6
7	The future has gone [[BadFuture bad]], [[CrapsackWorld very bad]]. Konoha has been destroyed and [[TheBadGuyWins Orochimaru-as-Sasuke stands on the threshold of]] [[TakeOverTheWorld complete and final victory]]. Then, in the last moments, his life leaking away, Naruto lands a decisive blow before losing consciousness.
8
9	Then he wakes up--twenty years in the past.
10
11	At first Naruto suspects a really awful hangover, then genjutsu, of being the cause of the strangeness surrounding him. Then the possibilities hit him...
12
13	With powerful, poignant characterization, excellent pacing, humor, drama, and suspense, Time and Again is the epitome of PeggySue fanfic; with a tendency towards nail-biting tension. An examination of the PeggySue and GodModeSue plot devices that plays straight, deconstructs, inverts, averts, and turns 'em every way but loose!
14
15	The recipe is heavily OriginalFlavour, amazingly so: the author has repeatedly guessed upcoming canon plot twists, sometimes months before they happened (...well, with a few notable exceptions, but nobody's omniscient)!
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17	In addition, unlike most PeggySue stories, as time passes the plot leans towards DarkerAndEdgier.
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19	Now it has a [[http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members/members_videoinfo.php?v=166004 fan vid]]
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21	Also worth reading is [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4805706/1/Tsuki_no_Kage Tsuki no Kage]], a one-shot TearJerker by a different author retelling the flashback between Future Naruto and Future Hinata [[PerspectiveFlip from her perspective instead]].
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24
25	!!This story provides examples of:
26
27	* {{Angst}}:
28	** Naruto falls into a brief funk after he [[spoiler:fails to stop Haku's suicide]], and thinks he [[spoiler:may have inadvertently gotten Akamaru killed]].
29	** Later, he falls into a [[HeroicBSOD more serious one]] after [[spoiler:he is captured and tortured by Orochimaru for two years!]]
30	** He also nearly breaks down after [[spoiler:Hinata rejects him to make her own decisions]] and he realises he's been manipulating his friends even though they're trying to live their own lives.
31	* AdaptationDistillation: Debatable - Some aspects/arcs are glossed over, others are greatly expanded.
32	* ArmorPiercingQuestion: One that Naruto asks ''himself:'' "The real question was: what actions did love excuse?"
33	* ArrangedMarriage: Hinata was forced into one in the Bad Future.
34	* BadFuture: The future seen in the prologue is one.
35	* TheBadGuyWins: The prologue is set right when Orochimaru is about to achieve complete victory.
36	* BelligerentSexualTension: Some interpretations of the Sasuke/Sakura romance and ShipTease. Which is which is open to debate.
37	* BigBad: Orochimaru is the main villain. Akatsuki start to act in ''Here And Now'', but they play a very minor role before the fic dies.
38	* BigDamnHeroes:
39	** [[spoiler:Kabuto's team]] take the place of the Sand Siblings saving the heroes from the Sound Five in canon. Unlike in canon, [[spoiler:they pay for it badly, with Tsurugi and Yoroi dying ''hideous'' deaths.]]
40	** Gaara (and his siblings, but mostly Gaara) save [[spoiler:the Hidden Sand village (Suna)]] from being conquered.
41	* {{Brainwashed}} / MindRape: The mind-control jutsu from the future turns people into sleeper agents who can be activated with a passphrase to attack their comrades. May actually be PeoplePuppets. [[AndIMustScream The mind-controlled victim is entirely aware of what's happening to them]].
42	* BrickJoke:
43	** Cutting people's hair while they sleep, almost a BookEnd since Naruto mentions how twisted it would be in the beginning, and Temari wonders what would happen if she does it at the end of the Time And Again.
44	** Non-humorous example: when Naruto tells [[spoiler:Jiraiya]] the truth about him being the "temporary Hokage" in the BadFuture, [[spoiler:Jiraiya]] objects that there's no such thing, you either are or you aren't. [[spoiler:After Danzo is elected Hokage by the council in Here and Now, Homura expresses doubts about his suitability to Koharu, who reassures him that Danzo is only "temporary", causing Homura to respond "There's no such thing as a 'temporary' Hokage."]]
45	* CatsAreMean: The Two-Tailed Monster Cat in ''Here and Now''.
46	* ClearMyName: This is a major plot point resulting from both Orochimaru and Danzo's machinations. Gaara gets [[FrameUp set up]] to look like he planned a coup against his father for the position of Kazekage.
47	* ChekhovsGag: Naruto's SarcasticConfession to Kakashi about having run to the Land of Waves and back becomes instrumental in convincing Kakashi and Sarutobi he's from the future because he couldn't have known about the mission otherwise.
