A/N: I've tried to keep the story in line with canon so far, although I'm sure I've slipped up a few times. The divergence point is yet to come, and won't happen for a few more chapters. Reviews and comments greatly appreciated!
Chapter 2: The Beginning
Damn that Sakura! Ino thought to herself peevishly. The pink-haired kunoichi had once again beaten her to the chair next to Sasuke. Almost every day they repeated the competition to sit next to the last Uchiha, and generally Ino won as many times as she lost. But today losing was especially bitter, because it was the last day at the Academy and, possibly, the last chance she would get to be so close to the boy she idolized.
It was possible that she would be on a team with Sasuke, but not very likely. In the years that she had spent at the Academy, Ino had grown heartily tired of hearing older shinobi talk about her father and his teammates. They all seemed to take it for granted that the Ino would be with Choji and Shikamaru, and in time Ino had become accustomed to the idea. Still, there was always hope…
Today was the moment of truth, the day when Iruka-sensei was going to reveal the genin teams and tell them who their jonin sensei was going to be. Ino put a hand on her forehead protector, which she had decided to wear as a belt. It was proof that she had passed her exam, and was officially a shinobi of Konoha, even if only a genin. While most of her classmates who had graduated wore the hitai-ite on their forehead as intended, Ino wanted to distinguish herself. Her belt idea was stylish and new, and it made her stand out. And maybe, just maybe, it would catch Sasuke's eye… Ino shut down that line of thought before it could turn into a distracting daydream and turned in her seat to look at Iruka-sensei, who was standing in front of the blackboard.
"Today's the big day!" Iruka announced, smiling. "You've all passed your exams, and it's time to start the next stage of your training."
Ino was slightly puzzled, because as far as she knew there had been one student who didn't pass. Naruto Uzumaki, the prankster in the ridiculous orange jumpsuit, had failed the exam the previous day when he couldn't create a passable clone… at least not the one he was supposed to create. Yet the obnoxious kid had come to class that day proudly wearing a hitai-ite, so Ino supposed he must have retaken the test and managed to pass.
"Here are the teams: Team 8, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka. You will train under Yuhai Kurenai." The three mentioned walked to the front of the class. Kiba swaggered up with a wide grin, while Hinata shuffled forward slowly, blushing from the attention of the class and keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the floor. Shino took his place alongside his new teammates in the same way that he did everything else: quietly.
"Team 10. Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi and Shikamaru Nara. You will report to Asuma Sarutobi." Ino felt her heart sink, even though it was no more than she expected. She was slightly cheered when she saw Choji's huge grin; in their years at the Academy, she and Choji had become good friends. She wouldn't mind fighting alongside him. Shikamaru, on the other hand, was going to be a pain. He didn't seem to want to do anything! Even now, walking up to the front of the class, he was dragging his feet as if they were made of lead. Ino knew she was going to have her work cut out for her keeping him in line.
At that moment Ino realized something terrible. There were nine graduating students, and six were assigned already, and so the remaining three would make up the last team. That meant…
"Team 7. Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. Your sensei is Kakashi Hitake." Iruka's voice sounded to Ino like a death knell. She looked at her one-time friend and current rival, who was practically oozing smug satisfaction. Sakura shot her a triumphant grin, and Ino tasted the bitterness of defeat.
oOoOo
Asuma lit a cigarette, watching the end turn a bright cherry red. He took a long pull and exhaled carefully, sending three flawless smoke rings spiraling up to dissipate against the low roof of his apartment.
Maybe this week I'll quit, he thought idly. He had picked up smoking while living in the Land of Fire, fighting as one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi. At first he had sought to emulate the older ninjas, for whom cigarettes were as essential as kunai and shuriken. He was young and foolish and puffed up by his own reputation, and fancied at the time that smoking gave him an air of sophistication. As he grew in skill and reputation he figured out how ludicrous that was, but by that time he had also found that smoking tended to calm his mind and quiet his nerves. Now a cigarette felt as right in his hand as his trench knives, and each cursory attempt to quit ended quicker than the last.
Asuma knew he wasn't alone in having a habit that helped him to cope with the stress of being a shinobi. Kakashi read his smutty books, and Maito Gai… Asuma shook his head as he thought about the spandex-clad jonin and his bowl cut. Gai had a permanent case of heat stroke, probably from those Fires of Youth he was always going on about. He pitied the genin who had to suffer their sensei's peculiarities. As talented a shinobi as Gai undoubtedly was, Asuma figured his unflagging enthusiasm and overly bright smiles were even more aggravating at close range.
