Here I am with the real Chapter one! Hope you enjoy :)
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CHAPTER ONE: Blue tears and dark decisions.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Shikamaru vaguely registered the sound as he turned on his bed placing the pillow above his head. A few seconds passed in silence.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
More insistent this time. Shikamaru groaned and lazily opened one eye to stare from under the pillow at the door. Hoping that whoever was there could leave him alone. His brain coming to the conclusion someone wanting him, however he was not ready to wake up just yet. Again he let himself fall to sleep.
Thud. Thud. Thud. THUD.
No such luck.
"Shikaku! Open the damn door!"
Shikamaru sighed and finally with a movement full of anger and laziness—not a move anyone could conquer—he dared to stand from his bed as he stared at the watch. Six with five minutes.
He was supposed to wake up till eight, it was his free day for god's sake. He stumbled to the door as the person behind it went at it again. However before he had time to get to the door the door swung open. Shikamaru wanted to hit the person behind him, he conformed with giving a glare.
"Damn it, man, what was taking you so long?"
"Deidara how many times—you know what? Whatever."
Said blond was wearing a chunnin vest, black pants and over his hands a few a few bandages, his hair was up in a ponytail as he made sure to leave a part of it hanging in front of his eyes. Said blonde ninja crossed his arms as he looked to the other, who after seeing that Deidara had just barged in he went back to bed.
Deidara threw him a look that Shikamaru was too busy ignoring him.
"We have problems Shikaku, get up." Deidara say after watching outside the hallway, two jounins rushed down the hall, after everything was clear he closed the door and his eyes darted to the kunai embebed on the door and grinned over his shoulder.
"Rough night, un?"
Shikamaru was staring at the closed door, he had seen the jounins rushing out, that wasn't normal. He forgot about sleep for the time being. He got up in silence as he went to change himself. Deidara seeing that his friend was moving didn't rush him anymore but he had something to say anyway. Doesn't he always?
"Be more careful with the robe. Its not something that's meant to be just laying around, yeah?" Deidara said as he approached said piece of fabric and with not so much of a glance he tossed it under the bed and kicked it just to be sure and nodded, like if that could solve the problem. Shikamaru wanted to tell him that indeed the robe was literally still 'laying around' but did not comment.
"What happened?" Shikamaru said as he hurried with his clothes, this was not good, today was supposed to be an easy day, everything he was supposed to do was being care for. Two jounins running out the building was not uncommon to see, however, it was when he, the one who knew every movement of them, the one who commanded them, didn't know as to why first.
Deidara put his hands on his hips as he looked at him.
"The plan has to come before we anticipated. Tosu its noticing."
Shikamaru's vest was in place and he walked to the door as he took the kunai out of it, he waited till Deidara was out to shut the door and lock it as both of them rushed to Toru's quarters a ten minute walk from there but as he had seen things going on they better run above the roofs to get there faster.
Shikamaru put his hair in a rushed ponytail and started to run in the general direction with Deidara close at his heels.
He sighed. This was supposed to be a good day.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Oi, Ino-san!" Ino turned around with a light startle, she definitely didn't saw that coming, she was carrying a huge bag on her arms as she was making her early walk to the hospital, she just needed to check on some patients before she went back home, today was her father birthday and she had wanted to buy something from him before heading home to celebrate. So she had asked for just half her shift so she could do some shopping and get home early.
"Oh, Ayame-chan." Ino said as she waited for her friend to get on level with her, once she did Ino smiled. "What's going on? Why are you up and this time?"
Ayame just waved and after regaining her breath just smiled back. "I was woke up by my roomie, she was requested in the Daimyo's quarters just a few minutes ago. I decided to take a run and do some practice."
Ino nodded in understanding. "My father used to be a ninja and he's always saying how hard it its…"
The girl just nodded with her black hair flowing around her. "So I saw you walking and.. well thought of saying hi and.. well—and nothing, just wanted to make sure at what time do I have to be at your house today?"
"Oh, right! At seven! We are having dinner and—did my brother not tell you? I thought he had invited you." Ino said amused as she tried hard not to smile a red Ayama turned away.
"I knew I just…" Ayame's eyes flicked to the blue ones and back again to the floor. "I just—"
Ino chuckled and waved it away hitting her forehead lightly. "That brother of mine is very forgetful, we will love to have you, actually its good you found me, he had requested me to remind you it just had slipped my mind."
Ayame's green eyes found the blue ones and smiled. "Really?"
Ino nodded once but firm. "Yep. He asked me if you could get some dessert? Since Mom already is going to cook dinner…."
Ayame looked relieved as she sighed trying hard not to look out of place because of it." Sure thing Ino-san. Strawberry its fine?"
Again Ino nodded. "Sure, the more chocolate its in it the better! Father loves chocolate."
"I'll see what I can do." The black haired woman in front of her assured her.
Ino seeing that everything was done here smiled and trying to free her hand for a moment from her bags clasped her shoulder. "See you at night, Ayame."
