A Troublesome Chance
Disclaimer- Shikamaru's plans are all mine (evil laugh), but the characters and a good deal of the plot aren't...
Chapter 3- An Old Team and the Troublesome Missions...
Asuma's PoV
"Alright team, let's start by introducing ourselves starting with our likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams for the future," Asuma grunted as he examined the team before him. In his opinion, they could be great, even surpassing the former Ino-Shika-Chou trio. He had heard from their fathers that over the last month they seemed to have taken training more seriously and started working on chakra control. Judging by their fathers, it would have been quite the chore to train them had they not takin it in their own interest. He would have had to motivate Shikamaru, persuade Chouji that sparring wouldn't hurt his friends, and keep Ino from dieting and fangirling. He still couldn't figure out why the Nara in his team looked at him a few times with disbelief on his face.
"Seeing as none of you know me, I'll go first," the former Guardian began. "My name's Asuma Sarutobi. I like smoking, shogi, and this village. Things I hate... those who judge their opponent quickly and traitors. Hobbies... Probably smoking, eating at that BBQ place down the road, Yakiniku Q, and playing shogi with my friends. As for dreams, I'll make you guys great shinobi to protect Konoha and the land of fire. I also want to play Shikamaru in shogi. You next, chubby." Chouji's face flushed red in embarrassment and the other two chuckled. Asuma grinned back, obviously not being serious and just poking fun.
"I'm Chouji Akimichi," he began slightly shyly. "I like food and Shikamaru. I dislike bullies and people who hurt my friends." He shared a look with Shikamaru, and they both had some type of understanding there. "My hobbies are eating and watching the clouds with Shika. Training or hanging out with them is alright too I guess. Uhh... My dreams... I want to make my father proud and keep my friends safe." Asuma nodded in understanding. It seemed as if Chouji had inherited the gentleness of his clan and could be strong enough to protect them with some prodding.
"You're turn, loud blonde."
"HEY I'M NOT THAT LOUD!"
"Suuuuuure," replied the sensei.
"Fine. I'm Ino Yamanaka. I like flowers and Sasuke-kun! I dislike Sakura, I mean Forehead. My hobbies are watching Sasuke-kun, being with my friends, and shopping. My dream used to be with Sasuke-kun, but now I want to be a top notch kunoichi better than Forehead." Dammit, thought Asuma, I thought these guys would be easy. I just had to get a team with a fangirl didn't I? Granted she says she's not as bad as she was before, but at least their teamwork will be pretty good without taking too much work.
"Lastly, the slacker."
"Hmph, just because I didn't do the written test, it doesn't make me a slacker."
Ino didn't look convinced. "But you are a slacker."
"Troublesome," murmured the pineapple haired genin, giving the blond a tick on her forehead before she calmed down. Asuma sweat dropped as he realized his team will be a handful.
"My name is Shikamaru Nara. I like clouds, deer, strategy games like shogi, and my friends. I dislike anything that's too troublesome and those who don't seem to understand what peace actually means." He was sure that the boy had some odd undertone to the last few words. "I don't particularly like people who mess with my friends either. My hobbies are cloud watching, sleeping, and playing shogi. My dream is..." he thought for a moment. "My dream is to achieve the goals of someone I knew."
Asuma shot him a question look. "Hmm? What'd that be?"
"World peace. That way I could settle down in a less troublesome world with a nice wife and have two kids, a girl then a boy, retire when my son is a successful shinobi and my daughter is married, only to play shogi or Go for the rest of my life." He finished the last half with a tired yawn and proceeded to lay down on his back and stare at the sky.
"... Interesting." Asuma stared sideways at him but could make neither heads nor tails of the lazy boy with such an unheard of conviction. It was like he was bipolar, really. He seemed to just be a lazy slacker until it came to protecting things when he'd get determined and serious. What a group of intriguing characters.
"What do we do now?" Ino asked.
Everyone heard a loud rumbling. "Can we get some lunch?"
