By RequiemofDementia
Chapter Six: Trial By Ordeal
Shinzui fastened the forehead protector that he had been given over his forehead, hiding the rasa from view. Airen stirred slowly, and opened her eyes. Then she started awake quickly, her eyes still locked to the man that knelt before her.
"Iruka?"
The man nodded slowly, a small smile upon his lips. "Well done." He handed out to her a leaf emblazoned forehead protector. "Wear it well, ninja."
Taking the forehead protector, Airen leapt up happily, her arms fastening around Iruka's waist. "Thank you!" The man smiled, patting her back gently.
Shinzui sat to one side, turning his eyes towards the man that sat next to him. At the motion, Kakashi turned the book, so that Shinzui could not peek at it. The silvered haired Jounin raised his eyes slowly, and the first thing he saw was Airen clutching both forehead protector and Iruka. "You taught them well?"
Shinzui shrugged a little, a grin on his lips. "As well as they let me."
The two shared a laugh, until Shinzui noticed that Airen still clung to Iruka. He straightened slowly, gently disentangling her from him. "Give the man some air."
She spun quickly then, and latched onto her brother in a hug. "I passed." He grinned softly, as he gave her a little squeeze.
Then, throwing caution to the wind, Airen raced at Kakashi. He gave a simple shake of his head. "I should probably go meet my team by the bridge," he said, and with that, disappeared in a blur.
Airen turned towards Chie, ready to give the smaller one a hug, and then noticed that he stood in the center of the clearing with the Hokage. She looked at Shinzui questioningly, who put his finger to his lips. Together, the three newcomers to Konoha sat to watch Chie. The silence only broken by a grunt from Riki as Airen hugged him too.
"Sen Chie?"
The boys face was still a faint pink, as he nodded his head. He was in the middle of a clearing, with a great many people staring at him. His nervousness was clear, to all watching, as well as to the Hokage.
"Your task is simple. You are to go into Konoha village, find Nara Shikamaru, and bring him to me."
Chie nodded slowly, that seemed a simple enough task. He looked around slowly then. "How will I know who Nara Shikamaru is?"
The Hokage smiled softly. "A lot of people know him. Just ask around."
Somehow, Tsunade managed to refrain from laughing at the look of horror that plastered to Chie's face.
Chie stood in the main street of Konoha, looking about slowly. None of his team mates were here. No one he knew was here. And dozens of strangers bustled passed him. He was almost literally frozen in fear.
No one seemed to pay Chie much heed, as they continued along on their walking. He was just another obstacle to walk around, to them.
The only person that watched Chie closely was the Hokage, concealed upon one of the rooftops of Konoha. It was time to see how creative Chie could think, and deal with his debilitating shyness.
For the longest time, the Hokage began to worry that Chie could not overcome his shyness. He paced about the one spot, occasionally looking like he was about to stop someone. But nothing came of it. He was too shy. He stood, looking out into this sea of people.
And then, he was struck with an idea. Perhaps not literally, since it did not hurt, but he had the idea none the less. Tsunade watched as the boy began to wave his way through the crowd, clearly seeking something in particular.
"How can you eat so much, Naruto?" Sakura asked, clearly either shocked or (as Naruto liked to think) impressed by his capacity for ramen. "We were here an hour ago."
Naruto just smiled around another mouthful of ramen, careful not to talk this time, as the last time he had tried to answer one of Sakura's questions, she had hit him over the head for talking with his mouth full.
Once again, Sasuke was the first one to notice the stranger.
As Chie drew closer, Naruto noticed as well, grinning as always for a pretty girl. For some reason, the grin made Chie blush once more. "Come for some ramen?" Naruto asked, and then quickly ducked, Sakura's fist passing through the air where his head had just been.
"Swallow before you speak!"
Chie's eyes were wide at that. He would not dream of hitting Airen or Riki. Airen would have been upset, and Chie was likely to hurt his hand on Riki.
"I, uh…"
The moment his mouth had opened, three sets of eyes met his own. Chie swallowed nervously. Team Seven continued to watch him, and he felt his fear beginning to rise once again. But he needed to do this.
"I… was wondering… if you could tell… Uh, tell me where I could find… Nara Shikamaru." His mouth clamped shut, and all three could tell from the way his body tensed that Chie was ready to flee.
Naruto quickly lifted one of his arms, and sniffed at his arm pits. "What's her problem?" he asked Sakura. "Do we smell?"
"Sasuke and I don't," Sakura replied, and leaned a little closer to Chie, smiling gently. "Shikamaru is just up that street, his is the third house after the t-junction."
Chie bowed to all of them, thanking them in a tiny voice before quickly racing off.
Naruto looked at Sakura as his face came away from his armpit. "Hey! I do not smell!"
