The Nara Clan forest was a large expanse of land, completely covered by trees. It was located on the outskirts of Konoha and is a unique forest within the Land of Fire. A plentiful amount of deer roamed the area and those of the Nara Clan were entrusted to look after them. The Nara Clan, among their skills in strategies, deduction, and yin jutsu, they were also known for their scholarly dedication to the medical field. Many modern remedies were created by the Nara Clan. One of their most common ingredients were antlers from these deer. It in turn, produced medicines.

There was a condition however: no one, but members of the clan are allowed to step foot into the forest without permission. For this reason, the forest was quiet and peaceful. After all, the Nara Clan certainly wasn't known for their loud demeanor, but rather their "too lazy to speak" principle.

This quiet and serene setting was exactly what Kanoko believed was needed to focus on her training: Molding chakra.

Kanoko sat on the ground, far enough away from her home to be out of sight, but not too far incase her mother needed her. Or get lost… If Kanoko was being honest with herself, it would be the latter.

After crossing her legs, she picked up a fallen leaf and held it in her hand. She tried to focus her chakra into the leaf. Nothing happened.

She closed her eye, focusing on her chakra, which formed in her stomach. She tried to move it around, but by the time she could feel it get to her arms, it would dissipate.

"Curse this body!" Kanoko thought glaring at the leaf in her hand.

Kanoko had been struggling for some time with her chakra. Normally, only regular civilians had chakra reserves so low that they couldn't form their chakra, but Kanoko was from a ninja family and a long standing clan – this shouldn't be an issue.

She had contemplated asking her "father" for help, as there may be something, relating to the Nara Clan that had an answer to this, but she had observed Shikamaru as he (was forced) trained and he did not have the same problem.

"I'm doing something wrong. I have to." Kanoko focused her thoughts and energy into her arm again, and by extension, the leaf. It did not stick.

"Perhaps this is a consequence of reincarnation?"

Kanoko looked up from her arm, towards the sky. She stared at the clouds and thought, "What good am I, if I can't form chakra? I can only guess that my presence indicates a dark future ahead, but how am I supposed to defend my home, with this limitation? "

She stared at the clouds passing by slowly for a while longer before she felt a whoosh of air. She turned her head, noticing someone laying down next to her, gazing at the clouds in longing. Not someone, her brother, Shikamaru.

She opened her mouth to ask a question, but decided she didn't have anything to ask – as least nothing she cared to know.

Instead, she laid down on her back.

It was moments like these that she was reminded of her first family; of her little brothers and her older goofy one. They never got much of a chance to lie down like this, as there was always a battle to fight or a task to complete, but they would have a few small, peaceful moments together.

She looked to her left, towards her brother, barely moving her head. Her mouth settled into a small smile as she thought, "I guess he's growing on me."

She closed her eyes, enjoying the fresh air blowing through and the warmth of the sun.

.

"Kaa-san said she needs you to run errands."

.

.

Kanoko gave Shikamaru a bland look and said, "No, I heard her tell you to run errands."

Shikamaru shrugged and said, "I'll tell her you're picking on kids at school."

Kanoko's and Naruto's feud had not dissipated that day in anyway. Much of the class was now aware of Naruto's declaration of rivalry against Kanoko and Kanoko refused submit to the little boy. Her "pranks" – though she would never call them that – were subtle and clever, sometimes so much so that even Naruto had no idea who pranked him. Not that that was too difficult to accomplish.

"You little brat." Kanoko thought staring at her brother bewildered.

She got up from her spot, dusting herself off before looking down at her brother. She gave him a pointed look before saying, "Give me the list."

Kanoko walked down the street into town. It was still early in the morning, so businesses were just opening up. However…

"What is this?!" Yelled a man Kanoko didn't know.

She turned the corner and found out what all the fuss was about.

Paint. Everywhere.

All of the sides of the buildings and even parks of the roofs had graffiti. The writing was poor and she couldn't make out what it said. She got distracted from the buildings when she heard a familiar crackle.

"Uzumaki…"

"Uzumaki Naruto, at your service!" Naruto yelled from on top of the arch above the street.

As he jumped off, he shouted, "I'm going to become the Hokage, no matter what!"

"Hey!" "Come back!" Yelled the villagers, trying to catch up to him.

Kanoko saw him running down the street towards her. He didn't see her. Instead, he was laughing and looking back at the adults chasing him.

"He made a big mess this time." One man said with his arms crossed.

Another villager agreed and said, "Even if we wanted to make a complaint, we can't, because he doesn't have any parents to complain to!"

Kanoko looked at Naruto as he passed, still not noticing her. "An orphan, huh?" Kanoko knew that she probably should have felt pity or at least sadness learning this, but she was raised in constant war. She had lost her younger brothers before they were even old enough to have children of their own. Orphans were common, unfortunately.

Still… she looked back at Naruto.

.

He wasn't smiling anymore.

After finishing her mother's errands, she walked through the door at home. Setting the bags down on the table she called out to her mother, "Tadaima Kaa-san."

"Okaeri Kanoko-chan!" Her mother greeted her back. Yoshino walked into the room and started helping her unpack all the groceries.

"How was your day Kanoko? And I thought I sent your brother out for this stuff…" Her mother asked in a warning tone.

Kanoko, in her past life, may have faced many evils, but Yoshino was a force to be reckoned with. Hey, if she had the Jounin Commander at her beck and call, who was Kanoko to think her stood a chance (especially with her little chakra problem).

"Hai, you did. I had to go into town anyways, so I volunteered." Kanoko said slowly with a blank look.

Yoshino stared at Kanoko with narrowed eyes, trying to make her sweat, before turning around and continuing to help with the groceries.

"So how did your day go then?" Her mother asked with a smile.

Kanoko let out a sigh of relief before answering her mother.

The Nara family sat at the table, eating dinner. Shikaku was eating and reading a report from work while Yoshino talked about her day. Shikamaru was eating slowly with lazy movements while Kanoko was listening to her mother. "Someone has to." She reasoned to herself.

Then a light bulb went off.

"Kaa-san?" Kanoko asked, interrupting her mother.

"Yes Kanoko?" He mother asked in wonder.

Kanoko held in a smirk before turning her face into a small pout, "I saw Shikamaru playing with his shadow today! That's not fair! How come Tou-san taught Shikamaru the clan jutsu, but not me? When I asked Shika, he said it was because Tou-san liked him more because he's a boy! Does Tou-san really love Shikamaru more than me?!" For a final touch, she forced some small tears to come out and settle on her cheeks. It took a lot from Kanoko to swallow her adult pride and stoop to this level, but she had been losing a number of battles lately and reasoned it was only logical to change tactics.

And Shikamaru's face made ever painful moment worth it.

So. Worth it.

.

.

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"SHIKAKU! SHIKAMARU!"

A crash, two high-pitched screams, and a series of begging (not necessarily in that order) were the next things heard from Nara house.

.

And if you listened really closely, you would have heard an evil chuckle as well.