Shikamaru, Prime Konoha
It had been nearly thirty minutes since the Nara family finished their dinner. And with Temari cleaning up, Shikamaru was about to take a seat on a very comfortable cushion opposite his son Shikadai with a Shougi board between them. It was a hearty and special dinner celebrating Shikadai's graduation from the Academy; and Shikamaru was going to make a suggestion to the Hokage that the next generation Ino-Shika-Cho trio be placed into one tea,. After having sat down on the cushion, Shikamaru thought back to all the times he played the game with his own mentor, Asuma. And then after the latter's death, Shikamaru would play the game sometimes with himself, or Ino, Choji, Shikaku before his death, with Mirai, and with his own son. It was a way to occupy and strengthen his mind, and Shikamaru hoped his own son would take up the game of strategy even after he passed from this world.
"I'll take the White, dad," Shikadai said as he looked at the pieces and then up at his father.
Shikamaru nodded his head before reaching for one of the black Pawn pieces. His hand hovering over the piece on the top left corner, Shikamaru was about to grab it with his fingers just when there was a sudden BANG in the distance.
"What the…" Shikamaru said as he quickly got up off the cushion and stood facing the direction of the sound. Because of the tall fence and the trees obstructing his view, Shikamaru could not tell if there was an explosion that went off… especially since he couldn't see the lights from any fireballs or columns of smoke rising into the sky. Pressing his lips together, he took a chakra enhanced leap to the roof of his house in the Nara compound so that he could take in a better view. Landing on the gently slopped roof, Shikamaru stared off into the distance while his son landed next to him.
"Shika!" Temari yelled from inside the house as she ran out into the balcony where the seating mats were unoccupied, "Shika! What was that?" Temari looked around with a scowl just before hearing Shikamaru and Shikadai yelling from above her at the same time.
"We're on the roof."
"We're on the roof, mom!"
Shikamaru nodded at his wife – in a robe with her giant fan under her right arm - as she landed on the roof next to their son before saying, "we don't know what's going on. There's no explosion I can see, or…" Just before he could finish what he wanted to say, Shikamaru snapped his mouth closed and narrowed his eyes just before he made a few hand seals and then whispered "Kagemane Kage Shibari no Jutsu." He could feel the questioning look on both Temari and Shikadai's eyes as he extended his shadow towards the sudden appearance of a very familiar chakra signature. As he extended his shadow down the ceiling of the balcony below, he could feel a sudden gasp from Temari. Shikamaru then looked over to the surprised expression on his wife's face while Shikadai was whispering, "what's going on? Is there an intruder in the house?"
Shikamaru didn't answer the question. He glanced at the confused look on Temari's face and thought, 'she feels the chakra too.' Concentration on making his shadow thinner to avoid detection, Shikamaru maneuvered the shadow towards the source of the chakra. It wasn't before long that he felt his shadow connect with the intruder's shadow, "Kagemane Kage Shibari no Jutsu success." Shikamaru could feel the intruder pushing back against his connected shadow as he stood up while saying, "you felt the chakra too, Temari."
"Yea," she replied, her gaze fixed on Shikamaru, "how's it possible?"
"Mom? Dad?" Shikadai asked looking between his father and mother, "whose chakra are you talking about?"
"Someone who shouldn't even be here," Shikamaru said before he told Shikadai to stay on the roof until he and Temari called for him. Shikamaru knew asking Temari to stay behind would be useless; after all, she would still go with him to face this intruder no matter what he asked of her… and there was no way he would be issuing a command to his wife. The both of them once again commanded Shikadai stay on the roof before they leapt down to the grass lawn surrounding the backyard balcony.
They immediately took on an offensive stance once landing. And at the sight of the person Infront of them, their eyes went wide open. As did the eyes of the person standing on the balcony, next to the cushion where Shikadai had been seated a minute ago.
"Dad?" Shikamaru whispered.
