Naruto/Fanfic Recs/For Want of a Nail Fics

These are recommendations made by Tropers for Naruto For Want of a Nail fic, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here.

You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.

Team 8 by S'TarKan
 * Now has its own trope page.
 * Recommended by User:Rogue 7, Clendy82, Azuriyuu, Psalm of Fire, User:Umbreon Messiah, Chuckg, User:Red Savant, User:Draga, boonerunner, User:Unclouded TJ, User:Ack Sed, User:Arcane Azmadi
 * Pairings: Mostly NaruHina
 * Synopsis: A what-if fan fiction that places Naruto on Kurenai's team at the beginning, reimagining the series. Currently just moving beyond the Search for Tsunade arc,.
 * Status: Last updated Jan 2011

Legacy of the Rasengan I: Naruto, Legacy of the Rasengan II: Makaze Rekadaishi, and Legacy of the Rasengan III: Chuuten by Tellemicus Sundance
 * Recommended by Clendy82, Jomlos,
 * Pairings:
 * Synopsis: A very good interpretation of the story, told from the very beginning and following the events of the series all the way through. Like many other Naruto fanfics, it makes full use of For Want of a Nail and a Naruto mildly increased in ability. The first volume only has slight changes to the overall plot. The second volume, which takes place during the Time Skip, is very much Original Flavor with a completely original story arc. And the third volume and is still in progress, which follows the events beyond the timeskip, follows the main story but begins to branch off to follow its own plots.
 * Status: Complete

Clash in the Land of Snow: Legacy Version by FictionReader98
 * Recommended by FLCNPNCH, Ramenth, Jomlos, ZeroXSEED
 * Synopsis: It's Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow - adapted to the Legacy of the Rasengan universe!
 * Status: Last updated Feb 2012

Blind, by Tazaki4
 * Recommended by User:Donomni
 * Synopsis: A Naruto fic that's one of many (read "thousands of") For Want of a Nail stories made regarding the series. What makes it stand out is how a single theft not only but also
 * Status: Complete

Curse of a Hanyou, Love of an Angel by Saemon
 * Recommended by Supernatural
 * Pairings: Naruto x Hinata
 * Synopsis: Cursed mere hours after his birth to wander the world as a Kitsune Hanyou, Naruto Uzumaki is forced to find light in a cruel world. Is it possible to live life as a half-demon and earn the acceptance of those around you. If so, is love also possible?
 * Status: Last updated Jan 2012

The Genius Losers of Konoha by Stigma (secret history)
 * Recommended by User:Donomni
 * Synopsis: This is what happens when someone writes Naruto and Hinata to be Teen Geniuses (And rivals, no less) on a level higher than Shikamaru (or the same level but not lazy), and makes it something you can't stop reading. It continues to follow the canon story, but everything you read is behind the scenes.
 * Status: Last updated Aug 2009

The Ghost and the Darkness by Kirsdarkenvar
 * Recommended by Cherico, Serbii, User:Akatsuki Daybreak, User:Void Herald
 * Pairings: None so far
 * Synopsis: Sasuke meets Naruto after the Uchiha massacre. Naruto has issues and they end up having a codependent relationship. Its Better Than It Sounds.
 * Status: Last updated Jun 2011

Something to Die For, by Macavity the Mystery Cat
 * Recommended by User:anowack
 * Pairings:
 * Synopsis: A well-written and unique (to this troper's knowledge) take on the "Team Seven has a different teacher" genre, with Morino Ibiki, head of ANBU's torture and interrogation squad, as the teacher.
 * Status: Last updated Jul 2010

Naruto: Altered History, by Geor-sama
 * Recommended by User:Red Viking, boonerunner
 * Pairings:
 * Synopsis: A For Want of a Nail story, as suggested by the title. This story basically explores what would have happened had no one in the village known that the Kyuubi had been sealed inside Naruto.
 * Status: Complete

Fox Identity: by Arkhe
 * Recommended by Antiguo Nonun
 * Pairings: None.
 * Status: Dead Fic.
 * Synopsis: An alternate universe where Naruto discovered he was the Jail of the Kyuubi at a very young age but with the catch that believes he is the Kyuubi. This caused a entire shift of his personality, creating the facade of a buffoon while researching a way to regain its former body and bring its revenge to Konoha. All would be going its merry way if it wasn't for those annoying feelings and its teammates.
 * Status: Last updated Nov 2005

Konoha's Legacy: An Alternate Version by The Gemini Project
 * Recommended by Clendy82
 * Synopsis:Taking place in an alternate world where the Fourth Hokage is alive and well, and the Nine-Tailed Fox never attacked Konoha, the story follows the events of the series as they are altered through the Fourth's presence.
 * Status: Last updated Feb 2008

Genius of Konoha, by Mrriddler (character death)
 * Recommended by User:Red Viking
 * Synopsis: An arguably dark fic that answers the question: What would things be like if Naruto were a plan loving Magnificent Bastard willing to do anything to keep Konoha safe instead of his canon, idealistic self?
 * Status: Last updated Nov 2009
 * Comments: Be forewarned: Anyone Can Die.

