Troublesome Fate
By: Lone Ronin
Author's Notes: The story will cover what happens to the other rookies after Naruto leaves the village, with a focus on Shikamaru and Neji.
Part 1: More Important Then Anything Else
It wasn't just the sweet deer meat that citizens of Konoha valued, barbequed or dried and preserved as portable rations for ninjas. Nor was it their hair, which made calligraphy brushes or their skin that made durable goods such as equipment pouches, shoes, grips for weapon handles and light armor. What was most prized, worth perhaps ten times their weight in gold, were the many medicines and healing seals that could be derived from their antlers, blood, bones and organs that had saved the lives of countless shinobi.
'The ingredients and effects of this medicine are ingenious. It really was amazing at just what the Nara clan had been able to devise from years of research, raising and training deer.' The Hokage thought as she scanned the manual.
"Bring me the antler next!" Tsunade ordered as she continued to grind and measure a large batch of base ingredients.
She could simply divide the cell growth changing medicine into three portions and then add different ingredients to each batch, creating one mix for Chouji to counter the side effects of his clan's pills, one mix for Kiba to ease his pain and promote healing by encouraging cell growth and one mix for Neji to slow the cell regeneration process after the holes in his body had been repaired to prevent cancer. The formula was designed not just to be incredibly effective and fast acting, but also to allow variations with different effects simply by changing a few ingredients or their proportions, giving her three potions at once and saving valuable time.
"How is he, sis?" Inuzuka Kiba propped himself up on his arm and watched his older sister bandaging Akamaru.
"His muscles are badly torn, he can't walk right now." She answered.
"Will he be okay?"
"Relax, his wounds aren't life-threatening, he'll be fine with time. You just worry about yourself."
"Ow, yeah, I know." He winced as he lay back down. It hurt just to even think about moving, Sakon and Ukon had thrashed him so badly, but Akamaru would recover and that was all that mattered at that moment.
'I just hope the others are doing well, their injuries were far worse then mine.' Kiba thought.
"It's been three hours, take my place." Instructed the medic as others in the healing room continued to channel their charka.
The gaping wounds in Neji's body were still fairly obvious, but after six hours of constantly channeling charka from their bodies through their strongest healing seals, he had finally stabilized and they were ready for the final stage.
"We're using his hair as a medium, please don't make any mistakes in the cell regeneration and remember to control your charka." Shizune ordered the new group of medics as they changed places with the last group so they could rest. As they performed the final series of hand seals and Neji's injuries finally closed, leaving nothing but faded pink scars.
"What are you getting so upset about, there's nothing you can do now, is there?" Temari's words brought him out of his dark brooding thoughts.
Nara Shikamaru sat in the hospital ward, glaring down at his bandaged finger as medics rushed around in the appreciated but stressful and not so glamorous task of healing the injured.
"In a mission, there's always sacrifice. Think of it as training." She continued.
"Training and combat are different and I know injuries are part of being a ninja. But this was my first mission as a leader, now I know I can't cut it as a shinobi." Answered Shikamaru.
"You're so fragile, yet you keep going on about being a man."
"I was supposed to be a leader, but I just relied on them, I wasn't strong enough."
"Are you afraid of getting hurt?" Temari asked.
Getting sick of her forceful attitude and deciding he needed to be alone, Shikamaru turned to leave.
"Shikamaru, are you running away because of what she said?" Nara Shikaku asked.
"I don't feel like getting into an argument right now." Shikamaru answered.
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and acting like a coward. Even if you quit being a shinobi, there will still be missions and someone has to do them. Even if your teammates had another leader, there's always a chance they could die, you never know. Reflect on this mission and learn from your mistakes, for their sake." Shikaku continued.
Shikamaru said nothing. He saw the wisdom in his father's advice, but he still felt angry with himself. Tsunade came into the waiting room as Shikamaru's father finished his reprimand.
"It's all right now, the antidote I prepared stopped the side effects from degenerating his cells, Chouji will be okay. The Nara Clan's secret medicine preparation manual was very useful. It must have taken a lot of effort."
"Thank you." Shikaku answered.
"Tsunade-sama, Hyuuga Neji has been stabilized. I have also been told that Hatake Kakashi and Uzumaki Naruto have just arrived. Naruto seems to have some serious wounds, but nothing life-threatening." Shizune announced as she emerged, looking exhausted but triumphant.
But her smile faded and everyone in the room fell quiet, their worst fears confirmed as a medic came in to show them the slashed hitai-ate. Feelings of relief, shame, frustration and guilt all overwhelmed Shikamaru. He knew it was quite commendable, to return with your entire team despite failing a mission, but the sting of defeat was still fresh and bitter Shikamaru felt frustrated. To have planned everything out, with nothing to show for it but a broken finger, his teammates and closest friends in intensive care and Sasuke now a traitor and missing-nin.
"Shikamaru, it seems the mission failed, but everyone is alive, that is more important then anything else." Tsunade did her best to reassure him.
