"Well, this isn't something I ever expected to see, dattebayo..." Naruto mumbled to himself. Sasuke, Sakura-chan, AND Shikamaru had all come with food and all she-he had to offer were a few pieces of candy.
Really high-end candy, was he a thief in this Timeline?!
"Relax Dobe," Sasuke said, recovering quickly, he could smell the food that Sakura brought as soon as she'd entered by him. He'd missed her cooking."You have to worry about not bringing anything, your seals are equal payment enough." Setting the box full of Onigiri on the mat he'd spread out he sat down, legs crossed and opened it,
revealing neatly lined Onigiri in a very typical Uchiha fashion.
Naruto grinned, happy to see his best friends turned lovers alive and well. Sakura sighed at her future teammate's antics and nudged Shikamaru to sit with them. The Nara muttered a 'troublesome' under his breath and followed after her placing the bottle down and laid starfish style on the ground. Sakura snickered, patting his leg.
"Typical Nara," she said passing around bento boxes,"wake up you lazy bastard, I made Mackerel." That got him up, saying a quick itadakimasu, he began to eat. The members of Team Seven doing the same. They ate in an awkward silence, or at least three of them did. Naruto finished her-his meal first. And set about applying the privacy and barrier seals, once he'd finished he let out her-his pent-up excitement.
And slight anger.
/Cut 'em some slack, kit./Kurama rumbled from within,/They were practically dead./
"You guys really scared me back then, dattebayo!" Naruto fumed, crossing his arms, pouting. They made him believe they died, only for the Rikkudo-Jiji to tell him that they were planning to go back in time, the meanies!
"Listen you! I'm not the one that was bleeding out in front of me,"Sakura said, pointing an accusing finger at Naruto, and then set her sights on Sasuke, "nor was I the
one that gave up their life to Kaguya!"
/Wait. What./
Sasuke eyes widened, gave up his life for-"Wait, what. Sakura! All three of us beat Kaguya and sealed her away, we had at least 15 years of peace before an entity like her struck, both of you died...!"
/Wait you had to do that again?/
"Eh? Who's Kaguya?!" Naruto yelled she-he hated being out of the loop," We were fightin' the daimyos! The daimyos!"
/Granny?/
"That's a lot more different than my version of things, the Fourth Shinobi War was a result of a joint assault from Kumo and Iwa. In response, Kiri landed a blitz attack and called for an alliance between them Suna and Konoha. In the end, we won...but at the cost of our Jinchuriki, our largest merchant family and the winning battle had our last Uchiha hangin' on by a string," Shikamaru admitted, his gears turning coming to a very obvious conclusion.
/WHAT?!/
They did come back in time to a different timeline so one of two things were possible. They came from different points in time, or from different parallel worlds in entirety, in which case.
"The Multiverse theory," Sakura breathed, her gaze meeting Shikamaru's, he nodded. She'd read through the entire first floor of the library, and probably through the other floors considering her ties to Tsunade...but then again she could've gained different skills under different tutelage.
/The what now?/
"The what now?" Naruto parroted, he was so confused.
"It's a hypothetical set of universes and worlds alongside ours. They range everywhere from, being in a different time period to being a completely different world entirely with its own set of rules and everything," Sakura explained. They'd have to be careful not to deviate too much from this world's counterparts, though they seemed to play
their parts well enough so far it didn't raise suspicion.
"Then...that means you guys aren't the people I knew from my world right," Naruto whispered, fear evident in his voice, and then as if struck by lightning his face lit up in understanding," So that's why you guys didn't look twice my way! That makes so much more sense, dattebayo!" Naruto cheered.
"Dobe," Sasuke said in false irritation," what're you on about now?"
"I mean that I'm a boy now, teme!"
"Why wouldn't you be a -oh," Sakura understood, blushing heavily, it all made sense now, his fidgeting when they arrived and his rather discomfort when sitting down. Patting Sasuke and Shikamaru on the back, with a serious face she said," Good luck, teaching him is on you now."Sasuke looked at her like she grew a second head, and Shikamaru brushed her hand off to lie on the ground, muttering 'bothersome' as he did so.
