TMF here. Decided to try my hand at a multi-chapter crossover instead of my usual oneshots. As always I own nothing, sadly. But if I did, all the females would have to wear...MINISKIRTS!

A cyber cookie to those who can place the reference. Anyways onwards to the story!

"For all your clever plans and cunning ploys little Nara, you will always fall short. Now let me show you how you are LACKING!"

Shaking his head to try and banish a memory that refused to give him peace, Shikamaru gazed at his empty left sleeve. A memento of a megalomaniac chasing a madman's hope of utopia. A foe who had cost him a lifetime as a useless failure of a shi-

Grimacing, Shikamaru shook his head, trying to clear the remnants of the long past battle. Slipping his last hand down into the pocket of his jacket, he fished out a pack of cigarettes. If he remembered correctly he had four more left, which meant a trip all the way to the Family Mart. Flipping open the lid, he slid a cigarette into his mouth. Yup, now he had to definitely get a few more, which meant he had a lengthy walk before him dammit.

"Those things are going to kill you eventually Shika!"
"Tch, maybe they will. Till then stop screaming like a harpy!"

"It's going to be one of those days again huh… Troublesome." Sliding the nearly empty pack back where it came from, he pulled free one of his most precious possessions. A battered metal lighter, countless scratches marking the body of something from Asuma-sensei that Shikamaru would always keep. He pondered it for a moment, remembering how many times he had seen his teacher use the lighter.
With a graceful flick that that only countless repetition could produce, the shinobi lit the cigarette and inhaled before sighing. "Failing those who depended on me, can't escape it can I?"

The retrieval mission for Sasuke, and the state of everyone in the aftermath of the failure. Not being prepared for that immortal fanatic Hidan, and letting Asuma-sensei topple over dead in that dusty street. Tou-san and Alliance HQ, feeling helpless against the Uchiha progenitor negligently massacring his allies and friends. No matter how you looked at it, when things truly became important he failed no matter how hard he tried.

Drawing in another lungful of smoke, he sagged back onto the bench behind him. Exhaling, he gazed up at the overcast sky and sat there silently. Life was such a drag. Training, planning, strategizing, look where all of this had gotten him. Wandering in a foreign city, a broken toy soldier escaping a hotbed of memories that gave him no peace by abandoning all of his promises and commitments.

Noticing that his cigarette was burnt almost all the way to the filter, the Nara slowly ground the butt out before tossing it away. Maybe if he just sat here for a moment and gazed at the clouds above, he would finally get to relax a bit.

In denial the wind began to pick up, rustling through the treetops, just like the breeze whispered in the leaves of the Nara forest. Where home was only a short walk away and his mother was there to scold him and his father for staying out at the clearing napping, when they should have been back for dinner already. Throat constricting at the thought of home, the shinobi stood up slowly, and began striding down a park path.

Konoha was certainly home with friends and family, but it was also a place of pitying looks, and haunting memories. He couldn't deal with that. Not if he wanted to be able to keep a priceless piece of himself. So wrapped up in thought yet again, the preoccupied man didn't notice where he was wandering until he walked straight into another park bench, sending him tumbling out of control.

"Shii-"

Trying in vain to catch himself with his right arm, Shikamaru crashed down into something surprisingly soft. Taking a moment to recollect himself, he groaned at was an irritating constant ever since he had lost his arm. Levering himself up, he froze upon see not what, but rather who, he had crashed into. A pale, drawn face with a massive mark on the forehead stared blankly back at him, eyes dulled in pain. A crimson stain on the right side of a battered lab coat, one of the few articles of clothing on the woman, illustrated the source of her silent suffering.

But even more than all those details was the sense that screamed to him of grave danger, of power that promised to slay those who crossed it. The feel of a dangerous combatant, something he thought he had left behind in the Elemental Nations. His scrutiny was quick and he felt himself sink into a combat state of mind. However, a pained wince, and the afflicted woman's condition called out to his annoying tendency to help those of a female nature.

No longer nearly as on edge, but still prepared should she turn violent, he decided to inquire if she needed aid. "Are you alright?"

