Okay so this will be the last chapter for a few days. I have another 5 pages written but I need to add a few more perspectives, as well as lengthen the ones that I do have. Hopefully I can have it up by Saturday, but I am not 100% sure. I hope everyone is enjoying my writing so far. I've said this before but I will be changing some of the story/events, the prologue through Chapter two doesn't have much of a difference(other than the obviously female Naruto) but chapter three will have two major ones, and it will go on from there in various degrees.
I'm warning you now this chapter does contain a trigger, there will be a murder of a child, it will not be in graphic detail but it is there. I have marked the point in this chapter with a TRIGGER START and TRIGGER END. You can easily skip that part if you wish, if you chose not to read it, it will not mess with the story line. Keep in mind this fic is rated "M" for a reason.
Well I don't own Naruto, no money is to be made from this.
Here it goes, Enjoy!
-UM
Where Loyalties Lie: Chapter Two
Shikamaru was not looking forward to today, his first day of the Academy. He wanted to make his father and mother proud, but the six year old really did not want to put in the effort. While the Nara heir did inherit the typical Nara intellect he also inherited, to his mother's annoyance, the Nara laziness as well. So instead of rushing around the house in excitement like most kids his age Shikamaru ambled around the house throwing on a mesh shirt here, a grey shirt there, and finally he found his black pants. As an afterthought he decided to put his shoulder length dark hair in a tight ponytail on top of his head, his hair stuck out from the leather band in random spikes, he looked like his father. As he ate the breakfast his mother prepared his dark brown eyes narrowed in thought, contemplating what would be the start of what was sure to be a very boring 5 years. He hoped he could sleep through at least part of it.
The Nara compound was situated pretty far from the Academy, and the Akimichi compound, where his best friend Choji lived, even father than that. Choji, his father, Akimichi Choza, and Shikamaru's father, Shikaku were already outside waiting for the lazy boy so that they all could make their way to the academy. Shikaku gave the boy a half heated glare before the four started off, the always smiling Choza just laughed while the younger Akimichi dug out another potato chip. The walk was rather quiet the only sound being the ruffling of a chip bag.
When the Academy was in sight Shikaku cleared his throat speaking to the two young boys, "Consider this the first day of your Ninja career boys, the kids in this room will be your comrades one day, so don't make enemies, be respectful and learn as much as you can. I know you'll do us proud."
Choji nervously looked up at his father who patted him on his head, "Shikaku is right son, I am proud of you, and I know you'll do well." He smiled at his young son before looking at the bored looking Nara, "Try not to sleep the whole time Shikamaru, you'll want to learn some things at least."
The dark haired boy looked insulted. Choza laughed again while Shikaku snorted. The two young boys walked into the building leaving their fathers behind.
Shikamaru and his friend easily found their classroom, a stocky Chunin with dark brown hair pulled up similar to Shikamaru's, with a large scar across his nose greeted them at the door with a clip board and a pen, "Names?" he asked.
"Nara Shikamaru." The scarred man made a mark on his clipboard.
"Akimichi Choji." Another mark.
"Okay you two take a seat, introductions will happen soon."
The young Nara took a second to look around the room, there were easily 50 seats situated in a half circle, stadium style facing a huge black board, with one wall made up completely of windows. Choji had already started walking up, apparently already having two seats in mind, he chose a seat close to the aisle about halfway up. The Akimichi sat down happily, pulling out yet another bag of chips as Shikamaru moved around him dropping into the seat on his other side. Surprisingly Shikamaru took Choza's advice to heart and opted to watch his classmates- one day comrades, instead of taking nap. He recognized a few other students one being a pale blonde, Yamanaka Ino, the daughter of his father's friend, he didn't recognize the pink haired girl next to her though. He noticed a stoic Uchiha walk in, not knowing his name but recognizing the Uchiha clan symbol proudly on display as well as a Hyuuga girl, her pale lavender eyes giving her away, and a dark haired Inuzuka, clan markings visible, with a small white puppy peeking out from his hoody. He idly paid attention to the other terrified looking students, obviously from civilian families, but when a petite little blonde girl with long pigtails and bright blue eyes walked in, Shikamaru couldn't tear his gaze from her. She looked up at the scarred man, eyes hopeful, but whatever she was looking for in the eyes of their instructor she must not have found, if her minute flinch was anything to go by. She walked off after mumbling her name, which Shikamaru didn't catch, much to his annoyance, her eyes downcast until she took a seat in the back corner of the room. The Nara boy didn't risk looking back at her, but he wanted to. It took every ounce of self-control not to turn and study the girl behind him. She was smiling when she walked in, happy to be here, but for some reason that smile faded, eyes turning from hopeful to disappointed, and he wanted to know why, needed to know why.
