Sadly, I do not own Naruto :(
CHAPTER 3: Suspicious Fox
Naruto was very curious. There was something about those two that he just couldn't put his finger on. They were so polite toward each other, and sometimes awkward even, but he sensed… something. He wasn't sure exactly what, but he was sure that there was DEFINITELY something fishy going on…
"Hey, Shikamaru, can I ask you something?" Naruto asked Shikamaru, seizing the opportunity when Temari was away from camp, picking berries for their lunch. The Chuunin hardly looked up, just lay back on the log with his arms behind his head. "Sure… ask away…" he sighed.
"Is there something going on between you and Temari?" Naruto inquired, genuinely curious. Shikamaru jerked up and started to cough and splutter. Naruto did not expect such a reaction and started to pat Shikamaru on the back. "I'm sorry buddy! Are you okay?" Shikamaru simply nodded and started to get up, when a ferocious wind erupted through the trees into their clearing. Naruto grinned at Shikamaru. "Strong wind today, isn't it?" Shikamaru sighed and slapped his palm to his forehead. He seems to do that a lot these days, thought Naruto. "That's Temari, you idiot! She's in battle!" Shikamaru exclaimed. Naruto noticed the wind ripping apart the bark on several trees across them and smiled. "Oh, I knew that," he said, "Let's go help her!"
Temari wasn't hard to find. Naruto simply looked for the areas where most of the trees were chopped down. When he jumped down, he saw 6 rogue ninja surrounding Temari. They laughed and high fived, and when Naruto spotted Temari, he knew why. Temari lay on the ground, her right arm bent in an awkward angle. She had deep gashes down her back and a kunai sticking out of her shoulder. Naruto had never seen the headstrong Kunoichi look so beaten up. Temari tried to pull herself up, but her right arm was in no shape to support her, and she crashed to the ground, trembling. The rogue ninja started to make their way towards her, and Naruto jumped in front of her protectively. "Hey buddy!" he shouted at the rougue ninja, "You wanna get to her, you got to go through me!" The head rogue ninja threw his head back and laughed. "A puny kid… Well, this shall be entertaining at least." As he tried to take a step forward, he realised he was frozen to the spot. "What…? My body! I can't move!" Naruto grinned.
"You should have NEVER done this to her!" Naruto's grin faltered as he heard Shikamaru's voice filled with so much… emotion. Shikamaru had only shown Naruto one emotion – Exasperation. Naruto was surprised and slightly afraid of the hatred that rang clear in his voice. "All 6 rogue ninja were struggling against the shadows that held them in place. "Forget it," Shikamaru continued, his narrowed eyes filled with anger, "I hold you in place with my Shadow Paralysation jutsu. It is impossible for you to break, and I can attack you freely." He smirked slightly, eyes glinting with rage, looking malicious. "SHADOW STRANGULATION JUTSU!" He shouted, wielding the shadowed hands to break the right arm of the head rogue ninja. Shikamaru launched several kunai at the rogue ninja, impaling them at different places. His eyes had taken on an almost sadistic quality. Shikamaru launched kunai after kunai at the rogue ninja, and used his shadow strangulation jutsu to break several bones in the rogue ninja's bodies. When he could stand it no longer, Naruto jumped in the way. "Shikamaru! Stop it!" he shouted. Shikamaru eyed him, through gritted teeth, he warned, "Naruto… get. Out. Of. The. Way." Naruto refused to budge. "You've broken most of their bones and hurt them, just let them go! We've got to tend to Temari!" Shikamaru seemed to sober up when Naruto mentioned Temari. He nodded and released his jutsu, then turned away from the rogue ninja scurrying into the forest. Naruto watched as Shikamaru lifted Temari bridal-style back to the camp.
Naruto was SURE there was something going on between the two, but WHAT WAS IT?
A/N: Hello! I have finished chapter 3! Yay! I'm open to your suggestions, so please leave me a review if you want to :) Also, check out my other story, Life of A Girl! Thanks! (Stay tuned for chapter 4!)