a/n: thank you all so much for your wonderful and warm reviews they mean a lot to me, so please dont hesitate to leave me reviews! i also wish to thank those you favorited, followed and gave this fic o'mine a read! :))
this chapter is unbetaed and english is not my first language i tried to edit it out but i might have missed some due to my batshit eyesight so if you found any mistakes please point them out to me thank you very much!

Chapter ii: Raison d'etre

Raison d'etre (n.) a reason for existing

Naruto had started to run into the busy streets of Konoha with light and quick steps, avoiding the people around her easily. She usually doesn't take this road to head towards their usual meeting place with Shikamaru however she was running late. So she decided to run past the place she disliked most just to make sure that she gets there on time.

She remembered the last time she was late and she remembered Shikamaru's face then, there was frown on his usual bored features and Naruto decided she didn't like it not one bit. As she was running through the throngs of people milling about she saw a familiar back hair and his signature hair style so starkly in the crowd.

With a grin flashing onto her face she ran by him, caught his wrist and voiced out. "Run, Shikamaru!"

She barely saw the surprise on his face when she turned her head upfront and began to tug onto his muttering friend as they ran past the busy streets of Konoha. A laugh vibrating from her as she felt all those emotions directed at her fade away as soon as she touched Shikamaru.

Shikamaru was wheezing as soon as they reached their usual spot by the edge of the tree-line, the wind casually blowing and the dandelions blooming by the field just below were dancing along with it. He sat on the soft grass, his hands holding his upper back from fully laying on the grass. Naruto giggled as she barely felt any exhaustion from their run.

"Wh-why were we even running?", Shikamaru asked, his face bowed down and when Naruto noticed he was about to release his upper body to lay on the grass Naruto decided to sit behind him until they were back to back. Naruto could feel his slightly heavier weight on her, however she didn't mind this one bit.

"Oh I guess you haven't seen it yet huh?", Shikamaru turned his head to the side to somewhat peer at her as she smiled widely and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Seen what?"

"I painted the Hokage statues this very early morning.", Shikamaru sighed as he tipped his head to stare up at the sky and Naruto couldn't hide the smile that bubbled up from her.

"And I'm guessing some of the ninja's had been chasing you for it?", she giggled as a form of answer and Shikamaru groaned.

"Troublesome.", he muttered but there was nothing in his voice that indicated that he was annoyed at Naruto or anything like that.

Soon enough Naruto could feel the weight of Shikamaru shifting till she was the one heavily leaning on him. He was slouching and possibly leaning his head down just so that Naruto could stare up the clear blue sky.

"I think we should run more to help improve your stamina Shikamaru, with our speed a while ago, those nin's would've caught us.", Shikamaru groaned at this but didn't give any indication of going against her suggestion. Naruto smiled warmly to no one in particular finding the peace she had never thought she would ever have.

Chouji Akimichi was slightly stunned and somewhat feeling like he entered a different sort of world as soon as he entered the Nara household that day looking for Shikamaru. He had caught a bad case of the flu and thus his mother placed him on house arrest to prevent the others from catching it.

The last time he had seen his friend he was waving goodbye to him and telling him to get well soon from a distance. Here he is standing stunned as he enters the patio near the open garden of Shikamaru's house. His eyes landed to the bright blonde hair of a girl he had always seen from a distance always playing on the swings all alone.

It was the first time that Chouji had seen that kind of expression from her face and he was left stunned, the bag of chips he was holding fell to the wooden floor. This alerted Shikamaru who was in the process of teaching Naruto how to play Shogi and the girl whose concentration seemed to have been broken as both pairs of eyes looked at his direction.

Chouji flinched, he felt like he was interrupting something, a bubble that only those two were in. this thought was easily shattered as Naruto smiled at his direction with her ever bright smiles and approached him.

"Hi! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! You must be Chouji right? Shikamaru's friend.", she chirped as she held out her hand for him to shake and Chouji blushed as he was startled at the girl in front of him.

His eyes suddenly turned to Shikamaru who just gave him a lazy grin. He had to blink twice to reassure himself he wasn't dreaming. He then looked back at Naruto whose eyes dimmed slightly.

"Akimichi Chouji, nice to meet you Naruto.", he shook her held out hand and as soon as he did those dimmed eyes sparkled with glee.

"Un!", as if some idea popped in her head, her shoulders raised as she held onto Chouji's hand and a mischievous grin grew from her lips.

"Ne Chouji, do you know how to play shogi?", before he could reply he could feel Shikamaru's eyes watching the two of them interact, odd.

