Shikamaru stood next to Hachi. The girl was beaming and bouncing eagerly on the balls of her feet. Shikamaru had done most of what Hazuki had asked. In the time he had spare he had looked out for Hachi, giving her a few extra lessons when she struggled. He found Hachi to be even more playful and hyperactive than Hazuki. But the girl was quite smart.
A few minutes after they had arrived at the village entrance three figures appeared of the tree that lined the path out of the village. One, Shikamaru knew to be Tomoki.
"They brought Naoki!" Hachi exclaimed, swiftly changing from bouncing to jumping.
Shikamaru chuckled. The three were at the gates a minute later, a familiar face beamed at Shikamaru. Hazuki let her brother's hand drop then flung her arms around Shikamaru. Awkwardly he hugged back.
She pulled away, laughing at him. "Not too troublesome?" she asked, amused.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, he retorted with a question, "No hello?"
Hazuki just continued to smile. She took a step back then picked up he brother. "This," she said, adjusting him so he was closer to Shikamaru. "Is Naoki."
Shikamaru smiled. The boy looked a lot like his father. He took the boys out stretched hand and gave it a little shake. "Hello," his voice strained with the awkwardness of being presented a young child.
Tomoki chuckled at this. "How has she been?" referring to Hachi.
Shikamaru shrugged. "Not too troublesome," he replied, ruffling Hachi's hair.
"Hey!" she cried and smoothed down her hair.
The older three smiled whilst the four year old Naoki tried to squeeze out of his sisters arms to chase a leaf the floated past. Hazuki smiled and caught it with her free hand. She handed it to her brother, he gave a small giggle.
"Well," Hazuki said, handing her brother to her father, then stepped over the village boarder. "You best be going." Shikamaru's head shot to the side to stared, shocked, at Hazuki. The girl was hugging her sister, "don't be to annoying, and look after Naoki for me, yeah?"
Hachi gave a nod, the jogged after her father. She waved goodbye then she, her father and brother disappeared down the track and out of site. Shikamaru turned to Hazuki, for the first time noticing the bag she carried.
"What…?" Shikamaru started, but was cut off as he realised how much Hazuki had changed.
She was wearing a deep green shirt, with black trousers. A deep purple jacket lay over her shirt and she wore dark blue sandals. Her hair was pulled back a pony tale that reached between her shoulder blades, her fringe separated from the rest buy a deep blue ribbon, framed her face. Her hair had become a darker shade of drown and her eyes bore a more intense colour.
"Just like the first time we met," she chimed. She smiled at the quizzical look she received for her remark. "When we first met, you stared at me with the same expression."
Shikamaru almost blushed. "How long you here for?" he asked, changing the subject.
"'Till the end of the Chunin exams," Hazuki said, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.
"Where you staying?"
Hazuki shrugged. Shikamaru sighed; Hazuki thought she heard him say 'troublesome' but she wasn't sure. Shikamaru headed off down the main street, and Hazuki jogged to catch up. "Where are we going?" she called over to him, just before he turned off in to another street.
"Well because your so troublesome and have no where to stay, I'm going to see if my parents don't mind you staying for a while," he gave Hazuki a half annoyed, half happy smile.
Hazuki smiled back, keeping close behind Shikamaru. "Anyone else a Chunin already?" she asked
Shikamaru shook his head. "Just me," he said with a flourish. "Does Tsunade know you're here?"
Hazuki nodded, then realised Shikamaru couldn't she her. "Yeah, she does."
"I'll take you to her later, she'll probably want to see you, but for know… We're home," he said proudly. He turned and gave Hazuki an almost energetic smile.
Hazuki stared past him at the house. It was much like her own, not too posh, but not too humbled, she liked it. A figure appeared at the door, it slid open. A rather stern faced woman appeared at the door.
"Are you coming in any time soon, Shikamaru?" the woman called.
Shikamaru shrugged. "I gotta take Hazuki to Lady Tsunade," he said lazily and slid his hands into his pocket. The woman raised and eye brow. "Can she stay here 'till the end of the Chunin exams?"
His mother, Hazuki assumed, gave a tut. "I'll ask your father, leave her stuff on the porch it should be fine, take her to Tsunade while I make dinner. She can eat here, even if he doesn't want her to stay."
Shikamaru looked at Hazuki as he held out his hand for her bag. He noticed the awkward look on her face. Shikamaru dropped the bag onto the porch then directed Hazuki away from the house.
"Troublesome woman," he muttered as they walked away, he noticed the look Hazuki shoot him. "Not you, my mother."
Hazuki gave a half smile. "So, how's everyone?" She asked.
Shikamaru gave a shrug. "Alright I suppose."
"Not one for specifics then?" Hazuki laughed.
"Alright then," Shikamaru said, answering the challenge. "Kiba's still short tempered and loud, Choji still eat any thing and every thing he can get his hands on, Sakuara and Ino are still madly in love with Sasuke, Hinata is still very shy but has a bit more confidence, Sasuke has left the village and joined Orochimaru and Naruto, still hyperactive, ha left the village with Jiraiya for a couple of years to further his training," Shikamaru took in a deep breath once he had finished.
He looked over at Hazuki who was stemming laughter. "So not much has changed really?" Shikamaru shrugged.
Shikamaru shook his head and they continued to walk, chatting about what had happen to each other over the years she had been gone. They arrived at the Hokage's office not long after. Hazuki stood, cold faced, under Tsunade's hard stare. Shikamaru noted the look.
Tsunade tipped back in her chair, her expression changed to one of deep thought. "Usually we would be able to accommodate your request, but with Naruto leaving the village I have no team to put you in," she said, staring down at the sheets before her. "I could put you in a two man cell with Sakura, but I'm not entirely sure how Shikamaru's Team would cope with out a third member."
