Chapter 39

"And remember Siata, you need to reciprocate everything your best friend gives you or they'll start hating you, you know. Next thing- I don't know maybe that Temari girl will be his best friend." Yugao finished her corruption lesson for today after finishing morning training with her.

"R-really? Okay. To be honest I've never had a best friend before so thanks for helping me out Yugao-sensei." Siata sighed.

"No… problem." Yugao grinned wide and let her off for today.

Siata's right arm had gotten worse after the heavy usage in the exams and she needed to work hard on strengthening the arm again. She had gotten a consultation with the doctors, but they said it was a delicate area and if she were to have an operation they would need to do multiple operations and the cost would be big. For now she was saving up for the possibility of an operation and working when she could.

Toto curiously flew above Siata while looking for some worms to eat as she walked up the hill to the construction sites. All available ninja were currently in charge of building restoration.

After doing some construction on the damaged houses, she said goodbye to the civilians who lived there, and went up to the Hokage tower. Some ninja and secretaries and working civilians had already finished up and were having a meal. Most of the people knew eachother and chatted away, and she found herself wanting to take a dish for herself from the kitchen.

The cook kept a simmering pot of curry, adding vegetables and meat and water as the level went down with more and more ninja arriving from their morning repair jobs. Siata accepted their simple company and casual greetings as she walked in then fed herself with a bowl of rice and curry.

She listened to the talk going on around her, familiarising herself into the latest topics in the lives of ninja. Siata was amazed that she had not known because of her total immersion in preparing for the ANBU preparation pathway for Chuunin. A bride from the Mist Shogan's court for the Fire Shogan's son, and their wedding set together with Tsunade-sama and Jiriya-sama's wedding in the land of whirlpools in a month's time.

There were ninja truly happy for the two Sanin claiming to have expected this all along, as well as a lot of rumours about the bride and groom from Fire and Mist. That the match would be based on political advantages were never a question- a Shogan's son couldn't be wasted on something like his choice. But the great part of the scandal surrounded the bride.

The bride came from one of the older branches of noble families in the mist civilian section, and was already very active in the political scene. The Shogan's son was a known romantic and the rumours spread whether the marriage would hold or not if it was purely political or if they were secret lovers of some kind. A relationship with mist would offer few defensive advantages with their government so shaky, but others argued for the trading routs between the Land of Fire and Mist might bring financial benefits.

She thought around this time Shikamaru would be back home training as she walked towards the Nara compound. They had agreed to train with eachother regularly to prepare for their apprenticeships starting today. It was exciting they'd be able to spend time together and train.

Siata cut through the market place as a shortcut and passed the all familiar noodle shop and then saw the all familiar regular. Her body jerked.

"Naruto?"

The boy in orange spun around as if caught- with a fist full of ramen dangling from his mouth. Beside him was a stack two meters tall of ramen bowls. Siata's face darkened further and she smiled. Naruto started choking on the noodles.

Siata's scrooge-ness on her money was famous among her peers. She was slowly changing her ways to be more generous towards others- but at times she'd feel like the minimum wage earnings were tight for buying things you'd like and saving up.

At least she was good at managing her money though – unlike some individuals she'd found in her team that had her staring at them just unable to comprehend how they live this way despite earning the same as her with no parental financial support.

"Sunshine. I thought we talked about this remember?"

Sunshine gulped down the ramen and spluttered out a, "B-but Siata-chan, I've been really good datebayo- I've been saving! My total savings right now is-"

"No. Sunshine never tell anyone how much savings you have." Siata cut in but looked at the mountain of bowls again and her foot tapped a bit.

"…The savings. Is it in the thousands? Don't say the exact amount." She couldn't help but checking.

"Uh… its- I was thinking more like under 100-"

Naruto sank a bit as he watched Siata struggle internally with something.

"…Let me just check something because I don't understand. So you saw the noodles you want to buy. Then you bought some. Tell me: what did you think about in between seeing the noodles and then buying the noodles?" Siata smiled tilting her head.

Naruto explained, "Uh… I saw the noodles… and then I thought…" Siata's eyes widened in hope.

"DAMN that looks good I want to buy it so then I bought it! And it was so good I needed to buy more!" said Naruto. Siata lifted a hand for him to stop.

".…So between seeing the thing, and then buying the thing. There was nothing…? No processing of any budgeting limit anywhere in that thought process?" Siata clarified.

"Um… budgeting limit?"

Siata smiled wider.

