The World Turned

The village was bustling at the usual rate as Tenten stepped outside from her house. She was on her was to meeting her sensei and the rest of her team. Looking around with a sigh, she noticed Neji walking in the opposite direction of the meeting place. Ever sense he became a Jounin, Neji has become more motivated to train to protect those around him. The spark Naruto lit when they fought in the Chuunin exams exploded into a fiery passion when Neji was promoted to Jounin. It's unlike him to be late for a training session with Guy and the team. Running towards him, he waved back to her without even looking. Typical Neji, there is nothing that man doesn't see.

"Neji! Where are you going!" Tenten screamed to him over the crowd as she closed in on him. His walking seemed to slow a bit to allow Tenten to catch him. When she caught up with him, Neji said casually, "Lee is in the hospital again."

Tenten shook her head. Lee is always getting hurt from over exertion. His training regimens are way too immense. No human being could possibly do the things Lee and Guy do. At one point Tenten and Neji walked in on them racing on their hands, while they balanced a boulder with their feet. Most in the village would describe Lee and Guy as inhuman, or far too eccentric, but Tenten and Neji have grown very fond of them over their many years in a team together.

As they walked into the hospital, they noticed a bit of a hustle. Nurses were running around frantically and Lady Tsunade was running down a hallway shouting orders. Neji and Tenten chased after Lady Tsunade to see what was causing all this chaos. Running down the hallway after Tsunade, they noticed she barged into a room a little past halfway down the hallway. They were blocked by Anbu guarding the door.

"You may not enter." One of the Anbu directed towards Tenten and Neji as they arrived.

"Why? What's happening!" Tenten exclaimed in a panicked tone.

"You need to leave now." Was the only response they got from the two Anbu members.

Walking away Tenten looked towards Neji, who waved his hand before she could ask. His byakugan was activated, but the shocked look on his face worried Tenten.

"What's happening Neji!"

"Na..Naruto...He's severely injured!" Neji gasped.

Tenten nearly fell over at those words. How could Naruto possibly be severely injured she asked herself. Neji stopped walking and concentrated on the events going on in the room. Neji was about to speak again when a huge crash erupted from the main room. Neji and Tenten looked down the hallway at the group of people running towards them. They seemed to be holding a stretcher with a sheet over the person on it. As they ran past Tenten and Neji, Neji looked as if he had been punched in the stomach.

Neji looked at Tenten with disbelief and horror in his eyes. Thoughts rushed through his mind, trying to comprehend the event that just took place. His body started shaking and he slowly started walking towards the exit of the hospital. Tenten walked quickly after Neji with concern. She wondered who could possibly be under that sheet, as faces of people she knew scrolled across her mind.

Leaving the Hospital, Neji started to run away, but Tenten grabbed his arm.

"What's wrong Neji!" Tenten screamed with fear.

Neji said only three words and disappeared, leaving Tenten with her mouth open and tears to start running down her face. Those three words meant a huge change in the shinobi world that Tenten knew was going to cause a lot of pain in everyone's heart. Tenten walked slowly back home, forgetting the meeting completely, with those words repeating in her head. A stab in her heart with each time. Those three words were, "Kakashi is dead."

Lee woke up from all the commotion going on in the hospital. His body still ached from the extensive training he went through before the meeting. He looked around and realized that he must of pushed himself too far and passed out again. He shot up with energy and rushed to the closet. Grabbed his clothes and put them on quickly. He was about to rush out the window when he realized that usually there is a nurse waiting to stop him from leaving. Stopping and listening to the commotion, he deducted that there must have been an accident. Running out the door, Lee went straight toward the commotion.

"Whaa?" Lee stammered as he turned the corner to see nurses rushing in and out of a room that was guarded by Anbu. Most of the nurses were covered in blood and looked panicked. Lee was about to charge into the room when a voice called out to him.

"Lee!" Shouted a voice from down the hallway. Turning around, Lee saw his Sensei Might Guy. "That's not a place for you Lee." Lee ran to him, standing before him in wonder. Guy was always cool to Lee, as is his biggest idol and hero.

"What's going on Guy Sensei?"

"Lee... the life of a ninja is hard... it involves sacrifice and danger..."

"Wha...What do you mean Guy Sensei?" Lee looked sadly at his mentor.

"...Naruto and Kakashi have experienced the life of a ninja Lee... Kakashi's dead and Naruto is in critical condition."

Lee stumbled backwards in horror. Turning slowly to look at the busy doorway, Lee realized Naruto must be in there. He started to run to the door when a hand clenched on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"Lee.. there is nothing you can do for him." Tears were running down Guy's face as Lee turned to look at him.

"But Guy Sensei! We need to help. Naruto is in danger!"

"Lee!... There is nothing we can do" Guy cried out in sadness. They looked at each other, tears running down both faces, and embraced in a hug. "Oh Lee.. I'm so glad you were late to the meeting!"

Confusion crossed Lee's face as Guy explained how Guy, Naruto, and Kakashi were waiting for Guy's team to show up to start a training Kakashi had developed for Naruto. While waiting, they were ambushed by ninja. There were only a few, but they were incredibly strong. The only reason Guy had survived with minor injuries was because Kakashi jumped in front of him to take the surprise attack that Guy was unaware of. The attack hit Naruto and Kakashi pretty extensively. With the ninja out in the open now, Kakashi and Guy took them out. While there were only five left, Naruto lost control of the Nine tails and went berserk. Killing the rest of the ninja and when Kakashi went to stop him, Naruto killed him as Kakashi was able to put the seal on Naruto. Guy then carried both Naruto and Kakashi back to the village.

