Yamouri awoke with a headache and pushed back the sheets to realize she was in the hospital for the hundredth time. She thought to herself that she might as well pack her things and move into a room there. She felt the fresh bandages around her side and then looked to see Shikamaru walking towards her side. He had been sleeping on a chair on the other side of the room. Yamouri felt a strange feeling as she looked up to face him and knowing that he had stayed by her even after the way she treated him.
"I knew you'd wake up soon…" He said calmly.
"What happened?" Yamouri questioned. Shikamaru then explained the weapon had been dipped in a strange developed poison the grass village had only recently created. Sakura's antidote wasn't prepared for the strange new poison and therefore didn't do anything. She then asked what happened with the mission and Neji, and Shikamaru briefly explained how Lady Tsunade sent Anbu ninja to deal with the situation and it was uncovered that both families were liars and the scrolls were stolen from another village. The two noble families were then banished from the grass village and sent to a prison not far from there. Yamouri was hung up in her thoughts about the Anbu ninja after he had mentioned that word. Now that she had went away for awhile and was able to clear her thoughts she decided that perhaps it was time to look for Baku and Akahana.
"Hey…" Shikamaru said suddenly realizing she was dazed. He was sure what it was and was fighting back the urge to give her another lecture. He thought about how Hikaru told him he shouldn't be trying to change her but understand her. Yamouri looked up at him again and their eyes met. "Of all the things that have changed, one thing hasn't and probably never will. I still worry about you." Yamouri felt herself blush and then quickly rose from her bed and reached for her things. Shikamaru stared at her suddenly feeling foolish and then explained how he was leaving soon on a mission with Asuma. The mood went back to casual instead of awkward and Yamouri suddenly felt an odd feeling.
"I think it's got something to do with the Akatsuki."
"And you're going?" Yamouri suddenly said putting her things down. She couldn't hide the hint of worry in her voice, which made her angry at herself and Shikamaru smile.
"Yeah, Will you promise you won't do anything reckless while I'm gone?" He added. He said it in such a way that was different than usual. He'd always have this sarcastic like tone, but this time he was serious and sounded sincere. Yamouri crossed her arms and met his eyes.
"Only if you promise to be careful."
He smiled and she attempted a smile and for that brief moment things seemed back to normal between them. Maybe even better.
~::.::.::.::.:: Later that day::.::.::.::.::~
Yamouri was finally allowed to leave and couldn't wait to sleep in her own bed. Lee and Neji had stopped by and even Guy-sensei with some food, which Yamouri was extremely grateful for. She was more anxious to eat her treats in her own kitchen. But one thing that had bothered her was that Hikaru hadn't visited. She remembered when she had asked Shikamaru and how he got annoyed with the subject and explained he had left on a mission. Yamouri adjusted her things in her hands and opened the door to her home. Everything was how she left it. She laid on the same couch where the Anbu had put her to sleep and thought through the whole incident. How they went through all the trouble to clean everything and make it seem like nothing had happened. Surely she assumed it must have been someone familiar with her to know she would have been so exhausted. She tried to remember if there was any sort of clue besides the eagle tattoo. Yamouri tossed and turned and then got up to try and sleep in her room. But when she arrived she noticed the box she hid, in half.
"Oh no…" She whispered and slowly walked towards it to see every single picture she owned of her family and Kyho were ripped or shredded and scattered. First someone had taken the time to place one of her pictures on the wall, then that second time she found her face cut out and now whoever was doing it had taken it all. She collapsed to her knees and suddenly felt as if she was hyperventilating and began to sob and yell. In her fit of rage she began to throw her things and finally picked up the pieces, symbolizing how her heart looked like. The tears continued to flow and she managed to throw a chair across the room. The chair went straight through her glass door leading to her balcony and splattered glass all over the floor. She fell to the floor in silence and laid there only listening to her racing heartbeat. She heard a knock at the door and stayed where she was.
"Yamouri… It's Shikamaru. What's going on I saw the chair…" He said softly. Yamouri slowly rose and wiped the tears from her face knowing that she should keep this to herself because Shikamaru was about to go on his mission with Asuma and didn't need any distractions. She cleared her throat and opened to see him standing there with his hands in his pockets. "Yamouri! Is it the Anbu again?"
"No… I saw a rat. But I'm fine now," She said blankly. His expression changed and he rolled his eyes and sighed that it was a typically thing for a girl to do. But then he stopped and looked at her right in the eyes. She felt her heart drop and knew that he was figuring it out.
"Well Asuma and a team Lady Tsunade assembled, are waiting so I guess I'll see you when I get back. Are you sure you're ok?" He persisted. Yamouri grinned; though it was forced and assured him it was fine and again told him to be careful. With that Shikamaru waved his goodbye and disappeared.
"She was crying…" He thought to himself and placed his hands back in his pockets, he looked up at her broken door and than down at the ground. "Well I'm not surprised she doesn't want to talk about whatever it is."
