Hello!

This is Kgirlthefox.

Please know that this story is very CANON DIVERGENT. There are many elements which will not be the same as the original anime/manga of Naruto. There are places which I have taken from Shikamaru's life which still remain the same, but the situations he runs into are still very different as well.

Anyway, after reading, please feel free to write a comment :) I take the time to read all of my comments and I appreciate it!

Let's get into it, shall we?

Shikamaru Arc

Chapter 1:

He couldn't believe it.

There he was, flat faced on his back, garbage being tossed at him, as he stared up at the clouds drifting lazily by in the sky. He could hear Naruto shout at him in the distance along with his other comrade, Ino.

An annoyed look played on Shikamaru's face as the multitude of thoughts swirled in his mind. "Naruto...you damn idiot..." He mumbled out, noting his opponent scoff at him in the distance.

As she suddenly charged, he breathed out a disgruntled sigh.

He remembered that day a little too vividly.

The Chunin exams.

Where genin pit their lives on the line to earn their next rank. Everyone vying for the position of being promoted. To earn a notch in their belt. To be recognized for their prowess. To bring honor to their countries.

Honor. What a load of crap.

Shikamaru didn't believe in honor. He believed more in saving his own damn life.

Especially because that tall blonde haired chick and her brothers decided to try to destroy Konoha with the damned Sannin, Orochimaru. No, Shikamaru was content to stay out of the conflict as much as possible.

He paused for a moment, as he sat crossed legged in his home, playing shogi by himself. It was already dark, and there were just a few candles lit on the sides of where he played so he could see the tiled board.

As he stared at the pieces, he stopped and his face fell into his hands for a brief moment.

There was so much going on. It was so hard to process it all. He tried to think back and sort through his thoughts, hoping to dispel the miserable headache that seemed to be approaching.

After the attack on Konoha, did they learn that the Third Hokage had sacrificed his life in an attempt to kill Orochimaru. He did not succeed, and Orochimaru had escaped. It was the same for the Suna members who had taken part in the attack on Konoha. They had made a quick getaway, after being defeated by Naruto, who had stopped their junchuriki, Gaara.

Shikamaru shuddered at the thought of that monster. But his thoughts were even more worrisome at the new events which took place.

Once the funeral services were completed for the Third Hokage and the other hundreds of people who lost their lives, there was a massive struggle for power within the village. No one wanted to mourn their dead. There were those who wanted revenge.

The elders were distraught at the loss of the Third Hokage, but pressured everyone in the village for another candidate. The other legendary Sannin, Jiraiya and Tsunade, were no where to be found and despite massive efforts to try and find them, the city could not last longer without a leader. So his father, Shukaku, had gone to one of the council meetings to hopefully suggest another candidate.

However, Shukaku had returned back later, with a grim look on his face. And Shikamaru soon learned that Danzo Shimura, a dark and sinister man who liked to work in the shadows, was suggested to be appointed as the new Hokage.

Even though there were a few protests from the ninja of the village, Danzo's rise to power succeeded, and he became the 5th Hokage of Konoha.

Shikamaru at this point felt his own stomach start to churn, as he pulled his face from his hands and wet his fingers briefly with his mouth. He pinched the fire on top of each of the candles, putting them out, and he rose to his feet. He shuffled down the pavilion and made it to his room. He slid the door open quietly and made his way to his bed.

Crawling into it and pulling the light covers over himself, he couldn't remove that persistent headache which had come on and the still ever-churning discomfort in his stomach.

He needed to go to sleep though. Danzo Shimura, the 5th Hokage, had summoned him to the Hokage's office with his father in the morning.

He took in a few deep breaths, willing himself to sleep.

-0-

"Shikamaru! Shikamaru! Get up! You'll be late!" His mother called out to him loudly. He groaned, sitting up and wiping the sand from his eyes. "Okay, okay" he grumbled out as his mother screeched back at him. "Just ONE okay please!" Frustrated, he slowly got out of bed and folded the sheets and futon neatly. He slid open one of the closets and stacked it methodically inside.

With that done, he pulled off his sleeping t-shirt and his pajama bottoms. He tucked those away into his nightstand and pulled out his usual outfit for the day. He slid on the mesh top, covering it over with his short sleeved gray blazer. He slipped on his brown capris, and wound the white bandage around his right leg.