"Tell you what, Chouji," their teacher said, "if you guys fight me one on one so I can judge your skills, I'll take you to lunch. Normally we'd do a test for teamwork, but it'll probably be unnecessary seeing as your clans drilled that into you. What do you say we get this over with? Ino, you first."
Ino stood up from her sitting position along with Asuma as they moved away from the other two to the center of training ground 10. Chouji was watching intently from his sitting position while Shikamaru seemed to be asleep. Chouji nudged the lazy Nara, making him shoot up into a sitting position before complaining about not getting enough sleep.
With the shout of begin, the two launched into a one-sided taijutsu battle. Asuma was obviously playing with Ino, dodging every one of her sloppy attacks by mere inches. Ino went for a punch at his chest, and he slapped it aside.
"Defend," he commanded, turning her momentum against her. At relatively slow speeds for a jonin, he placed some quick attacks towards her upper body. She got hit in the right shoulder and again in the stomach, knocking her back five feet and landing her on back.
"Again." Ino reluctantly stood up and placed her hands in front of her.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu," (Mind body switch technique) she proclaimed as her body slumped forward.
"I win," said Asuma with an odd looking grin. A few seconds later Ino's body shook and she stood back up with a triumphant smirk. Shikamaru sighed. It was obvious that their sensei didn't mind getting caught in the jutsu to test her ability.
"Good job, though your taijutsu and strength could use a lot of work," the real Asuma complimented. Ino nodded. She's quite competent at the clan technique. She should probably go ask her father about the next level. "Chouji, you're next." Ino sat back down as the round boy stood up.
"Asuma-sensei, I don't want to fight." He looked at the ground in shame.
"Why not?"
"I don't think I could make myself hurt my friends. Sure, I've spared, but it doesn't mean I like doing it."
"You need to push yourself to get stronger to protect your friends. Come at me with everything you have or your friends are as good as dead." The boy's look of shame slowly morphed into determination.
"H-hai, Asuma-sensei. Baika no Jutsu!" (Multi-size technique) His body poofed into a big round circle with a head and four stubby arms. "Nikudan Sensha!" (Human bullet tank) He pulled his head and appendages into the circle and began spinning at impressive speeds.
The ball jumped forward at the jonin. Asuma clenched the cingarette tightly in his teeth as he raised his hands to block the boulder. With a slight screeting noice, the spinning Chouji was stopped mid-revolution.
"Chouji, you need to work on your rotation speed and strength."
"Alright Asuma-sensei. Good luck Shikamaru," he said as Shikamaru groaned and stood up.
The other two were interested in the fight. They knew Shikamaru had gotten strong, but neither could tell by how much.
"Are you ready, Shikamaru?"
"It's troublesome, but I guess I gotta do this." Asuma slipped into his taijutsu stance and began the match.
Shikamaru sat down and placed his hands in a large 'o'. Ino and Chouji knew immediately that Asuma would be in for a tougher match than he expected. What's he doing? wondered their sensei. "Never be caught off guard," commanded their sensei, charging at the Nara heir.
His hands flew into the rat seal and multiple shadows extended towards Asuma, forcing him to hop back nonchalantly. "You interrupted my thinking, Asuma-sensei..." he groaned. "To borrow a phrase... 'Let's go wild.'" Asuma started jumping away as the shadows shot at him from the ground. Suddenly, the shadows stopped.
They can only go 20 meters, huh? I can't let him get to the trees. As long as he is over twenty meters from the forest, I'm safe. It's a good thing he's in the center of a roughly hundred by sixty meter clearing. "You'll need another trick up your sleeve to catch me." He made a few hand signs and called out "Fuuton: Diatoppa" (Wind release: Great breakthrough).
Just before the large gust of wind struck Shikamaru, his hands switched into the bird seal, and he used Kage nui (Shadow sewing) to send shadowy tendrils around his body, making a barrier. He was pushed back five feet as he held on. "Good use of your clan's technique."
