Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any Naruto characters portrayed in this fic.
A/N: No, I haven't abandoned this story. I'll skip the long pre-amble, but will add some details in the author's note at the end.
The timeline of this story follows the time-skip, after Naruto develops the Fuuton Rasengan technique, but after that deviates from canon. Reviews and feedback appreciated!
PART 3: Reprisal
Chapter 15: Friends and Shadows (Part I)
The Hokage's office had been a whirlwind of activity for the past twelve hours, with Tsunade away treating Kakashi. Somewhere, between dispatching dozens of coded messages to ANBU squadrons and arranging for a discreet supply of sake for when her master returned, Shizune had received orders from Tsunade to take a short break. The written slip had been short and concise.
"Go home. Re-charge and be back in three hours. I need you at your best."
Shizune knew there was no response she could give other than a wry smile and a quick acknowledgement. As tough a task-master as Tsunade had always been, she had a knack for knowing the physical limits of those around her. Leaving operations at the Hokage tower to Shikaku Nara, Shizune had made her way rapidly home.
Back at her apartment, she paused in the tiny kitchen to plant a sound kiss of greeting on Kazuya who had been chopping vegetables for their dinner.
"How's everything going?"
She rolled her shoulders, hearing two satisfying cracks and sighed. "Chaos. Jiraiya-sama got back this morning."
Seeing Kazuya snap to attention, she nodded. "Team Kakashi made it back in one piece. Naruto and Sakura are all right, but Kakashi needed emergency medical attention. Tsunade-sama is with him now."
Their reunion was interrupted by a short, sharp tap at the window. Seeing the ANBU crouched on the sill, Shizune blanched. She had thought Shikaku would have things under control and the last thing they needed right now was another serious incident. Nodding to the sheep-masked ANBU to allow entry, Shizune was about to strap her sandals back on, when she heard him address Kazuya.
"Med Team 6C will begin duty at the Shinobi Recovery Centre in forty minutes. Hokage-sama has requested you join them for specialist needs."
As soon as the ANBU had left, Shizune turned to her partner, mind working rapidly through the details. Kazuya was already double-checking his medical kit and pulling the small rucksack onto his shoulders.
"The Recovery Centre ... That's probably where Kakashi's been taken!"
She knew the "special needs" involved Kazuya's area of medical expertise; mending damaged chakra pathways. The situation must be critical if Tsunade was requesting extra assistance. Seeing her worried expression, Kazuya touched her cheek.
"I've been expecting the call. Don't worry. He'll pull through, like always."
Shikamaru matched his strides to the blonde shinobi beside him, speaking at a measured pace as he outlined the events of the past week. He had suggested that Naruto take a walk with him, away from the Recovery Centre where Kakashi was being treated. He wanted Naruto's mind to be as clear and receptive as possible, and keeping him in motion and far away from the anxiety-laden atmosphere of the waiting room had seemed best.
His worries were well-founded when he finished explaining his own theory behind the murderer's motives and Naruto stopped sharply in the middle of the walkway and let out a disbelieving, humourless bark of laughter.
"What? Are you serious?"
Shikamaru turned and looked directly into the eyes of the shinobi beside him. "As serious as I can be."
"Shikamaru ..." Naruto's smile faded as he seemed to search for any trace of jest in the other's visage. "No. No way. You know how I ... You know how it was when I was a kid! There's no way. You're standing here saying that someone ... someone would murder for me? And do all these horrible things ..." He shook his head, eye tightly shut as if to rid himself of something foul.
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"NO." The word burst from Naruto, propelling him forward until his face was inches from Shikamaru's. "You don't ... You have no idea ... "
And suddenly, something clicked. Shikamaru almost laughed aloud, but resigned himself to a sigh.
"Idiot. I already know."
He watched Naruto carefully, watched the changes in his eyes. Unavoidable, really, considering how the other had a knack for invading personal space. He watched the slow dawn of realization, chased by disbelief, followed narrowly by a stricken sense of deep shock.
"You ... you don't know what you're talking about ..."
"You mean about you being a jinchuuriki?" At this, Naruto's mouth snapped shut and he took a step back. "Oh, I figured it out. Some time back, actually."
Naruto seemed to take a few moments to process this. His voice was shaky. "And ... the others?"
Guessing that he was referring to the other members of the Rookie nine, Shikamaru nodded slowly. "We were informed once we were made chuunin. It was one of the laws originally instated by the Third Hokage for your protection. But I knew ... before they officially told us." He rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "There was too much that was unusual. Too many ... incidents that you'd been involved in - "
He stopped when Naruto crouched down abruptly, hands clutching the sides of his head, eyes wide. Sighing, Shikamaru knelt beside him slowly, elbows propped on his knees.