With that, he strapped on the kunai pouch and his ninja satchel onto his waist and headed out. "Finally! Took you long enough!" Yoshino chided as Shikamaru spotted his old man at the door, a cigarette lit and drooping in his lips. "My bad...I had a hard time sleeping last night..." He mumbled out, as his mother immediately shoved him to the door. "No breakfast! You need to get to the Hokage's office now!" She huffed as he stumbled a bit and bumped into his father.

Shikaku said nothing, but just held a smirk at his son as the young Nara grumbled indignantly under his breath. Shikamaru slipped his blue ninja tabis on quickly and sauntered out the door. Shikaku followed out quietly after him.

After walking a bit of a distance away from their house, Shikamaru finally spoke. "I don't understand why he wants to see me...I didn't even pass the chunin exams" he stated, a bit peeved. Shikaku said nothing, as the pair eventually made their way to the Hokage's office.

They were met at the front reception by a young dark clothed man, with shiny glasses covering over his eyes. "Torune..." Shikaku stated formally, as the other simply nodded. "I'm glad you're on time. The Hokage has been waiting for the two of you. I will show you there." The man named Torune spoke as Shikamaru eyed him briefly.

He was covered in head to toe with a black one piece and a heavy black cloak. Black gloves covered his hands, and his hair was a ragged mess of a mop upon his head. A single sword was strapped to his back. Shikamaru noted that the boy wasn't that much older than him. Maybe in his late teens. But there was a cold and calculated air which hung around him, and Shikamaru made sure to keep a slight distance behind him.

"Hokage-sama, the members of the Nara clan are here to see you." Shikaku and Shikamaru made their way inside, as Danzo sat in the Hokage's desk, the red hat fitted neatly atop his head. Shikamaru immediately noticed his father try to hide his scowl upon his face.

"Shikaku Nara, and Shikamaru Nara...the only men of the head branch of Nara" he stated simply as Shikaku and Shikamaru bowed to the man. "I've seen that you have done well in the exams young Nara. It was impressive how you bested that despicable sand ninja in the Chunin exams" the man Danzo stated calmly, staring at Shikamaru with his good eye.

"But, I lost." Shikamaru stated non-chalantly as Danzo held a small smirk on his face. "You may have lost the match...but you caught my attention nonetheless." "You see, if it were an actual mission to capture the Suna traitors...then you would have succeeded. Which is why...I have considered your prowess that you displayed in the exam...and after much deliberation with the other elders...I approved you to be promoted to a chunin."

Shikamaru felt one of his eyebrows raise slightly in annoyance and confusion. He didn't feel like he really did that much to deserve the rank of a chunin. But as he was about to speak, Shikaku nudged him harshly in the shoulder. He glanced up at his father, noting the anger in his face, masked with a smile.

"What an honor. To have my son be awarded the rank of chunin amongst all of his other classmates. I am grateful that you have noticed him." "He deserves it. Along with his very first mission he will be leading against Suna."

Shikamaru immediately went wide eyed at the statement. Against Suna? Now? He glanced up at this man who sat before him, nervous. A mission like this meant to instigate a true war between their two countries. Who was this man?

Shikamaru could also sense his father tense up next to him, his fist suddenly clenched. "A mission against Suna? I don't think that is wise, Hokage-sama." The slapping of Danzo's left hand upon the tabletop made Shikamaru jump for a moment, as the one-eyed man stood and faced out to look through the windows of the office.

"Suna denies being in collaboration with Orochimaru...but I know they are covering for themselves. And they are covering for the fact that, they have no one as a Kazekage..." He trailed off, placing his left arm behind his back.

"They're weak...now would be the best time to catch them off guard with an attack. I, unlike Hiruzen, will not sit idly by as our enemies gather around us. That old man was always afraid of getting into disputes and making decisions."

"Hokage-sama," Shikaku spoke, as Shikamaru could hear a bit of desperation in his voice, "It would be wiser to enter an alliance with the sand. They have powerful ninja. They had left quietly during the attack led by Orochimaru-"

Danzo decisively cut him off, "And do you think they will leave quietly the next time we are attacked Shikaku? It is better to strike while the iron is hot...and I want your son to lead an infiltration mission to the sand at once."

