For the Protection of the Land of Fire

A Surprise Awakening

Shino, Hinata, and Kurenai stood by a tree next to a road. They were waiting for the last member of their team Kiba and his dog Akamaru to go on their latest mission. For some reason the pair was running late and they all began to grow uneasy.

"This isn't like him," Kurenai said.

"Do you think something happened?" Hinata asked.

"Hmm?" Shino looked down the street.

"What is it, Shino?" Hinata questioned.

"Do you sense something?" Kurenai asked.

Kiba and Akamaru came into view making their way over to the group. Kiba seemed sluggish as he walked with bags under his eyes. "Hey, you guys."

"You look terrible," Shino said simply.

"Gee, thanks."

"What happened, Kiba?" Hinata asked.

"Nothing, I just didn't get enough sleep last night," he responded. Kiba scratched his unkempt hair. "I had a nightmare."

"What was it about?" Shino asked.

"It was-" suddenly Kiba became dizzy. He fell forward, unconscious. Right before he could hit the ground, Akamaru leaped in front of his master to catch him.

All of the dog ninja's teammates looked in concern. "Kiba," Hinata shirked. They ran around him to see if he was ok. Akamaru whimpered in worry for his master.

"We better take him to the hospital," Kurenai said. "This looks like it's more than just exhaustion." Both Hinata and Shino nodded in agreement. They all headed straight for the hospital with Akamaru carrying the unconscious Kiba.

-N-

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune busted into the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up from her desk to see her assistant rush into the room.

"Shizune, What's the matter?"

Shizune slammed her hands on the desk. "Lady Tsunade, its Kiba Inuzuka. He suddenly collapsed when he met up with his team. No one at the hospital can wake him up it seems he's fallen into some sort of coma."

"Coma?"

"Yes, Milady. The doctors at the hospital are asking for your help with the situation."

Tsunade wrapped her hand around her chin to think. That's strange. What could have happened that could make him suddenly reach a coma in such a bizarre way. The fifth Hokage stood up. "Alright then, I'm heading out."

-N-

Kiba lay unconscious in a hospital bed. Tsunade had her hand placed on top of his forehead, using her medical ninjutsu, but it was having no affect. "What is going on?" It seems physically he's fine, but he won't wake up and I don't detect anything that could have caused this.

Tsunade looked back at the other doctors in the room. "I want you to run a brain scan on him, let me know the results as soon as you finish."

"Of course, Milady."

We can only wait for the results for now. Tsunade headed out of the room.

-N-

Hinata stood at the front desk of the hospital with flowers in hand. "Coming to visit Kiba again?" a voice called from behind her.

The Hyūga girl turned around to see her teammate, standing there. "Shino." She took a step toward him. "Yes, I wanted to see how he was doing?"

"He hasn't woken up in two weeks. They still don't know what is wrong with him even Lady Tsunade."

"I'm aware."

"So how many times have you come to visit him?" the bug shinobi asked.

"This would be the third time," she responded.

"I see, I'll come with you," he said. Hinata nodded her approval. They then went down the hallway next to the hospital front desk. When they arrived at Kiba's room, the door opened and Tsume and Hana came out of the room with their partners.

"Miss Tsume, Hana," Hinata said.

Tsume placed her hands on her hips. "So you came to visit Kiba, huh?"

"We just came to feed Akamaru. He doesn't leave Kiba's side except to take walks," Hana told her younger brother's teammates.

"We shouldn't be surprise," Shino said.

"Alright then, we're see you kids later," Tsume said. The group walked past them to head out.

-N-

Kiba rested soundly in his bed. He was hooked up so the doctors could monitor his heart and mind. Akamaru rested soundly beside him. The window to the room was slid open and the curtain drawn back.

Shino was at the door while Hinata was standing beside the table next the bed. "Hinata, we should get going." They had been in the room for thirty minutes with nothing happening.

"Yes, I know, Shino." Hinata placed the flowers she brought into a vase. She kneeled down in front of Akamaru to pet him. "See you later, Akamaru." The horse size dog whimpered at the girl's touch. She then got up to leave the room with Shino.

As they exited, the doctors were ready to come in to check on Kiba's condition for the day. They all then suddenly heard Akamaru bark excitedly. All of them quickly ran back into the room. "What is it, Akamaru?" Hinata asked.

Her questioned was quickly answered when they all saw Kiba, sitting up with his eyes open. "He's awake," Shino said plainly.

Kiba looked over to them with a far off expression. He then reached his hand out toward their direction when he suddenly collapsed again. All the equipment on Kiba started to go haywire. The doctors rushed to check on him.

"His heart rate is failing," one doctor said.

"All his vitals are slowing down as well."

"His brain seems to be shutting down too."

Both Kiba's teammates were looking in horror as their friend was dying right in front of them. Akamaru whimpered in fear of his master's life.

"We need to get him stable with emergency medical ninjutsu." Two of the doctor's quickly began to use their ninjutsu on him.

"Sir, it's not working. Everything is failing. We need Lady Tsunade or he won't last much longer."

"Quick, take him to the emergency room and someone call in the Hokage."

-N-

Team Kakashi stood in front of Tsunade in her office, giving their latest mission report. She was reading over in her hand. "I see, so you were able to finish your mission earlier than expected were you?"

Naruto putted his hands behind his head with a cocky smile on his face. "That mission was too easy, Granny." Sasuke was there as well since Naruto managed to drag him back to the village and stop him from going to Orochimaru nearly three years ago he had quickly rose up to a Jonin.

