Doomsday Unbound
It was a stressful time for all those in the leaf village. After the interrupted chunin exams resulting in the death of their Hokage everything went wrong. Granted they were able to find a fifth Hokage but Orochimaru's threat was greater than ever as he kept making threats against the leaf village.
And then it happened, Orochimaru was able to get his hands on the last of the Uchiha clan. Although the boy went willingly the Leaf village sought to stop him thought they could spare few men to go after him. So in the stead of some more experienced ninja they choose four genin and a chunin.
Shikamaru Nara as the chunin leader, Naruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyugga, Kiba Inuzuka and his dog Akamaru, and Choji Akimichi were the five chosen to take on this important task.
Little did they know that those who made this journey would have their lives changed forever.
The mission was of course a failure with all the boys returning in critical condition from their individual battles, expect for Shikamaru nearly coming out almost unscathed.
And at that moment Shikamaru waited in the waiting room just outside the emergency room where all his comrades in arms had been taken. He sat with his head down twiddling his thumbs.
Across from him was sitting the sand sibling Temari who had taken it upon herself to watch over him since she rescued him in the forest.
They sat in silence most of the time Shikamaru saying nothing and only glancing over at the emergency doors waiting for them to open.
Word traveled fast around the village and everyone had heard the plight of these five boys. The five genin who stood and fought with all they had against Orochimaru's elite to bring back one of their own. Some called it heroic however others had their own thoughts.
"STUPID!" shouted Ino as she waved her arms in the air while Hinata and Sakura watched on." That was STUPID! How could they do such a thing?"
"C-Calm down Ino." Said Hinata." I'm sure they're just fine."
"You've heard the rumors just as I have." Said Ino turning to her." Apparently two of them are crippled and the other three are dead!"
"I-I'm sure it's n-not that serious." Said Hinata. Ino let out another groaned as she tossed her arms around.
"And from what I've heard." Said Sakura." They didn't bring Sasuke back."
Just then the group was approached by Tenten and Lee.
"Hey." Said Tenten not wanting to get their attention because the group looked very flustered.
"Tenten, Lee." Said Ino." What's going on, have you heard anything?"
"Did you hear anything about Sasuke?" asked Sakura before she could answer.
"Your guess is as good as ours." Said Tenten." But word is they started letting people in to visit."
"Well what are we waiting for?" asked Ino." Let's go."
"R-right behind you." Said Hinata. Then the group of five took off to the hospital.
Meanwhile back in the Hospital.
Shikamaru still stayed silent he listened every moment as the clock kept ticking. Temari took it upon herself once more to talk to him and try to get his mind out of his depression.
"You seem tense." Said Temari trying to get his attention as she crossed her legs. Shikamaru did not look up at her and only went back to looking at the ground." Don't be I'm sure they'll be alright."
"How can you be so sure." Said Shikamaru lifting his head and looking at her. The sound of dread in his voice." My mission was to lead them and get them home safely but I am the only one who comes home unharmed." Though he wouldn't bear battle scars like his friends would Shikamaru would carry a much heavier burden on his mind till the end of his days.
Just then something else caught his attention and it wasn't Temari's voice he heard the pitter-patter of many feet coming up the stairs.
Shikamaru looked over to see his teammates and friends coming up the stairs.
"Oh No." groaned Shikamaru as he darted his head away from them. This was one thing he couldn't deal with right now.
"Shikamaru!" called Ino from down the hall. Shikamaru shrunk down as she called to him." Shikamaru." She said as she suddenly stood before him and began shaking him." What's happened? Are you hurt? Where's Choji?"
Then suddenly Tenten burst in." Shikamaru." She said." Where's Neji, is he ok?"
Following her was Lee." Did you have to fight?"
Then Sakura broke in breaking apart the ground. But unlike the rest who hounded him with question after question she approached him slowly and talked softly.
"Shikamaru." She said a softness in her voice and a twinkle in her eyes. For the second time Shikamaru picked up his head and looked at his speaker." Where is Sasuke."
Shikamaru let out a sigh." He's gone." He replied. And that news hit Sakura as if a knife had been stabbed into her heart. She stumbled over holding her chest and leaned on the wall as a cold feeling came over her. Shikamaru turned his head from her and back to the ground.
