Hmna: I know this is a late update but I am now back in my hometown, Yangon, where internet connections aren't that superb. Also, I've started to study for some exams. But what I want to say is I'm still continuing ALL of my fan fictions so I do hope that your supporting continues too!
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"Lost? But I don't get it. I mean you always train here."
"Ummm.... I do. But I've ne-never seen these trees and-and this clearing," Hinata replied anxiously.
Was this genjutsu? the genius thought.
"Kai!"
But just as he thought, that wasn't. Even if it was, it wasn't the kind he could easily release.
"Hinata, try activating your byakugan."
"Ha-Hai, Byakugan!" Veins appeared on the pale girl's determined face. Then she gasped.
"What... Why?" Shikamaru asked her. Being a chuunin and actually because that wasn't in his character, he was rarely panicky.
"I-I can't see the training ground." She told him, her voice trembling.
"But we've just left it." He knew something was indeed odd but he thought that it was best to talk like things were normal as the poor girl was getting paler every second, and her panic could be well-sensed.
Then, suddenly, he sensed the presence of people other than them.
He looked around, but saw no one. But there was no mistaking that there were people, no less than three. At least, he could sense their chakra. It was always hard to conceal that amount of chakra. Fellows or foes, he didn't know but due to the current circumstances, it was more likely to be foes. The fact that they were hiding, still not showing up, only meant that they would attack at any moment.
"Hinata, please activate your byakugan again," he told the hyuuga heir, caring his voice to be normal, he didn't want her to be panicky.
Seconds after she had activated her byakugan, Shikamaru heard her gasp again.
"Shi-Shikamaru-kun, we-we are not alone..."
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"Looks like we are discovered." With that, three masked men suddenly appeared in front of them. Then, just as sudden as they appeared, Hinata was in their hands, unable to move as a kunai was placed threateningly on her neck.
Shikamaru hastily tried to shadow-bind the trio but couldn't succeed as the darkness was denser than it should be.
Then, in one swift moment, the three men, taking Hinata, took off.
Shikamaru had no choice but to chase them further into the forest.
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To cut things short, for several different reasons such as the three men were not that strong of shinobi, Shikamaru was a genius, seeing Hinata in a life-threatening situation made the lazy shinobi fought with all he had, Shikamaru was a genius, Hinata tried with all her might to escape in front of the one she... well, admire..., and Shikamaru was a genius, they defeated the masked men.
One was knocked out, and the other two were tied together.
"Who are you? What's your purpose?" Shikamaru demanded the two who were conscious.
"We can't say."
"What's the meaning of this? Would you rather die then?" His expression was stern. The Hyuuga girl looked at him, wondering if he would really kill them if they didn't state their purpose.
But then, just at that moment, they were joined by two other people. Shikamaru turned quickly to attack, but then realized that they were Shizune and Kurenai.
"S-Sensei!" Hinata stuttered in surprise.
Kurenai smiled at her pupil. Then, turning to Shikamaru, she told him, "Actually, you don't need to kill them, Shikamaru."
"What do you mean?"
"Actually," Shizune started to explain, "this was a test to examine your progress as a chuunin. To be exact, the test's aim was to find out whether you are capable of being a chuunin exam examiner."
"But I don't want to be a chuunin examiner. It's too ...troublesome."
"There's no choice. Tsunade-sama assigned you to take part in the examiner selection tests."
Inwardly, Shikamaru cursed the honourable hokage.
"So you set up all these?" he asked the two women who were also only a bit less troublesome.
"Oh, that reminds me," Kurenai performed some hand seals and released the genjutsu. It was genjutsu after all, but there's no surprise he couldn't release it since it was formed by the genjutsu expert kunoichi.
"So you have passed the first stage, Shikamaru," Shizune continued. "The next tests will be held with your knowledge that it was a test."
"You mean there are more tests?" What did he do to deserve all this? Out of habit, he looked up at the sky to see his beloved clouds. Shit, it was already dark. Even his clouds weren't at his side now.
But then, he remembered the girl who was there all along. "Were you involved in this set-up too?" Actually, inwardly, he believed that this girl would never deceive him.
But Kurenai reassuring that her pupil didn't know the plan relieved the lazy shinobi all the same.
They all walked back to the village, including the ones they fought (the two guys carried their unconscious friend, Just when did our lazy genius become so hot-tempered??)
"Anou... Shikamaru-kun" Hinata called out softly as they walked.
"Yes?" he answered her, who was blushing for some reason.
Her voice came out as a whisper.
"I really hope you pass all the tests. Good luck!"
"Well...well..." he replied, scratching the back of his head.
But despite himself, he found that he wanted to pass them too, especially, since she wanted him to be so. After all, he sure wanted to be the one to examine her.
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Hmna: I do hope that you like the plot. Thanks for all the ideas and support. Without them, I mightn't have continued. In fact, because of the increasing words of support, my fan-fiction writing mode returned after two weeks of messing with other things.
In fact, ideas for the tests and development of this a-bit-odd pairing would be well-appreciated.
