Shikamaru was quite bemused when he walked through the halls and saw strangely cut pumpkins floating around everywhere.

He stopped in front of a particularly distorted grimace and scrutinized the strange work.

'An interesting choice of interior decoration,' his mental companion commented, 'Although the expression appears to be rather…unhinged?'

Shikamaru hummed in agreement. 'It looks crazy. '

Suddenly the creepy pumpkin winked at him and opened his mouth to speak with a familiar voice. "Happy Halloween!"

Shikamaru sighed. "Death," he greeted the deity flatly, "What are you doing here?"

The pumpkin huffed. "Celebrating, of course. This is the day my power is the greatest, after all." It floated towards Shikamaru and settled on his shoulder. "Now show me around your school!"

Shikamaru glanced at the pumpkin. "Don't you already know what it is looking like?"

Death-pumpkin grinned. "Of course, but I have always wanted a guided tour. Now get going or I'll send Hidan."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, "Fine, what do you want to see?"

The pumpkin hopped around in excitement. "The lady's bathroom on the second floor!"

'What?' Both Pain and Shikamaru asked simultaneously.

'Do you think he is…', Shikamaru threw a critical look at the excited pumpkin.

'He is certainly behaving like one,' Pain agreed.

Death huffed. "I am not a pervert!"

Neither Shikamaru nor Pain deigned to answer.

They saw the blood-red writing the moment they rounded the corner.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

Next to it hung a petrified Mrs. Norris.

Pumpkin-Death grinned. "Interesting, isn't it?"

Shikamaru disagreed. There was only one word to describe this development and he wasted no time uttering it: "Troublesome."

'Quite a foreboding message,' Pain agreed. Shikamaru was silently wondering if he appreciated the dramatic impact behind the message's delivery.

But then, Shikamaru leaned forward to inspect the writing, Pain-san would have probably left a more destructive message. He seemed like the type who relied on displays of power, and he was certainly not someone who would write missives in animal blood.

"Things will be funny from now on!" Death told him cheerfully, "You'll - what are you doing?!"

The pumpkin jumped in agitation as Shikamaru drew Lockhart's wand, muttered 'Aguamenti' and flushed the writing away with a stream of water while his clone hurried away with the petrified cat.

Pumpkin-Death pouted. "You are taking all the fun away."

Shikamaru shrugged. "So, what is this Chamber of Secrets?"

The pumpkin smirked. "Why don't you find out? Now, shall we continue? I still have an entire evening ahead of me."

'I suddenly feel like having pumpkin soup," Shikamaru commented silently.

Pain agreed immediately. 'Excellent idea. Can this water spell of yours produce boiling water, too?'

Shikamaru paused. 'No, but I know a rather nice cutting curse.'

'That will suffice, too.'

Shikamaru snorted.

"Oh look! It's Professor Lockhart!"

"Is that a pumpkin on his shoulder?"

"So cute!"

Shikamaru twitched.

Pumpkin-Death turned on his shoulder and grinned at the excited students.

"It looked at me! So scary!"

"His gaze was so smoldering!"

"Are you daft? Fruit does not look smoldering!"

'My sympathies for having to deal with this,' his mind-companion expressed his condolences.

Shikamaru was torn between laughing and groaning. If the one wanting to bring peace through suffering sympathized with your plight, things must be beyond dire.

He quickly pressed the pumpkin into an overjoyed Hermione's hand and marched off to get some peace and quiet.

Thus, Halloween passed without incident, much to the bewilderment of one Harry Potter who had already gotten feelings of impending doom.

Well, if no emergencies were on the way, he could concentrate on the important things for once.

Like the Quidditch game tomorrow.

'Pain-san?'

His companion had been oddly quiet the entire morning.

'One moment, child.' The man sounded somewhat distracted. 'I have to get rid of an annoyance.'

Shikamaru was quiet while the man did whatever he was doing.

It did not take long before Shikamaru felt his presence return. 'Are you done?'

'Yes,' the man agreed, 'I am. What is it you want?'

Shikamaru hesitated. He longed to hear what was happening back home, but he was not sure if he could trust a man who wanted to rule through pain to be truthful. Still, he was curious. It would be alright if he took everything he was told with a grain of salt. Provided, of course, that his companion deigned to answer. Well, it would not hurt to try. 'I was wondering…is the situation still stable in the Elemental Nations?'

The man was silent for a while. Then he finally answered: 'Are you worried about your village, child? It seems even a world away the Will of Fire burns brightly.' There was a slightly mocking edge to his words. 'There is no need for concern. It still stands strong,'

The strange uncurrent in his tone instantly put Shikamaru on alert. His eyes snapped open. 'Still? Are you planning something?'

'I have told you. I am Pain and I will bring peace to this world. Sometimes you must hurt in order to know, fall in order to grow, lose in order to gain because life's greatest lessons are learned through pain.'

Great. Pain was acting like a megalomaniac again and now he had even discovered the questionable hobby of rhyming his speeches. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. 'Are you planning to attack Konoha?'

'My sights are set beyond your small village, child,' the man replied, 'But why should I enlighten you of my plans?'

'Were you not the one who said that there is no greater pain than losing the ones you love most?" Shikamaru replied calmly and crossed his arms behind his head. "Let me correct you: There is a greater one. It is knowing you are going to lose the ones you love most and being unable to stop it. I am a world away. I cannot stop you. I cannot warn anyone. I am powerless. Did you not want people to understand pain? I am willing to learn. Educate me. Or have you already forgotten that you have been sent to teach me?'

