The sun was barely up by the time Naruto arrived at Hide's home. The clouds blocked most of the sun rays and on his way over he hardly saw anyone walking around. A good thing for him considering the paint cans he was carrying with him. If he wanted his plan to go through successfully then the less people suspected the better and with his trusty genius of a best friend, there would be no doubt that they'd get away with it without a hitch.
He stood right in front of the door. One of many similar looking ones, a dead houseplant in front of the window was the one thing that separated it from the rest. A good house plant at that too, he did not want to be walking in the wrong home again. The screams from the lady were forever implanted in his memory, as well as the bruise she gave him as he tried his best to run the opposite direction.
Naruto placed a hand on the doorknob, he wasn't surprised when it wasn't locked. No matter how many time he, Shikamaru or Choji yelled at her for it, Hide still kept her door unlocked throughout all hours of the day. He distinctively remembered one time a burglar managed to break in while they both were present and instead of running him out of town, she offered him some tea.
When he walked into Hide's bedroom, Naruto wasn't entirely surprised. Hide was still in bed, her teal hair all over her pillow and one arm extending out of her bed. Her bed spread was a little roughed up but for the most part looked as if she had moved around a little during her sleep. That much was an ordinary sight, what he didn't expect was to see Shikamaru sitting on a chair beside her extended hand. A stool pulled in front of him and seemed to be playing a game of shogi by himself, occasionally flipping the board.
Naruto wasn't expecting for Shikamaru to arrive so early. Usually he and Choji are there by the time he arrives as they walk towards the academy but to come an hour earlier- that was dedication.
Shikamaru looked over to the door upon hearing the creaking. The sight of Naruto wasn't entirely shocking, what was shocking were the paint cans he had carried and the redness all over his face looking like he had been caught.
"What are you doing here?" The two asked simultaneously. There was a pause, Naruto looked back and forth between the sleeping girl who had yet to move and the boy who had one piece in his hand. Shikamaru's eyes flickered to the girl next to him to the boy who seemed to be struggling with carrying so many paint cans.
"I asked you first." The two again said at the same time. Neither said anything, they were caught in a battle.
"I'm her best friend I have the right to know why you're here being creeping." Naruto argued, Shikamaru looked bored he moved the piece to a different spot before switching the board's places.
"I'm also her best friend and I have the right to know what idiotic scheme you plan to involve her in."
The blonde boy wasn't in a position to start denying he was holding the evidence right in his very hands. He looked at Shikamaru who was looking right back at him. Again, no words were spoken.
The clock in front of Hide's TV could be heard, Hide's soft snoring could be heard from the sitting boy's side. A very long, awkward minute passed before anyone said anything.
"I come here every morning to one, make sure she's still alive and two, to get her up. She's not exactly the lightest of sleepers."
Naruto knew that too be true. When they would have their occasionally sleepovers while he always moved places and occasionally had his hands slap against her face in his sleep, she was like a rock on one side of the bed and stayed on that one spot.
Shikamaru continued to look a Naruto awaiting his answer.
"Well I sort of needed Hide's help."
"That obvious genius with what?"
"...A project."
The tall boy knew project meant prank. He didn't understand why Hide would be willing to help the knucklehead with any of his schemes, even if with her help they were able to get away with it scot-free but, one way or another Naruto would get caught considering he was the only suspect.
He did have to admit, they were pretty good pranks.
"So are you going to wake her up?" Naruto eyes his sleeping friend. She looked peacefully, all bundled up in a cocoon of blankets. Sweet, innocent, and he knew a dormant, murderous beast resided in her. He commended Shikamaru for having the guts to wake up the teal haired girl up every day considering he seen her wrath when it came to being woken up, and he cried when he saw it.
Without saying a word, the blonde headed out the door. No words were needed but Naruto in those moments considered Shikamaru brave, a good soul for dealing with the wrath that was Hideko Yukimura in the morning.
May his soul survive another morning.
Shikamaru was surprised when he didn't need to wake up the sleeping teal headed girl. He didn't faze when she moved, thinking she was changing sleeping positions but when she sat up and rubbed her eyes, was this what winning the lottery felt like?
Hide smiled at him like she usually did and threw herself at him in a hug, like she usually did. No words were needed after that. It was their routine.
