"I need your help."
I raised a single eyebrow, knowing exactly what Shikamaru was going to ask me for.
"No."
"You didn't even hear me out!" Anger rose in Shikamaru's already fragile, broken voice. He had clearly spent the night crying.
By now, anyone of importance would have heard of Asuma's death. Tragedy? Yes. Loss of a good asset for the village? Yes. Anything I could get involved in? Probably. Did I want to get involved?
Nein.
At least, not at a time like this. When I had to focus on myself.
I sighed out loud. "Look, I've got my own genin to deal with, and I'm behind on my own training. I can't afford the time to sit down with you and come up with strategies to avenge your sensei's death. I have nothing to avenge," I reasoned out loud.
And on top of that, I'd spent the better part of the morning investigating Kento and the cause of his mysteriously uncharacteristic behavior as of late. The genin conveniently had the day off after such a long mission-not only did they actually need the recovery time, but I was also busy.
He scoffed. "You're so selfish, Cashile."
"Also flattered," I replied smoothly, not at all swayed by his harsh words. "The only reason you're here," I said, using my hands in a wide motion to gesture my apartment, "Is because you think I'm the only one who is capable of thinking through a strategy, seemingly flawless in comparison to your own," I pointed out, smirking.
"Aren't you intrigued by the Akatsuki, though? Fascinated by their abilities? One member took down Asuma, a jonin of the village. Wouldn't you want to figure out how to take down an opponent this powerful?" Shikamaru prompted, clearly doing his best to manipulate and sway me.
Amateur.
"You make some good points," I conceded, grabbing my coat. "We can talk on the way to the ANBU interrogation center."
He didn't question why we were headed there, simply nodding and stepping back so I could lock the door.
We walked at a casual pace to the ANBU interrogation center, and Shikamaru laid out strengths, weaknesses, characteristics; everything one would need to know in order to come up with a strategy to defeat the opponent.
"So, what you're telling me is that one guy is immortal and the other has unknown powers?" I clarified.
"Yep. And I've been strategizing ways to separate them and turn their powers against each other. Any thoughts?"
Of course. That's why he wanted me: no one else could keep up with his thought flow. I knew how that felt. And it helped, to have someone to bounce ideas off of that could actually keep up with your train of thought.
In fact, my mind could outpace his.
"Do you have a location in mind to set a trap before you even try to lure one out?" I asked.
"I have a place in mind..."
He laid out the bare beginnings of a plan to me and I digested it, nodding slowly. "I'll think about it," I acknowledged, laying a hand on the door handle to the Anbu Interrogation Center. "I'll get back to you when I can. Will you be leaving anytime soon?"
He scowled. "I was planning on leaving tonight," he admitted.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I let out a sigh. "Of course," I murmured. "Listen, there's this little tea shop on the corner by the flower shop. You know it?"
"I can find it," he replied.
"Good. Be there for lunch. Around 12:30. Maybe 1:00. Depends on when I get done with my training."
I had to take a lunch break in the midst of all my training anyways.
"Alright," he agreed. "And Cashile..."
"Yes?"
"I don't think you'd ever be so troublesome, so I don't have to tell you..."
"Don't tell anyone." I waved him off with a sigh. "I got it, Shikamaru. I have nothing to gain from ratting on you."
"Alright. Good luck with Ibiki."
I pulled open the door, and by the time I wondered how he knew it was Ibiki I wanted to talk to, he was gone.
I smirked. He was amusing.
***...*.*.
"Cashile," Ibiki greeted politely. Too politely.
"I need something from you," I stated, not bothering with the formalities. I stuck my hands in my coat and waited impatiently for his reply.
"Straight to the point, as usual." He grunted, studying me thoroughly as he stood from the desk, setting some paperwork aside. I smothered a snicker; the terrifying Ibiki, torturer of Konoha, swamped in paperwork. "What is it?"
Of course that's when I reminisce about the old days, and how swamped in paperwork he must have been after beating me to a pulp.
"I need you to cover for me and train my team for some time. Just two or three days tops. They have today off. The Hokage promised me that when she made me a sensei, I would still have time to train on my own and further my own growth. So far, I'm not impressed." I crossed my arms, then laid down the final piece: admitting a weakness to make him believe I truly did need this. Which I did. "I'm sure it's obvious that my ninjutsu is nothing more than the bare minimum I need to know."
Ibiki studied me for a long moment, then nodded. "Of course. You have lightning type chakra, so you'll want to ask Kakashi where to start on your training. Tell your team to report to the training grounds at 5 a.m tomorrow for training."
I raised an eyebrow. "They aren't going to like that."
Ibiki shrugged his shoulders. "I've got things to do to. Anything in specific you want them to focus on?"
"Just do what you do, Ibiki," I said. He had been my sensei, after all. And look how I turned out. "I'm sure I can pick up the pieces, afterwards."
He gave me a grim nod, and I turned on my heels. He had agreed far too easily. Clearly he wanted something from me. What, I wasn't sure. All I knew was one thing.
Whatever he wanted...
he wouldn't get it.
***...*.*.
I tracked down my other former sensei in less than five minutes. My tracking lead me to a large training ground right outside the village gates.
"Kakashi. I can see that you're a little... busy." I eyed the tens of Narutos in the training ground with raised eyebrows. "But I do need to borrow you for just a second."
Kakashi glanced from his book, toward Naruto and his clones, then shrugged. "Fine. You have five minutes."
