Nineteen

Team Captain & Unrequited Love

The evening light shone through the trees and straight into Shoko eyes, causing her to lower the tip of her rice hat a little more.

"He's one of the best of his age group. There's no doubt that he can handle his own but…are you sure? I mean, these are S-Rank criminals with unbelievable abilities…" She prodded.

Shikaku laughed softly. "Look, I know what you're doing. Shikamaru is old enough to make his own choices and if he chooses to assist you in battle, then I'll stand behind him."

Shoko sighed and fell back from her seated position onto her back, pulling her hat down over her face.

"I feel like I have to protect them every second, Shikamaru included, even when I know he doesn't need it."

"I understand and you will have his back. I believe that if he needs you, you'll be there but you worry too much. Have a little faith in this generation. They'll surprise you how often they come out on top." They simultaneously knocked on the wooden porch.

"Fine but if that little brat gets me killed because I had to save him…I'll be pissed." She yawned. A day of training Naruto…well most of it was spent avoiding him but even that was exhausting. The kid had gotten pretty good at sensing and was constantly on her tail.

"He won't let that happen. It's why he's decided to come with you. To have your back."

"If only there were more Shikamarus." She sighed.

"I know you're bitter with this village." Shikaku said boldly. He was always bold with her and she appreciated it. "But what happened to you, as injustice as it was, wasn't the village's doing." He looked over at her and knew he didn't have to say whose it was. "The villagers act the way they do because that's all they've known of you. They're scared of you and you haven't exactly helped change their perceptions."

She grinned beneath her hat. "I don't care what they think. I don't care what anyone thinks anymore. Nothing can change that. Not even you, Shikaku."

He looked at her with a look of sad defeat and sighed. "A woman scorned, I suppose."

"But…" She continued. "This village will be changed once Naruto is made Hokage. Perhaps if I live to see it, my faith in this place may be restored somewhat."

"What's this nonsense about living to see the next Hokage? No immortal should talk so morbidly." Came a sharp, feminine voice of authority from inside. Shikaku and Shoko cringed.

"Ah, well you know what I mean. When it happens I'll be sure to witness it!" Shoko said, leaping up and dusting herself off.

"Where do you think you're taking off to?" Yoshino said, lifting the frying pan she had in her hand. She may not have intended to look intimidating with it, but that was how she came off. Shoko glanced down at Shikaku who was turning away with a smirk. No help there.

"Uh…"

"No. You're staying for dinner. Go." She said pointing inside.

Shoko slumped. She just wanted to go home and sleep. She couldn't exactly turn down a free meal though.

"And take the hat off. You need to show that pretty face more often!" Yoshino said, grabbing for the kasa. Shoko ducked and removed it before walking into the house grumbling about overbearing women.

"What?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Heh."

It was afternoon and they had gotten a late start due to Shoko and Shikaku's drinking game the night before and Shoko had a spitting headache, which only made her meaner.

"I'm sure I don't have to say this but as of this moment, you are my team. You will follow my orders. If you don't I won't come to your rescue when you find yourself tinkering on the edge of death. One less pathetic ninja won't cause any lack of sleep where I'm concerned." Shoko said, pacing in front of the group of shinobi; Team Asuma, Kakashi and Fujiki.

"Just like old times." Asuma muttered to Kakashi.

"Uh…Sho-

"I'm not done!" She yelled, cutting Shikamaru off. He sighed and slumped. "That's another thing. When I'm talkin, shut up. Some of you are so loud I can't even hear myself think." She said, staring at Ino. "Che. Why Tsunade would even consider sending a bunch of kids into this kind of situation is beyond me."

"Give us a little credit." Chōji said around a mouth full of chips.

"Ah, Ino saved your life just a few hours ago." Shikamaru said.

"Oh? You want credit? Hm?" Shoko said, walking up to Chōji and straightening her poster even more. Asuma snorted and Kakashi focused on Chapter 24 to keep from being as foolish as Asuma. Shoko always pulled stunts like that; straightening her poster, standing on tables or chairs in attempts at making herself seem more intimidating. She reminded Kakashi of a toad puffing itself up. "I will give it where it's disserved. From what I witnessed last time." She said whipping her head to Asuma and he tried to cover his smile with a puff of his cigarette. "I think all credit goes to myself for saving your asses." She told him and then backed away from Chōji.

"We weren't ready last time." Shikamaru said.

"And you are this time eh? I hope so, because this isn't some escort mission. Akatsuki will eat you alive…maybe even literally in Kakuzu's case…if you aren't prepared to focus. Last time, focus was difficult for some but this time we've had stint to adjust. No jumping in unprepared, no disobeying orders, no heartbreaking attempts at being a hero and NO TALKING WHILE IM FUCKING TALKING." She finished, staring at Ino who was whispering something to Fujiki. She jerked upright and straightened looking straight ahead like the soldier Shoko wanted her to be.

"Hai." The group said in unison.

"Fine…go, move out…or whatever." She said with a sigh.

The group vanished, leaving Shoko and Asuma.

