Chapter 8: Sealing Anyone?
(Alternatively, Today Was A Really Bad Day to Leave the House)
Author's Note: We've got another time skip. Enjoy the chapter!
(Shikamaru's POV)
The day is nice, Shikamaru thinks somewhat absentmindedly as he and his now five-year-old little brother walk down one of the streets as they head to the library. He hopes the nice librarian lady is there and not the old and vicious hag of a woman(it's rude to think that way, he knows, but the bitch(and he wishes he had a better word to call her because he knows some very nice mother dogs, to be honest)) who is always utterly nasty to Naru and neither he nor Naru can stand her. As it is, right now Shikamaru constantly has to keep Naru on track because the other boy's mind jumps from one topic to the next and he has the attention span of a magpie(shiny objects and Naru are something he will never understand). Regardless, Shikamaru yet again gently tugs Naru away from a shop that has caught his eye with a long-suffering sigh. "Come on, Naru. If we take any longer the library will close for lunch!"
"Aw...but it all looks so interesting!"
"We see the same thing every time we pass by. It hasn't changed in month-HEY!" Shikamaru doesn't mean to raise his voice but being abruptly tugged down a side street can be somewhat alarming.
"Shika-nii! Look! There are books! Someone's just thrown them out!"
Naruto is still exclaiming over the abandoned books as Shikamaru pinches the bridge of his nose and looks up with a 'I did this to myself' look. He sighs and then looks the books over with a critical eye, "Most of them are fairly damaged. You might find a few that are in okay condition but I wouldn't count on it."
"What if I do?"
"Then we'll ask the librarian if the books can be restored and, if it is possible, how much would it cost. Choose wisely, Naru. We still have to get our own books from the library so we can do that project for kaa-san."
"Okay!" The boy takes his time perusing the old novels before he gasps and very gently pulls out an old and worn out tome. He breathes out softly, "Shika-nii, look! It's a book on sealing! Remember what tou-san told us about my clan when you read that old history book to me?"
"Yeah. The Uzumaki were expert sealers. Why are you ask…" Shikamaru trails off as his eyes widen. "No. Oh no. I am not getting myself-"
"Please?!" Naru pulls out the puppy eyes and Shikamaru groans because Naru only uses it on very rare occasions and it always works since the boy never allows Shikamaru to become immune to the look through exposure.
"Tch," Shikamaru clicks his tongue in a harassed manner. "Fine, whatever but you get to explain this to our parents. I'm not taking the fall for any shenanigans you pull either. Got it?"
"Hai! Arigato, Shika-nii!" The brilliant sunrise smile Naru has breaks over his face and Shikamaru knows that he'd do anything to keep that smile on the boy's face(he'll probably be pulled into Naru's shenanigans regardless of what he said earlier(just like Yuffie used to pull him into hers)).
The older five-year-old sighs again. "Don't thank me just yet, Naru. You still have to get kaa-san's and tou-san's permission first. Anyway, are we done here? Can we go now?"
"Yeah! Library!"
Shikamaru's look is long-suffering yet again.
(In the Hokage Tower Hiruzen chuckles as he watches the two boys. Naruto's antics are always good for a laugh and the little Nara's reactions were amusing as well. One would think that the boy was an old man with his long-suffering but indulgent ways. He will have to warn Shikaku about Naruto's new interest, though.)
Shikamaru frowns as his once buried instincts come flooding to the surface of his mind. They've been whispering for a while now but now they are all screaming one thing. He and Naru are being followed by someone with ill intentions. They are almost to the library when he decides to discreetly look over his shoulder as if looking back at the trees in the courtyard. A man, his mind supplies instantly, with dark brown hair, pale skin, and a somewhat crazed look in his eyes.
That look brings back bad memories and even more long-buried instincts(in the back of his mind the less human part of himself, of Hyo, lifts its head as if scenting the air). Shikamaru(Hyo) tenses his shoulders against a shudder and pretends he doesn't see the man. Discretion is the better part of valor, after all, and he carefully tugs Naru just a little bit faster towards the doors. Naru gives him a confused look but Shikamaru shakes his head and says softly, "I need you to do exactly as I say, okay, Naru?"
"What's wrong?" The blond is just as quiet as Shikamaru at this point.
"We're being followed and it's not by one of your ANBU friends," Shikamaru whispers.
"Is it one of them?" Naru's voice is worried.
"I don't know. All I know is that whatever he wants can't be good. We find the librarian as soon as we get inside, yeah?"
Naru nods, "Yeah."