Shikamaru felt an intense pressure rise in his chest and he tried to swallow it down. This was all just too much. Why was he the one to be leading such a mission?

"Danzo, my son is still very young, can I recommend-" his father pleaded as Danzo turned around immediately, his left eye opening wider in annoyance. "I am the Hokage now...and your son is a chunin now. He is fit enough to be a leader of his own mission."

"But what you're proposing...it'll start a war!" Shikaku snarled angrily now, his emotions unhindered. Shikamaru stepped back slightly behind his father, his face wide with fear. Shikaku was never a man to show much emotion. Let alone say very much at all. But, in this instance, Shikamaru knew his father was being serious. Deadly serious.

"Precisely." Danzo simply replied back to the man, as he took his seat and adjusted the red hat upon his head. "Suna is a weak country...nothing but a dustbowl in the middle of a hot and arid desert...with our ninja, we will surely be able to show them which nation has the most power...and it will secure the safety of the leaf village."

"Do not worry Shikaku. It will be a simple infiltration mission. That's all. Even I can tell that you're son is not meant for hand-to-hand combat...yet."

Shikaku and Shikamaru both stood there, as Danzo waved them off, done with the discussion. Shikaku still stood, his body visibly shaking with rage and bitterness. But with a growl, he turned on his heel quickly and paced out of the room. As Shikamaru turned to leave and hurry after his father, he heard the chilling words escape Danzo's mouth.

"Don't disappoint me Nara."

-0-

Shikamaru sat atop the thick branch of the tree nervously. He could feel his own hand trembling slightly, as he hitched the black cloak around his body tighter.

He had never been to the sand village before, and here he was, leading a small platoon of the four of them into enemy territory. He felt a heavy hand land upon his shoulder, as a thick cloud of smoke from a cigar wafted in front of his face. He coughed as the man behind him chuckled.

"Such a kid. What? You nervous?" The man asked, as Shikamaru shrugged him off, concentrating ahead. "Why did we even get assigned a kid to be our squad leader anyway? It's ridiculous...you know I'm like seven years older than you right kid?" Another member of the team spoke up, as Shikamaru didn't pay any mind to what they were saying.

He knew this mission was a test. To see if he meets up to Danzo's expectations. To protect his family and his house. The Nara clan.

"Let's go" Shikamaru stated resolutely, after surveying the area. The rest of the members seemed to grunt or grumble in response, as they traversed forward, the sand of the desert now hitting their feet.

The mission was simple really, on paper. Shikamaru and the rest of the squad needed to meet up with an informant in the land of wind. The informant would give them a scroll with detailed information on the state of affairs within Sunagakure. Then, they would be able to leave.

Shikamaru grumbled in vexation as they crossed the desert carefully. "If we are able to leave...undetected...". From what he understood about the pictures and charts of Sunagakure, the place was a fortress. Surrounded by high walls and one main entrance in and out. That definitely would be a problem for any ninja trying to infiltrate inside.

The group continued to make their way, crossing the desert slowly. They rested during the days, taking shelter in a rock formation that one of the members would construct with his justu and covering it over with sand. Then at night, they would reach ever closer to their destination.

The closer they approached, the more nervous Shikamaru became. Not only was this his very first ranked mission as a chunin, but it was a mission that held the weight of their two countries. His fathers words would ring around in his head the closer they approached. "This is an act of war!"

But there was nothing Shikamaru could do about it. He knew that much. He wasn't old enough yet to voice his own opinions like how his father could. He wasn't skilled enough yet to even consider going against the Hokage's will. Heck...he was still just 12 years old (even if he was turning 13 in a few months...). But, what could a 12 year old like him even be able to do in political conflicts such as this one?

He breathed out an annoyed sigh as Sunagakure became clearer in the distance. He really was just a pawn in this man's game of shogi. Despite this, he knew he wasn't going to be just some piece to be sacrificed. He definitely wasn't going to be laying his life on the line for something stupid like honor, or love, or for the simple sake of his country.