"Shikamaru?" Shukaku – who should be dead – whispered in surprise at Shikamaru. His eyes then turned towards Temari who had already opened her fan before looking aver at Shikamaru once again. He then turned his head to look around the brightly lit balcony before turning his head towards his son, "Shikamaru? How are you here? How am I here?"
"Shikaku-san," Shikamaru heard Temari say. He could feel surprised emanating from his wife as she continued, "do you know me?"
Shikaku, now not struggling against Shikamaru's jutsu, replied, "you're the Kazekage's sister. Temari, right?"
"Yes," Temari responded. And then there was silence which lasted for a few seconds.
Shikamaru did not know what he could say… what could one say to someone who seemingly rose from the dead. It was then that Shikamaru wanted to kick himself. The Fourth Shinobi War was mostly fought against those who were raised from the dead, in addition to the numerous white zetsu clones and both Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito. Shikamaru looked closer at the confused expression of his father – his dead father – who stood under the warm glow of the light above, and he could not make out any of the typical signs that he was dealing with a resurrected Shikaku.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at Shikaku while his heart was racing. If this was his father, then how was he here… now… in the balcony.
He saw Shikaku tilt his head slightly while shaking his head, "Shika, you look older… older than when… when we were…"
"Shikaku-san," Temari spoke in a stern voice, "what's the last thing you remember." Shikamaru could see Temari's grip on her fan tighten as the waited for an answer.
"I was in the Alliance headquarters in the Land of Lightning," Shikaku said as Shikamaru and Temari's eyes widened in surprise, "the chakra blast from the ten-tail was just about to hit the base when… when suddenly I found myself here." And it was then that Shikamaru noticed Shikaku wearing the very same uniform he had last seen his father wear before they separated after leaving the village – one had gone to the front lines while the other went to headquarters to liaise with Ino's father and the rest of the research team.
Suddenly, Shikamaru nearly jumped out of skin at the sight of the ANBU who appeared next to him in a swirl of dust and leaves. He could sense the ANBU tense up upon seeing Shikaku as well; and he didn't blame the ANBU one bit. Even he was tense in a situation such as what was happening at that very moment. Shikamaru recognized the ANBU next to him and whispered, "Owl, use your Byakugan. I want to make use this isn't a White Zetsu clone."
Shikamaru was staring at the man who looked so much like his father; in a way, he wished this was a White Zetsu clone. If somehow… no matter how impossibly… this was in fact Shikaku, then he would not know what to do. How could he be alive? And the whispered gasp from Owl sent a chill through his body, especially when the ANBU whispered, "how is this possible?" The ANBU leaned in towards Shikamaru and said in a whispered tone, "he's not a White Zetsu clone nor is he dead… well, not a walking dead anyway… he's alive."
Even Temaki heard Owl speak, and she gasped as well.
"Dad," Shikamaru whispered as he took one step forward. His father was supposed to be dead, and here he was standing in front of them. How was it possible? What was going on? "I…" But before he could continue speaking, Owl spoke, "I recommend we take him to T&I… we can have a Yamanaka look through is memories in the event this man is a clone made by some other means."
"I'm not a clone," Shikaku said before he sighed, "but taking me to T&I would be the right thing to do. You can have Inoichi go through my… wait… Inoichi was with me when the chakra ball hit… where is he?"
"Shikamaru-san," Owl said, turning his head towards the ANBU, "the Hokage needs to see in the hospital."
"The hospital?" a worried Shikamaru asked, "what's wrong?"
"A situation has developed," Owl said before looking towards Shikaku, "you're needed in room 1504-A." Shikamaru nodded his head before telling Shikaku, "dad, Owl will take you to T&I. I have to talk to the Hokage."
"If this isn't a genjutsu or heaven," Shikaku spoke, to which Shikamaru and Temari shook their heads, "judging by your height and aged face… then I can only assume the impossible; that somehow, I am in the future."
Temari nodded her head while Shikamaru mumbled that he wasn't old.
