A/N: Thank you for the feedback about the writing Cathyscloud9. Happy reading x

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This story is purely a work of fanfiction.

Nina- is my original character (I do own her)

Chapter 11

Sasuke fell to a bended knee and gasping for air; he'd reached the limit of his sharingan.

"What's the matter? You aren't scared are you? Scaredy cat."

Tch. Gritting his teeth, he hissed in frustration at the snide remark from Naruto.

Jiraiya looked up from the page he'd be writing on and eyeballed the two teens. They'd been ever so eager to continue with their training. With the help of a mass of Naruto's shadow clones, they'd hunted him down, banged on the door demanding his attention, until he had finally relented and answered their call. Jiraiya would have preferred to while away a few more hours, at least. Tsunade and her generous bust had been curled against him. And that was unquestionably more appealing than training those two. He'd tried to ignore their hollering, but true to his nature, Naruto won out. That and Tsunade had threatened to unleash on the closest person should the intrusion fail to stop.

Setting down his pen and paper, Jiraiya wandered over to Sasuke. "You've overcompensated for his unpredictability by becoming too reliant on your sharingan."

"It's not that."

"Oh? Do tell me, your teacher, as it were, what it is?"

"He has a ridiculous surplus of chakra that I can't compete with, or anyone for that fact."

"There is that, but my statement stands."

Not only did the Fourth's son have enormous chakra reserves as a result of having the nine-tailed fox sealed within him, additionally, he healed unnaturally fast. "You're also allowing your rivalry to interfere with your judgment. You're not fledgling genin anymore. Whilst you haven't sat your Chunin exams you both quite capable of going toe-to-toe with majority of the Village's jonin."

Kakashi had taken him aside from his other team mates during their first Chunin exams, and taught the young Uchiha his signature jutsu- the chidori. Doing so, meant that some of the fundamentals had been skipped. Actually, on second thoughts it was unlikely that it had been done on purpose, considering his teacher was Kakashi. The most probable reason was that it had been out of Sasuke's own choosing. His later master, Orochimaru, was a perfect example of this behaviour; where the basics, which shinobi enacted on, were abandoned for the self-serving quest of power- at any cost.

"Genjutsu, ninjutsu and …"

"Taijutsu." Sasuke completed the Sannin's sentence.

The third required no chakra and against popular belief, could pose quite the formidable opponent in battle. Guy and Rock Lee came to mind almost instantly. Naruto had superhuman healing with thanks to the nine-tails, but there was still a window. If he could hold out long enough, matching the idiot blow for blow in taijutsu, eventually they would both tire. By using taijutsu alone his chakra reserves would recover enough to, in theory, capture Naruto in a genjutsu.

Jiraiya retreated to his writing when he seen Sasuke's lips pull upwards in one corner.

Naruto tightened the strap of his hitai-ate around his forehead, sensing that Sasuke was about to finally take him seriously.

"So, this is what training from a legend looks like?"

Shikamaru kept his focus on Sasuke and Naruto, unperturbed that Temari had followed him in the end. Their blows were brutal and merciless; neither holding back. The dynamics they shared were very different to those he shared with his former team 10. Choji was a gentle-natured soul and often required motivation by juvenile taunts regarding his weight to force a reaction. This pair needed none of that. Naturally opposed to each other in more ways than one. Something that had stemmed right back to their days at the Academy. Shikamaru had wound up in many situations over the past few years, resulting from Naruto's foolhardy need to bring his forsaken teammate back to Konoha. He still couldn't see what both Naruto and Sakura seen in him. Talented, yes, but man was he an arrogant asshole. And Shikamaru simply didn't have the time of day for him. The only reason he'd agreed to help was because he'd been assigned a mission and Naruto was damn near impossible to say no to. Shikamaru was sure the loud-mouthed prankster could convince the sky it was green if he tried.

His fists curled causing his nails to embed into his palms. Dammit. If … if Orochimaru was responsible for what happened to Asuma and if Sasuke…

"Master Jiraiya, Sir. Lady Tsunade has requested Sasuke Uchiha to report to her."

Temari knew Shikamaru had been rendered useless from whatever he was internalising and chose to step in before he ran his mouth.

"I see. Sasuke. Naruto. Time to call it a day."

Naruto was caught in momentum of a swinging left hook and he tumbled head over heels, until he crashed with back against a nearby tree.

"Hmpf. Loser."

"Oi! What's the big idea Pervy-Sage? I was about to kick…"

"Like you stood a chance, idiot."

They bumped and elbowed each other the entirety of their way to Jiraiya. Sasuke's attention was drawn backwards. Tch. When did he have a chance to summon that clone?

"Naruto, I think you've forgotten something behind that tree."

"Huh?"

Naruto genuinely puzzled by his opponents' words. He stood rubbing his lower back that ached from his fall and scratching the back of his head.

"Forgot what?"

"You're such an idiot. One of your shadow clones."

