Chasing the Shadow
is a Naruto fanfic based on a relatively simple premise. Everyone involved is just a little bit less stupid wherever possible.
Written by a fan fictioner called Obvious Pseudonym O'flaherty, the story is a For Want Of A Nail Fix Fic take on the Naruto franchise, based on the premise that, instead of being made to live alone as a child, Naruto was instead raised by the Uchiha clan as Sasuke's brother. The story is written with the express intent of being less blatantly silly than the story writing of the original eventually became, and has thus far been relatively successful in that regard. The story sticks relatively closely to canon for a short while, but diverges rather rapidly at the land of waves arc, with multiple small scale changes resulting in a very different series of events past that point.
The story is a Naru/Haku fic, but, rather uniquely, has been published in two separate versions, so that readers can choose for themselves whether Haku is a boy or a girl.
Tropes:
- Adaptational Badass: Sakura, who's much more of a Badass Bookworm than in canon.
- After-Action Healing Drama: During their battle with Zabuza, Kakashi is practically boiled alive, a medical emergency ensues.
- Ambiguously Bi: Both Naruto and Haku, the author seems to have a thing for complicated sexualities. It's made more complicated by the fact that both characters sexualities change depending on which version you read.
- Anti-Villain: Orochimaru and Kisame: the former, while still not good, is more of a sociopath than truly villainous. The latter, while definitely a villain, is generally kind and does allow his friendships with some of the heroes to influence his actions.
- Badass Bookworm: Sakura, it's practically her whole thing.
- Berserk Button: Never tell Sakura she can't do something, it won't end well.
- Big Damn Heroes: Used several times through the fic, to varying degrees of success.
- Defusing the Tyke-Bomb: Naruto's approach to dealing with Gaara and Kakashi's approach to Haku.
- Devoted to You: Haku, towards Naruto, to a frankly disturbing degree
- Fix Fic: This story towards the Naruto franchise as a whole.
- Groin Attack: Haku uses one on Naruto during their first fight scene
- Leeroy Jenkins: Lampshaded, the fic flat out states that Sasuke and Naruto charging Zabuza to save Kakashi was stupid and suicidal.
- Please Wake Up: After finding Kimimaro in the bombed out wreck of their hideout, Haku uses one of these combined with some slapping.
- Sharing a Body: Kurama and Naruto, for obvious reasons.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: Naruto's response to Kurama when the latter explains why he thinks humans are terrible.
- Took a Level in Badass: Everyone. Special mention goes to Sakura and Hinata post timeskip though.
- Tyke Bomb: Most of the main cast, to some degree or another, but specifically Gaara.