The team surveyed the area carefully, noting several Suna ninja were perched upon the walls and cliffs which surrounded the village. "So, what now kid? How do we get in?" The man with the cigar chuckled, the butt of the cigar clenched between his teeth.

Shikamaru's lazy gaze swept over the cliffside in front of him, his brain beginning to see the patterns and connections between the men. It was like a giant puzzle piece that needed to be figured out. His eyes flitted about, making mental calculations. His mind shuffling pieces here and there on a giant shoji board.

"There'll be a small window to slip past the guards. We'll have about a minute to get through without being spotted." "Just a fucking minute!? Kid, you're out of your mind! We won't make it far through the front like that!" One of the other ninja harshly whispered as Shikamaru turned to them, an irritated look on his face. "I didn't say that we're going to be running through the front..."

Shikamaru pointed to the right of the cliffs, a narrow passage being barely made out. "That side is the most heavily guarded, since it's a side entrance into the city. They probably place more men there, because they know it's a weak point in their defenses...If we try to head out to it right now, we'll be spotted right away...However...The guards change shifts soon, and when that moment happens, we'll have about a minute to make it into the entrance of the passage. Once we're inside, no one should be able to see us, as long as we're quiet. If we don't...we'll be caught out in the open" He snorted, as the other men quieted, surprised.

The group waited quietly, as Shikamaru sharp eyes watched. A few of the soldiers finally turned their backs away from the vast expanse of sand, and Shikamaru lunged forward. "Now!" He harshly whispered, as the other men behind him bolted forward as well.

"1...2...3..." Shikamaru kept a mental count in his head, as the entrance of the side cliff seemed still so far off. But he willed himself faster, lowering his body and pushing his legs to make long strides in front of him.

His heavy cloak fluttered desperately as he continued to sprint towards the opening. The other men were already ahead of him, their strides longer and their bodies stronger. No, Shikamaru couldn't be the weak link in this mission. He was the captain. Their leader. Even if the other men had a significant age difference between him, he couldn't let himself be the hinderance in the mission.

He sped up his pace as fast as he could. His feet frantically slapping onto the hard sand below him. The other men were already closing in on the entrance of the passageway.

"53...54...55..." he gritted his teeth. The entrance was just in front of them. Within the last moments, the team leaped into the darkness of the crevasse, undetected. Shikamaru was the last one to enter, but he flopped onto the ground and tried his best to calm his heart pounding in his chest. They sat there for a few moments, panting. "Did...did they notice us?" One nervously asked as Shikamaru's eyes flitted up, waiting.

The silence was insufferable as the rest of the team glanced up, their mouths pulled tight, sweat dropping down their foreheads to fall and wet the ground below.

But there was no sound or movement from the cliffs above. He had succeeded. "No...but let's keep moving..." He urged, as the man with the cigar grinned and snorted. "You know, for a 12 year old...you ain't bad kid." "Be quiet...we can't make any noise here..." Shikamaru grumbled indignantly as the rest of the group held small smiles on their faces.

The team moved swiftly through the empty chasm, finally reaching the end and the dusty city of Sunagakure lay before them. They immediately switched their cloaks, donning a few head wraps and a light tan duster to cover themselves with. With that, the group set forth, towards the meeting location of their informant.

Shikamaru moved unsteadily through the sheets. His eyes flitted around precariously. He had never done undercover work before. Heck, this was his first mission inside of a hostile village. Everyone here was a potential enemy...

People were out mingling in the streets of a vast and crowded market place. A vendor was displaying his wares of various sized pots. A woman with her daughter were holding hands, as the mother carried a wicker basket of assorted fruits. A group of children, running through the streets with grins on their faces, suddenly sped past Shikamaru, making him nearly stumble. He gulped silently, his eyes wide, watching the children run past him and continue on their merry way.

"Calm down..." He told himself quietly, taking a deep breath and focusing in front of him. An inn caught his eye, and he spotted the alleyway on the left, where the informant asked to meet them. With that, the group moved quickly through the throng of people and found themselves in a dark corridor.

A thin man leaned against one of the walls, his face mostly hidden with bandages and wraps. "Good...you're here." He stated nonchalantly, as Shikamaru motioned for one of the members to approach. "This is it. Only for the Hokage's eyes" the man stated quietly, placing a small golden scroll in the hands of his teammate. The other man looked at Shikamaru, nodding his head and heading back to stand with the rest of the group.

