A Shadow's Touch
Chapter 1: The truth behind the king
Shikamaru was just an ordinary typical 8 year old Nara child. His gaze was completely unfocused and directed at the sky. His hair was done up in a messy spiky ponytail showing his lack of effort in his appearance. Choji, his best friend, was at a clan meeting and was probably stuffing his face with food. It was characteristic of the Akimichi clan to have massive banquets to go along with their meetings so Choji wouldn't be available for a while.
His other 'friend' Ino Yamanaka had all but abandoned the small trio due to not wanting to hang out with "disgusting boys" as she called it. She was quickly drafted into being the leader of her little group and was determined not to sully her image by hanging out with the "wrong people". So much for childhood friendship. One week at the academy and she had already left them. As a ninja-in-training Shikamaru found it insulting how she treated fellow comrades, abandoning them without hesitation, not to mention her entire 'low-fat diet' and 'beauty routines'.
'What kind of ninja stays on a low-fat diet anyway? We need that energy. At least most people do, we Naras are as lazy as they come.' thought Shikamaru.
Exiting from his musings, he allows his eyes to focus upon the glittering stars in the night sky. From his little clearing and away from the lights of the village, he gets the best view of the night. Each star shines brighter than a gem. His private viewing spot was found after he stumbled upon it while playing a troublesome game of hide and seek a year ago, back when Ino was still part of the trio and he has been coming here ever since. Sneaking out at night had become such a habit that his mother could no longer scold him and has settled for making sure that he was back at meal times instead. She was also pleased that Shikamaru was being more active, or so she thought.
The spot was not too far from his house and Konoha that it would be troublesome to get to but it was not too close that it would be easily found by unsuspecting travellers thus allowing him his privacy. It was a small plateau on the side of a mountain. He found it while climbing a big tree during the game in hopes of an easy win as most people tend to forget to look up. It had a tiny stream of fresh water that trickles down from the mountain with berry bushes that were near it. It had soft green grass with a small boulder lying next to the stream.
He allowed his mind to settle and wander away from thoughts, slipping into a meditative state. Meditation has always felt natural to him, but it probably is a natural trait for a Nara. Taking in the evening air he begins to slowly block out the sounds of nature. He starts with the rustling of the leaves, then moves on to the small noises of wildlife. His meditation was cut short when he hears the slight sounds of angry villagers.
'What on earth?' thought Shikamaru as he slipped silently out of his hiding spot and up onto a tree. While the ninja technique wall walking is not taught until later in a ninja's career, that didn't mean that normal physical techniques don't work. He swiftly moved from branch to branch, each move was carefully calculated to be efficient and precise, borne from years of having to evade an angry Ino or escape his chores from his yelling mother. He passed the Nara wall that surrounds his compound and quickly headed to the source of the noise around 7 metres away from the compound.
Moving closer to the noise he saw a small yellow child running between small gaps in the forest in order to escape a group of eight people. He observed the child's expression of freight and panic as he desperately weaved between trees to evade capture.
"Die Demon!"
"You killed the fourth!"
"My husband died because of you!"
Shikamaru's mind started to process the words of the villagers, his mind going into overdrive in order to come to an intellectual conclusion in 3 seconds.
'The fourth died while killing the Kyuubi on October 10th 8 years ago. These villagers are attacking a small child that seems to be blamed for the death of both the fourth and various other people. While it is possible for a child to be a killer and even a lucky shot being able to kill a kage, would the child not have killed the villagers in retaliation? Also the child has a face of panic and fear, if it was a thousand year old demon it would have more wisdom and experience and would not be stricken by panic. Also if the child was a reincarnation of the Kyuubi then it will have no knowledge of what it had done, therefore making it an innocent soul. Reincarnation however is highly sceptical so I will need more information. Now however, I will help the child, Kyuubi or not, as from my deductions the child is innocent. Troublesome.'
Without jutsu at his disposal he was at a major disadvantage. Diplomacy was an option but a highly unlikely one as the villagers are currently in a rage, escape was an option albeit a temporary one, killing was not an option as it might spark more hatred to the child and he did not have the means to do so anyway regardless of how tempting it was. Moving quickly he positioned himself above the child and waited until the child his covered behind a tree. He scooped up the child quickly and covered their mouth. Hiding in the foliage, he had to stay absolutely silent as he tried to hide his disgust as something wet the licked his hand in hopes he will let go.
"Please stop struggling or the villagers will hear you" Shikamaru whispered as he wraps his free arm around the struggling person's waist in order to stabilise them both.
The child stopped struggling and froze as they watched the villagers run right under their hiding spot. Only once they pass did the child relax.
Naruto had just been kicked out of the orphanage. The matron had stated that it doesn't cater to demons and had promptly thrown Naruto out onto the streets. Normally this would not be a problem as she would always just hide in a dumpster nearby to sleep for the night and tell the kind Oji-san up in the tower that she had gotten kicked out. The Matron would be taken into custody and a new one would be there, only for the same thing to occur a month or a week afterwards. The orphanage kids would often pick on Naruto and bully her, which would be encouraged by the matron who would only serve her scraps. The Oji-san would often have to take care of her when she was little as the matron refused to wash or care for her.
However, today was different. Today the ANBU guard that normally watched over her without her knowing were gone as they were required to report to the Hokage about a security breach in the village. They discovered a few of the ANBU in Naruto's security guard were attempting to kill her. Unfortunately for Naruto, she also happened to be thrown into the path of a group of civilians that were returning from a long night at the bar.
"Look here, isn't that the demon brat?"
"We can finally have our revenge"
Hearing those words, Naruto instantly shot up and ran in the opposite direction of the voices. She had been called demon enough times to know that bad things happened to her when people said "demon" and "revenge".
She had been chased into the forest surrounding the village and was desperately trying to find a path to escape. While on the path to the forest more and more people had joined up with the original group while the rest cheered on from the sidelines or ignored her. She didn't know how many people exactly as she dared not to look back for fear that if she did, she would trip and fall. She had just positioned herself out of the villagers' line of sight when a sharp yank pulled her off the ground and into the tree, a hand quickly closing over her mouth to silence any screams. She struggled until she heard a calm voice speaking to her.
"Please stop struggling or the villagers will hear you" the voice said as she felt a thin arm wrap around her waist. She froze. She had not been hugged by someone in a long time. While she used to get hugged by her Oji-san, he had been too busy to visit her due to problems with the civilian council. Watching as her pursuers ran off deep into the forest she let herself relax into the warmth.
Shikamaru knew that if he let both of them down here there was a high chance that the villagers might wander back and see them so he swung the child onto his back and snuck though the trees back to his hideout. The child's arms were tightly wrapped around him as if they were confirming his existence. He absentmindedly noted that despite the child's short stature, their arms were surprisingly soft and gentle.
The trip to the clearing was silent, with both kids understanding that they should not talk until the both of them were safe. Naruto gawked at the skill Shikamaru was showing, each move was done smoothly and swiftly with seemingly no hesitation. She focused upon her saviour and observes all that she could see. He had a spiky messy ponytail that tickles her face if she moves too much and pale skin. His shoulders are broad but he had a thin frame to go with it. She could not see his face but he must have been small for his age. He probably had a mask like the neko ANBU that occasionally plays with her. She once saw neko beat up some bad men who were going to harm her so she knew that this person must be extremely skilled as well.