Thinking about Gai's team brought him back to his original task for the night. He looked down at the three reports spread out on the table in front of him, considering the three young faces with curiousity. This was Asuma's first genin team, and they posed a challenge that he had never encountered before.
It hadn't been too many years since Asuma returned to Konoha, weary from the constant fighting in the Land of Fire and hoping to reconcile with his father, the Third Hokage. The price on his head at the time was quite large, but the real impetus driving him to come back wasn't self-interest or a desire for protection. Asuma had lost too many friends and suffered through too much to continue to shun his village and his family out of injured pride. He had returned penitent to ask forgiveness from his father, and had been humbled by how joyfully the Hokage welcomed him back.
Asuma still sometimes felt out of place, adjusting to a position of responsibility he wasn't sure he had earned. Still, he was determined to repay the Hokage's faith in him.
The true strength of the Hokage's faith was demonstrated when he gave Asuma the responsibility to train a genin team. Not just any team, either; he was to be responsible for leading the next Ino-Shika-Cho trio. The only position that would have carried more responsibility would have been training the team with the Uchiha heir and the kid carrying the trapped Kyuubi. From what he'd heard about the angry Sasuke and the troublemaker Naruto, Asuma was perfectly happy to leave that responsibility with Kakashi. Maybe the languid jonin would even benefit from having to keep up with his genin's energy and determination.
But now Asuma was on the spot. Once he had rebelled against his father's authority and struck out on his own, and now his position was completely reversed. He had to be the authority figure, and teach teamwork when he had almost always been more comfortable fighting alone. Still, the Hokage had put his trust in his son, and Asuma would be damned if he let his father down again.
He studied the reports again, trying to read past the words to get at the real personalities and potential of his genin. How should he test them the next day? The first day of training had to make a statement. The most important thing for Team 10 was going to be synergy – they had to come together as a team, just like their fathers had and their fathers before them. So an exercise in teamwork… but it had to be real. Asuma knew he needed to shock his genin out of the complacency of the classroom. He could see from the reports that they had potential, but they were young and more importantly, they were still students. The village needed its shinobi to be soldiers, and nobody knew as well as Asuma the difference between the battlefield and the classroom.
Thinking of his own battles gave Asuma the inspiration he was looking for. His lips curved upward spontaneously into a grin that promised to be bad news for his young charges.
oOoOo
Shikamaru lay on the ground, absent-mindedly chewing on a blade of grass and looking up at the sky. He closed his eyes and sighed happily. This was what life was supposed to be, without worries or trouble. Though tomorrow was his first day of training and promised to be troublesome, for now he could just relax and enjoy the sun.
Through closed eyes he noticed that the glare from the sun suddenly disappeared. He opened his eyes and saw his father standing over him, looking serious as always.
"We need to talk, Shika" his father said in a grave tone. "Let's go inside." Shikamaru let out an aggrieved sigh. He just couldn't seem to catch a break. He got up and brushed off the bits of dirt and grass clinging to his clothes, and followed his father into his private room.
Shikaku closed the door and turned to face his son, gesturing for Shikamaru to sit down.
"First of all, congratulations on graduating from the academy. Your mother and I are both very proud." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. His father glared at him, but continued without comment. "That is why you're here. Now that you're a genin, you will start training not only with your team, but also with the secret techniques of the Nara clan. You will learn how to utilize Shadow Possession to its fullest extent, and bring that knowledge to help your team become the best it can be. But first you must understand and respect the power you wield."
Shikamaru felt himself beginning to grow bored. This was exactly like Iruka's lecture on the very first day of the Academy: how a shinobi must always protect the weak, and never abuse his power but use it for the defense of the village. He hadn't thought that his father would stoop to such redundant instructions, but then it wouldn't be the first time he'd been disappointed by his father. Shikaku's passive obedience towards his loud, overbearing wife was a constant source of aggravation for Shikamaru. Shikaku continued, not seeing or choosing to ignore his son's restlessness.
"We have a great and terrible power, Shikamaru. To be able to control and manipulate others through our shadows is a dark gift, as easily turned towards evil as good. You must never forget that we are servants of Konoha and its people."
Shikamaru nodded impatiently. He knew all this already. His father shook his head sadly.
"I don't think you quite understand yet. And there is only one way to learn." Shikaku formed a seal and sent his shadow towards Shikamaru's. It happened so quickly Shikamaru didn't even flinch, but when he tried to shove himself backward he found he couldn't move his body. His boredom disappeared instantly, replaced by anger that he had been trapped so easily. Shikaku reached into a pouch in the front of his uniform and took out a kunai. Shikamaru found his arm performing the same action, but because his own shirt had no pockets he ended the gesture still empty-handed. Shikaku tossed the kunai through the air to Shikamaru, and as it came within range he made a catching motion with his now-empty hand. Shikamaru couldn't turn his head, but his eyes tracked down to look at the kunai he now held in his right hand, glinting dangerously in the dim light of his father's study.
