Random Chance Prologue

Kakashi was pretty sure that something odd was going on. After all its not every day that all motion and sound just stops in the middle of a battle. He began to review the last few minutes to see if he could pinpoint just what had caused this to happen. First Naruto had shown up to offer assistance in defeating Hidan and Kakuzu. Though it seemed a bad idea to send the person Akatsuki was after to fight them, he assumed that Tsunade had a plan. Then Naruto had shown his newest jutsu. Kakashi had to admit that it was a lot more impressive than he had thought Naruto capable of.

It seemed that it was after that that time had stopped. Though he knew that it was impossible, that was the only explanation that Kakashi could come up with as to what happened. After all there was absolutely no movement, not even wind, and Naruto was suspended in midair, which was of course, not natural, ninja abilities aside.

Now that he had identified the effect he had to find the cause, which was admittedly eluding him. He really didn't believe that anyone here was capable of stopping time.

"You know I've been standing behind you for over a minute now and you still haven't noticed. You've been slipping Kakashi-kun."

Kakashi's eyes widened even as he turned. That voice was one he had never expected to hear in this life again. Though the fact that he was hearing it may explain both why and how time was stopped. The man stood out in the open, his long white coat fluttering slightly though there was no wind. He looked the same as he had the last time Kakashi had seen him. Spiky blond hair with sides that reached his shoulders, piercing blue eyes and a slight smirk that said he knew more than he had said. Since his Sharingan was out in the open Kakashi could tell that this was no genjutsu, unless he was dealing with something above what even Uchiha Itachi could do.

"Minato-sensei wha-how are you here? Am I dead? Because I don't recall being killed." Kakashi asked a bit bewilderedly.

"No your not dead Kakashi-kun." Minato answered his smirk growing a bit wider, "No, the reason that time has stopped and I'm here is you've been chosen."

"Chosen? For what? And by whom?"

"You might want to get comfortable, Kakashi, because those questions have some really long answers." Minato replied, then turned to was toward some large rocks a few meters to the left.

Kakashi followed his sensei, not taking either of his eyes off of him. It had been a long time since he had seen the other man, and he wanted to be sure he would remember every little detail about him in case it was just as long or longer until he saw him again. There was also the little voice in the back of his head that said that this could be a trick and he shouldn't let his guard down. He had learned over the years that though the voice wasn't always right, ignoring it was always a bad idea. His sensei had taken a seat on the rocks and Kakashi took one opposite the other man. He was going to ask another question but Minato's posture made him hold his tongue.

"I guess I should start with happened after the last time you saw me. I had just finished the Shisho Fuin on Naruto when the Shinigami took my life as per the Shiki Fujin I used on Kyuubi. I thought that I was going to be trapped in his stomach for all of eternity, so you can image my surprise when I found myself in a field next to a very pale women in a black tank top and slacks with an odd shaped cross necklace, which she later told me was called an ankh. She told me that she was the Shinigami or just Death as she preferred to be called. I asked her about the living in her stomach thing, and she laughed and said that the person who originally created Shiki Fujin put that in as a joke. Then she told me that I had earned a place in heaven and that all I had to do was walk through the gates to my right, that I still swear weren't there to begin with, to enter."Minato paused here and looked at Kakashi, "Got all this so far?"

"Yes...is Death hot?"

Minato looked at him blankly for a moment, then sunk his head into his hands with a sigh, "I really wish Sensei would have stuck with his original version of his book. All that sex has warped your mind Kakashi-kun. Anyway I'm not allowed to go into everything I've been doing since then so I'll get more to the point. After a while in heaven I began to talk with the various gods and goddess that I came across about many different things and eventually found that they watch this, and other, realities constantly for entertainment. I also found that some of them like to try to change what they see. One was a god who went in the form of a cat who held a contest to see could cause the most interesting difference with only a single change to the past, though they used a different place than here."

"So the gods sit around a play with our lives for fun?" Kakashi asked feeling a little bit upset.

"Not entirely no. They let whatever happens in what they call the Canon or main reality happen however we humans make it, all of their changes take place in alternate universes. Still with me?" After getting a nod from Kakashi he continued, "Now then I've been watching the gods, and they love to play with this one. There are literally hundreds of thousands of different versions of this one, and quite a few of them involve, that right, time travel. I see your starting to get the picture. Normally its one of the members of your genin team who are sent back, but this time the goddess involved wants to see what you do.

Kakashi was feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything his Sensei was telling but managed to push it back to ask, "Why me?"

