Shikamaru bit back a yawn as he trudged down the dim hallways of the guest residence. It was just before dawn and he wanted nothing more than to sleep, but priorities had him pull an all-nighter. Hopefully the time spent was about to pay off.
He gave a gentle rap against the door of the last suite. Usually, he would refrain from waking a guest so early, but he was wary of this particular visitor's motives. Kakashi had sent him more specifics about her arrival later in the evening, along with the authority to investigate and observe her as needed to ensure Konoha remained peaceful. That Kakashi had entrusted him to deal with her presence in Konoha and inevitable departure would weigh on him until she was gone.
"Come in," a voice invited from the other side of the door, and Shikamaru shifted the item in his hands under his arm to open the door. In the room sat Nohara Rin, still in the previous day's clothes and perched on the ledge on the suite's grandest window. She was staring out at the landscape as the sun's light began to peek from behind Hokage Mountain. Shikamaru closed the door behind him, but then stood in silence to watch the sunrise as well.
"You've had so many hokages serve in such a short span of time," Rin wondered, her eyes never leaving the sunrise along the mountain's edge.
"We sacrificed during that timeframe."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"We're stronger for it," Shikamaru corrected. "Long-held peace among the five nations is our living reality thanks to our kages and Naruto's efforts."
She exhaled and finally tore her eyes away from the window to look over at him. "That should make it worth it, then."
He didn't share whether he agreed, instead taking the opportunity of her attention to pull the large, worn book from under his arm. He held it out for her to see.
"Look familiar?"
"You found it," she confirmed. Her smile was polite; restrained.
"I had borrowed it from Tsunade-sama a few years back, before her retirement from the medical corps. Took me all night to relocate it among my own books." He stepped forward and placed the book down on the end table near where she sat. She didn't move to reach for it. "When you described it on our way here last night, I remembered the book immediately. When I read the inscription the Sandaime had written inside the cover, I had been careful to set the parchment with the travel seal aside until I was done with the book so not to accidentally end up elsewhere."
He flipped open the book to the middle, where the red parchment with the white travel seal sat between the leaves of paper. "It's a pretty straightforward seal, my research concluded, though nowhere near as reactive as I assumed." He tilted his head meaningfully. "Though you already know that."
Rin nodded and turned her gaze back to the sunrise. "No, it's not complicated to activate, though it does need to be done with intention. I'm sure Sandaime-sama made it so Tsunade-sama needed a clear head if she decided to travel to another world. She was devastated after Katō Dan died, and I suppose the Sandaime thought he'd relieve her grief in light of her inability to continue as a medic. She never used it, though, and I found it among her supplies years after she left Konoha for good."
"You took a risk. There may not have been a copy of the book here."
She shrugged lightly and dipped her head, a small, sad smile blooming across her face. "Minato-sensei's so busy these days, and Obito's married and training to fulfill his own dream of becoming hokage one day." She twisted the end of her skirt and then picked at the hem. "I tried to keep busy with my work, but became lonely. Everyone encouraged me to connect with someone, but I couldn't stop—"
She shook her head to indicate she'd revealed too much, and Shikamaru was relieved; he wasn't interested in exploring this woman's feelings for her dead teammate anymore than he was listening to any other person talk about their romantic inclinations.
"I'm sure taking a risk because of loneliness sounds silly to you," she sighed.
"I'm not much for judgement."
"But not much for sympathy either?" She smiled with humor as she watched him, and he found himself smirking and shrugging in response. It was clear to him now this Rin wasn't an enemy of theirs, though her presence still posed enough of a threat.
"I didn't consider Kakashi would be hokage where I ended up," she admitted, and that sadness from earlier returned to her face. "I only knew the seal would bring me somewhere he was alive. I should have known—someone like Kakashi—of course he was going to become hokage."
"He won't go with you." He was sure she knew this by then, but as Kakashi's aid, Shikamaru's loyalty was to see to Kakashi's well-being and communicate his wishes when Kakashi himself couldn't be as direct.
"I know that now." She stood and moved toward the end table where the book sat. Shikamaru had researched Rin and her family's abilities early that morning, but he still tensed as she slid her fingertips along the spine of the book; this Rin was older and could have abilities and jutsus at her disposal that were undocumented here. No matter what she wanted, he was going to make sure she returned to her rightful home soon. Kakashi and Sakura's—and by extension his and the whole village's—peace of mind depended on it.
"It's probably best I go without any goodbyes, right?"
Shikamaru nodded. "That's preferable. Though I won't stop you if you want to return to Kakashi's office before we activate the seal."
"Let's do it now, then."
Shikamaru watched as she opened the book once again to the page with the sealed parchment, and made quick, familiar hand signals to activate it.
"Please tell Sakura-san I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
"Sure," he agreed. They both watched as the seal lit up pale blue, and Shikamaru took a precautionary step back. The seal was a one-time deal, and there was no longer a copy in Rin's world to send him back.
He watched as Rin suddenly faded away, followed by the seal on the parchment. He waited a few minutes until he was sure the seal was complete, then stepped forward to close the tome and pick it back up.
Their visitor now dealt with, it was time to return the book to its rightful place.
Shikamaru entered the medical director's office without a knock, but his gaze immediately went to its occupant to assess her mood. What he found was the usual: Sakura looking serious and completely absorbed in her work despite the early hour. She glanced up at him when he entered, then back down at whatever document had her attention.
"Is he in yet?" he asked by way of greeting.
"Absolutely not," Sakura confirmed what Shikamaru had already been certain of: Kakashi was still in bed and wouldn't be at the Hokage Tower until the minute the day's meetings began.
He sighed in defeat. "All of you are troublesome."
"I can't argue that," she agreed, and this time when she looked up, he knew he had her full attention.
"I sent our visitor home a few hours ago," he revealed, waving the book back and forth as he moved forward, then setting it on Sakura's desk. "She went willingly and sent her apology for any problems she caused."
"She came to see Kakashi, right?"
Shikamaru hesitated, unsure if confirming Sakura's belief would upset or pacify her. When she merely arched her brow at him, he nodded.
"I spoke with Shishou this morning." Sakura continued. "She told me in order for the seal to work, a copy of the book must exist in the other world as well."
"In case the user wants to return, I guess," Shikamaru considered.
"She must miss him terribly," Sakura mused, and Shikamaru was surprised to see Sakura seemed more thoughtful than anguished. Whatever Kakashi had said or done yesterday must have set her mind at ease.
"That's her problem," He reasoned, pulling his cigarette pack and lighter out to indicate he was getting ready to leave. He'd had enough talk about women's feelings for one day. "Don't make it yours."
"I won't." She held out her empty hand to him in silent request, indicating toward one of his own. He tossed her the lighter and watched with interest and even some relief as she flicked the lighter open and held the small flame to the edge of the green book. They both watched as the flame slowly consumed the bottom edge of the book, and as it reached halfway up the cover, Sakura dropped it carefully into the empty bin beside her desk and slid it away to burn safely to ashes.
Shikamaru smirked, impressed with Sakura's resolve, then turned to take an hour before heading to the Hokage. With peace restored, he was going to take his time having a much-deserved smoke.