"This match has hardly begun." Asuma replied to this by pulling out his chakra blades and activating his Hien (Flying swallow). Large blades of wind charged chakra surrounded them. Asuma had to figure out how to approach his student without being caught by Kagemane. Suddenly, a light bulb flashed in the jonin's head and he used "Fūton: Fūjin no Jutsu!" (Wind release: Dust cloud technique) After he blew smoke out and obscured the battlefield, he created two Kage bunshin to rush in and take out the supposedly incapacitated Shikamaru.
Shikamaru, meanwhile, was struggling to see through the dust cloud. Just barely, he could make out two copies of Asuma and ensnared them both with a shadow. Then, a blur appeared in front of him as the real Asuma appeared with a chakra blade pointed at his neck. The two other ones popped out of existence in a cloud of smoke. As the jonin ran at him, he reached in his pocket and threw a kunai with an explosive tag one foot in front of him, stopping his sensei from charging in.
The sound of the tag hissing put both opponents in a 'oh shit,' attitude before a large explosion knocked them both to opposite sides of the clearing.
Asuma could see Shikamaru all the way on the other side, struggling to stand up. The other two other members of the team were in awe with the level of fighting that the their friend was displaying. For him to be on par with a jonin...
"Clever use of explosive tags, Shikamaru. To think that you could predict that those two were kage bunshin and use an explosive kunai as a deterrent. I'm proud, but I know you'll be running on empty soon. I'll finish this without having to use any dangerous jutsu." He once again rushed at his genin opponent.
"Kage nui no jutsu." Large tendrils of his shadow shot at Asuma, stopping him from moving forward.
"You're low on chakra... that was a reckless move," he mentioned as he dodged a few tendrils of the shadow at insane speeds, shifting slightly to his left. Asuma was unaware that he approaching the trees.
"It decided the match." Asuma was confused for a second, then he felt it. With a sudden realization, he noticed he couldn't move. "Kagemane no jutsu... success."
"But, how?"
"Look behind you," the genin advised lazily. Sure enough, as both of their head turned, Asuma saw a shadow extending from the back of his left foot all the way to the clump of trees on that side. He pushed me to one side of the clearing with that kunai, forcing me within range of his sadow technique if he piggy-backed it off the trees. At the same time, he pushed himself back to allow him to use the trees behind him.
"You knew that my bunshin was a feint!"
"Yeah," he replied nonchalantly, "the first attack is almost always a feint. When I saw two, I knew for sure that it was a type of clone, so I waited for the third one, as one often hides behind the others, to make my move. Then, when you were dodging my shadow, I pushed you just within range of my kagemane. I don't have any more chakra, so I guess you win..." as he said the last part, the technique dropped and Asuma was free to move.
The three were just plain baffled at the genin before them, and each knew that he was chuunin level for sure.
Asuma couldn't be happier. "When we get your reserve's up, you three will be a force to be reckoned with. Ino, Chouji, I suggest that you both take your training as serious as Shikamaru and learn some more jutsu from your clan. Tomorrow we'll work on tree walking, but today I say I treat you all to some BBQ, ne?" Shikamaru fell backwards on the ground and started to take a much deserved nap. Asuma sighed at how the genius of the century could just sleep like that.
Chouji smiled. "Thanks Asuma-sensei." He nudged his frend up, much to the Nara's dismay.
"I'm going to play Shikamaru in shogi afterwards, no ifs, ands, or buts."
With that, the new team headed out for some food with a hungry Akimichi, confused Yamanaka, and tired as hell Nara.
(A/N: holy fuck that fight scene was awesome to write. Hope you all liked the strategy as much as I did. BTW Shika isn't nearly as strong as Asuma. Asuma just didn't use his full speed or jutsu repertoire and wasn't trying to injure Shika in any way. Plus, he underestimated the Nara, which is an awful idea as proved by Hidan... Now, Ino and Chouji may seem weak to him, but seriously? That's beleivable considering how Shika has future high-rank techniques, larger chakra reserves now, and amazing strategy.)