He continued to play against himself while she got ready. From the corners of his eyes he saw blurs of yellow, orange, black and her signature teal hair as she walked from one point of the room to another and then into her bathroom.
By the time he got halfway into winning against himself, she stood in front of him with food in hand. Her hair was barely tamed and tossed upward in a messy ponytail. She wore a yellow orange shirt that cut off at her stomach, black shorts with black long socks stopping at the knee with black sandals to tie all together. Around her neck was her signature silver necklace.
In her hand were two rice balls, both offered to him.
"I would have made something but you have a thing about being punctual so-" He took one ball and closed her fingers around the second, signally her to eat it.
"Would you rather be yelled at by Iruka-sensei for being late again?" Shikamaru questioned as he took a bite. Hide said nothing but took a bite of the rice ball. Shikamaru had a point, it would have been the seventy second? Seventy third? Time that she's been late. Hide couldn't remember the last time she arrived on time.
Hide went into the table where one nicely wrapped rice ball was left. She took it and placed it in her pocket. It was a rule between herself and Choji that food was always exchanged when she and Shikamaru went to pick him up. Never again would she forget to bring him food. She remembered that he didn't speak to her for a week because 'the betrayal was just too much.'
"By the way, Naruto dropped by this morning. Something about a project." Hide's eyes glistened when the word 'project' was heard.
"Do you know what it was?" the two began to walk out the door.
"Other than paint involvement nope but, something tells me were going to find out."
Truth be told, Hide did see what Naruto's prank was by the time she and Shikamaru dropped by to get Choji. A variety of paints had coated all hokage's faces. She didn't see Naruto still painting which she assumed him to now be either running or hiding from the usual ninjas who tried to stop his pranks.
She sat in class, in between Sasuke and Shikamaru. In front of her was Akamaru who Kiba had let her take to her seat behind him. The dog nipped at her fingers gently, one of her hands ran her fingers through the dog's fur as she paid her attention to the gentle strokes and to her sensei scolding her friend in front of the class.
"I'm at the end of my rope Naruto." Iruka-sensei had his arms crossed. Naruto in front of him who was tied by rope. "Naruto you failed the graduation test last time and the time before that. Tomorrow you got another chance and you're messing up again!"
Naruto hummed and looked to the side where everyone was watching him. His eyes rested on the teal haired girl whose attention was to a white dog in front of her, Kiba's dog. Her brown eyes looked to him. He couldn't read what they were telling him. Whatever she was telling him all he caught on were her big eyes widening and casting to the left.
"Fine! Because you missed it Naruto everyone will review the transformation jutsu!" the entire class groaned in unison. Oh! Was that what she was trying to say?
Each student got up from their seats, once Iruka sensei gave a punishment there was no going back. One by one they went down the steps until a line formed. Hide grabbed onto Akamaru gently before placing him back on his owner's head before she got in line. Naruto untied and joining the line found his way in front of Hide and behind Sasuke Uchiha, the class's prodigy.
He glared at the back of Sasuke's head but perked when favorite brown eyes were aimed at him. "Don't let Iruka-sensei put you down Naruto, I for one loved your prank." Her arms were wrapped around him. The boy smiled, one thing about Hide was she loved each prank he produced, always praising it even if it got him into trouble or the class in trouble.
Naruto wrapped his arms around her and placed his chin on her shoulder, he had to go to his tippy toes to do so but it was well worth it. His blue eyes met Shikamaru. The taller boy mouthed 'idiot' and stared dead set into his eyes to make sure he got the message. Naruto stuck out his tongue at him.
The line continued to shorten. Student after student began to perform the transformation jutsu transforming into Iruka-sensei. Hide lost in thought failed to notice a head lower itself down to her ear.
"So are you going to pretend to suck at this jutsu too or are you going to give it a shot?" Hide didn't know how to answer Shikamaru's question she was still trying to figure that out herself. She noticed Naruto now looked at her as well. She also noticed Sasuke slightly leaned to his left, an ear in their directions.
What a bunch of nosy people.
Shikamaru could see the wheels beginning to turn in Hide's head. A question he always asked since the first time they joined the academy. He knew what a genius the girl was, he remembered when they first became friends and how she showed true talent to be a kunoichi but when they began at the academy she just, stopped. She didn't try when it came to showing her jutsu but would do well on the test. Hide would sometimes not even show up at all. It took I'm a while to connect the dots that she was doing poorly on purpose but why, that was something that not even he could answer yet.