Soon after the bright little girl sat down another man walked in he wore a Chunin vest and had white shoulder length hair, his hiat-ate a blue bandana instead of the usual head band.
"Alright class, now that we're all here let's get started. I am Umino Iruka," the dark haired Chunin addressed his students. "You will call me Iruka-Sensei, this is Mizuki- your other instructor you will call him Mizuki-Sensei, rudeness and talking out of turn will not be tolerated." He pointedly looked around the classroom.
"On another note..." the Chunin continued, "We will not only be your instructors this year but also for the five years you will be at the Academy."
While Shikamaru found this new system odd, he didn't question it, instead he watched the reactions from his fellow classmates, the civilian students looked confused while Shinobi families looked at their new, seemingly strict, Sensei in horror. Of course Ino raised her hand to speak.
"Yes, Ino-Chan?" Iruka-Sensei asked.
"Iruka-Sensei, my father said each year we progress we would get new instructors, all having different abilities. What changed?" the Yamanaka looked to the Chunin in confusion.
"Well, there are…" Iruka struggled with his words, "There are special circumstances which makes this system necessary."
Shikamaru swore he heard a whimper from the back of the class.
"Now!" Iruka-Sensei said with a clap. "Let's get started shall we?" he turned to the board, Shikamaru ignored the frantic rustle of paper and the scratching of pencils while his new Sensei started the lecture, instead he watched Mizuki, his other Sensei, with narrowed eyes. The Nara didn't trust the white haired Chunin, it was something in his eyes, Mizuki anxiously scanned the room until he found what he was looking for, a little blonde girl, whose name Shikamaru still didn't know, a predatory gleam now accompanied the wild look in the light brown eyes. Shikamaru decided then to keep a close watch on Mizuki-Sensei, something wasn't right, and he promised himself that he would protect the girl in the corner, after all, they would be comrades one day, and comrades look out for each other.
TRIGGER START
Hound was dirty, tired and anxious to get back home. Sweat dripped down his back, his normal gravity defying hair so filthy and soaked with sweat that it lay flat, his muscles burned from the grueling pace he kept up, and he still wouldn't slow. There was a very real reason why he refused to stop. He had to get home, he was already gone for far too long, normally he refused missions that would take him out of the village for more than three days but the Hokage hadn't given him even a hint of choice. Hatake Kakashi was not unreasonable, he recognized why it had to be him as soon as he finished reading the scroll. These sort of missions did come up, however infrequently, and there were very few in ANBU that could successfully complete them. It's not that these missions were particularly hard but they were so morally wrong that it was too difficult for most Shinobi to separate themselves from the deed. Kakashi was not one of those Shinobi. The Copy-Nin knew what he was, he was a Ninja, a tool to be used, a weapon designed by his superiors, the blood on his hands wasn't his it was theirs. It was this philosophy that made him the prime candidate for these types of missions, the task itself would be completed as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the council didn't have to put anyone in therapy because of the unbearable guilt that came with the assignment. A win, win situation. With this particular assignment the ANBU Captain made his way to the outskirts of a tiny village in Tea Country, where he, very effectively, silenced a whole family. It had taken him five full days to reach the Village, then another day to locate the family, he opted to wait near the edge of the forest until nightfall before he would act, preparing for what he had to do.
Kakashi never looked into the eyes of his targets while he killed them, the fear he would see being too real. He always tried to make the assassination as quick and painless as possible, the white haired man took no pleasure from killing, it was just something he had to do sometimes. As he crept through the house systematically taking out everyone he found, he had no idea how shaken he would be over the last life he had to take. Kakashi was thankful that he didn't see her eyes, but he saw the color of her hair, the light of the moon coming in through her bedroom window illuminated the blond tresses. The Copy-Nin froze for only a second, but that was all the time needed for the guilt to set in. He slit her throat and left through her window. This wasn't the first time he was asked to eliminate a family, men, women and children, and it wouldn't be the last. However, this was the first time that one of the children had hair the same golden blond as Naruto's. He would have nightmares for months.