Shikamaru's PoV
The team had split to go their separate ways after the late lunch. Shikamaru decided to go on a walk with Chouji and talk about pointless things while Ino had taken it upon herself to help at the flower shop. Asuma promised that the next day, they'd test elemental affinities and practice chakra control. Shikamaru groaned while he walked as he got memories of two of the three kage bunshin who decided to not do any work for the day. At least the third one made up for it...
Shikamaru and Chouji were looking around to find their favorite blond, actually they didn't particularly like either any more than the other. On one hand, he was demanding, talkative, and sometimes loud while Naruto was dense, idiotic, and sometimes too wise for his own good. Those times were limited. In short, they meant Naruto, seeing as Shikamaru needed to know if they had still cooperated and passed the test. Then again, he doubted that Kakashi would fail a team with the last Uchiha, a daughter of a civilian councilman, and his sensei's son. Still, its nice to worry about one's friends sometimes.
While he was worried about that, he was more concerned over Asuma revealing too much to Shikaku. Sure, Shikamaru had gotten lucky when he trapped his sensei, and he also knew the mans tactics like the back of his hand. Not only that, Asuma didn't want to use wide area-of-effect jutsu or any high-ranked jutsu. It had even caused a good amount of burns on his left arm to get a leg up on his sensei. Still, he father wouldn't see it like that. He'd know just how impressive it is for a genin to officially beat a jonin, especially one as strong as Asuma, even if they weren't going all out. He didn't want the recognition yet.
Nonetheless, Shikamaru decided what will happen, will happen, ironically. From Naruto's recent changes in personality, he knew that even small changes could cause something big, so he just had to let it happen and not worry significantly over the outcome. Yet.
He abandoned the odd realm of his thoughts when he saw the spiky-haired blond boy eating a large bowl of miso ramen at Ichiraku's. "Hey, Naruto!" He greeted.
He was met by a grin and the boy turned around, leaving Shikamaru to gape, resembling a fish. "Whats wrong?"
Chouji answered for the dumbstruck Nara. "You're not wearing your orange jumpsuit..."
"Oh ya! Kakashi-sensei told me I needed a better outfit for survival training tomorrow. I have to say, I like this better." Shikamaru nearly punched himself for causing the one change he'd never even have thought about. In what world does Naruto wear black warm up pants, a navy blue and black ANBU shirt, ANBU gloves, and the only orange being an Uzumaki swirl on the back. IN WHAT WORLD? The Nara was groaning for not seeing this coming, especially with his friend's new calmness and fuuinjutsu intrests.
"So you're test is tomorrow?" Shikamaru pointed out, trying to be as stotic as possible with this foreign Naruto. In a few moments after he said that, he'd overcome his irrational fear.
"Ya! I'll pass it for sure, 'ttebayo!" So the kid hadn't lost that... good. Oh man, what if Naruto doesn't stay a fool, never meets Jiraiya, then is captured by Nagato, and the second chance was worthless? That's so troublesome.
"Asuma-sensei told us we passed already," Chouji commented offhand.
"Didn't you guys do survival training?"
Shikamaru answered both of their questions. "The evaluation is basically a test of teamwork. There are a variety of tests to do, the most common of them pitting members of the team against each other to see if they can overcome the rules and complete the task together. However, my team, considering how our clans are famous for working together, probably wouldn't have needed to go through that troublesome training, so we just did skill evaluations."
"I kind of get it?" Naruto said with a questioning tone at the end before grinning stupidly... again. "I bet you got your asses kicked by your sensei! He's Jiji's son!"
Chouji answered. "Shikamaru almost beat him."
"Really!?" Naruto exclaimed in awe of his friend who he knew was strong. Strong enough to beat Sasuke-teme.
"Meeh, it was a bunch of factors other than me. He underestimated me, didn't use his stronger jutsu, didn't try enough, and didn't want to hurt me... So I basically won on a fluke."
"Come on Shika," sighed Chouji, "you may be modest, but don't sell yourself short."
"Ohhhh, how troublesome!"
