Hello everyone! I am back briefly due to the fortunate end of my semester! I wanted to get this published because I have noticed and appreciated every one of you beautiful souls who have followed and/or favorited this story. I wanted to give you guys a brief update on my personal life so you can understand the slow progress on this story. I intent to finish Blinding Lights BUT I have to get through college first. I know I've mentioned this before, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. After the spring semester, I only have two summer classes to take and then I will have my associate's in business administration! What this means for Blinding Lights is that I will be able to focus on this while going about other boring "adult" things.
Second order of business, I wanted to give a little insight onto this chapter. This chapter takes place three years after chapter 20. This becomes apparent pretty much straight away, but I wanted to explain why I decided to jump. I was having an incredibly difficult time writing with the twins as babies, so I thought that to advance the story and to make the progress of their work seem more real to me I would have more time pass. We know that Minako's final soul to save is Miyuki's and that doesn't take place for a while, so we've got time to get there! I felt that as a reader, it would have been kind of boring to read about Minako and Shikamaru changing diapers and getting puked on. There will be plenty of references to adorable baby things to fill in the gaps here and there. As usual, if you have anything you'd like to discuss about this, I am always more than happy to receive constructive criticisms! Whether it be in the form of a review or if you want to shoot me a message. I love talking about this universe so much.
But that's all! Thank you so much for standing by this story and I hope that you enjoy this chapter! There is fluff, there is some action, but mostly fluff because I needed more fluff to decompress after a rough semester. Onward and upward though!
I smile to myself as I feel my son's head rest upon my leg. I begin to absently stroke his hair and he begins to relax. I continue to read over my document until he's ready to talk. He should really be in bed, but I know he's had a lot on his mind as of late. I may have to start the conversation though.
"You have the same thinking face as your dad." I say as I continue to stroke his hair. He startles a little bit and I sooth him.
"What if…I'm not a good shinobi." He says and I hum, pretending to think on it. I really do take into consideration his feelings.
"Okay, to that I have three questions for you. The first is do you love this village. The second, do you want to preserve the peace that the generations before you have fought for?" I ask the first two and he sits up, so I pull him into my lap. He rests his head on my shoulder and absently plays with my hair.
"I love the village a lot. This is where my family is. Where my home is. And of course, I want to preserve peace. You've fought so hard all your life to make the world better, Momma." He says and I smile. "What's your third question?"
"Why do you want to become a shinobi?" I ask gently and he goes quiet. The minutes tick by and I allow myself to go back to reading while I let him think on his answer.
"I want to be a shinobi so that I can look after the people I love. I want to be able to fight beside you and Dad when I'm big." He says and I smile.
"Then you will be a phenomenal shinobi, my son. You've just got to stay motivated…I know it can be hard, especially when napping might seem like a better option, but as long as you keep your mind on your goal, you will be wonderful." I say and I feel tears running down my neck. I wrap my arms around him and rock gently. "I will always be proud of you, no matter what you do."
"Do you think Dad will be home by the time we have to leave for school in the morning?" He asks and I look at the clock on the wall.
"I know that he is doing his best to make it back in time." I say and I give him a squeeze. "But you should get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow." I lay kisses all over his face and he giggles, struggling out of my arms.
"Night, Momma." He says and he starts to walk away, but then he runs back and throws his arms around me again.
"Sweet dreams, Shikadai." I say, laying a kiss on his forehead before he goes back to his room, crawls into bed, and drifts off to sleep. I go back to reading over the intel regarding sightings of people who sound like Izanagi or Yui. They're both alive. I feel my eyes beginning to fall closed when Shikamaru stops hiding his chakra about a mile out. I straighten my documents and tuck them into their folders before I go into our home office and lock them in the desk drawer. I go to the kitchen and heat up some of the stir fry I had made for dinner as well as some rice. I set it on the table with a glass of water just as I hear him walk through the door. He comes into the kitchen and I see the blood and frown at him. "You better not have dripped on the floor, sit down." I pull out the chair closest to him and he kisses my cheek before he sits. I locate the injury on his arm and observe it. He's applied some first aid to it at least, he knows better by now. It really isn't that bad, not bad enough to stop in for treatment before reporting to the Hokage. I heal the wound and he pulls me into a hug. He rests his head against my chest.
"It was dumb. I'm not even going to tell you about it, because you'll make a dumb joke about me retiring." He says and I laugh lightly. "Thanks."
"You don't have to thank me for that. I love you too much to let you bleed out." I say and he exhales in a laugh before he releases me and moves to the place with the food.