Once they reached the clearing Shikamaru placed her down gently before he moved to the small stream and drank water to calm his adrenaline.
"Troublesome" he muttered, slightly out of breath from the effort that he had just exerted.
Naruto still couldn't see the 'ANBU's' face but she knew that he didn't have a mask by the way he was scooping up water to drink.
"Hey, Anbu-san, thank you for saving me, I don't think I would have made it if you didn't" said Naruto as she bowed sincerely to Shikamaru.
At this Shikamaru was confused, 'What ANBU? I thought it was just me… wait a second.'
"Hold up there, are you talking to me?" asked Shikamaru as he turned around to give the child an incredulous stare, "I am 8 years old and have no intention of doing something so troublesome, besides I am not even a ninja yet."
Naruto lifted her head up in shock to find the gaze of two onyx eyes staring back at her. The incredibly short 'ANBU' was actually a relatively tall 8 years old. She allowed herself to immerse into his eyes and saw the tired and wary emotions in them as well as the hint of concern that was buried behind them.
"Wait, if you are not a ninja, then how did you do all of those awesome moves?" she asked.
"That was mostly just practice and calculation, I have had to escape many troublesome and violent women in my life so I had to find some way to escape" replied Shikamaru as he lays himself down onto the soft grassy area.
Naruto carefully walks over to Shikamaru like a timid and cautious deer before she decides to lie next to him to rest her tired limbs.
"Thanks for saving me, I haven't had many people who care about me other than Oji-san, so you are one of my precious people now" she said after a minute of silence.
"Sure" said Shikamaru, "Too bad my secret place is now compromised"
"Compromised?" asked Naruto.
"Yeah, it means that it is exposed, brought out into the open. In other words it is no longer a secret" said Shikamaru.
"Oh sorry for bothering you," Naruto said as she held back tears, "It must be why people don't like me, I am always a bother"
"No!" Shikamaru said quickly as he shot up into a sitting position in order to convey his seriousness, "You are not a bother; I was just hoping that this would remain my secret spot for a while longer. Nobody finds me here and it allows me to not get screamed at by my mum. She always is screaming me to do stuff and she tries to change me into someone I am not. I like her and all as she is my mum, but sometimes she is just a bit much"
"Really? I am not a bother?" asked Naruto timidly.
"Yeah, you don't hit me and you aren't yelling at me every few seconds so you are alright" said Shikamaru as he allows himself to lie down in his former position and rest.
"Thank you so much" Naruto said as she pulled Shikamaru over for a hug.
"It is alright" he replied as he allows himself to awkwardly return her embrace.
The two of them settle into silence as the stared up into the stars with Naruto hugging Shikamaru's side and Shikamaru wrapping a comforting arm around Naruto.
"Oh yeah, what is your name Hero-san?" asked Naruto as she turns her gaze to Shikamaru.
"I am Shikamaru of the Nara clan, nice to meet you"
"Nice to meet you Shika-kun, I am Naruto Uzumaki of no clan"
"Shika-kun?" asked Shikamaru curiously.
"Yeah," said Naruto "Do you like it? All the other kids at the orphanage give their friends nicknames"
"Sure, it is nice Naru-hime" Shikamaru said teasingly. The name is girly and the use of the girlish suffix will allow for him to determine if Naruto was really a girl since she had an androgynous appearance.
"Hime? Why hime?" asked Naruto inquisitively.
"Well you did call me Hero-san, so since I am a hero then you must be the princess, am I right?" Shikamaru chuckled jokingly until he feels a small shaking and sob coming from the young girl he was holding.
"Oh no, what is wrong? Did I make you mad? You don't like the nickname?" Shikamaru asked quickly as he starts to panic. He holds Naruto in a comforting manner and strokes her side to calm her down.
"It's okay. I am just s-so h-happy. No o-one has e-ever called me a-anything other t-than a demon, and to be called a p-princess I…" Naruto stuttered as she tried to speak through her sobs before she buried herself into Shikamaru's chest.
"It is okay hime-sama, I am here" Shikamaru whispered as he rubbed Naruto's back.
As Naruto's sobs slowly die down Shikamaru held Naruto tight and comforted her, ignoring the wet stains that he felt on his shirt.
"Shika-kun?" asked Naruto quietly, "I know that this is no longer a secret place for you anymore but can it be our secret place? Just the two of us?"
"Of course" Shikamaru said with a smile, "It can be our little secret"
"Promise?" asked Naruto as she brought out her pinkie.
"Of course" responded Shikamaru as he wrapped the petite finger with his own, "It is a promise"
Both of them stopped for a second to savour the moment before they returned to stargazing. After a while Naruto started to fidget and upon closer inspection, Shikamaru could tell that she had a question that she really wanted to ask but was too afraid to say. Shikamaru let out a sigh before he stroked Naruto's hair to help her relax.
"You know, if you have a question you can ask. I don't mind at all" said Shikamaru.
"I thought you said that you didn't like people who were noisy and talk a lot" said Naruto as she gazed at Shikamaru shyly.
"I don't like people who disturb silence for no reason and make it awkward when it is silent" replied Shikamaru, "Either that or you are the exception to the rule"
Naruto blushed at the response. She took a few breaths the calm her beating heart before she passed out in embarrassment. Finding her courage again she began to talk again.
"Why did you help me?" asked Naruto quietly, "Most people would just leave me alone"
"Why should I not help you? I analysed the situation and saw an innocent person in need and I helped them out" replied Shikamaru, "It was obvious was it not?"
Shikamaru turned his gaze from the stars to Naruto's eyes; they reminded him of the blue sky that he likes to watch. He then noticed that her eyes were becoming more and more watery by the second. Before he could even say another word Naruto tackled him in an embrace and continued to mumble words of thanks into his ears.
'I think this is going to happen a lot tonight' thought Shikamaru as he once again comforted Naruto.
"It has been so hard! I never thought I would get a friend. And I was always jealous of other people having friends and I wished for just one. And then the old lady at the orphanage was so mean as well as every other old lady after that and it hurt! No one cared for me. And all the other people would pick on me. The girls even cut my hair to make me look bad! And I was super sad. And ten Ji-san was nice for a while then he got busy and I was alone again!" Naruto said in between sobs as she buried her face into Shikamaru's chest once again, "Please, please, please don't leave me! You are my first and only friend! I don't wanna be alone! Please stay with me!"
"It is okay, it is going to be okay. I will be with you, I promised didn't I?" said Shikamaru as he stroked Naruto's back, "We will always meet each other here and we are going to be friends forever okay?"
Naruto could only nod as she sobbed into Shikamaru's shirt, clutching it tightly.
'What did Ino's dad once do when Ino was crying? Oh yeah,' thought Shikamaru as he gently parted Naruto's fringe and placed a small kiss upon her forehead. He then patted her head gently, making sure to rub circles on her back as well.
Naruto felt a soft kiss being placed upon her forehead and froze. Her face instantly became red and she felt as if her temperature rose by 100 degrees. She melted into Shikamaru's arms feeling safe for the first time in forever. Both children eventually fell asleep in each other's arms, drifting off under the pale moonlight.
The Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi was not a happy man. He was forced to remove all of the ANBU guards that were watching Naruto as there was a few among its members who were not only shirking their duty but actively seeking the death of Naruto. To say he was mad would be an understatement. Not only that, but his surrogate granddaughter was left without a guard due to all of them having do go through security checks to make sure that no one was out to harm her. If a single ANBU was left behind, they may have the opportunity to kill the unsuspecting girl. He could only hope that the new matron that he picked yesterday would be kind to her or at least have common sense to not throw out a child.
The traitorous ANBU were detected through help of Inoichi Yamanaka and were instantly subdued.
"How many of my men have betrayed me?" asked Hiruzen.
"3 out of 7 of the ANBU guard force for one Naruto Uzumaki my lord" said Inoichi, "One was simply ignoring their duties while the other two were actively trying to sabotage the guard force"
"I see" Hiruzen said as he turned to face the ANBU, "I want the rest of the guards to return to their post quickly while I deal with the trash. As for the traitors, I will make my displeasure known should any harm befall Naruto due to your incompetence."
The loyal guards bowed once before darting out of the office to return to their post, not before sending one last dirty look at the three traitors.
"Now, all three of you along with the other ANBU were given a task. A task I specifically chose you for from the hundred other ANBU I have in my ranks. Not only have you failed but you have the audacity to try to sabotage your own mission. The only guard position more important than protecting Naruto is the guard position protecting me" said Hiruzen, restraining his fury, "ANBU, kill the two who were plotting against an innocent girl, but leave the third one alone, she has a choice."
The hidden ANBU guards swiftly decapitated the two main culprits in the room. It was so quick that the two didn't even know that they were dead before they hit the floor. The guards then quickly took the two bodies and disappeared as if they were never there. The third ANBU could barely breathe with the amount of fear in her body. She could only pray that the Hokage was feeling merciful tonight.
"As for you, take off your mask. You are no longer part of ANBU. You are hereby demoted effective immediately to your original position as a Chunin. Fail me again and I will not hesitate to kill you Kurenai, I understand that your father's death was hard but I cannot condone you risking the life of an innocent girl. You are lucky that you were only neglecting your duties, had you joined the other two in sabotaging them I would have killed you as well" said Hiruzen, "I wonder what Anko will say once she hears of your betrayal. She is in a similar situation as Naruto you know"
Kurenai could only wince at the sound of her best friend's name if she were to find out then she would probably get pranked really bad, not to mention that she would probably lose her friendship as well.
"I have never felt so disappointed in someone since my former student. I wonder what Asuma will say once he returns from the Fire Daimyo's ninja guard force" Hiruzen muttered.
Kurenai instantly paled, her love interest was not someone who would take betrayal lightly and she would probably ruin all chances for a relationship with him if he finds out about this.
"Please Lord Hokage, I will do anything to rectify my mistake and lack of care. I can move past this. I can change my lord" pleaded Kurenai.
"One chance" was all the Hokage said before he dismisses her with a wave. Before she could go however, one of the ANBU guards who were supposed to guard Naruto had returned.
"Hokage-sama, Naruto is missing and the matron is refusing to talk!" said the man, "I am only here to notify you sir and I must continue my search! If I cannot find her I will do 100 push up with only a finger!"
The man disappears leaving a nervous Kurenai in front of a glaring Hokage.
"Find. Her. Now. Or you can kiss any chance of promotion goodbye" said Hiruzen calmly as he restrained his temper.
"Yes sir" Kurenai said quickly as she left to search the village for any sign of the blonde girl.
"I hope you are safe Naruto" she said quietly, "both for your sake and mine"
After searching for 3 hours and only finding the culprits of the chase, the ANBU along with Kurenai had returned to the Hokage office to report a failure. Each ANBU was glaring at Kurenai with intensity, including Kurenai's now former friend Neko. Kurenai could only look at the floor in shame.
"We will continue this search in the morning and get the Inuzuka clan to help as well. Interrogate the culprits for any information before executing them, I want them dead by morning" said Hiruzen, "And Kurenai, I hope she is safe for your sake. I know that you are trying to make up for your mistake but I don't think that your comrades will forgive you so easily should something happen to Naruto."
"I fully accept responsibility for my actions" Kurenai said softly, "If she is not found, I will retire from the shinobi forces"
The glares of the ANBU softened after hearing her words, glad to see that she had changed for the better. While the other two were traitors, Kurenai had been closer to the group as they were of the same graduating class and her subsequent lack of professionalism had hurt them the most.
"I see… Rest up all of you, we have a long day tomorrow" said Hiruzen.
Shikamaru slowly eases out of his drowsiness upon the first rays of sun falling upon his face. Noticing that his blanket is warmer than usual he reluctantly opens his eyes to see yellow. He also realises that one hand was trapped beneath the girl and it was extremely numb. He freezes. He was pretty sure that Ino would never have a sleep over with guys now that she had her new friends and on top of that they haven't talked for months since the academy started.
'Okay Shikamaru, use your intellect. Retrace your steps. Parents were arguing again. I went out to the hideout. I enjoyed watching the stars. Then I heard some screams and I became a hero… It sounds like a drag… How do I get myself in these situations?' thought Shikamaru, 'I better wake her up or my mum will have my head for being late to breakfast.'
Gently running his free hand through Naruto's hair he attempts to sooth her awake.
"Time to wake up hime-sama, it is morning now" said Shikamaru softly.
Naruto slowly opens wakes and stiffens at the unfamiliar care she was shown. Shikamaru feels her grip tighten around him as she lifts her head from his chest to look at him. Now under the bright light of the sun Shikamaru absentmindedly notes that the scratches that he once thought were dirt marks from the ground were actually birthmarks. Naruto's eyes stared intensely at him as if to confirm he was real, revealing to Shikamaru the loneliness and hope within her baby blue eyes. Finally confirming that Shikamaru was not an illusion she promptly pulls him into another hug, this time much gentler then her previous embraces as if she was scared that he would shatter if she was too rough.
"Thank you my hero" she said softly.
They stayed in the position for a little while before separating though they kept their hands linked together. After Naruto releases him from his embrace he saw that his shirt was covered in tear stains and snot. Naruto upon seeing the stains blushed a deep red.
"Sorry, I ruined your shirt" she said.
Shikamaru just chuckles and waves it off.
"I will admit this is going to be troublesome to explain to my mum but it isn't a big deal" laughs Shikamaru. 'What I really want to know is why I am so happy and energetic. Normally I would be complaining like no other time. Not only that, I seem to not be tired… Either I am still dreaming or something has changed… I must meditate on this later'
"Explain…Oh no! Oji-san is going to be so worried! He normally sends someone to check on me every morning! What am I going to do?!" Naruto says as she begins to panic.
"Don't worry, I will bring you there. You can't climb through trees after all, plus I am faster. Besides it is still early, which is a weird new concept for me. Mum won't expect me until at least 3 hours later" Shikamaru responds, "Besides the hero has to escort the princess to safety right?"
"You would do that for me?" Naruto asked hopefully.