"You guys are mean," Naruto pouted. Shikamaru chuckled, from where he lay," It's fun teasing you Naruto, you get riled up so easily."
"Hey!" Sakura giggled, Sasuke following after and from within Naruto's mindscape, Kurama merely uttered, /I just wanna know what the hag had to do with all of this./
It was a nice feeling, this peace, and quiet with no impending war looming over them. Naruto liked this peace, and with their combined experience they could definitely save lives.
Count on it, dattebayo!
"I guess that means we should re-introduce ourselves then," Sakura said hugging her knees, they'd sat in laughter nudging and telling jokes, forgetting the heavy burden they'd each set upon themselves, they'd left their world behind now, those futures had been forgotten and closed. They were setting off into the unknown, with no possible way of knowing what path they would take.
"Huh? Why?" Naruto asked, she-he already knew who they were, why would they need a re-introduction?
/Kit, same face, different person./ That didn't help facepalmed.
"Because just because we know each other's names doesn't mean we know each other that well," Sakura explained, at Naruto's confused expression she continued," I may have the same face as your Sakura, but I've experienced different things. The core of my personality may be the same but my war was very different from your war. It hurt me differently..." She whispered the last part, but they heard it well enough.
They stiffened from the sorrow in her voice. Her tone echoed their own feelings and the atmosphere became depressing, each of them wallowing in their own guilt, different yet all the same.
"Uzumaki Naruto..." Naruto began, her blue eyes focused on the floor. The other three people in the room confused at her-his statement.
"Naruto-what-"
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, my dad was the Yellow Flash and my mother was the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. She was also the former Jinchuriki of the Konohagakure no Sato, I succeeded my mother as Jinchuriki and both my parents and God-Father as a Fuinjutsu Master. I am the Head Matriarch- Was the Head Matriarch of the Uzumaki Clan, last known Clan of Uzushiogakure no Sato. I succeeded the Godaime Senju Tsunade as Rokudaime Hokage...only to watch my village nearly burn at the hands of the Elemental Nation Daimyos. Of the Konoha Twelve...I am the only one fit for duty."
/And if you'd stayed any longer you'd be the only one alive./
Silence greeted him, and she...he couldn't be more grateful, that was a word vomit and despite his boundless energy, it was hard...admitting he'd failed as Hokage.
"Haruno Sakura..." Sakura began, breaking the silence, it would be better to not have Naruto sit around and feel sorry for himself. Better to have him focused on absorbing all this information than the alternative.
"My name is Haruno Sakura. Born to the Konoha branch of an Uzushio trading family. My parents are-were average rank shinobi, although I have a feeling my mother was once Anbu...I think. I have an Eidetic Memory and exemplary chakra control which was helpful in my path to becoming an Iryonin under the tutelage of the Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade. During the Fourth Shinobi War... I worked with Konoha T&I under Yamanaka Inoichi when our Sen-"Naruto and Sasuke sucked in a breath, "when one of our own was compromised. Said compromised party suggested a suicide mission, which gave us a leg up in the war...our Anbu Commander and Rokudaime Hokage paid the ultimate price.
/WHAT?!How come ya keep dying Gaki!/
"I don't know who survived or what followed after, I came back right after Kaguya's sealing!" But that didn't justify her not sticking around, it was selfish of her wasn't it, to not come back to stop this ancient evil but rather because she just wanted her boys alive.
"Nara Shikamaru, Head of the Nara Clan and former advisor to the late Godaime and Rokudaime Hokage and Jounin Commander. Our war wasn't with this Kaguya, but rather it was a full-scale assault on Konoha, Kiri leaped into the fray for political reasons I won't discuss for the sake of keeping this simple. Iwa and Kumo's reasoning is that it as retribution-"
"Retribution?! Wait, you don't mean-?!"
