Disclaimer! I do not own Naruto nor its Characters!

Hiruzen could barely rest. He couldn't forget about the man with the famous sharingan that was reported to him. Clearly, his shinobi, let alone the ANBU, were trained to recognize Itachi. Considering the fact that they didn't report that he wore a robe with red clouds it clearly showed that it was either a different person or he had abandoned the akatsuki.

Being a different person made more sense considering the fact that itachi didn't actually have an arm off –well, maybe he didn't just previously– but then who else would have the sharingan when only two wielders existed; one of them being a child? Something was wrong. He knew that he had to investigate this mysterious man.

"As I thought, you are still in your office, sensei!"

Hiruzen turned to face the window where the voice came from. By the sound of it, there was no threat intended and actually, it sounded very familiar. Who could it be at this time of night?

For a moment, a pair of some nimbus night clouds mildly separated revealing an illuminated side view of a bundle of long thorny white hair, clearly confused with the overgrown sideburns. Only a part of a silvery head band could be seen in the light, the rest left in the shadows of dark.

"Jiraiya! So you're back, eh?" Hiruzen looked over at the late night visitor as the clouds merged back together, denying further escape of moon light. "How long has it been? Anyway it doesn't matter. Am I glad to see you!"

"Me too sensei, but I'm a bit terrified for you, eh?"

"What do you mean?"

"At least place a single candle in your room. How are you going to read my book in this darkness?" Jiraiya, with a cheeky grin, jokingly answered.

Hiruzen couldn't help but release a small chuckle that meant more than just a response to a joke.

"What's wrong, sensei? The time traveller's disturbing you or what?" The glorified Sannin asked the leader.

Hiruzen gazed at him from one corner of his eye with such intensity that simply showed that he didn't want to be disturbed further.

"And how did you come to that conclusion, Jiraiya?"

"I wouldn't even dare to call myself your student if I didn't find out about him sooner."

Jiraiya then hopped into the dark office that was only illuminated by the less dark surroundings outside. It was as bright as it was dark.

"As expected of… you." The third Hokage answered, failing to think of a word to describe him. "You're not Konoha's most reliable network source for nothing. I still don't understand why you don't take my place."

"Being Hokage? No!" Jiraiya said as he walked over to the light switches, lighting up the whole room after flicking at them. "I have entirely different plans."

"Returning Orochimaru? Or looking for your saviour?" Hiruzen looked up at his student who surprisingly held a small bottle of sake and two cups. "Not that I doubt you, but if there's a stroke of karma and you pass without fulfilling any, what will you have done to pass on to the next generation?"

"Wouldn't that be seeking fame?" The Sannin, after sitting at the same table, slid one cup gently across the table to Hiruzen. "I don't have to prove myself to everyone. Just a few!"

Jiraiya, poured sake to about half in each cup. Taking the lead, he gulped his down in a flash before waiting for his company's reply. The third Hokage politely shook his head in refusal of the drink as he was picky on the days for that.

"Naruto, right? That's what you're saying?" Hiruzen replied in his usual calm demeanour. "You just need Naruto to take over your will? The last two times I remember you saying that— I hope you remember what happened."

"You and I both know that the prophecy is right." Jiraiya fired back intensely to defend himself.

"Right for what? People falling to their deaths? The way I would see it was that they were trying to fulfil your wish."

"What are you saying, sensei? Will there never be peace in this world?"

Hiruzen took his pipe out of his mouth and exhaled a great amount of smoke before putting it back between his lips. He was a calm man and he didn't allow himself to be overwhelmed by anger.

"I care little what you believe, Jiraiya..." Hiruzen responded. "… and I wouldn't have cared at all if you hadn't involved Naruto in it. What he needs now is a father. Promise me that you'll be there for him, and if he makes any decision, it'll be out of his own will."

Jiraiya simply sat further back into his seat, taking two more cups of sake, his own and the one meant for Hirizen.

"I understand, sensei!" Jiraiya responded in all forms of neutrality he could afford to express. "So, do you want help with your case? I can imagine the number of things weighing on you."

"Hmm…" The third Hokage went into deep thought with a deep grunt. "If you do trust your spying skills then I'm sure that this is a job just for you."

"So you want information, hmm? On what really? Or on who?"

"A mysterious wielder of the fabled sharingan."

Jiraiya kept quiet for a moment, trying to access the short yet heavy statement. The wielders of the sharingan were not people to be messed with, but they were also people to be protected. Konoha could not afford those eyes to fall into enemy hands.