Just as Shikamaru was about to speak, there was a sudden blast of wind above them, which sent them all flying back and out onto the street.

"Yo!" He heard her voice call out, and he could feel his own blood run cold. He lay flat on his butt, with his team members scattered around him, and the scroll gleaming on the ground near to his feet.

There she was. The Suna princess. Her proud fan spread widely open, its purple stars shining dangerously, and stretched out behind her back. The informant lay as a bloody carcass behind her. Gashes and cuts littered about his mangled body. A wild look flickered in her eyes, with a tinge of rage and animosity on her face.

She advanced slightly upon them, placing one hand on her hip of her lavender one piece. The haughty and smug look never leaving her face. But Shikamaru could see her viridescent eyes flicking back and forth between each of them. Calculating. Cold.

"It was so nice of you Konoha ninja to sniff out this rat. It was a pain trying to figure out who your informant was" she scoffed proudly, as Shikamaru frantically wrapped the bandages tighter around his head. He really did not want her to recognize him right now. That would probably even piss her off even more. And knowing this woman, it was better to have the element of surprise. Never give her and edge, cause if you did, she'd probably take a mile.

It seems as though she hadn't seem him there as of yet, as the rest of his squad stood cautiously, a few kunai drawn. "What? You're just some blonde brat. We'll take care of you quickly" one of the men from Shikamaru's team stated as he suddenly rushed forward.

"No! Stop!" Shikamaru called out, shielding himself suddenly as another blast came at them, knocking them all back. The scroll luckily landed ever closer to his feet.

Once the dust and debris had cleared, Shikamaru could feel his eyes widen in fright. The man on Shikamaru's team was just another corpse. He fell back, his face marred and cut with the blades from the powerful wind. His eyes were rolled back into his head.

Shikamaru immediately stood now, fists clenched as he swiftly ran forwards and snatched up the scroll. "Retreat!" He commanded, as the others glanced at him, eyes fearful and confused. But they quickly obeyed and hastily made their way through the crowded streets. "Hey! You're not getting away!" Temari of the sand roared out, the blasts from her fan resounding behind them.

"We can't possibly retreat! There's no way back out! They'll spot us and kill us on the spot!" The whiney man screamed out at Shikamaru, his voice cracking in fear. "Here! Take this!" Shikamaru yelled suddenly, tossing the scroll to the man with the cigar and veering off to the side suddenly.

"Keep going! I have a plan!" He called out, slipping easily between the crowds of people. The two men looked uneasy, but did as they commanded. The man with the cigar pushing forward in front, shoving through people in the crowded streets.

The crowd gasped. The woman with her daughter dropped her fruits and pulled her away. The children who happily ran in the streets now turned on their heels and sprinted off in fear. The vendor selling the vases fled down an alley. Shikamaru witnessed all of this as he quickly ducked behind one of the stalls on the side. The very one that he had seen earlier in his survey of the road. He hid quietly next to a few of the large jars, the smells of different spices filling his nostrils as he sucked in pants of air. He quickly formed his hand signals, knowing Temari was hot behind them. "Alright...you're finished!" She screamed as she charged from behind, raising her hand up for a final attack at his comrades.

He gauged the distance, realizing she was in range, and shot his shadow out. "Kagemane no Jutsu!"

He immediately could see it in her eyes and the paleness of her face. The complete and utter terror and anger of being stopped in her tracks. He could see her green orbs, flick to one side, and shrink in disdain as she narrowed in on him.

"You..." She mumbled out between gritted teeth, her body visibly shaking as he held her within his grasp. "YOU!"

But Shikamaru had no moment to speak, as he launched forward, running to catch up with his team members. "!" Temari could only grit her teeth as her fan dropped to her side, and she was pulled forwards as well against her will, caught within his deadly embrace.

He pushed forward quickly, feeling his breath escape in short bursts. Finally, he spotted them ahead of him, still running towards the opening of the cliffside that they had made their way through earlier.