"Oi."
Naruto refused to meet his eyes.
"OI. Stop that. I know its probably a lot to take in, but you have to focus on the important stuff right now ..."
"But," Naruto looked around, as if scarcely believing Shikamaru was still next to him, "But you don't ... you're the same, I mean. You don't ... treat me any different."
Closing his eyes, Shikamaru inhaled deeply. There was a reason he had never allowed himself to dwell on his classmate too often. It was why he understood the murderer's train of thought so well, why he had made those predictions about their actions so accurately. On some level, he was angry too. No, furious. Furious that such a heavy burden had been placed on someone who had simply accepted their lot since childhood without even knowing why. Such was the disturbing fate of all jinchuuriki. Naruto's rivalry and bitter friendship with Sasuke also made much sense in this regard; Sasuke had never much cared about what lurked within Naruto either.
"Of course I don't, idiot. You're the same person, aren't you? Look, if some unhinged murderer can sympathize and want to help you in their own twisted way, is it really a stretch to imagine that we, your friends, would want to help you and be around you too?"
Naruto was now watching him, almost breathlessly. He did not look away. He knew that the blonde shinobi had an uncanny sense for when people were not being entirely honest, and he knew that it was more important than ever that he not fail him in this sense. Eventually, he did look away, because Naruto's eyes had developed a tell-tale shimmer and were threatening to overflow. After a few loud sniffs and a none-too-subtle wiping of his nose on his jacket sleeve, Naruto turned back to Shikamaru and gave him one the largest, goofiest grins the chuunin had ever seen on his face, and that was saying something.
"Thanks, Shikamaru."
The weight behind that statement was not lost on him. Not in the slightest. Shikamaru nudged Naruto with his foot.
"Let's get back to discussing this, then."
"How is he doing?"
Tsunade sighed and raised her hands stiffly to her hips. "He's really gone and done it this time. His body is fighting the infection well, especially with the antibiotics Sakura managed to administer, but the inflammation of the tissue is making it difficult for his chakra pathways to clear and heal."
Jiraiya shook his head, clearly deep in thought about something. Tsunade raised an eyebrow and waited. She knew her old team-mate well enough to know that he would speak when he was ready.
"I've had a lot of time to think about this on the way here. Time enough to realize that this problem is definitely from deep inside Konoha. This is no ordinary intelligence. Minato's jutsu ... we can't assume anyone is clear. And I mean anyone, Tsunade. We even have to examine the old guard."
"I know," she breathed, "I know. And that's why I felt ... no, I knew that Shikamaru was the right choice."
"Are you sure? Maybe his father - "
"No. Shikaku is one of the old guard now, remember?"
Jiraiya let out a whoosh of laughter. "They grow up so fast, eh?"
They were interrupted by muffled scuffling of scrubs on the clean, tiled floor, heralding the arrival of Med Team 6C with Kazuya in the lead.
"Reporting in, Hokage-sama."
"Ah, yes. Go on in. I've left instructions with the surgical personnel. They're still trying to bring down the inflammation. Once it has been suitably dealt with, focus will be on repairing chakra pathways and regulation of chakra flow. You'll be in charge of that, Kazuya. Once the procedure is over, a guard will be placed on Kakashi's room. He's still considered high risk, so clear the patients from the surrounding rooms and have them moved to the main building's surgical ward."
"Understood."
Evening was painting broad brush-strokes of gold and crimson over the rooftops and verdant hills of Konoha by the time Naruto finally had a complete grip on the situation. Shikamaru had had to repeat himself and re-hash many details before the other shinobi was fully satisfied that he had understood the situation.
"Okay," Naruto waved his hands, looking slightly pained. "Okay, so I kind of get why they put the explosive tags in Sakura-chan's home. And the monument. And about Daisuke-sensei." His face darkened slightly at the mention of their former teacher. "But why go all out so badly against Kakashi-sensei? He was barely involved in anything to do with me. I mean, yeah, I felt bad that he trained with Sasuke more. But I get it, okay? And Ero-sennin took over my training, so it was all good."
Shikamaru frowned as he pondered this. Trust Naruto to take the most direct view of the problem. "I ... suppose."
"And he nearly ... you know. Out in Iwa. I was ... worried." Naruto rubbed his hands together nervously. "He was hurt really badly and talking funny too. He kept telling me that he always thought of me and Sasuke the same. I thought ... you know how it is." He finished awkwardly, shooting Shikamaru a tense look.
