Fanfiction #6 (Naruto)

Connivance by AshDale911

Author's Note: Due to public demand specifically princesszala, I've come up with my first ShikaTema fic… hope you like it… XD

Summary: A special event involving Konoha and Suna is coming. The Hokage gave a simple yet though task to her trustworthy ninjas to ba lead by the laziest yet responsible Jounin in town, Nara Shikamaru. What if the plans were messed up just in time for the actual presentation? Will he still be able to fix up everything? ShikaTema… XD

Rating: T

Oneshot

If it was not for the sudden call from the Hokage, he should have not been in such a hurry. He was rushing across the town. He was supposed to be still sleeping at that moment but there he was speeding his way to the Hokage's office. So troublesome… and it's all because of that sudden call… because of that EMERGENCY call. He knows his duties and responsibilities but those things were just too troublesome for him. Being the best ninja in his batch, even though ha doesn't believe it; he has the most important duties among them. Then again, it was too troublesome…

At last, after a long run across the town, there he was hurrying up the stairs. He slammed open the door of the Hokage's office…

"Nara Shikamaru, reporting for duty…" he was breathing heavily.

Shizune, the Hokage's apprentice turned to assistant, stared at him, trying hard not to laugh.

"Wow! I never thought you could make it here in less than 5 minutes… impressive!" Shizune said as she held up her wristwatch. Both Shikamaru and Tsunade shot her a glare that could make her quiet for a while.

"So, what's the "emergency" all about?" Shikamaru lazily asked

"Well… the commemoration of the "Leaf and Sand Reconciliation Day" would be held 12 days from now. Our village would be the venue for this year. I want you to organize a play for the opening of the event. Gather all your ninjas and plan for that presentation. I'm only giving you 1 week to complete your task…" Tsunade explained. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. He sighed before speaking.

"That's the emergency?" he turned to Shizune. She just nodded in reply.

"That was just troublesome… and annoying…" Shikamaru said to himself. Unfortunately, Tsunade heard him.

"Is there any problem?" Tsunade asked giving him a death glare. Shikamaru backed-off

"Uh…n-nothing… just thinking of a plan… really…" he said letting out a fake giggle while scratching his unitchy head.

His gestures disturbed Tsunade more, making feel more annoyed towards the pretending lad.

"Well… if that's the case… THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! GO DO YOUR JOB NOW!!" Tsunade shouted at him Shizune just covered her ears while Shikamaru made a run for it

After getting out of the office building of the Hokage, he proceeded on doing the task given. He immediately made a list of the division of labor…

DIVISION OF LABOR

Sakura – casting and script

Ino – make-up artist

Tenten and Hinata

- stage decorations and costumes

BOYS – stage, light and venue

And since, Sakura is into the casting, he asked for a list of the persons who will act as characters in the play…

MAIN CHARACTERS

Sasuke

Tenten

Hinata

Neji

Lee

Naruto

One day after, Shizune approach Shikamaru

"What is it this time?"

"Master Tsunade said that the Kazekage of Suna sent his siblings as representative to help prepare for the coming event. She wants you to fetch them at the main gate later this afternoon…" Shizune said

"Oh, brother…" Shikamaru rolled his eyes

"On, brother AND sister…" Shizune said and left him

"This is becoming more and more troublesome…"

Later that Afternoon…

"Hey! Lazyass… what do you think you're doing?" Temari said, jerking a handful of a certain lad's hair sleeping under a shady tree beside the main gate of Konoha.

"What's the big idea? Can't you see that I'm sleeping!?" Shikamaru said and turned his back to her. After he said that, it was immediately followed by a hard bang in his head. He immediately woke up and looks at the person who hit him. In front of him stood 2 of the best. Shikamaru scratched his poor head and stood up

"You don't have to hit me like that you know…"

"What do you want? Kankuro would use his puppets to drag you so that you would wake up?' Temari teasingly said. Shikamaru sighed and turned to guide them inside

"Alright… alright… just shut up and follow me…" he plainly said

"What the? How dare you say that to us?!" Temari whined but Shikamaru didn't pay attention to her and continued walking. Kankuro followed him pulling his still whining sister. When they reached the venue, they started to work together with the 2 ninjas from Suna. At the end of the day, Sakura already finished the scripts and all of them rested together.

