Taking the time to look back at your life most of the time a person will see his place in the world and understand how he got there. Rich or poor his position in society and the title he carries are of his own making. However, what about someone one how never had the chance to decide his fate in life. that is where this story starts thirteen years ago on the outskirts of the hidden leaf village its fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, the yellow flash. Along with his wife, Konoha's own Red Hot-Blooded Habanero, Kushina Uzumaki. Had just given their lives in the process of sealing away the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox in to the body of their new born son Naruto Uzumaki. That night everything changed with the death of the fourth Hokage, leaderless Konoha turned to his former Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, a powerful shinobi known far and wide at the Professor due not only for his age but the knowledge he possesses for guidance in this dark time of sorrow and uncertainty. But this is the story everyone already knows how the young knuckleheaded boy would grow out of his sadness and sorrow. Beating out all the odds and becoming that which he always dreamed about becoming. This isn't that story, this is the story of how never excepting the fate that is given to you can change everything.

The hospital staff at Konoha general were working on a level not see since the second great shinobi war. The newly appointed Hokage lady Tsunade, the only living blood relative of the first Hokage and legendary medic was working as fast as she could move from O.R. to O.R. only a few hours ago the first of the injured genin team that was sent out to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha earlier that morning. her biggest concerns were the next in line of the Akimichi clan and the nephew of the head of the Hyuga clan. both boys had pushed their bodies to their limits in there fights against Orochimaru's henchmen. While this was going on Shikamaru had just made to the hospital this the assistance of the sound village genin he had fought during the chunin exams just some short weeks prior. Passing through the hospital doors he was greeted by his father who was closely being followed by a nurse.

"I'm fine, how's the rest of the team." Said Shikamaru to his father as he tried to ignore the nurse. It was at this moment that Temari decided to let go of the arm she was holding over her shoulder that she was using to keep the lazy Nara standing up, and let him drop to the ground.

"Stop acting tough." Said the sand genin as she stepped back from him, giving the nurse room to look him over.

"Hokage-sama is working on them now, it too soon to tell." His farther told him as he helped the nurse pick him off the ground, and moving him further in to the hospital for treatment. Temari followed shortly behind them, Shikamaru was silent was he was helped along by his father his head held down in shame. So far from the rest of his team he was the only one how had not received to many life-threatening injuries. Now with his self-inflicted broken finger wrapped up and placed in a splint, Shikamaru found himself sitting outside the O.R. with a cross legged Temari across form him. Just on the other side of the doors his best friend; Choji, was being worked on by the Hokage herself. As he sat in silence he thought back on the failure of his first mission. He begins to run every possible scenario in his head, as he fidgeted with his bandaged finger. In some effort to try and see if he had made the right choses for the mission.

"It's pointless to be so fidgety." Temari said calmly. "sacrifices are an inevitable part of missions." Looking up from his hands Shikamaru saw her looking over at him with a cool demeanor, he know he too should be having at the moment.

"I knew what missions would consist of, and I thought I understood what the world of shinobi was like. I'm not cut out to be a shinobi." Shikamaru hold her as he looked over to the O.R.'s doors.

"stop acting like a man it's boring, so what are you saying your afraid of getting hurt." Temari said as she continued to look at the lazy Nara.

"I shouldn't have been made caption of this mission, it's all my fault." Said Shikamaru more to himself than to her as he turned and started to walk away from her. He didn't get to far when he was stopped by his father.

"Shikamaru, a girl is calling you a cowered and you're just going to walkway." Said the head of the Nara family Shikaku.

"It's troublesome, I don't want to have an argument." Said Shikamaru looking over his shoulder and back at his father who was leaning against the corridor wall.

"Are you going to just walkway and give up being a shinobi, you're a coward even if you quit someone else will just take them out on missions and they might still die." Shikaku said as he stood up from the wall and fixed his son with a stern look.

"You shouldn't let this determine how the rest of the missions will turn out. If you want to protect your friends train, and become a better shinobi for the sake of your friends." Said Shikaku, just then the O.R.'s doors opened wide. Tsunade let out a small sigh of relief as she walked over and took a seat in the chair Shikamaru had just been sitting on.

"Well the worst seems over, that medical book your provided was a great held Shikaku." Said Tsunade. Just then however Shizune came running down the corridor towards them.

"Lady Tsunade Kakashi has just returned with Naruto, he was injured but seems to be stable at the moment." Said Shizune as she took a moment to catch her breath from the running she had done going through the hospital. Hearing this Tsunade let out a deep sigh of relief she was glade the blond knucklehead had made it back.

"Well Shikamaru looks like you're first mission was a complete failure, but everyone on your team was able to come back to the village to fight another day. So that is all that matters." Said Tsunade as she looked over at the chunin. Just then there was as massive rumbling coming from within the hospital quickly followed a blast of dark chakra.

"Naruto!?" called out Tsunade as she got up from her seat and started to run towards the source of all the commotion in the hospital. Closely being followed by Shizune, Shikaku, Shikamaru, and Temari they didn't make it more than halfway through the corridor when a large explosion rocked the whole hospital. At the same time on the other side of the hospital Kakashi and Sakura who had come rushing to the hospital once word had reached her that the retrieval team sent after Sasuke had come back to the village. Both teacher and student were now looking out at the damaged caused by the dark chakra that had erupted out of the injured Naruto while the doctor and nurses were working on him. Their bodies now ley motionless all over the places mixed in with the hospital rubble.

"Kakashi-sensei, what happened. Where's Naruto." Asked a confused Sakura as she slowly got up from behind the tree just outside the hospital, Kakashi had only a second ago grabbed her and launched both out the window. Kakashi however remained silent as he looked over the damaged building the first, second, and third floors all had a large section of them destroyed. Among the injured and dead however Kakashi saw now trace of his blond student. It wouldn't be till several hours later, once Lady Tsunade ordered a full search and rescuer. It was confirmed that among the dead or injured Naruto was no among them nor was he outside the village, the only sign of him was the neckless giving to him by Tsunade.