"So you didn't think about your limits for spending on things you want not need – things you need are like bills, training equipment, medical fees, basic food not fancy café or splurges- So before buying you think okay- my limit for spending this week is roughly x amount- so I can buy x amount, so it doesn't go over the limit."

"Uh.. limit… my limit is when my money pouch is empty…?"

"NO. A real limit. A budget plan. Anything Naruto- look me and you, we're not like those fancy ninja okay that earn 100 per hour, no. We're more like 15 coins per hour ok? That means that mountain of noodles cost you almost 100% of your working hours and more.. whereas those fancy Jounin or whatever it would only cost maybe 10% of their mission money? We should not even be thinking of buying café food or splurges like this on a day to day basis ok? Maybe as a special one day a week or month kind of thing! Now that your Chuunin do you understand you're going to get less financial support from the government, and you need to start saving and start being an adult with your money. As I have told you before-"

"I forgot…" Naruto mumbled,

"Look. Ok the point is… do you agree with me? What do you think? Next time you want to buy something what are you going to do?"

"I… I will not buy it if it's something I don't need. And only buy it sometimes and spend so it doesn't go over a certain amount of my earnings for that week?"

"Thank you Sunshine. I will be checking next month ok? You agree to do this? Budgeting and processing before you buy something, yes?" Siata double checked.

Naruto furiously nodded his head and Siata finally relaxed.

They said their goodbyes and Siata made her way towards Shikamaru's place to start her regular training with him. She was resolved to get prepared as much as possible, so she'd get an apprenticeship to help her one step closer to entering ANBU. No matter how painful or difficult it might be she wanted to be in ANBU. She wanted to see exactly what ANBU had done to her brother and then maybe she could make some changes. She smiled at how many ramen splurges she'd be able to treat Naruto with then and looked for Shikamaru to train.

When she arrived at the Nara's house and prepared for training Yoshino-san fussed with Siata's hair, sitting her down and brushing the comb through and making a tight platted bun. Shikaku knew it was just an excuse for Yoshino to play doll with the daughter-she-always-wanted and Shikaku hummed saying she looked beautiful after Yoshino showed off Siata to him while the girl muttered she just came for training and wasn't going anywhere special. Yoshino-san just ignored her and pinched her cheeks while Siata let her.

The weather was warm and nice- perfect for a nap. But no they had planned to train. So to increase their motivation Shikamaru and Siata napped in the sunny grass of the Nara forest while some of the deer came to nuzzle them at times.

They were hoping by being in the Nara forest it would eventually spur them to spar. Although the spurring was coming a bit further along the way as the sun was just so good and warm and the breeze- Shikamaru continued to cloud watch while Siata flicked back a page from her book. It was nice.

They were currently discussing the latest gossip around Konoha regarding the wedding between the Mist noble and Fire Shogan. A political marriage was common place wherever you looked. Though frankly speaking it was rare that a marriage like that would foster falling in love.

"Oh but I think he'll fall plenty in love if she's beautiful enough. No?" The confusion in Siata's face clearly said Shikamaru was just denying the truth.

'She's going to be the next Shogan's wife. She can't just be some decoration on his shelf," Shikamaru mused. "If I were the Shogan, I'd like someone who could handle things. Not just select dresses or laugh in functions. They should be able to have something special they can do that's their own, like paperwork or negotiating… archiving?"

"Shikamaru, wives for politicians are ment to be pretty and decorative. Look how she's being sold like cattle for marriage. It's normal here and expected they'd marry for stability, and the women do quite well. They certainly didn't tie the knot, so she'd have to do such work."

"Better to do something if they really wanted him to fall for her. Look at Tsunade-sama and her assistant, Shizune-san. Sure they drink or gamble but they're always going about doing things. Shizune-san's clothes aren't those fancy ones, and when they come over to the Nara compound she gets bits of Deer medicine on her sleeves. But she's still just as beautiful. Prettiness isn't that important in a women your spending your life with. I've watched Tsunade-sama twining and grinding up some of the herbs with just her bare hands- it was quick and clever. That's a pretty thing that's got nothing to do with her face. And Kurenai sensei who teaches and loves her work. And she made some hallucinating poison for Asuma sensei's birthday which is awesome. Ino creates bouquets that always gives her customers a smile. Those kinds of things, there a bit of beuty that'll last even after wrinkles or grey hair that even their grandchildren will look at and think how clever it is."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah." Shikamaru shifted, suddenly aware of how close they were sitting.