"What?" The two friends asked.
"I'm late. My mother's going to KILL me." They both laughed, having unfortunately met his mother before.
"Well, bye then Shika and Naruto, I'll go home also."
"Bye, guys," Naruto said.
"Good luck, Naruto," Shikamaru stated. Chouji echoed him before they parted separate ways.
A Week Later
Training ground ten was permanently occupied by four people since the students had graduated the academy. Their sensei had persuaded them into bringing take-out from their favorite BBQ place to snack on while they did chakra control. Asuma couldn't help but feel glad about his student's achievements already.
They had tested out their teamwork the second day and found out that they'd be even better than the previous generation. After all, it's everyone's destiny to surpass their fathers. This was how the team worked in the sensei's opinion.
Shikamaru was the planner. He'd take charge and get team ten to follow a single plan with a few back up possibilities. He would never initiate the spars, knowing that the opponent would give away information in the way they make the first move. The thing was, the boy had unbelievable patience, and could just stop himself from moving for hours while remaining attentive. That was a side effect of laziness.
Chouji was the brawn. When their enemy was pinned down, Chouji would take them out. If the other two were having trouble trapping the enemy, Asuma, in their techniques, the Akimichi would use his clan jutsu to force their sensei into Shika's trap. He was also incredibly kind and forgiving, which can always be a positive trait if used at the right times.
Ino was the one who kept them in line. She would force them to do work when neither wanted to and often wound up having to finish their spars with her mind technique before the other two left to do other things. Asuma also had the belief that she'd make a good medic from her precise chakra control and relatively small reserves.
All in all, their team was rounded perfectly, no offense Chouji, and could take on a variety of missions. Still, Asuma couldn't help but smirk at them doing 'troublesome' D-ranks.
"Oi, Asuma-sensei," Shikamaru interrupted his thoughts. "Aren't we going to check our affinities today? You promised us, and you know upset Chouji would get if you didn't follow up."
Their sensei chuckled. "Of course, Shikamaru. Ino, could you grab some of the chakra paper from my bag? Yes, that, and make sure not channel any chakra through them yet." Ino handed the papers and sat down with the other two genin, uncharacteristically quiet.
She was tired of her and Chouji being forced to work day in and day out on clan techniques and chakra control. At least, for the two of them, the clan stuff was easier with the chakra control, and they were now able to do a good few more useful jutsu.
"Alright, my little genin. We are going to test your affinities today." He held up one of the sheets and channeled chakra through it. The students watched as it split in two instantly and each side burst on fire. "That means that mine are katon and fuuton. You're turn Shika."
The cloud-boy grabbed a sheet and it immediately disintegrated. He sighed, doton still...
After prodding from their teacher, Chouji grabbed a paper and his too turned to dirt.
Ino's paper shocked everyone. Like their teacher, she had two affinities, suiton and raiton.
"Hmm, interesting affinities everyone. And you're in luck, as I know someone with knowledge of them all. He is, as you may know, a teacher of this years genin."
Ino groaned. "Please tell us it isn't Kakashi-sensei. He's later than Shikamaru, and he's lazier too!"
"Sorry, kiddos, you're out of luck. If you guys don't want to bother him I can just get some scrolls. My father's library would have something." They all nodded furiously, making Asuma wonder why their students disliked Kakashi so much. He chose to pursue the topic another day, but he never did find out it was because of Naruto.
The blond jinchuuriki had told them all about Kakashi's unexcused lateness, lack of teaching, and porn reading habits.
So they left to get some scrolls and began to work on learning C-rank jutsu for the next three weeks.
Weeks Later- Shika PoV
Asuma-sensei was much more involved with their training than before. He reasoned it was because of him, as Shikamaru had tried to tame their different personality quirks. He had even taken to being slightly on time and only sleeping during training for an hour. His clones had every right to do his work anyways, not that his team knew. When he had shown Asuma the laying-on-water chakra control exercise, the jonin was floored.