Shikamaru excused himself to a quiet part of a hospital, unable to stop the tears from leaking out.
"Next time, I'll do it perfectly." He quietly promised to himself.
Neji was dreaming, vaguely aware of the single bird, circling overhead as he flew up to join it. He felt himself pushing against the darkness, too old to be scared, but too young to be apathetic enough to give up and die.
"Where am I?" he asked, feeling disoriented.
"You're at the hospital. Don't move, everything will be fine now." A voice answered.
As he felt medics moving him out of the healing room, voicing relief over his return to the living, he barely recalled the impact of the second arrow that impaled and almost killed him. He opened his eyes to see a female medic standing over him and instinctively put his hand to his forehead to cover his one weakness, his seal.
"How are you feeling?" she asked as she held out his hitai-ate.
"Fine, just kind of weak." Neji said as he tied the plate on.
"You'll feel very tired for a couple of days, but everything in the healing room seems to have gone well. The doctors want to do a few more tests before you leave just to make sure. Do you feel well enough to accept visitors?" she asked as she noted things on a clipboard.
"Yes, you can just let them in." Neji answered as he sat up and looked at the pale pink scar on his chest.
Looking up, Neji calmly greeted Hinata, Lee and Tenten as they entered with gifts. As he lay in the bed and watched the birds flying outside the window, Hyuuga Neji wondered about his fate and for the first time in his life, dreamed of something better.
As Shikamaru waited outside Chouji's room, he watched one of the medics monitor his condition and make notes on a clipboard.
'Maybe if she had been with us on the mission, it wouldn't have been as bad.' He thought to himself.
As he turned away from the window, he caught sight of Tsunade walking by.
"Tsunade-sama, I know there are a lot of conditions for mission levels and team members, but I think at least one member of all teams should be a medic." Shikamaru suggested as he walked down the hall with her.
"I know and I made a similar recommendation many years ago, but it's very difficult to train a medical ninja. They still need combat skills and excellent charka control as well as the wisdom, persistence and patience to use their abilities under extreme pressure in the field. Apprentices and teachers can also be tough to find, most medics are busy enough as it is with the increased casualties and it's difficult to find a student with the right attitude, someone who's there to protect, not to fight. You go to Naruto's room first, I'll be there soon with some medicine."
Sakura watched the river from the bridge where Team 7 used to always wait for their jounin instructor, hoping that everyone, including Sasuke, had come back, yet knowing in her heart that no matter what happened, life would never be the same again. Suddenly, someone came running.
"Sakura! It looks like everyone is back! I heard they're all in the hospital!" Ino called out to her.
They ran as quickly as they could to the hospital's front desk.
"I'm going to see Chouji first, what about you?" Ino asked.
"I'm going to see Naruto and Sasuke." Sakura answered.
As she approached Naruto's room, she heard him talking to Shikamaru.
Naruto sat up in his bed, staring at Sasuke's slashed hitai-ate and thinking about his promise to Sakura.
"So, you're awake." Came a voice from the door.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto's face lit up.
"Kiba and Akamaru are wounded, but they're awake. Chouji and Neji are unconscious, but they're expected to recover." Shikamaru told him.
"I see, so everyone is all right, I'm glad."
"And Sasuke…" Shikamaru asked, confirming what he already knew.
"Yeah…" Naruto answered.
Sakura stayed outside, afraid to hear what the answer would be.
"He left."
"It's all right Ino-chan, the medics were able to stabilize Chouji." Choumaru, Chouji's father told Ino as they waited outside the intensive care unit.
"That's a relief, so we can't see him yet…"
"No, but Tsunade-sama said he should wake up soon, we were lucky she came back to the village. If she hadn't come, Chouji would be…"
"Naruto…" Sakura started as she entered with Tsunade.
"I was told you were badly wounded, but you look okay despite that."
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, hanging he head, he couldn't bear to look at her when he hadn't been able to bring Sasuke back.
"Why are you apologizing? You just went overboard as usual, you look like a mummy with all those bandages. Here, let's open a window, it's so nice out today." Sakura said awkwardly, eager to change the subject.
"I'll keep my promise, I will bring Sasuke back." He insisted.
"It's okay Naruto, I know you will." Sakura answered, looking out the window.
"Sakura, this guy…" Shikamaru started, then held back on his urge to tell Sakura that Sasuke was nothing but a traitor, knowing that to them he was still a teammate.
"I'm not going take back my word." Naruto said stubbornly.
Seeing his determination, Sakura turned to leave.
'All I ever did was just cry and depend on Naruto, but he was ready to sacrifice his life to get Sasuke back.' She thought to herself, then she made her decision.
"I'm sorry Naruto-kun, I have to go do something, but next time, I'm going with you."
Tsunade sat at her desk, dealing with the paperwork that had piled up in all the chaos that had come from Sandaime's death when she heard a knock at the door.