"They somehow got wind that Naruto was the progeny of the Yellow Flash and with the way, he basically single-handedly won the Third War, he shamed Iwa and Kumo, Kiri saw this as an opportunity to get in with Konoha and with the trade benefits Suna would get from both Konoha and the possible strength it could amass from Kiri's remaining swordsman, Suna agreed and Konoha needed all the manpower it could get...We lost our Jinchuriki as I said before, and we lost one of the best Iryonin of our generation...Sasuke basically ended the war with his Katon Jutsu, Kumo couldn't rival his mastery of the Raiton, despite hailing from Kaminari no Kuni and Iwa's most powerful bombs required careful transportation.
"I saw that advantage and used it, didn't think the Sasuke of my timeline would go on so many suicide missions regarding that though...by the end of the war everyone was practically dead on their feet...I don't know about Team Eight, Kiba was still getting over Akamaru, maybe he let loose and..." he trailed of their, the Inuzuka's implied fate," and Team Nine suffered the loss of their Sensei and their Bukijutsu user TenTen, and you can infer the rest."
His story weighed heavily with Sasuke. They all did, they'd suffered so much before turning back time, and he'd at least managed to achieve some semblance of a happy ending before everything went to hell.
"I am Uchiha Sasuke, my story is one similar to Sakura's but different in the fact that we had close to fifteen years of relative peace after the entity known as Kaguya was sealed away. We all...well most of the Konoha Twelve and Sai settled down and had children. We lost Neji in the war and Gai...was forced to retire after he lost the use of his legs during the war...I think my timeline was closest to peace. I had found out the truth about the Uchiha Clan Massacre...and about Naruto's...childhood...the entire Shinobi Alliance did.
"That changed how everyone viewed Jinchuriki and we came a lot closer to understanding them after the war was over. Naruto and I lost an arm as proof of that," Sasuke chuckled, holding the one lost arm as if it would disappear if he let it go,"And then, as if our efforts were for nothing, Kaguya or remnants of her came and infected shinobi, by the time the information made its way back at least Two of the Five Great Elemental Nations had been ravaged, Konoha was next, I...got out with Naruto and both of our kids."
He stopped short...how could he tell them that he came back because it was part of his mission parameters, and not out of his own want to change things. He'd accepted that his wife was dead, that Sakura's dying breath telling him to take Sarada and go would be the last he'd ever get to see her again.
That he wanted to join his dead wife and daughter wherever they were.
"Sasuke-teme...what happened after that..." It was less of a question and more of an order, and despite the voice being so much more different and young, Sasuke responded to what was ordered of him," Naruto managed to save his son but had to leave behind the body of his wife and daughter and I managed to get my daughter out...but there wasn't any point. Naruto had lost his son long before we got to a safe distance, and my daughter died along the way.
"In the normal Uchiha fashion we burned the remains, and there Naruto gave me his last order as my Hokage, so I'm here only because of that," It wasn't too hard to admit, he was stating his mission parameters to his Hokage,"My Kage ordered this of me and failure is not an option."
He'd expected to get punched by one of them(Naruto maybe Sakura, after marrying him she let up the shy demeanor and was pretty upfront about some of the dumb things he did) a hateful mutter of troublesome. Not laughter.
"Sasuke," there was a notable lack of -kun along with his name, she had grown through a war after all,"you weren't the only one ordered around by our fool," "Hey!" "of a Hokage...say was he the Rokudaime for you too?!" She was pinching Naruto's cheeks as she looked at him, the mirth in her eyes clear to him.
Shaking his head no, eyes still wide with shock,"No, he was the Nanadaime. Kakashi was given the seat before him."
"He was only a Rokudaime candidate for me, but Kakashi ordered me to come back, but technically I think everyone regarded Naruto as our Hokage, even Kakashi himself..."Shikamaru stopped there," I recall Ino telling me something Sai said to you. Something along the lines of him hoping you'd get rid of ROOT permanently or at least officially list them as part of ANBU. No more hiding in the shadows or something like that."
