Chapter 10: Protection
(Alternatively, Naruto Puts A Good Spin On Learning Sealing)
Author's Note: Sorry this is a bit late but, as we all know, life happens. In this case 'Life' just so happened to be my misbehaving nephew and nieces.
On another note, I got some news today. I can't quite call it good but it isn't bad either. As any of my From Then to Now readers know – I lost my youngest sibling and only brother to a drunk driver on January 29, 2015. My brother was a pedestrian trying to do a good deed on the side of the road when the driver swerved off the road and struck him. The man is serving time in a penitentiary for 25 years and these days the loss doesn't cause me quite as much pain as it used to and I go on with my life as best as possible.
But there was someone who did not get justice served for her part in the incident – the woman who let that man use her vehicle despite knowing that he wasn't sober. Today, however, we learned that the lawyer my father hired managed to get a settlement out of her for her part in my brother's death. No, money will never bring my brother back nor will it heal the hole in my family's hearts but it will go a long way in helping us get the things we need. It's a huge thing for us and it also tells me that there were others out there that saw what we did – an accomplish to the hit and run that took my baby brother, a boy I had helped raise and who was like my own baby. My brother was only 18 when he died.
I still miss him so very much but he's never coming home. And on that note – No matter how old my readers are, no matter what country you live in, please, do not drive while under the influence of anything! It only takes one time to not only ruin your own life but the lives of so many others. My brother was and is still very loved and there are so many people who miss him. Please don't become someone who will cause that kind of pain to others because this sort of pain? It will stay with my family and the others who loved that boy for the rest of our lives
(Shikamaru's POV)
Shikamaru sighs happily as he flops down onto his bed carefully(the brace may help keep his shoulder immobilized but that doesn't mean that the injured joint can't be jostled and he really doesn't want to cause himself any more pain then he's already in). Being home, though, is an awesome thing. He's never realized just how much he could miss his own bed either. He snorts in amusement at himself(he sounds like his father after he's been forced to get up for work).His already opened door swings open a little more and Naru peeks in with hopeful eyes. Shikamaru huffs, rolls his eyes and waves the other boy over. "Just don't bounce on my bed. I'll have to kick you off if you do."
'I won't," Naru chirps. He climbs onto the bed, settles down towards the end and gives his brother a serious look. "So… I was thinking that I should talk to tou-chan and kaa-chan today about us learning fuinjutsu. After… After yesterday, I really think this is something we should learn, Shika-nii. I wasn't much help and you're still too little to do as much damage as you'd need to put people like that down. If we learn Fuinjutsu then we can have protection with us wherever we go and all we'd have to do is smack a seal down if we need to and call for the ANBU to come get them."
'Right,' Shikamaru thinks in annoyance, 'now I have a guard as well.'
"Well?"
"You're talking to our parents about it." Shikamaru yawns suddenly. "I'm freaking tired so I think I'll take a nap."
"EH?! Already?!"
Shikamaru rolls his eyes at Naru's response. "Yes, already. Believe it or not but healing takes up a lot of energy. It's not something that just happens overnight. I'll be healing for at least three weeks even with the help of iryojutsu."
"Oh...but the nice ANBU lady who checked my head said I was already healing when she was healing me. I've always healed quickly. I thought everyone was like that." Naru's brow is furrowed and his face screwed up in confusion.
"Well, the Uzumaki wereknown for their strong life force. The quick healing might be part of that."
"Oh, okay. I'll leave you to your nap."
"Mm, wake me up after a couple of hours. Kaa-san will get angry if I sleep until supper."
"Hai!"
(Shikaku's POV)
"So… Fuinjutsu?" Shikaku says as he stares at the old and battered tome.
"Yeah. I really think this can help me and Shika-nii keep ourselves safe until the ANBU can safely get to us if something like this ever happens again. And...I don't...I don't want to be that uselessever again. Shika-nii got hurt protecting me but if we'd learned Fuinjutsu earlier then this wouldn't have happened. One of us could have put a seal on that guy to put him down before things got bad and the ANBU wouldn't have had to save us. So please, tou-chan, kaa-chan? Will you help us learn? Please?"
His adopted son pulls out his infamous puppy dog eyes and Shikaku groans mentally because he can no more resist them than Shikamaru can. Yoshino, on the other hand, is giving the boy a contemplative look. Then she says, "You'll have to work very hard, Naruto, you and your brother. There will be no quitting just because it gets hard and there will be no practicing of seals beyond your level. Do you understand me?"
Naruto nods quickly with wide eyes. "Hai, kaa-chan! We'll work hard and we won't do anything you say we can't! I promise!"
Yoshino gives him a narrow-eyed look. "We'll see. Now why wasn't Shikamaru down here with you when you asked?"
"He was tired. I think he was out before I even closed his door. He asked me to wake him up in a couple of hours."
Yoshino softens and murmurs, "Well it's not that surprising. He does have a lot of healing to do."
His wife rocks back on her heels as she thinks for a moment, then, "I think I'll teach him a little iryojutsu. He'll certainly need it if he keeps going the way he is."
"We'll have to start them on chakra control exercises first," Shikaku says in reply and she looks up at him. "It won't hurt to get them started on the Clan taijutsu either. And Shikamaru on the Clan ninjutsu when his control improves. We can't be sure that there aren't more people like that in the village and there's still… Well, it won't hurt for the boys to be better prepared period."
Yoshino nods and looks back down at the blond with a stern expression, "Very true. You and your brother will start as soon as he's better. Until then neither of you are allowed off the Clan grounds without and adult. Preferably your tou-san or myself."
"Hai, kaa-chan. I'll tell Shika-nii when I wake him up."
"See that you do. You boys are going to be very busy and I won't tolerate any slacking."
His son gives his mother a decidedly disturbed look and Shikaku can't help but chuckle. "Well, you boys are certainly in for it now."
Naruto whimpers.
(Shikamaru's POV)
Shikamaru stares at his blond brother for a moment in confusion after the younger boy finishes his story before he starts to chuckle. "Naru, you silly kid, training is a good thing! If I could have convinced tou-san and kaa-san I would have started training last year. Unfortunately, they thought my body wasn't developed enough to start training properly even if my mind was. The stretches we do now are just to keep us flexible!"
"Well, yeah! But you didn't see kaa-chan's face!" Naru flails his arms in panic as he talks in a high-pitched, quick voice. "And the way tou-san laughed was really scary!"
"You're so easily panicked by the silliest things, Naru," Shikamaru says with a grin. "Look at it this way – soon we'll be getting stronger and we'll be able to protect ourselves. Sure our limbs may feel like jelly by the end of training every day but it'll be worth it. It isn't anything to be afraid of."
Naru gives him a skeptical look. "You're really calm about this."
"I don't see a reason not to be. I've been waiting to be ready in our parent's eyes for training since last year. Don't tell kaa-san or tou-san but I've been doing a little of my own training. Nothing big, just some minor stuff that even kids can do. Speed training and the like."
"Oh. They'd be mad if they learned?"
"Don't know, to be honest, they might already know but they haven't said anything and I don't want to tempt fate. Did they say when we're going to start learning fuinjutsu?"
"In a few days. They want you to heal more before they get us started. Especially since you'll probably sleep more for a little while.."
Shikamaru sighs, "Yeah, that's true. Well, at least I won't wind up blowing myself up because I'm too tired to concentrate."
"Mm, and we're not going anywhere by ourselves for a long time. I think kaa-chan and tou-chan would go nuts if we left the Clan grounds without them," Naru says.
"Aa. They're going to overprotective for a while."