Lost Soul, by LD1449
 * Recommended by Krow Blood, User:Shadow AI, FLCNPNCH
 * Synopsis: This fic is massive, over 460,000 words and 97 chapters, tells the story about Naruto being raised to be a weapon, and anything else would spoil ALL of the story.
 * Status: Last updated Jan 2012

The Nine Broken Mirrors, by Ayien
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak, Yogi, Serbii, User:Some Poor Sod, The Tambourine Man
 * Pairings:
 * Synopsis: A tale of Naruto and Gaara joining forces after the chunin exam to gather together the rest of the jinchuriki in order to prevent a future full of carnage.
 * Status: Last updated Jun 2010

The Demon in the Hyuga Clan by Dark Sword Mage
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Pairing: Naruto/Hinata
 * Synopsis: As its name suggests, its a What If fic in which Hinata is the Kyuubi jinchuriki and both of Naruto's parents are alive and well, with the two of them ending up in the same squad under Kurenai.
 * Status: Complete

The Melt by pudgypudge.
 * Recommended by User:Ansela, User:REV 6 Pilot
 * Pairings: NaruHina with hints of AnkoNaru
 * Synopsis: As a child, Naruto is taken in by Sarutobi to be his chosen successor to the mantle of Hokage. He develops a bloodline long thought lost to the world and learns along the way that, though he may be hated for his demon, his Will of Fire will burn brightly.
 * Status: Last updated Jul 2009

Senju Naruto by Baal of Yarns
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak, Psalm of Fire, boonerunner
 * Pairings: Naruto/Temari or Naruto/Tenten
 * Synopsis: An AU fic in which Tsunade is Naruto's mother, with an exploration into how Naruto would turn out raised outside of Konoha with a Sannin mother and a bloodline competing with the demon inside of him.
 * Status: Last updated May 2009

People Lie by Nugar AU
 * Recommended by Gamma Wolf, User:Xander K, boonerunner, User:Ack Sed, User:Jason Carter, amatakamata
 * Pairings: Naruto/Hinata
 * Synopsis: People Lie. A darker realer ninja world. What happens if Naruto is raised by Ibiki.
 * Status: Last updated Jul 2010

A Mother's Love by Lord of the Land of Fire (AU, character death)
 * Recommended by User:SAMAS, Clendy82, User:Nitramy, User:Wint
 * Pairings: NaruHina is this author's OTP. Believe it.
 * Synopsis: Kushina Uzumaki survives childbirth by sheer force of will (and the timely arrival of Tsunade). Things change.
 * Status: Complete

Suiren, by Eimii
 * Recommended by User:anowack, Clendy82
 * Pairings: Anko/Sakura
 * Synopsis: One of the best Sakura-focused fanfics out there, diverging during the Chuunin Exam when Sakura decides to actually do something during the wait for the final part of the exam, and (eventually) winds up attracting the attention of Mitarashi Anko.
 * Status: Last updated Aug 2008

Melody of the Fox, by Jetslinger
 * Recommended by User:X Shouldve Died, User:Akatsuki Daybreak templar627
 * Pairings: Naruto and Tayuya
 * Synopsis: Tayuya survives the Valley of the End, but not without taking crippling injuries from having a few trees dropped on her. Tsunade drafts her into Konoha's forces at knife point to get information on Orochimaru. Naruto finds himself being shanghaied into being her guard. Hilarity Ensues.
 * Status: Last updated Dec 2011

Sinister Chakra by williams5505
 * Recommended by litewarior
 * Pairings: Naruto/Hinata
 * Synopsis: When the Fourth Hokage sealed the Kyuubi into Naruto, Madara got sealed into him as well. Also, Hinata isn't a Hyuuga, but a Senju adopted by the clan.
 * Status: Last updated Dec 2011

Nine Tailed Serpent by LT2000
 * Recommended by FLCNPNCH
 * Pairings:
 * Synopsis: How is this not in here already? *sigh* Anyway, the story's about how Naruto would play out if the titular character Took a Level In Badass, complete with Badass Longcoat and BFS . How, you ask, does that work? Well, THIS Naruto's been aware of and in cahoots with Kyuubi since he was about seven...
 * Status: Complete