...
"Well just add that to the pile then."
What.
/What./
"What?"All three of them looked at Naruto like the blond grew a second head, said blond grinned," Well we have a whole bunch of things we need to do, that includes making the lives of the friends who haven't met us yet, better." Like it was the simplest thing in the world. Sasuke snorted, and shook his head, best keep things simple for now.
Sakura nodded her head sagely and put her hand on Shikamaru's shoulder," We'll leave the planning to you, Chief Strategist."
"Was that the title I carried?" Shikamaru asked as he mentally rearranged some factors and variables, already listing several different possible strategies to use with all the basic information they'd each been given.
"Okay, break time is over, we need more information first if I'm even going to begin to stop half the things I'm sure each of our timelines has in common."
We need more information about this world's current state of affairs. Sakura I'm going to leave that to you and your Eidetic Memory.
Sakura stood amongst the many rows of the Konohagakure Public Library, a repository for general information allotted to the public about most things. Of course, mission parameters and results were inaccessible until you made Chunin and even then only Missions up till B-Rank was made available, you have to be Tokubetsu Jounin to even dream about seeing the information of S-Rank value and those were only handed out to ANBU.
She was worried she'd have to risk sneaking into the Genin and possibly Jounin to get certain bits of information Shikamaru had outlined as important for her to retrieve and bring back to the Founding Tree the following Saturday. They had only three months until the Uchiha Massacre by Sakura's count and after this week she'd make it imperative they at least begin training enough to do something about the coup d'etat that they were planning.
But that would be put on the backburner for now. On the second day, while she was clearing the nonfiction section lettered M-R, a certain unanticipated piece of information came to her notice immediately sifted through all the material she had, memorizing the words, for later revision and found the information she needed.
This world was eerily similar to Sasuke and hers except for one distinctive difference. A difference so unprecedented it could throw a wrench in the groundwork for some of their plans.
Orochimaru was an upstanding Shinobi in the service of Konoha. He was famous for a lot of the things he was famous for back in her world. He alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade fought against Hanzo and survived, thereafter an attack laid waste to certain platoons under his leadership during the war. The casualty amongst them was her Shishou's fiance.
From there it listed that her Shishou and he established the Konohagakure Treatment&Rehabilitation Center for Shinobi, and laid the groundwork for Iryonin training a plan that he alone continued the fight for Iryonin establishment on every team going in and out of Konoha. He mentioned how he couldn't have made it that far without her Shishou's help and Jiraiya's skill in Fuinjutsu.
And looking at the pictures of all three of them, she could see why. There was nothing but compassion and kindness in his eyes, none of the cold cruelty she came to know from her timeline.
Putting that behind her she put the book down, ready to move onto the next texts on Chakra control and application, even if those three weren't going to become full-fledged Iryonin, they could at least use some Field Medic training in case of dire emergencies.
"What you gonna try and become the next Tsunade kid?" A gruff voice from behind her said, it startled her, and she quickly turned around to the owner of said voice, it was that man! The one that always beat up Naruto and denied him the basic right to food!
Her anger was bubbling now, it wouldn't do anyone any good if she let him get the better of her. Especially because she was a Shinobi.
"Yes, she was a very strong kunoichi with exemplary Chakra Control, she also helped revolutionize our understanding of medicine-"
"Buncha hogwash," the man bit out, she read that her Shishou's untimely departure from Konoha after the Kyuubi Attack rubbed a lot of the citizens the wrong way, but they couldn't really blame her could they, she had hemophobia after what happened to her fiance all the blood from the Aftermath of Kurama's rampage probably shocked her so much into leaving."She ain't no real shinobi, probably stamped her name on there for helping a little bit, being the last of the Senju and all, you oughta be ashamed of yerself for even admiring that-"
"If you could refrain from both badmouthing my former teammate and from cursing in front of this young Shinobi in training, please," That voice usually made her skin crawl but today she found it nothing but reassuring the Vile Thing blanched bowed and apologized finally leaving her to her books.
