A/N: This story is a slight ShikaHina and switches POV from First to Third and back again. I was inspired by a son and I couldnt get it out of my head so I had to write it down and in the end it only vaguely resembled the song. Enjoy! R&R.
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It would be another two days before I would get to my destination. I could have been there days ago but there was no rush. Besides it's too troublesome to rush anywhere. Makes me wonder why I'm in my line of work. You wouldn't think it to look at me but all anyone has to so is to hear my name to know who I am.
I think of it as 'forceful liberation'. The bank is like a prison and I just set free all the 'prisoners'. I've set free a lot of 'prisoners' and I'm off to break out some more. My stash is just about the right size. One more job and I can retire.
Maybe get married to a woman that's neither plain nor beautiful. Have two children, a boy and a girl and live in an average house. Not very glamorous but that's the way it is.
It's getting dark now so I have to keep an eye out for those troublesome bandits. They like to catch lone travellers like me, rob them and run off. I keep my shotgun in a special saddle bag so that at the first sign of trouble I could have it out in an instant.
I slowed my horse down. There was something or someone in the bushes up ahead.
"How troublesome," I muttered.
I had my shotgun out and pointed at the bushes as I slowed to a stop.
"Hey you in the bushes, come on out here before I shoot."
A voice called out timidly from the bushes.
"Please don't shoot. I hope you aren't the law…"
"Come on out." I firmly demanded.
To my surprise it was a girl. She couldn't be more than two years younger than my own twenty-two years. She was wearing tan men's britches and a woman's white blouse. Her matching tan hat hung behind her head over her waist length blue-black hair. Her eyes, strangely purple, were set off by her pale skin and delicate bone structure. Her pale pink lips formed a moue of surprise as her hand tightened convulsively around the pistol in her hand. It seemed she recognised me. I sighed.
"Who are you and why were you hiding in those bushes?"
"I-I…" she trailed off and searched my face for something. She must have found it because she continued, lowering her own gun in the process.
"My name is Hinata. I thought you were the law that's why I jumped in the bushes." Her voice got softer as she spoke. "I'm wanted in four countries…for armed robbery. I killed two sheriffs, six deputies and stole two horses…"
She trailed off and looked away. I hadn't been surprised before I sure was now. This Hinata girl didn't look like the type of girl to do those things. She looked more suited to drinking tea in some drawing room than shooting up banks and stealing horses. Though, come to think of it, I do remember hearing about something like this when I was further south.
"You got a horse now?"
She looked startled and then smiled faintly. "I've got two."
'Of course,' I thought.
"I'm headed west. I got a partner I'm meeting out there for a job. You seem capable enough. If you want to come along you can."
Hinata smiled brilliantly and nodded her head. She ducked back behind the bushes and brought out her horses. Thoroughbred stallions, one black and the other bay. The horses dwarfed her and she was short anyway. If she could keep a couple of mean looking stallions like that then she was something special.
"Oh, thank you Nara-san." It seemed that she really did know me.
"Shikamaru." She tilted her head in question. "Call me Shikamaru."
She smiled shyly and nodded again. Before mounting up and leading her second horse up by the reins.
"There's a town we should reach by moonrise. We'll rest there then ride out in the morning."
By the next morning I realised that Hinata was very quiet. Most times I had to strain to hear what she was saying over the clatter of the horses hooves. Hinata never elaborated about her past and I never asked any questions. She never initiated conversation unless she had something to say, a trait I admired. A few years back I had had to take a prisoner. A sheriff's daughter. I got rid of that loud annoying blonde as soon as I could. She reminded me of my mother.
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Meanwhile in a town further west, a relatively well dressed young man sat at the bar in the town's only saloon. His bowler hat sat on his medium brown hair in contrast to all the Stetsons around hi,. He was a little chubby but the superb tailoring of his clothes made up for that. He pulled a watch out from his waistcoat and checked the time. The gold watch was monogrammed 'C.A.'
'Should be here soon if I know him.'
He glanced at the wanted posters on the wall and smiled inwardly. They had gotten a better likeness this time. This one almost looked like Shikamaru.
A commotion across the room drew his attention. There was a youngster getting ready to fight.
"Shika-who? I can kick his ass anytime!" The blond boy was extremely loud. He was laughing too.
Shikamaru hadn't got to where he was now by luck. Though he was incredibly lazy he always perked up on a job and came up with the best plans. Not only did he have the smarts, he had quick hands. Unless the noisy blond boy was extremely lucky, he wouldn't make it through a duel with Shikamaru. The man approached the boy during a lull a few hours later as the blond came to the bar.
"Hey kid. You should calm down, especially in the front of the law. Once they get riled up there's no going back."
The boy looked like he was about to protest but he clamped his mouth shut and smiled sheepishly.
"Eheheh, sorry."
"The man smiled kindly. "What's your name? They call me Chouji the Kid."
"My name's Naruto and I'm the best around with a 12 gauge. I wanna be an outlaw and be on the front pages of newspapers everyday. Mr. Kid do you need anybody like me? I'm ready for whatever and I'm loyal and perty clever."
"I like you Naruto. You can join me. If everything goes well then you'll be a richer man soon-. Looks like he's here."
A little boy ran in the bar and shouted, "Shikamaru is here! In this town!"
He sounded so excited that Chouji chuckled. Naruto looked at him blankly.
"You work with Shikamaru?"
Chouji nodded and Naruto laughed nervously. "I was just kidding about beating Nara-san up." Chouji patted his back and led them both out of the bar.
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"There's the saloon. Wait outside." I dismounted and handed her my reins. I saw the way Hinata was eyeing a roan mare and interjected quickly. "Don't be stealing nobody's horses."
She looked at me with an embarrassed smile. She really was horse mad. Hinat dismounted as I stepped up to the front of the saloon where Chouji was now standing.
"Chouji." I acknowledged with a half smile.
"I'm glad you made it Shika now lets go have some fun. This is Naruto. Young talent." Chouji explained when I raised an eyebrow.
"Hi," Naruto waved nervously. He looked like he expected me to jump him or something. I nodded at him and then looked back at Chouji.
"I also Brought someone along. Hinata. She's good with horses."
In our long association I had never willingly subjected myself to the constant presence of someone of the fairer gender. All I knew was that despite Hinata's horse craziness she was not so troublesome. If Chouji thought it was a little strange that I had a female with me he didn't say anything. For which I was grateful. It wouldn't be good if he accidentally gave Hinata the impression that I liked her in that way.
"Hello. I got your horses saddled up, I hope you don't mind." I shoved my hands in my pockets as Chouji and Naruto looked confused. "I can always tell a horse and it's owner by looks."
"Wow, that's so cool Hina-chan." She blushed and smiled.
I frowned. This Naruto guy was a little too familiar with Hinata and it was annoying me. I might have to take him aside later and have a chat with him. I sighed. It's such a bother but I suppose I have to do it. Hinata is not the type you mess around with and Naruto seemed a little flaky.
"I hope you're as good at banks too." Chouji said with a smile.
"It's getting dark," Naruto stated looking at the sky.
I sighed. Time to get moving again.
"Chouji, lead the way. Let's move out."
Hinata brought their horses around and tossed Shikamaru and shy smile. Chouji chuckled and shook his head.
'Looks like Shika will be changing that retirement plan of his.'
FIN