"In some parts of the world people believe there is a God who watches over all of us," Shikaku said. He brought his hand up to shoulder height, his fingers curled around a pretend kunai. Shikamaru watched helplessly with growing horror as his own hand followed suit, the only difference being that his fingers actually gripped cold steel. "This God is said to be all-seeing and all-knowing, and yet there is one thing he cannot do. He is powerless in the face of our free will, our ability to do what we wish whether right or wrong. Look at yourself now, and understand the power of the Nara clan, the power that dwarfs even God."
All the while Shikaku's hand drew closer to his throat, until it came to rest precisely a kunai's length away. Shikamaru tracked the silver of the kunai with his eyes, quivering with the effort of trying to resist the inexorable movement of his own hand. A single drop of blood welled up where the blade pricked his skin, delicately sliding down the kunai and coming to rest between his thumb and forefinger.
Shikaku made a seal and broke the jutsu. Shikamaru's knees buckled and he collapsed on the floor, his breathing harsh and ragged. Shikaku walked over to his son, his set face softening momentarily only to harden again before his son looked up.
"Understand this, Shikamaru. This is who we are. We are assassins in the shadows, bringing the fear of the dark into the hearts of the enemies of Konoha. But if any one of us ever abuses our power, or uses it to harm those we are sworn to protect, there can be no forgiveness. The penalty for such a crime is death, and our clan will carry out that penalty with no hesitation."
Shikamaru nodded wordlessly, his eyes fixed on the single drop of red on his hand. He stood up, willing his shaking knees not to give way, and bowed formally to his father. For once his face showed no trace of boredom.
oOoOo
Choji walked out of Konoha's main gate down the road toward the training areas, his mind full of new and troubling thoughts. At first he had been proud of his new hitai-ite and what it represented: he was finally about to begin training to be a ninja, the career he had been destined for from birth. His mother and father were proud, and his team was composed of his first and best friends from the Academy. There was only one problem. Choji wasn't sure he wanted to fight and kill for a living.
During his first few years at the Academy, Choji had no doubts at all. He never questioned his fitness to be the future head of the Akimichi clan. After his second fight with Kiba all those years ago, he had found a new confidence in his own strength and fighting ability. But Choji could still remember the day when Iruka decided to initiate the students into killing, by bringing them to a slaughterhouse and helping to butcher cattle.
That day remained fresh in Choji's memory. He recalled with perfect clarity how Iruka had gathered the class together, all of them standing outside of the pen where the peaceful animals were kept.
"You will be called to fight for the village once you become fully-fledged ninjas. You must be able to kill without hesitation, when the situation demands it. Obviously we can't practice against humans… yet," Iruka grinned, and a hesitant titter ran through the class, "but you must learn what it feels like to kill. Each of you will choose one of these cows, which were going to be butchered today, and you will end its life as quickly and cleanly as possible."
Kiba was first into the ring with the cattle, probably accustomed to killing animals because of hunts with his family. The rest of the class followed one by one, until everyone had chosen a beast. Choji had stared at his cow, which was placidly gazing back at him with huge, brown eyes, and had to look away. He focused on how his classmates were doing, trying to steel his nerve. Closest to him was Sasuke, who had already killed his animal. Choji thought he heard his quiet classmate whisper to himself, "he will die just the same," but dismissed it as nonsense.
Choji turned back to the cow he was supposed to kill, and made himself take the last few steps until he was at its side. He resolutely took his kunai and slashed it across the cow's throat, feeling the blade cut through flesh and bone. This is what it feels like to kill a man, Choji thought suddenly. This was what all the training was for, all the stories about famous battles and lessons on shinobi tactics: it all led up to that moment, when your blade ended the enemy's life. Choji's eyes took in the spray of blood on his hands and shirt, and felt the bile rise in his throat but could do nothing to stop it. He sank to his knees and was violently sick.
Many years later Choji still hadn't reconciled himself to the fact that shinobi were tools of violence, weapons meant to kill. If it came down to it, and an enemy was in his power, Choji didn't know if he would have the courage or sense of purpose it took to kill another human.