"Just a little?", he replied then Naruto began to tug at him to sit next to her in front of the shogi board opposite of Shikamaru who looked bored already but seemingly amused.

"Then help me beat Shikamaru, we have been playing for a while now and I can't beat him whatever I do.", Chouji couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well Shikamaru is really smart and he plays with his Old man all the time. I don't think even if we teamed up we could beat him.", he then opened one of his chips after picking them up from the floor and munching on it.

"Well it can't hurt to try right? Besides wouldn't it be fun to see Shikamaru's expression once if we were to win?", Naruto stared at the board in front of her, not noticing the widened eyes of Chouji and Shikamaru's amused expression.

Chouji watched Shikamaru's whose eyes easily landed on Naruto with an expression he had never seen Shikamaru make. 'Oh, this is interesting.', his mind whispered as he silently watched them interact as they continued to play. He wondered if Shikamaru had already noticed it himself but as soon as his eyes landed on the black-head he guessed not.

Chouji joined in after a while pointing out a few strategies for them to make against Shikamaru. Despite the two of them teaming up they still lost to Shikamaru, but seeing the happy expression on Naruto's face he guesses it was alright either way. Within the following days the three of them had started to hang out. Going from one cloud watching spot to another, Chouji wondered whether Naruto would be alright with just doing nothing but cloud watching. However she looked content either ways.

Today was just one of the days that Naruto was running late and Shikamaru looked ready to hunt her down. The last time she had been late during her meet-up with Shikamaru when she and Chouji still hadn't met, she arrived with uneven chopped hair and lied about the true cause of it.

However Shikamaru knew that a gum wasn't the reason for it, Chouji could see the anger that Shikamaru was keeping piled up as he told him about it. It wasn't a secret that a few of the kids in the village bullies Naruto. Heck even Chouji was subjected to such bullying however this compared to nothing when it comes to the bullying that Naruto receives.

Not just from the kids in the village but with the adults as well. Chouji couldn't understand how people could be so unfair. Naruto was just a kid, why would they have to be so mean to a kind sweet girl like her.

Chouji then concluded that Naruto was too kind for her own good and he had decided that from that moment on he would be her friend as well. Who needs those bullies anyway?

Chouji's stomach was aching, he was worried that something bad might have happened that's why the blonde was late. One look from Shikamaru and they both decided to finally hunt down the blonde.

"Troublesome.", Shikamaru muttered however Chouji could see the stiffness in his posture when he voiced it out along with the look of urgency in his eyes as they stood up from where they both sat waiting for Naruto.

They decided to start their search by the river where Naruto told them it was her second spot where she hangs out to cool off when it's hot. As soon as they reached the river they were able to hear Naruto's high-pitched voice as she argued with someone else. Chouji could hear the relieved sigh that escaped Shikamaru as soon as they spotted her arguing with someone.

"I won't get sick", Naruto's voice was loud and Chouji wondered what happened. But as soon as he was near enough to see he noticed that she was dripping wet, the weather isn't that cold however it is quite windy.

"Really? With you looking like a wet dog?", retorted the boy with messy brown hair with red fang markings on his cheek who Chouji identified as Inuzuka Kiba.

"Yes I will be fine", the two of them seemed to have not noticed him and Shikamaru who was walking towards them due to their heated argument.

"Tell that to me when you stopped sneezing. Now take off your clothes.", Chouji almost tripped by what he heard coming from Kiba and he instantly turned his head towards Shikamaru who clicked his tongue clearly annoyed at the situation.

"Wha-you pervert!", Naruto shouted back.

"What how am I a pervert-", Shikamaru stepped in and shielded Naruto from Kiba who stopped mid rant to realize they weren't alone. "Ah Shikamaru, Chouji what brought you guys here?"

Chouji watched Shikamaru glare at Kiba and he saw the Inuzuka heir swallow not expecting Shikamaru to react that way towards him.

"What happened here?", Shikamaru's sharp voice cut through the silence and Kiba started on cue to explain.

"It was nothing Shikamaru.", Naruto voiced out but as soon as Shikamaru's eyes landed on her she looked down in shame as if caught in her lie.

"A few of the village kids pushed her to the river.", Kiba explained as he rubbed his neck feeling uncomfortable at the situation and feeling a bit guilty as he looked at Naruto's head bowed like that. "Me and Akamaru chased them away and helped Naruto out of the water."

Chouji watched as Shikamaru heaved a heavy sigh as if exhausted as he tipped his head to the sky seemingly calming himself.

