Counting Shadows
"Why are we here!?" A very petulant Naruto whispered/whined in his team captains' ear, causing said captain to shudder with irritation, the proud Hyuga snapped his neck around to face the blonde causing long neatly tied hair to whip the whiskered ninja in the face.
The flamboyant ninja already being used to the treatment didn't even skip a beat.
"Stand down, Naruto!" Neji hissed for the umpteenth time that late afternoon.
"But he's just been sitting there for hours!" The knucklehead's voice rising, 'Again, honestly.'
"Obviously you never had to infiltrate information before, this is standard procedure; Shikarmaru is an extreme strategist among other genius tendencies. Unlike you, he will not go running into enemy lines without a meticulously placed plan."
"Which means…?" Naruto completely missing the dead look the Hyuga was sending him.
"Which means he is gathering as much information as he can, civilians are very helpful withholding valuable data and unawares of what they say in public areas."
"Whatever! I can't see why we can't just give him the information that Lady Tsunande gave us." He droned sticking out his bottom lip and crossing his arms, the action causing him to push his team captain deeper in the crevice he created on the stone building spying on said Nara.
An exasperatedsigh followed Naruto's statement; Neji bowed his head in mock defeat as elongated fingers pinched the bridge of his nose.
"This is more than just a reconnaissance mission, Naruto." Catching on to the severity in his tone, Naruto wisely stayed quiet.
"We are all obviously very worried about Lady Hinata's wellbeing, I included, she is precious to all of us, but to Shikamaru, she's much more than that." The Hyuga had to deactivate his Byakuugan to turn and gaze into sapphire eyes that even during nightfall, shined.
The whiskered ninja could only stare blankly, scratching at the back of his head habitually.
"Huh? But how could she be more?" He asked almost off handily and it honestly baffled the young Hyuga.
'How can you be so dense?' The question was so bitter that Neji had almost made the mistake of voicing it and making this whole terrible situation even more terrible.
"You haven't seen the way he looks at her as of late? Or how much time he sacrifices from his clan to be with her?" The questions burning holes in the Young Uzimaki's brain as he searched for an answer, scrambling for anything as the implications settled in.
"But they work together, its normal for teammates to hang out." Naruto blurted, remembering exclusively only seeing them at the hospital.
"Have you ever seen Shikamaru do personal deliveries for anyone else?"
"No.."
"Have you ever seen Shikamaru accept volunteer work, which actually required work without complaint?"
"No but…"
"And who is this great candidate to learn Nara Medicinal practices passed down from generation to generation of Nara Fathers? This candidate who is most prominently not Nara, the very first person in Konoha history to acquire two clan secret jutsu's in her repertoire."
Naruto's face fell as the pieces started to finally come together; eight light bulbs already lit waiting for the last one to flicker to life.
Ding!
"Holy crow! He's in love with her!" The blonde exclaimed with barely controlled vigour making their already awkward position more awkward.
Neji had to brace himself against the makeshift wall feeling more out of focus than he ever has in his entire life listening to the dimwit behind him.
"When did that happen?" Naruto wondered aloud, leaning forward unconsciously, humming to himself as he surveyed this new revelation.
Was there really so much contemplation about this woman who had basically worshiped him her entire life?
Silver eyes turned to glare at a whiskered face and something akin to menacing filled Neji's senses; that wasn't all there was to this story, for Hinata has made it very clear on where her heart lies.
Her whole life dedicated to this foolish blonde with a nindo that sounded fatefully similar, Naruto stood as her sunny place every time it became too much to bear in her political and homicidal life style.
'With this dense son of a bitch!' Intermittent emotions clouded Neji's mind once again feeling that familiar flood of cold rage filling his system, calculated murderous thoughts having no direction but the unlucky young man pressed up against him.
With a swift snap, Neji was facing Naruto shocking the blonde into silence, all Neji wanted to do was blame him! Blame Shikamaru for not being able to protect her! Blame Naruto for unintentionally pushing Hinata into extremes just so he would acknowledge her but on no occasion keen enough to truly recognize her love.
As pure as it was.
Neji felt his chakra react violently as it licked the air around them now, his mind screaming that this whole mess was Naruto's fault! Speaking about her like that, like another mission made it all the more real, suddenly a twister of sharp kunai ripped him from the inside out.
His cherished Lady Hinata remains in grave danger and there was nothing he could do about it.
No jutsu strong enough, no move fast enough, no strategy clever enough to get her back, he just wanted this horrid empty feeling to go away, where was her smile when he needed it?
