Shikamaru panted hard as she finished the warmup Iruka set them both. She looked up to find him, only to see him looking pretty relaxed as he spoke with three other guys. One of which glanced at her before saying something to him.
"Ah, Shikamaru-chan. You've finished!" Iruka called cheerfully. "Come over here, so I can introduce you to the guys."
Shikamaru flinched and sighed. She hadn't realised the jump between being a genin and being a chunnin. Until now. If that was Irukas idea of a light warm up, she would hate to see a heavy warm up. Apparently, the team 10 training was nowhere near what it should be, if she was still out of breath. Then again, apart from the troublesome blonde, no-one on her team had any kind of drive at training sessions. Looks like she had a lot of work to do. It would be a drag, but she really didn't fancy dying at the age of 12. Shikamaru slouched, shoving her hands into her uniform pockets, and shuffled over. She stopped next to Iruka, fidgeting under the eyes of people she didn't know. Still she felt a little more confident after Iruka threw his arm over her shoulders. Her ex-sensei had always been able to make a student feel safe and loved. It was too much of a drag to say it out loud, but it was her favourite thing about him! Giving herself a mental shake, Shikamaru focused back on the conversation.
"…you met them during the exams, but you haven't officially met yet. So, this is Kotetsu and Izumo. We were on a genin team together, so we go back a long time."
"Nice to meet you." Shikamaru bowed. If there was one thing her mother couldn't complain about, it was that Shikamaru knew how, and when, to use her manners; especially as a clan heir.
"Hey kid! Nice to meet ya'. I remember you quite well. Congratulations on the promotion. You earnt it with that strategy of yours! Afterall, a ninja battle is more mental then physical. That being said, we noticed a few areas that need some work. In these sessions we will help you improve those areas." The one with bandages across his now (Kotetsu, she thinks) smiled as he spoke. There was a gleam of mischief in his eyes that put Shikamaru at ease. His partner whacked him over the head and spoke.
"I'm sorry Shikamaru-san. What Ko' meant to say was; if you would like, we would like to help you in your training. Afterall, us chunnins have to stick together." Izumos voice was directly opposite Kotetsu. His voice was gentle, a soothing sound. The equivalent to honey, in its sweetness. Shikamaru reassessed the two in front of her. She already knew they worked in T&I, but she was now certain the two of them were internal agents. Designed to work together to cajole traitorous shinobi into spilling their secrets in the village. One was energetic and overly friendly. The other polite, soothing over the ruffled feathers from his colleague. Izumo made eye contact with her, a smirk in place as he silently acknowledged her internal assessment of the two of them. Shikamaru bowed slightly in return.
"It's a drag, and going to be a troublesome amount of work, but I'd appreciate your help." She replied, making a conscious effort to lower the tone of boredom in her voice, before turning honey coloured eyes to the remaining unknown shinobi.
"The name's Raido. It's nice to meet you finally Little Nara. Iruka has told us a lot about you." The only jounin in the group inclined his head in greetings, before turning to Iruka. "Genma sends his apologies and says next time dinner is on him. He was sent on an extended mission so wont make training this week. He also said he'd do poisons with you next time he is here, Iruka."
As he spoke, Shikamaru allowed her eyes to roam the jounin, taking in the large scar across his face. It was interesting. It started on one side of his face, travelled across the bridge of his nose, and spread across his left cheek. It warped the skin around his eye and mouth. Shikamaru was fairly certain it looked like a bad burn, but from what she wasn't sure. She lifted her eyes, so she wasn't staring, only to see he was watching her in faint amusement. Shikamaru repressed her instinct to blush and look away, keeping her eyes firmly on his. Raidos' normally strict face softened, before he grinned, happy with her attitude, at least she thinks that's the reason.
"When you're older, Little Nara, I'll tell you all about how it happened."
"Right. If you two are done with your staring match, it's about time we got to training." Cheered Kotetsu. "I bagsy 'Ruka-kun for sparring."
Iruka rolled his eyes and sighed, before grinning, his eyes glinting in the dying light. "Sure Ko'. I've a few new things I want to try. You'll make a great guinea pig." Iruka laughed at the responding squeak, before chasing after his friend. Izumo and Raido cackled loudly at the banter, before turning to Shikamaru.
"So, Little Nara, we know you're good with strategy, and your Otou-san would be better at teaching that then us." Piped up Izumo.
"From what we've seen your control is good but could use some fine tuning. However, your chakra capacity is way too low; your taijutsu needs a lot of work; and your ninjutsu ranges needs expanding. We'll work on the odd genjutsu too. You'll be a well-rounded ninja, by the time we are done." Raido reeled off his observations, watching the young chunnin flinch at each weakness, her skin tinting red in shame at the large list. The odd bit was how she stood. It was almost like she was waiting to be put down harshly, and without restraint. He frowned and made a mental note to ask around about her normal behavior, and her interactions with people.
"To be honest, most of those weaknesses are common in your clan members, so you probably already knew them. We, obviously, will work on those areas, however, my main focus is to expand your library of techniques. Your family are outstanding in support roles, or fast and quick sneak attacks. When we are done, you'll be an excellent ninja in a range of roles." Raido sighed "You've got potential kid, the question is: Are you willing to put the effort in to reach the potential?" Raidos' dark eyes pinned Shikamaru still, waiting for an answer. Almost like he was daring her to deny her potential.
"It'll be a drag, but I'll do it. I want to be able to protect my home, and the people in it." Towards the end of her answer, Raido and Izumo smirked at her. They listened as her voice, normally apathetic, become firm and almost (for a Nara, they thought) passionate. Her eyes flashed, turning amber with an inner fire. Shikamarus clan had a saying: A bored Nara was a danger, but a motivated Nara was deaths shadow."