"Too much," Sasuke said softly.
Chie had been let into Shikamaru's house, and found the Genin playing a game with an older man. Both of them turned to look at him, expectantly. But their eyes were not the only ones on him, as the Hokage watched, unobserved, from the window.
"E… excuse… me… N… Nara… Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru nodded, as he looked back towards the game board. "Yeah?"
"I… I need… you… to come… Uh…" Chie swallowed nervously. "To come with… me… to see… uh…"
"How troublesome," Shikamaru said softly, as he moved a piece on the board.
Chie's eyes widened, as he took that as a rejection, looking at Shikamaru, and then the man. After a while, he realized the only safe place for him to look was at the game board, so he settled for that.
The man reached out to move a piece, but heard a squeak from Chie. His eyes looked up, and Chie flushed red, taking a step back. "Is something the matter?" he asked softly.
"If… if you… make that move… You leave yourself open to defeat in five moves."
Shikamaru's eyes widened, as he looked at the game board, and then at Chie. The boy had been in the room for barely a couple of minutes and had already figured out Shikamaru's strategy.
"What's your name," the man asked.
"Sen Chie." Chie's voice was tiny, as he replied, worried that the man was angered he had interrupted the game.
"Well, Sen Chie, that was very well spotted. Would you like to sit in for me?"
Chie looked at the board, and then Shikamaru. "But…"
Shikamaru looked up at Chie slowly. "If you make it a good game, I'll go with you."
Reluctantly, Chie sat by the game board. His eyes roamed over the pieces, and then he began to play.
Shinzui sat across from Airen and Riki. Teaching Riki patience was like trying to teach a bird to fly, completely pointless, but Airen still fidgeted a little. They both knew that she was worried about Chie. He had been gone some time.
"Do you think he's alright?"
Shinzui, in keeping with the spirit of meditation, completely ignored the question, as he had all the other times that she had asked. Riki just grunted.
"Ugh? How can you tell me ugh! Chie's out there! Don't you care?"
Riki's eyes opened, and he slowly looked at Airen. "He is walking down a street. Not exactly danger zone."
Airen glared at Riki, but he did not seem to care. "It's still our Chie! What if he doesn't pass?"
Riki's broad shoulders rose and fell. "You passed."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Airen's voice was a little hurt. Riki just shrugged, and closed his eyes once more, returning to meditation with Shinzui. And so, Airen took the opening he left her.
Once, long ago, Chie had taught them both a jutsu. That was when they had learned that Chie seemed to have a knack for making his own jutsu's. Her hands came together, and she grinned a little. The jutsu was, appropriately, named Chie's Tickle no Jutsu.
Chie's sandaled feet slowly trailed through the grass, as he led the way. Shikamaru, already bored, trailed along after him. "How troublesome," he muttered to himself. Then his eyes roamed over to Chie slowly. "Good game."
Chie blushed brightly, and bowed his head. "Thank you."
Shikamaru simply nodded, as he kept walking. "I haven't come that close to losing in a long time. If you weren't missing so many pieces when you started… Hey, play me again some time?"
Chie's face blushed brighter, as he hesitantly agreed.
The two continued to walk, silence between them for a moment longer. It had indeed been a very impressive game. Shikamaru believed that Chie might actually be a bit of a challenge at Go.
"So," he said softly, as if just making conversation. "How many people realize you aren't actually a girl?"
Chie tripped over, he was so shocked at the question.
"How troublesome," came the sigh again, as Shikamaru helped Chie back to his feet.
"You… are the first to notice… just from looking," Chie said softly. Shikamaru just smiled.
And that was when they heard it. The clearing was only a little distance ahead, and Chie heard laughter. Strong, hearty laughter, that was not stopping. Shikamaru looked at Chie, who already began to walk faster.
In the clearing ahead, Riki lay upon the ground, clutching at his sides. He continued to laugh, as Airen stood over him. Then, she looked over, shouting out. "Chie!" She turned to run on that direction, until Riki's hand curled around her foot. Airen fell face forward, catching herself just before the ground, her palms down against the grass.
Chie stepped in slowly, gesturing. "Nara Shikamaru."
Airen grinned, and jumped up and down. "Go Chie!"
Author's notes.
My sister said 'gotta love Chie' and I agree. A blend of Haku and Hinata, two of my favorite Naruto characters, I came up with someone who is lots of fun to write. And she tells me it is fun to read too.
Also, about now, I started thinking of ideas for other stories to follow on from this one. Like, a Naruto/Harry Potter cross over. Not one of these fluffy ones that every man and his dog writes, but what I think would REALLY happen with ninja's at Hogwarts.
What do you think of the idea? It doesn't really matter, since I am going to do it no matter what you say, but I thought if I included a question I could get REVIEWS! GRR!