Okay, I have now deleted this story TWICE. This site doesn't want me to save changes to this document. I hope it works this time. Again, sorry for your troubles.

Note 1: So this is going to be a multi-chapter fic. Hopefully. However, it's conception is a little…strange. I've listened to a lot of songs that gave me ideas for a story and I decided to incorporate them into a single fic. This is NOT a song-fic, however, each chapter is influenced by a song and more or less a central meaing that I got out of the song having listened to it. Also, each chapter is named after the song I focused on for that particular chapter.

Does it make sense? I hope so. And I hope you like it!

Note two: I really don't know how jutsus work so I may have taken some liberty with them. Just a note. I also don't know the names of jutsus, really, so I hope descriptions work. And that they're at least somewhat accurate. Thanks!

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

/actions/

Chapter One - Fated

Song influence – "Fated" (Original Mix) by Ayumi Hamasaki


/snap/

Shikamaru's eyes instantly opened. He didn't move an inch but his entire body was on alert. Having just woken up from a nice afternoon nap, it was amazing that Shikamaru was as alert as he was.

He had decided that taking an afternoon nap would be beneficial since he was still a growing ten-year-old. That was all very well, but now here he was, in the middle of Konoha forest, well away from the village walls and training grounds, and he could not move an inch lest he be seen by a suspected threat.

/snap/

A noisy suspected threat.

"Hmph," Shikamaru quietly sighed and risked turning his head in an attempt to determine the source of the sound.

He could not see much other than the trunks of trees and the blades of tall grass that he was currently lying in. But… just because he couldn't see the enemy did not mean they weren't there.

He rolled his eyes at this thought, one that his father had drilled into his head a thousand times. Quite literally. Shikamaru scrunched his nose, remembering. Just one of the many life lessons Nara Shikaku taught his son.

Clearing his head, he closed his eyes in order to think of how to deal with this "enemy"

'Just think it through,' he thought, 'like dad said. First, know where the enemy is without reveal—'

/snap/

'—yourself…which is definitely not /my/ problem.' He risked lifting his head a little higher so he could see above the grass. Once he did this, he finally saw movement. A shadow among the branches, crawling toward the top of a tree a hundred feet away.

'There you are,' Shikamaru thought and smiled. Normally, he was not one to instigate…anything really, but the current situation called for something to be done. Shikamaru did not have the time to sit around and wait for this noisy ninja to finish their business and move on. He hadn't realized how late it actually was, and if he wasn't home soon, his mother was going to come out looking for him.

Hmm…there's a thought. He could just bide his time and let his mom take care of the enemy and he get could get off easily with the excuse that he couldn't move. Yeah…no. His mom would not fall for something like that.

'Gotta take matters into my own hands,' he thought.

Shikamaru quietly moved behind the tree that was shading him. From there, he assessed where the enemy was in the tree.

'What are you doing?' he thought as he caught a glimpse of a kunai pouch as the person traveled further up the tree. They were maybe thirty feet up when Shikamaru decided to make his move.

He crept toward the tree, keeping to the shadows where he was much more at home. Whoever was in that tree did not notice him at all. Ten feet away from the base of the tree, Shikamaru stopped still in the shadows.

He looked to the sky, specifically, to the branches near the top of the tree, forty-five feet up.

'Gotcha,' he thought and smiled.

Reaching behind him, he pulled out a kunai from his back pouch. He wasn't even a genin yet, he had another two years, but his father wasn't stupid. When living in a ninja village, it's better to be safe than sorry.

/snap/

Realizing the noisy nin was definitely NOT aware of Shikamaru, he took his aim.

And threw.


Finally. It had taken long enough but Neji had walked the lengthy distance from the Hyuuga compound to this unknown area in the middle of the forest. He had wanted to be alone, and now he was.

It had taken more time to climb the tree. He wasn't quite sure about climbing the tree, but then thought what the hell. Right now, he wasn't quite thinking about being practical, but instead about doing things for himself, even if for a short while.

Living in the compound with his uncle and two cousins so near had become stifling. He was eleven years old and one year away from becoming a genin. No one expected him to become much of anything. He didn't agree.

Neji knew that if he didn't do something soon, he would be letting his family walk all over him, something that he did not want and could not let happen.

So here he was. Using his strength and attempting to prove himself so he would no longer be held back. By anyone.

He took a moment, now that he was as close to the top of the tree as he was going to get, and looked out at the forest. He was completely alone just as he wanted it. People were troublesome, and he would rather be by himself.

With no one around, he no longer had to be constricted and so he took off the cloth that wrapped around his forehead, holding it loosely in his hand.

Neji closed his eyes and took in a breath, completely at ease for the first time in a long time.