"Come on before I change my mind" Shikamaru replied but with none of his usual drawl, "Just climb on my back and hold on tight"
Naruto shyly climbed onto Shikamaru's back before he began his trek back through the forest and to the tower.
"Thank you Shika-kun"
"Anytime Naru-hime"
The trip through the forest was quick due to Shikamaru's exceptional memory and skill. After making sure to keep the rustling of the leaves quiet whenever he saw a passed out civilian, they reached the village. In memory of last night's hostile reception for Naruto, Shikamaru decided that spending the extra time to climb and scale a wall of a random house in order to travel by rooftop was worth avoiding the hassle of having to endure the glares of early civilian merchants.
"Hey Shikamaru, why are we going on the rooftop of this house? We are supposed to go to the Hokage's tower" asked Naruto.
"Yeah, I figured that you mean the Hokage's tower Naruto. It is just better if we go there by rooftop. You can avoid all of the bad people who want to hurt you that way. I don't want to deal with any of the people from last night" responded Shikamaru as his pulled them both up onto the rooftop, "You are very light you know that? My… former friend would love to know how you kept so thin"
"Oh…" Naruto said as her smile drops, "They would only ever feed me scraps back at the orphanage so I didn't eat much"
"Oh… You are never going back there" Shikamaru said with more determination that he had ever felt in his life, "I will find some way to take care of you, there is no way you are returning there"
Naruto instantly brightened upon hearing those words. Unable to speak in happiness, she tightened her arms around Shikamaru slightly to convey her appreciation. Shikamaru adjusted his grip once more to make up for the new closeness and continued navigating the rooftops of Konoha.
It was 6 o'clock in the morning and every single ANBU from Naruto's guard force was present with the addition of Kurenai who looked as if she had barely any sleep at all.
"At 1800 hours yesterday, your charge Naruto Uzumaki had gone missing. Your job is to search for any traces of her and with luck find her as well. Any signs of hostility towards the girl are to be subdued and brought back for questioning. I would order you to kill them but I think Ibiki and Anko are running out of toys" said Hiruzen as he paced in front of the ANBU to ease his worry. The tracking crystal orb that was used to track his shinobi only worked for ninja with the Konoha forehead protector. It was why missing-nin slashed their forehead protector; the slash is used to disrupt the seal matrix to prevent the tracking of the ninja. The only reason why most missing-nin do not throw the forehead protector away is because bounty collection offices only deal with ninja or licenced bounty hunters.
"Now, retrieve my granddau-" Hiruzen said before he was cut off by a Naruto bursting through his office door.
"Morning Oji-san!" exclaimed Naruto happily as she grinned at the stunned Hokage.
"Naruto, I have already figured that you and the Hokage are close but rushing through without knocking is considered rude you know" Shikamaru said as he walked in at a leisurely pace to stand beside Naruto and drag her back out, "Look, Hokage-sama is in an important meeting with his ANBU"
"Oh sorry Jiji, I didn't know it was rude. I'll just go back outside until you are done, later!" Naruto said as she allowed herself to be dragged off by an amused Shikamaru.
The occupants of the room could only stare at the duo blankly until the sound of the door closing shook them out of their stupor.
"Well… I can tell this is going to be a headache. A polite Naruto, a Nara that actually doesn't seem all that lazy and the fact that I woke up at 5 in the morning for this…" said an amused ANBU, "Better you then me Hokage-sama"
Hiruzen could only rub his temples tiredly. 'I am getting way too old for this' he thought as he tried to stave off the oncoming migraine.
"You know what? Get out of my sight before I make you guys do my paperwork for me" retorted Hiruzen. The ANBU were gone as soon as they heard the word paperwork.
"Send Naruto and her new friend in please" Hiruzen said exasperatedly.
The door opened and Naruto and Shikamaru strode in.
"Morning Hokage-sama, mission save the princess is complete with no casualties and problems sir" Shikamaru said jokingly, allowing himself to enjoy in some 8 year old fun.
Naruto stared in awe at Shikamaru and exclaimed, "Ha! I knew you were ANBU! You must be one of those prodigies!"
"It was a joke Naruto, I already told you I wasn't a ninja didn't I?" Shikamaru said kindly as he gently ruffled Naruto's hair, "I didn't want to deal with something too serious in the morning. That would be too troublesome"
"Oh… I knew that" Naruto said with a huff as her cheeks slightly reddened.
Hiruzen could not help but smile at the scene. 'Ah to be young again' he thought 'Wait, why is Naruto's hair so much shorter? It was at back length before but it is at shoulder length now. I will ask her later.'
"So, how exactly did you two meet?" asked Hiruzen.
"Well it started when the naggy old lady at the orphanage threw me out again like all of the other old ladies. She said it was because my hair made a mess of her floor. It's not my fault the other girls decided that my long hair looked pretty. They cut it cus they said that they should have prettier hair then a demon. Anyway, after she threw me out these bad guys saw me and started chasing me. A whole bunch of people joined in so I ran to the trees. I ran and ran as hard as I could! It was scary Jiji!" said Naruto as little tears started appearing as she recounted the memory.
Shikamaru quickly reached out and took Naruto's hand and gave it a little squeeze to reassure her. Naruto smiled at the gesture and nodded in response.
Hiruzen's expression darkened at the thought of Naruto's treatment at the orphanage. It seems as if regardless of who he put in charge, they would always be discriminatory towards Naruto.
"Please Naruto, continue" Hiruzen said sadly.
"Well, I ran into the forest to lose them but they weren't giving up. So I started to dart between trees to confuse them. Just when I thought I was going to collapse, Shikamaru yanked me up a tree. Then he brought me to his secret spot and we watched the stars until we fell asleep" finished Naruto, smiling happily at the memory before she glanced at the stains on Shikamaru's shirt and blushed in embarrassment. "Oh yeah, I sorta messed up Shikamaru's shirt… do you think you can get him a clean one?"
Hiruzen just laughed at the scene. 'I am relieved that after all that has happened, Naruto can still act like an 8 year old' he thought.
Hiruzen stood up from his seat and walked up to a nervous Shikamaru. He stopped a respectable distance away before bowing to the young child. Shikamaru could only drop his jaw in surprise at his village leader showing respect to him.
"I thank you for saving my granddaughter. Who knows what could have happened if it wasn't for you" Hiruzen said kindly, "though I am not sure where to find a shirt your size in my office"
"My p-pleasure Lord Hokage" spoke a shocked Shikamaru, "I couldn't let the villages harm an innocent girl. Don't worry about the shirt, it is honestly fine"
"Now, usually the hero deserves a reward upon returning the princess to the kingdom… How about an A-ranked pay and a record as the first civilian to ever complete a mission. The mission details will be classified of course" stated the Hokage.
"A-ranked pay?!" said a shocked Shikamaru, "that is worth a small apartment"
"Yay! Shikamaru is awesome! Not even a ninja and he completed an A-rank" said Naruto, exuberant of the knowledge that her best friend was awesome, "I knew fairy tales were real!" She then promptly tackled Shikamaru in excitement.