Blinking slowly, she considered him fully before answering in an unwavering tone that held the faint undercurrents of despair. "Ah, I'm fine."

Scowling slightly at the evasive answer, Shikamaru continued. "Well I'm sorry for being trouble. Can I help you stranger-san?"

Focusing through the persistent pain, she considered him closely as if really seeing him for the first time. "Why would you help me?"

Not even bothering to hide his frown as numerous warning bells began to go off in his head, Shikamaru focused in on her. "You're hurt stranger-san, and I can't let a woman go injured, no matter how much of a drag it is."

Honest surprise flashed through her vacant features at his generosity, prompting thoughts in Shikamaru's head that had disturbing connotations. Looking up at him, the strange woman spoke four plaintive words that confirmed his growing suspicions in a most unpleasant way. "But I'm broken. Why?"

For a long, tense moment Shikamaru simply stared at the bleeding female who vacantly returned his piercing gaze. Then with a drawn out sigh he slumped onto the metal bench next to her bleeding side. "No one should ever have to feel that way."

Ignoring the hypocrisy of his own words, the lazy Nara considered his erstwhile companion. "May I inspect your wound? I don't have much medical training, but I do have enough to get by. The bedside tyrant from the local hospital back home made sure of that much."

Silently nodding, the woman watched the amputee bend in order to inspect the bleeding gash along her side. Clicking his tongue, Shikamaru looked back up at her. "I don't know which doctor you pissed off stranger-san, but that's a nasty little gash from a scalpel there."

She had clearly come from a horrible situation; a trying ordeal that had been grueling for both the spirit and soul. Shock seemed to have already set in, and the sanguinary laceration on her side needed medical attention. That meant he was going to have meet his contact with the village, which in turn meant being reminded kindly by her of how much everyone missed him. Not what he needed on a Thursday dammit. Running away from the problem wasn't an option, not with the still unnamed women's condition.

"And I won't be able to get cigarettes either..." Shikamaru grumbled to himself. Still he should get the name problem out of the way before anything else "Stranger-san, what is your name?"

Blinking at the question, the injured women focused in on the attentive man. "Ah, Akitsu."

"My name is Nara Shikamaru, and my apologies for falling into you earlier." After pausing for a moment to see if Akitsu would respond, he continued. "I know of someone who could help you with your injuries. Her name is Hyuuga Hinata and a friend of mine. Would you allow me to bring you to her for medical attention?"

Staring intensely at him as if he were something new and fascinating, Akitsu then glanced groundward before whispering with downcast eyes. "I can't have an Ashikabi."

Curiosity ignited at the strange word and the way she stated it as if it answered his question, Shikamaru gently questioned the depressed woman before him. "What's an Ashikabi, Akistu-san? I've never heard of that term before."

If the withdrawn female had been depressed before, now she had an almost palpable aura of anguish around her, arms tightly hugging her torso. Plaintively she answered, misery dripping off each word. "Ashikabi-sama is the reason for my existence."

So, an Ashikabi was meant to be a person, and something precious to Akitsu that she was forever denied. Despite wanting to unravel the unfolding enigma that was Akitsu, Shikamaru knew he needed to get her mind off of the dicey subject. Deciding that this called for a compassionate face, he went out on a limb and wrapped his remaining arm around her shoulders.

"Akitsu, it doesn't matter to me that you can't have an Ashikabi." Noting the unadulterated shock that graced her usually blank face, he carried on. "I see a woman who needs help, and my kaa-san would beat my skull in if she knew I slacked my way out of helping."

Calmly standing up, Shikamaru took one slender hand in his own and gently pulled Akitsu to her feet. "Now let's get you to Hinata-san."

Nodding dumbly, she allowed the shadow user to guide her down the park path. As she walked, a single thought clawed its way to the surface of her roiling emotions. Maybe, just maybe, she would finally be wanted.

I'd like to thank those who helped transform this from a plot bunny into the start of an actual story. You know who you guys are.

Any and all input, suggestions, and constructive criticism is welcomed. I always enjoy seeing where people take an idea and what happens when they give it a slightly different spin.

Anyways to those who made it this far, here is the nigh obligated review please. Until next time, TMF out.