"Ah, I don't have…"

"What's all this about a forgotten shadow clone?"

Sasuke rescanned the area and just like yesterday, the signature had vanished. Naruto was known for his tomfoolery, wasn't showing any signs that this was some elaborate prank. What's more, Master Jiraiya didn't seem to be aware of the presence.

"It's nothing."

"Eh, Sasuke? You're not making any sense. You just said that I'd forgotten a shadow clone behind that tree."

Jiraiya was a little perplexed by the situation. Naruto was a great number of things, a liar was not one of them.

"You must have hit your head hard. Loser."

"Stop calling me a loser! I heard you say…"

"Okay, okay. That's enough. Sasuke, this lovely lady here has just informed me you're required to report to Lady Tsunade."

"Escorted."

"Oh, right. Apologies. You're to be escorted."

Escorts were serious business. Definitely a Naara clan member by appearances and judging by that body language there was a little heat between him and Sasuke. As there was no other information to be given, he'd have to ask Tsunade himself. Undoubtedly she had a plan for him.

"Well then. Best you not keep her waiting."

"But Pervy…"

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?"

What a drag. They were both idiots. Shikamaru's fingers splayed over his forehead as he shook it from one side to the other.

"Are they always like that?"

Sasuke fell into step between Temari and Shikamaru before answering her question. "Yes. So, what's the Hokage want with me?"

"No idea."

A filthy lie. What he wished he could say was inappropriate, after all, Sasuke was to be considered a comrade. In the depths of his pockets, Shikamaru's fingers fidgeted with the cold steel out case of his late sensei's lighter.

"Was that Sasuke?"

"Yeh."

"Is everything okay? I mean is he in some kind of trouble?"

There was no denying that Sakura had always cared deeply for the guy; at least now it was a little more mature. Ino had grown out of the pitiful pining over him too. Ugh.

"Don't know and don't care."

The words had left his mouth without being filtered and he cringed knowing what was about to happen.

Sakura took no time to grab Shikamaru by the scruff of the collar of his jonin jacket and pull him into her face. The only thing that had prevented her fist from coming into contact with his face had been Temari's hand.

"What did you just say?"

Shikamaru wasn't one to readily contend with the other sex regardless, he didn't withdraw and kept his eyes intently fixed on hers.

"Sasuke is a shinobi of the…"

"He deserted the Leaf Village and somehow all is forgiven and forgotten."

Sakura flung him against the wall of the hallway just outside of the Hokage's office. Temari managed to narrowly avoid getting caught in the motion.

"You don't understand him at all! And how could you possibly begin to understand what he's gone through?"

"Oh please. Who are you trying to kid? So, he had a rough childhood. We're shinobi."

"We all make mistakes, Shikamaru. Your first mission was a failure and our friends almost-"

Shikamaru overpowered her and shoved Sakura hastily against the wall; her head thudding cruelly against the timber. "Oomph."

"You're right I don't get it. I don't get how you, Naruto and the rest of this village can just ignore it all. Anyone else would have been locked up or executed."

He knew she had the raw strength to break free but she didn't. He noticed her eyes had started to glaze over.

"S…Sasuke made a mistake. He left the village. But… but he came back. What's he ever done to you?"

"You haven't changed at all. Still blinded by some idiotic notion of puppy-love." He released Sakura, taking two steps away from her, but stopping with his back to her. "You said it yourself. My first mission was to retrieve him and it almost cost Choji, Neji and Kiba their lives. He chose Orochimaru over us. The same Orochimaru who attacked the Leaf Village and killed our Hokage." Shikamaru pulled out the lighter from his pocket and ignited it. "Sasuke is a traitor, Sakura. Once a traitor, always a traitor."

Fuck it. This was more effort than he was prepared to exude. He clamped down the lighter's lid.

Temari was left standing in between Shikamaru, who had walked off, and Sakura who had her head down, her bangs curtaining her face but unable to hide the sobs.

"Sakura… Shikamaru is just…"

She used the heels of her palms to wipe her face. "I'm fine." Sakura brushed off Temari's hand from her shoulder, which had been offered as a comfort. She was used to it; honestly.

Shinobi or not, they were humans. Humans made mistakes. Sakura knew that beneath all the guise of shinobi life- the rules and regulations, they all bled red.

Trauma affected everyone differently. Some chose vengeance and others, like Shikamaru, chose denial. Aware that Sasuke and Shikamaru had never exactly seen eye-to-eye and Asuma's passing, Shikamaru's outburst was presumptively from misguided emotions.

"You should go. I'm fine, really." She flashed Temari a soft smile.

The Leaf shinobi were an emotional bunch.

That fool. He shouldn't have returned to duties so soon. With the Chunin exams on hold, it looked like she would be on babysitting duties. The last thing they needed was for Shikamaru to unintentionally leak the details from their discussion with Lady Tsunade earlier. Bothersome man.