"Well then thank you for dinner." He says and I sit down in the chair that he had vacated. "Are they excited?"
"Miyuki is. Shikadai is nervous. He's afraid that he won't be a good shinobi." I say and he sighs. "Don't worry, I pep talked him."
"I have no doubts." He says and I feel the tears welling up in my eyes. "So what's his reason?"
"He wants to protect the people he loves. Specifically, he wants to be able to fight alongside us one day." I say and I see the pride in my husband's eyes. "Do you have any idea how terrified the idea of my son in any sort of situation I've been in makes me?"
"With any luck, that'll be more than you had along the lines of missions." He says and I laugh and wipe the tears away. "Now what are you going to do with yourself since the kids will be in school now?"
"Is it Make Minako Cry Night, or something?" I ask as I look towards the ceiling and blink rapidly. "You do not want to invoke the wrath that is motherly hormones. Those are my babies. My body nourished theirs and now I have to trust some asshole to look after them."
"Iruka is an asshole now?" He asks and I shoot him a severe look. "The kids will be fine. It's not like they're thrown straight into the shinobi stuff."
"I know." I say as I sit back and look up at the ceiling. "My babies…All of them. Sarada. Inojin, Chocho. Boruto. They're all growing up so fast."
"They are." He agrees with a sigh. "Mom would smack me if she heard me saying this, but I think this is us getting old."
"We are only twenty-three." I say, pointing at him. "I'm not old until I literally cannot move anymore."
"I'll get there before you do." He says and I raise an eyebrow at him. "But you do have a way of inspiring me."
"I'll bet I do. Hit the showers. We've got a big day tomorrow." I say as I get up and head towards the stairs, before I get too far he reaches out and smacks my butt. I whip around and give him a withering glare before I head up the stairs. I change into my pajamas and climb into bed. After about ten minutes, Shikamaru joins me and I snuggle up to him, only to bite his shoulder. I then roll onto my stomach and after a moment he sighs and begins to rub my back.
"Mom?" Shikadai asks, looking up at me. I meet his gaze and he relays his silent message. He still has doubts. Shikamaru puts his hand on top of his son's head and offers an easy smile.
"Just remember what your mom said, and you won't have any problems. I listened to her sometimes and I turned out okay." My husband says and I elbow him in the ribs, bringing giggles from our kids. I crouch down to their level and they stand in front of me.
"No matter what you do, your dad and I will be so incredibly proud of you. Of all the things that I have done in my life, being your mom is my greatest accomplishment. I have no doubts that you will be wonderful. It will be hard sometimes, but you have so many people who love you and will help you on your path. Yeah?" I say and they both hug me. I squeeze them tight. I hear them calling the children to the area in front of the stage. "Now go, and be sure you listen to whoever your teacher is." I stand up and they hug Shikamaru's legs before they run over. I feel the tears welling up in my eyes.
"I didn't imagine you to be the mom crying on the first day of school type, Minako." Iruka-sensei says as he stands beside us.
"I'm not crying." I say stubbornly and he laughs. "I have really great kids and I'm going to miss them. Things change when you go into the academy."
"They do." He agrees. "But they'll be able to handle it. Since they're half you, I'm certain they'll at least have some motivation." The three of us laugh. "I'm really proud of the both of you."
"Thanks." I say with a smile. "It was touch and go for a little while, but I like to think that things are pretty stable for now."
"That's all we can ask for. I'd better get to the stage now." He says and I offer a wave before he goes. Shikamaru puts his arm around me and I lean my head against his shoulder. Miyuki is looking around at all of the people gathered to watch the opening ceremony and I make a face at her as her eyes fall on me and she giggles. Shikadai's head whips around and I make a face at him too.
"You're going to get them in trouble." Shikamaru says, clearly amused. I smile and gesture for them to pay attention.
"I am not." I say and he chuckles. "I'm not emotional because I'm worried." He hums and his arm tightens in a sort of hug.
"I know. You're proud and we should be. They are amazing kids." He says and I can tell that he's feeling a little emotional as well. "We're shinobi, damn it." He mutters and I snicker. "You were getting ready and Miyuki asked me if she's too old to call me Daddy. It hurt."
"She didn't mean anything by it." I say as I reach up and pat his cheek. "If it makes you feel any better, Shikadai only calls me Momma at home."
"It doesn't. They need to cut it out." He says and I snicker again. "She still calls you Momma, doesn't she?"