The man in the dog mask knew he was being irrational. The girl he killed was not Uzumaki Naruto, but his mind could not stop envisioning the Kunai in his hand and how it would look as it sliced open her throat. He had to get home, he had to make sure that his precious person was okay. Kakashi leapt through the trees on his way back to The Leaf, guilt spurring him on, only stopping for a few hours of sleep, and the occasional water break. Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered the Hokage's promise, others could protect her, and Naruto would be just fine. Kakashi snorted, focused chakra to his feet and pushed himself harder.
TRIGGER END
Shikamaru was a lazy boy but he was an intelligent one, he grew bored if the task didn't rack his brain, he was constantly thinking, he made sure to analyze every out come before acting, and he never put himself into any situation without a plan. His father had the same analytical mind which is probably why it took him so long to ask his son what was bothering him. Since Shikamaru's first day at the Academy, Shikaku noticed an abrupt change in his son, he was deep in thought almost all the time now. The boy that preferred naps or cloud watching would be found sitting on his bed or out in the gardens brow furrowed, fingers of each hand pressed to their opposite forming a circle, obviously distracted.
The fallowing Monday, a full week after Shikamaru's first day at the Academy, Shikaku questioned his silent son at dinner.
"Shikamaru." He started after clearing his throat. His rough voice startling the young Nara out of his thoughts. "Shikamaru, you've been acting odd lately, want to talk about it?" Shikaku continued to eat as he let his son consider his question, knowing that he had to gather his thoughts first. Yoshino, the Matriarch to the Nara Clan, looked at her son worriedly, she too noticed a difference in his behavior.
"I just…" the young boy sighed. "I don't know what's wrong…I have too many thoughts, a million questions…and I just…don't know."
Shikaku and Yoshino's eyes were both wide, mouths slightly open, chopsticks abandoned both stunned into silence. They had never seen their son so disheveled. Shikaku found his voice first, "Your mother and I, we're here to help you, whatever you need." The clan head watched his heir process his words, eyes downcast.
"Dad?" he looked up brown eyes questioning his father, "Why does everyone avoid Naruto like the plague?"
Yoshino gasped while Shikaku tried to think of a way to answer his son's question, not expecting that this was the reason for his recent change in character.
"I'm sorry but we aren't at liberty to say." Shikamaru nodded he expected a similar answer.
"I've heard some people call her a monster, is this true?"
It was Yoshino that answered this time, "No, she isn't."
"So you wouldn't mind if I talk to her then?"
The Nara Matriarch shook her head.
Noticing the relief he saw in his Heir's eyes Shikaku spurred the conversation into another direction, now curious as to what the boy had seen. "What else have you noticed, Shikamaru?"
"Well, she doesn't talk to anyone, Iruka-Sensei's eyes harden when he looks at her, the civilian students whisper about her, she always walks to the Academy alone, and no one ever comes to get her, she wears the same orange jacket every day, and its way too big for her, sometimes the people in the cafeteria refuse to give her lunch, she sits alone every day, Iruka-Sensei and Mizuki-Sensei never call on her…" the boy trailed off a bit out of breath. His father and mother openly stared at him now, causing Shikamaru to blush slightly.
"You sure have noticed a lot son…" Shikaku smiled at him now. Shikamaru may be worrying him, but he can't deny how proud he is of his observational skills.
"That's not the worst part…" Shikamaru muttered, his eyes hardening at his words, Shikaku looking at him in confusion. "It's the way he looks at her."
"Shikamaru. What do you mean by that?"
"It's Mizuki-Sensei, he doesn't even try to hide it, because no one ever notices her. But when he looks at Naruto, his eyes are like…a hunter, one that has spotted his prey."
Shikaku nodded, sharing a knowing look across the table with his wife, a look that didn't go unnoticed by the six year old boy sitting between them.
The two charachters in this chapter are easily my favorite in the entire series, I'll probably write from their perspectives a lot.
I know that Shikamaru may be extra lazy but I feel that because of how his analytical mind works he would find himself obsessing over certain things. Just look how he reacted in the anime when Asuma died, his revenge took him like 2 weeks to achieve. So in this fic I will try to bring that out of him.
As for Kakashi, I did a little research on the meaning behind some of the ANBU masks, I'm not positive how accurate it is but from what I read those with a dog/wolf ANBU mask were usually chosen to do the dirty jobs: If you wanted something done no questions asked or needed to extract information from someone, they're your go to. Kakashi is one of these ANBU. In this chapter you see his calm starting to break, the horrible missions he's had to complete finally started to get to him.
Hope you like! Reviews=Love 3
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