"This is your fault!" Neji susurrated, logic was no longer a priority feeling the worst kind of gratification when his knuckles collided into the solid concrete, Naruto completely taken aback by the swift turn the conversation took could only sputter.
"W-wait Neji! What are you talking about?! I'm not the one who poisoned her and turned her into a monster." Moments of two beating hearts passed and as quickly as Neji's insanity came, it left as he registered the blondes words, just the way he worded it sounded strange put together.
"Poison?" He stated aloud as if it were foreign, the rage leaked out of him leaving him dizzy, closing his grey eyes and crinkling his nose slightly catching Naruto off guard, producing a soft noise from the back of his throat.
A ghost of a raven haired youth permeated Naruto's memory as it always has when he was reminded of his dear friend. Neji's anguish mixed with his crinkled countenance softened something in Naruto eliciting a determination he thought he buried with his long lost brother.
"We are going to get her back, Neji!" Naruto vowed with a warm hand placed on Neji's shoulder his fortitude solidified as something passed thru Neji's facial expression that Naruto could personally relate to.
Shame flitted across Neji's stiff features for only passing milliseconds, feeling the weight of his accusations in the air, feeling the loss of his sweet cousin and the support she effortlessly seized from all Hyuga clan lines behind her and suffocating from the pressures of obeying orders.
From the Lady Hokage, from the Lord Hiashi and from the rightful heir, Hizashi himself.
Any words Naruto had to say in that instant were forever forgotten the moment Neji bowed his head in defeat with a soft 'thunk' on an orange and black clad shoulder.
Awkward like he has never felt awkward before filled his senses, Naruto now abruptly in hyper alert wanted to flee, or flail, or something! But he just stood there instead and listened in heated breaths as Neji attempted to collect himself, inhaling thru his nose he pushed himself off obviously coming to some sort of decision.
"Shikamaru is the only one strong enough to see this through." He told Naruto severely, "He's the only one with every tool and strategy, every move and counter move, Shikamaru would never be caught on a mission losing his head from emotional outbursts."
And he was the only other soul who treated Lady Hinata how she deserved to be treated, acknowledged and valued all of who she is so effortlessly, distributing honest devotion to her very being and accepting solely all her quirks and misgivings toward the shadow user because of a certain blonde.
"He's the only one who can bring her home." He said with such absoluteness that there was no way Neji would go back on his word, Naruto had no room to argue at last concluding to the fact with a tetchy pout that they were just the backup guys this round.
A moment of collective silence passed allowing Neji to turn his head to the side and activate his blood line closing his eyes almost simultaneously.
"He's on the move." He stated solemnly, raising his fingers to his chest and dispelling the camouflage jutsu that hid them in the wall both falling from the seven story building and landing with ease on the dirt road below.
But before they could make a move a burst of light far north of the city halted them and they gaped in wonder at the astonishing pillar of light as it shone down in the darkening sky the two Leaf Ninja stood back feeling a familiar warmth.
It was her! There was no mistaking it, Shikamaru felt the foreign feeling of panic prick at his psyche and suddenly his feet weren't his own as they took off toward the light.
'I won't let you down this time!' Logically he knew this was useless, she was miles and miles away but to feel Hinata so close was too much to bear for the Nara.
'I just want to see you smile again.' His avid memory working against him when he got to hold her close for the first time, as she writhed and screamed in her sleep, hearing her cries everywhere he turns.
All Shikamaru could think about was getting her back, that's all that mattered now.
His dark eyes widening in desperation when the light started to dissipate her warmth trailing after it and he cried out crashing to his knees when it disappeared in the night sky all together like it was never there in the first place.
He growled low before letting out an animalistic roar then Shikamaru crashed his fists into the ground causing a large dust cloud to encompass him the ground below him caving.
His body unused of the endorphins rushing thru his system, the complete loss of control and the time worn exhaustion that came with it let himself fall forward. Shikamaru hit the ground hard not caring at the moment how foolish he looked but just agitated at how irrational he had become.
Shikamaru lay there for who knows how long, the will to get up in the morning was one thing in itself but the will to get up without the sight of a sunny warm gaze smile to motivate him was another. He had even contemplated just shutting down completely and take a well-deserved nap.
'You have to stay low Shikamaru.' Came a tinkling whisper, snapping his eyes open he half expected to see Hinata in her jounin uniform crouching beside him.
But before he could question his sanity he heard snaps of twigs deep in the forest, holding his breath and immediately supressing his chakra to imperceptible Shikamaru listened.
Muffled voices of children permeated the area, making him crinkle his nose, why would kids be out in the woods so late? A distinct adult male's voice cut thru the air and Shikamaru's heart sank at the dark familiarity but couldn't quite place it yet.