Then at that moment the doors to the emergency room opened and Tsunade walked out. Shikamaru quickly stood up and went to meet her, moving past everyone who stood around him.
"What's the word?" he asked." How are they?"
"They're in very critical condition." Replied Tsunade." It's a wonder you all weren't killed."
"Can I see them?" asked Shikamaru.
Tsunade darted her head away for a moment." You could." She said." But I-" however when she did she found that Shikamaru was not in front of her at all but had snuck past her and went into the emergency room.
And there all lying in their beds were his broken comrades. It pained Shikamaru to his core and he shuttered a cry deep down and walked into the room.
Choji was the first he went over to.
When the large child opened his eyes the first thing he saw was Shikamaru standing over him.
"Shikamaru." He groaned as he sat up." Shikamaru, what happened? Where are we?"
"Stay calm Choji." Said Shikamaru putting his hand on his chest." We're back in the leaf village, we're back home."
"Home." Groaned a voice. Shikamaru turned over to see Naruto stirring up from his bed." Then we made it back."
"Yea." Said Shikamaru turning to him." We're home." At this time he looked over to see Kiba and Neji sitting up.
"Did we win?" asked Kiba." Did we bring Sasuke back?"
"Sasuke." Said Naruto sitting up." Where is he? Where-" but then Shikamaru walked over and set him back just as he did Kiba. Then Naruto put his hand up and wrapped it around Shikamaru's arm." Where's Sasuke?"
Shikamaru turned his eyes to the floor and looked away.
"Based on your silence." Said Neji speaking now for the first time." It seems we didn't bring him back after all."
"That can't be true." Said Naruto gripping Shikamaru tighter." Tell me it's not true."
"It's true." Said Shikamaru as he slowly took his arm out of Naruto's grip." We didn't bring Sasuke back."
"Damn it." Groaned Kiba.
"None of that." Said Shikamaru quickly turning to him." None of that matters now. Whether we failed this mission or not makes no difference now."
"Well what matters then?" asked Naruto." What do we do now?" Shikamaru turned to him unsure of how to answer.
"We live." Said Neji." For living well is the greatest revenge."
"So we just sit here and wait for Orochimaru to strike next?" asked Kiba with his head rested in his hands.
"It's not like we have many other choices." Said Neji.
"You will Grandma Tsunade will open this mission up?" asked Naruto.
"It's possible." Said Shikamaru." But like you said." He said turning to Neji." We don't have many other choices."
Just then there came a 'ahem' from the doorway which attracted all their attentions, and there stood Lady Tsunade.
"I'll be back to catch up with you boys tomorrow." Said Shikamaru as he left." For now sleep well." Then he exited the room and stood before the Hoakge.
"You should give them time to rest." Said Tsunade." To heal up from procedures."
"Right." Said Shikamaru, returning back to his glum self after leaving the room. Then he turned and walked off.
As he walked off he headed down the hallways passing by all the others who were still abundant with questions about the mission.
"Here he comes." Said Tenten upon seeing him return.
"Shikamaru." Said Ino stepping up." Wha-" But Shikamaru said nothing to them and continued to walk on as he started on his way home. Everyone turned and watched him go off.
Shikamaru made good on his promise he returned the next day to meet with his comrades, and then the following day, and the day after that, a he kept returning until they were all out of the hospital. When one of them would get out he would accompany Shikamaru to visit the rest. Once they were all out of the hospital it was then hard to find the boys without each other in their group of five. For now the four were bonded by the strongest bonds of friendship.
Even though the village had calmed down with the news of the mission the boys could not. They always had it in the corner of their minds, haunting their dreams at night.
And it wasn't very long after all that, that Naruto decided to leave. Following Sasuke's example and taking Jirayia up on his offer Naruto was to head out into the world and learn new skills. Needless to say this caused an uproar amongst his friends.
At that time Naruto stood at the village gates, Jirayia standing just outside them leading to the outside world while behind him was his home and his friends who had gathered there.
There was Shikamaru and Choji from the Sasuke mission, and Ino who had followed them. Rock Lee came to see him off as well as Sakura surprisingly.
"It is time Naruto." Said Jirayia. Naruto let out a sigh and hung his head. But before he went to join Jirayia he went back to his friends.