"Man, I wish I could get married to you then." She grinned.

Shikamaru smiled wider and laughed "I'd marry you."

"Yeah right, I'll probably just be by myself scribbling away at my scrolls. Maybe I'll get a cat when I'm forty- no a dog."

While she muttered Shikamaru plucked two daisies and made makeshift rings.

"Here," he slid it in one finger, and she laughed while putting it on for Shika. He raised his hand and smirked.

"It'll be way too troublesome, but I'll cherish you and love you and be faithful to you in sickness and health, till death do us part." He said in a lazy humoured voice.

She played along and burst her hand up "And I! Uchiha Siata swear to you that I will eat your donkatsu every day and bring in loads of cash so you can stay at home and watch the kids, Fridays can be our date nights and you can do the dishes and make the kids lunches, and I'll cook dinner instead and do laundry. We can make our first son do the vacuuming and deer work, our second daughter can take out the trash and make breakfast. I'll love you forever and make you happy every day. Till death do us part!" Siata grinned.

Shikamaru sat up from the grass as a strong gust of wind blew past them.

"Wait.. I think I got the short end of the stick here, I want a redo-"

"NO redo's. Now do you Nara Shikamaru take me, Uchiha Siata as your wife?"

"Yes yes- Are you really going to say yes on the day?"

"Of course now Shika do this properly!"

He chuckled, "Do you Uchiha Siata take me Nara Shikamaru as your husband."

"I DO! Now you may kiss the bride!" she laughed then froze when Shikamaru did just that. Siata stared as Shikamaru pulled back and smirked when he noticed her turning an increasingly darker shade of red per second.

"You- Ok, Wow" she burst out laughing, "Yeah! Friendly kisses.. whatever." Shikamaru groaned flopping back down on the grass. Siata beamed

"Ok now I'm really pumped up! Let's do some training- come on Shikamaru!" Siata jumped up with her lack of enthusiasm to train today disappearing thanks to Shikamaru cheering her up. Shikamaru muttered something like he'd get her back for this someday as they walked towards the training section of the forest.

With slow deliberate movements, Shikamaru released his shadows and it lazily whipped the surrounding area. Even as she unsheathed her Tanto Siata's attention was focused on Shikamaru. Eyes cataloguing every chakra movement, every flicker of muscle he made.

Shikamaru's shadows were intimidating. The way black wisps and large sections skittered over the ground or whipped suddenly at a tree trunk. The spar would be loosely taijutsu close-range focused.

Shikamaru was more powerful than Siata had remembered in the anime. But that was a time when he hadn't invested in specialised training during his younger years.

When she first saw his shadows in the forest of death- that time she had been constantly on a look out, terrified of the Sanin coming back for them to realise and get a better look at him. It had been the same at the finals.

This time she let herself look over him closely before she turned, bounding off into the trees. She heard Shikamaru coming close behind her and attacked him from her hiding spot with a short burst of energy.

She pulled back thinking he wouldn't be fast enough to respond to it, but he surprised her by parrying it with his shadows. His agility reminded her of a Sanin she knew, and he expertly dodged the rapid fire stabs of her Tanto with pure reflex then attacked back, and the game was on.

They weaved in and out of the trees at breakneck pace, crashed down trees and exploded rocks as they clashed in a fury of blades, shadows, limbs and occasional jutsu.

Siata splashed through a shallow stream flickering like crazy until her steps spread like wildfire, zipping across the water. Then she barreled into Shikamaru.

He took some damage but twisted and sent himself slamming into the grass to dodge her last minute kick, failing to grab her ankle as she passed.

Siata could tell that Shikamaru was surprised by her speed, could tell that he hadn't expected her to be this fast, and they began to take the game even more seriously.

They nicked at each other, tackled eachother into a pile of tall grass and then took off running after eachother again, laughing breathless.

The fight took them deeper into the woods. Shikamaru's style was difficult to pin down. He would attack, then slip away, and he was good at not over exerting himself.

The next time she engaged him he swung his shadows causing her to roll off them and he ducked over her tanto swing.

Then he slammed his shadow into her, and put his whole body into it, the weight causing her legs to slip and fall on the ground, dodging incompletely.

"I thought you said you'd kick my ass." said Shikamaru smiling too much again.

Shikamaru wasn't Siata. Siata's body was strong and controlled, packed into a lean frame, combined with a speed of a predator only made from discipline and ruthless training.

With her sharingan she had an excellent read on Shikamaru's intent before he reacted despite his careful planning.