"I thought you told me to keep clear of Itachi." Jiraiya answered with a puzzle. "If it's not Itachi you are sending me too then who could it be? Or do you actually want to find out who the mystery masked man is?"

"What I want is all the information that might prove to be useful." Hiruzen calmly replied as he searched the drawers of his desk. "Here is the report of the ANBU team that encountered him."

Jiraiya reached out for the scroll that was handed over to him. He made a mild scan through it for about half a minute before turning back to the Hokage in even more confusion.

"One arm?" Jiraiya exclaimed. "Oh, don't make me laugh. Anyway, about ANBU's mission, what is this stone here and what does it do?"

"That stone… is of unknown origin." The third Hokage placed his arms on his desk and palms clasped together in front of his face. "Its abilities are not completely known, but you'll have to promise me one thing, do not touch that stone at any cost."

"Why?"

"A curious one, always has been!" The Hokage responded. "When you touch it, it reveals to you the end of your mortal path. Unless you want to live in fear of awaiting your death, I advise you not to touch it."

"So dangerous mission this is, sensei!" Jiraiya grew a creepy smile on his face, lighting up the mood in the place. "Will I get some… benefits?"

"Hahaha! Good to see that you've changed so little." Hiruzen gave a small laugh before standing up in front of his seat. Jiraiya followed him up. "Anytime that you are ready to set out, approach me to see if you need any reinforcements."

As the Sannin approached the door, a thought suddenly came to him. Before opening the door, he asked the old man without even turning his head back.

"Hey, sensei. If you said that stone can reveal your death, how did you find that out?"

That was a good question. That was what the Hokage was definitely thinking. Truly he would have let him go without telling him, but he would fall in the same trap and predicament as he.

"You know what, Jiraiya? Some things are better left untold. Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure you know how."

"I see!"

Not much could be exchanged there after. Shinobi were one of the people who didn't take pride in mentioning their burdens, as that would deem them look pitiful. Instead, they would fight their own demons in solitude, a concept that many people disagreed on.

"See you soon, sensei." Jiraiya bade his farewell as he closed the door behind him.

"I really hope you do, Jiraiya!"

The hokage's words were a whisper, but they meant a lot. He was truly grateful that his student had decided to help him with the case because then he would have way less to worry about.

"Good morning, Inoichi-San."

Inoichi turned to look at the fully grown Naruto. He had just come out of his house early in the morning.

"Naruto-San, good morning!" Inoichi replied as he walked towards him. "What are you doing here? Where's Sakura?"

"She's safe. Actually, I'm a clone. The real me is with her."

"That's good to know." Inoichi walked side by side with the clone who placed his hands behind his back in a relaxed manner. "Tell me again why you didn't want to join the ANBU."

"Why? Hmm!" Naruto paused for a while. He was very carefree. His usual goofy smile on his face showed it all. "I just don't want to cover my face."

"I wonder sometimes if you're a shinobi. Such, we shouldn't mind. Actually, being in the ANBU is a great honour. You get acknowledged as an elite."

Naruto plastered a smile on his face. "Hmm! Maybe, but I'm more awesome than them."

"Anyway, did you have any news for me?" Inoichi ignored his comment with a question of his own.

"No, just doing some patrolling. I'll see you later." The clone said before jumping to the nearest building. Inoichi continued towards the Hokage building.

"Why are we here?"

Shikamaru and his dad walked through the hallway to the hokage's office. They all had their hands in their pockets as they walked side to side.

"Do you remember yesterday's meeting with the Hokage?" Shikaku replied. "Well I'm here to help out with a little time traveller problem."

Shikamaru simply scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes into lazy slits. "Surely you didn't have to bring me along."

"Then would you have wanted to stay home with your mother?"

"Ah! That's even more troublesome."

At that very moment, Inoichi Yamanaka met up with the duo from the opposite direction of the hallway. "Ah! There you are Shikaku." He said. He reached out to give him a scroll.

"What's this?" Shikaku asked.

"That's all the information that we have on this case. One of our visitors was willing to stay around and comply with our requests."

"How nice of him." Shikaku commented sarcastically. He turned towards his son. "Shikamaru. It seems that I have a mission for you."

"A mission? How about training?"

"Hmm! We both know that you'll forfeit the match before it even begins. I'm afraid you don't have what it takes to fight a girl." The older Nara laughed as he made his comment. "Anyway, I want you to watch Naruto."

"The big one, or the usual annoying one?"