"Jerk," she muttered as she turned to face her unexpected savior.
"Not the word I'd use, but for lack of a polite term yes, he was," she giggled at that and Orochimaru chuckled along with her, who would've thought she'd be laughing alongside a former enemy of hers.
"Now why would you be interested in my former teammate I wonder," his eyes fell on the books on Chakra Control and theory, and his eyes filled with...sorrow?
"Why are you sad?" she found herself asking before she had a chance to, Orochimaru's eye's widened in shock before he chuckled softly, bending down he patted her head,"Just remembering someone, you remind me of her...in more ways than one. Well then before I leave may I recommend you take this book with you when you leave?"
He quickly reached the book with ease(curse her tiny legs) and handed it to her. The title caught her interest, it was under her Shishou's name. She would definitely be taking this home, and the answer must've been written on her face because Orochimaru thanked her not two seconds later. And left with a blond child-NARUTO?!
"...what."
Sasuke, we need more info on the current clan events, can you do that for me.
It was easier said than done, Sasuke thought at first and then at dinner that night, he got his chance all of a sudden.
The dinner started easily enough they were eating with his maternal cousin Shisui and his family and they complimented on some of the sashimi he had helped his mother make particularly the ones he made. He was a bit afraid his mother would be upset, but she happily pointed out which ones he'd made and muttered something along the lines of 'You'll make a wonderful husband someday'.
He almost choked on his miso. Almost.
"Hmm, you son seems to enjoy cooking, it seems Fugaku-dono," Shisui's father began. And Sasuke had to hold back the urge to roll his eyes or make any kind of disapproving actions, like giving him the ol' stink eye.
His pride as an Uchiha be damned this was the same clan that generally ignored Naruto in his timeline.
Alas, it seems he'd been caught judging by the quick look his Father shot him, damn, he quickly schooled his face when Shisui's father glanced at him. His father answered back something generic and Shisui's father prodded again, his aunt shooting Mother an apologetic expression and continuing to eat her food.
Meanwhile, Shisui discreetly signed,'End me.' To Itachi, who signed back,'Sorry.' So Sasuke decided to go for the throat when Shisui's father made that next comment.
"It's just that he's an Uchiha, Fugaku-dono, should he not be perfecting his Katon technique's?"
"Is this your roundabout way of saying you don't like what we made?" Sasuke was honestly offended, he'd worked hard to perfect his cooking skills after the massacre and while he was out on the road after the war. He rarely got to eat Sakura's food so he took care to be a good enough cook so that when he came back he could treat her for a change.(He didn't get his chance until Mother's Day and even then, Sarad made most of the food and even picked out most of the gifts.(He was a horrible husband.'Mother I am so sorry!')
"How rude-!"
"Say's the guest that's disrespecting our food," Sasuke took a big bite out of the Onigiri his Aunt had brought, it was surprisingly delicious, but he paid it no mind, still angrily munching on the Onigiri. He heard Shisui whisper," He's like an angry chipmunk."
"How do you know what an angry Chipmunk look's like?" Itachi whispered back. Shisui chose to shut up then, obviously, the angry chipmunk story was embarrassing. Pity. Would've made a wonderful story... plus Naruto and Sakura would've tried to tame them or something.
...
When they left, Shisui's Father hoping he'd get a whipping or something and his Mother annoyed but courteous when they left, Shisui managed to throw him a thumbs up on his way out. Sasuke raised his eyebrow, and he'd heard an audible sigh from Itachi.
Making their way back to the sitting room for one last cup of tea, he thought he'd be sent to his room, he thought wrong.
Sitting at the table with no chatter made him uncomfortable, Sakura and Sarada always made sure there was some type of sound for him to filter through as they ate, the silence of dinner at his compound too much for him. Sakura had known why he needed her to keep talking but Sarada merely picked it up from her.