There was a long moment of silence, then a deep rumbling chuckle echoed through Shikamaru's mind. 'I have been told that the Nara clan is very intelligent, but it seems I have underestimated your resourcefulness. This is the first time my own words have been used against me. What a crafty child you are. Very well. If you wish to experience pain, Nara Shikamaru, I will not stop you. But I believe this conversation is better held in a different setting. Close your eyes, child, and sleep.'

Shikamaru hesitated only for a second before obeying. Unsurprisingly, he fell fast asleep.

The first thing he saw, were clouds. Normally, he would have been overjoyed about this fact. This time, however, he was less pleased.

Because these clouds were rain clouds.

Meaning, they covered the entire sky and did not have any distinct shapes.

It was a single, grey mass and not something he could watch.

Shikamaru sighed in disappointment.

Then it started to rain. "Troublesome," he grumbled.

"Welcome," a rich voice spoke up behind him, "to Amegakure."

Shikamaru turned around. A tall shape stepped out of the shadows. It was a man. Purple, ringed eyes settled on Shikamaru, and a hint of amusement flashed through the strange orbs. "You are even younger than I thought you to be."

Shikamaru scrutinized the man. "Age is but a number."

"Indeed," Pain agreed, coming to a stop next to him. "Childhood is but a luxury in this war-stricken world."

"Is this really a dream?" Shikamaru inquired, "It feels so tangible."

"Dream, reality. Does it matter? True is only what you experience."

"And this true experience is pain?"

A shadow of a smile flickered over the man's face. "You are learning quickly." He gestured towards the masses of people moving at the feet of the tower. "Do you see this beggar over there? He once had a family, but he lost his spouse to a rouge shinobi and killed his wife's murderer in return. It destroyed him."

Shikamaru scrutinized the haggard old man. His shoulders were sunken in, and he looked like he had lost the will to live.

"The blond woman next to the well sent her only son to join the shinobi forces," Pain continued, and Shikamaru turned his head to look at her. "He was captured and tortured to death by an enemy. She hired a bounty hunter to get rid of the perpetrator. The dead enemy's son retaliated by taking her husband and burning down her home. She has nothing, but still longs for revenge. This is the world we live in. All we can do is cause pain. A never-ending circle of hatred. Only those who have experienced the greatest pain will understand each other."

Shikamaru hummed thoughtfully. "So, Konoha?"

"It will burn, and the world will know pain."

Suddenly Shikamaru's world shook, as a voice called him from a far-off distance.

"oofessor.."

"..ohart!"

"Professor Lockhart!"

Shikamaru blinked tiredly and opened his eyes.

Something white was hovering in front of him. It took him a moment to realize that the white thing was not an especially fluffy cloud but rather a beard belonging to one Albus Dumbledore. "Headmaster," Shikamaru greeted him calmly.

The old man smiled at him. "Good afternoon, Professor Lockhart. Did you rest well?"

"Not bad," Shikamaru answered and yawned lightly. "The weather is rather nice today."

"Indeed," the headmaster agreed amicably. "The temperature is pleasantly refreshing."

"HEADMASTER!" Minerva McGonagall's voice suddenly thundered through the air. "This is not the time for small talk!"

Dumbledore sighed deeply. "Ah, well. It appears dear Minerva is getting quite impatient. Always in a hurry. Alas, I have to concede. If you are feeling well enough, Professor: Might I trouble you with relocating to a different spot? The quidditch game is about to start, and I am afraid we need the goal hoop."

Shikamaru yawned again. "Troublesome, but fine."

"Thank you," Dumbledore replied and smiled at him. "Might I suggest you take a look at the clock tower? I heard the stone walls are very comfortable today."

Shikamaru hummed in interested agreement.

Dumbledore turned his broom around. "Excellent! I wish you a pleasant afternoon, Professor."

"Likewise, headmaster," Shikamaru answered and watched in mild interest as the man steering the cleaning utensil neared the ground.

'An unusual way to travel,' Pain commented.

Shikamaru agreed and slowly stood to stretch himself.

Below him, someone screamed. "Oh my god! He's going to fall!"

"Headmaster, he is standing inside the hoop!" Minerva McGonagall's shout could be heard across the entire pitch.

"Indeed," the headmaster sounded unbothered, "The view from up there is truly magnificent. Now, could you please hand me the box containing the lemon drops, Minerva?"

"ALBUS!"

Shikamaru sighed and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Fred and George immediately jumped on the field and attempted to catch them with an oversized fishnet. "Quick, George! The more we collect, the more we can sell!"

"Not if I get them first!" Hermione Granger yelled and brandished her wand. "ACCIO LEAVES!"

Immediately all trees within a two-hundred-foot perimeter were liberated of their greenery and the stands were drowned in varying shades of red, yellow and orange.

This unfortunate incident resulted in another postponing of the match in order to allow one grumpy Argus Filch to sweep up the Quidditch field.

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had this to say: "What a unique way to show house pride."

Needless to say, Gryffindor won the game that day.

A/N

Nope, this fic is not abandoned. I am just a bit stressed out with RL at the moment (moving and a new job) and hardly had any time to indulge in writing. =)

Thanks for the encouraging comments you left me on the last chapter. It's great to see you enjoy this story and I am happy to share my craziness with you. :D

I hope you liked dear Shika this time, too.

Pumpkin Soup, anyone? *XD*