"Is there a difference?" Inoichi replied before opening his eyes wide in realisation. "Wait, Shikaku, you told your son!"

"Even if I didn't want to tell him, he always finds out. He's not my son for nothing." Shikaku slightly turned to Shikamaru. "Anyway, do whatever you want. I'm not forcing you or anything."

Both Shikaku and Inoichi left Shikamaru, still scratching his head in laziness. He had the option of hanging out with Choji, but Naruto too had a match coming up so he would be training.

"Well, why not go to naruto? He'll be too busy to disturb me when he's training."

The two council members went on the roof of the Hokage building. They leaned against the rails on the edges of the building as they conversed.

"Shikaku! What you're telling me is that you know about…" Inoichi spread his hands in indication of the recent events. "... all this? Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"Why would I have told you, Inoichi?" Shikaku replied to his former team-mate. "That 'there was a stone that can show you a vision of your time of death when you touch it?' Only panic would rise if we told anyone about it."

Inoichi paused for a moment to look at his friend. He had his usual lazy look as he faced the village of Konoha, but he still felt distant.

"Are you okay, Shikaku?" He asked him.

"Where did that come from now?"

"Definitely, when you see how you are going to die, there's no way that you can tell me that everything's okay." Inoichi answered with pure concern in his voice. "At least you can share with me. I'm your friend."

Shikaku removed his hands from his pockets and placed his elbows gently on the railings. He definitely looked more troubled than before. "I'm not comfortable talking about it, especially to you." He said.

Inoichi looked definitely confused and mostly hurt by those words. As far he'd known, the InoShikaCho trio were not only a force in battle, but also the best of friends and Shikaku should be talking to him. "Oi Shikaku, what aren't you telling me?" He asked him with more force in his voice.

"Trust me, you're better off not knowing." Shikaku replied without even looking at him.

"You've already kept so many secrets from me, so much being on the same page by the way." Inoichi replied angrily, not allowing it to show much. "If you don't want to speak about what you saw, that's fine, but at least start sharing soon. We need everything on the table."

Shikaku closed his eyes gently. He took a deep breath and faced back to look at Inoichi.

"Of course! You're right! I can't just keep things to myself." Shikaku concluded.

"What have you got to share?"

"It started after a certain meeting with the feudal lord. We were returning to Konohagakure when some of the ANBU detected a seal, a masking seal." Shikaku narrated. "The seal had worn out so it only took a simple release technique by an ANBU to remove it."

"And I'm guessing that 's where you found the stone?" Inoichi replied.

"After passing through a graveyard of dead shinobi, yes." Shikaku replied without expression. "It was a cave filled with dried corpses; skeletons from the entrance to the very edge of the stone itself. We weren't the first ones, let alone the only ones to discover that cave and I'm glad that we weren't. The seal was a blood seeker. It would destroy anyone before it was allowed to be weakened."

"And the stone?"

"It was the worst thing I've ever laid my eyes on. Sitting in between two statues of the sage of six paths and his brother, it really stood out in the cave. It was about two bricks large. It glowed, not reflectively, but with its own light within."

"How did you end up touching it? Don't tell me you were intrigued by what it could do?" Inoichi questioned his friend.

"There was a fight. We were attacked by a group of rogue nin who were after the stone. During the heat of the battle the stone fell from its platform. There was an enormous surge of chakra as if it would blow on impact to the ground. I had to cast my shadow grapple technique to grab it. That's when I blacked out." Shikaku sadly told his friend. "When I woke up from the vision, Hokage-Sama had blacked out too. He had grabbed the stone when my technique had been released so that it didn't hit the ground.

Inoichi didn't know what to say to console him, but of course he knew that he was a tough man that let's everything slide with a session of laziness. "Anything in your vision that could tell us anything about the stone." He asked him, despite his worry about the vision.

"No! Not at all, but it's not like there's nothing to say." Shikaku looked at Inoichi intensely. "There's a war coming. It's during that war that I'll die." Shikaku scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes awkwardly. "It seems I'm a prophet of sorts now." He joked.

Though Inoichi was a little glad that his friend was acting more normally than he expected, he couldn't let what he heard get past his ears. "Did you say a war?" He asked him. "When is it? Which village do we face?"

"Calm down, Inoichi! Even if you ask I can't know all that. It was only a short memory-like dream that I had before waking up. It felt real though."

"Then how did you know it was a war then?"

"That's because I was giving my final instructions to the battlefield before dying."

