10 years have passed since the attack on the Leaf. Once again enemies the five great nations are now at war.
Rated M, lots of fighting, sneaky plans, and forbidden love ahead of you folks so enjoy my amazing readers.
PS- this idea came to me during my first story -The Wind and Clouds- with that I present to you -The Enemy-
Ten years of war with Suna, countless shinobi dead, and the original Konoha twelve somehow still alive. The Leaf still shined bright in the morning, breezes swayed, birds chirped, the residents filled the streets in the morning hustle. After the initial attack from the Sand, leaving the third Hokage dead, all hell broke loose among the nations, each fighting for their own cause. Pride and wrath waging over the nations. Nestles away in the villages children still played, elders still casted wisdom among the youth, and families shared meals at the table. Yet as the village remained blissful the unit deployed grew serious.
Orders, create an ambush for the invading Hidden Rock Shinobi. They planned to attack their dimming units after the recent scuffle with the Sand. Or so the spies claimed.
A sigh, long and tired, then a pair of dark eyes bringing back to focus as Shikamaru pushed forward strong calculated steps springing nimbly from branch to branch before settling on the final branch of the forest edge eyes turned to the camp below. Quiet steps behind alerted him and he was joined by three others. Neji glared down at the Leaf shinobi moving about before turning to their captain.
"Is he even down there?"
"You tell me?" With an emotionless glance at his comrade, he sprang down. Quickly followed by the heavy thud of Choji and Sakura. The moment the four entered the camp they were acknowledged by the resting warriors around. He nodded to Sakura who was already shifting her weight to the medic tent to serve her purpose for joining the unit. Choji met him at his side.
"Are you sure an ambush is a good idea? I mean we did get hit by the Sand a week ago and now we gotta mess with the Rock. Then we have that matter with Naruto" He muttered to Shikamaru who nodded once.
"That's why I said it, if we can stop them at the canyon before they enter with their troops, we can buy time and save some unnecessary deaths" He finished with a sigh grabbing the cigarette that he'd slipped behind his ear earlier and bringing it to his lips.
"And the Sand?" Neji muttered from his other side.
"It'll be close, but I doubt we'll make contact with their border patrol" He confirmed and brought a lighter to his lips gripping it tight for a moment at the thought of his Sensei Asuma. Death at the hands of the rouge Akatsuki a couple of years back. Huffing he lit the end ignoring the low chuckle behind him.
"You think it's easy to just make a plan and not think of all the possible faults in it" His fathers amused voice came from behind as he draped his arm over his son's shoulders. Shikamaru didn't look at Shikaku and grumbled instead, he was too tired to listen to anymore wisdom for the day.
"Dad I've been over the plan and as long as we give no reason to disturb those traitors, we'll be fine" With a bark his father pulled back laughing
"Of course, captain" He crossed his arms mocking his son for a moment.
"Why Tsunade put me in charge we'll never know" He shrugged eyes slowly dragging around the camp taking in the number of Shinobi in wait, some injured others preparing quietly for their next battle. "I've taken everything into consideration, as long as we place the bombs in the correct locations we won't be spotted by their sensory unit" He turned to Neji reaching his arm expectantly and pulled away when the scroll met his hand. "From Tsunade" He handed it back to his father and pushed forward away from the group to one of the tents. He'd been made captain for a couple of years now and although dreaded it at the time he'd always make sure each mission and battle went perfectly, minimal lose and more victories for the Leaf. He paused outside of the dark green tent and slipped to the side as Naruto jumped out fists raised.
"Alright where did you go" He darted around until he spotted Shikamaru and grinned "Shikamaru perfect timing, I'm fired up ya know let's get this mission started" He grinned at him, and his face fell when his Captain sighed rubbing his neck "No" He grumbled crossing his arms.
"Tsunade said you stay put, and I agree"
"Come one that's not fair why am I always the last to get any action" Naruto huffed crossing his arms rather childishly.
"You're too unstable" Sai called from inside the tent peeking out. He nodded to Shikamaru who returned the gesture.
"Remember what happened last time? We barley retrained you when the nine tails chakra got out, you cost us the battle against the Sand" Naruto sighed and nodded even though he wanted to argue with him. With a sigh he placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder as his friend "Don't worry as long as you can keep up your training you'll be fine" The blnde smiled up at him and nodded confidently. Shikamaru stiffened a moment as Sai leaned into him dangerously close to his face eyes wide.
"Any word from Ino?" with a sigh he dropped his head not feeling right behind the messenger from his teammate, but then he remembered the darkening of her eyes and her threat if he didn't tell him. With a groan he spoke.
"She said and I quote she misses you and will be here soon to" He paused internally shuddering at her true ending to the message, one he quickly covered his ears like a child to ignore. Sai seemed fine with his half message and smiled.
"She's so beautiful when she talks about us making" Shikamaru groaned using a free hand to push his face away shutting him up. Naruto snickered patting his comrade on his back causing another grumble, like an old man being pestered by children.
"Leave him be Shikamaru, men miss their woman is all" He sighed "I miss Hinata all the time" Shikamaru tensed and shrugged him off turning to head into the tactics tent. He'd been tired far too much lately and had an unfortunate short fuse when it came to lighting the mood "Lighten up captain" the blonde called after him.
"I did my part by passing the message on, you two get ready for your positions tonight" He waved without turning back pretending not to hear them talk about him acting like an old man. He didn't linger on it for a single moment and made his way into the commander's tent entering and glancing between his father, Neji, and Kakashi standing around the table decorated in maps and colored pieces.