She would be deaths shadow, she decided. She was sick of being considered a disappointment. She was tired of being known as the weak lazy kid. She wouldn't act different in public, but she'd outshine everyone, Ino, Choji, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura; all of them! If this jounin, who didn't know her, saw some potential, she was going to grab it with both hands. She fixed both guys with a hard stare.
"When do we start, senseis?" Her voice was firm and unwavering, as for once she stood straight, with her head held high.
What followed was a grueling few hours. The training they had her doing, only a fraction of what they normally did, was the worst and best feeling she had had to date. Her body ached, and cried with pain, at every move. Her chakra was non-existent, and her chakra coils burned with the overuse.
First Raido and Izumo had her hold them in her shadow paralysis, whilst they resisted. Over and over, until she was out of chakra. At that point they smirked, and Izumo stepped forward into a ready position. Shikamaru whimpered gently before falling into her clans fighting style, her arms and legs trembling from the weights on them and around her waist. Unlike on team Asuma there was no warning. Izumo launched at her with a quick shout of taijutsu only. In Shikamaru's mind, what happened next was a slaughter. She managed to dodge or block the first few hits, but she could tell Izumo was pulling his punches. Next thing she knew, she was on her back panting, and staring at the stars above her. A shadow fell across her face, and Raidos face appeared in her vision.
"We'll debrief that round, go through what went wrong, then start again. Izumo and I will switch in and out, so youll have two different fighting styles and two different sets of feedback." Raido pulled Shikamaru to her feet as he spoke.
Three hours later, Shikamaru was a wreck. Her chakra was gone, and her body hurt. The others had gone for dinner, but she had skipped this time. Shikamaru sighed and looked up at the dark sky. Her body soothed by the gentle, cooling breeze. She watched the twinkling stars above her, as her mind wandered. She analyzed her performance for the last three hours. She wasn't impressed. It was, frankly, an embarrassment to the title shinobi. Even Ino, a fangirl, who spent hours doing hair and makeup, spending mission money on new pretty things instead of weapons; would have done better. Shika sighed heavily. This was troublesome, but she would need to really stick to this training. A rustling in the trees alerted her to her visitors, just before Ino and Choji landed next to her.
"See Choji, I told you this lazyass would be sleeping somewhere." A smug tone threaded through the blondes' voice, as she stood over Shikamaru. Her eyes flashing in triumph and disgust as she looked at Shikamaru. "Choji was certain you would be taking your training a bit more seriously now. Seems he put his faith in the wrong person."
Shika gritted her teeth as the smug blonde kept talking, reminding Shikamaru why she was so mad with Ino. She decided she had had enough and cut across the other girl.
"Troublesome woman, what do you want? I was busy." At Shika's blunt words, Inos sharp eyes ran over the form on the floor in front of her. She didn't miss Shikamarus hair falling out of her ponytail, the flushed skin and heavy breathing, her disheveled clothes, and missing flack vest. Shikamaru inwardly cursed, as she watched Inos eyes widen and heard her gasp. She just knew Ino had jumped to the wrong conclusion. This was going to be a troublesome situation to fix. What a drag.
"Ino, it isn't what you think.." Shika started, her voice slightly panicked, as she attempted to contain her teammate.
"SHIKAMARU NARA! Does Uncle Shikaku know?! How could you? Wait, you wouldn't break clan expectations, or risk the reputation of your clan. Oh my god. Do you need to go to the hospital? Do you remember what they looked like? Ill get my dad, he can mind walk you, so you don't have to go through it again!" With that, Ino dashed off.
Panicking Shikamaru turned to Choji. "Go after her! Whatever she says, tell people she is jumping to conclusion!"
"Whaa'? What's happening Shika-chan?"
"Not now Choji. Just go!" she barked at her kindhearted friend.
Watching her last teammate vanish, she sighed and pulled her self to her feet, and straightened out her hair and clothes.
"Man, I should go home, but that's going to be a drag. I'll go get ramen, then head back." She muttered to herself, before slouching and trudging back to the village warily. Bright lights glinted against the dark night, as Shikamaru left the training grounds. A slight breeze entered her open vest, cooling her heated body down. Strands of chocolate brown hair swayed against her face, where the breeze wicked away any sweat left. She pushed her way through the thickening crowd to get to the ramen bar, that everyone in her class went too. Sliding into a stool at the bar, she waved to the girl serving. "One bowl of miso please"
Shikamaru wasted away an hour at the bar, slowly nursing her bowls of ramen. She was running through various scenarios with Ino telling different people in her head, hoping Ino hadn't gone straight to their dads about it. Or if she had, that Choji had managed to calm everything down for her. Just as she straightened up to head home, there was a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Hey there Shika-chan. The clan heads sent us to find you." A jolly sounding voice said. Tilting her head back to look at the person touching her. A shock of red hair around a large face greeted her, along with a gentle smile. Next to him was a tall blonde male, and an obvious Nara.
"Hi Chouro, Inio, Cousin. What a drag. Which old guy sent ya?"
Her cousin, favourite one at that (not that she would ever tell him), snorted and gave her a half smile.
"All of them little cousin. I believe you're in trouble. Something about reputation, or whatever. Inios' cousin came running in screaming about something, being followed by Chouros' cousin. Whatever it was, it's bad enough we've been told to escort you home." He hesitated and pulled on his ponytail. "If you resist, we are meant to bring you back forcefully. Don't be troublesome please cousin, come with us willingly."
With a sigh, Shikamaru nodded, and followed the older Ino-Shika-Cho out into the darkened streets heading to the clan compounds.