Inoichi looked convinced just about enough to only ask a few more questions, which he was going to ask by the way. He was only stopped by the urge to ask him why he didn't tell him about everything, and why he didn't want to talk to him. "Why didn't you want to tell me all this then?"

Shikaku kept looking at him indifferently with his hands in his pockets. He closed his eyes and gently asked him, "When I said I delivered my final instructions to the battlefield, how do you think I did that?" Inoichi kept silent. "You were with me when the area we were in was decimated."

"You are saying that…" Inoichi shakily replied.

"Yeah!"

Sakura and Ino and Shikamaru and Naruto

"Where to look? This guy's definitely training. How troublesome!"

Shikamaru walked through the streets of Konoha with the hopes of locating Naruto, but even at Ichiraku's ramen, where he usually is, claimed that he hadn't been going there for sometime. "I guess going to Choji's place is the only option. I doubt Asuma-Sensei has any time for me. And just thinking about Ino makes my head hurt."

Hardly had he walked a small distance when his fear became reality. "How lucky I am!" He said sarcastically. "There's the last person I wanted to see. How troublesome!"

Ino appeared about the corner that Shikamaru was about to take. Sakura was with her, carrying a basket and a small bunch of flowers.

"Gotta go before they see me." Shikamaru thought. His plans were in vain when Ino called him out.

"Oi Shikamaru!"

"Please kill me now!" He thought out loud.

•••

"Oh come on, Shikamaru! Can't you be at least a little bit pleased to see your team-mate?" Ino shouted at Shikamaru who had now closed his right ear with his pinky finger. Never had he considered Ino's casual company a blessing. She would always criticise him and Choji. Her lecturing talks never ended. In summary, she reminded him of his mother who he was avoiding at that exact time.

"Yes of course. I'm very pleased." He said lazily, hoping for no session of any annoying lectures, which he would receive anyway. Looking back at his blonde team-mate, she showed no form of contentment of his statement. "Not that you'll believe me."

"Of course not! I don't believe you at all, with that ambition-less expression on your face." Ino lectured back. "Can you at least put a smile on those frown lips of yours, jump up high and say 'yippie' when you see your friends."

"Who does that?" Shikamaru asked. "Forget being troublesome. That is simply embarrassing."

"Hmph. Suit yourself. That's why you might never get a girlfriend."

"Well excuse me for being lazy." Shikamaru replied. "I wouldn't want to have one who is that annoying anyway."

"Actually he does get a gir— Crap! Imma stop talking now." A voice from no seen source spoke up. Shikamaru looked around twice, carefully scanning every corner and crevice, but he could see no one and worse yet, feel any presence. "Who's there?" He sternly spoke out.

The tall blonde suddenly appeared behind the two girls, shocking Shikamaru for a moment. "Hi! I'm Toneri. Pleased to meet you." He greeted Shikamaru.

A big smile appeared on his face that simply reminded the Nara of his former obnoxious team-mate. "Oh! So that's Naruto. He's big!" He exclaimed with an unfazed expression.

The other three looked at him with surprise. "How did you— I mean, he's Toneri. He's new to the village. We were showing him around. Hihi." Sakura let out an awkward laugh while trying to hide the spilt beans.

Shikamaru looked at them, tried to say something, but couldn't think of what to say without exerting much strength in thought. "Ah! You guys are horrible actors. Simply looking at your acting gives me a headache." He told them.

Naruto looked shocked for a while, only to realise that no one actually can keep much from this guy. "As expected from the only Chunin from our class." Naruto gave him a thumbs up with his usual big smile.

No one replied to him. They stood shocked at the statement. "Eh!" Ino exclaimed. "Only Shikamaru passes the Chunin exams?"

"Yeah! Of course. That's obvious. He was the only Chunin of our year during this—" Naruto froze on realisation. "Wait! Wasn't the final round already fought?"

"Nah! It's just under two weeks from now." Shikamaru answered. "Somehow your prophecy doesn't make me feel better. Actually, I'm kinda irritated."

"AHHH! I MADE A MISTAKE." Naruto shouted out as his companions covered their ears. "The past is confusing, ttebayo."

"Well glad to see that you don't change." Shikamaru answered the blond before Ino cut them short. "WAIT!" She exclaimed. "Not even Sasuke-Kun becomes Chunin? You're lying!"

"Eh… Sasuke-Teme! Where is he?" Naruto shouted. "Because I wasn't seeing him, I drew conclusions that it was after the Chunin exa— Ahh I'm not telling. Not telling anyone."