Two Halves, by DameWren
 * Recommended by Dragontrapper
 * Pairing: Naruto/Hinata
 * Synopsis: A NaruHina Pairing fic where Naruto, instead of training with Jiraiya by himself, goes to train with a former student of Tsunade with Hinata for the three years. The entire story takes place in a region to the west of the Ninja regions.
 * Status: Complete

One Hundred Days by Aaron Nowack
 * Recommended by User:Komanda, Serbii, boonerunner
 * Synopsis: Naruto leaves on his three-year training trip, and Sakura begins the struggle to improve herself. How much will they have changed when they meet again in one hundred days?
 * Sequel: One Hundred Weeks
 * Status: Complete with sequel last updated Jul 2011

Perfect Pair by mysterious-mask
 * Recommended by TropeKira, Lionheart0
 * Synopsis: An AU fanfic that has Naruto adopted by the Haruno family. The series starts before the events of the anime, depicts the events of part 1 and 2 differently as wll.
 * Status: Complete

The Way of the Apartment Manager by Elizabeth Culmer
 * Recommended by User:Universalperson
 * Synopsis: Typical AU where an OC adopts Naruto. Only it ends up being much more than that.
 * Status: The sequel just updated in May 2010 after a 2 1/2-year hiatus.
 * Status: Complete

One Small Step by Shawny Wong
 * Recommended by Chuckg, User:Arcane Azmadi
 * Pairing: Naruto/Hinata
 * Synopsis: AU where Naruto and Hinata become childhood friends at age 7, very early in their tenure in the Ninja Academy.
 * Animated: Fanart donations have led to Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of this fic being available as webcomics. Pure cuteness.
 * Status: Last updated Sep 2008

The Lazy Uchiha by Hibiki54 ( AU )
 * Recommended by Crow Kenobi
 * Synopsis: The Uchiha clan were known as genius ninja. But all clans have that one black sheep. Meet Uchiha Itachi, a born genius and the laziest ninja you will ever find!
 * Status: Last updated May 2008

Naruto:Capturedby EdStargazer
 * Recommended by 23, Clendy82
 * Pairings none confirmed so far but leaning towards NaruSaku
 * Synopsis: What if Naruto hadn't been able to steal the Forbidden Scroll? What if that led to the Hokage discovering that Naruto had been sabotaged at the academy? A fairly unique fic that has a pretty mature take on the Naruto universe and Konoha. Features politics, realistic training and some gore and well written chapters with actual drama.
 * Status: Last updated Jun 2011

The Art of the Deal by Case13
 * Recommeneded by: User:Kajeet, boonerunner
 * Synopsis: Naruto was damaged at an early age to where he couldn't use chakra. After seeing a stranger barter he decided to try to learn from him. He learns the "Art of the Deal" He uses it to help him convince Anko to join him in building a vast large profit empire. They get a reasonable bit of profit buy a ghetto of a town and turn it into a shining metropolis. Along the way he . Also he and Anko use disguises that are vaguely described to look like Urahara and Yoruichi
 * Status: While Case has claimed none of his works are Dead Fics, nevertheless this thing hasn't been updated since 23 May... of 2008.

Diary of a Madman: Memoirs of a Nukenin by Bloodreaver Alpha
 * Recommended by: eternalentity
 * Pairings: Naruto/Yugito, with hints of Itachi/Tayuya
 * Synopsis: Uchiha Itachi.Missing Nin, Akatsuki member, mass murderer.He has power, and a lot of it.But after an encounter with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, he begins to wonder what the point of it all is.What good is power if you've no good reason to use it?
 * Status: Last updated Apr 2010

Rise Of Naruto: Shinigami's Touch by Matrix Explosion
 * Recommended by Gore17
 * Pairings: Naru/Hina/Moko(OC)
 * Synopsis: There are three tiers of power in the universe; Humans, Demons, and Gods. Jinchuuriki have been created to harness the power of demons. Yet, nobody has been able to successfully harness even a fraction of the power of a god—until now. How was the Kyuubi actually sealed? The Yondaime may have used the Shiku Fuujin, but even he doesn't have enough chakra to match Kyuubi. So he did the only thing he could—use the power and chakra of a God.
 * Status: Last updated Dec 2010

Scorpion's Disciple by nobody102
 * Recommended by: Quote Marx, Bored Australian, User:Unclouded TJ
 * Synopsis: AU. Orochimaru's resignation from Akatsuki is more intense than in canon, resulting in a meeting between young Naruto and Sasori. Currently halfway through the Chunin Exam arc.
 * Status: Abandoned with summary at the end of 14 long chapters.