48	* CompletedFic: ''Time and Again'' has been completed as of February 8, 2009. [[DeadFic The same can't be said for it's sequel.]]
49	* ContrivedCoincidence: Orochimaru convinces [[spoiler:Rin]] that Naruto is really the Kyuubi rather than being the person it's sealed inside of by taking her to witness Naruto using the Kyuubi's power. FridgeLogic would normally be the case, but he took her apparently right before Naruto decided to [[spoiler:change a B-rank mission to a C-rank mission to put the team in some trouble so they could bond, but which should have been an A-rank mission in the first place, during which he is required for the first time in the story to use the Kyuubi's power visibly.]]
50	* CrapsackWorld: The Bad Future that Naruto comes from is one in the prologue.
51	* CuteMute: [[spoiler:After Ino barely survives having her throat slashed, Kabuto grimly thinks that her voice may not be able to be saved.]]
52	* DarkerAndEdgier: The series increasingly leans towards this. Most notable are the graphic torture scenes orchestrated by Orochimaru.
53	** BloodierAndGorier: By the time [[spoiler:the war against Kumo is in full swing]] in ''Here and Now'' the story has more in common with ''Anime/NinjaScroll'' than with ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''.
54	* [[SonOfAWhore Daughter Of A Whore]]: [[spoiler:Karin]], whose mother [[spoiler:had the same healing powers as her]]. [[TearJerker Sometimes clients forced her to stay in the room and watch them ravish her mother in front of her.]]
55	* DeadFic: ''Here and Now'' hasn't updated since April 2010.
56	* DelayingAction: Naruto creates nearly a thousand shadow clones just to kee Kamui occupied until Kakashi gets back.
57	* DomesticAbuse: Hinata's arranged husband in the future, Hyuuga Hiroshi, abused her, something Naruto will never forgive him for.
58	* EntertaininglyWrong: Kakashi confronts Naruto after he thinks he's deduced the reason for the latter's suspicious behavior: he can somehow see the future. Naruto finds the idea hilarious, probably because Kakashi's guess is so near and yet so far.
59	* EroticDream: Naruto is apparently bothered by one after [[spoiler:he's rescued from Orochimaru]]. He can excuse the presence of Sakura in it since they ''did'' have sex once in the future, but Hinata's presence bothers him considerably, although not nearly as much as the appearance of [[spoiler:[[StockholmSyndrome Karin]]]] which he just finds plain disturbing.
60	* FightingFromTheInside: Some people attempt this once captured by Orochimaru's mind Jutsu.
61	* FirstKiss: Sakura gives hers to Sasuke at the same time she takes his [[spoiler:before sending him after Tayuya while she stays to hold off Sakon/Ukon]]...
62	** NowOrNeverKiss: ...because [[HeroicSacrifice she's quite certain she's about to die]].
63	* {{Foreshadowing}}: The author disguises some blatant foreshadowing as a joke in one of his chapter end notes in ''Time and Again'':
64	-->''Hopefully you're all paying attention, there's going to be a test towards the end of the story and if enough people fail to get it right, I'm leaving you all with a horrible cliffhanger--something like [[spoiler:Naruto being captured by Orochimaru and facing torture and execution]]--and [[DeadFic never updating again…]]no, no, [[{{Irony}} I wouldn't do that!]] Not for failing a test… failing to review on the other hand… ;)''
65	* ForWantOfANail: The original timeline diverges from canon as a direct result of Sasuke's fight with Itachi having a different outcome: namely, Orochimaru ''successfully'' took over Sasuke's body during the fight and killed Itachi, after which he proceeded to take over the ninja world.
66	* FrameUp: Gaara is framed for a supposed attempted coup to usurp his father as Kazekage.
67	* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: After Naruto [[spoiler:confesses to Sasuke that he's scared he can never defeat Orochimaru no matter how hard he tries]] Sasuke gives him an epic one of these.
68	-->'''Sasuke:''' You aren't Naruto, that much is obvious, and even if you and every other enemy out there is from the future, I don't care. You must have died during the last two years, because the Naruto I know would have laughed at you and then kicked your ass with both of his arms tied behind his back and all of his tenketsu sealed up by Hyuuga Hinata. If you don't have any resolve to keep fighting, why don't you just lie down and ''die!?''
69	* HopelessWar: Against Orochimaru in the original timeline, and seemingly against [[spoiler:Kumogakure]] in ''Here And Now''.
70	* IdiotHero: One of the few Naruto fanfics that remembers that Naruto is somewhat BookDumb and often makes really ''dumb'' mistakes and oversights (like failing to notice that [[spoiler:Sasuke hasn't yet awakened his Sharingan going into the Chunin Exams]]) because that's just how he is.