"Perhaps." I say and then I look up at him. "But guess what? Even if she doesn't call you daddy, you're still her daddy. They're little humans, Shikamaru. You had to have seen this coming. Have you always called your father Dad?" I ask and he nods. "It'd be kind of weird if you walked into his office and said hey daddy, wouldn't it?" He grabs my side and I elbow him.
"Are we going to have to separate the two of you?" Asuma asks as he and Kurenai come to stand with us. I see Miyuki wave to them and I give her a stern look and hold up two fingers. This is her last warning before she gets in trouble after school. She whips around quickly and folds her hands in her lap. "You'll have to teach me how to do that."
"I control the cookies, Asuma. If she misbehaves, she doesn't get the sweets. She's a Nara, they learn quickly." I say and he chuckles. "Shikamaru's feelings are hurt because she thinks she's too old to call him daddy now."
"Ouch. I know how that goes." The older man says sympathetically. "Before you know it you're going to be helping her perfect her aim."
"Don't even talk about it." Shikamaru says as he looks to the sky. "Dad thought it would be funny to remind me about Minako's fan club the other day."
"I still think you guys are crazy. I was never worried about boys at that age." I say with a roll of my eyes.
"Dear, you may not have been worried about them, but they were incredibly concerned with you." Kurenai says and I shake my head.
"It's only gotten worse." Shikamaru says with a shake of his head. "You get more beautiful every day."
"Now that is a boldfaced lie." I say as I reach up and pinch his cheek. "Or you're trying to earn brownie points."
"I live off of brownie points. You like the kids better than you like me." He says and I shrug.
"You can fend for yourself. I'm Momma, I'm kind of a big deal." I say and Kurenai chuckles. "She gets it. Moms just get things. Dads are ding dongs."
"I agree." Kurenai says and Asuma sighs, looking defeated. She smiles at him fondly. "So what do you have planned for your day since the twins will be at school?"
"I don't even know what I'm going to do with myself, honestly. Some laundry? Maybe reorganize their rooms. Go through the clothes that don't fit anymore." I say, thinking about the things I could do.
"Or you could take a bubble bath or something and I could do those things." Shikamaru says and I look at him, not hiding my incredible amusement.
"Do I look the like kind of person who takes a bubble bath?" I ask and Kurenai laughs. "It's sweet of you for trying, but I might also get some extra training in." The noise sounds that signals the beginning of the ceremony so we turn to pay attention. I'm relieved that all of our kids end up in the same class together. They have some exposure to them, so that will lessen their anxiety. There's a good number of kids they don't know, which will also be good for them. When they're lined up with their sensei, Miyuki turns and waves at me before she turns around and they go inside. I feel the tears welling up again and Kurenai pats me on the shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me it would go too fast."
"It's best if you try not to think about it." She says with a sigh. "I told Mirai to check on them during break."
"Thank you." I say, looking at her. "They're a lot like Sasuke and I were and so it makes me worried. I don't want either of them to feel any sort of anxious."
"Anxiety is normal." Shikamaru says and I toss a light glare at him. "You two turned out okay. I mean your brother is still kind of an ass, but he's mostly okay." I laugh. "And Mirai will check on them. Then Inojin and Chocho are there."
"Oh god." I say, looking to the sky. "We're going to get a messenger hawk in fifteen minutes. 'Please come pick up this heathen that is your daughter, she punched another kid in the face'. And I can't even be mad." Miyuki gets very upset when other kids pick on Chocho.
"She won't punch them in the face. She's been practicing what she calls, 'momma's scary face'." He says and I burst out laughing.
"Oh boy, they're in for it." Asuma says, laughing as well. "I'm curious though, what face does she mean?"
"The look she gives me when I say something I should keep to myself." Shikamaru says and I muster up the look. "Though I have to say, with a look like that she's going to be one hell of a leader."
"Just like her mother. Oh, I can just hear that adorable little voice barking orders now." Kurenai says and I sigh wistfully with a smile.
"The day I hear her yell, 'Shikadai, you shithead', is the day I will know that she is ready." I say with a smile. "I've figured out why my fire is so strong. It is the sass. These sick burns are enough to do damage." Shikamaru groans.
"You say such lame things sometimes." He says and I laugh. Ino and Sai find their way over to us, followed shortly by Choji and Karui. I feel an elbow on my shoulder and I throw an elbow. Sasuke isn't quite fast enough to evade, so he doubles over with an 'oof'.
"I am not your leaning post, boy." I say, giving him a withering look. He glares at me as well.
"Instead of having an Uchiha glare off, why don't we get some food?" Ino suggests and everyone agrees, except the Sarutobi's, who elect to let the kids have their fun. "How are you holding up, my love?"
