Chapter 21

Shikamaru

I looked over the paperwork Naruto had handed me, budgeting, chunin exams, mission reports. Wow they went over a lot in the meeting today. As I placed all the papers down back on his desk Naruto came walking in.

"I'm going to hope you're not drinking ramen from a cup." He looked down to the ridiculous red colored mug in his hands with ramen signs all over it and laughed.

"Ha no, I wish. This is just some coffee."

"You know drinking all that coffee will keep you up all night."

"Good that's my plan." I watched him take another long sip.

"Long night ahead of you?"

"Yup, looks like it." I waited for him to sit back down at his desk before I started asking questions.

"So your phone call earlier?"

"Right." He went on his computer, opened some files and then turned the screen in my direction. "This guys been causing a lot of problems in local villages."

"I see." I looked at his image, now I could finally put a face to the name Kuroi Tsubota. Looking at his profile theres nothing much on the guy. Like I had seen before. I sucked my teeth at the disappointment. Really there had to be more information on the guy. "So he's stopped doing petty thief."

"Yes, it's been said that a rouge ninja presumably him has been out attacking local women. I got the call about it the other day and yesterday." Hmmm the monster. "The guys seem to be on a rampage and he needs to be stopped I was thin…" all the noise around me dialed down. All I could focus on was him. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It was like they were stuck on his image, permanently sketching the detail picture of himself into my brain. That was the monster who raped my wife- " hey, shikamaru?"

"Huh? Sorry I zoned out for a second. What did you say?"

"You okay man? You seem bothered."

"It's nothing, this just hits close to home that's all." Clearing my throat.

"He's the guy I put Temari on a mission to track."

"Yea…she was gone for 5 days." I cleared my throat again. It was no use hiding my hatred for the guy. I don't have that much will power, and even if I did. I want to hate him. " look I might as well tell you the truth right."

"What do you mean?"

" Temari didn't fail that mission because she lost track of him. She failed the mission because he attacked her, and he got away-"

"Wait are you serious?"

"Yea…"

"I'm sorry Shikamaru I had no idea. Is she okay?" I shook my head, rather than give a definite answer. I want to say yes, but sometimes. I don t know. I want to say she's making progress, but I don't know. Today was a major set back for us.

"Never mind that, what information were you able to collect. I want to take his bastard down." Naruto let out a sigh and leaned back into his chair.

"That's the thing, the women who called me. they weren't very descriptive. In fact when it came to details they were very vague, almost like they couldn't remember."

"That's weird? From all of the women."

"Yes, I've only heard from three women. Yet, All they can say is they know something happened, they just don't remember." That's odd, how could they not happened being assaulted? I assume if they called they must know something has happened. I know for sure Temari remember, to her dismay she probably remembers every detail.

"Something doesn't sound right about that."

"I know, I've been thinking the same too. All the women he's been attacking, he's been letting them get away. At least that's what I think. I was hoping if Temari could come in and help us-"

"No, she can't do that."

"How come, I know the mission didn't go well, but I'm positive she gathered some type of information from the mission we can use. To be honest we need any type of information on t his guy shikamaru."

"She can't do it, because I wont let her. Naruto, when Temari was attacked on that mission…she was raped by that monster." Naruto looked shocked for a second, not knowing what to say. " it's been a living hell for her these passed weeks. That's was reason she'd been acting so weird towards me, she was hiding it. She was hiding it for my sake…" my words were beginning to get caught in my throat, dammit not again, and not here. Huh, I can already hear Tems. Voice say ' get it together Nara.' Right get it together and keep it together. "… I know for sure Temari is the only one who could help us catch this guy. But I'm not going to put her though that, even if she was willing to help, which I know she is. He messed her up bad…and I have to protect her. Besides she already told me the guy likes to play mind game with you. We don't even know his moves very well to predict the next one."

"Hmm, I don't know what to say. I couldn't imagine what she or your family has done though, is going though."

"A lot, and we're still not out of the woods yet. She was schedule to get an abortion earlier today, but she had a panic attack and we had to leave." Naruto made eye contact with me to make sure what he thought he heard was right. " Yea….shes pregnant too." I found my legs becoming very heavy and I knew the best thing to do was to sit down. This morning had me drained and disappointed. It was like what Temari said with the feeling of being stuck. " ….but back to the subject. from what you have told me, he's not attacking these women like he attacked Temari. In fact I think he's just toying with them. to scare them or something."

"Toy?"

"That's what my gut tells me, but I'm not sure. I really can't get in the mindset of a monster like that."

" Right."

"So the question is now what do we do."

"I think, without Temari help, nothing. She's the only one who can give us any clue to help stop this guy. I understand you wanting to protect your wife, believe me. But as Hokage I have to think of the villagers as well. With this guy at large anyone can become his next victim. Which is why I have to ask you with a heavy heart to reconsider and let Temari help us find him."

"I don't know if I can do that…"

"Shikamaru we are shinobi this is our job. We have to protect The people ." Ugh there he goes being all noble and self righteous. He and Temari are too alike when it comes to being selfless. They stretch themselves too thin over the well-being of others and not themselves. Temari going though what she went though alone, to keep my peace of mind. No- not anymore I'll never forgive myself for that. I'm being selfish for her now. Someone has to be.

"Well I'm sorry but I have to protect my wife. Her well-being over sees others in my eyes." And I meant it, call me cruel or heartless. I don't give a damn. I don't love all the people in the leaf village like Naruto does- hell I barely like them. And I certainly don't see the well belling of others before my own wife.

"Well not in mine. I don't want you to put me in a difficult situation. You're my friend shikamaru."

"I'm not putting you in any situation Naruto you can do as you like, without using her."

"We need her-"

"I need her too, Shikadai needs her too. Her helping you might reopen that trauma for her. It'll send her back into a dark place where I'm not sure I can get her out. I'll be damn if I lose her again. I'm sorry, but it's not happening!" I turned and left, this conversation was earlier. The well-being of the other villagers is Narutos concern not mine.