Fox of Konoha by CrazyLikeAnko
 * Recommended by da fox22, Blue Magicite
 * Pairing(s): Minato/Shizune; teases of Naruto/Anko, Naruto/Kurenai, Naruto/Hinata...
 * Synopsis: The Kyuubi attack never happened, the hero of the village never died, and a child sits in the forest alone, waiting to show the world his power.
 * Status: Last updated Jun 2010

Konoha: Naruto's Playground by MegaB
 * Recommended by Kurtulmak
 * Pairing(s): None, though there's some doses of platonic Naruto x TenTen WAFF.
 * Synopsis: When Naruto finally decides that the Konoha populace doesn't deserve his protection, he moves to another goal... Have fun! But his fun turns to fear when his vow to never fight as a Shinobi is broken.
 * Status: Complete

Familiarity Ends Contempt by Discordia19
 * Recommended by TfichVe
 * Pairing(s): None so far, and the author claims he has no interest in writing any among the main cast.
 * Synopsis: The Nail in this story is  at the very beginning, which leads to Naruto talking with the Kyuubi very early on, creating a dynamic between the two very similar to Killer Bee and the Eight Tails.
 * Status: Last updated Aug 2010

The Point of Divergence by EliadS
 * Recommended by Judge King
 * Pairings: Naruto/Ino
 * Sypnosis: Sasuke died during the battle in the Land of the Waves and the Narutoverse is changed forever. But how radically will one divergence in fate effect the entire Shinobi world? Read and find out. AU, Slight NaruIno, Spoilers from the advanced mangaverse.
 * Status : Complete 30 chapters.

Cutting Loose (Link), by Chengar Qordath
 * Recommended by Chuckg, User:Zeful, Life of Pi
 * Pairings: Naruto and Tenten are very good friends, with significant Ship Tease, but not a couple yet.
 * Synopsis: Naruto and Tenten become friends in the academy, and with her help he's able to pass the genin exam a year earlier. He ends up assigned to Team Gai in place of Neji, and with teammates who like him and a sensei who actually works hard at teaching...
 * Status: Last updated Oct 2011

Naruto-Sensei, by Tyler Marcoz
 * Recommended by AMusingWriter, User:Unclouded TJ
 * Pairings: None yet, though the canon crushes still exist. How the author's self-stated obsession with NaruHina, if at all, is an interesting question given the rank differences.
 * Synopsis: Beginning with the ever popular What If, what if Naruto had been born earlier in the timeline, changing his history forever. Having been born three years earlier, into a world where Minato never became the Fourth Hokage, the Third Great Shinobi War never ended, and a chain of events led to none other then Itachi becoming the Fifth Hokage, Naruto is instead a fresh jounin, just as a new batch of genin are graduating from the academy.
 * Status: Last updated Jan 2012

Blind, by Obsidian Sickle
 * Recommended by Kurtulmak, User:Nitramy
 * Pairings: SasuSaku, ItaKonan (of all things).
 * Synopsis: It was almost time, Orochimaru was going to take his body as a vessel. He hated being used... He refused to be used. With that thought, he took the kunai in his hand and slashed across his eyes.

Houses of the Holy, by HowdyU
 * Recommended by av12971
 * Pairings: Naruto/Yugito, you read that right.
 * Synopsis: Spirited away from Konoha at an early age, Naruto finds a new family amid the strife of a battlefield as old as the shinobi nations. But what will he do when his new allies’ ambition is to change the world through a baptism by fire?
 * Status: Quite possibly a Dead Fic, considering it's been a long time since it was updated. Shame.

Naruto: Alone, by Arganaut
 * Recommended by Kurtulmak
 * Pairings: Naruto / Hinata (eventually)
 * Synopsis: Naruto grows up on the streets of Konoha as a homeless street urchin, stealing to survive, when political pressures prevent the Third from helping him out directly. How will the Street Fox of Konoha survive, and what kind of future awaits him as a ninja?

A Drop of Poison by Angel of Snapdragons
 * Recommended by Angel Form
 * Synopsis: Officially the 'nail' is that because Mizuki used poison on Iruka. Naruto didn't get promoted after learning the Shadow Clones and was forced to repeat the academy. However the real difference is that Naruto uses shadow clones to their fullest potential, rapidly becoming a one man army.

Juniper by Agent Spielplatz
 * Recommended by orpheus-izanagi
 * Pairings: None as of yet.
 * Synopsis: "A conspiracy within Konoha leads to a near fatal encounter for Naruto on the night of the Genin Exams. As he copes, his team struggles to work together and live up to the Hokage's expectations."