"Shikamaru" Kakashi nodded to him and was returned with a map set down onto the table.
"You've got to keep Naruto under control we can't have another episode like last week" He muttered meeting the eye of the Jonin who chuckled relaxed as usual.
"He's learning still, the nine tails is a strong opponent" He mused under his mask.
"Yes, and the Sand has Shukaku who can now be controlled by Gaara" He replied curtly not looking at him anymore. The room fell silent and all three groaned at him. "What now?" he muttered
"Son you need to relax, you've been running around for weeks now, this plan was meant to have two captains in it not just you" Shikaku shook his head crossing his arms. His son matched him with his own look of disapproval.
"As I recall Tsunade wants you sent back, so I'm the standing captain here" Their dark eyes glared for a moment before his father smirked.
"Your mother probably demanded I come back" Shikamaru grinned amusing his thoughts to the idea. His mother, Yoshino, was more than known for commanding the Nara men.
"She's well, but she misses you, old man" Shikaku smiled fondly and shook his head. They exchanged a short nod and turned to the maps quietly. Kakashi watched the exchange with amusement glancing down at the pages below.
"You know, if your plan works" he began
"It will" Shikamaru confirmed without looking up
"This means we'll successfully have the upper hand against Stone and Sand when it comes to the next attack, the canyon is the only pathway between us and their nations" Kakashi finished seating himself on the bench around the table. His mind raced to each possible outcome what would work what would be a mistake, what could go wrong? Shikamaru lifted the cigarette from his lips and glanced up the eyes of the three looking up expectantly.
"Choji, Sai, and myself will be the ones to set the bombs" He finally confirmed "I'll need two units of four on either side of the canyon, tell Kiba to command a mile down towards the stone and Neji you'll take the middle ground" He nodded to the white eyed Hyuga and glanced back down resting the end of the cigarette at his lips again. "Kakashi you've got the detonation down, wait until they reach Neji's mark" He paused and dropped his head "Naruto will want to join you so don't let him" Kakashi raised his hand up in defense
"You know how he gets; he'll most likely just follow me out" Shikamaru groaned rubbing his neck formulating a plan around it but chose not the express the possible outcomes.
"Fine but keep him in line" He muttered and both Kakashi and Neji stood and left.
"Shikamaru" He glanced at his father his arms crossed as he worked his plan out in his head "get some sleep son, you don't have to start until tonight and you've been stretched thin" His father was right, as much as it annoyed him to admit. He'd been back home twice in the past three months, his travels taking him from one end of Fire country to another. Each time he was home it only lasted a night and usually ended with his mother bickering at him by the end as he left. He wanted to smile at the thought of home, but it washed down over his duties to the Leaf.
"Don't worry about me old man, worry about what Mom is gonna say when you get back" He smirked up at his father who sighed dropping his head.
"That woman will be the end of me" He slowly grinned at him although weakly.
"How did you even end up with loud woman like her?" He muttered remembering the shoe thrown at him as he left the home last week. Shikaku looked up thoughtful and brought an uncharacteristic soft smile to his face.
"Well son, she smiles gently sometimes, I guess that's it" Shikamaru raised his brow at him but he only shrugged turned to the curtain of the tent "You'll understand eventually, men are nothing without woman" He chuckled leaving Shikamaru alone to stare at the mess of maps before him.
He'd gotten it perfect every bomb placed precisely in the cracks of the canyon walls, seen by the allies, and hidden for the enemy. The faint glow of the moon lit the way as the canyons end came into view. Shikamaru settled quietly turning to Choji and Sai behind him.
"Split here, well meet up with Neji and the others as soon as dawn hits"
"I have a bad feeling about this" Choji muttered quieting when his captain glanced back at him. He'd been uneasy for the past hour when he mentioned they'd split before the end to distribute the bombs further down the path.
"I agree" Sai finally added in casting a glance at the sudden rush of wind howling in the ravine below. Although he felt same Shikamaru had the plan firmly in place. They place the bombs miles down the path, and in the end block the entrance way for any remaining enemy shinobi to be picked off. The army would have been a few units, probably no more than thirty men making their way towards fire country to set up a camp, for reinforcements. He huffed turning to the dim sky above taking a moment to enjoy the darkened blue sky, dawn would be on them soon and they didn't have the time.
"Choji head east, Sai north, I'll go west. As long as you both do your part in the ambush we'll be fine" He was finished he had no more words to settle them and quite frankly he was growing impatient at their hesitation. "If we let the Earth in, we lose land, not to mention the village a few miles up" He glanced back eyes narrowed "we don't have the time now to whine, we aren't women" With that he turned back hearing each turn to their command and leave. He dropped his head eyes closed; he'd led them away from the Sand border knowing full well what could lie ahead. He'd read the reports he knew they had small camps established at that border, but he still gave the most dangerous position to himself rather than his friends.
The pair of teal eyes glinted quietly in the dark a long sand shaded scarf wrapped around her face only leaving her piercing gaze to stare down at the man below. Bombs huh she thought to herself. A mention of the Village in the Rocks. The subtle narrowing of her eyes at the words ambush left the lips of their leader. She knew him their armies have crossed a few times over the years, some victories hers some his. Silently she pressed against the tree her fan residing on her back. Now he was alone, and when he left, she followed.