The Hokage allowed his face to shift into a teasing grin, there was no way he was going to let her through this scene without some retribution after all of her pranks on him, "I also seem to remember that the princess usually gives the hero a kiss upon her return"
The duo froze for a moment before the both blushed red. They looked at each other for a moment before turning to look the other way. That was when they realised that they were still hugging and they promptly leaped away.
Naruto glanced shyly at the red Shikamaru before she hesitantly spoke, "Well, those are the rules. And I don't think I will mind if it is you Shika-kun"
Shikamaru just spluttered incoherently before finally calming enough to speak words, "Are you sure? I am lazy, slothful and not popular. I am not really strong, I am average looking and I don't have a horse. Also we just met yesterday so you don't really know me well"
"But you are kind and you saved me. So therefore you are my hero" Naruto said with all the seriousness her 8 year old body could muster.
Shikamaru just sighed, knowing that he was defeated. He kneeled down on one knee and placed one arm across his chest. "Then I accept whatever favour my lady brings to me"
Naruto gingerly walked towards Shikamaru's kneeling form and placed a quick peck on his cheek. Both of them reddened and quickly returned to their standing positions as if nothing had happened, the only evidence being their blushes.
'It was as if Kushina and Minato were alive again. Though Naruto is less tsundere and more honest towards her feelings than her mother. I really wish the both of them were here to see this' Hiruzen laughed.
"Well the both of you should probably go. I hope to find a good matron this time so it will be better at the orphana-" said Hiruzen.
"No" interrupted Shikamaru, "No offence Hokage-sama but I do not trust the orphanage to take care of Naruto. I have deduced that the civilians of the village hate Naruto for some reason, probably dealing with the Kyuubi from their word choice. If that is the case I cannot allow Naruto to return to her tormentors"
Hiruzen just looked on, surprised at Shikamaru's intellect. 'The way his deductions seem to flow. Not only that, he figured out Naruto's connection to the Kyuubi. The only other person who I know of such calibre is Shikaku'
"You must be Shikaku's son then" said the Hokage calmly. Seeing Shikamaru's cautious nod he continues, "Your father must be very proud. While I can see your points, I am afraid that I don't know where Naruto is to live otherwise."
"Then I will take care of her, as her best friend that duty falls to me" spoke Shikamaru calmly, "in addition, due to the A-ranked pay I should be able to take care of Naruto if I am careful with my money."
Hiruzen looked from Shikamaru's serious face to Naruto's shocked yet hopeful look. After a moment of deliberation he opened his desk and threw a bulky envelope into Shikamaru's hands.
"Here is your A-rank pay. I was going to just forward it to your parents via the clan head for them to manage but I believe that you will do just fine."
"Thank you Hokage-sama" Shikamaru said as he bowed in gratitude.
Naruto just gawked and change her gaze from Shikamaru to Hiruzen, then back to Shikamaru before she allows the words to finally register and tears to fall from her eyes.
"Thank you Shikamaru" Naruto said sincerely giving him the brightest smile he had ever seen, "You are the bestest friend ever"
Shikamaru just smiled and gently patted her head, "best friends forever okay?"
"Okay" replied Naruto as she wiped her tears away, "you must think I am a cry baby"
"Crying with happiness is never wrong, at least that is what my dad said once when he came back from a really tough mission" responded Shikamaru.
'Biwako, I hope you are watching from heaven. Your granddaughter is in good hands. How I wish you could see this dear' thought Hiruzen.
"Shikamaru, Naruto, I need you both to listen to me very carefully. Naruto's connection to the Kyuubi is an S class secret that can only be told by me or by Naruto herself. Right now I cannot tell you the secret since I worded the law in such a way so that I cannot tell it to civilians. This was done to protect you. Unfortunately one of the council members who were at the meeting exposed it to the village. By the time we found out, all of the villagers knew what had happened. I promise to tell you the secret once you are Genin" spoke Hiruzen sadly.
"Oji-san, am I the Kyuubi?" asked Naruto as she began to tear up again.
"No! God no! You are not the Kyuubi understand?" responded Hiruzen.
Naruto nodded in acceptance before she felt herself being pulled into a hug by Shikamaru.
"It doesn't matter anyway, I will protect you regardless. Even if you were the Kyuubi, all I know is that you cannot remember anything and therefore you are a clean slate. I would save you regardless" Shikamaru said softly as he stroked her hair.
Hiruzen smiled at the duo before dismissing them from his office. Before they walked out Hiruzen gestured for Naruto to come to him and give him a hug.
"Be careful not to let this one go, I approve" Hiruzen whispered before he gently pushed the red faced blonde towards a confused Shikamaru. Before either of them could open the door to get out, the door slammed open, pushing Shikamaru onto the ground, leading to Naruto to franticly check on the growing lump on Shikamaru's head.
A frantic Yoshino Nara rushed into the office dragging her still asleep husband appeared in front of the Hokage.
"Hokage-sama, my son is missing! He hasn't turned up for breakfast and he was missing all of last night. The last time I saw him was at dinner time. Shikaku! Why the hell are you still sleeping? Your son is missing!" screamed Yoshino.
Shikaku just drowsily opened his eyes at Yoshino and sighed before stating, "If you would just let me explain woman, then you would know that I bought a sealed hair tie for Shikamaru to wear. As long as he is safe my corresponding bracelet will be still. I bought it as soon as Shikamaru started to hang out outdoors rather than at home. If you think that I spend all of my mission money on alcohol with Choza and Inoichi then you must be crazy woman."
Yoshino just looked at her husband in a stupor as he returned to his nap, completely ignoring her presence. A cough by the Hokage pulled her out from her shock. As she turned to address the man she was greeted by a Cheshire grin and an index finger pointing to something behind her. Quickly turning around she sees son being fussed over by a young blonde girl.
"Shikamaru here was actually quite busy last night. He managed to save young Naruto here from some drunken villagers. He had done the equivalent of an A-ranked mission by himself at only 8 years old. You should be very proud of your son" said Hiruzen as he gazed at the children nostalgically.
Shikaku immediately opened his eyes at the words A-rank and darted over to Shikamaru with speed Yoshino had forgotten that he was capable of doing. Shikaku started to check Shikamaru and Naruto over and after seeing no serious injuries, he ruffled both of their heads, lifted both of them onto his shoulders with surprising strength, and walked out of the office.
Yoshino shook herself out of her shock and bowed once to the Hokage before rushing after her husband.
Once she left the Hokage instantly steeled his expression.
"Boar, call in Naruto's guard force again. I want them to search the forest and bring every civilian they find for questioning. I want the perpetrators to be in the interrogation department in 10 minutes" commanded the Hokage.
Immediately a hidden ANBU appeared, bowed, and left.
The journey towards the Nara compound was quick and quiet. The usually headstrong matriarch was quiet and meek, trudging behind Shikaku instead of dragging Shikaku somewhere like normal. Naruto and Shikamaru, sensing the tension between the grownups, decided to settle for holding each other's hands while riding on Shikaku's shoulders.
Once returning to the compound he gestures to Shikamaru and Naruto to go play for a bit before he walks into the compound and sits at the table. Yoshino followed in before quietly sitting in front of Shikaku. Shikaku stared at Yoshino quietly for a minute before he began to speak.