Not that Choji was a coward, or too meek to fight. In fact, Choji had learned that his temper, when roused, was truly frightening. Some of his cousins, who were jealous of his status as son of the head of the clan, had once tested his resolve by taunting him and insulting his family. Choji had seen red, and in only a few minutes the two would-be bullies had broken ribs and other injuries requiring a week-long recovery in Konoha Hospital. But that fight had only made Choji feel worse; what honor could he claim in thrashing people weaker than he was, especially when they were supposed to be on the same side? And what if he lost his temper some day and went too far, possibly even killing someone without thinking? Choji didn't think he could live with himself if he ever killed someone out of rage.
Choji's thoughts kept him so occupied that he reached Training Area 5 before he knew it. He was surprised to see Shikamaru already there, and from the looks of him, the lazy genin was as deep in thoughts of his own as Choji had been a moment before. "Hey Shika!" Choji called out to his friend. Shikamaru looked up, visibly startled, but when he saw it was Choji he broke into a smile.
"It's troublesome," Shikamaru observed to Choji. "Ino's late; she must have decided it would be a better use of her time watching Team 8 from the bushes and drooling about Sasuke."
"I heard that!" came a loud voice from the road. Choji laughed while Shikamaru grimaced, and they both turned to the third member of their team. Ino joined them, still glaring at Shikamaru and clenching her fist threateningly.
"About time" a deep, slow voice cut across Ino's angry deprecations. "If this was wartime the enemy would have already stormed the village and gotten away scot-free." Choji and his teammates whirled around, looking for the source of the voice. "Up here, slowpokes!" the voice taunted. They all turned to see a stocky shinobi with spiky black hair, perched on a branch of the tree they had been standing around. Choji saw Shikamaru's expression of disgust, which he understood perfectly. How could they have missed him? Their jonin even had a cigarette dangling from one corner of his mouth, sending up a thin spiral of smoke. There was no way they could have missed the tell-tale smell of tobacco, yet all three were as surprised as Iruka-sensei when Naruto had unveiled his special clone jutsu.
"I'm Asuma Sarutobi, and I'll be leading this squad." Asuma gestured at Choji and his teammates. "Introduce yourselves, and tell an embarrassing story." He grinned as the genin stared back at him uncertainly. "Ok, just introduce yourselves, and tell me what you bring to this team."
Ino spoke first, her words running together in her rush to get them out before her teammates. "I'm Ino Yamanaka, and I'll bring leadership and drive! I don't know our clan's techniques yet, but father says he'll teach me soon!"
Shikamaru scowled, probably (if Choji had to guess) at this tiring display of emotion and earnestness. "I'm Shikamaru Nara, and I can use the shadow-based jutsus of my clan as well as the basic skills we were taught at the Academy."
Choji felt his face grow hot now that it was his turn to speak. "I… I know some of our clan's jutsus, and I'll work hard…" He looked down at his feet, ashamed of his own doubts and fears.
Asuma looked at each of them in turn, nodding to himself and blowing a few smoke rings skyward. "I see. Well, we're about to find out what you all can do. What is the first duty of a shinobi in hostile territory?" This last question came out rapidly, and caught Choji off-guard. Ino, though, had always paid attention in the Academy (if only, Choji reflected, as a means of showing off for Sasuke) and came right back with the answer.
"To observe the enemy and bring back intelligence to the village." Asuma nodded slightly.
"That's right. Intelligence is the most important thing any village can possess; I'm sure you've already heard of the phrase 'knowledge is power.' Every Hidden Village devotes a large portion of its manpower to protecting vital information, and a truly great shinobi isn't necessarily the greatest fighter, but is instead the one that gathers the best information for his or her village. So for your first test, you will have to obtain an important document. But be careful; you'll find out that it's held in territory that is extremely… hostile."
With those ominous words, Asuma turned his back on the genin and walked into a small copse of trees about a hundred yards away. Ino set her shoulders and walked after Asuma immediately, while Shikamaru rolled his eyes and followed reluctantly. Choji took a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. His team was counting on him, and there was no turning back.
oOoOo
Asuma stopped walking after he reached a roughly circular clearing, about three hundred yards across. Shikamaru surveyed the ground, determined not to let anything catch him by surprise. Asuma's theatrics during his introduction had been annoying, but it would be even more annoying if Shikamaru got caught by some cheap trick or hidden trap after being warned. As far as he could see, there was nothing in the clearing except for a wooden box directly in the center.
Asuma gestured to the box, nodding to the three genin behind him. "There it is: the information you need to retrieve. Good luck – and try not to die!" And he vanished in a puff of smoke.
What a show-off! Shikamaru thought. Their sensei should become an actor, as fond as he was of portentous declarations and theatrical entrances and exits. But that wasn't important now. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, searching the clearing again for the dangers he knew would be waiting. He should have guessed his teammate wouldn't think that far ahead.
