Minutes later we heard a knock on the front door. Naruto threw on his boxers and closed the bedroom door behind him while I was getting dressed.

Shikamaru waited patiently outside the door until Naruto welcomed him.

"Sup?" Naruto greeted him.

"We were gonna start the new girls' training today but she's not home and her front door is missing." Shikamaru yawned. "I took the liberty of getting Konohamaru to fix it though."

Naruto blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yea…she's here."

Shikamaru furrowed his eyebrows and then realized what Naruto was explaining. His eyes flicked back and forth at the surroundings behind Naruto. " She spent the night?" Shika smirked.

Naruto blushed a deeper red and nodded.

"Did you-"

"Shika!!!" I gasped and hung around his neck tightly. "You're even cuter in person." I starred back and forth at the blushing Naruto and the now blushing Shikamaru and suddenly felt like I had done something rude. "I..I'm so sorry did I do something wrong?"

Shikamaru cleared his throat and stared at me. "Cat."

I looked down and realized that I was wearing my name plated necklace. "So..that's how everyone's been knowing my name…" I murmured to myself.

Shikamaru turned to Naruto. "I know you're pretty busy for the afternoon so I'll be taking her now. We'll be at the training grounds for most of the day so if you need to, feel free to stop by." Shika paused and turned to me. "Is that what you're wearing?" He said flatly.

I looked down at my black underwear shorts and the black half shirt I had on and blushed.

"Good." Shikamaru said surprisingly. "We don't want anything to prohibit you from movement. That's why our outfits are often scarce. You're fine." He handed me a headband and some open toed sandals that I swiftly slid into. I pushed my bangs back and slapped on my headband. My long hair blew around slightly in the passing wind.

Shikamaru smirked. "This is going to be interesting."

I gave Naruto a kiss on the lips and starred in his eyes. "Remember, I'm training so that I can be Hokage-runner up." I smiled.

Naruto kissed me again and smiled as well. "Honestly, I have no doubt that you're more powerful than anyone I've ever met."

With that I turned away and left with Shika. We walked in silence for a while until I locked arms with him and grinned.

"I'm sorry I didn't greet you as warmly as I should have," Shika started. "But this is serious business Cat. We can't have you walking around without knowing how to defend yourself. Especially since," Shikamaru paused and smiled, "you're the most important thing to our leader now."

I blushed and starred at the ground. "You're going to be my big brother."

Shikamaru laughed. "Why do you say that. I'm not that much older than you. I turn 20 on September 22nd. I suspect you're about 18, 19…am I right?"

I chuckled.

"what?" He said rubbing the back of his neck. "Naruto isn't…a pedophile is he?"

I laughed harder. "It seems like we're more of brother and sister than you thought, Shika."

"Neh?"

"My birthday is September 22nd and I turn 20 too." I grinned.

Shika laughed softly. "what time were you born?"

"6:32 am exactly."

Shikamaru stopped and turned toward me slowly. "So was I." He said simply.

We stood there silently for a while and finally I started. "So…we're twins!" I giggled.

Shikamaru shook his head. "..twins," He blushed.

I grabbed his hand and we continued walking towards the training grounds. "Shika- san. Why are we going to the training grounds?"

Shikamaru waited a while and then answered. "You have a power in you that we think Orochimaru wants. We can't let him have you, not without a fight. Naruto, Hinata, Kakashi, Sai, and I are going to make you the best ninja that we can. I know you're capable of achieving everything Cat. I know nothing can stand in your way once you know how to wield that power of yours."

I was quiet for a moment. "I…don't know what to do. I don't know how to summon it."

"That's what I'm here for." He said simply.

I was silent again. "What…if I mess up?" I said finally.

Shikamaru squeezed my hand gently and smirked. "You're a Nara now Cat. We're lazy, we're irritable, we don't get a long with annoying people too tough, and we don't say half the brilliant shit that crosses our mind, like we should. But despite all of that, Cat, we pull it all together at the end."

I smiled now with a new found courage within me as we came to a stop. I knew I had a destiny, not the one Orochimaru set aside for me but a different one, opposite of his evil wishes. It'd be hard to beat him, to become as strong as my brother, my boyfriend, and the others, but I could do it. I had to.

"Cat?" Shika called, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"You ready?" He asked, concerned.

I smirked slightly, yanked my head band tighter and grabbed a kunai from his hand. "よすく！"