"I am disappointed in you" spoke Shikaku softly as Yoshino flinched and bowed her head down, "You would think so little of me? You think I do not worry for my only son, our very own flesh and blood?"
Yoshino knew that she had screwed up badly. She chose not to speak lest she make the situation worse. She couldn't even muster the courage to look Shikaku in the eyes; her shame would not let her.
"I know that you are a strong woman, it was why I fell in love with you. I didn't mind the nagging regardless of how annoying it got after a while because I knew that that was how you showed you cared for me, but you never allowed me to speak my side. You stopped listening to me" Shikaku said in a level tone, "You haven't really listened to me since before Shikamaru was born. Ever since you started hanging out with that coffee group, you haven't listened to me since. Why you would listen to advice from unhappy divorced women is beyond me, but I put up with it. Today you crossed the line"
Yoshino could not stop the tears as they cascaded down her face. She knew that Shikaku had never been disappointed in her before. He had always loved her even when she over reacted and had always spoken in a lazy loveable drawl in order to calm her. She did the only thing she could think of. Placing her hands on the floor she placed her forehead as close to the ground as she could and spoke.
"I am so sorry. I have been a terrible wife to you. Please forgive me" she said as she sobbed, "I thought that advice from more experience women would allow me to be a better woman for you. I am just a civilian shinobi that fell in love with a clan heir. I just wanted to be worthy"
Shikaku sighed as he slowly brought his wife up and embraced her, gently stroking her back as she clutched his shirt tightly.
"It is alright, just promise me you aren't going to follow whatever advice you get from the coffee group. Seriously, they are divorced single women who are probably jealous of a woman who actually succeeded in marriage, to a clan head as well. You women are ruthless I swear…" said Shikaku jokingly as he lightened the mood.
Yoshino just nodded into his shirt and gave a bone crushing hug to Shikaku. After she had calmed down she gave Shikaku a quick peck on the lips before loosening her grip on him, not completely letting go in hopes that he doesn't disappear.
"I am quitting the coffee club, and I will tell both Miyako and Asami to quit as well. No way I am hanging out with a bunch of jealous hags" responded Yoshino.
"Inoichi and Choza will be pleased" laughed Shikaku.
Yoshino cuddled with Shikaku for a bit before saying, "You know… we haven't had make-up sex before…"
"Sweetheart, the kids are right outside. We will do make-up sex later" said a blushing Shikaku.
"Alright, I will hold you to that Kaku-kun" said Yoshino teasingly before she went to call in the kids, hips swaying all the way.
"That woman is going to be the death of me…" grumbled Shikaku as he allowed his eyes to fall onto her swaying hips, "I hope Shikamaru decides to sleep outside again"
Naruto and Shikamaru sat in front of Shikamaru's parents, happy that the previous tension had evaporated.
"Mum, Dad, I would like you to meet Naruto, my new best friend. I would like her to be able to live with us if possible" said Shikamaru, "the orphanage didn't really treat Naruto nicely and I told the Hokage that I would take care of her."
Yoshino and Shikaku shared a glance with each other and silently nodded.
"Sure, I don't see why not. Although you have to do just one thing…" said Yoshino as both Shikamaru and Naruto gulped, "You must both eat more! Look at how skinny you are Naruto. We are going to fix this!"
Both Shikamaru and Naruto watched in awe as Yoshino seemingly pulled out food from nowhere and instantaneously set up the table.
"Come now, eat up!" she commanded as soon as she was done.
Naruto and Shikamaru could only glance at each other and shrug.
"Itadakimasu!" they said in unison before the dug in.
Dinner was filled with laughter and happiness as Naruto experienced her first family meal.
"Who knew my little Shikamaru would turn out to be such a hero? My baby boy has come so far!" exclaimed a proud Yoshino as she heard of Naruto's retelling of her rescue, "You hear that dear? We have hope for grandkids!"
Shikaku could only laugh at the embarrassed kids, "I am proud of you son."
"Thanks dad, how about a shogi match later?" asked a happy Shikamaru.
"Uhh…" he said as he shot a sideways look at his wife, "We will play tomorrow. I am busy today with missions and clan stuff. Why don't you play with Naruto today, we can organise her room in the afternoon"
"Sure dad, no worries" said Shikamaru as he gave his parents a suspicious look before shrugging it off as too 'troublesome'.
Naruto immediately took Shikamaru's hand and lead him outside saying something about Ichiraku Ramen and showing him off to Ayame-nee and Ichiraku-jisan.
Watching the duo slip out of his house he sighed in relief. He turned around to look at his wife only to freeze as he watched her loosen her yukata.
"Master, I have been a bad kitty…" purred Yoshino as she crawled on all fours towards her husband.
'God I love this woman…'
"Are you sure you don't want to go by rooftop again? Most of the civilians are on the street right now" Shikamaru asked.
"Yeah, I can't hide forever" said Naruto softly as they entered into the busy streets of Konoha, "Ichiraku is actually very close to the Nara compound now that I think about it"
Shikamaru just nodded in acceptance and allowed Naruto to guide him as he gazed at the clouds. His musings were cut off when he felt the glares of the citizens begin to grow as they walked. He felt Naruto's grip tighten as she plastered a fake smile onto her face. Squeezing her hand in comfort he decided that he would protect her no matter what. If he didn't, he didn't know who else would.
"Oi kid!" shouted one of the older villagers, "You should stay away from the brat if you know what is good for you"
Shikamaru ignored the man's calls and gave Naruto a reassuring look.
"Yeah, stay away from her, she isn't good news you know" said another.
More and more villagers started to try and convince Shikamaru to leave Naruto but each time he ignored them with his usual lazy look as if nothing in the world mattered. One of the women attempted to drag him away from Naruto, immediately he took offence to that.
"Oi, I am not interest lady! Mum told me to be careful of old ladies who liked to play with boys" Shikamaru shouted, making sure that he had his completely innocent 8 year old look on his face.
"Old? I am only 27 you brat!" screamed the woman with a huff.
"Oh my god she wants to play with me, she didn't deny it! Let's go Naruto! She is one of them bad women!" Shikamaru said while he dragged a giggling Naruto away from the bewildered crowd and the red faced woman.
The two quickly entered the ramen stand in order to quickly escape the stupefied crowd before they caught on to Shikamaru's prank. A scream of outrage sounded across the village from the street along with accusations of "cradle robber" and "cougar" joining into the village din.
"I can't believe you just did that" giggled Naruto as she tried to catch her breath after laughing too hard.
"What good is intellect if you don't use it?" joked Shikamaru, "besides, it was merely a harmless prank"
"Did you get one of your friends involved in your pranks Naruto? What happened this time?" asked a teasing Ayame, "Pranks so early in the morning, honestly"
"Aww, you are embarrassing me nee-chan" said a pouting Naruto, "and it is not my fault this time, Shika-kun completely embarrassed a mean lady on his own! It was so awesome! He only used a simple sentence and he got maximum embarrassment!"
"Wow, you must be very clever! Shika-kun was it?" asked a curious Ayame.
"It is Shikamaru Nara actually, I am pleased to meet you" replied Shikamaru with a bow.