"What!? What are you doing! Are you crazy!" His comrade stated as he finally met up with them, Temari still being strung along behind him. "Why are you bringing her with us! This isn't a kidnapping mission!" The cigar man finally spoke, his cigar now dropping from his mouth as he screamed at Shikamaru.

"This is my plan! Go with it! Surround her!" He snarled out, his eyes flashing with an intensity that they had not seen before. "If you want to live, listen to your captain!"

The other team members quickly slowed their pace, pausing only for a mere moment to then surround Temari, making a triangle around her with Shikamaru at the front.

By now, Sunagakure was up in arms. The ninja on the cliffsides were shouting orders to one another, preparing for their team to arrive and become annihilated. "Heee! We're going to die!" The other man whined as Shikamaru's mouth drew to a thin line. He sucked in a deep breath of air as they neared the passage.

"I have your Suna princess with me! If you decide to attack us, she will be harmed! Let us pass!" He yelled out, surprising himself at how loud he could be. The men on the cliff seemed to pause for a moment, and he could see the color drain from their faces.

With that, Shikamaru charged ahead, not wasting a moment for them to doubt or second guess. They blazed through the dark passage, as he could hear their heavy footsteps behind them. "Lady Temari!" "Temari-sama!" "Princess!" He heard a few callouts above him. He felt his own stomach twist in anger at this, but it was the only plan he could think of in the moment which would keep all of them safe. With no more loss of life.

He could finally see it, the exit and the vast expanse of the dunes beyond. He continued to charge forward, finally emerging from the dark. His feet slid upon the sand for a moment, causing him to slip, but he quickly regained his balance and continued forward.

"If you dare to follow us, then I will kill your Princess! If not, then I will let her go! I promise!" Shikamaru called, turning back to see the seething face of the blond haired girl and the enraged faces of the ninja of Sunagakure. He could hear them call out after them, but he knew that they wouldn't dare follow. Of course for him, it was an empty threat, but they didn't know that.

He gritted his teeth and turned back around, as he continued to jump forth deeper and deeper into the desert. He never liked resorting to this demeaning type of tactic. That's not why he became a shinobi in the first place. But, he knew he would at least be able to keep his promise. He did not want to hurt Temari, but needed to use her for a little while longer.

Finally, after those terrifying moments of having to escape, Shikamaru slowed his pace and placed his hands upon his knees, panting. Temari instinctively copied him, as she bent with gritted teeth and placed her hands upon her own knees. "Oh ho! What an interesting jutsu!" The cigar man laughed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He smugly pulled out another cigar to replace the one he lost and lit it with a match.

"Alright, now that we're far enough away, let's dump her body and head back to Konoha" the other man snickered, as he swiftly grabbed onto Temari's face. But her defiant eyes bore back at him, and she growled in response.

"No! Leave her alone!" Shikamaru snarled now, moving closer to Temari and placing his wrists together. "Bind her and then leave her. The others will be coming soon, and we need to continue to make our getaway." He could see her eyes focus in on him for a moment, and her mouth drew to a thin line. The other man, the whiney complainer, gave Shikamaru a heavy look of disdain.

"Or we could just keep her with us! Maybe Lord Danzo will appreciate such a valuable asset!" The other man scoffed at Shikamaru, clucking at him as he twirled one of the sandy pigtails on Temari's head. "Hands off I said!" Shikamaru reminded once more, his eyes narrowing into tight slits. "I said that she would not be harmed, and I intend to keep that. I am a ninja of my word."

He could see Temari's eyes glare into his for a moment, and he tried to avoid her gaze. But the look she gave him was always seemingly something else. He couldn't put his finger on it. The man with the cigar simply shrugged and quickly pulled out a rope and bound her hands and feet. "Alright, you're the captain, kid." He stated nonchalantly as the other ninja hissed and paced off a few feet away.

Shikamaru squatted down, and the man immediately tied Temari's upper legs as well. She was still glaring at him this whole entire time, unable to speak. He probably figured it was because of how furiously angry she was. "This girl is as fierce as my mom is" he mentally kicked himself, finally releasing her from his jutsu and drawing close.

"I'll never forgive you for this...Shikamaru Nara..." She seethed, as his eyes widened in slight surprise. "Oh...I'm surprised you even remember my name..." He blurted out, undoing the wrappings around his head.

