NARUTO?! NARUTO!? WAKE UP!! a concerned voice calls, awakening Naruto from his night terrors. His eyes open slowly, azure eyes surprisingly meeting with dark brown ones, sitting up right, drawing a kunai he looks at the intruder then drops his tense guard down recognizing the person. There standing before him is a slim young man, his age with shoulder-length black hair tied in a spiky ponytail, clothed in a tattered chunin uniform. Naruto stays silent, looking at the now identified figure of Shikamaru, unable to believe it.
"Well are you going to welcome me, or just stare at me like I'm someone you weren't expecting?" Shikamaru says, breaking the awkward silence looking at his blonde comrade in front of him. He's not screaming, talking or showing any sign of excitement from my presence, in fact he seems distressed by my attire...hm what a drag I do look like I just came out of the Frontline in a war...but why is Naruto just standing there? This isn't the Naruto I know... Shikamaru debunks In his mind, about to come up with a plan to make the distressed blonde in front of him to speak anything, Only tobe interrupted by a soft voice.
Naruto, stares at his former comrade from team 10. He looks the young chunin up and down, taking in his appearance noting the red stains on his chunin vest and arms, acknowledging the small but noticeable nicks and snips. Probably done by kunais and shurikens...was I too late, while I was sleeping did Danzo go through on his threat? Did Shikamaru only survive? What happened...why can't I bring myself to say anything...he is my friend, comrade. Push through the discomfort, don't think back on the dream just ask.. "Shika...what happened to you? He asks softly, tensing up as the young chunin, looked surprised to hear him speak.
"We made a error in calculation, upon Danzos rise to power." Shikamaru says somberly, "our Jonin senseis, and my father thought as soon as Danzo banished you from the village, he would take time trying to gain the whole village's approval by wearing a metaphorical face. They thought Danzo would wait to initiate his plans, to take out followers of Lord third and lord fifth and you..." He takes a deep breath and continues. "They made the inference that Danzo would've blamed you for the death of Tsunade, getting the villagers to hate you more then after the kyubi attack, to respect Danzo for getting rid of the said demon." Shikamaru stares at Naruto with a grim expression and says the next line with a cold, broken tone.
"Danzo slandered lord thirds law, made him and his students, Tsunade who was recently killed and Jiraiya look like they were no better then their defected teamate Orochimaru... turned the people against the shinobi who still was loyal to lord third and the last loyal sannin. We were outnumbered, but we also didn't want to fight kids, mothers, elderly. We surrendered and Danzo, took Kakashi, Gai, Asuma and Kurenai, Jiraiya, Inochi, choja and My father Shikaku. Jiraiya was given a public execution...Danzo sent a hyuga to preform Juken to his heart.. we all were horrified,powerless, He could've escaped, I know he could've but the risk of hurting innocents were too severe, and as the root appeared and took all the loyal shinobi to the will of fire, to I don't Know myself the other Konoha 12 realised we lost, I'm sorry Naruto..we failed." Shikamaru chokes trying not to sob, Naruto unconsciously letting some of Kuramas chakra out.
Shikamaru looks back at the blonde, seeing Naruto is now crying, he sighs only to hear Naruto ask more questions "How are you here? What about the others, Iruka, Ayame, ramen guy, Hin..Hinata?" Shikamaru pauses at the question,then answers the blondes questions. "The others, like chunins and such disbanded the village danzo didn't need us chunin or even jonin, the Shinobi of the village are now only root, the disbanded chunin are now housed in a safe place, somewhere off in the wave. The civilians will not be touched by Danzo, he sees them as weak only good for the goods they sell so the Ramen guy and his daughter are safe for now. The rest of Konoha's 12... Choji, and Ino retired as shinobi and are now working in their families businesses under watch, by Danzos root. Kiba, Neji, shino are being forced In Danzos Root program, all male Shinobi are if not retired."
"I escaped, during the night with some troublesome interference, finding you on accident. I was trying to get to suna, to tell Gaara, Temari and Kankuro to help me find you actually. Untill I stumbled onto you and am now gonna stay with you no denials. And Hinata... was branded with the caged bird mark and locked into the compound...for being your greatest supporter, last thing she told us all was if we ever leave the village, would be to find you and stay by your side. Ironic I did find you...but yeah, too much has happened."
Naruto, in a burst of rage channels kuramas chakra in his right fist, slamming it into a tree infront of him. The sound of trees rustling and splintering fill the forested area, bats disturbed by the sound flutter out of the darkness in swarms filling the night sky, unseen by anyone except the occasional sound of wings fluttering and small shrill squeaks. No no no... damnit...damnit damnit...pervy sage, everyone...Hinata, this wasn't supposed to happen ..it wasn't damn you DANZO...I'LL COME BACK ONE DAY, AND I WILL..free the village from your reign. Naruto says in his mind, he then looks at the black haired boy in front of him, with cold blue eyes and says
"Shikamaru, with you here we can plan on how to save the village hidden in the leaves. You can teach me, please help me Shikamaru become a the shadow of death, that will trail Danzo unseen untill his dying last breath?"
Shikamaru, can't help but smirk then says "you have really grown up in these past few days out of the village huh? I'll help you with your vow, because I also want to bring Danzo down, for once Something isn't such a drag to think about."
Naruto, after all the traumatic dreams, and when he learned about what happened in his old village, can't help but give his signature foxy grin.