"Oh! Sasuke-Kun. He's actually in the hospital. I was on my way to visit him." Sakura responded. "And Lee-San."

"I am going to see Sasuke-Kun." Ino toughly retorted. "I'm sure he'll be more pleased to see me than you."

"SHUT UP, INO-PIG!"

"How troublesome! My ears hurt." Shikamaru exclaimed with a deep sigh before Naruto made a quick body flicker technique to disappear from their sights.

"Ah! He escaped!" Ino shouted in shock. "I have a lot to ask him. Why is it only Shikamaru who becomes Chunin? And who does Sasuke end up with?"

A tick grew on Sakura's forehead. Her eyes became large and white and her face, steaming red in anger. "What do you mean by that, Ino-pig?" She growled.

Ino simply turned her face sideways, eyes closed with a victorious smirk on her lips. She threw her hair back revealing her mocking, but flirty blue eyes. "That's no question at all. Of course it'll be me that'll stand by his side." She replied to the already fuming Sakura.

"No you won't Ino-Pig. You're not even on his team."

"Who said anything about teams, forehead girl? You were just lucky at that time. I'm just waiting to see the look on your face when I win him over."

Shikamaru had totally been forgotten as the two girls continued to bicker endlessly, not that it bothered him. He took his chance and flew to a nearby building. "I'm glad I'm not that popular." He thought out loud as he landed on the roof of the building. To his surprise, he met the tall blond that was just talking to them, watching two girls bickering.

"Naruto?"

•••

"Oh! So your father told you about me? Not surprising." Naruto told Shikamaru. They had both sat down on the safe roof that they had met. "As I know you, you wouldn't care less. Getting yourself a good afternoon nap in the shadow of a large leafy tree, blown by a cool breeze is more like you."

"Heh! You know me better than I expected."

"Of course."

Shikamaru suddenly grew stern. His voice deepened and lost all its laziness. He looked straight at Naruto, not batting his eyes at all. "How do you plan on beating this guy? How do you plan on getting Sakura out of this mess?" He asked.

Naruto simply lay down where his head rested in a shade, unlike the rest of his body. He placed his arms behind his head for support and looked to the sky. "It's simple. I just have to stay near Sakura." He replied.

"What do you mean? Perhaps he is somewhere elsewhere causing harm to other people." Shikamaru questioned him again.

"He's gone. I would sense him if he was. Even if he hides his presence, his blood-lust is too large to ignore."

"Blood-lust?"

"Yeah!" Naruto casually replied. "Back home, I mean in my time, Jun took some strands of Sakura's hair. After thinking, Inoichi-San and I came to the conclusion that whenever he travels through time, he will appear wherever Sakura is. So, if I'm with Sakura, Akira can't do whatever he wants with her."

"Hmm! That sounds like too much work." Shikamaru lazily replied. "But if he can only go where Sakura is, how does he plan to go back to his time if he succeeds in killing Sakura?"

Naruto gave the pineapple headed boy a confused look. " I don't know where you're getting at." He said.

"I can't believe you're still as dense." Shikamaru palmed his face before getting a load of complaints from the blond. "Anyway, if he can only travel to where Sakura is, if he kills Sakura, that means even Sakura in the future will not exist. That means he cannot travel forward in time. Got me?"

Naruto's eyes widened at the thought. It was more shocking than surprising. "Now that you've said it, it makes sense. Is he suicidal or ignorant."

"He's more suicidal than ignorant at least, but vengeance has filled him up more." From behind them another voice replied to their statement. The two quickly got onto their feet only to see none other than the best tactician in the Leaf.

"Old man!" Shikamaru exclaimed.

"Shikamaru. Choji and Asuma-Sensei are waiting for you at the barbecue shop. They are going for training after that. Maybe you can go with them." Shikaku told his son. Turning to Naruto, he said. "Have a clone meet us at my house as you continue keeping an eye out for Sakura. Inoichi will be there too."

"Well later, Naruto." Shikamaru got to his feet and gave him a short wave before jumping off the building.

"Do you mean he's simply willing to end his life?" Naruto, already on his feet, asked Shikaku.

"That's the least of your worries. You won't even have a future to go back to, that is if you still exist."

Too late to update!

I know. I didn't get as much time as I had earlier. Almost gave up, but at least I wanted to put this chapter out.

Please enjoy.

Please review..

Please correct me when necessary…

Stay safe!

Peace out!