"I'm fine." I insist and her eyes shift to Shikamaru. He's done supplying her with silent communication by the time I can turn around to look at him. "You know I hate it when you guys do that."
"Can't help it." Ino says with a shrug. "I was raised to communicate with these guys no matter the circumstances."
"I was raised bleh bleh bleh." I say and then I stick my tongue out at her. She throws her arms around me. "It's Sasuke's fault I'm cranky now."
"I don't buy that, but you can blame him." Shikamaru says and I shoot him a look. Sakura chuckles.
"You were in a mood before I even walked over." Sasuke says and I glance back. He's rubbing the spot I elbowed him in. "How do you always hit the same spot?"
"Practice. You and Shikamaru are only about the same height." I say and my own husband rubs his rib cage. "I could always go back to dead arming the two of you. That was always fun."
"I'll take the jab, personally." Shikamaru says and Karui laughs. "She was so mean to us when we were kids."
"I mean, you're the one who decided to marry me." I say with a shrug. "Love? Or were you just too lazy to find someone else to put up with you?"
"Oh it was love." Ino says and then she smiles at Karui. "Everyone knew forever that these two would end up together."
"For sure! It was always so cute how he looked after her when he wouldn't bother with anyone else." Sakura says and Shikamaru makes a face.
"If any of the assholes in this village were going to get her attention, I'm not mad that it's him." Sasuke says and I laugh.
"You're not happy about it either. What? Did you think I'd be alone for my whole life? We've got a keke genkai to pass on, brother." I say and he shakes his head.
"Psh. Only using me for reproductive purposes." My husband says and I smile sweetly at him. "I'm really excited to see how our styles will meld together in their fighting when they get older."
"They'll be formidable opponents if they put in the work." Sai pipes in and I smile at him. His smile is more genuine than practiced now, which is nice. Ino really is good for him. "I enjoy it quite a bit when Miyuki and Inojin practice their drawing together."
"It's the best." I say with a sigh. "Unfortunately, though, she may inherit my lack of artistic talent."
"You're artistic, Minako." Ino says and I raise an eyebrow at her. "You're artistic in the way that you can create diversions."
"I mean, she is The Distraction." Karui says and I laugh. "During the war, I was completely impressed by you and Itachi."
"As much as I am capable of fighting." I say with a shrug. "No, but my real art was in doing the laundry back when Sasuke and I lived in the apartment." I feel my brother's eyeroll. "You could have done the laundry yourself. Or been less of a dick. Neither of those options appealed to you apparently."
"Of course they didn't." Sakura says as she bumps his shoulder with his. "He does help out now." I scoff.
"Okay, I guess I can't be too upset. There's nothing quite like the power a wife has over her husband." I say and Shikamaru raises his eyebrows at me. I return the look.
"I don't want to hear about what weird power play you guys have in the bedroom." Sasuke says and I burst out laughing. He really doesn't want to know.
"What goes on between consenting adults is nobody's business." I say and my husband rolls his eyes as he shakes his head. That's a double win.
"Yeah, Sasuke. Don't be such a prude." Ino says and I snicker. I'm a lot of big talk, but if we were actually talking about an incident I would want to crawl into a hole and die.
"I'm glad that the kids are with Iruka." I say, folding my hands behind my back as I walk. "If I had to leave my children with any asshole, I'm glad it's him."
"I wondered how you would be handling that." Choji says sympathetically. "They looked mostly excited though. Shikadai was very expressive."
"Yeah, because she was making faces at them." Shikamaru says and I snicker. "You're a bad influence."
"I tried to tell you." I say with a shrug. "Looks like we've done it now though. Two kids that will make mischief around the house. I can't wait for them to get to the sneaky age."
"Yeah, and you'll teach them everything you know." Sasuke says and I shrug. "Miyuki is gonna be big trouble and she's going to drag Sarada right along with her. Maybe Chocho too."
"Oh most definitely, but that's okay." Karui says with a smile. "It's good for them to test limits."
"Shikadai does a pretty good job of reigning the girls back in. He's a voice of reason." Sakura notes and I smile.
"He gets that from me. Those two are like yin and yang. Shikadai is the peace and Miyuki is my little cyclone." Shikamaru says and I smile, he loves it. "That's going to be a huge pain when she gets older."
"I'll train her like I did Haruka." I say with a shrug. "She will learn the appropriate times for sass."
"Haruka has become a wonderful medical nin." Sakura agrees. "As her sensei, you must be incredibly proud of her."