Both were contemplating the question they did realize the line was already upon them.
Hide watch Sakura Haruno, the only girl in her class with bright pink hair take stance. "Alright, Sakura here let's do it." She watched the girl say transform before a cloud of white smoke appeared around her. In her place stood a perfect replication of Iruka sensei.
"Transformed into me, good." Another cloud of smoke appeared before the pink hair girl took place again. Sakura cheered herself, "Yes I did it!" she looked over towards the only boy who held a constant brooding facial expression.
"Sasuke did you see that?" That was the only downside to the girl in Hide's opinion. She was another fangirl in the long list of Sasuke's fangirls. Most who were in this class. The pink haired girl had talent that was focused on impressing the boy that couldn't be impressed. She looked over at Sasuke who said nothing and did not move one muscle in his face.
"Next, Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura moved to the right and joined the row of students who completed the transformation jutsu. The Uchiha boy took stance. Iruka didn't have to look up from his clipboard to see that Sasuke already transforming into himself, as usual he did well.
"Next Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto stepped forward and readied himself.
"This is a total waste of time Naruto." Shikamaru spoke first.
"We always pay for your screw ups." Ino, a blonde haired girl dressed in purple followed.
"You got this Naruto." Hide cheered. Naruto smiled at the one compliment. He took one more step forward and readied his hand signs, "Transform." His transformation took longer than Sakura's or Sasuke's but in a cloud of white smoke appeared a female version of Naruto, naked. The white smoke covered what shouldn't be shown.
Hide slapped her palm on her forehead.
Iruka-sensei' eyes bulged wider than anyone else had seen them. In a flash of a nosebleed he fell backward. Naruto transformed back to himself and began pointing and laughing at his sensei explaining his transformation jutsu was his sexy jutsu.
Hide looked between her giggling friend and her nonbleeding sensei, "Boys, what a bunch of idiots."
The brown eyed girl watched her sensei get back up, angrier than ever. "Cut the stupid tricks. This is your last warning!" his loud yelling blew pieces of Naruto's hair back. He took a piece of Naruto's white collar, Naruto's head dangling like a rag doll.
"Everyone, class dismissed." Naruto and Iruka sensei disappeared in a puff of white smoke. The class cheered. Those who didn't have to show their jutsu cheered louder and in clumps began to head out of the classroom. Hide stayed back, she watched the spot where Naruto and her sensei once stood.
"Hey." Her brown eyes looked to her left, Shikamaru and Choji stood waiting for her. "You coming?"
She nodded, "Yeah. There's a place I wanna drop by first."
Hide, Shikamaru and Choji ended up Ichiraku. A small ramen shop that was both Hide's and Naruto's favorite places to drop by. Teuchi, the owner and Ayume, his daughter both stood behind the counter.
"Hey Hide, the usual?" the older man questioned. The teal haired girl smiled but shook her head. "Sorry guys I'm here on a mission today." Both the owner and daughter stared at her with curiosity.
"I was wondering if I could pay for an order ahead of time-" The owner and daughter gave confused faces. "Not for me but for somebody else. There a likely chance they'll pop up here today." All confusion disappeared from her statement. Both smiled, the owner nodded.
"How many orders are you placing?" the older man question. Hide beamed and pulled out the money from her pocket.
"Twelve orders of your famous Ichiraku ramen."
Shikamaru and Choji watched the exchanged and couldn't help but smile. Hideko Yukimura sure was an angel sent from above. There was no other way she could be so kind and optimistic, she just had a touch that no one else seemed to have for a girl who's been through things no girl her age should've.
Hide thanked the father/daughter duo once more before she waved goodbye. She stood in front of Choji who continued to munch on his chips and Shikamaru who had his hands stuffed in his pockets.
Her smile seemed as bright as the sun. "Okay I'm ready, let's go watch some clouds."
No one said anything as they began walking to Shikamaru's spot. Hide couldn't seem to wipe off her smile no matter how much she tried. She was happy knowing Naruto would be thrilled to be eating Ramen for free and that's all the reason to keep smiling.
First chapter of the series. Yes i know not much went on but more action will happen within the next chapter. not much of Sasuke but there more to him within the next chapter and further episodes.
Leave any reviews on what your thoughts were and what you think will happen down the line. I'm very excited to show this development.