Each and every one of them rehearsed specially the main characters. Tenten and Hinata started to make the costumes, Naruto, Kiba Chouji and Shino also started to build the stage and Sakura rehearsed her actors and actresses. Sasuke and Tenten did well with their acting. Temari replaces Tenten with the costume making so that she could practice. Kankuro helped in furnishing the venue. Everything is going right. Shikamaru smiled at the sight of the product of their teamwork and cooperation.

Opening of the "Leaf and Sand Reconciliation Day…

Hours before the actual presentation…

Everyone is busy doing some finishing touches. Ino was at the backstage putting make-ups to the actors and actresses while Sakura orients all of her artists. Shikamaru checks if everything is already set for the presentation, Chouji and Kiba is checking the lights and sounds. Temari and Kankuro were also at the backstage Temari peek through the stage curtains. She was amazed to see a large crowd composed of people coming from Suna and Konoha

"Wow! That's one heck of a crowd…" Temari told Kankuro. He just nodded. He approached Temari and whispered something

"We should go out now. We're gonna escort Gaara, remember?" The 2 of them went out and did their job

At the backstage…

Sakura made sure that Shikamaru and Temari are already not with them when she gathered everyone for the little twist, she and Naruto thought for the play. When she got all attentions on her, she started explaining.

"Now, here's the plan… the characters of the main role will be missing in action…" Sakura said

"Which means, Sasuke and Tenten would not be seen all through out the show…" Naruto continued

"So are you telling us that we would mess things up for the play we've worked hard for?" Tenten asked

"No silly… we're just going to make a little twist with the casting…" Sakura said

When everything was already in place, the Hokage and Kazekage are already seated and everybody is ready to watch, Shikamaru went at the backstage for their last briefing. Just then, he heard a scream coming out of one of the dressing rooms. He hurriedly ran inside to see what the problem is. He found Sakura looking all worried

"What's the problem?"

"Sasuke is not here!" Sakura said holding her forehead

"What do you mean? Don't tell me…"

"The play won't be a success if he's not here or if no one would replace him and we only got 5 minutes until the show begins…"

Sakura looked at Shikamaru's expression and tried hard not to laugh at what she saw. Shikamaru's expression clearly shows that ha was devastated at what she said but good for him, he still manage to keep himself together in front of her

"Well? Don't make me worry for that problem…. That's your job Sakura…" Shikamaru said, still keeping his cool

"I know! That's the reason why I'm worrying can't you see…" Sakura said-roaming around the room

"So what do you plan to do?"

"It's either we cancel the play or…" Sakura stopped and mischievously looked at Shikamaru

"Or what?"

"Or maybe… we could replace him… and I think I know who's gonna do that Shikamaru…" Sakura said grinning at him. Shikamaru, being Shikamaru, knew what she was thinking and immediately went away her but unfortunately, the pink-haired girl already grabbed him…

"No way Sakura!" Shikamaru struggled but Sakura held her tight. She pushed him to sit in front of the mirror

"You SHOULD and MUST do this Shika…. You're our only hope…"

After putting make-up and fixing him up, everything is already set… ready just in time for the presentation

"This is such a drag…" Shikamaru said as he looked at himself in front of the mirror.

He peeked through the stage curtains and heard Lee the "narrator" saying the introductions and starting the presentation. After saying everything ha has to say, the spotlight flashed to the center of the stage but nobody was there. Sakura immediately went behind Shikamaru and pushed him on the stage. The spotlight caught him. He was there, starting at the staring at the large crowd in front. He was getting nervous all over

'This is really not good…' he thought

The crowd waited for him to speak or do something. Even Naruto, Sasuke and Tenten, who are currently hiding in the crowd waited for him to think of an idea to get out of the shame he is having. Tsunade just smirked even though she was shocked with Shikamaru. After a short silence, Shikamaru heard someone whispering to him from behind the curtains. It was Sakura…

"You can do that Shikamaru… just say the lines and act naturally… we believe in you…" Sakura whispered and winked at him. Shikamaru sighed.

'Looks like there's no way out of here… oh well…' Shikamaru thought. He started to say the lines, which was supposed to be performed by Sasuke. Fortunately, he was able to memorize the lines since he watched all the practices Sasuke had with Tenten. And by the way, he also read the book "Romeo and Juliet" before that's why he already know the sequence of the play.