"Yeah." Shikamaru had become very still. "Yeah. I know."
"And all that has me thinking ... someone wanted to hurt us. Him. Really badly. Someone wanted him gone."
"Well, he's all right, Naruto. He's safe and he's here. He's Kakashi-sensei."
"He's also ... human." Naruto paused. "We all think they're unstoppable. Until ... "
Shikamaru nodded. "I guess they've always been there. I mean, Kakashi was part of the legendary team. And then he served the full time in ANBU before being forced to give it up. I mean, that's not common."
Naruto nodded before a frown graced his features. "Legendary team?"
Shikamaru snorted. "Oh come on. I know you skipped out on all those history lessons with Iruka-sensei, but surely even you know this?" Seeing the blank expression on Naruto's face he shook his head incredulously. "He was part of the Fourth Hokage's genin team. His team member was killed in the line of duty during the war and his other team-mate later. I mean, this is practically -"
And he froze, the words he had just spoken resounding in his head in a steady loop, gaining more and more gravity with every moment.
"Shikamaru? Hey!" Naruto was peering concernedly into his face. "What - "
"Kakashi-sensei," Shikamaru's voice was hoarse, belying the haste with which he rose to his feet. "We have to get to him now."
"Wait, what - "
"I'll explain on the way. Get moving!"
Seeing the notoriously lazy Nara infected with this sudden sense of urgency was jarring enough for Naruto to stop asking questions and act. Once they had reached the rooftops, Shikamaru set a punishing pace.
"Those words, on the Hokage monument. The legacy of the fourth ... it's exactly what I suspected. It is a death threat. He's not talking about the Kyuubi."
Naruto missed his footing and narrowly avoided slipping entirely off the rooftop. "You mean ...?"
"Kakashi-sensei is in danger."
It seemed that those words were enough. Shikamaru glanced worriedly over as he felt the chakra levels of the shinobi beside him spike wildly, uncontrolled. Sending out a brief, timed chakra flare as an emergency signal, Shikamaru hoped desperately that Hawk and the team that had been appointed to assist his investigation had not been assigned elsewhere.
Kazuya listened to the steady hum of machinery as he performed his last check for the day. Kakashi's condition was stable and his wounds were now clean and free of the tell-tale smell of infection. It would take him a while to recover from chakra depletion, however. His chakra levels were adequate for the present, but fairly low.
Stepping from the room, he noted the slightly concealed presence of the ANBU guards in the perimeter. They had cleared the floor completely due to Kakashi's involvement in the recent case, although all medical personnel were on normal duty. He was about to make his way to the scrub room to change into his street clothes when a Hawk-masked ANBU flashed into his vision, coming to a rapid stop.
"What - "
"Code red. ANBU units to immediately report to the Haruno residence!"
Ignoring him, the ANBU spoke out loud into the hallway, providing a few measured bursts of chakra that seemed to be a password or signal of some kind.
"Hawk-san." The cat-masked female ANBU who was leader of the team assigned to the recovery centre at the hospital appeared in the doorway. "Hokage-sama's orders were - "
"Leave one behind with me. All others to report immediately. I repeat, this is a Code Red. Explosives are involved." The Hawk mask turned to Kazuya, causing him to take a step back. "You need to go to the emergency assembly area. This is protocol for civilians."
"But - "
"Please proceed immediately."
Kazuya backed away, his mind racing before hurrying down the corridor and out the front doors, pulling off his protective gloves and hair covering. He broke into a run. Something wasn't right. He knew it wasn't possible to catch up to the ANBU contingent that had just left as they had been traveling at full speed. His thoughts turned to Shizune and his feet began to carry him to the Hokage tower. She would be back by now and she would provide more clarity on what was going on.
Kazuya's rapid exit from the hospital was an unfortunate circumstance for the hare-masked ANBU left on guard duty. He was a fairly new recruit, somewhat in awe of the veterans, and only registered a mild confusion when he heard the zing of a wire unraveling in the hands of his trusted senior, Hawk-san.
A/N: So, I have decided to return to this story. It's been years, I know. I landed a job overseas and work and life in general have kept me extremely occupied. I also never expected to return to writing fanfiction. Over the years, with all the challenges of independence and adult life, it's sometimes shocking to read some of the things I've written years ago. I, and consequently my writing, have evolved so much, even beyond the interests I once had. I have had to re-connect with this story in order to do it justice (which I hopefully do). Reading some of my emails, I know I should do my readers justice and complete this!