"Are you alright Naruto?", Chouji asked and Naruto nodded her head a few droplets of water falling from her hair. Taking pity on the girl who is starting to feel the cold he took off his scarf to wrap it around her neck.

"So what was this thing about taking off clothes?", Kiba flinched as once again Shikamaru's eyes landed on him.

"Well, he was shivering and sneezing a bit so."

'Ah so that was it.', Chouji thought as he helped Naruto dry off a bit with his scarf telling her a couple of times it's okay for her to use it that way.

Seeing the slight tick on Shikamaru's head as he proceeded to ignore Kiba to focus on Naruto it was left to Chouji to break the news to him.

"Kiba, you do know that Naruto is a girl right?", Chouji watched the boy's face change into a different emotion as the information sank down to him.

"WHAT!?", his loud voice echoed throughout the silence of the forest. Chouji had no idea if he should laugh at him or not but decided to ignore him as Shikamaru did.

Naruto was cold and exhausted. She had decided to forgo returning back at the orphanage to change clothes as she was already running late. Without a single doubt she was grateful towards the boy who chased away the rowdy kids who decided to pick on her for the day. But he was making her later than ever and she knew Shikamaru would start looking for her any time now.

The first time she had been late she had seen Shikamaru frown not at her but towards her chopped hair and obvious lie. She knew that Shikamaru would catch her in her lie but she just didn't want to worry him or make him realize just how pathetic her life is. Shikamaru doesn't need to know about such things, she had endured and had gotten used to it already no need to get Shikamaru get mixed up and cause the other kids reason to hate him as well.

During her heated argument with the dog-boy she was caught off guard when a back she knew too well covered her view of the annoying dog boy in front of her.

'Shikamaru', her mind easily supplied before she even saw his usual short sleeved grey jacket with the rudimentary Nara Clan insignia. She also saw Chouji headed towards her with worry in his eyes.

When she tried to lie about what happened again she flinched at the glare that Shikamaru shot her way. She bowed her head as her fingers began to shake as her mind supplied. 'Angry, Shikamaru is angry.', she knew that even without her feeling anything coming from him at all.

The only emotion she could feel was the worry and pity coming from Chouji and the slightly scared but guilty feeling coming from the dog-boy along with his puppy. When Chouji asked her if she was alright she nodded but soon enough something warm enveloped her neck and she saw Chouji wrap his scarf in her neck.

But she was dirty and wet, his scarf would get wet and dirty as well. She tried to remove it but Chouji stopped her hands from doing so and used the longer end of the scarf to gently wipe off her wet hair.

'Warm, so warm.', she thought as she clutched on the scarf on her neck tightly. Their voices were nothing more than a dull sound on her ears as she focused on the warmth on her neck despite her being soaked in the slightly cold water from the river. A click of tongue brought her back and the onslaught of emotions she was feeling from the two boys were once again muted as Shikamaru came into her view.

"Don't lie.", he muttered and Naruto knew she was forgiven. Her lips quivered as she tried to speak but instead she choked up.

"What?", Shikamaru asked her as he stopped from trying to somewhat dry her hair with Chouji's scarf.

"It's warm.", she snuggled deeper into the scarf and Shikamaru's eyes widened as if understanding what she had meant. He sighed and soon enough he was removing his short sleeved jacket and draping it on her shoulders.

"Endure it for a while till we get home.", Naruto's eyes snapped upwards to stare at Shikamaru who was rubbing his neck.

'Home', a word so foreign to her, something she had never thought to ever hear nor ever experience and yet something that Shikamaru easily blurted out towards her. Something he easily offered to someone like her.

'Oh God, out there. Please, please let all this last. Please just dont take this away from me.', she prayed to any God who would listen to her.

Then the boy who they called Kiba came to her view as he handed his puppy Akamaru towards her. He looked sheepish and guilty for mistaking her as a boy.

"Here, you can hold Akamaru, he can help warm you up.", the dog yipped in agreement as Naruto was now armful of a very warm and well behaved puppy. She looked towards the three of them and as if she can't believe what is currently happening to her. A mere few days ago she had been alone as usual and now, now it seemed as if her world suddenly expanded.

A hiccup escaped her lips and three pairs of eyes widened in her direction. The first to react was Shikamaru who easily wiped a few of her tears away.

"What's wrong?", she could hear Kiba spouting off a few words and Chouji who began to offer her some of his chips telling her eating will make her feel better but only Shikamaru's voice registered to her.