"I know this is your entire fault." She said. She was referring to the fact that she now had unwanted company.

"We do what we have to do." He said flicking his lighter absently.

"We'll unless you're sorry I don't wanna talk."

"I'm not sorry. This isn't about the mission."

"Well then I definitely don't want to talk." She said, turning to leave. He grabbed her arm and she scowled down at his hand.

"Do you really want to act like I didn't hear what was said?"

"No, I just thought it would be better for you. What did you have in mind? Did you want me to repeat it for you? I like male company, Asuma. I needed a distraction and I just happened to favor you over Genma, is all. Kakashi's right. It's probably because the unobtainable is always-

"Alright. I take it back. Let's just not talk about it."

She reached over and tapped his shoulder and they appeared on a branch in the forest, the rest of the team landing in thuds around them.

"Yosh, come on." Shoko said.

Sometime during the few hours of travel Shoko came to a conclusion.

"Shikamaru," She called. He sped up to the front of the group from his flanking position in the rear. "I'm naming you team captain."

"Nani?" He asked. "I-why?"

"Because, I can." She snapped. She glanced sideways at him. "And because I thought about what your dad said to me yesterday. I need to give you a chance." She raised her voice a little so Ino and Chōji, whom she knew to already be listening, could hear her. "Now's your chance to prove yourselves."

All three smiled at that and moved back into position.

Evening fell , the group came to a halt. They agreed to rest the night and discuss their plan.

"Alright Shikamaru, let's hear your plan." Shoko said, leaning against a tree with her arms and legs cross, her hat tipped to block the descending sun.

"Ah." He said, and explained various situations and strategies. He baffled them all with his amazing abilities to be able to create such intricate and equitable strategies after only a short time.

He handed Kakashi a vial. "Kakashi-sensei, use this when you see an opening." He said.

"I've gotta hand it to you, you've learned a great deal about the enemy having only encountered them once." Kakashi commented, pocketing the vial.

"That's my student." Asuma said. He smirked and blew out a puff of smoke, never once opening his eyes. If he had, he may have seen Shoko sneering at him from her spot in the shade.

"There's still a lot we don't know about the other one, unfortunately." Shikamaru said.

"Ano…" Fujiki raised a paw. Shikamaru turned to him. "Shoko knows plenty about the other one. Why not ask her."

"You know just as much as I do, Fu." Shoko called.

He sighed, "She's fought him twice before. Once when he we sent to assassinate the First and once when he tried to hunt her down for the bounty on her head."

"Is that true? Why didn't you say something before?" Shikamaru asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

"Because no one asked. I was planning on killing him myself and collecting his bounty. Wouldn't that be a magnificent end for such a shinobi?" She laughed.

"What are his abilities?" Kakashi asked.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru grumbled.

Shoko sighed and sat up, legs crossed in the lotus position.

"I'll tell you all I know of Kakuzu. Some might be true, some not, since most of it is what I've heard in passing. He was a shinobi of Waterfall, looong ago." She started her tale out as if beginning a story time for children. Shikamaru rolled his eyes but she took no notice. "He was sent on a mission, to assassinate Senju Hashirama. Unfortunately for him, Senju Hashirama was the Hokage of the Leaf. He was protected day and night by the Yogo-Sha." She said 'Yogo-Sha' as if fully expecting "Oh's' and 'Ahs' then lay back, enjoying the glares she was getting. "He ultimately failed in his attempts and returned to his village only to be punished for his failure. Waterfall, in its earlier days, was a brutal village. He was imprisoned. Something brutal villages tend to do." She lifted her hat and shot them a look as if trying to get a point across. Kakashi sighed. "Eventually he escaped, vowing never to return to that cursed village. Hm, smart guy. Anyway in his escape, Kakuzu killed the village's elders and took off with some of their most prized forbidden jutsu. Over the years he made a living as a bounty hunter, snatching still beating hearts out of powerful shinobi to extend his lifespan somehow. Before I was imprisoned, he made an attempt at my own life. Out of spite for having been one of the ones to ultimately put him in his predicament, for my heart, for my bounty, because he's just plain mean, who knows? What I do know is that each time I've fought him; he's only ever been stronger than the last. He can die…of course, immortal can all die. You just have to kill him several times, I suppose. He has more than one extremely powerful elemental demon whom he can summon as well. The first time I fought him, he had two. The second, he had three. He may have more. I don't know much nor do I understand anything about the man."

"So he has more than one heart?" Shikamaru asked.

"I guess." She shrugged.

Shikamaru sighed again, "So you don't know…"

"How would I know Shikamaru? I never looked inside of his body. Perhaps if you can kill him for me I can dissect him and tell you." She said, smirking when Ino gagged.

Shikamaru sighed again. "That doesn't give us much to go on but it's helpful. We'll stick to the strategies I've already gone over, since we can only benefit from them. Once you've memorized our simulations, go over each one, at least three times in your head." He told them. "Our probability of success depends on whether or not you commit them to memory."