"Come in, what is it?" she asked as Sakura entered.
"Would you please take me as your pupil?" Sakura begged.
Tsunade paused for a moment. Kakashi had told her that Sakura was very bright and talented.
"Very well, I'm a strict teacher."
"How are you feeling?" Shikamaru asked as he entered Kiba's room to find Hinata and Shino already there.
"It hurts to move, but I'll be okay. I'm more worried about Akamaru, my sister said his leg muscles were really torn."
While they were talking about the outcome of the mission, a female medic who looked a few years older then them entered the room.
"It's time for your medicine, Kiba-san." She said.
"They've got me on painkillers, so I probably won't be doing anything interesting for a while." Kiba forced a smile as the medic measured out his dose in a syringe and checked him over.
"Is there anyone else you have to visit?" Shino asked.
"Neji." Shikamaru answered.
"Neji's awake now, I visited him just before coming here." Said Hinata.
"I have to check up on Hyuuga Neji afterwards, I can take you to his room." The medic said as she made note on his clipboard.
"Thank you." Said Shikamaru as he followed her down the hall.
"If you need anything from me, my name is Yumi." She said.
As she led Shikamaru to Neji's room, Yumi noticed his broken finger.
"May I?" she stopped and asked.
Shikamaru held his out his finger and allowed her to speed the healing with her Chiyute no Jutsu. As she touched his hand and made sure she had done the job right, he noticed that her skin was rather rough with the fine nicks and scratches of weapons and concluded she must be a field medic, since they usually had at least a little combat skill.
"You have amazing charka control." He complimented as she let him into Neji's room.
"Thank you. Here, you look like you've been crying." The medic said as she gave him a handkerchief.
"I was their leader for the mission, it's my fault they got hurt."
"Don't blame yourself, these things happen. What's more important then anything else is that you brought everyone back alive." Yumi reassured him before going in to check him.
Shikamaru hesitated after she left, then entered the room to find Neji gazing intently out the window.
"Hey. How is everything?"
"I feel a little weak, but they said I should be able to leave in a few days. Naruto's talking to someone, he will be leaving the village soon." Neji answered as he turned to face Shikamaru.
"You've been crying." He continued.
"It's not very polite to spy on others in a hospital." Said Shikamaru.
"You assume I was looking through the walls with my Byakugan, but Naruto's room is directly below mine and your eyes are still slightly red. Did everyone get back from the mission?" Neji asked.
"The others were badly hurt, but they should recover with time." Shikamaru answered as his gaze wandered to the windowsill, looking at some get-well presents from Tenten, Gai, Lee and some Hyuuga family members.
"You were looking at the shogi board the most out of all of them, Hinata left it for me." Observed Neji.
"I've played it a lot." He answered.
"I want to play against you."
Shikamaru picked up the gift and set up the board. After a few moves, Neji spoke.
"I heard that the mission failed." Neji said as a flat statement, without any blame or malice in his voice.
"Yes, Sasuke is now a missing-nin." Shikamaru answered as Neji captured his bishop.
"Don't blame yourself for what happened, I choose to take the risk and fight, I have no regrets." Said Neji.
They were both silent for the next few moves before Neji continued.
"I know that you feel guilty about my injuries, since you're not looking directly at me but not focusing completely on the game. We should consider our next moves and prepare for the future. We may have failed the mission, but that doesn't mean the Sound has won."
Shikamaru half-looked up as he took Neji's knight.
"I know, I've just had a lot of doubts about my myself." Shikamaru replied as he dropped his captured knight. They stayed quiet for a few more moves, until it became clear that Neji's attempts at setting numerous traps to corner Shikamaru's king hadn't worked and now his opponent had seen an opening. After a long series of attempts to trap and outmaneuver each other, Shikamaru won.
"You beat me. No one has ever beat me at shogi before." Neji said, half-amazed.
Shikamaru shrugged.
"I want to play against you again." Neji demanded.
Shikamaru thought about it for a moment. He did need something to take his mind off things for a while, and it had been a while since he had played against anyone who was really skilled at shogi besides Asuma…
"Sure." he answered as he set up the board again.
Author's Notes: I know most of this is from the manga, but I have added some stuff to give background to my story, since they don't show Shikamaru visiting Kiba or Neji. Most people think Shikamaru's dad is Shikato, but I'm watching the anime and he's called Shikaku. I've heard that Chouji's dad is Choumaru and Ino's dad is Inoue, don't know for sure, but until I find out otherwise, I'm using those.
Here's a good resource on playing shogi http/ www. crockford. com/ chess/ shogi. html (take out the spaces) but a quick rundown of the game is that flat, 5 sided pieces are used on a 9 by 9 checkered board that can move depending on their rank and which part of the board they are on. Captured pieces can be used as your own and dropped onto certain spots on the board.
Chiyute no Jutsu - Healing Hands Technique, chakra is focused into the palms of the hands, creating a small ball of healing charka.