Ino shot forward, sprinting toward the box in a purple and yellow blur.
"Get her back here, Choji!" Shikamaru snapped, knowing his friend wouldn't ask questions. Choji sprang into action, and reached Ino just as she was bending over to pick up the box. He caught her in a full running tackle, knocking her to the ground with the force of a charging bull. If he had been a second late, Ino would have been run through by the twin blue streaks that came flying from the trees on the other side of the clearing.
Choji ran back to Shikamaru, carrying a breathless Ino who looked very much the worse for wear. "What… was that about?" Ino managed to get out. Choji only pointed toward the box, where the blue streaks were now circling aggressively, as if daring them to try again. Shikamaru had been watching closely, and thought he knew what they were.
"I think they're trench knives," he said to the other two. "They're serrated blades that allow for more dexterity and control than regular knives or kunai. Asuma or someone else is controlling them with chakra. He can coordinate their attacks, making it impossible for any of us to get to the box. We could split up, but the knives will just focus on one of us and we won't be able to dodge because one person can't watch both knives at once."
Ino groaned in frustration. "Then what are we supposed to do?" she shouted.
"That depends." Shikamaru said quietly. "Do you trust me?" Ino looked at him hard, and Shikamaru could practically see the wheels turning. Eventually Ino finished her silent reevaluation and nodded slowly. "Good. Then here's what we do…"
After Shikamaru finished walking them through his plan, the three genin took their positions. Ino approached the box and its lethal guardians cautiously, with Shikamaru watching carefully about twenty yards behind her. The trench knives rose to meet the interlopers, speeding straight for Ino. She dodged both of the knives by spinning to one side, and closed about half of the distance to the box. One of the knives got back between Ino and her target, and moved toward her again. The second knife circled until it was behind her, and sped up until it was shooting directly for the spot between her shoulder blades. Ino leapt to the right as the first knife passed her, but was left suspended in the air as the second knife changed direction and moved in for the kill.
Shikamaru completed the seal he'd been holding halfway, and sent his shadow at full speed toward his blond teammate. It reached Ino when the knife was only feet away. Shikamaru dropped to the ground, forcing Ino to mirror the movement without regard for the momentum of her earlier jump. The second knife passed harmlessly overhead.
From there Shikamaru, Ino and the two trench knives entered a deadly game of cat and mouse. Shikamaru watched the arcs of both trench knives at once from his vantage point behind Ino, making sure avoid the sweeping strikes of both knives while moving Ino closer and closer to their objective.
Here it comes, Shikamaru thought, right about… now! Sure enough, a brace of shuriken flew from the trees where the trench knives had first appeared, headed straight for Shikamaru. He couldn't move to avoid them without leaving Ino to the mercy of the trench knives. Shikamaru didn't even budge. He heard Choji shout "Baika no Jutsu!" and laughed as the super-sized Choji jumped in front of the projectiles. Shuriken bounced off of Choji's expanded stomach and fell to the ground, looking small and slightly pathetic in the grass.
The next moment Shikamaru finished his Shadow Possession Jutsu, since Ino had reached the box and only needed to return it to them safely to complete the test. She launched herself into the air, twisting with more dexterity than Shikamaru would have been able to draw on, managing to avoid the trench knives in their last, desperate attack. In a flash she was back next to Shikamaru and Choji, who took up guard positions between Ino and the woods where the knives and shuriken had come from.
"Well done!" Asuma's voice shouted from across the clearing. Shikamaru smiled slightly to himself as his sensei stepped out into the clearing and reclaimed his trench knives, which flew back to him trailing blue chakra. "That was excellent teamwork, just what I was looking for from all of you! Shikamaru, I'm glad you were aware of the limited motion which is the major drawback of your Shadow Possession. All of you, well done! Although next time, Ino, you might want to survey the ground before charging full speed ahead. You were almost as foolhardy as Naruto for a second there." Ino blushed a bright red.
Choji looked at the wooden box curiously. "What documents did we recover?" he asked.
Asuma laughed, a deep sound from his stomach which reminded Shikamaru of Choji's father's laugh. "You recovered what is, in my opinion, close to the most important intel you'll ever receive during your training as a shinobi."
Ino opened the top of the box and brought out a small, brightly colored piece of paper. On the front in bold letters it read "Yakiniku Q Takeout Menu." Choji let out an excited yell.
"Let's go get some dinner to celebrate a successful first test," Asuma said brightly. Shikamaru wanted to groan, but decided not to give his sensei the satisfaction.