Shikamaru entered his house, aching and mentally groaning.
He stopped in the middle of the kitchen; Aburame Shira stood there, pale and in ninja gear. Since Shina wasn't a Konoha ninja, there was no real reason for her to be like that.
But she was sweating, and her face was red.
"- have even to stave off the poison. My sister in Nadeshiko Village might help; while this poison will inevitably kill me, I have to try to find their hideout."
His mother, Yoshino, was pale, but she nodded. "Alright. Do you want me to tell your husband?"
Shira frowned. "Yes. He'll figure it out. I should have enough time to reach Nadeshiko and find the hideout before Shina returns."
"You're going to die? Does Shina know?"
Shira and Yoshino turned to Shikamaru.
"Only Shina would be welcome in Nadeshiko Village... Hmm. Contact her, tell her to come to me." Shira took a deep breath. "Goodbye, Yoshino. It's been a pleasure."
Shira headed out.
Yoshino was pale, and closed her eyes. "She's been sent out to find Tsunade. Tell your sensei."
Shikamaru's aches and pains immediately vanished as he left; his sensei was with Kurenai-sensei, handing a bunch of flowers to her.
"Sorry, Kurenai-sensei, but we need to find Naruto and Shina, Asuma-sensei!"
Asuma opened his mouth, but then smiled. "How about it, Kakashi? Want to find your beloved author and future Godaime?"
"Sure." Shikamaru jumped as the Copy Nin snapped his book shut. "I'm ready, kid. You?"
"As much as I can be," Shikamaru answered coolly, his heart racing.
He had no clue how he'd tell Shina that she needed to get to Nadeshiko Village to her dying mother.
He had no idea how to tell Shina her mother was dying.
~:~
Tsunade looked at the three in front of her.
"What's the catch?" she asked Jiraiya suspiciously. Jiraiya told her. She laughed and denied their request.
The blonde brat glared at her furiously.
"Let's make a bet, lady. Name a jutsu my father used, and I'll duplicate it in a week."
Tsunade frowned, but got a clever idea. Whoever this brat's dad was couldn't have been the Yondaime. Tricking the girl would be easy.
"The Rasengan," she said haughtily. "If you can master that jutsu in a week and make me use more than a finger to beat you, I'll become your Hokage... And I'll sweeten the deal. I'll even give you my necklace." She tapped the crystal on her neck. She didn't wish death on the kid.
"Fine," the girl replied with a nasty smirk.
Tsunade turned and walked away.
"I am afraid I cannot let you go without saying something," the Aburame said, her voice blank. "You are not the only one in this world that has lost something. Nor will you be the last."
Tsunade whirled back around, her eyes narrowed - only for whatever she had been about to say die on her lips as the blonde brat threw her a nasty look as the Aburame walked away.
"Brats," Tsunade spat.
~:~
Shina watched with hidden amusement as Naruto attempted to kill Kabuto. Orochimaru noticed Naruto shove Kabuto back, giving him a Rasengan in the stomach and ripping up his insides.
Shina watched Orochimaru carefully; as soon as Orochimaru looked at Naruto, Shina appeared before him, a hand out with one of her special Suna scorpions on it.
Orochimaru stopped, confusion on his face.
"I love Suna scorpions." Shina carefully stroked her scorpion friend. "They listen. And when they bite, they do not kill with their poison. They slowly corrode the chakra network. No matter what, the poison remains with the victim; there is only one cure. Suna no Chiyo has it, of course, but you burned that bridge when you almost killed the Kazekage. So what will it be, Orochimaru? Death? Or will you leave?"
Orochimaru sneered. "You have no power over me -"
"By the time you move one limb, the scorpion will have bitten you on my command. So your options are limited to leaving or being bitten to death. Either option is unfavorable at this point in time, but unavoidable. So what will it be?"
She didn't bluff. One scorpion was on his shoulder, waiting, pinchers inches from the snake's neck. The snake froze.
"We'll leave," Kabuto said, his eyes flashing behind his glasses.
Naruto made a high-pitched noise of surprise.
"Nice hit, by the way," Kabuto said, offering the girl a smile, that, had he not been evil, might have been a congratulatory smile. "Orochimaru-sama, let's leave."
Shina recalled her scorpion, which made a very fast trip over Orochimaru's body and back into her palm, crawling up her sleeves.
As Orochimaru left with Kabuto - as soon as they performed a shunshin, actually - Shina stiffened.
"Shina?" Naruto was confused.
"I must go to my mother's village. My father just sent notice."
"SHINA!"