"Well then, I am Ayame Ichiraku, waitress at Ichiraku Ramen Stand. It is nice to meet you too" responded Ayame before she called out to the back, "Dad! Come meet Naruto's new friend!"
"Coming sweetie!" replied a grumbly voice as an old man emerged from the back, "Nice to know that Naruto now has a new friend"
"Nice to meet you, I am Shikamaru of the Nara clan" said Shikamaru with a respectful bow.
"No need to be so formal" laughed Ichiraku, "My name is Teuchi Ichiraku but you can call me the Old Man"
Shikamaru nodded in acceptance before he was dragged along by Naruto into a seat beside her. Naruto ordered 4 bowls of miso and pork ramen while he just stuck with one miso.
'Honestly, we just had breakfast. How can she eat that much? Maybe it is because she doesn't always get food… Banish those thoughts Shikamaru, she is safe now.' He thought as he lazily stirred the noodles in his bowl. By the time he looked up again Naruto was already onto her second bowl. He watched in amazement as she demolished the second one just as fast.
"Oi Naruto! How many times do I have to tell you to mind your manners? I thought I told you that a lady has to eat properly!" scolded Ayame.
Naruto just smiled sheepishly with a noodle moustache. Shikamaru could not help but laugh at the incredibly cute sight. Naruto instantly turned red as she remembered that Shikamaru probably saw her demolish her food. Now eating at a slower pace she attempts to look dignified, completely not noticing the noodle moustache she has on her lip. Shikamaru only laughed harder before making weak gestures towards her lips. Naruto licked her lips and found the noodle moustache on her face and turned beet red. Ayame and Ichiraku only smiled at the scene. Deciding to allow Naruto some relief they asked her how she met Shikamaru. Naruto instantly brightened and began her story with many gestures and exclamations, with the addition of the recent scene in the market place.
"And he said, "Let's go Naruto! She is one of them bad women!" and ran off with me in a tow, leaving the village thinking that she is a cradle robber" giggled Naruto, "It was awesome dattebayo!"
"Wow, good job hero-kun!" said Ayame, "Now we know why Naruto likes you so much"
"Good job, I approve" said Teuchi teasingly.
Naruto returned to making her best rose impression again.
"Anyway, you said something about pranks?" said Shikamaru.
"Yeah, Naruto here is quite the hellion. She pranks the villagers every now and then. I heard that she pranks her teachers at the academy as well. Quite the troublemaker that one" replied Ayame.
Shikamaru just raised an eyebrow at Naruto who looked to be thoroughly embarrassed.
"Only cus the teachers at the school are mean and don't teach" replied Naruto, "Plus they are so boring!"
"You go to the academy as well?" asked Shikamaru.
"Yeah, but I started 2 years early and failed both times so I am still in first year" said Naruto sadly, "But I will pass and I will show them all dattebayo!" she continued with determination.
"Hey, maybe I can help you later. We might even be able to get you transferred to my class" said Shikamaru as he smiled at Naruto's brightening face.
Naruto quickly ate up the rest of her ramen before tugging at Shikamaru's arm to go. Shikamaru sighed before he pointed at his half-finished bowl. Naruto twirled her hair embarrassedly before sitting back down.
"You can help me finish if you want, I am still full from breakfast" said Shikamaru before he sees his bowl disappear and reappear empty.
Shaking his head at Naruto's eating speed he pulls out his wallet to pay the bill. As soon as he was about to pay he sees both Ayame and Teuchi shake their heads.
"This one is on the house in celebration of Naruto's new friend. Besides, you deserve a reward for saving little Naru-chan" said Teuchi.
"I will at least pay half of it. I cannot accept such generosity" said Shikamaru determinedly as he left 500 ryo on the table, "If not then take it as a tip"
With that he quickly left with Naruto in a tow before they could argue.
"He is a good young man" said Teuchi as he picked up the ryo before a teasing smirk appeared on his face, "Naruto has a good man at 8 years old, when are you going to find one?"
"DAD!"
Both Shikamaru and Naruto greeted the kind receptionist before they entered the Hokage's Office.
"Remember to knock" reminded Shikamaru as he saw that Naruto was about to burst in again.
Naruto nodded and knocked on the door 3 times before the doors swung open.
"Ahh you two again, what can I do for you?" asked Hiruzen as he glared at the pile of paperwork before him. 'I wonder if I can just burn it all away' he thought.
"We were just wondering if you could transfer Naruto over to my class. Apparently the teacher in the other class doesn't like Naruto and doesn't teach her anything" said Shikamaru.
Hiruzen's eyes shot up at the statement before he snapped his fingers and an ANBU appeared right next to him.
"So cool" Naruto said absentmindedly as she looked at Neko in awe.
"Notify the principal that Naruto is to be transferred over to Shikamaru's class and that her previous sensei is to be retired from his position. He will also be doing D-Ranks for the rest of the year for no pay" said Hiruzen as Neko shuddered at the thought of D-Ranks and quickly used a shunshin to notify the headmaster.
"Anything else I can do for you both?" asked Hiruzen.
"Nope" said Naruto cheerfully, "Thanks for the help Jiji!"
"Thank you Hokage-sama" said Shikamaru as he gave him a respectable if slightly lazy bow.
Hiruzen just chuckled at how much of Kushina was in Naruto. 'She may have Minato's looks but she definitely has Kushina's spirit' he thought before he glared back at his paperwork.
"Where to next Shikamaru?" asked Naruto as she gave the receptionist a goodbye wave.
"I guess we can see how Choji is doing. He was busy in a clan meeting yesterday so I didn't go over to his house. Good thing too am I right?" said Shikamaru.
"Yeah, come on I want to meet your friend" said Naruto excitedly, "Maybe he can be my friend too"
"I am sure he will" said Shikamaru as he walked at a leisurely pace towards the Akimichi compound which was actually right next to the Nara's lands.
Arriving at the Akimichi compound, Shikamaru knocked on the gate once and waited for reception. The Akimichi compound was large and spacious due to having less land and more housing for the big-boned clan members. Due to their bone structures, the Akimichi clan were normally front-line fighters and heavy hitters, and due to the Akimichi jutsus requiring a lot of fat to burn, they were also the owners of various restaurants. Many Akimichi who didn't become ninja became chefs due to the clan's renowned love of food.
After a short while of waiting, an Akimichi guard kindly greeted Shikamaru before showing the duo in. They were lead through the wide corridors with strong wooden beams supporting them. Delicious smells of various dishes filled their nostrils as they moved further and further into the compound.
Finally stopping at Choji's door, they knocked once before sliding the door open to see Choji and an unknown girl chatting about various dishes and restaurants. The girl had long brown hair and soft brown eyes. She was a little plump for her age with round cheeks.
Shikamaru coughed loudly to attract the duo's attention before he gave the two a teasing smirk, "Should I come back later? You seem busy today."
Choji and the girl blushed before quickly shaking their heads.
"I could say the same to you Shikamaru" replied Choji as he gestured towards the mop of blonde hair hiding behind Shikamaru.
Shikamaru just laughed in response, "It seems that I am not the only one who has to introduce new friends" he said as he stepped aside to reveal a cautious but smiling Naruto who gave them both a small wave in greeting.
