XV: Flipping the Script
Shikamaru sat alone in a dango shop, tapping his fingers against the side of the table as he waited.
The shop owner leaned out over the counter, checking on the young man. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Shikamaru answered.
The older man glanced out at the street before addressing Shikamaru again. "You've been here for 45 minutes, kid. I think you've been stood up."
Shikamaru sighed in response. He was pretty sure that the man was right, though he didn't want to say it out loud. Like if he just didn't acknowledge it then everything would just go back to the way it was before.
Of course, Shikamaru knew that wouldn't be the case, and he didn't need to use that intellect of his to figure that out. He stood from his seat and walked over to the counter. The shop owner grimaced as the young man approached, obviously understanding Shikamaru's pain.
"Here," Shikamaru said, pulling a small amount of cash and putting it on the counter.
The shop owner gawked at the money before looking back up at Shikamaru. "Oh, I can't take this, you haven't ordered anything. Just head home and try to get over this."
"No, please," Shikamaru insisted. "I need to feel like I've finished my business here before I try figure everything else out."
The shop let out a deep breath before nodding slowly. "OK, kid," he said, picking the cash up off the counter. "If that's what you think you need to move on from this, I won't stop you."
"Thanks," Shikamaru said before around and walking out onto the street. With nowhere else to go, he headed home.
"Hey, Mom," Shikamaru called out as he walked into the house.
"I'm in the living room, son," she responded. Shikamaru walked to that room to see his mother sitting in the recliner, her feet up and her apron draped over one of the chair's arms. "How was your day?" she asked him as he stepped into her view.
"You were right, Mom," Shikamaru replied.
"Of course I am, my idiot boy," Yoshino admonished her son. "For all that everybody says that you're the smartest person in the village, you can be really dense about some things."
"I won't deny it," Shikamaru said. "But I can't just sit back and take the punishment for my mistakes. I've got to figure out a way to fix them."
Yoshino took a deep breath before continuing the conversation. "Good. I was hoping that your laziness wouldn't cut you off from the best thing to happen in your life since you made Chunin. Now, put that brain of yours to work and figure out a plan."
Shikamaru nodded in response before sitting down on the couch. He leaned back in the seat as he formed a rectangle with his fingers, as was his habit whenever he thought hard about a problem.
"Oh, this is a real conundrum for you, isn't it?" Yoshino asked her son. "I don't think I've seen you make that gesture since the last time you played your father at shogi."
Shikamaru scowled at his mother. "If you're going to talk, say something that will help me figure this out."
"Hmph," Yoshino let out with a sigh. "OK then. Let's start with what exactly made Temari so mad about the letter."
"She feels that she's being used as a political tool," Shikamaru replied. "She grew up a Kazekage's daughter, and is now a Kazekage's sister. I think, in her mind, that our relationship was something that just about her, and not her status. That letter just brought it all right back up in her face."
"Hm, OK," Yoshino said. "Is there a way to make your relationship not political again?"
"No, I don't think so," Shikamaru answered. "That's all based on how other people view things, and the elders see it as a chance to bring the clan more prestige. Nothing I can do to change that."
"Not directly," Yoshino commented.
Shikamaru paused before looking up at his mother. "What do you mean?" he asked her
"When you were a kid, how did I get you to do your chores?" She returned.
"You'd threaten me," Shikamaru answered.
"No, at a more fundamental level than that," Yoshino responded. "Under normal circumstances, you would decide that not working was preferable to working. But if I changed your circumstances, I could make it the opposite."
"That's a pretty euphemistic way to put it," Shikamaru commented. "But I see your point." He sat up straighter as an idea came to him. "I've got some letters of my own to write."
"To the elders?" Yoshino asked.
"Not just them," Shikamaru answered as he stood up and walked out of the room.
Temari sat in her office, staring out the window at the Hokage Residence across the street and through the night air, thinking about her boyfriend. She still thought of him as her boyfriend, she noted to herself, despite how angry she was at him. Or maybe she wasn't angry at him, but at the situation she found herself in. But then again, she was angry at him for his nonchalant attitude towards said situation.
She was distracted from her introspections by the sound of the door to her office opening behind her. She turned her chair to see one of her aides entering.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "We're done for the day, you should be heading home."
"I was just about to ma'am," the aide replied. "But just when I was about to head out I heard some news that I thought you'd want to hear."
"Let's hear it then," Temari said.
The aide paused for a moment, uncertain as to how to start with whatever this news was. So she just came out and said it. "Shikamaru Nara has left for the Village Hidden in the Sand."
"What?" Temari asked. "What?" she repeated. "Is he on some kind of mission? No, that doesn't make sense. If there was a mission to the Sand I would have been informed of it as ambassador."
"My lady," the aide said, interrupting Temari. "The rumor is that he's defecting."
"Defecting?!" Temari exclaimed. "That doesn't make a damn bit of sense! We're allies! It's not like we're at war or anything, there's nothing for him to defect to!"
"It sounded odd to me too, ma'am," the aide replied. "But word is that he's already left the village and is headed for the border."
Temari sat back in her chair, trying to let her rational mind work despite the storm of emotions that had enveloped it so suddenly. "What has the Hokage done about it?"
"Apparently Lord Sixth shrugged and said that he'd get to it after he woke up tomorrow morning," the aide answered.
Temari stared back at the woman, her mouth agape. "That makes zero sense. Unless..." Her eyes going wide with realization, she stood from her seat and began gathering her personal affects. "I'm leaving for the village tonight. If you receive any important documents while I'm gone just...I don't know, hang on to it until I get back."
The aide was taken aback by the abrupt decision. "Ma'am? I understand he's...important to you, but do you really think this is the best idea?"
"I have no clue," Temari answered. "But I feel a hell of a lot better about it than I would just sitting around here and waiting." With that she finished putting her things together and walked out past the aide, her steps filled with a powerful sense of purpose.
Garra looked up from the letter in his hand, his attention called to the door by the sound of someone knocking on it. "Come in," he called out.
The door opened and Kankuro's purple painted face poked out from around it. "You wanted me for something?" he asked as he stepped fully into the office.
"Yes," Garra answered. "Read this," he added, holding the letter out to his brother.
Kankuro strode across the office, taking the paper in hand and scanning through it quickly. "When did you get this?" he asked.
"First thing this morning," Garra answered.
"Are you sure this isn't a joke?" Kankuro pressed.
"We're not talking about Naruto here," Garra replied. "This isn't someone who would go to such lengths for a prank."
"No, that's fair," Kankuro admitted. "But still, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with using the official functions of the village to help them with their personal relationship issues."
"It's not any different from when I made Temari ambassador," Garra countered. "Besides, when has the political and the personal ever been separate in our family?"
"Again, that's fair," Kankuro said. "What would you like me to do about it?"
"Obviously we have to look after family," Garra said. "So take a squad and go pick up our new friend from the border."