A/N: Alright, this chapter changed a lot. I mean I spent a while on this one thinking about what would be logical. I know I know, I will say nothing seems logical but I think this is a good start. I mean, it should be a little fun right? Anyway, I hope I can work on this enough to get it up and running again, because I have an idea of what is going to happen but no clue how to get there.
Please leave a though for me, a question or even a comment. I want to hear from people about the story!
Chapter 29: Move Out
June 14th:
I finally open my eyes to see a cave. I blink a few times and feel the wall that prevents me from telling anyone anything about myself. Meaning it was all a dream. Which I was hoping it wasn't. I want others to know about me, I liked being around others. But only a handful of people know about me, which sucks. But, that is for the best. I know I need to be alone.
How long have I been out? I know better than to just sit right up. Closing my eyes, I listen to what is going on around me. I got captured by someone. I have no idea how long I have been out, but any amount of time is bad. However long I have been out, I need to leave and get out of here. I need to make it back to the village and listen to what Kakashi has to tell me.
Meaning I should have been noticed missing.
Which also means nothing with Shikamaru happened. And I don't think it ever will. Which I want, but I know that was what I wanted most now. Just like how I want my family the most.
No, that Shikamaru wasn't real. I am annoyed with the real Shikamaru. He has not right to be in my brain. Neither does Kiba. I work alone, that's all I'm good for.
"She should be waking up soon," A voice says.
"Boss, are you sure taking her like that was a good idea?" Someone else asks.
I scowl a little. Damn, how long have they had me? I have been on multiple missions to spy on this group, yet, when could they have taken me? I made sure that I was always careful.
Shikamaru June 12th:
Man, this is a drag. Being awoken at two in the morning to talk to Kakashi sucks. I want to be asleep, because my dream was getting amazing. I never wanted it to end. But there is nothing about having to be awoke at this time.
I yawn and grab the people he instructed me to. Five people, five of us that are going to go on a mission at this hour. It feels like the Saskue rescue mission again, only it isn't a ragtag team, it is an actual group picked by Kakashi.
I approach the first place. Some place that use to be lonely but now is full of life and love. But this kid has always had love in his heart before meeting any of us. Which is a great story and we all appreciate him so much. And I know he will play a key role in the mission, like always.
"Yo! Naruto!" I knock on the door and hear a crash coming from inside.
"What Shikamaru?" Naruto opens the door in his pajamas. He looks annoyed, "Hinata is over! It is the first time her and I have been together in a while. Can't this wait till the morning?"
I shake my head, "Sorry Naruto, Kakashi wants us. We have a mission right now."
This causes Naruto to stop, "Awe man, give me a minute Shikamaru, I need to change first. And say bye to Hinata, again since she and I were both supposed to be off together."
I walk in and wait. Man, this is troublesome. First Temari rejecting me and Kiba getting into a relationship. But I did meet that girl, what was her name? Tooru. I haven't seen her in a few days. Which by what I know about her it isn't good. There is a time and a place to worry and I can see why Kakashi could start to worry. She is good at timing. So good at timing it is a little scary, but that also means she likes to work in a system.
I talked with her only a handful of times. Yesterday Kakashi called me in and had me look over reports that she sent back. Pretty much a pattern, but getting two reports less than 24 hours apart is not fitting into the pattern. Which make me wonder what this mission of hers is about. Kakashi told Kiba and I to talk with her. But she is impossible to talk to, almost like talking to a wall.
But the reports are what bug me the most about all of this.
One report sent of being chased. The next is hiding in a tree. The following being lost in the woods. She has great detail in her reports, but these ones are sloppy. Nothing to even guess her location. And Kakashi is worried about what might have happened to her. He said she should have been back 6 days ago.
But she hasn't which means she needs to be found.
The trouble I do for the village, I feel a smirk play across my face.
Now, here I am, getting ready to go and find her. A ninja like her should be very hard to find. If I remember her reports correctly, this groups is worse than anything we have ever faced. I mean, the want for ANBU members that seem to be hidden in each village is big. Not to mention that they keep information hidden a lot.
Still doesn't explain the dreams.
The plan, like the one in my dream. Could that really be a thing? No one else has ever made plans with me like that, just a look changed this aspect of the plan. We were on the same page, a page that no one else has ever been on with me, not even Temari. But I have to wonder, does Tooru get punished like that? If she does that has to be the worst thing ever.