Chōji grunted in agreement.

"Okay." Ino said, determined.

"Let's set up camp for the night. We'll head out in the morning." Kakashi said.

They stood up to each fulfill their respective duties.

That night Shoko sat beside the fire. She had taken first watch, to be followed by Asuma and then Kakashi. They had agreed on letting the younger group sleep through the night.

She thought about the outcome of this mission; of the contentment she hoped to fill within her for the justice she was about to seek.

Well…it was more like revenge but knocking off two Akatsuki could only benefit them more in the end.

She thought of Chiriku. How she had missed so very much. He would never know just how much she thought about him and how much it hurt her having left him without so much as a farewell.

Perhaps he had heard of her charges. Of course he had, who hadn't? She hoped he hadn't died hating her. She hoped he hadn't believed the ugly stories.

A single tear slipped down her cheek, yet her face remained blank. She didn't bother wiping away the evidence of that weak moment; she believed everyone to be asleep.

Asuma watched Shoko from his bed roll a few feet away. He hadn't planned on sleeping. Middle sentry duty was the worst if you went to sleep only to wake up and then try to sleep again so he chose to star gaze. Instead he found his gaze switching over to Shoko when he heard a quiet sniff.

A single tear sparkled in the light of the fire and splashed on the dead leaves at her feet.

"You're crying." He said quietly.

She started slightly and unconsciously wiped at the traitorous streak of salt water under her eye. She didn't answer though.

"You're crying. Why?" He said again.

She scowled over at him. Must he point it out? Must he continue prodding her about the damn thing? She couldn't summon the mental energy to be angry though.

"Did he ever say anything about me? Perhaps mention whether or not he held ill feelings about my situation..." She whispered.

Asuma sat up. "Chiriku talked about you all the time, Sho. But never once did he display anything less than admiration for you." She released a long breath and smiled slightly. That was a load off her back.

Asuma got up and sat beside her.

"I'm glad you two became close. You must have made some team." She said.

"Ah, we balanced each other out." Asuma recalled. She grinned, knowing what he meant. Chiriku was the complete opposite of Asuma. He was kind whereas Asuma was a snotty brat. He was calm whereas Asuma often lost his cool in his younger years. But one thing was certain; they stood for the same cause. And Shoko was proud of them both.

She glanced sideways at Asuma. He was staring into the fire in deep thought. The man, she couldn't stop pointing out to herself, certainly was beautiful. Ever since that look on his face when she was about to be 'sacrificed', Shoko had been burdened with thoughts, questions, what ifs. She knew now though, what she wanted. She wanted him. She knew it was wrong. He was taken and happy but she couldn't help herself. She wanted him like a bad habit. She hadn't felt that particular way for anyone. And if she truly thought about it, she had wanted him even before the other day. Perhaps it started when he decided to talk to her again. Maybe even before then. She had known him all of his life. Maybe this feeling had just grown over the years.

"Asuma." She said. "I didn't mean it." He knew she was talking about her earlier explanation of what he had overheard the night at the bar.

"I know." He lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

"Well, aren't you going to say something about it?"

"Iie."

She frowned at him and turned back to the fire. Man, it was a cold day in hell when she started letting a male get to her.

"I don't understand what it is you see in me." He said after a while.

"Me either." She said rudely.

"I mean, what makes me a better choice than the other men? You could have any man you want. You know that, I know you do. But you want someone who-

"I know you do." She snapped. She already knew he loved someone else. That much was obvious. She didn't want nor need to hear him say it, himself. "I don't know why, Asuma. I guess ya don't get to pick sometimes. It just turns out that way. It always turns out that way for me. I will always love a man who loves someone else."

Asuma's head snapped up and he looked at her. "Love…"

"A curse." She shrugged. "I know you think I'm evil and cavalier with a high regard for self-preservation but…I'm trying. I'm trying to care more. I just want to be a better person and I am trying." She frowned again. "You may never love me but if anything, don't hate me. Not for the past. Not when I'm aiming to be better than who I was. It's somewhat discouraging to think that one whose opinion I actually care for, holds me at such low regards."

"I don't hate you. I told you, I never hated you." He said, scowling at her. "I respect you. I admire you…"

"But you don't love me." She said, sadly. Asuma didn't answer. He didn't know how. Honestly, he did love her. He always had; since he was just a kid. But he couldn't, he wouldn't let himself love her that way. It was too late for all that. He was with Kurenai now. He loved Kurenai.

She stood and leapt onto the branch behind them. She sat in the crook of it and leaned against the trunk, closing her eyes and hoping for sleep.

Asuma, though, would be up until dawn in deep thought. This thing was bugging him and he needed to figure it out before the confrontation with their enemy. He could afford a night of sleep, hell he was trained for that. He couldn't afford to be distracted again.

Next Chapter is the second confrontation with Hidan and Kakuzu. Will Zetsu be there? Hm...Will someone else? Who knows!

R&R Please =)

Also I want to thank pacchiri cherii for the reviews =P They're greatly appreciated! *bow*