"Put Sakura with them, I can work by myself," Hazuki said.
Tsunade frowned at this. "It's not a matter if you can or can't, it's a matter of can you really survive five day's, with no team, in the forest of death," Tsunade raised a sceptical eyebrow at Hazuki.
The girl smiled, "You forget what I'm capable of, Lady Tsunade."
The older woman shook her head. "You're right. Okay, I'll let you go by with one condition."
Hazuki nodded. "What is it?"
Tsunade smirked. "He goes with you," Tsunade pointed at Shikamaru.
The boy looked shocked. "What?" he gawped, staring at Tsunade.
"Just for the second round, it will make the teams fair, you'll make up the space of the two missing genin." Tsuande flexed her wrist, "Dismissed"
With an annoyed sigh Shikamaru led Hazuki from the room, then back to his house.
From where he sat, Shikamaru watched Hazuki as she sat with her eyes shut. Her pencil hovered just above her paper. He knew she was sat on one of the table with a Chunin, in fact, she was sat right next do him. Did she even know that? A second later her eyes snapped open and she wrote fast, filling in each of the answer boxes. Ten minutes later she had finished. She flipped the paper over the lent pack, pulling her arms behind her head and leaning against the desk behind her.
She stayed in that position until they were dismissed, at which time she jumped from her seat, stretching out and giving Shikamaru a disguised wink. He handed his sheet to Ibiki then went off to find Hazuki. He found her talking with Kiba and Choji. As he walked toward them he was joined by Ino and Sakura. For one the pair weren't arguing. When Hazuki saw Sakura and Ino she gave them a hug each. She practically jumped on Hinata when she and Shino finally joined them. For a while they stood talking idly, but Hinata, Shino and Kiba eventually broke off to practice and go trough tactics for the following day. Sakura, Choji and Ino followed suit.
"Want to join us?" Ino asked Hazuki.
She shook her head, "No I'll be fine thanks."
Ino cocked her head, about to ask Shikamaru but stopped her self when he shook his head. The other three walked off. "Why don't you…"
Hazuki cut him off. "I don't wonna know there plans. Better that way. Think about it, it could make them a target for me."
Shikamaru laughed, "But you wouldn't go after them."
Hazuki laughed too. "But that's not the point. Say this was a top secret mission, and I knew the plans for there attack or route or what ever, what if I was caught by enemy ninja? I could be a potential information leak, not that I am."
Shikamaru's expression was a mixture of concern and humour. "You over think things."
"Ah yes, but over thinking is the key," she shouted, flailing her arms out dramatically, her arms hit something hard. She jumped, giving a small squeak and falling over. She swiftly, and rather elegantly, spun to her feet.
Before her stood a boy her age, she assumed, with a mop of red hair. "Sorry," he murmured, almost incoherently.
"No, it's not you fault, I hit you," Hazuki exclaimed.
"No, you didn't," Shikamaru spoke in an almost tense voice.
"I didn't?"
The red haired boy shook his head. "This is Garra, from the sand village," Shikamaru said, stepping to Hazuki's side. "Just prey you don't have to fight him."
Hazuki laughed. "I know," she gave a dramatic bow at Garra. His face turned a shade pinker. "Your reputation precedes you."
Shikamaru burst out laughing, giving Garra a light pat n the shoulder, and Hazuki a slap on the back. "We'll be seeing you around, yeah Garra," Shikamaru nodded to the boy and dragged Hazuki off, both in a fit of laughter.
The pair started jogging. There was no need to but it felt so natural. Subconsciously they headed for the park. There they stood panting for breath. Iruka walked pasted, smiling at the pair as they recovered. Hazuki waved him over.
"Wow, you have grown," he said to Hazuki as he neared.
Hazuki continued to laugh. "I see you haven't sensei."
The man laughed, "How have you been? Not causing too much trouble I hope."
Hazuki became more sombre and shook her head. "Oh of course not."
Iruka gave her a nod and slowly turned, it was rather obvious there was some where he needed to be. "You look after her tomorrow," he called to Shikamaru then was off, disappearing down the street.
Shikamaru felt his feet wrenched from under him and he fell to the floor. Hazuki stood over him, laughing. "Hey!" he cried, and then was helped back to his feet. Hazuki turned her back and he dropped to a crouched and swung his leg under hers, she jumped it with ease. Still laughing Hazuki spun on the spot, swinging and arm at Shikamaru's neck as he stood up. He blocked it with his own arm.
"Shall we go somewhere more… spacious?" Hazuki asked, then dashed off through the trees.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and followed, chasing the girl to the ledge with the tree sprouting from it. The Leaf had slowly sprouted into a branch. Once he had reached Hazuki the pair stared sparing. Several time he had tried to use his showdown possession jutsu but The girl had some how managed to move out of it's way then get up behind him and knock his feet out from under him. He tried it again, this time Hazuki took refuge in a tree.
Seconds later kunai flew from the tree and an mishmash sort of fashion, hiding where the girl crouched, silently watching Shikamaru. She burst out of the top of the tree, perching gracefully on the top. She held Shuriken in her hand. She threw them down at Shikamaru. He hissed as he dodged them. He pulled several Kunai from the ground, throwing them in a spectacular display, at the girl who had gone back to hiding in the tree.
He heard a yelp, then a thud. He jogged to the opposite side of the tree. The top of Hazuki's arm was bleeding, but the girl herself was laughing. She pulled away her torn jacket from her arm, revealing a large gash across the top of her arm. She continued to laugh as her pulled a bandage from her pouch and wrap it around her arm. She smiled up at Shikamaru once she had done.
"I think I should go find Sakura," she said.
Shikamaru nodded, helping her up.
Yay! Finally done. Tis a bit of a crappy chapter really, the next one will be better.