And although her attacks looked ferocious, she wasn't wild like her male team mates either and fought with a pure concentration of critical hits, striking you like lighting then she watched you and set up her next attack.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru's body was tricky and agile.

His counters and sudden course changes made Shikamaru difficult to predict as he would switch directions in a breath, and Siata found herself chasing after him despite being faster.

Shikamaru was fascinating because he wove his attack into a complicated puzzle with surprise attacks that landed with a timing you'd never expect, and unclear openings that turned into nasty traps and combos he'd already planned out.

Fighting with Shikamaru was like trying to solve the deceptive traps crafted from a dangerous mind that slowly drove you into an unavoidable fate if you failed to realise fast enough.

They were both grinning from the fight, being able to throw everything at their opponent and have them keep coming back. Having sparred together frequently made it that much harder to fight the person who knew all your weaknesses and habits so well.

Siata unleashed her strikes giving Shikamaru no time but to bring up his shadows.

Her tanto screeched on his kunai before she brought her tanto-case crashing down in full strength with brutal speed. She watched as his kunai wrenched out of his hands, throwing his balance off,

"I am kicking your ass!" said Siata smiled, it was a given she was better since close range battle was her specialty. Then she tackled him.

They went tumbling down the hill as they circled and striked at eachother with bare hands and feet. He threw her off his back and she crashed into the ground. She kneed him and kicked him off and she was on him again trying to trap his arms and he tried pinning her with his weight, creating a heap of limbs on the forest floor.

Shikamaru was the first one to start laughing and rolled them both over. Siata sensed the shift and burst out laughing when Shikamaru poked her in a funny spot in her neck and huffed down on him, sagging, taking Shikamaru by surprise that she was giving in so easy. He relaxed his arms around her, and they took the time to catch their breath.

Siata rolled off and stretched her arms in the grass next to Shikamaru. It was dark now in the Nara forest, and it seemed they'd lost track of time as they fought. It felt nice breathing together on the dirt.

Looking around the Nara forest, Shikamaru couldn't help but think about that time he'd found her in the forest and asked her something he's always wondered about. In a way, he wanted her to trust him.

"Tell me about your father."

It was the last thing she wanted to think about after their spar and fun laughs.

"why do you want to ask me now?" she turned her head to look at him.

Shikamaru shrugged, "I guess I want to understand you better."

He knew what he was asking, but he still wanted to know.

But it was because he considered her his friend. So he wanted to know the important things too.

"Your question's too vague." she muttered after a while.

Shikamaru hummed, "It can be anything. What he was like. What you thought of him. How did he die. What was your life like after he passed away?"

Siata's mind flickered to a million things, images, memories. Some were as clear as yesterday.

"My mother died first giving birth to me. I used to love hearing stories about Father through Shisui-nii. He sounded like a vibrant strong person in them. But when I met him he could barely met my eyes. I didn't even get to talk much with him, he'd would sit motionless all day if he came from missions." she said honestly.

"I knew he hated me somehow but a part of me always wanted him to turn around and choose me and accept me. But then he died on that mission. Not on purpose but I think.. Happily. The others simply said it was suicide and they shamed our family. Shisui-nii was away at war so I had to deal with the adults in the clan most of the time."

Shikamaru's eyes flickered to the cigarette burns behind her nape.

"He never did anything special. We never even had a rare moment. But he was my only father... He gave up on us as a family. Then Shisui as well- somehow it scares me trusting someone into my life again and expecting them to stay. They both never did even when they said they loved me. When I.. When they.. Were the most important to me." then she spoke another truth that came to her as she watched Shikamaru listen with his quiet eyes next to her,

"I learnt that kind of thing, were you live happy loving someone... It never lasts. It's painful, and you put your everything into it even knowing it won't end well. Those happy moments.. It doesn't come for free. I learnt that a long time ago." Siata said.

Suddenly it just felt too much to look at him anymore, she turned away from him, remembering the shy moments where she'd dress up in her father or brothers clothes and get surrounded by their familiar smell while they were gone at war and pretending to me them in the mirror.

Remembering staring at her father happy even when he simply ate his food tiredly next to her, but she still had been happy.

The memories started overlapping with new faces, Naruto and Sasuke grinning hugging me back, Kakashi sensei and Yoshino-san, Shikaku, Choji and his mum.

And Shikamaru. His smiles, the naps, his hugs, his temperature. It was a disorienting memory and she felt lost and her chest tight thinking of him.

