Shanan and Kakashi went with Team Ten and to assist them on their mission to find Hidan and Kakuzu while Naruto stayed to perfect his new jutsu with Tenzo.

Shikamaru was out to avenge Asuma, so he was no doubt already several steps ahead of everyone including Shanan.

When they finally caught up with the two Akatsuki members, Ino and Choji made a few attempts to fight them, but ultimately they served to help reveal Hidan and Kakuzu's powers to Shanan and Kakashi and to distract them momentarily while they readied a sneak attack on Kakuzu.

Shikamaru had asked that Hidan be left to him, so everyone else was to focus on Kakuzu. Which was fine, but it made Shanan nervous when Shikamaru lured Hidan away from the rest of the group.

She and Kakashi took one of Kakuzu's hearts out almost immediately, but it took some time and effort to take out any of the others. Even the Storm Cloud Jutsu mixed with Skyfall only took one out. Shanan and Kakashi rained down and solidified in front of Ino and Choji and turned right back around. Shanan pulled one of her swords out while Kakashi pulled her other sword out and they ran back in to battle the last two. The two of them together with Shanan's swords were always impressive and almost breathtaking to watch. They dispatched the last two hearts quickly, leaving a weakened Kakuzu, himself, to finish off.

Right before they finished him, Naruto showed up to lend a hand, having finally perfected his jutsu. They could've handled him, but they were tired enough to leave it to Naruto and Kakashi's arm needed healing anyway.

"You guys were amazing," Choji said as Shanan knelt next to Kakashi to heal his arm. "I've never seen anything like that."

"Thanks," Kakashi said. "We were ANBU partners in the Kaitei, so we can read each other really well." He was trying to distract himself from the pain he was just starting to feel, now that his adrenaline was calming down.

"I hope Shikamaru's alright," Ino said thoughtfully.

Shanan hoped too.

"Shanan, you should go and check on him when you're done with me," Kakashi told her.

His suggestion sent a rush of guilt through her, but she did want to go and check on him considering he was fighting alone against the person that had killed Asuma.

Shanan nodded at him. "I'm just about finished."

"Are you alright, did you get any injuries?" he asked her.

"No, I didn't. Almost, but you pulled me out of the way," she said as she smiled at him.

He touched her face and smiled. "My injury would've been much worse if it weren't for you catching that kunai before it could go any deeper," he told her.

"Oh right, I did do that." She didn't always remember minute details of when they fought, most things she did on instinct and that had been one. She definitely could've lost a few fingers doing it, but activating her medical ninjutsu mid-fight healed the cut she'd gotten quickly, since it had been right on her hand.

She finished up with Kakashi and gave him a quick kiss before taking off in the direction of where Shikamaru had gone.

She didn't think it possible, but they'd made it really far into the woods. And by the time she made it to where they were, it seemed as though he'd had it well handled. Hidan's head was separated from his body and in a deep pit that Shikamaru had made. Shanan sat and watched from a distance as Shikamaru spoke down to him.

"See, you and I have very different beliefs. I believe in the Will of Fire. And that pathetic Lord Jashin, or whatever, isn't your God anymore. I am."

He was so cold and unforgiving. She had never seen Shikamaru like this and she didn't hate his passion. Seeing him able to avenge someone he admired so much, someone that even she had cared for in another life, and do it so well, made her really happy for him.

Once it seemed he was done with him, Shanan moved to stand about ten feet behind him.

"Shikamaru…" she said softly.

He spun around and seemed surprised to see that she was there, but he wasted no time in walking over to her. With each step, his expression went from cold intensity to overwhelmed and emotional. Once he reached her, he squeezed her tight and completely fell apart now that it was over.

"It's ok, you did it. He'd be really proud," she assured him as she comforted him and cried with him.

They stood and embraced each other for several more minutes as he sobbed silently into her.

"Shikamaru, I need to see if I can get any information out of him," she said as she pulled away and caressed his cheek.

"Can you do that from up here?" he asked shakily as he wiped the last of his tears.

She nodded. "I should be able to. Just hold onto me so I don't fall down there," she told him as she walked towards the pit.

"Alright, I've got you." He followed her and put his arms around her waist from behind.

Shanan closed her eyes and readied her Kurushimi and then opened them to look down at Hidan.

"Oh, so it's you, huh?" he said as he laughed.

Shanan was visibly confused as she stared down at him. What did he mean and why hadn't he been caught up in her genjutsu?

"The Blue Sharingan of The Leaf... The Psychic Uchiha... The- oh wait, I'm pretty sure there was a third one... Anyway, you can save your visual genjutsu. Even Itachi's don't work on me thanks to the almighty Jashin. You've been best- Hey! Don't walk away!"

Shanan had turned around about halfway through his speech as Shikamaru pulled her aside and told her about the bombs he'd placed in order to bury him at the bottom of the pit. He was about twenty feet down, and, with any luck, would spend the rest of eternity surrounded by darkness with nothing but the taste of the occasional worm to look forward to.

Once both parts of him were good and buried, Shanan gave Shikamaru a quick kiss to show him how proud of him she was. She really enjoyed his speech.