He bid Rock Lee goodbye and Lee gave him a smile and a farewell. Then he went to Ino who wished him luck, then there was Shikamaru and Choji.
"Kiba and Neji couldn't make it?" Naruto asked.
"You know how they are." Said Shikamaru." They're saying goodbye in their own way."
"Yea." Said Naruto." So I guess this is goodbye."
"Goodbye's don't always last forever." Said Choji." We'll see each other again."
"And I'm sure we will my friends." Said Naruto." The sooner the better." Shikamaru and Choji replied with their own smiles and then Naruto leaned in and the three hugged.
Naruto moved away from them and moved over to Sakura. She of course was still made he wasn't able to keep his word to her and bring back Sasuke.
"Sakura." He said to her his eyes not daring to meet her's." I-"
"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." Said Sakura.
"I want to say something." said Naruto in a weak voice." Only I don't know what to say." Choji and Shikamaru looked this situation over curiously. They'd known of Naruto's feelings for Sakura and wondered if this was the best time for such feelings.
"So don't say anything." Said Sakura. The harshness of her tone stuck Naruto hard and he kept his gaze to the ground.
"I'll see you again." He said." And I'll be a better man than the one you see before you." Sakura said nothing and only starred at him. Then Naruto turned and walked away.
But before leaving his turned back to them once more and said "Goodbye my friends, I'll see you all again." Then with that his friends waved him goodbye as he walked off into the unknown with Jirayia.
Naruto did not looked back at the village until it was far into the distance. His heart was heavy and he did not try to hide it and Jirayia noticed this.
"Don't worry." Said Jirayia." The next time you see them you'll be twice as strong as any of them."
"Really?" asked Naruto.
"Yes." Replied Jirayia." You'll have a tale or two to tell when you come back."
Meanwhile Naruto's farewell group and begun to disband.
Shikamaru and Choji went to go off in their own direction but were stopped by Ino.
"What do you want?" asked Choji.
"Where are you guys off to?" she asked to them both although she looked at Shikamaru when talking.
"Home." Replied Shikamaru." It's been a long day."
"The suns still out." Said Ino." There's plenty of time left to hang around. Hey what do you say we go to that bar-b-que restaurant?"
"Yea." Said Choji suddenly jumping up at the sound of food. But Shikamaru tapped him on the shoulder and shook his head." Some other time perhaps." Said Choji to Ino much less enthusiastic than before.
"C'mon you can't be serious." Said Ino jumping in front of Shikamaru and grabbing his shirt.
"Some other time." Said Shikamaru as he shook her off and then walked away. Choji followed soon after leaving Ino alone.
Choji and Shikamaru went off. But on their way home they passed by the training grounds.
"Hey look." Said Choji raising his hand and pointing out two figures in the distance." Over there."
When the two got closer they saw Neji standing atop the wooden pole with Kiba and Akamaru sitting on the ground. Kiba throwing a knife into the ground and pulling it out to do it again.
Kiba was the first to notice them by smell and turned to see him with his eyes. He saw the two approached and they stopped just before him.
"So." He said." Naruto's gone."
"Yep." Said Shikamaru.
"Damn." Said Kiba." We keep dwindling down every day." Shikamaru and Choji nodded." You hear that the Hokage doesn't want anyone to go after Sasuke?" asked Kiba.
"No." said Choji." We didn't hear that." Then he and Shikamaru walked closer. "Where's you hear that?"
"Rumors." Told Kiba as he got up and walked over to them, Akamaru by his side." So what's next?"
"Don't know." Said Shikamaru. He walked off a few paces from them and looked off into the sun setting behind the mountains." Naruto and Sasuke gone, Orochimaru plotting against us as we speak who knows how this will turn out."
"Just keeps getting crazier every day." Said Kiba.
"But what of us?" asked Choji." What of the fellowship of five we had."
"The fellowship has failed." Said Kiba. Shikamaru turned and walked back to them.
"No." said a voice from above. This was Neji speaking for the first time he rose up and jumped down before them." Not if we hold true to each other." He said putting his arm on Kiba and Choji." If Naruto is going to get stronger than so must we. We will work hard these long years while he's gone, and when he comes back he'll be in for quite a surprise." The group's smiles now turned to frowns as they looked upon each other.
"YES!" said Kiba and added a chuckles moments after.