Who I Am by TwinTrouble
 * Recommended by kjjejones42, User:Blitz Blast, User:USA Bobcat
 * Pairings: None as of yet
 * Synopsis: Naruto has been keeping dangerous secrets for years. A long-forgotten dream that just won't die, an ally he shouldn't know and a friend no one thought he had are what keep him going. Graduating is the least of his problems…

Mizukage by Dragon6
 * Recommended by Ninmikey01
 * Pairings: Naruto/Sakura, Neji/Hinata, Shikamaru/Temari
 * Synopsis: Though successful in retrieving Sasuke, Naruto is banished for harming him. Years pass and the Land of Waves dissapeared from the world's notice. A new Mizukage and his country will fight in a new war.
 * Status: As of April 13, 2012 Dead link; Author claims to be rewriting it.

A Fox and a Shark Walk into a Bar by Gigabomb
 * Recommended by Bon Us
 * Pairing(s): A platonic Naruto/Gaara and Itachi/Kisame, along with some Might Guy/Anko.
 * Synopsis: (from author's summary) "In a universe where Itachi and Kisame succeeded in capturing Naruto, an Akatsuki delegation is sent to Konoha to negotiate a treaty in the midst of war. The only problem is, everyone in Konoha thinks Naruto is dead." In a nutshell, Naruto was successfully captured by Itachi and Kisame, but instead of having the Kyuubi extracted from him, Naruto is made to join the organization.

Uprooted by Orrunan
 * Recommended by: Quotemarx, User:Blitz Blast
 * Synopsis: (from author's summary) "Naruto makes a good shinobi, but a lousy weapon. Danzo has finally managed to connive Naruto into Root, or so he believes. Naruto, who will now be within reach of his emotionally inept, traumatized, fanatical devotees. What on earth was he thinking?"

Expectations of Development by kiraiakuma
 * Recommended by: User:Nitramy, boonerunner
 * Pairings: SakuSasu, NaruHina (the usual Fanon pairings)
 * Synopsis: One year of easy missions. That's all Sakura wanted. Instead she gets Zabuza and Orochimaru. Well, if fate wants to throw her head first into the ninja world, she'll oblige. Even if she has to sacrifice her innocence.

Hakumei by Pryotra
 * Recommended by: User:Cinderflame, Jomlos, User:USA Bobcat
 * As noted, has a trope page awaiting Wiki Magic elaboration.
 * Pairings: Naru/Hina, Sasu/Saku, Sai/Ino, Neji/Tenten, Gaara/Matsuri,, Konohamaru/Hanabi, Iruka/Anko (Yes, really)
 * Synopsis: A For Want of a Nail that takes the What If Danzo's bastardry taken to its logical extreme.  Unfortunately, he didn't count on six neglected children to see him.

Everyday by angel_puppeteer
 * Recommended by: pika09, User:Cinderflame
 * Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura
 * Synopsis: Sasuke orders Sakura to marry him. She agrees, but only upon the condition that he must first spend a day without her. It Got Worse.

A Day by angel_puppeteer
 * Recommended by: User:Cinderflame
 * Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura
 * Synopsis: She said she's marry him after twenty-four hours. Companion piece to Everyday.

Will of Fire, Heart of Stone by DisobedienceWriter
 * Recommended by: User:Much Good Little Time and User:Jason Carter
 * Pairings: None really that come to mind; this fic seems to have set canon so thoroughly on its ear that you really have to wonder whether or not your OTP is actually going to happen or not.
 * Synopsis: The Hokage faces a terrible potential crisis when the Village Council spreads news of the young jinchuuriki, Naruto. The world changes when a more attentive, forceful Sandaime rears his head and takes back full control of his village. Sarutobi-centric.

Naruto: Shattered Eyes by Lithius Osmius
 * Recommended by: Pyro Ninja, User:Void Herald
 * Pairings: None confirmed yet, though SasuSaku looks pretty solid.
 * Synopsis: Naruto awakens a new Transcendant Bloodline: the Kyoukagan, source of all bloodlines and peer of the Rinnegan.

Naruto Asunder by WrathfulSE
 * Recommended by Fellownerd, Jomlos
 * Pairings: Naruto/Hinata mostly teasing though,
 * Synopsis: The smallest of pebbles can create thousands of ripples. A simple off hand remark can create a lasting message. In the ninja world, these ripples will someday become the tidal waves that will tear the ninja world asunder.