"I am. I'm proud of her drive and how clever she is. She's currently collaborating with Shinji Inuzuka. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the results got her a promotion." I say thoughtfully. "This could revolutionize the sensory division."
"Oh, sounds big. I can't wait to read about it when the info becomes available." Ino says and I feel Shikamaru's curious eyes on me. "What's that face about, Shikamaru?"
"Haruka's my own cousin and I didn't know she had such skill in sensory?" He asks and I smirk a little bit.
"Well sure…on paper she doesn't have much skill in sensory, but a good kunoichi never reveals all of her secrets." I say, trying and succeeding in sounding mysterious. "That and they come over for help sometimes when you're at the office. They would make an amazing couple. I ship them so hard." I gasp as I see them walking together. "Speak of the devil." I wave. "Haruka, darling!"
"Oh god." She says and our group stops. "You only call me that when you want to annoy me."
"The only other time I remember calling you Haruka, Darling is when I took you guys on your first C Rank." I say and she actually smiles.
"While that was probably the first time, you say it all the time. And teasing me usually follows." She says and then she acknowledges the rest of the group. "Oh, are they distracting you so you don't get depressed about the twins going to school?"
"Oh, my cute pupil." I say as I put her in a headlock. She sighs. "How are you today, Shinji?" I ask casually.
"Uh, good." He says and his nin-kin tilts its head at me. "I know you two have a weird relationship, but is this normal?"
"Unfortunately. It's how she expresses love." My brother offers. "So, I hear you two are working on something big."
"Yup." Haruka says, letting the 'p' pop. "Which we were actually about to go and work on after lunch."
"Yes, lunch." I say and she glares at me. "You kids enjoy." I smile brightly as I release her from the headlock. "Don't work too hard."
"Pot, meet kettle." She says and I stick my tongue out at her. "See you guys later." They leave. Ino, Sakura, and I watch them walk away. The way that Shinji stands just a little closer to her. His fingers brush hers and she makes a light fist before she lets her hand relax. We allow for more distance before the three of us turn together.
"So I've already started planning the floral arrangements for their wedding." Ino says and I laugh.
"Right!? Aren't they the cutest? It's so tentative, so innocent." I sigh wistfully. "I told her, if she likes him, she needs to just kiss him. It worked for Shikamaru."
"Did it? You left me no choice but to employ shinobi tactics to get you to talk to me again after it." My husband says and I shrug.
"We're married, aren't we?" I ask and he shakes his head. "The way I see it, all's well that ends well."
"Well said." Karui says with a laugh. "And it's a great story to tell the kids when they're older."
"I might alter the story a bit. No need to tell them that I allowed myself to be the object of a sacrificial ritual to some god." I wave a hand.
"They would understand why you did it." Sasuke says and I smile at him. "I'm still mad about it…but nobody died." He shrugs.
"You two kill me." Shikamaru says with a shake of his head. "I guess that's why we tacticians exist. To keep knuckleheads like you alive."
"This knucklehead happens to be your wife, buddy. Somebody is fending for himself for dinner tonight." I say, but we all know I'm bluffing. Feeding my family is one of my greatest pleasures. "I'm not just brute force, you know."
"I know." He says as he puts his arm around me. I smile as I lean my head on his shoulder. We arrive at our predetermined restaurant of choice and settle in before we order. Lunch is going smoothly until someone from the interrogation division approaches our table.
"He's esca-" The shinobi doesn't even get a chance to finish his sentence before I vault over the table and tear out the door like death is at my heels. I make it to the school triple time and I land on top of the wall surrounding the courtyard that the children play in during their break. It should be about that time now. My chakra is pulled in so tightly that even the most advanced sensory nin would have trouble finding my signature. I notice the beefed-up security. More shinobi types casually hanging out around the school. I spot movement and I sense the familiar chakra. I don't think twice, I spring. Pulling the storage scroll holding my katana and unsealing it. I land in front of my children, right in the face of Junichi. In the past three years we haven't been able to unravel the technique.
"Come on, it's okay." Mirai says and I hear her effort as she picks both of her god-siblings up and runs away. I'm so incredibly grateful.
"You should not have come here. You should not have even for a moment made me think that you would hurt my children. I'll rip you limb from limb." I growl and he laughs.
"This is quite the look on you, Minako." He says and I don't relax my posture. "I wasn't gonna hurt them. Maybe shake 'em up a bit. You stopped visiting, so I had to get you to talk to me somehow."
"You're going to go back and you're going to do it with a smile on your face." I say and he gives me a snide look. "Dude, we aren't going to kill you. But if you hurt my kids, I will make sure that the next ten generations after you feel the pain that I will inflict. I don't care if you're not my Junichi right now."