Minato smiled and said, "Because this goddess, whose name by the way is Aphreal, believes that you are the one who can make the biggest impact in the way things have gone so far. She does not like what she has seen and feels that you have the best chance to change it. So she wants to send you back in time and see what you do and change."

"Thats it?"Kakashi asked.

"Not quite." the smile had left Minato's face, "There are a few conditions that I have to explain first. The first is that you will be sent back to one year before you became the instructor of Team 7. The second is that you get to keep all of your memories as well as your mental and spiritual abilities, but your physical abilities will be back at the level they where at that time. Third, and this one is very important, you cannot have any contact with Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kabutoor Orochimaru before you originally did. Understand?"

Kakashi nodded, "I understand, but what happens here if I accept?"

"Your conciseness will be split, part will go back in time, and the other part will continue on here with no memory of this conversation. So really to everyone here nothing will have changed, only the you that goes back."

"Alright so when do I meet this goddess to accept?" Kakashi asked.

"She'll be along shortly, she is giving me this time to give you some advice if you want it."

"I've always taken your advice Sensei."

"Always isn't entirely accurate Kakashi-kun. I seem to remember that the first few times I gave you advice you pretty upset about it." Minato answered with a smile that made Kakashi chuckle a bit embarrassed by his memories of how he once was.

"Anyway", Minato continued, "my first bit of advice is for you to get back into shape because you've been pitiful lately, and don't glare at me like that. Its the truth, while you were in ANBU you came very close to S-rank level, but when you left you went downhill in a big way. Zabuza should never have even been able to come close to you, let alone catch you in that big bubble, and even now your not back up to snuff. Tenzo-san is still shocked that you've been beaten by these Akatsuki chumps. Second, don't just tell Sasuke your ideals on teammates and other things, beat it into him, that boy isn't going to change unless you really try. Third, use that Kage Bunshin training to get Naruto up to speed mentally, he really needs that. Fourth, TRAIN SAKURA THIS TIME!! That girl has a lot of talent that went to waste because of your laziness. Get her genjutsu abilities as high as you can this time before just handing her over to Tsunade, she'll surpass her much sooner this time. Got all that."

"Yes Sensei.", Kakashi swallowed then began, "Um, Sensei could you tell me how Obi-"

He was interrupted by a shrill note that made him turn to his right. There on a large rock sat a little girl with black hair wearing a white dress who seemed to have grass stains on her feet. As she lowered her reed pipes Kakashi saw that her eyes were also very dark.

"Minato already said he couldn't talk about that Kakashi." she said.

"I was wondering how long you were going to wait." Minato replied.

Kakashi swallowed again then said, "So your Aphreal I take it?"

"Yes, Kakashi I am." she said as she got down and walked over to him. "And I have to say that your taking this rather well. Most people are a lot more nervous when they see me for the first time." She stopped in front of him and held out her arms expectantly.

Kakashi looked at her for a moment, then turned to Minato and asked, "What does she want?"

Minato rolled his eyes then replied, "She wants you to pick her up and hold her."

"Why?"

"Just do it Kakashi-kun." Minato replied.

Kakashi shrugged then picked Aphreal up and sat her set her in his lap. When she was settled she reached up, and to his surprise, removed his mask and gave him a kiss.

"You really shouldn't hide your face all the time Kakashi." she said her eyes sparkling mischievously. "So do you accept the offer I've made?"

Kakashi thought for a moment then replied, "Yes, I accept."

"And you won't actively try to have contact with the people your not supposed to.?"

"What do you mean actively? I thought I wasn't to have contact with them at all."

"Your going to be changing things Kakashi. You might meet them earlier this time than last time. As long as you don't do it on purpose than thats alright." Aphreal replied.

"Oh, I agree to that then."

Aphreal clapped her hands with a squeal of joy then kissed him again. Then jumped down from his lap and said, "Then lets get started!" And with that she brought the pipes to her lips and began to play.

Kakashi began to get very weak and tired. As he lost conciseness his last sight was Minato-sensei mouthing the words "Good Luck".

!#$&()!#$&()

As Kakashi faded from sight Minato sighed and turned to pick up Aphreal as she finished her song.

"I know that was very hard for you Minato." Aphreal said will settling into a comfortable position. "But you really couldn't tell him everything."

"I know.", Minato replied. "I just wish I could have told him about his teammates. I just hope he'll be able to handle everything that could happen."

"He can handle it. Thats why I chose him." she said, then gave him a kiss on the check. "Come on, lets head back, who knows what Talen's been up to while I've been gone."

Minato laughed as he and Aphreal faded from the field.

!#$&()!#$&()

There are three references from other things in here. Minato says all of them. Happy Hunting!!!