When the part where Romeo and Juliet saw each other for the first time, Shikamaru was surprised to see that Tenten is not the one acting as Juliet. Instead, it was Temari. In the scene, the 2 of them are gonna dance when Romeo met Juliet in a party. While dancing…

"What are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked

"Can I ask the same question?" Temari said. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and she caught what he means

"Ok… Ino dragged me in the dressing room… she told me if I could replace Tenten because she is missing… she didn't give me a choice though…"

Shikamaru shrugged at that. The 2 of them decided to just continue and enjoy what they are doing. It's for the sake of the play. They thought that that's just it. What they don't know is there's one more thing that will test them

"Romeo went back only to find his beloved Juliet lifeless… dead for a reason that he still doesn't know. The pain he felt at that moment was immeasurable… if only he stayed so that this would not happen… he was full of regrets as he motioned beside the lifeless beauty whom he loved more than his life…" Lee narrated as Shikamaru and Temari acts on-stage. Temari is getting a little nervous. It's almost the end of the play but still nervousness is building inside her

One reason for that is the dress shi is currently wearing. She is not used with that kind of clothes that's why she feels uncomfortable and nervous. She is wearing a long-loose sleeved white gown with a touch of pink ribbons tied around her waist. The rainbow colored lace wrapped around her waist just below the ribbons, which reach up to her knee makes her look more fabulous courtesy of Tenten and Hinata. She had her hair in a wonderful hairstyle courtesy of Ino. She was absolutely stunning… so stunning that even Gaara and Kankuro couldn't believe she was their sister, Temari

Another thing that makes her nervous is the next scene she and Shikamaru would have… the smooch between Romeo and Juliet. Even though she knows that Shikamaru won't kiss her real. That's what she think but let's see what will happen…

Shikamaru sat down beside Temari who is currently acting as if she was dead. He looked at the sweet face beside him. Her face shines with the spotlight focused on her.

'Even though her eyes are closed, she still looked brilliant' Shikamaru thought

Temari's heart beat fast and after a while, she felt warmth on her lips. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see Shikamaru pressing his lips on hers. She was about to move and push him away but Shikamaru sensed her that's why he deepened more the kiss. She stopped when she felt this. Some kind of electric shock was sent to her nerves. She softened her eyes and just let Shikamaru caress her lips…

- Curtains Close –

The crowd roared and applauded fir their performance. Kankuro jawdropped with what ha saw. Naruto, being so overwhelmed, unconsciously hugged Sasuke. Sasuke blushed at this but Naruto, being Naruto, was still too dense to observe that. The Kazekage and the Hokage, Gaara and Tsunade join the crowd in applauding. Tsunade turned to Gaara.

"I never thought your sister has a good talent in acting…" Tsunade said to Gaara. He just smiled

'I never thought that he could do that in front of many people. I need to hear what Kankuro have to say about that…" Gaara smiled at the thought of that.

"I would like to present the casts for today's play…" Sakura spoke on the microphone as the curtains opened showing the casts. Temari and Shikamaru came out of the curtains together and the crowd applauded for them

"We would like to thank Shikamaru and Temari of the sand for their special participation as Romeo and Juliet… let's give them a round of applause!" Sakura added.

The crowd gave them a standing ovation. Just then, Temari pulled Shikamaru and gave him a peck on his lips. Shikamaru was dumbfounded. Temari held his hand and all of them bowed to the crowd. The curtains closed and everybody at the backstage was happy with the presentation. Temari and Shikamaru were left there. When Temari was about to go, Shikamaru held her hand

"What was that for?" Shikamaru asked-blushing

"I just thought… you'll be toast when Kankuro sees you… now there's no more reason for him to be angry to you…" Temari said and started to walk away him. Shikamaru just stood there looking at her leaving. She suddenly stopped.

"…it's also my way of returning you a favor… thanks for the experience… and the kiss…" Temari said, as she blushed hard. She ran away after saying that. Shikamaru was shocked at first but then smiled after a while. Touching his lips, he knew that this is a start of something new to him…

THE END

AshDale911: dEr yOu gO… mY 1sT ShikaTema fIc wAs born TODAY!! Yippee!! TNx 2 d public dMand from a good fRend, princesszala…. ANudEr thing… I'm sorry 4 sUm parts oF d story that sucks… especially tHe part wEr I described Temari's costume… iT really sucks… I know dAt!! PlS just bear with mE…. Hope yOu lYk mY fIc… I'm currently doing a SASUNARU fIc… I wish yOu guys could support dAt… tHx… RnR plSsss….. XD