"What does Lord Jajuka think of the new recruits?" The male's voice questioned casually.
"Don't know, I imagine he's satisfied there are even survivors." Answered a small croaky voice that immediately warned the shadow user that these were the demonic rats him and his team ran into that fateful night that started this whole accursed thing.
The male's voice replied with a throaty chuckle that echoed through the valley.
"Yes evolution is a painful process in the medical field, I'm sure Lord Orochimaru will attest to that." And suddenly the creepy voice had a face; Shikamaru felt a surge of killer intent seethe as he thought of the bespectacled man.
'Kabuto.'
Almost contemplating a blind attack but then again that would be even more useless than chasing after a light and indiscreetly Shikamaru was so caught up listening and gaining control of his broiling chakra that he failed to notice the traditional geta clad feet appear beside him.
A dark man with a Shimenawa tied around his waist stood quietly all revenge and power aside this particular leaf ninja did not warrant a fight out of the lone Uchiha so instead he crouched to observe the strange site before him, a leaf ninja face down in a hole. The shuffle of his geta finally alerting the Shinobi of his presence and he watched in mild interest as a familiar face turned to glare up at him.
"Sasuke!?" He whispered indignantly obviously shocked to see him of all people in Fire country.
The indifferent Uchiha only raised one regal brow in question.
"Shikamaru." He drawled as if completely disinterested in the whole situation as if he hadn't just stumbled across his past.
"What brings you to the borders of Sand, Nara?" Sasuke asked or more like droned, as if he was required to make small talk, sighing Shikarmaru finally got the energy to hoist his body upright again sitting cross legged across from the S class missing nin.
It was strange to think of him like that, after all the bad that he has done, Sasuke was still the boy from the academy in Shikamaru's eyes. Still not someone he particularly liked but someone he was raised to consider a comrade.
"Obviously I'm on a mission." The lazy Shinobi replied with equal the amount of disinterest and a hint of sarcasm that threatened a smirk out of the Uchiha.
The Nara being one of the few people in this world who actually understands Sasuke's language.
"Alone?" The Uchiha inquired with ease, drilling his crimson eyes into the Leaf Shinobi with exasperating perceptive discernments. Auburn orbs rolled up to the starry sky and knew that there was no way he was going to get off easy tonight Shikamaru let out a soft groan.
"Fine if you must know, I broke protocol on Lady Tsunande and went rogue but I have to find out who is behind an attack on my teammates. "He stated with disdain flashes of a sunny smile filtered his thoughts, making him zone out just passed the Uchiha in front of him.
"Hn." Sasuke moved from his crouch to join the other Shinobi on the ground.
"Who attacked you?" Who meaning what village.
"They were kids." Shikamaru answered gravely watching expectantly as Sasuke's eyes widened just a fraction, a feat so small you had to be looking for it to notice it.
"Tell me what you know Sasuke."
"First tell me what this is really about!" Sasuke didn't yell, but his voice had an edge to it that lashed out in the air harshly.
"Yeah like I'm going to tell you, you're probably just gonna blather it to your psycho sensei."
Sasuke unimpressed just crossed his arms and huffed into the air just slightly, uncaring Shikamaru placed his fingers together and stayed quiet, both coming to an impasse.
Neither of the Shinobi would yield though as they glared each other down, playing a game that they knew so well, wore it like armour and was their most powerful weapon in their arsenal at times.
Patients.
'I can do this all night.' Both thought instantaneously now opting to silently observe the other. It had been years since they have actually faced one another, not in a battlefield.
Sasuke realizing with a start that this was his very first civilized conversation he had in a very long time that he has on a baser level, enjoyed. Not that they said much but it was the lazy way Shikamaru regarded him, with no passed shadows haunting Sasuke's every move but rather a leisure sort of ease.
Like he wasn't an S class criminal with his name written in every bingo book created in all corners of the great nations.
Shikamaru now feeling more like himself let his brain work its magic observing the much stronger Shinobi before him. Sasuke still held himself with an uncaring overbearing prideful aura that set his broad shoulders high and pushing his chin slightly higher than need be.
The static of his chakra even in dormant Shikamaru could feel it titter across his skin raising his hairs on his arms, his body reacting as if there were an immediate danger making this whole situation even more troublesome.
So instead Shikamaru let himself fall into a trusting palm leaning against his knee and observed the chaos he got himself into, an echo of a shy smile and a gentle scent of lilac filled the air.
There wasn't a moment that passed that Shikamaru wasn't consumed by her.
"Who is she?" Sasuke questioned callously with the beginnings of a smirk when Shikamaru widened his eyes incredulity.