"Well for me I'd take the risk. I know it's never guaranteed but.. I believe in true friendships and true love, and happy endings.. it can seem corny but it's important.. and It's better than despairing over them."

"I've never seen one in my own life. Happy endings. You want to bet?"

"Ok. Only if you say you're willing to bet it will happen to you to, that it's going to be a happy ending with true love and true friendships and everything.

"Okay deal."

Shikamaru suddenly stopped and looked at her. "say it then."

"What?"

"Shout it out and say it and I'll believe you. Because you won't go back on your words."

I blinked at him "I'm not going to do something ridiculous as that-"

Shikamaru gestured for her to watch his demonstration before he took a deep breath then shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I BELIEVE IN HAPPY ENDINGS AND TRUE LOVE AND TRUE FRIENDSHIPS."

"w-what the?! What the hell are you doing Shika?! YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THAT!"

He ignored her and clenched his eyes shut and shouted at the top of his lungs.

Siata literally jumped him trying to cover his mouth "Are you insane?!" her face was about to explode.

"-BELIEVE IN HAPPY ENDINGS AND TRUE LO-"

"Don't just throw around the L-word! Fine." Siata shouted out to the forest "I'M GOING TO TRY OK?! I'm GOING TO TRY DO THE TRUE LOVE THING AND LET PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WITH TRUE FRIENDS AND TRY TO TRUST IN A HAPPY ENDING, OKAY?!"

She panted a bit while daring him to repeat that unimaginably embarrassing line again, her adrenaline pumping from shouting from the top of her lungs.

Shikamaru, she realised was silently laughing. Until bursts of sounds came out from his mouth until he was holding his stomach and roaring in laughter.

She was flaming red, but he continued to laugh and then wiped a tear from his eyes and sighed happy, messing up her hair and she narrowed her eyes but huffed when he gave her a hug. She grudgingly hugged him back.

"There you go. That wasn't so hard. That's a good Uchiha." He mumbled amusement still apparent in his voice. "what is it with Uchiha's and saying feelings. Your plenty emotional, it shouldn't be so hard."

I mumbled into his shirt. "It's differnt with the touchy feeling stuff. Let's drop the subject please.. my cheeks freaking hurt from cramping."

Shikamaru's shoulders shook as he silently choked out some laughs again.

He sat up, helping her stand up too. Holding her hand he walked her through the dark forest. The sun she realised, had set.

"Let's get some take away for dinner and eat at your place today."

"What?"

"I suddenly really want to eat cooked fish and my mum and dad probably finished eating and packing up by now.

"Do you want to get noodles?".

"Sure." Shikamaru ruffled her hair.

Siata blinked, then she split a grin, enjoying the cool breeze passing her face as they walked to the noodle shop and took them back to her house to eat.

TOBI

Years of civil war and watching the Mist kill eachother still wasn't enough for the pain he'd endured. Rin had died because of Kakashi the bastard but also the mist ninja who had put the Jinchuriki inside her. They didn't deserve happyness. They had to suffer, and mist had to remain a wreck. Just like it had always been all these years thanks to his hard work.

But now? A renaissance group? Organised government? Civilians banning together? And the final maddening development – a political marriage and treaty with the Land of Fire through their Shogan? Really he would have killed them all. He really wanted to. But the newly formed mist ninja were quite a big organised unit and was quite diligent in protecting their weak civilians, and civilian politicians. He groaned and pulled at his hair.

Seriously he had tried. Even had a fight with their leader – Terumi Mei after trying to assassinate the bride of the Fire Shogan's heir. What was worse was Oruchimaru had witnessed it. Tobi decided to have a chat with him, how it was crushing him that he was failing to make the mist civil war maintained. Oruchimaru tells him in fact most of the new soldiers are his people from the Land of Sound or past experiments. Tobi expresses his annoyance at him for not managing his 'hobbies ' well.

Oruchimaru thinks for a while, then proposes a deal. One that would benefit both of them in the long run.

"I'm listening." Tobi leaned forward and nodded as each word fell from Oruchimaru's mouth. They seemed to come to an agreement at the end and finalised the details and paperwork. Tobi couldn't wait.

Authors Notes:

Thank you for reading and all your comments! Seeing Naruto eat away at all those ramen always made me wonder how he survives and this would be exactly the kind of budgeting rant I'd get in with him for real life- and it was freeing to write. Fun fact Siata's name was created by combining 'Si-' from Shisui and 'iata' inspired by Hinata.