No, dreams aren't real. She's annoying anyway.
"Alright, ready to go!" Naruto basically shouts.
"How do you have so much energy right now?" I ask annoyed.
Naruto does not reply, which is fine by me, better to not have a loud mouth. We travel by roof top to Sakura's home. A healer, perfect if anyone gets wounded but also good since she isn't defenseless when it comes to fighting. Besides with the others she will be good to help with fighting.
I knock and I can here grumbling from inside. I know we are going to get an earful from her once she that door opens. Which I expect from her, she hates being woken up.
The door flies open and Sakura shouts, "This better be good Nara for waking me up right now! Do you have any idea what time it is?!"
I feel Naruto hide behind me, "Sorry orders from Kakashi, get ready we have a mission."
Immediately Sakura calms down and runs inside to get ready. Sakura knows when to be serious and when she needs to grow up and act like a ninja. She plays the role of healing if we need her.
I sigh, this is a pain. I know that Tooru could be in a lot of trouble right now. We need to get a move on. The longer we wait the harder it will be to find her.
"Say Shikamaru," Naruto starts, "What are we even doing?"
"First we have to gather everyone Kakashi ordered me to, second we go to his office to get the full details about the mission he wants us to leave for before the sun rises. I have an idea of what it is but I could not tell you much because it is something I have not been told a lot about," I state.
"Can you tell me anything?" Naruto asks.
"We need to get Neji, Tenten and Shino. We are forming two three man teams for what I assume is a rescue mission," I explain.
Sakura comes running out and we are off again. I don't want to talk but I am puzzled by why we are going. From what I have been told it sounds like something ANBU should be handling. Why hasn't Kakashi informed the ANBU anyway? This must be sensitive, but the ANBU are better at this. Tooru is an ANBU member, meaning that there is a chance ANBU haven't been able to figure out where she is. Which I don't know why we are being asked to go.
This is a drag for the six of us to be taking care of. Tooru is in in the ANBU after all, therefore a team specialized to save people should be formed to get her and not people who have just became jonin, I do not see Kakashis angle on this one. Beside, from what I remember about the mission she was working on the group we are dealing with is bad news.
We make it to Tenten's to find Neji there, making this less of a drag. Quickly they get ready, and Naruto and Sakura stay quiet. We head off and after we pick up Shino we are off to Kakashi.
Eventually we are standing in front of Kakashi who looks dead tired. I click my tongue, waking us up in the middle of the night. Why can this not wait until the morning, if this rescue mission is that important he should send someone other than us to be handling it?
But if it is the middle of the night that means that it is important we find her soon.
I still want to know why we have to be the ones that have to go get her. Kakashi waits for a moment.
"There are dangers to me sending you out now, but the benefits out weight the risk," Kakashi states.
"What are the risks?" Neji asks.
Kakashi pauses and looks at each of us. I hold eye contact with him, hoping he isn't making a mistake by letting me and the others take on this mission.
"This group is a copy group, as Tooru has stated it. They want something, but we don't know what they want yet. I need you guys to be alert. We have no idea what the powers are of these people." Kakashi comments.
Great, going in blind and almost powerless. Those odds don't work in our favor at all.
"Alright, time for information," Kakashi leans forward again, "This is a rescue mission being led by Shikamaru. Two teams of three to get Tooru Kato who was captured about five days or so ago. This important because she has been looking into a group that could bring the ninja world to another war. We believe she is being held in a cave masked. You guys must retrieve her at all cost, she must come back alive since she has the information we need to prevent this war from happening. Leave."
We leave the building and travel by roof top to the gate. I look ahead since I have to figure out how to put this together to make sure we get her alive back to the village. Everyone else is silent as we head for the gate.
She refused to talk with me, even when she was hanging out with me. She doesn't have parents, when she avoids the topic completely. And now I have to go rescue her? What a drag. Kiba would be a better choice.
"Well Shikamaru, what's the plan?" Sakura asks.
I shake my head. I need to be leading this team. Not thinking about how much I don't want to do this.
"We have two teams, a front and back group. Neji, Shino and Sakura will be in the back, ready to heal and cover. Myself, Naruto and Tenten will lead and attempt to create a diversion. The plan is to draw them out grab Tooru and go, I don't want to be in a battle too long with these guys," I state.
We begin to travel right as the sun begins to rise.