"Well, let's introduce our new friends first" said Choji as he got up from his seated position, "I would like to introduce you to Ayako Ayazuka. She is the daughter of our family's business partner. It was why we had a clan meeting yesterday"
"Nice to meet you" said Ayako said brightly.
"Same to you Ayako-san" responded Shikamaru and Naruto.
"As for this young princess here," Shikamaru said as he patted Naruto's head, smiling at the cute pout he got in return, "is Naruto Uzumaki. I stumbled upon her yesterday when she was… having a bit of trouble. She is staying with me from now on due to some troublesome situations."
"It is nice to meet the both of you and I hope that we can become great friends" said Naruto as she gave a polite bow to the both of them.
"Wow, you went out of your way to help someone? What happen to the lazy Nara that I know?" asked Choji teasingly as he gave a playful punch onto Shikamaru's shoulder.
"Spontaneous reaction" Shikamaru said blankly, "I may be lazy but there is no way I wouldn't stop to help someone"
"Haha! I knew you were a softie inside" laughed Choji, "not so lazy after all"
"Yeah, I guess not" Shikamaru said softly.
"Shika-kun is awesome!" exclaimed Naruto as she began to open up to the group, "I was in real big trouble and I got kicked out of the orphanage because… it was too full. The old lady was mean anyway. Shika-kun then offered me a place to stay and everything"
"How kind of you Shikamaru-san" praised Ayako.
"Well I couldn't leave her out on the street could I?" Shikamaru said as he went with Naruto's story. It was her story to tell, not his own. "Anyway, why don't you tell us about your meeting?"
"Well, it was a typical clan meeting. My father decided that it was time for me to start learning the ways of the family business. My family grows crops and other staples to supply to the Akimichi restaurants so we are close business partners. We simply started talking at our family meeting cus we were the only kids around. The rest is simple." Ayako replied.
"Yeah, I didn't even know we had so much in common" said Choji, "I am sorta glad that I didn't skip out on the clan meeting, no offence Shikamaru"
"Don't worry, I feel the same way" responded Shikamaru as he waved away the apology, "I wouldn't have met Naruto if that had happened so we are even"
"Yeah I guess we should skip out on less clan meetings then" said Choji as both Ayako and Shikamaru stared blankly at him before the three burst into laughter.
"Yeah… not happening. It is basically a tradition for heirs to skip out on meetings. I am not dealing with more responsibility before my old man forces me to take the title, too troublesome" said Shikamaru.
"Those are so boring! It is not fair that the other kids get to play" grumbled Ayako, "Besides, I told my dad I would only do it once. If I come along he might drag me to go every single time"
Naruto just stared confused at the three as they laughed, "What is so bad about clan meetings? Isn't that where you meet up with family and friends?"
Choji and Ayako opened their mouth to protest before Shikamaru quickly silences them with his hand quickly covering their mouths. A quick shake of the head indicates to the two of them to stay silent before they put their foot in their mouth. Shikamaru turns towards Naruto and gently pats her head.
"I know that, since you have no experience with family, a clan meeting sounds really nice. Unfortunately you know the saying of too much of a good thing isn't all that good right?" said Shikamaru carefully.
Naruto nods in response.
"That is essentially what happens. Too much and they become overbearing, too little and we feel neglected. That is just how families are. Everyone needs a bit of time away and some people get more of that time than others" he says as he brings her into a gentle hug, "And some are just too alone that they are starving for family, one side will always envy the other. That is just how it is. All we can do is try to reach that middle ground"
Shikamaru holds that position for a little while as Naruto gathers herself from her emotional reaction to having a family, as well as Shikamaru's insightful speech. Nodding once more she pulls herself back and gives Shikamaru a smile.
"Thanks Shika-kun, I needed that" said Naruto.
Shikamaru nodded in response and turned to face an awestruck Choji and Ayako.
"Wow you are smart… I knew it from the thrashing you gave me in shogi but this…" Choji said as he tries to process what had just happened before him.
"I feel like my brain power just increased from being near you" said Ayako who is in a similar state to Choji.
"Glad to be of service" Shikamaru said dryly, as he gives the duo an irritated look.
Ayako quickly turned to Choji and whispered not-so-quietly, "I thought you said that he was a typical smart lazy-ass"
"I thought so too" Choji replied as he promptly ignored the overt twitches of annoyance coming from Shikamaru and Naruto's stifled giggles.
"You know what? How about a game of Shogi?" asked Shikamaru as he pulls out a shogi set from seemingly nowhere, "We didn't get to play a game yesterday so I think that now would be a good time to make up for lost time. Ayako can help you as well."
Both Ayako and Choji shivered at the cold stare that they were getting from Shikamaru as Choji reluctantly sets up his side of the board.
The game was over in 5 minutes.
Shikamaru mercilessly captured each one of Choji's and Ayako's pieces one by one leaving nothing but the king. He started with the pawns, then the lances, the generals, and quickly worked his way up to the king resulting in a complete victory over the duo. Naruto just stared in awe at Shikamaru's intellect.
"Another game?" asked Shikamaru with a cold smile as he begins to set up the pieces, never once taking his eyes off the duo.
Both Ayako and Choji shook their heads quickly.
"How about Naruto? She should be able to play right?" suggested Ayako.
Naruto looks up excitedly, eyes gleaming for a chance to play in a game with friends. "Yeah, please teach me Shika-kun"
Shikamaru softens his gaze and begins explaining the rules of the game. Shikamaru explains the roles of each of the pieces and their representation of each aspect of the player's life. He gets to the king and pauses. The piece that had once represented him no longer held true to that meaning. The king was what the army protected. His recent actions had shown that not only did he not protect himself, but he pushed to the frontlines to accomplish his goal. That was the work of a horse or a lance, not a king.
'By that logic the king should be…" thought Shikamaru as he looked at the cluster of amazed faces, each entranced with the story of each piece. 'Yes, the king is…'
"The king represents whatever you choose to protect. It is the purpose within the army. Without it, the army is lost, lazy, sloppy, and uncoordinated. Regardless of the army's power and strength, without the king, the army has lost the battle before it even begins, even in victory." Shikamaru finished.
"Wow!" said Naruto as she looked at each wooden piece in a new light. Both Ayako and Choji only nod in agreement, too stunned by the multiple revelations that they had been bombarded with by Shikamaru.
Shikamaru notices the slightly vacant expressions on Ayako and Choji's faces and he decides to leave the two to process the information that he had unknowingly deposited into their brains.
"Come on Naruto, we can play some other time. I think it is getting late in the afternoon and mum will want us back by dinner" said Shikamaru as he packs up the board and places it on Choji's desk.
Both Shikamaru and Naruto quickly bid their goodbyes to the duo before leaving the compound and back to Shikamaru's home.
Author Note:
Hello, I finally have a break and this is my comeback! I am now 18 and I'd like to think I have grown as a writer and as a person. For now I hope you enjoy this Harem x Shikamaru story since I think he is a brilliant character that would have been amazing if he was just given the chance. I hope that everyone enjoys it. If you do then you can go join my Pa Treon the Pat reon site /StatusInc to support my stories. I am sorry for the delay but I hope that this is worth it... For those who love my guilty crown work, don't worry, I'll get back to it soon enough...