"I was never your Junichi!" He shouts and then he goes to attack me. I step out of the way, making the seals for a paralysis genjutsu. I sling the sheath across my back before I tuck my katana away. The shinobi in charge of taking Junichi back to where he was being held approach and I walk away. Shikamaru is standing just a few yards away. "Minako!" My former teammate shouts, but I don't look back. He's taken away. Iruka walks up with Mirai and my twins. I run forward, holding my arms out to them.
"Babies!" I say and they run to me and jump on me, successfully knocking me down and squeezing me tight. "You too, Mirai." I hold out my arm and she runs over and joins our pile. "The three of you were so brave, I am so proud of you! I'm so sorry that happened, but it will not ever happen again." I encapsulate the three children in my arms, assessing them as I hold them. No injuries. Just shaken up. "So brave." I give them another squeeze. "You have to go with your teachers now, okay?" Mirai nods and she gets up. The twins look at me, with tears running down their faces. Shikamaru crouches beside us. I wipe away Shikadai's tears while he takes care of Miyuki's.
"Momma and Daddy have to go to work now. Behave and listen to Iruka-sensei, alright? Grandma or Auntie Ino will come and pick you up after school." He says and Miyuki's lower lip quivers. "Hey now, there's no need to cry." He wipes the tear away. "Our family is safe. We would never let anything happen to either of you. You should've seen Mom, she looked pretty cool jumping over the table."
"Really?" She asks, looking at me and I smile at her. "Who was that man, Momma?" She leans onto me.
"He's a friend, but he's really sick. Momma is trying to figure out how to make him better though." I say and she nods.
"And you will." She says and I nod, holding out my pinky to her. I will figure it out. She locks her pinky with mine. "Okay." She takes a deep breath. "Come on, Shikadai."
"You two go with Airi-sensei, alright? I need to have a chat with your parents." Iruka says as he smiles at them. A kunoichi, about sixteen, comes and takes their hands and leads them inside the building. "Airi is good with children who experience things like this. They'll be more than fine."
"I trust you." I say and I can tell that he does understand how big of a deal that is after this. "Sorry it's my kids that have a ruckus around them. I'm not thrilled about it."
"Don't worry, I and the shinobi within a three-mile radius know." He says, laughing lightly. "They are safe here." I nod. I know there were at least three other shinobi moving in at the same time as I was. My instincts are conflicting right now. The shinobi in me is wanting to crack heads while the mother is wanting to go in and nurture. "Your feelings right now are completely normal. I can kind of see it working around in your head. The division of shinobi and mother were displayed greatly, but I think that being a mother makes you a more fierce shinobi. So the adversaries ahead of you had better start praying."
"Thanks." I say with a smile. "Okay." I nod. "I don't know why I can't make myself walk away to do my job now."
"Come on." Shikamaru says as he takes my hand. "Trust me, it's killing me, but this is the life we signed up for."
"Who the hell thought that was a good idea?" I mutter and we are off to see Kakashi. I decide to see myself in. Shikaku is already in the office. I walk in with a smile on my face and I lay my katana right across Kakashi's desk. "So, some kind of fun first day of school my children had."
"Minako." Shikamaru says my name once, implying that I should cool it. "Hear him out before you threaten his life."
"No, I completely understand. This lapse in security is completely unacceptable." Kakashi says and I gesture to the man as I give my husband a look.
"So what is being done to ensure that this never happens again?" I ask, turning and looking at the Hokage again. "Obviously we aren't going to kill him. I could have easily done so just ten minutes ago."
"Unfortunately, we haven't gotten that far in our discussion yet." He says as 'cool' as ever. "Ibiki will be here shortly and we can continue to speak from there."
"We should send for Haruka." I say, looking at Shikamaru. He nods and he goes. Shikaku places his hand on my shoulder. "We aren't ready for our presentation quite yet, but it's certainly been three years in the making."
"Presentation?" Kakashi asks and I nod. "You have that look in your eye that tells me it's going to be something the elders won't be pleased with."
"On the contrary, I think they'll be quite pleased to see one of the village's biggest threats eradicated." I say, trying to rein in my anger, but it's not going so well. "I'm not angry with you."
"I understand. I may not have known my mother, but I've met some…pretty scary individuals in my time." Kakashi says as he moves behind his desk and looks out over the village. "And your children, are they alright?"
"Shaken up, but unharmed." I say and I shake my head. "I haven't had to work this hard to control my temper in a very long time."