"Thank you.", 'for helping me, for caring for me, for showing me kindness, for giving me things I had always hoped for', those things went unsaid but it seemed as if Shikamaru heard her loud and clear anyway as he Shikamaru patted her head before he replied at her with his usual tone.

"Idiot. We are friends aren't we? Isn't this natural?", she wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes and giggled at the few licks of Akamaru on her chin before she smiled widely at them before answering loudly.

"Un!", what Naruto didn't notice was that at that moment there was an unspoken pledge from the three boys who made it their priority to always be there for her.

Naruto didn't know what the villager's stare on her was about when they passed by to head to the Nara Compound. She didn't mind it though as she listened to Kiba chatter away as he walked backwards to tell his story. Shikamaru was standing by his right and Chouji was by his left occasionally offering her some of his chips.

However denying Kiba when he asks for some, but giving Akamaru when he showed Chouji his puppy eyes. Naruto laughed at their antics, feeling so happy and content and just so so at ease with Shikamaru's presence beside her.

As soon as Naruto and the others reached the Nara Compound and Yoshino took note of her state she hurriedly crowded her space, glared at the boys and led her to the bathroom.

She almost protested and asked if she could just borrow some clothes till her own clothes dry off. But the look that Yoshino shot her made her relent to her wishes. Now here she is soaking in hot water in a bathtub too big for her. She had never thought she would get to experience a bath like this. All she had were quick cold showers at the orphanage, that's why she couldn't help but relax in the warm water.

However she caught herself once again and her shoulders stiffened. She often wondered when this dream would end. Everything was a little bit too good to be true, but she can't help but hope that this was real, that it wasn't just some illusion she created in her mind.

A knock broke her away from her thoughts and she heard Yoshino's voice by the door. "Naruto-chan, I'm going to leave the clothes here, wear them when you are done bathing okay?"

"Thank you Yoshino-san."

"Your welcome, my dear.", Naruto flinched at the endearment, Yoshino said it so casually, so naturally that Naruto had no time to doubt her as the woman soon left.

She didn't know how long she had stayed there but as soon as she settled herself and her thoughts she got up from the tub. Drained the water, wore the towel and cleaned up after herself. She then proceeded to wear the clothes that were laid out for her.

The clothes were slightly bigger, the sleeves of her pants pooled at her feet which she decided to fold but left the sleeves of the sweater alone. She got out of the bathroom and headed off to the living room where the three boys were sprawled out on the couch discussing something quietly. A grin appeared on her lips as she decided to listen in but Yoshino's voice alerted them of her approach.

"Naruto-chan were the clothes alright?", Yoshino smiled at her and she nodded, she could feel the eyes of her friends on her as she talked to her.

"Yes, Yoshino-san. Thank you very much.", Yoshino waved it off as if it was only natural for her to help her out. Then her eyes glazed over her form and Naruto felt a bit conscious. There was a frown on her face that was almost similar to Shikamaru's and Naruto felt guilty for being the cause of it.

"You need to eat more my dear, to think Shikamaru's old clothes are still big on you.", then she muttered something that Naruto wasn't able to hear. Then an idea seemed to pop in her head as she clapped her hands together.

"How about staying for dinner?", Naruto's eyes widened then she looked towards Chouji and Kiba who smiled at her then to Shikamaru who merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Wouldn't that be a bother Yoshino-san?", the atmosphere shifted and Naruto knew she said something wrong. Before she could say something else Yoshino took hold.

"Of course not my dear. Instead it would make me very happy.", she still looked reluctant despite that, then she heard Shikamaru's voice.

"Chouji and Kiba would be staying for dinner as well.", twin replies were heard in the background.

"We are?", Kiba stared at Shikamaru who didn't even turn his head his way.

"Eh?", Chouji exclaimed before muttering something then looked up at Yoshino who nodded then he too smiled nodding his head agreeing. "Yes we are."

"Great! Now what do you say Naruto-chan?", she fidgeted but seeing the smiles of both Chouji and Kiba she then nodded her head.

"Okay. Thank you Yoshino-san.", her warm hands patted her head.

"Your welcome Naruto-chan.", she then turned her gazes towards Kiba and Chouji.

"For you two, I'll send a message to both your parents that you will be staying here for dinner."

"Yes, Yoshino-san.", the boys chorused as Yoshino nodded. "Now I should get dinner started. You children stay here."

Naruto bounded towards where they were all sitting and Akamaru swiftly snuggled towards her. She picked him up and placed him in her lap as she then began to pat him.

"What were you guys talking about?", the three looked at each other before Kiba stood up from where he sat next to Chouji and offered his hand at her.