"Sorry...these are a bit dirty. But I'm going to have to gag you. I can't have you alerting any of the other ninja of our location just yet." He stated logically, as her glare simply intensified.

"Always quick at running away...just like in our match" she scowled at him, as he apologetically shrugged. "Well...a man can't really hit a woman...and it's better to bind you than to have you hit us either..." He stated matter of factly, as he wrapped the bundle into a ball and held it up to her mouth.

"Try it...I'll bite your fingers off" she grinned at him now, her eyes gleaming at him viciously. Shikamaru's own eyes seemed to widen for a moment, realizing her tenacity.

"Ah...you're always such a troublesome woman..." He scoffed, leaning in forward to her. His face a few mere inches away from her own.

"Wait! What are you doing!?" She yelled out now, as his eyes locked in with hers. She visibly tightened her lips on her mouth, her eyes set in cold hard resolve.

"Even if you're troublesome...you're still super cute..." He stated, as Temari's eyes shot open wider, a sudden flush spread upon her face. "Wha...wha-!" She then mumbled out, but it was soon muffled as the bindings were shoved abruptly into her mouth by Shikamaru's nimble fingers.

"Well...that's taken care of" he stated, dusting his hands off and standing. "Mrrgghhpphh!" Temari choked out, the disbelief and wrath back as she struggled against her bindings. "Sorry...but that was the only way I could think of to catch you off guard and make you open your mouth" he smirked at her then, as her face still tinged a bright red.

"Goodbye Temari" he stated, standing up before her, his eyes boring down. "And sorry."

With that, he retreated, her muffled screams chasing after him. He glanced back for a mere moment, seeing her tied up form struggling on the sand. Her voice a bit hoarse from calling out in desperation. Her eyes never leaving him. Those two green circles boring holes straight into his back. He pulled his face back forward to their destination. He set his mouth to a thin line, carrying forth, as the other two joined his side quickly. They disappeared silently into the oncoming dawn.

-0-

As soon as Shikamaru arrived back to Konoha, he and his team were immediately summoned to the Hokage.

He walked into the office with his two remaining team members. But as soon as he entered, he saw Danzo stand and pace his way slowly towards him with his cane. "Hokage-sama?" He questioned, when suddenly, the cane swung handedly down upon his chest and Shikamaru collapsed backward.

"URG!" He cried out, as Danzo sent another swift blow, this time smacking him directly onto his right knee and thigh. "Danzo-sama!" The man with the cigar called out, as the other stood by, his eyes the size of white dinner plates.

"Two hits...that's enough. One for each team member" Danzo spoke softly, making his way back to the desk. Shikamaru glanced up at the man, a wince on his face as he reached forward and held onto his shaking knee and leg.

"I'm disappointed in you Shikamaru Nara...you return from your mission..." Danzo trailed off, as he turned around suddenly, his one eye glaring down hard upon the boy. "With a dead informant and team member!"

Shikamaru could feel himself shudder, in both fear and resentment. "Danzo-sama..." The cigar man repeated as Danzo sent him a swift glare. "I am the Hokage now!" He harshly reminded, "and I will not accept any losses! All Konoha shinobi are important!"

He resumed his glare back down upon Shikamaru, as Shikamaru gritted his teeth from the intense throbbing in his knee. "Do you understand Shikamaru? You wouldn't want that to be one of your friends one day...now would you?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened for a brief moment. Danzo was a cruel teacher. He apparently demanded no hiccups in his missions whatsoever. With that, Shikamaru bit down onto his own tongue, to stop himself from saying anything aloud, and shakily stood to his feet.

"Ah, but...Hokage-sama...this kid did really well for his first mission! We were able to successfully retrieve the information from the informant" the man with the cigar mentioned, in hopes to quell Danzo's anger. He rummaged through his cloak for a moment and withdrew the small golden scroll.

The man gently handed it into Danzo's hands and he turned it back and forth in his palm. "Yes...well...this was the true objective of the mission...and I will just need to implant another one of our ninja into the land of sand...a difficult but not impossible task."

"Oh! And this kid even managed to capture-" stated the other, as Shikamaru quickly intervened, clearing his throat. "I captured one of the Suna ninja to use as a bait to help us escape Sunagakure. They wouldn't hurt their own comrade..." Shikamaru trailed off, sending a soft glare to his whiney older teammate, silencing him.