"I'm more concerned with my son's." Shikaku says and I think upon it. Yeah, Shikamaru is seething. Ibiki, Haruka, and Shikamaru arrive at the same time.
"The kids, are the-" Haruka starts and I nod. She lets out a breath. "Okay, I have mostly everything on me if we need to present."
"We'll see." Kakashi says and then he looks to the head of intelligence and interrogation. "Ibiki, what do you have for us?"
"It appears as though the prisoner is quite persuasive. His…accommodations have been upgraded and I can assure you that this will not happen again." He says and I feel my hands ball into fists at my sides.
"I see. Thank you, Ibiki. Now, Minako, you mentioned a presentation? Obviously a line has been overstepped on…his part, so if you would be so kind."
"Alright." I say and I take out my part of the notes. Shikamaru takes out his and we compile them on the desk. "For security reasons, we have separated and encoded our notations and so if you should see fit to go over these notes, Haruka has previously volunteered to make herself available to assist you." I look to Shikamaru and he nods. "Obviously, Orochimaru has made Sasuke and I objects of his attention for several years now. For more years, me for the interest in utilizing my body to create physically superior husks for his various…incarnations. As a means to do so, he has employed various techniques of psychological manipulation such as developing a technique to turn those who have cared about me against me in such a way that their destruction would be my only means of survival. Two cases, however, are not consistent with this pattern. Izanagi Nakamura and Yui Imada. The first, classified as MIA and the other KIA. On the first count, we have evidence of Izanagi's whereabouts. The second is going to take some more explanation."
"You have my attention, go on." Kakashi says and I bring up the copy I have of the false Yui's autopsy report.
"The body that was brought home from the mission that Yui Imada was supposedly killed on, was not her. Lady Tsunade and I have both personally gone over the records multiple times and it doesn't add up. Not with my first-hand knowledge of the extent of her wounds. It was a close dupe and if I hadn't pushed it, we wouldn't have figured out that it wasn't her."
"But that's what he wanted her to do. Orochimaru that's is." Haruka says and she takes out another scroll and unseals it. "This is Yui's forehead protector…and I have been working on an advanced tracking technique along with the help of Shinji Inuzuka. He has not been made aware of the full details regarding the need for this technique. This has stayed between the three of us for a very long time."
"Alright, so what do you suggest we do with this information that you have gathered?" He asks, taking a seat at his desk.
"Upon the success of developing this technique as fully as possible right now, we would like permission to lead a mission to end this once and for all. Well…Minako would." Haruka says, backing down only at the end.
"How much longer do you think you need to perfect the technique?" He asks, looking at Haruka. "And how do you plan on testing it?"
"I need another six months, but I can make it three, seeing as though my family is in danger." She says, stepping right back up. "Minako has been laying a trail for me to track for this circumstance for the past three years. If I can find what she has hidden, I have no doubts that I can find Yui."
"So the contingency of this plan is around finding Imada?" Kakashi asks and I offer a so-so hand gesture.
"Somewhat. Yui is not under his influence and so the theory is that if we find her, she will lead us to him." Shikamaru says and Kakashi hums.
"And if that's what he wants, well, we're ready to take the fight to him now. I am certain that the combined forces of Lady Tsunade and myself would be enough to terminate the threat." I say and he looks over the files on his desk.
"Are these the only copies?" He asks and I nod once. "Very well. I would like for you to make one other copy and then return that to me. In six months we will assess Haruka's progress and conduct the test. The success or failure of that test will determine whether or not I bring this forward."
"Thank you, sir." I say, bowing my head in respect. We three collect our portions of the notes and conceal them again.
"Oh, and Haruka?" Kakashi asks and she turns her attention to him once again. "Effective immediately, I would like to promote you to special jonin. That's all."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." She says, following my show of respect by bowing her head. I maintain my neutral expression.
"Alright, you're all dismissed except Ibiki." He says and our family leaves the office. I let out a breath. Haruka leans against he wall and blinks a few times.
"You bring great honor to the family, young one." I say as I pat the top of her head. She glares at me. It's not as funny since she's eye-level with me. "What do you need from me?"
"Just keep laying your trail." She says, holding out her hand. I meet her hand with mine in a high five and we squeeze. "No sleep for weeks."
"Honey, I'm the mother of two toddlers. I don't sleep." I say and she laughs. "So what kind of celebratory cookies do you want?"
"Do you have the stuff to make those ones you gave me when I passed the exam to be a field medic?" She asks as we walk down the steps. "Because I would marry those cookies. I would take their name."