Ayame nodded and waved till Ino disappeared from view. So she had been invited, with a lazy smile on her face she walked down the market, it was early so people was still nowhere to be seen and the market for the time being was empty from both costumers and locals. She decided to step in after training and buy the best cake she could find.
Ino was smiling lightly as she walked down the road and to the hospital. Ayame was a nice quiet girl that was in love with her brother since forever and she knew his brother had it hard for the green eyed girl, however it went beyond her as to why he had never acted upon it. So playing her cards carefully he had just managed to invite said girl tonight, maybe this time—not that she had tried more that once—his brother will finally ask her out.
"Well, if he doesn't I will make him" Ino decided as she walked down the road she could barely see the hospital in the corner already having thought of a million ways as to how the situation will play out. Its been a long time since she had wanted them both to end together and she loved to fantasize over them.
Sun was starting to illuminate the path and she marveled at the beauty of the morning.
A bunch of jounins and ninjas passed right around her in a rush startling her, she turned on her heels slightly following their backs as they ignored her all together, what had happened? For a moment the ninjas clouded her mind after a while, however, she just shook her head, sighed and kept on walking, it was one of the many perks of living in the Daimyo's town. She thought bitterly. She didn't like Toru-sama but she wasn't just about to say it out loud. Well, living in town made it safer but at the same time a drag. You could see things as they actually were being taken care of and lately things in town haven't been that good to begin with.
Her family loved it here, as much as their governor was…. well, an almost tyrant. They loved their little town and the people in it so they couldn't find it in themselves to leave. Ino frowned as she remembered something her father had told her a while ago… she shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking about this, not right now.
A droplet fell on her face and she looked up, startled but the frown never left her face, she felt preoccupied now, her father had been talking too much lately against the Daimyo and Ino worried that sooner more than later the Daimyo will start taking notice.
Another droplet, hurriedly she entered the hospital and for the time being she discharged those thoughts away and finally she pulled a smile on her face as she approached the receptionist. She left the thing she had bought and prepared to work her five hour shift before heading home. She was smiling softly to herself as she entered the room of the first kid.
Her father hated rain and today of all days it would be raining.
-.-.-.-.-.
Shikamaru and Deidara arrived at the Daimyo's office, both of them looked grimly, every meeting with the Daimyo could mean lots of things… could mean Akatsuki's plan falling or grow steadier, not that Pein would ever let that happen, he would accomplish his goal no matter what. The no matter what was what troubled him. Shikamaru had to make the best of the outcome that was about to come.
He looked at his watch, it was barely seven in the morning. Shikamaru knocked twice after realizing all of the jounin he had requested for were there. He knew Toru would hate them to just barge in even if he had requested them to come. He suppressed a sigh, the Daimyo was a hard man to deal with.
"Come in."
Shikamaru didn't glance at Deidara like the blond did and entered the place followed by six people behind them, all of them walking silently into the room. Toru was sitting on a huge chair, hands on his mahogany desk waiting patiently for all of them to enter. He was a broad man around his fifties and he had been in charge of for over twenty years of Takumi village and the close thing to a Kage was back in the capital, in the Valley Village.
Things worked different than in Konoha. River Country was a small country on the southwest part of the map, in the border of Konoha and were in relatively good terms with them, however they had never been a "hidden village", therefore they couldn't consider their leader a Kage even if in their capital they had a ninja who was close enough to be considered one. People in back in the capital called their leader, Takumi, Kunikage, they respected him that much. However his name the other kages of the five countries dont see him as their equal so he had never gained the right to be called one outside his country.
So the power was divided in three: The Kunikage and the Daimyo held their power evenly, equals, less than half each of one so Feudal lords a small amount of power too, however never close to reach them. The Daimyo took all the social and empresarial choices while the Kunikage was in charge of the militar force of the country, the feudal lords were in charge of the finances of their lands. They had in total five Feudal lords. So the each feudal held 5% of the power, that being 25%, while the Daimyo and Kunikage shared the other 75%.
It worked for them, and therefore it worked differently when it came to ninjas, in Konoha the hidden village had all the ninjas and the Hokage sent them on missions if requested as they had ninjas on the borders of the country, however the Kunikage had sent to each village at least thirty ninjas and they usually rotated, the Daimyo had eighty ninjas under his command and with every pack they had a leader who had to report constantly to the Kunikage. Missions were still held but Land or Rivers was still a small country and even though they could stand their own they didn't have much ninjas to give in missions for outside the country, differently with Konoha they had enough job inside their own country to deal with.
When the last ninja was in and closed the door Toru lost all air of patience as he squared his shoulders and addressed them with a tight nod, Shikamaru in front of them all and Deidara respectfully a few steps behind.
"What are we reported for, Toru-sama?" The only girl in the group asked she was the farther behind and, as respect would have it, the last one to voice her opinion. That's who it worked with the Daimyo. The man besides her threw her a look, clearly annoyed at—had to be—sisters reaction. They both being red heads and with the same looks in their faces. No one talked unless Toru ordered them to.