"Hmm...using the enemies own allies against them. Brilliant. We need more of that in our battle tactics..." With that, Danzo hobbled his way back to his seat. He eased himself into the chair and sent one final glance in Shikamaru's direction. "That is how a true ninja should act. Use any means necessary to get what you need for the success of your mission. Try not to sacrifice your own men of course...but if it was necessary for the mission, then so be it."

Danzo closed his eyes, pulling the red hat of the Hokage down over his face further.

"You are all dismissed...until we have another mission..."

With that, Shikamaru gave a slight bow and felt himself squeeze his fists so tightly, that his knuckles turned white. The other two ninja patted him lightly on the back and then took their leave. "Good job kid. You did good, really" the man with the cigar softly smiled at him. Pitying him. "Maybe we'll be on a team together again next time" the other man snickered, as they both closed the door behind them.

Shikamaru turned and tried as best as he could to not limp back out of the room. Finally exiting, he paused for a moment to lean against the door frame. "Ugh...that hurt" he cursed under his breath, rubbing his right leg once more.

With that, he slowly made his way out and back home.

When arriving, he tried to play off his injury in front of his mother, Yoshino. "Oh Shikamaru! I'm so glad you're home! How was your first mission?" Yoshino blathered, dusting off his green chunin vest lightly as he shrugged. "It was okay...I guess...kind of boring..." He tried to state nonchalantly as he stepped into the house and shoved his hands into his pockets.

He briefly noticed his father, Shikaku, connect with his eyes, and he held a raised brow. "Yoshino...I smell something burning..." Shikaku mumbled out sweetly as Yoshino whipped around, frantically hurrying back to the kitchen. "What!? It better not be the fish! I made your favorite Shikamaru! To celebrate your first mission! I want you to tell me all about it!"

As she paced out of the room, Shikamaru made his way to his room, feeling his father's eyes on his back the entire time. When he reached there, he opened the door and closed it lightly behind him. But his mind still replayed every single part of the mission in his mind over and over again. Like a horrific movie reel. The desert. Suna. Temari. Her eyes. Their return. Danzo.

In a fit of anger, he unzipped his jacket and threw the vest off. It slapped onto the floor, as he panted in frustration. He could hear the faint sounds of his father's footsteps by the outside of his door.

"How's your leg?" His voice cut through the thin door as Shikamaru flinched for a moment. "It's fine..." He stated quickly, running his hands through his spiked ponytail. "It'll heal." "Did you get that from the mission or from Danzo?"

Shikamaru felt himself pause for a moment, his hands frozen on top of his head. "I'm proud of you for completing your first mission Shikamaru...but...remember...this is the first of many." His father mumbled through the door, as Shikamaru turned to glance back.

"That man...Danzo Shimura...even if he is our Hokage...be careful of him...don't always listen to what he wants you to do. Even if you're a shinobi and you follow the path of one...that doesn't mean that you are not yourself. You always have a choice on the path you take." Shikaku concluded, receding back to the living room. "Do not forget what makes you, you."

Shikamaru glanced back at the vest on the ground, his mouth shut tight. His father was right. Danzo was not to be trusted. But, he was now under him like all the rest of the ninja of Konoha. A worker. A grunt. Another ninja meant to 'protect' the village hidden in the leaves.

He bent down and picked up the vest and lightly dusted it off again, like how Yoshino had done. A deep set of resolve in his eyes.

This time, he knew for sure what kind of monster Danzo was. And he'll probably find out more, the more he works under him.

Shikamaru walked over to his closet and hung the vest carefully, breathing out a sigh.

At least with this knowledge, he'll be able to take the missions that the Hokage tells him to. His eyes narrowed in on the vest. However, he'll complete the missions on his terms, no one else's.

He glanced out of his window then, the clouds drifting sweetly over the moon that climbed the sky. "He doesn't want any ninja's life to be wasted then eh? Well...I'll make damn sure of that...especially the lives of my friends" He scowled, a determination and resolve set.

"Danzo...Danzo Shimura...I'll be very careful of you from now on."