Disclaimer: Just in case no one noticed the disclaimers in every other chapter, I will repeat: I do not own Naruto.


Choji had set off for his mission feeling invincible. Mitsu loves me! But that feeling had soon dissipated. It was hard to be happy while trying to dodge kunai fitted with exploding tags, poisoned senbons and to protect the "merchant" who had hired them. If he was really an innocent merchant, he wouldn't have enemies like these after him, and this wouldn't have been a C rank mission. This was supposed to be an easy mission, a break. But their attackers were more than just your ordinary bandits. Either way, he still had to win. He had promised Mitsu that he would return, that nothing could stop him from returning to her.

Dodge, parry, jump, smash, how long has this battle dragged on for? The sides were pretty evenly matched. Their attackers were less skilled, but they were persistent and there were four of them against just Choji and Shikamaru. The recovering laze couldn't immobilize all of them at once, and their efforts to reduce their opponents numbers had left both sides breathing hard, but still at an impasse. Choji remembered a talk Shikamaru had once had with him, describing how in Shogi, when at an impasse, sometimes one had to use a sacrificial piece. I don't want to die, but maybe I don't have to.

Choji charged the middle ninja, and the shinobi raised his kunai, ready to slash down, expecting the Konoha ninja to once again parry with his own kunai and try to slash back as had happened the last several times. Instead, Choji left his kunai, opting instead to try to evade the attack while still moving forwards. It worked in part. He felt the knife rip through the cloth at his side and a spreading, warm wetness, but he managed to punch the other ninja in the head hard enough to throw him back several feet and knock him out. As the foreigners looked to where their leader lay crumpled, Choji took advantage of the opportunity and charged, heedless of the pain in his side. Choji knocked out the remaining ninja that Shikamaru had not captured with his shadow when they were momentarily distracted. One hand pressed to his side to try to stop the bleeding, he used his remaining hand to take care of the immobilized ninja. Before the last opponent had even hit the ground, Shikamaru dashed over to his best friend who was swaying, slightly at first, then more and more.

When Choji opened his eyes again, he saw the all too familiar white ceiling of the hospital. Turning his head slightly he could see his best friend asleep in the chair beside the bed and Mitsu looking at him with worry in her eyes. "I'm all right." He assured her. "I promised I would be all right. I have no intention of breaking my promises to you. I could never do that to you." Tears welled up in Mitsu's eyes, and she didn't try to halt them from trailing down her cheeks and dripping off of her chin, as she moved nearer to the bed, a tender look in her eyes.

Shikamaru continued feigning sleep even though he was awake and pleased that his friend was conscious. The nurse had said that he would make a full recovery, but it was always more reassuring to see, or in this case hear, that he would be all right. He could hear Choji's voice, and that was enough. He and Mitsu needed their moment, and he wasn't going to interrupt. Troublesome. I think Temari is beginning to rub off on me. He opened his eyes slightly to see Mitsu tenderly cup Choji's cheek with one hand. They were so sweet, all the time. Now why couldn't I have chosen a sweet girl like her for a girlfriend? Oh, that's right. I didn't choose Temari, she chose me. It figures the only woman more scary than my mother would choose me. Though his thoughts sounded unhappy, the smile on his face rivaled those present on Choji and Mitsu's faces. Love is sure funny.