"What about Inoichi? He was close to me so…"
"Lets get you to T&I first, and then we'll talk," Shikamaru said. And all Shikaku could do was nod his head. Shikamaru wanted to say that all of this… this unknown situation… was troublesome. But he just couldn't say the words yet… especially since he suspected the night was going to get much worse.
Konohamaru, Main Building, Sarutobi Compound.
It had been a long day; but all the new Genin teams had been planned as well as the selection of Chuunin for Operation Hopscotch which would be carried out in a few days. Konohamaru just opened the door to the main building in the Sarutobi compound and stepped into the dimly lit entryway. He was a bit tipsy from the drinks he shared with his former teammates as well as Hyuuga Hanabi; all he wanted to do was go up the stairs and then into his room before crashing onto his bed. After placing the keys into the dish on a table near the main entrance, Konohamaru took off his shoes, flipped them to a corner, and then walked into the hallway.
He placed his hand on his stomach upon hearing it grumble and chuckled; he was still starving despite scoffing all that barbequed meat and beers. Flicking a switch on his left, the lights above illuminated the rest of the hallway as well as the stair case to his right.
'I think there's some ramen in the pantry,' Konohamaru thought to himself before wondering if his cousin Mirai and her mother were hungry. They were occupying the home adjacent to his, 'but they may have fallen asleep.' He took a mental note to have lunch with them the next day, but for now he needed some spicy ramen.
Passing the entryway to the darkened living room, Konohamaru reached the kitchen and then flicked the switch to turn on the kitchen lights. And as the lights above turned on, Konohamaru paused at the sudden surge of chakra before hearing a loud BOOM in the distance. He quickly turned around and rushed down the hallway, his mind already racing through many scenarios including an attack on the village. As he hurriedly slipped on his ninja sandals, there was a loud crash from the dark living room. Staring at the entryway to the living room from where he was standing, he stiffened at the feeling a chakra that was familiar to him… a chakra belonging to a man who was long gone from the world.
Taking off his sandals once again, Konohamaru cautiously approached the entryway while reaching into his hip pouch – he was glad he hadn't put the pouch away – and grabbed a kunai. He stopped upon hearing another crash followed by a sound of a familiar voice saying, "where am i?" Gripping the kunai tight, Konohamaru was nearly at the entryway to the living room when he flicked the switch in the hallway and stepped through with the kunai in an attack position.
"What the…" How was it possible? He had seen his grandfather's body all those years ago, after the attack by Orochimaru and the Sand. He was with his Uncle Asuma when the both of them stood vigil with the body in the funeral home… and his grandfather was definitely dead. So how was it that the old man – the Sandaime Hokage – was standing in the living of his family home with his left hand on the back of a sofa, and a weary face staring back at him.
The Sandaime then exclaimed while pointing a finger at Konohamaru, "Where am I? I was… no… this is a genjutsu, Orochimaru… I don't know how you managed this with the Shinigami pulling your soul out, but…"
Konohamaru couldn't listen to anything else being said by the man in front of him. The first thought that went to his mind was 'White Zetsu Clone'. But the chakra signature from the man in front of him was definitely his grandfather's. Then again, White Zetsu clones were known to have the same chakra signatures of their victims, and the only way to know who was or wasn't a clone was through a medical test or through the use of Naruto's chakra cloak. And the latter was no longer in this world. Konohamaru stared at the weary expression on the man in front of him, his eyes focusing on the bloodied and cracked armour as well as the hole in the armour over the Sandaime's stomach. Konohamaru clearly remembered the spiral tattoo on the Sandaime's stomach where the hole in the armour was located… the tattoo wasn't there now, but the armour the man wore was the very same one used during his battle with Orochimaru. Konohamaru knew he wasn't wrong… this was his grandfather. Somehow, the Sandaime was here.