71	* InternalReveal: Naruto tells Kakashi and the Third Hokage about the future he's from after Kakashi finally confronts him about his odd behavior. He tells Jiraiya right off the bat, and in the sequel he tells Sasuke (who doesn't believe him before the fic's death point) when Sasuke confronts him about him knowing Uchiha family secrets and accuses him of not being his friend.
72	* KissingUnderTheInfluence: Future Naruto and Future Sakura (who otherwise had a close but platonic relationship) had a one-night stand exactly once, fuelled by alcohol, grief, and the need for comfort. Although it's a treasured memory for Naruto (quite likely the only time he ever had sex in his entire 30+ years of life), they both realised it was a mistake they promised not to repeat.
73	* ManipulativeBastard: Naruto eventually realises he's become this to his friends. His question then becomes whether this is ''acceptable'' or not. [[spoiler:Orochimaru]] is also this in SPADES, inciting two countries to go to war on two others and framing Gaara to prevent him from eventually becoming Kazekage.
74	* MercyKill: Apparently the only way to stop those affected by the mind control jutsu. [[spoiler:Naruto was forced to kill Kakashi in the future while Kakashi was literally ''begging'' for death.]]
75	* MessianicArchetype: Naruto has shades of this. Unable to remember how he saved Gaara from himself the first time around, he's willing to ''allow'' Gaara to kill him to show him there can be more to life than killing.
76	* MistakenForGay: After Naruto fumbles his explanation to Sakura about why it'd be "wrong" for him to pursue Hinata romantically (because from his perspective it'd make him a paedophile) she assumes that he's gay instead, noting that "it does explain some things".
77	* MoreThanMindControl: Apparently, this was Orochimaru/Sasuke's relationship with [[spoiler:Rin]] before the rewind. Now, Orochimaru is up for a repeat performance.
78	* NotSoDifferentRemark: Naruto briefly wonders if his ManipulativeBastard tendancies have made him no different from Orochimaru, but he quickly shrugs that off with the reasonable justification that he's trying to help his friends, not hurt them. However, a more serious one arises between him and [[spoiler:Hiroshi]]: he believes that, even if [[spoiler:Hiroshi]] has changed from the bastard he was in the Bad Future, if it took him a year of imprisonment and torture to do so then he's still not a man who is worthy of Hinata. Then he realises that his own [[ObliviousToLove obliviousness to Hinata's feelings]] combined with his uncertainty about what exactly she is to him means that ''he's'' not worthy of her either.
79	* ObliviousToLove: Naruto lived ''an entire lifetime'' without noticing that Hinata was in love with him all along. He would have gone another except Sakura and Sasuke spell it out for him.
80	* ObstructiveBureaucrat: The Konoha Council in the future refused to let Naruto have the ttle of Hokage, but also refused to appoint anyone else since Naruto was already doing the work. The Hyuuga Elders in the future refused to let Hinata be the Clan Head and forced her to marry someone so he could be Clan Head.
81	* OneDialogueTwoConversations: Sakura is trying to confirm that Naruto is trying to go out with Hinata. Naruto thinks she realized he has the Kyuubi in him. HilarityEnsues.
82	* OpponentSwitch: Naruto switches with Kakashi when he realizes Kakashi's lightning jutsu are needed to beat Naruto's opponent's earth-elemental armor.
83	* RedHerringMole: Sort of. At the end of chapter 12 of ''Here and Now'', Hinata and one of Naruto's shadow clones crash into a burning room at the Hyuuga compound to find [[spoiler:Hyuuga Hiroshi and Hyuuga Ko]] standing over Hanabi and [[spoiler:the stabbed body of]] Hiashi. The text implies that [[spoiler:Hiroshi]] is under the mind control jutsu and [[spoiler:stabbed Hiashi]] when someone takes out Naruto's shadow clone, trapping them in the burning building- but the next chapter reveals (eventually) that it was [[spoiler:''Ko'']] who was under the jutsu instead.
84	* SadistTeacher: Anko is one to Sakura.
85	* SarcasticConfession: Naruto does this ''twice'': once to Kakashi (about [[spoiler:running to the Land of Waves to save Team 8 from Zabuza and Haku]]) and once to Shikamaru (about being from the future).
86	* SecretKeeper: Naruto tells the truth about him being from the future to Kakashi, the Third Hokage, and Jiraiya in ''Time and Again'' and to Sasuke in ''Here and Now''. He also tells Shikamaru, but it's [[SarcasticConfession so random he thinks Naruto is joking]].
87	* ShoutOut: Repeatedly, of events pertaining to the 'canon'. Others deal with the altered timeline and the changes wrought by both Naruto and [[spoiler:Orochimaru]]. Happens more often in the sequel.
88	* ShipTease:
89	** The Author is unnecessarily cruel to Hinata...[[{{OTP}} considering the]] {{irony}}.