Now though he really wished one of those three were here.'Fuck.'
His Father stared at him as if wondering how to punish him, he began to take a sip of his tea, his mother finished pouring his brother and his cup and was just about to finish pouring his own and Sasuke decided that was a perfect time to speak.
"Father if you're going to punish me with a whipping or something, I'm going to disown myself and run away," he didn't worry about anyone listening in, Naruto and Shikamaru seal proofed the whole place.
His Father choked on his tea and his pride as an Uchiha willed any urge to spit-take away. His Mother and brother, about to raise their cups for a sip before slamming it back down like they do in the manga he sometimes read at stopovers during his trips outside the village. They were turned away from his Father who was coughing, his Mother instinctively handing him water, not looking at him directly.
'Mission accomplished.' He took a sip of his own tea, making a face at the bitter taste. Oh well, he'd get used to it...eventually.
"Sasuke," his Father began,"Tommorrow you will attend the Clan meeting with your older brother and myself, you will be expected to support him when he becomes Clan Head, as such this is the first step we will be taking in your Brother and your succession."
'Huh...that was easier than expected.'
Naruto, I need you to get a read on Jiraiya and Kakashi, and you need to read up more about your Clan here. We need to know everything about the role the Uzumaki's
play here and how to get you out of that shitty excuse of an apartment.
Honestly, Naruto had no idea how it got to this point. One day he was sifting through the trash in his apartment, and after 9 hours of continuous cleaning with only one clone running up and down the stair at a time, he'd finally finished only to find a butt ton of garbage at the front door.
Naruto had not time for this, but really he needed to go to the library with Jiji's help in person, so setting a specific set of instructions for a group of 20 clones at home,(he was a klutz, they'd dispel from stubbing their toe) he marched down to the Hokage office.
...
Or so he thought because right as he was nearing the Hokage Tower a mob of people decided they wanted retribution now. So instead of screaming, because last time that only made things worse for her-him, Naruto turned away and ran. And curse his stupid child-body, because his boundless energy ran out after 6 hours.
And they had finally caught him. It was a bit cliche but, his back against the wall and a crowd of angry citizens out for his blood, he felt as small as he was. Closing his eyes, he accepted he'd get out of this alive but scared.
Yet the hit never came, there was angry shouting but Naruto paid it no mind, having already learned to filter it out during his own timeline's childhood. He felt his body lifted into the air, and he could smell that comforting scent of Kaka-nii and Hebi-Sennin...?
When he finally opened his eyes, he saw the familiar Dog Mask, and all he could say was," Kaka-nii..."
"Not now Naruto," the toneless voice came, Naruto knew the sound of sleight surprise ANBU held if they were figured out, Kakashi was either very good...or he'd just ratted himself he'd find himself out soon enough.
"Fufufu," Orochimaru chuckled, keeping pace with Kakashi...it seemed more like he was slowing down for Kakashi now that he looked more closely. Quickly entering through the window, Hokage-Jiji had quickly put down his pen and waived his ANBU guard away, activating his privacy seals. Naruto was placed gingerly onto one of the seats, his legs dangling, not quite reaching the floor yet.
He took to staring at the floor, he hadn't seen the Sandaime in years, yet he probably saw him the other day in this world. He was a stranger.
"Naruto, I think we specifically talked about what you were supposed to say when you were caught like that last time," the Sandaime began,"why did you turn back and run?"
Shit.
/Quick make something up!/Like what!/You thought you could get away?/That'll never work.He bickered internally for far too long because Kakashi had placed a hand on his shoulder and lifting his mask her saw Kakashi with his fabled Sharingan and scar.
"There's no shame in admitting you were afraid," Naruto felt like crying, Kakashi hadn't had much time to take it easy once the war started, and it was moments like this she had missed dearly, especially after Sakura had passed. She'd been all that held Sasuke and her together in those days, and all three of them threw themselves into their work after that. Kakashi occasionally checking in on them periodically.(Until it was just making sure she ate every day.)