Shina turned to see Shikamaru, panting. He gasped for air, while the silver-haired jounin looked fresh and clean. Shikamaru sported rips and tears in his clothes, too.
"What is the matter?"
"You mother visited my mother - told me to tell you to get to Nadeshiko Village."
Shina was confused.
"Why -? Never mind. Whatever my mother must need, it must be important." She turned to the Sannin standing there. "Please do not forget your promise to Naruto, Tsunade-sama. Ero-sennin -"
"CALL ME JIRAIYA-SAMA!"
"I shall do no such thing, you perverted sage," Shina deadpanned. "I was simply going to suggest you do not hurt or maim Naruto in any way. Otherwise... This scorpion will be the last thing you see." Shina turned to Kakashi-sensei. "Kakashi-sensei -"
"I'll take you to Nadeshiko Village," Kakashi interrupted. "It's the least I could do."
Shina frowned to herself.
"You hurt her and I'll let the Kyuubi rip you to shreds," Naruto said in her most cheerful voice.
Shina looked at her.
"You know I only said that because -"
"I know, Shina. I know you can protect yourself. But I'm sure Kakashi-sensei won't, and if he does it's me he'll have to answer to!" Naruto beamed at her. "It makes sense if you knew what I knew."
Shina inclined her head, allowing that.
"I shall return to Konoha after I - No, wait. I cannot be escorted by a male." Shina frowned.
"Shizune," Tsunade said, the black-haired woman jerking to attention. "Keep watch over the Aburame."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama!" Tsunade nodded at Shina, who nodded at her respectfully.
~:~
Nanade of Nadeshiko Village watched the two travelers. One was bundled in a long jacket and the other held a pig. Both were female.
Stopping at a respectful distance, the one in the long jacket dropped her hood to show her hitai-ate and her long hair.
"You may enter the village; who is it you seek?"
"My mother," the one with the jacket on said in a flat voice. "Aburame Shira."
"Oh." Nanade winced and jerked her head. "You may go in; Shira's in the hospital."
The Aburame walked in at a sedate, yet hurried pace. The pig-holding lady followed after her with a nervous smile.
~:~
Shina knocked on her mother's hospital room door.
The steady beeping of machines was unveiled, telling Shina that there had been multiple people talking in her mother's room.
She stepped in, her bugs buzzing in agitation as she saw her mother's face.
Black veins crawled up her face, her breathing labored.
"Mother?" she questioned, walking to the bed and ignoring the many people in the room who had come to pay their respects.
Shira's eyes opened as Shina got to her bedside.
"Hello, Shina." Her face was haggard, and Shina knew.
Being sad about death - an inevitable thing - was something she'd often thought about as stupid. But now, as she stared at her mother's failing body, she wondered if it wasn't stupid.
Shina let her mother brush her hood aside and shove her sunglasses down.
"Mother..." Shina was worried.
"Shina..." Shira smiled at her, then coughed. "Shina, I know you must tell your father. Tell him..." Shira weakly pulls at her arm. "Tell him that they're real, to let you go into the KPF archives and -" Shira coughed. "To save the eggs." Shina had no clue what she was talking about.
"As you wish, Mother." She would tell her father what she said.
"The nest is protected by Iwagakure no Sato," she coughed. "The eggs won't hatch half human if an Aburame filled with venom is used for the transition." Shira's eyes skittered away, then focused on Shina's.
Shina heard the door open behind her, and her bugs settled a little.
"Mother, Naruto is here." Naruto drew up beside her friend. Shina could tell this was just a clone, but that was okay.
"Good." Shira sighed. "I'm glad you have friends, Shina... I'm glad you're not entirely like your father. Just do me a favor."
"Anything," Shina said, meaning it.
"Smile. And give it to me genuinely."
Shina smiled, closing her eyes and crying internally while smiling and meaning it.
"I love you, Mama."
Shira laughed. "I love you, too, Shina. Be good to my Shina, Uzumaki Naruto." Shira cupped her daughter's face.
Shina felt her mother's hand slipping, and intertwined it with her own, opening her eyes to look at her mother.
"Goodbye," Shina whispered as her mother's breathing stopped.
Naruto pulled Shina away gently as people filed into the room again.
Shina regained her senses soon after Naruto did that, swallowing and standing outside.
Shizune stood there, speaking to the female doctor. Upon seeing Shina and Naruto, Shizune swallowed.
"I'm afraid that the body must be burned," the doctor said to Shina softly. "The poison hasn't been taken out of her system yet, and it's likely that it would contaminate the water supply."
"Then burn it," Shina said quietly, her brown eyes downcast. "Burn her body and give her ashes to me."
The doctor bowed her head.