"Don't worry," Hikaru's voice suddenly came from his back and caused the hairs on his neck to stand. "I'll watch over her and make sure she's fine," He said as if he had read Shikamaru's mind. He glared at him with disgust before realizing that there wasn't anything he could do about it.
"Well Alright then…" He said strangely. Hikaru stared at him in surprise before telling him to be careful. Shikamaru was now the surprised one, not understanding the sudden sincerity, but going along with whatever it was he was doing.
Yamouri stared out the window as Shikamaru soon disappeared down the road and Hikaru walked off towards the Hokage's. She was puzzled that Hikaru was back already and even considered that Shikamaru had lied to her. But why? But most of all she was confused as to why Hikaru hadn't come up to see her when he was just in front of her apartment. She looked back at the mess she made and brought herself back to the situation at hand. She didn't know what she should do about the situation. If she should report it or not. But she knew that someone was sending her a message that they intended to ruin her. She believed now more than ever that there was a mysterious Anbu ninja in the village that was after her and maybe even the very one that was assigned to watch her every move. But besides all that, she had the oddest feeling of worry for Shikamaru and this encounter with the Akatsuki.
~::.::.::.::.:: A while later::.::.::.::.::~
Yamouri had heard that Naruto had a recent encounter with Sasuke and that he was now training with Kakashi and Yamato. She wondered how strong Sasuke had gotten and even thought about how things would have been like if she had went with Orochimaru too. She still remembered her conversation with Sasuke, and when he was leaving the village how she talked to him right before he left.
She was walking through the village trying to find someone to talk to but had heard that almost everyone was off on missions. It was that time again, and Yamouri was quite upset that Lady Tsunade didn't trust her to go on a mission alone. But there wasn't anything she could do. If she was already making progress to gain it back then why ruin it now? She headed past a shop when she saw Sai, the guy who was now with team Kakashi. She thought back to the encounter where she tried to threaten him for what he had done to Shikamaru and Choji, but how it ended that they could probably paint or draw sometime. He felt her presence and turned to face her and gave her a creepy like smile.
"Ah, Yamouri was it?" He said quietly. She nodded and looked around a bit before walking towards him. "Remember you said we could draw sometime?" Sai added. Yamouri attempted a smile and nodded and took out her sketchbook.
She decided there was no better place to draw then the very tree she used to spend all day with Shikamaru. She tried to ask Sai some personal questions, but he kept his answers very vague. Everything about him was rather odd, and different. The way he dressed with his belly showing, and the color of his skin, it was all so… strange. They took a seat right at the same spot Shikamaru and her sat and began talking about drawing. She briefly told him that she started when she was a kid and it helped to calm her down.
"Ah Yes, I heard about your past…." Sai said regretting it to slip. Yamouri already knew, however, that everyone had heard it and decided perhaps instead of hating the fact that it was all in the open, telling it herself so they at least had the right information. She explained how she missed her family and spent her time drawing their faces, and how some days it seemed like it was just yesterday they talked and her mom had cooked her favorite dinner. But then she stopped and looked at him wondering why she was suddenly opening up to a stranger. Why couldn't she do the same with Shikamaru or Neji or even Lee? Perhaps it was that she spent more time around them and less time around those strangers. Or of course because she knew those people longer and didn't want their images of her to change anymore then they already had.
"So are you getting along with Naruto and Sakura?" Yamouri questioned, and turned the page to an empty one.
"Some what…" He said mysteriously. Yamouri looked through her sketchbook and saw that he had one too. She offered that they trade, but he had suddenly gotten almost defensive as he said that he didn't share it with anyone. Yamouri knew that feeling and didn't ask anymore questions. Instead it went silent as they both let their creative minds fill their pages. Occasionally a bird would begin to sing and would bring back memories. But before long, Sai said he had to go and that they should hang like that again sometime. Yamouri said her goodbye and soon he was gone. She was alone once again and rested her head against the tree trunk. She was a few feet off the ground and heard a squirrel nearby.
"I used to be like your best friend, remember… But even before, I felt that wall you put between yourself and others. I always thought it was best to just leave it unless you yourself were willing to bring it down. Then when your secret was let out I was willing to stay by you then, and when people thought you ran away from the village, I never believed it. I have always been there for you, always willing, always waiting that you'll realize you don't have to do anything alone. But even now you still insist on pushing me and your other friends away. Don't you realize… You're only doing harm to yourself. You can always talk to me, you know that."
Yamouri looked over at the now empty spot Shikamaru would occupy and thought back to the day she left and left the gift he gave her on that very spot. It suddenly began to rain, just like it did that day. Yamouri remembered what her brother once told her.
"Oh Kyho it's going to rain today."
"You know what they say about the rain…." Kyho added.
"What? What do they say?" She asked waiting for his reply.
"It's how the heavens cry. When something horrible is about to happen, like death."
It had been quite awhile since Shikamaru left with Asuma on their mission and she had expected them to be back already. She stared at the sky that was now darkened by grey clouds and couldn't stop thinking of Kyho's words and felt a slight pain in her chest. She suddenly began to worry.
"Shikamaru…" She whispered softly.