Tsunade gazed back down at the paper. I was hoping the mission would take another two weeks. With the Akatsuki moving now it's better if they don't know where he is. Tsunade's thoughts were interrupted when Shizune rushed into the room.

Naruto raised one hand. "Oh hey, there Sh-"

Shizune rushed pass him, coming up to the Hokage's desk. "Lady Tsunade, you need to get to the hospital immediately. Kiba Inuzuka's condition has gotten worse."

"What's going on?"

"Please, I'll explain on the way. If we don't hurry we might lose him."

"Say what!?" Naruto exclaimed.

"We'll have to finish this later, Kakashi."

"Understood."

"Sakura, come with me. I may be in need of your help." Tsunade stood up from her desk.

"Yes, Milady."

"Shizune, let's go." The three medical ninja sprinted out of the room.

Both Kakashi and Sasuke appeared serious while Naruto was just confused.

-N-

"It's really gotten that bad?" Tsunade questioned. The three were jumping from roof to roof, moving as fast as possible to the hospital.

"Milady, when exactly was Kiba hospitalize?" Sakura asked.

"Shortly after your team left for your mission. He just suddenly collapsed when he met up with his team and for the last two weeks he's been in a coma. Now all of sudden this happens with no clue on how. Just what the hell is going on here?"

Kiba, Sakura thought. She couldn't image what could be going on with her friend. He always seemed as healthily and energetic as Naruto.

-N-

Tsunade, Sakura, and Shizune all came into the emergency room where the medical shinobi were doing everything they could to keep the dog shinobi from dying. The Hokage and her students quickly took over, applying their own high level of medical ninjutsu to the boy.

Tsunade was on the right side of the table focusing on his mind and heart, Shizune was beside her placing her hands on his stomach, and Sakura was on the left doing the same as Shizune. All of them looked frustrated at the lack of progress they were having. What is going on here?, Tsunade thought. It's like my jutsu is being completely repel. She looked over at both her students. "How are you doing?" They both shook their heads.

The last of Kiba's vitals faded completely.

All of their eyes opened wide in shock. Sakura leaned forward. "Kiba!"

Both Shizune and Tsunade stopped their jutsu. "He's gone," the Hokage said. Sakura clenched on the boy's hospital clothes in sadness. "Sakura, there is nothing more we can do." Sakura obeyed after a couple of minutes, letting the dead dog nin go.

Tsunade looked over at the other medical shinobi in the room. "I want you to do a full autopsy to see what happened here."

"Yes, ma'am."

The seemly dead shinobi had a thought cross his mind. When you awake prepare to fight. Suddenly Kiba's entire mind was encased in charka, restarting his entire body. Kiba's eyes snapped open. He sat up.

"Kiba!" everyone in the room said. Two of the doctors came up to the table from the bottom to see how he was doing. In Kiba's shock he immediately twisted around, standing on his hands and kicking his feet out at the two medical nin that were at the bottom of the bed, slamming them into the wall.

"Kiba, claim down," Shizune said. Kiba's eyes shifted to the black hair woman. He twisted around to swing a kick at her. Shizune just barely was able to make a side block to protect herself. "It's me, Shizune."

"I don't know any Shizune," he yelled. He vanished. Shizune looked up to see Kiba dropping from the air, swinging a kick down at her. She crossed her arms over her head, just barely holding her ground. He then used his other leg to kick her straight in the stomach and sent her into the wall behind her.

"Sakura, help me hold him down. He's in shock," Tsunade ordered. The Sannin latched onto the craze boy's shoulders, barely able to hold him with his constant shifting. Sakura went for his feet that were flailing around wildly.

"Kiba, you're safe," Sakura told him as she tried to get his feet. "You need to get a hold of yourself."

"Get off me!" he yelled. He was about to swing his foot at Sakura when he spotted the leaf headband on the top of her head. His eyes widen with recognition. He stopped his kick just in time. "You're a leaf shinobi?"

Sakura was shock. "Huh, yes that's right."

Kiba settled down, letting his body basically go limp. He lowered his head.

Two doctors ran up to Tsunade's side. "Lady Hokage, are you alright?"

"Hokage?" Kiba looked back at blonde hair woman in wonder.

She looked over to the one who asked. "Do I look like I'm hurt?" She then brought her gaze down to the boy she was holding. "Kiba, are you alright now?" He didn't respond. She shook him. "Hey, I'm talking to you?"

"Oh, uh yes."

"Kiba, do you remember what happen before you past out?" Tsunade asked.

"No, ma'am."

"You were about to go on a mission when you suddenly collapse. You've been in the hospital for the past two week and almost die just now," she informed him. To be honest I actually thought you were dead.

"Um, Ma'am."

Tsunade returned her attention back to the young shinobi. "Yes, what is it?"

He looked back directly at her. "This Kiba name you keep calling. Is it supposed to be my name."

"Huh?" Tsunade couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Are you saying you don't remember your own name?" Sakura asked. She touched the top of her headband. "But you recognize my headband. You knew about being a leaf shinobi and the Hokage?"

Tsunade let go of Kiba. The young sixteen year old placed his arms in his lap. "I remember being a leaf shinobi, about the Land of Fire, and the Hidden Leaf, but as for anything personal. Like my name." His slit black pupils were shaking with unease. "I honestly don't remember any of it."

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