The rest of the day went by slowly, as the word of the attack spread throughout the village. Rumors spread, and questions were buzzing, but officially nobody knew anything really. Lady Tsunade was unavailable to release a report while she worked on Naruto all day. Even with Naruto's healing powers from the Nine tails, his restoration was proving quite difficult.

All the teams from Naruto's graduation class were together at a Barbeque restaurant talking. Tenten was crying still, while Guy consoled her. Neji was trying to help Kiba and Shino who were trying to snap Hinata out of the coma like state she seemed to go into at the news of Naruto's injury. Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were sitting in the spot in silence. Choji eating excessive amounts of food. Asuma and Kurenei were talking silently to each other.

"Wait.. where's Sakura?" Lee asked looking around searching for her. He couldn't find her and thought it was odd she wasn't there.

"She is helping Lady Tsunade with Naruto's wounds. Those two are the most skilled medical ninja's in the world." Guy answered. Lee nodding with understanding.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Asuma when he said, "Guy.. what village were the ninja from that attacked you?" Him asking this resulted in everyone looking at guy, awaiting a response. Except for Hinata, who still stared off into space.

"Well that is what's troubling... they weren't from any village I've ever heard of before." Guy responded, resulting in gasps from various people around the table. "They used jutsu I've never seen before and their headbands had three spirals coming from one point and going out word evenly around. When they were killed, or knocked out their bodies disappeared.. but not as if they were clones.. but as if they were teleported somewhere."

Everyone was mystified by who these ninja could possibly be. Even Shikamaru could not figure out them, from the description of their appearance and jutsu Guy told them. Everyone was thinking when Hinata shouted.

"Tsunade is coming with Sakura!" This burst caused many to jump in surprise, and the rest to look towards the door.

Tsunade walked into the restaurant, and sat at their table with a sigh. Sakura sat next to her looking tired and tears running down her face. Lee sat next to her and put his arm around her, to everyone's surprise, Sakura let him. She held him and cried into his Chuunin vest.

"Well?" Guy screamed, shaking Tsunade. Tsunade hit Guy, causing him to go flying through the restaurant and smashing into the wall.

"Kakashi was dead upon arrival... and Naruto is still in critical condition, but there is nothing else we can do for him. Whether he survives is up to fate now." Tsunade whispered lightly. Obviously exhausted and chakra derived.

The news did not consul anybody. It made it worse. Hinata fainted, Choji started eating twice as much, and everyone else looked extremely sad.

The next couple days were hectic for the Leaf Village. With Kakashi gone, the village was down one person who could take the a and s ranked missions. Kakashi was a huge part of the village and with his death the village rank lowered that much more. No one but the Konoha 11 seemed to care that Naruto was in the hospital. His wounds were dire and each of them visited him at least once. Sakura sat and cried, holding Naruto's hand. Whispering how sorry she was that she had treated him so poorly throughout their life. Lee and Guy tried to heal him by letting Naruto borrow their power of youth. Which failed horribly. Neji stood over Naruto silently for awhile before speaking. Neji knew that he would not be the man he is today without Naruto, and he wanted him to know that. He said it and left, passing Shikamaru and Choji. Shikamaru and Choji talked about all the great times they had. Ninja academy, and the Chuunin exams. Chasing after Sasuke was brought up or a second before Shikamaru advised Choji to stick to happy events. Asuma stopped by to tell Naruto how much he meant to Kakashi, and how proud Kakashi was of Naruto. Even Hinata stopped by. She stayed all day, watching Naruto and crying occasionally. She had loved him for as long as she could remember, and the thought of him dying before getting the chance to tell him was aggravating to her. Tsunade stopped by and stood over him crying. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, and whispering into his ear.

"You are supposed to become Hokage Naruto.. Don't you break your word and die."

After a week of worrying, Tsunade called in Shikamaru to her office. He walked in wondering what could possibly be the reason for getting called directly to the Hokage. He stood in front of her desk awaiting orders. Tsunade sighed and came right out with it.

"Shikamaru.. I want you to gather a team and investigate this attack on Naruto and Kakashi. We believe it may have to do with Naruto. You may gather who ever you like, but I suggest Guy as one. Him being the only one who was at the attack who can talk.

"Do you think I am really the best choice Lady Hokage? I am only a Chuunin." Shikamaru exclaimed.

"Shikamaru, we both know you are the best choice as leader of the team. Your intelligence and strategic skills are unmatched."

Shikamaru nodded, and walked out of her office. He couldn't believe he was picked for this. Was he really ready to lead a team into a potential conflict. Flashes of the Sasuke retrieval mission flashed through his mind. He clenched his fists and said out loud, "This time... I'll do better!"

He walked through the village, thinking of the best team possible. Guy of course for obvious reasons. Shikamaru planned on making two teams of five, so he will be taking Lee as well. A taijutsu specialist in each group would be a major help. Sometimes, ninjutsu only makes things worse. Now, Shikamaru will get Hinata and Neji as well. Their Byakugans will be a major advantage in each group.