Naruto: Chosen Vessel (previously Naruto: Another Version) by BlueGlass54
 * Recommended by: User:REV 6 Pilot
 * Pairings: Hints of Naruto/Ino
 * Synopsis: Due to some twists of fate, Naruto discovers he's involved in more than one dark plot. Can he push forwards without breaking down and messing everything up?
 * Status: Resumed in April 15, 2K11.

Existence, by Denim88
 * Recommended by: User:REV 6 Pilot
 * Pairings: Mainly Naruto/Temari
 * Synopsis: After the battle on the Wave bridge, Naruto runs off, thinking the Kyuubi's seal is weakening. His defection eventually takes him to the Land of Wind, and to a completely new future.
 * Status: Ongoing. Updated every few months, with the occasional multi-chapter streak.

The Reluctant Hokage by Aishuu.
 * Recommended by Sheliak, User:Unclouded TJ
 * Synopsis: The Sandaime Hokage finds an alternative to ordering the Uchiha Massacre. Each chapter focuses on a different character's reaction to the new Godaime Hokage, Itachi.
 * Status: Ongoing, but updates have slowed down lately.

Naruto:Bijuu Chronicles by YetAnotherAnon.
 * Recommended by roflMons
 * Synopsis: The Bijuu were much more intelligent then assumed, and not nearly as blindly malevolent. In addition, there were two moves before Kage Bunshin on the Forbidden scroll.
 * Status: Ongoing, with giant updates about every month.

Indomitable by ShaperV
 * Recommended by User:Khym Chanur, User:Unclouded TJ
 * Pairings: Sex-only (no romance) Naruto/Anko, eventual Naruto/Multi
 * Synopsis: A single conversation near the beginning of Naruto's training trip with Jiraiya sends Naruto's training in a vastly different direction, leading to a much more powerful Naruto after the time-skip.
 * Status: On-hold while the author finishes Time Braid (which is a highly recc'd fic on the Naruto Peggy Sue page).
 * This fic, despite being advertised as not using bloodlines or artifacts, basically uses both. If you are expecting a logical progression of power, be disappointed by a large timeskip, abuse of shadow clones, and a bloodline. Not even slightly comparable to Time Braid..

Loyalty by A True Radical Dreamer
 * Recommended by Capeclare
 * Trope page
 * Synopsis: In her last year at the academy Sakura is accidentally recruited by Kabuto and is forced to help him him with his spying efforts. This fic sounds like a Sakura sue but nothing could be further from the truth. Sakura's spy efforts are realistic and limited in importance, she basically does the boring trash rooting jobs that Kabuto doesn't want to do. Sakura in this fic is a more scrappy appealing character than in canon as well as more competent. Due to her spying efforts there is also little in the ways on wangst or angst especially after the first chapter is done. This fic also has an original plotline as the author avoids the wave arc and is now heading in a really interesting and original direction.
 * A word of warning: this fic is very, very dark.

One Small Kindness by DigitalTart
 * Recommended by BlackAlchemist, Trickdice
 * Synopsis: Uchiha Mikoto takes the hand of an outcast child, and with it rewrites the destiny of her clan. AU.
 * Status: Complete

The Lavender Beast of Konoha by Mark Hoherty
 * Reccomended by: capeclare, Dermonster
 * Synopsis: In a fit of hubris, Hiashi forced Hinata to attend the same Academy class as Neji. Having never been in the same class as Naruto, who shall serve as her inspiration to grow stronger? AU Team Gai: Lee, Tenten, Hinata. Gen for now. Surprisingly not crack.

Naruto's Compensation by DisobedienceWriter
 * Recommended by: SecondSeraphim
 * Synopsis: Young Naruto is prohibited from being Ninja of the Leaf. Left to his own devices he takes an unusual path to power as a Puppeteer. Smart!Powerful!Wily!Naruto. Lots of conflict with Orochimaru, Sasori and other Akatsuki.
 * Status: Complete.

Butterfly Wings by Bjorn
 * Recommended by: capeclare
 * Synopsis: Years before Uzumaki Naruto was born, one Namikaze Minato convinced one Orochimaru to stay in Konoha. The world changed. They are ninja not samurai a fact that is often to forgotten both in fnafiction and canon. Mabye a dead fic but the chapters that are there are just so good.

Nice Dream by Shirou Hokuto
 * Recommended by: IraeNicole
 * Pairings: Hints of Naruto/Sasuke and Ino/Sakura but fic is slowly building to that and focus is more the plot.
 * Synopsis: Following the Uchiha massacre Itachi refuses to leave Konohoa and his little brother. Sasuke must grow up and deal with the trauma of his family's loss while living with their killer.