"Orochimaru!" the Sandaime yelled at Konohamaru before dashing towards him. Konohamaru quickly put the kunai away just as the old man grabbed his shoulders, "I don't know the purpose of this particular room, and why you look like this… like…"
"Grandpa," Konohamaru said as he placed his hands on the Sandaime's shoulders. He didn't miss the man flinch upon the contact, "Grandpa, this isn't a genjutsu." Konohamaru stared into the Sandaime's eyes and shook his head, "this isn't a genjutsu. I swear."
Hiruzen then started laughing before growling, his hands tightening into Konohamaru's shoulders. Konohamaru had to admit that, even injured, his grandfather was spry. "You think using an older version of Konohamaru would force me to drop my guard? It's over! I…"
"Grandad!" Konohamaru yelled as he increased his chakra output. Hiruzen's eyes went wide while Konohamaru hoped that the man people called 'the Professor' would recognize his own grandson's chakra. And Konohamaru hoped his instincts were right, that this was not a White Zetsu recreation of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He noticed the Sandaime's eyes widen as if he came to a realization. And that's all Konohamaru needed as he spoke, "Grandpa, it's me. It's Konohamaru."
"Konohamaru?" the Sandaime whispered before letting go of his grandson and then stepping back. The old man spun around before facing Konohamaru once again. The latter asked what was the last thing the Sandaime remembered. And Hiruzen replied, "I was fighting Orochimaru… the Shinigami's arm went through my belly and grabbed onto his soul… but… but the jutsu wasn't completed."
"I remember it, the seal on you abdomen," Konohamaru said as Hiruzen's body swayed slightly before stepping back, "grandad, that was more than twenty years ago." The Sandaime tensed once again at hearing the stunning news, "I don't know how you're here but… but you… you're dead… well, you're supposed to be dead."
"What?" Hiruzen whispered in shock.
"Uncle Konohamaru!" a female voice yelled. Konohamaru shook his head before stepping back into the hallway outside the living room. He saw his cousin, Sarutobi Mirai, rushing into the house with tears falling down her cheeks. As she took off her slippers at the foyer, Konohamaru widened his eyes in shock at the bloodied figure leaning on Kurenai as the two of then stepped through the entrance behind Mirai.
"Uncle… Uncle Asuma?" Konohamaru whispered just as the Sandaime stepped into the hallway. In turn, at the sight of the old man, Kurenai and Asuma stared in shock while Mirai's face went pale. After all, this was the first time Mirai had seen her grandfather in the flesh instead of the picture at the alter in their home.
"Dad?" Asuma whispered in shock.
"Sandaime-sama?" Kurenai said at the same time as Asuma.
"Grandpa?" Mirai said, much to the surprise of Hiruzen.
But before there could be any more reactions, it was Konohamaru who spoke, "something's going on. We need to see the Nanadaime." Kurenai agreed, as did the newcomers, all of them focused on the Sandaime.
As the Saurtobis made their way to the Hokage tower under Henge Jutsu, similar happenings were occurring all over the village. While Ino was on her way to meet with Sakura at the hospital, Inoichi suddenly appeared in the living room and surprised both Sai and Inoichi. In the Hyuuga compound, Hyuuga Hiashi was stunned to find himself staring into the eyes of his dead wife who was just as young as the day she died. And this was soon followed by Hyuuga Hizashi appearing out of thin air in the courtyard. In the homes of the regular folk, the same things were happening – both loved ones and non-so-loved ones appeared out of thin air. In the park where the dilapidated remains of the Uchiha compound once stood, several figures appeared out of thin air in front of the memorial statue dedicated to the Uchiha Clan.
The confused Uchiha Clan members quickly set aside their confusion at the sight of the very man who killed them.
"Itachi… you…" Fugaku said before looking around the brightly lit, but empty, park. The other Uchiha around Fugaku and Mikoto glared at Itachi while whispering.
"Traitor."
"Kill him."
"There's only one of him and…"
"Stop," Mikoto, Itachi and Sasuke's mother, said before stepping forward cautiously while Itachi looked away, "Itachi? Is that you?"
"Hello father, mother," Itachi said nodding his head after facing his parents once again, "this is a… surprise."
TBC