90	** Also [[spoiler:Kabuto and Ino]] and to an extent [[spoiler:[[StockholmSyndrome Naruto and Karin]].]]
91	* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Hinata's suggestion for Naruto on how to prove he's not in a genjutsu is to find someone he knows really well and ask them questions a genjutsu caster wouldn't know the answers to.
92	** When [[spoiler:she and Sasuke save Naruto from Orochimaru's lair]] she's able to convince him she's real and not another genjutsu by [[spoiler:tapping him on the forehead and saying "None of that", their personal catchphrase whenever she tried to [[ApologisesALot apologise to him for something that wasn't her fault]]]].
93	* TheStationsOfTheCanon: Played with. A lot of the major events from the series occur in the new timeline (the Wave Country mission, Hinata fighting Neji in the Chuunin exams, the Sasuke retrieval mission) but in a totally different way ([[spoiler:Team 8 is sent on the Wave Country mission instead, Hinata fights Neji in the Chuunin exam ''finals'' and actually beats him before yielding, the Retrieve Sasuke mission is actually to rescue a kidnapped Naruto]]). After [[spoiler:Haku dies despite Naruto's best efforts to save him]] Naruto begins to wonder if there isn't [[YouCantFightFate some kind of "fate" steering things towards a preordained conclusion]].
94	* StockholmSyndrome: Orochimaru attempts to use [[spoiler:Karin]] to {{invoke\|dTrope}} this in [[spoiler:a captive Naruto]] by making her get close to him while healing his injuries. [[spoiler:It very nearly works.]]
95	** LimaSyndrome: [[spoiler:Karin]] actually finds herself developing a tiny bit of genuine feelings for [[spoiler:Naruto]].
96	* TakeThat: To the copious {{Ass Pull}}s and instances of NewPowersAsThePlotDemands that show up in the manga:
97	-->'''Kidomaru:''' What the hell was that? A lightning clone? Random abilities popping up all over the place… seems kind of cheap if you ask me…
98	* ThatCameOutWrong: When Sakura is talking to Hinata about Naruto's condition [[spoiler:after 2 years of imprisonment and torture]]:
99	-->'''Sakura:''' He seems to have a bit of sleep apnea… I don't remember him doing that before, but it's been a long time since I slept with Naru-- ''[{{beat}}]'' Uh… No, not like ''that'', that was… I mean, I'd never… with him, you know… well, [[NotThatTheresAnythingWrongWithThat not that there's anything wrong with him]]. I just… uh… ''[{{Beat}}]'' Can I stop now?
100	-->'''Hinata:''' Please.
101	* TimeSkip: Between ''Time and Again'' and ''Here and Now''.
102	* {{Time Travel}}: Comes with several toppings-
103	** SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: Most of Naruto's efforts are along this vein. He is moderately successful. [[spoiler:And then again, sometimes he makes things worse.]] Several times his past/future/current mentors discourage this.
104	** FutureBadass: Naruto has mastered wind chakra nature manipulation and can use loads of jutsu from at least three elemental natures, and was Hokage in all but official title in the future.
105	** BadFuture: A major motive for Naruto's attempts to change the timeline.
106	** OlderThanTheyLook: When he first comes back, Naruto is physically twelve years old but is mentally over thirty.
107	** PeggySue: Naruto, [[spoiler:later we find out Orochimaru is also one]].
108	* UnknowinglyInLove: Naruto rationalizes his love for Hinata as him trying to make up for not stopping her from entering a (very unhappy) ArrangedMarriage and getting Neji and Hanabi killed even.
109	* WellDoneSonGuy: Hiashi tried to {{invoke\|dTrope}} this in Hinata, being strict on her in the hopes that the desire to earn his praise would motivate her enough to make up for her lack of natural talent and become strong. However, he did it with her best interests in mind and was heartbroken when it apparently didn't work.
110	* WhamEpisode:
111	** Chapter 24. Naruto finally confronts the disguised Orochimaru in the Forest of Death during the second stage of the Chuunin Exams. [[spoiler:He kills him--way too easily. It's not Orochimaru. Things have gone completely OffTheRails.]]
112	** End of Chapter 36. [[spoiler:Naruto is finally convinced he was wrong in suspecting Rin of working with Orochimaru--then she drugs him unconscious and delivers him to the Sound Four.]]
113	* WhatWereYouThinking: A shocked Naruto quotes the trope verbatim when he realises that future!Hinata loved him her entire life and never let him know, even when [[spoiler:he could have saved her from a loveless and abusive ArrangedMarriage by marrying her himself, which he would have done without a second thought]].
114	* ZergRush: Taken to extreme lengths with Naruto's shadow clones against Kamui.

Context FanFic / TimeAndAgain