Kakashi ruffled his hair, and he pushed his hand away good-naturedly, a grin on his face.
"Regardless, please call for help next time Naruto. The ANBU on your guard roster have been chosen specifically because they will not hurt you," the Sandaime leaned back taking a smoke from his pipe.
"Sensei," Orochimaru interrupted," I think you had some important news for Naruto-kun." Naruto perked up at that, news just for him, the last time that happened he was six and just about to enter the Academy...he was definitely eight last time he checked. Did he forget something?
"Ah yes, Naruto how would you like it if Kakashi officially adopted you as a ward of the Hatake Clan?" The question had Naruto frozen to his seat...Kakashi wanted to adopt him? But why?
Kakashi patted him on the head," You don't need to decide now. I understand if-"
"Will you be home often? Are you gonna tell me about all your missions? Will I be living with you? Hey, can I get my own ninken, except I want foxes! Can I do that?!" He asked until Kakashi put up his hands to quiet him he obeyed.
"Yes, no, yes, and we'll see when you're older," Kakashi answered," Now Orochimaru-san has agreed to help you move most of your things to the compound, don't cause trouble now okay."
"Yes, sir!" Naruto saluted, that drew a chuckle from the room's occupants, with a bow Kakashi Shunshin'd away. Orochimaru's gaze fell upon Naruto," Now then, what was it that you needed at the Hokage tower before you were wrongfully chased away?"
Naruto scratched his head,"Ahaha, well a friend of mine mentioned seeing my last name listed as a Clan in the Konoha Public Records, and in her own Clan records so I wanted to ask if you could tell me more about them seeing as I can't get into the library because when I get close I get chased away and, why are you looking at me like that?"
Orochimaru and the Sandaime's face was full of cold fury, which they calmly did away with before Orochimaru quickly ushered him out to get his things from his apartment to bring to the compound. He didn't miss the look the ANBU Agents, Orochimaru and the Sandaime shared as he made his way out. He'd ignore it...this time at least.
...
And now here he was being dressed by Orochimaru for a dinner party at the Akimichi's that Friday night. He was dreading this immensely, he prayed to the Sage above that his Team Mates would be there.(Even though Sakura was technically a Merchant Clan Daughter.)
And I'll be gaining us the one ally that needs to be aware of the truth if we're going to do this without raising suspicion.
You mean your-
Yes.
Sitting still for 6 hours on end each day for the past 3 days would've driven Naruto mad the very first day, Sasuke mad the second and Sakura probably would've slipped up in anticipation by the third day, but for Shikamaru, this was something he'd rather do any day.
That was probably why the Teams were set up the way they were. Team Ten, Infiltration, Information Gathering and Capture. And right now for the third day in a row, he was going to beat his Father. A task he'd never been able to do, and after the war, he would've gotten his chance...he would have.
"Who are you?" Shikaku asked, his eyes focused on his form.
"I'm your son," Shikamaru replied easily.
"Oh," the 'no you're not' went unsaid but not unheard.
"Technically I am both your son and I am not your son..."Shikamaru explained generally moving another piece on the Father could fill the blanks on his own.
"You can't expect me to believe that," Shikaku replied, moving his remaining pawn forward.
"I don't, but I do expect you to believe the reason I came back for," Shikamaru replied, in another move he'd win. Shikaku gazed at the board and sighed, moving his piece inevitably to its doom. He may as well accept defeat with grace.
"To protect the 'King' I presume?" Shikaku gazed at the person who was his son and not his son. Shikamaru moved his piece forward deliberately avoiding his Fathers forfeited King piece.
"No," he answered simply. And with that Shikaku won. They sat in silence, and Shikamaru wondered if he was going to be sent to T&I.
"Hm," he heard his father begin to chuckle, a firm hand on his head, Shikaku grinned,"It seems I've taught you well, my son."
"Pssh, I let you win that time," he'd beat him someday.