I nodded. "Lightning style," I stated.
"What about it?"
"I have it. You have it. What do I do?" I laid out, irritated with his intentional density.
"Well, first you need to get your speed up to par-"
"Done." I rolled my eyes. "Obviously."
"Er, right," Kakashi rubbed at the back of his head awkwardly. "Let's see... You remember how it felt, running your chakra through the paper?"
I go through my memories, finally finding the instant I'd discovered my chakra nature- I'd finally come around to organizing my thoughts and memories to my liking, as I had had it set before. "Yeah." I nodded.
"Some lightning release users can run their chakra down blades," he explained. "Not only is that a powerful weapon, but if you can master this technique, it would be of great help in training with future jutsu."
"Alright," I nodded, understanding immediately what I had to do. "Tips?"
"Can I see the blades you plan to use?"
I hesitated-they were my blades-then nodded, allowing them to drop into my hands and handing them to Kakashi hilt first. He took them, nodding appreciatively at their weight and sharpness. "I wouldn't use these to practice on," he warned. "Remember what happened to the paper when you ran your chakra through it?"
"I could crumple the metal of the blade as well, until my technique is perfect," I realized. "Thanks. I'll go to the weapons shop and ask for scrapped kunai or blades to work on. ."
Kakashi nodded. "Good Idea. And Cashile?"
I raised an eyebrow, a silent gesture for him to continue.
"Some advice, working with lightning style can be very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. So be careful-don't over do it."
I scoffed, dramatically eyeing Naruto, whom, one could easily say, was "overdoing" his training. Under Kakashi's supervision, none the less.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "He's different. He has a vast supply of unlimited chakra at his disposal, it always seems. He also heals a lot faster than you do."
I waved him off. "Whatever Kakashi, I'll see you later."
I picked up a faster pace. After seeing what I could salvage from the weapons shop, I took what I had been able to carry and went to the training grounds.
It was empty. Good.
I laid out all the metal pieces in front of me and grabbed the first one, concentrating hard. Chakra flowed through my body, and I imagined a release in my hand. I glared at the piece of metal. A burst of lightning, a hint of spark, anything?
The damn metal didn't even crumple.
I reached into what felt like the deepest parts of my soul, and pulled at the chakra.
And tried again. again. again.
Nothing.
I let out a frustrated growl and kicked at a piece of metal scrap on the ground. Clearly I wasn't doing something right. Was it the frequency of the chakra? Strength? Power?
I narrowed my eyes at the metal, and decided on a more logical approach to this difficult situation. I sat on the ground, and meditated. I turned over the situation in my mind, recalling every sense, every feeling, and tried to figure out where it went wrong.
Then I would try again.
***...*.*.
"Alright, Shikamaru," I greeted, throwing myself into a seat. "Let's get started. You're buying, by the way."
He sighed, pulling out his wallet and glancing into it. "How troublesome," he murmured. "Keep it cheap."
"Right," I agreed, then ordered a cup of herbal tea. I was exhausted from training; the last thing I needed was to fall asleep during planning. I took the cup of tea, denying any sugar or lemon. "Let's get started.
"You look frustrated," Shikamaru said, setting a shogi board on the table.
I shrugged my shoulders. "Training. You did your planning," I began, raising an eyebrow, "to take down two members of the Akatsuki...on a shogi board?"
"Yeah," he drawled boredly. "Will it be a problem?"
He thought it was a rhetorical question.
"Yeah, actually. I don't know how to play."
Shikamaru stared.
"What?" I asked defensively. "I prefer chess." I tilted my nose upward slightly.
He facepalmed.
I rolled my eyes. "Just teach me. It can't be that hard to pick up on."
"Shogi is an art," he argued, clearly shocked by my ignorance. "It takes years to master and understand."
"Well then," I smirked. "Better get started."
***...*.*.
Shikamaru was being an idiot.
If he thought he could pull off his plan with just him and his three teammates, and then whatever backup Tsunade sent once she'd found out they were gone, he really was as stupid as his haircut made him look. Shikamaru thought I wouldn't rat him out to anybody. He thought he had me figured out; he thought I would care more about seeing if this plan would work than I cared for their lives.
He was right, of course. But I also knew that the plan would fail if it rested on only Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji's shoulders. I was smarter than him. And I could see through it. I could predict the outcome with somewhere around 95% accuracy. He wouldn't listen to me, of course.
Which was why I was here for the second time today.
"Kakashi," I murmured, appearing behind him as he read his book. He wasn't startled in the slightest-or at least, he pretended not to be. "Tonight, you might want to be by the gates."
"The village entrance?" Kakashi asked, surprised.
"Do you know of other gates I might be referring to?" I questioned sarcastically.
"Why would I want to be by the gates tonight?" Kakashi began to stand, confusion and concern evident. "What do you know?"
"That's for me to know," I replied, backing away, fading into the darkness. "and for you to find out." My mysterious attitude would have the intended effect. He would definitely be there tonight.
And Kakashi would certainly inform Tsunade as well.
I was saving the idiot's life.
And he would totally owe me for it.
Hey!
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This was, admittedly, a bit of a transition chapter. We're on to the Hidan Kakazu Arc though!
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gaara119
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Yes please comment ! We only got this out so fast because of all the good ol inspiration from the last chapter!
Gotta cite my paper so I don't fail research methods now! Butttttt
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