Kumogakure Ninja Birth of a Legend by Iron Monkey Fist
 * Recommended by: FellowNerd
 * Pairings: Naruto/Yugito, Its part of the plot but not the focus
 * Synopsis:Pushed to his limits at a young age, Naruto flees the Hidden Leaf. A perhaps fated encounter with Kirabi leads to the birth of a new legend. The path to greatness is paved with blood and tears. Gradually becomes darker in content. Gradually gets better.

Geniuses of Hard Work by froznfox72
 * Recommended by: ShadesofGrey18, User:Unclouded TJ, mumismatist
 * Pairings: Naru/Hina and Lee/Ayame
 * Synopsis: Might Guy trades Neji and Tenten to take Naruto and Hinata on his team. Can he take this group of misfits and turn them into a team of geniuses...or will he be forced to give up wearing spandex forever?
 * Status Complete. The planned sequel has unfortunately been scrapped.

The Reflection of Oneself by The White Wanderer
 * Recommended by: Atryru
 * Pairings: Hints of multiple parings, but focuses on the plot
 * Synopsis: Naruto dies while fighting Sasuke at the Valley of the End and has his DNA stolen by Kabuto for the sake of cloning. Thirteen years later a repentant Sasuke finds himself serving as the Big Brother Mentor for the last remaining clone, Nanikato.
 * Status: Discontinued

A Teachers Glory by Larry Huss
 * Recommended by: Angelform, Frodo Lives
 * Synopsis: Kakashi demonstrates why you shouldn’t order a team of miniature assassins to come at you with intent to kill and then not take them seriously. Anko demonstrates how to train a team of messed up miniature assassins.

And then suddenly, Ninjas! by The Sage of Toads
 * Recommended by: Andrew J. Talon, User:Unclouded TJ
 * Pairings: Not at all the focus of the story.
 * Synopsis: On the day Naruto is born and the Nine-Tailed Fox is sealed inside him, the Third Hokage decides to hide what happened from everyone, claim the fox is dead, and raise him as he would his own son...a decision that will most likely doom him, Konoha, and the Elemental Countries

Echoes by Kagaseo
 * Now has a trope page.
 * Recommended by: ChessKindred, User:Storm Of Script
 * Pairings: Unknown yet, but the author said he had some in mind...
 * Synopsis: At the battle of Land of Grass, one alternate version of Naruto got his seal twisted by Orochimaru, gaining the power to travel into other alternate realities where he is a girl, a puppeteer, and many other possibilities. However he's also being followed by very unpleasant people...

Rise of the Uchiha by AlphaEph19
 * Recommended by Chaosjunction
 * Pairings: None yet
 * Synopsis: In a world where the Uchiha clan, led by Uchiha Madara successfully takes over Konoha, Itachi and Sasuke leave the village, with Itachi vowing to return to save it. Jiraiya smuggles Kiba, Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, Chouji and Shino to Suna, where they befriend a young Gaara and his siblings. Meanwhile Naruto lives as Madara's son and heir.

The Whims of Fate The Possibilities of Time, Book I by Not Quite a Drifter
 * Recommended by KantonKage, User:Unclouded TJ
 * Pairings: NaruHina Ship Tease
 * Synopsis: What if Naruto had developed a completely different personality? What if the first to enter the world had been Neji's father instead of Hinata's? Even the simplest of fate's whims can change the course of history...

Uchiha Obito Ghost by Namikaze Artemis
 * Recommended by narutoxhinata09, luciamalpense
 * Pairings : None
 * Synopsis : Naruto isn't exactly alone anymore. A ghost came back to help him along. A ghost named Uchiha Obito. With Obito's help, Konoha's not going to know what hit them.
 * Status: Abandoned after 69 chapters

Avalanche by branchandroot
 * Also found here.
 * Recommended by Sheliak, boonerunner
 * Pairings: Naruto/Sakura/Sasuke, Hinata/Neji, Kakashi/Iruka, others.
 * Synopsis: Kakashi gives Sasuke a different piece of advice following an early fight with Naruto, and the Sound Five never have a chance to try to get him to defect. Team Seven stays together a bit longer, and when they split up, it's along somewhat different lines than in canon- Naruto is apprenticed to Tsunade in the hopes she can help with his chakra control, Sasuke is sent with Jiraiya, and Sakura goes into Intelligence.

Eternal Legends: Konoha's Transcendent Ninja by Arashi the Solar Phoenix
 * Recommended by TacticalFox88
 * Pairings: Implied and outright stated to be NaruSaku
 * Synopsis: Team 7 through and act of fate meet each other in their childhood and become best friends who walk the path of ninja together.