Suddenly, the narrow branch he was standing on shook violently. Neji's eyes went wide in shock and he flailed his arms in an attempt to get his balance back as legs almost gave way. A million thoughts race through his head, as he was not expecting anything like this. Not today. Not now.

And then he fell.


Shikamaru smirked as he saw his kunai hit the branch the supposed enemy was standing on.

"That'll show him," he muttered under his breath. As he began to turn around and head for home he heard the snapping of branches.

When Shikamaru looked back, he saw a black and white figure falling from the branches.

He reacted instantaneously, his hands coming together and his fingers forming the seals that he hoped would stop the falling body.

Time seemed to slow for Shikamaru as his eyes widened and he watched the scene play out.

The shadow made by the falling body was getting bigger and bigger as the person came nearer to the ground.

His own shadow moved quickly across the ground to combine with the one on the ground and then it seemed as if the shadow ballooned and lifted off the ground. One foot. Two feet. Three feet.

It acted as a cushion to the falling body once the person hit the shadow but it did not slow the accelerating body as much as Shikamaru would have liked. As soon as the body hit the shadowy mass, it the began to collapse and the person, who would have hit the ground either way, hit it with a softer (and Shikamaru was hoping "not deadly") thud.

All of this happened in less than three seconds, but it felt like a lifetime to Shikamaru. His father had began teaching him kagemane and other jutsus that were known only to the Nara clan years ago. Unfortunately, they took usually took years to master. Shikamaru learned them quickly but could not put them into practice for very long and usually not completely. Just like today.

However, what he did create worked well enough he hoped as he ran over to the "enemy ninja" who he realized was in fact a boy his own age, perhaps a year or two older.

As he reached the boy, he saw something white float softly to the ground near the boy. He picked up the bandages thinking, 'What the hell?' and having no idea as to why they would suddenly appear even though he may very well need them if the person was injured.

He knelt next to the boy and noticed, thankfully, that he was still breathing and only unconscious having hit his head on the ground. He checked him over carefully noting that the boy didn't have any broken bones and few if any scrapes from hitting the ground.

Now assured that the person he almost accidentally killed would live, he really looked at them to see who he was and why he would be out in the middle of nowhere.

He realized the boy went to the academy just like himself what with the bandages wrapped around his right arm and right leg. The kunai pouch was a dead giveaway, too.

"Can't be a genin," said Shikamaru to himself, "No hitai-ate unless he left it at home. Unlikely. Too young, too."

One of Shikamaru's eyebrows quirked as his eyes fell upon a mark in the middle of the boy's forehead.

"Curious," he said and reached his finger out to trace the pattern all the while thinking that it was /not/ weird that he was touching some unconscious person. It was perfectly normal. Alright, he gave up. It was weird but then so was the tattoo or whatever was on the kid's forehead.

As soon as Shikamaru's finger began to trace the pattern, the boy's eyes flew home and Shikamaru jerked his hand back in part because he was just caught touching an unconscious person which was a little creepy and also because he was surprised by the boy's startlingly pale eyes.

The boy pushed himself up on his arms before shuffling back away from Shikamaru.

"What happened?" Neji asked, looking from side to side and up at the tree before he looked back at Shikamaru. "Who are you? And why were you touching me?"

Shikamaru held his hands out defensively. "Geez. Calm down will you."

"Why I should I be calm?!" Neji half shouted. "I just fell out of a tree and almost died!"

Shikamaru bit his lip to stop his snort. This guy was pretty funny when he got all riled up.

"Yeah, but you didn't die, did ya?"

Neji narrowed his eyes. "No…and what exactly happened. I didn't see anyone here, and I normally don't lose my balance that easily either."

"Yeah…" Shikamaru started and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "There was someone around here. Uh..me. I was taking a nap over ther—"

"You were napping?" Now, Neji's eyebrow quirked.

Shikamaru looked him straight in the face. "Yeah. So?"

Neji opened his mouth to say something but couldn't think anything a comeback. He attributed this change in character to his recent fall.

"Anyway," Shikamaru continued, "The snapping of twigs woke me up. You weren't being very stealthy."

"I wasn't meaning to. I thought I was alone."

"Well, you weren't. I thought you were an enemy ninja and decided to do something about it so I threw a kunai at the branch you were standing on. I guess it surprised you, which was my intention, and made you fall. Not my intention. I thought you would have caught yourself."

"Well I didn't," Neji said bitingly and looked at the ground before back at Shikamaru. "Why is it that I'm not dead? I should have hit the ground and broken my neck, but I don't remember hitting the ground. I remember hitting something…softer."