"My name is Inuzuka Kiba, and the puppy right there is named Akamaru. Nice to meet you Naruto!", Naruto smiled in return and shook his hand.

"The name is Uzumaki Naruto, thank you again for helping me a while back.", she replied cheerily and Kiba scratched his cheek embarrassed.

"That was nothing, also i want to apologize for mistaking you as a boy.", he chuckled nervously and Naruto shook her head.

"It's okay, so we're friends now right?", Akamaru yipped from her lap and Kiba laughed.

"Of course.", he sounded haughty but Naruto guesses it's just him to be so. Naruto smiled widely, genuinely happy, now she had three if she counted Akamaru then four, she thought about Yoshino and Shikaku then maybe six, seven if you add Jiji but she almost forgot about another one. She remembered one of people who she knew kind of cares for her and thus she added him as well. She feels as if she was overflowing with too much happiness she would burst. Eight people who seemed to genuinely care about her, she felt content at ease and at peace.

Orochimaru really couldn't understand where he stands nowadays. However looking beyond the small quaint village he somehow helped was oddly satisfying. The long mission he had been given from the Third Hokage apparently bore a different result than what he had expected.

It was never his intention to create a village during his stay at the Land of Sound. He merely decided to help the clans till they could stand up on their own two feet and as the years went by quickly it has become something like this.

He couldn't deny that it somehow worked out well in the end. Even if he wasn't originally a person from this land but from another they embraced him as if he was one of their own. He taught them the skills of being a ninja and through time they all flourished. Perhaps he really does have the knack for teaching as his pupils once told him.

He oddly felt at ease within this village however there was always the call of home from Konoha that Otogakure couldn't quench from him. He released a deep sigh despite knowing that there is no longer anything that is waiting for him back at Konoha. It still doesn't change the fact that he was a part of its fold.

No matter how much its majority never acknowledged him as one of their own. He shook his head and looked towards the sky wondering where his previous companions were right at this moment. He looked down to his right to see that Kabuto had come by his oddly serious eyes and Orochimaru sighed wondering what news his pupil had decided to grace him with.

He had the opportunity to nab this child before he had been fully taken by Danzo all those years ago when they had an encounter with each other. Now the boy showed great promise and loyalty towards him. He had once confronted the Third about Danzo and his nefarious plans however that confrontation was all for naught.

He couldn't understand the level of trust his former Sensei has with the man clearly controlling the reigns in the dark. After their heated discussion Orochimaru decided that he needed to take a long break away from Konoha for a while. Thus taking on one of the longest missions he had undertaken alone. No, not alone in that aspect as Kabuto decided to follow after him and Anko decided to stay behind to be his eyes in the village while he was gone.

"Orochimaru-sama", his musings were interrupted by Kabuto's voice as he approached him with a scroll. He raised his eyebrow as soon as his eyes landed on the seal on the scroll.

"Anko-senpai sends her regards.", he nodded as he took the scroll from Kabuto. Biting his thumb to spill blood he smeared it on the seal and it disappeared revealing the contents of the scroll to him.

"Kabuto."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama.",Kabuto fixed his glasses while waiting for his order.

"Pack your things, we are going back to Konoha.", Kabuto's eyes slightly widened at this. One of the reasons why they left Konoha was due to the fact that Danzo was starting to be wary of them. If they hadn't been careful back then Danzo would've easily turned the council against Orochimaru and pinned his sins on him.

He was a sneaky cunning old man and it doesn't change the fact that he held a high position within Konoha that Orochimaru couldn't carelessly challenge without properly making preparations. Orochimaru might have the title of a Sage but within Konoha he doesn't have any kind of backing from any family nor any clan, unless his former teammates are present. How could he have something like that he was but an orphan.

"Did Anko report something alarming?", Orochimaru nodded, he would have to bid his farewell to Otogakure.

"Danzo has begun to move.", Kabuto nodded his head towards him as he replied.

"I will prepare for our departure, Orochimaru-sama"

"We have to make haste, knowing that old geezer he wouldn't even doubt Danzo unless we show him proof of that bastard's wrong doings.",Kabuto fixed his glasses.

"Was Anko able to get any kind of proof?", Orochimaru shook his head.

"Danzo has always been good at covering up his tracks, like a slimy eel.", Orochimaru sighed and Kabuto, understanding his Sensei bowed to him and went on his way to start packing their belongings.

"Uchiha huh?", Orochimaru burned the scroll in his hands.

"This is going to turn out badly either way."