That Most Heinous of Crimes by Andrew Joshua Talon
 * Recommended by Frodo Lives
 * Status: Last Update July 2011
 * Pairings: OC/Anko, Naruto/Hinata
 * Synopsis: Team 7 is led by Andoryuu, the Spider Sage. Due to a series of unexpected events involving a spider summon, cross-team training, and a soccer ball, Team 7 end up having adventures on the Plane of Spiders.

Motivation by Durandall
 * Recommended by User:Unclouded TJ
 * Synopsis: Mizuki used a poisoned blade on Iruka that night and caused not only Iruka's but his own death as a result of an angry Naruto. This lead to a quick reorganization of the "Rookie Nine". According to the Author: "a story where Shikamaru acts to his potential, because I think he's awesome, Shino gets to be badass, because he is badass, and Naruto pays a little more attention, because he has the right ... Motivation."

Never cut Twice: by shadowmaster62
 * Recommended by: Antiguo Nonun, UltraSonikku
 * Pairings: Naruto/Temari, Sakura/Sasuke, Itachi/Pocky
 * Status: Complete
 * Synopsis: Naruto could not deal how he failed Sakura, Sasuke, Konoha in general, so he decided to become a nuke-nin and find his place in the world. In his travels, he takes Zabusa's sword, finds a harsh but cute Sand Nin, helps Garaa create an Emo epic, fights against mobsters, swordmasters, the Seven of the Mist, Akatsuki, the Fall of Orochimaru and a belligerent Demon God. Also.

Rising Star by dead witch (Implied Noncon)
 * Recommended by kakatana59
 * Synopsis: Another "what if" story... What if Naruto had made contact with the Kyuubi when he was younger? What if there was no ban on Naruto's origins to the younger generation? A very good read, though it tends to be wordy, especially in the first real arc. A touching NaruHina at times. Rated M for a reason, though. Getting close to epic length, though not quite there yet.

Mission Accomplished by The Authorman
 * Recommended by MarxistStruggle
 * Pairings: None yet.
 * Synopsis: Sarutobi realizes that Naruto will never have a normal childhood, not when he has the Kyuubi locked inside him. To this end, he assigns ANBU to guard and mentor the boy. After all, they aren't normal.
 * Status: Last updated February 8, 2012.

Better Left Unsaid by Kenchi618
 * Recommended by spacemonkey37, User:Unclouded TJ
 * Pairings: Naruto/Ino.
 * Synopsis: Mizuki never got to shoot his mouth off at Naruto the night he took the Scroll of Seals. Other than skipping a half-manic monologue from him what exactly did this change for everyone's favorite blonde ninja? Who knows?

Danzo's Team by Kosmos00
 * Recommended by lostcargo
 * Pairings: None yet, hints of Naru/Saku
 * Synopsis: A what-if fan fiction where Danzo coerces the third hokage into making him the team sensei for team seven. Notable for being the only fic I have found that actually portrays Danzo close to how he is in Canon.
 * Status: Last updated May 2012

Dead Garden by Aaron Nowack
 * Drafts and discussion can be found at Space Battles here.
 * Recommended by spacemonkey37
 * Pairings: None yet.
 * Synopsis: The Fourth Hokage left a behind a legacy, a cruel burden that would change the fate of a world. It should have gone to a hero, a champion who could mend the broken and save the hopeless. Instead it fell on Haruno Sakura. Good thing she'll have some help.

Dreaming of Sunshine by Silver Queen
 * Recomended by Kalvan, spacemonkey37
 * Pairings: None yet
 * Synopsis: Life as a ninja. It starts with confusion and terror and doesn't get any better from there. OC Self-insert
 * Status: Extremely Active (Started September 2011; as of May 2012, 58 Chapters and over 270,000 words long.)
 * Tropes Page

The Traitor and the NineTails by Loudest Voice
 * Recomended by Nshosha and Grand Prince Paul II
 * Synopsis: Itachi finds alternate means to stop the Uchiha uprising. Five years later, he's assigned his first genin team. Focuses on both Itachi and team seven, with a very interesting portrayel of Itachi.
 * Status: Active. Last updated May 2012.

The Hope of the Senju Clan by Aragon Potter
 * Recomended by autopanda
 * Synopsis: What if instead of Kushina being Naruto's mother and through a trick of fate Naruto's mother was Tsunade after a drunken night with Minato in which Naruto becomes both the heir and hope of the Senju clan. Find out what life would be like now for Naruto
 * Status: Active. Last updated May 31, 2012. Also, very similar to Senju Naruto.