Toru shot her a glance but let it slip, Shikamaru returned his gaz lazily to the front. Hopefully the girl would behave. Finally Toru stood up and went to the window to observe the village unfold before him his hands on his back.
"Yesterday a few of my man in town found out about some… unsettling things that had been taken place around town for quite a while." Shikamaru only liked one thing about the Daimyo and that was that he was straight forward. "However that information has finally reached my ears. I called you today so you can get rid of this… annoyance."
Shikamaru, leader of the group asked with his hands on his pockets, however his mind racing about what the Daimyo had just said.
"Did Hazumi-sama had been having trouble again with his part of his land?" Shikamaru remembered just a few months ago the Feudal lord of the northwest part of the country was having problems with his citizens and they were sent there to help.
Toru shook his head and with a vague moment he pointed to his desk, still not turning.
"The list is on the desk, Mazuki." Shikamaru stepped to the front and wearily grabbed the list with barely fifteen names written on it. Shikamaru looked grim, he knew what the Daimyo wanted but at the same time he wasn't sure how much he could interrogate the Daimyo without sounding suspicious, however another ninja, Tazu, saved him from it. Third in line and after Shikamaru had talked and Deidara has respectfully stayed in silence he could talk now.
"If it is not too much to ask, can you tell us Toru-sama what were those things being said?" Tazu asked and Shikamaru recognized the voice of a loyal person, a loyal person that went beyond recognize after a while… Toru was surrounded by fanatics and Shikamaru found himself trying to belong there. He had never liked when a person lost himself to another one.
Toru turned and for a second he doubted Toru would speak anything at all to enlighten them but he did, Shikamaru had taken the list dutifully and was reading the names already deciding who he was going to send, his mind took a split second to look at the Daimyo as he spoke.
"The people in the village are trying to perform a coup against me."
Shikamaru could feel Deidara froze but he didn't look up to his friend, he knew Deidara was as good as him to maintain appearances, he just noticed this for all the time they both had spent together, if even Deidara sounded outrageous when he spoke.
"That's—that's impossible! Toru-sama, why would people commit such thing? Does the Feudal lords now about this?" The blond asked as his hands moved in front of him in a denial way. "We cannot let this happen."
The Daimyo nodded in agreement and the rest—included himself—nodded along.
"No they don't, this is an uproar from the citizens under my charger I wont let them know." The second thing Shikamaru liked about him was that he was very closed minded, he didn't ask for people for opinions he just waited for them to agree. Shikamaru hated this for most people but as right now that acted on his behalf. "However I am afraid that the Feudal lords are sometimes not that much to be trusted, if even the smallest of doubt seed in their minds thing could change. I want to avoid that at all cost."
Shikamaru found himself speaking against his will.
"How much this spark had been talked around town. I haven't heard of such a thing." Shikamaru talked and this time he seized the paper in his hands. He didn't want to go around killing people but he had no other way as he saw the firm glance of the Daimyo on all of them. Of course Shikamaru knew about this, it was all in Peins plans.
"It doesn't matter, the spark will die as soon the… revolutionaries stop talking."
"We will do as you command." The girl stated before Shikamaru had the time, again his brother glanced at her annoyed, couldn't she learn to keep her mouth shut? She was the last in line, she had to wait till everyone talked unless she was required to do so.
"The idea is ridiculous however we cannot and I wont allow for it to spread. I wont take that risk." The Daimyo said ignoring her altogether. He could almost feel Deidara smiling against his will. Things were going better, so much better than expected. Shikamaru knew that at this point he must tell him what would happen.
But he didn't. He didn't tell him that one people knew about what would be done he wouldn't be pushing away the 'annoyance' if any things would go for worse, people were loyal to people but he didn't utter a word, he knew the Daimyo trusted him enough and still he nodded along with the rest of them.
He turned from the window completely and stared at Shikamarus eyes, he stared back all the same, a submissive glance underneath it all. He had to play this right, otherwise he would suspect.
"I want every person and their families in that list dead by tomorrow morning."
The third thing that Shikamaru liked was his undying pride. It would lead to the inevitable dead of the Daimyo. Thinking everything he said here was not being repeated outside this walls. Thinking all of them were loyal to him.
He was the only Daimyo who was stupid enough, to Shikamaru's standarts, that didn't think of bonding when needed to be. Like right now.
His stupidity, useless pride, and straightforwardness lingering on foolishness would lead him eventually to a sure dead.
However Shikamaru's only reaction was a nod in understanding. The Daimyo turned to the window again, like they didn't exist and were never called, he took this as his cue to leave, he nodded to the six people behind and before anything else could be said the ninjas disappeared in a flush of air.
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Well this is the start of the story and I hope you begin to understand about the story. Its the same world I just made a twist in the plot that happened early in the original story that I will tell later. Well anyway! A cookie for reading! Thank you so much.
Hope you enjoyed!
-Juliet'lovestory-