"This is the best invention since shogi!" He exclaimed, promptly trying to lay on the water. Soon, the whole team was doing it, and boy did it do wonders for their control.
When they had enough to learn basic elemental jutsu, Asuma had given them each a scroll on a jutsu to benefit them specifically. Ino got one for both suiton and raiton.
Shikamaru eventually figured out how to turn a leaf to dirt in a simple training exercise, allowing him to learn the D-rank Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu (Earth release: Double suicide decapitation technique) where he dragged enemies into the ground. It would be useful, but he had to get to the higher level, landscape altering techniques to incorporate his shadows.
Chouji was a natural at the element and quickly learned the Doton: Doryūheki (Earth release: Earth-style wall) and the Doton: Kengan no Jutsu (Earth release: Rist rock technique) both of which went seamlessly with the multi-size jutsus.
Ino learned Suiton: Mizurappa (Water release: Wild water wave) and Raiton: Jibashi (Lightning release: Electromagnetic murder) though she couldn't form seals fast enough to use a shocking collaboration jutsu. She also had low amounts of chakra, so the force of those techniques was relatively low.
All in all, Shika beleived they were ready for a C-Rank mission.
Asuma agreed. When they went into the mission office after capturing Tora for the fifth time, the former Shinobi Guardian said "Tou-san, my team is ready for a C-Rank."
The Hokage, an old man with a pipe protruding slightly, made no attempt to have confidence in his son. "Are you positive?"
"Hai, they have impeccable teamwork and each know an elemental jutsu if they get in a bind. I doubt they'd need much more than their clan jutsu on a C-Rank however." Shikamaru agreed with his sensei's statement.
"Hmm, I guess I can give you an escort mission we just got in today. Can you please escort the client in?" An assistant nodded before running out the door and returning a few seconds later.
The man, old man, they were supposed to escort had a grey beard, small glasses, and a bottle of saké sloshing around in his hands as he tried to stay upright. He wore a dark grey, sleeveless v-neck with a towel slung across his neck. "This is my protection? A fatty, cute girl, bored kid, and their sensei?"
"Ah, yes," Hiruzen chuckled under his breath. "Tazuna, meet team ten, they will be escorting you to your home in the Land of Waves." Shikamaru couldn't decide whether to think oh shit! or how troublesome.
A/N- Dun, dun, dun... Team ten now has the infamous wave mission. Will Shikamaru be able to keep up Naruto's legacy and protect the Wave? Will he be able to do better and save two mercenaries from the wrong path? Who knows? (well I do)
Anyways, that concludes chapter three. Team ten is going to be strong this time, and so will team seven when we see them again.
Just warning you, team seven won't join up on the wave mission, so sorry those of you who want Naruto action. There will be plenty of that in both the Chuunin exams and the Invasion arcs.
Naruto will be stronger and smarter as well. By the invasion, he'll have decent skills in fuuinjutsu, and I hope to have him on the path to learning the hiraishin. Amazing what a few friends could do for the kid, ne?
Thanks for the support and reviews! Also, tell me if you want me to keep updating team ten's ninja stats. Here's an example of what I'd do
Shikamaru Nara
Rank: Genin
Taijutsu: 2
Ninjutsu: 4
Genjutsu: 2.5 (he does not often use genjutsu)
Intelligence: 5
Strength: 2
Stamina: 2.5
Hand seals: 3
Total: 21
Borderline B-Rank (closer to C)
Notes: Shikamaru is extremely adept with the Nara clan's signature shadow ninjutsu. He had amazing intelligence, average taijutsu skills, and enough speed in hand seals to avoid close combat. It is nearly impossible to expect a win if he has time to prepare and his opponent is B-Rank or worse.
Ps- I'm taking suggestions for a new Nara jutsu that Shikamaru can learn. You can also throw some ideas in for a Yamanaka jutsu, but Ino won't use it if its too advanced until shippuden.
Also, sorry I didn't include a Tora scene. If you want it, mention it in a review if it's not too troublesome.
Until next time folks,
~Waffles