And that is exactly what they do. Especially since the man has followed them in even if he has kept his distance. The librarian is not one they've seen before and she gives Naru a cold look before turning to address Shikamaru when she suddenly registers the look on both boys' faces. She kneels down and frowns a little as she asks, "What's happened? Are you okay?"
Naru whispers in a scared voice, "A bad man followed us inside. Shika-nii saw him and..."
The woman takes a sharp breath as her eyes harden. Her voice is soft as she asks, "What does he look like?"
Shikamaru speaks up, "Dark brown hair, dark eyes, pale skin and he looks… He gives me the chills, Miss."
"I see. Follow me and stay close, both of you. I'm going to summon an ANBU to deal with him."
She leads them through the library and shows them a rather large child's section and tells them, somewhat loudly, "Now boys, I'll be trusting you to behave yourselves. No funny business, do you understand?"
Translation: 'I'll be back as soon as possible but I can't summon the ANBU here. Scream if you see him.'
Shikamaru nods, "We understand. Don't we, Naru?"
Naru nods and smiles, "Thank you for going to find our books, Miss! The library is so large!"
The librarian nods severely and sweeps off. Shikamaru sighs and goes to look at the more complex child's books, "Come on, Naru. We might as well read something while she gets the books we need."
"Okay! What should we read first? Hmm..."
The boys look through the books for a moment before Shikamaru stiffens and the hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise. Without thinking he turns and pushes Naruto down with a sharp cry. The man is right behind him already and Shikamaru can only hope that the younger boy will run for help as he is grabbed and spun around(and he has never hated being right more than he does now. The look in his eyes is like that of the person who had abducted Marlene once(he may not have gotten the chance to do what he'd wanted but Hyo had murdered him in cold blood none the less)).
It is Hyo(not little Shikamaru) that peels back his lips and snarls as he lunges forward to try and distract the man. It is Hyo who takes a sharp blow to his face in retaliation for a nasty bite he gives. It is Hyo who feels his shoulder dislocate as he is jerked too roughly while the man tries to subdue him. But Hyo has been hurt far worse than this before and he twists out of the man's grip and manages to sink his teeth into the monster's thigh as deep as he can(which is rather surprisingly deep since his teeth are so small). The man howls in rage and pain and Hyo is struck again before he suddenly pulled away from the man. He sees a whole squad of ANBU pinning the man down roughly even as he is gently pulled into someone's arms. Hyo looks up sharply with narrowed eyes and a snarl still rumbling in his throat.
"Take it easy, kiddo," a man with an Inu mask says. "I'm here to help you not hurt you. Hato! How's the other pup?"
Naruto! Hyo remembers abruptly and his snarl gets louder as he begins to struggle in the ANBU's arms.
"I said, take it easy!" Inu mask barks sharply. "You'll only panic your brother acting like this!"
Hyo stops struggling but his rumbling doesn't subside in the least. It won't until he is reunited with his little brother.
"At least he's a good Aniki," a female says as she gently sets Naruto down in front of them.
Hyo groans low and animal-like, the noise deep in his throat, as he sees the blood on the side of his little brother's head. The little blond gives him a weak smile and a thumbs up. "I'm okay, Shika-nii. He just clipped me. But...you-you look really bad, Shika-nii. Are you okay?"
"Fine." The word comes out as more of a gasp than the calm tone he'd meant it as but Hyo ignores it in favor of giving the man holding him a dark look. He bites out, "I'm fine. Now put me down."
The ANBU chuckles at him. "Look at him, Hato. So tough and strong this little guy is. He reminds me of a kitten all puffed up and hissing and spitting at a dog."
Hyo's rumbles louder this time and twists to glare at him with dark, cold eyes. "Do not call me that!You don't have the right to call me that!"
Inu masked ANBU just sighs, "Kids these days, no sense of humor."
"I will fucking bite you if you don't put me down right now," Hyo snarls(his pain doesn't matter to him. All he wants is to get away from this person mocking him and to make sure Naru doesn't have any more injuries. He's quite serious about the biting too).
"Let him go, Inu." A large man wearing a mask with a more wild looking canine on it says firmly. "Shikaku will kick your ass if one of his boys says that you were bothering him. He'll be pissed enough that they were attacked. Boy, let Hato look you over and heal those injuries."
Hyo shakes his head and his voice grates out as he says, "Naru, first. He's my little brother so he goes first."
The ANBU look at each other and shrug as Hato gently guides Naruto to sit down beside the growling child. If anyone had looked closer they would have seen the tiniest hint of acid green around his pupils.
Author's Notes #2: And now we are back on plot. I hated doing that to the boys but it is very necessary for later plot development. You'll understand later, I promise.