"You've got it, babe." I say and I sense that my husband and father-in-law are following us. At the bottom of the steps leading up to the Hokage tower, I stop and I hesitate briefly before I hug my father-in-law. He doesn't hesitate as he returns the hug. "You're probably starting to get tired of our shit."
"My dear, I may be getting up there, but I never tire of looking after my family." He says and I smile. "Are you alright?"
"I could stand to level a mountain, but a hug is the nicer option. The one I'll teach Miyuki." I say and he chuckles. I let go of him and take a step back. "How upset do you think Yoshino will be?"
"Reserve the mountain next to yours." He says as he pats my shoulder. "I'm going to make sure that Junichi's accommodations are as secure as Ibiki claims. I somewhat trust the man, but those are my grandchildren."
"I would trust no one else's opinion on the secureness of his accommodations." I say and he smiles and pats his son on the shoulder before he heads off in that direction. "Let's walk, I need to stay away from the school."
"I need to talk to you guys anyway. This will definitely distract you at least momentarily." Haruka says and she starts walking away, her pace a lot quicker than her normal walk. She's nervous.
"What's wrong?" I ask and she slows a little bit. Shikamaru and I catch up to her. "Haruka, you know if there's ever trouble…"
"It's not trouble...per se." She says hesitantly. "How did you know?" I look at Shikamaru and he shrugs. "You know!" She exclaims. "How did you know when…"
"Sweetheart, how did we know when what?" I ask and she shoots me a look of daggers. I raise an eyebrow at her before I jump backwards, causing my husband and I to both stumble. "No!"
"Shut up." She says darkly, continuing to walk forward. "Do you want me to never ask for your advice again?"
"No. No. I'm listening." I say as I walk up and take her arm. "Tell me what you want to know. I am full of infinite wisdom."
"So…let's say for a moment that there is a gentleman who…may possibly have caught my…attention." She says carefully. "How do you know when that's real and not just some stupid crush that won't go anywhere."
"Okay. This is easy." I say and she looks at me skeptically. "How do you feel when you're around him? This is important."
"I…I don't know how to describe it." She says after a moment. "He makes me laugh, but not like in a stupid way. I mean, my laugh IS stupid, but he makes me feel like it's not."
"You feel like you could take the world on if he's by your side?" I ask and she nods before she looks embarrassed.
"You feel infinitely frustrated when he does something stupid or reckless, but at the same time breathless." Shikamaru asks and I raise an eyebrow at him. He shrugs. She looks back at him and then offers a sort of nod. "Just checking that it's not just a Minako thing." I whack him across the stomach. "I'm bad at this kind of stuff. I just knew. I looked at her one day and it clicked. She was the one I wanted to wake up next to for the rest of my life."
"But what did that feel like?" She asks and I hum, thoughtful. "Never mind, this is stupid. We have bigger things to worry about."
"Haruka, stop." I say and she stops and looks at me. "It's not stupid. I've had this shit going on my whole life, but I still found the time to fall in love. Life is crazy and it's a lot easier if you have someone you can depend on no matter what. Not in the same way you can depend on your friends. Make sense?" I ask and she shrugs.
"Alright…so you know how I'm not typically a touchy feely sort of guy." Shikamaru tries again. "So Minako, as much as she doesn't like to admit it, responds positively to gentle touch. A squeeze of the hand. Putting my arm around her. She always has and it stems from something else, but the point is, I am able to provide comfort to her."
"Unfortunately, he is correct. I don't sleep worth anything when he's away. I always feel better knowing my partner has my back. Is there anything like that?" I ask and her shoulders relax.
"There might be." She says and I smile. "What do I do?" She looks at us. "We can't all be as dramatic as the two of you."
"You're pretty dramatic." I say and she glares at me. "Babe, just be yourself. If it's meant to happen, it will. I'm pretty sure that he's just as crazy about you." That brings a blush to her cheeks. "Invite him to train and then assert your dominance." I punch her shoulder and she grins at me. "Still works for me."
"In your dreams, maybe." My husband says and I shoot a look at him, but he has that mischievous gleam in his eyes. "But she's right about one thing, don't be something you're not to get a guy to like you. Then he likes the idea and not the actual you, which is the important part. Take it from me, I have experienced girls trying to flirt with me and pretend to be something and then this one put away sixteen orders of dumplings and had room for dessert."
"Never be ashamed of a voracious appetite. It just means you're burning all kinds of calories training to be a sick ass ninja." I say and she laughs. "In the mundane and in the insane, everyone deserves love. Except Orochimaru, fuck that guy."