"Even if we walk on different paths, one must always live on as you are able! You must never treat your own life as something insignificant! You must never forget the friends you love for as long as you live! Let bloom the flowers of light within your hearts."~Fairy Tail

.36

Shikamaru sighed. This was such a drag, why was he being asked to do this. It wasn't like they were friends. It's not his fault that she was hard to find when upset, he hadn't even been the one to piss her off. Unlike most people he knew better than to irritate the redhead.

The Nara heir had witnessed just what she was capable of when irate. He almost felt bad for Temari when Mitomi had gone off on her. Almost. But if he were honest with himself the blonde Suna girl had deserved it. Mitomi was just trying to help, it would have been better all around if they had just trusted her to do the job they'd requested of her.

So here he was, at the crack ass of dawn taking a trip to the deer field. Sure she could be anywhere but he was pretty sure this is where she was going to be. He'd learned a long time ago that Mitomi had the strangest connection to the Nara herd. She liked them, said they got her, and for an outsider the deer seemed to consider her important. Yeah it was odd as hell but it is what it is.

He couldn't argue the logic of deer.

As he approached the field he saw her bright hair catch the morning sun. Shikamaru smirked, well at least he'd been right. She was laid out under a tree, a doe was sitting next to her it looked peaceful. He walked over slowly shoving his hands into his pants pockets, he didn't really feel like ending up with a senbon in his eye. Man this was such a drag.

"This looks cozy." He muses while plopping down next to her in the grass. Shikamaru lays back eyes glued to the slow forming clouds. There weren't that many out yet.

She barely acknowledges him, instead she practically ignores him turning away from him to pet the doe. Shikamaru closes his eyes, that was fine he could stand to take a nap. His dad told him to find Mitomi, he didn't specify fetching her back.

Neither of them attempt to make anymore conversation. She's content to pretend he isn't there and he's fine letting her. If she wanted to talk about it she would. As it stood she did not. Maybe she never would, but that was her business after all. iinn

Shikamaru was just there to take a nap in the grassy field with the deer.

"Your curiosity has to be getting the best of you." When she does speak it's a whisper, but she's rolled over on her side and is actually looking at him. Shikamaru blinks, he'd been half asleep. She had some really purple eyes, he'd never actually looked before right then. How had he missed that?

"Yeah but my curiosity isn't more important than your comfort. Ino drilled than home plenty of times, apparently I can be a tad insisitive. It's a drag." She chews at her lower lip taking in his answer. It was true, Ino told him that he couldn't be such a jerk to people to get the answers he wanted from them. Sometimes you had to wait and receive them on their terms.

He might just be testing the waters of this theory.

"I got into an argument with the Godaime, irritating woman." Mitomi admits to him. He raises his brow but doesn't comment. Shikamaru could see why she'd decided to hide, that couldn't have gone well for her.

"Can I ask you a question?" Shikamaru nodded his head at the soft question. This wasn't her typical behavior.. Whatever she and the Hokage had gotten into it about must have really upset her. For her to be this demure, it just wasn't right.

Mitomi always knew what she wanted. She never acted this meek. They may not have been friends but he did at least understand that much about her. "Why not." Besides, it couldn't be that much of a drag…. Right?

"This isn't hypothetical, this is a real scenario and I'm just trying to understand." She starts, clearly confused over whatever was bothering her. Whatever it was had reached far out of her depth of understanding. Shikamaru half sat up propping himself on his elbows.

This could prove to be interesting.

"If someone who possessed ultimate knowledge of how the universe worked, brought that fact to your attention because there was a problem that needed to be resolved utilizing the knowledge they possessed, offered you a workable solution to said problem how would you react?" Shikamaru sat up fully. An interesting concept.

Especially since she'd already told him it wasn't hypothetical. Did that mean she possessed this knowledge? How absolutely fascinating.

"I guess it would depend on what they were suggesting me to do. But at the same time if they possessed such information then perhaps regardless of the scenario I should just trust their judgement on the matter. They probably know what they're talking about anyway." He decided tilting his face towards the sky, he doesn't see the happy smile on her lips or the relieved look that passes over her eyes.

"Thank you Shikamaru, you're a good friend." He does startle at that looking back at her but she's already started to get up giving the doe one last pet. She smiles at him before vanishing in a small puff of smoke leaving behind nothing but white petals in her wake.

He couldn't help but stare at the empty spot where she'd once been. Shikamaru ran a hand across his face, bemused.

She considered him a friend… he was honestly sort of touched. But also sort of annoyed at the same time. He just knew she was going to be one of those troublesome friends.

Just great.

…

After my enlightening talk with Shikamaru I went back to my apartment. I needed to grab the scroll I'd kept of everything that would have happened if it weren't because of me, everything that still might happen, and everything that hadn't happened. All the various paths.

Then I headed back to the Hokage tower. Tsunade would do what I wanted. She wasn't going to have a choice.

Because if she didn't, than nothing was going to stop me from airing out all of Konoha's dirty laundry. I didn't care if it made me a traitor. It didn't matter that they didn't trust me. I'd made a promise to myself one I intended to keep.

I'd sworn to do whatever it took to keep Naruto safe. No matter how dark and uncertain the path may be.

Someday they'd learn.

Someday they'd realize.

I wasn't a liar.

XOXOX

omg! And we have now come full freaking circle!! I'd say this is probably character development. Or Mitomi being a hypocrite! Who knows! But at least it's hella entertaining!!! :)

Thank you for reading!!

Thank you to my loyal reviewers you guys rock!! As always I look forward to hearing from you:) have a wonderful day!!

Sincerely, La'Rae