"Ahh, that," Shikamaru began and again scratched the back of his head. "I tried do a jutsu that my dad had taught but it didn't quite work. I ended up manipulating my shadow to balloon up and cushion you before you hit the ground. If I'd had more control, I think I could have stopped your fall completely, catching you before you even hit the ground."

Neji couldn't quite believe what had happened but he knew the boy wasn't lying.

"Thank you," he said quietly not looking at Shikamaru.

"You're welcome," Shikamaru replied and extended his hand. "I'm Nara Shikamaru by the way."

Neji looked at the offering skeptically for a moment before taking it and stating, "Hyuuga Neji."

"Ahh," Shikamaru began in realization, "I do know you. Kind of. I've heard your name mentioned at the academy. You're supposed to be the best of your year aren't you?"

If Neji could he would have puffed out his chest to show his pride. "That's what they say, and they're right."

"Hmm…then why would you, the best of your year, fall so easily?" Shikamau smirked as Neji's eyes widened. 'Definitely Hyuuga eyes,' he thought.

Neji narrowed his eyes once again. "I fell because you startled me with that kunai."

"Any good ninja would have overcome that," Shikamaru remarked.

"Well then," Neji began and looked away, "maybe I'm not that good."

Puzzled, Shikamaru asked, "Then why were you all the way out here?"

Still looking away from Shikamaru and seemingly to talk to himself, Neji said quietly, "Trying to prove myself."

"Okay," Shikamaru silently mouthed to himself and thinking his companion a little strange. "Well, I think you might want to train a little harder. I did get you by surprise, and I apologize for that. It was a pretty reckless thing for me to do. I'm glad you're okay though."

Neji turned back to Shikamaru when he said his apology, a little shocked at the sincerity. "Thank you."

"Oh," Shikamaru began and reached his hand holding the cloth out to Neji. "Is this yours?"

Neji's eyes widened when he saw his forehead wrappings and his hand immediately went to touch where the cloth no longer covered his seal. He grabbed the cloth from Shikamaru's hand and hastily tied it back around his head.

"I guess so." Shikamaru stated and smiled at the Hyuuga's odd behavior.

Neji looked back to Shikamaru, not sure what to say. "I, uh, I…thank you. Again."

"S'ok. That's a strange tattoo. I've never seen anything like it."

Neji looked at the ground. "It's not a tattoo. It's a seal," he said, not quite believing he was telling this to a stranger he just met.

Now Shikamaru was at a loss for words, thinking, 'Why would someone put a seal on their own forehead? No…he didn't do that to himself…'

"Weird." Shikamaru finally said and left it at that.

Neji looked at him and nodded his head once, "Yeah."

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. "I certainly didn't expect the day to turn out like this. It's not so bad, though. You're a pretty interesting guy who I almost ended up killing. Fate has a funny sense of humor."

Neji looked a little taken aback. "Fate?"

"Yeah, sure," Shikamaru began. "Just think of it this way: I probably never would have met you had I not been napping here or had you not come out here to train. Or, you something still could have happened to you if I wasn't here and then we never would have met again. So, under really strange circumstances we, two very different people, met. Like I said, fate is strange sometimes, especially this time but not in a bad way."

Neji was looking at Shikamaru in awe, not quite sure what to think of him. He settled on, "You're very philosophical for a—how old are you?"

"Ten."

"Then you're very philosophical for a ten-year-old," Neji stated and smiling slightly.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said and stifled a yawn, "That's what my dad says. Say, do you wanna grab something to e—"

Neji was about to answer but Shikamaru was cut off as in that moment as he heard a very familiar voice that he really didn't want to hear.

"Nara Shikamaru! You wake up wherever you are, right now!"

Shikamaru visibly flinched and cursed under his breath.

"Damn, that's my mom. Gotta go." He turned and actually started to jog in the direction of his mother's voice, not wanting her to find the exact place where he took his naps.

Neji stared after him, his mouth slightly open as if he meant to say something before Shikamaru left.

As if reading his thoughts, the now active lazy boy turned around and spoke. "Sorry about everything again. I wasn't thinking too clearly. That's a first for me, too. Anyway, I wish we could have gotten something to eat together and talked more, but trust me, you don't want to deal with my mom. I'll see you around, though. 'Kay?"

Neji saw that he was waiting for some acknowledgement to the subtle question and that the question was important. This person, who could have cost him his life but also saved it, wanted to see him again. To talk with him. Maybe even…become friends.

"Yes," Neji said quickly before Shikamaru turned around in disappointment, "I'll see you around."

Shikamaru gave him a nod and headed off quickly to meet up with his mother.

Neji watched his retreating form and quietly, to himself for Shikamaru was well out of distance:

"See you."


Thanks for reading. Feel free to read and review.