And we're back to wasting time. xP

Hope you like it still, though! xD I think that when the next major thing happens, I'll be done with having to kill time. xDD

Shikami jumped back down from the tree, having just shown Shikaku that he had completed the training exercise of climbing up the tree with chakra and no hands. Ethan was standing nearby, with wide eyes clearly saying "wow".

Shikaku nodded in approval and motioned for Shikami to stand next to Ethan.

"This should all be review for Shikami, but it will do him good. Ethan, I'm going to explain some things they teach you in the ninja academy, but I'm going to go through it more quickly," Shikaku said. "Try to repeat it back to me when I'm done."

Ethan nodded and Shikaku began, telling the two boys the same things Shikami remembered from when he first started training under Shikaku.

It was the day after Ethan had first arrived, the first day of Ethan's training, and the first day of Shikami's continued training. Which meant, apparently, that Naruto had had no objections to Ethan becoming a ninja.

Also, the day before, Haru had consented that Ethan could stay at Kyra and Sai's house while he was at Konoha – provided, of course, that when Kyra and Sai found out they would permit it. And when Sai had returned that morning, he had had nothing against it, either.

"Now then," Shikaku said after the morning and lunchtime had passed. "Ethan, I'm going to go hard on you for a while until you and Shikami are both at about the same level."

Ethan nodded determinedly. Shikami hoped his friend knew what he was getting into.

A few hours later, Shikaku had worked them both to exhaustion.

"I don't... think he's... human..." Ethan panted.

Shikami nodded in agreement but couldn't spare the breath to reply. He thought he had gotten better in Shikaku's absence, but it seemed he hadn't. But he would continue to do his best, so he would be able to help his mom somehow. Everyone was wrong, he reminded himself. She wasn't dead, and that was final.

Shikaku stood in front of them, arms crossed. He hardly looked as though he'd broken a sweat.

Shikami let out a low moan, too quiet for Shikaku to hear. Of course Shikaku wasn't tired. He was a jonin, while Shikami and Ethan weren't even genin yet.

Shikaku sighed and turned to leave. "Go home and get some rest. You'll need it for tomorrow."

"Mission... maybe possible," Ethan groaned, falling backwards from his sitting position so that he was laying in the grass.

Shikami took a few deep breaths and then tried to slow his breathing. After a moment, he found himself staring up at the tree he had been able to climb after nearly a week.

The tree was scratched in several dozen places, thanks to Shikami's failed attempts. And amid all the kunai marks, there was one place where the side of the tree looked like it had exploded in the shape of the bottom of Shikami's shoe.

He had climbed the tree. It had taken time, but he had done it. Shikaku's merciless training would be no different.

Of course, he didn't have all the time in the world. His mom was alive, and from all the trouble they went through to convince everyone she had died, Shikami doubted they planned on killing her anytime soon.

Still, it was always better to be safe than sorry. The moment he felt himself ready, he would find his mom.

Then a thought struck him. He struggled to his feet. "Ethan."

"That's my name."

"If you can't get up now, don't sweat it. But I have to go to the library for something. Sunset is your cue to get back to Kyra's for supper," Shikami said.

Ethan shook his head and pushed himself heavily to his feet. "I'm good," he said. "What are you going to the library for?"

Shikami began walking in the direction of the village, and Ethan fell into step beside him.

"I'd like to know where I should go first when looking for Mom," he said. "I want to know if the directions on the note will lead me to the same place Kyra told me about or if it's somewhere different."

Ethan nodded but asked, "How do you know where it was Kyra was talking about?" The night before, Shikami had repeated the story Kyra told for Ethan's benefit.

Shikami stopped, remembering that Kyra had refused to tell him. He frowned, thinking, then started walking again.

"It's somewhere between Konoha and Keilah, but not necessarily on the way," he said, trying to remember if any other details had been given away. He exhaled slowly. "I don't know any more than that, I guess, now that you mention it. But maybe Mom's second teammate will tell me – Hotori, I think his name was."

"And how will you find him?" Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow. "If he and Kyra are a team, and Kyra's on a mission..."

Shikami groaned and sank back to the ground. "Why do you have to be right?"

Ethan laughed ruefully and sat down with a thump next to him. "You're tired, which is probably why you're not thinking straight. Give it a little more time," he advised. "After all, it's not like you'll be running after your mom tomorrow, right?"

Shikami nodded. "If this is a trap, and they're the same people that took down a jonin and forced two other jonin to flee, we'll definitely need more training." He looked sideways at Ethan. "Normally I'm the more patient of the two of us. How'd we switch?"

Ethan grinned, his chipped tooth showing again. "You're more personally involved with the thing that requires patience this time, I guess?"

Shikami sighed. "Guess so."

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Shikami said, "Want to meet my mom's parents before supper? Tomorrow, I'm going to have supper with them, and I bet you'd be more than welcome, too, but I know they like it when I visit."

Ethan rubbed a spot on his shoulder as though it were giving him some trouble, then grinned and stood. "Why not. What're they like – scary like your dad's parents?"

Ethan had met Yoshino that morning before training had begun. She had been friendly enough when they were introduced, but before the boys had made themselves known, Yoshino had been heard nagging at Shikaku about dozens of things.

And Shikami supposed Shikaku could definitely be classified as scary, too, considering how he was in training.

Shikamaru stood as well and began making his way again in the direction of the village. "Nah, not scary like that. Grandmom's kind of shy until she gets to know you a little better, while Granddad is a lot more outgoing and friendly and stuff."

"So in other words, they're weird," Ethan translated.

"Who isn't?" Shikami responded with a smirk.

"Good point."

They continued like that until they entered the village, where Aiko and Yudai welcomed them enthusiastically. The boys stayed there for a couple hours, resting and talking at the same time, then went back to Kyra's house for supper.

That night, both boys practically collapsed into their beds. Shikami was out like a light the moment his head touched the pillow.

At least Shikaku's slave-driving ensured a good night's sleep.

Yep, apparently Kyra lives in a mansion with three main bedrooms, three guest rooms, and goodness knows how many other rooms. ^^"

Also... *pokes the conversation above where Shikami wants to go to library and Ethan points out random stuffz wrong* Maybe an author shouldn't exactly say this about herself and her work, but that was kinda me arguing with myself over what Shikami should do to figure out his mom's location... xD;

And 'tis review time once more! -insert ebil laughter here- xD