'How..?' Before he could question Sasuke's motives he spoke with an almost amused countenance.
"It's written all over your face." He specified with a self-satisfied smirk.
Shikamaru groaned dramatically realizing he was becoming just as bad as his emotional blonde teammate.
"You probably wouldn't even remember her so drop it." Shikamaru countered putting abundant emphasis on the T at the end.
Expectant silence passed pushing Shikamaru into a corner, making him twitch with agitation, it seems like no matter how he looked at it, he wouldn't get his way even if he could come up with some magical explanation.
Readying his imaginary shovel, Shikamaru started to dig himself a hole.
"Her name is Hinata and she's in pretty bad shape." His shoulders sagging from the memory of watching her slowly descend into madness.
Sasuke raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, 'The Hyuga girl.' Flashes of a shy quiet smile permeated his repressed memory.
"Those rats hit her with some sort of poison and now she…she….." All energy left his system making Shikamaru wish he could just lay back down in his spot on the ground.
"Are you sure you want to save her?" Sasuke asked with severity, surprisingly taking his situation seriously.
But the question only made the Nara give the avenger a dead look.
"Obviously I wouldn't be here if I didn't." It was Sasuke's turn to roll his eyes.
"That's not what I mean, once the transformation is complete, or even if she survives she won't be human anymore." The words just spilled from his lips, Sasuke now comprehending the fact that this is the most he has spoken in years.
He had just betrayed the snake sanin, just speaking to this Shinobi was treason within itself.
Not that Sasuke cared.
"Tell me what you know Sasuke." The Nara demanded again, this time feeling more liberated to the fact that Sasuke would actually help him out.
"All I know is that it wasn't poison that infected your friend, it's a curse mark and not just you're run of the mill jutsu either." He paused for a moment feeling obstinate just stating this, would he even believe him?
"It's a Demon mark, specifically made to transmute pure Youkai into the hosts system, completely override it until they are nothing more than mindless killing machines."
"The snake is planning on making an army of them but so far only a handful can survive the actual placement of the mark let alone the transformation."
"How did he even get a hold of such power?" Shikamaru queried incredulously.
A long dramatic hush ensued letting the Nara collect all his strategic bearings for the next sentence.
"Orochimaru has been over the years, sacrificing his body and soul to revive a demon long since sealed for more than ten thousand years, a demon whose only purpose is to consume."
They sat for a long time in silence, Sasuke fading in the background as absolute revulsion settled in the pit of Shikamaru's stomach, this new revelation made him regret searching for the answer so relentlessly.
"Have you seen this demon?" Spoke a spectre of Shikamaru, a shadow.
"Only long enough to know I don't want to cross paths with him again." Sasuke spoke letting the severity of his words settle in his crimson gaze not ashamed to reveal his apprehension.
Tired eyes closed making deep purple bruises more prominent, from lack of sleep or a hit in the face, Sasuke wasn't sure.
A black bird landed beside them with a purposeful perch, Sasuke was being summoned.
Shikamaru gave the raven a once over before heaving himself upwards to his feet, the Uchiha mimicking his movements but rather more gracefully his movements more resembling a black panther than a man.
An awkward tense silence followed neither knowing how this even happened! Shikamaru feeling the weight of Konoha fall on his shoulders for a moment. This man was a direct enemy to the leaf village, nearly killing his own teammates but Shikamaru felt that situation could have been avoided; Sasuke didn't get forced to leave.
He wanted to leave; growing up with him Shikamaru knew Sasuke didn't do things for no reason, if anything there was always an unhealthy drive constantly heating his gaze. Sasuke didn't have to help him out, there wasn't a reason Shikamaru could think of that he would even keep him alive.
"Look Sasuke, I appreciate that you didn't try to kill me when you saw me and you really saved me a lot of time giving me all that information so….thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck cumbersomely.
"I can't promise being so friendly should we meet again." Sasuke warned with no real malice but knowing the realities of being a Shinobi, they shouldn't have even spoken to begin with, now unknowingly Sasuke has made a tangible connection where there should have been none.
But the reunion was almost unavoidable and Sasuke had to begrudgingly admit, the conversation relieved the humane part of him. Suffering from some sort of cabin fever having no other contact than Orochimaru and his one henchman, his mind was filled with tar a poison that had no antidote.
Surprising both of them, Sasuke raised his hand to the Nara in a sort of thank you gesture, Shikamaru only needed a second to react taking the Uchiha's hand into his own giving one solid shake in recognitions.
"Till than Sasuke."
And with that the two Shinobi vanished in a swirl of leaves together they were the kinsmen of the shadows.